One Summer Evening - One Summer Evening Part 57
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One Summer Evening Part 57

Hank grinned, his weather-beaten features crinkling like old paper.

"Respect, man, respect."

"Horse manure," Austin replied, rolling his eyes.

"It's true, man. You oughta know that. You wear these son of a bitches

yourself," Hank added, jerking the tie from around his neck and stuffing it in his pocket.

"Not on days like this," Austin declared.

"Respect or no respect. So, you got something for me?"

"Do I ever."

Austin's eyes turned steely.

"Shoot."

"Funny you should use that word. Your boy's back playing with his guns."

"You dead sure about that?"

"Is sweat tickling my underarms?"

"Cute."

Hank grinned.

Austin had hoped the information Hank brought him would be to. the contrary.

He wasn't surprised, of course, knowing that Lester certainly hadn'tbeen born again, as he'd professed. Still, Austin had hoped Lesterwasn't up to his old tricks. Now that he knew he was, Austin feltgenuine fear.

Lester was nuts, and no one could predict which way he would jump.

Austin was convinced Lester was tailing him. Consequently, he had decided to return the favor in the form of Hank.

Austin wasn't worried about himself. He could take care of Lester.

Not so Cassie and Tyler. He feared for their safety, yet he wanted her

to stay and fight the bastard.

"I followed the scum bag to a house in Lafayette," Hank said.

"A place in low-class suburbia, where I got the license plates off the

owner's pickup. When I ran the plates, I couldn't believe the guy isstill walking the streets."

"A renegade, huh?" "That's putting it mildly. Grant Hoople's rap sheet is longer than thegovernment's budget. What gets me is that no one's made the charges stick, even the weapons violations."

"Lester took that fall."

"But I suspect they got him out."

"No doubt."

"So where do we go from here?" Hank asked.

Austin wrote out a check, then stood.

"Don't let Sullivan out of your sight."

Once he was alone, Austin sat back down, his mind in turmoil. Dammit, he

felt helpless, though he was doing as much as he dared. If Cassie knewhe had hired a private detective, she would be furious. And James-well, he would have a fit, too.

Thinking about James made him see red. How could he be so gullible, sonaive? But he was, and that wasn't going to change, especially when hestill had illusions of Cassie and Lester getting back together.

Over my dead body.

Dammit, he loved her. While that truth was what this gut-churning was

all about, it came as a bitter pill to swallow. Even though he hadn't faced it, he had known it shortly after he'd married Alicia.

Something besides good sex had been missing from his marriage. Now he

knew what that something was--deep and abiding love.

Austin dropped his head in his heads, giving in to the sadness washing

through him. God, he loved Cassiie so much and yearned to make the world a safe place for her and her son.

Not only did he want to protect her and cherish her as she deserved, he

wanted to see that sparkle back in her eyes instead of the pain.

Most of all, he wanted her to love him back.

He wanted Tyler to love him, as well. Thinking of her son and the fun

they'd had yesterday increased Aus- tin's ache twofold.

Suddenly Austin struggled just to get a breath. Even if Cassie were to reciprocate his feelings, it wouldn't work, not as long as James was in

the picture. For Tyler, Cassie would cross her daddy, break his heart, if necessary, which she had. But for him, no way.

But Lester wouldn't have her again, either. No matter what it took, he

would see to that.

"Mr. McGuire?"

Austin almost jumped out of his skin, he was so deep in thought. It was

his secretary.

"Yes."

"You have an urgent call on line one."

Twenty-Seven IVLA'am, we're doing our best to find him."

The overweight detective with the baby face had been telling Cassie thatfrom the moment the police had arrived.

Now it was the following afternoon, and there was still no sign of Tyleror his whereabouts. Cassie wanted to believe Detective Mike Conn, had tobelieve him, yet she was inconsolable with fear and doubt.

She stared up at him and nodded, her eyes, already bloodshot from havingcried so much, filling with unshed tears.

"He's right, ma'am," his partner, Dave Winslow, added.

"We're not about to leave any stone unturned."

"Then why hasn't he been found?" Austin demanded, his eyes darting fromone officer to the other.

Cassie heard the accusing note in Austin's voice and for once didn't tryto challenge his interference. In fact, she was glad he was there withthe family, having more or less taken charge.

"It's not that easy, sir," Detective Conn responded in a calm tone.

"We have an all points bulletin out on Mr. Sullivan's car. But if theboy got in the car with a stranger, then ..." His voice trailed off whenCassie whimpered out loud.

"It's all my fault," James muttered, taking a cup off the tray Joy heldout to him, only to grip it with both hands to keep coffee from sloshingonto the floor.

Like her, James was in a state of shock at the brutal turn of events.

While members and staff from the church had been by to offer theirsupport and comfort, nothing had helped.

Her mother was feeling ill and was in bed, sedated. Because of that,Wilma hadn't even been told that her grandson was missing, for fear thebad news would trigger a fatal heart attack.

Cassie couldn't have dealt with one more tragedy. She would have toppledover the edge she was now teetering on. Yet she didn't blame her daddy.

She blamed that bastard Lester.

"It's not your fault, James," Austin said.

"We all know who's responsible."

Cassie watched Austin's jaws bunch before he peered over at her. Shewanted him to hold her, to assure her that Tyler was going to come home,that nothing terrible had happened to him. But Austin couldn't hold her,nor could he promise her that her son was okay.

Her insides were scraped raw, and whenever she thought about the horrorsthat might have befallen her precious child, she nearly lost her mind.

"It's going to be all right, I promise," Austin said, as if he knew whatshe'd been thinking.

"We'll find him."

"What if we don't?" she asked through chattering teeth, fear making her cold.

"He's been missing since yesterday evening."

"As soon as they find Lester, they'll find Tyler."

Cassie wanted to scream, but she had to remain strong. She couldn't fall

apart now. After Tyler was home safe in her arms, then she would allow herself that luxury.