Heart of a Hero (New Beginnings Book 4)

by Margaret Daley

  She slipped from her Chevy and headed toward Hannah’s house, a crispness still clinging to the early morning air. In the pasture some trees had lost their leaves, but many proclaimed the season with bright orange-red, canary yellow or dark red leaves. The beauty of them lifted her spirits. With the Lord’s help she would find a way to reach her son.

  Hannah answered her knock almost immediately. Before her friend could greet her, both her adopted sons, Gabe and Terry, shot around her and darted down the steps, then ran toward the recreational center.

  “They seem excited about the class,” Lisa said as she entered Hannah’s house.

  “Not only are they excited about learning tae kwon do, but a police officer is teaching them. They think that’s a big deal.” Hannah shut her front door. “Let’s go into the kitchen. I actually have some quiet time because Jacob took the girls to the barn to see the new colt.”

  “That’s all Andy talks about is Tiger.”

  “Why did they name the colt Tiger?”

  “Because Andy is such a huge fan of the University of Cimarron’s basketball team, the Tigers. I promised him some time this season I would take him to a game. I was thinking about getting tickets for a game as a Christmas gift. I still can’t believe it’s a month away. I’m not ready for the holidays.”

  “I’m never ready.” In the kitchen Hannah filled two cups with coffee and then sat at the table. “Have you seen Whitney and Kelli this morning?”

  “If Andy decides to take this class, we’re gonna rearrange our Saturday get-together for lunch instead of breakfast.”

  “You don’t have to. Andy can spend the night with us Friday and go over with my sons.”

  “I’d rather bring him and pick him up.”

  While Hannah took a sip of her drink, she looked long and hard at Lisa. “Why? Does this have anything to do with the teacher?”

  Lisa stared at her milk-flavored coffee, trying to find a way to explain her conflicting emotions concerning David Russell. “Have you ever thought the Lord brought you into someone’s life for a purpose, to help them?”

  Her friend grinned. “Yes, you. The day I met you I knew in my heart you loved your son very much, and I wanted to help you find a way to be a part of Andy’s life.”

  “I don’t know what I would have done without your intervention. And there’s something about David that calls to me, and yet Andy doesn’t want to have anything to do with him because he’s a police officer. Frankly that makes me hesitate, too.”

  “You’re not that person you were four years ago. You’ve changed so much.”

  “Yeah, well, David doesn’t feel people can really change.”

  “Have you told him about your past?”

  Lisa ran a finger around the rim of her mug, the heat of her drink caressing her palm. “No, and if we continue to get to know each other, I feel I should, and that conversation isn’t one I want to have with David. I haven’t hidden my past, but neither am I proud of what I did.”

  “Why do you think you have to tell him?”

  “Because it isn’t a secret, and I don’t want him hearing from anyone but me. He doesn’t have a lot of faith in the human race. I don’t want him to think I purposely set out to hide my past from him.”

  “Again, I’m still not sure why you feel the need to reveal something that has nothing to do with the person you are today. I don’t go around telling people about my past when I meet them. They don’t get that privilege until I get to know them well. Do you care for him as more than a casual acquaintance?”

  The heat of a blush suffused Lisa’s face. “I feel as though the Lord wants me to help David return to Him. I can’t shake that feeling. I can’t do that with anything between us.”

  “You haven’t really answered my question. How do you really feel about him?”

  Lisa fluttered her hand in the air. “With my past experience I haven’t done well in that department. My son should be my life now. But I like David—probably more than I should.”

  “Andy is twelve. What are you going to do when he leaves home after high school?”

  “I’m enjoying my job, especially with my new responsibilities. The restaurant is doing great. When I took over as manager, it didn’t fall apart.”

  Hannah’s eyebrows shot up. “You thought that would happen?”

  “Yes.”

  Her friend leaned forward. “Well, I’ve got news for you. You worked hard for that promotion. Give yourself the credit that’s due.”

  Lisa chuckled. “Okay. I get your point.” Taking a swallow of her now-lukewarm coffee, she checked the wall clock and put her mug on the table. “I’d better head back to the rec hall. I want to catch some of the class.”

  “Who are you checking up on—Andy or David?”

  “Both.” Lisa stood and took her half-filled mug to the sink. “For all I know my son is sitting in the car or watching the class waiting for me.”

  “Or he’s enjoying himself and has forgotten about leaving.”

  “I’m hoping for the latter, but with Andy lately, I don’t know what’s going on with him.”

  “That’s being a teenager.” Hannah walked with her to the door.

  “He’s not officially a teen for another six months.”

  On the way back to the recreation hall Lisa thought about what they had discussed. If she stayed away from David, then she wouldn’t have to say a word to him about her past. But with all the Lord had done for her, if He wanted her to help David, how could she turn her back on Him or David?

  Who are you kidding? You want to help David like he’s trying to help you with Andy.

  Inside she slipped into a chair, pleased that Andy hadn’t been in the car or sitting out watching the others going through the exercises David was having them do. In fact, her son was at the front of the group of boys between Gabe and Terry, following everything that David was showing them.

  At the end David had different students come up and demonstrate the moves they learned that day. Andy did a leg kick for the group. When David indicated it was done well, Andy gave him a half grin that quickly vanished when her son caught sight of her.

  After the class bowed to David, he dismissed them. Andy ambled toward her. Although he wasn’t frowning, he wasn’t smiling either. In the past she’d become quite good at telling what her son was thinking almost before he did, but lately he was becoming accomplished at hiding his feelings from her. If she hadn’t caught that half smile a few moments ago, she would have thought he didn’t really like the class.

  “Gabe told me Belle has finally got milk for Tiger. Can I go with Gabe to the barn and see the colt? Roman is over there. I want to make sure they don’t need me to feed Tiger anymore.”

  “Sure.” Andy started to turn away, and Lisa hurriedly asked, “Are you gonna continue taking this class?”

  “Yeah. Gabe is. I might as well.” Andy glimpsed his best friend at the door and hurried toward him.

  “He seemed to get into it.”

  David’s deep baritone voice took her by surprise. She whirled around and faced him. “I’m glad.”

  “What did you think?”

  “They all were focused on what you were doing. That’s a good thing with adolescents.”

  “I think this is going to be a nice class. Roman’s wife stopped by and asked if I could do a class for some of the girls. I’m going to see what I can do, but we’ll start having basketball games in two weeks, so my time will be limited for a while.”

  “Have you asked Roman or Jacob about helping you coach?”

  “Not yet, but the boys were talking before class, and I understand both of them are at the barn with Peter. Something about planning a barn raising for next weekend.”

  In all that had been going on in her life, she’d forgotten about what Peter and Roman wanted to do to expand the facilities for the animals. “After almost five years they need more space. Actually, they needed it a year ago, but building the rec hall and fifth cottage were m
ore important for the children in foster care.”

  “I’m gonna volunteer to help with the barn raising. I’ll be here anyway teaching the class next Saturday. How about you?”

  “I figure I can use a hammer—maybe. If not, I’ll help with the food preparation for the workers. I know that Hannah and Whitney are in charge of that.”

  David started toward the door, the hall empty of children. “Are you going to the barn now?”

  “Yeah. I have to leave soon, and I need to take Andy home.”

  “Are you working?”

  “No, meeting Whitney and your sister for lunch.”

  The sunrays bathed the landscape in warmth as Lisa ducked under the fence into the pasture between the refuge and the barn. Easily falling into step beside David, she slanted a look toward the man who towered next to her. “Andy said something about you had a chance to play pro ball and didn’t take it. He couldn’t believe you would turn down the offer. He dreams of two things, being a basketball player and a vet. He intends to do both.”

  “It didn’t fit into my plans. It got me a scholarship to college, but I didn’t want to make basketball my life.”

  “So you became a cop.”

  Silence hung between them for several yards before David slowed his pace, his gaze on her. “Yeah. That was my dream.”

  A look in his eyes held a flash of pain until he quickly masked it, but the brief glimpse bothered her. She didn’t want to care. “That doesn’t sound like your dream now.”

  “Reality has a way of waking up a person.”

  “Do you wish now you had taken the offer to be a pro player?”

  He shook his head.

  She dragged her gaze from his and focused on the barn. “What would you have done if you hadn’t been a police officer?”

  “A teacher maybe. I enjoyed teaching the boys today.”

  She came to a halt, swinging around to face him. “Interesting. I didn’t expect that.”

  A grin tugged at one corner of his mouth. “What did you expect?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a lawyer or some kind of businessman.”

  “Why?”

  She shrugged, not sure why. “I guess I could see you as a PE teacher.”

  “My major was in science.”

  “You’re full of surprises today. I wouldn’t have pictured you as a scientist.”

  He waggled his eyebrows. “Not even a mad scientist?”

  She laughed. “Well, maybe at least the mad part.”

  His chuckle prompted her to resume her trek toward the barn. He quickly caught up with her, snagging her hand in his.

  Surprised by the action, Lisa blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “You know if you want to quit the police force you could always be a teacher. I’ve heard Peter complaining about the shortage of teachers, especially in math and science.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind if I decide to change professions.”

  “Or you could teach tae kwon do.” Walking across a field with a guy holding her hand wasn’t something she’d ever done. The gesture heightened her awareness of not only him but everything around her—the scent of the cool air with a hint of burning wood as if someone was using their fireplace, the sound of the birds chirping and a flock of geese flying overhead south, the feel of moisture beading on her upper lip because she was nervous.

  “Unless I open a gym, I doubt I can make much doing that.”

  “Yeah, true. I could use a gym. I need to get in better shape. My walking/jogging isn’t working so well.”

  He paused at the edge of the yard in front of the barn, releasing her hand and facing her. “Maybe you need inspiration.”

  She shielded her eyes from the bright sunlight with her hand and looked up at him. “Like what? A scale posted on my fridge?”

  He chuckled. “I was thinking more along the line of someone to jog with.”

  “I suppose I could ask Whitney or Hannah again. Or maybe your sister.”

  His chuckle evolved into a full belly laugh. “Kelli? She hates to exercise. How about me?”

  “You!” Her voice squeaked, announcing to the whole world—okay, only David—just how nervous she was. She didn’t date much—correction, hadn’t in years—not that jogging together was considered a date. “You would leave me in your dust.”

  “I promise I won’t. I’ll inspire you to pick up the speed.” He waggled his eyebrows.

  She burst out laughing. “I’m gonna accept just to see how you’re gonna do that.”

  He resumed his walk toward the barn. “Diplomatically, of course. We can do it a couple of times a week first thing in the morning before either one of us has to go to work. Give it a try this Monday, and if you don’t like it, then we don’t have to continue.”

  “Okay.”

  Hannah’s daughter, Emily, emerged from the barn and raced toward her clutching a pair of sunglasses. Jacob quickly came out, slowing his pace when he saw Lisa not far away. Giggling, the toddler kept going and threw herself into her arms.

  “Are you running away?” Lisa asked, twirling the child around, the sound of her laughter sprinkling the air. If she had her life to do over, she’d have a ton of kids.

  Emily pointed toward Jacob. “Dad-dee after me.”

  Jacob stopped in front of Lisa, fixing a stern expression on his face although his eyes twinkled. “Miss Emily, do you have my glasses?”

  The toddler nodded and thrust it into her father’s hands as he reached toward her.

  “I’d better go get Andy.” Lisa used Jacob’s appearance to put some distance between her and David.

  As she entered the barn, she peered back at the two men still talking in the middle of the pasture, Jacob holding a wiggling child. Jacob nodded then started across the field to his house. She and David were going to jog together on Monday. When she had begun walking/jogging, she had wanted a partner to keep her motivated to go when she didn’t want to, which was most mornings. When Hannah and Whitney had declined because their schedules didn’t jell with hers, it had been easier just to let go the idea of a partner. Now she had one and the fact made her smile.

  She saw Roman and made her way toward the vet, standing near the pen of puppies. “Have you seen Andy?”

  “Up until five minutes ago he was right here playing with the puppies.”

  “Which way did he go?”

  Roman pointed toward the back entrance. “He’s with Gabe. They both wanted to check on Tiger in the paddock behind the barn.”

  “Thanks.”

  Outside she scanned the area and found Tiger near Belle but no Andy and Gabe. She started to shout her son’s name when she heard raised voices—one being Andy’s. She headed toward the sound at the side of the barn.

  A few steps away from the corner, Andy still not visible, she heard Gabe say, “If you think he’s doing that, you need to tell your mom. Joey’s bad news.”

  Joey? Alert, she came to a stop, just short of rounding the corner.

  “I can’t. I don’t have any proof.”

  Proof? Of what? As Lisa flattened herself against the barn, she discovered David not two feet behind her. From the grim expression on his face, he’d obviously overheard what her son had said, too. Oh, great!

  “You know what happens to snitches,” Andy said, fear in his voice.

  Snitches? Alarmed, Lisa stepped in view of the two boys. “Andy, Gabe, what are you talking about?”

  Andy opened his mouth to say something, but his gaze flew to a spot behind her. He clamped his lips together and lowered his head. She didn’t have to glance behind her to know that David had appeared. Her body tingled with awareness of the man standing a few feet away from her.

  “I want an answer. What kind of proof? Why would you be a snitch?” The only thing that came to her mind involved drugs, which sent her heartbeat galloping.

  Andy lifted his head and stabbed her with a mutinous glare. “Mom, I told you I’m gonna take care of it. Joey’s cheating.”

 
The few times Andy lied to her she could tell because he blinked more than usual. This time he didn’t. Was that what was bothering him or was it something more? “Why should Joey’s cheating concern you?”

  Andy shrugged. “It just does. It’s not right. Besides, it throws off the class curve.”

  “I need to go. I promised Dad I would help him rake leaves this afternoon.” Gabe spun on his heel and hurried away.

  “If something happens that’s wrong, you need to speak up, Andy.”

  His eyes narrowed. “I can’t accuse someone if I don’t have proof.” He stormed past Lisa and went in the opposite direction from his friend.

  Lisa started to follow.

  “Cheating isn’t the problem. You do know that, don’t you?”

  David’s question halted her steps. She rounded on him. “Stay out of my business.”

  “This may be my business.”

  She put her hand on her waist. “My son has done nothing wrong to warrant the police.”

  Surprise flickered into David’s eyes. “I was talking as a friend and Andy’s coach, not a cop.” He rubbed his hand along his jawline. “What’s going on with Joey may be police business. I’ve been checking up on Joey and Mitch. Joey lives with his older brother and father. The dad is rarely around, so it’s mostly Mitch raising Joey. According to the neighbors, people have been seen coming and going from the house at all hours.”

  She was almost afraid to ask, but she couldn’t ignore it. “So, what do you think is going on?”

  “Possibly drugs.”

  He said aloud what she’d been thinking, and the very word caused terror to grip her. “Drugs? Andy wouldn’t take drugs.” Not after what she’d gone through; at least that was what she hoped and prayed. No, she knew her son, and she wasn’t going to start doubting him because of David Russell.

  “How do you know that? Sadly, it’s part of our culture, and young people are faced with it all the time.” His hand moved to massage his nape. “Maybe it’s something else besides drugs. I don’t have anything concrete.”

  “And neither does Andy.” Although she was defending her son, she would be talking to him again at home. She had to assure herself drugs weren’t involved.