Love Inspired Suspense March 2015 - Box Set 1 of 2: Protection Detail\Hidden Agenda\Broken Silence (16 page)

She shifted as he parked the SUV, groaning as he turned off the ignition.

“Cassie?” He touched her cheek, and she opened her eyes, looked into his face.

“Are we home?” she asked as the safe house door flew open, and kids came streaming out.

His heart jumped as he saw them—the abandoned, the neglected, the abused.

The
loved
, because Cassie had come into their lives.

The
accepted
, because she cared for them just the way they were.

“Yes,” he said, and she glanced out the window, saw the kids, smiled the kind of smile that showed true joy and love and happiness.

He leaned in to taste it on her lips, to feel the joy that curved her mouth.

“Wow!” she said as he pulled away. “Wait until I tell Virginia about this.”

“On her wedding day?”

“No.” She laughed, opening her door and preparing to greet her family. “As soon as that sedative wears off. Because I've got to tell you, Gavin, a kiss like that isn't something a woman can keep to herself.”

He would have responded, but the kids were there, shouting and shrieking and filling Cassie in on everything she'd missed.

He watched as Destiny helped her out of the car, putting an arm around her waist.

The teen met his eyes, scowled, her eyes filled with worry and with relief.

“Well...don't just sit there smiling like a fool,” she barked. “Come on around and help me.”

She had a mouth on her, that kid.

He'd have to work on that.

First, though, he'd do what she asked.

FIFTEEN

S
he'd been kissed.

Thoroughly.

By a guy who'd saved her life so many times she'd lost count.

Cassie had spent the past week smiling about it.

Which had annoyed Destiny, but Cassie didn't care.

Happiness was a gift that should be shared.

Unfortunately, she hadn't had a lot of time to share it with Gavin. He'd been working hard, chasing down leads, trying to identify a suspect. The guy who'd tried to burn down All Our Kids had been identified, his bank account accessed. He'd deposited ten thousand dollars cash in it the day after Michael's murder. There'd been no way to track the cash. No way of knowing who it had come from.

Gavin wasn't happy about that.

Cassie knew that for sure.

What she didn't know was how long she and the kids were going to be trapped in the safe house. It wasn't that it was bad; it was just that it wasn't home. No matter how hard she tried to make it that.

She rubbed the back of her neck, wincing as muscles in her shoulder pulled. Her arm hurt.

Her head ached.

She felt like she'd been run over by a truck. Twice.

But, Cassie was alive, and she'd be forever grateful for that. Even if the kids
were
driving her crazy.

“I have an idea,” she said to no one in particular.

Only Rachel glanced her way. The rest of the kids were too busy bickering about who was on the schedule for kitchen cleanup.

“I said,” she repeated with a lot more energy. “I have an idea.”

That finally got a few heads to turn. “How about instead of arguing over who is supposed to do the dishes, you all pitch in and work together.”

“That's a sweet idea,” Destiny said, every bit of her preteen sarcasm coming out. “But, I did the dishes last night and the night before. It's Tommy's turn.”

“It's not,” Tommy shrieked. He'd been worse since Cassie was shot, spending more time in his room than out of it, hiding under the bed at night. Cassie had an appointment with his therapist, but getting to it was a problem. Aside from a trip to the doctor to have her wound checked she hadn't been out of the safe house in a week.

The kids were getting antsy.

She was getting antsy.

“Tommy,” she said, trying her best to be patient. “Get the chore chart. If your name is on it—”

“I'm not getting any stupid chore chart!” he yelled, running from the kitchen, his footsteps pounding on the stairs. A door slammed, and she knew he'd locked himself into his room.

“I'd better go deal with that, Virginia. Would you mind taking the other kids outside for a while? I think being cooped up is getting to all of us.”

“I'll do the dishes,” Rachel volunteered with a fake cheerfulness that was another punch to Cassie's solar plexus. Ever since Cassie had been shot, Rachel had been doing everything in her power to be helpful. She'd cleaned her room, Cassie's room, the bathrooms. She'd made an attempt at making breakfast almost every morning and lunch almost every afternoon. She'd even admitted that she'd been down in the living room the night Michael was shot, that she'd put the television on mute and watched one of her favorite cartoons on the DVD. She'd heard footsteps on the stairs, turned off the television, watched as one of the boys walked through the foyer. She insisted that she didn't know which one it was, and Cassie believed her.

It was a shame that she hadn't seen more, and even more of a shame that she felt guilty about Cassie's injury. The poor kid was going to work herself sick trying to make up for something that wasn't her fault.

“That's okay, Rachel,” Virginia said. “It's Tommy's turn, and he's going to have to do them. Just leave what's in the sink in the sink and get your shoes.”

Cassie trudged up the stairs while Virginia organized an outdoor excursion. She'd had little energy since the shooting, but she was doing everything in her power to fake it. Virginia needed her to be strong. The kids needed her to be strong. She had no other choice but to do it. No matter how worn down she was.

She wiggled Tommy's doorknob. Locked. Just like she'd expected. “Tommy? Open the door?”

He didn't respond, and she stood on her tiptoes, trying to reach the key that lay on top of the doorjamb.

“What are you doing?” someone asked, and she screamed, nearly falling over backward as she whirled to face Gavin.

“Where did you come from?” she gasped, her hand on her chest as if that could stop her heart's wild thumping.

“Outside.”

“Smart aleck,” she replied, and he smiled, his eyes going soft and tender, his lips so kissable she had to look away.

“I just finished meeting with the team. I'm off duty until Sunday afternoon.”

“Really?” That explained his dark jeans and the gray T-shirt that clung to his chest like a second skin. He wore a shoulder holster, his gun strapped inside of it. No matter where he went, that was with him. So was Glory. She padded up beside Cassie, nosing the space at the bottom of the door.

“Really,” he responded. “And now that I've answered your question maybe you can answer mine—what are you doing?”

“Trying to get Tommy out of his room.”

“Again? What is this? The fourth time in a week?”

“Something like that.”

“I'll get the key.” He reached over her head, his chest pressed against her back, his arm sliding across her hair as he grabbed the key. “You're not supposed to be reaching above your head.”

Was she supposed to lean into him, let herself rest against his strength? Because that's what she wanted to do.

“The doctor said I'm healing well and can go back to my normal routine.”

“Did you forget that I was there? Or were you just hoping that I'd forget that he also said you should take things slowly?”

“I am taking things slowly. I'm taking them so slowly that I'm driving myself batty. If I don't get out of this place for a while, I'll probably go stark raving mad!” She opened the door and stepped into the boys' room. Everything was neat and tidy, the room organized for maximum floor space. Only Tommy's bed was a mess, the stuffed animals piled in the center of it and spilling over onto the floor. She could see the top of Tommy's head nearly hidden by animals, could just make out a little hand clutching a bear.

“Are you hiding, Tommy?” Gavin asked, striding to the pile of animals and lifting one. Tommy burrowed deeper under his hoard, refusing to look at Gavin or Cassie.

“This isn't about cleaning the dishes, is it?” Cassie sat beside the pile of animals, and Gavin dropped down beside her.

There wasn't really enough room for two, but she didn't mind having him so close. His arm slid around her waist, and she didn't move away. She liked him like this—dressed in casual clothes, his hair a little ruffled, his jaw shadowed with the beginning of a beard. She liked the way it felt to be near him.

“It
is
about dishes,” Tommy insisted, poking his head out from under the animals. “I don't want to do them.”

“I wish that mattered, buddy,” Cassie said. “But it doesn't. We don't always get to pick and choose what we want to do. Most of the time, we have to do a few things that we're not so fond of.”

“Like school?” he muttered, sliding out from the massive pile and kneeling beside her. He was a cute kid, a smart one. If he hadn't been mistreated, abused, neglected, he'd probably be an A student with all kinds of opportunities available to him.

“Exactly like school.”

“I don't like school or dishes, and I don't want to do either!” Since he'd already completed his school assignments for the day, Cassie ignored the comment.

“Do you like flag football?” Gavin asked. “Because I picked up everything we need to play a game.”

“You did?” Tommy frowned. “When? Because I didn't see no flag football stuff.”

“This morning. When I went to meet with Juan's aunt. Of course, there's no way the game can be played if there are dishes in the sink.”

“Why not?” Tommy asked, lifting a couple of stuffed animals and tossing them onto the pile.

“It's just a rule.”

“I don't—”

“Tommy,” Cassie broke in. “You either want to play flag football or you don't. If you do, the dishes have to be done.”

He scowled, and she was sure he'd refuse. He'd been just that ornery lately. Apparently, flag football was too tempting to resist. He jumped off the bed. “Fine. I'll wash the stupid dishes!”

He raced down the hall, his feet pounding on the stairs.

“So how'd I do?” Gavin asked, pulling her to her feet.

“Bribery with flag football? It's a win,” she replied, looking into his handsome face, his clear blue eyes. “Except that he still hasn't admitted to anything. He refuses to say he was outside the night of Michael's death.”

“He'll get there. It's just going to take a little more time.” He tugged her closer, his hands on her waist, his fingers warm through her T-shirt.

“Since when did you become a paragon of patience?” she teased.

“Since I decided I might not end up a lifelong bachelor.”

At his words, she stilled, her heart beating so hard, she thought it might burst from her chest. “I hadn't realized you'd planned to stay single.”

“And I hadn't realized that there was a woman like you out in the world. If I had, I can guarantee you, it wouldn't have taken so long for us to meet.”

“We met years ago.”

“I guess you're right,” he conceded. “We met each other, but we didn't really notice who it was we were looking at.” His gaze drifted from her eyes, to her lips. “If we had, would we have missed out on this?” His lips brushed hers, and a thrill of excitement shot straight into her heart.

Not just for that moment, for that sweet, sweet kiss, but for Gavin, for his honesty and strength, for all the things that made him who he was.

“No,” she whispered, breathless with joy, with contentment. “I don't suppose we would have.”

He smiled and took her hand. “Once Michael's killer is caught, we're going to do something fun together. Something that doesn't involve separating kids, bribing little boys, cleaning up messes.”

“Dodging bullets?”

“That, either.”

“Do you think it will ever be over? It seems to me, you and your team have a lot of leads, but no solid evidence.”

“It will end. We'll find Michael's killer.”

“And Rosa's?”

“Yes. Hers, too.” He led the way downstairs. Tommy was already at the sink, scrubbing dishes, water and bubbles splashing onto the floor.

“I hope you're right, Gavin. Rosa and Michael deserve justice. And the kids need to be home. They need to go to school, see their friends. Do all the things that normal kids do.”

“They're going to be fine. As far as I can tell, they're having the time of their lives here.”

“They act that way, but—”

“I thought we agreed that worry was a waste of energy. Seeing as how you believe that God is in control.”

“My mouth agreed. My heart is a little more reluctant.”

“It will be okay,” he said, opening the back door and stepping outside. “Come on. You need a little fresh air.”

“Where are we going?”

“Somewhere quiet,” he responded, leading her across the grassy yard to an apple tree that was just beginning to bloom. He'd spread a blanket out underneath it and held it down with several small rocks. A picnic basket sat to one side of the blanket. Glory dropped down beside it, her tongue lolling out, her expression so rapturous, Cassie smiled.

“You've been busy, Gavin.”

“I finally have some time on my hands,” he responded. “I want to make the most of it.”

“By having a picnic with your lead witness?”

“You're not a witness anymore. The guy you saw is dead,” he reminded her.

“But the person who hired him isn't.”

“Let's forget about that for a while, okay?” He touched her cheek and smiled.

And, she couldn't resist that smile or him.

“Okay.”

“Because, I've been thinking about this picnic for a while. I've got it all planned out.”

“Yeah?” she asked, dropping down onto the blanket.

“I brought enough food for an army.” He glanced at the house. “Because I figured we were going to have to share.”

“Do you mind?” she asked as the first kid walked around the side of the house, spotted them on the blanket and ran back. Probably to get the rest of the crew.

“Not a bit.” He smiled and lay on his back so he was staring up at the boughs of the apple tree. “Did I ever tell you about Helena?” he asked.

“You know you didn't.”

“And I know I want to. She and I were engaged a few years back. I thought she was everything I wanted, everything God wanted for me.”

“What happened?” she asked, stroking his hair back from his forehead, enjoying the silky feel of it beneath her fingers.

“My job happened. She got tired of waiting for me. She got tired of dining alone. She got tired of playing second fiddle to my career. She broke things off in the parking lot of my apartment about a month before the wedding.”

“I'm sorry,” she said, and she meant it, because Gavin deserved better.

“I'm not. Helena was a great lady, but she had a problem. Something it took me a long time to recognize.”

“Selfishness?”

“No.” He chuckled. “The problem with Helena was that she wasn't you.”

“I think that's the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she responded, lying down beside him, a few inches separating their bodies. She could feel his presence, anyway, feel the warmth of his arm, his hip, his thigh.

Above her, thick old apple boughs twined together, their tiny green buds adding color to the gray-brown bark. Soon the tree would bloom, flowers would replace the buds. Eventually there'd be lush sweet apples.