Family Man

approaching her about this.”
    Darren stopped. “It wasn't like I was asking her for the cash. Didn't she explain?”
    “You wanted her to lie to Justine in order to get it.”
    “Christ, I could hardly go to the old witch myself. She'd have had my head. Katy understands the situation. She knows what Justine is like.”
    “You tried to use Katy to get what you wanted,” Luke said.
    Darren shrugged. “Katy can deal with Justine. At least sometimes.”
    “Is that so? How often have you asked Katy to get money for you?”
    “This is the first time I've ever asked her to help me come up with cash,” Darren muttered. “I was desperate. Don't you understand?”
    “Yeah, I understand,” Luke said softly. “You got into a bind, so you turned to the Gilchrist guardian angel for a little help.”
    Darren's mouth kicked up at the corner. “Guardian angel, huh? I guess that does sort of describe Katy, doesn't it?”
    It was Darren's smile that did it. Luke moved.
    He slammed Darren up against the brick wall and pinned him there. Then he leaned in close. “One thing you've got to watch out for in a situation like this, cousin. Before you decide to use someone like Katy, you'd better damn sure find out who's guarding the guardian angel.”
    “What the hell?” Darren stared at him, eyes stunned, mouth open in shock. “Are you crazy?”
    “Not crazy. Just real irritated.”
    “Damn you, you think you can just walk in the front door and take over Gilchrist, Inc., don't you? You think you can have the whole company, just because Justine decided she wanted to end the feud. Well, I've got news for you: You're not going to get away with it. One way or another, we're going to find a way to stop you.”
    “Not a chance.” Luke smiled. “I've got the guardian angel on my side.”
    “You think this is some kind of joke? Let go of me, you goddamned bastard.” Darren lashed out with his foot in a well-trained kick.
    Luke barely had time to avoid the blow. He spun away from it, using his grip on Darren's shoulder to jerk his cousin off balance.
    Darren staggered, caught himself, and aimed another savage kick at Luke's midsection. Luke sidestepped it and went in low before Darren could regain his balance.
    He used the edge of his hand and with a short series of blows sent Darren crumpling against the alley wall.
    Darren sank slowly to his knees, gasping for breath.
    Luke took a step forward but stopped abruptly when he realized he and Darren no longer had the alley to themselves. He glanced over his shoulder and saw a middle-aged couple standing in the entrance. Their faces showed the shock that had frozen them in place.
    “Run, Ethel,” the man finally managed in a mid-western accent. His eyes locked on Luke's face. He grabbed the woman's arm and took an unsteady step back toward the safety of the street. “For God's sake, run. Find a policeman.”
    Luke stared at the couple as his mind produced an image of what the tourists were seeing. Two men dressed in black locked in violent hand-to-hand combat in an alley. Luke smiled reassuringly.
    “It's okay. Take it easy.” Luke took a couple of steps away from Darren and flashed another grin at the horrified tourists. “We're with the film crew. He's the star. I'm his stuntman. Just running through a couple of routines.” He glanced down at Darren. “Isn't that right?”
    Darren stared up at him in amazement. Then he looked at the couple and grimaced. “Yeah. Right.”
    The woman brightened immediately. “Really? And you're the star?” She plunged a hand into her bulging purse and withdrew a pen and a small notebook. Then she freed herself from her husband's grasp and trotted forward. “Can I have your autograph?”

    “Film crew? Was that the best you could do?” Darren glowered at Luke as he poured beer into a glass. The busy lunchtime crowd in the small restaurant created a hum of conversation that made it possible to talk without being overheard.
    “Sorry. It was the only thing I could come up with at the time. What are you complaining about? I made you the star, didn't I?”
    “Big deal. You weren't the one who had to invent a name to sign in that lady's little notebook. I could barely think straight, let alone dream up a fake name.”
    “What did you put down?” Luke asked.
    Darren made a face. “Luke Darren.”
    “Not bad. Sounds Hollywood.” Luke leaned back in his chair and eyed his cousin. “Where the hell did you learn the karate?”
    “I've