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The commode flushed, and the nanny emerged from the stall and walked to one of the sinks. Her gaze met Willow’s in the mirror. “Thank you.”
“No problem. Happy to help.”With this, anyway.With the diaper change completed, Willow set the boy on his feet, disposed of the diaper, and washed up.
“Miss Mon, want wub,” AJ said, tugging on the nanny’s shirt.
Monica gestured to the bag on the counter beside Willow. “He wants his pacifier. It’s in the diaper bag.”
Willow remembered seeing it. She unzipped the bag and withdrew a pacifier with a stuffed animal attached—a giraffe. “Emma had one of these,” she observed as she handed it to the child.
“They’re magic,” Monica said as AJ popped the pacifier into his mouth. She took hold of the toddler’s suitcase, leaving Willow to take the child’s hand. Outside the restroom, Willow turned toward the hallway leading to where they’d meet her mother and aunt.
To her surprise, the nanny didn’t follow. Instead, she planted her feet and began speaking in a rush. “AJ is an easygoing kid for the most part, but he’s accustomed to a schedule. This last week has been rough on him, with everything that’s gone on. I wrote everything down in a journal—his likes and dislikes. I wanted to make this as easy for you as possible.”
Warily, Willow said, “Fabulous. Thank you so much.”
“I’m leaving now.”
Alarm wafted through Willow. “I thought you planned to stay overnight.”
“It’s been a long trip. Frankly, I’ve gone above and beyond. He’s a sweet boy, but… I didn’t sign up for this. He’s not my kid. There’s an empty seat on the evening flight if I can get back in time. I won’t sayg-o, because sometimes that makes him cry. Better I just slip away. Good luck.”
Before Willow quite knew what had happened, Monica Brandt had disappeared out the front door of Raindrop Lodge.
“Not your kid?” Willow muttered. “You didn’t sign up for it?” She glanced away from the doorway to the toddler, wholooked so much like her daughter that it left her dazed and confused.
“You’re Willow,” Andrew John Randall declared.
“Yes, I’m Willow. And you are AJ. C’mon, AJ. Let’s go find…”Okay, maybe just this once because of the nose crack.“Nana.”
Rather than drag the child’s things all around the lodge, she left them at the registration desk. Then, with practiced ease, she lifted AJ, propped him on her hip, and went in search of her mother and aunt.
Chapter Fourteen
GENEVIEVE LICKED A DELICIOUSmorsel of chocolate chip cookie from her finger and glanced toward the door. No sign of Willow or the nanny and the toddler returning from the restroom as of yet. “Okay. You ready?”
Helen saluted with her pen. “Ready.”
“The jezebel’s name was Jenna Elizabeth Randall. She wasn’t a native of Nashville. Maggie thinks she was from South Carolina, but it could have been North Carolina.”
“Jezebel.” Helen snorted. “Did you get any numbers? Driver’s license? Social?”
Genevieve scoffed. “No. Maggie doesn’t remember numbers any better than I, and she’s distracted because of Tom. I’m lucky to have gotten what I did out of her.”
“All right. What else do you have?”
“Jenna met Andy at the country club where he golfed. She worked in the pro shop.”
“I’ll just bet she did,” Helen agreed. “You confirmed she died of an aneurysm?”
“That’s what Maggie said. She was listed as the emergency number for Jenna’s work and daycare. The only number.”
“So, shecouldhave family somewhere!” Helen declared.
“Maggie says she doesn’t.”
Helen wagged her finger at her sister. “Well, it’s in Maggie’s best interests to believe that, isn’t it, if she wants to keep little Andy Junior?”
“So, where do we start?” Genevieve tapped her index finger against her lip and thought a moment. “Do we hire a private investigator in Tennessee?”
