Page 11 of Operation Protector
“Fix it?”
“As in there’s something wrong that we can fix,” Quinn said.
“And,” Hayley added, “that he’s decided this person deserves our help.”
Colby tilted his head, a thoughtful look coming over his face. “Drew’s kid, Luke… I remember him saying you had a magic dog.”
Both of the Foxworths laughed.
“Seems that way sometimes,” Quinn said. Ali found that fascinating, since she never would have guessed the tough-looking guy had a fanciful streak.
“Is he ever wrong?” Colby asked, looking at the dog a little warily.
“Hasn’t been yet,” Quinn said. “Besides, how could I ever doubt the dog who brought Hayley to me?”
Colby looked bemused again, so much that Ali wondered if he’d quite absorbed what had just happened here. She felt the sudden need to make it clear.
“So…you’ll help him, and Grace?” she asked.
“Looks that way,” Quinn said.
She looked at Colby, saw it register. He drew back slightly, looking from the dog to Quinn to Hayley. “You mean…?”
“You’ve got the Foxworth Foundation behind you now,” Hayley said gently. “And we’ll get this sorted out, whatever it takes.”
Colby swallowed, staring as if in disbelief. Ali had the thought that his ex had belittled him so much that he couldn’t quite believe an organization on the level of Foxworth would actually help him. She’d convinced him he wasn’t worth that kind of help. Ali felt a little nauseous. She knew people like Liz Hollen existed, but so far she’d managed to keep them out of her life.
And she was seized with the urge to help Colby get this one out of his.
“Yes, we mean it,” Quinn assured him when Colby didn’t—or couldn’t—speak. “So you need to mean it, too. We’ll have to probe, ask questions you might not be comfortable answering.”
“Just remember,” Hayley put in, “that we’re not them, and we won’t hold anything against you short of maybe murder.”
“Not yet,” Colby said dryly.
“We’ll need to know it all. And you need to answer any questions honestly, even if you can’t see the reason we need to know.”
“I…all right.”
“We’ll need to keep a close eye on Grace. Do you live nearby?” Hayley asked.
He shook his head. “I’m a few miles away.” He lowered his gaze. “It’s just a little place but I like it.”
Ali didn’t doubt that “little” was in comparison to the place next door.
“Okay,” Quinn said. “We can set up and work from our headquarters, which is a lot closer.”
“Why don’t you stay here, to keep an eye on things?” Ali said.
Colby’s head came up sharply, but it was Quinn who answered. “We’re used to working from anywhere, but it could get a little chaotic. Coming and going and all.”
“I don’t mind. I already like Grace so much. It would be an honor to help.”
Colby sat there at the kitchen counter, staring at them all for a long, silent moment. Then he slid off the barstool to his feet. He looked at Ali. “Where’s your pup?”
Her brow furrowed. “He’s in his playpen. Why?”
“I want to go thank him. If he hadn’t started barking and I hadn’t grabbed him… I’d still be facing this alone.”
