~~Author's note~~~
T Traveller: Thanks so much for your invaluable feedback and continued support in the crafting of this chapter!
Dear readers: Yesterday, I uploaded the chapter but I was told it wasn't showing up so I pulled it. I hope you're able to read it this time. If you do, let me know. From what I heard, it looks like this site is playing favorites and only some of you may able to view/ and or review this chapter. We may never know for sure. As of now, it remains an unsolved mystery.
~~ALL MISTAKES ARE MINE~~
Chapter twenty-four
I followed Stephanie as she made a beeline for the fridge to serve us two tall glasses of water.
She only took a few sips while I drained my glass in three gulps.
"Don't worry, we'll get your baby back," Stephanie smiled at me while going in the fridge and pulling out a tray of cheese and crackers.
I studied her over the rim of my glass. I couldn't let my guard down. Maybe she was trying to placate me. Although in all fairness, at least she wasn't trying to feed me another pack of lies.
"Do you want something else to eat before we go?" She asked as she helped herself to yogurt from the fridge.
I shook my head as I swallowed the last bite of a cracker. This was my first opportunity to
check my phone. Ana had been texting me like crazy. And I couldn't wait to tell her the baby was alive and well. This was NOT the kind of news to share in a text message.
But first, I needed to text Taylor and bring him up to speed on the new developments and asking him to meet me at Stephanie's place. From the three of us would make the drive to Montana.
While I busy composing the message, Stephanie finished her yogurt. I briefly looked up when she announced she needed to change and gather some things for the trip.
I alerted Taylor, who then reassured me he could get Barney to hack into her phone remotely. We would know right away whether she contacted Jane or Elena to tell them about our plans.
While Stephanie was gone, I went to sit in the living room and sat down to make the call.
The best part of the day so far was listening to the joy in Ana's voice when I told her the good news.
ANA: Oh, Christian! I knew it she was alive! I knew it!
ME: you mustn't say anything about my plans to drive to Montana to anybody, not even Gail.
ANA: I want to go to!
ME: I'm sorry. Too dangerous. You're still recovering. I promise I will bring the baby back, don't worry.
ANA: She needs a name. How about Isabella? Or Olivia?
ME: I like Olivia. Sounds distinctive.
ANA: Olivia. Yes, That is it!
I'm thrilled about us naming the baby together. It's a small ray of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day. Now that the baby had a name, she felt more like a real person.
ME: I promise you I will bring Olivia back. I promise!
It pained me to have to hang up after such a brief interchange with Ana, but I needed to keep my head in the game.
While I waited, I googled Missoula, Montana. It was actually farther than Stephanie had said. Missoula was a good 547 miles from Seattle. I let out a deep exhale. It was going to take us closer to seven hours to get there. Flying was out of the question. My mind went into overdrive, thinking about the number of things that could suddenly go wrong.
Driving there, on the other hand, was the safer alternative. For one thing, being the passenger would give me the added advantage of being able to keep an eye on Stephanie during the entire trip.
There was something that didn't make much sense, though. If Jane was actually in Missoula, how was it that Elena had implied the 'mighty trio' were having dinner together tonight?
Stephanie came out of her room, clad in a comfortable t-shirt, and a pair of jeans. We have a long drive ahead of us," she sighed.
"Did you already cancel your dinner plans with Elena?"
Yes, I know. My question was a direct admission I'd overheard their conversation while I was hiding in the closet. But I had no choice here.
"Yes, originally, Jane was going fly here, but I stopped her before she left Montana," she clarified, not missing a beat. "She's now going to wait for us to get there."
"And Elena? Is she flying there as well?"
"Yeah," Stephanie casually replied after a moment. "She didn't think much of it. She knows I hate flying."
I nodded slowly, searching my mind. Something about Stephanie's behavior seemed suspicious. Had she always been this lively and chirpy? I wasn't sure. She'd just learned her whole life had been a lie, and yet here she was.
LATER
Taylor greeted Stephanie pleasantly as we climbed in the backseat of the Audi. We talked about the weather. We were driving east to a colder region of the country and as far as we knew, there was no winter storm warning.
Shortly after, I received a surprising text from Ana. She wanted to take the next flight to Missoula. While carefully shielding my screen from Stephanie's view, I replied to her message. I typed back why I believed traveling was a bad idea. She was still recovering from giving birth, and the doctor had recommended bed-rest for another week.
I just hoped Ana would listen to me. One of the things I admired about Ana was her resourcefulness; once she'd set her mind on something, she usually found the way to make it happen. So I told her in no uncertain terms that her coming here would actually put the whole operation in jeopardy.
Before we left the house, I made sure Stephanie left with the same purse where she'd dropped the pen I had given her. The digital recordings would be useful in proving the association between Stephanie, Jane, and Elena. Unfortunately, this next part of the plan required us to be able to listen in to their interactions in real-time.
When I texted Taylor earlier and explained what I needed, I had left it up to Taylor to communicate directly with Barney. Again, the idea was to avoid alerting Stephanie. The less she knew about our plans, the better.
I fully expected Barney to supply us with 'a classic wire' for Stephanie to wear underneath her clothing. But as it turned out, informants today can wear tiny cameras that can be concealed in the smallest piece of jewelry. In this case, it was decided that Stephanie would wear a pretty brooch, one that was modest enough not to attract a great deal of attention.
I kept an eye on Stephanie during the entire four-hour drive. The moments of silence were short and far between. For the most part, they were punctuated by Stephanie's bits of self-disclosure.
"Jane is a good person. All she wanted was a baby," she told me. "She didn't mean to hurt anyone."
I listened and prompted her to continue with a well-timed nod. I found the less I said, the more uncomfortable she became. The silence seemed to frighten her, and so she felt compelled to fill the spaces with words.
"Everything was going so well," she lamented. "I mean, Jane and Paul just got scared your wife would change her mind and want to keep the baby."
Yeah, right, I thought. Those two weren't a regular couple looking to adopt a child.
And it wasn't a coincidence that Ana came into contact with Jane, Elena's niece.
Taylor and I exchanged a look through the rearview mirror. We both had questions but said nothing, hoping she'd keep talking.
"Jane was worried when Ana started acting strange...she was afraid Ana was going to end up changing her mind about the adoption."
I nodded my head slightly, prompting her to continue.
"When Ana went into labor, Jane did what she did out of fear, really," Stephanie went on, making eye contact with me. "Jane believed taking the baby was the only way they could make sure it would be theirs forever."
It was sickening how she wholeheartedly believed the ends justified the means.
"One hell of a coincidence... of all the people in the world, Ana chose your cousin to adopt the baby?"
Stephanie didn't reply.
"Let me guess. Elena just happened to mention the baby Ana wanted to give up to Jane," I said, and she tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Mom didn't endorse what Jane and Paul did when Ana went into labor. She thought it was a poorly executed plan."
In my opinion, none of this discounted the fact that Elena was the puppet master. In the end, however, the only thing that truly mattered was that whatever the plan was, Elena Lincoln had meant it for harm.
We rode in silence for the next half an hour, which got me thinking I had to do something to make sure Stephanie played for the right team. And so I turned to my travel companion. In her chiseled profile, I could trace some likeness to Grace.
"I would have enjoyed growing up with you," I told her, and she looked at me with a startled expression. "And pulling your pigtails, chasing you up to our treehouse in the backyard," I smiled. "And dad, he would have enjoyed roasting marshmallows under the stars," I smiled, lost in my little fantasy. I could almost hear the sound of mom's voice.
"Grace would have loved you so much," I went on, swallowing the lump in my throat. My fondest memories involved listening to her bedtime stories. Grace was a master storyteller who enjoyed giving texture to the narrative through the distinct voices of the characters. "We could have been such a happy family, the four of us," I told her. I know, I was conveniently ignoring the fact that dad wanted to give her up for adoption, but this was my fantasy after all.
"Damn, I always knew there was something off about my family. I don't look anything like Mom or Dad," Stephanie said, surprising me. "Dad was always so distant, like an outsider looking in. And mom, she never...she never was nurturing like other moms. I was raised in a string of boarding schools!" She said with suppressed resentment.
Just when I was thought I won her over, Stephanie became involved in a series of text messages and shielded her screen from me. Naturally, I became increasingly suspicious.
….
Missoula, Montana
When we arrived at the house, I surveyed our vast surroundings. It was a very private lakefront home with a boat ramp.
"Her name is Olivia," I told her quietly as she stepped out of the vehicle.
"Wh-what?"
"Our baby's name is Olivia," I reiterated. "Although we will probably call her Livvy for short."
"Aw. That's a beautiful name!"
"Olivia means peace," I exhaled deeply. "And while she's not my flesh and blood, I can't wait to meet her, tell her how much I love her, " I paused. I was trying to appeal to her humanity. With any luck, Stephanie would continue feeling personally involved and root for her safe return. "Losing her was devastating for Ana. She's been through so much loss and so much hardship," I breathed. "She lost her father when she was five, and ever since then, she had to look after her frail mother and little sister."
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear," Stephanie quickly replied. "I can't imagine what it must be like being forced to play an adult role when you're only a child yourself."
As we parted ways, part of me wanted to remind Stephanie about the brooch. But then again, maybe the best strategy was for Stephanie to forget she was wearing it, ensuring she would act more natural. I was hoping for more than just obtaining sufficient incriminating evidence. I wanted both the Buchanans AND Elena behind bars for the rest of their miserable lives.
After Stephanie left, I moved to the front seat beside Taylor and rolled down the window to get some fresh air. Meanwhile, he fired up his laptop, and we settled back to listen in on the conversation inside the house.
Right then, Barney sent us a short report of Stephanie's text messaging.
I didn't finish reading. My ears perked up when I heard a female voice I immediately recognized as Jane's.
"We can't stay. Before we go, I wanted to tell you both how much I appreciate everything."
"I hope you enjoy the Alps," I heard Elena say. "Be safe."
"I will." Short pause. "Thank you both for everything," Jane said.
"Wait, Jane," I heard Stephanie say. "I know we're not supposed to keep in contact. But maybe a postcard every once in a while?"
"Steph! Don't put Jane on the spot," Elena scolded her rather sharply. "It's best if they disappear and never contact us again."
"But I think it will be safe for Jane to contact us every once in a while..."
I smiled to myself. Good girl, Stephanie! Keep them talking!
"Stephanie! How can you be so naive!?" A heavy pause. "Jane, don't listen to her. Enjoy your life with your baby," Elena said. "Is Paul coming back in to say good-bye?"
Elena's voice sounded both a bit curious and somewhat detached.
I blinked. Next thing I knew, I felt a gun to the back of my head. I turned my head slowly and caught sight of Paul Buchanan. The idiot had snuck up on me from behind like a large feline. The first thing that crossed my mind was a clear warning not to scare him into suddenly pulling the trigger.
"Out of the car, put your hands up where I can see them."
Taylor clenched his teeth in anger, probably mentally berating himself for not keeping better guard. We exchanged a look. A moment later, we both stepped out.
"It's not worth it, man. You still have the chance to get away. The police are on their way," I lied.
Taylor shifted his feet against the pile of leaves underneath; the sudden motion angered Paul, who then pointed the gun at Taylor. I took advantage of the distraction and grabbed the gun from Paul with ease.
"Put your hands on the roof, and I won't shoot you," I barked at him, surprising myself. While I had taken shooting practice in the past, I wasn't exactly an expert handling firearms. But I had watched plenty of Law and Order shows and had practiced scenarios like these in my head, in case my family was ever threatened.
Taylor took over after that. After a moment, we realized Paul's gun was only a tranquilizer weapon and threw the useless thing in the back of the
Audi.
INSIDE THE HOUSE
Elena and Stephanie stared at us wide-eyed as we made our way into the front room. I walked behind Taylor, who had a gun to Paul's head. My mission was to get in and out of the house with Olivia.
"Where is the baby?" Taylor demanded. We both scanned the room, looking for any signs of Olivia.
"YOU!" Elena spat, looking at me. "What are you doing here?"
"We're not leaving this place without the baby," I hissed.
Both Taylor and I continued scanning our surroundings. Where was Jane? She had to be upstairs with the baby.
"Ha, what baby?" Elena barked back. I wanted to grab her by the throat and squeeze the life out of her.
"The police are on their way," I looked at Stephanie pointedly. This was the moment of truth. "Where is she!?"
I followed Stephanie's gaze and found myself looking upstairs across the long interior balcony.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Elena suddenly snapped at Stephanie
as she moved as if to comply with my request.
Stephanie pulled away from Elena. "Don't touch me," she sneered, and the witch stared back at her in shock.
"Are you with them?" Elena turned to Stephanie scornfully. "I can't believe this! My own daughter has betrayed me!"
Elena's words seemed to make something in Stephanie snap.
"I'm not your daughter," she said to Elena, her voice full of anger.
An uncomfortable silence followed.
"She knows the truth," I stated. " She knows you stole her from Carrick and Grace when she was born!"
The look of stupefied horror on Elena's face said it all.
Stephanie looked crushed, as though part of her had expected instant denial.
Elena turned to Christian. "You! What kind of lies have you been feeding her?"
"Lies? Stephanie deserves the truth!" I said. She needs to hear how you went to great lengths to conceal her real identity and brainwash her into thinking you were her mother."
Right then, we heard the sound of an infant's cry coming from upstairs.
The mood in the room shifted, and so did our priorities.
I looked at Taylor, wondering what our next move should be. Taylor wasted no time moving forward, with the barrel of his gun pressing on Paul's back.
But he didn't get very far at all. He froze at the sight of Jane coming down the stairs, gun drawn and pointing straight at us, while holding Olivia close to her chest.
"Put the gun down!" Jane barked at Taylor.
Realizing that Jane's weapon was a verified threat, Taylor immediately dropped the gun to his side. Jane had the baby. Paul then elbowed Taylor in the stomach before diving behind the nearest couch.
"Don't try anything," Jane said, keeping her eyes trained on us both.
Taylor and I exchanged of agreement. As long as that woman held the baby, there was no way on earth Taylor was firing that gun. But that didn't mean we'd run out of options.
"Jane, it's over. You need to hand over the baby," Stephanie said.
"Don't listen to her! For heaven's sake, Jane, get out of here!" Elena barked.
Jane turned to Elena with sudden hostility. "This is all your fault!"
The look of confusion on the old cow's face was priceless. "Jane?!
"You told me this would work!" Jane turned to look at every person in the room as if looking for validation. "I didn't want this! I only wanted to become a mother," her gaze settled on Elena. "You told me about Ana's baby. And I thought it would be okay, I thought I was doing the right thing, Ana didn't want the baby anyway. And then when Ana went into labor, I couldn't stand the thought of losing her," she sobbed, kissing the top of the baby's head. "I love her, and she needs me so much!"
Paul emerged from behind the couch. "We were only trying to make sure our baby would be ours forever. There's no crime in that," he said as if testifying under oath. His gaze connected with every person in the room; it was as if he was appealing to members of a grand jury. "And she's ours! Legally, all the papers were in order!"
That wasn't exactly true. Paul was conveniently leaving out the part where he and Jane had drugged Ana and taken the baby without giving her the chance to hold her, like thieves in the night.
"No, she's not legally yours!" I told them. "Ana revoked her consent for the adoption."
Jane turned to Paul. The two of them interacted in a confused manner; they went back and forth in discussing their getaway plans. They spoke to each
other as though no one else in the room had ears, and with Paul demanding that Jane give him the gun. Neither one of them were professional criminals; that much was clear.
Taylor was watching them with an almost amused expression. The only reason that kept him from intervening was the way Jane was holding Olivia. Watching her, I was very concerned about the lack of neck support.
In grabbing the gun from Jane, Paul wiggled it out of her hand, and then with breathless precision, he pointed it at Elena.
Everyone froze.
Paul's hands shook, probably from the sudden rush of adrenaline as he held the pistol aimed at Elena's head.
"You lied to us, you bitch! You told us this would never happen!" Paul shouted. "It was not supposed to be this way! You brainwashed my wife! She trusted you, never really questioned you!" he spat, his voice shaking with uncontrollable anger. "I should have never consented to this !" He cried, hyperventilating, nostrils flaring. "How could I've been so stupid? It's over for us now...and you, Elena Lincoln, you deserve to die for what you've done to us!"
Paul fired the gun the second he finished speaking.
"You shot me!" Elena cried with a mixture of shock and horror. Both Stephanie and Jane covered their mouths with their hands in horror.
The dizzying speed of Paul's transformation from raging to catatonic was fascinating. Staring at the gun in his hands as though it was an unrecognizable object, he retreated his steps until he reached a corner of the room. His back smacked against the wall, the rest of his body sliding down to the floor. His eyes were wild, and the hand that held the pistol had turned deadly white.
"Stephanie! Jane!" Elena cried. "I'm bleedin' to death!"
Stephanie rushed to Elena's side and cradled her head. In the meantime, Jane hovered overhear like a helicopter set for take-off any minute now.
Taylor retrieved the weapon from Paul as one might take candy from a baby. I bent over to examine the wound. Honestly, it was an ugly sight. "If you don't die from blood loss, you'll live, Elena," I pronounced, and the witch shook her head in disbelief. "Yep, but not long enough to pay for all the evil you've done!"
While I had not raised my voice, my words carried an undertone of hostility. That wretched woman had done much to destroy my family.
Stephanie's connected with mine. I no longer had her support, and I knew that part of her would always side with Elena.
I exchanged a glance with Taylor, who now had both guns. After handing me one of the guns, he decided to call 911.
REVELATIONS
A few minutes passed. I stared at the gun in my hands and weighed it before tucking it in the back of my pants. I would never be able to fire it and kill anyone.
"Mom, mom! Stay with me!" Stephanie cried. "She's losing a lot of blood. When is the ambulance getting here?" She looked in my direction.
"Any minute now," Taylor said with a shrug.
Stephanie continued pressing hard against the wound, trying to calm the flow of blood. Once again, she looked to me for help. I considered stepping in for a second. I wanted the woman to live; after everything she'd put my family through, death meant she'd be getting off easy. Still, I remained put.
"I'm getting milk for the baby," Jane announced, moving to get a baby bottle out of the diaper bag sitting on a couch. She appeared awfully calm, oddly unconcerned about her husband or Elena.
"Jane!? Elena called, looking at Stephanie with pleading eyes. I watched their interaction closely while Taylor sat down on the couch and relaxed for the first time all night. From his perspective, everything seemed under control. "Call her, call her," she whispered, and Stephanie motioned for Jane to come closer.
Jane stubbornly refused to move, refocusing her attention on Olivia. It was as if she wanted to pretend that no one else existed besides her and the baby.
I continued to watch the three women with the expectation that something critical was about to happen.
"Jane, please!" Stephanie pleaded.
Elena reached her arm out to Jane, who then glanced at her out of the corner of her eye.
"Jane, please! Please, I have to...have to tell you something," Elena said in that tone that suggested she was getting ready to say her final good-byes.
Most reluctantly, Jane bent down beside Elena while feeding Olivia the bottle. I watched all this with great curiosity. I wanted to see what Elena had to say. My plan was to take Olivia from Jane as soon as this little exchange was over.
Both Jane and Stephanie leaned in closer to hear what Elena had to say. When Elena spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper. The whole scene sent shivers down my spine; it reminded me of my own father on his deathbed. My ears perked up but missed much of Elena's actual words.
"We're twins?" Stephanie was so shocked she could barely breathe.
"This is insane!" Jane said, her eyes connecting with Stephanie's. The two women stared at one another as if meeting for the first time.
I checked other people's reactions. Perhaps I misheard. Taylor merely lifted his brows in response. And Paul was still full-blown catatonic.
Twins? They didn't look that much alike; one blonde, the other a brunette.
"Jane and I are twin sisters!"
I shook my head. Fraternal twins...? Separated at birth?
"Why?" Jane screamed at Elena, angry at having her identity withheld from her.
Jane and Stephanie exchanged glances and continued to stare at Elena's face as though it was melting before their eyes.
What struck me was the contrast between the two women. Stephanie seemed mostly in shock; she kept touching her forehead as though she was trying to make sure her hair was still in place. Whereas Jane's visceral reaction was that of uncontrolled anger and resentment.
"I don't understand... why would you do such a thing?" Jane asked Elena, her voice shaking. "I had a miserable childhood. All those times I ran away from home. You knew! You could have done something! Why? WHY!" She cried. "I could have grown up with my real family!"
"Not true! Carrick didn't want you, either one of you," Elena breathed with renewed strength. I noticed, however, that it had taken all her strength. In reality, she was getting weaker by the second. The kind of anguish on her face spoke of her desperation. She obviously believed she was dying.
"I only did what I thought was best for you," she told Jane.
"Liar! You could have done something, you could have kept me," Jane yelled, her eyes wild with resentment. "I always wanted to be you," she said to Stephanie.
I felt a tad sorry for Jane; it sounded like she'd gotten the short end of the stick. Still, I had to remain focused on what really mattered.
"Jane, give me the baby," I asked, taking a step toward Jane. She took a couple of steps back. "This woman lied to you, used you as a pawn with no regard for your well-being. You're nothing like that woman." I went on, looking at Elena with disdain. My gaze then dropped to Olivia. "You love this baby, you want the best for her...and you know the best for her is to be with her mother."
Jane shook her head in denial, holding the baby tightly against her chest. "I'm the best for her. Ana didn't want her!" She hesitated before bolting out the door. Taylor and I exchanged a look. I would go after Jane while he stayed inside to monitor the situation.
"There's no escape," I told her, intercepting her before she reached the boat.
"Jane? Give me the baby!"
Jane desperately scanned her surroundings. She had the raw desperation of someone drowning, and I reminded myself this troubled woman was my sister.
"No, I can't, I can't," she cried, her voice sinking pathetically. "She's mine," she wailed, and I felt sorry for her for just a second. Past and present collided. Once upon a time, she'd been that miserably baby Elena had hidden in the basement.
I glanced toward the house. Taylor was standing at the threshold and made brief eye contact with me, reassuring me he was on top of everything.
"Give me the baby," I demanded, recognizing she held the trump card; she had the baby.
A gust of wind swept through the trees. Their branches swayed as gale screeched through the leaves. Jane held her tighter against her chest, and I was worried about Olivia getting enough oxygen. Aren't newborns supposed to be delicate creatures?
"It's the right thing to do. And you have no choice. The police will be here any minute now," I said. Jeez, I was starting to sound like a broken record to my own ears.
"You got this all wrong! I'm not going to hurt her," Jane sobbed. "I love her. I adopted her!"
"How could you think this adoption is legal after what you've done? You abducted her mother and told her the child was dead. Didn't even allow her to hold her. You drugged her!"
"NO!" She signed the papers! This baby is mine!"
"If you think you're in the right, then why are you running?" My gaze dropped to Olivia. Her little face was red from all the crying, and I was losing my patience. "Now, give her to me. She belongs with her mother."
Right then, we heard the unmistakable blaring sound of a police cruiser and a medical unit.
"NO!" She wailed loudly, tears blinding her vision. "NO, NO!"
Jane looked like a deer that's been cornered. Then, just when I thought she was going to hand over the child, Jane let out a pitiful wail and once again held Olivia closer against her face.
A police officer, weapon drawn, came closer, just as tiny chunks of hail started falling from the sky.
At last, a trembling Jane placed the crying child onto my waiting arms.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I was barely aware of an officer clasping Jane's hands in handcuffs.
At last, I got to cradle Olivia safely in my arms and peered into her eyes. They were the same blue, the same intensity as her mother's. Her fidgeting eased, and her cries diminished to a shuddering whimper. I instinctively swaddled her against my chest, her ear against my heartbeat.
I was barely aware of going through the motions. I know I briefly spoke to one of the police officers before Taylor took over in answering their questions.
The icy hail continued to fall. The poor child had to be freezing, poor thing. I rushed back to the car to get something to wrap her in. Then, I remembered Ana's sweater in the back seat of the vehicle. The second I wrapped her in it, she made the sweetest little sound, her gaze connecting with mine.
Then, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, I hummed the tune of a lullaby I had heard Ana sing to her so many times while she was still in the womb.
Olivia continued to steadily hold my gaze. Perhaps, it was Ana's wool sweater or my singing that soothed her that day. I don't know. All I know for sure, I felt as if this child and I started a bond like no other. It was so refreshing, so new, I wanted to shout it to the world!
~~Stay tuned for the final chapter~~
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