An unexpected family

A once-in-a-lifetime reunion in danger…

After a bitter breakup, FBI agent Everett Colton never expected to see his ex-girlfriend, Alyssa Bartholomew, again. Suddenly, tragedy reunites them—and makes them guardians of an orphaned baby girl. Everett suspects that her parents’ deaths were anything but innocent. When his instinct for danger proves correct, it’s his job to protect the child he’s grown to love…and the woman he never forgot.

JANE GODMAN writes in a variety of romance genres, including paranormal, gothic and romantic suspense. Jane lives in England and loves to travel to European cities that are steeped in history and romance—Venice, Dubrovnik and Vienna are among her favorites. Jane is married to a lovely man and is mum to two grown-up children.

Also by Jane Godman

Colton’s Secret Bodyguard

Colton and the Single Mom

Covert Kisses

The Soldier’s Seduction

Secret Baby, Second Chance

Otherworld Protector

Otherworld Renegade

Otherworld Challenger Immortal

Billionaire

The Unforgettable Wolf

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Colton 911: Family Under Fire

Jane Godman

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-09464-1

COLTON 911: FAMILY UNDER FIRE

© 2019 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2019

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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Version: 2020-03-02

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As I was writing this story, I was undergoing treatment

for breast cancer. I’d like to thank everyone who

supported me during that process, particularly my

wonderful family, whose support has kept me going

throughout some very difficult times.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

About the Publisher

Chapter 1

Everett Colton had visited the offices of Torrington Law once before. Although he couldn’t remember much about the brief meeting, he did recall the lingering odors of wet dog and fried chicken. Back then, Raymond Torrington, senior partner in the firm, had blamed both on the large, elderly bloodhound that had been sleeping in a basket behind the front desk.

Impatiently, Everett pushed open the glass front door. This was going to be a waste of his time, he didn’t want to be here, he had more important things to do…and he didn’t want to subject his nostrils to a repeat performance.

As he stepped inside, it became clear that at least one of those things wasn’t going to be an issue. There was no sign of the dog, and the place smelled like a regular office.

He approached the reception desk, his mind on the letter he had received a few days earlier:

You are invited to attend a private reading of the last will and testament of Sean Dodd and Delilah Kennedy Dodd.

Although Sean Dodd had once been Everett’s best friend, they had barely spoken in the last four years. That is, until recently, when Everett had helped his brother, Casey, arrest Sean, Delilah, and Sean’s sister, Georgia, for murder and cattle rustling. Now Sean had driven his car off the road into a wall, killing himself and his wife.

Initially, a suicide note on the dash had led the Sur County Creek Sheriff’s Department to the conclusion that the act had been deliberate. Everett wasn’t so sure.

Not that the cause of death explained the current situation. Sean would want me at the reading of his will because…? He almost laughed. When had he ever been able to predict what Sean had wanted? He would find out soon enough.

“I have an appointment with Mr. Torrington.”

As the receptionist checked her computer screen, Everett breathed in the improved aromas. Copier toner, coffee, some sort of holiday-season air freshener and violets.

“Mr. Torrington has been delayed for a few minutes. But if you would care to go through to his office, his other guest is already here.”

“Other guest?” The invitation hadn’t mentioned anyone else, and…wait. Violets? “Do you use Acqua Viola?”

The young woman regarded him nervously. “Can I get you some coffee?”

Everett rubbed a hand over his jaw. He’d thought he was over this. He was over this. It must be the stress of Sean’s death. It had come on the heels of the operation his brother had undertaken, together with the woman he was now seeing, Melody Hayworth, to capture the rustlers and murderers. That, along with the speculation about what the will might hold, was triggering a return to the old fantasies. It was at least six months since the last time he’d imagined he could smell Alyssa Bartholomew’s favorite perfume. Even longer since he’d experienced that stomach-churning mix of excitement and dread when he glimpsed a certain woman with long, corn-colored hair and momentarily wondered if she’d come back to him.

“Coffee would be good.” He tried out a reassuring smile. From the way the receptionist scooted back in her wheeled chair, he wasn’t sure it worked. If she had a panic button under that desk, he was about thirty seconds away from explaining to his bosses at the FBI field office in Phoenix why this woman had every reason to believe one of their best agents was acting weird.

“I’ll bring it through.” She gestured toward a half-open office door.

Everett remembered Ray Torrington from his teenage years. Anxious, pale and lanky, the other guy had always been out to impress the wrong crowd. Even though they’d been six years younger, Everett and his twin brother, Casey, had known to steer clear of the company Ray kept. Only a serious intervention on the part of Ray’s dad had gotten him back on track and into law school. Which made the invitation—summons—currently residing in Everett’s back pocket all the more irksome.

He pushed open the door with the heel of his hand, his brain simultaneously registering two things—that subtle scent of violets was stronger here…and it was not his imagination.

The first Christmas he and Alyssa had been together, he’d scoured the department stores in Phoenix, only to come away empty-handed. How could he have known it was a rare Italian brand? On Christmas morning, when he’d given Alyssa the enamel violet on a silver chain, with an apology, she’d laughed and explained that Acqua Viola had been her grandmother’s favorite perfume. Alyssa laughed a lot.

A woman was seated with her back to the door, her head bent over her cell phone, and the other thing he took in was the long blond hair, confined loosely at the nape of her neck. Tendrils were escaping the restraint and she pushed impatiently at them, the gesture achingly familiar to him. She didn’t look around as he paused just inside the room.

How many times had he pictured seeing her again? Somehow, he’d always thought it would be in a bar, the scene an echo of their first meeting. Pizza and beer. That was more their style than this impersonal setting. The thought brought him back to reality with an uncomfortable bump. It was her.

“What are you doing here, Alyssa?”

She turned her head slowly, her dark blue eyes widening as she gazed at him.

“I don’t know.” Her hand reached up to clutch the enamel violet at her throat. “But maybe I should ask you the same question.”

Her voice was calm as she spoke, but the cell phone slid from her fingers and clattered onto the floor.

Alyssa’s mind was spinning. Maybe she should have seen this coming? Cactus Creek was Everett Colton’s hometown, after all.

But he had left this place as soon as he graduated from Cactus Creek High, enrolled at the University of Arizona and eventually settled in Phoenix. He’d told her he never missed the stifling, overfamiliar community atmosphere. She knew he rarely returned, only keeping in touch with his family and a few friends.

Of course, she’d thought of him when the invitation had arrived.

You are invited to attend a private reading of the last will and testament of Sean Dodd and Delilah Kennedy Dodd, she mused, recounting the words in her mind.

She’d only known the Dodds through their friendship with Everett, which had gone sour years before. She certainly hadn’t enjoyed their company, finding Sean arrogant and Delilah demanding and superior. Now the couple had died in tragic circumstances, and Alyssa had no idea what, if anything, their will could mean to her.

Private. That had been the key word in that letter. I thought it meant just me.

All thoughts of Sean and Delilah were driven out of her head as Everett took the seat next to her. Breaking up with him had almost destroyed her, and she knew it had been equally hard on him. Under the pretense of checking her cell for damage, she risked a few sidelong glances in his direction. He was still the hottest man she’d ever seen.

With his crystal-blue eyes, tousled sandy hair and square chin, he gave off an air of brooding intensity. That was until he smiled—then he could light up a room. One of Alyssa’s favorite hobbies during their time together had been making him smile.

Because his looks are the most important thing about this whole situation, right? But her reaction to him wasn’t trivial. It summed up the power he still had over her. And the danger of being near him.

Although seeing him again had thrown her completely off balance, she experienced a moment of relief. After everything that had happened between them, she had never imagined Everett would speak to her again. Okay, so a curt demand to know what she was doing there was hardly friendly conversation, but at least he hadn’t ignored her and walked out.

“So…” he began. Her phone was in danger of flying out of her grasp again as he turned her way, his light blue eyes catching hers. “How’s the pool playing going? Did you turn professional yet?”

Alyssa made a sound midway between a gasp and a laugh. It was so like him to take her by surprise with humor when she was expecting anger, and he’d done it with a reference to their first meeting.

Her heart was in turmoil, but she figured if he could keep it light, she could, too. “No, but the Pocket Rockets have my number anytime they need a substitute.”

He nodded. “I can see why Phoenix’s premier women’s pool team would have a recruitment drive among elementary-school teachers.”

“If I remember rightly, this third-grade teacher has whipped your ass on more than one occasion—”

He checked his watch. “Less than two minutes.”

The way they had slipped so easily back into a familiar, teasing rhythm was almost scary. She should stop it now. Distant and aloof, that would be the best approach… “Okay, Colton. I’ll take this bait. What are you talking about?”

“Four years apart, and two minutes is all it took for your obsession with my ass to resurface.” He grinned at her. It wasn’t just any grin. It was the grin. The one that weakened her knees a little.

And that was it. All those times she’d told herself he couldn’t flip her heart over with a look? Lies. Every last one.

“Sorry about the delay. That coffee machine is so slow,” the receptionist said as she scooted quickly past Everett and placed a tray on the desk.

“My visitors don’t need that sort of information, Brenda.” The man who entered the room dabbed at his brow with a large handkerchief.

“I don’t know. Sometimes it’s good to know why you’ve been kept waiting.” Alyssa regarded Everett in surprise. He was no diplomat, but he usually managed a basic level of politeness.

The other man’s face reddened. “I apologize for my lateness. I was unavoidably delayed.” He took a seat on the other side of the desk and gave Alyssa a tight-lipped smile. “I’m Raymond Torrington. Thank you for coming, Miss Bartholomew.” The smile disappeared as he nodded in Everett’s direction. “We’ve met before, Agent Colton.

“I’ll get straight to the point.” He opened a drawer in his desk, withdrew a folder and placed it in front of him. “Since their marriage, I’ve been Sean Dodd and Delilah Kennedy Dodd’s lawyer. I am also executor of their will. Following their tragic deaths, it now falls to me to ensure that their estate is disposed of according to their wishes.” He withdrew a single sheet of paper from the folder. “The will is very straightforward. There is one beneficiary who will inherit all property and investments.”

“If that’s the case, why are the two of us here?” Even if she hadn’t known him as well as she knew herself, Everett’s body language would have been easy to interpret—arms folded across his muscular chest, jaw clenched, one foot tapping out a restless beat.

“My clients wrote this will just over four years ago, not long after their marriage.” Raymond scanned the sheet of paper as he spoke.

Four years. Alyssa looked at Everett, wondering if the significance of the time frame had registered with him.

Clearly it had. “That was around the time Georgia Dodd, Sean’s younger sister, left my brother, Casey, at the altar.” His voice was tight with remembered anger. “Sean masterminded the incident because he thought that a deputy sheriff wasn’t good enough for his kid sister. Or possibly he didn’t want a law-enforcement officer in the family taking a closer look at what he was getting up to. The reason doesn’t matter. It was the end of our friendship.”

He flicked a look Alyssa’s way to let her know he hadn’t forgotten the rest. Soon after that incident, but for unrelated reasons, they had broken up.

“I’m assuming that Georgia, whom I recently had the pleasure of arresting at gunpoint, is the beneficiary.” Alyssa jumped slightly at Everett’s words. It wasn’t just the fact that he’d been involved in apprehending Georgia. They were a stark reminder of the dangers he faced every day.

“Although Georgia was released on bail, she broke the terms of her bail by attempting to leave town. She’s now back behind bars but that won’t affect her inheritance. So can we cut to the part where you tell us what our role is? Did Sean name us as trustees four years ago and forget to change it?”

“Georgia Dodd is not named in her brother’s will. The circumstances are…unusual. There is a section in the document that involves the two of you. Twelve months ago, Sean and Delilah came to see me to check it was still legal.” Raymond dabbed at his upper lip with his handkerchief. “This will be easier to explain if I invite my other guests to join us.” He pressed a button on his desktop phone.

“Other guests?” Alyssa looked around as the door opened and a middle-aged woman entered the room. She leaned to one side under the weight of a large bag shaped like a pink elephant; in her other arm, she carried a sleeping baby.

“This is Patty Griffiths of the Arizona Department of Child Safety.” Raymond indicated the child. “Kennedy is Sean and Delilah’s six-month-old daughter, and she has been left in your joint custody.”

Everett’s brain was spinning like a top. As he was trying to get his thoughts under control, the baby woke up and started to cry.

Alyssa was out of her seat in a heartbeat. Children had always drawn her in like a magnet. “Hey, honey. What’s wrong? Are you hungry?”

Patty Griffiths handed Kennedy over to her with a look of relief. “She probably is. When she came to us, she’d recently started on solid food, but she still has at least one bottle of formula a day.”

“Have you been caring for her?” Everett watched as Kennedy hitched in a sob and gazed up at Alyssa through tear-filled eyes. He’d had no time to come to terms with the bombshell Ray had delivered, yet he was getting the impression that events were already spiraling out of his control.

“She’s been staying in one of our facilities since her parents died.” Patty reached into the bag and withdrew a baby bottle in an insulated carrier. When she handed it to Alyssa, Kennedy made a cooing noise and reached out chubby hands for it. “There are some basics here in this bag, and her car seat is in the front office. Once I have your address, I can arrange to have her other belongings delivered within a few hours.”

“Wait.” The spell that had been holding him silent snapped and Everett finally found his voice. “We’re not together, and neither of us even lives here in town. This is all moving way too fast. We can’t be expected to put our lives on hold and go along with a plan we knew nothing about.”

He was conscious of Alyssa watching him as she resumed her seat, Kennedy tucked into the crook of her arm. The baby grasped the bottle, making contented noises as she suckled greedily.

“If you could leave us alone while we continue this discussion?” Ray waved a hand in the direction of the door and Patty went out. He tapped a pen on the top of his desk and shuffled his papers before continuing. “This is exactly what I said would happen when Sean and Delilah came to me with this plan. They had named you as guardians while you were still friends and had never gotten around to making the necessary changes. When Delilah found out she was pregnant, they wanted to know if they could leave things as they were. I told them that, if they left the custody details in the will without consulting you, there was every chance you would just walk away without agreeing to it.”

“If it was against your advice, why did they go ahead with it?” Everett asked.

“Sean’s reasoning was that although you had drifted apart, he couldn’t imagine anyone who would be better parents to his daughter.”

“The guy always was a piece of work.” Everett shook his head, his emotions ranging between exasperation and a reluctant, lingering fondness for the man who had once been a good friend. “But we can say no to this, right?”

“Let’s be clear.” It was Alyssa’s don’t-mess-with-me voice. The one she used with her students. “We aren’t saying no. We’re not saying anything. Not yet. We’re gathering information. You said Kennedy had been left in our joint custody. If one of us is unwilling to be involved, can the other take sole responsibility for her?”

Raymond shook his head. “The will clearly states that she is to be cared for by both of you.”

Alyssa’s indrawn breath touched a point at the center of Everett’s heart. “What will happen to Kennedy if we don’t do this?”

“If you choose not to accept custody, Kennedy will be placed back into the care of the Department of Child Safety, where she will enter the foster system,” Raymond said.

Everett knew what those words would do to Alyssa. When he turned his head to look at her, he could see her own past in the depths of her eyes. There was also a plea for help there. And it was aimed at him.

She was an only child, traumatized when and her father was killed by a drunk in a random knife attack when she was ten. After that, her mom had wasted away, and her death, when Alyssa was eighteen, brought an end to years of misery. The scars of growing up without any real parental presence in her life ran deep. He knew there was no way she would walk away from this child who, like her, was the innocent victim of abandonment.

But was she seriously asking him to do this? Did she believe that, after everything that had happened between them, they would somehow put the past behind them and together raise a child? And did he have to make a decision right now?

Four years ago, he’d have done anything for this woman. She knew that because he’d told her. But it hadn’t been enough. Alyssa had needed assurances he couldn’t give. At the same time, Everett had his own reasons for shying away from responsibility. It was hardly a match made in heaven.

Nothing in either of their lives had changed since, apparently. Being close to her again would mean handing her his well-being, his dreams and his life in a way that meant she could break his heart all over again. It had hurt enough the first time. Was he willing to go through all that pain again? And this time they would be adding a baby into the mix.

“We’ll do it.” It was only when Alyssa’s eyes widened that he knew for sure he had said the words out loud.

Alyssa gazed down at the baby in her arms. She had just become a mom. Most people, even those who hadn’t planned it, had nine months to prepare for this moment. She’d barely had nine minutes. Her life had changed forever, and she was totally unprepared for how to deal with it.

The only thing she knew for sure was that Kennedy needed her and she wouldn’t let the little girl down. Oh, and she would be doing this with Everett. The man who was now striding across the parking lot ahead of her with a pink-elephant bag slung over one broad shoulder and a car seat in his other hand.

“Wait,” she called out. “Where are we going?”

“My car is over here.” He jerked a thumb, indicating the dark-colored sedan parked nearby.

“And mine is in the opposite direction.” Her footsteps faltered. “But that’s not what I meant.”

He retraced his steps, halting at her side. “I’ve been working on a case here in Cactus Creek and I’m staying in a rented apartment on Main Street. I’ll drive us there and we can talk some more. I’ll get someone to pick up your vehicle later.”

The suggestion made sense. Although the sun was shining, a few clouds scuttled across the sky and the December air was cool. Kennedy wore only a lightweight sweater, leggings and socks, and the breeze ruffled her fluffy blond curls. Although she clung tightly to the front of Alyssa’s blouse, she showed no signs of distress at being with two strangers.

“Let’s do that, sweetie, head back to Everett’s place, where we can be cozy.” She bounced the little girl on her hip while they waited for Everett to fit the car seat.

“I may have misled you if you got the impression the apartment I rented is cozy. Think bland and basic.” Once the seat was in place, he held out his hands for Kennedy. “And small.”

“It will be cozy for her once her own stuff is delivered,” Alyssa said.

“I guess so… What is this all about?” He stared in exasperation at Kennedy, who, having allowed him to place her in the seat, was now waving her arms wildly each time he tried to fasten the straps. “It’s like trying to restrain an octopus.”

“Do you want me to try?”

“No. I mean how hard can it be?” Each time he tried, the baby twisted in his grasp, laughing as she thwarted his attempts.

Alyssa leaned closer into the vehicle, watching over his shoulder. “Maybe it was a game she played with her mom and dad?”

Everett turned his head to look at her and she saw the pain in his eyes. She knew how Sean had hurt him when he encouraged Georgia to ditch Casey at the altar, but surely his fondness for his one-time friend hadn’t completely gone away.

“Where was Kennedy the night her parents died?”

“She was staying at Georgia’s place.” A shadow crossed his features as he said Sean’s sister’s name.

“Oh.” Alyssa took a moment to consider that information. “Sean and Delilah didn’t want Georgia to have custody of their daughter, but they were happy for her to care for her overnight? That seems strange.”

“Most things about this case are strange.” Everett took a step back. “Your turn to see what you can do with squirmy baby.”

“Kennedy, there’s only one way to do this…” Using one hand to tickle the little girl’s belly, she deftly hooked the restraints together and closed the clasp. As she did, Kennedy dissolved into helpless giggles.

“How did you know that would work?” Everett shook his head in disbelief.

“I interned in a day-care center before I got my teaching degree, remember? Delilah knew that, so I guess it could have influenced her decision about the will.” Backing out of the car, she closed the door. “But just because I know about babies, it doesn’t mean I get all the diapers.”

“Diapers.” He gave her a look of horror. “We can negotiate on that, right?”

The drive to Main Street took less than fifteen minutes. Alyssa spent most of it alternating between looking over her shoulder to check on Kennedy and studying Everett’s hometown. Cactus Creek was gearing up for the holidays. All along their route, the stores were lit up with stars and bells; palm trees were decorated with red, green and gold lights. When they swung right onto Main Street, she saw the saguaro cactus plants flanking the entrance to Hoyles’ Department Store had been turned into candy canes. A wide pedestrian area ran down the center of the street, from which Santa waved from the carriage of a rickety wooden train.

Everett pulled up in the parking lot of a modern block. The apartment building looked like it had been added as an afterthought at the end of a traditional row that included Pizza Paradise and the Sports Bar.

“I see you didn’t stray too far from the essentials.”

Pretending to be hurt, he placed a hand over his heart. “You know I can’t cook. Am I supposed to starve while I’m in town?”

“Let’s get this baby inside.” She shook her head. “That’s a sentence I didn’t picture myself saying when I left home this morning.”

Located on the second floor, Everett’s apartment was reached by a set of stairs that led directly from the parking lot. It was one of four apartments with front doors leading off a single walkway. His was closest to the outside staircase.

Although he hadn’t left her with high hopes about his rental, once Alyssa was inside, she was relieved to see that it was clean, and the furniture appeared comfortable. He was right about one thing, though. It was small.

From the front door, she could see a square lounge area with two small sofas and a TV, a round dining table with four chairs and a narrow kitchen that looked just about large enough for one person.

A sudden thought occurred to her. “How many bedrooms are there?”

“Two.” The slight curve of his lips told her he was reading her mind. “Although one of them is more like a closet.”

She thought of her comfortable apartment in Phoenix. The one she’d spent so long decorating and furnishing with carefully chosen pieces. The one from which she would need to get her clothes and other essential belongings. Then she smoothed down the sparse curls of the little girl who had no one else to care for her.

“I guess we should talk about how we’re going to make this work.”

Chapter 2

Everett didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed when, before he and Alyssa could sit down to talk, they were disturbed by the security buzzer.

“The Department of Child Safety sure moves fast around here.” He headed toward the front door while Alyssa took Kennedy to explore the bedrooms. “Although, when you think about it, that’s a good thing. We don’t even have a crib or a high chair.”

Although the apartment had a speaker system, it was low-tech and didn’t have the luxury of cameras. Everett could talk to the person at the front door, but he couldn’t see them.

“Delivery for Miss K. Dodd.”

It seemed like an unnecessarily formal way of confirming the arrival of Kennedy’s belongings.

“Do you need help to carry anything up the stairs?”

“Uh. I’m good.”

Shrugging, he held open the door. A few moments later, a guy in uniform with a badge that had a sprig of holly above his name tag appeared. Accustomed to checking people out, Everett registered the name first.

Joe Meyer.

Then he noticed that Joe was carrying a large, gift-wrapped box topped with a giant bow.

“That’s it?” Everett peered around him. “I was expecting more.”

“I just get a list of jobs each day, then I go where they send me. This time it was to pick this up from Hoyles’ toy department and bring it here.”

Everett had always considered himself to be reasonably intelligent. His excellent grades throughout school and college meant others had shared that opinion. Prior to joining the FBI, he’d even been headhunted into a high-flying career in corporate law. He had certainly never thought of himself as slow-witted. Even so, he was having trouble processing what was going on.

“Hoyles’? Toy department?”

“Yeah. This time of year, they’re one of our best customers.” Joe held out a pad and pen. “If you’ll just sign here…?”

“Not until I know what I’m signing for.” Everett held out his hands for the brightly packaged box. There was a gift tag attached and he turned it over to read the message:

Happy holidays, sweet girl. I’m coming for you.

A cold, bony finger of fear jabbed at his spine. He’d recently returned to Cactus Creek and had been working on a murder investigation when he’d gotten news of the Dodds’ deaths. The suicide story had never felt right to him. He knew Sean. The guy was an adventurer, always looking for the next opportunity. He’d seen his arrest as the next challenge. And he had genuinely loved Delilah. Even if he’d taken his own life, Everett couldn’t picture him killing his wife. Add in the fact that the suicide note wasn’t in either Sean’s or Delilah’s handwriting and things got even more suspicious.

This message heightened Everett’s distrust. Even attached to a holiday package, it felt wrong, even threatening. Who was coming for Kennedy? And what was in that box? It could be anything. Explosives? Acid? Poison?

“You said you just got this from the store? Was it already wrapped when you collected it?”

“Hey, I just—”

Everett reached into his pocket and withdrew his badge. “I need you to wait here.”

The authority in his voice was enough to secure obedience. As Everett stepped back inside the apartment and closed the door behind him, Joe Meyer and his suspicious delivery were pushed to the back of his mind. How was he supposed to explain this to Alyssa?

Four years ago, his job had been the reason she’d walked away from him. Now, within hours of being reunited, she would be forced to face the reality of what he did all over again. And this time they weren’t even involved.

Except…we are. Not the way they had been in the past, but if being the new mom and dad to a six-month-old baby girl wasn’t involved, he sure as hell didn’t know what was.

For some reason, Sean had left Kennedy in their care. Everett might not be able to understand his former friend’s motive, and he might not know anything about being a dad, but he knew what was expected of him. He would protect his new family. No matter what.

Alyssa stepped out of the bedroom. “This little lady is sleepy. I think we should set her crib up first. Oh.” She regarded him steadily, her gaze going to the closed front door and his empty hands. “Is something wrong?”

She had always been able to read him like a book. Which was why there was no point in trying to hide anything from her.

“You trust me, don’t you?”

“You know I do.” That, at least, had never been in question.

“I don’t have time to explain right now, but I have to go out. I want you to stay inside with the door locked until I get back.”

“But—” Although she didn’t question what he was saying, her brow furrowed. Her hand moved to the back of the baby’s head, cradling the little girl closer. “I really need to get Kennedy settled. If I can’t open the door, how will I get to her stuff when it arrives?”

Resisting the urge to curse, Everett drew his cell phone out of the back pocket of his jeans and opened the address book. His brother’s number was at the top of his favorites list. And, unless he was out on an emergency call, his twin could always be relied on to answer.

“Are you busy?”

“I have this thing called a job.” From the background noise, it sounded like Casey was in his office at the Sur County Sheriff’s Department. “It takes up most of my time.”

“How fast can you be at my apartment?”

Everett had no frame of reference. Maybe it was the same with all brothers. Possibly it was more intense for them because they were twins. All he knew for sure was that whenever he needed help, Casey was there for him.

“I’m on my way.”

Everett breathed a sigh of relief. The sheriff’s office was close by and it would take Casey less than ten minutes to get there. He ended the call, aware of Alyssa’s steady scrutiny. She was the strongest person he knew, except for one blind spot. She was terrified that anyone close to her would be snatched away violently.

Given what had happened in her early life, he figured it was natural. Throughout their relationship, he’d tried hard to help her overcome her fears. In the end, her intense vulnerability, together with his own emotional detachment, had defeated them both.

“I do trust you, but if there’s something going on…”

“I just need to check a few things out.” He gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile. “It’s probably nothing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Everett, I know you. Remember?”

“How could I forget?” The words were out before he could stop them, carrying a world of meaning in their wake.

Timing, Colton. It never was your thing.

For a moment they gazed at each other, then an unmistakable, and very stinky, aroma filled the air.

“Oh, my goodness.” Alyssa wrinkled her nose. “Where did you put the pink-elephant bag with the spare diapers?”

Everett started to laugh. “It’s on the table.” He jerked a thumb over his shoulder in the direction of the door. “I need to go. Casey is on his way. I’ll explain everything when I get back.”

“Promise me—” Her lower lip trembled.

It was like stepping back in time four years.

“I’ll be careful.”

Alyssa was left with a dilemma. It seemed like explaining their startling new situation to Everett’s twin should be something they did together. Answering the door to Casey with a sleepy baby in her arms meant he inevitably gave her a look that was both startled and questioning.

“This is Sean and Delilah Dodd’s daughter, Kennedy. Following their deaths, Everett and I have accepted joint custody of her.”

Casey’s frown betrayed his shock, and he remained silent for a moment or two.

Although she knew and liked Everett’s brother, they’d never had a chance to get really close. His deputy-sheriff job kept him in Cactus Creek and, during the time that she and Everett had been dating, their lives had been in Phoenix. The two had made an effort to meet up, and family occasions with their parents had been important to them, but their busy jobs had often gotten in the way.

Casey stepped into the apartment and Alyssa locked the door behind him.

He looked around in confusion. “Where is Everett?”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, I get it.” The twins were fraternal, but when they smiled, the similarities between them were remarkable. “This is like the time he bet me he could beat me in a race to a bar. We both set off, then this hot girl in denim shorts distracted me by asking for my help to find her dog. It was over a year later I found out she was one of his college classmates and they split the winnings. Is he hiding in the bedroom?”

“Seriously. He said he had to go out and that you would stay with me until he got back. You now know as much as I do.”

The smile disappeared as he looked around. Before either of them could say anything else, the security buzzer made Alyssa jump. If she and Kennedy were to stay here, that thing would have to go.

“I’m expecting a delivery.” She hesitated, not wishing to sound overdramatic. “But Everett told me to keep the door locked.”

He went to the window and twitched back the drapes. “There’s a flatbed truck parked outside. It’s piled high with boxes.”

Piled high? With a sinking feeling, Alyssa went to stand beside him. The truck was small, but there were a lot of boxes. And she recognized the woman who was exiting from the passenger side of the vehicle.

“That’s Patty Griffiths. She’s from the Department of Child Safety.” She looked down at the baby, who had fallen asleep in her arms. “She promised to deliver Kennedy’s things.”

“I’ll get the door,” Casey said.

Sure enough, the guy at the door was one of Patty’s colleagues. By way of a greeting, he handed Casey a high chair. “I could do with some help getting the rest of the stuff up the stairs.”

Ten minutes later, the two men had made several trips from the van to the apartment. There were now several tall stacks of boxes in the small bedroom and the floor space in the living room was rapidly disappearing.

“We only brought the essentials,” Patty explained to Alyssa. “The rest of it is at her parents’ home.”

“Rest of it? How much stuff can one small person have?”

“I’ve been doing this job a long time and I’ve never seen so many toys and clothes.” Patty pursed her lips. “They must have spent a fortune on her.” She handed Alyssa a framed picture. “I know you’ll want to remind her of her birth parents. This was taken recently.”

It showed Kennedy sitting on a rug. Sean was lying on one side and Delilah was on the other. They were smiling as, propped on their elbows, each moved in to kiss one of their daughter’s chubby cheeks.

Alyssa stared at it for a moment or two. It was hard to believe such a happy family had been torn apart so tragically. Some might say the Dodds had brought what happened on themselves, but Kennedy was an innocent victim in all of this.

“I’ll make sure to put it somewhere so she can see it all the time.”

When Patty and her colleague had gone, Alyssa eased Kennedy onto the sofa and sat next to her.

“If you’re really doing this, you may need to get a bigger place.” Casey looked down at the sleeping baby. “Are you doing this?”

“We just found out about the custody request in Sean and Delilah’s will a few hours ago. We were about to talk about what it meant for the future when your brother took off. It’s so sad. This little girl’s parents must have loved her so much…” She shook her head. “Patty mentioned their home. I guess it’s part of the estate Kennedy will inherit.”

“Sean may have made his money on the wrong side of the law, but Delilah was a clever accountant. She invested it wisely and legally. The Dodds had a very neat property just outside of Cactus Creek. Kennedy will be a wealthy little girl.”

“I didn’t know them well, and I understand that they were in trouble with the law before they died, but Sean is the last person I could imagine taking his own life,” Alyssa said. “And killing Delilah, as well? It seems totally out of character.”

“He left a suicide note stating that he would rather die than face prison.” Casey’s grim expression reminded her of the hurt that Sean had caused him in the past.

Kennedy murmured in her sleep and Alyssa soothed her by gently rubbing her shoulders. Her responsibility to the child hit her all over again. “What a dreadful start for her. It will take a lot of hard work to make sure this doesn’t permanently damage her.”

“If anyone can give her a normal life, you and Everett are the ones to do it,” Casey said. “I guess that’s why Sean and Delilah chose you. They finally got something right.”

Sean Dodd was a cattle rustler who had been implicated in a murder. Delilah was a skilled accountant who cooked the books to make it look like his investments were honest. They had chosen a life on the wrong side of the law, but could they have foreseen that they would die this way? It felt like a step too far for a couple who had always struck her as overconfident.

And they chose us. Not Everett or Alyssa, but the two of them. It was a bittersweet reminder of how good they’d once been together. So good that the Dodds had seen something in them that they wanted for their daughter if there came a time when they were no longer around.

Her relationship with Everett might have ended, but the feelings it had been built on hadn’t gone away. Their shared past was one of the things that would make this new role hard.

She wished she could say she didn’t walk away from a challenge. But wasn’t that what she’d done four years ago? She shook away the thought. Times had changed. And this wasn’t about her and Everett.

It was about working together to make a future out of a tragedy.

The expression on Joe Meyer’s face as he accompanied Everett into Hoyles’ toy department could hardly have been described as cheery. Dodging between sales assistants dressed as elves and forest animals, Everett marched determinedly to the cash desk at the far end of the store. “FBI? You don’t seriously think this place is pushing drugs or selling guns, do you?”

Everett couldn’t blame Joe Meyer for his sarcastic comment. Hoyles’ was a Cactus Creek institution and stepping through the doors brought back memories of his own childhood holidays. Ignoring the fact that white Christmases were unusual in Sur County, the toy department was decked out like an icy winter wonderland. With lavishly decorated trees, gingerbread houses, traditional dollhouses and train sets, it was guaranteed to bring a smile to the face of every kid, as well as most adults.

“I need to speak to the manager.” The young cashier started to protest but was silenced when Everett held up his badge. It didn’t usually see this much daylight when he was on duty. “Now.”

“Wait here.” After giving him a nervous look, she headed toward a nearby office and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, a tall man emerged.

“I’m Paul Denmore, toy-department manager. What can I do for you?”

Because of his suspicions about the possible contents of the package, Everett had decided not to bring it into the busy store. Instead, he had left it in Joe’s delivery van, which was parked on an empty parking lot a block away. He held up his cell phone, displaying a photograph he had taken of the brightly colored package.

“I need you to tell me everything you know about this.”

Denmore looked from Everett to the picture, his startled gaze taking in Joe along the way. “It looks like one of our home-delivery gifts.”

Don’t water an angry seed. That had always been one of Maribelle Colton’s favorite phrases. Everett could almost hear his mom saying it now as he bit back an irritated response.

“I’m aware of the appearance of this item, Mr. Denmore. What I require from you is confirmation that it did originate in your store. Once I have that, I will be able to safely open the box and check its contents.” Although, having checked it over carefully, he felt confident, based on its weight and size that it wasn’t a bomb, he wasn’t prepared to take any chances. “Finally, I’ll need details of who placed the order.” A doubtful look crossed the other man’s face. “I can get a warrant. Even close the store, if that’s what it takes…”

“No, no.” Denmore held up his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “I’m happy to cooperate. Please come through to my office.”

Everett entered the room in the manager’s wake, with Joe trailing behind.

“If the package is one of ours, there will be a reference number on the gift label, under the recipient’s address,” Denmore said.

Everett swiped through his photographs until he found a close-up of the gift label. “Does this provide the information you need?”

“Yes.” Denmore went to his desktop computer and tapped on a few keys. After a moment or two, he leaned closer to the screen. “This item was ordered and paid for online three days ago.” He looked up. “It’s a teddy bear. The largest and most expensive soft toy we stock.”

“Is there any possibility it could have been tampered with during the packing process?” He wanted to be absolutely sure it would be safe to open that box.

Denmore pursed his lips. “I can’t give a hundred-percent guarantee, but I can offer you something that comes close.” He pointed to his screen, showing Everett a spreadsheet. “From the moment an order is placed to when it leaves the store, each person who handles the item records the date and time on the system. I can’t see any issues with this one.”

Everett released the pent-up breath that had been tightening his chest. In one sense, the confirmation that the delivery had come from Hoyles’ was good news. It meant the package was unlikely to contain anything sinister. On the other hand, it provided him with only half an answer. And it raised a whole lot of unwelcome questions.

“Okay. Now I need to know who placed the order.”

“Client confidentiality is important to us. We don’t usually give out this sort of information. But if a crime has been committed…” Denmore typed in a few details, a frown crossing his features as the screen changed. “I’m afraid it won’t be possible to give you any information about the sender.”

“What do you mean?” Everett moved closer, checking out the information on the screen.

“The toy was purchased using a prepaid gift card.”

Everett took a moment to consider that information. There could be any number of reasons why someone might want to remain anonymous when making a purchase. They may feel unsafe, threatened by identity fraud, or want to shield their credit-card data from hackers. They might even wish to keep the purchase private from family members.

Or they might pose a specific threat to a little girl called Kennedy Dodd.

“And there is no way of tracing who purchased the gift card?”

“None.” Denmore made a helpless gesture. “This one was purchased for cash on the day the bear was ordered.”

“But you have security cameras, right? You know the date and time of the purchase and which register was used. I’d like to see those images.”

“Of course.” Denmore turned to a table at the side of his desk. On it, four monitors displayed split screen images of the interior and exterior of the store. “The security office have a clearer view of what’s going on, but this is the back-up system in case anything goes wrong.”

Typing the time and date and a reference number into the keypad attached to the system, Denmore waited for one of the screens to load the information he required. After a moment or two, it switched to a single screen view of a register. There were two people waiting to make their purchases and Everett leaned closer to get a better view.

“This woman has several items, but she could have bought the gift card at the same time.”

Denmore shook his head. “No. The gift card was a single purchase.”

Everett pointed. “So it must be this person. He or she has no other items.”

He or she. It was impossible to tell. The figure at the desk wore dark, shapeless clothing and a jacket with the hood pulled up. Judging by the people and items around, it could have been a small man, or an average-sized woman.

“The timing shows that was the person who bought the gift card,” Denmore confirmed.

“Do you have any other images of him moving around the store?”

Denmore pressed more buttons, following the figure away from the cash desk, at which point he promptly disappeared into the crowd. When the manager tried to find the guy prior to his arrival at the desk, he was equally unlucky.

“Sorry. I can get security to keep trying and let you know if they find anything.”

Clearly there was no point in pursuing the matter further at that time. Everett thanked Denmore for his time and left his contact details, then made his way back through the festive scene and onto the street outside.

“Can I go now?” He’d almost forgotten about Joe.

“I need to take a look at that package.”

A few minutes later, he had offloaded the box from Joe’s van. Although the information from Denmore had put his mind at rest, a vague doubt remained. Carrying the package into an open space, he placed it on the ground and untied the ribbons. As he eased off the lid, his mind repeated the same question.

Even if this was a gift from a well-wisher, how did that person know where to find Kennedy?

There was no satisfactory answer. Could Sean and Delilah have discussed the details of their will with someone other than their lawyer, possibly Georgia? Since they hadn’t shared that information with Everett or Alyssa, the people most closely affected, it seemed unlikely. Even if that was the case, what were the chances of that person knowing when Kennedy’s new living arrangements would begin?

If we didn’t know, how could anyone else have known?

Could someone in Child Services have leaked the information? It was a possibility, but why would anyone do that?

Add in the fact that Everett living at a temporary address… No, whoever had sent this gift to Kennedy had worked hard to find her. And it didn’t feel comfortable.

“See. It’s a bear. Just like the guy said.” Joe was starting to get on his nerves.

It wasn’t just any bear. It was a giant, candy-pink, fluffy bear holding a cushion that read I Love You. Everett placed the lid back on the box and walked away.

“Hey,” Joe called after him. “What do you want me to do with this?”

“Donate it to your favorite charity.”

Chapter 3

When he arrived back at the apartment, Everett found his brother on his knees assembling a crib while Alyssa unloaded baby clothes from a box. From one of many. His confused brain took an inventory of what had once been his living space. “What the—?”

“Kennedy’s stuff arrived.” Alyssa appeared way too calm for someone who was speaking to him from behind a wall of boxes.

Before he could reply, Casey got to his feet. “All done. Where do you want this?”

“Well, there isn’t really space in the smaller bedroom.” Alyssa cast a wary look in Everett’s direction.

“I see.” He wanted to adopt an outraged pose, but there was barely enough room to breathe let alone throw out his chest. “So, as well as this room being taken over by baby items, I’m also being kicked out of my bedroom. Maybe I should sleep in my car from now on?”

He knew he was being unfair but how much more was this day going to throw at him? A baby, an ex-girlfriend—and not just any ex-girlfriend. No, Alyssa was the one he’d never quite managed to get over…and then there was that mysterious delivery. Now his rented apartment, never the most organized space, looked like a natural disaster had struck it.

All of those things were bad enough, but none of them were the worst. Like a knot tightening in his chest, there was also the knowledge that he couldn’t protect Alyssa from his fears. He would have to watch some of the light go out of those beautiful eyes as he told her about the teddy bear.

Aware of his twin’s gaze on his profile, he turned his head. The look in Casey’s eyes said it all. Don’t be a jerk.

“You guys have a lot to discuss. You don’t need me getting in the way.” Casey headed toward the door, turning back to look at Everett before he left. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

The message was clear. Tonight he was getting a reprieve. On the following day, his brother would want to know everything.

“I thought we could order pizza?” Alyssa said when Casey had gone. “It’s getting late. And we can’t eat out.”

She indicated the sleeping figure on the sofa. Kennedy was sprawled on her back, snoring softly. Alyssa had placed the cushions from the other sofa in a line on the floor next to her. Something about the action both touched and frightened him. Concern for the baby’s safety was an instinct that came naturally to her. He’d never have thought of this particular gesture.

I have so much to learn.

“I get it now. That’s why Sean did this. No more beers after a long day. If the guys from work are going for seafood or pasta or Thai, I’ll have to pass. I can’t stay up all night watching movies, or go for an early morning run. And…” He clapped a hand to his forehead in mock despair. “I’ll have to get a family car.”

Alyssa regarded him with amusement. “You think your former best friend is controlling your life from beyond the grave?”

“I wouldn’t put it past the guy.” He drew his cell phone from his pocket. “Pizza Paradise has my regular order. How about you? Still sticking with the boredom special? Goat cheese and red onion?”

“You remembered?”

“Four years is a long time.” It was true. Although he wasn’t sure whether he was talking about the four years they’d been together, or the four years since they’d split up. One of those stretches always seemed much longer than the other. “And we did eat a lot of pizza.”

“Yeah.” Her smile still had the power to warm his whole body. “The same as always for me. And I checked your refrigerator.” Her little shudder took him back in time. “Add some diet soda to the order, please.”

He placed the order, and, when he ended the call, Alyssa had switched into serious mode. “There’s something I need to speak to you about.”

“I was being a jerk. I’ll move my stuff into the small bedroom after we’ve eaten.”

“Thank you. But that’s not what I was going to say.” She waved a hand to indicate the boxes. “Patty Griffiths said they only brought the basics. The rest of Kennedy’s belongings are at the house her parents owned.”

“Well, that’s where they can stay. We can’t fit anything else in here.”

“Exactly. Everett, look at all of this.” She held out a framed picture to him as she spoke. “Look how much they loved their little girl. I just can’t believe that Sean would have chosen to leave Kennedy all alone by killing himself and Delilah.”

Everett stacked Kennedy’s boxes neatly along one wall, which meant they could place the pizza on the coffee table. While they ate, Alyssa sat on the sofa next to Kennedy and Everett piled cushions on the floor and sprawled at her feet. It was a moment of normality in a day that had taken unreal to a whole new level. She still didn’t know why he’d taken off so abruptly, or why he’d asked Casey to come over. She figured he would tell her in his own time, and already knew she wasn’t going to like the explanation.

“Patty brought a cool bag with some jars of baby food, so Kennedy will have something to eat when she wakes up.” Alyssa smiled as she looked at the little girl. “But tomorrow, I’ll need to go shopping.”

“Have you thought about what this really means?” She figured Everett was entitled to the note of skepticism she could hear in his voice. “I don’t just mean shopping for diapers and formula. What about your job? Your home? My place in Phoenix?” He ran a hand through his hair in a gesture that was as familiar as her own reflection in the mirror. “And what about us? After all this time, how are we supposed to do this together?”

After her relationship with Everett ended, Alyssa had accepted that theirs, like all other love stories, was unique. It was like a quilt, made of scraps and pieces that once held so much meaning. Everything they had done together had left a mark on her life. Every time she thought she was ready to move on, something would happen to remind her of those vibrant threads of color that bound her to him.

But the reality was simpler and less poetic. Breaking up had been the only logical way of dealing with her fears about his job, but she had never stopped caring for him. And leaving him had been like trying to blow up a life vest while drowning. If they’d ended things because the feelings had gone, this conversation would have been different.

But she knew what he was saying. Taking on Sean and Delilah’s baby was a huge commitment. Their history would make it a thousand times harder. They had gone their separate ways, only to have their worlds shaken off-course years later in the blink of an eye by the wishes of a dead couple. In the end, it came down to one thing. The right thing.

“This is not about us. Kennedy needs a family. Today, a twist of fate made us her mom and dad. I’ll do whatever it takes.” She gave him a direct stare. “I took a couple of days leave of absence to come here and I’m going to email the principal of my school in the morning and request maternity leave.”

There was a challenge in the words. Over to you.

He held her gaze for a moment or two before looking down at the beer in his hand. And that was what she had expected. Professionally, he was razor-sharp and one of the most successful agents in his field office. In his private life, Everett didn’t do tough decision making. Keep it comfortable or walk away. During their relationship, he had never deviated from that rule.

“You’re sure I can’t tempt you to try a slice of pepperoni with extra anchovies?”

Ignoring the deliberate attempt to distract her with the tried-and-tested pizza line he’d always used, she forced the conversation back on track. “As far as our living situation goes, this place probably isn’t ideal. But with the holidays coming up, I think we have to make the best of it for now.”

“You mean we take turns to breathe?”

“I’d forgotten what a funny guy you are, Colton.” She pulled a face at him. “I mean we make this a nice home for Kennedy, and we give her a family Christmas.” She frowned. “Her first Christmas.”

Everett was silent for a moment or two. When he spoke again, there was a new tone in his voice. “I came back to Cactus Creek to investigate a murder. Pierce Tostig was a ranch hand at Selectman Clarence Edison’s OverHerd Ranch. Casey was investigating a rustling case and he found the body near the corpse of one of the stolen cows. Sean, Delilah and Georgia were behind the operation, and confessed their involvement in Tostig’s death when they cornered Casey and another of Edison’s ranch hands, Melody Hayworth, at gunpoint. Luckily, Melody—who is now Casey’s girlfriend—made an SOS call and I was able to track their location. I arrived with a team of agents in time to arrest the rustlers.”

“So when he died, Sean was awaiting arraignment for a potential murder charge as well as cattle rustling?”

“That’s right.” His face was turned slightly away from her, but she could see the tension in the fine muscles of his jaw. “He rammed that fancy car of his right into a wall, killing himself and Delilah rather than face prison. At least that’s what the suicide note that was taped to the dash said.” She noticed his fist clench tight against his thigh. “There was just one small problem with that note.”

Alyssa waited. They weren’t touching, but she could feel the emotion coursing through him. When he looked up, the pain in his eyes made her breath catch.

“It wasn’t in Sean’s writing.”

“Could Delilah have written it?” she asked.

Slowly, he shook his head. “I compared it to samples of Delilah’s writing, as well. Neither of them wrote that note.”

Kennedy woke up just after Everett told Alyssa about the suicide note, and he was glad for a break so he could rein in his emotions. Although he had submitted a report to his senior special agent expressing his opinion that Sean and Delilah’s deaths were suspicious, he had not yet been given the go-ahead to officially investigate further.

As he cleared away the remnants of the takeout meal, he watched Alyssa with the baby. Kennedy got more food on her face and bib than she did in her mouth, but she appeared to enjoy holding her own spoon and hammering out a drumbeat on the tray of her high chair. When she was finished, Alyssa deftly wiped her down and scooped her up. The little girl chuckled delightedly.

“She needs to get into a bedtime routine.” She looked across at Everett. “How about we do bath time together?”

“You mean just you and me in the tub, right? Because I’m not sure I’m ready for the three of us.” Alyssa gave an outraged snort and he held up his hands. “I’m new to this parenting thing, remember?”

She quirked an eyebrow at him, letting him know he wasn’t fooling anyone. “I’ll get her bath ready.”

Seconds later, his arms were full of warm, wriggling baby. Kennedy gave a delighted squeal as she tried to poke a finger up his nose.

“Hey.” He caught hold of her hand. “I think you and I should establish a few ground rules. Firstly… Whoa! What is that smell?”

It was like a combination of bad eggs and rotting garbage. He regarded the baby with suspicion. Surely that aroma couldn’t be coming from such a cute little body? As if to confirm his worst fears, Kennedy’s stomach gave a loud gurgle. It was instantly followed by a series of popping sounds in the diaper region. The smell grew stronger.

He held the little girl at arm’s length. “Alyssa?”

She emerged from the bathroom with her sleeves rolled up to her elbows. “Yes?”

“I think there’s something wrong with Kennedy.”

Coming to the sofa, she leaned over his shoulder. Kennedy greeted her with an aimless wave and a fresh volley of stinky blasts.

“What makes you think that?”

Was it possible Alyssa had lost her sense of smell in the time they’d been apart? “Are you serious? I’ve supervised a drunk tank full of men who have spent a night consuming Mexican food and cheap beer. It didn’t come close to that level of toxicity.”

Alyssa laughed. “Her digestive system is immature and she’s still adjusting to solid food. A little gas is hardly surprising.”

She headed back into the bathroom.

“A little gas?” Everett studied Kennedy’s face. “I dread to think what you can achieve when you decide to fill a diaper.” She gave him a cheeky grin. “That wasn’t a challenge.”

A few minutes later, the complex preparations were complete. There was a brief power struggle when Kennedy seemed to feel that parting with her clothing was unnecessary. Everett watched in admiration as Alyssa won the battle with ease and placed the red-faced infant in the bathtub inside something that resembled a medieval torture device.

“It’s a bathing seat,” she explained in response to his raised eyebrows. “It means she can sit up safely without slipping around. And we have our hands free to wash her.”

It was yet another item on the growing list of “things Everett didn’t know about babies.” He wasn’t given any more time to ponder his inadequacies. Within seconds of Alyssa beginning to rub baby shampoo into Kennedy’s hair, most of the water had left the tub and was sloshing around on the floor.

Washcloth in hand, Alyssa fought on, attempting to clean every part of the shrieking, laughing little girl while Everett helped hold her still. In the end, she turned to look at Everett. “I think she’s clean enough now. At six months, she’s not mobile enough to get really grubby.”

“Shouldn’t you at least try to wash the, uh, delicate parts properly?” Everett wiped soapy water off his face and plowed back into the fray. “They get the dirtiest, after all.”

Although she was giving him a look of dislike, he couldn’t help noticing the way Alyssa’s drenched blouse clung to her curves. He’d missed those curves.

“You try.” She handed him the cloth and stepped back.

Kneeling at the side of the tub, he approached with caution. Kennedy, clearly aware she was dealing with a rookie, waited until he got in close, then grabbed him by the hair.

“This may be a two-person job, after all.” Alyssa came to his aid, freeing him from the chubby-fisted death grip.

“I’ll lift, you clean.”

To howls of protest from Kennedy, they completed the maneuver before collapsing side by side against the tiled wall.

“You know what?” Everett panted. “In future, I think a thorough clean each diaper change should take care of those bits.”

He ducked just in time to avoid the washcloth Alyssa threw at his head.

Once she was warm and dry after her bath, Kennedy was drowsy and ready for her bedtime bottle of formula.

“Why don’t you give it to her?” Alyssa held the onesie-clad baby out to Everett.

He paused for a moment, then took Kennedy from her and tucked the little girl into the crook of his arm. As soon as she saw the bottle, she reached for it, pulling it to her mouth and sucking greedily. Within minutes she was asleep.

Alyssa eased the bottle away from her and placed it on the coffee table. When she looked up, Everett was watching her face.

“She’s a lucky little girl to have found you.”

The lump in her throat was less about the words and more about his tone of voice. Don’t do this to me, Everett. This is day one. We have years ahead of us. Birthdays, holidays, starting school, boyfriends, graduation… The thought frightened her less than the intensity in his eyes.

“She has us both.” She brushed a stray curl off Kennedy’s forehead, and raised the question that had been at the back of her mind all day. “I know why I’m doing this. What about you?”

“Oh, come on, Alyssa.” A corner of his mouth lifted. “When you asked Ray Torrington what would happen to Kennedy if we said no and then you gave me that look, you knew I wouldn’t be able to resist you.”

She shook her head. “Not good enough. That answer might work if we were still together and deciding where to eat out or go on our next vacation. But this is about being mom and dad to a baby. It’s a lifelong commitment.”

He was silent for a moment or two. “First of all, you did influence my decision. Because there is no way I would have done this with anyone other than you.”

And there goes the last of my composure…

When he spoke again, his voice was little more than a whisper. “But you’re right. Just like you, I will be doing this properly, starting with a request to my boss for a leave of absence. And the reason I’ll be doing it is that it’s for Sean.”

“Because you don’t think he killed himself?”

“Even if he did—and despite his crimes—we were friends once.” He tilted his head back against the cushions. “I remember one summer when we were in high school, we got into a prank war. Neither of us could back down from a challenge. Sean thought it would be funny to use duct tape to fasten the handle of my school locker closed just when we had an important assignment due in. In revenge, I coated the seat of his bike in peanut butter. The jokes got wilder, until, one day, I enlisted Casey’s help. We were holding Sean down and filling his shorts with ice cubes when my mom walked in. She took one look, said, ‘I’ll give you boys some privacy,’ and walked out again.”

Although she had only met Maribelle Colton a few times, Alyssa could picture the scene. “Your mom likes to keep it classy.”

“Always.” He smiled. “The point is, I have a hundred stories about Sean. We kept those challenges going into adulthood, always trying to get the better of each other. But our friendship wasn’t all pranks. There was the time I tumbled into the creek and he jumped in to save me. Or when he fell off a wall and cut his head open, so I rode home with him on my crossbar. He screwed up with the way he treated Casey, but the earlier memories didn’t die.” He looked down at Kennedy. “When he entrusted his child to me, he knew I would be there for her.”

Alyssa bowed her head. In all the years she’d known him, this was the most Everett had ever opened up to her. She’d never understood why he felt the need to conceal his emotions and had spent too many hours wondering whether he was trying to prevent conflict, protect her from hurt, or avoid worrying her. Would things have worked out differently if he’d been able to express his feelings?

She gave a tiny shake of her head. It wasn’t his emotional detachment that had ended their relationship. Everett had been the one to suggest taking things to the next level. He’d asked her to move in with him and Alyssa had acted like a jackrabbit when it heard the cry of a wolf. Dating Agent Everett Colton had been difficult enough. Knowing he went out to work every day and put himself in danger was hard, but she could just about switch off from it and enjoy the time they spent together. If she lived with him, if she was watching the clock, waiting for him to come home at the end of each day…?

“We should get this little one into her crib.” And leave the past where it belongs.

Everett shuffled to the edge of the sofa and got cautiously to his feet. Carrying her as though she was a piece of priceless china, he took the baby through to the master bedroom. Earlier that evening, he had positioned her crib next to the bed, and Alyssa had placed the photograph of Kennedy with her parents on a nearby side table.

After spending a few moments shifting back and forth to find the right position, he lowered her into the crib.

Kennedy made a soft noise of protest and Everett gave Alyssa a look of pure panic. She shook her head and pointed toward the door. Like teenagers sneaking out to a party, they tiptoed from the room.

Alyssa choked back a laugh as she switched on the baby monitor she’d found in one of the boxes. “The look on your face.”

“What do you mean?” he whispered, sneaking a look over his shoulder at the closed bedroom door.

“When you thought Kennedy was about to wake up, your expression reminded me of that time I started choking on my soda.”

“Hey, that was scary. You nearly passed out.” He threw himself down on the sofa, hands linked behind his head, long legs crossed at the ankles.

“It was your fault,” she reminded him. “You made me laugh in midswallow.”

“Yeah. But I wasn’t expecting the whole wheezing, throat-clutching, eyes-watering response.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “You frightened the life out of me.”

“That’s how you looked at Kennedy. She’s a baby, Everett, not a time bomb. She will poop, spit up, drool, put disgusting things in her mouth and likely wake up several times a night.”

“You make it sound like such fun.” He sat up straighter. “I need to talk to you about something other than Kennedy’s bodily functions.”

“Ah.” She sat down next to him. “Is this about why you disappeared today?”

Now it was here, she realized how much she had been dreading this moment. It wasn’t that she believed caring for Kennedy had suddenly catapulted her into a fairy tale. Her early life had convinced her there were no such things as magic wands, golden coaches and glass slippers. And if Prince Charming existed? Well, he’d chosen a life in the FBI, and she was the anxiety-filled princess who couldn’t deal with that.

No, she was realistic enough to know that bringing up a baby would be hard. But she’d have liked more than a few hours to adjust to the idea before things got weird.

He nodded. “A delivery came. It was a Christmas gift for Kennedy.”

She frowned, her brain trying to make sense of what he was saying. “How could anyone have known where she was?”

“Exactly.”

Her first instinct was to rush into the bedroom, wrap Kennedy in a blanket and dash out into the night with her. But where could she take her that would be safer than right here with Everett? He was experienced at protecting people who were at risk. For the first time ever, she saw his job as a blessing instead of a curse.

“Is she in danger?”

“I couldn’t find out who sent it.” He reached across the space between them and covered her hand with his. “I won’t let anything hurt her—or you, Lyss.”

The old term of endearment slipped so naturally from his lips she wasn’t sure he even noticed it. From her perspective, it was soothing. And, goodness, she would take all the comfort she could get right now.

“Do you know have any idea who could have sent it?”

“I don’t have enough information to start speculating.” She sensed he was holding something back. Did he have a suspect in mind? Was there even anything to be suspicious of at this point? She figured he would give her any information she needed to keep Kennedy safe.

“It could have been innocent,” he said.

“You don’t think that.” She turned her head to look at him. His expression was grim.

“No, I don’t.” He heaved a sigh. “When Sean and Delilah died, Georgia made it clear she thought they had been murdered. She also said she wanted to take care of Kennedy.”

“Oh.” She looked down at her hands. “But you said she was in jail because she broke her bail conditions. How could she send the gift if she’s behind bars?”

“I don’t know. But it makes me want to know more about the way Sean and Delilah died.”

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