The Bound Between Us

Mr. Walker didn't even dare light up a cigarette. He sat back down, face serious, and stayed alone on the sofa for what felt like forever.

If Anastasia's kidnapping really had something to do with his wife, he honestly didn't know what he'd do.

He mulled it over for a long time before finally picking up the phone. "Mr. Taylor, any news on Anastasia's kidnapping?"

Mr. Taylor, startled awake by the late-night call, snapped to attention. "Mr. Walker, there's been no new progress. All four kidnappers are dead, so we can't get anything out of them. Anastasia was on medication at the time, so her memory's fuzzy and she hasn't been able to give us any good leads. It's still a cold case."

Mr. Taylor chose his words carefully. He couldn't figure out why Mr. Walker was calling him at this hour.

The real reason the case had gone cold was because Autumn had come to him privately.

Mr. Taylor always thought it was at Mr. Walker's direction, so he'd sent Jason off to Einsberg, and since the Salstrom family had dropped their charges, no one pressed for an investigation. The case just faded away, like so many unsolved ones each year.

Mr. Walker said, "Alright, thanks. I got it."

Mr. Taylor: ".

He hung up, completely baffled.

Was that a compliment? Had he done well?

It seemed his guess was right-it really had been Mr. Walker's call all along. Feeling a little proud, Mr. Taylor figured he'd finally earned some recognition. Now that the case was officially at a dead end, Mr. Walker felt a bit of relief. Without solid proof, he didn't want his worst suspicions to come true.

While Mr. Walker was still fretting about Autumn, he had no idea his wife was in someone else's s.

at all. She'd told the housekeeper she was going to bed, then slipped quietly out the back

flit around for her and the baby she was carrying—washing

kind of happiness-nothing she could

Still, she wanted more.

couldn't help but look down on Devin a little. The man she'd given her youth to was

knew she shouldn't tangle herself up with Devin again, but she couldn't help being drawn back in. Any woman, at any age, can make a mess of things when she gets swept

through her pregnancy safely. She had this feeling —it would be a girl, Julie come back to her

Riverdale.

Southridge Estates.

was worried.

you And what

Elysian

got

shipments waiting to go but we stifthaven't got the

out, but he won't do anything just yet," Herman

baby Autumn

get justice for you, and I

conscience-wondering if he could still be fair if his own wife had

had he finished speaking than his phone rang. It was Dailey.

it wasn't even surveillance-Dailey just

enough to overhear, was shocked. "Wow, they really couldn't wait, huh? Mr.

young anymore, and