Glow (Glimmer and Glow #2)(39)
He became uncomfortably aware of Alice’s disbelieving gaze on his face.
*
ONCE she’d scooted off him, Dylan sprung up from the floor. She refused to take his hand when he offered it. Instead, she pushed herself onto her hands and knees and stood gracelessly. Once she’d gained her balance in her pumps, she stepped into him aggressively.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“No. And I’m not going to apologize, either,” he said in a clipped tone, and she sensed the residue of his cold, furious blast of anger at Thad. He smoothed his hand over his silk tie, straightening it, and then he hitched his jaw slightly, like someone readjusting his face after a fight. Despite her stunned anger, she recognized his edge—the thrilling paradox of the sophisticated executive and the street tough she’d been undeniably attracted to from the very beginning. A thrill went through her, amplifying her confusion and anger.
“You shouldn’t have threatened him like that.”
“He could very well have overheard what we were talking about. Would you like him shooting his mouth off to the others?”
“He wouldn’t have said a word if I asked him not to! Besides, he probably didn’t hear, and certainly couldn’t have understood if he did. How could he understand it, when I’m so confused?”
He shook his head once, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. “That kid is trouble.”
“Thad is one of the best counselors at Camp Durand! He’s smart and funny and a natural leader,” she spat. “Everyone loves him.”
He stilled and met her stare slowly. A shiver rippled through her.
“Everyone?”
Despite the sudden glacial quality of his dark eyes, she couldn’t look away. She grasped wildly for her resolve.
“Everyone,” she managed in a choked voice before she broke his hold and followed Thad down the hallway.
NINE
Dylan stood at the opened French doors in his den looking out onto the gardens and yard. The unseasonably cool weather continued. A fog had begun to rise over the distant limestone bluff. It was just past midnight. All was hushed and quiet on the Durand Estate. He could just make out the muted sound of waves hitting the rocky beach below the drop-off at the end of his yard.
“I’ll have to bring in a couple other men from the security division, if you want Ms. Reed watched at night.”
“Only one for now,” Dylan replied. He turned and faced Sal Rigo, who stood in front of his desk. Like Dylan, he still wore his suit from the Alumni Dinner. “Bring in Janocek. I’ve already reviewed his file and he was on my original list before I narrowed it down to you and Peterson. I know I don’t need to emphasize again the importance of absolute discretion in regard to this.”
“Of course. I’ll see to it myself when I brief Janocek that he’s completely on board. No one will lay an eye on him.”
“Make sure of it,” Dylan said, giving the other man a pointed glance. Rigo looked a little abashed. Dylan hadn’t disguised his annoyance with Rigo and Peterson recently because they’d allowed Alice to see them during their surveillance of her. On one occasion in the woods, Peterson’s ineptitude had caused Alice considerable distress when she’d thought someone was following her with malicious intent.
“I will, sir. I know we disappointed before, but it’s fairly tight quarters there at the camp. Plus, as you know, watching over Ms. Reed isn’t our only responsibility. Kehoe keeps us pretty busy.”
“I realize that,” Dylan acknowledged. He’d originally directed Rigo and Peterson to observe Alice more than anything, not guard her. He needed to know if she was having any unusual or adverse reactions to the Durand Estate, any memories from her childhood. But he’d also wanted to be assured of her general safety. The problem was, despite his doubts about the direction of a threat, Dylan increasingly wanted Alice not just watched, but protected.
“Plus, Ms. Reed is very observant and . . . mobile,” Rigo added with a small smile.
“Are you calling her fast?” Dylan asked dryly.
Rigo shrugged. “She’s a good athlete. And she notices things. She’s more aware of her surroundings than most.”
“She had to be, where she grew up,” Dylan muttered. “I assume you and Peterson can trade off tonight until you bring Janocek in?”
“Yes, sir. I’ll take over for Peterson in a few hours, so he can get some rest.”
“And you? When will you get your rest?”
“After tomorrow is over. There were plenty of times in the Army I went two nights without sleep.”
Dylan nodded slowly, well aware of Rigo’s stellar Army special operations record before being hired in Durand’s security division. “Anything else significant happening at the camp?”
“Thad Schaefer is still meeting up with the Seifert girl at night, but he’s all eyes for Ms. Reed every day at the camp.”
“And Ms. Seifert doesn’t appreciate that much, does she?”
“No, sir.”
“Is she a threat to Alice?” Dylan asked bluntly.
“I don’t believe so, but I learned early on in my training that one of the most unpredictable things in nature is a jealous woman. Schaefer is more of an issue. He’s following Alice at times.”