Her Baby's Protector: Saved by the Lawman / Saved by the SEAL. Margaret Daley
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the table. “You can go to bed if you want. You’ll be safe tonight. The alarm is back on, everything is locked and Mac and I are here.”
“I’m going to when I finish this coffee.”
“It doesn’t keep you up?”
She shifted around to face him. “No. Caffeine doesn’t affect me like other people. I drink way too much, but I love the taste. One of my bad habits I need to do something about.”
Chase chuckled. “If that’s considered a bad habit, then I have more than I thought.” He gave Mac the hand signal to rest by his chair. “But in my case, caffeine does keep me up. I figure I can sleep tomorrow after you’re taken care of.”
“So you don’t want a blanket and pillow?”
“No. I might close my eyes, but I won’t fall asleep. You should go ahead and rest. I’ll be fine.”
“Are you sure? You’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty.”
“I’ll do anything for a home-cooked meal. Your Mexican chicken was delicious.”
Kate tried to suppress a yawn but couldn’t. “Then tomorrow you can’t leave until I’ve fixed you a full breakfast. I love to cook.”
“You’re not getting an argument from me. I usually eat out so that’ll be a treat.”
Kate’s eyelids slid halfway down.
“Go to bed before you fall asleep talking to me. I have a bum leg. I might not be able to carry you upstairs.”
Her eyes popped open wide. “I’m okay.” She covered her mouth and yawned again. “I’m going to bed.”
He walked with her to the staircase.
On the first step, she turned. “I noticed when you ran after my attacker today that you were limping when you came back. What happened to your leg?”
For a few seconds he scrambled for what to say. He didn’t talk about that last ambush with anyone. Then he stared into her beautiful eyes, and the words just came out. “I was shot while serving in the Marines.” Then to play it down, he shrugged and added. “It happens in a war zone, but I’m fine now. It only acts up when I push myself too much.”
“I’m sorry that happened today.”
He needed to shut down this conversation now. “I’m sorry that you were attacked today.” He grasped her hand. “Go to sleep. See you in a few hours.” When he released her hand, he missed touching her.
He distanced himself from her and watched her ascend the staircase. At the top, she glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled. When she disappeared from the landing, he stared at the place where she’d been seconds ago.
What is it about Kate that intrigues me?
He patted the side of his leg. “C’mon, Mac. We should try to relax at least.”
As he entered the living room, his cell phone rang, and he quickly answered the call from his partner. “Did you find anything in the garage?”
“More than enough to arrest Hammer when we find him.”
Having overslept, Kate hurried down the stairs to start breakfast before Rachel and Jamie awakened. She was glad they both had gotten needed rest. It had taken her over an hour to fall asleep, which would account for sleeping through the alarm.
When she peeked into the living room, expecting to see Chase and Mac, it was empty. The only thing that had finally allowed her to doze off was the thought they were downstairs protecting Jamie, Rachel and her. Did something happen?
For a moment, panic seized her as though she were in a tug-of-war again with her attacker. But she quickly squashed the fear. Chase was probably patrolling through the house. She hastened through the vacant rooms, then returned to the foyer to see if the alarm was still on. It wasn’t.
Her heartbeat picked up with each second that passed. She crossed to the dining room window and peered between the slats in the blinds. Chase had Mac on a leash and was talking with Todd in the front yard. His partner handed Chase what looked like photos. Of Hammer’s house? The getaway car? Another crime scene?
She started to go outside to see, but halfway to the door she decided not to. She needed to get breakfast ready. She’d promised Chase a special one, and she intended to deliver. It might be about another case. If it was concerning Jamie’s attempted kidnapping yesterday, Chase would tell her when he came inside.
She walked to the kitchen and began preparing a quiche lorraine. After it was in the oven, she made coffee then sliced up strawberries, a cantaloupe and a pineapple then put them in the refrigerator. When she glanced at the clock over the stove, she realized it was well after eight o’clock. The alarm company had promised to be here by nine-thirty. Only an hour away. After what happened yesterday, she’d prefer not having anyone here, but the window and the alarm hooked to it had to be fixed.
“Why the frown?”
Chase’s voice coming from the kitchen entrance startled her. She whirled around, laying her splayed hand over her chest. She hadn’t heard him come into the house. How was she going to protect her son when she couldn’t even notice intruders?
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
With her heartbeat thumping against her rib cage, she waved her hand in the air. “It was no big deal. I should have been listening more carefully. You might be used to being super vigilant. I’m not.”
“You should be. You’re a judge involved in the criminal system.”
“I don’t think of family court in the same way as criminal court.”
“You should. When it comes to the family, emotions can be very heated and long-lasting. It becomes personal.”
“You’re right. My goal is always to protect the children and do what I can to keep the family together. When those are conflicting goals, the child’s welfare comes first.” She took plates down from the cabinet and crossed to the table.
“Can I help? I may not cook, but I know how to set the table.”
“Sure. We’re having quiche, fruit and cinnamon toast. Jamie loves it. I’m going to check on Jamie and Rachel. She should be up by now. Jamie probably is, too.”
“Before you go, I want to show you copies of some pictures that were found at Hammer’s house in the garage. We’re hoping you can tell us when and where all of them were taken.”
“Any news concerning Hammer?”
“No. Todd is checking with the neighbors about security cameras then he’ll join us.”
“Great. I have enough breakfast for him, too, if he wants any.”
“Knowing my partner, he won’t turn down a meal.”
“Where’s Mac? I saw you had him on a leash.”
“I walked around the house to make sure I didn’t miss anything last night in the dark then I put him in the backyard to exercise.” He headed for the counter by the kitchen entrance and picked up a stack of photos. “You might want to sit. The idea of someone stalking you and taking the pictures can really hit home when you see them.”
When she took a seat at the table, Chase passed them to her. A trembling in her hands quickly spread throughout her body as she shuffled through the ten pictures, highlighting different aspects of her day from running with Jamie to grocery shopping to being at the courthouse.
The last one was taken at the Remington Nature Reserve as she was getting out of the car. The jogging clothes she had on were what she’d worn the day before the attempted kidnapping. Chills flashed up