****

Sensing the critical moment, Zeb broke into a wide smile and produced a large sheath of documents that he had printed off the internet. It was surprising how much you could find on government web pages, and this was the fourth time had had used the same forms.

“I will need you both to go over these documents and fill them out completely. In addition, there is the petition to adopt and a request for the birth certificate that need to be filled out. I will leave these with you and you can call me when you are done.”

Wade took the documents.

“What happens then?”

“Well, I'll go over them with my clients, who will make the final decision. If they agree, I'll call you and, with your consent, file the papers with the state.”

“How long will it all take?”

“Week, maybe ten days. That would be my best guess.”

Zeb rose to leave. Practice had made the timing of his moves perfect and this was clearly the time to make his exit. When Wade got up to shake the lawyer’s hand and see him to the door, Katie hurried over to hug her mother.

****

When Stan had driven away from the apartment complex, he placed a call to Benny.

“Hello?”

“Zeb here, Benny. Do you have any targets chosen?”

“Hello to you, too,” Benny chuckled. “Yeah, I've got two possibilities, a boy and a girl.”

“It has to be the boy. Do your recon and prepare to move. We should be ready to go in a week or less.”

“Fine, I'll be ready, you just have my money.”

“You'll get it on delivery, just like we agreed. I'll call you when I have a definite go.”

He hung up. Benny was starting to get on his nerves.

****

The phone came to life. Every time it rang, Katie's heart beat faster. They had turned the papers in to the lawyer almost a week ago and she was waiting for the call that would let them know if they were going to get the baby. She took a deep breath and answered it.

“Hello?”

“Hello, Mrs. Duncan?”

“Yes.”

“This is Zebulin Johnson. Is your husband with you?”

“No, but my mother is here.”

“Well, be sure and call your husband to tell him that you are going to be parents!”

For a long moment, Katie didn't say anything. She just stood there with tears running down her face. She nodded at her mother, and she, too, started crying.

“Thank you,” Katie managed into the phone, barely audible to the fake lawyer on the other end.

“You’re welcome. I will let you know when the child will arrive, and then you'll need to have a cashier’s check ready, made out in my name. ”

“In your name?” Katie was puzzled.

“Yes, my clients don't want to reveal their name.”

“Oh, yes, of course. I'll tell Wade. Thank you again. I need to go and call him.”

“Of course. Goodbye and I will be in touch soon.”

When Katie got hold of Wade and delivered the news, it started a fresh round of tears for all of them. They couldn't believe that, after the tragedy of their third child dying, they would be happy again so soon. They still mourned the loss of their own child, but the arrival of the new baby was the best medicine they could ever have hoped for.

Chapter 3

Tammy Barton sat in the shade with their baby. Her husband, Michael, stood in the hot afternoon sun with the camera. He was trying to get the perfect picture and, after several attempts, he announced that he was satisfied.

“Got it!”

“Finally!” Tammy groaned. “I'm going back into the house.”

She kissed him and he kissed his son before heading off to work. She retreated into the cool house for her afternoon nap, which she tried to get every day while the baby slept. Their son, Kristian, was hungry, and it only took a few minutes before he was full and nodding off.

The first room down the hall had become the nursery. She gently carried him to the nursery. All blue and yellow, the nursery was decorated with clowns, a circus throw rug, and a balloon mobile hanging over the crib. She changed her son and laid him down. Leaving the door cracked open, she stretched out on the couch for her nap.

****

Watching the whole scene from just down the road was Benny. He knew the mother’s routine, as well. He was counting on her taking her regular nap. He had been watching for several days, and so far, she had not missed. He hoped that today was no different.

Benny was sitting in his mother’s 1968 Pontiac Bonneville. She had left it to him when she died, and he hated it. One of the first things he planned to do with the money was get a new car. In the backseat were a baby carrier and a blanket.

It was hot, and even though he'd parked in the shade, the sweat was pouring off of him. He didn't know how much perspiration could be attributed to nerves and how much was due to the heat, but he was miserable.

  It was forty-five minutes before Benny got out of the car and casually walked up the street, around the corner, and down the alley that led behind the Barton home. He had dressed in beige clothes, a tan hat, and brown shoes. He wanted to blend in with the dry West Texas summer.

When he reached the back gate, he flipped the latch and walked up to the sliding glass door. Laying on the couch with her back to him was the mother. He tested the door. It slid open easily. He was constantly amazed at how careless people were.

Walking carefully past the living room into the hall, he stopped at the first door. It was cracked slightly, and when he gently pushed it open, he found the crib. Benny had brought the blanket with him and he wrapped the sleeping baby in it. Retracing his steps back to the sliding glass door, he was in and out in less than three minutes.

He tucked the baby against his chest and tried to keep an easy pace, but his heart was pounding, urging him to run. He knew if he were confronted now, he would be put away for a very long time. Keeping his focus and a steady pace, he reached his car and laid the sleeping baby into the carrier. He jumped in the front, started the car and was gone. He hadn't seen anyone and he hadn’t heard anything unusual. As far as he could tell, he had completed his task undetected.

“You just be nice and quiet,” he whispered, more to himself than to the baby. “We will have you in a new home soon.”

Benny turned the car onto Highway 1601 East and then caught 281 North. The route had been chosen by Zeb and would take him to Oklahoma. That's where he would meet his connection. A small town off of the interstate called Paul’s Valley. A payday was waiting for him there. He focused on his driving; now was not a good time to do something stupid.

****

Michael Barton got home three hours later. Coming through the door, he was surprised to find his wife still asleep on the couch.

“Honey?” He touched her shoulder and she sat up with a start.

“Oh, it's you.” She rubbed her eyes. “You get off early?”

“No, it's five-fifteen. Is the baby still asleep?”

“I guess so; he must have needed the nap as much as I did.”

Michael went over to the open door and peeked in. He couldn't see his son, so he stepped over by the crib.

“Tammy!”

She rushed to the room.

“What?”

“Where's Kristian?!”

“He was nap—” She didn't finish the sentence, as the empty crib came into view.

“My baby! Where's my baby?!” She was running from room to room. Michael was already dialing the police.