LITMIR.BIZ

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fact that she praised the doctor’s humanitarianism spoke volumes on Dr. Manchester’s behalf.

      “What are you going to do?” he asked Lucas.

      “Check out that lawyer,” Lucas said. “Maybe we can find something to charge him with and force Dr. Manchester’s hand.”

      “I could talk to her coworkers,” Brayden offered.

      Lucas shrugged. “You aren’t her lawyer, Brayden.”

      Brayden walked beside Lucas until they reached the front door of the field office. “I know. But I might find out something to explain why Dr. Manchester performed surgery on that monster. It just doesn’t feel right.”

      Lucas nodded. “I agree. I’ll get our analyst to pull up everything she can find on Polk as well as the doctor.”

      “There has to be something DiSanti’s people used to force her to work for them,” Brayden said. “Maybe an indiscretion in the past.”

      “Or maybe she met him when she was volunteering abroad,” Lucas suggested. “Seeing the vast needs and poverty in the underprivileged areas she visited may have driven her to accept money to fund her clinic.”

      True. For Charlotte’s sake, he hoped not.

      “You want me to drive Charlotte home?” Brayden asked.

      Lucas shook his head. “I need to talk to her myself.”

      He didn’t envy that conversation between his brother and Charlotte.

      Meanwhile, he’d talk to Dexter. His PI skills could be helpful in finding information on the doctor’s clinic and her coworkers.

      Talking to them might provide insight into what had driven Mila Manchester to break the law.

      * * *

      MILA DROPPED HER face into her hands, her body shaking with worry and fear. Where was Izzy now?

      Was she safe? Was the nanny still with her? Or had the men taken Izzy somewhere else so the police couldn’t find her in case a neighbor reported a disturbance at the house?

      She rose and paced the cell, her agitation mounting. The image of that man holding a gun to Roberta and Izzy taunted her. Izzy must be terrified.

      She was only three. A tiny little pip-squeak of a girl with big dark eyes and an infectious laugh and an obsession with playing dress up. She loved dolls and pretending she was a princess with a tiara and poufy skirt.

      But other times she liked to dig in the earth and play with worms and kick the soccer ball in the backyard.

      Izzy had started a campaign to convince Santa to bring her a puppy for Christmas and had drawn pictures and cards of how she’d take care of the animal.

      She liked strawberry ice cream with sprinkles and brownies and loved mac and cheese. She enjoyed making her own pizza and PB&J sandwiches. She snacked on carrots and cheese, and apples with peanut butter and wanted b-b’s, blueberries, for breakfast with her pancakes.

      She hated tuna fish, turned her nose up at broccoli and stirred her green peas around on the plate to make it look like she’d eaten some when she hadn’t put a single pea in her mouth.

      She was stubborn and loud and messy and got up way too early on the weekends, but Mila loved her with all her heart.

      Another wave of fear washed over her.

      Even if she did exactly what DiSanti’s men instructed her to do, how could she trust that they’d let her go and release Izzy and Roberta?

      What if she did everything they demanded, but they killed her when they were finished?

      What would happen to her daughter?

      She heaved a breath, her lungs aching for air as panic seized her.

      Would DiSanti keep her hostage or sell her into his sex slavery business when Izzy got older?

      The thought made her so sick inside that she sank onto that thin mattress, then dropped her head down between her knees to keep from passing out.

      * * *

      BRAYDEN TRIED TO stay out of the way as Lucas explained the situation to his wife.

      Charlotte burst into tears. “You can’t do this, Lucas,” Charlotte cried.

      Lucas rubbed his wife’s arms. “Brayden offered to represent her, but this other lawyer showed up, and she deferred to him.”

      “There has to be an explanation,” Charlotte said.

      “If there is, we’ll get to the bottom of it.” Lucas wrapped his arms around Charlotte and hugged her, the bond between them so strong it made Brayden envious. When they pulled apart, he stroked her arms. “I’ll check out this lawyer tonight and see what I can find on him.”

      He glanced at Brayden as if he needed backup, and Brayden fought a chuckle. Nothing scared Lucas more than failing his wife.

      “Hang in there, Charlotte. I’m going to look into Dr. Manchester’s coworkers and see if they know what’s going on,” Brayden said.

      She still looked worried, but she nodded and thanked him.

      Brayden said good-night to them then hurried out to his SUV. As soon as he got inside, he phoned Dexter and explained the situation.

      “I’ll see what I can dig up on her and her staff,” Dexter said.

      “Let’s examine her financials,” Brayden said. “If DiSanti paid her, the money should show up somewhere.”

      “I’m on it,” Dexter agreed.

      “We need all the information we can gather before Dr. Manchester bonds out,” Brayden said. “DiSanti has long-reaching tentacles across the world. If Polk takes her out of the country, we may never see her again.”

      * * *

      MILA FINALLY LAY back on the cot. She doubted she could sleep, but she was so exhausted from the grueling hours of surgery and from worrying about her daughter that she practically collapsed.

      She closed her eyes and said a prayer that Izzy and Roberta were all right. Roberta loved Izzy and would protect her if she could.

      The fact that she might not be able to frightened her the most.

      Polk said Izzy was all right. For now.

      She had to do whatever they said. She’d give her life to save Izzy.

      Carina’s young face flashed in her mind. Izzy looked a little like Carina. She just hoped DiSanti didn’t see himself in Izzy’s eyes.

      She hadn’t heard from Carina since the night she’d fled in terror. Not that she expected to. But she couldn’t help but wonder if the girl was still in school, if she’d found friends or a family where she fit in.

      She’d suffered so much abuse at such a young age. That kind of trauma affected most people for life. Add to that trauma the fact that she’d given birth to a baby alone, a baby born from a rape. And then she’d given that child away.

      A certain amount of guilt might plague her for that decision, although she had no reason to feel guilty. She’d made the most unselfish choice she could make—she’d put her baby’s future before her own.

      Had Carina been able to overcome the emotional trauma and focus on making a future for herself?

      Unable to keep her eyes open any longer, she finally fell into a deep sleep, a sleep filled with nightmares that made her wrestle with the hard pillow on the cot.

      She and Izzy were at the beach. The warm sunshine played off her daughter’s dark hair as she raced along the edge of the water. Mila chased after her, laughing as Izzy darted back and forth to dodge the waves. She loved the water and the sand and the creatures they found on the beach.

      They

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