Protecting Their Baby

by Sheri WhiteFeather

  “We’ll be looking for witnesses,” Bell assured her.

  She glanced at Rex. By now, he was jotting down license plate numbers of other parked cars.

  Bell followed the line of her sight. “Your friend is going to conduct his own investigation. But he’ll be sharing information with us, too.”

  It seemed odd to hear the father of her child being referred to as a friend. But it was as good a description as any. “He offered to protect me.”

  “Then maybe you should let him.”

  A short time later, she and Rex were dismissed, and they returned to his office, leaving her vehicle for the police to finish examining.

  Once they were inside the Sixkiller Investigations building, Rex said, “I want you to come home with me.”

  Déjà vu, she thought. She’d heard those words from him once before. But this time she assumed it was because he wanted to talk about the case.

  “If you’re not up for the drive, you can ride with me,” he said. “After your car is released, I can arrange to have it brought to my place.”

  “I can drive.” She needed to prove that she had inner strength, no matter how frightened or exhausted she was. “But first, there’s something I need to know.” She looked into his eyes, trying not to be become fixated on them again. “What’s a Warrior Society?”

  He held her gaze. “In my case, it’s an intertribal group of former military men who defend American Indian rights.”

  “So, it’s an activist organization?”

  “Yes.”

  She should have known that Rex wasn’t a passive man, that his Native roots defined him. Instinctively, she touched her tummy. Her baby was going to be part…

  Part what? She didn’t even know what tribe Rex was from. Up until now, she hadn’t considered the cultural differences between them.

  She questioned him again. “Why did Detective Bell make that comment about women being threatened?”

  “Because he worked on a Warrior Society–related case that involved a stalking. But it’s unlikely this situation is related to my activism. I only found out about the baby today. It’s doubtful that someone associated with me would have known that you were pregnant.”

  “Maybe they saw us in the bar. Maybe they’ve been following me ever since.”

  “Hoping we would reconnect? I haven’t seen you since that night. We haven’t even talked on the phone. Tailing you to get to me wouldn’t have made much sense.”

  “So you think that whoever did this is associated with me?”

  “Yes, but I’m going to investigate every angle. I won’t rule out a Society connection, not until I know for sure.”

  Lisa didn’t know what to think, if the baby was being threatened because of her or because of its father.

  Either way, she agreed to go with him. Because going home alone didn’t seem like a very good option.

  Chapter 2

  After the police released Lisa’s car, she followed Rex to his house, and the entire time she was in traffic, the knifed doll loomed in her mind. She’d never been so grateful when his complex came into view.

  He offered her a seat on his leather sofa. The condo was decorated in dark woods and masculine fabrics. Laminate floors, textured walls and floor-to-ceiling windows provided contemporary ambience. The balcony in his bedroom overlooked the pool. She remembered the view.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “A little.” She knew that she needed to eat.

  “Is Chinese okay? I can have it delivered.”

  “That’s fine.”

  He rummaged through a kitchen drawer and retrieved a take-out menu. She chose an entrée and handed it back to him.

  While he ordered the food, she noticed the magazines on his coffee table, which ranged from sports publications to men’s entertainment—the kind with centerfolds.

  But what did she expect from a free-wheeling bachelor?

  “Do you have a theory about all of this?” she asked.

  He sat beside her. “All of this?” He made a grim expression. “You mean, the threat? I think the perpetrator is angry at you for getting pregnant.”

  “Do you think he or she is trying to scare me into having an abortion?”

  “Probably.”

  There was no way she was going to terminate her pregnancy. “And if I don’t? Then what? Will this person—this perpetrator—try to make me miscarry? Or attempt to kill the baby after it’s born?”

  He put his hand on her knee. “I won’t let it go that far.”

  Lisa hoped he was able to live up to his claim. She wanted to feel safe, but at the moment, she was still scared. At least Detective Bell seemed to think that Rex was capable of the job. That gave her a measure of comfort.

  He frowned. “You still look pale. Do you need to lie down before the food comes?”

  On the sofa? Or in a guest room? Surely not in his room. Last time when she’d awakened beside him, naked as the day she was born, she’d turned shy. She remembered tugging at the sheet and struggling for something to say.

  “Lisa?” he pressed, reminding her that she hadn’t answered his question. He even squeezed her knee.

  “I don’t need to lie down.”

  “You sure?”

  “Yes.” Disturbed by her memories, her muscles tensed.

  He was astute enough to quit touching her. He removed his hand from her leg. He paused before he said, “I’d like to interview you. But it can wait until after we eat.”

  “That’s fine.” She suspected that he would be repeating Detective Bell’s questions, along with a vast number of his own. She had no idea how personal the interview would get, but she prepared herself for the worst.

  Not that she had anything to hide. She lived in a cozy old house, enjoyed the chaos that came with running a dance studio and spent Sundays with her family.

  Not exactly the kind of life that lent itself to deranged threats.

  Their meals were delivered, and he shoved the magazines aside, toppling a few of them. He put napkins, plastic forks, wooden chopsticks and soy sauce packets on the coffee table, along with the take-out containers.

  “Do you want a soda?” he asked. “Or some milk?”

  “I’ll take a soda.”

  “Wouldn’t milk be better for you?”

  “Probably, but it sounds icky with Chinese food.”

  “How about herbal tea instead? That works with chow mein.”

  She couldn’t help but smile. He was being an attentive host. “You don’t seem like the herbal tea type.”

  He smiled, too. “I have my moments.”

  He certainly did. He got up to brew the tea, and her heart went haywire, kind of like when she’d seen him across the room at the bar.

  When he returned with two cups of orange pekoe and a plastic squeeze-bottle of honey, she’d already picked at a portion of her food. He sat on the floor and ate his with chopsticks, which made him seem like a trendy L.A. guy. She wondered if he’d grown up in the city. With Rex, it was difficult to tell.

  They finished their lunch in silence. Grateful for the tea, she asked for a second cup. He still had water leftover on the stove, so he poured it for her. She sipped the mild brew, letting it warm her insides. The interview was about to begin.

  “How many people know about the baby?” he asked.

  “A lot,” she admitted. “I told my family and closest friends. The other instructors at my studio know, too, as well as some of the parents and older students. We teach kids and adults.” She placed her cup on a napkin. Rex hadn’t provided a coaster. “I fainted a few times at work, and that got the gossip mill going. I figured there was no point in denying it.” She made a gesture with her hands, creating a pregnant belly. “Eventually I’m going to show.”

  “How many of them know that a man named Sixkiller is the father?”

  “By now? Probably all of them. Why?” She thought about the brown-haired, brown-eyed doll. It certainly looked more like Rex than herself. �
��Do you think this is racially motivated?”

  “It’s something to consider, especially since the threat was made while you were in my company, and the doll seemed to favor my genetics.”

  So he’d noticed, too. Well, of course, he did, she thought. He noticed everything.

  He continued. “But I’m not ruling out other scenarios.” He handed her a pen and paper. “I’m going to need a list of your family, friends, students, employees, everyone who knows about the baby.”

  She got offended. “My friends or family would never do this. It has to be a stranger.”

  “They can’t be too much of a stranger if they know that you’re pregnant and I’m the father.”

  Troubled by his logic, she wrote down the names he’d requested, which was a major feat, considering how long the list was. Still, she refused to believe that someone she cared about was out to hurt her. There had to be another explanation.

  “Do you have a big family?” he asked.

  “Aside from my parents, I have one set of grandparents, some aunts, uncles and cousins.”

  “Be sure to include them.”

  “I am.” But none of them would ever knife a doll. “We have dinner together every Sunday.”

  “You’ll have to invite me to the next gathering. I assume they’re curious about me.”

  “You assume right.” But inviting him to dinner so he could analyze everyone didn’t sit well.

  He took the completed list. “How does your family feel about the baby?”

  “My parents are thrilled about becoming grandparents. Everyone else has been supportive, too.”

  “They’re not concerned or ashamed about you being an unwed mother?”

  “Concerned, yes. Ashamed, no. My family isn’t judgmental. Well, maybe my great-aunt Annabelle is, but she’s almost ninety years old.”

  “I’m still going to check her out.”

  “Go ahead.” Annabelle could barely get out of her wheelchair, let alone terrorize her pregnant niece.

  Rex continued the interview. “Is there anyone who tried to talk you out of having the baby?”

  “No.”

  “What about your girlfriends who were at the bar?”

  “They offered to have a baby shower for me when the time comes.”

  He changed tactics. “Tell me about your old lovers. Former boyfriends, short-lived affairs and other one-night stands.”

  She took a deep breath. “I’ve had two serious boyfriends, and no quickie affairs. As for one-nighters, you’re it.”

  “So, you’ve only been with three men, including me?”

  “Yes.” Did he consider that unusual for a single woman her age? She wondered how many women he’d been with, but this didn’t seem like the time to ask. He was already forming another question for her to answer.

  “Did your old boyfriends ever get aggressive with you? Or were they overly possessive during or after your relationship?”

  “No. I was with Jamie during high school, but it fizzled out during our college years. The last I heard, he’s married with children of his own now.”

  “And the other boyfriend?”

  “Kirk? We dated for two years, but when we moved in together, we realized that we’d made a mistake. It never got bitter, though. We decided that we were better off as friends.”

  “How friendly are you?”

  “Lunch now and then.”

  “Does he know about the baby?”

  She nodded. “But I can’t imagine him—”

  Rex cut her off. “Write his full name down. Jamie, too. I’m not leaving any stones unturned.”

  “Are you going to do the same thing with everyone you know? Are you going to investigate your family and friends? Your old lovers?”

  “I already told you that I was going to investigate every angle.”

  But would he be as thorough blaming his side as he would be blaming hers?

  “I think you should stay with me until this is over,” he said, catching her off guard. “That’s what Daniel did when Allie was being stalked.”

  Although she was curious about the other couple, she didn’t want to mimic them. “I can’t stay with you.”

  “Why not?”

  Yes, her mind asked—why not? He was obviously trying to make good on his promise to protect her.

  “Maybe you could stay with me instead.” Her home, her pregnant-lady turf, a situation she could control. Or so she hoped.

  “I guess I could. I guess it doesn’t make a difference which of us goes where.”

  It mattered to her, and by the time he got to her house, she suspected it would be an issue for him, too.

  She couldn’t imagine him fitting into her world any more than she could envision fitting into his.

  Nonetheless, they agreed to live together, but only until the perpetrator was caught.

  Rex carried his bags into Lisa’s cottage-style house and got the urge to run. Clean yet cramped, the decor was decidedly feminine. Already he was drowning in floral prints, lace curtains and painted woods. He wished he’d insisted that she stay with him.

  “You don’t like what I did with it,” she said.

  Good call, he thought. Regardless, he tried for polite. “It’s fine. It’s nice. Just point me in the direction of my room.”

  She led the way instead. He checked her out from behind, then asked himself what the hell he was doing. He’d already planted a life in her womb. He didn’t need to create more trouble.

  The guest room was small, painted in pastel colors, with a single window that overlooked a thriving vegetable garden.

  “Do you rent or own?” he asked.

  “I’m a homeowner.” A fact of which she seemed proud.

  Rex understood. He owned his place, too, and living in Southern California didn’t come cheap. They worked hard for what they had.

  She gestured to the tight surroundings. “Eventually this is going to be the nursery.”

  “I’ll be sleeping in the baby’s room?” He could picture it with a crib and whatnot. The pastel theme would work, too. For a while, anyway. He couldn’t imagine a boy standing it for very long.

  “Yes, the baby’s room.” She said it softly.

  A moment later, she informed him that her house had been built in the 1940s. He wondered how that was relevant, until she said, “It only has one bathroom.”

  One head? His place had two full baths, but his condo was only a few years old. “How’s the plumbing?”

  “It’s fine. Unless you flush the toilet while someone is in the shower. But we won’t be doing that.”

  “I take long showers.”

  “In the morning or evening?”

  “Morning.”

  “Then we shouldn’t have a problem sharing. I bathe at night.”

  “With bubble bath and scented candles, I’ll bet.” He suspected that she had fancy bottles everywhere.

  “Soaking in the tub relaxes me.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s actually kind of sexy.”

  “Oh.” Lisa angled her head, making her perfectly coiffed bob tilt to one side. “Then thank you, I guess.”

  “Sure.”

  Neither of them said anything after that, and the room seemed to shrink even more. He could actually feel them breathing the same air. She was almost close enough to kiss.

  But he didn’t dare imagine it. His mind was already filled with images of the night he’d stripped her bare.

  Apparently so was hers. “Have you been with anyone since you were with me?” she asked, her voice cracking a little.

  Rex shook his head. “I don’t mess around that much.” He glanced at the single bed. He had a king-size at home. “Sometimes I do,” he amended. “Sometimes I’m a player.”

  “I could tell that you were. But I wanted to do something wild that night.”

  “For your birthday?”

  “Yes.”

  Lisa crossed her arms over her chest, but it didn’t strike Rex as a de
fensive pose. He thought it exhibited a cautious form of shyness.

  But she couldn’t hide from him. He was right in front of her. Every blood-pumping part of him.

  “When I first found out that I was pregnant, I kept debating if I should tell you,” she said. “But I figured that when the baby got older, it would ask about its father. And then there I’d be all those years later having to explain.”

  This way, she’d been honest from the start. He respected that. But it also made him more aware of how emotionally ill-equipped he was to become a parent. He liked being a player.

  She dropped her hands and clutched her stomach. “Now all I want is for this baby to be safe.”

  He was tempted to touch her, to comfort her, but he kept his hands to himself. “I won’t let anything happen.” Not to her and not to the child she carried. “But you have to cooperate with my investigation.”

  “I already am. I gave you that list, didn’t I?”

  Of people she was close to, he thought, some of whom she loved. He knew that couldn’t be easy. “I’m sorry about what you’ve been through today.” Was it any wonder her skin was still unnaturally pale?

  “I hope I don’t have nightmares.”

  “Maybe you can take something to help you sleep.”

  “Like those PM pills? I’d have to check with my doctor to see if it’s okay. But I’d rather keep drugs out of my system.”

  “You were right about being a good mom. You’re going to do the kid proud.”

  She loosened the clenching hold on her stomach. “So are you, Rex. Look how protective you are already. Offering to keep us safe.”

  Because he didn’t know how to respond, he said, “I plan on being up late.” He gestured to his laptop case. “Running background checks.”

  “Just with people’s names?”

  “The system I use only requires first and last names. But it helps to have dates of birth and Social Security numbers, if they’re available. I’ve also got some license plate numbers to check on.”

  “Yes, I saw you writing them down. Lucky for me my baby’s daddy is a P.I.”

  There she went, complimenting him again.

  None of this seemed lucky, but he went ahead and faked a smile. “Oh, sure. You hit the jackpot.”