“The car caught on fire, and the driver hasn’t been positively ID’d as of yet and might not be for days. The car is registered to a woman named Stephanie Cross.”
“And you’re ready to get the little one in your custody out of your hair,” he said.
“Did I say that?” The high-pitched shrill quality to her voice told him the degree to which he’d just messed up. This was bad. “No. I didn’t. For your information, sir, I’d happily spend all the time necessary with this angel. However, I’ve already severelybroken the rules by bringing her to my home and could end up fired, so there’s that.”
Blaize let her speak without interruption. “Carys. Is that your name?”
“Yes.”
“You sound like a decent human being going out of your way to protect a child while putting your job on the line.” The fact that she’d broken the rules said she cared more about doing what was right than staying employed. He applauded her for the move. Integrity like that didn’t come around as often as it should.
“I’d like to think so,” she said, some of the defensiveness eased from her tone.
“Here’s my problem.” He waited a couple of beats. “There’s no possible way that I’m the father.”
“Your name is on the birth certificate, sir.”
“Call me Blaize. My name is Blaize.”
“It won’t make a difference what I call you,” she said. “You’re still the only name I have to work with.”
He issued a sharp sigh. “Is there no other choice? Just me?”
“I can’t find a list of next of kin for the mother, if that’s what you’re asking,” she said. “These things can take time.”
“You can release the baby to me if I agree?” How was that even possible?
“Yes.”
“What’s the mother’s name again?”
“Stephanie Cross.”
Blaize still drew a blank. “How old is this baby?”
“Three months,” she said.
That young? What was he supposed to do with an infant?
Thunder boomed, shaking the house as he walked into the kitchen to get a drink of water. Sitting at the table nursing a cup of coffee was the answer. “Hold on a second, okay?”
“Sure,” Carys said, drawing out the word.
He moved the phone from his ear and caught his grandmother’s attention. “How are you with babies?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Why do you ask?”
“A friend needs a sitter, possibly overnight, and I don’t have the first clue as to how to take care of a kid.”
She smiled. A tiny spark lit her eyes. “Are you asking for my help?”
“I guess I am.”
“It’s been a long time, but I imagine not too much has changed. They still take bottles and need diaper changes.” She shrugged and widened the smile. “Might be nice to have a baby around, even if only for a short while.”
“I’ll owe you one big time.”
She winked before taking a sip and making a production of setting the cup down. “I’ll take you up on it someday.”
