Trying to distract them both, Rachel began to pull clothing out of the shopping bags Kyle had left. He hadn’t forgotten a thing. There were even socks and pajamas included. Soft garments. Cute yet serviceable. For a confirmed bachelor he’d done an exemplary job.
Thinking back, she recalled snippets of conversations about his past that she’d ignored at the time. Now, she began to wonder if he’d once had a family. She knew he was presently single because some of the other techs had broken protocol and flirted with him. When they’d gotten nowhere, one or two had blamed a possible traumatic past for his lack of response. Given all the unmistakable masculine vibes she’d picked up by being near him, she wondered if they might be on the right track. Not that it was any of her business. Still, she was curious.
At the bottom of the last bag, Rachel found a stuffed pink bunny. “Hey, look.”
Squealing in delight, Natalie hugged it close. “Is this for me, too?”
“Apparently.” Rachel was smiling. “It was with your new clothes. Come on. Let’s go in the bathroom and clean you up so we can try these things on.”
“Why?”
“Because you need a bath.”
“I don’t like baths.”
Instead of stubbornness, Rachel imagined that she was detecting fear. “You don’t?”
“No.” Her niece was backing away, clutching the bunny and rubbing her cheek against its pink fur.
“Okay. How about a shower? I can help you wash your hair.”
Natalie clapped a hand on the top of her head. “Not my hair. That hurts.” Tears gathered in her eyes and she looked unduly frightened. “A lot.”
“I’ll be very gentle, I promise.”
Hand in hand they headed for the small bathroom. The more Rachel learned, the worse her opinion of the child’s prior home situation got. No telling how much emotional damage had already been done to this sensitive baby.
Rachel was toweling Natalie dry when her phone rang again. A knee-jerk reaction caused her to jump before making a grab for it. Caller ID showed an unknown number. It wasn’t Kyle. Nor was it any of her friends on base. She considered not answering, but this time she had something to say. This time, she was going to tell Peter what she thought of his cruel parenting.
“Finish drying and put on clean clothes while I talk on the phone,” she told Natalie.
Once in the hallway she slid the green bar to connect and said, “Listen, Peter,” leaving her caller no time to respond before she launched into a tirade. Her hands were trembling but her voice stayed strong until she ran out of steam.
Instead of cringing, Peter laughed. “Are you through? Because I can wait out here all night.”
Rachel’s breath caught. “What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. I can see in your back windows but you’ve pulled the blinds in the front. That’s not very welcoming, sister-in-law. After all, we are kin.”
Racing to her bedroom window, Rachel lowered the shade, nearly dropping the phone as she ended the call. Was he really out there, watching, or had he guessed about her windows? She couldn’t take the chance. She had to leave, to keep running. But where could she go? And how? If she left while still a member of the air force it would be considered desertion!
“He wants to make me a fugitive,” Rachel muttered. “If I run, he wins. But if I stay here, I’m a sitting duck.”
Taking a couple of quick breaths to try to settle her nerves, she pulled up Kyle’s number and called him.
“I’m almost there. Is everything all right?” he answered.
“No!” She had to fight to keep from screeching. “Peter called again. He said he’s out there. Watching.”
SIX
Kyle would have run full out if he hadn’t had to slow down for Stryker’s sake. “Heel!”
The German shepherd was panting as he half stepped, half hopped along, but was giving no signs of perceiving danger. “That’s it, boy. You can do it. Come on.”
Raising his fist to knock on Rachel’s door, Kyle was taken aback when she jerked the door open. One hand gripped her cell phone, the other, the doorknob. “Hurry. Come in.”
He sidestepped for the sake of the dog. Stryker’s tail was wagging a mile a minute, his whole rear end taking part in the joyful greeting. As soon as Rachel slammed and locked the door, he was poking his huge black nose at her hand.
Kyle held him in check. “You heard from Peter again?”
“Yes. Did you see anybody lurking outside?”
“No. Neither did this dog. What made you think Peter was here?”
“He phoned and said he was.”
“And you answered? Why?”
“Because I wanted to give him a piece of my mind, that’s why.”
“Are you sure you can spare it?” Kyle was scowling at her.
“Ha ha. Very funny.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be. This is no laughing matter.”
“I know that. And I think he was bluffing. There’s no way he could have gotten onto this base so fast. We’ve only been home an hour or so.”
“Then why were you panicky?”
“I don’t know. I guess it hit me harder because I was here alone.” Kyle watched her expression morph from one of fear and anger to something more rational. “I’m okay, now that Stryker is here with us.”
“Good.” He smiled over at Natalie. “I see some of those things I picked out were the right size.” He held out his hand. “Come here and meet your new buddy.”
Although the child was hesitant, she did obey. Stryker, on the other hand, acted as if he’d forgotten all his training, including company manners, the moment Natalie drew near. He strained at the short leash until Kyle had to correct him. “Stryker, back. Sit.”
The dog managed to feign a sit without actually putting his rear on the ground. The tail continued to sweep the floor and excitement made him wiggle all over.
Catching Rachel’s eye, Kyle made a face. “I’ve never seen him quite this eager to meet anybody.”
“Neither have I. I gather he was raised around kids before we acquired him for the K-9 program.”
“That would be my guess.”
Kyle crouched next to the shepherd. “Stryker, meet Natalie. Natalie, this is Stryker. He can’t shake hands because he needs his front leg to hold himself up, but if you stick out your hand, I know he’d like to sniff your fingers.”
She stayed frozen in place so Kyle purposely grinned at her. “When you’re ready, he will be. Here. You can feed him some treats I brought along.” To his relief, she slowly extended her hand and accepted the treat.
Stryker, obviously sensing her reluctance, leaned in politely and gave the tips of her fingers a friendly sniff before licking up the tiny morsel.
She pulled back and giggled. “That tickles.”
“Would you like to pet him? His fur is really soft, especially his ears. Just be gentle and move slowly. I can see he wants to be your new best friend.”
Instead of replying, the little girl reached out and touched the tips of the shepherd’s whiskers, then began to stroke the side of his face. He leaned into her hand as if they had been together since he was a pup.
Kyle heard Rachel sigh and felt like echoing that sentiment. This pairing was better than he’d expected. Much better. And, given Peter’s continuing harassment, that was more than advantageous. It was an amazing blessing.
In the ensuing minutes, Natalie sat down on the floor and Stryker followed, resting his head on her lap while she continued to pet him. She even ventured to stroke the shoulder above his healing front leg, where short hair had begun to cover the scars, and whisper to him that he was going to be better soon.
It was all Kyle could do to keep from becoming overly emotional. Rachel had already lost that battle and was swiping tears from her cheeks. “Wow.”
Kyle cleared his throat. “Yeah. Wow. I don’t think we’re going to have any trouble acclimating him to staying with you.”
“I was already considering filling out the papers to adopt him. Now I know I will.”
“You have other more pressing concerns,” he reminded her. “Like adopting your niece.”
“I know.” She eased away from the comfortable pair on the floor and motioned to Kyle to follow. “You can help me sort the clothes you bought. I think most of them are perfect and getting three different sizes of the same shoe was genius.”
He looked from her to the child and dog. “I think we should keep an eye on these two for a little longer.”
“We need to talk privately.”
“In the kitchen, then. I can see them from there and you can make us some coffee.” He quirked a smile at her. “Unless you want me to do it. I wouldn’t want you to think I was relegating you to the kitchen just because you’re a woman.”
“Were you?”
He raised his hands in surrender. “Guilty. But this is your home. You know where you keep everything so it does make sense.”
“Apology accepted.”
He suppressed a smile as he followed her. “What apology?”
The arch of her eyebrows told him he was treading on shaky ground, so he sobered. “Okay. Let’s hear it. What did Peter say that had you so spooked?”
“Other than hinting that he was watching me through the windows?” She inclined her head back toward her niece. “She was scared to let me wash her hair because she said it always hurt. Maybe I’m imagining things, but chances are that was no accident. It’s just the kind of subtle punishment Peter used to dish out—until he’d finally lose his temper completely and start swinging.”
“The poor little thing.” Anger surged. Kyle clenched his fists. “That’s inexcusable.”
“At least we agree on something.”
“Oh, I think we agree on lots of things,” Kyle said, “including the fact that VanHoven is the last person who should parent a child. I can see why you were so determined to get her away from him.”
“How can we keep her safe?”
“I’m not sure. Even if she went into foster care that’s no guarantee he wouldn’t continue to pursue her.”
“Exactly.”
“However, if he reports her as kidnapped, then we’re breaking the law.” It didn’t escape his notice that they were referring to themselves as we. As partners in crime. He didn’t like the idea but saw no alternative other than turning the little girl over to the authorities.
“I’ve never even gotten a parking ticket,” Rachel said.
Neither had he. If this situation wasn’t resolved quickly, though, they were both likely to get more than a simple ticket.
A whole lot more.
* * *
Rachel had busied herself making a fresh pot of coffee and figuring out what to serve for supper. Anything but letting herself dwell on the possibilities facing her regarding Natalie. And, by virtue of his assistance, Kyle Roark, too. If she hadn’t been so worried about her niece’s future she’d have fixated on Kyle’s dilemma. Not only was he pushing against the rules of conduct for an air-force officer by siding with her, but he might be risking his whole career. Yes, he could always go back to practicing veterinary medicine in the private sector, but not if he was serving a prison sentence for kidnapping.
“There has to be a solution,” she said as she prepared grilled-cheese sandwiches and a salad.
“If you know of one, feel free to share,” Kyle replied. “I’m all ears.”
“You never should have gotten involved in my problems.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I just did.”
“Yeah, well, you’re a little late.”
“And I’m sorry about that.” She glanced across the kitchen island to check on Natalie for the hundredth time. “You can still walk away. I’ll tell the police that you didn’t know what you were getting into. It’ll be the truth. Neither one of us had a clue what would happen when we started for the hospital in San Antonio.”
“That much is true. But we know now.”
“That’s the biggest drawback. When we were in the throes of panic—or at least I was—and fleeing from Peter, we could be excused if we claimed fear for the welfare of a minor. Now we have a better idea of what my sister and niece went through but no real proof other than what Natalie said. Any further actions we take will have to be fully justified and even then it might not be enough.”
Kyle’s lips were pressed into a thin line, telegraphing agreement. Finally, he spoke. “I think I should give General Hall another call and fill him in. If he orders the Security Forces to monitor your apartment, that should keep Peter from getting too close to Natalie.”
“What if the general won’t? Or suppose he tells you to stop helping me? You’re not a cop—you’re a veterinarian. The top brass may want you to stay completely away from me, for your own safety. Your skills are much more important to the K-9 unit than mine are.”
“You are not expendable,” Kyle insisted.
“In this instance I am.”
“Not to me.”
In Rachel’s eyes he’d instantly attained superhero status. Yes, she realized there was a wide gap between telling her she was worthwhile and expressing affection. However, she had no intention of questioning his motives and taking the chance she had misinterpreted the importance of those three simple words. It was much more comforting to let her imagination take flight like an F-15 and soar above the clouds of doubt blanketing her heart and mind.
Blushing, she told him, “Thank you,” and smiled. She might have continued if Stryker hadn’t suddenly raised his head, looked toward the front door and growled.
Rachel froze. Natalie acted surprised and a little frightened. Only Kyle reacted defensively. He crossed the short distance to kneel by the dog and heed his warning. “What is it, boy? What did you hear?”
Despite the slippery floor, Stryker was standing by the time Rachel reached her niece. On full alert, he was more than impressive. He was magnificent. No one in his right mind would knowingly challenge a trained K-9 like him—even one with only three legs.
But was Peter in his right mind? she asked herself. That was a good question, particularly given all she’d learned since being reunited with her poor sister. His ego had always been puffed up and his temper short. Aging had apparently not brought maturity or better coping skills. On the contrary, he’d grown more cruel, not less.
She picked up Natalie and backed away, holding the child close. How long could they go on like this, jumping at shadows or perhaps facing a flesh-and-blood nemesis? This was only the first day of their hazardous journey toward a new life. How could they possibly give this little waif the peace and security she needed when they were constantly on edge?
Kyle checked the hallway with Stryker and quickly returned to report no signs of a prowler, particularly Peter. “It might help if we had something of VanHoven’s to give the dog his scent, but for now, we’re safe. I don’t know what he heard or smelled to make him go on alert. There was nobody out there.”
Pacing while carrying her niece, Rachel tried to decide what her next move should be. She stopped and faced Kyle, eyeing him and the K-9 beside him. “Look. Stryker’s a comfort because he’ll sense trouble long before I do, but his ability to physically defend against an attack is limited.” Kyle opened his mouth, evidently intending to refute her conclusion, so she forged on before he could. “I can’t stay here. We can’t stay here. Natalie and I need to go into hiding.”
“That’s a pretty drastic choice,” he countered. “All the guy has done is phone with veiled threats. First he’d have to sneak onto the base for real, assuming he was bluffing before. Somebody’s sure to spot him.”
“And do what? If he acted normal
they might not even pay attention, let alone report him.”
“I’ll notify the Security Forces office and make sure word is passed to all the units. Lieutenant General Hall seemed quite sympathetic when I asked him for permission to assist you further. I’m sure he’ll be glad to assign official protection, too.”
“What if he doesn’t?”
She could tell Kyle was wrestling with his reply. The supposition of denial was logical on her part. Peter wasn’t a terrorist—unless you counted terrorizing his loved ones—so there was really no valid reason to have her watched or monitored now that she was back home on a secure air base.
Kyle checked the time. “It’s not very late. I’ll give his office a call and leave a voice-mail message. He wanted me to report once we were back on base anyway and I hadn’t gotten around to it. Chances are he’ll check his messages before he turns in for the night and might even get back to me.”
“What’s that old saying?” Rachel asked, “‘It’s better to ask forgiveness afterward than to ask permission before and be denied’?”
“I haven’t read that in the regulations,” he quipped cynically. “Don’t worry. I’ll handle Hall.”
Rachel took a deep breath and released it in a noisy sigh. “It’s not him, or you, I’m worried about. It’s Peter. I know what he’s capable of, believe me. You should, too, after what you saw in San Antonio. He won’t quit just because my sister is gone.”
Rachel lowered her niece to the floor and pointed toward the bathroom. “Why don’t you go wash your hands before we eat, honey? Our sandwiches are getting cold and I’m hungry. How about you?”
“Uh-huh. Did you make a sammich for Stryker, too?”
“He has regular dog food that Kyle brought,” Rachel reminded her. “Go on. Wash up for me, okay? You can take the dog with you.”
“Okay.” Her small hand grasped the loop of his short leash and he followed obediently, tail flagging.
As soon as Natalie was out of the room, Rachel approached and stopped close to Kyle. Clearly, he was going to take more convincing than just the word of a child. She was ready. Memory of receiving the injuries she was about to show him made her tremble, yet she must. This was necessary. Not pleasant, but necessary.
Military K-9 Unit Christmas: Christmas Escape ; Yuletide Target Page 5
