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Sadie couldn’t speak, much less move. She could only stare at this child with his beautiful dark hair, his big gray eyes.
The driver went to the back of the SUV and removed two suitcases and placed them on the sidewalk next to the boy.
“You will find his papers there,” the old woman said. She looked down at the boy. “Go to yourmadre, Edward.”
The boy took the few steps that separated him from Sadie. He looked up at her and smiled.
Sadie dropped to her knees, every part of her bursting with some foreign emotion that overwhelmed all else. “Nice to meet you, Edward.”
He nodded and offered his hand.
Sadie took his hand in hers and gave it a shake. “I’m really glad you’re here.”
“Take good care of him.”
Sadie looked beyond the boy to the old woman. “I’ll do my best.”
The healer gave a final nod, and the driver assisted her back into the vehicle. He slid behind the wheel and drove away.
Sadie stared down at this child.Herchild. Her son.
I allowed them to keep something I shouldn’t have. But I’ve made it right now.
Her father had traded whatever deal the feds might have offered him for her son—the son no one else knew existed ... the one she thought had died.
More of those overpowering sensations fired through her. Her chest felt so full she could scarcely breathe. Whatever she was feeling, she understood that when the shock wore off, it would evolve into sheer terror.
What did she know about kids? She had no idea what to feed him or ... anything. She couldn’t possibly be a good mother.
Sadie dragged in a deep breath and reached for his hand. “Let’s take your things and go inside. Then we’ll go meet some friends of mine.”
Devlin was a good mom. She would know what to do.
50
8:15 p.m.
Devlin Residence
Twenty-First Avenue South
Birmingham
Kerri watched Falco and Tori going at it with whatever video game they were playing. Put a game controller in his hand, and Falco turned into a big kid.
He’d made the most amazing rice and orange chicken for dinner. They’d devoured the meal as if they were starving. And maybe they were, a little. More for the unfettered companionship than the food. The past week had been hell, but it was over now.
Kerri was taking a couple of weeks off. She and Tori were going on another vacation. This time Falco was going with them. Warmth and a kind of happiness that made her feel giddy spread through Kerri at the thought. She didn’t know where this relationship between her and Falco was going, but she was ready to take the risk and explore it.
She had called Diana and Jen and given them the good news that the nightmare was finally over. She’d also shared her little secret aboutFalco going on vacation with her and Tori. Kerri had never heard such uninhibited squealing.
Eventually, she and Falco would figure this all out, and life would get back to normal.
Whatever normal was for a couple of detectives who spent most of their time investigating homicides.
The doorbell rang, and Kerri wandered to the door. She peeked around the blind, and Cross gave her an odd little wave.
“Looks like Cross decided to join us,” Kerri called out to the others as she unlocked the door.
