'Miss Carol, there's no way to know whether Allen is in real danger, but we don't dare take any chances,' Ashe said. 'I called the police, and Chief Burton has assured me that they'll send a patrol car around every day during Allen's PE time. And I spoke to Sheriff Blaylock, gave him a description of the man who confronted Allen on the playground.'
'Do you think there's any chance of catching the man?' Carol slipped her thin arm around her daughter's waist.
'I doubt it,' Ashe said. 'My bet is that Buck got somebody from out of town and the guy's long gone by now.'
'I didn't want to think that Allen might be in danger,' Carol said. 'But it did cross my mind that these people might try to get to Deborah through her … her brother.'
'You could also be in danger, Miss Carol, especially when you're outside the house. With the security system we have in place now, it would be difficult for anyone to break in.' Anyone who wasn't a highly trained professional, Ashe thought. He doubted any of Buck's local boys had the know-how to get past a sophisticated system, but it was possible.
'I'm not worried about myself, only my children. You must keep Deborah and Allen protected no matter what.'
'Mother, don't fret this way. It isn't good for you.'
'With your permission, Miss Carol, I'd like to bring in another man to guard Allen,' Ashe said.
'Someone else from Dundee Security?' Carol asked.
'Yes, ma'am.'
'Do you think that's necessary?' Carol looked to Deborah, who nodded and squeezed her mother's hand.
'All right, you do what you think best.' Carol allowed Deborah to help her up the stairs. Pausing on the landing, she looked down at Ashe. 'You have no idea how reassured I am by your presence here, Ashe McLaughlin, knowing that you have taken responsibility for Deborah and Allen.'
Deborah's gaze met Ashe's. Looking away quickly, she assisted her mother to her room. Ashe couldn't quite figure out that strange look in Deborah's eyes, almost pleading. And sad. And even afraid. This wasn't the first time he'd sensed Deborah feared him, but he couldn't understand why. Not unless she still loved him. Dear God, was it possible? Of course not, no one kept loving someone eleven years after they'd been rejected.
Ashe went into the library, closed the door and dialed Simon Roarke's private number. Dundee himself would have been Ashe's first choice, but Sam seldom took on private cases any more. His other top choices were J.T. Blackwood, who was already involved in another case, and Simon Roarke.
He'd known Simon for nearly a year, had met him when he'd first hired on with Dundee Security. The two had liked each other immediately, finding they had enough in common to form a friendship. A couple of former career soldiers who'd been born and raised in Southern poverty.
'Roarke here.' His voice sounded like gravel being dumped onto sheet metal.
'This is McLaughlin. I need you on the first plane out of Atlanta. Tonight if possible.'
'What's up?'
'The woman I'm protecting has a ten-year-old brother. Today a stranger approached him on the school playground and gave him a message for his sister.'
'The bastard!' Roarke said, the sound possessing the depth of a Rottweiler's bark. 'He didn't hurt the kid, did he?'
'Allen's fine. I just want to make sure he stays that way.' Ashe knew that if Simon Roarke had one weakness, it was children. His only child had died years ago, and Simon had never fully recovered, had never escaped the demons of pain.
'I'll let Sam know where I'll be. He can fax me all the information on your case,' Roarke said. 'And I'll see you first thing in the morning.'
Ashe stayed in the den for nearly thirty minutes after he finished talking to Roarke. He stood by the window, looking out into the darkness, not seeing what lay before him, only envisioning Deborah's smile. He wanted her to smile at him again the way she'd smiled at him that night so long ago. He hadn't realized how much he needed someone to love him.
Hell! He was a fool. Deborah didn't love him. She might desire him the way he desired her, but she wasn't a seventeen-year-old girl anymore. She didn't look at him through the eyes of love and see her Prince Charming. And he had no one to blame but himself. He had been the one to destroy her fairy-tale dreams.
She had offered him everything. And he'd been too young and stupid to realize what he was rejecting.
He made his way upstairs, turning off lights as he went. Allen's bedroom door stood open. The sound of his and Deborah's voices floated down the hall. Strange, how quickly he'd come to feel at home in the Vaughn household, how quickly he had come to think of Miss Carol and Allen, and yes, dammit, Deborah, as his own family.
He stood several feet away from Allen's room, looking through the open door. Deborah, fresh from a bath and wearing a navy blue silk robe, sat on the edge of Allen's bed. She pulled the covers up around his chest, then patted the edges into place. Lifting her hand, she reached out and touched Allen's face, the gesture so filled with love that it hit Ashe in the pit of his stomach with knockout force.
'We're going to be just fine, you know,' Deborah said, cradling Allen's cheek with her hand. 'I've been taking care of us for a long time now and haven't done such a bad job. Now Ashe is here, and he won't let anything happen to you or me or Mother.'
'I like Ashe a lot, don't you? He's the kind of man any guy would like for a father.' Allen threw his arms around Deborah, giving her a bear hug.
Deborah hugged him fiercely. Ashe noticed her shoulders trembling. He wanted to go to them, put his arms around Deborah and Allen and become a part of the love they shared. He wanted to tell them that he'd die to protect them.
Allen fell back into the bed, his eyes drooping as he yawned. 'Since Ashe is too young for Mother, you could marry him. He'd make a pretty great brother-in-law.'
'I'll keep that in mind, but don't expect anything. Ashe is our friend, but he has a life in Atlanta. Once the trial is over and things gets back to normal, Ashe will be leaving.'
'I wish he would stay forever.' Allen yawned, then closed his eyes. 'Don't you wish he'd stay forever?'
Deborah kissed Allen on the forehead, turned out the lamp on the bedside table and walked out of Allen's room, leaving the door partially open. She saw Ashe standing in the hallway, staring directly at her, the oddest expression on his face.
'You didn't answer him,' Ashe said. 'Do you wish I'd stay forever?'
'Is anything forever, Ashe?' She walked toward him, then lowered her eyes and passed him, turning to go into her room.
Reaching out, Ashe grabbed her by the wrist. She halted. 'I didn't use to think so. Now, I'm not so sure.'
Deborah pulled her wrist out of his loose grasp. 'Let me know when you're sure, Ashe.' She went into her bedroom and closed the door.
« ^ »
Completing the jury selection had taken all morning, so Deborah had remained at work until noon, then gone home for lunch with her mother. Ashe had told her there was no need for her to make an appearance in court until she was called on to testify, but she had insisted on going.
Now she wished she hadn't. Local and state newspaper and television reporters swarmed around her like agitated bees, each person trying their best to zero in on the prosecution's eye witness. Ashe shielded her with his body, practically carrying her past the horde of reporters and crowd of spectators. She clung to her protector, closing her eyes against the sight of clamoring people, the din of voices rising higher and higher.
Seating her near the back of the courtroom, Ashe stood at her side, like a guardian angel wielding a flaming sword to keep danger at bay and the unwanted from trespassing on her private space. When Judge Williams entered the courtroom, Deborah stood, taking Ashe's hand in hers. She sought and found comfort in his presence. His power and strength nourished her own, helping her face what lay ahead.
There had been no question in her mind that she would attend this first day of Lon Sparks's trial. She thought
