CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Late Saturday Morning

Sara watched her daughter rush out the front door and greet Joe. Her eyes widened as Cassie hugged him. She watched them talk. I'm glad they get along so well. I wonder what they're talking about. She scratched her head. It looks like they share a secret and are working together on something.

Cassie turned toward the front door. "Mom, Mr. George is taking me to Grandma's for the day. See you tonight. I hope you and Mr. Joe have a good time." As she stepped from the porch, she blew Sara a kiss. Before she took another step, Cassie opened the screen door, hugged, and kissed her mom. "I love you, Mom. I'm glad to be home." Her next hug lingered, before she turned and walked toward the car George stood beside. Just before she sat in the passenger seat, she waved to Sara.

"What were you and Cassie talking about?" Sara held the screen door open and Joe stepped inside the house.

He grinned. "Nothing really, she thanked me again for rescuing her." He glanced toward the front yard. "I'm always amazed by how much energy that child has. It seems she came through her ordeal with minimal damage." He scanned the living room. "I like the living room's walls one color." He chuckled. "You and George did a good job. Would you like to go to the city lake and have a picnic?"

Sara chewed on her lower lip. "I'd like that."

As they stood beside Joe's yellow Porsche, Sara glanced toward the house. "It could get chilly. I'd better get a jacket. I'll be right back." She jogged up the sidewalk.

Joe waited beside his car. When she returned with a jacket and his duffle bag, he smiled. "Did the compulsive cleaner in you refold my clothes?"

"I didn't touch anything in it."

He opened the trunk and took the bag from her. "The clothes didn't call your name saying, 'Sara, fold me, please'?"

Her cheeks turned a healthy pink. "I put the bag in the hallway closet so I wouldn't be tempted." When Joe laughed, her cheeks turned red.

"I'm amazed at your will power," he teased as he opened the passenger side door. "I know it must've been hard for you to refrain from refolding everything."

She folded her arms across her chest as she sat in the tan leather seat. "You've made your point. I'll admit I like things clean and orderly."

After Joe shut the car door, Sara watched him through the windshield. Right now he's acting like the same man I fell in love with. I wonder how long it'll last.

Joe sat behind the steering wheel. "I'm sorry about yesterday. I was worn out and shouldn't have come by. I should've gone straight to my parents'."

"I'm equally at fault." She inhaled a deep breath. "I was looking for reasons to find fault."

He grinned. "I've already admitted I make mistakes. You didn't have to look too hard, did you?" He put the key in the ignition.

Sara placed her hand over his. "Wait." She held her breath before she continued, "You're acting like the same Joe Barnes I fell in love with. Is this the real Joe, or ...."

"There's only one of me," he interrupted. "While searching for Cassie, the professional side came through." He paused for a moment. "Actually it was more than just professionalism. I was angry because Cassie got abducted and scared something awful would happen to her. I was afraid I'd let you and Cassie down."

"You were still caring and compassionate with me, and from what she said you were gentle with her."

"You bring the best out in me. I'm a better person when I'm around you." He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "You're one of the smartest and strongest women I know. For some reason I always want to put my arms around you and protect you from the hurt in the world. Why the tears?"

"These aren't sad tears, they're happy tears." She wiped the moisture from her cheek. "Thank you for caring about my daughter."

"She's part of you, so I naturally want to protect her just as much as I do you."

"But she's also 50% of her father."

"Cassie's as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside, just like her mother. When I look at her face, all I see is a younger version of you. I'm sure there's something of her father there, but I don't see it and doubt I ever will."

He started the engine. "When she goes to her senior prom, I'm going to chaperone. No man wanna-be will take advantage of her. Ready for our picnic?"

With her hand covering her mouth, Sara giggled. "Locking her in a closet isn't the answer."

"Wanna bet?" teased Joe as he drove down the road. He glanced toward Sara and grinned. "Maybe we could send her to a convent."

"Why don't we just allow her to be a normal teenager? I'm hoping she's smart enough not to make the same mistakes I did."

"She's definitely one smart kid." As Joe pulled into the city lake parking lot, he glanced at Sara. "Your mistake has nothing to do with being smart. You're a very intelligent woman. You were naive and an unscrupulous male took advantage of it." He opened the car door. "I plan on educating her, so she won't be as naive when it comes to males."

As he walked around the front of the car, Sara watched him. I guess he's planning on staying around awhile. Joe opened her door. "When do you have to go back to work?"

"Matt hasn't said anything specific." He grinned. "I don't think I'll force the issue. Is that all right?"

She took his offered hand and stood. "I guess."

"I don't want to discuss work, but I should tell you a total of twenty-three girls were rescued and returned to their parents." He rubbed the back of his neck and stared at the lake. "We arrested fourteen people; eleven men and three females. We think we've deactivated that pornography ring's activities in the United States."

"What do you mean in the United States?"

"This pornography ring has cells throughout central Europe."

"You mean countries like Germany, France, and Spain?"

"I mean more east central Europe like Slovakia, Czech Republic, and Romania. I think we've covered enough business." Opening the trunk, Joe handed Sara a blanket. "Would you carry this?" He lifted the picnic basket.

"Did you make lunch yourself?"

He shut the trunk. "I had some things to take care of this morning, so I had our picnic feast catered. I hope you don't mind."

She walked toward the grass. "I don't mind. Which way?" She glanced to the left and then the right.

Joe stood beside her and surveyed the area. "Which would you prefer? The left appears to have ducks and geese on the lake, but the right seems to have more shade."

She shielded her eyes from the glare and looked across the lake. "I think the country club's straight across the lake."

"If you want to have our picnic on the golf course, I'm game, but the golfers might complain." He grinned and teased, "And if you get hit by a golf ball, you might complain."

"I like sunshine. It's cheery and the ducks are fun to watch."

Joe took her hand as they walked. "Sun and ducks it is."

Sara laid the blanket on the grass. "Joe, are we all right?"