"Several bedrooms with baths." Galen gestured to the south wing. "Why don't you find a cozy place for the three of you while I make a pot of coffee?"

Cozy? That was the last term she'd use for this place, Elena thought wearily. Barry's grasp was tight on her hand and his eyes were wide with wonder. He'd been through too much tonight. So had they all. "I'll be back to talk to you after I put Barry to bed."

"I thought you would. This place is kind of big. I'll leave a trail of bread crumbs to the kitchen."

"I'll find you." She moved down the hall. "Come on, Barry. Time to get to bed."

"This is a strange place." Barry's eyes were big as he gazed over his shoulder at the glass wall. "Can you see the whole world from here?"

"No, only the city and the bay."

"Does Galen own the city?"

"Nobody owns it. Or maybe everyone does."

"Oh."

He didn't speak again while she got him undressed and tucked into a king-size bed in one of the guest rooms. He was too quiet, she thought worriedly. She sat down beside him on the bed. "Okay?"

He nodded and closed his eyes.

It wasn't okay. "Barry, bad things happened tonight, but we're all safe now. Nothing can hurt you."

His eyes opened. "Who did it, Mama?"

"Bad men."

"Why?"

"It's hard to explain. Bad men do bad things."

"It was burning."

"I know." What could she say when he was almost in shock? "But we're safe now."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure." She pressed a kiss on his forehead. "I'd never let anything happen to you. Don't you know that?"

He didn't answer for a moment. "This was an adventure, wasn't it?"

"I guess some people would call it that."

"I didn't like this adventure, Mama."

"Neither did I. Sometimes adventures aren't very much fun."

"I didn't know that."

She could feel the tears stinging her eyes. He was already absorbing lessons she had wanted him never to learn. "There are wonderful adventures too."

"I guess so." He turned over and closed his eyes. "Mr. Forbes wasn't in that fire, was he?"

"No."

"Good. I was worried. He's a nice man."

"Yes. Go to sleep, love."

"I will. I don't want to be awake right now."

Because being awake was more frightening than the oblivion of sleep. "And in the morning everything will be bright and beautiful and all the adventures will be happy ones."

"I hope so."

He dropped off to sleep five minutes later, and Elena carefully covered him with the sheet and rose to her feet.

Dominic was waiting in the hall. "I'll sit with him for a little while. He may not stay asleep. He's had a rough night."

"So have you."

"Well, I admit that it's not every man who's burned out of two houses in the space of a month." He smiled. "Go on and talk to Galen. I'll take good care of Barry."

"You always have. Better than I've done. Maybe I should have-"

"Go." He gave her a push down the hall. "You must be upset if you're dealing in should-haves."

She took a deep breath. He was right. It was no time to be looking back when she had to find a way for them all to survive. "Watch him. He may have nightmares. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Chapter 5

"How's the boy?" Galen asked as she came into the kitchen.

"Not good." She sat down at the granite-topped table. "But he didn't see Forbes killed. I was afraid he had."

"He saw enough to disturb most kids." He poured her a cup of coffee and sat down across from her. "Don't try to smooth things over. You need to be up front with him."

"He's five years old."

"And you want to protect him. But you may not be able to do it. It's better if he knows that you'll always tell him the truth. Truth is important to kids."

"And you're an expert?" she asked sarcastically.

"At most things. Drink your coffee."

She lifted her cup to her lips. "Why did you come to the vineyard tonight? I thought you were going fishing."

"So did I. I've always had problems with letting go. At first, I was only going to keep a watch on Chavez and see if he made any moves."

"Why would you do that?"

He looked down into his coffee. "Ben Forbes and I go back a long way. I liked him. I thought it wouldn't hurt to keep an eye on things. Then, when Gomez went incommunicado, I decided to go up to the valley and see if there was a stakeout."

"Why?"

"I had a hunch. I believe in hunches."

So did Elena. "And then you came to the house to warn us."

"But I got there when things were already starting to happen. Carbonari had evidently found a way to let some of Gomez's men into the fermenting shed and didn't like the idea of you getting in the way."

"I wouldn't have suspected anything if they hadn't left the ladder propped against the vat. It was stupid of Carbonari not to put the ladder away and then put it up again later."

"I wonder if the fermenting shed caught fire." Galen tilted his head. "It would be pleasant to think of Gomez's men in that vat, slowly roasting."

"You'd like to kill them?"

"Oh, yes." His gaze narrowed on her face. "And you're studying me, analyzing my responses, looking for an edge. That's fairly amazing after what you've gone through tonight."

"It's because of what I've gone through tonight." Her hand tightened on her cup. "I have to find a way to keep Barry and Dominic safe. They won't be safe for long in this place."

"Don't be so scornful of Logan's pad. It has top-notch security. Billionaires are prime targets for kidnappers and terrorists, and he's very careful of his family." He added, "But I agree that penthouses aren't the best safe houses. There's only one way out and that's down."

"You could always arrange another helicopter pickup."

"You almost smiled then."

"Did I?"

"Yes, but it's gone again." He leaned back. "Go ahead. Ask me."

"Ask you what?"

"I'm not going to make this easy for you. You've already been a pot of trouble for me. I want the words."

She was silent for a moment. "I'm alone here. I need help."

"You could call the DEA."

"Forbes tried that. I won't make that mistake again." She paused. "I need your help. You have contacts and experience. You could keep Barry safe-if you wanted to do it."

"And what do I get out of it?"

She met his gaze. "Anything you want. Tell me and I'll find a way to get it for you."

He said nothing for a time, then, "How can I resist an offer like that?"

Galen was angry. His expression hadn't changed and his tone was as mocking as ever, but she sensed the anger was there. "You're not supposed to resist it. You want to be paid; you'll be paid. You're not being reasonable."

"I'm not, am I? I'm glad you called that to my attention."

"So what do you want?"

"I'll decide later. Maybe I'll run across some old enemy you can knock off for me. You wouldn't mind doing that, would you?"

"I'd mind."

"But you'd do it."