Righteous Obsession by Rose Riker Page A

threats?  By the time
Colin got himself together, it was nearly nine o’clock.  He threw back the
covers and scrambled out of bed, angry with himself for letting this person
dominate his thoughts and spoil his morning!  While dressing and packing, he
wolfed down breakfast.  He was brushing his teeth when he heard a knock on his
door then heard Russ call, “You got ten minutes, Colin.”  He raced around the
room throwing stuff into his suitcases then shutting and locking them.  He took
a quick tour of the room to make sure he hadn’t forgotten anything and then
grabbed his denim jacket and carried his suitcases out into the hall.  He met
Liam who also seemed to be running late.  Liam did his best to hide the hickey
on his neck and Colin smiled when he spotted it, but said nothing.
    Steve was standing out in the hallway.  He glared at
both Colin and Liam as they straggled up with their luggage and added it to the
pile.  “Before we leave there’s a problem I’d like to address.”  There was a
loud groan from the band, especially from those members who had partied too
much the previous night and were now paying the piper.  “I’m referring to the
continuing problem of people going out without their bodyguards.”  Steve fixed
his stern glare on all four of the band members.  “We’re paying these people to
protect you guys, but they can’t do that if you won’t cooperate with them!  I
do not want to have to repeat this lecture again.  Understood?”
    “Whatever, Steve and I think I speak for everybody,”
Jake replied.
    The elevator dinged then opened.  Steve looked up
alarmed, but relaxed as he saw it was Peter and Amanda.
    “We just came up to say goodbye,” She explained to
Steve then held out her arms to Colin and Liam.
    Colin gave both of his parents a hug.  “Have a great
time in the Caribbean!”
     “We’ll do our best,” his mother assured him.
    Liam gave his parents a hug too.  “Have fun and send
us a postcard.”
     “We’ll do,” Peter promised.
    The band members took the elevator down to the lobby. 
As they walked out of the hotel to their waiting limousine, Jake said to Colin,
“Jesus!  I never realized what a babe your mom is!  I’ll bet she has guys
drooling all over San Francisco!”
    Colin frowned as he thought about his biological
father.  There was at least one guy who had apparently been immune to her
charms!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapter 7
     
    Debbie sat slouched in her desk, waiting for religion
class to start and watched as the other kids filed in one or two at a time. 
She yawned and wished for the umpteenth time that she didn’t have this class
immediately after lunch.  With her stomach full, Father Michaels’ boring
lectures, and his monotonous voice; she had to fight to stay awake.  The only
thing making it bearable was the fact that it was her last class of the day
and, since she had a seventh period study hall, she was able to leave early.
    Father Michaels was not present in the classroom and
still had not appeared when the bell rang.  Diana, who sat behind Debbie,
tapped her on the shoulder and when Debbie leaned back, Diana whispered, “Where
do you suppose Father Chuckles is?  Maybe we lucked out and he got sick.”
    “We couldn’t be that lucky, Din,” Debbie replied in a
gloomy tone.  “He’s probably jerking off in his office and isn’t watching the
clock!”
    Just as she finished speaking, the classroom door
opened and Father Michaels hurried into the room.  He laid his textbooks on the
desk and said, “I apologize for being late, but something very important needed
my attention.”  He motioned for the students to stand and he led them in a
short prayer.  After they had sat down again, he took up his usual position
that placed him directly across from Debbie’s desk.  “I’ve decided since we’re
so close to the end of the school year, we should take a break from our studies
and do something