Ransomed Dreams by Amy Wallace

Author:Amy Wallace
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Christian, Forgiveness, General, Christian Fiction, Suspense, Fiction, Religious
ISBN: 9781590527474
Publisher: Random House Digital, Inc.
Published: 2007-04-17T05:00:00+00:00

22

Maria Grivens walked behind Victoria and Lady Kensington as they entered Hope Ridge Academy for the first time together. Maria bypassed the magnetometer while the other two waited their turns amid squealing kindergarten students and sullen teens. Victoria stepped through the huge metal portal with no bounce, her curls flat all around her head.

Lady Kensington’s once-dancing eyes looked dead as well.

Maria’s heart constricted. Olivia had not come home, and the gray cloud of grief hung over every person in the British embassy Not even the first day of school—a day Victoria had been asking about hourly before Olivia’s funeral—enticed the little girl to smile.

Maybe new friends and Gracie Lang could do the trick.

Wide-eyed children and hurried parents swarmed around them as they walked down the long hall to Gracie’s classroom in silence.

Gracie waved to another parent and then smiled at Maria. “Good morning. Lady Kensington. Victoria.” She bent down to the little girl’s eye level. “I’m so glad you’re here today.”

Victoria gave a small curtsy “Thank you, Mrs. Lang.”

Lady Kensington hugged Victoria for a long moment. Then she gave a quick nod and straightened her black skirt and simple white blouse before turning to leave. A month since her daughter’s murder, and black still clung to every pore.

Maria swallowed hard. She’d become too emotionally involved. Any more distraction allowance and she’d have to resign from this case. Victoria’s safety mattered more than Maria’s care for this wounded family.

She followed Victoria into the classroom.

Gracie smiled and touched her arm. “Good morning to you too, Maria. It’s good to see you.”

Because of recent case developments, the Secret Service’s plans to have Maria work in the classroom as a teacher’s assistant had changed. Now both she and Agent John Reynolds would stand guard in the room. Each would become a statue. A nonperson for the duration of each school day.

Victoria clutched at Maria’s hand, tears spilling over her little white cheeks. “I want to go home. Please may I go home, Maria?”

She blinked and looked at John, who didn’t move.

Her supervisor’s voice crackled through her earpiece. “Negative. We’re set to roost for the day.”

Maria hated the microphone chatter. No emotion. Just the cold reality that there was a job to do and it would be done, no matter how broken Victoria’s heart.

Maria knelt and was instantly wrapped up in the arms of the little China doll. “We’re here for a time. Tori. Let’s make the best of it, okay?”

Victoria sniffled. “Yes, ma’am.”

A little boy with sandy brown hair and striking blue eyes stood by Victoria. “Hi. I’m James. Would you like to do a puzzle with me?”

Victoria glanced up, tearful eyes asking the question, and Maria nodded.

The two scampered off.

Maria took inventory of Gracie’s decorations for the first week of school. Hey Diddle Diddle posters and cutout cows and moons surrounded the excited children filling the room and finding their cubbies to store their backpacks. When the children were directed to look up, each found their name in calligraphy on a shining star that dangled from the ceiling.

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