High Stakes Gamble

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Kai’s fast talking, plus his badge, eventually convinced the young delivery guy he wouldn’t lose his job by passing his uniform and the box of groceries over. However, he’d have trouble walking if he gave Kai any more arguments. Just his luck to run into the only conscientious grocery clerk in the whole freakin’ city.

When the long-haired pimple-faced kid went to drive away, again Kai had to use force tactics to keep him in place.

“Hey, I can’t stay here,” the clerk whined. “There’s a pile of other deliveries to make. C’mon, man. I just got this work and my boss is a real SOB. If I don’t finish my route, all my route, in the allotted time, I can kiss this job good-bye.”

“You don’t listen to me and get your butt out of that truck right now; you’ll be kissing your ass good-bye.” Since Kai knew the truck could be identified by a glimpse out of the patio, and since he was dealing with a kidnapper who supposedly had the smarts of a genius, he couldn’t take any chances.

Eventually Kai convinced the antagonist—in a roundabout way. Being cuffed in the back with the groceries and a rag shoved in his mouth seemed a bit bizarre, but who knew what trouble the stupid fool could start if he compromised the delicate scene?

It took Kai a few minutes to wiggle into the tight monogrammed shirt. He was glad the uniform included an open vest that covered the rip up the back. He rolled up the too-short sleeves and soon picked up the heavy box of groceries that included baby formula and diapers.

The store receipt had the apartment number as being #1147. He quickly texted the information to Aurora, and then whistling, he strolled briskly to the front door.

Like in the neighbouring apartment where Matilda lived, the key-pad had easy access and in no time Kai had rung the suite. Feigning nonchalance, he waited for the woman to answer his summons. In actual fact, his body thrummed like a live power line.

To clear the excitement he knew showed in his eyes, he did some deep-breathing exercises and blinked a number of times and then to be on the safe side, he slipped on his sunglasses.

From the minute she’d given him permission to enter and opened the lock until he stood at the end of her hallway, he worked to erase all emotion from his features. He shifted the box on his knees and wiped the moisture from his hands. Then he ran his fingers through his hair, hoping he looked presentable.

When he stepped in front of her door, it didn’t surprise him that she took her time opening to him. Her inspection through the peephole felt almost physical, his stress was so encompassing.

When he heard the lock click open, the relief surged from the top of his head to deep in his gut. Soon!

And there she was, his beautiful darling daughter dressed in blue baby-boy pants and a blue t-shirt, goo-ing her happiness at seeing a new face.

His Lily—clutched tightly in the arms of a maniac with wild in her eyes and the bulge of a gun in the hand sheltered just under a soft, teddy-bear blanket.

My God Lily’s as beautiful as her mommy.

Because the only time he’d seen the babe had been at night, he hadn’t been prepared for her likeness to him, especially their eyes. Hers were slanted similar to her Daddy’s, vibrant blue, full of innocence and sparkles whereas he knew his must have been the same vivid color once but he guessed life had tamed them.

A noise alerted him that his scrutiny of Lily had taken too long and so he turned his attention to Jane, the nutcase who held his most precious possession in her rigid arms.

Her eyes looked haggard, her now black-dyed hair a mess, tangled and wild. The clothes she wore were creased and soiled with spit-up on the shoulder. But her wide-eyed expression held absolute conviction.

Behind her, he made out the baby gear that looked new and shiny. This woman had obviously wanted Lily to have the best. He saw that the layout of the suite duplicated the one he’d visited earlier across the courtyard. Except for one difference—these furnishings were modern, clean and a hell of a lot more desirable.

“Just leave the box here.” Jane spoke the words in a no-nonsense voice. By standing in the doorway, she completely blocked entry into the suite.

“Couldn’t do that, Ma’am! This box is heavy. My boss would have my job if I didn’t deliver properly. Just tell me where you’d like this, and I’ll be glad to carry it inside.”

“No!”

Kai pretended to be surprised and hurt by her rudeness.

Her tone gentled a little. “Fine, put it here.”

She moved aside so Kai could step over the threshold and to the nearby chair she motioned him to put the box on. Then she handed over a bundle of twenties.

He accepted the money. “You have a cutie there. What’s his name?” Kai took his time making out the change.

“Keep it.” She waved away the money. “Larry. His name is Larry.”

“It’s a nice name. My Dad’s name is Lawrence and everyone calls him Larry. Well of course, I don’t. I call him Dad. He’d throttle me if I called him by his first name.” Kai babbled on talking nonsense while sussing out the situation.

As if Lily sensed his anxiety, she began to fuss. All of a sudden, she shocked both adults as she pushed away from Jane’s clinging arms and lunged towards Kai, her tiny body arching and her little hands reaching, trying to grasp him.

Obviously agitated by this seeming rejection, Jane whipped the baby away from him. Not liking this treatment at all, Lily let the world know. Her screams rent the air and broke his heart. Instinct took over as he offered to take her, his smile warm, his hands extended.

“I have a way with the girls, let me help.”