Chapter 254
892 Words
“OK?” he asked quietly, his hands still tangled in her hair.
“I am.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Yes.”
He helped her out of the SUV, didn’t let go of her hand. They crossed the small courtyard and entered the lobby. There was no security guard, but Sully did see some cameras and the red lights were on. The question was if anyone was actually watching, and if so, who they were.
They waited for the elevator, still holding hands. Cordelia was looking better now, more grounded and centered, and Sully felt a bit of tension leave his body. He wasn’t about to relax completely and he wouldn’t stop worrying, but she was pulling it together. He was willing to bet that she’d surprise him upstairs.
They exited the elevator, scanned the office numbers until they saw Room 518. They approached slowly and Sully gave her hand one more squeeze. She glanced up at him and he smiled.
“Here we go, Millie. We’re going to take the first step to getting our baby now.”
She returned his smile and it was brilliant, so bright and happy, that he was stunned. For just a few seconds, he really believed that he was looking at a woman who was getting her most deeply-longed-for wish fulfilled at last.
“I can’t wait, Garrett,” she breathed. “I’m so ready for this.”
“I know, hon.”
Sully knocked on the door and it opened right away. A woman was standing there, and they both stared at her in utter shock. She was not at all what they’d been expecting.
She looked to be about seventy, and she was wearing a long skirt and a cardigan and sensible shoes. Her silver hair was pulled back in a bun, she had glasses hanging from a gold chain around her neck, and she looked for all the world like the perfect grandmother.
Cordelia glanced into the room, fully expecting to see this woman’s discarded knitting somewhere.
“Hello!” the woman twinkled at them, her voice reedy. “The Bakers?”
Still stunned, they nodded.
“Come in, please.”
They did, recovering slowly from the shock of having this sweet old lady answer the door. She ushered them over to the table, which was set with a teapot and a plate of cookies, all of which kicked the surreal factor up a few more notches.
The office was obviously one of those spaces that could be rented by the hour, day, week, or month. Cordelia knew they were popular now with people needing some isolation and quiet to work on short-term projects; she supposed they also worked perfectly as anonymous and secretive meeting places.
“So!” the woman said, beaming at them. “You’re here to help one of those wonderful children.”
“Yes,” Sully said, still trying to figure out just what the hell was going on. “Yes, we are.”
“I’m so delighted for you,” she said and Cordelia knew that she meant it. “They need loving homes and you need a child to love. Don’t you?”
“Yes,” Sully said again.
“Perfect! Nothing makes me happier than helping to create families.” She smiled. “I was happily married for fifty years, you know, and I had six children and now I have ten grandchildren. I know how important family is. It’s such a shame when traditional adoption agencies are so slow and short-sighted, isn’t it? The only people who suffer in the end are the children.”
Cordelia gazed at her, studied her face and eyes carefully, looking for even the smallest signs of insincerity or duplicity. But there was nothing – not one damn thing – to indicate that the woman was anything but truthful. She loved what she was doing.
Cordelia decided to push things a bit. “We were told that these children were rescued from bad situations… it’s such a blessing to be able to give them a good home.”
“Oh, yes.” The woman’s eyes and mouth were angry now. “Yes, those poor babies have been abused and hurt… how can anyone do that to a child?”
“I don’t know,” Cordelia said quietly.
“That’s why it’s so admirable of you to take them into your homes and your hearts.” The woman smiled again, regaining her good humor. “Children should just be loved, shouldn’t they?”
“Yes,” Cordelia managed to say.
Cordelia felt despair crash into her chest as the woman poured a cup of tea and slid it over to her. Numb, Cordelia took it, still reeling with the certainty that this woman truly, deeply believed that these children were orphans or abuse survivors. She had no idea whatsoever that these children had parents who were frantic to find them, that they were actually kidnapping victims.
Clearly, she’d been told that lie to protect the other actors involved, but also to make her a convincing and reassuring first human contact. She’d been duped, thoroughly and totally, and now Cordelia wondered if she’d been taken advantage of because of her age.
Will she go to jail for her part in this? My God… she’ll die in there.
- Writer
