To Love Twice

by McCoubrey, Heather

  Nodding, Kate sighed. “I know you are, but it doesn’t change anything. You can’t substitute Mary for your own child and I’m not going to sacrifice our happiness because you can’t have children. I forgive you, but I won’t forget and I don’t want to ever see you again.”

  Turning her back on her sister and the mother who was so entirely on Georgie’s side as usual, Kate put them out of her mind and started praying.

  She prayed for Mary’s safe return, for Edward and Jason to find Mary, for their safety and for Edward’s forgiveness.

  Kate shuddered to think what life would be like if Edward couldn’t forgive her. She’d blamed him and pushed him away at the first sign of trouble. It wasn’t a good indication of her ever-lasting love.

  Kate heard the door close behind her signaling the departure of the cops, her sister and mother. Good riddance, she thought to herself. Not expecting anyone else in the apartment, she was startled to feel a hand on her shoulder. Turning, she was shocked to see her mother standing behind her. “Mom?”

  Barbara pulled Kate into her arms. “Edward will find her, Kate.”

  Unused to this kind of attention or affection from her mother, Kate just nodded against Barbara’s shoulder.

  “You thought I left,” Barbara stated.

  “Yes,” Kate whispered.

  “I’m sorry, Katie.”

  Kate looked questioningly at her mother.

  “I’m sorry for allowing you to think she means more to me than you do. I love you both, equally, but I guess I’ve allowed you to keep me at arms length. You never seemed to need me as much as Georgie did. You were always so independent and sure of your path. She’ll need help and we’ll give it to her. But I can’t do anything for her right now. You need me more than she does,” Barbara explained.

  Fighting back tears at this rare show of affection from her mother, Kate hugged Barbara tightly. “Thank you, Mom.”

  Barbara led Kate over to the couch as Captain Driscoll strolled out of the kitchen. He snapped his phone shut and directed a glare in Kate’s direction.

  “Kate, where’s Edward?” he asked sternly.

  “He’s finding Mary, why?”

  “He gave Wyatt the slip.” He sighed and crossed his arms. “How did you figure out it was your sister?”

  “It wasn’t any one thing,” Kate explained. “Thoughts and memories and things were just rolling through my mind. Her love of all things Hollywood, her obsession with television programs and magazines. It made me finally question how she could not have known him. He so famous, Europe’s most eligible bachelor. She had to know. And then some of the things she said to me lately. How she’ll miss us and how she had hoped to watch Mary grow up,” Kate sighed. “I don’t know, I just knew it was her.”

  He nodded as he wrote notes down in his notebook. “I have cars out looking for the van.”

  Kate shook her head. “Edward will find her.”

  He thrust his hand through his hair in frustration. “I just hope he doesn’t get them killed.”

  Kate glared at Captain Driscoll. Unable to sit any longer, she walked over to the window. Offering more prayers for their safety and return, Kate closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the cool glass of the window.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  “I can’t believe that worked,” Edward said.

  “Everyone has to use the loo at some point,” Jason chuckled.

  Laughing, Edward nodded and watched Jason check his phone when it chimed.

  “Jolly says the van is in the mall parking lot. It’s a few blocks from the convention center.”

  “Make him wait for us. Mary is scared enough. I want her to see a familiar face.”

  Jason nodded and quickly texted Jolly back with the instructions. At the next intersection, Jason made a u-turn and put the pedal down. They flew down the streets racing toward the mall.

  “Shit, a cop,” Jason said as he glanced in the rearview mirror.

  “Good, let him follow. He can take care of the reporter for us.”

  “He’ll get in the way,” Jason grumped.

  “Lose him then, but do it fast. We need to get to Mary.”

  “I’ll just outrun him,” he said as he pushed the gas pedal down even further.

  “Bloody hell!” Edward swore as he was pushed back into his seat. “I’d rather not die today, Jason.”

  Jason laughed, but continued to floor the car.

  They arrived at the mall ten minutes later. Jason circled the mall and came in at the van from behind.

  “What’s the plan here?” Edward asked.

  “Jolly is going to go for the guy and we’re going for Mary.”

  Jason and Edward exited the car and met Jolly around the back of the van.

  “We need to be quick. Cops followed us,” Jason said.

  Jolly quickly checked the clip in his glock. Satisfied with what he saw, he snapped it closed and nodded. “Ready.”

  Edward watched Jolly crouch and walk to the drivers side, staying out of the side mirror. His gun at the ready, he popped up, opened the door and pointed his gun at Brent. “Hands where I can see them!” Jolly said. He nodded at Jason when Brent’s hands were secure.

  Jason and Edward opened the back doors. Jason held back to allow Mary full sight of Edward.

  Edward would never forget the sight in front of him as long as he lived. Mary was crouched up against the side of the van, panic etched on her face. Her hands were tied with rope and ducktape covered her mouth.

  Rage for the treatment she’d received at the hands of Brent and Georgie coursed through him like wildfire. He wanted to rip the reporter to shreds with his bare hands. Some of what he felt must have shown on his face because he heard a small whimper come from Mary. Edward quickly smoothed out his features and knelt inside the van.

  “Cops,” Jason said nodding across the parking lot.

  “Deal with them,” Edward said. He slowly reached out toward Mary. “Shh, princess. It’s going to be okay. I’m here to take you home. Let me free your hands.” Edward quickly untied her hands and moved to the ducktape on her face. “I’m going to take the tape off now, it’s going to hurt some. I’m so sorry, Mary.”

  Mary whimpered and tears coursed down her cheeks while Edward removed the tape. “I’m sorry, Mary,” Edward repeated. When the tape was finally removed, he gathered her into his arms and held her close. “It’s okay, Mary. You’re safe now.”

  He continued to hold her close as he stepped out of the van. Nodding to Jason, he walked over and slipped into the backseat of Jason’s rental car.

  Whispering words of encouragement, he rocked her back and forth, rubbing her back in small circles. Unwilling to let her go for even a second, he did his best to calm her and give her comfort.

  Jason poked his head in the car. “They won’t let me go until the Captain gets here.”

  Edward growled. “How long?”

  “Says the Captain is on his way.”

  “Fine.”

  Edward watched as the cops cuffed Brent and put him in the back of the cruiser. He had a moment of regret that he wouldn’t get his chance to pound the man into a pulp. But when Mary’s head slipped off his shoulder, he glanced down at her sleeping face and knew his place was right here. Adjusting her position for more comfort for the both of them, he dropped a kiss on her temple and thanked God for keeping Mary safe.

  Laying his head back against the seat, he hoped the Captain showed up soon.

  “Kate? What’s going on? Where is everyone? Where’s the Captain going? Where’s Georgie?” Tim asked as he entered the apartment.

  “Oh, Tim,” Barbara sniffled. “Sit down,” she gestured toward the couch.

  Kate turned from the window but didn’t join them on the couch. “She’s been arrested, Tim. I’m so sorry.”

  “Arrested? Why?” He asked as he looked from Kate to Barbara.

  “She was behind Mary’s kidnapping,” Kate said sadly.

  Tim jumped to hi
s feet. “Are you crazy? She would never do something like that, Kate. She loves you and Mary so much.”

  Kate raised her hands and nodded. “I know she does. She was afraid that when Edward and I married, we’d take Mary to London and she’d never see Mary again.”

  “Oh my God,” Tim groaned. He wiped his hand across his face and sat down heavily on the couch. “I can’t believe she’d do something like this. I know she’s had a hard time accepting that we aren’t going to have kids, but I never in a million years thought she’d do something like this.”

  “I know, Tim. I can’t think about her role in this. I’m keeping it together by a very thin thread,” Kate told him.

  “William is at the police station with her, Tim. He’s working on finding her a good attorney.”

  Tim turned a glacial stare on Kate. “You’re going to let them prosecute her?”

  “It’s out of my hands, Tim. You know that. The cops are involved. It’s kidnapping, I have no say now.” Kate implored.

  “Any good attorney will try to go with an insanity plea or whatever they’re called now,” Barbara told him.

  Tim stood and headed for the door. “I’m heading over there to see what I can do for her,” Tim said. Turning back to Kate, she could sense his anger radiating from him. “We did a lot for you, Kate. We took you both in and helped you get back on your feet. Don’t let her suffer for this. She’s ill, and needs help. Not jail.” Tim turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him.

  Kate let out a deep breath and turned back to the window.

  “He’s right, you know,” Barbara murmured.

  “Right, how?”

  “She’s ill. Not being able to have a baby has been so tough on her.”

  “That’s no excuse to kidnap her niece, Mom. Can you imagine how scared Mary must feel? The terror she’s been put through and how alone she is?” Kate shuddered and turned to look at her mother. “I had sympathy for her. Before she stole my child. There were other options. Adoption or foster care. They didn’t have to choose being childless.” Disgusted, Kate shook her head and turned back to the window.

  “You’ll turn your back on her forever?” Barbara asked gently.

  “Probably not. She’s my sister. But I’m furious and scared and I can’t think beyond getting Mary and Edward back. I can’t tell you what will happen,” Kate said.

  “Kate, please,” Barbara pleaded.

  “Don’t push me, Mom. This wasn’t something small like stealing my dessert. She kidnapped my child – that’s a federal offense. It’s like I told Tim, it’s out of my hands. And be glad for it, Mom. Because with the way I’m feeling right now, I’d shoot her if I saw her.”

  Kate was glad when Barbara finally stopped talking. She was frantically looking up and down the street for any sign of Edward and Mary. He said he’d call when they were on their way, but it had already been so long. Trying to keep herself calm, she said another prayer asking for peace and their safe return.

  “Captain is here,” Jason murmured fifteen minutes later.

  Edward lifted his head and sighed in relief. He watched the Captain stalk over to the car, and knew this wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation based on the look on the Captain’s face.

  “Mr. Kent, I thought we had an understanding?” The Captain said brusquely.

  “We did, sir. But circumstances changed.”

  “Not in my book. Where is my officer?”

  “I would assume still at the hotel, sir.”

  “And how did you get away him?”

  “He had to use the loo,” Jason offered, barely able to contain his grin.

  The Captain glared at Jason. “I wasn’t speaking to you.”

  Jason raised his hands in surrender and walked over to stand with Jolly.

  “Look Captain,” Edward said calmly, his patience almost at it’s end. “We found Mary. She’s safe and you have the bad guys in custody. You know if it had been your daughter, you would have done the same thing.”

  Rolling his eyes, the Captain braced his hands on the top of the car. “You could have gotten yourselves hurt. You could have gotten her killed,” he growled.

  Edward sighed. “But we didn’t. And all I want to do right now is take Mary home and reunite her with Kate.”

  Sighing himself, the Captain nodded. “Welker!” he called to one of his officers.

  “Sir?”

  “Follow them back to Ms. Walker’s apartment. Stay with them until I return.”

  “Yes, sir.” Welker hurried off to his patrol car and pulled it around behind Jason’s car.

  The Captain walked over to Jason and Jolly and explained the situation to them. A minute later the two of them got in the car and within seconds they were on the way.

  “Are we following the rules, here, Edward?” Jason asked.

  “Yes.”

  Jason nodded and drove them to Kate’s apartment.

  Kate raised her head and blinked her eyes. She gave a strangled cry and clenched her hands into fists.

  “Kate?” Barbara asked, hurrying over to Kate’s side.

  Holding her breath, Kate kept her eyes on the activity down below. She could see reporters and people milling about, crowding around a car and a cruiser that had just arrived.

  She gasped when Edward emerged from the car holding Mary tightly to his chest. “He did it, he brought her home,” Kate whispered.

  “Oh Katie, look! It’s Edward and Mary,” Barbara exclaimed.

  Barbara wrapped her arms around Kate and hugged her tight. Unable to stop the tears, Kate pressed her face into her mother’s shoulder.

  Jason opened the door and Edward walked through. He stopped just inside the entryway, eyes searching for Kate. She ran over to him and gazed into his eyes. The tears hadn’t stopped and all she could see of him was a blurry outline. “Thank you, Edward,” Kate choked out as she reached for Mary.

  Edward gently relinquished his hold on Mary, placing her into Kate’s waiting arms. “She’s safe and unhurt, Kate. She fell asleep on the way here.”

  Kate’s eyes drank in the sight of her sleeping child. Sitting down on the couch with Mary, Kate held her close and kissed her head. She ran her hands along Mary’s body, checking for any signs she’d been hurt. Other than some marks on her wrists that looked like rope burn and some redness along her mouth, Kate could see that Mary was fine.

  Kate’s gaze found Edward, who was being enveloped in a bear hug from her mother. Her eyes roamed over his face ensuring he was also unhurt.

  “Excuse me for one minute,” Edward said gently working his way out of her mother’s embrace.

  Kate watched him walk to the kitchen and disappear through the doorway. She had so much to say to him, so much to apologize for, so much to thank him for. But she was glued to the couch, her fears unwilling to allow her to move. The weight of her child’s body in her arms was something she never thought she’d feel again. The roller-coaster of emotions she’d been on for the past few hours made her feel exhausted and wrung out. She knew she wouldn’t let Mary out of her sight for days and would most likely make Mary sleep with her for the next little while.

  Barbara came over and sat beside Kate on the couch. She rested her hand on Mary’s head, brushing her hair back from her face. “I’m so happy she’s home safe,” Barbara whispered.

  Kate nodded. Her throat felt clogged with all the emotions and she knew no words would be escaping anytime soon. All she could do was sit on the couch and hold her precious child.

  Barbara draped her arm around Kate and hugged her close. “Now that Mary is home, I’m going to go to the station and help out there,” Barbara said. She placed a kiss on Kate’s temple and slowly rose to her feet. “You and Edward need some time and I don’t want to be in the way. Call me if you need anything and I’ll come right back.”

  Kate nodded and offered a small smile for thanks. She watched her mother gather up her things. Barbara walked into the kitchen to say goodbye to Edward and hugged Jas
on on her way out.

  When the door clicked softly behind her mother, Kate let out a sigh of relief. Her mother’s uncharacteristic display of affection and unity had thrown Kate for a loop. She wasn’t used to this behavior from her mother and wasn’t really sure what to do with it. Her decision to go to the station now that Mary was home was more along the lines of what Kate was used to.

  Edward emerged from the kitchen moments later. He walked over to Jason and spoke to him in quiet tones. Jason nodded and retreated to the kitchen. Edward walked slowly over to the couch and sat down.

  “My plane leaves in an hour,” Edward whispered. “I have a few things to do before I leave, but I just wanted to make sure you’re going to be alright.”

  “Please don’t go, Edward,” Kate begged, her heart in her throat and fear shining in her eyes.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Kate.” Edward implored. “I don’t know what else to do. I am who I am. And if something like this were to happen again, I couldn’t bear it.”

  Eyes brimming with tears that never seemed to end, Kate rested a hand on Edward’s arm. “I’m so sorry, Edward. I’m so sorry I took my fear and anger out on you,” she said quietly. “I overreacted and had no business blaming you for Mary’s kidnapping.”

  “But you did,” Edward said. “And I’m not sure I can live with the threat of losing you over something that might happen again.”

  Sobbing at the truth in his words, Kate shook her head. “No, Edward. I was so wrong. At the first sign of trouble, I flew off the handle and ran. And that’s not who I am. I don’t want us to be over. I want to grow old with you and love you for the rest of my life…”

  “Kate, don’t toy with me,” Edward choked out.

  “I swear to you, I’m not,” Kate said earnestly through her tears. “I had a lot of time to think while Mary was missing. And I realized that I’ve been so happy since I met you. Yes, this whole thing scares me, but I’d rather be scared than alone. I need you, Edward.”

  “Forever, Kate?”

  Unable to say a word with the emotions clogging her throat, Kate nodded.

  Edward put his arm around her and pulled her close. “I don’t want to be away from you, either of you, for one minute ever again,” he said as he placed a hand on Mary’s head and a kiss to Kate’s temple. “I love you and Mary and you’re stuck with me, forever.”