Swamp Santa (A Miss Fortune Mystery Book 16)

by Jana DeLeon

  The front door was open behind Cory with the screen door closed. I saw a shadow cross the threshold, then Ida Belle stepped into the frame, motioning to Caleb. I gave her a nod and she lifted the rifle and slammed the hilt into the back of Cory’s skull. At the same time, I dropped my pistol and leaped forward, snatching Caleb with one arm and Cory’s pistol with my other hand.

  Cory screamed in pain but was still conscious, so for good measure, as I spun around to hand Seth the baby, I backhanded Cory with his pistol, sending him crashing in a heap on the living room floor. Becca collapsed and dragged Myrna down with her as Ida Belle and Gertie rushed into the room. I bent down and checked Cory’s pulse. He was unconscious but still breathing. Even though that was a good thing, I couldn’t help feeling a tiny bit disappointed.

  Gertie handed me a pair of handcuffs and I snapped them on him.

  “Guess he won’t become president,” Ida Belle said, looking down at Cory. “What with that prison record that he’s going to have.”

  “I’m thinking his wife might have a problem with all this as well,” Gertie said.

  “I suppose we’re going to have to be satisfied with that, since we didn’t kill him,” Ida Belle said.

  “I almost wish you would have,” Seth said as he walked up and kicked Cory right in the rib cage. Quite frankly, had a man been holding a pistol on my family and trying to kidnap my baby, I would have done a lot worse.

  “Nobody saw that,” Gertie said. “If you’d like to do it again.”

  He shook his head. “No sense any of us getting into trouble over this piece of—”

  “Language,” Megan said as she ran over to hug each of us, still crying. She was clutching Caleb in her arms, probably squeezing him a little too hard, but the baby had a death grip on her shirt and hair, so clearly he felt the same as she did.

  When she broke off the hug, we all stood there staring at one another, not sure exactly what to say. I think everyone was still a little dumbstruck.

  “Can someone help me get her up?” Myrna asked.

  Crap. We’d completely forgotten about Becca!

  Seth helped Myrna lift Becca onto the couch while Ida Belle hurried into the kitchen, then came back with a glass of water. Myrna stuck her fingers in the water and rubbed it onto Becca’s face.

  “Is she all right?” Gertie asked.

  Myrna started tapping the side of her face. “She just passed out. I’m sure it was the stress.”

  “Yeah, that admission was totally unexpected,” Seth said. “Did you know Becca had given birth?”

  Myrna shook her head. “We had a falling-out earlier this year. At the time, I thought Becca had gotten in a snit over nothing and she’d get over it, but now I know why she kept me distant for so long.”

  “But keeping you in the dark doesn’t make sense,” Seth said. “She couldn’t have hidden the baby forever.”

  “Maybe she was going to give the baby up like Ashley did,” Gertie said. “Maybe she figured out that Cory was a horrible person and didn’t want her mother to know that she’d made such a huge mistake. Shame is a powerful motivator.”

  Myrna looked over at Gertie, her expression bleak. “You might be right. But I wish she would have come to me. I could have helped.”

  I heard a car engine roaring up and looked out to see Carter running inside. He stopped short, his relief apparent, then looked around, taking in everything but clearly confused. I moved forward and attempted to give him the condensed version of who everyone was and what had happened.

  “I’ll get statements from everyone later,” he said as he motioned for Seth to help him cart Cory out. “But I’ve got enough to book him for now.”

  He gave me a quick nod as he left and I could tell that he’d been afraid of what he might find. I was certain Walter had called him in a panic, insisting he drop whatever nonsense he was seeing to at the Swamp Bar in order to get to the Prejeans’ immediately. He’d probably been imagining a million different horrible things on his way.

  Becca stirred a bit, then bolted upright in a panic. Myrna put her hands on her shoulders to prevent her from standing.

  “Calm down,” Myrna said. “Everyone is safe. Carter just took that awful man away from here.”

  Becca started softly weeping and wrapped her arms around Myrna. “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I should have. But I’d messed up so bad and didn’t want you to know. And Cory was so horrible. I was scared of him. Scared of what he might do to me and to you if you were involved.”

  Myrna stroked her daughter’s hair and held her close. “None of that matters now. All that matters is that you’re safe and so is everyone we care about. Cory isn’t going to bother you again. Carter will make sure of that.”

  “I’ll fix us all something to drink,” Megan said. “Spiked. Except for Caleb, of course. We all need it. Will you ladies please stay with us for a while? I have a feeling we’re all going to want to talk things out. I’m thrilled that you’re here but also confused about everything.”

  “You’re not the only one,” I said. “And we’d be happy to stay.”

  “Even happier for a drink,” Gertie said. “I’ll help you with those.”

  A bit later, we were all sitting in the living room, clutching a stiff drink. Caleb and the puppy were down for a much-needed nap. After the initial flurry of passing glasses around, we all went silent. I think everyone was afraid to be the first to start talking, especially given that the questions we had weren’t going to be easy to answer. And Becca needed to answer most of them.

  She looked better than she had a few minutes earlier. The color had returned to her face but tears still pooled in her eyes from time to time. Her hand shook a bit as she lifted her glass and I’m sure she felt self-conscious under our scrutiny. Megan was the first to break the silence.

  “I have to ask,” she said quietly. “Is Caleb Ashley’s son?”

  It had to be the biggest question on everyone’s mind. Myrna had practically taunted Cory to have Caleb’s DNA tested. What if he was Cory’s son? Would his family make a play for the baby? His wife? Could he acquire rights even as a convicted felon?

  “No,” Becca said. “Ashley’s baby died a couple weeks after he was born. It was a crib death. There was nothing wrong with the baby or with anything she did.” Becca looked directly at Seth. “I know that for certain because she was staying with me. Our babies were born only days apart. We thought it would be easier if we shared duties, at least in the beginning. Plus, my place was closer to the doctors if we needed them and I had a car.”

  Megan nodded, getting misty, and Seth put his arm around his wife and pulled her close. This was their worst nightmare.

  “I swore I’d never tell anyone what happened, but you deserve to know,” Becca said. “But to explain it all properly, I have to go back a ways, so please bear with me.”

  “Take all the time you need,” Myrna said.

  “I met Cory at one of his company’s events at the hotel where Ashley worked,” Becca said. “We hit it off and he asked for my number. I was flattered by the attention. He was good-looking and educated and rich. It was stupid to think he would be interested in someone like me. But he was a good actor when he needed to be.”

  “The worst ones always are,” Ida Belle said.

  Becca nodded. “I met Ashley that same night on break—outside, like I told you guys before. And we became friends. Ashley used to hook up with another guy who worked at the company, Drew McEntire. A party boy whose parents owned the company. Neither of them was serious.”

  “Was he the father of her baby?” Megan asked.

  “She said no,” Becca said. “Ashley always claimed she didn’t know who the father was and I believed her. She didn’t lie to me because she didn’t have to. I didn’t have any expectations when it came to her. I knew the way she lived wasn’t my way but she was a good friend, and when she got pregnant, she did change her life.”

  “Ashley was telling the truth,” I said. �
��We talked to Drew. He had a vasectomy when he was twenty. Didn’t want to be trapped by a woman looking for a permanent paycheck—his words.”

  “That sounds about right,” Becca said. “I should have known better than to get involved with Cory, but I was stupid and lonely. He was charming and sophisticated. He said all the right things and did all the right things, and I thought we were in a relationship. When I got pregnant, I was terrified. I figured he’d be furious but instead, he was happy.”

  She shook her head. “I should have seen the signs. I’d never met his family or friends. At first, I was happy about that—I had him all to myself. You know, the big romance. At least, that’s what I convinced myself of. But keeping me separate from his real life was how he kept me from finding out the truth.”

  She took a deep breath and slowly blew it out.

  “He was just using me to get a baby,” Becca said. “And I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one. Just the first to get pregnant. The entire time I dated him, he was engaged to another woman—one with the political connections he wanted so badly. But something was wrong, and she couldn’t have children. Cory wanted a baby desperately. It was important for his image, and nothing but his own blood would do. He thought his DNA was special. His son would be special. Like him.”

  I shook my head. I’d seen some pretty big God complexes, but this guy was in love with himself like no other.

  “But how could he know you’d get pregnant?” Gertie asked. “He was running a risk, having an affair with you while being engaged. And if there were other women as well…”

  “We always used protection,” Becca said. “I can’t take birth control pills and told him that. My guess is he poked holes in the condoms.”

  “Bastard,” Gertie said.

  “But he couldn’t just take the baby from you,” Megan said.

  “He didn’t think he’d have to,” Becca said. “I’d told him that I didn’t want kids. I saw how hard it was for my mother after my dad died. I never wanted to risk that for myself or my child. So he thought if he offered me money, I’d jump at the opportunity.”

  “He offered you money?” Megan asked, clearly outraged.

  “A hundred grand,” Becca said. “I was so angry. I loved him, and he had used me as a brood mare. Then he assumed I cared so little about the baby I was carrying that I’d sell it and just go on like it had never happened. There’s no way I could do that.”

  “Is that when he broke your arm?” I asked.

  She stared at me, a bit surprised.

  “It’s not really the type of break you get from a bicycle accident,” I said. “It’s the kind you get from a struggle with another person.”

  Becca dropped her gaze down to her lap and nodded. “I knew then just how bad things were. I’d thought worst case we’d share custody, but that was before I knew how cruel Cory was and just how far he’d go to get what he wanted. After that, I told him he couldn’t come to my apartment. That if he did, I’d press charges and get a restraining order.”

  Myrna grabbed her daughter’s hand and squeezed it. “My poor baby.”

  “It gets worse,” Becca said. “Ashley heard Drew on his phone in the hotel hallway one night. She was going for supplies when she heard him say my name, so she hid behind a plant and listened. It was right after I’d refused to take Cory’s money. Drew was giving Cory the name of a shady doctor who would be willing to have me declared mentally incompetent.”

  Becca swiped tears from her cheek and I could see all the anger and hurt come back on her full force.

  “Cory was planning on putting me in some mental institution and getting full custody of the baby. Drew told him if that didn’t work, there were other ways of eliminating me as a problem. Permanent ways.”

  Megan’s hands flew over her mouth and Myrna gasped. Ida Belle called Cory a few choice names and Seth contributed to her list. I just shook my head. The evil people could do rarely surprised me but the callousness of all of this was overwhelming.

  “So what did you do?” Ida Belle asked.

  Becca shook her head. “What could I do? I didn’t have the money to disappear and Cory had money and the connections to find me even if I tried. He believed my threat about the police and never came to my apartment again, but during the rest of my pregnancy, he’d drop by the photography studio where I worked. He pretended concern for me but I’m sure he was just making certain I wasn’t harming his precious DNA. Every time he left, he’d throw money at me. It made me feel so cheap, which is what he wanted. He was trying to break me down. Get me to give in to his plan.”

  “I wish I would have kicked him harder and far more,” Seth said.

  “And in a different place,” Gertie said. “That man needs to be sterilized.”

  Becca nodded. “If I hadn’t passed out, I might have shot him. Guess it’s a good thing I did.”

  “What happened after the baby was born?” I asked.

  “Cory turned up the heat,” Becca said. “He still wasn’t allowed in my apartment. Ashley was there by then and no way was I putting all of us at risk. But one night, about five days after the birth, he banged on the door and I called the cops. They told him he had to go through the courts to solve his problems and they didn’t want to see him there again. I figured he’d gone by the studio and when he couldn’t find me, he knew I’d had the baby.”

  “You should have filed charges then,” Megan said. “Had him thrown in jail.”

  “It never would have stuck,” Becca said. “He’d just married a state senator’s daughter. They had connections with local law enforcement and judges. So he upped the ante and offered me twice what he had before. When I refused, he shifted gears and threatened me with attorneys. Said if I had a wellness exam for myself and the baby that he wouldn’t make trouble, but he just wanted to make sure both of us were all right. Then he started pushing me to see that doctor that Drew had recommended. By that point, I’m sure my health wasn’t all that great. I was terrified and not sleeping, and I was certain that if I went in front of a judge, they would take one look at me and decide I wasn’t fit. I couldn’t see any way out of the situation that didn’t end with me in a mental institution or a grave.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes again and several spilled over onto her cheek. “That’s when Ashley’s baby died. When we took him to the hospital, she told me to tell them he was mine. That way, I’d have a death certificate to show Cory. Ashley knew how much you wanted a baby and said she could get you to adopt my son. That way, he’d be safe. Another bartender she knew had used Abshire to adopt out her baby and she knew he didn’t ask questions. Then, just in case Cory ever found out about Ashley and me being friends, she was going to disappear.”

  “Cory didn’t know you and Ashley were friends?” I asked.

  “No,” Becca said. “He’d never shown any interest in my personal life and I’d never mentioned her. I figured he wouldn’t approve of my being friends with her given his straitlaced stance on everything. Turned out to be a good thing, although I guess he found out about Ashley eventually or he never would have tracked things here.”

  I knew Cooke had connected Becca to Ashley because he’d gone by the bar looking for her, but since she was nowhere to be found and people didn’t seem to know about their friendship, I supposed he’d made a note to the file and let it go as a dead end. But after I talked to Cory, something must have clicked in his mind, possibly from notes Cooke had sent him on the investigation. Combine that with the mention of a baby and Sinful and that was all it took to set Cory off in the Prejeans’ direction.

  “What a horrible decision to have to make,” Megan said.

  “It was,” Becca agreed. “But it was still an answer to my prayers. My son would have a great home and you would have the child you always wanted. Ashley said it was the positive thing that could come out of her baby’s death.”

  “So Caleb is your son,” Megan said. “Cory will have tests run. Even if he’s in prison, his family has mon
ey, right? Or his wife’s family. They can make things happen.”

  “No. They can’t,” Becca said. “Because Caleb isn’t mine.”

  Everyone looked completely confused. “Then whose baby is he?” Megan asked. “Will someone else come looking for him?”

  Becca shook her head. “No. I went with Ashley to the attorney to drop off my baby. She carried him in, of course, but when it came time to put him in the nursery room, she handed him to me. The lawyer just thought she was too emotional to do it and directed me to the room where he kept the babies until they were checked out by the nurse before transport to their homes. But I knew Ashley was giving me a chance to say one final goodbye. When I went into the nursery, there was another baby boy there. He was about the same age as my son. So I switched them.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  There was a sharp intake of breath by Seth and Megan. Myrna shook her head and clenched her daughter’s hand so hard that her knuckles whitened. I glanced over at Ida Belle and Gertie, who were as shocked as I was. This story had more twists and turns than a roller coaster.

  “I’m so sorry,” Becca said. “I know it was wrong but it wasn’t like you were getting Ashley’s baby anyway. I just thought it would be safer. Another chasm between Cory and my son. That way, if he ever found out about Ashley and her baby and traced him back to you, he wouldn’t be able to take him.”

  “And the couple that got your son?” Megan asked.

  “Were buying a baby,” Becca said. “We knew Abshire wasn’t an upstanding sort of guy. He paid Ashley’s bartender friend for her baby and that’s not legal. By using Abshire, his clients got a shortcut to adoption and had to have known or at least suspected why because they were the ones putting the money up.”

  “And because things weren’t necessarily on the up-and-up,” Ida Belle said, “that meant Abshire and his clients would all keep their mouths shut if anyone came sniffing around with questions. It kept him insulated and his practice running strong.”

  Becca nodded. “The chart on the other baby’s crib clearly stated no medical records available and closed adoption. The adoptive couple would never know more about his birth parents. They wanted a healthy baby boy and they got one.”