She turned Kerry away from them, and said, “Tell me what happened.”
Kerry took a deep breath. “I got off the bus with Sara, but Beth-Ann always waits in the cul-de-sac. When I walked around the corner she wasn’t there yet. So I waited.”
Hailey’s stomach was so tight it hurt. She shouldn’t have eaten that pizza.
“I was texting you to say bye, because I knew I wouldn’t see you until after school on Monday. I heard a car pull up, and I thought it was Beth-Ann. This big dude was getting out. He looked like Carissa’s dad.”
That meant he had long, dirty blond hair. Like Farrell.
Jonah caught her gaze and mouthed, Farrell?
Hailey nodded and looked back at Kerry. “What happened then?”
“I backed up, but he grabbed me. So I screamed as loud as I could. And then I did that thing you showed me, and I stomped his foot. I think it worked because I have my boots on. He yelped, and I yanked my arm hard and then I saw you and he let go of me.” Kerry took a deep breath.
“Did he say anything?”
Kerry shook her head, her cheeks flushed.
Hailey knew her daughter’s instincts were sharp, because she’d made sure they were that way. Kerry didn’t need to live in a bubble in which the world was a safe place. That was a lie. She needed to be able to take care of herself.
And this proved it.
A Mercedes pulled around the corner, braking suddenly right in front of them. Charles parked and jumped from the car.
“Daddy!”
Kerry shoved the umbrella at Hailey and flew to him, burying herself in his chest. Charles patted her head and looked at Hailey. “What’s this about your escaped fugitive almost kidnapping my daughter?”
My daughter. Not our daughter. Hailey didn’t have time to get into that with him, so she let it go. “It’s true.”
She wasn’t going to lie. Charles needed to be concerned. Hailey wanted him on high alert when it came to watching out for Kerry this weekend, not assuming the danger was over, since the guy got away.
Maybe she could get her dad to stay at a hotel for a few days as well.
Hailey sighed, realizing she needed to let Kerry go with Charles. She turned to Jonah. “Do we need Kerry any longer, or can she get out of the rain?”
“She can go.”
Hailey looked at Charles. “Why don’t you get her settled at your house?”
Kerry turned back from the embrace with her dad and looked at Hailey.
“I’ll call you later, okay?”
Kerry nodded and sniffed, pulling away from her father. Hailey put her hand on Kerry’s cheek. “You did great.” She wiped her daughter’s tears with her thumbs and then kissed her forehead. “Love you.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
Charles looked down his nose at Hailey. “We’re going to be talking about this.”
Hailey smiled sweetly. “I’ll look forward to that.”
She watched Kerry go with Charles. It was like having her heart ripped out, every single time. Gifting someone she didn’t totally trust with everything that was valuable to her and trying to be okay with it.
She could do a drive-by check of their house later, and Kerry had the cell phone Charles had given her for Christmas. It wasn’t like Hailey would be out of the loop. But tell her heart that.
Jonah yelled, “Parker. Ames. You’re on protection detail.” He turned back to her and Eric, folding his arms again. She’d decided a while back it was his default thinking pose. “What is your read on this situation?”
Hailey took a breath. “I just don’t know why he would pick Kerry, of all people. Is he trying to get to me? Surely there’s someone better on the team. Or is this because he saw me at Deirdre’s?” She shrugged. “I have no idea.”
Hailey was shaking, the aftereffects of what had just happened. She gripped the umbrella handle tighter.
Standing beside Jonah, Eric’s frame was dwarfed by their boss’s. “You taught her self-defense?”
“Yes.” Hailey frowned at him. Didn’t every parent do that? His eyebrows twitched. “She has to be able to protect herself.”
Eric lifted his hands. “Hey, I’m not saying it’s a bad thing at all. Not if it potentially saved her life.”
His words penetrated her heart, and Hailey’s stomach turned over. Her hands shook more, and sweat broke out along her hairline.
Eric’s face flashed with worry. “Hailey—”
Jonah stepped forward until his head was almost under the umbrella. “Take a deep breath. It’ll pass.”
Hailey waited through the surge of nausea, and then whispered, “He could have killed her. He could have taken her, and—”
Jonah said, “You gave her the skills to defend herself, and she did.”
Hailey nodded.
Jonah put his hand on her shoulder. “This won’t be the last time it hits you, but you just have to roll with it. You’re stronger than the fear. And smarter.”
Hailey stared at him, shocked that he seemed to know what he was talking about. And he’d actually complimented her. “I’m okay.”
Eric stepped closer. “I’m sorry. I’m glad she’s fine and that you were here. Kerry seems like a really level-headed kid. And if that’s down to you in part, then you must be a pretty great mom.”
Hailey didn’t know what to do with all the sweetness coming at her. These were supposed to be macho guys who took down fugitives and then grabbed the file for the next one and got to work. “All right, enough of the mushy stuff.”
Neither of them looked convinced that she wasn’t brushing off their concern just because she was uncomfortable. But they still let her do it.
Jonah’s phone rang. He stepped aside and spoke in a low tone.
Eric studied Hailey’s face, rain dripping off the front of his ball cap. “Are you really okay?”
“Of course not. My child nearly got abducted.”
“Are you going to be able to work this case? Jonah will probably let you work from the office until Farrell is found. It might be good for you to be out of the loop from now on.”
Hailey’s eyes narrowed. “Because Farrell thinks he can try to take my child? I don’t think so, Hanning. I’m not sitting this one out, no way. Just try and stop me from running this guy down and putting him away.”
“Good.” Eric nodded. “Anything you need, you just tell me.”
“Just like that?”
“Why not?”
Hailey didn’t know why not. No one had ever offered her unconditional assistance before. What was with this guy? They didn’t make men like this anymore. Maybe they all lived in Phoenix and never came north unless they were transferred for work, like Eric had been.
There was no other explanation. He had to have an ulterior motive. She just didn’t know what it was yet.
“What are you thinking about?”
Hailey jerked free from her thoughts. “Nothing.”
Eric’s lips curled up. “Sure it was.”
Hailey shook her head. “Who are you?”
Jonah