The Baby Scheme

by Jacqueline Diamond

  She found Larry leaning against her car. “What’s happening with you?” he asked. “Any job prospects?”

  “Not yet.” She pushed a strand of hair out of her face and realized she’d forgotten to brush it. She hadn’t put on lipstick, either, but what was the point? It would only smear on her sandwich. “Need a ride?” she asked as she unlocked the car.

  “Actually, yes. I rode over with Bob. I’m on duty tonight. Do you mind dropping me at the paper?”

  “Doesn’t bother me.” She didn’t see why she should be ashamed about having gotten the boot. It was Ned and Payne who ought to be ashamed, and J.J. for not paying closer attention to her accomplishments.

  During the ride, she inquired about the mood in the news-room since she’d left. “I’ll bet you could cut the tension with an X-Acto knife.”

  “Yeah. It’s miserable. Everybody’s afraid of getting the ax.” He pushed his glasses higher on his nose.

  “I’m sorry to hear it.” People couldn’t do their best work when they had to keep looking over their shoulders.

  “This morning, a couple of reporters brought laptops to work,” Larry added. “I think they’re scared Payne will steal their stuff.”

  Although each employee had an individual password to the paper’s networked computers, Payne had begun stealing Alli’s notes almost as soon as he’d arrived. She assumed that either he had a talent for hacking or he’d found the passwords in his uncle’s desk, in which case nobody was safe.

  “You’d better warn them not to leave their laptops unattended,” she replied. “He loaded spyware onto mine.”

  “I already put the word out.”

  She drove another block before asking, “What’s Payne up to? Don’t tell me he’s doing some actual reporting.”

  “Did you read this morning’s paper?”

  “I’m afraid not.” Accustomed to receiving a copy at work, she’d never subscribed. If she were to start taking a paper now, she’d prefer to study one of the larger papers where she might be applying.

  “He wrote a follow-up to the exposé,” Larry said. “While Ned was editing it, he kept yelling about risking a libel suit.”

  “Payne must have used the stuff I was saving for my side-bar. I’m sure he didn’t bother to track down anything on his own. Obviously he didn’t write it very well, either.” Alli took some satisfaction in that.

  One of the reasons she hadn’t turned in her story a day earlier was that she wanted to take extra care with the allegations about Mayor LeMott. Payne must have slept through his libel class in journalism school, or perhaps he was too lazy to care.

  She made a left on Bordeaux Way. “It’s good to know the other reporters believe my version of events.”

  “Sure they do. Besides, they recognized your style in yesterday’s article,” Larry told her.

  “I’m surprised Morosco didn’t. I know he’s relatively new, but surely he’s read my work.”

  Larry shrugged. “Madge Leeky thinks he’s trying to impress the publisher by putting his stamp on the paper. She says he wants to believe in Payne because he likes the idea that he hired a ‘star.’” Madge had written for the Outlook since before Alli was born.

  “I don’t think that star’s going to twinkle for very long. At least, I hope not.” She pulled to the curb in front of the boxy, three-story building. It felt weird not to be parking in back as usual.

  Larry sat glumly in place. “We all miss you. It isn’t the same since you left.”

  “It’s only been a day and a half.”

  “It seems longer.”

  It did to Alli, too. Then an idea hit her. “You could help if you’re willing. But I wouldn’t want to land you in trouble.”

  His face brightened. “Tell me how.”

  “It would be great if you would access the paper’s library and look up Dr. Joseph Abernathy and Dr. Randolph Graybar,” she said. “I’m working on a freelance story about them, kind of a showpiece. It’s a secret.”

  “Graybar? Is he any relation to the former lieutenant governor, Aldis Graybar?”

  She hadn’t made the connection. “I’ll try to check online, but I still can’t use my laptop on the Internet.”

  “I’ll get on it right away.”

  She made sure he had her cell number. “If anyone acts suspicious, don’t do it,” she warned. “One person being fired because of Payne Jacobson is already one too many.”

  He opened the car door. “I’ll be careful. Thanks for the ride.”

  “You’re welcome. I really appreciate whatever you can find out.”

  As she drove off, Alli hoped she hadn’t done the wrong thing by making the impulsive request. Well, she’d advised Larry to back off if things got touchy. And she knew he would respect her request for secrecy.

  The copy shop had a Closed sign on the door. The hours read 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and it was a little past that.

  Alli headed home. Inside the apartment complex, she was nearing her unit when her pulse rocketed into high gear.

  In a visitor’s space across from her building sat a gray van like the one in the drive-by shooting. Despite the late hour, lingering June daylight revealed two man-size silhouettes in the front seat.

  Tapping the brake, she backed out of sight behind an SUV. Had they spotted her? She sat trying to listen past the rush of her blood for the roar of the van’s engine or the slap of running feet, anything to indicate they were in pursuit.

  She heard nothing.

  It might not be the same van. But she didn’t intend to run any foolish risks.

  Common sense warned her to call the police. If she did, however, she’d have to tell them about the incident at Dr. Abernathy’s and why she’d been there. Someone from the Outlook would read the report and discover what she was working on.

  As Alli sat mulling over what to do next, it occurred to her that she must be on to something big for these men to spend their time stalking her. Unless, of course, the men weren’t connected to the adoption ring. She’d also been investigating Mayor LeMott who, before going straight as a businessman, was rumored to have been involved in loan-sharking and racketeering.

  He’d escaped prosecution because witnesses against him had a nasty habit of disappearing. The thought sent shivers down Alli’s spine.

  He knew she’d been working on a story about him because he’d granted an interview after his election as mayor in April, expecting a puff piece. Even though her name wouldn’t have appeared on today’s article, it had probably quoted from the interview.

  Oh, the heck with it. She wasn’t giving up her investigation, regardless of the danger. What would happen if reporters let themselves be intimidated into silence?

  First necessity: to rescue a few essentials from her apartment. Second requirement: to locate another base of operations, preferably one that cost nothing and came with a computer.

  Her mother would welcome her, but Mom lived in Texas. Larry shared a tiny beach pad with four buddies, so that put him out of the running.

  An image sprang to mind of a glowering man with muscular shoulders, intense physical presence and access to Internet databases. The fact that Kevin Vickers wanted nothing to do with her was, in her view, a mere technicality.

  After slipping out of the car, Alli traced a circuitous path toward the back of her apartment unit. A glimpse around the corner showed the two guys sitting in their van, staring in the direction of the main entrance.

  She’d met the mayor’s bodyguards, Dale and Bruce, a few times. The fellow sitting on the near side had cropped hair and a beefy nose, just like Dale. The other fellow’s bleached orange hair matched Bruce’s.

  Caked mud obscured the license plate’s number. Considering that it hadn’t rained in months, Alli figured the men had hidden it on purpose, but now she knew who they were—for all the good that did.

  Quietly, she withdrew. Adrenaline powered her up the rear stairs to her apartment, where she made short work of packing.

 
She’d completed the first step of her plan. Now came the hard part.

  JUNE WAS A TIME for fresh beginnings: weddings, graduations and a new baseball season, during which the Anaheim Angels might just possibly, if heaven smiled and fish learned to fly, win another World Series.

  It was also, Kevin had learned during his three years as a private eye, a time when spouses cheated and people on disability leaped about reshingling their roofs with the spryness of mountain goats. Cynicism firmly in place, he arrived at his office after a long day, his camera brimming with evidence.

  Sometimes he wondered why he’d left the police department. He’d liked his position as a robbery-homicide detective and he’d enjoyed the give-and-take with fellow officers. But he preferred freedom, even when it meant long hours and unpaid accounts receivable.

  When he’d decided to leave, another former officer had invited him to join his security firm. However, he’d decided to strike out on his own, and he’d never regretted it.

  Kevin unlocked the front door of the small office building and, bypassing the elevator, mounted the stairs to the second floor. At this hour—nearly 7:00 p.m.—the accounting firm and escrow company that shared the premises had closed for the day.

  He hoped his secretary had left as well. He’d informed Heloise in no uncertain terms that her day ended at five o’clock. He wasn’t paying overtime and he didn’t need her to babysit his phone messages.

  But she sat at her desk, short blond hair revealing a hint of dark roots, acknowledging him with a smile as she adjusted her grip on her cell phone. “Betsy, it’s up to your sister to decide whether she wants another baby,” Heloise was saying. “I know it isn’t your fault you had triplets, but if you can manage three, why can’t she?”

  “Mom!” Kevin said. “Would you please go home?”

  “It’s your dad’s pizza and poker night, so nobody needs me,” his mother replied calmly. Into the phone, she added, “Your brother just got back. Darling, whatever happens, I promise to keep watching your kids on Saturday mornings.”

  Kevin collected his mail and escaped into his private office. He’d had more than enough of his younger sisters’ jockeying for their mother’s attention. They were welcome to it. As the eldest child and only son, he received far too much.

  Still, Mom made a great assistant. He knew before he even checked that his e-mail had been culled of spam, his clients billed and his phone messages screened so he could be notified of anything urgent.

  During his first two years in business, he’d put up with a series of secretaries who ranged from inept to barely tolerable. Even the halfway-decent ones didn’t stay long. He knew his sharp manner had something to do with this, but who could blame him for losing patience with repeated screwups?

  When his mother offered to fill in short-term, he’d agreed out of desperation. Although Heloise’s only previous paid experience had been decades ago as a preschool teacher, her experience as head of the PTA and other volunteer groups had made her a whiz at management.

  They got along surprisingly well. She dismissed Kevin’s bouts of grumpiness with aplomb, claiming he’d been much worse as a teenager. She matched his obsession with neatness, and she kept her motherly instincts in check during regular hours.

  After five o’clock, however, all bets were off. So it didn’t surprise him when she appeared in the doorway to ask, “Have you eaten?”

  “I had a hamburger.” He’d grabbed one an hour ago. “Thanks, Mom.” Pointedly, Kevin turned on his computer and began downloading photographs.

  “You haven’t forgotten about this weekend, have you?”

  “I’m working this weekend,” he said automatically.

  “Not tomorrow night. It’s Betsy’s tenth high-school reunion and you know I’m giving a party for her friends. Some of them are still single. And some of them are single again. You’ll have your pick.”

  Although aware that he’d have to put in an appearance, Kevin shuddered at the prospect of being surrounded by his younger sister’s husband-hungry buddies. He’d barely survived their fifth reunion, and by now their maternal instincts must be roaring into full gear. “I’ll drop by.”

  “Don’t make us come fetch you,” his mother warned.

  He should never, never have bought a house so close to the Vickers homestead, Kevin reflected for the umpteenth time. Why had he figured three blocks and one busy street would prove any kind of barrier to matchmaking? His two sisters, who also lived in the area, were almost as bad as Heloise.

  “I’ll be there,” he muttered, wishing he had an excuse to leave town.

  “You’ll enjoy the party,” his mother replied. “Don’t work too late.”

  Realizing she was leaving at last, Kevin glanced up from the screen. “Love you, Mom.”

  “I love you, too.” A smile brightened her face before she went out.

  Kevin made a mental note not to shave tomorrow. While he doubted a grubby appearance would deter his sister’s pals, it might at least discourage cheek kissing.

  Refocusing on the computer, he sorted through the photos, picking the most telling ones to forward to his clients. It had been a productive day in which he’d wrapped up a couple of small cases.

  Unfortunately, he’d drawn a blank on Mary Conners’s behalf. Dr. Abernathy hadn’t returned phone calls and Dr. Graybar’s office had informed him that the physician declined to meet with him.

  Kevin finger combed his hair back from his forehead. He’d have to try another tack.

  A rustling in the outer office caught his attention. “Forget something?” he called.

  The woman who came into the doorway bore no resemblance to his mother. Alli Gardner was considerably taller and had a sensual shape emphasized by tight-fitting jeans and a clinging emerald top.

  “It’s me,” she said. “Tough luck, huh? I guess you were expecting someone else.” She strolled into the room.

  “If you want some of my time, I charge by the hour,” he replied.

  “Are you always this warm and welcoming?”

  “This is nothing. Sometimes I’m rude.”

  She slid onto the edge of his desk. Obviously, she wanted something. He folded his arms and waited for her to enlighten him.

  “You aren’t married, are you?” Alli asked.

  “What?” Despite her naturally seductive manner, he hadn’t gathered she was here for personal reasons.

  Leaning across the desk, Alli caught his left hand. The touch wreaked havoc with his rebellious hormones. “No ring. I’m not surprised.”

  “How charming of you.”

  “I didn’t mean it as an insult. It’s just that if you were getting laid regularly, you wouldn’t be so crabby.” She grinned.

  She might be right, but he’d rather shave his head than admit that. Annoyed, he cleared his throat and said, “Do you have a point?”

  Tilting her head, she took her time scrutinizing him. “I was wondering what you look like in the morning. I guess I’ll find out, because I’m going to be staying at your place for a few days.”

  Yeah, sure. “Thanks. I needed a laugh.”

  “Seriously,” Alli said. “I saw the gray van parked in front of my flat. I barely escaped with my life.”

  “They fired at you again?”

  “No, but they would have if they’d seen me. I could call the cops, but it would mess up my story and I’m guessing your client doesn’t want that, either. Right?”

  “Don’t assume we’re on the same side.”

  “There’s something in it for you, naturally,” she proceeded. “You can listen to my interview with the doc and I’ll give you a transcript, too. And together we’ll have a much better chance of helping these families. At least, I assume there’s more than one. You didn’t by any chance talk to Rita Hernandez, did you?”

  “My client information is confidential.” All the same, she’d managed to pique Kevin’s interest. He did need that interview.

  Alli bent over him, so close her chestnu
t hair tickled his neck and her apple-cider scent clouded his mind.

  “What’re you working on right now?” she asked.

  “Hey!” Before he could clear the screen, however, she glimpsed a photo of a cheating husband and his paramour doing the deed in front of a curtainless window.

  “I can’t believe they’d do that with the shades open! And one of them is probably married, right?”

  “Both of them. Not for long, I suspect.” Kevin closed the program.

  “What else have you got? Never mind.” Standing so close he could feel her heat, she said, “Listen, I’ve got a friend at the paper researching background for me, and I promise to share it. I just need a place to hole up and a computer, because mine has a virus.”

  “Tell me again why you’re not at the Outlook anymore,” he said, partly to gain control of the conversation and partly because he wanted to know.

  “I never told you in the first place.”

  “Make it short,” he advised.

  “They fired me.” She spread her hands in a helpless gesture. “Office politics.”

  There had to be more to it, but he knew it wasn’t a matter of competence. Although he had no intention of admitting it, he read her articles frequently. Alli had a gift for digging up information and persuading people to talk.

  Although her talents might prove useful, the idea of this woman moving into his house was preposterous. Even if he had a guest bedroom, which he didn’t, she was the last person in the solar system he would choose as a roommate.

  On the other hand, if the van really was trailing her, she might have no other recourse than to call the police. For his client’s sake, he’d hate to see that happen.

  “Do you have any idea who those guys are?” he asked. “The ones who’re stalking you?”

  “They’re the mayor’s bodyguards. I’ve been investigating LeMott, and I guess you’ve seen the stories in the paper.”

  Kevin disliked the mayor, both for his unsavory reputation and for his arrogance, but to authorize a drive-by shooting showed a truly brutal nature. It would serve the man right if his hair-trigger temper ruined everything he’d fought for. Unfortunately, it might cost Alli Gardner her life before he got caught.