Sounds of Silence by Elizabeth White Read Free Book Online Page A

her. The hideous ride to the hospital in a patrol car. Rico’s partner, covered in bloodstains, trying to hold her.
    The sight of her husband’s still face and broken body.
    Isabel shuddered. If she continued to harbor this little girl, her son could be in danger.
    Dear Father, please don’t put me through this again.
    “Isabel.” Eli’s voice drew her back from the darkness. She opened her eyes to his compassionate gaze. “I’ll watch over you. We’ll catch this guy.”
    Isabel snatched her hand away from Eli. Every instinct of self-preservation told her to send Mercedes away and follow through with her plans to leave Del Rio. In her circumstances, nobody would blame her. Eli might be disappointed in her, but he’d figure something out. It was his job.
    But just then she felt a small hand on her forearm and looked around to see button-bright dark eyes sparkling behind her shoulder. Mercedes stood there dressed in a pair of Danilo’s shorts and a top Isabel had pieced together out of scraps from somebody’s yellow bridesmaid dress. The little girl gave Isabel a shy smile and thrust a fistful of dandelion blossoms under her chin.
    “Oh, sweetheart,” Isabel breathed, “how beautiful. Thank you.” She signed the words and kissed Mercedes’s cheek. How could she possibly turn this child away? Drawing Mercedes into her lap and snuggling her close, Isabel ruefully met Eli’s eyes. “What exactly do you want us to do?”
    “Have any of your neighbors seen Mercedes? Made comments about her?”
    She shook her head. “I have a niece about her age, and we’re sticking close to the house.”
    “Good. Then Mercedes should be safe, because we’re letting it out that she was the victim last night.” Eli took a deep breath. “The sad fact is that nobody will miss one little Mexican street kid. We’ll just bury Dulce quietly and keep watch.”
    All kinds of objections came to Isabel’s mind. “How much longer do you think it will take? Danilo won’t be out of school for another two weeks. So far he understands we’re playing the ‘keep a secret’ game—but sooner or later he’s bound to slip.”
    Eli frowned. “I think you’d better pull him out of school.”
    “But that would cause even more comment!”
    “He’s only in kindergarten, right? Two weeks won’t hurt anything. You can say he’s sick.”
    “But that would be a lie!”
    “Isabel. We’re talking about this child’s life. I’ve already l-lost one—”
    The slight crack in Eli’s voice wrecked Isabel’s tenuous grip on her composure. She stared at him, tears pouring down her cheeks and dripping onto the top of Mercedes’s head. “I’ll do whatever I have to do, you know I will. But Eli, I’m so scared. This is way over my head.”
    Eli’s boyish face hardened. “I’d give anything to change what’s happened. But I can’t. I don’t know why God’s allowed this, but I told you I’m not leaving you alone. When I’m not on duty I’ll be here, and when I’m working I’ll have somebody watching you.”
    Isabel found herself drawing strength from those steady eyes. “Can I call my friend Pam and ask her to pray for me?”
    He hesitated, then shook his head. “Not a good idea. But we could pray together right now, if you want to.”
    The idea was somehow startling, but Isabel didn’t have the heart to refuse. When she nodded, Eli came around the table and knelt beside Isabel’s chair. He clasped both his big warm hands around hers, smiled at Mercedes, and bowed his head.
    “Father, Isabel and I come to You and bring You our worry and fear. I pray You’ll work in this bad situation for Your glory. Please help me and the other guys find Bryan’s killer, and protect Mercedes until we do. Give Isabel the wisdom she needs to communicate with Mercedes and keep out of sight. You know what’s best, and You can meet our needs. We love You and thank You in Jesus’s name. Amen.”
    Isabel had no words to pray, so she just