Matt tried to sound nonchalant, fishing to catch a tidbit of information.
Lydia shrugged. “A spur-of-the-moment invitation. Katherine thought Tyler and I could use a vacation.”
“The woman’s got a big heart.”
Lydia nodded. “I don’t know how I’ll ever repay her.”
“From what I know of Ms. O’Connor, that’s probably the last thing she wants.”
Lydia tilted her head and smiled. For an instant, the tension left her face and her eyes twinkled.
Pretty, but with a wary edge. She should be baking cookies and cheering at Little League games, not running from something…or someone.
He shook off the foolish thought and checked his watch. “Ten minutes left to work,” he called to the kids before turning back to Lydia. “Some of the parents should be showing up soon. A few of the moms and dads set up grills and cook hot dogs and hamburgers for the kids.”
“Is this part of your security chief duties?”
He laughed. “In a roundabout way. Helping kids get a good start in life makes for better citizens in the future.”
“So you’re helping out?”
“Trying to. The kids are great. And the parents are getting more involved. So far it’s been win-win.”
Car doors slammed. Matt glanced in the direction of the sound. “There’s Chase’s dad and Bobby’s parents. Nice people. The Jacksons are Katherine’s next-door neighbors.”
An attractive, thirty-something couple waved to Matt. “Good job, Bobby,” the man called out. The boy sprang to his feet and ran to hug his dad.
“It’s got a moat and two turrets and it’s bigger than the other kids’ castles,” the boy gushed.
Bobby’s mother rumpled her son’s red hair and then walked to where Lydia and Matt were rising from the beach towels.
“Sarah Jackson,” Matt said. “I’d like you to meet Lydia Sloan. She and her son, Tyler, are staying at Katherine O’Connor’s place for a while.”
With a quick smile, warm eyes and auburn hair the color of her son’s, Sarah reached out for Lydia’s hand. “Welcome to Sanctuary. Bobby’s going to love having a friend next door. The two of them can play together.”
Matt watched Lydia take a step back. The overt offer of friendship seemed to overwhelm the newcomer.
“We’re having a sleepover next Saturday,” Sarah continued. “Why don’t you let Tyler spend the night?”
“Thanks for inviting him, but I’m…I’m not sure how long we’ll be staying here.”
“This is my husband, Rob.” Sarah turned to greet a solidly built man who walked up to the group.
“Pleased to meet you,” he said to Lydia as they shook hands. Turning to Matt, he asked, “Any word on the road repairs?”
“Won’t take long once the crew gets started. Right now, they’re working on the main county access road. We’re next in line. I’ll let you know if I hear anything different.”
“Sounds good,” Rob said.
Luke Davenport stepped forward and extended his hand to Lydia. “I’m Chase’s dad. Welcome to Sanctuary.”
“Luke’s head of the Island Association,” Matt added. “He oversees just about everything that happens on Sanctuary.”
Luke slapped Matt’s back. “Having a good security chief helps.”
Matt appreciated the compliment. “Did you get that request I sent over to your office?”
“Don’t suppose I could change your mind?”
Matt shook his head. “I told you a year when I signed on.”
“Give me a couple weeks.” Luke turned to Lydia. “Nice meeting you, ma’am.”
Matt glanced at his watch, then walked to the center of the castle-building area and held up his hands.
“Time’s up, everyone. Brush yourselves off and then look at what the other teams have done. We’ll get the grills going and have some lunch after the announcement of the winning castles.”
The smell of charbroiled burgers filled the air a short time later. A number of the parents hovered around the grills, talking about the Friday night storm.
Lydia stood by herself near where Tyler and the boys played.
Matt had asked the church youth director to judge the sand castles and expected him to arrive at any minute. The kids were hungry, but Matt wanted to announce the winner before they gave thanks and got their food.
The youth director pulled into the parking lot. Matt looked up as a black Mercedes zipped along the road, heading south.
“Okay, kids, gather round.” The children circled Matt, all except Tyler.
Matt’s eyes searched the now-crowded picnic area, but he didn’t see Lydia or the boy.
Tires screeched against the blacktop.
Matt glanced around in time to see Lydia’s SUV race out of the parking lot, heading north.
FOUR
Lydia pressed her foot down on the accelerator while her hands clutched the steering wheel white-knuckle. She wished she could drive until there were no more men who could steal Tyler away.
And she never wanted to see another black Mercedes again.
Of course, that might be tough on an island full of wealthy home owners. The car could have belonged to an island resident merely out for a drive.
Just like that, she felt foolish for running away. Foolish, tired, scared—the same feelings that had plagued her over these last seven months.
Tyler sat forlornly next to her. His blond hair hung damp with perspiration, the smell of a little boy who’d been hard at play filling the car.
Lydia forced in a deep breath, hoping to quiet her pounding heart and the pulse of blood running rampant through her veins. Would she react this way every time she saw a black Mercedes?
Checking her speed, Lydia eased her foot from the gas pedal. “Tyler?”
The boy stared straight ahead.
“I’m sorry we had to leave.”
Tyler’s fingers twisted around the buckle of his seatbelt. “Was he wearing an Action-Pac watch?”
“Who, honey?”
“The man in the black car.”
A
