The Baby Barter Read online

  “You’ve got a more pressing problem at the moment.”

  Mack settled back into the cushions. Had Red heard about Thea’s claim, that Sarah was Eileen’s child? “What might that be?”

  Red shifted forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. “Ben Holbrook cornered me at the courthouse after I got back from Atlanta yesterday afternoon. It appears the city council is bent on restructuring the police department.”

  “Why haven’t I heard about this?”

  Red shrugged. “They just voted on it. With all these folks from the bomber factory making Marietta their home, the council wants to add more men to the force, maybe even devote entire departments to specific crimes. And there was some mention of adding more experienced men to the sheriff’s department.”

  “What you mean is now that the boys are coming home, they want law enforcement jobs to give them.” Not a bad idea. Able-bodied men with battlefield experience on the force were just what a growing town needed. “We have had an increase in petty crimes recently, mostly kids bored and getting into trouble. It would be good to have some additional help.”

  Red sat back, his lips mashed into a straight line. “From what I understand, they might be evaluating your work as sheriff.”

  Mack’s world shifted beneath him. “Why? Are they thinking about firing me?”

  “I don’t think it’s that dire—yet.”

  Mack rubbed his fingers against the raised scar high on his left cheek. “Did anybody mention where I might fit into all this restructured force?”

  Red shook his head. “Not yet. I’m sure they’ll take your exceptional service to the community into consideration when the decision is made.”

  Mack stretched out his legs and studied his old high school friend. “That sounds like lawyer talk for you’ve already put that information out there for them, but they didn’t bother giving you an answer.”

  “Always looking out for my friends.”

  For that, Mack was grateful. “How does this affect the adoption?”

  Red’s smile dimmed. “With this hanging over your head, Judge Wakefield isn’t likely to budge on the adoption anytime soon.”

  “What’s the man waiting on? Does he want me to jump through hoops or something?” Mack snapped, raking his fingers through his hair.

  “I don’t know about him, but I’d pay good money to see you do that trick.”

  Mack snorted out a chuckle. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your head off like that.”

  “It’s understandable. You love that little girl, and you’re afraid you’re going to lose her.”

  Another obvious statement but the gut-wrenching truth. Mack wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t. “So what do we do now?”

  Red slid back in his chair. “Well, we’re still going to need Sarah’s birth certificate. Have you heard anything from Mrs. Williams? I figured she would have gotten back with you before now.”

  Mack shook his head. “From what I understand, her family lives deep in the mountains north of Knoxville. I don’t think mail service is all that reliable out there. It could take some time to hear back from her.” He patted his shirt pocket. “I’m sending her another letter just in case the first one was lost.”

  “If it were any other judge, I’d ask for the adoption to be pushed through without a record of the birth, but Judge Wakefield is a stickler about those things.”

  Mack nodded. How was he going to get his next question by the lawyer without raising his suspicions? “Will Sarah’s parents be listed on the birth certificate?”

  “Yes, but that information will be sealed by the court once the adoption is finalized. Then a new birth certificate with your name listed as Sarah’s father will be registered with the state.” Red studied him for a long moment. “Why do you ask?”

  No sense alerting the lawyer to another possible roadblock, at least not until he had more information. “Just thought I’d ask.”

  “Well, if you’re planning on asking Flossie Williams who Sarah’s parents are, good luck with that,” Red chuckled. “That woman can be as tightlipped as a Mason jar during canning season.”

  Mack waited for the relief Red’s answer should have given him, but felt vaguely disappointed instead. “I wonder if Mrs. Williams would respond quicker if I sent her a telegram.”

  “Does Western Union even deliver to the backwoods of Eastern Tennessee?”

  Were lawyers paid to be killjoys, or was that just part of their nature? Maybe it was a good thing he never went to college and became an attorney as he’d planned. “It’s worth looking into.”

  “Even if they don’t, this lull gives you time to get your job situation worked out.” Red hesitated, tipping the three-ringed folder shut. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure.”

  Red took a long sip of his coffee, as if to steel himself. “How far are you willing to go to adopt this child?”

  An odd question, especially from a lawyer. “What do you mean?”

  The distant song of birds waking up the neighborhood filled the seconds before Red answered. “There is another way to ensure the adoption goes through as planned.”

  Mack knew what the man was going to say. “I’ve told you marriage is not a possibility at the moment.”

  “Hear me out before you dismiss the idea, okay?”

  Mack glared at the man but kept his seat. What other option did he have short of walking out on his friend and possibly the only lawyer in Marietta willing to take his case? “Go on.”

  “If you’re so bound and determined to raise this baby, you need to consider finding a wife. It would solve the immediate problem with the judge.”

  “And who would I marry, Red?”

  “You’ve got to know a woman who’d love the chance to help you raise Sarah. Someone who would love that baby as much as you do.”

  The image of Thea, her deep blue eyes staring up at him, drifted through his thoughts. No doubt Thea was in love with the idea of raising the baby right now, but what would happen when she learned Sarah wasn’t Eileen’s daughter? Would she up and leave town without a backward glance the way she’d done before? Mack couldn’t risk his daughter losing her heart to the woman. Or maybe it was his own heart he was worried about getting stomped on again.

  “It’s just not possible, Red.”

  “Well, think about it,” Red answered before he grabbed the folder and stood. “Because getting married might be your only hope of getting Judge Wakefield to budge on Sarah’s adoption.”

  Chapter Four

  Thea closed her eyes and relaxed into a cushioned chair in the hospital waiting room, her mind drifting aimlessly as fatigue settled into her bones. Sleep had been elusive these past few nights. She’d been on edge, too worried by thoughts of Eileen, of losing her last link with her sister, to find any rest. It didn’t help that Momma had taken to pacing the halls at night. Each morning Thea got up with the same questions. Would this be the day she’d finally bring Eileen’s baby home? Or would she and her mother be coping with another loss soon?

  She drew a deep breath in through her nose, her body relaxing even further. Once she brought Eileen’s baby home, everything would get better. Her mother would become alert and engaged again. Guilt would ease its weight off of Thea’s shoulders. They’d all be happy. At least, that’s what she hoped. How in the world would she take care of Sarah and work an eight-hour-a-day shift if her mother didn’t snap out of this fog of sadness and confusion?

  Thea forced her eyes open and glanced around the hospital’s waiting area. Maybe she could work part-time for a little while, at least until they figured out a routine at home. Maybe they’d be able to hire in a teenage girl to help when Thea couldn’t be at home. There might not be any extra money for a lawyer if she needed one, but she’d figure that out when it c
ame down to it.

  She would manage. She didn’t have much choice. Thea’s eyes slid closed again. Just a few more minutes, a cat nap, and she could face her interview with the head nurse alert and fresh.

  “Thea?”

  She snuggled deeper into the chair, the rumbled whisper settling over her like a comfortable blanket. What was it about this deeply masculine voice that set her mind at ease? Familiar, with warm undertones, deep, almost dreamlike. She’d clung to the thought of that dark, manly voice throughout the long nights of the war, let it lull her as bombs burst in the distance. She hadn’t been able to place it at first, but then she remembered the boy who’d once been her friend. Thea drew in a deep breath, felt a smile form on her lips.

  Mack.

  “Do you usually take naps in the hospital waiting room?”

  There was a gentle sternness to his voice that caused her eyelids to flutter open to find the man standing in front of her. Tall and broad-shouldered, this Mack was the quintessential lawman, though she’d confess she’d never met an officer quite so handsome. “What happened?”

  The cockeyed grin he gave her as he pushed back his hat had her sitting up in her chair. “You fell asleep.”

  Thea drew in a deep breath and blew it out, her fuzzy world coming into focus. “Old habits, I guess.” At his confused look, she explained. “When you work the mobile surgical unit, you either learn to grab a nap anywhere you can or never sleep. Standing up in the corner. Sitting in mess hall.” She smiled. “One of the girls in my unit got caught napping in the latrine.”

  “That must have been...interesting.” Mack’s voice deepened with mirth, his lips curved up into a slight smile. Then, as if he remembered who she was, he straightened, any evidence of a smile gone. “What are you doing here?”

  Needing something to do with her hands, Thea opened her purse and pulled out her compact. “Interviewing for a position.”

  “A job?”

  For some odd reason, the way he said it irritated her. She opened the lid and studied her reflection in the tiny mirror. Anything to keep from looking at him. “I have to put food on our table and keep a roof over our heads. Momma’s income is really only enough for one person.”

  The space between them suddenly grew smaller as he pulled off his hat and sat down next to her. “And what about Sarah?”

  “What about her?”

  The clean tang of his aftershave swirled around her, making her head spin in a pleasant sort of way as he leaned closer. “How do you plan on taking care of Sarah if you’re working?”

  She leaned back and drew in a cleansing breath. It wasn’t any of his business how she handled Sarah’s care. “If I’m given custody of Eileen’s baby, I’ll work something out.”

  “Sarah is going to need special care, at least until she’s old enough to have her second corrective surgery.” He crossed his arms over his broad chest, glaring at Thea, looking every inch the protective father, the kind of daddy any girl would have been blessed to have.

  Just not Sarah’s daddy. Didn’t he understand the little girl was the only link she had to the sister she’d lost? Mack could make gaining custody of the child difficult, there was no doubt about it. Well, she’d lived through one war. If Mack wanted to battle it out, she was ready. “What about you?”

  He blinked. “Me?”

  Ah, she’d caught him by surprise. Well, good! “You have a job. How do you plan to care for Sarah while you’re off catching the bad guys?”

  His blue eyes pierced her all the way to the depths of her soul. “Ms. Aurora has volunteered to take care of her during the day, but I’ll have her at night. Plus, I’m turning one of the rooms in my house into an office so I can do most of my paperwork at home.”

  “So it’s okay for you to have someone care for Sarah while you’re at work, but not me.” She slammed her compact shut and cocked her head to the side. “Why is that?”

  Mack glared at her for a long moment, then much to her surprise, he gave a regretful chuckle. “Stuck my foot in it, didn’t I?”

  Thea’s heart did a sudden flip at his crooked smile. Mack had always been a charmer. It would be best if she remembered that. “I’d say so.”

  “Sorry.” He leaned back, leaving Thea suddenly bereft of his warmth. “Just had a rotten morning.”

  “Please say it’s not the baby. She’s not sick or something, is she?”

  He shook his head, twirled his hat between nervous fingers. “Doodlebug is doing fine.”

  Now it was her turn to gawk. “You call her doodlebug?”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Is something wrong with that?”

  No, quite the opposite. It was endearing, the sort of sweet name a man would give his baby girl. Thea shook her head. “It suits her.”

  He seemed glad she agreed with him, at least on his pet name for Sarah. “The first couple of days after I took her to Ms. Aurora, the kids fought over what to call her.”

  “I thought she’d always been Sarah.”

  He shook his head, the ghost of a memory playing along his smile. “That was Merrilee’s idea. Ms. Aurora generally lets the kids decide what to call any new additions to their family.”

  The older woman let the children name the baby? “Isn’t that like the prisoners running the jailhouse?”

  Her heart fluttered when he turned the full effect of his smile on her. “Ms. Aurora wants them to feel like they have a say in their family. She gave them a few suggestions, and they voted for the baby to be named Sarah, though Ellie wasn’t too happy about the choice.”

  Was Ellie one of Ms. Aurora’s children? Or had Mack adopted other children? “Ellie?”

  “A little six-year-old spitfire who has lived with Ms. Aurora since she was barely two weeks old.” He sat down beside Thea then leaned toward her as if to whisper a secret. “They’d just gone to see a matinee of The Wizard of Oz and Ellie wanted the baby to be named after one of the characters.”

  “But Dorothy is a nice—”

  He shook his head again. “Scarecrow.”

  Thea choked back a giggle. “You’re serious.”

  “I had to bribe her with a day at the park to get her to agree to the name Sarah.”

  Oh, dear. If Mack succeeded in his adoption plans, little Sarah would have him wrapped around her pinky finger. Lucky kid. “The sheriff bribing small children. Isn’t there a law against that?”

  “Not yet. Besides, I like pushing the kids on the swing set in the park. Takes my mind off of work.”

  Thea studied him as he stared out over the empty room. This was the Mack she remembered, the guy who loved being outdoors, who found joy in simple pleasures like helping his neighbor or pushing a little girl on a swing. She was glad that growing up hadn’t taken that away from him. But what about all his plans for adulthood? Why hadn’t he followed through on his dream of playing football in college, becoming a lawyer like his father? Why had he never left Marietta?

  She swallowed the questions burning on the tip of her tongue. It would only complicate the situation more if she learned who Mack had become, what had driven him to stay here, to abandon his dreams. For some unknown reason, she felt disappointed at the loss. “I never intended to hurt you, you know.”

  He stiffened, the pleasure of the last few minutes fading. “What do you mean by that?”

  “It’s just...” She hesitated, not sure how much to reveal. Maybe if she could make him understand, make him realize how important it was to her to raise Eileen’s baby, it would be easier for him to let Sarah go. “I know you love Sarah, but I love her, too.”

  “You don’t even know her.”

  “She’s a part of Eileen. She’s my family, Mack.”

  “You don’t know that for certain,” Mack said, her words obviously falling on deaf ears. “You’re going to hav
e to produce some proof to get a judge to listen to your claim.”

  Thea figured as much. She’d searched through Eileen’s room, through her personal mail, even the journal she kept, but had found nothing except a brief entry a few days after her baby was born. Nothing to prove Thea’s claim to Sarah. “I’d planned on visiting the courthouse after I finished my interview today.”

  “No sense wasting your time.”

  She glanced up at him. “Why would you say that?”

  “Because if Mrs. Williams delivered Eileen’s baby like you say, it wouldn’t have been filed with the county and state yet.” A look of frustration clouded his expression. “As I told you before, Mrs. Williams went up to Tennessee to take care of her sister shortly after Sarah was born. Sarah’s birth certificate still hasn’t been filed. If you’re able to find a certificate on record for Eileen’s baby, then that would be proof that she’s not Sarah.”

  That wasn’t the news Thea had expected to hear. She’d need a birth certificate to petition the court to stop the adoption. But if she needed one to prove Sarah’s parentage, wouldn’t Mack need one to get final approval for her adoption? “You can’t adopt Sarah without a certificate, can you?”

  His jaw tightened, and for a brief moment, Thea thought she’d have to pull an answer out of him. Then just as quickly, he relaxed—though only a bit. “No,” he agreed, “I can’t.”

  So he knew her frustration. “Have you been in touch with Mrs. Williams?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve tried. I sent a letter when I learned she hadn’t filed Sarah’s birth certificate but she’s a ways outside of the city limits so I figured it would take a while before I heard from her. I checked on sending her a telegram this morning but they don’t deliver that far up into those mountains.”

  “I take it her sister doesn’t have a phone.” Thea didn’t wait for an answer. She was thinking again what it must have been like for Eileen, delivering her baby all those months ago. “Do you think Mrs. Williams tried to talk any of those girls who gave up their children into keeping them?”