Texas Witness

Her chest squeezed thinking about it. She was trying to move away from danger, not put everyone in front of the firing squad. As long as Angelina was resting, Melissa should be able to hide her true identity. Sleep, my little angel. Sleep.

Melissa couldn’t allow herself to think about anything but Tommy being okay. Finding her handler ran a close second.

“I take it no one’s come in with an update?” Dallas asked as Colin moved by the window and stared outside.

She desperately wanted to ask him to move away from there.

“Not yet,” she said. “I’m really sorry about what happened to Tommy.”

A few tears free-fell despite her attempts to force them back.

“It’s not your fault,” Colin said under his breath.

She wasn’t so sure.

“I can help you with your daughter if you’d like a break,” Dallas said, offering to hold her.

“No,” Melissa said too quickly. “I just don’t want to take a chance of waking her with everything going on.”

The blanket slipped with movement and she secured it back in place. With Dallas standing close and Colin on the other side of the room, it was going to be a challenge to keep Angelina’s face concealed.

Dallas’s right brow raised but he didn’t immediately comment.

“I never knew how little sleep any of our parents must’ve gotten until my son, Jackson, came into my life,” he finally said, and then motioned toward chairs near Colin. “At least sit down.”

“You have a child?” she asked as she glanced at the chairs and then at Colin. Angelina stirred and Melissa’s heart dropped. Please, little angel.

“And a wife,” Dallas said.

“What?” Melissa didn’t mean to sound so shocked. She smiled at him as she moved to the farthest wall and took a seat.

“A lot has changed since you left,” Dallas said with a glance toward Colin.

“Well, congratulations,” she said. “You looked very happy when you mentioned your family.”

Dallas smiled and took a seat next to her.

“What’s her name?” He motioned toward the baby.

“Angelina,” she said quietly. Out of her periphery, she saw Colin’s reaction as his entire body tensed. It had been a moment of weakness that had her needing to use that name—the name that she and Colin had said they’d use if they ever had a daughter.

Dallas seemed to pick up on the added tension when he changed the subject by asking if Melissa wanted anything to drink.

“No, thanks,” she said. “I’m still shocked at hearing you got married. It’s good. And I think it’s amazing that you have a son.”

“It’s funny how everyone tells you that you won’t sleep when you have a baby, but no one says that you won’t mind,” Dallas said, that O’Brien pride written all over his features.

“I couldn’t be happier for you, Dallas.” She would bet any one of the O’Brien boys would make a great father, and her heart especially believed that about Colin. A wave of sadness crashed into her. She checked her phone again. The sooner she heard from Marshal Davis, the faster she could leave.

“Thank you. He’s a great kid. I hope you’ll swing by the ranch and meet my wife, Kate,” he said, and that comment netted a harsh look from Colin.

“I’d like that,” she said, even though the words were hollow. Liking the idea wasn’t the problem. She’d be Bethany soon enough and would never be allowed to look back. And especially not while Richard was a free man. Probably not after, either, considering he managed a network of ruthless criminals.

Speaking of the devil, she really needed to update Marshal Davis about Richard being in Bluff. She hoped Davis wasn’t waiting at their meet-up, but how could he be? She hadn’t thought about it before but there’d been cell coverage in the parking lot. She’d used her phone to call for an ambulance and yet she hadn’t heard from her handler.

Her cell buzzed, causing her to jump. She checked the text. Relief washed over her and through her when she saw the initials from her handler along with a text message. The second blessing was that Angelina didn’t wake.

New meet-up location: Bluff Motel.

“I have to go.” Melissa dropped the phone into her bag and felt around for the car keys.

Colin moved in between her and the door.

“You’re not leaving without explaining yourself.”

Chapter Five

The baby stirred at Colin’s booming voice. Melissa’s heart dropped. This time, Angelina whined and Melissa knew that her daughter was about to cry.

“Shhh, baby. It’s okay,” Melissa soothed. She needed to get out of there fast before Colin saw her daughter’s face—correction, their daughter’s face. All Melissa’s plans at keeping everyone safe while starting a new life were being threatened. O’Brien men were too honest and too much about family for Colin to stand by while she took his daughter on the run without him knowing where they’d gone or if they’d return. Coming to the hospital had been a huge risk, but what choice did she have? She’d had no idea where her handler was and her daughter needed protection. The storm that had been brewing inside her was developing, swirling, threatening to devastate her.

There was a ray of sunshine, though. Marshal Davis had finally contacted her. He was okay. Melissa needed to get to the checkpoint so she could disappear. Wow, she didn’t expect that word to hurt so much.

“I’ll give you some privacy,” Dallas said. He stopped as he rounded by Angelina and all Melissa could think was, Keep walking, Dallas.

Melissa feared he’d have questions, especially if he made a quick calculation and estimated Angelina’s age. Her heart dropped as one of her worst nightmares threatened to play out before her eyes. She held her breath, waiting. Dallas gave her a look as he passed by but he didn’t say a word.

She let out the breath she’d been holding.

“What’s going on?” Colin’s tone was harsh, his words like daggers being thrown at her.

“Colin, I can’t do this right now,” she shot back under her breath, trying to will her body to stop shaking. “I need to take care of my daughter and I have to go.”

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