He tuned back in to the conversation just in time to hear her say, ‘On Monday I have a meeting with some people regarding the planning for a charity ball which is their main fund-raising event of the year. It’s not the kind of thing I’d like to cancel.’ She paused for a heartbeat. ‘This particular cause is close to my heart.’
Royce gave her an enquiring look.
‘My mother died of ovarian cancer,’ she said huskily.
‘I’m sorry. How old were you?’
‘Twelve.’
His heart contracted. ‘There’s never a good time to have a parent die, but I imagine twelve is one of the more difficult ages.’
Shara nodded. ‘Especially for a girl. Mum and I were close. Her death left a huge gap in my life. My father didn’t know what to do with me.’
Given what he knew of Gerard Atwood, Royce could imagine that a grieving near-teenager would have been a challenge for him.
‘Well, there’s no need to cancel. I’ll simply come with you.’
Shara was frowning.
‘What is it?’ Royce asked.
She shrugged. ‘How will I explain you being with me?’
‘You can explain it however you like. Although I suspect telling the truth will only make you—and them—uncomfortable. Why don’t you just say I’m a friend who’s going to lend a hand?’ He paused for a moment. ‘It’s not too far from the truth, you know. I do a bit of volunteering myself.’
‘You do?’
He nodded. ‘The Royce Agency runs a free anti-bullying programme for schools called Kid Power.’
‘Because you were bullied as a kid?’
He nodded. ‘It’s a cause close to my heart—just as the ovarian cancer charity is close to yours.’
‘Well, in that case I’d love to have you come along.’
‘Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wait outside?’ Shara asked on Monday, stopping on the pavement outside the building that was their intended destination.
‘I can’t do that,’ Royce said. ‘Up close and personal, remember?’
After their recent karate lessons Shara was beginning to think they were already
too
up close and way,
way
too personal.
‘Royce, it’s an office building. I’ll be surrounded by people. What could happen to me here?’
‘Plenty.’ Royce folded his arms. ‘Brady could have followed us here.’
‘But he didn’t, did he? I noticed the way you kept on checking the rearview mirror on the way here.’
The fact that he was so vigilant was reassuring. He really was a consummate professional. But above and beyond that she also knew he was a caring person who would do whatever he had to do to protect her.
‘I don’t think he did,’ Royce said. ‘But protecting someone is about not taking chances. And don’t forget I thought I saw him watching the house a couple of days ago.’
Shara hadn’t forgotten. Even though Royce wasn’t one hundred percent sure it had been Steve—the guy had been wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and an oversized jersey—it had still been depressing news.
Royce waved to the building behind them. ‘There are multiple entrances and exits in this place. I can’t cover all of them.
Brady could simply walk in and confront you. I’m not taking that chance.’
He was right. It was better to be safe than sorry. ‘OK. Let’s go.’
They rode up in the lift in silence. Shara announced their arrival at Reception, and they were shown into a meeting room where the other attendees had already gathered.
Noreen, the committee chairperson, came up to them. Before Shara had the chance to make introductions Noreen jerked her head towards Royce and asked, ‘Who is the mountain?’
Straightening her spine, Shara raised herself to her full height. Once she might have let a comment like that go. Now she wouldn’t.
Steve had loved putting her down. He’d seemed to get some kind of perverted pleasure out of doing it.
Back then she’d been too frightened to defend herself. Now she wasn’t. At least not with someone like Noreen.
‘Don’t be rude, Noreen,’ she said.
‘No
Royce gave her an enquiring look.
‘My mother died of ovarian cancer,’ she said huskily.
‘I’m sorry. How old were you?’
‘Twelve.’
His heart contracted. ‘There’s never a good time to have a parent die, but I imagine twelve is one of the more difficult ages.’
Shara nodded. ‘Especially for a girl. Mum and I were close. Her death left a huge gap in my life. My father didn’t know what to do with me.’
Given what he knew of Gerard Atwood, Royce could imagine that a grieving near-teenager would have been a challenge for him.
‘Well, there’s no need to cancel. I’ll simply come with you.’
Shara was frowning.
‘What is it?’ Royce asked.
She shrugged. ‘How will I explain you being with me?’
‘You can explain it however you like. Although I suspect telling the truth will only make you—and them—uncomfortable. Why don’t you just say I’m a friend who’s going to lend a hand?’ He paused for a moment. ‘It’s not too far from the truth, you know. I do a bit of volunteering myself.’
‘You do?’
He nodded. ‘The Royce Agency runs a free anti-bullying programme for schools called Kid Power.’
‘Because you were bullied as a kid?’
He nodded. ‘It’s a cause close to my heart—just as the ovarian cancer charity is close to yours.’
‘Well, in that case I’d love to have you come along.’
‘Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wait outside?’ Shara asked on Monday, stopping on the pavement outside the building that was their intended destination.
‘I can’t do that,’ Royce said. ‘Up close and personal, remember?’
After their recent karate lessons Shara was beginning to think they were already
too
up close and way,
way
too personal.
‘Royce, it’s an office building. I’ll be surrounded by people. What could happen to me here?’
‘Plenty.’ Royce folded his arms. ‘Brady could have followed us here.’
‘But he didn’t, did he? I noticed the way you kept on checking the rearview mirror on the way here.’
The fact that he was so vigilant was reassuring. He really was a consummate professional. But above and beyond that she also knew he was a caring person who would do whatever he had to do to protect her.
‘I don’t think he did,’ Royce said. ‘But protecting someone is about not taking chances. And don’t forget I thought I saw him watching the house a couple of days ago.’
Shara hadn’t forgotten. Even though Royce wasn’t one hundred percent sure it had been Steve—the guy had been wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and an oversized jersey—it had still been depressing news.
Royce waved to the building behind them. ‘There are multiple entrances and exits in this place. I can’t cover all of them.
Brady could simply walk in and confront you. I’m not taking that chance.’
He was right. It was better to be safe than sorry. ‘OK. Let’s go.’
They rode up in the lift in silence. Shara announced their arrival at Reception, and they were shown into a meeting room where the other attendees had already gathered.
Noreen, the committee chairperson, came up to them. Before Shara had the chance to make introductions Noreen jerked her head towards Royce and asked, ‘Who is the mountain?’
Straightening her spine, Shara raised herself to her full height. Once she might have let a comment like that go. Now she wouldn’t.
Steve had loved putting her down. He’d seemed to get some kind of perverted pleasure out of doing it.
Back then she’d been too frightened to defend herself. Now she wasn’t. At least not with someone like Noreen.
‘Don’t be rude, Noreen,’ she said.
‘No
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