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“That would be helpful.”
I recited the number while Ericson made some notes on a pad of paper.
“Where’s the phone?” Grant said. “I’ll try calling him now.”
“There’s one in the kitchen and one in the family room,” Mazie said, standing. “I’ll show you.”
I followed. If Brad answered his phone, I wanted to hear at least half of the conversation.
Officer Grand dialed. A few seconds passed.
Then, “Mr. Steel?” Pause. “This is Officer Will Grant of the Snow Creek Police. I’m here at your home with your wife and mother. Seems there’s been an incident.”
I half listened as the officer described what had happened.
My mother sat at the kitchen table, feeding Joe from a bottle. Just seeing him drinking made my breasts ache.
Then the tingle. Crap. They were letting down. I was wearing breast pads, but still… Wouldn’t be long before I was soaked through. I turned to walk out of the kitchen—
“Mrs. Steel?” Officer Grant’s voice.
I looked over my shoulder. “Yeah?”
“Your husband wants to talk to you.”
I nodded and took the phone from him. “Hi, Brad.”
“Baby, are you okay? I’m coming right home.”
A heavy sigh blew out of me. Relief. Pure relief.
Brad was coming home.
“Thank God. Please. I need you here.”
“I know, baby. I’m so sorry. I won’t let anything happen to our baby. Please believe me.”
“I believe you.”
“I’m on my way.”
“What about your meeting tomorrow?”
“I don’t give a damn about the meeting. I need to be home.”
“I need you here, Brad.”
“I’ll be home in a half hour. The cops will stay. I already asked.”
“All right. Drive safely, okay?”
“I will. I love you, Daphne.”
“I love you too.”
Chapter Forty-One
Brad
Damn.
Damn, damn, damn.
What the hell kind of coward threatened a five-day-old child?
Damn!
Come at me, you fucking son of a bitch. Don’t you dare threaten my baby.
Wendy had been asleep in bed. She had no access to a phone or anything else. A typewriter? Maybe, but hospital staff read all incoming and outgoing mail.
And Theo? Theo had visited Wendy and used my name. Why? I wasn’t yet sure. But would Theo threaten a child?
My child?
I had to believe he wouldn’t. He was off, but not that off.
Still, why the hell had he used my name to visit Wendy? There had to be a reason. Theo never did anything without a reason.
Unless it hadn’t been Theo.
Tom was in Boulder with Evie and the new baby.
Larry… Where the hell was Larry?
He hadn’t been home when I went to his place earlier.
Didn’t matter. Theo was the only one who could be mistaken for me. We were roughly the same size, had the same coloring.
Damn, again!
I squealed into the driveway to the ranch house, slammed the door of my truck, and raced inside.
Two officers sat in the living room with my mother and mother-in-law.
“Where’s Daphne?” I demanded.
“She’s in your bedroom. Jonah just went to sleep in his cradle.”
I didn’t stop to talk. I ran to the master suite, through the sitting area, and into the bedroom. Daphne lay in bed, one hand on Jonah’s cradle, rocking it gently.
“Thank God.” I rushed toward Daphne, sat on the bed, and pulled her into my arms.
I’d promised Daphne and her father that I’d protect her and the baby.
I hadn’t done a very good job.
Daphne sniffled against my shoulder.
“Don’t cry, baby. I’m here now.”
“I’m not crying. Not really. Why is this happening? Why? Who would threaten an innocent baby?”
“I don’t know, Daphne, but I’m going to find out, and I’m going to take care of it. I promise you that.”
She sniffled again. “I can’t lose him. He’s everything to me. Everything I never imagined. I can’t lose our baby.”
“Our baby will be fine. Trust me. I promise.”
If it killed me, I’d keep that promise. I’d protect Daphne and our child, no matter what I had to do.
Even if I had to become my father. I winced at the thought, but it was no less true. I’d do whatever was necessary.
I held her for a few more minutes, soaking in her love and warmth. Then I sighed and pulled back. “I have to go talk to the officers, baby.”
She sniffled once more and nodded.
“You okay here?”
“Now that you’re home I am.”
“I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll come to bed when I can.” I stood and left the room.
Mom had made the officers a pot of coffee. “I sent Belinda home,” she told me. “She’d stayed past her normal hours to talk to the police, and she wanted to stay longer because she felt so bad about not remembering much about the kid who brought the note.”
“She’s better off at home,” I said. “Though does it strike you as odd that she couldn’t remember any characteristics of the kid?”
“Not really. Do you remember everyone who comes to the door with a package?”
“I suppose not.”
I had no reason to suspect Belinda had anything to do with this. She’d been in my family’s employ for over ten years.
