Jarom moved to sit next to his wife… scratch that, wives… on the couch, his face puzzled. “But they have a suspect.”
“Yes, they do,” Cam conceded. “And it seems to be a strong one. Which is probably why they didn’t ask you the questions I’m about to.”
“Such as?” Rachel asked.
“Do you know anyone who has recently lost a child?” Cam asked Emma.
The woman blinked, brushing away tears. The surprise nature of the question seemed to have stopped her crying for the moment. Good. Cam needed her focused.
“Why?”
“In addition to family members and sexual predators…” At Cam’s use of the word, Emma flinched. Cam continued in a gentler tone. “… there is another kind of kidnapping that is much less common. It’s referred to as an empty womb abduction.”
“Empty…?” Emma started, and then seemed to understand. “Oh, no. No. Grace is a lovely person. She would never do anything like that.”
“You know someone who has lost a child?” Harper cut in.
“Yes. From SIDS. But there’s no chance she’s involved. She’s a good friend.”
“When did she lose her baby?” Cam asked.
“A couple of months ago. It’s been a tough time for her, but she’s doing a lot better recently. I’m telling you, it wasn’t her.”
Jarom stepped in as well. “She’s always helped out teaching in the co-op, even though she didn’t have any children of her own. Until…” He waved his hands, a gesture of regret for her misfortune.
“That’s the thing about empty womb snatchings,” Cam explained. “They seem totally normal. They are normal. Right up to the point that they snap.”
Rachel moved in closer, grabbing and holding Emma’s hand. “I can vouch for what Emma says. Grace is a kind person. She would never do this.”
“Hold on,” Cam said, her mind leaping to a conclusion. “Grace knows both of you?”
“Yes,” Jarom said. “She’s a friend of the family.”
“She knows you’re polygamists?”
Emma shrugged. “It was a long time ago. A couple of years, at least. She put two and two together, I guess.”
“But she’s always been supportive of us,” Rachel interjected. “I mean, it was weird for her at first, but she always said that she envied how close our relationship was with Jarom.” She gave a half-laugh. “And how nice it must be to have built-in sisters to help out with things.”
Cam tried to slow her breathing. “Has she ever been over to your house?” she asked.
“Sure. Once or twice after the play group.”
This was it. This was what they had been missing. Cam was sure of it.
“I’m going to need her address.”
* * *
The house was dark when Harper and Cam approached. It was bigger than the Young’s, more well-appointed. Now that Harper understood that the Young’s were maintaining three households, it made sense that Jarom’s salary didn’t stretch quite as far as might be expected.
But here, it was evident that there was no division of resources. There was a tire swing tied to the tree in the front yard, but as Harper passed by she could see that the tire and the rope were both brand new.
This was a couple that had been expecting and planning for an addition to their family. A hope that had been cut short in an instant.
Harper knew exactly how that felt.
They moved to the front door. Glancing at her watch, Harper saw that it was 2:13 in the morning. Kind of early to accuse someone of a child snatching.
She consoled herself with the thought that if it wasn’t Grace, she’d be more than happy to try to help out her friends in any way possible. Harper herself would, right?
Then again, two in the morning was pretty damn early.
Cam rang the doorbell a couple of times. Harper winced, but realized her friend was right. Once might not be enough at this hour.
Far before she would have expected possible, a female voice called out through the door. “Who’s there?”
“Mrs. Peña? I’m so sorry for the hour. We’re friends of the Young’s. Emma and Jarom?” Cam responded.
The door opened a crack. “It’s two in the morning.”
“I know, and we’re so sorry. We wouldn’t intrude if it weren’t an emergency.”
The porch light turned on and the door swung open a bit further. “What’s the problem?” Grace asked, rubbing her eyes. Harper took a closer look. Either this woman woke up looking like she’d just stepped out of a catalogue, or she hadn’t been asleep when they rang the bell.
“The Young’s baby has been taken,” Cam said.
There was a pause, then Grace inhaled sharply. “What? You… you can’t be serious.”
“I’m afraid we are,” Harper said, stepping in a bit closer. The woman backed up a step, drawing the door in closer. She seemed to do it without conscious thought.
“The Young’s identified someone that they had seen around the neighborhood. They said you might have spotted him as well,” Cam said. Her voice carried no hint of suspicion, and Harper recognized once more how good she was at this stuff. “Would you mind taking a look?” Cam held out the picture she had taken from off the Young’s coffee table.
“Um. Yes. Sure.” She took the photo and glanced at it, licking her lips. “No, I don’t think I’ve seen him.”
“Are you positive?” Cam pressed. “Emma said she had seen the man at the park where you sometimes go for the home-school co-op.”
She looked again. “Oh, maybe. I’m not sure. I’m not all that good with faces.”
“Is your husband here? Maybe we could ask him.”
Grace shook her head. “No. He’s out of the country right now on business. Doesn’t get back for another week or so.”
Cam nodded. Harper wasn’t sure what they were going to do now. It seemed like they’d hit a dead end. But then Cam spoke again.
“I’m so sorry. My cell phone’s dead. Do you mind if we come in and use yours? Just want to check in with the Youngs.”
Brilliant.
Grace Peña swung the door open wide, although her body language was screaming that she wanted to do nothing of the sort. “The phone’s in the kitchen. Right through there.” She pointed down the hall.
Cam turned to Harper. “You stay here. I’ll just be a second.”
Grace swung back and forth between them, seemingly unsure of who to stay with. She began following Cam into the kitchen, glancing back over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure that Harper hadn’t moved.
“Hey, Harper!” Cam called out in a loud voice. “Can you go grab that sheet of addresses out of the car?”
“Shh!” Grace said, shushing her, then stopped, her eyes wide.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Cam said. “I thought you said your husband was away.”
“He is,” she said in a small voice.
“Then why do you need me to be quiet, Mrs. Peña?” Cam asked, her voice oozing kindness.”
“I… it’s late… I…”
“Grace,” Cam said, resting a hand on her arm. “We know you have him. And I think I understand why.”
Her hand fluttering up to cover her mouth, Grace backed slowly away until she ran into the wall of the hallway. Once she made contact, she sank down to the floor. Her voice trembled as she spoke.
“They had so many. And I didn’t have any at all. No babies. No babies to hold in my arms. They had so…”
Grace Peña hung her head down, and her body shook with silent sobs.
* * *
Cam held the infant in her arms. He smelled of talcum powder and wet wipes, with just a hint of spit up. The odor of baby overwhelmed Cam, causing her to blink away sudden tears.
It had been a while since she’d held one in her arms.
Walking up to the front door of the Young’s home, Cam felt a chill course through her body. She looked at her watch. 2:37.
That was the moment she had gone in to check on
Ryan. The moment, seven years ago, when her heart had fallen out of her chest. A part of it had never come back.
But now, seven years later to the minute, she was delivering a baby boy to his parents. Parents who, no matter how strange their lifestyle might seem to others… hell, to Cam herself… loved this boy with all their hearts.
To her surprise, there was no jealousy. No sense of wishing it was her instead of them.
Oh, there was pain. Plenty of it. But it was good pain. The pain that said that she hadn’t forgotten her lost boy. Hadn’t given up on finding him. That as long as there was hope that he was alive, she never would.
The unmarked police car was in the driveway. Looked like Detective Stickler and her partner were back. Well, that would make this reunion a bit more interesting.
But as Cam and Harper climbed the steps to the front porch, the detectives became irrelevant. The door swung wide, and Emma looked out, her gaze wandering from Cam’s face to the babe in her arms.
The look on her face made Cam’s heart swell within her. The pain she had been feeling didn’t disappear. Not at all. But it did change, morphing into something that was far more sweet. Something that held the despair that lived inside her at bay.
This was what she was supposed to be doing. The certainty had never been stronger.
And perhaps, at some point in the future, doing this would lead her back to her own son. She might hold him again in her arms, just as Emma now reached for her baby and clutched him to her breast.
The wish became a prayer that floated up to a God that Cam wasn’t sure even liked her. But for one moment, she softened her heart and poured out her deepest desires.
Help me find my son.
Strangely enough, she felt like her prayer was heard.
Be on the lookout for Amber Alert, the first novel in the Empty Crib Mysteries, coming in March of 2014!
Afterword
Thank you so much for going on this second adventure with Kent, Nicole and Ruben. Poor, poor Ruben.
If you enjoyed this collection, I would ask a quick favor of you and have you go back to Amazon and leave a review. We indie authors live and die by our reviews!
I’d also like to ask that if you find any typos/errors to please contact me directly. Even though this and all of my books have been put through a gazillion rounds of edits, we are all just human. It really helps if you catch anything to email me at [email protected]
Remember by purchasing this collection now, you are entitled to not only the complete collection but any future short stories at NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE.
There is a new, easy and exciting way to update your collection automatically.
Go sign up now so that it is ready for any updates in the future and you won’t have to think about it.
It is super simple. Sign into your Amazon.com account then hit the “Your Account” button. Now hit “Manage My Kindle” (even if you don’t have a Kindle device this setting will update your preferences on any Kindle app). A new banner will appear and you need to hit the “Learn More About Auto-Updates” link. It will take you to a window where you can opt into auto-updates. If you opt in, that means that the day a collection is updated, it will automatically whispersynch to your Kindle or app. Voila!
You can read away. Once you opt in for auto-updates you can just sit back and relax while you wait for the next book to upload. How awesome is that?
More than likely I will start a 3rd cycle of the Harbinger Mysteries. That Kent just has so much to say! ☺
Can’t wait for 2015? Want more thrills right now? Check out the next section for lot of great McCray reads!
Other Works by Carolyn McCray
Soho Slasher: Jack Is Back
A Harbinger Crossover to International Hunters, Inc.
From the #1 Mystery/Thriller Bestselling authors Carolyn McCray & Ben Hopkin comes a novel that solves one of the oldest serial killer cases in existence… Jack the Ripper!
Praise for Soho Slasher…
“Ben and Carolyn know how to take the reader right into the plot and keep you involved from page one to the last and you will be panting for the next book they write. This is not the first book that I have experienced from them and it surely will not be my last, they are permanently on my favorite authors list. Action and emotions run high in their new crossover thriller series so don't miss out.”
DD Gott
Amazon Reviewer
“...it's one twist after another as it builds to a stunning conclusion. All I could think was ... And this only the beginning! This new Harbinger crossover is Brilliant!”
Anna Salamantin
Amazon Reviewer
Praise for the Harbinger Collection...
Did you know that James Rollins recommends... The Harbinger Collection, including Plain Jane: Brunettes Beware, a #1 bestseller in both Hard-Boiled Mysteries and Police Procedurals?
Let’s see why…
“If you think you know what is going to happen, you're wrong. I have read so many suspense and crime books that guessing the end gets easier and easier. NOT this time. Be prepared to be hooked from the first page and lose some sleep because you just can't put it down”
Michelle Delgado
Amazon Reviewer
“I just finished The Harbinger Collection. It was a real page turner and if I didn't know that Carolyn McCray is the author, I would think I was reading a James Patterson novel. It definitely isn't for the squeamish! It is like a thrilling roller-coaster ride!”
Skeeter
Amazon Reviewer
Anyone who enjoys mystery/thrillers such as James Patterson, Lee Child, and Patricia Cornwell, Soho Slasher will definitely satisfy your need for suspense! Click here to purchase Soho Slasher.
* * *
The Darc Murders Mystery Collection
Praise for Darc Murder Mysteries...
“A pathological serial killer is terrorizing Seattle and the only person standing in his way is Detective Robi Darcmel. From the chilling opening scene to the last lines of the first episode, I don't remember taking a deep breath. As one observer notes in the opening scene at the slaughter house to a man clearly intrigued by the sight and smell of blood, visceral and flesh--”You are one sick puppy, dude.” Indeed...This is a fascinating if horrific read. One of the most unusual “heros” I can imagine, Detective Robi Darcmel has Asperger's Syndrome… Be prepared to be shocked, and hooked.”
Windgo
Amazon Reviewer
“In the literary tradition of serial novels, I am loving this new format for the Kindle! The characters are engaging, the plot intense, an excellent read! “
Jon M. Wilson
Amazon Reviewer
The collection includes…
Devious
the prequel short story to The Darc Murders Series
Deceived*exclusive to the collection
Another prequel short story to 9th Circle
9th Circle
the #1 Hard-Boiled full-length mystery that started it all!
7th Sin
the squirm in your seat sequel to 9th Circle
Carnal*exclusive to the collection
the bridge short story 7thSin & 5th Pentagram
5th Pentagram
the shocking full-length conclusion to the Darc Murders Collection
Sinister*exclusive to the collection
the “wrap-up” short story to finish out the Darc Murders series
More praise for the Darc Murders Collection
“I absolutely am loving this book! The way it bounces between the different characters perspectives really helps to get a 3-D picture of what’s going on. The killer is so creepy and ominous.
S. Busch
Amazon Reviewer
“Five stars for an extraordinary hero who senses his way through clues and is seemingly clueless about ordinary give-and-take relationships. a very satisfying , engrossing novel.”
Dot Day
To sample or purchase The Darc Murders Coll
ection, simply click here.
* * *
The Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection
Praise for The Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection...
"Come for the murder, stay for the three-dimensional, realistically fractured characters! … Long plane rides and rainy Saturday afternoons were made for books like this. If you like your suspense with a side of gruesome and a dash of humor, this is it."
Brandon Stanley
Amazon Reviewer
"Humpty Dumpty is a wonderful start to what I hope will be the first in a fun and thrilling series. I found myself flipping the pages to get to the end and what an ending. The story was well written and the dialogue was sharp, witty and fast-paced. The chemistry between the main characters, Joshua, Had and Cooper was magical… Eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series.”
Romano Robusto
Amazon Reviewer
“Another good crime scene series from one of my favorites. Once again Carolyn McCray has brought together an interesting cast of characters. Each member of the team has flaws, just like real people. The concept of using nursery rhymes as a theme for murder gives the story a creepy edge. The plot twists will keep you guessing.”
J. Duarte
Amazon Reviewer
The collection includes…
Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary
the prequel short story to The Nursery Rhyme Murders Series
Humpty Dumpty
the greatly anticipated full-length novel
Old Woman in a Shoe*exclusive to the collection
the fascinating short story follow up to Humpty Dumpty
All Fall Down (will be added to the collection March 2014)
the rousing continuation of the Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection
Eennie Meanie Moe (will be added EXCLUSIVELY to the collection March 2014)
the bridge short story following All Fall Down
More praise for The Nursery Rhyme Murders Collection…
“I am a big fan of this author’s novels… So, I have been excited and waiting a long time for this story… I was not disappointed and continued to read every single page all the way to an ending that was unbelievable, made me feel a little sick, and left me just as speechless as Agent Sariah Cooper… I have never read an ending to a book like this ever and it’s a vision that will be with me for quite a while.”
2nd Cycle of the Harbinger Series Collection Page 38