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Clare wasn’t sure, even in her darkest anguish, if she’d ever considered it to be a mistake. “I can’t do this right now.” She hung up, done with the conversation.
For years Clare had been the one who felt not worthy. When her baby had died. When her teammates had given their lives for her, and the success of the mission. Clare had walked away wondering why it always seemed like someone else had to die. Why not her?
She shoved open the car door, gasping for air.
Frustrated energy ran through her from sitting too long. Rolling around all these emotions she’d buried. The last thing she needed was to be cooped up. She holstered a pistol under her arm and zipped up her jacket over it.
Running clothes. Sneakers that admittedly saw more gym time than streets or mountain trails. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail and stowed her phone in the pocket on the side of her leggings.
Clare locked her car and joined the people in the park enjoying the spring weather and a break in the rain for one day before another front blew in.
She sprinted at first, just to burn off the energy that wouldn’t dissipate. The running dialog in her mind that she was alive and others had given their lives, and it made no sense that the worthless one lived while those with honor died and the world lost their light.
Makes no sense.
There was supposed to be order in the world. Otherwise she wouldn’t crave what it could bring her. The peace she would feel when everything made sense.
Clare ran so hard her heart pounded in her ears, then slowed to a jog.
Someone screamed.
Clare changed directions, veering onto a path off to the right into the trees. The woman with the stroller she’d seen had stopped on the path to watch the brush off the trail. “What is it?” she called out as she jogged over.
“There.” The woman pointed and turned a pale gaze at Clare. “Right there.”
Clare stopped beside her. Spotted the woman in the brush. Looked back at the mom, with no time to check if the child saw this or was sleeping. “Get out of here. Now.”
Doctor Mares’ wife lay in the dirt up against a tree.
Clare pressed two fingers to the woman’s neck and gasped.She’s alive.
“A guy was here,” the mom said. “He ran off.”
TWENTY-FIVE
Akid jumped and tossed the ball. It swished into the net, then bounced, and another one caught it.
“Nice,” Gage remarked from his spot on the bleachers.
Jasper would’ve slapped the back of Gage’s shoulder, but he was currently on the far side of the basketball courts near the parking lot. From his spot he could see the kids’ pickup game. “But maybe we should make this more interesting. How about two hundred bucks on the winner?”
Blake tensed.
Gage didn’t glance over at the far end where the dog area was—he just saw it out the corner of his eye. He spoke into his radio. “Except that we’re not off work playing basketball at the park. We’re watching for a crew of dangerous thieves.”
Jasper muttered something Gage didn’t catch over the radio.
Gage couldn’t get into what that was right now or the two moms close enough to hear would wonder why he was talking to himself. He’d have to put his phone to his ear and pretend he was on it.
Liam was silent. He’d taken the end of the park too far for Gage to see and was watching both for the suspects and babysitting Dakota. Neither of them wanted to think of it that way, but it was true.
Dakota had been more and more on edge all day. Something was up with the guy, and the last thing they needed was that putting an innocent in danger.
Blake, standing watch at the entrance dog parents used, said, “You know…she was pretty mad when you dissed her at the hospital. What are you gonna say when you see her?”
Gage shifted on the bench, trying to get his vest to quit digging into his side. At least it was cold enough they could have jackets on over their protective gear. People in the park didn’t need to see the three of them were armed. He turned his head. “I have no idea. I don’t want to talk about Clare.”
“What’s going on?” Blake glanced around. “You okay, Gage?”
