Chapter 12
Max couldn't get Miss Jones out of his mind. He ended up back at the train yard a few days later. In the daylight he could see their was nothing but an abandoned building and construction materials around. He wandered in and found some train tracks. In the distance, in some woods, he saw a metal structure.
When he got to it he realized it was a box car.
He looked inside and saw a sleeping bag.
This will not do, he thought, That woman can not live here one more day.
He called his brother Milo. "I'm not going to make it into work today."
Milo sounded like he was choking. He sputtered "What? Is that like even allowed?"
"Tell Sonny I'm sick." Max coughed a few times.
"Does this have something to do with a woman?"
"What? Why would you say that?"
Milo whispered, "Is it Carly?"
"No. I'm sick. People get sick. Bye."
Max climbed in the box car to wait.
Hours passed, the sun fell, and finally he heard a rustling noise as someone moved through the woods. A small pen light moved over the trees and kept getting closer.
Although he was pretty sure it was Maxie he pulled out his gun, just in case.
He stood and pressed his back against the inside of the box car and watched as the person climbed inside.
"Hi." he said
Maxie screamed.
"It's just me, M.. J. "
"Oh, Max. God. You scared the hell out of me."
"Sorry." he holstered his gun. The car was so dark he doubt she had seen it. All he could do was see a vague outline of her, since the moon was the only light source.
Maxie asked, "What are you doing here?"
"You can't live in a boxcar:"
"I can and I do."
"Not anymore."
She stomped toward him in the dark, tripped an fell onto him. "Whoa there." he said softly as he held her.
For a moment they were both still, there bodies pressed together in the darkness. And then he was righting her, putting her back on her feet again.
She said, "Don't tell me what I can and can't do. I make my choices. I screw up my life. I don't need help."
"What about a friend?"
That stopped her anger dead in its tracks. She moved slowly backwards.
Maxie said, "Just go. I have to go to sleep."
"Not here."
She made her voice sound sexy and said, "Then where? Your bed, Max?"
I'll prove he is just after my body, she thought
He blushed. But it was too dark for her to know that.
"You can go home to your parents." he said
"No way!"
"The Metro Court."
"Too high class for me. This place is more my style."
"I'll stay here with you."
She groaned. "I don't think so."
"Then, Miss Jones, I am afraid we have a problem. Because I can't leave you here alone."
Lucky took the picture of the picnic basket and placed it in an envelope. He mailed it to the local daily newspaper with an anonymous note.
Jane Doe Baby Case
Ask your readers if this looks familiar to them. The baby was left at the carnival in this.
He didn't feel any guilt about leaking it to the press.
If Mac refused to work this case aggressively then Lucky would. That child deserved to find out her who parents are.
Now that he was living with Liz again they called Mrs. Walker about adopting Angel Baby but it was tool late. Liz heard at work that Robin had taken the little girl home. Lucky was glad to know she would be safe. But whoever put her in that park had to pay for it.
Robin lay in bed late that night, her daughter next to her. Every muscle in her body ached from running around the hospital all day tending to the victims of a ten car pile up. And she wasn't getting any sleep lately.
Even now, when her child's little eyes were closed, Robin couldn't relax. She loved to stare at the baby's soft little eyelashes and heart shaped pink lips. So precious and hers to care for, for life.
A tear escaped her eye. She hadn't let herself think this, motherhood, was a possibility. Just becoming a doctor seemed bold enough when facing down the death sentence called AIDS. But right now she only had HIV. It could be managed. With drugs and if God was good to her she could see this little one grow to adulthood.
Robin was betting it all on that fact.
"You are loved." she whispered as she touched her daughter "And you will always have family around you. I'll make sure of it. I'm going to give you a great daddy. You'll see, my girl."
The image of Patrick was in her mind. She prayed he came through for her, for them. He owned her heart, though it had been a sneak attack to get it. Robin never planned to fall for him, to need him, to crave his nearness. Never once thought a man so outrageously gorgeous, flirty and with a penchant for risk taking could come to equal safety to her.. Could make her feel as secure as he did.
She stood and carried the baby to the crib. Then threw herself in bed, groaning. Better get some rest so I can be back at the hospital at dawn, she thought to herself.
Her eyes drifted close.
Angel baby let out a cry. Robin jumped up. No rest for the wicked, the saying went. Though Robin now saw it should read
No rest for the mommy.