Jamie’s eyebrows shot up. “Okay, well, hypothetically speaking, how do you plan on helping?”
I’d thought about this during my sleepless hours. “Whoever left Sweet Pea obviously knows me. He or she called me Ms. Holly and chose me for a reason.”
Jamie shifted to face me better. She knew me all too well. Knew about my penchant for helping people. My soft spot for the hurting. My drive to find answers. Those traits may have gotten me in trouble more than once. And, more than once, Jamie may have been along for the ride.
“So what are you thinking?” she asked. “After all, this could be your story of finding Moses on the River Nile. It could all be a part of a plan.”
I cleared my throat, reminding myself that this was all temporary. “After I get dressed, feed Sweet Pea, and get him ready, I’m going to head down to the youth center. I’m going to see if anyone there knows someone who had a baby in the past six months. I figured that was a good place to start.”
She gave an affirmative nod. “I’ll go with you.”
“Thanks, Jamie.” I knew I could always count on my BFF. Especially in matters of nosiness. She was a reporter, after all, and she loved investigating almost as much—if not more—than I did.
She raised her eyebrows, a sly smile on her face. “You know I wouldn’t miss this kind of adventure for anything.”
“You’re sure you’ve got this?” I asked.
My mother gave me a pointed look as she rocked back and forth with Sweet Pea in her arms. “I raised three children. I think I’ll be okay.”
My mother had agreed to take care of Sweet Pea for me while I ran to the youth center. I already felt like I was leaving a little part of my heart behind. I wanted to bring the baby with me, but I knew that it was a better idea if I left him with my mom instead of exposing him to this cold weather.
Though the note left with him had warned, “Don’t trust anyone,” certainly that hadn’t included my mother . . . right? I mean, she was my mom, and she was as trustworthy as they came. She was “Mom of the Year” material in every way.
I really didn’t know exactly what that note meant, and that fact was one of many that had left me feeling unsettled.
I gave her one last glance of concern before stepping toward the front door. “Okay, I’ll be back soon. Call me if you need anything.”
“Yes, dear.” Her tone was riddled with amusement.
I stepped outside to meet Jamie. I felt more put together after showering, fixing my hair, and adding some makeup—makeup that didn’t quite cover up the circles under my eyes. Maybe I should consider them a badge of honor, however. I’d donned an olive-green dress, knee-high black boots, and my favorite wool coat. Chase would tell me this wasn’t practical for the weather, but I was in love with dresses—especially the flattering kind that were popular in the fifties. I was seriously born in the wrong generation.
Jamie put away her cell phone as I approached her on the sidewalk. “I’m trying to get an interview for a story on an art show in a couple of weeks. You’d think they’d want the extra publicity, but I’d have an easier time getting up with POTUS.” She shook her head.
My gaze traveled to a dark sedan that drove past.
A lot of cars drove past my house, which was located on a relatively busy street. I wasn’t sure why this one caught my eye. Maybe it was because it had cruised past slowly and the windows were tinted.
“That car went past a few minutes ago,” Jamie muttered.
That was when it hit me. “You know what? Chase said he was going to have someone from the force patrol by the house every so often. It’s probably an unmarked police car.”
“Good point. That would explain it. No need to read too much into things, right?”
“Right. Contrary to popular belief as of late, danger does not lurk around every corner.”
Jamie and I got to the youth center just before lunchtime. It was located in Price Hill, and I usually volunteered there a few times a week. Price Hill had once been a sought-after area of town, but it was now battered and old. The rich had moved out, and a lot of poor had moved in. I still thought it was charming, though. Certain places had unmatchable views of downtown Cincinnati.
The youth center was located in an old strip of shops right along the main street that cut through town. At one time it had been a restaurant, but it had been converted into several rooms including a kitchen, some offices, and a lounge area. Most of the place’s regulars were in school right now, but I mostly wanted to speak with Abraham Willis, the center’s director.
Abraham was a good guy who sacrificed a lot in terms of material comforts in order to live out his calling in life. He worked tirelessly here for relatively no pay, even taking on a second job in order to make ends meet. Whenever I could, I liked to do nice things for him and his wife, Hannah, and his son, Levi . . . things like anonymously giving him gift cards to restaurants and movie theaters—things they couldn’t afford otherwise.
Abraham was in his thirties with a protruding midsection and dark hair. When I knocked at his door, I spotted him poring over some paperwork. He did a double take when he saw me. “Holly . . . I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.”
“I’m hoping you can help me with something.” I sat down across from him while Jamie lingered in the doorway, texting someone about her work.
I went through the details with Abraham and then showed him a picture of Sweet Pea that I’d taken on my phone. “Six months old. Caucasian. Healthy. Any idea whom he might be?”
He took my phone and studied the picture before shaking his head. “I wish I could help you, Holly. I really do. But I can’t think of anyone who fits this description. The only person I can remember who’s had a baby within the past seven or eight months is Tasha—but she’s Hispanic. This baby is blond-haired and blue-eyed.”
I nodded, halfway disappointed but, at the same time, not surprised. “That’s what I thought.”
“If you want, I can ask around when everyone shows up after school. Maybe it’s a friend of a friend.”
“I’d appreciate that, but I really need you to keep the details on the down-low. Please don’t let any of them know I’m taking care of the baby—not until we know what’s going on.”
“Of course.”
“Thank you. There are just so many questions and uncertainties right now. Until I know more of this story, I have to remain cautious.” I stood. “All of that said, I’m not sure I’ll be making it in this week.”
“That’s understandable. I know the kids will miss you, but having a baby is a big adjustment. Take all the time you need. I’ll be praying for you.”
“I appreciate that.”
Jamie and I stepped outside, and I checked the time. I still had an hour and a half until the time I told my mom I would return to help her. Part of me wanted to rush home and check on Sweet Pea, but I knew I had to use this time wisely. He was in good hands with my mom—and an officer was patrolling the area.
“What now?” Jamie climbed into the passenger seat of my powder-blue 64 and a half Mustang.
I cranked the engine, and Frank Sinatra crooned through the speakers about being on the sunny side of the street. “I want to swing by the Children’s Services office and see if Doris has discovered anything. Some conversations are best had face-to-face.”
“Let’s go then.”
Chapter 4
Jamie and I arrived back at my house just when I’d told my mother I would. We’d discovered no leads at the Children’s Services office. In fact, Doris looked just as perplexed as I felt. On top of being stressed, everyone in the office was also overworked with too many caseloads, too many tragedies, and not enough success stories. I knew because I’d been there and done that for six years.
Sometimes I missed the job. It was demanding and heartbreaking. But it was also rewarding and challenging and difference-making.
When we’d left Children’s Services, Chase had called and said the police had no leads so far either, but they were
investigating several possibilities. They had tried to get prints off the note that was left, but nothing had popped up in their system. That was good because it meant Sweet Pea’s mother didn’t have a criminal history but bad because it offered no clues.
I knew Chase had also canvased the neighborhood to see if any neighbors had seen anything. Apparently, no one had.
Next on their list was to check video footage from the area. There was a drugstore and gas station not far away. Cameras there could have picked up something.
I knew the reality was that finding answers would prove difficult. Our best hope was that a childcare provider would call to report an unexplained absence. However, today was Monday, and it could take two or three days before someone got suspicious about not seeing Sweet Pea or his mother.
So, it looked like Baby Doe would remain Baby Doe for a while longer.
“I just put him down.” Mom met Jamie and me at the door, drying her hands with a paper towel. She had an odd glow to her cheeks as she ushered us out of the cold. “I gave him a bottle, changed his diaper, and he went right to sleep.”
“No problems?” I took a deep breath—the scent of orange, vanilla, and rosemary comforting to me. There truly was no place like home. The familiar scents always calmed me.
My mom shook her head. “No problems at all. He’s a baby doll. I can’t wait to be a grandma. I hope your sister will get on the ball. I’m ready for it.”
Something about her words caused a strange hollowness to form in my gut, but I wasn’t sure why. One thing I did know was that my mom had loved being a mom and that she was going to be a fantastic grandmother one day.
She glanced at her gold watch. “Now, I do need to run. I have that scholarship committee meeting. Will you two be okay?”
I nodded as I placed my purse on the foyer table. “We’ll be fine.”
“I’ll keep her in line, Ms. Paladin,” Jamie said.
My mom raised her eyebrows. “I sometimes wonder which of you keeps the other in line. It’s one of the great mysteries of life.”
Neither Jamie nor I denied it. We were both equal-opportunity offenders when it came to finding trouble lately.
Mom pulled on her coat. “I’m just a phone call away if you need me.”
After she left, I asked Jamie to give me a moment and then I sneaked upstairs to peek into my room. It was dark with the shades drawn. I crept over to the Pack ’n Play and peered inside. I had to see for myself that Sweet Pea was okay.
My heart rate calmed when I saw the sweet baby sleeping like a tiny angel. This little guy was so precious. I wanted desperately to do right by him in the brief time he would be under my care.
As his lips made a little suckling motion, I placed a hand on his belly and closed my eyes. “Dear Lord, watch over this boy. Keep him safe. Protect his mom. Give me wisdom.”
I kissed my finger and then touched his forehead before quietly creeping out of the room. I made a mental note that I needed to clear out the guest bedroom and make it more kid-friendly in order to be in compliance with foster care rules. It should be easy enough to do—remove knickknacks, make room for the Pack ’n Play and a changing table. I’d try to do that tomorrow.
As I rushed down the stairs, I spotted Jamie in the living room at the front of the house. She’d pushed aside one of the heavy, designer drapes covering the window and peered outside with a frown.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Nothing, I guess. You’ll be glad to know I saw the unmarked police sedan again. It looks like the police are keeping a good eye on this place.”
“That’s always good to know. You can never have too many people looking out for you.”
She dropped the curtain and crossed her arms. “What now? I know you well enough to know you’re not ready to let this drop.”
I let out a long breath. The question had been simmering in the back of my mind since we left Children’s Services. “I don’t know where we go from here. We have no good leads, at this point. If my connection with Sweet Pea’s mom wasn’t through the youth center or Children’s Services, then where?”
She tapped her lip in thought. “There was nothing left with him?”
“A couple of blankets, a car seat carrier, some diapers, and a note. I’ve looked through them, but I didn’t see anything of record.”
“May I?”
“Sure thing.” I led her through the house to the living room, where I’d deposited most of the items. The police had taken the carrier, the note, and the blankets, but left the rest.
Jamie examined the clothes we’d found him in.
Nothing.
She examined the pacifier.
Nothing.
She picked up the diapers and started to put them back down when she paused. She opened each one. “One time, I couldn’t find my driver’s license. I’d stuck it back in my purse, but it got caught in one of the twins’ diapers. Before I realized it, I’d already gone down to DMV to order a new one.”
Just as she said that, a piece of paper fluttered out.
I plucked it up. “It looks like part of a business card. It’s torn, but the second part says ‘—da’s Fitness.’ Ring any bells?”
“Not even a broken one.”
“It can’t hurt to do a little Internet search. It’s amazing the things that can pop up.”
I grabbed my electronic tablet from the kitchen hutch and entered the words into the search engine, along with Cincinnati, Ohio.
Nothing came up.
I extended my search to Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky and finally got a hit.
“There’s a Rhonda’s Fitness in Kentucky—just on the other side of the Ohio River,” I said. “It’s close enough that it could be a lead. Plus, the last three digits of the phone number match.”
“I say we try it.”
“Sounds good—but after Sweet Pea wakes up.”
Sweet Pea slept another thirty minutes. While he slept, I’d returned some more emails, double-checked all of the safety requirements in preparation for my home inspection this week, and took phone calls from both Alex and Ralph.
When the baby woke up, I changed him before bundling him up, and then we set out.
A touch of nerves hit me as I loaded Sweet Pea into the back of my Mustang. Something about driving with a baby in my back seat added a whole ’nother level of stress to my travel. It wasn’t like I hadn’t done it before. I’d driven kids back and forth numerous times during custody disputes and foster family placements.
This time felt different somehow.
Jamie sat in the back with Sweet Pea, talking to him as I drove into Kentucky. She told him how much he’d love watching Elmo one day, explained why he should look forward to sunny park days and swinging contests, and warned of the dangers of ever eating sugar—one of her personal crusades.
I smiled as I listened. I was so glad God had brought Jamie into my life while we were in college. To say we were thicker than thieves would be an understatement. We’d gotten each other through some of our toughest moments.
Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the parking lot of Rhonda’s Fitness. On the outside, it appeared to be a privately owned gym that had opened in an old department store. Despite that, the place looked neat and tidy—on the outside, at least.
I popped Sweet Pea’s seat into a stroller and pushed it toward the entrance. He looked up at me, and his lips curled.
Jamie peered over my shoulder. “He’s got a great smile.”
“Doesn’t he?” I rubbed his tummy and, as I did, his tiny fingers curled around mine. My heart tumbled into a pit of warm and gooey endorphins.
The feeling was short-lived as a chilly breeze swept through and reminded me that I needed to get him out of the cold. I tugged his blanket up higher and hurried carefully through the parking lot.
Inside, the musty scent of sweat and body odor was a welcome change from the bristly cold outside. In the distance, cardio equipment and free weights were arra
nged in neat lines. TVs were strung in various places overhead. Behind us was a smoothie bar and a rock wall.
It was a fitness lover’s dream world.
Based on the impatient look the woman at the reception desk gave me, she fully realized that Jamie and I weren’t here to get a gym membership. Maybe my dress gave it away. Or was it the stroller?
The phone was shoved beneath her ear, and she tapped her keyboard, an air of desperation around her. Tapping was too nice of a word. She was practically assaulting it. “I don’t think you understand. Tomorrow’s too late. I need this fixed now!”
She muttered something else into the phone before hanging up and plastering on an annoyed smile. “Can I help you?”
The woman looked just as I would expect a gym employee to look: trim, healthy, and vibrant. She had glossy brown hair that was pulled back in a neat ponytail, and her skintight tank top showed off brilliantly sculpted biceps.
I loosened my scarf and told myself I needed to start exercising more. “I hope so. We’re actually trying to track down a woman who belongs to this gym. But because of some unfortunate circumstances, we don’t have her name.”
The woman blinked at us, and the look on her face hinted that she might call security. Cover stories really weren’t my thing—probably because they were awfully close to lying. Okay, they did involve lying, and lying was something I didn’t condone.
She swirled some liquid in her grass-green water bottle before popping the top open. “Okay . . . I’m not sure what I can do to help. What does she look like?”
Jamie and I glanced at each other. We really should rehearse stuff like this more.
“We’re not really sure,” I said.
She took a long sip, and that was when I realized the bottle wasn’t green, but her drink was. She and Jamie should get along just fine because Jamie loved to drink her meals almost as much as she liked to put apple cider vinegar in her water.
“Then what can you tell me?” The woman wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, which surprisingly didn’t look repulsive.
“She has a six-month-old baby boy,” I started.
Random Acts of Greed: Holly Anna Paladin Mysteries, Book 4 Page 3