AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I need to take a closer look, and I’ll let you know what I find,” Lincoln said.
“I’m coming with you,” Mrs. Collins said. “No way I’m going to stand around not doing everything I can to protect this home and the people inside it.”
He couldn’t help but grin at the feisty old woman. She’d proven herself in the past as one hell of a protector.
“Do you mind if I check on Marie?”
“Go, go! Second floor. She’s the first door on the right.”
He took the steps two at a time and jogged to her room. He knocked gently. “Marie. It’s Owen. Everything’s okay.”
The door inched open, only a tiny sliver of her face visible in the crack. “Are you sure? Was it Bill?”
“I’m not sure what triggered the alarm, but Officer Sawyer and Mrs. Collins are checking about that now. If Bill was here, he’s not anymore.”
Marie flung the door open and launched herself into his arms. Her whole body trembled. Tears leaked from her eyes and soaked through his shirt. “I hate this. I hate not knowing where Bill is and when he’s going to pop up. I never feel safe. Can never let my guard down.”
He held her close, smoothing a palm against the small of her back over and over again. She felt so good in his arms—felt so right. “I’m sorry. I’ll find him. I swear to you.”
She pulled back, her face so close to his. The tip of her nose was red. Her eyes puffy and wide. “I don’t even care about me. But what if he gets Nora? What if he takes her from me or hurts her? I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened to her.”
The agony in her face twisted his gut. Unable to stop himself, he flattened a palm against her jawline and Lord help him if she didn’t lean into his touch. “I will protect Nora with my life. Do you understand me? I’ll protect both of you.”
“How?” she asked.
Before he could answer, heavy footsteps pounding up the stairs turned them both toward the curving stairwell. He dropped his hand from the soft skin on her face but kept one arm firmly around her shoulders.
Lincoln stopped at the top of the steps. “You’re both going to want to see something.”
“Give us a second,” he said, then peered over Marie’s head into her room. “Where’s Nora?”
“In the portable crib. Still fast asleep, the little angel.”
“Is it okay if I pick her up? I don’t want to leave her or you in here alone.” He didn’t want to wake the baby, but he wanted to keep her and Marie in his sight.
One side of Marie’s mouth ticked up. “If she wakes, she wakes. But I can grab her.”
He stepped around her to the little nylon crib beside the bed. “Sounds weird, but I missed the little booger.” Bending over, he scooped up Nora and held her close.
Her little body jerked a bit and her arms stretched over her head. Green eyes blinked open, and he swore she smiled up at him before dozing back to dreamland.
His heart tripled in size.
“Ready?” Marie asked, stealing his attention.
He nodded then led the way downstairs. He took each step extra careful, not wanting to trip or do anything that could hurt Nora.
Mrs. Collins and Lincoln stood in the foyer.
Lincoln held an evidence bag in his hand. “I found this. Smashed through one of the windows at the back of the house.”
“Is that a brick?” Marie asked, squinting as if to decipher exactly what was in the bag.
Owen leaned forward, and his blood transformed to molten lava. “Does that say ‘See you soon’?”
Lincoln nodded.
Marie took a step back and lifted a trembling hand to her mouth. “He found me. Again. I can’t stay here.”
