“Catherine?” Sam knocked on the door of the study, then opened the door. “Sorry to disturb you, but I have orders from Hu Chang.” He smiled. “And I’ve learned that it’s always wise to obey him. Otherwise, I tend to have egg on my face. He said you need an intervention.” He came into the room and studied her face. “And this time I believe he’s right on. You’ve been in here going over those Santos files for four hours. You need a break. Why not let me take a turn at the computer? You can rest your eyes and your brain and spend a little time with Luke.”
She glanced out the window and realized it was already dusk. She had been so intent on researching Santos that those hours had flown. “Why didn’t he come and tell me that himself?” She rubbed her eyes. “Is he with Luke?”
“No, he just left. He said to tell you that he was on his way to San Francisco to meet Erin’s plane. He said something about meeting the challenge.” He held up his hand as she opened her lips. “Luke’s not alone. The extra agents I called in are here. I’ve told them that Luke’s never to be left alone. They’re very good men, Catherine. I’ve sent their qualifications to your computer, and you can check them out.”
“But they’re not Hu Chang, and they’re not you. I want someone who cares. It could make a difference.”
He nodded. “Okay, I’ll go back to him right away. But there’s no reason why I can’t do research while I’m with him. Tell me what you need.”
Why not let him help? She was getting more and more frustrated going at this blind. “I’m gathering info about Santos’s possible residences, any of his men we can squeeze to tell us anything. Any weakness of any sort. He thought of his wife as a strength, but he was obsessed with her. That could also be a weakness. I’m looking into their relationship.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what I’m looking for. I just have to find him. I just need to do something.”
“Got it.” He smiled. “Now go to the kitchen and have a bite to eat with Luke. He’s rising to the emergency and made you a fantastic lasagna straight from the freezer. Then go to bed and try to nap. It’s better than being bleary and missing something you should catch about this Santos scumball.”
Her brows lifted. “Is all this Hu Chang’s orders?”
“Let’s call it a combined effort.” He turned to leave. “After all, I have to keep you sharp. Hu Chang tells me that I’m on your list of people who it would hurt you to lose and therefore a target. That makes it doubly important that you’re in the best shape possible to get this asshole. It’s sheer self-preservation on my part.”
“Yeah, sure.” She added quietly, “I’m really sorry, Sam.”
“We’ll get through it.” He turned at the door and inclined his head. “And may I say I feel honored to be included on that list?”
Then he was gone.
And she was sitting there with stinging eyes staring after him. Sam O’Neill was a good guy, and she was lucky to have him in her life as well as Luke’s.
And Santos wanted to take him away from her, too. One by one, he wanted to strip away the people she cared about and leave her in pain and defenseless.
No way.
But the reminder of that threat sent a bolt of panic through her. She wanted to reach out and touch, hold those she cared about tight and close.
Luke.
She jumped to her feet and strode toward the door.
She needed to see him, sit across the table from him, watch the expressions on his face, have him smile at her as he’d done over that silly hat.
It was going to be okay. She wouldn’t let anything happen to him. Santos wouldn’t put a finger on him.
But she couldn’t stop the panic until she was once again with her son.
“Hey, Luke,” she called as she moved down the hall toward the kitchen. “I’ve been promised lasagna. Did you make the garlic bread to go with it?”
*
“Good night, Catherine.” Luke turned at the door to his bedroom to look at her. “Sam told me you need to get some rest, too. Are you going to do it?”
“Sure.” Then, as he stood there looking at her, she made a face. “At least, I’m going to my room and take a shower. I’ll see after that if I can function efficiently. I’m feeling very frustrated, and I need to get a handle on this guy. It’s not enough just to protect the people I love. I’ve got to get rid of him.”
He smiled. “Like you got rid of Rakovac?”
“Exactly like that.” Though all the psychologists would have told her she shouldn’t have told a twelve-year-old child that she would kill this man who had threatened them. Too bad. She had tried to wrap Luke in cotton to heal him and make him forget when she had rescued him from his kidnapper, but she’d had to give it up. Luke had grown up with Rakovac, a monster who had abused him and tried to make him into a murderer and thief, too. He understood life and evil more than most adults and had told her that if she had not killed Rakovac, he would have done it. “Don’t worry. I’m going to keep you safe, Luke.”
“I’m not worried.” He grinned. “But I’m absolutely not going to let Sam come in and sleep in his sleeping bag in my room. And not any of those other guys, either.”
“Did Sam suggest that?” Catherine smiled, too. “It’s not a bad idea, but he should have known you wouldn’t go along with it. Don’t blame him. I made it pretty clear that I wanted everything that could be done to be done. So don’t be surprised if you find him out here in the hall when you come down to breakfast.”