Tempting the Sheriff by Kathy Altman

Author:Kathy Altman [Altman, Kathy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2016-12-15T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINE

“OH, NO,” LILY CHOKED. “Oh, God.”

The child—a girl, judging from the scraggly ribbons of butter-blond hair shielding her face—lay unmoving on her side, her back to the road.

Vaughn was out of the car and running before she’d come to a complete stop. Lily slammed the cruiser into Park and sprinted after him. He squatted beside the girl, smoothed the hair from her face and touched two fingers to her neck.

Lily dropped to her knees in the grass slick with dew, panic burning a hole in her lungs. When Vaughn finally nodded, she gently palmed the girl’s back and allowed herself one quick sob of relief as she felt the unmistakable rise and fall.

“Pulse steady.” Vaughn scanned the girl from head to toe. “No sign of trauma, but we’d better not move her until the EMTs take a look.” He raised his head. “Good eye. We almost drove right by her.”

The hint of torment in his voice made her reach out. He met her halfway, and they briefly clasped fingers before turning their attention back to the girl who lay silent between them.

Vaughn shifted to his knees, leaned forward and stroked the girl’s cheek. “Hey,” he said gently. “Wake up, cupcake.”

Her face and neck were pink from sun exposure, her jeans and lavender T-shirt wrinkled and damp. Her clothes were a size too small, and her tennis shoes had seen better days.

“She looks to be about seven or eight.” Elodie would have been seven. “Where did she come from?” Lily jerked her chin toward the distant glass-front house situated above the vineyards. “I know not from there. The owners don’t have any children.”

“Got a jacket?”

With a nod, she stood. “I’ll have Clarissa send the rescue squad and find out if anyone’s reported a missing child.”

She strode toward the cruiser, shaking fingers pressed against her lips. When she’d first spotted the girl, she hadn’t had any idea whether she was alive or dead. With Elodie she’d known. One dread-filled glimpse and she’d simply been able to tell. It hadn’t stopped her from hoping. But hope hadn’t lasted long.

After radioing Clarissa, she popped open the trunk and grabbed the navy hoodie she kept there. A gleaming black pickup truck crested the hill facing her and slowed as it approached. Lily lifted a concrete arm and waved it by. The engine growled with disappointment as the truck sped away.

Lily hurried back to the child’s side and covered her with the hoodie. The fabric reached from her neck to her shins. “Rescue’s on the way.”

Vaughn nodded and continued to stroke the girl’s face. When his eyes went soft, Lily knew she’d woken.

“Hey, there,” Vaughn said, his voice a placid mix of cheerfulness and reassurance. “What’s your name, cupcake?”

A grubby hand appeared from beneath the sweatshirt. The girl shoved at her hair and rubbed at her eyes, and her lower jaw dropped to make way for a sleepy yawn. She blinked at Vaughn and pushed up onto her elbow.

“I’m Deputy Vaughn, and this is Sheriff Lily.

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