Margaret Daley - Her Baby's Protector - Saved by the Lawman / Saved by the SEAL

“Yes. I don’t get a lot of home-cooked food. This is delicious.”

Kate passed the serving spoon to Chase. Their fingers briefly touched. For a few seconds she forgot to breathe. Sharing a meal with a man was something she hadn’t done in so long she didn’t know how to react anymore. She sternly reminded herself not to be silly. This wasn’t a date—he was just trying to keep her and her son safe. If an assailant wanted to hurt her, the most effective way would be to do something to Jamie. Zed Hammer’s anger the last day she saw him might have driven him to harm her son. The thought plunged fear deeper into her. She’d fought to have her son, and she would fight to keep him and protect him from any harm.

“Is the house secure?”

“All windows and doors are locked. You have a good security system, but vigilance is important, too.”

“Now I wish I had a big dog. Would it be good to get one tomorrow? I’ll do whatever I need to make sure Jamie is all right.”

“If you got a dog tomorrow, it would take some time to train him properly. Right now you need a guard dog. I could loan you Mac. He’s a German shepherd. When I got him, he’d been a guard dog. He’s well-trained, or I wouldn’t offer.”

A German shepherd she hadn’t raised? She didn’t know if that would be a good idea, and yet having him might be just what she needed at this time. “On one condition. Would you stay with us for the day after bringing him to make sure Mac is a fit for us? I know that’s asking a lot, but I need to be assured Mac won’t have any problems with Jamie, Rachel and me, not to mention my cat. Have you ever loaned him out before?”

“No, and that’s a good suggestion. Tomorrow is Saturday. I can bring him by in the morning and introduce you to Mac.”

“Good. I’d like that.” But this incident made her realize she needed a dog as a permanent pet. Jamie would love it.

Chase’s cell phone rang. “I need to answer this. It’s my partner.” He pushed to his feet and walked into the hallway.

Kate tried to eat a few bites of her dinner, but knots of tension riddled her stomach. She finally decided not to force it down. As she began taking the dishes to the sink, Chase reentered the kitchen.

“Was it about Zed Hammer?”

“Yes. We got a search warrant for his house. I’m meeting my partner over there. I’ll have a patrol car drive by your place at least once an hour. With the police force looking for the car and Hammer, hopefully we’ll find him soon. In the meantime, I hope we’ll get some useful data from his home. If he’s the attacker, then I want to have solid evidence against him.”

For a second, she wanted to ask him to stay, but he was right that his duty lay elsewhere. Her house was secured, and she wanted the person responsible in jail tonight, if possible.

She went to her desk and jotted her cell phone number on a piece of paper. “Call me if you find anything.”

He checked his watch. “It could be late.”

“I don’t care. I’d like to know.”

He pocketed the scrap of paper she gave him and offered her his business card in return. “Okay, I will.”

Kate walked with him to the foyer and turned off the alarm. “Thank you for all you’ve done today. I hate to think what could have happened if you hadn’t shown up.” A shudder rippled through her.

At the front door, Chase paused and turned. “You have my number. Call if you need me. Any time, day or night. I don’t live far from here. I can be here in ten minutes.”

“I appreciate it.” She gave him a smile.

When he left, she locked up and turned on the alarm again. Then she glanced around, realizing how big the house was. But Chase had checked it. If someone came in through a door or window, the alarm would go off. After cleaning the dishes, she headed upstairs.

Rachel backed out of Jamie’s room and quietly closed the door, then swung around. “I think he’s officially asleep this time. I waited awhile to make sure.”

“Thanks. I’m going to bed, too. Long day.”

“Don’t worry about Jamie. I have the monitor on, and if he wakes up, I’ll hear and check on him. Get some rest.”

That was easier said than done, Kate noted later as she stared up at her dark ceiling. She was exhausted but not sleepy. She was glad tomorrow was a day off. Maybe before the weekend was over, her attacker would be found, and she could make up for the sleep she’d lost. Her docket was full next week.

Finally her eyelids grew heavy. She hugged her pillow and began to drift off.

Until the sound of a siren penetrated her mind.

She sat up and listened, her heartbeat pounding. The noise faded into the distance, and she sighed. She was overreacting. This was ridiculous.

With a glance at the clock, she settled again under the covers. It was after midnight. Like her son, she’d gotten little rest last night. Centering her thoughts on the Lord watching over her, she finally fell asleep...

The high-pitched sound of her alarm jerked her awake.

THREE

Chase stood next to his partner, Todd Grayson, in Hammer’s living room and frowned. Nothing.

“We still have the garage, and the tech guys will go through his computer,” Todd said.

“Where is this guy if he isn’t guilty?”

“We’ll find him and ask him that question. He has a motive. His car, which wasn’t reported stolen, was the getaway vehicle. He has a lot of explaining.”

Chase started for the kitchen. “Let’s check the garage then go home. Tomorrow I’ll interview the couple of neighbors who weren’t home earlier. Maybe someone will know where he is.”

“I’ll interview Hammer’s ex-wife and boss. Something will turn up.”

In the meantime, Kate was scared for her child. He’d investigated a couple of kidnappings since he’d returned to the police force two years ago. He’d seen the terror and heartache the parents went through, especially with the one that ended tragically. He wished at times he could turn off his emotions totally. Usually he managed to push them down enough so he could work effectively on the case. He wasn’t so sure he could manage that this time.

There was something about Kate that pulled at him. When fighting the attacker, she’d been ferocious. But the second Jamie was safe, her tenderness had surged to the foreground as she comforted her son.

“I’ll take the left side,” Chase said and moved to a group of stacked boxes.

Kate had Rachel, but she didn’t have any family here. She was essentially alone. That thought knocked holes in the barrier he’d erected around his heart. His only mission, especially since he’d survived the ambush, had been to protect and serve others.

The blare of his cell phone cut through the silence in the garage. He saw it was Kate’s number, and his pulse picked up speed. Was Hammer there?

He punched the accept button. “Detective Walker here,” he said in his professional voice, trying to keep that wall between them.

“My alarm is going off. Someone must be in the house.”

“Did you call 9-1-1?” Chase headed for the garage door button to raise it.

“You are 9-1-1.”

“I’ll be right there. Get Jamie and Rachel and lock yourselves in the bathroom. I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He hit the opener.

“Hurry.”

“I will. Stay on the phone with me.” Then to his partner who held some photos he’d found, he said, “Judge Forster’s alarm went off.”

As Chase jogged to his car, Todd shouted, “I’m coming, right behind you. I’ll let the station know.”

“Do you have Jamie yet?” Chase asked Kate as he slipped behind his steering wheel.

“Yes,” she said in a breathless voice. “Rachel’s here, too. We’ll be in the main upstairs bathroom.” Fear dripped off each word.