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FOUR
First Steps Daycare was nestled in the heart of town on Main Street. Originally a house, it’d been converted into a child’s paradise. Beautiful murals in bold colors decorated every wall, soft rubber flooring provided padding for unfortunate falls, and a fenced backyard, complete with a sturdy wooden swing set, provided outdoor activity. Rooms were divided by age and an array of appropriate toys provided.
Chase rubbed his temples, a headache brewing behind his forehead. He’d spent the last five hours at the front desk, working alongside Faith and keeping an eye on both her and little Anna. “How on earth do you handle all the noise?”
The daycare was blessedly quiet now that the last child had left, but the sounds of laughter, playful screams, and more than a bit of crying had filled the space during business hours. The last employee had left fifteen minutes ago, but Faith hadn’t stopped moving all day. She was currently filing papers, Anna strapped to her chest in a sling.
Faith made everything look effortless. No one would’ve guessed she’d been viciously attacked this morning or that she’d spent the entire afternoon running a hectic business while caring for a child that’d been dropped in her lap unexpectedly. She was amazing.
She cast Chase a glance out of the corner of her eye and a pretty smile curved the edges of her mouth. “You chase down criminals and dodge bullets, but can’t handle a few crying kids? There’s aspirin in the medicine cabinet, tough guy.”
He scowled at her when she tossed him the keys. He found the right one for the medicine cabinet and fished out the painkillers. “Laugh all you want, but I’d rather take the graveyard shift on patrol than work here full-time. Crying, wailing, screaming…I’ve never seen so many tears in all my life.”
Faith laughed. “Little ones are passionate.” She shut the filing cabinet with a bump of her hip. “Okay, that was the last of it. We can get out of here, although I need to stop by the grocery store on my way home. The formula and diapers Holly brought over this morning won’t be enough to get me through the weekend.”
“No problem.” Chase downed the medication.
He extended his hand, offering the keys back to Faith, and was surprised when she grasped his fingers after taking them. She lifted her gaze to meet his. “In case I forgot to tell you, thanks. I know you were looking forward to the wedding this weekend, and spending hours at the daycare, watching over me and Anna today wasn’t much fun.”
Warmth spread through Chase, fueled by the silkiness of her skin against his and the softness in her eyes. His heart skipped several beats, and it took him a minute to remember how to talk. “I was just grumbling about the noise. It wasn’t horrible being here today.”
Any time he could spend with Faith was fine with him. She was his favorite person to be around, but that dipped too close into dangerous territory. Chase flashed her a grin, hoping to mask the flare of attraction racing through him. “But if you’re looking for a way to really thank me, think brownies. Chocolate ones with nuts and caramel.”
She shook her head, hair fluttering around her shoulders, and laughed. Faith unwrapped Anna from the sling and carefully placed her in a car seat Holly had loaned them. “Get out of here, Chase. I’m not baking anything.”
“Come on.” He grabbed the playpen and sack of toys by the door. The items belonged to the daycare, but Faith was borrowing them for the weekend. “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll grill steaks for dinner tonight, and you bake brownies tomorrow.”
“Now you’re talking. That’s a deal.”
Chase placed a hand on Faith’s arm, preventing her from opening the front door. He peered into the street. Most of the shops were still open, residents bustling from one place to another. Twinkling Christmas lights flashed in the store windows. Chase’s truck was sitting in front of the daycare. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary.
Faith stiffened underneath his palm. “What is it?”
“Just being cautious.” Chase offered her a reassuring smile before opening the front door. So far, the day had been uneventful, but he’d done periodic patrols of the immediate area around the daycare. Each time, Chase had wrestled with the sensation of being watched.
Even now, as he hustled Faith and Anna to the car, the back of his neck prickled. Imagination or instincts, Chase couldn’t be sure. The attack from this morning bothered him far more than he let on. A thorough search of the surrounding land around Faith’s property hadn’t yielded any new evidence. There was no sign of Anna’s mother, and they were no closer to identifying her. Chase couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible had happened to the woman.
He breathed a sigh of relief once everyone was nestled inside the vehicle. The grocery store was ten minutes away, on the other side of town. Faith pointed out various Christmas decorations along the way. Chase enjoyed listening to her chatter on, the lilt of her voice soothing his headache into submission.
“Have you finished your Christmas shopping?” Faith asked.
“Yep. I bought my mom’s present yesterday. I took your suggestion and got that purple sweater you found online.” Chase arched his brows. “You know, I’m pretty sure she figured out a long time ago that you’re the one actually selecting the presents I buy. I should just put your name on the card.”
“Don’t you dare. Besides, it’s reciprocal. I never would’ve found the right drill for my dad without your help.”
“Did you tell your parents about this morning?”
She sighed. “Yes. They’re worried, but I explained that you’ll be watching out for me and that made them feel better. They’re having a great time on the church trip. I hated to spoil it, but I was worried your mom would say something, and figured the news was better coming from me.”
“You’re right. Oh, by the way, my mom is working, but she’d love to stop by and have breakfast with us tomorrow morning. Do you mind?”
Chase’s mom was a nurse and worked at the local emergency clinic. Like Faith, he’d hesitated to tell his mom about the attack this morning, since Maggie McKenzie was a natural worrier, but keeping the assault quiet was impossible. In Cutler, news traveled faster than birds could fly. At least if his mom heard the news from Chase, he could provide the facts and temper her concerns.
“Of course your mom can come for breakfast. I would love that.” Faith rubbed her hands together with excitement. “I’ll make pancakes. Those are her favorite.”
Despite teasing about the brownies earlier, Faith loved to cook for other people. She had a way of making everyone feel at home around her. Knowing his mom was coming over, she would probably make more than pancakes. It would be a breakfast buffet by the time Faith was done.
Anna sent up whimpers of protest as Chase pulled into the grocery store parking lot. He glanced at the little one tucked in her car seat behind the passenger seat. “Is she okay?”
