Lawfully Redeemed: Inspirational Christian Contemporary: (A K-9 Lawkeeper Romance) (The Lawkeepers)

by Lorana Hoopes

  “Oh, thank God.”

  The voice belonged to Calvin. At least she thought it did. It sounded fuzzy and she found it hard to concentrate.

  “My name is Calvin Phillips. I’m located in a cabin at ...” The words faded away for a moment. “... Injured K-9 officer and her dog with me… bruised or fractured a rib, but now she is unconscious and running a fever. The snow is too high ... Can you send help?”

  Fever? That would explain the hot and cold sensation she was experiencing. What did that mean though?

  “Dani?” His voice was near her. If she could make her eyes work, she believed she would see his face inches from hers. “If you can hear me, Dani, hang on. Help is on the way.” His hand again touched her forehead, moved her hair, squeezed her hand. If only she could tell him she was okay.

  “DP?” Was that Aaron’s voice? How did Aaron get here? Was she dreaming? “What did you do to her?”

  “Do to her? I rescued her from the fallen tree and warmed her up. She seemed fine this morning and then she wanted to try to find you. She collapsed in the snow, and I carried her back.”

  “You shouldn’t have let her go.”

  “Yeah, you try telling her that.”

  Hands touched her forehead, her wrist. Other voices spoke, but Dani focused all her energy on listening to Aaron and Calvin.

  “We need to move her now.” Whose voice was that?

  “You’re coming with me.” Dani knew that tone. Aaron meant business.

  “Fine, as long as I can check on Dani afterwards.”

  “I think you’ve done enough.”

  “You can’t stop me.”

  “Watch me.”

  She wanted to tell them to stop fighting, to explain to Aaron that Calvin had helped her, but still nothing seemed to follow her commands. Arms grabbed her feet and under her arms, lifting her up and placing her down on something hard. A stretcher? Pressure fell across her forehead, her feet, and her waist. Then, the sensation of moving.

  The cool air hit her, and she shivered. They were outside? A whirring, chopping sound reached her ears.

  “We’ll take her in the chopper. You can meet us at the hospital.”

  Chopper? They had flown in a chopper for her?

  “What about my car?”

  “We’ll come back for it when I’m through with you.”

  Dani tried one more time to speak, to tell Aaron he had it all wrong, but it was still no use. As the stretcher moved closer to the chopping noise, darkness overcame her once again.

  13

  “Is she going to be okay?” Calvin asked as he followed the officer to the SUV.

  Officer Jones turned angry eyes on him as he opened the back door and loaded the dogs. “She might be, but if anything happens to her...”

  “I did my best,” Calvin said, cutting the officer off.

  “You shouldn’t have moved her.” The slamming door punctuated his sentence. Pain was evident in the officer’s voice. He must care for Dani. Were they more than partners?

  “If I hadn’t she would have died of hypothermia,” Calvin shot back.

  “The road was closed. I couldn’t get back.”

  “And I couldn’t call for help until I had service.”

  The two men stared at each other for a moment in a silent stand-off. Then, Officer Jones sighed and ran a hand across his chin, stubbled black and grey. “I’m sorry. I’m just worried about her.”

  “Me too,” Calvin said before opening up the passenger door and climbing inside. He wondered if he should admit that. If Officer Jones had feelings for Dani, he wouldn’t stand in the way. They would share a bond he would never be able to match.

  “Why?” Officer Jones asked as he slid in the driver’s side and inserted the key into the ignition. The engine roared to life, and the SUV pulled out slowly, crunching over the snow. “I mean our job was to arrest your brother and maybe even you. Why would you care what happens to her?”

  “Well, first off because I’m a decent human being,” Calvin said, bristling at the inference the officer was implying. “But also because I spent time with her. She’s smart and stubborn, and she bested me at Scrabble.”

  “Yeah, DP will do that,” Officer Jones said with a smirk.

  “Why do you call her DP?” Calvin asked with narrowed eyes. “She told me her name is Dani.”

  “It is. Danielle Pascale to be exact, but she goes by Dani to sound more like one of the guys. I wanted to call her something different, however, and DP kind of stuck.”

  “Pascale? Is she French?” Calvin asked.

  “No, her mom simply loved the name,” Officer Jones said with a laugh. Then, his smile dropped and his lip folded in. “Look, I understand you saved her, but I still have to ask. Do you have any idea where your brother is?”

  Calvin shook his head. “No, as I told Dani, I went to the cabin hoping he would show up there, but he didn’t. I don’t want Chris to go to jail, but I’m not hiding him from you.”

  Officer Jones nodded. “That’s good.”

  The men drove on in silence. Calvin wanted to ask the officer if he and Dani were involved. It was obvious he cared for her, but he also appeared much older. The grey in his hair and beard led Calvin to believe he was in his late forties or early fifties and Dani looked closer to thirty. Of course, Calvin knew age didn’t always matter in love, but even though he didn’t know Dani well, he couldn’t see her dating her partner.

  “She’s special, you know?”

  “What?” Calvin asked. The statement had come out of left field.

  “If you’re thinking about pursuing her, you need to understand she’s special.”

  “Oh, I wasn’t…” Calvin stumbled over his words.

  Officer Jones fixed a steely gaze on him. “I’m not blind, man. I can see there’s an attraction.” He turned his gaze back to the road. “Just make sure it’s more than a simple attraction before you make a move. DP needs someone who will be there for her. She hasn’t had much male stability in her life, and the last thing she needs is someone looking for a good time.”

  “I’m not that type of guy,” Calvin said.

  “Good.”

  The silence fell again, but Calvin’s mind continued to spin. So, Officer Jones and Dani weren’t together, and it sounded like she was single. But did he want to pursue something with her? She was still an officer looking for his brother. And he didn’t even know if she was interested. He needed time. Time to sort through these crazy thoughts banging around in his head. But he also needed to see her to make sure she was okay. And soon.

  14

  Dani opened her eyes and then immediately shut them. The light shone so brightly. Where was she?

  “DP?”

  Dani swiveled her head to the right where Aaron’s voice came from. “It’s too bright,” she whispered.

  “What?”

  “The lights... too bright.” Her voice sounded scratchy and soft.

  “Oh, right.” Footsteps shuffled across the floor and returned. “Is that better?”

  She opened her eyes, blinking a few times to get used to the light, but at least this time they remained open. “Water? Can I have water?”

  “Right.” He grabbed the cup sitting on the table near the bed and held it out to her. After a few sips of the straw, the scratchy sensation in her throat subsided.

  “Where am I?” she asked though she discerned it was a hospital. The white bed with silver rails and the sterile environment of the walls gave her that much information. She wondered which one.

  “Gorge River Hospital. Evidently, you collapsed trying to walk out to find me. Calvin carried you back and called 911 when service was restored. We choppered you out.”

  “Why did I collapse?” Her chest still seemed tight, every breath a chore.

  “An infection in your lung. One of your broken ribs punctured it and when you went gallivanting around, the infection spread.”

  “I was looking for you,” she said. “I feared you were tra
pped out in the snow. There was no gear in the car.”

  “You still shouldn’t have done it,” Aaron said. “I understand you aren’t supposed to stay in bed with broken ribs, but a mile hike in knee deep snow is not taking it easy.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “Where’s Sydney? Is she okay?”

  “Yeah, she’s with Dexter at my house. Calvin said she never left your side.”

  “And Calvin?” She didn’t really want to ask, afraid that her attraction would show in her voice and on her face, but she needed to know.

  “He’s fine. I took him in for questioning. He’s with the lieutenant now.”

  “Oh.” He hadn’t come to see her. She wasn't sure why she had expected him to. Sure, he had cared for her in the cabin, but probably only out of a sense of obligation.

  “Disappointed?” he asked, and Dani sensed the teasing tone in his voice.

  “No, I simply wanted to thank him is all.”

  “Right.” Aaron pursed his lips and nodded. “You felt no attraction to him whatsoever.”

  Heat crawled up Dani's neck as she thought about Calvin’s handsome face. She wasn’t usually attracted to men with beards, but she couldn’t deny she felt something for him. Plus, she held vague memories of him sitting with her, of the concern in his voice and the gentleness in his touch.

  “Maybe a little,” she said, “but it doesn’t matter. It would never work. We’re after his brother. That’s no way to start a relationship.”

  “Perhaps not, but DP, if there is something there, don’t you owe it to yourself to try?”

  “Are you trying to marry me off?” Dani asked with a small laugh. The chuckle sent another wave of pain through her, and she hugged her ribs.

  “Yes, I am. Mags is getting jealous, and I need to assure her there’s nothing between us.”

  “Stop.” Dani smiled at his antics. Margaret - or Mags as he called her - was Aaron’s wife and the least jealous person Dani knew. In fact, she often invited Dani over to their house to share dinners since she knew Dani’s family wasn’t close by.

  “Seriously though. I think he might have feelings for you as well. Though I gave him the old ‘You hurt her I kill you’ speech.”

  Dani gasped. “Aaron, you didn’t.”

  “Well, not exactly like that, but I made him aware he needed to be serious if he was attracted to you. You need a solid guy, DP, one who will treat you right.”

  “Thanks, Aaron. You’re a good partner. Now when can I get out of here?”

  Aaron chuckled and shook his head. “Same old DP. Not for a few days, I’m afraid. They want to monitor the infection and make sure everything is healing before they release you. Even then, you'll be on restricted duty another few weeks.”

  Dani sighed. It was what she had figured, but she didn’t want to be stuck in the hospital or at home or even at a desk doing modified duty. She wanted to be out with Sydney catching the bad guys and saving the good ones.

  “I have to get back to work,” he said, checking his watch, “but I’ll swing by later with some food from Mags. She was adamant that hospital food wasn’t good enough for you and planned to cook up a storm today.”

  “You have an amazing wife, Aaron,” Dani said as he stood.

  “I know.” He walked to the door and then turned back to her. “You could have a fantastic marriage too, DP. You just need to be open to possibilities.” Then he pulled open the door and exited the room.

  Possibilities. Could they exist with Calvin? She had certainly felt comfortable around him, and she had enjoyed the camaraderie they shared. The fact that he loved Scrabble was a plus and he didn’t seem to mind dogs. But he was a Christian, and she… well she wasn’t sure what she was, but she did want what Aaron and Margaret had. She wanted a husband and kids, the American dream. But would she find it with Calvin?

  15

  “Thanks for the ride,” Calvin said to the officer who dropped him off at the cabin. Officer Jones had taken him in for questioning but after an hour, the police released him, convinced he wasn't hiding his brother. For all the trouble Chris was bringing him, Calvin wasn’t sure who would be harder on Chris - the police or himself.

  He unlocked the cabin door and stepped back inside. Since Chris hadn’t shown up and the road had now been cleared, no reason to stay any longer remained. Besides, he needed to return to work, but a final stop remained before he could do that. He didn’t know if they would even let him in, but Calvin needed to see Dani - to make sure she was okay.

  As he passed the couch, he picked up the blanket he had covered Dani with and folded it. A soft flowery scent wafted up from it and Calvin smiled. Among other things, he did enjoy the way Dani smelled, even in her BDUs. He placed the blanket on one corner of the couch and headed down the hall to the room he slept in the previous night. His bag sat on the dresser where he had left it. In no time at all, he gathered up his clothes and repacked the bag.

  From there he ventured into the kitchen and packed the last of the perishable food - milk and a few eggs. With those secure in his bag, Calvin gave a final glance around the cabin. Everything was as it had been when he arrived a few days previously although a little cleaner. He should remember to come back more often after the snow melted. It wasn’t that he didn’t like snow but being stuck with no way to get help when Dani needed it had made him enjoy it a little less. Thankfully, the service had been restored in time. The other possibility was simply too devastating to imagine.

  He slung the bag over his shoulder and opened the front door. The air was still crisp and cold, the ground still covered in white. It was a beautiful sight and one he wouldn’t mind sharing with Dani again one day if she were amenable and once she was healed.

  Calvin shook his head as he locked the cabin door. He was getting ahead of himself as he didn’t even know if Dani was interested. However, the hospital was only half an hour away, so he would find out soon.

  The Gorge River Hospital was a small, one-story white building that looked more like a large office park than a hospital. Calvin wondered if Dani was really getting the best care here as he pulled into a space and parked the truck.

  A single nurse manned the desk in the main room and Calvin approached her, putting on his best smile. “Can you tell me which room Officer Higgins is in?”

  “I’m not supposed to release that information,” the nurse began hesitantly.

  “Please. I was the one who called 911 and stayed with her until they came.” Calvin had often been told he possessed puppy dog eyes and he used them to his advantage as he turned them on the nurse, a pretty brunette who appeared to be in her early thirties.

  A soft pink blush seared her cheeks as she returned his gaze. “Oh, all right,” she said. She tapped the keys on the computer and then looked back up at him. “She’s in room 119, just down the hall.”

  “Thank you,” he said and flashed her a disarming smile before continuing the direction she pointed. As he neared 119 though, his confidence waned. What would he say to her? Would she even want to see him?

  “Lord, help me know what to do,” he asked silently as he pushed the door open.

  Dani lay in the hospital bed, her blond hair fanning out on her pillow. “Care for some company?” he asked, knocking softly on the door.

  She turned her eyes from the TV to meet his, and they lit up. Relief flooded him, and he stepped farther in. “Calvin, I’m so glad you stopped by. I wanted to thank you.”

  His heart dropped. Thank him. Of course. “You’re welcome,” he said, stepping closer to her bed and letting the door close behind him. “I’m just glad to see you looking better. How long until you're released?”

  Her nose scrunched in disgust. “Two more days, but then I have to take three days off and be on modified duty for another two weeks.”

  “And I’m guessing that’s a bad thing,” he said slowly.

  She chuckled. “I don’t do still. I mean when I get off work I guess I do - drink some wine while Sydney and I watch T
V, but that’s about it. I much prefer action.”

  Calvin smiled. He may not know her well, but he already understood she didn’t like being still. “Well, when you’re stuck at home the next few days, are you required to stay at home?”

  “What do you mean?” she asked, her voice laden with curiosity.

  “Just that if you’re not required to stay home, maybe we could do something - low key, of course. I don’t want your partner’s wrath poured out on me again.”

  “He poured out his wrath on you?” Dani asked, her lips tugging into a smile.

  “Yeah, read me the riot act for letting you go hiking that morning. I told him I tried to tell you no, but that you are one stubborn woman.”

  This time a full smile appeared on her face. “I am that, aren’t I?”

  “Yes, you are. So, what do you say?”

  “I say yes,” she said, and this time when her eyes twinkled, he believed it was for him.

  “Good.” Calvin smiled. He glanced around the room, looking for paper or something to write his number on for Dani.

  “What do you need?” she asked.

  “A pen and paper. You know where I live, but I thought it might be better if we discussed plans over the phone rather than you having to show up at my house to contact me.”

  Dani chuckled softly. “Why don’t I just give you my number and you can text me. That way I’ll have your number too. Or if you'll get my phone from my bag over there, I can put it in now.”

  “Right, of course,” Calvin said, feeling like a fool as he pulled out his phone. “Give me a second to get to the right screen.” His finger fumbled with the screen as he tapped the one to get to text messages. “Okay, I’m ready.”

  “360-999-7632,” she said.

  “Okay, got it,” Calvin said. “I’ll let you get your rest, but let me know when you get out, and we’ll plan something.”

  “Sounds great.”

  Dani watched Calvin leave and wondered what she was doing. Yes, Calvin's handsome looks sent her heart racing, and he was certainly in shape if he carried her back to the cabin. He’d be able to keep up with her without a doubt, and she had enjoyed his company, but she was still actively looking for his brother. Well, she wasn’t actively looking, but her fellow officers were. Could a relationship survive that?