The Complete Arms of Grace Series

by Eleanor Chance

  Mara held up her hand to stop him. “Don’t interrupt. Don’t leave this house or spend too much time near the windows. You can move freely inside otherwise. I’m a nurse, and I have a job, but I took a few days off to get you settled. When I go back to work, you’re going to have to keep yourself entertained until I have enough money to take you to Portland, Oregon. That’s where we’ll live. I only came to Richmond to get you.”

  “Portland? I don’t want to go to Portland. Why can’t I stay here and go to my school with my friends? What about school? I’ll get behind in my classes.”

  “I have a copy of your class schedule. I’ve got the textbooks that aren’t online downstairs. You’ll have to study on your own, but I’ll help as much as I can. I told you to forget your old life. It no longer exists for you. The sooner you let it go, the better.”

  Johnny got his crutches and pushed himself off the bed. He went to Mara and glared down at her. “And what if I don’t?”

  Mara laughed. “Is that supposed to scare me? When you hear my story, you’ll want to stay. Sit down and listen.”

  Johnny had expected to frighten her and was disappointed that it didn’t work. He sighed in defeat and obeyed to keep her talking. He hated to admit that he was dying to hear what this strange woman had to say.

  Mara was relieved when Johnny went back to sit on the bed. Even if he was on crutches, he was a big boy and could probably hurt her if he’d tried. She had to establish her dominance over him from the beginning, or her plan would fail. It wouldn’t be easy to manipulate him into leaving the only life he’d ever known.

  He picked up his burrito and took a bite. Through his mouthful of food, he said, “I’m waiting. What’s this great story you have to tell me?”

  She gave him the comforting, motherly smile she’d practiced. “I can’t believe you’re sitting here with me after all these years. I’ve dreamed of this day since you were six months old. We’re going to have a wonderful life together, Johnny. By the way, your real name is Kyle. Can I call you that?”

  “No. It’s too late for that. I’ve been Johnny my whole life.”

  Mara frowned. “Not your whole life. For six months, you were Kyle.”

  “Call me Kyle if you want, but I’m not changing my name.”

  She shrugged. “Fair enough. Here’s how it happened. I was with a man named Rick. He wasn’t a good guy. He couldn’t keep a job. He ran up lots of debt.”

  “Why did you stay with him?”

  “I was young and ignorant. I thought I loved him. One day, I came to my senses and left him, but some of the debts followed me, and I was desperate for money. I had a job as a nurse but was only getting two shifts a week. It wasn’t enough to get out of the hole Rick dug for me. I found out by a fluke that a friend of mine knew a couple who was looking for a surrogate mother. Do you know what that is?”

  Johnny slowly shook his head. “I’ve never heard of that. I’m sure I’ll regret this, but what is it?”

  “A surrogate mother is a person who has an embryo implanted in her from another couple who can’t have a child on their own. She carries and delivers the baby for the couple. They were offering $50,000 plus expenses and other fees. It was more than I needed to pay off my debts and still have money in the bank. I wouldn’t even have to stop working until just before the baby was due. I passed the application process, and the implantation worked. You were born healthy and perfect.”

  She stopped and glanced at Johnny. She laughed at the disgusted look on his face but could tell he was buying her story. She knew from following him the previous few weeks that even though he cared most about video games and hanging out with his friends, he was intelligent and a good student. She was satisfied that he had a typical teenage life despite his disabilities. As much as she loathed Grace, she was grateful that she’d raised her boy well.

  “Does that mean Craig Stuart and his wife are my biological parents?” Johnny asked, breaking into her thoughts.

  “Yes, but I felt like your real mother. I carried you and went through the pain to give birth to you. When the time came to turn you over, I couldn’t do it. I offered to find a way to return their money, but they only wanted you. I’d signed a paper promising not to keep you, but I couldn’t let you go. You were my son.”

  “That sounds horrible. Why would you do something so crazy in the first place?”

  “I told you. I was desperate, and you wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t done it.”

  “I guess it’s better than you dealing drugs or whoring.”

  “Watch your mouth,” she snapped and smiled at his reaction. Scolding him made her feel like a real mother.

  “How did you end up with me?”

  “I contacted Rick. He’d had run-ins with the law, so I figured he wouldn’t have a problem helping me. He agreed if I promised to get back together with him. I’d have done anything to keep you, so I said yes.

  "We formulated a plan to get you out of the hospital. It worked like a breeze. We brought you to Richmond and started to new life with you as our son. Rick found a job and agreed to behave himself. I stayed home and took care of you. We had six months of bliss until that damned hurricane came.”

  Mara was pleased to see Johnny watching her as she wiped her tears.

  “Grace told me about the hurricane, but she didn’t know how I got hurt. What happened?”

  “We were evacuating in Rick’s fishing boat because our street was flooded. The boat capsized, and you hit your head when you went into the water. We rushed you to the hospital, but Rick wouldn’t let me stay with you because he was too afraid we’d get caught. He forced me to leave you. It was the worst day of my life. I’ve never gotten over it.”

  Johnny stared at her in shock, and she didn’t have to fake her anguish. Even though she’d fabricated the story to that point, leaving Johnny at the hospital had been the worst thing she’d ever had to do.

  After watching her for several seconds, he said, “Grace told me what happened after that, at least I think she did, except for the part about Craig Stuart trying to get me back. Why did he lie and tell people my mother died when I was born?”

  “He was ashamed to admit that they’d used a surrogate.”

  “But didn’t the FBI know? After reading about my kidnapping in the book, I Googled news stories on my phone. What really happened to my biological mother?”

  “Maybe Craig paid the FBI off. He’s rich. I don’t care. She got sick and died not long after you were born. Leukemia, I think. Maybe the stress of losing you was too much for her. What matters is that you’re here now, where you’ve belonged all along.”

  Johnny had finished his food. He wadded up the wrappers and held them out to Mara. “Thanks for the food. That’s a wild story. Seems too farfetched to believe.”

  “It is wild, but how could I make up a story like that? I swear to you that you’re my son.”

  Johnny digested that for a second before saying, “I have two more questions. Why did you take so long to come for me, and how did you know I called Ty for a ride last night?”

  “I’ll answer the rest of your questions later. I won’t lie to you the way that Grace has your entire life. Take your medicine and rest. You’ve been through a shock, and we don’t want to bring on a seizure.”

  Johnny nodded and rolled onto his back. “I am pretty freaked out and tired, but I won’t let this go. If you want me to trust you and go with you to Portland, you need to always tell me the truth. If I find out that you’ve told me one lie, I’m gone.”

  “You have my word.”

  She covered him up and kissed his forehead. She was relieved that he was out before she made it to the door. She could have conjured up some quick answers to his questions, but she needed to have all the threads in place. If her story unraveled, she wouldn’t get another chance to persuade Johnny.

  By the time Johnny had been gone for twenty-four hours, Grace and Ryan had compiled lists of friends and others Johnny had frequent contact with. I
nvestigators on Agent Shepherd’s task force had already questioned them. They’d gone to the school to interview teachers and administrators to see if they recalled friends no one else had mentioned. Their search had been a dead end.

  Even before the sheriff did a press conference on the evening news, all of Richmond knew Johnny was missing. Every friend or neighbor had called, texted or stopped by to offer sympathy and support, and news of Johnny’s disappearance had gone viral on social media. Even Johnny’s doctors and teachers had come by to offer help. Their house had become Grand Central Station. So many different people came and went that Grace lost track. She’d escaped to her room a few times, but hiding didn’t drown out the sounds of controlled chaos taking place just beyond the walls.

  Grace was touched by their generosity, but the only person she wanted to see come through the front door was Johnny. Rehashing the story to every well-wisher who showed up got old for Grace in a hurry. Alec and Steph clued into her fatigue and started running interference. Ryan was running on pure adrenaline, but Grace was exhausted. She was a reluctant expert in dealing with trauma and understood the importance of pacing herself in a crisis, but she’d passed her saturation point. Losing Johnny was her worst nightmare and she was staring it in the face.

  Jayda showed up at dinnertime with her arms full of bags of food from their favorite restaurant. Darnell followed her inside carrying more. They’d brought enough for the family and entire task force. Grace had lost her appetite, but the smell of Italian food wafting from the bags made her stomach growl. When Ryan took out his wallet to pay Jayda, she refused.

  “We gathered a fund from the neighbors to pay, and we’re setting up a schedule online for the days to come, just in case. Don’t give your meals another thought.”

  Ryan's eyes glistened as he returned his wallet to his pocket. Grace hugged Jayda without a word, overwhelmed by her kindness.

  “We can only imagine what you’re going through, but I know you’d do the same for us if we were in your position. You know how much we all love Johnny.”

  “I do,” Grace whispered and squeezed her hand.

  Ryan took the bags from Jayda, and he and Darnell set the food on the dining room table. When he was done, Darnell turned toward Grace. “I’m sorry I was a jerk to you. Johnny talks about what a good mom you are all the time. That’s not how he says it, but it’s what he means. He felt bad for lying to you about Charlottesville.”

  Grace’s voice broke as she said thank you. She turned away to hide her tears.

  Ty came in with Ashley and gave Darnell a fist bump. “Hey, man. Any news?”

  “Not yet,” Darnell said.

  “I’m sorry about Johnny, Mrs. Walker,” Ty said. “I feel like it’s my fault. If Jason and I had turned off our game and gotten here faster, he wouldn’t be gone.”

  “It’s not your fault,” Grace said. “I’ll tell him that as soon as he’s home.”

  Ashley hugged Grace and kissed her cheek. “I’ve been telling him the same thing, but it’s better coming from you.”

  “Do you mind if we hang out in Johnny’s room for a while?” Darnell asked.

  “Please do,” Grace said. “Maybe it won’t seem so empty.”

  Ryan announced that the food was ready and when members of the task force lined up to load their plates, Agent Shepherd said, “Grace and Ryan first.”

  The group parted for the two of them. Ryan handed Grace a plate and motioned for her to serve herself. She dished the small amount she thought she could stomach and took her plate to the kitchen, hoping for some peace and quiet. Ryan and Alec were close behind, followed by Steph. The rest of the group gave them their privacy.

  No one spoke while they ate. What was there left to say?

  Ryan’s phone buzzed on the table. He picked it up and read the screen. “It’s Mark. He’ll be here as soon as they finish the last service at the restaurant. Valerie will come after she drops the kids at school tomorrow.” He smiled and set the phone on the table. “He says they’ll bring food for everyone after they close each night, so we don’t have to worry about meals. At least we’ll have plenty to eat.”

  “More food? Did you tell him about Jayda’s dinner fund?” Grace asked.

  “I did, but he insists. He said it makes him feel like he’s doing his part to contribute.”

  “Thank him for me.”

  Ryan picked up his phone and texted Mark. “Done.”

  “Johnny would love this,” Steph said. “We’ll have to keep it going to celebrate once he’s home.”

  Steph’s words broke Grace’s defenses. She covered her face with her hands and gave in to her tears. Ryan pulled her against his chest, wiping his own eyes.

  When Grace’s crying slowed, Steph said, “I don’t feel like crying. I’m too pissed. Wish I knew where to direct my anger. At Johnny for taking off without telling us? At the person hiding him from us? She pointed at the window. “At that random guy out walking his dog?”

  “None of this makes sense,” Ryan said. “Did Johnny call an Uber or get on a bus to somewhere? Where would he go?”

  “If I find out he’s being stupid and hiding from us, he’s going to get it from me for putting us through this,” Steph said.

  “You’ll have to wait in line,” Alec said.

  All Grace could imagine was her little man shivering in the cold and dark. He may have been a fourteen-year-old giant, but he knew so little of the world and she was to blame for that.

  Ryan stood and stretched. “Agent Shepherd said they’re organizing a search party for the morning with as many people from the community as they can get. It’ll be an early start, so we should get to bed and pretend to sleep.”

  “No way I’m even pretending to sleep with my baby out there alone,” Grace said.

  Adam came in with a plate of food in one hand and a box from Juliana’s Bakery in the other.

  “Hey, babe,” Alec said when he leaned down to kiss her.

  He put the box on the table and said, “What good is a Walker family crisis without cannoli from Juliana’s?”

  Alec flipped the lid open and handed Grace two cannoli. She put them on her plate and stared, not even capable of choking down a bite of her favorite food.

  Adam took a medicine bottle from his jacket pocket and handed it to Grace. It was a prescription for a strong sedative with her name on the label. “Take one of those right now while I’m watching.”

  He sat next to Alec and scooted Grace’s water bottle closer to her. She grudgingly fished out one of the pills and popped it in her mouth before washing it down with a gulp of water. “Satisfied?” she said.

  “The last thing we need is you suffering a collapse from sleep deprivation.” He reached into his pocket and took out another bottle. “Ryan, you take one, too.”

  Ryan shook his head. “I’ll be able to sleep. I can hardly keep my eyes open now.”

  “Don’t hesitate to take one if you need to,” Adam said. “After I eat, I’ll shoo all unnecessary bodies out and make up the couch bed in the man-cave. Steph, you take the guest room. There’s an overnight bag for you in the car, Alec.”

  “You don’t have to sleep here. Go home, or you’ll all be sleep deprived, too,” Grace said. “By the way, where are your children?”

  “I called the nanny. She’s agreed to stay as long as we need her,” Alec said. “I told you I was staying until Johnny’s home and I meant it.”

  Grace pulled her coat tighter the following morning as she gazed over the crowd that huddled in the church parking lot and spilled into the street at the end of their block. The task force had sent out a call for volunteers to help in the search for Johnny. At least a hundred people waited for instructions from the sheriff. Grace didn’t recognize most of them, and she was touched by their willingness to sacrifice their time and comfort to come to the aid of a stranger.

  Further up the street was the line of news vans and reporters standing behind yellow police tape. The sight reminded Grace of t
he days when she was trying to garner support for keeping Johnny on life support when he was a baby. The news media had been both a hindrance and help back then. She hoped they’d be cooperative in keeping awareness of Johnny’s disappearance alive. News cycles changed the instant public interest waned. With Johnny’s history, their story might stick a little longer.

  Grace joined Alec, Adam, and Ryan at the front of the crowd. Ryan had tried to talk her into staying back in case Johnny came home, but officers were posted at the house to notify them if he did. There was no way she was going to sit on her comfy couch wondering while everyone else was sacrificing to search for her son in the thirty-degree weather.

  She inched close to Ryan and reached for his hand. He gave her a weak smile and squeezed her shoulder. He was pale, and his eyes were puffy and red-rimmed. For all his professing he’d have no trouble sleeping, Grace heard him tossing and getting up and down all night. Even with the sedative, she’d only slept three and a half hours.

  Sheriff Granderson stepped in front of the group, and everyone quieted. “We want to thank all of you for answering the call to help in this search. Johnathan James Walker has been missing for approximately thirty-six hours. His family was unaware he was missing for the first eighteen hours, and though we began looking for him as soon as we became aware of his disappearance, we didn’t want groups out searching last night in the dark. We’ve lost valuable time, so we need to get moving as quickly as possible.”

  He turned to one of his deputies, who handed him a stack of papers. “Is there anyone here under age eighteen?” No hands went up, so he said, “Good. We’re providing each group with a map, fliers with Johnny’s pictures, and instructions for how to properly and safely conduct this search. Please read and follow them carefully. The most important points to remember are not to touch any evidence, but to take pictures of anything you believe will help the investigation. If you find anything, mark it with the flags we’ll hand out and contact one of us immediately. Take care for your own safety and don’t take unnecessary risks. Go slowly, scanning your surroundings carefully, and be respectful of the property of your neighbors. Stay within arm’s length of the others in your group and don’t get separated. We don’t want to lose anyone else. We’ll break you into groups of ten. Assign one person to carry the map of your grid. Please, stay within your grid, so we don’t have overlaps or holes. Let’s get going and bring this boy home alive and well.”