Desperately Seeking Dad by Marta Perry Page B

didn’t—” He stopped, probably reminded of the number of people in the room. “Let’s just say I’d trust him with my life.” Some emotion she couldn’t identify flickered in his eyes. “In fact, I already have.”
    A dozen questions bubbled to her tongue, but she didn’t have a chance to ask any of them. Kate came back, and in the flurry as she settled, Alex excused himself. The next instant, someone slid into the chair next to her. She didn’t need to look to know it was Mitch. That aura of solid strength touched her senses.
    He brushed her sleeve. She looked, startled, to find he was handing her a slip of paper.
    â€œWhat’s this?” She started to unfold it, but his hand closed over hers.
    â€œIt’s that information you wanted—”
    His fingers tightened a little, and her skin seemed to tingle from their pressure.
    â€œâ€”the latest address and phone number Pastor Richie could find. I had him jot it down for you.”
    She looked at the address, somewhere in Florida, written in an unfamiliar hand on church stationery. She folded the paper and slipped it in her bag.
    â€œI didn’t expect you to do that. Thank you.”
    â€œMy pleasure.” A smile tugged at his mouth. “No ulterior motives, I promise you. I just thought it would cause less comment if I asked. I hope you find her.”
    Perhaps he didn’t expect her to believe that, but it sounded genuine. He’d given the information to her, rather than following up on it himself. Almost as if they could trust each other.
    Careful, her lawyer’s mind cautioned. Look at all the evidence, then make a decision.
    She’d like, just this once, to rely on her instinct, the instinct that said he was telling the truth. That he could be trusted.
    Unfortunately she couldn’t. Not with Emilie’s future at stake.
    Anne rolled the stroller through the police station doorway, the memory of the last time she’d done that flickering through her mind. Only a few daysago, but it seemed like a lifetime. Odd, that she’d begun to feel at home in Bedford Creek so quickly, almost as if it had been waiting for her.
    â€œMs. Morden!” Wanda exclaimed. “Look who’s here, Chief.”
    Mitch stood in the doorway to his office, ushering someone inside. He swung around at Wanda’s words. Anne wasn’t mistaking the warmth in his eyes at the sight of her, was she?
    â€œAnne. I hoped I’d see you today.” He sent a glance toward his office. “Trouble is, I have someone here right now. Can you wait?”
    Aware of Wanda’s sharp eyes dissecting every gesture, Anne nodded. “Actually, I have a couple of errands to run. Why don’t I come back in, say, half an hour.”
    â€œSounds good.” He reached past her to hold the door for the stroller, and his hand brushed her shoulder. “I’ll see you then.”
    She pushed the stroller up the sidewalk, still feeling that casual touch. When the number Pastor Richie had passed on proved no longer valid, directory assistance and even the pastor had been unable to help her further. She had no choice but to ask Mitch for his help in tracking down Marcy Brown. But now she wondered if she’d made the right decision in bringing this to him. Everything Mitch had done was consistent with his being an honorable man who was telling her the truth. But could she rely on him to trace Tina’s roommate?
    The street staggered its way up the hill, and by the time she reached the pharmacy she was winded. She purchased shampoo and a teething ring, then glanced at her watch as she went out the door. Another fifteen minutes before Mitch expected her.
    Someone had placed a bright yellow bench outside the pharmacy, probably for the convenience of all those tourists everyone assured her showed up in the summer. She sat down, positioning the stroller so the baby was out of the wind. The weak