by Ruth Langan
“This guy claims to be a relative. He was outside when I got here. See that he sits in that chair and doesn’t move until I’ve had a chance to interview everyone here.” He gave Jackson a look that spoke, more than any words, what would happen if he dared to argue.
Then he was gone, his face as dark as a thunder-cloud.
Heather sat with Teddy and Joe, Jr., while uniformed men swarmed over the area, bagging everything that seemed the least bit suspicious. While one team went over every inch of the grounds directly surrounding the house, another team worked inside, checking doors, windows, locks. The master suite was sealed off while a team sifted through every shard of broken glass.
Inez had been ordered to stay until a statement could be taken from her. Joe and Meredith were closed in the great room with Thad Law and several detectives, answering questions.
“Heather.” Joe, Jr., looked grave in the lamplight. “Why does somebody want to kill my dad?”
“I don’t know, honey.” She wrapped her arm around the boy, offering him what comfort she could. “I wish I knew. I guess there will always be people in this world who want to hurt other people.”
“Why can’t the police arrest all the bad people?” Teddy’s blue eyes were troubled.
“They try, Teddy. They do the best they can. But before they can arrest somebody, they have to find out who he is. That’s why they’re talking to everybody who was here tonight. To see if any of us can help them find the bad people. And believe me, Teddy, if it’s at all possible, I believe the police will find the person who did this.”
“Heather’s right about that.”
At the sound of Thad Law’s voice, their heads came up.
Heather wondered just how long he’d been standing there, watching and listening. As a detective, he would have been trained to listen and observe. But this seemed to be more than training. It seemed almost second nature to him. As though he’d spent a lifetime looking into people’s minds and probing the secrets of their hearts.
Thad closed the door and leaned against it. “If you boys don’t mind, I’d like to ask you a favor.”
The two boys’ fears were forgotten as they wondered what they could possibly do for this man, who was held in such high regard by their father.
He crossed to the two little boys and got down on his knees, so that his eyes were level with theirs. It occurred to Heather as she watched that he was doing everything possible to make himself less intimidating. He instinctively understood that his size, his bearing, and his status as a police detective, could be misinterpreted as menacing.
“I need to learn everything I can about the past couple of hours.” He turned to the older boy first. “What were you doing when you heard the sound of the gunshot, Joe?”
“That’s easy,” Joe, Jr., said solemnly. “We were in the dining room, waiting for our dad to join us for dinner.”
“Were you sitting at the table?” Thad turned to the younger boy.
Teddy shook his head. “We were standing.”
“Alone?”
The boy shook his head. “With Heather.” He glanced tentatively toward her and was relieved to see her smiling. His own smile returned. “She was teasing us.”
“Teasing you? What about?” He glanced over the boy’s head and saw the color rise to Heather’s cheeks.
“About the clouds. She told us the sun’ll come out tomorrow.”
Thad grinned. “Did she say it? Or sing it?”
“She said it. But in a singsong voice.” The little boy was clearly enjoying himself now that he’d discovered that the policeman had a sense of humor.
“Okay. As long as she didn’t burst into song.” Thad kept his tone light. “Then what happened?”
“Our mom came in and yelled at Heather.” Teddy saw the look of disapproval on his brother’s face and clapped a hand to his mouth. “Maybe I wasn’t supposed to tell.”
“That’s all right,” Thad said easily. “My mom used to yell sometimes, too. Moms do that. What did she yell about?”
“She told Heather not to come to the table in jeans. And Heather was just going to go and change when we heard the bang.”
“Were you all together when you heard the sound?”
The boy nodded, then paused. “Well, I guess our mom wasn’t here.” He turned to his brother for confirmation. “She ran out of the room a minute or so before Heather.”
“So there were only the three of you?”
Teddy nodded. “And Inez.”
“All right.” Thad kept his tone easy. “After your mother left, what did you say and do?”
Teddy grinned, remembering. “Heather said we were lucky, ’cause she was going upstairs to make herself glamorous.”
“And did she?”
Teddy shook his head. “Before she could go we heard the shot. Bam. Then Heather ran out of the room and started up the stairs. And when Joe and I tried to follow, she told us to stay downstairs.”
Thad nodded. “That was very wise of her. And then what happened next?”
“Heather called to Inez to take us back to the dining room. But she was too scared. And then our mom came along, but before she could take us away, our dad came to the top of the stairs and told Heather to call the police. And he told us all to stay out of the way while the police did their job.”
“Good.” Thad patted both boys on the shoulders. “You all did the right thing.”
As he got to his feet Joe, Jr., tipped up his head. “Did you find the man who fired the shot?”
“I can’t say, son.”
“But you’ll catch him, won’t you?”
Thad touched a hand to the boy’s shoulder, hearing so much more than the mere question. It was the underlying fear. A fear that would dog all of them until the shooter was identified and arrested. Whether awake or asleep, the little nagging thought would always be in the back of their minds. They weren’t safe. Even in their own home, they could find no refuge from this stalker until he was taken into custody and locked behind bars for his crime.
“You can count on it, son.”
At that both boys looked greatly relieved.
Teddy asked, “Are you going to stay here with us until he’s caught?”
Thad shook his head. “I’m afraid that isn’t possible. But I’ll see that you get all the security that’s available.”
Joe, Jr., dropped an arm around his younger brother’s shoulders. “Can we go up to our rooms now?”
Thad nodded. “Yeah. Your mom will be right with you.”
The two boys hurried away, leaving Thad and Heather alone.
She took a deep breath. “Tell me what you’ve found.”
He shook his head. “First tell me what you saw, what you heard, and anything that the boys might have left out.”
“Basically, what the boys told you is all there was.”
“They didn’t leave anything out?”
She shook her head. “It caught us all by surprise. I think we’re still a little stunned by it.” She clutched her hands together tightly to control the shaking. Now that the danger was past, she was suffering from the shock of what might have been. “Is my uncle all right?”
“He’s fine. The window in his bedroom is shattered. Apparently the shooter was down below, saw him by the window, and took his shot, not knowing that in that instant Joe was reaching for his shoes. If he hadn’t bent down at that very moment, we might be investigating a murder instead of just an attempted murder.”
He saw the way her face drained of color. Though he wanted to offer her some comfort, he knew better. He was a detective investigating a serious crime. He couldn’t afford to lose his concentration. Or his objectivity. And this woman was capable of robbing him of both with a single touch.
“What can you tell me about Jackson Colton?”
Her eyes widened. “Jackson? He’s Joe’s nephew. His brother’s son. Why do you want to know about Jackson?”
“He was here at the time of the shooting. I c
ame upon him just as I arrived.”
“Jackson is here?” She glanced toward the door. “Where is he?”
“Being questioned.”
“But why?”
Thad struggled to remain patient. “Because he arrived unannounced at the precise time that shots were fired by an unknown gunman. He’s alone, and has no one who can provide him with an alibi for the time of the shooting.”
“You think that Jackson…?” She couldn’t bring herself to speak the words. “No. This is insane.”
Thad gave a sigh of impatience. “Do you know of anyone who would want Joe Colton dead?”
Heather closed her eyes a moment as the enormity of the situation washed over her. Then she opened them and shook her head. “No. I’m sure he’s made a few enemies during his lifetime. But for a man to want another man dead?” She let out a long, slow sigh. “I can’t even conceive of such a thing.”
That was, he realized, the biggest difference between them. Not money or lifestyles or goals. It was the fact that she couldn’t even conceive of such a man, while he had spent every day of the past ten years coming into contact with such men and trying to make some sense of the destruction they brought to innocent victims.
“Maybe it’s time you thought about going back home,” he said wearily.
“Leave my uncle just when he needs me most?”
“Look, Heather. This isn’t a video game of virtual bad guys. This is deadly serious. Someone wants Joe Colton dead. It could very well be a member of his own family.” He thought again about the timing of Jackson Colton’s arrival. “And very often, when you have a madman loose with a gun, innocent people get caught in the crossfire. So my best advice to you is to leave Prosperino now and go back where you belong.”
Where you belong.
The words hung between them for the space of a heartbeat.
Heather’s eyes went wide before narrowing with anger. “Thanks for the warning. I’m sure you mean well. But I have no intention of leaving Uncle Joe alone. Especially now.”
“He would understand. I’m sure—”
She crossed to the door, cutting off whatever else he was about to say. “Are you through with me, Detective? Because if you are, I’d really like to go and talk to my uncle now.”
Thad clenched his jaw. “Yeah. We’re through. For now.”
As she yanked open the door and walked away it occurred to him that she was definitely going to be a problem. How the hell was he supposed to do his job without worrying about her?
He muttered a couple of rich, ripe oaths as he realized that Heather McGrath was the most damnably obstinate female he’d ever met.
And, like an itch he couldn’t scratch, she was taking up entirely too much of his valuable time.
“I’m fine, Dad.” Heather sat on the edge of her bed and spoke into the cell phone. “Tell Mom that Uncle Joe has already added more security cameras and is hiring a security firm to patrol the grounds. I overheard him telling the police detective that he’ll do whatever it takes to keep his family safe until this gunman is found.”
She listened, then waited while she could hear her father passing the phone to her mother. She spoke quietly with Andie McGrath before saying, “We had this same argument before I left San Diego. I know you’re worried, and will continue to worry, but I’ll be fine. And I promise to phone regularly. Please understand I’m feeling useful here. I think being here with Uncle Joe has made a difference. We’re working our way through a mountain of paperwork. And that helps relieve some of his stress.” She paused, listened, then added, “I love you, Mom. Tell Dad I love him, too.”
She set down the phone and walked to her bedroom window to stare at the figures of the police officers silhouetted in the moonlight.
One figure stood out from all the others. One tall, muscular man standing in the grass, staring up at Joe Colton’s window.
Suddenly his head turned slightly and she realized he was looking up at her, and that she was clearly outlined in the overhead light.
Naked. Vulnerable. Just as her uncle had been, before the bullet had pierced his window.
She watched a moment longer, then stepped away and turned out the light.
As she crawled into bed it felt oddly comforting to know that Thad Law was there, looking out for their safety. There was such strength in him. Not just physical strength, though that was apparent. She sensed something else in him. A goodness, a determination, a strength of will, that made her believe he would accomplish whatever task he set for himself. Without regard to the obstacles or the dangers, he would put himself in the line of fire for those charged to his care.
What sort of man willingly chose such a task? What quality was there in Thad Law that he would risk his own life for the lives of complete strangers? She thought about the men she knew. Most of them were well-educated, but absolutely lacking in any sort of street smarts. They knew how to climb the corporate ladder, would pay any price for the right clothes, the right haircut, the right image. But if they found their lives in danger, they would be thrust into a state of panic.
She couldn’t imagine any situation that would send Thad Law ducking and hiding. He was the type who would stand tall against an enemy, no matter how much danger it entailed.
It wasn’t the badge or the gun that impressed her about Detective Law. It was the man himself. He struck her as one who would be absolutely fearless in the face of any threat.
She sensed a darkness in him. A determination to get the job done against all odds, without regard to personal safety.
There was such comfort in that.
She fell asleep, secure in the knowledge that, at least for tonight, no harm would come to them while their dark guardian angel was looking out for them.
Four
“I have your conference call arranged, Uncle Joe.” Heather handed over the phone.
“Thanks, sweetheart.” Joe Colton shifted in his chair, his hand over the receiver. “You’ve put in enough hours today. When I’m through with this, I’m calling it a day. You know you’ve been dying to go horseback riding. Why not now?”
She brushed a kiss over his forehead. “I like the way you think. Sure you don’t want me to wait and you can join me?”
He shook his head. “It may be a bit cool, but I intend to take myself out to the pool and do laps before dinner.”
“Okay. It’s a good thing it’s heated.” She waved as she headed out of his office.
A short time later, dressed in boots and denims, her hair tucked under a baseball cap, she started toward the stable.
It was one of those perfect California days. A clear, cloudless sky with sunlight so bright it hurt to look at it. The air, as she drew closer to the stables, was ripe with dung and freshly turned earth. She breathed it in, as comfortable here as she would be at a country club dance.
Heather loved riding. From the time she’d been a little girl she’d had a passion for horses. And though her parents had expressed concern about her recklessness, she’d refused to give it up.
Now, for the next few hours, she would indulge herself.
She stepped inside the stable and waited for her eyes to adjust. After the brilliant sunlight outside, it seemed almost gloomy as she made her way between the rows of stalls.
Suddenly she heard a deep familiar voice muttering a rich, ripe oath. She looked up to see Thad Law standing on a ladder, fiddling with a security camera. In the heat of the barn he’d removed his shirt and tossed it in the dirt below. Her heart did a series of flips at the sight of his naked back and arms, rippling with muscles.
She’d seen him for days, going over the security system with a team of professionals. But she had the strong suspicion that he’d been avoiding her.
Just then he tightened a switch and security lights flashed on, indicating that the sensors had detected an intruder. He turned and caught sight of Heather looking up at him.
His frown slowly dissolved. “Sorry. Guess I didn’t hear you.”
&n
bsp; “That’s all right, Detective Law. I’m just getting even for those times you’ve managed to catch me by surprise.”
He climbed down the ladder and picked up his shirt, mopping sweat from his face and chest before slipping his arms into the sleeves. While he buttoned it, Heather couldn’t seem to tear her gaze from the mat of dark hair on his chest.
He tucked the ends of his shirt into his waistband. “Did your uncle send for me?”
She shook her head. “He didn’t even mention that you were here. I was just going to ride.” She glanced at the new security camera. “Do you really think that’s necessary in here?”
He arched a brow. “Do you have any idea how much all this horseflesh is worth? Not to mention the building. If someone wanted to hurt Joe Colton, setting fire to the stable might be a good start.”
Heather couldn’t keep the pained expression from her eyes. “It’s hard to believe anyone could do such a cruel thing to helpless animals.”
“Believe it.” He saw the look in her eyes and felt a rush of annoyance. Not at her, but at himself for putting it there. His job had hardened him to the violence man was capable of. He was sure a woman like Heather McGrath, raised in that ivory tower, didn’t have a clue.
“Anyone who can fire a shot during a crowded party has no conscience. A man, a horse, or half a dozen innocent bystanders. It’s all the same to a cold-blooded killer.”
She shivered and wondered if Thad knew how fierce he looked when he talked about lawbreakers. If ever she’d doubted his passion, she needed only to hear his words and look into his eyes to see the depth of it. She wouldn’t want to cross this man’s path on the wrong side of the law.
He glanced around. “Which horse are you planning to ride?”
“Diablo.”
At that Thad’s eyes narrowed. “Joe told me he’s the toughest stallion in his stable.”
