Silent Run

mother.
    â€œLook at me,” he said forcefully. “Look at her."
    His words demanded that she open her eyes.
    He pulled out his wallet and held up a photo.
    â€œThis is Caitlyn. This is the child you took from me.” He shoved the photo into her hand.
    Her heart stopped as she stared at the picture. The little girl had a halo of gold curls on her head and a pink bow attached with a bobby pin just above her ear. She had an upturned nose and eyes that were a light blue, almost gray, eyes that mirrored her own. This baby, this little angel, was her daughter. She pressed the photo against her heart, feeling a wave of agonizing fear. Something was wrong -- terribly wrong. She knew it deep down inside.
    â€œWhere is she?” Jake demanded. “Tell me where she is, Goddammit. You can’t just keep her from me."
    Officer Manning placed a warning hand on Jake’s arm. “Take it easy."
    Jake shrugged it off. “I have a right to know where my child is."
    â€œYes, you do, but tell me, do you have a legal relationship with Ms. Tucker? Are you married?"
    â€œNo, but we were talking about it, making plans,” Jake said with an impatient wave of his hand. “We lived together for almost two years in an apartment in San Francisco. But just because we weren’t married doesn’t mean I don’t have rights as a father. I talked to my lawyer. I talked to the police in San Francisco. They all agreed that Sarah couldn’t just steal my child from me. But they couldn’t do anything until we found her."
    â€œHow did you find me?” she interrupted. “How did you know I was here in this hospital?"
    â€œDylan. He’s been helping me look for you, and he has contacts in this area. Last night one of his police buddies sent him your picture and details on the accident. He recognized you immediately."
    â€œWho’s Dylan?” she asked.
    â€œMy brother. He’s a journalist, you know that. Why are you acting like you don’t?"
    â€œI’m not acting. Isn’t San Francisco a long way from here? How did you get here so fast?” she asked.
    â€œIt’s a five-hour drive, but I made it in four. I was afraid you’d disappear before I arrived."
    â€œWhen did you last see Sarah and your child?” Manning interjected.
    â€œSeven months, two weeks, and three days ago,” Jake said flatly. “I was on a business trip when Sarah disappeared with Caitlyn."
    â€œI left you? Why?” she asked.
    His hard gaze met hers. “Your note said, ‘This isn’t going to work. Don’t try to find me. Sarah.’ That was it. That’s all I got. Haven’t heard a word from you since. You disappeared off the face of the earth."
    She thought about his statement. It didn’t make sense. She’d supposedly been in love with this man. She had lived with him, been intimate with him, and had a baby with him -- why would she leave behind such a coldhearted note?
    â€œWhy would I do that?"
    â€œHell if I know.” He planted his hands on his hips. “You tell me, Sarah. You tell me how you decided to walk out the door one day and never come back. You tell me how you could throw away everything we had without any explanation."
    â€œI... I can’t."
    â€œOr won’t,” he challenged.
    â€œI don’t remember you."
    He drew in a quick, sharp breath at her words. He claimed to hate her, but her words appeared to hurt him. Her gaze traveled down his lean, muscular body, searching for some intimate connection. He said they’d made love, created a child together. Wouldn’t she remember laying her head against his solid chest, wrapping her arm around his waist, her fingers playing with the snaps on his jeans, his long legs pressing her down against the bed?
    A sudden wave of heat spread through her body, warming her from the inside out. Was she remembering or was she imagining?
    When she lifted her gaze to his, she saw a myriad of emotions flash through his green eyes, uncertainty, desire, anger... . His feelings for her were obviously complicated.
    â€œYou will remember me,” he promised. “Before we’re done, you’re going to explain exactly why you destroyed our lives. But right now I just want Caitlyn. You want to be free of me, fine, but you don’t get to keep my daughter away from me. She’s mine as much as she’s yours, and you should have known, better than anyone, how I