The Lawman's Secret Son

“So she thought she was leaving him on your porch. Who’s Tiff?”

The scorn in her voice shot his defenses into place. “My ex-wife. We were only married a short time.” Short was being generous. Six weeks, two days and four hours, to be exact.

“Perhaps you should call her for an explanation.” Carrie stood and started for the door.

“I haven’t seen or heard from her in years. She never told me about...” He looked at the child, who had scooted onto the floor and was playing quietly with the battered truck.

Carrie crossed her arms over her chest, her expression clearly revealing her skepticism. “So you’re saying she kept the child a secret from you? Why would she do that?”

Good question. He put his fists on his hips. “I don’t know.”

He looked at the child again, so small and frail. Could the boy be his son? Somewhere deep inside, a feeling began to form. It wouldn’t be out of character for Tiff to have kept her pregnancy a secret. She’d thought she was marrying a fun guy who could keep her in high style. But when the money had run out, so had she. But why bring the boy to him now and abandon him on the porch? That was heartless even for her.

He ran his hands down his face, staring at Jack. “This is crazy. I don’t understand any of it.” The note said the boy was five. He’d done the math. It added up. A father. He’d never considered that. At least not for a long time. His foray into the Vegas lifestyle had drawn out all of his sinful nature, and he’d spent the last years trying to overcome it. Was it true? Was Jack his?

Carrie cleared her throat softly. “Seth, do you have something good for Jack to eat?”

Seth frowned. Was she kidding? His life had been upended and she was wondering about food? One glance at the child banished his irritation. He didn’t know a lot about children, but it didn’t take much to see the boy was thin and sallow-looking, and his cobalt blue eyes were set too deeply in his face, as if he might have been hungry awhile.

His eyes. Seth’s heart skipped a beat and that feeling deep inside grew stronger. The cobalt color was a Montgomery family trait. The only one of his siblings who didn’t have them was his sister Bethany, who’d inherited their grandmother’s hazel color. He glanced at Carrie. She was looking at him with expectancy. Food. Right. “Uh, like what? Cold pizza? Lunch meat?”

“Fruit or cereal, perhaps?”

He winced at her scolding tone. “Right.” He moved into the kitchen. Good food. Nourishing food. Things he rarely purchased. All he could scrounge up was a slightly overripe banana.

“Will this work?”

Carried arched her brows as she urged Jack to his feet. “Jack, let’s get you over to your dad’s table and you can play with your truck while you eat this. We’ll be right here where you can see us, okay?”

After settling Jack at the table, Carrie approached Seth, her blue eyes wary and concerned.

“Seth, what’s going on? Is he yours or not?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. It’s possible. I have to figure out what I’m going to do with him.”

“You’re not thinking of sending him to foster care, are you? You can’t. He’ll be just a number there with no one to comfort him.”

Seth frowned. “I only meant I need to find someone to take care of Jack while I’m at work. I just finished orientation for my new job. I need to show them I’m committed and dependable. I can’t do that if I keep taking off work to watch Jack.” That wasn’t the only thing he was concerned about. Jack’s sudden appearance would stir up gossip. He didn’t want his family paying for his past mistakes.

“What about friends and family? I know you just moved here, but are they close by?”

Seth shook his head. “Moved back here. I grew up in Dover. My family has lived here for generations. Everyone knows us. But I can’t ask them for help.”

Carrie put her hand to her throat. “Wait. Montgomery. Are you one of those Montgomerys? Montgomery Real Estate, Montgomery Electrical Contractors and the woman who has the event planning business?”

“Yes. Why?”

“So why don’t you want to ask them for help?”

“I need time to sort this out and look into things and see if this child is really mine. I can’t just take the word of some faded paper. There’s no point in upsetting my family until I know more.” Embarrassing them was closer to the truth. In a town the size of Dover, an unexplained child could start tongues wagging.

“I suppose. But they’re your family. Don’t they deserve to know what’s going on?”

“My family knows nothing about that time in my life.”

“Why not?”

He took a moment to collect his thoughts. It wasn’t a topic he liked to think about, let alone discuss. “Let’s just say I was the rebel of the clan. I was never content in Dover, so I left and moved to Las Vegas. Eventually I came to my senses and the end of my finances, and I came home.”

“The prodigal son. And that’s when you got married?”

“One of my big mistakes. I’m not proud of that time in my life, and I’ve spent years trying to put it behind me.”

Carrie stiffened her neck. “And an unexpected child now would be awkward. Even scandalous.”

“Yes. It would. Especially since I’m starting a new job. But first I have to find out the truth about this boy and why he was dumped here without any word.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Try to find his mother. She’s the only one with answers.”

“And Jack?”

He glanced at the boy before facing Carrie. “I’ll take care of him until we get to the bottom of this.” Her blue eyes lightened in relief. Had she expected him to toss the boy out again? Did she think he was the kind of man who would walk away from his child? He couldn’t blame her given the cryptic note she’d read. She’d probably pegged him as a deadbeat dad.

She stood and started toward the door. The long blue skirt she wore swished attractively below the soft white blouse, making him think of clouds in a summer sky. He shut down the thought. “Where are you going? You can’t leave yet.”

“I can and I am. This is not my problem. I brought him safely to you. Now I’m going home.”

“Carrie.”

Jack ran out of the kitchen, traces of banana on his mouth. “Don’t go.”

She stooped down and hugged him. “It’s okay, Jack. I’ll be right next door if you need me. You can see my house from that window. I’ll wave to you when I get home, okay?” She shot a warning glare in Seth’s direction.

Jack’s mouth puckered up and he nodded. “Leo?”

She led him to the window. “He’ll wave, too. Now you stand right here, and as soon as I get inside I’ll wave at you.”

The thought of being alone with the little boy suddenly filled him with terror. “Carrie, are you sure you can’t stay awhile? I could really use your help.”

“I’m positive.” She opened the door. “And, Seth, be gentle with him, okay? He needs to feel safe and loved whether he’s yours or not.”

Her warning triggered his curiosity. Why was she so protective of a child she didn’t know? She seemed very knowledgeable about how Jack felt and what he needed. He had a feeling she was coming from a place of experience. Assessing people was part of his job and one of his gifts. He wanted to know more about the intriguing Carrie Fletcher.

She stopped at the threshold and glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, and, Seth, he needs a bath before you put him to bed.”

Her stern expression reminded him of the disapproving looks he’d gotten from his teachers when he’d misbehaved. He watched her start across the lawn, then realized his major mistake. “Carrie. Thanks for taking care of Jack.” She looked over her shoulder, her blond hair catching the light from the streetlamp.