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“I was thirteen. Brittany was eight.” She stared at the tent in the background. “We’d gone camping on summer vacation. I think it was the last time we had fun as a family. Although, I’m not so sure Mom had as much fun. She didn’t much care for camping. Brittany and I had a blast. It wasn’t until she turned twelve that she got sassy and rebellious.”
Cliff lifted the trash bag full of bedclothes and carried it to the door.
Jenna tucked the photo into the bag with the clothing. A stack of papers lay on a small rectangular table pushed up against the wall. She gathered the documents and thumbed through them, one at a time, finding an advertisement for an air conditioner repair service, a bill for a doctor’s visit, a receipt for a few groceries and a brochure from Little Angel Adoption Agency.
“What did you find?” Cliff asked, coming to stand beside her.
Jenna frowned and held up the document. “A brochure for an adoption agency.”
“I thought she’d decided to go with Mr. Waters if she was to give up the baby for adoption.”
“Me, too.” Jenna opened the pamphlet and checked out the contact information. “That’s odd.”
“What?”
She turned the brochure over and checked the back. “There isn’t an address. Just a phone number.”
Cliff took the paper from her hand and looked it over. “That is weird. Just a phone number? Sounds sketchy to me.”
She pulled out her cell phone and dialed the number, placing the call on speaker.
After several rings, a female voice came on. “Are you looking for a baby to complete your family? Let Little Angel Adoption Agency help you find the perfect addition. Leave your name and number at the tone. An adoption coordinator will get back to you as soon as possible.”
Jenna ended the call before it could start recording a message.
Cliff snapped a photo of the brochure and a closeup of the phone number. “I’m sending this to Swede. He can ask Brittany where she got this and if she contacted the agency about placing her baby up for adoption.”
Jenna gave one last look around the small room. “Everything she owns fits in these two bags.” She shook her head. “How could I let my only sister get so far beyond my radar?”
“You thought she was in a committed relationship with Larry.”
“Never once in any of our phone conversations did she indicate anything was wrong. What bothers me most is that she never told me she was pregnant.” Her gaze swept the room, imagining Brittany sitting alone on the twin bed, her belly swollen and her finances at rock bottom. “No wonder she considered placing her baby with someone who could easily give her everything Brittany couldn’t.”
“She must’ve felt desperate,” Cliff agreed.
She hefted the gym bag and slipped the strap over her shoulder. “Ready to talk to the bar owner?”
Cliff slung the bag of sheets and blankets over his shoulder, opened the door and held it for Jenna.
As she passed by, she smiled up at him. “Thanks for hanging out with me today. If you have anything you need to do, I can handle talking to the tavern owner on my own.”
The Navy SEAL dropped the bag of bed clothes and crossed his arms over his broad chest. “If you want me to go…I’ll leave.” He held up a finger. “I won’t like it, but I’ll leave.”
“I want you to leave,” she said and cocked a challenging eyebrow.
Cliff stared at her, his brow wrinkling. “Really?”
Jenna lifted her chin and met his gaze. She opened her mouth with every intention of saying yes. “No.” Almost as shocked at her answer as he was, her mouth twisted in a wry grin. “No,” she repeated. “Strangely enough, I like having you around. And if you aren’t busy or don’t have anywhere else to be, I’d like you to come with me to talk with the tavern owner.”
“Good.” Cliff nodded. “Because I would’ve left…but I wasn’t going far. You see, I’m all in on the investigation. I want to bring back Baby Blakely as much as every person involved in this case.”
Jenna adjusted the gym bag strap on her shoulder. “Good,” she said. “Because we need all the help we can get to find her.” Then, without thinking or overthinking, she hooked her free hand around the back of his neck, leaned up on her toes and kissed him full on the lips.
As quickly as it had begun, Jenna ended it and stepped through the door.
“Whoa.” Cliff grabbed the bag of sheets and blankets. “You don’t kiss a guy like that and just leave.”
Her eyes widened. “I did.”
