by Rebecca Deel
“So why do I feel like I’m about to tell a kid that Santa Claus isn’t real?”
“All you can do is give them the facts. The rest is up to them.” Another kiss, this one longer. When he drew back this time, Remy clasped her hand and helped her from the vehicle.
They rang the doorbell and waited. Footsteps sounded on the other side of the door, then the sound of locks disengaging. A small blond woman opened the door. Her eyes widened at the sight of Lily on the porch.
Yeah, the feeling was mutual. It was almost as if she were looking at herself in a mirror. The other woman was a little taller, a little thinner, but there was no mistaking the family resemblance.
A smile. “You came. Mom will be happy to see you.” She moved back from the doorway. “I’m April. My sisters…our other two sisters are in the kitchen along with our brother. Dad’s already left for work.”
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“It’s not an intrusion. You’re Lily, right?”
She nodded. “This is my boyfriend, Remy Doucet.”
He closed the door behind him. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, April. I’m very sorry to hear your mother is ill.”
April’s shoulders slumped. “We’re all devastated. Dad’s going to the bank today to arrange for a second mortgage. We need more money for Mom’s treatments.”
Remy laid his hand on the small of Lily’s back. “Introduce us to the rest of your siblings. After that, we need to talk to all of you.”
“This way.” She motioned for them to follow her through the living area.
They walked into a big, open kitchen where two other blond-haired women were manning the stove and microwave and a younger man with hair the color of chestnuts sipped on a mug of coffee.
The three siblings turned and gaped at Lily.
“Holy cow,” the male murmured. “You must be Lily. I’m Cal. Pancake girl is Emily. Gina is babysitting the bacon.”
“This is Remy, Lily’s boyfriend,” April chimed in.
“Have you eaten yet?” Emily asked. “We have plenty.”
The idea of eating right now made Lily’s stomach lurch. “We’re fine, thanks.”
Remy’s hand settled on her shoulder. “We could use some coffee, though.”
“I’ll get it,” Cal said. He waved them to seats at the table. “Thanks for coming, Lily. Mom’s been grieving something fierce.”
Lily blinked. “Why?”
“Guilt for letting you go,” Gina said as the microwave signaled the end of the cook cycle. “Mom was fifteen when she had you. Not a week goes by that she doesn’t wonder if you’re all right, what choices you’ve made in your life, if you’re married, have children.”
Fifteen? Shock rolled through her. She was just a scared kid. “And that doesn’t bother you?”
“Why should it?” Emily asked. “We were lucky enough to grow up with her.”
Cal placed full coffee mugs in front of her and Remy. “We were the ones who encouraged her to go ahead and contact you.” His voice thickened. “It’s little enough to possibly give her some peace of mind. Right now, we’ll take anything that will give her hope.”
Lily turned her head, locked her gaze with Remy. He nodded. “We need to talk to all of you.”
The Higgins siblings looked at her curiously. After each filled a plate, they sat around the table. Cal motioned for Lily to proceed as he stuffed his first bite of pancake into his mouth.
“Remy and I work for a company called Fortress Security. We’re searching for a woman who’s been missing for over a week. She was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago.”
The siblings glanced at each other. “What does this have to do with Mom?” Emily asked.
“Our search led us to Charles Montgomery,” Remy said. “Our missing woman is one of his patients.”
“She’s probably being treated in Mexico,” Cal said. “That’s where he took Mom. She was so much better when she came back. That’s why we need more money, to send her for more treatments.”
Lily’s stomach knotted. How would they react to the truth? Under cover of the table, Remy curled his warm hand over her cold one. The gesture of support meant so much and helped her breathe a little easier. She wasn’t sure if they would accept the truth or not. Either way, she would have done what she could to give her half-siblings facts. “We obtained a copy of the formula Montgomery gives his patients and had it analyzed by another doctor.” She hesitated, sighed. “Look, there’s no easy way to say this.”
“Just lay it out, honey,” Remy murmured. “Quick and clean.”
“The formula is only vitamins and minerals. There’s no way the treatment will cure cancer.”
A shocked silence settled over the table. Emily clamped a hand over her mouth. Tears trickled down Gina’s cheeks. April hung her head. Cal’s hand clenched into a fist.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“Positive,” Remy said. “If you want to confirm the analysis, I’ll give you our boss’s number. He can put you in contact with the doctor he consulted. You need to stop your father from taking out the second mortgage, at least until your mother is assessed by a reputable oncologist. Save the money for treatments that might actually help.”
“Mom will be devastated,” April said softly.
“I’m so sorry to bring bad news.” Lily turned her hand over and threaded her fingers through Remy’s. “We couldn’t let you sink any more money into a scam. If there’s any way to save your mother, we wanted to give her a real chance.”
“She’s your mother, too,” Gina choked out. “Much as this hurts to hear, at least we might have time to go the traditional route.”
“If we haven’t waited too long.” Emily rose from the table and left the room.
Cal started to get up and go after his sister, but April motioned him to sit. “I’ll go.”
“What about this missing woman?” Cal asked. “Are you going after her?”
“Oh, yeah,” Remy said. “We have a pretty good idea where Montgomery took her. We’re going to Mexico to get her out of Montgomery’s compound so she can receive real medical help.”
“What about Montgomery?”
“He’s finished,” Lily said. “By the time we’re done with him, there won’t be a hole big enough or deep enough for him to hide.”
“Good.” He scowled. “Want help?”
Remy grinned. “We have it covered. Another Fortress unit is meeting us.”
Cal’s gaze shifted to Lily. “And this is what you do? Black ops commando stuff?”
She shrugged. “One of my nicknames is G.I. Jane.”
“Know about that, do you?” Remy murmured.
“Word gets around. Trust me, Cal, no one else will be taken in by Charles Montgomery.”
“When will you go?”
“Tomorrow at the latest.” Remy set down his empty coffee mug. “Why?”
Cal’s eyes glistened. “Dad will want to find out more about Montgomery and Mom will want to spend some time with Lily.” His gaze shifted to his half-sister. “You will stay a little while? Please?”
She glanced at Remy. What could she do? They needed to find Christine, fast. She also needed real medical treatment and she’d already been in Mexico for several days.
He gave her an almost imperceptible nod. “Durango can’t meet us until tomorrow night anyway. We can’t complete the mission without them.”
She caught what he didn’t say. Even with them, the task may well be impossible, depending on the layout of the compound and how well armed the doctor’s people were. No question they were armed. Wealthy people in that part of Mexico were always armed or at least moved around with armed escorts. They were a target in that province. While she and Remy could penetrate Montgomery’s defenses, they needed Durango to provide extra manpower in case bandits or corrupt federales intercepted them. Depending on how bad Christine’s health was, she might need the medic’s help. While she and Remy both had first-aid training, neither was a
qualified medic.
“We have to leave tomorrow. We can’t wait any longer than that to go after our client’s wife.”
Relief blazed in Cal’s eyes. “Thanks,” he murmured. “Would you like to see Mom now?”
Sweat immediately trickled down her spine. “If you think she’s up to it.”
He rose. “Wait here. I’ll see if she’s awake.”
“Thank you for coming,” Gina said, wiping tears from her cheeks. “Mom will be so happy. I’ll clean up in here while you visit with her.”
Lily stared at her back, helplessness and discomfort washing over her in waves. All she’d accomplished so far was to shatter their hope.
“You okay?” Remy pressed his lips to her temple.
“I don’t know if I can do this,” she whispered. She turned toward him.
He gathered her in his arms, tucked her head under his chin. “You can, Elf.”
“I don’t know what to do. I’ve never been in a family.”
“Sure you have, honey. Your Army unit and Fortress became family to you. You’d go to the wall for them.”
“For you, too.”
A nod. “For me as well. I trust you at my back. It took time for you to feel that way about all of us. No one expects you to feel like a daughter in two minutes, Lily. Get to know all of them, especially your mother.” His voice dropped to a low murmur. “Don’t feel like there’s something wrong if you don’t love them immediately. They are strangers to you just as you are to them. Like all good families, you’ll find traits and personality quirks that irritate you and some that you love. Treat them as potential friends. The rest will come in time.” He brushed her lips with his. “They’re going to love you, sweetness. How could they not?”
Cal walked in a minute later. “She’s eager to see you. Both of you. Follow me.”
Remy drew Lily to her feet.
Clinging to his hand and stoking her courage, Lily followed Cal upstairs and to the farthest room on the right. On the journey down the hall, she slowed to scan family photos. Pictures of the Higgins clan at the beach, in the mountains, formal settings in a photography studio, senior portraits, graduation pictures. So much life history recorded in a few feet of wall space. The walls and flat surfaces in her apartment were bare. No happy childhood memories captured in photographs and snapshots to share with friends. And didn’t that sound pathetic.
Her birth mother was beautiful. Wistfulness filled Lily’s heart. She looked kind, soft, gentle, all the things she’d ever wanted in a mother. And young, so very young. Elaine Higgins must have been terrified to find herself pregnant at fifteen.
Cal stopped at the bedroom door, knocked lightly, and poked his head around the door frame. He glanced over his shoulder at Lily. “Come on in.” He pushed the door open and stepped to the side.
Remy’s hand tightened around hers. When she looked over at him, he gave her a slight nod, his eyes radiating confidence in her ability to handle whatever happened in the next few minutes. She had no doubt that he would stand by her no matter what.
Lily forced her feet to move forward. As she and Remy cleared the doorway, her gaze focused on the woman sitting propped up against a mound of pillows in a king-sized bed. Her hair was the exact shade of Lily’s own, her gaze locked on the daughter she hadn’t seen in thirty years.
“Lily,” she whispered. “You’re so beautiful.” She glanced at Remy. “Who is this handsome young man?”
For the life of her, Lily couldn’t say anything, her throat painfully tight.
Remy released her hand and crossed the room to Elaine’s side. “Mrs. Higgins, I’m Remy Doucet, Lily’s boyfriend.” He raised her hand with his and kissed the back of her fingers. “I’m so pleased to meet you. Your daughter is a very special woman. I’m so blessed to have her in my life.”
Elaine smiled. “You are quite the charmer, Remy. Where are you from?”
“Oak Hill, Louisiana. My family lives on the bayou.”
“Thought that might be the case. Your accent is a dead giveaway.” Her attention shifted back to her daughter. “Come sit with me for a little while. I’d love to get to know you if you’ll let me.”
Remy held out his hand to Lily, his dark eyes focused on her, warmth and support pouring from him, infusing her with peace and comfort.
She crossed the room, slid her hand into his while Cal dragged a couple chairs to his mother’s bedside. Lily dropped into the closest one because her shaky legs wouldn’t support her anymore. Remy retained hold of her hand, his thumb brushing over the inside of her wrist. His touch grounded her.
Elaine’s hungry gaze locked on hers. “Tell me about yourself, Lily. Were you adopted by good people?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
How could she answer that without hurting an already fragile woman? She scrambled to find the words, finally settled for part of the truth. “I was never adopted.”
Horror settled on her birth mother’s face. “That can’t be. The social worker assured me you would find a good home quickly. Babies always get adopted.”
“I came close a few times. It never worked out.”
“Were you at least with good foster parents?” Tears shimmered in Elaine’s blue eyes.
No way would Lily tell the other woman the truth. She was distressed enough already. “Some were better than others.” Most weren’t, though.
“Oh, baby, I’m so sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing for you. I was too young to raise a child.” A tear trickled down her cheek.
“Cal told me.”
“I wanted to raise you myself, but my parents convinced me it was in your best interests to let you go to another family.”
The grandparents hadn’t wanted her either? She drew in a shaky breath.
“I tried to find you later, Lily, at least to see how you were doing, but my parents forced me to sign away any parental rights and your file was sealed. They wouldn’t tell me where you were.”
“Your parents weren’t willing to help you raise Lily?” Remy asked, his voice soft.
Elaine winced. “Mom and Dad were not supportive on their best days. The day I told them I was pregnant was horrible. My mother cried for days. My father ranted and raved about how much I had embarrassed the family. All they wanted was for the problem to be gone. They insisted on an abortion, but I refused.” She sighed. “I wasn’t strong enough to stand against them about the adoption. For that, I’m truly sorry.”
“You were fifteen.” Lily reached over and patted Elaine’s hand. “What else could you have done?”
“Fought harder, begged another relative to take me in, anything but give you up. I’ve regretted my weakness every day since.”
“What about Lily’s biological father?” Remy asked. “Wouldn’t he or his family help?”
She shook her head. “He was only sixteen at the time. His parents were furious at both of us. When Troy came to school the next day, he had a black eye. His father was a violent man. I couldn’t let him anywhere near my baby even if they’d offered to help.”
“That’s where the name Stanton came from?”
She nodded. “I can give you his contact information if you want it, Lily. He has a beautiful family. He only lives a couple hours from here.”
“Not right now,” she murmured. “Maybe at a later time. This is enough for me to process. Besides, I can’t imagine he’d want a five foot reminder of a past mistake to show up on his doorstep.”
“I’m so sorry, baby. Was your childhood difficult?”
Understatement, that. She glanced at Remy. He gave a slight nod. Yeah, she couldn’t lie to Elaine, but she didn’t have to tell her the whole truth, either. “I survived, came through all of it stronger. I don’t regret that. It comes in handy in my work.” Had saved her life more than once and those of her teammates.
“Where do you work?”
“Fortress Security. We specialize in personal protection and hostage rescue.”
Elaine’s eyes widened. “That s
ounds dangerous.”
“It can be,” Remy said. “Lily is one of the best operatives I’ve ever worked with and we’re all well trained. We watch each other’s backs.”
“You’re with Fortress as well?”
“Yes, ma’am. Lily and I are partners on this mission.”
“What did the pair of you do before you started working with this group?”
“I was in the Army,” Lily said. “Remy was a cop.”
“Cal said you stopped by here on your way to rescue a missing woman.”
She glanced at Cal. He shook his head slightly. Ah, so he hadn’t told his mother about Montgomery. Guess she got to break the bad news. “That’s right. The woman is a patient of Charles Montgomery’s.”
Elaine’s mouth gaped. “What? That’s terrible. Dr. Montgomery must be devastated that one of his patients is missing.”
“I don’t think so,” she murmured. “We learned some information while investigating Montgomery.”
“From your expression, I’d say it’s bad news.”
“Cal said Montgomery’s been treating you for cancer.”
“That’s right. I feel so much better after a treatment.” She motioned to the bed. “Obviously, I need another one.”
“Have you seen an oncologist?” Remy asked.
She shook her head. “I wanted to fight this disease with things in nature rather than harsh chemicals.”
Lily took Elaine’s hand in hers. “You need to go to a cancer specialist.”
“That’s what Dr. Montgomery is, baby. That’s all he treats.”
“We got a copy of what’s in the treatment he’s giving all his patients. We had it analyzed. He’s giving people a bunch of vitamins and minerals. What he’s administering probably does make you feel better, but it’s short lived. It can’t cure cancer.”
Elaine eyes closed for a moment. When she opened them again, bleakness lurked in their depths. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. We can give you contact information for the doctor who did the analysis.”
“What am I going to do now?” she whispered.
