right. Sounds like a plan.”
“Glad you could join us this morning,” her mother said.
“There’s no way I’d miss this spread.” Eggs, bacon, sausage, grits and biscuits. Her mother’s heritage might be Korean, but she cooked straight Southern when she was in the mood. “Unfortunately, I’m going to have to rush through it, though.” She took Mia’s small hand in her right and Jessica’s in her left. “I’ll bless it.” She said a short prayer and, after a round of amens, looked back to her mother. “Where’s Dad?”
“He’s already eaten. He had to go move the horses to the south pasture so they could start clearing the land for the new barn.”
In addition to raising foster children, her parents boarded and raised thoroughbred horses. Each week seemed to bring one or two new clients. A good problem to have, but a lot of work as well. “I’m sorry I can’t help him.”
“He’s got help. Eat your food, then go do that job you’re so good at.” She paused. “I thought today was your day off.”
“It is. Was. I’ve got some things I need to take care of that won’t wait. But I’m hoping it will be a short day.” Somehow she doubted it. Not with Frank still missing. But she could hope—and she had to bring a Christmas tree home. She winked and turned to the children. “Eat up, little people. The bus will be here in thirty minutes. And don’t forget, we’re pulling out Christmas decorations. You can start when you get home from school. It’s the last day before break and you don’t want to miss all the candy that will be passed around. And cake at the party.”
“And Christmas games,” Jessica said with a shy smile.
“Sounds like a perfect day to me.” Jade brushed the bangs from the girl’s eyes and tapped her nose. “It’s going to be fun.”
The children cheered, and Jade’s mother grinned at the happiness at her table.
Jade hadn’t told her parents about Frank. It had been so late when she’d finally slipped into bed that she hadn’t had a chance. And no time this morning. Not in front of the kids. They adored Frank—especially Mia.
“Lolly?” Jessica’s hesitant voice caught Jade’s attention as well as her mother’s.
“What is it, darling?” Her mom paused to give the child her full attention.
“Are we going to be here for Christmas?”
“Well, now, that’s a really good question.” She sighed. “I wish I could say a one hundred percent yes, but you know how this system works as well—or better—than I do.”
“Oh.” Jessica looked back at her plate, her shoulders slumping.
“But we sure hope you will be,” Mia said.
“Me too,” Jessica mumbled around a mouthful of bacon.
Gage’s bright gaze bounced from one person to the next. “I’m staying here. I don’t care what anyone else says.”
“We’ll see,” Jade said. “Just know that we all want you here more than anything.”
“Absolutely.” Her mother gave a firm nod.
“Thanks,” he whispered.
Jade’s heart stuttered with love for the little boy and his sister. She caught her mother’s eye and saw a sheen of tears hovering there just before she looked away. Bless her. Such a tenderhearted woman. All she wanted was to make the world right for kids who didn’t know what it was like to have that happen. And so did Jade. “I’m going to stop by my office first, then pay a visit to someone I need to question about a case.”
Fifteen minutes later, with her mind on Frank and Bryce and trying to keep all of her emotions under control, Jade kissed her mother and daughter goodbye, gave hugs to Jessica and Gage, and took off for the station, praying she could dig up something that would tell her where Frank was.
Bryce opened the door to his sister Kristy’s kitchen, and his dog, Sasha, darted around him to shake the snow from her coat. “Sasha, stop!” The dog did, but it was too late. She’d splattered melted snow everywhere. He grabbed the hand towel from the rack and made a futile effort to wipe her down.
Kristy entered with eighteen-month-old Liam on her hip. When the child’s gaze landed on Sasha, he squealed. “Doggy!”
“Shh. You’ll wake up your brother.”
“My doggy!”
Kristy rolled her eyes. “Wet doggy.” She walked into the laundry room, returned with two bath towels and shoved them at Bryce. “Messy doggy.”
“Thanks,” he said. “Sasha, sit.” The dog obeyed, and Bryce draped the first towel over her and rubbed. “She decided it would be fun to roll in the snow.”
“Of course she did. Which means she brings in a gallon of water just on her fur. You couldn’t get something like a schnauzer or a Chihuahua, could you?”
He raised a brow. “Really? You can see me with one of those?” He finished with Sasha and turned to the walls and pantry door.
“I guess not. What are your plans today?”
When everything was dry, he tossed the towels into the laundry room and told her about finding a lead into Frank’s disappearance. “So I’m going to rinse off, change and head over to the shooting range.”
Her gaze dropped to his prosthetic, the curved one that allowed him to run without falling over. “I forget you have that most of the time.”
“That’s one of the nicest things you’ve ever said to me.”
“Well...that’s kind of sad. I’ll work on it. There’s a ham biscuit in the fridge if you want to warm it up.”
“I’d love it, thanks.”
Her expression softened and she hugged him. “Go change your leg—you do realize how weird that sounds—and I’ll pour you some coffee. You can warm up the biscuit when you get done.”
“Thanks, sis.” He kissed her cheek and blew a raspberry on the baby’s, then headed to his room.
Once showered and changed, he returned to the kitchen to find Liam in his high chair and Kristy feeding him ham, eggs and little pieces of biscuit. Sasha lifted her head and watched him, tongue lolling from the side of her mouth.
Bryce shook his head, grabbed the biscuit from the fridge and popped it in the microwave. “She’s such a slug.”
“She’s a monster.”
“A monster in body, but she’s pure love in that big heart of hers. I don’t know what I’d do without her.” The microwave dinged and he grabbed the food. “I appreciate you letting us stay here. I know it’s not convenient.”
Kristy sighed. “We’re happy to have you here. We’ve missed you.”
Liam tossed a piece of ham straight at the dog. Sasha snagged and gulped it, then turned pleading eyes on the child as though begging him to do it again. “Hey, Sash, you already had your breakfast.” He chucked the baby on the chin. “You need to eat yours.”
“Doggy eat it.”
“You eat it.”
“No no.”
“Yes yes.”
Liam giggled, his little teeth glinting. “Doggy.”
Bryce raised a brow at his sister. “I’m not going to win this one, am I?”
“Nope.”
“Right.”