Her Stolen Son

“What happened after he left?”

She shifted restlessly, wiping at her tear-stained cheeks. “Petey was upset, so I cuddled him for a while and lay down with him until he fell asleep. This morning we were having breakfast when the sheriff knocked on the door.” She waved her hand. “Then they tore Petey away from me and arrested me….”

“Lyle didn’t come back during the night? Maybe he broke in and attacked you—”

“No,” Serena said firmly. “He didn’t come back, I didn’t fight with him, and I didn’t go to his place. In fact, I’ve never been to his house.” Her voice grew stronger. “And I would never leave Petey alone. Never.”

Colt frowned. “Do you have proof, someone who can alibi you?”

“Petey, but he was asleep.”

“Did you make or receive any phone calls during the night? Were you on the computer?”

“No, I fell asleep beside Petey, then woke up around four and went to my bed.”

Damn. A typical single mother routine, but not much for an alibi.

Colt tapped his foot, thinking. “Did the sheriff mention the evidence he has against you? How he knew you were involved with Rice?”

Serena’s forehead puckered. “No.”

“How about the cause or time of death?”

She shook her head. “No, he hasn’t told me anything.”

A situation he would rectify.

“Tell me more about Rice. What did he do for a living? How did you two meet?”

Serena heaved a breath. “He told me he was an entrepreneur, that he had investments in small companies. I run a bookkeeping business out of my home, and one of my clients gave him my name as a reference in case he needed my services.”

He definitely needed more background information on Rice. “Have you phoned a lawyer yet?”

A sense of despair seemed to wash over her. “No. I haven’t had a chance to call.” Her voice cracked again. “Besides, I don’t know who to call. I’ve never needed a criminal attorney before.” She swung her gaze toward the cell door. “I can’t believe I need one now.”

Colt gave up the battle to keep his distance, and tugged her hands into his. “Listen to me, Serena. I know a good lawyer. I’ll put in a call to her.”

The sheriff’s footsteps echoed down the hall, and Colt stood. “Hang in there. I’ll call my friend about arranging your bail. And I’m going to question the sheriff and find out more about Rice’s murder.”

Sheriff Gray appeared at the door, keys jangling as he motioned to Colt.

Serena rose and gripped his arm. “Please, Colt. Tell Petey I love him. And don’t let him end up in the system. I grew up there myself. It’s not pretty.”

He’d been a cop long enough to know what could happen, too. But the law was the law, and his hands were tied.

Petey was going back to Magnolia Manor.

SERENA PACED the jail cell, the tiny space closing around her. The nauseating scent of old sweat, urine and dirt wafted around her, nearly suffocating her.

She felt trapped. Panicky. And worried sick about her son.

Colt Mason’s face flashed into her mind, and a sliver of something frightening stirred in her belly. He had a strong, prominent jaw that seemed permanently set in anger. That crooked nose, the scar on his forehead and his black, intense eyes gave him a menacing look.

But she’d heard a tenderness in his voice when he’d mentioned Petey. And if he worked with GAI—and she had seen his badge as proof—then he had to answer to his boss and the other agents, meaning he had to be legitimate.

His questions about Lyle also roused her own questions. What would the sheriff tell him about her case? Sheriff Gray had to have some kind of evidence to hold her. But what kind of evidence could he possibly have against her?

Her shoulders and body ached with fatigue and tension, and she collapsed onto the cot, sick at the thought of having to spend the night in the cell.

At the thought of Petey sleeping in a foster home or orphanage where God knew what could happen to him.

He was so little, so young. He wouldn’t know how to protect himself against the bullies or the street-savvy kids. And he didn’t have enough strength to protect himself if one of the caretakers assaulted him.

Memories of one foster father in particular taunted her, and she automatically rubbed at the scar below her breastbone.

His wife…she’d been just as bad. A religious fanatic who’d sacrificed Serena to her husband in order to save herself from his vile touches. God’s will, the woman had said.

But God never meant for a man to do the things that man had done to her. God never meant for people to hurt children.

Tears threatened again, but she willed them away and let her mind go to that safe place where she’d retreated as a child. Where nothing could hurt her. Not the evil touches of those who pretended to care for children, not their hateful words or degrading comments or their beatings.

She was not that little girl anymore. She was strong. She had found love once. She had a son, and she would die protecting him.

Suddenly exhausted, she lay back on the cot and closed her eyes. But just as she was about to fall asleep, the image of Lyle Rice’s face materialized. Then her foster father.

Except this time he and Lyle were teaming up, and they were both chasing Petey…

She jerked up, shaking all over, a chill skating up her spine.

Please, Colt, help me. And please hurry…

PETEY ROCKED back and forth in the big chair, his legs dangling. Mr. Colt had been gone a long time.

He kept staring at the door, hoping he’d come in any minute.

Hoping his mommy would be with him and she’d take him home. And this horrible day would be over.

Mr. Colt’s friend Mr. Derrick set a drawing pad and some crayons on the coffee table. “Wanna draw while we wait on Colt to get back?”

He stared at the crayons and paper for a minute. He was a pretty good drawer. But he didn’t feel like drawing. His stomach was growling and jumping up and down, he was so hungry.

Maybe he should have broken out of jail after that mac and cheese.

Petey shook his head. “No. I wanna go home.”

Mr. Derrick nodded. “I know. Maybe when Colt returns, he can tell us when you and your mother can go home.”

Footsteps squeaked on the floor. His heart pounded. He sat up straighter. His mommy was coming back now. She’d hug him hard, and then they’d get lunch and ice cream and forget about this awful day.

But Ms. Brianna walked in the door instead.

Petey went stone-cold still.

Mr. Colt hadn’t helped him at all. He’d lied to him.

Tears clogged his throat. He’d trusted him ’cause his name was the name of the gun his daddy had told him about.

But Mr. Colt had called the kid jail to come and get him.

Would they put those metal things on his hands this time like they had his mommy to keep him from running away again?

Chapter Three

Serena’s comment about being in the system disturbed Colt. What had happened to her while she was in foster care? Had someone hurt her?

Knowing that was very possible, he hated even more that her son would be forced to stay in the orphanage or with a foster family until this mess was sorted out and she was cleared.

Granted she was cleared.

God knew he’d seen enough cases go awry not to completely trust the court system.

Colt stepped into the front office and phoned Kay Krantz, an attorney he’d met when he was on the force. She was kind, compassionate and a pit bull in court. As soon as he explained that Serena was a single mother whose husband had been killed on the force, she agreed to rush over.

Next he phoned Ben Camp at GAI. Ben was their go-to technical guy. If he couldn’t hack into it or trace it, it couldn’t be done. “Ben, it’s Colt. Did you talk to Derrick?”

“Yeah, he filled Gage and all the agents in on your case. Where are you?”

“The sheriff’s department. I just met with the little boy’s mother, and I believe her story.” He explained about Lyle Rice’s advances, Serena’s rejection and that the man had hurt the boy.

“How was he killed?”

“I don’t know any details yet, but I’m going to talk to the sheriff now. I also phoned Kay Krantz, and she agreed to represent Serena. She’s on the way.”

“So you believe this Stover woman is innocent?”

Colt hesitated. He’d been fooled by women before. But not for a long time. One plus of working undercover was that he’d become a good judge of character, both good and bad. “Yeah, I do.”

“Then I’ll see what I can dig up on Rice. If the man has skeletons, they’re coming out of the closet.”

“Thanks, Camp. I’ll update you once I talk to Sheriff Gray.”

Colt strode to the sheriff’s office and knocked on the door. The sheriff glanced up from the file on his desk and gestured for him to come in.

“I didn’t expect to have GAI in on this investigation,” Sheriff Gray said without preamble.

Colt shrugged. “Her kid made a good case.”

Gray nodded, his expression troubled. “I haven’t interrogated Ms. Stover yet. She was too upset when we first brought her in.”

So the sheriff had a touch of compassion. If he’d really believed the woman was a cold-blooded killer, he would have gone for the jugular before she’d had time to concoct a phony story.

Colt crossed his arms. “So, what evidence do you have against Serena Stover to warrant an arrest?”

Sheriff Gray leaned back in his seat, and propped his feet on his desk. “You know I don’t have to tell you that.”

“True. But I have a feeling you will.”

“Does Ms. Stover have a lawyer?”

Colt folded his arms. “She’s on her way.”

Sheriff Gray nodded as if he’d expected as much. “Then we might as well discuss it all at once.”

Colt wanted answers now. “The news reporter said you didn’t find a body. Have you recovered it yet?”

Sheriff Gray fiddled with the pen on his desk. “No.”

Colt frowned. “Then how can you be certain there was a murder?”

“There is other convincing evidence,” the sheriff said in a tone indicating he didn’t intend to argue—or reveal all the information he had at the moment.

“How about cause of death?”

Gray’s expression shut down. “I told you we’d discuss this with Ms. Stover and her attorney. Now, I need to make a call.”

Colt hesitated. He wanted to push for more, but Sheriff Gray gestured toward the door, and he remembered Gage’s warning about staying on Gray’s good side.

Anxious for the attorney to arrive, he stepped outside to wait for Kay. But questions nagged at him. What the hell did Gray have on Serena?

Whatever it was, it had to be pretty damn convincing.

A red convertible zoomed down the street, then whirled into a parking spot in front of the sheriff’s office. Kay Krantz. A second later, she climbed out, looking all-business in a tailored blue suit. She was a beauty, but it was the ferocious attorney at work that he admired.

Still, there had never been anything between them except friendship and a healthy respect for each other’s jobs. Like Serena, she was still grieving over the loss of her husband. Maybe one day she’d move past it and some lucky bastard would snag her.

Right now, he just wanted her to help Serena Stover and her little boy.

“You talked to the sheriff?” she asked, slinging a black leather briefcase over one shoulder.

“He’s waiting for you.” He opened the door to the sheriff’s office, and she sashayed inside. “By the way, he hasn’t questioned Serena yet. She was too upset when he arrested her.”

Her eyebrow quirked at that, but she flipped a strand of her long black hair over her shoulder and forged on. The moment she entered the office, the sheriff’s eyes lit up.

“Kay Krantz,” she said, then extended her hand.

Sheriff Gray stood and shook her hand. “You’re representing Serena Stover?”

“That’s right.” Her fingers tightened around the strap of her shoulder bag. “I’d like to see a copy of the arrest warrant.”

Frowning, the sheriff snagged it from his desk and pushed it into her hands. “I can assure you it’s in order.”

She studied it for a moment, then dropped it on to the desk. “Okay, let me see my client now.”

“Fine,” Sheriff Gray said. “I’ll move her to the interrogation room and we’ll all convene there.” He glanced at Colt. “You can wait here.”

“He’s with me,” Kay said, then smiled when Gray narrowed his eyes. “My assistant.”

“Yeah, right,” Gray muttered, then jangled his keys as he went to retrieve Serena.

Five minutes later, they were all seated in the interrogation room. Serena and Kay sat on one side of the table across from the sheriff. Colt parked himself at the end. Gray had already given him orders to keep his mouth shut.

He hoped he could comply, but he wasn’t promising anything.

Still, he adopted his poker face, the one he used when he was undercover. Sometimes a person’s mannerisms said more than their words. He just hoped that Serena told the truth.

And that she didn’t have any ghosts in her past the sheriff could use against her.

SERENA GRIPPED her clammy hands together, bracing herself to be ripped apart by the sheriff’s questions.

Kay Krantz squeezed her hand, and she took a deep breath. When the lawyer had introduced herself, Serena remembered the attorney’s name from a big case in Raleigh.

Kay Krantz had won.

Hopefully, she was as talented as the article had claimed.

“All right, Sheriff,” Kay said. “Show us what you have.”

Sheriff Gray’s face remained solemn as he opened a folder and spread photos of a ransacked bedroom in front of them. The light was dim, the furniture old and outdated, but it was the mess that caught Serena’s eyes. Clothes were scattered in disarray, a lamp was overturned, a wineglass broken on the faded carpet.

Then her gaze fell to the bed, and her stomach pitched. The white bed linens were tangled and drenched in blood.

“We believe Mr. Rice was killed here in his bedroom.” Sheriff Gray gestured toward the crimson stains on the sheets and floor. “As you see from the amount of blood loss, he was apparently stabbed several times and bled out.”

Serena couldn’t take her eyes off the blood. No one could have survived that much blood loss.

Kay gestured toward the other photos of the crime scene. “Then where is Rice’s body?”

The sheriff twisted toward Serena, his suspicious look sending a chill up her spine. “We were hoping Ms. Stover could tell us that.”

“I have no idea,” Serena blurted. “I—”

“Shh, don’t say anything right now.” Kay placed her hand over Serena’s to calm her.

“What about the murder weapon?” Kay asked.

The sheriff pointed to a serrated kitchen knife on the floor beside the tangled bedding, and cold fear clawed at Serena. Dear God…that knife looked exactly like one from the set Parker’s parents had given them as a wedding gift.

“Blood matches Rice’s. And we found Ms. Stover’s prints on the knife, and the wineglass.”

Serena gasped. “But I’ve never been to the man’s house.”

Sheriff Gray leaned forward, hands gripping the file edge. He slid another photograph from the bottom of the stack and cocked one brow.

“Then how did your underwear and prints get in his bedroom, Ms. Stover?”

Serena stared at a pair of her black lace underwear in shock. “I have no idea, I told you I’ve never been in his house…”

The sheriff’s look hardened. “Just like you weren’t guilty of assault when you were a teenager?”

Serena gasped. “I wasn’t. Besides, those records were supposed to be sealed.”

Again Kay covered her hand to silence her. “Serena, please. Let me handle this.”

Serena gave Colt an imploring look, hoping for support, but his face was a granite mask revealing nothing.

They had to believe her. She hadn’t been at Lyle’s house.

Of course, she hadn’t attacked that guy when she was fifteen either. She had been defending herself. But the boy who’d accosted her came from a rich family who’d paid a high-priced attorney to drag her through the mud, and she’d ended up in the juvenile detention center.

So how had her underwear and knife and her fingerprints gotten in Lyle’s place?

Sheriff Gray laid another photograph in front of them. “These are from Rice’s computer.” He spread several printouts of emails in front of her, then used a pencil to point to them. “Please read these emails, Ms. Stover.”

Trembling inside, Serena leaned forward to study the screen and Kay did the same.

I love you, Lyle. I won’t let you leave me. I’ll kill you before I let you go.

You’re mine forever.

Serena

Nausea settled over her as she scanned a dozen more. Each note poured out her love, begged the man to not leave her, the latter ones becoming increasingly threatening.

But she hadn’t sent them.

“Judging by these emails, it appears you were obsessed with Lyle Rice.” The sheriff’s chair squeaked as he leaned back, studying her. “Rice wasn’t upset because you rejected him, Ms. Stover. It was the other way around. You were stalking him.”

“No…that’s not true—”

“Be quiet, Serena.” Kay’s fingers tightened over Serena’s. “Sheriff, how do you know those emails came from my client? Did you have a warrant to search her computer?”

Sheriff Gray smiled. “I’m not some dumb local like you think, Ms. Krantz.” He lifted a manila envelope from a file box and dropped it on the desk, then removed Serena’s cell phone, which was sealed in a plastic bag.

“When we booked Ms. Stover, we collected her personal items. The emails came from this phone.”

Serena’s heart pounded. “That’s impossible.”

“Someone else could have used that phone to plant those emails,” Kay pointed out calmly.

Sheriff Gray shrugged, then angled his head toward Serena. “But you sent them, didn’t you, Ms. Stover? You were desperate for attention after your husband’s death, so you fell for the first man who came along. Then you couldn’t stand it when Rice broke it off with you, so you stalked him, then went to his house and stabbed him.” Sheriff Gray’s voice hardened. “Now tell us where you dumped the body, and maybe we can talk a plea.”

“There’s no need to discuss a plea. My client is innocent.” Kay glared at the sheriff in challenge. “Sheriff, look at Ms. Stover. She can’t weigh more than one hundred and ten pounds. Rice was much larger and stronger, right?” She glanced at Serena. “How much did he weigh? One-eighty, two-hundred pounds?”

Serena nodded.

“First of all, it would be highly unlikely that Serena could overcome a man that size and stab him. Secondly, if she did, he would have put up a fight and she would have major defensive wounds.” Kay ticked her points off on her fingers. “And thirdly, even if she overcame those obvious obstacles and managed to kill him, how could she have possibly gotten rid of the body by herself?”

Sheriff Gray punched the first photograph of the crime scene. “See those marks on the floor? There used to be a rug in that spot. She used it to roll up the man’s body.” He slanted Serena a condemning look. “Then you dragged him outside, put him in your van and dumped him somewhere. Where? A ravine maybe? The river?”

Kay rolled her eyes. “There is no way my client could have lifted Rice into her van by herself.”

Sheriff Gray tilted his head sideways. “You’d be surprised at how strong an adrenaline rush can make a person.”

Kay shot up from her seat, her tone sarcastic. “Sheriff, this is ridiculous. The next thing you’re going to accuse her of is having an accomplice. Maybe her six-year-old son helped her dump the body.”

“Why don’t you let your client tell us how she disposed of Rice’s body?” Sheriff Gray suggested.

Serena glared at him, biting back an argument. At this point, shouting and arguing would only make her look guilty. As if his evidence hadn’t already done that.

“As I said, my client is innocent, Sheriff.” Kay reached for her briefcase. “Now this interrogation is over. I demand you release Ms. Stover.”

“We’ll let the judge decide that in the morning,” Sheriff Gray said.

“But you have no case.” Kay glared at him. “You don’t have a body so you have no definitive proof of a crime, especially a murder. And all your evidence is circumstantial.”

“It may be circumstantial,” Sheriff Gray said. “But it is enough to hold your client, and enough to convict her. And for your information, I have a warrant to confiscate Ms. Stover’s vehicle and have it searched and processed for evidence.” He checked his watch. “In fact, it’s probably being confiscated as we speak.”

Pure panic seized Serena. She wanted to deny that he would find anything incriminating in her van. But already he had evidence that boggled her mind. Evidence that had to have been planted.

But who would frame her for murder?

Dear God. If she was convicted, Petey would definitely go to foster care. She couldn’t lose him or spend the rest of her life in jail for a crime she hadn’t committed.

“Ms. Stover, do you have anything to say?” the sheriff asked.

Serena glanced at Colt. He was watching her with hooded eyes. Judging her. Trying to decide whether or not he believed her.

For some reason, that hurt more than the sheriff’s blatant accusations.

She straightened, injecting sincerity into her voice. “Just that I am innocent. I did not kill Lyle Rice, I swear it.”

The sheriff stood then as if dismissing them. “Ms. Krantz, your client’s bail hearing is set for ten in the morning. We’ll see you then.”

Kay’s eyes darkened with anger, but she nodded, then turned to Serena. “Hang in there, Serena. We’ll get you out of here as soon as possible.”

“But what about my son?” Serena clenched her hands into fists. Maybe she should have stolen those keys, snagged Petey and run. “Petey’s scared. He needs me.”

“You should have thought about that before you killed Rice,” Sheriff Gray mumbled.

“That’s enough, Sheriff.” Colt stepped toward the sheriff. “While you’re wasting time bullying an innocent single mother, the real killer, if there was indeed a murder, is free and escaping right now.”

Sheriff Gray glared at him then clutched Serena’s arm and hauled her toward the door.

COLT HATED like hell to leave Serena in jail for the night. Gray was being a hardass. Dammit, Serena’s juvenile record didn’t help.

He had to find out the story behind that arrest.

Still, he hoped Gray didn’t toss another prisoner in the cell with Serena, especially one who might be violent.

Petey’s face flashed in his mind. Her son would have to spend the night at Magnolia Manor.

He didn’t like it, but his hands were tied. And finding Rice’s killer—or his body if he was still alive—was the best way he could clear Serena and reunite her with her son.

Circumstantial or not, the evidence Gray had was pretty damn convincing.

You have been fooled before, he reminded himself. And nearly died for it.

Only this time he would be smarter. This time he wouldn’t become personally involved. Wouldn’t get close to Serena or her son.

But he would finish the case. The fact that the evidence was circumstantial and there was no body threw up red flags. He didn’t peg Serena for the stalker type either.

Of course, there was her prior record….

That was years ago, though, and she’d said she’d grown up in the system. He needed to hear the whole story before he gave credence to that arrest.

For now, he’d talk with some of her employers, friends and neighbors and find out what the adult Serena was like. He didn’t believe for a minute that Serena had left her son alone, driven to Rice’s house, murdered him, dragged him to her van and dumped his body.

Not that little bitty woman who adored her son and was sick over the idea of him being in foster care.