Natalie hardly jumped when Erik slid into the SUV, the sharp night wind coming in with him as he locked eyes with her. His jaw, covered in a thick five-o’clock shadow, dropped. “Oh…hi. I didn’t expect…” He shook his head.
“Expect what?”
“You.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “Drake didn’t mention you were so young and well…nice looking.”
She didn’t know what to make of his comment. “I guess that was a compliment, so thank you.”
He shook his head. “Sorry. You took me by surprise. Let’s start over.” He shoved out his hand. “Erik Byrd, in case my brother didn’t say.”
“He did.” She took hold of his hand. “Natalie Dunn.”
He released her hand and stared out the front window.
She took in his profile illuminated by the dashboard lights. He didn’t look like she’d expected either. He had light brown eyes and dishwater blond hair in a buzz cut. Nothing like Drake’s dark coloring. His wide shoulders and trim body spoke to many hours working out in a gym.
He turned and caught her watching him.
“You don’t resemble Drake at all,” she said bluntly, as she couldn’t very well hide the fact that she’d been staring.
“He takes after our dad. I look like Mom. So does our sister, Sierra.”
“She’s the one who works at the Veritas Center.”
He nodded. “Forensic expert and darn good at her job.”
“Any other siblings?”
“Three more brothers. Aiden, Brendan, Clay, Drake, and then me.”
“Alphabetical order.”
“Our parents thought it would be cute to do that.” He rolled his eyes. “It was a pain growing up, but it does help people remember our names.”
“I think it’s cute.”
He groaned. “Maybe when we were kids, but we’re all adults now. And we own a business where the last thing you want is for your clients to think you’re cute.”
Natalie laughed. “Drake said you all worked in law enforcement. What branch were you in?”
“Portland Police Bureau. Patrol officer for five years until I had to join the company business.”
“Had to join?”
“I guess had to is the wrong way of saying it. Our dad needed a kidney transplant. Aiden donated one of his. He was ATF at the time. Meant he went on a lot of dangerous raids. We all worried that he might lose the remaining kidney on one of them. We agreed forming an agency together would keep him safer.”
She loved learning about this family, not only to take her mind off Kirk, but because they seemed to really care about each other. “Sounds like your family is very close.”
“Yeah.” He stared out the front window.
If she knew him better, she might ask what was putting the pensive look on his face, but that was too personal. Odd, when she would’ve asked Drake if he were sitting there.
Erik didn’t move a muscle but continued to stare ahead. Maybe he was thinking about his family. She might’ve declared them a normal family at one point in her life, but normal wasn’t a concept she embraced anymore. Not with so many families that she dealt with who didn’t have the traditional two-parent home. Many were working through their problems, and, with a little help, were starting to thrive.
The closest she’d come to understanding family was with her sister, Gina, but her brutal murder four years ago ended that. When Gina died, so did Natalie. Inside. And along with her concept of family, every ounce of her ability to love disappeared. Now she sought vengeance for Gina. That’s what kept her going outside of her work.
Should she tell Drake about her connection to Gina? Seemed like the right thing to do, but the detective she’d talked to and brought leads to regarding Gina’s murder discounted her because she was a relative. He said she was too close. Clutching at straws, he said, and he dismissed her.
Now that she knew The Clipper’s identity, she wouldn’t let this team dismiss her. She’d found a strong lead tonight, very strong, and she had to pursue it. How, she didn’t know, but she would. After she got the children settled in bed, she’d talk to Drake, see what he was thinking, and decide what she would do.
Eric’s phone chimed, and he grabbed it from his pocket. “Email from Clay. Police are at Gentry’s House.”
“Oh, good.” She let out a long breath of relief. “Does he say if they arrested him?”
“No. They just arrived.”
The lights flickered on inside the cabin and glowed steadily through the windows. An outside security light on the corner of the cabin burned bright, but from this distance, she still had to squint to make out the building. The log cabin had a front porch and a green metal roof. She thought it might be something even more rustic, maybe in a state of disrepair, but the building looked inviting.
Listen to her, thinking about a cabin in the woods as inviting. What was she going to think next? There were animals, mosquitos, and critters out here, for crying out loud. Just the kinds of things she avoided, mostly because she had no experience in the wilderness, and the creepy darkness left her feeling unsettled.
“Looks like Drake is about ready for us,” Erik said, his focus now pinned to the building.
Drake bounded down the steps to march across the clearing, his flashlight swinging side to side. He had a sure stride and confidence in his step. Man, oh man, she found that attractive. She had no idea why, but she’d always had a thing for the bad-boy type. The opposite of her in every way. Not that she knew he fit the bad boy stereotype, but his comment about calling others out on things made her think he might be one.
They say opposites attract. Maybe that was why she kept her gaze pinned to Drake’s every move as he closed the distance. She certainly found him intriguing.
Erik opened his door, and Drake bent down to look at her. “We’re good to go. I want all of us to head in at the same time.”
“No problem.” She made sure to not stare at the way the fabric of his shirt pulled tight against his biceps.
“Three adults means a kid per person,” she said.
Drake frowned. “Not quite that easy. I want my hands free. Might need to go for my gun.”
“No worries,” Natalie said, though his comment brought up all kinds of worries. “I’ll wake Willow up. She can take my hand and walk, and I’ll carry Sadie. That leaves Erik free to carry Logan.”
“Works for me. Let’s move.” Drake stepped back and looked at his brother. “I’ll get Logan for you. Kid’s car seat takes an engineering expert to figure out.”
Natalie smiled at his exaggeration, slid out, and opened the back door. She stifled a shudder at the cooler temperature and released Willow’s seatbelt. “We’re here, kiddo. Can you hop down so I can reach Sadie?”
Willow rubbed her eyes and looked around. “Where’s here?”
“Drake’s cabin. You’ll like it.”
“Okay,” she said warily and slid from her seat.
“Stay close to me, Willow.” Natalie undid Sadie’s straps and lifted the sweet child into her arms. She didn’t wake and was twenty-five pounds of dead weight. Natalie hefted her higher, and the adorable child with red hair and chubby cheeks like Willow’s rested her head on Natalie’s shoulder. Natalie took Willow’s hand and joined the brothers at the front of the SUV with the headlights still burning bright.
She looked at Willow. “You met Drake, and this is his brother Erik.”
Willow gave him a long look then faced the cabin. “Don’t like being out here.”
“Think of it as an adventure,” Natalie said, trying her best not to let her own dislike of the great outdoors influence her tone.
“Don’t like adventures.”
“Sure you do. It’ll be fun.”
Willow narrowed her eyes, and her very expressive face declared her lack of trust in Natalie’s opinion. Still, Natalie clutched the child’s hand and followed Erik. She wobbled in her heels and had to pick her way carefully among the scrub. No way she would faceplant due to her stupid shoes. Okay, not stupid. One of her favorite pairs. Just the wrong choice for the woods.
Drake stayed by her side, his gaze roving over the area. His hyperalert behavior raised Natalie’s concern even more.
She searched the shadowed shrubs and trees just out of reach of the warm glow from the porch light. What was lurking out there? Would she let her fear win out, or would she trust this man?
Trust. Ha. That was a word that got stuck in Natalie’s mouth and mind. She’d never really trusted anyone other than Gina. At least not fully. Natalie had come close with Mrs. A, but that was it.
The wooden steps groaned under their feet as they climbed to the porch and entered the cabin. A soaring vaulted ceiling made the room that served as a living and dining room feel larger than it was. A small kitchen took up the back wall, but a massive stone fireplace at the far side of the room was the showstopper.
Drake closed and locked the door. “I’ll get a fire going while you put the kids to bed.”
Natalie looked around the large space with log walls. She spotted two doors. A bedroom and bathroom? And on the other wall a stairway leading up to what appeared to be an enclosed loft.
“The loft has several beds where they can all bunk together.” Drake grabbed a large piece of wood from a stack by the hearth. “There’s a bathroom up there too.”
“Follow me.” Erik crossed the room to the wooden staircase with a rustic log railing.
She released Willow to go ahead of her, and they trailed him up the stairs.
Willow slipped out of her hoodie but gripped George tightly to her chest. “I’m not sleepy anymore.”
“It’s not even midnight. You need to go back to sleep.” Natalie hoped Willow would fall asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Not only because she needed sleep, but because Natalie needed to form a game plan with Drake for protecting these children. The loft had a door, so she would be able to talk freely once Willow was settled.
Erik flipped back the covers on a twin bed near a window and laid Logan down. Natalie tucked Sadie into a nearby matching bed.
“See you downstairs.” Erik glanced at her but looked uneasy and took off.
He passed Willow, who stood by the door, and Natalie wasn’t surprised by the deep frown on her face. She’d suffered the most with their mother’s disappearance and having a social worker interfering in their lives. The other two missed their mother but were adapting fairly well. Maybe thanks to having a familiar caregiver in their nanny who’d been with the family for over a year.
Natalie planned to suggest they interview the nanny, see if she knew anything about the basement or noticed anything odd in Kirk’s behavior. But now, getting the children to bed was her top priority.
Willow looked around the room, George dangling from her hand, and stifled a yawn. She looked like little Orphan Annie—lost and bewildered. One side of her curly red hair was matted against her head, and her freckled cheek was rosy from sleeping against the SUV door. She looked sad and adorable at the same time.
Oh, gosh. Just the sight of Willow’s dejected body melted Natalie’s heart. Add what Natalie had learned about Willow’s dad tonight, and Natalie’s heart shattered. She’d worked so hard to maintain her professionalism at work, to keep a certain detachment from her clients. At some point tonight, her professional separation had disappeared with these children.
Natalie wanted to take them into her own home and make sure they had a wonderful life.
Seriously. How could she even think that way? She was single and no prospective husband. She wasn’t even dating anyone. Didn’t want to be dating anyone.
No. That wasn’t right. She wouldn’t allow herself to date. She had no time for dates, not with her demanding job. Sure, she was lonely at times, but she focused on how much she was helping families. Helping kids like the Gentry children. She swallowed away her longing for a family.
“You’re looking at me funny,” Willow said.
Natalie snapped out of her thoughts. “Sorry. Do you need to use the restroom?”
Willow shook her head.
“Then you and George hop into bed.”
She glanced around. “Which bed?”
Natalie pointed to two double beds on the opposite wall. “Choose either one.”
Willow walked slowly to the closest, dropped her pink hoodie on the end, pulled back the camo bedspread and crisp green sheets, and climbed in. She tugged the covers and peered up at Natalie. “I’m afraid.”
Natalie offered a silent prayer and sat on the edge of the bed. “Of what, sweetie?”
“Everything. Like why are we here? Where’s Dad? Did he die in the car accident? Is that why you brought us here because he’s not coming back?”
“Oh, sweetie, no. He didn’t die.” Natalie didn’t want to frighten the girl so she would carefully choose her words. “His treatment just took longer than they thought.”
“Then why are we here?”
“I had to come here, and because I was watching you, you had to come along.” Sort of the truth. “Now don’t worry about a thing. Get a good night’s sleep, and tomorrow we can explore the area. Maybe see deer and rabbits and other wildlife.”
“Like a bear?” Her eyes widened.
Natalie had learned over the past month that Willow’s first instincts were negative. Just the way Natalie had felt as a child. Maybe that was why God brought the child into Natalie’s life, so she could help Willow adjust and learn to see the positive in her life. As a kid, Natalie had needed to force herself to think positive just to survive, and then it became a habit.
“We could see a bear, I suppose. Not likely though. And Drake will come with us. He knows this area and can keep us safe, so you have nothing to worry about. And if you don’t want to go hiking, you don’t have to.”
“I want to.” She nibbled on her raw lip.
Poor little sweetheart was trying to be brave, but her chin trembled. Natalie couldn’t stand seeing her hurting any longer and not do anything about it. So what if her job frowned on personal contact? They didn’t forbid it, just made sure that the social workers didn’t put themselves in a situation that could be misconstrued. But this child needed to be held.
Natalie scooped her into a hug. Her warm little body molded to Natalie, and her fiery red curls tickled Natalie’s cheek. She held her warm body tightly and hummed, “My God Is So Big,” a song she’d learned in Sunday School.
She felt Willow relaxing and wished she could sing the chorus to her—and that Willow would believe that God was so big that He could do anything. Even take away Willow’s fears.
Show us that. Please.
Natalie gave Willow a squeeze and then pulled back. “I’m here for you, sweetie. Always. You can count on me.”
“I’m glad.” Willow turned on her side and drew George close, then pulled the covers up to her eyes. “Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?”
“I don’t think so, sweetie.”
She grabbed Natalie’s hand. “Please. Please. I’m afraid.”
“There’s a nightlight in the corner.” Natalie stood. “Do you want me to turn it on?”
“Yes.” The precious high voice sounded from under the covers. “But I still want you to stay.”
Natalie didn’t want to leave the child, but Willow needed to sleep, and Natalie feared if she stayed in the room, Willow would keep asking questions instead of resting.
Natalie flicked on the nightlight and turned back. She was about to say good-night and head to the door, but then she thought about what was waiting for her downstairs. A man who wanted her to recount what she’d seen in the basement. With the police at Kirk’s house, she didn’t mind putting that off. Not at all.
Not when Willow needed her. Her loyalty had to be to the children. They had to come first. Always.