Home To Stay

Shannon walked out of Logan’s office, knowing that what he asked of her would be impossible. And she knew there was no way Sawyer could put it aside for even a heartbeat.

* * *

SHANNON HAD JUST returned from a long walk with Darwin when her personal cell phone rang. It was Sawyer.

“I’m sorry I left you at the coffee shop the way I did,” he said. “Especially after you were kind enough to get in touch with me. I can’t seem to say or do anything right these days.”

“That’s okay.” Nobody could expect him to think clearly with what he was going through.

“I just want you to know that it matters to me that you care,” Sawyer continued. “It gives me hope that it’s not just you, but that everyone who’s looking for Dylan cares, too.”

“They all do. I can promise you that.”

“And thank you for telling me about your brother. I wish you’d never had to go through that, but knowing you did... Talking to you helped me, because you understand in a way that not many people could. I just want to tell you how much I appreciate that.”

She felt a tightness in her chest. “I’m glad it helped. If you want to talk, feel free to call anytime.”

After they said their goodbyes, Shannon got a Coke from the fridge and took Darwin out to the back patio. As the first stars blinked awake in the darkening sky, she hoped that wherever Dylan was, he was safe and would soon be home with his father.

She hadn’t known what to expect when she’d encouraged Sawyer to call her, but he took her up on her offer.

During the next week, she and Sawyer spoke every day and sometimes more than once. She knew he was receiving official updates from the department, but she tried to fill in as many of the details for him as she could—without going too far.

And provide support, to the extent that she was able to.

She felt him gradually opening up to her in his sorrow, and she despaired that she couldn’t provide him relief from the agony he was living with, since the investigation kept coming up empty.

Each day that passed, she struggled with the ethical dilemma of developing a relationship with him. There wasn’t any plausible reason to suspect he had anything to do with his son’s disappearance, but in the absence of evidence pointing to anyone else, he hadn’t been completely eliminated.

Shannon tried to tell herself that she wasn’t attracted to Sawyer. How wrong would that be, to fall for a man under these circumstances? She berated herself for taking advantage of his weakened state. Would he be talking to her, if not for her connection to his son and the bond—as tenuous as it might be—because of Charlie? She kept reminding herself that she should maintain an emotional detachment.

But she was incapable of doing it. She was drawn to Sawyer in a way she couldn’t remember being drawn to any other man.

Layered over the question of ethics was the self-reproach of not telling Logan what she was doing. Yes, he’d okayed her sitting in on the briefings and keeping herself up-to-date on the investigation, but what would he say if he knew she had feelings for Sawyer Evans?

She took a sip of her beer and eyed Logan on the other side of the table. It was the K-9 Unit’s monthly Friday night get-together at The Runway, a bar close to San Diego International Airport. Logan’s girlfriend—fiancée now—worked as chief of security and loss prevention at the airport. Shannon remembered how intimidated she’d felt by the highly competent, drop-dead gorgeous Ariana Atkins when she’d first met her during a police investigation at the airport six months ago. No question she respected Ariana. Was probably a little awed by her. But since Ariana and Logan had gotten together, she’d had a chance to know her on a personal level. Now she considered her a friend.

Shannon watched as Logan slid his arm around Ariana’s shoulders and whispered something in her ear that had Ariana blushing. Who would’ve thought that the professional, unflappable Ariana—who’d helped them bust a major smuggling ring operating at the airport—would blush? Then again, who would’ve thought the tough and emotionally reserved Jagger would fall so hard?

Maybe she was just a little envious of the obvious love Ariana and Logan shared. What they had was the love of a lifetime. She glanced around the table. She could say the same about Rick and Madison, and Cal and Jessica. Cal and Jess had just gotten back from their vacation. They still had that honeymoon glow about them, and it had nothing to do with the light tans they’d acquired aboard the cruise ship.

Although Shannon had been in relationships before, she could safely say she’d never been in love. With a certain wistfulness, she turned her attention back to the interplay between Ariana and Logan.

“Is everything okay?”

Shannon jerked slightly and turned to her left. Madison Vasquez, the veterinarian responsible for the SDPD’s canines—and K-9 Unit sergeant Rick Vasquez’s wife—was watching her with concern.

“Yes.” She took another sip of her beer. “Why do you ask?”

Madison’s eyes were probing. “I’ve known you since you joined the K-9 Unit. What is that now? Eight months?”

“That’s about right.”

“You’ve always struck me as focused, with a laser-sharp mind and a terrific attitude.”

Shannon felt heat rise to her cheeks. “Um, thanks. That’s high praise coming from you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. You look distracted tonight. Unhappy.”

She exhaled heavily. “It shows?”

Madison squeezed Shannon’s arm and nodded. “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

Shannon cast a furtive glance at Logan. When she looked back at Madison, she realized her tactical error.

“Work-related problem, then?”

“Yeah. No. Not really.” Her eyes shifted to Logan again. He was laughing at something he, Ariana and Cal had been talking about. “It’s nothing. I can handle it.”

“Uh-huh. I hope you know you have friends here.”

When Logan’s phone rang, they all fell silent. He had a brief conversation, obviously with Dispatch.

“Yeah. Got it. We’re on it.” He sent an apologetic look around the table. “Sorry to cut our evening short, but Rick and I have to go.”

“Aw, man,” Rick complained halfheartedly.

“Sorry, pal. The Vice Squad got a tip that one of the drug cartels has something big going down across the San Ysidro border tonight. The rest of you enjoy the night out.”

Jessica grinned at her husband. “How nice! You can stay with us for girl talk.”

Cal shot his wife a pained expression. “You sure you don’t need me to come in on whatever’s going down, Jagger? Scout and I can track any fleeing suspects,” he suggested hopefully.

“No. You and Shannon can stay.” Logan chuckled. “Not up to the company of four beautiful women?”

Cal grimaced. “I think I just remembered something I need to do.”

“What?” Jessica asked with a skeptical look on her face.

Cal grinned sheepishly. “I’m sure something will come to me on the drive home. Will you be okay getting back on your own, Jess?”

Jessica laid a hand on her protruding stomach. “I think I’ll manage. I’m also happy to be the designated driver if anyone needs a ride, since I’m not drinking.”

“Okay, but if you feel anything, even a twinge, you promise to call me?”

“Yes, I promise.” She smiled at him. “I’m a doctor. You can rest easy. I’ll know when it’s time.”

“Glad that’s settled.” Rick pushed his beer away, rose and kissed Madison in a way that Shannon was certain would’ve made her toes curl if she’d been on the receiving end.

“Is it okay if...?” Madison asked Rick.

He touched his lips to her forehead, then tenderly ran his hand down the length of her curly red hair. “Sure.”

“What was that all about?” Ariana asked after the men had left.

“Well, this isn’t exactly how we’d planned to announce it,” Madison said, her face glowing as she pressed a hand to her flat stomach. “We’re expecting a baby!”

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