The Woman Next Door by Joanne Locker Page A

his voice cold and unemotional as he related the details. “They have her baby, Lieutenant; told her they’d kill him if she didn’t take out Miss Matthews.”
    “Why didn’t you tell me this, Sylvia? We would have helped you,” Craig said. He was angry and sympathetic at the same time.
    “I was too scared to think straight, Lieutenant. I didn’t want to do it, but they have my baby, and they promised to torture him! I don’t know Miss Matthews, but my baby is my baby , my child ! I can’t let them hurt him!” She was nearly frantic.
    “We have to get him back, Craig,” Elizabeth said emotionally, tears in her eyes. “Sylvia kept telling me that she was sorry, and I know she was crying, too! I couldn’t bear to be the cause of her child’s death. Please!” she begged.
    “I’ll do my best, Lizzy,” he promised, and wasn’t surprised when she went over to help Sylvia up off the floor.
    “What we need to do is let those heathens think their plan worked,” Wally said calmly.
    “You just might have something there, Wally,” Craig said. “How were you to get your son back, Sylvia?” he asked.
    “They were to leave him in my car and then call me.”
    “It sounds as though they don’t want you to see them, and how were you to explain Lizzy’s death to us?” Craig wanted to know.
    “I was to say she simply didn’t wake up. With the head injury, they told me you wouldn’t be able to tell what happened.”
    “They were wrong. An autopsy would have shown what happened,” Elizabeth told her. “They were only giving back your son to disprove your claim of being forced to commit murder. They were setting you up to take the fall.”
    “Oh my God!”
    “You would have had your freedom until tomorrow, and then nothing but trouble, Officer.”
    “I am so sorry!”
    “We’ll work it out.”
    “No, you don’t understand… I caved under pressure and I’ve lost my job and will probably go to prison!”
    “Craig?” Lizzy turned to him for help.
    “Let’s deal with getting the baby back. Where is your car parked, Sylvia?” She answered him, and he was careful in planning to have a stakeout. He had her call the number she’d been given to call when the deed was done. Within the hour they had the baby and the two people who returned him in custody.
    Craig also had Sylvia, her mother, and the baby in protective custody, hiding them from the McMaken Family. He knew that he was going to need to hide Elizabeth, too. Wally had an idea about that.
    “Lieutenant, I have a cabin you can use. As long as you stay inside, you won’t be seen by chopper, and the place has to be accessed on foot. I keep it stocked, so if I take a notion to escape civilization for a few days, I can just pick up and go. It’s yours if you want it.”
    “It can’t be traced to her or to me, and no one she knows will know of its existence. It sounds perfect, Wally.”
    “I want you to keep that little gal safe, Lieutenant. She’d make a perfect mate for you,” Wally stated.
    “I happen to think so, too, Wally.” If only he could keep her safe. The burning question was why did McMaken want her dead?
    Of course, telling Elizabeth of his plans did not elicit the cooperation he sought. She flat out told him ‘no’, and barely listened to him explain why it was necessary before losing her temper completely in Elizabeth’s fiery style.
    “No! I am not going to hide from that son of a bitch!” Lizzy yelled loudly, stomping her foot in pure temper. “I refuse to give him the satisfaction. I want to face him one on one and tell him I have no f’ing clue why he wants me dead! It would be different if I nearly killed him at the hospital, but I didn’t! I don’t know what he thinks I overheard, but I didn’t! I am not going into hiding as if I’ve done something wrong! Let him come and face me! I dare him !”
    “Elizabeth, your language is terrible.”
    “Too damn bad! Your officer may have to obey what you tell her to do,