Secret Delivery (5 page)

Reyes nodded. “Margaret said she left the institution as soon as she faxed the commitment papers to us. Said she figured it was best that she speak to Alana and you in person.”

Jack wasn’t so sure of that.

“I told them to wait in the lobby until I cleared every
thing with you,” Reyes explained. “According to the pair, they didn’t arrive with the brother. It’s a coincidence that they’re all here together at exactly the same time.”

Jack wasn’t a strong believer in coincidences. It could be that Sean had a reason to want to dissociate himself from the pair. Especially from Ted—the man might have crossed a legal line or two if he truly had gone after Alana the way she said he had.

“Before you see to them, I think you should know what I learned,” the deputy went on. “When I showed those pictures around town this morning, the new waitress that Bella hired over at the diner said she saw that man, Ted, late last night.”

“Where?” Jack asked, though he already suspected the answer.

“In front of your office. She said the guy came running out of the alley, jumped in his car and drove away. She said he looked like he was up to no good.”

“He was,” Alana assured them. She turned to him. “I told you.”

So she had. Jack would have liked to explain the man’s behavior. But he couldn’t. Unless Ted was trying to cover up the fact that a patient had escaped and he didn’t want to get in trouble for a security infraction. But that didn’t make sense. Once the man realized he hadn’t contained Alana, then why hadn’t he stayed? Why get in his car and leave without alerting someone in the sheriff’s office?

Jack heard the footsteps, looked up and realized he might not have to wait long for those answers. Sean and his guests hadn’t stayed put in the lobby despite the deputy’s order. They were coming up the hall, and
judging from their expressions, they were there to take Alana back to the institution.

Of course, that led Jack to another question.

Was he going to let them?

Alana knew she should be bracing herself for the meeting with her brother and the two people who’d held her captive. She should also be preparing for a fight in case Margaret and Ted attempted to apprehend her.

But she had trouble focusing.

The fever and drugs weren’t to blame this time. Her thoughts were scattered. Only moments earlier she’d seen her son.

“Joey,” she said under her breath.

Just that glimpse of him had been enough for her to know this child was hers. Love was instant. Strong. And she would use that love to give her strength. She would get her son back. But first, she had to deal with the three obstacles coming her way.

Four,
she corrected.

Because Jack might turn out to be the biggest obstacle of all.

“Alana,” her brother greeted, but there was no warmth in it. Not that she expected it from him. Sean was her only living brother, but over the years, they’d become more business partners than siblings. And
because he was older, he had declared himself her boss and keeper.

“Why don’t we take this into the room?” Jack suggested. He looked back at his deputy. “Stay close just in case.”

Alana wasn’t leaving with her brother, Margaret or Ted, and she would use physical force if necessary to stop them from taking her.

With the hulking deputy choosing to wait outside the door, they filed into her hospital room, each casting glances at her. She threw some glances right back at them.

“Where do I start?” she mumbled. She had a list of questions and accusations. She decided to begin with Ted because she could still feel his hands on her when he tried to grab her in the alley. “Explain what you were trying to do to me last night.”

Ted’s Adam’s apple bobbed on his thin throat. It was the only thing thin about him. He had bulky shoulders and arms, and his shaved head made him seem even more fearsome. “I was trying to do my job and bring you back to the Sauder facility.”

“So you admit you were here in Willow Ridge?” Jack asked.

“Of course. Ms. Davis is a patient, and it’s my job to make sure she stays confined until the judge says differently. We were instructed that she could be a danger to herself and others.”

That must have been Margaret’s cue to bring out the paper she had tucked beneath her arm. Like Ted, Margaret was no lightweight. She was close to six feet tall and had an athletic build. There’d been times when Margaret had held her down and forced her to take the sedating drugs.

“And here’s a notice from the judge that your confinement has
not
been terminated,” Margaret announced. “I had him fax it to the hospital so I could show you.” There was a victorious glimmer in her ice-gray eyes when she looked at Alana. “That means you’re to be returned to Sauder immediately.”

Alana wasn’t unaffected by the threat. Other than Jack, and he was iffy, she didn’t have an ally in the room.

Jack took the paper from Margaret and glanced over it. While he was doing that, Alana turned her attention to the biggest rat in the room, her brother.

As usual, Sean was dressed to perfection. Italian suit. A pair of those pricey leather shoes he had custom-made for him. Genetically, they looked alike with his light brown hair and blue eyes. But their personalities were as different as night and day.

Just being near him caused her blood to boil, and she had to fight to hang on to her temper. “You surrendered custody of my son to Jack. I’d like to know why.”

He shrugged, showing no concern as to what he’d put her through. “Because I couldn’t find you, and because I didn’t want to raise the kid myself. Besides, I figured Jack would make a good father.”

It was the flippant answer she’d expected. Still, it didn’t make it easier to hear, or accept. “So you had me locked up in a mental institution.”

“Not me. I didn’t do that.”

“I don’t believe you.”

Another shrug. He slid his hands into his pants pockets. “Believe what you will, but I had nothing to do with it. I couldn’t even find you, much less have you committed.”

Strange. Her brother was a coldhearted jerk, but she hadn’t known him to be a liar. But if he was telling the truth, then who had put her in that place?

“You have the judge’s name?” she asked Jack.

“Marvin Pierce,” he read from the paper that he’d taken from Margaret. “Ring any bells?”

“None.” But there were a lot of confusing things about this situation. She turned back to Margaret. “Who paid for me to stay at the facility?”

“I don’t know.”

Jack spoke up before Alana could. “Then, I need the name of the facility’s business manager.”

Margaret shook her head. “I manage it and have done for the past eight months. Ms. Davis was our only patient, though I’d been informed that in the past, there were others. Some of them were celebrities who wanted to go through rehab while they hid from the paparazzi.”

Alana obviously wasn’t the only one who found it odd that she was the sole patient. Even her brother lowered his chin and angled a questioning glance at both Ted and Margaret. Jack did more than glance.

“Then who paid your salaries?” he asked.

Margaret looked at Ted before she answered. “All payments came from the Sauder Foundation. I just assumed Ms. Davis’s family was paying the foundation for her residential care since there wasn’t any paperwork for medical insurance.”

“Not me, I wasn’t paying,” Sean volunteered. “If my sister had needed psychological help, I would have sent her to Europe. No need to announce that sort of thing to business associates and friends by keeping her in the state.”

All of them looked at Alana. “Trust me, I didn’t pay to
have myself committed. I’d just given birth to a beautiful healthy baby boy. The only thing I wanted was to be with him. So I wouldn’t have hired someone to lock me away.”

Jack made a throaty sound of agreement. And she knew that cost him. He probably wanted nothing more than for these people to take her, but she was praying the lawman in him would want the truth. Even if the truth cost him custody of the child he’d raised.

“We have the paper to return her to the facility,” Margaret reminded them. She stepped forward.

Jack blocked her path. “Alana can’t leave. She’s here because she’s sick. She has a virus, and it’s highly contagious.”

Margaret dropped back a step. So did Ted. Sean stayed put, probably because he felt he was immune to such mundane things.

“I can take her home,” her brother insisted. “She can receive medical treatment there.”

“I don’t want to go home.” Alana took a deep breath to continue the fight, but it wasn’t necessary.

“She’s staying put,” Jack interjected. “Once the doctor releases her, I’ll give all three of you a call. We’ll work something out.”

Ted’s mouth opened in a show of outrage. “But what if she escapes again?”

“She won’t.” Jack aimed a warning glare at her. “Now it’s time for you all to leave so she can get some rest.”

“But we have orders to take her back,” Margaret protested.

Jack put his hands on his hips. “I’m the sheriff here. Hate to state the obvious, but I’m in charge, and the only
way I’ll release her to you is if that order has been signed by the governor or God. Since it isn’t, you’re leaving.”

“We’ll be back,” Ted threatened, and he caught Margaret’s arm and ushered her out of the room. The door swished closed behind them.

Her brother stayed put.

“I won’t be so easily turned away,” Sean commented. “We need to figure out what happens next.” He didn’t wait for them to answer. “My suggestion is to transfer you to another hospital. Maybe one out of state where you can get expert care and won’t be under the prying eyes of small-town gossips.”

“Gossips?” Alana repeated. “Sean, that’s the least of my problems.”

“Maybe. But it could be a big problem when word gets out that you might have taken a trip over the cuckoo’s nest. Think of your business. Of your clients, who also happen to be mine. You won’t keep those clients for long if they think they’re dealing with a lunatic.”

Sheez. He just didn’t get it. “My jewelry designs don’t mean much now.”

“You say that, but while you’ve been gone, I’ve managed to sell nearly every piece you ever designed. To the
right
people. You’ve won awards, Alana, and if you’re smart, you’ll use your God-given talent to build on the business reputation I’ve boosted for you.”

Alana couldn’t help it. She laughed, even though she was not amused by any of this conversation. “For the past eight months, I’ve had my life and my son taken from me. If you’ve had any part in that, I’ll never forgive you.”

Sean spared her a final glance and looked at Jack. “When will she be well enough to travel?”

“Don’t know. You’d have to ask Dr. Bartolo about that.”

Sean apparently took that suggestion as gospel. Without so much as mumbling a goodbye, he turned and left.

Alana stood there, looking at the door, and trying to make sense of what’d just happened. Maybe, just maybe she was in the middle of a nightmare, and she would soon wake up to her son and her life. But the look in Jack’s eyes confirmed that this was her reality.

“No matter what Dr. Bartolo says, I’m not going with Sean,” Alana insisted.

Jack nodded, walked closer and caught her arm. It took Alana a moment to realize why he’d done that, and then she noticed she was shaking. Not just trembling. Actually shaking. He eased her into a sitting position on the bed and put his palm on her forehead.

“Is the fever back?” she asked. Part of her hoped it was because that would be an easy explanation, but she also needed to get well so she could stop whatever was about to happen to her.

“You’re not hot.”

She was punchy and ready to burst into tears. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy to hear a man say that to me.”

The corner of his mouth lifted, and it changed his face. He looked even better than he usually did. Her son probably saw a lot of those smiles, and it made her wonder what kind of father Jack had been.

“I haven’t thanked you,” she said. Best to keep talking because she was afraid if she stopped that she’d fall apart. “For saving my life. For taking in my son. If you
hadn’t, Sean would have let him become a ward of the court. God knows what would have happened to him.”

Jack just stared at her. “I don’t need your thanks for taking Joey.”

She’d jabbed at the wound again. She’d reminded him they were on opposite sides of a very important issue. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“I don’t want your apology, either.” He frowned. Cursed. Squeezed his eyes shut for a second and groaned. “Yeah, I’m taking shots at you only minutes after that tornado trio came barreling in through here and tried to tear you to pieces. But the truth is, I don’t want to feel anything for you, Alana. Especially concern.”

Concern. Well, at least he wasn’t feeling this crazy physical attraction. “I could use some concern. And some help. Jack, I’m scared, and I know I shouldn’t be admitting that to you. I should be trying to bluff you into thinking I’m strong enough to fight for custody.”

He looked at her. Alana expected him to continue to snap at her. After all, she was as much of a threat to him as he was to her. But he didn’t.

Jack reached out, put his fingers beneath her chin and lifted it. It wasn’t a hug, but it was as close to a comforting gesture as she could have hoped for.

“Careful. I have a virus, remember?” she whispered.

“Yeah, I remember. Just don’t breathe on me.”

Despite the grumbled warning, his touch was warm. Welcoming. And Alana didn’t back away. She sat there and took everything he was offering.

Until there was a sharp rap at the door.

“Yeah?” he called out, and moved his hand. He moved his feet, too, and walked away from her.

The deputy opened the door and stuck in his head. “Just got a call about that commitment order. Thought you’d want to know.”

Jack glanced at her, probably debating if this was news he wanted to hear in private.

“If this is about me, I have a right to hear it, too,” Alana reminded him.

Jack seemed to consider that and then gave his deputy the nod.

“I checked out the judge, Marvin Pierce. I doubt he signed anything. The guy’s been dead and buried for two years now.”

Alana’s heart began to race. Finally, there was some proof that she’d been railroaded, but that only created more questions.

“So, if he’s dead, who signed the order that imprisoned me?” she asked.

The deputy shook his head. “Don’t know that,
yet
. It could be a paperwork snafu of some kind. Maybe someone typed in the wrong judge’s name when the file was logged into the computer.”

That put a slight dent in the hope she’d just felt.

“Let me know as soon as you hear anything else,” Jack instructed.

Reyes assured him that he would, and he shut the door.

Alana let out the breath she’d been holding. And then she studied Jack’s expression. He didn’t look as surprised and vindicated as she felt. “You suspected it might be a suspicious signature on those commitment papers?”

“I considered it.” He paused and looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but there. “With all the other
things that have happened, it’d be foolish for me not to be skeptical. Your unexplained departure from the hospital eight months ago. The date-rape drug Dr. Bartolo found in your blood. The incident in the alley last night, and Ted’s strange way of trying to recapture you.”

She continued to study that intense expression. “You’re beginning to believe me.”

He shrugged. Then nodded. Then shook his head. “I don’t want to believe you, but I don’t see how all of this could be aboveboard. Something’s wrong. Still, that doesn’t mean it’s all wrong. The commitment papers could have been legal,” he added.

In some small way, he believed her. And that meant he might help her.

Alana pushed harder and decided to ask for what she wanted most from him. “I need to see my son, Jack.
Please
.”

She sat there, waiting, and it seemed like an eternity before he finally nodded. “I’ll let you see him. But there are some rules.”