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She blinked. “Sorry. Again.” She’d been driving on autopilot. “I’ve got all kinds of emotions warring inside of me and it’s caught me off guard.” A sigh slipped from her. “I guess I should have expected it, but it’s not like I had a lot of time to prepare.”
“Once you get there and you point out Kevin, you’ll be able to breathe a little better.”
“Right. Yeah.” Hopefully.
“And now, I’m going figure out how we can work with security on-site.” Because this was an Olympics-related event with a huge crowd in attendance, the FBI would be heavily involved and coordinating with local law enforcement. Denver’s SWAT and other personnel would be on location and the Command Post would be set up on-site. “Once you ID Kevin, they can move in and arrest him.”
“I’m happy with that plan. What do you say we get some rest? You’re obviously exhausted and I am too. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day. I know it’s probably wishful thinking, but a good night’s sleep sounds like something I need to attempt to get or I’m going to be no good to anyone tomorrow.”
“Ditto. Let’s get checked in and crash.”
????
THURSDAY MORNING
Michael Harrison stood on the balcony of the condo he and his parents had just checked in to. He wasn’t sure he understood exactly why they’d run from their home when the two marshals had shown up—no one had bothered to share the details—but he got enough to know that he and his family were believed to be in danger.
But were they? Really? From who? And why? He’d overheard his parents questioning the validity of the threat, but they finally decided he shouldn’t compete. He’d managed to talk them into bringing him to just watch, but now that he was here, he was itching to be on that slope.
Michael loved his parents and knew they just wanted the best for him, but how was keeping him out of the event the best thing?
Anger swirled, mixing with confusion at the out-of-the-blue threat. “So weird,” he muttered.
The sliding glass door opened, and his father stepped out, blanket in hand, to join him. “You okay, son?”
“Fine.”
His dad settled the blanket around his shoulders, then slid a strong arm around him and led him to the chairs facing the snow run. Michael sat and his father pulled the other one around to face him.
“I thought it would be enough just to be here to watch, but it’s not, Dad. I need to be out there,” Michael said. The argument had been going on since he’d stashed his stuff in his room—including the gear he’d insisted on bringing.
“We’re talking about it. Your mom and I understand that this is an amazing opportunity for you, but we also don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Like what? What exactly is the threat?”
His dad looked at him through his lashes as though debating something with himself.
“I’m old enough to know what’s going on. This is affecting my life too.”
“True.” His father pulled in a deep breath. “You know how you asked us to find your birth parents?”
“Yes.”
“The threat has to do with your birth father. Apparently, he never knew about you. But after you appeared on national television, it’s possible that he’s come to know that he has a son.”
“Okay. Does he want to meet me? I mean, why would he be a threat?”
“He’s not a nice person. I’ve learned from one of the marshals that your birth mother gave you up because she never wanted your birth father to know about you. She said he’s dangerous and would come after you. He beat her and put her in the hospital. He thought he’d killed her, but...”
“But he didn’t.” Michael swallowed. “Okay, I can see why she wouldn’t want me near him.”
“But when you did the interview on television—”
“But ... how would he know it was me?”
“You look just like him. Right down to the birthmark on your chin.”
Michael touched the brown patch of skin that he never really thought about. “Wow. So, all of this protection stuff is because you’re afraid he’ll come after me at the benefit?”
