Page 43 of His Baby Her Gift

“I can’t wait for the police to do their job. They haven’t proven very efficient. I have to find Harlem.” He didn’t want to say that Elaina might try to kill her in front of Harlem's parents. Sam had reviewed the security footage from Harlem’s building. It put her on Harlem’s floor last night. They knew it was Elaina masquerading around as Harlem.

“Did you get any information we can use from your mother?” Sam asked.

“I think Charlotte was telling me to check the tracking on Elaina’s car. Where is it?”

“I checked about half an hour ago, and Elaina’s car was still in the driveway of her home.”

Carter was grasping at straws. “What if she dress rehearsed this? What if wherever she’s taken, Harlem is on her GPS or some sort of theft protection location device? Can you find out?”

Sam nodded. “I’ll have to break a few laws, but I can get that information.”

*****

Elaina’s neck and back were stiff. She rolled her head around her shoulders to try to loosen them. She had been driving for a while and was happy to finally make it to her destination.

Elaina recalled thinking this little cabin in the woods would be a great place to unplug from the world when her law firm had a team-building event here. It was so isolated that no matter how loud someone might scream, no one would hear them. Elaina had driven here several times to get the place ready for the baby.

She grabbed her duffel bag and got out of the truck. Harlem should be fully awake. Before she opened the door, Elaina positioned the gun so that Harlem knew that she meant business.

She opened the door.

Harlem wasn’t able to cut the zip ties, but she was close. It was loose enough that with a little more effort, she would be able to undo them. For now, it was best to pretend that she was still firmly bound.

Elaina snatched the blindfold from off of her face. “I’m not going to carry you into the house. Your ass can walk.”

Harlem blinked a few times as her eyes adjusted. It was pitch black outside with only a dimly lit porch light that shined onto the path that led to the house.

“Whatever you have planned isn’t going to work, Elaina.”

“Shut up.” She pushed Harlem from the back and nudged her forward. “Keep it moving.”

Harlem walked up the pathway.

Elaina opened the door and flipped on a light.

Harlem shied away from it. Her eyes had been in darkness for so long that they were sensitive to light. Again, she was pushed forward into the house.

Elaina came in behind her, closed, and locked the door. “This was a long day, but mission almost accomplished.”

“What exactly is your mission?” Harlem asked.

Elaina removed her coat and threw it on a nearby chair. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Harlem decided to appeal to the side of Elaina that would soon be a mother. “Elaina, whatever you have planned, remember you’re carrying a child too. Think about that before you do something you can’t undo. We can get back in the van and go back as if nothing happened.”

Her eyes flashed with rage. “You bitch!” She pushed Harlem hard. “It’s all your fault! There is no more baby for me! You took my baby, and I’m going to take yours.”

Harlem drew back in horror. “No. You can’t. I’m not due for another couple of months.”

“Technically, but I’ve done the research and bided my time. You’re twenty-eight weeks. I can safely deliver that baby. Carter will never know the difference.”

“Are you crazy? How the hell do you think he won’t know?”

Her face twisted into something truly vile. “Don’t call me crazy again.” In the next instant, Elaina’s face smoothed out. “You are the problem. Carter and I would still be together if it wasn’t for you. It’s an easy fix. I just need to get rid of you.”

“And you don’t think he’ll notice that I’m missing?”

“Of course, but with time, he’ll come around. Do you honestly think Carter would deny me? The mother of his child?”

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