“Soon, we will have two, a boy and a girl,” Cordy announced. “I’ll be picking them up today.”
“What are you going to do?” Cricket asked, suddenly afraid.
“You don’t need to know, now go to the store and hurry back, I have to get to work early today.”
Cricket lowered her head. “I’ll have to wake Dusty and take him with me.”
“No leave him alone. He can sleep in a while longer.”
Cricket felt nervous. “It won’t take long to get him ready.”
“I said leave him here. He’ll be fine until you get back!” Cordy yelled. “You’ll be gone and back before he even wakes up, if you hurry.”
Cricket hesitated then had to ask, “How old are these kids?”
Cordy shrugged. “Maybe about a year old why?”
“I need to know, so I get the right kind of food.”
“Just get to the store and get back.” Cordy growled. “I have a lot to do today and I need everything set up.”
“Cordy, you can’t just take his kids.” Cricket figured out what she was intending to do. “That will drive Deke crazy.”
Cordy giggled. “Don’t you see, he’ll come to me to get his kids back? He’ll dump the other woman and he’ll come back to me.”
“Yeah,” Cricket agreed. “He’ll probably come and kill you.”
Cordy grinned and it wasn’t a humorous smile. Her eyes were calculating. “He won’t kill me until he gets his kids back and he won’t do that until he talks to me. I know I can get him back if I can just talk to him. Once he finds out that I’ve loved him all these years, he’ll know we were meant to be together.”
“How do you figure that?”
“Because you’ll have the kids somewhere he won’t be.” Cordy spread her hands out.
“Don’t make me part of this,” Cricket warned her. “I want no part of it. What you plan to do is called kidnapping and you can go to prison for that shit.”
“Then walk out the door and don’t come back.” Cordy growled. “But if you do, you go alone, and if you do, don’t damn well return because you have no place here anymore.”
Cricket narrowed her eyes and stared at her sister.
“Don’t worry,” Cordy scoffed. “I’m not going to hurt the brats. I just want to talk to Deke. I want him to come back to me.”
Cricket got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. “Let me get dressed and then I’ll go.” She went to the bedroom door but before she could open it, she heard her sister say quietly, “You’d better not betray me in this. If you do, I will take everything you love away from you. I’ll let you live with the fact that because of you, Dusty is gone from this world. His blood will stain your hands.”
Cricket closed her eyes and leaned her forehead on the door in front of her. She felt a tear roll down her cheek. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and disappeared inside. It only took her a moment or so to return fully dressed.
Cordy handed her the keys to the truck. When she would have walked away, Cordy grabbed her sister’s wrist and squeezed. Leaning forward she whispered into Cricket’s ear, “You don’t have to like what I’m doing but you are in this with me, all the way. Just do as you are told and no one will get hurt when this is over.”
“You don’t have to take his kids,” Cricket whispered. “Why can’t you just go up to him and talk to him?”
Cordy shook her head. “You don’t remember Deke very well, do you? You were just a kid when he left Bangor all those years ago. He’s a very stubborn man. I have to do something to get his attention and keep it while I talk to him. If I have his kids, he’ll listen to me, he won’t have a choice. He’ll sit down and really listen before he acts.” Cordy’s eyes hardened and she stared at her sister for a moment. “Why are you still here? We need to have things in place before the daylight gets here. I don’t want anyone to see you walking around. You are my ace in the hole. No one knows about you or the brat and that’s the way I want to keep it.”
Cricket rushed to the door and a moment later, she started the truck. Driving to the store, she wished she could keep on driving but she knew in her heart she couldn’t. Dusty’s life depended on her returning to the run down house. She hated what her sister was going to do, but she also knew she couldn’t stop it. She couldn’t even warn Deke to watch over his babies today. She had no idea where he even was.
When she returned twenty minutes later, she had several bags full of food and other things babies would need, diapers and such. The sun was barely lighting the sky when she pushed the door open. The loud screech it made when the bottom of the wood scraped against the floor announced her return.
Cricket looked up and found Cordy sitting on the sofa with an angry scowl on her face. Cricket’s eyes went to the door to the bedroom and she could hear Dusty sobbing in the other room. She brought her eyes back to Cordy to see her sister shrug her shoulders.
Cricket took the items she bought to the kitchen and began unloading the bags.
Cordy joined her and held out her hand for the keys.
Cricket handed them back without saying a word. When everything was put away, Cricket turned to go to the bedroom. When she closed the door behind her, she glanced over to the bed where Dusty was still crying. Sitting down beside him, she gathered him in her arms and held him tight. When his sobs faded, she raised his face to hers. Grimacing, she could still see the outline of her sister’s fingers on his cheek.
“I woke up early and couldn’t find you,” he whispered.
Cricket didn’t need him to finish his explanation. She hugged him close to her. “I know baby, I know.”
“Why is she so mean?” he whispered. “Why can’t she love me like you do?”
Cricket rocked him back and forth. “I don’t know, maybe she’s forgotten how to love. You and me, we’ll be okay though. As long as we stick together, we’ll be okay. I promise.”
“I love you Cricket.”
“I love you too, little buddy.” Cricket held him a moment longer then laid him down on the bed. “Come on buddy, we need to get ready for the day. She’ll be gone to work soon and we have a lot to get ready for.”
Dusty’s eyes were troubled as he followed her movements around the small bedroom they shared. He didn’t understand what was going on and he was so tired of feeling fear all the time.
~* * * *~
It had been so easy! Cordy silently smiled as she drove. She thought about what she had just pulled off and without a hitch!
When she arrived at Redemption House, she’d made her way down the hall. No one was paying any attention to her and she wasn’t trying to hide. Instead, she was trying to act like she belonged there. No one asked any questions and that suited her just fine. She’d simply followed the sound of babies laughing. Peeking inside, she found the room she was looking for.
It’d been so easy to follow her this morning. The bitch that stole Deke from her hadn’t even been aware anyone was behind her, but Cordy had been there.
Her eyes narrowed as she watched Deke’s children. Then her eyes shifted around the room, searching for a way to get out undetected. She only had a tiny window of time but she would get them both out. Her heart was pounding in her chest at the thought of what she was going to do, but she thought the means was worth it. She would get him back by fair means or foul. For now, she would watch and wait for the right time to put her plan into place.
Cordy went back out and around the side of the building. She peeked in the windows and saw the one she would need to get out of the building. Now all she needed was something to drug the babies with, in order to get them out without them screaming and giving the game up.
She walked the three blocks to the drug store and bought what she needed. A simple cough syrup for infants. She knew it would work as she’d used it on Dusty when he was smaller.
When she came back, she parked the truck as close to the window as she could get it. She went back to Redemption House and found a place she could watch the nurser
y and not be seen. It was almost noon before the place settled down enough for her to try to set her plan in motion.
Everyone but one girl cleared out of the nursery. There were only four kids in there and as they had had an early lunch, it was now nap time.
Cordy sneaked in and waited for things to settle down. Deke’s boy was almost sleeping and the little girl was asleep. The other two kids were also sleeping and the young girl was busy texting on her phone.
Cordy sneaked up behind her and slammed a lamp alongside of her head. The girl groaned and slid to the floor. Cordy sneaked over to where the boy was.
His little shirt had the name of Sam embroidered on it.
Cordy rolled her eyes. Deke had hated his dad, why would he name his kid after him? With an eyedropper, she pushed a dose of the cough syrup down his throat.
Little Sam made a face as he tasted the flavor of the cough syrup. His eyes opened briefly then closed again, as he fell back to sleep.
Cordy moved over to where the little baby girl was, also with a matching shirt that read Jemmia and slipped her a dose of the cough syrup. She fussed a bit but she never woke up completely. Cordy then moved over to the window and slid it open. Then gathering both babies in her arms, she went back to the window and slid outside. Hiking them up into her arms, she moved over to her truck and opened the door.
Propping the babies in the backseat she secured them with the seatbelts. She jumped into the driver’s seat and pulled away from the Redemption House.
Slowly making her way back to the house she shared with her sister and her son, she pulled around to the side of the house.
Looking around to make sure no one was watching, she took Jemmia into the house first. Laying her on the ratty old sofa, she went back outside and got Sammy.
When she brought him in the house, Cricket was there looking over Jemmia. She turned to Cordy and with a white face, she whispered, “What the hell did you do?”
Cordy smiled. “I told you I was going to take his kids.”
Cricket shook her head. “He’s going to kill you when he finds you.”
“He has to find me first.” Cordy tilted her head. “Don’t worry, with you taking care of the brats, they will be okay until Deke comes to me. I know you won’t let anything happen to them.”
“What are you going to tell him?”
Cordy gazed off into the distance for a moment. “I saw her today.”
“Who? Who is she?’ Cricket frowned.
“His woman.” Cordy growled. “She was there at the place I got the brats. It looks like she’s having another fucking baby.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Cricket knew a moment of real dread. She prayed Cordy wouldn’t go after the other woman in Deke’s life. If she was pregnant, her sister might do something to injure the woman and-or her baby. It was bad enough she stole his kids. “How are you going to contact Deke?” Cricket asked her sister.
Cordy smiled. “I need to wait for him to realize his brats are missing. I’ll let him sit for a while then I’ll make contact. I’ll give him a choice, me and his kids or her and the baby in her belly. If he chooses her, then he’ll never see these two again. I have to believe he’s more attached to the ones he already knows than the one who isn’t born yet.”
Cricket stared at her sister in horror.
Cordy glanced at the clock entirely ignoring her sister’s expression. “Damn, I have to go to work. I’ll be back tonight.” She seemed to have no clue as to how horrible her actions were. She started for the front door then stopped and turned her head to her sister. “These kids better be here when I get back. If they aren’t, there won’t be a rock big enough for you to hide under, and when I find you…I will kill you. But before you die, you’ll watch Dusty die a slow and painful death.”
Cricket stared at her for a moment then nodded slowly. When the door slammed behind her sister, she turned and laid a hand on the babies’ chests. Their breathing was slow and steady and they didn’t seem to be in distress.
The bedroom door opened and Dusty came out. When he came over to the sofa he looked at Cricket, then he gazed at the babies. “What did she do now?”
“Something I’m afraid can’t be undone,” Cricket whispered.
~* * * *~
Cassie closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. Her chest felt heavy and she wanted to scream. The muscles in her neck tightened and she could hear Rufus growling in her mind. Shaking her head, she wouldn’t let him come out. She had to stay with Deke, she promised.
Opening her eyes, she glanced around the room. When she saw Kayla sitting on the chair with tears in her eyes, Cassie broke away from Deke and moved slowly over to the girl. Kneeling down on her knees, she looked at her. “Are you okay?”
Kayla nodded but didn’t say anything. She was afraid of what Cassie would do. Everyone knew not to mess with the President’s woman. She glanced uneasily at her parents.
Cassie closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks. Opening them again, she studied the other girl. “I’m glad you’re okay.” Then she got to her feet and went over to the empty cribs. Sobbing, she picked up Sammy’s blanket and held it to her chest.
Deke stepped close and wrapped his arms around her. “We’ll find them, Cassie. I promise,” he whispered in her ear. It broke his heart to listen to her sobs. “Cassie, I need you to stay with me here. I can’t do this alone.”
She turned her head to him. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m counting you to keep your word and I love you enough to trust you. I’m sorry I didn’t before but I know better now. You love them too.”
“I would die for them and you. I would also kill anyone who would hurt them or you,” he whispered his eyes were full of wrath.
“Ohhh, Deke.” Fresh tears ran down her cheeks. “What happened? Why would anyone want to hurt them?”
“I don’t know yet, but I will find out,” he vowed.
Cassie paused then looked away to stare at the wall. “What if someone is trying to get revenge on me for something that happened in my past?” she whispered. “What if—?”
“Don’t do this.” Deke scolded her. “Don’t blame yourself. We don’t know yet who’s to blame for this.”
She leaned into him and felt his arms surround her. More tears rolled down her cheeks. “I miss them so much. I want them home Deke. I want to feel their tiny arms around my neck. I want to hear their baby giggles.”
“So do I baby, so do I. And everyone will do their best to make that happen.”
“I know but I’m afraid,” she admitted.
“Mrs. Tory,” someone called out softly.
Cassie turned and saw Jumper and Donna behind her. They were holding Kayla up between them.
“Kayla would never do anything to hurt your kids. I hope you understand that,” Jumper stated.
Cassie frowned. Looking from Jumper to Donna then to Kayla, she could read fear and concern in their eyes. “Of course, I know that. She loves my babies. She would never hurt them or any other child here.” Then she understood what they were saying and was horrified. “Oh my god, you think I blame her, don’t you?”
Jumper stiffened a bit.
Cassie went over to Kayla. Reaching out, she put her hands on her face. “Oh, sweetheart. I don’t blame you. Please don’t ever think that. I know you would never hurt my kids.” Cassie stepped back and looked over at Jumper. “I hope they find the monster who did this soon. I don’t know about you but I would want justice done for the harm done here today. Not only to my kids but to yours as well.” Stepping back, she searched Jumper’s face. She felt tears welling in her eyes. “Please Jumper, we need everyone on this. I don’t know who might be out there looking to hurt me or Deke or this MC. My babies are out there somewhere, lost, maybe hurt and whoever took them, hurt your baby girl. We need you on this.”
Jumper glanced back at his wife and daughter, then looked at Deke. “I’m in.”
~* * * *~
Deke nodded. He was pro
ud of Cassie. She was growing stronger than he ever thought she could be. A year ago, he almost lost her to her own fears when she thought she couldn’t protect her babies, now she might be heartbroken but she was thinking of others too. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “We’ll find them and bring them home again, I swear to you.”
Cassie turned in his arms and hugging him close she whispered back, ‘You better. I don’t know how long I can last. I promised you I’d stay but it’s so hard. Rufus is calling to me and his voice is getting louder inside my head. I need you and I need our babies. Please bring them back to me.” She paused then whispered, “Right now I want to scream until the rafters shake and I really, really want to hurt someone. I want to tear someone apart but I can’t because I don’t know who that person is right now.”
Deke hugged her close and listened as she sobbed. Her tears soaked his shirt and he looked from man to man inside the nursery.
The door opened and Gator came back inside. He had a laptop in his hands. He nodded his head at Deke. “I told Zipper to get his ass over here and he’s on his way. I’ve isolated the time of the attack and I found this.” He turned the laptop around as everyone gathered nearby.
Hitting the play button they watched as Kayla moved around the nursery. Then they saw another woman come up behind her. They watched as the scene played out. They all saw Kayla fall to the floor and the woman giving Sammy and Jemmia some liquid. Then they watched as she gathered up the sleeping kids and go out the window.
Fresh tears fell down Cassie’s face as she watched the woman carry off her children. Donna reached out and handed her some tissues and Cassie smiled briefly. The woman in the security tape was little more than a shadowy figure at the moment. “Does anyone know her?” she asked.
“I’m hoping Zipper can clean up the video, so we can at least see her face,” Deke explained.
“Or her arm,” Sam muttered.
Deke turned to his father. “What? What about her arm?”
Sam nodded at the laptop. “She has a tattoo on her left wrist. If we can see that, we might be able to identify her.”
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