Forsaken Trails

by Bonnie R. Paulson

She cleared her throat and sat up straighter. “Nothing of that situation was his fault or mine. I want him. He’s my son. Please, if you can, help me. But... you need to know... I don’t have any money. I have a plan to get my feet under me and take care of myself so I can take care of him. I have a lot of family and I know they’ll help me. I just want my son back.” Even if she had to beg, borrow, and steal, she’d do what she had to do to get Camden back.

  Sloan softly shook his head, the cowboy hat moving above his shoulders like a part of him. “I’m not worried about the money. Parker’s Plan takes care of all that. We’ll take care of everything. I just want to make sure that you understand your motives and expectations. There’s a lot more involved with reclaiming your son, than just saying he’s yours.”

  She brushed his underlying warning to the side, but did he have a plan? “What do you have in mind?”

  “Well, standard procedure is to get you into Parker’s Place. It’s a safe house of sorts and gives us round-the-clock access to you for care. Plus, it means I can sign you out of the hospital faster, if you’re staying at the facility. Once you’re there, you’ll receive your own room, food, your own restroom, and access to a workout room and Olympic-sized pool. All we ask you to do is fill out a number of questionnaires. I hate to say it, but we do ask you to reconnect with the incident through counseling as a tool for healing. You also have memories now that you don’t know you have that will help us locate your son from the day he was taken.” He smiled softly. “I’m overwhelming you, but we’ll also have a private investigator assigned. I hired the best in the business.”

  Sloan held up his hand. “It won’t happen overnight, but we’ll work on it until we find him.

  Everything sounded planned out and he talked like he’d done that before. Anything he put forward would be more of a plan than she had.

  If he could make it work, if he was as confident as he sounded, she might be able to see her son before the year was out.

  The chance to get her son back, or even just to find him so she could meet him made her look at Sloan with hope in her eyes. “I hope you’re being straight up with me, Sloan. Because you’re going to be stuck with me until you perform.”

  ~~~

  Ruby sniffed, her hiccups pulled her from sleep and she curled her fingers around the edge of the hospital pillow. Someone gently pulled a blanket over her shoulders and settled the warm material around her in the chilly room. The fuzzy material brushed her cheek. Her eyelashes fluttered and she held her breathing steady in case her vulnerability deceived her.

  Was Sloan going to try to touch her? Would he think that she was incapable of sticking up for herself? Would she have to hurt him? Was he a wolf in sheep’s clothing?

  Her breathing hitched and she opened her eyes to stare into the nothingness of the dimly lit room.

  Had he lied to Ruby the whole time? He wasn’t going to help her get his son. He was going to take advantage of her. That’s what his whole business was for. That’s what he did. His business model wasn’t a sound one.

  If she wasn’t so upset, she’d lean over the side of her bed and throw up.

  She could see the whole scheme now. Everything that he had told her was a lie just to get her to where he was alone with her.

  Ruby slowed her breathing so she could hold it and hear what was happening behind her. Any second she was prepared to jump from the sheets and punch him as hard as she could wherever she could reach. She could do whatever she needed to do to protect herself, but bitter disappointment tasted like bile in the back of her mouth.

  A soft creak of the visitor chair on the side of the hospital room confused her. She recoiled an inch and gasped.

  How could he hurt from over there? He couldn’t reach her to victimize her, if he was ten feet away. Where had he gone? Why had he touched the blanket?

  Had he just pulled it up to keep her warm?

  How was that possible? How was it possible that a man stronger than a female hadn’t reached out to try to hurt her?

  Maybe the stories were true and all men weren’t evil and corrupt.

  As fatigue dragged her to pull her back under, she realized that for the first time in a long time she was wrong about a man’s plans.

  What else was she wrong about?

  Chapter 6

  Sloan

  Ruby jolted upwards to a sitting position on her bed, her eyes wide and her hands outstretched. She looked around wildly and sagged back to her pillow when her gaze landed on Sloan.

  Jerked awake by her movements, Sloan leaned forward on the chair and watched her. After a moment to make sure he wouldn’t contribute more to her fright, he moved closer to the bed, scooting his chair to within reach. “Ruby? Sh, you’re okay, what’s going on? Did you have a dream?” It wouldn’t be the first time Sloan had seen a woman wake from a deep sleep in terror.

  Glancing toward the clock on the wall, Sloan squinted in the low light. The black hands of the clock pointed out three-thirty-two AM. He could barely see her eyes as she searched the room and stared at the closed door.

  Finally, tears seeped from her eyes and she shook her head, whispering. “I was holding him. He was, maybe, two, and his stomach hurt. Then another woman showed up and took him away. She just left with him. My baby...” She sniffed and her sobs started anew as she looked towards the curtained window.

  Sloan moved up and sat on the edge of her bed. His heart hurt for her and he did the only thing he knew how to do to console someone. He reached forward with both arms and she sat up, leaning into him.

  Arms wrapped around her back, Sloan tucked her head into the crook of his neck and slowly rocked her back and forth. Sobs shook her body and Sloan closed his eyes at the frailness of her frame. She carried herself so confidently; it was easy to miss how sensitive she truly was.

  After a drawn out set of time, her sobs subsided and the moment she realized she was in his arms, she stiffened and Sloan muffled his sigh. He pulled back and acted like nothing had happened. He smiled and shifted discreetly to the chair. “The dreams are the worst, aren’t they? I’ve had some, but not because I’ve had a child taken from me.” The empty ache in his chest rebounded with each heart beat. The unmentionable hour left intimacy open and possible, like their shields were down.

  She avoided his gaze as she searched the room again, but nodded. “What are your dreams about?”

  He shook his head and leaned back in the cushioned seat. “Nah, that’s okay. We’ll talk about my terrors some other time. Tonight, let’s just focus on getting rid of yours.” He watched her until she looked at him, her eyes wide and damp. Sloan kept his tone down. “Did you ever think of what song you would sing to Camden? When you held him?”

  Ruby didn’t answer, just stared into the room with tears still coursing down her face.

  Sloan didn’t push her. With some of his dreams, he’d taken days to snap out of the lingering emotions. He settled further into his chair.

  After a moment, Ruby’s soft murmur reached him and he didn’t move. “I always loved Hush, Little Baby.”

  At least she’d answered.

  “Go to sleep, Ruby. I’ll be here when you wake up.” He hadn’t meant to become her support, but part of him sensed that if he left, he would hammer the coffin’s lid on her trust in anyone.

  Sloan couldn’t have that on his conscience.

  ~~~

  Welcoming Ruby into Parker’s Place was a little unnerving. What if she thought it wasn’t comfortable? What if she didn’t like her suite? Normally, Sloan saw the splendor his team had created when he had purchased a bankrupt motel and they’d turned it into a renovated place for refuge.

  He could see the plush carpet that filled the rooms under comfortable leather furnishings and the upscale art he had chosen. Even the wrought iron railings that he had put on the balconies lent an air of elegance to the previous trashy abode.

  The whole of the building wrapped around in a large square with an indoor pool in the center. The
rooms were inaccessible unless through the security gate in the front. Even the emergency exit in the back was locked from the inside.

  Sloan had added the security measures with a specific eye to the detail of helping his guests feel safer. All of the rooms had a keyed entryway and the women were the only ones with access to those keys.

  What would she think? Would she suspect him of being interested in her? Their moment during the early hours of the morning had prevented him from sleeping the rest of the night. She’d drifted off and he’d watched her, unable to consolidate the image her aunt had given him of Ruby and the situation around her.

  He tried hiding his nerves so he shoved his hands into his jean pockets and watched as Ruby preceded him into the building.

  She looked around, her green eyes wide. With her backpack thrown over one shoulder, she rolled her luggage along beside her. “This is all yours? This is amazing.” She wasn’t sarcastic, instead she sounded entranced and Sloan allowed her awe to wash over me.

  His nerves subsided and he allowed himself to enjoy the moment.

  Under her anger and rage, even under the layer of bitterness, Ruby was scared and desperate. He could never take advantage of someone whose vulnerability kept them so innocent. Sloan would never be able to pursue anything with her, no matter how attractive he found her.

  Plus, he didn’t have a chance anyway with her distrust so strong.

  He led her to her room, the third door to the right on the upper level. “I’ll get you set up with our private investigator, his name is Thompson.” Sloan shook his head. “I don’t know his first name. He just makes everyone call him Thompson. I’ll also get you set up with our counselor, Jessica Bland.”

  Ruby reared back before they reached her door. “I’m not crazy. They just let me out of the hospital. I’m not going to kill myself or anyone else. I promise.” She shook her head, anxiety rich in her eyes.

  Sloan unlocked the door to her room and held out the key until she opened her hand and he dropped it to her palm. Backing up, he motioned her inside. “Calm down. I’m not saying that you are. It’s just that it has been how long since you and your son last saw each other. You need training on how to approach him. You need to understand how he’s going to be feeling.” He tried to keep his tone calm and slow, but there was something manic in the way she glanced back and forth between him and the door.

  His words must have sunk in because she suddenly looked down, and spoke in a subdued manner. “I know how to treat my child.” The doubt in her voice made it clear she wasn’t as sure as she said. Sloan took that and played on it more. She needed to be secure before meeting her son.

  “Do you? How do you know you won’t hate him? How do you know he doesn’t look like the man that did that to you? You don’t. What if he doesn’t know he was adopted? Are you going to be able to demand him back then? There are a lot of questions you have to answer before you’re in a situation you’re not ready for.” Sloan covered as much as he could without scaring her further.

  “Of course, he’s mine. I deserve him. He was taken from me.” The doubt disappeared as her confidence returned. “So much was stolen from me. From him...”

  “These are just some of the things of the counselor is going to talk with you about. I’m trying to give you the tools to succeed, no matter what you choose to do. That’s all I want to do. That is my entire goal here – to help you have what you want.” Sloan stepped onto the catwalk and smiled. “Have a good night, okay?”

  Ruby stepped to the doorway. “Sloan? Are you really going to help me?”

  He turned back to her and met her gaze with his. “I said I would. I stick to my word.”

  Scoffing, Ruby shook her head and then met his gaze with a challenge. “That doesn’t mean anything. Words are nothing.”

  Sloan shrugged. She was going to be a tough nut to crack, but he’d do the work that was necessary. She was worth it. “It means something to me.”

  “I want updates.” She lifted her chin, placing a hand on the doorjamb.

  He smiled. “Of course. Would you permit me to interview you, as well? I know I’m not a counselor but I do have some questions I’d love to ask.”

  Ruby furrowed her brow and tilted her head to the side, the soft curve of her lips turning down with suspicion. “For what?”

  “I have my own... It’s just my own personal curiosity. That’s all. If you’re not comfortable with that just let me know.” He was having a hard time looking at Ruby and thinking about his own mom. Ruby was fighting so hard to find her son, but wouldn’t she turn out just like Sloan’s mom had? Would she really want her son when she realized he was an exact duplicate of the man who raped her in looks?

  Sloan didn’t know. He’d never seen the child and didn’t even know who the man was obviously, but it stood to reason the boy would look something like his father.

  Sloan needed to know if Ruby would continue to pursue that or not.

  He needed to know if the reason his mother abandoned him was because of him like she’d claimed it was, or if it was something else entirely.

  Chapter 7

  Ruby

  Sloan disappeared and Ruby turned back into her new room. A navy blue comforter with gray stripes tied the dark blue art frames to the thick, charcoal carpet. A honey-color stained oak dresser and entertainment center had been set up on the wall opposite the bed and two doorways begged to be opened.

  Looking in one, she discovered a spacious closet which she rolled her luggage into. The other led to a bathroom with a shower, bathtub, and toilet with a well designed vanity and sink. Tucked under the counter in the restroom, a small fridge held water bottles, juice, and fruit.

  Ruby could’ve been in a hotel in Kalispell instead of a half-way house for women with trauma to recover from. She had been whisked from her family’s home without a solid chance at catching up and they hadn’t contacted her yet. True, she hadn’t given anyone her number, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t try finding her.

  After Bella Acres, she’d gone to the hospital and shared a private moment with a man her instincts told her to trust but her heart claimed would bring her trouble.

  Now, she was in a hotel-style home and she was closer to finding Camden than at any other time since she’d discovered he really was still alive.

  Out of habit she reached for the envelope in her shirt. The soft crinkling of the paper consoled her. She sniffed back her tears. She wouldn’t give in to discouragement. What she wouldn’t give for a picture or something that would tie her tighter to Camden. She tried not to dwell on what his name really was. She wasn’t so stupid or naïve to think her son had been given a name that she hadn’t told anyone until Sloan.

  What was he called?

  The new people probably chose something unoriginal like Jeff.

  Would she find out? If Sloan’s confidence had any say in it, she’d be sitting with her son sooner than she could hope. Sloan’s kindness had taken her by surprise, and he kept doing what he said he was going which culled her anger. But if he could help, would she have a reason to be angry?

  A few mornings later, Ruby slipped out of her room to head down for something to eat. She’d been careful to keep a low profile and keep herself occupied while waiting for something to come up – any information from any of the leads Sloan wasn’t telling her about. She’d be lying if she didn’t admit to some frustration with his absence.

  She needed something to do, to feel like she was searching.

  The stress of the last couple weeks had diminished her appetite and she found it hard to make herself eat. She really didn’t know if she could stomach more than a bite or two, but she also recognized that if she didn’t have energy, she would be worthless searching for her son.

  She was the only person in the small kitchen-like cafeteria as she poured herself a glass of orange juice and grabbed a small bagel. She sat at the table by a window looking over a lazy-running river. She had to give it to Sloan, he had excellent ta
ste.

  Speaking of, Sloan slid into the chair across from her. His black Stetson set off the blue of his eyes. He scraped the chair across the tiled floor, the sound loud in the otherwise empty room. Tapping the top of the table, Sloan leaned over. “Can I talk to you?” He nervously flitted his gaze down to the table and then back at her.

  Disappointment crushed the hope she’d tried so hard to keep dim. She knew it was too good to be true. “Don’t tell me, you can’t help me.” She sighed and picked a chunk out of the bagel. Why couldn’t anything be the opposite of exactly what she expected? She hadn’t seen him in a few days and it would’ve been nice, if he could’ve been more upfront from the beginning.

  Sarcasm dripped from Sloan’s next words as he rolled his eyes. “Are you done yet? I have a PI to interview you based on your questionnaire answers. But he won’t see you until you’ve had your first counselor appointment. I can set that up for you, if you’re willing to go.” He picked at his thumbnail cuticle and leaned his forearm on the table edge.

  Ruby slumped back in her seat, holding the bagel between her hands. She narrowed her eyes. “Really? You mean you weren’t lying?”

  Sloan rubbed at his eyes. He dropped his hand again to the table and blinked at her. He looked like he hadn’t slept very well in a while. “Without admitting that I’m insulted? No.”

  “I hadn’t meant to insult you...” If that’s all she had to do was see a counselor, then she would see one right there at the breakfast table. She had nothing to hide and nothing to talk about. “How soon can I see a counselor?”

  Sloan flipped his hand over, palm up and shrugged with one shoulder. “Her name is Jessica Bland. I have her on retainer for this facility. She’s open in twenty minutes. Will that work?”

  Could it really be happening? “How soon can I see the investigator after her?” Ruby could let go of her suspicion that things were too good to be true. Not more than a few days ago and she’d been in a facility being observed for mental illness or potential suicide. Now there she was about to meet with a counselor and a private investigator to find her son.