"Marjorie, I'll be out nearly all day on consultations." Joseph handed his secretary a sheaf of papers to file. "When you've finished with these, take an early lunch and treat yourself to a little time off. You've earned it."

"But what about the office?"

"Turn on the answering machine, stick a sign on the door telling whoever comes knocking what time you'll be back, and go buy something frivolous."

She smiled. It was a rare, ingenuous smile, and for just a moment, Joseph imagined what she'd looked like as a young woman, before life and its disappointments had marked her face.

"Maybe I will," she said. "I could do a little early Christmas shopping. I hate to wait until later when the stores are so crowded. It gives me claustrophobia."

Joseph waved good-bye, leaving Marjorie with a sense of antic.i.p.ation she hadn't had in months.

Less than thirty minutes later, she looked up from her filing, smiled absently at the woman who entered the office, and then nearly died on the spot.

"Carly Jordan to see Joseph Rossi, please," the woman said.

Oh no! Marjorie thought. Not now!

Marjorie absorbed the full effect of the expensive suit, the stylish hair, and the beautiful face of the woman in front of her before she was able to speak. She seemed cool and distant, but Marjorie was willing to give the woman the benefit of the doubt. After all, Joseph had seen fit to love her. She'd borne them a child. There had to be pa.s.sion behind that cool facade.

"I'm so sorry, but he's going to be out most of the day. I'm not even certain that he'll come back to the office before closing. He may go straight to day care to pick up his child and then home."

The moment it was out of her mouth, she gasped, realizing what she'd said, and waited for the woman's show of emotion-but it never came. No tears, not even a glimmer of remorse. Only a narrowing of those silvery green eyes.

d.a.m.n, Carly thought. This changes everything. She slipped a perfect smile in place and shrugged for added effect. "Maybe I'll try to meet up with him at the day-care center. Could you give me the address?"

The question was unnecessary, but the secretary didn't need to know that. Carly'd been in town for two days and had scoped the entire situation thoroughly, down to the fact that Joseph's next-door neighbor meant more to him than was absolutely necessary. She'd already planned a use for such knowledge. Carly Jordan smiled to herself. She always had a contingency plan.

Marjorie was in a quandary. Knowing who the woman was put a completely different light on what she was about to do. But, she told herself, there's no way anyone could know that she was the one who sent the letter. And what harm could there be in inadvertently telling a woman where her own child was? It wasn't as if she'd asked about the child, anyway. She'd simply asked for a place to catch up with Joseph.

Marjorie sighed, wrote down the address of the center, and handed it over, hoping to see past the coolness to the mother beneath. She couldn't see a thing except a tiny smear on Carly Jordan's jacket.

"Thank you," Carly said shortly, and stuffed the address in her handbag. She started out the door and then turned and flashed her famous, million-dollar smile. "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again. You don't know what this means to me."

Marjorie gawked. There was nothing else she could do. And for some reason, the pleasure of her intended shopping expedition had suddenly disappeared. She slumped down in the chair behind her desk and stared at the telephone, willing it not to ring. She was in no mood to conduct business today.

Joseph sighed as he turned into the parking lot of the day-care center and then smiled, remembering that later, he and Joey would be guests at Molly's for some of her famous lasagna. It was their favorite food.

He got out of his car, then caught his breath at the chill of the wind that swooped down the collar of his jacket.

"d.a.m.n," he muttered. "Natchez was never like this." However, returning to Mississippi, the state in which he'd been raised, was no longer a possibility. When he'd left, he'd willingly cut all ties, for his sake as well as Joey's. He headed for the front door at a jog.

"Why, Mr. Rossi! I didn't expect to see you again today."

The girl at the front desk giggled, and then looked away, trying not to appear as eager as she actually was to see this particular father. In her opinion he was too gorgeous for words. And although she'd only worked here two weeks, she prided herself that she already knew every parent by sight and name.

"Why ever not?" he asked. "Unless you're having a sale on kids and mine was the first to go?" The laughter in his voice died with the smile on her face.

She stuttered, "W-why...because...because Joey's not here," she said. "I signed him out myself...over two hours ago."

Joseph's heart jerked. He couldn't think fast enough to ask. He needn't have bothered. The girl was offering way more information than necessary to make right what she'd done.

"It was done properly," she said, and for a moment, looked nervously away. "I know the rules when someone other than a parent comes to pick them up. I always check their files."

"Who took him?" Joseph asked.

The girl stuttered, grabbed for the guest register, and pointed, "W-why...your friend, Molly Eden. I've never met her personally, but I've heard all about her...especially from Joey. How he calls her his mother...and how you've given her permission to pick him up when you're late. I just a.s.sumed that you knew."

Joseph sighed, partly from relief, partly from exasperation. He couldn't imagine why Molly would do something so outrageous, but at least his son was safe.

"May I use your phone?" he asked, and picked it up without waiting for an answer.

He dialed, frowned when there was no answer at her home, and tried the florist shop instead. Why Molly would take Joey there if she wasn't finished work was beyond him. The boy could take Wal-Mart apart if given enough time. He'd make hash of that shop full of breakables.

Molly answered on the third ring. Joseph could tell by the breathless quality of her voice that she'd run to answer it. He could just imagine why.

"Molly...it's me," he said shortly.

"Well, hi!" she said. The unexpected pleasure of hearing his voice made her pulse accelerate. "What's up? Please don't tell me you're going to be late, because I'm starved. I skipped lunch in honor of you guys and my lasagna." She smiled to herself, expecting to hear a familiar chuckle. The anger in his voice surprised her.

"I won't be late...in fact, I came to day care early to pick Joey up. I wish you'd told me you were going to get him. It would have saved me an unnecessary drive."

Molly's stomach turned. "I don't know what you mean," she whispered.

Joseph was so caught up in his anger that at first he didn't catch the implication of her words. "I mean...that the next time you intend to pick Joey up...clear it with me first, okay?"

"Oh G.o.d," Molly whispered, and dropped backward into a chair. "Joseph, listen to me! I swear...I don't have Joey. I haven't seen him since yesterday."

Joseph paled, his hands began to shake, and his voice deepened. "What do you mean...you don't have him? The new girl..." He turned to the receptionist and all but yelled at her, "What's your name?"

"Sheila," she whimpered. She'd already decided that something was very definitely wrong.

"Sheila says you signed Joey out. Please Molly, this isn't funny."

Molly's chin trembled. She couldn't bear to think of the implications of this news. Children were s.n.a.t.c.hed everyday. She'd just never expected to know one.

"I don't know a Sheila.' I haven't been to the center in weeks, Joseph. And you know I wouldn't tease...not about this. Look at the name again. Maybe it isn't mine. Maybe she's mixed me up with someone else and Joey's actually still there."

Joseph looked and then groaned. "It's your name...but...oh Jesus, Molly, it's not your writing."

Molly gasped.

"Look," Joseph said. "I've got to go. I'll call you later, or something. I've got to find Joey." He hung up.

Molly stared at the phone in her hand as if it had suddenly grown fangs.

Cora took one look at Molly's face, set the fresh floral arrangement she'd been working on into the cooler for customer viewing, and grabbed Molly by the shoulders.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

Pale and shaking, it took Molly several deep breaths before she could speak the ugliness of what she'd learned.

"That was Joseph. Someone checked Joey out of the day-care center and used my name. No one seems to know where he is."

"Oh my G.o.d!" Cora gasped.

"Look," Molly said, "I've got to go. I can't sit here and wait for Joseph to call. Besides, whether I like it or not, I've been implicated in this. If the police show up...and they probably will...I want to talk to them myself, not have them come looking for me. Understand?"

Cora threw her arms around Molly's neck and then pressed a swift kiss on her cheek.

"Let us know what's happening," she said. And then she turned away, unwilling for Molly to see the tears. She was already frightened enough as it was. "He's such a dear little boy, I can't bear to think of anything awful happening to him."

"Say a prayer," Molly said.

And then she was gone.

Eight.

Lila Forshee burst through the door of her office and out into the foyer of the center. She'd heard the shouting through two closed doors and above the humming of the central heat.

"What in the world is wrong out here?" she asked, taking in Sheila's hysteria and Joseph's dark, forbidding expression in one long look.

"Joey's missing," Joseph said shortly.

Lila's heart all but stopped. The horror of all people who care for children had just come home to roost.

"No!" she cried. "How could this happen, Sheila? Surely you didn't let him go with just anyone?"

Sheila was in tears. "No, of course not," she sobbed. "I checked the files. The woman said her name was Molly Eden. Molly Eden's name is on the list of people allowed to see the Rossi child."

Lila sighed. "There you have it," she said. "If Molly has him, then I'm sure he's fine."

Sheila began to blubber. "He already called," she cried. "She doesn't."

Lila tried not to let her panic show. "Let me think. What did the woman look like who took Joey? You know how he is. He wouldn't go with a stranger. How did he act?"

Sheila blew her nose forcefully and tried desperately to remember. "Well...Joey kept saying he wanted his mother...." She shook her head. "No...that's not exactly right. He said he wanted momma.'"

Joseph sighed. None of this made sense. That's what Joey called Molly. Momma...not mother.

"Why was he asking for Molly if she was already there?" Lila muttered.

Joseph exploded. "That's just the G.o.dd.a.m.ned point. Molly wasn't here." He pointed to Sheila. "She let a total stranger take away my son." He made pivoted in frustration and then buried his face in his hands. "Oh G.o.d, don't let this be happening."

Sheila promptly burst back into more tears. Lila felt herself getting sick. This was a nightmare.

"Okay, enough of that for the moment," she said sharply. "Joseph...is there anyone...maybe your mother or a sister...someone who came to town that you don't know about who'd take Joey, thinking to surprise you?"

"I don't have a mother or a sister," he said shortly. "If someone was planning a surprise, why did they use someone else's name to take my son? Why, Lila? Why?"

Lila frowned. "I'm calling the police. In the meantime, Sheila, get yourself together and start trying to remember what the woman looked like. Stop sniveling-and I mean now! You can cry later, after we've found Joey."

Sheila nodded, started to speak, and then pointed to the front door of the center and screamed.

"There! That's the woman! And-oh, thank you, Lord-she has Joey with her!" She slumped into her chair, buried her face in her hands, and cried some more, only this time from sheer relief.

Joseph spun, his gaze intently fixed upon the tall blond who'd just entered the center, and then stared down at the small, dark-haired child struggling to get out of her grip.

"Oh...my...G.o.d!" It was all he was able to say.

Carly Jordan was caught unawares. Her carefully laid plans had been going awry ever since she'd picked up this demon from h.e.l.l. And she'd never intended to get caught like this. She'd planned to take the child, form an instant rapport so that she could insinuate herself back into Joseph's life, and then throw herself on the mercy of him and the court.

Well, s.h.i.t! she thought. If I'm going to do any mercy throwing, now's the time. The look on his face was similar to the one he'd worn when he'd caught her making an appointment for the abortion that never was.

She lowered her voice to a dramatic gasp, dropped her tight-fisted hold on Joey's wrist, and threw herself into Joseph's arms.

"Joseph, darling! I thought I'd never find you!"

Joseph struggled with the woman and her grasping hands, while fury exploded inside his head. He'd known her too long to fall for this stunt. He'd also known her well enough and long enough to recognize her panic when she'd walked into the center and realized she'd been found out.

"Get off of me." His voice was just shy of vicious as he unwound her arms from around his neck and shoved her aside. "I need to see my son."

Carly sniffed delicately into a lace-edged hand-kerchief, and cast the shocked audience a despairing glance. "He's my son, too," she said, and then added several sobs for effect.

"No!"

Molly's agonized whisper split the tension. She closed her eyes and clutched the side of the door for support. This can't be happening again, she thought. I can't have fallen for another man who lied to me like...

When Joseph realized Molly had seen and heard everything, he felt sick. Oh my G.o.d! With her history, she'll never trust me again. But he desperately needed her to believe him. Without Molly, he and Joey had nothing.

"Don't, Molly! It's not what you think, and thank G.o.d you're here."

She shuddered, then swayed. Her eyes locked with Joseph's gaze of entreaty. She thought he'd been different.

"Molly, darling...don't!" He'd seen the look on her face and knew what she was thinking, but it was all he could think to say.

She took a deep breath. If he was willing to call her that, before witnesses, then the least she could do was calm down and give them all a chance. And then she remembered Joey. He must be terrified.

Simultaneously, she and Joseph looked down at the small child who stood backed against the wall, a lot uncertain and a little frightened of the hubbub around him.

He sniffed, gave Molly and Joseph a brown, watery gaze, and stuffed his thumb in his mouth as his father knelt at his feet.