Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore

Author:Janice Cantore
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Christian / Romance
ISBN: 9781496406644
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Published: 2015-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

“I’M SURE YOU DON’T REMEMBER ME, Detective Hart, but I knew you when you were six. I knew your parents as well.” Grace Murphy spoke as everyone sat at the table.

Luke tried to watch Abby without staring. She had such a cop face, but he thought he saw an array of emotions briefly before she could shut down: discomfort, curiosity, maybe longing?

“I remember your name from the reports. I know your brother died getting me out of the fire. Please, call me Abby.”

Grace took her seat. “That was my brother, always thinking of others. Luke was named after him. He loved working at that restaurant, loved your parents and Lowell.”

“Cookie. I called him Cookie.”

“Oh.” Grace put a hand over her mouth. “You remember that? Your dad gave him that nickname. My brother made the best sugar-orange cookies. He made the best because he loved to eat them.” She smiled and raised her hands, indicating it was time to bless the meal.

The girls stopped their chattering, clasped hands, and bowed their heads. Abby was on Luke’s right, and it was a couple of seconds before she took his hand.

Luke’s dad gave the blessing, ending by thanking God that Abby could join them for the meal. After the amen, the girls resumed their chatter, and Grace served everyone. While Luke had a million questions he wanted ask Abby, he let his mom start off.

“What a surprise when Luke told us who you were. My land, I’m amazed that you’d be back here. I admired your mom and dad; they were loving parents.”

“I wish I remembered more of that period of time.”

“You don’t remember anything about the fire?” Luke asked.

Abby shook her head. “Not really. Only heat and Cookie telling me I’d be okay.”

“Probably just as well,” Grace said, her brow furrowed. Luke knew that meant time for a change of subject. “I don’t recall your mother ever talking about a sister,” she said. “And I was at the restaurant a lot. I adored my big brother.”

“From what I know, my mother and her family were estranged. My grandparents let her stay here with friends to finish her senior year while they and Dede moved to Oregon. She never moved to rejoin them.”

“I actually talked to the family your mother stayed with,” Luke said. He wondered if Abby knew the family history he’d discovered during the course of his investigation. By the look on her face, he was betting no.

“You did? The Turners, right?”

“Yep. Betsy Turner was your mom’s best friend. Your mom didn’t want to be uprooted, and she was already dating your father.”

She twirled her fork on her plate, and Luke hoped he wasn’t upsetting her. But when she looked up, he saw only curiosity in her eyes.

“I know she married my father right after high school and before he joined the Army.”

“Yeah, I don’t know much about those years. I think your mom moved to where your father was stationed, and then they moved back to Long Beach after he got out.

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