~ House of Cards ~

by

Savannah Michaels

Zack," Brandi said. Her fingers inched toward the phone. Lord, she wanted to call him. He’d know what to do. Instinctively she pulled away. How could she involve him in this? It was one thing to commit a felony, another to involve a vice cop in it. Then again, she needed his expertise. She needed him and his voice of reason.

Melissa slept peacefully in the bassinet Brandi had purchased. After packing her tiny collection of valuables into the car, Brandi had gone shopping and spent much more than her budget allowed for baby supplies. Then she’d driven beyond the Raleigh city limits and secured an obscure hotel room. It would do until she knew what to do next. At least there would be no questions about the infant’s sudden appearance by neighbors and Richard could be dealt with when he returned home. Tuesday.

By Tuesday, she could be... Where? Did it matter?

"Zack," she repeated. This time, she dialed the number she knew by heart.

He answered on the first ring. "Morgan."

"Zack, it’s Brandi. How are you?"

"What’s wrong?" he asked.

She heard suspicion in his voice. Damn, had she given something away? She tried for a lighter approach. "It’s been six months since we’ve talked and your first words are what’s wrong?"

"Well, ever since I’ve been placed in the ‘off limits’ category by Richard, I only hear from you when there’s a problem." He sighed heavily. "What’s he done now? Are you okay? You don’t sound okay."

"I’m fine, Zack. Really."

"Brandi, honey, you’ve never been able to lie worth a damn. What do you need? Say the word and I’m there."

"My knight in shining armor?" she asked. "I must really sound like a damsel in distress." Zack chuckled. She glanced over at the sleeping infant. She was a damsel in distress. "I need my big brother--"

"Don’t call me that!"

There was a lengthy pause before he spoke again. She heard the tension in his voice, and she could tell he was choosing his words carefully. "It’s been a long time since we were foster kids. Call me friend, anything else, but don’t call me your brother."

"Fine!" Brandi lifted the phone from her ear and stared at it. What was his problem? Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

"I’m sorry, honey. It’s been a rough day. I had no right to snap at you like that."

The silence that followed disturbed her. She wound the cord around her finger as she paced in a mini-circle. What had happened to their easy camaraderie? Had her relationship with Richard ruined her friendship with Zack? They’d argued more in the last year than they had in their entire relationship.

"Forgive me?" he asked.

Of course he was forgiven. She’d never been able to hold a grudge against Zack. She didn’t even know why he’d asked. "Buy me a hot fudge sundae?"

He laughed. The deep, husky chuckle always gave her a moment of hesitation, stopping her breath in her throat. Today was no exception. It was a line from the past, a line they both knew well. They’d resolved more than one argument over a hot fudge sundae.

"Name the time and the place. I’ll buy you the biggest sundae ever made."

Brandi heard the false bravado in his voice. He was acting cool and confident, but there was an undercurrent of nervousness she didn’t understand. She glanced over at Melissa, wishing there was a way to accomplish what she needed without involving Zack. Nope. Perhaps it was best to get to the point.

"I need some advice." She paused, seeking the best way to explain her situation. There wasn’t a good way. "Get out the blue suit."

~ * ~

Zack went to immediate attention on the other end, decoding the private message. She needed professional advice. He’d been right; Brandi was in trouble. Zack damned Richard to hell, just as he’d done for over a year. He wasn’t prepared for her next statement.

"I have a baby, fifty thousand dollars in cash, and I need a way to cross the state line with both." The words spilled forth as if she’d turned on a faucet, rushed and laced with urgency.

His one word reply came right from the gutter.

"I don’t think I explained that very well." Brandi sighed.

"I got the message, loud and clear. Webster’s a dead man." He slammed his fist into the wall and two pictures crashed to the floor. Zack paced across the room stretching the curled line as a thousand curses raced through his mind. Then he received the second blow.

"It’s not what you think, Zack. The baby’s not Richard’s."

His mouth opened, but no words came out. This was Brandi he was talking to. His Brandi. What the hell was she talking about? She’d been engaged to Richard for seven months and three days. He’d counted every damn one of them. Surely she hadn’t been foolish enough to cheat on the man?

"Dammit, Zack, let me explain."

More rushed words followed and his mind worked fast to absorb them all. By the time she drew a hasty breath, he was nearly on his knees. "You’re telling me this kid just dropped her baby with you and disappeared? And the Royal Queen of Raleigh, Samantha Webster, paid you to dump her little boy?"

"That’s about the size of things. Yep, uh, that pretty well covers it."

His mind reeled. He felt as if he’d been hit in the head with a concrete block. Bullets had been easier to take. And here, in the midst of all this chaos, Brandi was spurting notions of keeping this infant. Had she lost her mind?

"This isn’t like one of your cats you feed at your back door, Brandi. I know you loved your volunteer work with the newborns at the hospital, but you don’t just receive a baby at your doorstep and declare it to be yours." There was silence at the other end, enough for him to realize she’d already made up her mind. Damn. "Where are you?" he asked.

"At a hotel. I thought it best to leave."

"Smart move," he answered. Perhaps the only intelligent thing she’d done so far. "Give me the address and room number." After she’d passed along the information, he sprang into command mode. "Stay there. No calls, no visitors. Just sit right there and wait for me. I’m leaving now."

"Zack, it’s a day’s travel from St. Louis to Raleigh. Have you slept? Is it safe for you to drive?"

"Stay there," he repeated. "Do not leave."