Jessica’s face still turned white. “No, I never…” She swallowed again, trying to gain control. “I would never give my daughter up to anyone. I struggled with having to leave her at a child-care center at all. Having her in the same location was the only way I could deal with it.”
“Could you ever have made any comments to give Deanne the impression that you didn’t want to be a mother anymore?”
Jessica lost it and the tears wouldn’t stop. With her permission, Sam told Becky about Jessica’s comments to Deanne. Jessica asked to read the entries, and pointed out that Deanne had outright lied about the day she’d gone home from work and left Amy at the center. “Sam and Susan both can tell you I had no choice. Susan brought Amy to my house after work, not Deanne.” Jessica took a deep breath and started shaking. “I can’t believe I trusted her with my precious little girl. What are the odds of finding her?”
Sam couldn’t believe Jessica had actually asked the question. Thought it, yes, but it was totally different to say it aloud. He looked at Becky.
“If we were looking at a revenge motive, it would look grim, but we’re ninety-nine percent positive that Deanne loves Amy and wants another daughter. I don’t think Amy’s life is in any danger.” Becky smiled, then subtly straightened her shoulders. “We have some very good leads with the moving company and the bank. The fact that she didn’t close her checking account helped immensely. She’ll have to come back to town for more money. I was able to convince the president of the bank to freeze her accounts.”
Sam couldn’t believe Becky had accomplished that so soon. “Good job.”
She didn’t acknowledge his compliment, which he didn’t exactly blame her for. He hadn’t been very supportive during their phone conversation.
“Jessica, if you think of anything else that may have anything to do with the case, please call me anytime.” She closed the journal. “For the record, we’ll get statements from other co-workers regarding Deanne’s journal entries. I doubt that we’ll need them, but it’s better to get them now while these events are fresh in their minds.”
“Thank you, Becky.” Jessica stayed seated while Becky stood to leave.
As Max showed Becky to the door, Sam stayed with Jessica.
“I think I’m going to bed now,” she said.
Jessica’s announcement shocked him. “Let me help you off the sofa.” He took her hands and pulled her to her feet. “Are you okay?”
“I take it that’s a rhetorical question and you don’t really want me to answer it,” she said in a melancholy tone.
His mother saved him. “Jessica, could I heat you some chamomile tea to relax you?”
“No thanks, Lidia. I think I’ll call my parents to let them know where I am and what’s happened, then take my pain medicine. That should put me to sleep. Travis, Lucia, it was nice of you to come tonight.”
Lucia hugged Jessica. “You need anything, Jessica, we’re here for you.” Travis and his dog, Cody, left right after Becky did.
Max returned, and she thanked him for his hospitality, then said, “Good night, Sam.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, suppressing the urge to follow her. “’Night.”
Sam gave his parents strict orders to call if Jessica woke, then made a quick trip to the precinct to pick up messages and check in on the Valenti case. He’d lost a couple of days’ work, and couldn’t take a chance of losing more time on that investigation. He stayed about an hour there, then made the ten-minute drive to his house. After picking up a few clean clothes, he would return to watch out for Jessica himself. He pulled into the drive, surprised to find Travis and Cody there.
Travis shot the basket, then moved out of Sam’s way. “What’s up?” Sam asked as he closed the truck door.
“She’s one strong lady,” Travis commented. “But she’s on the verge of fighting back.”
Sam nodded. “Yeah, that’s why I’m going to stay at Mom and Dad’s. She needs someone on her side to keep her out of harm’s way. Nothing hurts more than to watch a woman cry and not be able to help. I wish I could be out there looking for Amy myself, but I think Jessica needs me here with her. I hope she does, anyway.”
“Sounds like Becky’s doing a good job,” Travis said with a grin. “Must be a little awkward.”
Sam unlocked the house and went inside. “Not really. I was never really sure it was over, until both Jessica and Becky were in the same room. Becky never really stood a chance.”
Travis laughed. “It’s about time you realized that.”
Sam couldn’t believe Travis had never voiced his questions about the relationship before. “Well, since you’re in an analytical mood tonight, what’s your feeling about Jessica?”
“Don’t get defensive,” Travis said.
“I’m not, yet. You offered an opinion, I’d like to hear all of it.”
“Jessica’s strong, but not as aggressive as Becky, if you want a comparison.”
“I don’t,” he said, trying to argue that he’d never made his own comparisons. “A simple approve or disapprove will do, thanks anyway.”
Travis laughed. “You don’t need my approval.”
“Didn’t say I did, but you seemed to want to talk.”
Travis tossed him the basketball. “It’s nice to be needed once in a while.”
Sam wasn’t sure who his brother was referring to—himself, or Jessica. “No argument…”
“She needs someone who has confidence in her. Someone who can overlook her past and, at the same time, help her find the happiness she deserves. Would you like me to look into Deanne’s moving plans in the morning?”
Sam was still back on Travis’s idea of the kind of man Jessica deserved. “What?”
“The kidnapper. Thought I’d look into it, if you want. Check with her doctors, see if this could have been avoided.” Travis made his way to the kitchen and looked for a snack. “If you have any suggestions, let me know.”
“I’d like you to stay out of it for a while, Travis. It’s not easy to ask that, but I’m afraid that Deanne might get spooked if she sees the walls closing in around her.”
Travis frowned. “I know what you mean. You never know if the woman is a loose cannon ready to go off. She’s desperate enough to take it this far, who knows what else she’s capable of?”
“I know what you mean. I hate asking you not to do anything, but I’ll let Becky know you’re ready to step in if she needs help. I’d better get going,” Sam said, unable to stop thinking about Jessica. “Why don’t we both get some sleep tonight and talk tomorrow?”
“G’night, Sammy.” Travis popped his basketball out from under Sam’s arm and turned toward the door. Then he grabbed his daughter’s baby ring from the shelf where it’d been since their last basketball match and slipped it over his head.
Sam checked on Jessica when he returned to his parents’ house and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow, only to be woken a few hours later by the sound of water running. He listened for a few minutes before realizing it was Jessica. Jumping from the bed, Sam looked around for his shirt.
Jessica’s door squeaked open, and Sam gave up the search. At least he’d thought to bring his sweats to sleep in. He stubbed his toe as he opened the door and stepped into her path. He hobbled into the hallway and glanced at her sundress and sandals. She stared at him with her guilty gaze.
“I’m guessing you’re not headed to the kitchen for a drink of water,” he said.
“No, I need to go to my place.” She hugged her bag to her chest and looked away, trying to hide her red eyes.
“It’s the middle of the night.” He yawned and looked at her bedside clock. “You can’t just sneak out of here, Jessica. Number one, we have an alarm system. Two, you don’t have a car. And three, I’m not about to let you walk there at this hour.”
She sniffed and wiped her nose with a tissue, and Sam wrapped his arms around her, relieved when she didn’t fight him. She let go of her bag with one hand, hu
gging him close. “I need to go, Sam. I just need to.” Her sweet-smelling hair tickled his bare skin. Her fears wove themselves into his heart and squeezed.
He realized her need didn’t come from logic or selfishness, but from a deep desire to connect in some way with her missing daughter. “Let me find my shirt and shoes and I’ll take you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Jessica couldn’t believe how difficult it was to make it up the stairs. How in the world had she managed these for so long, and with a small baby? And it had been only a couple of days since she’d been home.
“How’re you doing?” Sam asked.
Was it the dread of facing her house without Amy that made it such a difficult climb? “I’m getting there.”
“You don’t have to do this, you know.”
“Yes.” Jessica paused, tempted to back down. “Yes, I do.”
“Jessica. We can come back another time.”
“No. The reporters are finally gone. I need to do this now, without anyone watching.”
“Do you want me to wait outside for you?”
She had thought she wanted to be totally alone, but she realized now that she needed someone to hold her hand. And she wanted Sam to be that someone. “No, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded. Well, I did, but I don’t.” She rolled her eyes, wishing she could just keep blaming the medicine, but she didn’t figure that excuse would work much longer.
“I understand either way.”
She stood still at the front door, as if bars had locked her out of her apartment. She couldn’t imagine their home without Amy’s bright smile and throaty giggle. “I can’t do this.”
Sam wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her put the keys into the lock. “Come on, honey, we can do it. Let’s get inside before we draw unwanted attention. You had to get a few things, remember?” He helped coax her inside, then closed the door behind them. “I know this isn’t easy, but we can’t let Deanne win.”
Jessica glanced around at the one place that should have provided her comfort, yet knowing Amy was gone, she felt sick to her stomach. The memories assaulted her, wreaking havoc with her nerves. “I don’t know what to do, Sam. I…” She shook her head. “I feel like I did something to cause this. That Amy really does deserve a better mother. I think God is punishing me for all those wild years.”
Sam brushed the hair from her face and pressed his lips to her forehead. “No, don’t think that way. You didn’t do anything to deserve this. Deanne has some serious problems that she didn’t deal with. She’s wrong. No matter what our past mistakes, Jessica, God is a loving God. He’s merciful and forgiving.”
“Then why is Amy gone? Why haven’t we found her?”
“Because something in Deanne snapped. Maybe she lost hope. I’m not sure, but you didn’t do anything to deserve this.” Sam opened his arms wide and held her tenderly. “We can’t lose hope, Jessica. I have faith that we’ll find her.”
They’d no sooner stepped into her living room than the tears began. Jessica didn’t want to be alone, yet she wanted to curl up in Amy’s bed and cry. Each step felt like her last. She couldn’t imagine how families could live through the loss of a child. She recalled the teenager who had been found almost a year after she had been taken from her bed. Her family had had no choice but to move on with their lives. They had other children. Jessica had only Amy. Without her, what would she do?
“Amy is the reason I had this surgery. So I could be a better mother.” She wandered through the small apartment. After Tim’s death this had been home to Amy and her. It hadn’t been ideal, but they’d managed through the rough times.
“Jessica, you have a message on your answering machine.”
Despite logic telling her it wouldn’t be Deanne, her heart raced. She reached for the “play” button, but her hand was shaking too much to press it. “It’s probably my parents.”
Sam brushed his hand through his hair, taming the unruly strand that kept falling onto his forehead. “You called them last night, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but they’d called, before they had my new number,” she said, hoping she was wrong. Finally, her finger made contact.
“Hi, Jessica. Guess you’ve figured out by now that we left town.” Deanne’s voice was hushed. “Amy’s doing fine, couldn’t be happier, in fact. She’s finally going to have a normal childhood, playing with a mommy who loves and can take care of her—”
Sam stopped the machine. “You don’t need to listen to any more, Jessica. She’s a sick woman.”
Jessica made her way to Amy’s room and collapsed on the bed, hugging the tiny baby pillow to her chest. She could hear Sam on the phone, calling in help. Before long, Becky arrived, along with Max and the cell phone he’d brought for her to use.
Max came to the bedroom door. “Jessica, I’ll open this after we’ve listened to the message. We don’t want to put you through that again.”
She nodded as he closed it, frightened about what else Deanne may have said.
After a while, Sam came in to check on her, then, presuming she was asleep, he returned to the living room. Jessica hadn’t answered, simply tired of claiming she was fine. She was far from it. She hurt physically and emotionally. Both went without saying, in her book anyway. She was angry, and she couldn’t do anything to help. She hadn’t meant to deceive him. She listened as Sam and Max set up call forwarding and Becky arranged for a phone tap.
“It’s very unusual for the kidnapper to call the parents unless they’re asking for ransom,” Becky said quietly.
“Maybe she plans to,” Sam suggested.
“Maybe she’s tormenting Jessica.” It was easy for Jessica to tell his dad’s deep voice. “After she’s frightened Jessica, could be that she’s going to ask for money. Is Deanne that broke?”
“Not according to her bank account, but Sam found information leading us to believe she wants to adopt or go through a sperm bank to have a child on her own. She doesn’t have nearly enough money to cover either, according to the pamphlets.”
They obviously didn’t realize Jessica could hear every word they said. She tried to tune them out, but she couldn’t bear to miss anything they were saying about her daughter, no matter how much it frightened her.
“Haven’t we had any more response from the Amber Alert?” Sam said, desperation in his voice.
“Nothing that’s panned out. We’ve had local officers check every lead,” Becky said. “Whatever we do, I want to be sure Amy isn’t hurt, even if that means taking a little longer to apprehend Jones.”
Jessica liked Becky and trusted her. She may not want children, but she had a true heart for them.
“I wish this was only about money. There’s a sense of security in that.”
“If it comes to that, you know we’ll have no problem coming up with any amount she asks for,” Max added. “If you need anything else, you know how to reach me.”
Jessica heard the outside door close and assumed Max had gone home.
“If you have any leads you need—” Sam paused “—help with, Travis has offered his expertise.”
Becky laughed. “You mean your brother’s waiting for an invitation?”
Sam’s laugh wasn’t quite as jovial. “I asked him to stay out of it for now. I don’t want anything spooking Deanne.”
“Thanks, Sam. I know it’s not easy to step back, but I think you’re doing the right thing. I’m going to take the answering machine in and see if the techs can trace the number or come up with any additional clues from background sounds.”
“Can you have someone bring another machine over? I don’t want to miss anything, just in case our call forwarding doesn’t work out as planned.”
Jessica closed her eyes and hugged the pillow closer at Becky’s cynical guffaw. “Right, with one of your dad’s phones?”
There was an odd silence, as if Becky had stopped midsentence. Even stranger, Sam didn’t say a word in response. Jessica heard the door close and presumed she
and Sam were again alone.
“Jessica,” Sam said, right behind her. She jumped at the sound of his voice so close. She’d been straining to hear him whispering in the next room.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Sam said in a quieter voice. “We should probably look for anything out of place or missing before Becky leaves. I hate to disturb your rest…”
“You didn’t disturb any rest, trust me.” She swung her feet to the ground and sat up, then switched the bedside lamp on and looked around, blinking away the tears. “Amy’s bear is gone. At least she has that.”
“Maybe more light would help.” Sam turned on the overhead light and offered her a hand. “I looked in the drawers, but didn’t notice much missing from the other night. You’d be a better judge of that.”
Jessica pressed her hands on her knees for support and walked over to examine the drawers as Sam knelt down and opened each one. “I don’t notice anything obvious, but it’s hard to tell for sure.” She checked through Amy’s favorite outfits and none were missing. “I suppose Deanne didn’t want it to look obvious that she wasn’t coming back. She probably bought her a few new outfits. That way we couldn’t identify any of them.”
“You’ve obviously been thinking about this.”
She looked at Sam. “What else is there to think about right now?”
Sam looked hurt. “Guess I don’t blame you. I can hardly get my mind off Amy, and I’m not even related.”
“Yet,” Jessica said softly, hoping to soothe his ego. “But you’re as emotionally attached as if you were, I suspect.”
His full lips formed a slight smile. “Why don’t we look for that money you mentioned?”
“It’s in my closet.” She stepped around Sam and led the way. “I kept it in the blue-and-white shoe box on the top shelf, bottom of the stack. Could you reach it for me?”
Sam reached up, then paused. “It’s on the top of the stack. Just a minute.” He went into the other room and asked Becky for a pair of gloves so they could dust the box for fingerprints. “Was there any other reason for Deanne to have been in this closet, other than to get the money?”
Finding Amy Page 13
