Heroes Never Die (37 page)

“We’re going to have so much fun today, Bobby,” Lillian bubbled.  “How would you like to go to the park?”

“He loves going to the park.”  Stephanie liked Lillian right away.  She was tender and loving toward her baby, and Stephanie felt comfortable releasing him into her care.  “But I have to warn you – Bobby is quite a handful.”

“Not to worry,” Lillian assured her.  “I’m used to handling, how should I say, curious children.  Bobby and I will get along fine.  I understand you’re moving today?”

“I hope that won’t be a problem,” Stephanie said, apologizing.  “It’s going to be a madhouse here, and I really need help with Bobby.”

“The trip to the park should tire him.  Maybe he’ll sleep through the worst of it when we return.”

“You’re wonderful, Mrs. Pezan.  I’ll get his coat and stroller.”

Stephanie put her son into his stroller.  She wasn’t used to being without her baby and it helped to know that Bobby was ecstatic.  He was going to the park.  “I packed a bottle, a snack, and extra diapers.”

“Now don’t you worry about a thing, Mrs. Fairchild.  Bobby and I are going to have a wonderful time together.”

“Thank you.  I really appreciate your help, and please, call me Stephanie.”  Stephanie kissed Bobby goodbye.  Then she closed the door and hurried to prepare for the movers.  She ran upstairs and set aside the clothing she didn’t want the movers to pack.

The doorbell began to ring over and over.  She checked her watch.  Cripes, the movers are early.  She hurried back down the stairs to let them inside.  They sounded as though they were anxious to begin.

Stephanie swung the door open expecting to see a crew of movers, but no one was there.  “That’s strange,” she said, wondering who had been ringing the doorbell.  Then she noticed a note taped to the door.  She reached for the note and read it out loud, “We have your baby.  Come watch him die.”

Come watch him die?  Her eyes instantly bulged with terror.  “Bobby!” she screamed, knowing that the terrorist had arrived.  “Bobby!”

Stephanie ran outside to save her baby.  She saw two foreign-looking men jump out of a car.  One man slammed his fist into the nanny’s face, knocking her unconscious to the ground, while the other man grabbed Bobby from his stroller.  The man put a gun to Bobby’s head.

“Noooooooo!” Stephanie screamed.

Chapter Forty-
Three:

A warm ocean breeze blew in through the patio screen.  A school of dolphins was swimming in the distance.  Stephanie stood at the screen, the breeze swirling her long hair, as she scanned the entire horizon.  She filled her lungs with a deep breath of fresh air and slowly exhaled with relief.  After all of the months of living in fear for her life, she was finally safe.  She was in her new home, and thankful that she and Bobby were still alive.

“We fooled them all, didn’t we?” she finally said as she turned around and focused on Kyle.

Kyle was bouncing Bobby on his lap.  He glanced up at her and smiled.  “We fooled them, all right,” he agreed, his Virginian accent smooth and confident.  “You’re safe now, Stephanie
, you and Bobby both.”

S
tephanie took a seat beside them and pressed her nose into Bobby’s face.  Her eyes filled with tears when she felt his warm little body next to her skin, and she smothered him with kisses, deeply relieved that her baby was alive.  She looked into Kyle’s eyes, her own eyes brimming with gratitude.  “I still don’t understand how you did it?”

Kyle shrugged his shoulders.  “It wasn’t all that difficult.  But I couldn’t have done it without Matt’s and Zach’s help.  They borrowed some fresh bodies from the morgue and set up the crime scene.  And of course, Lillian was one of our agents.  She passed Bobby off to another agent before she left your porch.  Bobby was never in any danger.”

“And the hit men?”

“No one will ever find them,” he said, omitting all of the gory details.  “An operative has already notified Tareef, but just to be sure he believes
that you and Bobby are dead, Minute Magazine is going to run a spread.  It will look like just another random act of violence to anyone here, but as far as Tareef is concerned, he’ll never come looking for you again.”

It still sounded too wonderful to be true, but she knew all along that Kyle would never let her down.  “You’re an amazing man, Kyle.  You always have it all figured out way before anyone ever thinks to ask the first question, and you’re always so sure of yourself.  I still don’t u
nderstand how you did it, but I’m glad you were there when Bobby and I needed you.”

Kyle’s face filled with cockiness.  “And you didn’t believe me when I said I would get you out of this mess.”

Stephanie puffed with exasperation.  She had expected him to be a little more unassuming, but then she remembered that it was Kyle she was talking to.  “You’re also the most arrogant, most conceited man I’ve ever known.”  But that was a part of Kyle she had once loved.

Kyle’s intelligent blue eyes smiled all the more.  “Now that’s a fine way to be talking after I saved your life.”

Tears began to stream down Stephanie’s cheeks.  “It’s not the first time you saved my life, Kyle.”  She remembered all of his threats after all the love they had shared.  She never understood why he had been so cruel, but now she knew.  He had been protecting her all along.  “You came to my rescue in George Town, too.  You’re the one who killed Hamid and all of his guards, aren’t you?”

Treason wasn’t anything to brag about, and Brian was the only other person who knew.  “Brian told you?”

“He didn’t have to.  I figured it out myself.”

“How?”

“It was simple,” she replied, remembering how she used to adore him.  “You were always my hero – and heroes never die.”

“God, I miss you, Stephanie.”  He held Bobby’s hand inside
of his.  “This little guy could have been ours.  I really messed up.”

“We both did,” she confessed, knowing they would have been married if she had stood up to Duke.

“You still love me, don’t you?”

Stephanie’s reeling emotions confused her.  Kyle was her first love, her hero, but he was no longer the man she adored.  “I love Brian.  I love him more than anything else in the world.”

“Any regrets?” he asked.

“None,” she fondly replied.  “I wouldn’t trade my life with Brian for anything.  I’m very happy.”

“I wish I could say the same.  I’ll always love you, Stephanie.”

“Don’t say that,” she pleaded, knowing she could never return his love.  “With all
of my heart, I want you to be happy, too.  There have to be hundreds of women out there who would kill to have you.  You’ll find that someone special.”

“There’s no one out there like you, ladylove.”

“Probably not,” she ventured.  “She’ll probably end up being better.  So don’t stop looking until you’ve found her.  You have to let me go, Kyle.  You have to move on with your life.”

Stephanie heard the front door open and close.  Brian had finally arrived.  “Stephanie,” she heard him call to her, knowing that he needed to be reunited with his family.

Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and she jumped from her chair and hurried to see him.  “Brian,” she cried as she ran to him and threw herself into his outstretched arms.  “Oh, Brian – you’re home.”

“Thank God you’re safe,” his deep voice trembled.

Bobby began to squirm on Kyle’s lap.  “Da da,” he squealed with excitement, reaching out to Brian with both hands.

“Bobby!” he cried.  Stephanie could see Brian’s face explode with intense happiness and relief.

Kyle stood to his feet and handed Brian’s son to him.  “Nice looking boy you have,” he said.

Stephanie saw their eyes clash, both men strong and unwilling to be the first to back down.  Brian glared at him.  Kyle was still in love with Stephanie.

“Brian,” Stephanie pleaded, wanting him to at least be pleasant to the man who had saved hers and Bobby’s life.

Brian finally reached out his hand.  “Thanks.  Thanks for saving my family.”

Kyle reached for his hand.  “Take good care of her.”

Then Kyle looked into Stephanie’s eyes.  What last words do you say to the woman you will always adore?  There was so much to tell her.  “Goodbye, Stephanie.”  Then he turned and walked out the door.

Stephanie stared at the door.  Kyle was gone forever.

Brian reached for her and turned her focus away from the door.  “You still love him, don’t you?”

Stephanie didn’t know if she could make Brian understand.  “I know this is going to sound crazy, Brian, but when I look back, I’m not sure if I ever did.  I was so young when I met him.  Maybe it was just an adolescent crush – hero worship, if you will.  Who knows?  It seems so long ago now.  But then I met you.  And that’s when my life began.  I love you, Brian Fairchild.  I always have, and I always will.”

Brian smiled.  “That’s all I wanted to hear.”  He pulled her close, holding Bobby in one arm and Stephanie in the other.

“Oh, Brian,” she cried, finally able to release all of her emotions.  “I was so scared.”  She buried her head in his chest, refusing to let him go.  “I was so scared.”

“I know,” he whispered, his voice wavering with intense relief.  “When I thought you were dead…”

“Shhhhh,” she whispered back.  “We’re safe now.  And nothing can ever tear us apart.”  Her nightmare was finally over.  She was free to enjoy the rest of her life.  “How’s Dad?”

“You scared the life out of him.  He told me to tell you that he’s giving you until the count of ten, and then he’s coming after you.”

She laughed and cried at the same time.  “I wish he had decided to move here with us.  I miss him, Brian.”

“I have good news for you, sweetheart.  Your dad and Jamie have agreed to become my partners.”

Tears of joy streamed down her face.  It was much too wonderful to be true.  “You mean we’ll all be together?”

“All of us – for the rest of our lives.”

Epil
ogue:

Kyle drove through the night.  By mid morning, he crossed the Michigan state line.  He was tired, but he had unfinished business to take care of.  If it took the rest of his life, he would destroy the man who had destroyed him.

He pulled up to a pay phone and searched through the directory.  He easily found the name and number.  He dropped a quarter in the slot and placed the call.  The phone rang, and when Kyle heard his voice, he grinned with pleasure.  Duke was going to have hell to pay.

“Duke, my friend.  How the hell are you?”

“Who is this?”

“Kyle – Kyle Robertson.  Remember me?”

~The End~