Husband by Choice

“That’s what I’m here to tell you, my friend. We did find her.”

* * *

JENNA WAS ON her way home from walking Renee back to her bungalow Tuesday night when her cell phone rang. She’d already spoken with Yvonne, Olivia’s mother, and knew that the little girl had come through surgery just fine. She’d agreed to meet with the two of them on Thursday at the home of a woman Yvonne had met through work for Olivia’s first therapy session.

And Yvonne didn’t have her cell number.

No one did. Except for Lila.

The managing director wanted Jenna to come to her office.

The other woman’s invitation didn’t include tea. It sounded formal.

With her heart in her throat, Jenna hurried over.

And felt her stomach cramp as she entered the room to find a uniformed police officer standing there.

Something had happened to Max. Or Caleb. They were there to tell her that she’d lost everything in the world that was dear to her....

She felt as if she was going to faint. Sat down. Unable to breathe. And folded her hands together, reminding herself that she wasn’t weak.

And no one knew where she was, or who she was.

The officer looked at a picture in his hand. “Are you Meredith Bennet?” the officer, about forty with graying hair at his temples and a kind expression on his face, asked.

“Has there been an accident?” The words came out on a squeak. She coughed and repeated them. More clearly.

“An accident?”

“Are you here to tell me that....” Her throat was so dry the words wouldn’t come. “Has there been an accident?” she repeated, aware that Lila stood just off to her right, with one hundred percent focus.

“No, ma’am. Not that I’m aware of. Were you in an accident?” the officer asked gently, as though he was proceeding with utmost caution. Sizing up the situation.

And suddenly she was scared to death. Steve had sent this man. He’d found her and this was his way of saying so.

He wasn’t going to wait for her to move out of the shelter this time.

“Jenna...are you Meredith Bennet?” Lila came forward, sat next to her, not touching her, but seeming to hold her up at the same time.

Not that Jenna needed holding. She didn’t. “I’m Jenna McDonald.”

“Yes, I know. But....”

“So you aren’t Meredith Bennet?” the officer said, coming closer. Looming over her.

Lila had a gun. Jenna might be the only resident who knew that, but the woman had told her about it the night she’d been in her apartment. The night she’d told Jenna to get to her if she was ever in trouble—no matter what it took.

And when Jenna had tried to find out why the woman had a gun, to find out anything at all about Lila’s private life, she’d found herself up against a wall of steel.

“Because if you’re not Meredith Bennet, I’m very sorry, ma’am,” the officer continued, backing up a step now. “I didn’t mean to upset you....”

She wasn’t upset.

“Jenna? You’re white as a sheet, dear. Do you feel okay?”

“So you don’t know Dr. Max Bennet,” the officer said, almost at the door.

“What do you know about Max?” The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. So there had been an accident. Or Max was ill. Or in trouble. It had been two long days since she’d seen her boys healthy and at play....