Page 71 of Guarding Colton’s Witness

“What? What right do you have to make plans for Sam without talking to me first?” Sam was her responsibility, not his.

“So, you’d rather he stay here in reach of these men?” Wyatt raised his brows.

“I didn’t say that, but you can’t just go making plans for a child under my care without consulting me first.”

“Where are they taking him?” Ryan asked, squeezing her shoulders.

“To the zoo. I got Aiden’s chief to grant him an emergency leave so he can go with them.”

“And Aiden already knows this?” Everyone knew about this surprise trip but her?

Wyatt sighed. “Yes, he’s already with them. They’re leaving about now. I’m sorry to spring this on you and not talk to you first, but the situation is fluid and I had to make decisions that will keep Sam safe. Is that not what you want?”

“Of course it is.” What was done was done, so nothing would be gained by fighting with him, even if she wasn’t happy with him. It did take some of the worry away that Aiden was going with them. Even though he was a firefighter, he was big and strong. Her brothers grew up wrestling each other. Why boys loved to brawl was a mystery, but Aiden could fight if he had to.

“I need to pack him more clothes if he’s going to be gone for a few days.”

“No,” Dylan said, drawing her attention back to the computer screen. “We can’t risk someone following you or any of us taking him clothes, and he can’t come back here. Mom and Dad will buy anything else he might need.”

“Is Sam okay with this?” He wouldn’t like being away from her and Ryan for days.

“He is,” Wyatt said. “He’s excited about going to the zoo.”

“Why can’t I go with them?” She wanted to be there when he saw all the animals, wanted to see his excitement.

“Because, you’re being watched,” Dylan said.

“So, now what?” Ryan asked. “Do we just wait for someone to show up?”

“Yes.”

Her three brothers and Ryan protested with shouts of “No” or “Not happening” and she slapped her hand on the table. “Be quiet and hear me out, guys. So, what? I hide out for two or three days, then come back and still have to worry someone will show up? I’m tired of looking over my shoulder and being afraid of these people, whoever they are. I’m tired of worrying they’re going to get to Sam. Let’s do a sting… Isn’t that what you call tricking bad guys?”

“No,” Wyatt said.

“I have three brothers in law enforcement. It seems to me that between the three of you, you can manage to figure out how to keep me safe.”

“It’s something to think about,” Dylan said.

Wyatt glared at Dylan. “You’re willing to make Matti a target? What the hell’s wrong with you?”

“I’m with Wyatt on this,” Cal said. “What if it goes wrong and the worst happens. Can we live with that?”

“It’s my decision to make.” Her brothers put their lives on the line every day to make their town a safer place. As much as she worried about the danger from their jobs, it would never occur to her to tell them they couldn’t be who they are, so why should they get to tell her she couldn’t do this? It was her turn to step up and do her part, and if it led to Sam being finally safe, she had no hesitation about doing it.

“Are you sure?” Wyatt asked.

“Completely. I assume you’ll have someone here, guarding me?”

Wyatt blew out a breath. “If you insist on doing this, yes, I’ll have someone here with you.” He shifted his gaze to Ryan. “This is now a police operation. You need to go home.”

Ryan crossed his arms over his chest. “I’m not leaving Matti.”

“Doc, you’re not trained for an operation like this,” Dylan said.

“Don’t care. I’m not leaving her.”

“Why can’t Wyatt and Cal be in the house, too?” That seemed like a good plan to her. “Wouldn’t it be smart to have both of you there?”