He sighed and ran a hand over the unshaven stubble on his chin. "Yeah, I get that, but I happen to care more about you and the baby than the money."
The curtain rustled, and we glanced over to see Brian peeking in. He grinned sheepishly at both of us. "Sorry to interrupt. Can I come in for a second?"
"Sure," I said.
Mike rose from the chair and extended his hand to Brian. There'd been a time when he would have preferred to punch Brian in the jaw instead of shaking hands. He'd been jealous when Brian had tried to court me after my return to Colwestern. Even after Mike and I had gotten back together and professed our former high school love for each other, he was still wary of Brian for a while. The two would never be good friends, but at least they respected each other. With Brian's wedding coming up next month, it appeared that his torch for me had finally been extinguished.
Mike's voice shook slightly. "Thank you for coming to Sal's aid. I can't stand to think of her lying in the snow with no one to help her."
"But there was someone," I insisted. "I told you that Nick was there. He helped me out of the snow. I couldn't get up by myself. Then he disappeared."
Mike glanced from me to Brian and then back at me again. "Sal, are you sure you didn't hit your head on something?"
"Oh, for crying out loud," I said in annoyance. "Why doesn't anyone believe me? I know what I saw. Brian, I was standing when you found me, right? How would I have gotten up without any help?"
Brian had to think about this for a minute. "She's right, Mike. It would have been difficult because of her size—er, condition." His face turned a shade of crimson.
Mike sat back down and reached for my hand again. "Okay, princess. Whatever you say."
"Don't patronize me," I snapped, then shut my eyes and blew out a deep breath. "I'm sorry. I didn't to mean to snap at you."
Brian cleared his throat. "Uh, Sally, we found your car."
Finally, some good news. "That's wonderful! Is there any damage to it?"
"Forget the car. What about those losers who assaulted my wife?" Mike asked angrily.
"Unfortunately, there's been no sign of them," Brian said regretfully. "There was a break-in at the Jewelry Palace shortly after Sally's carjacking. The alarm was activated, and two Santa Clauses were caught on camera driving away in your car, Sally. They abandoned it on Jay Road, about a mile away. The good news is that your purse was still inside." He handed me my phone. "The purse is being held for evidence, but I did manage to get your cell. There was no activity or fingerprints found, and I knew you'd want it, so…"
What a relief. Brian had gone the extra mile for me. I hadn't expected to see my purse or the contents again, so that was a bonus. "Thank you so much."
"There was no money in your wallet," Brian said. "Did you have any on you at the time?"
"Only about twenty dollars." It was a small price to pay after everything that had happened.
Mike's nostrils flared. "Did they have another car stashed somewhere? How did they get away?"
Brian shrugged. "It's my guess that one of them might live nearby, or they had someone else helping them. By the way, if it's the same two Santas who held up a gas station the other night, this isn't their first felony. There was also a delicatessen in Colgate that was hit a few days ago."
"Why haven't you been able to catch these guys?" Mike asked in disbelief. "You said you saw them on camera."
A muscle ticked in Brian's jaw. "We did, but when a person is wearing a Santa suit, it's a little difficult to identify their faces. We're calling them the Jolly-less Santas."
"I have a few other choice names for them," Mike remarked.
The baby kicked, and I ran a hand over my belly. "You didn't answer my question. Was there any damage to my car?"
"The right front fender has a large dent in it," Brian replied, "and of course, the side window will need to be replaced, but other than that, it seems to be okay. We'll go over the vehicle for any clues or fingerprints, but you should be able to pick it up tomorrow. I'll give you a call when it's ready."
"Are you trying to say that this was just a random act? That my wife was in the wrong place at the wrong time?" Mike asked.
Sadly, that happened far too often to me.
Brian turned his head in my direction, and I guessed he might be thinking the same thing, though he was too polite to say it. "Yes, it sounds like it was bad luck on her part. We found a rusted-out Chevy parked in the dry cleaner's lot. Mr. Peacock said it wasn't there when he closed tonight. We think the Santas dumped it there for some reason and then decided to wait for their next victim—which turned out to be Sally."
"So, these two sick, twisted pieces of crap carjack a woman, hold a gun to her head, and then shove her into the snow, not giving a damn that she's about ready to give birth. What kind of animals are we dealing with here?" Mike asked angrily.
"Dangerous ones," Brian replied, his solemn gaze resting on mine. "Hopefully we find them before they do something even worse."
CHAPTER THREE
Although I was glad to be home in my own bed that night, I didn't sleep well. My lower back ached, and the baby kicked constantly. Plus, I couldn't stop thinking about those few minutes of sheer terror when I hadn't known if we'd live or die. I'd had a gun held to my head before—too many times to count actually—but this had been different. Before, it had only been me. I hadn't been carrying a precious, innocent life inside me, a baby that I wanted more than anything in this world. The thought that my child might have been taken away was too awful to comprehend.
Mike and I had been married for about two and a half years, but I'd wanted a baby long before that. It had always been my dream to be a mother. After Mike and I had broken up at our senior prom, I'd immediately gone on the rebound with fellow classmate Colin Brown. We'd dated for five years and then stayed married for another five before I'd caught him cheating on me. Colin had told me from the beginning that he didn't want kids, but I'd been confident that he'd change his mind. I had been wrong, but that didn't matter anymore. Soon I would have everything that I'd always longed for.
Mike was in the shower, so I went into the kitchen to make him coffee and fix a half caff for myself. I stared idly out the window over the sink into our small fenced-in backyard. Spike, our 14-year-old shih tzu, was outside doing his morning business. It was below freezing, so he didn't waste any time hurrying back in through the doggie door. A light snow was falling, and the small deck out back that Mike had added last summer was already covered with a dusting of white flakes. Having lived in the Buffalo region for most of my life, I was used to the weather, but I still disliked driving in slippery conditions. Today wouldn't be a problem. I had promised to take it easy, and there was no car at my disposal anyway.
I desperately wanted a real cup of coffee but was limiting myself to two half caffs a day. The thought of decaffeinated coffee had never made any sense to me. Why even bother to drink it?
As I stirred a healthy dose of creamer into my coffee, Mike wrapped his strong arms around me from behind. He kissed me on the neck, and I giggled, then turned around to let his mouth settle over mine. He looked incredibly sexy in a dark blue flannel shirt, jeans, and steel toe work boots. He placed a hand on my stomach and smiled when the baby moved. "You didn't sleep at all, did you?"
"Some," I lied.
Mike ran a finger down the side of my cheek. "Are you sure you're okay? Do you want me to stay home?"
"No. You have a deadline for that job. When you finish, you're stuck at home with me and the baby. At least for a week or so."
His blue eyes turned tender with emotion. "There's nothing I want more, Sal." He kissed me again and then grabbed the travel mug of coffee on the counter. "Call me as soon as you hear from Brian, and I'll take you down to the station to get your car and purse."
With a sigh, I rested my head against his broad chest for a few seconds. Mike smelled wonderful—of that spicy scented cologne I adored. It was marvelous to have a quiet moment w
ith his strong arms around me. He always made me feel so safe and loved, and I especially needed that today. My mind traveled back to last night, but I didn't want to worry him, so I forced a smile to my lips. "Gianna said she'd take me over, so there's nothing for you to worry about."
To my surprise, his eyes clouded over. "Of course I'm going to worry. When I think about what could have happened to you and our baby last night—" His voice choked up, and he held me tightly against him, his head resting on top of mine.
A tear rolled down my cheek before I could stop it. "It's all over, sweetheart. We're both fine. Nothing is going to happen to either one of us." A niggle of doubt crept into my mind, and for some strange reason, I remembered the fortune cookie from yesterday. Santa Claus is coming. What were the chances—No. I wasn't going to start that again. It was purely a coincidence. The fortune cookies could not predict the future.
Mike kissed me again. "I'll check in with you a little later. Promise you'll call me right away if you start having contractions."
"I will. Love you."
"Love you too, princess. Now put your feet up and relax today."
After he'd left, I wandered into the baby's room. It was my new favorite place in our house. The room radiated with love and filled me with a sense of peace. With a broad smile, I ran my hands over the rail of the handsome oak crib Mike had made for our baby, along with the matching dresser and changing table. Despite all the jobs he constantly had lined up at his construction business, he'd found several hours to create these beautiful pieces for our child. A true labor of love. I hadn't asked Mike to do it. He had simply told me that he wanted to.
A huge lump settled in my throat, and I desperately tried to shake off the doom and gloom feeling. The baby would be here soon, and I needed to take control of my life and be thankful instead of worried.
I went into the bathroom to take a shower and then dressed in stretchy maternity jeans and a patterned black and white blouse. I studied myself critically in the mirror and cringed inwardly when I thought about the fitting for Gianna's wedding. My sister had no idea how I was dreading her special day. I was thrilled that she was marrying Johnny, who worshipped the ground she walked on. It didn't seem right to be so self-conscious about my size, but my dress was now officially the size of a tent.
I was in the process of finishing my second English muffin, and fully engrossed in The Price is Right, when my phone buzzed. Brian's name popped up, and I pressed Accept Call. "Hey, what's up?"
"Your car is ready to go," Brian said. "I had it brought back to the station for you. And your insurance company already had a glass company out to fix the window, so feel free to pick it up whenever you want."
"Thanks. That was really nice of you."
"It's not a big deal. I'm glad you and the baby are all right, Sally." He paused. "I was really worried when you passed out last night."
An awkward silence fell between us. No, I must be imagining things. Brian was finally over me. After all, he and Ally Tetrault were getting married soon. Ally was a nurse at Colwestern Hospital, and she'd also been a former schoolmate of mine. Earlier this year, Brian had confessed that he was still in love with me and had contemplated leaving town because of it. I was glad he'd decided to stay and only wished that he and Ally had already made it official.
"Let me call Gianna. She's scheduled off work today and said she'd bring me down."
"Okay. See you soon."
I pressed the button for my sister's number and was met with the sound of a screaming baby when she answered. "Alex is teething," she shouted into the phone after I'd voiced my request. "But I'll be right over. Johnny's here, so he'll stay with him." Johnny was a history teacher and had taken a job teaching college classes at night while Gianna worked as a public defender during the day.
"Are you sure? I can call—"
Another high-pitched wail sounded in response, and I cringed. My nephew had a great set of lungs on him.
"No, it's fine. I need to get out of here. I'll be over in about 15 minutes." The phone clattered as if she'd dropped it, and after another scream, she disconnected.
Yikes. Up until now I'd been convinced that I could handle teething, breastfeeding, and anything else my little darling might throw at me. I'd read every Dr. Spock book that was out there. So why did I feel my confidence dwindling after hearing what Gianna was going through?
My phone buzzed again, and my parents' landline number popped up. "Hello?"
"Hi, sweetheart." My mother gave a low giggle on the other end. "How are you feeling today?"
"My back's a little sore, but other than that, fine," I lied.
She cleared her throat. "Good. Why don't you and Mike come for dinner tonight? Grandma is making lasagna. And cheesecake."
Her last word sealed the deal for me. As far as I was concerned, nothing tasted better than my grandmother's ricotta cheesecake. "Okay, I'll check with him, but I'm sure it will be fine."
"Wonderful." She sounded pleased with herself. "It will give Daddy a chance to talk to you about his new idea."
Uh-oh. This didn't sound promising. Unfortunately, my father was full of ideas these days. Domenic Muccio had recently written a book based on his successful blog. The blog was about death, of all things. Dad was obsessed with it in all shapes and forms. Ever since he'd retired from his railroad job, he'd grown a bit weirder each year. My father had gone from keeping a coffin in the living room to driving a hearse to referring to himself as Father Death. Still, every wacky scheme seemed to make him a little more money, and for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how. Maybe I should start taking notes.
"Okay," I said carefully. "What kind of idea this time?"
She giggled again. "Nope. He wants to tell you himself. We'll fill everyone in tonight. I swear, the man is a genius. Come over about six thirty. Now you rest up and don't overdo it. If the baby decides to come before dinner, tell him or her that it's perfectly fine. We'll understand."
Good grief. I rolled my eyes at the ceiling. "Sure. I'll pass the information along."
I was ready in my full-length down coat and fur-lined boots when Gianna drove up five minutes later. It was difficult to get shoes on these days since I couldn't see my feet, but I'd managed.
As soon as I locked the door and stepped foot onto the porch, she came rushing from the car. She took me by the arm and led me down the steps. "Easy, Sal. I've got you."
"Gi, I can walk by myself," I protested.
Her large eyes regarded me solemnly as she guided me into the passenger seat. "I know, but it's icy out, and after everything that happened, you need to be careful."
Okay, this baby needed to come soon. I was starting to suffocate from everyone treating me like an invalid. I pulled the seat belt across my stomach, but it jerked back. I tried again. No luck. Gianna got into her seat and helped me. "It must have reached its maximum length." I sighed.
Gianna backed the car out of my driveway. "Look, we're all worried about you, Sal. I mean, I've never heard of a nine-month pregnant woman getting carjacked before. It could only happen to you."
Boy, was that the truth. I changed the subject. "What are you doing home today?"
"The baby has to go for shots later this afternoon, and Johnny hates taking him to the doctor by himself, so I took the day off." She rubbed her eyes when we stopped for a red light. She was pale and looked tired. Gianna had gained over 60 pounds when she'd had Alex, but in the nine months that followed, she'd lost it all and then some. My sister attributed most of it to breastfeeding, but I knew the truth. She never had a free moment to herself these days between her job and caring for the baby. I'd never had doubts before, but watching her struggle made me wonder how I would handle everything.
As if reading my mind, she glanced sideways at me and cleared her throat. "Have you figured out how you're still going to work full time and take care of the baby after maternity leave?"
"I'm only planning to take a month off. Then I'll bring the baby to work with me
. He or she can sleep in the apartment upstairs."
"Sal," Gianna protested. "Be realistic. They're both full-time jobs. Keep Dodie on part time and hire a babysitter. Johnny said he'd take the baby one day a week if you want."
"I appreciate him offering, but this is my baby, and I want to be the one to take care of it."
Gianna smiled sympathetically. "I understand, but trust me, you're going to change your mind in a hurry when he or she gets here. There's no harm in letting someone help you. I hate to admit it, but Johnny's better at the whole parenting thing than me." She hesitated. "Can I tell you something in confidence?"
"You know that you can."
She blew out a breath and made a left-hand turn. "Don't get me wrong. I love Alex more than anything, but I don't want to be home with him all day every day. Does that make me a bad mother?"
"Of course not," I assured her. "Everyone is different. I'd love to stay home with my baby all day every day. It would be wonderful if Mike could be with the baby too, like Johnny is with Alex, but that's not an option for us." I sighed. "You'd think I'd have planned this better. I've had nine months to figure it all out."
Gianna pulled the car into an empty space on the side of the police station's gray brick building. "No worries. You'll straighten everything out, love."
As I struggled out of the vehicle, I noticed my car sitting a few parking spaces away. The sight of it made me smile. Gianna was waiting at the front door, holding it open for me. We were about to ask at the front counter for Brian, when he came out of a nearby office and spotted us.
"Hi, Sally. Hi, Gianna."
I turned to my sister. "You don't have to stay. I'll be fine."
She ignored my request and drummed her fingernails loudly on the counter as Brian presented me with my car keys. Gianna leaned over my shoulder as I signed a form stating I'd received my vehicle.
"Every inch of that car was gone over, right? And nothing was found that pertained to the Santas?" Gianna asked.
Ginger Snapped to Death Page 3