White Dove's Promise Read Online Free PDF

earshot. “I’m glad to hear you say that,” she said in a voice only Christa could hear. “Mom keeps preaching that they’re making a mess out of things and just wanting to big-shot around and take over the situation.”
    A puzzled expression came over Christa’s face. “I can’t understand that. Let’s face it, the fire and rescue people in this town mean well and they do a good job most of the time, but they’re not that highly trained. They have no idea what’s under this ground or how to get into it without tearing everything apart and endangering Peggy even more. Jared’s an engineer. He knows what he’s dealing with.”
    Kerry let out a long, shaky breath. “That’s what I was thinking, but Mom seems to have something against Jared in particular.”
    Christa shrugged. “Well, from what I’ve heard, he used to have quite a reputation with the ladies. Your mom probably holds that against him.”
    Shaking her head with weary disbelief, Kerry said, “That has nothing to do with him getting my daughter out of the ground! I don’t understand her—”
    â€œKerry! Look!”
    Christa’s abrupt cry was coupled with a ripple of excitement passing through the people gathered around the site. And then Kerry saw the reason for all the commotion. It was Jared! He was climbing out of the deep ditch and Peggy was nestled safely in his arms!
    Choking back a sob of sheer relief, Kerry jumped toher feet and stumbled across the rough ground to meet them.
    â€œPeggy! Oh baby!” she cried, not bothering to hide the tears of joy that were beginning to stream down her face.
    Jared grinned down at her. “Your daughter is a little muddy and dirty, but other than that she seems to be okay,” he said.
    From the moment he’d reached Peggy back in the narrow cavern of pipe, she’d had a death grip on his neck. Even now, with her mother near, she was reluctant to loosen her hold and allow him to place her in Kerry’s arms.
    Gently, Jared patted the child’s back, then carefully pushed the long tangle of black hair from the side of her face. “It’s all right, Chenoa,” he murmured to the frightened little girl. “Your mommy is right here. She’s been waiting for you. Just like I promised.”
    Kerry swallowed down her tears in an effort to make her voice sound as calm and normal as possible to her daughter. “Peggy, it’s all right, honey. You can come to mama now and we’ll go get Fred.”
    Lifting her face from Jared’s wide shoulder, Peggy looked warily around her, then down at Kerry’s outstretched arms.
    â€œMama,” she said through sniffles and hiccups, then reached for her mother.
    Jared had accomplished a few difficult jobs down through the years, jobs that had left him feeling proud, maybe even a little smug. But he could truthfully say nothing he’d ever done felt as wonderful or satisfying as being able to place Peggy into her mother’s arms. And the elated smile that was now spreading acrossKerry’s face was worth every minute he’d spent crawling through that muddy underground maze.
    Hugging her daughter fiercely to her breast, Kerry looked up at Jared. She was unaware of the crowd surging around them, nor did she hear their cheers of joy. There was only him and her and the precious feeling of her daughter’s arms clinging tightly to her neck.
    â€œThank you, Jared. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
    The raw emotion in her trembling words humbled him, touched him in a spot he hadn’t known he possessed.
    â€œThere’s no need for you to thank me, Kerry. I wanted to get Peggy out of there as much as you wanted to have her back.”
    Shifting Peggy’s weight to one arm, Kerry extended her hand to Jared. He folded his fingers around hers with a firm reassuring grip. As their hands warmed together, he realized the