by Cindy Kirk
Mike gave Prim’s arm a squeeze. “I’m going to see what the boys are up to out back.”
“I remember when Rory was six.” Deb spoke without taking her eyes off the urn. “He could be so stubborn. One more game of H-O-R-S-E, he’d tell his dad when it was time to come inside for a breathing treatment. Just one more game.”
Prim wondered if Deb was even aware of the tears slipping down her face.
“He wanted so much to be like other kids, to do the things that they did.” Deb turned to Prim. “I know I was angry when I found out you were pregnant. I’m sorry for everything I said back then. I’m glad now that Rory got to be a father. I only wish he could have lived longer to show you what a good dad he could be.”
This was the apology Prim had never thought she’d receive from Rory’s mother. Deb had taken a risk and opened herself to Prim by letting her emotions—all the pain over her son’s lost hopes and dreams—show.
Prim wasn’t sure how it happened, but her arms were suddenly around Deb. When the woman hugged her back, the anger and resentment Prim had worn like a too-heavy coat for all these years slipped from her shoulders to pool at her feet.
Deb and Mike stayed for two cups of coffee, then left to check in at their favorite B and B in Ephraim. Prim offered them the use of her extra bedroom for the night, but they refused.
Counting her blessings, Prim waved as her in-laws drove off. Their car had barely disappeared from sight when Ami drove up.
It amazed Prim that, after years of walking or biking everywhere—even in the winter—her older sister had finally conquered her fears and was able to drive again.
She stepped from the vintage red truck, looking as cool as strawberry shortcake in her pink-and-white-patterned dress. “Please tell me I missed them.”
“Deb and Mike just left.”
“Thank God.” Ami gave Prim a hug, but when Prim would have stepped back from the embrace, Ami held on, giving her an extra squeeze. “I’m so sorry about last night. I shouldn’t have brought up the urn with Max there. I’m normally not so insensitive.”
Giving her sister’s back a hard thump, Prim pulled away and held her at arm’s length. “You did nothing wrong.”
The boys chose that moment to tumble out the front door, a tail-wagging wolfhound at their heels.
“Aunt Ami,” Connor yelled, then flung himself into her arms. “I missed you.”
Ami hugged him tight. “I missed you, too, little man.”
“I can use a slingshot.” Callum squirmed when his aunt snaked out a hand and pulled him close.
Prim could see Callum was touched by Ami’s display of affection, and that warmed her heart. But it didn’t take her focus from his boast.
“Slingshot?” Prim’s voice rose. “Who let you use a slingshot?”
“Grandpa Steve.”
Prim made a mental note to speak with her dad about this matter the next time she saw him.
“We slingshotted rocks into the water when we went fishing,” Connor offered.
“Did you catch any fish that day?” Ami asked innocently.
Both boys shook their heads.
“What a surprise.” Ami grinned. “I hear you spent time with your other grandma and grandpa.”
“Grandma Deb put a cherry on top of the ice cream,” Connor began, ready to revisit the hands-down high point of his weekend.
The sound of an engine had Prim turning. Her heart tripled in speed when she saw Max pull out of his garage.
He stopped when he spotted her and rolled down the window. With one hand he motioned her over.
“I’ll be right back,” she told her sister and loped across the yard to his driveway.
His eyes met hers. “How’d it go with the in-laws?”
“Fairly painless.”
“You sound surprised.”
“I am . . . a little.” She waved a hand. “They couldn’t stay long because they have that anniversary dinner in Ephraim tonight.”
“Will they stop back before heading to Appleton?”
“It didn’t sound like it.” Prim lifted one shoulder, let it fall. “But with them, it’s hard to say. Where are you headed?”
“I got a text from Jeremy. He claims the road construction is completed.”
Prim thought of the big hole in the concrete. “Are you serious? It’s done?”
“That’s what he said, but I’m checking it out just to be sure.”
“Need help?”
“Looks like you’ve got a lot on your plate right now.” He smiled, shifted the car into reverse. “Tell Ami and the boys hello.”
Prim wanted to kiss him, wanted to hop into the passenger seat and check out the roadway with him. But she wasn’t single and fancy-free, so she stepped back, gave a little wave, and watched him drive off.
Chapter Twenty
The sound of scratching woke her.
Pulled from a restless slumber, Prim lay perfectly still, ears straining. Had she left Boris outside? But if the wolfhound was in the backyard, wouldn’t he be barking his head off by now instead of simply scratching at the door?
Still . . .
Prim slid out of bed. She slipped on a robe and cinched the belt tightly around her waist. Feet bare, she padded down the hall and eased open the door to the room where her sons slept. Boris lifted his head from the foot of Connor’s bed, his dark eyes glowing in the dim light.
Tapping her fingers to her lips in a shushing gesture, she stepped backward. She left the door partially ajar so Boris could get out if he decided he wanted to sleep in his own bed.
In the hall, Prim stood very still and listened. The house remained silent. She’d almost convinced herself she’d imagined the sound when she heard the scratching again.
Even as she assured herself that the scratching noise was probably just a branch brushing the siding, her heart slammed against her rib cage.
Knowing she wouldn’t be able to sleep if she didn’t check it out, Prim turned toward the kitchen, her bare feet silent against the hardwood. For reasons she couldn’t explain, she paused just short of the juncture where the hall opened into the living area.
Like a spy in a grade-B movie, she peered around the corner.
Her breath froze in her throat.
A dark-hooded figure with a flashlight stood jimmying her lock. He was pretty good at it, too. While she watched, the door slid open.
Prim whirled and sprinted down the hall. Scooping her phone up from the nightstand, she burst into the boys’ bedroom.
After locking the door with shaking fingers, she spoke in an urgent, hushed whisper. “Callum. Connor. Get up. Help me shove this dresser in front of the door.”
Callum sat up in bed, his eyes sleepy. “Mom?”
“Quiet. There’s someone in the house.” Prim didn’t wait for help. Bracing her feet, she started pushing the heavy dresser toward the door. The lock might hold, but if it didn’t, this would buy them some time until the sheriff arrived. “I need superhero help.”
The twins were at her side in an instant. The moment the dresser was in place, she pointed to a corner spot out of range of the door. “Sit.”
They exchanged wide-eyed glances but obeyed as she dialed 911. The operator answered immediately.
“9-1-1, what’s your emergency?”
“This is Prim Delaney. I live at 522 Coral with my two little boys.” Her voice cracked but she quickly brought it under control. “A man has broken into my home. He’s here now. I don’t know if he has a weapon.”
“I’ve dispatched officers to your location.” The woman’s calm voice was the opposite of Prim’s breathless one. “Where are you?”
“My children and I are in a bedroom in the southeast corner of the house.” Prim kept her voice soft. “We’ve locked and barricaded the door.”
“Officers are on the way. They should be there any minute.” The woman’s reassuring manner eased some of Prim’s fears. “I’ll stay on the line with you until the deputies get there.”
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Prim’s fingers grew numb from clutching the phone so tightly. Finally, in the distance, she heard the sound of approaching sirens.
“This is Sheriff Swarts,” the deep voice boomed. “It’s safe to come out now.”
“How do I know it’s you?” came the shaky reply through the door.
“Prim, it’s me, Max. I’m standing right here with Len.” Max’s control on his emotions hung by a thread. He desperately needed to see her and the boys.
“Just a minute.”
Max heard the sound of furniture being moved. After what felt like an eternity, the door eased open and Prim stepped out.
Her face was ghostly pale, her hazel eyes big. He opened his arms but she shook her head. By the look in her eyes, he wasn’t the only one holding on to control by a thread.
The boys, appearing more excited than fearful, raced out and grabbed his hands, eager for his attention. Boris lumbered after them and yawned hugely.
“A man was in the house,” Connor told Max.
“Did he have a gun?” Callum asked the sheriff. “Or a knife?”
“Maybe he had a bow and arrow,” Connor suggested.
“Boys.” Prim’s voice held a sharp edge. “Enough.”
“Grab some Legos from your room,” Max told the boys. “You can build a jail and pretend to put the guy inside it.”
The twins exchanged a glance, then hurried back into the room.
Prim watched them go.
“I’ve got some questions for you,” Len told her.
“It was horrible.” Prim closed her eyes. When her lips began to tremble, Max realized her control was close to breaking. “I was so frightened.”
Max went with instinct and pulled her to him. The quivering, which could have been hers or his, stopped after a few seconds. For several heartbeats she rested her head against his shoulder.
Then she gave a shuddering breath and pushed back.
Max cleared his throat. “You’re probably wondering what I’m doing here.”
She smiled wanly. “The thought did cross my mind.”
“Max fought with the perpetrator,” Len informed her.
Prim’s startled gaze shifted to him.
“I stepped outside when I heard the sirens. I saw a man dressed in black running across my yard.” Max’s voice hardened. When he’d seen the guy coming out of Prim’s house he’d gone wild with fury . . . and fear.
“Did you ninja punch him?” Connor asked.
It wasn’t until the boy spoke that Max realized the twins had returned.
“Ninjas don’t punch.” Callum rolled his eyes. “They kick and karate chop.”
“I tackled him.” Max kept his tone matter-of-fact.
“That’s cool, too.” Callum gave a grudging nod.
“Yeah, that’s cool,” Connor agreed. “Ninjas tackle.”
Max couldn’t help but smile. “I gave a flying leap and we grappled. His face mask came off, then he took off running.”
Callum and Connor looked at each other, grinned, then held out their clenched hands for a fist bump.
As Max obligingly tapped his fist against theirs, he swore he saw a fleeting smile touch Prim’s lips.
“We’ve got officers searching for the guy,” the sheriff told Prim.
“Do you have any idea who he is?” Prim asked. “I only caught a glimpse of him. And he was wearing a mask.”
“Clint Gourley.” Max wished he’d gotten in more than one good punch. “I saw his face.”
Prim’s quick indrawn breath told him she was as startled as he’d been to discover it was someone familiar behind the string of recent burglaries.
“Let’s sit down.” Len motioned for them to follow him down the hall.
The crime scene techs were hard at work in the living room sorting through the mess Clint had made in his search for valuables, so the sheriff directed them into the kitchen.
The twins lingered behind to watch the activity.
“Callum and Connor.” Prim spoke sharply. “Come sit at the table, please.”
“We want to see the police work,” Callum protested.
“You may watch from the table,” Prim said in an equitable tone.
“We can build the jail while we watch, Cal.” Connor held up the bag of Legos.
Once they were all seated, Len gestured to the man who’d stepped in from outside. “This is Cade Rallis. I’ll be retiring at the end of the month. Cade will be the interim sheriff until the spring election. He has spent a number of years on Detroit PD and brings a lot of solid police experience with him to our community.”
Though Max knew Len had been considering retirement, this was the first he’d heard that an interim sheriff had already been appointed.
Max hoped retiring was Len’s idea and that Anita and her kind hadn’t pushed him out.
The sheriff’s replacement was about his age, Max guessed, with dark hair and cool gray eyes. As he hadn’t yet taken over the top spot, he appeared comfortable letting Len take the lead.
When Len introduced Primrose, Cade’s serious expression eased into a smile. “Flower names must run in this community.”
Prim inclined her head, her gaze puzzled. “Just in my family.”
“Are you any relation to Marigold Bloom?”
If this was an attempt to relax Prim, it worked. The tight, pinched look to her face eased.
“She’s my sister.” Prim even managed a smile. “Do you know Marigold?”
“We met at Shannon Tracy’s wedding at Christmas.” Cade’s expression warmed. “Is she still in—”
“Primrose,” Len interrupted without apology. “Are you able to identify the man who broke into your home?”
She shook her head. “All I saw was his approximate size. He was wearing all black and had a ski mask over his face.”
“He was a bad guy.” Callum’s brows furrowed. “Mr. Brody tackled him.”
“I bet that made him sorry he broke into our house,” Connor added.
Len cleared his throat. “Yes, well . . .”
“Max.” Len shifted his gaze. “You’re certain it was Clint Gourley?”
“I got a good look at his face when I pulled off his mask.” Max looked at Prim and wished he could punch Gourley again for causing her—and the boys—a single moment of distress.
“I’m surprised he hit the house when someone was home.” Cade rubbed his jaw. “That hasn’t been his MO.”
“I saw—” Prim stopped and shook her head. “No, I’m sure that had nothing to do with this.”
Cade offered her an encouraging smile. “Every bit of information you can give us is helpful.”
“Max and I were in my sister’s bake shop recently when Clint was there. I happened to mention the boys and I were going to visit family in Appleton. I got the impression Clint was eavesdropping.” Prim stopped, flushed. “See, I told you it was nothing.”
“That’s solid information.” Cade glanced at the sheriff.
Len nodded agreement.
“What about your dog?” Len glanced at the wolfhound, who was currently chowing down dog food as if he hadn’t been fed in a week. “The barking should have alerted Clint someone was home.”
“Boris slept through the break-in,” Prim admitted with a rueful smile. “He has allergies.”
“Mommy gives him drugs,” Connor informed the sheriff. “It makes him tired.”
“Benadryl,” Prim clarified. “The vet recommended we try it.”
Len shook his head. “Bad luck all around.”
“Actually, we were very lucky.”
Max saw Prim’s words surprised the officers.
Cade studied her face. “How do you figure?”
“For whatever reason, I heard Clint before he got inside. He didn’t see me when I peeked around the corner.” Prim looked at her sons. “I had two brave little ninjas to help me push the dresser in front of the door.”
She smiled at Max. “And someone close by who willingly came to our ass
istance.”
Max let his gaze linger on the boys, who seemed to be bearing up quite admirably considering all that had happened.
What had Prim called them? Ah, yes, brave little ninjas.
Max rose to his feet. “I need to run next door for a second. I’ll be right back.”
“I think we have all the information—”
Max didn’t wait for the sheriff to finish.
Prim was walking through the living room with Len and Cade, looking to see if anything was missing, when he returned.
Max knew nothing was taken. Clint had run out of the house empty-handed. When the man had staggered up from the ground, blood spurting from a nose Max was pretty sure he’d broken, the only thing left behind was a ski mask.
The boys remained at the kitchen table with their Legos, looking young and vulnerable in Spider-Man pj’s.
How many times, Max wondered, had he played the brave little soldier role so his mother wouldn’t worry?
“I brought something for you.” Max dropped into a chair across from the boys.
“What is it?” Callum asked.
Connor leaned forward. “What did you bring us?”
Max pulled two action figures from a sack. They were favorites from his childhood collection of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
“This is Donatello.” Max handed Connor the four-inch-tall figure with the purple mask. “He’s the brains of the bunch.”
Connor stared at Donatello, then up at Max. “Mommy says I’m smart.”
“Donatello is also brave and someone others can count on.” As Max’s gaze settled on the boy, his heart swelled with emotion. “You were very brave tonight.”
“What about me?” Callum demanded.
Max placed Raphael into the child’s outstretched hand. “This is Raphael. He’s funny and clever and very strong.”
“I make Mommy laugh all the time.” Callum lifted his arm, flexed a skinny bicep. “I’m very strong.”
“You kept your cool and stayed strong for your mother tonight.” Max paused to clear his throat. He widened his gaze to include both boys. “I’ve very proud of both of you.”
Sensing a presence behind him, Max turned and found Prim standing there, hands clasped together. She offered him a wobbly smile before turning to her sons.