Free Blaze: A Texas Heat Novel by Octavia McKenzie Page A

the stillness of a snake about to strike. Gone was the charming date. He was every bit the law enforcement officer now. “Make no mistake,” he growled, “I’m going to find the son of a bitch who hurt her, break every bone in his body and ram them down his throat.”
    Emerson stared at him for a long moment then she made her decision. “You’ve heard of Doctors without Borders?”
    “Yeah, the physicians who go overseas to third world countries to treat the poor?” he said.
    “There’s an underground organization like that here in the US but the medical personal treat people who fall through the cracks of the system – the poor, homeless, uninsured, the undocumented immigrants.”
    Donavan leaned back in his chair as comprehension dawned. “So Harper is a part of this network?”
    “Yes, she goes into slums and rundown neighborhoods in Austin, Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.”
    “You go with her group to feed the homeless there, don’t you?”
    “Yes.”
    Donavan grunted in admiration. “I could ring your necks, do you know how dangerous-”
    “We all have concealed carry permits, I have a Smith and Wesson Revolver, Harper has a Glock and we wear bullet proof vests.”
    That they’d have a need for that level of protection made Donavan pale.
    “We work in pairs, no one wanders off alone.”
    “Do you think she sustained these injuries by someone she tried to help?” he asked.
    “No,” Emerson said, “I would’ve heard, besides, Harper would bury anyone who dared.”
    Donavan’s jaw clenched. “Then the assailant was someone she knows, it’s personal.”
    Something flickered in Emerson’s eyes. She quickly looked away. Donavan pounced.
    “What?”
    She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”
    “Spit it out.”
    “I promised never to tell.”
    “What if he does it again?” Donavan growled. “He hit hard enough to leave bruises.”
    Emerson couldn’t bear the thought of anyone hurting her friend.
    “It’s common knowledge that Harper was adopted.”
    Donavan nodded. Everyone knows that. “The Grants are good people. If you’re insinuating that Carl Grant would ever hurt her-”
    “No! Her parents are wonderful, she adores them.”
    “Then what the hell?”
    Emerson bit her lip. “Harper was adopted from the foster care system.”
    Donavan frowned. “No, she came from an orphanage up north.”
    “Mister Grant didn’t want her to have the stigma of being from the system. His sister is a social worker at Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston. She knew her brother and his wife desperately wanted a child so she helped them adopt-”
    “Wait, back up,” Donavan glared at Emerson, “What does this have to do with Harper?”  
    “Her biological father put her in the hospital.”
    Donavan blanched. “No,” the denial tore from him.
    Emerson nodded miserably.
    Years on the police force, Donavan saw his share of monsters that hurt children. The thought of Harper having someone in her life who could do something like that pained him beyond bearing.
    “How old was she?”
    “Five or six.”
    Donavan cursed under his breath. “Why didn’t she tell me?”
    “You were too busy fighting.”
    “You think the bastard tracked her down after all these years?”
    Emerson shuddered. “I hope not, but who else would do this?”
    Donavan unfolded his tall, muscular body and rose to his feet. “I’m sorry, I have to go.” Find her. The words were left unspoken. Emerson understood. She took his hand in hers and squeezed. “Go help our girl.” He nodded and left.
    Emerson felt numb all over. Between Dylan’s engagement and fear for Harper, it was the worst night of her life. She left the restaurant and the new couple behind. She sat in her car for a long time, just devastated, with a death grip on the steering wheel, she cried until her ribs were sore.
    Susie Q and Penny May did a live update from town square.
    “Mayor Dylan Chambers won his re-election campaign. It was a tough loss for