Hope replaced his worry. “Set up roots.”
“Exactly, hon. I want that, and I want this baby.” She looked at the clock on the dashboard. All of this talking was going to make her late for her twelve o’clock appointment with Missy. “So, whatdya say? Ready to do this?”
“Let’s go over the plan one more time.”
She fought an eye roll. They’d gone over their plan—or her version of it—last night and again this morning. But she understood Wayne’s unease. Usually they scoped out their next child together, targeting families who didn’t deserve to have a baby. They always wore disguises and looked for opportunities when the thoughtless parents weren’t keeping a careful eye on their babies. One time, they’d rescued a baby right from the family’s backyard. The mother had gone inside to answer the phone and left the child sitting in his Exersaucer on the patio. Wayne had been parked on the next street over, waiting for her. When the mom had slipped inside, she’d pounced. Grabbed that precious bundle and ran. This time around would be different from the others. Never before had she had face-to-face contact with a parent.
She itched her head where the cheap wig irritated her scalp, then slid on a pair of fake glasses. “Again,” she began, “when Missy takes me to look at the puppies she thinks I’m wanting to buy, I’m gonna give her a bop on the back of the head with this.” She opened her oversized purse, careful not to reveal the latex gloves and dissecting kit, and showed him the small, ball peen hammer. “Once she’s out, I’ll get the baby and meet you out front. Easy-breezy.”
“I still think it’d make more sense for me to sneak into the house and grab the baby while you’re lookin’ at the puppies.”
“And I told you I’m not comfortable with that. One of us needs to be in the truck and ready to haul out of here. Plus, what if Missy has a baby monitor in the nursery? If she does and she brings it with her out to the kennels, she could hear you and then we’re busted.” She closed her purse. “God led me to Missy and I’m not leaving here without that baby. Understand?”
“Understood,” he said with a single nod.
Relieved they could finally move on, she gave him a smile. “Thanks, hon. I love you.”
He touched her cheek, then fingered the strands of the brown wig. “I love you, too,” he said with a smile, then unbuckled his seatbelt and climbed into the back seat. Once he was lying on the cushioned bench, his head near the baby’s car seat, she scooted behind the wheel, then reached for the gear and shifted it into DRIVE.
Dust from the driveway kicked up and coated the large, driver’s side mirror. She quickly rolled up her window to avoid swallowing a mouthful, then reached over and cranked the air conditioning. “Lord, it’s gonna be a hot one today,” she said, her scalp sweaty beneath the wig. “Once I’m back in the car, we gotta make sure the temperature is just right for the baby.”
“I know,” he said. “It hasn’t been that long since I’ve been around an infant.”
But he’d never had a newborn.
Her stomach tightened and fluttered as if there were a dozen humming birds inside just itching to escape. This moment would change their lives forever. She knew it in her heart. God had intervened when he’d put Penny Goodman in her path at the park that pretty spring day three weeks ago. Penny had had an adorable, black Labrador puppy with her and her kids. Elton had loved dogs and had been nothing but all smiles when he’d seen that puppy. She’d let him pet the pup and then had started talking to Penny, who’d informed her that she’d adopted the Lab from a breeder in Montour, Iowa. At the time, she’d been thinking about surprising Wayne with a dog, and had mentioned her interest to Penny. That’d been when Penny had informed her that if she wanted a puppy, she’d better act fast. The dog breeder was weeks away from having her first baby—a boy—and wouldn’t be available for a while.
Later, after she’d brought Elton home from the park and put him down for a nap, she hadn’t been able to think about anything but the pregnant dog breeder. Even then, she’d known her time with Elton was drawing to an end and she’d soon need a replacement. After much prayer and reflection, a week later she’d gone to the library and used one of the computers there to email Missy Schneider. Missy had informed her the puppies would be ready to leave in a couple of weeks and she’d be glad to have her come out to Montour and choose one. Other than responding back with a date and time, there’d been no further communication with the breeder and she’d closed the email account she had used to contact her immediately.
The humming birds in her belly quickened their pace. Nervousness and excitement had the urge to use the bathroom coming on strong. She was going to kill the woman. She was going to commit a heinous sin against God. Only God had led her to Missy. He had answered her prayers and given her no sign that this wasn’t what He wanted for her. And she believed He wanted her to have this baby, to take the child and give him a home filled with love.
“Stay down,” she said as the F-150 approached the modest, ranch style house. “She’s standing at the door.” After giving Missy a wave, she parked the truck, rolled down the windows to keep Wayne from overheating, then killed the engine. She reached toward the passenger seat to grab her purse. As she leaned over, she glanced to the back seat and met Wayne’s gaze. “This might take a while.”
“Good luck.”
She sent him a quick smile and then climbed out of the truck. “Hey there,” she called, and gave Missy another wave. “You sure are way out in the country.”
Missy held the screen door open for her. “Did you have trouble finding the place?”
“Not a one.” She stepped into the house. “Thanks again for letting me take a look at your puppies. Now I see why you were so specific about the timing,” she said, motioning to the woman’s swollen stomach. “When are you due?”
“Two weeks.”
Perfect. The baby would be fully developed, and all he was doing now was putting on weight. She’d fatten him up quickly, though. Her heart pounded hard. She couldn’t wait to hold him.
“I’ll be honest,” Missy continued. “If I’d had your phone number, I would’ve cancelled. I tried your email address, but it bounced back.”
“Oh? I apologize about that. I had an issue with someone hacking into my email account and had to close it. Is something wrong?”
“I haven’t been feeling well today.”
“It’s awfully hot outside. Maybe you’re just a little dehydrated.”
“Maybe.” Missy gave her a half-smile. “Or maybe I’m just being paranoid.”
“Nothin’ wrong with that,” she assured her. “Is this your first?”
Missy rubbed a hand along her stomach. “Yeah.”
“Well, there you have it. I was a bundle of nerves during each one of my pregnancies.” Which was the truth. Would she miscarry this one? Was the baby going to be born right or with a birth defect? After experiencing multiple miscarriages, she understood Missy’s paranoia. But the woman was big and healthy, and obviously hadn’t skipped dessert during the pregnancy. Missy just needed to relax. She didn’t want the woman putting any added stress on the baby. Without proper medical equipment, she wouldn’t be able to give him any additional care should things become complicated.
“How many kids do you have?”
“Five,” she said, adding her stillborn baby to the four Eltons.
“Then maybe you can tell me, is it odd to not feel much movement this far along?”
“You’re thirty-eight weeks, right? Think about it, the baby doesn’t have much room to move anymore. Plus, like newborns, they do sleep, just like they hiccup.”
Missy chuckled. “Oh, don’t I know. This little guy is always getting the hiccups.”
She smiled and touched the other woman’s arm. “If you’re concerned about the baby not moving much, one thing my doctor told me to do this late in the pregnancy is to drink a glass of juice—something with sugar in it—then lie on my left side.”
“And that works?”
“It did for me.” She glanced around the house and spotted the entrance into the kitchen. That would be the perfect room to operate in—running water, towels, plenty of light. “Why don’t you get yourself some juice and sip on it while you show me those puppies.”
“Great idea. Can I get you something to drink?”
“No thanks.” She held up a hand. “I had way too much coffee during the drive here. Actually, if you don’t mind…can I use your bathroom?”
“Sure, it’s just down the hall. I’ll be in the kitchen. We can walk out to the kennels from the back door.”
As Missy headed for the kitchen, she quickly walked to the bathroom and nudged the door open with her shoe. While she did need to go, she wouldn’t. With what she planned to do, she had to be careful not to leave any evidence behind.
Using the bottom of her t-shirt, she turned on the light, then set her purse on the counter. She quickly put on the pair of latex gloves she’d brought and pulled out the ball peen hammer. After stuffing the handle of the hammer in her back jeans pocket, she made sure her t-shirt covered the head of it. Then she gave her reflection one final glance.
She couldn’t say much about Missy having quite a few extra pounds on her when she could stand to lose about thirty or so. The baggy t-shirt she wore hid her rolls though, as well as the hammer. Plus, with the belly weight she carried, she could pass for a woman who had just given birth.
Her heart rate spiked, and a wave of dizziness forced her to close her eyes and calm her nerves.
You can do this. You must do this. This baby is a gift from God.
She glanced at her reflection again. Offered a silent prayer of thanks, then, with purse in hand, she left the bathroom. With every step she took toward the kitchen, her stomach knotted. Her pulse beat hard, so hard it pounded in her head and ears. The closing of cupboards, the clank of a glass hitting a countertop, the slam of the fridge… The sounds were muffled by the blood rushing to her head, making her thoughts thick, her mind out of focus.
Then she saw Missy.
Clarity, unlike she’d ever experienced, washed over her like a cold rain shower. Corroding the uncertainty. Cleansing her conscience. She looked to the right and followed the stream of sunlight as it filtered into the kitchen from the patio door. The beam bathed Missy, giving her a supernatural aura and she knew then and there it was a sign. A beacon.
This was God’s will.
This was her destiny.
Her heart rate slowed to normal. Strength, she hadn’t known existed, surged through her and gave her the empowerment she needed.
“Are you sure I can’t get you anything?” Missy asked, and poured orange juice into a glass.
Staring at the back of Missy’s head, pondering the best place to crack her skull—the top, the forehead or maybe near the temple—she quickly crossed the kitchen tile. “There is one thing,” she said, reaching for her back pocket and sliding the hammer free. She rotated it in her palm like a baton, clutched the handle and kept the hammer behind her back.
Glass in hand, Missy turned and faced her. “I have soda if you’d like.”
“I don’t want anything to drink. But you do have something I want.”
Missy smiled. “A puppy.”
“No.” She swung the hammer. “Your baby.”
*
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. Please call me Phil.” Detective Walters shook Dante’s hand, then turned to Jessica and did the same. “I’m really glad you decided to come here. Especially after the night we had.”
“Last night?” Jessica asked, and leaned against the white wood rails surrounding the wraparound porch of Phil’s old farmhouse.
“Yes, Elton didn’t sleep well. He kept waking up and crying for his mommy and daddy.” The detective’s face hardened. “If only the boy could understand that his mommy and daddy are bad people. But how do you explain?”
How indeed? Anxious to meet the boy, Dante edged toward the screen door. “How is he now?”
“Better. He calmed down and ended up finally staying asleep around four this morning. My wife’s inside with him and my daughter, Maddy. They’re in the playroom.” He opened the screen door. “Let’s head inside so you can meet him.”
Dante let Jessica precede him, then stepped into the foyer. The farmhouse was as quaint on the inside as it was on the outside. The hardwood floors, crown molding and built in bookshelves were likely original to the house, which had been decorated in a mix of contemporary and traditional furnishings and decorations.
“I know that’s a long drive you two just made,” Phil continued, as he led them through the living room, then up a flight of stairs. “Can I get you anything to drink? If you haven’t eaten lunch, I’m sure my wife would be happy to whip you up a couple of sandwiches.”
Dante looked to Jessica, who shook her head. “We’re good, thank you,” he replied.
“If you change your mind, just let me know.” When they reached the second floor landing, Phil took them down the hall. “We use the bonus room for all of Maddy’s toys. What’s sad is that we need a room for all of her toys,” he said with a chuckle, then stepped into the playroom. “Carrie, they’re here.”
A pretty young woman with straight brown hair pulled back in a sagging bun sent Phil a nervous smile. An equally pretty little girl, who looked just like the woman, looked up from the blocks she’d been playing with and eyed him and Jessica.
“Who here, Mama?”
The blond headed boy sitting next to her stopped building his tower and looked at them, his big blue eyes round with curiosity. Dante held the boy’s gaze for a moment, before looking away. He didn’t want the sudden anger swelling inside him to show. He’d been disgusted and disturbed by the kidnappings when he and Jessica were discussing them and trying to piece together evidence and patterns. Standing in the same room with the boy changed everything. He was so young—a baby, really. How could anyone have discarded him like yesterday’s trash? Was that what had happened to Sophia? Had someone thrown her away as if her life hadn’t mattered? To him, to Jessica, to every person who had been blessed with the opportunity to hold Sophia, receive one of her infectious smiles, she had mattered. And so did this boy.
Yesterday, he’d looked at Jessica as a crusader for the missing children and their families. He’d also considered what she’d been doing a healthy way for her to ease her obsession with finding their daughter. Now he understood. This was a fight for the innocent, for the children too young to fight for themselves. This was about justice.
“Daddy’s friends.” The woman gave her daughter a reassuring smile and approached them. “I’m Carrie. Thanks so much for coming.” She looked to the boy. “He’s such a sweet little thing,” she said, her tone hushed. “This whole situation breaks my heart.”
Phil smiled at his wife, then crouched in front of his daughter. “Wanna go downstairs with Mommy?”
The boy dropped his blocks. “I go, too?”
Phil tossed the boy’s blond hair with the palm of his hand. “Nope. You get to keep playing. Maddy’s going to help her mommy make you a surprise. How’s that sound?”
“S’prises?” the boy gasped and scrambled to his feet. “I go make s’prises, too.”
“Then it wouldn’t be a surprise.” Jessica knelt next to the boy and rested a hand on his shoulder. “And while they’re making your surprise, we’ll help you build a tower and you can surprise Maddy.”
The boy’s face lit with a grin and he clapped his hands together. “You have dis one.” He sat back down and handed Jessica a blue block. “You have dis one,” he repeated, and offered Dante a green block.
As he joined Jessica and the boy on the floor, Carrie scooped up her daughter and left the room. Phil moved to the back of the playroom and sat in a rocking chair in the corner. “Elton, tell Miss Jessica and Mr. Dante about the fort you and Maddy made this morning.”
The boy looked up, confusion clear in his eyes.
“I’m Miss Jessica.” J
essica pointed to herself. “And this is Mr. Dante. What’s your name?”
“Two.”
She chuckled and Dante smiled, as well. “How old are you?”
“Two,” the boy answered, and handed her a red block.
“What do your mommy and daddy call you?”
“Elton.” He let out a little sigh and hung his head. “I miss Mommy and Daddy. I go home?”
“Soon,” she said, sadness in her tone. “Hey, do you want to color?”
The boy immediately abandoned the blocks and stood. “I color picture wich you?”
“Yes. Let’s make a surprise for Maddy and her mommy, then we can make your mommy and daddy one, too. Come over to the table.”
She took his little hand and led him to the kids’ table that already had paper and crayons on it. Dante stood and followed them, opting to sit back on the floor rather than attempting the small chair. Jessica did the same and pushed a piece of blank paper in front of the boy.
With a red crayon in his hand, Elton scribbled on the paper. “I draw s’prise for Maddy. Look. See?”
“I do see,” Jessica said. “Now I’m going to help you draw a surprise for your mommy and daddy.
“I help?”
“Sure.” She made an oval on another blank piece of paper. “Here’s your mommy’s head. What else does she need?” Jessica asked, and pointed to her eyes.
The boy gave her a comical, exaggerated blink. “Eyes.”
“Very good. You’re so smart. But what color should I make your mommy’s eyes?” She pulled out a purple crayon. “Purple?”
The boy giggled. “No. Blue.”
“Blue? Are you sure her eyes aren’t purple?”
He giggled some more. “Blue,” he repeated, and handed her a blue crayon.
“Okay, if you say so,” she said, giving the oval shape blue eyes. “Now what about her hair? Is that purple?”
Laughing, the boy dug in the crayon box and handed her a yellow crayon. “Yewow.”
“Oh, but I really love purple. But if your mommy’s hair is yellow, we’ll make it yellow. Is her hair like this?” she asked, making straight lines along the outside of the oval.
Ultimate Fear (Book 2 Ultimate CORE) (CORE Series) Page 13
