Blvd. He waited impatiently while Moran spoke privately to the two agents who had posed as potential adoptive parents. Despite all his training and the lifelong habit of employing logic before emotion, right about now Frank was thinking like a father. A father whose son had been kidnapped.
The office door opened and Moran came out alone to meet Frank. Please, God, please, let that baby be Andrew.
“Sorry it took so long,” Moran said.
“Is he or isn’t he Andrew?”
Moran shook his head. “No.”
Frank felt as if he’d been sucker punched.
“The baby Rushing and Currie was shown is six months old, has reddish blond hair and has a small birthmark on his right arm,” Moran explained. “Definitely not Andrew Patton.”
“Which means Andrew is still out there, his fate unknown. He might not have been kidnapped by this abduction ring y’all are investigating.”
“Just because this baby wasn’t your son doesn’t mean he won’t come up on the auction block in a few days or few weeks.”
“I’m not sure his mother can hold it together for a few more days, let alone a few more weeks.”
“Dr. Patton seems like an amazingly strong woman to me,” Moran said.
“Even the strongest person can break under the kind of pressure Leenie is living with on a daily basis. That baby—our baby—means everything to her. If I can’t give her some kind of hope that I’ll be able to bring him home to her…”
Moran nodded, then glanced down at the floor. “Yeah. Well…yeah.”
Uncomfortable discussing such an emotionally personal issue, Frank changed the subject. “How much time before this operation comes to a head?”
“That’s confidential info.”
“I don’t want specifics. No date, time, place. Just a general idea. I think I’ve got clearance for that much, don’t you?”
“A week. Ten days tops. But possibly sooner.”
“How soon?”
“A few days.”
Frank drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. “Once the operation’s in motion, would you let me know? Just in case Andrew is caught up in things.”
“Are you sure you want to know before it’s all over and done with?”
“I probably don’t want to know, but I’d appreciate a call beforehand anyway.” What Frank didn’t say, but suspected Moran knew anyway was that he needed time to prepare himself in order to be strong for Leenie if the worst happened.
Moran clamped his hand down on Frank’s shoulder. “There’s always a chance we’ll find Andrew. Tell her that. Give her that much hope.”
“False hope?” Frank asked.
“I honestly don’t know.”
Somehow knowing it was Frank, Leenie grabbed the telephone when it rang at two-thirty that afternoon. Her hand trembled as she placed the receiver to her ear.
“Hello.” Her voice quivered.
“Leenie…”
“I’ve been waiting for your call.”
“I know and I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner. I’m on the road, heading back to Maysville. I should be there soon.”
She knew the news was bad; if it had been good, he’d have already told her. “The baby wasn’t Andrew, was he?”
“No, honey, it wasn’t Andrew. I’m sorry.”
“Me, too.” She swallowed. Tears welled up inside her, but did not surface. She was all cried out.
“Moran said that there’s a good chance another baby will come up for adoption soon. Maybe in a few days. The next one could be Andrew.”
“Yes, it could be.”
“Please don’t give up hope.”
She closed her eyes and willed herself to remain totally in control. Crying wouldn’t change anything. Hysterics wouldn’t help Andrew. And blaming Frank only hurt them both.
“I won’t give up hope,” she told him. “You shouldn’t either.”
“You’re right.”
“Frank?”
“Huh?”
“Thank you for going to Memphis to be there when…I’m sorry I was so rough on you yesterday. I couldn’t see beyond my own hurt to—”
“It’s okay, Slim. Honest. I didn’t mind being your whipping boy, if it helped you. God knows I’m not able to do much else to help.”
“That’s not true. Your being here helps.”
He didn’t respond for several minutes.
“Frank?”
“Yeah, I’m here. Just wishing I was already in Maysville with you. I’d really like to hold you in my arms right now.”
“Me, too. I sure could use a hug.”
“Give me about forty-five minutes and I’ll hug the life out of you.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Damn right it is.”
Kate had made herself scarce after telling Leenie she thought she’d go into town for dinner and a movie. “I need a break, if you think you’ll be okay here alone until Frank gets back.” She hadn’t fooled Leenie for a minute. Kate had left so that Leenie and Frank could be alone. But now that she heard Frank’s car pulling up in the driveway, Leenie wasn’t sure she wanted to be alone with him. She was so needy right now, so desperate to be held and comforted. What if Frank’s actions were rooted in his desire to take care of her? She didn’t want him being kind to her. She wanted him to love her.
Bracing her shoulders and willing herself to be calm, she opened the front door and waited for him. The moment she saw him, her stomach did a wicked flip-flop and sexual awareness zinged along her nerve endings. Their gazes met and held for an instant and then Frank was there, grabbing her and pulling her into his arms as he walked her backward into the house. Using his foot, he slammed the door shut. He clutched the back of Leenie’s head, his big fingers spearing into her hair. She gasped half a second before his mouth came down on hers.
He ate at her mouth, his hunger desperately obvious. She wrapped her arms around him and returned his kiss with equal fury. Rational thought ceased to exist. For her. And she suspected for him, too. They wanted each other. Needed each other.
Help me make the world go away
