Free The Mommy Mystery by Delores Fossen Page B

fuss again. “Is that why he’s been following me?” she asked. “Is that why he tried to run us off the road today?”
    Houston eased both Lucas and her into his arms. “I’m not sure. Neither is SAPD. But it could be that Cordell is trying to intimidate you so there’s no chance you’ll testify against him.”
    When her lungs began to ache, she had no choice but to release the breath she’d been holding. “I was right. Lucas and I are in danger.”
    “You were. But you’re safe now. I intend to get to the bottom of this.”
    Gabrielle wanted to believe him, but if the police hadn’t been able to arrest Harlan Cordell, then it might not be easy for Houston to stop him, either. Of course, Houston and she had Lucas to protect, and that was a more powerful motive than others’ needs of eliminating her as a potential witness.
    Because Lucas had fallen back asleep and because her arms suddenly felt like pudding, Gabrielle placed him back in the crib. Houston joined her, stood right by her side, and together they stared down at the baby.
    “Thank you,” she heard him say.
    Gabrielle risked looking at him and saw the fatigue mirrored in his eyes. She also saw the emotion. “For what?”
    He didn’t answer right away, and it seemed as if he changed his mind several times about what he was about to say. “For giving birth to Lucas.”
    She pulled back her shoulders and was ready to tell him she didn’t want his thanks. But before Gabrielle could get out a syllable, Houston slid his arm around her and pulled her to him. She automatically started to push him away, but something stopped her. Maybe it was the adrenaline crash. Or the fatigue. Or the uncertainty of what she was going to do about their safety. Whichever it was, Gabrielle found herself leaning into him and drawing comfort from the very man she should be avoiding.
    “This isn’t a good idea,” she mumbled.
    “No. It’s not.” But neither of them moved.
    “We have so much to work out between us, and this can’t get in the way,” Gabrielle said, trying again.
    He didn’t question what this was, and that meant he was feeling the attraction, too.
    “Maybe it’ll go away,” she added.
    He made a sound deep within his chest to let her know he didn’t buy that. Neither did she. But just because there was an attraction, it didn’t mean they had to act on it.
    Gabrielle forced herself away from him. It wasn’t as good an idea as she thought it would be. Again, Houston and she were face-to-face. And very close. So close that she could see all those swirls of blue in his eyes. Close enough for her to take in his scent. The man was drop-dead hot, and those looks and that smell pulled her right in.
    “When the sheriff gets here, I’ll tell him about my father’s involvement with Salvador Franks,” Houston explained. “I want a thorough investigation into what happened at the Cryogen Clinic. If there was a cover-up, or if my father bribed someone, I want that all out in the open. Because what he did to you was wrong. He should have come clean about the baby you were carrying, and he shouldn’t have followed you the way he did.”
    That stunned her almost as much as the ill-timed attraction. “Your father could go to jail,” she reminded him.
    Because they were so close, she saw that realization register in his eyes. Not surprise, but pain. “I know, but I can’t let him get away with this.”
    Gabrielle studied his face to make sure he wasn’t giving her lip service. He wasn’t. A deeply troubled face stared back at her.
    Oh, this wasn’t good. Attraction and now empathy. Itwas a volatile mix, especially when combined with the dangerous situation they’d gone through together.
    Gabrielle stood and made a vague motion toward the door. “Uh, you should go.”
    “Yeah,” he readily agreed, “I should.” Houston glanced at Lucas again. “For the next hour or so, I’ll be in my office, at the end of the hall and to the right. And if I’m