Taylor wrapped an arm around to comfort her and didn’t try to stop her tears as they flowed. “It doesn’t excuse what I did and I’m truly sorry. I jumped to conclusions without the facts.”
When Jane composed herself, Taylor handed her a dry tissue. “I’m sorry for what you’ve been through. I’d like for us to be friends.”
Jane smiled sadly as she dabbed at her eyes. “I’d like that, too. But I’m leaving soon.”
“Why?”
Jane clasped her hands in her lap. “The school year is over and I’m restless. I need to keep moving until I find a reason not to run anymore.” She stood and arranged her purse strap over her shoulder.
“I truly am sorry, Jane,” Taylor said, feeling helpless and petty and mean.
“Don’t be. You’re an incredible mother, Taylor. You put your child first, as it should be.” She turned when she reached the door. “I’m staying until they find Grace, so I’ll be around if you need to talk.” She grabbed Taylor’s hands. “I do know what it feels like for your child to be missing.”
“I appreciate it.” Taylor pulled her in for one last hug. When Jane left, she stood in the middle of the living room, her heart breaking for the woman. She always thought there was something sad about her, but after seeing her pay so much attention to her daughter, her first response had been to remove her from their lives. Now she wished she’d taken the time to get to know her. If there was anyone who needed a friend, it was Jane.
She couldn’t imagine the pain she must feel and live with daily. The hopelessness, the helplessness. She felt like a fraud accepting this woman’s sympathy when her daughter was right now headed to Florida to eat cotton candy with Mickey Mouse.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Taylor’s phone jingled and since Nancy had gone home a few minutes ago, she moved over to check the display. Blocked. Sweeney. She wondered if she’d hear from him today. He certainly waited late enough. She wanted Dante by her side but he was in the office with Dorian and Sawyer on a conference call with an FBI profiler, hoping to gain insight into Sweeney’s next moves. She could do this. She wasn’t afraid of him anymore. He held no power over her. Taking a calming breath, she answered.
“Well, hello, Taylor? Are you feeling better today? I heard you were a little…indisposed yesterday.” He cackled wickedly.
Yes, she had been indisposed…rescuing her daughter. “You said you wanted to make a trade…me for Grace. I’m ready to make the switch.” She stuck to the script the COBRA Securities agents had written for her, having no intention of actually meeting with him. Their goal was to lure him out in the open so they could recapture him and end this nightmare.
“In due time,” he drawled.
“Let me speak to her.”
“Later. Let’s get back to you. So did you suffer a complete break down or just a minor one? And was there sedation involved?”
She despised this man with every fiber of her being. “Put Grace on the phone.”
He gave a long-suffering sigh. “I feel like a broken record, but since you’ve been…under the weather, shall we say, I’ll repeat it one more time, and I’ll go slowly so you can process the words. She. Doesn’t. Want. To. Talk. To. You. Now that she has her real daddy, she’s forgotten all about her fake mommy.”
It was all Taylor could do to keep up the charade. She wanted to yell that she’d won. He didn’t have Grace and he’d never see her again.
“I’m thinking maybe I’ll take her to Disneyworld so she can meet Mickey and Minnie. I bet she’d like that, don’t you? All kids love that annoying rodent, don’t they?”
All the blood drained from her face. He didn’t know, he couldn’t know that Grace was there right now.
“Those yellow flowers on the bar are just lovely. Who sent them do you suppose? Secret admirer?”
Taylor’s gaze darted around and landed on the vase full of roses. They’d been there when she came downstairs this morning and she didn’t even think to check the card. She hurried over and searched for a tag but there wasn’t one.
“And might I say you look fetching in blue, Taylor,” he drawled. She spun around and gaped at the windows. She’d kept all the sheers pulled after they found a reporter slinking around trying film inside the house. The voile allowed sunlight to filter in but made it hard for anyone to see inside. Dante checked regularly for bugs and there hadn’t been any since Cassie’s betrayal. But how could Sweeney see her? She stepped closer to peer outside.
The window exploded in a burst of gunfire.
“Taylor! Get down.” Dante dove for her, knocking the breath from her lungs when he slammed into her. The phone went flying and crashed against the floor. He twisted at the last minute so that she landed on top of him but she still couldn’t catch her breath. He flipped her over and blanketed her with his body.
As quickly as it started, the gunfire stopped, leaving their harsh breathing the only sound in the room. Dorian bolted out the door as tires squealed.
“Are you hit? Talk to me, Taylor.” Dante’s hands roamed over her body checking for bullet holes.
“Can’t…breathe…”
“Oh, sorry.” He rolled off of her. “Wait, you’re bleeding.” He touched a finger to her cheek and she winced. “Flying glass,” she said as her lungs finally reflated. He helped her to her feet and grabbed a paper towel to mop the blood. She reached for the fallen cell to power it off. No sense keeping Sweeney entertained.
“Red Ford truck, Indiana license starting with MB342 and that’s all I got. The light was out over the plate.”
“On it,” Sawyer said, making a call.
“Are you okay, Taylor?” Dorian’s gaze was concerned.
She nodded, holding the napkin to her cheek. “Just a cut.”
“What happened,” Dante asked.
“Sweeney called…oh, I almost forgot.” She grabbed Dante’s arm. “He said he was going to take Grace to Disneyworld. Why would he say that? Of all the places to take her.” Her voice rose and her hand knotted in his shirt. “Does he know where she is right now?”
“Calm down and breathe,” Dante said gently. “He couldn’t know, but I’ll call my dad anyway.” He dialed the phone and spoke to his father.
Taylor spun to Sawyer. “Do you know where the roses on the bar came from?”
“They were on the porch when I arrived this morning.”
“Did you see a card?”
“It’s under the vase. From the staff of Pearlman Inc.”
She blew out a relieved breath. “My publishing company.” Not her demented tormenter.
Dante disconnected. “They’re fine and they haven’t even arrived in Florida yet, so you don’t have to worry. They’re going to head to the coast instead.”
Relief made her knees week. “Thank you for checking. Why would he say Disney?”
“It’s the favorite place for kids to visit,” Dorian mused. “He was probably just trying to upset you.”
She nodded, the explanation making sense.
“Why were you asking about the flowers?” Sawyer queried.
“Because Sweeney mentioned how pretty they were. He also said I looked fetching in blue. I glanced outside at his remarks, wondering if he could see me. That’s when the window shattered.”
Dante’s eyebrows slanted and he jogged to the office, returning with two devices to check for bugs. Sawyer grabbed one of the wands and they scanned every inch of the great room and kitchen. “Clean,” Dante announced. “Same here,” Sawyer echoed. Dante switched the device off and tossed it on the counter. “How many people have stopped by today?”
“My friends for their daily visit: Gina, Marla and Laurie. My mom’s friend Maureen. Jane Wallis, a woman from Grace’s school. Three or four of the neighbors, the mailman. Oh, and I got a parcel delivery.”
“So there are a few possible leaks. We can check out the delivery guy and the mailman, but I think it’s time to relocate you to my new house. A moving company has been transferring all of
the furniture this week and Maggie has taken it upon herself to make it livable. I have state of the art security. Sweeney won’t be able to get within a country mile.”
Sawyer’s phone rang and he stepped away to answer.
“What about when Sweeney calls?”
“We’ll route it to my phone.”
“What about my friends? They stop by every day.”
“I know they’re important to you but I don’t want them to know where you’re staying.” She opened her mouth to protest but he cut her off. “I know you trust them but I don’t trust anyone. I’m going to keep you safe. Once this is over, you can explain it to them. They’ll understand.”
Taylor knew he was right, but her friends had been supporting her throughout the ordeal. She hated keeping the fact that Grace was safe from them right now. But it was for her daughter and she’d do anything to ensure her safety.
“You can keep in touch over the phone,” he compromised. “I don’t want to cut you off completely from them, I just don’t want to make it easy for Sweeney to get to you.”
“When do you want to make the move?”
“As soon as you get packed. Peter’s on standby to transfer your phone to my number. I doubt Sweeney will call this soon, so we should have plenty of time to get to my house. We’ll have to take the long route to be sure we aren’t followed.”
Sawyer hung up and padded back in the room. “I just got the information on the vehicle that shot at you. There was only one red Ford truck registered in Indiana with a license plate with that beginning combination.”
“Who was it registered to?” Dante asked.
“Mitch Fairbanks.”
Taylor inhaled sharply. “Gina’s husband.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
As Dante turned into his driveway, he realized he was nervous to show Taylor his house. He’d had a hand in every aspect of the design and construction. It was a true labor of love. He pulled up to the gate and punched in the security code. Holding his breath, he drove up the tree-lined lane to his house.
“Oh, Dante, it’s stunning,” Taylor exclaimed in wonder as it came into view.
He couldn’t help the smile of satisfaction. “Thanks.” It was amazing. The contractors had done a fabulous job. Even at night, it was awe-inspiring. He shut off the engine. Taylor opened the door and stepped out, staring at the house as if mesmerized. It was the same feeling he had every time he saw his new home. She walked up the steps to the wrap-around porch, her hand caressing the hand-planed bannister. Her eyes were wide, taking everything in. He grabbed her suitcase and followed her around the porch to the back of the house. The moon cast a yellow glow to the lake, visible through a cut in the trees. “It’s so magical,” she said in reverence. The pool had been landscaped with rocks, plants, statues, trees and strategically placed lighting. The water was sparkling blue and inviting.
“Let me show you around inside.” He guided her to the front and unlocked the door. The urge to carry her over the threshold was overwhelming. He probably would have if she hadn’t scurried inside with a squeal. The whole back wall was made of glass to take advantage of the view. A rock fireplace took up one wall and his kitchen was outfitted with the latest in must-have appliances. She “oohed” and “ahhed” over everything, running her hands across surfaces and staring at the features with admiration. He’d save the master bedroom for later. If he took her there now, they wouldn’t leave for hours.
“Can I get you something to drink? Beer? Wine?”
“Red wine would be great.”
He opened the wine cooler, happy to see that Maggie had stocked it well. He wasn’t much of a connoisseur, so he pulled out the first bottle of red he found. He popped out the cork and filled two glasses Taylor found and placed on the counter. She thanked him and carried it to the great room. He opened the sliding glass doors and guided her outside. The patio furniture was padded and comfortable, perfect for lounging. They sat in silence, listening to the crickets chirping and tree frogs croaking. The wind whistled through the trees, swaying the leaf-covered branches. It was peaceful and serene.
“Do you think one of my friends is in contact with Sweeney?”
Taylor’s voice was low and sad. He hated to upset her, but he’d put a lot of thought into that question. “I think it’s possible.”
She gazed at him, wariness in her eyes. “He already turned my sister against me, now one of my friends. Why would they do that to me?”
He laced their fingers together and enjoyed the feel of her palm resting against his. “I don’t know. Jealousy? Tell me about them. How did you meet?”
She sighed against him and leaned her head on his shoulder. “Gina’s been my best friend since we were young. We were inseparable throughout junior high and high school. I went to college and then law school while she chose a junior college. She married right after she graduated. I never liked Mitch, her ex. The first time I met him, I could tell that he was controlling and abusive. He treated her poorly and she let him. I tried to talk to her but she refused to listen. She loved him and there was no stopping her. Every time I saw her, she had a different cut or bruise. She always explained them away with a laugh and she is a bit of a klutz, so I naively believed her. We kept in touch after I moved away for my job, even though Mitch tried to end our friendship. I’d see her a few times a year and she looked worse each time, thinner, paler, unhappy. Finally she stopped corresponding with me. She wouldn’t take my calls or emails. I came home to visit my parents and found out she was in the hospital. Intensive Care. He’d beat her so bad, she almost died. She broke down and told me it was the sixth time she’d been in the hospital in the last two years.”
“My God.”
Taylor nodded and took a sip of wine. “I was finally able to talk sense into her. I drew up papers for a restraining order and had Mitch arrested for spousal abuse. She divorced him, albeit reluctantly, and testified against him at his trial.”
“She seems to have recovered.”
Taylor smiled. “It took time but she’s almost back to her old self. She didn’t trust men for a long time.”
“That’s understandable. What about Marla and Laurie?”
“I met them through Grace. Our girls were in pre-school together. We were all single mothers with daughters the same age, so we just gravitated towards each other. We meet at least once a month and often talk on the phone.”
“Marla seems a little…”
“Oversexed?”
He grinned. “That’s one way to put it.”
“She is always on the lookout for her next conquest. Laurie is a little more restrained but she’s always on the prowl, too.”
“What about the other woman who stopped by…Jane?”
“I don’t think she’s a suspect.” She told Dante the story about her daughter.
“That’s rough,” he murmured.
“It would take a special kind of evil to use a dead child as a ruse,” she said. “I don’t think you could fake the kind of pain that shadowed her eyes.”
“What about your mom’s friend?”
Taylor finished her wine and placed the empty glass on a side table. “I’ve considered her,” she admitted. “She lost confidence when her husband left her, so she could’ve fallen for Sweeney’s machinations. She looks for validation by dating younger men.”
“Plus she bailed your sister out of jail. Maybe they were both working with him.”
Taylor rubbed a hand along her arm. “I hate this. I hate suspecting everyone in my life of nefarious intentions.”
Scooting closer, he anchored her against his side. “We’ll dig into their backgrounds, see if we can find any red flags. In the meantime…” He caressed her cheek and then clasped her chin and covered her lips. She responded eagerly, meeting him thrust for thrust. He went from zero to sixty in a heartbeat. She fired his blood like nothing he’d ever felt before. Standing, he lifted her in his arms.
“I’ve never been with a man who can carry
me so easily.” She brushed kisses along his neck. “I’m not a lightweight.”
He put her down inside the door. “Hold that thought.” After securing the slider, he activated the alarm. “Now where were we?” She shrieked as he swept her in his arms again and carried her upstairs to the master bedroom. He gently placed her on the bed.
She started to rise. “Wait…I want to see the room.”
“Later.” He kissed her and she melted into him.
It was much, much later before they even came up for air.
#
Friday
Taylor was in the middle of plotting a tense courtroom scene when the buzzer sounded on Dante’s security system. It couldn’t be one of her friends—they didn’t know where she was right now. Gina called early, panicked when she stopped by her house and Taylor wasn’t there. She explained that she was being sequestered for her safety and asked that she pass the message along to Marla and Laurie. Gina freaked that they had to take such extreme measures and made Taylor promise to keep them updated.
She saved the document, closed her laptop and headed for the panel on the wall. Dante offered her the use of a room that could easily be converted to a second office space, but she loved the great room with the soaring windows and amazing view. It stimulated her senses and her creative juices. She flipped on the monitor, happy to see the smiling faces of Kendall Buckley and Jade Bradley. They were both grinning and waving wildly at the screen.
She buzzed them through and then stepped out onto the porch to await their arrival. Dante, Dorian and Sawyer were closed up in his office, probably doing background checks on all of her friends. Kendall and Jade pulled up to the house and stepped out of the SUV bearing gifts. They hugged Taylor, arms full and all. They both drooled over Dante’s house, inside and out.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen it since it’s finished,” Kendall said. “It’s so beautiful. We used the same builder.”
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