Free Keeping Katie (A Mother's Heart #1) by Patricia Keelyn

with us.”
    “Rita offered to watch her.” He saw uncertainty flicker across her features. “I thought it would be better than dragging her along.”
    That surprised him—not that Rita had offered, but that Maureen had agreed. He’d never met a more protective mother. But he was glad Katie was staying home. She was a real sweetheart, but he wanted a little time alone with her mother. Maureen Adams remained a puzzle he wanted solved.
    A half hour later, laden with a thermos and basket of food, Alan led the way outside.
    “I hope you don’t mind the Jeep,” he said, storing the food under a blanket in the back. “It’s a little windy, but I prefer it to driving one of the department’s cruisers into Seattle.”
    “That’s fine.” Maureen climbed in without looking at him. “The breeze will feel good.”
    Alan nodded and slid into the driver’s seat. “Let’s go, then.” He started the engine and headed west, toward the mountains. As the town fell away behind them, he picked up speed.
    Taking a deep breath, he marveled at the perfection of the morning. Maureen was right. The breeze did feel good: clean and exhilarating. Behind them, the sun climbed toward midmorning, casting rays of rose-colored light on the mountains. On a morning like this, everything seemed right with the world.
    Stealing a glance at Maureen, he thought how fresh she looked with the wind whipping through her hair. It reminded him of the day in the playground when he’d watched her with Katie. She’d had the same look about her, the same glow.
    She caught him looking at her and blushed slightly before turning away. “How long will it take?” she asked.
    Alan shifted his attention back to the road. “About three hours to Seattle. But I need to make a stop first.”
    “Oh?” She turned sideways on the seat, grabbing her hair in one hand to keep it out of her face.
    “Sorry,” he said. “I should have warned you to bring a scarf or something.”
    “It’s okay. I like it.”
    He believed her. The smile on her lips flickered gaily in her eyes, and she seemed more relaxed than he’d ever seen her.
    “So,” she said, interrupting his thoughts, “where do you have to stop?”
    “The Simmons ranch.” He probably should have warned her about his little side trip. Of course, then she might have used it as an excuse to turn down his offer of a ride. And he liked having her with him.
    “That’s the boy Millie and Rita talked about a few weeks ago? The one you kicked out of town?”
    So she remembered. “I believe the word Millie used was
ousted
.”
    “Yes, ousted. Same boy?”
    “Yep. His name’s Joey Simmons.” Alan stole another glance at her. “Thought I better have a word with his father.”
    Maureen sat quietly for a few moments. “Is what Millie said true? Does the boy keep his family fed?”
    “Maybe.”
    Alan thought about the rifle in the back of Bud’s pickup. He was sure Joey had more than a passing familiarity with the weapon. After all, generations had lived off the wild game in these parts long before there was a hunting season. Someone like Bud Simmons would simply ignore the fact that times had changed. He wouldn’t think twice about sending his son out to bring home dinner—no matter the time of year.
    “Boys grow up fast out here,” he said aloud. “Especially with a man like Bud Simmons for a father.”
    She didn’t say anything to that, but turned away, lost in her own thoughts.
    “The thing is,” Alan continued, wanting her to understand, “nothing justifies Joe breaking the law. It isn’t right, and it will get a lot worse than his driving without a license.”
    “But surely if he has no choice …”
    “He has a choice, and so does his old man.”
    He felt her gaze on him. Glancing her way, he saw she watched him intently, frowning, as if trying to see through him. It made him uncomfortable. He couldn’t read the expression in her eyes. Did she understand about Joey? Then she looked away,