Interrupted Lullaby

by Dana R. Lynn

  “You left,” she fairly spat. “After all we had gone through, you just took off without a word. I had to hear you were gone from your chief.”

  He ducked his head. It was true, and she had the right to be angry.

  “I had to, Maggie. I needed to get my head on straight. If I had waited any longer, I would have found an excuse to stay with you and the kids. Please, can we just go somewhere private and talk?”

  Maggie didn’t answer but grabbed up her coat and shoved her arms into it. She took the bill from the waitress and handed her some money. Dan caught a glance at the check. That big of a tip would have the girl smiling all night. He followed Maggie as she headed out.

  “Where are you parked?” Rather than reply, she shot out her arm and hit a button on her key fob. The lights on the four-door sedan directly ahead of them flashed.

  “Okay, I’m there.” He yanked a thumb over his shoulder at the motorcycle. Her eyes widened. “Yeah, that’s the same one we rode on together.”

  “Well, I’m not getting on that thing again. Not in this weather.”

  “Fine. Follow me home. We can talk in private there.”

  Reluctantly, she nodded.

  As he led the way back to his apartment, he worried about what to say. “Lord, please give me the words to say.”

  Ten minutes later, he opened the door for her, hoping he hadn’t left a mess. He hadn’t planned on bringing her here. He had intended to go to her house and grovel, but things hadn’t quite worked out. So he was improvising.

  “I should call my house first,” she blurted. “Let Seth know where I am.”

  “He already knows.”

  Her eyebrows rose.

  “I stopped by your house to see you. He told me where you were. Said he would text you and let you know you could take your time.” He saw comprehension cross her face. “I could see you were with Lily Klemz, so I waited until she left before I approached you.”

  She sighed. “Just tell me what you need to tell me so I can go.”

  Dan ran a hand through his hair. “I was seriously messed up, Maggie. After I shot Chambers, I mean. I hadn’t shot anyone since Afghanistan. Suddenly, within days, I had killed two people.” He raised his hands to ward off protest. “I had no choice, I know that. I take no pleasure in what I had to do, but I know that I had to do it. Faced with those circumstances, I’d do it again. But still, it put me right back in Afghanistan. And then Tony died, and I felt that was my fault, too. That I had screwed up.”

  Cool hands framed his face. Shocked, Dan jerked back. Maggie followed.

  “That had nothing to do with you. Remember, you were shot, too.”

  He held both her hands to his face briefly, shutting his eyes. He had been afraid she would never touch him again. He nodded.

  “I know that now. I have been in therapy for two months. Post-traumatic stress disorder. That’s what my therapist diagnosed me with.” His eyes opened when he heard her suck in a breath. “I knew I needed help. I explained the situation to Paul and he agreed. I took a medical leave of absence, because I sure wasn’t gonna do anyone any favors as a cop until I worked through my issues. And then there was you. I could never even think of staying in your life until I straightened myself out. Not just for you, but for your kids, too.”

  Carefully, afraid she would pull away, he leaned down and let his forehead rest against hers. Her perfume, flowers and spice, rose up to meet him. He inhaled deeply. “You deserve a man who is whole. And they deserve a father who can be there for them completely, without reservations. Maggie, I want to be that man. But I couldn’t before. I wasn’t ready. I’m still in therapy, and I might be for a while. But I love you. And I love your kids. I know you have no reason to believe me. And maybe you won’t feel the same way about me. But I would like the chance to try.”

  Somehow her hands had left his face and had crept around to the back of his neck. Her touch warmed him all the way through, melting the ice of fear that had remained around his heart. Warm, cinnamon-scented breath fanned his face. He was scared to move in case it was all a dream.

  “I missed you so much, Dan. Every day was filled with thoughts of you. Whenever the twins did something new, I would think, if only Dan could see this.” Tears glistened on her long lashes, but a smile trembled on her lips. “When you showed up tonight, I was tempted to resist. I didn’t want my heart broken again. I couldn’t, though. I remember being on that horrible boat with Chambers, thinking I was going to die, wishing you knew that I loved you. I was terrified, but I knew I would always regret not giving you a chance.”

  He stilled. “So are you going to give us a chance?”

  Soft laughter slipped past her lips. She tugged on his neck. He was only too happy to comply. He brushed her lips softly with his. They both sighed. Their lips met again, this time for a longer kiss. A kiss filled with forgiveness and healing. He wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her close.

  He had come home.

  EPILOGUE

  “And now it’s time for the bride and groom’s first dance together. Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Willis to the dance floor.”

  The opening notes of the song they had chosen poured from the speakers.

  “They’re playing our song, Mrs. Willis,” Dan’s husky voice murmured in her ear. He swept her onto the dance floor. Maggie was only too happy to follow his lead. It seemed as though she had waited forever for this day. Dimly aware of the crowd gathering around them, she kept her focus on her man. She could see the joy in her heart echoed in his eyes.

  The past six months hadn’t been easy. Dan had had to undergo intensive therapy. He still visited a therapist, but the frequency had been decreased to once a month. Maggie knew he still suffered from the occasional nightmare. But the flashbacks had ended. He had come to grips with what had happened in Afghanistan, although he would never forget. And he’d come to terms with the lives he’d taken while protecting her.

  Her new husband leaned closer.

  “I love you, Mags.”

  Tears prickled at the backs of her eyes. How had she gotten so blessed? Even after years of anger at God, He had blessed her beyond her wildest dreams.

  “Love you back.”

  Soon after, they left the dance floor to stroll among their guests. Maggie was astonished at the sheer number of friends she had accumulated in such a short time. Chief Garraway was there with her husband. Maggie had witnessed for herself the affection between Dan and the older woman who had helped him so much. Now she grinned as the older couple left the dance floor, flushed and laughing.

  She smiled as she saw Melanie take Jace’s hand and place it on her belly. Both their faces grew intense, then they grinned simultaneously. The baby must have moved.

  Irene reached over and placed her hand on her sister-in-law’s stomach, her own expression misty. Being a widow with young children was hard. Maggie could empathize. Hard to believe Tony had died almost nine months ago. Poor Irene. She was still grieving for Tony, but when Maggie had considered not asking her to be a bridesmaid out of respect for her feelings, Irene had pitched a fit, demanding the right to be part of the joyous occasion.

  “Hey, no sad thoughts. Not today.”

  Maggie shook herself out of her melancholy reverie and smiled at her husband. “Sorry. You’re right. I was just thinking of Irene and Tony.”

  “I figured.”

  Maggie opened her mouth to respond, but her words choked on a giggle as she looked across the room. Dan followed her gaze and snickered. Senator Travis and Anna were standing side by side, studiously trying to keep polite expressions on their faces while Siobhan stood between them and held on to both their hands. It didn’t take much imagination to understand what had happened. Siobhan was excited to have two grandparents. She had two hands, one for each. Neither grandparent wanted to ste
p back, so they were enduring each other’s company. Barely.

  Maggie tucked her mouth close to Dan’s ear. “If this were a romance novel, they would fall in love all over again and live happily ever after.”

  Dan gave her an oh-please look. “I wouldn’t hold out for that.”

  “No, I know. They would be a disaster together. I’m just glad they are tolerating each other for the sake of the kids.”

  “And for you, sweetheart.”

  Maggie considered. “My mom? Yeah. Him? I don’t really think he’d go out of his way for me. We’ll never have a father-daughter relationship. Sometimes I think he puts up with me because it looks good to voters that he is trying to amend his ways. I’m not sorry, though. At least I got a brother out of the deal.”

  Speaking of her brother... Ah! There was Seth. Of course. He was sitting with Rory on his lap. Rory had claimed Seth as his.

  A glass started tinkling in the back of the room. Like a wave, more joined in as the guests tapped their spoons against the crystal glasses. “Kiss! Kiss!”

  Only too happy to comply, Maggie and Dan kissed softly, their hands entwined.

  “Me, too!”

  They looked up to see Siobhan running their way, her black curls dancing. Her beaming mouth had chocolate around the edges.

  “Kiss Vonnie, too!”

  Rory, never one to let his sister go anywhere without him, scampered off Seth’s lap and charged behind. “Me!”

  A murmur of chuckles flowed through the crowd as the twins skidded to a halt before Maggie and Dan. Siobhan raised her arms imperiously. “Up, Mommy! Daddy! Give Vonnie a kiss, too!” The guests sighed.

  Dan leaned over and scooped up the little girl, chocolate and all.

  “Mommy! Daddy! Me, too!” Rory said.

  Maggie hefted Rory up into her arms and hugged him close, inhaling his sweet little-boy scent. Her eyes met Dan’s. Joy and unshed tears mingled. Daddy. Her darlings had a daddy. Her heart melted every time she heard it, and she knew his did, too. Dan planned on adopting them immediately. But from the moment she had mentioned he would soon be their daddy, the twins had taken to calling him that. Which made life a little embarrassing before the wedding. Now? Now it was one more blessing to be cherished.

  They kissed each child. Then, still holding the precious toddlers close, they leaned in and their lips met. A camera flashed. Maggie smiled against Dan’s lips. Perfect.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from UNDER DURESS by Meghan Carver.

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for joining me as I returned to LaMar Pond for Maggie and Dan’s story. I was touched by the number of readers who contacted me after reading Presumed Guilty and told me they wanted to see a story about some of the secondary characters. I knew even while writing Presumed Guilty that I wanted to write Dan’s story. The idea of an ex-soldier dealing with PTSD while struggling to perform his duties as a police officer tugged at my heart. I couldn’t wait to give him a worthy heroine who would see beyond his woundedness and appreciate his strength and integrity. As for Maggie... Well, who doesn’t appreciate a feisty mother raising twins on her own? I had so much fun writing about those kids! I also enjoyed watching her regain the faith she had lost as a child.

  I hope you enjoyed Dan and Maggie’s story. Even though LaMar Pond, Pennsylvania, is a fictional town, it has become very real to me as I write about the people who live there. I am busy working on the next story now, and I hope to be able to share it with you someday.

  I love hearing from readers. I can be found at danarlynn.com, Facebook.com/writerdanalynn and on Twitter (@DanaRLynn).

  Blessings,

  Dana R. Lynn

  We hope you enjoyed this Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense story.

  You enjoy a dash of danger. Love Inspired Suspense stories feature strong heroes and heroines whose faith is central in solving mysteries and saving lives.

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  Under Duress

  by Meghan Carver

  ONE

  A scream tore through the humidity of the summer evening. Spikes of adrenaline pulsed through her veins as Samantha Callahan pressed hard on the accelerator of her little Honda to round the corner of the church building. She was late to pick up Lily, but the day camp director had agreed to look after Lily for the extra half hour.

  The pickup area at the back of the church was empty save for a monster-size black SUV. On the sidewalk, a large man with a baseball cap pulled low and an open button-up shirt had his hands on her Lily. The tires on Samantha’s car squealed in protest with the speed, and Lily looked up, her mouth open from her scream, relief washing across her features. The thug seemed to tighten his hold on the girl’s skinny arm, jerking her closer to him. Red splotches radiated from beneath his grip.

  Samantha stopped the Honda nose to nose with the SUV and instinctively grabbed her bag. There wasn’t time to consider her professional clothes wholly inappropriate for fighting bad guys, or her sensible but still high heels, which would make it difficult to run away. Lily pulled against the bully, but her thin frame barely allowed her to budge against his bulk.

  Samantha swallowed, determined her voice would come out strong. “I don’t know who you are, but she’s not yours to take. Let her go.”

  The man stared at her, his eyes cut into narrow slits. Without looking away, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph. He glanced down at the photograph then eyed her, his gaze sweeping from her hair to her shoes. Her skin crawled and itched as his attention swept over her.

  Heat to match the summer afternoon rocketed up her back and neck. Whoever that man was, he wasn’t only after Lily. He wanted her, too.

  The curl of his lip projected pure maliciousness.

  Her mind flitted to her phone, resting just inside the outside pocket of her large leather bag. There wasn’t time to wait for an answer to a nine-one-one call. The thug would have them long gone by the time an emergency vehicle arrived.

  She tossed a glance at Lily and nodded toward the car. The girl was smart. She would understand Samantha’s meaning, that she should dive for the car as soon as she was loose.

  The man took a step toward Samantha. She tightened her grip on the bag. “The girl is mine. I said let her go.”

  He took another step toward her, his hand still tight around Lily’s arm. A breeze ruffled his shirt, and Samantha spied a weapon tucked in a shoulder holster. Moisture slicked her palms, and she choked up on the strap of her bag. How could she get this guy to let go and then get away without harm or injury?

  Her bag. Of course. If he’d wanted to kill them, he could have easily accomplished that mission by now. All she needed was to get away.

  “One last time.” Her voice fairly growled. “Let her—let us—go.”

  One more step, and in a split second Samantha hefted her bag and swung wildly for the thug’s head. He obviously didn’t see it coming, for the metal buckle on the front of the tote ripped open his cheek, the contents of the bag clunking around inside. A shattering sound filled the void between them.

  Bright red blood gushed down his cheek. He let go of Lily, grabbing at his face with his hand. “You—”

  Before he could finish, Samantha pulled Lily away from him. “Get in the car.” She kept her voice low. “Now.”

  Her tennis shoes squeaking against the pavement, Lily jerked the closest back door open and dived headfirst into the backseat. With visual confirmation that Lily was
crouching low, Samantha returned her attention to the thug just as he fixed his gaze back on her. She swung her bag again and hit him on the shoulder, praying that would buy her enough seconds to get in the car.

  He seemed stunned that she would fight back, and she used those moments to rush to the driver’s seat. With the door still flopping open, she threw the little Honda into Drive and slammed her foot against the accelerator. She scrunched down in the seat, staying just high enough to see over the steering wheel. “Stay down,” she commanded Lily.

  As she neared the curve that would lead her around the church building and to what she hoped and prayed was safety, the back windshield shattered. A bullet whizzed past the headrest and her ear.

  A shriek filled the car. “Sam!”

  “Lily? Are you hit?”

  “No. You?”

  “No.” Samantha rounded the corner and rocketed through the front parking lot toward the road. A couple of loose pebbles smattered against the side panel. An engine roared behind her, and a glance in the rearview mirror revealed the SUV barreling toward her little car. The front parking lot was empty. There was no one to offer assistance. “Can you get up front and still stay low? Get my phone?” In her haste, she’d thrown her bag onto the front passenger seat. It had fallen onto the floor and was completely out of her reach.

  Lily crawled in between the front seats. Samantha edged to the outside of her seat, allowing the girl as much maneuvering space as possible. Lily slid into the seat and crouched down, then retrieved the bag from the floor. She unzipped it and pulled out the phone, revealing a shattered screen. She turned it on and the screen glowed, but it didn’t respond to her touch no matter how many times she tapped it.

  “Can’t call now.” Lily dropped the phone back into the tote.

  “At least it helped when I slugged that guy who grabbed you.”