The Lawman's Secret Son

“Hello, Jack.”

“Hi.”

“I’m glad to meet you. Do you like cupcakes?”

Jack nodded happily.

“I thought so. I just happen to have a newly iced batch in my kitchen. Why don’t you show me which one you’d like to eat.” She held out her hand and Jack took it without hesitation.

Some of Seth’s anxiety eased. His mom had taken the news with her usual calm manner and managed to win Jack over, too. But the hard part was still to come. The explanation.

In the kitchen, his mom settled Jack at the table with two colorful, sprinkle-covered cupcakes and a glass of milk, then took a seat beside him at the counter waiting for him to begin.

“Mom, something happened last night that I need to tell you about before you hear it someplace else.” Quickly he explained about Jack being left on Carrie’s porch and the note naming him as Jack’s father. He could read the disappointment in her blue eyes and knew what she was assuming. “It’s not what you think.”

He searched for the right words, unable to find them. He stood and paced off a few steps. “Do you remember that year after college when Dad and I fought all the time?”

“Yes, and you went to work out in Vegas for a while. Only you were really out there sowing some wild oats.”

Seth stared in surprise. “You knew about that? Dad said he didn’t want you to know.”

“I knew. I spent a whole year praying for you to come to your senses and return home unharmed.”

Seth sank back onto the stool. There was still more to confess. “What you don’t know is that I got married.”

“Only briefly.”

“You knew about that, too?”

“Do you think the boy is yours?”

“Maybe. Probably, but I need to know for sure.”

“I agree. You should get in touch with our attorney, Blake Prescott, and find out what steps you need to take.”

“I can do better than that. I’ll be officially on duty Monday, which means I can use the police databases to track his mom down.”

His mother looked at Jack, happily munching on his cupcake, his little face bearing the evidence of his enjoyment. “He looks exactly like you at that age. He has your eyes and your smile.”

“I know.” He nodded, not sure if her assessment made him feel better or worse. The circumstantial evidence was mounting, but he needed facts. “What if it turns out he’s not mine? I’m already feeling attached. I don’t know if I could let him go.”

His mother squeezed his hand. “For now let’s assume he is. You do whatever you must to get to the truth. We’ll place this in the Lord’s hands and see how it works out. What are your plans for him while you’re at work?”

“I don’t know yet.” He raised his hand to forestall her next statement. “No. You’re not going to babysit. You already have your hands full with Linc’s new baby and filling in for the other grandkids. I’ll work something out. This is my problem.”

He thought he saw a flicker of pride lighten her eyes. “Well, you could enroll him in the church preschool. They also provide after-school care. I’m sure Kathy could make room for one more little fellow.”

“I’ll look into it.”

“What do you plan on telling people? You can’t show up with a child without some kind of explanation.”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought that far ahead. I don’t even know how I’ll tell the rest of the family.”

She placed her hand on his cheek and smiled. “You bring Jack for Sunday dinner tomorrow. We’ll tell them then and decide as a family how to proceed.”

“Is it okay if I bring Carrie? She might have some insight into how to handle things.”

“Carrie? The neighbor who found Jack?”

“Carrie Fletcher. She’s been a trouper. I wouldn’t have known what to do if it hadn’t been for her. She has a real passion for kids like Jack.”

“I know her. She’s the new head of special events at the church. From everything I’ve heard, she’s doing a wonderful job.”

“I think she said something about working at Peace Community. We’ve mainly talked about Jack.” He wiped a hand across his mouth. “I doubt she’ll come.”

“What happened?”

“She found out I was a cop and her reaction was puzzling. She shut down and hardly said a word the rest of the way home. When I stopped at her house, she ran inside like the bogeyman was after her.”

“Maybe she’s wary because of the danger involved in your line of work. That’s the main reason your father was always against you going into law enforcement.”

“I know.” He knew how the danger associated with the job could tear apart a policeman’s family life. His uncle had been a cop killed in the line of duty.

Seth wanted to believe his mother was right, but something about Carrie’s reaction ate at him. He usually received two responses when people learned he was a cop. They were either curious about the job or puzzled at why he’d chosen a dangerous profession. Carrie’s reaction had been more like... Seth swallowed around the lump in his throat. Like someone who was trying to hide something. He’d seen that look on the faces of people he’d arrested. That look of being cornered with no way out.

That didn’t make sense. What would Carrie have to hide? Perhaps it had something to do with her childhood. Her comments and her attitude suggested she might have more in common with Jack than he realized.

He didn’t want her to be uncomfortable around him. On the contrary, he wanted to get to know her better. And Jack was the link. At the very least he wanted to reassure her she had nothing to fear from him. He’d give her some time to adjust to the idea of his job. He felt sure he could ease her concerns. After all, being a cop in Dover wasn’t anything like being a cop in Houston. Here, he could focus on serving and protecting the people in his community and not the endless stream of senseless violence that had dragged him down.

* * *

Monday morning dawned bright and sunny with temperatures promised in the midseventies. Carrie dressed in a new pair of linen pants and a long peach top, plus some dangling silver earrings. The outfit lifted her spirits, and she arrived at the church eager to tackle her hectic work schedule. It was exactly what she needed to put the weekend behind her. Learning that Seth was a police officer had left her battling old fears and memories.

She had called her friend and mentor, Mavis Tanner, for some advice. Mavis had been her first and biggest blessing from the Lord. She’d taken Carrie under her wing, introduced her to the Lord, and helped her get her GED and enroll in community college. Without Mavis, Carrie would be living a very different life.

Her friend had gently reminded her that her concerns about Seth were nothing more than her old insecurities bubbling to the surface. Then she pointed out that the Lord had forgiven her and the past couldn’t hurt her unless she allowed it. She’d felt better after their talk, but she hadn’t told Mavis about her attraction to Seth. She had to sort that out on her own.

She wondered what Seth had done with Jack today. It was his first official day on the job. He’d called her a couple times, but she’d ignored him. She needed more time to absorb the fact that he was a police officer. Her mind and her heart had battled all night. But now she needed to concentrate on her work. There was a mountain of arrangements to make for the upcoming picnic celebration. She had no time to waste on her neighbor.

Thankfully, the day passed quickly. The only thing left on her schedule was the meeting this evening with the committee heads for the anniversary picnic. She had one volunteer spot to fill and several adjustments to the activities to discuss, but nothing major. The plans were all coming together nicely.

After a quick bite to eat in her office, she made her way to the meeting room. Kathy met her coming from the opposite direction. “You look frazzled. Everything okay? I didn’t have a chance to talk to you at church yesterday.”

“I spent the time between services fielding questions about the picnic. I have to admit it’ll be a relief when it’s all over.”

“I keep telling you that you need an assistant.”

Carrie arched her eyebrows. “Like Ralph?”