After the Storm (KGI #8)(26)

But then the passenger door opened, and Donovan saw Maren step into the sunshine, a warm smile lighting her features as she stared toward Donovan. A moment later, Steele got out of the driver’s side, his expression not as warm as Maren’s. Donovan sighed and stepped out of his vehicle. Might as well beard the lion now.

“Hello, Van,” Maren called out. And then she opened the passenger door and ducked in, a second later reappearing with her daughter.

Donovan’s smile was instantaneous. Okay, so he was a total sucker for babies. Sue him.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he said as he walked toward where Maren stood with the baby. “I swear that girl gets bigger every time I see her.”

Maren grinned. “That’s because I’m a twenty-four-seven fast-food restaurant. Clearly she inherited her father’s appetite because I swear I can’t ever feed her enough.”

Steele grunted and then reached for the baby, expertly cradling her in his arms. Donovan shook his head. He still hadn’t gotten used to seeing Steele with an infant. The sight still elicited amusement, and if he was honest, it also inspired envy.

“So what’s the situation?” Steele asked bluntly.

“Why don’t y’all come in out of the heat?” Donovan offered. “I have some iced tea in the fridge and I can brew Maren up a cup of her favorite hot tea. Then we’ll talk.”

“Hadn’t planned to stay long,” Steele replied. “Weather’s supposed to get bad tonight, and I don’t want to have Maren or Olivia out in it.”

Donovan frowned. “Bad weather? What are we talking here?”

Maren rolled her eyes. “Steele has become a regular meteorologist in his spare time. He’s convinced a storm is going to take us out.”

Steele shot her a glare. “It pays to be aware of potential hazards.”

Donovan mounted the steps to his home and swung open the door, gesturing Maren and Steele inside.

“So? The weather report?” Donovan queried.

“Severe thunderstorms. Isolated strong cells. The entire western part of the state is under watch overnight.”

Donovan blew out his breath. Damn. All he could picture was that first time he’d walked into Eve’s trailer and had seen the bowls scattered over the floor to catch the rain. They’d be miserable tonight and with Cammie sick, the last thing she needed was to get rained on inside her house.

“Have a seat,” Donovan murmured. “I’ll get Maren’s tea brewing. Care if I nuke the water and throw a bag in it?”

Maren smiled. “Nope. With my hands full of a starving infant, I’ve learned the art of a quick brew.”

Donovan shuffled into the kitchen and drew water into a coffee mug before slipping it into the microwave. While he waited for the time to elapse, he filled two glasses with ice and took the pitcher of tea from the fridge.

When the microwave dinged, he pulled the hot mug out and dropped the bag into it. Remembering that she liked sugar, he spooned the right amount and gave it a quick stir. Balancing one of the tea glasses between his arm and chest, he picked up the mug and the other glass and headed back to the living room.

“How have you stayed single this long?” Maren teased as she took the proffered cup. “I love a man who spoils me.”

Steele grunted again and shot her a bemused look. Donovan chuckled because it was widely known that Steele absolutely spoiled both wife and daughter.

Steele took the glass from Donovan’s hand but didn’t drink. He leaned forward, setting the glass on the coffee table, and looked expectantly at Donovan.

“It’s bad,” Donovan murmured.

Steele’s expression immediately blackened. “What the f**k? Sam said it was safe.”

Donovan shook his head. “Not what I mean. It’s safe for Maren. I wouldn’t bring her into a situation that put her at risk. You know that.”

“Then what the hell do you mean?” Steele demanded.

“Steele.”

Maren’s soft voice immediately brought the team leader to heel. If the situation hadn’t been so serious, Donovan would totally have given him shit over it.

“Not very far from here, a young woman is living in a run-down, piece-of-shit trailer with her two younger siblings. Cammie, her four-year-old sister, is sick. Travis, her fifteen-year-old brother, is working part time in the hardware store to put food on their table, and Eve . . . She’s trying to keep it together.”

Steele frowned.

“They’re running from something,” Donovan continued. “They’re all scared shitless.”

“Well, f**k,” Steele muttered.

“How sick is Cammie?” Maren asked, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

Steele reached for the baby, deftly taking her from Maren’s arms as she sat forward, her gaze trained on Donovan.

“I don’t know,” Donovan admitted. “That’s why I wanted you to go with me to check on her. I’d say she’s been sick several days. Their living conditions are deplorable. They don’t have enough to eat. I took groceries over today, but their roof—if you can even call it that—leaks in a hundred different places, and with all the rain we had last week, I doubt that helped Cammie’s condition any.”

Maren grimaced, her eyes shining with sympathy and concern. “Of course I’ll go.”