The Baby Barter

Red shifted forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. “Ben Holbrook cornered me at the courthouse after I got back from Atlanta yesterday afternoon. It appears the city council is bent on restructuring the police department.”

“Why haven’t I heard about this?”

Red shrugged. “They just voted on it. With all these folks from the bomber factory making Marietta their home, the council wants to add more men to the force, maybe even devote entire departments to specific crimes. And there was some mention of adding more experienced men to the sheriff’s department.”

“What you mean is now that the boys are coming home, they want law enforcement jobs to give them.” Not a bad idea. Able-bodied men with battlefield experience on the force were just what a growing town needed. “We have had an increase in petty crimes recently, mostly kids bored and getting into trouble. It would be good to have some additional help.”

Red sat back, his lips mashed into a straight line. “From what I understand, they might be evaluating your work as sheriff.”

Mack’s world shifted beneath him. “Why? Are they thinking about firing me?”

“I don’t think it’s that dire—yet.”

Mack rubbed his fingers against the raised scar high on his left cheek. “Did anybody mention where I might fit into all this restructured force?”

Red shook his head. “Not yet. I’m sure they’ll take your exceptional service to the community into consideration when the decision is made.”

Mack stretched out his legs and studied his old high school friend. “That sounds like lawyer talk for you’ve already put that information out there for them, but they didn’t bother giving you an answer.”

“Always looking out for my friends.”

For that, Mack was grateful. “How does this affect the adoption?”

Red’s smile dimmed. “With this hanging over your head, Judge Wakefield isn’t likely to budge on the adoption anytime soon.”

“What’s the man waiting on? Does he want me to jump through hoops or something?” Mack snapped, raking his fingers through his hair.

“I don’t know about him, but I’d pay good money to see you do that trick.”

Mack snorted out a chuckle. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bite your head off like that.”

“It’s understandable. You love that little girl, and you’re afraid you’re going to lose her.”

Another obvious statement but the gut-wrenching truth. Mack wouldn’t give up. He couldn’t. “So what do we do now?”

Red slid back in his chair. “Well, we’re still going to need Sarah’s birth certificate. Have you heard anything from Mrs. Williams? I figured she would have gotten back with you before now.”

Mack shook his head. “From what I understand, her family lives deep in the mountains north of Knoxville. I don’t think mail service is all that reliable out there. It could take some time to hear back from her.” He patted his shirt pocket. “I’m sending her another letter just in case the first one was lost.”

“If it were any other judge, I’d ask for the adoption to be pushed through without a record of the birth, but Judge Wakefield is a stickler about those things.”

Mack nodded. How was he going to get his next question by the lawyer without raising his suspicions? “Will Sarah’s parents be listed on the birth certificate?”

“Yes, but that information will be sealed by the court once the adoption is finalized. Then a new birth certificate with your name listed as Sarah’s father will be registered with the state.” Red studied him for a long moment. “Why do you ask?”

No sense alerting the lawyer to another possible roadblock, at least not until he had more information. “Just thought I’d ask.”

“Well, if you’re planning on asking Flossie Williams who Sarah’s parents are, good luck with that,” Red chuckled. “That woman can be as tightlipped as a Mason jar during canning season.”

Mack waited for the relief Red’s answer should have given him, but felt vaguely disappointed instead. “I wonder if Mrs. Williams would respond quicker if I sent her a telegram.”

“Does Western Union even deliver to the backwoods of Eastern Tennessee?”

Were lawyers paid to be killjoys, or was that just part of their nature? Maybe it was a good thing he never went to college and became an attorney as he’d planned. “It’s worth looking into.”

“Even if they don’t, this lull gives you time to get your job situation worked out.” Red hesitated, tipping the three-ringed folder shut. “Can I ask you a question?”

“Sure.”

Red took a long sip of his coffee, as if to steel himself. “How far are you willing to go to adopt this child?”

An odd question, especially from a lawyer. “What do you mean?”

The distant song of birds waking up the neighborhood filled the seconds before Red answered. “There is another way to ensure the adoption goes through as planned.”

Mack knew what the man was going to say. “I’ve told you marriage is not a possibility at the moment.”

“Hear me out before you dismiss the idea, okay?”

Mack glared at the man but kept his seat. What other option did he have short of walking out on his friend and possibly the only lawyer in Marietta willing to take his case? “Go on.”

“If you’re so bound and determined to raise this baby, you need to consider finding a wife. It would solve the immediate problem with the judge.”

“And who would I marry, Red?”

“You’ve got to know a woman who’d love the chance to help you raise Sarah. Someone who would love that baby as much as you do.”

The image of Thea, her deep blue eyes staring up at him, drifted through his thoughts. No doubt Thea was in love with the idea of raising the baby right now, but what would happen when she learned Sarah wasn’t Eileen’s daughter? Would she up and leave town without a backward glance the way she’d done before? Mack couldn’t risk his daughter losing her heart to the woman. Or maybe it was his own heart he was worried about getting stomped on again.

“It’s just not possible, Red.”

“Well, think about it,” Red answered before he grabbed the folder and stood. “Because getting married might be your only hope of getting Judge Wakefield to budge on Sarah’s adoption.”

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