Jackie didn’t bother to stop the tears. One day they’d tell Lucy the truth of her birth, but not now, not when the pain of losing Holly was still fresh. She heard Ian sniff and blow out a long breath. Jackie pulled Lucy into a hug and felt Ian wrap his strong arms around both of them. Together, they stayed there, buffeted by a gentle breeze. Then Lucy laughed.
Jackie pulled back. “What’s so funny?”
“Mommy told me that when I felt the wind in my face, that was her way of giving me kisses from heaven. I think she just kissed me.”
Ian hoisted the little girl onto his shoulders. Thankfully, his wounded one had healed up with no residual damage. “I think we need some ice cream. What do you two ladies think?”
“I think that’s an excellent idea,” Lucy said and patted his head. “Are you having ice cream at your reception?”
Ian’s eyes met Jackie’s and she grinned. “If you want ice cream there, we’ll have ice cream.”
Lucy threw her head back and giggled. “I want ice cream there. Lots and lots of ice cream with sprinkles and marshmallows and M&Ms and …”
Jackie sighed as Ian held on to Lucy’s knee with one hand and slid an arm across Jackie’s shoulders. She leaned into Ian as they strolled back to the car. Thank you, God, for the blessings in my life. I would have worked things out a little differently with Holly, but I’m trying to accept that you know best. Tell her I said hi, please, and that she’s missed.
Ian helped Lucy into her booster seat and buckled the belt around her. Jackie opened the door on the passenger side and slid into the seat. She buckled up and waited for Ian to do the same. While he worked, she studied him.
He looked up and caught her watching. “What?”
“You’re a good man, Ian Lockwood. I’m blessed.”
He reached over and took her hand in his. “No, I’m the one who’s blessed.”
“No, really. I am.”
“Are you going to start that again?” Lucy asked, exasperation ringing through her question. “We’re all blessed. Now can we go get that ice cream, puleeze?”
Laughter ruptured from Jackie, and Ian leaned over to kiss her. She returned his kiss, then reached back to tickle Lucy’s ribs. The child squealed with laughter, and as Ian drove away from the cemetery, Jackie decided Lucy’s laughter was the sweetest sound God ever invented. And she was quite sure that somehow, some way, God let Holly hear it too.
Acknowledgments
A special thanks to Drucilla Wells and Wayne Smith, retired FBI agents. Thank you so much for the hours you spent reading and “fixing.” I appreciate you two very much and wouldn’t feel nearly as good about the story as I do if I didn’t have your input. Thank you for your service to law enforcement. Thank you for all you’ve done to make the world a safer place, one day at a day, one criminal at a time.
Thank you, DiAnn Mills, my friend and critique partner extraordinaire. I cherish our friendship and consider myself blessed to have you in my life. Love you, friend!
To the Ironmancers: Ronie Kendig, Becky Wade, Susan May Warren, Rachel Hauck, Dani Pettrey, and Katie Ganshert. Thank you for your prayers, your encouragement, your tweets, your Facebook posts, but most of all, your friendship. I love you all!
To Lynn Blackburn, thank you for loaning me your equally devious mind to brainstorm and plot a lot of this story. I dedicate the bubble float to you! LOL. I’ve enjoyed getting to know you and thank God for our friendship. I also look forward to watching your writing career soar!
Thanks to my awesome editor, Andrea Doering; my fearless agent, Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube agency; copy editor extraordinaire, Barb Barnes; my amazing marketing manager, Michele Misiak; and Claudia Marsh, my fabulous publicist. These are only a few of the people I need to thank. The entire Revell team is amazing and I appreciate you all!
Lynette Eason is the award-winning, bestselling author of several romantic suspense series, including Women of Justice and Deadly Reunions. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Lynette graduated from the University of South Carolina and went on to earn her master’s degree in education from Converse College. She lives in South Carolina with her husband and two children.
Books by Lynette Eason
WOMEN OF JUSTICE
Too Close to Home
Don’t Look Back
A Killer Among Us
Gone in a Flash (ebook short)
DEADLY REUNIONS
When the Smoke Clears
When a Heart Stops
When a Secret Kills
Retribution (ebook short)
HIDDEN IDENTITY
No One to Trust
Nowhere to Turn
No Place to Hide
www.LynetteEason.com
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