Midnight Hour (Shadow Falls: After Dark #4)(78)

Burnett’s lips tightened until they turned white. “Perry, you aren’t ready to handle this kind of case.”

“I am. What happened at the bar won’t happen again.”

Burnett raked a hand through his hair and squeezed his neck—a sure sign of stress. Perry continued, “Tell me you haven’t come close a couple

of times?” He saw the tiny blanket on Holiday’s desk and thought of Bell, the waitress. “The baby?” he asked.

“Jenny and Derek are watching Hannah and the little guy at our cabin. How did you end up with him?”

Perry told Burnett about grabbing Bell’s phone, calling the babysitter, and then going to give her the news.

Burnett frowned, but didn’t tell Perry he’d been wrong. “I’ve got someone searching for any of Bell Stephens’s relatives. Or family to the

baby.”

Perry dropped his hands in his jeans. “I think you’re looking at one.”

Burnett’s eyes widened. “He’s yours?”

“No,” Perry said. “I just found out that Jax is my mom’s son from another guy. Bell was his ex-girlfriend. That would make the kid my

nephew. And it sounds as if Jax is looking for him.”

Burnett’s shoulders tightened. “Will he be able to trace the kid here?”

Perry, proud of what he’d done, spoke up. “No.”

“But the babysitter saw you. You probably even told her your name. You don’t think she isn’t going to tell Jax if he finds her?”

“Yes, I gave her my name, but not where I was bringing the baby.”

“Then you can’t go back—”

“Hear me out,” Perry said. “I called her as soon as I found this out. She admitted that she knew who the father was and was terrified he’d

come looking for her. She thought if a stranger took the baby then Jax wouldn’t be able to find him. When I spoke to her this morning, she was

about to catch a plane back to Mexico.”

Perry reached into his pocket. “Here’s Bell’s phone. It has the babysitter’s number and a Jaxon Bowen’s, too.”

Perry could tell that Burnett was impressed. He stood there as if filing away everything. He took the phone and nodded. “Miranda said you were

meeting with Jax this morning.”

“I was, but he called my mom and postponed it until tomorrow. I think he’s looking for the baby.”

“And you’re certain no one else knows you have the baby.”

“I’d swear on it,” Perry said. “But … there’s more.”

“What?”

“I met my parents at the diner in Houston. Dad told me Jax lived a couple blocks up Jackson Street. I combed the area. I think I’ve got it

narrowed down to five or six houses.”

Burnett’s shoulders dropped as if the news lightened the baggage he carried. “I’ll put a crew together. Depending how close everyone is, it

might take an hour. Stay here and you can go with us.”

Perry nodded. Knowing that Burnett wasn’t trying to push him out sparked a feeling of pride.

The vamp, eyes still bright, grabbed his phone. “Go clean up.”

*

Miranda didn’t normally fidget, but sitting still now felt impossible.

Holiday had summoned her back to the cabin because her old professor, the half-witch half-human, who was an all-things-Wiccan expert, had just

shown up. She’d told Holiday, “It’s imperative I see Miranda.”

Miranda sat on her sofa, while Kylie and Della sat at the kitchen table. Holiday had taken the chair. Ms. Wales, who, oddly enough, talked,

dressed, and sort of looked like the Queen of England, stood in the middle of the living room, staring down at Miranda through her granny

glasses as if she might sprout a second head.

“And the tattoo really goes away when you request it to?”

Miranda nodded. “It has so far.”

“Does it pain you?”

“No. It tickles like a bug walking on your skin.”

“That must be bloody frightening,” the woman said.

“A little,” Miranda admitted.

“Can I examine your arm?”

“I have a cast, but sure,” Miranda said. The woman sat on the sofa. Miranda held out her arm.

She spent a good thirty silent seconds staring up close and personal at Miranda’s arm. Miranda could feel the woman’s breath whispering

across her skin.

Finally she glanced up. “Miss James has explained about the fortune reader. Have you recalled anything more that she said?”

“No,” Miranda answered. “I told Holiday everything.”

“So your sister claimed she’s gotten the tattoo before, but it faded as soon as the fortune was read?”

“Yes. That’s why I think this is somehow due to the fact that she never finished reading mine.”

“Puzzling.” She stood up and pulled out a photo from her briefcase. Miranda saw that it was an eight-by-ten a printout of her tattoo. The

woman studied the image then focused on Miranda.

“Did your sister say the tattoo was exactly like hers?”

“Not exactly. She said mine climbed higher on my arm.”