Starlight Dunes

by Vickie McKeehan

  When she tried to dash past him to get to her iPhone, Brent snaked his arm around her waist. “Baby, is it Wes in the photo? Yes or no?”

  She sighed. “I’m not one hundred percent certain but it looks enough like Wes to warrant checking out.”

  “That’s all I needed to know. I’ll tell Swain you made a positive ID.” Before she could protest, he added, “Swain will handle it.”

  Her shoulders sagged. “I know what you’re going to say. I shouldn’t get my hopes up.”

  “On the contrary, I think this time it is Wes, which means it’s the best lead you’ve had in over two years.”

  “That’s true. If I flew out tonight though, I could be there to ID him and be there to pick up Luke.”

  Brent kissed her forehead. “Honey, it doesn’t work that way. If it’s Wes the local cops will detain him, count on it. They’ll fingerprint him so there is no mistake. They’ll take Luke into protective custody.”

  He eyed the concern in her eyes and added, “A social worker will be assigned to him for the duration until he gets to you. He’ll be okay.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t just sit here, Brent. During all that time, my baby could be with his mother. After all these years of missing him he could be with me right now. He’ll be scared with a stranger. He’s just a baby, Brent.” She rubbed her forehead where a headache began to pound along with stark realization. “But then I’m a stranger, too. Aren’t I? He doesn’t know his own mommy.” The bluster went out of her and she plopped into one of the canvas chairs stationed at the sieve.

  Brent sighed and reached for her hand. “Think of it this way. This is nothing more than a tough couple of days ahead until you get to the goal then everything will even out. And it will. Remember that. Swain will notify the nearest FBI field office. They’ll take care of IDing the boy and let us know as soon as they have a positive match. What I’m going to tell you is this. Be patient. I know it’s tough and not what you want to hear right now. But let the FBI do their job. The sooner you do that, the sooner you’ll get the results you want.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Over the next several hours, River did her best to focus on her work and not on the sighting nine-hundred miles away. But it was damned near impossible not hearing back from the FBI and maintaining any kind of center.

  When time passed without a word, she convinced herself that the only reason it was taking them so long to call back was that the sighting obviously hadn’t been genuine. It hadn’t been Wes or Luke and the authorities had neglected to contact her because of it. That’s the only thing that made sense.

  She was getting her hopes up for nothing.

  Once darkness fell and the work came to a stop, her optimism and faith began to dwindle for real. A considerable chunk of doubt crept in. It began to inch its way along her spine wanting to stagnate there. She fought the feeling of giving up and tried to mask it.

  But it didn’t take long for Brent to sense her temptation to plunge into gloom and doom. He decided he had to do something to offset it.

  “Let’s play a ‘what if’ game,” he suggested. “What if we get the call over dinner? What if they say they’re bringing Luke here? You’ll have to shop for a car seat.” He bumped her shoulder in a playful gesture at the prospect of going on a spending spree specifically for her son. “Fortunately, you can do that online, you know.”

  River threw him a grin. “I wouldn’t even know the first thing about what kind to get although I do still have the one I used when he was a baby packed away with my stuff in Santa Fe.”

  “He’s no doubt outgrown that one. And it’s for that very reason you should grill a seasoned mom like Jordan Harris, get the lowdown on the needs of a two-year-old. If anyone knows about toddlers, it would be Jordan. I’d suggest sitting down with Hayden but Nate isn’t even walking yet.” Brent also thought the whole idea of chatting with another mom might keep her spirits from drooping into despair at least over the next twenty-four hours.

  Her jaw dropped open. “That’s brilliant. I think I know how you got to be sheriff at such a young age. That’s a great idea. Although you do know I haven’t opened up to Jordan about Luke yet. It isn’t that I don’t want to but I just haven’t had the chance. It’s tough for me to talk about it and talking to her will mean I have to come clean about all of it.”

  “Maybe it’s time you did though. If not Jordan, how about Hayden?”

  “What if I’m greedy? I could use some insight from both about everything kid-related. And the plus side is that Hayden already knows the situation.”

  Brent took out his cell phone. “Then it’s time for a get-together of like-minded moms. How about we needle our way into an invite for supper at Jordan’s?”

  Two hours later the two of them were still huddled around the kitchen table at Promise Cove with Nick and Jordan and Ethan and Hayden while the kids played on the floor.

  It was Brent who took them through the last two years and how in a matter of days, River might possibly be coming back to the B & B with her son.

  “That’s amazing,” Jordan said, wiping tears away. She glanced at Nick. “We knew there was something in your past but had no idea it was anything as serious as having your child taken from you—by your own ex.”

  Hayden made a similar swipe at her eyes. “I’m so happy for you,” she said, removing a Kleenex from her handbag.

  “You realize there’s a chance I’m jumping to conclusions. What if I’m making a giant leap over a false lead again? After all, there’s been no confirmation from the FBI,” River pointed out. “I admit I’m getting excited without any proof and Brent’s letting me.”

  Brent rolled his eyes and grinned. “That’s because the photo of the man is a dead ringer for Wes Patton.” He removed two pictures from his jacket pocket, the mug shot he handed to Ethan, the one from Wyoming he gave to Nick to let each man study a photograph and decide for himself. “Notice the man’s eyes and the nose. It isn’t just me, is it? That’s the same guy as in the New Mexico mug shot.”

  Nick took the photo from Ethan, stared at the two images side by side. “I see the resemblance. The beard doesn’t change the fact that the eyes are the same and the bridge of the nose.” Nick handed the copies to Ethan for him to scrutinize.

  The former deputy considered the faces of the two men in question and acknowledged, “I’d say you’ve got yourself a match there, River. Steven Patterson and Wes Patton are one and the same person.”

  River’s heart swelled again. “You really think so?”

  Ethan exchanged a glance with Brent before telling her, “Yep. And I think you’re reluctant to see the similarity because you’ve been disappointed in the past and don’t want to go through that feeling of sadness again.”

  “And getting this lead has me anticipating all kinds of possibilities, building up dreams I’d put on hold. Right now, I’m hoping I could get him back before Thanksgiving. That’s possible, right?” She sent Brent a pleading look.

  He entwined his fingers with hers. “Absolutely.”

  “If that happens, I need mom-help. Luke was a baby, just six months old, the last time I saw him. He’s grown so much,” River explained, dabbing at her eyes.

  “He used to love his stuffed bear, the one we nicknamed, Mr. Fuzzy Bear, which he had with him the day Wes snatched him out of daycare. Luke used to love listening to Catch the Moon. But I always sung Puff, the Magic Dragon to him whenever I put him down in his crib. My mother used to sing it to me so… Are those songs even age appropriate now? What about clothes? He won’t have anything to wear. Should I pick up outfits for him? I don’t know what size to get. I don’t even know what he eats.” Her shoulders drooped.

  “All that will come, River. Trust me, toddlers will let you know when they don’t like what’s on their plates,” Jordan assured her. “You either fix them something else or you play stubborn mom.”

  “Stubborn mom doesn’t usually work for me,” Hayden admitted. “And since Na
te takes after his father…” she added with a glint in her eye for her husband. “Ethan wrote the book on stubborn. That gets you nothing but cranky pants most of the time. I’ve found it’s better to discover what they love and keep it well stocked. FYI, that works for husbands, too,” she tossed in.

  “As I recall, Hutton and Scott loved that Catch the Moon song,” Nick said. “Over and over we played that thing. Still do sometimes so I’d say both are age appropriate.”

  “Puff, the Magic Dragon, huh?” Brent’s lips curved up. “I think you should plan on singing that to him again at the first opportunity,” he suggested.

  “When you’re ready, we’ll set him up in another room of his own right here,” Jordan offered. “You take your time settling in with him. There’s no rush. Don’t you dare worry about the added expense either, Nick and I won’t hear of it.”

  “Thanks. You guys have been wonderful to me,” River said. “If this actually happens and I get Luke back, I think I’ll keep him in my room at first though. In fact, I’ll probably stay up all night staring at him making sure it’s all real.”

  Brent squeezed her fingers again. He wanted to prepare her as much as he could for what would take place after she got him here. If it was anything like what he’d seen before, she needed a little heads up to what was coming. “It’s real all right. But I imagine the social worker will hang around him for a few days to make sure Luke adjusts.”

  “She will? I hadn’t considered that.”

  “Most people don’t. But that’s usually standard procedure with the return of a child, especially in this case when one’s so young and—”

  “The authorities know he isn’t familiar with his mother,” River interrupted. “They’ll want to make sure he’s okay and not just drop him off. I understand that.” It hurt but she did see the logic in it.

  “When it’s been years—like this—they’ll want to report to CPS that the child is adjusting well enough in stages. Have you thought about when you’ll go back to Santa Fe?” Brent hadn’t really wanted to broach the subject but felt he needed to get a better picture so he could prepare himself for the reality of her heading home. But the look on River’s face clearly said she hadn’t even considered the possibility of leaving yet.

  Startled at the question, she said, “One step at a time. I don’t want to jerk my baby around right away and put him on another flight so soon after I get to hold him, at least not until we’re on firmer ground. What do you think?” She looked around the room for encouragement.

  “I’d say that’s probably a good idea,” Jordan ventured. “You want to give him some stability while at the same time show the social worker you’re willing to do whatever it takes to put Luke’s concerns first.”

  “It’s better if he settles in with you rather than picking up and changing the scenery right away,” Ethan pointed out.

  Nick nodded in agreement. “Give him some time to bond with you before a change of scenery.”

  “My thoughts exactly.” But then she turned to Brent. “You think that’s the right thing to do, don’t you?”

  “That’s a loaded question since I’m not all that ready for you to leave Pelican Pointe. I’m just being honest.”

  She grinned and put her free hand over her heart. “I appreciate it. Since I’m not ready to leave just yet, I’d say you guys are in for an interesting few days if this thing really happens. I just wish they’d call and let me know something…anything…one way or the other.”

  “Don’t forget the media blitz you’re in for,” Brent tossed out, glancing at his brother and then at Nick. “Be prepared. I promise to do what I can to keep the reporters at bay. But any time word gets out that a child’s been found safe after a custodial abduction’s lasted for such a long time, they’ll swarm for sure so they get that ‘feel good’ story they love so much.”

  “We’ll brace for the onslaught,” Nick assured both of them, shaking his head. “You know they’ll come from all over, too. They’re bound to show up at the airport.”

  Brent looked at River and took out his cell phone to check it, make sure it was on. “Don’t worry. When the time comes I’ll take care of that, too.”

  River scrubbed her hands down her face, a little overwhelmed with it all. “I’m getting ahead of myself. We’re all getting ahead of ourselves. I need to step back and take a wait-and-see attitude.” For the tenth time in an hour, she glanced at her iPhone which refused to ring.

  Sensing they were both waiting for news, Hayden did her best to reassure them. “Nonsense. You’ve spent years biding your time. Now you’re hoping for the return of your son. There’s a huge difference. You aren’t jumping to a conclusion. You’re looking for a positive result and making plans accordingly.”

  “I’m with Hayden on this,” Jordan echoed. “You prepare for the positive outcome and go with it until someone tells you different. At this point the goal is getting him back before the holidays. Thinking negatively right now doesn’t enter into the equation.”

  That confident outlook allowed Brent to talk her back to his place for a bout of lovemaking to keep her relaxed. Afterward though, she listened as he snored softly beside her. A restlessness she couldn’t overcome snuck in and despite her best effort she couldn’t get it to leave. She got a lump in her throat thinking about the little boy out there she might not be able to identify. And knew he wouldn’t recognize her.

  Tears welled up. Disheartened at not getting that one phone call, sleep wouldn’t come.

  That’s why when the phone rang on Brent’s side of the bed at two-ten, it caused her to sit all the way upright by the second ring. Impatient, she watched as Brent fumbled around the nightstand for the switch on the lamp.

  “It has to be news about Luke,” River exclaimed. “But it’s never good news when they call this time of night, is it?”

  Experience might’ve had him feeling that way too but despite what his brain said, he squeezed her hand and reminded her, “We’re keeping the upbeat attitude going here, remember?” He picked up the receiver and said, “Hello.”

  “Sheriff Cody, this is Matt Swain. I have news about the Patton boy. We followed up on the lead outside Aurora, Wyoming. Using the age-progression photo of Luke Patton as a baby we made what we think is a positive ID. But you should know, earlier this evening there was an incident outside a motel there involving the father or the man calling himself Patterson.”

  “That’s why you didn’t call back until now.”

  “That’s correct.”

  “What’s happening?” River demanded. Beside him she put her ear next to the receiver so she could hear. “Did they find my son?”

  Brent repeated Swain’s news, but held up a hand when he sensed the agent had more to say. “What are you not telling me, Swain? What was the incident?”

  “First, Patterson’s fingerprints matched to Wes Patton’s.”

  “Then you have Patton in custody?”

  “Just let me finish. When the local police showed up at the motel to question Patterson, there was a confrontation. Patton came out of the room pointing a weapon at the officers. He refused to put down his gun.”

  “Oh my God, is the baby all right?” River interjected.

  Brent threw River a look and asked, “Before you go on, is the boy okay?”

  “The child is fine, but his father… Patton opened fire on a police officer, Sheriff, the same patrolman he had encountered earlier that day at the diner. Approximately seven hours ago Wes Patton was shot. He died in surgery about three hours later.”

  “Is Luke all right? What about Luke? When can I see my son? I want to go to him,” River demanded.

  Agent Swain overheard River in the background and said into Brent’s ear, “There has to be a positive ID before the boy goes anywhere. You have to explain that to her and the next steps involved in that process. I need DNA for confirmation before the boy comes home.”

  River had heard enough. She jerked the receiver out of Brent’s hand. �
��Now you listen to me, Agent Swain. When this first happened two years ago I submitted DNA that I was told at the time would be kept on file for this very purpose. I’ve been screwed over by Wes, the local cops in Santa Fe in league with his parents, and I’ll be damned if you and the FBI will do it to me now. I want my son! Do you hear me? Do you understand? My DNA is on file at the Santa Fe Police Department. It was supposed to be shipped to the FBI. But it’s probably still sitting there in storage somewhere. You call them. And you should know I’ve already retained a lawyer and I’m not afraid to take it to the next level in order to get my son back. Now, I want you to either bring him here or I’m getting on the first plane to Jackson Hole or the nearest city where I can rent a car and go to him. Do you understand?”

  She was shaking so badly that when she dropped the receiver, Brent picked it up and said to Swain, “Did you get all that? Because if you didn’t I’m bringing her to Wyoming myself one way or another before daylight. She’s been through enough.”

  “I got it. Let me check on where we stand with the DNA. No one told me we had the mother’s. I’ll call you back.”

  The click in Brent’s ear ended the conversation.

  Brent wrapped his arms around her shoulders and let her get rid of two years of pent-up anger. After a few minutes though, she jumped out of bed, pulling on jeans and a shirt.

  “I’m flying there anyway. I don’t care what Swain says.”

  “River, you can’t do that. They won’t let you get anywhere near the child until they confirm you are indeed the boy’s mother. You fly there and you’ll only piss them off. Trust me on that. You don’t want delays in getting the results back at this stage, do you?”

  “Of course not.” She dropped back down on the bed and covered her face with her hands. “I can’t stand this. I want this over and done with. I want Luke.”

  He drew her close and she curled into him. “Yes, you can stand this. After everything you’ve been through, this is the last hurdle, the last leg of the marathon. Staying strong like you’ve done for the past two years is what it’ll take now. It’s about to go your way. It’s about to end, River. I wish you would reconsider and move in here. There’s no pressure in the offer. Since you and Luke will need time to bond, I’m happy to bunk with Ethan and Hayden or I’ll switch out and stay in your room at the B & B. There’s more room for you here.”