Praise for Margaret Daley and her novels

“Margaret Daley writes an entertaining story with believable characters in The Power of Love.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“Margaret Daley takes a candid and inspiring look at a child severely wounded and the two people who’d do anything to make her happy in A Family for Tory.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“When Dreams Come True has a unique plot with realistic dilemmas. Margaret Daley gets to the heart of family issues and Dane’s struggle to reconnect with his wife and children.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews

“Many romances deliver basic love-at-first-sight plots, but nuance is key in Margaret Daley’s Tidings of Joy. Chance and Tanya gradually discover friendship and love in a book that offers strong family values.”

—Romantic Times BOOKreviews

The Power of Love
&
The Courage To Dream
Margaret Daley

MILLS & BOON

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CONTENTS

THE POWER OF LOVE

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Epilogue

THE COURAGE TO DREAM

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Epilogue

MARGARET DALEY

feels she has been blessed. She has been married more than thirty years to her husband, Mike, whom she met in college. He is a terrific support and her best friend. They have one son, Shaun.

Margaret has been writing for many years and loves to tell a story. When she was a little girl, she would play with her dolls and make up stories about their lives. Now she writes these stories down. She especially enjoys weaving stories about families and how faith in God can sustain a person when things get tough. When she isn’t writing, she is fortunate to be a teacher for students with special needs. Margaret has taught for over twenty years and loves working with her students. She has also been a Special Olympics coach and participated in many sports with her students.

The Power of Love

And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

—1 John 4:16

This book is dedicated to the staff at Jenks High School and all the students I have had the privilege of teaching.

Chapter One

“What now?” Rebecca Michaels pulled back from the peephole, a frown marring her tired features.

When she opened her front door to the large policeman, tension whipped down her length. Standing next to the stranger was her son. The policeman’s solemn expression told her the next few minutes wouldn’t be a welcome-to-the-town exchange. She braced herself. “Is there something wrong, Officer?”

“Ma’am, is this your son?”

She nodded, her throat tightening.

“I found this young man behind the grocery store, loitering. He should be in school.”

“That was where he was supposed to be.” Rebecca directed her attention to her nine-year-old, whose features were set in a sullen expression. “What happened, Peter? You left an hour ago for school.”

He dropped his gaze. “I didn’t wanna go.”

“That’s not an option.” Rebecca looked toward the policeman. “I’m sorry to have inconvenienced you. I’ll make sure he gets to school when my baby wakes up.”

The man stuck out his hand. “I’m Gabriel Stone. I haven’t had the opportunity to welcome you to Oakview yet. Sorry it had to be this way.”

Rebecca shook his hand, comforted by the firm feel of his fingers around hers. His handshake conveyed an impression of directness and no-nonsense that was refreshing. “I’m Rebecca Michaels.” She relaxed the tense set of her shoulders.

“Well, ma’am, if you don’t mind, I can take your son to school for you.”

“I wouldn’t want to put you out.”

“No problem. That’s part of my job, making sure the kids stay in school.”

Grateful for his offer, she smiled. “Then great. My other son, Josh, just went down for a nap, and I hope he sleeps for a while.”

The policeman returned her smile, the lines at the corners of his eyes deep as if he smiled a lot. “If you need any help, don’t be a stranger. I live on the next block. I’ve known your grandmother for years.”

As her son and Gabriel Stone turned to leave, Rebecca called, “Come right home after school, Peter. We need to talk.”

The pout that graced her son’s mouth made her wonder if she would have to go out looking for him after school. She started to say something further when Gabriel Stone said, “He’ll be here. I’ll make sure of that, ma’am.”

Rebecca leaned against the doorjamb and watched her son and the policeman walk to the squad car. Gabriel Stone might bring Peter home this afternoon, but who was going to give her the strength to deal with this new problem? She squeezed her eyes closed and wished for the wisdom she would need to handle her eldest. He hadn’t wanted to come to Oakview. He’d let her know that he hated his new school and wanted to go back to his old school in Dallas.

Had she made a wrong decision about coming to her grandmother’s to live? She hadn’t had much choice after her husband walked out on her and the children. Taking a deep breath of the spring-scented air, she relished the quiet of the moment, only the occasional sound of a bird in her grandmother’s large oak tree breaking the silence.

“Rebecca, who was that?”

“Gabriel Stone.” She closed the front door and turned toward her grandmother, who came from the back of the house, her cane tapping on the hardwood floor. She stopped, and with her shoulders hunched leaned on her cane, something she only did when she was really tired. Granny had been up part of the night with her and Josh. The doorbell must have awakened her. “Everything’s okay. You should go back to sleep, Granny.”

“I needed to get up. I never sleep past seven, and here it is nearly nine.”

“You probably never stay up to all hours of the night, either. I’m sorry Josh was so fussy.”

“My child, never apologize for that.” Her grandmother waved her hand toward the door. “I wish you had asked Gabriel in for some coffee. I don’t get to see him nearly enough, especially now that he’s the new police chief.”

Police chief? She’d had no idea she had been talking to the person who ran Oakview’s small police department. He hadn’t said a word. “He’ll be back this afternoon.”

“Did he come over to welcome you to Oakview? That would be just like the boy.”

“No.” Rebecca wished that had been the case. “Peter skipped school.”

“I knew he wasn’t happy, but I never thought he would do that.” Rose Bennett headed for the kitchen. “I think you could use a cup of coffee. You’ve been up quite a while with Josh.”

Massaging the tight cords of her neck, Rebecca followed her grandmother into the most cheerful room in the house. Sunlight from a large bay window bathed the kitchen. The yellow and powder-blue flowered wallpaper, the white cabinets and the polished hardwood floors lent a warmth to the room that Rebecca loved. She remembered spending a lot of wonderful childhood days in this very kitchen, listening to her grandmother’s stories of her family during the Oklahoma land rush. If she could, she would spend most of her time in this room, cooking. She rarely had that kind of time anymore.

Granny retrieved two mugs from the cabinet and brought them to the pine table situated in front of the bay window. “Sit before you collapse. You look exhausted, my dear.”

Rebecca started to argue, then realized her grandmother was right. Weariness clung to every part of her. She could easily slump over on the table and go to sleep. She needed the caffeine to keep her awake so she could finish unpacking. Even though they’d been in Oakview for two weeks, they were still living in boxes. Peter would never feel as though this was his home as long as he had to get his things out of cardboard boxes. She was determined to have them settled completely as soon as possible. Then maybe they would begin to feel like a family again.

Granny poured coffee into the mugs, then took a seat next to Rebecca. “First, how’s Josh? You must have finally managed to get him to sleep.”

“You know Josh. He rarely complains. But his ears are still bothering him. He eventually went to sleep, I think out of pure exhaustion. I worry that his ear infection will spread to his lungs. You know the problems he can have with his breathing.”

“He’s such a sweet baby.” Granny sipped her coffee. “Of course, I’m not sure he’s considered a baby any longer. He’ll be two soon. I wish I could help you more with him.”

“Granny, offering to let us stay here has…” Rebecca swallowed hard, but the tears returned to plague her.

“Child, this is your home, too. Always will be.” Rose patted Rebecca’s hand. “You’re family, and next to God, family is the most important thing in our lives.”

“I wish Craig thought his family was important.” Rebecca remembered a time when their small family had been important to Craig—before Josh was born. When they had been first married, he’d wanted children, but over the years his feelings had changed.

Rose pinched her lips and snorted. “That man will regret leaving you one day, only by then it’ll be too late.”

“We’ve been divorced a year yesterday.”

Rose placed her hand over Rebecca’s. “I know, child. I’m sorry. With faith and time the pain will go away.”

The feel of her grandmother’s small, gnarled fingers over hers comforted Rebecca. “Time might help, but I don’t know about faith, Granny. I think God stopped listening to my prayers long ago. I’ve tried so hard to keep this family together. My sons need…” She couldn’t continue. The heartache of the past few years overwhelmed her, robbing her of her voice and capturing her breath in her lungs.

“It may seem that way, child, but He hasn’t. He has a plan for you. You just don’t know what it is yet.” Rose squeezed Rebecca’s hand. “You’re here with me now. Things will start to look better.”

Drawing in a shallow gulp of air, Rebecca swallowed past the tightness in her throat, determined to hold her family together somehow and reach her eldest son. “Peter’s so miserable. He has never been openly hostile and defiant to me until lately. He used to love school. Now, I have to force him to go.”

“Wait until he makes new friends. He’ll forget all about Dallas.”

Rebecca took several sips of her lukewarm coffee, wishing she had the faith that her grandmother had. When Craig had walked out on them eighteen months ago, she had prayed for help and guidance. None had come. Josh had to have surgery on his heart. The bills stacked up and Craig was slow to help pay for his children’s upbringing. She had to sell the only home Peter had known and finally admit she couldn’t make it in Dallas by herself. She’d returned to the town she’d grown up in Oklahoma.

Rebecca reached to pour herself another cup of coffee when she heard Josh’s crying. Glancing at the time, she realized he hadn’t slept more than half an hour. She pushed to her feet. “I’ll see if I can’t get him back to sleep.”

Her grandmother caught her arm to stop her. “Honey, when God closes a door, He opens a window. Moving back to Oakview is a fresh start for you and your family. This is a wonderful town to raise your children in.”

Rebecca leaned down and kissed her grandmother’s wrinkled cheek. “If that’s correct, then you’re my window, and I appreciate you opening your home to me and my children. Ever since my parents died, you have been my anchor.”

Josh continued to cry. Rebecca hurried upstairs to her bedroom, where he slept in a crib next to her bed. She looked at her youngest who had managed to turn over—finally, after twenty months. His face was beet red, and his short arms and legs were flailing.

“How’s my little man?”

He turned his head toward her, his big brown eyes, slightly slanted at the corners, filled with tears.

“Nothing can be that bad,” Rebecca said, scooping her son into her embrace. He fit in the cradle of her arms, his length no more than a one-year-old’s.

Tears misted her eyes. Blinking them away, she began to sing Josh’s favorite song. He cuddled against her, sleep slowly descending. She would not feel sorry for herself or Josh. That was wasted energy—energy she couldn’t afford to waste.

Gabriel entered the clothing store and strode toward the elderly woman, sitting in an uncomfortable-looking chair with a young man standing over her with a scowl on his face.

When Ben Cross saw him approach, he waved his hand toward the white-haired woman and said, “I want her arrested. She tried to take a watch.”

The elderly lady bristled. “Nonsense. I was admiring the watch, stuck it in my pocket to buy after I had looked around and forgot all about it.”

“Ma’am—” Gabriel began.

“Bess Anderson. You can call me Bess, Officer. All my friends at the home do.”

“Shady Oaks on First Street?”

“Why, yes. You know the place where I live?” She straightened her shoulders, clutching her purse handle with both hands.

The elderly woman reminded Gabriel of a typical grandmother of yesteryear. She was dressed in a floral print dress with sensible walking shoes and a felt hat on her head. All she was missing were white cotton gloves. “Ma’am, how—”

“Bess, please. Ma’am makes me sound so old, which I refuse to be.”

“Bess, how did you get here?” Gabriel ignored the glares Ben was sending him.

“Why, I just walked out of the building and headed for town. I like to shop and haven’t been in a while.”

“Then let me take you home.” Gabriel turned away from Bess and whispered to Ben, “I think this was all a misunderstanding. I’m inclined to accept her word that she just forgot about the watch being in her pocket. Is that okay with you?”

Ben pursed his lips, his eyes pinpoints.

“She’s at least eighty. I can’t see locking her up, Ben.”

The young man sighed. “Okay. This time. This better not happen again.”

Gabriel escorted Bess Anderson to his squad car. While the elderly woman gave him a rundown of her afternoon outing, he drove her the few blocks to the Shady Oaks Nursing Home. As he walked her toward the main building, the director came out the front door, worry carved into her expression.

“We’ve been looking all over the place for you, Bess. Is everything all right?”

“My goodness, yes. I just had a lovely stroll into town, and this nice gentleman offered to bring me home.” Bess continued past the director.

Gabriel shook his head as he watched the old woman disappear into the building. “Bess Anderson is certainly an interesting character, Susan.”

“And a handful. She’s only been with us for a few weeks, and this is the second time she has walked away from the home. I don’t know how she gets out. Thank you for bringing her back. Do you want to come in for some tea? It’s almost four. We were about to have it in the main lounge.”

“I’ll take a rain check. I have a date with a young man at the school. In fact, if I don’t get moving, I’ll be late.”

Quickly Gabriel headed toward the elementary school. He pulled into a parking space just as the bell dismissed the children for the day. He climbed from the squad car and leaned against it, his arms folded across his chest, and waited for Peter Michaels to appear. Gabriel waved to several students coming out of the school, but he kept his gaze focused on the door. He wouldn’t put it past the boy to try to sneak away. Peter hadn’t been very happy this morning when Gabriel had deposited him in the principal’s office before having a brief word with the man.

When the last student filed out of the school, Gabriel straightened and decided to head inside to see if Peter had given him the slip. He took two steps and stopped. Coming out of the building at a slow pace was the child in question. The sullen look on his face underscored the reluctance the boy felt.

Gabriel relaxed against the car and waited. He had a lot of patience, and he had a feeling he would need every bit of it to get through to Peter.

“Glad you could make it,” Gabriel said, and opened his car door.

“This is dumb. I can walk home. It’s only two blocks.”

“I told your mother I would give you a ride.”

The boy’s frown deepened as he rounded the back of the sedan and climbed inside.

Gabriel started the engine and slanted a look toward Peter. He stared straight ahead, defiance stamped in his features. No small talk on this trip, Gabriel thought, and backed out of the parking space.

A few minutes later Gabriel pulled into Rose Bennett’s driveway, and Peter jumped from the car before Gabriel could even switch off the engine. The boy raced for the house and disappeared inside so fast that Gabriel had to admire the child’s quickness. He would be great on the baseball team. An idea formed and grew as Gabriel ambled to the house to pay his respects to Rose and maybe get to see Rebecca Michaels again.

All day he had been unable to shake the image of her wide eyes as she had stared at him. Deep in their blue depths he had glimpsed a vulnerability that touched him to the core. He hated to see someone hurting, and Rebecca was definitely in pain.

Even though Peter had left the front door open, Gabriel knocked on the screen, not wanting to ring the bell since her baby might be sleeping. He heard the sound of Rose’s cane tapping against the floor as she shuffled toward him.

“My goodness, Gabriel, why are you standing out there? Come in. Are you through for the day?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I just made a fresh pot of coffee, and I know how much you like my brew.” Rose reached into the mailbox at the side of the door and retrieved several envelopes.

“No one makes it quite like you.”

He stepped inside and glanced about him at the warmth of the house. Rose was determined to bring the outdoors inside. In every room there were vases of cut flowers from her garden and pots filled with green plants. The house’s clean, fresh scent reminded him of a beautiful spring day.

“Now, that will definitely get you a second cup. I was in the kitchen trying to decide what to fix for dinner. Since Rebecca’s moved in with her boys, we eat early. Why don’t you stay and eat with us tonight?”

“I don’t—”

Rose paused at the entrance to the kitchen, clasping both hands on the cane, her sharp, shrewd gaze directed at him. “I won’t take no for an answer, son. I know for a fact you usually go home at night and eat by yourself in that big empty house of yours. Tonight you can eat with me and my family.”

“Put that way, I can’t refuse. I’ll stay on one condition. You let me help with dinner.” He enjoyed being a policeman in this Oklahoma town. The people had taken him into their hearts and made him feel a part of Oakview when he had moved here ten years before. They had comforted and shared in his pain, too. He would never forget their support.

“I’ll let you share cleanup duty with my granddaughter. Cooking is one of my favorite things. Cleaning up isn’t.”

“It’s a deal.”

Gabriel sat at the kitchen table while Rose retrieved a blue mug from the cabinet and poured him some coffee. The aroma filled his nostrils, easing some of the day’s tension. There was something in Peter’s rebellious expression that concerned him, causing a warning to go off in his brain.

“I noticed you brought Peter home,” Rose said, slipping a look at him while she stood at the stove and browned some ground beef. “Did he say anything to you?”

“Not a word.”

“That’s what I was afraid of. That child doesn’t say much, and when he does he’s always angry.”

“Yep, that about sums up my experience with him.” Gabriel took a long sip of his coffee, relishing the delicious taste of the rich brew as it slid down his throat.

“I’ve been trying to get him to church, but last Sunday I think he deliberately made himself throw up so he didn’t have to go. I don’t know what to do about him, and Rebecca is as lost as I am.” Rose placed the wooden spoon on the counter and began cutting up an onion.

The aromas of cooking meat and fresh coffee reminded Gabriel of the home he used to have when his wife was alive. Now he usually heated up frozen dinners or grabbed something at the diner in town by the police station.

“What’s he angry about?”

“He didn’t want me to move to Oakview.”

Gabriel peered over his shoulder at Rebecca, who stood in the doorway, that haunted look in her eyes again. His natural curiosity was aroused by this woman as he took in her petite build. Short brown hair framed an oval face, and her smooth, creamy complexion was devoid of any makeup. She wasn’t beautiful, but there was something pleasing about her appearance.

“What did Peter say about skipping school?” Rose added the onion to the ground beef and stirred.

“Not much.”

“Is Josh asleep finally?”

“Yes, but I don’t know how long that will last. I hope the antibiotic takes effect soon.”

“What’s wrong?” Gabriel asked, finishing his coffee.

“An ear infection. Can I help, Granny?”

“No. I asked Gabriel to dinner, and he’ll help you clean up. Sit and relax for a few minutes. You’ve been going a mile a minute since this morning.”

Rebecca followed her grandmother’s advice and took the chair at the opposite end of the kitchen table from Gabriel. Closing her eyes, she rolled her head and moved her shoulders. “Well, in between taking care of Josh, I did manage to empty a few more boxes. Only a dozen left.”

Gabriel walked to the coffeepot and filled his mug. The scent of cooking onion saturated the air and made his stomach rumble. “Are you staying long?”

“I’m not sure what my plans are.” She picked up the mail and flipped through the stack of letters.

“Did you receive your check?” Rose turned toward Rebecca, concern in her expression.

Frowning, Rebecca tossed the letters on the table. “No. He’s late again. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

“Is there something I can help you with?” Gabriel took the seat across from Rebecca, an urge to protect inundating him. In his line of work he often helped strangers, but this was different. He didn’t like to see distress dull her eyes and wished he could erase it.

“No.” Her gaze found his. “There isn’t anything that you can do. My ex-husband is late with his child support. That’s all.” She shrugged as though it were nothing.

Gabriel seriously doubted it was that simple, but he saw the do-not-trespass sign go up and he didn’t pursue the topic. Instead, he said, “I’d like to have Peter come out for the baseball team. I think he has potential.”

“Baseball?”

“He’s quick, and the guys on the team are a great bunch of kids. I help coach a Little League team after school.”

“I doubt you’ll get him to agree. All he wants to do lately is stay in his room and listen to music.”

“Does he like music?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe he could join the church choir. I’m the director. The children perform at the early service and the adults at the later one.”

Rebecca stiffened, her jaw clenching. “You sound like a busy man. When do you have time for yourself?”

“Baseball and music are things I do for myself.”

“Rebecca, you should see the children perform at church. Ever since Gabriel took over a few years back, the crowd of people attending our service has doubled. The choir is wonderful, and Gabriel’s quite a singer. Rebecca used to be in her church’s choir in Dallas.”

He dropped his gaze from Rebecca’s face, feeling the heat of a blush tinge his cheeks. He had never been comfortable with compliments. Singing was a gift God had given him, and he wanted to share it with others, use it to spread His word. God had been his salvation when he had hit bottom after his wife and child died.

Gabriel shifted in his chair. “We could always use another voice. Even if Peter doesn’t want to sing, you’re certainly welcome to join the adult choir.”

Rebecca came to her feet. Feelings of being railroaded into doing something she wasn’t ready to handle overwhelmed her. She had forgotten about how small towns were. All she wanted to do was hide and lick her wounds. She was afraid people like Gabriel wouldn’t allow her to. “I think I hear Josh crying,” she murmured and rushed from the room.

“I didn’t hear anything,” Gabriel said, frowning, not sure what had just happened.

Rose opened a can of kidney beans and one of tomatoes, then dumped the contents of both into the skillet. “I guess I shouldn’t have pushed. Rebecca’s faith has been shaken ever since Craig left her. I know I’m supposed to forgive that man for what he did to my family, but I’m having a hard time. He walked out on Rebecca, Peter and Josh when they needed him the most. All he left her was a note on her pillow. She woke up one morning, and her marriage of twelve years was over.” Rose snapped her fingers. “Just like that.”

How could a man walk out on his family? Gabriel wondered, continually surprised by how easily some people discarded their children and wives when he would give anything to have a family. Memories of his loss engulfed him. Pain constricted his chest, making it difficult to breathe. In a few seconds, three years before, his whole life had been changed because a man had decided to drink and drive.

Gabriel started to say something when he heard footsteps approaching the kitchen. When Rebecca entered, she held a baby in her arms close to her chest. She placed the child in a swing set up in the corner, adjusted some tiny pillows to prop the boy up, then started it. When Gabriel saw Josh’s features, he knew something was wrong.

Rebecca caught him staring at the child. “My son has Down’s syndrome. His second birthday will be in six weeks, and yet he doesn’t look a day over one.”

Gabriel didn’t know what to say to her announcement. She made it sound almost a challenge. Was the child the reason her husband had left? If so, how could he turn his back on one of God’s creations? He would have given anything to be able to hold his own son, to cradle him to his chest. That wasn’t possible, never would be.

“I hope you’re planning a big party. Birthdays are important to children,” Gabriel said, as though he was an expert on children when he had never really experienced the joys of fatherhood. His son had only lived a few hours. A tightness gripped his throat.

Rebecca went to the cabinet to get bowls. “I haven’t thought that far ahead. I’ve been a little preoccupied lately with the move and all.” She heard the defensive tone in her voice and winced as she withdrew the bowls and closed the cabinet door.

“If you need any help—”

“No, I’m fine.” She cut in, not wanting to hear his offer of assistance when she had never been able to get Craig even to change Josh’s diaper. Again she experienced the stifling need to be alone to deal with the emotions threatening to overpower her. If it had been possible, she would have been better off staying in Dallas where she could get lost in a crowd.

“Rebecca!” Granny turned from the stove with the wooden spoon in her hand and a frown of disapproval on her face.

Rebecca immediately regretted her cool interruption. She attempted a smile that she knew didn’t reach her eyes and said, “I’m sorry. It’s been a long day.”

“Go get Peter. Gabriel will set the table for us,” her grandmother interjected.

Thankful to escape the kindness she glimpsed in Gabriel’s dark eyes, she rushed from the kitchen and didn’t slow her step until she was upstairs and outside Peter’s bedroom. Pausing, she inhaled a steadying breath, then knocked on his door.

All she heard coming from the room was the blare of music. She knocked again, louder.

The door swung open, and Peter scowled at her. “I’m not hungry.”

“Then you don’t have to eat. But you do have to come down to dinner and sit while we eat. We have a guest tonight.”

“Who?”

“Chief Stone.”

Her son set his mouth in a firm line. She didn’t know if she had the strength to fight him if he refused to come downstairs. She did need help, but she was alone in this world except for her grandmother whom she didn’t want to burden with her problems. Granny wasn’t in the best of health, having suffered a mild stroke several years before.

Peter pushed past her and stomped down the stairs. Rebecca released her pent-up breath, then took a deep breath and blew it out through pursed lips. She needed to believe everything would work out, but each day she felt the weight on her shoulders growing.

Tears sprang into her eyes. She swiped at one that rolled down her cheek. She didn’t have time to feel sorry for herself. Both Josh and Peter depended on her. Somehow she would hold this family together.

When she entered the kitchen and saw Gabriel sitting at the head of the kitchen table, she came to a halt inside the doorway. He looked at home, holding Josh, supporting his small body in the curve of his arm. Her heart slowed, then began to race at the sight of him smiling at her son. Josh smiled at Gabriel. The large, muscular man dwarfed her son, but the picture of the two of them seemed so right that Rebecca blinked as if she had been caught daydreaming the impossible.

For a few seconds Rebecca allowed herself to wonder how it would feel to have a man like Gabriel Stone supporting her emotionally, loving her children. She shook the thought from her mind. She could only depend on herself to keep this family together.

Chapter Two

“He wanted out of the swing when it stopped,” Gabriel said, looking at her.

“Thank you for taking care of him,” she murmured, retrieving her son from Gabriel and putting Josh into his high chair, again propping him with pillows so he could sit up. He was starting to support his weight, but he was still having trouble maintaining his balance for any length of time.

“There’s a child in the church choir with Down’s syndrome. He loves music.”

“Josh does, too.” Rebecca snapped on his bib.

Rose sat at the other end of the table, forcing Rebecca to take the chair next to Gabriel. “Let’s join hands. Gabriel, will you give the blessing?”

Rebecca took Josh’s tiny hand and Gabriel’s larger one. The touch of Gabriel’s fingers about hers sent warmth up her arm. The link felt natural and right. That surprised her.

“Heavenly Father, we come to this table to offer our thanks for this wonderful food. Please watch over us and give us the strength to deal with our problems.”

The devotion in his voice gave Rebecca a sense of peace for the first time that day. She relished the blessing and wished she could feel that kind of love and faith again.

While Rose spooned chili into a bowl, then passed it to Peter, Rebecca fed Josh his baby food, mashed bananas and roast beef, two of his favorites. She introduced another food, strained carrots. He made a face and spit the carrots out. She dabbed at the orange that ran down his chin.

“Way to go, Josh. I hate carrots, too,” Peter said, the first enthusiasm he had shown all day.

“So far, I haven’t been able to find too many vegetables he likes.” Rebecca tried another spoonful of carrots, which Josh immediately rejected.

“Have you tried mixing the bananas with the carrots and seeing if he’ll eat that?” Gabriel set a chili bowl in front of Rebecca.

“Well, no. I suppose it wouldn’t hurt.” Rebecca dipped her spoon into the bananas and scooped some into the carrots. She wrinkled her nose at the mixture of light yellow and orange swirls.

When she fed Josh some of the new mixture, he kept most of it in his mouth. She gave him another spoonful, and he ate that, too.

“This might work with other vegetables, too. Thank you for the suggestion.” Rebecca looked toward Gabriel.

His dark gaze caught hers and held it. “Anytime.”

“Do you have any children?” she asked, realizing she knew nothing about this man and in many ways wished she did.

“No. Judy and I always wanted a whole house full.” Pain flitted across his features for a few seconds before he managed to conceal his emotions.

“Judy is your wife?” Rebecca glimpsed a wedding ring on his left hand.

“She died three years ago.” He touched his wedding ring, twisting it on his finger. “We had hoped to start a family when we moved here. It never happened.”

“But he’s determined to make up for that. He takes every child he can under his wing.” Rose sipped water, her eyes twinkling.

Here was a man who had wanted children but didn’t have any while her husband hadn’t wanted to care for his two sons. Life wasn’t fair, Rebecca thought, a constriction in her throat making it impossible to say another word. She dropped her gaze and continued to feed Josh.

A few minutes later Gabriel asked, “May I try that? You haven’t had a chance to eat any of this great chili yet.”

Rebecca hid her surprise at his request. She had always been the one to feed Josh. It was her responsibility, and she hadn’t asked anyone else to do it. “I guess so.”

“I’ve been watching you. I think I’ve got your technique down,” he said with a sparkle in his dark brown eyes.

She blushed at the idea that he had been watching what she’d been doing. The thought unnerved her more than she cared to think about.

“Eat while I finish up with this roast beef and banana-carrot combo.”

Rebecca delved into the chili, filling her bowl with the delicious-smelling food. She was starved and hadn’t realized it until she started eating. While she savored her meal, she watched Gabriel make a game of feeding her son. Josh smiled and cooed. Why couldn’t this have been Craig enjoying his child?

“You know, Peter,” Gabriel said while pretending to be a dive bomber coming in for a landing in Josh’s mouth, “I noticed how fast you were running into the house. Have you ever thought about being on a baseball team?”

“Nope. I have better things to do after school.”

“It does require a lot of time. It takes quite a commitment for a young man.”

The challenge in Gabriel’s voice dared Peter to accept. Her eldest straightened, his eyes becoming pinpoints. Peter didn’t say anything, but he studied the police chief as though he wasn’t quite sure what to make of the man.

At the end of the meal Gabriel wiped Josh’s mouth. “Rose, that’s the best food I’ve had in a long time. Thank you for inviting me to dinner.”

“You’re welcome.” Rose gripped her cane and struggled to her feet. “Josh, Peter and I are going to retire to the living room while you two clean up. Peter, will you carry him for me?”

“Sure, Granny.” Peter carefully picked up Josh and followed his great-grandmother out of the room. “It’s time for us to practice, Josh, my man.”

Rebecca started taking dishes to the sink. “You don’t have to help. I can take care of this mess if you need to leave.”

“No. I told Rose I would help, and I always follow through on what I say.” Gabriel brought several bowls and glasses to the counter.

While she rinsed the dishes, he put them into the dishwasher. They worked side by side in a silence that Rebecca didn’t find awkward. A sense of teamwork eased any tension she experienced from his nearness. She usually felt the need to fill the void in a conversation with chitchat, but for some reason she didn’t with Gabriel. Another surprise, she thought.

When she was through with the dishes, she noticed that it was dark outside the window over the sink. She reached to pull the shade down at the same time Gabriel turned toward her. Their arms grazed. Again that sense of warmth fanned from his touch. Startled by the brief contact, she flinched.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to bump into you,” he said with a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes, lending an appealing attraction to his tanned features.

“No problem.” Rebecca yanked on the cord to lower the shade, then wrung out the washcloth to wipe the table and counters.

She felt Gabriel’s gaze on her while she worked. The thought of him watching her made her heart beat faster. The silence between them hummed with alarming undercurrents. Her battered emotions were too raw for anything but friendship between them, if even that.

“I’m just about through in here if you want to go into the living room and join the others,” she said, aware that her hands quivered.

He lounged against the counter, his stance casual, relaxed. “I’ll wait. Can I help with anything else?”

She shook her head while she hurried the cleaning, the nape of her neck tingling where she imagined him staring.

“May I ask you a question?”

She pivoted toward him, clasping the edge of the kitchen table she had been wiping. Her legs felt weak, as though the strength had suddenly been siphoned from them. “Shoot.” She laughed nervously. “Maybe I shouldn’t say that to a policeman.”

That warm smile of his touched his mouth again. “Josh doesn’t just have Down’s syndrome, he has something else wrong with him, doesn’t he?”

Her grip tightened until her knuckles turned white. “Yes. He has spina bifida. His spine isn’t developed. The doctors told me that he would never walk, talk or do anything.”

“I’m sorry. That has to be hard on you.”

Rebecca stared into his troubled gaze for a long moment, then shoved away from the table and draped the washcloth over the edge of the sink. “It’s harder on Josh,” she finally said as she headed for the living room.

She came to a stop in the doorway, aware that Gabriel was right behind her, looking over her shoulder. Peter clasped Josh under the arms and was helping him across the carpet. Tears returned to block her throat. Every night Peter practiced “walking” with Josh. Her oldest son was determined that Josh would one day play sports with him. That, according to the doctors, would never happen, and she didn’t have the heart to tell Peter.

Gabriel set his hands on her shoulders and leaned close to whisper, “You’re lucky to have such a nice family.”

The wistful tone in his voice made Rebecca ache for what he must have lost when his wife died. His words helped her focus on what was right with her life. “Yes, thank you for reminding me of that.”

When he dropped his hands, she immediately missed the warmth of his touch.

Through the fog of sleep, Rebecca heard the doorbell ringing. She dragged herself out of bed, slipped on her robe, then hurried to the front door. She peered out the peephole and saw Gabriel Stone. Why was he here at this hour? Then a thought struck her, and she quickly opened the door. Standing next to the police chief was Peter, for a second time in one day wearing a defiant expression on his face.

“Sorry to bother you at such a late hour, but I found your son running from a house that had just been egged.”

“Whose house?”

“Mine.”

“Peter Michaels, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Her son looked away, his frown deepening, his mouth pinched as though he wouldn’t say a word no matter what.

A chill swept her. Rebecca pulled her terry-cloth robe tighter about her and stepped to the side. “Please come in. I don’t want to discuss this out on the porch for the whole town to hear.”

Gabriel made sure that Peter entered the house before he came inside. “I’m willing to forget this incident. Since tomorrow’s Saturday Peter can come by my house to clean up the mess.”

“He’ll be there. And when he’s through cleaning up the eggs, he can do some other chores for you.”

“I’ll take care of my mess, but that’s all.” Peter crossed his arms over his chest, his features arranged in a stubborn expression.

Rebecca drew in a deep, bracing breath, so tired from no sleep and unpacking that all she wanted to do was collapse into a chair to have this discussion with her son. She gripped the banister, using it to support her weight. “That’s not debatable.” She looked toward Gabriel. “What time do you want us there?”

“Eight will be fine, if that’s not too early for you.”

“Are you kidding? I’m up at the crack of dawn with Josh.”

“You can’t make me!” Peter shouted, running up the stairs. “I won’t go!”

Rebecca’s first instinct was to hurry after her eldest, but when she heard his bedroom door slam shut, she winced and decided it wouldn’t do any good. She might say something she would regret, because at the moment her patience was worn thin.

“I’m sorry, Rebecca. I hated to have to bring him home this way and at such an hour.”

She shook her head. “You did the only thing you could. I didn’t even know he was gone. He’s never sneaked out before.” She attempted a smile that she knew faltered. “At least not that I’m aware of. I’m afraid lately I don’t know what my son is thinking or doing.” She ran her hand through her hair, suddenly conscious of the fact that she must look a mess.

Gabriel smiled. “He’ll come around when he gets used to Oakview. It’s hard moving to a new town.”

“We used to be very close until…” Rebecca couldn’t finish the thought. She was tired of thinking about the past and what used to be.

“You don’t have to come tomorrow morning. I’ll make sure Peter does what he needs to do and I’ll put him to work after he cleans up the eggs.”

Rebecca straightened from the banister. “Peter’s my problem, not yours. We’ll be there tomorrow morning at eight sharp.”

“If you need any help—”

“I appreciate the kind offer, but I’m fine.” Rebecca walked to the front door and opened it.

Gabriel paused in the entrance and turned to say something but stopped when he saw her standing so proud and untouchable. She didn’t know how to accept his help, and he wouldn’t make things worse by saying anything else to her. She had enough to deal with. But it didn’t stop his desire to wipe the sadness from her eyes.

He nodded, murmured, “Till tomorrow,” and strode away from her house.

He climbed into the squad car and sat for a few minutes staring at a light in one of the upstairs bedrooms. The silence of the night soothed him, and he bowed his head. “Please, Lord, give me the guidance I need to help Rebecca and her children.” He closed his eyes, drawing strength from the knowledge that He would be with him, that He would show him how to help Rebecca, Peter and Josh.

When Gabriel started the car, he felt calm, at peace as he always did after he communicated with God. He started to back out of the driveway when the radio sounded in the quiet. He responded to the call from the station, knowing it wouldn’t be good.

“Stone here.”

“There has been some vandalism at the school baseball field. Thought you might want to know, sir. I called your house, and when there wasn’t an answer, I thought you might be out.”

“Thanks, Bob. I’ll head over there and take a look.”

When Gabriel arrived at the baseball field, he immediately noticed the large window on the side of the main building was shattered. Taking his flashlight, he checked the area outside before shining the light through the smashed window, glass shards glittering on the concrete floor. Relieved to find the inside undisturbed, he headed for the front to have a closer look around. By the door he stepped on a broken egg in the gravel.

Peter Michaels. Of course, he had no proof the damage had been done by the boy, but he would stake his career on it. Peter might not realize it, but Gabriel could tell when someone was crying out for help and he intended to give the boy that help, starting first thing tomorrow morning.

Rebecca pushed the bell again and heard its blare so she knew it was working. Suddenly the door jerked open, and she automatically stepped back. Gabriel with messed-up hair and a day’s growth of beard greeted her with a puzzled look.

“What time is it?” he asked, combing his fingers through his conservatively styled black hair.

“Eight.” She curled her fingers around the handle of the stroller that held Josh, staring at the overpowering man who had haphazardly dressed in a pair of jeans, a white T-shirt but no shoes.

Gabriel glanced at his watch. “I must have slept through my alarm. Sorry. Got to bed later than usual last night. There was a break-in at the baseball field.” He directed his gaze toward Peter, who stood next to Rebecca.

She looked from the man to the boy, wondering if something was going on. Could Peter have been involved with the break-in? She hoped not, because if that was the case she had a bigger problem than her child not liking Oakview. “Peter, did you do anything else last night besides egg Chief Stone’s house?”

The boy’s bottom lip stuck out, and he stared at a point by his shoes. “What do you think I am? Stupid?”

“No. On the contrary, I think you’re very smart,” Rebecca replied, realizing her son hadn’t answered her question. From his expression she also realized she wouldn’t get an answer out of him.

“Come inside while I put some coffee on. I have to have at least a cup before I can start functioning in the morning.” Gabriel moved to allow them entrance into his home.

Rebecca hesitated. She had only come with Peter to make sure he showed up. After a confrontation in his bedroom, she couldn’t be sure of anything with her son.

“My coffee isn’t as good as Rose’s, but it’s not too bad.” Gabriel waved them inside.

Rebecca picked up Josh and followed Peter into the house, trying to dismiss her eldest son’s anger. When she’d grounded him for shouting at her earlier, he had laughed as though what she had said meant nothing to him.

“Have you all had breakfast?”

“Granny won’t let anyone leave without a proper start to the day, as she refers to breakfast.” Rebecca held Josh close, comforted by his presence.

“Has she fixed you her cinnamon rolls yet?”

“Last Sunday. When I woke up, the house smelled of cinnamon and baking bread.”

“What a wonderful way to start the Lord’s day.”

Rebecca glanced around at the house as she walked toward the back. His living room looked comfortable, with a navy and burgundy plaid couch, large pillows and stacks of magazines and books. She pictured him stretched out in his navy blue recliner, reading a book while a fire blazed in the fireplace and soft music played in the background. His home reflected the man, comfortable and laid-back.

“Have a seat while I put the coffee on.”

Rebecca settled herself at the kitchen table, made of sturdy oak with enough chairs to seat a family of six. She placed Josh on her lap, pleased to see her youngest son show interest in his surroundings. Light streamed through the large window over the sink. She smiled, thinking it was appropriate for a lawman to decorate in red, white and blue.

Peter remained by the doorway into the kitchen, such anger on his face that Gabriel wished again for a magic answer on how to help the Michaels family. Keep the faith. God has His own timetable, he reminded himself as he sat across from Rebecca. The answer will come when the time is right.

“If you want to get started on the cleanup, Peter, I have a bucket and a scrub brush in the garage through there.” Gabriel pointed toward a utility room.

Peter shot Gabriel a look full of anger, then stomped toward the garage, muttering something that Gabriel was glad he wasn’t privy to. There was a limit to every person’s patience, and with Peter he was afraid he would need an extra dose.

Gabriel looked at Rebecca, who was watching her son leave. The sadness in her eyes contracted his heart. “Physical labor will help him get rid of some of that hostility.”

While her gaze connected with Gabriel’s, Rebecca hugged Josh closer, as though he could shield her from heartache. “He’s so full of anger. I’ve tried talking to him about it, but he won’t say anything.” Again the scene in her son’s bedroom swamped her with feelings of inadequacy. Peter was a different child from the year before.

“Have you tried counseling?”

“Yes. He just sat there, determined not to say a word to the woman.”

“How about the minister of your church?”

Rebecca shook her head.

“Ours is very good with young people.”

“No.” She answered so quickly she surprised even herself. “I’m sure he wouldn’t respond to a stranger,” she offered in explanation.

Gabriel noticed the firm set to Rebecca’s mouth, the tension transmitted in the rigid lines of her body, and knew she would reject any coaxing to get Peter or herself to talk with Reverend Carson. “Then let me try to help.”

“I can’t accept—”

Gabriel held up his hand to stop her flow of words. “I’m worried about Peter. I think he might have vandalized the baseball-field house. I found a broken egg by the front door. I don’t believe in coincidences.”

Rebecca closed her eyes for a few seconds. She adjusted Josh in her arms and kissed the top of his head, drawing strength from her youngest. “He might be innocent. You don’t know he did anything.”

“What do you think in your heart?”

She rubbed her cheek against Josh’s hair, then peered at Gabriel, her eyes glistening. “What do I do?”

“Let me help. I’ve dealt with troubled children before, and not as a lawman.”

Again she shifted Josh in her arms, looking away from Gabriel.

“May I hold Josh?” The need to hold the child ran deep in him. Gabriel had missed so much with his own son.

Her gaze returned to his, confusion deep in her eyes. She hesitated, then rose and handed Gabriel her child. Josh’s big brown eyes focused on his face. A tightness threatened to close his throat as he stared at the small boy in his embrace. He supported Josh in the crook of his arm. Smiling at him, Gabriel found himself making silly faces to get the child to grin. And when Josh did, Gabriel’s heart swelled with pride.

“How are his ears today?”

“Last night he slept through the night for the first time in several weeks. I think the medicine is finally working. At least I hope so.”

Gabriel tore his gaze from the child and looked at Josh’s mother. Holding Josh only underscored for Gabriel what he was missing. The emptiness inside pushed to the foreground.

“So do I. It’s not easy going without sleep,” he finally said, realizing an awkward silence had descended.

She sighed. “Something I’m quickly finding out.”

“What are your plans now that you’ve moved to Oakview?” He had dealt with his loss and didn’t want to renew the feelings of anguish.

“I need to get a job soon.”

“You know I might be able to help you with that.”

A closed expression settled over Rebecca’s features. “You’ve already done enough.”

“Nonsense. What are friends for? Let me ask around. What are your qualifications?”

When she laughed, there was no humor in the sound. “I don’t have any.”

“Everyone has qualifications.”

“I’ve been a mother and wife for the past ten years. I suppose I can clean houses, chauffeur and organize PTA meetings.” She snapped her fingers. “Oh, and I have some computer skills. We had one at home.”

“What will you do with Josh when you go to work?”

She cocked her head. “Frankly, I don’t know. I can’t keep staying at Granny’s house and not contribute to the finances.”

“I’m finished. Can we go now?” Peter announced from the doorway into the utility room.

“You still owe me some of your time.”

Peter folded his arms. “How much?”

“I’ll take you home in the early afternoon.” Gabriel glanced at Rebecca to make sure that was all right with her.

She nodded, then stood to take Josh from Gabriel. “We’d better be going. I want Josh to take a nap in his own crib.”

“I have baseball practice this afternoon, so Peter should be home by two. I’ll feed him lunch.”

“Fine,” she mumbled as she started for the door. When Gabriel rose to escort her, she added, “I can find my own way out. Finish your coffee.”

Peering at his mug, he realized he hadn’t taken a sip of his cold coffee. He dumped the brew into the sink and poured some more into his cup, steamy whiffs of the hot liquid wafting to him.

“What do I have to do?” Peter asked in a surly voice.

Gabriel brought the mug to his lips and took a long sip of the coffee, purposefully waiting a good minute to answer the boy. “This is my Saturday to do yard work at the church. You’re going to help me.”

Peter opened his mouth to reply, then snapped his jaws together, his teeth making a clicking sound.

“Why don’t you go check on Lady out back?”

“Lady?”

“My dog. She has puppies. See if there’s enough water for them while I get ready.” Gabriel watched the child stalk to the back door and yank it open, anger in every line of the boy’s body. The next few hours could be very long.

“Peter, this is David Carson. He’s going to help us.” Gabriel opened the door to the church’s shed and went inside.

“You’re the new kid at school,” David said with a wide grin.

“Yeah. What of it?”

David’s smile vanished. “Nothing. Just making conversation.”

Gabriel heard the wonderful start to the exchange between the two boys and wasn’t so sure it was a good idea to have David here helping. He had thought introducing Peter to some nice kids his age would make the situation easier.

Gabriel handed David a plastic lawn bag. “First, we need to pick up any trash, then pull weeds in the gardens.”

Peter crossed his arms and refused to take the bag Gabriel held for him. “I don’t pick up trash.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” Gabriel stood his ground.

Peter narrowed his eyes and stuck out his lower lip. Then when Gabriel thought Peter would run away, he yanked the bag from Gabriel’s hand and stomped off toward the nearest garden.

“What’s his problem?” David asked, jerking his right thumb toward Peter.

Gabriel watched Peter yank up a plant that wasn’t a weed. “He needs a friend. I thought you might help me out there.”

David’s eyes grew round. “Are you sure? At school he isn’t very friendly. Keeps to himself.”

Gabriel clasped David on the shoulder. “You’ve grown up here. Everyone is familiar to you. What do you think it would be like if that wasn’t the case?”

“I guess, scary.”

“My point exactly.” Gabriel squeezed David’s shoulder briefly, then added, “Let’s go see if we can save some of the plants.”

Two hours later Gabriel stepped back to inspect their work, pleased. He had managed to save most of the plants, and the gardens looked great. He took pride in maintaining these beds as though it was his statement about the glory of God to the world. The flowers showcased the beauty He was capable of.

“Let’s take a break and go inside to get some sodas.” Gabriel took the plastic bags from the two boys.

David headed for the door. Peter stared at the church, hesitating.

“I’ll stay and do some more work,” Peter said as Gabriel started to follow David.

“Even God declared a day of rest. You worked hard. You deserve a break.”

Peter blinked as though Gabriel’s words surprised him.

“He welcomes everyone into His house.” Gabriel walked toward the church, hoping that the child would join David and him. But he knew he couldn’t force Peter. He had to want to come inside the Lord’s house.

Gabriel selected a soft drink after David, then propped himself against the wall and sipped his soda. His disappointment grew as the minutes ticked by and Peter didn’t appear.

Gabriel had half finished his soft drink when Peter shuffled into the alcove outside the large meeting room. “What do you want to drink?”

Peter scanned the choices in the machine. His eyes lit up for a few seconds. “Strawberry cream soda.”

“Hey, that’s my favorite. No one else at school likes it.” David tipped up his can and emptied it.

“They just don’t know a great drink when they see it.” Peter took the can from Gabriel, then moved back, keeping his distance.

“This is probably the only vending machine in town with strawberry cream sodas. Dad keeps it stocked for me.”

“Dad?”

“He’s the minister here.”

“Oh. Isn’t that kinda hard on you?” Peter asked as though it were a disease to have a father be a minister.

David laughed. “Nah. Dad’s pretty cool about things.”

Peter tipped the can to his mouth and nearly drained it in one long swallow. “Mmm. I haven’t had one of these in a while. Mom couldn’t find it at the grocery store last week.”

“Now you know where to come if you ever run out at home. The church is always open.” Gabriel tossed his empty can into the trash. “Ready to get back to work?”

“Sure. We’ve got baseball practice later today, and our coach is a real stickler for being on time.” David slid a glance toward Gabriel, then crushed his can and aimed for the trash bin several feet away. The can landed in the container. “Yes! I haven’t lost my touch since basketball season.”

Peter frowned. “You play a lot of sports?”

“Yeah. You should come out for the baseball team.”

“I don’t play baseball.” Peter dropped his can into the trash and shuffled out of the alcove ahead of Gabriel and David.

When Gabriel stepped outside, he said, “That offer to come out for the team still stands. We take newcomers all the time.” He knew he was taking a risk by extending the invitation again. He didn’t particularly want to spend another late night cleaning up the field house.

“Yeah, we need someone who’s fast,” David said, hurrying to catch up with Peter.

“I don’t run, either.” Peter came to a halt in front of the shed, his frown firmly in place.

“I’ve seen you in gym class. You’re fast. Even our teacher said something about that the other day.”

Peter slanted a look toward David. A thoughtful expression replaced Peter’s frown. “Nah. She just wanted to make me feel welcome.” He dug the toe of his shoe into the dirt.

“Not Mrs. Hinds. She loves to point out a kid’s bad points. She’s the regular terror of our school.”

Peter laughed. “Yeah, I kinda figured that the first day.”

Gabriel walked into the shed while the boys discussed the gym teacher who had been at the school thirty years, prodding children who preferred to sit in front of a television into exercising. Hearing Peter’s laughter firmed his resolve to help the boy. He again said a silent prayer for assistance.

Several hours later, at the local diner, Gabriel and the boys ate hamburgers and fries. After their lunch Gabriel took David home, then Peter. As Gabriel pulled into the driveway, he saw Rebecca sitting on the porch swing and couldn’t resist the urge to say a few words to her.

As he approached, he noticed Rebecca’s brow knitted in worry, her hands clutching a letter. He wanted to ask her if he could help, but remembered her reaction when he had. She felt she had to struggle alone.

“Something wrong?”

Rebecca lifted her head, squeezing her eyes closed for a few seconds. Seeing the sheen of tears, he fought the urge to hold her close.

She swallowed several times, then looked toward him. “An overdue bill from the hospital.”

Gabriel eased beside her on the porch swing. He remained quiet, allowing her to set the pace and tone of the conversation.

“You know, I tried to explain to them that I’ll pay when I can. You can’t get blood out of a turnip. It’s not like I don’t put something toward the bill each month.” She shrugged, trying to smile but failing. “I guess they didn’t like the small amount this month. I need a job now.”

“If I hear of anything, I’ll let you know right away. Of course, since this is a small town, you might have to go to Tulsa to look for a job.”

“I know. I hope not.” She balled the bill in her hand. “How did Peter do?”

“Not bad. He enjoyed playing with my mutt, Lady. She has three puppies that are all over the place. He was in the midst of them when I went out back to get him.”

“Craig would never let Peter have a pet.”

The more he heard about Rebecca’s ex-husband, the more he was glad the man didn’t live in Oakview. Gabriel was afraid the man would test his faith. Some people didn’t know how to appreciate what God had given them. “After a rocky start, Peter and David Carson got along pretty good.”

“I’m glad to hear that. If Peter could make a friend, I think that’ll help his adjustment.”

“That’s the plan.”

With her head tilted, she stared at him. “Thank you. I appreciate the help.”

Gabriel realized her admission had been difficult, and that made it all the more special. He smiled, pleased to see her return it, her eyes sparkling with a vivid blue. He was determined to show her she wasn’t alone, that God was with her, and if she would accept him, he was too.

Chapter Three

“Well, my man, I hope you’re ready for bed because your mother sure is. These late nights are killers,” Rebecca said, picking Josh up and cradling him close.

She sat in the chair by the crib and began to rock. After she’d sung two lullabies, Josh closed his eyes and relaxed.

Rebecca heard her grandmother approaching the bedroom. She looked up to find Granny standing in the doorway. “I hope my singing didn’t awaken you.”

“Never. I love hearing you sing. I had to go to the bathroom, heard you up and thought I would check to see if Josh was asleep yet.”

“Yes.” Rebecca pushed to her feet and carefully laid her son in his crib. “I think tonight he’ll sleep through to morning once again. At least I hope so.” She came into the hallway.

“Peter didn’t say anything at dinner about going to Gabriel’s. Did he say anything afterwards?”

“He said something about a dog with puppies, then grumbled about pulling weeds at the church. That’s all I got out of him.” Rebecca sighed, remembering the one-word answers she had received from her eldest at the dinner table. The only time he had been a part of the family that day was when he had worked with Josh after supper.

“I’m glad he was at the church today. Gabriel usually works there on Saturdays, along with some of the young people. I hope Peter met some kids he could be friends with. That’s what he needs, church and friends.”

“He needs a father who will care about him. Craig hasn’t called him in the two weeks we have been here. His birthday is coming up, and I know Peter will want his dad here to help him celebrate. What should I do?”

“Have you talked with Craig lately?”

“No, not since our move.”

“Call him and let him know the importance of Peter’s birthday to the child.”

Rebecca rolled her shoulders and kneaded the tight cords of her neck. “I’m not sure my call would help the situation, but I’ll try.” She started for Peter’s bedroom. “Peter’s been unusually quiet this evening. No loud music from his room.”

Rebecca opened the door and peered into the darkened bedroom. The window was up, allowing a soft breeze to stir the curtains, the scent of the outdoors to fill the room. A shaft of moonlight streamed through the opening and across Peter’s empty bed.

“He’s not here.” Rebecca flipped on the overhead light and scanned the area. “Oh, no. He sneaked out again.”

“He might be downstairs. Check the house first before you get too upset.”

Rebecca inhaled deeply, but nothing alleviated the tension building inside. “You’re probably right. He’s downstairs watching television as we speak.”

She made her way to the first floor and went from room to room. Finally, ten minutes later, she had to acknowledge that Peter wasn’t in the house. She checked the front porch then the yard, and there was no sign of her son.

Granny appeared in the kitchen. “Gone?”

Rebecca nodded, her throat tight with suppressed emotion. She was scared. What kind of trouble was her eldest getting into at this very moment? Where was he? She sank onto a chair and buried her face in her hands. She felt so alone.

Her grandmother put her hand on Rebecca’s shoulder. “Call Gabriel. He’ll help.”

She remembered Gabriel’s suspicion about Peter vandalizing the field house. “But he’s the police chief. What if—” Rebecca couldn’t voice her fear that Peter was getting into trouble, the kind of trouble the law would be interested in.

“Gabriel is a friend of this family. Ask him to help.”

She hated asking anyone for help, but fear compelled her to reach for the phone. Her hands trembling, Rebecca dialed the police chief’s number. In less than twenty-four hours this man had become part of her new life.

Gabriel climbed into his squad car and gripped the steering wheel. Staring out the windshield, he tried to come up with another place Peter might go. The boy hadn’t been at the usual hangouts or behind the store where Gabriel had first seen him.

Gabriel closed his eyes and bowed his head. “Dear Lord, please help me find Peter. He’s hurting, and I want to help.”

As he turned the key in the ignition, he suddenly knew where to find Rebecca’s son. He backed out of the parking space at the rodeo grounds and headed for the high school baseball field. When he pulled into the lot next to the stands, he saw someone sitting in the bleachers, his head buried in his hands, the slump of his shoulders emphasizing his dejection.

Gabriel switched off his headlights and quietly climbed the stands. He hung back until his eyes adjusted to the dark and he could see who the person was. Relieved at finally finding the boy, Gabriel made his way toward Peter.

Gabriel hated sneaking up on someone but knew the boy would run if given the chance. He laid his hand on Peter’s shoulder. The child gasped and turned.

“Easy, Peter. It’s just me, Chief Stone.” He kept his voice even, calm.

Peter started scrambling away. Gabriel’s grip on his shoulder strengthened.

“Leave me alone. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Well, for starters, son, you’re trespassing.”

“I’m not your son!” Peter twisted and finally managed to slip from Gabriel’s grasp.

The defensive anger in Peter’s voice tore at Gabriel. “Don’t make this any worse. Come on. Let’s go to my car.”

“No! I didn’t do anything wrong,” Peter shouted, so loudly Gabriel was sure the people who lived nearby heard him. “This baseball field belongs to the public, and I am part of the public.”

Gabriel decided to change tactics. “Okay. If you want to stay, I’ll stay.” He sat down and waited, resting his elbows on his knees and loosely clasping his hands.

In the dim moonlight Gabriel saw the boy’s mouth twist into a deep frown, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides. Finally Peter took a seat and tried to ignore Gabriel. That was all right with him. He knew dealing with Peter would call upon his patience, and thankfully God had given him a huge reserve. Peter slumped and rested his chin in his palms.

“Your mom’s worried about you,” Gabriel said a few minutes later.

Peter stiffened, bringing his head up.

“Don’t you think we should at least give her a call and let her know you’re all right?”

“She doesn’t care about me.”

“Well, she certainly had me fooled earlier on the phone. I could have sworn I heard her crying.”

Peter remained silent, leaning forward, his chin on his fist, as though settling in for the night. He fixed his gaze on the baseball field, illuminated by the three-quarter moon.

Gabriel retrieved his cell phone from his shirt pocket and dialed Rebecca’s number. “Peter’s okay,” he said when Rebecca answered on the first ring, and quickly filled her in on where he’d found Peter.

There was a moment’s hesitation, then she asked, “Is there—did he cause any problems?”

“No,” Gabriel said, not sure if Peter had vandalized the field house or not. His brief inspection on his way to the stands had revealed nothing wrong. “I’ll bring him home soon.”

“Thank you, Gabriel. I don’t…” Her voice trailed into silence.

“You’re welcome, Rebecca. Peter and I will see you in a while.”

“Is she mad?”

Gabriel remembered the silence at the end, a vulnerable pause in her sentence while she tried to gather her composure. “She’s more worried than anything.”

“She’s always worried.”

“What about?” Gabriel asked, wanting to keep the fragile conversation going but realizing he wanted to know so much more about Rebecca Michaels than he did.

“Josh, Granny, money—me.”

“I find that moms worry a lot. I think that’s part of being a mother. Mine still worries about me, and I’m thirty-six years old and have been away from home for seventeen years.”

“Yeah, well, I can take care of myself. I don’t need nobody to worry about me.”

Gabriel smiled at Peter’s tough-sounding voice and remembered once there had been a time he’d thought the same thing. God had proven him wrong. God had shown him he wasn’t alone in this world.

“Even when you’re able to take care of yourself, it’s nice to know someone is there for you.”

“I don’t need nobody,” Peter said, the strength in his voice lessening slightly.

For a brief moment Gabriel felt himself hurled back twenty years. He had declared that same thing to his mother after his father had died, leaving him the man of the house with three younger siblings. In his anger he had nearly lost his way until his grandfather had shown him the power of the Lord’s love. That power had been strengthened when Gabriel had lost his wife and son—a son who wouldn’t be much older than Josh. Emotions he thought were behind him surfaced, knotting his throat. He had so wanted a family.

“It can get mighty lonely going through life by yourself,” Gabriel finally said, twisting his wedding ring as memories of the day Judy had slid it on his finger seeped into his thoughts. He had never taken it off.

“But at least no one can let—” Peter snapped his mouth closed.

“Let you down?”

In the moonlight Peter tensed, his jaw clamped tight.

“Who let you down, Peter?”

“Nobody!” Peter shot to his feet. “I can find my own way home.”

Gabriel rose. “No, I told your mother I would bring you home, and I’m going to do what I promised. You’ll find that I always do.”

“Fine!” The child shoved past him and hastened to the squad car.

Gabriel peered heavenward, noting the clear sky, the stars glittering in the blackness. The spring air was warm, the light breeze carrying a hint of honeysuckle. Perfect—except for the storm brewing at the Michaels’s house. He felt Peter’s anger as though it were a palpable force, reaching out to push everyone away. The child was determined to stand alone no matter who got in his way.

When Gabriel slid behind the steering wheel, he turned to Peter and asked, “Why did you come to the field tonight?”

The boy shrugged.

“Have you been thinking about my offer to join the team?”

“No way.” Peter answered so fast Gabriel knew the opposite was true.

“If you don’t want to play, I could use an assistant.”

“I’m sure I won’t be able to do anything for a while. Mom’s gonna ground me longer for leaving the house. I’ll probably not be able to do anything till summer.”

“Then why did you do it?”

“’Cause I felt like it.”

Gabriel heard the pout and stubbornness in the child’s voice and again thought of how he had been after his father’s death, so angry at the world. “What if I can get your mother to let you come out for the team?”

“Sure, why not. It beats staying in that old house. But I ain’t gonna play.”

Gabriel started the car, careful to keep from grinning. Once he had Peter at the baseball field, he would get the boy involved in the team as more than an assistant. Of course, he had to convince Rebecca to allow Peter to practice after school. Normally he wouldn’t think that was a problem, but with Rebecca, he didn’t know what to expect.

Rebecca answered the door on the first knock, throwing her arms around Peter’s stiff body and pulling him against her. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.” She stood him away from her and inspected him as though afraid he had been hurt. “Why did you leave?”

Her son shuffled back a few steps and looked at his feet. “I needed some fresh air.” He lifted his head and fixed his gaze on her.

Rebecca wanted to shake some sense into him but knew anger wouldn’t bring about the peace she so desperately needed. She balled her hands at her sides and counted to ten. When she still wasn’t calm, she started for one hundred. “We’ll talk about this in the morning.”

Peter’s chin went up a notch. “Why not now? You’re just gonna ground me.”

Her fingernails dug into her palms. “I don’t know what I’m going to do. I do know that I need to calm down first or I might regret what I say.”

“Tell him—” Peter nodded toward Gabriel “—that I’m grounded and won’t be able to help with the baseball team after school.”

“Why, that’s a great idea, Peter. You should become involved with a sport.”

“Oh, good grief.” Her son tramped across the entrance hall.

“Peter, I’ll see you Monday right after school at the field. Wear your tennis shoes,” Gabriel called as the boy fled up the stairs.

At the top her son stopped. “I might be busy. Mrs. Harris wants to see me.”

“Then come as soon as you can.”

Peter frowned, started to say something else, then stalked toward his bedroom.

“Mrs. Harris wants to see him?” Rebecca stared at the place her son had been standing. “That’s the first I heard of it. Of course, that doesn’t surprise me. Lately, there’s a lot I don’t know about my son. We used to be so close.” She massaged the muscles in her neck and shoulders to ease the tightness. “I can’t believe you talked Peter into going out for the baseball team.”

“I didn’t, exactly. He’s going to be my assistant.”

“Assistant? That’s even more of a surprise.”

Gabriel chuckled. “I sort of backed him into a corner.”

Rebecca slanted another look up the stairs, her heart beating normally again. Her vivid imagination had conjured up all kinds of trouble for Peter. “Did he say anything to you about why he left the house?”

“No, not exactly. For a second I thought he was going to tell me about someone letting him down.”

“No doubt me for moving here.”

“I think it’s someone else. Talk to him tomorrow. Maybe he will be ready to tell you.”

“Maybe,” she murmured, knowing in her heart that her eldest wouldn’t talk to her about what was troubling him. In the past year their relationship had unraveled, and she didn’t know how to stop it from coming completely apart. “Thanks again for all your help.”

“It’s part of my job. I’m just glad it ended okay.”

“Yeah, but you’ve lost several nights of sleep because of my family.”

“I wasn’t in bed yet. I was trying to read a book and not getting very far.” He started to turn away and stopped. “I was going to call you anyway tomorrow.”

“You were?”

“Jenny, our file clerk at the station, decided to elope last night. I got a call from her late this afternoon. She and her new husband are going to live in Oklahoma City. We could use a new file clerk, sometimes a dispatcher. It doesn’t pay much, but I hope you’ll apply.”

“File clerk? I think I can handle that.”

“There’s some computer work involved, too.”

“That shouldn’t be a problem. If I don’t know your programs, I should be able to pick it up quickly.”

A smile flashed across his face. “Then call the station and set up an interview with my secretary, Mabel.”

Rebecca watched Gabriel stroll away, both elated and apprehensive. With a job on the horizon, she had to work out child care for Josh. She didn’t want to leave him, and yet she had to earn some money to support her family, to pay the bills. Craig wasn’t reliable, and Josh’s care was expensive. If she got the job at the police station, at least she would be staying in Oakview. As she closed the front door, she pushed her doubts to the background and made a promise to herself. Gabriel Stone would not regret giving her this chance.

Chapter Four

Rebecca heard the back door slam. Peering into the kitchen, she saw Peter go to the refrigerator. He took a jug of ice water out and poured himself a tall glass.

“How was practice today?” Rebecca came into the room, hoping that her son would finally say more than two words to her. She’d never had the talk with Peter because he’d avoided her, and she knew the uselessness of having a conversation with him when he was in a rotten mood.

“Just great,” he mumbled. “One of my favorite things is to run laps around a baseball diamond.” The frown carved into his features belied his words.

“I thought you were the assistant.”

“Yeah, well, it seems the assistant runs along with everyone else, even the coaches. Something that Coach Stone forgot to tell me the other night.”

“I guess you couldn’t very well stand there watching everyone run.”

“Right, and he knew that I’d feel awkward.” Peter’s frown deepened as he trudged to the sink and put his glass in it.

Rebecca looked at her son’s dress shoes. “Where are your sneakers? You didn’t run in those, did you?”

“Yes.” Peter stared at the sink as though he had never seen it before. “I forgot them, but he didn’t believe me. He made me run anyway.”

“Did you really forget them?”

Peter whirled. “Yes, of course!”

“But you never wear your dress shoes to school.”

“Well, I wanted to today.” He glared at her, daring her to disagree.

“Let’s talk, Peter.”

“Now? I’m beat.”

“Then have a seat at the table.” Rebecca gestured toward it. “We’ve put this off too long. We need to talk about Saturday night.” She made her voice firm, no-nonsense sounding.

Peter loudly sighed but walked to the table and plopped into a chair, slouching against its caned back.

“Chief Stone thinks that you’re upset because you feel someone has let you down.”

“He should mind his own business,” Peter mumbled, picking at the bright yellow place mat in front of him.

“Lately you have been his business. When you disappeared the other night, you became his business.”

“Only because you called him.” He stabbed her with a defiant glare.

“I was afraid something bad would happen to you. Nine-year-old boys don’t go out at midnight.”

“I’m gonna be ten soon.” Peter dropped his gaze and began to roll the place mat at the corner.

“Ten-year-old boys don’t, either.”

“I’m not a baby anymore.”

Rebecca grasped his hand. “I know that. Both Josh and I depend on you, honey. That’s why I can’t have you leaving the house late at night. I don’t know what I would do without you.” Emotion welled in her throat.

Peter kept his head down, his shoulders slumped.

“Promise me you won’t do that again.”

He mumbled what she thought was a yes.

“And as long as you’re involved with the baseball team, I won’t extend your grounding. I think it’s important you do something like that.” She realized the second she said those words that she might be dooming Peter’s participation with the team. Lately he seemed to go out of his way not to do what she wanted. “Now, speaking of your birthday, what do you want to do for it? We could have a party and invite—”

Peter’s head shot up, and he yanked his hand from her clasp. “I don’t know anyone in Oakview to invite. All of my friends are back in Dallas.”

“Then what do you want to do?”

Chewing on his lower lip, he glanced away then at her. “I want to go fishing with Dad like we used to.”

The tightness in her throat spread. Her lungs burned. Craig and Peter used to go fishing at least once a month. Her son loved to fish and hadn’t been since Craig had left them. “Then we’ll call him and see what we can set up.”

His face brightened. “We can?”

“Yes, let’s call this evening after he gets home from work.”

“Great!” Peter jumped to his feet. “I’d better go do my homework.”

As he ran from the kitchen, her grandmother came into the room. “My, who lit a fire under that young man?”

“Granny, I’m so afraid he’s going to be disappointed.”

“Why, child?”

“He wants Craig to take him fishing on his birthday.”

“Oh.” Granny sank into the chair that Peter had occupied.

“I told him we’ll call him tonight and see if he can. I shouldn’t have. What if—”

“Rebecca, have faith. Everything will work out for the best. You just wait and see.” Her grandmother patted her hand, then pushed to her feet. “Now, if I don’t get moving, we won’t have dinner tonight.”

“Let me check on Josh and then I’ll be back down to help. I think my little man has finally decided to catch up on all the sleep he missed this past week.”

Rebecca climbed the stairs to the second floor. She peered at Peter’s bedroom door and noticed that it was open. Lately he always closed it when he was in his room. She started to look in, to see if everything was all right with her eldest son, when she heard his voice coming from her bedroom.

She paused in the doorway. Peter had Josh on the bed, changing his diaper and making funny faces at him.

“Okay, big guy, that ought to fix ya right up. Tonight we’ll practice extra hard on our walking. Don’t want to slack on the job. I want ya chasing me around this house before the year is out. Think of all the things I can teach ya to do.” Peter lifted Josh high in the air, then swung him from side to side.

Josh’s giggles blended with his older brother’s laughter. The sound pierced Rebecca’s heart. She cleared her throat.

Peter whirled, surprise evident in his expression. “I heard Josh and thought I’d better check up on him.”

How could she tell Peter his dream wouldn’t come true for his little brother? The pain in her heart expanded. “Will you watch Josh while I help Granny with dinner?”

“I guess,” Peter said, replacing the surprise on his face with his usual sullen expression. But he held his little brother close as though protecting Josh from the world.

Crossing her legs, Rebecca smoothed her black calf-length skirt. Her heart pounding against her chest, she clasped her hands tightly in her lap.

“Chief Stone will see you now,” a short, gray-haired woman announced when she appeared in the reception area of the police station.

Rebecca rose, took a deep, calming breath and entered the office the older woman indicated with a wave.

Gabriel came around his desk, offering his hand for Rebecca to shake. “I’m glad you applied. Since the pay isn’t much, I wasn’t sure you would.”

“How could I refuse? Your offer is the only one I’ve had.”

He grinned. “I have to admit there aren’t many jobs in Oakview, but we aren’t too far from Tulsa where I’m sure you can find a better-paying job.”

Warmth flowed through her at his smile, warmth meant to put her at ease, and it did. Her tension evaporated as she responded to his compassion. “I can’t spend anymore time away from Josh than is necessary. Driving to and from Tulsa would add an extra hour and half to my work day as well as eat into my salary.”

“Who’s going to take care of Josh?”

“Granny, until I can come up with a more permanent solution. Peter will help when school is out in a few months and Ann, next door, has volunteered to help Granny until then.”

“Josh is welcome here if you get in a bind.”

“Then I have the job?”

“Yes. I wish it were more.”

“It’s a job, and as you know, I need one.”

Gabriel sat on the corner of his desk, his stance casual, openly friendly. “When can you start?”

Rebecca noticed him absently twirling his wedding ring on his finger and marveled at the depth of love he must have had for his wife. What would it be like to have a man love her that much? “Tomorrow if you need me,” she finally answered after clearing her throat.

“Jenny hasn’t been gone more than a day, but her work is already stacking up. If you can start tomorrow, that’ll be great.” Gabriel rose and headed for his office door. “How’s Peter today?”

“Limping around. He hasn’t done that much exercise lately, and his muscles are protesting.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize he was so out of shape.”

Rebecca recalled her eldest groaning as he descended the stairs that morning for school. “Don’t be. This will be good for him. I don’t think he was too upset by the sore muscles. I didn’t hear a word of complaint from him at the breakfast table this morning, and he took his tennis shoes to school today. Believe me, lately he’s the first to complain if he’s upset about something.”

“Good. I know it wasn’t comfortable for him running around the baseball field in loafers, but everyone who shows up participates. I didn’t want him to be any different.”

Gabriel brushed against her as he reached to open the door at the same time she did. Rebecca stepped away, nonplussed by the casual touch. Their gazes linked for a few seconds before Gabriel swung the door open and called, “Mabel, I believe you’ve already met Rebecca Michaels. She’s our new file clerk. Rebecca will be starting tomorrow at eight. You’ll be working closely with Mabel, helping her with her job.”

“Welcome aboard.” Mabel pumped Rebecca’s hand several times.

“She used to be in the Navy,” Gabriel whispered so loud everyone within a few feet could hear.

“And proud of it. I run a tight ship.” The older woman’s hair was pulled back in a severe bun, her clothes crisp and clean and her stance ramrod straight as though a board were stuck down her back.

“It’s nice to meet you, Mabel.” Rebecca resisted the urge to rub her arm after its vigorous workout. Even though she hadn’t had a job since high school, she knew it was important for her to start out on the right foot with a co-worker. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Eight sharp.”

Rebecca smiled, but she was worried. She knew the value of being on time to a job, especially a new one, but with two children, plans and schedules didn’t always work out as she wished. She would just have to get up earlier tomorrow morning. She was determined that Gabriel’s faith in her would pay off.

“Mom!” Peter yelled from the top of the stairs. “I can’t find my tennis shoes. I have to have them!”

Rebecca hurried out of the kitchen, carrying Josh in her arms. “Where did you put them last?”

“If I knew that, I would know where they were.”

She stopped at the bottom of the steps and tried to think where Peter would have put his shoes. Nothing came to mind except the fact she only had twenty minutes to get to work. She was not going to be late the first day. “Okay, retrace your steps yesterday when you came home from practice.”

“Mom, I’ve already done that. I can’t remember. I was so tired—” Peter’s face lit up, and he spun on his heel and raced for his room. A minute later he reappeared, wearing his tennis shoes. “I kicked them under the bed.”

“Why?”

“I was angry at Coach Stone.”

“Why?”

“Just was.”

Her son’s expression closed, and Rebecca knew she wouldn’t get an explanation from him. That left Gabriel. She intended to ask him when she got to work on time.

Rebecca hurried into the kitchen to finish feeding Josh his breakfast. She propped her youngest in his high chair and started to spoon some cereal into his mouth.

“Here, let me do that, Rebecca. You still have to get ready for work.”

Rebecca looked at her grandmother, then at the clock on the wall. She had fifteen minutes to get to work.

Rushing into the small bathroom under the stairs, she ran a comb through her hair and then raced out. Only seven minutes to get to work. She hoped all the police were at the station, because she found herself pressing her foot on the accelerator more than she should. She could imagine the headline in the local newspaper—Newest Member of Police Staff Caught Speeding.

She brought the car to a shrieking halt in a parking space right in front of the building, happy some things were going her way. Hurrying inside, she glanced at her watch and was glad to see she was only two minutes late. She had made it on time—well, practically on time—for her first day of work.

“You’re late, Mrs. Michaels. Try to be here on time in the future. There’s a lot of work that needs to be done.” Mabel stood behind her desk outside Gabriel’s office, her expression stern, her stance reminding Rebecca of a drill sergeant.

Rebecca stopped halfway across the room, aware of Gabriel to the side, talking with one of his officers. He turned toward her, a scowl on his face, and her heart sank.

A smile transformed Gabriel’s face almost immediately. He said a few more words to the officer, then headed toward Rebecca, his eyes warm with a welcome. “I wanted to be here to greet you your first day at work.”

Everything would be all right, Rebecca thought, forgetting other people were nearby while she basked in the warmth of Gabriel’s greeting.

He slid a glance toward Mabel, who stood behind her desk watching them, and lowered his voice. “She’s tough on the outside but soft on the inside. Give her time.”

Rebecca eased her tense muscles and returned Gabriel’s smile. “I didn’t think I should get a speeding ticket my first day on the job. Probably wouldn’t look very good.” She peered at Mabel, who was tapping a pencil against her desktop. “But then, maybe I should have.”

“Just between you and me, no one’s out patrolling at the moment so you’d have been safe. In fact, trying to catch speeders isn’t a high priority for this department. But I don’t condone that kind of behavior, so don’t let anyone know,” Gabriel said in a tough voice while merriment danced in his eyes.

“Wild horses couldn’t drag it out of me.” Rebecca pressed her lips together to emphasize her point, caught up in Gabriel’s playfulness. He had a way of wiping away her worries, of making her see this job was a start to a new part of her life.

“Now don’t be alarmed, but Mabel is heading this way with a look of determination on her face. I realize her nickname is Dragon Lady, but I don’t know what I would do without her. She’s been here so long that she knows where the skeletons are buried.”

Rebecca turned toward the Dragon Lady, who came to a halt right behind Rebecca. Smile, she told herself, and forced her mouth to curve upward, drawing comfort from the fact that Gabriel was next to her. He made her feel she was capable of doing anything. He made her want to lean on him when she knew she couldn’t.

Rebecca stuck her hand out to Mabel. “I’m so glad to be here—”

“Mrs. Michaels,” Mabel said, ignoring Rebecca’s outstretched hand, “we have a lot of work to do today. With Jenny gone these past few days, things have been piling up. If you’re through chitchatting, come with me.”

“Yes, Mrs….” Rebecca realized she didn’t know Mabel’s last name, and somehow she was sure the woman wouldn’t want her to call her by her first name.

“Ms. Preston.” Mabel pivoted and marched toward a desk in the far corner.

Rebecca threw Gabriel a helpless glance, then followed Mabel, all the while eyeing her new desk, which faced a wall with old brown paneling. A pile of folders threatened to topple. Papers scattered across the battered desktop mocked any sense of order.

The older woman waved her hand toward the papers. “I don’t like to talk ill of anyone who isn’t here, but as you can see, Jenny didn’t work much these past few months, ever since she started dating her new husband. I won’t tolerate that from you.”

Dating or not working? Rebecca wanted to ask, but diplomatically kept her mouth shut. “How long did Jenny work here?”

“Not long, and frankly, even if she hadn’t left for Oklahoma City, she wouldn’t have been here much longer.” Mabel gestured toward the pile of folders. “These cases haven’t been filed in a month. This wouldn’t have happened if Gabriel hadn’t made me take a vacation. I don’t tolerate slackers on the job. It’s just you and me keeping this place running. And a police department must have order and efficiency to work properly.”

Rebecca wondered what the woman did tolerate, but kept her mouth shut. She needed this job, and even though Gabriel was the police chief she suspected Mabel ran things around the station. “I’ll do my best.”

“You better, or…”

The unfinished sentence hung in the air between Rebecca and Mabel. Rebecca swallowed past the sudden constriction in her throat.

“Now.” Mabel placed her hand on top of one stack of folders. “The first thing you need to do is log these into the computer under complaints, then file them over there.” She pointed across the large room to a bank of file cabinets. “When you’re through with that job, I’ll explain what else you need to do.”

After Mabel gave her the password to get into the computer files, she strode away. Rebecca released a slow breath while she scanned the messy desk, so out of place in the orderly station. She heard a cough behind her and looked to see Mabel waiting for her to get busy. Rebecca scrambled into the hardback chair and switched on the computer, hoping she knew the software program. She didn’t want to ask Mabel for help. She only had so much bravery for one day. Thankfully the computer was similar to the one she’d had in Dallas.

As she checked the hard drive, trying to find a place to log in cases, she couldn’t help feeling like a fish out of water. She looked up from the computer and stared at the brown paneled wall in front of her. It must have been part of the station since the sixties. Noticing at least a dozen nail holes in the paneling, she thought about bringing some pictures to hang and maybe some flowers from home to brighten her work area.

“Mrs. Michaels, is there a problem?”

Wincing, Rebecca clicked on an icon and found what she was looking for. “No, Ms. Preston. I’ve got everything under control.”

Two hours later Rebecca regretted saying she had anything under control. She frowned at the offending computer screen, wondering what Mabel would do if she threw it at the brown paneled wall.

“It can’t be that bad.” Gabriel leaned against the desk, gripping its edge, while he stared at her.

The minute Rebecca saw his face crinkled in a grin, a sparkle in his eyes, the past few hours’ troubles vanished. She relaxed in her chair.

“What’s wrong? You’ve been staring at that computer for the past hour as though you’re gonna do bodily harm to it. I have to remind you, ma’am, we’re in a police station, and that kind of behavior is frowned upon.”

“Did anyone bother to check how competent Jenny was with the computer?” she asked with a laugh. “Nothing’s where it should be. I’ve spent the past hour moving files from one folder to another. I haven’t had a chance to log in any of these yet.” Rebecca trailed her hand up the foot-high stack taunting her. “And to make matters worse, Ms. Preston has been coming over here every fifteen minutes and watching what I do over my shoulder. I can feel her breathing down my neck. I’m sure I have scorch marks on my flesh.”

Gabriel’s grin widened. “Mabel’s just trying to make sure another Jenny doesn’t happen.” He bent forward, invading her personal space. “You see, Jenny is the mayor’s daughter, and we sort of had to hire her. But I don’t think Mabel has forgiven me for that yet. Everything will work out.”

His clean pine scent washed over her, and Rebecca imagined a spring day spent hiking in the woods. “Easy for you to say. I don’t see her dogging your every step. I’m even afraid to take a bathroom break. By the way, where is it?”

“Come on.” He grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet. “You haven’t had a tour of the station yet, and every new employee deserves at least that.”

With his touch, again Rebecca visualized walking in a pine forest, the sun streaming through the trees, bathing her face in radiance much as his smile did. Everything will work out. In that moment she believed those words.

Chapter Five

“This is the jail where we harbor hardened criminals,” Gabriel said, touching the small of Rebecca’s back as he guided her toward a door. A tingling awareness of his nearness flooded her senses. Her throat tightened, and her pulse sped.

Rebecca noticed all the cells were empty. “Often?”

“On the weekend it picks up. A few people who can’t hold their liquor. Occasionally there’s a fight. If we’re lucky that’s all. I’m proud to say there hasn’t been a serious crime in Oakview in a year.”

“How many police officers do you have?”

“Twelve besides myself. Today you should meet some of them. When you get settled in, Mabel will show you how to dispatch messages to the patrolmen out on the beat.” He led her into the main room and pointed toward his office. “That’s mine, but you already know that.”

Rebecca’s gaze fixed on Mabel’s desk, which stood guard outside Gabriel’s office. “Who gave her the nickname Dragon Lady?”

Gabriel chuckled. “A man who wanted to see me, and she kept telling him that I was busy.”

“Did he get to see you?”

“No. He had to come back later. Mabel has her pluses.”

“You didn’t want to see him?”

“He was a salesman, and he had a hard time understanding the word no. Mabel helped the poor guy with its meaning.”

Gabriel gestured toward another door. “That leads to the rest rooms and the courthouse. Now you’ve been on the grand tour such as it is. Any questions?”

“When’s lunch?”

“Don’t let Mabel hear you ask that question on your first day.”

Rebecca ignored the twinkle in his eye and said, “I have to let Granny know when I’m going to be home for lunch. She’ll need to keep Josh up so I can do his physical therapy with him after I eat.”

“Mabel goes to lunch at noon, so you can go before or after her, whichever works best for you.”

“I’ll try one today, and see if that works best for Granny and Josh.”

“Just let Mabel know—”

A commotion at the front door caused Gabriel to turn. He sighed and strode toward an officer, a small, elderly woman and a young man with a beet-red face who appeared as though he would have a stroke at any moment.

“Ben, what can I do for you?” Gabriel asked, eyeing the cuffs on Bess Anderson. “I think, Officer Morris, we can remove those. I doubt Bess is a flight risk.”

“She’s a menace to society.” Rebecca recognized the man speaking as Ben Cross, the owner of a clothing store. “She took a bottle of perfume this time.” Anger was in the young man’s face as well as his voice. He stepped forward until he stood only a foot from Gabriel. “I demand that something be done this time. You promised you would take care of her.”

Gabriel plowed his hand through his hair and drew in several deep breaths. “Now, calm down, Ben. Why don’t you come into my office and we’ll talk about this?”

“No!” Ben stiffened, his hands balled at his sides. “I want satisfaction this time.”

A picture of the young man dueling at dawn popped into Rebecca’s mind, and she clamped her lips together. When she couldn’t contain her grin any longer, she covered her mouth with her hand.

“Mabel fixes a great cup of coffee. Come on into my office and have a cup while we talk this over.”

“No! I can’t have this—” Ben floundered for a word to describe Bess “—woman in my store. If people hear I let her get away with this, I’ll be robbed blind.”

Gabriel rubbed the back of his neck. “Then by all means fill out a report on Bess Anderson. I wouldn’t want anyone taking advantage of you.”

Ben glared at Gabriel. “Are you making fun of me?”

“I wouldn’t do that. A crime has been committed, and you have a right to report it.”

Rebecca observed Bess standing next to the officer who had brought her in. She whispered something to the young policeman, then brushed a piece of lint off his navy blue shirt. Next she pulled out a handkerchief and began to polish the officer’s badge, all while Ben demanded justice in a loud voice.

“Where’s the paper I need to fill out?”

“Come into my office, and I’ll fill it out for you.”

“What are you going to do about her?” Ben jerked his thumb at Bess, who continued to rub the policeman’s badge.

“My staff will make sure she’s processed.”

While Ben stalked into the office, Gabriel hung back and said, “Make sure Bess is comfortable, Officer Morris. She can sit at Rebecca’s desk.” Gabriel gave Rebecca a look that spoke volumes. This was not a part of the job he enjoyed. “Rebecca, please get Bess something to drink until I can have a word with her.”

When the door to Gabriel’s office closed, Officer Morris motioned for Bess to follow him. “Ma’am, you need to have a seat over here.”

“Where will you be, young man?”

“I need to fill out a report on this incident.”

“You’re going to leave me alone?”

Rebecca moved forward. “No, I’ll keep you company. Chief Stone wanted me to get you something to drink. What would you like?”

“Tea, with honey and lemon, if you have it.” Bess sat in Rebecca’s chair, placed her black pocketbook on her lap, then straightened her white gloves and gripped her purse handle.

“Now if I can only find where to get the tea,” Rebecca mumbled and plodded to Mabel’s desk. “Excuse me. I hate to bother you, but where can I get—”

“Through that door next to the women’s rest room is a kitchen. There should be hot water and some tea bags. I don’t know about the other stuff. Most of the people around here drink coffee, black.” Mabel pulled open a drawer in the bottom of her desk and rummaged through her purse until she produced a packet of honey. “Use this.”

“No lemon slices in that purse?”

Mabel almost smiled. “Afraid not.”

“Thanks.” Rebecca made her way to the kitchen, amazed that the Dragon Lady had a heart, after all.

Five minutes later Rebecca entered the police station with a cup of tea minus a lemon slice but sweetened with honey. As she crossed the room, she heard Ben’s raised voice followed by Gabriel’s soothing one and cringed. Evidently Gabriel was having a hard time calming the man down.

“Oh, my, that young man is really angry at someone.” Bess took the cup Rebecca handed her.

“He says you took some perfume from his store,” Rebecca said, pulling up a chair next to Bess in hopes of being able to get some work done while the older woman was at her desk.

“Oh, my, why would he say that? I’d never steal a thing from anyone. Goes against my beliefs.”

Rebecca peered at the high pile of folders that still needed to be logged in, shrugged and replied, “Perhaps you didn’t realize it.”

“Not realize I stole something? Oh, my.”

The hair on the nape of Rebecca’s neck tingled. She peered at Mabel. The Dragon Lady shot her an exasperated glare. Rebecca sent her a look that silently asked Mabel what was she to do, toss Bess out of her chair? Rebecca glanced away before she received her answer.

“Maybe you forgot you had it.” Rebecca concentrated her full attention on Bess, determined to ignore the look she was receiving from Mabel. Rebecca chose to remember the packet of honey Mabel had given her. That gave Rebecca hope that just maybe she and Mabel could get along.

“I so like to shop, and the home won’t let me go to town.”

“They won’t?”

“No.” Bess sipped her tea, her pinkie finger sticking up in the air, her posture prim and proper.

“I wish we had a lemon.”

“Why, my dear?”

“Because you asked for it. All we had was honey.”

“This is fine. You should come to the home and have afternoon tea with me sometime.”

“I would love to. May I bring my grandmother?”

Bess smiled, took another sip of tea and said, “That would be nice.” Then she leaned close to Rebecca and whispered, “I don’t hear any more shouting coming from that office. Do you suppose the young man has calmed down?”

“I hope so. If anyone can calm him, it’ll be Gabriel.”

“That man with the nice smile?”

“Yes,” Rebecca answered, remembering Gabriel’s smile and deciding that was the nicest thing about him. When he directed one toward her, her insides melted and her stomach fluttered.

“People shouldn’t waste their energy getting mad. It’s so much nicer if people got along with each other. Don’t you think so?”

“Yes.” Rebecca turned toward Mabel and blew out a relieved breath. The woman was busy working at her desk, her attention on the computer screen in front of her.

“We sometimes have to work extra hard to win some people over, but it’s worth it in the long run. I need to bake that young man a chocolate cake, then maybe he won’t be so angry.”

Rebecca chuckled. “Chocolate works wonders on me.”

“Then I’ll bake you one, too. How about Sunday afternoon?”

“You don’t have to bake me a cake on Sunday.”

“No, to come to tea, since you work during the week.”

“I’ll have to check with Granny, but that sounds fine to me.”

“Good. I love to have company. Since moving to the home, I haven’t had many people stop by.”

Rebecca heard the loneliness in Bess’s voice and vowed she would be at tea on Sunday afternoon if she had to bring the whole family, which might not be a bad idea.

The sound of Gabriel’s office door opening brought Rebecca to her feet. She chewed on her bottom lip and tried to relax, but in a short time she’d started to care what happened to Bess. She didn’t want to see the woman locked up like a common criminal.

Gabriel shook Ben’s hand. “I appreciate the compromise.”

“Just make sure it doesn’t happen a third time, Chief. I’m only doing this because we’re friends.”

“I understand.”

As Ben left the station, Rebecca waited next to Bess, her hand on the back of the woman’s chair. Gabriel spoke to Officer Morris. The young policeman nodded, then tore up the paper he had been writing on. Finally Gabriel traversed the room and came to a halt in front of Bess, a neutral expression on his face. Rebecca rested her hand on the woman’s shoulder.

“Ben will drop the charges if you’ll agree not to go into his store ever again.”

“But he has such pretty things.”

“Bess, I promised him you wouldn’t. In fact, I don’t think you should do any shopping for a while.”

“I like to shop.”

“What if she had a companion with her when she went shopping?” Rebecca squeezed Bess’s shoulder.

Gabriel snared Rebecca with his sharp gaze. “Who?”

“Me. I could work something out with the nursing home to take Bess shopping once a week.”

Gabriel took Rebecca by the elbow and pulled her to the side. “Are you sure, with all you have going in your life?”

Rebecca tingled where his hand touched her. His scent of pine wrapped her in a cocoon of contentment. “Yes, very. Bess needs someone now. What happened to her? Where’s her family?” she asked, forcing herself to concentrate on Bess’s problem, not her reaction to Gabriel Stone.

“I don’t know. I need to take Bess to the nursing home. Come with me, and we’ll talk with Susan Wilson, the director.”

Rebecca lifted an eyebrow and glanced over Gabriel’s shoulder at Mabel. “Are you sure?”

He chuckled. “Contrary to popular opinion I still do have final say around here.” He asked Bess, “Are you ready for me to take you back to the nursing home?”

Bess finished the last of her tea and set the cup on the desk among the mess. “It looks like you could use some help here. I could stay if you needed me to.”

“Thanks for the offer, Bess, but I think we have everything under control.”

Mabel snorted and mumbled, “That’s debatable.”

“Come, ladies.” Gabriel helped Bess from the chair, then guided her toward the front door. “Mabel, we’ll be gone for about half an hour.”

“Sure, boss.”

“I do believe that was sarcasm coming from Mabel,” Rebecca said when the door closed behind them.

Gabriel’s laugh filled the spring air. “I do believe you’re right.”

Rebecca slid into the back of the squad car while Bess rode up front. On the short drive to the nursing home, Rebecca listened to Gabriel chat with the older woman with affection in his voice. He had a way with Bess that touched Rebecca. The people in his town were more than just names to Gabriel. Being the police chief was more than just a job to him. He cared about the townspeople, and they knew it.

“You know what I miss the most since I moved to Shady Oaks?” Bess asked Gabriel when he pulled up to the nursing home.

“Your garden?”

“No. I hate getting my hands dirty. I miss my dogs. I had three of them. My niece gave them away when she brought me to the home.”

“Why?” Rebecca asked, sliding from the car and opening the door to assist Bess.

“Because dogs aren’t allowed in nursing homes. You know, child, animals love you unconditionally. That’s the best feeling. Nothing like it. Well, maybe, if you’re lucky enough to have the love of a good man.” Bess looked right at Gabriel then at Rebecca. “If you know what I mean?”

Rebecca blushed and averted her gaze from Gabriel. She felt him look at her and wished Bess hadn’t said anything. They were friends. That was all she wanted, all she could handle right now.

As they entered the nursing home, Rebecca saw several elderly people in the lounge area off the foyer. One, in a wheelchair, watched a big screen television. Two ladies played a card game in the corner. Bouquets of flowers brightened the area, and their scent pushed the antiseptic odors permeating the building into the background. The place felt homey, Rebecca thought.

Susan greeted them in the foyer, her head shaking, displeasure on her face. “I’m sorry, Gabriel. She got away from us again. Bess, they’re playing bingo in the main lounge. Why don’t you join the others?”

“Oh, bingo. Next to shopping that’s my favorite thing to do.” She ambled toward the lounge.

“Don’t forget about Sunday afternoon. I’ll be here around two,” Rebecca called.

Bess paused at the entrance into the game room. “Sunday afternoon? What’s happening Sunday afternoon?”

Rebecca blinked, at a loss for words. “I’m coming to visit you.”

“Oh, that. Good.” Bess disappeared inside the room.

“May we have a few words with you, Susan,” Gabriel said, “in your office?”

The director indicated a door on the other side of the large foyer. “Did she shoplift again?”

“Again?” Rebecca asked, following the two into Susan’s office.

“Ben caught her taking a watch last week.”

“No wonder the man was so upset.”

“Have a seat.” Susan pointed to two wing chairs while she sat behind her desk. “I think we’ve figured out how she’s escaping.”

Rebecca frowned. “You make it sound like she’s in a prison.”

“A lot of the people staying here would wander off and not know where they were if we didn’t lock the doors to keep them inside. Many of our residents have problems with their memories.” Susan turned to Gabriel. “I’ve fixed the door in the kitchen. It shouldn’t happen again.”

“I hope not. Ben forgave her this time. I don’t know if I can talk him into a third time.”

“She didn’t remember taking the perfume. I don’t think she did it on purpose,” Rebecca interjected, thinking how close in age Bess and her grandmother were.

“I agree with you, Rebecca, and that’s why Ben finally calmed down. Ben isn’t an ogre, but he does have a family to support and lately there has been some shoplifting going on at his store. I think it’s kids. He’s extra sensitive about it at the moment.”

“May I make a suggestion?” Rebecca asked, straightening in her chair as though she were readying to do battle. If need be, she would. “I’d like to take Bess shopping with me once a week. I’ll keep a close eye on her and make sure nothing’s taken that isn’t paid for. She needs someone to care about her. What happened with her family? Her niece?”

“Her niece moved to New York City,” Michael said. “That’s why she placed Bess in Shady Oaks. With Bess’s memory problems, she didn’t think the big city would be a good place for her aunt.”

“I’ll have a word with her niece, but I doubt she’ll object to you taking her out for an afternoon. This might help Bess. She seems so lost right now. Her niece had to give her dogs away. I want to give her something to look forward to.”

“I have an idea, Susan. My dog had puppies last month. I’ll be looking for homes soon for them. I’d like to give Bess one of the puppies to take care of.”

“A dog? Here?”

“It’s not unheard of to have pets in nursing homes. It would be wonderful therapy for Bess, for all your residents. Bess summed it up when she said animals love unconditionally. That’s the best feeling in the world, Susan. If memory serves me, you’ve got a dog and a cat.”

“But if I let Bess have a dog, the others will want a pet.”

“Maybe that isn’t such a bad idea. Think it over. I’ll see if I can get you some literature on it. I’ll hold a puppy for a while until you make up your mind.”

“I don’t know, Gabriel. I can’t imagine it staying inside all day.”

“You have a fenced yard out back. All I’m asking is that you think about it.”

Susan rose. “Fine. Send over any information you have on it, and I’ll see. I’ll talk with the doctor and nurses and get their opinion.”

“That’s all I ask.” Gabriel opened the door for Rebecca. Outside Shady Oaks he took a deep breath and released it slowly. “Susan does a good job with what she has, but still I wish there was another way to take care of our old people.”

“The puppy for Bess was a great idea. I hope Susan approves it.” At the squad car Rebecca caught Gabriel’s gaze over the roof. “Have you given any of your puppies away yet?”

“The kid next door wants one. Why?”

“I wonder if I could buy one for Peter for his birthday next Saturday.”

“No, you can’t.”

Rebecca climbed into the car, trying to keep the disappointment from showing on her face. “Then do you know where I can get a puppy for Peter?”

“Yes.” He smiled. “I won’t sell you a puppy, but I’ll give you one.”

“You will?” Relief flowed through her.

“Lady isn’t any fancy breed, but she’s a good dog. She wandered into my life not long after Judy died. Just appeared on my porch one morning, cold and shivering. I think the Lord sent her to me to help me mend. She was starving and near death. I nursed her back to life and in the process found a reason to go on.”

Tears lodged in Rebecca’s throat. Had the Lord sent her Gabriel to help her heal?

“I’m home,” Rebecca called as she walked into the kitchen from the garage.

Rose cradled Josh in her lap while she fed him.

Rebecca rushed to take Josh from her grandmother. “I’m sorry I’m late, but I was bound and determined to get all the folders logged on the computer and filed away.”

Rose waved her away. “I can handle this. You know I raised three children. Sit and relax. You’ve been working all day.”

Rebecca arched a brow. “And you haven’t?”

“Taking care of Josh isn’t work. It’s God’s gift to me. He keeps me young.”

Rebecca sank into a chair next to her grandmother and stroked Josh’s arm. His cooing eased her weariness. Her children were the reason she was working so hard. They were worth it.

“Where’s Peter?” Rebecca asked as she tickled Josh’s stomach and relished the sound of his laughter.

“He’s still at baseball practice, but he should—” The sound of the front door slamming interrupted Rose. “It looks like he’s home.”

“Or we have a very loud burglar.”

“My gosh, child, work at the police station one day and you’re already thinking the worst of the good citizens of Oakview.”

Peter entered the kitchen and headed for the refrigerator. “I’m starved. When’s dinner?”

“Six.” Rose placed Josh over her shoulder and patted his back.

“How was practice today?” Rebecca asked, watching her eldest son pour a large glass of orange juice and nearly down it in one swallow, then refill it.

He shrugged. “The usual.”

“Which means?”

“The team practices catching and batting.” Peter rummaged through the cabinets until he found a box of crackers.

“I don’t want you to eat too—”

“Mom, I could eat everything in this kitchen and still be hungry. Don’t worry. I’ll eat dinner. Have you called Dad yet?”

“No, I just got home myself.”

“Well, then, what are we waiting for?” Peter took the phone and punched in his dad’s number.

While Peter talked with his father for a few minutes, Rebecca steeled herself. She remembered the devastation she had experienced when she had discovered the note Craig left, saying he couldn’t take any more and he had to leave—for good.

“Mom! Mom!”

Rebecca blinked and focused on Peter, who was holding out the phone for her. Her hands shook as she took it. “Hello, Craig.”

“Peter said you had something you needed to talk to me about. I don’t have much time. What is it?”

Rebecca heard the impatience in Craig’s voice, and the sound of people’s voices in the background. She wondered what their call had interrupted. “Peter and I were hoping you could come up for his birthday next Saturday. He wants you to go fishing with him like you two used to.” A long pause on the other end sent her heart pounding against her chest. “Craig?”

“I’m thinking.” Another long pause, then he said, “Okay. I can come for a while. I’ll be there at seven in the morning. We can spend a few hours together before I have to get back to Dallas.”

“Peter will be glad to hear that,” Rebecca replied in the most cheerful voice she could muster, while inside she wanted to yell at Craig. Don’t put yourself out for your own son. After all, his feelings aren’t as important as yours. He doesn’t need to see his own father.

“I’ll have to leave by noon.”

“Fine. We’ll see you at seven then.” She hung up the phone.

“Dad’s coming?”

Rebecca nodded, her throat clogged with emotions she couldn’t express in front of her son. She laced her hands together to keep them from trembling.

“This is gonna be great.” Peter snatched up the box of crackers and the glass of orange juice and left the kitchen.

“Everything isn’t as great as Peter thinks?” Rose asked.

Rebecca took her son from her grandmother, needing to hold him close. Burying her face against his hair, she breathed deeply, relishing his baby scent. “No. There were other people at his place, and I could tell he wasn’t too pleased by our call.”

“Have faith in the Lord, child. Everything will work out.”

Rebecca remembered Gabriel saying those same words to her earlier that day. She wanted to believe them. “Granny, I’m trying.” She tightened her hold on Josh, drawing strength from her youngest who had been through so much in his short life.

“You haven’t told me about your first day on the job,” Rose said as she opened the refrigerator to remove some sliced chicken.

“Interesting and challenging.”

“Challenging?”

“Not the actual work so much as how to get along with my co-worker.” Rebecca started to tell her grandmother about Mabel when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get this then tell you.”

She swung the front door open and found Gabriel in cutoffs and a sweatshirt. He filled the entrance with his overwhelming presence. She greeted him with a smile, pleased to see him. Her spirits lifted.

“What brings you by?”

“I wasn’t there when you left today, and I wanted to know how the rest of your first day on the job went.” His gaze trekked down her.

“Checking for scorch marks from the Dragon Lady?”

He chuckled. “Are there any?”

“One or two. Come in.”

“I’d better stay out here. I’m in desperate need of a shower after running laps with the team.”

“How’s Peter doing? Giving you any trouble?” Rebecca came out onto the porch.

“No, he hasn’t complained since that first day. Actually he ran next to David today. For the first lap they carried on a conversation.”

“Good, because this morning I was concerned something happened at practice yesterday.”

“Why?”

“He came home and kicked his tennis shoes under the bed.”

Gabriel chuckled. “Probably because he’s done more work these past couple of days than he’s done in a month’s time.” He raked his fingers through his sweaty hair. “I have to give him credit. He’s done everything the team has done.” Leaning against the railing, he folded his arms across his chest. “Okay. How was your day?”

She sat in the swing and turned Josh in her lap so he could see Gabriel. “The job’s fine. I’ll win Mabel over. I think she was shocked that I wasn’t out the door right at four-thirty. I think I further shocked her by staying until all the files were logged and put away.”

“I bet you did. When I first came to work as the police chief, I had to win Mabel over, too. Just because I was the boss meant nothing to the woman.”

“Since you’re still the police chief, there’s hope for me.”

“There’s always hope, Rebecca. I think that’s one of the messages the Lord was giving us when He sent us His only son.”

Fear nibbled at her. Dare she have hope? Rebecca thought about Peter’s birthday. She prayed that Gabriel was right.

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