LITMIR.BIZ

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for a fleeting moment in Stone’s hooded eyes. “Whatever time is left, we’re wasting it right now.”

      Cade paced across to the sink, leaned against the white porcelain, glaring intently out the window. Deirdre stared at his profile, catching sight of a glint of moisture at the corner of her brother’s eye. “What do you want from me?”

      “Deirdre says you’re the only person Mrs. McDaniel spoke to about her relationship with the birth father. Is that true?”

      “As far as I know. I hardly think she discussed it with the wives down at the officers’ club.”

      “It’s not something I’d imagine you’d discuss with your son, either,” Stone observed. “So how did you come to know about Deirdre’s parentage?”

      Cade’s features darkened. “There was an accident. The doctors thought Deirdre might need a kidney transplant. I overheard the doctor telling Mom that our father was not a compatible donor. It was biologically impossible that Deirdre was his child.”

      “Your father wasn’t there to get the doctor’s report?” Stone didn’t manage to mask disapproval.

      “No. He was gone.”

      Deirdre figured Cade must have sensed some kind of censure in Stone. Cade’s temper sparked. “Dad was feeding Dee’s dog. Dad and Spot had this kind of love/hate relationship. But the old man knew the first thing out of Dee’s mouth when she regained consciousness would be asking after that damned dog. He wanted to show her he hadn’t forgotten.”

      Deirdre winced.

      Cade turned to Deirdre, gaze fiercely intense. “Don’t you call that love, Dee? He was worried sick, wanted to stay at the hospital, hear the first word when the doc reported in. But he knew what mattered most to you. He tried to—to put your mind at ease.”

      She didn’t dare show the effect his words had had on her, or Cade would hammer her forever, hoping he could make her call this whole search off. She could handle Cade furious. But pleading, sorrowful, hurting…those were a more dangerous approach.

      Deirdre tossed her head. “It’s more likely he just couldn’t stand to deviate from the schedule,” she said. “Feed dog at 0800 hours.”

      Cade swore.

      Stone cleared his throat and continued. “So you and your mother were alone in the waiting room, Mr. McDaniel. The doctor walks in and reveals something this explosive in front of you?”

      “They both thought I was asleep. Even so, the doctor asked Mom to step out of the waiting room into the hall. But I could tell from the man’s voice something had gone horribly wrong. I…thought my sister was dead.”

      Deirdre had to clench her hands into fists to keep from reaching out to Cade, touching him. The breach yawned between them, so painful it hurt to breathe. She could see Cade there, at the hospital, his body not yet filled out with a man’s muscles, his face still boyish, the scar on his chin still new. He must have been devastated, feeling responsible for anything that went wrong in the family, the way he always did. She could almost hear the litany of self-blame running through his head.

      I should have foreseen she was going to fall, stopped her from being so reckless.

      I should have hurled myself on the open toolbox so she wouldn’t have hit the sharp metal edges when she fell.

      He’d thought she was dead. He must have been going through hell. It should have been over once the doctor said she’d live, but he’d only exchanged one level of hell for an even deeper one.

      Cade blew out a steadying breath. “Mom begged the doctor not to tell our father unless it was a question of saving Deirdre’s life. She prayed Deirdre would recover without needing that kidney. Deirdre did. Mom made me promise I would never tell. I never did.”

      “So, that’s the Cliff’s Notes version,” Stone said. “Think you can add anything more?”

      “Cade, for God’s sake! I know you’re doing this under duress, okay? Your objection has been duly noted and thrown in the circular file. Now tell the man something useful or stop wasting his time.”

      “This isn’t easy, Dee. I don’t want my family hurt.”

      “Oh, yeah, and I’m just loving this. It’s so much fun,” Deirdre snapped.

      “Mom said she’d had an affair with a man named Jimmy Rivermont. He was selling band instruments in the area, or something. She would leave me with another army wife while she…” Cade shrugged. “I don’t know the woman’s name. She lived next door to our parents.”

      “In military housing?”

      “Yes.”

      “Where were they stationed?” Stone asked.

      “Fort Benning, Georgia. Must have been, what? Thirty-three years ago.”

      “Did this friend of your mother’s have a name?” Stone probed.

      “I sure as hell never asked what it was.”

      Deirdre tried to sound confident. “The Captain would know who Mom’s friends on base were, wouldn’t he?”

      “You can’t ask him that!” Cade raged. “For God’s sake, Dee!”

      “We’ll try other avenues first,” Stone said. “I promise you, Mr. McDaniel, I’ll try to make this inquiry as painless as possible for you and your family.”

      “I’d be…grateful. Anyway, I’m out of here. I’ve told you all I know.” Cade’s jaw tipped up at that angle that always made Deirdre want to take a swing at it. “Except that Deirdre already has a father who loves her.”

      “Damn it, Cade!”

      “I know,” Stone said. “I mentioned that myself.”

      Cade stalked to the door. Stopped. “I just have to say this one last time, then I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

      “Yeah, right!” Deirdre scoffed, turning her back on him and bracing herself against the counter.

      “Don’t do this, Dee.”

      “It’s already done.”

      CHAPTER 5

      CADE SLAMMED THE SCREEN on his way out. The sound reverberated through the roomy kitchen of March Winds. Deirdre and Stone stood in silence a long time. She rubbed her eyes, disgusted that she was close to tears. Damn, she wasn’t going to cry.

      “So,” she said, fighting to keep her voice steady. “Is that enough to start on?” She grabbed her purse from the counter, started digging in what Emma called “theworld’s smallest landfill.”

      “How much do I owe you for a retainer?”

      She didn’t expect Stone to cross the room, circle her wrist with his warm fingers. Deirdre tried to keep from shaking. But Stone wasn’t buying her tough act. He slid the purse out of her reach, then stunned her by tugging her gently until her back flattened against the hard wall of his chest. He wrapped his arms around her.

      Oh, God, Deirdre thought, breathing in the scent of him, exotic, dangerous, deliciously male. He felt so solid, so big, as if he could hold back crumbling mountains, or crumbling lives.

      For a heartbeat she wanted to stay there, safe. Protected. Not alone.

      He leaned his cheek against her. “It’s all right,” he breathed against her temple, stroking her hair. “Cry if you need to.”

      Damn the man! What did he think? She was going to fall apart right in front of his eyes? But then, between Trula and the redhead, he was probably inundated with feminine tears.

      Indignation sizzled through Deirdre. She tried to wriggle free, but he held her, determined to what? Comfort her? She stomped

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