Possibly.
She didn’t look like the type of inner-city youth I worked with at the youth center. This woman looked like she enjoyed a good party. She was wearing a tight black dress and holding a beer while people danced in a club-like scene in the background. Her makeup looked neat; her haircut was fresh; the club itself more like the type where rich college kids partied.
If the woman from Rhonda’s Fitness was correct, Katie was possibly three or four years younger than I was. That would probably rule out us going to school together.
So who was this Katie woman?
After another moment of hesitation, I scrolled down.
Sure enough, this Katie worked for Endless Pharmaceuticals. She was twenty-six years old.
My breath caught.
And there was a picture of her with a baby boy.
My baby boy. Sweet Pea.
Her last entry was on Saturday evening, the day before Sweet Pea had shown up on my doorstep. She had checked in at Club 21, a mecca of young-adult nightlife in the area.
I leaned back a moment, trying to process that.
Had something happened at the club that evening that sent her running and hiding? If not at the club, then what had happened between the time she left the venue on Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon when she brought Sweet Pea by? And that led me to my next thought.
Who was the baby’s father?
I scrolled a little further but didn’t see the baby named, which was only smart in social media. Katie looked like a happy mama, based on all the pictures she posted.
I scrolled back even further and found a picture of Katie in the hospital. A man was beside her. He was youngish—maybe closer to my age than hers. It was hard to tell. Something about him just looked a little more mature than Katie, though. He wasn’t tagged in the photos, however, and identifying him by picture only would prove to be difficult.
There was one other person consistently tagged in her photos—a woman named Samantha Wilson.
I clicked the link, which took me to her profile.
I quickly scanned it and saw that she worked at Sugar Plum Bakery in an area of town called Clifton.
I was suddenly having a craving for a cupcake. And I wanted one. Like, right now.
Jamie met me thirty minutes later. I loved having a BFF with a flexible job and hours. Especially in situations like this. Actually, we’d had a lot of situations like this lately.
Sweet Pea was awake. I’d changed him and packed up a bag. I had a few reservations about taking him with me, especially when I remembered the note’s warning: “Trust no one.”
But taking him with me wasn’t a sure indication that I was trusting anyone. I was, however, making other people aware of his location, and that had the potential to be equally as dangerous.
Please don’t let me regret this, I silently prayed.
I had called Chase and let him know what I discovered, and he’d promised to look into it ASAP.
When Jamie and I stepped outside with Sweet Pea in tow, Officer Truman pulled to a stop in front of the house. I walked toward his patrol car as he rolled the window down.
“Morning,” he called.
“Good morning.” I came to a stop beside him.
“Any more problems since last night?”
I shook my head. “Not that I know of.”
“Have you seen that sedan anymore?”
I shook my head again. “I haven’t. Of course, this is the first time I’ve left my house since I saw you last.”
“I’ve been keeping my eyes open for it, but haven’t seen anything suspicious.”
“Thanks. We appreciate it.”
His gaze went to Sweet Pea. “How’s the little guy doing?”
I looked down at him and smiled. “He’s doing well.”
“He reminds me of my son when he was young.” A sad smile played across his lips.
“You’re a dad?”
Officer Truman shrugged. “I was. I lost him over in Afghanistan.”
“I’m so sorry.” I couldn’t imagine how hard that would be.
He seemed to pull himself out of his melancholy, looking embarrassed for oversharing. “It’s been almost two decades. Two hard decades. I’m former military, and he wanted to follow in my footsteps. Navy.”
“I know that made you proud.”
“It was hard on my wife and me. We split shortly after, and I got out of the military.” He offered a tight nod. “I decided to become a cop, even though most of the guys in academy with me were young enough to be my sons. I’ve done this ever since. Never really wanted to be a supervisor or detective. I just enjoy working patrol.”
“It’s good to do what you enjoy.”
“It’s not an easy line of work. Life isn’t easy, for that matter. But my hope isn’t in this world. That’s the good news. I know I’ll see my son again someday.”
He must be a believer. With that thought, I looked at him more closely. “You go to my church, don’t you?”
He raised his eyebrows. “Community?”
“That’s the one.”
He nodded and studied me a moment. “I sure do. I thought you looked familiar.”
“I usually go on Saturdays.”
“And I go whenever my work schedule allows. Sometimes Saturdays, other times on Sundays.” He smiled, the action lighting his face. “Good to know there’s that connection. That said, I can let you know that I’ve been praying for you. I can imagine how taxing a situation like this would be.”
“I appreciate it.” As a cold breeze swept over the lawn, I nodded toward my car. “Well, I should go. We’re going to grab some lunch.”
Jamie leaned closer as we walked toward my car. “He seems nice. Losing a son in battle. I can’t imagine that.”
“It sounds like his son’s death destroyed his relationship with his wife also. Tragedy can ruin relationships pretty easily.”
“Relationships are pretty fragile sometimes anyway, aren’t they?” Jamie said.
I tucked Sweet Pea into the back seat, delighted when he offered another smile. “Yes, they are. Unfortunately, little one, you’ll learn that too one day when you’re older. Or maybe you’ll learn it when you’re way too young. If so, I’m so sorry. I wish children could be spared from all that pain.”
I kissed his forehead before closing the door and climbing into the front seat. Jamie climbed in beside Sweet Pea and pulled on her seat belt before we took off down the road.
“Holly, is that the sedan that keeps driving past your house?” Jamie pointed straight ahead.
A dark vehicle about the same size and make of the one we’d seen yesterday zoomed ahead of us. However, the car was pretty typical. I couldn’t be 100 percent sure it was the right one.
“Maybe,” I said.
“We should follow it.”
“We should have totally learned our lesson last time,” I said. We’d gotten ourselves in trouble when we stuck our noses into business that wasn’t our own. Though everything had worked out, I’d almost gotten killed in the process. Our lives had been on the line more than once. And it all started with following people who, in turn, followed us.
I nibbled on my bottom lip as I followed at a safe clip behind the vehicle. Either the driver didn’t notice me—because I was so sly? Doubtful—or they were just a normal citizen out doing their normal tasks. This could all be for nothing, but maybe we’d know what the answer to that was here soon.
“They don’t appear to be circling around to go past the house again,” I muttered.
“No, but maybe the driver knows we’re following and doesn’t want to raise our suspicions.”
I shrugged. “Maybe.”
I didn’t like this. It was one thing if Jamie and I put ourselves in danger, but it was a whole different story if I did anything to put Sweet Pea into danger. I had to carefully consider each of my actions. If this situation gave the slightest hint that it would turn ugly, I would abort the mission.
I c
ontinued to weave through the streets, trying to stay a careful distance behind the sedan. There was nothing remarkable about the vehicle. The license plate was standard issue. There were no bumper stickers or stuffed animals in the windows or snarky decals.
Nothing.
And, of course, the windows were tinted. I couldn’t tell how many people were inside or if it was a man or woman driving.
Finally, the sedan pulled into the parking lot of a nearby corner drugstore.
“Wait and see who gets out!” Jamie said.
“I know. But I can’t exactly pull in behind the car. That’s a little too obvious.” I glanced around before my gaze stopped on a bank across the street. I jerked the wheel and pulled into the parking lot. I found a shadowed parking space and put my car into Park. Then I watched, my heart thumping in my chest as I waited to see who would emerge from the vehicle.
A moment later, a blonde stepped out. She had long, straight hair, was dressed nicely in black slacks and a pastel top, and she wore heels. She was in her early thirties, if I had to guess.
I waited for her to look back. To show some sign that she knew she was being followed or that she’d been made.
She didn’t glance back even once. Instead, like a woman with a mission, she charged inside the drugstore.
“I don’t think she was our woman,” I muttered.
“I agree. She must have just been driving a car that looked the same.”
“I guess so. Now, let’s get to the Sugar Plum Bakery.”
Chapter 10
The Sugar Plum Bakery was located about ten minutes away in an area near the University of Cincinnati, where I’d just happened to attend college. It was decorated with everything sparkly and sweet, including pink chairs, glitter-top tables, and enticing hand-painted pictures of fruit on the walls.
But it was the aroma that got to me. Sugar and spice and everything nice.
My stomach grumbled.
What made it even better were all the signs promising customers that there were gluten-free options, that all ingredients were locally sourced when possible, and that every treat was handmade.
Nice.
As I stepped farther inside, I pulled the shade down lower over Sweet Pea’s carrier. I didn’t want anyone getting a glimpse of him unless absolutely necessary. If I was operating under the assumption that Katie was alive, then why did she leave her baby with me instead of her best friend? And if I was operating under the assumption that something had happened to Katie, then her best friend could be a prime suspect.
I had to be careful. Caution was my friend in this case.
I scanned the people working behind the counter, and my gaze came to a stop on Samantha. I recognized her curly blonde hair and pert expression from her social media page. She looked just like her pictures.
The place was busy. Jamie and I had arrived just as every businessperson within walking distance could stop by for lunch. It wasn’t the best time to initiate a conversation, but I was going to try anyway.
Jamie took Sweet Pea and sat at a corner booth with him. Meanwhile, I licked my lips nervously as I stood in line.
“Can I help you?” An employee behind the register stared at me. She wore wings, just like a fairy, and I wondered how she felt about it. It took a special woman to wear that kind of outfit and not feel resentful or silly.
“I’d like two of your gluten-free scones—cranberry and orange, please.”
“Sure thing.”
I paid for the goodies, and Samantha handed me my order tucked into a paper doily over a glass case.
“Are you Samantha?” I fingered the scones in my hands as their scent drifted up to me and made my stomach growl.
Coffee. I should have gotten coffee to go with them.
My coffee cravings had quadrupled in the past couple of days.
She stopped midway, tongs raised, and looked twice at me. “I am. Do I know you?”
“Not really. Well, kind of. I don’t know.” Convincing, Holly. Very convincing.
She gave me a look and turned to her next customer, handing him a cupcake.
I was losing her and fast. “I have a few questions about Katie Edwards.”
That got her attention. She paused from retrieving some maple-glazed cookies, and her gaze fixated on mine. “What do you know about Katie?”
I shrugged. “Not much. I was hoping you could tell me something.”
An unreadable emotion flickered in her gaze. “I have a break in ten minutes. Can you wait?”
“Of course.”
Ten minutes later, just as promised, Samantha slid into the booth beside me. The baby carrier was snuggled in the booth next to Jamie and turned away from Samantha, successfully concealing Sweet Pea’s face. Thankfully.
“Do you know where Katie is?” She got right to the point, and her gaze volleyed back and forth from me to Jamie.
“We were hoping you could tell us.” I wiped the last of my scone from the table and placed the crumbs on a napkin.
She continued to glance back and forth from me to Jamie, her gaze assessing and measured. “How do you know Katie?”
Just then, Sweet Pea let out a little laugh. Samantha’s face changed from suspicious to . . . something else. Alarm shot through me. Would she figure us out? Was this all a big mistake?
“You know Katie from that mommy and me group, don’t you?” Samantha nodded, as if proud of herself for figuring it out. “She told me she’d just started taking Jonah there.”
I nodded, a little too quickly probably. “Yes, of course. I realize we don’t know her that well, which might make this seem a little strange.”
“We’re worried about her,” Jamie said. “We haven’t been able to get in touch with her, and we were supposed to have a baby play date.”
Samantha frowned. “I haven’t been able to get in touch with her either. I’ve been trying since Sunday.”
I shifted, trying to remember my imaginary role as a fellow play-date mother who barely knew her. “Is that unlike Katie? She just comes across as being so responsible.”
“Extremely. She’s all about Jonah. People don’t just disappear with their babies.”
Jonah. That was Sweet Pea’s name. And I loved it.
“I haven’t been able to get up with Gage either,” Samantha continued.
Gage? Who was Gage? Maybe he was the guy in that social media picture.
“We’ve never met Gage, though we’ve heard about him,” I said. “What do you know about him?”
Samantha shrugged and glanced back at the long line of customers waiting to be served. “I don’t know. They’d been dating for like, five years. He’s Jonah’s daddy. I kept telling Katie to leave him, that Gage isn’t the marrying type.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
She shrugged dramatically. “You know how some guys are just like that? They’ll lead a woman on for years but have no intentions of settling down. That’s Gage. He’s too married to his job and has ‘women issues’ after getting his heart broken once. Poor baby.”
Something about her words caused my heart to constrict. I ignored it, not having time to analyze the emotion now. I had to stay focused.
“You said you haven’t talked to him either?” Jamie rocked the baby carrier back and forth as Sweet Pea—Jonah—began to chatter more loudly.
“That’s right. I tried to call him. It’s unusual that he doesn’t answer his phone. He always answers his phone.” Samantha rolled her eyes.
“Why’s that?” I asked, curious as to why it would induce an eye roll.
“He’s a reporter.”
I glanced at Jamie, my blood spiking. Was he someone Jamie knew?
“For which newspaper?” Jamie suddenly didn’t look so relaxed.
“Cincinnati Ledger. He lives and breathes it. He even gets death threats.”
“Why?” I asked. Jamie was a reporter, but she didn’t get death threats. Well, not usually. “Katie never mentioned death threats. Of course, we we
re just starting to get to know her.”
“Gage likes his privacy. He won’t even do social media, and he doesn’t like for Katie to post things online about him. Anyway, he writes controversial pieces that no one else wants to touch. As a result, he’s an easy target. He was getting so many hateful comments that he deleted his social media accounts. Said his life has been simpler since then.”
“Understandably.” I was tempted at times to do the same. I liked things simple. I enjoyed face-to-face conversations. Authenticity. Real life hugs instead of emoticons.
I leaned closer, desperately wanting more information. “Samantha, is there anyone who was angry with Katie? I know that sounds weird. But I have a bad feeling that she’s in trouble.”
Samantha thought about it a moment before letting out a long breath. “There was some woman at the gym whom she’d been having arguments with. It was about really stupid stuff, but the woman seemed to hold a grudge and have some anger issues.”
It wasn’t a lead that I’d expected, but I’d take whatever I could get. “What was she holding a grudge about?”
“It started over a treadmill. Weird, right? But then she kept coming at Katie about stupid stuff. Parking spaces. Not cleaning the equipment after using it. Staring at her in the locker room.”
“I guess it really bugged Katie?” Jamie said.
Samantha shrugged. “Who knows? I mean, you never know when people are going to turn psycho.”
The mean gym lady could be a lead, but I had a feeling I should keep looking. “Was there anyone else?”
Samantha tapped the table a moment. “Her ex-boyfriend, Heathcliff Caswell, was a hothead also. Katie has been dating Gage for five years, like I said. But Heathcliff was her high school boyfriend. When she and Gage called it quits for a couple of months, Heathcliff tried to sweep back into her life. Katie quickly ended it, but he was having trouble letting go.”
“You mean, he was obsessed?” Jamie continued to rock Jonah back and forth as his chatter turned into a cry.
“Possibly.” Samantha shrugged. “I really have no idea. But, if you hear from her, will you let me know? I’m really worried. Especially about Jonah.”
Random Acts of Greed: Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries, Book 4 Page 7
