The Baby Shift- Vermont Read online

  Ronny was saying something on the phone. "...be back?"

  "Come again?" she asked.

  "When will you be back? I need to know how many days you'll be hanging out with Peter's new father. I'm thinking of getting a temporary partner while you're gone."

  "I'll be back in a few hours."

  "What? Why?"

  "Let's just say he wasn't who I wanted him to be," she said with regret in her voice.

  "You can't leave now," Ronny said.

  "Of course I can. Don't worry, Ronny. I'll figure it out myself. I don't need him."

  "No, not that. You can't leave now because the department wants you to stay."

  Elena was surprised and confused at the same time. "Why? What concern does the department have with my personal life?"

  He said, "It's not what you think. This is about Vicente."

  She said, "The international drug baron? He's been on the FBI's most wanted list for years. What does he have to do with this?"

  Ronny replied with excitement in his voice. "We have reason to believe his Vermont connection is Leonardo Diaz. Leonardo is a resident of Grey Town and a known fan of Ace."

  Suddenly clarity hit her like a ton of bricks. "You want me to get close to Ace, and in so doing get closer to Leonardo Diaz, who can eventually lead us to Vicente?"

  Ronny said, "Yes. The FBI needs our help on this one. Fate has given you the perfect opportunity to get one of the most notorious criminals in America. Don't pass up the opportunity."

  She pondered on his words for what appeared to be minutes. Finally, she said, "Okay. I'm in."

  It was almost as if the day could not get any worse for Gabriel. Granted, the show had been a huge success but the arrival of a cop with a child he could never be a good father to ruined everything. To top it all up, the Grey Town police had blocked off all major routes out of the city due to a supposed investigation.

  He and his crew had to check into a hotel in the northern district. The plan was to leave the following morning and make it to Rhode Island just in time for his next event. His longtime friend, Connor Sanders, was getting married to the mayor of Springfield, Rhode Island. He had been called to perform at the event.

  "You seem distracted."

  The words cut through his reverie like a sharp knife. Gabriel suddenly realized he was at the dining table of his hotel suite having a dinner of lobster with an unexpected guest, Leonardo Diaz.

  "I... I'm just wondering why you paid me a visit tonight," Gabriel lied. He was not about to tell a man as dangerous as Leonardo that his mind had been completely elsewhere. He knew all too well about the man and his suspicious activities. However, as a rock star, meeting people like Leonardo was more or less part of the job hazard.

  Leonardo smiled, exposing a pair of golden incisors. "Can't a friend visit another friend anymore?"

  "Oh sure. Only, we met backstage at the show earlier today. So you must be here for a reason."

  Leonardo nodded. "Smart. That's why I like you, Gabriel. I'll go straight to the point. I have my birthday party coming up in a week's time. I want you to perform on that night."

  Gabriel shook his head. "I'm sorry, Leona...Leo. Totally booked with this tour I'm having."

  "I'll pay you double what you would have earned from completing the tour.”

  “It's not about the money. It's about disappointing my fans. Some of them already bought tickets."

  Leonardo nodded his head slowly. He took a bit of lobster and threw it into his mouth, munching on it for a minute. Gabriel's heart was in his mouth, waiting to see the result of his rejection.

  Leonardo finally said, "Okay. I understand. The fans come first. Here's my card." He placed a card on Gabriel's side of the table.

  Gabriel glanced at it. "Real estate." He tried his best not to snicker. "Thanks, Leo. I'll be in touch." And despite all the bad events of the day, he managed to produce a very fake smile.

  The loud ringing of the doorbell forced him out of a deep slumber filled with nightmares of tiger cubs in diapers. Yawning, Gabriel stretched as he got off his bed and walked towards the living room of his suite. He did not know who he was expecting to see when he opened the door, but it definitely was not the woman standing in front of him and holding a baby.

  Elena Garza was a beautiful woman. Her auburn colored hair matched perfectly with the smooth features of her face and her slim body formed a flawless figure eight. However, this was one of the few times in his life when he wasn't happy to see a beautiful woman at his doorstep in the early hours of the morning.

  "How did you find me and who the hell let you in here?" he asked.

  "I'm a cop, remember? You'll be surprised at what you can do with a badge," she said.

  He was not certain but she seemed a lot less aggressive than she had been the day before. He had looked her up the previous night. She was indeed a detective, a good one at that. He felt strangely pleased to know his son was in good hands.

  "What do you want?" Gabriel asked.

  "I have booked a flight for me and Peter so we'll be leaving in a few hours. I realized I should at least get to know the little I can about weretigers before leaving for good. Surely you won't deny me that, would you?"

  Gabriel sighed. "Come in."

  He made coffee for her while she waited at the dining table. When he returned, he found her glaring at the unwashed glasses on the table.

  "You had company last night?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

  He laughed. "Yes, but it's not what you are thinking. This was a dude."

  Her eyebrow raised even higher.

  "Hey, stop looking at me like that. He was a friend, okay?"

  She smiled mischievously. "I never said otherwise."

  "You... " Gabriel found himself confused on what to say next. "Look, the only reason I let you in is that I grew up in an orphanage. For a shifter, life doesn't get lonelier than that. I was a monster to everyone around me."

  An emotion flashed across Elena's face and was gone before he could recognize it. She said, "I will never let that happen to Peter."

  "I know."

  "Is that why you don't care?"

  "I do. And I know our... your son would be better off without me."

  She suddenly fixed her blue eyes on his. He knew his eyes appeared black to her rather than gold because of the contacts he had on. She asked, "Is it because of the friends you keep?"

  "What are you talking about?" Gabriel replied in confusion.

  She continued as though she hadn't heard him. "Is it because you roll around with a lot of dangerous people?"

  "What dangerous people?" Gabriel was beginning to regret inviting this annoying woman in.

  "People like Leonardo Diaz?"

  He could not help but burst into laughter. "What the hell? I don't ROLL with Leonardo. He's just a big fan of my music. Jeez! He was here last night though, trying to get me to abandon my show and perform at his party."

  Her eyes widened with obvious interest. "And what did you say to him?"

  "Of course I told him no," Gabriel replied. He could not understand her sudden interest in his relationship with Leonardo.

  Her next words shocked him to the bone marrow. "You are going to pick up your phone, call him, and tell him you will accept his offer, as long as you get a suitable place to stay until the party."

  Gabriel sniffed. "Like hell, I would."

  She said with a frown on her face. "Yes, you will. You will or the world will know who Ace truly is."

  Even before she completed the sentence, he knew he had been backed into a corner; one he had no way of getting out of. He suddenly realized what the whole scenario was all about. The police wanted to get a spy close to Leonardo, and he was the perfect link. There was no flight waiting for her and her son, and she hadn't come here for weretiger tips. She had played him big time.

  He muttered, "You crazy bitch."

  Chapter 3

  Elena could feel Gabriel's breathe on her neck. They had been lyi
ng on the bed for close to five hours now but unlike him, she had no intention of falling asleep on that night. It was their first night in the guest suite of Leonardo's mansion and she was determined to make the most out of it.

  As much as she regretted having to blackmail Gabriel, her bluff had worked and he agreed to her terms. He reluctantly took her and Peter to Leonardo's mansion where he introduced her as his fiancee and told Leonardo the baby was theirs. The unsuspecting drug baron was ecstatic and gave them a suite to stay in until after the birthday party which was in three days. Elena could not have asked for a better gift, even if it meant she and Gabriel had to share a bed in order not to arouse suspicion.

  By 2 AM, she was certain movement around the mansion would be at the barest minimum. Careful not to wake her sleeping pretend fiance, she slowly crawled out of bed. Peter was sleeping soundly in a cradle beside the bed with no risk of him crying out. She tiptoed to the door and slowly opened it.

  Sneaking past the few guards in the corridors was child's play for her. In a few minutes, she was standing in front of Leonardo's and his wife's bedroom door. As a detective, Elena was trained to observe and store every bit of information she could. So when Gabriel introduced her to Leonardo, she could not help but notice the bags around the middle-aged man's eyes. She could tell he had not been getting nearly enough sleep. Which meant either his wife was a nymphomaniac, or he was in regular contact most nights with someone from in another time zone.

  Even as she pressed her ears to the bedroom door she knew her deduction had been spot on. Leonardo's voice could be heard clearly through the wooden frame.

  "I know you don't trust the Italians, but is it really necessary? I can close the deal on my own," Leonardo was saying. "Yes. Yes, I know that. My problem is you are wanted by the FBI, Vicente. Coming here is a big risk."

  There was silence for a while, and then he spoke once more. "Of course you can count on me. This isn't the first time. The party would provide the perfect cover for the deal. I'll make sure you're safe here until it's done."

  Just then, Elena heard footsteps coming towards her direction from the corridor by the left. No doubt it was one of the guards doing a routine check. She reluctantly pried her ears from the door. She wished she could hear more, but she had heard enough to know the cartel's plan.

  As Elena tiptoed back into the room she shared with Gabriel and Peter, only one thought ran through her mind: the birthday party was just a ploy - an excuse to transport a large shipment of drugs into his mansion without suspicion, but more importantly, Vicente would be there, and so would she.

  "Where were you last night?" Gabriel asked the moment she woke up from sleep. He had woken up the previous night to find her gone from the bed. A few minutes later, he saw her sneak into the room, although he pretended to be asleep when she did.

  Glancing around, as if someone may have heard him from outside, she whispered harshly, "It was none of your goddamn business. Your job is to act natural and keep me close to Leonardo. Not to question my actions."

  Gabriel had a lot he wanted to say: a whole bunch of hateful words he wanted to use, but he decided to keep them to himself. She had his entire career in her palms. He would play along until all the drama was over.

  The doorbell rang. Shooting Elena the most hateful look he could muster, he left the bedroom to answer the bell. It turned out to be one of Leonardo's henchmen. He came bearing news. After he left, Gabriel went back to the bedroom where Elena was busy changing Peter's diapers.

  "Leonardo and his wife invited us over for dinner on his yacht. A driver would drive us to the docks. He hired a babysitter to watch Peter while we're gone," Gabriel said.

  She stared up at him. "Do you think he suspects?"

  "No," he said. "If he did, we'd be dead by now."

  She smiled. "Well then, get dressed, honey. We wouldn't want to be late for our double date, now would we?"

  The yacht was one of the biggest Gabriel had been on; and he had been on dozens. He and Elena arrived wearing matching t-shirts. Gabriel had suggested the t-shirts were an overkill but Elena had insisted, so he let her have her way.

  The meal was as expensive as the yacht and in a few minutes, the two couples were chattering over plates of lobster and shrimp.

  Leonardo was saying, "I always tell Kate, children are gifts. Some have them early on, others very late, and a few never have them at all. Whichever one we are, it is for God to decide."

  Gabriel opened his mouth to speak but Elena beat him to it. Which annoyed him because they had earlier agreed he would do most of the talking.

  She said, "You're right, Mr. Diaz. Every couple has a different story to tell when it comes to kids. Take Gabriel for example, he never wanted anything to do with the baby at first."

  Leonardo and his wife Kate looked stunned. Gabriel could not mutter a word due to the fear that gripped him.

  Leonardo said, "That's very disappointing."

  Gabriel could take it no more, the judgemental glares he was receiving angered him greatly. "I must admit that I thought I wasn't ready at first. I was scared, and I'm not afraid to admit that. But now I'm ready. All I want to do is watch my son grow before my eyes."

  The silence that followed his words was music to his ears. "That should shut them up," he thought to himself. And it did.

  The couple looked at him in with renewed admiration. Leonardo said, "You are indeed a fine man, my friend. You will make a great dad."

  They finished their meal soon after that, making light conversation between that time. Kate produced a small camera from her purse. She said, "Common honey, it's picture time."

  With a lock of mock exasperation on his face, Leonardo said, "She always makes me do this everytime we come here. Would you take the shot for us, Gabriel?"

  "Of course," Gabriel replied. He took the camera from Mrs. Diaz. Leonardo and his spouse posed by the railing of the yacht, smiling at the camera for the first shot. For the second one, they locked in a deep kiss which he captured perfectly.

  "What's a romantic photo without a kiss, huh?" Leonardo said to him. "Come on, your turn." He stretched out his hand for the camera.

  For a split second, his eyes met that of Elena's. In that sure time, they reached an unspoken agreement. They had to let Leonardo take a photo of them kissing.

  At first, they posed side by side with his left arm wrapped around her shoulders. Leonardo took the first shot saying, "Perfecto!"

  Gabriel's heart began to thump against his chest. He did not understand why this was happening to him. As a celebrity, a kiss was perhaps the most innocent thing he had done to ladies on yachts. Why did the idea of kissing Elena excite as well as terrify him so much?

  * * *

  She held his shirt in her hands and subtlety pulled on it. An indication that he should make a move; so he did. Gabriel brought his lips down on Elena's parted mouth as she raised her head to receive him. Their lips pressed hard against each other's and he did not know when his tongue slipped out of his mouth slightly and just licked around the edges of her lower lip. He never expected her reaction.

  Elena seemed to melt into his body as she brought her arms around his waist and pressed her slender body against his. He could feel the softness of her breasts on his body now, and the feeling made him kiss her even harder. A soft moan escaped her lips and he was not sure if it was real or faked. Neither did he care. All that mattered was the softness of her lips as his tongue stroked the inner edges of each of them ever so lightly. Leonardo's voice suddenly brought him back to reality.

  "Wow! Just wow!" Leonardo said as he clapped his hand together. His wife too easy clapping gleefully. Gabriel had not realized when the photo was taken.

  Leonardo said, "If your plan was to outdo us, then it worked perfectly. That was one helluva kiss!"

  Elena was in a very bad mood. The first thing she did when they returned back to their suite was check on her son. Little Peter was sleeping peacefully in his cradle beside his new babysitter, a
forty-year-old Hispanic woman.

  "Thank you, Paula. That would be all for today," Elena said. As soon as the woman closed the front door beside her, Elena stormed into the living room fuming. Gabriel was seated on one of the expensive couches watching a soccer match on TV.

  "What was that all about?" she asked.

  "What do you mean?" His expression was as unreadable as ever.

  "First of all, you contradicted my story of you not wanting the baby. The idea was to put me in their good books."

  "By making myself look bad? Hell no!" he said.

  "What does it matter? You don't care about your kid anyway."

  He rose from his seat in anger. "Now you take that back. I care more than you know. Just because I can't be in his life doesn't mean I don't care.

  For some reason, his words seemed to anger her even more. "Oh screw your care, Gabriel! No one wants it. Just like no one wants your tongue down her throat."

  "Hey, I was following your lead. You pulled me close. You pressed up against me. I could tell you were into it."

  Elena found her voice shaking as she said, "No... I definitely.. didn't. It was gross. I hated every disgusting second, mister."

  "I hate you! I hate the second you crashed into my life and turned it upside down," he said.

  She replied, "I hate you, too, you entitled bastard." Anger flowed through her body as their gaze locked. She could not remember the last time so much emotion flowed through her mind. She swung her hand to his face.

  Gabriel caught the arm with ease and held it without taking his eyes off her. Elena threw herself into his arms. Their lips met almost as if on cue. She parted her lips to receive his intense kisses as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

  Elena felt his tongue slip out of his mouth again, and this time she hungrily sucked on it with all she was worth. Questions flashed through her mind as she drank him in. What was she doing? She hated this man, didn't see? Why was she so wet all of a sudden?