Apprentice Father. Irene Hannon

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      Cate had a way with kids. They seemed to like and trust her.

      And she certainly knew how to keep them entertained. If they could work out an arrangement, he would be forever in his pastor’s debt.

      Though he knew little about Cate, he felt comfortable in her presence. Reassured, somehow, that things would work out. He found her as appealing as his niece and nephew did—on many levels, he realized, watching her blond hair brush her cheek.

      When Cate turned toward him, her slight blush told him she was aware he’d been staring. Not good. He needed her child-care services. Making her nervous was not part of the plan.

      “What are your plans for them?” Cate asked Clay.

      “I don’t know. I’ve been on my own for too many years. I never wanted a responsibility like this. But I made a promise to my sister. As long as the kids are with me, I want to do my best. But I can’t do it alone. I need your help.”

      IRENE HANNON

      who writes both romance and romantic suspense, is the author of more than twenty-five novels. Her books have been honored with both the coveted RITA^® Award from Romance Writers of America (the “Oscar” of romantic fiction) and the Reviewer’s Choice Award from Romantic Times BOOKreviews magazine. More than one million copies of her novels have been sold worldwide. A former corporate communications executive with a Fortune 500 company, Irene now writes full-time. In her spare time, she enjoys singing, long walks, cooking, gardening and spending time with family. She and her husband make their home in Missouri. For more information about her and her books, Irene invites you to visit her Web site at www.irenehannon.com.

      Apprentice Father

      Irene Hannon

      MILLS & BOON

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      God gives a home to the forsaken.

      —Psalms 68:6

      To my husband, Tom—

       With love and gratitude for all you do…

       and all you are

      Contents

      Prologue

      Chapter One

      Chapter Two

      Chapter Three

      Chapter Four

      Chapter Five

      Chapter Six

      Chapter Seven

      Chapter Eight

      Chapter Nine

      Chapter Ten

      Chapter Eleven

      Chapter Twelve

      Chapter Thirteen

      Chapter Fourteen

      Chapter Fifteen

      Chapter Sixteen

      Epilogue

      Questions for Discussion

      Prologue

      The jarring ring of the phone slowly penetrated Clay’s sleep-fogged brain. Groping for it in the dark, he squinted at his digital clock, trying to focus on the blue numbers. Three o’clock in the morning. Not good.

      “Hello?” he mumbled.

      “Clay Adams?”

      “Yes.”

      “This is Lieutenant Butler with the Omaha, Nebraska, Police Department. You have a sister, Anne Montgomery?”

      A surge of adrenaline shot through Clay and he jerked upright, his hand tightening on the phone as he swung his legs to the floor. “Yes.”

      “I’m very sorry to inform you that she was fatally injured tonight in a domestic violence incident.”

      Clay heard the words. Tried to process them. Couldn’t. He’d talked to Anne just three days ago, when she’d called to tell him she was finally leaving her abusive husband. Tomorrow after work, he was making the drive from Washington, Missouri, to Omaha to pick up her and the kids.

      She couldn’t be dead.

      “Sir?”

      “Yes.” Clay cleared his throat. “I’m here.”

      “I’m sorry to give you such bad news. We notified a Clayton Adams in Iowa as well. However, he’s ill and unable to assist with any arrangements.”

      His father’s illness was news to Clay. But he didn’t keep in touch with his holier-than-thou old man. And he couldn’t care less what his physical condition was. Thanks to the pressure he’d exerted, Anne had stayed in a dangerous marriage.

      Now she was dead.

      As the full impact of the officer’s news began to sink in, a wave of nausea swept over Clay. He squeezed his eyes shut, as if that would somehow obliterate the reality. But it couldn’t alter the facts. Anne was gone.

      “What happened?” He managed to choke out the hoarse question.

      The sound of shuffling papers came over the line. “According to the report, it appears she died from a blow to the head. The autopsy will confirm that.”

      All at once, Clay’s shock gave way to rage. A rage that went at light speed from simmering to boiling. “I hope you lock up that monster and throw away the key,” he spat out.

      “Unfortunately, the suspect had disappeared by the time we arrived.”

      A muscle in Clay’s jaw clenched. “You mean he’s gone?”

      “For the moment. But we’ll find him. He took the family’s car, and we’ve issued a BOLO alert on him.”

      “Did Anne report this before she…before she died?”

      “No. From what we’ve been able to gather, the suspect locked the children in a bedroom when the dispute began. One of them climbed out a window and ran next door for help. The neighbors called the police.”

      Clay hadn’t even thought about Josh and Emily. “Are the kids okay?”

      “Physically, yes. But as you might expect, they’re pretty traumatized. A friend of Mrs. Montgomery’s is watching them until family arrives.”

      Meaning him. There was no one else.

      Wiping a hand down his face, Clay tried to think. The construction project he’d been sent to Washington to oversee was in the critical start-up phase, and a late February snow had already put them behind schedule in the two weeks he’d been on site. His boss in Chicago wouldn’t be too thrilled about his taking time off. But that was tough.

      He glanced again at the clock. “I can be there by noon tomorrow.”

      “I’ll pass that on to Mrs. Montgomery’s