The Very Thought of You by Angela Weaver Read Free Book Online Page B

news.”
    Miranda blinked as her mind struggled to get into gear. And when she finished processing all the information, her amazement grew a hundredfold. The power of genetics stared at her from Kelly’s light brown eyes. The child was her father’s clone. She couldn’t imagine a more organized, systematic, careful and efficient Federal Marshal than Ryan.
    â€œI should have known you were a morning person,” Miranda said shaking her head. She was doomed to spend her life surrounded by them.
    â€œCome on,” Kelly took her hand. “It won’t be that bad. You don’t even have to make me waffles. I’m more of a pancakes kind of girl anyway. I can show you how my mom used to make smiley faces with blueberries,” she cajoled.
    Miranda couldn’t help but giggle at the bright smile on Kelly’s face. “You were lucky. My mom’s the worst cook. I remember when she burnt the toast and started a grease fire one Sunday when frying bacon.”
    â€œDaddy tried to cook an egg in the microwave and it exploded,” Kelly chimed in as they walked to the hallway.
    â€œDarren killed the coffeepot.”
    They looked at each other and burst out laughing. Miranda laughed so hard tears spurted from her eyes and her side hurt.
    â€œSee. I knew I could do it,” Kelly bragged.
    â€œDo what?”
    â€œGet you out of the bed.”
    Miranda snorted. “Good job. Your father would be proud.”
    â€œYeah, I can’t wait to tell him.”
    Reaching over to tweak one of Kelly’s two braids, she smiled. “He’ll call tonight. Now let me get ready. I don’t want Ryan’s little marshal late for her first day of school.”
    Â 
    â€œShe’s fine, Ryan. Kelly is a resilient little girl. She worries about you, but other than that I think she’s going to be fine in school,” she reassured the Federal Marshal on the phone.
    Thankful for the Bluetooth wireless headset that allowed her free use of her arms, Miranda continued wiping off the kitchen countertops. Although she’d hired a maid service to spruce up the house, she still felt the need to do her own bit of cleaning.
    â€œI hope to God this trial ends soon.”
    Miranda had known Ryan for over four years, and in that time together she had never seen the agent without a can-do attitude and an impenetrable veneer of confidence. Ryan Walker always got his man or woman. And now he was a client of the very system of which he was a member. Two months ago, his entire life was once again turned upside down as the Russian Mafia somehow discovered the location of a safe house where Ryan was hiding an informant. With his principal gunned down execution-style, Ryan was the only living witness to the murder. His testimony alone would ensure the conviction of Sergey Milonik, the head of Russian-American mafia’s largest crime syndicate.
    Inwardly, Miranda sighed. It didn’t seem fair that at the point where Ryan and Kelly had just seemed to be completely healed from his wife’s death from leukemia, he would have to go into witness protection and be separated from his daughter.
    â€œHave you given any more thought as to where you’re going to relocate once Milonik is in prison?” she asked.
    â€œThat’s all I’ve thought about since this mess started. It’s been an eye-opening experience being on the other side of the table, Miranda. My life will never be the same.”
    â€œIt can be a good thing, Ryan. You’ve been mentioning lately that you want to spend more time with Kelly.”
    â€œSounds like that old adage—Be careful what you wish for…”
    â€œYou might just get it,” she finished.
    Ryan’s laughter traveled well over the phone line and Miranda smiled at the thought that she’d been able to provide some glimmer of humor for her friend.
    â€œYeah. Well, if things go as planned I’ll be down there for my