Page 58 of Forged in Steele

“Hard? Yes, but I must do it. My parents are still on the island. They are struggling. Mr. Holloway will pay me much money. It will feed my family for a long time.”

Bristol squeezed the woman’s hand. “You are so brave.”

“I am also ashamed. I became with child before marriage. I cannot tell my family. The shame. So I must do this. Money or not. At least the money is more than I could make working.” She sighed.

“What did Mr. Holloway promise you?” Bristol asked.

Amelia raised an eyebrow. “Why do you want to know?”

“You’re making such a huge sacrifice for some lucky couple, and I want to make sure you’re not being taken advantage of.”

“That is kind of you.” She smiled. “He is paying all my medical expenses that the state does not cover, and he is also letting me live at his house until the baby is born. After I sign over my rights, he will pay me ten thousand dollars.”

So that was the going rate for a baby these days. Sickening. “What happens if you were to change your mind and go home?”

“No. No. This cannot happen.” She jerked her hand free. “I cannot go home until Mr. Holloway gives me back my passport.”

“He’s holding your passport?”

She nodded. “He says he is investing in me, and I need to remain here to make his investment worthwhile.”

Everything Holloway was doing made financial sense for him and was on the surface good for the woman and for the couple receiving the baby. But—and this but was huge—selling babies and manipulating mothers was illegal. Even if he didn’t arrange to have Luna taken, he was breaking the law and needed to be stopped.

Maybe Bristol could start by helping Amelia. “What about your baby’s father?”

“He wants nothing to do with the baby. A mouth to feed that he can’t afford.” She gripped her hands together. “This is not true of the others.”

“Others?” Bristol asked gently as to not scare her off when it looked like Bristol was finally getting somewhere.

“Mr. Holloway has had many women living at his house. He has told the married women to lie about their baby’s father. Or to say they aren’t married or that the father does not want anything to do with the baby.”

“But these women are all there of their own free will?”

“Free will?” She looked up at the sky, a puzzled expression on her face. “Yes. God gives us that, doesn’t He? And sometimes we have to use it to do the wrong thing to make the right thing happen for the people we love.” A destitute look tightened her pretty features.

A wave of sadness washed over Bristol, and she wanted to take this woman home with her to live so she could keep her own baby. Not a practical thought at all. But what could Bristol do? Try to find a way for her to keep her baby and still support her family back home. Ten thousand dollars would be hard to replace, but Bristol had many resources at her disposal. Maybe she could find a way.

For now, she needed to try to gain information to find Luna. “Do you know if Holloway places babies that are already born?”

Amelia’s eyebrow went up again. “Why do you want to know this?”

“We’re so eager for a child.” She cast what she thought was a loving look at Jared. “We don’t want to wait.”

“I can see the love you have for your husband.” She gave a sad smile. “If only I could find the same thing.”

“I’m sure you will,” Bristol said, when she wasn’t at all sure of such a thing.

“A few times, I saw a woman bring a baby to the house,” Amelia said. “She stays for one night with the baby and then is gone with the child in the morning.”

Bristol’s heart rate kicked up at the news. “Did you ask about her?”

Amelia shook her head hard. “Mr. Holloway is not a man you ask questions of, but I heard him talking to her one time.”

“What did they say?” Bristol held her breath.

Amelia fidgeted with her hands. “The woman said no one saw her, and the baby was clear. That was all I heard before they closed the door.”

“What does this woman look like?” Bristol asked.

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