Knox's Stand

Chapter Twenty-three

Diamond came out of church with Evie, Beth and Winter and each of them took their turns complimenting Pastor Dean on his service as they left.

“You’re becoming a regular at my services and I haven’t heard any Adele lately. I take it you’re doing well?”

Diamond blushed with the other women listening. “Yes.”

Pastor Dean laughed at her reaction, however Diamond managed to evade further questions when another parishioner came up behind her.

They walked to Beth’s SUV in the church parking lot, each of them climbing inside except Diamond.

“I’m going to go to my office to do some paperwork I need to get done before court tomorrow. I’ll call Knox when I need a ride home.”

“You sure?” Beth asked.

“Yes, I’d rather get it done in an hour instead of having to do it tonight.”

“Want us to give you a lift?”

“I think I can manage the walk,” Diamond said, smiling.

“See you later then,” Beth said, closing the door as the other two women waved.

Diamond walked across the parking lot, crossing the empty street to go inside the quiet office building. As she went to unlock the building, she found it already unlocked. She wasn’t terribly surprised because there was usually someone always was in the building that had four offices; two on the bottom and two on the top. Her office faced the street and the insurance office that shared the top floor with her had the part that faced the back. Someone had probably had an accident, which was why someone was ordinarily in the insurance office.

Diamond went up the steps to her office only to find the insurance office’s lights were off. Frowning, she went to her office door starting to unlock it, when the door suddenly opened and she stood facing her secretary.

“Holly, what are you doing—” A sudden push against her back cut her off and had her falling forward into her office. Holly tried to catch her, but a hand pushed her back out of the way. Diamond heard her office door slammed shut as she landed on her hands and knees.

“Stop it, Mitch!” Holly screamed as Diamond was lifted off her feet and dragged from the front to her private office.

“Shut up, Holly.” The man Holly called Mitch flung her forward. Diamond fell against her desk which looked like it had been ransacked.

“I don’t understand,” Diamond said, looking at Holly who was staring at her with frightened eyes.

“I’m so sorry, Diamond. I didn’t mean for this to get so out of control.”

“Get what you need, Holly, so we can get out of here.”

Holly ignored Mitch. “I’ve tried talking to you several times, but either you were too busy or I got scared and chickened out. I didn’t know what to do,” Holly began.

“Holly?” A small child’s voice from the couch drew Diamond’s attention.

“It’s okay, Logan. Just sit there, we’re going to leave in a few minutes,” Holly said.

Diamond looked at the little boy and recognition dawned. “Oh, God, is that…?”

Holly nodded, her eyes pleading for understanding. “Vincent Bedford hired me to be Logan’s nanny. He rented a house for us in Jamestown, but when he was arrested, Samantha moved us here to Treepoint to be closer to her. She ran out of money when her father went to jail, so I quit taking a salary from her and got a job supporting us. Mitch, my boyfriend, watched him while I was at work. We were going to go somewhere else. Sam wanted a fresh start. The day Samantha died she called and said she had enough to get us out of town.

“Then after she died, I didn’t know what to do. That day you handed me those notes about Samantha’s grandmother, I didn’t know she even had any relatives. I was afraid that, with Samantha dead, everyone would think I did it or had kidnapped Logan. I didn’t know what to do.” Holly took a deep breath.

“We need to go, Holly,” Mitch said.

“Holly, there’s no need to run. You haven’t done anything wrong. Why did you come to the office today?”

“I saved enough so that we could leave Treepoint, but I wanted to see Sam’s autopsy report. Logan gets sick a lot and we couldn’t get insurance since Sam is dead. I thought, if I could see her autopsy report, I could find out what’s wrong with him. I’ve looked everywhere for it and couldn’t find it, so I figured you kept it in your locked drawer which I didn’t have a key for. Mitch was going to break it for me then we were going to leave town tonight.”

Diamond took a closer look at the dark, curly haired boy who looked exactly like his father. His skin was pale and he had dark circles under his eyes. He was a beautiful little boy, but he didn’t have the healthy glow to his cheeks as he should have.

“We’re still leaving,” Mitch snapped at Holly.

Diamond ignored Holly’s boyfriend, trying to make Holly understand the seriousness of Logan’s possible condition.

“Samantha died of a genetic kidney disease, Holly. He needs to see a physician as soon as possible.”

“Oh, God.” Holly looked at Mitch. “What are we going to do? I don’t have the kind of money that will cost.” Tears came to her eyes as she went to the silent child, lifting him into her arms.

“You don’t have to, Holly. His father will help. If not, there are programs that—”

“Mitch?” Holly looked at her boyfriend for guidance.

“Let’s go, Holly. You found out what we needed to know. If we stay here, you’ll lose the kid. Is that what you want?”

“No, but I don’t want him sick, either.”

“I’m not staying in this town. Make up your mind; either stay here or go with me.”

“I don’t give a damn what either of you do, but that kid isn’t going anywhere,” Pastor Dean said, coming into the room.

Relief flooded Diamond, knowing that Pastor Dean would be able to prevent them leaving with Logan until Mitch drew a gun from the pocket of his jacket.

“Mitch, no!”

“I’m leaving, Holly. Let’s go; either take the kid or leave him, but you’re going with me.”

“I can’t leave Logan,” Holly said, crying. “Put the gun away, Mitch.”

“Then I guess we’re taking him.” Mitch turned the gun on Pastor Dean.

Diamond watched in stunned amazement as the Pastor moved forward, jerking Mitch’s gun hand upwards. Mitch struggled, trying to regain control when Pastor Dean’s other hand snapped out, hitting Mitch’s nose with enough force to snap the man’s head back, sending him crumpling to the floor.

As soon as Mitch was down, Diamond went to her desk where she picked up the phone to call the sheriff. Holly stood, crying and holding Logan close as she rocked him. Diamond talked briefly to the dispatcher before hanging up while Pastor Dean stood over Mitch, holding the gun while the groggy man began to regain consciousness.

“Don’t move.” Pastor Dean cocked the gun, pointing it at Mitch’s head as he lay back down, not moving.

“Diamond?” Holly screamed as the sheriff barreled into the room.

“Holly?” Logan cried, twining his arms around her neck.

“It’s okay, Logan. Holly, calm down. I’ll help you get this straightened out.”

Holly stared at her in hope. “I’m sorry I handled this so badly, I don’t deserve your help.”

“Holly, you might be my secretary, but you’re also my friend.”

“You’re going to let me keep my job?” Holly wasn’t alone in her surprise. Pastor Dean and the sheriff were taken aback by Diamond’s gesture as well.

“Of course, you didn’t commit any crime. Samantha hired you to take care of her child. That’s not against the law, and I gave you access to my office. You got in with the key I gave you, didn’t you?”

“Yes.” Holly’s lips trembled.

“Holly, you were only trying to do what you thought was in the best interest of Logan. I can’t fault you with that, neither can the law. Everything is going to be all right.”

Holly finally breathed a sigh of relief, loosening her hold on Logan who gradually quieted.

“Well, now that it’s settled that she didn’t commit a crime, how about that man lying on the floor with a gun pointed at his head?” The sheriff gestured toward Mitch.

“Him, you can arrest for attempted murder,” Pastor Dean spoke before Diamond could. He shouldn’t worry, Diamond thought, I’m going to make sure Mitch stays in prison for a long time.

Her eyes lifted to Pastor Dean. “You saw them through the window, didn’t you?

“Yes.”

Damn, he had seen Knox and her that afternoon that Knox had ignored her request to close the blinds. His amused expression didn’t try to hide the fact that he had gotten quite a show. She was buying curtains for the window the first chance she got. The man had gotten his last show of her and Knox.

* * *

Diamond answered Mrs. Langley’s door when the knock sounded. The Porters stood on the porch, white faced and nervous. The law didn’t faze them, but the prospect of a child frightened them to death.

“Come in.” Diamond opened the door wider, letting the family of four enter then closed the door behind them, motioning the Porters into the living room.

Holly sat on the couch with Logan as Mrs. Langley sat on his other side. Diamond had not been able to hold back her tears when Mrs. Langley had seen her great-grandson for the first time. Diamond again received all the reassurance she needed that she was doing the right thing when she saw the Porters’ reaction. Dustin took a hesitant step forward as his sister and brothers hung back, letting Dustin meet his son without their overwhelming the small boy.

“Are you sure he’s mine.” Dustin was trying not to embarrass himself, but unable to keep his eyes from watering.

“Pending a DNA test, we’re pretty sure,” Diamond reassured him. “I think the curly hair and the eyes are pretty good clues, but I think what she named him confirms it.”

“What did she name him?”

“She named him Logan. That was your father’s name, wasn’t it?” Mrs. Langley asked Dustin. Diamond could tell Dustin almost lost it at the name of his son.

“I told Sam when we married and had kids I was going to name my son after my dad.” His hoarse voice had Rachel bursting into tears. Greer put his arm around his sister’s shoulder.

Dustin carefully walked closer to the little boy sitting silently by Holly’s side. Slowly he dropped to his knees.

“Hello, Logan. Welcome home.”