Baltimore 03 - Did You Miss Me?

things better,’ he said quietly.
    ‘Not as much as I will,’ she said. ‘We’ve got a good start. In six months we’ll have facilities for twenty single mothers and their kids. Not all those women will make it, but I’ll be damn sure they leave their kids with some good memories.’
    ‘Is that why you bought the farm?’ he asked.
    She looked up at him, eyes filled with disbelief. ‘Did you really just ask me that?’
    He frowned, then winced when he realized what he’d said. ‘Not what I meant. I meant buy the . . . property that the farm is . . . on,’ he finished lamely.
    Her lips twitched and he realized she was laughing at him. ‘You’re easy, Joseph.’
    With someone else he might have been annoyed. With her, he couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘Not really. I like to at least be taken to dinner first.’
    She stared for a moment. Then she swallowed hard, obviously trying not to laugh. He blinked innocently. ‘What?’
    She clapped her hand over her mouth, but it was too late. She started to laugh, more a release of stress than anything else. Still, king of the world raced through his mind. Her laughter subsided and her eyes changed, darkening. His body immediately responded and he leaned down, needing to taste her mouth.
    ‘Mom?’
    They broke apart like guilty teenagers. Ford’s eyes were struggling to open, his broad shoulders lurching as he threw his body forward, disoriented and afraid. Joseph leaned over Daphne, holding the boy down so that he didn’t yank the IV from his arm.
    ‘Ford.’ Daphne cupped his jaws in her hands. ‘It’s me. Mom. Open your eyes.’
    His lids fluttered open, green eyes filled with confusion. ‘Mom?’
    ‘I’m here, baby. Right here.’
    ‘Where?’ It was a pathetic croak.
    Joseph hit the call button and hurried to the bathroom to wet a cloth, handing it to Daphne. She dabbed Ford’s cracked lips and squeezed a few drops into his mouth.
    ‘In the hospital,’ she said. ‘In West Virginia.’
    He searched her face. ‘Feet?’
    ‘Your feet are fine. Hands too.’
    ‘Kim?’
    ‘She wasn’t with you?’ When he shook his head, her expression grew pained. ‘We’re still looking for her.’
    A sob caught in Ford’s throat. Daphne leaned in until her forehead rested on Ford’s. ‘It’s okay, son. Cry all you want to.’
    A nurse ran into the room, stopping when she saw that Ford wasn’t violent this time. She approached, watching carefully, standing by as tears silently ran down the boy’s face. When the wave had passed, his shoulders sagged back to the bed.
    ‘So tired,’ he whispered.
    ‘Then sleep, son.’
    ‘How long?’ he whispered, his eyelids drooping. ‘Gone how long?’
    ‘A day and a half,’ Daphne said softly. ‘Longest day of my life.’
    ‘I’ll sleep . . . if you sleep.’ He struggled, his eyes popping open. ‘Mean it.’
    ‘I’ll sleep. I promise.’
    Ford’s eyes closed. ‘You get sick. When you don’t sleep.’
    Joseph leaned over. ‘Ford, I’m Joseph Carter with the FBI.’ The boy’s brow creased in confusion, so Joseph added, ‘I’m Jack Carter’s son,’ and Ford nodded. ‘Do you know where you were?’
    ‘Cabin. Woods. Walked miles. So tired.’
    ‘Did they say why they abducted you?’
    ‘Money. Ransom.’ Ford was fading back into sleep. ‘Miss me.’
    Daphne kissed his forehead, his cheeks. ‘Rest, baby. I’ll be back. Love you, son.’ She straightened and Joseph pulled her close. ‘I don’t want to leave him.’
    ‘The hotel is next door. You can be back in two minutes when he wakes. This is your chance to sleep. Besides, you promised.’

Chapter Eighteen
    Baltimore, Maryland, Wednesday, December 4, 4.30 P.M.
    H aving checked on both of his houseguests, Mitch was jogging up the stairs from the basement when he heard the garage door go up. Cole was home from school. The kid ran up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door so hard the house shook. What now? He left his room and knocked on Cole’s door.
    ‘Go away.’
    ‘What happened, Cole?’
    ‘Nothing.’
    Which meant it was probably pretty bad. ‘I’m going to find out.’
    The door abruptly opened and he found himself looking up into Cole’s angry green eyes. ‘I said, go away , and I meant it.’
    Damn. The kid hadn’t just grown tall. He was filling out too. Give him a few years and he might be as big as Ford Elkhart. Who, Mitch’s still-aching back could attest, was as big as a damn ox. ‘Are you