by Shade, S. M.
Kind eyes look into mine and she nods. “Yes, Mr. Todd. He’s awake, alert, and not showing any signs of trauma or injury other than a few scratches. A CT scan was performed to check for any cervical spine or head injuries, though it doesn’t appear he hit his head. Routine tests after a car accident.”
I nearly crush Dani in a hug and it feels like I can breathe again. Alive. My boy is still alive. Finally, I turn back to the nurse and we continue down the hall. “Do you have the results of the scan?”
She swipes her badge on a door, which then opens automatically. “The doctor should be in any time to talk about the results with you.” She waves her hand. “We have this area of the hospital locked down to assure your privacy.”
“Thank you,” Dani says, practically running to keep up with our pace.
Finally, the nurse opens a door and leads us into a room with an empty crib in the center. “Where—” I don’t get to finish my question.
A nurse enters holding Hatch. He rests his head on her shoulder and opens glassy eyes to look at me. “This little guy was having no part of that gurney,” she chuckles.
Her words barely register. All I can see is Hatch as he lifts his head and suddenly screeches, “Dadada.”
It’s everything I can do not to crush him in my arms when she hands him over. I hold him as tightly as I dare. He starts bawling, and I know my response probably scared him, but I can’t help it.
All the terror and hopelessness of the last two days is shattered against this moment when I hold my son in my arms. “I’m so sorry. Daddy’s sorry. It’s okay now,” I promise him, tears running down my face.
The way he clings to me breaks my heart all over again. He must’ve been so scared. Taken by strangers. Who knows how they treated him, if they fed him or took care of him at all. Then the chaos of a car crash, an ambulance, all these strangers passing him around without one familiar face. Without the person who is always supposed to be there for him.
Dani is a sobbing mess, and I notice the nurse who carried him in is leaking at the eyes as well.
I manage to pull myself together when the doctor enters the room. “Mr. Todd, I’m doctor Singh,” she says, extending her hand. Hatch sits on my hip, his head on my shoulder as I shake her hand.
“Is he okay? Are the test results back?”
A reassuring grin appears on her face. “The scans show no injuries. He has a few scratches, as you can see, but other than that, we’ve found no other injuries or anything of concern from the crash.”
She reaches out and squeezes his hand, smiling at him. “It’s amazing how resilient little ones can be. They bend instead of break.”
“Was he examined for…abuse?” Dani asks, her voice hushed. My stomach twists in apprehension. If they fucking touched him, I’ll end them.
“I did a full examination as soon as he was brought in. There’s no obvious signs he was abused. He’s not dehydrated, but he was brought in with just a soiled diaper that had been on him far too long which has resulted in a mild diaper rash. You can treat it with an over the counter ointment as you usually would. Other than that, he just needs some food and rest.”
“He doesn’t need to stay overnight?” Dani asks.
“I think he’s fine to go home. You should follow up with his pediatrician. And don’t hesitate to get in touch with me or bring him back to the hospital if something seems wrong.”
After the doctor leaves, Dani and I spend the next few minutes sitting on the small sofa, with Hatch asleep on my lap. So much has happened, and my emotions are on a constant cycle. I’m grateful he’s here with me, safe. I’m exhausted from everything the last two days have put us through. I’m furious about Naomi and whatever part she must’ve played. And I’m terrified that something like this could happen again.
“I’m going to call Milo and have him find us somewhere to stay for a few weeks, at least. Until the uproar dies down. I can’t take him back home through a crowd of fans and reporters. We’ll play the shell game all night if we have to, to make sure we aren’t followed.”
“Okay,” Dani agrees.
A moment later, there’s a tap on the door, and Jude walks in. “Elliot and Brysen are on their way.”
“Text them not to come. We’re getting ready to leave.”
Jude gazes down at Hatch. “He’s okay, then?”
“Yeah,” Dani replies, her voice watery. “He’s okay.”
Hatch doesn’t stir when I shift him from my lap to Dani’s. I leave the three of them and step out into the hallway to call Milo. I just want to get Hatch out of here.
I’m met by Agent Roberts and for the first time since I saw the crash, I think about something other than Hatch.
Revenge.
“Are they dead? The ones who took him?” I demand. I hope they are. I hope they suffered.
“No, the two suspects were taken to a different hospital under guard. As soon as they’re medically cleared, they’ll be arrested.” Agent Roberts lays a hand on my shoulder. “It’s over. They aren’t going to get away with it. You have your boy back safe and sound. Focus on him and your family.”
Agent Roberts and Hems have been with me every step of the way and gratitude fills me. “Thank you. Thank you for everything.”
Agent Roberts nods and smiles at me. I notice the dark circles that ring his eyes, the exhaustion on his face as well. “These are the cases that make my job worth it. It doesn’t usually end like this.”
Another cop waves to him from the end of the hall. “Take care of yourself,” he adds, and walks away.
Gathering my scattered emotions, I remember what I came out here for, and make a call to Milo.
I’ll say this for Milo, in an emergency, he can pull those strings fast and hard. Within two hours, everything is arranged. Jude has accompanied Dani—along with a ton of security—back to my house. They’re only going to be there long enough to pack what Hatch will need, plus mine and Dani’s stuff as well.
There’s no way I’m taking Hatch through the chaos surrounding my house. I have plenty of offers from people I’d normally trust—like the guys in the band—to watch him for a bit so I can go with them to pack, but I can’t do it. I’m not letting him out of my sight. Every time he opens his eyes, he’s going to see me, and know he’s okay.
The police help us at the hospital by not only getting us to the car that Milo has waiting, but also by blocking any other vehicle from leaving the area for a few minutes so we can’t be followed. They promise to do the same for Dani and Jude at my house.
When I get just outside the city, with no cars tailing us, and Hatch asleep in his car seat beside me, I finally start to relax for the first time in days.
Milo has arranged for us to stay at a house of another musician who is on tour for the next couple of months. It’s a house located on the outskirts of a small town where hopefully, we won’t be noticed. We’re supposed to be in the studio, working, but I couldn’t give two shits.
All that matters is the boy who murmurs “dada” when I scoop him up and carry him inside to wait for Dani.
Chapter Two
Naomi
I’m living a nightmare.
The last few days seem like a page torn from a horror book. I’ve never experienced anything like the fear I felt when Caden was missing. If it weren’t for my lawyer, I wouldn’t even know that he’s fine and back with Axton and Dani.
Not even the accusations and questions spat at me from the cops came anywhere near the terror of not knowing if he was okay.
“Why did you take him?”
“We know you were in on it. We have forensic evidence, so you may as well tell the truth. Were you going to ask for ransom?”
“How do you know Beverly McFarland and Franklin Koll? You planned this with them, didn’t you?”
No matter how much I denied it, they wouldn’t believe me. Over and over, I tried to explain that I had no idea who those people are.
“We’ll see if you change that story
when Beverly wakes. Do you really think she’s going to protect you? Or that Franklin won’t admit you were involved? The first to talk gets the lighter sentence, and you weren’t the one who actually took the child, so you have the best chance at leniency if you’ll just tell the truth.”
There was nothing I could say to convince them, but without enough evidence to hold me, they had to let me go with a warning not to leave the state.
I’m free for now.
The lawyer ushers me out to his car and gives me a ride to Paige’s house. There’s no doubt that we’ve been followed by paparazzi, who have their teeth sunk deeply into this tragedy. I won’t be able to stay here long.
Paige meets me just inside her front door, throwing her arms around me in a tight hug. “Are you okay? They wouldn’t let me talk to you!” she cries.
“I’m alright. I’m so sorry. My lawyer told me they questioned you.”
“They did.”
“They think I had something to do with the kidnapping. And they asked how I got the interview with the nanny agency. I’m so sorry I had to tell them and bring you into it. But Caden was missing and they weren’t going to find him if they kept focusing on me.”
“It’s okay. Hiring a friend isn’t against the law. And my manager knew that I was hiring a friend, just not, you know, that you were related to the client.”
“What did you tell the investigators?” I ask.
She leads the way down the hall and into the living room. “The truth. I knew you had a nephew in the system and when I saw his name, I hired you so you could take care of him. The agency told them I had no idea that Axton was the father. They don’t suspect me of anything, but the agency fired me. Getting their name in the news like that wasn’t exactly good PR.”
I hug her again. “I’m so sorry.”
“I’ll find another job. I hated it there anyway.”
Her flippant attitude doesn’t fool me. Paige isn’t well off. She has a habit of job hopping and she had finally landed a decent one. “I just need to stay here for a few hours while I figure out what to do…where to go.”
“You’re not going anywhere! You’re staying with me.”
She sits in an armchair and gestures to the couch. Taking a seat, I shake my head. “I can’t. I’m sure the mob will follow me here and I don’t want them stalking you too. Once they see me leave, they won’t be interested in you.”
“Where are you going to go?”
“There’s a little bed and breakfast I noticed last time I was up north, right next to the cemetery. If I can lose anyone following me, I think I can hide out there for a bit. It’s pretty remote. Can I borrow your phone? The police confiscated mine and I have no idea if I’ll get it back. I need to call and make a reservation.”
“Hang on.” She gets up and disappears down the hall for a few minutes before returning with a phone. “I just upgraded a week ago. This is my old one. You should be able to just switch your number to it and activate it.”
“Thank you so much.” It only takes a few minutes and I have it activated. I pull up the website for the bed and breakfast to get their number, and turn the phone screen toward Paige so she can see the place.
She frowns at the picture. “It looks run down. And probably haunted.”
“I don’t need a palace. Just a safe place until all of this is over.”
Paige reaches over and takes my hand. “Have you heard from Axton or Dani?”
My chest tightens, and I swallow the lump in my throat. “No, I’ve been warned not to contact them.” Blinking fast, I shake my head. “Axton thinks I did it…that I arranged the kidnapping somehow.”
“Oh honey, because you didn’t tell him who Caden was to you?”
“Yeah, I know I can’t blame them. It looks really bad.”
Paige squeezes my hand. “Once they sort all this out and clear your name, I’m sure they’ll come around.”
Nodding, I wipe my eyes. “If I’m cleared. It doesn’t matter. Caden is safe. That’s all I care about right now. I’ll try to fix the damage I’ve done as best I can.”
Tears spill over onto her cheeks and she leans over to hug me. “Don’t just disappear on me.”
“I won’t. I’ll keep in touch.”
“How are you going to get your car and all your stuff from Axton’s?”
“I don’t know. I’m going to take a taxi up north. And I can buy some cheap clothes and stuff until I get mine back.”
“Let me get a few things together for you, at least,” she offers.
“Thanks. I’m going to call the bed and breakfast and make a reservation.”
An hour later, I’m on my way with a suitcase sparsely packed with a few items of clothing Paige loaned me. I’m lucky that I had my wallet with me when I was detained.
The taxi I ordered drops me at a bus station where I pretend to be oblivious to the reporters who have followed me there. Acting as if I’m in a rush to catch my bus, I speed through the scattered people. When I’m sure no one is following me, I step out the side exit and grab another taxi.
The driver is a man with more beard than face, and he seems pleased to get such a long distance fare when I give him the address of the B&B up north. He isn’t much for small talk and I’m eternally grateful for it.
My head is packed full of too many thoughts and worries to try to chat.
Caden is safe. That’s what’s most important, I remind myself when the lull of the tires against the highway don’t seem to quell my anxiety. It’s not like I’m suffering from some unfounded fear. A few days in and out of a jail cell was more than enough for me to know I could never spend any lengthy amount of time there, but if my lawyer can’t prove I had nothing to do with the abduction, I may be facing that.
I want to believe it can’t happen. I’m innocent, and innocent people don’t spend their lives in prison, but I’m not that naïve. It happens all the time.
The fear of imprisonment should be my biggest concern right now, but it isn’t. Caden. I’ll probably never see him again. Never kiss those chubby cheeks or hear his voice cry out for Nay-mi. There are no words to describe how devastating that feels.
I miss him. And Axton. God, what this must be doing to him. When I picture him, all I can see is the rage and disgust on his face when he grabbed me in the police station.
He hates me.
A choked sob escapes, and I try to make myself think of anything else because even one of these thoughts is too painful to deal with, but they keep attacking.
You’ll never see Caden again.
Axton hates you.
Dani probably does too.
Prison. A life in prison.
“Are you okay, ma’am?” The driver’s question pulls me out of my downward spiral, and I wipe my eyes. Keep it together, Naomi. You can melt down all you want at the B&B.
“I’m fine, thank you. If we pass a drug store or convenience store, I’d like to stop for a few things on the way.”
He types on his GPS then replies, “There’s a twenty-four hour Supercenter coming up. Would that work?”
“Perfect. Thanks.”
I’m grateful for the late hour when I walk into the store, blinking under the bright fluorescent lighting. It’s almost deserted. I must look like a homeless person sneaking in off the street with my oily hair pulled back in a bun, and clothes I’ve worn for almost three days. Nothing the late night employees of a Supercenter haven’t seen before, I’m sure, and I don’t get any weird stares or attitude as I shop.
I’m sure there are things I’ll forget, but I manage to grab some basic hygiene supplies, some cheap underwear and a bra, sweatpants, an oversized hoodie, two pairs of jeans, and a handful of tee shirts. It’ll get me by until I can get my stuff from Axton’s.
A sharp pain pierces my stomach and I realize I haven’t eaten for days. My middle feels like a vice and I can’t imagine swallowing even a bite, but I also don’t want to pass out and add more drama to this whole situation.
&
nbsp; The last thing I want is more time as the center of attention in any scenario. Before I head to the checkout, I pick up a premade sandwich from the deli case, a bag of chips, and a soft drink. The sleepy cashier barely looks up as she rings up my purchases. I’ve never been so glad to not be recognized.
The small town streets are eerily empty. The taxi’s headlights push back the darkness of the winding road that leads to the B&B while illuminating the overhanging trees. It gives an unsettling illusion of moving through a tunnel with black walls. Maybe I’m just tired. In the daylight, I’m sure it’ll feel a lot less sinister.
The B&B looks much the way I remember, charming but a bit run down. When I made the reservation, I explained I’d be showing up very late, and the lady assured me it was no problem. Still, I’m surprised by how quickly she answers the door when I ring the bell.
I’m greeted with a kind smile as I stand there surrounded by a suitcase and Supercenter bags. “Ms. Wells, come in. I’m Dodie. Let me help you with some of that.” Before I can resist, she grabs a few of the plastic bags. “I have your room all ready for you.”
“Thank you so much. Please, call me Naomi. I’m sorry I had to arrive at such a late hour.”
“It’s no problem at all, dear,” she insists. “My insomnia keeps me up most nights. My husband likes to accuse me of being nocturnal.”
There’s not much to look at as I’m led up a set of stairs and down a hall. The house is dark, with just enough ambient lighting to make sure we can see our path. It’s enough to see the place needs a lot of work. I wonder if I’m the only guest.
“Here we are.” She swings open a door to a large room with a queen size bed in the center. A small sitting area is tucked into one corner and a table with two chairs sits by the window. She places my bags on the long dresser, then crosses the room and opens a door.
“You have a private bath, all stocked with towels and such, but please don’t hesitate to let me know if you need anything.”
A peek inside shows me a dated, but clean bathroom with a deep, claw footed bathtub with a shower. I’m so exhausted that I’m barely listening as she talks, but I realize she’s stopped and force a smile to my face. “Everything is perfect. Thank you.”
