Guardian Angels – Protection (8)

"It is going to be okay," Emily said quietly to Rob. Going to the window, she watched the kids. "Isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is. They're safe out there, honey. Officer Smith should be here any minute now, to help." As if saying it made it so, the doorbell rang. When Emily turned to go answer it, Rob shook his head. "I'll get it."

"That really didn't make me feel so good," Emily muttered, watching her husband stop long enough to get his gun out of the locked drawer where he kept it when he was home.

"Tell me about it," Kip replied. "I suppose"—he sighed then tried to smile—"maybe we should think about this the way Tommy does, that it's just a TV show."

"Uh-huh, right."

Kip got up, going to embrace his sister. "Next week we'll all be wondering why we were so afraid."

"I know you're right, but at the moment, that doesn't help much." She returned his hug and then went back to the window. "Thank God we've got the security fence is all I can say. Now if we only had a dog…"

"We do," Rob said, coming back into the kitchen. He was followed by a man dressed in casual clothes, who was holding the leash of a very large German shepherd. "Kip, this is Officer Smith and Ranger."

"Please call me Bob." The officer said. "Emily, how are you?"

"Better… now." She reached out to pat Ranger. "I hope he's good with kids."

"The best." Bob chuckled. "He only goes after felons and somehow I doubt they fit that parameter."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Only when they're being brats. Rob, why don't you take them out back? Oh, and Bob, the third one is Jamie, Kip's son."

"Holy shit," Kip muttered, when the men and dog left. "Ranger is bigger than… than…"

"A horse?" Emily actually laughed. "He is big, and I feel a lot safer now."

They both grinned when they heard the squeals of delight from their respective children.

"Twenty-to-one, Jamie's going to be bugging me, again, to get him a dog."

"You better believe it." Emily crossed to the counter to start making coffee.

Rob came in a minute later, telling her he was going to work, adding, "What do you want to bet the kids…"

"Are going to bug us for dogs," Kip and Emily said at the same time.

"Yep. Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Rob kissed Emily, said goodbye to Kip, and took off.

"I should get going too," Kip said. "I have to catch up on the classes I missed. At least I don't have to work this afternoon." He went out to let Jamie know he was leaving, reminding him to behave.

"Geesh, Dad, I know that," Jamie said.

"I know you do." Kip gave him a hug. "I'll see you in a few hours. Maybe we'll order pizza for supper."

"Yay!"

With Jamie's cheer echoing in his head, Kip went back inside, told Emily he'd be back by five, and walked through the living room to the front door. When he opened it, he saw a pretty, dark-haired woman standing there, about to ring the bell.

"Can I help you?" Kip asked.

"Are you Kip Townsend?"

"Who's asking?"

She smiled as she opened her bag, taking out a badge, which she held up for him to see. "Officer Lyons—Cassandra Lyons—but you can call me Cass."

"Okay. Why are you looking for me, which I presume you are?"

She smiled. "I'm going to be you're, humm, daytime guardian angel? At least, according to Detective Howe."

"But… you're a woman."

Cass looked down at herself, then back up at Kip. "Gee, really? Come on. Don't tell me you're one of those men who think a woman can't be a cop."

Kip felt his face heat up. "No, not really. I just… I guess I was expecting a big, burly man—and not until tonight."

"Oh you're getting one, for tonight. I'm your daytime watcher. So, where are we headed?"

"I guess over to the campus. I have classes."

"As long as they don't involve math, I can deal," she replied with a grin.

Kip chuckled. "Believe me, they don't… well, usually." He pointed to his car. "Shall we?"

"I'll follow you, since I drove."

"I should have figured."