Leona Karr - Hero In Disguise

He walked with her to the kitchen door. “I’ll call Mr. Weiss, the investigator, tomorrow. Maybe he’s turned up something and we can get the boys placed in quick order. Then things will get back to normal.”

“We’ll try to keep out of your way,” she said firmly. His tone had made it clear that he was ready to have them gone as soon as possible. “With luck, we won’t overstay our welcome.”

“I just meant that it can’t be easy for you or the children to be in limbo like this,” he added quickly, apparently recognizing he’d said the wrong thing.

“I agree it’s important that we get the children settled as soon as possible.”

He wanted to tell her how much he’d enjoyed her company this evening. Her candor and natural manner were refreshing. There was nothing pretentious or false about her, and she allowed him to drop the mask he wore most of the time. If he hadn’t promised to stay his distance from her, he would have confessed that he was looking forward to more of her company.

“Let me know if there’s anything else that will make your stay more comfortable. I’m going to be gone for a couple days. The governor is scheduled for several events in eastern Colorado and wants me to go along. We’ll fly out tomorrow. The Ericksons know how to get in touch with me if something comes up. Just make yourselves at home, please.”

She knew that he was doing his best to make things go as smoothly as possible for her and the boys. Having two kids like Eric and Richie running riot in a beautiful home like this would test anyone’s Christian charity.

“We’ll behave like guests whether you are here or not,” she assured him. “Don’t worry. Everything will be in one piece when you get back, I promise. Have a safe trip.”

He smiled at her. “Thank you. I can’t remember the last time someone said that to me.”

She turned away quickly, sensing something in the situation that could pull them across the line they’d drawn between them.

David left early the next day, and while he was gone the boys settled into a routine of outdoor play, naps and quiet time. Melissa finished two articles and put them in the mail to her magazine editor. She liked to write two months ahead on her assignments, which gave her some leeway to research her book. There were moments when the uncertainty of the boys’ future worried her, but she firmly lectured herself: “Let go and let God.” Everything was in His hands. Lord, give me patience, she prayed, and then added with a chuckle, “And, please, give it to me right now.”

Inga seemed happy to have her company when she popped in the kitchen for a cup of tea. The housekeeper liked to chat, and Melissa’s curiosity was satisfied by some of the stories Inga told her about David, his parents and their hope that he would be governor someday.

David leaned back in his seat as the governor’s private plane climbed into the air and headed northeast. They were scheduled to arrive in Denver about four o’clock, and the cabin was filled with tired members of the governor’s staff. They had been on the go for two days, and David had a briefcase filled with more work when he got back. Not tonight, he thought, anticipating getting home before dark for a change.

“David, I’m handling the reservations for next week’s fund-raiser,” Stella Day said as she stopped beside his seat with a pencil and pad in her hand. “We need to know how many tables to reserve for the governor’s staff. I’m putting you down for two places.”

“Two?” David raised an eyebrow, but he knew what was coming. His unattached status was never overlooked when it came to these political affairs.

“The governor wants you to escort the daughter of one of the speakers. Not bad-looking, I hear. Should be more of a pleasure than a chore,” Stella promised.

“Sorry, I’ve already asked someone,” he lied, deciding that when he showed up alone, he could say the lady had been indisposed. “You’ll have to find another escort to do the honors.”

“Who is she?”

“You don’t know her.”

Stella studied him. “You’re lying, David.”

“Am I?” he asked with a challenging smile.

She let out an exasperated breath. “You know how important these contacts are. An eligible bachelor like you should venture out of that shell you’ve put around yourself and start dating. I could give you a list of charming eligible women a mile long. Why don’t you let yourself go? Get out and do some socializing?”

“I don’t have time,” David said flatly.

“Make time,” Stella told him, and walked away sighing.

He knew he’d have to attend the elegant affair, which was to be held at one of Denver’s fashionable hotels. Stella was right: it wouldn’t sit well if he showed up alone when the governor wanted him to escort another lady. David didn’t know when the idea struck him to ask Melissa to be his date, but almost immediately he dismissed it. Of course she’d refuse. She’d hesitated even to move into his house until he’d made it clear that he would hardly be around. Still, the prospect of spending an evening with her kept nagging at him. He didn’t doubt for a moment that she would be a delightful dinner partner and could hold her own conversationally with anyone at the table.

By the time the plane landed and he drove home, he had decided to wait a few days before mentioning the social affair. In the meantime, he’d try to get more involved with the boys, a sure way to win her approval.

His good intentions were almost immediately reduced to ashes, when he came into a small utility room off the garage and nearly tripped over a mangy, flea-bitten, stray dog. The mutt was as startled as David. He lurched up on skinny legs, peered at him with round dark eyes through a tangle of dirty brown hair, and backed away from David, barking and growling.

Eric and Richie came bursting through a door that led to the back hall. “Scruffy! Scruffy!” Falling to their knees beside the straggly, long-haired dog, they engulfed him in a protective hug and glared up at David.

As Melissa hurried into the room, David demanded in a sharp tone, “Explain this, please.”

She moistened her lips. “I’ll try. Boys, go outside with the dog for a little while.”

“He’s ours,” Richie yelled at David.

“We adopted him,” Eric added fervently. “He’s like us. He ain’t got a home.”

Melissa didn’t look at David as she scooted the boys and the dog into the backyard. She knew that her weakness over the stray dog was going to create friction all the way around. Obviously, David was going to put his foot down about keeping the mutt, and the boys didn’t need one more heartbreak in their young lives. She silently prayed for the right words as she went back inside the house to face a glowering David.

He was in the kitchen with Inga, and she was talking to him about dinner. “I baked some stuffed pork chops and potatoes, just in case you made it home in time to eat. The kind of meals you have at those political junkets of yours don’t fill up a man the way they should.”

“Actually I’m not all that hungry,” he said, allowing a wave of weariness to sweep over him. It had been an exhausting trip and all he wanted was to come home to some peace and quiet. He had already decided to put off the confrontation about the dog until later when his nerves weren’t so raw. He liked to handle problems in a detached way, and he felt anything but detached about keeping a mangy stray dog—boys, or no boys!

“Why don’t you go upstairs and freshen up,” Inga coaxed like a mother hen. “I can set the dining room table for you and Melissa, and feed Eric and Richie in the kitchen. Both of you look as if you could use some quiet time. And you need to settle this dog thing, ya?”