Read Online FOR THE BABY'S SAKE by Beverly Long - Free Book Online Page A

tried. Every damn day he tried. Tried to rid the streets of scum. Tried to arrest just one more of the human garbage that preyed on young bodies and souls. She had no idea how hard he tried. Just like she had no idea that he wanted her more than he’d wanted a woman in years. Maybe ever. And that, quite frankly, scared the hell out of him.
    Yeah, he needed to try harder. He needed to keep his distance, needed to remember that getting Mirandez was the goal. Not getting into Liz Mayfield’s pants or letting her get into his head.
    * * *
    L IZ WASHED HER DISHES , cleaned her bathroom, sorted some old photographs and even managed to force down a peanut-butter sandwich. She went through all the motions of a regular life. But what she really did was wait for Mary’s call.
    When the phone finally rang at seven o’clock, she jumped off her couch, ran to the kitchen and managed to stub her toe on the way.
    She tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice when Jamison greeted her. “Liz, I talked to Carmen late this afternoon,” he said. “I understand that Mary was a no-call, no-show yesterday.”
    Jamison would understand her worry. She knew she could confide in him. But she couldn’t bring herself to utter the words. To somehow give credence to the fact that Mary might be in trouble. That Mary might be, at this very moment, crying out for help, but there would be no one around to hear. If she said it, it could be true.
    “You know how these kids are. I’m sure I’ll hear from her soon.”
    “I hope you’re right,” he said. “I don’t know how much help this is, but I did get a lead on Mary that you can pass on to Detective Montgomery.”
    “What?”
    “I reviewed some case files today, and I saw a note that one of my girls had heard about OCM from Mary Thorton. They met at a club.”
    “What’s the name of it?”
    “Jumpin’ Jack Flash. I guess they have a dance contest every Tuesday night. The women don’t pay a cover, and all the drinks are two bucks. It’s somewhere on the South Side, on Deyston Street.”
    Liz knew just where it was. She and Sawyer had passed it this morning on their way to the bookstore. And today was Tuesday.
    “He might want to check it out. From what I understood from my client, it’s a real hangout for the young crowd. I had thought about trying to put a few brochures there.”
    His business, her life.
    “Thanks for the tip, Jamison.”
    “You’ll tell Detective Montgomery?”
    “I will. Thanks, Jamison.” Liz hung up and dialed Sawyer. After four rings, his voice mail came on. “Hi, Sawyer,” she said. “I’ve got a tip on Mary. It’s a dance club on Deyston. Call me, okay?”
    She waited an hour. She’d tried his line again. When voice mail picked up again, she pressed zero. A woman answered. Detective Montgomery was not in. Was it an emergency? Did she want to page him?
    She almost said yes but realized he could be in the middle of trouble. The man had a dangerous job. He didn’t need to be interrupted.
    She’d just go there by herself, look around and ask a few questions. She’d only stay a short while. Then she could report back to Sawyer. It would probably be better if he wasn’t there anyway. He’d do his tough-guy cop routine and scare away any of the girls who might know Mary.
    Liz had learned a lot about teenage girls in the past three years. When they got scared, they clammed up. She didn’t want the girls circling the proverbial wagons and making it impossible to find Mary.
    Liz ran back to her closet and started sorting through her clothes. Business suits or jeans. Old life, new life. She didn’t have much in the middle. But tonight, she needed a young, nonestablishment look. It took her twenty minutes to find something that might work. She pulled the short, tight black skirt on, hoping like heck that she wouldn’t have to sneeze. The zipper would surely break. Then she put on a black bra and topped if off with a sheer white shirt that had come