Tall, Dark, Texas Ranger / Once Upon A Christmas Eve. Patricia Thayer

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      Coop took a step toward her, but she raised a hand. “I was too demanding after he’d left us. I made all kinds of rules and stipulations about his visitation. Finally Mike stopped showing up at all.”

      She heard Coop curse. “Did the custody agreement give him a fair amount of time with the kids?”

      She nodded unable to speak.

      “Well, then, if he loved his kids, he would have found a way.”

      Suddenly they weren’t alone. Rey Santos walked out from beside the house. She shivered as the man smiled at her.

      He turned in her direction and came up the steps. “Mrs. Perry. I would like to speak with you.”

      “I’m afraid I don’t have the time right now.”

      “This will only take a moment. Stephanie wants to know if you have gathered up the rest of Mike’s things.”

      Lilly’s sigh was audible. “Tell my sister-in-law that there is nothing left of Mike’s in this house. I left anything that was his behind.”

      Rey Santos didn’t look happy as he took a step closer. “If you are keeping any paperwork about the business, Stephanie has the right to them.”

      Lilly felt Coop’s presence. She hated the fact that she liked having him close. “I suggest you tell Stephanie to talk to the sheriff. He took all I had in for evidence.” She made that up.

      “I will relay the message,” Santos said.

      “And tell her I no longer need the lawn service,” Lilly said. “The cost is too high.”

      Something flashed in the man’s deep-set eyes. It was almost threatening. “Si, sigñora, I’ll relay the message to her.”

      He spoke in Spanish to his crew and they climbed into the truck and drove off.

      Lilly released a breath as her body sagged against Coop’s. For a second she let herself feel safe and cared for. And a whole lot of things she shouldn’t be feeling. Reality quickly returned and she moved away.

      “Want to talk about it?” Coop asked.

      Lilly shook her head. She couldn’t let this man get in. To make her feel again. “Anything you want to know is public record. Ask anyone in town.”

      His dark gaze met hers. “Maybe I only want to hear your side of the story.”

      “I wish I had one, but it’s still all a mystery to me.”

      CHAPTER FOUR

      LATER that afternoon, Lilly tried to control her anger, but then her worry took over.

      “Where are you, Kasey Elizabeth Perry?” She punched in her daughter’s cell phone number again. It went straight to voice mail. She left another message. “Kasey, it’s Mom, you better call me.”

      She tossed the phone on the kitchen counter as Robbie came in the back door.

      “Hey, Mom, look.” He held up a five dollar bill. “Coop paid me for helping him. He said I did a good job.”

      “That’s great, son.” She forgot her worry for a moment and hugged him. “I’m so proud of you.”

      He pulled back. “And I’m going to work tomorrow, too.”

      Was her son bothering Noah? “Are you sure Mr. Cooper needs you tomorrow?”

      Robbie bobbed his head up and down. “Yeah, Mom, he said he needs me to help mix the cement. So I hafta be at work at eight sharp. I’m going to put this in my bank.”

      Her son shot down the hall and Lilly started to call him back to go help look for Kasey when there was a knock on the kitchen door.

      Noah Cooper stuck his head in. “Could I speak to you a minute?”

      “Of course. Is there a problem? Is Robbie too much? You don’t have be his babysitter.”

      He smiled at her. “No! No, the boy’s been great. A hard worker, too. I just wanted to check with you to make sure it’s okay for him to help tomorrow. I won’t let him get overheated, or go over more than a few hours.”

      She didn’t want this man to be so considerate. It would be safer if she could stay indifferent, but he was slowly winning her over. “I’m surprised Robbie has stayed interested this long. But since he’s so eager, I don’t have a problem with tomorrow.”

      He frowned at her. “Is something wrong?”

      Her first reaction was to deny it, but she found herself saying, “My daughter isn’t home yet, and she’s not answering her cell phone.”

      He stepped into the kitchen. “Do you know where she went?”

      “Supposedly with her friend, Jody. I called her mother, and no one’s home.” Lilly sighed in frustration. “I’d be really angry if I wasn’t so worried.”

      Noah walked to her, looking so big, strong and reassuring. “It’s going to be okay, Lilly. We’ll find her.”

      She knew she shouldn’t take his help, but it felt good not to have to do this on her own for a change. She’d deal with the regrets later.

      For the next thirty minutes, they looked for Kasey. Coop had loaded Lilly and Robbie in his truck, drove around the neighborhood, then stopped at Kasey friend’s house. No one was home. Next came the park and a pizza place. Still no sign of the girl.

      “Mom, is Kasey in trouble?” Robbie asked from the backseat.

      “Yes. She didn’t call me to say she was going to be late.”

      “Is she gonna be on ‘striction?”

      Coop could hear a mother’s fear in Lilly’s voice. “It’s restriction, and that’s between Kasey and me. Right now, I just want to find her.”

      They parked on Main Street and checked the ice cream parlor. The kid behind the counter told Lilly that both girls had been in, about an hour ago.

      After thanking him, they walked outside. “What about the quilt shop?” Coop suggested. “Would she go to see her grandmother?”

      “I didn’t want to worry her.” Lilly frowned. “But I guess we better go tell her. Maybe Kasey told her something, since my daughter doesn’t talk to me these days.”

      Coop knew the girl had an attitude. Didn’t most teenagers? Of course, a lot had happened in the girl’s life lately.

      He opened the door to the Blind Stitch and allowed Lilly and Robbie to go in ahead of him. The shop had a few customers milling around, but Beth walked over immediately to greet them.

      “Hi, Robbie.” She hugged her grandson and smiled at her daughter. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

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