Part 31 (1/2)
Holly stared at the photo in the New Orleans paper.
Her father and her husband stood in front of campaign headquarters. Randolph was announcing his candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives.
No mention of his wife.
She couldn't believe his audacity.
But then he would never consider her a challenge. He'd apparently rid himself of the body she'd left. All he needed now was to rid himself of a wife.
How on earth was he explaining her absence?
Or had no one asked?
Her only close relative was her father. But he had always been closer to Randolph than to her. Randolph was the son he'd never had. His legacy.
She stole a glance at Harry, who had a small pile of picture books in front of him and was engrossed in one of them.
She finally forced herself to move away from the article and on to the society pages. A photo stopped her. Randolph stood next to Sylvia Sams, a well-known socialite in town. The caption identified them as co-chairmen of one of the city's largest fund-raisers.
He looked totally at ease. A confident smile sat comfortably on his patrician face. Randolph had always wrapped himself around good causes. Sylvia Sams, sleek and always impeccably coiffed, was legendary for her man hunting. They looked like the perfect couple.
Holly wished her well in this instance. Anything to keep her husband's efforts focused on something other than finding her. And her son.
”Mrs. Baker?”
She looked up from the computer, turning it slightly so the woman could not see the screen.
”Your son. I helped a customer and when I came back, he was gone.”
”Oh my G.o.d,” Holly said as she leaped up so abruptly the chair fell. Her gaze went around the interior of the main room. No little boy.
”I'll look in the rest rooms,” the librarian said.
”I'll start out here,” Holly said, her voice rising in panic.
Two other patrons overheard and also started searching, going through each aisle of books.
Her heart pounding, her breath caught in her throat, Holly ran through the room, hunting behind shelves, every corner. She could barely breathe. What if her husband ...?
Panic exploded in her. She prayed even as she searched. 'G.o.d, don't let anything happen to him'.
The rest room. Maybe Louise had found him....
But the woman came out of the men's room, shaking her head. ”I'll call the police,” she said.
Outside. Maybe he went outside. She ran for the door, almost tripping. 'Please, G.o.d', she begged again. 'Let him be there'.
She threw the door open. Her gaze swept the street in front and she dashed outside. Praying. Hoping. The street was empty.
She ran around the side of the building. ”Mikey,” she called.
Then she came to an abrupt halt.
Doug Menelo was on one knee, talking to her son. Both looked up, obviously startled by the sound of her voice.
'Mikey!'
She sped across the distance and grabbed her son, hugging him so tightly he yelped.
She released him only slightly. ”Why did you leave?”
”I looked out the window and saw Sher'f Doug outside,” he explained, his eyes wide. ”I wanted to ask to ride again.”
”Don't ever run off again without telling me. Ever.”
His eyes started to fill with tears. She was almost never severe with him. Her own cheeks were wet. She put her face next to his and their tears intermingled.
After a moment, she stood, looked at the sheriff who was watching her every move. She had called out ”Mikey,” not ”Harry.” Her stomach seemed to fall away.
”I'm sorry,” she said. ”I'm not usually hysterical.” She was afraid to say more, to explain. It would only draw attention to the error. Maybe he hadn't even heard her.
”I've noticed,” he replied. ”I should have brought him inside immediately. I was just going to do that. I didn't realize that you didn't know he saw me.”
”He disappeared so... quickly. I was watching, then...”
She was stuttering, the panic lingering in her voice.
”I know how frightening it is to lose a child,” he said in a gentle voice.
Had she overreacted? Did he think her reaction too extreme for a mother who had misplaced her child for a few moments?
”There are so many stories about--”
”I know,” he said. ”I would feel the same way about my niece.”
She picked up Harry and hugged him again. She didn't care what Doug thought. She just wanted to hold her son. Forever., ”I'd better let the librarian know,” she said. ”Everyone is searching for him.”
”I'll go and tell them,” Doug Menelo said.
”Thanks, but I have some books to pick up.”
”Is your car here? Can I take you home?”
Did she look that spooked? She and Harry had walked to the library. She wouldn't use the car any more than she absolutely had to until she received her driver's license.
Had he noticed her reluctance to drive? Would he put two and two together?
The fear in her deepened.
Doug Menelo was looking at her with concern. ”Liz?”