Page 160 of Seven Deadly Sins

“It’s me.” She took the popped-up toast out of the toaster and slabbed butter and strawberry jam on top. “Every death we haven’t been able to prevent is another dagger to my heart. I feel like such a failure.” She planted her hands on the countertop and bowed her head. “I think it’s time to seek peace in church before going to the office.”

She hadn’t attended a single service, but sitting in the quiet soothed her, quieted the demons. She’d need that peace more than ever as they worked to prevent Robert’s war.

“That sounds like a great idea. I could use some peace, too. Ten minutes?”

She nodded and carried her toast and coffee to her room. She dressed quickly, ate even quicker, and joined Liam in eight minutes. They were due to the office by eight and she didn’t want to be late again. The chief would have a coronary, and no one wanted the morning to start with a lecture.

Liam pulled up to the side of the church, and they entered through a side door left unlocked for people seeking solace. Harper sat in the front row, glanced at the wooden cross, then closed her eyes.

As she sat, the weight of the previous weeks slipped from her shoulders. Her strength renewed. Come what may, she’d be ready to face Robert and accept the consequences of whatever action she might have to perform. While she’d do everything possible to keep Liam and as many others as she could safe, she’d be able to stand under the deaths she couldn’t prevent.

“Time to go.” Liam’s soft words broke the silence.

She nodded. “I’m good now.”

“Me, too.” He smiled and held out his hand.

Without speaking, she slipped her hand in his and let him lead her back to the jeep. God, spare his life, please.

The chief stopped them before they entered the station. “All meetings will now take place in the high school gym. School is canceled until this is over. Folks are leaving town for a while. Get what you need and make it quick.” The stress of his job caused deep lines in his face.

“We’ll be right there.” Good. It relieved some worry to know the town would be emptier of occupants when Robert made his move.

Harper packed up her laptop and accessories, ammo for her gun, and glanced around the bullpen. Her gaze landed on Annie’s desk, now clear of anything.

When she’d told the chief about Annie being a mole, he’d paled, a hand to his chest. Said he’d always looked on her as a daughter.

Harper took one last glance around the room she spent so much time in. Would she be back? Refusing to dwell on the possibility she might not, she squared her shoulders and followed Liam back outside.

“Stop.” He took her laptop from her and stashed it in the back of the vehicle. “There’s something I want to say before this day begins.”

Her heart stuttered. “Okay.”

“It won’t be today, but the day is coming when we’ll be standing in front of Thompson’s compound preparing to fight.” A shadow crossed his eyes. “There is no one I’d rather be standing strong with than you. Promise me you won’t do anything foolish.”

Not a promise she could keep. “I’ll do my best.”

He sighed. “I guess that’s all I’m going to get. When this is all over, there’s a lot more I want to say.” He climbed into the driver’s seat.

She had a lot to say too, which included some apologizing. She slid into her seat. “The gym is two blocks over, then turn right. Another half a mile and you’ll see it. It’s not a small building.” She shot him a sharp look. “I don’t want you to be a hero either.”

“I’ll do my best.” He tossed her a wink.

Touché.

The drive took five minutes. Already several buses and vans filled the parking lot. “I wonder how many we’ll have.”

“There were 185 at that fiasco in Waco.” He climbed out and retrieved their things from the back. “You’re getting ready to enter the biggest bull pen you’ve ever seen.”

He wasn’t kidding. The gym had been transformed.

The bleachers were folded along the walls. Battered metal desks were placed around the room. Electrical cords weaved a web across the polished wood floor. Voices echoed to the rafters.

“Looks like the chief is gathering the office in that corner.” Liam jerked his chin toward the far, right end.

Harper felt like a foreigner. She might be a detective, a good one at that, but this definitely put her out of her element. The noise alone made her want to flee. The reason they were all gathering squeezed her heart. The saving grace was that it would all be over soon.

~