The Protector's Mission. Margaret Daley
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and saw each fingernail was cut short.
“I’m glad you’re having a good laugh over my bear encounter. There is a downside to living a little ways out from the main part of the city. More wildlife.”
“To me that’s what’s appealing about this place. I live in town with a fenced yard. Brutus needs to have a place to exercise when he isn’t working. I can’t risk him encountering a bear.”
Lydia shifted in her chair and cringed. “I’m trying to ignore my bruised ribs, but they love reminding me they’ve been mistreated.”
“Being in that hallway protected you some from the main blast.”
She stared at her tea, tracing her finger around the rim. “I know. I...” She shook her head. “Can we not talk about the bombing?”
“You need to remember, and talking sometimes helps.”
Her mouth tightened. “Not right now. When I start trying to think about that day, my mind shuts down.”
“That’s not an unusual reaction for a traumatic experience. So what do you want to talk about, if not the case?”
“The way things ended for us. I never wanted to hurt you. If I could have done that over—”
He held up his hand. “Don’t. We can’t change what happened and discussing it to death won’t help. What was done is done.”
“I understand, but ignoring something doesn’t make it disappear.”
“Maybe I want to be reminded to be cautious.”
“With me?” Her eyes darkened. “I made a couple of big mistakes as a teenager and have learned a lot from them. I hope we can be friends at least.”
Friends. That was how things started originally. “Listen, I’m sorry it didn’t work out with you and Aaron, but when you eloped it changed everything.”
A noise from the foyer charged the air between them.
“Lydia, I’m home. Where are you?”
“I’m in the kitchen.”
He stood, the sound of his chair scraping across the floor echoing through the kitchen. “I need to check in with Thomas before I call it a day. I’d better leave. I’ll lock the door on my way out.” He passed Kate in the dining room, nodding at her but not slowing his step.
Always in the back of his mind, he wondered why she’d married Aaron so fast after going out with him again. He’d thought they really had a chance to make it work that second time. He was a foster kid while Aaron came from a good family with some influence in Anchorage. Had money in the end meant something to Lydia? Or was it something else that changed her mind? They had started to make up after their breakup at Christmas, but in a snap of his finger, everything had fallen apart. And Jesse had only himself to rely on, again.
* * *
Lydia forced a smile when Kate came into the kitchen. The sound of the front door slamming came just as Lydia realized she’d have to tell Jesse the whole sordid incident of her becoming pregnant and having to marry Aaron. One foolish night and her whole life had changed. She lost so much then. Although she’d communicated with Kate on a regular basis over the years, they weren’t close. And her father had made it clear she wasn’t welcome in Anchorage.
“How was school?”
Kate shrugged. “Nothing earth-shattering. Everyone is still talking about the bombing. They’re scared.”
“So am I.”
“They’ve locked down the school tight. No one gets inside without a valid reason and everyone gets searched at the main entrance.”
“Good. I’m glad they’re taking precautions. I imagine other places will, too.”
Kate went to the refrigerator and looked inside. “We shouldn’t have to live in fear like this. Have you remembered anything?”
She already felt pressured. She hated that it was also coming from Kate. “I’m trying.” Lydia took her cup to the sink. “I’m going to lie down. Just doing this little has worn me out.”
“Can we order pizza tonight?”
“Sure. That way I don’t have to come up with something.” Lydia left the kitchen while Kate sliced cheese to put on crackers.
Emotionally and physically drained, Lydia moved slowly toward her bedroom at the end of the hallway. Luckily there were no steps to climb.
Crossing to the dresser, she decided to get comfortable and put on her pajamas, although it was only four thirty in the afternoon. In fact, she might sleep most of the evening and only get up to eat pizza, which she loved.
After she took a pair of pj’s out, she swung around, her gaze skimming over the items on her desk as she made her way to the bathroom connected to her bedroom. She stopped and stared at the wooden surface. Something was wrong. Her cup of pens seemed askew. Her desk didn’t look ransacked, but it didn’t look right. A shiver wracked her weakened body. Someone had gone through her desk.
Lydia racked her brain trying to figure out what felt so wrong. She hugged herself and rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Didn’t she close the top drawer all the way? She always did. Keeping everything neat and in order helped her get through her busy schedule.
“What’s wrong?” Kate lounged against the doorjamb, popping the last bite of her cheese and cracker into her mouth.
Lydia pointed a shaky forefinger at the drawer slightly ajar. “Did you get something from my desk?”
Kate frowned and straightened, squaring her shoulders. “I didn’t go through your desk. Bree and I came in here and got some clothing for you, but that was all. Why do you think I would?” Anger edged Kate’s words.
Lydia stepped closer and pulled the drawer open. She spied the notebook with a snow scene on the cover inside and sighed. It was still there. Every night she would write in it and then put it up, shutting the drawer. Not that there were any big secrets in her journal, but the idea someone else read her innermost thoughts made her blood go cold. It was one place where she would let everything out.
Lydia shut the drawer completely and looked toward Kate. “Sorry. I must have left it open. I’m such a creature of habit I thought someone had been in here going through the desk. Do you remember when you were getting the clothes if it was ajar?”
“I don’t even remember looking at the desk. I know you have a place for everything, but maybe you were upset and for once didn’t close it all the way.”
The last time she wrote in her journal, Lydia had poured her heart out about the fight she and her little sister had over a boy Kate was dating. Lydia shook her head. She’d said some things that she regretted. To say there was tension between them after their argument concerning Connor was an understatement.
Kate surveyed the room. “Is anything missing?”
Lydia didn’t get thrown off her game easily, but when she did she had trouble regaining focus. Her attention fixed on her laptop, sitting exactly as she would have left it sitting on the top of her desk. “Not that I can see. I guess with all that has happened lately, I’m jumpy. But still...” She stared at the drawer, not able to shake the thought she was right. No, it was only her overactive mind. Obviously she’d gone through a traumatic experience she hadn’t dealt with yet and was imaging problems when there weren’t any.
“Maybe you should call Sergeant Hunt. Let him know. He’s been working on your case.”
“And say what?” Lydia walked around the room, opening and closing other drawers. “Nothing seems to be gone. My most valuable possession in here is my laptop, and it’s on the desk.” When she