Page 31 of Once Removed (Blackhawk Security)

Lainey swallowed. Reached for her wine. “Just ‘thank you’.” She gripped the wine glass so tightly that she was surprised it didn’t break. Taking a sip, she set it carefully back on the table. “What if I hadn’t noticed the movement when I drove past? How long could she have lived there before she got sick from malnutrition? Fallen prey to whoever she’s heard in the compound? Hurt herself somehow, and have no way to call for help?”

Brody reached over and put his hand over hers. “But you did see her running. Did call me, and we found her. So there’s no point in agonizing about what might have happened. She’s safe, and she’ll be safe as long as she’s here.”

“I hope so,” Lainey murmured, curling her fingers into her palms until the nails dug in. Phoebe had been in danger constantly. Completely alone. “I can’t stop thinking about what might have happened to her.”

Drawing a deep breath, she swiveled to face Brody. “You were pretty intense at dinner tonight. Jumping up to get her more milk before she’d finished what she had. Pushing more stew on her. What’s up with that?”

Brody closed his eyes. Rubbed a hand across his face, fingers rasping against his whiskers. “I know what it’s like to be hungry. To never get enough to eat.” He swallowed. “One of my friends at school came from a chaotic home. He often didn’t have enough for lunch. He ended up in a DCFS foster home, and that was even worse.”

“So that’s why you’re reluctant to call them,” Lainey murmured, reaching for his hand and twining their fingers together.

Brody stared at the fireplace. “Yeah, that’s a big part of it,” he said. Tightening his fingers around hers, he said, “But that’s in the past for Phoebe.” He stroked the back of her hand with his thumb, his finger warm. Reassuring. “I can’t forget it either, but we can let go of those fears. She’s safe with us.” His mouth curved up. “Now all we have to worry about is high school. Teen issues.”

“Yeah,” she said with a laugh. “Piece of cake, right?”

“I hope so. Are you taking her to school tomorrow?”

“I asked her tonight. She said she wanted to go to school. That she’d have a lot of work to catch up on. We’ll go in early so she can sign up for classes and get all the paperwork done.”

“Doesn’t a parent have to sign papers, too?”

Lainey reached for the wine, tightening her fingers on the stem. She’d been thinking about the same thing. “I have no idea, but I wouldn’t be surprised. What should I do? Lie? Sign her mother’s name?”

“Not a good idea,” Brody said, frowning as he took a gulp of his beer. “Maybe just say she’s staying with us for a while. Keep it simple and the truth. You don’t have to go into details.”

“I’ll do my best,” she sighed.

“You’ll do fine. I saw you stand up to Pete Jacobs,” he reminded her. “After the way you handled the sheriff? Piece of cake handling people at the high school.”

At the mention of Jacobs, Lainey’s stomach twisted into a knot. After finding Phoebe, she’d forgotten all about the break-in at her house. “Speaking of the sheriff,” she said, curling her hands together in her lap. “I went by my house today to pick up the mail and get more clothes. Someone had broken in.”

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