Safe in the Lawman's Arms

by Patricia Johns

  Belinda reached for her purse and dug around for a moment. “Can we take a picture of us together?” she asked, pulling out a digital camera.

  “Sure.” Mike crossed the room and took the camera, and Belinda and Ned crouched down next to Katy, their smiles hopeful.

  Mike snapped the photo, and he had to admit that they looked good together. Katy’s blond hair matched Belinda’s, and Katy stood proudly, her doll clutched in her arms. This just might be Katy’s very first family photo in her young lifetime.

  * * *

  A COUPLE OF hours later, Katy munched on a peanut-butter sandwich in the kitchen, her new doll set up carefully next to her, the plastic face smeared with the peanut butter Katy was trying to feed her. Katy took a bite, chewing contentedly.

  “That was actually a really good visit,” Mike said quietly. “Katy seems to like them.”

  Malory nodded. “They were nice. What did they say when they left?”

  “That they’d be in touch with the adoption agency this afternoon.” He sighed. “I know this is going to sound nuts, but I’m not 100 percent sure about them.”

  “Why not?” Obviously, Mike had been noticing different things than she had. She’d seen a well-dressed couple who were educated and willing to pour both their love and their resources into a child. Was there something sinister lurking beneath that she hadn’t sensed?

  “Ned’s a bit of a—” he cast around for the word “—dweeb.”

  “Dweeb?” Malory laughed aloud and shook her head. “I thought this was going to be some sort of sheriff’s instinct.”

  “Who says it isn’t?” He chuckled. “Plus, their pants matched.”

  “It was cute,” she countered.

  “I’ll bet they jog in matching fuchsia tracksuits.” He grinned. “And his teeth are impossibly white.”

  “That’s all you’ve got?” she asked, smothering a laugh.

  “Yeah, that’s it,” he admitted.

  Malory rubbed her stomach, the twinges she’d been feeling earlier back again and this time more insistent. She breathed deeply.

  “They kind of looked alike,” Mike said. “Are couples supposed to look alike? They were almost like brother and sister.”

  “I’ve heard people start to look alike over time—” She stopped and sucked in another breath as a twinge grew more painful. “Oh...that one hurt.”

  “What’s happening?” Mike asked, the jokiness dropping from his tone. “You don’t look good.”

  “Those pains—” She pressed her lips together against the pain and leaned over against the counter.

  “Okay, you’re going to sit down,” Mike said, putting his arm around her and guiding her toward a chair. “Come on—” He hooked a chair leg with one foot and pulled it the rest of the way to meet her.

  “I don’t think I need—” She didn’t finish the sentence, because the tightening was so strong it was too painful to talk through.

  “Yeah, you do,” Mike replied.

  “I’ll just rest a bit,” she said, as the tightening passed.

  “Good idea.” Mike eyed her cautiously. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “I’m fine, I’m fine.” She ignored his concern. “Don’t you want to know what I thought of them?”

  “Actually, I do,” he said, leaning against the counter. “You’re pretty intuitive.”

  “I think that they are the type of people that you’d never be friends with,” she said with a shrug. “You’d never sit down and have some wings with Ned. He’d never go jogging with you in his pink tracksuit.”

  “Fuchsia.”

  “Fine, his fuchsia tracksuit.” She laughed and shook her head. “And that’s fine. They don’t have to be the kind of people you’d bond with in order to be good and devoted parents.”

  “You’re being very mature about this,” Mike replied. “And you’re right, of course. I just—” He stopped himself and turned to the fridge. “Do you want something?”

  “No, I’m okay.” The tightening was starting again, and she closed her eyes, willing her body to relax. She continued to rub her belly in slow circles as if calming the baby could somehow calm these pains, too. Was this due to stress?

  “Why don’t I throw together some lunch,” Mike said, and Malory heard the sounds of him rummaging in the fridge. “I’m in the mood for omelets. What about you? Do you like breakfast for lunch?”

  Malory’s breathing was strenuous as the cramping began to pass once more, and when she opened her eyes, she found Mike looking at her, worry etched in his features.

  “You’re not okay,” he pronounced and came back to her side, hunkering down next to her. “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know,” she admitted. “But those twinges are getting worse.” Another pain was coming on the heels of the last one, and while she had no idea what was going on, she knew that this wasn’t a good sign.

  “You need a doctor, Malory,” he said, his voice low. “Are you in labor?”

  “I don’t know—” She clenched her teeth. “Maybe. Oh—” She pressed her lips together again, and Mike took her hands in his. She squeezed his fingers until the pain started to subside. When it passed, she opened her eyes to find Mike still looking into her face.

  “Okay, first of all, ouch,” he said. “You’ve got quite the grip there. And secondly, you’re going to a doctor. I’m just going to make a call first.”

  “What about Katy?”

  Mike didn’t answer and dialed his cell phone instead. After a few seconds, he said, “Hey, Tuck. I need a favor right now. I’ve got to get Malory to a doctor, and someone needs to take care of Katy for us—” He listened for a moment. “Yeah, labor, I think.”

  Labor? Was this it? Was she about to deliver her baby at five months? Had Mike seen this before? Would he know labor if it happened in the middle of his kitchen?

  “You know the situation.” Mike dropped his tone. “She needs protection, not just babysitting—” Another pause. “Actually, that would be perfect. Thanks, man. I owe you one.”

  Hanging up the phone, Mike glanced at his watch. “Tuck will be here in five minutes. He’s putting the siren on and running stop signs.”

  “What’s he going to do?” she asked weakly. “What about—?” She glanced at Katy, not wanting to even mention her criminal father.

  “He’s going to bring her to the station. She’ll be in the middle of a whole bunch of deputies who will spoil her rotten.”

  Malory nodded. Katy stood by the table, her doll clutched around the neck as she stared at Malory with wide, frightened eyes.

  “Nanny Mal?” Her little voice quavered.

  “I’m okay, sweetie,” Malory tried to reassure her. “But I have to see a doctor, okay? You’re going to see Mr. Tuck. You remember him. He was here yesterday, and he stayed with us.”

  The pain started again, and Malory closed her eyes and leaned forward. Everything else dissolved around her in the wake of the tightening pain. A small hand wormed over her leg, and Katy’s trembling voice said, “Nanny Mal? Do you have an owie?”

  Malory let out a long breath and she opened her eyes.

  “Yes, I have an owie,” she said as calmly as possible, then turned panic-stricken eyes toward the big man beside her. “Mike, get me to a hospital!”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Malory lay in the hospital bed, her eyes half-closed. Bright afternoon sunlight came in slices through the blinds. The room had two beds in it, but the other was empty, leaving Malory in relative privacy. Her bed was cranked up to keep her in a sitting position, a cord with a button at the end dangling by her head. Not that she’d need it. Mike had been by her side all afternoon, except for the times when the hospital staff pulled the curtain shut around her bed for privacy. But he never did leave—not completely. He’d be back again with a cup of tea or a snack for her to nibble on.

  A crisp sheet and a thin hospital blanket covered her legs, an awkward hospital gown keeping her modest. Her hand ached where an I
V pumped fluids into her body—the spot where the tube went in felt oddly cold. They’d tried to put the IV into her arm but couldn’t get a vein, so while this spot wasn’t comfortable, Malory knew better than to complain if she didn’t want another nursing intern having a go at her arm again.

  It had been a long afternoon consisting of a steady flow of strong medications and all the poking and prodding that came with hospital care. She was exhausted, but at least the contractions had stopped.

  Mike sat by her bedside—right where he’d been the entire time. He wasn’t looking at her—his gaze was focused somewhere in the middle of the floor, his thoughts clearly a mile away. Small lines creased the corners of his eyes, and she could make out a few grays in his short-cropped hair. His shirt strained at his biceps where he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees in that now-familiar position.

  “What a day,” Malory murmured.

  “You can say that again.” He offered her a smile. “How are you feeling?”

  “Like I’ve been hit by a truck. How do I look?”

  “Beautiful.” His tone was quiet, and she didn’t really believe him. Her hair was a mess, and she felt puffy and pale.

  “You and your flattery.” She laughed softly.

  Mike reached out and took her hand, smoothing his thumb over her fingers, avoiding the tape that held her IV in place.

  “I was scared there for a bit,” he admitted.

  “You didn’t seem like it,” she replied.

  “That’s the training. I’m supposed to look in control no matter what.” His expression was rueful. “So I fake it well, do I?”

  “Like a pro.” She smiled at his joke, then took a slow breath. “I was afraid I’d give birth today.”

  “Me, too.” His callused fingers moved carefully over hers, tracing her knuckles and down to her fingernails in slow, soothing movements.

  “I wonder how Katy is,” she said.

  “She’s fine.” Mike released her hand and pulled out his cell phone. He held it up for her to see the picture Tuck had sent. It showed Katy sitting on his desk, a bag of chips in her hands and a grin on her face.

  “Yes, that’s some photo proof,” she replied with a soft laugh. “Looks like she’s enjoying herself.”

  “Told you they’d spoil her rotten.”

  A doctor came into the room, her eyes fixed on the clipboard in front of her. She paused in the doorway, flipping through the pages on the board. She was an older woman with chin-length white hair. She looked at Malory over her half-framed glasses, then gave Mike a friendly nod.

  “Let’s see...” Dr. Levato tapped the pages and gave her a maternal smile. “Nothing new on your chart. It’s pretty simple, really. It seems that your baby is impatient.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Malory said weakly.

  “Well, the baby is going to stay where he belongs for the time being—” She stopped. “Or she.”

  “I know it’s a boy,” Malory said.

  “Thought I might have ruined the surprise,” the doctor replied with a sheepish smile. “Well, as I was saying, he’s going to stay put. We managed to stop labor, and his heartbeat is strong. How many weeks along are you?”

  “Twenty,” she replied.

  The doctor nodded. “He needs more time on the inside, but I think you know that.”

  Her baby was right where he belonged, and she intended to keep him there as long as she possibly could, but the risk of his early delivery still left her feeling anxious.

  “So he looks healthy?” she asked.

  “Very,” the doctor replied. “What you need is bed rest.”

  “Bed rest?” She opened her eyes in alarm. “I can’t do bed rest—”

  “You’ll have to,” Dr. Levato interrupted. “That doesn’t mean you have to be literally in your bedroom for the next few months, but it does mean that you need to be sitting or lying down for the majority of your day. You can get up for a shower once a day, but other than that, I want you resting.”

  “What about cooking, child care—?”

  “Someone else will have to do it. There is no saying we can stop labor the next time this happens, so it’s your job to rest. That’s your doctor’s orders.”

  She sighed and nodded. This was the end of her job—that much was clear. She couldn’t perform her duties as nanny while she was relaxing on a couch. Sadness welled up inside her. What would happen with Katy? What about Mike? Was this the end of everything for her here in Hope, Montana? She’d known all along that this was a temporary situation, but she’d expected a little more warning before it ended. She wasn’t as ready for this as she’d thought she’d be.

  She cast a helpless look in Mike’s direction, but his expression was unreadable, hidden behind that mask of professional reserve.

  “Are you working right now?” the doctor asked cheerfully, scribbling on a page in a flourish of handwriting.

  “I’m a nanny,” Malory replied. “So, yes.”

  “Ah.” The doctor looked at Mike speculatively, one eyebrow arched. “Well, I’ll provide all the documents and signatures that your workplace will require to get the time off work. I’ll make sure you get everything before you leave the hospital.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured.

  “And, Mike—” the doctor turned toward the big cop “—can I talk to you?”

  “You bet.” Mike stood up, and on his way past, he gave her foot a gentle squeeze. They stepped outside the room, Mike pulling the door gently shut behind him, leaving Malory in quiet.

  The baby moved inside her, and she put a hand on her belly, thankful that her boy was healthy and safe. That was the top priority here, but her heart still deflated with sadness. They still needed her. Katy needed stability, and Malory wanted to be able to provide it for her for as long as possible. Mike could use some support, too, whether he knew it or not, and she didn’t want to just get on the next bus out of their lives, never to see them again.

  But that was the job—she’d always been a temporary solution.

  Yet they’d become more to her than just a job in this short period of time. Perhaps it was the drama of the break-ins, but they’d pulled together in a different way than she normally experienced as a nanny. They were leaning on each other, relying on each other. They felt more like a family.

  That wasn’t the way things were supposed to go, and she’d been warned about maintaining appropriate boundaries in her training with the agency.

  This is why, she thought miserably. It hurt too much when it all came to an end.

  * * *

  MIKE STOOD WITH the doctor in the hallway. Dr. Levato’s expression was grim.

  “I don’t like to scare the mother in these situations, but it’s imperative that she stay off her feet. Whatever her job, she can’t go back, even for a couple of days.”

  “Understood.” Mike nodded. This certainly complicated things with Katy, but he’d figure something out.

  “She’s healthy, and so is the baby, but her body seems to want to deliver early, so I’m leaving this in your hands.”

  Mike frowned. “I’m not sure that Malory will like that much,” he admitted.

  “Then make it pleasant for her,” the doctor replied. “You’ll find a way, I’m sure. If she gets up to do so much as fetch the remote, I’m holding you personally responsible.”

  “That’s a tall order.” Mike chuckled.

  “I suppose I should also offer my congratulations,” the older woman said with a smile. “I hadn’t realized you were involved with someone, but—”

  “No, no.” Mike shook his head. “I’m not the father. This isn’t my child.”

  “Oh.” She seemed taken aback. “That is certainly more complicated, but I’m sure you’ll be able to sort it out. You’re a good man.”

  Mike frowned. “No, she’s my nanny. That’s all. We aren’t anything more.”

  “I apologize.” Dr. Levato’s face turned pink. “I just assumed by the way you two...
You were by her side for hours, and—” She cleared her throat. “But she is living at your home?”

  “Yes, it’s a live-in position,” Mike said. “And I’ll do what I can to make sure she stays off her feet, but I doubt she’ll stay long. She’ll probably want to go home so she can have her baby closer to her family.”

  The doctor eyed Mike speculatively and put a hand on his arm. “And you’d be all right with that?”

  Mike sighed. “It isn’t my choice to make.”

  “I’m just saying, the way you stayed with her, calmed her, brought her food—” She paused, meeting Mike’s gaze. “I just thought I sensed something more there.”

  “She doesn’t have anyone else in Hope,” Mike replied. “I’m just doing what I can.”

  The doctor nodded. “Fair enough. But I stand by what I said—not so much as fetching the remote. Understood?”

  “Understood.” Mike laughed. “Are you going to release her today?”

  The doctor scribbled on the bottom of her chart and passed the clipboard over. “I’ve signed off on it. The rest is up to you.”

  “Thanks, Doctor.”

  “Take care, Mike.” She squeezed his shoulder. “And good to see you—without needing stitches or anything.”

  Mike laughed at her dark humor. “Absolutely.”

  The doctor shook Mike’s hand and then headed into the next room, picking up the next chart on her way in, leaving Mike alone in the hallway.

  Mike was used to being responsible for the people of Hope, and Malory was no different. It didn’t matter if he was attracted to her or if he even had feelings for her. What mattered was that she was alone and she needed someone to support her—even if she wished she didn’t.

  A sheriff served and protected. And that was what he was doing.

  Wasn’t it?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Mike sat at the kitchen table with Katy. She clutched a green crayon in her fist, a coloring book in front of her. The picture was of a rainbow and a cow, all of which had been scribbled over in green.

  Mike had a coloring book in front of him, too, and he looked down at his handiwork. It was surprisingly therapeutic to color a picture, and he could now see why kids liked it so much.