The Baby Arrangement

by Moyra Tarling

  His rapt expression as he’d gazed at Nicky in the stroller had been heart-wrenchingly real, effectively softening those angry lines on his handsome face.

  But the question remained. Why had Paula run away? It had to be connected with her career. There was no other explanation.

  Besides, Paula had done something similar in her late teens. She’d borrowed their mother’s credit card to buy a plane ticket to New York, and for forty-eight hours her parents had been frantic with worry. When she’d called it had been to excitedly tell them about the off-Broadway show she’d seen and how she’d waited several hours in the alley behind the theater to get the cast to autograph her program.

  Faith shook her head. She doubted she’d ever understand what made her sister tick. But when Paula called again, Faith planned to ask a few pointed questions.

  As if in tune to her thoughts, the phone rang, the shrill sound slicing into the silence. Faith froze. Could it be Paula?

  On the second ring she jerked forward, sending the cooling coffee in her mug splashing over the rim onto her hands.

  Setting the mug on the counter, she reached for a tea towel. She picked up the receiver on the fourth ring.

  “Hello!” she said, a trifle breathlessly.

  “What kept you?” Jared’s deep voice, mixed with anger and relief, reverberated through the wires, sending a shiver through her.

  “Nothing. I answered didn’t I?” Faith replied, annoyed at his tone and at the leap her pulse had taken in response to his voice.

  “But how do I know Nicky isn’t sitting in his stroller right now ready to go? And how do I know you haven’t called a cab to take you to the bus station the minute I hang up?” he went on, suspicion echoing in his voice.

  Faith bit back the sigh hovering on her lips, wondering why she should care that he thought so little of her. “I made a promise, Jared, a promise I intend to keep.”

  There was silence for several seconds. “I’ll call you in half an hour. Be there!” He promptly hung up.

  Faith slowly replaced the receiver and turned her attention to cleaning up the coffee spill. She tidied the kitchen, then made her way upstairs to the nursery to check on Nicky.

  Standing by the crib, she gazed down at the baby, watching the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Tears gathered in her eyes and emotion clogged her throat.

  During Erica’s short life Faith had spent a good deal of time watching her daughter sleep. She’d insisted on bringing Erica home, adamantly opposed to the doctor’s suggestion to hook her up to machines simply to put off what they all knew to be inevitable.

  Heartbreaking as those few days had been, Faith had never regretted her decision. She’d been able to hold her daughter and feed her, showering her with love and attention, then crying bitter, helpless tears when Erica’s life had finally slipped away.

  Brushing a stray tear from her cheek, Faith tiptoed from the room. She busied herself making her bed, rechecking the items left by her sister in the bedroom closet and small chest of drawers.

  Faith peeked in on Nicky once more before venturing down the hall to Jared’s room. She told herself what she was about to do wasn’t snooping, nor was it really an invasion of privacy. By taking a look in Jared’s bedroom she was simply attempting to find out a little more about the man her sister had married, the man who was Nicky’s father.

  The master bedroom was large and spacious, with a king-size bed against one wall, a work desk with a computer on another and an enormous old-fashioned mirrored wardrobe on the wall behind the door.

  The room was tidy, the bed made. The walls were painted a pale blue, and the duvet cover and drapes were patterned in contrasting shades of blue and green. A beautiful hardwood floor was strewn with braided oval rugs—one moss green, one navy blue, one a dark burgundy. On the nightstand beside the bed sat a telephone and clock radio, and above the mahogany headboard was a watercolor painting of a wild seascape.

  The smell of pine and mint swirled around her mixing with yet another scent, unmistakably masculine. A ripple of sensation scampered across her nerve endings, making Faith instantly regret her docision to investigate Jared’s room.

  Just as she started to leave, the phone rang. It had to be Jared checking up on her again. Crossing over to the bed, she picked up the receiver. “Hello!”

  “Just checking!” Jared’s voice hummed through the lines.

  “I’m still here,” Faith responded, feeling her pulse falter as his masculine scent, stronger now that she was closer to the bed where he slept, assailed her from all sides.

  “Keep it that way,” Jared said before hanging up.

  As Faith replaced the receiver she heard sounds of Nicky stirring and gladly hurried from Jared’s room.

  Returning to the nursery, she wound up a music box hanging from the end of the crib, and while Nicky lay listening to the lullaby, she half filled the small bathtub with warm water and set it on the change table. She wasn’t sure what his reaction would be. She thought he might cry, but when he started to move his tiny legs in the water, she smiled. Speaking soft assurances to him, she gently poured handfuls of water over his body.

  A few minutes later she lifted him out of the bath and wrapped him in a soft towel. After patting him dry, she laid him in the crib while she checked through the assortment of baby clothes in the dresser drawers.

  She wondered if Paula had organized the nursery and bought the baby clothes, but somehow she couldn’t quite picture her twin shopping for anyone other than herself. That left Jared. Could he have done it all? The idea intrigued her.

  Faith dressed Nicky in a pale blue sleeper with a bunny motif on the back. Leaving him in his crib, she headed downstairs.

  Hearing the phone ring again, Faith reached for the receiver. “I’m still here,” she said without preamble.

  “Excuse me?”

  “I’m sorry! I thought—” Faith broke off, quickly realizing the caller wasn’t Jared after all.

  “Paula? You’re back! That’s wonderful!” said the woman on the other end of the line.

  “Ah...well, yes. I mean—”

  “It’s Maggie. Maggie O’Connor. Remember me?” she asked cheerfully.

  “Yes...of course,” Faith answered, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

  “Is Jared home?”

  “No. He had an early meeting this morning.”

  “When did you get back? Did Jared fetch you and the baby?”

  “Yes, last night,” Faith said, silently wondering just what Jared had told his friends and neighbors about the disappearance of his pregnant wife.

  “He’s been so worried about you and anxious to have the two of you home. I must admit we were surprised when we heard you’d decided at the last minute to go to your mother’s to have the baby.”

  Faith remained silent. So that’s how Jared had explained it.

  “How are you? And more important, how’s the baby?” Maggie asked, oblivious to the turmoil she was creating.

  Faith drew a steadying breath. “I’m fine, thank you. Ah...Nicky’s fine, too,” she added, wishing the conversation would end.

  “Nicky. Is that the name you finally chose?”

  “Actually it’s Nicholas.”

  “I like it,” Maggie said. “Jared said you couldn’t make up your minds. Listen, I was just on my way out. Would it be all right to pop over and see Nicky?”

  “Ah...well, that is—uh...sure, why not...” Faith let her words trail off, unable to think of a reason to dissuade her.

  “Wonderful! See you in a few minutes.”

  Faith sagged against the counter, her heart hammering wildly. Why couldn’t it have been Jared on the phone? Her mind raced. Perhaps she should call him. But how could she? She didn’t know the number of his office. And besides, he wasn’t at the office, he was at a meeting.

  Turning, Faith ran a hand through her hair trying to quell the panic rising inside. How well had Maggie known her twin? Would Maggie be able to tell s
he wasn’t Paula? Perhaps she’d notice Faith wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. If Maggie did comment, Faith decided she’d simply say her ring needed resizing.

  Faith tried to stay calm, reassuring herself with the thought that if Paula hadn’t told Jared she had a twin sister, it was unlikely she’d told anyone.

  When the doorbell rang ten minutes later Faith pinned a smile on her face. Crossing her fingers, she took a deep, steadying breath.

  “Paula! Hi! You look great!” The young woman standing in the doorway smiled warmly at Faith. Maggie O’Connor tossed back the hood of her jacket to reveal shoulder-length dark hair and eyes the color of milk chocolate. “Jared must be over the moon now he has you and the baby back home,” Maggie continued.

  “Ah...yes. Thank you,” Faith responded, not knowing what else to say.

  “You remember Dylan junior?” Maggie said, grinning down at the baby sitting in the stroller.

  “Of course,” she quickly improvised, gazing down at the little boy.

  “Hasn’t he grown?” Maggie said.

  “He sure has,” Faith responded, crouching to smile at the baby.

  “He’s only five months old, but he weighs in at twenty pounds and counting,” Maggie said proudly.

  “He’s gorgeous.” Faith’s tone was sincere, and she smiled as Dylan waved his hands at her and giggled.

  “Is Nicky asleep?” Maggie asked.

  “I think so,” Faith said. “Ah...won’t you come in?”

  “Thanks. I’m dying to see him,” Maggie went on excitedly. Bending down, she lifted Dylan from his stroller and followed Faith into the foyer.

  “Nicky’s upstairs in his crib, but you’re welcome to take a peek,” Faith offered, hoping to distract Maggie from asking any more questions.

  Maggie took the bait, her smile widening. “Could we?”

  Faith led the way to the nursery. To Maggie’s delight Nicky was awake, and while Faith changed his diaper, Maggie chatted to her, asking her about her labor and how the birth had gone.

  Keeping her answers as brief and as vague as she could, Faith described her own not too taxing labor, and after answering a few more questions, she turned the conversation to baby Dylan. Maggie readily complied.

  “Would you like a cup of coffee?” Faith asked a little while later as they made their way downstairs.

  “Maybe another time,” Maggie said. “Dylan and I are on our way to the grocery store,” she explained.

  “Really?” Faith said. “We need a few groceries. Jared forgot to stock up,” she added.

  “Why don’t you come with us,” Maggie suggested. “Or does Nicky need to be fed?”

  Faith hesitated and glanced at the clock. It was a little after ten. “He should be fine for another hour or so.”

  Her concern wasn’t for Nicky but for Jared, who’d be calling soon to check up on her. Still, they did need groceries. “We’ll come to the store with you, if that’s all right,” Faith said brightly, deciding the trip to the store would also afford her an opportunity to acquaint herself a little with Grace Harbor.

  Jared listened in silent fury to the sound of the phone ringing in his house. On the sixth ring the answering machine kicked in and, gritting his teeth, he slammed down the receiver.

  Damn her! He couldn’t believe it! After all her promises, she’d skipped out! He’d been a fool to trust her. A fool to believe anything she’d said. Only, there had been something in her voice, in her eyes...

  She couldn’t have gotten far. And this time when he found her...

  Jared grabbed his briefcase and strode into the outer office. Sally Cooper, his girl Friday, was talking on the phone. She put her hand over the mouthpiece.

  “Mr. McAndrew, there’s a Detective DeMarco on the line,” she said. “Do you want to take the call?”

  Jared stopped. He’d forgotten about his call to Damian.

  “Yes, I’ll take it.” Jared made a U-turn into his office. Punching the button flashing on the phone, he lifted the instrument once more. “DeMarco! Hi! What did you find out?” he asked without preamble.

  “Not much. At least, nothing remotely suspicious or criminal.”

  “Give me what you got,” Jared said, biting back a sigh of frustration.

  “This morning I paid a visit to the address you gave me, but the house was empty. I talked to a neighbor, who told me the house is owned by Faith Nelson. It was part of her divorce settlement. And by the sounds of things, she’s well rid of the guy.”

  “Faith Nelson?” Jared repeated. The name meant nothing to him. “Anything else?”

  “According to her neighbor, Ms. Nelson is an illustrator of children’s books. The ex-husband is an artist. Oh...get this, she was four months pregnant when he walked out. Apparently the baby died less than a week after it was born.”

  Jared silently digested this information, trying to decide whether or not it was in any way significant.

  “Is that all?” Jared asked.

  “Afraid so,” his friend replied. “Wait! I don’t know if this is important or not, but the neighbor mentioned that she’d seen Ms. Nelson’s sister arrive with a baby two nights ago. By the way, did you know they’re identical twins?”

  Jared stopped breathing. Twins! Suddenly it all made sense. But Paula had never mentioned having any family. He’d been under the impression she didn’t have any relative. If Paula had an identical twin...then...

  “Hey, buddy, are you still there?” Damian’s voice cut through his chaotic thoughts.

  Jared released the breath trapped in his lungs. “I’m still here.”

  “Do you want me to keep digging?”

  “No, but thanks, Damian.”

  “Any time,” his friend replied.

  Jared slowly replaced the receiver. Twins! Identical twins! Incredible!

  He cast his mind back to those moments when he’d first set eyes on the baby stroller. He’d hardly given Paula more than a cursory glance. He’d been too caught up in the joy of finding his son safe and sound.

  On reflection, her startled reaction to his appearance and her subsequent behavior had puzzled him a little, but at the time he’d brushed it aside.

  The private detective he’d hired had obviously tracked Paula to her sister’s house, where Paula had left the baby in her sister’s care before heading to L.A.

  And the woman Jared had confronted, the woman who’d accompanied him to Grace Harbor and was meantime taking care of his son, was in all likelihood Paula’s twin sister.

  Jared glanced down at the name he’d hurriedly scribbled on a pad on his desk. Faith Nelson.

  She’d fooled him completely, which could only mean she was in cahoots with Paula. Ripping the sheet of paper off the notepad, he headed into the outer office.

  “Sally. There’s something I have to do. Can you hold down the fort?”

  Chapter Six

  Jared drove home as fast as the law allowed. He’d decided to check out the house first, hoping Paula—or Faith—had been too busy giving Nicky a bath to answer his earlier call. Reaching the house, he found the door unlocked. Once inside, he took the stairs two at a time.

  “Paula? Are you up here?” he called as he strode toward the nursery.

  His question was met with silence. The nursery was empty. Spinning, he exited and descended once more to the main floor, where everything appeared the same as it had that morning. Completing a circuit of the dining room and living room, he returned to the front entranceway. What he’d feared and suspected was true. They were gone.

  Muttering to himself about his own stupidity in trusting her, Jared hurried out to his car. Just as he was about to climb into the driver’s seat he noticed two women walking along the street, each pushing a baby stroller.

  He recognized his friend Maggie’s familiar features immediately, and beside her... A feeling of relief washed over him when he saw Paula. No, he silently amended, the other woman’s identity had yet to be confirmed.

  With his heart thundering
in his chest, he watched the women approach. Judging by the way Maggie was chatting and smiling, it was clear she believed the woman with her was Paula. But Maggie had met Paula only a couple of times. She’d repeatedly tried to befriend her, but Paula had declined all Maggie’s invitations.

  Jared frowned. From this distance the woman looked exactly like Paula. Could DeMarco’s information about Paula having a twin sister be wrong? It was time to find out.

  “Hello, ladies.” Jared walked around the car to meet them.

  “Jared! How nice to see you,” Maggie greeted him with a smile. “Paula didn’t say anything about you coming home for lunch.”

  “I wanted to surprise her,” Jared replied easily, throwing Maggie’s companion a challenging glance and catching the look of guilt that flashed in her green eyes.

  “We walked to the store to pick up a few groceries,” Maggie explained, unaware of the tension. “Oh Jared,” Maggie rushed on, “Nicky is such a sweet baby, and so adorable. I bet you’re thrilled to have your son and your wife home at last.”

  “Thrilled doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel.” Gritting his teeth, he curved his mouth into what he hoped would pass as a smile.

  Faith heard the barely suppressed sarcasm in Jared’s voice, and as she met his gaze she could feel the anger coming off him in waves. He was staring at her with an intensity that sent a shiver of apprehension chasing through her.

  She knew why he’d rushed home and why he was so angry, but she also sensed something different about him, something she couldn’t define.

  “When I called this morning to see how you were doing, I was so surprised when Paula answered,” Maggie continued brightly. “I insisted on coming over to see the baby. We’ve had a lovely visit. Haven’t we, Paula?” She turned to smile at Faith.

  “Yes,” Faith acknowledged, dragging her gaze from Jared’s. “I hope we can do it again,” she added politely.

  “Me, too. Well, much as I’d love to stay and chat, I’d better take my son home and feed him his lunch. But listen, now that Paula and the baby are back home, maybe we can all get together one evening.”