To Find Her Place

by Susan Anne Mason

  “Good morning, Mrs. Linder.” Bonnie Dupuis entered the room, looking somewhat frazzled for so early in the day.

  Jane pushed away a slight twinge of disappointment. “Good morning. How was your Thanksgiving?”

  “Lovely, as usual. All my siblings managed to make it home this year, which was nice.”

  Jane made a note to take time to converse more with the caseworkers about their personal lives and not only about work issues. “I’m glad. What can I do for you?”

  “I had a call from Mrs. Bennington first thing this morning. She wants someone to go over and speak with one of the residents as soon as possible.” Bonnie shifted from one foot to the other. “I have back-to-back appointments today. Clarine called in sick with the flu, and all the other workers are overextended as well.” She held up some file folders. “I wanted to get your opinion on which client could be delayed.”

  Jane mulled it over for a second. “No need for that. As it turns out, my calendar is light this morning. I’ll go over to Bennington Place myself.” Besides, she could use the distraction.

  All the color drained from the girl’s face. “Oh no. That’s not necessary. I can push one of these cases off until tomorrow.”

  “It’s fine. I’ve been wanting a chance to go over and see Ruth and Olivia anyway.”

  “Are you sure you have the time?” Bonnie’s eyes widened, and she gestured to the piles of paper on Jane’s desktop. “I mean, I know how busy you are . . .”

  “Normally, yes. But my morning meeting was just canceled.” Jane rose and came around the desk. “Will you please tell Melanie where I’m going and have her let Mr. Wilder know when he arrives?”

  “Certainly. Th-thank you.” Bonnie ducked her head and left the room.

  After a quick bus trip, Jane arrived at the maternity home. It had been more than six months since she’d been here, and though she’d kept in touch with Olivia, she looked forward to seeing the other matron of the home. Ruth was a lovely older widow who, with Olivia’s help, had turned her home into a shelter for unwed mothers.

  With a smile on her face, Jane climbed the stairs and knocked on the front door.

  A young pregnant woman answered.

  “Good morning. I’m Mrs. Linder from the Children’s Aid Society. May I speak with Mrs. Bennington or Mrs. Reed?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Please come in.” The girl ushered her into the parlor.

  Two minutes later, Olivia appeared, a chubby baby on her hip. The dark-haired boy kicked his legs and bounced, as though eager to be let down.

  “Jane! I didn’t expect you to come.” Olivia rushed over to give her a hug. “It’s good to see you again.”

  “You too. And this can’t be little Costas? He’s gotten so big.”

  “He certainly has. He’s almost seven months old now. And too mobile for his own good.” She tweaked the boy’s nose. “You never let Mama get any work done, do you?”

  He laughed and a string of drool dripped from his chin.

  “Do you bring him with you every day?”

  “No, most days my mother-in-law watches him, but today she had an appointment.”

  “Well, lucky for me or I wouldn’t have gotten to see him.” Jane brushed a lock of hair from the boy’s forehead. “My, he favors his father. He’s the spitting image of Darius with those big blue eyes.”

  Olivia beamed. “Yes, indeed. I’m a lucky woman to have two such handsome men in my life as well as two beautiful daughters.”

  “You deserve it after everything you’ve been through.”

  “What about you, Jane? How are things going with Mr. Wilder?” Olivia asked.

  Heat rose from Jane’s neck to scorch her cheeks. “Fine. He’s doing a very thorough job.”

  Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “Judging from that blush, I’d like to know just how thorough.”

  Jane bit back a groan. How was she going to keep their relationship a secret if she couldn’t stop blushing at the mere mention of Garrett? “We may have developed a friendship over the course of his time at the office.”

  “Only a friendship?” Olivia’s arched brows rose almost to her hairline.

  Jane shifted her weight and rearranged her satchel. “For now. After all, we have to keep things professional.”

  “Ah. But what happens when he’s finished his work there?” Olivia grinned, bouncing the baby to keep him amused.

  “I honestly don’t know. But for now, it’s . . .”

  “Terrifying?”

  The air rushed from Jane’s lungs. “How did you know?”

  “I felt the same way about Darius at first.” Olivia laughed. “I’ll take that as a good sign.”

  Jane leaned closer. “I’d appreciate your prayers. The whole situation is rather complicated. He’s likely going to be in the running for the director’s position.”

  “Oh dear. Well, I’ll definitely step up my prayers for you and for the whole agency.”

  “Thank you. Speaking of which, I came to see the new mother.”

  “Right. Her name is Polly Breen.” Olivia leaned closer. “She’s been a bit hard to get to know. At first, she was adamant about giving up her baby, and now it looks like she’s changed her mind. Perhaps you can give her some advice.”

  “I’ll certainly do my best.”

  “She’s in the second bedroom at the top of the stairs.”

  Jane smiled. “Tell Ruth I’d love to catch up with her when we’re finished.”

  Jane climbed the stairs to the second story and found the bedroom easily enough. The door was open, so she gave a light knock on the doorframe and went in.

  A young woman was seated in a rocking chair near one of the twin beds, holding a swaddled baby in her arms. She looked to be in her early twenties and was quite pretty, with fair hair and serious brown eyes.

  “Hello,” Jane said, walking forward with a smile. “Are you Polly?”

  “Yes.” A frown creased the woman’s brow. “Who are you?”

  Jane came to a halt. Wasn’t the girl expecting her? Or had Ruth called without telling her? “I’m Mrs. Linder from the Children’s Aid Society. I understand you wished to speak to someone about your newborn.”

  Polly clutched her baby tighter against her body. “I-I was expecting Miss Dupuis.”

  Jane sat on the edge of the bed so as not to intimidate Polly by towering over her. “I’m afraid Miss Dupuis’s schedule didn’t afford her the time to come today, so I’m here instead.” She gave her a kind smile. “How can I help you, Polly?”

  The woman’s lips began to tremble. “I’ve changed my mind about putting my baby up for adoption. I want to keep her.” She lifted her chin, a defiant gleam in her eyes.

  “First of all, congratulations on your little girl.” Jane leaned forward to peer at the tuft of hair peeking out from the blanket. It was always good to let the mothers know that the Children’s Aid wasn’t ready to snatch the baby from their arms. Something Jane had learned the hard way with Olivia. “And secondly, it’s your prerogative to keep your child if you’re able to provide for her.”

  “Thank you.” Polly let out a breath. “I thought the agency would be mad that I’d changed my mind.” Her features softened as she looked down at the baby. “But I just can’t give Pearl away.”

  “What a lovely name.” Jane set her satchel on the floor. “Have you determined how you’re going to provide for your daughter?” she asked in a soft voice.

  “Not yet.” Polly’s features hardened. “But I had a job before as a seamstress. I’m sure I can find another one once I’m ready.”

  “I imagine that Mrs. Bennington and Mrs. Reed have spoken to you about the difficulties a single mother faces in this regard. Do you have anyone—a family member, perhaps—who might be willing to help you until you get back on your feet?” Above all, Jane had to ascertain that the child would be in no danger of neglect.

  She sensed the girl’s hesitation. Polly was probably worried that if she gave the wrong answer, she might no
t get to keep her baby.

  Jane continued, “If you truly wish to raise your little girl alone, it will be difficult, but know that we all want to help you. Many times, the ladies here will allow a new mother to stay on until she has a job and has found adequate care for her child. In fact, the other residents often watch each other’s babies while the mother goes for an interview or works a short shift.”

  Polly gave a slight smile. “Yes, Ruth and Olivia have been more than kind about that. And one of the girls here has already offered to watch Pearl when I’m ready to look for work.”

  “That’s good. I’m glad you have the beginning of a plan in place.” Jane studied the girl, noting the nervous way she wouldn’t meet Jane’s eyes. “However, I’m wondering why you needed to see a social worker. You could have simply told us over the phone that you’d changed your mind.”

  Polly ran her tongue over her lips. “I’m sorry, but since I’m keeping Pearl, I’ll need my money back.”

  “Money?” Jane’s heart began a hard thump in her chest. “What money?”

  “The money I paid Miss Dupuis to find my baby a good home.” Polly stared at Jane in confusion. “She said that the mothers who could afford to pay got special treatment and their babies would have a better chance to be adopted by wealthier parents.”

  A hot burst of anger ran up Jane’s spine. “Miss Dupuis told you that?”

  “Y-yes.” Doubt crept into Polly’s eyes. “Isn’t that how it works?”

  “No. It’s not.” Jane drew in a breath. “How much did you pay for this special treatment?”

  “Two hundred dollars.” Polly’s eyes filled with tears. “It was all I had to give. I’d have paid more if it meant Pearl would have the best home possible.”

  Jane shook her head. “Polly, we don’t accept payment for our services. Did none of the other women here tell you that?”

  Polly’s mouth opened and closed again. “Miss Dupuis said not to discuss it with anyone because of privacy issues. And she didn’t want the women who couldn’t afford to pay anything to feel bad about it.”

  Jane pressed her lips together, the enormity of the situation pressing down on her.

  “Did I do something wrong?” Fear laced Polly’s voice.

  Jane forced a sympathetic expression on her face. “No. None of this is your fault.” She opened her satchel and took out a notebook and pen. “But I need your help. What Miss Dupuis has done is illegal. I’d like you to write down everything you can remember about what she said and did, and the approximate dates.” Jane looked at her. “Do you think you can do that for me, Polly?”

  The girl nodded. “I’ll put Pearl in her cradle and do it right now.”

  “Thank you. That would be most helpful, especially if you can recall how the subject of money even came about.”

  Polly rose with the baby and laid her in the bassinet by her bed. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was wrong to pay her.”

  Jane laid a hand on her arm. “This is not your fault. You had no reason to question her word.” She picked up her bag. “I’m going down to speak with Ruth and Olivia and give you some time to write down what you remember. If you need anything, please come and find us.”

  “I will.”

  As Jane headed downstairs, a grim determination took hold. She had a strong feeling that this could somehow be tied to the discrepancies with the books and couldn’t wait to get Garrett’s thoughts on the matter when she returned.

  Garrett’s anticipation to see Jane again on Tuesday morning faded into mild disappointment when he learned she’d gone out to visit one of the maternity homes. Perhaps it was just as well. It would give him a chance to get some work done without picturing her in the office down the hall.

  Without obsessing over how he’d missed her after she left the farm.

  Without wanting to kiss her again.

  Enough of that, Wilder. You’re in the workplace. You need to keep your priorities straight and resist temptation.

  Easier said than done.

  Still, he managed to transcribe his notes from the interviews with the Jefferson and Blackwood families last week, along with his observations and recommendations about both couples. He was dropping them off on Melanie’s desk for typing when he heard the front door open.

  “I’m back, Melanie,” Jane called as she bustled into the room. “Do you know where Bonnie is? She said she had a full schedule today.”

  “I believe she’s upstairs with a client.” Melanie frowned. “Do you need to speak to her?”

  “Not now. It can wait until later. I actually need you to hold my calls until further notice. Something pressing has come up—” She stopped short as soon as she spied Garrett. “Oh, good. I need to speak to you right away.”

  He tamed his lips into a neutral expression. “Good morning, Jane. I trust you had a pleasant long weekend.” He didn’t know if she’d told anyone that she was spending Thanksgiving with his family.

  Her cheeks began to turn crimson, almost matching the shade of her lipstick. “Very pleasant, thank you.” She turned back to Melanie. “As I was saying, I have a pressing matter to attend to. Please hold my calls until further notice.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Jane turned to Garrett. “Can you come to my office as soon as you have a chance?”

  The urge to tease her faded. Something wasn’t right. Jane seemed nervous and edgy. Rattled, even.

  “I can spare some time now,” he said. “I wanted to discuss the foster family interviews with you.”

  She gave him a long look, then nodded. “Good. Come on back.”

  “What’s wrong?” he said without preamble after he’d closed her door. “Is it your mother? I hope she hasn’t suffered a setback from her visit with us?”

  She blinked. “No. Mama is fine. This concerns the agency.” She lowered her voice. “At the maternity home this morning, I discovered a serious problem. And I need your advice on how to handle it.” Her face had lost most of its color and tight lines bracketed her mouth.

  “I’ll do my best.”

  “I don’t know if this ties in with the financial discrepancies, but I suspect it does.”

  Garrett leaned forward, his senses on high alert. “Go on.”

  “I learned today that Bonnie Dupuis made one of the mothers pay her two hundred dollars to find a good home for her baby.”

  “What? That’s illegal!”

  “It most certainly is. The mother in question changed her mind about placing her child for adoption and wanted her money back.” Jane bent to take a notebook from her bag. “I had her write down all she could remember of her interactions with Miss Dupuis.”

  Garrett flipped through the pages of notes and gave a low whistle. “How many other mothers has she done this to, I wonder?”

  “I don’t know.” Jane passed a hand over her eyes and let out a breath. “I can’t understand how this happened. I thought I was doing a good job as directress, but clearly I was mistaken if these sorts of things are going on under my very nose.”

  He reached out to squeeze her arm. “Jane, you can’t blame yourself. There’s no way you could have known this was happening.”

  “Do you think it’s tied in with Mr. Bolton somehow? It seems too much of a coincidence that he’s skimming funds and at the same time Miss Dupuis is extorting money from unwed mothers.”

  “You’re right. I have a feeling they could be connected. Maybe the two of them are working together.”

  Jane’s eyes went wide. “What do I do now? Call the police?”

  Garrett got up to pace the room, trying to determine the most logical course of action. “I think it would be best to allow the authorities to handle this. For now, I’d let Miss Dupuis carry on so as not to raise suspicion. But it might be advisable to pull her records and see how many infants she’s placed lately to get a better idea of the scope of her crime.”

  Jane nodded. “She just started going to the maternity homes. Up until now, she’d been hand
ling the older children. So hopefully there won’t be many.”

  “That’s good news. Still, we’ll have to play this carefully so as not to tip her off before the police can act.”

  Jane sagged back against her chair on a loud exhale. “I can’t believe one of our employees is doing something so . . . vile.”

  He wished he could comfort her, but he’d promised to stay professional in the workplace, and he would honor that vow. “I’m going to take the falsified ledgers down to the police station. I imagine an officer will at least question Mr. Bolton. Perhaps then he might confess Miss Dupuis’s role in this whole affair. Either way, I wouldn’t let him back in the building. And I’d have Miss Dupuis’s termination papers ready.”

  She squared her shoulders and flashed him a grateful smile. “Thank you for your input. It’s a relief to share the burden with someone.”

  Warmth spread through his chest. “I’m glad I could help.”

  “Tomorrow, if you have time, we should get back to the matter of Martin’s placement.”

  “Sounds good.” He hesitated, oddly reluctant to leave her. “I guess I’ll be on my way, then.”

  She slipped on her glasses with a nod. “Good luck with the authorities. I’ll be anxious to hear what they say.”

  “Try not to worry,” he said. “It will all work out. I promise.”

  25

  Two days later, Garrett walked up Queen Street toward one of the city’s municipal buildings, reflecting on the surprising ease with which the fraud case had concluded. Mr. Bolton had ended up confessing everything to the police, and they had subsequently arrested both him and Miss Dupuis. Apparently, the two were romantically involved and had cooked up the schemes together. At least the culprits had been caught, and one of Garrett’s main purposes in being hired at the Children’s Aid Society had been fulfilled.

  Now, with the issue resolved and Jane’s innocence proven, Garrett no longer felt the need to avoid meeting with the board. By all rights, he should be bursting with pride that he and Jane had helped solve this crime, yet he couldn’t ignore a certain gravity that weighed heavily on his soul.