Harvest Moon (Virgin River #15)(77)

Courtney glanced over her shoulder to see them looking at each other in disbelief. They conferred briefly. She just went to the playground. Maybe Lief was okay with her being on this trip, like Stu said, but if she called him she knew he would come.

Stu would just have to live with it; they’d all have to watch their own kids. She was so outta here!

Courtney had been chasing the kids around the play area and pushing them on the swings for about an hour when she noticed a blue-uniformed police officer walking toward her. His partner seemed to be standing on the walking path behind him, talking into his radio. The gray-haired couple from breakfast were standing with the officer on the path. And she thought, Crap! They’d called the police! Now that was going to really piss Stu off!

She hadn’t been kidnapped, she thought. Just tricked. But by her own father. She should have started screaming at the L.A. airport.

“Hi, miss,” the police officer said. “How are you?”

“I’m fine,” she said, pushing one child, then the other in the swings.

“I’m wondering if you need assistance,” he said. “I’d be happy to help if you have a problem.”

“Why?” she asked.

“We received a call saying you were being held against your will by someone,” he explained. “That couple over there heard you call your father and beg him to come for you because someone wouldn’t let you call him? Is there a problem of some kind you want to tell me about?”

“I just needed to call my dad, to tell him to come and get me. I could get back to California on my own, but no way Stu would let me go. But my dad will come for me. My stepdad, actually, but I’ve lived with him for years. I’ve even lived with him since my mom died, but my real dad brought me here to babysit for his friends so they can party and my dad…my stepdad, who I live with, probably doesn’t even know where I am. Stu said he called him, but I just don’t believe it. Stu…my real dad…said he was taking me with the family to Disney World and brought me here to babysit instead. That’s all I need. Is for my dad to come and get me. Stepdad. But my stepdad is my real dad!”

The police officer frowned. He must have been completely confused.

And Stu Lord, who was totally blind and deaf while his sons were tearing up the beach or acting like professional wrestlers in the coach section of the airplane, was running toward them because there were cops around Courtney. He was out of breath when he reached them.

“Officer,” he wheezed. “Did my daughter do something wrong?”

“Just offering our assistance, sir,” he said, giving his hat a slight tip. He turned to look at Courtney. “Which one is this, miss? The father or the stepfather?”

“The father. He said he was taking me to Disney World for Christmas, or so he told my dad—my stepdad, technically—but instead we came here so I could babysit for his friends.”

“Is that right?” he asked. “And what is it you need?”

“Well, I need to let my dad know I’m here and that I want to go home. I only got his voice mail. I bet Stu didn’t call him and he’s half crazy trying to find me. Stu lied to him once, I bet he lied twice. And then I need to not babysit—I didn’t agree to do this and I’ve been the full-time help for these kids for days and I am totally shot!”

“Well-hell-hell,” Stu laughed. “I guess the little munchkin needs a break. I’ll take it from here, Officer. Sorry you were bothered…”

“Was there some talk about punishment if you tried to call your father?” he asked Courtney. “Er, that would be stepfather?” he corrected, peering at Courtney.

“He took my phone,” Courtney said. “I was supposed to call my dad every day so he knew I was okay, but Stu took my phone away. And he said if I called my dad, I’d never get to live with him again, not even on weekends.”

“We’re on vacation, Officer. I thought we should have some vacation rules, like no texting, that sort of thing…” Stu attempted.

And then here were Sherry, Ann and Dick, wondering what was going on. “Is there a problem, Officer?”

“I don’t think so, sir. These your children?”

“The little ones, yes,” Ann said. “And Courtney is our au pair!”

“I am not! I don’t know anything about being an au pair and I didn’t ask to be!” Then the older boys were there, panting, smelling gamey from running on the beach, crowding in, curious. “Those are Stu’s boys,” Courtney said. “My half brothers.”

“And you’re watching the four of them?”

She nodded. “Mostly the little ones. From wake-up to at least midnight.”

Sherry laughed cheerfully. “Officer, she’s being paid!”

The police officer frowned. “How old are you, miss?”

“Fourteen,” she said. “Look, all I wanted to do was call my dad! That’s all.”

“Call your dad? Stu’s your dad!” Dick said.

“Yes, but I haven’t lived with him in a long time, like forever. He hasn’t called me or sent me a postcard since he threw me out last year. He said he wanted to take me on a fancy Disney vacation but what he wanted was someone to babysit so he could do a deal with you. Now can I please just have my phone back?”