Читать книгу On the Doorstep - Dana Corbit - Страница 12

Kelly closed the door to her office and slumped behind the desk, able to breathe for the first time since she’d driven up the street toward work. Nothing like seeing an ambulance in front of her office, its lights flashing and siren blaring, to get the old blood pumping. What now? she’d wondered then. Now she just wondered why so many rotten things had to happen at one place.

Her biggest mistake wasn’t in assuming that the situation at work couldn’t get any worse. It was getting out of bed today at all.

“Why here?”

But even as she spoke the question aloud to her office’s four walls, she knew the answer. She worked at an adoption agency after all. Many people probably assumed that a private adoption agency could take in a foundling and find him a good home. Few knew that the duty fell to the Department of Children and Families.

Kelly cringed over the publicity that was sure to come. Local reporter Jared Kierney probably would jump on this in a minute. Even if he took the human-interest angle, the agency couldn’t bear more attention, especially anything associated with a crime.

Tiny Blessings had seen enough print the last several weeks to last a lifetime. First, there was the story Jared had broken about the falsified birth records she, Pilar and Anne Smith had found behind that false wall in the office.

Kelly gritted her teeth and wished again that she had fired the office cleaning lady, Florence Villi, months before she’d had the chance to leak that information to the press. But the front-page article about the arson fire that destroyed most of those records topped even that.

She could just imagine this newest headline: Baby Found. Discovery Adds to Agency’s Woes. She might as well kiss new donations goodbye after all this, and as a nonprofit organization, Tiny Blessings couldn’t afford to lose a single gift. Who could blame the Richmond Gazette for publishing the articles, though? Scandal made for good copy, and it sold newspapers.

Still, it broke her heart to think of the huge black mark Barnaby Harcourt had painted on the agency’s reputation. For the right price, he’d helped wealthy families make their daughters’ problems go away through illegal adoptions. She still couldn’t understand how the money was worth violating the public trust. Tiny Blessings had done so much good over the years, placing children in wonderful, loving families. She ought to know—she was one of the first children placed by the agency.

Someone knocked on the door just as a shaky feeling settled inside her and goose bumps appeared on her arms. She needed to get control of her emotions. Allowing this situation to become personal would be a mistake, and she couldn’t let that happen. She had a job to do, and she would do it, no questions asked.

“Yes?” She pulled the sweater off the back of her office chair and draped it across her shoulders.

Pilar entered the office. “Hey.” She stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

Neither needed to point out the subtle workplace difference that morning. On ordinary days, Kelly’s office door was open unless she was meeting with adoptive parents or a mother considering adoption as an alternative. This would be no ordinary day for anyone at the office.

“Sorry, I didn’t get the coffee made,” Pilar said as she slipped into the chair opposite her boss’s desk.

Kelly laughed, appreciating Pilar, who was always trying to make those around her feel better. “Well, could you get on it?”

“Right away, boss.” But Pilar stayed seated.

Neither of them needed caffeine to wake up this morning, anyway. With her rolling stomach, Kelly doubted she would be able to choke down even half a cup.

“Some morning, huh?” Pilar said finally.

“That’s the understatement of the year.” Kelly took in the way Pilar was wringing her hands. “You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. A little shaken is all.”

Shell-shocked was more like it, but Kelly didn’t call her on it. “I’ll write up a press release this morning. I’m also going to have to give Jared that interview he’s been begging for.” She shook her head. “And to think that last year we were dying for publicity.”

Again, the room grew silent as each curled into her own thoughts. But Pilar leaned forward and rested her forearms on Kelly’s desk.

“What about you? Are you okay?”

“Why wouldn’t I be? I wasn’t the one who just found a baby—”

“You know what I mean. Did it make you wonder about your birth mother?”

Kelly shook her head, but straightened in her chair. “Of course not.”

For the umpteenth time, she wished she’d been alone when she’d come across her own altered birth records, and her friend Ben Cavanaugh’s, among the dozens in the hidden box. It was information she’d never needed nor wanted to know, and she wished her employees didn’t know it, either.

Marcus and Carol Young were her parents, and that was that. She’d had the most perfect childhood a person could ever ask for, and she never would have betrayed their memory by digging up the past. Unfortunately, that past had resurfaced without any help from her.

“I just hope baby Gabriel’s okay.”

Pilar might as well have slugged Kelly, as effectively as her words knocked the wind out of her. How could she have only been thinking about their agency and her personal mess when that baby had lost his mother that morning?

She concentrated on Pilar, who was staring out the office window toward Main Street, though from that seated position she couldn’t have seen anything outside. For someone with olive skin, she appeared pale. She gripped and ungripped her hands.

“You’re more than a little shaken, aren’t you?”

At least Pilar didn’t bother to deny it this time. The corners of her mouth turned up in what could barely be called a smile.

Kelly reached across the desk and squeezed both of her hands. “He’ll be fine. How can he not be? He was already fortunate enough to have been left on the steps for an early riser like you.”

Pulling her hands away, Pilar rubbed her upper arms as if she’d become chilled. “I just can’t stop imagining what might have happened to him if I hadn’t gotten there. If he’d been out there, exposed to the elements, where just anyone could have taken him.”

“But it didn’t happen that way. He’s safe now and in capable hands. Detective Fletcher will have the case under control in no time.”

Pilar stiffened, her hands becoming still on her arms. After several seconds, she glanced across the desk, her expression too casual. “You think so?”

Kelly thought something, all right. She’d had a fleeting suspicion earlier, but now she was convinced. Why had Pilar been wearing Zach’s jacket in the first place? And why had she been uncomfortable returning it with Kelly there?

“He’s a great detective.” Still, she couldn’t resist adding, “He’ll probably need to ask you more questions about the case, though.”

“Oh.”

Oh was right. Biting her lip, Kelly managed not to laugh. In the whole time Pilar had worked at Tiny Blessings, she’d gone on maybe a handful of dates, and it was a pretty empty hand at that. She was pleased to realize her friend wasn’t immune to the handsome Detective Fletcher.

As immediately after work as she could without leaving before five or speeding, Pilar arrived at the door of the downtown tri-level that felt as comfortable to her as her parents’ home.

The warmth that poured out of the place the moment Naomi Fraser opened the glass storm door made Pilar smile. Naomi’s vivid blue eyes glistened in the late-afternoon sun as she nabbed Pilar for a not-so-quick hug against her pillow-soft body.

“You sure made it here fast.”

“Traffic was good,” Pilar managed to get out, still enclosed in that warm embrace. If there had been traffic tie-ups she might have been tempted to drive on the sidewalk, but Pilar didn’t tell the minister’s wife that.

Naomi let go in her own sweet time and took a step back as if to appraise her guest. She shook her head, her no-nonsense short haircut fluttering and falling back into place, and gave Pilar one more squeeze for good measure.

That Naomi always hugged like she meant it was one of the things Pilar adored about the woman she’d known since her days on the church’s infant cradle roll. There were plenty of other reasons to like someone who wore pearls with blue jeans and never sugarcoated the truth, but Pilar liked the hugs best. And it was a well-known fact that one of the best advertisements Reverend John Fraser had for his church was his redheaded darling of a wife.

“Good traffic is a blessing, and so are babies.” Naomi’s eyes danced with excitement as she led Pilar to the dark-paneled family room and gestured toward the portable crib in the corner. “You were right—he’s a baby doll.”

Her pulse racing, Pilar could barely restrain herself from sprinting over to the crib, grabbing Gabriel and holding him against her heart. She forced herself to slow down by studying the Frasers’ clean but lived-in house. The stacks of books, Bibles and crossword puzzle magazines, so different from her mother’s immaculate home, made the room seem as relaxed as the family itself.

Proud of herself for her control, Pilar finally was close enough to peek over the edge of the crib’s mesh side. Gabriel lay there on his back, with one arm he’d freed from his swaddling blanket pressed against his jaw. Until her lungs started aching, Pilar didn’t even realize she’d been holding her breath. She exhaled it slowly.

“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” Naomi asked.

And alone, she wanted to add, but she only nodded. When she couldn’t resist any longer, she reached over the side of the crib to brush his damp hair. He slept so soundly that he didn’t move, except for the even rise and fall of his chest.

Naomi stepped close and whispered, “He’s been sleeping like that almost since he got here. Those doctors probably wore him out.”

“They said he was all right, didn’t they?” Her question sounded too sharp in her ears.

“Of course,” Naomi said, though she studied her for a few seconds. “He’s a perfectly healthy baby boy. And really new, too—no more than a few days.”

“I still can’t believe Gabriel ended up here. I was so surprised when you mentioned it on the phone earlier.”

“It shouldn’t surprise you too much,” Reverend Fraser said as he crossed from the kitchen back to his study, a handful of chocolate chip cookies in his grip. His wire-rim glasses were perched on his nose like always, but he wasn’t wearing his clerical collar.

“We’ve been licensed foster parents almost ten years now. Somebody’s always coming or going through that door.”

He pointed to the mantel and to the wall collages where photographs of John and Naomi’s two adult children, Jonah and Dinah, and teenage daughter, Ruth, shared space with pictures of at least thirty other children.

“But not—” Pilar stopped herself before saying “my baby,” but just barely. “Not the baby I found.”

The minister’s dark brown eyes peered at her over the tops of his glasses before he smiled.

“You’re right. He is a rare one.”

Patting Pilar’s shoulder as he passed, he stopped at the side of the crib. “Now that’s a fine-looking fellow if I ever saw one.” With a wave he slipped into his study, leaving the door open a crack.

“Mom, do I get to hold the new baby before practice?” Sixteen-year-old Ruth Fraser chased her question into the room in a blur of bright copper hair and red-and-black pom-poms. When she noticed Pilar there, she gave the same electric smile she must have offered the judges for her competitive cheerleading competitions.

“Hey, Pilar. Did I hear you found Gabriel in a cabbage patch?”

Pilar grinned at the brown-eyed, freckled teen who shared her mother’s exuberance. “No, on a doorstep. He stayed a lot cleaner that way.”

As if he recognized he was center of discussion, Gabriel started grunting and wiggling in his blanket. His eyes popped open. Naomi bent to lift him from the crib and rested him against her shoulder. Ruth held out her arms, pom-poms dangling from her hands, but Naomi waved her off.

“You’ve got about ten minutes to pick up your room before practice. You’ll have plenty of time to hold him later, after prayer meeting.” Naomi winked at her daughter. “Since Gabriel’s going to be up all night, you can have the three o’clock shift.”

“Gee, thanks, Mom.” She frowned and then grinned.

“Didn’t Dinah volunteer for the night shift?”

“Eeeee. Wrong answer. Your sister won’t even get off work at the grocery store until eleven, and she might get called to substitute teach in the morning.”

“She gets all the breaks.”

“I’ll be sure to tell her that,” Naomi said brightly.

“Now, are you going? Your room isn’t getting any cleaner while we’re chatting.”

Ruth tilted her head to the side. “Can I take the minivan?”

“If you remember to put gas in it this time,” Reverend Fraser called from the other room.

“I’ll try, Dad.”

“Don’t try. Succeed.” He closed the door, probably to finish his Sunday sermon.

“See you at church,” Ruth called as she jogged to the kitchen for the car keys. “Don’t forget to pick up Tori from play practice.”

“I won’t forget.” At Pilar’s questioning look, Naomi explained. “Victoria St. Claire. You’ve probably seen her one of these past few Sundays. She’s been here about a month. She’s fourteen and about as boy-crazy as Ruth.”

“Is that possible?” Pilar chuckled, having heard stories about Ruth’s antics before.

The laughter died in her throat the moment that Naomi lowered Gabriel into Pilar’s arms. Emotion lodged in her throat instead, heavy and full.

“Hey, little one, you remember Pilar, don’t you?” Naomi spoke in a singsongy voice as she brushed a finger down the baby’s forehead. “You two are old friends.”

Pilar’s heart squeezed as she cradled the sleep-warmed body. All day at work her thoughts had been like a game of keep-away, jumping from Gabriel to Zach to her upcoming surgery and back to Zach, but she couldn’t catch them and subdue them so she could get some work done.

The unsettled feeling she’d been battling, though, evaporated as soon as she inhaled Gabriel’s fresh baby scent. Holding him felt so natural, as if he belonged there, close enough to her heart to hear its calming rhythm. For several seconds, the baby simply stared up at her.

“He likes you,” Naomi observed. “We’ll probably have him here for a while, so feel free to visit him whenever you like. I’m sure he would enjoy some spoiling.”

Whenever she liked? “I’ll do that.”

The baby started wiggling and smacking his lips, so Pilar propped him against her shoulder and walked around the room. “Do you want me to give him a bottle?”

“Sure, just a minute. I’ll warm one up.”

As soon as Naomi disappeared into the kitchen, the doorbell rang. Naomi’s voice could be heard from the other room. “Ruth, could you—”

“I’ll get it,” Ruth called as she tromped down the stairs. Muffled voices filtered from the entry and then stopped.

“Bye, Mom and Dad.” The door closed again.

In the silence that filled the family room, Pilar focused on little Gabriel alone. “You’re going to be just fine, sweetheart,” she said softly. “Dinner’s on the way. You don’t have to be cold here, or hungry or lonely. You’ll be happy here until we find you a new home.”

She stopped crooning to him just as Naomi came down the hall.

The veteran mom tested the formula’s temperature on the inside of her forearm as she approached. “Who was at the door?”

“Ruth never said. Must have been a salesman or something.” She reached for the bottle Naomi had been extending, but Naomi suddenly pulled back.

“Hi.” She spoke to someone over Pilar’s shoulder. “If I’d known there was going to be a party, I would have put on a pot of chili and some hot dogs.”

Pilar expected to hear laughter from the reverend or one of their children, since Naomi was a notoriously bad cook whose chili had a reputation all its own. But the sound that skittered up Pilar’s back and rolled over her shoulder in baritone richness hadn’t come from anyone living in the Fraser household.

“Don’t go to any trouble cooking on my account.”

Pilar whirled to find Zach leaning against the doorway, his arms folded and his ankles crossed as if he’d been there for a while. Her mouth went dry, and her cheeks burned. Just how long had he been watching? What had he overheard? And why had he been listening anyway?

“Just thought I’d drop by for a few minutes,” Zach said to Naomi, never taking his eyes off Pilar. His smile was slow and deliberate. He’d caught her, and they both knew it. So often Pilar had dreamed of having Zach stare at her, and now she only felt trapped by his study.

Handing the bottle to Pilar, Naomi marched over to Zach and gave him the hug treatment. Apparently, she’d missed whatever had passed between the other two adults.

“What were you doing sneaking in on us like that?” Naomi asked as she released him.

“I didn’t sneak. Ruth let me in,” he said, still looking at Naomi’s other guests.

Pilar popped the bottle between the baby’s lips, and he went to work on it, a good portion of the formula dripping down his chin. She didn’t want Zach to witness her inexperience in caring for a child, yet she sensed his gaze on her.

“We’ll have to work on our daughter’s manners,” Naomi was saying. “I’m surprised she didn’t stay to visit.”

Zach grinned. Ruth’s crush on him had hardly been a secret, and though he’d done nothing to encourage it, he’d always been kind to the teen.

“You didn’t say you’d be coming by.” Naomi had a strange expression on her face when Zach finally turned to face her.

“Oh, I was talking to the reverend earlier, and he told me the infant Doe has come to stay. I wanted to drop by to see how he’s getting along.”

“He’s doing great,” Pilar answered, finding her voice for the first time since seeing Zach.

“That’s good. I’ve got some solid leads. I’ve got a good feeling about this investigation. I’m going to find his mother.”

Zach glanced down at the baby for a few seconds before meeting Pilar’s gaze again. “It’s good to see you here, too. I wanted to ask you a few more questions.”

Naomi stepped forward then, reaching for the baby. Already he’d drunk down most of the four-ounce bottle.

“Here, let me take Gabriel up for a burp and a change. You two sit on the couch so Zach can ask his questions. When I get back down, I’ll let Zach hold Gabriel.” Wearing a Cheshire-cat smile, she didn’t wait for an answer before moving toward the stairs.

Pilar sat opposite Zach, pushing her back against the sofa arm. If only the piece of furniture could grow longer so she could move farther away from his intense stare. She could remember final exams in college where she’d been far less nervous than at this moment. Why did he keep staring at her as if she was a criminal?

She cleared her throat. “You said you want to ask me some questions.”

“I do.”

But he didn’t. He just continued to watch her until she couldn’t take it anymore.

“Did you come to use strange interrogation tactics on me? Because I’ve already told you everything I know.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Everything?”

Annoyance filled her chest. And to think she’d once been very interested in this man! She’d liked him a lot better when he was a stranger. “Yes, everything.”

When he still didn’t say anything, Pilar had had enough. “If you’re not going to ask a question, then I am. What are you doing here, Zach?”

“I was wondering the same thing about you.”

“Well, I’m here to check on Gabriel. You heard me say earlier that I was going to visit the hospital. Well, the doctors discharged him. He was placed with the Frasers, and I just wanted to make sure he’s all right.”

Zach tucked his chin between his index finger and thumb, contemplating her answer. “Sounds reasonable. I already told you I was here to check on the baby, too.”

“Then are we done? Have you asked all your questions?”

He shook his head. “Just one more.”

She waited, bearing his scrutiny for a few seconds longer. Why did it feel as if all the walls she’d built to mask her heart’s secret longings were only transparent screens to him? That though they were nearly strangers, he knew her better than almost anyone.

“Tell me this. What’s the connection between you and that baby?”