Jane could hardly believe that she’d found another man she cared about. Sometimes she’d look up to find Sebastian watching her with such tenderness that a warm tingle would go through her. This was what she’d been missing. This…contentment. She’d never really had it, certainly not with Oliver. He’d always been too selfish. Sebastian was different, mature, confident, willing to care for others. What she felt for him was so wonderful it frightened her-because she was afraid it wouldn’t last. Good things seldom did. She had a bone-deep conviction that she wasn’t meant to be so happy, didn’t deserve it. And if she ever forgot that, she didn’t have to go far to be reminded. She knew how Wendy would react to the news…

“Mom, you watching?” Kate called.

“You’re doing great, honey!” Jane smiled and waved at her daughter, circling the ice with Sebastian. Although Jane had gone skating quite often in her early teens, it was Kate’s first time. She seemed a bit shaky but she was enjoying herself…and enjoying all the attention Sebastian was lavishing on her.

Jane went to the restroom, which was why she’d gotten off the ice. She was on her way back to the rink when her cell phone rang. It’d been so long since she’d skated that she wasn’t much steadier than Kate was, so she answered before stepping onto the ice.

Caller ID showed it was Skye. “Hello?”

“Jane? Hi!”

Leaning against the railing, Jane searched the crowd for Sebastian and Kate. “How are you?”

“Better. We’ve found the child we were looking for.”

“That’s wonderful news! How’d you do it?”

“A relative of the father, a cousin. They got into an argument, so the cousin finally came forward.”

“What was the argument about?”

“Dishes,” she said with a laugh. “They were living together, and it wasn’t working out too well.”

“Lucky for you. So are you coming home soon?”

“We’re flying out tomorrow. I can’t wait. I’m so homesick for my family I can’t stand it.”

“I know they’ll be glad to see you.”

“How’s everything going?”

Kate took a spill, but it wasn’t a hard fall and Sebastian helped her up. “At the office?” she asked.

“At home, too. It seems like forever since we’ve had a chance to talk.”

Jane considered everything she had to tell. Where did she start? The case? No, she’d save that until Skye got home. She didn’t want to focus on Malcolm; she was more interested in talking about the positive developments in her life. “I’ve met someone,” she said.

“You have? Wow, this is a first. I haven’t even been able to get you to go out on a date. Who is it?” The excitement in Skye’s voice brought a smile to Jane’s face.

“An investment banker from New York.”

“Where’d you meet him?”

“At the office.”

“He’s a client?”

“More of a…volunteer.”

“He sounds interesting.”

“He’s…special.”

“Special is good. It’s better than I ever expected to hear from you. How long have you known him?” she asked.

“Only a week. But we’ve spent nearly every minute together.”

“No kidding? Have you introduced him to Kate?”

Kate was the litmus test, and Skye knew it. “Yes. We’re ice-skating right now.”

“Damn, why does everything happen when I leave?” she complained with a laugh. “I’m looking forward to meeting him.”

“When you’re back.”

“We’ll be there on Monday. I doubt we’ll be in the office much for the first few days, probably just long enough to go through our messages, but at least we’ll get to say hello. I was thinking it might be smart to have a short meeting. Sheridan said she’d bring her baby so we could see him again, and we can get caught up and sort of plan out the week.”

“I’ll be there. What time?”

“How about four o’clock?”

“Four it is. I’ll see you then. Have a safe-”

“Jane?” she cut in.

“Yeah?”

“It’s great to hear you sound so happy.”

“It’s great to feel this happy,” she said and hung up just as Sebastian and Kate came to a stop on the rink in front of her.

“Hey, you getting back on?” he asked.

“Of course.”

They waited for her at the opening, each holding out a hand to help her onto the ice. “Who were you talking to, Mama?” Kate asked.

“Skye.”

Sebastian steadied her as they started off. “She still out of town?”

“She’s coming home tomorrow.”

“Are you going to tell her you worked on your first case?” Kate asked.

“I will. I wish I could also tell her we have the bad guy behind bars, but…”

“You’ll get to say that soon,” Kate said.

Jane exchanged a glance with Sebastian. “You bet I will.”

Twenty-Six

Malcolm spent most of Saturday and all morning Sunday studying The Last Stand’s Web site. They had a feature that allowed someone interested in getting help to petition-anonymously-for information. The charity catered to abused women and children, for the most part, so he imagined this was a way to make a woman who didn’t know how to escape her situation feel safe enough to ask about her options.

It was a really nice idea.

It might also be the perfect means to ensure that Jane would be at the office tomorrow afternoon. At least it was worth writing in to see who responded…

Clicking on the I Have a Question link, he waited for the form to come up, then began to type.

My husband gets very violent, especially when he drinks. He hits me-he broke my nose last week. Sometimes he even hits or kicks our children. I have to do something, for their sake. But if I get him in trouble, he’ll kill me. He told me so when I went to his sister. I’m afraid he’ll really go through with it! Is there any way I could make an appointment to see someone about getting help? My husband is out of town tomorrow. I could come in at six, if anyone will be available. I apologize for the inconvenience. I don’t want to be a bother. I just don’t know where else to turn.

He didn’t make up a name to sign the message with. He figured it would be just as believable without one.

After he’d sent it, he watched some television, called his bookie to see if he could place another bet, was refused because he hadn’t paid for the last few and began to pace. If he’d thought living alone in that ranch house was stifling, this was even worse. He felt so cooped up, so…limited.

His life was shit. Why was he putting up with that?

Cursing, he decided to head to Stockton Boulevard. It’d been a long time since he’d played at the “prostitute bribes undercover cop” fantasy. Maybe if he could find a black woman who was young and pretty, like Latisha, he’d be able to pretend it was her…

“Would you and Kate like to come to dinner?”

Switching her cell phone to the other ear, Jane hesitated at her mother-in-law’s offer. She, Sebastian and Kate were at the kitchen table. They’d been playing board games for most of the weekend. She got the impression it was the first time Sebastian had forgotten about chasing Malcolm in a long, long while. She enjoyed seeing him relax, hearing him laugh. She’d prefer to spend the rest of their Sunday as they’d spent it so far-just the three of them-but she’d been busy lately, consumed by work, and her in-laws had been so good, helping with Kate whenever she needed them. She figured she could at least ask if Sebastian would like to go.

Covering the mouthpiece, she whispered to him. “Kate’s grandma is inviting us over for dinner. Any chance you’d be interested?”

“Can she cook?” he teased.

“She’s a really good cook!” Kate told him.

He winked. “Then I’m in. I never turn down a home-cooked meal.”

Remembering the lasagna he’d paid her to make, Jane smiled and returned to her conversation. “We have someone visiting us who’s hankering for some old-fashioned home cooking. Is it okay if we bring him along?”