Pamela Tracy - Broken Lullaby (Love Inspired Suspense Series)  

F our days, eight hours, twenty-two minutes.

Thats how long it had been since Mitch Williams pulled the trigger and killed a man.

Two days, five hours, twelve minutes.

Thats how long Mitch had been holed up in the isolated cabin hed purchased on a whim almost six months ago. Thanks to the locale, he hadnt had any visitors.

He didnt want any visitors.

But he had one now.

The whrrr of an engine and the crunch of tires had left the road and headed up Mitchs drive. He did what he always did when he heard an unexpected noise. He checked to make sure his gun was nearby. Then, he got mad at himself.

He couldnt remember the last time he hadnt treated his gun the way he treated his wallet and watchas items to always have either on his person or nearby. His watch was on his wrist. His wallet was on the nightstand by the bed. His gun? His gun was in Phoenix, tagged as evidence in an officer-involved shooting.

He was the officer. Hed done the shooting.

And now he was on administrative leave that the attorney general, Melody Griffin-Smith, kept referring to as a much needed vacation. Unfortunately, Mitch kept hearing the unspoken word permanent before the spoken word vacation .

He slowly stood, leaving the safety of the all-terrain vehicle hed been tinkering with. Climbing from an old blue truck was one of the few people who just might be able to cajole him out of his funk. If anyone knew about injustice, it was Eric Santellis. Eric had been born into a major crime family, yet managed to turn into one of the most self-assured, content Christian men Mitch had ever encounteredeven after serving years in a penitentiary for a crime he hadnt committed.

Mitch set down his wrench, wiped grease from his fingers and grinned for the first time in daysfour days, eight hours and thirty-six minutes.

I wondered if youd be here. I still cant believe you bought this place! Eric yelled out.

And I cant believe you didnt stop me.

Stop you? I think its great. A place in the wild is what you need. Especially now. I heard what happened. Man, I

Mitch held up a hand. Im not at liberty to talk about it.

Eric nodded and studied the cabin once again. So, what have you done to the place so far?

Not a thing. I think the old sheriff hired a dump truck to come load everything up and cart it off. Theres nothing left.

Good thing. My sister used to complain about what a mess this place was. Eric checked his watch. Shes due to arrive any time.

Mitch raised an eyebrow. You found Mary?

Eric nodded. The private detective called last week. He found her in Florida. Ive spoken to her twice now.

What did you say to her?

I told her Id help her, told her that things were different now, told her both God and I loved her.

It must have been quite a phone call. Mitch didnt know Mary Graham personally, but if she were a typical career criminals wife, not to mention the typical daughter of a local crime lord, shed be a woman who didnt trust anybody easily.

Including her brother Eric or God. She believed you?

She says being on the run isnt healthy for Justin. He isnt anywhere long enough to make friends. Ive already spoken with her caseworker. It wont be easy, but Mary has a few things on her side.

Mitch managed to keep his expression neutral. He had no sympathy for wives, husbands, mothers, fathers or even children who helped keep criminals in business and on the street. Yes, Eric had turned out to be different than Mitch had expected, but his sister had two strikes against her: not only was she the daughter of a criminal, but also the wifecorrection, widowof one. To Mitchs way of thinking, Mary probably enjoyed the roles and money that came with being Yanos daughter and Eddies wife.

I know what youre thinking, but I think you are wrong about my sister. Im asking you as a friend, since your cabin is right next door to where shell be staying, to keep an eye on her. Erics eyes bore holes into Mitch. This might be her only chance to make good. Maybe she turned a blind eye to some things that she shouldnt have, but remember, she was trained from birth. And even with that type of upraising, she never acted as a messenger or go-between. Not for our father, not for her husband. I think we can prove that she cant be charged with mafia association or as an accomplice to any of Eddies dealings. That will leave just the child-endangerment issue and aggravated assault for the way she clocked Eddie after Justin ended up in the hospital. I think that Ill be able to get her probation or even a suspended sentence. What do you think?

You dont want to know what I think.

Youre too hard, Mitch. Not everyone is like you. Will you come with me to meet her, maybe give her a hand with a few boxes so you two get off on the right foot?

Mitch nodded, then laughed and shook his head. Shes going to hate living next door to me.

Eric laughed. Got that right. You couldnt possibly be any more establishment.

And proud of it.

He was proud of it and always had been, ever since the first time hed read about Eliot Ness and then later watched all the cop shows his mother would allow. And that was before his sister disappeared. After that, hed known exactly what he wanted to do with his lifefind missing people. Hed started as a beat cop, finally worked his way to detective, and segued into Internal Affairs. He found lots of missing people; most of them didnt want to be found.

He turned his attention back to his friend. Wheres your wife? Shes a much better-looking officer to hang around with than me.

Eric sobered. Ruth would have come, but shes working on a missing baby. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. You remember Jos Santos?

Sure, great guy, good cop. He died last year after pulling over a kid whod stolen a car. Kid had a gun.

His family is still having a hard time dealing with it. His sixteen-year-old daughter, Angelina, has a little boy now.

So young, Mitch murmured.

Its her baby thats missing. Sunday she took her son to a festival in town. Somebody snatched him.

Sunday. Mitch felt prickles up and down his spine. On Sunday, while he was busy shooting a fellow police officer, here in small-town America somebody was stealing a baby. What do you have there? Mitch sat down next to Eric and reached for the piece of paper.

Its a drawing. Right now were calling her a person of interest. Shed approached Angelina at the festival and touched the baby. Angelina thought she was just admiring little Jos. When Jos was taken, Angelina thought again.

The sketch was of a young Hispanic woman, probably no more than eighteen. Her dark hair spilled past her shoulders. Her cheekbones and the lines of her chin were too thin. Her eyes radiated sadness. There was nothing special about her except

Suddenly, he remembered. Six months ago, an illegal crossing gone wrong near Yuma cost a young man his life. He was shot while trying to cross the border by a crooked border patrol officer.