Page 38 of Coast

“Well, Zoe, Lainey, welcome to the building. I’m sorry your first week ended like this. But I promise it’s not a bad place. Come on, let’s go work off that sugar cereal,” she said, juggling her giant bag on one shoulder, her son on her hip, and managing to nudge her twins toward the steps.

I stood there, watching her go, feeling a kinship with her that I hadn’t felt with, well, anyone.

Sure, Brooke was juggling a couple more kids than me, but we both had bad fathers to our children, were trying to eke out an income, and were living in a motel with dreams of a more stable home someday.

I wasn’t sure how I could fit in much more in my busy days, but I wanted to take some time to go down to the pool with her and her kids—and Tasha with her son—and try to build a connection.

Maybe I wouldn’t be tearing up over some guy babysitting my daughter so I could shower if I had a support system around me to commiserate with.

It wasn’t until I moved fully into the room and looked around that I felt a churning in my stomach.

Because what if this wasn’t some random crime? What if those guys who’d chased me had come to… finish the job?

I reached back, locking the door, then the slide lock as I wondered if there was some way to make the room more secure even when I was gone. I knew there were things I could buy for when we were inside, but I clearly needed to worry about when we were out. Which was most of the time.

I righted Lainey’s overturned playard, then placed her in it so I could go systematically through the room, checking for any signs that might point to someone who wanted to do us harm, not just steal from us.

But by the time I had all the clothes, toys, blankets and towels put away and the mess cleaned up in the bathroom, I really could only conclude that someone was desperately looking for something.

And, well, I had nothing at all worth stealing.

I’d pawned my laptop and tablet to be able to buy Lainey her stroller and car seat combo. All my cash had gone to living expenses. And the tiny bit I had left over was sitting in a bank account.

Nothing I owned was worth anything to sell.

Chances were, this was just a random break-in. Brooke was probably right that someone noticed I hadn’t come home, then had tried to find something they could sell for drug money or something.

“It’s going to be alright,” I told Lainey, who was having a ball kicking the mesh on the side of her playard. “Sometimes, people do bad things to innocent people, but that doesn’t mean we should let the fear get the better of us. Plus, it looks like we made some new friends today!”

Lainey gave me a hoot.

“Exactly. I bet you and Joshua will have lots of fun playing together. He’s a little older, but that won’t matter as much once you’re just a teeny bit bigger. And the twins will probably coo at you. I thought babies were so fun when I was little like them.

“Plus, we can go swimming. You’re going to love the water. It’s like a great, big bath. Maybe we can go to the thrift store to buy you a little bathing suit after we get some work done today.”

So that was exactly what we did.

And despite deciding that I wasn’t going to worry about who tossed my room, I sat up the entire night, watching the door, jumping at sounds, coming to scarier conclusions with each passing moment.

But no one came in, guns blazing, ready to finish what they started on that street.

Not that night.

Or the next night.

But on that third night? Something even more terrifying happened.

“Lainey?” I yelped when I picked up my baby and she flopped like a rag doll. “Lainey?” I cried, finding her skin scalding hot. “Oh, God. Oh, God.”

I clutched her to my chest and ran down the balcony to kick Brooke’s door frantically.

“Well, keep your panties on, will ya? What could possibly—” Brooke cut off when she opened the door and saw my face. “What is it?”

“Lainey’s sick. She’s… I think she’s really sick.”

Brooke’s hand shot out, putting her hand to Lainey’s head.

“Oh, she’s burning right up. How long has she been like this?”

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