The Sheriff and the Baby (19 page)

Ignoring the driver hunched over the wheel, he ran to the Blazer’s right-side rear passenger door and wrenched it open.

Beth lay motionless, her head slumped against the seat.

Two dark eyes glared at Matt from the other passenger seat. Hennessey’s weapon was pointed straight at him. “You move, you’re dead,” he threatened, leaning toward him.

Matt reacted the only way he could. He’d promised to protect Beth, to keep her safe, and he’d failed. He wouldn’t fail her again.

Lightning-fast, his closed fist connected with the other man’s nose, smashing it.

Hennessey screamed with pain as blood poured from his nose.

“You bastard!” Hennessey swore. He grabbed Beth by the hair and reached for the door handle beside him.

There was no way Matt was letting Hennessey drag her out of the vehicle with him. He lashed out and struck the other man again and Hennessey collapsed against the seat, unconscious.

Beth moaned and lifted her head. With infinite gentleness, Matt caught her to him and unfastened her seat belt. “Easy, sweetheart. Easy. It’s all over. Everything’s going to be fine now,” he assured her as a trooper pulled open the door on Hennessey’s side and dragged the unconscious man onto the ground. Other troopers crowded around his inert body, their weapons aimed at him.

Sarah’s cry of indignation from her carrier on the floor between Beth’s legs was about the sweetest sound Matt had ever heard. He bent to lift Beth’s leg aside, to check on Sarah.

“Aaaah!” she cried, tears of pain filling her eyes.

Matt got a flashlight from one of the troopers and shone it to the floor. Beth’s leg was caught awkwardly between Sarah’s carrier and the front seat.

The vehicle was swarming with police and paramedics, attending to the driver and Hennessey, but none of them could get past Matt. He was blocking the way, protecting Beth and Sarah.

“I-is Sarah all right?” Beth’s voice held alarm now that she was becoming conscious of what was going on.

Matt reached carefully between her legs and gently withdrew Sarah from the safety harness that held her so securely in the baby carrier. “There, there, sweetie,” he cooed. “Matt’s here.”

He placed a kiss on Sarah’s cheek, then handed her to Beth.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I failed you both.” Matt’s voice broke as he wrapped his arms around them and buried his face against Beth’s neck.

Beth clasped his shoulder with her free arm. “Shhh,” she soothed and kissed him. “We’re fine, my darling. We’re together. Everything’s going to be okay.”

Matt leaned back to look into her eyes and saw the love reflected there. Then they clouded over with pain. “I love you,” she whispered and passed out.

Six weeks later

Sitting on the sofa in Two Elk’s living room, Beth’s heart was filled with love as she watched the man she loved chatting with his nieces and nephew. Sarah was awake, lying in his arms and soaking up all the attention. She was a placid, happy baby who obviously adored her adoptive father.

When Matt glanced over at Beth and winked, she experienced the same warm flutter of anticipation that she’d felt whenever Matt’s eyes met hers these past weeks.

They’d exchanged their wedding vows that morning, followed by a combined wedding reception and a baptismal party for Sarah. Will and Becky had stood with them as best man and matron of honor and were also Sarah’s godparents.

And now the afternoon was winding down. Many of the guests had left, but Louella, Mayor Frank Farquar’s pet pig, and her canine companion, Charles, were snoring on the sofa opposite Beth, and Frank didn’t want to disturb them.

His delightful wife, Edna, had rolled her eyes and smiled indulgently at her eccentric husband. Edna had supplied the flowers for the occasion and their scent pervaded the ranch house.

The broken ankle Beth had sustained when Matt apprehended Hennessey and Morgan was a small price to pay for her freedom.

Matt’s nieces and Will and Becky’s son, Nicolas, had come to visit Beth during her convalescence, clutching tiny bouquets of flowers or get-well cards they’d made. She’d been touched by their thoughtfulness and the way they’d fought over Sarah and treated her as though she was already one of the family.

During the past six weeks, Beth had met many of the residents of Spruce Lake and gotten to know their idiosyncrasies. Miss Patterson had presented them with a cherished wedding gift—a painting of the cabin on Blue Spruce Drive. It would be their home until their new house was built on the ranchland Will was developing. Beth had drafted complete plans and they were being considered by the town planning department. She couldn’t wait to fill the home with brothers and sisters for Sarah.

Nicolas had been generously rewarded by Matt for finding his cat, Wendy. She was presently terrorizing Nick’s Scottish terrier, Dugald, and Miss Patterson’s toy poodle, Louis, by suddenly appearing in front of them, hissing and then racing off with two small barking dogs in hot pursuit, while Louella and Charles slept on.

The house had been full of animals, children and pandemonium all day, and Beth had loved every minute of it.

M
ATT’S PARENTS HAD
returned from their vacation and she’d fallen in love with them immediately. Matt’s dad was tall and quiet, with the same inner strength and integrity he’d passed on to his son. Matt’s mom was an angel, fair-haired and funny and full of boundless love. Beth couldn’t hope for Sarah to have been loved and wanted any more than
she was by these people. They were a wonderful family. The kind of family she’d always dreamed of having.

As a special surprise, Matt had arranged for her mother and grandmother to fly out from L.A. the day after he’d arrested Hennessey and Morgan. With Beth’s statement and the evidence contained in the notebook, the pair were facing a host of charges in two states. Charges that would see them behind bars for the rest of their lives.

Grandma Elizabeth fit right in with the O’Malleys and had been invited to stay as long as she wanted. Beth had heard rumors, so far unconfirmed, that her grandmother was thinking of buying one of the Victorian homes that Will and Jack were renovating on Main Street. She and Edna Farquar shared a love of flowers and had already become firm friends.

Beth’s mother had visited briefly, flitted around, bestowed her blessings and gone off to join a desert retreat in Arizona for a month. She hadn’t come back in time for the wedding. It seemed nothing had changed there. Marcus’s parents, when told of their son’s corruption, had refused to believe any of the charges. They’d threatened to sue for custody of Sarah but given the circumstances didn’t stand a chance. They’d since broken off all communication and Beth was glad of it.

Matt smiled over at her again with that secret smile of lovers. The one that said,
Just wait until we get home.

Beth felt the flush creeping up her face. She glanced around, hoping the other occupants of the living room hadn’t noticed.

Matt relinquished Sarah to her namesake’s care and joined Beth on the sofa, lifting her gently to nestle in his lap.

She turned in his arms, laid her palm against his cheek and said, “Have I told you that I’m sorry for treating you
so badly and for not trusting you? For not allowing myself to love you the way you deserved to be loved?”

“But you do now?”

“Oh, yes,” she said and kissed him. “Heart and mind, body and soul.” She smiled secretively. “And I aim to prove it.”

“Tonight?” he asked hoarsely.

Beth rested her hands on his broad chest and looked deep into his eyes. “Yes, tonight, my love,” she whispered and snuggled closer into Matt’s protective embrace.