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“She sounds pretty shifty.”
“Oh, most definitely. And the worst thing? I think she might actually be Ace’s biological mother.” She described what they knew—that a nurse named Luella Smith had given birth right around the time of Ace’s birthday; that both she and her baby had disappeared the next day, ostensibly so she could get specialized medical treatment for her ailing son. Then, nothing. The woman and her child, Jake, had apparently vanished.
“So you think this woman, Luella, switched her baby with the real Colton baby? Why would she do that?” Santiago’s frown mirrored Ainsley’s own internal feelings regarding this mystery.
“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “My father said that when Ace was born, he was in pretty rough shape. They actually weren’t sure he would make it, but the next morning, they said he was like a new baby.” Goose bumps broke out along her arms as she heard Payne’s voice in her head, telling the family story. If they’d only known at the time!
“I think Luella switched the babies out because she thought the Colton baby was going to die. I mean, think about it—if you don’t want to be a mother, why not swap your perfectly healthy baby for one who looks like he won’t live very long?”
“Except he didn’t,” Santiago pointed out. “If what you’re saying is true, her gamble didn’t pay off.”
“Didn’t it, though?” Ainsley asked. “If this theory is correct, then Luella has raised the true Colton son as her own for all these years. Now’s her chance to cash in on the deception.”
“And you think Luella and Micheline are the same person?”
Ainsley nodded, pleased he was keeping up. “Yeah. Luella’s trail went cold forty years ago, shortly after she left the hospital with ‘her’ baby. And according to Holden and Spencer, Micheline didn’t exist until forty years ago.” Spencer’s Army buddy, FBI Agent Holden St. Clair, had protected Spencer’s sister Bella, an undercover reporter, from threats at a recent beauty pageant. The two had caught a serial killer together—and fallen in love.
“That’s quite a coincidence.”
“It would be, if I believed in coincidences.”
Santiago dabbed at his mouth with his napkin. “It’s a good story. And I can tell you want it to be true. But I have to say, right now, it’s all conjecture.”
Ainsley pressed her lips together. “I know,” she said, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice. Santiago was right—she didn’t have any real proof, just a gut feeling that this whole complicated situation was Micheline’s fault. Still, she didn’t like to be reminded of the fact.
He tilted his head to the side, his expression sympathetic. “Sorry,” he offered. “I didn’t mean to burst your balloon. I just want you to keep an open mind for other possibilities.”
It was good advice, and she wasn’t too proud to admit it. “You’re right,” she said. “I can’t let my pet theory blind me to other explanations.” Still, there had to be a connection between The Marriage Institute and AAG. When she’d seen Spencer recently, he’d told her about a run-in he’d had with Micheline. The woman had denied AAG was a cult, and had left after saying “Good day.?
? It was a little thing, but sometimes the smallest incidents had the biggest impact.
“What are you thinking?” She glanced up to find Santiago watching her. “I can practically see the wheels turning in your mind.”
She gave him a half smile. “I’m just wondering if there’s a connection between AAG and The Marriage Institute. When we get back to the cabin, I’m going to text Spencer and tell him my suspicions.” It was possible he and Holden could answer that question for her—perhaps they had identified the Woodses as known associates of Micheline?
“You think the staff members are members of AAG?”
“It would help explain their demeanor, don’t you think?” she asked. “There’s something off about these workers, I’ve felt it from the beginning. Like they were automatons, rather than actual humans. If they’ve been brainwashed by Micheline and the Woodses, it makes sense they’ll only act according to their programming.”
“Let’s say you’re right,” Santiago said. He took a sip of his water and continued. “Do you think the Woodses share the bribes with Micheline, or are they operating on their own?”
“I’m not sure,” Ainsley said. “If they’re true believers, I think they’d have to share the profits with her.”
“Making her an accomplice,” Santiago concluded.
Ainsley leaned back in her chair, letting the repercussions sink in. “This might be bigger than we originally thought.”
Santiago nodded, his expression grim. “Yeah. We’ve got to be careful going forward. If what you say is true, Micheline sounds like a real piece of work. If she gets wind of what we’re doing here, she’ll feel threatened. I don’t imagine she’s the type to sit back and let the chips fall where they may.”
“Probably not,” Ainsley said. If Micheline was in on the bribes, she had a vested interest in keeping The Marriage Institute open for business. She wouldn’t appreciate Ainsley and Santiago’s efforts to turn off the flow of easy money she collected from them after every retreat.
Did she already know? Was that why Ainsley had been attacked this morning? She’d spent the last several hours thinking Alva and Brody were behind the assault, wanting to scare her into accepting Santiago’s terms for a divorce. But what if Micheline was driving the bus? What if the Institute employees reported back to her, and took their orders from her? It was enough to make her already aching head start pounding in earnest.
“Hey.” Santiago touched her hand, and she opened her eyes to find him watching her. “I know things seem to be getting more complicated, but I’m still here. And I’m not going anywhere.”
Ainsley nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She was grateful for Santiago’s presence, and she knew he was the only person she could trust right now. But his words set off a dull ache in her chest. She wanted to believe him when he said he wasn’t going anywhere. But he’d left her before. And she knew, once this was over, he’d leave her again.
Only this time, she wasn’t going to let him walk away with her heart.
