Page 35 of Operation Protector
Grace didn’t look back, but now that she was close to her dad Ali heard her mutter, “It’s already ruined if she’s there.”
She had to smother a sharp laugh so they could hear anything else, and she saw Hayley was also chuckling, and Quinn was grinning.
“I like this kid,” he said.
They heard the vehicle doors slam shut, and then Colby making sure Grace was belted in. The motor fired up, and they started to back out the long driveway.
“That woman’s like crossing a mule with an alligator,” they heard Liam mutter, in his real voice now. “Not a critter I’d want to ride.”
They heard a giggle, clearly from Grace. And Ali wondered yet again how Colby kept himself from just grabbing the smart, adorable child and running to somewhere, anywhere, his ex couldn’t find them.
Judging by the change in background noise, they were on the street. The cameras showed only the empty porch now, front door closed, so she focused entirely on the vague sounds of a vehicle driving coming through her earpiece.
Then came Grace’s voice, with a worried note.
“Are you okay, Daddy? The man who came to fix the window said it was bloody.”
“I’m fine, sweetheart.” Ali felt her throat tighten at the pure love that rang in the man’s voice. “It was just a cut, and… I think it turned out to be worth it.”
“You’re funny. How could a cut be worth it?”
“You’ll see in just a minute,” Colby promised.
Ali knew it was true, because she’d just driven that same route about an hour ago. She remembered them saying their headquarters was just down the road, but she hadn’t expected it to be this close. She’d noticed the entrance when she’d gone by before, but had thought it was to a house nicely hidden back in the trees.
An idea struck her, but she only made a mental note of it when Cutter got to his feet and trotted to the door. Once more he hit the door switch with a well-directed paw, and it began to swing open. The dog squirmed through the moment it was open far enough.
“They’re here,” Hayley said.
Ali hadn’t heard a thing, but obviously Cutter had. She got to her feet. She felt a little anxious, but at the same time glad the Foxworths had included her in this. They all needed to be on the same page, Quinn had said.
“What is this place?” Grace asked with lively curiosity evident in her voice.
“This is where I hang out,” Liam answered her, sounding like he was grinning.
Then, almost simultaneously, Ali heard the sound of tires on gravel, and Grace’s exclamation. “There’s Cutter! Is Ali here? Is that why we’re here?”
She felt a burst of inner warmth at the hopefulness in the child’s voice. It was a new feeling for her, and she couldn’t deny she liked it.
When the door swung open again, Cutter was the first through, with Grace beside him, stroking his back. Then the child looked up and spotted the humans in the room.
“Ali! You are here!” The girl ran to her and threw her arms around her in an energetic hug. Ali hugged her back, beyond moved at the child’s open trust. Especially having heard the difference in her while speaking of her mother.
“I am,” she said, smiling widely.
A small yip drew Grace’s attention. “Ziggy is here, too!”
“I didn’t want him to feel abandoned. He and Cutter played until he needed a nap.”
Ziggy ran excitedly toward his friend, tail wagging madly. Grace dropped down to her knees to hug the puppy to her.
“Shall we all sit, and we’ll work out our plan of action?” Hayley suggested.
Grace’s head came up at that. She looked as if she wasn’t quite sure what it meant. She looked at her father, who smiled warmly back at her. He took a seat on the big couch and beckoned her over. She hesitated, then decided, and scooped up Ziggy before she ran over and climbed up beside him, the puppy on her lap. Ali noticed that Colby immediately reached out to pet the dog as well, as if it was the natural thing to do.
Funny what small things tell you.
She took a seat on Grace’s other side, delighting in how the clearly deliriously happy Ziggy couldn’t stop squirming, trying to collect pets from all three of them. Her gaze met Colby’s, and for a moment seemed to lock in place. For an instant she was surprised she hadn’t heard a click, because it felt as if two parts had connected somehow.
