A Father's Vow. Tina Leonard

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      CHAPTER THREE

      SUPPRESSING ANY lingering reservations, Carolyn called Dylan Garrett on his cell phone the following morning. “There’s a case which has been brought to Finders Keepers,” she told him. “Ben Mulholland wants us to see if there’s any chance he had a twin who was taken from his mother at birth. His mother became suspicious because of the Austin baby ring which was broken. She was also convinced she heard two children crying when she gave birth.”

       “She’s waited all this time to mention that?”

       “Ben believes medication may have jogged his mother’s memory. She was dying of breast cancer and heavily medicated, which he believes helped unlock her memory of Ben’s birth.”

       “Or it could be the confused dream of a seriously ill woman.”

       “Right. But I knew Eileen Mulholland, and she was firmly based in reality. I tend to believe the story’s credible, mainly because of that.”

       “And Mr. Mulholland wants this twin found to make his mother rest easier on her deathbed.”

       “Actually, his mother has already passed away,” she said with a lump in her throat. “It’s his daughter he’s concerned about now.”

       “Because?”

       She sighed. “She has leukemia, and she needs a donor match.”

       “There’s no guarantee the twin could provide one.”

       “Right.”

       “But a missing twin might provide what the bone marrow database hasn’t been able to,” he mused. “Hope.”

       “Ben gave his mother’s story some credence once the shock wore off,” Carolyn said. “If I didn’t know the people involved, I wouldn’t think it very likely. It’s your agency, and your decision to accept or refuse the case—”

       “This is what Finders Keepers does,” Dylan interrupted. “Find the impossible. Start the preliminary search, and let me know what you find out. Lily’s pretty swamped with wedding details, but this is more my area anyway. The first thing I’d do is get on the phone with Jennifer Rodriguez, and pick her brain as to what kinds of files are best and most available for this kind of search. Bounce it off her, and keep in touch.”

       “Thanks, Dylan,” Carolyn said softly.

       “No need to thank me. I know you can handle it, or I wouldn’t have hired you to oversee the office.”

       That wasn’t what she meant. She was grateful he wanted Finders Keepers to take the case. But there was no need to correct his assumption. It meant a lot that he had that kind of faith in her abilities.

       “Don’t worry. You’ll do fine. You’re tenacious when you get into something, Carolyn.”

       “That’s the same word someone else used to describe me.”

       “Well, it’s a good trait in our business. Best of luck. Call me if you hit a pothole.”

       “I will.” She hung up the phone, jumping when the door swung open. Ben walked inside, his little daughter at his side. Lucy headed straight for the candy dish, and Ben headed straight for Carolyn.

       Her heart seemed to plummet downward like a fainting bird as his hazel eyes met hers.

       “I’m glad you stopped by, Ben,” Carolyn said, her voice friendly yet not more than that. “I just talked to Dylan Garrett about your case, and he believes Finders Keepers should try to obtain as much information for you as we can.”

       With those words, she steered them onto a business-like track. Immediately Ben realized Carolyn wasn’t comfortable with what he’d asked of her. Taking this case went against her wishes to keep him at arm’s length, which is what she’d tried to do from the moment he’d walked into the office. He’d insisted she be the one to help him, but he also respected the wall she’d erected to protect herself.

       Okay. He didn’t want to upset her. The fact was, she was doing him a hell of a favor, and he wouldn’t have come to Carolyn if his mother hadn’t insisted. But Eileen had been correct. Carolyn of the soft heart would put her utmost into finding the truth of a twin, for Lucy’s sake.

       It had nothing to do with Ben.

       “I appreciate that,” he said briskly. “I feel better knowing that Lucy and I are in capable hands.”

       Carolyn looked at him evenly. “I’ll need preliminary information, such as your place of birth. Also, I think we should be prepared for the consequences of what happens should we succeed with our search.”

       “Hopefully there’s a match and…” His voice trailed off.

       “There’s always the possibility this twin won’t want to have his or her life changed by the revelation of an unknown family.”

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