To Linda Howard, a special friend of my sister’s and now one of mine. Thanks for all your fabulous stories at the mountain cabin in Blue Ridge, and for being a fan!

       Hope you enjoy this one!

       ABOUT THE AUTHOR

      Award-winning author Rita Herron wrote her first book when she was twelve, but didn’t think real people grew up to be writers. Now she writes so she doesn’t have to get a real job. A former kindergarten teacher and workshop leader, she traded her storytelling to kids for romance, and now she writes romantic comedies and romantic suspense. She lives in Georgia with her own romance hero and three kids. She loves to hear from readers so please write her at P.O. Box 921225, Norcross, GA 30092-1225, or visit her Web site at www.ritaherron.com.

       CAST OF CHARACTERS

       Brianna Honeycutt —A social worker at Magnolia Manor; her adopted son Ryan is missing….

       Derrick McKinney —He’ll do anything he can to find the missing child, especially now he knows the baby is his.

       Ryan Cummings —The infant has become Brianna’s whole world. Why would anyone want to kidnap an innocent baby?

       Natalie Cummings —Ryan’s birth mother died after childbirth—was it natural causes or was she murdered?

       Dana and Robert Philips —They desperately wanted a baby—could they have kidnapped Ryan?

       Rhoda Hampton —She recently suffered her third miscarriage—did she take Ryan to replace the baby she lost?

       Principal Lamont Billings —Does he know more than he’s telling about Natalie’s death?

       Evan Rutherford —Teacher and high school football coach—does he know who is behind the meth lab?

       Jameson Mansfield —The town lawyer who handles adoptions: Does he know something about the missing baby?

       Dr. Houston Thorpe —Did he lie about Natalie’s cause of death?

       Sheriff Beau Cramer —He dated Natalie. But is he covering up her murder?

       Mark Larimer —A nurse at the local hospital—did he kill Natalie and kidnap the baby to keep his long-time secret about the meth lab?

       Ace Atkins —Is this tough kid from Magnolia Manor responsible for the meth lab?

      Contents

       Prologue

       Chapter One

       Chapter Two

       Chapter Three

       Chapter Four

       Chapter Five

       Chapter Six

       Chapter Seven

       Chapter Eight

       Chapter Nine

       Chapter Ten

       Chapter Eleven

       Chapter Twelve

       Chapter Thirteen

       Chapter Fourteen

       Chapter Fifteen

       Chapter Sixteen

       Chapter Seventeen

       Chapter Eighteen

       Chapter Nineteen

       Chapter Twenty

       Prologue

      “Brianna, I’m afraid. If anything happens to me,” Natalie Cummings whispered, “promise me that you’ll take care of the baby.”

      “Nothing is going to happen to you.” Brianna Honeycutt squeezed her best friend’s hand as she pulled into the hospital emergency room entrance.

      Another contraction seized Natalie, and she began the Lamaze breathing exercises, her hold on Brianna’s hand tightening painfully. “He, he, he—ho.”

      Brianna breathed with her, grateful they’d finally made it to the hospital. A winter storm had rolled in, snow flurries blurring visibility, and she’d had to drive at a snail’s pace. And Natalie’s contractions were coming one on top of the other.

      She threw the car into park as the contraction eased, and helped Natalie out, but Natalie clutched her hand again. “Promise me, Bri, I need to hear you say it.”

      Pain and fear darkened Natalie’s eyes, and Brianna’s stomach clenched. She’d known Natalie was afraid of childbirth, but her voice quivered with terror.

      “Of course, I will,” Brianna vowed softly. “But you’re going to be fine. A few minutes from now, you’ll be holding your baby, and you’ll forget all about the pain.”

      Natalie opened her mouth to say something, but another contraction seized her. She pressed her hand to her stomach, and tried to breathe through it.

      Suddenly a nurse and orderly appeared and raced toward them. “She’s in labor,” Brianna stated.

      The nurse called for a wheelchair, and the orderly ran to get it. Brianna followed behind her as they wheeled Natalie to the reception desk to check her in.

      Then suddenly Natalie cried out in pain, her water broke and chaos descended.

      “I’m her labor coach,” Brianna informed as they rushed Natalie through the double doors to the exam room.

      “We’ll come and get you in a moment,” the nurse said over her shoulder. “Let the doctor examine her.”

      Brianna nodded, her nerves on edge as her friend disappeared through the doors, a terrified expression on her pale face. Brianna paced the waiting room for twenty minutes, her anxiety rising with every second that ticked by. Finally, her patience snapped, and she rushed to the nurses’ station and asked for an update.

      The nurse appeared irritated at first, but went to the back to check, then returned five minutes later with a frown on her face. “I’m sorry, miss, but your friend had complications. They’ve taken her to surgery for an emergency C-section.”

      A sense of fear overwhelmed Brianna. “Please let me know when she’s out.”

      The nurse nodded, and Brianna paced the waiting room again. Two other couples hurried in and were sent to birthing rooms, the minutes dragging by. The coffee grew cold, her body more tense as she waited.

      What was taking so long? What were the complications? Was Natalie all right? What about the baby?

      An hour later, a doctor appeared, the grave expression on his face sending a chill down Brianna’s spine. “I’m Dr. Thorpe. You came in with Miss Cummings?”

      Brianna nodded, then swallowed and finally forced her voice to work. “The baby—”

      “Is