Devoted Defender Read Free Page A

heartache and pain—why would her life be any different?
    Annie walked up the brick steps to the front door and rang the doorbell. Unlike his father, Phil didn’t have a full-time staff. And Annie was hoping that he would be alone.
    Phil opened the door, and she immediately knew that things were wrong. Phil’s blond hair was disheveled and his brown eyes were red. His blue dress shirt was wrinkled and only half tucked in. This was not the totally put together man that she knew.
    “Annie, I’m so glad you’re here.” He grabbed onto her arms, pulling her through the front door and into the living room. “You must have heard about father?”
    “Yes.” She didn’t want to get into details just yet. She wanted to hear what Phil had to say. And she didn’t have a game plan here.
    “I didn’t know if word had gotten to you, Annie. Everyone has been so tight lipped and we’ve been able to keep it out of the media, given our family connections. But that’s going to change probably within the next twenty four hours.” Phil paced back and forth and then turned to her. “How did you find out?”
    “What did the police tell you about what happened?” She turned the question back on him.
    “They’re saying it was a home invasion. Father must have let the guy in. But the strange thing is that absolutely nothing was stolen.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know what to think.”
    “Phil, I need to tell you something very important.”
    “What?”
    “I need to know that I can trust you.”
    He led her over to the sofa. “Have a seat and talk to me, Annie. You know you can tell me anything.”
    She sat down beside him and took a deep breath. Here goes nothing , she thought. This was the right thing to do. He deserved to know what had happened to his father. “I was in the house the night your father was killed.”
    “What?” Perry’s dark eyes widened in disbelief. “What do you mean? I thought that was your night off.”
    She nodded. “It was, but I ran by the house to pick up some recipe notes I’d left in the kitchen. And when I was there I heard your father arguing with a man. Someone I didn’t recognize.” She took a breath as vivid memories flooded back to her. But she had to get through this. Phil needed to hear the truth. “Then the man shot him.”
    “What? Why didn’t you go to the police, Annie?”
    “The shooter saw me. He threatened me.” She fought back the fear that threatened to overwhelm her. She needed to get through this conversation. “Then as I was running away, he told me he’d kill me if I went to the cops.”
    Phil shook his head. “Did you hear the conversation between my father and the shooter?”
    “Part of it. And that’s one of the reasons I came to see you. I wanted to let you know that you could be in danger.”
    “What did they say to make you think that?”
    “Enough to know that your father was doing business with some man named Tim Silva. And, Phil, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but it sounds like your father may have been involved in some illegal activities. I’m not sure exactly what type, but it didn’t sound good. I’m sorry, I know this has to all come as a big shock to you.”
    While he was looking down, Phil let out a deep breath. But then as he spoke, his eyes were filled with sadness. “No, I’m the one who is sorry, Annie. You should have never been in the house last night.”
    Her heartbeat thumped loudly in her chest, and she stood up from the couch. “What are you saying, Phil?”
    “I had hoped that what I was told was untrue. But now hearing it from your own lips—it’s unavoidable. You know way too much.”
    The way Phil looked at her told her everything she needed to know. There was now no doubt in her mind that Phil was mixed up in all of this. And she’d just gone to him and offered herself up on a silver platter. Now what? “I think I should go.”
    “I’m sorry, Annie. I can’t let you do that.”
    She