Free Child of Mine by Beverly Lewis Page A

the white wicker bureau, she began to pull out one drawer after another—all empty—her hands shaking wildly.
    And then it came to her.
    Bobby. No! Please, God, no!
    Kelly flew back downstairs to the front door and saw that it was clearly unlocked, even though she’d locked it before going to bed.
    Grabbing her cell phone from the kitchen counter, she called out to God for help, then dialed 9-1-1 with shaking fingers, sobbing out her fears when the dispatcher answered.
    Moments later Kelly was outside, standing on the edge of the curb, looking up and down the street as if she could somehow snatch back her missing infant.
    He must have taken her, she knew then with certainty, the horror of it washing over her.
    The distant wail of a siren began to grow in the distance as she punched in the phone number for her estranged husband and waited. One ring . . . two rings . . . and then his dreaded words, “She fetched a pretty penny, Kel.”
    â€”——
    Kelly jerked awake, drenched with sweat and still fully dressed after her outing to Chet and Eloise’s house. Looking down, she found Emily’s infant booties clutched in her hand. I should have known better than to take them out . Kelly breathed in their aroma, then gently placed the booties back in her bureau drawer.
    Still trying to shake off the last vestiges of the nightmare, Kelly wasn’t remotely hungry, though suppertime had long since passed. She turned on her radio and straightened up the bed, fluffing the comforter back into position and humming along with Michelle Tumes’s “Healing Waters.”
    In the kitchen, she straightened the dining area and placed her laptop on the sofa nearby, relieved to have another four hours until her night shift began.
    Hearing light scratching at the door, Kelly turned to find Felix meowing, posturing for an evening meal. “Is Mommy gone again?”
    Felix meowed to the affirmative.
    â€œC’mon, little munchkin,” Kelly cooed, picking up the calico kitty. “Let’s get you fixed up.”
    While Felix lapped up the water and Meow Mix, Kelly vacuumed the floor. She tried to keep the place spic and span, especially since Agnes was giving her a drastically reduced deal on rent. Since the landlady made few demands and seemed to appreciate having her around, Kelly didn’t mind the stark studio apartment. Overall, it was a fair arrangement. Pay little; get little.
    At the kitchen counter, she shuffled through papers and came across a photo of adorable Sydney Moore. Slumping into the chair,Kelly stared at the picture and remembered the hope she’d felt when Ernie first sent it.
    Kelly shuddered and tore the picture into pieces. Old news. Felix nudged her leg and she stroked his neck. But I’m still in the game, she told herself, thinking of Ernie’s new lead and taking Felix in her arms, cuddling him close, wondering where Agnes had gone. Probably playing bingo in the church basement again.
    She considered driving to the coffee shop just down the street and ordering something inexpensive, if only to be around others. Maybe a doughnut?
    Too sugary, she thought.
    Then recalling Eloise’s concern about her not eating, Kelly set the cat down gently and marched to the fridge. She peered inside and spotted a carton of strawberry yogurt, normally her favorite, and felt her stomach roil. Instead, she reached for the half loaf of bread and popped a slice into her old toaster, the one she’d picked up at a garage sale for less than the cost of a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
    When the toast popped out, she buttered it and took a bite. It wasn’t very tasty, but she forced it down with half a glass of milk. I’m trying, she thought, remembering the concern in Melody’s eyes, too.
    Mel and Kel forever. Kelly hadn’t forgotten their slogan. They’d even had it embroidered on matching T-shirts, personalized with a photo of the two of