High Stakes Gamble (18 page)

Before she could sink back into despair, Kai quickly prompted. “Why did you call her Lucy?”

“Pardon me?” It took a moment for the clouded look to fade and awareness to return. “Lucy? Lucy is my second name. And it was my mother’s name. Once we knew we were having a girl, there was no decision.”

Kai smiled and nodded. “Makes sense to me. We called our baby Lily because it was Aurora’s favorite name that came from an adored friend she’d had growing up.” Just as he had made up the story about his marriage with Aurora, Kai wove another story about Lily’s name. “When Aurora was young, she lived near a nurse who, like you, cared for sick people. Her name was Lily and every day she would leave the hospital about the same time as Aurora left school. They would often walk home together. Lily lived in the apartment next door to Aurora. The lady treated Aurora so kindly that my wife loved the gentle soul. Since Aurora didn’t have a mother growing up, just a mean old drunken father, Lily became her saviour.”

“Poor little girl. I was very lucky to have a good mother.” Jane paid attention to his words as if mesmerized.

“Not everyone is as fortunate as you. It must be why you have such a loving nature. Aurora lived with a bastard for a father who treated her horribly. I guess that’s why her friend Lily became so important to her.”

“I can see that. Little girls are so impressionable.”

“Yes. When she told me about her friend, she sobbed her heart out. She admitted that Lily had saved her from becoming hard-hearted like her father. Having the woman’s gentle influence had made all the difference in the world. You wouldn’t know it by the way she acts when she’s working, but my wife is as mushy as a marshmallow bunny.” He laughed, encouraging her join him and felt exceedingly delighted when she did. Not wanting to break the momentum, he continued.

“At the scene in the doctor’s office was my wife kind to the poor woman who’d lost her baby?”

Jane thought for a moment. Her head leaned to the side and she blinked numerous times. “I believe so. I remember thinking that the other woman didn’t look so scared after your wife went to her.” Jane’s eyes widened and shock appeared. “Your wife, she hugged the poor dear. Held her close and calmed her. As a professional, I applauded her skill… her technique in taking charge. It’s so important to make the patient feel safe and that there’s someone in control.”

While Jane rambled on, Kai noticed that Lily had fallen asleep, most likely the sound of their voices talking had lulled her. “Your husband told us that you had that same type of skill. That your patients loved you and trusted you.”

“Yes. Many people complimented me on my nursing.” Jane’s back straightened and she lifted her chin. “Marc always told me how proud he felt. Where is Marc? He hasn’t come home for…” Panic appeared and Jane’s head swivelled toward the door.

Jumping into the quicksand of chance, Kai answered before he lost her. “He’s coming any moment. I saw him parking the car so he should be here soon. He’ll be anxious to see Li—the baby.”

Calmed by his soft tone once again, Jane replied. “Yes. He loves Lucy.”

“How could he not? She’s so beautiful. Does he like to hold her and rock her?”

“Yes. He’s very careful. Holds her head properly and rocks her so she won’t wake up. Oh yes. He’s a wonderful father.”

“I’m sure he has a key so he can come in without you having to stand and disturb the angel.”

“Uh huh.” Jane’s voice quieted for a minute and then she said. “Tell me more stories about your wife.”

“Ma’am, you certainly know how to make a guy happy. Talking about that woman is my favorite pastime.”

Chapter Forty-Three

Aurora shook with delight at the way Kai played his hand. That beautiful bastard was a freaking genius. Not able to stand being enclosed in the police van, she’d opted to stay outside, feeling nearer to Kai. Since Cory had elected to remain with her, she heard his grunt of approval and realized, she’d said the words out loud.

He turned to one of the others in their detachment. “Get Lelonde out here. He’s going in. And find a pick set for the lock.”

Aurora had seen Lelonde arrive earlier and had watched as they’d taken him into the SWAT van so he could follow what was going on.

Marc Lelonde approached with some trepidation. “Detective Morelli.” Hope shone as he nodded in her direction. He stepped closer to Cory. “Lieutenant, Please let me go to her.”

“I anticipated you’d say that, sir. You have to realize that your wife is very precarious right now. Our psychologist has been following the procedure so far and her message is a warning that you cannot make any sudden moves, no loud tones and very little talking. Let her carry the conversation where she wants. Your main responsibility is to have her pass Lily to you. Once she no longer is holding the baby, we can restrain her.”

“You won’t hurt her.” He stated a fact—didn’t ask a question.

Respecting his right to make himself clear, Cory answered in kind. “I can make no promises except to say, once she no longer has the baby, we will take every precaution to take her into custody as gently as possible. Can you tell me what you wife’s favorite drink is—tea, coffee?”

“She likes chai latte. Sometimes on the way home from work, I stop and pick one up for her as a treat.”

“Perfect.” Cory waved over a plainclothes rookie. “Can you get a chai latte and fix it up with a sedative?”

“Sure, Lieutenant. There’s a place not far.”

“Good. Make it pronto, but don’t turn on any siren.”

Within a very short time, Lelonde had been fitted with a vest worn under his shirt. When the goffer came back with the hot drink Aurora accepted it and passed it to Lelonde. The lock pick set arrived and Aurora held out her hand.

Cory stepped up and knocked it away. “Not a chance, Aurora. You know that ain’t going to happen.”

“Cory, I need this. And you have to admit, I’m the best with locks.”

“Makes no difference. You’re too close to the conflict. If Jane saw you, it could jeopardize the con and wreck all the progress Kai has made.”

Aurora swallowed the pleading words that had gathered in her throat and coughed. She blinked back the tears so close but not yet dripping. Without thought her hands came together under her chin as if she were saying a prayer.

“I’ll stay out of sight. I promise.”

“No.”

“God Cory, do you need me to beg. I will. I—”

“Dammit Rory, don’t do this to me.”

The next words she whispered. “I’d do it for you.”

Cory stood in front of her not moving. Then all of a sudden he grabbed her as if to shake her. Instead he hugged her close and also whispered, “You got me with the tears, Brat. Didn’t have to pull out the big ammunition. Go get your family.”

Chapter Forty-Four

For Aurora, the elevator moved slower than wind on a still day. Lelonde fidgeted and she spoke to calm him. “Marc, can I call you Marc?”

“Yes, of course.”

“First I’ll unlock the door and stay in the hall until it’s safe. You’ll enter the room as if it was a normal work day and she was expecting you home. Act as natural as possible. Hand her the drink in a way so she’ll accept it. Now be absolutely sure to call the baby Lucy. Tell her something like how you’ve been anxious all day to hold your daughter once again.”

“I can do that. But you must understand. My wife is very smart and can see through any ploy easily.”

“You heard your wife on the radio, Marc. She’s not at her best right now. She’s tired and caught between reality and make-believe. She wants to see you. If you play along that it’s a normal day, we’re hopeful she’ll follow your lead.”

“I’ll do my best, Detective.” Pale and obviously shaken, Marc first rubbed his forehead and then his eyes.

Poor man! He was a wreck. A person didn’t need to be a skilled detective to see he held on by a very fine thread.

Once they arrived, Aurora got to work and in a few seconds had the door unlocked. “Be gentle, Marc. Jane’s responded so well to Kai because his voice is pure corn syrup.”

A slight smile lit up his face just as Aurora had hoped and he nodded. He entered and when he went to close the door behind him, she stuck out her foot to stop it from shutting all the way.

Then he sauntered into the room calling, “I’m home, Honey!”

Jane swung in his direction. “Marc!?? I-I don’t know… You’re here?”

“Yes dear. I’m a bit early.”

“You’re early? I-I have no dinner cooked.”

“It’s fine, sweetheart. I’m not hungry.” Aurora loved that he kept his voice monotone yet easy-going. “I brought you a nice cup of your favorite Chai tea. It’s hot and yummy, just the way you like it.”

So far he’d ignored Kai and she hoped that Jane would also.

“That’s nice of you! How did you know I was so thirsty?”

“You’re always thirsty for chai lattes.” Slowly, Marc’s voice grew fainter and Aurora knew he’d advanced to give Jane her tea.

Taking advantage of him being the center of attention, Aurora peeked into the room. It was easy to see Kai perched on the floor but moving ever so slowly toward a baby blanket not far from him. His hands were cuffed in front and he left them lying casually in his lap.

“Lucy is napping, Jane. Do you think it’ll wake her up if I hold her, very gently? I’ve thought of nothing else all day but cuddling my beautiful daughter.”

“She’s sleeping, Marc.” Jane began to sound a bit peeved. “Don’t disturb her.”

In the mirror, Aurora saw Marc lean over Lily and let his hand caress her hair so very tenderly. “She’s lovely, isn’t she Jane. So perfect.”

Jane breathed deeply, a shuddering sigh and astonished everyone with her next words. “We can’t keep her Marc, can we? We have to give her back.” A sob reared, so heartrendingly pitiful that it tore the last of the vengeance from Aurora’s soul. One mother’s pain spoke to another’s heart and compassion sprouted.

“Yes, my dear.”

“I love her so much.”

“Yes, I can see that.”

“Take her. Give her to her father. The poor man has suffered long enough.”

Aurora saw Kai undo the handcuffs that weren’t locked in place and slip something inside his waistband under his shirt. Then she watched him stand as Marc passed him the sleeping angel.

For the very first time, Kai cradled his precious daughter. Tears ran down his cheeks—tears that matched her own.

Chapter Forty-Five

Within minutes, Ham and Cory arrived and helped Aurora to stand. Her legs had given out completely. After the emotional scene inside the apartment, she’d stayed in the hallway, back against the wall, legs bent and her dripping face nestled into arms crossed over her knees.

Her yearning to hold Lily and never let her go had yielded to the recognition that Kai had needs also. Seeing such a man, so strong, so muscular… so… so damn manly loving his tiny daughter had to be the most poignant thing she’d ever witnessed.

She wasn’t worried about the perp anymore. Marc and Jane hadn’t moved from the chair where she’d sat. All the while he knelt in front of his wife, Marc stroked her face, whispering words of encouragement and love.

Aurora, aided by Cory, stepped into the room. She crossed to Kai who grinned his joy while his daughter, bubbling with her own satisfaction, pulled at his nose and patted both cheeks. As soon as Kai saw Aurora, he kissed Lily on the forehead and held her out to her mother’s reaching arms.

Oh God! Thank you!

Snuggling her baby’s face into her neck, Aurora leaned her own cheek against the soft downy black hair and breathed in deeply.
Oh God! She’s really here.

Lily seemed to sense who held her, maybe Aurora’s scent or her sound, but when Aurora kissed Lily’s cheeks, forehead, neck, ears everywhere her lips could reach, Lily allowed the embrace. She lay still and if one believed in miracles, one would believe the child recognized her mother.

One stared at the other and for the first time since the day’s conflict began, Lily opened her mouth, scrunched up her body and wailed. Screams grew to ear-splitting levels as her tantrum continued. Panicking, Kai wrapped his arms around both his crying females and tried to shush them.

Jane, who’d slipped into a drugged stupor, returned. Upset by Lily’s crying, she pulled away from the capturers who were guiding her from the room and approached Kai and Aurora cautiously. “Lucy’s hungry. She’s crying because she hasn’t eaten.”

Instinctively, Aurora whipped Lily away from the woman to protect her with her own body. She couldn’t speak, but she knew her eyes did so for her.

Jane shrank back into Marc’s reaching arms and let Cory and Ham lead her away, handcuffed, pitiful, stumbling—a lost soul.

One of Kai’s trembling hands patted his daughter, while the other tried to calm a babbling Aurora whose words of love were gushing out.

“Shuu, my beauty. Mommy’s here now. Everything will be fine, Lily. Mommy’s here.”

The next thing Aurora knew, Kai had swept her up and carried her and a displeased Lily to the same large armchair Jane had vacated. He sat her down and then said, “She needs you to feed her so she knows she’s safe and that it’s you here with her.”

In the time it took for Aurora’s shaky fingers to unbutton her white, shirt-like blouse and free herself, Lily had worked herself up into a mess. Aurora had never seen her child act this way before.

Tear poured from under Lily’s long spikey eyelashes. Her hands had balled into fists that paddled at the air. Her chubby blue-clad legs kicked her wrath, keeping time to her howls.

“She doesn’t know me.” Aurora’s voice broke.

Panic crawled into her happiness, churned her stomach and promised retribution if she didn’t deal with the situation and soon.

“She’s probably pissed cause she’s just realized you haven’t been around. Once she’s fed everything will be fine.” Kai sounded as if he knew what he was talking about. His calm statement worked and she tried again to offer her body to Lily who still refused to accept her.

“See! She doesn’t want me.” Looking at Kai, Aurora knew her horror showed when she saw him flinch and turn pale.

Knowing that her hotshot was now floundering and wouldn’t be any help, she understood it would have to be up to her to persuade Lily to stop. So she let her intuition take over.