Replacement Baby

by Mary Ann Smart

  “You are irreplaceable,” Lionel told her, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m so glad to have you back,” he whispered.

  Rose realized that she was hugging him back. And to her surprise, she liked the way it felt.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  After breakfast the next morning, Mr. Douglass, Lionel, and Rose took a cab to the police headquarters. They spoke to a detective, Mr. Hamilton, who listened intently at his desk while Rose told her story. He tapped his lips with a green pen.

  “Now, that is curious,” he said when Rose reached to the part in her recollections about Rodney and Mother discussing the jewelry. “And you said this Rodney fellow worked at Herald’s Jewelry? The one that was robbed?”

  “Yes, sir, he did,” Rose replied.

  “And this is the first time you are reporting this adopted mother of yours?” The detective asked for clarification.

  “Well, no,” Rose told him. “You should have a report from a week and a half ago, on a Thursday. Rodney, the guy I seeing, reported what happened when she grabbed me in the alleyway.”

  The investigator raised his eyebrows. “Did he really report it?”

  Rose realized at once how foolish what she said sounded. She blushed. “Well, I guess maybe he didn’t. He wouldn’t want the authorities to know. He probably lied to me about that, too.”

  The investigator buzzed a secretary. “Hello, Miss Paul? Will you please look up a police report for an incident involving Rose Porter or Lisa Porter?”

  “Yes, sir,” replied the female voice on the line.

  “Finish telling me everything, and then I will need to make a couple phone calls,” the detective told Rose.

  She finished telling him the rest of the conversation she had overheard. Then the phone on Detective Hamilton’s desk rang. He picked it up, listened for a moment, and then hung up.

  “No, there is no such police report,” the detective told her. “That Rodney fellow lied to you about that, as well.”

  Rose nodded, accepting the difficult truth. Lionel and Mr. Douglass sat silently on either side of her.

  Detective Hamilton excused himself and left the room. Through the large glass window, Rose could see him talking on the telephone. His face was serious.

  After five minutes, he entered the small room again. Rose, Mr. Douglass, and Lionel listened as the detective spoke. “It is just as I suspected,” he said. “A fellow named Rodney Martin did manage the Herald’s store. He is currently listed as person of interest. He quit his job there not long before the robbery. When the store manager and an investigator attempted to contact Mr. Martin, they found that he had given a false address and telephone number. The police are looking for him, so we are very thankful for the information you gave us regarding his whereabouts.”

  “Do you think the woman who kidnapped me is also involved in the jewel robbery?” Rose asked.

  “It would appear so,” Detective Hamilton replied. “She obviously has a criminal background because of the kidnapping. So it seems, based on what you told us, that they could be working together.”

  “I believe that these criminals sound dangerous,” Mr. Douglass said to Detective Hamilton.

  “Yes, I would agree,” he said. “Do you secure all your doors at night? I am a bit concerned for the safety of Miss Porter here. I also found out that this Mr. Fontaine they mentioned is the leader of a ring of well-known jewel thieves. They mostly rob high end jewelry shops in England and other large cities in Western Europe. These thieves have been known to be violent.”

  “Yes, we do lock our doors,” Mr. Douglass replied. “I do know something of this ring of thieves you speak of. I read the newspaper often. Is there anything else we should be doing?”

  “Well, because this Rodney Martin fellow knows where you live, I would be cautious,” Detective Hamilton told them. “Miss Porter, I wouldn’t go anywhere unaccompanied, if I were you. They may target you.”

  Rose nodded.

  Detective Hamilton continued. “I will see if I can get an officer to patrol your street at night.”

  “Thank you, Detective Hamilton,” Mr. Douglass said. “My wife and I need to make a trip to Scotland for a week due to embassy business, but Rose, Lionel, and my daughter will go stay in London while we’re away. So I’m grateful.”

  “A nightly patrol will certainly be for the best, then,” Detective Hamilton replied.

  “I’m going to sleep with my gun beside me at night,” Lionel announced after they left.

  “You have a gun?” Rose whispered.

  “Yes,” Lionel replied. “Just a small one. A little pistol.”

  “I’m going to tell all the hired help to be alert and on their guard,” Mr. Douglass told them. “I would cancel the trip to Scotland if we could, but it’s important. Lionel?”

  “Yes, dad?”

  “I’m going to leave the car for you to drive,” Mr. Douglass told him. “The less time you three spend walking and on the trains, the better. Just make sure you lock it up in the garage at night.”

  “Yes, sir.” Lionel smiled. “Thanks! I like driving the car.”

  “I know you do.” Mr. Douglass patted his son on the shoulder. “How about we eat lunch?”

  “I thought you’d never ask,” Lionel told him. “Mom is out shopping and only Julie’s at home. She already told me she’s having spinach and carrot juice for lunch, with a bowl of Brussel sprouts.”

  “In that case, I’m glad I asked, too.” Mr. Douglass laughed.

  “I hope I can convince her to get off that crazy diet soon,” Rose told them. “Carrot juice, ugh.”

  They went to a small pub. Mr. Douglass and Lionel ordered fish and chips, while Rose got Scotch eggs with stone ground mustard.

  Over their lunch, Mr. Douglass went over all the precautions they should take while he and his wife were away.

  “Lionel, I’m putting you in charge of checking the locks at night,” he told his son. “Check all the windows, as well. Don’t leave any downstairs windows open. Rose, would you be able to help Lionel check the windows?”

  “Of course,” Rose told him.

  “Okay, thank you. Now, please try to avoid going out after dark. And please, don’t go anywhere alone. You should all have at least one other person when you go out.”

  “Absolutely,” Lionel agreed.

  “Okay, I think you three should be just fine,” Mr. Douglass told Rose and Lionel. “You’re smart and I know you’ll be cautious.”

  “We will, dad,” Lionel told him. “Just have a good time on your trip.”

  “We’ll call you often,” Mr. Douglass promised.

  “We’ll be fine.” Lionel put his arm around Rose.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Would you like to go out for a drive this afternoon?” Lionel suggested on a sunny day. Mr. and Mrs. Douglass had left for Scotland almost a week before.

  “I’d love it!” Rose exclaimed. They had been spending more time inside the house than usual, so Rose was grateful for an outing.

  Grabbing the keys, they hurried out the door . The car was a small convertible, and the wind blew through Rose’s hair as they drove with the top down. Lionel sped around twists and turns in the road. Rose figured that his daring moves were mostly to keep her entertained.

  They drove in front of Buckingham Palace and by Trafalgar Square. They went all around the theater district and over the Tower Bridge. They drove in the tunnel under the Thames and went by the Portobello Road market.

  As they drove, Rose reached over and grabbed Lionel’s arm. He glanced in her direction with a smile. With the wind blowing through her hair and Lionel beside her, Rose felt free as they sped through the London streets.

  “I forgot to tell you, but Detective Hamilton called earlier,” Lionel told Rose. “I guess the police checked out the house in Bexley, the one where Rodney lives”

  “Oh?”

  “Well, he wasn’t there,” Lionel explained. “They found some evidence, but no Rodney.”<
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  “Well, I sure hope they find him soon,” Rose told Lionel. “I’ll feel safer when all those people are locked up.”

  “I don’t blame you,” Lionel replied, looking over at her. “Why don’t we go to Harrods and walk around?” Lionel suggested. “We can have tea and sandwiches.”

  Rose agreed and they parked the car. The department store with bustling with crowds, so Rose and Lionel made their way to the tea room. They ordered Lady Grey tea and cucumber sandwiches, and talked casually about what Lionel was going to do now that he was done with school.

  “After I take Julie to Sarah Lawrence, I’m coming back to London,” Lionel told Rose.

  “So what if you still want to go to law school?” Rose asked.

  “I think I’d like to go somewhere here,” Lionel told her. “I like London. I like the people here.”

  Rose nodded.

  “And what are your plans?” Lionel asked her. “Are you going to stay on after the summer? My mom always needs an extra set of hands around here. I know she loves working with you. She talks about it all the time.

  Rose smiled. “Yes, I’d love to stay. It’ll be really quiet without Julie, though.”

  “It’ll be like a cemetery.” Lionel laughed.

  “Oh, hush!” Rose playfully smacked his arm.

  “I’m glad you’re staying,” Lionel told Rose. “I like it when you’re around. I think I really realized that when you were gone.”

  After a while, they got up to walk around the store. They walked by the jewelry counter and Rose stopped to admire a necklace with round, green glass beads.

  “What a stunning color,” Rose mumbled.

  “You like it?” Lionel asked.

  Rose nodded.

  “I want to buy it for you,” Lionel told her. “I heard you mention you never had jewelry growing up. You’ve been through hell and back lately. I think you deserve something special.”

  “Please, Lionel, you don’t have to,” Rose protested.

  “I want to,” Lionel insisted. “Please let me buy it for you.”

  “Fine,” Rose said. “Thank you. I do like it a lot.”

  Lionel motioned to the female clerk to show they needed assistance. The woman reached into the display case and pulled out the necklace, setting it on the counter. She lifted it up with a gloved hand and held it in front of Rose for her to view it. The beads were the color of jade.

  The woman held the necklace out to Rose so she could try it on. Rose lifted her hair and Lionel helped her secure the clasp. The beads were cool on Rose’s neck and chest.

  “You like it?” Lionel asked.

  “I love it,” Rose replied. Lionel helped her undo the clasp and Rose handed it back to the clerk.

  “Box it up, please,” Lionel requested.

  The woman clerk took out a square white cardboard box with Harrods printed in gold lettering. She wrapped the necklace in crisp white tissue paper and gently placed it into the box. Then she closed the box snugly, set it into a bag, and handed the bag to Lionel, who paid in British pounds. Rose was happy to own such a lovely piece and thanked Lionel with sincerity.

  The two walked around a bit more and then left to continue their drive. Once in the car, Rose opened up the box with her necklace and Lionel helped her to fasten it around her neck. She shivered as the cool beads touched her neck in the hot summer air.

  “Let’s swing by the house and get Julie,” Rose said to Lionel. “I want to show her my necklace. And as long as her weigh in was what she wanted, she should be off the vegetable diet.”

  They drove down several residential streets until they reached the Douglass home. They parked on the street right in front of the house next door.

  “Wait!” she cried in a whisper. “Duck down!”

  Lionel gave her a curious look, but followed her orders without question. “What on earth are we doing?” he whispered as he was hunched over in the driver’s seat.

  “There’s a man out there,” Rose whispered. “He’s wearing a dark coat, which is strange for such a warm day. And he has a fedora on. He’s standing by the iron gate, staring at the house.”

  “Maybe he’s just a neighbor,” Lionel suggested.

  “But why would he be stopped, staring at your house?” Rose pointed out. “And why the coat?”

  “Okay, so you do have a point,” Lionel responded.

  “Peek up and watch him,” Rose instructed.

  “What if he sees me?” Lionel asked.

  “If he’s here for trouble, he only wants me,” Rose whispered.

  Lionel lifted his head just high enough to catch a glimpse of the man. He spoke down to Rose, who was still ducking down in her seat. Every time the man moved, Lionel informed Rose of exactly what he was doing.

  “Okay, now he’s reaching up the scratch the tip of his nose,” Lionel said in a serious tone.

  “Lionel!” Rose moaned. “I don’t need to know all that!”

  “Well, now he’s adjusting his hat,” Lionel continued. “He’s got an umbrella hanging on his arm, and it’s swinging back and forth. This leads me to believe that he moved his right arm slightly.”

  “Lionel!” Rose cried with exasperation. “Please! Is he doing anything important? Anything suspicious, maybe?”

  “Not a single thing,” Lionel replied. “He’s just standing there, staring. Like he’s waiting.”

  “Waiting for me, I’ll bet,” Rose said softly, trying to keep fear out of her voice.

  “Oh, my!” Lionel said, his voice filled with excitement. “The front door is opening! And out comes… oh, it’s Mrs. Lang, our cook.”

  “So what’s he doing now?” Rose asked.

  “Well, he turned away as soon as the door opened,” Lionel told her.

  “So he’s not just a neighbor,” Rose said to him in an I-told-you-so tone.

  “Apparently not,” Lionel replied.

  “He must be up to no good if he feels the need to hide from Mrs. Lang,” Rose suggested.

  “Oh! Mrs. Lang walked up the street just now,” Lionel said with excitement. “And as soon as her back was turned, he started walking very quickly in the opposite direction!”

  “Well, where’s he going?” Rose asked, frantic. “We can’t lose him!”

  “Oh, up ahead a block down, I see a white car,” Lionel told Rose. “He’s beside it. Oh! He’s unlocking it. Now he’s getting in.”

  “Well, let’s follow him!” Rose cried. “I’ll stay down and you just get behind him. I doubt that he would recognize you. He’s looking for me, remember?”

  “Are you sure about this, Rose?” Lionel’s voice showed his hesitation.

  “Please, Lionel?” Rose begged. “Please do this for me today.”

  Lionel’s foot hit the accelerator and the tires screeched slightly as they took off. He slowed down as he approached the white car, which was now driving. Driving slower than normal, Lionel still kept a safe distance from the man, so as not to make him suspicious. He did not need to know that he was being followed.

  Several sudden turns made Rose shift considerably in her seat. She hoped Lionel wouldn’t lose this man’s car.

  Lionel cursed under his breath and slammed on the breaks. “I caught a stop light, but he made it through.”

  Rose peeked her head up. “So we’ve lost him,” she said, her voice filled with disappointment.

  “Apparently,” Lionel replied with sarcasm.

  The light turned green and Lionel quickly moved the car forward. Rose sat back up in her seat and crossed her arms. They went around a corner and saw a line of cars up ahead. They were all stopped at a stoplight.

  “There he is!” Lionel cried. “Whew. Now get back down, Rose.” Rose ducked back down in her seat quickly.

  After several more minutes of driving, the car turned onto a secluded residential street. Huge trees lined both sides and cars were parked along the road. The man stopped in front of a tall, stately-looking blue house. It was not the home of an incredibly weal
thy individual, but it was still large, well kept, and cared for.

  Lionel slowly stopped by a house that was several homes away. Rose could tell he was watching the man. Her heart began racing.

  “He’s going inside the house,” Lionel whispered. “We should call the police and tell them that we’ve potentially found the hideout spot.”

  “No, I want to sneak around back and peek through the windows first,” Rose protested.

  “What?” Lionel laughed. “Rose, have you lost your mind?”

  “Yes, you heard me!” Rose said with a coy smile. “How dare that guy spy on me? I’m ticked off. I’m sick of being used and lied to and abused. I deserve much better than this. I’m just fed up with being jerked around and I’m sick of being afraid.”

  “Wow, I’m impressed!” Lionel responded, grinning. “I like this bold new you.”

  “You should be,” she replied. “This is the new Rose. This is it. I’m not going to run away ever again.”

  “So you’ve been keeping all this feelings inside?” Lionel asked.

  “Yes, I have,” Rose realized. “And I’m ready to let them go. So you can stay behind if you want, but I’m going to look in those windows. I might even go inside.” She opened the door to exit the car.

  “Wait,” Lionel called after her, putting his hand on her arm. “I’m not gonna let you go alone. I’m coming with you.”

  “You sure?”

  “You aren’t going to do this by yourself.”

  “Thanks, Lionel.” Rose smiled.

  “Hey, it’s starting to get dark out now,” Lionel said, looking out the car window and up toward the twilight sky.

  “So we should wait, right?” Rose said.

  “Now you are thinking like a true detective!” Lionel responded to her question.

  Together they leaned back in their seats and stared up at the darkening sky. Stars crept up and appeared beyond the nighttime clouds. It seemed peaceful on this quiet street. Rose savored the peace, not knowing what the rest of their evening would entail.

  Time seemed to pass quickly as they waited in the quiet stillness of the evening, whispering in conversation here and there. Rose felt safe just to be near Lionel, and she was overcome with a boost of courage to know that he would be with her as she went up to the strange house. As she sat there, staring at the sky, she began to wonder.