“I don’t have all the answers yet. Just give me a little time.” He went to his office and called his commanding officer first, describing what had occurred. He was told to expect a call back within the hour. Next, he talked to Anderson and Patrick to review it with them. Re-examining the incident helped Kenton comb through the details in his mind. Each time, he played the scene in slow motion again, looking for any clue he may have missed.
By the time he finished with that, his CO, Colonel Schaffer, was back on the line.
“Do you have a woman and two kids living with you?” the colonel asked immediately when Kenton picked up the call. “I thought you were single.”
“I am. They’re living here temporarily.” Kenton explained briefly about the fire and his mother’s offer for Mia and the girls to live in his house.
“Bad luck for them,” Colonel Schaffer said when Kenton finished. “Intelligence has picked up a threat against you. No details, but there’s some international chatter. We haven’t narrowed down who it is, but they appear to know about your houseguests.”
“You think the threat could be directed at them as well.” Kenton didn’t like the sound of that.
“It’s possible. If someone wants to hurt you, getting at the kids or her would be a way of doing that,” the colonel said.
“But she’s not my girlfriend, and those aren’t my kids. I’d never even met them before I arrived home a few days ago,” Kenton argued. This was turning into a nightmare. He could handle a threat against him. It wouldn’t be the first one. But including Mia and the girls…
“You can imagine how it looks,” Colonel Schaffer pointed out. “Anyone might assume there’s more of a connection than there is. Keep a sharp eye out, and we’ll get back to you as soon as we have more info.”
“Son of a bitch,” Kenton muttered when he put his phone down. A series of things had become obvious to him. One: he and his house had been watched, probably starting before he’d arrived home from his recent mission. Two: he wished his mother had never offered his home to a stranger who was now potentially in danger. That led to three: he had to protect Mia and her nieces, and he would have to keep them close to do that.
That last was a complication he didn’t want or need, but he felt obligated. Before going to speak to Mia, he called Patrick and Anderson back, updating them with what the colonel had said. They both agreed he needed to sit tight and keep his guests safe and offered to respond at a moment’s notice if he needed them.
The statement was unnecessary, since they’d had each other’s backs since elementary school, but it was good to know that help was a call away.
“The guy went for the kids first,” Anderson had pointed out during the conversation. “You know what I’m thinking. It could be connected to Ocampa.”
Anderson was right: he hadn’t needed to spell it out. Kenton had already thought of the same thing.
He rose and went to find Mia, knowing she wasn’t going to like what he had to say. No one would. When he reached the living room, it was eerily quiet. Mia sat on the couch, folding a basket of laundry. The girls were sleeping on the rug by the fireplace with an afghan over them. Even Eliot was calm for a change.
“They look peaceful,” he said as his eyes swept over the room.
“They didn’t see enough to be scared,” Mia said, but her tone suggested that she had.
“Nothing to worry about right now. The house is secure.” He wanted to give her some comfort. She looked tired and drawn, which wasn’t a surprise since she’d been up since four and worked a full shift—and was caring for two toddlers. What must it have been like for her to suddenly be a parent? That and the loss of her sister must have been tough enough. And then the apartment fire. A lesser person might have crumbled, but she must be the resilient type. He hoped so, given what he was about to say.
“Good. That’s good,” she repeated as if trying to convince herself. “The girls and I will be out of your hair by tomorrow, or the next day at the latest, so you won’t need to worry about us anymore.”
“What?”
“I’ve got two leads on other places to stay.” She matched up socks as she spoke. “I’ll decide tonight and make the arrangements.”
“You can’t go,” he said, putting it bluntly but keeping his voice gentle. “It’s not safe for you.”
“What do you mean?” She looked up at him, and he saw the panic return to her eyes.
He crossed the room and took a seat next to her. “The attack today wasn’t just on me. I think it included you and the girls, too.”
“What?” She angled her body toward his. “What are you talking about? Wasn’t it some random thing?”
He shook his head, trying to figure out the best way to explain that an international criminal was watching them and might be contemplating something far worse.
She blinked rapidly, but he saw tears forming in her eyes. The glow of happiness he’d seen in her was completely gone, and he wasn’t sure what he could do.
“Please try not to worry,” he found himself saying. What did he mean? Of course she should be worried. “That is, I’m going to take care of this. I’m already working on—” Oh, crap. She was looking even more upset now. “I mean, anything you need, I’m going to—”
“I could do with a hug,” she said, giving him a weary smile despite the tears that ran down her cheeks.
He hesitated. He wanted to comfort her, but dealing with women in distress wasn’t his norm. “Sure,” he said and pulled her against him. They were still sitting on the couch, but she buried her head in the crook between his shoulder and neck. He placed one arm low on her waist and the other around her shoulders and held her. A soft sound came from her, and he assumed it was a sob, but he didn’t know what to say to make any of this better. So he just held her and massaged little circles across her shoulders.
When she pulled back a few minutes later, her eyes were red, but she seemed steadier as she straightened her posture and put a little distance between them. He immediately missed her softness against him. What was that about? He wasn’t a hugger by nature, but she’d felt right in his arms.
“We have to stay?” She rubbed her fingers over her cheeks, removing the last traces of the tears.
He nodded. “We’ll have to work out a schedule.”
“We do?” She sounded instantly wary. Did she think he was trying to control her?
“I need to know when you’re coming and going,” he explained. “When the girls are outside playing, for instance. Everything has to be coordinated so I can provide maximum security.”
“Oh, I hadn’t thought about that.” Some of her stress lessened. “If that’s what it takes to keep them safe.”
“And you, too.” It was just as important to keep her out of harm’s way. He’d never forgive himself if his mother’s kind gesture of providing shelter for a woman in need resulted in something tragic.
“I’m an adult,” she said. “I can manage myself. All that matters is the girls.”
Kenton almost smiled. There was something momma-bearish about her that appealed to him. He understood that need to protect others, to keep them safe. As the captain of his SEAL team, he felt that responsibility whenever they were on missions. Maybe his role was like being a parent. He performed it through careful planning and extensive training. There wasn’t time for the latter in this situation, but he could put plans in place.