Sheila and Tony looked at each other and smirked. Somehow, the man who had been her mortal enemy this morning was now sharing a joke with my daughter.

"We got time," Tony said.

"Shut up."

"Mama!" Sheila said. "That's not nice."

How had the tables turned? What in the world was going on between these two?

"We were just worried about you, that's all," Sheila said, hurt creeping into her voice.

"All right, all right! If you must know, I took the car through a car wash and the roof got stuck open."

Tony snickered as Sheila's eyes widened. "What did you do?" she asked.

"Well, there wasn't much I could do. So, that's why I look a little worse for the wear."

From inside the house, the phone started ringing. Sheila jumped up like a dog wearing an invisible leash and ran to answer it. Saved by the bell, I thought, but not quite. Tony Carlucci sat on the steps grinning.

"Nice save," he said. "Now what really happened?"

I glared at him. "What're you doing at my house talking to my daughter?"

"Somebody had to bring her home from work, especially with her Mama out gallivanting."

I took a step closer. "What?"

Tony leaned back and rested his elbows on the top step. He was enjoying every moment of this.

"Well, she called here looking for a ride home. They let her go early. I figured, since you weren't around, I'd better go get her."

"What were you doing in my house?" I shrieked.

"Waiting," he said calmly.

"It's my house! You can't just waltz inside anytime you want and answer my phone and eat my food. What's with you?"

Tony Carlucci just stared at me, his features darkening momentarily, then returning to their nonchalant mask. Something in that darkness terrified me, a streak of cruelty that might break loose and surface at any second, something perhaps not even within his control.

"I didn't answer your phone," he said. "I listened to your messages." He leaned forward and stared at me, his eyes hooded and dark, the raw anger returning. "I took care of your daughter because if I didn't, somebody else might. When are you going to get it? The other guys looking for Vernell are going to kill him. They're getting desperate now. They don't care how they get to him." He leaned back, his face completely cold and impassive. "They'd cut your daughter's heart out and show it to him, just to get what they want. So yeah, while you were out fooling around with the owner of that oversized shirt, I was watching your back."

"You don't need to watch my back, or Sheila's. I can take care of her. You've got no right to push your way into our lives. This is my home and you don't belong here. The next time I find you within a hundred yards of my property, I'll call the cops."

Tony shook his head like I was a slow learner. "I see how much the cops have done for you so far. Honey, Greensboro's a small town. Your police haven't seen anything like what's headed your way if Vernell don't turn up."

I didn't know what to say, and fortunately I didn't have to say anything. Sheila walked back out onto the deck, the cordless phone in her hand, a stricken, colorless look replacing the carefree manner of a few moments before.

"Mama," she said, her voice small and childlike. "Somebody wants to kill Daddy."

I reached her as the sobs started, taking her into my arms. "What happened, baby?" I asked. Sheila was shaking.

"Somebody… somebody just said if Daddy didn't get the money back, people were gonna keep dying." Sheila pushed away from my shoulder and looked at me. "What did he mean, Mama? What's going on?"

Tony was standing up, his massive frame becoming a shield between us and the outside.

"Maggie, let's go inside. And for heaven's sake, turn off some of those damn lights and pull the curtains."

I didn't see the gun in his hand until we were in the house. He shoved it back into the back of his waistband, keeping it hidden by his black leather jacket. We both moved around the house, turning out some of the lights, pulling curtains and lowering blinds. The trouble with my house is, it's filled with windows-good for sunlight and good for target shooting, if you're the shooter, that is.

Tony led us into the narrow, windowless hallway between the kitchen and the dining room and prepared to hold council. Sheila was still crying, but softer now. She trembled as if she were cold, but I knew she was terrified. I was shaking for the same reason.

"All right," he said. "I'm gonna shoot straight with you, kid. Your dad's in a lot of trouble. Along about the time he disappeared, a lot of money vanished. Unfortunately, the man loaning your dad the cash is dead and your dad's the missing link. So people are looking for your pa, and as you just heard, they're not nice guys." Tony stopped and looked at Sheila, checking to see that she followed what he was saying.

Sheila looked up at him and nodded softly.

"I'm trying like hell to find him before they do," Tony said. "But I can't do that if I have two jobs to worry about."

Sheila looked puzzled. "What two jobs?" she asked.

Tony smiled gently, and for a moment all the menace was lost from his face. "I can't watch after you and find him. I'm going to have to ask you to help me out."

Sheila could only nod.

Tony looked at me. "Is there a safe place where you can go?" he asked.

I thought about Jack's and discarded it instantly. If Marshall Weathers could find me there, so could they. There was only one place for Sheila, back home with her Aunt Darlene and Uncle Earl. No one would find her there, and if they did, they'd sure be sorry. I thought of Earl's shotgun and his passel of guard dogs and smiled.

"Sure," I said, "I've got a place." But I wasn't stupid or foolish enough to tell him about it. Sure, he seemed like he only had our interests at heart, but I'd seen his eyes. And Tony was getting paid by someone to find Vernell. Until I knew more about that, I wouldn't trust Tony Carlucci with any information.

"I'm not going anywhere," Sheila said suddenly. "I'm gonna stay here and look for my dad."

"Sheila, there's nothing you can do. It's too dangerous." I'd figure out what to tell her about why I was coming back later. For now, I only needed to get her away from here.

"Sheila," Tony said, "I need you to help me by staying away." He was looking into her eyes, his hand resting on her shoulder. "If I'm not worried about you, I can work faster to find your dad. Besides," he added, "the quicker I find your dad, the quicker you and I can go back out cruising on my bike."

Sheila smiled.

"What? You took her on your motorcycle?"

Sheila and Carlucci both smiled at me indulgently. "Like, of course, Mama," Sheila said. "How else would I have gotten home? I mean, you did send him to get me, right?"

Behind her Tony smiled and shrugged his shoulders, as if saying "What else could I tell her?"

I sighed. They had me. "Well, that was just this once," I said. "I don't think you'll be riding on that thing anymore."

"Right," Sheila said, like she totally intended to follow my directions.

"Pack," I said. "You'll have to do it without turning on any lights. So do it fast and don't bring the entire universe with you."

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Sheila, what does it matter? You'll be missing school and on vacation. I'll tell you all about it later."

Tony Carlucci wasn't fooled. He waited until she stalked off to her room before he started up again.

"You're staying there with her," he said.

"No I'm not." I tried to brush past him, but he grabbed my shoulders and spun me around, forcing me back against the wall.

"Let go of me," I said.

"Not until you listen," he said, his voice barely audible above the sound of Sheila's CD player. "You are worthless in this situation. This is what I do for a living. I find people. Just stay out of everybody's hair and let me do my job."