“So we did it. We found Dorinda’s murderer,” Amos whispered.
“You did. You most certainly did. I’m proud of you, agent. I hear there’s a commendation coming down from the AG. Good work.”
Amos closed his eyes and nodded. At least there was that. Then he lifted his head. “I’ve got something I’ve got to do if you’ll excuse me.” Standing, he made his way to Lawrence. “I think there’s somewhere you and I need to go.”
The sun was warm and a breeze had picked up when Jack parked the cruiser and the three men got out. Instead of accompanying them, he leaned against his car and waited.
Amos and Lawrence made their way across the grassy area, wandering here and there, not speaking but both knowing what the other was saying. They had a message to deliver.
They stopped in front of the huge, white granite stone and Amos motioned Lawrence forward. “Hey, my girls. I’ve got some news. Dorinda, we know who did it. And I’m so sorry, honey, that somebody betrayed you like that. She was supposed to be somebody you could trust, and she hurt you. For that, I’ll never forgive her. And I want you to know that Ainsley, Benson, and Chance still love you, honey. I think they’ll always love you. None of them have moved on, but I’m going to talk to them about that. They deserve to be happy for all the happiness they brought you.” He pressed his fingers to the inscription on his wife’s side of the stone. “Baby, we’re at peace, but whoever you know up there, please, ask them to give us a little more time with Daesha. This young man over here, he’s a fine guy, and he really, really loves her. I want them to have a long time together to have the kind of relationship you and I had. I was a happy man, baby. They deserve to be happy too. Amos over here found out about Lucy. Now you and Dorinda can have the peace you deserve.” When he finished, he motioned for Amos to step forward, but the younger man was rooted there, staring at the stone. In a few days, there could be another name there, and the thought was a horror he couldn’t fathom. Lawrence’s hand on his arm brought him out of his thoughts. “Thank you, son. What you did? It wasn’t just about loving Daesha. You showed your love for Dorinda, for Alice, and for me too. You gave our family peace that we needed. I’ll always be grateful for that.”
Amos couldn’t speak. He couldn’t move. He couldn’t think. He was numb with fear. Then he heard a whistle from behind him and turned. From across the cemetery, Jack held up something and yelled, “Hey! You left your phone in the car! Get over here!”
Running as fast as he could, he slid to a stop in the gravel beside Jack and reached for his phone. There was a text from his mother and when he opened it, he found a video. He touched it and it began to play. And Amos fell to his knees.
There, on the screen, were Ainsley, Benson, and Chance, and they were gathered around the head of a hospital bed. She smiled up at the camera and waved. “Hey, babe, where are you? I need you here with me. Hurry, Amos. I don’t want to lose another second with you.”
“Get me to the hospital?” he asked his younger brother, tears rolling down his face.
A lone tear escaped Jack’s eye as he smiled. “Buckle up. We’re about to find out just how fast this cruiser can go.”
Amos could hear her when he got to the swinging doors. “But I wanna go home!”
“Ma’am, you need to stay here for at least a couple of days. We need to monitor your fluid intake and output, and keep an eye on your brain in case there’s some swelling.”
He threw back the curtain and glared at her. “Are you giving them a hard time?”
“You weren’t here to do it for me, so I had to take up for myself!” she shouted back.
Before she could blink, he had her wrapped up in his arms. “You’re going to stay right here and let them take care of you, and I’ll be here the whole time. Stop arguing with them. You’re hard-headed, woman.”
“I love you, Amos. I was so scared.”
“I know, and I’m sorry I didn’t find you faster. I was doing all I could.”
“I know.” She pressed him back and smiled up at him. “But you found me!”
“Ainsley was the one who figured it out. Thank god for him.”
She laughed. “Bet you never thought you’d say that!”
“Nope. Honestly, I never did. And before you say it, I know―you never dreamed Lucy would harm you in any way. I didn’t either. Nobody did. So this wasn’t carelessness. It was misplaced trust in a person you’d never had a reason to distrust.”
“The boys were here. They’re brokenhearted, Amos. I feel so bad for them. But at least their dad is going to be okay and they can make up with him for all the horrible things they thought about him.” Amos pulled up a chair, but he’d barely sat down before Daesha cried out, “Daddy!”
“Hey, sweetheart!” Lawrence leaned down to hug his daughter, then gave her a big kiss on the forehead. “How do you feel?”
“Okay, I guess. I’m hungry, but they won’t let me eat.”
“They’re afraid you’ll get sick and throw up, honey, and you don’t need to lose any fluids.”
“I know, I know. But I want to get out of here. I want to go home with Amos.”
Amos thought of something. “Hey, how did she get you into the cooler?”
“She told me Marshall had gone in there and fallen, and wanted me to help get him up. She said if she called an emergency crew, it would be all over the news, but she knew I had enough medical background to help him. When we got there, I followed her to the cooler and she pointed in. She told me to go on in and she’d get a light from the car and be right back. As soon as I was about five feet in, the door slammed shut behind me. I didn’t know what had happened. I thought something had happened to her, and I was really worried.” She held up her hands, and Amos could see the bruising on their outer edges and the heels of her palms. “I pounded and pounded on the door, but nobody came. Marshall was there, right?”
“She had him elsewhere in the plant, tied to a chair.”
“That’s what the boys told me. And they told me about them and Dorinda too. I feel bad for them. They loved her. They still love her.”
“Yes, they do. But not as much as I love you.”
“And not as much as I love you.” Daesha pressed a palm to his cheek. “You really are my knight in shining armor.”
He smiled. “And you’re most definitely my warrior princess!”
“Well, we finally got to do this!” Denise exclaimed as she set dishes on the table.
“What can I do to help?”
“You go sit down, girl. You just got out of the hospital,” Jack and Amos’s mother ordered and pointed toward the living room.
Daesha moped in and sat down beside Amos. “I’m not an invalid, but everybody’s treating me like one.”
“Everybody wants you to get your strength back,” Amos said and kissed her temple.
“So you’re off work this week?” Lawrence asked.
“Yeah. We are. I’m off because of, well, obvious, but they gave Amos the week off too so he could stay with me.” Daesha took his hand and smiled. “We get to spend the whole week together.”
“Yes. We. Do.” Amos smiled and gripped her hand tightly. No way was he letting go.
“Time to eat!” Denise called out as she and Aleta put the finishing touches on everything.
Two hours later and the kitchen cleaned up, Denise reminded Lawrence that she’d made a plate for him to take home, and they were all sitting around the den in the Fletcher’s house. “So, Jack, you two doing okay?” Henry asked.
“Yep. Still hoping. And hey, the practicing is fun,” Jack said, and Aleta slapped his arm. “Well, it is! You’re not complaining!” She blushed and everybody laughed.
“And what about you two?” Henry asked and pointed to Amos and Daesha. “What’s next for you?”
Amos’s face was one huge grin. “Well, we’ve got some shopping to do.” Daesha stared up at him. “I mean, if you want to.”
“Shopping?”
“Yeah. Ring shopp
ing. Would you like that?”
She nodded and leaned into him. “I would. Can I get anything I want?”
“No. I’m not made of money. But I would like to know what styles you like so I know what to choose from. That would make it easier.”
“Oh! I can definitely show you some I like. But you need to pick.”
Amos grinned. “I intend to. I’ll pick what I want you to have and you’ll like it or else.”
“Or I reckon I’ll have to spank your butt,” he said and kissed her lips lightly.
“I think that’s my cue to leave,” Lawrence said with a laugh and stood. “Listen, thanks so much for the hospitality. It’s great to spend time with all of you. Jack, you take care of that little lady there. She’s a keeper.”
“Don’t I know it! Thanks, Lawrence.” Jack extended his hand and Daesha’s dad shook it heartily. Amos was thrilled. Everyone in the two families seemed to genuinely like each other and they were going to be very, very happy together. If they could just get Aleta’s family on board, it would all be fine. They were still disappointed Jack wasn’t a minister, but they’d have to get over that. Amos knew a lot of ministers, and Jack? Nope. That was never gonna happen.
As they drove home, they chatted about the weather, the animals, their jobs, and what they’d do the next week. “I’d like to go to the cemetery sometime,” she announced.
Amos gave her the side-eye. “You do realize that’s where your dad and I were when you woke up.”
“No! Really? That was so kind of you, babe.” She gripped his hand as it lay on the gear shift knob.
“I’m going to try to be a kinder, gentler version of Amos David Fletcher from now on. It’ll be a herculean task, but I think I’m up to it.”
“I think you are too.”
As soon as they were inside, she dropped on the sofa. “Wow. I’m beat. I guess maybe I do need to take it easy this next week. I didn’t realize how tired I was.” She looked up to find Amos carrying a big box. “What’s that?”
“A present for you. I ordered it while you were still in the hospital. Open it.”
He grinned and watched as she tore the tape and started pulling out paper and bubble wrap. “What is this? It looks kinda like … What the … Oh my god. Amos David Fletcher. You didn’t!”
“I did.”
“Where did you find this?”
“At a costume shop online. I saw it and I had to buy it.”
She pulled pieces out and laid them out on the floor. “Oh my god. A helmet, a breast plate, shoulder plates … Holy hell, it’s a whole damn suit of armor!”
“For my warrior princess,” he said and winked at her. That set off a fit of giggles.
“And where exactly am I supposed to wear this?” she asked with a knowing look.
“It’s not where you’re supposed to wear it, babe. It’s where you’re supposed to take it off.”
She barely got a chance to laugh before they were deep in a scorching, tongue-filled kiss. She’d proven to him over and over again that she was indeed his warrior princess, strong, capable, proud, and beautiful. And now?
She had the armor to prove it!
About the author …
Deanndra Hall is a working author living in the far western end of the beautiful Bluegrass State with her husband of over 35 years and small menagerie of weird little dogs. When she’s not writing, she’s editing. When she’s doing neither of those two things, she’s having dinner with friends, spending time with family, kayaking, eating chocolate, drinking beer or moonshine, or looking for something that she put in the wrong place and can’t seem to find (which is pretty much everything she owns).
On the Web: www.deanndrahall.com
Email: Deanndra@deanndrahall.com
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Also by Deanndra Hall
Bluegrass Bravery
Shelter for Sharla (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha)
Justice for Aleta (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha)
Shelter for Martina (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha)
Justice for Daesha (Police and Fire: Operation Alpha)
The Love Under Construction Series
Laying a Foundation with prequel, The Groundbreaking
Tearing Down Walls
Renovating a Heart
Planning an Addition
The Citadel Series
One Simple Mistake
One Broken Promise
One Poor Choice
One Wrong Glance
The Legacy Series
Atonement
Legacy of Freedom
Legacy of Faithfulness
The Witch of Endor Series
Laid Bare
Ripped Open
Torn Apart
The Harper’s Cove Series
Karen and Brett at 326 Harper’s Cove
Becca and Greg at 314 Harper’s Cove
Donna and Connor at 228 Harper’s Cove
Savannah and Martin at 219 Harper’s Cove
Cheryl and Samuel at 323 Harper’s Cove
Tasha and Davis at 333 Harper’s Cove
Lily and Brock at 343 Harper’s Cove
Siobhán and Gabhain at 241 Harper's Cove
The Me, You, and Us Series
Adventurous Me
Unforgettable You
Incredible Us
The Celtic Fan (independent novel)
Rough Stock (part of the Bad Girls of Romance Series)
The Silent Cove Series
Awakening
Retribution, by Anne L. Parks
Banishing, by Jax Jillian
There are many more books in this fan fiction world than listed here, for an up-to-date list go to www.AcesPress.com
You can also visit our Amazon page at:
http://www.amazon.com/author/operationalpha
Special Forces: Operation Alpha World
Christie Adams: Charity’s Heart
Denise Agnew: Dangerous to Hold
Shauna Allen: Awakening Aubrey
Brynne Asher: Blackburn
Linzi Baxter: Unlocking Dreams
Jennifer Becker: Hiding Catherine
Alice Bello: Shadowing Milly
Heather Blair: Rescue Me
Anna Blakely: Rescuing Gracelynn
Amy Briggs: Saving Sarah
Julia Bright: Saving Lorelei
Victoria Bright: Surviving Savage
Cara Carnes: Protecting Mari
Kendra Mei Chailyn: Beast
Melissa Kay Clarke: Rescuing Annabeth
Samantha A. Cole: Handling Haven
Sue Coletta: Hacked
Melissa Combs: Gallant
Anne Conley: Redemption for Misty
KaLyn Cooper: Rescuing Melina
Liz Crowe: Marking Mariah
Sarah Curtis: Securing the Odds
Jordan Dane: Redemption for Avery
Tarina Deaton: Found in the Lost
KL Donn: Unraveling Love
Riley Edwards: Protecting Olivia
PJ Fiala: Defending Sophie
Nicole Flockton: Protecting Maria
Michele Gwynn: Rescuing Emma
Casey Hagen: Shielding Nebraska
Desiree Holt: Protecting Maddie
Kathy Ivan: Saving Sarah
Jesse Jacobson: Protecting Honor
Silver James: Rescue Moon
Becca Jameson: Saving Sofia
Kate Kinsley: Protecting Ava
Heather Long: Securing Arizona
Gennita Low: No Protection
Kirsten Lynn: Joining Forces for Jesse
Margaret Madigan: Bang for the Buck
Kimberly McGath: The Predecessor
Rachel McNeely: The SEAL’s Surprise Baby
KD Michaels: Saving Laura
Wren Michaels: The Fox & The Hound
Kat Mizera: Protecting Bobbi
Mary B Moore: Force Protection
LeTeisha Newton: Protecting Butterfly
Angela Nicole: Protecting the Donna
MJ Nightingale: Protecting Beauty
Sarah O’Rourke: Saving Liberty
Victoria Paige: Reclaiming Izabel
Anne L. Parks: Mason
Debra Parmley: Protecting Pippa
Lainey Reese: Protecting New York
TL Reeve and Michele Ryan: Extracting Mateo
Elena M. Reyes: Keeping Ava
Angela Rush: Charlotte
Rose Smith: Saving Satin
Jenika Snow: Protecting Lily
Lynn St. James: SEAL’s Spitfire
Dee Stewart: Conner
Harley Stone: Rescuing Mercy
Jen Talty: Burning Desire
Megan Vernon: Protecting Us
Police and Fire: Operation Alpha World
Freya Barker: Burning for Autumn
KaLyn Cooper: Justice for Gwen
Aspen Drake: Sheltering Emma
Deanndra Hall: Shelter for Sharla
Barb Han: Kace
CM Steele: Guarding Hope
Reina Torres: Justice for Sloane
Stacey Wilk: Stage Fright
As you know, this book included at least one character from Susan Stoker’s books. To check out more, see below.
SEAL of Protection: Legacy Series
Securing Caite
Securing Brenae (novella)
Securing Sidney
Securing Piper
Securing Zoey (Jan 2020)