Shadow of Death Read Online Free Page B

years later, she and Corrine had an unbreakable bond.
    With dinner finally done, Natalie made Nate’s plate and then chopped up food tiny enough so that Ean and Ebony could eat with ease. As expected, their messes mirrored one another’s. As she’d promised Troy, Natalie got everyone bathed and into pajamas. It was only about a quarter after six when she’d finished. The babies were usually put to bed by eight whenever they were home. Since Nate was a “big boy,” he got to stay up until eight-thirty or nine, if he was well-behaved. When Natalie relayed Troy’s message to him about playing a game, Nate was thrilled.
    By six-thirty Natalie and her brood were back in the living room. Nate had gotten tired of entertaining the little ones by having them chase the remote-controlled car he’d gotten for his birthday, so he put it out of their reach and sat on the couch playing with Natalie’s iPad until Troy arrived to make good on his promise. Ebony and Ean were crawling around babbling and gurgling in a language that only the two of them understood. With her purse and keys in hand, Natalie kept glancing out of the front window, expecting Troy at any second, and anticipating the wild reaction of her children when he walked in.
    Nate and the twins often reacted to Troy like he was a superstar, and he didn’t have to do much to earn his stardom. Simply walking in the door after being gone for a while would spark Nate to do his “Daa-dee” squeal while Ean and Ebony would babble “dada” and bounce with excitement. It was cute to see and Natalie sometimes teased Troy about being the favorite parent since she didn’t routinely get such warm receptions when she came home after being gone for a while. “It’s because they see you all the time,” Troy had explained.
    â€œUm hmm” was Natalie’s playful response. She found it delightful to watch and it brought back memories of how she would react to her own father when she was younger. She’d only known him for five years because he was killed in a car accident, but his memory continued to live in her heart. “Daddies are always favored,” she remembered her mom saying once. It certainly seemed true in her household. Sometimes Natalie would have to repeat herself or even threaten to spank Nate before his behavior changed. Troy could say something once and Nate straightened up. The one thing Natalie didn’t do was make a habit of being one of those “I’m-going-to-tell-your-father” type of moms. The thought of having a child who disobeyed all day only to turn things around when the father came home made her cringe. She was strict and made sure Nate ultimately listened to her, even if it meant following through on one of her threats.
    Natalie glanced at the time. It was 6:40 p.m. Her meeting started at 7:00 and Troy still wasn’t there. She began to get concerned and tried calling his cell phone. Voicemail. She waited a second and then tried again. Still no answer. She texted Lisa explaining why she would be late. Not surprisingly, Lisa suggested that she bring the kids. If it was only Nate, she would, but Natalie wasn’t about to put the responsibility of her twins on RJ’s shoulder. Natalie called Troy once more. This time she left a message. “Hey, where are you? Quit working on those biceps and come home so I can go. You promised you’d be here on time.” She also decided to look up the number to the gym. “May I speak with Will, please?”
    â€œI’m sorry, huh-nee,” a woman responded. “Will ain’t here today. Can I help you wit’ sumthin’?”
    â€œYes, can you page Detective Troy Evans for me, please?” She felt asking for him in that manner made her call seem more legitimate. She’d intended on having Will deliver a message to Troy since the gym’s policy on paging people was technically for emergency