Read Online A Family Homecoming by Laurie Paige - Free Book Online

unflattering.
    â€œSara,” she said. “Look at these, honey.”
    Sara turned from her father to the table. She slowly looked at each photo. Then, she shook her head vehemently and put her hands over her mouth.
    â€œShe’s getting tired,” Kyle murmured.
    â€œThis is the last bunch.” Rafe spread ten photos out.
    â€œDo you see either of the men?” Kyle asked Sara.
    Again she shook her head, both hands still clamped over her mouth.
    â€œHoney, you didn’t look,” Kyle said patiently. “You have to look at the pictures to be sure.”
    Sara followed his finger and gazed at each mug shot. She shook her head.
    â€œOkay, that’s it.” Rafe smiled at Sara, but he was clearly disappointed.
    Danielle stood. “Come on, you can watch Frosty while Mommy and Daddy talk to the policeman.”
    Sara finally dropped her hands and nodded, obviously happy with the thought of watching two of her favorite videos in one day. Danielle saw her snuggled into the corner of the sofa and the movie on before she returned to the other room.
    Rafe was ready to leave.
    â€œWait,” she requested. Something in her tone must have alerted the men. “I think there was something about those last pictures, the ones where Sara covered her mouth and shook her head,” she said in a low tone so Sara couldn’t overhear. “I know Sara. She gets nervous when she lies. She’d been bored at thatpoint, then suddenly she changed. She became tense and…maybe frightened.”
    Rafe pulled out the last sixteen photos. The three of them looked them over. He pointed to one. “That’s Willie Sparks. Kidnapping and a million dollars is a pretty big operation for him, but with someone else directing, he could be in on it. I’d hoped she would pick him out so we would have something solid to go on.”
    â€œI don’t know,” Danielle said slowly, troubled. “I just don’t know.”
    Kyle laid a hand on her shoulder. “Give it a rest for now. Maybe something new will come up soon. In the meantime,” he said to Rafe, “there’s no reason we can’t do some checking on this Sparks guy and see what he’s been doing lately, is there?”
    â€œMy thoughts exactly.”
    The two men exchanged grim smiles.
    Danielle watched them with something akin to envy. They were comrades in arms. They spoke the same language even without words. She felt left out.
    The loneliness of the past two years washed over her, reminding her she was the outsider. As soon as Kyle was sure Sara was safe, he would be off.

Chapter Four
    D anielle put her hand over the phone and spoke to Kyle. “It’s Jessica McCallum. She’s inviting us to dinner tonight at her place. Shane McBride and his wife will be there. Do you think it’s safe to go? Sara and I haven’t been out at night since—”
    â€œNot without me.” He directed a level look her way.
    â€œYou’re invited, too,” she hastened to say, realizing she hadn’t made it clear they were all expected. As if they were a real family.
    â€œYes. I want to talk to McBride’s wife.”
    Danielle hoped Jessica hadn’t heard his reason for attending. She spoke into the receiver. “Yes, we can make it. At seven? That will be fine. Yes. See you then.”
    Hanging up, she realized she had deferred mattersof their safety to Kyle. She shouldn’t start depending on him again. He wouldn’t be around long. A sigh worked its way out of her. A terrible heaviness settled around her heart.
    Troubled, she finished flouring the chicken pieces she’d planned for supper, then stored them in the refrigerator. Finished, she stood at the sink, unsure what to do next.
    Sara was taking a nap. The house was silent and forbidding. Danielle glanced outside the window, her gaze on the shadows under the pine trees as the afternoon sun slowly went down. As was her habit