Read Online A Promise to Protect (Logan Point Book #2): A Novel by Patricia Bradley - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Bradley
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me.”
Ben puzzled her. One minute he didn’t have time, the next, he wanted her to call him. “Thanks. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a funeral to plan.”
He paused before going out the door, and she looked away from his intense stare.
“I’ll be around if you need me,” he said.
Where was he ten years ago when she came home to tell him she was pregnant? She shook the thought off. That wasn’t all his fault. She hadn’t exactly given him an option. “Thanks.”
With one last glance, he turned and walked toward his deputies. She shut the door firmly behind him and leaned her head against it with her eyes closed.
“You okay, Mom?”
TJ’s subdued voice snapped her eyes open. Her son hugged Bear to his chest. She mustered a smile. “I’m okay.” She crossed the room and sat beside him. “How about you? Are you okay?”
He shrugged. His chin dimpled as he pressed his lips together. “Will the bad guy come back?”
Her stomach sank to her feet. She and Ben had tried to downplay what happened this morning, but evidently it hadn’t worked. “I don’t think so, honey. Ben was pretty sure the man that wrecked is the bad guy. He won’t be coming back. Okay?”
He stared at Bear’s belly, picking at the seam she’d stitched. “Why did Uncle Tony have to die?”
Leigh pulled him close, smelling the fruity scent of his shampoo. She kissed the top of his head. “I don’t know.”
After a few minutes, TJ pulled away. “Can I go outside?”
“Hmm, maybe not just yet. Why don’t you play a game on your iPod?”
His eyes grew round. “Really?”
“Just today.” She limited the time TJ spent playing video gamesto an hour after dinner, but she had calls to make, calls she didn’t want him to overhear. And the first one was to see how fast they could get out of Logan Point.
After Ben left instructions with his deputies to hang around, he climbed into the cab of his truck. For five minutes he didn’t move, just breathed slow, deep breaths and pictured a big stop sign. What kind of man had a panic attack when a kid asked him to come to ball practice? He was the sheriff, for goodness’ sake, a man’s man. Not some weak-kneed sissy who couldn’t handle being around kids. Except he was, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop the panic attacks. Maybe it was time to see that counselor again.
When his heart finally returned to normal, Ben called his chief deputy and learned Wade was at Gresham’s house. “Did you get a search warrant?”
“Yep,” Wade replied. “How did Mrs. Gresham take the news?”
Ruby hadn’t cried. Just thanked him for coming to tell her, then turned and walked back into the house. “Stoic. Almost like she was expecting me.” Ben sighed. “See you in about ten minutes.”
Since Billy Wayne lived alone, a search warrant probably wasn’t necessary. But Ben had learned a long time ago, it was better to have the warrant than to wish down the road he’d obtained one. Now, if there was only something at Gresham’s house to settle his mind, something that would tell him whether the kid acted alone or with someone else. Leigh seemed determined to stay in that little house, and he’d like to be comfortable in agreeing with her.
He’d like to be comfortable around her period—without getting too close. Leigh was getting to be a bit like a barnacle, attaching herself to his heart. For a nanosecond this morning, the wall between them hadn’t seemed so thick, and it’d been like old times. Then in a heartbeat, she couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. Which suited him fine.
Turning onto the highway, Ben flipped his sun visor down, and TJ’s earnest face popped into his mind. Will you come to ball practice with me? Why couldn’t the kid stick with easy questions? Like the one Sunday. How did Jonah get spit up by the whale? Did he go through the blowhole?
No, he had to ask the impossible. If Ben showed up at ball practice with Leigh’s son, his deputy,
Ben puzzled her. One minute he didn’t have time, the next, he wanted her to call him. “Thanks. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a funeral to plan.”
He paused before going out the door, and she looked away from his intense stare.
“I’ll be around if you need me,” he said.
Where was he ten years ago when she came home to tell him she was pregnant? She shook the thought off. That wasn’t all his fault. She hadn’t exactly given him an option. “Thanks.”
With one last glance, he turned and walked toward his deputies. She shut the door firmly behind him and leaned her head against it with her eyes closed.
“You okay, Mom?”
TJ’s subdued voice snapped her eyes open. Her son hugged Bear to his chest. She mustered a smile. “I’m okay.” She crossed the room and sat beside him. “How about you? Are you okay?”
He shrugged. His chin dimpled as he pressed his lips together. “Will the bad guy come back?”
Her stomach sank to her feet. She and Ben had tried to downplay what happened this morning, but evidently it hadn’t worked. “I don’t think so, honey. Ben was pretty sure the man that wrecked is the bad guy. He won’t be coming back. Okay?”
He stared at Bear’s belly, picking at the seam she’d stitched. “Why did Uncle Tony have to die?”
Leigh pulled him close, smelling the fruity scent of his shampoo. She kissed the top of his head. “I don’t know.”
After a few minutes, TJ pulled away. “Can I go outside?”
“Hmm, maybe not just yet. Why don’t you play a game on your iPod?”
His eyes grew round. “Really?”
“Just today.” She limited the time TJ spent playing video gamesto an hour after dinner, but she had calls to make, calls she didn’t want him to overhear. And the first one was to see how fast they could get out of Logan Point.
After Ben left instructions with his deputies to hang around, he climbed into the cab of his truck. For five minutes he didn’t move, just breathed slow, deep breaths and pictured a big stop sign. What kind of man had a panic attack when a kid asked him to come to ball practice? He was the sheriff, for goodness’ sake, a man’s man. Not some weak-kneed sissy who couldn’t handle being around kids. Except he was, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t stop the panic attacks. Maybe it was time to see that counselor again.
When his heart finally returned to normal, Ben called his chief deputy and learned Wade was at Gresham’s house. “Did you get a search warrant?”
“Yep,” Wade replied. “How did Mrs. Gresham take the news?”
Ruby hadn’t cried. Just thanked him for coming to tell her, then turned and walked back into the house. “Stoic. Almost like she was expecting me.” Ben sighed. “See you in about ten minutes.”
Since Billy Wayne lived alone, a search warrant probably wasn’t necessary. But Ben had learned a long time ago, it was better to have the warrant than to wish down the road he’d obtained one. Now, if there was only something at Gresham’s house to settle his mind, something that would tell him whether the kid acted alone or with someone else. Leigh seemed determined to stay in that little house, and he’d like to be comfortable in agreeing with her.
He’d like to be comfortable around her period—without getting too close. Leigh was getting to be a bit like a barnacle, attaching herself to his heart. For a nanosecond this morning, the wall between them hadn’t seemed so thick, and it’d been like old times. Then in a heartbeat, she couldn’t get rid of him fast enough. Which suited him fine.
Turning onto the highway, Ben flipped his sun visor down, and TJ’s earnest face popped into his mind. Will you come to ball practice with me? Why couldn’t the kid stick with easy questions? Like the one Sunday. How did Jonah get spit up by the whale? Did he go through the blowhole?
No, he had to ask the impossible. If Ben showed up at ball practice with Leigh’s son, his deputy,
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