“I won’t.”
“Back to this little lady. I’ll be happy to take care of her. Rachel will spoil her rotten.”
Her heart raced at what the man who was holding her said. She could live with him, and he would be there to hold her all the time.
“I don’t think that would be safe. We were lucky to fake her death. If it comes out that she’s still alive, they’ll look at anyone with a connection to me. I think you would be low enough on the totem pole that you might escape his notice, but I won’t chance it. Allerton is known to do his homework before he strikes.”
“Gabriel Allerton?”
Evangeline felt her hair stir as Will sucked in a breath at the mention of the name she hadn’t learned to be afraid of until it was too late.
“Why would you be worried about him finding out about Ginny? He runs the largest charity organization in the world. He’s always on television, showing the work they are accomplishing.”
“Helping third world countries learn to thrive isn’t all he’s accomplishing.”
“I see. And without specifics, which you can’t tell me about, why didn’t we just take him out instead of having to relocate this little angel?”
“It wasn’t our call.”
“Ahh … I see. One had his uses; the other one is dispensable.”
“What does dis-pen-sable mean?” she questioned, raising her head to stare up at the man holding her.
“Nothing, little lady. You feeling better?”
“Are you going to put me down if I say yes?”
“No, unless you want me to.”
“I’m better.” Evangeline laid her head back down, starting to fiddle with a button on his shirt contently.
“What do you want me to do with her if you don’t think Rachel and I can keep her?”
“I don’t want to know. I trust your judgment. Find a place where she’ll be safe and keep it to yourself. If Allerton finds out she’s alive, not only will she be eliminated, but so will anyone who had any contact with her.”
“What does eli-man-dm mean?” she asked sleepily, still playing with the button.
“Nothing. Stop listening, or I’ll put you down.”
Evangeline quit playing with the button to put her hand over her ear. She felt laughter under her head.
“She’s as smart as a tack, isn’t she?”
“You have no idea.”
“I’ve dealt with that before. John was pretty smart, when he was little. How old is she?”
“She just turned four. Ginny’s a clean slate that you can fill any way you want to. No one but Cooper knows I have her, and he doesn’t know that I’ve passed her care over to you. For all intents and purposes, she doesn’t exist anymore. I haven’t seen or talked to you since your retirement. Even the phone I used to call you on was clean. You’ll have to come up with her paperwork yourself, and when we leave here tonight, you won’t see me again. You’ll become just someone I served with briefly and lost contact with.”
“Hammer, I might no longer be in the military, but the government wouldn’t go to this level to protect someone unless there’s a reason. That usually boils down to how useful they can be. So, you might reconsider asking for my help. If I do, she’s not going to end up being a pawn somewhere down the road.”
“I know.”
Evangeline smiled at Hammer, mimicking the funny one he was giving his friend. He looked as handsome as Manny when he smiled.
“Anything else I need to know before I leave? Where’re her things?”
“She doesn’t have anything. I said you’re starting with a clean slate, and I mean it. Throw the clothes she’s wearing away when you get her new ones.”
“Will do. Ginny, you want to say good-bye to Hammer?”
“Bye, Hammer,” she said, not raising her head.
“You always had a way with children,” Hammer said as he stepped forward to pat her awkwardly on the back. “There’s not another man I trust as I do you, other than Jonas. Thanks, Will.”
He leaned down to face her. “Ginny, I want you to practice those numbers I told you to remember, every day.”
“I will. I promise,” she said innocently, ignoring the reprimanding glare that Hammer was giving her.
“Give it back, Ginny.”
Mulishly, Evangeline gripped what was in her hand tighter.
“Will, there are a couple of things I should have warned you about her.”
“Like what?”
“She’s a pickpocket.”
Chapter Three
“Give it back.”
Evangeline held her clenched hand to her chest at Hammer’s demand. “But I like it. It’s shiny.”
“Give it back.”
She stubbornly shook her head, putting her hand under her armpit, then snuggled into the nice Will. “It’s mine now.”
She wasn’t going to miss Hammer; he was always making her give things back.
“No, it’s Will’s. Don’t make me tell you again ….”
She stared at him pitifully from under her lashes before bursting into tears. “But I want it … please.”
Raising her eyes in surprise at Will’s laughter, she had to use her free hand to circle his neck when Hammer reached to take her out of his arms.