In the Line of Duty by Ami Weaver Page B

distraction. So I keep them on hand for things like this.”
    She clearly thought everything through. Planned for all eventualities. But from the shell-shocked look he could see in her eyes, he knew the disaster with the tree had thrown her way off. If there was one thing he was learning about Callie, it was that she was afraid to let things get out of her control.
    “The rain is letting up,” he noted. The time between the thunder and the lightning strikes was increasing, indicating the storm was moving off. He’d be able to go check the situation soon. If there was roof damage, he had a couple tarps, assuming the tree hadn’t gone all the way through.
    “Did you hear that?” she asked Eli and Liam. “It’s letting up. And it’s almost bedtime. Let’s get that going, shall we?”
    The kids were cheered by no baths, and Callie was clearly not happy with no toothbrushes. Matt rolled out the sleeping bags on the floor of the bedroom he was using as a weight room, and took two pillows off his bed. Then he stepped back as she tucked them in, with the stuffed animals they’d brought and a glow stick within reach of each boy. She joined him at the door and gave him a wan little smile.
    “They’re pretty worn out from all the excitement. I think they’ll drop off pretty quickly, if Mother Nature cooperates.”
    “All right.” He could see the squirmy little bundles on the floor and doubted they’d be out anytime soon, but what did he know? He wasn’t a dad. His experience with kids was little to none. “I’m going to go look. Do you want to come, or want me to go check first?”
    She closed her eyes, then opened them. “I’m going with you.” Then her eyes went wide. “Oh, no! I completely forgot. My in-laws are collecting the kids first thing tomorrow. I’d better call them. Do you think they can get down the street?” She ran back to the bag and dug around until she pulled out her phone.
    “Let’s go see. It’s still raining a bit.” He took a windbreaker out of his hall closet and handed it to her. “Be a little big,” he noted as she slipped it on. It hit her at the knee, and in spite of himself he grinned. “Nice look.”
    She rolled the sleeves up. “I bet. Thanks. Let’s go.”
    Hail crunched under their feet as they walked up to the sidewalk. Now Matt could see the power line under the tree. He grabbed her hand. “Watch out. That’s live.”
    She followed his gaze and her eyes widened. “Does that mean we can’t get over there?”
    He shook his head. “Not until the power company arrives.”
    There were branches down, but other than Callie’s tree, the street looked passable. She called her in-laws and Matt stepped away to study the damage.
    A few minutes later she came back over to him. “They’ll be here tomorrow morning.” She gestured at the tree across her driveway. “Since I won’t be getting my van out.”
    “Nope.”
    He caught the sideways look she sent him. “Any chance I can get in there and get their weekend bags? They are all packed. The bedrooms are in the back.”
    He shook his head. “Not until that wire’s taken care of.”
    She sighed. “All right. Hopefully, the power company will be here soon. Maureen and Joe have extra stuff for them, anyway. But there’s other things they like to have with them....” Her voice trailed off and he took her hand. Her fingers were cold in his, even though it wasn’t really that chilly out. She didn’t seem to notice as she continued.
    “I told my in-laws we were staying with you. They didn’t know you were back.” Her tone was almost absent as she stared at the tree. The smell of singed wood still filled the air. “Why didn’t you tell them?”
    He sighed. He hadn’t been sure what to say. “I was going to look them up, too,” he said. “But I guess I’ll get a chance to see them tomorrow.”

CHAPTER SEVEN
    T HE POWER TRUCK pulled up at her house later that evening. Callie was surprised to realize it wasn’t