The Cradle Mission Read online

  “You’re going home with me tonight.”

  “No—”

  “Don’t argue with me. You damn near got yourself killed. No telling what could have happened to Simon.” He reached out and laid a palm against Simon’s cheek. “The baby needs a safe place for a while. And I want some answers.”

  “Thanks for rescuing us, Cain, but I can’t stay with you.” Alanna gathered all her strength to remain still when he tried to urge her forward. “Please, just let me go.”

  “I’m not letting you drive off tonight with Simon. And if you don’t level with me about my brother, I’ll haul you in for withholding information in a murder investigation.”

  “Please, Cain, no.”

  His steely gaze didn’t waver. “If you don’t want me to call the police in, you have to tell me what’s going on.”

  Alanna reached for the car door handle. Cain grabbed it first, wrapping one arm around her. “Don’t get any ideas about running. I’m going to be right behind you.”

  THE CRADLE MISSION

  RITA HERRON

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Award-winning author Rita Herron wrote her first book when she was twelve, but didn’t think real people grew up to be writers. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job. A former kindergarten teacher and workshop leader, she traded her storytelling for kids for romance, and writes romantic comedies and romantic suspense. She lives in Georgia with her own romance hero and three kids. She loves to hear from readers, so please write her at P.O. Box 921225, Norcross, GA 30092-1225, or visit her Web site at www.ritaherron.com.

  Books by Rita Herron

  HARLEQUIN INTRIGUE

  486—SEND ME A HERO

  523—HER EYEWITNESS

  556—FORGOTTEN LULLABY

  601—SAVING HIS SON

  660—SILENT SURRENDER†

  689—MEMORIES OF MEGAN†

  710—THE CRADLE MISSION†

  HARLEQUIN AMERICAN ROMANCE

  820—HIS-AND-HERS TWINS

  859—HAVE GOWN, NEED GROOM*

  872—HAVE BABY, NEED BEAU*

  883—HAVE HUSBAND, NEED HONEYMOON*

  944—THE RANCHER WORE SUITS

  CAST OF CHARACTERS

  Alanna Hayes—A pediatric nurse who will do anything to protect baby Simon—even kidnap him and go into hiding.

  Cain Caldwell—A cop who believes Alanna is responsible for his brother’s death; will he turn her over to the authorities or become her personal protector?

  Eric Caldwell—Cain’s brother and a vigilante who put his reputation and life on the line to help abused women. Did he die for his cause?

  Simon—An innocent baby who becomes a pawn in a ruthless scientific experiment called Project Simon.

  Paul Polenta—A geneticist who helped Alanna escape with Simon; is he Simon’s father?

  Randall Ames and Stanley Peterson—Fertility specialists who created Project Simon; how far will they go to protect their secrets?

  William Elk—The OB-GYN who delivered Simon. He knows the names of Simon’s parents, but will he die before he reveals them?

  Arnold Hughes—The former CEO of the Coastal Island Research Park. Has he resurfaced from the dead? And if so, what is his relationship to Simon?

  Phyllis French—This reporter believes Simon is her baby and will do anything to get him back, even commit murder.

  To Jenni and Jennifer

  for not laughing when I go out on a limb

  (or at least for laughing in private!).

  Thanks a million.

  Contents

  Chapter O

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter

  Catcall Island

  “Kill her,” the man ordered in a gruff voice. “Then take the baby.”

  Alanna Hayes’s heart constricted. She had to save herself, so she could save baby Simon.

  Frantic, she tried to free the bindings encasing her wrists, scanning the dark interior of the lab storage room for an escape. Shadows claimed the corners, dark clouds casting bleakness through the small window, the sound of rain slashing against the metal roof ominous. Another man’s husky voice filtered through the darkened doorway.

  She should have known better than to snoop into unauthorized areas, but she hadn’t expected the security guard to take her hostage at gunpoint. And now they’d kept her in this cold, cramped space for hours, making her wonder—

  The voice broke the silence again, a harsh mumble. She didn’t recognize the men’s voices. Did they belong to the doctors at the research center where she worked? The security guards?

  Were they really going to kill her? And what would happen to innocent little Simon? He was only four months old, he needed her….

  “I don’t like the idea of murder,” a deep voice said.

  “We have no choice,” the man said matter-of-factly. “But make it look like an accident.”

  “What are you going to do with the baby?”

  A chill rippled up Alanna’s spine. The thickly accented voice belonged to her boss, Paul Polenta, one of the leading researchers in gene therapy in the country.

  God, no. He couldn’t be a part of this…this lab project. She’d liked him, had thought he was a brilliant, caring doctor. Just as she’d believed everyone at the Coastal Island Research Park intended to help people.

  She’d been wrong.

  The man’s gruff voice cut through her fear like a razor blade scraping raw skin. “We’re taking him to the lab as planned.”

  “Won’t it draw suspicion if one of our nurses turns up dead?” Polenta’s voice quivered. “After all, what does she really know?”

  “Too much. I found her snooping in my files.” The other man cleared his throat, the sound echoing beneath the eerie drone of the rain. “And I’ve worked too damn long on Project Simon to let some nurse destroy it. I chose her because she has no family. No one will come looking for her.”

  “She has a grandmother—”

  “Who barely knows her name, much less if her granddaughter visits.”

  Alanna’s chest constricted. Her grandmother had Alzheimer’s. The center’s research on the disease had been one thing that had led Alanna to take a job at CIRP. Even if her grandmother didn’t always recognize her, Gran counted on her visits. She had no one else. What would she think when Alanna didn’t show up for her weekly visit?

  “But murder?” Polenta askeding shaken. “We’re doctors, for Christ’s sake.”

  “Hell, man, think of your reputation. You wouldn’t be able to work anywhere in the country if word leaked about this project. The Holy Rollers would picket. The press, the cops, the feds, they’d be all over us.” His voice escalated several decibels. “And the government would shut us down. Then there’s the damn Russians…”

  Polenta grunted. “Can’t we use one of those experimental drugs to alter her memory?”

  “Not after the mess with that cop, Clayton Fox, and the scientist Wells and his wife. I want all loose ends tied up,” the first man ordered. “Now let’s get out of here. We need to be long gone when the building blows.”

  Outside, the rain intensified, pounding the roof with brutal force. Fear paraly
zed Alanna as the voices faded into the howling wind. They were going to leave her to die. Then she’d never be able to save Simon. To hold the precious infant in her arms again. To see him gurgle and smile. To watch him grow. To know he would have a normal life.

  The outside door slammed shut. Silence followed, earth-shattering in its intensity. The low hum of a car engine sprang to life in the chilling aftermath. Thunder rumbled. Car doors closed. Gravel crunched, then tires screeched as the car peeled away.

  Tears trickled down her cheeks, soaking the rag in her mouth. How long did she have before the building blew? Minutes? Seconds?

  Time enough to escape? And if she did, could she find Simon and save him?

  Fighting panic, she forced herself to breathe through her nose, and shuddered at the strange odor. Gas? Or was it another lethal chemical? Her heart pounding, she twisted in the chair, searching the darkness, hunting for something to help free her. Dust motes floated through the haze. Spiderwebs clung to the corners. Her eyes slowly adjusted. Lightning flashed, momentarily illuminating the sooty darkness. She searched the metal shelves and cement floor. Assorted flasks, test tubes, lab supplies.

  A broken petri dish in the far corner.

  She struggled to slide sideways, then slowly pushed herself up from the chair. Dizzy from the gas fumes, her legs buckled and her knees hit the concrete with a painful thud. The chair legs splintered. She winced, pitching forward, but managed to right herself, then crawled awkwardly toward the supplies.

  Several long minutes later, she grasped in the dark for the broken glass and maneuvered it behind her. Thunder rent the air outside as she sawed through the thick ropes. Sweat streamed down her neck. The jagged glass jabbed her palm. Somewhere in the distance, the incessant ticking of a clock chimed. Or was it a bomb?

  Her heart racing, she ignored the cramping in her muscles, the pounding in her head. Finally the rope frayed. She tugged until the ends came apart, freeing her hands.

  Jerking the gag from her mouth, she heaved for air and quickly cut through the ropes around her ankles. Dizzy, she staggered to the door. Damn! It was locked. The ticking sound escalated in her head, reminding her to hurry. Then the door swung open.

  A scream died in her throat.

  Polenta’s hulking frame stood in the shadowed awnin

  “Alanna.” His expression looked pained.

  “Please,” she whispered. “Please…don’t do this, Paul. Let me take Simon and leave.” She grabbed his arms, shaking him. She was crying openly now. “I love that baby, I’m the only person he knows. You can’t let him be treated like a science experiment.”

  His jaw tightened, but he dragged her outside. Gravel crunched beneath her feet. Lightning zigzagged across the sky, illuminating his angry face. His fingers dug into her arms. Where was he taking her? Was he going to kill her himself?

  She fought against him, shoving and kicking, but he slapped one hand over her mouth. “Be quiet.”

  Panic once again surged through her, but he pushed her down the narrow alley, then slammed her up against a black sedan. A cat screeched in the background. A low streetlight glittered off the deep puddles of water. She struggled again, but he jerked her head back so far she thought her neck would pop. Rain poured off his face, hitting her, and running off the car. Fog coated the tinted windows.

  Then she saw him.

  Simon was in a car seat, sleeping peacefully, his thumb tucked in his mouth. Her heart lurched. She wanted to reach out and grab the child so badly she almost doubled over.

  Why was Paul doing this? Was he trying to torture her?

  Suddenly he released his grip, spun her around and shoved an envelope toward her. The dark stubble on his face looked almost as abrasive as his piercing gray eyes. “There’s some money and a cell phone in here in case you need to contact me. Take the baby, go to Atlanta, to Lake Lanier, and find Eric Caldwell. He’ll help you.”

  Alanna’s pulse hammered against her ribs. “You’re…you’re letting me take Simon?”

  “I…yes.” He ran a hand through sweat and rain-soaked black hair, his expression clouded with remorse. “The baby deserves a real life, not the kind they want him to have. And if Arnold Hughes resurfaces, there’s no telling what he’d do.”

  “Oh, God, Paul, thank—”

  “Don’t thank me, Alanna.” His bleak tone sent a shudder of terror through her. “You don’t know what you’re up against. When they discover you’re alive, they’ll hunt you down like an animal. They’ll kill you just to keep you quiet.” He gestured toward the dash. “My pistol’s in there if you need it.”

  Alanna trembled at the thought. She couldn’t shoot anyone. “I can go to the police, to the papers.”

  He shook his head. “No. Don’t you understand? Simon is different. We don’t have time to get into the details now.” The sound of a car backfiring in the distance jarred them both, and he opened the door. The baby stirred inside the black interior. Paul gave him a sad look, a vein throbbing in his forehead. “If you go public, Simon won’t have a chance. Every researcher across the world is going to want their hands on him for testing. And think of the press, labeling him, dogging him his whole life.”

  He was right. “Then I have to run.”

  Polenta nodded, then took one long look at her, regret, confusion, resignation in his eyes. The envelope crinkled in her hands as he released it. “You can trust Eric Caldwell, he’s an old friend of mine. He works with a monastery that helps abused women obtain new identities. They can make you invisible.” He scrubbed his hand over his neck. “But watch out for his brother. He’s a local cop, ex-military, with some kind of medical background. He might be trouble.”

  She nodded, got in the car and started the engine. “What about you, Paul?”

  He placed a shaky hand on her bruised cheek. “Don’t worry about me. Just take care of Simon.” He murmured some phrase in Spanish she didn’t understand, kissed his fingers, then touched them to her hand. “God be with you.”

  Alanna gave him a last, soulful look, then put the car into gear and sped off.

  Just as she exited the alley, the building exploded behind her.

  Lake Lanier, Georgia

  The next morning

  CAIN CALDWELL PROPPED a booted foot against the doorjamb in his brother’s small cabin, well aware Eric seemed to be in a hurry. Early morning sunlight settled over the dark room, highlighting his brother’s gray expression. Eric was throwing together a suitcase, the bare essentials strewn across his oak bed, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. “Dammit, Eric, just tell me if you know anything about Charlene Banks.”

  “I told you I didn’t,” Eric said irritably. “And if I did, I wouldn’t tell you. You’d probably hunt her down and arrest her instead of that sorry-ass old man of hers who beats her every other day.”

  Cain gritted his teeth. Damn his little brother’s vigilante ways. Eric had a good heart, but his methods weren’t always on the up-and-up. The very reason Cain had had to stop by. Official police business.

  He jammed his hands in his pockets, forcing himself to study Eric’s reaction as he made the announcement. “Her sorry-ass husband is dead.”

  Eric hesitated, but only for a split second, before he threw his head back and laughed. “Nice present for her. I hope he suffered like hell.”

  Cain silently agreed. But he was a cop, and he lived his life by the law. He had to think in terms of black-and-white, not shades of gray, as his brother did. “Look, my captain suspects you’re running some covert operations here. I can’t keep covering for you.”

  “Covering for me?” Eric stabbed his cigarette into an empty cola can, stuffed his laptop into a black leather case, then slung the strap over his shoulder. “Is that what you call hauling my butt in for questioning three times this year?”

  “They were all legitimate cases. What choice did I have?” Cain’s patience snapped. “I know you’re helping abused women find cover, which is not a bad thing, but what about that drug deale
r who disappeared?”

  “I don’t know anything about him,” Eric argued. “Don’t you have something better to do than harass me, like look for some re crooks?”

  Cain clenched his jaw. “Where’s the witness in the Bronsky case, Eric?”

  “What?” Sarcasm laced Eric’s voice. “Did the police lose another witness?”

  “We do the best we can. Do you know where he is?”

  “Can’t help you, bro.”

  “You can’t go around undermining the cops and the FBI, Eric, or killing every criminal who escapes the system.”

  His brother glared at him, blue eyes blazing. “I didn’t kill anyone.”

  Cain swallowed. Why did he even try? They would never see eye to eye. Yet he loved him all the same.

  “I just don’t want to see you get in trouble. It’s like you’re on a death mission, taking everything into your own hands. One day you’re going to cross the wrong people.”

  “Like you don’t cross the wrong kind of people all the time.” Eric grabbed his keys off the battered dresser and strode toward the door.

  “It’s not the same thing. I’ve got people covering me. You’re on your own.”

  Eric hesitated momentarily, his shoulders squared. “You could quit the force and help me. Make it your New Year’s resolution.”

  “New Year’s has come and gone.” Their gazes locked briefly and Cain’s stomach clenched. Eric was serious.

  But Cain could not straddle the line. He had sworn to uphold the law and do it honestly and he’d die trying to do just that. “You could join the force, make enforcing the law your focus.”

  “I guess we’ve hit that impasse again,” Eric said quietly.

  Cain clamped down on his jaw and shook his head, frustrated and worried. “Watch your back. If you get in trouble—”