They made quick work of the meal. Tino even went back for seconds. He was going to need all of his strength to get through the game Cyrus had in store for him, and he didn’t mean the chess match they were about to resume.
When they once again faced each other across the board, Cyrus picked up right where he’d left off. “You disappointed me, boy.”
“How so, sir?”
“Don’t play coy with me. We both know you screwed up big-time when it comes to my granddaughter.”
No use in denying it. “Yeah, I did.”
“Did you really think it would matter to Natalie where you park your butt at night?”
Okay, that surprised him. Tino took Cyrus’s knight and set it off to the side. “She talked to you about what happened?”
“No, she talked to Esther. I eavesdropped. It’s the only way I ever learn what’s really going on around here.”
There went Tino’s bishop. If he didn’t get his head back into the game, it was going to be over in a few more moves. “Near as I can figure, I wasn’t thinking at all that morning. If I had been, I wouldn’t have screwed up so badly.”
“Well, that might be the smartest thing I’ve heard you say all day.” Cyrus’s knobby hand picked up his queen and parked it right in front of Tino’s king. “Check and mate.”
It was almost a relief to admit defeat on both fronts. Tino began resetting the chessboard, although he wasn’t sure he was up to a second game. Maybe Cyrus felt the same way, because he angled his chair so he could stare out at the backyard.
“That damn dog is out there again.”
Tino spotted the beagle sniffing around the edge of the yard. After a few seconds, the dog started digging like crazy. Tino tried to hold back a laugh but failed miserably. Cyrus gave in and grinned, too. “When you get to my age, you learn to appreciate a determined opponent. Sometimes aggravation is all you’ve got left to get the blood pumping in your veins.”
His smile faded. “My wife and I were happy together. That doesn’t mean the road was always smooth. We had us some fine battles over the years.”
The warmth in his voice made it clear that those memories were among his favorites. Tino could remember a few times when Joe had come slinking home with flowers for Marlene after they’d had words. “My parents had their moments, too.”
“Are you talking about your birth parents or Joe and Marlene Lukash?”
Tino leaned back in his chair and studied the wily old man. “Both, actually. Considering I’ve never told Natalie I was adopted, I know you didn’t overhear her talking about that.”
“No, I had someone check into your background.” Cyrus glanced at Tino. “You don’t like the idea of someone poking around in your personal business, but a man does what it takes to protect his family. For what it’s worth, I haven’t shared the information with my granddaughter and don’t plan to.”
Actually, Tino wasn’t as pissed off about Cyrus digging in his history as he probably should’ve been. “Why not tell her? Especially when it doesn’t matter anymore.”
It had been over a week since the last time he’d spoken to Natalie in the parking lot at the community center. He’d seen her, though. Even if she hadn’t been aware of his presence, he’d been out in the parking lot every night she was there. Once she was safely in her car, he faded back into the shadows, his duty done for the night.
“Okay, there you go veering off into stupid land again.” Cyrus stared up at the ceiling as if praying for patience. “Son, if it didn’t matter, the two of you wouldn’t both be dragging around town like a pair of the living dead.”
“But—”
Cyrus cut him off with a wave of his hand. “I might not know everything about your situation, but I know enough to understand what makes you tick.”
“With all due respect, sir, you don’t know jack. Look at this place.”
Tino could no longer sit still. He got up to pace the length of the room and back while the old man watched every step he took. After his second trip, Cyrus blocked his way and pulled a picture out of his shirt pocket. He held it up for Tino to see. “How about you look at this place instead?”
He studied the old black-and-white snapshot. It was a photo of a small cabin sitting on the edge of a creek. “So?”
“That’s where I was born. My mother gave birth to four kids in that place. I’m the only one who survived to adulthood.”
Tino didn’t know what else to say. “I’m sorry.”
Cyrus shrugged. “It was all a long time ago. My father and his older brother worked in the mines. Mom did her best to keep food on the table for the four of us. After watching those two men working themselves to death at an early age, I swore I’d never spend my days underground like that.”
“How did you escape?”
Because somehow that’s what he’d done. Tino was willing to bet that very few of the kids Cyrus had known in his youth now lived in a place like this. It also explained why he was so generous with his money and encouraged his granddaughter to invest it in the areas of town where other children might need a helping hand.
The old man stared out the window again. Tino would bet his last dime that he wasn’t seeing the manicured lawn or even the wayward beagle who’d moved on to digging a second hole.
After a few seconds, Cyrus finally answered. “I’d love to tell you that I had some grand plan for making something of myself, but I was just a dumb kid desperate to do anything other than breathe coal dust. I got my high school diploma and my draft notice in the same week.”
“You mentioned you served in Vietnam.”
“That I did. I’ll share my photo album with you one of these days. You’d find it interesting. My son-in-law is a good man, but he has no frame of reference for what it was like over there for us. How much it hurt to have friends who never made it back. You’d understand better than most.”
Yeah, he would. “I’d be honored, sir.”
Cyrus turned away from the window. “Enough about that. The point is that I don’t come from money, and my granddaughter knows that. It’s never bothered her one damn bit. Can’t imagine your background would, either.”
“Point taken.”
“Good. She is stubborn, though. You’re going to have to work hard to earn her trust again.”
Tino laughed. “You’re not the first one to tell me that. A friend, who was a Seal, told me I should do some serious groveling. I would, but she won’t let me get close enough to try.”
“I’m guessing you’ve got your own fair measure of stubbornness. If she matters enough to you, you’ll find a way. I’d hate to think you’re like that idiot Benton. That fool let her hand back his ring and never lifted a finger to stop her. He thought she’d come running back just because he’s rich and good looking.” Cyrus sneered. “Like my Natalie would be satisfied with that.”
He pointed at Tino. “Thanks to her father’s mother, she’s got her own money, enough to last her a lifetime. What Natalie needs is a man who understands her, one who is strong enough to face the kind of crap life likes to throw at people. Benton will never be that man. You, on the other hand, just might be.”
Tino wasn’t sure what to say to that. Luckily, Cyrus didn’t seem to need a response. “Now, do you have time for another game before that danged woman barges in here and starts nagging me to take a nap?”
“I’ll make time, sir.” Feeling better than he had in days, Tino parked his ass at the chess table and finished setting up the board.
—
Tino would be out there again. She just knew it. Oh, that man thought he was being so darn clever, sneaking around to watch her walk out to her car on the two nights a week when she taught class and his team had practice. That didn’t explain why he’d also shown up on Saturday evening for escort duty after the work party ended even though he hadn’t been there to help during the day.
And then there was Monday, which wasn’t one of her regularly scheduled nights at the center. Several of her
students had asked if there was a time when they could use the lab to take practice tests for their upcoming GED exams. Obviously, Tino had bribed someone into spying for him, because he’d been in his usual space, waiting and watching as she’d left the building.
He’d also sent her chocolates, and not just any old box of chocolates. No, they were handmade and her absolute favorites. Horribly expensive, too. The sneaky jerk obviously had someone from her inner circle on his side. She’d tried telling herself not to accept any gifts from him, but it would’ve been a crime to throw the chocolates away. Really. That was her excuse for indulging herself with a bubble bath and several of the delectable treats.
On her regular visit to her grandfather on Tuesday morning, Esther had let it slip that Tino and Cyrus had gotten together to play chess. She shouldn’t begrudge her grandfather a little fun, but she did. After all, how dare he stay friends with the man who’d ripped her heart out? Why was she the only one still mad at Tino?
Good question. Why was she?
To her surprise, Clarence was waiting for her at the door. “Thought I’d walk you out tonight, Miss Natalie.”
“That’s not necessary, Clarence.”
“Most nights it wouldn’t be.” He held the door open for her. “But your guardian angel called to say he was running late. He’d kick my old ass if I let you go waltzing out there by yourself. And before you say anything, I’d do the same thing for any woman leaving the building this late.”
“Fine.”
As they walked out of the center, it seemed extra dark outside. One reason was that the sky was cloudy, and no moonlight could get through. But she was pretty sure that learning that Tino wasn’t there also contributed to the gloom out in the parking lot.
It didn’t help that the city still hadn’t fixed the burned-out lights across the street. She’d be making a call about it first thing in the morning. If that didn’t get some action, she’d sic her grandfather on them. Cyrus had several of the city council members on speed dial. If they wanted his continued support, they’d get someone out there pronto.
“I’ll see what I can do about the broken streetlights tomorrow, Clarence. There’s no excuse for it taking the city so long to get them replaced.”
“I’ve called myself, but you can see how much good that has done.”
They walked behind her car just as three teenagers came strolling toward them from the direction of the basketball court. Her pulse did a stutter step when the tallest one stopped to stare at her. “Hey, guys, look who we have here.”
He glanced at his companions. “Luck is with us. This is the rich bitch who has been fancying up the center. I’m betting she can get us into the computer lab and save us the trouble of breaking in. We’ll grab those shiny new computers and be gone before anyone is the wiser.”
“There’s one problem with your plan.” Clarence stepped out from behind the car to put himself between her and the trio. “She’s not alone. Now, you three best get moving if you know what’s good for you, because I’m calling the police.”
“Old man, we’re not scared of you or the cops.”
As Clarence started to dial, the closest boy pulled a piece of pipe out of his bag and lunged forward to knock the phone from Clarence’s hand. One of the others made a grab for Natalie, but she swung her briefcase at him, making solid contact with his head. He cursed and retaliated with a hard blow to her cheek with the flat of his hand. The impact sent her stumbling back against the fender of her car.
Meanwhile, the other two faced off against Clarence, fists flying. The scuffle didn’t last long, because Tino appeared out of nowhere. With a bellow of rage, he grabbed the nearest punk and flung him skidding across the pavement. The one with the pipe hit the ground next. Tino jerked the makeshift weapon out of his hand and immobilized the kid by twisting his arm behind his back. The teen fought to get free, but Tino held him prisoner with frightening ease.
Meanwhile, Clarence took the second teen to the ground and sat on his back to keep him there. The one who had attacked Natalie took off running, but she made no effort to stop him. It wasn’t until he was almost out of sight that she realized he’d stolen both her purse and briefcase in the process. It was tempting to chase after him, but that was the adrenaline talking. Her hands shook as she picked up Clarence’s phone to call 9-1-1.
While she relayed the necessary information, Tino kept his eyes pinned on her. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” Not really. Her face throbbed with pain while her heart threatened to burst out of her chest. “How about you, Clarence? Did they hurt you?”
The older man dabbed at a bit of blood on his face with his sleeve. “I’ll be fine. These two aren’t man enough to do any real damage.”
When the pair in question started cursing, Tino jerked harder on the teenager’s arm, knocking the breath out of him. “Shut your mouth before I shut it for you permanently. There’s a lady present.”
By that point, she could hear sirens. Seconds later, a pair of patrol cars tore into the parking lot with tires screaming and lights flashing. Two police officers took custody of the teenagers while the others took statements from the three adults. Natalie was proud of how calm she sounded as she answered their questions despite the fact that her teeth had a tendency to chatter. What really worried her was that the kid who had escaped had her keys and her wallet. If he wanted to come after her, he would have no problem finding her.
The waves of chills rolling across her skin had nothing to do with the cool evening air. Having finally relinquished his prisoner to the police, Tino moved up beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Just that quickly, she felt warm and safe. There was no missing the tension thrumming through his big body even though his touch was gentle and meant to comfort. That didn’t mean the man wasn’t enraged by what had gone down. No doubt she’d hear about it later. For now, she instinctively leaned into his strength.
The EMTs checked her for a concussion before offering her an ice pack to control the swelling on her face. After assuring them she was only a bit shaken up by the encounter, they turned their attention to Clarence. The older man had sustained a couple of minor bruises and a small cut on his chin. Otherwise, he was fine. All things considered, the encounter could’ve had a far worse outcome.
When the EMTs finished with Clarence, Tino asked him, “Would you like me to drive you home?”
The older man shook his head. “My ride will be here any minute. In fact, there she is.”
To Natalie’s surprise, Rosalie pulled up and jumped out of her car, ignoring everyone except for Clarence. “What happened? Are you all right?”
The man in question gathered the woman into his arms. “Now that you’re here, I’m a whole lot better, Rosie girl. I’ll explain on the way home.”
Natalie watched the pair in stunned silence. She’d always suspected there was something brewing between the pair, but Rosalie had insisted that Clarence had loved his late wife too much to look at another woman. Obviously, that had changed. Finally, her friend released her death grip on Clarence and turned her attention toward Natalie and Tino.
Rosalie’s expressive eyes widened as she took note of Tino holding Natalie so close. “How about the pair of you? Are you okay?”
Tino gave Natalie a slight squeeze. “We’re both all right except that a third kid took off with Natalie’s purse and briefcase, which had her wallet and keys in it.”
Rosalie shuddered. “Sweetie, that’s not good. Maybe you should come home with us for tonight.”
Seriously, when had Rosalie and Clarence gone from sparring with each other to becoming an “us”? This wasn’t the time for an inquisition. “I appreciate the offer, but that’s okay.”
The policeman who had taken charge of the situation joined the discussion. “I’m sorry to say it, Miss Kennigan, but she’s not wrong. These two gave up the identity of the third member of their crew to avoid being charged with the theft. With luck, it shouldn’t take us lo
ng to find him. However, until we do, you’re at risk. We can ask the police in your area to keep an eye on your place, but you’d probably rest better if you stayed with your friends.”
Tino stood a little taller but maintained his hold on Natalie. “I’ll be making sure Ms. Kennigan is safe. You have my number if you need to get in touch with her.”
Maybe she should object to Tino answering for her, but right now she was too tired to argue. She noted that he didn’t exactly say that she’d be going home with him, but she was willing to bet that everyone had jumped to that conclusion. There would be time enough to decide where she would crash for the night once they were away from nosy friends and busy policemen.
A second officer approached them. “Ms. Kennigan, I am sorry this happened. We’re all aware of the good work being done here at the center, thanks to the support of your foundation. My cousin’s boy is on the basketball team Jay Tobin has started, and I know a couple of the kids taking the computer course you’re teaching. It’s a damn shame that these idiots want to screw things up for everyone else.”
Her face hurt, and she ached from head to toe with exhaustion. Still, she mustered a smile. “Don’t worry. Nothing that happened tonight will affect the foundation’s willingness to support the center and this neighborhood.”
That seemed to reassure everyone concerned, and the police said they could all leave. She didn’t resist when Tino led her over to where he’d parked. Seconds later, they drove out of the lot with the police cars right behind them. Tino still hadn’t said where he was taking her. Right now, she really didn’t care.
All right, that was a lie. She didn’t want to go home nor did she want him to drive to her parents’ house. It was too much to hope for that they’d never find out about what had happened, but she wasn’t up to dealing with them tonight.
Tino finally broke the silence. “Here’s the way I see this all playing out. You have two choices. Well, actually three, but I’m operating under the assumption you don’t want to go running home to your folks. If that’s true, the first choice is that we can upset your grandfather by showing up on his doorstep to see if we can crash there for the night.”
Always Be True Page 22