was, no matter how much she'd begged. Not knowing had fueled her dreams of finding her father who she hoped would one day find her and make everything better. One day never came. "Not all of us have the
Leave It to Beaver
life."
Her comment had a bite to it that he hadn't missed. "Children deserve a home." He spoke softly, but there was steel behind each word.
The image of a home—a real house with a front porch and a yard—had been another one of her dreams when she'd been a child. She'd given up on fairy tales a long time ago.
Unsettled, she took a step away from him. Mitch Garrett was not going to let her feel sorry for herself. "So, do you moonlight with social services?"
His dark glasses tossed back her reflection, but she imagined his eyes had hardened. "Do you always have a smart answer for everything?"
She shrugged. "On my good days."
He muttered an oath. "You haven't changed a bit."
She shoved aside memories and regrets. "I'm not a naive eighteen-year-old anymore, Sheriff."
His broad shoulders stiffened. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but the words didn't come. Good to know she wasn't the only one who felt awkward.
The sound of car wheels crunching against gravel sounded from the road tore his attention from her.
"That's the hearse," Mitch said, his voice brusque.
"You're not going to bring the car up?"
"Not for now. We're bringing the body up. I've got to go down to the quarry for a minute. Stay put. I want you where I can see you."
"I'm not going anywhere."
A large black car parked at the edge of the parking lot. Mitch left her to meet the driver. Once the stretcher and body bag was out of the car, the two men walked down to the edge of the water.
Mitch signaled the policeman in the skiff, who in turn radioed down to the divers as he drove the flat-bottomed boat to the quarry's shore. The driver took the bag from Mitch and drove back out to the middle of the quarry. A diver appeared from under the water and took the bag.
Mitch strode back toward her. Sunlight reflected on his aviator sunglasses. He stood next to her in silence.
She hugged her arms around her chest as she stared at all the police and rescue men.
The divers surfaced and gave the thumbs-up. A body bag rose to the surface. Water bubbles gurgled to the surface. The divers hooked the black bag to the side of the boat. It floated by the boat.
Kelsey's stomach tightened. She felt sick.
Mitch glanced at her. His frown deepened. "We'll stay back here while the men do their work."
"Okay."
He raised an eyebrow. "No argument?"
She couldn't even manage a weak smile. "Sorry, fresh out. Maybe tomorrow."
The boat's motor hummed as the skiff moved closer to shore. Minutes passed slowly.
Mitch yanked off his sunglasses. "You look like you're going to pass out."
She wanted to throw up. "I'm fine."
The boat skidded against the rocky shore. Two other officers took the body bag. A cop opened the zipper a fraction so that the water could drain. He met Mitch's gaze and nodded as if to confirm what they'd seen earlier.
None of this felt real.
Suddenly Kelsey broke into a full run toward the bag. She shouldered her way past the police and looked into the sack. A thick mossy smell drifted up as the water drained. In the bag was the skeleton.
Years of hoping and worrying exploded. Suddenly, her head started spinning. Her mother really hadn't abandoned her. Her mother had died.
Mitch laid his hand on her shoulder. Warmth and strength radiated into her. She remembered a time when his strong arms had wrapped around her body and, for a few precious hours, she had felt safe and secure.
His voice was low and soft next to her ear. "Let's get out of here."
Chapter 4
Kelsey climbed into the front cab of Mitch's Suburban and shut the door. She soaked up the sun's warmth trapped in the leather seats, A chill shuddered through her body. She'd never been so cold before.
Mitch slid into the driver's seat beside her, put the keys in the
Leave It to Beaver
life."
Her comment had a bite to it that he hadn't missed. "Children deserve a home." He spoke softly, but there was steel behind each word.
The image of a home—a real house with a front porch and a yard—had been another one of her dreams when she'd been a child. She'd given up on fairy tales a long time ago.
Unsettled, she took a step away from him. Mitch Garrett was not going to let her feel sorry for herself. "So, do you moonlight with social services?"
His dark glasses tossed back her reflection, but she imagined his eyes had hardened. "Do you always have a smart answer for everything?"
She shrugged. "On my good days."
He muttered an oath. "You haven't changed a bit."
She shoved aside memories and regrets. "I'm not a naive eighteen-year-old anymore, Sheriff."
His broad shoulders stiffened. He looked as if he wanted to say something, but the words didn't come. Good to know she wasn't the only one who felt awkward.
The sound of car wheels crunching against gravel sounded from the road tore his attention from her.
"That's the hearse," Mitch said, his voice brusque.
"You're not going to bring the car up?"
"Not for now. We're bringing the body up. I've got to go down to the quarry for a minute. Stay put. I want you where I can see you."
"I'm not going anywhere."
A large black car parked at the edge of the parking lot. Mitch left her to meet the driver. Once the stretcher and body bag was out of the car, the two men walked down to the edge of the water.
Mitch signaled the policeman in the skiff, who in turn radioed down to the divers as he drove the flat-bottomed boat to the quarry's shore. The driver took the bag from Mitch and drove back out to the middle of the quarry. A diver appeared from under the water and took the bag.
Mitch strode back toward her. Sunlight reflected on his aviator sunglasses. He stood next to her in silence.
She hugged her arms around her chest as she stared at all the police and rescue men.
The divers surfaced and gave the thumbs-up. A body bag rose to the surface. Water bubbles gurgled to the surface. The divers hooked the black bag to the side of the boat. It floated by the boat.
Kelsey's stomach tightened. She felt sick.
Mitch glanced at her. His frown deepened. "We'll stay back here while the men do their work."
"Okay."
He raised an eyebrow. "No argument?"
She couldn't even manage a weak smile. "Sorry, fresh out. Maybe tomorrow."
The boat's motor hummed as the skiff moved closer to shore. Minutes passed slowly.
Mitch yanked off his sunglasses. "You look like you're going to pass out."
She wanted to throw up. "I'm fine."
The boat skidded against the rocky shore. Two other officers took the body bag. A cop opened the zipper a fraction so that the water could drain. He met Mitch's gaze and nodded as if to confirm what they'd seen earlier.
None of this felt real.
Suddenly Kelsey broke into a full run toward the bag. She shouldered her way past the police and looked into the sack. A thick mossy smell drifted up as the water drained. In the bag was the skeleton.
Years of hoping and worrying exploded. Suddenly, her head started spinning. Her mother really hadn't abandoned her. Her mother had died.
Mitch laid his hand on her shoulder. Warmth and strength radiated into her. She remembered a time when his strong arms had wrapped around her body and, for a few precious hours, she had felt safe and secure.
His voice was low and soft next to her ear. "Let's get out of here."
Chapter 4
Kelsey climbed into the front cab of Mitch's Suburban and shut the door. She soaked up the sun's warmth trapped in the leather seats, A chill shuddered through her body. She'd never been so cold before.
Mitch slid into the driver's seat beside her, put the keys in the
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