Page 29 of Once Removed (Blackhawk Security)

Vi shot him a quick look, and he mouthed, ‘Later.’ Setting his hand lightly on Phoebe’s shoulder, he said, “Think you could scrounge something up for her?”

“Absolutely,” Vi said, embracing Phoebe. “Good to see you, Phoebs. You’re the person I missed the most when I left the Sweet Spot.”

“I missed you, too,” Phoebe said in a quiet voice.

“Let’s see what I have that sounds good to you.” She curled her arm around Phoebe’s shoulder and steered her toward the kitchen. “You’ll have to tell me your favorite meals so I can fix them for you.”

Phoebe took a deep breath, her shoulders trembling. Then she straightened her back. “I’m sure anything you cook will be delicious.”

Lainey shocked the hell out of Brody by reaching for his hand and twining their fingers together. But instead of showing his surprise, he merely tightened his hand on hers. If Lainey came to her senses and regretted that impulsive move, she’d have to tug her hand away from his.

But she didn’t. She gripped his hand as she watched the place where Phoebe had disappeared into the kitchen.

“Let’s head upstairs,” he said, drawing her closer. “You can check out the other two rooms, but we’ll let Phoebe decide which one she wants.”

“Sounds great,” she said as they climbed the stairs. “She asked me if I would stay in the room with her, so if one of the rooms has twin beds, that would be ideal.”

“This room does,” he said, opening the door. As soon as they’d both stepped inside, he closed the door and pulled Lainey into his arms.

“Thank you for persuading her to come with us,” he said into Lainey’s hair. The scent of oranges and honey drifted over him, and he breathed deep to imprint it on his brain.

“I think it was a joint project,” she said, her breath tickling his neck. “I can’t imagine how hard it was for her, living in that compound, with no food since the fire. Surviving on apples, for God’s sake.”

“Thank God you saw her,” he said, folding her closer. “If you hadn’t, she’d still be there, eating apples and avoiding whoever is living there.”

At that, she eased away so she could look at him. “Do you think it’s her father?”

He frowned. “If it is, why wouldn’t he reveal himself to her? At the very least, give her money for food and a ride back into town. Why hide from her? My guess is it’s someone else.”

“You think it might be that woman who was interested in the compound?” Lainey asked.

Brody frowned. “Not sure why it would be. She’d have no reason to be hiding out.”

“As far as you know,” Lainey pointed out.

“As far as I know,” he agreed. He frowned. “Although Mel was interested in the place. Thought she might buy it.” He shook his head. “Didn’t seem like an arsonist, but I guess you never know. Interesting to know if she actually looked at the deed for the compound. If she was serious about buying it.”

“The sheriff told me today they’d found a vagrant living in the compound. He claims he didn’t start the fire, but who knows? He’d been eating food from the mess hall.” Lainey shuddered. “I’m so glad Phoebe’s away from that place. What if she’d run into him? So many awful things could have happened to her. It’s a miracle she stayed safe.”

“Yeah,” he said. Having Lainey close, with his arms around her, brought his always-simmering desire roaring to the surface. He wanted to kiss her. To let her know exactly how much he wanted her. But this wasn’t the time or the place for that. So he closed his eyes, breathed her in one more time, then stepped away.

“Twin beds in here,” he said, making sure there was plenty of space between him and Lainey. “I think the other room is nicer -- it has a bigger bed. But if she wants you to stay with her, this would be the better choice.”

Lainey nodded. “Nice room. That desk and chair will be perfect for doing her homework. A dresser for her clothes.” She nodded toward a door that was slightly ajar. “Is that the bathroom?”

“Yeah. It’s shared between this room and the other. The closet is over there.” He pointed to a louvered door. “Although she doesn’t have anything to put into all this storage space.”

“I’ll let her use some of my clothes tonight,” Lainey said. “She’s so thin. They’ll be too big for her, but I’ll get her more clothes tomorrow.” She smiled, but her eyes were sad. “What girl doesn’t like to shop for new clothes?”

“I don’t like seeing you sad,” he said, taking her hand again. “She’s safe now, and we’ll make sure she stays safe.”

“I know, but I’m horrified by what she must have gone through. Abandoned by her father, living in a place that probably had no hot water, and only apples to eat for the past week.” She blinked rapidly, and he saw moisture in her eyes. “I’m surprised she’s not sick.”

“Me, too,” Brody said. “Maybe we should give her a few days to settle in, then suggest a trip to the doctor for a check-up.”

Lainey nodded, clearly thinking about Phoebe and what they needed to do. “Good idea. We probably should notify the Montana Department of Children and Family Services, too,” she said after a long moment. “Maybe see if one of us can be her foster parent. To make sure we have our legal bases covered.”

Brody drew a sharp breath. He had a much more jaundiced view of ‘the system’, and didn’t want Phoebe exposed to it. “Maybe. I’m sure that’s what DCFS would want,” he said carefully. “But I don’t know if that’s what’s best for Phoebe, or what she wants. She could have contacted them any time after her father disappeared, but she didn’t.”

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