by Sarah Morgan
He shrugged. ‘No one can ever be certain, of course, but, yes, I had a good feeling.’
‘How? Why?’ She looked at him helplessly, wishing she had his antennae. ‘You just seem to know when something is about to go wrong and you’re always there to sort it out before things reach crisis point.’
He pressed the button on his keys and unlocked the doors. ‘That’s not instinct, that’s experience.’
‘But don’t you ever panic?’ She slid into the car and huddled her coat more closely around herself, suddenly feeling the cold. ‘Things can go wrong in the blink of an eye in obstetrics but I’ve never seen you anything but calm.’
‘Do I panic?’ He started the engine and frowned thoughtfully. ‘No. To be honest, I don’t. I just see a problem and try and solve it.’
‘You don’t worry about the responsibility? Litigation?’ Her teeth were chattering and she wished the car would warm up. ‘These days everyone is trying to sue everyone.’
Jake laughed and reversed out of his parking space. ‘Fortunately the UK isn’t as bad as the US. In America they actually have groups of lawyers dedicated to suing us obstetricians for malpractice. Delightful.’
‘How do you cope with the pressure?’
‘I stay up to date, I listen to mothers and midwives, I don’t ignore small warning signs because they invariably mean something and, having done all that, I relax. If you worry too much, you cease to be effective. Put my coat on. You’re shivering.’
He noticed everything, she thought as she reached into the back seat for his coat and snuggled underneath it. ‘Pregnant women are supposed to be hot all the time. I’m frozen.’
‘Probably something to do with the fact that we had two inches of snow last night and you haven’t eaten since lunchtime.’ He turned the heat up in the car and took a sharp corner carefully, his hands steady on the wheel. ‘You must be starving. Or, at least, I hope you are because you’re about to be presented with a mountain of food.’
‘We’re going out?’
‘I’m too tired to cook and I’m sick of pizza.’ He suppressed a yawn. ‘I’m taking you to dinner with some friends of mine. Christy is a wonderful cook. All we have to do is sit there and eat.’
She was horrified. ‘But I can’t just turn up to dinner! I don’t know them and—’
‘I know them.’
‘But who are you going to say I am? How are you going to introduce me?’
He slowed the car as he drove down a narrow lane and into a huge driveway. ‘A friend? My lodger? How would you like me to introduce you?’ He switched off the engine, gave her a maddeningly placid smile and then climbed out of the car.
She followed him with a million questions on her lips, none of which she was able to ask because instantly the door opened and a beautiful red-headed woman stood there, smiling.
‘I hope you’re hungry because I’ve over-catered.’
‘Those are the words I’ve been fantasising about all day. No lunch—big appetite. Hello, my angel, how are you?’ Jake leaned forward and kissed the woman warmly. Miranda stopped dead, suddenly feeling all sorts of things that she didn’t want to feel.
Who was the red-headed woman?
And why did she feel such a powerful urge to know?
Jake was perfectly entitled to have a girlfriend.
She was still trying to rationalise her thoughts when a handsome, dark-haired man appeared behind the woman. ‘Unhand my wife, Blackwell.’
His wife?
The tension left Miranda and she had a wonderful evening. The conversation was lively and the food excellent. After tucking into salmon in a creamy herb sauce, Miranda helped clear the plates and was immediately trapped by Christy in the kitchen.
‘So—where did you meet Jake?’
Miranda put the plates down on the table. ‘We’re working together,’ she said carefully, deciding not to reveal the story of their Christmas Day meeting.
‘That’s nice.’
‘I’m just his lodger. We’re friends, nothing more,’ Miranda said hastily, and Christy shot her a searching look as she pulled open the fridge door and removed a large fruit salad.
‘Am I allowed to ask about the baby or is it a taboo subject?’ Balancing the dish on one hand, Christy opened a drawer and rummaged for a large spoon with the other. ‘If it’s a tactless question, ignore me.’
‘It’s not tactless.’ Miranda rubbed a hand over her abdomen. ‘I’m seven months pregnant but I’m not with the father any more. It was a short relationship and he turned out to be married. I didn’t know that until afterwards.’ Somehow it was important to her that Christy knew the truth.
‘Ouch. You poor thing.’ Christy’s voice was soft. ‘That must be difficult for you. Still, at least you have Jake now.’
‘Oh, no!’ Miranda looked at her, startled. ‘I don’t have Jake. It isn’t like that at all. He just—’
‘He just can’t take his eyes off you,’ Christy finished with a womanly smile. ‘I’ve never seen Jake so smitten and I’ve known him for a long time. I’m thrilled. Alessandro and I have been waiting for him to meet someone special.’
‘I’m just his lodger.’
Christy’s smile widened. ‘To the best of my knowledge, Jake doesn’t have any financial problems, so his reasons for wanting you to share his house must amount to more than a boost to his income.’
‘He’s been very kind to me, that’s true, but—’
‘You’re the first woman he’s ever brought to dinner here so that says a lot.’ Juggling fruit salad and bowls, Christy walked back towards the kitchen door where she paused. ‘Jake’s had plenty of girlfriends but hardly any serious relationships. I just want you to know that. Be kind to him.’
Be kind to him?
And suddenly, without a shadow of a doubt, Miranda knew that Christy was the woman Jake had been in love with.
When? He didn’t seem like the type to chase after a married woman.
Her own mind suddenly full of questions, she followed Christy back to the table and Jake looked up.
‘You were a long time. Everything OK?’
‘Fine.’ Miranda managed a smile and Christy dished out fruit salad.
‘My fault. I was delving into all her secrets. Woman’s prerogative.’
Jake’s gaze was thoughtful but he didn’t pursue the subject until they were safely back in the car.
‘I’m sorry if Christy upset you. It didn’t occur to me that she’d ask you questions about your pregnancy, but perhaps it was inevitable.’
‘She didn’t upset me. She’s really nice.’
‘And Alessandro?’
Miranda thought about the dark-haired, brooding A and E consultant who had challenged his wife on so many points. ‘A bit intimidating,’ she said honestly.
‘Most women find him irresistible.’ Jake’s tone was dry. ‘Mediterranean heritage and all that.’
‘She was the one, wasn’t she?’ Miranda couldn’t not ask the question. ‘Christy was the woman you were in love with.’
‘What makes you say that?’
‘Just something she said when we were in the kitchen. Something about her caring about you.’ She frowned slightly and Jake gave a smile.
‘I should hope that she does care about me. That’s what friends are supposed to do and, yes, Christy is the woman I was in love with, but it was a long time ago.’
‘Does she know?’
‘Yes.’ Jake’s voice was calm. ‘Funnily enough, I told her just before Christmas.’
‘This Christmas?’
‘That’s right. She and Alessandro were going through a bad patch. I wanted to remind her that what they had was special. Worth fighting for. I gave her up because I could see that they were perfect together. They still are.’
‘You really believe in perfection? Isn’t that rather romantic and idealistic? If you expect perfection then any relationship is doomed to fall apart.’
‘I didn’t say I believed in perfection
, I said that they were perfect together. Not the same thing. In fact, I would say that it’s their imperfections that make them so perfect.’
Miranda laughed. ‘Now you’ve lost me.’
‘Well, they both have fiery tempers and they tend to communicate by flinging plates at each other and a great deal of hand-waving and raised voices. Hardly perfect. But they understand each other. They love each other. It works for them.’
She stared at him. ‘Ever considered being a marriage guidance counsellor?’
‘No. Far too depressing. A large number of people who marry do so for all the wrong reasons. Those marriages cannot possibly be saved and then they’re faced with all sorts of nasty, uncomfortable decisions, like whether they should stay together for the sake of the children, that sort of thing.’
‘Why did Christy and Alessandro separate?’
Jake was silent for a moment. ‘They didn’t really. It was a classic case of miscommunication. I suppose they lost their way for a while. It happens all too easily. It’s why it’s so important to share things with your partner.’ He glanced towards her. ‘What do you think makes a relationship work?’
‘I don’t know many relationships that have worked so I’m not a good person to ask.’ She looked out of the window and recognised the road. ‘Oh—we’re very near to my old flat. Can we just stop for a second so that I can drop my spare set of keys with the landlord?’
‘Can’t we just post them?’
‘It will only take a minute—I’ll just pop them through his letter-box.’
Jake took the necessary detour and pulled up outside the unwelcoming block of flats. ‘Give me the keys—I’ll do it. I don’t want you anywhere near that place.’
‘We’ll go together. Look what happened last time you went on your own.’ Miranda undid her seat belt. ‘Someone needs to keep an eye on you. If he happens to be there, I don’t want him hitting you again.’
His eyes gleamed with humour. ‘What are you, my bodyguard?’
‘Absolutely. Pregnant bodyguards are all the rage, haven’t you heard?’
As it turned out, the landlord’s flat was in darkness and they posted the keys through the door without mishap. They were just returning to the car when Miranda stopped dead.
‘What was that?’
‘What was what?’ Jake gave a shiver and pulled his coat around him. ‘It’s freezing, Miranda. Get in the car, quickly.’
Miranda frowned and glanced around her. ‘I heard something—a weird sound. I’m not sure what it was.’
‘Probably the sound of my teeth chattering.’ Jake grabbed her arm and tried to guide her towards the car but she shrugged him off.
‘Wait. Listen…’ She strained her ears and thought she heard a faint mewing sound. ‘There. I heard it again.’
‘Me, too—a cat, definitely a cat.’
Unconvinced, she turned in the direction of the sound. ‘I don’t know. It didn’t sound much like a cat.’
‘Miranda, for goodness’ sake, it must be below freezing tonight and you’re—’
‘Wait there just for a minute.’ Without giving him time to argue, she hurried back towards the building and into the stairwell. Lying on the ground was a pile of abandoned plastic shopping bags. There was no sign of a cat.
Miranda glanced around her, searching for the animal that had made the noise, but there was nothing. No sound and no movement. Presuming that whatever creature had made the noise had now found refuge somewhere warm, she turned to walk back to Jake when she heard the sound again.
This time there was no mistaking the sound and she ran back towards the plastic bags with a cry of horror. ‘Oh, no! Jake—come quickly.’
‘Miranda, I’ve told you that we need to—’ He broke off as he saw what she was holding. ‘Oh, my God.’ His voice hoarse with disbelief, he dropped to his knees beside her. ‘Is she breathing?’
Choked with horror, Miranda cuddled the tiny baby against her. ‘Yes, but she’s blue with cold. Oh, Jake, someone’s just left her here.’
‘And quite recently, too, by the looks of it.’ Jake’s expression was grim as he glanced around them. ‘She can’t be more than a few minutes old.’
‘We need to look for the mother.’
‘We need to get that baby to hospital,’ Jake said immediately, standing up and punching a series of numbers into his mobile phone. ‘Put her inside your clothes, Miranda, next to your skin. Then go and sit in my car. I’ll turn the heater up.’
Her hands shaking, Miranda did as he instructed, tucking the tiny baby against her chest and then closing her cardigan and her coat around her. ‘She’s freezing, Jake.’
‘I’ve rung Special Care—they’ll have a cot ready if we take her straight there.’
Miranda glanced back over her shoulder towards the darkness of the stairwell. ‘But the mother—’
‘The baby has to be the priority. Once she’s safely in the hands of the paediatricians, we’ll worry about the mother.’ Jake slid the car into gear and drove quickly but carefully towards the hospital.
In no time at all the baby was in an incubator, surrounded by skilled staff all assessing her condition and speculating on her identity.
Miranda and Jake retreated to the tiny staffroom and were in the process of warming themselves up with hot coffee when the police arrived to take statements.
Jake spoke to them and then the consultant paediatrician walked into the room. ‘She’s very cold and dehydrated. It’s a miracle you found her when you did. Any longer and she would have died of hypothermia without any doubt at all.’
The policeman frowned. ‘She wasn’t wrapped up at all?’
Miranda shook her head. ‘Just inside plastic bags.’
‘On a night like this?’ The man’s mouth tightened with disapproval. ‘What must the mother have been thinking?’
Miranda put her coffee down on the table. ‘I don’t suppose she was thinking at all,’ she said quietly, her voice shaking slightly. ‘I expect she was too busy panicking.’
‘Miranda’s right.’ Jake rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, his eyes tired. ‘Whoever the mother is, she was obviously terrified and completely alone. I’m guessing that we’re talking about a teenager and she needs help, possibly urgently. We must try and find her.’
The policeman blinked and then cleared his throat. ‘Of course, yes. You’re right. We’ll arrange for house-to-house enquiries and we’ll contact the news stations and broadcast an appeal.’
The paediatrician looked at Miranda. ‘The nurses wondered if you wanted to give her a name.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes. You found her.’
‘Oh…’ Miranda thought for a moment and then gave a faint smile. ‘Bonnie. She’s such a pretty little thing.’
‘Bonnie, it is.’ The policeman scribbled on his pad. ‘I’ll be in touch. If there’s any change in the baby, give us a call.’
He left the room and Miranda turned to Jake, her expression urgent.
‘We have to try and find her. The mother, I mean.’
His eyes met hers. ‘Miranda, the police are going to do house-to-house enquiries and—’
‘And the police have absolutely no idea what it’s like to be a terrified teenager.’ She glanced towards the paediatrician. ‘Bonnie’s in good hands now. We can’t do any more here.’
Jake’s eyes slid to her abdomen. ‘It’s late, you’re tired—’
‘I couldn’t possibly sleep knowing that a poor teenager is out there somewhere, terrified and possibly bleeding.’ Her hands clenched into fists and Jake’s eyes rested on her face.
‘You don’t know it’s a teenager.’
She knew he was wondering why her reaction was so extreme but she didn’t care. And she certainly didn’t intend to offer an explanation. ‘Jake!’
‘All right.’ He muttered something else under his breath and ran a hand through his hair. ‘We’ll go back to the flats and have a look around. But just for an hour. After that we�
��re going home.’
Two police cars were parked outside the flats and Jake pulled up behind them while Miranda turned up her collar and wrapped her scarf round her neck.
‘Do you have a torch?’
‘Glove compartment.’
Miranda reached inside and tucked the torch in her pocket. ‘Come on. Let’s go.’ She climbed out of the car and walked away from the flats, the beam of light from the torch flickering in front of her.
‘Go where, exactly?’ Fastening the buttons of his coat, Jake strode after her. ‘Don’t you think we should start by looking around the flats?’
‘That’s what the police are doing and I just don’t think that’s where she’s going to be.’
‘Why not? That was where she left the baby.’
‘Because she wanted it to be found! But that doesn’t mean that she wants to be found. Think about it, Jake! If she wanted her pregnancy to be made public then she would have turned up at an antenatal clinic. It’s far more likely that she’s avoiding people. Maybe she lives there, maybe her parents live there, but at the moment I think she’s huddled in an alleyway somewhere, trying to work out what to do,’ Miranda reasoned as she crossed the road and walked away from the flats. ‘I don’t believe she’s in the flats.’
‘You’ve missed your vocation.’ Jake watched her with fascination as he kept pace. ‘Have you been watching crime programmes in your spare time?’
‘I don’t have any spare time. I have work time and sleep time.’ Miranda stopped dead, her frown slightly impatient as she tried to focus her mind. She looked around her, searching for inspiration, trying to think like a frightened teenager. ‘What would you do, Jake? Think. You leave your baby somewhere where you know it’s going to be found because you want it to be found.’
‘Do you?’ Jake scratched his head, trying to follow her train of thought. ‘Miranda, perhaps we should leave this to the police. They have—’
‘The park.’ Miranda grabbed his arm and hurried along the road. ‘I bet she’s in the park.’
‘This place has a park?’ Jake glanced around him doubtfully and Miranda looked at him impatiently.
‘It’s where all the teenagers hang out. I’ve seen them.’ She was half running now, her torch winking in the darkness. She pushed open the gate and paused.
