Amaryllis

of expediency. Can you blame me for wondering why you chose to rescue Dillon the other night?'

'No. But you'll have to take my word for it that I had no ulterior motive. If Dillon had not chosen to tell you the truth about his situation, you would never have heard it from me. I promised him that I wouldn't discuss the subject with anyone. Whatever else you may think of me. I'm a man of my word.'

Calvin paused to study a photograph of Port LeConner that hung on one wall. 'Dillon tells me that he wants to go to work for Lodestar.'

'I know.'

'His mother is opposed to the idea.'

'I'm not surprised.'

'She blames Lodestar for Jackson's death.'

'You mean she blames me.'

Calvin did not respond. He stared at the photo.

'She can't protect Dillon forever,' Lucas said quietly. 'He's twenty-three years old. You and I both know he needs a chance to become a man. He can't do that if you and Beatrice keep him tied to home and hearth. I realize you don't want him to work for me, but there are worse alternatives.'

'You refer to that damned huckster who's trying to get him to invest in a fire crystal exploration project?'

'Yes. One way or another, Dillon will seek his own path. He's got spirit and ambition, and he hungers for adventure. Don't kill those qualities, Calvin. He'll resent you for the rest of his life if you try.'

'I don't need your advice on how to rear my son.'

Lucas said nothing.

Calvin put his hand on the knob. 'I owe you sixty-five thousand dollars.'

'No. You don't owe me a damn thing. I won't accept your check. Dillon owes me the sixty-five grand. Someday he'll repay it.'

'It's a huge debt for a boy his age.'

'If he's as ambitious as I think he is, he can pay it off in three years working for Lodestar.'

Calvin's jaw tightened. 'I tried to make him take money from me to pay you off. He refused.'

'That and the fact that he confessed the truth about the debt should tell you something important about him.'

Calvin drew himself up. 'And just what would that be?'

'That you've done a fine job raising him,' Lucas said softly. 'It's time to show him that you have some faith in him. Let him become the man he wants to be.'

'My wife is terrified that he'll come to the same end that his brother did. We don't need another dead hero in the family.'

'There are no more pirates in the Western Islands,' Lucas pointed out dryly. 'And I can assure you that, as president of Lodestar, I've taken measures to protect the islands and the people who work there.'

Calvin's hand clenched around the knob. 'I wish I could be certain that you didn't believe anything Nelson Buriton had to say about Jackson.'

Lucas met Calvin's eyes across the width of the office. 'I know the truth about Jackson.'

'So you say. Still, I can't help but wonder if you've got your hooks into Dillon in order to exact revenge for what you may think happened in the islands three years ago.'

'I'll be honest with you. Rye. Even if I believed all of Buriton's innuendoes and lies concerning Jackson, I wouldn't take my revenge out on Dillon.'

Calvin searched his face. 'Why not?'

'Dillon is not Jackson. I don't believe in the old adage about making the family pay for the sins of the children.'

'How do I know that?'

Lucas smiled bleakly. 'I guess you'll just have to have a little faith in an old friend of the family.'

Shortly before five, Amaryllis left the offices of her last client for the day, a gem-talent who had needed her services in order to ascertain the quality of the stones in a recent shipment.

A long, white limousine with ink-dark windows waited at the curb. She glanced at it curiously as she turned to walk toward the bus stop.

The rear door of the big car opened. Gifford stepped out of the limo. He was dressed in his trademark silver gray suit and red bow tie. He gave Amaryllis a wry, diffident smile.

'You're certainly traveling in style these days, Gifford.' Amaryllis came to a halt on the sidewalk.

'Amaryllis, I have to talk to you.'

'I'm on my way back to the office.'

'I'll give you a lift.' Gifford took a step closer. 'Please. This won't take long.'

'I'd rather walk.'

'Wait.' Gifford put out a hand to catch hold of her arm. 'I've got a problem. A big one. I need your help.'

She saw the desperate, beseeching urgency in his eyes and knew intuitively that it was genuine. 'What's wrong?'

'I'll explain everything in the car. Amaryllis, if I ever meant anything at all to you, please say you'll at least listen to me.'

'I don't have much time.' Amaryllis reluctantly allowed herself to be drawn toward the sleek limo. 'If you promise this won't take long--'

'It won't. I swear it.'

She didn't see the other occupant of the car until she got into the rear seat. By then it was too late.

'Good afternoon, Ms. Lark,' Madison Sheffield said. 'I can't tell you how much Osterley and I appreciate your willingness to help the cause.'

Chapter 14

'What is going on here?' Amaryllis glowered furiously at Madison Sheffield. 'I haven't volunteered for anything. Furthermore--'

She broke off as the limo door closed with a soft, solid kachunk. She whirled in the seat to confront Gifford. 'Open that door this instant, do you hear me? I do not intend to go anywhere in this vehicle.'

Gifford grimaced but said nothing as the car slithered into motion.

'Did you hear me, Gifford?'

'Please calm down, Ms. Lark.' Madison's voice was soothing. Very soothing. He reclined on the opposite seat, a picture of sober, conservative elegance in his dark suit and discreet tie. 'I am only asking for a few minutes of your time. I assure you it's in the interests of our beloved city-state.'

'This is kidnapping, which happens to be illegal in our beloved city-state,' Amaryllis snapped. 'Stop this car and open that door at once or I'll notify the police.'

'Take it easy, Amaryllis,' Gifford pleaded. 'Give Sheffield a chance to explain, will you?'

'Please, hear me out.' Sheffield's eyes were eloquent with humble need. 'I must have your help. Gifford here has done his best, but it has become obvious that he is out of his league.'

'You burned out another one of his prisms last night, didn't you?' Amaryllis did not wait for a response. She turned back to Gifford. 'Just what league are you playing in, Gifford Osterley?'

'I can't supply Sheffield with a prism strong enough to work with the upper ranges of his talent,' Gifford muttered. 'You're the only one I know who might be able to handle him. He's a class ten.' Gifford gave Madison an uneasy glance. 'Maybe higher.'

'Considerably higher, I suspect,' Amaryllis said. 'Gifford, how could you get involved in this situation?'

'I haven't done anything wrong.' Gifford tugged at his red bow tie as if it was too snug around his neck. 'It's not a crime to provide focus services for a high-class talent.'