“You can stand down and relax as long as Dakota and I are home,” Daniel replied. “Just make yourself available at a moment’s notice. We’ll arrange a room for you.” He could tell that Jack wasn’t happy about the protection detail and, yes, he could have chosen someone else, but Jack not only knew the people he would be guarding, he was familiar with the Slater house. That gave him a big advantage over anyone from the outside.

  “Okay,” Daniel said soberly. “That’s it for now. Make sure you and your dogs are rested and pack extra supplies in case we’re on stakeout for an extended period.”

  “Is there a chance of that?” Jenna Morrow asked. “If so, I should notify my chief in Cold River.”

  Daniel shook his head rapidly, his brow knit. “No. Nobody outside our immediate circle is to know how close we are to ending this trafficking operation. Not even other law enforcement. If explanations are necessary, I’ll make them myself. That goes for you too, Lorelei. You can tell your people that we need continued private access to the safe house we were using but nothing more. Understand? Same goes for whoever is watching our ADA, although I think her problems were solved when we arrested Tucker Williams.”

  Pausing to allow responses, Daniel studied each face. Members of his team were special in many ways and so were their K-9 partners. “I appreciate every one of you more than you know. Make whatever preparations you need to and stand by for further orders.”

  “How soon?” Jack asked.

  “As soon as Brandon and his followers gather and prep to move north,” Daniel said. “I expect that news to come at the last minute, so keep your radios on and cell phones charged.”

  Mics keyed and heads nodded as the team agreed.

  “I know I picked the right people when I chose you and your dogs,” he told them. “This hasn’t been an easy road for the past eight months. Once we tie it up, you’re all invited to my place for a party.” Thinking about having his whole team together to celebrate made him smile. “If we finish this job before Thanksgiving, we’ll have turkey with all the trimmings.”

  That said, Daniel’s most fervent prayer was that they would all be alive and well to attend. Facing down the Jones/Murray gang was fraught with danger, particularly since Brandon was known to be mentally unstable.

  As he ended the video conference, Daniel thought of God and prayed for all their safety, realizing as he did so that he had also constantly prayed for Serena’s healing. It was hard to accept results contrary to his wishes, yet in retrospect he could see hidden blessings in her passing. Pain was gone. Suffering was over. Serena was loved and happy and secure. It was the rest of them, the ones she had left behind, who were sad and suffering.

  Perhaps that was a gift too, he reasoned. Not everyone was missed and remembered fondly. It would be much, much sadder to leave this earth without anyone caring. Without anyone grieving your loss.

  It took monumental effort to shake himself loose from his maudlin thoughts. The arrival of Dakota in the control room helped immeasurably. She galloped down the stairs and into the office space like an uncoordinated pup without a brain in her head, paused to slurp his arm from wrist to elbow, then plunked down in the bed he kept there for her and began to chew a hard rubber toy.

  “You slobber too much,” Daniel said with a chuckle. “I need to teach you to wipe your chin.”

  A soft chuckle came from the stairwell. He knew exactly who was there. “Aurora. Did you get the ice cream washed off okay?”

  “Yup.” She stepped into view clad in a gray sweat suit that was miles too big for her and spun in a circle. “See?”

  Dampness darkened her blond hair and her freshly scrubbed cheeks made her look even younger than usual. The effect was a bit off-putting. Age might be relative once adults reached a certain maturity but he couldn’t help thinking of how many years separated them.

  “You look about ten years old in that outfit,” he said, intending to make the observation sound like a joke.

  Aurora fisted her hands on her hips. “Oh, yeah. Well you look ancient and moody when you scowl like that. Aren’t you afraid you’ll scare Joy?”

  “Am I scaring you?” he asked before thinking.

  “Hmm.” She considered him with her head cocked to one side like a curious pup. “Naw. I guess not. You’re entitled to have your moments.” Sobering, she added, “When I told Joy about Serena, I think she took it really well. Catherine agrees. She can reassure you if you’re still worried.”

  “Actually, I’m not,” Daniel said. “I’ve heard you relate to Joy before. You’re a natural with kids.”

  “When I was younger, I considered becoming an elementary school teacher. But by the time I’d had a taste of law enforcement, even though I washed out as a cop, I knew what my career path had to be.”

  “Well, if you ever decide to do something else, you’d make a great teacher.”

  “Thanks. Some kids are easy to like. Easy to relate to.”

  “I think I do better with dogs.”

  “And adults? Maybe, but that doesn’t mean you can’t learn. The thing I try to remember when I’m talking to kids is to not underestimate them. Don’t talk down to them. They’re a lot smarter than we give them credit for. We just need to be honest and avoid big words.”

  “And complicated theology? Yeah, I can see that. Your explanation was way better than mine. Joy got it right away.”

  “Perhaps whatever you said prepared her,” Aurora suggested. “Same for Catherine. By the time I arrived, Joy was curious and ready for more. Sometimes I think God works that way.”

  “What way?” He busied himself straightening his desk to keep from having to make eye contact when his emotions were so heightened.

  “One step at a time. Look back on this past year. You’re not the same man you were when Serena left Joy outside the station with a note pinned to her. And I’m not the same CSI you knocked out of the way of those bullets either.”

  “You’re not? How so?”

  Chuckling softly, she shook her head and chose a chair near Dakota, reaching down to stroke the Dane’s broad head between the ears. “Let’s leave that discussion for another time. A quieter time. I heard some of what you were saying as I came down the stairs. How long do you think it will be before you can tighten the net around the traffickers?”

  “They have to make the first move,” he said, frowning again. “Forget anything you overheard, okay? That information is classified.”

  Aurora drew finger and thumb across her lips as if pulling an imaginary zipper. “Promise. Besides, I didn’t hear any details so there’s nothing to blab.”

  “I don’t worry about that with you,” Daniel assured her, “I just don’t want you to be overly involved when you don’t have to be. The less you know, the safer you are.”

  “Well…” She drew it out. “There is such a thing as being too ignorant. If you had told me in the first place that there was a vendetta against your team, I might have behaved differently.”

  “Oh? How? Would you have stayed away from me? Not lingered at the murder scene to be sure Miss Effie got protection? Not let me knock you down to save your life? Not stuck with me after we were targeted again and again?”

  She struck a pose, the fingers and thumb of one hand coming together at the point of her chin, head tilted quizzically. “Hmm. Interesting questions.”

  “I thought so.” A twitch at the corner of her mouth betrayed her true mood. A slight smile followed. That was enough to satisfy Dan.

  He was just beginning to relax and feel back in control when she added sweetly, “So, are you going to take me with you on the raid?”

  “Seriously?” He gaped. “Not in a million years.”

  To his surprise, she grinned and didn’t argue. That casual reaction worried him almost as much as her suggestion that she be present for the takedown. He’d sooner drag his own grandmother along than include Aurora Martin.

  SEVENTEEN

  The next few days dragged by for Aurora. Daniel and Jack and sometimes even Catherine would stop talking the minute she tried to join their conversation, as if she was some kind of spy for the opposition. She knew they didn’t think that of course, but it did hurt to be closed off when she truly wanted to be included. Granted, it wasn’t safe for her to return home just yet. Not when the trafficking ring had her picture and could target her to get to Daniel and the DGTF. Still, it nettled her.

  Nights were the worst. The house was so quiet it was almost creepy. Once Joy had been put to bed and Dakota had settled next to her, there were no sounds except for the hum of a digital clock on her bedside table and the occasional muted announcement from a police scanner in Catherine’s room. With the older woman’s bedroom door closed, Aurora had to strain to make out what was being said and a lot of what she did hear needed interpretation because it was incomplete.

  Moreover, for no apparent reason she had begun sleeping lightly and listening for Joy. Any sounds of distress or need jarred Aurora awake and she often got up to tiptoe in to check on the toddler. Fortunately, Dakota knew her well enough by now to allow the occasional peek without alerting and waking the whole household.

  This particular night however when something roused Aurora, she wasn’t sure what she’d heard. Why was her heart pounding? She held her breath. Listened. At first, she thought perhaps she’d been dreaming but in a few moments she heard footsteps in the hallway. Murmured voices. A rustling as if something or someone was moving in the distance.

  Her first instinct was to wait and see what developed. That notion was quickly overridden by the maternal urge to check on little Joy. Rising, she padded barefoot to the door of her room, entered the hall and made her way to the child’s bedroom.

  Sighing when she saw the fair hair on the pink pillow and the familiar lump beneath the quilt, Aurora was about to go back to bed when she noticed something extremely worrying. Dakota wasn’t lying next to the bed!

  So where was she? Why had she abandoned her post when she’d always faithfully guarded the sleeping child? Torn about whether to stay with Joy or look for the K-9, Aurora decided to wait there. If the canine returned, fine. If she didn’t, then somebody needed to be looking after this helpless child.

  It did occur to Aurora that she was unarmed and as such would be nearly helpless if an attack did come. But what kind of weapon could she find in the room of a twenty-two-month-old? Teddy bears weren’t exactly lethal and children this young didn’t play baseball so there was no bat to swing, not even a plastic one.

  A long shadow fell across the doorway. Aurora stood her ground, placing her body between the sleeping girl and whatever danger might be looming. A face peeked around the jamb.

  “Ah, there you are,” Catherine said with a slight smile. “I thought we’d lost you too.”

  “Too?”

  When the older woman entered the bedroom, Aurora was surprised to see a holster belted at her waist. The image was rather incongruous, considering her age, small stature and drooping blue terry cloth robe.

  Catherine came closer and spoke in a whisper. “The others have left for the takedown. Daniel said it was safe enough as long as one of us was armed and all the doors and windows were locked. He figures the whole gang will take part in this transfer of the cases of guns because intel says they’re not planning to come back here.”

  “The whole operation is leaving South Dakota?”

  “Plains City, at least,” Catherine said. “Maybe the whole area. He’s afraid if they get away successfully and manage to set up in a new place, they’ll be even harder to track down. That’s why he took everybody on his team with him.”

  Aurora shivered. “Even Jack?”

  “Yes. The informant is one of Jack’s contacts and he’ll need to make a positive identification. They’ve promised the guy immunity from prosecution. That won’t do him any good if he’s killed in the raid.”

  “I guess that makes sense.” She glanced at the sleeping child. “I don’t like being this exposed though.”

  “Neither do I.” Resting her palm on the grip of her holstered gun, Catherine frowned. “What do you say you grab your boots and we move into the downstairs control room where we can watch the monitors in case there are more prowlers? Daniel didn’t think there would be because we still have a police unit standing by outside but nobody’s perfect.”

  “Right. Better safe than sorry.”

  Catherine chuckled. “My mama always used to say that.”

  “So did mine.” Sobering, Aurora quickly slipped bare feet into the fur-lined boots in her room, grabbed her coat then returned.

  “You carry the princess while I bring her quilt, jacket and a few toys for later,” Catherine said. “I’ve already restocked drinks and snacks in the fridge down there. We could hold off an army if we had to.”

  “Let’s hope and pray Daniel is right and we won’t have to,” Aurora said.

  “And pray for him and his team.”

  “Amen. Here. Give me the jacket, she’s shivering.” Aurora dressed Joy, held her tight and headed for the bedroom door. This was not the scenario she had envisioned. Not even close. They were supposed to be safe there, not locked in an underground room with only one gun between them and the possibility of having to wait for hours—or longer—before they got word it was safe to come out.

  The hallway was dark. Shafts of reflected light peeked in from outside where floodlights illuminated the landscaping. It helped to know Catherine was right behind her. Once they were locked in the office/control room, they’d be fine. Just a few more minutes, a few more steps.

  A gasp broke the silence. Aurora whirled. The pink quilt Catherine had taken off Joy’s bed was now held firm around her head and she was struggling to free herself from a masked man’s grasp.

  Help her? No, protect Joy, Aurora decided in the split second she had in which to make a move, torn between the two options. There was no time to think, no time to make a rational choice. As far as Aurora could see, there was only one right one. She had to escape in order to protect the innocent little girl she held in her arms. It was what Catherine and Daniel would want. But, oh, how she wanted to leap on the attacker and rip the older woman from his grasp.

  There had to be a way. Only there wasn’t. Not given the current circumstances. She couldn’t save them all, just as the best doctors couldn’t save Serena. Sometimes you had to choose the better of two unacceptable options and pray you were making the right decision.

  Hurrying ahead, Aurora ran down the stairs, nearly tripping as she reached the bottom, then swung around the corner toward the metal door to Daniel’s home office. It was closed. Keypad locked. And Catherine alone knew the code.

  There was only one other place to go. The garage. By this time, Joy had awakened and was babbling about Dakota and ice cream and goodness knows what else. Aurora didn’t have time or breath to reply. She freed one hand to jerk open the exterior door, although where she would go from there was an unknown.

  Behind her, Catherine’s protests were muted. In front lay the empty garage. One door yawned open. And in the yard just beyond the automatic door a black car was waiting. A dark figure emerged from the clouds of mist coming from the muffler as the car idled, ready, and purposely stepped over the prone body of a uniformed police officer.

  Her heart leaped. That wasn’t Daniel. Or Jack. But somebody was hurt. Aurora clutched Joy closer, wishing she’d gone back to try to free Catherine so they’d have some way to defend themselves since Catherine was the one with the gun.

  She turned and realized that the thug who had captured Catherine in the quilt had joined them.

  The man in the mist waved a gun. “Run and you all die.”

  It was too late.

  * * *

  Joining his contingent of the strike team, Daniel made sure everyone was on the same page for their plan before taking the time to call home. To his dismay, Catherine didn’t answer her phone. He tried Aurora’s number. Same problem. He called the station and asked to be patched through to the officers on duty outside his house. That call, too, went unanswered.

  Jack tapped him on the shoulder. “What’s up?”

  “I’m not getting an answer at the house.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about it. Catherine said she was probably going to gather everybody downstairs in your office so they could monitor the yard.”

  “They should be able to get a cell signal down there.”

  “Maybe they’re sleeping.” He yawned. “Like any normal person would be at this hour.”

  “I don’t like it,” Daniel insisted. He punched in the number of the Plains City PD and identified himself when dispatch answered.

  “Yes, sir. How can we help you?”

  “I can’t raise the unit on duty at my house. I need a second car to go by make sure everything’s secure,” he said, explaining the reason for his concern.

  “Will someone meet the arriving units?”

  “No. I don’t expect them to be able to rouse anyone inside unless they use the intercom on the gate. Once they get there and speak with my family, please let me know they’re all right.”

  “Will do.”

  Ending the call, Daniel looked to the team member he now considered a friend. “I suppose you think I’m being overprotective about this but I can’t help it.”

  “Nothing wrong with caring,” Jack said. “It’s pretty evident that the women in your family have you wrapped around their little fingers.”

  “I beg your pardon?”

  Jack laughed. “You heard me. Catherine mothers you, Joy gets ice cream whenever she wants it and—” He broke off.

  “And?”

  “And, I’ve seen the way you look at Aurora Martin when you don’t think she’s aware. Why don’t you just break down and admit you’ve got a thing for her?”

  “She’s a colleague.”

  “True. What else is she—or could she be?”