wrong?”
“I have never been more certain of anything. He’s my boy.”
“You’ve had DNA tests done?”
“Don’t need them. One look at him is enough. Besides, I know what I know.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Tyler, I’ve had to hire bodyguards to look after all of us here, at least until I can convince the law to do something about these folks, but I’m afraid they may also be after you. I wanted you to be on guard. I promise I’ll attend to it just as soon as I can.”
“I’m not afraid for my own sake, Sam, but I do have a friend living with me at the moment, and I would like to ensure his safety.”
“Can I offer you help from my security service?”
“I have one of my own, thanks. I do need to know more about these relatives, though. Give me whatever information you think will be helpful.”
“You have e-mail?”
Tyler gave him his e-mail address.
“Great. I’ll send something to you right away. You have any questions, just give me a call.”
Tyler thanked him and hung up.
Shade was watching him.
“You heard?”
The dog wagged his tail.
“Do you stay with Ron or come with me to the desert?”
Shade made a tight circle around him.
“All right, then I’d better call Danton’s Security. In fact, until Danton’s is able to show up, I probably shouldn’t leave Ron and his medical team alone at the house—”
But Shade had anticipated his concern, and was headed toward the car at a brisk trot.
10
L ate Friday night, Amanda drove down a dark desert road, asking herself why in the hell she had thought she’d ever enjoy herself for a minute at this or any other of her cousins’ parties.
Well, she thought, I take that back. She had enjoyed herself for a few minutes. A really good-looking guy named Colby had spent time talking to her. It hadn’t taken long for one of Rebecca’s friends to butt in on the conversation, though. Colby had given Amanda a rueful look and excused himself to go have a cigarette. She saw him talking to Brad on his way out, doubtless making an excuse for leaving early. And even if he had the good sense to exit Rebecca’s party before she did, besides being a smoker, she could tell he was a player, so she didn’t take his momentary interest in her to mean a thing.
After that, things went downhill. She had forgotten how boring it was to be nearly the only sober person at a party full of heavy drinkers and pot smokers. She had tried not to think of the last time she had been at such a party—the holiday evening that had left her an orphan with a roomful of ghosts. She did her best to cope with Rebecca’s party until the more exotic drugs came out. She knew they were probably commonplace at Rebecca’s wild weekends, but she didn’t think she could enjoy herself if everyone else around her was loaded. She decided to leave. Rebecca saw her leaving and intercepted her at the door.
“Thanks for inviting me, Rebecca, but—well, I think I’d better be going.”
“You are the most boring thing, Amanda. But I don’t think I can take another five minutes of looking at that outfit anyway. Where did you find anything with pockets that big? The length of the top is all wrong for you—it makes your butt look like the back end of a battleship—”
“Gee, why on earth wouldn’t I want to stick around to hear more of this?” Amanda said, noticing that Rebecca had an audience now—an amused audience. “Good night, Rebecca.”
Brad hurried up to them. “Wait! Wait! Amanda, you can’t leave yet!”
“Watch me.”
“No, stay a little while longer.”
“Why?” she asked suspiciously.
It appeared to her that Brad didn’t really have an answer, but then he smiled and said, “There’s someone here who has been asking about you!” He took her elbow and steered her away from the door.
Did he mean Colby? she wondered. Maybe he hadn’t left.
She allowed Brad to lead her toward a group standing near the bar. Suddenly she heard Rebecca
“I have never been more certain of anything. He’s my boy.”
“You’ve had DNA tests done?”
“Don’t need them. One look at him is enough. Besides, I know what I know.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“Tyler, I’ve had to hire bodyguards to look after all of us here, at least until I can convince the law to do something about these folks, but I’m afraid they may also be after you. I wanted you to be on guard. I promise I’ll attend to it just as soon as I can.”
“I’m not afraid for my own sake, Sam, but I do have a friend living with me at the moment, and I would like to ensure his safety.”
“Can I offer you help from my security service?”
“I have one of my own, thanks. I do need to know more about these relatives, though. Give me whatever information you think will be helpful.”
“You have e-mail?”
Tyler gave him his e-mail address.
“Great. I’ll send something to you right away. You have any questions, just give me a call.”
Tyler thanked him and hung up.
Shade was watching him.
“You heard?”
The dog wagged his tail.
“Do you stay with Ron or come with me to the desert?”
Shade made a tight circle around him.
“All right, then I’d better call Danton’s Security. In fact, until Danton’s is able to show up, I probably shouldn’t leave Ron and his medical team alone at the house—”
But Shade had anticipated his concern, and was headed toward the car at a brisk trot.
10
L ate Friday night, Amanda drove down a dark desert road, asking herself why in the hell she had thought she’d ever enjoy herself for a minute at this or any other of her cousins’ parties.
Well, she thought, I take that back. She had enjoyed herself for a few minutes. A really good-looking guy named Colby had spent time talking to her. It hadn’t taken long for one of Rebecca’s friends to butt in on the conversation, though. Colby had given Amanda a rueful look and excused himself to go have a cigarette. She saw him talking to Brad on his way out, doubtless making an excuse for leaving early. And even if he had the good sense to exit Rebecca’s party before she did, besides being a smoker, she could tell he was a player, so she didn’t take his momentary interest in her to mean a thing.
After that, things went downhill. She had forgotten how boring it was to be nearly the only sober person at a party full of heavy drinkers and pot smokers. She had tried not to think of the last time she had been at such a party—the holiday evening that had left her an orphan with a roomful of ghosts. She did her best to cope with Rebecca’s party until the more exotic drugs came out. She knew they were probably commonplace at Rebecca’s wild weekends, but she didn’t think she could enjoy herself if everyone else around her was loaded. She decided to leave. Rebecca saw her leaving and intercepted her at the door.
“Thanks for inviting me, Rebecca, but—well, I think I’d better be going.”
“You are the most boring thing, Amanda. But I don’t think I can take another five minutes of looking at that outfit anyway. Where did you find anything with pockets that big? The length of the top is all wrong for you—it makes your butt look like the back end of a battleship—”
“Gee, why on earth wouldn’t I want to stick around to hear more of this?” Amanda said, noticing that Rebecca had an audience now—an amused audience. “Good night, Rebecca.”
Brad hurried up to them. “Wait! Wait! Amanda, you can’t leave yet!”
“Watch me.”
“No, stay a little while longer.”
“Why?” she asked suspiciously.
It appeared to her that Brad didn’t really have an answer, but then he smiled and said, “There’s someone here who has been asking about you!” He took her elbow and steered her away from the door.
Did he mean Colby? she wondered. Maybe he hadn’t left.
She allowed Brad to lead her toward a group standing near the bar. Suddenly she heard Rebecca
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