BRINGING BENJY HOME

by Kylie Brant

  "Jaida," he muttered with frustration. "Jaida!" he shouted, starting through the crowd after her. His heart iced at the thought of what she was experiencing right now. Damn her, why hadn't she stayed put? He pushed through the people, following glimpses of that white gold hair. The crowd seemed to be surging forward. He fought the rising swell of people, impelled by the fear of Jaida lost in their midst.

  "I'm warning you, lady, let go or I'll scream this place down. Are you crazy? Let go!"

  Trey stumbled at the sound of the words, his head whipping around in the direction of the voice. Pushing aside the people in his path, he found Jaida on her knees, her hands tightly wrapped around the bar on a stroller. He faltered to a stop.

  The stroller was easily recognizable. He'd pushed it himself many times through a park or a zoo. The navy blue canopy was folded down, revealing the padded white and blue striped lining.

  And inside sat the most precious sight in the world.

  "Benjy." He uttered the name with the reverence of a priest in prayer. The child was oblivious to the wall of people around him. He seemed mesmerized by the glowing halo of hair surrounding his confines. As Trey watched, his nephew clutched some of the strands in his chubby hand, then smiled beatifically.

  "Lady, this is your last warning. Do I have to get the police?"

  Trey's hand clamped around the speaker's forearm like a vise. "I think that's exactly what you're going to have to do. As a matter of fact, I'll help you."

  The woman jerked frantically, but was unable to free herself. "Help, someone help me!" she yelped.

  "Get security," Trey snapped to a couple gawking at the scene that was unfolding. Raising his voice, he ordered again, "Somebody get security over here." The next few minutes were a jumble of events. Jaida hadn't moved when she'd heard his voice, and he shot her a concerned look. "Honey, are you all right?" he asked, reaching down for her arm. The strange woman picked that time to shove a fist into his midsection and broke free of him. She got only a few steps before he had her arm again, and by that time several unobtrusively dressed men were surrounding them. Security had arrived.

  "Let me go!" the woman screeched when one of the men took her by the elbow.

  Trey released her. "Call the police," he commanded the guards. He walked back to the stroller and Jaida. Bending down, he looked into the face of his nephew for the first time in almost a month. Even now, he couldn't believe the search was over. He reached out with one long finger and stroked the baby-soft cheek. "Hey, big guy," he said, his voice cracking with suppressed emotion.

  Benjy looked up and his eyes widened with delight. "Tay!" He released the hold he had on Jaida's hair and clapped his hands excitedly. "Tay—Tay—Tay!" He thrust his arms in the air demandingly. "Up, Tay, up!"

  Trey reached in and took his nephew into his arms. He hugged the wiggling child fiercely, a flood of emotion filling him. Benjy was here, and he was safe. He was safe. Squeezing his eyes shut tightly, he rested his face against the small, silky head. As many times as he'd dreamed of this moment, he was unprepared for the reality of it.

  He opened his eyes, needing to convince himself that the small body he held wasn't the product of yet another dream. The boy clasped his uncle's face in his small hands, and Trey looked down in wonder at the face that seemed a miniature of his own. Then he hugged the boy to him again and threw his head back, letting out a shout of laughter. The world had never seemed more perfect, or life more precious.

  "You're going to have to come with us, sir."

  The voice in his ear was polite, but firm. So was the grip on his arm. Trey's head snapped around, his shoulders automatically hunching to defend his nephew. Recognizing the man as one of the security personnel who'd appeared, he relaxed slightly. The woman Jaida had found with Benjy was already being escorted away.

  "I'll take the boy," another guard said, reaching over for Benjy. Benjy immediately set up a howl, but Trey relinquished him voluntarily. Jaida hadn't moved during the entire scene, and he cursed himself now for forgetting everything for a few seconds except for Benjy.

  He pulled away from the man who'd apprehended him, squatting down to where Jaida still knelt, her hands tightly wrapped around the stroller. "Jaida, honey, open your eyes," he commanded in a soft voice. "Look at me, now."

  Her eyes slowly opened, but he knew she was barely conscious of his presence. Cursing under his breath, he snapped at the guard still hovering above him, "Get those people back from her!" The crowd seemed to have expanded, as attention shifted from the performance on the stage to the real-life drama taking place in its midst.

  The guard hesitated, looking at the other two security personnel standing by. "I'm not coming without her. Now, do as I say and get those people away." Trey's voice cracked like a whip, and after a moment, two of the men obeyed the command implicit in his tone.

  Trey covered Jaida's hands with his, talking to her continuously in a soft, soothing voice. He watched awareness flicker in her eyes, their brilliant blue dulled now with pain and something else, something he couldn't even begin to comprehend. Gently he released her fingers from their grip on the stroller. He rubbed them in his, speaking in dulcet tones. He wondered if he was doing the right thing. He didn't want to burden senses already overloaded. He wanted to push that psychic bombardment from the crowd away for her, engrossing her only in their touch, in the chemistry between them.

  Long minutes ticked by. Finally, she blinked. "Trey," she said in a faint voice.

  "That's right, love, I'm here," he crooned, relief rolling through him. She was starting to come back to him. Tenderly he began to lift her to her feet.

  "Benjy?" Her voice was no stronger this time, but fear was lacing it.

  "He's all right," he soothed. Triumph filled his voice. "You did it, honey. You found him." A slight smile crossed her face, before her body crumpled and he caught her in his arms.

  "Does she need a doctor?" one of the security people asked.

  Trey rose with Jaida cradled against his chest. "No," he said tersely, hoping like hell he was right. "Bring that stroller." One of the guards did as Trey bade him, and Trey looked at the one who had been trying unsuccessfully to apprehend him for the past several minutes. "Now, take me to my nephew."

  The man obediently turned and led them away. "Mister, you're going to have a lot of explaining to do," he said.

  "Get the police here first," Trey said shortly, gazing down into Jaida's pale face. "It's a long story, and I'm only going to tell it once."

  * * *

  Sergeant Mitch Garven hung up the phone and turned to the group assembled in the Kids' Kingdom Security Office. "Well, I spoke to Detective Reynolds of the LAPD. Your story checks out, Garrison. He's faxing us the information we need to finalize the identification, although I can't imagine any kid resembling an adult as much and not being related." He frowned and looked at Trey. "He does have some questions about how the heck you managed to track your nephew here, and I admit I'm curious myself." His attention was diverted by the fax machine.

  Benjy struggled down off Trey's lap and made his way cautiously over to the noisy machine. He turned back a couple times, as if to assure himself Trey was still there, then proceeded to satisfy his inquisitive nature. Soon he was peering up at the machine, his eyes widening when he recognized the likeness of himself emerging. He ran back to Trey quickly. "It Benjy!" he announced, clambering onto his uncle's lap.

  Trey scooped him up with his free arm. He had the other wrapped around Jaida, and she was leaning heavily against him. Her eyes were closed, but he doubted she was sleeping. He needed to get her back to the motel quickly. He'd remembered the medication she carried with her, but her purse, along with Benjy's toy, was missing. A security officer had been dispatched to find them both, but hadn't yet returned.

  It had taken an interminable time to summon the police, tell his story to the sergeant and then wait while contact was made with the LAPD to verify the story. Through it all he was aware of how much the
woman at his side was suffering, while he'd been unable to do a damn thing about it.

  The door pushed open then, but the guard who walked through it carried only the small bag with Benjy's elephant inside. "Sorry, sir," the young man said. "I even checked lost and found, but the purse you described wasn't there. Still could show up, though."

  Sergeant Garven ripped the sheet free from the machine. He studied it for a minute, then came over to where Trey was sitting with Benjy. Squatting in front of them, he turned Benjy's head with a gentle hand and pushed aside the silky, black curls that had grown longer over the weeks he'd been away. He found the lone freckle in back of the boy's left earlobe and got up, satisfied.

  "It's Benjy, all right," he said with a chuckle, reaching down to ruffle the boy's hair.

  Benjy ducked away shyly, hiding his face against his uncle's chest.

  The man turned his attention back to Trey. "I'd still like to have you come downtown later and make a statement."

  "Right now," Trey responded evenly, "all I want to do is get back to the motel with Benjy and Jaida. I need to call my sister as soon as possible." He didn't want to do that here, though. Not with the curious security guards standing around listening, and certainly not before he got Jaida to a bed. "I'll want to be kept informed about what you find out from that woman in there." He jerked his head toward the adjoining room, where the woman had been left with the head of Security and a couple of guards.

  "She's got some explaining to do," Garven agreed. "I'm kind of eager to hear what she has to say myself."

  "She's not working alone." Jaida's voice was strained and quiet. She didn't open her eyes as she spoke.

  "What's that?" Sergeant Garven asked, startled.

  "We don't believe the woman was alone," Trey said. "We have reason to believe that she was working with a man."

  "Did you see anyone with her today?" The man's voice was sharp.

  "No," admitted Trey. "But it would have been easy for him to fade back into the crowd once he saw the way things were going.

  "Maybe," the sergeant said dubiously.

  He promised to call Trey as soon as he was finished questioning the woman and then Trey gave him the phone number of the motel they were staying at. "I need to get these two back there," he said. Looking down at the boy he held in his lap, he added gruffly, "This little guy wants to call his mama."

  * * *

  The sky was just beginning to turn a dull gray, signaling dawn's approach. Mac and Trey sat on the balcony outside of Trey's room. Inside, Lauren and Benjy slept on one of the beds. Lauren held her baby close, even in sleep. The men had crept outside hours before so as not to disturb them.

  "You were able to get here in record time," Trey observed.

  "It cost us a fortune, but it was worth it. Lauren would have run here if she'd had to." Mac nodded toward the terrace doors. "You did real good, buddy."

  "Jaida did it all," Trey corrected. "Most of the time I felt like I was just along for the ride." He frowned then. He had summoned a doctor to their room, who'd given Jaida a sedative. But he'd been aware even at the time that their efforts would be woefully inadequate. He'd put her to bed and piled her with extra blankets to still the trembling in her limbs. She hadn't seemed to have moved in any of the times he'd checked on her.

  "Who would ever have believed that we'd find Benjy with a psychic's help?" Mac said, shaking his head in disbelief. "You know, Raine and Lauren were convinced all along that Jaida would be able to help us." At Trey's silence, Mac turned to look at him. "I know you had your doubts at first. But somewhere along the line you must have changed your mind about Jaida."

  Yeah, he'd had his doubts. And he'd made her fully aware of them at every turn. His had never been a trusting nature, and belief in Jaida's abilities took more faith than he'd ever had.

  But it wasn't the change in his opinion of Jaida that was really worthy of comment, it was the change in his feelings for her. There was no way he could explain to Mac the strange connection that leaped to life between them every time they touched.

  "Did you get the arrangements made for your flight back?" Trey asked.

  Mac nodded. "You want them at a safe house, I assume."

  "For now," Trey answered. "Let's keep a couple of our men with them at all times, too."

  Mac shook his head. "No need. I'll stay with them myself."

  "Thanks," Trey said. "I'll feel better if you're there, at least until I return. They'll be comfortable with you." He paused for a moment, then added deliberately, "Make sure you're armed at all times."

  The two men exchanged a level glance. "You got it." Mac was silent for a time before he ventured, "How long are you planning to keep them hidden away, Trey?"

  "Until I know for sure just who the hell is behind the kidnapping and why," Trey replied tersely. "Jaida is sure the woman wasn't working alone, that a man is involved, too. Once the woman starts talking, we'll have a better idea what's been going on. In the meantime, I can't afford to let the kidnapper have another chance."

  "When will you be coming back?" Mac asked.

  Trey thought for a moment. "I need to stay here another few days and deal with the police. They'll be interrogating the woman we caught, and I want to be here when she spills the information about her partner."

  Trey's certainty that there would be a partner, despite having only Jaida's word for it, didn't escape Mac. Something had changed his partner's feelings about Jaida West. He wondered if it stemmed only from the fact she'd led him to Benjy, or if it was caused by something much, much more complicated.

  * * *

  The sun was high overhead when Mac and Lauren were ready to leave with Benjy again.

  "I still don't understand why you can't come with us now, Trey," Lauren said, her pretty face troubled with a frown. "And I hate to rush away like this without even talking to Jaida. We owe her so much!" Her voice choked for a moment as she thought of all the woman had returned to her. She hugged Benjy closer to her. "It just doesn't seem right to leave without thanking her."

  "I don't want her awakened." Trey's voice was firm. "The experience yesterday…" He hesitated. Just the memory of what Jaida had put herself through to help them find Benjy made him swallow hard. "It was difficult for her," he finished at last. "The best thing we can do is let her sleep as long as she's able." And hope like hell that sleep alone would be enough to restore her stamina.

  Lauren bit her lip, then finally nodded reluctantly. Mac cast his partner a speculative glance. His words a moment ago had held a tinge of possessiveness.

  "You'll remember the flight plan," Trey said to his partner. Mac nodded laconically. Pilots were required to submit flight plans to the airports they were using, but Trey had been worried about leaving a trail in case anyone was interested in their destination. There were ways to change the plan en route, ways that would make them difficult, if not impossible, to trace. "Don't worry, Trey. I've got it covered."

  Trey crossed to his sister and encompassed her and his nephew in a hug. "Quit worrying, honey. This will all be over pretty soon. The worst is behind us." She smiled at him, and he held out his hand for Benjy to high-five. "I'll see you again pretty soon, okay, big guy? Take care of your mom for me."

  Benjy gave him a toothy grin. From his perch in his mother's arms, the world appeared happy and secure.

  "Oh, I almost forgot," Trey muttered, looking around the room. Spotting the bag he was seeking, he fetched its contents for his nephew. "You'll be wanting this, I'll bet."

  "El-funt," Benjy crowed delightedly. He reached out and snatched it from his uncle's hand, crooning happily. "El-funt, Mama."

  Lauren blinked away tears at the sight. As precious as the toy was to Benjy, it would always mean infinitely more to her. It represented Jaida's help, and the way her son had been returned to her. She looked back at Trey. "You'll join us soon?"

  He nodded and hugged her again. "As soon as I can."

  Mac shepherded Lauren and Benjy to the door. Trey st
opped him with his hand on Mac's arm. "Take care of them," he ordered in a low voice.

  The two men exchanged a long glance. "You know I will," Mac promised quietly. Trey watched them leave, then turned and crossed the room, opening the door to Jaida's room.

  He walked over to the bed and gazed down at her. Her breathing was still deep and even, but she was no longer huddled like a cocoon in the middle of the bed. Sometime in the past hour she'd shed one of the blankets he'd covered her with, and it lay on the floor at his feet.

  He picked it up and folded it carefully. He hoped this was a good sign, that she'd be waking up soon. With a gentle hand he reached down and pushed the heavy mass of pale hair away from her face.

  Then, with a feeling of déjà vu, he pulled up a chair and settled in for a silent vigil over Jaida as she slept.

  * * *

  Chapter 12

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  The room was quiet, the air heavy with late-afternoon humidity. Jaida awoke gradually to a sense of sticky discomfort. She lay still for a minute, blinking groggily, trying to get her bearings. Her memory slowly filtered back to her.

  Benjy. They'd found him.

  She frowned, trying to recall the exact course of events following the scene in the park, but the rest of that day was hazy at best. Her head felt as if it was full of cotton batting. She knew from experience that the sensation came from around-the-clock, drug-like slumber.

  Slipping out of bed, she padded past the door to the adjoining room. There was no sound coming from the adjoining room, and she wondered groggily where Trey and his family were. The bright sunlight spilling in at the bottom of the heavy draperies alluded to daytime, but she had no way of knowing how long she'd been asleep. She paused to turn up the air conditioner and headed to the bathroom.

  Standing under the stinging spray of the shower, Jaida began to feel somewhat human again. She felt alarmingly weak, as if she were recovering from a long, serious bout of flu. Her head was throbbing, but the pain was at a tolerable level, unlike the clawing agony she'd been in before Trey had put her to bed.