Someone To Believe In by Kathryn Shay Read Free Book Online Page A

who’d like to
close us down is coming here. I caved when he asked.”
    Suze swiveled around to face her. Her dark
hair fell in soft curls, and her mahogany eyes shone with surprise.
Her skin was a gorgeous coffee color. “When on earth did you see
him? Last I heard, you wouldn’t give him the time of day.”
    “Long story.”
    “I got time.”
    When Bailey finished the bizarre tale of
Friday night, Suze shrugged. “I think it’s okay for him to come
here. Actually, it could work to our benefit.”
    “What if it backfires?”
    “What more could he do to us? He knows about
all our programs, right?”
    “Yeah, sure. I agreed to submit our
activities for review when I charmed Governor Friedman out of that
last cool hundred K.”
    “Well worth it. Besides, we’re proud of what
we’re doing. It’s all on the up and up.” Suze smiled. “Nothing he
can put you in jail for again.”
    “He didn’t put me in jail. He was just doing
his job.” She shook her head.
    “What?”
    “You should have heard Ma and Pa when I
dropped Rory off. They went up one side of me and down the other
for even talking to the guy last night.”
    “Hard to forgive somebody who puts your baby
behind bars.”
    “Did I hear the word forgive ?”
    Bailey turned to the doorway. “Hey, Father
Tim, I didn’t know you’d be in today.”
    The blond, blue-eyed Catholic priest, who
looked more like a movie star playing a man of the cloth, winked at
her. “Gotta see my girl.”
    “How sweet. Do you need something here?”
    “Just to give you this.” He held out a paper.
“I found another counseling site.”
    Part of Bailey’s program included meeting
with gang kids who wanted out; they were called Face-to-Faces.
Problem was, they had to have secure, protected sites so that
ESCAPE workers weren’t unduly endangered.
    What the hell are you doing risking your life
every day with those kids? Man, if you were mine, I’d tie you to
the bed before I’d let you do what you do.
    “You are an
angel, Father Tim.” Bailey dropped her feet and swiveled toward the
computer. “Wish you weren’t a priest. I’d marry you in a
second.”
    “Ah, don’t tempt me, sweetheart.” He perched
on the edge of her desk. “St. Pius. In Harlem.” After he gave her
the rest of the information, he glanced at Suze. “So, who do we
need to forgive?”
    Suze told him about Clayton Wainwright.
    “I could come back tonight.”
    “I don’t need a chaperone. I’ll be fine.
Besides, Joe and Rob are working with me.”
    “Well, then I’ll pray for the good senator.”
Both Joe Natale and Robert Anderson disliked Clayton Wainwright,
but Joe particularly was rabid about the guy. For a moment, Bailey
allowed herself to bask in the good friends, colleagues, and
family who cared about her.
    After Tim and Suze left, Bailey worked at her
computer until the buzzer sounded from the entry to ESCAPE. She
checked the clock. “Right on time,” she said to herself, heading
out to the front. Unsnicking the four locks and disarming the
security system, she let him into the outer office area. “Hello,
Senator.”
    He smiled, calling attention to the small
nick on his jaw. He must have just showered and shaved because he
smelled like fresh soap. “Bailey.” He’d dressed casually tonight,
as they all did here; he wore a Harvard sweatshirt with jeans and
loafers.
    “Come on back.” She led him through the
narrow corridor, off of which were the three offices of ESCAPE.
    “We don’t spend much on amenities here,” she
said, vaguely self-conscious of the worn, but clean, space.
    “I wouldn’t either.”
    “Yeah? I’ve seen pictures of the Russell
Building. All that expensive wood and those Persian carpets.”
    “Traditional décor, I’m afraid.”
    She reached her office and turned to him. “I
figured you to be big on fancy digs.”
    He angled his head. “I appreciate nice
things,” he said, his jaw tightening a bit. There was that cleft
again. “I’m not going