by Amelia Grey
Reaching over, she kissed his soft, rounded cheek. His short arms went around her neck and held her tight. She pulled his little body to her. She couldn't give him up. He was hers. She'd keep him and run away with him. No one would find them. But as the irrational thoughts coursed through her mind, she knew that was not the right thing to do.
Denying her own pain of loss, Chelly pushed away from Bo. She looked down into his little-boy face. He trusted her, and she couldn't let him down. If she were ever lucky enough to have a son of her own, she'd want him to be as brave and as trusting as Jerome Napoleon Bonaparte.
"Out of the way! Coming through."
A man pushing a milk cart headed toward them, so Chelly and Bo moved farther away from the street and closer to the steps that led inside the police building. In just the few minutes they'd stood there, the day had gotten busier and more people dotted the street and walkways.
Now that she was here, it wasn't as easy as she'd thought it would be to boldly walk into the police hall with Bo as she'd once planned. Now that she'd had more time to think things through, she knew taking him inside was a risky and foolish idea. She had to say goodbye outside and let Bo go through the door alone. He could tell them his name, and they'd see he was returned home. This way no one would have to know of Austin's involvement in the kidnapping.
A heartbreaking thought tore through her and caused her to wince. Once Bo walked inside that building, she would never see him again. She was sure of that. His mother would see to it that he was protected from any other possible attempts at abducting him.
She bent in front of Bo again to get on his eye level. She had done the job Austin had hired her to do. She had taken care of Bo. Not the way he'd wanted her to, that was for sure. It was still unbelievable to her that fate had been with her and she'd gotten as far as she had.
Austin crossed her mind again. She wanted him to be all right. She would go back to his town house and check on him. Besides, her clothing was there. She was sure Austin and Jubal would have a few things to say to her. Things she didn't really want to hear, but knew she deserved.
What would she do now that her mission was over? She had to find work as a governess somewhere. That was really all she knew to do, and she loved working with children. She prayed she wouldn't have to go back to tavern work, back to the stench of tobacco and dried ale on her clothes. She shuddered, remembering the pats, pinches, jeers, and laughing she'd endured. How could she go back to that?
Chelly straightened Bo's coat again, once again feeling the effects of her sleepless night catching up with her. All she wanted to do was curl up and go to sleep and dream about her wonderful night with Austin.
"Now listen to me," she said. "We're here where the police work. They will take you back to your mama."
"I want you to take me back," he said, rubbing his nose.
Her heart went out to him. It had been two-and-a-half months since he'd seen his mother; it was only natural he would be a little frightened.
She took a deep breath. "You're a smart young fellow and a big boy for your age. You can handle this by yourself. All right?"
"I want you to go with me."
His eyes teared and Chelly almost relented. It wasn't going to be easy leaving him on his own. "I can't," she whispered.
"Why?"
"They'll ask me too many questions. Questions I can't answer. You'll be safe with these men. I wouldn't leave you if I weren't positive you'd be taken directly to your mother. Just tell them your name and they will know who you are and take you home. All right?"
He nodded.
"I'm going to miss you, little one." She felt her own tears and knew the time had come. She had to send him on his way now before he saw her cry.
"I want you to go with me," he said again, his bottom lip trembling.
"I can't, but I'll wait until you—" A large hand clamped down on her shoulder. Chelly froze.
She looked up and into the face of an older man wearing a police uniform.
"Would you and the boy come with me, Miss?"
* * *
Chelly's eyes rolled back in her head. Her neck seemed no longer capable of holding up her head. Her hands and feet felt numb from lack of use and the cold room. Each breath was slow and labored. Her tongue and mouth were so dry she couldn't moisten her lips. She was too tired to think, too exhausted to be afraid. She had to sleep.
The sharp crack of a leather strap on the table jerked her head up, and her eyes fluttered open. She squinted from the bright light that shone in her face. Why wouldn't they let her go to sleep? She didn't know how much longer she could hold herself up in the straight-back chair. Shivering, she wrapped her arms around her chest. She didn't know why it was so cold in the small room.
In front of her, she saw the shadows of three men sitting at a table; but with the glaring lamp light in her eyes, she couldn't see their features. The windowless room and gray walls were depressing. She longed for fresh air. The stench of stale tobacco and heating oil filled the room, making her stomach roil.
So far, she hadn't been hit with the short leather strap, but she feared the strike might come. Every time she heard the crack of the whip, she jerked to a rigid upright position, afraid she was going to be flogged with it. Now she was too weary to be frightened of the beastly thing, even though the noise managed to keep her awake.
"Sleeeeep," she managed to say past a dry mouth and a thick tongue. Why wouldn't they let her have rest, food, or water? What had she done wrong? She'd returned Bo so he could be with his mother. What else did they want from her?
"You can sleep after you tell us who was in on this kidnapping with you? We don't believe you acted alone. Tell us the names of your accomplices."
No, not even if they decided to use that awful-sounding whip on her would she implicate Austin in Bo's abduction. She would protect him at all cost. If they were this mean to a woman, she didn't even want to think about what they'd do to a man. Austin's name would never escape her lips. What he'd done was safe with her.
"This will go much easier on you if you will cooperate and tell us everything we want to know," a man said. "We know you didn't act alone in stealing this child. Tell us who helped you, Miss Worthington."
She wasn't so tired she couldn't repeat the same story she'd told them when she first sat down in the chair hours ago. "I had nothing to do with kidnapping Bo. When I discovered who he was, I did everything in my power to get him back to his mother."
"So you didn't know who he was until after the kidnapping had taken place?" the man with the softer voice asked.
She remained silent.
"Where were you when you discovered the true identity of the boy?"
All day they'd tried to put words in her mouth when what she needed was water and warmth. She tried to swallow again, but it was no use. Her head fell to one side, but she managed to ask, "Did you take care of Bo? Has he been returned to his mother?"
"Why should we tell you what you want to know, Miss Worthington, when you refuse to tell us what we want to know?" one of the men barked sharply. "You're not doing yourself any favors by remaining silent."
It seemed like hours ago she stopped asking for water, realizing they wouldn't give her anything she wanted until she told them what they wanted to know; but she had still had strength then. She couldn't go on any longer. "Sleep. Water." She managed to say again.
"I don't think you realize how much trouble you are in. You could very well spend the rest of your life in prison," the man with the petulant voice remarked. "You're a young woman, and I don't think you know what prison would be like."
"Maybe we should let her spend a couple of days in the hole," one of the other men said. "I suspect she'll be ready to talk after a few days in there."
It was quiet for a moment, and then she heard whispers among the men. They were wrong if they thought jail would frighten her. She didn't care where they put her as long as she could lie down and sleep.
She slumped in the
chair, thinking now she could rest. The whip hit the desk with a resounding slap. She forced her eyes open, but quickly closed them when she found it impossible to focus on the men. It was impossible to keep her eyes open against the glaring light.
The sharp crack of the whip sounded on the table again, but this time Chelly ignored it. Let them beat her. She didn't care anymore. She heard muffled voices as she fell forward to the hard floor.
* * *
Austin's body cried out in agony. Each breath brought a burning pain in his side. His head felt the size of a barge and pounded with a throbbing ache. God, what had happened to him! He hurt so bad he couldn't open his eyes. He tried to focus his mind. He knew his name. That was a good sign. Now, where was he? He listened. There was no sound. He was warm, and what he lay on was too soft to be grass or the ground. He had to be in a bed, but was it his bed?
All of a sudden he remembered Chelly and Bo getting into the carriage and the beating from the driver. His eyes popped open, and he tried to rise. He mumbled a curse and fell back against the pillow, panting. The pain was so great, it took his breath. For a few seconds, he thought he might pass out again.
Damn! He tried to cough to clear his throat and lungs, but his side hurt too badly. That bastard had hit him and kicked him several times before driving away. Austin had been in fights before and had had sore ribs, but this time he might have cracked a rib.
Austin had to push the pain aside and think. At least he was alive and lying in his own bed, but where was Chelly? How long had it been since she'd climbed into the carriage with that stranger? By the light in the room, he judged it to be midday.
He tried to turn his head to look out the window. It hurt. He had to get up, no matter how bad it hurt. Not only did he have to find Chelly, if he didn't start moving, he would only get stiffer.
He tried to rise again, slower this time, but the pain stabbing through his side and mid-section was so great he almost passed out before he could lie back down.
Thollie or Jubal would know what was going on. Slowly he turned his head and looked toward the door. Thank God it was open.
"Th—Thollie. Jub—al." His voice was so weak no one could have heard him in the next room, let alone downstairs where they would be. He had to do better.
Taking a deep breath he yelled, "Thollie! Jubal!"
He heard the running of feet on the stairs. Seconds later, Thollie rounded the corner, wiping her wet hands on her apron. Surprise showed in her eyes as she stopped beside his bed.
"You're awake!" she exclaimed, smoothing her apron down the front of her dress. A broad smile sliced across her face; her dark eyes sparkled. "We was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to wake up."
Austin tensed. "H—how long have I been asleep?"
"Three days now."
"Damnation!" he muttered, managing to raise himself on his elbow.
"Course the first time you woke up, you were in such a bad way the doctor had to give you medicine. He said it would make you sleep so your body could heal." She picked up the jar of white powder and looked at it.
He didn't care about that right now. "Chelly? Where is she?"
Thollie peered down at him. "We don't know for sure. Jubal told me to tell you when you woke up that he would at the police building waiting to see if she goes in or out of there. I don't know why he thinks she be there. I asked him, but he didn't answer."
If that man had taken Chelly to the police, there would have been news of her story. "Has there been any word of a kidnapping in the papers?"
"Kidnapping?" Thollie wrinkled her face, pursing her lips. "What are you talking about?"
Surely it would be all over town by now if Chelly had managed to get Bo back to his mother. "Have you heard anything about a little boy being kidnapped?"
"Now you know I can't read, but Mildred next door, she does. She hasn't mentioned anything about a kidnapping to me. I think I should call the doctor."
His head pounded. Austin tried to think. What could have happened to Chelly? Where was she? Bradley. He'd know what was going on.
Austin looked up at his housekeeper. "Thollie, I want you to go get Bradley and bring him here. Don't walk. Take some money out of my pockets and take a carriage. Tell him I need him to drop everything and to come immediately."
"Don't you want me to bring you some hot tea or broth first so you can—"
"No!" he answered, sharper than he wanted to, but this was too important. Chelly's life could be in danger. "I want you to get Bradley now, and then find Jubal and get him here. Go now."
* * *
"My God, you look like two dock-workers beat the hell out of you," Bradley said upon entering Austin's room.
"One did."
"My word! Is that true?"
"Close enough."
"That's a nasty cut over your eye. When did this happen? Why haven't I been informed before now?"
Austin wasn't surprised Jubal and Thollie had kept his condition secret. They knew he would want to talk to them before they said anything to the family.
Fighting the pain, Austin forced himself to raise on one elbow again. "I don't want to talk about that right now. Have you had word from Chelly?"
Bradley slid a chair over to the bed and sat down. "Certainly not. As I told you, the last time I saw Miss Worthington, she had a pistol pointed at my chest. If I never see her—"
"Something's happened."
"Quite obviously, Austin. You look terrible, and I can see you're having trouble breathing. What in God's name happened?"
That's exactly what Austin wanted to know. "As you know, Jubal and I watched the port. When Chelly returned from Europe, I waylaid her and brought her and Bo here. Sometime during the night, she hit Jubal over the head and escaped."
"That doesn't surprise me."
Austin ignored his caustic remark. "I was trying to stop her from going to the police when a knight in shining armor decided to come to her rescue."
"So you were beaten up because of her?" Bradley sniffed.
Austin again ignored his brother-in-law's implied I told you so and said, "I don't know where Chelly and Bo are. Has there been any word about either of them in the papers or on the street?"
The cockiness faded, and a worried expression settled on Bradley's face. "No, nothing. I would have already been over to see you had I heard anything about Bo being returned."
"Where could they be?" Austin hit the bed with his fist. Bradley crossed one leg over the other and pondered for a moment. "Where was she heading when you stopped her, or tried to stop her?"
"The authorities. I heard her ask the man to take her to the police." Austin tried to rub his forehead to ease the pounding over his eyes, but the touch of his fingers only made it worse.
"Surely she wouldn't just walk into the police building and hand the boy over to them. That would be suicide."
"I don't think she was thinking about anyone or anything except getting Bo to his mother."
"All right, let's just say she did take Bo to the police and all is fine."
"Why haven't we heard anything?"
Bradley sniffed again. "Well, from the beginning they've kept this kidnapping a secret."
"But once Bo was returned, what would be the purpose of not talking about it?"
"Good question. Unless—" Bradley paused. "Unless, Miss Worthington simply dropped him out front of the building and ran away. Would she have come back here?"
"Probably not," Austin said.
"I think it's safe to assume she dropped the boy at the police and ran. For whatever reason, the family has decided to keep everything quiet. As for Miss Worthington I doubt you'll ever hear from her again, Austin; and once you've had a good look in the mirror, I think you'll say, 'good riddance.' "
Bradley's words angered Austin. "What if she went in with Bo and they are holding her in jail?"
Shaking his head, Bradley said, "I don't think that's very likely. There would be some news. Something."
"F
ind out."
"How?" he argued. "I can't very well go to the authorities and start asking them about a woman who might have brought in a little boy that no one is supposed to know has been kidnapped. There's not been one word about it in the papers. They'll have me in jail, too."
"So you think she's there."
Bradley rose, almost knocking over the chair. "No. You know, Austin, she left you in France and it appears she's done it again. She obviously doesn't care a whit for you—"
"That's enough, Bradley." Austin's voice was deadly calm. He didn't know which possibility was worse. That Chelly had run away and he would never see her again, or that she might be in jail. He didn't like either thought.
"Go to the jail and see if she's there."
"But-"
"You're my lawyer. I don't care how you do it, Bradley, just do it and do it now," he finished in a loud voice.
"Be reasonable, Austin. I just explained to you why I can't do that. If she's there, chances are that she'll tell what she knows, if she hasn't already. And at least one of us has to stay out of jail."
Austin's head was pounding. "You're good at talking your way around things. Think of a way."
Bradley rubbed his chin and paced the room, mulling over his thoughts. "Well, I suppose I could tell the guards that I received an anonymous note asking me to come talk to Miss Worthington and that I have no idea what she might want."
"Fine. Just do it," he said, wanting to get Bradley out of his room so he could rest a few minutes before he tried to walk.
"Austin, just keep in mind that if she walked in carrying that boy—there is nothing I can do for her. She sealed her own fate."
No, he wouldn't believe that. Bradley turned to walk out and Austin said, "I need to know as soon as you find out anything."
Tight-lipped, Bradley said, "No need to worry. I'll come directly back here."
Chapter 18
