The Seal's Secret Child

Blade’s expression looked genuinely hurt and, for a few moments, Josie deeply regretted her words. After all, she had dreamed of the day when her son would finally meet his father, fulfilling his longest-held wish. This should have been a day of joy for her. So why did she feel so tormented inside? Why did she feel that Archie might be slipping from her grasp?

“I don’t want to wait,” Blade said quietly. “I want to be around constantly to make sure that you’re both okay.”

The detectives clearly sensed the need to give the two parents time alone to discuss the matter, and they both rose in unison.

“We’ll give you a few minutes to talk it over,” Detective Pullman said. “We’ll go check on the progress of the cleanup.”

“Thank you,” Josie said. “I’ll be ready to leave soon, I promise.”

As soon as the detectives had left the room, Blade went to sit close to Josie.

“Why do I get the feeling you’d rather I wasn’t here?” he asked. “Are you sorry that Archie found me?”

“No, not at all.”

Blade’s blue eyes were wide and intense, a mirror image of Archie’s. “So why the reluctance to let me stay with you?”

“Because...” She struggled to find any words that wouldn’t make her sound like the most selfish, awful person in the world. “Because I never felt such primal and fierce love before Archie came along. I would literally kill anybody who tried to hurt my son.” She shook her head. “Our son. And I’ve been solely responsible for his welfare until now.”

Blade obviously knew exactly what she was trying to say. “And you don’t think you can share him twenty-four hours a day.”

She crossed her arms and sighed. He had hit the nail on the head. Yes, she most definitely was the most selfish, awful person in the world.

“No, it’s not that,” she protested weakly, before bowing her head in shame. “Actually, you’re right. I always wanted you in his life, but I never knew how hard it would be until this moment.”

Blade put a hand on her shoulder. His fingers applied a gentle pressure, and she felt their warmth through her thin cashmere cardigan.

“We’re only just learning how to do this,” he said. “Let’s take it one step at a time. I’ll try to be sensitive to your feelings and not tread on your toes, but I have a right to be with our son while he faces such a serious threat.”

Josie nodded. “Of course you do.” She silently admonished herself. “You’re very welcome to come with us to the safe house.”

“Thank you.”

She rose from the chair. “I’ll need to go pack some things.”

In truth, she was desperate to get away from Blade, to gather her thoughts and say a prayer to soothe all her anxieties and fears.

“Sure,” he said, standing with her.

She brushed past him and headed out the door, not knowing which aspect of today’s developments had scared her the most. Was it the man taking aim at her home with a gun, or the man taking aim at her son’s heart with a fatherly love that potentially would usurp her own?

* * *

Blade watched his son struggle toward the door, clutching a stuffed dog in one hand and a huge birdcage in the other, covered with a white sheet. Josie was a couple of paces behind, also struggling with a suitcase on wheels and a huge file of papers.

He stepped forward and reached for the handle of the case in Josie’s hand. “I’ve got this.”

“It’s better if I keep it,” she said. “It’s heavy and awkward.”

“All the more reason for me to take it,” he said, casting aside her concerned expression with a smile and pulling the case from her grasp. “I’m more than capable.” She didn’t look convinced, and the smile became fixed on his face. “I’ll put it in the car.”

He then turned to Archie and knelt to the floor. Just looking at the boy’s face still took his breath away. The freckles, the piercing blue eyes, the impish grin and blond curls—they were all features that could be clearly seen in old photographs of him as a child.

“Who is this little guy?” Blade asked, pointing to the black-and-white toy dog.

“It’s Oscar,” Archie replied. He held up the cage. “And this is Sherbet. He’s a blue parakeet and he’s two years old. I’m covering him so he doesn’t get scared by the lights on the police car.”

“It’s okay,” Blade replied. “It’s an unmarked car, and they won’t be using any flashing lights.” He lifted up the sheet to see a small bird with a beautiful bright blue chest sitting on a perch. The long tapered tail bobbed up and down as the bird edged along the perch, his inquisitive black eyes instantly responding to the human face studying him.

Archie bent his head to peek under the sheet. “Say hello to my dad, Sherbet,” he said. “He’s looking after us now.” The level of pride in his voice was unmistakable.

Blade quickly swallowed the emotion forcing its way to the surface. He’d become a dad overnight and was constantly awestruck.

“Hello, Sherbet,” he said, focusing all his attention on the bird so Archie wouldn’t see the moisture collecting in his eyes.

“Hello, hello, hello,” Sherbet chirruped.

“That was the first word he ever learned,” Archie said. “He says it a lot. But he can say tons of other stuff, too. I’ll show you when we get to our new house.”

“I’d like that,” Blade replied, taking the cage from Archie’s hand. “Why don’t you let me carry this for you? It’s kinda big.”

Archie gave up the birdcage without a fight and grabbed hold of Blade’s shirt with his free hand. The small gesture of vulnerability was enough to bring the tears back to Blade’s eyes. Man, this was killing him, but not in a bad way. The instant love he felt for this small child seemed to produce enough power to knock him right off his feet. Seven years ago, he had assumed he was not a sufficient man to be a good husband and potential father. He had written himself off as worthless. But now was his chance to prove his worth. Now he could be the man he had failed to be back then, even if Josie doubted his physical capabilities.

It was then that he noticed her watching his and Archie’s interaction. She was standing by the front door, where the two Wichita detectives were waiting to escort them to the vehicles outside. She was smiling, yet there was sadness in her eyes, and she was biting down on her lip and furrowing her brow.

“You two look like you’re getting on well,” she said, grinning a little too brightly. “You both have the same nose, you know that?”

“No way!” Archie exclaimed. “Mine is not that big.”

Blade laughed. “Not yet, son, but just you wait.”

Detective Sykes turned the knob on the front door. “Are you ready to leave, Miss Bishop?” she asked. “Your father is already in one of the cars. We’ll have to go in two vehicles. Would you like to ride with your dad or your son?”

“My son,” she replied quickly. “I’ll ride with my son.”

Archie let go of his father’s shirt and walked to his mother’s side. But he turned and looked at Blade earnestly. “Are you okay riding with Granddad?” he asked. “He’s really funny and he knows a lot of jokes, but don’t let him tell you the one about how to make a tissue dance because it’s gross.”

Blade smiled. “How so?”

Archie stuck out his tongue and pretended to gag. “Because you put a little boogie into it.”

Blade laughed out loud. “It sounds like your granddad has a good sense of humor. I’d love to ride with him.”

Detective Sykes opened the door. The January air was damp and chill, seemingly charged with an ominous threat. Was someone waiting for Josie to show herself? Blade automatically positioned himself in front of her and Archie, but he couldn’t rest his fingers on his holstered weapon. In one hand, he held the birdcage, and in the other, he wheeled Josie’s huge suitcase. He hadn’t thought this through.

“Mr. Harding,” Detective Sykes said. “You get into the second vehicle with Detective Pullman. I’ll be with Josie and Archie, leading the way.”

Blade walked down the path, checking the vicinity all the while. The street was quiet. It was just a few days after New Year’s, so everybody was probably taking down decorations and recovering from the overindulgence of the last couple of weeks. Blade didn’t like things quiet. He’d spent far too long in his own company, wallowing in self-pity, shutting himself off from the world. It was as though he’d been through a long, dark tunnel, finally emerging into the light with the help of a fellow wounded soldier named Peter.

Peter had handed Blade a Christian leaflet on the street one day, and the words written on it had spoken directly to him: “Does your life have no meaning?” Blade had felt that way ever since losing his leg, so he had stopped to chat before accepting an invitation to attend a church meeting, where Peter had surprised and amazed him by revealing his own story. He, too, was a wounded veteran, a double amputee injured in the field in Afghanistan, yet he was an athlete, having competed in the first Invictus Games. Peter had shown Blade that the love and grace of God might not be able to give him a new leg, but they could give him a new purpose. That was his turning point. He became a new man, looking after himself, working out, becoming strong and fit again. And now he was an athlete like Peter, looking forward to competing in his own Invictus Games.

But it looked as though the Lord had a new challenge for him: protecting his newfound family. Even though his relationship with Josie was well and truly over, its legacy meant that he was intrinsically bound to her forever.

Tim opened the trunk to allow Blade to put Josie’s case inside. “So you’re riding with me, huh?” he said with a kind smile. “It’ll give us a chance to talk.” He glanced at the birdcage in Blade’s hand. “I think you’d better keep Sherbet on your lap.”

Blade craned his neck to check that Josie and Archie were safely in the leading vehicle. Then he walked to his truck and pulled out a bag containing some clothes. When he’d left North Carolina, he had no idea how long he might be away, but he’d come prepared. He also picked up the black case containing his carbon fiber, reinforced polymer running blade. He wanted to continue training wherever they might go. Once he’d placed these items into the trunk of the SUV, he slid into the backseat, positioning Sherbet between him and Tim. Detective Pullman was in the driver’s seat, engine running.

“All ready?” the detective asked. “It’s only a short trip. Thirty minutes or so.”

The SUV pulled smoothly into the road, and Blade waited for Tim to start speaking. He had met him only once, shortly after he and Josie had gotten engaged. He guessed that Tim might harbor some resentment toward him for the mistakes of his past.

“It’s really good to see you, Blade,” Tim said finally. “I always knew you’d show up eventually, and I tried to be a good father figure to Archie until that time. I hope I’ve done a good job.”

Blade was taken aback and more than a little humbled by these words. “You’ve done a great job, Tim,” he said. “I can’t thank you enough.”

Both men fell into an awkward silence. Neither seemed to know what to say next. Blade spoke first. There was so much he had to say that it came out in one big push.

“I’m sorry that I abandoned your daughter seven years ago, sir. I stupidly thought that she’d be better off without me in her life. If I’d known she was pregnant, I’d never have left. Meeting my son for the first time has blown me away, and I can assure you that I will be ever-present in his life from now on. I love him.”

Tim was listening intently, his gray eyes creased at the corners and his balding head tilted slightly in concentration. “What about Josie? Do you love her, too?”

Blade wanted to give the question the careful consideration it deserved, so he took a while to answer. “I did love her. To tell you the truth, she’s the only woman I’ve ever loved. But we’ve both moved on now. I sense that she’s a little hostile toward me, and I totally understand why. She has every right to be angry.”

“She’s not angry,” Tim said. “She’s hurt, and she wants you to make it better.”

Blade wasn’t quite sure what Tim was asking of him. “I can’t rewrite the past. I can’t make anything better.”

Tim shook his head. “I’m not suggesting that you rewrite the past,” he said. “I’m suggesting that you write the future. You say that Josie is the only woman you’ve ever loved. Well, I happen to know that you are the only man she’s ever loved, and probably ever will love.”

Blade couldn’t help but laugh. “Josie doesn’t love me. Not anymore.”

Tim sighed in exasperation. “Maybe not, but she could fall in love with you again.”

“I’m sorry, Tim,” Blade said, feeling an urgent need to quash these unrealistic hopes. “I know you want this story to have a happy ending, but Josie and I are two totally different people now. To tell you the truth, I get the feeling she doesn’t see me as a strong protector.”

Tim seemed surprised. “You do?”

“Since I lost my leg, I’ve gotten used to people treating me differently, assuming that I’m somehow weak and fragile. I know they’re well-intentioned, so I say nothing. But I’d never tolerate that attitude from somebody close to me.” He gave a soft laugh. “Maybe that’s why I’ve never fallen in love again. I’m waiting for a woman who treats me like a man with two legs.”

Tim mulled over his next words for quite a while before saying, “Doesn’t Josie treat you like a man with two legs?”

“No. She doesn’t even think I’m capable enough to carry a heavy suitcase, let alone chase down the bad guys.” He looked out the window wistfully. “She doesn’t see me the way she used to. She patronizes me.”

“Don’t you think you should talk to her about the way you feel?”

“No,” Blade replied quickly. “Our relationship is already pretty rocky. I don’t want to make it even more uncomfortable, so I’d appreciate you keeping this conversation between ourselves.”

“I think you should be open with her,” Tim said. “She probably doesn’t realize that her comments are hurtful.”

Blade shook his head. “She’s likely to be defensive, and I’d rather not start off on the wrong foot.” He laughed again. “Although I have only one foot to start off with anyway.”

He then noticed Detective Pullman pick up the radio and put it to his mouth. “Carly, I think we’re being tailed. I recommend evasive action. Let’s go off our designated route.”

Blade spun his head around to get a view of the pursuing vehicle. Behind them was the same stolen black sedan that had been parked across the street earlier, showing ragged signs of the earlier gun battle. As soon as Blade’s eyes came to rest on the man sitting behind the wheel, the car surged forward, ramming into the SUV’s bumper and sending the vehicle lurching forward.

“Carly!” Detective Pullman shouted into the radio. “Let’s move. Now!”

* * *

Josie put her arm around Archie and pulled him close, placing her hand on his chest. His heartbeat was strong and steady, whereas her heart was beating like a jackhammer. Detective Sykes was driving at top speed, weaving her way through the quiet streets of Sedgwick in an attempt to lose the car pursuing them.

“It’s okay, Mom,” Archie said, taking her hand. “Dad’s in the car behind. He won’t let the bad man get to us.”

Josie closed her eyes and pulled Archie closer. Her son had built up an aura of invincibility surrounding his father. He knew that his father had been in the navy SEALs and, consequently, believed him to be some kind of all-conquering hero. But Josie knew different. Josie knew that Blade was a man with weaknesses and failings like any other. Yet she couldn’t burst her son’s bubble by telling him this. And she definitely couldn’t compete with the rough-and-tough persona that Archie had allocated to Blade. She felt sidelined.

“Hold tight, guys,” Detective Sykes said, taking a sharp left and sending Josie and Archie leaning heavily to the side. “Don’t worry. We’re taking the scenic route to your new house.”

“We’re not worried,” Josie said, forcing brightness into her voice.

“I hope Sherbet is okay,” Archie said, looking up into his mother’s face. “I should have brought him with me.”

“I’m sure he’s fine, honey,” Josie said, craning her neck to look back. She saw Detective Pullman at the wheel of the second SUV close behind. She could just make out the outlines of Blade and her dad in the seats behind him. Blade was positioned in a way that allowed him to observe the car on their tail, and she wished that her son was correct in his assumption that his father was invincible. They sure could use a hero right now. But she couldn’t expect Blade to be the action man he used to be. It simply wasn’t possible anymore.

She saw Detective Pullman look in his rearview mirror and open his mouth, seeming to shout a warning to his passengers. The SUV pitched forward, having been hit from behind by the pursuer, and the vehicle momentarily mounted the curb, ramming into a fire hydrant so hard that a loud bang sounded. The tire had blown. They were sitting ducks.

“They’re in trouble!” Josie shouted. “We should help them.”

“We don’t stop unless we have to,” Detective Sykes said. “We follow protocol.”

Then, quick as a flash, Blade jumped from the car and, using the open door as a shield, he began firing rapidly into the windshield of the black sedan, shattering the glass and creating an explosion of noise. Detective Sykes eased off the gas and took their vehicle to the end of the street before stopping at the side of the road and looking around to observe the scene anxiously. She picked up her radio and requested backup, shouting over the noise of firing bullets.

Josie put her hands over her son’s ears and held his head on her chest.

“It’s okay,” she whispered into his ear. “It’s all under control.”

Looking back, she saw that Blade had been joined by Detective Pullman. Both men fired on the black sedan, alternately shouting orders for the man to exit the vehicle with his hands up. But this guy had taken cover by crouching beneath the dash and clearly had no intention of showing himself. Instead he put the car in Reverse, floored the gas pedal and careened backward, the tires squealing and smoking on the asphalt. He mounted the curb, veering wildly from side to side, but managed to bring the vehicle back onto the road and perform a skidding turn. Then he raced away, vanishing from sight in just a few seconds.

Josie took her hands away from Archie’s ears and smiled at him. “The bad man has gone.”

Blade appeared at the passenger side of their SUV, alert and watchful. He opened the door. “Tim and I will ride with you while Detective Pullman stays with his damaged vehicle,” he said, reaching into the backseat and touching his son’s cheek. “You okay, kiddo? That was a bit scary, huh?”

Josie could see that a look of apprehension had crept onto Archie’s face. “Where’s Granddad? And where’s Sherbet?” He looked around. “He didn’t fly away, did he?”

“Granddad’s right here,” Blade said, opening the back door to allow Tim inside. “And he’s got Sherbet with him, so scooch over and make some room.”

Josie could hear the smooth, even tone of Blade’s voice, yet he couldn’t mask his urgency to leave this situation behind.

Detective Sykes turned to Josie. “Detective Pullman will be just fine here until backup arrives, and he’ll ensure that the black sedan doesn’t come our way.”

“There’s no way that his vehicle will get very far,” Blade said, sliding into the passenger seat and securing his belt. “The engine was pouring smoke from bullet damage. I figure he’ll be caught soon enough.”

Josie looked down at her hands. She knew that these were hollow words, designed to comfort and reassure. This criminal was determined to catch her, determined to make her pay a heavy price for representing Norman Francis. And she had no doubt in her mind that he was already long gone, plotting how to find her and when to launch his next attack.

She watched Archie lift the blanket on the birdcage and talk to Sherbet in a gentle voice. Her son was the most tender and kindhearted child in the world. He didn’t deserve this level of threat in his life. It just wasn’t fair. While she could take the danger and the risk, Archie was just a six-year-old boy. He was innocent of any wrongdoing.

There was nothing else to do. She would have to send him away until the danger had passed, whether Blade liked it or not.

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