Page 39 of Scorched

Elise softly snorted, her smile unconvincing. “Yes, yes I did.”

“We’ll be there,” Alex said.

“Good, I might need help with the old audio-visual equipment. We’re supposed to watch a DVD I found in the library for class tomorrow and I haven’t a clue how to work the machine.”

Alex’s face lit up. “Cool! I like working with antique electronics.” Then he toned down his enthusiasm, his face getting serious. “Be careful, Ms. Johnson.”

Elise leaned against Paul and tears glistened in the corners of her eyes. “Thanks, Alex, Kendall. Go straight home, will you?”

Kendall’s shoulders pushed back, and her jaw set firmly. “Don’t worry, Ms. Johnson.” She dragged Alex out the front door and the room faded into silence.

“I guess I should be packing my bags.” Elise pulled away from Paul and stood looking around her living room, her eyes swimming with unshed tears.

Paul reached for her, but she stepped away. “You can’t give up now.”

“I feel as though there is a line forming to throw more bricks my way.”

“I’d say the brick was the act of a juvenile—an angry juvenile.”

“You think it was Caesar?” Elise nodded. “Yeah, you’re probably right. He likes to scare people. It’s the only way he knows how to get attention.” Her gaze went to the bathroom, where the door opened and Brandon came out, his hands wet and dripping. Her eyes shone with love for her son. She’d do anything for her boys.

Her oldest son glanced their way. After a long moment, he ducked into the bedroom he shared with Luke.

Elise’s shoulders sagged. “What am I going to do?”

“What you always do. Stand tall and make sure your boys are okay.” If he could, Paul would wrap her in his arms and shield her from all that was bad in the world, shoulder her burdens so she didn’t have to. But she’d pushed him away, determined to manage her fear alone, and he had a job to do. Standing around here wasn’t getting it done. “Are you going to be all right until nightfall? I have to go to the office and check on a few things. I’ll be back before eleven tonight.”

“I’ll keep the door locked.”

“Good. And don’t open it for anyone but me.”

“Don’t worry,” she said in a tone low enough Brandon wouldn’t overhear. “I’m scared enough now to follow orders.”

“And I know this won’t make you feel any better butleave the note on the wall. I want someone from our forensics team to take a look at it.”

Elise shook her head. “No.”

“Okay, how about I get Mel to catalog the evidence, take pictures and run it through evidence with the location undisclosed. Deal?”

Elise chewed on her lower lip, the action making him want to taste that lip himself. “Okay. But just Mel.”

“I’ll have her here as soon as possible.” He turned for the door.

“Paul?” her voice pulled him back to stand in front of her.

“Yes?”

She stared up at him through dew-kissed blue eyes. “Thanks.” She leaned up on her toes and pressed a sweet kiss to his lips.

Paul fought the urge to crush her in his arms and deepen the kiss. Instead, he ended the kiss and stepped away. “You don’t have to thank me. It’s my job.”

Elise’s tears trickled out of the corners of her eyes, then turned and fled for the boys’ bedroom.

As Paul closed the front door behind him, Luke’s voice called out, muffled by the heavy wood door, “Hey, where’d Alex go? I wanted to show him my Spider-Man.”

A smile crossed Paul’s face. A boy like Luke would be fine no matter what. Brandon knew too much for his own good. That child acted more like an old man.

Anger surged in Paul’s gut. The boy’s childhood hadbeen stolen from him by his abusive father and now by this new threat.

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