The Mistresses Collection. Оливия Гейтс

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СКАЧАТЬ back teeth ground down. He burned to say more, for himself and Trinity, too, because as much as there was no way out, clearly she didn’t want to hand the baby over like this. He felt the same way. Sure, Bonnie wasn’t theirs. He supported privacy issues; he had people enough try to delve into his business and dig up the dirt. But didn’t he and Trinity deserve at least an explanation?

      Was the mother negligent? Did she have support? What’s to say Bonnie wouldn’t end up in a worse situation and soon?

      The woman’s arms were still out. Trinity took two deep breaths and then, her eyes glistening, carefully handed the baby over.

      Cressida pulled back Bonnie’s wrap to inspect her rosy cheeks and for the first time released a genuine smile. She glanced up. “Thank you, Mr. Harrison, Ms. Matthews, for looking after her.”

      Zack had fetched the car seat. With his other arm around Trinity’s waist, he said, “We’ll walk you out.”

      Not an offer. Rather a statement.

      Together he and Trinity followed Ms. Cassidy and the baby back out the opened glass door and all four—five including Cruiser—set off along the snow-covered path.

      The sun was out, uncommonly bright and warm, Zack thought. All around, snow was turning to slush and the air had that freshly washed smell he usually liked. As they rounded the path, two cars came into view in the driveway. In the backseat of the police car, a young woman sat holding her brow. Through the window, she looked decidedly wan.

      As Zack grudgingly handed the carrier to Ms. Cassidy, his stomach muscles gripped and every hair on the back of his neck lifted. Surely they wouldn’t hand Bonnie back if the mother was ill. Hell, maybe she was on drugs and didn’t even remember leaving her baby in that cab.

      Ms. Cassidy crossed to the police vehicle and while the policeman fit the carrier on the far passenger side, the baby was handed to the woman—girl—in the backseat. He heard her gasp and saw her snuggle Bonnie close. He should have felt relief. He only felt chilled. What was her story? Was there any way of finding out where she lived? He wouldn’t sleep tonight. Maybe ever again.

      Trinity was shivering beside him, more due to shock than the weather, he suspected.

      “She looks sixteen,” she murmured, “seventeen, tops.”

      Zack held her more firmly against him, her side to his. “Only a kid herself.”

      “She must have parents who can help.”

      “So where were they when the baby was left alone in that cab?”

      Truth was they might never know.

      Trinity curled into him more as they watched the young mother slide Bonnie into the car seat and buckled it up. When she sniffed, he almost felt her tears needing to break. Damn it, his throat was so clogged, he felt like crying himself.

      Ms. Cassidy slid into her dark blue sedan and the policeman got into his vehicle while Zack stood there, feeling more helpless than he had in his life. He had this absurd urge to bolt over and snatch the baby back. He had to keep reminding himself…

      She isn’t ours, she isn’t ours.

      The police car was pulling out, Trinity’s fingers were wound up in his T-shirt’s front and Zack’s heart had fallen to his knees. But when the car reached the end of the driveway, the wheels stopped turning, the back door swung open and the girl—the mother—came striding out.

      She wore fashionably distressed blue jeans and a pink sweater. As she neared, she pulled back the hood and a crown of blond waves tumbled out around her slim shoulders. She was a little taller than Trinity but twice as thin.

      “You’re the couple who looked after Belinda,” she said.

      “Belinda,” Trinity murmured. “That’s a pretty name.”

      “We called her Bonnie,” Zack said. “It means ‘happy.’ ‘Pretty.’”

      The girl’s blue eyes sparkled as she shoved her hands into her sweater’s pockets. “She smiled at me the first time at six weeks. She hasn’t stopped since.” Her expression firmed as she rolled back her shoulders. “I wanted you to know I never meant to lose her. I wanted to tell you it was an accident.”

      Zack exhaled. “That’s some accident.”

      “And I didn’t mean to get pregnant, if you want to know—” her chin and tone lowered “—but I never regretted for a moment bringing Bel into this world.”

      Trinity asked, “What about the father?”

      “That’s where I was headed that afternoon. Ryan never knew about my pregnancy until after Bel was born. He doesn’t have a mom and his dad…” The girl’s gaze dropped away. “Well, he’s away a lot.”

      “And your own parents?”

      “My dad left a long time ago. Mom’s not happy with me.” She shrugged. “What’s new? From the very first day she told me I should give Bel up. She said it’d be easier that way.”

      Trinity made an anguished, barely audible noise and Zack held her firm.

      “That day my mom had been at me again,” the girl went on. “She said I couldn’t stay there anymore. It was costing her too much. I wasn’t paying my keep. So I decided to pack some stuff and Bel and catch a bus into town. I was going to get a connecting ride to my boyfriend’s place. He’d moved to Wyoming. When we got to the bus stop, though, it started to snow. I had to get Bel out of the weather so I left my suitcase to walk over and ask that cabdriver how much it’d cost to get to the bus depot in town. But he was moving inside the store, getting something hot to drink or eat, I guess. It was really cold by then and the snow was falling harder. I put Bel inside the cab and hurried back to the stop to get my case. I was crossing back when the cab pulled away.” Her eyes glazed over and Zack knew she was reliving that moment. “I ran after them up the road, but he didn’t stop. I ran until I couldn’t run anymore.”

      Trinity asked, “But you didn’t tell anyone?”

      “I rang Bel’s father but he wasn’t home and wasn’t picking up his cell, either. I didn’t have a choice. I had to go back to Mom. I was crying and shaking. She put me to bed and promised she’d phone the police. When we hadn’t heard anything by the next day, she admitted she hadn’t made the call at all. So I did.”

      A tear dropped down her cheek and the girl’s throat bobbed on a swallow at the same time Trinity bowed her head and groaned. Zack’s hold around Trinity’s waist tightened. A maternal grandmother as good as disowning her own granddaughter. The situation must have sounded alarmingly close to her own.

      “I wanted you to know that I love Bel. I’ve only ever wanted what’s best for her.” The baby’s mother slipped the hood back over her head. “Sometimes it’s just hard to figure things out.”

      Zack was moved. But feeling sorry for this girl didn’t help the baby.

      “Where are you staying now?”

      “Ms. Cassidy organized a place in a shelter. There’s heaps of support there.”

      “If СКАЧАТЬ