Woman on the Edge(42)

Nicole stroked her beautiful girl’s cheeks. Quinn’s tiny hands were curled, and she looked so pure. So perfect that love flooded Nicole’s entire being.

She had to do something to stop her never-ending guilt and fear. She could call Donna and beg for her forgiveness. Open Donna’s second chakra. Then they’d both be free. Her phone lay on the coffee table. She grabbed it and dialed the number that was etched in her memory. Disappointment flooded her when there was no answer and no voice mail.

Wet and shivering, she wrapped herself in a purple fleece throw from the sofa and slapped her head over and over. “Think. How can we find her?” She closed her eyes, remembering those warm summer evenings when Amanda’s father came home from work. He’d toss the baby in the air over Donna’s shrieking protests. Nicole had always laughed along with Amanda’s giggles. She couldn’t recall where he worked, but she knew he was an accountant. She googled “Flynn Taylor” until the links blurred together. She rubbed her eyes and finally she found him. Then she dialed.

“Flynn speaking.”

She recognized his husky voice.

“Hello? Can I help you?”

“It’s Nicole,” she whispered.

“Who?”

“Nicole Layton.”

No sound came from the other end of the phone.

“Does Donna still hate me?” she asked.

There was a long pause. “I don’t know what you want, Nicole. Why are you calling me?” His voice was cold and flat.

She felt as though she’d swallowed a rock, but she spoke through her pain. “I had a baby, and now horrible things are happening. Please tell Donna to stop. I want it all to stop.”

There was some rustling on the other end of the line, the sound of a door being closed. “Look, I don’t know why you would call me after all this time, but I don’t want to hear from you. Donna’s in a good place now. She’s got her life back, and we’re not together anymore. I’m married to someone else. I have two children. And I don’t need you to remind me of the child I lost. Leave us alone, Nicole.”

“You and Donna are divorced?”

“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, we are.”

“Donna sent me Amanda’s baby blanket.” Nicole burst into tears.

His sigh was filled with suffering. “Donna did no such thing. And I gave all of Amanda’s things away nineteen years ago, Nicole.”

Nicole nearly dropped the phone. The white blanket in the box was Amanda’s. It was.

“Hello? Hello?”

She heard him hang up, and the call went dead.

She ran to the front hall closet where she’d left the box and the blanket.

But they were gone.





CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE MORGAN




I sit in my car and wipe the blood from my leg, where there’s a nasty three-inch gash. It’s not deep enough to require stitches, and I don’t want to go anywhere but home. There are two redheads—Donna and Greg’s employee—who might have torn Nicole’s life apart and who might want Quinn and me dead. I still don’t know my connection to Nicole. The adrenaline has worn off, and terror has taken its place. My hands are damp, and I keep dropping my keys every time I try to start the car. I have no solid evidence to bring to Martinez. I’m at the same place as when I started. I finally call Jessica.

“I really think I’m in danger, Jessica. I think I found the Prius that was following me before. I talked to the woman driving it, who says Greg is her boss. She drove off really fast and hit me! What should I do?” I ramble the license plate number, speaking so quickly I’m almost hyperventilating.

“Wait, slow down a minute. Are you badly hurt?”

Jessica is so calm that it makes me feel a little better. “I’m okay. But please find out exactly who this woman is. I’m so scared.”

I’m more than scared. I’m hysterical with fear.

“Morgan, where are you exactly?”

“I’m—” Shit. Biting my thumbnail, I mumble, “I’m at Blythe and Brown. Greg Markham’s brokerage firm.”

“Tell me you did not talk to him.”

Her tone is cold. But this is my life, my choice. And I don’t regret it.

“He wasn’t there.”

“This is motive, Morgan. How am I supposed to disprove that you and Nicole never met if you first go to her brother’s house, then try to track down her husband? Basically, what I’m saying here is: Are you trying to get yourself arrested?”

“I need to know why she chose me, Jessica. I need to clear my name!”

“I get that you feel vulnerable and scared. I’m doing everything I can to find the link between you and Nicole. I do have information about Donna Taylor’s car. She owns a 2010 black Chevy Impala. Which means she probably wasn’t the one in the Prius that chased you down. Barry’s checking on that, and I’ll give him the update about the redhead you met at Greg’s workplace.”

Good. She’s on it. Which is all I really wanted. I need help. There are too many missing pieces to know what to do.

“Please go home, Morgan,” Jessica says. “We’ll look into this new redhead, okay? Just go home.” Her stern tone brooks no argument.