Find My Baby (3 page)

“More than serious,” Kayla countered.

“I had no idea you lived in Houston. How did you know where to find me?”

“I’ve been here almost a year. My apartment is on the other side of town. Mother showed me where you lived years ago. Not too long ago, I looked up your number in the phone book. I wanted to call you, but I was afraid you’d hang up. Now I’m in trouble.” Breathless, she continued, “Give me a minute and I’ll try to explain.”

“I’ll make you a cup of hot tea. It will warm you.”

In minutes she placed the warm cup in Kayla’s trembling hands. “Take a few sips, then tell me about this trouble you’re in.”

Kayla took a swallow and let the warmth slide through her. Then, balancing the cup in her lap, wrapped the quilt tightly around her shoulders. “I don’t know where to begin. First, let me apologize. I wouldn’t come here if I weren’t desperate. I know you and Mom didn’t get along. But I’m not my mother. If you’ll let me stay a couple of days, I won’t bother you again.”

With trembling hands, she picked up her cup again. “They kidnapped my baby, Aunt Nester. They’ve taken Sam and I don’t know where he is.” Another sob tore through her.

“The police…” Nester began.

Kayla crumpled. “They think I killed him.”

The TV was on. Evidently Aunt Nester had been watching. Kayla’s gaze went to it when she heard her name.

The local channel had a newsbreak that showed her picture.

“Oh!” Aunt Nester whispered, looking from the TV back to Kayla.

Kayla’s ears roared. She had to hold onto herself to keep from passing out. “I don’t believe it. How could they do that?”

“The police want you to come in for questioning as a person of interest.” Nester stared at her niece. Kayla’s hands shook so hard that the cup slipped from her fingers. Nester grabbed the cup, then Kayla.

The next thing Kayla remembered was her aunt’s concerned eyes as she wiped her face with a damp cloth.

****

Luke Garrett stared at the clock. He’d seen every hour roll around since he’d hit the sack. Finally, the clock read six. He couldn’t stay in bed another minute. “Damn case, it’s going to make an old man out of me.”

The captain seemed to pick the worst cases to dump in his lap. Few had been as bad as this one. Luke’s reputation as a hard core Freon-nerved son-of-a-bitch, who solved more cases than any other cop in the department had earned Luke and his partner Terry Maguire this dubious honor. And it had them baffled.

The Tanner murder had been a bitch from day one. Tanner, a wealthy, forty-five-year-old man had been shot at the base of the skull, execution style, his body found by wife number two and her best friend. Convenient as hell since it gave the wife a solid alibi. Jewels had been stolen, insured of course. And the wife had inherited everything, including a ten-million-dollar life insurance policy. Luke would bet his badge she’d staged the whole thing and hired a killer to do the deed. But without a witness or solid evidence to prove his theory she’d go free.

The case and lack of evidence kept Luke up more nights than he cared to admit. He’d told Terry just today, or was it yesterday, that they were losing their touch.

Terry was his best friend as well as his partner. As an added plus, they worked well together. If they didn’t find something on the widow or some evidence leading to another suspect soon, they’d have to chalk this one up and it would end in the cold case file. That scenario didn’t set well with either of them.

Luke poured a cup of coffee and sipped it as he stared out the kitchen window. Dawn was late coming in mid-December. It was going to be another cold, damp day. At least he didn’t have to go in.

It was a rare Saturday off and Luke was more than glad to give the case from hell a rest.

He owed his mother a visit. Even after all these years, every time he thought or said the word mother, that same stab of resentment pulsed through him.

He’d been adopted. Not a bad thing, but his adoptive parents had kept it from him. Rosie was everything a mother should be. Loving, caring, thoughtful. So what if she had lied about his paternity­­? So what if she wasn’t his biological mother? He was a grown man with a career in law enforcement. Rosie was a widow living alone, who on occasion needed his help. And he loved her.

The last time they’d talked, she’d had a list of chores. A couple of light bulbs needed replacing. Her outside hose bibbs should be wrapped for the predicted freeze. And her pilot light wouldn’t stay lit on her hot water heater.

If only he could get her to move closer where he could check on her more easily and more often. But he’d been down that road to no avail. Rosie wasn’t getting any younger. Neither was her best friend, Nester Green. Both women were stubborn, but it was past time to make a change. Today wasn’t the day to discuss the issue. Instead, he’d stop by Home Depot and pick up what he needed. Filters probably needed changing, too.

From experience, he knew Nester also had a list. He didn’t mind doing odd jobs for the two of them. On the contrary, he looked forward to his visits and the chores. He just wanted them out of that area of town. What had once been a blue-collar neighborhood of young couples raising their children was now a high-crime area. It wasn’t unusual to see a drug buy going on down the street. Worse, gangs had all but taken over and it wasn’t safe to go out.

Luke thought the only thing keeping Rosie and Nester safe now was that everyone in the neighborhood knew he was a cop.

****

Kayla woke with a start in a strange bed, a strange room. For a frantic second, the thought she was back in the house where she’d been held prisoner.

Then she saw the old-fashioned dresser with the lace doilies, the frilly curtains on the window. And it all came rushing back.

Sam was gone.

Curling into a ball, she remembered everything.

And the cops wouldn’t help her.

Tears from her restless night soaked the pillow. Now, a scream of frustrated fear raced to her throat. She took an unsteady breath, forced herself to stay calm and think. She had to stop dwelling on the terror of her ordeal. She was free and it was time for action.

She took a deep breath. Even though she didn’t know who took Sam or where to look for him, she was going to find him. The longer he was gone, the harder it would be. That’s what all the crime shows on TV said. But whether the police helped or not, she’d find her baby.

Maybe Aunt Nester would help. An old woman? What could she do? Kayla hoped her aunt would at least give her the one thing she’d wanted all her life: support and stability. Something her mother had been incapable of doing.

She’d thought she had that stability with Sam’s father. But David had proven the opposite of what she thought.

Her dream to provide a stable home for her child had turned into a nightmare, but she’d get Sam and the dream back.

To find Sam, she’d need money, but dared not access her puny bank account. It would be too dangerous with both the police and a killer looking for her. Kayla sat up against the headboard. One big plus on her side was that the cops knew nothing about her aunt. The second was that Aunt Nester might help her.

A small amount of calm settled over her. Even if all her aunt could give was emotional support, Kayla would be grateful.

Amazed at the physical difference between the sisters, Kayla compared her mother’s small and daintily pretty body with Nester’s tall and big-boned one. Not fat, just a big woman. Nester’s face was long and angular, her eyes dark and widespread. While Kayla’s mother had had cornflower blue eyes, a creamy sooth complexion and a smile that made you think you were the only person in her world.

They were different in other ways, too.

Her mother couldn’t stay in one place long. Kayla remembered coming home from school; excited she’d found a friend only to see her mother throwing their things in boxes for another move. Kayla couldn’t count how many times that scenario had played out in her short life.

As far as she could tell, her aunt had lived in this same house all her life. Despite the fact that the sisters had nothing to do with one another all these years, Aunt Nester seemed to accept her. But did she believe her story?

When her aunt had helped her with a shower last night, then tucked her into bed, Kayla had seen the questioning look in her eyes. She’d also seen the warmth and kindness.

With or without help, Kayla intended to succeed.

She padded silently to the bathroom. She would have to formulate some kind of plan. But first, some physical necessities cried for attention.

As she pumped her breasts, watched her milk slide down the sink, tears threatened. She had to stop this and think.

On the cabinet, she found a new pair of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Her aunt must have gone to the store earlier. Her heart swelled with gratitude. Coming here had been the right thing.

She put on her new clothes. They fit perfectly. And she suddenly felt a little better. Looking in the full-length mirror, she realized how she had changed. Though her jailers had forced her to eat, she’d lost weight. Not just pregnancy fat, either. It had been a long time since she’d been this thin. Her hair hung dark and limp over her shoulders. Her eyes, which she’d always considered her best feature, were wild and afraid. Her lips looked as if they never smiled.

Tamping down the sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, Kayla brushed and combed her hair, tucking the long strands behind her ears.

She didn’t exactly keep up with the news, but she’d never heard of a kidnapping quite like hers. She’d read where a crazy woman had wanted a child, so she cut open a pregnant woman, took the baby, then left the mother to die. She’d heard of black market baby rings, where babies were taken and sold like a commodity. She’d heard of babies stolen simply because someone wanted one.

But she’d never read or heard of kidnappers who took the mother before the baby was born, delivered the child, then allowed the baby to breast feed for weeks before they took him away.

Leaving the bathroom, she heard voices from the front of the house, a man and another woman. Her heart raced.

Kayla crept down the hall. If it were the police, she’d scoot out a window and disappear. She wasn’t going back to be hammered with stupid questions that were more like accusations, and she would not be locked up again.

Or had the kidnappers found her?

That powerless feeling she had lived with for weeks assailed her.

She peeked through a crack in the door to the kitchen. Her aunt was at the stove. She seemed nervous. Beside Aunt Nester was another woman, smaller, darker, and a little younger. She had a nice, friendly face, dark graying hair. Her aunt kept throwing anxious glances toward the other end of the kitchen. Was that where the man stood or sat?

“I don’t have any chores for you today, Luke. But I’m sure Rosie has a long list.” Her gaze skittered back toward the other side of the room. “Maybe you’d better get to them.”

From across the room came an easygoing voice. “I have time for a cup of your great coffee.” He paused. “Maybe a couple of those pancakes.”

His voice was deep and throaty—his chuckle friendly.

Obviously, Aunt Nester knew them both. So why did he make her so nervous?

Kayla edged around the door to get a better look, but didn’t see the small ceramic frog used as a doorstop until she knocked it over.

The frog falling over might as well have been a gunshot in the small house.

“Nester, is someone else here?” the man demanded.

Kayla bolted, not waiting for her aunt’s answer.

Seconds later, a strong pair of hands grabbed her from behind and whirled her to face him.

“Who are you?”

When she failed to answer him, he called over his shoulder, “Nester?”

As his large hands held her firmly in place, Kayla let out the breath she was holding and sucked in another.

She had to be free—had to hide until she could find Sam.

The man looked at her with a penetrating curiosity. Did he recognize her from the news?

When she tried to break free, his grip tightened enough to keep her rooted. His dark eyebrows arched. “Nester, do you know this woman?”

Terror gave way to anger as Kayla struggled to free herself. “Let me go!”

“You’re not going anywhere,” he said softly but firmly. “Not until I know who you are and why you’re in Nester’s house.”

Kayla hadn’t been this afraid since she was kidnapped off the street and put into a van.

“I mean it, Mr.—

“Leave her be, Luke. This is my niece, Kayla Hunter.”

He dropped his hands immediately. “Niece?” He gave Kayla an almost embarrassed smile. “Sorry about that. I didn’t know you—she—had one.”

Kayla just glared.

At that, he abandoned his apology and shrugged. “What can I say? I’m a little protective of these two beauties.” He looked at the women and grinned.

Kayla rubbed her arms. Now he was going to try and charm her?

“You should be sorry,” Aunt Nester scolded. “She’s just a girl. C’mon, child. Breakfast is ready.”

Kayla slipped past Luke, went into the kitchen and sat at the table.

“Kayla, this is Luke Garrett. He’s the son of my neighbor and dear friend, Rosie.” Nester turned to Rosie. “This is Meri’s daughter. Isn’t she pretty?”

“Meri’s daughter? Oh my! How exciting!” Rosie came and sat beside Kayla. “And yes, she’s beautiful. I’ve heard so much about your mother I feel as if I knew her. When did you get here? How long will you stay?”

Nester set a cup of coffee in front of Kayla along with a stack of pancakes. “Enough questions. She can talk after she eats.”

Kayla eased the coffee aside. “Thanks, but I can’t drink coffee.”

“Don’t like coffee, huh?” her aunt asked.

“No. I love coffee. But it wouldn’t be good for Sam.”

Her aunt stared at Kayla, puzzled. “What...?”

“My milk. It’s important to eat and drink the right foods for the baby.” She took a bite of pancake.

Luke sat opposite her, but instead of eating, was examining her closely. Not good. If he recognized her from the news, she was in trouble.