Page 31 of Gentle Persuasion

Her calm, matter-of-fact manner was impossible to argue with. Truth was the truth, no matter where you found it.

“Don’t stare,” Debbie cautioned. “We don’t want to ruin his day by letting him find out he’s been—what’s the word?—’made.”’

Douglas looked down at his older sister with undisguised admiration. “You’re something, Deb. I’m sure going to miss you.”

“I love you, too,” she said, and gave herself up to his hug. “Easy,” she cautioned. “I’m still breakable.” And then she sighed at the frown that appeared on her brother’s face. She didn’t want to get him started again. “Come on. This is enough. Besides, you’ll miss your plane if you don’t head to the airport soon.”

“I’ve still got time,” he argued. “I’ll drop you off at the Brownfields’ and then head for the airport from there.”

“No way,” she argued. “You won’t have time. Trust me. We’ll split up here. I’ll take my own cab home. And that’s final.”

“Well, I’m paying. And that’s final.”

She grinned. “You sure grew up mean.”

“Just be glad I grew up,” he said.

“Amen!” Debbie echoed. And they both laughed.

***

Cole was sick. She’d hugged him! What did she do that for? That did it. He wasn’t waiting for them to come out. He was going in. Hell’s fire! The guy just handed her a wad of money! He frowned as his belly turned another flop.

His hand was on the door when the call came in. There was a robbery going down. A silent alarm had just gone off in a jewelry store. Cole listened intently. That address was only a few blocks over. This confrontation with Debbie would have to wait.

He grabbed the mike, gave his location, and slapped his light on the dash. The red light began to revolve as he quickly pulled out into traffic. The run would be silent. No use warning the thief that he was on the way.

***

Debbie looked up just in time to see Cole leaving. She saw the red light, knew that duty had pulled him away from curiosity, and said a little prayer for his safety.

“Your cab’s here,” Douglas said. “Take care of yourself, honey. And I’ll call you as soon as I get settled. Maybe you could come out for a visit real soon.”

“Maybe,” she said, but she wasn’t committing herself to anything…except possibly Cole.

***

“I liked your brother,” Morgan said, as they sat down to the supper table.

Debbie grinned. “Thanks, I do, too.”

“He didn’t like me,” Buddy said.

She was shocked. “What makes you think that, Buddy?”

“I asked him if he wanted to see my new mouse, and he just stared at me and walked away.”

Debbie tried not to laugh, but it was no use. “Oh Buddy, you’re priceless,” she chuckled. “The only mouse Douglas knows about has beady eyes, two little ears, and whiskers. Computers and their attachments are fairly new to him. I’m sure he didn’t make the connection. If you’d only clarified yourself…”

Buddy’s eyebrows notched perceptibly. “I always clarify myself—” he ducked his head and started in on his food, anxious to get past what he had to eat so he could get to what he wanted to eat, namely dessert “—given time.”

“There’s not enough time in my life to understand you, my son,” Morgan teased. “Good thing I don’t have to understand you to love you.”

Buddy grinned and licked his spoon.

***

Cole turned into the driveway, stared for long, silent moments at the low-slung, ranch-style house and wished he was a thousand miles away. The last thing he wanted to do was go inside and listen to Debbie lie about where she’d been. He slammed the car door and had begun stomping toward the house when a thought struck him. What if she doesn’t even bother to lie? What if he’s someone who really matters to her?

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