It was like something snapped inside Adam as he heard his mother cry out in fear. He couldn’t wait for the authorities another moment. He needed to do something to save his family, now. He turned and ran for the side door, praying with every step and feeling Noelle there by his side. He reached the door, stopped and turned to Noelle. Her gaze met his, firm and reassuring.
“Your son’s with Liberty,” she said. “Backup is two minutes out.”
“And my parents are in imminent danger,” he said. “I’m going in.”
“Stay behind me,” she said.
They reached the door. He heard her whisper a prayer and joined in with her, their prayers mingling together as one, as he thanked God that Liberty was protecting his son. Adam yanked the door open so swiftly it was almost silent, and they stepped into his home and listened. The sound of a struggle rose from his own master bedroom.
They ran down the hall toward the door as it lay ajar in front of them and pressed their back against the wall as they glanced in the narrow gap between the door hinges. The world slowed into a tableau before his eyes, the same way it used to when he was in uniform and driving tactically under enemy fire.
His father was lying on his stomach, down on the floor, holding his hands behind his head, while a masked man stood over him, pointing a gun at him. A second armed and masked figure stood beside his mother, holding a gun to her head and barking at her to open Adam’s bedroom safe. The door hinges creaked. The man holding his mother turned, his gun moving away from Irene’s head as he spun toward the door. Noelle fired through the door, sending splinters flying. Her precision bullet struck the masked man by the shoulder, immobilizing the arm holding the gun and sending him falling back.
The man who’d been aiming at Fred wheeled around, but he was too late, as Adam launched himself through the doorway, grabbing his hand and forcing the gun high above their heads. The weapon fired. The bullet flew into the ceiling, sending plaster raining down around them. Adam yanked the weapon from the man’s hand and then took him down to the ground and pinned him.
He glanced up. Noelle had the other masked man down on the ground and held him there. His mother helped his father to his feet, as Noelle reassured them that Liberty was guarding Matty. His eyes glanced to the clock. The whole thing had gone down in seconds. Then he heard sirens filling the air, the sound of his own front door open, voices announcing themselves as the Brooklyn K-9 Unit, and Noelle shouting back that they were in the master bedroom.
And just as suddenly as time had slowed, it sped back up again.
Men and women in uniform rushed into the room. He looked up to see Officer Morrow by his side and stepped back to let him cuff and apprehend the suspect.
“Come on.” Noelle grabbed Adam’s hand and he realized another officer had taken over the suspect she’d taken down. “We have to go get Matty. Liberty won’t stand down without my command.”
His hand tightened in hers. They ran through the house, now crowded with cops and paramedics, then pelted down the stairs and into the basement. Adam led her into the darkened laundry room, lit only by the dim glow of a night-light plugged into the wall. He crouched beside the linen closet and only then realized he was still holding Noelle’s hand.
The folding door was closed and he guessed Matty had shut it after Liberty had crawled in with him.
“Matty?” he called softly. “I’m here. It’s Daddy. It’s safe.”
Silence fell from the other side. Fear pooled in his heart. Was his son there? Was he all right? Noelle pulled her hand from his and Adam let her crouch in front of him, knowing better than to get in between a K-9 officer and her dog.
“Liberty.” Noelle’s voice was firm and yet somehow surprisingly soft as she slid the door open. “It’s me. All done. Good...” She swallowed hard as if swallowing tears. “Good dog.”
She sat back and he saw why her voice had choked. Depsite all the noise and chaos on the floor above, Matty was curled up and asleep in the nest of sleeping bags and blankets, with his chest rising and falling peacefully and his arms wrapped tightly around Liberty’s body as she lay protectively in front of the little boy. Matty’s face was buried deeply in her fur.
The dog’s large and serious eyes looked up into Adam’s eyes, as if Liberty knew that Matty was Adam’s child and wanted to reassure Adam she knew how important it was that she kept him safe.
“Thank you,” he told Liberty. He ran one hand along his child’s cheek as he slept peacefully, nuzzled up against the brave K-9 dog protecting him. He’d let Matty nap for a little while longer, while the chaos died down upstairs.
“I just texted Morrow to let him know we have Matty and he’s safe,” she said.
He turned to the incredible woman crouching on the floor beside him. She slid her phone back into her pocket.
“Thank you,” Adam said. “Thank you for everything. I don’t know where we’d be without you.”
“No problem,” she said. “All in a day’s work.”
But it was more than that, right? At least it was for him. He took both of her hands in his, letting their fingers link through. His arms longed to hold her and pull her into his chest. He wanted to kiss her like he had in the truck.
He wanted to hand her his vulnerable and damaged heart and trust her with it.
There, in her face, he saw everything he wanted his life and his future to be. But he’d also seen a lot of mirages in the heat of the desert sun when he’d been on the battlefield. How could he possibly know if any of what he felt for her was real? It was nothing like anything he’d ever experienced before. He prayed for wisdom.
Lord, I don’t believe in love at first sight.
“I feel something for you,” he admitted. “Some kind of connection. It’s like a tune, a drumbeat, playing at the corner of my mind. I don’t know what it is or how to turn it off. All I know is it’s distracting, it’s overwhelming and part of me wants it to stop.”
He wanted to feel his hands back on the steering wheel of his life again, and not like someone else had grabbed it and was swerving his heart down a path he couldn’t see or control.
“I’m not sure what you’re trying to say,” Noelle said.
Neither did he. Just like he didn’t know why he was now holding her hands or why he’d kissed her back in the truck.
“My family needs me,” he said.
“Yes,” she said. “They do.”
“And I’m not saying that any of this is your fault,” he said quickly. “Not at all. You’ve never once done anything to put me or my family in danger—”
“I know I haven’t.” Noelle pulled her hands away and stood.
“But my head hasn’t been in the game,” Adam went on. “I’ve been distracted. I haven’t been focused.”
“I got it.” Her voice chilled. She glanced at her partner and raised an eyebrow.
“Plus,” he said, “you’re trying to get all the overtime hours...”
“Stop.” Noelle raised a hand, palm up. “Your train of thought is swerving all over the place right now, like you’ve got no idea where you’re going, and it’s giving me whiplash.” Her arms crossed. “If this is your way of saying you’re sorry you kissed me earlier, you can just come out and say it. You’re not the first man to decide he doesn’t want to be in a relationship with me.”
No, that’s not what he was trying to say. But the problem was he had no idea what it was he did want to say.
“You’re a really incredible person,” he tried again.
I think I have a crush on you! The words shouted inside his head. And that’s scary and confusing, and I don’t know what to do about it.
“Thank you,” she said curtly. “You’re pretty incredible too. But I really don’t want to grow any closer to a man who seems to be really confused about what he thinks of me or what kind of relationship he wants to have. Whenever a police officer fires their weapon, they have to make a report and go through an internal investigation. I’m not worried, but the fact I was off duty might complicate things. Sarge will assign a different K-9 officer to connect with your family going forward. I gave your mom my cell phone number and I’m happy to take her call if she needs something. But hopefully my unit will be able to find someone who your whole family is comfortable with.”
He hesitated a moment, still crouched between where Noelle stood and Matty lay. Then Noelle nodded to Liberty and the dog moved to her side. Matty stirred, his eyes opened, and a myriad of conflicting emotions battled in his face before he turned and looked at Adam.
“Daddy!” He crawled out of the blankets and threw his arms around Adam. “You made it! Are the bad guys gone?”
“Yes.” Adam hugged his son tightly. “Grandma and Grandpa are safe. The police are upstairs making sure everything is good. And I’ve got you.”
“That was an adventure, wasn’t it, Dad?” his son said.
Adam chuckled, feeling tears form in his throat. “Yeah, it sure was.”
“Well, I should go,” Noelle said. “Goodbye, guys, and Merry Christmas.”
He glanced at Noelle over his son’s head and for one fleeting moment caught a glimpse of an unexpected emotion filling her eyes. It was like sadness or longing, maybe even regret. All he knew was that it made him want to pull her into the hug and apologize for his confused and muddled heart.
Instead, he watched as the most extraordinary woman he knew turned and walked out of his life.
Traffic was still thick and the snowflakes even thicker in the dark Christmas Eve sky when Noelle finally left the Brooklyn K-9 Unit and drove home with Liberty. She hadn’t minded how meticulous Sarge had been in going over every decision she’d made in how she’d responded to the hostage situation at the Jollys’ house. He’d told her what to expect from the upcoming internal investigation and that she was currently on leave with pay. She liked the fact there were checks and balances in place to keep NYPD officers at the top of their game. Although she dreaded telling her folks she and Liberty were off active cases again—and that it was her own fault this time.
Besides, the longer she’d stayed there, discussing the case with Sarge, the longer she could put off thinking about her final conversation with Adam.
She liked Adam. That much she could admit to herself. She really, really liked everything about Adam. It had taken a lot of self-control to keep from pointing out it had been a very long time since she’d let anyone kiss her and she didn’t know what she felt either. The connection as he’d called it between them confused and surprised her every bit as much as it did him.
But the last thing she needed in her life right now was an ambivalent man playing games with her heart.
Thankfully, the arrest of the two masked men at the Jollys’ house had led to a major break in the case. Both perps had been members of one of the notorious drug-running gangs that the other officers in the Brooklyn K-9 Unit had been investigating. Within half an hour of their arrest, officers had gotten a warrant to raid a garage they suspected was used by the gang and had discovered a transport truck packed to the seams with pill-stuffed toys. That was the very good news. The bad news was that they’d only found the drugs after they’d apparently been transferred from the new major player on the drug scene to the gang he or she had finally decided to use as a distributor.
Who this major new dealer was, who’d apparently been shopping MDMA-filled FlupperPups around, remained a mystery. As was their connection to Adam Jolly and his family.
But that was another officer’s problem now, Noelle told herself firmly, as she inched her vehicle through the snowy streets. Someone else would be sitting in their patrol car, keeping a watchful eye on the street outside the Jollys’ home tonight and filling the family in on the developments in the case. Noelle and Liberty would move on to the next case and then the one after that, without her having to deal with the kind of man who intrigued her mind, flipped her heart upside down and then walked out the moment things got confusing.
No, now it was time to focus on work. And maybe give her heart some time to heal.
Her phone buzzed, letting her know a text was coming in. She pulled over to the side of the road, then glanced at the screen. It was Irene Jolly.
Hi, Noelle. It’s Irene Jolly. Got a minute?
She was surprised by just how much her heart jolted to see Adam’s mother’s name on the screen. Noelle hadn’t just liked Adam. She liked his whole family and would miss having all of them in her life.
She debated how to answer for far too long, before finally just using voice recognition to text back.
Sure. What’s up?
There was no answer for a long moment. Noelle debated whether she should’ve left the house as quickly as she had with only a wave goodbye to Fred and Irene, as the couple stood with their arms around each other in a picture of strength, love and resilience. They’d been through a lot tonight. But it was a crime scene, Noelle was a witness, and she had to give her statement and coordinate with her fellow officers. Not to mention the fact Noelle’s chest had been aching like a big and heavy weight was pressing on it.
Liberty nuzzled her hand gently as if sensing she was sad. Noelle stroked the dog’s head behind her black-smudged ear. If only Liberty could tell her what to do about it.
Can we talk? Irene texted again. In person? Right now? It’s important.
Noelle took a deep breath and prayed God would guide her words.
I don’t know if Adam told you, she texted back, but I’m not working this case anymore. I’m actually on leave right now. Another officer will be assigned to coordinate with you.
Noelle waited for Irene’s response, hoping her text hadn’t come across as rude.
I know. Irene texted back. This isn’t about the case. It’s a personal family thing. I don’t know who to trust. And I trust you.
Irene had been really kind to her. At the very least Noelle could say goodbye to her in person, hear her out and help direct her to the right person. She owed Irene that much.
Okay, she texted back. I’m heading back to your house.
It would be awkward, but she was sure Adam would understand. Considering how busy the house was she and Adam might be able to avoid each other.
No, Irene texted. I’m actually headed to our offices/warehouse right now. Meet me there. There’s something I need to show you. I’ll leave the warehouse door unlocked. Meet me in the office.
Noelle’s heart hammered in her chest.
No, I think it’s safer to meet at the house, she texted back. The person behind all this still hasn’t been caught yet. If you have to go to the warehouse wait to go with Adam or go with a cop.
Maybe she was overreacting, but she really didn’t like the idea of Adam’s mother going to the warehouse alone right now. Noelle waited for Irene to say okay. But there was no response. She waited another solid minute. Nothing.
Oh, no. She pulled out into traffic and turned around.
Her GPS said she’d be at the Jolly Family Charity headquarters and warehouse in eighteen minutes.
It wasn’t likely this new player in the drug game would strike again so soon or be poking around the charity after it had been swept by the cops. But still, something about the idea of Irene going there alone sent shivers up her spine.