Chapter 24
Saying goodbye had been hell. It always was. It just felt so wrong, to watch his little girl leave him.
But at least he now had more opportunity to see Grace than he had had in over a year.
He’d rather it be every day, but had to agree with Hayley’s warning that if it became too regular, too routine, it also became more likely that Grace would inadvertently say something that would give them away.
His girl was brilliant, and she knew how important it was to keep this a secret, but she was also seven years old.
He couldn’t deny that he felt better that she was with Ali, for at least a bit longer. And Cutter, too. That little demonstration today had thoroughly convinced him of both the dog’s cleverness and his awareness that his main job was to protect Grace.
When Quinn started to go outside to roll the helicopter back in its hangar, Colby leaped up to follow.
“I need to do something. Anything,” he said.
“Not used to not working, huh? Careful or you’ll end up building my new tool rack,” Quinn said as they walked toward the helipad.
Colby’s mood shifted almost instantly. “Tool rack? Show me what you need and I’ll get on it.”
Quinn laughed. “Somehow I thought that might be your reaction.”
“Anything that’ll keep me from thinking too much about…things I can’t do.”
“I know it’s got to be hard taking a back seat. But for now, while things are still stable, it’s for the best.”
He waited until they had the aircraft back under cover—a job that was a bit easier than he’d expected—and Quinn had shown him where he wanted the rack and what kind of tools it needed to hold, before he asked what had been eating at him.
“What happens later? If Liz really does blow up?”
“Then we do whatever is necessary to protect Grace.”
“I believe you. I just don’t know what that might involve.”
“Steps,” Quinn said. “If it looks like she’s escalating, we’ll take advantage of Ali’s offer and station people at her place, for a quick response.” He gave Colby a wry smile. “Sorry it can’t be you, because if she spotted you over there…”
“Yeah, I get it. Not happy, but I get it.”
“If I were you, I’d much rather be with Ali too,” Quinn said, with no trace of joking in his demeanor. Colby looked away quickly, wondering just how much he’d betrayed without realizing. Probably would be hard to miss how he kept…looking at her.
Quinn went on as if he hadn’t noticed. “Next option, or maybe simultaneous, would probably be Gavin. He’s already digging into all the custody paperwork, and letting her know he’s connected should make her take care. Then if necessary, involving Carly.”
“And if Liz goes completely off the rails?”
“Then it’s all hands on deck, and no holds barred, and a few other metaphors.”
“They own a lot of properties in a lot of places,” he warned. “And she’s always threatening to take Grace to one of them, where I’ll never find her.”
“But I will,” came a voice from behind them. Liam was walking into the hangar. “I’ve already got quite a list. They’re good at hiding things behind fake corporate names, but not that good.”
“You’re just better at finding than they are at hiding,” Quinn said with a grin at his operative.
Colby stared at the two men. “You’re already finding the places she might go?”
“Too bad their attempts to buy a piece of that island fell through. That would have been a good place to run to. With that nice private jet they’ve got hangared over on the other side.”
Colby was staring at the guy now, who just grinned back at him. Was their access that good, or was he one of those hacker types who could get…anything online?
Liam went on. “But they’ve still got some properties that would be possible places to hide out.” He shifted his gaze to his boss. “Only two on the list where we don’t have someone who owes Foxworth to call on.”
“All right,” Quinn said. “Give me the locations and I’ll see what I can find.”
“Owes Foxworth?” Colby asked.
Quinn looked at him. “That’s what we meant, before. When we help someone, the only payment we ask is that you help us help someone else down the line.” He lifted a brow at Colby. “Which means when all this is done and settled and Grace is safe, we may be calling you some day.”
He said it so confidently, as if it were a given, that Colby felt his throat tighten. Grace is safe… That was what had to happen, and he would do whatever it took to make it so.
“Anything,” he said, meaning it.
“We’ll make a note,” Quinn said, smiling slightly. Then he turned back to Liam. “Anything else?”
Liam grinned at him. “I’m also finding some interesting financial hiding places. Things I’m guessing they wouldn’t want publicly known, which could come in handy.”
“Excellent.”
Colby couldn’t think of a thing to say at this display of reach and efficiency. But something must have shown in his face, because Liam turned to face him.
“Think of it as stockpiling ammo. We don’t want to have to use it, but if we need it, for that brilliant kid of yours, we’ll have it.”
He watched the guy leave, no doubt heading back to collect more of that ammo. When he looked back at Quinn, he was grinning as he watched his tech expert go. Then he met Colby’s gaze.
“Your Grace has charmed all of us, it seems.”
“She’s…a miracle,” Colby said, his throat tight yet again.
He hadn’t felt this much positive emotion in a very long time.
Enough to think that maybe, just maybe, they could do this.
Not necessarily beat Liz completely, but at least make life better for both him and Grace.
And once that was done, maybe, just maybe, he could think about him and Ali.
Just thinking the phrase, just linking the two of them mentally, caused a jump in his pulse rate.
If I were you, I’d much rather be with Ali too.
Quinn’s too-observant statement rang in his mind, and he made himself face the truth of it.
Yes, he would much rather be with Ali. It would mean he was closer to Grace.
But that wasn’t the only reason he’d rather be in that cute little cottage that was so much more appealing to him than the grandiose mini-mansion Liz had had built next door.
No, the other reason would be its owner.
The woman who had disrupted her life completely to help a child and a man she hadn’t even known two weeks ago.
The woman who made him feel…different.
Why would someone who can do what you do want to become a paper pusher?
People like you who can build or make those things, now, they’re worth something.
He didn’t think he would ever forget the words she’d said, or the tone of utter certainty in her voice when she’d said them.
He’d always loved what he did, taken a certain pride in it, but had never expected anyone else to.
His clients approved, yes, and he got the occasional “Well done,” or “Nice work,” which he treasured, but that was from strangers.
Not from someone whose opinion mattered…
personally. And Ali Moran’s opinion mattered to him on a level he didn’t think he’d ever felt before.
And it had even before he’d kissed her.