Where Shadows Meet(103)

Matt started to stay no, then caught himself. Why not? He could use all the ammunition he could get. Even if Hannah refused to marry him, their daughter needed to have a relationship with her. Now that he knew where she was, he could make sure Caitlin understood how much Hannah loved them both.

“Go pack your things,” he told her. “Take enough for a week.”

“Where are we going?”

“To bring your new mommy home.”

Caitlin’s eyes widened. “Yes!” She ran back to her room.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Gina asked.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.”

“I’d better go help her, then.”

Matt glanced at his watch. In only hours, he’d look into Hannah’s beautiful eyes again.


THE SNOW CAME nearly to Hannah’s knees. The cold wetness soaking her legs nearly took her breath away on the north wind. Carefully tucking the locket that held a picture of Matt and Caitlin inside her parka, she zipped it clear up to her neck and put on her gloves. She opened the trunk and removed the shovel, then made a path to the door of her office. Though it wasn’t likely anyone would come out in the weather until the plows came through, she wanted to be ready if she was needed. The battered women’s shelter needed to be welcoming no matter what was going on elsewhere. She’d only made it to work because her apartment was over the office.

It took nearly an hour to uncover the walk to the office. She backtracked to the car to put the shovel away. Standing at the trunk of her car, she watched a big four-wheel-drive truck with a blade on the front approach. The driver was probably going to bury her car with the drifts he was plowing. A large drift barred his way. He backed up, then came at it twice before parting it. Snow blew over the hood of the vehicle.

She stepped off the road and onto the walk. She thought she heard someone call, “Hannah!” but she had to be wrong. People here thought her name was Sonya Fearnow. The wind picked up, and she stuck her hands in her pockets and hurried toward her office door. The shout came again, and this time there was no mistaking the word.

She turned to see the big truck pulling to a stop in the middle of the snow-clogged main street. A man leaped out, then lifted a little girl in his arms. A dog leaped from the truck and began to bark. The man stumbled through the snow toward the walk. Hannah drank in the sight of Matt in his heavy coat and Caitlin in her pink parka and boots. She’d hungered to see them both, to hear their voices.

They reached the sidewalk. Matt’s gaze never wavered from her face. He put Caitlin on the sidewalk, and she broke into a run. “Mommy!” she shouted. Ajax barked and raced up the walk with her.

Hannah crumpled to her knees at the word. She opened her arms, and Caitlin hurtled into them. Ajax licked her face and nuzzled in her hair. Hannah hugged Caitlin tight to her chest and slung an arm around the dog. The sweet aroma of baby shampoo still clung to Caitlin’s auburn hair. Tears rushed to Hannah’s eyes.

She looked into her daughter’s face. “Caitlin, what are you doing here?”

Caitlin pulled away. “We comed to take you home with us. You have to pack now.” She said the words matter-of-factly, as if Hannah had no say in the matter.

Matt reached her. Hannah released Ajax and rose with Caitlin in her arms. “How did you find me?”

“I overheard you talking to Gina yesterday. I made her show me your e-mails and I figured it out.”

She fell into the bottomless love in his eyes. Drowning, she fought her way to sanity. “You shouldn’t have come.”

“You shouldn’t have left.” He held out his arms for Caitlin. “She’s heavy. Let’s go inside.”

Hannah handed her daughter over with reluctance. Only then did she become aware of the subzero wind howling around her neck. Lost in his gaze, she’d felt only heat. “It’s warm inside.”

“I’m not cold, but Caitlin might be.” Carrying his daughter, he followed her inside with Ajax at his heels.

The austere surroundings brightened in the presence of the ones she loved. “Have a seat,” she said, pointing out the sofa and chairs.

He dropped Caitlin onto the sofa. “What is this place?”

“A shelter for abused women and children.” Hannah watched Caitlin’s gaze land on the toy box. The little girl glanced up at her, and she nodded. “Go ahead. You can play with them.”

Caitlin hesitated. “How is Jenny?” she asked in a voice that was too casual.

“She misses you. She’s upstairs. If you want to go up there, you can have her.”

Caitlin’s smile was as bright as the sun beating off the snow outside. “Okay.”

Matt’s gaze had never wavered from Hannah. She couldn’t look at him or she was lost. “This way.” She led them through the hall to the back stairway and up to her tiny apartment.

The living room wasn’t any bigger than a bedroom, and the only item on the coffee table was a picture of Caitlin and Matt smiling into the camera. A baby quilt nestled Jenny in the rocking chair in the corner. Caitlin ran to crawl into the chair with her doll. She took off her coat and nestled under the covering with the doll. All four cats came out to investigate. They milled around Ajax, and the dog flopped down. The cats climbed onto the dog and began to knead his fur. He wore an expression of bliss.