“The Harpers just left,” the nurse said. “They’re very pleased.”
Marlee could only nod since she couldn’t form words. She swallowed and reread the paper. Irritation began to grow and fester because, somewhere, somehow, she had messed up. But where? She had been so sure that Nate was the missing baby. But she’d gotten it wrong. So very wrong.
Her arm lowered to her side with the paper clutched in her hand. She walked numbly from the hospital to her car and got inside. Then she just sat while trying to evaluate the various emotions colliding within her like a stormy sea.
She was angry that she had overlooked something that had led her to the Harpers and little Nate. Though she also discovered relief among the emotions because she now got to tell Naomi and Brice that everything with Nate’s adoption had been done properly.
Then there was the annoyance because she wanted to end this job and get back to her parents. Along with that came regret, since she wouldn’t be able to tell a grieving father that she had found his missing son.
Marlee tossed the paper onto the seat beside her and placed her hands on the steering wheel. Then she closed her eyes and tried to get a handle on the turmoil within her. She was so glad she hadn’t mentioned to her mother that she was trying to come home early. However, now she had to start her investigation all over again. But first, she needed to pay the Harpers a visit. She owed them that, at least.
The hairs on the back of her neck suddenly rose. Marlee slowly opened her eyes and looked around without moving her head. She used the rearview mirror as well as the side mirrors, but like before, she found nothing. Still, a feeling like that didn’t occur without reason. Not to her. Someone was watching her.
Adrenaline kicked in, but she held herself back. This wasn’t the time to confront whoever it was, though she was getting tired of her watcher. Or was it all in her head? After all, despite the times she’d felt someone watching her, nothing had happened.
Marlee blew out a breath and started the car. She pulled out of the parking spot to drive through the lot. As she did, she let her gaze move over the many vehicles to see if anyone or anything caught her eye. The fact that so many people were getting in and out of automobiles made it difficult to tell who the culprit might be.
She finally gave up and drove away. Though her mind wanted to go over the details of her job to find out where she had gone wrong, she didn’t allow herself that. At least, not yet. She needed a small break. She decided to drive to the Harpers’. They had gotten the results, as well, but she still wanted to talk to them. When she returned to her motel room, then she could look at the various reports, pictures, and all the other evidence she had and start fresh.
When she arrived at the house, Marlee saw Caleb’s truck parked next to his brother’s. She stopped her rental behind them and grabbed the paper before getting out. The front door of the house opened as she approached. Naomi stood with a smile on her face.
Marlee returned the smile. “Mind if I come in?”
“Not at all,” Naomi replied as she opened the door wider.
Marlee walked inside as Naomi led her to the kitchen, where Brice and Caleb were seated. Naomi glanced at the baby monitor, the screen on it showing Nate sleeping peacefully. The little tyke had no idea what was going on around him. It was a good thing because while most kids forgot such turmoil, for some, it became imprinted on them forever.
Brice gave her a nod. “Did the hospital tell you?”
“They did,” she said. “Congratulations. I’m very sorry I caused such worry.”
Naomi walked to Brice as he got to his feet and wrapped an arm around her. Despite the hell they’d gone through over the last couple of days, there didn’t seem to be any animosity directed at her.
“You were just doing your job,” Naomi said.
Marlee forced a smile and turned to leave, but Caleb stepped in her way.
“What does this mean for you?” he asked.
She shrugged, her lips twisting. “It means I have to start my case over. I know it may not look like it to you, but I don’t usually get these things wrong. There are instances, of course, but more times than not, my investigation leads me to the right person.”
“I don’t doubt that.” Caleb glanced at his brother and sister-in-law. “Your investigation brought you here, though. I’d feel a lot better if you told me it was simply Brice and Naomi and not something more.”
Marlee hesitated, feeling three pairs of eyes on her. “Something went wrong in my investigation. I need to figure out what that was. I’m going to start from the beginning and work through it again. It might take me out of Clearview—which it probably will.”
“Is there anything we can do to help? I don’t like the idea of babies being stolen from their families,” Brice said.
Marlee shrugged. “It happens more than you know. Trust me, you don’t want to know the statistics.”
“I think I do,” Caleb told her.
If they wanted it, she would give it. “A child goes missing every forty seconds in the US. Of those, over fifteen hundred are kidnapped. However, I think the number is actually higher.”
Naomi’s brows drew together. “Why?”
“Think of all the illegal immigrants in our country. Do you honestly believe all of them report when one of their children is taken or disappears?”
“No,” Caleb said with a shake of his head. “Damn. I had no idea.”
“I’m truly sorry I put all of you through this, but my job is to find the missing and return them to their families.”
Brice held up a hand. “Thank you, but you don’t owe us an apology. You did what you had to do. I wish you well in your hunt for the missing infant.”
“Thanks.”
Caleb walked her to the door and quietly let her out. Marlee got into her car and was just backing up to turn around when Cooper’s truck pulled up. He rolled down his window, so she did, as well. She didn’t want to be happy to see him, but something about him brought some calm to the storm of her life.
“Hey,” he said with a smile as he pulled up alongside her. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I just came to say congratulations.”
His face lit up, then the expression died. “I’m happy for my friends, thrilled they get to keep their son, of course. But that means you’re still searching.”
“That’s pretty much all I do.”
“Do you ever get any time off?”
“I take what I can, when I can.”
“How about tonight?”
She was so shocked by his question that she could only stare at him.
Cooper held up his hands and grinned. “You have to eat, right? It’s already the afternoon. No sense in getting on the road now. Start fresh in the morning. If you’re leaving.”
“I’m not leaving tonight.”
“Good.” His smile widened. “Then let me buy you dinner.”
“I should be the one buying you dinner after what I did.”
He shook his head, his gaze never leaving hers. “My treat. Please.”
“All right,” she said, feeling as giddy as a schoolgirl headed on her first date. Which, sadly, was pretty much what this was since she couldn’t remember the last time she had agreed to anything like this.