Saving Madeline

by Rachel Ann Nunes

  She gave Jim a flat grin. “Whatever. You’re just mad because I’m driving.”

  The firemen had arrived and were doing their thing, and the blaze would be under control in minutes. More officers were arriving to help with the crowd. Sally knew they would evacuate the nearest houses, and normally she’d stick around to help, but her mind was still gnawing on the thought she’d had earlier. It was something Caitlin had said when she’d called with the address of the meth house. But what?

  Fishing out her cell, she dialed Caitlin’s number.

  “Hello?” Caitlin sounded out of breath.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “Just leaving the store parking lot. I needed some things for my trip. I have to be at the airport really early in the morning. What’s going on?”

  “The house was torched just before we got there. Fire started in the basement. Someone was on to us.”

  “But no one knew.” Pause. “No, Amy, you can’t take the gerbils. Mrs. Burnside’s going to watch them.”

  “What?”

  “Sorry. Talking to Amy.”

  Sally knew if they were taking the gerbils to neighbors, that meant a trip of more than a few days.

  “So what about Dakota?” Caitlin asked. “What does she have to say?”

  “I don’t know. I’m heading there now.”

  “No one could have tipped her off. I mean, they might have seen Kenny, but that’s unlikely. He’s the best.”

  Sally had been in the business too long not to recognize trouble. “Something else must have happened—something that might have led to the meth house. So they torched it.”

  “But what? Her house was clean. You’ve been over it.”

  “I know.”

  Caitlin drew a swift breath of air. “The child. He was at that meth house last night with Dakota. Kenny said he was crying.”

  Something clicked in Sally’s brain. That was it—the thought that first Caitlin and then Kenny had mentioned. The child. “Kids always cry.”

  “Not kids with neglectful parents. Not as much anyway. They know there’s no use. I’m probably wrong, but make sure you check him. Please.”

  Sally swore under her breath. “I’m at her street now. I’ll let you know.”

  A sense of urgency mushroomed in Sally’s chest. In the years she’d known Caitlin, her hunches were as good as the proof most people offered. It was one thing they had in common—Sally also had good hunches. That was why she’d been so angry when Parker had disappeared. She couldn’t understand how she’d been so wrong about him.

  Maybe she hadn’t been wrong.

  Why had the meth house been torched? Sally would trust each of the officers there with her life; there was no leak. That meant another connection.

  Under the blanket of snow, Dakota’s run-down neighborhood looked better somehow, the unkempt lawns and refuse covered with white snow. The street wasn’t busy. In fact, for a Friday night it was far too still.

  Sally was racing through the snow the moment she pulled the car to a stop, her hand reaching to ring the bell several times in rapid succession. Nothing. She rang again. Finally, Dakota appeared. She looked exhausted or hung over, her blonde hair hanging straight and limp against her face.

  “What do you want?” Her hand fluttered to eyes that were puffy from sleep. Or was it from tears? “Did you find Madeline?” The question came as a slow afterthought, telling Sally that it hadn’t been first on her mind.

  “No. We may have some leads, though.” Calling Caitlin’s sudden decision to go on a trip wasn’t exactly a lead, but it might be. “I’d like to take another look at her room.”

  “You’ve already been through it.”

  “It’ll only take a minute.”

  There was a noticeable hesitation. “My son’s asleep in there. He’s not feeling well.”

  “Oh? What does he have?”

  Dakota shrugged. “He threw up last night. Now he’s just sleepy.”

  All of Sally’s senses kicked into high gear. She noticed the deepening lines in Dakota’s face, the eyes that seemed to be near panic, the way she kept glancing over her shoulder. Looking for someone. The boyfriend? He was here. Sally had seen his car outside, though there was no sign of the man at present. But the fear emanating from Dakota hadn’t been caused solely by this supposedly friendly visit from the local police.

  “Where is your son?” Sally took a step inside the house.

  “You can’t come in. Go away.”

  “Is someone here threatening you?” Sally asked softly. “I can help.”

  Dakota stared at her dully for a few seconds. “There’s nothing wrong. I just want to you to get out of here so I can take care of my son!”

  Sally met Jim’s eyes. She gave the slightest shake of her head and pushed past Dakota.

  “You can’t do this!” Dakota screamed.

  Sally strode down the hall, hand ready on her weapon, knowing Jim would be ready, too. She flung open the door to the children’s room. Lyn, the boyfriend, was kneeling by the twin bed where little Reese lay, his bald head close to the boy’s chest. One of Reese’s small hands was outstretched, hanging partially off the bed. Unmoving.

  Lyn jerked to his feet. “What are you doing here?”

  Sally drew her gun. “Step away from the child.” If she was wrong, she could be severely reprimanded, maybe even lose her job, but she’d trusted her instincts far too long to begin questioning them now.

  “He’s fine!”

  “He doesn’t look fine.” In fact, he was pale and barely breathing.

  “He was just sick last night. We’re going to wait a few hours and if he doesn’t get better, we’ll take him to the doctor.”

  Sally nodded at Jim to signal that he was to cover Lyn and Dakota. She holstered her own gun and knelt beside the bed. She felt for the child’s pulse and found it at last, barely a flutter. Dear Lord, she prayed, let him be okay.

  “Reese,” she said, gently patting the child’s face. “Reese?” No response. She looked back at Dakota, who was standing across the small room near the crib, her fingers laced tightly in the bars. “How long has he been like this?”

  “He was like this when we woke up this morning.”

  Fury raged through Sally. “He’s been like this all day? Why didn’t you take him to the emergency room?” She pulled out her cell and dialed 911.

  “I’ve sat by him all day!” Dakota came to the bed now, kneeling and taking her son’s hand. “Please wake up, Reese. Please.”

  “Why didn’t you take him in earlier?”

  Dakota glanced at Lyn quickly and then away.

  “Did he tell you not to? Why is that?”

  “Don’t tell ’em anything,” Lyn shouted.

  Dakota buried her face in her hands and shook her head.

  “Get him out of here,” Sally growled.

  Jim grabbed Lyn’s arm, but the heftier man shrugged him off. “I’m not leaving.”

  Jim pointed his gun at Lyn’s chest. “Yes, you are. We’ll wait for the ambulance outside.” Lyn eyed the gun, as though calculating his chances. Sally stood up, her own gun back in her hand.

  Suddenly Lyn dived for the door at a run. Jim was after him in an instant, and Sally knew she’d have to trust him to his job. She turned back to Dakota. “What happened? Did he do something to your son?” Her voice was remarkably calm.

  Dakota shook her head and sobbed. “I was going to take him in, I promise. He’s going to be okay. He’s got to be.”

  “Sally? Are you here?”

  Sally stiffened at the voice coming from the hallway. What was Caitlin doing here? “In the bedroom,” she called.

  Caitlin came in, her coat askew and her eyes anxious. “Is he okay?”

  Sally shook her head.

  “Oh, no.” Caitlin went to the bed, kneeling next to Dakota, her eyes fixed on Reese’s tiny, pale face. “I’m so sorry, Dakota. What happened?” Pause. “It was the drugs, wasn’t it?” Her voice was sympathetic,
not accusatory. Sally had seen Caitlin break witnesses on the stand with that tone, but tonight her sorrow was real.

  Dakota’s cries became louder. “Last night. He . . . drank some . . . of the water at the house,” she sobbed. “The water for the meth.”

  Caitlin made a soft, despairing noise in her throat, her hand reaching out to stroke the child’s face.

  Sally tore her eyes from Caitlin, focusing back on Dakota. She wanted to strangle the woman. “You should have taken him in last night!”

  “He cried and threw up. Then he went to sleep. Lyn said it was all out.”

  “That’s what you wanted to believe. But you knew better—I can see that you did. Mothers are supposed to take care of their children. They aren’t supposed to put them in danger. You stupid, stupid woman!” Without volition, Sally’s hands came up to strike Dakota, but Caitlin’s voice stopped her.

  “The ambulance. It’s here.”

  “You disgust me!” With that parting shot at Dakota, Sally went outside to tell the rescue workers what they were up against. She’d have to call the hospital, too. Maybe Reese could be saved.

  More police officers had arrived at the scene, and Sally spotted Lyn in handcuffs. She’d let the officers deal with Dakota, too. If she didn’t stay away from the woman, she might kill her with her bare hands. In Caitlin’s car parked across the street, Amy was peering curiously out the window. The backseat was stuffed with luggage.

  “Sally.” Caitlin was at her side. “You couldn’t have known.”

  “I did know.” Hurt filled Sally’s chest. “I knew Parker was telling the truth from the beginning. I felt it. That’s why I asked you to help him. But I failed to find the proof we needed in time. I let both those kids down.”

  “I failed, too. But Madeline’s alive because Parker didn’t give up. Thank heaven.”

  Sally turned. “It’s him you’re going to see, isn’t it?”

  Caitlin didn’t answer, but a soft smile came to her lips, accompanied by a blush that made her radiant. A woman in love. Did she know it herself?

  “Tell him I’m sorry,” Sally said.

  “I hope it’s not too late.”

  Sally gripped her shoulder. “Don’t let it be. Let this all be worth something.” She pushed at Caitlin. “Go get ready for your trip. You’re going to Nevada, aren’t you? I’ll bet he’s still there.”

  “He could be anywhere. But I’m hoping he’s in Chicago.”

  Chapter 25

  The plane was dark, and Caitlin tried futilely to read. Beside her, dressed in bright pink cords and a pink and orange sweater, Amy was snoring, her mouth open wide. Amy had been remarkably content during their time at the airport and on the plane. She’d watched planes take off, eaten everything offered to her by Caitlin or the flight attendants, slept when she needed to, and had taken up conversations with at least a dozen perfect strangers.

  Caitlin, on the other hand, had been so nervous she hadn’t been able to sleep at all, not the night before or on the plane. Would Parker be waiting at the airport? Or were these tickets his way of telling her thank you?

  Or good-bye?

  There was a bitter taste in her mouth as she wavered between a surety that he would be there and the certainty that he wouldn’t. One moment she was feverish with hope and the next filled with despair at what she had lost. She understood now that Parker wasn’t just any man. So what if he wasn’t a high-powered, intellectual attorney? He was a smart and caring man, and hardworking to boot. Willing to do what he knew was right, despite the consequences.

  Caitlin pictured the limp form of Madeline’s little brother as she’d last seen him lying on Madeline’s bed. He’d died shortly after making it to the hospital, and the knowledge was unbearable to Caitlin. If Madeline had been at the house that night,

  she might have also drunk the contaminated water. She might now be fighting for her life, instead of safe with her daddy.

  “The saddest thing is,” Sally had told her before her flight that morning, “the doctor said he would have lived if they’d taken him in right after he drank the water. Instead, they waited, and then when they realized they’d have to take him to the emergency room, they waited even longer so they could cover their butts by torching the house.”

  When she shut her eyes, Caitlin could see the still little figure. So tiny and helpless, his mother sobbing at his side. She loved him, of that Caitlin was certain, but not enough. Dakota had never loved anyone more than she loved herself.

  But Madeline was safe! It always came down to that. Parker had been telling the truth all along. Of course if he wasn’t waiting for her in Chicago, he might never know, or at least not for a long time. He wouldn’t know that he could return home.

  Then again, maybe even if he did know, he wouldn’t want to come home.

  Please, Caitlin prayed. Please, come back to me.

  • • •

  Parker knew the plane would be landing in less than an hour. Would Caitlin be on it? He had no way of knowing. Only after sending the tickets had he realized that he couldn’t meet her openly at the airport as he’d planned. The risk to his daughter was simply too great. Yet he would be at the airport all the same.

  Just a look, he promised himself. To see if she actually came. With his new black dress coat and dark sunglasses, she might walk right past him without noticing. Maybe he’d be able to tell somehow that she hadn’t told Sally about the tickets, that she’d come only because she loved him.

  The daydream fell apart every time at that point, because how could he know her that well after only five days? And he couldn’t risk his daughter. Maybe he could follow Caitlin and contact her later during her stay. After he was certain. Maybe.

  Regardless, he would be at that airport today. Waiting.

  “Rosie is my best friend,” Madeline said as he slipped her shirt over her head.

  “Well, you be a good girl. Don’t boss her around.” He was leaving her with the neighbor for the morning because taking her to watch for Caitlin wasn’t a good option.

  He dragged a brush through her hair without finesse. “Ow,” she said. “Give it to me. I can do it myself.”

  Minutes later they knocked on the neighbor’s door and the mother answered. “Oh,” she said, looking surprised. “I forgot you were coming. I’m sorry, but I have bad news. Rosie’s been sick all night, throwing up everywhere. She’s sleeping now, but she still has a fever. You’ll have to play another day.”

  This was something Parker hadn’t planned for. He’d underplayed the importance of his appointment to both Madeline and Rosie’s mother, so he couldn’t exactly push now. Besides, he didn’t want Madeline sick. “Thanks anyway,” he said with a forced smile.

  They went back to their apartment for Madeline’s coat. “I’m going with you?” Her sadness at not staying with her friend vanished instantly.

  “Sure. I have to stop by a place for a few minutes, and then we’ll go somewhere to eat.”

  She hugged him. “I love you, Daddy. When we go home, I’m going to tell Reese and Grandma all about Chicago.”

  Parker didn’t have the heart to explain the full ramifications of their flight, but it did soothe him that she had barely mentioned Dakota, though she talked constantly about her grandmother and Reese.

  Outside it was snowing. Not just snowing but snowing as though someone was dropping huge bucketfuls of snow directly on top of the city. Madeline giggled and made to step out into the snow, but he caught her arm and opened the umbrella. “No, sweetheart. You’ll be the one throwing up next if you go out in that.”

  He could barely see through the windshield as he drove to the airport, following the directions he’d printed the day before at work. There was plenty of time left to make it to the airport, even in this snow. But why was he even going? Caitlin wouldn’t be there. He knew she wouldn’t . . . and yet how could she not? There was something between them, something that could last more than a dozen lifetimes. Did she even understand that the mes
sage was from him? For all he knew, she had many grateful clients who knew she wanted to go to Chicago. There was also the strong possibility that she was out with that pretty-boy attorney or had work that wouldn’t allow her to leave town.

  He raked a hand through his hair, studying the traffic as he guided his truck through the streets. The car in front of him slowed to a crawl, and soon he was almost at a standstill. “What’s going on?” Parker asked aloud, craning his neck to see through the whiteness battering the windshield.

  “Why are we stopped, Daddy?”

  “Probably an accident. People drive too fast. Is your seat belt tight?”

  She tugged on the belt crossing her booster seat. “It’s tight.”

  Parker stared out into the white world, unable to believe his rotten luck. He wasn’t going to make it. He wouldn’t be at the airport to see if Caitlin still cared. Panic filled him. He studied the map and saw that they were about a mile from the airport. A piece of cake on foot in normal weather—and without Madeline. He waited twenty more precious minutes.

  They were coming closer to the airport, but they might as well have been in another state. He definitely wasn’t going to make it in time.

  “Okay, let’s walk.” He eased the truck over to the side of the road. “You hold the umbrella,” he said to Madeline. “I’ll carry you on my shoulders.”

  Madeline giggled as he ran past the line of unmoving vehicles. The airport wasn’t too far away now, but the snow was still coming down hard, and in a few minutes Parker was wet from the chest down. His feet were freezing. Cars were still backed up as far as he could see behind him, and ahead there was an accident involving a bus and a delivery van.

  Snow pelted him as he ran past the accident and on to the airport. He let Madeline down outside the airport doors, and fortunately she was nearly dry. His watch said nearly noon, and the plane was to have arrived at eleven-forty. He shut his eyes a moment before opening the door. If the flight hadn’t been early, she might still be at the airport, maybe collecting her luggage.

  Or she could be long gone.

  He checked the luggage carousels and then waited outside the security gates, looking at each passenger as they came from the gate area. No Caitlin. The probability of finding her was growing slimmer by the second.