All for Hope (26 page)

“How can the truth be wrong?”

“I don't know, but I can't help worrying.”

He patted her hand. “I hear you are married and that you have a baby on the way.”

Hope's face lit up as she thought of her family. “You know, Father, I never thought I’d become Mrs. Brennan Rawley.”

“He was quite an irascible character when last I saw him.”

Hope laughed.

“I wish I had been able to perform your marriage ceremony, Hope. You always said I would.”

“Who would have thought I’d be right on so many things. And wrong about so many others.”

Father Bertaut grinned and patted her hand. She felt strength well up within her heart and some semblance of peace. The loneliness of missing Bren, of wanting to kiss and hold Michelle began to ease a bit.

Judge Lim Thatcher's chambers were majestic, with mahogany furniture, dozens of plaques and certificates on the wall, a towering shelf of books behind the desk, and an enormous window overlooking the city.

The room did not at all suit the earthy old man who slowly made his way into the chambers, squinting as he accessed the occupants. Setting a thick manila folder onto his desk, he finally sat down, then smiled at Van and motioned with his hand for him to speak.

“Judge Thatcher, this is Hope Sheffield Rawley. She personally asked to have this meeting with you—”

“Well.” The man turned to her, his voice hoarse with age. “What is it you have to say?”

Hope sighed, wringing her hands in her lap. “I want—I will not disclose Michelle Taggert's location unless I can be assured she will not go to her grandparents.”

“They are her legal guardians.”

“Yes, Your Honor, I know they are, but I have reason to believe Harold Taggert sexually and physically abused his daughter, Justine, and I cannot allow my—the baby to be given to him. That is why I kidnapped her, you see, Your Honor.”

“What reason do you have to believe that?” he questioned, skewing his eyes at her.

“Justine told me, sir. I was counseling her at the shelter downtown. She was a prostitute, and she came to us because she was pregnant. She wanted to change—to do right by her baby. We got her straight from drugs, helped her get a job and move into an apartment. I—became good friends with her. She wouldn't have made that story up. She couldn't have made up what happened to her. She had clearly been tortured all of her life by what her father did to her. Before she was brought to prison, she begged me to try and save the baby. I did the only thing I could think of.”

Thatcher turned to Audrick Van Buren. “What judge presided over the custody case?”

“Judge Nathaniel Kleinberg, Your Honor.”

“Humph! And it isn’t a coincidence that he just happens to be on vacation this week? Do you have an emergency petition prepared, Van?”

“Yes, Your Honor. It was filed today.”

The old man nodded, reaching for the telephone. “I’ll see what I can do. Don’t let me regret this, Mrs. Rawley. It isn’t a small thing I’m doing now.”

Hope left smiling. No promises were made, but with the visit from Father Bertaut and now the meeting with the judge, she felt a glimmer of hope. Even when she was returned to her small dark cell, the grin remained on her face. She finally was able to close her eyes and sleep that night.

Hope was in bed, her knees curled to her chest in a fetal position, one arm over her eyes to block out the light. Brennan almost started crying when he saw the smile on her lips. He grasped the cold iron bars of the cell and stood there watching her. She heaved with a soft laugh, her smile widening.

“Hope—” he murmured.

Hope didn’t seem to have heard him at first, sighing in her sleep but not waking. He spoke her name again, a bit louder. Dropping her arm from her face, she looked up into his misty blue eyes. A strangled moan escaped her, and she ran to the door, clutching his face so that she could kiss him through the bars.

“You were smiling,” he said, his expression tender, as he caressed her cheek.

“I was thinking of that time the family went to that fancy restaurant for dinner. Meg was so excited about going out together, but the night ended up a disaster. The children screamed and misbehaved, and your uncle! Lord James was nearly worse than the little ones. When he threw that bread stick like a football. . .God, Bren, I loved every moment of it.”

“They’re here, too, but I wanted to see you first.”

“Are you mad at me? I’m sorry I did this, but I just couldn’t stay away.”

He reached a hand inside the cell and touched a finger to her cheek. “I love you.”

“I know. I love you, too. Michelle? She's with the Coles?”

“Yes.” He nodded solemnly. “She seemed all right when I left her. They have young children of their own and she loves them.”

“Good, good,” Hope whispered with a smile, though the tears in her eyes betrayed the action. “I know she will be well cared for. I was told Mrs. Cole is a respected foster mother. She'll be fine.”

“As long as they give her carrots, I'm sure she will.”

Hope grinned, recalling how much the baby loved to eat the strained vegetable.

“Do you want to see everyone?”

Hope was guided to a large conference room under the watchful eye of a female guard who glared at her like she might try to flee. Sir James hobbled to Hope on his cane and gave her an enormous smack on the lips. When he saw the guard's brows lift, he frowned and kissed her again.

“You shouldn’t have done this, girl. Your mother is well, and we should have just locked you in a room or something.” Lord James shook his head, “You're becoming thin as a rail, and your skin is paler than a—”

“Even a locked room couldn't have stopped me, Uncle.”

The old man harrumphed and continued to shake his head. Hope smiled at him affectionately.

“What would I do without all of you?” she reflected. “You've all taken such good care of me. How will I ever thank you for—”

“Thank us?” James scoffed. “You gave me back my lost nephew, a new daughter, and two more beautiful children—well, one and half.” He pointed to her belly.

“Where are you all staying? My parents have room—”

“We're just fine, Hope,” Jeremy informed her. “Bren has gotten us good hotel rooms and he’s staying at your parents’ home.”

“Good. The hearing begins tomorrow—”

“Kay's told us everything. Don't worry. We're all going to get you through this, Hope,” Meg assured.

“Where are your boys?”

Margaret grinned. “At Arrington. They would have proved to be too much temptation for Daddy to misbehave.”

Sir James didn't appear offend by that comment. In truth, he seemed proud, grinning like a rascal. He looked even more like Bren when he smiled like that.

When the visitation time was over, everyone took their turns hugging Hope. Brennan grabbed her around the waist and kissed her fiercely, holding her in a tight embrace.

“I love you,” he said against her ear. “You're the only person I know courageous enough to handle this and still be able to smile.” Then, behind her back, he tucked into her pocket the things he'd cleared with the guard.

Hope reached for them, but he stopped her with a smile.

“Wait until I leave,” he said.

When she returned to her cell, Hope pulled from her pocket a thin stack of pictures and short note:

To my wife, Hope. We are always with you, Mommy. We love you.

The photographs were of Michelle and Brennan. Hope peered adoringly at each of them, tears blurring her vision. She fell asleep with them clutched tightly to her breast.

Brennan, Lord James, Meg, Jeremy, Hope's parents, Jim, Mark and Cindy were all seated behind Hope in the courtroom. She was wearing a blue dress, a purposefully modest outfit her mother had brought to her. This was only the preliminary hearing on Van’s motion to dismiss. This would decide if a real trial should be held.

With her hands in her lap, Hope listened as Audrick Van Buren gave his opening remarks to the court. Judge Anita Jacobs was listening, her glasses resting low on her nose so that she had to lift her head back and look down to see. Hope glanced at the DA and then to the couple behind him.

Harold Taggert turned and sneered at her. She could feel Brennan tense behind her, and she shot him a slight smile to calm him. He didn't return the gesture, but he sat back against his seat, relaxing just a bit.

Looking up, Hope watched as Van Buren came back to his seat. He nodded curtly to her, a sign she took to mean he would do his best for her. Kay patted her hand warmly as Willie Freyer was called to the stand.

He was the father of the little boy Thomas she had once tried to adopt. She had expected this. Van had assured her the man's testimony could be used to help her case, showing how much she loved children and would do anything for them. Hope was still afraid the hostile man would ruin her chances.

He was questioned in length about Hope's attempted adoption of his son. It was clear the DA was trying to prove that Hope was nearly insane in her want for a baby, eventually making that the reason she must have taken Michelle. Several more witnesses were called: a psychiatrist to determine Hope's psychological reasons for the kidnapping, and two friends of the Taggerts, pleading to the couple's innocence.

Then it was Van's turn. He had received special permission to practice as her attorney, given he wasn’t licensed in the state. He had local co-counsel beside him, but he was very clearly in charge. The man screamed power and strength, and it was easy to see why Kay was in love with him.