Page 9 of Rescuing Sara

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Patrick groaned.

“You’re the one telling me to roll!” she shouted.

“Okay, okay!” Patrick released his sigh this time. “Roll away from whomever is trying to hurt you but try not to roll into the street. We don’t need for you to get run over.”

She frowned. “I don’t think there will be that much traffic at the church at this time of day, so–”

“Danni!”

“Okay,” she grumbled, getting to her feet. “Let’s do it again.”

“No sidebar comments!” Patrick ordered.

“Yes sir!” She gave him a cocky salute that would have landed her at least a week in an Army brig.

“Alright. Danni! Drop and roll!”

She dropped to the carpet again and rolled until he yelled, “Stop!”

She threw her arms over her head and glared up at him when he came to stand over her. “Will that do?”

“It better.” He reached down to pull her to her feet. She shook her head, sending her magnificent hair flowing around her shoulders and Patrick had to fight to keep from running his hands through it. “Do you always do that? Unbraid your hair when you’re upset or nervous?”

A dark blush painted her face, but her gaze stayed focused on him. “Yeah,” she admitted. “My hands shake when I’m upset, so braiding or unbraiding keeps them steady. Sort of.”

“Okay,” he said. “Just curious.”

“Okay, then.” She shoved her hands into her pockets. “Now what?”

“We clean the kitchen and then brush our teeth,” Partick told her, and was oddly pleased by her soft huff of laughter. “Because we always brush our teeth before we go to church.” Looking down at her bare feet, he added, “And don’t forget to put on your shoes.”

CHAPTER 4

A short timelater

“I usually have to park further down the street,” Danni said as Patrick eased his vintage LTD into a spot just down from the entrance to St. Nicholas Catholic Church. “But then I go to the noon service, and it’s almost always crowded. But we’re early, hence a closer place to park.”

“You said you come here for noon Mass?”

“Yes,” Danni said. “They have what they call a healing service on Wednesday at noon, so I come to say prayers for Sara’s safe return and to light a candle. The music is nice too.”

“Wait in the car, please.” Patrick switched off the engine as she started to open the door.

“Why?”

“Just do it, please,” Patrick said exiting the car to come and open the passenger door. “I’m not taking any chances of you moving too far from me.”

They passed several smokers, wreathing themselves in a tobacco cloud just before the steps leading into the church. Other people were buying flowers from a bearded man in a skull cap standing behind a long table.

“Oh, they have roses and chrysanthemums!” Danny exclaimed. “I want to buy a bunch when we’re finished. Is that okay with you?”

Patrick shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”

Inside the church the scent of candles and beeswax greeted them. A young nun who was obviously waiting for them, came forward and led them down a side aisle through the nave and then to the back of the church. She stopped before an oaken door and knocked twice. At a faint reply, she opened it, smiled and left.

“I told you ‘No police’”, a pale, thin woman seated opposite Father Ryan’s desk whined as they entered. Patrick closed the door behind them but remained standing there, with Danni standing beside him. The woman glared at them, her fingers sliding up and down the handles of her Chanel purse. “Father Ryan, you promised me no police.”

“Lieutenant Danton isn’t with the police, Christine,” Father Daniel Ryan soothed. “Though with that posture, I can see why you would think so. He’s recently retired from the army. How’s your arm healing, Lieutenant?”

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