Adopt-a-Dad

CHAPTER ONE

GRAY SUITS were Gray Suits, no matter which side of the world they were on. Jenny saw them coming from a mile off and panicked in style.

As secretary to Michael Lord, head of security at Austin’s Maitland Maternity Clinic, she was used to people arriving at her desk. Staff, patients, cops and media-she knew them all and welcomed them with cheerful efficiency.

But not Gray Suits. Not when they were coming for her.

They hadn’t seen her yet. They’d stopped at reception and were asking directions. Peggy was smiling and pointing toward her door, and they were turning to look. The security offices had one-way windows, however, so staff could see the reception area without patients and visitors knowing they were being observed.

Which gave Jenny time. She had a whole ten seconds to consider her choices. Fainting? Falling to the floor in hysterics? On second thought-six seconds of second thought-maybe those choices weren’t all that useful.

There was only one option left, she figured. Escape through her boss’s office.

Michael would hate it! Bolting through his office was hardly something a professional secretary was supposed to do.

But she had no choice. She stood up, staggering a little with the weight of advanced pregnancy, and took a leap like a scared and very pregnant rabbit right through Michael’s door.

“GARRETT, this is a waste of time.” Michael Lord swiveled in his leather chair and sighed into the phone. What Garrett was arguing was water under the bridge-twenty-five years of water, in fact, since they’d been abandoned on the hospital steps as babies.

Those years hadn’t been bad, Michael decided. He, his triplet siblings and their big brother, Garrett, had been granted great adoptive parents. They had good lives in their chosen professions, with friends and family all around. The woman who’d deserted her babies so long ago obviously hadn’t wanted anything more to do with them, so why wouldn’t Garrett leave it alone?

She didn’t want them, and they didn’t want her. Simple as that.

“It wouldn’t hurt to search,” Garrett said.

“We’ve had great parents,” Michael said stubbornly. “We don’t need any more family.”

“Sometimes I don’t think you need the family you have,” Garrett snapped. “You sit there in your cold-as-ice apartment without even a dog to-”

“Are we talking about finding our birth mother or are we talking of my private life?” Michael’s voice was as harsh as his brother’s, and it was Garrett’s turn to sigh.

“So you won’t help?”

“I’ve already told you I’m not interested. And anyway, I don’t see how I can.”

“With your resources… Mike, you’ve been a cop. You have Maitland Maternity’s network behind you, and you know Megan will support us. You have contacts everywhere, and money’s hardly a problem. Look, come to dinner on Saturday night and we’ll talk about it.”

“There’s already Camille and Jake’s wedding celebration on Sunday. I don’t need any more family events this weekend.”

“Yeah, and I’ll bet you intend to stick around for the party after the wedding. Just like you did after Lana’s. Look, Mike, this is just us. Shelby’s cooking, and Lana and Dylan will bring the baby.”

Domesticity was closing in. Michael’s resolve firmed. “No way!”

“If you’re not there, you’ll be the only one of the Lord kids who’s not.”

“Tell Dylan to take my place, then. The family’s changing. Now Lana’s married-well, things aren’t the same. We don’t need each other as much.”

Funny how his gut kicked at the thought of it, Michael reflected wryly. There’d always been the four of them- Michael and Lana and Shelby, the triplets, with Garrett watching over them like a hawk. Michael hadn’t thought he minded that Lana was married. Who could, when she was so happy? But…

His gut definitely kicked.

“We’re still family,” Garrett said stubbornly. “We need to talk through our plans to find our birth mother.”

“Your plans. I told you. I’m not doing any-”

Michael stopped in astonishment.

His secretary-calm, unflappable and cheerful Jenny-crashed through the door as if the hounds of hell were after her. She shoved the door closed behind her and leaned against it, as wide-eyed and pale as Michael had ever seen her. She looked terrified.

He wasn’t head of security for nothing. Their birth mother could wait.

“Emergency,” he snapped, and dropped the phone into its cradle before Garrett had time to say another word.

ONLY IT WASN’T an emergency, or not one he could see.

Michael crossed swiftly to the window and stared out. As in Jenny’s office, his interior windows were only transparent one way. He could see Jenny’s reception area, which was empty, and the main foyer beyond.

There were a few visitors milling around reception. Nothing noteworthy there. The receptionists looked calm and unconcerned. Two innocuous men in gray suits were walking toward Jenny’s door.

The way she was acting, you’d think the men were carrying machine guns. Which was crazy.

But Michael was trained to act first and ask questions later. What he saw on Jenny’s face was terror. He’d be a fool to ignore terror, and Michael Lord was no fool.

In one fast motion he tugged Jenny away from the door, pulling her easily against his chest. Then he flicked the switch she’d been leaning against. Smoothly, the security panels slid into place, locking the doors and windows and making the smoky glass an impervious, bulletproof screen.

They’d needed these precautions just once since the hospital was built, and he’d hoped he would never have to use them again, but by the look on Jenny’s face, he needed them now.

“Okay, Jenny.”

“Out the back.” She pulled away, tugging out of his arms. She was breathing way too fast for someone as pregnant as she was. “Michael, I need to go. I must. They’re after me. The back door.”

Yeah, he had a back door, a handy little escape route that led into the rear parking lot, but you didn’t bolt from the enemy before you knew who your enemy was. They were secure enough here.

“If they’re searching for you, then maybe they’ll have someone waiting out the back. Jenny, who are they?”

She shook her head, her face bloodless with shock. Michael’s hold on her tightened, his big hands gripping her shoulders. Heck, she was thin. He’d never really noticed that before. In a detached sort of way-the way he saw most people-he’d noticed her pregnancy but not the frailness of her body beneath it.

With her green eyes huge in her pale face, and her mass of dark brown curls shoved from her face in terror…

She was really quite beautiful, he thought suddenly, holding her against him. Funny how he’d never noticed that until now.

Her terror wasn’t subsiding, though. Once again, Michael turned to stare at the gray-suited visitors. They’d entered Jenny’s office and were inspecting her desk. One reached over and opened her drawer, rifling through her belongings.

Michael’s jaw set in anger. They had no right to be searching the place. He was half inclined to throw open the door and demand to know what they thought they were doing, but Jenny’s terror stopped him. He hit the one-way intercom on his desk so he could hear what they were saying, then turned to Jenny.

“The door’s locked,” he said quietly, trying to allay her shuddering fear. “They can’t hear us, they can’t see us and they can’t get in. There’s no way someone can get in here short of using dynamite.”

“They’ll wait. Gloria must have put them onto me. Now they know. I have to leave-now!”

What on earth was going on? Who the heck was Gloria?

Michael didn’t have a clue. He could only wait until she was calm enough to tell him. He put his arms around her shoulders and drew her against him, restraining her urge to dash for the back door. She was so darned small, five four or so compared with his six foot. He’d hardly noticed her in the past few months, apart from being grateful he’d finally found someone efficient to run his office. How could he not have noticed how pregnant-and how lovely-she was?

There was a thumping on his door as the men turned their attention from Jenny’s desk to his inner sanctum. From outside the room, the walls looked like mirrored glass. They’d see nothing and they’d hear nothing.

“Is anyone in there? Mr. Lord, could you come out please? We need to speak to you.” The voice of the older of the men seemed accustomed to command. The two of them looked annoyed, but nothing more. This wasn’t a pair of menacing thugs. There wasn’t a gun in sight.

More knocking, exasperated this time. They were bureaucrats, Michael thought. So what on earth was Jenny scared of?

And then there was a female voice, and Michael sighed with relief as he saw Ellie enter Jenny’s office. Ellie Maitland was the hospital administrator and the only person who’d know the security screens and bolts had come down in his office. A small red light would have flashed on her desk as the screens dropped. She’d figure that for some unknown reason Michael was in trouble or else there’d been a mistake, but Ellie wasn’t the sort to assume he’d made a mistake without checking.

She should have telephoned, Michael thought grimly, instead of coming, but the gray-suited visitors didn’t look physically threatening. Ellie certainly didn’t think they did.

“Can I help you, gentlemen?”

She cast a flickering glance at Jenny’s desk, and Michael knew she’d noticed the opened drawer and the shifted jumble of papers on the desktop. She’d be puzzled, trying to figure out what was going on, but nothing of that was sounding in her voice.

“We’re here to see Mrs. Morrow,” the older suit said.

“Mrs…” There was a trace of uncertainty in Ellie’s voice, as if she was trying to place the name-which she wouldn’t be. Ellie knew the names of every one of her staff members and every detail of their lives, right down to what they’d had for breakfast that morning. Her uncertainty was assumed, buying time. Finally her voice cleared. “Oh, you mean Mr. Lord’s secretary, Jenny.”

“That’s right.” The voice was in no mood for hesitation. “Where is she?”

Silence. Michael couldn’t suppress a grin as Ellie gazed around the outer office with helpful and entirely assumed stupidity.

“She doesn’t seem to be here.”

“Can you open the inner office, please?”

“It’s the office of our security chief,” she apologized. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. I don’t have authorization. Isn’t Mr. Lord inside?”

“He’s not answering, and we need to check. We’re from the Department of Immigration.” There was a pause as two ID cards were produced. In Michael’s arms, Jenny quivered once and was still. “Open, please.”

“I still can’t do that,” Ellie said apologetically. “Unless you people have a warrant.”

“We don’t have a warrant.”

“Has Mr. Lord done something illegal?”

“No. It’s Mrs. Morrow we’re interested in.”

“But she’s not here.” Once more, her tone conveyed helpful stupidity.

“She may be in with Mr. Lord.”

“If Michael was in his office then he’d answer the door.”

“Not if he was hiding someone.”

“Why on earth would he be hiding someone?” Ellie asked, exasperated. “Hiding Jenny, do you mean? Why would he be doing that? She’s been sitting out here for all the world to see for the past few months. She’s probably just gone to the ladies’ room. If you people would care to wait, there’s a coffee shop down the hall.”

“Contact Lord,” the older suit ordered.

Ellie visibly stiffened. “I beg your pardon.”

“If he’s your security chief, then you can contact him,” the man said brusquely. “Surely.”

“Of course I can contact him.”

“Do it.”

Ellie practically bristled, and once more Michael had to suppress a grin. Jenny was still struggling in an attempt to reach the back door, as if the men could burst in any minute, but there was no chance of that. Ellie might have a key to his office on the bunch at her waist, but by their rudeness, Jenny had just gained herself a powerful ally. Once annoyed, Ellie was one mean opponent.

But Ellie didn’t refuse to contact him. She gazed at the two men for a long, considering moment, then raised the cell phone at her belt. She dialed, and the phone on Michael’s hip vibrated.

“Shh. It’s okay. They can’t hear us. But stay right here! That’s an order.” He put a hand on Jenny’s hair in reassurance and gently moved her away from him, then pressed her into the chair by his desk. He fixed her with a look, waited until he was sure she wouldn’t argue, and then he pushed the response button on his phone.

“Yes?”

“Michael?”

“I’m right here, Ellie.” There was nothing in his voice to suggest he could see her, and there was nothing in hers to suggest she knew he probably could. “What can I do for you?”

“There are two gentlemen in your office from…” She paused, and Michael saw her lift one of the men’s cards from his hand, then the other. “From the Department of Immigration. A Mr. Harness and his associate, Mr. Gibbs. They’re looking for Mrs. Morrow.”

“For Jenny?” He deliberately spoke loudly, so they’d hear what he said through Ellie’s handpiece. It was lucky he’d checked these screens for soundproofing, he thought. “What do they want with Jenny?”

“I have no idea. Will you tell me where she is?”

Will you tell me where she is… Great, Michael thought wryly. He had no idea what was going on, and until he found out, he had no intention of handing Jenny over, but he still didn’t like lying. If Jenny was involved in something illegal, he didn’t want to get any more involved than he already was. Will you tell me where she is let him off the hook nicely.

He deflected things. “I’ve given Jenny the rest of the day off,” he said. “I’ll be out of the office myself this afternoon.”

“The officers want to interview her.”

“What for?” he asked mildly, and watched through the glass as Ellie turned and put her question to the officers.

“Why do you need to speak to Jenny?”

He half expected no reply, but they answered, maybe seeing no risk in letting Ellie know their business, and with the intercom on he could hear every word. “Her entry visa expires on Monday,” the older man said. “She’s due to leave the country.”

“But it’s only Thursday.” Ellie frowned. “If I remember correctly, she’s due to finish up here on Friday-tomorrow. She’s British, isn’t she? I assumed she’d be flying home then.”

“According to our information she’s eight months pregnant,” the officer snapped. “The airlines won’t carry women on international flights when pregnancy is so advanced.”

“That’s hardly my business,” Ellie said mildly. “But I don’t employ illegal immigrants. Nor does Jenny expect me to. I remember Jenny made it very clear when she applied for the job that she’d only be working here for a few months.”

“So she’ll be back tomorrow?”

“I imagine so.” Ellie glanced at her watch, signifying her time was short and not to be wasted. “I believe the secretarial staff is having farewell drinks for her in the cafeteria tomorrow afternoon. Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

“Do you have her home address?”

“I do.” Ellie sighed. “It’ll be in personnel records.”

“We need to see it.”

“Then come this way,” Ellie said dourly. “But it may take me some time to find it. My computer has just crashed. I’ll have to send someone to the basement for a hard copy.”

Bless her heart, Michael thought. She was giving him time, and letting him know it.

“Did you get that, Michael?” she said into the phone. “If you see Jenny, let her know Immigration wishes to speak with her.” She clicked the phone dead. “Come with me, gentlemen,” she said, and ushered them firmly out of the office.

But as she closed the door behind them, she faced Michael’s office through the one-way glass.

And raised her eyebrows in a very odd look.

THE DOOR was barely closed behind them when Jenny was out of her chair, heading for the back door. Michael caught her as she passed and held her wrist as one might a fugitive.

“Jenny.”

“I must go.”

“Not until I know what’s going on.”

“I…” She took a ragged breath and tried for control. Her eyes were huge in her pale face. She looked about sixteen, Michael thought, though he was sure her personnel records said mid-twenties. “I guess… I mean, they’re right,” she stammered. “I’m an illegal immigrant.”

“According to them, not until Monday.” He frowned. “It’s unlike our Immigration Department to check on people before they’ve overstayed.”

“I told you, Gloria will have sent them.”

“Who’s Gloria?”

“My…my mother-in-law.”

“Your mother-in-law.” He considered that a moment, but no, he couldn’t figure this one out at all. Jenny was British, he knew, but he’d never heard any talk of a husband. Come to think of it, he’d never heard any talk at all. Jenny was bright and bubbly and talkative-about everyone but herself. But she did wear a wedding ring.

“Jenny, you’re not going anywhere unless you tell me what’s going on,” Michael said mildly. “Ellie and I have just perjured ourselves-or almost perjured ourselves-to protect you. We have the right-”

“I’m not a criminal,” she said, and a flash of anger behind her eyes showed Michael that she was recovering. The woman had spirit. Her spirit was the one thing he’d noticed right from the start. It was why she still had a job.

Michael had gone through about six secretaries before Jenny arrived. He was professionally demanding and he expected his staff to work as hard as he did. One by one, secretaries had left, and mostly they’d left with a litany of complaints.

Mr. Lord didn’t appreciate them, they said. Mr. Lord expected them to work overtime without complaining and he didn’t care about their social lives.

But Jenny had arrived, set herself efficiently to work and hadn’t looked back. She’d come on a temporary basis when his need had been urgent-the last of his line of secretaries had left without warning in the middle of a work crisis-and she’d stayed for as long as he could keep her. Sure, Michael had snapped at her, and usually she took it without a murmur. Occasionally, though, she’d stood up to him, and when she had, she’d done it with spunk.

“No, Mr. Lord, I can’t stay tonight. I have an appointment after work.”

“I don’t care about your appointment. I have work that needs doing now.”

She’d smiled and gone on with her typing. “So what did your last slave die of? Sorry, Mr. Lord, I can’t do it. I do have the civility to care about your work, even if you don’t care about my appointment, but it doesn’t make one bit of difference. I can’t change my appointment. If you don’t like it, then phone the agency and hope they’ll send you someone more amenable. Or, alternatively, I’ll come in early and see what I can do then.”

“That’s not good enough.”

“That’s the best I can do, Mr. Lord. Like it or lump it.” And she’d smile sweetly and take herself off to her appointment, with him staring after her, baffled.

Then he’d come in the next morning to find his work done, as promised, and Jenny acting just as if she hadn’t refused him at all, but he knew she would again. Finally he’d learned to ask rather than demand, and the last few months had been tension free.

But she was leaving tomorrow, he thought. He frowned. Jenny’s baby had to come sometime, and secretaries came and went. They weren’t something he bothered about.

He was bothering about Jenny now.

“So tell me,” he growled, and the spark of challenge flared in Jenny’s eyes. She really was recovering.

“Or you’ll sack me? Nice try, but I’m leaving tomorrow, anyway. In fact…” She sighed. “I guess now I’m leaving tonight. I’m sorry, Mr. Lord, but I’m being forced to quit early. Can you say goodbye to everyone for me?”

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t think you want to know that,” she said gently, looking longingly at the door. “You’ve helped me enough. I don’t want you to lie on my behalf.”

“I can act stupid,” he assured her. “I don’t need to lie.”

“You, act stupid? Ha! And you don’t need to know.”

Silence. There was no answer to that.

This was the end, then, he thought. She was asking no more. Michael could open his door, let her leave and never see her again. That should suit him fine. He didn’t get involved with anyone, much less a hugely pregnant, mal-nourished illegal immigrant of a secretary with the worries of the world on her shoulders.

So he could say goodbye and leave it at that-but for the life of him he couldn’t.

“Are you going back to England?” he asked, and watched as the color washed from her face again.

“No, but…”

“Do you have somewhere to go?”

“Mexico,” she said softly, only a tiny tremor in her voice spoiling the bravado of her words.

“You have friends in Mexico?”

“No, but…”

He sighed. “You know, you can’t go back to your apartment. They’ll expect you there.”

“I know that.”

“So you’re heading for Mexico without baggage, without friends. And how do you expect to get over the border? They’ll have immigration checks there, as well.”

“I’ll manage.” Her words were an angry, defensive snap, but there was fear behind them. “The border’s hardly heavily policed. I can do it.”

“What, by hiking through the desert in the dead of night? Very clever.”

Silence.

He shouldn’t get involved. No way! But how could he not? Michael sighed, took a deep breath and jumped right in. He grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair and opened the door.

“Let’s get out of here,” he said.

“But…”

“But what?”

“You don’t need to come.” She glared. “I’m on my own.”

“I can see you’re on your own. That’s what I don’t like.”

“It’s none of your business.”

“You know, if you said it was my business, then I’d fight you every inch of the way,” he said sourly. “But damn it, woman, I have enough moral fiber to think I can’t allow you to sneak over the border with nothing except the clothes you’re wearing. And no friends to meet you.”

She glowered again, trapped. She didn’t want his help. She didn’t want anyone’s help. “I don’t need your morals.”

“Neither do I,” he said dryly. “I don’t need ’em at all. Unfortunately I have ’em, and so does Ellie. She’ll want to know what the heck I’ve done with you, and if I tell her what you intend doing and that I’ve allowed it, she’ll be after me with a horsewhip. So you can say I’m doing this because the Maitlands are head of this place and I work for the Maitlands. Good enough for you?”

She glowered again. “No.”

“It’d better be.” He took her arm. “Because that’s the way it is. Like it or lump it, lady. Let’s go.”