LITMIR.BIZ

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      “I said Candice Willow’s daughter is expecting again.”

      “What will that be, her fourth?” Mandy forked a piece of meat loaf into her mouth and braced herself for another round of why-don’t-you-settle-down-and-raise-a-family hints from her mother.

      “Candice’s daughter is the same age as you are.”

      “Really? She’s been busy.” Mandy tried to hold back her sarcasm but failed.

      “Grandchildren are such a blessing.” A heavy sigh followed Kathryn’s comment.

      Mandy studied her mother’s carefully blank face without comment.

      Kathryn took another sip of tea, then said, “Did I mention Candice’s oldest son is coming for a visit. He’s a doctor. A radiologist.”

      So that’s where this was going. Mandy laid down her fork and laced her fingers together on the table. “I’m guessing he’s single.”

      Kathryn brightened. “As a matter of fact, he is.”

      “Don’t you dare try and fix us up.”

      “I never suggested such a thing.”

      Mandy rolled her eyes. “Grandchildren are a blessing. He’s a doctor. Come on, Mom, I can read you like a rap sheet.”

      “Grandchildren are a blessing, and I’d like to have some of my own before I die. It wouldn’t hurt you to go out on a date once in a while.”

      “Fine. I’ll go out with the next guy who asks me. In case you haven’t noticed, they’re not exactly lined up around the block.”

      Mandy rose from the table and carried her dish to the sink. “If and when the right guy comes along, it will happen. If not, then that’s okay, too.”

      “Candice’s son could be the right one. How will you know if you don’t meet him?”

      As soon as he hears I’m a sheriff, he’ll run the other way. They all do.

      “Just meet him. That’s all I’m asking,” her mother continued with a slight pout, then changed the subject.

      After clearing the table and loading the dishwasher, Mandy bid her mother goodbye and left. Walking down the porch to the next doorway, she unlocked her side of the duplex and went in.

      The quaint two-story Victorian house with its wraparound porch had been remodeled into a duplex. It had turned out to be the perfect place for them. Living next door to her mother gave Mandy peace of mind and her mother a sense of independence.

      Mandy stopped in the kitchen to check her phone messages. The machine showed a red 0. She’d left clear instruction that she was to be called if any new leads or new information on Judy Bowen’s case became available. Apparently, none had.

      Feeling unusually restless, Mandy turned around, snatched her car keys off the hook and walked out of the house.

      The drive across town was short. Timber Wells boasted only four thousand residents and a total of four traffic lights.

      Pulling into a large parking lot, Mandy stopped and stared at the front entrance of the town’s hospital. She could have called to check on the baby, but what she really needed was to see him—to make sure he was doing all right.

      Inside the building, the nurse on duty gave her a room number. Mandy found the pediatric ward and quietly opened the door to room 222. An elderly woman sat in a wooden rocker, holding Colin. The baby was whimpering softly.

      “How is he?” Mandy crossed the room for a better look.

      “Fussy, but I would be, too, if I had a broken collarbone.”

      Mandy took note of the small sling that held one arm pinned to his sleeper. “I’m Sheriff Scott. I just wanted to check on him before I called it a night.”

      “I know who you are. I understand this little man owes you his life.”

      “I was in the right place at the right time, that’s all.”

      “It was by the grace of God you were there, and it was a brave thing to do, young lady. Would you like to hold him awhile? I really need to get back to my other duties, but he cries whenever I lay him down.”

      Taken aback, Mandy shook her head. “Oh, I don’t know. I’m not much good with kids.”

      “Nonsense. Anyone can rock a baby. Sit here.” The woman rose to her feet, leaving Mandy little choice but to do as she was told.

      Taking the baby carefully, she held his small, warm body close. He whimpered again. Mandy looked up in concern. “I’m afraid I’ll hurt him.”

      “Be careful not to jar his arm, and he’ll be fine. The nurse gave him something for pain in his last bottle. It should take effect soon. Once he’s asleep, you can put him to bed.” With a smile of encouragement, she left the room.

      Slowly, Mandy relaxed and as she did, the baby’s whimpering stopped. Before long, he drifted off to sleep. Instead of laying him down, she continued to rock him gently.

      He was a beautiful child. His long eyelashes lay in blond crescents against his chubby cheeks. His tiny bow mouth made sucking motions as if he were dreaming about his next bottle.

      Mandy smiled. The warmth of the emotions he evoked in her heart nearly took her breath away. She stared at his delicate face. It felt so right and natural to hold him in her arms. She began to hum a soft lullaby.

      Perhaps one day she would have a child of her own. She’d thought there would be time to settle down after the academy and after getting her career started, but then her father had been killed and her mother had needed so much of her time.

      Time was exactly what had slipped away. Now, Mandy was stuck in a small town where even the bravest of men hesitated to ask the sheriff out on a date.

      “I shouldn’t whine when my life is so full of blessings,” she whispered to the little boy who slept in her arms.

      She shouldn’t, but sometimes it was hard always being the one in charge. Always looking to right the wrongs in other people’s lives. It was harder still when she couldn’t right that wrong.

      She’d never be able to give this little boy his mother back, but she would do her best to see that justice was done.

      An hour later—long after her young charge and her arm had fallen asleep—Mandy managed to tear herself away. Laying him down, she stood for a moment rubbing away the pins and needles until feeling returned to her hand.

      Kissing the tip of her fingers, she gently touched them to his forehead. “Sleep tight. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

      Smiling, she realized she’d just made a date with the cutest guy in Timber Wells. Too bad he was only four months old. Somehow, she was sure this wasn’t what her mother had in mind.

      Someone had tried to kill that beautiful baby. Someone had succeeded in killing his mother.

      Mandy vowed she wouldn’t let him or her get away with it.

      Garrett turned his truck into a parking space in front of the county courthouse just after ten o’clock in the morning. It had been two days since he’d learned of Judy’s death.

      He sat for a long time staring at the modern one-story brick structure and the immaculate green lawn that surrounded it. Flags fluttered in the breeze from a pair of flagpoles to the right of the low broad steps. Wiley, his paws parked on the armrest of the passenger’s side door, barked excitedly.

      Garrett rubbed his palms on the top of the steering wheel. He didn’t like confrontations, but the news of Judy’s death followed by what he’d learned this morning left him reeling. Sheriff Scott had a lot of explaining to do.

      Judy had a son.

      A child who would grow up without a mother

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