Last Chance Baby

by Gallegos, Ashley

  Thirty Three

  Chuck got into the driver’s seat of the car and slammed the door. This was worse than he had anticipated. If Dalton had Hailey in a physically dangerous situation, Chuck could use his SEAL training to rescue her. Heck, he would even welcome the opportunity to shoot Dalton and have it be legally defensible. But this he couldn’t rescue her from. He couldn’t rush in and carry her out when it was her decision to stay. But Chuck was never one to back down from a challenge and he wasn’t about to start now, when everything he ever wanted was at stake. He was in love with Hailey and he would find a way to make her feel like she could safely walk away from Dalton.

  Chuck pulled out from the house, unable to sit there any longer. He needed to act. He needed to do something. He drove about fifteen minutes before he found a motel. Once he was checked into a room, he brought out his cell phone to touch base with John. As he dialed the number, he pulled out the info John had found on Steven Gamboli. He had a feeling something more was going on there.

  “Chuck, did you find her? Is she okay?” John’s voice was strained and he was obviously eager to know that Hailey was alright, evidenced by his elimination of the usual phone pleasantries like “hello.”

  “I did. She seems to be healthy physically. But she chose to stay with Dalton, John. He’s got her convinced that if she stays there with the baby, he’ll play nice and allow her and the baby to live happy, healthy lives as long as they are under his roof.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure his wife thought the same thing. And she had millions of dollars to boost her value. What happens after Hailey gives birth and Dalton no longer needs her? Jesus. You’ve got to get her out of there, man.” John was saying everything that Chuck already knew. He was grateful to have John on his side. “What’s your plan?”

  “I’ve checked into a motel a few miles away from Hailey. I want to be far enough away that Dalton doesn’t feel threatened. I used my own name as I’m sure he has a tail on me. He knew I was in the house before I revealed myself. Better to let him think that he’s won and I’m not a threat. In the meantime, I want to know more about the connection between Dalton and the Gamboli crime family. He’s got more than embezzlement problems if the mob is involved. Maybe if I can get more info, I can get Hailey out of there.” Chuck sighed and filled the paper cup next to the motel sink with water and took a drink. “Thanks for all your help, John. I’ll keep you and Maggie updated. I promise I won’t come home without her.”

  “Thanks, Chuck. Let me know what you need.” John ended the call and Chuck sat down in front of his laptop.

  “Okay, Steven Gamboli. It’s time we got to know each other a little better.”

  Thirty Four

  Hailey went into her room and laid down on the bed to cry. Chuck must hate her for choosing to stay with Chris after all that she put him through. He’d used all of his savings to protect her just for her to choose the monster over him. She wondered if he meant it when he said he loved her or if he was just desperate to use any tactic to convince her to leave with him. She hoped he meant it because she loved him too. That’s one of the main reasons why she was doing this.

  There was a knock on her bedroom door and Hailey sat up to see Chris come through her door with tray holding a mug. She pulled a quilt over to her and covered her lap. She just wanted something to do as a distraction so she could avoid Chris’ eyes without seeming rude. It was bad enough she had to be here. Couldn’t he let her have a moment of privacy while she grieved for her lost love?

  “I thought maybe you could use a cup of hot chocolate, Hailey. I know how much you used to love it when you lived here before.” He handed her the mug and she took it. It was warm in her hands but she wasn’t sure she could trust it. She knew he wouldn’t give her something to harm the baby but she figured he had no qualms about giving her something that would make her more docile. Clearly, Chris realized that she may some misgivings about taking something from him to be ingested. “It’s just hot chocolate, dear. Nothing else is needed. We’re on the same team now, remember? Besides, how is the baby going to grow to be healthy if you refuse all of the food in this house?”

  Hailey realized Chris was the one holding the cards here. He was right. She had to eat sometime for the sake of the baby. Maybe if she proved to be cooperative, he wouldn’t feel the need to drug her. She took a sip of the hot chocolate and smiled at him.

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve just been running from shadows so long that I keep forgetting I’m safe now.” She took another sip to show her cooperation and laid back against the pillows. Chris moved closer towards her and took her hand.

  “That’s right, Hailey. You are safe now. And everything is going to be just fine. I spoke to my publicist and she has everything handled. However, I do need you to speak to the police about the night that Erin died.” Hailey looked up at him and realized he was counting on her to get him out of being investigated. “The man, Steven Gamboli, who killed your sweet grandmother. I need you to tell the police that the night of Erin’s death you saw him here and when you couldn’t fight him off, that’s when you ran for your life.” He handed Hailey a picture of Gamboli but she didn’t need it. She remembered him in vivid detail. “This will further secure our safe future together.” He picked up her empty mug and the tray and walked to the door.

  “The police will be here tomorrow morning at 8:00 am to take your statement. Then we have a press conference scheduled for 9:00 am. Wear something blue. You always look stunning in blue. Sweet dreams, darling.” He closed the door behind him and Hailey laid back down again. She reminded herself that she had agreed to help Dalton in exchange for safety for those he loved. She would do what he had asked. At least in a roundabout way, Gram would get some justice.

  Thirty Five

  Chuck stayed up until the early hours of the morning learning everything he could about the Gamboli family. The main thing he learned was that Steven Gamboli’s father was actually living in Seattle. That meant his crime syndicate was probably also Seattle based. Chuck put out some feelers to his connections for additional info but he felt confident that he knew what he needed to in order to make some waves. When the crappy coffee pot next to his motel bed was completely drained from his desperation for caffeine, Chuck decided it was time to give in to the exhaustion and get some rest. He couldn’t help Hailey if he dropped dead of pure tiredness. He turned on the TV to the news to drown out his own thoughts and fell into bed. He was asleep as soon as he was prone.

  Chuck had a fitful sleep, full of dreams of Hailey. He dreamt that they were all living in Paris together - Chuck, Hailey, and the baby. They were happy and free. They had normal concerns like paying a mortgage and making sure the baby got into the right pre-school. It was a girl. A beautiful little girl and she called him “Daddy.” It felt so real. It was as if he could reach out and touch Hailey. He could hear her voice. But what she was saying didn’t match the dream. She was talking about Dalton.

  He sat up suddenly as he realized the voice wasn’t in his dream but on the TV. Hailey was on the TV. She was standing beside Dalton and speaking at a press conference. He could see the strain on her face but he could barely hear what she was saying. He grabbed the remote and turned up the volume as loud as he could.

  Erin Dalton was my best friend. She was more than that. I loved her as if she was my own flesh and blood and I feel her loss every single day. When Erin found out that she couldn’t carry a child, I offered to step in as her surrogate. It is her baby that I carry now. After I became pregnant, we agreed that I would live with the Daltons as sort of our own type of family so everyone could be part of this miraculous baby. It was then that I got to know Erin’s husband, Chris, as well. The three of us became the closest of friends.

  The night of Erin’s death, I was watching a movie with Erin in my room. Suddenly a man came in through the window. Erin yelled out but Chris was at a charity event and the staff was off for the evening. I tried to fight him off of her but Erin pushed for m
e to run. She wanted me to save the baby. She sacrificed her life for her child.

  I ran as far and fast as I could. I didn’t understand who would do such a thing to Erin and I was terrified. I saw the news reports claiming that Chris was at fault and although I knew in my heart that couldn’t be true, I was afraid. Luckily, Chris found me and saved me and now I am home safe again. He has generously opened his home to me so that he can be a part of this pregnancy while we both work to keep Erin’s memory alive.

  I have given a full statement to the police and they have identified our attacker as Steven Gamboli. I ask that you give both myself and Chris time to grieve as mourn the beautiful soul that this world desperately needed. Thank you.

  Chuck watched as Dalton escorted Hailey off of the podium. To the casual observer, it would appear that Hailey was just upset at the loss of her friend. But Chuck could tell that Dalton’s touch made her uneasy. She was afraid of him, despite their little agreement. He put his fingers to the TV screen and wished he could reach through and touch her. Once she and Dalton disappeared into the mahogany front doors of the Dalton mansion, Chuck flipped off the TV and made his way to the bathroom. He was in desperate need of a hot shower and then he was going to find the Gamboli family and find some answers.

  Thirty Six

  Hailey walked inside the mansion and hoped that Chris would go to his office or do something else. She just wanted him to leave her alone. Talking about Erin to the press and the police had been more difficult than she thought it would be. She needed time to compose herself. It took a lot of work to pretend to be nice to Chris and hide her repulsion. She walked into the kitchen and was relieved when she didn’t immediately hear Chris’ footsteps following her.

  One of the housekeeper was cleaning up in the kitchen from the breakfast that Hailey had been unable to eat that morning. “Hello, Miss Hailey. Can I get you something to eat, dear? You must be hungry. When I had my youngest son, I just couldn’t stop eating. If it wasn’t nailed down, it was in my mouth.”

  Hailey sat down at the counter. “Thank you, Maria. I am kind of hungry. Do we have any English muffins and orange marmalade? I think I’m having my first real craving.” Hailey liked Maria. She reminded her of the friendly people back home in New Mexico. In Corrales, you could sit down to dinner alone in a restaurant and leave with five new best friends. Everyone cared about everyone there. She missed it and she missed Gram. Hailey felt a tear escape and sniffled as she wiped it away.

  Maria came next to her and gave her a hug. “No sadness now, child. Happiness is a key nutrient for the baby. How about I make you some nice hot chocolate to go with your craving?” Hailey hugged Maria back and was grateful for this small kindness. Technically, it was Maria’s job to cook and clean but Hailey knew she was offering more than that. She was offering a sympathetic shoulder and having that option felt like heaven.

  Maria began to toast the English muffins and pulled a fancy looking jar of marmalade out of the fridge. “Maria, how many children do you have? I don’t think I’ve ever asked you that.”

  “I have three boys. They are all grown now with families of their own. That’s why Mrs. Dalton hired me. She said that if I could survive a household with that many boys and raise them to be such great young men that I could easily help with her household. She was a beautiful woman, that Mrs. Dalton, inside and out.”

  “Now, Maria, I appreciate you keeping Hailey company while I was taking my phone calls but I don’t recall paying you to talk her ear off. Hailey, please come with me. Maria can bring your little snack to you.” Hailey hadn’t realized that Chris had entered the kitchen. She looked at Maria and hoped that she could see in Hailey’s eyes that she was sorry for getting her in trouble. Hailey got up and followed Chris to the living room.

  “Chris, what is this?” Hailey walked into the room and saw that a projector and large white screen had been put into the room. Pillows and blankets were on the couches that were usually kept pristine. There was movie popcorn and candy on the side buffet table. Hailey turned and looked at Chris to wait for an explanation.

  “I know how much you and Erin loved to have movie nights so I thought we could hide from the press today with a little movie marathon. I got a variety of movies from comedies and dramas to even the dreaded chick flicks. Whatever you want to watch is fine with me. It’s ladies’ choice.” Chris stood there looking so proud of himself. Hailey had to admit that the prospect of bundling up to relax on the couch with popcorn and junk food with a movie sounded amazing. Besides, if she got really into the movie, she could pretend that Chris wasn’t even there.

  “Okay. A movie day sounds nice. We are totally starting with the chick flicks though.” Hailey walked past Chris to pick out a movie.

  Thirty Seven

  After three movies and countless refills of popcorn and candy, plus the much anticipated English muffins with marmalade, Hailey was beginning to relax a little. When Chris didn’t talk, Hailey could even pretend it was Erin on the other couch and that it was just like old times. She was starting to get sleepy. She stretched and stifled a yawn. The baby, however, seemed to be very awake and started to kick in protest.

  “Oh ouch.” Hailey rubbed her stomach and tried to adjust herself so that she could relieve some of the discomfort from the kicking. She thought she was being subtle about it but Chris jumped off of his couch and ran over to her. “I’m okay, Chris. I promise. I didn’t mean to alarm you. The baby is just kicking a lot.”

  “Oh wow. Kicking? Do you mind?” He reached out his hands so that they hovered over her stomach. Hailey nodded her consent and Chris put his hands onto her stomach to try to feel the baby. “Geez. The baby is really kicking. I wonder if the baby is a he or a she?” He looked at her and smiled. “Erin had wanted to be surprised at the birth when it came to the gender. But I’m dying to find out if I am having a son or a daughter. Is it okay if we go to the doctor and find out?”

  Hailey had to admit that she wanted to find out too. It may not be her baby biologically but she had carried it. Was she nurturing a little boy who would run and play baseball one day? Or was she carrying a ballerina? “Yeah, that sounds like it would be good to know.”

  Chris jumped up and put his hand to his chest. “I am so glad! I made a doctor’s appointment for you for Friday just to be sure everything is fine. I told the doctor that we might want to find out the gender but that it was up to you. I know this baby is genetically Erin’s but this baby needs you to be it’s mother. I didn’t want to make any assumptions about your wishes.” He sat back down on his couch and smiled. “I know you’re getting sleepy. Let’s start another movie and if you start to crash, we’ll turn it off.” He clicked the remote and another chick flick started on the screen.

  Hailey was excited to go to the doctor’s appointment. She had been through so much in the last few weeks that she just wanted to be sure that the baby was healthy and it would be amazing to find out more about the baby. She somehow thought that if she knew what she was having, it would be one more way to be closer to Erin. Maybe she could take flowers to Erin’s grave and tell her what her baby was. She smiled to herself at the thought.

  That was the key here. Hailey would keep Erin in her thoughts. Erin was why she was doing this. She knew that Chris was trying to get her comfortable so she would forget about the danger he presented. That was the most dangerous kind of predator - the kind that could fool you into thinking you were safe and happy and chose this ending for yourself. No, if she had a choice she would be somewhere with Chuck. She wondered if he had left town. Part of her hoped that he would stay and fight for her, that he loved her that much. But a bigger part of her was praying that he had taken her rejection and left so that he would be safe.

  Thirty Eight

  Chuck sat in his car with his sunglasses on and prepared for a big wait. If his information was correct, he was at the restaurant where the captain of the Gamboli crime family liked to eat lunch. His name was Brian Wilder and he was the secon
d in command. He was the senior Gamboli’s right hand man and Chuck was hoping that Wilder would lead him to Gamboli. He watched as six men got out of two dark SUVs and went into the mom and pop Italian restaurant. Five of the men seemed to surround the sixth man as if to protect him from view or anything else they might come across. Chuck had a feeling that must be Wilder.

  As the men disappeared into the restaurant, Chuck watched as another sedan pulled up. It was the kind of car that wouldn’t make someone look twice and that was exactly why it was on Chuck’s radar. The car parked close enough so that the driver and passenger could see the restaurant but far enough away that it would not arouse the attention of the people eating inside. It was a tactical move that Chuck had learned as a SEAl doing recognizance and that’s exactly how he knew these guys were cops. One of the guys in the sedan got out and looked like he was just lighting a cigarette for a quick smoke break. But Chuck knew that he was actually trying to get the license plate information from the dark SUVs to run on the little computer back inside the car.

  When the man got back into the sedan, Chuck got out of his car and headed in the opposite direction of the restaurant. He walked up to a small electronics store and went inside. He paused as if to look at the display of iPhones in the window. Once he was sure that he had not attracted the attention of the plains clothes detectives, Chuck walked up to where a pimply teenager was working the counter.

  Chuck took a twenty out of his wallet and slid it across the counter to the teen. “Is there alley access that connects this store and the Italian place three doors down?” The teen looked at the money and then looked at Chuck, nodding his head. “Good. Show me to the back door.” The teen motioned for Chuck to follow him and walked through a door to the back office and lead Chuck past the shelves of stock to the back door. Chuck thanked the teen and emerged into the alley.