Hominid (23 page)

CHAPTER 72

T
ess woke up before the sun had broken the horizon. She had been so exhausted last night after speaking with the guys, she had thought she’d sleep forever. And for a while she did sleep deeply, but then Missy had cried out just after midnight, and Tess had pulled her into her arms, and rocked her. It had taken a while, but Missy eventually had drifted back to sleep. Then Tess lay next to her, holding her hand. Before long she also headed back to dreamland.

Tess watched the little girl sleep now, wondering how she had gotten here. Tess had never planned on having a child on her own. Certainly not one who was six and was going to need quite a lot of help to adjust.

But the truth was, the girl had worked her way into Tess’s heart. There was no way Tess could trust her wellbeing to someone else. And Tess knew she needed to keep Missy safe, along with her secret family. She owed all of them that much. But the task ahead of her was terrifying.

She slept on and off for a little while longer, but gave up as the sun crept over the horizon. She had too many questions and concerns rolling around her mind. Foremost among them: Who had taken the hair sample? She knew it had to be Hayes, somehow. Which led to the next question: What would he do when he got the results?

Quietly, she rolled off the bed. Missy was curled up with her hand wrapped in Shelby’s fur. Tess smiled and then stepped outside the room, closing the door behind her.

“Coffee?” Shawn whispered from the kitchen.

She looked up in surprise and made her way over to him. “I thought I was the only early bird.”

“Nope. But Pax is still out. He hasn’t slept much for the last week.”

Tess cringed. “I’m so sorry.”

Shawn waved her words away. “Hey, you were doing what you needed to do. And it’s good for him. Gives him a little taste of what’s to come.”

“Why? Is he planning on increasing the stress and worry in his life?”

“I was thinking more of the lack of sleep which we’re hoping might be heading our way soon.”

Tess was momentarily confused, and then a smile spread across her face. “You guys are adopting?”

Shawn smiled. “We heard back from the agency. They might have a baby for us in about two months.”

Tess hugged him. “That’s great. I’m so happy for you two. And I guess that means I’m going to be an aunt.”

“Yup.” Shawn raised an eyebrow. “And maybe a mother as well?”

Tess glanced back at the bedroom door. “I don’t know. It’s such a big step. I mean, you guys have been talking about this for two years. Two weeks ago, I wasn’t even thinking about it. Heck, two
days
ago I wasn’t. It’s a lot to take on.”

“But you can do it,” Pax said as he climbed down the ladder from the loft. He hugged Tess.

She returned the hug. “Sorry. Did we wake you?”

“I heard your voices, but honestly? After these last two weeks, I am
more
than happy to be woken up by you. Our little friend still asleep?”

“Yeah.”

Pax leaned into Shawn, who put an arm around him. “Did you tell her?”

“I told her about the adoption agency. I thought I’d leave the other part to you,” Shawn said.

Tess looked between the two of them. “What other part?”

Pax grinned. “Well, we thought that if the adoption went through, our little rug rat was going to need some family around. So we were thinking it would be good if we moved back here.”

Tess went still. “Are you serious?”

Shawn and Pax grinned.

Tess threw her arms around both of them. “That would be incredible. But what about the Navy? And Pax’s work at the genetics lab?”

Pax shrugged. “I can do a lot of stuff remotely, and Shawn has been asked to develop a training program for the state police.”

“And I can do that from anywhere,” Shawn said. “I’ll have to travel anyway. We both will, now and then, but it will be worth it.”

Tess stepped back, wiping at a tear in her eye.

“Hey, what’s that about?” Pax asked.

“Nothing, it’s just—I’ve missed you guys. And the idea of you being around, well… it’s kind of exactly what I need to hear today.”

“Well, we’re really only moving for the free babysitting,” Pax said.

Shawn shook his head. “His attempt at humor. I keep telling him he’s not funny.”

“I’m hysterical,” Pax said.

Tess laughed. “Yes you are.”

Pax’s face turned serious, and he took Tess’s hand. “And we’re here for you too. I know taking Missy on is going to be a lot. But you don’t have to do it alone.”

Tess felt a lump in her throat. “Thanks, guys.”

The door to the bedroom creaked open, and Missy’s big eyes stared out at them. Tess smiled. “There’s our girl now. Are you hungry?”

Missy watched them before giving a timid nod.

“How about some of my famous chocolate chip pancakes?” Tess asked.

Missy’s eyes got wider.

“Never had them before?”

Missy shook her head.

“Well, you are in for a treat. Come on—you can help me make them.” Tess held out her hand to Missy. And held her breath. The only way this was going to work was if Missy started to trust her.

It seemed like the seconds passed by incredibly slowly. But then Missy opened the door all the way, walked over to Tess, and took her hand.

Tess let out the breath she was holding and tried to force back the tears that wanted to leak from her eyes. “Okay, let’s get to work.”

CHAPTER 73

Scottsdale, Arizona

T
haddeus strode into the office. “Yes sir?”

“Any word from Brannick?” Carter asked.

“Nothing yet, sir. Would you like me to call Abe?”

Carter waved Thaddeus away. “No, I’ll handle it myself.”

Thaddeus departed, and Carter picked up the phone and punched in the number. He drummed his fingers on the desk.

Abe’s voice finally came over the line. “Yeah?”

Carter didn’t waste time with hello. “Has Brannick been found?”

“Actually, the search for her was just called off. I swung by the sheriff’s office and learned she’s back.”

“Good. Now where the hell was she?” He paused. “Is she hurt?”

“From all reports she’s fine.”

“So where the hell has she been?”

“I’m not sure—”

“Find out. Now.”

“Will do.” Abe disconnected the call. Carter started at the receiver, anger rolling through him. The man had no respect. Carter would have dropped him years ago, but for some jobs, you needed someone like Abe—someone who wasn’t so worried about legal versus illegal. Unfortunately, those type of people tended to come with some rough edges.

Carter pulled over Brannick’s last report. There was nothing in here. She had been making progress, and then it was as if everything had stopped.
Or she was covering something up.
Had she found them and wanted to keep the credit for herself?

Well, if so, that wasn’t going to go very well for her. Carter Hayes had a legion of lawyers who would make her life hell if she tried to go around the contract and lay claim to
his
discovery.

You are becoming a disappointment, Dr. Brannick.

CHAPTER 74

T
ess toweled off Missy’s shorter hair—which was much shorter now. Tess had decided that scissors were the only option; even the world’s greatest hair stylist would not have been able to unravel those knots. So she’d cut off a good ten inches, with Pax hovering at her elbow giving advice. Now Missy’s hair hung in ringlets that just reached her shoulders.

Tess grinned as she wrapped the towel around Missy.
Not bad.
“Okay. Let’s go find you something to wear.”

She gathered up the bags that Sasha and Abby had picked up yesterday. Walking over to the bed, she spread everything out—and struggled not to groan. It was as if something pink and sparkly had exploded all over her bed. Apparently, her two friends had been reliving their little girl dreams of being a princess.

Wary, Tess turned to Missy, hoping she liked something. And that it wasn’t too much for a girl who’d basically been in rags for the last year.

Missy’s eyes were wide, and she reached out a hand to touch a pink and purple tulle skirt.

“Um, is there anything you like?” Tess asked.

Missy looked up at Tess, then back at the bed. “These are for me?”

“If you want them. My friends got them for you.”

Slowly Missy pulled the skirt over and hugged it to her chest.

Tess knelt down. “That’s a good choice. Let’s see.” She pushed through the pile, finding a white shirt with a picture of a ballerina in a similar skirt. “Do you want to wear this with it?”

“Yes,” Missy said quietly.

Tess quickly picked out some underwear, socks, and sneakers—all with yet more sparkles on them. She helped Missy dress. When they were done, Missy stood looking down at the skirt, not saying a word. Tess couldn’t tell if she liked it or if she was completely freaking out.

She turned Missy by the shoulders and led her over to the standing mirror in the corner. “Well, what do you think?”

Missy stared at herself in the mirror. She reached out a hand, like she was surprised that the reflection was really her.

“Do you like it?” Tess asked.

Missy stared at herself for another long moment, then a smile spread across her face. She shook her hips, watching the skirt swirl around her. She let out a laugh and then twirled in a circle.

Tess laughed with her, watching the joy spread across Missy’s face. And then Missy turned and flung her arms around Tess, nearly knocking her over. “Thank you.”

Patting Missy on the back, Tess swallowed the lump in her throat. “You are very welcome.”

CHAPTER 75

T
ess spent the next hour showing Missy around the cabin. The girl loved the stuffed bigfoot that Tess kept in her office and now had it clasped in her arms. But Tess could tell she was getting a little overwhelmed, so Tess brought her to the coffee table and pulled out a jigsaw puzzle Abby and Sasha had added to the bag of clothes. They sat down and worked on it together for the next fifteen minutes, until Tess heard Dev’s car in the drive.

“Can you sit with her?” Tess asked Pax.

“I would love to.” Pax plopped down on the other side of Missy. “Did I ever tell you how awesome I am at puzzles?”

Tess smiled as she stepped out onto the porch. But her smile didn’t last when she saw Sheriff Hank Cowley stepping up to the cabin with Dev.

Missy would have to speak with people—Tess knew that. But she had hoped to give Missy a couple of days before she had to be questioned. Dev had tried to put the sheriff off, but Hank had insisted on seeing her this morning.

Dev gave Tess a reassuring smile. She gave him a small one in return before turning to the sheriff. “Hank.”

Hank took off his hat as he made his way up the stairs toward her. He ran a hand over his comb-over, flattening the few long white hairs he had left. “You’ve caused some people quite a bit of bother, little missy.”

Tess ignored the “little missy.” He called everyone under the age of fifty either little missy or junior. “So I hear.”

“And I also hear you brought Melissa Hargrove back with you.”

“Yes. I found her a few days ago.”

“Well, how about we go see her?” Hank said.

Tess stepped in front of the door, blocking Hank’s way. He raised an impressively bushy eyebrow at her.

Tess gestured to the Adirondack chairs to the right. “I was thinking we could speak out here first. She’s been through a lot, and I’d like to keep her interactions to a minimum.”

Hank eyed her for a minute before sighing. “All right.” He took a seat in one of the chairs. Tess took the other, and Dev leaned against the railing across from them.

“So, where exactly did you find her?” Hank asked.

“Out by Willow’s Bluff. She was down by the creek.”

Hank narrowed his eyes. “That’s tough country out there. She was alone?”

“I didn’t see anyone with her, or any evidence of anyone with her.”

“And what were you doing that far out?”

Tess shrugged. “I was scouting out to see if there were any spots that I might be able to stake out with my cameras.”

“That’s state park land. You wouldn’t be able to just put up cameras,” Hank said.

“I know. But with my grant, I could petition the parks and see if they’d grant me access.”

“The grants through Carter Hayes,” Dev cut in. “He tends to get doors opened.”

“So he does,” Hank mumbled. “Now, how come you stayed away so long? From what I hear, you tend not to disappear that long.”

“No, usually I don’t. But the weather was good, and I didn’t have anywhere to be or research to do. So I thought I’d just scope everything out so I could form a plan and get the cameras out as quickly as possible.”

“And you didn’t think to let anyone know you’d be away for so long?”

Tess cast her eyes down, hoping she looked ashamed of herself. “I should have, I know. But my sat phone was dead, and I just really wanted to get finished. And seeing as I found Missy, I’m glad I did.”

Hank grunted. “Suppose so. Have you asked her if she was with anybody? If anybody hurt her?”

“Yes. But she’s a little fragile, and to be honest, I don’t think she’s spoken much for the last year. So it’s taking her a little time to get used to speaking again.”

Hank rubbed a hand over his head. “Well, her reappearance has us in a bit of a pickle. That father of hers was put away for her disappearance.”

“Will he get out?”

Hank shook his head. “No, at least not right away. The child abuse charges were pretty steep. In fact, he may even be up for more charges now that Missy’s back.”

Tess cringed at the thought of Missy having to face a courtroom full of people. “She’s not up for testifying.”

“Well, maybe not today, but in the future,” Hank said.

Tess felt lightheaded at the thought.

“Dev here says you want to take the girl in,” Hank said.

“Yes—I feel responsible for her. And she feels safe around me, Pax, and Shawn,” Tess said.

Hank got to his feet. “Well, I guess we’ll see what the court thinks about that. But now I think it’s time for me to speak with her.”

Tess opened her mouth, but Hank put up a hand. “Tess, I know you’re worried about the girl. But I have ten grandchildren. I promise I’ll treat her like I’d want someone to treat them in this situation. All right?”

Tess nodded reluctantly. “Okay.”