Hour of Need (Scarlet Falls #1)(18)

But none of those reasons stopped her lips from blabbing, “All right.”

It was a good opportunity to see if the Hamilton file was in Lee’s home office, as Roger had requested. Ha. Like that was why she’d agreed. Mentally, she rolled her eyes at her own ridiculousness. But while she was in Lee’s house, lusting over his brother, she would keep her eyes open for the Hamilton file. The children would be home then, and Ellie needed to see how they were faring, especially Carson. She could still picture the utter despair in his eyes. Regardless of her determination to keep her relationship with Grant neighborly and platonic, she would do whatever was necessary to help the kids adjust.



Through the glass front door of the law firm, Grant watched Ellie walk away. Why had he asked to see her again? Was it just to talk about the firm and his brother? Or was this a desire of a more personal nature? If it was, he’d have to cool his libido. He didn’t have the time or energy for unwanted desires, personal or otherwise.

What was wrong with him? He was thinking about a pretty woman while carrying his brother’s effects? But he couldn’t seem to help himself. When was the last time he’d had a date? In the army, fraternization was limited to other officers, and the number of female officers was limited on the remote base, unlike if he’d been stationed in Kabul or even Kandahar, where US military facilities were larger. At the moment, his career was a lonely one, but it wouldn’t always be this way. He’d date again when he was transferred back to Texas.

As he drove out of town, he occupied his rambling mind with Roger’s request. The law partner was understandably concerned about confidential client information going missing, but Grant’s instincts told him Roger was hiding something. Of course, Grant would much rather dive into a mystery than simply accept that Lee and Kate were dead.

He drove back to the house with sorrow clamping around his chest. AnnaBelle greeted him in the foyer, pressing her head against his legs. Grant knelt down and rubbed her neck. No doubt the dog was missing her family, too. “The kids’ll be here soon.”

He’d barely hung up his jacket before a bark from the dog alerted him to an approaching car. Grant let the locksmith in, and while the man rekeyed tumblers, Grant went into Lee’s office and boxed up all the case files he could find. He had enough on his plate. He didn’t need an imaginary conspiracy.

He’d just seen the locksmith drive off when tires grated on gravel outside. The dog leaped from her bed and bolted into the hall. Nerves humming, Grant went out onto the front porch. He pushed the whining dog back in the house with his knee and closed the screen door. A middle-aged woman in slacks and a coat exited a tan sedan. She opened the rear door. Carson slipped out, his skinny body dwarfed by a thick ski jacket. He didn’t look much bigger than he had been last spring.

Grant approached the car. “Hey, Carson. Do you remember me?”

Crack! Slam.

On instinct, Grant nearly dove on top of his nephew. He stopped his forward motion just in time as the dog bolted past, reminding him he was in Scarlet Falls, not Afghanistan. The social worker’s eyes bugged. Grant’s pulse hammered.

“It’s OK,” Grant said, not sure who he was trying to reassure, the social worker, Carson, or himself.

The boy dropped to both knees and flung his arms around AnnaBelle’s neck. Grant glanced back at the house. The screen door flapped against the house on one hinge. Note to self: the screen door will not hold the dog.

Carson loosened his grip on the retriever’s neck. The dog whined, and the boy returned to the car for a red backpack. AnnaBelle took the strap, turned, and raced for the front door, backpack dangling from her mouth.

“I’ll be damned,” Grant muttered. He turned back to his nephew and went down on one knee. “Do you remember me, Carson? I’m Uncle—”

The boy launched himself at Grant. He caught the tiny body. Carson’s arms wrapped around his shoulders with more strength than Grant expected. The boy’s entire frame shook. He buried his face in Grant’s sweatshirt and held on, as if he could lose Grant at any second. Overwhelmed by the boy’s desperate embrace, Grant wrapped his arms around the slight frame. His eyes burned, and he blinked back unshed tears. Anger rushed through him. This should not have happened. Carson shouldn’t have lost his parents.

“I’m glad to see he remembers you, Major.” The woman offered a hand. In her other, she held an infant car seat with a baby strapped inside. A tiny face peered out from under a thick pink blanket. “I’m Dee Willis from child services.”

Balancing Carson in one arm, Grant shook her hand. Carson was clinging so tightly, Grant could have let go and the boy wouldn’t have fallen. But he would never do that.

He took the car seat, the responsibility of two children loading him down far more than their combined weight.

“Let me get the rest of their things.” The social worker returned to her car.

Grant led the way inside, Carson still wrapped tightly around him. AnnaBelle spit out the backpack, then pranced and whined around Grant’s legs as he led the way back to the kitchen. He set the baby seat on the floor next to the kitchen table. AnnaBelle gave her a happy sniff and rose on her hind legs to paw at Carson. Crouching down, Grant let the dog give the kid a solid slurp. The boy’s grip loosened, and he reached out one hand to stroke the golden head.

Mrs. Willis set a small suitcase on the floor and a tote bag on the kitchen table. She was frowning at the dog. “There’s enough formula and diapers in the bag for a few days, but she’s a bit colicky.”