Free Dakota Homecoming by Lisa Mondello

much they were attracted to each other. No matter how much she wanted to be with Julian. The only time they had was the time they could steal while they were here in South Dakota. Hopefully, in a week or two, Angela would be free to leave Colombia and the FBI would be able to find Cash Montgomery.
    This happy homecoming would be over.
     

Chapter Eight
     
     
    It had been a long time since Georgie had been woken up by laughter. In fact, she couldn’t remember the last time. She’d been in college for sure. She’d lived in the dorms for four years. Despite the fact that so many of her classmates were stretching their legs and being rebellious in addition to earning a degree, Georgie had remained studious. She knew her education would be her ticket for her mother and her to get out of Colombia. Her college years were the most normal years of her life. In fact, it was the one thing she’d always written home to her mother about.
    But normal wasn’t something that came without a price. That became evident yesterday when she was out on the hill with Julian.
    There was no future for them. It shouldn’t matter to Georgie. She’d only known Julian for a short time. She was with him because he’d been assigned to her case. To help her and to help find a man who Eduardo Sanchez was probably torturing at this moment. She had no right to feel bad about her future when she was safe here in South Dakota.
    And she was safe. She felt it every time she looked at Julian. But soon she’d be out on her own.
    On the road, Julian lived like she did. Alone and without family. And if his work with the FBI continued, he’d be leaving here to head out to who knows where after Angela was able to leave Colombia and they’d found Kelly’s son Cash. The thought of it left her cold.
    Her cell phone was charging on the night stand and when it began to vibrate, it moved across the wooden surface. Georgie rolled over and grabbed the phone before he fell off the side and crashed to the floor.
    She glanced down at the phone, read the caller ID, and frowned. “Hello?”
    “I think he knows, Georgie.”
    “Angela?”
    “I’m at a market on a pay phone. I don’t have much money left on the calling card. But I’m scared. He saw me looking at the baby.”
    “Baby. What baby?”
    “Eduardo came home with a baby for his wife.”
    “They adopted a baby?”
    “Come on, Georgie. You know he doesn’t have to go through legal channels for anything. I heard his wife talking to the nanny. She’s claiming the baby is hers. She doesn’t want anyone to know the truth. They stole that baby, Georgie.”
    “I wouldn’t put it past him to do anything.”
    “I…he saw me looking at the baby.”
    “You’re working in the house. Cleaning. Why wouldn’t you be looking at a new baby?”
    “This whole thing has me so afraid. The baby. She’s…”
    “What?”
    “She’s very fair skinned. Her hair is fair.”
    “She’s a baby. Babies change almost daily.”
    “I heard Eduardo talking to Ava. The baby is American.”
    “American?”
    “He said The American can’t know. He’ll never know. And that Ava shouldn’t worry about The American interfering any more. As if Cash Montgomery had something to do with the baby. I think I heard them say…”
    “What? What did they say?”
    Angela paused a second. Georgie could hear the sound of traffic through the phone. She was probably down at the marketplace.
    “Angela?”
    “I think the baby’s father is Cash Montgomery. I think that’s why Eduardo has been so crazed about the man.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “I need to go. I may not be able to risk calling again. At least not for a while. Please don’t contact me.”
    Someone called Angela’s name from a distance. The sound of the phone being muffled drowned out what was being said.
    “Angela?”
    “I have to go. Tell your friends to hurry. I don’t want to be here anymore.” The phone call disconnected.
    Georgie’s heart pounded when she