His Child

by Delores Fossen

  With Jake leading the way, they hurried to the large corner window. One glance, however, and he cursed. Jessie didn’t have to ask why. She saw the lock. Jake frantically riffled through his pocket for the key Douglas had given him.

  “Hurry,” she said under her breath.

  She could feel the flames already eating their way through to the interior of the house. Jake rammed the key into the lock. But it merely glanced off. He tried again, adding a mumbled mixture of prayers and threats, but it was obvious that it wasn’t the right key.

  “Breaking the glass won’t help,” he said.

  It wouldn’t. Thick metal casings held in each small pane. Even if they broke the glass, the space wouldn’t be large enough for them to escape. A security measure, no doubt. And a death trap for them.

  Black smoke oozed through the front door. On the porch, there was already a thick orangy wall of flames. They wouldn’t get through that now. And where was the fire department? Jessie wasn’t sure if it’d been merely seconds or minutes since Jake made that call.

  He caught her by the hand again and hurried down the hall to the bedrooms. Both had windows with the same tiny panes. And locks. By the time they made it back out into the living room, the smoke was thick and black.

  “On the floor,” Jake instructed.

  The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. Jake immediately turned on his flashlight and held it in his mouth. He pulled her down next to him, and on their hands and knees they crawled toward the kitchen.

  Jessie’s muscles felt heavy and her lungs began to ache. She wouldn’t let herself think about what this might do to the baby, but raw rage shot through her. She wouldn’t die—because it would mean her baby would die. Somehow, they would have to get out alive.

  When they reached the back door, he put the still-lit flashlight into his pocket and shoved the gun into her hand. “You think you can use that if you have to?”

  “Yes.” Without blinking an eye. But she didn’t understand why he’d given it to her. At least, she didn’t understand until she saw him reach for the knob. It turned in his hand. So it wasn’t blocked.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” she demanded.

  “I’m going out there, and you’ll be right behind me.”

  All the smoke and the shortness of breath made it hard for her to think straight, but it didn’t take her long to figure out that this was a really stupid plan. “Whoever is out there will shoot you.”

  He shrugged. “Then you’ll drop to the ground and shoot them.”

  Jessie couldn’t believe what she’d just heard. “Well, that doesn’t sound like much of a deal for you. I can’t let you do this.”

  “Yes, you can. For the baby.”

  That was dirty pool. Jessie groaned. Coughed. And tried to argue. But she couldn’t. This wasn’t about her, not really. He was offering her baby a chance to live.

  Maybe.

  And maybe the gunman would just shoot them both when they went out that back door.

  “A different scenario,” she insisted. “We go through the door together. We go out low and hit the ground or the porch, or whatever’s out there. Then I shoot at the first thing that moves.”

  “No deal.”

  She knew from his pigheaded, resolute tone that he meant it. Mercy, why did he have to be so stubborn?

  A swirl of smoke billowed around her face and Jessie choked back a cough. This certainly wasn’t the time to contemplate every aspect of a plan that had little or no chance of being successful, anyway.

  She shoved the gun back into his hand. “All right. Do your Boy Scout thing, but be careful.”

  It seemed such a paltry way to send him out on what could easily be a suicide mission. He didn’t help matters when he brushed a kiss on her forehead.

  He turned the knob and in the same motion shoved his shoulder against the door. It flew open. No flames, thank God. The fresh air rushed at them. Both gulped in deep breaths. Jake clotheslined his arm across her chest and peered out into the darkness. Jessie did some peering of her own.

  Nothing.

  At least, nothing she could see. But then, a gunman wouldn’t likely stand out in the open because the fire had possibly already attracted witnesses. He’d no doubt taken cover. Or else was long gone. She could only pray that he’d left the scene.

  In the distance the sirens howled. Jake didn’t wait for them to get closer. He couldn’t. The fire crackled and hissed behind them. Crouching, he made his way onto the porch, with her following.

  They paused a moment at the steps that led into the yard. Jessie figured if someone planned to shoot at them, it would be a perfect time to do it. But there were no shots.

  “We’re getting out of here,” Jake muttered.

  She had no plans to disagree. He latched on to her hand and broke into a run. And they didn’t stop until they were blocks away from the burning house.

  Chapter Nine

  Dr. Lisette opened the door to Jessie’s bedroom and motioned for Jake to come inside. “We’re all done.”

  Jake entered slowly, his gaze immediately searching for Jessie. She was in the chair next to the bed. Other than looking a little nervous, she seemed all right.

  “Jessie said it was okay if you were here while we talked,” the doctor explained.

  Jake would tell her later how much he appreciated that. She could have shut him out and he wouldn’t have blamed her. After all, he still hadn’t admitted to her that this was his child. He hadn’t even cut her any slack. But then, with the exception of this, she hadn’t given him many breaks, either.

  “How’s Jessie doing?” Jake asked. “Did the smoke from the fire, uh, hurt her in any way?”

  “Not that I can tell. I drew some blood and I’ll send it to the lab just to make sure. I think Jessie’s about ten weeks along in the pregnancy.” He turned to her. “Does that match with the date you think you were inseminated?”

  She nodded and glanced at Jake. She didn’t hold the gaze long before she looked away.

  “So I’m estimating a January due date,” Dr. Lisette continued, when no one else said anything. “I have a colleague, an obstetrician, that I’d like to refer you to. He’ll no doubt want to schedule you for an ultrasound as well as a complete physical.”

  Jake didn’t like the sound of that. “Do you think something is wrong with the baby?”

  “No. It’s just routine. An obstetrician would probably want to do an ultrasound even if this baby had been conceived the usual way.”

  Jessie cleared her throat. “What about a DNA test? How soon could one of those be done?”

  Dr. Lisette picked up his bag. “As early as nine weeks, but I suspect you’ve already had one administered. There appears to be a needle mark on your lower abdomen.”

  “Yes,” she said softly. “They did some kind of test. I don’t know what. Before they did it, they made me drink a reddish-colored liquid. An antihistamine, the woman said. In fact, they gave me that a lot of times.” She paused, her breath catching in her throat. “Would that affect the baby?”

  The doctor shook his head. “Not likely. The test, though—that does carry some risks. A small percentage of the women who have this procedure miscarry.”

  The color drained from Jessie’s face. Jake knew the feeling. There were already enough risks to this baby without adding more.

  “Then, she won’t have the test,” Jake insisted.

  The doctor’s thick eyebrows quirked. “Well, it’s possible we could get the results from the one she’s already had. Do you know the name of the lab they used?”

  Jessie shook her head. “I have no idea.”

  “Well, I’ll make some calls and see if I can find out anything. We might get lucky.” Dr. Lisette started for the door. “In the meantime, fill that prescription for the vitamins. Exercise regularly. Eat right. In other words, do the things you’re supposed to do, anyway.” He stopped and glanced at Jake before returning his gaze to Jessie. “You don’t h
ave to limit your sexual activity, either. That’s something people usually want to know.”

  Because Jake still had his attention on Jessie, he saw her startled expression. “Thank you for coming,” Jake told the doctor. “Just send me the bill for this.”

  “Ms. Barrett already paid me, in cash. She insisted.” And with that, Dr. Lisette left.

  Jake frowned. Sheesh, the woman was stubborn. He was the one who demanded that she have the exam and he was more than willing to pay for it.

  Jessie popped up out of the chair and walked to the balcony doors. “I didn’t ask him about having sex. He brought that up on his own.”

  “I didn’t think you would say anything about it to him. Perhaps that’s why Dr. Lisette mentioned it. Maybe he thought he was doing us a favor or something.”

  She laughed, short and crisp. “He has no idea, does he.” Apparently not expecting an answer, Jessie stared out the glass doors. “Why didn’t you insist I have that DNA test?”

  “The risk of miscarriage.” And because it wouldn’t prove anything he didn’t already know.

  So why didn’t he just tell Jessie that?

  Jake shook his head. He still didn’t trust her, that’s why. With reason. She might be the very one out to ruin him.

  “But it might have proven the father of this child,” Jessie pointed out.

  The father. Jessie had been careful not to name him again. Maybe she was tired of his denial. He certainly was. Still, the denial, even unspoken, was all he could offer her right now.

  “There’s a safer way to do that. We can wait until the baby’s born and do the test then.”

  “That won’t be for nearly seven months. Maybe longer, since they might not want to do a test on a newborn. You’re willing to wait until then?”

  “Are you?” he fired back.

  She didn’t look at him when she spoke. “The test doesn’t matter to me. I’ve been examined and prodded enough to last a lifetime.” Jessie took a deep breath and folded her arms over her chest. “Listen, in a day or two I’ll be leaving, anyway. I’ll—”

  “Wait a minute. You don’t even know who’s trying to kill you. How can you possibly think of leaving while you’re in danger?”

  “I might never find out who’s behind this. I can’t hang around waiting for the worst to happen. But I’ll keep in touch with you. That is, if you want me to.”

  Jake couldn’t believe what he’d heard. “If I want you to?” Of course, he wanted her to. Damn it, this was his child.

  “For the DNA test,” she clarified. “I’ll try to have one done as soon as the baby comes. I’ll call you and let you know the results.”

  “You’ll call me,” he flatly repeated. And while she was at it, she might let him know if he had a son or a daughter. No. It wouldn’t work that way. It wouldn’t. “I can arrange a place for you to stay. A place with security. You’d have proper medical supervision.”

  She turned toward him, a cynical smile on her face. “You’re doing that Boy Scout thing again. It’s not necessary, you know. I’ve been taking care of myself since I was sixteen. In a day or two, I have to leave.”

  Jake locked his jaw to keep himself from telling her what she could do with that suggestion. She was cutting him out. Or trying to. It wouldn’t work. He wouldn’t let it work. If she left, it was possible he’d never find her again.

  And worse, the killer might.

  Jessie was wrong—taking care of her was necessary. That meant becoming a part of her life as well as the baby’s.

  “Please,” he said, speaking as calmly as he could manage. “I want you to stay until we’re sure you’re safe.”

  She paused and combed her suddenly concerned gaze over his face. “Something’s wrong. You aren’t treating me the way you were yesterday.”

  Had he been that obvious? Apparently. “What am I doing that’s different?” He’d try to fix it right away. He didn’t want to tell her his suspicions about the baby. Not yet. No need to bare his heart to a woman capable of stomping it into the ground. Besides, maybe he was wrong.

  Except, he knew he wasn’t.

  Jessie ran her fingers through her hair. The little maneuver also hiked up her waist-length top. Jake caught a glimpse of bare skin, of her navel, and he didn’t have to look hard for them, either. “You’re being nice to me,” she explained. “Too nice.”

  Was he? It was difficult to be heartless to the woman carrying his child. A child he had thought he would never have. Still, Jake wouldn’t let himself think beyond that. Things weren’t settled by a long shot.

  “Hey, what can I say?” He forced some cockiness into his tone. “I’m a nice guy.”

  Jessie just stood there, her hand in her hair and her navel visible. “Yes, you are.”

  Jake couldn’t have been more shocked if she’d hit him. He couldn’t even talk. Couldn’t move.

  “Do me a favor, though. Don’t be nice too often, okay?” Jessie didn’t look at him when she continued. “I’m not myself these days. I mean, I don’t usually let people get to me, and you’re getting to me with all this nice-guy stuff.”

  Okay. On some level he understood that. She was getting to him, as well. He just didn’t know what to do about it. “So you don’t want me to be nice?”

  “Not that nice.”

  Jake went to her, put his fingers under her chin, lifting it slightly so they made eye contact. “All right, stay here and quit giving me your sass.”

  “Sass?” Her eyebrow rose.

  “All right. Bad choice of words.” He added some gruffness to his voice. “Don’t give me any of your usual crap.”

  Jessie gave a lopsided smile. “Much better.”

  “Now it’s your turn. Say something snippy and give me one of those go-to-the-netherworld looks. You know which one I mean. It’s where your mouth is in a flat line and your eyes are narrowed.”

  She complied. But it quickly faded. “Mercy, this is crazy. I have enough to worry about without adding you to the list, Jake. Tell me you can take care of yourself.”

  “I can take care of myself,” he assured her. And her, as well.

  She slowly lifted her gaze. Gone was the teasing expression and pretense of confidence. There was a lot of concern swirling in her silver-gray eyes. Jake didn’t know how to react to that concern. He didn’t dare let himself feel good about it.

  “All this worry is only natural, Jessie.” At least, he hoped like the devil it was. “We’re in the middle of this, whatever it is, together. That creates a sort of warped camaraderie.”

  “Yes,” she said softly. She blew out a long breath and some of the tension faded from her eyes. “That’s all there is to it. Good.”

  She didn’t clarify that last remark, and Jake didn’t want it clarified. He was about to tell her goodbye, but Jessie spoke first.

  “I don’t usually admit this, but I’m scared. I mean, I’m used to watching out for myself, but it’s like I’m not just myself anymore. There’s this whole other person and I’m responsible for it.” She shook her head. “For him, or her. Anyway, if something bad happens—”

  “It won’t.”

  She continued as if she hadn’t even heard him. “If it does, make sure you get the person behind this. I don’t want anyone walking, if they do something to hurt this child.”

  Oh, they would pay all right, if the worst happened. But he had no intention of letting it get to that point. He’d do everything within his power to keep Jessie safe. The baby raised the stakes to the highest level.

  Jake slid his hand down her arm. A gentle caress that she apparently needed as much as he did. “You don’t have to be scared, Jessie.”

  He was scared enough for both of them.

  JESSIE THOUGHT she would get a moment to herself, but when Jake opened the door to leave, Willa was standing there, both hands filled with huge shopping bags.

  “Jake said you needed clothes,” Willa said none too enthusiastically. She turned her equally unenthusiastic gaze to he
r brother. “Douglas is downstairs. He says it’s important that he speak to you in private. I warn you, though, he’s in a snit about something.”

  Great. Jessie knew what that meant. She’d get left alone with Willa, a woman who obviously detested her.

  “You’ll be okay, Jessie?” Jake asked.

  She wanted to say no, but she couldn’t keep tearing him away from his business and the campaign. Jessie nodded finally, and Willa gave him a gentle nudge into the hallway. Within seconds of his departure, she deposited the bags on the bed and shut the door.

  The woman put her hands on her slender hips and matched Jessie’s frown. “Okay, let me save us some time and just ask this outright. Did Douglas come on to you?”

  Of all the things Jessie had imagined she might say, that wasn’t one of them. “No.”

  Willa leaned closer and gave her a considering look. After a moment, she simply nodded. “He said he didn’t, but he’s lied through his teeth before. I just wanted to make sure.”

  Jessie just stared at her. Willa had no icy facade today and her laser-blue eyes were rimmed red as if she’d spent hours crying. Apparently crying over some advances she thought Douglas had made. There’d been no advances. Far from it. He’d threatened Jessie.

  “Good grief.” Willa covered her face with her hands. “Maybe Douglas is right. Maybe I am losing my mind.”

  Jessie wasn’t about to agree with her. Besides, maybe Willa had good reason to suspect her husband of fooling around.

  Willa eased her hands back down. “All right, I’ve already made a complete fool of myself, so I might as well go for broke. What kind of spell did you put on my brother?”

  “Wonderful,” Jessie mumbled under her breath. Part two of the conversation she didn’t want to have. “Look, let me save you some trouble. I’m not in the same league as the McClendons or Anne, and I know that doesn’t please you. But I’ll be out of Jake’s life soon.” Jessie started toward the door, but Willa stepped in front of her.

  “You’ll break his heart,” Willa insisted. “That’s what I’m trying to stop. I don’t want to see Jake get hurt.”