by Barb Han
“Can it wait? I’m in the middle of something here,” Zach said.
“This couple says they’re Brooklyn Ward’s parents.”
“THAT’S IMPOSSIBLE,” AMBER said under her breath. She was on her feet in two seconds flat. “Zach—”
“I know,” he reassured her. “Give me a minute to get them inside the interview room, and then I’ll send for you. Wait here.”
Willpower was in short supply when it came to waiting to see who claimed to be Brooklyn’s parents. The expression on Rylan’s face, the steel resolve in the face of the unknown made her wish for half his strength. This couldn’t be easy on him.
Zach left the room, and she wheeled around to Rylan.
“Let’s just hear them out. They can’t be talking about her.” She offered reassurance from a shaky voice.
“She’s my daughter. They’ll take her away over my dead body,” was all he said, but those words were loaded with the kind of truth that took on a physical manifestation. There was no room for doubt.
Deputy Perry appeared in the doorway, signaling Amber and Rylan to follow him down the familiar hallway and into the room they’d been in not that long ago. The baby had fussed herself to sleep and was cuddled against her father’s shoulder.
After depositing them inside the viewing room, Deputy Perry leaned into the interview room and gave a thumbs-up.
“Please state your name for the record.” Zach’s posture was relaxed as he leaned over a pad of paper that was sitting atop the table and looked at the male sitting across from him.
There were three people present. A couple who looked to be in their late forties or early fifties and a man wearing one of those crisp expensive buttoned-up collars tucked inside an even more expensive navy blue business suit. The man in the navy suit sat ramrod straight and had an intensity about him, like if he ordered a hamburger at a fast-food restaurant people would immediately get nervous about making it perfect.
The couple also wore suits, cut from material that would classify them as power suits. From what Amber could tell, there was a lot of money sitting across that table. She figured it was old money because everything the couple wore was understated, expensive and classic. There was nothing showy like people with new money gravitated toward.
Wealthy ranchers were a different breed. She noticed the differences all too well growing up. Her father would welcome anyone to the dinner table who was honest and worked hard. Ranch hands often got invited to her mother’s legendary Sunday suppers, with food that Amber still could almost taste when she thought hard enough, and missed to this day.
Amber gravitated toward salt-of-the-earth types. If she and Rylan didn’t have such a long history, he’d be the kind of man she’d want to date. But then, men she actually wanted to go out with had been in short supply in the past couple of years. Add to the fact that Amber worked fourteen-hour days and she had no time for socializing. It was fine with her except that she could admit to feeling like her life was missing something lately.
She chalked up her change of heart to all the happiness around her. Amy had found happiness with Isaac. Zach recently reconnected with the love of his life.
“My clients’ names are Veronica and Cornell Robinson. They received information that their adopted daughter is here in your office.” The Suit bent to his right and pulled a manila file folder out of his black briefcase. He set the file on the table between him and used two fingers from each hand to push the file toward Zach.
“What’s the basis for Mr. and Mrs. Robinson’s claim?” Zach ignored the manila file, and that seemed to irk the Suit.
Amber had seen her cousin at work and in action many times before, and all she could say was the man had found his calling. He had a way of cutting through the layers and getting down to what was really important. He had a way with people and could get them to talk. Being sheriff suited him to perfection.
“Open the folder and you’ll see for yourself.” The Suit leaned back in his chair, folded his arms and crossed his legs.
“Whatever’s in there won’t hold up in court,” Zach informed him, and Mrs. Robinson issued an over-the-top grunt. It was her turn to act indignant.
“We can do this the hard way, but I can see that you’re a busy man and there’s no reason to waste anyone’s time.” The Suit didn’t realize he was already outplayed. At this point, this matchup was like watching a Little League team versus the Texas Rangers.
Amber could only see the back of Zach’s head, and she wished for a better view of his face. It was his turn to lean back in his chair like he was in a hammock in the Caribbean. She could almost see his expression, having witnessed it so many times when he was on the verge of winning an argument. And growing up with five brothers and a male cousin who’d spent half his childhood at the ranch, she knew a thing or two about when someone was defeated.
“Do they look familiar to you?” Amber asked Rylan.
“I’ve never seen these people in my life.” He seemed to be going to great lengths to keep a cool head, and she appreciated the fact that he’d taken her seriously about the baby picking up on emotions.
“Strange,” she whispered. “The guys in the sedan and pickup from earlier might’ve been able to take her if they’d really wanted to, but they didn’t. They let us go. Granted, you drove the heck out of my SUV in order to get around that sedan, but they let us go.”
“I figured they were casing it and planning to come back in with muscle. I never saw this coming,” Rylan admitted. “They didn’t want to risk her being hurt because these guys want her in one piece is my best guess.”
“My clients demand to take their daughter home, and if you would open that file, you’d see they’re within their rights to do so and this mix-up can be resolved.”
Mrs. Robinson wore her suit and pearls to perfection. Her hair was cut in a bob that flattered her oval-shaped face. She wore enough makeup to cover any blemishes on her face. It was almost too perfect. When Amber really looked at the woman, she noticed that she had on a considerable amount of foundation. What was she covering? Was she sick? Was Mr. Robinson physically abusive?
This couple looked like they could legitimately adopt a child. Based on appearances, money didn’t seem to be a problem. So, if they’d used a sketchy adoption agency, there had to be something lurking in their background. Amber agreed with Rylan. Brooklyn would leave this office with them over her dead body, as well.
Zach extended his hand to the lawyer. “Forgive my manners. My name is Zach McWilliams.”
The Suit obliged.
“What makes you so sure I have a baby here in my office?” Zach asked.
The attorney leveled his gaze. “Are you denying it?”
Amber rolled her eyes. It was just like a fancy overdressed lawyer to dodge the question. “Zach has a good point. How do they know the baby they claim belongs to them is here?”
“Brooklyn Ward’s birth mother, Alicia Ward, signed over parental rights to my clients,” the Suit said.
“Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.” Zach picked up the pen in front of him and leaned forward again, ready to write.
“Teague Thompson.” The man was playing it too cool. He was either as big of a deal as he would have Zach believe, or he was big-time bluffing.
Zach made a show of looking at his cell phone. Then came, “Will you folks excuse me?”
Teague Thompson pursed his lips and studied Zach before finally nodding.
Mrs. Robinson made a dramatic show of throwing her arms in the air.
“Do you see any real tears?” Rylan asked as he studied the woman’s face through the mirror.
“Nope. Not one. I doubt she’d smudge her makeup with any,” Amber said in a low voice.
Zach stopped in the hallway outside the opened door. The lights were dimmed inside the room, and it gave an almost intimate feeling.
Zach waved them into the hallway. Deputy Perry stood watch over the interview room door, arms folded against his chest and with his back to the door. He looked like a bull waiting to be baited, and it was obvious that wouldn’t go well for the challenger. Amber knew from experience not to mess with a determined deputy. Her cousin hired only the best of the best, and the most loyal. He’d said that he could train someone how to do the job, but he couldn’t train personality, work ethic or loyalty.
“This is an unexpected development.” Zach raked his fingers through his hair.
“What’s your take on the husband and wife?” Amber wondered if he picked up on the signs she saw.
“She’s either sick or being abused.” He didn’t hesitate with his opinion, and it confirmed what she’d already been thinking.
“My thoughts exactly.” Amber trusted her instincts but confirmation from Zach left no room for doubt. If Mr. Robinson had a history of abuse, no legitimate adoption agency in Texas would give the couple a baby.
“I can run a background check on him because they have a connection to Brooklyn’s mother, who has gone missing. I can threaten to hold them both and interview them all I want. They’ve already lawyered up, and my experience tells me that they’ve been coached on how to answer any question I might bring up.” Zach made good points. Even though she and Rylan were on the right side of the law, a good attorney knew how to manipulate the truth and find loopholes.
“Think we should stick around?” Rylan asked her.
Of course, in her mind the law always won out, but that was probably fairy-tale thinking mixed with good intentions.
“If you’re not here, they can’t accidentally see her. I can’t lie to them, but I’m not obligated to volunteer information, either.” Zach’s face was a study in determination.
“I’d like to hear what they have to say. Why they think they have a claim to her,” Amber interjected.
“Then stick around. Just know that they most likely will recognize the baby, and it could get messy,” he informed her.
Brooklyn stirred and Amber’s heart went into free fall. The last thing the little girl needed was to hear shouting or conflict. Zach was right. Even though she’d settled down for the moment, it was only a matter of time before she’d wake again and start fussing.
“What are the chances their claim is legitimate?” Rylan’s jaw clenched, and she could see the question wasn’t easy for him to ask.
Chapter Fourteen
“If all the players are on the court, I’d say we have the upper hand right now. I’ve learned not to take anything for granted when it comes to the law. I don’t know who these folks might be connected to because I get the impression they’re important. If they support someone in a higher office, I could get a phone call. My hands could be tied and that’s not a feeling I like. A skilled lawyer could tie up the case for months, possibly years. And even if we get justice at some point, these two could relocate to Europe or Mexico and take Brooklyn with them.” Zach spoke the truth and even though it wasn’t what Rylan necessarily wanted to hear, he needed to consider every word carefully.
No one was prying Brooklyn out of his hands now that he knew she was his daughter.
“I wanted to give you a heads-up. I’m going back in that room, and at some point during the interview I’ll be forced to open the file and see what evidence they think they’ve presented. If they know she’s here, it’ll make it more difficult for me to deny that I know her whereabouts. But something’s brewing for them to come down here like this and demand custody. I took an oath to uphold the law. My instincts have to take second place.”
Rylan figured as much. “What are you planning to tell them?”
“That this is my jurisdiction and every citizen, including the ones not old enough to defend themselves, deserve my protection. Here’s the thing. I don’t technically have proof that you’re Brooklyn’s father, and I might get caught in a legal loophole.” He scratched his chin. “They might be bluffing, but I don’t know what cards they have up their sleeves. Showing up here and boldly demanding custody of Brooklyn leads me to believe they haven’t shown all of their hand yet.”
Rylan nodded his understanding.
“I better get back inside. Think about what I said,” Zach said.
Rylan thanked him and fisted his hands. The sedan and pickup could be outside waiting for them in case they made a run for it. He thought about their dwindling options. He and Amber couldn’t take the baby back to his place. They couldn’t take her to the ranch, either. There were too many witnesses, and Rylan would never ask another Kent to cover for him.
Amber urged him back into the small viewing room and closed the door.
“We have the right to demand to see our daughter.” Mr. Robinson had the authoritative voice of someone used to being in charge at home and at the office. If Rylan had to guess, he’d figure the man for someone who ran his own business and not an abuse victim.
“How old is your daughter?” Zach asked.
“Three months and two days,” Mrs. Robinson piped up. Amber was right; there was something off about the woman that didn’t sit right with him. The thought that the man seemed to be abusive with his wife sat like a nail in Rylan’s stomach. Mrs. Robinson could best be described as…broken. She forced her shoulders straight, but Rylan could see that she wasn’t used to being assertive. To make matters worse, Mr. Robinson’s posture was tense, aggressive.
“When was the last time you saw the baby’s mother?” Zach looked up from his notepad.
“No one said my clients have met the mother,” the lawyer interjected.
Mrs. Robinson shot a nervous glance toward her husband, who held a solid glare aimed at Zach.
Mr. Thompson took Mrs. Robinson’s hands in his. She bowed her head in dramatic fashion, and her shoulders rocked as though she was sobbing. She put on a good show.
“My clients were supposed to be given access to their daughter three days ago. The birth mother failed to show.” It was the lawyer’s turn to glare at Zach. “If you’d open the file, you could read all this in the report. As you can see, my client is distraught. We’d like to wrap this up and go home.”
Wrap it up?
Rylan’s daughter wasn’t a present. He didn’t like much about the adoptive parents and wondered if Alicia had gotten cold feet once she met them. It wouldn’t do a lot of good to speculate, considering they were light on details. But his gut burned with fury.
“What kind of vehicle do you drive?” Zach asked.
“Excuse me?” The question seemed to catch Teague off guard. “What myself or my clients drive is not relevant to this discussion.”
“It is to me.” Zach paused while Mrs. Robinson pulled out a packet of tissues from a designer-looking handbag. “What’s the harm in telling me?”
“My clients don’t have to explain what kind of car they drive or what they’re doing in town. Their daughter is here—”
“How exactly do you know that?” Zach opened the file and looked at the first piece of paper. “It says here that you’re from Fort Worth. Arlington Heights. How do you know what’s going on here in my town if you live an hour and forty-five minutes away?”
Rylan knew enough about the city to realize that was an expensive neighborhood. That part didn’t surprise him. He, like Zach, was curious how they’d tracked Brooklyn to Jacobstown if they weren’t working with the drivers of the black sedan and pickup truck from earlier.
“Fine. We’d hoped that it wouldn’t come to this, but we’d like to report a kidnapping.” The lawyer had that card ready to play quickly. He’d anticipated some of Zach’s moves. With an expensive su
it like the one he was wearing, he looked prepared to earn his keep.
“I’m not admitting that the child is even in my county. However, if this alleged child is here in Jacobstown, you need to be very clear on one thing. She won’t be leaving without a court order and/or DNA test—”
“My clients have rights, Sheriff. If you look at the second piece of paper in that folder, you’ll see that a judge agrees.” Teague looked a little too smug.
“And I have a right to investigate a missing person—”
“This is a kidnapping case—”
“I’m talking about Alicia Ward, the birth mother. My guess is that you already know she’s disappeared. What I’m unclear on is why you believe her child is in my county.” Zach slapped the folder closed and shoved it toward Teague.
Rylan turned to Amber. “Let’s get her out of here.”
“Okay. But where will we go?” she asked.
“Maybe it’s best if we don’t say. I know a place we should be safe.” Rylan sounded confident and Amber wished she shared the feeling.
“THOSE PEOPLE COULD’VE ended up raising your daughter and you never would’ve known any different.” Amber had been holding her thoughts in too long. She had no idea what kind of person Alicia Ward was, but the woman must’ve had some heart to back out of the deal at the last minute. “I have so many questions, Rylan.”
“Like?” He got behind the wheel after she’d secured Brooklyn, and he’d made sure no one seemed too interested in what they were doing. It was past nine in the evening and they’d been at her cousin’s office for thirteen hours. Her back was stiff and she was tired of sitting.
“If Alicia had known she was going to adopt out her baby, why wait three months? Why take care of her that long and then dump her on a family? Of course, the other question is why change her mind and have her brought to you? Was her pregnancy a scam? She gets herself pregnant and sells the baby but has been on the run for three months because she changes her mind and decides to keep the baby? And then she realizes that someone is after her or someone was getting close and so she tries to get the baby to you, who, by the way, has no idea she’s coming or that he’s even a father.”
