“I’d had a feeling something was wrong, but I didn’t share my suspicions with him and I should have. Then on the day they died, my mother called and I couldn’t take the call. I had surgery on a pup. After… After they were murdered, I was told there’d been no sign of forced entry into the house, no indication anything had been wrong. Except a light had been left on in the clinic. The police found the door unlocked.”
“Maybe your father caught someone stealing.”
“Maybe. But how did they get locked in the barn? How?”
“Maybe they were drugged.”
When she tipped her head toward me, the sight of tears falling down both cheeks wasn’t anything I was prepared for. “I keep thinking if only I’d called my mother back earlier.”
“Grace. You can’t blame yourself.” As I walked closer, I realized the cathartic nature that had brought us together. She was feeling guilty about a tragic incident she’d had no control over.
She looked so vulnerable, so helpless. As I closed the distance, I was surprised when she reached out for me. I didn’t take that lightly, pulling her into my arms as gently as possible. Only I wasn’t the kind of man who could provide her with what she needed.
Still, with having her in my arms, the same need to protect her was even stronger than before. She wasn’t hysterical or even at the point where I could tell she was crying. For her, she neededto be strong because she felt she didn’t have anyone else but her happy dog. I did nothing but keep my arms wrapped around her, allowing her the time she needed.
Maybe she’d felt as if I wasn’t capable or as if she was bothering me. When she pulled away, furiously wiping her eyes, there were so many things to say on the tip of my tongue, but where the hell could I begin?
“Are there any leads or suspects?”
Grace shook her head. “None. I don’t know if there’s a connection to another fire that occurred or not, but I have a feeling whoever is responsible lives here, a part of the community. Isn’t that terrible?”
“Not necessarily. Could be a firefighter.”
“Sounds like you know from experience.”
“Maybe I do. I was a firefighter after I came out of the service.”
“Like my dad.” She pressed her hand on my chest. I could tell she wanted me to say something, anything. “Anyway, I’m glad you like the picture. Now, Sailor will forever be immortalized.” She winked and moved away from me. I remained where I was.
“When I left for the military, I did so knowing my mother had her hands full with my sister, who was much younger. I was a selfish teenager, getting into trouble, which didn’t help anything either. A part of me thinks my mom was relieved when I told her I wanted to join the Army.” I laughed and rubbed my jaw, remembering the day I’d told her. “She even said they would knock some common sense into me.”
“Your mom sounds pretty special. What about your dad?”
Whatever Landen had told her or anyone else for that matter couldn’t have been much or she’d at least know I didn’t have a dad. “A few years after my sister Aimee was born, he skipped town, which was in his best interest since I’d told him if he didn’t, I would slit his throat in the middle of the night.”
She didn’t seem shocked in the least. “He was abusive.”
“Yep.”
“So you saved your mother and your sister.”
No one had ever made what I’d done sound positive. “I was an eleven-year-old kid with an attitude. All five foot nothing of me.”
At least my admittance of how short I’d been at been at that point in my life caused her to smile. “You filled out.”
Seeing her face light up was special, more so than almost anything I could remember in a long time. “Yeah, well, I’m no hero. But he left, never to be heard of again. I made something of myself when I was in the Army, taking college classes and learning how to be a man. In truth, I found my place and my people. Which meant I ignored my mom.”
She walked closer, holding out her hand. As soon as I grasped her fingers, the warmth and her firm hold was yet another reminder of how special she was. One of a kind.
“Sit,” she instructed before walking away, returning with another beer. Only when she settled in did I start talking again.
“I didn’t come home much on leave, always finding an excuse. While I sent her money, she still had to work two jobs. I was so mad at her employer until I realized that she was paying for medical bills.”
Grace kept her hand on my leg, stroking as if nothing but a reminder she was right there.
“Finally, my sister called. My fourteen-year-old sister had to call and tell me how sick our mother was. I went home. Mom had stage four cancer and didn’t have long to live. I was devastated and so angry. God, I was angry. When I asked my mother why she didn’t call me, she said she didn’t want to ruin my life. My mother was dying and didn’t want to ruin my life. What the hell?”
“Because she loved you so much.”
