Page 52 of Special Agent Isabella

Preening, Abbie’s little chest pushed forward as she took a handful of the red mass and squeezed it gently, feeling the texture and obviously loving it.

“One day, my hair will be long like yours.”

“But it is long, no?” Demi’s pretend shocked look made Bella and Abbie laugh. Then Abbie lifted her hands and removed the blonde wig to show the short brown strands clinging to her head. “It’s growing, right Bella?”

“Yes, baby. Soon it will be just the way you want it.” Bella took out Abbie’s pajamas and helped her to put them on.

Demi gently pointed out the space where an extra cot had been made up next to a twin-sized bed. “You’re going to sleep with me in here, Abbie. Where I can watch over you, and you won’t be alone. Is that alright?”

Bella seemed to understand Abbie’s hesitation and added, “I’ll stay until you’re asleep, baby. Don’t be worried. Demi and I will protect you from those crazies over at the house.”

Abbie fetched her special teddy from her case, climbed up on Bella’s lap, and snuggled in. With her head against Bella’s chest, she closed her eyes, and her body sagged.

* * *

Demi had never seen her friend looking so content. Bella radiated sweetness. While she rubbed and patted Abbie’s back tenderly, Demi commented on it.

“You’re smitten, Bella. Admit it.”

“Guess so. But Abbie’s special. Not all kids are like her.”

“Maybe not exactly, but each one has something perfect that makes them unique. And they all need to be loved to bring out that something.”

“See… you get it. Me… I’m still wandering around out there in the wilderness looking for answers.”

Demi chuckled. “I’d say Tanner is helping you with those questions, right? A little?” She probed with uncanny insight into Bella’s attitude.

“Quit prying. You get a boyfriend and now you’re Miss Romance. There’s nothing there, just a working relationship. We seem to get along while we’re busy. Which reminds me, as soon as I know she’s out for the count, I’ll be heading into the office to help with finding… a-a friend who seems to have gone missing.”

Her hints got through, and Demi’s face grew serious. “I’m so sorry about that situation. You explained over the phone, but it still blows my mind how someone can just disappear.”

“We have a few leads now, better than earlier.” Just then Abbie grew restless, and Bella stroked her hair to help her settle again. When she went to lay her on the cot, Demi stopped her. “No, put her in the bed. It’s comfier and I’ll be here beside her and won’t disturb her if I get called out. I have Nora looking after the front door tonight, but you know how things can erupt in this place.”

Bella settled Abbie and stayed next to her, stroking the child and whispering love words until once again she nestled into a calm slumber.

“So, tell me about what’s his name.”

* * *

Demi tried not to get a starry-eyed look, knowing that Bella would tease, but she didn’t succeed. “What’s to tell?”

“You like him.”

“Yeah.” Her tone became sarcastic. “He’s adreamboat.”

“Seriously, Dem, I’ve never known you to get all glassy eyed over any male before. Tell me.”

Crossing her knees into a yoga position, Demi began talking about the man who’d knocked her over at the grocery market.

Upset and apologetic, he’d picked her up, carefully handling her bruised body, and showed himself to be so terribly distraught at having caused her pain, that he almost broke down himself.

She’d never met a man so tender and caring, one unafraid to show his soft nature. Before she knew it, he’d paid for her groceries and had talked her into going with him to the nearest café so he could buy her a coffee. “It’s the least I can do for being such an idiot. I should have been watching where I was going instead of reading a silly text.”

“It would have been fine if I wasn’t reaching up to get something. I was off balance.”

“I can’t tell you how terrible I feel about this,” he’d said for the third time. His sensitive look portraying his sincerity.

“As I said before, it was my fault too. It’s fine. Really.”

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