Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 76984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76984 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“Who is the ‘she’?” When his troubled eyes met mine, I knew the answer.
“The blond girl in the flip-flops.”
The female server came over and started murmuring to the baby. She unbuckled a strap and pulled the baby out of the seat. I freed my hands and set it down on a neighboring chair.
The woman laid the baby on her shoulder and swayed back and forth. She gently patted the child’s back. The screaming subsided as the baby began sucking its thumb. I exhaled the deepest breath of my life.
“Okay. Let’s start at the beginning.” With the child settling down and in better hands, I grabbed my server by the arm and moved him closer to the bar, farther away from prying eyes. “The woman’s name is Coco.”
I stopped myself and raised my eyes to the ceiling. I just lied, though not intentionally. Her real name was a mystery to me. She chose Coco as her working name. I tried another avenue.
“Did you see her walk in with the baby?” The server cowered under my hold and nodded. “Why did you say you’d get fired?”
“She came into the bar and told me she was bringing the baby to the father.” My grip tightened on his arm. “She looked like a nanny, so I thought she was on the up and up. She even gave me a hundred dollars for letting her keep the baby near the bar. She said it was darker over there.”
“This entire bar is dark,” I said through gritted teeth. Coco held the keys for finding out who this baby belonged to, but I needed to find her first.
I let go of the server’s arm and pulled my phone out of my jacket pocket. I brought up the text from Coco earlier in the day and hit call. Two seconds later, I heard a phone ringing a few feet away. I glanced over in the general direction of the sound. Once again, all roads led back to the potted plant. I strode over and saw a bag tucked under the plant. The phone screen lit up as the ringing continued. I canceled my call and the noise disappeared.
Dammit, Coco. This was a setup.
I reached for the bag with the phone in it, and a letter fell to the floor. When it landed face up, I saw my name on the front.
My phone buzzed, and I flipped it to show the screen, hoping Coco was texting from another number. It was my driver letting me know he was waiting outside, ready to take me to the benefit.
I glanced at the baby, who had fallen asleep on the woman’s shoulder. It was a small miracle, but I’d take it. I peered at the letter on the floor and my vision blurred. What the hell was I supposed to do?
Closing my eyes, I hung my head. After a couple deep breaths, I texted my driver and told him to wait, then I picked up the letter off the floor. I stared at the white envelope, wondering if it contained a reasonable explanation for Coco leaving this child with me. I didn’t have much hope, but I opened it anyway.
10
Lucas
The envelope wasn’t sealed, and the contents slipped right out. Anxious to get to the bottom of this debacle, I unfolded a thick letter with several pages. My heart was pounding against my ribs. I let the envelope fall to the ground, holding the letter in my right hand.
I glanced at the first page. Then I turned back the corner of the paper, relieved to see typed words, and two other pages with the same typing. I returned back to the beginning page where there was one handwritten sentence in black ink:
I know you’re upset right now, but please don’t call the police until you’ve read the letter all the way to the end.
I reread the words several times, wondering if I should follow her directions. She was an insane person who dumped an innocent child in a New York City bar. But she knew me well. My first instinct had been to call the cops—or at least hotel security.
“You all right?” The woman holding the baby had walked up beside me while I had been distracted reading. The child was still sleeping soundly without a care in the world. But who did she belong to?
“I need you to take care of the child while I figure out what’s going on.” I held her gaze, and she tilted her head, giving me an assuring smile.
“You’re lucky.” I scoffed at her comment, and she gave me a sad smile. “I was supposed to clock out at seven, but the server taking my place is early. I’ve got this sweet one for you.”
She tried to ease down, still holding the baby, and reach for the bag at the floor by my feet. I intervened and picked it up before she pulled a muscle in her back. I couldn’t have her getting hurt. I was desperate for her help.