Alec opened the door and let the two private investigators into the foyer. He’d already received a phone report from them, and knew they hadn’t found any sign of Laura Kensington. It was the lack of any clues to her whereabouts that prompted the call to the press to get the word out about her disappearance. It had been his stroke of genius to include the information about her tenuous mental state and her pregnancy. She’d be brought home quickly once people found out she was desperately in need of care and assistance. That’s the kind of thing people did for the Kensingtons. The national papers had picked up the story and run with it faster than he’d even imagined they would.

The investigators followed Alec into the sitting room where Martha and Justin waited. Alec still hadn’t figured out if Justin would be an asset or not in this whole screwed up situation. Alec knew Justin and Patrick weren’t very close, but even so, Justin seemed to want to find Laura. That desire could prove helpful.

“Martha, Justin, these are the two investigators I told you about. Mark Sanders and Paul Cummings. They’ve run checks on Laura’s credit cards and she hasn’t used them at all. They’ve talked to the hospital staff but they’re being extremely tight-lipped so far. The doctor you spoke with told us she refused to be checked in. She said her sister would pick her up and she left. We can officially report Laura missing today and get the police involved, but I’d still like to keep Mark and Paul on the payroll so we have our own men looking for her,” Alec said.

“Can’t you just get videos or whatever from the hospital and see who picked her up? Which way she went? Who she was with? Little hussy was probably having an affair.” Martha sniffed as though just talking about her daughter-in-law was distasteful to her.

“We’re using inside connections to see if we can get video footage at the hospital, ma’am, but it’s not easy. The privacy regulations in place nowadays make it hard for us to get things like that. What we need from you right now…”

Alec cringed as Mark continued to talk. Calling Martha Kensington ‘ma’am’ was one strike against him. Telling her what to do would be a second strike. But Mark just continued on as though he didn’t see the pinched expression on Martha’s face.

“What we need from both you and your son right now are as many details about Laura as you can tell us. Who are her friends? What are her hobbies? Where does she spend time during the day? Does she belong to any clubs or organizations? Go to any meetings or classes or social events routinely? Who would she contact if she wanted someone to console her?” Mark asked.

Paul stood behind Mark, pen in hand, ready to take notes. He’d be waiting a long time. Alec was willing to bet Laura didn’t have any friends here, and even if she did, Martha probably hadn’t deigned to pay attention to her life. He’d also bet Justin wasn’t around often enough to know a damned thing.

“I’m not really sure who she spent time with. Laura spent a lot of her time keeping my brother’s calendar for him. I know that. She was very good at it. I’m not sure what she did when she wasn’t taking care of the house or Patrick.” Justin looked at his mother for a lifeline.

She didn’t provide one.

“Gentlemen, I am not my daughter-in-law’s keeper. I don’t know what she did with her time,” Martha said, that cold tone creeping into her voice to let the men know her patience was waning.

Mark’s eyes flicked to Alec for a second. “Can you think of any friends she had that we can talk to? Any bit of information right now would be helpful.”

Before Alec could answer, Martha spoke up. “She didn’t have any friends that I ever met. She was very quiet; kept to herself. That’s all I can tell you. But that doesn’t change anything. That girl has no right taking my grandchild away from me, and she’s sadly mistaken if she thinks she’s going to raise that baby. That baby is a Kensington and it will be raised by Kensingtons.”

“Mother, that’s a ridiculously archaic view. It’s her baby as much as it was Patrick’s,” Justin said.

Martha shrugged as though she didn’t intend to listen to him at all.

“Mark, Paul, why don’t you wait outside for me. I’ll just be a few more minutes,” Alec said and waited until the investigators left before continuing. “Martha, I’m not sure you’ll be able to get custody of the baby even if we do find Laura.” Alec needed to find out exactly what Martha planned and decide how to use that to his advantage. “Getting custody may be extremely difficult.”

If looks could kill... Martha clearly didn’t appreciate his take on things.

“Money buys anything, Alec.” Martha shot a look to Justin as she spoke, shutting down whatever he had been about to say as well. “I’ve got nothing but money and influence, and I intend to use it. That woman will not raise a Kensington.” Justin cursed as Martha walked out of the room as calmly as if she’d simply told the help what she wanted served for dinner that evening.

“Sorry, Alec. I’m fairly sure she thinks this is the nineteen-fifties, and she’ll be able to have Laura hidden away in a hospital or something while she keeps the baby. Either that or she plans to pay off a judge. I’m hoping we can find Laura and talk her into coming back to have the baby here. Maybe if she’s nearby and lets us be a part of her life, I can keep my mother from doing something insane.”

Alec had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. Justin apparently hadn’t a clue what Laura had been through at the hands of his brother, or he wouldn’t glibly suggest she might let his family be a part of the baby’s life. It was almost sad how dysfunctional this family was. They’d been handed everything, and this is what they’d become. If Alec had had only half or a quarter of what they’d had growing up… He shook his head. On second thought, he wouldn’t have wanted it. If he had grown up like this, he might be as soft and spineless as the man in front of him. Alec wouldn’t want that for all the ease and money in the world.

Alec cleared his throat. “I’ll need the key to Patrick’s house. We should look and see if she left any clues that might lead to her whereabouts.” And search for any evidence that needs to be destroyed along with Laura Kensington.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll get it for you.” Justin stood and began to leave, only to turn back. “Look, Alec, I know she comes off as a hard-ass,” he said, looking in the direction his mother had gone, “but losing Patrick is killing her. And, to have Laura run off with his baby is just too much.”

Alec nodded. He didn’t believe there was a damn thing that could hurt Martha Kensington. She wanted that baby because she saw it as a possession, a pawn in some bizarre game she was playing—nothing more. He’d play along, he’d use the considerable sway and resources of the Kensington family to track down Laura but he’d be damned if that baby was ever going to be born. He’d see to it that Laura had a tragic accident or decided to take her own life as soon as she was found. There wasn’t any other way to be sure his secrets were never revealed.