Satisfied that Rebecca was settled in and taken care of, Angelique quickly set off for the shelter. She had left word with Alice that she was on her way in and that Michael was not to wait for her. She knew she made him late and on the outs, most likely, with Rev. O'Bryan.

Honestly, though, her motives far more selfish. Her nerves felt raw. Angelique did not believe she could take much more. She needed more time before addressing the problem of the shelter's closing with Michael.

Alice met her as she entered the door. Angelique got an immediate briefing on John's rude behavior before the woman filled her in on what duties still needed to be done. Angelique apologized for John's behavior, knowing the man in question would never do so. 

"I can't see why you are apologizing for him. It's not your fault he's so ignorant. Hard to believe those two men are brothers." Alice pondered, thinking of Michael and John. Angelique didn't know what to say in response.

At least all was quiet at the shelter. No pressing matters to deal with. Maybe she could take a ten-minute nap before setting up for lunch. The pleasure that idea brought died as she entered her office and saw Michael sitting behind her desk with a brooding look on his face.

"Michael! Didn't Alice tell you...?"

Michael held up his hand to stay the rest of her sentence. "I know very well what you told Alice to tell me," Michael began, "and you know damn right well that I wouldn't go anywhere until we sorted this out."

Angelique sighed deeply, but tried again to divert the subject. "But my father ..."

"Is fully aware of the situation and agrees that my place is here," Michael concluded for her.

"But..." Angelique began again, to no avail. Michael came around the other side of the desk and placed his hands on her shoulders. "No, more buts."

Looking down at her, he had to tilt her face so that she would look at him. "Angelgirl, why didn't you tell me about the shelter?" As Michael's one hand rested on her shoulder, he could almost feel the energy drain from her body. He pulled over a chair for her to sit down.

"I didn't mean for you to find out the way you did," Angelique fumbled, feeling so disheartened.

Michael pulled up another chair to sit across from her. "I take it then you also had a run-in with the devil incarnate this morning."

"Michael!" Angelique admonished, even though his words provoked a small smile to touch her lips.

Taking Angelique's hands in his, he asked, "Why didn't you let me help you? Don't you trust me?"

"Trust you?" Angelique looked at him as if he had suddenly gone daft. "Michael, I'd trust you with my life, but just the same, I'd rather not see you get hurt by getting yourself mixed up with this mess. This is my battle to fight, not yours."

Michael looked crushed, and Angelique could not figure what she said wrong. Whatever it was, she immediately wished she could take it back.

"Angelique, how could you say something like that to me? You know how much I love you, love these kids, they mean the world to me and it's my brother that is trying to send them back out into the street."

"I'm sorry, Michael. I didn't mean to imply that you don't care for me or the children, but all this is happening because it's personal. John wants retribution. The agency that hired his services has been after this property for years."

"Why didn't you say something sooner?"

"Because," Angelique stood, no longer able to sit still, she paced the room, "Because, we were never in danger before." Angelique felt confined. She had a strong desire to burst out of her own skin and to be someone else for a while.

"Why is it different now?"

Before Angelique had the chance to answer, Alice had burst into the office.

"You had best come here, Angelique. I think we have a troublemaker in our midst."

Angelique went running, wondering when all the torment was going to end. Suddenly, she stopped there was a boy about eighteen or nineteen she'd guess by his height and build for she really couldn't tell because his back was to her. He had Thomas, an eleven-year-old runaway by the collar, and lifted slightly off the floor so that he was gasping for air.

"Where is she? I know your friends with her. I've seen you two on the street together before. I swear I'll snap your neck if you don't tell me what I want to know." He gave the boy a violent shake, as if to put emphasis on his words.

"How do you expect him to answer you when he can hardly breathe?" Angelique asked as she quickly assessed the danger of the situation. She believed him to be unarmed, or she guessed he would use the instrument to threaten the boy. Obviously, he put a lot of stock in brute strength as an intimidation factor.

Not relinquishing his grasp on Thomas, he lowered the boy to the ground and turned to look over at who dared to interrupt him. Stealing a quick glance at Thomas, Angelique saw some of the color come back to his face, and then she gave her full attention to the boy/man in front of her.

Michael kept to shadows so not reveal his location, if this boy even tried to hurt Angelique, he'd be on him in seconds. Alice stayed behind in the office to call for 911.

"Who the hell are you?" the boy asked. As he turned to glare at Angelique, she felt a small shiver run down her spine that she hoped didn't show. She recognized the boy by the three red welts streaked across his cheek. Rebecca was right. Bobby had come looking for her.

"Look, I don't want any trouble here. So, I am only going to ask you once to leave and never set foot in here again. We have already notified the police. One way or another, you will be leaving. How is up to you?"

Bobby laughed in Angelique's face, not the least bit threatened by her five-foot three-inch frame. He could snap her in two if he wanted, but rather than stay around until the cops showed up he looked at her shrewdly and said, "Fine lady, I'll go." Looking back at Thomas, he said, "Ready, Tommy?" and grabbed hold of the boy, dragging him towards the entrance.

Angelique reacted before totally thinking out her next move. She grabbed a hold of Bobby's arm. In one fluid movement, he released Tommy, swung around, and had Angelique in a stranglehold.

Michael ran forward to step in, but a glimmer of a knife that had somehow materialized in the boy's hand held him in check. Still, he took another step forward.

The boy warned, "Back off, Padre!" Discerning who Michael was by the way he dressed.

Michael's eyes never left Angelique's, looking for some sign from her on what to do. It frustrated him to no end to feel so powerless. Compared to the boy, he towered over Angelique's smaller frame as he was over six feet. He wasn't stocky but obviously worked on looking intimidating by developing his upper body to be rather strong. Angelique had to dig both hands in deep to allow her some room between her throat and Bobby's arm to breathe.

Angelique knew Alice had called the authorities, but they always took forever to answer a call. Especially, it seemed, once they heard the address of the shelter. Angelique just nodded slightly to Michael, trying to reassure him she was okay. So he took a step back but knew should anything take place, he would be within reach in seconds. He silently prayed he had those seconds to keep Angelique from harm.

Bobby leaned his head close to her ear. "Listen, I'm not lookin' for trouble here. I just came to find my girl. She owes me somethin' and you shouldn't be threatenin' me."

"I called the police like..." Alice was saying as she rounded the bend to the main foyer and screamed at the sight displayed before her. The boy had Angelique by knifepoint.

Alice's entrance was all the distraction Angelique needed. She bent her knees, lowering her center of gravity, and while still holding Bobby's arm firm she twisted her body and wrapped her left leg around his right, bending towards her right knee. She used leverage to send him slamming with a thud to the floor on his back.

As he hit the floor, the knife fell out of his hand and slid across the tiles. Michael saw the whole ordeal play out. It happened so quickly within seconds Angelique had her captor on his back with his arm trapped in an armbar.

"You're breaking my arm!" Bobby yelled at the pressure she was applying to his elbow joint.

Just then two cops come casually strolling in the front door. That was until they saw the scene splayed out before them. The two cops rushed to intercede. Angelique immediately released the boy and rolled out of the way.

One cop grabbed the boy, the other Angelique. "Would someone care to explain here?" the older looking of the two officers asked.

Michael stepped forward. "Officer, this boy was threatening one of our youths. Miss O'Bryan stepped in and was then held at knifepoint." Michael pointed to the knife in question as he spoke. "If Alice had not distracted him, I believe her life would have been in danger."

"By the looks of what I'd seen, things were the other way around," the officer said, smiling down at Angelique, releasing his hold on her.

"Charlie?"

"Yeah, Sarg?"

"Put him in the squad car."

"Right, Sarg." The second officer took Bobby in cuffs through the entrance and out of sight.

"Do you wish to press charges, mam'?"

"Yes, Sergeant, but first I would like to speak to you in private in my office, please."

"Certainly."