Guarding Raine Part 41

Mac's eyes rose to meet Simon's.

"I'm taking this with me,"

he said.

"I'll make 5 copy of it, then I'm handing this over to the police."

"The h.e.l.l you are!," the man thundered. He rose to his feet and leaned threateningly across the desk. " You'll follow orders, O'Neill,or you're off this case.

I'll fire you!

" " You can try," Mac invited. " But just because you stop signing the checks doesn't mean I'll be out of the picture.

I gave my word that I'd stay with Raine until this thing is over, and

you can't stop me."~ Simon glared at him. " You!re as stubborn as your old man was .' "No,"Mac contradicted."I'm much worse. The stakes have been raised, Simon. There's no doubt that Raine was set up last week. Whoever called knew just what to sayto take her off guard, to lure her away from the house. What's left of her car testifies to the dangerous twist this case is taking."

He watched Simon visibly pale and drop into his ~at. "Yesterday another letter came. The detective took it, and theenvelope, back to headquarters. He'll be turning it over to the PostalInspection Service. Their investigators may be able to use thepostmark to pinpoint the locale the letter was mailed from. They needto be aware that Burnett is a suspect in the case. All the information we have has to be available to them. Otherwise you'll be tying theirhands. That's not fair to Raine."Simon rubbed his hands over his face.Suddenly he looked like a frightened old man."I wanted to spare her this,"he muttered."If it hasn't occurred to her that Burnett could be involved, I don't want to get her thinking about it again."

"You can't protect her from her thoughts, Simon,"

Mac said quietly.

The man still didn't seem ~to understand that his keeping silent about

the attack hadn't helped Raine forget about it.

Just the Opposite, in fact.

Simon sighed and clasped his hands on the desk in front of him.

I*e contemplated them for a long time before looking at Mac.

"All right. I'll put this into your hands, all of it. If you think

the police need to be told about Burnett" -- he gestured to the file Mac was holding "--go ahead."

"I don't see any other way."

Simon nodded.

"I'm going to continue with that investigator who's watching Burnett, of course."

Mac agreed soberly.

"I'd like to see the weekly reports you get on him."

He'd feel better himself knowing someone was keeping tabs on [he

b.a.s.t.a.r.d who'd hurt Raine.

He began walking to the door, but Simon's voi~ stopped him.

"Mac."

He turned inquiringly.

"I'm trusting you to keep my daughter safe."

Mac exchanged .

a long, meaningful glance with the man.

Simon was putting full trust in Mac because he had no other choice.

But Mac could understand his desperation.

The promise he made then was a vow as much to himself as to the other

man.

"I won't allow her to be hurt again."

Chapter C.

ac went quickly through the file when he arrived at Raine's house.

It was complete and detailed, and there was absolutely nothing in it to

indicate Burnett's involvement in Raine's case.

The day she'd been run off the road, he'd been followed going to work.

Mac picked up the phone, called Ramirez and told him about Burnett.

The detective was noticeably unhappy about the information that had

been withheld from him.

Mac could understand the feeling.

Promising the detective that a'copy of the file would be in his hands

in a couple of hours, Mac hung up.

The walkie-talkie on his desk crackled.

"A car's coming up the drive, Mac. It's Sarah Jennings."

"Got it,"

Mac answered.

He spoke to the employee a minute longer, giving him the job of copying

and delivering the file.

Then he rose and went to the front door.

Sarah was just getting out of her bright red convertible sports car.

"Well, hi,"

she greeted him as she slammed the door.

She raised a graceful hand to push her long blond hair from her face.

"I'm surprised to see you still here."

Mac went out and leaned against a post of the porch.

"You're not working today?"

She made a face as she bounced up the porch steps.

"Oh, work. Today was too gorgeous to be stuck inside. I decided to

come by and see if I could tempt Raine into playing hooky with me.

Maybe we could drive along the coast, go to the beach."

She gave an artful shrug.

"I'm open to suggestions. As long as it's outside."

Mac frowned.

"Raine's up in her studio. She's pretty busy getting her last paihtingdone for the show. I'm not sure she should be disturbed."

Sarah opened her eyes wide.

"Well, listen to you! You sound like Andre's clone. He didn't send you out here to keep Raine's nose to the grindstone, did he?"

Mac snorted.

"Not hardly?" " Well, what Andre doesn't know won't hurt him.

And I'm going to take Raine with me, if I can manage to ~teal her away.

She needs a break even worse than I do, with all that's happened aroundhere lately.

" She c.o.c.ked her head to look at him coquettishly. " You're welcome to come along, if you like.

I have absolutely nothing against sharing sunny California days withdangerously attractive men.