Page 31 of Protecting the Newborn

“Are you?” Gracelyn pressed, though she thought she already knew the answer. It was the eyes. Abigail’s eyes were a genetic copy of Devin’s.

Devin shrugged. “It’s a good possibility that I am. I mean, the timing fits. Allie and I had been together for a while before she left. Another argument,” he tacked on to that.

“Yes, I remember seeing the bruises and her black eye,” Gracelyn remarked. She sounded as if she had ice in her blood, but it was all fiery anger.

Devin held up his hands. “She didn’t get those from me. Scout’s honor.” He made a crossing gesture over his heart. “She got those from her dealer.”

“She wasn’t using when I saw her with the bruises,” Gracelyn argued, and this time the anger coated her words.

“No,” Devin agreed, “but she’d agreed to sell some product for him and had reneged on the deal. He came after her, and that’s why she ran. She didn’t think I’d be able to protect her.”

Duncan slid a notepad and pen at Devin. “Write down the name of this dealer.”

She thought maybe Devin would refuse. He didn’t. He scribbled down a name and passed it back to Duncan.

Gracelyn’s stomach dropped.

Because he’d writtenTerry Zimmer.

“What?” Devin said, obviously noticing her surprise. “You know that guy?”

Now she was the one who hesitated. “How well do you know him?” Gracelyn countered.

“Not well at all, and I want to keep it that way.” He leaned back in his chair. “But Zimmer came round a few times before Allie left that first time. I swear, at first I thought the guy was a cop.”

“You didn’t check out his background or anything?” Ruston asked. “I mean, since you supposedly have better-than-average computer skills.”

Devin’s mouth tightened a little. Ruston had obviously managed to get under his skin. A small victory.

“Yeah, I did,” Devin admitted. “Former cop turned drug dealer. Talk about a drastic turn in career paths. But other than meeting him a couple of times and checking him on the internet, I don’t really know the guy.”

“But you saw him with Allie two days ago,” Gracelyn reminded him.

“I did, and that’s why I wanted to talk to you. I’m worried she’s with Zimmer, and if so, God knows what kind of trouble he can get her into.”

Gracelyn was worried, too. Especially worried that the trouble involved murder.

“Did you ever hear Allie talk about a man named Marty Bennett?” Gracelyn asked.

“Marty,” Devin repeated. “Sure. We both know Marty. Knew,” he amended. “I heard he died.”

“He was murdered,” Ruston provided.

Devin shook his head in an “I’m not surprised” kind of way. “Marty had dealings with a lot of dangerous people.”

“So, how did you know him?” Ruston added.

Devin didn’t jump to answer this time. “I borrowed money from him twice.” He glanced at Gracelyn’s raised eyebrow. “I have a trust fund, but sometimes I run short. I paid Marty back every cent, and then some.” He paused then. “You think Allie had some kind of run-in with Marty?”

“Did she?” Gracelyn pressed.

“I don’t know. Maybe,” Devin conceded. Then his eyes widened again. “You don’t think she killed him, do you?”

That was the last thing Gracelyn wanted to think. But she had to consider it. Especially if Allie was truly hooked up with Zimmer.

“Hell,” Devin grumbled. “If Allie’s gone that far off the rails, I wouldn’t let her near the kid. Look, the kid may or may not be mine, but I don’t want anything to happen to her, okay?”

“You’re not interested in finding out if she actually is your child?” Duncan asked.

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