Page 8 of Justified Fear (TFH Team Bravo #2)

He pulled back to his full height, then strode out of the room, but not before slipping the back of his hand against her mother’s. Soon, it was just her mother and her in the bedroom.

“You should have kept him in Texas.”

Her mother shook her head. That’s when Keely noticed the unshed tears in her mother’s eyes. Her mother was small-boned, with dark red hair. The one thing they shared was their golden-brown eyes.

“Your father almost fell apart. There was no way I was going to be able to keep him in Texas. And besides, you are and will always be my baby. I had to come check up on you.”

Guilt and love intertwined in her chest. “I’m sorry I scared y’all.”

“Don’t apologize for the evil others do. I just want you to understand that your father is working on fear and too little sleep.”

“I understand. But I’m not moving back to the mainland.”

“I know that, and your father knows that on some level. He just needs to rage a little.” She shrugged. “Men always seem to think that if they get really loud, their fears will dissolve.”

“Do you think he would be happier with some macadamia nut French toast?”

“With coconut syrup?” her mother asked, referencing the Hawaiian Sun syrup her father bought by the caseload.

“Would I be Riki Templeton’s daughter if I didn’t have it?”

“Let’s go. He’ll be happier once we make him eat.”

“I need to clean up, then I’ll get started.”

She slipped out of bed and winced.

“Maybe you should rest more.”

Keely shook her head. “The doctor said to move around and stretch. Lying around makes it worse.”

“Meet you in the kitchen.”

Once her mother was gone, Keely moved to the bathroom, albeit slowly. She felt bruised and battered. After tugging on a Reynolds Ranch t-shirt and some board shorts, she headed out to get to work. She was achy, but nothing made her feel better than cooking in the kitchen.

Her father had refurbished her grandmother’s house years ago and updated it whenever she asked.

It was large by Hawaiian standards, but had been around since the 1940s.

The floors creaked as she made her way down the hall, and it warmed her heart.

They had lived on the mainland, but the entire family would come to see her grandparents.

They would fill up the house with laughter and food.

She stepped into the kitchen and smiled. The first time she made this dish, she had been seven years old, and her grandmother had been by her side, teaching her.

Her mother was looking out the window, which looked out over the back yard. More than likely, Lulu and her father were conspiring against her.

“Are they calling in reinforcements?”

Her mother smiled at her as she turned to face her. “Probably, but he’ll deal with his issues.”

“You mean he’ll stomp around and bitch about not getting his way?”

“Yep.”

They shared another smile just as her doorbell rang.

“Are you expecting anyone?” her mother asked.

Keely shook her head and made her way to the front door while pulling up her doorbell camera.

She blinked when she saw Ryan and the tall black agent—she couldn’t remember his name at the moment.

As she passed a mirror in the hallway, she wanted to groan.

She had her hair up in a messy bun, and she still had some wrinkles on her face from her pillowcase.

Great. He was definitely going to think she was a hot mess.

She opened the door. “Officers, come in.”

They hesitated, and Ryan looked down.

“Oh, Maya, of course you can come in. Just…my parents are here. You’ve been warned.”

As she walked down the hall with them, she couldn’t help but chatter. It was what she did when she was nervous, and Ryan Morrison made her insanely nervous.

“Did you catch the bad dudes? Please say yes, then my parents will go away.”

“Is that any way to talk about your mama?” Amusement filled her mother’s voice.

“Sorry, Mama.”

“No worries. Who are these fine gentlemen?”

“And, lady,” she said, looking down at Maya.”

“Oh, what a sweet baby.”

“She’s Ryan’s partner.”

Her mother’s gaze focused on the men, then zeroed in on Ryan. “You would be Ryan?”

“Yes, ma’am. Ryan Morrison. This is Kap Hanson. We’re with TFH.”

“Oh, yes. One of Riki’s cousins was talking about TFH last time we were here.”

“They found me. Well, Maya found me,” Keely said.

“What the hell is going on in here?”

Great. Her father could never just walk into a room.

“Daddy, these are the gentlemen who helped find me. And, 3, 2, 1…”

“Why are you counting?” Ryan asked her at the same time Kap Hanson said, “Jesus, you’re Riki Templeton.”

“Because of that,” Keely said.

“Oh,” he glanced at her father, then back at her. “Are you having any issues today?

Keely blinked. “No. Just a little stiff. Well, other than an overbearing father.”

“I heard that, Keekee.”

She smiled. No one else called her by that nickname. Even though he was irritating her at the moment, she had nothing but love for her father. “Where is Lulu?”

“She had a client she had to meet.”

“I guess I should formally introduce you. These are my parents, Monica and Riki. Mom, Dad, these are two of the officers who helped find me, Ryan, and Kap. And of course, Maya.”

“Who did most of the work,” Ryan said.

They shared a smile.

“Kap and Ryan, do you have any information for us?” Her mother asked as her father eyed Maya. Her father had a healthy fear of large dogs since a neighbor had sic’d their dog on him when he was a kid. Still, Maya sat calmly, her gaze taking in the entire situation.

“No, we just wanted to check on Keely and see if she remembered anything about last night.”

Her heart sank a little. Of course, Ryan wasn’t there to see her. He was there about the case, and she was getting butterflies in her stomach.

She glanced at her father, then back to the men. “I was just going to cook some mac nut French toast. There will be plenty.”

Kap opened his mouth to answer, but Ryan interrupted him. “Sounds fabulous.”

She smiled and decided she was going to make the best batch of French toast she had ever made in her entire life.