Protecting Her Secret Son

“Yours, too,” Grant said baldly. “I’d like you to stick close to Daniel for the next few days. I know it’s inconvenient, but I see it as a necessary precaution.”

“I need to be at my place or at work.” If she didn’t stay busy somehow, she’d lose her mind in the bleak pit of worry. “Shouldn’t I be where they know to find me? In case they bring Aiden back.” It sounded like a starry-eyed fantasy as the words tumbled from her lips. She couldn’t let her trouble disrupt Daniel’s life. He had enough to juggle managing the nearly finished project and the charity house.

“Alone, you’ll be a tempting target,” Grant explained. “They could pick you up on a whim and we risk losing you both.”

Daniel lurched up and out of the chair, pacing in front of the closed door, one hand shoving at his black hair.

“Better that than a burden,” she protested, avoiding Daniel’s restless gaze. “He has a life and two jobs already. He doesn’t have time to babysit me.”

“It’s fine.” Daniel leaned back against the closed door. “I’m using personal leave from the PFD so I can oversee the charity house. I was going to assign you to that next anyway. We’ll save time and gas and all that if we’re together.”

A few hours ago, working on the charity project had been her biggest hope. Now, it felt flat and insignificant. “You’ve insisted on only the best crew over there. I can’t imagine I qualify with my mind on Aiden.” Her heart was broken. “I know keeping busy would help, but my concentration is gone.”

“I can find something for you,” Daniel promised.

Nothing short of holding her baby again would restore her. She’d seen enough documentaries to know kidnapped children were rarely returned. Children stolen to manipulate crazy ex-husbands...well, she didn’t want to contemplate the long odds there.

Grant cleared his throat, gaining her attention. “It’s imperative you have someone with you at all times. I can assign someone else, but Daniel is here and available,” Grant said. “He’s familiar with you and your son. He has reason to come and go from here as well, without raising suspicion.”

“Won’t your inquiries at the police department raise more suspicion?” she asked. By accident, she’d overheard her ex bragging to a friend about having an entire narcotic squad in his pocket. It had been a transforming revelation, one that hadn’t gone well for her when he found out. “Couldn’t it get back to Bradley or whoever has Aiden?”

Grant tipped his head to the side, wrapping one hand with the other. “It is possible Stanwood or his connections in Philly have cops on the payroll,” he admitted. “That’s just the nature of the beast when it comes to criminal syndicates. More often, lately, they think they have more pull than they really do. I can promise you I’ll be careful. Your name won’t come up until I’m sure it’s necessary.”

Somehow his candor did more to soothe her than any overconfident assurances. It was nice that he understood that her ex and his enterprises could mean serious danger for any uninvited party poking around.

She turned her phone over and over in her hands, wishing it would ring with another picture or a demand she could fulfill. “I don’t have money,” she murmured. What she had were secrets—secrets she couldn’t share without putting the two men trying to help her on Bradley’s radar.

“Remember, your son is leverage,” Grant said. “The kidnappers know that and will treat him accordingly.”

She considered the safety seat they’d used and silently acknowledged Grant’s point. “Organized crime and reputable construction companies don’t go together. It might be best for you and the company if I use my saved vacation days.” She didn’t want to undermine all the good work he and his father did.

“You can’t be alone,” Daniel stated.

Hearing the tone he used when he ran up against a hard decision on a job site, she knew it would be useless to argue. Still, she tried. “Maybe Grant should assign someone else. It doesn’t have to be you hovering as my shadow.”

He glared down his nose at her, his arms crossed over his chest, his short sleeves struggling to hang on as his biceps flexed. “You have a problem with me now?”

Yes. She liked him, respected him, and she knew how important he was to his company as well as the PFD. Besides, he couldn’t possibly want the added responsibility Grant was giving him. Sure, anyone could be hit by a bus crossing a street on any given day of the week, but her past had caught up to her. Her odds of getting hurt—or worse—were much higher. Whoever stuck by her would also be in greater peril. “You have other things to do. If it gets out that I was once Mrs. Stanwood, it could become a serious problem.”

“If it does, we’ll deal with it,” he said with a shrug.

It wouldn’t be that easy, not with her ex in the picture. Grant had a good idea what Bradley was capable of, but very few others could comprehend the uncontrollable threat he posed.

“Satisfied?”

Not even close. She held up her hands in surrender. “Fine, I won’t be alone.” She swallowed another spate of tears. “My son is. Say what you will about leverage and safety, I want to hear every aspect of your plans to rescue him.”

Grant swiveled the chair back and forth. “It will take some time to ask around, get some answers. Once the kidnappers state specific demands, we’ll have a clearer path.”

She understood the logic. Too bad she had no idea how she was going to hold up if they didn’t find Aiden quickly. On his best days, Bradley had been arrogant and unsympathetic as he dealt with people who interfered with business. His enemies clearly held the same standards. She worried over what her son would see and hear and how he’d be treated.

“What do I say if they call?” she asked.

“Hit record if you can,” Grant answered. “We can listen for any clue in the background noise. Do your best to cooperate without promising anything. I’ll stay in touch through Daniel.”

He had to know he was asking the impossible. She’d willingly give up anything, promise anything, to have Aiden back home safe.

“Shannon.”

She met Grant’s gaze when he repeated her name, gently pulling her attention from the brittle edge of shock and misery. “I’ll try.”

“You’ll make it,” he said with a confidence she didn’t feel. “You were strong enough to leave Stanwood. That couldn’t have been easy.” His eyes flicked to Daniel and back to her. “You’re strong enough to handle this the right way. We’re here to help you.”

He meant it, she could see the concern in his serious brown eyes, and feel the determination emanating from Daniel as he helped her to her feet. “I appreciate it.” Her throat closed as more tears threatened.

They didn’t know her ex like she did. Bradley could elevate ruthless to unprecedented heights. Looking back, escaping him had been nothing short of miraculous. Without the careful sleight of hand and unexpected sympathy shown by Bradley’s personal friend and lawyer, she might not have made it to Philly. She should have thought of it sooner.

“There is someone I could call,” she said. “The phone number I have is old, but it could be a lead right? If he knows what my ex is working on or where he is.”

“That depends on who you’re talking about.”

“Gary Loffler,” she said.

Grant rolled his eyes. “Stanwood’s personal lawyer.”

“You know him, too?” Daniel asked.

“I’ve heard the name here and there,” Grant replied. “Why do you think he’d help?”

Shannon forced herself to say the words. “He was kind to me.” When her marriage had turned into a nightmare, Gary had been the only friendly person in Bradley’s household. “More than fair with me when he handled the divorce.”

“Give me his number.” He pushed a notepad across the desk for her. “I’ll add him to the to-do list.” Grant tapped the notepad. “Let’s think this through. You’ll stick together, but where? We need a safe place for Shannon to stay. I know you have a job to do and this situation complicates matters.”

“It’s fine,” Daniel replied. “I’m already on leave and have plenty to spare. There’s a house not quite done we could use for a day or two.”

Shannon listened to them plan her next forty-eight hours and prayed she wouldn’t be in this heart-wrenching agony for that long. Two days were unfathomable as each minute felt like an eternity all on its own. Daniel’s hand moved lightly across her shoulder, soothing her as the conversation moved on around her. She wanted to spout apologies, though none of this was her fault.

“Should I come in tonight as planned?” Daniel asked.

“No.” Grant reached into his desk drawer and handed over two tickets for the concert. “I’ll find someone to cover the bar. You and Shannon can squeeze into that table of friends you had coming in.”

Weary, Shannon scraped the tiny specks of pewter trim paint from a fingernail. “I couldn’t possibly go out tonight.”

“You don’t have to stay long. With a little luck, I’ll have an update by this evening.” Grant pursed his lips, staring hard at the two of them. “Either way—” he caught Shannon’s gaze “—I’m sure I’ll have more questions. With the tech resources available, I’d rather do more face-to-face than over the phone. The concert is a better reason to come by.”

Once more outvoted by sound logic. Frustrated, her emotions swirling, she agreed. What else could she do? She wanted her phone to ring, to hear her son’s voice. She wanted to know what the kidnappers expected. Only then would they have a solid lead.

As Daniel stepped out into the hallway to make a few phone calls, Grant asked her questions about Bradley and New York, about what she knew of her ex-husband’s habits.