Brett eased into a space in the near-empty parking garage. Clearly, the courthouse would be quiet, given that it was Saturday. As he locked his car, he spotted Kerra driving in. She caught sight of him, and her face broke into a smile that squeezed his chest. He walked toward her car.When they met, he pulled her into his arms. The fresh smell of her hair, the feel of her body, swirled him with comfort.Kerra hugged him tightly, then stepped back.“Are you okay this morning?”Her blue eyes searched his face.
“I am now.”
She brushed fingers against his jaw. “Whatever happens, know that I’m with you.”
He nodded, throat suddenly tight.
They fell in step toward the courthouse and more long hours of waiting.
CHELSEA HAD BARELY SLEPT. As she dressed for another day with the jury, her limbs felt as though they had weights attached. Before falling into bed at midnight, she had alternated between pacing the room, reading the Bible, praying, and just plain worrying. Every time she caught herself giving in to her anxiety, she’d tried to turn it into a prayer. Sometimes it worked; sometimes it didn’t. Sometimes all she could see were her problems. She believed the Lord was at work. But at this moment, as she waited for the escort’s knock on her door, she just wanted to climb into bed and pull the covers over her head.
Ican’t do this, Lord. Iknow you want me to keep holding out. You’ve made me sense that very clearly. But I just feel so weak. Ican’t last much longer.
A knock sounded on her door. Steeling herself, Chelsea walked toward the dresser to pick up her purse.
The vision came with no warning. It flashed through her mind, strong and vivid, gut-wrenching. That same evil man … and Kerra, her face pulled into a rigid mask of terror.
Immediately the vision vanished. Chelsea’s blood turned to water. She threw out a hand and hung on to the dresser, eyes squeezing shut. Trying to tell herself that she hadn’t seen it, she had not.
This was not real.
She slid to her knees, prayers tumbling from her lips. Prayers for Kerra’s protection, for her own wisdom and strength, for God to show her what to do. She needed to be with Kerra, warn her of coming danger, maybe save her from it. She’d have to change her vote quickly, do anything to get herself out of there.
Show me what to do, God!
The knock sounded harder on the door.
“Coming!” Chelsea called. Trembling, she pulled to her feet.Lord, what do Ido? Let me change my vote; let me go home!
She snatched her purse off the dresser and headed for the door.
JANET CLINE CHECKED THE time as she chewed the last of her bagel. Ten o’clock. In fifteen minutes she needed to be out the door, and her hair wasn’t dry. Even though it was Saturday, her calendar was full for the rest of the day. Four interviews plus a stack of paperwork. And since she’d be the only one in the office, she’d have to answer the phones.
She washed and dried her small plate at the kitchen sink, then returned it to the cabinet. As she hurried toward the bathroom to brush her teeth, the phone rang.
“Oh, forget you.” She kept moving, then slid to a halt.Maybe it was her daughter, Caroline, who often called on the weekend. Pivoting toward the counter, she snatched up the receiver. “Hello.”
A male voice grated in her ears. “Ms. Cline.”
“Yes?”
“Enrico Delgadia.”
Janet’s heart froze. For a moment she couldn’t move. Then slowly she reached for the counter and steadied herself.
“I have a little problem I thought you might help me with.”Del-gadia spoke quietly, as if he expected her cooperation at the mere raising of his little finger. “It has come to my attention that a number of days ago you requested some paperwork about the adoption of my daughter, from social services in Sacramento.”
“Who told you that?” Janet blurted. Surely not Pat, her friend and colleague who’d sent the paper.
“I have friends in many places,” he replied, oiling the words with meaning.“My friend has been unable to discover the reason for your curiosity about these papers, however. And it does seem odd to me, after so much time has gone by. I would be most grateful if you would tell me the reason for your inquiry.”
She gripped the phone, searching for an answer.
“Ms. Cline?”
“I just wanted to follow up on a few things, that’s all.”
“I see. And you found nothing amiss, I hope.”
“Of course not. Nothing at all.”
He made a sound in his throat.“Why is it that you first requested only certain papers of the file? Namely the father’s relinquishment form.”
“Really, I—”
“Surely you understand my concern.We have had the child for seven months.My wife adores her. Shawna Welk insisted everything was in order. I would be most upset to hear that there is a problem.”
Janet’s heart pounded. She opened her mouth but no sound would come.
“Are you there, Ms. Cline?”
“Yes,” she croaked.
“Good. I have no doubt,” he continued in a mild tone that would cut steel,“that you will tell me the truth. So I can let you get to work. Such an attractive building your office is in, by the way. Your home is attractive also. Lovely flowers out front. You obviously take great pride in your house.” He exhaled slowly. “But surely not as much pride as you take in your daughter, Caroline.Moved to Fresno with her new husband, hasn’t she? Lives on Baker Street?”
Janet’s veins turned to ice.Her head seemed to detach itself from the rest of her body. This could not be happening. She swallowed, snatched a breath. “What do you want?”
“Information, nothing more,” he replied.“Now, please. Why did you want to see the relinquishment?”
Janet’s mind whirled with a dozen lies, but none that could assure the safety of her only child. Oh, Rogelio, she thought. What am Iabout to do to you?
“The birth father came to see me with his copy. There were … some issues.”
“Oh? First you say no problems; now you tell me there are issues.”His voice turned to flint. “I do not care for people who play games with me, Ms. Cline. I suggest for your sake that you tell me all you know.”
Any resolve she had left drained out her feet. In a trembling voice Janet told him, without giving him Rogelio’s name.When she finished, the line was deadly quiet.
“You are quite sure the father has told no one else?”
“I’m sure. As I said, I convinced him to wait.”
He gave a low laugh that chilled her to the bone. “That was wise of you, Ms. Cline. But hear me. My wife is fragile. I will not allow her to be upset by this unfortunate misunderstanding. I will do anything to protect my family, do you understand? Anything. Now. I have a copy of the father’s relinquishment right here.Your signature is on it.”He paused. “Of course, you do remember signing it.”
It was not a question. Janet closed her eyes. How had he gotten a copy of that paper in a closed adoption? Images of Rogelio’s determined face flickered through her mind, followed by the realization of all she had to lose. Her fingernails dug into her palm.
“Ms. Cline? I really must insist that you respond.”
“Yes,” she whispered. “I signed it.”
“Ah. I knew it. You’ll not hear from the father on this matter again, by the way. He has realized how complicated a baby would make his life.”
Janet closed her eyes, sickness for Rogelio mixing with relief.No doubt he’d been threatened, too. Still, she rationalized, he had his whole life ahead of him. How much easier to just let this be.
“However,” Delgadia continued smoothly,“on the off chance that this question should arise again, I stand assured that you will remember your signature?”
She thought of Rogelio’s little girl, being raised by this despicable man. For a moment she wanted to stand up to him, make him pay for what he’d done. Then she thought of her own daughter.
“Yes. I’ll remember.”
“Very good,” he said oh-so-pleasantly. “I will not forget your kindness.”
Nausea rolled through her stomach.
“You have a nice day, Ms. Cline.” The dial tone sounded in her ear.
Janet dropped the phone like a firebrand, stumbled to the sink, and threw up.