THE CRADLE CONSPIRACY (16 page)

“Hope,” Elijah said, clearing his throat. “The baby’s name is Hope.”

Raven’s face lit up in a smile. Daniel had never seen such an expression of joy on her face.

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. “She’s real, Daniel.” Raven buried her face in his shirt, her choking sobs unstoppable. “She’s real. Hope’s mine. She’s my baby.”

“Yes, darlin’, she’s yours.” Daniel set Raven back and wiped her tears away with his thumb.

“But where is she?” Raven asked.

“Elijah?” Daniel prompted, praying there was more good news, but when silence settled over the phone, he grimaced. “Can you tell us anything else?”

The forensics expert cleared his throat. “Raven has full custody, no visitation for the ex-husband, Wayne, and there’s no nanny, but, I’m sorry, Rav...Olivia, I don’t know where Hope is.”

“I have to find her. And, Elijah, call me Raven,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around herself. “I don’t know how I feel about this Olivia Harrison yet.”

Daniel hugged her close, and she collapsed against his chest, the pressure of the past few days finally taking its toll. He wanted to promise her the world, but despite the progress he’d made, his demons could coming roaring back anytime. So he’d conquered the sound of a whip. His other issues would be much harder.

Daniel faced the fact that he might not be there for her forever, but he could find Raven’s daughter. He ignored how his throat had closed off at the idea of letting Raven go. He shoved the regret from his mind. “Run a check on Wayne Harrison. I want to know if he owns a motorcycle, a Harley in particular,
and
if he has any connection to the mines surrounding Trouble, Texas.”

“Will do,” Elijah said. “We’ll get back to you with the information and his address.”

He signed off, and Raven took a few deep breaths. “You think my husband did this?”

Daniel shrugged. “It’s a strong possibility. Most of the time when a child disappears, a family member is responsible. He never reported you missing. That could mean he didn’t want your absence noticed.”

“No one reported me. Don’t I have
any
friends or relatives? Was I all alone?”

Daniel couldn’t stop himself from touching her in an attempt to comfort her, to keep the possibilities from tearing apart her hope. With each caress she leaned into him more, and something deep within him shifted as he eased closer. How would he live without her?

“Why would he take the baby?” she asked, her voice etched with pain.

“Maybe he changed his mind. Maybe he regretted giving her up. I could never give up my daughter unless...unless I was a danger to her well-being.”

She fisted the material of his shirt. “You’d never hurt someone you love.”

He appreciated her faith, but it was misplaced. “My father had flashbacks like I do. He ruined my sisters’ lives. He hurt them badly.”

“He hurt you, too.” She tightened her grip. “How did you cope with his death?”

Daniel wrapped his arms around her. “I became the man of the family after he killed himself. I did what I had to do.” He tilted her head to him and stared at her lips. They parted, inviting him to lose himself in her. But he knew Raven being with him would ultimately break her heart. Not to mention his own.

Thankfully his phone trilled again. He pressed Speaker. “Adams.”

“Olivia?” a man’s questioning voice filtered into the truck. “I’m looking for Olivia Harrison. I was told I could reach her at this number.”

Daniel squeezed the phone until his knuckles whitened. Who the hell was giving out his private line? “Who are you?”

“Wayne Harrison.”

Raven bit her lip. “Wayne?”

“Yeah. You sound strange. Are you all right?”

Even though Daniel didn’t know her ex, and Wayne’s words were all fine, his voice was off. Very hesitant and cautious. Something was wrong.

Daniel scowled. Or else Daniel just hated the guy on principle. What kind of jerk would give up his daughter—or Raven?

She finally answered. “I’m fine...”

“Then where have you been? I’ve been worried. I called your house a half-dozen times.” Wayne’s voice broke. “I mean, I know I’m your ex, but even then—” He sounded sincere, like he really cared that she’d been missing. Daniel would give him that.

According to the article on both Olivia and her ex that Elijah had sent to Daniel’s phone, the guy was an accountant with an Ivy League education, and he made a good living. Why wouldn’t someone smart like Olivia want to be with someone like Wayne Harrison? They made a perfect couple. Steady, reliable.

“Umm...why were you trying to reach me?”

Wayne paused. “Look, this guy called me asking about your daughter. I told him I’d signed over full custody and don’t have anything to do with her, but he doesn’t believe me. He claims he’s her birth father. I thought you said the woman we paid had full rights. Did you make that up?”

“Are you saying you don’t have the baby?” Raven asked softly.

“Why would you ask me that?” Wayne asked, his voice low. “Of course I don’t have her. What’s wrong with you, Olivia?”

Raven bowed her head. If her ex didn’t have Hope, then they were back to square one—except they knew her name.

“What was the birth father’s name?” she asked, taking her cue from Daniel.

“He didn’t tell me. Look,” Wayne said, “let me come over right now, and we can talk about this. I don’t... I’m concerned. You sound really weird.”

Daniel shook his head, and Raven tipped her head in agreement. “I can’t. There are things happening...”

“Fine. I get it,” Wayne interrupted. “I know I let you down when I didn’t want to raise someone else’s kid. I thought I could do it, so sue me. But, Olivia, we can still be friends.”

“I don’t know,” Raven answered.

Wayne’s voice dropped to nearly a whisper. “We need to talk. This guy. He’s—” Wayne grunted. “Dangerous. If I can’t come to you, then come my way. I’m at the El Paso house.”

She bit her lip and sent Daniel a questioning look. He debated. Wayne could be telling the truth. Maybe, just maybe, they’d get a lead. Daniel nodded his agreement, and simultaneously sent out a text to Elijah and Noah to track down more information.

“I’ll be there,” she said.

“Soon?” Wayne urged. “Could you come now?”

“As soon as I can,” she promised.

Daniel ended the call, then punched in Elijah’s and Noah’s numbers for a three-way conversation. When they were on the line, Daniel let the temper he’d been holding flare. “Which one of you boneheads gave Wayne Harrison my cell number?”

“I did.” Elijah’s voice was matter-of-fact, calm and nonapologetic. “Sheriff Galloway contacted him during our investigation. The guy called back, said he needed to talk to his wife. From GPS I got his location. Figured we wanted to have a conversation with him one way or another. He still a suspect?”

Daniel rubbed the back of his neck where a tension headache had started moving up his skull. Elijah was right, damn him. Daniel glanced at Raven. He was emotionally involved. He couldn’t deny it, and it was affecting his judgment.

“The conversation was odd,” Daniel said, clutching the phone tighter, “but I don’t think he has the baby. He does have answers, but he’s evasive.”

“Then we go to him,” Noah said.

The options kept narrowing, particularly without a birth certificate. Daniel knew they were missing a piece, something critical, something important. Something that would reveal who wanted Raven dead and who had taken her child. If it wasn’t Wayne, then who? And why? There had to be a reason.

Daniel just prayed that when he figured out the truth, it wouldn’t be too late.

* * *

C
HRISTOPHER
SHOVED
THE
gun into Wayne Harrison’s temple. “Well done. Guess this shows you why you shouldn’t leave your back door unlocked. You never know who will just walk in off the streets.”

Wayne dropped the phone back on the cradle. “Please. Take anything you want, just let me go. I did what you asked. I don’t know anything.”

“Shut up before you piss me off. Do you have a basement?” Christopher asked.

“W-why? What are you going to do to me?” Wayne’s voice shook.

“Not very brave, are you? What, you think I’m going to kill you down there, bury your body like some deranged serial killer?” Christopher chuckled. “Might be a change of pace, but I’m on a mission, my friend. A very important mission.”

Christopher dragged the gun’s barrel across Wayne’s cheek. “You paid fifty thousand bucks for my kid, didn’t you?”

“I didn’t want to,” Wayne protested. “It was all Olivia. She met the mother at the ob-gyn, and the woman said she couldn’t take care of her baby. When Olivia lost our baby, she got in touch with her. That’s all I know.”

Christopher twisted around to backhand the coward. “What was the mother’s name?”

Wayne rubbed the blood from his lip, his eyes wide and wary.

Christopher again pushed the gun to Wayne’s head. “Her name, or you’re dead.”

“Chelsea Rivera.” The words rushed out.

“You’re dead. You know too much.”

“Please,” Wayne begged. “I don’t know who you are. I won’t tell anyone. I swear.”

Christopher kicked the man in the groin. Wayne collapsed, and Christopher shoved him over onto his back. “Men like you disgust me. My father chewed people like you up and spit them out his entire career. My mother was right. We end this here. Today. My daughters will be with me from now on.”

He pressed his boot into Wayne’s windpipe. The guy turned red and sucked in short breaths. “Now, where’s the basement?”

Gasping for air, Wayne pointed to a door just across the living room.

“Crawl,” Christopher ordered. “Belly crawl like the sniveling worm you are.”

Wayne made his way slowly to the door and opened it. A narrow staircase disappeared into the dark.

Christopher smiled, checking the layout. Perfect. One exit. One entrance. Like shooting targets during boot camp. Tad would’ve had fun with this one. A small twinge of regret nipped at Christopher’s conscience. Tad had been a good friend. He shouldn’t have died like that. The man watching over Raven would pay. Christopher would take his time finishing off that one.

“Get up and turn on the light, Harrison.”

Wayne rose and flipped the switch.

“Down the stairs.”

Suddenly Wayne whirled around and shoved his shoulder into Christopher’s chest. He stumbled back.

“Idiot.” Christopher raised his gun and fired a gut shot. Harrison was dead. He just didn’t know it yet.

Blood seeped through his shirt. Wayne groaned and grabbed at the wound. “You’re crazy!”

Christopher shook his head. “My dad taught me how to shoot. Uncle Sam taught me how to kill.” He grabbed Harrison’s hair and gazed into the coward’s fearful eyes. “Now get down there. I’m not through with you yet.”

Chapter Eleven

Raven didn’t think Daniel could drive any faster. He whizzed around the curves like an Indy driver. She peered into the afternoon sun and eyed a street sign for North Mesa. If Trouble didn’t have dog ears, she might just scream. Instead she clenched her fist, her nails biting into her palm.

“Not familiar?” Daniel asked.

“Not a glimmer, and I’m starting to wonder if I’ll ever remember.”

“It’s only been a few days. You’re still healing.” He set his hand next to hers on the seat. “Even if you don’t, you’ll go on. You’ll create a new life. You and your daughter—when we find her.”

Her heart fluttered at the nearness of his hand. But he didn’t hold it. Was he trying to tell her something? To pull away? Her heart stuttered a bit, because in her mind, she could see a picture as clearly as the landscape through this upscale neighborhood. Daniel, her, Hope. A life together. She would be his.
If
he wanted her.

She couldn’t call it love, because she had no frame of reference, but if love meant your heart skipped whenever he whispered your name, if love meant trusting a man with
your
life, with your child’s life, if love meant having complete faith a man would always think of you before he thought of himself, if love meant knowing a man could be counted on to protect you heart and soul, then she had to believe she loved Daniel.

She clutched at her shirt just above her heart and took a shuddering breath. My God. She loved him. Suddenly she couldn’t think; her leg bounced and she tried to focus, watching his hands steer, his eyes study the surroundings and his small smile when he met her gaze.

He pulled up to a large two-story house, the white stucco gleaming and the red tile contrasting, and stopped. “Your ex has a nice place,” he said, lowering the windows a bit and opening the door.

Trouble started barking frantically, turning on the seat.

“Trouble. Stay,” he said. The dog jumped into the backseat and stuck his nose out the window. “Don’t worry, I’ll leave the air-conditioning on for you, but this isn’t the kind of neighborhood you can roam free in.” He glanced around. The place oozed upper middle class. “I don’t want to bail you out of the dog pound.”

Raven unlocked her car door but stopped when Daniel’s phone rang. He glanced down and hit Speaker. “How close are you?”

“Not too far,” Noah said. He paused for a second. “Do you want the scoop on Olivia Harrison?”

Raven’s back tensed. She bit her lip. Did she want to know? What if—?

Coward. They needed whatever would help them find the baby. She didn’t matter. Her daughter did. She sent Daniel a quick nod.

“Give us what’s relevant.”

“Raven, honey? You okay with that?” Noah said softly.

“I need to know,” she said, her voice barely loud enough to be heard.

“Well, you got a few facts from that bio in the wedding announcement, but you caught yourself a smart one, Daniel. Try to let some rub off on you. Olivia graduated magna cum laude in biochemistry. Figured out something about DNA sequencing that I can’t understand. She’s got several patents that brought in a boatload of money. That house you’re standing in front of? Her ex got it in the divorce settlement.”

“I’m not surprised she’s smart,” Daniel said. “When she started spouting off chemical formulas on day one, I knew she was something special.”

Raven’s cheeks heated, and she squirmed in her seat.

Noah cleared his throat. “I did find out one thing. Brace yourself, honey. You weren’t wrong about having a baby. Two years ago you were pregnant. Seven months along. Something went wrong, and your baby daughter was stillborn. I’m
so
sorry.”

Raven’s heart started pounding. She doubled over and grabbed her belly. She could almost feel the pain gripping her stomach. Hard contractions, without hope. Flashes burned into her mind. Despair so deep she could barely breathe.

Daniel grabbed her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight against him. His warm breath whispered against her ear. “Listen to my voice, Raven. Don’t let it take over. Come back to me.”

Tears wet her eyelashes. She glanced up at him. “My baby is dead,” she said.

“Yes. You named her Sarah,” Noah said. “A few months later you adopted a baby girl. Chelsea Rivera was the birth mother. That fifty thousand dollars paid her expenses. About a month after the adoption was final, your husband filed for divorce.”

“Jerk,” Daniel muttered.

“Hope,” Raven whispered, begging her mind to remember the baby’s face, not from a photo, but from a memory. She opened the locket and stared at the dark-haired baby. “How old is she now?” Raven asked.

“Eighteen months.”

Raven leaned against Daniel, soaking in his strength. She needed to find Hope. He rubbed her back for a moment. Finally she straightened. “Wayne Harrison said the baby’s birth father wants her. Who is the father?”

“I’ll keep looking. I found your pediatrician’s records—don’t ask how—but I can’t seem to locate her birth certificate. I’m hoping Elijah can unravel the state vital statistics records.”

Daniel glanced at his watch. “How far from Harrison’s house are you?” he asked.

“Another half hour,” Noah said.

“We’re going in. Maybe we can get a description of the father from Wayne, see if he matches the jumper in the canyon. Or if he was riding a motorcycle.”

“Watch your back. Elijah and I will be there as soon as we can.”

Daniel stuffed his phone into his pocket and looked down at Raven. He slid his thumb under her eye and cupped her cheek. “You up for this?”

“I don’t know him,” she said softly. “I have nothing invested in Wayne Harrison. Hope is all I care about.” Raven gripped the locket. “We have to find her. This man—whoever he is—can’t have her.”

“He won’t get her. She belongs with you.”

Raven nodded, but Daniel’s words tugged at a huge fear. “If I never remember, can I be her mother? Will they take her away?”

“No way. You are passionate, determined and loving. From the moment I found you, all you’ve thought about is finding that little girl. You believed when everyone else doubted. That’s what a mother is. Believe me, I know. I have a good one.” He tucked a strand of her black hair behind her ear. “If they do question your parenting ability, I have a lot of friends in very high places.”

Raven hugged him and kissed his cheek. “Let’s find my daughter, Daniel.”

“Let’s meet the ex,” Daniel groused, his eyes dark. “I still think he’s a jerk for abandoning you.”

“We don’t know why,” Raven said.

“I don’t care. Any man who would abandon his child doesn’t deserve sympathy.”

She winced, knowing he was talking about
his
father,
his
family as much as Wayne Harrison. Together they headed down a long sidewalk to the front door. The manicured lawn was perfect. The plants and trees were perfect. Nothing looked out of place; it was as if the house belonged on the cover of a magazine.

“Not real lived-in, huh?” Daniel said.

“Sterile,” Raven muttered. “I can’t believe I lived here.”

Daniel rang the bell. After a few moments, he knocked on the door.

“That’s odd. He knew we were coming.”

His posture changed. Raven recognized the awareness. She’d seen him in this stance, as if searching for danger by sight, smell and feel. He glanced around the neighborhood. “Nothing unusual.” He peered in the front window. “The house looks deserted, but then again, it could be he’s the ultimate anal neat freak.”

“I wish I knew,” Raven said. “Is Noah sure this is the right house?”

“Noah doesn’t make mistakes like that, but I’ll double-check.” A quick text later, Daniel pressed the doorbell a second time. “This is it.”

He tried the knob. It opened.

“Maybe something happened to him...”

“Mr. Harrison?” he called. “Wayne?”

“Basement,” a pained voice said. “I...fell.”

They rushed to an open door. Daniel flipped the light switch, but the stairwell remained dark.

“Wayne?” Raven called.

“Here,” a muffled voice muttered. “I need help. I can’t walk.”

Daniel pulled out the small but powerful flashlight from his pocket. Raven gave him a look. He shrugged. “It’s come in handy.”

Daniel led the way down the tunnellike stairs, shining the light on the steep steps. She didn’t want to fall. One head injury a week was plenty.

A sniffle sounded from across the room. Daniel turned at the landing, then stilled.

“Run,” he hissed at her, blocking her view.

“If you want to see my daughter again, Olivia, you’ll join us,” a soft, threatening voice promised.

* * *

D
ANIEL
COULDN
’
T
BELIEVE
he’d let them get into this position. Trouble had warned him. Without hesitation, Raven stepped around him and down the last couple of steps. Inside he wanted to scream at her to run, but she wouldn’t. He couldn’t expect her to. This guy had played the only card that would trump her own safety. Hope.

Just as Daniel wouldn’t hesitate to risk his life for Raven.

He scanned the area. Two closed doors on one wall. A bathroom, maybe, and a storage closet, though what Wayne had in a room with a steel door made Daniel wonder. As to exits, several high windows lined the top of the wall, but Noah wouldn’t be able to see in with the darkening blinds. The rest of the basement was a typical man cave, with video games, a big-screen television, comfortable sofas and recliners, and a bar and refrigerator.

All in all, they were stuck in another freakin’ cave. He and Raven couldn’t get away from them. Of course, this time they had company.

* * *

R
AVEN
’
S
EX
SAT
bound to a chair, his entire body stiff, his fear palpable. His face had been battered; blood stained his side, dripping down to the floor. The man’s pasty complexion made Daniel curse. The guy was still losing blood. He could go into shock at any moment.

Daniel shifted, trying to ease his hand to his pocket. If he could warn Noah, or maybe reach his Glock—

“I wouldn’t do that,” his captor said. “I won more than my share of shooting awards in boot camp. Phone and gun on the floor. Slide them to me.”

Well, hell. The guy had training. Knowing he had to take the risk, Daniel flicked the edge of the phone, sending a warning signal to Noah, then he did as instructed.

“I bet you carry a knife, too.”

Daniel weighed the alternatives.

“Don’t get cute with me, spook. I find you lied, I won’t hesitate to kill her. That’s my plan anyway.”

Knowing he couldn’t risk Raven’s life, Daniel slipped the Bowie from his ankle sheath and tossed it on the ground. The knife didn’t make any noise on the carpet.

Raven stepped forward. “Where’s Hope? Let me see her.”

“You think I’d involve my little girl in cleaning up this mess?” the man said. He pressed the gun’s barrel to the base of Wayne’s skull. “When I kill him, his brains will fly all over this room.”

Wayne whimpered, and Daniel stiffened, searching for an angle to shut the bastard up.

“I’ve seen your work.” He nodded at Daniel. He raised the gun, aiming it at Raven’s chest. “Olivia, move away from him. Open the door to the wine cellar.”

She looked around the room, her face panicked. She glanced back and forth between them.

Their captor let out a shout of laughter. “Holy hell. You don’t remember anything, do you?” A gleam appeared in his eye. “Very interesting. I’ll give you a clue. It’s not the wooden door. Your ex thinks his wine collection is valuable enough to warrant protection. Maybe after this is over, I’ll enjoy a few vintages.”

The man chuckled, and Daniel gritted his teeth in frustration, letting out a vicious curse. The boot camp graduate kept perfect position. Daniel couldn’t risk a frontal assault, not without casualties. He wouldn’t be able to disarm the guy before Raven went down or her ex ate a bullet.

“If you don’t want Wayne to die in front of you, I suggest you move, Olivia,” their captor said.

Raven hurried across the floor. With a shaking hand, she flicked the latch. The metal door swung open with barely a wisp of sound.

“Please,” she said, turning toward him. “I understand you love your daughter. We can work something out.”

“You
bought
my daughter,” he growled. “You stole her from us.”

Raven shook her head. “No. I wouldn’t have. I helped Chelsea—”

“Don’t mention her name. I made her pay.”

“You...you killed her?” Raven asked.

“She betrayed me.” His eyes had gone crazy.

“You’ll never get away with this,” Daniel said, easing slowly toward their captor, working for an angle to attack.

He shook his head. “You have no idea what’s going on here, do you? You’re all dead. No one’s left who cares, no one to talk. We’ll start over.”

The guy’s twitchy fingers flexed against the trigger. He was unpredictable, and that made him too dangerous.

“That’s enough of your games. Olivia, come two steps toward me to give secret agent man plenty of room.”

Raven moved, and Daniel cursed under his breath. A prime opportunity gone.

“Get inside that room,” the man ordered Daniel.

With a deep breath, he walked through the steel door. The stone walls looked way too familiar. He paused at the entrance.

“I can shoot her right now,” his captor said.

Daniel fought his own instincts not to make a mistake. He had backup. He just had to keep them both alive until Noah arrived with Elijah.

Raven met his gaze. Did she see the panic clawing up his insides?

She must have, because she nodded her head.

He took a few steps deeper into the room. Seconds later Raven stumbled inside, and the steel door slammed behind them.

With a worried expression, she gripped his hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll help you,” she whispered. “I won’t let you lose yourself.”

Daniel blinked, eyeing another dungeon.

* * *

D
USK
HAD
FALLEN
when Pamela pulled the stolen SUV in front of Wayne Harrison’s house. Not a bad neighborhood...for now.