One to Take (One to Hold 8)

“Come and let mommy hold you,” I say, holding out my hand. I love her so much.

The beautiful little girl only shakes her head. She skips and twirls, and as she dances, I see the shimmer of angel’s wing

s appear around her shoulders. Fear sweeps over me at the sight of them.

“No!” I say, my voice breaking.

She’s so happy and pretty, I know I shouldn’t feel sad, but sorrow grips my chest so hard I can’t breathe.

“Don’t go, baby,” I beg.

The little girl only continues skipping and dancing as the delicate wings grow longer. They shudder in the breeze, and she rises, reaching up towards the clouds.

I roll onto my back in the long grass and squint into the bright sunlight watching her go, rising higher and higher, growing more faint with every beat of her wings.

“Come back,” I whisper, but it’s too late.

Tears flood my eyes. The white light burns them, and the tears stream down my face. I can’t move. I can only lie on my back and cry as I watch my baby girl fly away.

14

Justice

Stuart

Evan Robertson sits across from us at the table, tracing his finger over the rim of his coffee cup. Conway Hendricks is beside him, and it appears the two of them have been here a while before us.

“So you’re thinking about staying, I hear.” Conway lifts his mug and takes a long drink of coffee.

I look down at the half-eaten Spanish omelet in front of me weighing my response. My uncle is clearly older, on the edge of retirement, and they’re the vultures circling.

“It’s something we’re talking about,” I say, which is pretty much the truth.

“Interesting.” Conway stabs a piece of sausage on his plate. I watch as he puts the salty pork in his chubby mouth and evaluates me with a calculating glare.

What the fuck? When did these assholes get so mercenary?

“What difference does it make?” I’m not worried about what they think of me. I’m making decisions based on my little family. “Nothing would change from the way we do business now.”

Evan nods, scooping a bite of bright yellow scrambled egg onto his fork. “You’re right,” he says, putting it in his mouth.

I sit back and sip my coffee as I watch him. Clearly these fellows think they’re dealing with a greenhorn.

“The difference is if you decide it’s not what you want to do. We need to know how soon that decision will be made.”

My brow lines. “It sounds like you think it’s going to be made.”

Conway clears his throat and shifts in his chair. “That’s a pretty little gal I’ve seen on your arm, Stuart.”

“What of it?” My eyes blaze into this bastard who has the audacity to drag Mariska into this.

Evan exhales a nervous laugh. “Just past experience. Seems the only women who want to stay in Great Falls is the women who grew up in Great Falls. Nothing more.”

He has a point, but I’ll be damned if I concede. I won’t leave Bill at the mercy of these guys. “Not that it’s any of your business, but Mariska has a lot of spirit. She likes it here.”

They both make subservient grunting noises and hastily back away from any insult to my fiancée. “I’m sure she’s quite a gal,” Conway says. “We wish you both all the best. And in the meantime, we have to think about our plans.”

I’m about ready to tell him what he can do with his plans when my phone buzzes. I glance down, ready to dismiss it, but I see the words on the face. All the air leaves my lungs as the words materialize on my brain.