1 Chapter 1

1

“Run.” Rory grabbed Molly’s hand, pulling her along as he veered into the alley. When she couldn’t keep pace, he scooped her up, holding her with one arm.

“Put her down,” a man ordered, stepping into view from a dark doorway. He wore a long, black coat and held a pistol at his side. Rory had no doubt he knew how to use it.

“No! She’s my sister. I have to get her away…”

“Sure she is,” the man broke in.

“I am,” Molly protested, wriggling until Rory put her down. She cast a fearful look behind her. “They’ll find us.”

The man glanced past them. “Two guys, one blond, the other dark-haired? Seems like they already have.”

“Shit.” Rory spun around, shoving Molly behind him. He saw the men standing at the end of the alley, the lights from the street behind them putting their faces in shadow.

The man stepped between Rory and the men, raising his weapon. “You might want to rethink whatever you’ve got in mind,” he called out.

“Keep your nose out of this, Deke,” the dark-haired man called back. “It ain’t none of your business.”

The man called Deke smiled and from what little Rory could see of it, it wasn’t a nice one. “I’m making it my business. Now turn around and walk away before I decide to put a couple of holes in you. You know what’ll happen if I do.”

The two men looked at each other, then spun on their heels and left the alley. The blond one called back, “This ain’t over.”

“Yeah, it is.” As the man put his pistol away under his coat, he said “I’m Deke, well Deacon, actually, but most everyone calls me Deke. Now you want to tell me what that was all about?”

Rory hesitated. “I guess we owe you that much for saving us. But, can we go somewhere else, first?”

“You name the place,” Deke replied.

Rory thought for a moment as he adjusted his backpack. “Up.” He gestured to a fire escape a few yards ahead of them. “That way we’ll see them before they see us if they come back.”

“Smart kid. Okay, up it is.” Deke jumped for the bottom of the fire escape when they got there, pulled himself up to stand on the lowest step, then reached down. “Give me your hand, little lady.”

“Uh-uh,” Molly said, clinging to Rory.

Rory unwound her arms from around his waist, lifting her up with a whispered, “He saved us. I think he’s okay.”

“Yeah, I’m the good guy here,” Deke said with a grin as he hoisted Molly onto the step above him. “Now you.” He held out his hand, Rory grabbed it, and seconds later he was on the steps as well.

Single-file they made their way to the roof with Deke in the lead. Holding up his hand to keep them where they were, he went to the roof’s street side and looked down. “Free and clear,” he told them. After going to the parapet separating the building from the lower one next to it, he sat, looking at them in question.

Rory took Molly’s hand, and they joined him.

“So, who do I have the honor of saving, little lady?” Deke asked with a smile.

“Molly,” Molly told him. “And Rory.”

“How old are you, Molly?”

“Twelve.”

Deke arched an eyebrow. “You sure? You look maybe ten, if that.”

“She’s telling the truth,” Rory said, frowning at Deke.

“Okay, okay, I believe her. How about you?”

“Nineteen.” Finally relaxing somewhat, Rory grinned. “And you?”

Snorting, Deke replied, “Twenty-six and counting. Now for the important question, why were those men after you?”

“No,” Rory said with a shake of his head. “The importantquestion is who arethey? They seemed to know you.”

“So it would appear,” Deke agreed. “Believe me or not, your choice, but I don’t know them.”

“Yeah, right.”

Deke held up one hand. “Scouts honor, so to speak, but I don’t. Not personally, anyway. I’ve seen them around. Same goes for them seeing me. That’s it.”

“Then why did they know your name?” Rory asked.

“I’m infamous, in certain circles. Leave it at that for now. Why did they want you and Molly?”

“I don’t know. We were, well…” Rory wasn’t certain he wanted to admit what they’d been doing.

“From the look of the two of you, you’ve been living rough,” Deke said. “Nothing wrong with that. Well, there is, but unless you’re on the run from the law…Hell, it happens.”

“The cops aren’t looking for us. Honest,” Molly said.