Mission: Cavanaugh Baby by Marie Ferrarella Read Free Book Online

others—it seemed as if everyone except for himself and Declan, his brother, seemed to be dropping like flies at the marriage altar—but he’d tried to go that route and gotten kicked in the teeth by cupid. Life had decreed that he was going to remain single, just like Declan. Currently, in their immediate family, they were the last two men standing.
    He intended to remain “standing” for a very long time to come.
    Putting his father and his father’s less-than-subtle hints out of his head, Shane looked around the bedroom. Aside from a small bureau and a double bed, every other stick of furniture and random item in the room all but shouted baby.
    This woman had been getting ready for her unborn child.
    He couldn’t help but feel sorry for the dead woman. The next moment he upbraided himself. Feeling sorry for the woman wasn’t going to help solve the case. He was going to have to work at hardening his reaction if he hoped to get a permanent transfer to Homicide.
    Donning a pair of disposable gloves, Shane carefully handled the contents of a fancy shopping bag. The bag was light blue on one side, light pink on the other. The words Baby Mine were written in fancy lettering on both sides.
    “It’s an expensive baby boutique,” Sean told him when he noticed him staring at the bag.
    Shane looked at him, puzzled. That was an odd piece of information for a man his father’s age to have. “How would you know that?”
    “I know a lot of things,” Sean answered, amused at his son’s attitude. “I don’t just go home at the end of the day and crawl into a shell, pulling the door closed after myself.”
    Shane shrugged. “I just figured that things like babies and all the stuff that goes with them are way in your past by now.”
    Sean glossed over the comment about his age. “Maybe so, but grandkids aren’t.”
    It took a second for his father’s words to replay themselves in his head. At that point, it was as if his brain did a double-take. “What grandkids?” he asked.
    “Show up a little more often at those Sunday dinners your uncle Andrew likes to throw, and maybe you’ll find out,” Sean told him mysteriously.
    It still felt strange calling someone he’d grown accustomed to knowing as the former chief of police his uncle. It was going to take more getting used to, he thought—just like his last name. Half the time he still wanted to say “Cavelli” when he introduced himself for the first time to someone.
    “I’ve shown up at a few,” Shane told his father defensively.
    “Show up at a few more,” his father countered, then, glancing up, he waved him off. “You’re in my light, Shane.”
    Shane stepped to the side, narrowly avoiding bumping into a pile of stuffed animals, all still with their price tags on.
    He picked one up to look over. Since he was wearing latex gloves, he couldn’t feel the toy’s furry texture, but he had a feeling that it was exceedingly soft. He shook his head as he put the stuffed animal back, feeling exceptionally sorry for the victim again.
    “It looks like she was really looking forward to being a mother,” he commented to his father.
    “Yes, she was,” Sean agreed.
    Shane shook his head over the waste of it all. “Shame she’s never going to get the chance.”
    Sean agreed with his son completely. “Make it up to her.”
    He didn’t even know the victim. Just how was he supposed to do something like that?
    “And just how do you propose I do that, seeing the woman’s present condition?” he asked his father.
    “Catch her killer,” Sean said simply.
    “Right.” With a nod, Shane left the bedroom. He had just caught his very first homicide case, he thought, still trying to get used to the idea.
    He needed to get busy.

Chapter 4
    “S orry about the accommodations.”
    Ashley directed her apology over her shoulder. It was for the four-footed passenger riding inside the van portion of her police vehicle. With slots located on all four sides to allow for