Doubting Thomas (Tarnished Saints Series) Read Online Free PDF Page A

they’re not playing with the kittens,” he said. “You know how Eli likes that new litter. He’d stay up all night playing if I didn’t insist the kittens needed their sleep too.”
    “You do that.” Thomas forced a weary smile, and watched his son limp out past the road and disappear into the darkness. “And you may as well head on back too, Zeke,” he called out toward the woods. “Check on the animals before you go in.”
    “Yes, sir,” he heard the small voice from the darkness, then the sound of running feet and snapping twigs as Zeke headed toward the house.
    Thomas slipped the knife back into its sheath and picked up his shotgun. He’d go back and get the truck and ropes to haul the carcass. He never intended to gut the deer at the side of the road, but was only testing Sam. The boy was still afraid of knives, and now because of Fawn’s death, blood too. He headed on back to his truck which he’d left down the road before he’d pursued the deer on foot earlier. He was tired and weary, and more than anything, wanted this day to end.
    He looked up to the sky, watching the half moon peek out from behind a passing cloud. How many times had he looked up to the sky and prayed for help? How many times had he asked for an angel to be sent down to guide him? He didn’t have any prayers left in him anymore. He gave up that notion long ago. It was a cold, cruel world, and there wasn’t a dang thing he could do about it. He had to raise his sons the best he could by himself. But lately he’d started wondering if he was doing the right thing. These were the thoughts that kept him from sleeping nights. He was no longer sure of anything, mainly of himself. But one thing was for certain. He had to stop entertaining the unwanted guest called doubt.

Chapter 3
     
     
    The bright morning sun streaked in through the window of the Ainsley’s Bed and Breakfast, hitting Angel right in the face. She reveled in its warmth for a minute, then her eyes sprang open as she remembered just where she was, and the happenings of last night.
    She rolled over and saw Gabby curled up in the king size bed next to her, her long blond hair fanned out over the soft downy pillow. She looked so helpless and innocent lying there, and this thought only had Angel reliving the fear of last night, hearing the gunshot in the woods. Had someone been shooting at them? She’d lived with fear ever since marrying Brad, knowing his job was dangerous. She should have known better than to get involved with a police officer. But where love is concerned, danger has no hold.
    She’d been very frightened by the time she got to the Ainsley’s, but she tried not to show it, for her daughter’s sake. When Brad died, Gabby was still very young. She hadn’t really gotten the chance to know her father. The one thing Angel wanted most in life was to find a suitable father for her child. She didn’t like her little girl growing up without a dad.
    In Angel’s line of work, she’d seen many children in many different situations. The ones who suffered most were the ones from broken homes. If she could only find a man she could trust and love, and one whom Gabby would love as well. Then her home life would be complete. They’d gone too long with just the two of them. But no one, she realized, could ever compare to Brad. No one could give her little girl the love, attention, and protection that he had.
    Fathers were important icons to children. That got her to wondering just what kind of father Thomas Taylor was. Not a very good one, it seemed. If he wasn’t a cop, there was no need for a gun. She didn’t like guns. She planned on helping his children even if she had to take measures to take them away from that awful man, and place them with loving, caring parents.
    She hadn’t mentioned the incident with Thomas Taylor to Agnes Ainsley. It had been late when she’d arrived, and she felt bad enough waking her out of a sound sleep as it was. Plus, she didn’t