Monica carried Savannah into a dark bedroom while Katelyn placed a hundred-dollar bill into Gerald’s palm.
The man glanced at the denomination briefly before it disappeared into his pocket. “I’ll be back on from three to eleven tomorrow, Miss Morrison. Let me know if I can be of assistance.”
Just like that, Gerald was in her favor.
“I’ll do that.”
Katelyn closed the door behind Gerald and turned on her heel. The entirety of Monica’s small two-bedroom apartment would fit inside the living room of the penthouse at the hotel. A kitchen counter separated the cooking space from the living space. A sofa bed filled the room with a reclining chair to its side. The only updated furniture was a midsize flat screen mounted on the wall. It was hard to believe that Monica had shared this apartment with Jessie and her son for several years. Her imagination wouldn’t have to work hard for long. Until she figured out exactly what Savannah’s future held, the two of them would live here most of the time.
Monica closed the door to the spare room. “She’s sleeping so I left her in the car seat. First thing tomorrow you’re going to have to buy a few essentials. Jessie didn’t keep any of Danny’s baby things he outgrew since there’s not enough storage space.”
“Shopping I can handle. What I really need is a sitter.”
In the kitchen, Monica ran a kettle under the faucet before turning on the stove to boil water. “Mrs. Hoyt lives down the hall. She sat with Danny when my schedule collided with Jessie’s. I’ll call her in the morning.”
“Seriously?”
“She loves babies and could use some extra money. Her husband passed away a few years ago and her fixed income barely does it, from what I can tell.”
Katelyn leaned a hip against the counter. “It all feels so easy.”
Monica laughed aloud. “Easy? Oh, sister, getting a sitter and a crib is the easy part. Juggling a job, the staff at the hotel who need to think you’re living there when you’re not, and dodging baby questions from the people who know you…that is gonna take some serious work. Not to mention that pint-size living, breathing, demanding infant. You can kiss off those stilettos and silk pantsuits for a while and embrace your T-shirts and jeans. Raising a kid is hard, grueling work. The hours are long and the pay is shitty.”
Monica’s words would have scared off a lesser person. Not Katelyn. She squared her shoulders and put her best Morrison foot forward. “My father didn’t raise a quitter. Savannah is not quite mine…yet. One way or another, I’ll find her mama and the meaning behind the message in her letter. When that happens, I’ll either hand her over or give her the Morrison name permanently.”
The steam from the kettle started to whistle and Monica quickly turned down the fire.
From down the hall came Savannah’s pathetic cry.
“That’s your call, Mommy. It’s time to see what all that Texas determination can do.”
Chapter Five
According to Miss May, Katelyn and Monica left the hotel with enough baggage to last a month. Dean ascertained that information after leaving two messages on Katelyn’s home answering machine. Messages he wouldn’t have bothered with if Katie had left her usual response on her machine. It wasn’t unlike her to leave Texas for weeks on end for extended trips abroad. This time, however, she didn’t leave the typical explanation…“I’m drinking wine in Italy. Call you when I fly home.”
No. This time Katelyn left no such message on her personal line and Dean thought the worst. He knew something wasn’t right. He didn’t relax until Miss May revealed that, although Katie left rather abruptly, she at least disappeared with a friend.
Dean talked with some of Katie’s friends, none had recently given birth, or even knew anyone who was expecting. So who did Savannah belong to? And why was Katelyn so determined to keep the baby’s identity from him?
On a hunch, he called The Morrison in Ontario and asked if Katie had checked in. Sure enough, the staff had seen her and expected an extended stay.
“Can you leave a message for Miss Morrison, please?”
“Of course, Mr. Prescott.”
“Inform her that she’s not to step foot on the site until I arrive in town.” If her only business in Ontario was to help Jack with his hotel, she would ignore his demand…if she were keeping something from him, she would avoid confrontation. At least he thought she’d react that way.
“Excuse me?” The receptionist had heard him. Chances were she didn’t want to relay his words.
“Not one foot. I’ll be there Monday afternoon. Have her call me.”
“Does she have your number?”
He hadn’t forgotten hers. “Yes.”
The receptionist disconnected the call and Dean stared at the phone in his hand. What put the fire under Katie’s butt and made her run?
He made a quick call to the airline and moved his flight up a full day. Even then, she had two full days in California before he arrived.
Jack always had a sixth sense about his sister’s well-being and Dean was determined to keep an eye on her. From what he’d seen so far, he agreed with Jack. Something wasn’t quite right about her.
“Is that so?” Katelyn tapped the edge of her sunglasses against the reception desk.
“Those were the very words Mr. Prescott left for us to deliver.” The young woman behind the desk lifted her brown eyes and appeared to fade before Katelyn’s.