Read Online Nightwatch by Valerie Hansen - Free Book Online Page B

knees on the carpet, searching through the box as if they were positive it contained fabulous treasures.
    â€œDid Miss Jill tell you it was all right to do that?” he asked, just in case.
    â€œUh-huh,” Tim said. “If it’s in here, it’s okay to play with. She said.”
    â€œGlad to hear it.” Mitch smiled more broadly as Jill reappeared. “Is Megan asleep?”
    â€œOut like a light. She never even stirred when I laid her in the crib. If she’s that easy to care for when she’s not worn out I’ll be surprised, but for now she’s being a little doll.”
    â€œA very tired one.” Mitch yawned. “Guess I should head for home and let you get some rest, too.”
    His spirits soared when Jill replied, “You must be as tired as the rest of us are. Why not just make yourself comfortable here? You can take a short nap on my sofa or in the recliner, if you like.”
    â€œI don’t want to bug you.”
    She laughed lightly. “Trust me, Mitch. You won’t be a bit of trouble.” Her smile waned and she gazed at him tenderly. “I like having you around. It makes me feel—I don’t know—safer?”
    Hearing that, Mitch wouldn’t have left her unless the lives of others had depended upon him the way they sometimes did when he was working. As far as he was concerned, he’d never had a better invitation to hang around than the one Jill had just offered. He was notgoing anywhere. No, sirree. And as long as he was on the premises he’d be able to keep her out of trouble. At least that was his primary goal.
    Â 
    The boys had eventually gotten bored with playing on the floor and had crawled up onto the sofa next to Mitch. Tim was clutching a handful of plastic toy soldiers and using the armrest at the other end of the leather couch for a pillow. Paul was cuddled up against the fireman’s side as they all dozed peacefully.
    Jill had used that opportunity to duck into her room and change into more comfortable, farm-appropriate clothing—jeans, a scoop-neck T-shirt and sneakers.
    She’d kept tiptoeing into the back bedroom to check on Megan every fifteen or twenty minutes because she wasn’t sure how the child would react when she awoke in a strange place. Plus, she didn’t want the nap to go on for so long that the little girl couldn’t sleep later. She’d made that mistake with some of the first children she’d fostered and it had resulted in some very long, very trying nights.
    Quietly passing the sofa she noted that Mitch was snoring. How cute he looked sleeping that way, with his head tilted back and his lips slightly parted. For an instant she imagined herself bending over him and kissing him awake.
    The mere thought made her blush. Where had that ridiculous idea come from? She and Mitch had long ago promised to remain friends, period. And although they were now quite comfortable in each other’s company, he’d never even tried to hold her hand, let alone kiss her!
    Mortified and deeply glad he could not really readher innermost thoughts, she circled the hassock where he’d propped his booted feet and went once again to the bedroom to check on Megan.
    The blankets in the crib looked jumbled. Perhaps the child was getting restless and was ready to get up, Jill thought as she peeked through the doorway. Good. It was nearly time to awaken her, anyway.
    Silently approaching the crib, she smiled and lifted aside the rumpled bedclothes. Her eyes widened with disbelief. The bed was empty .
    Jill immediately bent to peer under the crib then whirled, frantic.
    â€œMegan? Megan, where are you?”
    Two strides took her to the closet and she jerked the door open. Except for a few cardboard boxes of extra children’s clothes that were stored there, the space was unoccupied.
    Her heart raced, pounded, fluttered. She felt as if she couldn’t draw enough breath to adequately power