LITMIR.BIZ

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understand, Miss Hamilton. My associate and I have conferred on this matter and have reached the decision that any threat to you was left behind in French Guiana.”

      She felt a sense of relief until hit by a sudden thought. “Are you suggesting I not return to that country?”

      Baker nodded. “Not at this time. I certainly wouldn’t advise you to do so until we clear up the mystery behind Mr. Burroughs’s death.”

      “But everything I own…”

      Cutting off her protest, he handed her an envelope. “We’ve made whatever arrangements are necessary. Your account has been transferred to a bank here in Washington.”

      Ann opened the envelope and stared dumbfounded at the contents. It contained her checkbook, credit card and passport. “Where…how did you get these?”

      “We have our ways, Miss Hamilton.” Baker continued to speak as if by rote, sounding like a police officer reading the Miranda warning to a suspect. “We appreciate your past cooperation and apologize for any inconvenience you may have suffered while under our protection. We only had your interests at heart.”

      Ann couldn’t believe how these arrangements had been made so quickly, but she felt a great burden had been lifted off her shoulders. “Then Brandon and I are free to leave.”

      Her exhilaration was quickly squelched when the two security heads exchanged a guarded glance. Waterman cleared his throat and began to hedge.

      “Well, one minor problem still exists, Miss Hamilton. Legally, Brandon Burroughs is a British subject. Her Majesty’s government prefers he remain at their embassy.”

      She tightened her grasp on Brandon’s hand. “I won’t hear of it. I’m the only family he has now. He’ll be frightened without me.”

      “It will only be for a few days, Miss Hamilton, while a proper investigation is made to determine if the child has any other living relatives. If not, we are recommending he then be placed in your custody.”

      “I can tell you right now Clayton Burroughs was Brandon’s last remaining relative. His parents were killed in an accident. His mother had been an orphan. Brandon’s father had been Clayton’s only son. Clayton’s wife and daughter were both dead, and Clayton had no siblings. I’ve seen his will. He’s appointed me Brandon’s legal guardian.”

      Waterman offered an indulgent smile. “Then that should simplify the matter, Miss Hamilton. But we still must follow the proper procedures to determine the legality of the situation for ourselves.”

      “I can’t believe with all your apparent…connections, Mr. Waterman, that you can’t cut through the red tape and let Brandon remain with me. He’s so young. This will be frightening and confusing to him. Hasn’t he suffered enough?”

      Waterman’s expression softened with understanding, while Baker’s remained inscrutable. “We tried, Miss Hamilton,” Waterman said.

      “May I visit him at the Embassy?”

      “Every day, if you wish. I shall make the arrangements myself.”

      She glanced down at Brandon’s upturned face. The young boy knew he was being discussed, but he couldn’t follow the conversation. “May I have a moment alone with him?”

      “Of course.”

      After the two men left the room, Ann knelt down and smiled as she straightened his collar. “Sweetheart, I guess we’ve got to split up for a few days.”

      “No. I don’t want to,” he declared.

      “Neither do I, honey, but since I’m not your real mother, we have to do what these men say.”

      “We don’t have to listen to these dumb guys, Ann. We can run away from them.” He started to sob and flung his arms around her neck. “Let’s go back to Grandfather’s house. I bet Mr. Bishop would help if we asked him.”

      She hugged him for several moments. “Sweetheart, I promise that we’ll be together again as soon as Mr. Waterman can arrange it.”

      She kissed his cheek and pulled back, smiling at him through her tears. “Now, you’re going to have a real good time while you’re staying at the British Embassy. I’ll come and visit you every day until you can leave with me.”

      His little chin quivered. “You promise?”

      Her heart felt as if it was being ripped from her chest. “Promise.”

      As Brandon wiped away his tears, Ann rose to her feet and opened the door. She nodded. “He’s ready.”

      Agents Bledsoe and Williams followed the security heads into the room.

      “Come on, lad, we’ll stop on the way and get us some ice-cream cones,” Williams announced.

      Brandon’s eyes brightened. “Bye, Ann.” He grinned up at Bledsoe. “Can I have a chocolate one, Pete?”

      “You bet, lad. A two-scooper.”

      “I’ll see you tomorrow, sweetheart,” Ann called out as the two Englishmen took the small boy in hand and led him away.

      “We’ll notify you as soon as the legalities are finalized, Miss Hamilton,” Waterman said. “Will you be remaining at the Watergate?”

      Ann nodded. “I’ll expect to hear from you.”

      Bishop followed her to the elevator and pushed the down button. “I’ll flag you a cab.”

      “That won’t be necessary. I think I’d like to walk for a while.”

      A bell chimed, the door swung open and Ann stepped into the elevator. She looked up into his troubled gaze. “I want to thank you for everything, Bishop. I’m sorry I snapped at you this morning.”

      Before he could reply, the door closed and the hazel eyes were gone from sight. She’d miss them.

      Ann had never felt so lonely in her life.

      Chapter 6

      After the relatively arcadian existence she had been living for the past four years, the sights and sounds of metropolitan Washington were a new experience for Ann. She dodged people and traffic for an hour and then entered a mall. To her surprise the shops were not open, but she saw people using the hallways to do their morning walking and jogging. Ann joined them, perusing the shop windows as she passed.

      By the time she finished, she had mentally noted several outfits to try on, and sat down to wait for the shops to open. As she listened to the pleasant music in the mall, her thoughts wandered to Brandon and how he was faring. Remembering the earlier conversation, Ann grinned and shook her head. Good heavens! I wonder if they actually did stop for ice cream at this hour of the morning.

      Suddenly she felt an uneasy twinge at the nape of her neck—someone was watching her. She looked around. Several of the nearby benches were filled with the joggers and walkers whom she remembered seeing previously. None of them appeared to be paying any attention to her.

      Ann turned back, but the uneasy feeling continued to nag her. So much so, she decided to leave and return later. Just as she rose to her feet, the mall began to echo with the rattle and clang of iron grills as the shop owners began to unlock and open their stores. So instead of departing, she went to the ATM machine and got some cash, then headed for a small boutique to make her first purchase. However, she couldn’t lose the feeling of being followed.

      Once engrossed in shopping, her anxiety was forgotten with the pleasure of picking out several outfits, hosiery, shoes and nightgowns. She even stopped and selected a few pieces of lingerie. “Without your assistance, Bishop,” she mumbled in satisfaction.

      Ann immediately chastised herself for allowing her thoughts to stray to that overbearing agent when she should have been thinking about Brandon.

      To ease her conscience, Ann hurried to the children’s

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