Face to Face (7 page)

Cassie didn't have the heart to tell the girl that might be a bad sign. "How far along are you?"

"Eight and a half months, give or take."

Thirty-four weeks. That give or take might mean all the difference to the baby. Cassie felt the girl's belly. "Anything hurt?" 

Athena winced when she palpated her left kidney and Cassie noticed bruising along her side. Fresh bruises, only a few days old at most. The baby didn't move under her touch, felt like it was vertex, though, that was good. A breech delivery in these conditions would be a nightmare. She grabbed her stethoscope. Even though it wasn't an obstetric one, this far along, she might be able to make out the baby's heart tones. Athena and Tagger watched her anxiously as she strained to hear. Finally she caught the faint heartbeat. Slow, maybe eighty beats a minute. Too slow.

"Tagger, we have to get her out of here. There has to be another door, right?"

His eyes darted past her before he nodded. "In the stairway. Opens onto the alley."

Now she understood why he'd taken her through the claustrophobic labyrinth. If Tagger showed his face in an alley full of Rippers, they’d kill him.

But she couldn't leave Athena to go herself. This baby had to be delivered soon—or it might die.

"Athena, I'm going to examine you down there. Try to exhale, blow your breath out, it might feel a bit uncomfortable." Nothing compared to a baby passing through the same area, but she didn't tell the girl that. Cassie slipped on a pair of vinyl gloves and did a manual exam. Athena sucked her breath in and clenched her muscles for a moment. Cassie tried to help her relax. "Jane, is that what your baby's name is going to be?"

"Plain, simple Jane," Athena said. Tagger gave her another drink as Cassie finished. "Nothing fancy like mine—nothing she has to live up to. She's gonna be her own woman."

Cassie gave the girl a grim smile. "I think you've done a fine job of living up to your name, Athena." 

"Is my Baby Jane all right?"

"She will be if we can deliver her soon. Her head's all the way down, she's ready to go, but I don't think she can wait much longer."

"Why not?"

"She's been too stressed and now her heart is beginning to slow. When you feel the next contraction, I want you to try pushing."

"I can't, they hurt too much and I'm too tired." The girl sounded desperate, at the end of her strength. Cassie could only imagine. How long had she been hiding here, without proper food or water? Living in the dark like an animal. No place to bring a new life into the world.

Athena's body writhed in pain as another contraction shot through her. Cassie pulled one of the girl's legs back, nodded to Tagger to do the same with the other. 

"Good girl, Athena. Just breathe. Like this." She demonstrated a panting type of stacked breaths. Athena's eyes squeezed shut as her entire body strained to push her baby out. "Good, good. Just like that," Cassie coached her. A glimpse of dark hair appeared as the baby crowned. 

Athena collapsed, gasping for air. Cassie relaxed the girl's leg. "It won't be long now." She opened her knapsack, gathered her supplies. She'd cut the cord with her Leatherman, bundle the baby in her foil emergency blanket, tie the cord with a piece of nylon cording. As long as Athena didn't hemorrhage and the baby didn't get stuck, things should work out.

Except for the dozen Rippers between them and escape. No wonder the paramedics hadn't arrived yet. Probably drove past the place and decided it was a crank call. Surely Tony Spanos wouldn't give up that easily. But could he find them?

The idea of having the burly Greek at her side as they faced the Rippers gave Cassie a little hope. Only person she'd rather see would be Drake. 

She listened to the baby's heartbeat again. Down to seventy. Another contraction tore through Athena who bit down on her own hand in an effort to remain quiet.

Cassie admired the girl's fortitude. Last thing they needed was a bunch of Rippers barging in during the delivery. She positioned Tagger so he could hold Athena's legs and she would be free to catch the baby.

"The head's right there," she told Athena. "Keep pushing, you can do it." Had better do it. She wasn't sure how low the baby's heart rate would drop with contractions. The added stress might be too much for Baby Jane. "C'mon, little girl. You made it this far, just a few more inches. Your momma's waiting for you."

Cassie gently ran her fingers along the rim of the birth canal, helping Athena's muscles to stretch. She hadn't caught a baby in a while. This one sure had a lot of hair for being so early. She felt Athena's strength flag even though the contraction was still strong.

"Breathe, Athena. Now!" she commanded as the girl's eyes fluttered and her body went limp for a moment. "You can do it! Push!"

Athena squinched her face up and bore down. The baby's head popped free, into Cassie's waiting hand. She had no suction available, so did her best to clear the baby's airway with a piece of gauze. "Good girl, hold on just a moment. The head is out."

Cassie rotated the baby's head, checked for a cord around her neck. None. Good, one less thing to worry about. "All right, one more push. Now!"

Athena complied, her breath escaping in a strangled moan. Cassie delivered the baby's shoulder, the rest of the body following effortlessly. She laid the baby on the space blanket and dried it off. 

C'mon, breathe. Please, just breathe
, Cassie prayed.

"Tagger, tie the cord in two places and cut between it," Cassie told him, her attention focused on the baby who had yet to take her first breath.

"What's wrong?" Athena gasped, tears filling her voice. "Why's she so quiet?"

Cassie was too busy trying to check Baby Jane’s heart rate to answer. Eighty. C'mon, Jane. She mercilessly flicked the baby's feet and rubbed her back, while bending over, blowing in her face.

"She's beautiful," Tagger whispered in a reverent tone. 

Only if you liked a dusky shade of purple. Cassie was about to start mouth to mouth on the limp baby when Jane's eyes popped open and she gurgled in a deep breath, followed by a lusty cry that brought tears to Cassie's eyes. "Good girl."

Once Jane's color was a healthy pink, Cassie bundled the baby in the blanket and placed her in Athena's arms. The loud squeals of a good set of healthy lungs echoed through the room.

Thank you, God
, Cassie thought. 

Now what about those gang-bangers hanging outside the door?

Suddenly light spilled in from the direction of the stairway accompanied by the sound of heavy, running footsteps. 

Cassie sucked in her breath, desperately scanned the area for a weapon. Her fingers closed on a length of rebar and she held it at the ready, standing between the three children and the intruder.

CHAPTER 8 

"Someone call for a taxi?" Tony Spanos' voice boomed through the narrow room.

"In here," Cassie called. The knot twisting her stomach finally relaxed. Athena cooed to her baby; both mother and child seemed out of danger. They could deliver the placenta at Three Rivers, get Athena antibiotics and pitocin. Not to mention evaluate her other injuries.

"What did you do with the Rippers?" Cassie asked as Tony crouched down beside her. She stripped the bloody gloves from her hands and shoved everything back into her pack.

"After they scared the medics away, I knocked a few of them senseless and the rest went scrambling. The cops are on the way, but the Rippers will be back soon, so we'd best hurry."

She heartily agreed. She had no desire to spend another second down here in this dark hellhole. "You carry Athena. I'll take the baby."

Athena clutched Jane to her chest as if frightened she'd never see her daughter again. Cassie gently disengaged the girl's hands and cradled the baby herself. "It's all right, Athena. It's only until we get to the hospital."

Tony effortlessly scooped Athena's thin frame into his arms. "Good thing I heard that baby crying, I never would have found yunz."

Tagger stood to one side, staring at the door with apprehension. "Maybe I'd best go out the way I came in."

"No." Athena reached for his hand.

"She's right, Tagger. You'll be safest with us." Cassie handed the flashlight to the boy, hoping having a weapon, however small, might give him some courage. He nodded and followed Tony out. Cassie hesitated then gripped the rebar. She was more than happy to be leaving the dark confines of the Stackhouse behind.

"Are you ever going to have a story to tell when you get older," she whispered to Baby Jane as she scrambled up the steps.

<><><>

Drake fled from Burns' bedroom. Call him a coward, but he was tired of Pamela ambushing him from every direction. He was ready to get the hell out of Dodge. Now.

He stopped short in the living room, tried to regain his composure. There had to be a dozen buildings in this neighborhood where you could see Pamela's apartment from. He'd probably been inside most of them without ever noticing. It was the stalker, worming his way into Drake's brain with his sick mind games. 

"I'm going to send some guys to check for fingerprints," he told Burns. Fat lot of good it would do, but worth a shot.

She nodded mutely then burst into tears. Aw hell, not again. Before he could offer her his handkerchief, she grabbed her purse and rummaged through it. 

"Hold this," she said, handing him a black patent leather wallet that matched the purse. Then she withdrew a delicate piece of embroidered linen and wiped her tears, while he stood there holding her wallet in one hand, the purse in the other, wishing he'd called in sick this morning.

If he had, he'd already be at the Lake. He and Hart sailing, catching cool breezes not found here in this pressure cooker of a city. He could see Hart laughing, the wind dancing her hair as he showed her how to handle the small Sunfish. Just a few more hours. He could hang on that long.

Burns sniffed one more time and looked up at him with large, hazel eyes dripping with need. "Am I all right here?" She reached a hand out, rested it on his arm. "You'll protect me, make sure nothing happens?"

Not him, lady. Not until after this weekend anyway. 

"We'll do the best we can," he tried to reassure her. "But you might want to stay with a friend for a few days. Until you get the locks changed, at least."

She straightened, trying and failing to appear brave. "Could I—could I call you if anything happens, Detective Drake?" 

He gave her his card, the one with the station house number, not his private numbers. "You can call this twenty-four hours a day."

She looked down at the card, a small frown crossing her features as if she realized a brush-off when she saw one. He sure as hell hoped she did.

Jimmy's heavy steps sounded from the staircase. "I've got to get going. Don't touch anything more until the crime scene technicians are done. And remember to ask for their ID before you let them inside."

She nodded her head like a little girl chastened by past mistakes and anxious to please. "Yes, I will. Thank you." He was already halfway out the door, eager to be leaving her presence. "I'll see you later, Detective Drake."

Not if he saw her first. Jeezit, did the Burglary guys owe them big time on this one. He stole a glance back at Burns who was hanging over the railing at the top of the steps, watching him leave. Maybe she was pretty in that Hollywood too-thin way. 

If only he didn't already have Hart. He stopped short. Had he really fallen so far he couldn't even look at another woman? In just five short months?

No, no way. He always promised himself he'd never be tied down, never be one of those men who let a woman control their entire existence. True, he loved Hart, he really did. But she didn't own him or anything.

He stood his ground, and in defiance of the feelings spiraling through him at the thought of Hart, he raised his head and met Burns' gaze with a smile. The smile she returned was full wattage as she leaned further, giving him a glimpse of her ample cleavage. 

Drake fled down the steps, already regretting his impulse, meeting Jimmy on the third floor landing. Christ, he was a heel. What the hell was he thinking, smiling at a victim like that—just to prove he could, that he still had it in him to make a woman look at him with lust in her eyes? 

And the worst thing was, his body had responded to Burns' interest even as his mind kept thinking of Hart. 

"What's wrong with you?" Jimmy asked when Drake stood there like a mope.

"I'm an idiot."

"Could've told you that. What's the deal?"

"Not your typical B and E. I think we might have a peeper who got lucky—hopefully won't be escalating anytime soon, but we should have CSU take a look, see if they can find any prints worth running."

"No one else in the building saw, heard, or lost anything. Looks like our actor climbed right up to the top of the building."

They continued down the steps and out to the car. "So he knows Burns—or at least where she lives."

"Name's on the mailbox," Jimmy supplied, "with little hearts drawn around it."

Next time Drake saw Monica Burns, he was going to lecture her on life in the big, bad city. 

"We'll get the boys working on it. Not much else we can do today." Drake slouched in the seat as Jimmy steered the Intrepid back toward East Liberty and the House. "Might as well call it quits."

To his surprise, Jimmy stopped in front of the Blarney Stone, the bar Drake's first partner, Andy Greally, owned. Jimmy turned and looked at him. "You going tell me what the hell is going on?"

Drake was silent. Last thing he wanted was to get anyone else involved. Pamela's suicide raked up, his co-workers doubting him again. Especially not Jimmy. He stared at the vent, wishing the air conditioner could go higher.

Jimmy turned the ignition off but made no move to leave the car. "I can take the heat."

The car quickly grew stifling. An oven roasting in the relentless sun. Drake debated his options—all of which conspired to make him look a fool. Or more of a fool than he already appeared. Besides, if you couldn't trust your partner....