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He frowned. “I’m not leaving you.”

She smiled. “I’m not alone, and you need those answers.”

“We’ll get them in time. I don’t need them now.”

She didn’t agree with that, but the stubborn light in his eyes prevented her from arguing with him any further.

Then his phone beeped again, and he sighed. When he lifted his eyes to hers, she smiled. “I’m fine. Go.”

He kissed her. “I’ll be right outside.”

The three Malssum brothers headed out the front door, leaving Ford, Seth, and Wyatt with the women inside. They hadn’t even had to speak to organize their forces. Rissa smiled. “You’ve got an amazing team here.”

Amber chuckled beside her, although her face remained tight. “You mean we’ve got an amazing team. You’re part of us now.”

Esme laughed. “Whether you like it or not, but I know you’ll like it. I didn’t have anyone other than my Nans growing up, so I wasn’t sure what to do with this group at first. But they pull you in and make you part of them in the very best way.”

Rissa smiled. Esme was right. “And we wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Her friend smiled as Wyatt’s arms wrapped around her. “Neither Esme nor I had a connection with the family as you do. I’d met the guys in the military, but you have a whole history. From what I hear, you’ve always been a part of their team.”

Her heart filled when Jolie and Amber agreed with Wyatt’s statement.

She sipped the chamomile tea, but couldn’t eat any of the food Mara brought in. She remembered they’d all been coming to the inn for lunch. “I’m sorry we ruined the lunch you made.”

Seth laughed. “Yes, totally your fault for being in an explosion.” He walked over and squeezed her hand. “No worries, the food will keep. It might take a while for your stomach to be ready, though. A bang on the head can unsettle you.”

She nodded and glanced at the door again. It was impossible to keep her eyes off it. She wanted to know what was happening outside and if Burke was getting any of the answers he desperately needed.

The kitchen door opened, and Nash and his family entered the room. Charlie rushed over to Rissa, eyes wide. “We heard what happened. Are you and Frizzle okay?”

She smiled at Charlie. “We’re both okay. I bumped my head, but nothing serious.”

Charlie smiled. “I’m glad. There are a lot of people outside. Dad says they caught the bad guy.”

“That’s good.”

Rissa knew Charlie and his family had been through their own trauma, and that Charlie had been instrumental in getting help when an armed man had tried to grab Olivia.

Charlie nodded. “He’ll go to jail where he can’t hurt anyone.”

“Exactly where he belongs.”

Charlie nodded and then smiled when Frizzle jumped up from Rissa’s lap and barked at him. When the boy ruffled her head, Frizzle jumped into his arms, making him laugh.

Her Yorkie was intuitive and probably knew Charlie needed a distraction from the bad memories. The boy brought Frizzle over to the side to play with Ella, Oggie, and Gomez.

Rissa hadn’t grabbed her phone from the Q Lab so she couldn’t text Burke, not that she wanted to bother him, but she wanted to ensure he was okay. There wasn’t any way for a single criminal to hurt him with the group around them, but she wondered if he was getting any information that would hurt him emotionally.

Having confirmation that a former co-worker and mentee tried to kill him had to be horrible.

She turned to Amber, who remained anxious. “I need to find out what’s happening. I’m going to head outside.”

Amber nodded. “I’m not surprised, but are you still feeling dizzy?”

Rissa shook her head. “I’ve got a headache, but the dizziness is gone.”

Amber studied her and nodded. “And you’ll feel even better when you’re with him. So will he. I’m so glad you came to Vermont, Rissa.”