nursery for the little ones during church services,
a set of offices for Dave and her father, and a few classrooms for religious education
and community meetings.
The outer door to the reception area outside her dad and Dave’s offices was propped
open. Charlie sat behind the desk, typing on a computer. When she and Logan walked
in, he pushed out of his seat and lumbered around his desk toward them.
Light reflected off his dark, bald head. He clasped his hands in front of him as if
he weren’t sure whether to shake hands or give her a hug. “How is Ben? I wanted to
come visit him, but I didn’t want to be a bother.”
She smiled at the man who had been homeless for over a year before her dad had given
him a job. Charlie worked hard and always had a smile on his face. After reassuring
him about her father’s condition, she introduced him to Logan.
They shook hands and Charlie studied him with narrowed eyes.
“Logan North,” he said slowly. He strode behind his desk and sat. “So what brings
you two here? Ben send you to pick up some stuff so he can work from home? I told
him no working this week.”
“Thanks for keeping Dad in line. We’re actually here to get Su Lin’s phone number.
You don’t happen to have that, do you?”
Charlie shook his head. “It might be in her file, though.”
Her gaze fell to the spot next to Charlie’s chair and immediately recognized something
oddly familiar. What the hell ?
“Charlie, is that my father’s briefcase?” She rounded the desk and stood beside the
brown leather briefcase that sported an identical large engraving to her dad’s—a small
heart inside of a larger one, the logo for Loving Arms. Why would Charlie have it?
Weren’t the police looking for it?
Her face burned with anger. If Charlie was involved in her father’s attack after all
the things he had done for him…
“No.” Charlie snatched up the briefcase, held it to his chest. “It’s mine. A bunch
of us have the same kind.”
“A bunch of you?” she asked. Logan hovered beside her, his posture erect, reminding
her of a cobra ready to strike.
“Yeah, yeah.” Sweat brimmed on Charlie’s face and he gazed from her to Logan, and
back again. “From one of the adoptive families. They were so happy. We said we couldn’t
accept any sort of gift, but they sent us briefcases. Me, your dad, Dave, Craig Bittinger,
and the foster family…uh, I forget their name…and some of the board members and parishioners.”
“So you don’t mind if we take a look inside your briefcase, then?” Logan asked.
Keely glanced at him. Part of her wanted to defend Charlie’s privacy, but a bigger
part wanted too badly to find out who was behind her dad’s attack to worry about a
small thing like privacy.
Charlie held the case closer to his chest and gazed at his lap. “No. I’m sorry, that’s
not possible.”
“Logan’s with the Baltimore Police Department,” Keely stated. “He could get a subpoena.”
She had no idea whether this situation qualified under search warrant rules, and if
it didn’t, Logan couldn’t legally threaten to get one. But she could.
Charlie frowned, but stared down at his lap with his lips in a tight line. “It’s my
briefcase, and it’s got my private stuff in it.” He glanced up. “I would never hurt
Ben, never in a million years.”
He loosened his grip on the case. “Besides, look.” He pointed to a spot next to the
engraved cross. “It’s got my initials, see? My initials—CNJ. Not Ben’s initials—BMA.”
He held the case closer and she nodded.
“He’s right. Dad’s has his initials.” Her muscles relaxed, but her heart still pumped
hard. Why wouldn’t Charlie just show them the contents? What was he hiding?
Logan frowned, but let it go. “Is Ben’s office unlocked?” he asked. “We need to look
at Su Lin’s file. Ben gave us permission. You can call him to verify, if you
a set of offices for Dave and her father, and a few classrooms for religious education
and community meetings.
The outer door to the reception area outside her dad and Dave’s offices was propped
open. Charlie sat behind the desk, typing on a computer. When she and Logan walked
in, he pushed out of his seat and lumbered around his desk toward them.
Light reflected off his dark, bald head. He clasped his hands in front of him as if
he weren’t sure whether to shake hands or give her a hug. “How is Ben? I wanted to
come visit him, but I didn’t want to be a bother.”
She smiled at the man who had been homeless for over a year before her dad had given
him a job. Charlie worked hard and always had a smile on his face. After reassuring
him about her father’s condition, she introduced him to Logan.
They shook hands and Charlie studied him with narrowed eyes.
“Logan North,” he said slowly. He strode behind his desk and sat. “So what brings
you two here? Ben send you to pick up some stuff so he can work from home? I told
him no working this week.”
“Thanks for keeping Dad in line. We’re actually here to get Su Lin’s phone number.
You don’t happen to have that, do you?”
Charlie shook his head. “It might be in her file, though.”
Her gaze fell to the spot next to Charlie’s chair and immediately recognized something
oddly familiar. What the hell ?
“Charlie, is that my father’s briefcase?” She rounded the desk and stood beside the
brown leather briefcase that sported an identical large engraving to her dad’s—a small
heart inside of a larger one, the logo for Loving Arms. Why would Charlie have it?
Weren’t the police looking for it?
Her face burned with anger. If Charlie was involved in her father’s attack after all
the things he had done for him…
“No.” Charlie snatched up the briefcase, held it to his chest. “It’s mine. A bunch
of us have the same kind.”
“A bunch of you?” she asked. Logan hovered beside her, his posture erect, reminding
her of a cobra ready to strike.
“Yeah, yeah.” Sweat brimmed on Charlie’s face and he gazed from her to Logan, and
back again. “From one of the adoptive families. They were so happy. We said we couldn’t
accept any sort of gift, but they sent us briefcases. Me, your dad, Dave, Craig Bittinger,
and the foster family…uh, I forget their name…and some of the board members and parishioners.”
“So you don’t mind if we take a look inside your briefcase, then?” Logan asked.
Keely glanced at him. Part of her wanted to defend Charlie’s privacy, but a bigger
part wanted too badly to find out who was behind her dad’s attack to worry about a
small thing like privacy.
Charlie held the case closer to his chest and gazed at his lap. “No. I’m sorry, that’s
not possible.”
“Logan’s with the Baltimore Police Department,” Keely stated. “He could get a subpoena.”
She had no idea whether this situation qualified under search warrant rules, and if
it didn’t, Logan couldn’t legally threaten to get one. But she could.
Charlie frowned, but stared down at his lap with his lips in a tight line. “It’s my
briefcase, and it’s got my private stuff in it.” He glanced up. “I would never hurt
Ben, never in a million years.”
He loosened his grip on the case. “Besides, look.” He pointed to a spot next to the
engraved cross. “It’s got my initials, see? My initials—CNJ. Not Ben’s initials—BMA.”
He held the case closer and she nodded.
“He’s right. Dad’s has his initials.” Her muscles relaxed, but her heart still pumped
hard. Why wouldn’t Charlie just show them the contents? What was he hiding?
Logan frowned, but let it go. “Is Ben’s office unlocked?” he asked. “We need to look
at Su Lin’s file. Ben gave us permission. You can call him to verify, if you
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