Heart of a Hero (New Beginnings Book 4)

by Margaret Daley

  “But he has good instincts. I see it on the court when he’s playing ball. He’s aware of everyone around him, knows just the right person to throw to. He knows more than he’s saying, possibly more than he realizes.”

  If it was drugs, her worst nightmare had come back to haunt her. Lord, please don’t let it be drugs. I want nothing to do with my old life.

  “What am I supposed to do?” she muttered out loud, then wanted to immediately snatch the question back, but it was there between her and David.

  David moved closer, clasping her upper arms. “Let me help you. If Joey is dealing or doing something else illegal, I want to get to the bottom of it. Andy shouldn’t have to handle it by himself.”

  “But what if it’s just cheating?”

  David’s intense blue gaze captured hers. “Do you really believe that?”

  She shook her head. The son she knew wouldn’t be afraid to confide in her concerning a classmate cheating on tests. She had to acknowledge what she feared since the fight. It might be more than bullying. “If you start interrogating Andy, he’ll clam up.”

  “I know.” He drew her into his embrace. The feel of his arms around her gave her assurance she wasn’t alone in this. In that moment her feelings toward David shifted into emotionally dangerous territory.

  “You said something about a lunch date. I thought I would stay and help Roman and Peter stake out the new barn location because Jacob got called away. I can bring Andy home later.”

  “What’s your plan?”

  “I’m going to win his trust. Be someone he’ll feel safe with.”

  “That might not be possible.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you’re a cop.”

  His brow wrinkled, doubt entering in his eyes. “Has he had a run-in with the police before?”

  This wasn’t the time nor the place to tell him about her past, but she would have to soon if she continued to see him. “No, he’s never been in trouble with the law.” She cocked her head to the side. “Why do you want to do this?”

  Chapter Five

  To atone for another child’s death. For a brief moment David had wanted to say that to Lisa, but that was a secret he would keep buried and deal with privately. “I went into law enforcement to help,” he said, his standard response, but he stuffed his hands into his pockets to keep their trembling hidden. The thought of the child he killed shook his core and threatened him anew.

  Lisa checked her watch. “I need to get going. Let me find Andy and tell him.”

  “Do me a favor. Tell Roman Andy is gonna get a ride to his house with me.” He forced nonchalance into his stance and voice that he didn’t feel.

  She chuckled. “You’re devious.”

  “I promise I won’t say anything about drugs or Joey. I want to get to know him and let Andy get to know me. That’s all.”

  “Okay. I trust you.”

  The words “I trust you” lifted David’s spirits. Actually, Lisa’s presence did. At times, especially when Andy was involved, he’d glimpsed a vulnerability in her that told him she would understand the anguish he’d experienced. And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to speak of it out loud.

  “Let me find Roman.” Lisa rounded the corner of the barn and caught a glimpse of Andy in the far pasture with Tiger and Belle.

  In the barn she found Roman in the tack room. “I need to leave. Please let Andy know he’s gonna catch a ride home with David.”

  Roman looked from David to Lisa. “Fine. Andy’s out in the south pasture. I had him move Belle and Tiger there.”

  “I saw him, but I’m running late. See you all later.”

  As she strode toward the front entrance, she glanced back at David, worry etched into her features. She was concerned about Andy and rightly so. He had a gut feeling it was a lot worse than cheating. He would be there for her, if she would allow it.

  When she disappeared from view, David decided to fill Roman in. Not the reason behind wanting to get to know Andy, but that he wanted to spend some time with the twelve-year-old.

  “I understand. Lisa is a special lady,” Roman said after David’s explanation.

  “Yeah.” The twinkle in the vet’s gaze made David quickly say, “but we’re just friends. Nothing else.” He was damaged goods with a life barely held together. He wasn’t even sure if he should remain a police officer.

  “Sure. That’s what I said when I was dating Cathy.”

  “But that’s the truth.”

  “That’s what I thought, too, and I suppose we were friends first. But somewhere along the line, I realized my buddies were right. There was much more between us.” A shadow drove the twinkle from Roman’s eyes.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “The doctor can’t seem to find what’s ailing my wife. She’s going back to him, and I’m sure he’ll run more tests.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. I saw her this morning right before class. She wanted me to form one for the girls.”

  “That sounds like Cathy.” Roman hefted the toolbox. “Are you ready to stake where the new barn is going?”

  “Yep. Let me get Andy. He can help us.”

  “Good because everyone is deserting me. Peter had to go back to the house, too. Something about the washer overflowing.”

  David loped out to the south pasture. Andy watched him approach, a wariness taking over his expression and stance. All casualness was gone. By the time David arrived in front of him, the child stood stiffly, his mouth firmed in a fierce line as though he were preparing to do battle.

  “Roman was hoping you would help us with staking out the new barn location. Something came up with Peter and Jacob.”

  “Where’s Mom?”

  David hadn’t wanted a confrontation about him taking Andy home, but suspicion leaked into the child’s voice, and he knew Andy would force the issue of how he was getting home. “She had to meet some friends. She mentioned a Saturday get-together.”

  “When is she coming back?”

  “She’s not.” David hadn’t thought it possible that the kid could get any more rigid, but he did.

  Andy fisted his hands at his sides and straightened his shoulders. “How am I getting home?” he asked in a tone honed razor sharp.

  “Me. C’mon. Let’s go help Roman.” David turned to leave. When Andy didn’t move, David glanced back. “Coming?”

  Confusion greeted his question. Andy’s brows furrowed, but his mouth eased its hard line. “I’ll be there.”

  David jogged back toward the barn, glimpsing the boy throwing his arms around the colt’s neck and whispering something to him. As David went into the cavernous structure, Andy trudged across the pasture. It was going to be a long day. What had caused such wariness in the child? How was he going to reach Andy and get to the bottom of what was going on if the boy was always defensive and leery of everything he said? He wished he had answers to those questions, but he was lost. No wonder he wasn’t a parent.

  “What did you think of the class today?” David made another attempt at conversation with Andy on the drive back into town from the ranch. Most of the afternoon the boy had been sulking or talking with Roman and ignoring most of what he said.

  And for a long moment David thought Andy was going to continue to ignore him, but suddenly in the quiet the child answered, “That’s all Gabe talked about on the way to the barn afterward. He’s looking forward to next Saturday.” He shifted in his seat, facing David. “We are gonna have class before the barn raising, aren’t we?”

  “Yeah. I thought I would call Hannah and let her know we’ll start an hour earlier, though. So you’re coming next week, then?” He glanced toward Andy.

  The boy sat forward, staring out the windshield. “Sure, why not. All my friends are in it.”

  “I could use your help.”

  Silence.

  Again, David threw a look toward Andy as he entered the outskirts of Cimarron City. The child’s mouth pinched into a frown. “If you think I n
eed to explain a move better, I’d like you to tell me. Sometimes I tend to hurry, assume everyone understands what I’m saying.” He grinned. “That may not always be the case. So, will you?”

  The child’s frown relaxed into a neutral expression. “Yeah.”

  For a few seconds David held his gaze until Andy averted his head. “Thanks. I want this to work out.”

  In more ways than one. He needed to get closer to Andy. If he couldn’t break through the barrier Andy had around himself, he might never discover what was going on with him and Joey. The thought of the conversation between Gabe and Andy earlier constricted his stomach. He was ninety percent sure it centered around drugs. He’d talk with a few guys in narcotics and see what they thought, especially concerning a Mitch Blackburn. Was he a player? Was Joey involved?

  “What did Roman mean at the end about seeing you on Monday afternoon at the gym? Is he coming to our practice?”

  “He’s the new assistant coach. I needed someone to help me out. And Jacob will fill in when one of us has to be gone.”

  “Oh, that’s good. The guys will like them.”

  He wanted so badly to ask Andy about Joey and what he and Gabe had been arguing about earlier, but David bit the inside of his mouth to keep the question to himself. Andy was talking to him, which was a step forward from earlier at the ranch.

  Silence fell between them. David searched for a topic that Andy would discuss.

  “Our first game is in two weeks. The Spartans are a tough team to beat. I understand they won the league championship last year,” David finally said, only a few blocks away from the apartment complex where Lisa lived.

  “Do you think we’ll be ready by then?”

  “It depends. We aren’t really playing as a team yet. I thought I would ask the guys to help out at the barn raising next weekend as a team-building activity. What do you think?”

  Andy shrugged. “Some might, but I doubt Joey and his friends would.”

  “Good point. I’ll have to think about it.” Maybe he could present it as something that was required. “Jacob mentioned a lot of the kids at the refuge play. Maybe we could get a game going afterward. See how we play with a little competition.” David pulled into a parking space in front of the apartment building where Andy lived.

  “Might work.” The boy gripped the handle, and as soon as David turned off the engine, Andy jumped out of the Jeep and hurried up the stairs to his apartment.

  David exited his car and pocketed his keys. The twelve-year-old disappeared inside his place. At a slower pace David climbed the stairs and started to ring the bell when Lisa flung the front door open.

  “How did it go? Andy made a beeline for his bedroom. He didn’t have much to say.” She stepped out onto the landing, shared by another apartment unit.

  “Fine, after he got into the swing of things.”

  She smiled, her blue eyes lighting up as though the sun shone on water. “How long did that take?”

  “Actually, not too long. We even talked on the ride home.”

  “About Joey?” The grin vanished.

  “No, about basketball.”

  Lisa ran her hand back and forth along the metal railing. “Oh, good. Do you want to come in for some coffee?”

  He shrank the space between them on the landing and took her hands. “We’ll figure out what’s going on with Andy and Joey.” He cocked a grin. “After all, I’m a top-notch detective. Surely I can gather the clues and put it all together.”

  “Andy is a good kid.” Tears blurred her eyes, and she dropped her head, so she wasn’t looking at him.

  He lifted her chin with his finger, said, “I know,” then kissed her forehead before moving toward the stairs. “See you Monday morning. Let’s meet at Johnson Park at seven.”

  Weak-kneed, Lisa watched David descend the stairs and start for his Jeep sitting in the parking lot. She clutched the railing while the sound of his car’s engine roared to life. His lips left a burning brand on her brow. His declaration she wasn’t alone in this situation with Andy still rang in her ears.

  If Joey was somehow involved in drugs, she didn’t want Andy mixed up in a situation that had to do with drugs. She knew the dangers and lure for some and what those people would do to protect themselves. Was that why Andy wasn’t talking to her about his problems with Joey? Because of her drug history? He would want to shield her from anything having to do with her old habit. That made sense to her and also reinforced the need to get to the bottom of what was going on. But she wasn’t alone. David would help her.

  Please, Lord, watch over my son and help me to find out what’s really happening between Andy and Joey.

  * * *

  Sucking in gasping breaths, Lisa plopped onto the bench in Johnson Park Monday morning, crunching up her mouth in a frown. “I see your game, David Russell.” She drew in more deep gulps of air until her lungs stopped burning. “You push me to jog more than walk, then at the end challenge me to a race. I got news for you. I ain’t going any farther than this seat for at least the next fifteen minutes.”

  David ran in place the whole time she made her announcement, a huge grin on his face. “I’m proud of you.”

  She shielded her eyes from the glare of the sun over his left shoulder and looked up at him. “Are you daft? I’m not moving. What’s there to be proud of?”

  He slowed, going through some stretches while checking his watch. “Because you jogged for twenty minutes straight. That’s great for someone who professes to do more walking than jogging.”

  “I did?” She glanced at her own watch. “I did! I guess time does fly by when you’re miserable.”

  Stopping, he laughed. “I think I was insulted.”

  “Just think? That was for challenging me to a race.”

  He folded his long length beside her on the suddenly very small bench in front of the pond at the park. “I was teasing you.”

  “You have a weird sense of humor. I didn’t find anything funny about it.”

  “You followed everything I said. I was wondering when you’d have enough of that.”

  “Guess you found out.”

  “Now we have something to build on. If you can do twenty minutes today. You can do twenty-one tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow! No way. I’m taking a day of rest. All the articles I’ve read about exercising say three times a week. That’s my limit.”

  “That’s a minimum, not a maximum.”

  “Maybe for you. Not me.” Lisa pointed across the street. “Hey, I see a doughnut shop. I’m hungry and thirsty.”

  “There’s got to be a better place than a doughnut shop around here.” David scanned the strip mall. “Okay, maybe not.”

  “I thought cops loved dough—”

  “Don’t say it, Lisa Morgan.” His mockingly stern look blasted her, but beneath the expression amusement seeped through.

  “Can we go over there and get something to drink at least?”

  “Okay. Maybe they have some juice.” He rose and held his hand out to her.

  She slipped her within his, and he tugged her up with more strength then needed. She crashed into him and sent him flying back with her following. She ended up on top of him as he lay sprawled in the brown grass.

  Laughter crinkled the corners of his eyes. “Sorry. I forgot how small you were.”

  “Small. I could kiss you for that.” The second she said it she bit her bottom lip to keep her mouth shut. Heat flooded her face that had nothing to do with exercising. “I mean, you think I’m small.”

  “Yeah, you’re a foot shorter than me,” he said with a straight face.

  “Oh, you mean height-wise.”

  He rolled her to the side and leaped to his feet in one motion and scooped her up. “You weigh practically nothing.” He set her in front of him.

  On impulse she rose on tiptoes and planted a kiss on his cheek, then quickly scooted back. “I may have you repeat that a couple of times a day.”

  His chuckles vied with t
he sound of cars on the street nearby. “Let’s go get you some sustenance.” He took her hand and started toward the doughnut shop. “If you want to do it only three times a week, then let’s meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Okay?”

  “A regular routine?”

  “That’s the best way to get into the rhythm of exercising. Of course, with winter approaching, weather may interfere some days.”

  Lisa managed to jog across the street and entered the parking lot of the strip mall. David talked as though this was a long-term partnership. Maybe it was safer to say jogging buddies. Yeah, that was probably much safer. And yet, in spite of not caring much for exercising, she found herself looking forward to Wednesday.

  * * *

  The sounds of hammers striking wood and saws buzzing finally stopped. Lisa positioned herself behind a long table laden with sandwiches, chips, pieces of fruit and various desserts—cookies, bars and a sheet cake. Thirty yards away the second barn stood, its frame up and one side completely done.

  “Here comes the onslaught,” Whitney said, putting out the paper napkins for the crew erecting the barn.

  At the opposite end of the table, Lisa finished cutting slices of the pumpkin spice cake. “I figured Andy would be at the front of the line for food. He’s gotta be going through a growth spurt.”

  “I think Gabe is, too,” Hannah said next to Lisa. “I’m glad David has his team here. The kids have been wonderful about cleaning up, fetching supplies for the men, hammering boards.” She leaned close to Lisa. “And my sons are looking forward to beating them at basketball later. That’s all they’ve been talking about at the refuge, the big game later.”

  “I was surprised he announced at the end of the practice Monday that the boys had to be here today. There were a few who grumbled they had plans, but most were eager to prove themselves on the court and to help out. I’ve seen a few sneak away to pet the animals.”

  Lisa searched the crowd flocking to the food tables and found Joey hanging back with two of his friends. She’d been keeping an eye on him because David was busy scaling the rafters in the new barn and working on putting the roof on the structure. Once Joey had seen her watching him and gave her a cocky grin, then tipped an imagery hat.