Sworn to Protect Read Online Free PDF

finger in Jake’s face. The boy stepped back. “Please, Jacob,” Barbara called to him. “I can’t stand by and do nothing while you browbeat our children.”
    Jacob’s shoulders fell. He bent to the boy’s level and held him close and then kissed the top of his head.
    “That’s my Jacob, not this strange man who is angry all the time.” Barbara’s words seemed more like her most intimate thoughts.
    “He’s not happy with me right now about some work matters,” Danika said. “I’ll go talk to him.” She had no intentions of apologizing to Jacob for this morning, but she’d explain to him again what happened with Barnett. Shouldn’t his concerns be about a wounded agent?
    Opening the door leading to the patio, she stepped into the heat. “How are the burgers coming?”
    Jacob rose from talking to Jake and grabbed a large shaker of seasoned salt. “A few more minutes. Of course, you’re the one who eats the bun with cheese and the fixin’s without the meat. Jake, would you go get Nadine for me?”
    “Sure, Dad.”
    Maybe this was a step in the right direction. “About this morning, I—”
    “I thought you’d been shot too.”
    Now she better understood his fiery reaction at the hospital. “I’m sorry you were worried. But I had my hands full with the situation.”
    “As I said earlier, I deserved a call.”
    She inwardly groaned. “Jacob, when I’m working, my thoughts are on the job and what is required of me. Barnett didn’t look like he’d make it, and Livi needed my full attention.”
    He pressed his lips together. “You are my brother’s wife, a member of the family. I have a responsibility for your welfare.”
    “I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”
    “Not if you’re dead.”
    Danika heard his pain, the grief that he wore like a crimson bandage. “It’s not your fault Toby was killed.”
    “I should have been able to protect my brother, to warn him about the dangers of keeping company with illegals.”
    A mixture of pity and frustration whirled, sickening her with the memories of a life lost. Jacob needed to get some help instead of making life miserable for those around him.
    “The whole Border Patrol can’t stop all of the illegals from infiltrating U.S. soil. So where do you get that Toby’s death was your fault?”
    “It’s there, Danika. It sticks in my throat like a rock.”
    “Didn’t your priest offer any help?”
    He shook his head and lifted a burger onto the platter. The burgers and hot dogs smelled wonderful, even if she didn’t often like the taste of red meat. Danika waited for Jacob to reply, something she’d learned from her own counselor.
    He blew out an exasperated breath. “You gave up on trying to talk it out, too.”
    “I decided today to start again. It was foolish for me to stop, and my counselor really helped me cope with the pain and bitterness.”
    “I’ll think about it.”
    “Good. I love you and Barbara. You are all the family Tiana and I have. But Toby is in heaven, and—”
    The door opened and Nadine walked out alone. A pretty girl, slim and tiny with full lips and big eyes. Time for Danika to exit, and hopefully father and daughter could patch up whatever damage had been done before Danika arrived.
    “Hi, Nadine. I’ll see what I can do to help your mom.”
    The girl lifted her head, and it took only one glance for Danika to see she was high.

Chapter 4
There’s more to the truth than just the facts.
Author Unknown
    In the game room, Sandra listened to the Morales children fuss over which DVD to watch. Tiana was as noisy as the other three, voicing her opinion in little-girl squeals and pointing to her favorite movie. The closed captioning didn’t help a child who couldn’t read, but she no doubt followed the movie.
    The youngest daughter, Amber, selected a Disney feature. Kaitlyn and Jake protested with all the vehemence of a fourteen- and a twelve-year-old.
    “It’s only a few minutes until dinner,” Sandra