Running Scared Read Free

hesitated, tugging at his lower lip. “There is one other thing, Kate.”
    She braced herself. “What’s that?”
    “You know how much I think of you, how…well, how I’ve tried to get close to you.”
    She closed her eyes for an instant. “I don’t want to hear this.”
    “Even before Jim was killed.”
    “I know, Tyrell.” She stepped away from him, the backs of her calves brushing up against the seat of her secretarial chair.
    “And I wasn’t as much of a gentleman as I should have been.” He ran a hand through his hair, as if he were embarrassed. “I feel badly about it, really. I’d like to make it up to you.”
    “By what? Allowing me this adoption?”
    “Not adoption. Remember that. This child is your own flesh and blood.” He stared at her long and hard, as if silently assessing her mettle, determining if she was up to the role she’d have to play. “God, you’re beautiful.”
    She swallowed hard.
    “You know, I think I’m half in love with you. Can you imagine that? Me—the confirmed bachelor. Anyway, I would have done anything for you, Kate. Any thing. After Jim died, I thought I could help you get over him, that we could get together.”
    “It…it could never happen,” she said firmly.
    He stared at her for a long minute, and as if he finally understood that she wouldn’t change her mind, he let out a sigh. “Yes, well, I figured as much, but I thought it was worth at least saying aloud.” Clearing his throat, he walked to the window and stared outside. The reflection from a stoplight flashed red against his skin. “Well, now that I’ve thoroughly embarrassed myself, I suppose we should get down to business.”
    She waited, watching the play of emotions cross his face. He looked cornered and defeated, but she had to remind herself that Tyrell Clark was like a cat with his proverbial nine lives. No matter what, he always landed on his feet. She’d seen it time and time again.
    “I’ll get the necessary paperwork together and then you’ll leave town with your newborn son.” His face clouded a bit. “I wish…” Shaking his head, he chuckled without a trace of mirth. “Oh, well, you know what they say about wishes and beggars. As part of the deal, I’m giving you ten thousand dollars.”
    “Oh, no—”
    “For the child. It will be expensive at first.” He saw the questions in her eyes. “It’s not from me. The maternal grandfather wants to be sure that the baby is cared for properly. If you don’t need the cash now, you can always buy bonds—think about the future, college or a house or whatever.” He waved off her concerns but she felt sick inside. Adding money into the deal gave it a darker, more corrupt hue.
    “So the grandfather is financing all this?”
    “You might not approve of it, Kate, but you should look at it as a gift. No one’s twisting your arm,” he reminded her. “What would you like to call him?”
    “What?”
    “He’ll need a name.”
    “Oh, Lord. I don’t know. How about Jon? Jonathan Rudisill Summers.”
    “Clever girl,” he commented. “Your maiden name and Jim’s.” He smiled to himself.
    “How will I know that no one will ever contact me? Want the boy back?”
    “You have my word.”
    He slid the envelope that had held the photograph in it across the desk. “Here’s the cash.”
    “I don’t want the money.”
    “Take it, Kate. Look, you’re going into this with your eyes open, but you’ve got to promise to practically fall off the face of the earth and, no matter what, pretend that the baby is yours.”
    She swallowed back her last, lingering doubts and picked up the bulky manila envelope. “I will,” she vowed because somewhere in this city an innocent newborn boy lay in a bed alone and frightened. He needed her.
    And God only knew how much she needed him.

B OOK O NE
JON
    1995

Chapter 1
    Run, run, run!
    Jon raced through the dark city, his sneakers slapping against the wet pavement, his heart pounding so hard he