Under the Lawman's Protection

“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I don’t have anything right now,” Leah said, smoothing a hand over her son’s hair. “Close your eyes and try to get some rest.”

“We can stop and pick up something once we have a different set of wheels,” Isaac offered.

“I think once he falls asleep, he’ll be fine,” Leah murmured.

“Yeah, well, all this running around is making me hungry, too,” Isaac said in a wry tone as he rose to his feet. “Stay here. I’m going to make sure we’re still in the clear.”

He didn’t really think they’d been followed, but he needed to put some distance between them. Leah’s cinnamon-and-spice scent was wreaking havoc with his concentration. She was so beautiful, even after everything they’d been through, with her naturally curly black hair and heart-shaped face. There couldn’t be anything but friendship between them, so why was he suddenly thinking of her as a woman he was attracted to?

He needed to get that thought out of his head right now. After pushing open the church door a crack, he peered outside. He couldn’t see far, but what he did see seemed quiet and deserted.

Leah hadn’t asked him how he’d gotten inside the church, and he was glad he didn’t have to explain how he’d picked the lock. He couldn’t help but think the church pastor wouldn’t be too thrilled to know how easy it was to break in. Then again, maybe he should let the pastor know so he could change the locks.

But that would have to wait until they’d gotten safely out of this mess.

Waiting for Deck and Bobby to show up was agonizing, each second passing with excruciating slowness. Isaac paced back and forth, peering outside every so often.

Finally his phone rang, and he was relieved to see Deck’s number. “Hey, are you close?”

“Yeah, we’re parked in the back behind the church,” Deck informed him. “Didn’t see anyone suspicious hanging around, either.”

“Thanks, Deck. We’ll be outside soon.” Isaac clicked off, then locked the main doors of the church before heading over to Leah and Ben. “They’re here with the car, Leah. Do you want me to carry Ben?”

She looked dead on her feet, but still shook her head. “I’m worried he’ll cry.”

Isaac understood her concern, since there hadn’t exactly been time to bond with the boy. Although he needed to spend more time with Ben so the boy wouldn’t be afraid of him.

He led the way through the church to the back door. Leah followed slowly, carrying Ben, who was once again half-asleep.

There were two cars in the lot, both with their engines running but their lights off. Isaac stayed right beside Leah, sweeping his gaze over the area to verify they hadn’t been found by the shooter.

As they approached the vehicles, a young man climbed out from behind the wheel of the older sedan and stepped forward. Isaac recognized Bobby Collins and gratefully took the keys he handed over.

“There’s a booster seat in the back for the kid,” Bobby said. “Figured that would be one less thing to worry about.”

“Where did you get it?” Isaac asked in surprise.

“Caleb donated it,” Declan said, coming out to join them. He handed Isaac a computer case. “Apparently his daughter, Kaitlin, had two of them.”

“Thank you,” Leah said with a tremulous smile.

“No problem.” Bobby ducked his head shyly and sauntered over to the other car. Declan slapped Isaac on the back and then went to join his brother-in-law. Isaac waited for Leah to get Ben settled in the booster seat before he opened the front passenger door for her.

He didn’t breathe easy until the church was far behind them. Isaac knew he needed to find another place to stay for what was left of the night, and this time he wasn’t about to tell anyone, even his friends, where they were going.

Driving through the night, he finally came across a hotel that boasted two-bedroom suites. The concept offered the best of both worlds, so he pulled in and parked.

Leah had been dozing and came awake in a rush when the car stopped. “Where are we?” she asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Brookside Suites Hotel,” Isaac said. “They offer two-bedroom suites, so you and Ben can share one room and I’ll use the other.”

“Looks expensive,” Leah murmured.

Isaac didn’t answer, because he’d already had the same thought. But they couldn’t afford to be cheap when it came to making sure they were safe. As it was, he’d need to convince the clerk to take cash when they were ready to check out.

It didn’t take long to secure a room, although the man insisted on having a credit-card number on file in case there was any damage. Apparently Isaac’s badge helped lend credibility, as the clerk reluctantly agreed to take payment in cash.

This time, Isaac carried Ben inside the hotel. The boy had fallen back asleep and barely stirred as they rode the elevator to the third floor. They had an inside room, and Isaac figured that they’d be much harder to find in a place like this, even if somehow the shooter figured out what kind of car they were driving, a nearly impossible feat.

Surely they’d be safe here.

Isaac waited for Leah to unlock the door and flip on the lights. The place was nice, as it should be for the price he’d paid. There was a comfortable living area, complete with a small kitchenette, so they could cook their own meals if they were going to stay for a few days.

The first bedroom had two double beds, and he waited while Leah pulled down the covers so he could set Ben down in the one nearest the bathroom.

She quickly stripped the boy’s coat, hat mittens and boots off before covering him with the sheet and blanket. For a moment she simply stood there, staring down at her sleeping child. Isaac eased toward the door, thinking that maybe she wanted some privacy.

But she surprised him by turning and following him out to the living area. “It’s hard to believe we’re finally safe,” she murmured, running a hand through her hair.

Isaac had to stop himself from wrapping her in his arms and holding her close. He cleared his throat and nodded. “No one knows we’re here, Leah. The car can’t be traced to us, either. We are safe.”

Her smile was a tad pathetic, but still made his heart race. “I finally believe that.”

He cleared his throat again, hoping she couldn’t tell how nervous he was. “I’m going to go back down to get the laptop, okay?”

“Sounds good.”

He left the room, thinking for sure Leah would be tucked in bed by the time he returned. He wouldn’t blame her one bit, since he doubted she’d gotten much sleep before the tear-gas incident.

Grabbing the computer case out of the backseat didn’t take long, and within minutes he was back upstairs, using his key card to access the room. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find Leah curled in a corner of the sofa, waiting for him.

She glanced over when he walked in. “Did you want me to order something to eat? You mentioned you were hungry.”

Isaac was touched by her offer. When was the last time anyone cared about whether he was tired or hungry?

“Thanks for the thought, but I doubt they’ll provide room service this late.” He set the computer case down on the small table in the kitchenette.

“Really?” Leah seemed surprised and then shrugged. “You’re probably right. It’s closer to breakfast, anyway.”

“Get some sleep, Leah,” he suggested in a low tone. “I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

She dropped her gaze and nodded. “I am, but truthfully, I’m afraid I’ll have nightmares.”

The urge to offer comfort was strong. “I’m sorry,” he murmured helplessly.

“It’s okay.” She uncurled herself from the sofa and stood. To his surprise, she crossed over to him and put her hand on his arm. “Thanks for keeping us safe, Isaac.” She stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss across his cheek before turning to head into her room.

It took every ounce of willpower he possessed to let her walk away, when all he really wanted to do was haul her close for a real kiss. He didn’t let out his breath until she’d closed the door behind her, the cinnamon-and-spice scent lingering long after she’d gone.