That night after they’d had pizza because both were too tired to cook or to eat out, Shannon put Bailey to bed. Jake heard the shower kick on a second time, but only for a few minutes. He finished checking email and then turned on the TV to relax.
When Shannon padded back down the stairs and sat on the sofa, he didn’t look her way. “Bailey asleep?”
“Yes. She’s a little fussy. I think she’s teething.”
“Already?” With that he looked over at her. He blinked and looked again. “What happened to your hair?”
“I cut it and lightened it.”
He wasn’t sure what to say. “It’s…uh…different.”
“It looks like I was run over by a lawnmower. But I wanted to try something new.”
“No, it’s nice. Very blond. Is there a name for that style?”
She laughed. “It’s called I cut my own hair and I’m not ambidextrous. I may have left the hair color on too long, too.” She got up. “I’m going to get something to drink. Do you need anything?”
“No, thanks.”
The phone rang and he crossed the room to answer it. “Hello.”
“May I speak with Heather, please?”
“Who?”
“Heather Carlson.”
“I’m sorry. You have a wrong number.”
Shannon came into the room as he hung up. “Who was that?”
“Some guy looking for a Heather something.”
The soda can slipped from her hand and landed with a thud, spraying soda over his legs. He bent to pick it up, then looked at her face. “Are you okay?”
“D-Did he identify himself?”
“No. It was a wrong number.” Then he asked, “Wasn’t it?”
She closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. “Jake…. We should sit down.”
“Okay.” He set the foaming soda can on a section of newspaper on the coffee table. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I am the ghost.”
He furrowed his eyebrows. “What are you talking about?”
She sat back and closed her eyes again. When she opened them, she steadied her gaze on his face. “I’m not who you think I am.”
“I don’t really know who you are.”
“My name is not Shannon Chase. It’s Heather Carlson. And Bailey’s name is Amanda.”
“Why the aliases?”
“Someone wants to take Amanda from me. I have to protect her.”
“From whom?” He thought of what he’d done to protect innocent children and what it had cost him. “If someone is threatening you, the police could help.”
She shook her head. “No, they can’t. The woman who wants to take her from me is in a very powerful position.”
“Kidnapping is illegal regardless of one’s position.”
She sighed. “You don’t understand. Her father is Mark Hastings, husband of Governor Corinne Baker Hastings of Missouri. Corinne wants the baby.”
It took a moment for all of what she was telling him to sink in. “Why?”
“How do I know? To get even with me, or with Mark. They don’t have children. All I know is, she will stop at nothing to take Amanda away from me. My only choice was to change our identities and disappear.”
“Okay. So, who is Shannon Chase?”
She stood and began to pace. “Shannon was a friend of mine in college. Sadly, she was killed in a car accident at the beginning of our sophomore year. When I realized I had to get out of town fast, I needed a different name. So I took Shannon’s name.”
“And Bailey?”
“I saw an ad on the side of a bus for Bailey’s Irish Crème.”
He couldn’t keep from grinning. “I’m sorry. This isn’t funny.”
“That part is, kind of.” She forced a smile. “The rest is an ugly mess.” She told him the whole story. “And I don’t know how they would have found me here, but….”
“But?”
“I called my mother the other night while she was at a restaurant. I set it up via email with a friend. They must have been following my mom and somehow traced the call from the restaurant phone records.” She sat down again. “How could I be so stupid?” She looked up again, wild-eyed. “I have to get a car. I have to get us out of here.”
“Wait. Slow down.” Jake got out of the recliner and sat beside her. “You look different. You have a new name. And the only phone number they have is mine. You’ll be in your own apartment soon. That phone is in Abe’s name, so leave it at that. I’m certainly not going to tell them where you are. Let’s wait and see if anyone shows up here first.”
“You don’t understand. They want Bailey.”
“I do understand. I also know that you can’t run forever. At some point, you have to stop.” He reached out to squeeze her shoulder for reassurance. But when he did, she leaned forward and fell into his arms, crying softly on his chest. So he tightened his hold.
“I’ve never been so sc-scared.” Her body shuddered. “I know I was stupid and irresponsible. But I won’t let them take my daughter.”
“Neither will I.” Jake wrapped her with both arms and pressed his lips to the top of her head. “I promise.”
Long after Shannon went to bed, Jake sat in the light of the television. He wondered if the person who had called was Mark Hastings or someone paid to track down Heather and Amanda. If someone did come after them, how was he going to protect them? With his Louisville Slugger? As much as he hated the idea, he would have to buy a gun. Which would require a background check. He’d been told his identity as Jake Garber was rock solid, so that shouldn’t be a problem. But he’d never tested it out before, had always kept a low profile. He didn’t want to take Shannon along for his gun purchase, didn’t want her to even know once he’d bought one. He’d leave her at the apartment tomorrow and run an errand. She and Bailey would be safe enough there.
Then he thought about the guy on the motorcycle who tried to run them down. The second thing on his list was to find out if that guy was still hanging around town.
~ * ~
Shannon lay in bed, unable to sleep. The chirping of crickets and the occasional screech of a night bird sounded from outside. A gentle breeze ruffled the curtains and swept across her legs. She shivered, but not from a chill. They had found her. Now she worried more about her mother. Both Mark and Corinne had to know that the one thing that would bring her back to Jefferson City would be her mother. Before coming to bed, she’d emailed Brooke: Hey, Babs. Had a call tonight from an old friend. Said he ran into you and Mom at dinner. Hope all is well. Love, Eve. She could only hope Brooke would put the pieces together and figure out they’d been followed.
Bailey began to whimper and Shannon got up to lift her from the cradle. She was going to have to buy a crib. “Shhh, sweetie. It’s okay.” She stuck her finger in the baby’s mouth and Bailey clamped down on it, gnawing with her gums. “My big girl’s getting her very first tooth already.” She was also going to have to find a pediatrician soon. The doctor would want the name of her former pediatrician to request records. Thank goodness she had her copies of Bailey’s medical records and had been able to make new copies with the slight change of name.
The baby was inconsolable. Thinking it was near time for her to eat and that might help her sleep, Shannon carried her down to the kitchen to prepare a bottle. The television was on, but Jake was nowhere in sight. She managed to juggle the baby with one arm while mixing the formula with the other hand. She’d never been much of a multi-tasker until she had Bailey. Now she could soothe a crying baby, mix formula, and make a sandwich all at the same time.
When she noticed that the back door was open, she looked out to see Jake sitting on the deck. The night air was too cool for Bailey and Shannon really did not want more conversation right now. She carried the baby back upstairs to feed her.
As Bailey drifted into sleep, Shannon eased the nipple from her mouth and set the bottle aside. She laid the infant in the cradle Jake had made. In the stillness, she heard him talking to someone and moved closer to her open window.
He paced below, his cell phone to his ear. “I’m sorry, but what else could I do. She and the baby had nowhere to go.” Pause. “I know it’s a problem. But if you want my cooperation, you’re going to have to help.” He paused. “I can’t go into all the details right now, you’re going to have to trust me. I can’t do what needs to be done. You’re going to have to take care of it for me. The sooner the better.” Pause. “Fine. Meet us at her new place.” He rattled off the address, then said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Shannon froze. Who was he talking to about her? Her stomach twisted as she thought of all the possible scenarios, settling on one—that Jake Garber saw an opportunity and took it, calling Mark Hastings to turn her in for God only knew how much money. Her whole body shook as she went to the closet, removed her Bodyguard .38 from the briefcase and gently placed it in the drawer of the nightstand beside her bed.
She packed a bag with all their essentials, along with the briefcase. Then she waited for Jake to come up to his room. After half an hour, she tiptoed down the hall. Through the closed door, she could hear him snoring.
First she carried her bag, the diaper bag, and the briefcase down the stairs and set them by the back door. Then she returned for Bailey. She slipped the gun into her jeans at the small of her back, the way she’d always seen it done on TV. Her eyes stung as she lifted the baby from the cradle Jake had made. What an idiot she’d been to trust him. He’d sold her out. Well, she didn’t know what he had planned for tomorrow, and she wasn’t waiting around to find out. All she had to do was find the keys to his truck.
The keys were right where she thought they would be, hanging on the wall rack behind the door. She slipped the truck key from its hook and then carried the bags outside. As she returned for Bailey, the baby stretched and screwed up her face. “No, no, no. Not now. Shhh.” She managed to get all of their things into the truck and the baby in her car seat before the outdoor lights blazed and Jake appeared on the deck.
“What are you doing?”
“Don’t come near me.” She felt behind her for the gun and raised it with a shaking hand. “Don’t make me shoot.”
He stopped, his eyes wide and hands raised. “Please don’t point that gun at me. I’m not going to hurt you.”
She backed up against the truck, taking the stance she’d learned in her one firearms lesson, legs spread to shoulder width, feet planted firmly, both hands on the weapon to keep it steady. But it wasn’t working. She only shook harder.
“You don’t have to run. I have a plan.”
“I heard you talking. I know all about your plan.”
He put his hands down and took one step.
She squeezed and the gunshot echoed in the silence.