Secret Delivery (7 page)

Alana forced open her eyes. She was inside the hospital again. In the E.R. That in itself was enough to cause her to panic, but that particular panic was nothing compared to what she remembered.

The kidnapper had threatened Joey.

She pushed away the hands that were trying to examine her. Dr. Bartolo’s hands, she realized.

“Just relax,” he insisted. “You’re okay.”

No. She wasn’t. She wouldn’t be okay until she stopped that monster from taking her son.

“Joey,” she said. Alana sat up and quickly tried to get her bearings. She was dizzy and weak, but that wouldn’t prevent her from leaving.

“Jack’s already on the way to the ranch,” the doctor explained. “I’m sure he’ll call the moment he gets there and confirms that all is well.”

But everything might not be. The kidnapper’s threat was clear. He would use Joey as leverage to get her to cooperate, and Jack might need help.

Alana took a deep breath, hoping it would clear her head, and she got up from the gurney.

“I wouldn’t advise that,” the doctor warned.

She ignored him and looked around for a pair of shoes or a robe. There was nothing like that in the ER, so that meant she would have to wear just the gown she had on. She started for the door.

Dr. Bartolo caught her arm. She didn’t trust him, didn’t know the reason for the distrust, and hated that if he hadn’t caught her, she would probably have fallen flat on her face.

“Jack’s not going to let anything happen to that little boy,” the doctor assured her.

He led her back to the gurney. He was right about Jack and she honestly couldn’t stand on her own, so Alana had no choice but to sit down. Maybe after a minute or two, she could think straight and figure out how she could help Jack.

“I took a blood sample,” the doctor continued. “It’ll tell me what kind of drug you were given.”

She glanced down at the injection site on her arm. It was a reminder of just what this man was willing to do to kidnap her. He wouldn’t be any less ruthless with her child.

“You got a good look at the man who did this?” Dr. Bartolo asked.

Had she? Yes. She had. Alana clearly remembered his face. That was something at least. She’d be able to give a detailed description to Jack. Of course, it was possible that Jack already had an up-close and personal view of the kidnapper since the man might have driven straight to the ranch.

“I need to talk to Jack,” she said. “I need to find out what’s going on.”

She was about to get up again, but she heard the footsteps, looked up and saw Jack. His breath was fast, and there was sweat on his face.

“Where’s Joey?” she asked, almost too afraid to hear the answer.

“He’s okay.”

Alana’s heart beat even faster. She was relieved, but that wasn’t relief she saw in Jack’s expression. “Where is he?”

“Here, at the hospital. Aunt Tessie hadn’t gone back to the ranch yet. When I called her, they were at the grocery store, so I went over and got them.” Jack looked at the doctor. “How soon before she can leave?”

Dr. Bartolo volleyed glances between them. “I take it you want her out of here?”

“Immediately. We weren’t able to find the guy who did this. Reyes is still out looking for him, and the Rangers are sending someone down to assist with the search. But for now, I can’t guard Joey and Alana if they’re in two separate places.”

That got Alana on her feet again. “What are you going to do?”

“I’m taking you, Joey and Tessie to my office. There’s a small break room with a sofa sleeper. It’s pretty sparse, but you’ll have to use that until I can make other arrangements.”

She didn’t care about sparse. Her only requirement was that it be safe for her son. “And Joey will be there, too?”

Jack spared her a glance, but he didn’t look directly at her. His body was tense and tight. His chest, still pumping. “I don’t have a choice. Joey will be there.”

How ironic. The threat of imminent danger would be
the reason she could see her son. But Alana gladly would have postponed that meeting if she could be guaranteed that this man wouldn’t go after Joey.

“She’ll probably be woozy for a while,” the doctor said. “She should rest. This sounds like the start of big mother and child reunion, but my advice is for her not to hold Joey until we’re sure this virus has run its course.”

Even that didn’t dampen Alana’s spirits. For now, she would be satisfied with simply meeting the child she’d given birth to.

“Bring her back tomorrow for a checkup,” the doctor added.

“Will do.” Jack went to her and took her by the arm. He pulled the blanket from the gurney and wrapped it around her like a cape. “Once things have settled, I’ll see about getting you some clothes.”

Settled
. Heaven knows when that would be. “Thank you for this, Jack.”

He didn’t answer. He got her moving. There was a sense of urgency and unease in his every step.

Her feelings mirrored his. She was afraid, but the fear lifted in a snap when Jack and she walked out of the ER and into the adjacent waiting room. His aunt Tessie was there.

She was holding Joey, just a few feet away.

So close that Alana could practically touch him.

The little boy was a good antidote for the drug still left in her body. Suddenly, she didn’t feel hazy. Every inch of her was on alert, and she took in as many details as she could. She’d only gotten a glimpse of him earlier, and he hadn’t been nearly this close to her. She wanted to hold on to this moment forever.

He was bigger than she’d imagined he would be, and Jack had been right about the eye color. Blue, an identical shade to hers. His face was round with a flash of rosy color in his cheeks, and that beautiful face was framed with soft brown hair that was thin and spiky.

He was precious.

Joey looked at her with those now suspicious blue eyes and wound his arms tighter around Tessie’s neck. He didn’t cry, but he certainly wasn’t sending her any welcoming signals. But that didn’t matter. He would get to know her.

And she would get to know him.

“Alana,” Tessie greeted. There was a hint of anger in her eyes and more than a little fear and concern.

Alana understood why. This woman had been a mother figure to Joey. She’d helped Jack raise him, and she would see Alana as a threat.

“Tessie,” she greeted back. “I remember you brought me Christmas dinner after I gave birth to Joey. You were kind to me, and I appreciate that.”

“We need to go,” Jack said, voiding the rest of the polite conversation. It wasn’t the time for it, anyway. After all, the kidnapper could return to try to make good on his threat to take Joey.

“My car’s right in front of the hospital,” Jack explained as he led them in that direction. “We’ll do this as fast as we can. Alana, you get in the front with me. Tessie and Joey will take the back since that’s where his infant seat is. If you see anything of concern, let me know immediately.”

Concern.

Translation: danger.

Alana wanted to take her son and shelter him in her arms, but she knew that wouldn’t be wise. She was still light-headed from the effects of the drug. Plus, there was the virus.

Jack didn’t waste any time. The moment the front doors swished open, he drew his weapon and looped his left arm around Tessie. The maneuver sandwiched Joey between the two, and they hurried to the black SUV. Alana got in as quickly as she could, and the moment that Tessie had Joey strapped into the seat, Jack drove away.

Alana kept watch in the side mirror, to make sure no one was following them. Jack did the same. His gaze darted all around them. From the backseat, she could hear Tessie talking softly to Joey. The woman was trying to reassure him that all was well, but he had to be aware of the increased tension.

But hopefully not the danger.

“I’m sorry this is happening,” Alana said to Jack.

He didn’t look at her. He didn’t answer her.

“Maybe this man is responsible for what happened eight months ago,” she added, talking more to herself than Jack.

“Maybe.” But it didn’t sound as if he believed that. “I’ll check the surveillance video again, but I don’t remember seeing him.”

Still monitoring their surroundings, he took the turn toward Main Street. There was only a trickle of traffic here, and the two-lane road was practically rural since the hospital was positioned on the outskirts of town.

“He wanted you alive,” Jack continued. “So that means he had ransom or some other form of reward in mind.”

“He knew I had a son. He said ‘if you don’t cooperate, I’ll take your son instead of you.’”

Because she needed reassurance that he was okay, she glanced over her shoulder at Joey. Tessie was singing him a song, and he was smiling at her.

When they reached Main Street, Jack pulled into the small parking lot of the sheriff’s office and drove to the back. There was a door labeled Emergency Exit, and it had a sign that instructed visitors to enter through the front. Jack parked as close to the door as possible, unlocked it and started the transfer. He had them all inside within seconds.

“Take Joey to my office,” Jack instructed Tessie. He relocked the emergency exit and activated a security alarm. “The break room’s through here.”

In the opposite direction as his office.

She would be under the same roof as Joey, but Jack didn’t intend to let her spend time with him. Still, it wasn’t far. Just on the other side of the hall.

The break room was indeed sparse. It had a sofa and a small table with two chairs. There was a coffeepot and various packs of crackers and chips on the narrow counter beneath two white-painted cabinets. A miniature brown fridge hummed in the corner.

Jack opened a closet and pulled out a pillow and a patchwork quilt. “Dr. Bartolo said you should rest,” he reminded her. He also grabbed a pair of black sweatpants and a man’s white button shirt that was dangling on a hanger. “The doors are all locked. No one’s going to get in without me knowing it. It’s safe here.”

“Rest,” she repeated, knowing that wasn’t going to happen. “I can give you my statement now. Or whatever
you call it. I’ll do whatever you need me to do to help find this man.”

He tossed the bedding onto the sofa and handed her the clothes. He also took a plastic bag from the top of the closet. “For now, I need you to rest. Oh, and I need that hospital gown. It might have some DNA or trace that could lead us to the kidnapper.”

She took the clothes from him, mumbled a thanks and motioned for him to turn around. He did. And Alana caught the counter so she could keep her balance while she stepped into the pants. They were several sizes too large for her, but anything was better than the open-back hospital gown. She pulled it off, placed it next to the coffeepot and slipped on the shirt. It, too, was big and the bottom hit her at midthigh.

These must be Jack’s clothes.

The shirt carried his scent.

“Now rest,” Jack insisted. He checked over his shoulder as she was managing the last button.

Alana didn’t budge. She couldn’t. She was afraid if she sat, she’d fall back asleep. The drug the kidnapper had given her was still in her system, and she was light-headed. She didn’t want to feel this way. She wanted to be able to help Jack keep Joey safe, and for that to happen she had to stay awake.

Jack huffed, riled that she wasn’t cooperating. He walked to her, took her gown and stuffed it into the plastic bag. He laid it aside on the counter and caught her arm. He tugged her toward the sofa, but Alana stayed put.

“I need to help. I need to do something,” she insisted.

“You’ve done enough.” He was angry.

It took her a moment to fight through the fog in her
head and study his expression. He didn’t turn away. Jack just stood there and stared at her.

And then it hit her.

“Oh, God. I’m sorry.” She pressed her fingertips to her mouth to stop it from trembling. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t,” he warned. And it was indeed a warning. He wasn’t pleased about this situation—or about her—and she suddenly understood why. It wasn’t just the fact that she would be so close to her son.

It was because she’d brought this danger to Joey.

She hadn’t meant to do that. Her escape from the house in the woods had been so frightening. So chaotic. She hadn’t had time to think. If she had, if she’d realized there was real danger, she wouldn’t have come anywhere near her son. Though she had no idea what she would have done.

Her life was spiraling out of control, and she didn’t know what to do to make it stop.

Alana started to tremble. Not just her mouth as she tried to speak. But her entire body. And she had no choice but to try to get to the sofa. She had to sit after all.

“I didn’t know that coming here would put Joey in danger,” she said. “I swear, I didn’t know.” Mercy, she sounded hysterical and was very close to it. How could she have done this to her son?

Jack opened his mouth, closed it and then cursed under his breath. His grip tightened around her arm, and he physically sat her on the sofa.

“Look, I want to be angry with you. I’m not especially happy you’re here.” He dropped down beside her and groaned. “But I also know you wouldn’t intentionally endanger Joey.”

That admission was more than she could have hoped for, and the relief had an instant effect. It was as if her muscles suddenly had permission to unknot. She went limp, and her head landed against Jack’s shoulder. Alana didn’t let it stay there. She started to move.

But Jack caught her again.

He slid his arm around her and pulled closer to him. “I’m scared,” she admitted.

“Me, too.” That was all he said for several moments. “I’m usually objective about my job. I do what I have to do to keep the peace in this town. But Joey’s not the job. I don’t how it happened, but eight months ago when I held him in my arms, he became my son.”

She blinked back tears. “I wish he were yours.” Alana felt both of them go stiff. She didn’t know who was more surprised with her admission: Jack or her. “I mean, uh, you’re a better man than his biological father.”

Jack turned his head. He snared her gaze and stared at her. Something changed between them. Maybe the air. Maybe it was all in her head. But she saw something in his eyes that she thought she hadn’t seen before.