Officer Daddy

by Jacqueline Diamond

  That ought to satisfy him. But he continued glowering.

  “You think that squares it?” The words emerged ragged. “You’re carrying my son or daughter, and I’m supposed to just walk away? It doesn’t work like that, Nora.”

  It did for some people. But not for a good man like this one, she reflected, and felt worse than ever. “This puts you in a bind, huh? For me, it wasn’t intentional, but I do want a child. Maybe you will someday.”

  Someday when he was emotionally ready. And finds the right woman, added a cruel voice in her head.

  “Maybe, but not now.”

  They pulled alongside her car, which in their absence had become surrounded by other vehicles. People were making their way on foot toward the community center entrance, above which hung a banner: “Free Tax Help 4:00-6:00 p.m. Saturday.”

  Next year, she’d have a new dependent to list. But I’ll still be filing solo, Nora reflected glumly.

  She tried to find something else to say. A joke about missing their dinner together died unvoiced. Finally she mumbled, “I’m sorry,” and then got annoyed, because she was no more at fault than he was.

  “Me, too,” he said.

  After she exited, he waited until she got in her car and started the engine. Ever the gentleman.

  Then his car vroomed off, disappearing among the vehicles of help-seeking taxpayers. “Well,” Nora said aloud as she backed out, “that could have gone worse.”

  But she wasn’t sure how.

  Chapter Twelve

  After a restless weekend, Leo took satisfaction in the orderly familiarity of the police station on Monday morning. Here, at least, he could focus on external issues and escape troubling uncertainties.

  That illusion lasted until the captain stopped him outside the locker room. “See me after briefing.” Without waiting for a reply, Reed walked off.

  “You in the doghouse?” asked Patty, who’d witnessed the exchange.

  Mentally Leo replayed his recent activities, but nothing sprang to mind as a problem. “No idea.”

  Half an hour later, after taking notes about a bank robber working the area, a hit-and-run vehicle to watch for and a pack of stray dogs that had trashed the mayor’s yard and scared the bejeebers out of his cat, Leo trudged up the stairs to the detective bureau.

  Nearly every desk was staffed as detectives prepared for the week. A couple of guys wore ties and a woman in Juvies had put on a skirt and pumps, signs that they were due in court to testify.

  That was what Leo craved. His own cases to handle and follow through to conviction. Further down the line, a chance to move up. He’d like to be chief of a place like this someday.

  He found the captain’s door open. After a quick knock, Leo went in.

  “Have a seat.” Reed studied a sheet of paper covered with handwritten notes too messy to make out, even if Leo could read upside down and without getting caught.

  “The chief received an interesting call at home yesterday,” Reed said, and gazed at him coolly.

  Being clueless, Leo had no trouble keeping his own expression blank.

  “From City Councilman Roy Hightower,” the captain went on. “Ring a bell?”

  “I’m acquainted with him, yes.” His mind raced. That scene in the flower shop on Saturday… While names had been mentioned, nothing had come of it. Leo hadn’t even been on duty.

  “The chief promptly relayed the subject of this call to me. On a Sunday.” The captain didn’t sound happy about being disturbed at home. “It seems, if I understand this correctly, that his son’s pregnant girlfriend claims you’re investigating the family about some threats to a flower shop. Councilman Hightower contends no such threats were made.”

  Oh, great. Leo had volunteered to help the girl and she’d squawked like a chicken. What was that quote about no good deed going unpunished? “The young lady would be Miss Violet Nguyen, I presume.”

  “That sounds about right.” Reed sat, waiting.

  Leo struggled to organize his thoughts. “She’s a client at the counseling center. On Saturday, she asked Dr. Kendall and me to talk to her mother about some anonymous emails urging that Violet relinquish her baby for adoption. The girl believes her boyfriend, Gary Hightower, was behind them, but Mrs. Nguyen had deleted the emails. The threats were vague, and there’s no way to tell who sent them. Since Mrs. Nguyen wanted the matter dropped, it went no further. I was off duty at the time,” he added.

  “Did you contact the boy or his family?”

  “No, sir,” Leo said.

  “Did you file a report?”

  “I saw no reason for one. I did stop by and mention it to the watch commander, but he didn’t seem to think it important.” Leo considered it wise to keep his superiors informed.

  The captain drummed his fingers on the desk. “How’s the counseling going, by the way? You mentioned a young man. That’s not Gary Hightower, is it?”

  “No, sir.” Leo didn’t elaborate further. Although no one had lectured him about confidentiality, to him it went without saying.

  “So, have you seen this fellow again?”

  Strange question, but Leo didn’t want to appear defensive. “We met on Saturday, before I learned about Miss Nguyen’s concerns. I’d say the session went well.”

  The captain watched him expectantly, as if curious to see what else might fall out of Leo’s mouth. Obviously, Reed had mastered the interrogation technique of letting silence loosen a person’s tongue. The fact that Leo’s promotion was on the line added to the pressure.

  Despite the temptation to defend himself or yak about the merits of his volunteer work, Leo kept his mouth shut. Anything he said would more likely hurt than help.

  The captain broke the silence first. “Did you present your security recommendations to the staff?”

  “Yes, sir.” Leo summarized his talk with Eleanor Wycliff.

  After he finished, the captain’s expression remained impassive. “Do you plan to continue volunteering there?”

  “I scheduled another counseling session for next Saturday.” In all honesty, Leo added, “It’s not as if I have parenting experience. But the boy grew up without a father and he appears to value masculine feedback.”

  A slow nod. “I can understand that.” The captain, long divorced, had a son in the army and another in college, Leo recalled. “Well, let me know if these threats escalate.”

  “I’ll do that, sir.”

  On his way out, Leo noted Mike Aaron paying him particular attention. From the corner of his eye, he also spotted Trent Horner emerging from the sergeant’s office and regarding him with a smirk.

  Much as he liked helping at the counseling center, Leo’d never intended for his volunteer work to get in the way of his job. Moreover, being around Nora seemed to affect his judgment, and not in a good way.

  Once they resolved this business about how they were going to deal with the baby, he had to distance himself from her and everything concerning her. And the sooner he got that over with, the better.

  STAYING UP ALL NIGHT WAS a lot harder at thirty-four than when she’d been in med school in her twenties, Nora reflected early Monday morning. Hold on—she checked the date on her watch—how could she have lost track of the dates? It was her birthday. She was thirty-five today.

  Maybe that explained why her eyes felt like they were developing permanent bags and her feet hurt despite the sensible shoes. Being pregnant didn’t help, either.

  Happy birthday, Mommy.

  She tried to avoid her tired reflection in the window of the nursery as she gazed over the rows of newborns. Four of them had come into the world last night. The first face they’d seen was hers.

  Amazing to think that her womb carried a new life also, a tiny person nestled tightly inside, too small for her to feel its movements. Yet someday that baby would grow large enough to hold in her arms, utterly loving and totally dependent on Nora to shelter, guide and love him or her.

  Tears pricked Nora’s eyes as she rem
embered the distress on Leo’s face when she broke the news. Too bad he wasn’t willing to share this joy with her.

  He hadn’t dismissed the subject and walked away, despite her willingness to let him. The man had a conscience. She also suspected he had a heart, but for whatever reason, it didn’t belong to her.

  She had to stop this mental whining. Maternal hormones had been wreaking havoc with her emotions all weekend.

  Well, she had precious little time to grab breakfast, change into the spare set of clothes she kept handy and prepare to see patients. Reminding herself that she had managed to grab a few hours of sleep in the on-call room between deliveries, Nora squared her shoulders and headed downstairs to the cafeteria.

  On the ground floor, it sounded as if someone was drilling for oil in the basement. This construction ruckus couldn’t be good for the patients’ health, but Nora knew it was unavoidable.

  With no temptation to linger over breakfast, she managed to complete her tasks and emerge from her private bathroom with twenty minutes to spare. Only then did she notice how unusually quiet it was. The short hallway between her office and the nurses’ station lay deserted. What was going on?

  “Surprise!” Out of the examining rooms popped Bailey, the receptionist and the billing-and-records clerks.

  Mark Rayburn stepped from an alcove. “Happy birthday.”

  “Cake,” Bailey added, gesturing toward the nurses’ station.

  There stood a splendid pink cake topped with cherries. Nora’s favorite. “I had no idea you were planning this.”

  The staff burst into a rousing chorus of “Happy Birthday.” Bailey hammed up the ending with “and many many many many more!”

  “I know you were on call last night,” Mark said. “Seems unfair on your birthday, but I certainly appreciate it. We wanted to perk you up with a celebration.”

  “You’re all so sweet.” She felt teary again, this time in a happy way. So many friends, chattering and cutting slices. The cake was delicious, and never mind that she’d already eaten. Too bad she couldn’t enjoy a cup of coffee with it.

  No one mentioned her pregnancy, but she caught the curious glances aimed at her midsection. “Okay,” Nora said finally. “Since you’re all wondering, yes, we do have something extra to celebrate. I’m due in November.”

  Applause broke out. She’d already told Mark privately but he smiled as broadly as the others. Since patients must be arriving in the waiting room by now, she waved for quiet. “I’m not sure I want to broadcast this far and wide.”

  “Mum’s the word,” said Bailey.

  Considering how much the nurse had already blabbed to the Francos, that wasn’t reassuring. Well, so what? Nora might be a single mom, but she wasn’t completely alone.

  Definitely not alone, she learned later that morning, when Bailey conceded quietly that she’d decided to yield to her sister’s request. “I’ll be a few months behind you, but pregnancy loves company, right?” the nurse said.

  “In my case, definitely.”

  Nora switched gears to prepare for her next patient, Una Barker. With her husband, Jim, she had been undergoing fertility treatments at a modest pace to suit their budget. A personal memo from Dr. Tartikoff had urged Nora to pursue more advanced procedures for them. But, although she occasionally reminded them of their options, Nora would only bring up the subject again if it seemed appropriate. No hotshot fertility director’s agenda was going to affect her practice of medicine.

  To her surprise, she found Una wearing a flattering turquoise dress rather than the usual hospital gown. Heavyset and stylish, with animated features, she sat in the chair usually occupied by her husband.

  “I’ve stopped taking the hormones,” Una told Nora after they exchanged greetings. “Jim and I have decided to adopt.”

  “That’s wonderful news.” As she spoke, Nora tried to sort out her reaction. Had she failed them? Perhaps Dr. Tartikoff was right, and she should have pursued high-tech solutions more aggressively. “I didn’t realize you wanted to stop treatments.”

  Una stretched languorously. She seemed much more relaxed than usual. “Out of the blue, we got a call from an attorney who specializes in adoptions. I’m not sure where he found our number, but he’s local, and he has several young mothers giving birth in the next month. I want a baby now. I’m tired of all these ups and downs.”

  Trying to conceive was hard on patients, Nora understood. Each month, hope rose anew, only to be dashed when the woman’s period arrived.

  However, adoption wasn’t necessarily an easy course, either. “You realize that an adoption isn’t guaranteed until the mother signs the final papers. It can be heartbreaking to take a baby home and have to give it back.”

  “This lawyer says he’s had a lot of success,” Una told her. “And since the mother’s due very soon, we won’t have long to wait.”

  “I hope no one’s taking advantage of you financially.” That was the most diplomatic phrasing Nora could muster. “Since it’s illegal to buy and sell babies, any money you provide to assist the birth mother is hers to keep, even if she changes her mind.”

  “I know it’s a risk, but my in-laws are willing to help out financially,” the woman said. “My instincts tell me it’s the right decision, Dr. Kendall. I hope you aren’t disappointed in us.”

  “Disappointed?” Nora hadn’t considered that her patient might worry about her feelings. “Not at all. I’m thrilled for you. I hope you’ll let me know how this works out. Please bring the baby for a visit.”

  “I’d love to.” After a little more discussion, they shook hands, and Nora held the door for her patient.

  As she updated her notes in the computer, she tried to pinpoint the cause of her uneasiness. She didn’t care how Dr. Tartikoff might react to her losing a fertility patient. And she understood why Una was eager for the chance to start parenting and put this painful struggle behind her.

  Then it hit her. A few weeks ago, another couple, the Arrigos, had told her almost the same story. The pair, who objected to in vitro fertilization for religious reasons, had heard from a local adoption attorney about the availability of an infant scheduled to be born in a few weeks. It was probably a coincidence, but where had he obtained their phone numbers?

  Nora wished she’d asked whether Una had signed up on any fertility-related websites. That might explain it.

  No one was being coerced, she reminded herself. This wasn’t a crime. And she would never throw a wrench into Una’s happiness. Given the ridiculous ease with which Nora had conceived, that would be hypocritical.

  All the same, she wished she could discuss the situation with Leo. Cold, hard common sense told her their future conversations would probably be limited to his financial contribution to their child’s care.

  A knot formed in Nora’s gut. How could she care so much for a man who was obviously wrong for her? Or, more accurately, for whom she was obviously wrong. Younger, strikingly handsome and radiating masculinity, Leo belonged with one of those confident women she’d watched in awe and envy all her life. A woman who’d always felt beautiful, who knew that she deserved the best and wasn’t afraid to take it.

  Not that Nora undervalued herself. Guys found her attractive, and she’d worked hard to earn success as a doctor. But she and Leo had been meant to be two ships that pass in the night or, rather, that pass on by after a couple of pleasurable nights.

  Now she had to drum that fact into her uncooperative brain.

  A churning stomach and the need to concentrate on her patients kept Nora’s mind occupied through the morning. Then a pregnant patient came in without an appointment to discuss a concern about spotting, and a prospective patient requested a few minutes to get to know Nora. She ended up grabbing lunch at her desk, along with a second slice of the rapidly vanishing birthday cake, and stayed until the last patient left at five-thirty.

  “Big plans for tonight?” asked Bailey as Nora headed for the exit.

  “Big plans to catch up on
my sleep,” she admitted.

  The nurse clasped her hands nervously. “Is it okay if I take Thursday morning off? My sister made an appointment with a doctor in L.A. for my initial workup.”

  “Of course.” Nora scheduled surgeries for Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and was assisted by a surgical nurse at the hospital, so she wouldn’t need Bailey until the afternoon anyway. “Good luck.”

  Bailey’s nose wrinkled. “I’m not looking forward to monitoring my cycle and all that stuff. Let’s pray I get pregnant fast.”

  “Absolutely.” While Nora wasn’t sure her nurse had truly considered all the angles, there was no sense in harping on her doubts.

  As she let herself into the hallway, her thoughts returned to her milestone birthday. Her father hardly ever remembered birthdays on time. Growing up, Nora had accepted birthday cakes purchased hurriedly from the supermarket and gifts in the form of cash as normal celebrations that came a week or a month late. But she’d always known that her father loved her deeply.

  Well, today she should treat herself to a special present. Since her favorite pastime was reading, the prospect of a stop at Fact and Fiction, Safe Harbor’s independent bookstore, quickened her step.

  In her peripheral vision she caught movement to the left and an impression of a couple emerging from Dr. Rayburn’s office. The sound of their bickering put Nora on edge.

  Then she recognized a voice she knew intimately. Reese was saying, “I told the cook we’d be eating at home. She’s gone to a lot of trouble to fix what the nutritionist suggested.”

  “I’m tired of rabbit food.” Could this be slender, elegant Persia? The hair was still glossy and black, but her cheeks looked puffy and her jawline sagged. Even considering the pregnancy, she’d gained a lot of weight, and her shrewish expression didn’t help. “Let’s try that new oyster bar near South Coast Plaza. All my friends rave about it, and you never take me anywhere.”

  Nora should have fled. Too late, she saw recognition flash in Reese’s blue eyes, which were as brilliant and hypnotic as ever. And, as always, his gaze swept her in instant assessment.