dresser while doing some last-minute primping.
She stopped in the hallway outside her door when Perry stared at the door to the middle bedroom. He looked as if he contemplated tearing the door down, or just bulldozing through it.
“When I bring you home later,” he began with a lazy drawl, “I want you to show me these chats you’ve had with Peter.” Perry pinned her with an all-business stare, whatever emotions he almost released while holding her briefly in the bedroom now very well in check. “We’re both working the same case. There’s no reason for the two of us not to share information, not as I see it, not now that they’ve told me you’ve got the case.”
His argument was valid. “We’re going to be late.”
He didn’t budge, didn’t take his focus off her. And she hated not being able to tell whether he was pissed or simply exhausted.
“Okay,” she said finally. “We’ll talk shop after I have dinner with your sister and the girls.”
He nodded once, satisfied, but showed no signs of gratitude. Instead, stalking into her living room, he did a quick glance over before opening her front door for her and waiting while she set her alarm, then closed the door and made sure it was locked after she stepped outside.
Megan Vetter didn’t appear surprised when Perry dropped Kylie off, explained quickly he still had to work, gave his sister a peck on the cheek, and disappeared. The confusion and chaos that followed swept Kylie right along with it as the four girls appeared to continually surround her while following their mother’s calm direction of putting supper on the table. And in spite of being sure she didn’t have any appetite, Kylie walked her cleared plate to the kitchen sink along with everyone else after dinner.
“What made you decide on KU if you’re from Dallas?” Megan asked when they made it to the living room after supper.
Not once did she scoot the girls upstairs so the adults could visit. In fact, Megan appeared indifferent that Dani, Diane, and Dorine continued hovering around her but simply extended one arm so Denise could cuddle into her on the couch.
Megan sipped her coffee, watching Kylie over the rim with a patient yet attentive gaze.
Kylie found the overstuffed chair facing the couch to be more comfortable than it appeared. The three teenagers collapsed on the floor around her, all finding positions where they could focus equally on her and their mother. Not one of them reached for the remote.
Dani and Diane also sipped coffee, matching their mother’s expression while waiting tentatively for Kylie’s response. She couldn’t help getting the impression her personal interrogation had begun. Kylie guessed the girls remained glued to her side to make sure she didn’t say anything to their mother that might require damage control on their part.
“KU is a good school,” she offered, wagering Megan didn’t really care why Kylie went there but was just opening the conversation. “I’ve got some incredible professors, but my thesis advisor is the best.”
“The girls tell me your thesis will be about them. Will you be using their names? I’ve heard before sometimes theses get published.”
“You’re right.” Kylie nodded, grinning. Megan needed to see Kylie’s enthusiasm about the project if she was going to allow her daughters to continue associating with her. After seeing how Megan easily adjusted to Perry not being able to make supper and knowing she was a cop widow, Kylie prayed her forgiveness would be quick when she finally learned Kylie was undercover. “I don’t know yet whose names I’ll use, or if I’ll use real names. Obviously if I do, I’ll have consent forms signed. Since your daughters are all minors, I would seek your signature.”
“I’m not a minor,” Diane offered quickly, straightening and pinning Kylie with green eyes so similar to her uncle’s it was uncanny.
“I’d still want to know if she used your name,” Megan informed her, holding her youngest close while placing her coffee cup on the end table next to the couch. “Are you going to discuss this online predator who is all over the news right now in your paper?”
Megan’s question surprised her, but the angle was good. Kylie paid attention to the girls’ reaction and would give Dani credit for remaining indifferent to the question. Either she was a master at not showing her emotions or she seriously didn’t believe her relationship with her online boyfriend fell under the category of “cautious” with all the media screaming caution right now.
“Excellent question.” Kylie focused on Dorine, the fourteen-year-old, who straightened while sitting cross- legged on the floor.
Dani remained stretched out on her stomach, propped on her elbows and focusing on her coffee. She didn’t look up at the shift in conversation.
“Let me ask you this,” Kylie added, returning her attention to Megan, whose thick long brown hair looked as healthy and youthful as her daughters’. “Are you taking any precautions with your daughters with this predator all over the news?”
“My girls get more of an education than most with their uncle so active in their lives. He’s quite the family man.” Megan looked at Dani instead of Kylie when she spoke.
Her daughter focused on her mother, her smile so damn angelic it merited an award. Kylie’s stomach tightened as she ignored the plug for Perry and instead noted how Dani would play her mother to maintain her private online relationship. Maybe Dani really did believe the boy she spoke with online was harmless, which proved to Kylie even more so how much she needed to be protected.
“So you’re telling me you don’t worry about your daughters’ online time?” Kylie asked.
All girls looked at her, their expressions varying from curious to concerned. Kylie focused on Megan. There were similarities between her and Perry, one being the focused look Megan returned to Kylie.
“That almost sounded condescending.”
Kylie shook her head, relaxed in her chair and knowing in spite of what the girls and Megan thought her reasons for being here were, she wasn’t here to make lasting friends but to save lives.
“Not at all,” she offered, keeping her tone soft and watching the wary expressions exchanged among the girls. “Do you know who your girls are chatting with and when?”
“Not always,” Megan admitted, stroking her youngest daughter’s hair.
Denise cuddled closer to her mother. Kylie did see a close relationship between mother and girls.
“I’m not a mother,” Kylie admitted, meeting Megan’s knowing look. “And I admit I haven’t given much thought to becoming one. It’s clear you five are very close. I’m not trying to judge you.”
“Good thing,” Megan said, laughing easily. “I work two jobs and have to rely on my daughters to help a lot around here. I also have to believe I’ve raised them well enough that they know the difference between right and wrong.”
“We do,” Dani said quickly, pushing herself off the floor and bending over her younger sister to give her mother a hug.
“You wouldn’t meet someone off-line you didn’t know, would you, Dani?” Megan asked when Dani straightened.
“Of course not, Mom.”
“You better not,” Dorine grumbled.
Dani spun around and Kylie caught the fierce look she gave her younger sister. Kylie tried grabbing Dani’s attention, but the girl stalked out of the room and there was the sound of her ascending stairs as the room grew quiet.
Kylie glanced at the front window when everyone else did. A moment later the front door opened and Perry immediately grabbed her attention.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded, shifting his dark gaze from her to his sister.
“Nothing.” Megan looked tired when she leaned her head back and smiled at her brother. “That is, unless you view teenage emotions as an issue.”
“Dani?” he asked, barely taking a second to note who wasn’t in the room.
“I don’t think she cared for the conversation.” Kylie stood, straightening her blouse.
“More than likely because she doesn’t want anyone to know she’s thinking about meeting someone,” Dorine offered, standing as well, and clasped her hands behind her back as she walked out of the room, whistling.
Megan sighed, pushing herself off the couch and leaving Denise to curl into a ball in the corner, simply watching the adults with a look of vague understanding on her face. Diane, however, groaned and patted her mother’s arm.
