Free In The Arms of a Stranger by Kristen Robinette Page A

interview was the right thing to do. She thought it would wipe out any possibility that his father could obtain custody. So she’d mailed a copy of the tape to the Deputy Director of DCFS, then gone public with the interview.
    But Dana’s plan backfired.
    Paul Gonzalez had been enraged when the story aired, claimed that Dana had coached Michael in order to sensationalize the story. Claiming he’d been publicly humiliated by the accusations, he suddenly demanded custody of his son. Without hard evidence, the judge allowed Gonzalez to take Michael. There were miles of red tape and stipulations—heavy supervision by DCFS, unannounced inspections, pediatric exams. But the stipulations failed. The judge failed, the system failed.
    Dana failed.
    She knew in her heart that what Paul Gonzalez claimedto be an accident was really murder. And it was up to her to help the district attorney prove it.
    She shook her head, her gaze meeting Luke’s as she searched for a simple answer to his question. “I covered a story involving his son. M-Michael confided in me that his father abused him.”
    Luke looked skeptical and Dana had the feeling that he wouldn’t rest until her darkest secrets were revealed. But he didn’t say anything. Instead he offered her the gun. “Take this. I’m going to have to check the accident scene on foot.”
    â€œNo.” She took a step backward, refusing the gun. “You can’t do that. You can’t leave us here alone.”
    â€œIt’s my job. The roads aren’t navigable. There’s no other way in, and no one else to do it.”
    Tears of anger sprang to her eyes. “She’s dead. There’s nothing you can do for her.” But there was something he could do for them, she mentally added. He could keep them safe.
    Luke walked to her, placing his hand against her shoulder. He caressed it a moment before he spoke, the innocent gesture sending waves of awareness through her. “If I thought for a minute that you couldn’t handle things here, I wouldn’t leave.”
    His words stopped her short. That kind of trust coming from a man was foreign to her. Her uncle hadn’t exactly been a driving force in her life but rather a pleasant addition. And he still treated her as though she were twelve years old. Her ex-husband hadn’t trusted her with the checkbook, much less a gun. Luke was empowering her with his weapon. Trusting her. Expecting her to be both brave and strong.
    So she would be.
    Dana took the gun, her free hand wrapping around the butt. She bit her lip as her gaze slid to his. “Be careful,”she said, then realized it was the second time she’d warned him today.
    He grinned, that sideways half smile she’d only caught glimpses of before, then scowled as if he’d caught himself doing something wrong. Her overactive maternal streak was showing again. And obviously he found it confusing.
    Luke straightened. “I want you to stay in the bedroom. Lock the door and keep watch at the window. There’s enough space between the dresser and the window frame for your weapon. Shoot anything that moves if it isn’t coated in two feet of snow. Come to think of it, shoot even if it is covered in snow.”
    Dana nodded, then attempted to return the humor. “As long as it’s not you, right?”
    â€œRight.” He grinned and laid the cell phone on the kitchen table. “Did you know you’re almost out of battery?”
    â€œI don’t have a charger for it.”
    The scowl returned. “I’ll identify myself when I get back. In the meantime, if anyone tampers with the bedroom door, aim a foot above the doorknob and pull the trigger. No hesitation. Okay?”
    â€œOkay.”
    â€œYou’ll need to gather everything you or the baby might need in the bedroom,” he added.
    Dana thought for a moment. “The baby didn’t finish the formula, so I have