Guard Duty. Sharon Dunn

in her arms. Where had the time gone? She should have been ready for work by now. The sitter would be here any minute. It was easy enough to lose track of time when you got up four or five times in the night to deal with a fussy toddler.

      A knock came at her door, loud and intense. Lexi sauntered out of her crate positioned by the sliding glass door. She raised her head and looked toward Valerie, expecting instructions.

      Valerie turned toward the door. “Who is it?”

      “Trevor Lewis.”

      And she was still in her bathrobe. What had she been thinking when she had agreed to him swinging by before work? Now that she had Bethany, it took her twice as long to get ready in the morning. Valerie gave the Rottweiler a reassuring look. “Go back to sleep, Lexi. It’s okay.”

      “Just a second.” After placing Bethany in her playpen, Valerie took a breath to calm her nerves. She hoped she hadn’t seemed too standoffish to Agent Lewis last night. McNeal had been looking out for her when he suggested she work with Trevor, and maybe she’d be able to help him. She probably needed the extra protection, but the partnership was a bitter reminder of how hard the syndicate was making it for her to do her job.

      She swung open the door. Trevor looked fresh in a crisp, French blue button-down shirt. His dark curly hair was clipped close to his head and his brown eyes had an intensity she hadn’t noticed last night.

      His gaze fell to her bathrobe, and heat rushed up her face. “My little one has me running behind schedule.” She turned slightly away from the door so Trevor had a view of Bethany shaking the sides of her playpen.

      Barely acknowledging the child, Trevor lifted the computer tablet he had in his hand. “I’ve got Murke’s file.”

      “Come in. I need just a minute to get ready,” she said.

      Trevor glanced around the room. “Where’s the dog?”

      “She’s resting in her crate.” Valerie sighed as she looked at the crate and then at the playpen not too far from it. Lexi had never shown any aggression toward Bethany, but the dog was keeping her distance. Though Lexi was protective of Valerie, it would be a shame if she didn’t bond with Bethany. The trainer at the K-9 facility had assured her that dogs were just like people—it took time for them to adjust to new situations.

      “Take a seat, Mr. Lewis.”

      “You can call me Trevor.”

      Bethany babbled and held her hands up. Valerie gathered her into her arms and grabbed her bottle off the counter. When Valerie offered it to her, Bethany shook her head. She hadn’t eaten anything yet this morning. Valerie tried not to give in to worry. She bounced Bethany in her arms. “We don’t want you losing weight.”

      She had fifteen minutes before her neighbor, Stella Witherspoon, came over to watch Bethany. Not enough time to get everything done. This motherhood thing was a juggling act and so far she had dropped all her balls.

      She sat Bethany on the opposite side of the couch from Trevor. Valerie smoothed Bethany’s silky, soft hair and then handed Trevor the bottle. “If Bethany starts to fuss, see if she will take this.”

      Trevor’s eyes grew wide with fear. “Give her the bottle?” His voice slipped up half an octave.

      Valerie shook her head. “It would be a help.” You’d think she had asked him to split an atom.

      Still flustered by all she had to get done in a short amount of time, Valerie went up the stairs to where her uniform was laid out.

      * * *

      Trevor Lewis shifted uneasily on the couch. The little girl stuck two fingers in her mouth and watched him. With her free hand, she held on to a stuffed pink bunny that had seen better days. One of its ears dangled by a thread. He didn’t know that much about kids, but she looked at him like he was a pinned insect.

      “Is your name Bethany?”

      She continued to stare and suck her fingers. Did kids this little talk?

      Valerie seemed distracted. Did she even want to work with him? He stared down at the tablet where he had opened Derek Murke’s file. Trying to catch a fugitive without the cooperation of the local police department never went well. She was the most likely candidate to help him. McNeal had mentioned that Salgado was a rookie...just like Cory Smith had been. Icy pain stabbed at Trevor’s heart. Could he keep this rookie safe?

      Trevor let out a heavy breath and looked at Bethany. And she had a kid.

      He held up the bottle to Bethany. “You want this?”

      Bethany popped her fingers out of her mouth. She pointed at something across the room and said, “Gaga.”

      He had no idea what she was talking about. Being around babies made him feel awkward. They seemed so fragile. As if they would shatter like glass if you didn’t hold them right. Bethany flipped around to her belly and slid off the couch. She tottered over to him, blue eyes still assessing him.

      Her hand rested on his leg with a touch that was barely heavier than air. He held the bottle toward her while she was still standing and fed her as though she were a newborn lamb. She looked up at him with eyes that were filled with trust. He felt a fluttering in his heart. How unexpected that this delicate child was okay with him feeding her.

      When he glanced around the room, Valerie stood at the base of the stairs watching them. Without the utility belt, the uniform accentuated her curves. Her red hair had been pulled up into a ponytail, revealing the soft lines of her face and clear green eyes.

      “You can hold her, you know.” There was a hint of amusement in her voice.

      “We’re doing just fine,” Trevor muttered.

      Bethany pulled away from him and tottered toward Valerie just as the doorbell rang. An older woman with white, fluffy hair that had a tint of blue to it stepped across the threshold when Valerie opened the door. Valerie introduced the babysitter as Stella Witherspoon.

      “There’s my little Bethie.” Mrs. Witherspoon’s voice had a charming bell-like quality.

      The little girl squealed with delight and kicked her legs while Valerie held her. “Thanks for coming, Stella.”

      Bethany nestled against Valerie while she gave Stella instructions for the day. Valerie ran a finger down Bethany’s cheek and rubbed noses with her when the little girl tilted her head up. She seemed like a natural at being a mom. Where was the baby’s father in all this? He hadn’t noticed a wedding band on her finger.

      After Valerie handed Bethany over, she turned toward Trevor. “Since I’m running late, I can look at the file on the way to the station.” She turned back toward the kitchen. “Lexi, come.”

      The dog trotted out from her crate by the back door.

      Valerie grabbed the leash and canine vest by the door and proceeded to put them on Lexi. She rose to her feet. “I hope you don’t mind. She goes everywhere with me while I’m on duty.”

      Trevor nodded. “I understand.” He opened the door for her when she had clicked Lexi into her leash.

      As they stepped out into the early morning, light shimmered across Valerie’s coppery hair. She stopped and stared at where the police car used to be.

      “I sent him home since you’re with me,” Trevor said.

      Her voice took on that soft, distant quality. “He usually follows me into the station in the morning.”

      The inflection in her voice suggested weariness, as though the need for protection had taken its toll on her emotionally.

      Trevor glanced around. Other than automated sprinklers turning on, he saw no movement anywhere on the quiet street. He sidled closer to Valerie.

      She turned toward him, furling her brow. “You don’t need to stand quite so close. I’m a trained officer. I can handle myself.”

      He