All She Ever Wanted by Rosalind Noonan

Author:Rosalind Noonan
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp.
Published: 2012-11-16T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

Leo squirmed in the narrow seat of the jet, wishing against time, wanting to be home now. The thought of his ex-wife getting her mitts on Annie had festered inside him through the flight, and now that they were in their final descent, his fingers clenched into fists at the prospect of facing Jennifer.

Oh, he would gladly have a showdown with her.

He winced against the nauseating dip in altitude and thought about the list. He’d hit on the profile of a typical infant abductor when he’d done an online search while waiting at the airport. He’d just about memorized the bulleted list of traits.

The typical infant abductor was a female of childbearing age.

Check.

Compulsive, manipulative, deceptive. A liar.

Check. Check. Check. Check.

Lived in the community where the abduction took place.

Well, she did now.

Frequently indicated she had lost a baby or was unable to have one.

Check.

Leo pressed his eyes shut. How could you do this to me, Jen? You’ve stepped over the line . . . way over the line.

The second the wheels bounced on the runway, Leo fished his cell phone out of his pocket and fired it up. If someone complained, what could they do? Throw him off the plane?

His first call was to Jennifer, and as luck would have it, she answered.

“Well, look who’s finally getting around to calling me back. I knew you’d come around once you got my message.”

“Enough is enough, Jen.” It was a strain to keep his voice low, his tone even. “Is this your idea of a bad joke?”

“It’s no joke, sweetie. This is for real. I am really here in town and I am really going to stay, so you’d better get used to it.”

He gritted his teeth, annoyed that she was beating around the bush. She always was a ball buster. “Stop playing games and—” He cut himself off, knowing that Jennifer would only play wilder if he pushed her. “You know what? Don’t waste my time. I’m coming over there. Now.”

“Are you really? That’s great. I have to ask, what swung you to my team after all these years and months?”

In the background he heard a sound that rent his heart—a baby’s cry.

“You have her! She’s there with you. I hear her!” he shouted. An inappropriate voice level for the cabin of a commercial flight—he knew that—but he couldn’t help himself.

He turned away from the woman beside him, who looked like she was about to drop her teeth, but everyone else was staring, too. The other passengers gawked, then the bell released them from their seats and their interest slipped away with the urgency to pop up and jockey their bags down and get off the plane.

“Excuse me?” Jennifer copped a pouty attitude. “What are you talking about?”

He pressed into the emptying aisle and yanked down his duffel bag with his free hand. “Don’t try to pass this off as a cute attention-getting device. It’s kidnapping!”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Annabelle. Bring her back right now.”

“Calm down, and don’t use that tone with me.

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