The girl was crying.
Rebecca crouched.
“Hey, kiddo.”
Sophie moved slightly from behind Daniel.
“Hi.”
“You okay?”
“He won’t let Dad take me home.”
Rebecca looked up at Caleb.
When she stood again, something in her face had gone cold.
“Officer Mercer.”
“Yes, Sergeant.”
“Turn your body camera on.”
Caleb blinked.
“It is.”
“Check.”
He touched the camera.
No indicator.
His face changed.
Rebecca’s voice sharpened.
“Turn it on.”
Caleb activated it.
A small light appeared.
Daniel watched.
So did Mrs. Alvarez.
Rebecca continued.
“Now step away from Mr. Cole and his daughter.”
Caleb stared.
“Sergeant, you don’t understand.”
“I understand exactly who Daniel Cole is.”
“My brother—”
“Your brother has no legal parental rights to Sophie.”
Caleb stopped.
Daniel felt Sophie’s fingers tighten around his coat.
Rebecca continued.
“None.”
Caleb shook his head.
“That’s not what Luke told me.”
“I don’t care what Luke told you.”
“He said Daniel manipulated the adoption.”
“Your brother signed the consent himself.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“He said he was under pressure.”
“That was litigated.”
Caleb stared at her.
Rebecca’s voice remained controlled.
“There was a family-court hearing, independent counsel for Luke, a guardian ad litem for Sophie, and a final adoption order.”
Caleb looked toward Daniel.
“He said Hannah planned to reverse it.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“Don’t.”
Rebecca stepped between them slightly.
Caleb continued anyway.
“She was going to leave him.”
Daniel took a step forward.
Rebecca held up one hand.
“Daniel.”
He stopped.
Sophie was watching.
That mattered.
Rebecca looked at Caleb.
“Do not repeat things about a dead woman based on claims from a man with a documented history of lying about custody.”
Caleb’s face flushed.
“He’s my brother.”
“Yes.”
“That doesn’t mean everything he says is a lie.”
“No.”
Rebecca nodded toward Daniel.
“It also doesn’t make Daniel a kidnapper.”
Caleb looked at Sophie again.
She had red hair almost exactly the shade his brother once had.
The resemblance was unmistakable now.
Caleb swallowed.
“I need to verify the order.”
Rebecca pulled out her phone.
“Good.”
She dialed.
Within four minutes, county dispatch confirmed what Daniel already knew.
Daniel Cole was Sophie’s legal father.
Adoption finalized four years earlier.
Luke Mercer’s parental rights terminated by consent before the adoption.
A standing protective order from three years earlier prohibited Luke from approaching Sophie’s school or contacting her directly without court authorization.
Caleb said nothing when Rebecca ended the call.
Daniel did.
“Did Luke tell you about the protective order?”
Caleb looked away.
That was the answer.
Rebecca’s eyes narrowed.
“What exactly did your brother tell you?”