A Hero for Her Heart (Truly Yours Digital Editions Book 885) Read Free Page B

For her sake. He’d do anything for his sister.
    After he signed off with his father, Derrick dialed Sandy’s cell.
    “Derrick.” Her voice was stronger than he’d heard it in a while. “Have you got news?”
    He stopped pacing and made way for a group of rowdy teens. “I think I do.”
    “Really? Already? I prepared myself to accept this was a wild-goose chase.”
    What if he was wrong? Last thing he wanted was to get her hopes up, only to squash them. “Today, just by chance, I ran into a boy who could be the one we’re looking for, but I can’t promise yet.”
    “Wow. How do you know he’s my son if you just ran into him?”
    “The family name is Vahn,” Derrick said. “Granted, they might not be the Vahns who adopted your son, but he’s got our eye and hair color.”
    “Oh, Derrick, that would be an answer to prayer.” Sandy’s strained breathing made him short of breath. “Remember, I don’t want them to know who you are or who I am. I just want to be sure my son’s happy with the people who adopted him, okay? Promise me.”
    Derrick was silent.
    “I said you have to promise me.”
    “Yes, fine.” Derrick kicked his booted foot against the hydrant. “I won’t let on.”
    “Thank you.” Sandy sighed. “How can you forgive me, D-man? Giving away my baby and not telling anyone?”
    “I didn’t let on how shocked I was at first. I was afraid my reaction would send you into a decline.”
    She laughed. “I’m already declining.”
    A hard knot formed in his throat. “That’s not funny, Sandy.”
    “I think my prognosis gives me the right to laugh at whatever I please.”
    Derrick had to smile. His sister’s humor in the face of death amazed him. “You were desperate, Sandy. Not in your right mind at the time you signed away your baby.”
    “That’s putting it mildly.” She laughed softly. “More like a drug-induced alternate reality.”
    “I know. I feel guilty because I didn’t come and rescue you back then.”
    “I wouldn’t have let you. Believe me.” She paused. “It’s funny how coming to the Lord changes your perspective, isn’t it? You look at life so differently. The things that used to be important aren’t.”
    “True.” Derrick nodded, but sometimes he worried the process of sanctification was taking too long in his own life. “You gave me all the info you had, right? That’s just the names of the parties involved and this one picture.”
    “Yes. It was a closed, private adoption. I signed a bunch of papers. I was given the picture of my son and his birth parents, but nothing more. I promised the lawyer, Paige, that I’d never attempt to contact the parents. It all happened right after he was born, and I was in a fog—worse than normal.” Her voice grew raspy. “Knowing what I do now, I think they gave me more money than they should have. Of course, I promptly squandered it on drugs. It’s been almost nine years, and the first three of those are like a nightmare sequence. . . . I can’t even remember everywhere I lived up until I returned home.” Her voice had weakened during their conversation. “D-man. . .I don’t think I have much time left.”
    “I won’t let you down, sis.” Derrick released a jagged breath. “You take care, okay?”
    “I will. And I’m praying God will guide you in the direction you need to go. I’m just so glad this all worked out the way it did with you having business in Walla Walla.”
    Derrick swallowed hard and severed their connection. He couldn’t even be totally truthful with his sister. Would his newly found Savior bless his overall efforts, despite what he had to do to get there?
    God, please forgive me.
    ❧
    Allie sat in formation with the women’s club members. A hot, brisk breeze blew against her face and moved the skirts of her pioneer costume. She felt baked in the sun. A good thing she’d remembered to slather on sunscreen this morning. The leader of the group told her they’d be riding in a perfect