Mommy Midwife (21 page)

Eventually, she’d have to see him. Did she have any leverage at all? Any tools she could use for negotiation? Threats were empty. Though she was sure that Troy and her parents were working hard to rescue her, Jarvis was too crazy to be dissuaded from whatever path he was on.

Or was she the crazy person? Though she’d suspected Jarvis and knew he was wealthy enough to pull off an operation like this, she hadn’t really believed that he was after her. Imagining that she was the target of international spies or terrorists seemed easier than thinking that anyone could hate her so much.

She stretched out on the bed, lying on her side. What else could she use to bargain for her freedom? Ransom wasn’t an option; Jarvis was too rich. Was there something else she could trade? A promise she could make?

When she heard a key being fitted in the door lock, she sat up on the edge of the bed. Jarvis Rainer stalked into the room. The past nine months had not been kind to him. Formerly, he’d had a golfer’s tan and an erect posture with his chest puffed out like a barnyard rooster. Not anymore. His shoulders slouched, and he’d developed a pot belly. His reddish-brown hair, combed back from his forehead, was noticeably thinner, and his complexion had faded to pasty-white. There was such an intense hatred in his eyes that she could barely stand to look at him.

“Hello, Olivia.” His voice was raspy. “Long time, no see.”

She’d had a lot of experience dealing with people in tense situations. The main thing was not to make him angrier. “I want to thank you for dinner. You’ve been kind.”

“My plan is to take care of you. If you need anything, knock on the door. Someone will answer.”

Why?
“I like to take a stroll after dinner. May I step outside for a moment?”

“There’s a treadmill in the exercise room on the lower level. One of my men can escort you there.”

Her instincts told her that it was wise to find out as much as she could about the lodge. Keeping her tone conversational felt creepy, but it was necessary. “This is a lovely place. I’d very much like a tour.”

“And we always want to do what the midwife wants, don’t we?” He went to the door. “Come with me.”

In the hallway outside her room, two of the guards were waiting. She gave them a nod, as though they were civilized people sharing accommodations. She followed Jarvis and they followed her as they went to the staircase in the middle of the lodge.

“This property was developed in 1948 after World War II,” Jarvis said, acting the role of a tour guide. “Tourism and skiing were just becoming popular in Colorado, and the lodge was designed as a getaway for hunters and fishermen. The initial structure was little more than a cabin with its own well. It’s still standing, just over the ridge from here. The owner is thinking about developing that first cabin into a special retreat.”

“So you don’t own this place?”

“I’m not an idiot, Olivia. I wouldn’t hold you prisoner in a place that could be traced back to me. The lodge belongs to a friend who lets me use it whenever he’s out of the country.”

Bad news for her.
Troy might figure out that Jarvis had taken her, but he wouldn’t know about the lodge. She asked, “How many rooms does it have?”

Jarvis paused at the top of the staircase and glared at her. “You like to push people. Make snotty demands.”

“I’m just curious about the house.”

“You’re in the south wing. It has four luxury bedrooms. The other side has six. That’s where my men are staying.”

“Is there an attic?” She was thinking of places she might hide if she ever got out of her room.

“It’s just storage space over the eaves. No rooms.”

He led the way down the carved wood staircase to the first floor. The main room was huge with a giant, walk-in
fireplace and lots of animal heads on the walls. There were round tables that looked like they’d be perfect for playing poker.

The furnishings were rustic, including a long, polished oak table in the dining room. But the appliances in the large kitchen were top-notch. As they toured, Jarvis kept up a narrative about the history of the place and how many famous people—including presidents and kings—had stayed here. Bragging, he seemed to enjoy himself, almost forgetting the circumstances that brought her here.

“What about the exercise room?” she asked.

He pushed open a door below the main staircase and flicked a light switch. “Down here.”

The basement wasn’t as nicely finished as the upper levels. Beyond the low-ceilinged television room at the foot of the stairs were several closed doors. Jarvis opened the first door to his right, showing her a large exercise room with a wall mirror and several pieces of equipment. She noticed high windows and assumed there were window wells outside. If she could get down here, she might be able to squeeze out.

“Anytime you want to exercise,” Jarvis said, “this is the place. It’s important for you to stay healthy.”

She couldn’t stop herself from asking, “Why?”

His thin lips pinched together. He’d been waiting for her to ask. “Isn’t it obvious?”

“Not at all.” She wasn’t good at playing games, and her patience was gone. “Why am I here?”

“Because of your incompetence, I lost my son. When I heard you were pregnant, I knew what I must do.”

Dread seeped through her. She was suddenly cold, frozen with the deepest fear a mother can experience. She knew what he wanted. “No.”

“Oh, yes,” he said. “The child growing in your belly is mine.”

* * *

T
ROY HAD BEEN
right about Carol. An ex-wife knew how to find her husband. At the unmanned hangar in Dillon, they spotted the helicopter that belonged to Jarvis’s company. Carol’s friend in the area hadn’t seen the chopper land and couldn’t tell them for sure that Olivia had been on board, but it was a safe assumption.

Following her directions, he and Alex drove a rented SUV along back roads to a secluded cabin with a horse barn that Carol identified as the home of her ex-
husband’s mistress. The lights were out, and there weren’t additional vehicles. Still, Troy scoped out the surrounding area and peeked through windows.

When he returned to the SUV, Alex and Carol were locked in an embrace. He opened the back door to the SUV, and they broke apart.

“Sorry,” Alex muttered.

“Don’t be,” Troy said. “It’s nice that you two are together.”

“I’ve been thinking,” Carol said as she pushed her hair back into place. “Jarvis wouldn’t go to his usual tavern because there are too many people. He needs privacy.”

“Right,” Troy said, “and he needs to have enough space to hold Olivia and his mercenaries.”

“There’s a hunting lodge he sometimes visits.”

“Wouldn’t a lodge have other people staying there?”

“Not this place. The owner rents it out for meetings to a limited number of clients. Otherwise, there are only a few people who stay there. The time I tracked Jarvis down at this place, he was the only one there.” Her shoulders rose and fell as she shuddered. “He was sitting on the front porch with his rifle across his knees.”

She directed them along back roads and switchbacks. Navigating by moonlight gave her a moment’s pause; the only other time she’d been to the lodge was in daylight. But they only had to double back a couple of times.

Viewing the lodge from a distance, Troy could tell that it was occupied. The upstairs windows—
probably bedrooms—were dark, but lights shone through the downstairs windows and from the front porch. Using binoculars he’d bought from the chopper pilot, he spotted armed guards on patrol.

For the first time since he’d heard that Olivia was taken, he felt a surge of hope. Finding this lodge gave him a chance to rescue her. Without a word, he gave Carol a hug.

“Thank you,” he said. “You’ve been great.”

“Anything that hurts Jarvis is okay with me.” She cleared her throat. “Actually, that’s not true. I’m here because of Olivia. I’m deeply ashamed that my ex-
husband is responsible for taking her.”

Alex clasped his arm around her. “You’re a good person.”

Before they started kissing again, Troy interrupted. “I want to get closer to the lodge. Alex, come with me. Carol, stay in the car.”

Stealth maneuvers across rugged mountain terrain were second nature to Troy. Not so for his brother. Alex stumbled more than once, and Troy had to stop to allow his brother to get his proper footing.

Out of breath, Alex whispered, “How do you sneak around like that?”

“Practice.”

“I can’t take more than two steps without stubbing my toe.”

“Go slowly,” Troy advised. “Watch where you’re placing your feet and be aware of the low-hanging branches that can hit you in the face.”

“Easier said than done.”

“This is what I do,” Troy said. “It’s not like I’d know how to remove an appendix.”

Though their skill sets couldn’t have been more different, the brothers shared similar motivations. They both did what they could to make the world a better and safer place.

Troy checked his wristwatch. It was after two in the morning. Typically, the best time for an assault was just before dawn, which would be approximately two and a half hours from now.

The tricky part of this mission was getting inside and rescuing Olivia before anybody started shooting. Troy wanted to get a bit closer to observe the timing on the patrols and get the layout of the two-story lodge. He needed to figure out exactly where she was being held.

Bringing Alex with him on reconnaissance wasn’t absolutely necessary, but Troy appreciated having another set of eyes on the problem. His brother might notice something that escaped his attention.

Pointing to a clump of trees about fifty yards away, Troy said, “Over there. By the rocks. That’s where we’re going.”

“Got it.”

“Take your time. It’s better to be quiet than fast.”

He glided through the trees, finding his own path where there was none. He was glad that it was summer, and they didn’t have the additional obstacle of snow to deal with. At the trees, he lay flat behind a couple of moss-covered rocks and focused his binoculars on the lodge.

Two guards were sitting in front. One was smoking. Occasionally, they’d move from one side of the house to the other or go around to the back. There wasn’t a regular pattern to their route or in their timing, which made it hard to predict how to get past them.

Alex lay on the ground beside him. “What do you see?”

“One door in the front. One on the side near the garage.”

“Could they be holding her in the garage?”

“Not likely,” Troy said. “They’re patrolling the house.”

“What’s your strategy?”

The details were still forming in Troy’s head, but he had a general outline. “From now on, I want you to be the liaison with Olivia’s dad. He’s in charge of the actual assault team.”

“As in a SWAT team that goes in with rifles and sniper weapons?”

“Correct. Don’t worry, you and Carol will be gone before the shooting begins.”

“Nice to know.” Alex peeked over the rock. “So how does this work? You rescue Olivia and text me when you’re clear. And I contact Olivia’s dad?”

“Correct.” He didn’t like to think of the millions of things that could go wrong, but it was important for Alex to be aware. “If I go into the house, and you hear gunfire, call Olivia’s dad and apprise him of the situation.”

“The situation?” Alex raised an eyebrow. “You mean if you’re dead?”

“Or injured.”

Troy noticed something happening at the house. A light went on. He focused his binoculars on the corner bedroom on the second floor. Someone was awake. He couldn’t tell what was happening, but he felt a change in the atmosphere that was unlike anything he’d ever experienced. Goose bumps ran along his forearm. His throat tightened as a strange anticipation bubbled up inside him.

He saw Olivia standing at the window. She wore a man-size T-shirt that was as baggy as wings on her arms and snug across her belly. Her arms spread apart. She grasped each side of the window frame as her eyes squeezed tight.

“What the hell?” He passed the binoculars to his brother. “What’s she doing?”

Alex stared until Olivia disappeared from the window. “We’ve got a problem.”

“Yeah?” The need for action was so strong in Troy that he could barely stay still. “What?”

“From my observation,” Alex said, “I’d say she was hanging on to that window frame with all her strength. She was fighting a contraction.”

“A what?”

“She’s in labor, Troy.”

Chapter Twenty

When Olivia had gotten out of bed to go to the bathroom, her water broke. She tried to tell herself that it wasn’t a big deal. Lots of women had their water break a long time before they went into labor. Maybe a day. Two days.

She couldn’t have the baby now. Forget her visions of a serene labor and birth, there was something more important at stake. Jarvis meant to steal her baby. She couldn’t let that happen, couldn’t allow her baby to be carried off by a madman into a terrifying, uncertain future.

It was vitally important that Jarvis not know that her amniotic membrane had ruptured. He didn’t expect her to go into labor for days. Using a towel from the bathroom, she swabbed the clear liquid off the floor. When she stood, she felt the first twist of a contraction.

She’d counseled hundreds of women who were about to give birth, and she’d told all of them that there weren’t rules they had to follow. Every labor was unique.

But she never expected the pain of her first contraction to be so acute or so prolonged. She dropped the towel and staggered toward the window. Bracing her arms against the sides of the frame, she ground her teeth together. No matter what, she wouldn’t scream. Jarvis mustn’t know.

The pain faded. Breathing hard, she stepped back from the window. She didn’t have a clue how long the contraction had lasted. It felt like forever but was probably only a minute or two. She finished cleaning up the fluid on the floor and hung the towel in the bathroom over the shower rod.

Once labor started, most women wanted to speed up the process, and she had lots of tips on how to do that. The only way she knew to slow down was to relax. She lay on her side in bed and took long, slow, deep breaths.
Inhale, exhale, relax.
In spite of her fears, she had to ease herself into labor, to take control of her body.