Once Trapped

Riley nodded. She remembered the agent as a rather taciturn man with a cold demeanor. But then, she’d been investigating the murder of Garrett’s estranged half-sister. He had been grateful when she solved the murder, and had helped put Jilly into foster care with the Flaxmans. Riley knew that he was a good man beneath his frosty exterior.

Brenda said to Riley, “I’m glad you and Jilly could get here on such short notice. I’d really hoped we’d be finalizing the adoption by now, but as I wrote to you in my letter, we’ve run into a snag. Jilly’s father claims he made the decision to give up Jilly under duress. Not only is he contesting the adoption, he’s threatening to charge you with kidnapping—and me as an accomplice.”

Looking through some legal papers, Delbert Kaul added, “His case is pretty flimsy, but he is making a nuisance of himself. But don’t worry about it. I’m sure we can fix all this tomorrow.”

Somehow, Kaul’s smile didn’t strike Riley as very reassuring. There was something weak and uncertain about him. She found herself wondering just how he’d gotten assigned the case.

Riley noticed that Brenda and Kaul seemed to have an easy rapport. They didn’t appear to be a romantic couple, but they did seem to be good friends. Maybe that was why Brenda had hired him.

Not necessarily a good reason, Riley thought.

“Who is the judge?” Riley asked him.

Kaul’s smile faded a little as he said, “Owen Heller. Not exactly my first choice, but the best we could get under the circumstances.”

Riley suppressed a sigh. She was feeling less and less assured. She hoped Jilly wasn’t getting the same feeling.

Kaul then discussed what the group should expect at the hearing. Bonnie and Arnold Flaxman were going to testify about their own experience with Jilly. They would emphasize the girl’s need for a stable home environment, which she emphatically could not have with her father.

Kaul said he wished he could get Jilly’s older brother to testify, but he had long since disappeared and Kaul hadn’t been able to track him down.

Riley was supposed to testify about the kind of life she was able to give Jilly. She had come to Phoenix armed with all sorts of documentation to back up her claims, including financial information.

Kaul tapped his pencil against the table and added, “Now Jilly, you don’t have to testify—”

Jilly interrupted. “I want to. I’m going to.”

Kaul looked a little surprised by the note of determination in Jilly’s voice. Riley wished the lawyer seemed as determined as Jilly did.

“Well,” Kaul said, “let’s consider that settled.”

When the meeting ended, Brenda, Kaul, and the Flaxmans left together. Riley and Jilly went to rent a car, and then they drove to a nearby hotel and checked in.

*

Once they got settled into their hotel room, Riley and Jilly ordered a pizza. The TV played a movie they’d both seen before and didn’t pay much attention to. To Riley’s relief, Jilly didn’t seem the least bit anxious now. They chatted pleasantly about little things, like Jilly’s upcoming school year, clothes and shoes, and celebrities in the news.

Riley found it hard to believe that Jilly had been in her life for such a short time. Things seemed so natural and easy between them.

Like she’s always been my daughter, Riley thought. She realized that was exactly how she felt, but it brought on a renewed burst of anxiety.

Was it all going to end tomorrow?

Riley couldn’t bring herself to consider how that would feel.

They were almost finished with their pizza when they were interrupted by a loud signal from Riley’s laptop computer.

“Oh, that must be April!” Jilly said. “She promised we’d do a video chat.”

Riley smiled and let Jilly take the call from her older daughter. Riley listened idly from across the room as the two girls chattered away like the sisters they’d truly become.

When the girls finished talking, Riley spoke to April while Jilly plopped down on the bed to watch TV. April’s face looked serious and concerned.

She asked, “How are things looking for tomorrow, Mom?”

Glancing across the room, Riley saw that Jilly had gotten interested in the movie again. Riley didn’t think she was really listening to what she and April were saying, but she still wanted to be careful.

“We’ll see,” Riley said.

April spoke in a low voice so Jilly couldn’t hear.

“You look worried, Mom.”

“I guess so,” Riley said, speaking quietly herself.

“You can do this, Mom. I know you can.”

Riley gulped hard.

“I hope so,” she said.

Still speaking softly, April’s voice shook with emotion.

“We can’t lose her, Mom. She can’t go back to that kind of life.”

“I know,” Riley said. “Don’t worry.”

Riley and April stared at each other in silence for a few moments. Riley suddenly felt deeply moved by how mature her fifteen-year-old seemed right now.

She’s really growing up, Riley thought proudly.

April finally said, “Well, I’ll let you go. Call me as soon as you know anything.”

“I’ll do that,” Riley said.

She ended the video call and went back to sit on the bed with Jilly. They were just getting to the end of the movie when the phone rang. Riley felt another wave of worry.

Phone calls hadn’t brought good news lately.

She picked up the phone and heard a woman’s voice.

“Agent Paige, I’m calling from the Quantico switchboard. We just got a call from a woman in Atlanta and … well, I’m not sure how to handle this, but she wants to talk directly to you.”

“Atlanta?” Riley asked. “Who is it?”

“Her name is Morgan Farrell.”

Riley felt a chill of alarm.