Deceived Read online

  Why did Kate Marshall have a picture of Todd?

  How had she gotten it?

  What did she plan to do with it?

  After rehashing those questions for hours, he was no closer to answers now than he’d been two minutes after hearing the startling news. But he needed to find them—and Diane was his only hope. She already had a connection with the Marshall woman. An in. The challenge was to convince her to help him.

  And it was a formidable one, in light of her miffed reaction to his recent efforts to temporarily cool things down between them.

  As he lifted his Coke and scanned the area again, he caught sight of her over the heads of a group of little girls. Rising, he waved until he caught her attention.

  He watched as she wove through the clusters of chattering children and swiveled sideways, out of the path of a group of boys making a beeline for the arcade area. She looked trim and appealing in her jeans and silky blouse, every hair in place, her makeup perfect. Her ex-husband ought to be behind bars for the way he’d treated her. How could a man hurt a woman he said he loved? At least she’d dumped the bum. And despite her bad experience with men, she’d opened the door to a relationship with him.

  Though judging by her taut posture, that door might be closing fast—and at the worst possible time.

  He pulled out a chair as she approached. “Sorry about the setting, but it’s better than go-karts.”

  “I’m sure the kids love it.” Setting her purse on the table, she slid into her seat and plaited her fingers, her shoulders stiff.

  Not good.

  “You look very nice. New blouse?”

  Her brow wrinkled. “Yes.”

  No smile. No thank you. Why would she take offense at a compliment?

  Clueless, he changed the subject. “Thanks for coming. Todd and his friend are in the arcade, but he just stopped by to see if you were here yet. He was really excited about you joining us. In case you haven’t noticed, he’s one of your biggest fans.”

  Her forehead smoothed out. “The feeling’s mutual. He’s a great kid.”

  “Yeah, he is.”

  Silence fell between them, and suddenly he was grateful for the din. It covered the awkward gap in conversation.

  Odd. In the past, they’d had no problem chatting. Their easy give-and-take was one of the things he liked most about being with Diane. If there was an occasional lull in their conversations, she always filled it with a humorous story about her day or a question about his.

  At the moment, however, she was making zero effort to communicate.

  Another negative sign.

  He gripped the cup of soda, his stomach churning. Might as well get to the subject that was front and center in his mind. The noise in the place provided excellent cover for a confidential discussion, and the kids wouldn’t be back for a few more minutes unless they ignored his warning and burned through their tokens.

  Resting his forearms on the table, he leaned closer to her. “I’ve been thinking all day about that picture you saw in your job counselor’s office.”

  She redirected her attention from a passing birthday party group to him. “Have you come up with any explanation?”

  “No, but I’m more curious than ever. Where was it exactly?”

  “In a file folder. She went out to get us some tea, and I decided to stretch my legs. As I passed her desk, my jacket caught the end of the folder and it flew off. The picture slid out as it fell.”

  He bit back a word he knew she wouldn’t like. If the picture hadn’t been visible and Kate didn’t know Diane had seen it, how could she introduce it into conversation? Dig for information?

  Greg sighed and took a long swallow of his drink. That probably hadn’t been a realistic strategy, anyway. If the photo was of Todd, as he suspected, and there was some sort of investigation going on, Kate wouldn’t talk about it with a client.

  He set his drink back on the table.

  “You’re worried about this, aren’t you?” Diane’s gaze was fixed on his fingers, and he looked down at them. They were trembling.

  Wrapping them around his drink, he nodded. No sense denying the obvious. “Yeah. I wish there was some way to find out the story behind it. Thinking about a stranger having a picture of my son freaks me out.”

  “I can understand that.” She tapped a polished nail against the surface of the table. “You know . . . this might be a crazy idea, but since Todd is adopted, do you think there’s any chance she could be his birth mother?”

  His heart stuttered, and the breath jammed in his windpipe. “Why would you say that?”

  “I don’t know what your adoption arrangements were or who you went through, but I read once that some agencies require adoptive parents to send pictures and stuff so the birth mother can follow her child’s progress. All without names, of course.”

  He pulled out the answer he always gave when questions about the adoption came up. “I’ve heard that too, and I never liked it. We used a lawyer who hooked people up with women who wanted to do private adoptions. Part of our agreement was that there would never be any contact and both parties would remain anonymous. I thought that would be less confusing for the child.”

  She shrugged. “So much for that theory.”

  “I appreciate you helping me think through this, though.” Taking a chance, he reached over and covered her hand with his. She gave him a surprised look—but didn’t pull away. “More than that, I appreciate having you in my life. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in a long time. I’m also grateful for your patience while I work through this recent stuff with Todd.”

  Her gaze flicked down to their joined hands, and she drew an unsteady breath. “I don’t like being left in the dark, Greg. Or being manipulated. That’s how I’ve felt for the past couple of weeks with you.”

  “I’m sorry for that. The last thing in the world I want to do is hurt you or make you feel used. You’ve had enough of that kind of treatment to last the rest of your life.”

  Even before he finished saying the words, guilt rippled through him. He hadn’t used her yet, but he was getting ready to—and there was no way around it. She was the only one who could get him the answers he needed.

  On the other hand, he wasn’t using her in a bad sense. He did care about her, and he’d tell her his story if he could. Since that wasn’t possible, he’d have to solve this problem fast so he could get on with his life—a life he hoped would include Diane as part of a brand-new family unit. She wouldn’t mind being used if she knew that was his goal, that he wanted them to be together.

  Would she?

  She searched his eyes, and he hoped she saw the caring, not the conflict.

  Her demeanor softened, and he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

  “If I have the opportunity to ask a few discreet questions at my next appointment with Kate, do you want me to see what I can find out? I won’t mention you or Todd.”

  The very request he’d been planning to make.

  “If you could, that would be great. And yeah, until we see what she has to say, I think it would be smart if you didn’t say anything about Todd or me. When are you going back?”

  “I left without setting up an appointment, but I don’t think I’ll have a problem getting in by Tuesday or Wednesday. From what I’ve heard, Kate finds time for clients who need to see her, even if she has to stay late.”

  “Hey, Diane! You came!” Todd skidded to a stop beside the table, Kyle beside him.

  “I never miss a birthday party if I can help it.”

  “Can we eat now, Dad? We’re getting hungry.”

  “Sure. How does pizza sound?”

  “Awesome!”

  “Sorry I can’t offer you more gourmet fare.” He smiled his apology at Diane.

  Her return smile seemed genuine. “Pizza’s fine.”

  Greg placed the order, and there was no more problem with awkward silences during the meal. The two boys chattered nonstop, and Diane
joined in.

  As they finished off the pizza and he dispensed the last of the tokens, she picked up her purse.

  A wave of disappointment crashed over him. In her presence, the loneliness that plagued him always retreated. Once she left, it would come roaring back, despite the boisterous crowd. “Are you leaving?”

  “Yes. I have a few errands to do.” She rose.

  He had no choice but to stand as well. “I’ll walk you out. Boys, I’ll be back in five minutes. Meet me here after you’ve used up all those tokens.”

  “Okay.” Todd dashed off, his friend in tow.

  He followed her toward the entrance, wishing he could convince her to stay a few minutes longer. Not that he blamed her for making a fast exit from noise city, but . . .

  “Diane! Nice to see you.”

  A tall, gray-haired man with kindly eyes held out his hand, and Diane stopped to take it.

  “Reverend Howard—what a surprise.”

  “I’m playing grandpa today.” He gestured to the two young girls holding hands beside him. “These are Carol’s daughter’s children. They’re in town for a few days.” He leaned around Diane and offered his hand. “Bill Howard.”

  Greg returned the man’s firm clasp and introduced himself.

  “Sorry for my lack of manners.” A faint pink stain crept over Diane’s cheeks. “I was just taken aback to see you here. Greg is . . . a friend of mine.”

  At her slight hesitation, the minister’s expression grew speculative, and Greg shifted under his scrutiny. Although the man’s smile never wavered, his intent eyes suggested he could see things Greg had taken great pains to hide. His minister in Cleveland had been like that too. Another reason he’d stopped going to church.

  “Well, in that case, let me issue a personal invitation to join us some Sunday for services. You’d be very welcome—and we serve great donuts.”

  “Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

  The little girls tugged on the man’s pants leg, and he gave Diane a sheepish shrug. “It appears my charges are growing impatient. Will I see you at church tomorrow?”

  “Of course.”

  “Excellent. I’ll be preaching on Ephesians 4:31–32. A great passage that offers excellent advice.” The man’s comment encompassed him, and Greg looked down and fiddled with the phone on his belt.

  “I’ll look forward to it. Your sermons are always wonderful.”

  “Thank you, my dear. Enjoy the rest of your day.”

  As the little girls pulled him farther into the cavernous facility, Diane continued in silence toward the exit. Greg followed.

  At the front door, she paused. “I’m glad you got to meet my pastor. I think you’d enjoy his services—and as I’ve learned over the past few months, they mean even more when life is challenging. I know Todd would like the Sunday school, and attending might give you some comfort.”

  He doubted it. God wouldn’t want the likes of him darkening the door of his house.

  “Maybe someday, Diane.” At the flicker of disappointment in her eyes, he threw in a caveat. “He seems like a nice man, though.”

  “Very.” She glanced back in the direction he’d disappeared. “He’s had a lot of his own problems to overcome, but things worked out. Getting to play grandfather is a blessing he never thought he’d enjoy.”

  “Why is that?”

  “His first wife ran off many years ago and took their toddler daughter. Fell off the face of the earth, apparently. Reverend Howard searched everywhere—hired a PI too, from what I’ve been able to gather—but no one ever found a trace of either of them.” Diane shook her head. “Can you imagine how devastated he must have been to lose not only his wife but the daughter he loved? Even if she wanted out of the marriage, why would a woman deprive a man of his child?”

  Greg shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans and fisted them. “Hard to say. So who are the kids with him today?”

  “He remarried a few years ago, to a widow with two older children who’ve since supplied him with grandkids to love.” She pulled out her keys. “I have to run. No need to walk me to my car. I found a space near the door.” She gestured toward the lot, and he spotted her car a few spaces down the row directly in front. “I’ll call you after my next appointment with Kate and let you know if I was able to find out anything helpful.”

  She started to turn away, and he touched her arm. “Thanks for doing this.”

  For a long moment, she searched his face. “No problem. Enjoy the rest of Todd’s birthday.”

  He pushed the door open for her, and as she slipped out, the heat smacked him in the face. Taking a quick step back, he let the door shut. Within seconds, cool air enveloped him.

  If only he could as easily escape the heat bearing down on him thanks to that photo in Kate Marshall’s possession.

  But he’d find a way to solve the problem. To remove any impediments to his security. He’d taken an enormous risk to build a new life with Todd, and nothing was going to jeopardize it.

  Nothing.

  He would protect what was his—no matter what the cost.

  Because losing another son was not an option.

  15

  David Sanders was dead.

  Connor stared at the death notice he’d stumbled across after two hours of fruitless searching the Net for a photo of the boy.

  A photo he no longer needed.

  He noted the date on the write-up from the Cleveland Plain Dealer—three and a half years ago—then read the short piece. David was identified as the beloved son of Greg and the late Jennifer Sanders. Services had been held at Community Christian Church. Burial had been private. No cause of death was provided.

  But he now had confirmation that the boy in the mall wasn’t Sanders’s son.

  Things were starting to get very interesting.

  It was time to burrow into both Sanders’s and John Marshall’s background. To turn over every stone and delve into every crevice in search of the link Dev had referenced during their basketball game this morning. If the boy in the mall was Kate’s son, the connection would be there—somewhere.

  Positioning his fingers over the keys, he started with Marshall.

  Two hours later, when his cell began to vibrate, he rotated the kinks out of his neck and pulled it off his belt. Dev.

  “So did you find a picture of Sanders’s son?”

  Connor took a swig of warm soda that had lost its fizz while he’d been engrossed in his search. Grimacing, he set the can aside on his kitchen table. “You must be really bored if you’re still thinking about my case.”

  “Nope. Looking for an excuse to take a break from vacuuming.”

  Connor’s eyebrows rose. “You’re cleaning your apartment? What’s the occasion? A presidential visit?”

  “Very funny.”

  “I’m not kidding. There has to be some compelling reason for your sudden interest in tidiness.”

  “You make it sound like I’m a slob.”

  “If the shoes fits . . .”

  “Ha-ha. Okay, fine. Laura’s coming over for dinner. I’m barbecuing. Satisfied?”

  Connor grinned. “Yep.”

  “So did you come up with anything?”

  “Not on the picture—but as it turns out, I don’t need one. His son died three and a half years ago.”

  A beat ticked by. “What happened to him?”

  “I haven’t found out yet. But I’ve read a whole lot more about Kate’s husband and his work.”

  “Say . . .” Dev’s tone grew speculative. “Wasn’t he some kind of pediatric specialist?”

  Nice to know their minds were again tracking in the same direction.

  “Yes. He treated and studied childhood neural disorders.”

  “I wonder if that’s your link? Except Sanders lived in Cleveland and your client’s husband practiced in Rochester.”

  “Top-tier specialists often consult with patients in other parts of the country. And her husband was definitely big-league in hi
s field, with a list of research papers and awards a mile long.”

  “Good point. Could Kate find out whether her husband ever saw Sanders’s son?”

  “I don’t know.” Connor leaned back and looked out the window at the pot of toasted geraniums on his porch railing. The gift from a grateful client had succumbed to the heat sometime over the past two weeks. Of course, it would have helped if he’d remembered to water it. Somehow that chore—along with a lot of others—had slipped his mind since Kate had slipped into his life. “HIPAA laws are tough . . . but I was getting ready to discuss it with her when you called.”

  “Then I won’t keep you. Could be you’re finally on to something.”

  Connor scrubbed a hand down his face and shifted his attention back to his computer screen. “Maybe. I’ll be more certain of that once I get a cause of death for Sanders’s son and can establish if he was a patient of Kate’s husband.”

  “The latter might be tricky, but you lucked out on the first one, since Ohio has open access to birth and death records.”

  “There might be faster ways to get that info.”

  “Are you thinking pretext?”

  “A strong possibility. But I’ll initiate the query with Vital Statistics as a backup.”

  “Let me know if I can help.”

  “Considering how your apartment looked on my last visit, I think you’d better make cleaning your top priority unless you want Laura to back out of that engagement you talked her into.”

  “Yeah.” A sigh came over the line. “The vacuum is giving me the evil eye as we speak. Talk to you later.”

  As the line went dead, Connor scrolled down to Kate’s cell number and pressed autodial. She answered with a breathless hello.

  “It’s Connor. Sounds like I caught you on the run.”

  “I was heading out the door, but your timing is great. I’d forgotten my cell was in the charger and would have left without it. Do you have some news?”