The Cop's Missing Child

Considering, Mac cocked his head. “Now that we’ve finished checking out your house, I have a few questions. I’ll need a minute or two of your time.”

“You’ve got it.” Though she knew he wanted to ask her about her past, which normally would have caused her to shut down completely, she also realized she’d need to answer honestly. Otherwise, there was no possible way on earth that this small-town sheriff’s department could even remotely understand what they might be up against.

Making an instant decision to tell the truth, though not all of it, Emily led the way to the kitchen. “Have a seat. I’m guessing this might take a while.”

“That depends on how much you have to tell me.” When Mac’s humorous tone failed to produce an answering smile, he grew serious. “Why don’t you start with what you know was actually taken? Why Ryan’s adoption records?”

She considered her words carefully, an actual ingrained habit since she’d chosen this way of life.

“I was married to a … criminal.” Wincing as an expression of understanding filled Mac’s sky-blue eyes, she held up her hand. “No, it’s not what you think. I didn’t know about him until after he died. My husband is dead.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Did he die of natural causes?”

No one but a cop would have thought to ask such a thing. “No.” She debated whether or not to elaborate, then realized with a bit of internet research he would learn the truth regardless. “He was murdered.”

Silently, Mac waited.

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to continue. “My name wasn’t always Emily Gilley.”

“I see that.” Tapping the copies of the adoption papers he’d been handed, he eyed her with a law enforcement officer’s intent stare. She’d become very familiar with that look in the months immediately following her husband’s death.

Steeling herself, she continued trying to relive a past she’d hated. “After the investigation, I learned some things—a lot of things—that I hadn’t known about my husband.”

“Go on.”

“My husband was Carlos Cavell. I had my name legally changed to Gilley after his death.” She did this right before she and Ryan had vanished from their old life.

Immediate comprehension dawned in Mac’s face. After all, everyone knew of Carlos Cavell. The name had been blazed everywhere in the news after his particularly gruesome murder. Though she’d tried to stay out of the spotlight, inevitably photos of her and Ryan had appeared. Since then, she’d changed her appearance quite a bit. So far, that had been enough.

“Not a bad disguise,” Mac commented wryly. “But you still haven’t told me why you felt the need to disappear.”

“Whoever killed Carlos—and the police were unable to determine even a reasonable suspect—came after me and my son.”

Agitated, unable to sit still, she began pacing. “I think it might have been one of his mistresses. I told the police that and they investigated, but they couldn’t find anything. So I did the only thing I could. I sold everything, took whatever cash was left after paying the debts and ran.”

“Here, to Anniversary.”

“Yes. Until now, we were settling in nicely. I really liked it here.”

Mac immediately picked up on her use of past tense. “Liked? Are you planning on leaving?”

Chewing on her thumbnail, she forced herself to stop. “I’m not sure. If this keeps up, I have no choice.”

“You don’t even know if this incident is related.”

“How can it not be?” Emily protested. “This intruder took Ryan’s adoption records. That was the crux of the threats to begin with. Something about the way Carlos got our son.”

“Did he use an adoption service?”

“No. It was a private adoption. Apparently lots of money changed hands. I’m guessing, though I don’t know for sure, that whatever channels Carlos went through weren’t exactly on the up-and-up.”

“As long as both parties signed the necessary paperwork and the documents were filed in a court of law …”

With her throat closing up from the panicked feeling in her chest, she debated whether to go on. In the end, she couldn’t risk Mac not understanding the awful truth she suspected—that Ryan was her husband’s natural son with one of his mistresses. No way was she letting anyone take her son away from her. She’d die first.

In a quiet voice, she relayed her suspicions.

“I’ve tried to trace the adoption,” she admitted. “Any records beyond what I had were completely destroyed. It’s possible—though not certain—that my husband may have obtained Ryan’s birth certificate illegally.”

To his credit, Mac showed no reaction—as if he heard stories like this every day. Then again, maybe he did.

“So what you’re telling me is that you aren’t one hundred percent sure you have a legal right to your boy.”

Just hearing the words made Emily feel as though she’d been punched in the stomach. She wanted to double over, and only a supreme act of willpower kept her standing upright.

“I—” briefly she closed her eyes “—I don’t know.”

Now Mac pushed back his chair and stood. As he moved closer, she figured he meant to shake hands and held hers out accordingly.

Instead, to her complete and utter shock, he wrapped his muscular arms around her and gave her a quick hug.

“I’ll keep this information between us for the time being. Right now, our focus is on finding whoever wrote you that letter and broke into your house.”

Blinking back tears, she stepped out of his embrace and nodded. “Thank you.”

Expression enigmatic, he simply watched her, as though waiting for her to say something else.

Chapter 4

Not reacting as Emily bared her soul to him was one of the most difficult things Mac had ever done. Only years of training and working on the streets enabled him to keep his face expressionless. When he’d impulsively hugged her, he half expected her to shove him away and order him to leave.

Instead, she finally nodded and thanked him. He felt thankful that she had no idea of the emotions swirling inside him. He couldn’t stop marveling, amazed and humbled by the way he felt now that he’d finally gotten to see his son—after five years, three months and twenty days of missing him and wondering what had happened to him.

One look and he’d known. Even though he hadn’t yet taken the DNA test, he knew Ryan was his. Gazing at the dark-headed boy, he saw his wife, Sarah, in the boy’s chin, the tilt of his head. And Ryan had Mac’s eyes and nose and the full head of dark hair, exactly as Mac had when he’d been a child.

Maybe soon he could reclaim what he’d lost, and they could be a family together.

Then he glanced at Emily, painfully aware of the way she and Ryan interacted. She clearly loved the child she considered her son, and the feeling was mutual. For the first time, Mac wondered what kind of damage he would cause if he tried to take Ryan away from the woman he called Mommy.

Emily cleared her throat, bringing him out of his tangled thoughts. “Well, then. What’s your plan?” One brow raised, she waited, a study in contrasts. Her delicately carved facial structure seemed at odds with her lush, passionate mouth. Her short, spiky haircut didn’t go with her faded jeans and high-collared blouse.

Eyeing her with as much professional dispassion as he could muster, he cleared his throat. “I have a few more questions about your life before you moved here.”

“I see.” Appearing resolute, she indicated the kitchen table. Graceful and willowy, her exquisite beauty made her appear both fragile and wild. “Go ahead.”

“I need to know …” He paused, searching for the right words. The question he wanted to ask her was one he’d wondered ever since he’d learned she’d adopted the infant he believed was his son. “I need to know if you knew there was something unusual about where your son came from.”

Was that guilt that flashed across her mobile face or sorrow?