“Toby Miller?” she repeated in confusion along with Jayson.
“Yeah. He was a bad kid, so his new daddy didn’t want him around anymore, so his mommy made him go live with his grandma and grandpa and didn’t love him no more.”
“Oh, baby!” Lana’s heart broke into pieces. “I am never sending you guys away like that. Your grandparents just want to spend a couple of days with you. Mommy is going to be right here, working with your aunties and your daddy. I will come see you both every day and you can call me at any time, day or night.”
“But what will you do when you’re not working or with us?” Dani asked, playing with Lana’s hair.
“Your daddy,” Sunny mumbled through a cough.
Lana glared at Sunny in reprimand. “Helping your daddy get your rooms ready for you to sleep in so that you can be home with both of us.”
“Okay, Mommy. As long as you promise you’re not leaving us and running away with a new daddy.”
“Never baby girl. Pinky promise,” Lana promised, holding up her pinkies for both the twins to twine theirs to hers.
CHAPTER
NINETEEN
Lana finished changing the sheets on her father’s bed and setting up the three new air mattresses she and Jayson had gone out to get for her team to sleep on. After he’d changed out of his uniform, they’d taken the kids to his parents, plus spent some time with them there helping them get their rooms started and tucked in.
It was nearing on eleven at night by the time her team had shown up. Lana was exhausted beyond exhausted.
“Team’s here,” Rocky informed her from the doorway.
“Okay, let’s go greet them before Mrs. B thinks we’re being invaded.”
Lana walked into the living room as Jayson and his brother walked in from the kitchen with a tray of hot tea and sandwiches. Damn the man was fine as hell.
“You boys make excellent housewives,” Rocky joked as she smirked at them.
“Yes, we do. Just not yours. We’re happily taken so find your own housewife.” Jayson winked at Lana.
Everyone turned at the knock on the door. Lana shook her head when Rocky and Sunny looked toward her.
When she opened the door, she found a perturbed Mrs. B, shotgun in hand, and her amused sergeant along with several of her teammates standing on the front porch. Yep, Mrs. B was better than any security system on the market.
“Hi, Mrs. B. What can I do for you?” Lana asked, biting the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the scene in front of her.
“Do you know these strangers? There’s two SUVs parked on your daddy’s lawn now.”
“Yes, ma’am. This is my team coming in from Texas. They are here to help me, Jayson, and Ryan investigate the missing girls case happening here.”
“Very well then. Can’t be too careful in this day and time. Especially with those two babies of yours here.” Mrs. B sniffled as she stepped back.
“That’s true. Thank you, Mrs. B, for everything you do. We have it from here,” Jayson stepped in, letting Mrs. B know the women weren’t alone.
Lana opened the screen door for her teammates to come in. Once they were in, suitcases and all, she waved good night to Mrs. B before shutting the door.
“Well, I will say this, you don’t need a dog or a security alarm as long as that old lady is alive. That’s for damn sure.” Sgt. Joelle “James” Bueller chuckled as she dropped down onto the couch next to Rocky.
“She had her gun on Lana the first night we were here. Didn’t even bat an eye when Rocky snuck up behind her with her gun. If Lana hadn’t reminded her who she was, I think they’d both be dead right now.” Sunny laughed at the memory.
“She’s always been a spry old lady. Kids in town always had their own theories about what she did in the olden days when she was younger, before she had Peter’s daddy. They had her as a spy back in WWII or something covert. I think the woman wasjust smart as hell and looked after everyone.” Ryan shook his head as he sat in one of the chairs they had brought out of the dining room.
“What did happen to Peter’s parents? I never asked back then. I knew he was being raised by his grandmother but that was it,” Lana asked, looking over at Jayson in curiosity.
“Daddy was killed in the beginning of the Afghanistan war. I think he was six or seven at the time of his dad’s death. He and his momma came to stay with Mrs. B then. His momma died when he was eight or nine. He says his grandmother told him she never got over losing his daddy,” Jayson answered, looking down at his hands.
