10. Strange New Day

STRANGE NEW DAY

MADDY

I must have succumbed to slumber at some point because I awake to sun streaming in through the windows, and voices downstairs. The aroma of cooking food and the sound of voices drift up the stairs.

Angel and Paul are not in the room. I panic for a minute, then I realize that one of the voices I hear is my son, saying, "Orange juice, please. And butter, no syrup."

Paul has never liked syrup. It was a sure sign that it was my son speaking, not some stranger.

I go downstairs just in time for Julia, Kate, and Catriona to show up with the other children. "I thought we might spend the day in the orange grove," Julia says. "Kate and Catriona are going with us. Can Paul come, too?"

Paul turns his eyes on me, beseeching. "Can I please, Mom? Yesterday wasn't Julia's fault. We were the ones who wandered away."

"I should have known better," Cece says. "I've been kidnapped before. This guy didn't even give us a chance to Ransom of red chief him. He just shoved us in a basement that didn't even have any water in it."

"Ransom of the Red Chief?" I ask, trying to gather my thoughts.

"A story written by O. Henry," Kate explains. "I used to read it to Cece when she was younger. She was quite a terror at age four. She used the story to get away from her kidnappers long enough to scream for help."

"But we didn't get a chance to do anything at all this time," Cece says.

"Maybe we just weren't kidnapped long enough," Paul says, clearly intrigued by this tale.

"Thank goodness," I say. This train of kid logic needed to be nipped in the bud immediately. " You must promise me to stay with the group, even if the older children are doing something that isn't interesting to you."

"Dad has extra security around the orange grove," Julia adds, looking shamefaced and embarrassed. "We won't be out there by ourselves. I got a rare, old chewing out for not keeping a better eye on the middle ones."

"All's well that ends well," I say, opening my arms and inviting her in for a hug.

She gives me a quick one, delicate as a butterfly wing. "Thank you," she says. "I wouldn't blame you if you never trusted me again."

I sigh. "We need more stranger danger training, I guess. Although I'm afraid it might make Paul more intrigued by the idea. Right now, he is super interested in Cece's story about her kidnapping."

Kate is passing by with a platter of apple pancakes. She says,"The part Cece never mentions is that one of her guards was killed. Stabbed to death. I don't think she was ever in danger of her life, but those youngsters who kidnapped her had certainly been led astray."

Julia studies her shoes for a moment. "When we got Momlee, things were really scary. Her ex? That Jason Wintergreen guy? He's a real bad man. We will all be a lot more careful now that we know he is on the loose."

"I'm glad your dad will have a team around the orchard," I say. "Go, have fun with the other children. And stay safe. You are a good kid, Julia. And you are growing up to be a fine and caring woman."

"Thank you," she says, then turns and dashes off with the others.

It makes my stomach hurt to think of being away from Paul right after he has been kidnapped. But if Austin and Moor Security can't keep him safe, if Angel can't protect him, then there is no place on earth where he will be better off.

Mrs. Quinn must have caught onto some of my mood. "They'll take good care of him," she says. "You need some breakfast before you head out. Do you want waffles, pancakes or eggs?"

"Whatever is easy," I say.

She gives me waffles, with two poached eggs on the side, and a choice of marmalade or grape jelly. "You need to keep your strength up," she says. "I know what kind of work you do all day. I'll see to it that someone relieves you for lunch so you can see your boy and all the others."

I open my mouth to protest. She just waggles a finger from side to side. "Thank you," I say instead.

I'm just finishing up my meal when I hear Dr. Lane in the other room. "Hello?" he says.

I step to the door, in time to see that he is sitting in front of a small desk with an open laptop.

I stop short when I see the image of the old white dude who threatened me while I was pregnant with Paul.

"Jason called me last night, asking for a lawyer," the old dude says. "He claims you injured his wrist with zip ties, and that you threatened to feed him to the dogs."

"He's lucky all I did was threaten," Dr. Lane says. "He shut children in a dusty basement with no food and no water all afternoon. The security team tracked them down and captured him. Who else is in on this, Grandfather? You might as well tell me now, because I will find out."

"Nobody," he whines. "I'm an old, broken man with six months to live. My friends are fleeing the sinking ship like the rats they are. I've got to rely on scum like Jase Wintergreen to get anything done."

"So you admit he's scum. Yet you tried to force Rylie, sweet, scattered little Rylie, to marry him." Dr. Lane has his anger in hand, but it bleeds through every word.

"Scum, shmum," the man on the screen waves his hand. "I'm dying, Andrew. I need an heir. You were supposed to marry Catriona. Now she's hitched to that . . ."

"Don't say that word," Dr. Lane pounces before the epithet can slide out of the old man's mouth. "Leland is a fine man and a loyal friend."

"Sure he is," the talking head on the computer screen says. "He knows you have money."

Dr. Lane pinches the bridge of his nose. "Grandfather, Leland doesn't need my money. He has money of his own. His wife is a princess."

"She should have been your wife," the old man snaps.

"We would not have suited at all," I snap back. "She and Leland do very well together. As for heirs, they have healthy twins."

"Girls," the old man snorted. "Worthless girls. How can you run an empire . . ."

"Don't let Catriona hear you say that," Dr. Lane says wryly. "She'll make you into breakfast sausages."

"I doubt that," the old man says. Then he changes his tactics. "You have a son," he wheedles. "You can inherit my kingdom, especially if you marry and get a legitimate heir. You know you want to. Think of all the people you could help with my money."

"Think of all the people you've hurt gaining that money," Dr. Lane returns. "Think of how much better this could have gone if you'd made friends with Madeline instead of scaring her to the other side of the continent. I don't know what kind of game you are playing, Grandfather. But I think you are drilling holes in your own canoe."

"What do you know about anything?" the old man says scornfully. "I've seen two generations grow up, and none of them worth spit. You don't know how it's done."

"Why don't you come out here and tell me, Grandfather? But leave your goons at home. I'm not impressed by them, and I don't appreciate how you threatened Madeline."

"All right, I will come," the old man says. "I can be there by afternoon. When I arrive, you can check me over and you'll see that I'm not lying."

"You know it is not ethical for a doctor to administer to his family," Dr. Lane protests.

"Then get someone else to do it! I'm telling you, I need an heir. If you play your cards right, you could be him." The old man tries to smile, but the expression twists into a grimace, and the pasty face starts to purple. "Jake, my pills," he calls out.

A serving man runs in with a small tray. He shakes out one pill onto a spoon. Grandfather Aims takes it, opens his mouth, and places it under his tongue. When his color returns to normal, the old man says, "I'll see you in four hours. I'll have papers, and you need to be ready to sign them. Otherwise, I'll drum up whatever evidence I can find to take control of that boy."

The screen went to a post-call utility survey. My blood runs cold with terror.

I realize that Catriona is standing beside me. "Why don't the two of you get handfasted and move in together?"

"Get what?" I ask.

"Handfasted," Catriona repeats. "You know, promised to each other, and then you live together for a year and a day to see if you like each other well enough to marry."

"It's like being engaged to be married," Dr. Lane says absently, staring at the blank screen. "Only a little more permanently, and better recognized by the community."

"Are you joking?" I ask.

He turns to face me. "No, it is a serious proposition. If we are engaged to be married, and living in the same household, it will be much easier to protect you both."

"Will we need to sleep together?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "Only if you want to. You and Paul can each have your own room. There's a four-bedroom house for rent not far from the clinic. We could have this whole thing set up before Aims Corps private jet touches down at LAX."

"Why should I trust you?" I ask. "You've been back in my life less than a week. Last time I saw you, you turned my world upside down and left me to cope alone. How do I know you won't split, and take off with my kid?"

"All you have is my word, in front of these witnesses." He gestures to the growing crowd at the kitchen door. "I swear that my intentions are entirely honorable. My intent is to protect our son, Paul, from my grandfather, Rodri Andrew Aims, who just happens to be Paul's great-grandfather." He pauses, breathing hard as if he has just run a race.

"How do I know you won't take Paul and run away with him?" I repeat.

"Because I won't go, Mom," Paul says, tucking himself in under my elbow. "But he really doesn't seem like a bad person. He helped make a safe pen for Carousel."

"Carousel?" I ask. "Nevermind, if it will keep Paul safe, I will do it."