gone, leaving the women and children behind.
It had taken Laine nine months to be picked up by Jacob. Her assignment was to infiltrate the commune and learn the extent of his fraudulent activities. As well, she was to look for evidence of kidnapping, human trafficking, antigovernment activities and custodial interference. What they hadn’t known, going in, was that Jacob had developed a large and sophisticated marijuana grow-op. Once Laine had learned the extent of this operation the commune was placed under constant surveillance. At that point her job shifted from investigation to rescue. She had to find a way to get the women and children out before a warrant was served. Crazy Jacob, who said he’d die before facing off with the government, might just kill all of them rather than surrender to authority. This could become another Waco or Ruby Ridge if it wasn’t handled with finesse and intelligence.
Laine was FBI. Deep cover. And in grave danger.
* * *
Devon felt tickling on her face and opened one eye. Mercy grinned at her. “Mama, you spended the night.”
She opened the other eye. Jenny was sitting next to Mercy, both little girls on their knees, giggling at her.
Oh, my, she thought. This is embarrassing. “I just wanted to kiss you good-night and I must have fallen asleep right here,” she said, trying to get her bearings. She sat up. Someone had covered her with a blanket and she still wore last night’s dress. Beautiful. “Where’s your daddy, Jenny?”
“He told us to wake you up. He’s making clown pancakes.”
“Wonderful,” she said. She pulled herself up, visited the bathroom, rinsed her mouth and headed to the kitchen. Will was standing on a stool, stirring the pancake batter. The girls were already sitting at the table eating their breakfasts. Scott, still wearing those plaid pajama bottoms and a T-shirt, was flipping pancakes.
“Well, good morning,” he said with a smile.
“I’m very embarrassed,” she said.
“No need. You were out like a light so I just went to bed.” He lifted a handsome brow. “I trust you slept well?”
She chuckled to herself. “Oh, yeah. Just like old times. Wrapped around a couple of little girls.”
“Can I interest you in a couple of pancakes?” he asked.
“Sure. That’s awfully nice of you, after I disrupted your sleep in the middle of the night.”
“Nah, not that serious. I was just reading.”
“Where’s Gabriella?”
“Sleeping in. I have no idea when Charlie brought her home, but it must have been very late. Sunday is her day off unless I have something going on. I’m on call for Bandon E.R. today and if they call, I’ll need her. She usually spends Sundays studying or with Charlie.”
“You could just call me,” she said.
He leaned toward her. “How’m I gonna do that, Devon?” he asked.
“Right. No phone. I’m going to have to take care of that. Maybe I should take the kids down to the beach, let them see the flower arch, play in the water a little bit. I’d be happy to do that. In fact, it’s the least I can do.”
He flipped a clown pancake onto her plate and she thought, This is so normal. I’ve longed for normal for five years. A few kids, a nice guy in the kitchen, a regular house, work, family...the usual kind of family. She laughed and said, “So, you call this a clown, huh?”
“My best effort,” he said.
“It kind of looks like a...squirrel.” She cut off what appeared to be the tail, popping it in her mouth. “Now it looks more like a clown...or a hamster.”
When breakfast was over, Devon took care of the cleanup and loaded the dishes in the dishwasher. Then she drove home with Mercy and they changed into clothes for the beach before heading to the marina to meet Scott and his kids. Will and Jenny were toting a mesh bag full of beach toys. “You sure you’re up to this?” he asked. “I was called to Bandon. I could be a couple of hours.”
“I can handle the three of them, no problem. But I can’t get them all home. I just have the one booster seat.”
“We can trade cars,” he suggested. “Just put Mercy’s seat in my car. I’ll take your truck.”
“Perfect. Now be gentle with her—she belongs to Rawley and he restored her.”
The transfer was made and Scott said, “Gabriella is at home, standing by, in case I get stuck at the E.R.”
But Devon was leaning into his beautiful new vehicle. She was smelling the car. “Wow. I might just take