by Barbara Gee
The baby swapping scheme had been the brainchild of Dr. Golding, but he’d brought one of his partners, Dr. Elias Tamkin, into the plot right from the beginning. Dr. Tamkin had moved out of state when Dr. Golding had retired, and Paula didn’t know where he’d gone.
Dr. Golding had kept a filing cabinet hidden among a bunch of discarded furniture in a back storeroom in the building, and Paula found out about it. It had been easy to make a copy of the key to the cabinet, because the doctor always hung his key ring on a hook beside his coat rack.
Once Paula had access to the file cabinet, she’d routinely raided it to make copies of letters, hand written memos, invoices, patient files—everything she could find that was linked to the crimes being committed. Dr. Golding had stubbornly resisted the advent of technology in the office place, so pretty much everything was on paper in that hidden cabinet.
According to Paula’s records, Boone had been the second baby switch, and only two had been attempted after him. The first was the one Paula had helped with successfully, and the second was the one that had been discovered. After that, Dr. Golding hadn’t risked trying it again. It would have been too suspicious if something else had gone wrong. So, only three baby swaps had been successful, which meant six families were affected.
When Doug researched the other two families who had bought healthy babies, he had his answer as to why the blackmailer was so desperate to stop him. One family was extremely wealthy, but otherwise not in the public eye. The other family, however, would be a cash cow for any blackmailer. The father was the CEO of a huge oil conglomerate that did business all over the world. The son, the first baby who had been switched by Dr. Golding, was currently a senator at the state level down in Texas, with aspirations of a national run in a few years.
If word got out about the revered CEO stealing a baby, his career would be ruined, and his politician son’s life upended and changed forever. Who knew how much money that secret had garnered the blackmailer. Many millions, almost certainly. More than enough to make him desperate to stop Doug and whoever had hired him.
Paula was eager to turn her entire box of files over to Doug. He followed her back to her house and they painstakingly scanned each document so he had access to all of them on his computer rather than carrying around a big box of paper. It took them several hours to scan a few hundred pages, and then he saved everything to his cloud storage, in case something happened to his computer.
By the time Doug left, Paula was feeling a huge sense of relief. She was ready to face the consequences of coming clean. With the money she’d been paid by Dr. Golding, she’d bought her house and lived an easy life. She didn’t need to work, and she’d done a lot of traveling, never having to worry about her finances. That had been enough for many years, but as she got older, her health began failing, and she felt lonely in ways she’d never felt before. Money was no longer a comfort. She’d never married, had no family, and now that she knew she was dying, her sadness and fear came from worrying about the wrong choices she’d made, rather than the fact that she wouldn’t be around much longer.
She’d never had to use all the information she’d accumulated, and now she was only too glad to place it in Doug’s hands and trust he would make things right. It was the only way she knew to atone for what she’d done, and she even went so far as to tell him if she couldn’t get immunity by testifying against the doctors, she would still speak out if he needed her to. If she died in prison, so be it.
* * *
Ryan ended his narrative, and the girls looked at each other, trying to digest all they’d been told.
“So has Doug tracked down Dr. Tamkin?” Jolene asked. “Is there a chance he’s the blackmailer?”
Boone pushed back his now empty plate. “There’s a good chance, but no, Doug hasn’t found him yet. The day after he met with Paula, he realized he was being followed. All his time over the last couple of days has been spent giving his shadows the slip, and then compiling everything to send to me.”
“Paula knew nothing about the blackmail,” Tuck said, taking his turn. “Aaron Kendall was first contacted five years ago, and we’re assuming that was the beginning of it. We’re guessing it’s either Dr. Tamkin, or one of the nurses or hospital personnel they paid to help. According to Paula, there was one other labor and delivery nurse before her, and a charge nurse at the hospital who worked all four of the switches. She also happens to be Dr. Tamkin’s wife.”
Boone pushed his empty plate away and folded his arms across his stomach. “We know it isn’t Paula or Golding, so that leaves the Tamkins, or the other nurse. Paula told Doug the other nurse divorced her husband and moved to France after getting paid for the two swaps she helped with. If she’s still living over there, it’s doubtful she’s the mastermind.”
“Which brings us back to Dr. Tamkin,” Libby stated.
“That seems likely,” Boone agreed. “Blackmailing would be a natural second phase.”
“Are you going to contact the other two innocent families who’ve been affected? Besides Virgil and Kay?” Maddy asked.
“Yeah, but we need to build our case first,” Tuck said. “We need to track down the Tamkins and the nurse in France, just in case she’s involved. Until we have the blackmailer in custody, Doug and Boone are threatened. Once we have things nailed down, we’ll arrest everyone involved, including Aaron and the others who paid for babies. Then we’ll meet with the families who think their babies died.”
“Who’s going to go after Dr. Tamkin and his wife?” Libby asked. “I’m not wild about having you guys haul off down to Texas. For purely selfish reasons, of course.”
“I’m not sure how it’ll pan out,” Ryan said, “but I doubt Tuck and or I will be needed down there. The local agents will be able to get to the bottom of it sooner than we could.”
Jolene shook her head slowly. “I find it unbelievable that over a span of more than thirty years, no one talked. How do you keep people quiet for that many years?”
Tuck rubbed the back of his neck, his blue eyes weary. “You make sure they have something to lose. As far as the parents who paid for babies, if they talk, they lose their child and go to prison. That’s pretty good incentive for keeping quiet. As for Paula and the other nurse, they faced giving up their cushy lifestyles and also going to prison. However, I’m sure if Dr. Golding had known about the file Paula had, she’d have been taken care of in short order.”
Jolene looked at Boone worriedly. “Are you sure the blackmailer doesn’t know you’re the one who hired Doug?”
He looked over at Tuck and Ryan, then met her gaze, his face grim. “We have to assume that if he doesn’t by now, he will soon. Doug was at the police station inquiring about Golding, and he’s pretty sure the blackmailer has a plant there. He doesn’t know any other way they’d have found out about him being in town. And when I called to request that an officer try to locate Doug, I gave my real name.”
“And the dirty rat in the police department has probably found out about your call on Doug’s behalf,” Libby said, fuming. “Or will soon.”
“That’s the consensus,” Ryan said.
Jolene tried not to show how scared she was. “So what now?”
CHAPTER 24
Boone sat back in his chair, his exhaustion evident. “I’m out of it for the most part, other than talking to my mom and the Desmonds. I’ll let Tuck and Ryan handle things with their agents down in Texas, and wait for the you-know-what to hit the fan in St. Paul.”
Libby leaned forward on the table, staring across at Boone, her gaze intent. “I’m going to make a suggestion about the Desmonds, Boone. You can take it or leave it. Just hear me out, okay?”
He nodded, a slight frown creasing his forehead.
“While I have no doubt finding out about you is going to go down as one of the greatest things they’ve ever heard, it’s going to be an enormous shock at first. Their initial reaction is going to be a combination of joy and disbelief, and no small amount of an
ger. It’s going to take some time to explain, and more time for them to absorb. What I’m suggesting is that you let Tuck and I be the ones to tell them, so they don’t have to worry about tempering their reactions because they don’t want to upset you. They need to have the freedom to be honest and genuine about their feelings—to just put it all out there where we can deal with it together. Once they’ve had time to digest it all, they’ll welcome you with open arms, and that’s what I want. I want your first meeting as parents and child to be wonderful. To get that, you need to wait until they’re ready.” Libby looked at Boone earnestly, her blue eyes warm and caring. “Does that make sense?”
He nodded. “You know them best. I’m willing to defer to your judgement.”
“I think Libby’s on the right track,” Tuck said. “Let them get their heads wrapped around it all before you come on the scene. It won’t take long, I’m confident of that, but I think we should let them set the time frame.”
“I’m okay with that,” Boone said. “But you’ll talk to them soon, right? I don’t want to risk the story hitting the headlines before they hear it from you.”
“Absolutely,” Libby promised. “What works for you, Tucker?”
They discussed it, deciding they’d try to meet with the older couple that evening, right after dinner. Libby assured Boone she would call him as soon as she could, to let him know how it had gone.
Boone reached over and took Jolene’s hand. He’d make sure she could be with him this evening. Being left alone to brood and wonder how the Desmonds were reacting was unthinkable.
***
Soon after, the group dispersed to their day jobs. Jolene drove Boone to his cabin, telling him that since it was already seven thirty, they could skip his morning workout. After agreeing to meet as usual at five, Boone hurried inside to get ready for a day at the rink.
Jolene watched him go, then turned the car around and headed to the gym. She’d grab a quick shower there, and change into some exercise gear she kept in the closet in her office. She hoped she could put her worry for Boone out of her head long enough to have a productive day.
Alone in the locker room, she stepped into the shower, hoping the warm spray might relax some of her tension. After what she’d learned this morning, she was beyond scared. Boone’s life might soon be in danger, and there was nothing she could do. Feeling helpless wasn’t something she handled well, and she’d never felt it more acutely than right now.
Unable to hold it in any longer, she gave in and allowed herself a good cry. Better to get it out of her system now, rather than when she was with Boone. He had enough to deal with, and she didn’t want him to feel like he needed to expend additional energy comforting her.
After her tears ended, she dried off and got dressed, giving herself a stern talking to about being strong. She had to buck up and be there for Boone, and the first thing she needed to do was invite him to her place for dinner. No way was she letting him spend the evening alone, wondering how things were going with Virgil and Kay.
By the time Jolene’s first PT session began, she was her normal, calm self, at least on the outside. She even handled Charlie Jansen pretty well, keeping a cheerful demeanor and refusing to rise to his bait. He actually straightened up a bit when he realized she wasn’t going to let him get under her skin. When he left the gym, Jolene said a heartfelt prayer for him and Andi, asking God once more to bring the old Charlie out from under the rage he used as a protective cloak.
As five o’clock neared, Cameron tapped on her door and said he was leaving for the day. The other three assistants had already gone, and Jolene was relieved to have the place empty. She’d been afraid Izzy would hang around to help out with Boone, and sharing him was the last thing Jolene wanted right then.
After getting everything ready for him, she went back to her office to make a couple of phone calls that couldn’t wait until tomorrow. She was finishing up with the last one when he appeared in her doorway, his big body practically filling it up.
She waved, unable to stop the wide smile that took over her face at the sight of him. Boone stared at her, then squeezed his eyes shut, a slight smile on his face.
Jolene said goodbye and hung up the phone, her eyes narrowing. “What are you doing?” she asked warily.
He opened his eyes, the clear green of his gaze making her heart jump. “I’m memorizing that smile. If I can pull that memory up when I’m not doing so hot, it’ll make everything better.”
She raised her brows. “Bringing out the charm this evening, are we?”
“Whatever it takes to keep your smile in place.” He leaned against the door frame, folding his arms.
Jolene stood and grabbed her clipboard, then walked over to him, hugging it to her chest as she faced him. “All it takes is seeing you, my friend. How was your day?”
“Long. I’m afraid the guys didn’t get their money’s worth today. I really tried to concentrate, but when Donovan said ‘earth to Boone’ for the third time, I knew I wasn’t doing so well.”
Jolene winced. “Yeah, I had a little trouble too at first. Although I think we’re allowed an off day, all things considered. Let’s get your workout started, get the endorphins pumping. That’ll be the best thing for you.”
He pushed away from the door and motioned her through. “Working out is always my drug of choice when my mind won’t shut off. So don’t be afraid of pushing me too hard today.”
“Challenge accepted,” Jolene said. “And after, you’re coming to my place for homemade vegetable soup and grilled cheese. And if you’re good, some kind of dessert. I haven’t decided what though.”
His brows arched as he grinned. “Seriously? I’m coming over?”
Jolene walked past him and looked over her shoulder. “Come on, Boone, you didn’t think I was going to let you stew in your cabin by yourself all evening, did you?”
“Oh I wasn’t planning to, I just wasn’t quite sure how I was going to convince you to be there with me. But I guess that problem is solved, and your place is way better anyway.”
“Too bad the Wild aren’t playing, but there’s always movies.” Jolene stopped by the elliptical, where he almost always warmed up, and tapped her watch. “Get moving, Number 15. I’ve got supper to cook.”
He unzipped his jacket and shrugged it off, still smiling as he got going. Jolene hoped that meant she was doing an okay job of hiding her inner turmoil. Which actually wasn’t near as bad now that he was here. He was so big, strong, and alive—when they were together, it seemed unthinkable that anyone could pose a threat to a man like him.
“So should I just come over when I get showered and changed?” he asked an hour later, his face and arms glistening with sweat. He pulled the hem of his tee shirt up to mop his face, giving Jolene a very enjoyable glimpse of his knockout abs.
“Sure. You can help me cook.” Jolene made some notes on her clipboard, then looked up at him. “No headache?”
“I actually started with a small one during the night, and it was a little worse this morning, but it got better as the day went on. I can hardly feel anything right now.”
“It’s a good sign that it’s gone. It was probably from lack of sleep and the hours you spent hunched over the computer with Tuck and Ryan.”
“I agree, it felt more like a tension headache than anything to do with the concussion.” He picked up his jacket and they walked out to the parking lot together, with Jolene shutting off the lights and locking the door. He waved before speeding off in his near soundless electric cart. Jolene spent the drive home trying to come up with a dessert he would enjoy that wouldn’t require a stop at the grocery store. She remembered the blueberries she’d picked up a couple days ago and smiled. Blueberry cobbler was always a hit.
***
Hurrying inside her house, Jolene dropped her purse on the table and began going through her cupboards and fridge. She gathered up potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, as well as cans of beef stock and tomatoes for the soup base
. The other vegetables would have to come from her freezer.
She decided to get changed before she started, rather than risk being in the shower when Boone arrived. Twenty minutes later she was dressed in a sleeveless blue blouse and jeans, her damp hair in a loose braid down her back. After opening the front door a few inches so Boone would know to just walk in, she got the broth and tomatoes simmering, then started washing and chopping the veggies. There was no recipe for her soup and it turned out just a bit different every time she made it, but it was always delicious. Good comfort food. Just what the physical therapist ordered.
The onion and potatoes were chopped, and Jolene was peeling the carrots when she heard him coming down the hall, his ever-present sneakers squeaking on the hardwood floor. She looked up to greet him, and momentarily lost the ability to speak. Dressed in a simple black tee shirt and soft, faded jeans, the man was breathtaking. His hair, like hers, was still damp, and the scruff on his jaw was incredibly attractive. How could he look more handsome every single time she saw him?
“Hey,” he said, a smile curving the lips she dreamed about most every night. “You started without me. I thought I was supposed to help cook.”
His scent wafted over her, soap and Boone—her favorite—and she literally shivered as he approached.
“You okay?” he asked, his head tilting in that very Kay-like way.
She cleared her throat and nodded. “Um, yeah. I’m fine. It’s just that you look really good. I should be used to it, but it still takes me off guard sometimes.”
He looked down at her, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “I know the feeling,” he said gruffly. He brought his hands up to frame her face and Jolene forgot to breathe. His green gaze dropped to her mouth, and at that moment there was nothing she wanted more than for him to kiss her. But was she truly ready to know the touch of Boone’s lips, when she knew their time together was growing ever shorter?
“Here.” She quickly took a step back and thrust a carrot at him. “It’s already peeled. You can chop it up. And the celery, too. It’s right there,” she said, pointing.