Pale Wings Protecting Read online

  Daryl was in awe of the technology spread out before her. “So much for me expecting a laptop and simple Wi-Fi connection.”

  “Welcome to the DDU, Detective. Things run a little different for their operations.” The woman got up from the floor and patted Daryl’s arm. “Good luck with finding the children, ma’am.”

  “Thank you.”

  The man who’d directed Daryl in popped his head back around the door. “You might want to go rescue your partner. I think the local neighborhood watch is making her twitchy for her concealed gun!”

  Daryl went to get Blythe. She stayed in the front doorway and leaned against the jamb. “Love, we’re going to need you in here please. You know I don’t have a clue where everything goes.”

  Given the excuse to extricate herself from Mia, Blythe hastened to Daryl’s side, the plate of cookies in her hand. “You are an angel,” Blythe breathed, “but I’ve found our font of all neighborhood goings on.”

  Daryl picked up a cookie and chewed. “A lead sitting right on our doorstep. Not bad for our first five minutes in our new home. And she bakes too. We’d best keep on her good side.”

  Blythe put the plate down and tugged at Daryl’s hand. “Want to explore our new place?”

  “Let’s check it out.” For a moment, the severity of the case faded as Daryl trailed after Blythe as they dodged the DDU’s own who were bringing in furniture and building them a home.

  The master bedroom housed a very large bed, a TV monitor on the wall, and enough closet space to seemingly fit the whole of Daryl’s apartment inside. She gaped at the luxury money afforded. Blythe halted before the bed and Daryl noticed what had been done. Their suitcases had been brought in and laid together in the same room.

  “There’s that small room just across the hallway. I’ll sleep in there,” Daryl said. “It’s done up like a spare bedroom anyway, and it’s more than adequate for me.”

  “You’re leaving me to the luxurious comfort this king-sized bed no doubt boasts?” Blythe sat on the mattress and patted the space beside her, inviting Daryl to sit.

  Daryl did so and had to admit the room was lovely. “The guest room will suit me fine. We’ll keep most of my belongings in here just in case we have someone who wants to sneak a peek inside our lives.”

  Blythe let out a dramatic sigh. “We haven’t even spent a night together under our new roof and we’re already sleeping in separate beds.”

  Daryl smiled. She caught Blythe’s chin in her hand. “You are a tease, Mrs. Chandler-Kent.”

  “It’s one of the many reasons why you married me,” Blythe replied. “Maybe we’d better go supervise the downstairs crew before one of them comes up here to see if we’re already undercover.” She winked and bounced a little on the bed.

  Daryl groaned. “You’re also incorrigible.” She stood and reached out a hand to help Blythe to her feet.

  Blythe bumped her shoulder. “And that’s another reason why you married me. That and my undeniable beauty.”

  Daryl couldn’t argue with that. She felt herself fall just a little more under Blythe’s spell.

  *

  Seated on her new couch, Daryl relished the silence that had finally descended once everyone had cleared out of the house and left her and Blythe alone. She was still taking everything in. She was in their new living room, now all fully furnished and looking homey. Above the fireplace hung a beautifully framed picture of her and Blythe taken just days before but looking like they’d been together forever. The surreal quality of it all wasn’t lost on Daryl, and she kept waiting for something to happen to drag her back to earth with a resounding bump.

  “You look a little stunned,” Blythe said as she handed Daryl a glass of wine.

  “I can’t believe how fast all this has happened. It wasn’t a moment ago I was presenting my case to the DDU, and now we’re undercover and living in a house I could never dream of affording.”

  “Our personal conference room in our office is all set up. Lake said he’d contact us at seven p.m. But now it’s all up to you and me. The good old solid police work starts here.”

  Daryl took a small sip from her wine. “How soon can we start talking to the neighbors?”

  “We’ve been invited to a ‘getting to know you’ barbeque this weekend. Is that soon enough for you?”

  “Christ, someone works fast.”

  “It’s all courtesy of your friendly neighborhood baking guru, Mia.” Blythe took a drink from her glass and sat opposite Daryl. “I made your bed up.”

  “You didn’t have to do that. I could have done it.”

  “I know, but it made me feel better seeing as I’m getting the better end of the deal and having the master bedroom with en suite bathroom. Your bathroom is two doors down from your bedroom.”

  Daryl shrugged. “It’s just a room where I’ll sleep. But thank you for doing that for me.”

  “We need to go grocery shopping tomorrow. The bits and pieces we picked up today on the way here won’t last us until the weekend, and I’d like to have some food in our fridges so we don’t starve.”

  Daryl remained quiet for a moment, her mind whirling.

  “What are you thinking?” Blythe asked softly.

  “How domesticated all this is.” She gestured toward the photo on the wall and the others strategically placed on view. “One day, I’m single; the next, I’m married and moved into a dream home. I feel a little overwhelmed by it all.” And by how much I like it.

  “How did you see the operation working?”

  “I thought it would be less…intimate.” She cringed at her own words. “But all this…” She waved a hand to encompass the room. “This is beyond what I imagined.”

  “Then are you ready for a hard dose of reality?” Blythe checked her watch. “It’s time to report in.”

  *

  The office set up for their faux business was a techie’s dream. Blythe skillfully connected them to the DDU’s New York base for a face-to-face conference call. Lake sat before the computer screen. Daryl could see the other two male members of the team sitting behind him.

  “How are you settling in?” Lake asked.

  “We’ve already been met by the neighborhood watch, a Mia Connelly,” Blythe told him and Browning began tapping her name into a computer. Caldow leaned over his shoulder reading off the screen.

  “She’s clean,” he reported.

  “She’s nosy,” Daryl said, “but that may work in our favor.”

  “We’ve already been invited to meet all the neighbors this weekend at a barbeque so we can start putting out our story of wanting to adopt among the ones that have already been down that route,” Blythe added.

  “That will be a perfect opportunity,” Lake said.

  Caldow leaned into view. “So how’s married life treating you so far?”

  Daryl laughed. “It’s hectic. Even though we had the help of the Bureau’s finest moving us in, it was still stressful. At least I know where my suitcases are so I can have at hand anything I need that was packed in those.” She paused for a moment. “It’s going to be strange at the barbeque. We’re the ones who are going to be scrutinized and questioned. I just hope our new neighbors don’t realize we’re doing the exact same thing back.”

  “I’ll expect updates when you have them. For now, we’ll step back and let you get on with it and just inform you when we find anything on our end. We’re gathering hospital employee records at the moment and having to cut through some red tape to do it. It might take us a day or two to bang some bureaucratic heads together.”

  Daryl stared at Lake then looked at Blythe, surprised that they wouldn’t have to report to the DDU every day. Lake chuckled.

  “You’re newlyweds. I thought you’d appreciate our stepping back and giving you some space.”

  Daryl knew her fair skin was broadcasting her embarrassment for all to see. Blythe just laughed beside her.

  “We’ll be in touch if anything develops. I have a feeling our neighb
ors aren’t going to be the shy, retiring types. They smell new blood; they’ll start circling soon.”

  “Just stick to your story and you’ll be fine,” Lake said. “Someone in that area is skilled enough to take children without anyone seeing them and then transplanting them in plain view with new identities. Be cautious, and let’s wrap this case up tightly to bring those children home.”

  Chapter Eight

  Daryl laid out a clean shirt from the ones Blythe had picked out for her on their shopping expedition. She liked the pale blue piped with black pinstripes, and teamed up with jeans, she hoped it would be considered suitable attire to meet and greet their new neighbors. She slipped her feet into a brand new pair of Nikes and couldn’t remember the last time she’d worn casual shoes. She and Blythe had spent the morning grocery shopping again. Living with someone and not existing on a diet of pre-packed sandwiches or a candy bar at the police station made Daryl realize just how out of touch she’d gotten with the three meals a day routine.

  Daryl didn’t expect to enjoy the shopping quite as much as she had, but in Blythe’s company it had been entertaining. Blythe had an infectious sense of humor that charmed Daryl, and she found herself relaxing more and more in her presence. She took all the gentle teasing in good part and found herself wishing that if she could ever settle down, it would be with someone like Blythe. With a sigh, Daryl put her shirt on. A tap on her bedroom door caught her as she was buttoning it up.

  “Are you ready to face the horde of nosy neighbors?” Blythe asked through the door.

  Daryl opened it to find Blythe wearing a bright red patterned summer dress that complemented both her figure and her dark coloring. Blythe caught her looking, even though she’d tried not to be too obvious.

  “Will I do?”

  Daryl just nodded, not trusting her voice.

  Blythe tugged gently on Daryl’s shirt collar. “You’re looking mighty fine yourself. Very Yuppie. Have you got our story straight?”

  Daryl nodded again. Their cover story was so ingrained in her brain she almost believed it herself. “I’m more than ready to get this investigation started.”

  “Then it’s time to put your social game face on, sweetheart. Be sure to leave your badge behind,” Blythe teased her. “Don’t make me frisk you to make sure it’s not hidden somewhere on your person.”

  “I feel naked without it,” Daryl grumbled but patted her pockets to prove she wasn’t carrying her shield.

  “Just bring your investigative skills and your patience because we’re the new folk on the block. We’re going to be grilled as much as the meat on the barbeque.”

  *

  The spacious backyard of their hosts was bustling with people and children running around with high, excited voices. Mia Connelly spotted them right away.

  “Blythe, Daryl, come meet everyone!” Mia waved them over and Blythe led the way, Daryl’s hand in her own partly for appearances, but mostly because Blythe didn’t want to be left to the jackals alone. She put on her brightest smile and strode forward.

  “Niki, these are our new neighbors that moved into the Meyer home.”

  Niki was a short brunette, stocky in build, and sporting a sleeve tattoo Blythe knew Trace would have been all over. She shook Blythe’s hand but was eyeing Daryl. She out butches you, short stuff, Blythe thought, amused when Niki straightened her shoulders and puffed out her chest to make herself look bigger. She shook Daryl’s hand with a stern look.

  “Niki, thank you for inviting us to your home. Did you build that barbeque pit yourself?”

  Blythe looked over at the big fancy barbeque Daryl was referring to that was obviously used to some heavy-duty cooking.

  “I did indeed.”

  “Man, that’s so cool,” Daryl said. “I wouldn’t have known where to start.”

  Niki slugged Daryl on her arm. “Come check it out. Let me show you my baby.”

  Daryl flashed a smile at Blythe and kissed her on the forehead. “Back in a bit, babe.”

  Mia sidled in closer to Blythe and bumped her with a hip. “There was a time I was the only baby Niki got that excited over. But a three-tier grill and cooking tongs stole her heart. Your Daryl will be roped into helping now. Niki loves showing off her pride and joy.” She waved over two women who were hovering nearby. “Jenn, Gina, meet Blythe. Her partner is that gorgeous hunk of blondness over there with my Niki.”

  Blythe laughed as the two women fanned themselves as they checked Daryl out.

  “Where’d you find her, Blythe? She’s beyond gorgeous,” Gina asked breathlessly as her eyes swept over Daryl from head to toe.

  Blythe enjoyed the opportunity to stare at Daryl herself. “Isn’t she though?” she replied with a playful smile. “We met in New York.” Their back story rolled from Blythe’s lips as she told of their courtship, each romantic moment devised by the DDU.

  “So you’re settling down here?” Jenn asked.

  Blythe nodded. “We decided we’d love a family very early on, but things haven’t exactly gone according to plan for us in that area.” Blythe paused as if overcome by emotion. She looked away to brush at her eye then back at the women who clung to her every word. “But we’re looking into adoption because we want a child so much.”

  “You should talk to Claire and Liz. They’d been trying to adopt for years before they moved here. They registered at all the agencies, and now they are mommies,” Mia confided. “I bet they’d have tons of advice to share with you.”

  Blythe smiled and squeezed Mia’s arm in gratitude. “That would be fantastic. We’d love any assistance we can get. You’ll have to point them out to us.”

  “They’re over there with their little boy.” Gina pointed to a couple indulgently watching the antics of a young child toddling around. His unsteady gait wasn’t helped by the fact he was trying to run. One of his mothers scooped him up and kissed him all over his face. His high-pitched laughter rang through the air.

  “You moved to Cranston Heights for that kind of life, Blythe?” Mia asked, watching Blythe’s face as she stared at the happy family.

  Blythe nodded, easily caught up in the role she was playing. “Maybe a little blond-haired child, someone Daryl can spoil to pieces and rock to sleep at nights.”

  “She could rock me to sleep any night,” Jenn sighed and fluttered her eyelashes outrageously at Blythe.

  Blythe just laughed at her, recognizing the teasing of a well-practiced flirty femme. “Honey, believe me, she rocks my world. She’s just so full of love a child would be lucky to have her, just like I am.”

  *

  Daryl was secretly amazed by how much there was to know about a barbeque setup and just how much Niki could talk about it. Daryl figured if she could listen in court to testimonies that were tedious works of fiction as people lied under oath, then she could listen to BBQ Betty spouting lyrical about how much steak she could char. One minute, Daryl was nodding and feigning fascination, the next, she was in motion, sprinting across the yard. She all but swooped in to scoop up a small child who was just seconds away from tumbling headfirst into the fish pool. She blinked dazedly as she looked down into the face of the small boy in her arms. Wide-eyed, he stared up at her then he gave her the most beautiful smile. In the suddenly unnatural silence, sound returned with a deafening boom, and Daryl was startled back to reality by the loud screams of a woman.

  “Oh my God! Oh my God! Justin!” She and another woman ran over to Daryl, their faces ashen and equally terrified.

  “He’s okay,” Daryl said softly, handing over the now squirming child to his frantic mothers. The one began running her hands all over his little limbs to make sure he was all in one piece. The other stood twisting her hands together in knots.

  “I only looked away for a second,” one said, her voice shaking in her fear.

  “He’s okay.” Daryl barely had a chance to repeat before she found herself hugged between both women in their relief and gratitude.

  “Niki, put the damn co
ver on that pool right this second!” Mia ordered angrily. “You were supposed to do that earlier today.”

  Niki hastened to do as she was bid. “I forgot,” she grumbled to no one in particular.

  Daryl tried to extricate herself from the sobbing parents. She was relieved when Blythe appeared beside her and slipped in to put an arm around her waist once the parents had stepped back to fuss over their son.

  “Are you all right?” Blythe asked, fixing Daryl with such a curious look that Daryl cocked an eyebrow at her in question. “Daryl, you just seemed to sprout wings and fly down the yard to rescue him. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  Daryl looked around and only then realized how far away the barbeque pit was from where the pool lay.

  “She’s an angel,” one of the mothers said, hugging her son close, not caring that he was struggling to be let down again.

  Daryl shook her head. “It was nothing really. Just so long as he’s safe. Sorry if I startled him.”

  The shorter mother gave Daryl a considering look. “Usually, if a stranger holds him he screams blue murder. He never murmured with you. He obviously knew he was safe with you.”

  “She loves kids,” Blythe said, leaning into Daryl and resting her cheek on Daryl’s shoulder. “Hopefully, she can use that speed to corral our own kids when we’re blessed.”

  Everyone crowded in around them, and only then did Daryl feel the unusual weight slip from her shoulders and leave her feeling lighter. She barely heard any of the excited conversations around her. All she could feel was Blythe’s hand gripped tightly in her own as she stayed pressed firmly into her side. All she could see was little Justin flapping his arms about as if trying to fly. The pressure on her shoulders returned, her sight shifted, and Justin’s face came into sharp focus. Daryl barely suppressed her sharp intake of breath.

  Well, hello, Matthew Malone, we meet at last.