Page 40 of His Baby Her Gift

“Carter! Please call me as soon as you get this. I think Elaina is danger–”

He heard the sound of something crashing as her voice trailed off. “Shit!” Immediately, Carter hung up and dialed up his mother. This time the call went straight to voice-mail. “What the hell is going on?” Carter had a sinking suspicion that his mother’s call and what happened to Harlem the night before was linked.

He tried her one more time and again the phone went to voice-mail. Carter took a moment to think. “The unknown calls.” Quickly, he listened to one of the messages sent from that number. It had been left at eight-fifteen that morning.

“Mr. Owen. You have been listed as next of kin for Charlotte Owens-Du Mont-Tillis. I am calling to inform you that she was brought into Loyola University Hospital. It is urgent that you return my call.”

Carter was standing in Loyola University Hospital’s parking lot. Quickly, he pivoted and ran back toward the entrance.

*****

Harlem couldn’t help but reminisce about the last time she’d been in this hospital. She stood at the emergency room doors waiting for an Uber. Harlem knew when she scheduled it that she wasn’t going to take it.

Carter was pissed because she’d gone out for a craving and was carjacked. The edges of her lips curled up as she thought back on that night–not because she had been carjacked, but because it was a pivotal moment in their relationship.

It felt like a lifetime ago but was really only months.

Harlem was brought out of her thoughts when her wheelchair was bumped from behind. Before she could turn around, she was warned not to.

“Don’t. Do not turn around.”

Harlem would know Elaina’s voice anywhere. “What the hell?!” Harlem started to stand, but Elaina shoved her back down.

Elaina hissed. “Don’t make me use this right here and now.” She pressed the hard barrel of a gun into the back of Harlem’s chair.

Harlem froze. Not for herself, but for her baby. That is why she allowed Elaina to wheel her out of the hospital and into a waiting van.

Chapter 19

“I swear to God, if you make one wrong move, I will blow you and that child away.” Elaina hissed as she pushed Harlem into the back of the van.

Harlem’s mind was moving a mile a minute. The crazed looked on Elaina’s face let her know that she was not playing. Harlem had a baby to protect. She had to figure out how to get away, but as long as Elaina had a gun pointed at her stomach, she would follow orders–at least for now.

Elaina whipped out several zip ties from a black duffel bag. She bound Harlem’s hands. Once they were secured, Elaina covered Harlem’s eyes with a black cloth. “You might as well go to sleep, Princess. We have a long ride ahead of us.”

Harlem felt herself being pushed backward, and her head hit the floor of the van hard. Harlem was doing everything in her power not to panic. She had to keep a calm head. It was difficult considering she was still weak from suffering through the gas leak the night before.

Suddenly, her nose was being covered with something. Harlem thrashed her head from side to side as she kicked her feet. “Stop it! You crazy, bitch!”

“I told you to leave Carter alone. You didn’t listen, so everything that happens from this point on is your fault. I told you that I play to win.”

Harlem’s hands were tied behind her back, making it difficult to fight back.

She couldn’t breathe.

Think damn it. THINK!Harlem told herself.

Elaina held Harlem down. Her movements got weaker and weaker until Harlem stopped moving at all.

*****

Carter ran back to get Harlem so that they could find his mother, but she was not where he’d left her. “Harlem.” He turned around in a circle. “Harlem!”

He went inside the hospital and ran up to the receptionist’s desk. “The woman that was sitting at the door? Where did she go?”

The receptionist smiled brightly. “I’m sorry, Sir. I don’t recall seeing anyone sitting at the door.”

“Oh, you mean the pregnant lady in the wheelchair?” Another woman walked behind the receptionist’s desk and took a seat next to her co-worker.

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