Page 72 of Protecting Silver
“Because, we’re going to play it off that Mr. Roundtree has brought his bodyguard with him when he’s carrying all that cash in that neighborhood.”
Patch and Silver looked at each other and realized the plan would work, then nodded. “Good.” They finished getting ready, and Daniel was in and out and people were making sure the equipment worked, and Tamara and Jackie took Silver aside to do a rundown on possibilities if things went south. By the time it was time for them to leave, Silver felt a calm come over her, and she reassured everyone that it was going to be fine.
* * *
“Mr. and Mrs. Roundtree.Thank you for coming,” the receptionist said, and jumped to her feet. That was when she caught sight of Decker. “Oh, you brought someone with you?”
“My bodyguard,” Patch said in a clipped voice.
“Oh.” She paused, but then headed down the hall, telling them to follow.
“What’s the meaning of this?” Merriweather demanded as soon as he saw Decker step in behind Patch and Silver.
“Sorry, Merriweather, but this is my bodyguard. Carrying this amount of cash in a neighborhood like this, isn’t a very good business practice on my behalf. He’s with me to reassure that you get your money safely, then he’ll make sure that Silver and the child get out of the building safely. Even you have to admit that this isn’t a safe neighborhood. Just walking in from the car, we saw several homeless people loitering in doorways. What’s to say you didn’t set them up to rob us of both the cash and the child.” Patch sneered at him, then continued. “I’m a very rich man, and though I can afford the loss of the cash, I cannot afford the loss of my wife and child. Decker stays.”
“I’d never do that, but you’re right. This really isn’t a safe neighborhood. As long as you feel safe, then I’ll allow your bodyguard to stay.”
“Thank you,” Patch said, then frowned when they heard a screaming child from down the hall. “Is that my son?”
“It is, however, he’s still feeling a little under the weather, but he received a clean bill of health. The doctor said he’ll need rest and fluids. Just the aches and pains that comes with teething.”
“Can I see him?” Silver asked, and looked at Patch with tears in her eyes. “A son, we’re getting a son.”
Patch put his arm around her shoulders, and squeezed. “We are.” He grinned down at her, and that was when a door to the back of the office that had gone unnoticed before opened, and a harried woman holding a screaming child entered. Silver immediately held out her arms, and the woman dumped the child into them. With a soothing hand on his back, she began to rock back and forth. While Patch watched her, he swore she’d done this several times before. The boy didn’t quiet down, but his screams did diminish as soon as Silver began to rock and talk soothingly to him.
“What’s his name?”
“Charlie,” Merriweather said.
“Do we need to sign papers?” Patch asked. “What about his birth certificate?”
Before Merriweather could respond, Charlie started screaming again, and Silver asked for a bathroom.
“Why?”
“Because, when I thought I could get pregnant, I read all the baby books. I read somewhere that if you wash the tears away it soothes them.”
“Oh, go back out in the hall and continue down to four doors on the left.” Silver nodded, then patted Patch’s forearm as she turned to leave. Decker walked her to the door, and kept an eye on her until she entered the bathroom. That was where she encountered Tamara and Jackie. This time, Patch and Decker wore an earwig and could hear them.
“Silver and child secure,” they spoke, and Silver immediately began to turn on the water to try to wash the tears from Charlie. She wanted to leave, but it was too soon. They had to wait until Merriweather took the cash, then they could arrest him. As she ran the water, she bent down and allowed Charlie to splash in it and sighed in relief when he looked at her with his wide brown eyes, and put his hands under it. Holding him on her knee, she let him play.
Back in the office, Patch didn’t do anything until Decker returned to his side, and he got word that Silver and the child were safe.
“Okay, I know you said you took Charlie to the hospital to be checked out, but I’d like to take him to the pediatrician we lined up when we thought we were going to have a child of our own. No offense.”
“None taken. Once we get the next transaction out of the way, you’re free to take Charlie and do as you wish.” Merriweather rubbed his hands together and handed Patch a form. “Just sign here, and Charlie’s all yours.” Patch signed, then took the bag holding the cash from Decker, and placed it on the center of the desk. He noted that Merriweather’s eyes glowed, and he began licking his lips like he was about to eat a meal, not receive over a quarter of a million dollars in cash.
As soon as Merriweather opened the back and pulled out one stack of bills, Patch stepped to the side, and asked. “I’m free to go?”
“You are, and it was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Roundtree. When you and your wife are ready for a second child, let me know.”
“I will,” Patch said, and started for the door. He opened it, and nodded to the three agents standing outside the door. He saw that the receptionist was in cuffs and being led away by two female agents. With the door open, Patch stood to the side and watched as Decker, who had been behind him, turned on his heel, pulled out his badge, and said.
“Mr. Merriweather?”
“Yeah?” The other man didn’t bother to look up from the cash before him. The woman who had brought the child in was standing beside him with her hands in the bag, laughing.
“FBI, you’re under arrest for soliciting the sale of a minor.”
