Christmas Justice (Carder Texas Connections #7)(57)

Molly bit her lip. “I like Raven a lot. She gives me cookies. Daniel’s nice, too.” Then she shook her head. “But I want you and Sheriff Garrett.”

Gripping Molly’s hands in hers, Laurel met the little girl’s gaze. “Please, Molly Magoo. Can you be brave for me one more time?”

“Like Sheriff Garrett?”

Laurel squeezed her niece’s hands. “Like Sheriff Garrett. Go to Daniel and Raven.”

“You’ll come back for me. Promise?”

Somehow she would. “I promise.” Laurel looked up at the officer. “Please, let her go to them. You’ll understand what’s going on soon enough. I cannot have her put through any more trauma.”

The detective’s brow furrowed. “I got kids of my own,” he relented. “Give me the family’s info and I’ll check them out. Otherwise, the girl goes with CPS.”

*

THE POLICE STATION reeked of the sights and smells of nighttime indigents and criminals. Molly wouldn’t let go of Laurel’s hand.

She desperately wanted to pace the walkways of the police station, but she had to shield Molly. She glanced over at a tired-looking woman standing in the corner, ever watchful. If Daniel didn’t arrive soon, CPS might just take Molly away. Laurel’s heart broke at the idea of being separated from her niece.

How could she explain everything that had happened? Would the cops even believe her?

Finally, the door opened and Daniel strode inside, along with another man wearing a patch over one eye, who looked as if he’d been on the wrong end of a fight. She recognized him from somewhere. He walked over and had a few words with the officer assigned to watch Laurel. Her interrogation would start as soon as Molly left.

Laurel finally placed the man’s face and scowled. “Exactly who is your friend?”

Daniel looked back at the man who was now approaching them. “Laurel, this is Rafe. He’s part of CTC, the organization I work for. He was stationed outside the house, but got buried by a wall.”

“Is there a problem?” Rafe asked seriously.

“I don’t know,” she said, her voice full of suspicion. “I saw you driving the ambulance with that man, Léon, inside. You didn’t go the same direction as the other ambulances. Why?”

Rafe lowered his voice when he spoke. “Léon is one of ours, too. I took him to some medical facilities that were a little more...discreet. His recovery will take a while and we wanted him safe.”

“Great,” she snapped. “What about Garrett and my father? What about keeping them safe?” She knew she sounded like an ungrateful witch, but no one would even tell her if Garrett and her father were alive or dead.

“Garrett and your father are alive,” Rafe said, “but in critical condition. We have guards both inside and outside their doors, as well as throughout the hospital, keeping watch for intruders. My boss is trying to keep the feds and agency people out of this so they don’t have access to Garrett. If they identify him as a fugitive before we prove his innocence, the government will claim him.”

Laurel rubbed her face with her hands. “They’re alive.” Her knees shook.

“I’ve brought enough evidence that you should be out of here soon, Laurel. Just be patient. I’ll take Molly now, and Rafe will wait and handle bail or whatever comes up. He won’t let you down, Laurel. I swear it.”

Tears filled Laurel’s eyes as she hugged Molly and sent her off with Daniel. “Please keep her safe.”

“Daniel would give his life for Molly. He’ll guard her well.”

Just then, a policeman walked over. “Ms. McCallister, it’s time.”

*

FROM SOMEWHERE FAR OFF, Garrett heard a sweet female voice calling to him.

“Garrett, please wake up.”

He felt a gentle touch on his forehead, but couldn’t make much sense out of the soothing, soft words being whispered in his ear.

The dreams had been haunting him again. Strange dreams, where Lisa and Ella were running to him, holding him close, but suddenly they were waving goodbye. No! Don’t go. Something was wrong. It was very wrong. He fought his way toward consciousness.

The dream changed, colors swirling and spinning in his mind, and this time he was reaching out for Laurel and Molly. He tried to reach them, but they were so far away. They were leaving, too. Sadness in their eyes. The gray returned and pulled him back into the darkness.

The whispering continued, more urgently this time. The voices were louder. Why wouldn’t they leave him alone?

“Garrett. Wake up.”

He strained to understand, but each time he tried to open his eyes, they didn’t respond at all.

“Come back to me now. You can do this.”

Laurel? Was that Laurel trying to get him to do something? He struggled again, forcing the fogginess in his mind away.

A firm hand gripped his, as if to will him to do something. His eyelids were so heavy, but somehow he forced them open for the briefest second. The blaze of sunlight burned his eyes and he groaned, flinching from the light. Even that slight movement sent a spear of fiery pain through his chest.

“He moved!” Laurel yelled. “His eyes opened for a second. Get the doctor in here fast.” A firm hand gripped his. “Come on, Garrett. Open your eyes.”