"You saw him, after he was kidnapped?"
"I think." He knew better than to say anything. His throat was parched, but he couldn't take his words back. He averted his gaze. "I need all the facts. Don't get your hopes up. I could be wrong."
Tears pooled in her eyes. "Too late. If you know where he is, I'll go with you."
Absolutely not. Something might have happened in the few days, and Liz needed to stay out of this. Besides, he'd be faster without her. "Not a good idea. I need you to stay here and let me handle the police work."
Her face went red then she wiped her eyes. "I'll try."
Right now he had no idea who Liz should trust, but his first priority was his son. "Thank you. Don't tell your family until I find Brandon."
"Not a problem. You know my father, Mitch Morgan, died." John Morgan, her brother, had joined the FBI to get information on his father concerning the 'death' of his sister Victoria that he had blamed on Mitch. Liz scooted closer to him and whispered, "The seven investigators believe that my father was likely the one who ordered my son to be taken from me, just as he stole Victoria's daughter from her on the day she was born. What happened to my sister was in all the newspapers."
“I was there.” Her father had been cold-hearted and a chill went down his own spine as he remembered Mitch Morgan’s blue eyes. Victoria had returned from the grave at his funeral, revealing that her father had told her that her daughter had died at birth. “I helped Victoria and Colt.” Colt raised the little girl and now all three were a happy family. Mitch Morgan had plans for his children that they themselves didn't want.
How much did Liz know?
Once Victoria came back to Miami, she’d found her daughter very much alive and being raised by the man her own father disapproved of. Last there was Peter Morgan, brought up by Mitch to be just like him. New Morgans meant more trouble and Luke, Liz and her other brother were unknown dangers. "It came as a surprise to find your mother alive, and that she had three more children."
"Were you at the engagement party we crashed a few weeks ago?"
"No, I generally avoid the social situations as my mother has to clean up any messes. She’s been a maid at the Morgan house since I was a kid.” He stared at her to see if her gaze became as cold as Mitch’s, but she never blinked. “I'd have done anything to protect our son, if I had known."
"I see that."
He didn't break the connection with Liz as he squeezed her hand. "Yeah. I believe that, but let’s stick to what happened while you were at the mall, so that I have a full picture."
She took a deep breath, but this time didn't cry. He inhaled her sweet scent of vanilla. "Yes. I was walking in the mall, pushing Brandon in the stroller. It was bright and sunny out, and people were passing us on the sidewalk. I needed a present for my brother Matthew, he’s getting an Oscar nomination, when this woman stopped me and asked for directions."
Oscar nomination? He'd ask about her brother later, but if he was famous that brought in more possibilities to think about. The murder of the woman remained unsolved, but Brandon took precedence. "The same one in the car?"
Her hands shook. "Yes, but I didn't know that then."
Now he didn't dare move. She had to finish telling him what happened. "Keep going."
She took another deep breath, closed her eyes, but didn't otherwise move. "She seemed confused so I took my hands off the stroller for one second to get a piece of paper out of my pocketbook."
A set up, but he kept his mouth closed. He massaged her arm again and whispered, "Then?"
“Winter in Los Angeles is bright, like here, and the sun blinded me.” She shook her head. "Then this man came from nowhere and took my boy. I tried to grab him, but the woman sprayed my face with pepper spray."
In his mind's eye, he could picture Liz screaming for her son. Her quiet sobs brought him back. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her. "I'm sorry. Don't cry now Liz. I will find your Brandon."
She squeezed his shoulder. "Our Brandon."
The crime scene from last week might have had Brandon's DNA run too. Rafe would ask the lab. He gently stroked Liz’s hair. "I don't want to think about that. It will cloud my judgment."
"He's your son.” She curled both her hands around her waist to hug herself. “Your blood is in his veins."
Her words acted like a sonar. “Who was running your case from the police?”
“Jose Perez.”
“He knows I always handle the Morgan cases. I wonder why he didn’t tell me about yours? You couldn’t have named me as a person of interest because you didn’t know it.”
"Right. I didn’t answer if he did. Officer Perez mentioned that the usual officer my brother recommended was on a break.”
"I took a few days off to help a friend move. Maybe that's why no one told me about your case." Jose Perez never spoke about the two bodies found in the car with his son except in the weekly meeting. He’d have to find out more.
She opened her eyes and her gaze unnerved him. "Rafe, I love my son. If you can bring him home, I'll be in your debt forever. I don't care about the why. I just want him safe and home."
Debt was not what he wanted. He stood and then offered his hands to her. She ignored him and rose without help. He squared his shoulders. "Liz, if that boy is my son, then once I get him to you, we're going to have to find a way to get along. I don't father children and then abandon them."
She swept her long, blonde hair out of her face. "We'll talk then. I just hope your memory is right and you know where he is. Bring him home, fast."
"I will." He took a few more tissues and cleaned her face as he whispered, "Now wipe your eyes. People will think I gave you the worst news when there is hope. Please don't tell anyone he's mine for a few days."
Her eyes widened. "Why?"
Having a son changed everything. He licked his lips unable to say that. Instead he focused on what he was good at, which was solving crime. "Because if the word is out before he's home, his return could be complicated."
"Not a problem. Good luck." She dropped her hands to her sides and trembled until she grabbed the nearby door frame.
Her sweet smell he remembered from Vegas. Elizabeth Morgan's face could light up a room far more than all those slot machines and he wanted to return that smile she once shone. Somehow he'd help her and find his son.
Chapter 2
Rafe Soliz's knuckles rapped against the metal door of a condo complex that overlooked the Intracoastal and the 79th Street Causeway, not far from his own home, but much more residential.
For hours he’d searched his friend Jose Perez's case file for the address of the sister, resorting to a paper trail because for some reason the information wasn't logged into the computer. He had called his partner multiple times, but Jose hadn’t answered. The murder case revealed the names of the victims and the family, though the boy's name wasn't listed. Strange, as Jose was a good officer.
This had to be the right place. Rafe needed to see Brandon. His knuckle beat against the door. Something about the boy had called to him a week ago. Did his son look like him? Did he have his thick brown hair or more of his mother's blonde highlights? His heart echoed the need to hold him. No one answered at first. He knocked again. This time the door swung open and he met the overwrought gaze of rumpled and slightly wet Sienna Stewart as a young voice screamed in the distance. She pushed her unbrushed hair off her forehead. "Officer, what brings you by?"
The sound of the boy's cry pierced him. He had to help stop his tears. Somehow. Rafe was Brandon’s father and it was up to him to protect him. He swallowed all those thoughts and stared at the woman who could cause problems if she demanded custody. He ensured his voice was clear and crisp. "The boy found with your sister was not hers."
With a nod, she crossed her arms. "I guessed." At least she was agreeable. She then dropped her arms and opened the door wider like this was old news. "My sister and I weren't remotely close, but she'd have needed money from me to take care
of a baby as she never worked a day in her life and always dated the worst jerks or criminals.”
Brandon’s cries overshadowed everything else. His fingers ached to hold him. "I found his family. The mother is despondent."
"Ohh." Sierra invited him in. Rafe stepped forward three feet and then stared into the living room. His son was in a playpen with tears in his eyes, but dressed in a clean, blue shorts outfit that showed Sienna had taken good care of him.
She walked beside him and said, "I took the boy because he needed a home and didn't have anyone else. Look, I am not my sister and was not part of anything she did."
"I understand, Ms. Stewart." He patted her hand for a moment and then went closer to Brandon. His nose was Elizabeth's though the lungs on the boy were loud and clear. "I'm here to take him to his mother."
"Okay," she said. Rafe offered his hand and Brandon sniffed his fingers. "Brandon is super fussy tonight."
Once the boy’s red face dried, Brandon stared at him with wide brown eyes as he stuck his thumb in his mouth. Rafe lifted him up and held him close to his chest. He smelled like baby powder and his skin was soft. The boy curled into his shoulder and wrapped his arms tight around his neck.
"Wow. He never calms down like that for me."
Brandon in his arms gave Rafe a sense of purpose and family that no one else ever had. He ruffled the boy's hair as he told Sienna, "He's a good boy."
“I hope I’m not in trouble for not sharing my suspicions at the police station. The detective kept insisting the boy would be put into foster care where he couldn’t vouch for him if I didn’t take him home, but I never wanted to be involved with my sister’s mess.”
“You clearly did a good job with Brandon. Thank you.”
"Oh. Okay. Here, let me get you his diaper bag and his things."
Sienna had no criminal record and multiple degrees from various universities, unlike her sister. She ran into her bedroom as he called out, "Thanks Sienna."
She returned with a suitcase and a carry-on bag that she shoved at him. "Here you go. Please tell his mom that I'm sorry for whatever my sister did to her."
Brandon clutched his neck like an anchor. Rafe took the bag from Sienna and wheeled the other behind him as they marched out of the condo complex. With every step, Rafe felt this bundle in his arms and something grew in his chest. He had a son. He was a father.
His phone rang and Rafe read the screen but ignored the police captain for a few minutes.
He unlocked his Escalade and checked the car seat he’d taken from the station. As he uncurled the boy from his shoulder, he stared at a jaw line with a small cleft, similar to his own. Rafe belted the boy safely in the seat and promised, "I'll get you to your mom. First we have to process you at the station. I should call her and tell her to meet me there as I think my boss wants me to do something."
Brandon opened his eyes wider and studied him, too. Rafe's entire body hummed. He'd have to figure out how to be a dad fast, because there was no way he would ever turn his back on his child.
A text message appeared on his screen. 712 NE 25th St. Drug bust. Report.
His pulse quickened. He was on the schedule from 5 PM to 2 AM. He couldn't call in sick as he was technically working already. He'd have to go. He picked up his phone to call Liz, but he hadn’t programmed her into his phone yet. .
The drive to the station was uneventful. Brandon slept in the car seat, so he unlatched the whole device and carried him inside. He walked in the back of the station, past a few officers who worked desks, but nobody said anything to him as he made his way to his office.
Rafe used his office phone to dial Liz after finding her number on his desk. He hoped Liz would come pick Brandon up so he could return to work.
No one answered the phone which seemed odd. Rafe stared at the little boy in his office one more time. Brandon Morgan was his. Brandon was the same blood type, and he didn’t need the DNA to see that he had the same eyes, same chin as he did. Even last week he’d been pulled to hold him in his arms, and hadn’t known why.
Another text showed on his phone. Officer. Call in or report.
Calling in meant he'd get yelled at for not showing up at the scene. He fired off a text. I am on a call, but I’ll be there soon.
Another text came in fast. Hurry.
Rafe had suspected the kid might have been kidnapped, being found alive in a car with two dead bodies, but it wasn’t his case. So when Perez called the sister of the “victim” to watch Brandon, saying she was next of kin, he’d gone along with it. Last week he had shaken off his hunch and thought he was being ridiculous.
At least he knew Brandon had been cared for by the “aunt” for the week.
As he stared into the brown eyes of his now awake boy, he almost choked.
How to get Brandon to Liz? Star Island was too far out of the way for him to drop the child off and then join his fellow officers. His mother couldn’t help since she was working the Morgan party tonight. Caro was there too, though this time as Luke’s date. He redialed but again Liz’s phone went to voicemail. He couldn’t imagine why she was silent, now.
The image of Elizabeth reunited with Brandon played in his imagination. She'd cry tears of joy and hold the boy close. His collar felt tight as he stared at the message from his captain. He probably wouldn’t escape the station until much later and he’d promised Liz today, if possible. Brandon deserved the love of his mother.
Rafe sighed and dialed Jennifer, his high school girlfriend but still a friend. Now a gorgeous actress, she’d dumped him to be Peter Morgan's girlfriend years ago, but she’d never solidified that relationship. Peter moved on to his fiancée and Jennifer was now back in Rafe’s life, as his friend only because that’s all he offered. She answered on the second ring.
There were people near her—voices echoed into the microphone. He swallowed and asked, "Hello?"
"I'm super busy at the moment."
Jennifer was probably staring at her nails or smiling at one of her companions, and probably filming a scene for her show or at a happy hour. He'd known her since pre-school, and on a few things, she never changed. He tugged at his neckline. "Jen, I need you to come down to the station."
"You know I don't associate with criminals, Rafe."
He knew if he said the name “Morgan” she'd be there before he even hung up. Everyone had always warned him about her, which was funny because he’d known Jen and her family long before the warnings started. She thought that the Morgan bank accounts might protect her from the world, when the truth was she was the only one who could protect herself. "I need you to help the Morgans tonight, nothing criminal. It will take you less than an hour."
"Ohh." The wheels in her head must have turned as her voice had a higher pitch. "Okay. I'll be right down."
Of course she would. He rolled his eyes. Jennifer was very predictable. Rafe ended the call and met his son’s eyes. Brandon sat buckled in the car seat next to him and had two fingers in his mouth. "She'll get you to your mom faster than I can. I have a drug bust to deal with."
He scooted his chair closer and rocked the car seat to soothe him. Brandon's smile bubbled and he laughed. Rafe placed his hand on Brandon's and the boy clutched his finger. He couldn't help smiling as he said, "So I'm a detective, Brandon. Do you remember when we talked last week? I knew there was something about you."
He unbuckled the seat belt and scooped the boy into his arms, breathing in his soft, powdered skin. This was his son. For the rest of his life, he had to ensure the boy was safe. No one would ever harm a hair on his head again.
Rafe’s own father had disappeared, leaving him in charge of his sister. As a young man he’d blamed the Morgans, so the irony that an unknown daughter of the House of Morgan was his own child's mother wasn't lost on him. There was no way he'd abandon his own son. He rocked him as he sang a song he remembered his mother singing to him and Caro.
How did he learn to be a dad? There was no course he could take or a manual t
o read, and half the things he might read online were probably wrong.
Brandon cooed.
Rafe whispered, "Everything will be okay. I'm going to send you to your mom's and check on you in the morning."
He then kissed the boy's cheek. Brandon laughed and nestled in his arms.
The door flew open and the first thing he spotted were bare shoulders missing the sleeves to a designer blouse. "Rafe, what's going on?"
Jennifer's voice echoed in his office. He glanced at the clock and realized he’d spent the last half an hour holding Brandon. He hugged the boy closer, then he slipped him into the car seat, buckled his son, and turned toward the door. "Jen, hey."
Her gaze went briefly to the child and then returned to meet his. "Hi. You said I could help Peter."
Rafe let Brandon play with his fingers as he shook his head. "No. I said you could help the Morgans."
Jen tapped her foot, again glanced at the baby and wrinkled her nose like Brandon was an alien who smelled awful. She crossed her arms and met his stare. "Peter will care if I help his family, even indirectly. What's going on?"
Rafe understood that Jennifer Gonzales was not in her right mind. She’d lost her chance to marry one of the richest men in the world, but the facts were that they’d broken up and Peter had moved on and was now getting married to someone else.
Most of the time, Rafe felt sorry for her, and for all her faults, Jennifer was like a butterfly whose wings had been crushed a long time ago. He kept his voice low and soothing. "Jen, Peter is getting married tonight, but I need you to go to the Morgan house anyway. I know it will be hard for you…"
"No, he's not,” she said. “I’ll go."
His eyebrows quirked. The bride and groom seemed absolutely in love to him. He'd known Peter since high school and his fiancée brought out a brighter side to the man.
Jen came closer to him and said in a low voice, "Belle's plane crashed."
Secret Dad Page 2