by Mimi Barbour
Chapter Eleven
Rikki came through once again on the makeup, hairdo and a suitable dress. A quick check earlier on Google let them know that the affair would be formal, and so a lovely red gown had been chosen and transformed Aurora from what she considered a plain Jane to… ahh pretty darn nice.
A thought spiraled through her mind before it could be squashed. If only Kai could see me looking this good. He’d be sorry for walking away! Clamping down on those wandering notions, she glanced at Lisa who looked entranced.
“What?”
“Who knew you could look so good? Your blue eyes look lighter from the eye shadow. Just now they were sparkling more than I’ve ever seen them. Trust me, when you’re pissed, they shine like crazy.”
Not wanting to admit that tears might have created the effect, Aurora changed the subject. “I still don’t see why you couldn’t have stepped in for me tonight.”
“Hey, I don’t know this dude. He’s your admirer. Give the guy a break, partner. Go and enjoy the evening. Let loose for once in your life.”
Thinking about what Lisa just said made her feel like plopping down on the floor and howling—with laughter or tears or maybe a mix of both. Sure, let loose! Hadn’t she done that with Kai and look where it had gotten her—pregnant and abandoned?
Stop thinking about him! Taking her own advice, she blocked those wayward urges and focused on Lisa. “Speaking about letting loose… just a warning. You hook up with one more loser, and Ham and I will lock you up every night in one of holding cells to keep you from wasting your time. Every down-on-his-luck, poor-me misfit in this crazy city seems to find you; and being the softheaded, easy touch that you are, you take them home and lay down for them to walk all over you. It’s got to stop.” By the time she’d finished her lecture, Aurora had advanced to stand over her partner still draped across the pink velvet chaise lounge.
“Got it, boss. I’m off men for good. Cross my heart.”
Rikki, who’d just re-entered the room carrying a handful of glittery jewelry, laughed and added. “Heard that one before.”
The intercom rang announcing the arrival of the taxi and Aurora gathered up her full chiffon skirt and a beautiful black beaded evening bag and headed out of the room before Rikki could attack with her baubles.
At a safe distance, she stopped and turned toward the willowy, glamorous beauty. “You’ve been a lifesaver, Rikki. I really do appreciate it.”
“Relax and have a good time, Aurora. “I’ve seem Jeff Waters and he’s every woman’s dream. Go have fun, and give the guy a break.”
Taking the advice of her friends, Aurora actually enjoyed the evening. Meeting the big shots and finding them likeable surprised her somewhat. Guess she’d always thought that anyone with a lot of money didn’t live in the real world.
Tonight she found that to be untrue. Being a good listener, having the ability to shift through lies and recognize sincerity, she found women whose reality shadowed hers. They feared for their children. They loved their husbands and wanted to be important to them. And they worried they didn’t have enough going on to be interesting to others.
Of course there were some who cared only about themselves, but those women—and men—exist in every walk of life, they aren’t simply creations of the well-to-do section of society.
In his own way, Jeff was the perfect companion. He allowed her space when she had company and appeared from out of nowhere as soon as she found herself alone. At first, he offered her champagne, but soon gave that up and brought her a variety of sparkling waters instead. By the time the evening had ended, he insisted he would accompany her home, and relaxed from a deservedly wonderful evening, she agreed.
She even agreed to his coming up to her apartment for coffee. Their unspoken “friends” truce provided her with a feeling of warmth towards him. Not once did he make her feel uncomfortable. The opposite in fact. They laughed and joked as if they’d known each other forever.
He even mentioned the Rhondo shooting that had happened the previous year. It had appeared in all the papers, and though she’d been harassed by reporters and various media outlets for her story, she’d refused to discuss the particulars. Death by cop interested everyone. Once the truth had come out, she’d been forced to take a hard stance on keeping her distance. Gladly, the department and Internal Affairs had backed her to the hilt, and the furor eventually died down.
“You don’t have to say anything, Aurora. But I wanted to tell you how very much I admire a person who can take the steps she’s forced to when up against the wall. From my experience in the army, I know it’s not easy.”
“Because I don’t talk about it,” she said, “doesn’t mean I don’t wish with all my heart that it hadn’t happened. Sometimes we have no choice.”
Jeff put his mug down on the counter in the kitchen where they sat on the stools. He stood and walked towards where Aurora perched, her long red dress flowing out around her.
He’d removed the black tie and opened the collar of his white silk shirt and looked relaxed in his clothes as if he’d been born to wear such finery.
Without any hesitation, he gathered her into his arms and bent to take her mouth in a gentle kiss. She shoved him back, her hands rough and her push serious.
“Don’t.”
“Why not?” His voice sounded husky with emotion. I know I can make you like it.”
“Hell, I know I can shoot you in the balls but it doesn’t mean I should.”
He backed away, a grin forming. “Makes sense to me.”
“I thought you’d see it my way”
His hands slid into his tux’s jacket pockets as he nonchalantly leaned against the counter. “Well you are very convincing. Just gotta ask. There’s two reasons a woman pushes a man away when her eyes are hungry. Either she doesn’t like the guy, or she likes someone else better. Now I know you’ve enjoyed my company tonight. Hell, I even caught you laughing more than a few times. Therefore I’m taking it that I’m not the problem. So who’s the other guy?”
“No one you know. He’s a bastard and a cheat, a low-down slimy—”
“Whoa! As a favor to you, and the world in general, I’d shoot him myself. Just one thing has me scratching my thick, glossy locks.”
His silliness made her almost smile. She searched his eyes and waited.
“If he’s so horrible, how come you love the dirtbag?”
“Hey, I never said—”
“No, but your rejection did. You were with me until I tried to kiss you and bam! You became a ‘hand’s off’ girl. Just wish my body would stop whimpering and take your refusal like a man.”
Aurora grinned at the way he worded his position. “Maybe you have a thing for pregnant women.” She actually laughed when he tripped over his feet to back away. “Pregnant?! Whaddayamean pregnant?”
“Whaddayamean, what do I mean?” With this foolishness, she actually giggled and a weight disappeared off her shoulders that had been building since she realized her predicament. She was pregnant, alone, and still she was happy.
Chapter Twelve
Three months later, Aurora sat in her spare bedroom surrounded by pieces of wood of all shapes and sizes, plastic bags brimming with screws and two pages full of instructions. Earlier that day, she’d decided that tonight the crib would be set up because the baby’s room needed to take shape.
Shopping bags full of baby paraphernalia filled the closet while other pieces of furniture, delivered earlier, took up their positions in the newly painted space. All that was left to attack was the fancy crib she’d chosen.
She’d refused Cory and Debbie’s assistance since they had Debbie’s parents visiting. Said no to Lisa coming over because the girl was a klutz, and would probably break something valuable while trying to help. And when Jeff had called out of the blue saying he’d arrived back in town, she’d gently declined to see him also. Glad they’d stayed friends, although she seldom saw him due to his busy schedule, she didn’t want to impose.<
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Left alone to face this nightmare, she decided one thing. If a man can do this, so can I. Right?!! How hard can it be to use a screw driver and a hammer?
Hours later, frustrated beyond caring, she called Hampton, who said he’d be right over.
Then she made one last call to the man who still haunted her dreams.
“Kai, in case you give a shit, I’m going crazy trying to put our baby’s crib together. I have no doubt a lunatic—most likely a man—wrote these directions when he was either drunk or high. You are a piece of shit and if our baby falls when this son-a-bitchin’ thing breaks, it’ll be your fault. I hope you rot in hell for leaving me alone to deal with all this.”
She prayed he hadn’t heard her sob before she slammed the receiver down.
HIGH STAKES GAMBLE
Chapter One
Bursting with motherly pride, Aurora Morelli sat in the doctor’s waiting room cuddling her daughter Lily who slept like an angel while other babies fussed and created havoc. Moving the fuzzy pink blanket aside, she snuck a light kiss on the wrinkled forehead.
When her baby opened her big blue shockers, Aurora suffered the same jolt that happened every time she saw those beauties. Lily had her daddy’s eyes. In fact, she looked a lot like Kai, bald and pensive yet charming and sassy.
Since Kai had disappeared into L.A.’s vast perimeters almost a year ago, memories were all Aurora had of him. Memories she’d fought hard to keep away.
Now with Lily being a tiny replica, it had become difficult but not impossible. With determination, she’d learned to block out that which gave her pain. Considering Aurora’s hellish life growing up with a bitch for a mother, Aurora had a backbone that didn’t bend and a prickly personality very few were allowed to get close to.
Once Lily started to squirm, she relaxed her arms and gazed around the room. The very pregnant, thirty-something woman sitting next to her had smiled when Aurora first entered. After Aurora gave her the prickly keep-to-yourself look so normal to her these days, her neighbor obviously got the hint not to initiate any conversation.
Glancing around the tranquil doctor’s office, low music in the background, she made note that the two females behind the stone-fronted counter spent more time gabbing than filing. Her gaze strayed from seat to seat, and as customary, she checked out the other patients. Playing her personal game of who and what, she made up lives for each—who they were and what line of work they did.
Amazingly, she hit the jackpot more times than the law of averages. Guess she had an instinct about people that she honed. Her job as one of Las Vegas’s detectives rendered her more perceptive that the normal person. And she did love her job.
Or she did before her boss and good friend, Lieutenant Cory Ashton, forced her to take a drawn-out maternity leave. True, she hadn’t been at her best in the last months before Lily’s birth. However, she justified her rotten mood from being forced to take a desk job.
Hell, that would make any good cop crazy. No way would she admit to missing Lily’s daddy so badly that facing each day as her stomach grew more balloon-like ended up worse than the day before.
Then Lily arrived and her world righted itself. Being with her child was as close to heaven as she was likely to ever get. But man she yearned to be back keeping the streets free from the criminal element.
If someone would have told her she’d miss her chatterbox partner, Lisa Jordan, as much as she did, she’d have laughed and shook her head at their foolishness. So the fact that she called her every morning surprised the hell outta her.
No way could she stay away for much longer; it didn’t matter what Cory Ashton had to say.
A startling sound from an elevator opening its doors at the far end of the luxurious space caught Aurora’s attention. So did the dark-haired, jean-clad female who stumbled out screaming.
“Help me, please! My baby! He’s taken my baby! In the elevator…” Collapsing in a pathetic heap, the mother’s beseeching arms reached out in panic. The poor dishevelled woman screamed, her shrill fear infecting every person there. “Help me!”
Aurora turned quickly to her frightened neighbor, menacing her with a glare before she handed Lily over. “I’m a cop. Hold my baby and don’t move.” Her intimidating finger pointed so close to the woman’s nose that she brushed it lightly. When Aurora did intimidation, no-one messed with her.
The cowering mother-to-be pushed her long red hair toward her back, nodded, and gingerly accepted the sleepy baby.
Aurora bounded over to where a growing, cackling group surrounded the poor victim now prone and sobbing out of control.
“Move aside, please. I’m Detective Morelli with LVMPD, settle down and take your seats.” Being on maternity leave, she didn’t carry her badge, so instead she flashed her wallet with her identification showing. She turned to the younger receptionist who had been first to assist the crazed sufferer. “Call this number and request Detective John Hampton. Tell him to get his ass over here. Tell him Aurora Morelli has asked for him specifically.” Aurora gave her one of her cards with the department’s number listed and steadied her own hand when she noticed the card shaking. Passing the victim to Aurora, the office girl jumped up to do her bidding.
Hysterics and tears had to be dealt with. Aurora, who knew how she’d feel if someone tried to take Lily, gathered the poor woman close for a few seconds and awkwardly patted her back.
Over the top of the head nestled into her shoulder she turned to the room at large. Her voice meant business. “No one leaves until I say so.” She got the attention of the other assistant, then pointing behind her, she continued. “That elevator is now a crime scene—shut it down. Then go and wait for the police at the front door and bring them up here via the stairs.”
Hesitating with the phone in her hand, the office girl squeaked. “I’ll just call the doctor? And t-tell him what’s happened. He’ll be able to give her something to settle her down.” She nodded at the whimpering female in Aurora’s arms.
“Fine. But hurry.”
The distraught mother, sensing authority, grabbed Aurora’s arm, frantically pinching. “Please, I want my Billy. I tried to stop him. Help me,” she moaned. Her obvious agony awoke every tingling sensation in Aurora’s scalp. She glanced over to the where Lily lay safe in the arms of her white-faced impromptu babysitter.
“I’ll help you, Ma’am, but you have to stop crying. Take a deep breath.” Her mesmerizingly soft voice seemed to work a miracle and the other woman quieted, her desperate eyes searching Aurora’s face and expression.
“He got on the elevator behind me and forced me up against the wall. When he drugged me, I-I tried to stop him. But he put a cloth over my nose and mouth. I must have passed out. Billy, my baby was gone when I came to.” At this point the victim had to stop and use the tissues Aurora had passed to her from the box nearby. Once she’d wiped away the snot and tears, she continued. “It could only have been a few minutes.”
Vulnerable and seeking exoneration, she begged for confirmation that she wasn’t to blame. After all, isn’t it a mom’s job to keep her child safe?
“It’s not your fault, Ms…?”
“Mary Fulton. And my baby’s name is Billy. He’s two months old. And he likes to be rocked to sleep…” The last came out in a whisper that sent a mass of quivers rioting down Aurora’s back.
“Shuu! Calm now. It’s okay Mrs. Fulton. We’ll find your baby but you have to be strong. We need you to tell us anything you can about what just happened. Come now. Get up and we’ll take you to a quiet area so we can talk.”
Aurora motioned with her head to the doctor who had quietly appeared and began surreptitiously assessing the patient while Aurora asked the questions.
Understanding her request, the doctor helped the woman to stand and then supported her toward the closest small room where an examination table sat next to a couple of chairs and a small desk.
He spoke quietly to Aurora as they walked, Mary Fulton staggering between them. �
�I can give her something to calm her. If I don’t, she soon won’t be of much use. Right now she’s hanging on by a thread. I think she’s attached herself to you but even you won’t be able to influence her for much longer.”
“Go ahead and give her something then. If we’re going to get the information crucial to finding her baby, we’ll need her as calm as possible. There’ll be an Amber Alert. But you must understand how critical it is for the first twenty-four hours that we follow up every conceivable lead.”
Chapter Two
“Can’t stay away, Morelli? Always where the action is, and you on maternity leave, Lassie. By golly, even a doctor’s office.” John Hampton’s greying bushy eyebrows covered twinkling eyes that made her feel a whole lot better. All six-plus feet of the Irish devil soothed her uneasiness. There was none better to work with than this solid, good-hearted man.
“Hampton you old rogue, you almost look good enough to hug.” Aurora’s smile couldn’t be hidden when she spotted her larger than life cohort from the office where she’d worked her ass off for the last five-and-a-half years.
When he approached with intent, she backed away and held her hand up in front of her. “I said almost.”
“Wicked tease! Now you’ve gone and broke me heart.” His shenanigans worked its magic. She felt her rioting nerves settle back into place. “What do we have here?” he asked. His demeanour quickly settled into a businesslike manner as he nodded his head toward the huddled woman with the doctor’s arms supporting her from falling out of the chair.
“Craziest damn thing I ever heard. She falls out of the elevator screaming a man drugged her and stole her baby. I’ve closed the place down. No one has left. We can question the ladies in the outer room but all they saw is what I just described. Still, never know what they might have noticed when they first arrived downstairs, or for that matter, outside. We’ll need to get the teams on the rest of the floors, mostly the main one to see if there are any other witnesses who can describe this guy. Have to pull all the security tapes, too. Maybe if we’re lucky, we can ID the perp from a video shot.”
