Chuck smiled at her. “I’m good. It’s part of my training. Besides, I’m not the one creating a human.” He turned off the light over her and handed her a travel sized blanket and pillow from the first class storage. She gratefully accepted it and was asleep almost before her head hit the pillow. This baby making stuff was exhausting.
Erin and Hailey were at lunch at Chinook’s after Hailey’s appointment. It was one of Erin’s favorite places to eat because of the manila clams but Hailey was just craving french fries. Erin couldn’t stop talking about how cool it was to see the baby on the sonogram screen. Hailey had been curious to see if the baby was a boy or a girl but Erin had wanted to keep it a surprise. Hailey didn’t think it was her place to argue since it wasn’t actually her baby.
“Yo, Hales. Are you okay there? This nice gentleman asked what you wanted like four times.” Erin and the waiter were both looking at her. Erin had a look of curiosity while the waiter just looked impatient.
“I’m sorry. I’ll have the clam chowder and a side of fries. Thanks.” She handed the menu to the waiter and he left to put in the order. Erin, however, was still looking at her as if she was trying to solve the puzzle of Hailey.
“What’s up with you, Hailey? You’ve seemed distracted all day.” Erin grabbed a piece of the bread and tore off a bite. The bread at Chinook’s was to die for.
“I don’t really know. Hey, how is Dalton Enterprises doing? You guys just went public for investors, right?” Hailey sat up to hear the answer. She had no idea how to tell Erin what she found. Maybe there was an explanation for all of it and she was just making a big deal out of nothing.
“Great, actually. And, yes, we did. So it was perfect timing. Investors do not want to buy stock if the business is failing. But if business is booming, they can’t wait to toss money in the ring to jump on the cash cow. Or that’s what Chris tells me at least.” Erin passed the bread bowl to Hailey but Hailey’s stomach was turning too much to grab a piece of bread, no matter how great it smelled.
“But what happens if that wasn’t actually the case and the investors find out later that the cash cow is leaner than previously thought. Does that happen sometimes?” Erin put down her piece of bread and looked at Hailey sideways.
“No, that doesn’t happen. That is what the SEC calls fraud and people go to jail for it. Why would you ask me that? Hales, what is really going on?” Erin grabbed Hailey’s hand until she looked her in the eyes. “Whatever it is, you can trust me. I’m on your side.”
Hailey took a deep breath and knew that she had to just show Erin what she found. She pulled out her cell phone and opened up her pictures to show the documents she saw in Chris’ office. Trying to keep her hand steady, she reached across the table and handed the phone to Erin.
“Last night when you sent me into Chris’ office to find the insurance documents, his desk a ton of paperwork all over it. I had to look for the paperwork for the insurance and I found these. Maybe it’s not what I think it is. I don’t know anything about business. But I think Chris knows that I see these. I’m worried he’s going to be mad. I should have waited for you to get the insurance stuff later.” Hailey crossed her arms like she was suddenly cold. She watched Erin flip through the photos but couldn’t read her reaction. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything. She was probably just imagining something where there was nothing.
“Hailey, this is bad. This is very, very bad. This means that not only did Dalton Enterprises not have a good quarter, but it’s almost bankrupt. Chris lied to all of those investors. He could go to prison.” Erin looked up at Hailey right as the food arrived. But suddenly neither girl was hungry.
Twenty Two
As the plane flew closer to France, Chuck worked on his laptop to make sure all of the arrangements would be in place for their arrival. He looked over to make sure that Hailey was still sleeping. He was worried about her. Clearly she was in over her head and now she had lost her grandmother as well. She was also traversing the globe to save her life while pregnant. He wouldn’t be surprised if she slept for a week. She needed her rest and he was glad she was getting some.
One of the best parts of being a former SEAL was that he had his experience and former channels to obtain assistance in times like these, though he hoped this was a one time thing. He was able to go onto an untraceable server to communicate with a buddy in London who had made all the necessary connections for him in Paris. He had made sure they would have new identities upon arrival in case someone was able to trace them to their travel as the Andersons. The more they covered their tracks, the better. Technically the part of Paris where they were headed was much more modern and accepting. They would think nothing of a pregnant, unmarried woman living with her lover. But for some reason Chuck liked looking over to see the wedding rings on Hailey’s small finger. The weight of his own simple band on his hand also felt like a promise of much more. If he wasn’t careful, he could fall in love with this girl and right now he needed all of his wits about him to keep them alive.
The captain announced their final descent into Paris and turned on the fasten seatbelt sign. Hailey began to stir and Chuck reached over to pull the blanket a little higher on her. It would still be another fifteen minutes before they landed and he wanted her to remain peaceful in slumber for as long as possible. He then put away his laptop, satisfied that everything was ready for them in the land of the crepes, and put his tray table up so he could watch her rest.
____
Hailey was amazed that even just the airport in Paris was such a flurry of activity. The air almost tasted different. She had never been out of the country before and she was relieved to find that the signs in the airport also were written in English. It made her feel slightly less like a fish out of water. She pulled her purse a little tighter to herself while Chuck pulled their baggage from the carousel. Once he had the bags in tow, they made their way to the taxi stand. When it was their turn, they quickly got in and Hailey wondered if they had a destination yet or if they would simply find an open hotel. She had to remind herself that this was not a vacation where she would be finding a romantic hotel room with her lover - this was simply about staying alive. Wherever would accomplish that would be sufficient.
After Chuck had put their bags in the trunk of the taxi, he hopped into the backseat beside her and put his arm around her as he rattled off an address to the driver in perfect French. Hailey had no clue that Chuck spoke French but it was never as if they had sat down and discussed histories and talents. She turned her face to the window to hide just how impressed she was and was shocked to find that she could see the Eiffel Tower. She reached behind her to touch Chuck’s knee and point to it.
“Yep, there’s the tower. Have you ever been France before?” He peered out the window over her shoulder. He wished he could take her sightseeing. He was enjoying the joy on her face as she watched out the window. Maybe when this was over and things were different, they could come back and just be tourists. He was surprised to find that he was actually interested in that.
“No, I’ve never been out of the country before. Gram and I had always wanted to go to Paris. We talked about saving up and going one day but then I left and the rest you know.” There was a hint of sadness in her voice. Hailey wished Gram was there beside her to see this but now Gram would never have that opportunity and that was Hailey’s fault. She was going to have to live with that the rest of her life. Maybe if she could save this baby it would offset her karma slightly so she wouldn’t go directly to hell but even that was a crapshoot.
Hailey watched all the trendy women walking along the beautiful sidewalks in front of posh stores with large shopping bags and going in and out of gourmet cafes. Everyone seemed so happy and normal. What would it be like to live that kind of life? She had a small taste of it in Seattle back in her happy yoga and coffee days before she ever met Erin. It was blissful but lonely. And she could never regret meeting Erin. Erin was such a pure soul, despite the horrible person she ha
d married.
As Hailey continued her contemplation, the taxi pulled out of the main roads of bustling Paris and moved to a more residential area with beautiful parks and flower gardens. The driver slowed the car and stopped in front of a picture perfect little cottage with wisteria growing up the walls and even a cobblestone walkway leading from the sidewalk to the front door. Could this really be their destination? Hailey got her answer when Chuck paid the taxi driver and then moved to help her out of the car behind him. The man was full of surprises.
Twenty Three
Hailey followed Chuck inside the front door of the cottage and peered around him to get a glimpse of the inside. She was amazed to see that the cottage was just as comfortable and gorgeous on the inside as it was on the outside. She moved to look at the kitchen while Chuck put down their bags and stretched. Hailey was surprised to find a fully stocked pantry and a fridge full of fresh fruits, vegetables, and meat. There was even fresh baked loaves of french bread on the counter with local cheeses next to it. It looked delicious and Hailey’s mouth was starting to water. She broke off some of the bread and grabbed some of the cheese and grapes.
“Chuck, do you want something to eat? It looks like we have everything.” She looked up to see Chuck walking into the kitchen. He reached over and popped a grape into his mouth. She took that as a signal to start eating as well and savored every bite of the fluffy bread and flavorful cheese. She didn’t know if the food was really this delicious or if she was just that hungry. They had eaten in first class on the plane but being pregnant made Hailey constantly hungry.
“How did you do all of this?” Hailey asked in between bites. “Who owns this place?”
Chuck relaxed against the counter and opened a bottle of water. “A friend of a friend usually rents this place to rich Americans here on business for extended periods of time. I helped him out once and he owed me a favor so he was happy to lend it to us. Plus he told his wife I was bringing my pregnant wife so she made sure it was stocked with everything that we could need.” Hailey chewed thoughtfully.
“What kind of favor did you do for him to get us all this?” She looked around the kitchen in awe. It was full of the kind of appliances she had only seen in designer magazines. Everything was stainless steel and granite but still had a local flare that made it the perfect balance for quaint French charm. Chuck seemed to tense up at the question but he didn’t change the subject or blow her off.
“When I was a SEAL, we got a call that his daughter had been kidnapped for ransom. I was able to extract her safely and return her to her home without any money being paid. We apprehended the kidnappers and made sure they would never put another family through that terror again.” He said it so casually, as if he was recounting a high school basketball game. But Hailey could see in his eyes that he was nervous about how Hailey would react to the story. She wondered what kind of force he had to use to rescue the girl. But at the end of the day, he was the hero and he rescued a child. How could she look at him with anything but admiration?
“It sounds like he was lucky to have your help. I’m very lucky too.” She finished her spontaneous meal and turned to wash the dishes that they had used. Once she was done cleaning up, she was ready to explore the rest of the cottage. “Can I see the rest of the cottage now?” She smiled at him and Chuck was relieved that she didn’t ask for details about this mission to rescue the child. It had been a brutal one and he did not want to relieve it.
“Absolutely. I hope you don’t mind they put us in the same bedroom. Since our cover is that we are married, it would have seemed weird to ask for separate rooms. But I did ask for a little cot to be put in the room so you can have the bed. I told them that I didn’t want to disturb your sleep with the pregnancy. Plus this way I’m near you for safety as well.” Hailey hadn’t thought of the bedroom assignments but it made sense. She was both a little excited and very nervous at the thought of him sleeping just a few feet away. Instead she just smiled at him to show she was okay with it.
Chuck opened the door the bedroom and Hailey walked inside. The windows brought in a lot of natural light and the room itself was airy and cheery with yellow and turquoise decor. She walked in and immediately felt at home. It was just the kind of place where you couldn’t help but feel happy and safe. She noticed a very long, strange shaped pillow on the bed and raised her eyebrows in question at Chuck.
“It’s a body pillow that is supposed to help you sleep more comfortably with your pregnancy.” He blushed as he answered and she wondered how he even knew about such things. “There are also prenatal vitamins and other essentials in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom.”
“Wow. Your friend’s wife sure thought of everything. I didn’t even know such pillows existed.” She laid down on the bed and tested out the pillow. Chuck had actually researched the pillow and right prenatal vitamins online himself on the plane and specifically requested them but he wasn’t about to tell Hailey that.
Chuck cleared his throat to distract himself from how attractive Hailey looked laying down in the bed. “We need to go over our new identities. I had my contact secure us new identification in case anyone recognized us in Florida and Dalton can trace us to the Andersons. Our new identities are married so that I can stay close to you without suspicion. Now we are Emily and Gary Charleston. We are Americans from Texas on an extended honeymoon before the baby comes. That way if we get a question we don’t know how to answer about each other, we can chalk it up to being newlyweds.” Chuck handed her new passport and information to her and Hailey took a look at it.
“I’ve always liked the name, Emily.” Hailey smiled at him. “It’s just such a shame to finally be in Paris and not be able to go explore. It’s been my dream to be here for so long and rather than be a tourist I’m a refugee.”
“Actually, it would be more suspicious to the neighbors if we just stayed home all the time. We don’t want to go out so much that we draw additional attention to ourselves but going out in moderation will help us blend in.” Chuck was looking forward to being with Hailey while she experienced Paris for the first time. It was truly the city of romance and one of the most magical places he had ever been. She was going to love it.
Twenty Four
Chuck opened up his bag to find that his friend back at the airstrip in New Mexico had succeeded in getting him an untraceable satellite phone. He needed to contact John and see if he and Maggie had been able to handle the scene back at Theresa’s. With all of the travel, it had been a few days now and he did not like being out of touch. Once he was sure that Hailey was busy unpacking in the bedroom, Chuck took the satellite phone into the living room and dialed the number for John’s cell phone.
“Police Chief.”
“John, it’s Chuck. Are you in a place where you can talk?” Chuck flipped open the laptop. While he was following up with John, he also wanted to find a nice restaurant to take Hailey to for dinner. It would be a nice introduction to Paris and he needed to remember that she was eating for two and therefore was always hungry.
“Chuck, thank goodness! Are you guys okay? Where are you? Never mind, don’t tell me.” There was obvious strain in John’s voice. Chuck was glad to have a friend to help but he didn’t like having to put John and Maggie in the middle of this.
“We made it safe. Hailey is unpacking and relaxing now.” He glanced at the bedroom door to make sure it was still closed. “How did it go at Theresa’s?”
“Maggie and I were able to get there before anyone else. We cleaned up the scene and disposed of the male body. I was able to get the coroner to declare Theresa’s death as natural causes so there would be no red flags.” John sighed and paused for a moment. “Before we got rid of the body, I did get prints from the male. I ran them and this guy is bad news. I’m going to upload it to my system for approximately five minutes. Hack in and grab it and then I’m going to erase it.”
“Thanks, John. I’m on the laptop now. I’ll be ready for it. Thank you so much for you
r help. What about Theresa? Was there service?” Chuck knew that Hailey would want to know even if she couldn’t be there to say goodbye herself.
“Yes, it was yesterday. Maggie made all the food. She cooks to process emotion and she’s got a lot of grief right now. The entire town turned out. People were asking about Hailey and I just said that she was at home because the grief was putting too much stress on the baby. They seemed to buy it but people may notice soon that Hailey’s gone when they go to do the small town thing, dropping by with casseroles and such. When they do, we’ll say that it was all too much and she went back to Seattle.”
Chuck thanked John again and disconnected the call. He was able to hack into the Corrales police system to get the information regarding Steven. Turns out Steven was Steven Gamboli of the Gamboli crime family. He had a long rap sheet of violent priors but seemed to be friends with the right people because most of them had been dismissed or not prosecuted. How was the mob tied into this? Did they know about Hailey’s surrogacy or did Dalton just make a deal with them to keep his own hands semi clean and still have someone fetch her?
Hailey came out of the bedroom and fresh clothes with a towel on her head. Clearly she had just taken a shower and she looked to be more relaxed. Maybe the fresh Parisian air was good for her.
“Did I hear you say John’s name? Have you heard from him and Maggie at all?” She sat down on the couch next to him. One hand was casually towel drying her hair while the other rested protectively on her stomach. Chuck thought she looked like a fertility goddess.
“I did. They handled everything back home so we don’t have to worry about that. Theresa had a beautiful service yesterday and the town all came out to wish her a peaceful rest.” Chuck reached over pat Hailey’s knee. He could tell she was sad she couldn’t be at the funeral. He would not pile onto that stress by telling her about what he learned about Steven. He made sure he saved the file in an encrypted place and closed the laptop. “Don’t worry, Hailey. We’ll find the right way for you to say goodbye and honor Theresa in your own way. But for now, what do you say we go out for dinner? I’m starving.” He smiled that charming smile at her and her heart leapt at would almost seemed to be like a romantic date in romantic Paris. For tonight alone, she would pretend that reality wasn’t real and just enjoy being in Paris with Chuck.
Last Chance Baby Page 6