LITMIR.BIZ

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socialize with Mr. Williamson after work hours—or speak to him about your own social behaviors? Any hobbies, activities or locations you frequent that he might have known about?”

      “I don’t do any socializing with my staff, and aside from the office, church and day care, no other recurrent locations.” He used to have personal goals, aspirations...friends, even. There were more important things in life now.

      Delaney blew out a breath as if gearing up for another onslaught of questions. “Dating?”

      “No.” It wasn’t a ridiculous question. He’d thought about dating before, but how could he risk bringing another woman into Winnie’s life after what had happened with Shannon? He didn’t have the best track record at picking trustworthy people.

      Her fingers flew over the keyboard. “What about the gym?”

      He raised an eyebrow. “The gym?”

      Delaney glanced at his arms before staring wide-eyed at her screen as if berating herself for looking at him. A fiery red began at her neck and worked its way upward. Bruce fought a grin, though he’d admit building muscle came relatively easy as long as he had time for strength work. “I have a jogging stroller. Otherwise, I work out with weights at home.”

      Delaney closed the laptop without comment and avoided looking in his direction. “I think I’ll check in with the team and see how close they are to arriving.” She strode in and out of the bedrooms located on each side of the living room. “It looks like we need a portable crib, and I imagine you’re getting hungry.” She put her hands on her hips. “How about I have someone pick up some barbecue?”

      Bruce didn’t eat out often. He liked real food and found cooking relaxing. Besides, he hated to spend the money on restaurants if it was something he could cook, but the suggestion made his stomach growl. “If you know a place that’s good.”

      She leveled him with a look that said “Trust me.”

      He answered the unspoken challenge. “I’m placing our safety in your hands. Obviously, I’m willing to trust you to pick the food.”

      Her bravado faded and her long eyelashes fluttered. She straightened as if bolstered with a new thought. “You won’t regret it. I’ll make sure of it.”

      Bruce felt certain neither one of them was thinking about the food anymore. She strode to the back door, one hand on her weapon and one hand on her phone.

      He closed his eyes and nuzzled the top of Winnie’s head as he prayed that, for once, he’d placed his trust in the right person.

      * * *

      Monday morning, Delaney pumped her arms in rhythm as she ran around the block. The weekend had been torture. She’d been assigned to protect the most handsome man and the cutest little girl on the planet. Every time Winnie smiled it felt like a vise around Delaney’s heart, reminding her that she could’ve been a mother if only she’d gotten her life back together a little sooner. And Bruce...

      Everyone liked Bruce. He stayed remarkably positive about their time cooped up in the house. He made comical faces to keep Winnie laughing and took turns playing two of the deputies in a game of Scrabble while the third was on patrol. He provided a list of groceries and made the most delicious stir-fry she’d ever tasted. In her line of work, often the witnesses had their own seedy, criminal pasts. While she appreciated their willingness to testify, it often stemmed from wanting to make a deal for themselves rather than from any genuine sense of public responsibility. But Bruce was a hardworking, upstanding...

      She couldn’t even let herself think about it or she’d start wishing for what she couldn’t have. Deputy Marshal Francine Jackson and Deputy Marshal Jim Lewis were guarding Bruce and Winnie while she took an early morning run. It gave her a chance to clear her head and work out, but more important, to get a feel for the neighborhood and potential risk areas. Her phone buzzed and she slowed to a walk to answer. “Deputy Marshal Delaney Pat—”

      “Delaney?” The male’s voice shook on the line. “I, uh... I didn’t expect to be talking to you.”

      “And this is?”

      “Harvey Jeppsen.”

      An awkward silence followed. Harvey Jeppsen had been her lawyer for the private adoption. He’d been there with her in the hospital room when she’d signed away her legal rights to her baby. He’d listened to her sobs before and after. Why was he calling?

      “I was told this is the number to contact my client, Mr. Walker. Are you the marshal in charge?” His voice held a hint of disbelief.

      Her shoulders dropped. “Yes. I’m afraid he’s not able to talk right now. I can have him reach you in thirty minutes.”

      “No matter. I just received word he’ll be at a pretrial interview later this afternoon with the US Attorney’s Office. Please tell him I’ll meet him there.”

      Delaney didn’t confirm or deny, but she hung up only to get another call from the US Attorney’s Office with the same information. It was last-minute, but in a case like this, that didn’t surprise her. She jogged back to the safe house to start preparing for the trip. At least a brand-new black SUV with all the bells and whistles had arrived.

      She imagined Bruce would be pleased with some forward motion on the case. It’d do him good to get out of the safe house for a bit. Maybe it would make him smile the way he had when... She cut the thought off abruptly. There she went again, thinking about his future facial expressions. The infatuation needed to be nipped in the bud. She lengthened her stride and reached the house in record time.

      Thirty minutes later, she was showered, dressed and ready. “We probably should get going. I like to be extra early to allow time for contingencies.”

      Bruce frowned. He hadn’t responded the way she’d expected. In fact, he seemed to be unhappy about going at all. “Any chance we can bring Winnie?”

      “No.” She didn’t mean to snap. “Francine will stay here and take great care of her.” Francine had fallen head over heels for Winnie. Unfortunately, Winnie acted as if she was set on making Delaney do the same. If she allowed herself to soften, she feared she’d be ruined when the case ended, devastated that she couldn’t hold and snuggle her own little girl. “It will be a fast trip,” she added.

      A knock at the front door signaled it was time to go. The US Marshals had sent a fourth deputy to join in the transport. Bruce scratched his forehead. “Let me just put her down for her nap time.”

      Bruce picked up Winnie and kissed her little porcelain cheek. He started singing a song, tones so quiet and low that Delaney strained to hear it, but the concert wasn’t for her. He disappeared into a side bedroom. A moment later he came out with a video baby monitor and handed it to Francine.

      “Okay, she’s singing to her stuffed animal, which means she should fall asleep soon. You have a way to reach me if I’m needed?”

      Francine nodded. “Of course.”

      Delaney could see the uncertainty building in his eyes. “We have to go. Now,” she said. Tag teaming with the deputy outside, she led Bruce to the door of the black SUV. They all wore plainclothes, which typically meant a polo shirt and pants, so as not to draw attention, but they didn’t compare colors ahead of time. Unfortunately, the other marshals had all decided to go with navy blue, just as she had. If they needed somewhere to hide along the way, they could blend in at Best Buy.

      A silver SUV was in front and a navy SUV was behind them. They would accompany her and Bruce to the federal building in Des Moines. She knew the route well enough to skip the GPS. “An hour’s drive on I-35. I noticed they’ve widened the freeway since I’ve last been here. Should be smooth sailing.”

      She started the car and they drove in silence. A few minutes later, she merged onto the freeway. The other deputies spread out, so as not to be an obvious caravan, but they communicated their movements on the radio attached to the right of her steering wheel.

      Much

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