Authors: Randi Cardoza
Chapter 30
A doctor on the island removed Kenzi’s stitches but her leg was still a little stiff. Shawn’s shoulder was much better since he knew the physical therapy well enough so he didn’t have to go back.
Kenzi could hardly believe their honeymoon was almost over with and all of the things they’d done. The first night there a small tropical storm came upon them and they danced together in the warm rain.
Every night, they’d gotten into the habit of lying on the beach and watching the sun set into the azure depths of the ocean.
She could still feel Shawn’s breath on her ear when he told her to listen for the water to sizzle, as his parents had taught him to do when he was little.
Kenzi wished she could stay there in that little bungalow forever with Shawn. Bonfires on the white-sand beach, fishing in the clear waters, and making love in the shade of the palm trees seemed to be the norm for them now.
“What are you thinking of, love?” Shawn asked wrapping his arms around her.
“How I’m going to hate leaving here tomorrow,” Kenzi replied as she kissed his throat.
“Yeah, me too. Maybe we can come back once or twice a year,” Shawn suggested.
“That would be fantastic,” Kenzi agreed as they settled into the sand to watch the sun set for the last time while they would be there.
Tomorrow came too soon for both of them. They boarded the plane at the airport and flew away back to Farmington and their families.
The plane landed at around three in the afternoon and they decided to wait until the next day before going to see everyone and show them photos of their honeymoon trip.
Kenzi slid into a hot bathtub full of bubbles while Shawn flipped through the television stations looking for something to watch. He caught the end of the news, which was talking about how Jan Sullivan and Jason Gramaldi had been formally charged with abduction and attempted murder and that the trial would be covered by the local media.
Shawn took Kenzi a glass of wine and sat talking to her for a while.
“I missed bubble baths on the island,” Kenzi moaned as she sipped at her wine.
“You have to admit that the shower there had its definite benefits,” Shawn replied with a wink.
Kenzi’s cheeks flushed a bit at the memories Shawn’s comment invoked. The shower definitely had its perks, Kenzi thought with a smirk.
“Yeah. I thought so, too,” Shawn laughed as he touched her flushed cheek softly.
“Jan and Jason were on the news. They’re both being charged with attempted murder and abduction. Jason also has a charge for murder of a federal officer,” Shawn said seriously.
“Good. I hate to be so negative about it but after what they did to us and Emma, they deserve life in prison,” Kenzi replied sitting up in the water.
“Yeah, me too,” Shawn replied but his eyes were drawn to Kenzi’s bubble covered breasts.
Kenzi could feel the heat of Shawn’s stare and knew he wasn’t paying attention to what she was saying.
“Come here, tough guy,” Kenzi said crooking a finger at him.
Shawn stood and walked over to her. Before he could do anything she grabbed his hand and pulled him into the bathtub with her fully clothed.
A huge bubble fight took place and then they danced in the living room, naked in each others arms. Kenzi fell asleep that night as exhausted from making love as she had since the night they’d married.
Kenzi woke up early the next morning and went downstairs to make breakfast-in-bed for Shawn. She made gigantic homemade cinnamon rolls, juice and coffee.
Shawn was sitting up in bed and his bare chest distracted her so that she almost dropped the tray when she tripped over a rug. Catching herself before she let anything spill, she sauntered over to the bed.
“Morning, love,” Kenzi said kissing him on the cheek as she draped the tray over his lap.
“Mmm…morning. I hate waking up without you there but I love the idea that you were cooking for me,” Shawn said as he took a gooey bite of his cinnamon roll.
Kenzi leaned over and licked the icing from his lips. The phone shrilled behind her and she sighed.
“I guess the honeymoon is definitely over,” Kenzi said as she picked up the phone. “Hello?”
She talked for a moment and then handed the phone to Shawn. Everyone was waiting for them at his parent’s house.
He hung up the phone and said, “I guess they have no respect for newlyweds. Looks like we have to get dressed.”
Kenzi dressed in a russet-colored peasant shirt and a light khaki skirt while Shawn donned a tight, ribbed blue sweater and jeans.
“Mmm…I love the tough guy look. It makes me want to crawl all over you,” Kenzi whispered in his ear as he drove to his parent’s house.
“Behave. Besides you can undress me the minute we get home,” he said as his eyes took in the low cut of the V-necked shirt she had on.
Kenzi smiled and impatiently laced her fingers together. It seemed everyone really was at the Douglass house.
They went inside and everyone from Kenzi’s parents to Mimi and Ryder were there. Danielle pulled Kenzi to the side to talk about the island.
“So how was it?” she asked.
“Wait a minute, Danielle. Why are you and Brady here? What about your play?” Kenzi asked.
“The season is over for it so we have a couple months off. Besides, they don’t need a pregnant singer on stage. Brady is taking off with me so he can be here when the baby comes. Now spill about the island, Kenzi Douglass!”
Kenzi told her all about it and soon Mimi came to look at the pictures Kenzi and Shawn had brought. Everyone passed the pictures around and Shawn held them for Mia so she didn’t put fingerprints all over them.
“Did you like being that far away from civilization?” Mimi asked curiously when Kenzi told them how there were no telephones.
“I loved it. In fact, I hated to leave. It was so peaceful there,” Kenzi replied.
“Well, Kenz, I’m glad to hear that,” John said as he handed her a large manila envelope. “Open it.”
Kenzi opened it and her eyes bugged out when she realized it was a deed.
“Dad, is this for what I think it’s for?” Kenzi asked her voice warbling.
“It’s a gift from Gabe, Megan, your mother, and me. We thought you might like it,” John said as he hugged Kenzi.
“Thank you, so much,” Shawn said hugging his mother and Delia while shaking John then Gabe’s hand.
“You can live there all year around or just keep it as a family vacation spot. I can have it set up so you can keep in contact with the company online, Kenzi. What do you think?” John asked.
“We love it,” Kenzi and Shawn said together.
“Talk about it for a while and decide what you want to do with it,” Megan suggested.
“Let me know so I can notify the staff. It’s late and we best get going. I’m waiting for a package in the mail from the previous owner,” John said.
“Oh, speaking of mail. Here’s yours from while you were gone,” Megan said as she disappeared into the kitchen for a moment and then came back.
A large envelope caught Kenzi’s attention and she noted it was from the artist they’d hired to create Layla’s picture.
“This is it, Shawn,” Kenzi whispered.
“What is it?” John asked.
“We hired an artist to make an age-advanced image of Layla from her baby pictures. We’re going to put fliers out one last time and if we get no response, we’re going to stop looking,” Shawn replied.
“Open it,” Megan urged Kenzi. Kenzi tore it open and looked at the full-color image of the child. Tears threatened and she handed it to Shawn.
Shawn took it as Gabe and Megan leaned over his shoulder. He vaguely heard someone say, “Hey! I know her.”
Chapter 31
“Hey! I know her,” Mia said as she pulled Shawn’s arms down so she could see the picture clearly.
“You know her?” Kenzi asked as her heart jumped to her throat.
“I know her, too,” Megan said as tears glistened in her eyes.
“Who is she?” Shawn asked as he dropped the photo to the ground.
Mia picked it up and set it on the table next to her punch. Everything had been going good but Shawn and Kenzi looked a little weird since she said she knew the girl in the picture.
“Mia, honey, who is she?” Kenzi asked sitting down next to her.
“She lives right down the street. Her name is Lynne,” Mia said as she took a big bite of cake.
“My God, Gabe. Our missing granddaughter lives right down the street from us and we didn’t even know it,” Megan said as she dropped to a nearby chair.
“Lynne? What are her parent’s names?” Kenzi asked.
“Don’t know. Her last name is O’Reilly, I think,” Mia said wiping icing from her face with her fingertips.
Shawn was already on the phone to Nelson and Murphy. Within minutes, his Uncle Mickey had contacted a judge to get a court order for a DNA test.
“Judge Warner says she will grant it as a favor since she knows you’ve been looking for a while. It’s not helpful that it’s a six-year old and your mother who recognize the girl in the photo,” Mickey said as he returned from the kitchen.
“What?” Shawn asked bewildered.
“Defense could poke holes in the warrant being issued just on the claims made by Megan and Mia. But a court order for the DNA would be issued eventually anyway,” Mickey said.
Nelson and Dylan along with the Farmington PD arrived at the O’Reilly house a block down from Gabe and Megan Douglass’s home.
Knocking on the door, they showed the woman the court order for Lynne to be taken into custody until further notice. The girl went quietly and just stared blankly at the woman who claimed to be her mother.
“Where are you taking my daughter?” the woman screamed as they led Lynne away.
“Ma’am it’s best if you don’t fight us. Don’t plan on leaving town either,” Megan told her as she watched Dylan buckle the girl into a car and leave.
After ordering men to stake out the house, Nelson headed over to the Douglass residence.
“The DNA tests could take a couple of days. Since this is such an old case and you’re former agents, they’re going to put a rush on it,” Megan told Shawn.
Kenzi sat on the floor looking at the picture. Her Layla, she looked so much like Shawn with his dark hair and facial features. Kenzi could see herself in the child’s stormy bluish-gray eyes.
“My baby,” Kenzi said looking at the picture. “How could she be so close and yet we didn’t find her?”
Shawn couldn’t stand to see Kenzi the way she was. She looked so vulnerable, so fragile and the old feelings of uselessness came surging back.
Gabe and John could see the look in Shawn’s eyes when he watched Kenzi as she rocked back and forth on the floor by the fireplace.
“Shawn,” Gabe said, “You need to talk to her. Give her your support she’s in shock. You are too, but it’s more for Kenzi because she blamed herself for so long.”
“He’s right, Shawn. Kenzi needs you to be with her a thousand percent. Go over there and be the husband she needs you to be and the father you’re scared to be,” John said.
Shawn walked over to her and in his mind he could feel her withdraw from him like before. He sat down next to Kenzi and pulled her into his arms. He was scared she’d pull away like she had when Layla had first disappeared.
Through the emotional fog, Kenzi could feel Shawn’s arms around her giving comfort and offering support. She hadn’t felt it the first time because her grief was too consuming and now it was so obvious it nearly singed her.
“Oh, Shawn, our baby. We may finally have her back,” Kenzi cried wrapping her arms around his neck and holding onto him.
Shawn’s breath came out in a rush and he felt his heart start to hammer. Kenzi was finally letting him in on her anguish and her relief over Layla.
“Kenzi, do you want to go home until they get the results in?” Shawn asked as he stood up with Kenzi still clinging to his neck.
Kenzi nodded and just let Shawn carry her out to the car. Her excitement was beginning to set in by the time they reached their house.
“Shawn, we have to get her room ready! There’s so much we have to do before she can come live here,” Kenzi said as she ran to Layla’s old nursery.
“Kenzi, I hate to be glutton for punishment but we’re not sure if it is Layla yet,” Shawn said from the door. “Besides, maybe we should give her another room since we want to have more babies.”
“You’re right, Shawn. I’ll have this room redecorated as a nursery and then Layla and I can decorate her room together,” Kenzi said happily.
“Whoa, wait a minute there! Are you trying to tell me something, Kenzi?” Shawn asked.
“What?”
“Are you pregnant?” Shawn asked suspiciously as he circled Kenzi.
“Well…” Kenzi replied with a grin.
“When?” Shawn gasped.
“I’m not even sure if I am or not. I’m just a few days late that’s all. I’ll know for sure in a couple weeks but I’ll go to Dr. Schaeffer and have her confirm it if you want to know now,” Kenzi said with a smile.
“It’s only been a little over a month since…before. Are you sure it’s a possibility?” Shawn asked still at a loss.
“Well, it’s been known to happen before. This one should be smooth sailing,” Kenzi replied as she grabbed his shirt and pulled Shawn to her. “Aren’t you even going to kiss me?”
Shawn just stared at her in awe. Everything was falling into place so quickly it was almost too good to be true. Kenzi led him out of the nursery back to their bedroom.
“Where were we before we left, tough guy?” Kenzi asked in a seductive whisper.