Breach of Trust (19 page)
Authors: Jodie Bailey
The boys were safe.
Thank You, Lord.
He jolted forward, but the officer held a hand out. “Those are my sons.” It wasn't a request, and he didn't wait to hear the officer's response. He ran at a full sprint to the van.
“Daddy,” Caleb screamed. The twins let go of each other and held their arms out. They didn't seem injured as the officers on either side of the door stepped back.
James kneeled down. Caleb and Ethan hurdled into his open arms. His hands splayed across their small backs. Their soft cheeks, wet with tears, pressed into his temples.
“Daddy.” Ethan's cry mixed with a laugh broke his heart.
“Guess what, Dad? I put on my seat belt all by self,” Caleb said, his little voice shaking. “Ethan needed help.”
James opened his eyes enough to look into the van. A ripped-up bench seat in the back of the van held three seat belts. The middle of the van had holes on the floor where rows of seats used to reside. He choked back a sob at the provision of safety. “That was very smart of you boys. You're not hurt? Are you sure?”
They shook their heads. Their blond hair brushed against his hair. “Daddy, you saved us, huh?” Ethan nodded his head while he asked. His son's long eyelashes held tiny teardrops.
James closed his eyes. His entire body shook with emotion. He fisted the backs of their shirts, wishing he could hug them tighter but careful to be gentle. “God did, buddy.” The words barely escaped his swollen throat. “And He used our neighbor to help.”
James twisted to look over his shoulder at the woman in question. She stood with a hand cupped over her mouth, her head bent. She'd always been attractive, but at the moment, she looked a thousand times more beautiful than he'd ever noticed.
He fought back the habitual onslaught of questions and theories flooding his mind whenever a problem arose. It made him an asset to his company, but as a parent he didn't want to face what his analytical mind shouted: this was too bizarre to be random.
The events of the last week shifted together in his memory, a puzzle begging to be solved. The blood in his veins ran cold. Bottom line: it had to be his fault, and he had no guarantee they wouldn't try again.
Copyright © 2016 by Heather Humrichouse
ISBN-13: 9781488008689
Breach of Trust
Copyright © 2016 by Jodie Bailey
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