Somebody's Baby. Amanda Stevens

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      He glanced at her. “And not Clayton?”

      “He’s a family man now. He has responsibilities. He’s matured a lot since you’ve been gone.”

      And grown into an even bigger jerk, Grant thought but refrained from saying so. He made a face at the baby instead, and John David laughed, waving his arms appreciatively. Grant settled him at his shoulder, so the little boy could look out the window behind them.

      Vanessa’s expression grew puzzled. “How do you do that?”

      “What?”

      “Act so…I don’t know…natural with him. You’ve never been around babies. I didn’t even think you liked kids.”

      Grant shrugged. “Neither did I, but John David and I just hit it off. Didn’t we, buddy?”

      As if in agreement, the baby gurgled and laughed, then promptly spit up on Grant’s shoulder.

      Vanessa jumped to her feet. “Oh, no. Grant, you’ll positively reek for the rest of the day.”

      “I’ve smelled worse, believe me. You haven’t lived until you’ve been in the jungle for two months at a stretch.” Calmly, Grant handed John David to Vanessa, then reached for the baby wipes she put on his desk. Vanessa held the child gingerly, as if afraid he would spit up on her pink suit.

      Grant didn’t understand why his sister seemed so uneasy with the baby. John David was six months old. Surely Vanessa should be used to motherhood by now, but in the three weeks Grant had been home, he had begun to notice a disturbing pattern. Both Vanessa and Clayton talked incessantly about the baby, but neither of them seemed to spend much time with him. John David was usually in the care of his nanny.

      And as if on cue, Alice Becker came bustling into Grant’s office. She looked windblown and frazzled, but rather than letting her catch her breath, Vanessa stood and handed her the baby. “You’re late.”

      “I’m so sorry, Mrs. Baldwin,” the woman said contritely. “It won’t happen again.”

      “I hope not.” Vanessa turned to Grant. “I can’t wait any longer for Clayton. Will you tell him I stopped by?”

      “Sure.”

      To the nanny, she said, “I have another appointment near here, but I’ll take you and the baby home first.”

      “Oh, I was hoping you could drop us at the park,” Alice said, her eyes lowered. “We could both do with some fresh air.”

      Vanessa frowned. “I’m sure you could, but thanks to my husband, I’m running late enough as it is. The park is out of the question. By the time I take you all the way home—”

      “What are you talking about?” Grant interjected. “There’s a park right across the street.”

      “What?” Vanessa whirled, her blue eyes wide with surprise, as if she had somehow forgotten his presence.

      Grant pointed to the window. “Mirror Lake Park is just across the street. It’d be a shame for John David to be cooped up in the house on such a beautiful day. Why don’t you drop him and Mrs. Becker off at the park, then pick them up when you finish with your appointment? It would even save you from having to take them all the way home first.”

      Vanessa’s lips tightened almost imperceptibly. “My appointment could take a couple of hours.”

      “Oh, I wouldn’t mind,” the nanny chirped in. “Mr. Chambers is right. The weather is beautiful.” She threw him a dazzling smile, which Grant briefly acknowledged, then glanced away. He didn’t want to give her encouragement. In the few times he’d been in Alice Becker’s presence, she’d made him decidedly uncomfortable.

      “There was a mugging in Mirror Lake Park a few weeks ago,” Vanessa said. “I don’t think it’s safe.”

      Grant laughed. “You’re just being an overprotective mother. Every park in Houston has the occasional mugging. Mirror Lake is perfectly safe, especially in the middle of the day.”

      Vanessa bit her lip. “I don’t know.” She glanced at Alice Becker and John David, obviously torn by what seemed to Grant an inconsequential decision. Then she shrugged. “I suppose it’ll be okay. But look—” she tapped her diamond watch with her fingertip “—I want you to have the baby in the parking lot at a quarter of one. I don’t want to have to go tramping all over the park looking for you.”

      “Of course, Mrs. Baldwin.” Alice Becker sent Grant another smile, then bent to retrieve John David’s diaper bag. Slinging it over her shoulder, she competently shifted the baby to her other hip and hurried out of the office.

      Vanessa gave Grant a sour look. “See what you’ve done. As if that woman wasn’t smitten enough before—”

      “Don’t even start,” Grant warned. He came around the desk to give his sister a peck on the cheek. “And stop worrying. It’s just an afternoon in the park. They’ll be fine.”

      “Easy for you to say,” Vanessa fretted. “You don’t know what it’s like to be a parent.”

      “No, I guess I don’t.”

      If there was regret in his tone, Vanessa seemed not to notice. She picked up her purse and headed for the door. “Don’t forget about tonight,” she called. “The party is in your honor, so don’t even think about not showing up.”

      “That was the old Grant. You’re looking at the new and improved version.”

      She paused at the door and glanced back. “Not too new and improved, I hope. I sort of liked you as the black sheep.”

      “Only because it made you look so good.”

      Vanessa smiled, her pink-tinted lips curling in amusement. But there was something in her eyes, a glimmer of emotion Grant couldn’t quite define. “You always did know me too well,” she murmured.

      * * *

      The park was nearly deserted. It seemed lonelier than usual without the shouts and laughter of the children, but most of them were still in school this time of day.

      Perhaps it was just as well, Nina thought, walking along a leaf-strewed pathway. Though she’d haunted the park—the last place she’d seen Karen Smith—for months, the children were always a painful reminder of her loss.

      Lifting her face to the sky, Nina drew a long breath. The sun warmed her face and shoulders, but the coldness inside her lingered. Six months, she thought numbly. Six long months without a trace.

      Where was Dustin at this moment? Was he happy? Was he being taken care of? Or was he…?

      Nina closed her eyes briefly. Most of the time, she was able to keep the terror at bay, but there were times like today when every mother’s nightmare tormented her. Her baby was missing, and she had no idea where he was or who had him. Had he been hurt? Was he still alive?

      Abruptly Nina turned down another path, heading toward the deserted playground. Finding a bench, she sat down, her thoughts spiraling СКАЧАТЬ