Free Guardian of Justice by Carol Steward Page A

belongings…
    As Dallas walked back into the living room, her computer monitor flashed on. “Someone has definitely been here recently,” he stated. “I bumped the desk, and the computer came right up.” He leaned down to read the error message. “Someone was trying to get into her computer, but didn’t have a password.”
    The detective joined him. “Good work, Officer.”
    “Dallas,” he corrected.
    “Am I going to find your prints on this?” the man challenged, pulling a pen from his pocket to point to the mouse.
    “I know how to handle a crime investigation, Detective.”
    “What about the rest of the apartment? Your fingerprints anywhere else?” Garrett Matthews asked.
    Dallas glared at the young street officer. His response was cut off by yet another voice, this one even deeper than her brothers’. “Kira Danae. What happened here?” An older version of the well-dressed detective walked into the room. Their dad.
    Dallas waited anxiously to see Kira again, his thoughts flashing back to the night they’d met. For a moment, he wanted the impossible—to start all over again.
    Kira covered her mouth and choked back a cry when she saw her house. Then she came face-to-face with Dallas. A flash of fury had the color returning to her cheeks. Her brown eyes were wide and round, a sure sign that she was about to let him have it.
    That’s what the bulletproof vest was for—to protect his heart from a lethal shot. And this woman certainly had the ammunition to do the job. Heart. Spunk. And blind faith. That was the problem with social workers, he realized as she lit into him. They thought they could heal everyone. And unfortunately, he was one that just couldn’t be healed.
    She stared point-blank at Dallas and spoke through gritted teeth. “Next time I want my family to know about my life, I’d appreciate it if you’d let metell them.”
    He stared into her eyes, analyzing her reaction. “You’d better start talking, then, because I don’t think your brothers like my version.”

Chapter Nine
    NINE
    “What are you doing here?” Kira narrowed her eyes.
    “You know why I’m here.” Dallas’s gaze came to rest on her, and she felt the same warmth she had that night. “I needed to talk to you about the case.” How did Dallas expect to look at her that way without giving the impression he was interested?
    “You put out a BOLO on me!” Kira bit out the accusation while her two brothers and her father stood guard. Maybe that meant Dallas did care.
    “No, don’t—” Before he could respond, her oldest brother stormed through the door.
    “Kira, I was at the jail and heard your name. What’s going on?” He looked around, apparently surprised to see most of the family. “Are you okay?” Kent asked, wrapping one arm around her. He was looking even scruffier than usual, even for an undercover job in narcotics.
    “I’m fi—” she began, stealing a glance at Dallas’s clenched jaw. Then she changed her answer, “No, I’m not. I’ve been better, but I’m not hurt.” She closed her eyes, steadying herself in her brother’s embrace. She couldn’t believe they had all showed up.
    This was not going to be easy to explain.
    She felt a tap on her shoulder. “We should move outside, let investigators do what they can to get prints,” her dad suggested. “You’re going to need to answer some questions about your apartment, too.” He glanced at Dallas. “The rest of you boys may as well get back to work. I’ll take care of Kira.”
    Kira paused at the doorway for another look. She couldn’t believe someone had actually broken into her house. Had that lunatic been watching her all week? Maybe she hadn’t been hearing things, after all. She gazed at Dallas as he introduced himself to her oldest brother.
    She should feel guilty for snapping at Dallas, she told herself, but she didn’t. She wasn’t ready to talk to him, because that meant it was time to review everything that had happened.