Slade's Secret Son
Elizabeth August
Memories flooded Slade Logan at first glimpse of Lisa Gray. More than two years ago she'd shared his bed, but deeply guarded guilt had made it impossible for him to share his life. So Lisa left…though not alone. She'd taken with her a precious part of him…and borne their baby.A brush with tragedy told Lisa that her child needed his father…even if Slade could never need her. And when Slade demanded they marry, she knew it was for their son's benefit. But something in her husband's rough-hewn features changed when he looked at her and their little boy. Could Slade make room in his haunted heart for two?
“We are going to get married,”
Slade said. “It’s the right thing to do for Andy’s sake. And I’m not taking no for an answer. I want the boy to have my name and to know that I wanted to be his father in every sense of the word, including the legal one.”
“You don’t want me for your wife,” Lisa argued. “You made that very clear.”
“It’s not personal. I don’t want any woman for a wife.”
“That’s supposed to appease me?”
“We were good together. And we both knew how to please each other physically,” he said huskily.
Lisa reluctantly admitted to herself that Slade’s arguments were valid. Still, she was uneasy. He was asking her to go back to the way they had been before. Well, not exactly. This time she was forewarned. She would know better than to give her heart to him. “All right, I’ll marry you…for Andy’s sake.”
Dear Reader,
The year is off to a wonderful start in Silhouette Romance, and we’ve got some of our best stories yet for you right here.
Our tremendously successful ROYALLY WED series continues with The Blacksheep Prince’s Bride by Martha Shields. Our intrepid heroine—a lady-in-waiting for Princess Isabel—will do anything to help rescue the king. Even marry the single dad turned prince! And Judy Christenberry returns to Romance with Newborn Daddy. Poor Ryan didn’t know what he was missing, until he looked through the nursery window….
Also this month, Teresa Southwick concludes her much-loved series about the Marchetti family in The Last Marchetti Bachelor. And popular author Elizabeth August gives us Slade’s Secret Son. Lisa hadn’t planned to tell Slade about their child. But with her life in danger, there’s only one man to turn to….
Carla Cassidy’s tale of love and adventure is Lost in His Arms, while new-to-the-Romance-line Vivienne Wallington proves she’s anything but a beginning writer in this powerful story of a man Claiming His Bride.
Be sure to come back next month for Valerie Parv’s ROYALLY WED title as well as new stories by Sandra Steffen and Myrna Mackenzie. And Patricia Thayer will begin a brand-new series, THE TEXAS BROTHERHOOD.
Happy reading!
Mary-Theresa Hussey
Senior Editor
Slade’s Secret Son
Elizabeth August
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
Books by Elizabeth August
Silhouette Romance
Author’s Choice #554
Truck Driving Woman #590
Wild Horse Canyon #626
Something So Right #668
The Nesting Instinct #719
Joey’s Father #749
Ready-Made Family #771
The Man from Natchez #790
A Small Favor #809
The Cowboy and the Chauffeur #833
Like Father, Like Son #857
The Wife He Wanted #881
* (#litres_trial_promo)The Virgin Wife #921
* (#litres_trial_promo) Haunted Husband #922
* (#litres_trial_promo) Lucky Penny #945
* (#litres_trial_promo) A Wedding for Emily #953
* (#litres_trial_promo) The Seeker #989
† (#litres_trial_promo) The Forgotten Husband #1019
† (#litres_trial_promo) Ideal Dad #1054
† (#litres_trial_promo) A Husband for Sarah #1067
The Bridal Shower #1091
* (#litres_trial_promo) A Father’s Vow #1126
* (#litres_trial_promo) A Handy Man To Have Around #1157
The Rancher and the Baby #1187
* (#litres_trial_promo) The Determined Virgin #1229
Paternal Instincts #1265
The Bride’s Second Thought #1288
Marrying O’Malley #1386
Truly, Madly, Deeply #1404
A Royal Mission #1446
Slade’s Secret Son #1512
Silhouette Books
Jingle Bells, Wedding Bells 1994
“The Forever Gift”
36 Hours
Cinderella Story
Silhouette Special Edition
One Last Fling! #871
* (#litres_trial_promo) The Husband #1059
Silhouette Intimate Moments
Girls’ Night Out #880
Logan’s Bride #950
ELIZABETH AUGUST
lives in the mountains of North Carolina with her husband, Doug, a chemist. They have three grown sons. Their oldest is pursuing a career in medicine, their middle son is a chemical engineer and their youngest is now in college.
Having survived a bout with cancer, Elizabeth has now joined the ranks of cancer survivors. Writing remains at the top of her list of loves just below her husband, sons and daughter-in-law. Elizabeth has also written under the pseudonym of Betsy Page for Harlequin.
Contents
Chapter One (#udb9e55f4-4d2b-5865-93e7-ec33f913ff06)
Chapter Two (#u3b2a73d2-f273-55e8-bac1-86ab212632fe)
Chapter Three (#ucadc9239-bb6e-59df-8de7-5610744edf02)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Fourteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
“Warts. Warts on top of warts,” Lisa Gray cursed under her breath as she parked in front of the modest two-story house on the outskirts of Lubbock, Texas. The white frame structure was set in the midst of twenty-five acres of land. The owner, she knew, liked his privacy and a lot of elbow room. In fact, he was the most determinedly insular person she’d ever known. At one time she’d thought she could change that, but she’d been wrong.
The muscles in her jaw tensed so tightly they threatened to spasm. She hated being here. The urge to turn the rental car around and go back to Seattle was close to overwhelming. Then she shifted her shoulder. A sharp twinge of pain traveled through her, reminding her of why she’d come. “I have to do this. I have no choice.” She repeated the liturgy that had gotten her this far.
Climbing out of her car, she made her way to the porch. At the door she hesitated. Then, again telling herself that she had no choice, she rang the bell.
A pleasant-featured, brown-haired, brown-eyed woman opened the door. “Hello.”
Silently Lisa berated herself for not checking the phone book to ascertain Slade’s current address. It had never occurred to her that he would have moved. This place suited him perfectly. “I’m sorry I bothered you. I thought Slade Logan lived here.”
The woman smiled. “He does, but he’s not home yet. Would you like to come in and wait?”
Lisa glanced at the woman’s left hand. There was a wedding ring. So Slade had remarried. She felt as if a knife was being twisted inside her. Furious that she was letting this affect her so strongly, she ignored the sensation and maintained a facade of indifference. “I’ll catch up with him later.”
As Lisa started to walk away the woman came outside. “Can I tell him your name?”
Lisa turned back. She’d find another solution. She wasn’t certain what, but she’d find one. Again, hurt that he’d remarried cut through her. I should feel sorry for the woman, she told herself. Claudette, Slade’s first wife who had died tragically, would always be uppermost in his heart. In the next instant Lisa laughed at herself. That was jealousy talking. She’d simply never been able to touch his heart while this woman had.
This admission was the most hurtful yet. Until now she’d blamed Claudette’s hold on Slade for him not allowing himself to fall in love with her. Now she had to face the fact that while he’d meant everything to her, she’d been just a warm body to satisfy his needs.
“To be honest, I’m on my way out of town,” Lisa said, then she turned and headed back to her car.
“I’m sure he’ll be sorry he missed you,” the woman called from the porch.
“I doubt that,” Lisa muttered under her breath.
The sound of a vehicle approaching caused her to look up the dirt driveway leading to the house. A heavy-duty, four-wheel drive, double-cab, red pickup equipped with an extra roll bar and high-beam spotlights was approaching. It was Slade’s truck. Bile rose in her throat as he parked. The last thing she wanted was to witness him with his new wife. But she had no choice. Pride refused to allow her to turn tail and run. Coming to a halt, she stood stiffly.
“Looks like you won’t miss him, after all,” the woman said, coming off the porch and approaching Lisa.
Lisa barely heard. Her attention was riveted on the tall, muscular Texas Ranger climbing out of the truck. Half Apache, his Native American heritage was obvious in his facial features, his coal-black hair and eyes so dark brown that at times they looked almost ebony. She hated the way the sight of him still caused her heart to pound double time. You never really meant anything to him, she snapped at herself, and bitterness for having cared so much for a man who had never honestly cared for her slowed her heart to a more normal rate.
“Lisa,” he greeted coolly.
“Slade,” she returned with equal coolness.
“Never figured I’d be seeing you again.”
The frost in his voice told her that he wished he hadn’t. Self-directed anger that she’d come, raged through her. Her gaze shifted to the brown-eyed woman and a flush of embarrassment reddened her cheeks. Not only had she made a fool of herself by coming here, she’d made it in front of Slade’s wife. “Sorry I interrupted your evening.” Stiffly she added, “Congratulations on your marriage.”
The brown-eyed woman grinned, clearly finding this last statement humorous. “You have the wrong idea.” Extending her hand, she said, “We never introduced ourselves. I’m Katrina Logan, Slade’s sister-in-law. Boyd and I are just staying here while our place is being painted.”
“Lisa Gray,” Lisa responded, accepting the handshake. Even this new knowledge didn’t make her feel less like a fool.
Katrina’s gaze shifted between Lisa and Slade. Releasing Lisa’s hand, she said, “I think I’ll just go inside and finish cooking dinner. You two look like you’ve got some private business to discuss.” And, putting action to her words, she started back toward the house.
Lisa’s gaze returned to Slade. The ice was still in his eyes and nowhere on his face could she find even a hint of welcome. All the way here she’d waged a constant battle with her pride and she’d been winning. But his coldness turned the tide and pride suddenly took control. “This was a mistake,” she said tersely, and turning on her heels, she strode to her car.
Tears of frustration filled her eyes as she drove away making Slade a blurred vision in her rearview mirror. And that was how she wanted him to be…a blurred memory that would eventually fade with time until it was nothing but a shadow at the back of her mind. But that wasn’t going to happen. She had a reminder of their relationship that would never let Slade be completely erased from her life the way he had obviously erased her from his. The tears began to flow down her cheeks.
Slade remained where he was, and frowned at the departing car. Seeing Lisa had been a shock.
She hadn’t changed. He remembered the first time he’d seen her. The rangers had been asked by the Lubbock police to help with a case and she’d been one of the officers assigned to work with him. The moment she’d entered the room, he’d sensed she was trouble. Five feet, eight inches tall, athletically built, long thick black hair plaited into a single braid that hung down the middle of her back, those jade-green eyes and soft kissable lips…He jerked his mind from the path it was traveling. What had happened between them had ended better than two years ago.
“An old girlfriend?” Katrina asked, returning to Slade’s side, her retreat into the house halted by Lisa’s abrupt departure.
“Yes.”
Surprise registered on Katrina’s face and she studied him narrowly. “How old?”
“She left town more than two years ago.”
“The family is under the impression you haven’t had a serious relationship in the ten years since Claudette died.”
“I haven’t.” The statement tasted like a lie. So maybe Lisa had strolled through his dreams once or twice in the past couple of years. She’d come uninvited. When she’d walked out of his life, he’d been relieved. He didn’t want her back.
Katrina frowned thoughtfully. “I wonder why she came.”
Silently, Slade admitted to himself that he, too, was surprised Lisa had shown up on his doorstep after all this time. When she’d left, she’d made it clear she had no desire to ever see him again.
His mind flashed back to their final date. They’d gone out to dinner at their favorite restaurant. Lisa had only picked at her food. He’d thought she was preoccupied with a case or was maybe worried about her mother. Her father had died a couple of years earlier and her mother had moved to Seattle to live with her mother’s sister. The two older women got along fine most of the time, but when they had their squabbles her mother would call. Finally, Lisa had set her fork aside and faced him levelly. “There is something I need to know,” she’d said.
A terse edge in her voice told him that he was the source of whatever was troubling her. “What?”
“When we first started seeing each other, you made it clear you never intended to remarry. And, at the time, I was willing to accept that. But things have changed for me. I need to know if we have a real future together.” Her jaw had tensed, a sign he’d recognized as an indication that this was difficult for her. “I need to know if there is any possibility that you will reconsider and we might marry.”
“No,” he’d answered honestly.
Anger had shown in her eyes. “You would rather continue to live with a ghost than with me?”
“I have my reasons.”
“I need more than an affair.” She’d risen from the table. “I do not want to see you again. I’ll call a cab to take me home.”
Saying nothing to stop her, he’d simply sat and watched her walk out. Deep within he’d experienced a twist of regret, but he’d told himself it was for the best. She deserved more than he could give.
Less than a month later she’d moved to Seattle to live with her mother and aunt. They’d kept their affair very private, even from his own family. Granted Boyd had known Slade had dated her, but even he’d been made to understand that their relationship was not an emotional one. So there had been no gossip at work nor any outsiders trying to get them back together. During the short time she’d remained in Lubbock, she’d avoided him as much as possible and, he admitted, he’d avoided her. There had been only one final encounter. He shoved that memory from his mind.
“I got the impression she didn’t really want to be here,” Katrina mused out loud, jerking Slade’s mind back to the present. “Must have been something important. She certainly wasn’t here for a social call.”
Slade had to admit that Katrina was right. So, why had Lisa come here?
A blue pickup similar to Slade’s came down the driveway, parked beside Slade’s vehicle, and a man also wearing the badge of a Texas Ranger climbed out of the cab. “I swear I just passed Lisa Gray on the road,” Boyd Logan, a younger version of Slade, said, striding toward his wife and brother.
“You did,” Katrina replied.
“You chased her off again?” Boyd frowned at Slade. “I only met her a couple of times, but I was under the impression she was not only a terrific police officer, she was a good woman…strong, honest.”
“I didn’t chase her off the first time,” Slade replied. “She just figured there was nothing worth staying for.”
Boyd shook his head at his brother. “If you don’t learn to put the past behind you, you’re never going to have a future.”
Slade’s jaw hardened. “I’m satisfied with my life just the way it is.”
Boyd didn’t look convinced, but let the subject drop. “So why was Lisa here?”
“She didn’t say,” Slade replied.
Boyd raised an eyebrow. “She came all the way from Seattle and didn’t say why?”
A part of Slade wanted to let Lisa go her own way, but a stronger part couldn’t. Katrina was right. Lisa wouldn’t have come here without a very strong reason. “Think I’d better find out why she came.”
Boyd nodded his agreement.
“Looks like you won’t have to go far.” Katrina motioned toward the road with twist of her head.
The men turned to see Lisa’s car returning.
“Boyd and I’ll just go in the kitchen and finish cooking dinner,” Katrina said, taking hold of her husband’s arm and pulling him along with her.
Slade didn’t even acknowledge their departure. He was already on his way to meet Lisa as she climbed out of her car. “What’s going on?” He read the proud defiance on her face. “Must be something real important to make you overcome that pride of yours.”
Lisa swallowed the lump of rebellion that had formed in her throat. “It is.” She steeled herself and met his gaze. “There’s something I need to tell you.”
Slade could see how much this was costing her. “Then tell me.”
“I want you to know that I would never have come here if I’d had any other option.”
“That’s pretty obvious,” Slade said, noting that the strain lines in her face were deepening by the second.
Her jaw tensed even more. “I took a bullet three weeks ago. I was lucky. A quarter of an inch to the right and I would have been dead. My mortality is why I’m here. I’d never really come to grips with it before.”
The thought of her close brush with death caused a spasm of fear for her to race through him. “I’m glad you’re all right.”
Lisa read the honesty in his eyes. There was even a touch of warmth. That’s not going to last long. “Anyway, I realized that if I’d died…” She paused to swallow the lump that had again formed in her throat. “I never wanted to ask you for anything, but my mother is too old and not in a financial position to take on the responsibility of raising a child.”
Slade’s gaze narrowed on her. “Child?”
Lisa breathed a terse sigh. “Our son.”
He had a son. A surge of joy, pride and excitement he’d never expected to ever experience mingled within him. These emotions were followed by anger. “You had my child and weren’t even going to tell me?”
“You refused to open your heart to me. You’ve made it into a shrine to Claudette. I figured you wouldn’t want a child of mine. And I’m not asking you for anything for either of us right now. We’re doing just fine on our own. As long as nothing happens to me, you’ll never have to concern yourself about us. I just want your word that if anything does happen to me, you’ll see that Andy is taken care of.”
“You’re joking, right? You think I’ll just walk away from my child?”
Lisa was tempted to point out that he’d had no trouble walking away from her, but bit back the words. She didn’t want him to know how much he’d hurt her. “I didn’t come here to invite you into our lives. I came here because I want to know my son has a safety net.”
“Our son. And I intend to be a great deal more than a safety net to him.”
Lisa had convinced herself that while Slade would do his duty by Andy and see that the boy was looked after if anything happened to her, he would be perfectly happy to stay on the sidelines unless involving himself in Andy’s life became necessary. She had, in fact, been certain he would be grateful to her for not telling him she’d gotten pregnant and for allowing him to remain on his own. Apparently she’d been wrong on this point.
“Where is he? I want to see him.”
“He’s in Seattle with my mother.”
Slade caught her by the arm and began pulling her along with him toward the house. “I’m calling my commander and telling him that I need a few days off. Then we’re booking the first flight to Seattle.”
A spasm of pain from her healing wound shot through Lisa, but it was the way her body reacted to his touch that shook her to the core. After all this time he could still make her blood race. “Let go of me.”
Slade heard the edge of pain in her voice. Coming to an abrupt halt, he released her. “I’m sorry. I forgot you’d been shot,” he apologized gruffly. “This has been a shock.” His jaw hardened. “I know I’m partially to blame for you not coming to me when you discovered you were pregnant, but the boy’s my blood and I will do right by him and you.”
“I suppose you should at least meet him,” Lisa conceded.
Slade motioned for her to precede him into the house and Lisa obeyed. Like a physical contact, she could feel his eyes on her back. A warm tingling started at the nape of her neck and began to work its way through her. Silently she cursed. She wanted to be as immune to him as he was to her.
In the living room, the exhaustion from her trip mingled with her anxiety over facing Slade caught up with her and she sank down onto the couch while Slade punched numbers into the phone. Watching him, she was certain that once he got over the shock of being a father, his determined allegiance to Claudette would cause him to lose interest in a child that wasn’t hers.
“We heard you come in…” Katrina’s cheerful greeting died in her throat as she and Boyd entered the living room and she saw Lisa. Concern spread over her features. “Are you all right? You look pale.”
“I’m still recovering from a bullet wound,” Lisa replied, not wanting them to guess that Slade’s presence had anything to do with how shaken she was feeling.
Boyd took a stride closer. “You suffer any serious damage?”
“No.” She’d always liked Boyd. He was a kind man, strong and dependable…like Slade in a lot of ways, but without the dark brooding side created by Slade’s haunting past.
Boyd smiled with relief. “Glad to hear that.”
“You look like you could use something to eat. I’ve got a pot roast ready to be served. There’s plenty. Come join us,” Katrina coaxed.
Lisa considered refusing. But her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn’t eaten all day. Reasoning that some of the effect Slade was having on her could be due to light-headedness caused by lack of food, she nodded gratefully. “Thanks. I’ll take you up on that invitation.”
Boyd had been catching bits of Slade’s conversation. As his brother hung up, he turned to him. “Heard you tell the commander you were going to take some time off. What’s going on?”
Slade’s gaze came to rest on Lisa. “It seems I have a son I’d never have learned about if Lisa hadn’t had her brush with death.” His jaw hardened into a grim line. “I would have married you.”
Ignoring the surprised looks on Boyd’s and Katrina’s faces, Lisa met his gaze with defiance. “I wanted a man who loved me, not one who prefers to live with a ghost and would only marry me because I was pregnant with his child and he felt it was the only honorable thing to do.”
For a long moment Slade regarded her in stoic silence. Then, heading to the doorway, he said curtly, “I’ve got reservations to make and a bag to pack.”
Chapter Two
Seated on the plane a few hours later, Slade recalled how Boyd and Katrina had reacted to his news. They’d been shocked, but he’d seen the understanding in their eyes when Lisa had said she didn’t want a man who preferred to live with a ghost. His jaw tensed. He had his reasons.
Returning his thoughts to his brother and sister-in-law, he pictured them and Lisa at the dinner table. Lisa had been obviously uneasy, but Katrina and Boyd had done their best to make her feel less awkward. They’d even expressed excitement at having a nephew. His expression hardened. And the rest of his family had better behave as well or they’d be answering to him.
Pushing his family to the back of his mind, Slade studied Lisa covertly as the plane taxied down the runway, then rose into the sky. She was more pale than normal and he recalled how she’d winced when he’d pulled on her arm. “How did you get shot?”
She’d begun to wonder if he was even going to ask or if his feelings toward her were so shallow, he really didn’t care. “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. When I moved to Seattle, I decided to not join the police force. I wanted more flexible working hours so I started my own detective agency and hooked up with a couple of groups of lawyers, doing investigations, serving subpoenas…the legwork kind of stuff.
“Anyway, I was serving divorce papers on a guy named Tommy Cross. He was a medium-class hood who’d been caught in a sting operation. People were distancing themselves fast and furiously from him. Even though the man’s Mr. Stonewall himself, someone must have been worried that he might cut a deal and name names. They took a shot at him, missed and hit me instead.”
Abruptly she grinned dryly. “Talk about a ‘shot heard’ round Seattle and further.’ Tommy didn’t take well to being a target. But I think what bugged him the most was that he’d given his word that he’d be silent and he hadn’t been believed. Tommy always prided himself on keeping his word. The next thing the locals knew, he was talking his head off. He knew so much, it crossed state lines and they had to bring in the Feds.”
Slade recognized the glitter of excitement in her eyes. She liked action, especially when it went well. He recalled the way his stomach had knotted when he’d heard about some of her exploits in the field. She believed in getting her man, even if it involved personal injury. Anger that she took placing her life in jeopardy so lightly built inside of him. “You have a child. And until today, you were raising him on your own. I can’t believe you are still being so cavalier about risking your life.”
Lisa glared at him. “I was never cavalier about my life. I was doing my job, the same as you and every other lawman.”
Maybe he was being unfairly critical, Slade admitted to himself. Law enforcement was innately a dangerous occupation. Still… “The problem is that if there’s trouble anywhere in your vicinity, you seem to find it.”
“I do not.” When they’d been dating, he’d said that he accepted her being in danger as part of her job, but there had been a couple of times when he’d come close to overreacting when she’d had a close call. At those times, a shuttered look had descended over his features and she’d wondered if maybe he did care for her more than he’d wanted to admit. Stupid girl. It was fantasies like that that had caused her to think he might fall in love with her. But he hadn’t. He would never betray his precious Claudette.
Slade told himself to drop the subject, but he couldn’t. That she’d had such a close brush with death continued to taunt him. “I’d have thought that with a child depending on you, you’d have found a less dangerous occupation.”
“And I thought I had found a safer venue,” she snapped back, angered by the accusatory tone in his voice. “The jobs I took were mostly paperwork type of investigating…going through state, federal and county records, checking out phone bills, bank records, that kind of stuff. There was some surveillance, but nothing anyone would consider dangerous.” Her jaw tensed defensively. “I didn’t want to burden you with a child you didn’t want so I ignored the fact that no one’s life is guaranteed.”
“I thought you knew me better than that. I would always want to be involved in the life of any child I fathered,” Slade returned curtly.
To herself, she admitted that she had known that. It had been her pride that had kept her from telling him until now. That, and one other worry. “There is one thing I won’t abide. I won’t allow you to make my son feel second best to the child Claudette was carrying when she died. Even if you think that, you’d better keep it hidden from him or you’ll have me to answer to.”
As angry as he was for having been kept in the dark about his son, Slade knew he had to accept some of the blame. He had been adamant about never loving anyone except for Claudette. It was only reasonable for Lisa to assume he might feel the same about his and Claudette’s unborn child. But she was wrong. Any child he fathered would be special to him. With every passing moment his need to see his son, to hold him, was growing in intensity. “I promise you, he will never be made to feel second best. I was raised to believe that every child is uniquely special.”
He sounded sincere, but although she would have accepted his word on anything else, her son was too important to her. She’d keep a close eye on Slade. At the first sign that he was comparing Andy to the child he’d envisioned having with Claudette, she’d boot Slade out of their lives. Giving in to exhaustion, she closed her eyes and slept.
Between delayed flights and scheduled layovers, dawn was nearly breaking when they finally landed in Seattle. Driving to the house she and Andy shared with her mother and aunt, Lisa grew more and more tense. Slade had never been one to make small talk and the silence in the car felt deafening.
“What have you told Andy about me?” He asked, abruptly breaking the stillness.
“Nothing. He’s barely two years old and, so far, he hasn’t asked about his father so I’ve never said anything.”
Slade studied her narrowly. “What were you going to tell him when he did finally ask?”
“To be honest, I wasn’t really sure.” Her shoulders stiffened defensively. “But I wouldn’t have told him anything that would have turned him against you.”
“Just the fact that I wasn’t contributing to his upbringing in any way would have done that.”
“I did what I thought was the right thing to do at the time.”
Slade held back an angry retort. In all fairness, he knew he couldn’t entirely fault her. He’d so much as told her that he didn’t want a relationship that went beyond the surface.
No further conversation passed between them until they were pulling into the driveway of the huge old two-story home in one of the older districts of Seattle. Again, it was Slade who broke the silence. “I like to know what I’m walking into. Just how opposed are your aunt and mother to my being here.”
“They’re uneasy, but not really opposed. They’re afraid you don’t honestly want Andy and that he’ll sense it and feel rejected.”
“I would never do that to him.”
Lisa knew he believed what he was saying and, as a mother, she felt her son was so adorable that anyone would fall in love with him. However, having been stung by Slade’s past herself, she vowed to not allow her son to be equally harmed.
Entering the house, they smelled coffee brewing along with the aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Before they could close the door behind them, two women came out of the kitchen. The one in the lead, Slade judged to be in her fifties. With her green eyes and once black hair, now streaked with gray, she was an older version of Lisa. The woman following her, whom he guessed to be in her sixties, also bore a strong family resemblance.
“We both woke early and couldn’t go back to sleep,” the younger of the two women said, her voice curt with anxiety as she studied Lisa, then turned her gaze to Slade.
Lisa forced a calmness she wasn’t feeling into her manner. “Mother, this is Slade. Slade this is my mother, Helen Gray.”
Slade extended his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
Helen accepted the handshake but made no response.
“And this is my aunt, Ester Kelso.” Lisa completed the introductions.
“Pleased to meet you,” Slade said, extending his hand to her, as well.
“I’m not ready to say the same about you,” Ester replied, accepting the handshake but continuing to regard him with distrust.
“Aunt Ester,” Lisa admonished sternly.
“Ester can be a bit too outspoken,” Helen said. “But she is merely saying out loud what I’m thinking, as well.” A fierce protectiveness glistened in her eyes as she, too, turned her full attention on Slade. “We won’t stand by and allow you to harm Andy in any way.”
Slade glowered at the women. “I’ve come here to accept my responsibility as his father. If I had known about the pregnancy, I would have married Lisa and taken care of her and our child from the beginning.” He turned to Lisa, his jaw set in a resolute line. “It’s never too late to right a wrong. I’ve given this situation some thought and decided that we have to get married. And it should be done as quickly as possible.”
Lisa had always known Slade was a man who lived by a strong code of duty. She also knew that it was duty and nothing more that was the reason he was willing to marry her. Her shoulders straightened with pride. “I didn’t bring you into Andy’s and my life because I wanted you for a husband.”
“And I will not allow my son to go through life as a bastard. We will marry and I will have his name changed to Logan. I want him to know that he is as much a member of my family as he is of yours.”
“We can have his name changed without you and me marrying.”
“That’s not enough. I want him to be able to say his parents were married. I know that sounds old-fashioned, but that’s the way I am.”
Helen stepped between her daughter and Slade. “I realize that life might be a lot easier for Andy if he has a father who wants to claim him, but I will not allow you to bully Lisa into doing something she thinks is wrong.”
Ester placed herself beside her sister, forming a human wall between Lisa and Slade. “And neither will I.”
They reminded Slade of the women in his own family…strong-willed, determined, self-reliant and stubborn. “I’m just trying to do right by my child.”
Even though Lisa was still not certain Slade would be able to find a real place in his heart for her son, she found herself coming to his defense. He was, she knew for certain, a man of honor. “I know Slade means well,” she said, stepping out from behind the protective barrier.
Aware of her doubts about him as a father, Slade was surprised by the conviction in her voice.
“I suppose we really didn’t have any other option but to bring him in on this,” Helen said with a heavy sigh, still not looking convinced that this had been the best course of action.
Ester continued to stare sternly at Slade. “Our Lisa is a wonderful woman. No man in his right mind would ever consider her second best. She’s strictly first-rate.”
So, Lisa had been honest with them about why she’d kept their child a secret. “I’ve always respected Lisa. I know she’s a first-rate person.”
Both Helen and Ester tossed him disgruntled glances, letting him know they found his response less than satisfactory.
“She’s a woman any man should be proud to love,” Helen snapped, and Ester nodded curtly.
“It’s been a long trip,” Lisa interrupted. She’d confessed to her aunt and mother that she’d been in love with Slade and hoped that he’d fall in love with her. Even if Slade had guessed that was the case, she didn’t want them confirming it by blurting it out. “I’ll show Slade to his room.”
“There’s coffee and fresh cinnamon rolls in the kitchen,” Ester said.
“As soon as we’ve freshened up, we’ll be down,” Lisa returned, motioning Slade toward the stairs.
Picking up both his and her satchel, Slade nodded his goodbye to her mother and aunt, then waited for Lisa to precede him up the stairs. When they reached the second-floor landing, he stepped in front of her, stopping her. “I want to see my son.”
Lisa, too, was anxious to see her child. The mere sight of him gave her strength. “He’s asleep and I don’t want to wake him,” she cautioned as they neared a room, the entrance blocked by a child’s safety gate.
From the doorway, Slade peered inside. The window shade was up, allowing early morning light to give dim illumination to the interior. His gaze went immediately to the twin-size bed nestled in the corner. The top and one side each against a wall, a child’s bed rail protected the side open to the room. Realizing Lisa was not about to open the gate that separated him from his son, Slade frowned. “I want a closer look.”
“I told you, I don’t want to wake him.”
“Mommy?” A small voice issued from the bed.
In the next instant there was movement as the occupant of the bed wiggled to the open bottom end, climbed off and headed for the door. He was rubbing his eyes, a sign he was still in the process of waking. Halfway across the room, he looked in the direction of his destination. Abruptly, he came to a halt.
Lisa wasn’t surprised. Slade was an imposing figure. But she didn’t want her son’s first encounter with his father to leave any taste of fear. Quickly she switched on the light. “Hi, sweetheart,” she said, smiling warmly as she unfastened the gate.
Andy stood rooted, staring at the tall, dark stranger in the doorway.
“It’s all right,” Lisa soothed, then realized that there was no fear on Andy’s face. Instead, he was studying Slade with a guarded speculation, his expression a child’s version of the one she’d seen on Slade’s face so many times when he encountered someone for the first time and wasn’t certain if they were friend or foe.
Glancing over her shoulder, Lisa saw that Slade had not moved. He was standing like a statue in the doorway, staring down at their child. The thought that he was disappointed at the sight of his son caused a rush of rage inside her. Motherly pride bubbled to the surface. Suddenly a look of tenderness, so intense it took her breath away, spread over Slade’s features.
It took all of Slade’s willpower to not stride into the room and pick up his son. He didn’t want to frighten the boy. There was no doubt that this was his child. Andy was the exact image of him at that age. But then, he’d never for a moment questioned Lisa’s honesty. Remaining in the doorway, he squatted so that he was at eye level with his child, then said in an easy drawl, “I’m real pleased to be meeting you.”
Andy remained where he was, his head cocked to one side, and continued to study the man.
Lisa held out her hand to her son. “I want you to meet Slade Logan,” she coaxed.
Andy accepted her hand and walked with her toward Slade, stopping a couple of feet in front of him.
“Slade’s a friend.” Lisa saw Slade’s jaw twitch with controlled anger and added, “He’s also your father.”
“Sllaade,” Andy said, as if tasting the feel of the name on his tongue.
“You can call me dad.” Slade wanted to waste no time establishing his true position.
Watching the two of them, Lisa found herself thinking how much alike they were. She’d known Andy resembled his father but until now she’d never realized just how much. And the resemblance wasn’t merely physical, either. Andy’s mannerisms, the way he held himself, the way he faced his father right now, studying him with guarded interest…all of these things combined into a miniature Slade.
Lisa could tell by looking at him that with every fiber of his being, Slade wanted to pick up his son and hug him. Instead he extended his hand and said, “How about a handshake?”
Releasing his hold on his mother’s hand, Andy took another step toward the man and placed his hand in Slade’s.
Slade’s huge hand swallowed up the toddler’s. The desire to hold on to the boy forever was strong, but Slade made himself release his hold after only a moment.
“Sllaade,” Andy repeated with a smile that indicated he’d decided to accept the man as a friend.
“Dad,” Slade corrected with a crooked grin to let the boy know that he, too, considered them friends.
Andy looked up at his mother as if confused by this double name.
“Dad. You should call him dad,” Lisa responded to the question in her son’s eyes. Silently she prayed that, for her son’s sake, the tenderness she’d seen on Slade’s face would remain untainted by the ghosts that haunted him.
Andy turned back to Slade. “Daa,” he said as if imprinting the name in his memory bank.
A lump the size of Texas formed in Slade’s throat. “Son,” he said around it, and ruffled Andy’s hair. “Think I could have a hug?” he coaxed.
Lisa was stunned by the depth of feeling she read on Slade’s face. She’d never seen this openly loving side of him. He’d been tender with her, kind, generous and thoughtful, but she’d always been aware of the wall he kept between himself and her. For a moment jealousy that her son had been allowed to enter Slade’s heart while she’d always be left on the outside flowed through her. Then pride came to her rescue. She refused to waste emotions on a man who preferred a ghost to a real flesh-and-blood woman. “Give your father a hug,” she encouraged, giving Andy a small nudge toward Slade.
Andy hesitated for a second, then with a crooked grin that matched Slade’s, he opened his arms, approached Slade and wrapped them around Slade’s neck.
Emotions too strong to even categorize pervaded Slade as he wound his arms around his son. Feeling Andy attempting to wiggle free, Slade forced himself to release the boy.
Satisfied he’d been properly introduced to the stranger and the stranger was not a threat, Andy turned to his mother and held up his arms to her.
“I suppose you want to get dressed and have some breakfast.” Because her shoulder was still too sore to allow her to pick him up, she knelt, wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his neck.
Andy nodded vigorously.
Feeling the need to have some time alone with her son, Lisa rose and, holding her son by the hand, headed to the door. “We’ll just show your father to his room first.”
Slade knew she was trying to get rid of him and wanted to protest, but stopped himself. His relationship with his son was still on shaky ground and he didn’t want to do anything that would evoke anger from Lisa in front of the boy. Picking up both her satchel and his, he said, “I’ll drop your satchel off at your room.”
Relieved he wasn’t going to give her any argument, Lisa nodded toward the next door on the same side of the hall as Andy’s room. “That’s my room,” she said.
Slade dropped her bag just inside, while she paused in the hall.
She nodded toward a door on the other side of the passage. “That’ll be your room.”
Pleased that he would be so close to his son’s room, Slade smiled. “Thanks.” With a final wink toward Andy, he entered his room.
Lisa had finished changing Andy’s diaper and was dressing him when she felt a prickling along her spine. Without turning around, she was certain it was Slade in the doorway watching her. From the first time they’d met, she’d been acutely aware of his presence. She’d hoped that had faded during the past couple of years. Obviously, it hadn’t.
Andy peered around her. “Da,” he said, confirming what she already knew.
Approaching them, Slade held his arms out toward the boy. “Can I give you a lift downstairs?”
Lisa expected Andy to refuse. He was cautious around strangers. Even more, Slade had an intimidating effect on people. The first time they’d met, he’d gone immediately to the top of her list of men she most wanted to avoid in the future. I would have been smart to have followed that instinct, she admonished herself. Then she thought of Andy and retracted that thought. Her son was precious to her and she would never regret having him.
Andy cocked his head and again studied the tall, mountain of a man while his mother finished tying his shoe. When she was done, he slid off of his bed and stood beside her for a long moment, then clearly making up his mind, he held out his arms toward Slade.
Grinning with pleasure, Slade picked up his son.
They were a matched pair, Lisa thought, watching the two of them together. Her pride still stung some, but she was forced to admit that bringing Slade and his son together had been the right thing to do.
Chapter Three
Lisa woke groggily. Both she and Slade had caught short naps in the airports and on the flights to Seattle, but she was still recovering from her wound and by the time Andy was settled in to eat his breakfast, exhaustion had forced her to go to her room to lie down. She’d immediately fallen asleep. Now she was being gently shaken awake.
Opening her eyes, she saw Slade. Fear that something had happened to Andy raced through her. “What’s wrong?” she asked, bolting into an upright position. Before she could get to her feet, dizziness forced her to stop and hold her head in her hands.
Slade’s hands closed around her shoulders, adding support. “Are you all right?”
“Head rush,” she replied, furious that her body wasn’t healing as quickly as she wanted it to. Even more disconcerting was the soothing heat his touch was spreading through her. She didn’t want him affecting her that way. She wanted to feel neutral toward him. Giving her shoulders a small twist to indicate she wanted him to release her, she sucked in a groan of discomfort.
“I was just trying to help,” Slade said impatiently, releasing her and taking a step back.
Lisa berated herself for overreacting, but then she’d never been able to keep herself entirely under control where Slade was concerned. The nausea now subsiding, her original panic returned. “Has something happened to Andy?”
“Andy’s fine,” Slade assured her. Tenderness again softened his feature. “He and I have been getting acquainted. Smart little guy and full of energy.”
Lisa saw the love in Slade’s eyes. Clearly, he’d allowed Andy into his heart and, for her son’s sake, she was glad.
“It’s getting late and I want to go get our marriage license today.”
Glancing at the clock on the bedside table, Lisa saw that it was after two. “I slept half the day?”
“You needed the rest. You’re still recovering from your wound.”
“Where’s Andy?”
“He’s taking his nap.” Slade backed up further so that he could lean against the wall. “He’s very devoted to you. A couple of times every hour he insisted on coming in and checking on you.”
Her son’s concern caused a motherly warmth to spread through her and she was forced to admit that deep inside she’d been worried that Slade had such a powerful presence, Andy might become so enamored of him, he would forget about her when Slade was present. “He is a very caring child,” she said with pride.
“You’ve done well by him.” Slade straightened with purpose. “And now it’s my turn to do right by him. While he’s napping, we’re going to go get our marriage license. Your mother is making you a sandwich you can eat on the way.”
Lisa’s jaw firmed. “I am not going to marry you. That is not why I brought you into this.”
“We are going to get married. It’s the right thing to do for Andy’s sake. And I’m not taking no for an answer. I want the boy to have my name and to know that I wanted to be his father in every sense of the word, including the legal one.”
Lisa scowled. “You don’t want me for your wife. You made that very clear.”
“It’s not personal. I don’t want any woman for a wife.”
“That’s supposed to appease me?”
“If you don’t let me marry you, Andy might always think that I didn’t really want him. I don’t want him to have any doubts about the bond I feel toward him.”
“I’ll explain that it was my choice.”
“And then there’s the legal system,” Slade persisted. “If anything happens to you, the courts might look at it differently. You and I both know that you can’t count on a judge to always do the right thing. If we never marry, a court could rule against my getting custody. And, if the court feels that your mother and aunt can’t care for him properly, Andy could even end up in the foster care system.”
Lisa had to concede that there was a small chance things could turn out as he predicted, a very small chance but a possibility nonetheless, and that thought sent a chill of fear through her.
“We were good together,” Slade continued. “We have the same tastes, a lot of the same interests, and we both know how to please each other physically. I’d say we probably have more going for us than a lot of couples who marry.”
Lisa reluctantly admitted to herself that his arguments were valid. Still, she was uneasy. He was asking her to go back to the way they had been before. Well, not exactly. This time she was forewarned. She would know better than to give her heart to him. “All right, I’ll marry you for Andy’s sake. But if the marriage doesn’t work out, I want your word that you’ll give me a divorce and not fight me for custody.”
“I’ll want joint custody.”
“I don’t want him bounced back and forth between us. I want primary custody and I get to set the conditions.”
Slade recognized the determined look on her face. If he wanted her to marry him, he was going to have to make concessions. “I want your word that you’ll be fair.”
It hurt that he didn’t trust her, but then, she hadn’t exactly demonstrated an unquestionable trust in him, either. “You have my word.”
“And you have my word.”
“Then give me a few minutes to pull myself together.” She looked down at the outfit she’d been wearing for two days now and wrinkled her nose. “I need to shower and put on fresh clothes.”
Following Slade’s exit, Lisa stood for a long moment frowning at the closed door. She told herself that she should be pleased he was being so “civilized” about this matter. But then that’s what she should have expected. Slade Logan was a man in total control of himself…A practical man who had a firm conviction of what was right and what was wrong, of what his duty was, and he had the ability to act on those principles without allowing his emotions to interfere with reason.
Lisa had finished showering and just returned to her room to dress when a knock sounded on her door, immediately followed by the entry of her aunt and her mother.
“Ester and I have been discussing your situation and we’re not sure marrying Slade Logan is the right thing to do,” Helen blurted, the moment the door was closed.
“We’ve done fine on our own,” Ester added.
“I’m doing this to assure Andy’s future in case something happens to me,” Lisa explained. She looked to her mother. “You’re fifty-three. You’ll be seventy-three before Andy is even twenty-one.” She didn’t even point out that Ester would be into her eighties.
“We just aren’t certain you should be tying yourself to a man for the sake of a child,” Helen said worriedly.
“I’m not tying myself to him. I have his word that if the marriage doesn’t suit me, we’ll get a divorce and I’ll have primary custody of Andy without a fight.”
“Do you have that in writing?” Ester demanded.
“I have Slade’s word.”
“I think you should get it in writing,” Helen encouraged.
Lisa understood their concern and if she’d been dealing with any man other than Slade Logan she would have insisted on having the agreement in writing, as well, but in that moment she realized how fully she trusted him. “Like I said before, Slade is a man of honor. If I doubted that, I would never have gone to him. His word is his bond.”
Ester pursed her lips into a displeased pout and Lisa braced herself. That look meant her aunt was preparing an all-out assault to get what she wanted. Glancing at her mother, she saw the same expression on Helen’s face.
Then, abruptly, Ester shrugged, the pout disappeared and was replaced by her “I have the solution” look. Heading out the door, she said over her shoulder, “If that’s true, he won’t mind putting it in writing.”
Nodding her head in agreement, Helen followed her sister.
“Leave Slade alone,” Lisa called after them, but even as she issued the order, she knew it was falling on deaf ears. Quickly dressing, she raced downstairs. She found Slade in the kitchen with her mother and aunt. He was sitting at the table writing out something on a piece of paper. “This isn’t necessary,” Lisa said, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“If it puts your mother’s and your aunt’s minds at ease then it is,” Slade returned, continuing to write as he spoke.
Lisa gave the two older women an angry, impatient look. “I really can’t believe you did this.”
Ester regarded her with self-righteous dignity. “I watch those court shows on television all the time and this is just the sort of thing the judge advises all the defendants to do.”
“Slade and I are nothing like the people you see on those shows,” Lisa snapped, her embarrassment building.
“I’ll bet that’s what some of those people thought before they ended up there,” Ester returned.
Lisa gave her aunt a “you’re impossible” glance, then turned her attention to Slade. “I am truly sorry about this. I told them that you were a man of your word.” Again she gave her mother and aunt an angry glare. “In fact, I’ve told them that several times.”
Slade scrawled his signature at the bottom of the paper, then looked up at her. “The fact that you didn’t come to me when you found out you were pregnant probably has a lot to do with their distrust. I’ve written out this paper to prove to them that I would never intentionally cause you or our son any grief or harm.”
Behind his polite demeanor, she caught the edge of reprimand in his voice and bristled. “I did what I thought was right. I’ve never claimed to be perfect.” Her gaze turned on her mother and aunt. “And now I realize that was a mistake, so I’m correcting it.” Her gaze shifted back to Slade. “And I don’t need you chiding me for my original decision. It was based solely on your attitude toward marriage.” Her attention went back to her mother and aunt. “And my current decision is based on concern for my son. I’m doing what I believe has to be done to insure Andy’s future.”
All three of them regarded her indulgently, then, picking up the paper Slade had just signed, Helen said, “I’ll put this in a safe place,” and left the room with Ester following close behind.
Slade rose from the table. “Are you ready?”
Lisa nodded stiffly.
“You don’t have to look as if you’re going to the dentist to have a root canal,” he muttered as they left the house and walked to her car.
Lisa made no response but a little voice warned that a root canal would be like a walk in the park compared to the pain she would experience if she ever allowed the feelings she’d had for Slade to again breathe life.
A while later Lisa was as taut as a bowstring as she and Slade walked back to her car. Getting the marriage license had been incredibly easy…no blood tests, no identification. And they’d left with the document in hand. In three days it would be valid and they could be married by any priest, rabbi or recognized minister of any denomination, or by any state judge.
All during the process, Lisa had observed Slade. He’d been stiff, almost cardboardlike, making it clear to her that while he may be willing to go through the motions, for him this marriage was simply a legal means to achieve his ends. She was certain that as soon as Andy’s name had been changed and Slade’s position as Andy’s father affirmed, he’d want out of their marriage. Pride bubbled within her. “After we go through the ceremony, just because we have a piece of paper that says we’re married doesn’t mean I’m going to jump back into your bed.”
Slade gave her an impatient look. “Once we go through that ceremony, we will be married and I intend for that marriage to be a long and lasting one.”
Lisa’s jaw firmed with resolve. “I’m not sharing a bed with a ghost. I did it once. I’m not doing it again.”
Slade caught her by the arm and brought her to a halt. “We’ve got a son to raise. He needs both a mother and a father, preferably under the same roof. I want your promise that you’ll at least give our marriage a chance.”
His touch was like a match igniting a fire deep within her. Rage that she was still so attracted to him spread through her. “Before I make any promises, I want your promise that you’ll try to finally bury Claudette and let me into your heart.” When Slade made no response, she glared at him. “I hope you and your ghost have a happy life, but don’t plan on me sharing it.”
His jaw twitched, then as if the words were being ripped from him, he said, “I can’t go through that kind of loss again. Once was enough.”
So that was it! He clung to Claudette because he was afraid to love again. Lisa studied the resolute line of his jaw. She would never be able to break through the barrier he’d created around his heart. She’d tried once and ended up getting hurt. There was no doubt in her mind the same thing would happen again. “Once was enough for me, too,” she muttered under her breath. Jerking free from his hold, she headed across the street. Hearing a car’s engine start up, she glanced to her left and saw a black sedan pull out of a parking space. She picked up her pace to get out of its lane.
Slade hung back, deciding to let the car pass before he crossed. He couldn’t blame Lisa for wanting more than he was willing to give, but he wasn’t ready to abandon the idea of them making a life together. He enjoyed her company and he wanted to be an everyday part of his son’s life.
A sudden prickling, the kind he always experienced when something wasn’t right, jerked his attention to the oncoming vehicle. It was speeding up and heading directly toward Lisa. Reaching her on the run, he caught her by the waist and carried her with him through the space between her car and the one behind it. The sound of metal impacting metal filled the air as they tumbled to the ground unbalanced by Slade’s rescue.
“Ouch.” Lisa groaned when her body impacted with the hard earth, sending a jolt of pain through her.
“Sorry,” Slade apologized, quickly getting to his feet in time to see the sedan speeding away.
Lisa shifted into a sitting position. “What was that all about?”
Slade moved to where he could get a look at the damage done to the side of her car. “Someone just tried to run you down.”
She stared at him in disbelief. “Run me down?”
“Sure looked that way.” He headed back to her. “Stay down.”
Lisa’s first instinct was to disobey, to prove to him that she could take care of herself. Then she thought of Andy and remained where she was.
“I assume you have a gun. Is it in your purse?”
“I didn’t bring it with me.”
Slade’s gaze hardened. “It looks like that sniper might not have missed his target, after all.”
“I can’t believe this,” Lisa muttered. “Who would want to kill me?”
A man came running out of the building they’d exited. “I saw the whole thing. Looked like that guy was trying to hit you.”
A couple of other people were also rushing toward them from other directions.
“I’m not sitting here on the ground with a crowd gathering around,” Lisa said, beginning to work herself to her feet.
Agreeing that her staying down would serve no purpose now and remaining immobile could even place her in danger, Slade gave her a hand, keeping her close and shielding her as much as possible with his body.
Reaching them, the man studied Lisa worriedly. “You look pretty shaken. Couldn’t believe the way the guy barreled down on you.” Abruptly he grinned. “I got part of the license plate.”
Keeping Lisa between himself and the car, Slade opened the passenger side door. “Get in and duck down,” he ordered. “Could be your sniper wasn’t the driver and he’s hidden somewhere to finish the job in case the driver missed.”
Lisa obeyed. She was scared and hurting and glad Slade was there. He was bull-headed and too authoritative at times, but right now he made her feel safe.
“She hurt?” the man asked.
“She’s pretty shaken.”
“I called the police and an ambulance,” a woman said, joining them, a cell phone in her hand.
More people began to gather.
“Did any of you see the driver?” Slade asked.
“I think it was a man,” a slender man offered.
“Who could tell?” The pale-blond woman beside him gave him a wry look. “Whoever it was was wearing a hat pulled way down and sunglasses.”
“It was just an impression.” The slender man defended himself.
Further arguing between the two was cut short by the sound of approaching police and ambulance sirens.
Slade was getting more and more uneasy by the moment as the crowd grew. “Stay back,” he ordered those approaching. “This is a crime scene.”
“Yeah, he’s right.” The man who’d gotten part of the license plate spread his arms, forming a barrier, and eased people back.
Opening the car door, Slade looked in at Lisa crouched low in the seat. “How do you feel? Do you need the paramedics to take a look at you?”
“No. I’m just shaken, but I’m fine,” she assured him.
“Good. The less exposure, the better.” Closing the door, he continued to rake the crowd with his gaze, looking for anyone who might pose a threat to Lisa.
“What happened here?” one of the two patrolmen who had just arrived demanded, approaching Slade.
“Someone tired to run my fiancée down,” he replied. His attention shifted to the paramedics who were coming on the run. “She doesn’t need medical attention.” Returning his gaze to the policeman, he added, “I think it would be best if I get her someplace sheltered.”
The second of the two patrolmen eyed Slade skeptically. “You say you think someone purposely tried to run her down? Who?”
“That I don’t know.”
The skepticism on the patrolman’s face increased. “Why, then?”
“We’re not clear on that point, either.”
“Then what makes you think this wasn’t just some drunk driving erratically?”
“Not too long ago someone shot her and nearly killed her. I think he was trying to finish the job today.”
The policeman’s expression became less skeptical and more interested. “You say someone shot her?”
Lisa had rolled down the window a crack to listen. “Contact Detective Overson,” she called. “He’s working on the case.”
“I want to get her away from here as quickly as possible,” Slade said with command.
The patrolman nodded. “If your suspicions are true, we’ll need some paint scrapings from your car and some photos of the scene. I’ll have Jack take you home. You want me to have the car towed somewhere afterward? Looks like the front fender might interfere with driving it.”
Lisa gave him the name of her garage. Then with Slade hovering over her like a protective shield, she moved from her car to the police car. Once there, the patrolman contacted Detective Overson.
“He’s on his way,” the dispatcher informed them after a couple of minutes.
Detective Overson arrived fairly quickly, made a quick appraisal of the scene, then came to stand by the window of the patrol car to speak to Lisa. “Maybe you were the target the first time, but most likely not,” he said. “The feds are certain the sniper was a pro. This was definitely amateurish…” He paused then added, “If it even was an attempt on your life. Could have simply been a drunk driver.”
“She’s nearly been killed twice and you want to write them both off as being in the wrong place at the wrong time?” Slade demanded.
“I don’t intend to write either of them off. I was just mentioning the possibility.” Overson was an older man with graying hair, dark circles under his eyes and the look of someone who felt he carried the burden of the world on his shoulders. “Damn, if she was the original target this puts us back at square one.” His gaze focused on Lisa. “So who wants you dead?”
She shook her head. “I have no idea.”
“What cases are you working on?”
Lisa shifted uneasily. “If I open my files to you, then I might as well close shop. People come to me because I’m supposed to be a private investigator.”
The detective frowned impatiently. “We’re talking about your life.”
“I know. But my clients aren’t going to talk openly to you. Besides, I checked their backgrounds before I accepted their cases. None of them has a criminal record. If I thought I knew which one it was or even had a suspicion, I’d tell you. But I don’t. Let me go through my files and I’ll get back to you.”
Overson didn’t look pleased.
“This isn’t a game,” Slade growled at her. “Turn your files over and let me take you someplace safe until this nut is caught.”
“And what if he or she is never caught?” She looked to the detective. “How much time do you have to devote to my case?”
“I’ve got a pretty heavy caseload,” Overson admitted. “But I’ll give it priority.”
“For about a day or two,” she returned. “You’ll interview my clients, ruin my chances of ever getting another one, and probably come up with nothing. I’m a trained police officer. I was on the Lubbock force before I came here. The minute I even think I’ve got a whiff of a suspect, I’ll contact you.”
“I don’t like it. I could get a court order. If someone is after you, you’re hindering my investigation.”
“And I’ll tell the judge that you don’t even honestly believe someone is after me…that you’re invading my privacy and the privacy of my clients on a fishing expedition when you don’t even think there is a fish to be caught.”
He didn’t refute her words. After a long moment he said, “We’ll collect what evidence we can here just in case someone is after you. As for the shooting incident, everything points to it being a mob hit. Truth is, we turned that investigation over to the federal task force. They wanted it and, like I said, we’re overworked as it is. But I’ll take another look at the evidence.”
Slade wanted to insist that Lisa turn her files over to the police, but he knew from the look in her eyes that she was determined to investigate this herself. He also couldn’t fault her reasoning. The police would take a look, but if they couldn’t come up with a suspect right away, her case would go on the back burner.
The detective started to walk away, hesitated, then returned. “In case I’m wrong and you’re right, you take care of yourself. Watch your back.”
“I’ll be doing that,” Slade assured him.
Overson nodded and walked away.
Lisa sat quietly. She had her own plans for how to handle this situation, but this was not the time or place to confront Slade.
“So who wants to kill you?” Slade asked as they were being driven away from the scene.
Lisa gave him a wry look. “Don’t you think I would have told Detective Overson if I knew.”
“As I recall, you were always a stickler for detail. Even if you had a suspicion, you’d wait until you had proof before you would name anyone. That was a dangerous game then and it’s a doubly dangerous game now.”
“I have never liked putting innocent people on the hot seat.”
“So you do have someone in mind?” he persisted, studying her narrowly.
She breathed a frustrated sigh. “No. I honestly have no clue. I assume it has something to do with one of my cases, but none of them, on the surface, seems that volatile.”
“No unhappy clients?”
“Not really.”
“Did you uncover some information for a client that might make someone else angry?”
“Could be. There was a divorce case where I found some hidden assets, but that was several months ago.”
Another thought struck Slade. “Or maybe it’s someone you helped send to jail while you were on the force in Texas.”
Lisa’s jaw tensed. “Well, whoever it is, they’re going to be sorry when I catch up with them.”
Slade started to inform her that hell would freeze over before he allowed her to actually go looking for her assailant. But, deciding he didn’t want an audience for what he knew would be a heated debate, he chose not to argue with her at that moment.
“What happened?” Helen demanded, rushing out of the house as the police car pulled into the driveway and Lisa and Slade climbed out.
“Whoever tried to kill her before, tried again,” Slade said. “This time he tried to run her down.” Just saying the words sent a fresh chill down his spine.
Helen paled. “I thought she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
“That’s still a possibility.” Lisa tried to ease her mother’s mind. “This might just have been a drunken driver.”
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