Chapter 1 - You Weren’t Supposed to Be Home
Piper’s voice was so small the winter wind nearly carried it away.
“Daddy said we don’t belong here anymore.”
For one second, Captain Lauren Hayes forgot how to breathe.
Her three-year-old daughter sat on the front porch beneath blinking Christmas lights, clutching an old brown teddy bear. A pink backpack leaned against the railing with one pajama sleeve hanging from the open zipper.
Piper wore no coat.
Only a red reindeer sweater, purple leggings, and tiny boots already soaked with snow.
Lauren dropped her duffel bag and sank to her knees.
She pulled off her Army jacket and wrapped it around her daughter.
“I’m here, baby.”
Piper fell against her chest.
Through the living-room window, Lauren saw her husband, Colin.
He stood beside their Christmas tree with one hand around another woman’s waist. The woman held the silver star Lauren and Piper always placed together.
The fireplace glowed behind them.
Piper’s stocking still hung from the mantel.
Lauren’s was gone.
A new white stocking had replaced it.
Colin finally noticed the porch.
His face emptied.
Lauren rose just enough to shield Piper behind her.
“You put our daughter out in the snow?”
He opened the front door.
The other woman remained behind him, one hand covering her mouth.
Colin stared at Lauren’s uniform and the duffel bag at her feet.
“You weren’t supposed to be home.”
Headlights swept across the yard.
A sedan stopped behind Lauren’s truck, and an older man stepped out carrying a sealed envelope.
May you like
Colin recognized him.
That was when fear replaced surprise.
