Harlequin Love Inspired Suspense March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2 by Dana Mentink (novels to improve english txt) 📗

from forming. How would she ever be able to say goodbye to this precious child when this case was concluded? God, what are You doing? Throwing a child at me after the news of my condition? You know my heart’s desires.

She rubbed the boy’s arms. “Hey, bud. I missed you, too, but you need to put a coat on when you go outside. Let’s get you back indoors.” She glanced toward Layke to get his attention, but he was engrossed in a conversation with the constable.

Hannah ignored the ugly seed of jealousy creeping into her heart and guided Gabe up the stairs to the front door. “What did you do while we were gone?”

“I played with the dogs. They are so much fun.” The boy’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree at a tree-lighting event. “I love Saje the best.”

“The one with the different colored eyes?”

“Yes! She’s so funny.”

Hannah giggled. “I’ll have to go visit the dogs later, but right now we have a lady here who needs to talk to you about the man you saw.”

His smile faded as panic contorted his tiny face. “I can’t.” He opened the door and stomped into the entryway, his wiry curls bouncing.

She followed him and removed her outerwear. “He can’t hurt you here, Gabe. Mr. Layke and I won’t let him.”

“I don’t want to talk to her.” He ran into the living room.

Murray and Natalie walked around the corner.

“Is he okay?” Natalie asked, concern etched around her eyes.

“He’s scared to speak to the forensic sketch artist.”

“I’ll go talk to him.” Natalie walked into the room and sat on the couch beside Gabe, whispering something to him.

“She’s good with kids,” Hannah said.

Murray nodded. “She’s always wanted to be a mother and we had a hard time conceiving, but God finally gave us Noel.”

Would God do that for her? Was there hope?

Hannah brushed aside the trusting thought as the front door opened and Layke walked in with the pretty constable laughing.

Hannah bit her lip in an attempt to stop the green-eyed monster from overtaking her at the realization of how quickly the two constables had bonded.

Layke took off his coat. “Everyone, this is Constable Scarlet Wells. Scarlet, this is border patrol officer Hannah Morgan and my brother, Murray Harrelson.”

Scarlet’s lips tipped into a gorgeous smile.

No wonder Layke seemed smitten.

Hannah cleared her throat and thrust out her hand. “Nice to meet you. Gabe is in the living room, and very nervous about talking to you.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll calm him. I’m great with kids.” She took off her boots and picked up her briefcase before heading toward Gabe.

Of course you are.

Layke tilted his head at her, a searching expression on his face. “You okay?”

“Fine. Let’s get this done.” Her curt tone surprised even herself. Hannah had to stop this way of thinking. This jealousy wasn’t an emotion she normally felt. She pivoted and left her words hanging in the air as she headed toward Gabe.

She had to keep her focus on him and the other boys. They needed to find them.

Before something terrible happened.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Layke followed the crusty border patrol officer into the room. What had he done to cause her sudden shift in mood and why did he care so much? You know why. His feelings for Hannah had grown way too fast for his liking. Especially when he’d sworn himself off falling for any woman. He was resolved to remain single for the rest of his life, so why did he care about Hannah’s coolness toward him?

Hannah sat on the other side of Gabe and rubbed the crying boy’s arm as Scarlet talked to him about the process she would take.

Natalie stood behind them and squeezed Gabe’s shoulders. “Bud, it’s okay. You’re safe here.”

Three mother hens for one boy. He chuckled to himself as an image formed in his mind of birds clucking around a baby chick. This boy didn’t stand a chance.

Scarlet drew out a tissue from her pocket and wiped his tears. “It’s okay, Gabe. I will be quick because I’m good at what I do.” She turned and smiled at Layke.

A pinched expression raced across Hannah’s face, causing him to take a step back. Was she jealous of the pretty forensic artist? Why? Was it because of the attention Scarlet was giving the boy or the fact that Layke had hit it off quickly with the constable? They’d discovered they had mutual friends in their force and shared a couple quick stories with each other that made him laugh.

No, it couldn’t be that. Hannah wasn’t interested in Layke anyway. Was she?

Stop. Concentrate. Remember what Amber did to you. He sat in the rocking chair beside them. “Sport, it’s okay. You can talk to Miss Scarlet. She’s only here to help. You need to tell her what the bad man looks like.”

Hannah cleared her throat and raised her brow at him.

What had he done wrong?

Scarlet pulled out a coiled notebook from her briefcase. “First, I’m going to show you some images of faces to help jog your memory. Okay?”

Gabe frowned.

She held the book in front of him. “Did the man look like any of these?”

He shook his head.

“How about these ones?” She turned the page.

“Nope.”

She flipped to another and held it up.

He shook his head and crossed his arms.

The boy’s body language personified annoyance. Layke had to intervene.

“Sport, I know you’re scared and don’t want to do this, but it will help us catch the bad guys. Can you cooperate?”

Once again, Hannah cleared her throat.

He looked at her. “What?”

She stood. “Can I speak with you in private for a minute?” She marched into the kitchen.

He followed. “What’s wrong with you?”

She spun around, her eyes narrowing. “You have to stop forcing him. He’s young and scared.”

He sighed. “Hannah, we need to find Noel and the other boys, but first we need to identify this man.”

“Stop being so pushy.”

He leaned against the counter and crossed his arms. “What’s really going on here? Your mood shifted after Scarlet came.”

She looked away but not