Elsa smiled. “It would at that.”
“I’m here essentially for the same reason Paige is and just as reluctantly; I got
convinced to come against my wishes. In Paige’s case, it was her father who coerced
her here. In my case, my partner hoodwinked me into the trip, on Judge Callen’s say-so.
She’s here to lay low; I’m here to see nobody hurts her. It’s that simple.”
“Are you a police officer? You look like one.”
“I was once. Now I work as a private investigator.”
“And you couldn’t refuse this assignment?” Elsa asked.
“I’m not in a position right now to refuse work,” Kearns admitted.
Elsa took this in, looking into her coffee. After a moment she looked back up at Kearns.
“Well,” she said, “for what it’s worth I’m glad you’re here, even if Paige isn’t.
You look like a guy who can take care of himself. And it sounds like Paige is in serious
danger.”
“You’d never know it by watching her,” he said. “She seems more incensed at having
her work schedule disrupted than she does about having a homicidal stalker hunting
her.”
“You’re wrong there,” Elsa corrected him. “Paige is a Callen, and like her father,
has an iron will; it’s genetic. Her frosty exterior is a result of the way she was
raised; it’s practically her heritage. But I know her and she’s scared. She’s terrified
from the top of her head to the tip of her toes; don’t you believe otherwise.”
“Are you sure we’re talking about the same person?” Kearns asked.
“Don’t let Paige’s icy front fool you,” Elsa said. “I remember the little blonde girl
who spent every summer here riding horses and romping in the sun. Under that shell
is the sweetest, most adorable person you’d ever want to meet.”
“That’s certainly a revelation,” Kearns said, shaking his head. “I’ve heard her called
some things, and ‘sweet’ wasn’t on the list.”
“That’s from trying to be like her father. She’s spent her whole life trying to impress
the sanctimonious bastard, and all it’s gotten her is a degree from the school of
hard knocks. Underneath that hard-ass armor coating she puts up is a scared kid who’s
still grieving her mother’s death. She portrays herself as a tough cookie, all right,
but there’s a soft center inside; don’t you doubt it.”
“What about you?” he inquired. “I sense none of the famous Callen chill in your bones,
if you don’t mind me saying so.”
“I don’t mind; that’s an easy one to answer. Growing up, my big brother was always
the serious one and I the carefree simpleton. He wanted wealth and power and all I
ever wanted was a home and family.”
“You’ve surely done all right in that regard,” Kearns said. “This place is beautiful.”
“I know. Shameful, aren’t I? I love the place. Fell in love with it almost forty years
ago when I first laid eyes on it, and the love affair never ended. We sold the interest
in the winery a few years before my husband passed away. This has been my home since
I was a newlywed.”
“And Paige spent all her summers here?”
“Since she was old enough to walk. Her parents had a pretty stormy relationship. She
ended up here for a variety of reasons, not all pretty ones.”
“Is this so terrible a place for a kid to spend the summer?”
“Not at all,” Elsa said. “We loved having her, especially my son, Mark. Paige was
like a baby sister to him. But even a small child senses things. She knew her parents
were having troubles and why she was here instead of home with them. It’s a tough
thing for a child to have to deal with.”
“You mentioned you have a son; is he still close to Paige?”
“No. He died of leukemia when he was sixteen.”
“I’m sorry,” Kearns said. “I didn’t mean to hit a nerve.”
“You didn’t,” Elsa reassured. “I’m at peace with it.”
Before either could speak again, Cody let out a short bark and raised his head towards
the hallway. An instant later, Paige walked in, rubbing sleep from her eyes. She was
wearing an oversized flannel shirt, and her long legs ended in bare feet. She frowned
when she saw Kearns.
“Good morning,” Elsa said. “Join us for breakfast?”
“No, thanks,” Paige answered grumpily. “I just lost my appetite.”
Kearns winked at Elsa and stood up. “That’s my cue; thanks for the coffee.”
Elsa stood also. “My pleasure. I enjoyed our talk.”
Kearns headed for the kitchen door but stopped before reaching it. “Is there anything
either of you need from town?” he asked. “I need to get some clothes and toiletries;
thought I’d make a run into Napa.”
“I certainly do need a few things, but you’re not getting them for me,” Paige said.
“I have to do some grocery shopping myself,” Elsa said, “now that I have guests. I
noticed you two vagabonds didn’t arrive with much more than the clothes on your backs
last night. We could hit some clothing stores and get lunch in town, make a day of
it. How does that sound?”
“It would be lovely,” Paige said, “if we could go without him tagging along.”
“No dice,” Kearns said. “I made a promise, and I intend to–”
“I know, I know,” Paige cut him off, sighing. “Duty, honor, country. The almighty
Judge Eugene Callen wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“You don’t have to be such a grumpy bear,” Elsa admonished her. “What you need is
a little breakfast to brighten your perspective. How about blueberry pancakes?”
A smile started at the corners of Paige’s mouth. “You know they’re my favorite.”
“How about you, Kevin? Sure I can’t interest you in some blueberry pancakes?”
“I’m going to get a shower,” he said. “Thank you again for the coffee.” He gave Paige
a stern look. “And please don’t leave for town without me.”
“We wouldn’t dream of it,” Elsa assured him. Paige harrumphed.
As soon as Kearns was gone, Paige plopped heavily onto the stool he had vacated. She
stretched and yawned. Her black eye was beginning to fade, and the abrasion on her
nose was almost healed. Elsa began the makings of pancakes.
“I don’t know why you’re being so damned friendly to him,” Paige complained.
“And I don’t know why you’re being so unfriendly. He seems like a fine young man.
He has excellent manners and he’s very easy to talk to.”
“He’s a thug, Aunt Elsa. He’s as crooked as they come, like all of Dad’s cronies.”
“I find that hard to believe,” Elsa said, cracking eggs. “I like to think I’m a fair
judge of character. I get a good read from him.”
“Hah,” Paige scoffed. “You don’t know him like I do. He and his even more crooked
partner chased halfway around the country last year, searching for a fugitive and
breaking every law they could along the way. They were practically on the FBI’s 10
Most Wanted list.”
“What did the fugitive do?”
Paige paused before answering. “He was a serial child killer,” she said.
“Did they catch him?”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“It would seem Kevin and his partner are pretty good at what they do,” Elsa commented.
“That’s the kind of person I want protecting you.”
“He broke the law. I’m supposed to condone that?”
“I’m sure he had his reasons.”
“You always did see the good in people,” Paige said.
Elsa set down the bowl of pancake batter and faced her niece. “Do you know what your
problem is?” she asked. She didn’t wait for an answer. “Your problem is that you always
see the bad. And on top of it all, you have such a black-and-white outlook on things.
Life isn’t black and white; things aren’t always either good or bad. Usually in life,
things are kind of gray. A lot of good people do bad things, Paige. And occasionally,
some bad ones do some good. Kevin Kearns may have done some things you don’t approve
of, but he’s here looking out for you.” Elsa’s brow furrowed. “Despite your lack of
gratitude.”
“Aunt Elsa,” Page countered, “I’m not nine years old. I don’t need a babysitter or
a bodyguard. And if I did, I sure wouldn’t choose him.”
Elsa pointed a pancake-batter-covered wooden spoon at her niece. “Wake up, girl. Your
father is in the hospital right now, nearly done in by the madman who’s after you.
And from what I understand, you could have been killed yourself a time or two recently.
You’re in serious danger. And when you’re in danger, you shouldn’t be so particular
about who’s in your corner.”
Paige jumped up from her seat, her eyes flashing. “Who told you about what happened
to me?”
Elsa’s eyebrows lifted in puzzlement. “Didn’t your father tell you? He called yesterday
morning to let me know you were going to be coming out to the ranch. He explained
all about the attack on the beach and how your condo got burned up.” She looked up
at her niece, who stood fuming over her. “He also told me how Kevin Kearns nearly
got killed saving your life.” Her eyes met Paige’s. “He said Kevin was a good man
and that he would protect you. After meeting Kevin in person, I agree with my brother.”
“Wait a minute,” Paige declared angrily. “Dad tried to talk me into coming up here
the day before yesterday and I declined. We got into an argument over it, in fact.
You’re telling me he called you yesterday morning and informed you I was coming?”
“Of course; I assumed you knew.”
“That smug bastard,” Paige said. “He took it for granted he’d get me to come even
after I refused. He even went so far as to call you on the phone and announce my arrival.
And this was before the attempt on his life.” Her jaw clenched. “That melodramatic
sickbed routine at the hospital was probably an act. I don’t believe it.”
“Why do you act so surprised?” Elsa said. “When has your father not gotten his way,
especially when it concerns you?”
Paige slumped back into her seat and put her chin in her hands. “It’s like a bad dream
I can’t wake up from,” she said in a deadpan voice, her anger dissipated. “Some whacko
is out to kill me, I’m shackled with this jerk Kearns, and my own father dances me
around on strings like a marionette.”
“You poor thing,” Elsa soothed, stroking Paige’s hair. “Try not to worry. Everything
will work out; I know it will. Let me get your pancakes ready.”
“Aunt Elsa,” Paige looked up, a weary smile spreading across her face. “You’re a sweetheart,
but frankly I don’t think blueberry pancakes are going to help.”
“Could they hurt?”
CHAPTER 31
At 10am, the temperature had already breached the nineties. Elsa and Kearns were sitting
on the porch, waiting for Paige. Cody was languishing at their feet. The front door
opened and shut, and Paige emerged from the house shielding her eyes from the bright
sunlight. She was clad in an oversized T-shirt, a pair of cut-off shorts, and faded
Keds sneakers. Her hair was combed down, giving her a girlish appearance.
Kearns stood up as Paige strode past.
“What are you looking at?” she asked indignantly. “Haven’t you ever seen a woman before?”
“Lighten up, Paige,” Elsa said. “You’re going to ruin a perfectly nice day before
it even begins. And you look adorable.”
Paige’s face scrunched. “I wish you would refrain from saying things like that in
front of him.”
“Excuse us a moment,” Kearns said to Elsa, as he firmly took Paige by the arm and
led her to the opposite side of the porch.
Paige angrily allowed herself to be dragged off, not wanting a confrontation to occur
in front of her aunt. Once they were out of Elsa’s view, she jerked her arm from Kearns’
grasp.
“Keep your paws off,” she snapped.
“It’s time we had a talk,” he said.
“I should say so,” she said. “If you think–”
“Shut up,” he cut her off.
“What did you just say to me?”
“You heard me; shut up. I’m going to speak now. If you don’t like it, tough shit.”
Paige’s face reddened, but she crossed her arms and held her tongue.
“I realize you don’t like me. And that you don’t want me here. Your inability to keep
from expressing your displeasure at my presence speaks volumes about your maturity.”
Paige started to retort but Kearns silenced her with a wave of his hand. “I’m not
finished, Counselor; you’ll get your chance to cross-examine.” He lowered his hand.
“As I was saying, you don’t like me; I don’t much like being around you, either. But
that’s the situation we’re in. Stomping your foot and pouting doesn’t change things.”
“So?”
“So I’m proposing a truce. I’m not saying you have to like me, or even be nice to
me. Just stop being such a spoiled brat. Be civil. Would that be so damned difficult?”
“If I don’t?”
“Then you don’t,” Kearns said. “And your stay here becomes harder than it has to be.
The hard way or the harder way; it’s your choice.”
“For how long?”
“Who knows?” Kearns answered. “At least until your father gets out of the hospital.
In the meantime, all you have to do is sit by the pool and relax. You can’t do any
good back in Alameda except draw the stalker to you and your father. And you said
yourself you had some vacation coming. Where are you going to go, anyway? It’s not
safe at either your father’s house or your condominium. Why not make the best of it?
I promise to do my part to avoid annoying you. What do you say?” He extended his hand.
Paige’s expression of defiance softened and she uncrossed her arms. “I must admit,
you can be persuasive when you want to be, Mister Kearns. Apparently, you’ve put some
thought into our dilemma.”
“And you thought I was just another pretty face.”
“I’ll ignore that last remark,” she said without humor. But her voice and her demeanor
had lost their venom. She took his hand tentatively and shook it. “Deal,” she said.