Free A Christmas Miracle for Daisy (Taming of the Sheenans Book 5) by Jane Porter Page B

surprised.
    “We’ve tried to stay in touch with both sets of grandparents but after Daryl’s mom died, his dad, who has dementia, was put in a home and isn’t able to really participate in Daisy’s life. Fortunately we do see April’s parents a couple times a year. We always see them once a year in Bozeman and then I try to fly them out to Orange County each year, too. The last time Joe and LuAnne visited we all went to Disneyland, but I know they’d love to see more of Daisy, and by being here in Marietta, they can see her regularly.”
    Whitney was moved. April would be so happy if she knew. And maybe she did know. “That’s wonderful. I’m impressed.”
    “I can do the right thing, Whit.”
    “I never said you couldn’t.”
    He lifted a brow.
    She grimaced. “Well, maybe I have expressed my doubts.”
    “Maybe.” He started away and then turned. “But there is a reason we moved now instead of at the end of the year. Something happened in California that woke me up, made me question everything. I’m meeting Heath at the house now but would you be free a little later? I’d like you to hear it from me before Daisy says something.”
    “That doesn’t sound good.”
    “It wasn’t good.”
    She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re scaring me.”
    “Don’t be scared. Daisy is here, fine, and everything is going to be fine. But it was a wake-up call. I realized Southern California was just too crowded. There’s too much traffic and too many people and she’ll be safer here in Marietta. More secure.”
    The idea of anything happened to Daisy made Whitney physically ill. “When will you be back so we can talk?”
    “I hope to be back here by five, and then I’m supposed to meet everyone for dinner at six.”
    “How about we meet at five thirty? Would that work?”
    “I’ll meet you here.”
    He turned to go but she reached out and caught his sleeve, stopping him. “Just tell me one thing. Did anyone touch her? Hurt her?”
    “ No . Nothing like that. I promise.”
    *
    He’d said it was nothing like that , but still, whatever had happened to Daisy had to be serious for Cormac to want to move her back to Marietta…the one place he never wanted to live.
    Whitney found it hard to concentrate on her calls and work that afternoon, waiting for her meeting with Cormac.
    It wasn’t easy keeping her imagination from running wild, either, but she was determined to stay as calm and focused as possible until she talked to Cormac.
    Finally it was time to head downstairs. She was a few minutes early but he was already there.
    They entered the hotel’s bar for an espresso-style coffee. The bar was cool and dark, reminding Whitney of an elegant pub. Cormac went to the long counter and ordered coffees, carrying them back to their corner booth.
    “So what happened?” Whitney asked once they were both seated, facing each other.
    “There was an incident at her school.” Cormac’s eyes met hers. “A shooting.”
    Whitney’s jaw dropped.
    He nodded. “Her school went into lockdown. Two were injured, one a child.”
    “Why didn’t I hear about this?”
    “It was in the news, but there were two other shootings that week so…” His voice drifted off and he ran a hand across his jaw. “So…here we are.”
    “Who was the other person injured?”
    “The PE teacher. She’s a woman in her fifties and a total bad ass. Tried talking to the gunman and when he pulled the trigger, charged at him, taking him down. Her actions saved countless others.”
    Whitney just stared at him. “I can’t believe it.”
    “I couldn’t, either. And I was in L.A. meeting with Hartag Media when I got the first text, alerting me that the school was on lockdown. I left immediately, but I couldn’t get there for hours.” His voice dropped, deepening. “I couldn’t reach her when I needed to. The traffic. The distance—” He broke off, lips flattening into a hard line. “I thought I was going to lose my