The rest of the week was rather uneventful compared to the weekend. Angelique pressed charges against Bobby under to advisement of Officer Reid. He believed the group would disburse without Bobby to call the shots. To be safe, however, he requested to be put in charge of the neighborhood patrol. He now required his officers to sign a log inside the shelter when they passed by, showing a physical presence to anyone considering retaliation.

Rebecca had settled in nicely with Mrs. Dolton. The elderly woman didn't even seem to miss Saint, who now traveled with Angelique wherever she went. Angelique had taken the time to purchase some new clothes and toiletries and pack a small suitcase to keep up appearances that she dropped off the next day for Rebecca. Rebecca looked as if she would cry, but held herself together for Angelique's sake.

Angelique felt as if she was being lulled into a false sense of security, waiting for the storm to strike. Bobby's arraignment had passed and because of his record, could not post bail. Being nineteen years old, they would try him as an adult. Wedged under her door was the summons to appear in court for the hearing.

"Good news again, I see," she said sarcastically, then wondered when had she become such a cynic.

Saint nuzzled her leg as a sign of support, which she acknowledged with a quick scratch behind the ear. "I don't know Saint, for a boy that is supposed to be so dangerous things, have been awfully quiet lately."

She began pacing her apartment, tapping the letter against her hand. Something just didn't feel right, and Angelique's instincts were never wrong. Looking down at the summons again, she realized what she missed. Bobby was being represented by none other than the law firm of Caldwell, Berkley, and Klein.

"Oh, God no! No! It can't be!" Angelique flopped onto the sofa, suddenly feeling deflated.

"I'm afraid so, Angel."

Angelique turned to the armchair, and there once again sat Gabriel. Saint didn't react to him in the way Angelique would have expected. He instead looked rather excited to see him, bounding over, Gabriel ruffled his fur and Saint settled at his feet. Angelique took a seat across from them.

"Please tell me it isn't John? Please, Gabriel. I have to know."

"You know I'm not allowed to say anything, but... no, John's not defending him. He doesn't deal with the petty cases."

A small squeak escaped her lips as she stifled the gasp by covering her mouth. Eyes wide, she shook her head in fear and disbelief.

"I'm afraid so, Angel."

"No!" Angelique covered her face with her hands. "No... not Danny."

Gabriel closed the distance between them and wrapped his arm around her. "Yes, this is Danny Caldwell's case and what's worse is that this isn't the first time he has defended this kid and got him off."

"You mean... there's a chance he could win, but how? He had me by knifepoint. I have witnesses. One of them is Michael?

"The law of man, I'm afraid, is not as good at exacting justice as the law of God," Gabriel informed her.

"What am I going to do?" She felt the tears sting her eyes. There was a knock on the door. It had become a habit of Rebecca's to check in with her when she came home. Angelique quickly scrubbed at her eyes. She didn't want Rebecca to see her cry. Putting on a brave face, she opened the door.

John stood there, scowling down at her. His face suddenly clouded with concern. "You've been crying. What is it?"

Angelique cursed her pale skin. She probably looked red and blotchy. She hated feeling so weak.

"John, not now! I don't have the patience to deal with you at the moment," Angelique said, stepping away from the door. She knew it to be pointless to bar him from the room, and just as she thought, John entered without waiting for an invitation.

"What the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea what you're up against?" John asked, completely ignoring Angelique's plea.

Sudden anger breathed life back into her. "What do you care, John? Maybe you'll get lucky. Maybe Danny will get this kid off and he'll kill me. Bonus to you. You won't have to worry about what happens to St. Gabriel's next week."

"DON'T say that!" John grabbed Angelique's arms. She felt the sting of his fingers digging into her flesh. "Never say that again!" he said, shaking her.

The tears Angelique tried to hold back shook free and slid down her cheeks.

"Why not?" she countered. "Why shouldn't I say such a thing? I have no lover or husband who will grieve for me. No children of my own to live for. So why the HELL not? All your problems would go away, wouldn't they? They would disband the shelter, the children moved, or back out on the street where you seem to think they belong. You would have your precious partnership and your corporate friends can build their shopping/business complex. All would be right in the world, again."

"Will you shut up!" John hated hearing her talk this way. It was too reminiscent of someone else he loved. "You don't know what you're saying? What has your legal counsel said about this?"

"Why don't you ...," as Angelique turned around, she noticed Gabriel disappeared. She was about to say, "ask him yourself." Instead, she fumbled with, "Gabriel is only my counsel for the foreclosure."

"You mean you don't even have a lawyer?" John asked in wide-eyed disbelief.

"He held me at knifepoint. Your brother, a soon-to-be Reverend, watching. I have several more witnesses, including the two cops who came in after I subdued him. What more do I need?" Angelique threw at him.

"This kid is a lowlife punk who could have killed you. If he gets loose, he may try again. Don't you understand, Angelique?! Your life is in danger!"

Ripping herself from his grip, Angelique tried to put some distance between them. John wouldn't allow it. Instead, he grabbed her, crushing her in a bear hug. She lost the will to fight and became limp in his arms.

"What does it matter?" she mumbled against his chest. She couldn't look up at him. He held her too tight. "Tell me, John, what does it matter if Bobby or his buddies kill me physically tomorrow or you execute my spirit next week? Dead is dead. At least Bobby's way I won't feel any more pain."

"Stop. Please, stop talking this nonsense," John pleaded with her.

He had to find of way of making her see the insanity of her actions. He knew it was his job to squash what light was left in her. He didn't need the reminder. His job was to destroy her by taking away the one thing she loves most in this world, but she did not know what hoops he jumped through to get the firm to make her an offer. She didn't see the way Caldwell's attack dog, his son Danny, was salivating over the chance to be the one "handle" Angelique.

John had seen firsthand how Danny "handles" defendants that don't do as the firm wished. John practically begged for the case. He'd rather Angelique despise him forever, then see Danny get within ten feet of her, and then she goes and gets mixed up with Bobby, putting her on Danny's radar. Now she has not one, but two people to fear.

Angelique pushed away from him. "You think it's nonsense, but I know this boy is bad news. I know because he's hurt someone I care for a great deal, and I won't give him a chance to do it again."

"It's that girl, isn't it?" John asked, thinking of the teen that was beaten up in Angel's bedroom. "She still here? If she is, I'm sure she can tell you a thing or two about Bobby. Take a good look at her face too because that can be you. This kid won't show restraint because you're a woman."

"Don't you think I know that! He held me by knifepoint while trying to stranglehold me. I'm not delusional, John. I'm just trying to do what I know is right. I took care of him then and I'll do so again tomorrow."

"I see there's no talking sense to you. Your desire to do good always outstrips your reason. You're still naïve to the way the world works." Before Angelique could react, John picked her up and slung her over his shoulder, knocking the wind out of her.

"Put me down!" she demanded. Angelique pounded her fists against his back.

Saint growled at John, but with one leveling look, the dog backed off. John obviously was the alpha of this pack.

"I'll put you down," John said with a slight edge to his voice.

Within a few lengthily strides he crossed the room and covered the space between Angel's living room to her bedroom, walking right past her guard dog. Swinging the door open, he stepped through and kicked it closed. John took the two steps needed to reach her bed.

"John, I swear to God, if you don't put me down this very second..."

With that said, Angelique landed with a thud on her bed. She struggled to sit up. "What do you think you're doing?!" She was positively seething.

John said nothing. Instead, he took the chair from a small desk Angelique had in the corner of her bedroom and propped it against the door. Sitting in the chair, blocking the only entrance to the room.

"So is this the plan?" she inquired. "To keep me locked up in here? Make me miss the hearing so they will throw the case out? Did Danny send you to do his dirty work?"

John sat with his arms folded and his head resting against the door, his eyes closed. Angelique hated being ignored. He opened his eyes and leveled her with his look. 

"No, I am trying to keep you safe."

"You? You, want to keep me safe? Why? So Danny can't take your victory from you? You that hell-bent on destroying me yourself?"

"You know something, Angel, you ask too many questions? You never knew when to shut up for your own good. If you would search your memory, this wouldn't be the first time I had to protect you against Danny."

Angelique blushed, remembering how in high school John had fought for her honor because Danny was spreading terrible sexual rumors about her that weren't true. His face still bears the badge of that valiant fight, a slightly crooked line to his nose from having it broken on her behalf.

She didn't know what to say. Feeling nervous but determined, she fiddled with her skirt that had ridden up from her mishandling. Then grabbed her pillow and squeezed the life out of it. Amused by her actions, John chuckled, certain that the pillow most likely represented him. 

"What's so funny?" she asked, glaring at him.

"Nothing, my Angel. Not a darn thing."