“How did you get involved?”
“I’m a labor-and-delivery nurse at a hospital in the city, but I work as a midwife on the side to earn a little extra money. Mrs. Clark got my name from a friend who used me. I couldn’t believe it when she offered me twenty-five thousand dollars to help with her daughter’s birth, as long as I was discreet, and willing to drive a little out of the way to this cabin.” Colleen checked the IV drip and took my blood pressure. “I live in the city, and this was about a ninety-minute drive for me. We’re in Samuel P. Taylor State Park. She said her daughter had her heart set on being out in the woods for the birth—closer to nature, or something like that. For that kind of money, I didn’t question it—I probably should have. But I have a lot of bills to pay off after the bottom floor of my house flooded last year, plus my son is starting college in the spring, and that’s going to cost an arm and a leg.”
Samuel P. Taylor—I know where we are.I recalled the park being in Lagunitas, tucked pretty far back in a secluded area.Perfect for their evil plan.
“Colleen—pleasehelp me get out of here.”
Her eyes darted around the room. “I agree, we need to get you away from them—but I don’t really want that gun pointed at me any more than you do. What if they come after me for helping you escape? I have a son who needs me, too.” She met my gaze with a fear equal to mine. “Not to mention—you’re in no condition to travel right now. Your contractions are only a few minutes apart, and it won’t be long before you’re fully dilated.”
“But I can’t have this baby here! Not like this—and I can’t let Max and Madison steal my child and leave town. Listen to me, Colleen—take the gun from Madison’s bag. Untie me andwe’ll use the gun for cover to escape the cabin. You drove here, right? You can get us to the nearest hospital.”
Colleen glanced over her shoulder again. Then she met my eyes. Her expression was frightened but determined.
“Okay. Let’s get us both out of here.”
CHAPTER34
JUST AS COLLEENwas making her way toward the duffel bag, Madison appeared from the hallway.
“How’s our patient?”
Colleen jumped, startled. “Oh! I’m sorry, Miss Clark. You surprised me.” The nurse held her hand to her chest to calm herself.
Madison’s eyes flashed. “That’sMrs. Hunter.” Her eyes combed the bed, and me, checking that everything was as it should be. “She’s not giving you any trouble, is she? She’s cooperating?”
Colleen cleared her throat, returning to her professional voice. “Yes, she’s progressing nicely. I’d say another hour or so, and we should be about ready to push.”
“Good.” Madison shot me an expression of pity and disdain. “You’re almost done. Then this will all be over, and you’ll never have to see me or Max again.”
I glared back at her.
Madison looked around the room, as if she were itching for something constructive to do. “Maybe I should start loading up the car, then, Mother?” She walked out.
“Get the gun,” I whispered. “Quickly!”
But before Colleen could even take a step, Nora and Madison appeared again with a load of supplies. Max was still in the back room. Colleen’s and my eyes met; we were both getting anxious. What if they moved the bag, and we couldn’t get to the gun? How would we protect ourselves as we tried to escape?
Before I had a moment to think it over, a bad contraction hit. I tried to breathe my way through it, with Colleen gripping my hand for support. All of a sudden, I felt a strange sensation in the pit of my belly, similar to when the baby would kick me, but more like a pop, followed by a wetness between my legs.
“Oh my God—what’s happening? What was that?”
Colleen grabbed a pair of latex gloves and snapped them on. Running her hands along the insides of my thighs, she looked up at me and said, “Your water broke.”
My head flopped back as I sighed with relief. “That’s normal, right?”
“Yes … but it also means things are probably going to start progressing a lot more quickly now,” she said, a note of caution in her voice.
Nora and Madison walked back in the front door. Madison made her way to another stack of diaper boxes as Nora looked over at the two of us. “Colleen, how are we doing?”
“Her waters just broke,” she reported.
“That’s excellent news!” Nora gave Madison a satisfied smirk; she smiled back greedily. “How far dilated is she?”
I whimpered as Colleen’s fingers explored me again.
“Um, about eight centimeters now. Getting very close.” Her eyes flickered toward mine. They looked full of regret—and defeat.
Max emerged from the back room, rubbing his eyes.
