The Baby Snatchers

by Chris Taylor

  “How are you doing?” he whispered and leaned over to brush a strand of hair off her forehead.

  “I feel like I’ve been hit by a bus,” she croaked. “What happened?”

  Cam frowned. “You don’t remember?”

  “Some of it.”

  “Your aunt—”

  “Yes, I remember that part.” She grimaced against another wave of pain, this time from the vicinity of her heart.

  “You took a bullet in the chest, just below your collarbone. It went out through your shoulder. Luckily, it missed the artery.”

  “Was I shot by…my aunt?”

  Cam’s lips compressed and his expression turned grim. “Yes.”

  Georgie cried out in distress and closed her eyes. She couldn’t bear to think about it. What kind of aunt fired a bullet at her niece with the intention of seeing her dead? Not the aunt she thought she’d known. And then there were her parents…

  She shuddered and went cold all over. Icy tentacles of desolation clutched at her heart. She was grateful to be alive, but she couldn’t imagine ever feeling warm again; feeling anything.

  “Where is she?” she asked numbly.

  Cam stared at her steadily in silence, as if contemplating what to say. She made an impatient sound in the back of her throat and clenched her fists. “Tell me,” she said in a voice that brooked no argument.

  “Your aunt was shot and killed during the incident.”

  Georgie gasped. “By…you?”

  “Yes.”

  She tried to absorb the shock. “And my parents? Are they okay?”

  “Yes. Your father was shielding you from your aunt and was grazed by the bullet that entered your chest, but he’s fine, along with your mother.”

  “Where are they?”

  Cam’s expression turned grim. “They were arrested at the scene on a string of charges and were taken back to the City of Sydney Police Station. There will be a bail hearing for them later in the morning. There’s no reason bail won’t be granted, given the circumstances.”

  Though Georgie had been expecting bad news, Cam’s words still rocked her to the core. Her aunt was dead. No doubt her parents would spend a good deal of what was left of their lives behind bars. Her family had been torn apart and would never be put back together again. It all seemed surreal and yet, it was now the reality of her life. “What about Uncle Bernard?” she asked dully. “I assume he’s been arrested, too.”

  Cam’s lips tightened and he nodded.

  “Do my sisters know?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where are they?”

  “They’re outside, in the waiting room. The doctors have been restricting your visitors, at least until you regained consciousness. You hit your head on a rock when you fell. You were so still, I thought you were dead.” Cam paled. “I thought I’d lost you forever.” His voice broke with the force of his emotion and he looked away.

  Ignoring her pain, she reached out and touched him. He turned back toward her and clasped her hand in his. Pressing a soft kiss against her knuckles, he leaned closer, his voice still ragged.

  “You can’t imagine how terrified I felt, seeing you on the ground. The time we’d spent together… It just seemed way too short. I want us to spend the rest of our lives together, enjoying every moment that we can. Is it too soon to feel that way?”

  Georgie stared up at him and a tiny sliver of warmth slid into her frozen heart. She shook her head and then winced at the pain, but managed to smile anyway. “No, it’s not too soon. I… I feel the same.”

  Cam’s eyes widened and gave her a hesitant smile. “Really? After everything we’ve been through?”

  Georgie’s heart clenched with pain at the thought of everything that had happened. She looked back at Cam. “You’re not to blame.”

  Cam’s expression filled with tenderness. “Thank you for being understanding. I’m not sure I would be so open in the circumstances.”

  Georgie shrugged. “They made their own choices many years ago. It had nothing to do with you. Or me.”

  Cam nodded. “I’m grateful you see it that way. I could learn some lessons from you on the art of forgiveness. I… I’m sorry about what I said about your baby and the…adoption. I’m sure you had good reasons for doing it.”

  Georgie stared at him. “I did.”

  “I should never have spoken to you like I did. It wasn’t fair to assume you were like my birth mother.”

  “And how was she?”

  Cam frowned and Georgie could see he was struggling to find an answer. The truth was, he had no idea why his birth mother had given him up for adoption and he probably never would. It was just one of the things he’d have to deal with—just like her son. The thought saddened her.

  “Don’t look so sad, Georgie. I’m so sorry we argued.”

  Forcing a smile, she reassured him again that she wasn’t angry about their quarrel. Relief washed over his face and he pressed another kiss to the back of her hand.

  “I love you, Georgie.”

  Her smiled widened. The sliver of warmth spread through her chest and kept going, all the way down to her toes. Despite the trauma and tragedy she’d recently experienced, happiness trickled into her heart. “I love you, too.”

  “So, you want to be with me…forever?”

  “I do.”

  This time, Cam whooped his joy and looked like he wanted to take her in his arms. Instead, he squeezed her hand and another soft kiss, this one pressed against her lips.

  He pulled away slowly, but continued to hold her hand. “The police raided the adoption agency a few hours ago. They found—”

  “What time is it?”

  “It’s just gone after ten. The nurse was in here a little while ago to check on your vitals. She was pleased with the results.”

  Georgie absorbed that information and nodded. “What were you saying about the agency?”

  A small smile lifted Cameron’s lips. “You won’t believe it, but the police found Cynthia’s baby, along with two other infants.”

  Shock made Georgie momentarily speechless and then she found her voice. “You mean, they’re alive?”

  “Yes! The adoption agency was housed in a nondescript, two-storey building at Strathfield. The offices were located on the ground floor. The second storey had been outfitted as a nursery. From what I’ve been told, Josephine and the other two babies were still waiting for their adoptions to be finalized.”

  Georgie laughed with disbelief and then was forced to breathe through the pain. “I can’t believe it! Cynthia must be ecstatic! Do you know who the other babies are?”

  “Yes. All of the infants were being held under their original names. It made it easy to identify them. One of them belongs to Sandra Briggs; the other to Danielle Jamison.”

  “The premier’s daughter?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh, my goodness! It’s… It’s simply unbelievable. I mean, I feel desperately sorry for those moms whose babies have disappeared, but at least we know now they didn’t die. That has to be of some comfort. Do you think the police will be able to trace the other children and return them to their biological parents?”

  Cam nodded. “I believe extensive records were kept by the agency, some dating back nearly forty years, right up to when the agency opened. It’s going to take a lot of time to go through them and work out where each child is. Some of them of course, are now adults. It will probably be a matter of tracing the birth mothers and going from there. We’ll have to wait and see.”

  “It could take years,” Georgie said softly.

  “Yes.”

  “What about…my son? Do you think… Do you think you could find him for me?”

  Cameron stared down at her, his eyes dark with a tumult of emotion. “Do you want to?”

  Georgie held his gaze steadily. “Yes, I think I do,” she whispered.

  Cam nodded. “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thank you,” Georgie breathed and then added, “Y
ou’re going to be busy.”

  “Yes, and so will you.”

  Georgie cocked an eyebrow. “How do you figure that?”

  “Don’t you have a wedding to plan?”

  Slowly, his words sank in. Surprise and elation rushed through her. “Are you proposing?”

  Cameron took her hand in his. The tenderness and love on his face stole Georgie’s breath.

  “Georgie Whitely, will you marry me?”

  Despite the turmoil and shock over the past few days and the dark months up ahead, Georgie’s eyes teared up with happiness. “Yes, Cameron Dawson! Yes! Yes! Yes!”

  EPILOGUE

  Two months later

  “Do you think we might be able to move the wedding forward?” Georgie murmured, plucking at a blade of grass.

  Cam looked down at Georgie where she rested her head in his lap and wondered at her question. They were stretched out on a picnic rug, enjoying the late winter day. Cynthia and Josephine were not far away, playing on the swings. It felt so good to know his little sister had blossomed into the beautiful, young girl he remembered, albeit with a baby in tow. Having her and Josephine and Georgie in his life made him feel complete.

  “Why is that?” he asked, playing with her hair.

  “Well, my family has this thing about babies being born out of wedlock. With the wedding set for April, we could be cutting it close.”

  It took him a moment to comprehend what she was saying. When he did, he was flooded with surprise and disbelief. He pulled her up to face him, grinning madly. “You’re pregnant?”

  She grinned back. “Yes.”

  Throwing his arms around her, he hugged her tight. “How far along?”

  “Six weeks.”

  “Six weeks! Why didn’t you say anything?”

  “I wasn’t sure myself and I was scared to take a test. We both want a baby so badly. I didn’t want to be disappointed. I finally got the courage to do it and two pink lines showed up right away.”

  Cameron grinned harder. “Pink lines? Does that mean it’s a girl?”

  Georgie chuckled. “No, silly. It doesn’t work that way. The color of the lines isn’t important. It’s all about the number. Two lines means you’re pregnant. You can’t find out the sex until the twenty-week scan.”

  Cameron groaned in mock horror. “We have to wait that long?”

  Georgie shook her head and smiled. “It’s not so far away.”

  Flooded with happiness, Cameron thought his heart might burst. He couldn’t have imagined life turning out so well. Adopted at birth and then thrown out of his home as a teen, his only thought had been survival and making it on his own. And he had. Now, he had a beautiful fiancée and a little sister, and a niece that he adored. Soon, he’d have a child of his own to raise and nurture and shower with his love. And he had the woman in his arms to thank for it.

  Though she’d buried her aunt, was no closer to finding her son and still had to face the ordeal of watching her parents and uncle go to trial, she’d risen above her adversities and managed to do it with a smile. She was a remarkable woman with more courage than he could ever imagine and he loved her with a fierceness that overwhelmed him.

  Lowering his head, he kissed her soft lips, loving the feel of her against him. Surrounded by his family, he was where he belonged until the day he died. She was his and he was hers and together they’d conquer the world.

  * * *

  Tammie Sinclair checked her mirrors and then moved into another lane. It was the end of another long night and she looked forward to getting home. Since the death of Rosemary Lawson and the arrest of Marjorie Whitely, Ward Seven was struggling for staff. Even so, she’d stopped looking over her shoulder. They’d have come for her by now if they suspected how much she knew.

  It seemed like every shift had at least one casual agency nurse in attendance and Tammie had been forced to put in more of an effort than usual. She missed the nights when Rosemary would take over and bear the brunt of the workload herself. She might not have agreed with the fact Rosemary and her sister were stealing babies, but having the other nurse on night duty with her had sure made life easier.

  Her phone rang to indicate an incoming call. Glancing at the screen, she smiled and answered it.

  “Hi, babe. How are you doing?”

  Her greeting was met with silence and then she heard a sob. Her heart skipped a beat.

  “Wendy? Are you all right? Talk to me, honey. What’s wrong?”

  “Oh, Tammie. I’m…I’m bleeding.”

  Trying to control her panic, Tammie sucked in a quick breath. “Like, spotting?” she asked hopefully.

  “No.”

  Fear congealed in her belly, but once again, she forced herself to remain calm. “Have you called the doctor?”

  “Yes. He said there’s nothing anyone can do.”

  Another desolate sob filled Tammie’s ear. Tears filled her eyes. It felt like her heart had broken in two. If Wendy was having a miscarriage, their baby was no more.

  Accelerating through the traffic, Tammie made it home in record time. Her fatigue forgotten, she raced into the house and found Wendy curled up on their bed. She ran to her and drew her into her arms, whispering words of comfort.

  “I’m sorry, Tam. I’m so sorry!” Wendy sobbed.

  “Hey, don’t be silly. It’s not your fault. Like the doctor said: It’s just one of those things.”

  Wendy lifted her tear-stained face up to hers. “Maybe we’re not meant to be parents.”

  Pain filled Tammie’s heart. She couldn’t imagine never being a mother. It’s all she’d ever wanted to be. It’s the reason she’d chosen to be a midwife. Midwifery was the only job she knew that brought her in close proximity of babies every day, until she was blessed with one of her own. She wasn’t willing to let her dream die so easily.

  “Would you… Would you ever consider adoption, Wen?”

  Wendy stared up at her with eyes red and swollen from tears. “Adoption?”

  “Yes. IVF hasn’t worked for us so far. Perhaps it’s time to consider other options?”

  Wendy nodded slowly. “Adoption. Yes, maybe that’s the way to go.”

  Tammie smiled. Relief and anticipation flooded through her. Her dream of being a mother was still alive. “I’m glad you think so. And you know what? I just happen to know an adoption agency.”

  Wendy looked up at her with hope in her eyes. “Really?”

  “Yes. The directors used to be friends of mine. They’ve met with a little…misfortune of late, so it might take some time, but don’t worry, I know everything there is to know about the adoption process. Trust me, babe, I know how to make it happen…”

  NOTE TO READERS

  I do hope you have enjoyed reading Georgie and Cameron’s story. If you’ve enjoyed this story, please feel free to leave a review for The Baby Snatchers at Goodreads and your favorite digital retailer. Every review is very much appreciated.

  Click here to sign up for my newsletter if you would like to receive news on upcoming stories, release dates, book launches and other snippets. I love to receive feedback from my readers. Please feel free to contact me at chris@ christaylorauthor.com.au

  The Final Bullet is the next book in the Sydney Harbour Hospital Series. Here’s a sneak peek:

  Detective Sergeant Lachlan Coleridge has seen it all. A veteran cop with more than fifteen years on the force, there’s nothing much that surprises him. But when he comes across the charred bodies of two children while searching an illegal meth lab, he struggles to put the memory behind him. In desperation, he makes contact with a police appointed counselor.

  Ava Wolfe is a psychiatrist currently attached to the New South Wales police service. Her heart aches for the darkly handsome detective who is in such urgent need of help. After years of exposure to the worst mankind can offer, Lachlan Coleridge’s spirit has been ravaged beyond belief. She yearns to help him, but she’s not sure that he’ll let her…

  To be a cop is to be to
ugh—physically and mentally. There’s no room for weakness. If it gets out that Lachlan’s seeking help, any chance he has for promotion will be jeopardized. But he’s drowning in a sea of pain; of darkness and confusion and it’s only a matter of time before he topples into the abyss…

  Can he trust the only woman who appears to understand him? Is he prepared to put his career on the line in return for saving his soul? Will he open up to Ava and let her help him…before it’s too late?

  The Final Bullet will be released on 1 May, 2016 and is AVAILABLE NOW for pre-order.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  As usual, no book comes into being without a lot of help and support by my friends and family. A world of thanks must go to my wonderful editor, Pat Thomas. Thank you for everything that you do to make my stories even more amazing than I could ever dare to dream. To Detective Superintendent Michael Kilfoyle, thank you for lending my story credibility. Any mistakes are wholly my own.

  To Damon, Alisha, Grady and all of the staff at damonza.com, thank you for yet another fantastic cover. To my sister, Nicole Guihot and to my friend, Ally Thomson, thank you for your excellent editorial comments, proof reading skills and suggestions. I hope you like the final result.

  To Amy Atwell and her dedicated staff at Author E.M.S. who are so much more than book formatters. Amy, once again, thank you for your magic.

  To the fantastic writer organizations such as Romance Writers of Australia, Romance Writers of America and Romance Writers of New Zealand for all the help, support and encouragement they offer new and aspiring writers, including me.

  To my readers, thank you for your support and love for my stories. Your encouragement and enjoyment make this journey all worthwhile.

  And lastly, to my friends and family, especially my husband and children. Thank you for putting up with late dinners and even later conversations as I’ve emerged day after day from the sometimes scary but always enthralling world I’ve created on my computer.