Baby Secret (Slade Brothers Book 3)

by Alexis Winter

  Later that night, Drake gets behind the grill and fires it up. Coolers out full of cold drinks are brought out, and music plays softly, putting all of us a good mood. Some of us even get up and start to dance. We all just hang out and get to know one another a little better. We eat food off the grill and then top it off with wedding cake. Clay, Bryce, and I all end up leaving around ten when Milly crashes. On the dark, quiet drive home, Bryce falls asleep with his head on my shoulder.

  I laugh quietly. “I think he’s worn out,” I tell Clay, pushing Bryce’s hair away from his face.

  He chuckles and nods. “I’ll carry him up to his room. No sense in waking him,” Clay says, turning into the drive.

  He parks the truck and opens the door, reaching in for Bryce. With him no longer on my shoulder, I’m free to step out and follow along behind them. I step up onto the porch and get the overwhelming feeling that someone is watching me. I freeze, turning to survey the land around the house. The big moon is hanging high in the sky, lighting up the earth around me. I look into the field in front of the house and don’t see anything but high grass. I turn and look at the barn. It’s filled with shadows I can’t see into. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end as a cool breeze whips around my body.

  “What are you doing?” Clay asks, stepping back out onto the porch, causing me to jump.

  I shake my head. “Nothing,” I tell him, walking into the house and locking the door behind me. As he shuts off the lights, I go into the kitchen to check the windows and back door. Everything is locked and just as I left it. A part of me wonders if this is how it will be from now on. Everything feels so perfect, like I finally have the life I’ve been working towards. Will thoughts of Glenn always creep up to rob me of my happiness? What do I have to do to make it stop?

  “Ready for bed?” Clay asks as he moves behind me, pressing a kiss to my neck. His arms are around me, hands landing on my stomach. He pulls he against him, my ass pressing against his growing erection.

  I close my eyes and let his touch chase away the bad memories, the scary thoughts. I nod. “Mm-hmm.”

  Without warning, he picks me up, one arm around my back and the other under my knees, carrying me up the stairs to our bedroom.

  The feeling from that night doesn’t fade over the next several days. Whenever I’m alone, I always feel as if I’m being watched—like I’m behind a two-way mirror. I can’t see anyone, but I know they’re there. I can feel it. I try telling myself that it’s the pregnancy hormones, but I know that isn’t it. I’ve been pregnant before and I never had this feeling. It started as a shiver up my spine the night of the wedding. I expected it to go away. However, when I woke in the morning, I could’ve sworn that I smelled Glenn’s cologne like he’d been in the room while I was sleeping. In fact, I smelled it in Bryce’s room too. My heart doubled its rhyme as panic set in. I tore through the house looking for Bryce, only to find him at the kitchen table, enjoying a bowl of cereal with Clay.

  I checked all the doors and windows, and they were still locked. I knew it had to be my imagination. But since then, it’s been little things like I’ll think I’ll hear my name being whispered as I’m outside hanging clothes on the line. I’ll catch a glimpse of something out of the corner of my eye, but when I look, it’s gone or never there to begin with—I’m not sure which. I haven’t mentioned anything to Clay about it. I would if I had some kind of proof, but I’m afraid he’ll just think it’s stress or maybe that I’m crazy. Since we moved to the farmhouse, I haven’t heard from Glenn or my lawyer. I did try calling Judith, my next-door neighbor back home, only to be informed by her daughter that she’d passed away unexpectedly.

  After I take Bryce to daycare for the day and Clay has left to start a new job, I sit at the kitchen table with my phone in my hands. I call Lidia, my lawyer.

  The office phone rings and rings before being cut off. I try her cell, and it gives me an error message like she’s changed her number. I Google her office, wondering if the number has changed for some reason. To my surprise, it states that the office is closed permanently. That uneasy feeling consumes me again. Why would everyone who’s helped me suddenly shut me out? I still can’t believe Judith’s passing. She was only in her seventies and seemed to be in excellent health when I lived next to her. She did mention she had the flu. I wonder if it was just too much for her body to handle? When I tried getting details, her daughter was too upset to speak of it. Fear consumes me when an unsettling thought drifts into my mind. What if Glenn had something to do with all of this? What if he knew Judith was helping me? Would he hurt her—kill her? And Lidia, did he do something to her to make her close her office and run? I would like to think that Glenn isn’t capable of such evil, but deep down, I know he is. Suddenly, I’m too afraid to even be alone in my own home. What if that feeling I’ve been having isn’t stress? What if he’s here? What if he’s watching?

  22

  Clay

  I pull into the diner around noon for my client meeting with Sam. He wants an expansion built onto his garage. The guys are already at his place taking the measurements and getting the proper permits. Today’s meeting is to find out the details of the job.

  I park the truck and climb out, heading inside. I sit in the back of the restaurant, wanting privacy so Sam and I can hammer out the details without having to worry about talking over everyone. Tessa is working, and even though I know this isn’t her section, she makes her way over with a cup of coffee.

  She smiles kindly. “How is everything?” she asks, placing a napkin and the cup down in front of me.

  I nod. “Everything is great. How about yourself?”

  She smiles. “Wonderful. Jason is officially off to college. School doesn’t start for another couple of weeks, but he wanted time to get settled in and to find a part-time job. He got his full ride.” She beams proudly.

  “That’s great,” I reply, lifting my cup and taking a sip.

  “How are things with you and Autumn?” she asks, placing her hands on her hips.

  “Good. We’re expecting a baby next spring.”

  Her eyes stretch wide and her mouth drops open. “Oh, congratulations,” she says, but I can tell that she doesn’t mean it. Her eyes are focusing on something out the window. She’s surprised and maybe even a little upset given our last conversation.

  “Thank you.” I know she didn’t mean it, but what else could I say?

  “How’s that going to work with her going back to Ohio?”

  I shake my head. “Ohio? She’s not going back to Ohio.”

  Her dark eyes find mine, and a look of confusion washes over her.

  “Why would you think that, Tess?”

  She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. None of this is any of my business.” She turns and tries to walk away.

  I stand quickly, grabbing ahold of her elbow and stopping her. “Tessa, what are you talking about?” I know she must be confused, but I want to hear her say the words.

  “It’s just that her husband was in here the other day. He said that they’ve been talking and that they’re getting back together. He wanted directions to her place to surprise her.”

  “And did you tell him?” I ask, my voice taking on a hard edge.

  “I’m sorry. I just thought that if she left, it would give us a chance to get back to where we were. He is her husband after all.”

  “Are you even sure it was her husband?” I ask, feeling panic and anger wash over me.

  She nods. “His name is Glenn. He showed me a family picture of him, her, and the boy.”

  “When was this? When did he come in here?” I ask.

  She thinks on it for a moment. “Last Saturday, I think.”

  I grit my teeth. “You have no idea what you’ve done,” I say, pushing past her, heading for my truck.

  I hop behind the wheel and dig the keys out of my pocket. Anger floods my body, so much so that my hands are shaking and causes me to drop them in the floorboard. Cussing out loud, I bend down
and grab them. This time, I hold them tight as I sort through the keys to find the one to the truck. I jam it into the ignition and twist. The truck roars to life. I shift into reverse and hit the gas. The truck jumping backward until I stomp the brakes and shift into drive. I hightail it out of there so fast, a cloud of dust follows along behind me on the main road. I grab my cell phone and call her number. It rings a few times then goes directly to voicemail.

  “Autumn, if you get this, call me back as soon as possible.” I hang up the phone and toss it into my lap.

  The farmhouse is about twenty minutes from town, but I’m driving fast enough to make it there in ten. I know that if I get pulled over, I’ll be getting one hell of a ticket, but that doesn’t stop me. The thought isn’t even enough to make me slow down in the slightest. All I can think about is getting to the house and making sure she’s okay. I know I could be overreacting, but she said it was last Saturday. Today is Thursday. That means that he’s been watching for days. He’s been learning our routine, learning when she’s alone. I’ve been gone all morning. If he strikes today, there’s no guarantee that she’s even still there. He could’ve taken her, forced her into his vehicle to go get Bryce. They could both be gone and in danger.

  I swear, if he touches a hair on their heads, I will be spending the rest of my life in prison. But at least then I’ll know that he can never hurt them again. As I draw closer to the house, I crack my neck and my knuckles, needing some way to let out the anxiety. I try calling again as I drive, needing to do something. The phone rings until it goes to voicemail again. I turn the last curve and finally, the house is in view. It sits surrounded by green grass, looking perfect and untouched. I speed down the dirt driveway until I stomp on the brakes. The truck comes to a stop, and dust surrounds the vehicle.

  I shift into park and shut off the truck. I hop out, walking through the dust toward the house. I pull on the screen door and twist the knob for the front door, but it’s locked. I sort through my keys until I find the right one. The door opens easily, and I step into the house.

  It’s quiet. There’s no noise at all. “Autumn?” I call out, peeking into the living room to find it empty. I check the kitchen next, but it’s empty too. I run up the stairs, calling her name, but nothing. She never answers as I check all the rooms upstairs. I run back down and into the kitchen, looking to see if she left a note. I know the van was parked in its usual spot, but she and Celeste have been talking more lately. Maybe she picked her up to hang out or something? There’s nothing on the fridge or the counter. I decide to walk to the back of the house where the laundry room, bathroom, and back door are. When I step into the hallway, something crunches beneath my foot. I lift it up and find glass.

  I run further into the laundry room, finding the window on the back door busted and the door left wide open. I run outside, yelling her name again and again. I run down the porch into the yard, looking in all directions for any sign of her. I don’t find anything but an empty yard. I grab my phone and call the police. Waiting for them to show up, I call Drake. As I sit on the front porch steps waiting for someone, anyone, I call her again and again. Drake and Colton make it over before the police do.

  I’m running through everything I know when the police cruisers pull into the drive. I give them the rundown of the situation. I tell them how Autumn has been on the run from her abusive ex-husband and how he’s harassed us with threats for nearly three months. I tell them everything that Tessa told me at the diner today. I give the police their descriptions, and they leave with the promise of finding her.

  I collapse on the porch step, and Colton and Drake sit at my sides.

  “Man, screw the cops. Let’s go find her on our own,” Colton says.

  “What about the kid?” Drake says. “Where is he?”

  “Autumn dropped him off at daycare like she does every day,” I answer.

  “Have you checked to see if he’s been picked up?”

  I stand up. “I’m going to go see. I’m afraid if I call, they won’t tell me.” I make a mad dash for the truck.

  “What do you want us to do?” Drake yells.

  “Just drive around and look around at any place you can think of. Call the girls and see if they’ve heard from her or seen her. I’ll call you guys in a bit.” I get back behind the wheel and drive back to town. My heart is hammering away in my chest the whole way. My thoughts are spinning in a thousand different directions. What if he took her? I pull out my cell phone and try calling her again. Straight to voicemail, just like before.

  I get to the daycare and I run inside. The building is crawling with kids, but I see Bryce playing Legos in the back. A woman comes up to the counter. “Can I help you?”

  “Can I speak with you privately?”

  “Of course,” she says, looking slightly worried. She leads me back to the office and we both take a seat.

  “How can I help you? Are you looking for a place for your child?”

  “No, I’m with Autumn Delaney. Her son is Bryce.” I wait for her to catch on.

  She nods. “Of course. I’m sorry, but I can’t let Bryce go with anyone other than Autumn.”

  “That’s fine. I’m not trying to pick him up.” My anxiety is through the roof, and I’m bouncing around in my seat like a child who’s had too much candy. “Autumn is missing. I don’t know if you’re aware, but she and Bryce have been on the run from her abusive ex-husband.”

  Her mouth drops open and her eyes stretch wide. “I did not know that.”

  “There have been threats made. He wants them back and said that he was going to come get them. I have reason to believe that he’s in town now. The window on our back door was busted, and she’s nowhere to be found. I know he won’t leave without Bryce. The police are aware of the situation, but if Autumn comes in here to get him, you should not let her leave with him. Call the police.”

  She nods vigorously. “Of course. What can I do in the meantime?”

  I take a deep breath and shake my head. “Just pray that we find her. She’s pregnant with my child.”

  I visibly see her swallow, and we both stand as she walks me toward the door. Bryce sees me and he runs over, staying behind the barrier. “Clay, what are you doing here?” he asks around a smile.

  “I was just checking in, buddy. You having fun today?”

  He nods.

  “Go play and I’ll see you later at home. Okay?”

  “Okay, see ya!” Without another word, he runs off, back to his friends.

  The lady follows me to the door. “I’m going to put the building on lock down.”

  “Thank you,” I say, stepping out. I hear her lock the door behind me.

  23

  Autumn

  I can’t sit still any longer. I have to get up and distract myself. I stand up and move to the kitchen sink to wash the dishes from breakfast. My hands stay busy, but my mind doesn’t. All I can think about is how Judith has passed and how Lidia is suddenly gone, business closed, and cell phone turned off. This all seems too perfect to be a coincidence. I decide to tell Clay about all of it when he gets home tonight.

  I finish up the dishes and drain the water. I rinse the bubbles from the sink and begin to dry my hands when I notice movement out of the corner of my eye. I suck in a loud breath and look out the window, finding nothing. My heart is hammering away, and annoyance is pumping through my veins. Why do I keep doing this? Why do I keep scaring myself? This is all getting old very quickly.

  I shake my head at myself and toss the towel onto the counter. Walking into the living room, I take a seat on the couch and turn on the TV. I find some romantic comedy to keep my attention. I lay on my side as I watch the movie. My eyes flutter closed off and on. Finally, I give in and sleep takes me.

  Tap. A sound pulls me out of my sleep a little while later. I look at the TV and see the credits rolling on the movie. I sit up and listen. I don’t hear anything, so I turn off the TV to listen better. Tap. I stand up and walk to the front window,
peeking out. The sound of the doorknob jiggling causes my heart to leap to my throat. It’s not the front door. It’s the back. I run to the kitchen and grab a butcher knife. Slowly, I round the corner into the laundry room. Through the back glass of the door, I see Glenn. He looks up, eyes locking on mine. He offers up a smile as the doorknob turns and the door begins to open.

  I jump toward it, slamming it closed. My shaking hands grab the knob, locking it again.

  “Oh, come on Autumn. Don’t be that way. We haven’t seen one another in months,” he says through the glass.

  “What do you want, Glenn?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady, but fear drips from every word.

  “I just want my family, that’s all. Why don’t you let me in and we can talk about it?”

  With one hand on the doorknob, I feel for my phone in my back pocket. It’s empty. It must have fallen out while I slept on the couch. I won’t have a chance, even if I run for it. He’ll have this door opened before I reach it.

  “How long have you been here? How long have you been watching?” I ask, looking around for something, anything that could help.

  “Open the door, Autumn. Let me in or I’m coming in the hard way.”

  I shake my head. “I’m not letting you in, Glenn.”

  “Let. Me. In!” he yells, face reddening.

  I shake my head again. “No!” I yell. “You better get out of here before Clay gets home.”

  He laughs loud and hard. “You think he can take me?” He scoffs. “I’ve been watching you, you know? I saw the treehouse he built for my son. I see the way he touches my wife. I’m going to kill him for taking what’s mine. And then, Autumn, I’m going to kill you too. Bryce is coming back home with me where he belongs.” He rams his shoulder into the door, and it bows with his weight.