Page 17 of Now or Never
One moved to Jax’s space to face off with the captor. “I’d like you to step outside with me, sir.”
The other said, “I’ll stay with these folks.”
Kenna was supposed to go with Jax, though. “I don’t want to leave my friend. Megan was really scared when he rushed in and grabbed them. Can I stay with her?”
That solved part of the problem. The guy who lived here with them would spin a tale about protecting his house as if they were the assailants who had come in uninvited. Until Kenna managed to reveal the reason he didn’t want to call the cops in the first place.
“Maybe Megan and Joseph can come outside with me?” she suggested.
Kenna was as worried as she likely appeared. Sure, she could play the pregnant card and use her condition to convince the cops she was about keeping people safe. Which was true, and not something that only applied universally to anyone having a baby. But she’d used the pregnancy in her favor enough today. Eventually, it would feel like using the kid as a set piece to do her job. Which was exactly whattheydid. Not something she wanted to define her.
“Sir, you wanna let them go outside?” The officer’s question didn’t sound much like a request, more a test of the boyfriend’s intentions.
The guy huffed. “These do-gooders. They think they can take her from me. They’re probably from some weird religion.”
His hold on Megan shifted enough it looked less like he was trying to detain her. Which was better than blatantly strangling her, but the cops hadn’t seen that. This guy was good. He kept it tight when he had to, which meant no one had figured out what was going on with Megan.
Not until Kenna and Jax knocked on the door.
She wanted to thank God, say a prayer and be grateful for Him leading them here. But was that what had happened? She wondered how far His control of their lives extended when Jax considered his life yielded to the Lord…but Kenna wasn’t so sure about hers.
Megan whimpered.
“Ma’am, come with us.” The police officer waved her and Joseph over.
The abuser didn’t want to let her go but couldn’t argue.
“Sir, put your weapon away.”
Jax complied with the other cop’s order. “He’s a dangerous man. Don’t turn your back or underestimate him. We believe him to be the person who killed Samantha Ambrose six years ago.”
Kenna would have said the same thing, just so that the police officer took extra caution. It might even save his life in the next few minutes. They couldn’t control what the assailant did next, but the cop knew now to be extra wary.
She backed up into the hall, and Megan came with her. Joseph, too. “Megan, when was the last time you went outside?”
The girl stopped in the hall, the cop listening to their exchange.
“You and Joseph are going to need coats, okay? It’s really cold out.”
Megan said, “Joe, get your jacket.”
The little boy let go long enough to grab it off the hook by his backpack. His shoes were lined up neatly in a way no child woulddo. So had Megan straightened them? Making sure things were precisely in their place before “Dad” got home.
“Megan, do you have a coat?”
The young woman shook her head.
Kenna tugged off her own and held it out, making sure the shirt she wore covered the gun at the small of her back. “Pregnancy is making me much warmer than usual. I’ll be good for a few minutes.” Meanwhile, without it, the young woman would be far too cold. She motioned it closer to Megan. “Please, wear this.”
Megan took the coat and slipped it on while Kenna went to the front door, trying to come across as nonchalant. Remaining calm and levelheaded, and showing kindness. All things that she didn’t need to pretend, but which a police officer would notice.
She opened the door and stepped out, watching Joseph slip his shoes on. “Do you need help with your zipper, buddy?”
He nodded and stepped over the threshold.
Kenna knelt on the front walk and waved him over. She got his zipper lined up. “This is a nice coat. Does it keep you warm?”
He didn’t answer.
