Instead, stunned and angry, she’d turned her back on the service, and gone a different route. A path no less dangerous, with enemies just as sneaky, but with one major difference. There, she would have been a killer. Here, she was not. She had no idea why, all of a sudden, that mattered.
Jack pulled into the driveway of the Easton family home a few minutes later, the tires crunching on dead branches that lined the pavement. He got out and retrieved Dar’s duffel, then joined her on the walk up to the front door. “We’ve got a surprise inside,” he murmured, his blue eyes lighting up.
“I think you’ll like it.”
Dar eyed him suspiciously. “Jack, I hate surprises. You know that.”
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He grinned, and opened the door. “G’wan.”
Warily, Dar entered, getting an overwhelming draft of warm cinnamon and baking bread that made her remember she hadn’t eaten all day. The inside of the Easton home was large and spacious, a huge entryway leading off into a sunken living room, and directly ahead, the kitchen, where all the nice smells were coming from. Mary Easton poked her head out as she heard the door open. “Dar! Lookit you! C’mere!” She hurried out, sticking a stirring spoon in her apron pocket and smiling. She was a short, round woman with a friendly, open face.
“Hello, mamma Mary.” Dar had to smile back, getting her arms open in time to receive a fragrant hug.
“My gosh, did you get taller?” the tiny woman demanded, looking up at her. “Honey, you look wonderful. You been out on vacation or something?”
“Nope.” Dar chuckled pushing her hair back a trifle self-consciously.
“Just had some time out in the sun recently. We have that down there, you know.”
“Jack, set that bag up in the guest room, then c’mon down and show Dar your new friends.” Mary’s eyes twinkled. “I got some fresh apple bread, you want a slice?”
“Sure, it smells great,” the taller woman replied, setting her laptop down on the low table near the couch and unfastening her jacket. “It’s great to see you.”
“C’mon with me.” Mary latched onto her arm and tugged her towards the kitchen. “I’ve got a dozen things going. I am so glad you let Gerry talk you into coming up here.” She bustled into the large open room, mostly white with blue checkerboards around the edges, and went to the cooling rack near the stove. “Here, put your teeth in this, I know you like it.”
Dar chuckled. “Ah, yes. I hear my staff’s been snitching on me.” She settled on one of the stools and glanced around, appreciating the workmanlike efficiency of the space.
“Now, don’t you be mad at them.” Mary laughed as she handed a slice of the warm, spicy bread to Dar after spreading a bit of butter on the top. “And, honey, I have to just tell you something. That assistant of yours down in Miami is just the sweetest person I’ve ever talked to in my life.”
Dar smiled around her mouthful of bread and chewed a moment, swallowing before she answered. “Kerry?”
Mary nodded. “Yes, what a nice woman. And you know, I mean, I realize it’s a business, and you people don’t probably even talk to each other outside the building, not like we do here in the service, but I think she really likes you.”
“Oh really?” Dar’s eyes twinkled. “What makes you say that?”
Mary beamed at her. “Just her voice…when she said your name, you could tell she was smiling all the time.”
Dar grinned a little. “Well, yes. Kerry is a very, very nice person, and in fact, we’re pretty close friends outside work, too.” Little fink, she didn’t even mention Mary had called. I’ll have to think up something suitably sneaky to do to her in revenge. “Glad you liked her.”
Jack came back in and tugged Dar’s jacket. “Hey, let me take that for you, 398 Melissa Good and c’mon with me.”
The surprise. Dar amiably stood and shrugged out of her jacket, letting Jack fold it over his arm, then followed him out the back door to the kitchen and down two steps to a utility room. “You ready?” he whispered mischievously.
Dar could hear some small, muffled noises behind the door she was in front of, but she couldn’t quite make out what they were. “Um, sure,” she replied uncertainly, stepping a pace back as he opened the door and moved aside.
A living tide of fur engulfed her legs, and her eyes widened. “Good grief!”
Nine squirming, stumbling, squeaking puppies were clustered around her boots, tugging at them and sniffing her with wildly wagging taillets.
“Go on, say hello.” Jack grinned. “They’re Alabaster’s.”
Dar looked up before she allowed herself the indulgence of dropping to one knee and sorting among the puppies. Alabaster was Gerald’s staid, dignified Labrador Retriever, an animal so pale she was almost white, hence the name. “They’re gorgeous.” The puppies scrambled up her leg, crying, and she slid down into a seated position, letting them climb all over her. “Damn, they’re so cute.” She picked one up, a tiny boy who wriggled frantically as she brought him close, then nibbled on her ear. “Yow.”
Jack set her jacket aside and sat down next to her, attracting his own mini-herd. “Aren’t they?” He scratched a large female behind the ears.
“They’re five weeks old. We’ve got homes for some of them.” He paused, watching the puppy snuggle down in Dar’s arms and gaze up at her adoringly. “Which one do you want?”
Dar looked up from where she was playing with a puppy paw. “No, sorry, I…” She fell silent for a moment, thinking. “Are you serious?”
Jack cocked his head at her. “Sure. Dad and I talked about it. He worries about you, y’know. He thinks a Lab would be perfect for you.” He scratched a puppy’s chest. “They’re loyal, friendly…obedient. You could take them on walks. It would be good for ya.”
Dar didn’t answer for a minute. She gazed down at the small head now nuzzling her chest, its tiny black nose sniffing interestedly at her hair.
Innocent brown eyes blinked up at her, and the small muzzle opened, to reveal a soft, U-shaped pink tongue. First fish, now a puppy? What in the hell’s happening to you, Dar? “Let me think about it,” she finally said, looking up with a wry smile. “I…really appreciate the offer.”
Jack grinned, then turned as Alabaster entered, sniffing after her puppies with a worried Labrador frown. She spotted Dar and whuffed in amazement, then plowed her way through the herd and proceeded to lick Dar’s face in a thorough, professional manner.
“Easy.” Dar laughed, patting her side. “Yeah, I’m glad to see you too, girl.” She leaned back against the washing machine and sighed, letting puppies run all over her legs. Well, if she couldn’t be with Kerry, this wasn’t a bad second choice. Outside, the wind was howling, and branches thumped against the roof, but she just grinned over at Jack and inclined her head towards the living room. “You up for a fire?”
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He grinned back and reached a hand over to help her up. “Can you still split a log like you used to?”
“Guess we’ll find out,” Dar replied as she headed up the steps, carefully shedding puppies as she went.
Chapter Thirty
KERRY YAWNED AS she woke up, letting her eyes scan the quiet room, and taking in her sister’s sleeping form with a tiny smile. Dawn was just breaking outside, and the first tendrils of pinkish gray were barely visible between the trees in the backyard.