Love Inspired Suspense June 2014 Bundle 1 of 2: Undercover Marriage\Collateral Damage\Forgotten Past (10 page)

Refraining from telling Lonnie that she could have saved them all a lot of trouble had she come forward, Serena asked, “Can you describe the man who wanted to buy Kay?”

Lonnie nodded. “Dark and scruffy. Old. He had gray around here.” She touched her temple. “And a scar across here.” She gestured to her chin. “It was ugly. He was ugly and scary.”

“Frank Adams,” Josh stated. They'd already arrested Frank for assaulting Emma Bullock. He'd admitted to taking Baby Kay from her and giving the baby to some woman in a hotel. “Remember he said he'd given Kay to a woman. I'm almost positive it was Mrs. Munders.”

“That seems the most likely possibility,” Serena agreed.

“Who?” Lonnie asked. “Does she have my baby? Is she taking good care of her?”

“Mrs. Munders runs an adoption agency,” Serena said. “We think someone paid Frank to grab your baby and hand her over to Mrs. Munders so she could put the baby up for adoption.” Turning to Linda, Serena said, “Can you show her the picture?”

Linda hurried from the room and returned a moment later with the blown-up image taken from Mrs. Munders's collage of babies.

Lonnie stared at the photo and started sobbing. “That's her. Kay. My baby.”

With that confirmation, Serena knew for sure Mrs. Munders had been involved in Kay's kidnapping. The evidence was falling into place. Now if they could only find the woman in the photo.

* * *

“What do we do with Lonnie now?” Colton asked.

Josh thought that was a fair question. They could charge the girl with child endangerment for not reporting the little one missing. A class A misdemeanor would net Lonnie up to a year in jail. But what good would that do. Lonnie was a scared kid herself. And she didn't know enough for her to be a real threat to Munders and his organization. But sending her away didn't feel right. At the moment Lonnie was resting in one of the guest rooms upstairs. Josh, Serena, Lisette and Colton sat around the dining table while Linda made lunch. She'd shooed them out of her domain when they'd offered to help.

“She can stay here with us,” Serena said. “The house is certainly big enough. And we can protect her. We could say she's a niece come to visit.”

“She isn't in any danger now,” Josh countered. “She's told us what she knows, which isn't more than we already knew. Other than confirming Baby Kay's identity, there's no reason not to send her back to her home.”

“But whoever hired Frank is still out there. They might think she knows more than she does,” Serena argued and from the stubborn tilt to her chin he knew she wouldn't back down. “I think we should keep Lonnie in custody until we find the woman who has Baby Kay. Make sure the baby is well and happy. Let Lonnie have an opportunity to decide for herself if giving up her baby is truly what she wants to do.”

“I agree,” said Lisette, her green eyes serious. “She's young and made some mistakes, but she is the baby's mother. Though ultimately the courts will decide on custody.”

Josh's gaze swung to Colton, who held up his hands. “Hey, not my call. I'm just the delivery man.”

Turning his attention back to Serena, Josh opened his mouth to say no, but what came out was “We'll have to run it by the chief.”

The smile on Serena's face melted the last of Josh's resistance. Oh, man. Last night he'd rationalized telling her about his father because he was acting in “Jack” mode. Now he had no excuse. Serena had peeled away all his protective layers and laid siege to his heart with her compassionate and caring nature. He would have to dig deep to find a crumb of defense. He was in so much trouble.

* * *

“I found her!” Linda's exclamation reverberated through the living room. She bustled in waving a sheet of paper.

“Who?” Serena set down the book she was reading. It was late in the evening. Colton and Lisette had long since left, returning to Colorado on an evening flight.

“The woman who has Kay.” Linda set the paper onto the table. “Her name is Eve Cardinalli. She's forty-two and lives in Chesterfield. That's less than a half hour away.”

Lonnie and Josh had been playing chess. Both looked up with stunned expressions.

Josh stood. “How did you find her?”

“The DMV database finally spit it out.”

“Can we go see her?” Lonnie asked. The excitement in her voice tore at Serena.

Exchanging a concerned glance with Josh, Serena said, “Tomorrow. We'll go see her tomorrow.”

Lonnie bit her lip. “What if she won't let me see Kay?”

Serena moved to sit beside Lonnie. “We'll cross that bridge when we get there. We don't know how she'll react.”

Learning the adoption wasn't legal, that Baby Kay's birth mother hadn't had the chance to make the decision to give up her child, might send Eve running. They needed to know if this woman was aware of the illegal nature of the adoption, whom she'd dealt with and what information she could give them about the Perfect Family Adoption Agency.

Lonnie's chin quivered and tears gathered in her eyes. “I'm scared.”

“There's no reason to be,” Serena said. “We'll be with you.”

“Do you think Kay is happy there with this woman?” Lonnie's eyes pleaded with Serena for reassurance.

“In the picture she looks happy” was all Serena could say.

Knowing how much money the adoption agency expected to be paid, Serena had no doubt Eve Cardinalli was providing well for Lonnie's child. But she refrained from saying so. Lonnie still had the right to take her child back.

After settling Lonnie in the guest room, Serena headed out to the back porch with Josh's cell phone in her hand. The day had gotten away from her, and she hadn't had a chance to listen to Daniel's message. In truth she wasn't as eager to push Play as she had thought she'd be. Josh had said it would be torture. Still, she had to know. She had to have this final closure. And she'd hear her beloved brother pleading for Josh to meet him or call him back. Hearing her brother's voice would be like ripping open a scabbed-over wound.

She sat on the back porch swing. Unlike last night, tonight the air was thick and oppressive with heat. Shadows played on the bushes butting up against the back fence. But her attention was on the phone. She powered it on. The muted LCD light glowed bright. Her finger hovered over the voice mail icon in the bottom left corner.

Movement in her peripheral vision sent her heart scattering and her pulse skittering. She pressed the phone against her thigh to cover the light as she slid off the swing into a crouch position and readied herself for an attack.

“Having second thoughts?”

Josh! She exhaled and rose. Her heart beat madly against her ribs. She peered into the darkness but couldn't see him; he stayed in the inky shadows of the yard. “You scared me. What are you doing out here?”

“Walking the perimeter. I do every night.”

Keeping them safe. She smiled though she knew he couldn't see it. She resumed her seat and sent the swing swaying with the toe of her sandal.

Josh's silhouette, a darker stain against the pitch-black night, came slowly up the porch stairs. “Do you want to be alone?”

“Not really,” she answered honestly.

He lowered himself to the seat beside her, stopping the motion of the swing. She held the phone on her lap, the light glowing eerily on Josh's face. Dredging up every ounce of courage she possessed, she pressed the icon that brought up the message screen. Her brother's name stared at her.

“Please, put it on speaker,” Josh said softly.

With the tip of her finger she tapped the little arrow that would play the message and then the speaker icon.

Daniel's voice filled her head and settled in her heart.

“Hey, dude, get off your duff. Stop your wallowing. You should be working. A call came in and could be something big.”

Serena's heart cracked into jagged pieces.

There was a strange noise for a few heartbeats; then, he said,
“Call me.”

Serena couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. Every fiber of her being longed for her brother. The anchor to her world. Without him she felt so lost. So alone.

Then Josh's arm slid around her shoulders, drawing her to his strong, muscled chest, anchoring her to the moment, to him. She wanted to cry the tears that had been choking her since the moment she heard of Daniel's murder. But they wouldn't come.

Josh had been right. It had been torture to hear Daniel's voice.

And frustrating because they were no closer to catching Daniel's killer.

TEN

A
ny second Josh would crumble beneath the crushing weight of guilt. Holding Serena in his arms, feeling her pain like a thousand tiny shards of glass, battered at his heart.

If only he'd answered his phone that day, Daniel wouldn't be dead. But he'd been so embroiled in his own problems with Lexi that he hadn't taken the call. And Daniel was dead.

Fighting to maintain his composure, Josh smoothed a hand down Serena's spine and cupped the back of her head with the other. “I'm so sorry. So sorry. It's my fault he's gone.” The words would barely come, his throat constricted with anguish and remorse.

After a shuddering breath that vibrated against his shoulder, she lifted her head. “You were right.” The bleakness in her voice tore at him.

“About?”

“That was awful.” She slipped out of his arms. “I miss him so much.”

“I do, too.” Tears burned behind his eyelids. He held them back by sheer force of will. “I'll never forgive myself for not picking up the phone.”

“Why didn't you answer?”

His mouth went dry. “I wanted to be left alone.”

“Wallowing?”

He sank into the bench. “Lexi had broken up with me that morning.”

She was silent for a moment. “I'm sorry. You must have loved her a great deal.”

The strange note in her voice confused him. But her words scaled back a layer to his soul that revealed a truth he'd hidden. A truth that even now made him sweat. If he wasn't already seated, his legs wouldn't have held him upright.

He hadn't loved Lexi.

Not the way she wanted, needed, to be loved.

The sounds of the night filled the silence between them.

“We need to take this phone to the forensic team.” She moved closer, and the scent of her wrapped around him, making him long to pull her back into his arms.

He tucked his hands under his thighs. “Why?”

“That noise,” she said. “It sounded like he'd put his hand over the mouthpiece. People do that when they're interrupted. Someone talked to Daniel while he was leaving the message. Maybe the techs could enhance it enough to hear the voice. Maybe that person will know something to help us find my brother's killer.”

He'd completely missed that. But Serena hadn't. Hope of finding a clue to Daniel's death pressed in on him, energizing him. He stood. “Tomorrow we'll take the phone to headquarters. Then we'll find Eve Cardinalli and find out what she knows. And hopefully reunite Lonnie with her baby.”

His heart cramped to think of the heartbreak Eve Cardinalli would suffer when she learned the truth.

But the truth had to come out.

* * *

Serena rolled down the window of the new Suburban that had been delivered that morning as a replacement for the wrecked BMW. She needed some air because the tension inside the SUV was smothering.

They were on their way to Eve Cardinalli's house. Lonnie sat in the backseat next to Linda. Serena was glad Josh had agreed to bring Linda along, since Lonnie and Linda seemed to have bonded.

Josh sat at the wheel, silent, intense. There was an edginess to him that hadn't been there before. He had hardly spoken a word to Serena this morning when they'd met in the kitchen during breakfast. She'd pressed him to discuss a plan for meeting Eve Cardinalli, but he'd said little.

Because of Daniel.

She could guess that much.

Realizing why he'd taken a personal day and why he hadn't answered his phone had surprised her and made her feel terrible for him. He'd had his heart broken. Of course he'd needed time to process and deal with his emotions. How could she blame him for that? He had no way of knowing that by ignoring Daniel's call he was leaving his best friend alone to face a killer.

The need to forgive him bubbled within her chest. Daniel wouldn't want her to hold on to this antagonism and anger. Remorse for how she'd treated Josh throbbed beneath her breastbone.

“What if she won't let me see my baby?”

Lonnie's anxious voice broke through Serena's thoughts, forcing her to put her personal issues on hold. The job had to come first.

In the front passenger seat, Serena twisted around to look at the younger woman. Any way she looked at the situation, she knew someone was going to be hurt. “I know this is scary, Lonnie. But you'll have to trust us. We're going to make this right.”

Linda patted Lonnie's hand. “Don't fret. Josh and Serena have a plan. They'll do what they need to in order to reunite you with your sweet baby girl.”

Lonnie chewed her lip and nodded.

Serena faced forward to consult the directions to Ms. Cardinalli's house. “Take the next exit.”

Once they hit Chesterfield, it wasn't hard to find the address. As they rolled through Eve's neighborhood, Serena couldn't help but think the upscale houses ranging from medium to large on lots with well-cared-for lawns seemed like an idyllic place to raise a family. Children played in the yards. Dogs barked from porches. Parents suspiciously eyed the big black vehicle invading their community. She couldn't fault their caution.

Josh pulled the SUV to the curb in front of Eve's house, a cute two-story home set back from the road. A white picket fence enclosed a yard of lush green grass. A tree near the edge of the house provided shade for a golden retriever.

As Serena climbed out, the dog pushed to his feet, his tail raised.

Josh came around the front end of the car and joined Serena on the sidewalk. “Nice place.”

“It is.” Serena glanced back at the vehicle. Lonnie's nose was pressed against the window, her large eyes taking in the house, the yard and the dog.

“Let's get this over with.” Josh started up the walkway along the edge of the white fence.

Serena fell into step with him. The dog let out a bark and loped toward the fence.

“Hey, boy,” Josh said, holding out his hand, palm facing down. “It's okay. We're the good guys.”

“How do you know it's a boy?” Serena asked.

“Just guessing.”

The dog sniffed Josh's hand then licked him before turning his attention to Serena.

She shook her head, tucking her hands behind her back. “No way am I letting you lick me, dog.”

Josh's amused chuckle warmed her cheeks.

The front door opened. A woman with dark hair pulled back into a loose ponytail and dressed in shorts and T-shirt stood in the doorway. Her green eyes regarded them warily. Her gaze darted to the SUV at the curb and bounced back. “Can I help you?”

“Are you Eve Cardinalli?” Josh asked, his voice losing all trace of humor.

“Yes. And you are?”

Josh showed her his badge. “Deputy U.S. Marshals Josh McCall and Serena Summers.”

Eve peered at the gold star then lifted her worried gaze to meet Serena's. “What can I do for you?”

“Can we come in?” Serena asked with a gentle smile. The woman was skittish. Did she know that she'd illegally adopted her daughter?

“What is this about? Does this have something to do with Tim?” Her eyes hardened. “We're divorced and have been for over a year. If he's in some kind of trouble, I don't want to know. I haven't seen him in months.”

“This has nothing to do with your ex-husband,” Josh stated. “Did you recently adopt a baby girl from Perfect Family Adoption Agency?”

Eve tucked in her chin. The worry returned to her eyes. “Yes.” She looked at Serena. “Is there a problem?”

Serena shared a glance with Josh before answering. “Yes, Eve, there is.”

Placing a hand on her middle as if to quell a bout of sudden nerves, Eve stepped back, allowing them to enter the house. The inside of the home was as quaint as the outside. Cherrywood floors stretched down a hall leading to a kitchen.

Eve led them to the living room. Toys littered the sea of blue carpet.

Gesturing to the brown leather couch, Eve said, “Please, have a seat.”

Serena sank onto the soft cushion. Josh folded himself next to her, their knees touching. A week ago—a day ago, actually—she would have scooted away, creating some distance, but she remained in place, comforted by the feel of him next to her.

Eve sat across from them on a matching love seat. A coffee table separated them.

“Eve, what can you tell us about Perfect Family Adoption?” Josh asked.

She shrugged. “They were wonderful to me. Matilda Munders was like a fairy godmother. She found little Crystal for me. I owe her my happiness.”

“Do you know where the baby came from?” Serena asked.

Eve shook her head. “Not really. I mean, I didn't meet the birth mother, if that's what you're asking. It was a closed adoption.” Her eyes widened. “Is there something wrong with the birth mother? Is Crystal ill? In danger?”

Serena held up her hand. “No, nothing like that.”

Josh leaned forward, drawing Eve's attention. “The problem is that the baby, your Crystal, was kidnapped from her birth mother.”

“What?” Eve covered her mouth with her hand. Lowering her voice, she said, “That can't be true. Mrs. Munders said the birth mother was a young girl who didn't want her baby.”

“It's true Lonnie, the birth mother, is young. But she hadn't made the decision to give up her daughter,” Serena explained. “A man whom we believe was working for Perfect Family used intimidation and scare tactics to try to coerce Lonnie into giving up Baby Kay. When that didn't work, he kidnapped Kay.”

Eve shook her head. “You're wrong. Mrs. Munders wouldn't have done that. She's a good Christian woman.” Tears filled Eve's eyes. “Please, there has to be a mistake.”

From the woman's reaction, Serena was certain she hadn't known that her daughter had been illegally put up for adoption. “Does Crystal have a square strawberry mark on her cheek?” Serena asked gently.

Slowly, Eve nodded. “I think I'm going to be sick.” She leaned forward, putting her head between her knees.

Serena moved to sit next to her and rubbed her back. “I know this is a shock. We really need to know everything you can tell us about your dealings with Perfect Family.”

“I'll tell you anything—just don't take my baby away from me,” came Eve's muffled reply.

Serena met Josh's gaze. He arched an eyebrow. They both knew they couldn't make such a promise.

Heaving a sigh, Serena decided to be forthright with Eve. “Look, we can't guarantee you anything at this point. Lonnie, Baby Kay, uh, Crystal's birth mother, is outside in the car.”

Eve straightened. Tears stained her cheeks. Her lips trembled. “She wants her baby back, doesn't she?”

“I don't know what Lonnie wants,” Serena said. “I don't want to give you false hope. Lonnie would like to see her baby.”

“Crystal's napping. She usually wakes about eleven.”

Josh checked his watch. “That's in a half hour. Time enough for you to tell us about the adoption agency.”

Eve tucked her hands beneath her arms as if she were holding herself together. “Tim and I couldn't have children. We tried everything. When it became apparent there was a problem with me, Tim—” She pressed her lips tight as a spasm of pain crossed her face. “He wanted children. His own children. He left me. Found someone who could give him what he wanted. He didn't even wait for the divorce to be final.”

Serena's jaw clenched. What was it with these men? First Lonnie's Peter ditched her because she
had
a baby and then Eve's Tim ditched her because she
couldn't have
a baby. Sometimes humans were really disappointing. Serena wondered how God felt when His creations acted so selfishly.

Her own selfish behavior toward Josh reared with stunning force.

But she couldn't deal with that right now. She had to stay focused on the job. Be professional.

“So you decided to adopt on your own,” Josh prompted.

Eve nodded but kept her gaze on Serena. “It cost me all my savings and part of the money Tim paid me from his investments. Investments I knew nothing about, I might add.”

“Why did you choose Perfect Family to adopt through?” Serena asked.

“I was a clerk at the courthouse in downtown St. Louis. I was telling a coworker that I was thinking of adopting. She said she'd heard one of the judges saying that Perfect Family Adoption was the place to go. So I made an appointment. Matilda was so nice.” She made a face. “I guess she had me fooled.”

“She does come across as nice,” Serena agreed.

“Do you remember the name of the judge?” Josh asked.

Eve glanced in his direction and shook her head. “No. But I'm sure if you asked Shirley she'd be able to tell you. I should have done my due diligence and checked the agency out. Especially when Matilda had a baby for me so quickly.” She stared at Serena. “I didn't know.”

Josh sat forward. “Do you have the adoption papers?”

“I do.”

Serena liked where Josh was going with this. “Can we see them?”

Even though Dylan McIntyre most likely had generated the documents, the papers would be on Munders's letterhead. Not enough to indict Fred Munders, but at least enough to implicate him and his partners in the law firm.

Eve left the room and came back a few moments later with a thick envelope in hand. She sat back down before offering Serena the package. “Here's everything pertaining to Crystal's adoption.”

Taking the documents, Serena said, “Thank you. This will help a lot.”

The faint cry of a baby alerted them that little Crystal was awake.

Eve jumped to her feet. “I'll need to change her diaper then I'll bring her down.” Squaring her shoulders, she added, “Please invite Lonnie in.”

Admiring Eve for the brave way she was handling the situation, Serena rose and took her hand. “Thank you.”

A tear slipped down Eve's cheek. “It'll break my heart to give her up.”