Page 163 of Trouble Comes in Threes

“I’m not sure. Maybe both. Has Dermot said anything?”

Frowning, I said, “No. He seemed just as surprised as me when the boy showed up asking for protection from me.”

“Are you sure he’s tellin’ the truth?”

I frowned. “Why wouldn’t he be?”

Joe gave me a grim smile. “Exactly. What would he have to hide?”

But I couldn’t help thinking about the missing floppy disks, and my anxiety began to rise. “Dermot cares about my well-being, Joe. And about our kids.”

“I know, Rose,” he said, pulling me back down, so I sank into his body. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

But was he?

The doorbell rang multiple times, and seconds later, Hope shouted from downstairs, “Momma!”

“Mom!” Mikey called out, and my heart bubbled from the warmth of hearing him call me Mom.

“We’re home!” Ashley shouted.

Joe grinned at me. “I guess the kids are back.”

I smiled, worry still churning in my gut. “I guess they are. Now we can find out how Neely Kate’s appointment went.”

“Coming!” Joe hollered out the door.

We quickly thew on our clothes and headed downstairs. Neely Kate and Jed were in the kitchen with all the kids getting a snack.

“Momma!” Liam shouted from his high chair.

“Why didn’t you pick us up?” Ashley asked. “And why is Dad home too?”

Joe reached over and squeezed my hand. I knew what he was feeling. I loved that they wanted to call us Mom and Dad, although no small amount of guilt went with it.

“There was another break-in at the office,” I told her. “And I was there. So I had to give a statement, and Dad came home with me.” I shot a glance at Joe. Calling him that with her and Mikey was going to take some getting used to.

“Are you okay?” Ashley asked in alarm.

I instinctively reached a hand for my turtleneck-covered neck. “I’m fine.”

Ashley got up and gave me a hug, holding me tight. “I’m glad you’re okay, Mom.”

A lump filled my throat. “Me too, Ash.” I had to be more careful in the future. Ashley couldn’t afford to lose another parent.

She released me, then sat back down. Neely Kate hugged me next. “I’m so sorry I left you alone. I should have been there with you. I was the one who insisted we look for the owners.”

“Stop!” I chastised, pulling back to look at her. “You were exactly where you needed to be, and how were we to know it would turn into something dangerous?”

Her brow rose as she propped a hand on her hip.

“Okay,” I conceded. “A lot of things we touch turn dangerous, but this seemed innocent enough, and I don’t regret any of it. Now tell me what the doctor said.”

She gave Jed a tentative smile then turned back to me. “I’m definitely pregnant. He said I’m eleven weeks and five days. Which means this baby is one-third of the way cooked.”

Neely Kate was only a few days away from her second trimester.

I cast a glance at Jed, who was watching the children and not his wife. He obviously wasn’t happy, but why? Had the doctor confirmed this pregnancy was too dangerous?

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