Monday's Child (13 page)

Luke smiled and started eating his. “You’re welcome, Sara.”

****

Just as they finished, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it.” Luke walked into the hall and checked before opening the door. “Hey, Dave. Come in.”

“I was on my way home and thought I’d stop in and see if Sara’s aunt arrived all right.” He set down the box he was carrying.

Luke glanced at the box, more interested in that than anything else. “Yeah, come meet her.”

“Sure. Then I need tae show ye something.” He followed Luke through to the kitchen.

“Mary, this is Dave McArthur. Dave, this is Mary Daniels, Sara’s aunt.”

Mary smiled and shook Dave’s hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Dave smiled. “And ye. Hi, Sara.”

“Hi, Dave. How are you?”

“I canna complain.”

“That’s good.” Sara hobbled over to the sink, using one crutch and carrying a plate.

Luke tutted. “Sara, should you be doing that?”

“You cooked, so I’ll wash. I can sit down on a stool and do it.”

Luke took her the stool. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Leftenant.”

“Luke, can I drag ye away for a few minutes?” Dave’s voice had an edge to it.

“Sure, Dave.” He followed Dave out into the hall.

Dave grabbed the box. “Can we take this intae the dining room? It’s papers, files, and so on. They turned up on my desk about an hour before I was going tae leave. I have nae had the chance tae go through them yet. I’m hoping they’re relevant tae this case.”

Luke led the way into the dining room. He pulled out a chair for the box and made space at one end of the table. It was a tight squeeze with the computer there, but sitting either side of the table, there was enough room for them to work.

Luke opened the box of files, pulled one out, and read the name on it. “Robert Foster? Who’s that?”

Dave shrugged. “Ah dinna ken.”

Assuming that translated as ‘I have no idea,’ Luke pulled another one. “Robert Foster.” He and Dave removed the other files, all of them having the same name across the top. “You heard of this guy?”

Dave shook his head. “Nae. Mebbe it’s no’ related at all.”

Luke grabbed the final file, shock registering on his face. The name James Barnes glared up at him. “James Barnes?”

Dave sounded as shocked. “Sara’s Jamie?”

Luke opened the file marked James Barnes. “This is Jamie all right. Sara has a photo of him upstairs.” He flicked through the pages. “There’s even a photo of Sara here, details of the wedding and so on. Question is, who is Robert Foster, and what is his connection to Jamie? And who put these on your desk?”

“I dinna ken. There was a note that indicated they were for the current case. I assumed the note meant this one, but it wasna signed. I figured someone would tell me later that they put it there. Everyone except emergency personnel had left for the day, so I dropped by here.” Dave opened one of the Robert Foster files. Taking a sharp breath, he slid it across the table. “Luke, look at this.”

Luke glanced at it. The photos of the two men were identical. “What is going on? Ring Shepherds and see if you can find out if he had the files sent to you.”

Dave pulled out his phone and speed dialed Shepherds’s personal cell. He spoke tersely for a couple of minutes, leaving a message, before hanging up. “He’s no’ picking up. There is nothing we can do now, except read.”

“Want a coffee? It’ll be a long night.”

“Sure. I’ll need to take all the papers back tae the station, but that can wait a couple of days. Is it all right if we store them here for now?”

Luke agreed. “Yeah, we’ll hide them in the cupboard under the stairs behind the recycling boxes. Sara won’t find them there. She doesn’t need to see this until we know what’s up and find out who left these on your desk.”

“Aye. When we get a grasp on things, we can see if there’s anything she can add tae our findings.”

“Maybe we’ll find something that’ll help us with Austin’s location.” Luke glanced at Dave. “Do you think the leak in the office left these?”

Dave held Luke’s gaze. “Mebbe, for some strange reason, but it’d be odd for him tae do so.”

Luke stared at the papers. “Odd. Right. Unless he’s in too deep and wants out.”

****

Three hours later, Luke closed the last file. “I don’t like it. Foster and Barnes, one and the same person. He’s got a criminal record as long as my arm, but if he was in witness protection, as this indicates, why wasn’t anyone told when he was killed back in June? This puts a new slant on this case.”

Dave shrugged. “I dinna ken, but I intend tae find out, and I’m going tae find out who left these on my desk. Whoever it was, mebbe they have higher clearance than us. Mebbe they’re even trying tae plug the leak while cluing us in.” He glanced at his watch. “I should go. Carole will be wondering where I am.”

“I’ll see you out.” Luke followed Dave to the door. “I’ll hide the box for now. I want to go over these papers again, properly. Take notes this time. Why don’t you and Carole come for dinner tomorrow? We can work on these, and she can meet Mary.”

“Sounds good. I’ll come in around the normal time tomorrow. I need tae go tae the office first. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” Luke shut and locked the door and went into the lounge. A small figure sat alone on the couch. “You still awake, Sara?”

“Only just.” Sara pulled herself to her feet. “I was waiting for you to help me up the stairs. Aunt Mary went to bed an hour ago.”

Luke smiled and swung her into his arms. “For someone who’s five months pregnant, you don’t weigh much.”

“Thanks. So if I were a ten-ton elephant, what would you do?”

Luke started to climb the stairs. “I’d tie a rope around your waist and pull you up backwards.”

“You would do no such thing. Are you growing a beard?”

“No. Why?”

“You never look like you shave, that’s all. If it’s one of those stubbly ones, let me tell you now, I hate them.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Sara ran her finger down his face. “Yeah, I prefer my men clean shaven.” She jerked her hand away. “I’m sorry, Leftenant. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Luke carried her down the hallway to her bedroom. “It’s fine. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight.” Sara went into the bedroom and shut the door behind her.

Luke raised a hand to his cheek and touched it. He could still feel her fingertips there.
If only…

He stopped the thought right there. He was on duty. Falling in love was not part of the job description.

****

Luke was woken from a sound sleep by Sara screaming. He ran down the hallway to her room. “Sara?”

He pushed open the door without knocking and ran over to the bed. Sara lay there, arms flailing, body jerking on the bed, caught in a nightmare.

Luke sat on the bed and pushed a hand through her hair. “Sara, wake up.”

Her eyes jerked open. “No.”

“It’s all right. It was a nightmare, but it’s over now.”

Sara rolled onto her side, tears running down her face. “I woke you again. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s not like you did it on purpose.” He rubbed her back, helping her calm down. “That’s better.”

Sara took a deep breath. “I’m all right.”

“Would you like some cocoa? I’ll bring it up for you.”

“Please.”

“I’ll be right back.” He left the room and headed downstairs. The kitchen light was on, and he pushed open the door warily, wishing he’d picked up his gun. “Hello?”

“It’s only me,” came Mary’s voice. “Is Sara all right?”

Luke went into the room. “I think so. She had another nightmare. I said I’d fix her…” He broke off as Mary handed him a cup. “Some cocoa,” he finished, a smile on his face.

Mary smiled. “She’s a creature of habit.”

“Tell me about it. She’s also stubborn.”

“Oh yeah. Once she gets her teeth into something, that’s it. There are no half measures with Sara. She throws her whole self into either loving or hating something.”

“I guess I fall into the hate category.”

Mary shook her head. “She doesn’t hate you. She hates what you stand for—her loss of freedom.”

“I’m not so sure about that.”

“Luke, if she hated you, she’d not even acknowledge your presence. Never mind speak to you the way she does.”

“She calls me lieutenant.”

“Actually, she calls you leftenant.” Mary smiled.

Luke wrinkled his nose. “Same thing.”

“My point is, she speaks to you. She could just as easily pretend you weren’t here and ignore you.”

“I should get this up to her. See you in the morning.” Luke went back upstairs and into Sara’s room. She hadn’t moved. “Hey, your aunt was already making it.”

Sara took the cup. “Thank you. She knows me too well.”

“She said as much.” He sat on the bed next to her. “Are you going to be all right?”

Sara shrugged. “All right is a relative term, Leftenant. I’d like to be, but I don’t know if it’s possible.”

“It will be, once this is over. I’ll leave you to drink that in peace.” He stood to go only to find a hand close over his arm. He turned back, her wide frightened eyes holding his attention. “Sara?”

“Don’t go. Please, not yet.”

Luke sat down again. “All right.”

She let go of him and turned back to her cocoa. “I don’t want to be alone.”

“I can get your aunt.”

Sara shook her head. “Sit with me for a while, please.”

Luke swung around until he was on the bed properly. He gazed across the room. “Dave and Carole are coming for dinner tomorrow night.”

“Sounds good.” There was a chink as Sara put the cup down, and the bed creaked as she lay down again. Her hand moved across, so it was resting on his arm. “Luke…would you pray, please?”

“Of course.” Closing his eyes, he began to pray for them and the situation they’d both found themselves in. After he finished he sat there, his eyes too heavy to open. He shifted down onto the bed.

“You’re not leaving?”

“No, just moving a little.”

“All right.”

Luke closed his eyes. He’d sit here a little longer, until she was asleep, then he’d go back to bed.

****

Sara woke suddenly. The sun was streaming in through the window. She lay there. What woke her? She sucked in a breath. What she was doing? She was curled up behind a very male figure, with her arm wrapped around his waist. What’s more, his arm was lying on hers, and there was no way she could move without waking him.

His voice made her jump. “Morning, Sara. How are you?”

“Fine.” She tried to move her arm. He held onto it for a moment longer before releasing it. “I’m sorry.” She rolled over and sat up in one movement, wrapping her robe around her. She could smell coffee, and her nose followed the aroma. Her gaze followed her nose. There was a cup next to the bed. “How long has the coffee been here?”

Luke rolled over to face her. “Your aunt brought it in just now.”

“Oh.” Her face flamed. She picked up the cup and took a sip, hoping it would stay down this morning. “How are you?”

“I’m fine.” He got up. “Give me a shout when you’re dressed, and I’ll take you downstairs.”

“Thanks.” Sara glanced at him, and then away. No one had the right to be that dashing so early, especially not in tee shirt and tracksuit bottoms. She heaved a sigh of relief as he left the room. Talk about awkward.

Her stomach revolted at the small amount of coffee she’d had, and grabbing the crutches, Sara made her way to the bathroom as quickly as she could. How could she face the leftenant now? Never mind her aunt.

13

Luke carried her downstairs and into the kitchen. Sara gave her aunt a weak smile. “Morning.”

“Good morning, Sara. How are you?”

Sara sat at the table. “Sick, but then I always am.”

“Would you like some breakfast?”

She shook her head. “Too early, maybe later.” She twisted her rings. “Umm, the coffee you brought up to my room…”

Mary smiled. “It’s all right, dear. You don’t need to explain.”

“But I do because nothing happened.”

“Sara, it’s all right, really. I know nothing happened because the two of you are sitting there looking awkward and avoiding the elephant in the room.”

Sara glanced at Luke and then back down again. She only raised her eyes as she felt his warm hand on her cold one.

“Sara, it’s fine. Nothing happened, so there’s no need to be embarrassed, OK? I was intending to wait until you fell asleep, only fell asleep myself. No harm done.”

“All right.”

Luke smiled and got up to make breakfast.

Sara sat and watched him. “You know, you’d make someone a good wife one day, because you have this whole domestic routine going.”

“I don’t think so.”

“Seriously, you do.”

Mary chuckled. “Does he now? Do tell.”

Sara smiled. “Well, first he makes breakfast, and then he cleans the house while I sit in the lounge, being what he terms a lady of leisure.”

Mary laughed. “Your mum would call it a lazy toad.”

Sara shushed her. “Don’t tell him that.”

Luke grinned. “Too late. I heard.” He set the cups down. “Dave’s coming over this morning. We’ve got some files to finish reading. He’s also bringing Carole over for dinner tonight. I figured we could rent a movie or something. Dave said they’d bring a DVD with them.”

“That sounds good.” She smiled at him.

He smiled back. “Good. So what are you ladies doing this morning?”

“Catching up,” Mary said. “While I knit baby clothes and Sara paints.”

****

The morning passed quickly, with Luke making little progress on the files.

Dave came in just as they were about to eat lunch.

They ate together in the kitchen and when it was over, Luke cleared the table.

“What time is Carole coming over?” Sara asked.

“About six, and yes, I am cooking.”

Sara smiled. “That’s fine. We’ll leave you guys to it. We’re going to go watch the TV for a bit.”

Luke hid his smirk. “You and your soap operas. Have fun.”