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Kelly nodded.
The passenger compartment door opened after the driver stopped the limo. Kelly carefully shifted Jason so she could support him with both arms as she climbed out of the vehicle. Trey exited first and held out his hand to assist her, but she was afraid to release the kid who was dead weight in her arms.
Thankfully, she made it out without stumbling, and hoped she didn’t gape at the size of the structure before her. Villa indeed. Architecture was hardly her thing, but she recognized good design when it slammed her in the face. Wentworth’s home reminded her of photos she’d seen of estates in Tuscany. Coral roof tiles, classic columns and graceful arches made her think there might be a vineyard somewhere close by instead of the Atlantic Ocean.
She hefted the still-sleeping kid into a better position, and trudged up white marble steps toward the arched entranceway. Wentworth moved ahead with long easy strides and opened a massive door with the “WWV” monogram carved into the rich, dark wood. Inside, the first thing she noticed was the pleasant sound of a gurgling fountain in the corner.
The second thing she noticed was that the Wentworths’ villa was almost as cold as the police station. She could hardly wait for that hot shower.
“Let me take Jason,” Wentworth whispered. “I’ll put him down and get you settled.”
“Thanks,” Kelly said. Maybe she needed to increase her reps in weight training.
But Jason roused when she transferred the kid to his father. As he realized what was happening to him, he struggled to escape Wentworth’s grasp.
“No, Daddy! No,” the kid screeched. He reached his arms back toward Kelly. “I want Mommy.”
Kelly sighed and accepted him back. Jason wrapped his arms around her neck and linked his feet around her waist.
“Show me his bedroom,” she said, averting her gaze from the tight expression on Wentworth’s face.
A uniformed Hispanic woman whose left eye was swollen and bruised appeared in the marbled foyer, apparently alerted by Jason’s shrieks.
“Jasonito,” she exclaimed. Hurrying forward, she made the sign of the cross on her chest. “Gracias a dios.”
“Hello, Maria,” Wentworth said.
Kelly evaluated Maria. Dark hair and eyes, round face, five two, early thirties. Was this Jason’s nanny? The kid said the kidnappers struck someone named Maria, and this woman sported a nasty black eye.
“Welcome home, Mr. Wentworth,” Maria said. “So the ransom exchange went well?” she said in a hopeful tone.
“No,” Wentworth said. “But Jason is home safe, thanks to Officer Jenkins here. Officer Jenkins, this is Maria, my housekeeper and Jason’s nanny.”
“Please call me Kelly,” she said, tired of the formality.
“What happened?” Maria asked.
“I’ll explain later,” Wentworth said. “Right now we need to get Jason down for a nap.”
“Of course,” Maria said, reaching for the kid.
“No,” Jason whined, tightening his legs. “No!”
“Jasonito?” Maria asked in a hurt voice.
“I’m sorry,” Kelly said to Maria. “I’m his safety blanket right now.”
“Maria, please ready a guest room so Kelly can take a shower.”
“Of course, sir.” She swiped away a tear, bowed and left the foyer.
“Follow me,” Wentworth told Kelly.
The room she hurried through was a blur of white marble, dramatic, subtly lit angles and well-made furnishings, again mostly white. No place for a kid to play, that’s for sure.
They ascended a grand, sweeping staircase and entered a bedroom that had to be Jason’s because an artist, and a pretty good one, had decorated the walls with cartoon characters, colorful balloons and pretty flowers, creating a cheerful space for a child.
Kelly spotted an elaborate bed designed to look like an airplane and moved toward it. Wentworth turned back the bedspread, and she gratefully placed Jason onto crisp, pale blue sheets.
He turned on his side, reached out and grasped her hand. “Don’t leave, Mommy,” he begged.
“Okay,” she said, suspecting the kid would be back asleep within minutes.
Wentworth moved a plush chair close to Jason’s bed, and Kelly sat. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I’ll just wait here until he conks out again.”
