Jason waited for her at the bottom of the stairs. He wore a tight black tee shirt and black pants. Beth licked her lips. He looked sexier than he had in the dream that teased her last night. When she reached him, he handed her a cup of tea. She inhaled the aroma of cinnamon and orange. "Mmm. How did you know?"
"While we were at the shop, Abbey gave me instructions on the proper care of Elizabeth Kingsley."
"She didn't."
"Oh, yes." He laughed. "You drink strong tea with breakfast and the rest of the day you have strong, black coffee. She sent me home with a tin of your favorite tea and a package of the coffee you prefer."
"I'm sorry. She shouldn't have bothered you."
"Your friends are worried and want you to have whatever you need to recover. That's what family does." He took her arm and walked to the breakfast room. "There's more color in your cheeks today. How are you feeling?"
"Better. Refreshed."
"I checked on you earlier. You were restless and whimpering. I thought you might be having nightmares about the crash. I walked in to wake you, but the moans stopped, so I let you sleep. Were they nightmares?"
Although she tried to appear calm, her face grew hot. "I don't remember."
"If you have nightmares, you should tell the doctor, or we can find you a counselor."
"I'm fine. If the dreams become a problem, I'll let you know."
"Good." He chuckled. "I hope you're hungry. I walked into the kitchen for coffee and found Lupita singing with the radio while she fixed breakfast. You know what that means."
Beth nodded. "She made enough food for a platoon of soldiers and expects me to eat at least two helpings of everything. If I don't, she'll accuse me of worrying my mother."
They laughed and sat at the table. Lupita brought in her usual overloaded tray of food, and they filled their plates.
She asked, "How did you find Mr. Michael?"
"A few years ago, the son of one of Matt's friends was kidnapped. They hired Gabriel Michael to find the boy."
"Is he good?"
"Matt told me he takes cases other investigators consider lost causes, and his success rate is higher than the average."
"Did he find the boy?"
Jason nodded. "He did."
"Then we should hire him."
"It's not a matter of whether we hire him, but whether he'll take our case. He's particular about who he works with. If he agrees to work for us, we have to first agree to his terms."
"What are they?"
Jason counted off the reasons. "Someone he trusts must refer us. We must have a good reason for finding the child. We have to agree to act in the child's best interests."
"He sounds like the kind of investigator we need. Someone who won't give up."
"That's what I thought, so I had his background checked. Michael's firm has an excellent reputation and is one of the best in the country. There isn't much information about Michael and nothing over seven years old. It's as though he didn't exist before then."
"I don't care about his past, my concern is whether he can find my son." She tilted her head. "Tell me what to say to convince him to accept our case?"
"Just be honest and answer his questions, no matter how uncomfortable they make you."
"There are still gaps in my memory."
"Do your best. If we have to fill in the blanks later, we will."
"Why does he have two first names?"
"I don't know. You can ask him when he gets here."
After breakfast, they went to the study. He nagged Beth until she sat, her legs up, on the sofa. "This interview will drain you emotionally and physically."
He covered her with an afghan and put a pillow behind her back.
She objected. "This isn't the way to conduct a business meeting with someone we want to impress."
"Michael will understand. I told him about the accident." He crossed his arms. "We can't risk setting back your recovery."
The doorbell rang, and Beth grabbed his hand. "What will we do if he won't help us?"
Jason said, "Don't worry. He wouldn't be coming here if he wasn't interested in our case. If he decides against us, we'll hire someone else. I promise we will find our son."
The heavy footsteps in the hall got closer until Gabriel Michael walked into the room. Beth shivered. He exuded confidence and strength. Never would he allow himself to fail.
His blond hair was tied back in a queue and hung to the middle of his back. Shadows in his translucent silver-gray eyes revealed the soul of the man who walked in the alleys of life's dark side. Gabriel Michael could handle himself and anyone who got in his way.
"Mr. Michael, I'm Jason Richards. Thank you for meeting with us." Jason shook his hand.
"Please call me Gabriel."
They walked to her, and Beth marveled at their similarities. Both men exuded power and authority. Anyone who saw them would know it was a mistake to cross either man.
"This is Elizabeth Kingsley—Beth."
Gabriel shook her hand. "Happy to meet you."
"Thank you for coming here. It's difficult for me to travel."
"Jason explained." Gabriel nodded.
"Before we start, would you like coffee, water, or something else?" Jason pointed to a cart. "If you're hungry, we have scones and other pastries."
Gabriel poured a large cup of the dark coffee.
She warned him. "It's very strong."
He took a long drink and smiled. "Perfect."
"Your story caught my interest. I wanted to hear more." Gabriel sat on a leather chair and took a notebook and pen from his briefcase. "So tell me about your son."
Jason said, "I'd like to tell you about the early years when we both lived in Serenity Bay."
While he told Gabriel about their time together and their plans to leave town, Beth's thoughts strayed. How will I cope with his contempt when he finds out I abandoned our son?
She listened as he described his life in Chicago and talked about the Richards family. When he talked about his marriage, she crossed her arms to hide her clenched hands.
Beth held her breath when he talked about that awful letter he'd received eight years ago. He explained that although her signature was on the letter, she hadn't sent it. She released the breath she'd been holding.
Then he told Gabriel about the letter he'd received a few months ago. With a smirk, he admitted returning to town to ask questions and discover the secrets hinted at in the letter. He handed Gabriel the folder with the two letters. While he read them, Jason refilled his coffee cup.
Jason talked for more than an hour. Gabriel never interrupted. He waited to ask questions when Jason finished his explanation.
After Jason answered the last question, he suggested they break for lunch.
Beth's stomach was tight with tension. It would be her turn to talk about the past. Afraid she'd lose her lunch, Beth ate little of the food Lupita had prepared. When Jason left town, she hadn't known how alone he'd felt, or how it hurt him to leave without her. No wonder he'd been confused and angry when he got the letter telling him he'd been a fling.
When they returned to the study, it was Beth's turn. Even though it had been years since her life fell apart, the loss and fear still plagued her. Talking about it hurt, deeply, but to find her son she'd endure any pain.
"Until the day Jason went to Minneapolis, I didn't believe he would go without me. But he did." Beth stared at her hands. "We talked on the telephone and wrote every day, but I worried he wouldn't come back for me. Two weeks after he left, I started losing my breakfast. I bought a home pregnancy test. The results were positive."
She took a deep breath. "Later that day, a maid told Archer about the test stick she'd found. I think she hoped to get on his good side, but she didn't know, he doesn't have one. He wanted no one to know about the pregnancy, so he fired her."
Beth dug a handkerchief out of her pocket. "Father made arrangements for Mother and me to go to Boston. He ordered me to have the baby and place him for adoption. I wanted to keep my baby, but Father said he had plans for me, and they didn't include my brat."
Lips trembling, she said, "I asked him for money and promised to go away. I even offered to give him my shares of company stock, but he refused. He said I was an embarrassment, and he didn't want his reputation ruined because of the mess I'd made."
Jason left his chair and sat next to her. Then he held her hand.
She looked into his eyes terrified of what she'd see. A tear slipped over her cheek when she saw pain and sorrow, but no anger or contempt. "I told Archer I wouldn't go to Boston. He said if I didn't give up the baby, he'd make trouble for Jason. I didn't know what he would do, but I had to protect you. I went along with his plan, although I hoped you'd come for me. But the day you came to see me, Archer was home and said he would have you sent to prison. I had to tell you his lies. After you left, I wrote to tell you why I said those things. The letter came back—unopened. A week later, Mother and I flew to Boston.
"I tried to run away, but the police found me. Then Archer hired a bodyguard. I wasn't allowed to go anywhere alone, but I managed to escape a second time. The guard tracked me to a motel and took me back." Tears poured from her eyes. "I wanted my baby."
Jason pulled her into his arms and held her while she cried. He stroked circles on her back. His gentle care soothed the part of her that still ached after all the years.
"Why don't we take a break?" Gabriel got to his feet. "We can finish tomorrow."
"I'd rather go on. If you'll give me a minute, I'll be fine." She stared at their joined hands. "Can I have a cup of coffee?"
Gabriel stood. "I'll get it."
By the time he handed Beth a cup, her tears had dried. "I'm better. I can do this." Her voice was steadier when she continued her story.
"At the hospital, a nurse felt sorry for me. I begged her to name the baby Marie if it was a girl." She looked at him. "If it was a boy, I wanted him called Daniel."
Jason Daniel Richards stared at her with eyes that glistened with unshed tears. "Daniel?"
Beth nodded. "Later, the nurse told me the baby was a boy. I wanted to hold him before they took him away, but Mother wouldn't let me. She said it would make the pain worse. After that, I didn't care what happened. A month after we returned to town, I married Jacob."
He brushed his thumb over her hand, and she appreciated the caress. It kept her anchored in the present instead of wandering in the despair of the past.
"After Jacob found out about Daniel, he hired an investigator to search, but the detective couldn't find any leads and quit the case. Jacob died, and I didn't have the money to hire another investigator. I became depressed and lost hope."
"Then I inherited grandmother's estate and hired another investigator. The first of five. I want to know Daniel is healthy, happy, and loved. I'd like to be part of his life. But none of the men I hired could find him or uncover any information about where he might be living."
She put her hands over her face and cried. "I'm…so…sorry…"
"That's enough." Jason stood. "We can finish tomorrow. Gabriel, will you wait? I want to take Beth upstairs."
Jason carried her to the bedroom. He sat on the bed and held her while she cried. When she ran out of tears, he laid her down. She shivered, so he grabbed the quilt at the bottom of the bed and covered her.
"Do you want Lupita to bring you something to eat?"
She shook her head.
"Beth—"
"Please, not now. I want to rest." She shut her eyes and prayed for sleep.
Jason returned to his study, agitated and angry. He went to the liquor cabinet and poured two snifters of brandy. He handed one to Gabriel then rolled his glass between his hands before he took a drink.
The day he decided to make Beth pay for her sins, he hadn't known how she'd suffered. She'd lived through her parent's betrayal, the loss of their son, and his apparent abandonment. Instead of losing herself in the pain and betrayal, she remained a warm, loving woman.
"Will she be okay?" Gabriel scrubbed a hand over his chin. "Did we push too hard?"
"She's tired. A good night's sleep will help." Jason stared at the amber liquid.
"The depth of her strength amazes me."
Jason took a drink of his brandy. "Have you decided if you'll take our case?"
"I'll take it." Gabriel set his glass on a table. "She deserves to find out what's happened to her baby."
"Yeah, she does." Jason ran a hand through his hair. "So, what will you do first?"
"I want to hear the rest of her story. Also, I have two or three questions."
"Come for breakfast tomorrow. Beth should be able to answer your questions then."
"That'll work." Gabriel packed his notebook into his briefcase and stood. He scrubbed a hand over his face. "You know, her father's a bastard."
Jason smirked. "Yeah, I know."
Daniel cried. Poor darling needed her. Before she reached him, Jason picked him up. She reached out, but he stepped away.
"You gave our son away. You don't deserve to have him."
"I had to save you."
"You're lying."
She stretched her arms out and pleaded, "I'm not. I can't lose him again."
A heartbeat later a warm, soothing heat surrounded her. She sighed and snuggled into the warm cocoon where there were no nightmares.
Beth woke more rested and relaxed than she'd felt in years. While the talk about the past opened the old wounds, the burden felt lighter. She wanted to believe Gabriel could find their son, but so many others failed. Another disappointment would crush her.
Jason might fight for full custody, but it didn't matter if he did. She wasn't a helpless eighteen-year-old girl too weak to fight for her child. Now she was a strong, independent woman who would face any obstacle to keep her son.
Even if they shared custody, it would be a challenge to make it work with Jason in Illinois and her in Minnesota. She would worry about that later. First, they had to find Daniel. Please let this time be different.
Beth went down to breakfast. Jason and Gabriel sat at the table. They stood, and Jason pulled a chair out for her. She stared at him until he asked, "Do I have food on my face?"
"What? Uh, no. Sorry. I guess I'm not awake yet."
"Would you like coffee instead of tea?" He grinned.
"No." She took a scone from the basket of pastries. It was a raspberry-white chocolate scone. She thanked Jason.
"Thank Lupita. She's worried you're not eating enough and hoped the scones would tempt you."
"I'll thank her later." She turned to Gabriel. "Will you help us?"
"Yes. Before I can start, I have a few questions."
"There's still a lot I don't remember, but I'll tell you whatever I know."
Jason held Beth's hand and brushed his thumb over the back of her hand. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I will do whatever it takes to find Daniel."
After breakfast, they went to the study. She didn't argue about putting her legs up this time.
"There aren't that many questions. We'll try to get this done quickly so you can rest." Gabriel pulled out his notebook and pen. "Where in Boston did you live?"
"We had an apartment in the Back Bay area." She gave him the address.
Gabriel nodded as he wrote. "Where was Daniel born?"
"Boston City Hospital."
"Were there any problems with the birth? Did the doctor mention any concerns about the baby's health?"
"No. He refused to talk about him. Although he did tell me the baby was healthy." Beth frowned and rubbed her forehead. "You know—there was something odd that I'd forgotten. The doctor who delivered the baby wasn't the one I went to for prenatal care. Before I had the baby, I saw Dr. Jessop. But he wasn't the doctor who delivered Daniel. I didn't know him."
"Do you remember his name?"
"No. I'm sorry."
"I would have been surprised if you remembered." Gabriel tapped his pen on his tablet. "Is there any chance you know the name of the attorney who handled the adoption?"
She shook her head. "No. Archer arranged that and never told me his name. I've asked Father for the man's name, but he refuses to answer my questions or discuss the pregnancy."
"I didn't think he'd give you that information, but I wanted to check. If you remember any other details, call me or send an email." Gabriel smiled. "In the meantime, I'll check the county records and hospital files for a birth certificate and medical information."
Jason asked, "Can you search without knowing who adopted him or the attorney who handled the adoption?"
Gabriel huffed. "It would be easier to search if we had that information, but there are places we can check."
Jason asked Beth, "How do you feel about talking to your parents?"
"For years I've asked Archer for the information, but he refuses to tell me anything. Although, he might tell J.D. Richards." She frowned. "But he won't give us the information for free. He'll want to be sure we know he's the one with the power."
"I swim with sharks bigger and meaner than Archer. I can handle him." Jason pulled her close then asked Gabriel. "Any more questions?"
Gabriel's eyes narrowed, and his pen tapped on his tablet.
"What's wrong?" Jason asked.
"You hired five investigators, and they all resigned. What reasons did they give for quitting?"
Beth shrugged. "I wondered about that, but their stories were the same. They found no trace of Daniel, and it would be a waste of money to continue to search."
Gabriel asked, "Who searched the longest?"
"The first investigator searched for almost eighteen months. He told me he'd found a good lead, but two weeks later he resigned."
Gabriel scratched his jaw. "Do you have the names, addresses, and phone numbers of your investigators? It would help if I could also get the dates they worked for you. Do you have that information?"
"It's at home. I'll get my file and email what I have later today. Do you think they might have information in their notes you can use?"
She watched Jason and Gabriel stare at each other, but neither said a word. What weren't they telling her? "If you need a written authorization to get the information, I can send letters to them."
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure they'll talk once I introduce myself." Gabriel crossed his legs. "I'll search for your son, because you deserve to know what happened to him. But you need to prepare yourselves. If he's with a good family who loves him, it would be wrong to tear them apart."
Beth twisted her hands. "I don't want to rip their family apart, but I would like to be part of his life. If his parents don't agree, I don't know how I'd cope with their decision. Whatever happens, I don't want him to be caught in the middle of a court battle."
Gabriel nodded then looked at Jason.
"I can't tell you what I'd do." He rolled his shoulders. "I've only known I had a son for a few days. I want to believe I'd do what's best for Daniel, but I don't know if I could walk away."
Gabriel stared at him. "I do this work for the children. They deserve to be happy and to know about their birth. But I'll do whatever it takes to protect him, even if I have to stop you from hurting him. Understood?"
Jason nodded.
Beth asked, "Where will you look first?"
Gabriel stood. "I think Boston. We might get lucky and find information in the hospital's records about the people who adopted him or the agency that placed Daniel."
After Gabriel left, Beth wanted to get the information she'd promised him. Marco drove her home. She talked to her housekeeper and reassured her. Then she packed her computer and the files on the investigators in her briefcase.
By the time they got back to Jason's house, Beth was exhausted. She decided to change into a bathing suit and lie by the pool. It wasn't often she took the time to enjoy a sunny day, but today was perfect for being outside. The sun's rays warmed her and soothed the tension in her body. She closed her eyes.
Beth hummed at the light caress on her shoulder. She arched her back and stretched. Her eyelids flickered open.
Jason stood over her. "Hello."
Her stomach fluttered. "Hi."
"I saw you from my study. Unless you want a painful sunburn, you should move into the shade. I'll even put suntan lotion on your back."
Beth gathered her towel and tote bag before she moved to a chair in the shade. Jason sat next to her and poured lotion into his hand. When he slid his hand over her skin, she shivered and bit back a moan while every bone in her body turned to mush.
"When do you want to talk to your parents?"
She shrugged. "I thought we'd wait to hear from Gabriel."
"We have to do this." He rubbed lotion on her arms. "The one person who knows the name of the attorney is your Father. He might even have the name of the couple who adopted Daniel. We have to try."
"You're right." She exhaled. "I hate to ask my father for anything. He'll want us to pay for his help. I've thought about it, and I am certain he'll want you to invest in his latest project."
"Trust me. I can handle Archer." Jason stroked her arms. "I promised we'd find Daniel, and we will. He won't stop us."
She smiled. "I'll call Mother and ask if we can visit this evening."
"Let me know." He kissed her forehead and returned to his study.
An hour later, unable to put it off any longer, Beth called her mother.
Deidre was thrilled they wanted to visit. Beth hated not telling her the reason, but she didn't want to give Archer time to prepare.
At supper, she tried to eat, but the few bites she ate felt like soured milk in her stomach. By the time they parked the car at her parent's home, she'd shredded every tissue she had in her purse.
Jason pulled her close. "I negotiate with difficult people all the time, and I can handle Archer. If he wants money, that's what we'll give him. Whatever it takes, we'll get the information we need."
The butler opened the door. "Good evening, Miss Beth. You're looking well."
"Thank you, Thomas. How is your family?"
"They're well, Miss. My youngest son graduated from law school a week ago."
"That's wonderful. You must be very proud of him."
"We are, Miss."
"Where are my parents?"
"They're waiting for you in the front parlor."
"Thank you." She took Jason's hand, but at the closed doors to the parlor, she stopped.
He put an arm around her shoulder. "Your father can't hurt you anymore."
"No one has ever stopped him." She straightened her shoulders. "Let's do this."
Jason knocked and opened the door. Beth pasted on a smile and walked into the room.
Her mother sat in a chair next to the huge, marble fireplace. It was one of the few features she liked in this oversized mausoleum. Archer stood behind her leaning against the oak mantel.
Over the years, she'd learned to read Archer's moods. His smirk and raised eyebrow had her jaw clenching. He would be difficult.
Jason said, "Deidre, it's good to see you again."
She smiled. "I'm so glad you came to visit."
Beth said, "Jason, you remember my father."
They nodded, but neither of them put a hand out.
"Please sit." Deidre frowned and pointed to the sofa across from her. "Would you like something to drink? There is coffee and tea."
Jason shook his head.
Beth folded her hands together and said, "Not now, thank you."
Archer pulled away from the mantel. "You wanted to meet with us. Why?"
So, no polite chitchat. Beth said, "I told Jason about our son. We've hired an investigator to find him. It would help our search if you gave us the name of the attorney who handled the adoption and the doctor who delivered the baby."
Beth watched her parents' reactions. Her mother twisted her wedding ring and stared at Archer while her father narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin. What was he plotting?
He said, "That unpleasantness is best left buried. I won't discuss it or the humiliation you caused me."
Beth inhaled. "The it you're referring to is our son. If you remember, you sent me to Boston and forced me to give up my son so no one learned about your humiliation."
Archer walked to the liquor cabinet and poured a drink. He returned to the fireplace without offering one to them. "I worked hard to clean up your mess. I'll not allow you to make that scandal public and sully my name."
Beth looked at Jason.
Although he looked relaxed, Jason's eyes were as cold and hard as icebergs when he said, "We will find our son, but the search would be easier if you gave us the information we need."
Archer sneered, "You can search for your brat, but I made sure you will never find him."