Surrogate Escape by Jenna Kernan

Author:Jenna Kernan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-12-12T19:50:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Jake stood before the Colelay’s home, just a quarter mile from his own. He had explained to Lori about Ty’s early-morning visit and arranged to have Wetselline watch over Lori and Fortune while he investigated what Ty’s dog had discovered.

Jake mounted the steps, crossed the flaking boards of the Colelays’ back porch and knocked. A moment later, Mrs. Colelay appeared behind the torn screen door. The woman’s hair hung loose and greasy around her gaunt face, and her skin had a yellow cast. He knew she could not be past forty, but the lines on her face and the many missing teeth made her appear much older.

“Good morning, Mrs. Colelay. I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

From inside came the cry of a baby.

“You have a baby?” he asked.

“Yeah. He’s three months. Good set of lungs on him.”

Jake nodded. Mrs. Colelay was not Fortune’s mother. Couldn’t be.

The wail went on. “Let him go a minute. See if he falls back to sleep.”

The cries went on and Jake shifted, uneasy with this style of infant care. But the cries did diminish and then stop.

“He’s cutting a tooth. Can’t make him happy, and he slobbers like a dog smelling cooking bacon.”

Jake dived right in. “I was wondering if any of your girls are here.”

She squinted at him. “Why? What have they done?”

“Nothing. I wanted to ask a question about the DARE program. About graduation. Your kids have all been through the program.”

She nodded, her eyes wary.

“I just want your daughters’ opinions on the ceremony.”

“They’s all in school ’cept Zella.”

“Could you remind me of their ages?” Jake asked.

Mrs. Colelay looked up and squinted, as if calculating some difficult mathematical equation.

“Let’s see now. Sammy is in seventh grade. She’s thirteen. The twins are fourteen—freshmen—and Zella is fifteen. Would have been a sophomore, but...” Mrs. Colelay turned her head and raised her voice. “She’s done with school.” Then she directed her attention to Jake. “I think it’s a boy, the way she’s been moping around. She don’t toughen up, she’ll end up like her mama.”

“Could I speak to Zella?”

“I don’t know. Those folks from the clinic keep poking round and she won’t see them. Actually lit out every time they come round.”

“I didn’t know the clinic did that.” They didn’t, as far as Jake knew, and that concerned him. He planned to check that with Lori.

“They said she’s got something catching. So why ain’t I caught it, too? She sleeps in my bed more than I do.”

Jake wondered if they meant Zella had an STD.

“Who was it coming by?”

“I don’t know. Different people and those gangbangers. Minnie Cobb, for one. She says she’s friends with my girl, but Zella’s never been friends with that one. My gals ain’t perfect, but they knows to stay away from trash.” Mrs. Colelay was rubbing her upper arms as if her skin itched. “I’ll see if she’ll come.”

Mrs. Colelay retreated into the house, leaving Jake to look through the screen. A moment later the baby started crying again.

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