Angel Be Good by Kathy Carmichael Page A

heavens. He
believed. He believed because he loved Daphne. Loved every inch of
her impish soul.
    Reaching forward, he snapped off the power
button on his monitor. Daphne squealed. "Turn it back on!"
    "I love you, Daphne."
    "What?" Her eyes darted from the monitor to
him.
    "I love you, Daphne-With-No-Last-Name." He
stood up then climbed on his chair and swung out his arms. "I love
you, Daphne!"
    She giggled.
    "Stop giggling. I'm serious."
    "Sure you are."
    Jumping down from his chair, he grabbed her
shoulders then tenderly brushed his rough face against her silken
cheek. "You can trust me because I love you, Daph."
    The pupils of her eyes dilated as she
continued staring into his eyes. Now he could meet her gaze
proudly, knowing that she'd see nothing in his soul besides the
greatness of feeling he had for her.
    Kissing her swiftly on the lips as a
reassurance, he felt like singing. He took both of her hands into
his own, then lowered one knee onto the floor beside her feet.
    "Get up, silly. I can't see you down
there."
    "Nope. Can't get up until you give me your
promise."
    "What promise is that?"
    "That you'll marry me, Daphne. Please, don't
leave. Stay here and marry me. Have babies with me. Keep me on the
straight and narrow." He gnawed at the interior of his cheek. "With
you here, I know I'll be good and kind, Daph. I can do anything
when you're beside me."

~~~~

    Chapter Seven

    Daphne slid down from the desk, landing
between his legs. She ran her hand through his hair. Shifting, he
captured her palm and kissed it.
    "Nat, I'd like to make that promise." Nat
watched the color leave her face. Her voice came out in a whisper.
"But I can't."
    He stood, then pulled her tightly into his
arms, wondering why, when he'd finally learned to love someone more
than himself, he had to lose her. And knowing it was best that she
was leaving since someone as wonderful as she couldn't really love
a man like him. He couldn't bear the idea of seeing revulsion on
her face when she woke up to that fact. He didn't deserve her but
that didn't make him want her any less.
    The speakers on the computer came alive with
music. Nat reluctantly released Daphne. She shifted to turn the
monitor back on.
    Now he saw a white-haired Maria, surrounded
by her family at midnight mass. Amazingly, although it was apparent
her voice was a whisper, he could hear the prayer she offered,
could feel the pleading in her voice. "Please save my Lucinda.
She's a good girl, really she is. But what's life got to offer her?
If only I could find a way to send her far away from this place and
all the drugs."
    Her face and voice faded and were replaced
by two men, deep in conversation. Nat saw that one was a police
officer and the other was his Vice President of Development, Walter
Coleman. Walter was probably the only employee under his wing that
he'd considered indispensable.
    Walter was also the only man he knew who was
harder and colder than himself, and Nat had made it worth Walter's
time to always look after Nat's best interests. It was a value
system he'd fully understood. He'd bought and paid for Walter and
they both knew it.
    The two men stood in Nat's outer office, his
secretary no longer on the scene. They appeared to be arguing.
    "Take him out," insisted Walter. "He's
killed our security chief and you can get him if you try."
    "It's not safe. Hell, Danvers is his
hostage. If I miss, Danvers is dead, and you know it."
    "Smith could turn that gun on us at any
time. Hurry and get him while you have the chance."
    The policeman took a pace away from Nat's
office door, but didn't follow Walter's directions.
    What was it Walter wanted anyway, wondered
Nat. Why rush the officer when he clearly wasn't ready to act?
    "Look, Coleman." The cop's voice was raspy,
deep, angry. "I know my job and I'll thank you to leave me the hell
alone to do it."
    "While you sit on your ass, trying to decide
what to do, Smith is making plans to get away." Walter leaned
directly into the