Secrets Never Die (Morgan Dane #5)(73)

He woke his phone and handed it to her. She played the game and ate her grape Popsicle.

By lunchtime, Sophie was sitting up and chatting as if she’d never been ill. Morgan looked as if she were barely keeping her eyes open, and Lance felt like he’d been run over by a preschooler-size bus.

When Sophie had successfully kept down Popsicles and crackers, the doctor decided she was well enough to go home. By the time the discharge paperwork was processed and they had driven back to the house, it was late afternoon. Gianna and Grandpa greeted Sophie with relieved hugs. Under Grandpa’s watchful eye, Morgan, Lance, and Sophie sprawled on the couch in front of cartoons. As if the dogs knew she was sick, they couldn’t get close enough to the little girl. They curled up on the sofa next to her. Snoozer kept one paw on her at all times.

Lance had no memory of falling asleep, but he jolted awake at the jab of something sharp into his sternum. He opened his eyes. The something sharp was Sophie’s kneecap.

She sat on his stomach. “I’m hungwy. Can I have waffles?”

“I can make that happen.” Lance rubbed his eyes.

“Shh.” The little girl put her finger over her lips. “Mommy is sweeping.”

Lance lowered his voice. “Then let’s not wake her.”

Morgan’s grandfather had also dozed off and was snoring in his recliner.

Lance touched Sophie’s forehead, but her face felt cool. He held out both hands to carry her into the dining room, but she skipped away from him, seemingly fully recovered from her hospital experience. Lance felt like he was scarred for life. He followed Sophie and the smell of food to the dining room. Gianna stood at the sideboard, stirring something in a slow cooker.

“Someone wants waffles,” Lance said.

“I’ll get them.” Gianna smiled. “I made soup.”

“Thank you.” Lance rolled a kink out of his shoulder.

“Mia and Ava are home from school. They’re playing in their room.”

But they must have heard Lance’s voice. The two little girls raced into the dining room and hugged him. Morgan appeared, looking rumpled, beautiful, and better for the nap. Grandpa wandered in, and they settled down for dinner. Afterward, Sophie followed her sisters into their room to play.

Lance showered. Morgan joined him in the bedroom as he dressed in ancient cargo pants and a T-shirt.

“I feel almost human again,” she said as she tossed her clothes into the hamper.

“How is Sophie’s fever?” Lance asked.

“I gave her some Tylenol, but she seems perfectly fine.”

“I can’t believe the way she bounced back.”

“Kids.” Morgan stepped into the shower.

Lance scooped his clothes from the bathroom floor. His phone fell out of his pocket. He picked it up and glanced at the screen. Sharp had texted, and the sheriff had called. Lance hadn’t checked his phone for hours. He didn’t even know what time it was.

Six p.m.? He glanced out the window. Thick clouds blotted out the sky. A storm was coming, and darkness would fall early.

He hadn’t thought about Evan or the case or the sheriff since the night before. Worry for Sophie had totally consumed him. It struck him like a rock to the head. The nurse had been right. He was going to be a dad to Morgan’s girls. Stepdad might be the technical term, but in Lance’s heart, the DNA didn’t matter. Love was stronger than blood. Look how close he was to Sharp. Lance’s terror for Sophie had been bone deep. He would have traded places with her in an instant if it had been possible.

Morgan stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a towel. She coiled her hair into a messy knot on top of her head.

“The sheriff called.” Lance checked the time of the incoming call. “Three hours ago.” While he’d been sleeping.

“Do you know what he wanted?” Morgan dressed in faded jeans and a T-shirt.

“No. I haven’t called him back yet.” Lance glanced at the closed door. “I feel like I neglected Evan’s case, but I couldn’t have chosen differently.”

He was shocked at how quickly he’d put everything else aside. As worried as he was about Evan, the case had never entered his mind while Sophie had been ill.

He had never thought about balancing parenthood and work, especially work that was so often urgent. His already healthy respect for Morgan quadrupled. She’d been juggling kids and work and grief for years. She was the strongest person he knew.

Morgan took his hand and squeezed it. “See? You’re already great at this dad thing. But Sophie is fine now. My sister just arrived. Gianna and Grandpa are going to spoil her rotten for the rest of the evening. We should call the sheriff back. It could be important.”

Lance dialed the phone.

Had something terrible happened to Evan?

The sheriff answered on the third ring. “About time you called me back.” Colgate’s voice was snippy.

Lance had no patience left for the sheriff’s attitude. “Sorry. We were at the hospital with Morgan’s three-year-old daughter.”

“Oh, I apologize.” Colgate’s tone became polite. “I hope the child is all right.”

“She is now, thank you. Why did you call?”

The sheriff said, “We had a sighting of Evan Meade.”





Chapter Thirty