Perfect (Second Opportunities 2)

Chapter 60

Her father broke off his conversation with Ted and Katherine as Julie walked into the living room, her body stiff as wood, the letter she'd intended to leave for them clutched in her hand,

"I sent Mother home," her father said.

Julie nodded stiffly and cleared her throat. "That's good." For a moment, she twisted the letter she'd written to them in her hands, then she thrust it at him. When he took it and opened it, holding it out so Ted could read it, too, she added, "I was … was leaving to join him tomorrow."

Ted's eyes snapped to hers, narrowing in furious disapproval.

"It's true," she said before he could speak.

Julie watched him move toward her, but she jerked away when he reached for her arm, "Don't touch me!" she warned hysterically, clutching the back of a chair. "Don't touch me." Switching her gaze to her father's grim, hurt face, she watched him finish the letter, drop it on the table, and stand up. "Help me," she told him brokenly. "Please help me. You always know what's right. I have to do what's right. Somebody help me," she cried to Katherine, who was blinking back tears, and then to Ted.

Suddenly she was pulled into her father's arms and clutched tightly to him, his hand soothing her back as he'd done when she was a little girl crying over a minor hurt. "You already know what you have to do," he said gruffly. "The man has to be caught and stopped. Ted," he said sounding shaken, but taking over, "you're the lawyer. What's the best way to handle this without further incriminating Julie?"

After a moment of silence, Ted said, "Paul Richardson is our best bet. I could call him and try to make a deal with him. Julie turns Benedict in and he holds her blameless. No questions asked."

The word questions jerked Julie out of her tortured stupor. Her voice vibrating with wild alarm, she warned, "Tell Paul I won't answer any questions about how I know where Zack is going to be!" She thought of Matt and Meredith Farrell and the laughing young man who'd brought her a car to drive—all of them loyal to a man who'd betrayed their trust because he was sick. Because he couldn't help himself. "If you call him," she repeated, trying to keep her voice steady, "he has to agree that I won't be expected to tell him anything except where Zack is going to be tomorrow night. I won't involve anyone else in this, I mean it!"

"You're up to your neck in illegal intrigue and you're worried about protecting somebody else!" Ted bit out. "Do you realize what Richardson could do to you? He could haul you out of here in leg irons tonight!"

Julie started to answer, but the restraint she'd been exerting was collapsing, and she turned on her heel instead. Walking into the kitchen, she sank down into a chair at the table, because that was as far as she could possibly get from the phone call that was going to betray her lover. Her shoulders shaking with silent sobs, she covered her face with her hands, and the tears she'd been fighting streamed in hot torrents down her cheeks. "I'm sorry, darling," she wept brokenly, "I'm so sorry…"

Katherine pressed a handkerchief into her hand a few minutes later, then sat down across from her, lending silent support.

By the time Ted walked into the kitchen, Julie had managed to get herself under a semblance of control.

"Richardson will take the deal," he said. "He'll be here in three hours." He turned as the telephone rang on the kitchen wall and yanked the receiver out of the cradle. "Yes," he said, "she's here, but she's not taking calls—" He frowned and paused, then he covered the mouthpiece and said to Julie, "This is someone named Margaret Stanhope. She says it's urgent."

Julie nodded, swallowed, and reached her hand out for the phone. "Have you called to gloat, Mrs. Stanhope?" she asked bitterly.

"No," Zack's grandmother replied. "I have called to ask you, to plead with you, to turn him in if you know where he is before another innocent human is murdered."

"His name is Zack!" Julie choked fiercely. "Stop calling your own grandson 'him'!"

The other woman drew in a sharp breath and when she spoke again, she sounded almost as tormented as Julie felt. "If you know where Zack is," she pleaded, "if you know where my grandson is," she added, "please, for the love of God, stop him,"

Julie's animosity dissolved when she heard the anguish in that proud voice. "I will," she whispered.

Chapter 61

"On behalf of the crew of flight 614, thank you for flying Aero-Mexico," the flight attendant said. "Remember," she added cheerfully, "we're the airline that got you to your destination twenty minutes ahead of schedule." Her voice becoming businesslike, she continued, "Please remain in your seats with your seat belt securely fastened until the aircraft has come to a full stop at the gate."

Seated near the back row of the crowded plane between Ted and Paul Richardson, Julie clutched her brother's hand in a death grip, her stomach churning as the plane lurched to a stop and the jetway swung out to meet it from the terminal. Her heart was beginning to scream that this was wrong, her conscience shouted it was right and she was trapped helplessly in the crossfire. Beside her, Paul Richardson noticed her chest beginning to rise and fall in fast shallow breaths, and he took her other hand in his. "Take it easy, honey," he said in a low, reassuring voice. "It's almost over. The airport is secured at every exit."

Julie jerked her gaze from the passengers who were beginning to stand up and gather their belongings from the overhead racks. "I can't do it. I can't. I'm going to be sick!"

He tightened his grip on her clammy fingers. "You're hyperventilating. Take slow deep breaths."

Julie made herself obey. "Don't let anyone hurt him!" she warned in a fierce whisper. "You promised you wouldn't let anyone hurt him."

Paul stood up along with the passengers in front of them, and with his hand on her arm, gently urged Julie to stand, too. She yanked her arm away. "Promise me again that you won't let anyone hurt him!"

"No one wants to hurt him, Julie," he said as if he was speaking to a terrified child, "That's why you came along. You wanted to be sure no one would hurt him, and I told you there'd be less chance of violence if Benedict sees you and believes you'll get caught in the middle. Remember?"

When she nodded jerkily, he began moving forward with his hand beneath her elbow. "Okay, this is it," he said. "Ted and I will stay just a few paces behind you from now on. Don't be afraid. My people are spread all over the terminal and outside it, and your safety is their first priority. If Benedict starts shooting, they'll put their lives on the line to protect you."