Nowhere to Turn (19 page)

Dani also wanted to know how they’d been found and how they would avoid being found again. Simon sat in the backseat once again staring out the window, his jaw set, eyes narrowed. She wondered what he was thinking, but didn’t have the energy to ask him.

The storm had moved on and the rain stopped. “Where are we going now?” Dani asked.

“Another safe house. We’ve got to figure out how Stuart—or whoever—keeps tracking us down. We’re going to have more security too. Tabitha and Isaac are going to meet us there.” He rubbed his face and shook his head. “I thought keeping it small and understated was the way to go. That the less people involved would make it harder to find you. Obviously, that didn’t work.” She thought he muttered, “Nothing’s working.” But wasn’t sure she heard right.

“But how did they track us to the boat? How? You were so careful and even had us followed, backtracking, and making sure. I just don’t understand.”

“You’re not asking any questions I haven’t already been over in my mind a dozen times.” He turned left, then right, glanced
in the rearview mirror, and took the next right. “You see that helicopter up there?”

She glanced toward the clouds. It was dark outside now, but she saw the lights directly above them. Blades churned the air and she could hear it. “Yes.”

“That’s David and Kade. They’re keeping watch from the air this time.”

“But it’s dark.”

“They have the equipment they need. They can see.” Adam pressed on the earpiece. He looked at her, then back at the road. “All clear.”

“How can you guys afford all this? I mean, I’m not paying you anything and you have all this equipment and safe houses and—”

“We’re a privately funded organization, but the governor is also involved. She’s a friend of mine, and she believes in what we’re doing. When David approached me about being a part of Operation Refuge, I asked the governor what she thought about it. She decided to get behind it as long as it could fund itself. She couldn’t provide financial backing—and we didn’t want it—but she could provide other things like law enforcement privileges and access to certain equipment.”

“Like the helicopter. And Ron is your private funder?”

“Yes.”

She nodded. “I got that impression. What’s his story?”

“I don’t really know. David is the one who would have to tell you that. All I know is Ron helped David out of a tight spot a couple of years ago. They’ve been tight ever since. And Ron has a soft spot for people in trouble. He goes out of his way to help others.”

“Like the good Samaritan,” she murmured.

He nodded.

“Did you talk to Ralph?”

“I did.”

“What did he say about the key?”

“That it didn’t go to any of the lockers they had on the premises and he wasn’t sure what it went to.”

She let out a sigh. “What did he say about Kurt?”

Adam talked and she listened, gaining insight into the man she’d married. “Did you know Gordon Faraday?” he asked.

“Yes, he was Ralph’s partner. He died the same day that Kurt did.” She twisted the Kleenex that had appeared in her hand. “I bought the snakes,” she whispered.

“What?”

“The snakes that Kurt packed in that box. I bought them.” Tears flowed freely now. “I didn’t know.” She gave a hiccuping sob and grabbed a breath. “I didn’t know what he was up to or I would’ve warned Gordon.” She gave a helpless shrug and mopped at the tears. “I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s Kurt’s.”

“A man died,” she blurted. “How can someone be so evil?”

“It’s a question people ask every day, unfortunately.”

“Gordon has a daughter. Julie, I think her name is.”

“Yes. I met her briefly when I went to talk to Ralph. She’s still pretty torn up over her father’s death.”

“I’m sure.” Dani gulped.

He squeezed her hand. “So apparently Kurt has a stellar reputation as an agent. But he’s also known as a practical joker.”

Dani shuddered. “Yes, but obviously, his practical jokes weren’t harmless. They were mean and degrading. You didn’t want to be the target.”

“Sounds like you learned that the hard way.”

“I did. I was on the receiving end of a couple.” She drew in a deep breath. “I hate spiders and one time I opened my dresser drawer and he’d emptied a whole slew of them in there. I had
to get rid of them. And I did, but I saw spiders everywhere for a month after that.”

“He preyed on people’s weaknesses. It made him feel superior. Powerful.”

“Yes, I suppose it did.” She sighed. “How’s your mother?”

He shook his head and glanced at his phone. “I’m not sure. No one’s bothered to text or call me.” A muscle jumped in his jaw. He shot a glance at her. “You said you got married when you were nineteen.”

“Yes.” She could tell he was upset and didn’t want to talk about it. She wouldn’t push him to do so then.

“And you never went to college?” he asked.

“No. I wanted to, but Kurt wouldn’t let me.” She’d begged to take a few classes to work toward a degree in linguistics and he’d refused. “I have an affinity for languages and wanted to study them, but Kurt scoffed at the idea and told me my place was in the home.”

She saw Adam’s hands flex on the wheel and knew he was angry on her behalf. She appreciated it, but didn’t need it. “You come across very educated.”

Dani gave a watery laugh. “Well, thanks, I appreciate that.”

He blew a raspberry. “I didn’t mean it like that. I know people who don’t go to college can still sound educated. I just meant—”

“I know what you meant. It’s okay. I was very isolated in a lot of ways, but I read a lot. I mean, like all the time. There’s a library across the street from our neighborhood. I spent a lot of time there. Especially when Simon was in school and Kurt was traveling. I would read for hours about different places, cultures, everything. And I found all kinds of ways to learn languages online.” She shrugged. “Some of it rubbed off, I guess.”

“I guess so.” He shot her a smile.

She leaned her head against the window. “I want my life back.”

“That’s supposed to be how it works,” he said. “We’ve done this dozens of times. We give you a new look, a new job, a new place to live—a new identity. You go about your business and only have to look over your shoulder every once in a while. No one we’ve ever relocated has ever been found.”

“So I’m special, huh?”

He took her hand and squeezed her fingers. “Yeah. You’re definitely special.”

Dani felt the flush rise into her cheeks. “Thanks.”

“Tell me about your life after Kurt.”

She shifted to face him. “Life after Kurt, huh?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“I don’t.” She fell silent, thinking. “It was very strange at first as you can probably imagine. I had FBI wives and widows in and out of my house for nearly a month. They were so kind, so giving.” She shook her head at the memories. “After being pretty much alone for so long, it was hard having them around—and wonderful too. Their kids would play with Simon and he finally started to smile easier. He lost his tension, his guard went down slightly. It was nice. I started jogging and getting to know some of the people in the neighborhood. Jenny and I became much closer.”

“Jenny’s house was where you were attacked?”

“Yes.” She shuddered. “She’s probably worried sick about me. I don’t suppose I can call her.”

“No. Sorry.”

She sighed. “I understand, I just hate that I disappeared without even saying goodbye to her.”

“That’s the way it works, unfortunately.”

“I know.” Her throat tightened as tears threatened. “And I know Simon misses Mitchell something awful.”

He grasped her hand again. “It’s better to be safe and make
new friends than to contact old ones. If you contact them, you could put them in danger too.”

“I know and I won’t, I promise I’m smarter than that.”

Adam decided the woman was absolutely brilliant. How she ended up with Kurt Harding was a question he didn’t think he’d ever have an answer for. But Dani had been an impressionable teen and Kurt had been a charming older guy. He supposed he could see how it happened. What he didn’t understand was how Dani had kept her softness, a quiet innocence, and her belief in God.

Having Simon probably kept that part of her from dying.

An hour later, after what should have been a five-minute drive, he pulled into the small airport Kade used and the three of them climbed from the vehicle. Simon looked interested in everything around him.

Kade met them at the door to the hangar. “You ready?”

“Ready.”

“Anyone follow you?” Kade asked as he walked to the computer behind the desk.

“I want to say no, but at this point, I’m not making any promises. Let’s just get out of here.”

Kade held up a finger. “I’ve just got to log the flight.” He looked up. “I assume you’re all using aliases?”

“Of course.”

Dani’s quiet gasp caught Adam’s attention. “What is it?”

She stared at the television above the desk. “The news clip. They’re talking about a counterfeiting ring.”

“Where?”

“At stores and restaurants I shopped at with the money I got from the safe. See? There.” She pointed. “At the McDonald’s and the Publix grocery store.”

“What makes you think it’s the money from the safe? It could be from anywhere.”

“If it had been just those two stores, I wouldn’t have given it another thought, but Simon’s school reported a counterfeit twenty. I used one to pay for his lunches about three weeks ago,” she whispered. She turned stunned eyes on Adam. “I’m telling you, the money from the safe is counterfeit.”

Joe popped into Stuart’s office. “How you feeling?”

Stuart grimaced and rubbed his side where the bullet had entered. “It’s still painful, but I can cover it up. Guess the antibiotics are doing their job. So far no infection.” He’d doubled up on the pills. “Thanks for your help.”

Joe settled himself into the chair opposite Stuart. “You track down Dani yet?”

“No.” He wiggled the mouse and brought up the program that would allow him to check on Dani’s whereabouts. “Nothing yet.”

Joe cocked his head. “Just out of curiosity, how are you tracking them?”

Stuart raised a brow and shot the man his most arrogant smile. “I have my ways.”

“You keep showing up, they’ll figure it out.”

“Maybe, but not before it’s too late to do anything about it.”

Joe nodded. His intense stare made Stuart a bit uncomfortable. “What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I’m just thinking that you’re really intent on getting Dani to fall in line with your plans. Are you obsessed or does she have something you want?”

Stuart blinked. Joe’s directness sometimes took him aback. It annoyed him that he couldn’t think as fast on his feet as he’d
like when it came to the man. “Something I want? You mean as far as material things? No.”

“So you just want her?”

“What’s with the third degree?” Stuart leaned back and crossed his arms.

Joe shrugged. “Kurt said something to me one night when we were all out at Happy’s.”

Happy’s. The local restaurant frequented by a large percentage of the Bureau. “What’d he say?”

“He said something about a letter in his safe.”

Stuart sat up, his full attention on Joe. “He told you about a letter in his safe. Did he happen to mention what the letter said?”

“Yeah, but I’ll warn you right now. You’re not going to like it.”

“Tell me,” Stuart demanded.

Joe sighed. “You sure?”

“Joe—”

“Fine, fine. He said that he made sure Dani understood where her place was and that she was to stay away from you.”

Stuart bolted to his feet, felt his face flush red. He narrowed his eyes, suspicion flowing through his veins. “Why would he tell you that? You just said you two weren’t tight. Why would Kurt share something like that with someone he didn’t even like?”

Joe’s brow lifted in surprise. “What makes you think Kurt didn’t like me?”

“Because you’re my partner.”

Joe grimaced. “Well, yeah, there is that, but Kurt and I got along okay.” He paused. “Frankly, as long as you weren’t the topic of conversation, we were fine. And besides, he’d had a little too much to drink that night. He said a few things he probably shouldn’t have.”