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  Jason

  River Valley Lawmen Series

  Book Two

  CHERYL WRIGHT

  Contents:

  Copyright ©2018 by Cheryl Wright

  Thanks

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Message from the Author

  About the Author

  Author Links

  JASON

  RIVER VALLEY LAWMEN SERIES

  Book Two

  Copyright ©2018 by Cheryl Wright

  Cover Artist: Black Widow Books

  All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner of this book

  Thanks

  Thanks to my very dear friends (and authors), Margaret Tanner and Susan Horsnell for their enduring encouragement and friendship.

  Thanks also to Alan, my husband of over 45 years, who has been a relentless supporter of my writing for many years.

  And last, but by no means least, thank you to all my wonderful readers who encourage me to continue writing these stories. It is such a joy to me knowing so many of you enjoy reading my stories. I love writing them as much as you love reading them.

  Chapter One

  With lights and sirens going full blast, Officer Jason Sawyer sped to the location he was given.

  The fire department were already there when he arrived. Not that they could do much except be there for support and keep any onlookers at bay.

  He almost ran up the two hundred and fifty-four steps from the foyer to the roof-top.

  He took off his police issue hat and unlatched the gun holster sitting on his hip. Not that he thought he’d need it.

  Young Daniel Jenkins wasn’t a danger to anyone but himself, so the gun was probably overkill. The officer winced. Protocol. He hated it sometimes.

  The teenager had his back turned as Officer Sawyer approached, but suddenly he spun around to face him.

  “Get back!” Daniel shouted at him, tears running down his face, and Jason threw his hands in the air.

  “Daniel,” he said gently. “I’m not here to hurt you. Or arrest you.” He took two measured steps forward, and Daniel took three steps back.

  “Don’t.” The teenager looked more scared than before. “I’m, I’m going to jump,” he said. “My life is over.” The boy stared down at his feet. “No one wants me here. No one will miss me, not even my family.”

  Jason felt for the boy. Life was so much harder for teenagers these days. Especially in a small town like River Valley where everyone knew everything about you.

  “It’s not true,” he told the boy. “Your family loves you. You have friends, lots of friends.”

  The boy’s eyes spoke of the rage he felt. “None of that is true,” he spat out, then suddenly stood at the edge of the barrier and looked to the ground. “Everyone hates me,” he added, as he continued to stare below them.

  “Daniel, your mother is on her way here now.”

  The boy nodded and continued to stare at the scene playing out in the street below.

  Jason’s heartbeat quickened as the boy stepped up onto the safety barrier. He watched helplessly as Daniel swayed. “Don’t do it, Daniel,” he said softly, and walked toward the edge, but away from the boy.

  This kid was breaking his heart. What could be so bad you wanted to end your young life?

  He looked down. A small crowd had gathered, and he watched as a woman got out of a police car. “Is that your mom?” he asked gently.

  The boy was silent but nodded.

  Jason took a deep breath. “Think about what you’re doing Daniel,” he said softly, and with compassion. “Do you want your mom to remember you as a splot on the sidewalk?”

  The youth shook his head and his face crumpled.

  Jason moved quickly toward the boy, but without startling him, and wrapped his arm around Daniel’s waist.

  He pulled him off the ledge and into a big bear hug before he could change his mind.

  As they walked toward the exit, they heard applause from below. He could only imagine the relief Daniel’s mother was feeling right now.

  ~~~

  Heavily pregnant, Melanie Bishop struggled down the steps of the bus.

  As the driver pulled her scant luggage from the storage compartment, she wondered what she would do next.

  Now that she’d arrived in River Valley, she needed to rethink her situation.

  Did she really want to confront her baby’s father? Would he even remember her?

  She was emotional, whether from baby hormones or her current situation she wasn’t sure. One thing she did know; she was totally exhausted. She’d spent the last three days on that dusty and dirty bus, and longed for a proper bed to sleep in. Whether or not it would happen, was a totally different story.

  Whatever was ahead of her, she needed to rest. She could barely keep her eyes open. She slumped on the seat at the bus stop and leaned back.

  It would only be for a moment or two she told herself.

  “Ma’am?” She awoke with a fright. At first she didn’t know where she was. Glancing around, it all came back to her. How long had she been sleeping? “Ma’am,” the man said again, as he leaned closer.

  “Are you all right, Ma’am?” The police officer asked, tipping his hat as he straightened up.

  She let out a huge sigh, and her eyes fluttered as she tried to get used to the light.

  “I’m fine,” she said. “Just really tired from a long bus trip.” She smiled, but he didn’t return the smile.

  “Officer Josh Wrangler, Ma’am,” he said, introducing himself.

  She put her hand above her eyes to block the afternoon sun. “I’m Melanie Bishop. I’m in River Valley, right?” She could easily have gotten off at the wrong place. She’d been so disoriented when she’d awoken as the bus arrived.

  “Yes, Ma’am. You sure are,” he said, looking at her curiously. “Can I take you somewhere, Ma’am.” Concern was written all over his face.

  Take her somewhere? Sure. Where that somewhere was, she had no idea at this stage. She straightened up on the seat and began to stand.

  Her head was spinning, and she felt herself go sideways. No! She couldn’t risk hurting her baby. She felt tears trickling down her face.

  Two strong hands held her but as he sat her back down again her waters broke. She let out a squeal.

  She stared into his face. He looked to the ground, and calmly continued to seat her.

  She heard him talking into his communications device, then everything went quiet.

  “It’s okay,” she heard him say. “The paramedics are coming. Don’t panic.”

  She sniffed. This is not how it was supposed to be. “I came to see my baby’s father,” she said. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.” She sniffed again. “It’s too early.”

  She looked up into his face with tears streaming down her face. His was still blank. But she knew that was what cops were trained to do.

  “Ma’am, Ms. Bishop,” he said. “If you don’t mind me asking, who is the baby’s father? I can try and locate him for you.”

  She closed her eyes momentarily then then looked him squarely in the face. “Officer Jason Sawyer,” she said, then watched as Officer Wrangler stumbled backwards.

  ~~~

  Jason arrived at the hospital emergency department, flanked by fellow officer and friend, Lucas Drury.

  He was too stunned to drive to the hospital alone.

  Josh Wrangler met him i
n the waiting area and escorted the pair to the woman in question.

  She lay sleeping on a hospital bed.

  “Melanie?” he said, the moment he lay eyes on her. She didn’t move. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek.

  Josh stepped forward. “She said her name is Melanie Bishop, and you’re the baby’s father,” he offered.

  Jason’s heart began to beat quickly. Baby? Father? Him?

  Couldn’t be.

  Or could it?

  He counted the months back on his fingers and stopped in his tracks.

  The timeline was right. He’d woken up one day to discover she’d left town.

  And not a word from Melanie. Not even a note.

  She’d broken his heart, shattered it into little pieces. He’d had feelings for her, strong feelings.

  He’d resented her at the time for leaving him like that, and those feelings came flooding back as he looked down into her sleeping face.

  He looked at her swollen belly. He reached out and gently placed his hand there. Inside that belly was his baby.

  His baby!

  His head was spinning at the sudden revelation. An hour ago, he was arresting a man for drunk and disorderly.

  Now he was standing next to the love of his life, learning for the first time he was about to become a father.

  This wasn’t the way he expected his day to turn out.

  The curtains were suddenly thrown back and a woman strolled in. “I’m Molly,” she said. “Dr Molly, and I will be delivering this baby.

  Jason’s head shot up. “Now? As in right now?” He’d just found out he was going to be a father, and now he finds out it’s immediate.

  Molly glanced at him in sympathy. “Her waters broke,” she said. “We can’t delay, or infection could set in.”

  Jason nodded his understanding.

  “Are you the baby’s father? Come with me,” she said, not waiting for an answer, and Jason followed, his head still in a spin.

  Twenty minutes ago, he was at the sheriff’s office filling out paperwork for the arrest. Blissfully single. And now he was about to get an instant family. This couldn’t be happening!

  But it was. And he needed to cop in on the chin and do whatever needed to be done.

  Melanie, now awake, was wheeled out of the emergency department and taken to the birthing suite. Jason gingerly followed.

  “One more push and your baby will be delivered,” Molly said.

  The last couple of hours had been hell. Not only for Melanie who was giving birth, but for Jason. How the hell did this happen?

  Okay, so he knew how it happened, but why didn’t he know about it before? Why didn’t Melanie tell him?

  Then it hit him. He’d openly declared his confirmed bachelor status. Always.

  Even when he and Melanie were going out.

  It was more a joke than anything, to try and stop Aunt Lizzie from hooking him up with someone he wasn’t interested in.

  She wasn’t his aunt, but everyone called her aunt, even the sheriff. She owned Aunt Lizzie’s Kitchen and was notorious for her match-making. Sometimes the sheriff even helped her.

  He’d decided he wasn’t going to get caught in her snare.

  No way. He wasn’t going there, so made the fact known that he was never leaving bachelorhood.

  So now he knew why she’d left.

  It was his fault. Totally his fault. He’d repeatedly told everyone he was a confirmed bachelor and didn’t want to be tied down.

  Now he fully understood. Once Melanie realized she was pregnant, she must have taken off, not wanting to tell him.

  Hell. This was all his fault. He should have been there for her all these months. Not find out like this. He had no idea what she’d endured in the interim.

  “Hold her hand, dad.” Dr Molly brought him out of his wayward thoughts.

  His head shot up and he looked at Melanie who was obviously in need of his support. He grabbed her hand and she held tight.

  “And push!”

  The baby arrived in one big swoosh.

  Jason looked at Melanie, then his baby, and fainted.

  ~~~

  Melanie was sitting up in the hospital bed looking decidedly better than she had when she’d arrived, despite it being only a few hours since she’d given birth.

  Next to her in a hospital basinet was her baby.

  Their baby. When would he wrap his head around that fact?

  A little girl. They had a daughter, and her name was Lily.

  Lily Rose. Totally Melanie’s choice. Jason wasn’t sure how he felt about that but loved the name she’d chosen.

  He stood in the doorway and watched them quietly, then stepped into the room, and Melanie’s head shot up.

  Her face was blank. Did she think he was mad at her?

  He sure as hell should be. But he wasn’t. More than anything he was confused.

  Why would she do this to him?

  He stepped forward and handed her a huge bunch of flowers. She smiled, and just like he remembered, her smile lit up the room.

  She glanced across to the baby, and her face softened. “Come and see your daughter,” she told him quietly. “Isn’t she beautiful?”

  He moved the few steps to the basinet and stared into it. His chest tightened. She really was his baby daughter, not that he had any doubt. “Yes, she is,” he said, swallowing down the emotion that threatened to overtake him.

  He touched his finger to her cheek. “She’s so soft,” he said, not sure what else to say. He knew so little about babies.

  A nurse fluttered into the room. “How are you doing, Melanie? You must tell me if you have any pain,” she said, glancing across to Jason. “You must be dad. Otherwise you aren’t allowed in here.”

  “This is Jason,” Melanie quickly said. “Lily’s father.”

  Lily’s father.

  It sounded good, and yet it sounded totally alien to him. How long would it take to get used to hearing that?

  Most men had at least six months to get used to the thought, but he’d had less than a day. What a shock to the system that was!

  The baby began to cry. Jason observed her in the basinet but stood where he was. Cemented to the ground. Not sure what he should do.

  The nurse turned to him. “Pick her up,” she said.

  He stared at her in horror. She let out a visible sigh.

  “Sit,” she said, slightly irritated.

  He did as he was told. Before he knew what was happening, Lily had been placed in his arms. “I, I don’t know anything about babies,” he said, feeling suddenly scared.

  The nurse glared at him, hands on hips. “Guess what, fella? You’re about to learn.” She went back to tending to Melanie.

  “Put her to your shoulder and pat her back gently,” the nurse offered, a little more genially. “Mum is going to feed her in a minute. But I need to sort her out first.”

  Jason swallowed. What if she wriggled in his arms and he dropped her?

  He held her away from himself and decided this tiny creature couldn’t wriggle. She was wrapped way too tight for that.

  He let out a sigh of relief.

  Strangely enough he began to feel comfortable with the little angel in his arms. He lay her in the cradle of his arms and stared down into her face.

  He took a deep breath and inhaled her fragrance. She smelled like... baby.

  She was his baby. His daughter. It was so hard to take in.

  She had dark hair like his, and lots of it. Her nose was a little button just like Melanie’s, but she had his eyes. It was like staring into a mirror, looking at those pretty blue eyes.

  “I’ll take her now,” the nurse said gently. Perhaps she’d understood his quiet contemplation? Maybe all new dads are like this? He had no idea, but it had certainly been a shock to the system.

  She passed Lily over to her mother, who was ready to breast-feed her baby. Jason turned his head.

  “Silly,” Melanie told him, laughing. “You’ve seen w
ay more of me than this.”

  “I guess,” he said, embarrassed. The nurse looked at him strangely, and he felt the heat move up his neck to his face.

  As the nurse instructed Melanie how to feed, Jason stood. “Where are you going?”

  Melanie looked concerned. Did she think he was going to run out on her? He certainly hoped not.

  “I need coffee.”

  The nurse scowled at him. “Sit. Stay here with your wife. She needs your support right now.” Her expression softened. “Coffee can wait. Spend some time with your family.” She smiled, which was new. Mostly she just appeared to be mad at him.

  “Please, Jason,” Melanie asked softly as she fed Lily. And he felt like a heel for ever wanting to leave.

  “Dad,” the nurse said.

  “Jason.” Would he ever get used to being called dad?

  “Your baby needs supplies. Clothes, diapers, socks, singlets and more.” She looked to Melanie. “You don’t have any here, right? I couldn’t find any while you slept.”

  “No,” she said sadly. “I don’t.” She closed her eyes, as though blocking out the hurt.

  “It’s not a problem,” Jason said, and Melanie’s eyes flew open as heat slowly moved up her face.

  He reached across and touched her on the arm. “It’s fine,” he said. “I’ll make sure she’s properly fitted out.”

  The nurse laughed at his words. He wasn’t sure what was so funny.

  He kissed Melanie on the forehead then headed for the door. “Don’t come back for a couple of hours,” the nurse said sternly. “Melanie needs to rest. Giving birth is a major ordeal.”

  He nodded then left, wondering just what he had ahead of him.

  ~~~

  Sheriff Chase Callahan listened intently as Jason told him the situation.

  “And until a few hours ago, I had no idea of any of this,” he said, his arms flailing. “I think I’m still in shock. One minute I’m on patrol, and suddenly I’m a father.”

  He sat back in his seat and waited for his superior to speak.

  He said nothing.

  “I, I, er, don’t know what I’m supposed to do now,” Jason said, breaking the silence.