Dead Man's Hand: A Small Town Romance (A Good Run Of Bad Luck Book 1)

by Giulia Lagomarsino

  27

  Ciara

  “I think it’s adorable that he’s taking Max for a spa day,” Jo laughed. “It’s not often you see men that devoted to their dogs.”

  “And a lap dog that he never wanted,” I added. Princess had enough now that her playmate was gone, and was ready to go inside. “Do you want something to drink?”

  “Coffee would be great. It’s freezing out here.” We headed inside and I put the coffee on as she took a seat at the counter. “So, what happened with the apartment hunting?”

  “Oh, I guess that’s off the table for now.”

  “Was it the rent? Because I have a spare bedroom if you need a room to rent.”

  I smiled at her. “That’s so kind, but…things have changed a little between us.”

  “I need to hear this,” she grinned.

  It felt wrong to talk about any of this. After all, Antonio was a very private person, but it wouldn’t hurt to tell her what happened to me.

  “There’s not much to tell. I was driving through during the snow storm a few weeks back, and I went off the road. Antonio was driving by and rescued me, but the wreck was pretty bad,” I said, holding up my wrist. “I had a gash in my leg and a nasty bump on the head. I don’t remember anything before the accident.”

  Her jaw dropped open. “Nothing?”

  I shook my head. “He took me in and then brought me to the hospital when the storm let up.”

  “So, you just stayed with a stranger.”

  “What choice did I have? I was in pretty bad shape, and he took good care of me.”

  “What’s he like? He seems pretty intense to me.”

  “He is, but he’s a good guy. What do you know about him?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing really. I’ve seen him in town a few times, but he’s never spoken to me until he got the dogs. Not that he would. It’s not like we’ve actually run into each other. But I’ve heard rumors about him.”

  “Like what?” I asked, leaning forward.

  “Oh, you know. Small town gossip stuff. He just showed up one day and bought this cabin,” she said, glancing around. “Word is he paid cash for it.”

  “That’s a lot of money.”

  She shrugged. “Who knows if it’s really true. Small town gossip is always blown out of proportion. But most people say that he’s not really that friendly. He doesn’t really talk to anyone, which in a small town is the equivalent of killing small children and cooking them for dinner.”

  “I think he’s just private.”

  “Maybe. I do wonder why he moved here, though. Not that it matters. I only know him because of the dogs, and I’m sure he wasn’t too happy when I showed up here.”

  “He wouldn’t be happy if anyone showed up here, so don’t take it too personally.”

  She waved me off. “Don’t worry about that. It takes a lot for me to be offended. So, what are you going to do now?”

  I sighed, plopping my chin down in my hand. “I don’t know. I’m waiting for this thing to heal,” I said, holding up my arm. “Hopefully, that’ll just be another few weeks. After that, I have no idea.”

  “Don’t you want to find out who you are?”

  I shrugged slightly. “I don’t know. Part of me does, but the other part of me doesn’t. What if I don’t like what I find?”

  “You seem normal.”

  “Well, yeah, but who knows who the other Ciara is. She could be a total psychopath. Besides, things are…good between Antonio and me.”

  “So, you’ll just stick around and never find out who you really are?”

  “I wouldn’t even know where to start. The police ran my name, but they didn’t find anything. Unless someone puts out a missing persons report, I’m not sure how I’ll find out unless my memories return.”

  “Can I help in any way?”

  “I don’t know how. I’ve already looked through all my stuff. Nothing rang any bells.”

  I didn’t mention my little memory of giving a blow job. I wasn’t sure that would win me any points with her, and I needed all the friends I could get.

  “Well, I’m glad you’re here. This town is small and everyone’s so boring. You’ll have to come to town for a girls’ night.”

  “That would be so awesome. I get so bored here sometimes.”

  She glanced around the cabin. “It’s very sparse. Is there a TV in the bedroom?”

  I shook my head. “I don’t even remember TV, but at least it would be entertaining, right?”

  “Well, I read more than I watch TV, so I’m not the best person to ask.”

  “Antonio picked up some books for me, so I’ve been reading those, but he only brought home like ten books and I’m almost finished with them. And it’s not like there’s anything to do around here. If I lived in town, I could at least walk around and see the sights.”

  She snorted. “Oh, that’s funny.”

  “Well, it’s better than just sitting in here all the time. Maybe once the snow melts I can go for walks or something.”

  “Trust me, there’s not a lot to see in town. But you’re right, it would be nice to go on walks with the dogs once it warms up.”

  “I’m Ciara Donnelly. I’m twenty-eight years old, running from my abusive ex in Vegas, Sean McConnell. I’m here to work at the casino and lay low.”

  I frowned, shaking my head slightly. What the hell was that?

  “Are you okay?”

  I closed my eyes and the darkness of the night flashed in my mind.

  Headlights on the road were nearly blinding as I repeated my name and my background in my head. The slick road made the tires spin, sliding all across the road. I screamed as I headed straight for the truck. Jerking the wheel, I went tumbling down the side of the mountain, smashing my head into the window.

  “Ciara, what’s going on?”

  Opening my eyes, I kept hearing myself talk, repeating over and over who I was. I stared at Jo, trying to bring myself back to the present. She was watching me expectantly, so I put a smile on my face, shaking my head.

  “I’m fine. I think I just remembered part of the accident.”

  “Oh, that’s scary.”

  “It wasn’t bad. I’ve been having dreams about the accident for the past two weeks, so I’m used to it by now.”

  “That sounds terrible.”

  I sighed. “I just wish I remembered something else or nothing at all. I feel like my brain is only feeding me bits and pieces. It’s just frustrating.”

  “Have you told Antonio about any of this?”

  I smirked slightly. “We don’t really have that kind of relationship, but I’ve told him.”

  “What kind of relationship do you have?”

  “The kind that’s less talk and more action.”

  “So, are you dating or is this just sex?”

  I didn’t want to give away what Antonio said to me. That felt like it would be betraying his trust. “Girl, if I knew that I might not be so confused all the time.”

  28

  Antonio

  I walked out of the pet shop with Max in my arms, licking me for my little treat today. She didn’t really need a bath and to be pampered like that, but she was such a good girl, when she wasn’t attacking Princess. Christ, now I was referring to the dog by a girl’s name.

  I got in my truck, about to pull out when I saw a car a few rows back with someone just sitting inside. Whoever it was had sunglasses on, and at this distance, I couldn’t get a good idea of his features. I knew the diner in town was pet friendly, so I drove over there, waiting to see if the car would follow. After I pulled out onto the main road, the car started up and followed. He was keeping his distance, but I was pretty sure he was following me.

  Parking outside the diner, I walked inside with Max, putting her on the floor next to my booth by the window. The waitress walked over with a big smile on her face, bending down to pet her. “Oh, look at this pretty girl.”

  “I hope you’re going to wash your hand
s.”

  Her head snapped up and she smiled, but it wasn’t fake. “Of course. You’re not the first person to bring your pet in here. Would you like me to get her a treat?”

  This woman was being really nice to me. I studied her for a minute, wondering if she was going to put dog shit in my food. I nodded, hoping she didn’t try to poison my dog.

  “Can I get you a drink?”

  “Coke,” I said, turning to look outside.

  “I’ll be right back with that while you look over the menu.”

  But I wasn’t listening anymore. The car was in the back of the lot, and the man was still sitting inside. That wasn’t a coincidence. I held my phone up just enough that I could see through the camera out the window. Zooming in, I took a few pictures. They were grainy at best, but I might be able to get something from it. I might get closer later.

  I could just storm up to his car and pull him out, then beat the shit out of him until he told me what the fuck he wanted. But that would attract too much attention, and I didn’t need cops sniffing around me. It could all be a coincidence. Maybe this guy didn’t have anything to do with me, but my instincts weren’t usually wrong. Keeping Ciara at home had been the right idea.

  The weight of the gun against my back reassured me that at least I could protect myself if it came down to it. I could always drive up into the mountains and cause an accident. If he didn’t die in the accident, I could drag him back to the cabin and interrogate him, but that might not go over so well with Ciara. Besides, she didn’t know that side of me.

  “Here you go,” she said, bending down to give the dog a bone. “And here’s your coke. Are you ready to order?”

  “Burger and fries.”

  “Would you like anything on it?”

  “Yeah, surprise me.”

  She smiled and wrote down my order. “Anything I can get you while you wait?”

  I shook my head and pulled out my burner phone as she walked away. I debated what to do now, but I only knew one person that could help me with this. I wasn’t supposed to contact them, but this wasn’t just about me. Ciara was with me and I had to protect her. Besides, if these people were following me, and not her, this could affect Carly.

  Dialing the number, I glanced around, making sure I wouldn’t be overheard. When the gruff voice picked up, I almost smiled, glad that I didn’t feel so alone anymore.

  “What do you want?”

  “I need some help.”

  “You shouldn’t have called. That phone was for emergencies only.”

  “This might be one.”

  He sighed. “Fine, what have you got?”

  “Not much. Someone’s been following me around. Black sedan, license plate NTD 369. I have a picture, but it’s grainy.”

  “Send it to me. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Knight,” I said quickly, before he hung up on me. “That’s not all.”

  “Christ, what else?”

  “There’s a woman staying with me. She was in an accident. She doesn’t remember anything.”

  “That’s awfully convenient.”

  “That’s what I thought.”

  “Do you have a picture?”

  “I can send you one. It’s been a few weeks. I think her amnesia is genuine.”

  “It’s not the amnesia I’d worry about. It’s what she did before the amnesia.”

  “I have a clue on that too. I found an envelope hidden in her suitcase. She hasn’t found it yet. There’s another identity in there. It’s a fake, as is the one in her wallet. I also found pictures that could be incriminating. Looks like a deal was going down and she found out and ran. But without her remembering, I don’t have a lot to go on.”

  “Send me copies of what you have. I’ll go through it all and get back to you.”

  “Thanks.”

  He huffed out a laugh. “You know that’s not good enough. I’ll be coming to you for a favor someday. I hope you’re prepared to pay up.”

  Rubbing my hand across my forehead, I nodded, though he couldn’t see me. “I’ll be ready.”

  Owing a favor to someone like Knight was not a good thing, but he worked for a reputable company now. Not that he was a reputable man, but I knew I could trust him not to stab me in the back, so long as I didn’t try and fuck him over. But I was out of the business now. I didn’t have any other contacts and no one I could really trust. I couldn’t drag Josh into this. He could hold his own in a fight now that Carly had trained him, but his job was to protect my sister and their child.

  I ate my burger, glancing out the window occasionally to watch the man in the car. The more I sat there, the more my anger grew. If only I still had the Family, I would just call and have them take care of him. But I didn’t, so I had to find a way to deal with this asshole on my own.

  After finishing up, I left a generous tip for the waitress who was polite to me despite my piss poor attitude. Max and I left the diner, walking out to the truck like everything was normal. Once inside, I set up my phone so the camera was just over the edge of the window. With my thumb on the red camera button, I drove directly toward him, snapping pictures as I passed. I only hoped they were good enough to help Knight with what he needed. Once I was home, I would have to grab all Ciara’s things from her suitcase and send them over to Knight.

  But as I started my drive home, the guy followed. Since the roads weren’t that busy at this time of year, I decided to let him follow me. Pulling on my winter gloves, I took a right off the main road. When I first came here, I had done a lot of exploring, driving around just because I had nothing better to do. This particular road led to only a few cabins. It was likely that no one would pass me at all.

  The guy was keeping his distance, and when I found a secluded spot, I pulled over, putting on my hazard lights. I popped the hood of the truck and pretended to look around for whatever stalled my truck. It was just a minute later that I heard his car slowing behind me and his car door slamming.

  “Need some help?”

  “I don’t know what the hell happened,” I sighed. “One minute, everything was fine, and the next, my check engine light was on. Thought I’d better check it out before I got too far out of town.”

  The click of the gun sounded behind me. I slowly looked up, staring at the hood of my truck as I raised my arms. “What do you want?”

  “Where’s the girl?”

  “What girl?” I asked, pretending to play along.

  “I saw her with you. Now where the fuck is she?”

  His gun pressed against the back of my head. He just made a big mistake. Spinning quickly, I had ahold of his gun before he even knew what was happening. I slammed the butt of the gun down on his head, and watched as he passed out. Checking quickly to make sure no one was around, I went back to him and checked his pockets. I pulled out his license and snapped a picture, immediately sending it to Knight. After replacing the license, I stuffed his wallet back in his jeans and dragged him to the edge of the mountainside. It was a nice drop, nearly similar to what Ciara had driven off.

  Since he wasn’t waking up anytime soon, I left him on the side while I got in his car and started it up. I reversed down the road a little, and then put it in drive. Slamming my foot down on the gas, I held the driver’s side door open as I drove toward the edge of the mountain side. I jumped out at the last second, rolling in the snow as the car crashed over the side.

  Getting up, I brushed myself off and walked back over to the man on the side of the road. He was just coming around, so I woke him up a little more forcefully, placing my boot right in his stomach.

  “Wake up, asshole.”

  I bent down and slapped his face. He shook his head and when he realized what happened, his face paled. I held the gun a decent distance from him, making sure he couldn’t grab the gun, but he couldn’t escape either.

  “Now, you’re going to tell me what I want to know. Understood?”

  He shook his head slightly. I grabbed him by the coat and yanked h
im up. “You will tell me what I want to know,” I spat. “You can have a clean death or you can have a painful death. Which is it going to be?”

  His whole body was shaking, but he finally made the right decision. “I…I was just sent to find the girl.”

  “Who do you work for?”

  “I’m just…a hired contractor. I got a call to find her. She was supposed to be driving through here.”

  “Who’s looking for her?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t know, man. They never tell me.”

  “What were you supposed to do when you found her?”

  “Report back and wait for further instruction.”

  “Give me the phone.”

  He reached into his coat pocket and slowly pulled out the phone. I had a choice to make, one that would either put Ciara in a lot of danger or one that would save her life. If I told him to report that he found her, they might tell him to kill her. And they’d want proof. We’d have to leave immediately before someone else came looking. But at least I would have more answers. But if I told him to say she wasn’t here, they might move on and start looking elsewhere for her. It would give me more time to find out from Knight what was going on.

  “Call in and tell whoever the fuck handles you, that you can’t locate her. You make it convincing, understand?” He nodded. “Put it on speakerphone.”

  He made the call, looking at me when another man answered. Taking a deep breath, he answered.

  “Yeah, the girl’s not here.”

  I was impressed that he held it together as he spoke.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yeah, I’ve been watching for two weeks. She’s not here.”

  “Fuck. No one’s seen her?”

  “The town is small. If she’d been through here, someone would have seen it,” he answered, not really answering the question. “She must have driven straight through.”

  “Alright. Payment will be delivered within the hour.”

  He hung up without saying anything else.