Page 52 of Booked for Kidnapping

“Possibly,” I admitted.

Bradley laughed, got out of bed, and grabbed his phone. “It’s obviously time to handle the basic needs, including dinner. We’ll resume this tomorrow. Once I’ve fed her, we’ll brainstorm, and I’ll try to get good information about what she knows, but I suspect we’re going to come up short on that front. We do have a new line we can pursue, though. Mickey, can you handle the research on what would be required for the type of surgery she had?”

“Absolutely,” he confirmed. “I’ll get Beatrice to help. Meridian has been following up on the new legislation; she crashed out before you got on the phone with us, Janette. It turns out she’s pretty good at getting intel from the politicians, so we have fresh copies of all the latest bills working through the house and senate.”

“How is she doing it?” I blurted. “Please tell me she hasn’t started a business in politician seduction.”

“It turns out her uncle is a filthy politician who loves sticking it to other politicians. She even gave us a lot of information on him—and he provided most of it, too. Her uncle is pretty feisty. So, he puts in the requests for copies or just gives her a photocopy of his copies. He just asks we keep the copies to ourselves, which we’re doing.”

“Please thank her for abusing her familial privileges, and tell her I’m relieved she wasn’t actually selling her body for the cause.”

“Will do,” Mickey replied. “Since we have work tomorrow, we’ll let you fend off your parents.”

Once Mickey and Beatrice hung up, my boss likewise bailed, leaving me to face off with my parents and Bradley’s mother.

“Horses, Mom?” I asked.

“They were going to be butchered because the overly wealthy racehorse farms didn’t want unproven mares and their foals. Your dad is a sucker for horses, and we could afford them because Bradley helped us with our stocks and we had some good fortune. We’re old, so use it or lose it. I even have someone lined up to teach me how to train and ride my new horses.”

“You’re not that old, because I’m not that old,” I replied.

“Keep telling yourself that if it helps you get through the day, little girl.”

I sighed. “Okay. I’ll do that. Thanks, Mom. I’m now old. I was hoping to go through a vibrant middle age, but I guess I’m just plunging straight into the old category. Does that mean I get to make lace thingies that I decorate my home with?”

“No.” Bradley shot me a glare. “You’re not old. You’re perfectly aged.”

I laughed. “See, Mom? I’m perfectly aged.”

“That was a good one, Bradley. I shall honor your perfect retort and concede this battle now. But yes, we got horses. One is for you. Yours didn’t come from the market, though. They didn’t have any in the two colors you muttered about in your sleep when Bradley tried to wake you. There are more goats now, too.”

According to Bradley’s expression, my mother was doing a good job of driving him insane. “How many more goats?”

“Two. They’re weaned. They’re girls. They’ll be adorable in your herd of goats.”

“I think my mother won that one,” I informed Bradley.

“I concede.”

“How are you feeling?” my mother asked.

“Hungry.”

“Don’t eat Bradley. He’s not food.”

Damn. My mother was out for my blood. “I have other uses for him, none of which involve food unless I’m in a mood,” I stated in my most dignified tone.

“And that’s my cue to hang up, for I have lost the battle and the war with that one.” A click informed me my mother had made a strategic retreat while Bradley’s mother snickered.

“I think my mother thinks I’m planning to seduce you, Bradley. I’m too hungry to do anything like that, and your father is in the room.”

“I think she forgot we have adult supervision.”

Bradley’s mother kept on laughing, and when she recovered enough to speak, she said, “We can always move him to a different room if you two would like some privacy.”

“Maybe.” Bradley eyed me with interest.

I raised a brow.