Daniel's Gift

by Barbara Freethy

  "You're a St. Claire, and you're just as good as those Sheridans. I don't care how much money they have."

  Chapter Four

  Act dignified, Merrilee had said. Climbing onto a brick planter so she could peek into Luke's house was probably not what her etiquette-conscious sister had in mind. But Jenny had no other choice. It was obvious from the line of fancy cars parked in front of Luke's house that he was having a party. She simply could not walk up to his door and ask him if the son he knew nothing about had dropped by that afternoon.

  Instead, she hoped to catch a glimpse of her son in the living room. She saw Luke almost immediately, standing in front of a large granite fireplace. He turned his head toward the window, and her breath caught in her throat. He was more handsome than she remembered, bigger, taller, stronger. A man, not a boy.

  His suit was well tailored, his appearance as crisp as a new dollar bill. He looked like a man in control of his life, of his destiny, a man who had no idea he was the father of a twelve-year-old boy.

  As she watched, Luke's smile turned into a frown, his head tilted slightly to the right. She wondered if he could see her, sense her prying eyes. They had always been connected, from the first moment they met, completely in tune with each other's thoughts and feelings. They had been different, yes, but deep down, they had been the same then, young, lonely, uncertain of their futures, lost in families that didn't seem to understand them, captivated by the sight, sound, and sense of each other.

  Jenny sank further into the bushes, her hands shaking, her body trembling at one look from Luke. After a moment, Luke turned his attention back to the beautiful redhead standing next to him, and Jenny breathed easier. She looked at the other people in the room, at Luke's mother, who beamed like a proud mother hen. Not that Beverly Sheridan had ever been a hen in her life. The tall, blond woman was a brilliant doctor, a perfect match to her brilliant husband and her brilliant son. Beverly was one of the beautiful people, and she had hated Jenny on sight.

  Luke had asked Jenny to come to the house for his twenty-second birthday party. Without his knowledge, his mother had invited a lovely debutante to join them. Throughout appetizers, dinner, and birthday cake, Beverly had made Jenny feel like an outsider.

  It became clear that the Sheridans had big plans for their one and only son. Jenny was not a part of those plans. Looking back, she understood their feelings better now that she was a parent. Unfortunately, understanding didn't erase the pain of rejection. She had been eighteen, insecure, testing her wings, and they had cut her off without giving her a chance to fly.

  She couldn't imagine how they would treat Danny if they knew he was their grandson. She couldn't count on any more sensitivity than they had shown her. And Luke, what would his reaction be? Would he walk away from Danny as he had walked away from her?

  Jenny suddenly had to know if Danny was there, if he had met Luke, if he was inside the house at this very moment, huddled in a dark corner, waiting for her to come and take him home.

  She jumped off the ledge and walked up to the front door, unconsciously smoothing down her jeans and drawing her jacket tightly about her shoulders. Then she rang the bell.

  A moment later, a middle-aged woman wearing a simple gray dress answered the door, obviously a maid or one of the caterers.

  "Yes?" she said, her expression less welcoming as she took in Jenny's appearance.

  "I'm here to see Luke Sheridan."

  "Do you have an invitation?"

  "No, but it's important."

  "I'm sorry, Miss -- "

  "Please, tell him that Jenny needs to speak to him."

  The woman shook her head. "He's entertaining guests. If you come back tomorrow, I'm sure he'd be happy to talk to you."

  Jenny fumed at the brush-off, then put her hand up as the woman attempted to shut the door. "Wait. Just tell me one thing. Is there a little boy inside the house? A twelve-year-old named Danny? He's about this tall." She held up her hand to the level of her chin.

  The woman shook her head. "Oh, no, ma'am. There are no children at this party."

  "You're sure?"

  "Positive." She closed the door, leaving Jenny staring at the brass knocker.

  Okay, so Danny wasn't in the house. Good. Maybe he had changed his mind. Maybe he hadn't found the address after all. He was probably at home wondering where she was. Her tension eased at the thought.

  Luke was inside the house, smiling and laughing with his guests. He didn't look like a man who had just discovered a son. Danny hadn't told him. Somehow she was sure of that fact.

  Thank goodness. Jenny walked down the drive and got in the car. She would go home, pull Danny into her arms and tell him never to scare her like that again. They didn't need Luke Sheridan. They had each other.

  * * *

  Luke watched as the housekeeper walked into the living room and began picking up discarded glasses of champagne. After a moment, he excused himself from a group of guests, who were listening raptly to his wife's tale of their trip to Cancun, and walked over to the housekeeper.

  "Mrs. Collins?"

  "Yes, sir?"

  "Did I hear the doorbell ring?"

  "Yes, you did, sir." Mrs. Collins didn't explain, and Luke felt a surge of impatience.

  "Who was it?"

  Mrs. Collins looked at him as if his question were completely absurd. "Why a young woman, sir. She wasn't a guest. I told her to come back tomorrow."

  Luke's gut tightened. "A woman? Did she give her name?"

  "I believe she said it was Jenny."

  God, no! Luke backed away, shocked by the sound of one word, one name that he had thought never to hear again. He walked to the front door and threw it open. There was no one there. She was gone. He thought back to the incident earlier, to the boys.

  His feeling of uneasiness grew stronger. Maybe it was a coincidence, but he didn't think so. Something was going on, and he would find out what it was -- even if it meant seeing her again. He shut the door and walked back to the party. He needed a drink, and he needed it bad.

  * * *

  "Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, ninety ..." Matt's head rolled around on his neck as his muscles went limp. He was so drunk he couldn't even remember the words. A feminine hand stroked his neck and long fingernails raked against his skin, causing an automatic hard-on. Although what the hell he could do with his body at this moment was anyone's guess.

  He turned his head and his vision blurred. "Brenda? Baby? Is that you?"

  "Of course, it's me." She giggled. "Who else would it be?"

  He smiled. "Dunno. Who's sitting with us?"

  "All your old buds. Kenny's over there. Jody and Larry. Don. Everyone."

  Matt peered across the table. "Kenny, Jesus, man. I thought your wife cut off your liquor allowance."

  Kenny snorted. "I do what I want -- when I want."

  "Louise must be working late," Matt said knowingly.

  "Yeah."

  Matt raised the beer bottle to his lips. "Hey, I was drinking tequila."

  "You ran out of money, babe," Brenda said with a drunken giggle. "All I could afford was beer."

  Matt tipped the bottle at her in appreciation. "You're all right, sweetheart." He looked around the table at his friends. Life was getting better by the minute. He downed the bottle and reached for another.

  Someone began to sing. Matt tried to join in, but the only part of his body that was feeling anything was his groin, where Brenda's hand was resting. Actually, her hand was moving. Jesus. If he weren't so drunk ...

  "Hey, Matto, we're going to O'Riley's for some pool action," Kenny said.

  Brenda's hand moved away as she leaned over to whisper something to Jody. Without the pressure of her long nails against the snaps on his jeans, Matt could think a little more clearly, at least enough to see that his friends were leaving.

  "You with us?" Kenny asked.

  "Shit. Why not?" Matt got to his feet. "Where are my keys?" His fingers latched around the
metal ring. "Right here. Let's go."

  The crowd stumbled out of the bar, singing, then laughing as the fog hit their faces. "Jesus, how the hell are we going to see the road?" Matt asked, but nobody answered.

  * * *

  Danny looked out the window; he couldn't see a thing. He rubbed the panel with his hand, but it didn't make a difference. The fog was thick, and the bus was moving slowly. He had no idea what time it was, but it had to be late.

  "My mom is going to be pissed," Danny said. He looked over at Chris, who was playing a game on his phone. "Think we'll get grounded for this?"

  Chris nodded. "Two weeks, easy. What about you?"

  "Same." Danny sighed. "I better get my mom a nice gift for her birthday or I'll be stuck in the house for months."

  "Are you going back?" Chris asked.

  "I don't know." Danny shook his head. "I thought it would be so great to meet my dad. But, man, you saw his house. Why would a rich dude like that want me as his kid?"

  "Don't know. But my dad was a slime ball, and he didn't want me either."

  "I don't think it's fair that he lives like that, and my mom has to work all the time. She never has any money for anything. She said she didn't know if I could play baseball this year. Registration is ninety bucks."

  Danny slouched down in his seat, resting his knees against the back of the seat in front of him. His feet swung restlessly as he kicked them against the bench. "I gotta play baseball," he said, turning to Chris. "I'll die if I can't play baseball."

  "She'll change her mind," Chris said. "Moms always change their minds."

  "Not if she's mad about this." And his mom would be mad. Every time he asked about Luke, she changed the subject. Even knowing that it bothered her to talk about Luke hadn't stopped Danny from asking. He had to know about his father. He just had to. He couldn't think about anything else.

  Now that he had seen Luke, Danny knew that he would go back. Next time, he wouldn't leave until he had talked to his father.

  The bus glided to a stop. "Finally," Danny said as Chris scrambled to his feet.

  "You boys be careful now," the driver said. "It's hard to see out there."

  Danny and Chris looked at each other as the bus pulled away. They were about a half mile from their houses, and they still had to cross Highway 1. It wasn't that far in the daytime, but right now it looked like a million miles away.

  "Man, this was a really stupid idea," Chris said. "I am never listening to you again."

  "I didn't know it was going to be foggy."

  They walked for about five minutes, then Chris tugged on Danny's arm. "I see the sign for Ida's Ice Cream."

  Danny nodded with relief. "Good."

  "Let's cut across here," Chris suggested.

  Danny took a step, then tripped on his shoelace. Chris kept going as Danny knelt down to tie his shoe. He had barely straightened when a sudden rush of headlights blinded him. He tried to run, but the car caught the edge of his body. He felt himself being lifted in the air. He heard someone scream, but he didn't know if it was him or Chris. Then there was nothing but blackness.

  * * *

  "Hell of a night, isn't it?" Police Officer Alan Brady looked at his partner, Sue Spencer, as they walked out of the Golden Moon Chinese Restaurant on Highway 1.

  Sue shivered and zipped up her coat. "No kidding. Maybe the weather will keep the kids off the beach."

  "Maybe," Alan said as they walked across the parking lot to their patrol car. They had just taken a late dinner break and had another three hours to go before they were off duty. Hopefully, it would be a peaceful night.

  The coast was quieter at this time of the year, not as many beachgoers as in the summer, but the restaurants and bars along the highway produced their share of troublemakers, especially on Friday nights.

  Alan liked his beat. Half Moon Bay and the neighboring coastal towns were small and cozy. He had spent ten years in L.A. and had burned out on gangs and drive-by shootings. At least here there was a semblance of normalcy.

  "You and Jenny have plans for the weekend?" Sue asked.

  Alan adjusted his cap, "She wants to spend time with Danny, so probably not."

  "Does the kid like you any better?"

  "No. In fact, lately all he talks about is finding his real father."

  Sue gave him a curious look. "Where is his real father?"

  "I don't know. Jenny said the guy took off when she told him she was pregnant. He didn't want to be a father. I'm the one who's around now, the one who wants to spend time with Danny. You'd think the kid would appreciate that."

  "He'll come around."

  Alan paused by the car. "Jenny and I aren't doing that great. I don't know what the hell she's thinking anymore. We've been seeing each other for six months. That's a long time at my age. I'd like to move things along, maybe get married. I'm turning forty next year; it's time to be settling down."

  Sue smiled. "Have you told Jenny how you feel?"

  Alan shook his head. He had a difficult time talking about personal things. "Ifs hard with Danny around," he complained. "The other night I got so mad at the kid I told him that like it or not, I wasn't leaving, and if he had a problem to get over it."

  "What did he do?"

  "He went to his room and refused to eat dinner. Jenny spent the rest of the night worrying about him. She blamed me, of course. Said I was too harsh. That I acted more like a cop than a friend. Maybe I do. But Danny needs rules in his life. He's spoiled. Sometimes I could wring his neck."

  Sue put a gentle hand on his shoulder as his tirade came to an end. "It's okay, Alan. You're entitled to feel frustrated. Dating a woman with a child is not easy."

  "Tell me about it." He rolled his neck to one side, then the other, trying to ease the tension that stiffened his body.

  "Kids can drive you crazy," Sue said. "I should know. My two are a handful. Luckily, I've got Jim at home, who's solid as a rock and patient as a saint. But kids know you love them. They just like to test you. Give Danny a chance. Show him you care. He'll realize you're one of the good guys."

  "That's the problem, I've always been a good guy. I know how to get respect from people, even kids. I just don't know how the hell to get them to like me."

  "Just be your natural sweet self."

  "Yeah, right," Alan growled. He opened his door and slid into the driver's seat while Sue got in on the other side. He had barely started the car when the call came in -- an accident on Tully Road just off the main highway.

  "That's down the road from Ida's Ice Cream," Sue commented. "I hope it's not a child."

  Alan pulled the car out of the parking lot and sped down the highway. It was incredibly difficult to see. He could only imagine what they would find when they got there.

  The paramedics beat them to the scene, and another patrol car pulled up alongside them. As soon as Alan opened his door, he heard crying, wild shrieking, like that of an animal in pain.

  Alan hoped it was an animal and not a human being. Instinctively he knew it wasn't. He and Sue walked through the small group of people huddled on the road, while the other officers set up a roadblock to protect whoever was lying in the middle of the street.

  When Alan got to the front of the huddle, he stopped dead in his tracks. Nothing prepared him for the sight before him.

  "Oh my God," he muttered.

  Sue caught up to him, pushing past his shoulder so she could see. She cried out, a mother's cry, a friend's cry, an anguished cry.

  * * *

  Jenny's tension increased as she drove slowly through the fog. Twelve years of living on the coast had made the route as familiar to her as the back of her hand. She knew the landmarks, the incline of the road, the smell of the sea.

  Tonight everything seemed different. In the past five minutes, her heart had begun to race without reason, her pulse going ninety miles an hour.

  She knew every fear was greater because Danny wasn't with her. That's why her imagination was running wild. She had
to think positively. Danny was probably sitting at home, eating ice cream out of the carton for dinner.

  A few more minutes, and she would be with him. The nightmare would be over. A gleam of light cut short her thought. She was getting closer to the highway, where there were streetlights and businesses rather than the rural Christmas tree farms and pumpkin patches that dotted Highway 92.

  Jenny came upon the accident before she saw it. She slammed on her brakes and narrowly avoided hitting the car in front of her. As she peered through her windshield, she saw the flashing lights of a police car and the rescue squad. They had completely blocked off the road. In front of her were five cars waiting to get by.

  Jenny shifted into park. It took her fifteen seconds of debate before she jumped out of the car and ran down the road. She heard someone call after her, but she didn't stop. She was pulled forward, relentlessly, by something stronger than herself.

  Someone caught her by the waist as she joined the throng of people standing in a circle. A body had been placed on a stretcher. The paramedics were loading the person into the ambulance. A flash of blond hair took her breath away.

  A fear that was so great, so powerful, so debilitating hit her all at once. The figure on the stretcher was so slight, so pale, so fragile.

  A wild cry broke from her heart. "Danny. Danny!" she screamed. "Oh God, no."

  Chapter Five

  Someone was talking to her. Someone was holding her back. She had to get to her baby.

  Jenny struggled against the arms that bound her. She turned in fury, attacking her captor as if he were an assailant. She pummeled her fists against his chest until her hand caught the edge of a slash of silver. A badge. A cop. Alan.

  She looked into his face and saw pain and fear. "Danny?"

  "He's hurt bad, Jenny. They have to get him to the hospital."

  "I'm going with him," she insisted, but even as she spoke the ambulance roared into the night.

  "No, no. Stop!" she screamed. "I have to go with him. He's my baby. He needs me."