by M. S. Parker
When I got to Mirage, the only people there were the two security guards on the early weekend shift and they both smiled and nodded as I walked by. While DeVon and I didn’t make a habit of working on weekends, it wasn’t a strange enough occurrence that anyone would think it was weird.
I spent the next twenty minutes or so surfing the web, scouring sites for any sign of Mayflower’s pictures or any hints that Landon’s story had leaked. All I found was a teaser from Proud and Out saying that they had an exclusive in their Monday edition in which a huge star would be coming out. I was glad Landon didn’t have to wait long for it to be out there. I knew that he was like me. The waiting was the worst part. The two of us were ‘rip off the band-aid’ kind of people. He’d want to get it done and over with so he could move on with his life.
I was thinking through logistics for Monday when my cell rang. My heart started to race, then fell when I saw that it wasn’t DeVon. It was, however, the precinct number. I’d forgotten that I’d dropped off a picture of Sasha before I’d known who she was or what she wanted. It was probably just repeat information, but I answered it anyway. I didn’t want Officer Purdue to think I was blowing him off.
“Hello,” I answered.
“Ms. Jensen.”
My eyebrows went up. That was formal cop voice, not friendly cop voice.
“This is Officer Purdue.”
“Yes?”
“I ran that picture you gave me and got a name. Stacy Richards.”
I sat up straighter. In Hollywood, aliases and stage names weren’t uncommon, but my gut told me that Sasha hadn’t been trying out for a local play when she’d used that name.
“The police in Minnesota are actually looking for her. I assume you took that picture locally?”
“What do they want her for?” I asked.
“Questioning in an on-going investigation.” Officer Purdue was intentionally vague. He’d chosen his words carefully, reminding me that the police weren’t supposed to comment about on-going investigations. “Do you know where she is?”
“I took the picture at Pan Pacific Park,” I said. “Two days ago.”
Officer Purdue swore, confirming my suspicion that Sasha didn’t have overdue parking tickets. “Do you know where she is?”
“No,” I said honestly. “But I do have some information about her and may be able to find where she’s at.” My mind was racing, trying to figure out the best way to do this. “Is she a person of interest or an official suspect for something?”
He sighed. “I know better than to try to talk you into giving me the info, so how about we just cut to the chase. I’ll fax you the file I have and you tell me what you know.”
“Agreed.” I gave him my office fax number and, a few minutes later, two papers came through. As I picked them up, I gave the first part of the information I had. “She’s going by Sasha Richmond here. I think that’s her real name because she used it when she was here before.”
“She’s from LA?”
“I don’t know,” I said as I began to skim the papers. “But she was here about seven years ago, using the same name. She’ll have a restraining order under that name.”
“A restraining order?” Something shifted in his tone, telling me that bit of news might be related to the charges in Minnesota.
I figured I might as well tell him now. He’d see it when he ran her name and then he’d be pissed I hadn’t told him personally. “It’s from DeVon. He used to...date her and she didn’t take it well when he dumped her.”
Officer Purdue let out a very unprofessional stream of expletives that would’ve made me worried if I hadn’t been joining him as I read the charge.
Kidnapping.
Sasha was a person of interest in the kidnapping of a little boy nearly three years ago. A three-year-old boy...with black hair and green eyes.
I sank down in my seat, fighting the urge to be sick.
“You’re telling me that this woman is your boyfriend’s ex?” Officer Purdue was practically shouting in the phone.
“Was it a custody issue?” I asked faintly. My head was spinning.
“What?”
“The boy. Is Sasha the prime suspect because she’s the boy’s biological mother and she’d changed her mind about an adoption?” It sounded far-fetched, but I knew it was a possibility. And I needed to know if that chance was there. Because, if it wasn’t, that changed everything.
“No,” Officer Purdue said. “The boy’s biological parents are in St. Paul, thinking they’ll never see their son again. Stacy Richards or Sasha Richmond, whatever her name is, had been the boy’s nanny for two years and then disappeared the same day he did.”
“Fuck.” The word was barely a whisper.
“What?”
I closed my eyes, unsure if I felt relief or horror. Relief that DeVon wasn’t going to have to choose. Horror over who that little boy really was.
“She’s here with a boy she says is DeVon’s son. He’s six years old and I’m nearly positive he’s the boy in that picture.”
Chapter 17
DeVon
I’d put Sasha and Emmett up at the Hilton when I’d seen the flea-bag motel where they’d been staying. It had been the one Sasha had insisted on when I’d said I’d be moving them and I knew it was because we’d had a couple trysts here during the week we’d been together. I didn’t go into any of that, though. The Hilton had an excellent reputation for protecting the privacy of its guests and once I’d told them that the only person they were allowed to share information with was Krissy, I knew I didn’t have to worry about the press finding out.
I had to admit, I was actually a little surprised that Sasha hadn’t threatened to do that. She’d flaunted our relationship to the press before, thriving in the spotlight. I would’ve thought she’d want pictures of the three of us together, my secret little family. Krissy and my relationship hadn’t really been a big story, especially once the media had realized that we didn’t air our dirty laundry, but a scandal always made things more interesting.
I was still mulling that over when I got to their room. I had a key, but I didn’t intend to use it. I wanted to make it perfectly clear from the beginning that I wasn’t the missing piece in their puzzle. I wanted to get to know Emmett, but Sasha wasn’t going to be part of the package.
“DeVon!” She threw her arms around me as soon as she opened the door. “You came!”
I quickly disentangled her arms and stepped into the room. “We need to talk.”
“Of course,” she said.
I watched as she shifted into her serious face. I hadn’t realized it when we’d been together before, but her facial expressions looked more like how she thought they were supposed to look rather than how she actually felt. It wasn’t a surprise I hadn’t realized it before. The only time I’d really cared about the expressions on her face had been when we’d been fucking, and now I wondered if those had even been genuine.
“There are a lot of things we need to discuss.” She sounded like a child trying to be an adult. “Logistics. Do we move in together right away or will that be too confusing for Emmett? Should we get engaged first so that he realizes this is forever? I don’t want him thinking–”
“Sasha, stop!” The words came out more harshly than I’d intended, but I couldn’t help myself. She was further gone than I’d thought. I couldn’t leave Emmett with her. No matter what it cost, I had to get him away from her.
She gave me a hurt look, but I could see the anger glinting in her eyes.
“Where’s Emmett?” I looked around, not wanting him to hear any of this. He didn’t need to know that his mother was trying to blackmail me. She may have been crazy, but I wasn’t going to be the kind of man who bad-mouthed his kid’s mother anywhere the kid could hear it.
“He’s taking a nap,” she said.
I frowned. I didn’t know a lot about kids but something seemed off that a six-year-old was taking a nap at nearly ten in the morning. I didn’t ask
about it, though. I had enough on my plate at the moment. I filed that away for later.
“Let’s sit down.” I gestured towards the love-seat. I would’ve preferred not to sit so close to her, but I didn’t think she’d take kindly to me sitting in one of the chairs as if I was purposefully putting distance between us, and I needed her in a better mood.
“I know this has been hard for you,” I began. “Raising Emmett on your own.” She nodded, giving me those wide eyes that I was sure had melted many a man’s heart over the years. “Especially financially.”
“The sacrifice was worth it.”
Somehow, she made a statement that should have sounded noble and motherly seem like it had come out of some sort of poorly acted play. I wondered if she’d always been like this and I just hadn’t noticed or if I was more aware of what was genuine and what was not since I’d been with Krissy.
“I was wondering.” I chose my words carefully, knowing that the wrong word could ruin everything. “Since you haven’t had any time to yourself in six years, if, instead of staying here with me and Emmett, you’d prefer to go out, go someplace exciting and fun. All expenses paid, of course.” The corners of her mouth tightened. “Or, if you’d rather stay here, I’d be more than happy to pay for an apartment or a house, whichever you’d prefer.”
“You don’t want to be with me.” The statement came out flat.
“Sasha, I’m sorry. It’s too late for us.” I didn’t add that I never would’ve stayed with her in the first place because she was nuttier than a Christmas fruitcake. That would’ve been counter-productive.
“Because of her.” She snarled the word. “That woman you’re with.”
“I love her, Sasha.” I tried to say it as gently as possible.
“Bullshit,” she hissed. “You don’t love anyone.”
I started to be offended, but then realized that she was right. At least, the person she’d known all those years ago, he hadn’t been capable of love. I couldn’t tell her that Krissy was the one who’d made the difference.
“Let me provide for you and Emmett.” I tried a different tact. “Whatever you need. Whatever you want. I’ll write you a check for a hundred thousand dollars right now.”
“That’s all he’s worth to you?” she asked.
My fingers dug into my legs as I struggled to keep my temper. “I just picked a random number. Half a million for what I missed and then that same amount every year on top of expenses.”
“You think half a million dollars will make up for the birthdays you missed?”
I wanted to point out that it was her fault I’d missed six years. Instead, I asked, “How much?”
She pretended to think for a moment. “Five million.”
I nodded. I’d have to shuffle some assets, but that would far from break me.
“To start with.”
I tried not to glare. I’d meant what I’d told Krissy, that I’d give it all up. I just hated how Sasha was manipulating things.
She leaned against me. “Five million could buy you a lot of pussy.” She ran her hand up my leg until she was way too close to my crotch. “If I take enough money, will Krissy leave you?” She slipped the strap of her tank top off of her shoulder. “Come on, DeVon. Don’t you remember all of the fun we had together?”
I closed my eyes, hoping that if I didn’t respond, she’d take the hint. If I had to push her away, things were going to go very badly.
“No other man has been able to get me off like you did. And I’ll bet your little girlfriend doesn’t let you have as much fun as I did. Does she let you whip her? I want you to whip me. I’ll bet you want it, too. I still have my clit pierced. I think about you when I play with it. Would she get pierced for you? Let you spank her so hard her ass is bruised for a week? I will. I’ll let you fuck me until I scream. Tie me up.” She picked up my hand and put it on her neck. “I’ll let you squeeze–”
“No.” I didn’t move her, but I did move myself. I stood up and she almost fell over. “I don’t want you, Sasha. Not anymore.”
She stood, not bothering to pull up her strap even when it fell low enough to reveal a sliver of a toffee-colored nipple. “Get out!”
“Emmett–” I started to say.
“Get the hell out!” She practically screamed. “We’re leaving and you’re never going to see your son again!”
I backed out of the room, not knowing what else to do. If she caused a big enough scene, security would be called, and then the cops. I didn’t want Emmett to see that. As the door closed, a pain went through me. I’d lost him. I hadn’t even known it until just now how much I wanted him, and he was gone. There was no way Sasha was going to let me be a part of his life. Not now.
My chest hurt and I could hardly breathe as I walked down the hallway towards the elevator. What was I going to do? I couldn’t just let them leave, but I didn’t have any legal grounds to stand on. By the time I could get a court order for a paternity test, no matter how good a lawyer I hired, she’d be gone. I could hire a PI to find her, but if my name wasn’t on the birth certificate, I’d still need that test before I could do anything. And that was if a judge believed me when I said I hadn’t known about Emmett. All Sasha had to do was claim she’d told me and I hadn’t paid child support in six years. If she started in on our sex life, I’d be lucky if the courts didn’t bar me from seeing him.
I wandered out of the lobby and sat on one of the benches. The sun beat down overhead and the air was thick, but I barely registered any of it. All I could think about was how I was going to fix this. I had to be able to fix it. I’d made a great life for myself here, made something of myself by working hard and never quitting.
The only way I could think of was the one thing I didn’t want to do. I pressed my hand against my chest but the pain there wasn’t physical. Could I ask Krissy to step back, to take a break until I could spent enough time with Emmett to get proof of paternity and then sue for custody? Would she be willing to do that for however long it took? Could I do it? If it was just a couple months, I thought I could, but deep down I knew that it would never be over with Sasha. Every time Emmett would be with her, I’d be worrying that she’d run with him. I could have all of the papers in the world saying he was mine, but once she had him, if she thought for a moment that Krissy and I were together, I had no doubt she’d bolt.
I buried my head in my hands. What was I going to do?
In my pocket, my phone buzzed, but I let it go. Whoever it was, they could wait. I was in no state to deal with anything else today. Nothing else could be as important as this.
Chapter 18
Krissy
“Dammit, DeVon! Pick up your fucking phone!” I was glad there wasn’t anyone in the office to hear me. I’d tried calling him twice with the same result. Ringing until it finally went to voicemail. The first time, I left a message for him to call me back, and then I’d called again. I supposed it was possible he was in the middle of talking to Sasha, but that didn’t make me feel any better.
I’d finished reading the file Officer Purdue had sent over and it was worse than I’d originally thought. From what I’d gathered, Sasha had claimed to be someone named Stacy Richards and had gotten a job as a nanny to little Joey Turner. She’d been quiet and had always done things well, but after Joey and she both disappeared, everyone seemed to remember that they’d always thought she was a bit off. That hadn’t been the part that had freaked me out, however. That was about what they’d found when they’d gone into the room she’d been using.
She’d had dozens of books and pamphlets about having a baby. She’d gone through, highlighting various passages and writing dates next to some things. Joey’s mom had said that the dates had been times when Joey had done the things that were highlighted. His first steps. Cutting his first tooth. And some of the things had happened before she’d been hired. That wouldn’t have even been too weird – maybe just a bit obsessive – except she had pictures from some of those events. Pictures that w
eren’t ones she’d gotten out of the family’s album. That would’ve been bad enough. These, however, were ones that looked like someone had taken them from a distance. I’d dealt with enough PIs investigating cheating spouses to recognize long-lens shots.
I had no doubt now that Emmett was Joey Turner. The only other option was to0 horrible to think about. That Joey Turner was long-dead and Emmett was some other kid she’d snatched. It wasn’t only DeVon I was worried about. If Emmett was Joey, she’d had that poor kid for three years. Did he even know he wasn’t her son? What would it be like for him when he found out the truth?
I cursed again and kicked the desk for good measure. All I got out of that was an aching toe, but the pain did help clear my head. I knew the cops were looking now, but I’d forgotten to tell them that DeVon was with Sasha right now. That was an angle I knew of but they didn’t, and I had a pretty good idea of how to find DeVon and Sasha. It was nice to know my skills as a former divorce lawyer were going to do some good. I’d tracked down more than one unfaithful husband during my time at Webster and Steinberg.
I was going to start with some of the cheaper hotels, but as soon as I picked up the phone to make the call, I realized that there was no way DeVon would let someone he thought was his son stay in even a modest three-star hotel. I also had a good idea that Sasha wasn’t the kind of woman who’d take anything less than four stars.
I called two five-star hotels that DeVon and I had been to, but there weren’t any charges under his name. It had taken a bit of wheedling to get the information out of them, but the lawyer in me had eventually won out. When I called the Hilton, I prepared myself for another argument, but it didn’t come.
“Hi, my name is Krissy Jensen from Mirage Talent, and I’m calling about someone who may be a guest at your establishment.” I kept my voice bright and professional. If they heard desperation, they’d be less likely to help me, thinking I was a stalker or jealous ex or something like that. The irony was, that’s who I was trying to protect DeVon from.
