Authors: DiAnn Mills
Chapter 56
O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.
Psalm 139:1
Six weeks later
“Hey, honey. The coals are about ready for the meat,” Alex called from the door leading to the patio.
“I’ll bring the burgers.” Danika dried her hands on a dish towel and stole a moment to watch Alex through the window. He must have sensed her staring at him and turned to wave.
She blew him a kiss and felt a tingle clear to her toes. Their relationship kept getting better and better. And even though she’d not admit it this quickly, Alex was a keeper and she had no intentions of letting him go. He’d mentioned the big
M
word, and she’d suggested they wait until after the first of the year. But all it would take was a weak moment and one of his kisses, and she’d be saying yes to becoming Mrs. Alex Price.
“Here, I’ll take those.” Jacob took the tray of meat and grinned. “If we wait on you and Alex to stop making eyes at each other, we’ll all starve.” He nodded toward the kids in the living room. “Listen to that. If we don’t feed them soon, we’ll have mutiny.”
Danika wrinkled her nose at him. “You’re one to talk. I heard your kids say you and Barbara act like newlyweds.”
“We are,” Jacob said as he headed for the patio.
Danika whirled around to Barbara. “Do you know how wonderful it is to see Jacob happy and your marriage rock solid?”
Barbara nodded. “Every day I thank God for my family. I never dreamed my husband would be content building furniture. His blood pressure is back to normal without medication, and he’s home with us every night.”
“I’m so happy for you.” Danika hugged her.
“Mom, we’re starved,” Jake called from the other room.
“You’re only hungry because I’m beating you at Monopoly,” Nadine said. “Little brother, you’re bankrupt.”
The doorbell rang, and Danika hurried to answer it. “Must be Felipe and Becca. They’re bringing the dessert.”
She glanced out the window. The media had ceased to follow her around like the paparazzi, but they were clever. She’d insulted enough reporters to last a lifetime, but sufficient time had passed for them to move on to something else. A black taxi was parked at the curb.
Curious, she opened the door and started. The blood seemed to drain from her face, and she couldn’t utter a word. Mom and Dad stood before her. They were older, Dad’s hair a little whiter and a few more lines around Mom’s eyes. They looked as anxious as she felt.
“I know you’re shocked.” Dad shifted from one foot to another. “We didn’t know how else to do this. Can’t blame you if you slam the door in our faces.”
Danika stood in the doorway numb—hot and cold at the same time. A part of her wanted to cry. Another part of her
did
want to slam the door in their faces. The biggest part of her wanted everything to be right.
Tiana patted her leg. “Who is this?” she signed.
“Can I tell her?” Mom asked. Danika had forgotten how soft her mother’s voice was and how she always dressed in fashion.
“I . . . I suppose it’s all right.”
“Danika, who’s at the door?” Alex called from the kitchen. She hadn’t even heard the back door close.
“My parents.”
Mom bent to one knee, visibly nervous. “Tiana, I am your grandmother. Your mommy’s mommy,” she signed.
Mom had learned sign language? Danika attempted to stop the flow of tears, but they swept over her cheeks. She was angry. She was happy. She didn’t know what to feel.
In an instant, Alex’s arm slipped around her waist. He stuck out his hand to Dad. “Alex Price.”
Dad grasped his hand. “Good to meet you. William Cutchner.” He sounded like he was greeting church members.
“Danika looks like you,” Alex said.
“Prettier than her dad. She gets her stubborn streak from me,” Dad said. “I have the dominant gene.”
“Is this my grandfather?” Tiana signed.
Dad stiffened. He took a deep breath and nodded.
“Is this true, Mommy?”
The lump in Danika’s throat thickened. For the first time she was glad to sign her response instead of speaking it. “Yes.”
“Can they come in?” Tiana’s dark eyes sparkled. She clapped her hands.
Mom’s gaze peered into Danika’s face, tears brimming her eyes. “I’ve missed my daughter.”
Dad cleared his throat, his normal habit before delivering a sermon. “I feel like I’m the Prodigal Son asking for forgiveness.” He shook his head. “I regret the years I tried to dictate your life. Our last conversation was . . . my fault. You reached out for help, and I smacked you in the face with it. And then when what happened to you hit the news, I realized I had to get my girl back. I’m so sorry. I can’t even imagine what the past two years have been like—how dangerous your job and the enormity of responsibility.”
Danika stared into the faces of two people whom she’d never stopped loving. Her own tears fell unchecked for all the years of misunderstanding. “Please, come in,” she finally said. “I want you to meet the rest of my family.”
Danika walked through her home, stepping around children and toys and listening to the sounds of what real love was all about.
The Rio Grande was not just murky. It was toxic. Danika Morales respected the river’s temperament—lazy and rushing, crystal and muddy, breathtaking and devastating. To many illegal immigrants, its flowing water signified hope and an opportunity for a better tomorrow. Others viewed the river crossing as a means of smuggling drugs or spreading terrorism. But for Danika, the depths had brought back life and love.
A Note from the Author
Dear reader,
When I started writing
Sworn to Protect
, I believed I had an understanding of the immigration problem. After all, I know people who are undocumented immigrants, and I know people who are Border Patrol agents. Their situation and plight are familiar to most of us living in southern Texas.
Then Danika and Alex’s story began to unfold. As I looked into their hearts and those of the people around them, I discovered I really didn’t know much at all about the emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual stresses of our neighbors south of the Rio Grande or the brave men and women who protect our borders. Learning along with my characters proved to be a challenging and enjoyable journey.
While conducting research, I was fortunate to ride the line with a couple of Border Patrol agents. I hope I have been able to portray these courageous people accurately. I remember how hot the days, how muddy the Rio Grande, and how desperate the people. The Border Patrol agents’ compassion and respect for undocumented immigrants impressed me. I also became aware of the dangers the agents face. Can you imagine not wearing your uniform to and from work for fear of endangering your family’s lives?
Without a doubt,
Sworn to Protect
does not attempt to address all the complex issues surrounding immigration in the United States. It would be difficult to do that within the pages of a novel. If you’d like to learn more about the Border Patrol and undocumented immigrants, I invite you to read
Patrolling Chaos: The U.S. Border Patrol in Deep South Texas
by Robert Lee Maril (Texas Tech University Press, 2006). For a distinctly Christian perspective, you may want to read
Welcoming the Stranger
by Matthew Soerens and Jenny Hwang (InterVarsity Press, 2009).
I hope you enjoyed
Sworn to Protect
. I left a piece of my heart with the characters. It’s been said that if a writer doesn’t change and grow in writing a novel, then she can’t expect the reader to change and grow either. I hope this novel has made you more aware of our immigration issues, and may we pray together for a resolution.
Expect an Adventure
DiAnn Mills
www.diannmills.com
About the Author
Award-winning author DiAnn Mills is a fiction writer who combines an adventuresome spirit with unforgettable characters to create action-packed novels. DiAnn’s first book was published in 1998. She currently has more than forty books in print, which have sold more than a million and a half copies.
Six of her books have appeared on the CBA best-seller list. Eight of her books have been nominated for the American Christian Fiction Writers’ Book of the Year contest, and she is the recipient of the Inspirational Reader’s Choice award for 2005 and 2007.
Lightning and Lace
was a 2008 Christy Award finalist.
DiAnn is a founding board member for American Christian Fiction Writers and a member of Inspirational Writers Alive; Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope and Love chapter; and the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is also a mentor for the Jerry B. Jenkins Christian Writers Guild.
Her latest releases are
Awaken My Heart
and
Breach of Trust
.
Discussion Questions
1. Have you ever considered taking a job that might put you or your family in danger?
2. How far would you go to protect a family member?
3. Grief is often a formidable monster. How well does Danika handle the second anniversary of her husband’s death? How do you handle reminders of loss or grief in your life?
4. Jacob is bitter about his brother’s death, and it affects his relationship with his family. How might you react in a similar situation?
5. If you were Danika’s friend, would you encourage her to seek out a relationship with Alex? Why or why not?
6. Should Alex have told Danika from the beginning about his friendship with Toby? How might his doing so have changed the trajectory of their relationship?
7. Alex has his own personal views about undocumented immigrants. How are they different from Danika’s?
8. It’s been said that desperate people do desperate things. What particular desperation motivates Sandra? Lucy? Jose?
9. How do you feel about Sandra’s deceit? Was she justified in what she did?
10. Jacob made a renewed commitment to God and his family. Do you think he will be able to keep his word? Why or why not?
11. At the end of the story, Danika and Alex pledge their love to each other. What have they learned from past relationships? Where does their faith in Christ fit?
12. Before reading this novel, what was your opinion of the Border Patrol and the immigration debate? Has it changed, and if so, in what ways? Do you have any ideas for a solution to the situation with our borders?
Turn the page for a preview of book three in the Call of Duty series.
Available Fall 2010.
The moment Bella accepted the reassignment to the FBI’s field office in Houston, she realized the past had stalked her to the present. And she was ready, or at least she told herself she was. Her training and experience had sharpened her skills and provided the tools she needed to solve crimes the average American deemed unspeakable.
Fear and memories had climbed into her luggage when she relocated to Houston, but she defied their strangling hold. Bella was determined to work hard to build her credentials and help curtail the endless barrage of crime, especially within a city that contained more people than Chicago.
Her BlackBerry interrupted her thoughts and her drive to work with its musical rendition of “That’ll Be the Day.” A quick glance showed the caller was Frank.
No way, super agent. I don’t have a thing to tell you. She answered on the third ring. “Morning, Frank. What can I do for you?”
“Lunch?”
She laughed. “You heard I have an appointment with Swartzer, and curiosity is killing you.”
“Me? I wanted to talk about spending the weekend in Galveston.”
“Right. Frank, it’s been nine months since we dated.”
“Nine months, huh? As in giving birth to a new relationship?”
She envisioned a slight smile spreading over his face—a good-looking one, but one that was not for her. “No thanks. Remember, we tried and it didn’t work. I don’t want to put my heart in that place again. See you later.”
“But—”
“Bye, Frank.”
Bella tossed the phone into her purse. Regret over the failed relationship with Frank settled like a day harboring poor air quality. She’d known from the start a relationship with him wouldn’t work. He wanted a wife who’d stay home and raise kids. She refused to give up the bureau, no matter how much she cared for him. The only thing she’d ever formed a lasting attachment to was the FBI, and mistakes in the name of love were not in her playbook.
A promotion had been within her grasp for the past few months, and she desperately wanted it. Ambition always ruled over her logic, but she didn’t view her objectives as selfish. The meeting this morning with her supervisor might be a jump in her career. A coveted opportunity to prove her mettle sounded almost too good to be true, and like a kid at Christmas on this early June morning, she drove toward the field office to see if she had a gift marked “promotion.”
Bella moved into the right lane of 290 to take the exit off the highway. For certain, battling traffic at seven in the morning had hardened her for criminal activity—or destroyed any trace of patience. Her mind raced with anticipation over her meeting with Swartzer. This meeting could be about a number of ongoing investigations—or possibly a new one. No matter, she’d take the assignment and keep climbing the ladder.