"So the information you gave to your private investigator helped him track down your mother to a remote island in the Pacific?" Hal leaned forward on his elbows and raised one eyebrow.
"Yes, that's correct." Julian glanced at Sam and Eve.
"To find your mother after all this time. . ." Hal said. "You and Sheridan must be ecstatic."
"Actually, Sheridan doesn't know yet." Julian folded his hands in front of his face. "I didn't want to tell her until we had a solid plan."
Hal smiled. "Well, I'm sure Luis will be chomping at the bit to help out once we bring him and Sheridan into the loop."
"Normally, I would agree with you, Hal." Sam smiled and wrapped his arms around his chest. "But I doubt that wild horses could tear Luis away from Harmony—or, more importantly, Sheridan—at the moment."
"Why?" Hal asked. "The drug cartel is no longer after her."
Eve smiled softly at Hal. "Sheridan is pregnant."
"You don't say." Hal shook his head and chuckled.
Sam grinned. "You never pictured this day coming when you met them, did you?"
Hal smiled. "I was surprised enough when they stopped fighting and finally admitted they had feelings for each other."
Sam laughed. "Trust me—we all were."
Julian swallowed hard and shifted in his seat.
He'd come so close to destroying Sheridan's relationship with Luis. Not only had he not protected his sister, but he had actively plotted against her.
Eve looked at him. Reaching across the desk, she threaded her fingers through his. "What is your plan, Agent Freeman?" she asked, her eyes still fixed on Julian's.
"It involves Interpol," Hal answered. "I'm going to talk to my contacts and have them tail Alistair to find out when he typically leaves the compound. As soon as they establish that schedule, we'll make our move to secure it—we'll nab him when he returns."
The lump in his throat expanding, Julian tightened his fingers around Eve's. "And what about my mother?"
"By the time your father returns, we'll have her out of the house and away from the compound," Hal said. "We'll make sure she's safe and secure."
A sudden burst of determination flooding his body, Julian perked up. "I need to be there with her, Agent Freeman. The longer it takes to arrest my father, the more likely it is that she'll start to fear that he's going to recapture her—I'm not going to let her face that alone."
Luis tossed the last of the boxes into the trash and strolled back into the townhouse, his heart swelling with love as he caught sight of Sheridan nestled up in front of the fireplace.
"Our first evening in our new home." Luis's face lit up as he crossed the room to join her. "I think this is cause for celebration."
"I couldn't agree more." Sheridan smiled as he sat down next to her and pulled her onto his lap. "I can't believe how quickly everything came together today. It was so wonderful of your family to help."
"Our family." Luis kissed her. "They were happy to do it. There's nothing we Lopez-Fitzgeralds wouldn't do for each other."
Sheridan blinked back tears. "I feel so lucky to be part of your family, Luis."
Luis traced his fingers down her back and smiled softly at her. "We're lucky to have you."
"I feel the same way about you, Luis," Sheridan said, her eyes glistening. "Both you and our daughter."
His eyes full of tenderness, Luis caressed Sheridan's belly. "Speaking of our little one, don't you think it's time we started deciding on a name for her? I mean, I'm planning to refer to her as my 'munchkin' forever, but I doubt she's going to want the other kids at school to call her that."
Sheridan laughed softly and stroked Luis's cheek. "What did you have in mind?"
Luis's eyes sparkled at hers. "Well, I was thinking we could name her 'Katherine Pilar.'"
"Oh, Luis . . ." Sheridan threw her arms around him. "It means so much to me that you want to honor my mother that way."
"I know how much she means to you, Sher." Luis tightened his arms around her and kissed her shoulder. "You're a beautiful person, inside and out—given that you're nothing like your father, I'm willing to bet that you take after her."
"Thank you for the way you supported me today." Julian intertwined his fingers through Eve's. "Listening to Agent Freeman and Sam talking about how long it took Luis and Sheridan to admit their feelings for one another was very difficult for me."
Julian hung his head. "Knowing that it was my machinations that kept them apart for months—understanding now just how painful that must have been for them . . ."
Eve massaged Julian's shoulder. "I know you regret what you did."
"More than anything." Julian sighed and rubbed his face. "I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for causing my sister so much pain."
Eve laid her head on his chest.
Julian rested his head against hers. "I've already broken the most important promise I ever made to my mother."
"Maybe so," Eve said, wrapping her arms around him, "but you're a changed man, Julian. Your mother is going to be so proud of the way you've turned your life around."
"I hope you're right." Julian squeezed Eve and kissed her head. "But even if you're not, I have to face up to this anyway. She may not know it yet, but I've already disappointed my mother in so many ways—I won't let her down again."
