Strategic Engagement (Wingmen Warriors 5)

Mary Elise knelt eye level with Austin's blueberry-syrup-stained face. She licked her thumb and swiped it over his cheek until the smudge disappeared. "Well, sweetie, it's time for me to get a place of my own."

"Why ya gotta go? I want you to stay."

"I'd like to stay, too. But this isn't my home."

He hitched his blanket under his nose and sniffed. "Are you gonna be close? Are we gonna see you again?"

She smoothed back sweaty brown curls off his forehead. "You bet you will." She answered the latter question while avoiding the first. "It may take a while for me to get everything … settled, but I'll be back here to see you sometime. And when I come back, I want you to show me all your new dives into the pool, and I'll bet you won't even need water wings anymore."

Damn it, he could see the tears in her eyes. Why was she doing this to herself? To the boys.

To him. "Mary Elise, let's talk without the boys here."

"Daniel, I'll be sending you the money I owe you for all the clothes and such. And I made a list of things Austin and Trey have mentioned wanting for Christmas." She avoided his eyes by rifling through her suitcase with jerky agitation. "Where did I put them?"

Trey leaned forward to tug the side zipper pouch. "Are they in here?"

"No. I don't think so. I haven't used that pocket yet."

"But it's half-zipped."

Hell, did the kid have to flipping help her out the door with a hoo-ya just to piss him off?

"Hmm." She yanked open the zipper and jammed her hand inside. "Maybe I put it in here without think—"

She shrieked. Her hand whipped back out of the bag. Blood dripped from her fingertip. "Ouch."

Daniel knelt beside her, pressing his thumb to the pinprick. "Trey, run back to the bathroom and get one of those Winnie the Pooh Band-Aids."

Maybe he could stretch this into a trip to the hospital for a tetanus shot to buy him time to talk her around. Or he could stand here and hold her hand for another hour and stare into the damned prettiest eyes he'd ever seen.

Mary Elise tugged her hand free and stuck her finger in her mouth. She looked away, taking all that endless green with her.

Prying open the side pouch, she peered inside. Color drained from her already-pale face. Swaying, she withdrew a small medicine bottle for a shot.

Daniel supported her shoulders with one arm and grabbed the bag from her. A syringe lay in the side pouch, and from the stunned glaze in Mary Elise's eyes, it didn't belong there.

Instincts went on full alert. Something wasn't right.

Trey charged back down the hall, Band-Aids waving from his hand like banners. "Got it. Two of them. One Tigger and one Ee-yore."

"Thanks, pal." Daniel snagged the bandages and wrapped an orange Tigger Band-Aid around the tip of Mary Elise's finger. "How about you fellas take your Game Boys to your room for a minute."

Austin's bottom lip trembled. "But I wanna say goodbye to Mary Elise."

"I promise you'll get to." He scruffed a hand through the tousled curls. "Meanwhile, let me see if I can talk her into staying a little longer."

Mary Elise exhaled, shaking free whatever had gripped her. "Please, Trey? Could you keep Austin busy for a bit? I promise not to go anywhere without talking to you first."

Trey shuffled from foot to foot, then shrugged. "Yeah, okay, but I want eggplant parmesan for supper."

Daniel faked a smile. "Sure kid, whatever."

Trey yanked his little brother by the arm, promises of Pokémon Nintendo fading with the close of their bedroom door.

Anger on a tight rein, Daniel jabbed a finger toward her. "Cut the crap. I'm not letting you walk out until you tell me exactly what's going on."

Mary Elise sunk back on her bottom. "Oh, God, Danny. I've screwed up so bad."