Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Dana Mentink (novels to improve english txt) 📗

She shook her head. “Like I said, as soon as I’m safely away from here, I’ll call you.”

“How do we know you’ll do it?”

“You don’t. Truth is I’m not interested in bringing a killer to justice or anything so noble. The matter will be yours to deal with. You can follow through and we’ll all be safer with a murderer off the streets.”

Beckett’s stomach tensed. She knew the answer, the key that would free him and ensure Laney’s safety. He stepped forward to press her but caught Laney’s frown. She was right. If he spooked her, they might never know.

Instead he handed her a business card with the name of a taxi company. “If you’re sure I can’t take you.”

She took the card and disappeared back into the lodge. He resisted the urge to run after her. Let her go, he thought, but keep her in your sights for as long as you can. He telephoned Jude to fill him in on Rita’s plans.

When the cab pulled onto the property, she stood by with her purse, ready to go. He opened the passenger door and helped her in.

She gave him a long look. “I’m sorry. I never should have gotten involved in this.”

Then the taxi driver started the engine and drove off.

Had he allowed his only chance at redemption to hop into a taxi and ride away?

No, he hadn’t been given hope just to have it all stripped away again.

Muscles taut, he returned to the hotel.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Laney peered into the front window of the mechanic’s shop as Beckett drove them along the quiet street. She pulled the ratty sweater closer around herself, though it was not at all cold. It was like some sort of armor, that tattered sweater with the lighter in the pocket and the sewn-up hole in the elbow. A vein jumped in Beckett’s jaw as he idled the truck at the corner.

“I don’t see her. She must have gotten her car and left town.” He drummed on the steering wheel. “Maybe I should have tried to follow her.”

“That wouldn’t have helped. We’ve got to wait it out and see if she makes good on her word.” Waiting, ugh.

He huffed out a breath. “I’m not content relying on her word.”

“Me neither, but Jude is checking her out closely now too.”

They pulled into the parking lot of the doctor’s office.

The nurse greeted them. “Hello, Mrs. Duke. Please come on back to the exam room.”

Beckett hesitated. “Can I…? I mean, am I allowed?”

Laney felt her face flood with color before she nodded.

“Wait right here,” the nurse said. “I’ll get her settled, get a blood sample and call you in, okay?”

When Irene entered twenty minutes later, she ushered Beckett in too. Irene was her usual upbeat self, but there was concern written in the lines around her mouth. “Sorry I’m late.” She looked harried. “Before we get around to baby business, what happened last night? I heard from Trent this morning that you had a fire.”

“Trent Clouder?” Laney said with an eyebrow raised. “You just happened to run into him?”

Irene pulled a face. “Okay, we had breakfast together at the café.” She put on a pair of glasses. “Before you start, it was a friendly chat, nothing more.”

“Sounds like a date to me,” Laney said.

“You’re evading the question.” She assisted Laney onto the table with a pillow behind her neck.

“Somebody set fire to Rita’s room,” Beckett said.

Her eyes widened. “Is it Kenny?”

“We don’t know,” Beckett said.

She paused with her stethoscope in hand. “Wait a minute. You told me that this Rita woman was trying to dig up dirt about Pauline’s murder. Did she uncover something?”

“She might have a way to prove Beckett innocent,” Laney said.

Irene gaped. “Really? How?”

Beckett shot her a warning look.

“I can’t say any more, but I’m just hanging on to the hope that this nightmare might be over at long last,” she said.

“Absolutely. We need this baby to come into a bright new world for his or her parents.” Irene winked at Laney. “Both of them.”

Touché. It was Laney’s turn to squirm.

Irene listened to Laney’s heart with her stethoscope and took blood while Beckett hovered. She typed notes in her computer file. “Speaking of baby business, let’s see how our customer is doing today, shall we?”

Irene called her nurse, who held the ultrasound wand. “Your next appointment is all checked in, Doctor.”

“I thought Laney was my last one.”

The nurse shook her head. “Nope. You have two more back-to-back since we had to cancel two earlier.”

Laney grinned. “Dates take precedence.”

Irene groaned. “I can remember when I was thrilled to have two or three appointments a day.”

She directed the nurse, who began to move the wand around. “There’s the bambino,” Irene said. “Pretty as a picture.” She clicked the computer and took some measurements, which she also recorded in her chart. Laney watched the tiny figure on the screen. At first, she could not decipher what she was seeing.

“Here are the head and the feet,” Irene said. “One arm up. Baby is waving.”

Laney watched the wiggling figure. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Beckett go pale as he looked at their child. His bug-eyed stare went from the screen to Dr. Irene and back again.

“Is…everything okay? All that stuff you’re writing down?” he said.

“Yes. I’m a compulsive note taker. I learned that early on. Your baby is a perfect four-month specimen. Would you like to know the gender?”

“No,” Beckett and Laney said at exactly the same moment.

“Okay, then.” Irene sat back and glanced at her nurse. “Would you tell my next appointment I’ll be there in a moment?”

The nurse excused herself.

“I’ve got a full schedule, otherwise I would join you for a break. I’m afraid to let you out of my sight with all that’s gone on.”

Laney’s heart swelled at her dear friend. “No problem. We have to go, but I’ll have the coffee ready next time you’re out running.”

Irene glanced over her shoulder at Beckett and smiled.