by Jamie Begley
“What do you need?”
For the first time in a long time, Evangeline felt everything was going to be okay. She felt safe with Hammer, but the man holding her was soothing her like she had always wanted her father to do when she was scared.
“I need her to disappear.”
“You going to tell me why? Or for how long?”
“I can’t tell you much.”
“Jonas can’t help you out?”
“Jonas and I are around each other too much. Cooper retired. I’ve been assigned as commander as his replacement. I need Jonas on the team. He should have already been, but Cooper wouldn’t approve it.”
“The major probably didn’t want Jonas snooping around—he’s one of the best I ever trained. But when I retired, I didn’t recommend Cooper to fill my command. He could be a sneaky son of a bitch when it suited him, which is why I warned you before I left.”
“If you didn’t recommend him, how did Copper get command of the team?”
“Cooper’s been a bootlicker long before you entered the service. As much as I had my suspicions about him, he’s brilliant and deserved the promotion. It might have been a harder choice if your ears hadn’t been too wet to take over, but you only made the team a year before I left. If Jonas hadn’t been finishing his training as a computer specialist, I would have been able to request him for the team. I wish now I had just waited to leave.”
“Why would you wish that? You only met Jonas a couple times when you went out drinking with us.”
“I recognize talent when I see it. Besides, I wanted someone who I knew would have your back. A man is only as good as the men you surround yourself with; that’s the lesson I’ve been teaching John since he was a kid. And, Cooper was becoming too jealous of your accomplishments. A leader isn’t envious of someone else’s achievements; you use them to benefit the team.”
“I agree.”
“That’s why you’ll make a better commander than Cooper, especially if you can get Jonas on your team.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“It wasn’t a compliment; it’s a fact. Just don’t prove me wrong.”
“I won’t.”
“Back to this little lady. I’ll be happy to take care of her. Rachel will spoil her rotten.”
Her heart raced at what the man who was holding her said. She could live with him, and he would be there to hold her all the time.
“I don’t think that would be safe. We were lucky to fake her death. If it comes out that she’s still alive, they’ll look at anyone with a connection to me. I think you would be low enough on the totem pole that you might escape his notice, but I won’t chance it. Allerton is known to do his homework before he strikes.”
“Gabriel Allerton?”
Evangeline felt her hair stir as Will sucked in a breath at the mention of the name she hadn’t learned to be afraid of until it was too late.
“Why would you be worried about him finding out about Ginny? He runs the largest charity organization in the world. He’s always on television, showing the work they are accomplishing.”
“Helping third world countries learn to thrive isn’t all he’s accomplishing.”
“I see. And without specifics, which you can’t tell me about, why didn’t we just take him out instead of having to relocate this little angel?”
“It wasn’t our call.”
“Ahh … I see. One had his uses; the other one is dispensable.”
“What does dis-pen-sable mean?” she questioned, raising her head to stare up at the man holding her.
“Nothing, little lady. You feeling better?”
“Are you going to put me down if I say yes?”
“No, unless you want me to.”
“I’m better.” Evangeline laid her head back down, starting to fiddle with a button on his shirt contently.
“What do you want me to do with her if you don’t think Rachel and I can keep her?”
“I don’t want to know. I trust your judgment. Find a place where she’ll be safe and keep it to yourself. If Allerton finds out she’s alive, not only will she be eliminated, but so will anyone who had any contact with her.”
“What does eli-man-dm mean?” she asked sleepily, still playing with the button.
“Nothing. Stop listening, or I’ll put you down.”
Evangeline quit playing with the button to put her hand over her ear. She felt laughter under her head.
“She’s as smart as a tack, isn’t she?”
“You have no idea.”
“I’ve dealt with that before. John was pretty smart, when he was little. How old is she?”
“She just turned four. Ginny’s a clean slate that you can fill any way you want to. No one but Cooper knows I have her, and he doesn’t know that I’ve passed her care over to you. For all intents and purposes, she doesn’t exist anymore. I haven’t seen or talked to you since your retirement. Even the phone I used to call you on was clean. You’ll have to come up with her paperwork yourself, and when we leave here tonight, you won’t see me again. You’ll become just someone I served with briefly and lost contact with.”
“Hammer, I might no longer be in the military, but the government wouldn’t go to this level to protect someone unless there’s a reason. That usually boils down to how useful they can be. So, you might reconsider asking for my help. If I do, she’s not going to end up being a pawn somewhere down the road.”
“I know.”
Evangeline smiled at Hammer, mimicking the funny one he was giving his friend. He looked as handsome as Manny when he smiled.
“Anything else I need to know before I leave? Where’re her things?”
“She doesn’t have anything. I said you’re starting with a clean slate, and I mean it. Throw the clothes she’s wearing away when you get her new ones.”
“Will do. Ginny, you want to say good-bye to Hammer?”
“Bye, Hammer,” she said, not raising her head.
“You always had a way with children,” Hammer said as he stepped forward to pat her awkwardly on the back. “There’s not another man I trust as I do you, other than Jonas. Thanks, Will.”
He leaned down to face her. “Ginny, I want you to practice those numbers I told you to remember, every day.”
“I will. I promise,” she said innocently, ignoring the reprimanding glare that Hammer was giving her.
“Give it back, Ginny.”
Mulishly, Evangeline gripped what was in her hand tighter.
“Will, there are a couple of things I should have warned you about her.”
“Like what?”
“She’s a pickpocket.”
Chapter Three
“Give it back.”
Evangeline held her clenched hand to her chest at Hammer’s demand. “But I like it. It’s shiny.”
“Give it back.”
She stubbornly shook her head, putting her hand under her armpit, then snuggled into the nice Will. “It’s mine now.”
She wasn’t going to miss Hammer; he was always making her give things back.
“No, it’s Will’s. Don’t make me tell you again ….”
She stared at him pitifully from under her lashes before bursting into tears. “But I want it … please.”
Raising her eyes in surprise at Will’s laughter, she had to use her free hand to circle his neck when Hammer reached to take her out of his arms.
“Let me handle this,” Will said.
Hammer gave an angry look at her but stopped.
“How about a trade?”
She stopped crying. “What do you have?” She looked down with interest as he dug into his pocket and pulled out a handful of different colored candies. “How many can I have?”
“You can pick one.”
Evangeline knew when she was being played. “Three.”
“One,” Will said firmly.
“Mine’s better.”
“Two.”
“Trade.” She slowly and distrustfully pull
ed her hand out from under her armpit, expecting him to snatch her wrist before she could open it. When he didn’t, she slowly opened her hand to show the shiny star. “It’s so pretty. Can I keep it?”
“I need it for my job. How about I find a store on the way back and buy you some new clothes and see if they have a plastic one?”
“Okay.” She lifted her hand so he could take the star as she picked out two candies from his palm.
“Rewarding her with candy isn’t going to teach her to stop.”
Narrowing her eyes at Hammer, she mimicked the mean look he was giving her.
“You’ve had your hands full with her, haven’t you?”
“You have no idea. I do believe in spanking, and she’s come close a couple of times. She swiped my watch when I was sleeping, and I about never got it back from her. I’m giving you fair warning; her favorite things to snatch are sunglasses, anything—”
She leaned forward in Will’s arms to put her hand on Hammer’s mouth so he would stop telling on her.
Will almost dropped her when Hammer pulled her hand away because he was laughing so hard.
“—shiny,” Hammer finished.
“Tattletale,” Evangeline said, sticking her tongue out.
“We’ll work on breaking that habit, won’t we?” Will said when he stopped laughing.
“Do we have to?”
“You better behave. Will has a jail that he can put you in for time-out.”
“What’s a jail?”
“The way you’re going, you’ll find out before you’re six.”
“Is jail good or bad?”
“I’m thinking jail would be good for you.”
“You two cut it out. The way you two are going at it, I’ll be lucky to be back in Treepoint before next week. And Hammer, I’m not going to use my jail to scare a four-year-old straight.”
“She’s four going on twenty, and don’t say I didn’t warn you. Make sure you keep an eye on her. She’s as slippery as an eel when she wants to get away from you to play.”
“I like to play.”
“You do?” She looked up from carefully opening one of the candies she picked, popping it in her mouth.
“Yes, I used to play games with my son when he was a little boy. Maybe I can teach you some of the games I used to play with him, and you can teach me the ones you like?”
“Okay.”
Hammer shook his head at them. “Obviously, I screwed up not keeping a steady supply of sugar to make her behave. I’ll put the car seat in your car. When you buy the clothes and the plastic badge, pick up another seat—”
“I know. I’ll ditch it.”
Contently sucking the strawberry candy, she held onto Will’s shoulder as he carried her to his car. It was only when the car seat was in the back seat that she truly realized she was going with Will and leaving Hammer behind.
The moment her bottom hit the car seat, she burst into tears and started struggling to keep Will from buckling her in place.
“Hammer!” she sobbed out.
Will placed a hand on her chest to keep her from falling out but moved to the side to let Hammer lean in.
“Kid, I told you that you wouldn’t be staying with me.”
“I’ll be good,” she promised.
“I know you will, but you need more than I can give you. I don’t know how to play. You need someone who will let you play and you don’t have to stay inside all the time. In a few weeks, you won’t even remember me.”
“Yes, I will.” Struggling, she tried to slip out of the car seat as Hammer buckled her in.
Once she couldn’t get away, Hammer turned to Will. “Give me a minute with her.”
Tearfully, Evangeline watched as Will moved away and Hammer bent down until he was eye-level with her. “Kid, I made you a promise, and I need you to keep yours. You told your sister that you could be brave, and so far, you have been. She’s just as sad as you are, but you know what makes her feel better?”
“No … What?” She hiccupped between sobs.
“That you’re safe. I told you that I’ll somehow figure out a way that you can see her again without anyone finding out, and I will. It’s just going to take some time. Until then, you have to be what?”
“Br-ave.”
“That’s right.” Hammer laid a gentle hand on her head. “I can’t fix a stupid ponytail. You deserve someone who can. Will can find someone who can.”
“He will?” She looked to where Will was standing, seeing that he was upset that she was crying.
“Yes. Will has a knack for helping kids. He helped me once when no one else would. I wouldn’t trust him with you unless I was 100 percent positive that he can do the same for you.”
Tears sliding down her cheeks, she leaned her head back on car seat. “Okay.”
“Practice that number I gave you every day, but you only call if it’s really, really important, okay?”
Evangeline stopped crying, holding her hand out expectantly for the phone that he taught her to use. Hammer laughed, patting his shirt pocket to make sure his phone was still inside.
“Will is going to buy you your own.”
“A shiny one?”
“I’ll tell him to let you pick it out.”
“Okay.” Evangeline opened her last piece of candy to put in her mouth. “Bye, Hammer.”
“Bye, kid.”
She impatiently watched as Hammer shut the car door, then stood outside talking to Will. Her mind was already on the shiny new phone that Hammer promised her. She was going to pick the shiniest one the store had.
She gave a bright smile when Will got into the car behind the steering wheel.
“Can we go get my phone and badge now?” she asked eagerly.
“Yes. You comfortable back there?”
Nodding, she waved at Hammer as the car started moving.
“Can I have another piece of candy? I don’t like this one.” Evangeline stuck out her tongue to show him.
“How about we get you some real food first, and then I’ll let you pick another one?”
“I’m only hungry for candy.”
“After you eat.”
“Okay.” Swallowing the small piece of candy that was in her mouth, she scrunched around in her seat to reach in her pocket.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” she lied without remorse, finally able to get her hand in her pocket and pull out what she was after. Unwrapping the wrapper, she placed the purple candy on her tongue, finally content. Then she looked up to see Will staring at her from over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing,” she mumbled around the candy.
“Ginny, it’s not nice to steal.”
“What’s steal?”
“I’m pretty sure Hammer told you what stealing is, but in case he didn’t, it’s taking something that’s not yours.”
“It’s not stealing if I share.” Scooting in her seat to get in her pocket again, she held out her hand. “You can have the green ones.”
“Who taught you how to do that?”
“What?”
“Steal.”
“Manny. We shared everything.”
“You did?”
“Mmmhmm,” she said around the candy. “He was my best friend in the whole world.”
“Was?”
“I can’t play with him anymore.”
“Maybe one day you’ll be able to play with him again.”
“That’s what Trudy said.”
“She did?”
“Mmmhmm. She said it would be a long time, but that I had to go somewhere else first before I could see Manny again.”
“To stay with Hammer?”
“No. To Heaven.”
Chapter Four
“Can I go outside to play?” Evangeline looked up from the doll’s dress she was trying to hook her badge onto.
“In a little while.”
Expecting to get the same answer she had been g
etting since she had come to stay with Will, she wanted to jump up and down in happiness, but the sad look that Will gave her stopped her.
“I don’t want to play outside. I’ll just stay here and play with my doll.” Protectively putting her arms around her mound of toys, she scooted herself behind a chair that was next to the couch.
“Ginny—”
“I don’t want to play outside. I want to play in here with you,” she pleaded, tilting her head to the side to peek over the arm of the chair at Will. “Please.” She bit her quivering lip, holding her doll tighter.
“Sweetie ….”
A knock at the door had her scooting backward until she hit the wall. No one had knocked on the door since Will had brought her to his home.
Leaning her head sideways, she saw a tall man come inside. He was bigger than Will and looked the same age. The bushy beard hid most of his face. The coveralls he was wearing reminded her of the clothes Hammer had given her that were too big.
“You’re early, Freddy.”
“I have to get Ezra and Leah picked up early. No need me making two trips when one will do.”
“I told Ginny it would be later today. Maybe we should wait until tomorrow if it’s more convenient for you.”
“Where is she?”
Will pointed to the chair where she was hiding. “Behind the chair. But if she doesn’t want to go, we’ll wait until tomorrow. I can put off Rachel from coming back from staying with her niece for a few more days.”
Evangeline pressed back against the wall as the man moved to stand over her.
“She’s a little thing, ain’t she?”
“Yes,” Will said gruffly.
The man pushed the chair aside, then squatted down next to her. “That’s a pretty doll. What’s her name?”
“Molly.”
“That’s a pretty name. My little girl has a doll. She named her Issie.”
“That’s a silly name.”
His mouth quirked up in a smile. “I told her that, but she still calls her that. Maybe you can help her give her another name.”
“I don’t want to.”
“That’s okay if you don’t want to. Issie is growing on me.”
She stared back at the man curiously. “How old is your little girl?”
“Leah is four. How old are you?”