Julia's eyes darted back and forth, trying to understand this strange phenomenon; the bully was being bullied.
"I need to see my wife. Nina, grab your purse," Jason said, i a king her arm and starting toward the door. "Let's go for a drive."
"Hey," she cried. "Stop it."
Lance stepped toward the door, blocking Jason's path of escape, but Jason still had a firm grip on Nina's thin arm.
Julia stepped forward. "Nina and I have plans tonight, Jason."
Jason turned on her, twenty years' worth of anger seeping into his voice. "Maybe Nina doesn't want to be your date tonight! Huh? Did you ever think of that, Julia? Tiny's got a man; she doesn't need to compensate for you not having one."
"Don't call me Tiny," Nina said, sounding clearer and stronger than she'd sounded in Jason's presence in years. "I hate it!" She cringed. "I'm telling you for the last time, don't ever call me Tiny!"
"Babe?" Jason turned to her, laying on the charm. "I'm sorry. I didn't know—"
"Yes, you did," Nina said. Julia heard tears swelling in her best friend's voice. "You know how it makes me feel. I'm not helpless, Jason. Don't treat me like I am." She wiped her eyes, then said, "I think you'd better leave."
But Jason had come for Nina", and Julia knew firsthand that he wouldn't easily leave without her.
"Nina, honey, I worry about you," Jason said. He reached for her hand and began massaging her small fingers. "We're no good without each other. It's always been you and me. Forever, remember? What do you say? Come on, let's go talk about this."
Julia's heart lodged in her throat as she saw her best friend teeter on the brink of what could possibly be the most important decision of her life. Down one path was a fictional night at the movies with her ex-husband. Down the other lay a night of burglary with her best friend. No matter which way Nina turned, danger and adventure waited.
Nina pulled her fingers from Jason's grasp, and Julia began to breathe again.
"Whatever you have to say to me, you can say here, in front of my friends, or you can say it to my lawyer." Nina wiped her eyes. "It's your choice."
"But, Tiny ..." Jason started.
"Don't call her that!" Julia roared and stepped closer.
"Get away from me, bitch." Jason sneered, shoving Julia into the wall. She crashed and felt her elbow bang sharply, as Lance stepped between Jason and Nina, expertly sliding her out of harm's way.
He sounded calm when he said, "Looks like he's chosen the lawyer route, Nina." Lance placed one hand on Jason's shoulder, a friendly gesture with decidedly unfriendly implications. His voice was low and steady as he spoke near Jason's ear: "Nina doesn't want to talk to you. She doesn't want to see you. And even more than that, I don't want to see you. If you come near any of these women again, I'll hear about it. Do you understand me?" When Jason didn't reply, Lance shook him gently, as if trying to wake a sleeping child. "I asked if you understood."
"Yes." Jason grimaced.
"Okay. Now, remember, if you want to give me a go, all you have to do is say one word to any of these women, and we'll see who the tough guy really is."
Caroline already had the door open, so Lance gave Jason a small shove, and Jason stumbled onto the porch. He didn't have time to say anything, much less comprehend what had just happened, before Caroline closed the door and flipped the lock.
Lance turned and asked Nina, "You okay?" When she nodded, he turned his attention to Julia. "What about you?"
Julia's elbow was tender and it hurt. She looked at the closed door that Jason was locked behind and thought for one terrifying second what might have happened if Lance hadn't been there.
"Julia," Lance asked, snapping her back to the moment. "Are you okay?"
She nodded, and Lance said, "Good." Then he turned away and began climbing the stairs, wrapped in a cloak of quiet confidence. He hadn't yelled his warning, he'd whispered it, and Julia knew the sound of his voice would be reverberating in Jason's ears for years.
So men like that really do exist. So that's what all the fuss is about.
***
At one fifteen they synchronized their watches. Julia didn't know exactly why, but it still felt like the thing to do. Then Julia, Nina, and Lance checked the batteries in their flashlights one last time and said good-bye to Caroline, who was already holding a sleeping Nicholas.
As they prepared to go, Julia watched Lance from the corner of her eye. If things went wrong, the consequences would be worst for him—he was a strong, able-bodied man breaking into the home of an elderly woman. She and Nina posed a far lesser physical threat. Plus, they could always plead insanity and, judging from their recent and extended history, most juries would buy it.
Nina had gone downstairs first, following Caroline's instructions to test the walkie-talkie on the far side of the lawn to best gauge its range and volume, so Julia and Lance were alone as they left the playroom. When they reached the first-floor landing, Julia took his arm and said, "Can I talk to you for a second?"