The Baby Assignment

by Christy Barritt

  “What did Lionel say when Sarah told him this?”

  “He didn’t believe her. It didn’t surprise me. I’m sure many people came forward and claimed to be a relative since Lionel was so wealthy. Sarah asked for a DNA test. She didn’t think he would do it, though she did send off her own sample. She eventually gave up.”

  “What about Addie?” Macy asked.

  “Well, a few months after that, she found out she was pregnant.”

  “What happened to the baby’s father?” Macy asked, picking up a French fry and twirling it between her fingers. “Is he still in the picture?”

  Clementine shook her head. “He was a drug addict. He overdosed before Addie was born. He was trouble anyway and would have been a terrible father. Either way, he’s out of the picture.”

  “So, how did Sarah reconnect with Lionel?” Tanner asked. “You said he didn’t believe her.”

  “Apparently, he decided to check out her DNA test after all, and he realized that Sarah really was his daughter.” Clementine took a bite of her burger and wiped her lips before continuing. “When Addie was born, he had a change of heart. No grandchild of his was going to be homeless. He agreed to meet with her, and he confirmed that he’d once been with her mom.”

  “How did he react to Addie?” Macy asked.

  “He was over the moon. He asked Sarah and Addie to move in, and he wanted to take care of his only grandchild. Of course, he was older—in his early eighties and he’d been diagnosed with cancer. Sarah knew he didn’t have much longer, but she was happy to connect with him.”

  “What happened next?” Tanner asked.

  “They had a great relationship,” Clementine continued. “Sarah was the happiest I’d seen her in a while. For the first time in a long time, she didn’t have to worry where her next meal was coming from or where she would sleep at night. She loved feeling like she finally had a place to belong. Like she had a real family. She got her life back on track.”

  “What happened?” Macy asked.

  Clementine let out a sad sigh. “Lionel died. Sarah was prepared to go on her merry way, feeling blessed that she was able to meet him before he passed away.”

  “And then?” Tanner grabbed a French fry and took a bite.

  Clementine picked at the sesame top of her hamburger bun. “And then the will was read, and almost everything—the majority of Lionel’s wealth and assets—were left to Sarah and Addie.”

  Tanner’s eyebrows shot up. Everything was suddenly making sense. Maybe money was the root of all evil...and the source of all the danger that surrounded them.

  Nineteen

  “And that’s why Addie is worth so much,” Tanner muttered. He leaned back in the seat and ran a hand over his jaw.

  Clementine nodded, some of her anxiety seemingly replaced with passion. “But there’s more than that. You see, Lionel has another daughter, and she wasn’t happy to learn she hardly got anything after her father’s death.”

  “Did anyone ever say why Sarah got almost everything?” Macy asked.

  “I guess his daughter was pretty entitled. And she never gave her father very much attention. She used him for his money so he didn’t feel like she deserved anything. That’s what Sarah said, at least. And from what I saw the few times I met her, Sarah was right. The woman was never anything but abrasive.”

  “What was her name?”

  “Robin Brooks.”

  “Did she look like this?” Tanner pulled up a picture of Deborah and Mike and showed it to Clementine.

  She nodded as soon as she saw the pictures. “That’s Robin and her boyfriend Sam. How’d you know?”

  Tanner frowned, not liking where this was going. “They’re posing as Addie’s aunt and uncle. I suppose that officially they are her aunt and uncle, but they’re using assumed identities and they said Addie’s mom was someone named Michelle Nixon.”

  “It doesn’t surprise me she’d go to so much trouble to get to Sarah and Addie,” Clementine said. “She greatly resented Sarah for coming back into her father’s life.”

  “So are you saying that Lionel’s daughter is trying to get her hands on Addie so she’ll be able to claim her fortune?” Macy’s gaze was intense on Clementine.

  “That’s exactly what I’m saying,” Clementine said. “Addie will inherit everything if Sarah dies. It would be easier to control the money through Addie than Sarah.”

  “That’s why Sarah came running to Texas,” Macy muttered.

  “She knew she was as good as dead if she stayed in Oklahoma,” Clementine said. “She headed toward Houston in hopes of finding some psychologist she’d worked with.”

  Macy stiffened. “Dr. Mills?”

  “Yes, she’s the one.” She stared at Macy, realization rolling over her face. “Is that you?”

  Macy nodded, guilt staining her gaze. “Yes, it is.”

  “She said you were the most trustworthy person she knew. She tried to see you again, but she found out that you’d moved. Your old office wouldn’t tell her where, but she hopped online and found a new listing for you.”

  “We only worked together a few times at the psychotherapy center.”

  “Well, apparently, you made an impression. Granted, she didn’t have that many people in her life she could rely on.”

  “How about you?” Macy asked, lacing her fingers together like a therapist might.

  “I wanted to be there for her, but I’m also trying to clean up my life.” Clementine sniffed and touched her silver nose ring. “I’m working three jobs and trying to stay away from the bad influences. I wasn’t a good person to rely on.”

  “Yet you came all the way out here to try and find her,” Tanner said, trying to make sense of things.

  “After I realized that Robin and Sam would go as far as to try and harm me to get information on where Sarah was, I knew I didn’t have much to lose.” Clementine pushed the rest of her food away. “I couldn’t stay around there or I’d end up dead. Sarah wasn’t answering her phone, so I got worried. I decided to try and track you down, Dr. Mills. I even went to the therapy center where you worked. They said you’d taken a leave of absence.”

  “Sarah never made it to see me,” Macy said. “Maybe she was on her way but realized she was in danger. Instead, she stopped by the FBI office and dropped Addie off.”

  “At least Addie is okay,” Clementine said.

  Macy frowned. “Clementine, I hate to tell you this, but I was attacked earlier today. Deborah...or I guess I should say Robin...Robin took Addie.”

  Clementine gasped and hung her head low. “We don’t think she’ll hurt the child,” Tanner said.

  Clementine frowned. “No, not yet. Not until they get the inheritance they think belongs to them.”

  * * *

  Macy climbed into the car, her head pounding as she processed everything they’d just learned.

  “At least we have some answers now,” Macy said to Tanner as he sat beside her and pulled on his seat belt. “But what do we do with the information? How do we track down these people?”

  Tanner let out a long breath and stared out the front windshield. “Now that we know their names, I’m going to tell Saul what’s going on. He can help track them down—if they haven’t tried to go off grid.”

  They’d already updated Devin, who was escorting Clementine somewhere safe for the evening. The young woman could prove to be a valuable witness when this was all over.

  “How do you know Saul can be trusted?” Macy asked. Everyone seemed an accomplice at this point.

  “I’ve known Saul for a while. I can testify to his character.” Tanner cranked the engine but made no attempt to move.

  At least here in the car they had some privacy, Macy mused. Maybe they both needed a moment to collect their thoughts. They had a lot to process.

  Macy reflected
on the details Clementine had given them. “You said so yourself that someone at the office is in on it with these guys. How? How did Robin and Sam manage to turn an FBI agent to do their dirty work?”

  “Lionel was a wealthy man. If they had even two percent of his income, then they’re pretty well off. I’m sure there are FBI agents who can be bought, especially considering what our salary is compared to other professions.”

  “I don’t like the thought of that.”

  “Neither do I.”

  “What else do you know about Lionel?” Macy asked.

  Tanner let out a long breath. “Besides being wealthy, he was a womanizer, though I heard he mellowed out with age. He always chased women who were younger, who were more like trophies than love interests. I do believe he settled down once and was married for maybe ten years or so.”

  “Clementine said he died of cancer. Do you think...” She paused midthought. “Is it possible he could have been murdered?”

  “Not from what I’ve heard. I’m sure if there was any sign of foul play concerning his death, the authorities would be all over that.”

  “There’s got to be a way we can track down where they’ve taken Addie,” Macy said.

  “You’re right. We’ve got to figure out what that way is.” He glanced at his watch. “I think the best thing we can do right now is to get some rest. In the morning, maybe we’ll have some other ideas.”

  “Back to the farm house?”

  He nodded. “Back to the farm house.”

  The ride was silent on the way there. Macy had too many things on her mind. She had no idea she’d made such an impression on Sarah. And to think that Macy hadn’t even been able to remember who Sarah was when it counted.

  “What are you thinking about?” Tanner asked.

  “I’m wondering how things might be different if I’d reached out to Sarah more,” she said. Guilt pounded on her.

  “You couldn’t have known.”

  She looked down at her lap. “I know. But still...there’s nothing sadder than someone who’s utterly alone with no one to turn to. I could have been there for her.”

  He squeezed her hand. “Don’t beat yourself up.”

  But it was going to be hard not to do that. It was her profession to help people, and right now she felt like she’d majorly failed in that area.

  Finally, they pulled into the garage at the farmhouse. Tanner checked the place out before calling Macy inside.

  “Can I fix you some coffee?” Tanner asked, pausing in the kitchen.

  “Sure.” Macy sat on the couch, drawing her legs beneath her and pulling a throw over her legs.

  A moment later, Tanner set a mug down beside her and then lowered himself on the couch.

  “I hope Addie is okay, Tanner,” she said, her voice on the verge of breaking.

  Even though she’d only been around the child for a few days, she continually found herself thinking about the baby. She wanted to check on her. See if her diaper needed to be changed. To know how her ear infection was doing. Macy just wanted to take the child into her arms and cuddle with her and let her know that she was loved. That everything would be okay. That she would take care of her.

  Yet Macy’s arms were empty and a good-sized pocket of her heart felt barren.

  Tanner reached for her and pulled her into his embrace. She expected herself to resist. But she didn’t. She didn’t want to.

  “I’m sorry, Macy,” he whispered over the top of her head.

  “Why are you sorry?”

  “I’m sorry you believed my career was ever more important than you. That you thought I might only marry you out of obligation. There are so many things I wish I could have done differently.”

  Macy pulled back just enough to look up at him. She needed to see his eyes, to observe the sincerity there. “Me, too, Tanner. I wasn’t thinking straight after I lost the baby. You seemed to be taking everything in stride, and I didn’t feel like you understood what I was going through.”

  He stiffened. “I was trying to be strong for you.”

  “And I didn’t want you to give up the FBI Academy for me.”

  He tilted her chin up until their eyes met. “I wanted to be with you, Macy.”

  She rubbed her arms, thinking about how life had played out, how she could have avoided a lot of heartache. “And if you had given up your chance to be in the FBI, you might not be in this position now.”

  “Maybe things would have taken a different path, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t have eventually made it into the academy again. Things have a way of working out.”

  Macy lowered her head, her emotions colliding inside her—regret, grief, heartache. “I messed up, didn’t I?”

  Tanner stroked her cheek. “We all mess up, Macy. I also could have handled things better.”

  Macy’s breath caught as she looked into Tanner’s eyes. She instinctively closed her eyes, just like in the old times when they were together. In love.

  Stop now, Macy. Stop now.

  But she couldn’t. And she didn’t want to.

  All of Macy’s nerve endings felt like they were exploding, and she could hardly breathe.

  Slowly, their heads came together. Their lips met. Softly and tenderly, yet full of unspoken emotions.

  They both pulled away. Macy’s heart pounded erratically.

  Neither said anything for a moment.

  “Are we crazy?” Tanner whispered, his breath hitting her cheek.

  Macy ran her fingers over his jaw. “Maybe. But there’s never been anyone like you, Tanner. Even after everything that’s happened, there’s only been you and no one else.”

  “I know exactly how you feel. I’ve held everyone else up to you as the standard. No one else has come close. I’ve always known you were the one for me.”

  Their lips met again. She’d missed the way everything else disappeared when they were together. They reluctantly settled back and moved apart.

  “At least out of all this ugliness, something good happened,” Tanner said.

  “That’s what I tell my clients all the time. The worst times can end up being the biggest blessings.” Macy knew deep inside those words were true, but she’d had trouble believing them at gut level. She’d always thought something was missing, like her worst times were just that—terrible and without redemption. Could that be changing?

  Tanner pulled her into his arms. She tucked her head beneath his chin and closed her eyes, feeling content for the first time in a long time.

  * * *

  Emotions clashed inside of Tanner the next morning. On one hand, he felt like he was walking on air. After all these years, he and Macy had truly reconnected and reconciled again. It was like a dream come true. On the other hand, Addie was missing and his career with the FBI was in jeopardy.

  As much as he’d like to celebrate, this wasn’t the time to do so. There was too much on the line. Right now, he had to concentrate on finding Addie.

  He was at the kitchen table drinking coffee when Macy walked out, freshly showered and considerably more bright-eyed than she’d been last night. Yet there was still an underlying heaviness to her gaze. She was worried.

  He stood as she came into the room. “Hey, there.”

  She smiled up at him, almost shyly. “Hey, yourself.”

  He squeezed her shoulders. “You doing okay?”

  “As well as I can, considering Addie is still with those people,” she admitted.

  “I hardly slept. Too much on my mind.”

  She frowned and sat down at the table, her sleeves pulled over her hands.

  “Can I get you some coffee?” he asked.

  “I’d love some.”

  He walked over to the counter and poured her a cup. Then he grabbed some of the muffins they’d purchased yesterday and put them on the tabl
e. Macy would need to eat if they were going to keep up their energy levels.

  “Thank you.” She wrapped her fingers around the mug. “So...what’s up for this evening?”

  “We’re going to try and find Robin and Sam.”

  “I remembered something while I was showering,” she told him. “I think one of the men in the car said something about a lake house.”

  Tanner paused. “Really?”

  She rubbed her temples. “I mean, I can’t be sure. That hit I took on my head made everything hazy. But there’s this memory, just right there in my subconscious. I feel like they said something. I know it’s not much to go on, but we don’t have much to start with, do we?”

  “Let’s see if we can look up lake houses within a thirty-mile radius. They’re too smart to use property they own, but they could have rented something.”

  “So, you think they could still be in this area?”

  Tanner nodded slowly. “I think it’s too risky for them to go back to Oklahoma right now. They can’t simply return to their normal lives and show up with a baby. It would raise too many eyebrows.”

  “But if they stay in hiding for too long, they won’t get their inheritance.”

  “That’s true also. I don’t know what their plan is.” He reached for the laptop and typed something. “Well, the lake house may not pan out. There are too many lakes around here.”

  “Can you narrow it down by how secluded it is?” Macy asked. “I doubt they’re going to want to stay anywhere that’s too populated. I visualize more of a wooded landscape.”

  “Good idea.” He typed a few more things in and leaned back. “Well, it does narrow it down some—provided we’re on the right track. But there are still a lot of options here.”

  Macy leaned back and took a sip of coffee. “Did you talk to Devin? Have the police run their credit cards?”

  “These guys are obviously paying with cash because the trail has gone cold.”

  “There’s got to be a way to track them down. They have a base of operations in this area. They’re too smart to stay at a hotel.”