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Authors: Valerie Hansen
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way. From her viewpoint, I mean. I knew she had to be scared coming to a new home, but I figured the best thing to do was to entertain her, try to distract her. I never dreamed she’d welcome a dull routine.”
Impressed by his candor, Stacy decided it wouldn’t hurt to reveal one painful detail of her past she’d always kept secret, even from Mark. “The other thing to watch out for is too much involvement with the law.”
“In what way?”
She cleared her throat. “Remember how I said I’d run away? Well, I was habitual. I remember being so angry all the time that I couldn’t think straight…and I was a lot older than Missy. I shouldhave figured out how my behavior was hurting my chances of permanent adoption. But I didn’t.”
“What happened?” Graydon asked, his voice husky.
“I was locked up for a while when I was in my teens. For my own good, they said.” She heard his sharp intake of breath. “That’s one reason why I didn’t want to make too much out of Missy’s vanishing act today. If she gets a reputation as a runaway, the powers-that-be might rescind their recommendation that she be adopted. Please, don’t let that happen, Gray.” She caught her slip of the tongue. “I mean Graydon…Mr. Payne.”
Few besides his brother had ever dared shorten his name. Coming from Stacy as part of a heartfelt plea for Missy’s future welfare, however, it seemed appropriate. “You can call me Gray,” he said, hoping to sound reassuring. “I won’t let anything bad happen to her, Stacy. I promise.”
She blinked back tears of relief. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that.”
The next two weeks passed in a blur. Stacy found herself thinking of Gray and of Missy; most often of Gray. Disgusted with her wandering mind, she buried herself in so much extra work she was exhausted.
If Onyx’s puppies hadn’t arrived ahead of schedule she’d have thrown herself into bed that night and caught up on her sleep. As it was, she’d spent the hours between midnight and ten the next morning in the whelping shed. The result was seven healthy pups, four of which looked just like Lewis, golden coat and all. The other three leaned more toward the Labrador retriever side of the family tree.
As soon as mother and babies were settled and she was sure there were no more pups coming, Stacy showered, washed her hair, and plopped down on her bed, too weary to even turn back the covers.
The ringing of the telephone roused her. “Ummm. Hello?” she managed. If it was that pesky salesman again, she just might say something very un-Christian.
“Stacy Lucas?” The unfamiliar female voice on the other end of the line sounded skeptical.
Stacy blinked to try to clear her head. Sunlight was streaming through the bedroom window. Either she’d slept more than twenty-four hours or less than three. Since her hair was still damp from shampooing, she assumed it was the latter.
“Is that you, Ms. Lucas? Hello?” the caller pressed.
In no mood for conversation, she yawned. “Yes. I’m sorry. Unless this is an emergency I’d appreciate it if you’d call back. I’ve been up all night and I’m beat.”
The woman’s tone became even more formal. “I’m sorry to bother you, Ms. Lucas. This is Mr. Graydon Payne’s executive assistant. He asked meto call you. It seems there’s a problem at the Payne estate.”
She sat bolt upright and gripped the receiver tightly with one hand while she pushed her damp hair out of her eyes with the other. “What is it? Missy?”
“The little orphan girl? Yes,” the woman said. “Mr. Payne says they can’t seem to locate her. He was hoping you’d be free to assist them. You’ll be well paid for your services, of course.”
Stacy rolled her eyes. Didn’t that family ever think about anything besides money? She grabbed a pencil and pad from the nightstand. “Okay. Tell me where the child was last seen.”
“It’s my understanding she was visiting at the
Impressed by his candor, Stacy decided it wouldn’t hurt to reveal one painful detail of her past she’d always kept secret, even from Mark. “The other thing to watch out for is too much involvement with the law.”
“In what way?”
She cleared her throat. “Remember how I said I’d run away? Well, I was habitual. I remember being so angry all the time that I couldn’t think straight…and I was a lot older than Missy. I shouldhave figured out how my behavior was hurting my chances of permanent adoption. But I didn’t.”
“What happened?” Graydon asked, his voice husky.
“I was locked up for a while when I was in my teens. For my own good, they said.” She heard his sharp intake of breath. “That’s one reason why I didn’t want to make too much out of Missy’s vanishing act today. If she gets a reputation as a runaway, the powers-that-be might rescind their recommendation that she be adopted. Please, don’t let that happen, Gray.” She caught her slip of the tongue. “I mean Graydon…Mr. Payne.”
Few besides his brother had ever dared shorten his name. Coming from Stacy as part of a heartfelt plea for Missy’s future welfare, however, it seemed appropriate. “You can call me Gray,” he said, hoping to sound reassuring. “I won’t let anything bad happen to her, Stacy. I promise.”
She blinked back tears of relief. “You don’t know how glad I am to hear you say that.”
The next two weeks passed in a blur. Stacy found herself thinking of Gray and of Missy; most often of Gray. Disgusted with her wandering mind, she buried herself in so much extra work she was exhausted.
If Onyx’s puppies hadn’t arrived ahead of schedule she’d have thrown herself into bed that night and caught up on her sleep. As it was, she’d spent the hours between midnight and ten the next morning in the whelping shed. The result was seven healthy pups, four of which looked just like Lewis, golden coat and all. The other three leaned more toward the Labrador retriever side of the family tree.
As soon as mother and babies were settled and she was sure there were no more pups coming, Stacy showered, washed her hair, and plopped down on her bed, too weary to even turn back the covers.
The ringing of the telephone roused her. “Ummm. Hello?” she managed. If it was that pesky salesman again, she just might say something very un-Christian.
“Stacy Lucas?” The unfamiliar female voice on the other end of the line sounded skeptical.
Stacy blinked to try to clear her head. Sunlight was streaming through the bedroom window. Either she’d slept more than twenty-four hours or less than three. Since her hair was still damp from shampooing, she assumed it was the latter.
“Is that you, Ms. Lucas? Hello?” the caller pressed.
In no mood for conversation, she yawned. “Yes. I’m sorry. Unless this is an emergency I’d appreciate it if you’d call back. I’ve been up all night and I’m beat.”
The woman’s tone became even more formal. “I’m sorry to bother you, Ms. Lucas. This is Mr. Graydon Payne’s executive assistant. He asked meto call you. It seems there’s a problem at the Payne estate.”
She sat bolt upright and gripped the receiver tightly with one hand while she pushed her damp hair out of her eyes with the other. “What is it? Missy?”
“The little orphan girl? Yes,” the woman said. “Mr. Payne says they can’t seem to locate her. He was hoping you’d be free to assist them. You’ll be well paid for your services, of course.”
Stacy rolled her eyes. Didn’t that family ever think about anything besides money? She grabbed a pencil and pad from the nightstand. “Okay. Tell me where the child was last seen.”
“It’s my understanding she was visiting at the
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