The police officer behind the desk in the processing room handed Cal a bag with his belongings: watch, shoes, wallet.
“Well, you don’t look too happy for a man who just got sprung from jail,” Boucheron said in his booming voice.
Cal shrugged then hesitated when the P.O.’s word choice sank in. “Sprung? I thought I was going to my hearing.”
“No hearing. No need. I’m not filing anything on what happened last night.”
Cal stared at Boucheron, whose rumpled shock of white hair gave the impression the P.O. had also had a long night. Cal hesitated, not sure he’d heard correctly. Behind his bushy mustache, the man wasn’t smiling.
Did he dare hope that he was actually free to go?
“I’m…not sure I understand.”
“Well, let me see if I can explain a little better.” Boucheron rocked back on the heels of his worn cowboy boots and hooked his thumbs in his pockets. “About four o’clock this morning, way too early for sane folks to be up and about, someone pounded on my front door. Now mind you, I’m used to getting woke up at all hours of the night on work-related emergencies, but…never by a gorgeous brunette.”
Cal’s pulse stumbled. A gorgeous brunette? Libby?
“Seems a certain tigress from over at the D.A.’s office needed to speak to me about one of my parolees. She told me an involved story about a stalker and a kidnapping and how this parolee—who was first and foremost a loving father—had left the parish, toting a gun, to try to rescue his little girl.”
Cal held his breath. Anxiety did a tap dance in his chest.
“Anyway, I won’t bore you with the details, since I’m sure you know how the story goes.” Boucheron’s mouth finally peeked out from his white mustache in a grin. “But suffice it to say, this brunette presented quite a case in my parolee’s defense.”
In his defense.
A ribbon of warmth unfurled inside him, loosening the grip of nervous tension.
His barrel-chested P.O. stroked his chin. “I can imagine she’s a top-notch litigator and a boon in the D.A.’s office.”
Pride nudged Cal, and cracking a smile, he nodded. “I imagine she is.”
“So, I asked this pretty thing just how certain she was that this parolee deserved a second chance. If I was going to put my job on the line, going to bat for this young man, I wanted to know someone else—someone, say, from the D.A.’s office—would back me. That she was also willing to stake her job on such a potentially controversial decision.”
Cal tensed again. Would Libby really put her career on the line defending him? A seed of doubt planted itself at the fore-front of Cal’s mind. He curled his fingers into fists as Boucheron continued.
“I mean, this guy was clearly in violation of his parole. The case could be construed as open-and-shut.”
“Yes, sir.” Cal clenched his teeth, struggling for the patience to hear out his loquacious, good-old-boy P.O.
“However, this lovely A.D.A. was so passionate in her belief that this man deserved his freedom, and that the circum-stances surrounding his violations were at the very least understandable and forgivable, that she convinced me to take a risk.” Boucheron flicked his hand in dismissal. “As far as I’m concerned, this is one case where the circumstances make it possible to excuse the breach of regulations.”
Blinking his disbelief, Cal searched for his voice. “Are you saying…I’m not going back to prison?”
“That’s what I’m saying.”
Another thought popped into his head, dimming the elation budding inside him. He drew his eyebrows together in a frown. “What about my standing with Act 894?”
Boucheron shrugged. “I’m not filing any paperwork on what happened. There will be no record of any of it. Your slate is still clean.” His P.O. aimed a stout finger at Cal. “But don’t let me hear of anything like this ever happening again. You’d better be clean as a whistle from here on out, or I’m coming down on you like the wrath of Hades. Got that?”
Despite Boucheron’s stern warning, Cal couldn’t suppress the grin that tugged his lips. “Got it. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.”
“The one you need to thank is that sweet thing waiting for you outside.” Boucheron hitched his thumb toward the door to the lobby. “That’s quite a wildcat of a wife you’ve got, Mr. Walters. I’d take good care of her if I were you. Don’t let her get away.”
“I don’t intend to, sir.”
With a nod, Boucheron turned on his boot heel. “That’s all. I’m goin’ home now and tryin’ to get some sleep. See you at your next regular check-in.” He paused in the door. “Oh, and tell Libby to lock that gun up. I’d hate to have to confiscate it.”
“Yes, sir.”
Numbed by the whirlwind of the unexpected new direction his life had taken, Cal dropped onto the bench along the wall and pulled on his shoes.
Libby had tried to explain herself, her actions, last night, and he wouldn’t listen. He’d let his old hurts color his reaction.
I love you. He recalled the emotional wallop her mouthed confession had landed when he’d had little time to process it. He’d been too involved in getting Ally to safety and getting back to help her.
Help her? He knotted his shoelaces and grinned. When he’d gotten back to the cabin, Libby had been kicking Ralston’s ass. Where had she learned those moves?
If not for his distraction…
As it had last night, a fist of horror and guilt grabbed Cal by the throat. Seeing Libby at the business end of that knife still sent icicles through his veins.
“Daddy?” The quiet inquiry brought his head up, made his heart pound.
“Ally?” He spread his arms, inviting his daughter to receive a hug.
She assessed him from the doorway with an adult knit in her brow.
“It’s okay, kitten. Everything’s going to be all right now.”
With that assurance, Ally dashed across the floor and flung herself into his arms.
“What are you doing here? Where’s your mom?” he murmured, while inhaling and soaking in the sweet scent of baby shampoo.
“Mommy went away. She’s going to get well.”
He sensed more than saw Libby standing in the door, and he looked up, his heart in his throat.
She gave him a hesitant smile. “Renee checked into a rehab center in Shreveport this morning. You have Ally until she’s discharged, and then Renee has promised to find a custody agreement you both can live with.”
An unexpected relief and joy swelled in his chest, and he closed his eyes. Hugging Ally tighter, he savored the moment, reveled in it.
Until a thread of doubt and uncertainty threatened to unravel all the happiness and resolution this morning had brought. He snapped his eyes up to Libby. “I have her? Don’t you mean ‘we’?” The shadows shifting in Libby’s gaze struck him with a clammy knot of dread. “Libby? What about us?”
“I…” She licked her lips and drew a slow breath. “I wasn’t sure you still wanted me. After…I turned you in.”
He kissed Ally’s forehead then set her down. Rising to his feet, he stepped toward Libby. “I was hurt at first. Because I didn’t put enough faith in you. I should have trusted you more, and I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry? I’m the one who almost got you sent back to prison!” She shook her head, and lines creased her forehead. “You were right when you said I was scared. I was using rules and legalities as a shield, to protect myself from getting hurt. If I didn’t let anyone get close, I couldn’t blame myself and what I lacked when they left.”
“What you lack? Libby, you are the most wonderfully complete woman I’ve ever met. You’re intelligent and brave. Compassionate and hardworking. And sexier than any lawyer has a right.” He gave her a mischievous grin. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”
She smiled sadly and ducked her chin. “I know you care. And, after Ally, I hope I’m pretty high on your list, but—”
“Whoa! Wait a minute. After Ally?” H
e put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to meet his gaze. “Look at me.” He held his hands in front of him. “Here’s Ally.” He wiggled one hand. “And here’s you.” He wiggled the other hand and held it at the same height in front of her. “Even. I love you two differently, but just as much. You two are everything to me. My whole world.”
Tears sparkled in her dark eyes, and she grinned. “Really? I’ve never been someone’s whole world before.”
He slid a hand around to cradle the back of her head and pull her closer. “Yes, you have. You were my whole world five years ago, even when I left. And all through my years in prison. You’re a hard woman to forget, and an easy woman to love.”
Her smile brightened. “I love you, too. More than I can say.”
“I think what you did this morning, arguing my case to Boucheron even at the risk of jeopardizing your position at the D.A.’s office, says a whole lot.” He kissed her lightly. “Thank you.”
“It was the least I could do. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing you again.” She eased closer, until her body pressed against his. She wove her fingers through his hair and rose on her toes to kiss him. Not until Ally sidled up to them and wrapped an arm around each of their legs did Libby pull away.
“I think we should get this little kitten home for a nap. She had a rough night.” Cal stooped to lift Ally in his arms and shifted his gaze to Libby. He gave her a heated grin. “And then, what do you say we work on giving her a little brother or sister?”
Libby snuggled under his free arm and wrapped him in a hug that included Ally. The warmth and love that flamed in Libby’s eyes zinged through him, like fireworks celebrating his freedom, his family, his future.
“I’d say, yes. Most definitely, yes.”
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7115-3
TO LOVE, HONOR AND DEFEND
Copyright © 2005 by Beth Cornelison
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