The Power

by Cynthia Roberts

  Miss. Rogers was quiet, and Jack didn’t know if the woman was weighing her options or what. Had Lilly sent Josh to make this offer? Was she the one paying for the rehab clinic? Of course she was, but why, Jack asked himself, but then Miss Rogers burst into fitful sobs.

  “I’m a horrible woman, a horrible mother! My daughter is probably scared out of her mind, and it’s all my fault!” she wailed.

  You got that right, lady, Jack thought harshly, but a part of him felt bad for the woman. She was an addict. He had seen many over the years. He knew from experience that the woman had to want to get clean for herself or it would never take.

  Josh didn’t say anything to the woman’s outburst. Instead he merely waited. “Your offer is a kind one, but you’re a stranger.” Miss. Rogers spat out more quietly after she had regained her composure.

  “Yes ma’am.” Josh said lowly. “I’m aware that this is a difficult decision, and that also I am in fact, a stranger, but my employer and I as well want what is best for the child, and that ma’am is getting you, her mother, clean, sober, and back to being her mother.”

  “I know. I know. I’m just scared.” Miss. Rogers confessed brokenly. “So scared.”

  “Yes ma’am.”

  “What do I have to do?” she asked after a moment.

  “You have to sign papers stating that Kylie is to stay with my wife and I for one month or however long it takes for the state to reward your daughter back to you.” Josh filled in.

  “And the state will do that, hand Kylie over to you and your wife?” Miss. Rogers asked in astonishment.

  “Yes ma’am, if you sign the papers, and I assure you that we will take very good care of your daughter for you while you are away.” Josh replied gently.

  Jack leaned back against the wall, listening to the minor details as the two discussed what would happen over the next month or more. It was nearly fifteen minutes later that Josh came out of the room, running a hand through his dark hair. His light blue eyes filtered up at the sight of Jack standing there. Jack held up his hand in a still wave.

  “Interesting seeing you here, Josh.” he said, and Bordello, who wasn’t in on the loop, looked at Jack for answers.

  “Is it?” Josh turned fully to face Jack. Jack straightened. His amber gaze locked with Josh’s uncomfortable one.

  “Lilly sent you?” he asked to make sure.

  “We saw the story on the news. Miss. Lillian hates to see any child suffer.” Josh said, and he examined his thumbnail as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

  “So she forked over the hefty admission sum to Ford?” Jack asked, and Josh shrugged his big shoulders.

  “It’s all she can do.” he said with another shrug. “Any word on the two men who broke into Miss. Rogers’ apartment?”

  “Yeah. They’re dead.” Jack countered coldly.

  “Who is this guy?” Bordello took a good look at Josh Meisner.

  “Long story.” Jack said dismissively.

  “I’ll wait. Fill me in later.”

  “And you’re taking the kid in?” Jack ignored Bordello, and turned to Josh.

  “Looks that way. It was my wife’s idea. She’s due next month, our first child.” Josh explained. “She couldn’t stomach the thought of the little girl going to an orphanage.”

  “She has a big heart.” Jack nodded. “Where is your employer anyway?”

  “Miss. Lillian had to take care of some business out of town, Detective Stone. Didn’t she tell you?” Josh’s bright eyes were alight with something similar to amusement. Jack frowned at him. No, Lilly hadn’t told him she was going out of town. Weren’t they having dinner Friday?

  “Where out of town?” Jack stepped forward to ask.

  “Why? Is she some sort of a suspect?” Josh grinned. “Is it suddenly a crime to help people in this city?”

  Jack just stared at the man. He was about to lose his patience, but he knew it was without cause. Josh Meisner had come there on Lilly’s behalf to distribute a good deed, and hell Lilly could afford it! Maybe that was the problem, the money thing! Damn! He had to get over this, Jack thought, angry with himself. So, the woman had money? What should that matter? Jack’s stomach tightened.

  “I don’t know where she went this time. Troy and my grandfather are with her. She left a message for you if you should call, but since I’ve run into you now.” Josh was saying. Jack had tuned him out, but at the word message, he looked up sharply.

  “She said to tell you that she should be back in time for your dinner on Friday, and that you could call her on Troy’s cell if you needed anything.” Josh related.

  Bordello was looking at Jack knowingly now. It hadn’t taken him long to figure out that Jack was somehow involved with Lilly. Jack put Troy’s Cell number into his phone, thanked Josh, and then he and Bordello walked out to Jack’s sedan.

  “You’re girl’s got money.” Bordello announced with a wicked grin as he was pulling on his seatbelt.

  “Shut up.” Jack groaned as he started the ignition, and pulled out into the street, all the while listening to Bordello’s amused laughter.

  Chapter eighteen

  Lillian had just woken for the evening when Troy entered the room and handed her his cellular phone. “It’s Detective Stone.” Troy informed her, and then he exited the room, giving her some privacy.

  “Jack.” Lilly said, pleased that he had called.

  “Hello, Lilly.” Jack replied. “You didn’t tell me you had to leave town?”

  “It was a last minute decision.” Lillian said, and she slid down onto the comfortable hotel sofa. Looking around at the off-white walls with the fancy borders and trim, she thought of Jack’s handsome face. “How are you?” she asked softly.

  “Tired.” Jack confessed, and she could hear that he had sat down. “Where are you?” he asked, indeed sounding very tired.

  “Boston.” Lillian replied. “I had some things I had to take care of. Are you upset with me, Jack?” she asked, hating that she couldn’t read of him all that she longed to know.

  “I ran into your boy, Josh, at the hospital tonight. He was there visiting Miss. Rogers.” Jack filled in.

  “Oh?” Lillian said, wondering what all Josh had told him. “You’re upset with me about the money.” she realized, and Jack chuckled low in his throat.

  “Not with you, Lilly. I just…I just feel inadequate sometimes. You know, that old caveman philosophy. I’m the man. I’m supposed to take care of my woman.” he laughed out.

  “Oh.” A smile touched Lillian’s lips. “Then you consider me your woman?” The thought touched something deep inside of her. Warmth gathered in her belly, and she revealed in it, and the delicious thoughts now circulating her mind where Jack Stone was concerned. If the fact that she had more money than him was upsetting Jack, what would he think if she told him she was also stronger, faster, and could do things that he could not do in a million years? The thought frightened her. The last thing she wanted to do was to intimidate him in any way.

  “Lilly.” Jack breathed out, and then he chuckled as if suddenly amused. “Yes. Okay? Yes, I consider you my woman.”

  “Good.” Lillian whispered back.

  “Good?” Jack mocked, and she smiled.

  “You make me smile, Jack. I haven’t felt like smiling in a very long time.” she confessed, not knowing why she had.

  “No?” Jack asked curiously. “Why not?”

  “There hasn’t been much to smile about.” Lillian admitted, thinking of all the lonely years, all spent in the cover of darkness as a creature of the night, as a cold-blooded killer. It wasn’t exactly the charmed life. In fact, it was no life at all.

  “That’s too bad.” Jack replied thoughtfully. “Because you have a stunning smile, Lilly, absolutely beautiful.” he complimented low in his throat. “When will you be back?” he asked, and Lillian thought of all that she must do. It was Tuesday evening. She would scout the city tonight, and take the time to be careful in her selection. She,
Reginald, Josh, and Troy had come up with this plan, to leave the city to hunt. They had also come up with a plan to dispose of the bodies, so that the bodies of her victims would not be discovered in the cities or towns that she was known to have visited. She could lie to Jack about where she had gone, but it would be easy enough to check the flight records of her private jet. And besides, she didn’t want to lie to Jack anymore than she already was by simply not telling him who, or rather what she really was. She didn’t want to lie to him at all, but how could she tell him the truth? She had told him once before, she recalled. Once upon a time, over a hundred years ago, she had told Jackson the truth concerning her existence, and he had stood by her. Would Jack do the same? Would it be safe to tell him now, here, after what had happened in the past? There was a lot to think over, and she didn’t want to make the wrong decision, not again!

  “Friday.” She said, thinking of Jack’s handsome face, of his warm amber eyes, and beautiful smile. “How is the case coming along?” she asked.

  “Slow.” Jack admitted. “No breaks. I tell you, Lilly, I’m beginning to feel like an idiot on this one.” he was quiet for a moment.

  “It’s a tough case.” Lillian said generously.

  “Yes.” Jack agreed. “The FBI is pushing their way in now. They’re shouting serial killer. So now, Bordello and I get to take the backseat. I never was too good at taking the backseat.” Jack growled out.

  “Somehow I doubt that you actually will?” Lillian guessed, and Jack sighed.

  “No.” he agreed. “I won’t. Friday seems forever away.” he added as an afterthought.

  “Forever.” Lillian agreed softly, just as Troy came back into the room with her cloak. Tonight would be a first. Troy was going along with her on the scout. It would be a new experience for both of them.

  “Can I call you later tonight, Jack? We were just heading out to dinner?” she said, and Troy threw her a knowing grin that Lillian smirked at. Troy chuckled low in his throat.

  “Sure, Hun.” Jack said lowly, and she heard him sitting up. “I’ll be up.”

  “All right. I won’t be long.” Lillian promised, and that said she told Jack goodbye, and hung up the phone.

  “Dinner?” Troy teased, and she tossed a pillow from the sofa at his chest which he expertly caught.

  “You are excited.” Lillian stated more than asked twenty minutes later as the big man, Troy Meisner, strolled beside her on the darkened sidewalk. Troy swallowed guiltily. Lillian could read the conflict in his mind. Yes, he was excited, excited to see how it was done, the hunt, but also torn between the basic human thoughts of right and wrong. It was wrong to kill. Troy knew that. He respected that, and he was a good man. Even though he knew that it would not be he that was doing the killing a part of him felt responsible for it all the same. He was helping her after all.

  Lillian paused, and her light blue eyes fell on the handsome man beside her. Troy reminded her so much of his grandfather, not only in looks, but also in heart. He was so willing to help, so eager, and yet he still held a strong since of morality of right and wrong. Troy was, what the mortals wrote about, a hero, a knight in shining armor, she mused. She didn’t want to taint that.

  “You don’t have to do this, Troy.” Lillian let him know, and he stood there in thoughtful silence. A big hand lifted to sweep through his dark brown hair, pulling the extra length back from his forehead. Slowly, he blew out his breath.

  “Go back to the hotel...” Lillian said, letting him off the hook.

  “No.” Troy shook his dark head. “I want to help you.” he said, and she could feel the strength sliding through him. He was about to compromise his beliefs. For her? He knew what she was. He knew what she did. He was training to be her protector after all, but he had never actually witnessed her in action, so to speak. He had never been asked to help with the slaughter.

  “This is my problem. I’ll deal with it.” she insisted, but she was grateful that he longed to help her.

  “Alone? Like you always do, Lillian? You don’t have to be alone. You have friends. You have a family.” Troy said with strength of emotion. Lillian stared into his eyes. She took a step toward him, but Troy stood his ground.

  “You would claim alliance with a killer?” she asked of his mind, but it didn’t shake him, not as she had hoped it would.

  “Any day. Any hour, but only with you, Lillian.” Troy countered, and it was he who took a step toward her now. What was this?

  “Why?” Lillian had to know, and she took another step toward him, making them only a step apart. She tilted her head, examining his curious face. Just what was going on with him?

  “Because you are my family.” Troy said, and he took the last step. “You think I don’t recall how you looked out for Josh and I when we were children, how you saved us time and again from our own foolish behavior?” he grinned down at her, showing her that he wasn’t backing down. “Back then, I only knew you as my grandfather’s employer, one that we saw so little of, but as I grew I began to realize that you didn’t age. Each time I saw you, you looked exactly the same.” he breathed out.

  “I should have never shown myself to you.” Lillian turned away from him, but Troy grabbed her back. She stared then, down at the strength of his fingers grasping her shoulders. She peered up into his dark brown eyes in wonder.

  “If you had not, I would be dead.” Troy reminded. He was right. She recalled the time when she and Reginald had just come back to New York City. Troy had been nineteen at the time. Josh only seventeen. That had been nearly ten years ago now, she thought. Troy had been out drinking with his friends, and had opted to climb behind the wheel of his car. He had been leaving a party at a friend’s house, and Lillian had seen the foolish boy climb into his car. She couldn’t help but to notice as he began to swerve down the street. Knowing that Reginald would be devastated if something were to happen to his grandson, Lillian had opted to follow the boy by rooftop. Troy had nearly swerved into parked cars down the deserted street several times, driving only a few blocks before he came to a red light, and barely stopped in time. Lillian saw her opportunity and dropped to the street. Troy yelled out when she practically tore the driver’s side door of his sports car open and yanked him from behind the wheel.

  “What the hell? Who are you? What are you doing?” Troy had shouted as she had slammed him up against the side of the car, but then his dark eyes fell upon her, and he recognized her face. “Miss. Lillian.” he had said with a grin, and his disoriented eyes had begun to look around him. “Where are we?”

  “Walking home.” she had said, and she had jerked him forward by his shoulder, only to have the boy fall to his knees and vomit on her boots. It had been difficult, but she had managed to push, shove, and pull Troy back to the manor that night, where Reginald had fussed over the boy and called his mother to let the woman know that Troy was safe. When Troy had awoken on the sofa the next morning, he had asked his grandfather over Lillian. Reginald, seeing that the boy needed some guidance, had pleaded with Lillian to give the boy a job as Lillian’s gardener. It had been push and pull over the next three years with Troy working as Lillian’s gardener, attending NYU and still longing to play with the boys. Troy hadn’t known through those years of the truth concerning Lillian, but as smart as Troy Meisner was he soon discovered everything.

  “You helped me and my family more than you will ever know.” Troy said, rubbing her arms curiously. What was this? Lillian stepped back. Troy smiled awkwardly. He lowered his dark head, but she could feel in him what she had never bothered to search for before. He was in love with her! Shocked, she took a step back.

  “Troy.” she backed further away.

  “Don’t worry, Lillian.” Troy smiled as he lifted his head, but his eyes were liquid. “I know you can read it of me, what I feel for you, what I’ve felt for years.” he chuckled in sarcastic amusement. “It about killed me when you told us the story of your Jack.” he met her gaze. She could hear his heart pumping in strong
determination, could feel his anguish.

  “I did not wish to cause you pain.” she said, feeling guilty for something she knew she could have no control over.

  “I know that.” Troy nodded. “I know that.” he said more firmly, and he met her gaze. “I want to help you. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy, Lillian.”

  Lillian was at a loss for words. How could she respond to such unselfish devotion? She couldn’t. Troy was the first to speak. He grinned. “Well, let’s go and read some minds, see who’s been naughty or nice?” he joked, and Lillian didn’t know if to smile or reply.

  “Come on.” Troy grabbed her arm. “Let’s get this done, and get you back to your Jack.” he led her along the darkened street. Ahead on the sidewalk, a group of young men in baggy jeans that had slipped around their mid-groins to reveal a variety of colored boxers were standing and talking boisterously. Lillian set her gaze on a dark haired, young man about seventeen years old. He was thinking of their rivals, another gang, and how he wanted to bust some heads. Someone named Ricky had taken a shot at him last week. Lillian shook the useless thoughts, and turned to another boy, a blonde haired, blue-eyed boy.

  “What am I doing here?” he thought. “I’m fucking up my life with this shit.” His remorse was hefty. Lillian shook those thoughts as well. She looked to Troy.

  “Just some teenagers with minor offenses.” she told him, and Troy shrugged, and led her on.

  “How does it work, Lillian?” He asked curiously as they walked the practically deserted sidewalk toward the more seedy side of town.

  “How does what work?” Lillian was distracted reading the mind of a lone man standing with his foot propped back against a store-front window. Homeless, she thought. He regrets leaving his wife and son. He longs to see them again.