Desperately Seeking Dad

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Anne sat in the chair across from him. Her dark hair curled around a face that was lightly flushed, probably from bending over the crib.

“You’re probably as beat as she is by this time.” She’d put in a couple of high-stress days, driving all the way with a baby, and on a mission like this.

“I could sleep a day or two. But Emilie won’t let me.”

She leaned forward and her hair brushed her shoulders, moving like a living thing. He had an insane desire to reach out, let it curl around his fingers, use it to draw her close to him.

Whoa, back off. Of all the inappropriate things he could be feeling right now, that was probably the worst.

“You wanted to talk.”

“Yes.” She nailed him with those deep blue eyes. “I hoped that you might be ready to sign the papers now.”

He should have seen it coming. She still wanted what she’d wanted all along, and the inconclusive blood test results had just given her another bit of leverage. But it wasn’t going to work.

“I know you don’t believe this, but I never went out with Tina Mallory. I did not father her child.” He took a breath, hoping he sounded calm.

She raised her chin stubbornly. “Then how do you explain Tina’s words?”

“I can’t. But there has to be an explanation somewhere. Someone in Bedford Creek must remember Tina, must know who she dated that summer. So while we’re waiting for the DNA results, I’ll do a little quiet investigating.”

Her hands twisted involuntarily, as if she were pushing his words away. He couldn’t blame her. She had what must seem to her to be incontrovertible proof of his guilt. All he could do was continue to protest his innocence.

“Bottom line is, I’m not going to sign anything that says I’m that child’s parent. I can’t, because it’s not true. In three or four weeks, you’ll know that as well as I do. Maybe by then I’ll be able to point you in the right direction.”

“I don’t want my private business splashed all over Bedford Creek.”

“Believe me, it’s in my interest to keep it quiet even more than it is yours. I’ll be discreet. But I’m going to start looking at this problem like a cop.”

Her eyebrows went up at that. “Funny, I thought you always had.”

He reminded himself that cops and defense attorneys went together like cats and dogs. “Look, Counselor, I am what I am.” Her sarcasm had effectively doused that spurt of longing to hold her, which was just as well. He stood, picking up his jacket. “I’ll be on my way now. I don’t suppose we’ll see each other again.”

“I’m afraid you’re wrong about that.” She stood, too, her gaze locked on his.

He gave an exasperated sigh. “You’re assuming that in three or four weeks you’ll have proof I fathered Emilie. I know you’re wrong.”

“Actually, that isn’t what I was thinking.” She took an audible breath, as if building up to saying something she knew he wasn’t going to like. “Emilie and I aren’t staying here. We’re going back to Bedford Creek until the results come in.”

“What?” He could only stare at her. “Why? Why on earth would you want to do that?”

“You’re right about one thing—the answers have to be in Bedford Creek. That’s where Tina became pregnant. That’s where the truth is. I can’t just sit here and wonder for the next month. I need to find out, no matter what.”

“After the results come—” he began.

She was already shaking her head. “I’m supposed to have a hearing on the adoption in a little over a month. Before then I have to resolve this, once and for all. And that means I’m coming to Bedford Creek.”

He lifted an eyebrow skeptically. “Don’t you mean you want to keep an eye on me?”

A faint flush warmed her smooth skin. “Let’s say I have a high respect for the power of a police uniform. I don’t want to see it used against me.”

He fought down the urge to defend himself. If a man found it necessary to defend his honor, it must be in question. He took a careful step back.

“No point in my telling you not to worry about that, is there?”

She shook her head. “I won’t interfere. You can pretend I’m not even there.”

“Now that I can’t do.” He smiled grimly at her perplexed look. “You’re forgetting—people in Bedford Creek already know you and Emilie came to see me. They’re probably speculating right this minute about where we are today. You can’t come back and pretend we don’t know each other, not in a small town.”

“I’ll say I’m there on vacation. You told me Bedford Creek is a tourist town. My presence doesn’t have to have anything to do with you.”

Obviously she hadn’t thought this far ahead. “Nobody would believe that. If you come back, we’ll have to keep up the illusion of friendship. And if we’re both going to be looking into what happened when Tina lived there, we’d better figure out a way to cooperate on this, or at least not step on each other’s toes.”

He could see just how unpalatable she found that, and at some level it grated on his pride. He wasn’t that hard to take, was he? It wasn’t as if he were asking her to pretend a romantic interest in him.

Her eyes met his, and he could read the determination there. “I suppose you’re right. You know a lot more about your town than I do. But I’m still coming. So that means we’re in this together, for as long as it takes.”

Chapter Four

“N ow let me help you with that.” Kate Cavendish took the bundle of diapers from Anne’s arms before she could object. “Believe me, I remember how much you need to bring when you’re traveling with a baby.”

“I can manage…”

But Kate was already hustling up the front steps to The Willows, white curls glistening in the late winter sunshine. She propped the door open with an iron doorstop in the shape of a cat, then hurried inside. Anne lifted Emilie from the car seat.

It was silly, she supposed, to be made uncomfortable by so much open friendliness, but she just wasn’t used to it. She could only hope Kate’s enthusiastic welcome wasn’t because the woman thought Anne was here to see Mitch.

That was ridiculous. It wasn’t as if they’d returned together. She’d taken two days to organize this trip. Surely she could take a brief vacation in Bedford Creek without the whole town jumping to conclusions about why she was here.

Kate was probably just delighted to have paying guests at this time of the year. No matter how many tourists might show up in the summer, early March was clearly a quiet time in Bedford Creek. She glanced up at the mountain ridge that cut off the sky. It was sere and brown, its leafless trees defining its bones. She shivered a little.

“Here we go, sweetheart,” she said to Emilie. “We’ll just pop you in the crib while Mommy unloads the car, all right?”

Emilie wiggled, her arms flailing in the pink snowsuit. After three hours in the car, she was only too ready to practice her new crawling skills. She wouldn’t be pleased at the crib, no matter how enticing Anne made it sound.

As they reached the center hall of the Victorian, Kate hurried down the winding staircase. The colors of the stained-glass window on the landing tinged her hair, and a smile lit her bright-blue eyes at the sight of the baby.

“Oh, let me take her, please. I’d just love to hold her.” Kate held out her hands.

Emilie leaned her head against Anne’s shoulder for a moment, considering, and then smiled, her chubby hands opening toward the woman. Emilie had apparently decided anyone who looked like Mrs. Santa Claus had to be a friend.

“You little sweetheart.” Kate settled the baby on her hip with the ease of long practice. “We’re going to be great friends while you’re here, I can just tell.”

“Thank you, Kate.” Anne touched Emilie’s cheek lightly. “I appreciate the help. It will just take me a few minutes to unload.”

“Take your time.” Kate carried the baby toward the wide archway into the front parlor. “We’ll get acquainted. I’m surprised Mitch isn’t here to get you settled. He’s always so helpful to his friends.”

Was that a question in Kate’s voice? Maybe this was her chance to refute any rumors the woman had heard. Or started, for that matter. She moved to the archway.

“Mitch and I aren’t that close. He probably didn’t even know when we were arriving.”

“Oh, I’m sure he did.” Kate turned from the breakfront cabinet, where she was showing Emilie a collection of china birds. “He keeps track of things. And when his old Army friend’s widow comes to visit…well, you can just be sure he’d keep track of that.” Kate’s round cheeks, like two red apples, plumped in a smile. “It’s so nice that you could keep in touch.”

“Old Army friend…how did you—” Leap to that conclusion—that was what she was thinking, but it hardly seemed polite to say so. She’d mentioned that she was a widow when she’d checked in the first time. Kate seemed to have embroidered the rest.

“Wanda had all sorts of ideas about why you were here.” Kate tickled Emilie’s chin. “I told her, ‘Count on it, that’ll be why. Mitch’s friends from the service have dropped by four or five times since he’s been back in Bedford Creek. That’s why Anne and her baby are here, too.’”

Mitch clearly knew his town a lot better than Anne did. She owed him an apology for thinking he was wrong about the stir her presence would create. As he’d said, she needed a reason to be here.

Anne opened her mouth and closed it again. What exactly could she say? Wanda, the dispatcher, had probably floated some much more colorful theories about Anne’s visit. If Anne denied Kate’s story, she’d just fuel the curiosity. She certainly wasn’t going to lie about it, but maybe the safest thing was to say nothing and let them think what they wanted.

“I’m sure Mitch is busy.” She settled on noncommittal. “I probably won’t see much of him while we’re here.”

Kate swung around again, eyebrows going up in surprise. “Not see much of him? Well, of course you will. After all, his house is right across the street.”

“Right—” She stopped. Anything she said now, she’d probably regret. Instead she headed back to the car for the next load, fuming.

So Mitch lived right across the street, did he? He might have mentioned that little fact about The Willows at some point in their discussion. He hadn’t wanted her to come back to Bedford Creek at all; that had been clear. He certainly didn’t want her to join in his investigation. But apparently he felt that if she did come, she should be under his eye.

Well, they’d get a few things straight as soon as possible. She was used to doing things on her own, and that wasn’t about to change now—

It looked as if she’d have a chance to tell him so in the immediate future, because his police cruiser was pulling up directly across from The Willows.

Mitch got out. He closed the door, hesitated a moment, and then headed straight for her.

“Anne. I see you arrived safely. Any problems?”

“Not at all.” She tried for a cool politeness. It would help, she thought, if she didn’t experience that jolt of awareness every time she saw his tall figure. “We just got in a few minutes ago.”

“I’ll take that.” He reached for the suitcase she’d begun to pull from the trunk, but she tightened her grip.

“I can handle it.”

“I’m sure you can.” His hand closed on the bag, his fingers brushing hers. “But why should you?”

“Because I don’t need any help.” Mitch Donovan had to be the only person in her life with the ability to make her sound like a petulant child.

They stood staring at each other, the bag trapped between them. Then his lips twitched slightly. “Something tells me that’s your favorite saying.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being independent.” She’d had to be, even when she was a child, even when she’d been married. She didn’t know any other way to behave.

You can’t do it all yourself, child. Helen’s voice echoed in her mind. Sometimes you have to let go and let God help.

“You can be independent and still let me carry your bag upstairs.”

She held on for another moment, then released the handle. With a half smile, he hoisted the bag, then grabbed a second one with his other hand.

Typical cop, she thought, following with an armload of her own. Give him an inch and he’d take a mile.

Unloading the car took only a few minutes with Mitch helping. She glanced around the same sitting room they’d had before, amazed as always at the amount of gear required by one small baby. Mitch set the stroller behind a bentwood coat rack.

“Looks like that’s it.”

She nodded. Maybe this was the chance she needed to set some ground rules for this visit. He had to understand that she wasn’t going to be a passive bystander to any investigation he planned.

“We need to talk. Have you found out anything more about Tina’s stay here?”

His eyebrows lifted. “It’s only been a day.”

“I don’t have much time, if you’ll recall. The hearing is in less than a month, and the results—”

The sentence came to an abrupt halt when Kate, holding the baby, stuck her head in the door. “Getting settled?”

Anne managed a nod, her heart thumping. In another instant she’d have said something about DNA testing, and Kate would have heard. She’d have to be more careful.

Mitch gestured toward the stroller. “Why don’t we take Emilie out for a walk? I’m sure she’s tired of being cooped up in the car.”

Now that was exactly what she didn’t want: to have the whole town see them together and speculate about them. “I don’t think so. I need to put things away.”