When the Right One Comes Along

  Seeing Jessica again during the hour-long visit with Kayla reminded him of all the reasons he was attracted to her. When she suggested they have coffee afterward on an outdoor patio that allowed dogs, he didn’t have the resolve or the desire to say no.

  As much as he wanted to simply reach out and touch her, just hold her hand, he wouldn’t allow himself the luxury. He sensed, from the sadness in her eyes, that Jessica was unsure of where things stood between them. He respected her for not putting him on the spot.

  They discussed Kayla mostly, until Jessica took another sip of her coffee and looked at him pensively. “I have an idea...” she began.

  “About what?”

  “Your daughter. Haley.”

  Cal’s tone was cool when he spoke. “What about her?”

  “I realize this is a sensitive subject, but hear me out, please.”

  Cal’s only response was to raise an eyebrow.

  “Have you tried to get in touch with Haley recently?”

  His immediate inclination was to retort that it was none of her business, but he knew she was only trying to help. “I have, once or twice, but what’s the point?” Scout rose from beneath the table, ambled over to Cal, and tried to rest both front paws on Cal’s lap. Although it was something Scout did often, Cal blocked him because of his injury, and Scout accepted it without complaint.

  Watching the interplay between them, Jessica’s face lit up. “See, here’s my idea. How does Haley feel about dogs?”

  “She loves them. She’d always wanted one but Anna wouldn’t hear of it. They’re too messy and too much trouble.” He hadn’t intended to mimic his ex-wife’s voice, but it just came out that way, and he was appalled. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’d probably be a lot less kind.”

  Cal ran a hand along Scout’s back. The dog lay down and rested his head between his paws.

  Jessica looked thoughtfully at Scout. “Have you considered using Scout to make a connection with Haley?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Think about how Scout’s helped Kayla. How your visits with her have made such a difference in dealing with her loss.” She gestured at the dog. “Remember how happy and excited that little girl on the boardwalk was? Cindy? She couldn’t get enough of Scout. She was blowing kisses to him the whole time her mother was dragging her away. Why not see if you can establish a bond with Haley through Scout?”

  “Haley won’t see me. She won’t have anything to do with me.” His pain and exasperation broke through. “If I try to set up a visit, I’m told it upsets her.”

  “But what if the visit wasn’t just you? What if you made it clear, and it was communicated to Haley, that you’d like her to meet your dog?”

  Cal weighed her words. He’d do anything to have a relationship with his daughter. “You really think it would work?”

  “It can’t hurt to try. That’s for sure. I’m optimistic, but if it doesn’t work, there’s no downside, so why not?”

  “What do you suggest?”

  “Take Scout to Utah with you. Introduce him to Haley. Kids respond well to animals. We see it at the hospital with therapy dogs all the time. I’m sure Scout would be a natural. Maybe with his assistance, you can start to rebuild your relationship with your daughter.”

  “According to the court order, my visits with Haley have to be supervised.” That stung. The implication that he could be a threat to his own daughter rankled him to his core. He watched Jessica carefully, fearing she’d think he was a monster to have warranted such an order. All he saw was curiosity and concern.

  “The couple of times I tried to see her, even under those circumstances, she cried almost the entire hour. Do you have any idea how that made me feel? I couldn’t stand to see her like that, and haven’t scheduled another.”

  The judgment Cal feared from Jessica was nonexistent. Her look remained open and enthusiastic.

  “Don’t let it bother you that there’ll be someone else there. Especially if having a caseworker supervise makes it more comfortable for Haley. The objective is for her to see you and to see how wonderful you are with Scout. Maybe then she can start to trust you again. Take things one step at a time. Get to see Haley even if it has to be supervised. Let Scout take the lead until Haley’s comfortable with both of you.”

  Cal was skeptical. Why would Haley be less afraid of him because he had a dog? But Jessica was an intelligent, intuitive person who worked with physically and emotionally shattered people every day. If she thought there was a chance... Well, maybe... Haley was older now, and with the passage of time whatever lies his ex had told her might not be as sharp in her memory. He was willing to try anything for Haley. He nodded slowly. “I’ll see if I can set up something. Thank you,” he said. “Thank you for wanting to help.”

  When he returned home he put the wheels in motion. Jessica’s warmth and genuine concern—what she was trying to do for him and his daughter—nearly overwhelmed him. He knew he wanted to see her again, and chastised himself for trying to drive her away. He hoped they could pick up where they were the night they’d walked on a moonlit beach.

  * * *

  CAL WAS WORKING with Scout on basic detection exercises in the division training yard. When his phone rang, he picked it up without glancing at the display. A pleasant voice with a hint of the South in it greeted him. “My name is Melody Ashworth. I’m the caseworker assigned to your daughter.”

  “My daughter?” Cal was having trouble breathing. He released Scout to play and lowered himself onto a wooden storage box located near the entrance.

  “Haley’s a charming, sweet young girl.”

  “Yes, she is.” From what he could remember. “Thank you. You’re calling about my request for a visitation?” Stupid question, he thought. Why else would she be calling? But he couldn’t think straight. He was preoccupied with the possibility of seeing his little girl again.

  “Yes, that’s correct.”

  “And?”

  There was a heavy sigh on the other end of the line. “Your case is...complicated, Mr. Palmer.”

  No kidding, he thought, resting an elbow on his left knee and his forehead in his hand.

  “Your ex-wife was somewhat hesitant, but you have every right to see your daughter. I went to see Anna in person, to understand her reservations, but also to explain your legal rights.”

  This was not going well. Cal realized he’d set his hopes too high as he felt the sharp edges of despair slicing through him.

  “Mr. Palmer? Are you still there?”

  He tried to keep the disappointment from his voice. “Yes. Yes, I’m listening.” When Scout ran over and leaned against him, Cal took some comfort in the physical contact with his dog.

  “My concern, Mr. Palmer,” the woman continued, “is that Haley’s reluctant...dare I say, somewhat fearful...of seeing you.”

  Cal hadn’t thought the agony could be any worse than what he’d already been through. He was wrong.

  “I reviewed your files and couldn’t find anything that would help me understand why that is.”

  He made a scoffing noise as he thought of how his ex-wife had poisoned his daughter against him. “If you come to understand it, please let me know.” He groaned. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that to come out the way it did.” He paused. “Do you have any kids?”

  “Yes, I do. A boy and a girl.” There was a reserve in her voice.

  “Then I hope you can understand my frustration. I just want a relationship with Haley.” He felt a glimmer of hope. “What about Scout? Did you say I’d bring Scout with me?”

  “Yes. The mention of the dog captured her interest.” She paused. “I can go ahead and arrange the visitation...” Her voice trailed off.

  Cal dropped his head into his palm again. “Yeah, but
it would have to be forced. My daughter is afraid of her own father.”

  “I’m sorry...”

  She did sound apologetic, and yet there was no point in pressing it. What would that accomplish? It was why he hadn’t insisted on visitation in the past year. He’d hoped that, with time, her feelings would change. Obviously not enough time had passed. “No. The last thing I want is to cause distress for Haley.”

  * * *

  “HAVE YOU HEARD back about Haley yet?” Jessica asked a few days later as they sat on his back deck, watching Scout play in the sand. There’d been an odd blip in their relationship, but they seemed to be on track again. She respected his need to take it slow and she was willing to give him the time he needed. Still, she felt a little thrill when he reached for her hand and held it in both of his.

  “Yes.”

  The news couldn’t have been good, if he hadn’t offered it up, but she wanted to know what the outcome was. “And?”

  “It didn’t make a difference. Haley’s still afraid of me, and I’m not going to push it.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Jessica’s disappointment was palpable. She really felt for Cal and had truly believed her idea would work. She sensed he wanted her to drop the subject, but here was her problem of getting too involved again. She just couldn’t let it go. “So she had no interest in meeting Scout?”

  He exhaled. “The caseworker said she seemed interested. Obviously not interested enough.”

  “How about if...”

  He applied pressure to her hand. “Jess, I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but it’s not going to make any difference.”

  “Wait. Just let me explain my idea. Wait,” she said again when he started to cut her off. “You said she was interested in Scout. Let’s start with that. I remember you showing me Scout’s baseball card. I loved it! How could anyone not love it? So send Haley a couple of baseball cards, along with some other pictures of Scout. Include a couple of you with Scout. You know, the one in your living room, with you on one knee and your arm around him?” Jessica rushed on, not giving Cal a chance to interrupt. “She’ll love the pictures of Scout. And seeing you with him might help her feel more comfortable...” She finally ran out of steam and paused.

  The silence pleased her, since it meant Cal must have been considering what she’d said. At least he hadn’t shut down the idea immediately; it wasn’t an outright no. She bit her lower lip, waiting.

  “It’s futile,” he said with finality. “It’s not going to work.”

  “But if you’d just...”

  “No.” He released her hand. “It’s getting late. We should call it a night.”

  * * *

  IT WAS A crazy idea, he thought as he watched Jessica’s Miata pull out of his driveway. He’d already tried setting up a visitation with Haley, one that included bringing Scout along. It hadn’t worked. He hadn’t realized how high his hopes had been until he was told by Melody Ashworth that nothing had changed. Sending a few pictures wouldn’t have any effect—because of the way Haley felt about him. Why set himself up for more disappointment?

  Cal reached into the top drawer of his desk and took out one of Scout’s baseball cards. He stared at it for a long moment. Maybe, just maybe...

  Then he took out a couple more, flipped through some photos on his computer, sent five to print and composed a short letter to Melody, sending it to print, as well.

  Putting everything in a letter-size envelope, he stuck a few stamps on it, and whistled for Scout.

  This was a crazy idea, but not entirely without merit. No matter how much it would hurt if she rejected him again, he had to try. Otherwise, he’d just keep wondering.

  He put the envelope next to his keys, and he and Scout headed to his bedroom.

  * * *

  THINKING ABOUT HALEY made him think more about Kayla, too. And the more Cal thought about her, the more determined he was to adopt her. He followed up with the contacts Jessica had provided, as well as the lawyer he’d retained. The lawyer wasn’t encouraging when he phoned her.

  “Unfortunately, the circumstances associated with the custody case for Haley raise red flags with the authorities,” Stephanie advised.

  “But all the allegations were proven false!” Cal objected.

  “Okay. Let’s say a yellow flag, then. They shouldn’t consider it, but human nature being what it is, it’s on record and it’ll make them think twice. The authorities are risk-averse about endangering children. I’m sure you can appreciate that.”

  “Of course.” Cal wanted to hurl the coffee mug he held against a wall. With slow, careful movements, he placed it on the counter instead and took a deep breath. “So I don’t have a chance?”

  “I didn’t say that. However, your chances aren’t good. In addition to the point we just discussed, qualifying for fostering or adoption will be more difficult because of your marital status.”

  Cal felt the sharp sting of disappointment when he hung up. He wasn’t a bad person. Why was it that nothing seemed to be going right for him? The things that seemed to matter most were all beyond his reach. But then he thought about Jessica. She was something positive in his life.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CAL WAS TINKERING with his Porsche, trying to locate the source of an annoying rattle, when he received a call from Logan, rather than from Dispatch. He knew it had to be important if the captain was calling him directly. As they spoke, he quickly realized that time was critical.

  A seven-year-old boy was missing. It was unknown whether the boy had wandered off or if he’d been abducted. All the boy’s mother knew was that he’d been in their fenced backyard playing, and she’d gone inside to answer the phone. It was a wrong number, so she’d only been gone a moment. When she’d come back out, her son was gone and the back gate, leading to a neighborhood park, was swinging open on its hinges.

  The mother had been hysterical and the father not much better when he arrived home. That might have been a problem for the other cops trying to get statements from the parents, but Cal and Scout had gotten what they needed—the T-shirt the boy had worn earlier that day. Scout had the scent and was following it at a rapid pace. Cal’s thigh was aching and he wondered fleetingly if the pain would ever go away entirely. He favored his right leg with a slight limp as he did his best to keep up with Scout and not slow him down. He didn’t want to break Scout’s concentration. If he did, he could have trouble reestablishing the trail.

  Cal knew when Scout was closing in as he burst forth with even greater speed. They weren’t that far from the house, just approaching a service yard for the park. Scout circled and scented a service hatch left partially open, before sitting next to it and whining softly. It was the passive indication that he’d found the boy.

  Cal pushed the hatch open all the way and shone his flashlight into the opening. The boy was there! He could see him at the bottom of the pit. He radioed in for assistance.

  He called down to the boy. There was no response. Cal had no way of knowing if he was still alive and unconscious, or...

  He couldn’t get to him. Not on his own.

  Thankfully, an SDPD cruiser pulled into the service yard and screeched to a halt. Two officers ran toward him. Since the boy was still unresponsive, they decided to lower the smallest of them, a female officer, into the cavity. Scant seconds later, they were hauling her out again, the young boy cradled in her arms.

  Cal, the best trained in first aid, checked the boy for vitals. Both his heartbeat and breathing were dangerously slow and shallow. His right arm was at an abnormal angle, and Cal was positive he had a closed fracture.

  “How long before the ambulance gets here?” he asked the other officer.

  “Dispatch didn’t have an ETA. There was a collision on Highway 163 near Park Boulevard, involving a school bus and a transport. Numerou
s kids were injured and all available units were dispatched. They’ll be here as soon as they can,” he responded.

  When kids were involved, everyone acted with that much more alacrity, but caution, too. Those units would be tied up for a while, but he had a kid here, too. Ocean Crest Hospital was less than a ten-minute drive from where they were. He used a sling from his vehicle’s first aid kit to immobilize the boy’s arm and lifted him carefully. “You’re driving,” he said to the male cop. “You’re taking us to Ocean Crest.”

  The cop raised his hands. “You’ve been on the job long enough. You know it’s not procedure.”

  “Would you rather see the kid die?” Cal hissed. “The ambulance will take fifteen to twenty minutes, minimum, just to get here. You heard that. The kid’s barely hanging on. With the fracture in his arm, he might have internal bleeding. If he has cracked ribs, his lung could be collapsed. And if he hit his head, he might have a concussion. Do you need me to continue? You’re worried about what? Being written up for not following procedure?” Cal was nearly shouting now. “I’ll drive, if one of you holds the kid.”

  “I’ll drive,” the female cop said. She glanced at her partner, who shook his head. “I’ll drive,” she repeated, this time holding Cal’s gaze. “You coming?” she asked her partner.

  He debated for only a moment. “Yeah,” he grumbled, and climbed in the back of the cruiser, taking Scout with him.

  They’d called it in. The boy’s parents had been notified, and they were on their way to the hospital, too. The female cop was a more than competent driver. They were at Ocean Crest in under seven minutes, and the kid was still alive.

  The other cop agreed to stay in the cruiser with Scout, while Cal and the female cop took the boy in.

  Cal was headed at a quick pace for triage, the female cop next to him, when he spotted Jessica.