Read Online Love Inspired Suspense April 2015 #1 by Terri Reed, Becky Avella, Dana R. Lynn - Free Book Online Page B

same.
    He shook his head. “Colorado.”
    â€œI’ve always wanted to see the Rocky Mountains. Is your family there?”
    â€œMom and Dad are. My brother’s here. He works at the Naval Research Lab.”
    â€œA navy man. Are you and your brother close?”
    He leveled her with a direct look. “We are. Joe’s the best big brother a guy could ask for. He and his family are great. I spend every Sunday night with them.”
    The bite of muffin in her mouth went dry, forcing her to take a sip of coffee. She hadn’t been a very good sister to Rosa.
    Guilt scratched at her. Maybe if Lana had reached out to Rosa, she would still be alive. Maybe Rosa would have confided in Lana, asked for help with whatever she’d been involved in that resulted in her death. Maybe little Juan wouldn’t be an orphan with only Lana to count on.
    She bit her lip. Was she up to the task of caring for a child? Would she be a good mother? Would she be able to keep him safe? The doubts churned in her gut like acid.
    Feeling restless and confined in her small apartment, she rose and took her half-empty mug to the sink and poured out the coffee. “We should go.”
    Twenty minutes later they arrived at the museum’s employee entrance. She swiped her card and the door popped open. With Adam and Ace in tow, she led the way inside. The litter from the theft had been cleaned up, the Golden Arrow display pedestal left empty, the shattered glass cover removed completely. Helpless anger battered at her. If only she’d stopped the thief.
    As she headed down the hall to her office, Mr. Floyd stepped out of his office. His gaze darted past her to Adam, then back. “Miss Gomez, a word, please.”
    Flooded with trepidation, she glanced at Adam, gave him a tight smile and then followed her boss into his office. Mr. Floyd gestured for her to sit in the chair opposite his desk. She felt like a teen being called to the principal’s office. She sat, smoothing her skirt in nervous anticipation. Did he plan to fire her? She sent a silent plea that wasn’t the case.
    â€œI hope you’re feeling better,” Mr. Floyd said.
    She curled her fingers to keep from touching the bandage at her temple. She’d taken some pain medication earlier that was thankfully still in effect. She’d be glad when she could remove the bandage, but it would remain in place until the two stitches beneath were removed. “I’m ready to go back to work, sir.”
    Mr. Floyd steepled his fingers. “I’m afraid that’s impossible. Until this debacle is resolved and the arrow recovered, I have to protect the museum. You, Miss Gomez, are a liability. Our donors wouldn’t appreciate having a suspected thief employed by the museum. We can’t afford to lose funds, especially now that the arrow is missing. I’d like you to hand over your key card.”
    Her heart sank. She hurt to know he thought she’d do something so reprehensible. “You’re firing me.”
    His lips thinned. “Let’s call it administrative leave at this point.”
    â€œFor how long?” she managed to say through the constriction of her tight throat muscles.
    â€œIndefinitely.”
    Not quite fired but close enough. Anyone who saw those words on a resume would know that was code for
let go
. Guess today God wasn’t going to give her the answer she wanted to her prayer.
    â€œI understand the police consider you a suspect,” Mr. Floyd intoned with a superior quality that grated along her nerves. “I can’t have you working here, putting the rest of the staff in jeopardy or bringing more unwanted publicity.”
    Protest rose to her lips but before she could tell him how unfair he was being, Adam’s deep voice shot past her.
    â€œMiss Gomez hasn’t been charged with a crime. She, like you and every other employee, is considered a person of interest in the theft of the