Undercover Marriage (6 page)

She gave him a triumphant glance. He acknowledged it with a nod.

Withdrawing his weapon from the holster beneath his jacket, he stepped past Serena to lead the way inside the warehouse.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the gloomy shadows and inky blackness of the cavernous building. He removed the small handheld flashlight from the clip on his belt. Serena did the same. The beams of their lights illuminated large crates stacked two or three high.

Leading with his weapon, he made his way farther into the yawning space. Serena kept pace to his right. The crates gave way to machine parts gathered in haphazard piles. He forged ahead, stepping over a carburetor.

A whisper of movement behind him raised the fine hairs at the back of his neck.

He spun around, shining his flashlight into the darkness. No one there.

His partner was gone.

Fear arced through him, making his heart pound and his blood race. Was she okay? Had he failed her? “Serena!”

His voice echoed off the brick walls. Anxiety clawed through him, tightening the muscles in his shoulders, his neck, his throat. Breathing became difficult. He could not lose another partner. Guilt over Daniel’s death stabbed him like a physical blow. He had to find Serena.

He hurried past the mounds of metal and gears to the far end of the warehouse. The beam of the flashlight zipped back and forth as he searched for Serena. The shadows closed in on him. Would he find Serena’s broken body?

A light bobbed behind a drop cloth suspended from hooks jutting from the overhead beam.

He yanked the curtain aside.

The beam of his flashlight landed on Serena. He breathed out his relief and anger rushed in to take its place.

“We found one of them.” Her flashlight trained on a mattress lying on the floor revealing a body. Lifeless eyes stared up at them. A gaping wound in the middle of the man’s chest was crusted with dried blood.

Ignoring the dead body, Josh gripped her elbow. “What were you thinking? You left your position.” She’d gone off on her own, just like her brother. And that had turned out to be a deadly decision. A shudder worked through him.

“I saw something, so I peeled off.” She shook off his hand. “Obviously they’ve been using this place as a hideout.” She swung the beam of her light over empty take-out cartons.

Reining in his anger, he kicked aside a soda can and reached down to check the pockets of the man lying on the mattress. Empty. “I’m calling this in.”

Serena put a hand on his arm. “Shhhh. Did you hear that?”

The scuff of a shoe. On the other side of the curtain. They were vulnerable.

Josh grabbed Serena and yanked her down just as the deafening retort of gunfire split the air, accompanied by a blinding muzzle flash. A bullet whizzed over their heads and slammed into the concrete wall behind them.

A door banged open. For a moment light spilled into the warehouse before winking out when the door closed.

Josh jumped up, taking Serena with him. They ran from the curtained makeshift room, nearly ramming into Officers Bergman and Trudy.

“We heard a gunshot. Are you two okay?” Bergman asked.

Their four flashlight beams danced in the darkness.

“Yes,” Serena stated. “Did you see which way the suspect went?”

The door at the front of the building opened showing the silhouette of the suspect escaping.

“He’s getting away,” Josh shouted and raced toward the front entrance.

He hit the door, sending it swinging open. Sunlight assaulted Josh’s eyes. He blinked to clear his vision. The squeal of tires on pavement screeched through his head. He ran for the corner of the building. The white van sped down the alley. Josh fired off a shot and hit the back door. The van swerved drunkenly, then turned at the end of the alley and disappeared from view.

Josh lowered his weapon.

“We have the license plate number,” Serena said, halting beside him. “He won’t get far.”

Josh holstered his weapon with more force than necessary. Frustration pounded at his temples. “So much for ending this assignment today.”

They left the police officers to handle the details of the deceased man and returned to the cover house. Josh pulled Linda’s car into the garage. As soon as the garage door closed, Serena was out and heading inside before he had his door open. He understood her irritation. She’d expected a better outcome.

“So?” Linda asked when Josh entered the den.

“One got away.” He gave Linda the lowdown on the events. A few minutes later, Serena came in wearing running attire. Josh cocked an eyebrow.

Serena shrugged. “Susan Andrews takes care of herself.” She stretched her long, lean legs. “I’m going to check out the neighborhood.”

“If you’ll wait, I’ll join you,” Josh said. He could use some exercise to burn off the earlier rush of adrenaline.

Ten minutes later, they set out at a steady pace. Serena had her cell phone attached to her arm by a band. They’d agreed that they would only use the burner cell phone for contact with Perfect Family.

“I never run without it,” she said, meeting his gaze. “I twisted my ankle once while out on a run and was glad to have it with me to call for help.”

Josh didn’t have to ask if it had been Daniel she’d called. The way her mouth pursed and her eyes glistened with sadness said it all.

He diverted his gaze to the houses. The high-end neighborhood with manicured lawns, expensive vehicles and children playing in the yards was such the American dream. So different from his own experience.

Serena’s phone chimed. She winced. “Oops, forgot to turn off the ringer.”

The caller ID identified Bud as the caller.

Slowing their pace, Serena slipped the phone from the band and answered. She listened for a moment then thanked him before clicking off. “That was actually Burke on the line. Bud was driving. They heard about the warehouse incident and wanted to let us know they would be following up with the police department.”

Josh hoped Bud and Burke had more success than he and Serena had had.

By the time they returned to the cover house, Josh’s back was soaked with sweat. Serena, however, didn’t appear at all bothered by the heat or the fast-paced run.

Linda greeted them with tall glasses of lemonade.

The burner cell phone in Josh’s pocket rang. A glance at the caller ID sent his heart lurching. The call was coming from the Perfect Family Adoption Agency.

“This is Jack,” Josh said.

“Mr. Andrews, this is Matilda Munders of the Perfect Family Adoption Agency.”

“Mrs. Munders, this is a surprise,” Josh said, his glance meeting Serena’s stunned gaze.

“For me, as well,” Mrs. Munders stated. “I’ve recently been informed of an infant in need of a home. I was so taken with your wife that I immediately thought of you two. If there is any way you could fill out the application and bring it by first thing tomorrow morning I may be able to put a child in your arms by the end of the week.”

Josh couldn’t believe his ears. Apparently his willingness to fork over a large sum of money so easily went a long way to securing a child quicker than expected. “We’ll get right on that. I’m sure Susan will be ecstatic.”

“Wonderful,” Mrs. Munders said. “I look forward to seeing you again.”

“We look forward to seeing you, too, and hearing more about this baby,” Josh said and hung up.

Excitement revved through his veins. Things on this front were moving more quickly than they’d anticipated. By the end of the week, Josh hoped they would have enough evidence to put Mr. and Mrs. Munders out of the baby-stealing-and-selling business once and for all.

And put an end to his and Serena’s fake marriage.

SIX

“A
ct as if you like each other,” Linda directed from behind the lens of the black camera set on a tripod in the middle of the living room.

Serena chewed the inside of her lip. Morning sunlight streamed in through the curtains. Outside the window a bird chirped a happy tune. Serena didn’t feel at all happy. She felt overwhelmed.

After breakfast they’d sat down to fill in the multipaged application and realized they needed a photo to attach to the paperwork. So she’d put on one of the outfits she’d purchased, curled her hair with hot rollers to soften her look and applied a touch of makeup. Now she and Josh were posing in front of the camera, trying to appear the happy, loving couple they were pretending to be. Apparently it wasn’t working.

With a twist of her lips, Serena scooted closer to Josh on the couch and tried to ignore the spicy fragrance of his aftershave as he leaned into her, but his scent swirled around her, teasing her senses. She involuntarily inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with the pleasing aroma, and her insides melted a little. His arm was draped casually around her shoulders, heavy, yet comforting. His hand rested lightly on her biceps. The pads of his fingertips traced little circles on her skin, creating pleasant shivers to cascade through her. Was he trying to relax her? If so, his tactic wasn’t working.

It was a good thing she’d changed into another summery dress rather than her work suit because she was growing warmer by the minute. She had to force herself not to fan her hot face. She was sure her cheeks would be bright red in the photo.

“Smile, please,” Linda coaxed.

Serena tried, but was sure the smile would appear forced.

Linda snapped several shots. She came out from behind the camera. “I think I got one we can work with.”

“Wonderful,” Josh said. His arm remained around Serena.

She turned to look at him, suddenly loath to move. She couldn’t deny how nice it felt snuggled this close to him, to have his arm around her as if they really were a couple.

But they weren’t a real couple. She couldn’t lose herself in some crazy fantasy. This, the touching and looks, this entire masquerade was a job for a specific purpose. Forcing herself to stay on task, she said, “We have to write our statement. Would you do the honors?”

His eyebrows rose. “Me? Shouldn’t the mother-to-be do it?”

Her breathing quickened as an unexpected yearning rocketed through her. Shaking her head at his teasing jab and at her reaction, she said, “We’ll do it together, then.”

They had already filled out most of the application as soon as they’d returned to the cover house. Besides the obvious details of who, what, where and how much they were worth, they’d each written short paragraphs on their hobbies, their interests and their talents, as well as their community involvements. Now they had to write a statement detailing why they wanted to adopt and how having a child would change their lives.

They’d agreed to put as much truth into their answers as possible. Serena had read Josh’s and he read hers. She couldn’t help but wonder what he thought about the fact that she collected teacups or that she attended a weekly Bible study when she was in town.

She hadn’t known he liked to grow his own vegetables or that he served in a Christian church-sponsored soup kitchen during the holidays.

Realizing they shared a faith in God muddied her feelings about Josh.

On one hand she was glad to know Josh was a believer, yet she couldn’t let that soften her anger toward him. He might profess to know Jesus, but having faith didn’t absolve him of the blame in her brother’s death.

Nothing would ever do that.

Because nothing would bring Daniel back.

She shrugged off Josh’s arm and scooted away.

Hurt flashed in his eyes as he sat forward to pick up the pen. “Okay, we write it together.”

She missed the weight of his arm. Stupid of her. And foolish, given their relationship would never be more than professional.

Over the next half hour they discussed, debated and finally came to a tentative agreement on why Mr. and Mrs. Andrews wanted to adopt and why they thought having a child would change the couple’s lives for the better.

“You two work well together,” Linda observed as she came into the room.

“Were you eavesdropping?” Serena teased.

Linda smiled. “I’ll admit to a little eavesdropping now and then. I’m sure when Mrs. Munders comes here for her inspection she’ll have questions for the Andrewses’ live-in aunt.”

“That is true,” Josh said. “Would you mind glancing over this application and making sure we didn’t miss anything?”

“Of course.” Linda laid out a printed copy of the photo she’d selected. “This is the best of the bunch.”

Serena picked up the picture and stared at the image of Jack and Susan Andrews. They looked happy, healthy, in love. The perfect yuppie couple. But the relationship portrayed in the photo was just an illusion. A weird hollowness settled in her chest. What in the world was wrong with her? She set the photo back down.

Linda read through the application and declared it well done.

An hour later, with the application and photo in hand, Josh and Serena drove to the Perfect Family Adoption Agency. The receptionist ushered them right away into Mrs. Munders’s office.

“Lovely,” Mrs. Munders gushed as she looked over the application. “I see you both attend church.”

Josh gathered Serena’s hand in his. “Yes. We haven’t yet found a place of worship here. We thought we’d get settled in a bit and then look for a church home.”

Brilliant man. Serena squeezed his hand. He squeezed back.

“Wonderful. I believe our spiritual health is as important as our physical health.”

“Do you and your husband attend a church?” Serena asked, curious how they could profess to have faith and yet be involved in the heinous crime of human trafficking.

“I do. My dear Fred is not so inclined,” she said with a sad shake of her head.

I would think not,
Serena thought sourly. But how could Mrs. Munders attend church, hear the word of God and still participate in something so evil?

Serena’s grandmother’s voice echoed in her head:
Judge not, lest ye be judged.

Easier said than done. Serena adjusted her thoughts and tuned back in to what Mrs. Munders was saying.

“Everything seems to be in order.” Mrs. Munders put the file in a drawer. “I’ll have to do a little vetting, but I’m sure we’ll be able to help you.”

“That’s good news,” Serena said, affecting an excited yet desperate note to her voice.

Mrs. Munders steepled her hands on the desk. “Now, when would be a good time for a home visit?”

“The sooner the better,” Josh said.

“Excellent.” Mrs. Munders stared at them for a long moment, her gaze going out of focus, as if she’d become lost in her thoughts.

Serena shared a curious glance with Josh.

Josh cleared his throat. “Mrs. Munders?”

The older woman blinked. “Yes, dear?”

“We were discussing the home visit,” Serena prompted.

Mrs. Munders made a silent
oh
with her mouth. “Right. A home visit. How would two days from now work? Say, ten in the morning?”

“Thursday would be perfect,” Serena said.

“Since we’re rushing this through, the home inspection will be lengthy. Normally I like to visit a couple’s home at least three times before placing a child.”

Serena suspected Mrs. Munders always had a “rushed placement,” in which she somehow managed to place a stolen baby into the desperate adoptive parents’ arms more quickly than usual. That would allow her to charge extra.

“We are grateful you are pushing through our adoption,” Josh said. “When can we see the baby?”

The older woman waved her hand. “There’ll be time for that later.”

“It is an infant, right?” Serena asked.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Mrs. Munders opened a drawer and pulled out a thick manila envelope. “This is the next step in the process.”

“What is this?” Serena asked, taking the offered envelope.

“The dossier. A few more forms.”

Glancing inside the envelope flap, Serena let out a silent whistle. A few was relative apparently to Mrs. Munders. There were at least fifty pages’ worth of forms.

“Now there’s the matter of the deposit,” Mrs. Munders said.

“Didn’t we already put money down for a deposit?” Serena asked, thinking about the five thousand dollars Josh paid Mrs. Munders on their first visit to the agency.

“That was the application fee, dear,” Mrs. Munders said. “The deposit is for securing that you receive the next available child.”

Josh frowned. “Doesn’t the birth mother have some say in who the child goes to?”

“I thought you had an infant already in mind for us?” Serena said at the same time.

Mrs. Munders’s gaze bounced between them then returned Josh’s frown. “Of course. We give the poor dears choices from couples we’ve already deemed worthy. As soon as I process the application and the dossier I’ll know if you’re worthy.”

There was so much wrong with the words coming out of Mrs. Munders’s mouth that Serena’s head spun. The evidence they’d collected showed the Munderses used coercion and intimidation to secure children. Choice had nothing to do with it.

They’d been informed of this by Morgan Smith, a missionary to Mexico who’d revealed that many of the children being taken out of Mexico and brought to the United States were in fact being forcibly removed from their mothers. Morgan almost paid with her life for sharing this with the authorities. Serena wondered how many other mothers in other countries around the world were having their babies ripped from their arms. The Munderses and their cohorts had proven they would stop at nothing to keep their dirty secret safe.

Serena’s fingers tightened around Josh’s.

“I assume we’ll have to sign a contract,” Josh said, diverting the conversation. “Will Mr. Munders draw that up? I understand he is a lawyer.”

“Yes, Fred will draw up a contract once we have a child ready to hand over to you,” Mrs. Munders said, clearly unperturbed by the fact they had done their own vetting.

Serena cocked her head. “You told Jack you had an infant that needed placing,” she pressed, not satisfied with Mrs. Munders’s earlier implication that they had to be “worthy” of adopting. “You said we could have a child by the end of the week.”

The blank expression in Mrs. Munders’s gaze didn’t bode well.

“Did I?” Mrs. Munders opened her ledger and traced her finger down one of the columns. “Oh, yes, I might. Though the child in question will be closer to nine months old. Will that be a problem?”

Serena’s heart lurched. Baby Kay? She’d be nine months old by now. If she wasn’t already with a family, where were the Munderses keeping her? “Where is the baby now?”

“Baby? Oh, goodness, I don’t have a baby. I mean I did once when I was young, but I’m too old now.” Mrs. Munders laughed softly. “Though I suppose Sarah thought she was too old, too....” She stared off at something unseen.

Was she really comparing herself to Sarah from the Bible? Serena’s blood boiled. She fought to not judge the older woman, but it was hard not to, given all Serena knew about Fred and Matilda Munders and their illegal activities.

After a heartbeat, Serena snapped, “Mrs. Munders.”

Mrs. Munders’s expression cleared. “You wanted a baby.” She consulted her ledger again. “Hmm. Yes. You could have a baby by the end of the month.”

Serena blew out a frustrated breath.

Beside her, Josh stiffened. “You said by the end of the week.”

“Oh, goodness.” Mrs. Munders waved a hand. “That would be pushing it. I’ll see what I can do.” Her gaze turned shrewd. “Two hundred thousand.”

“Excuse me?” Josh’s voice held a note of disbelief. “That’s the deposit?”

Glad Josh was able to follow the woman’s conversational gymnastics, Serena swallowed. “That’s a lot of money.”

No wonder the Munderses were willing to risk the penalties of operating their illegal adoption scam. With income like that coming from the hundreds of adoptions that Mrs. Munders boasted of, they had to be rolling in dough.

Forcing back the simmering anger, Serena clamped her jaw tight before she let loose with a tirade against the Munderses and the evil they’d inflicted on innocent people.

Mrs. Munders blinked. Frowned. Then shook her head. “Oh, no, dear. The deposit is one-fourth of the estimated cost. Fifty thousand. The rest can be paid out on an installment plan.”

That was an exorbitant amount of money no matter how you looked at it.

“I’d like to meet Mr. Munders and review the contract before we hand over any more money,” Josh stated in a hard, unyielding voice. The voice he used when dealing with criminals.

Serena gave his hand a squeeze as a warning not to be too harsh. He’d been worried about her blowing it; he could just as easily if he came on too strong.

Mrs. Munders gave him a patient smile. “All in good time, dear. Fred is a busy man.” She held out her hand as if she expected them to have that kind of cash tucked away in Serena’s purse or Josh’s wallet. “The deposit, please?”

Josh stood, tugging Serena to her feet. “As I said, not until I review the contract.”

Serena threw him a stunned glance. Had he just scrubbed this assignment? She had to do something to keep their fish from getting away. Infusing into her voice the panic fluttering in her stomach, Serena said, “Please, Mrs. Munders, I’m desperate for a baby. Please help us.”

The compassion filling the older woman’s gaze couldn’t be fake, could it?

“I’ll do my best to arrange a meeting for you with Fred,” Mrs. Munders said. “I have every confidence you’ll be a mother soon. Until then, I’ll continue with the vetting process.”

“You’ll still come to our house on Thursday morning, correct?” Josh asked.

“Yes. I’ll be there.”

As soon as they were in the SUV and heading back to their cover house, Josh slammed his palm against the steering wheel. “This whole thing is driving me insane.”

Serena felt the same frustration course through her veins. “There’s something wrong with Mrs. Munders.”