Vigilant

by Sara Davison

  “I know. Let’s rule out teachers for now, though. They would only know about kids in a fairly small geographical area, and they’d all be from the same school, which would start to look suspicious pretty quickly. Since the last guy was a paramedic, let’s assume they’re going a different direction this time to arouse less suspicion.” He glanced at the closed door and lowered his voice. “That leaves cops, lawyers, and social workers as the most likely possibilities.”

  Sharleen swallowed. “I don’t like it, but if you want, I can dig around on the cops in the city, find out about any that might have had a difficult childhood. Social workers make the most sense, so hopefully I’ll be ruling out any possibilities.”

  “I’m sure you will be.” Daniel pushed his chair away from the table. “But we will both have to keep an open mind. Basically, we’re looking for any cop, lawyer, or worker who might have a file of their own, or who were foster kids themselves, to make up our short list.”

  “Should we get a warrant to access the CAS files?”

  “Let’s hold off on that for now. Since we don’t know who, if anyone, at CAS might be involved, I’d rather not tip them off too early. We should be able to get a list of social workers online then we can cross reference the names to police records. If cops were called to any of their homes in the last twenty or thirty years, it should be in the electronic files. We can narrow down the search that way anyway, and only check out CAS files if and when it becomes absolutely necessary.”

  “Makes sense.” Sharleen stood and picked up her cup of tea.

  Daniel stood too and leaned across the table to grab his mug of coffee. “Shar?”

  His partner had reached the door, but she turned back, one hand on the knob. “Yeah?”

  “Let’s go through these people as fast as possible. If this is the same group and they’re as well-organized as they seem, they may ramp up operations now that the new front man is in place. Given the look on the DS’s face when he announced another kidnapping this morning, the last thing I want is for him to catch us sitting in front of a computer sifting through names when another child disappears.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Nicole dumped her coat on the chair inside the door of her condo, and dug through her bag, trying to find her buzzing phone. Hopefully the call wouldn’t take long. Gage was picking her up in a couple of hours to take her to the airport to pick up her parents. Since she hadn’t seen them for several years, she wanted to shower and make sure she looked her best. When she felt the cool metal object in the bottom of her purse, she tugged it loose, hit the connect button, and pressed the device to her ear. “Hello?”

  “Nicole?”

  “Mom?” That couldn’t be right. Her parents should be in the air right now. How could her mother phone her? “What is it? Did your flight get delayed?”

  “No, we didn’t actually end up taking the flight.”

  The connection was poor, and Nicole strained to make out the words through heavy static. “Did you miss it? Can you get a later one?” She pressed a hand to her abdomen where a hard ball had formed. No. They aren’t going to do this to me again, are they?

  Even through the bad reception, Nicole heard her mother’s sigh. She could almost hear her saying the words that had been a constant refrain throughout her childhood, whenever Nicole had protested the fact that her parents were leaving, again. Abandoning her to the care of one of a long string of nannies, each worse than the one before. Don’t be difficult, darling. This is something your father and I have to do. “I’m sorry, darling. Something came up last minute. An engineering conference in Cairo.”

  “But can’t Dad tell them no? Couldn’t you tell them you already had plans?”

  Her mother sighed again, more audibly this time. “Don’t be difficult, darling. This is something we have to do. We have no choice.”

  You always have a choice. You just never choose me. Bitterness rose from the cold, hard ball in her stomach up into her chest. Nicole swallowed back the stinging bile. “I understand.” She almost choked on the lie. “Can you come after the conference?”

  “We’ll have to see. I’ll be in touch.”

  The fingers clutching her phone had gone numb. “All right. Just let me know when—” She was speaking into dead air. Her mother was already gone. Nicole pulled the phone away from her ear and stared at it in disbelief. This isn’t happening. She pressed her eyes shut. How could she not believe it? The truly unbelievable thing would have been if her parents had actually shown up to see her. Her grip on the phone tightened. Why did she do this to herself? How could she allow herself to keep getting her hopes up, when they had let her down so many times?

  Nicole sank down onto the couch and pulled her knees up to her chest. She rocked back and forth, willing the tightness in her stomach and chest to ease. This was it. Never again would she believe anything they had to say to her. Never again would she trust that they would do something when they told her they would. She was done hoping. Done believing that somewhere, deep down, they actually cared about her, that someday they would come back and the three of them could be a family. They had let her down for the last time; she was letting go of that dream forever.

  Except that she couldn’t.

  “Nicole?” Gage’s voice, calling out her name, keys jangling as he pulled them from the front door lock, yanked her from the fog she’d lost herself in after her mother had ended their phone call. Still, she couldn’t summon the strength to move as his footsteps sounded across the living room floor.

  “Are you ready to go?” Gage rounded the couch, clutching a bouquet of flowers in one hand. “We should—” He stopped abruptly. “Nic? What is it? What’s wrong?”

  When she didn’t answer, he sank onto the coffee table in front of her and set the flowers down. “Are you sick? Maybe we should call your mom and dad and tell …”

  Her gaze locked with his and his dark eyes went hard. “They’re not coming, are they?”

  She shook her head slightly.

  Rage flashed across his face and he swore.

  Nicole blinked but didn’t speak.

  He exhaled loudly. “Sorry.” Gage reached for the phone that she’d forgotten she still gripped in one hand. “Here.” Gently he pried it from her and set it behind him, then took both her cold hands in his. “When did they call?”

  “I don’t know. Around three, maybe?”

  Gage glanced down at his watch. “It’s 5:10. Have you been sitting here the whole time?” He was clearly forcing calm into his voice, as though talking her down off a window ledge.

  Her head barely moved as she nodded. His jaw worked but he didn’t speak, just massaged her hands in his. Nicole rested her head against the back of the couch. She wouldn’t cry. She’d shed enough tears over her parents to do her for a lifetime. More than enough.

  “Do you want me to make you a cup of tea? Or something to eat?”

  She lifted her head. “No.” Her voice cracked. “Unless you’re hungry.”

  “I’m okay. I grabbed a bite before I left work because I thought we’d be going straight to the airport.”

  She didn’t respond.

  “Nic?” He waited for her to look up at him. “Why aren’t they coming?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut. “I don’t know. Something about an engineering conference in Egypt, I think. I kind of faded out after my mother told me their plans had changed.”

  “I’m really sorry.”

  Nicole swallowed. “Why does it still bother me so much? They’ve been doing this to me my whole life. Am I ever going to get over how much it hurts?”

  “I don’t think you ever get over the people who are supposed to love you the most hurting you so badly.” The anger in his eyes had morphed to grief. For her or for himself?

  “Is that what happened to you?”

  He shrugged that off. “It happens to a lot of people. I cannot grasp your parents not wanting to see you though. They have this amazing daughter and they’ve thr
own away any chance to be with her, to see her grow up. How can parents be so blind, so selfish? Why did they bother having children at all?”

  “Child.”

  “What?”

  “They only had one child. I’ve always wished they had more, so at least I’d have someone in the world.”

  He tightened his grip on her fingers. “You have someone.”

  Nicole slumped against the cushions. “Why are you here?”

  His forehead wrinkled. “What do you mean? I came to take you to the airport.”

  “No, I mean, why are you here, with me? I tried to warn you what a disaster I am. I gave you plenty of chances to leave, plenty of reasons. Why are you still here?”

  Gage studied her, as if trying to figure out the driving force behind her words. His face softened. “Because I love you.”

  Her eyes widened. “What?” He’d never said those words to her before. Did he mean them or was he trying to make her feel better?

  He leaned forward. “I love you, Nicole.” Gage pressed the backs of her hands to his lips.

  “You don’t have to say that.”

  “I do have to. Not because I’m trying to make you feel better, although I’d do anything for that to happen, but because I feel it so deeply and strongly I think I might explode if I don’t say it.”

  Nicole studied him, her eyelids flickering in confusion. Could it be true? Could someone actually love her? Joe and Connie love you. That was true. They were the first people in her life to really and truly love her unconditionally, so maybe it was possible that … A small smile played at the corners of her mouth. “Really?”

  Gage smiled too. “Yes, really.”

  Joy rushed through her. “I love you too.”

  He let go of her hands and scooped her up in one quick movement, then turned and settled himself on the couch, cradling her in his lap.

  Nicole trailed her fingers lightly over his cheek.

  Gage leaned down and brushed his lips across hers.

  Nicole slid her hand behind his neck and pulled him closer, deepening their kiss. After a moment, she let him go and gazed up at him. “Did you bring me flowers?”

  He glanced over at the bouquet on the coffee table. “Yes. Daisies.”

  Nicole pushed back the hair from his forehead. “That was sweet.”

  “I know.” He grinned.

  “I should put them in water.” She didn’t move. Her eyelids were heavy, and she felt as though she could drift right off to sleep.

  “Yes, you should.”

  “I don’t appear to be getting up.”

  “Good.” His arms tightened around her. “You’re right where I want you. The flowers will be fine. Why don’t you rest? You look exhausted.”

  Nicole sighed. “It has been a long day.”

  “Sounds like it. Close your eyes. I’m not going anywhere.”

  She stifled a yawn. “Maybe for a few minutes.”

  He shifted on the couch so he was leaning against the arm.

  Nicole rested her head on his chest. She felt his eyes on her, his gaze warm against her skin, but couldn’t find the strength to open her eyes. Although he hadn’t answered her question, about whether or not the people he loved the most had hurt him, she knew they had. Deeply. The two of them were a couple of lost souls. Except that, somehow, through the grace of God, they had found each other.

  Gage lowered his head until his mouth hovered right above her hair. “I’ll be your family, Nic.” He whispered the words and pressed his lips to her forehead.

  Peace flooded through her. Gage loved her. He would never leave her. Her stomach tightened again. Could he make that kind of commitment to her? If her parents had taught her anything, it was that promises weren’t always kept, and that sometimes the people you loved the most were ripped from you, no matter how tightly you tried to hold on to them.

  He pulled her closer, as though he could sense her thoughts and was trying to convince her. Nicole forced herself to relax. Now, in this moment, Gage was with her.

  That was all she could think about today.

  Chapter Twenty

  Daniel slid into the pew beside his sister. Although the service didn’t start until eleven, he’d been up half the night thinking about the abductions and had slept through his alarm. Thankfully, a fire truck had driven past his building half an hour ago, alarms blaring, or he’d have missed the whole thing. “Where’s Austin?”

  Becca wrinkled her nose. “Working.” She held out her hymnbook. Austin was a firefighter and, although he tried to avoid Sunday shifts, he wasn’t always able to accompany her to church.

  Daniel took hold of his side of the hymnal to share it with her. The slightly musty smell of old, yellowed paper drifted from the book, bringing back fond memories of being in church with his family—his mom, dressed in her Sunday best, at his side.

  When the singing ended, he sat down on the pew beside Becca. Thoughts whirled through his head and he struggled to focus as the pastor began to speak, but soon he was caught up in the powerful story and its lessons. The Good Samaritan. Radical love for the ones others turned away from. Selfless, sacrificial love for the poor, the broken, the vulnerable, the disenfranchised. Did he have that? God, show me if I don’t. And give me a deeper love for those I see every day who need it so much.

  Becca shifted beside him. At nearly six months pregnant, she was often uncomfortable, and the hard pew likely didn’t help.

  Daniel shot her a sympathetic look before turning back to the front. When the service ended, he took her arm and helped her to her feet. “Can I take you to lunch?”

  “That would be great.” She slid a hand through the crook of his elbow as they started down the aisle. “Every meal I don’t have to cook these days is a win, as far as I’m concerned.”

  They left her car in the parking lot and Daniel drove to a restaurant in the neighborhood. Becca sighed as she wriggled into her seat. “Next time I’m going to have to sit at a table. This booth ain’t big enough for the two of us.”

  Daniel laughed as he slid onto the bench across from her. “Are you quoting an old western or Toy Story?”

  “I guess it better be Toy Story. I’m going to have to brush up on all my children’s movies soon.” She cocked her head. “How do you know lines from that movie?”

  “Are you kidding? Toy Story’s a classic. It’s one of my favorites.”

  Becca grinned. “Just a big kid, aren’t you? You’re going to be a great uncle.”

  “I hope so. It will help boost my ego if I can excel in one area of my life, at least.”

  Her forehead wrinkled. “What does that mean? What areas aren’t you excelling in? Other than your love life, of course, which I’m not going to bring up.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate your self-control.” Daniel picked up his menu and perused it in an attempt to avoid meeting his sister’s eyes.

  “What are you doing?”

  He repressed a sigh. “I’m looking at the menu. Typically what one does before one orders a meal in a restaurant.”

  She reached over and pushed his menu down. “No, you’re not. You’ve avoiding looking at me. Why?” He winced at her quick intake of breath. “You met someone, didn’t you?”

  Daniel set the menu on the table. “No, I didn’t. And I wasn’t talking about my love life earlier. I was referring to my job.”

  “Who is she?”

  Like a dog with a bone. “I told you I didn’t meet anyone. And the server is coming. Do you know what you want?”

  He leaned back when the woman stopped at the end of their table and filled his mug with coffee. Becca shook her head when the middle-aged woman in a mustard-yellow uniform held the pot up to her. “I’ll have water, thanks.” The woman took their order and left. Becca bent forward a little and inhaled, waving one hand toward her to direct the steam rising from his mug over to her. “Mmm. That smells so good. I think I miss coffee most of all.”

  “Sorry.” Daniel grimaced. “I forgot yo
u weren’t drinking it these days. I shouldn’t have it either.”

  “No, it’s fine. Smelling it is the next best thing.” She settled back on the bench. “So?”

  “So I’m a little frustrated with the way the investigation is going, that’s all.”

  “Why?”

  “I can’t really go into specifics, except to say that we keep hitting one roadblock after another. Sometimes it feels as though Sharleen and I are in way over our heads with this one.”

  “I doubt that.”

  Daniel smiled affectionately at his sister. They’d had their battles over the years, like all siblings, but no one stood up for him against the rest of the world like she did. Or saw more potential greatness in him than anyone else did, including him. She got that from their mom, who had always made both of them feel like there was nothing they couldn’t do. A twinge of sadness worked its way across his chest, but Daniel pushed it back. “I appreciate the vote of confidence. I wish I could share your sentiments, but it seems like for every step forward, we’ve lost two. And if we don’t come up with something concrete soon, more kids could be taken. It’s a little overwhelming, to be honest.”

  “I know you will.”

  “I hope you’re right. We are following up on a new idea, so hopefully that will pan out. This case is going to take up a lot of my time for the next few weeks, at least. I know I promised to be there for you and Dad more, but—”

  She reached across the table and gripped his arm. “Don’t worry about it. I understand completely, and so will Dad. You have to do your job, especially if it means protecting the children of the city. I’ll be praying for you.”

  “I’d appreciate it. We’ll need all the help we can get.”

  Becca squeezed his arm before pulling her hand away and resting it on her stomach. “I do know what you mean about feeling overwhelmed. Now that this impending parenthood thing has gotten so real, I’m starting to get a little panicky. Am I ready to be completely and utterly responsible for another human being? What if I can’t do it? What if I turn out to be a horrible mother?”