"Then why are you here?" I asked, feeling slightly sick to my stomach.
Tam glanced at me, then at Ian. "We have a problem. A big, big problem."
Chapter Twenty-two
"It's like this," Tam said, taking a deep breath. "I sent you the reports on Ethan, Honey, and Bear..."
"Right."
"But not Cain Monahan," Tam said. She looked at Ian. "There was nothing on file for him, except for his prints because he's a government employee. I couldn't find anything much. He's thirty-four, not married, graduated from the University of Florida." She trailed off.
"Then what's the problem?" I asked.
"You opened a hornet's nest, Nina," Ian said. I'd met him last year while he'd been working undercover for the FBI. He'd since switched to the DEA.
"How so?" I was trying to remember how to breathe properly. They were making me nervous.
"Tam's Internet search spurred a visit by the U.S. Marshals to our farm," he said.
Pain pulsated in my head. "I don't understand."
Maria settled herself back into the recliner. "Me, either."
"I didn't either," Tam said, "until they explained."
"Let's backtrack a little. Why did you want to know about Cain Monahan?" he asked.
I didn't want to backtrack. I bit the inside of my cheek. "Personal reasons."
"Personal why?" he asked.
"Why does it matter?" I winced at my headache.
"Just tell him, Nina," Maria said.
Ian watched me closely. "Fine," I said. "I met Cain the other day when he was here working the Joey Miller case. I was a little taken aback because he reminded me of someone I used to know. Someone who's dead. The thing is, I know it's him. I know it is. I saw his eyes... But Cain is not his name."
Ian nodded, not seeming the least bit surprised. "His name is Seth Thiessen."
My jaw dropped.
"Holy shit!" Maria clapped a hand over her mouth. Through her fingers, she said, "I thought you were just crazy, Nina."
"Thanks," I said to her.
"Sorry." She shrugged.
Ian said, "Do you know any of the duties of the U.S. Marshals?"
"Not really," I said.
He clasped his hands together and leaned forward. "Well, one of the many duties is the Witness Protection program."
I let his words sink in. Realization hit me hard. "The plane crash." Now it made sense why there had been no follow up.
"Exactly," Ian said. "No one was on that plane—it was a ruse. The family was relocated to Florida to start a new life."
"But his scars..."
"There was another accident, a car accident in Florida. His family died, and he was in a coma for months."
"That's...horrible. Did the Witness Protection fail them?" Maria asked.
"Actually, no," Ian said. "It was just an accident. A tragic accident. Seth finally came to, but had little memory of who he used to be. A blessing, I guess, considering. He truly started a new life."
No wonder he hadn't recognized me right off. He wasn't pretending to be someone else. He was someone else. I thought of his parents and his sister, and my heart ached.
"He was taken in and adopted by a Marshal in Florida," Ian said, "where he finished high school and went to college."
Maria leaned forward, which wasn't easy for her to do. "If he has no memories of his childhood, what's he doing here?"
I was struggling to wrap my head around all this. "When I was talking to him yesterday, he said he wanted to call me Bo-bina."
Maria gasped.
"It was a childhood nickname he used to call me," I explained to Tam and Ian. "So he must remember some stuff."
"It's definitely possible. It turns out his adopted father, the only family he knew after the accident, died last year, and shortly afterward Cain moved back to Ohio. Before he died, his adopted father expressed concern to his colleagues that Cain would eventually investigate his childhood. The father feared that even twenty years later that there might still be some bad blood toward the Thiessen family. The Marshals were put on alert when Cain moved. Then when Tam started searching...they paid us a visit. Who else knows you were looking into his background?"
"Just Maria. And Ana, but she wouldn't say anything."
"Good. I was asked to convey to you that you need to keep quiet about all this until it's ascertained whether there remains a viable threat to Cain's life. It's doubtful, but the Marshals are checking with the FBI, and there are hoops to jump through. So...until you hear from me, mum's the word."
"Our lips are sealed. Right, Nina?" Maria said.
Seth was alive. He was alive! I couldn't wait to tell Peter. But, I'd wait. I couldn't do anything to jeopardize putting Seth in danger again. "Sealed," I agreed.
"Good." Ian stood up.
Behind him Tam gave me a thumb's up.
"Oh, and by the way," he said, "Tam's fingerprinting service is closed for good. You should have seen me trying to double-talk my way out of trouble yesterday."
Tam frowned and gave me a thumbs down.
"Does that mean I don't have to babysit for those hours?"
He laughed. "On the contrary—your hours have doubled."
"That hardly seems fair," I said.
"Would you like me to send the Marshals here for an interview?"
"Doubled it is!"
Tam kissed me on the head before they headed out. "Call me if you get an update from the hospital."
"I will," I promised.
The door closed softly behind them. I glanced at Maria.
Her blond hair shimmered as she said, "Can you even believe it?"
I leaned back on my pillow and smiled. "I can. I saw his eyes." A second later, I heard hammering. "Is that in my head or outside?"
She wiggled out of the chair and went to the window. "Oh my word. You have to see this."
***
Squinting against the pain in my head, I was careful not to disturb Gracie as I stood up and went to the window. Pulling aside the curtain, I peeked out.
Dozens of scary-looking people milled about along with some familiar faces. The sound of a circular saw split the air, and I saw a man decked out in tattoos and leather bringing a piece of trim work into Mario and Perry's house.
"What in the world?" I grabbed my robe, tied the sash, and stepped out onto the front porch. Ana, dressed in a pair of cut-off shorts, tank, and pink tool belt was headed my way.
"Do you have any good coffee?" she asked. "Kit's stuff is too weak, and I don't have the heart to tell him."
"In the kitchen. What's going on?"
She smiled and it lit her whole face. "Kit called in a few friends to finish Mario and Perry's house for good."
"Who?" Maria asked. "The Hell's Angels?"
A dozen motorcycles—at least—were parked in Kit's front yard.
"I don't ask questions like that," Ana said, ducking past me. She was back a second later with a mug of coffee.
"Why is my crew there?" I'd emailed them last night, telling them to enjoy the day off today and we'd pick up on Mario and Perry's yard on Wednesday or Thursday (Tuesday was our regular day off) once we all got our bearings again.
"Kit heard there was rain in the forecast for tonight and called to see if anyone would come in today. Everyone agreed. Plus, I think after what happened, they want to get it done for Mario and Perry."
"Aw," Maria said.
I felt the sting of tears and blinked them back.
"I took the day off to help. A mental health day. After yesterday's trauma, I need it."
I didn't crack any jokes about her renovation skill level. For Kit to do all this—and for people to show up—it restored my faith in humanity.
"Kit says not to worry about anything. That he has things covered and for you to rest."
"Tell him I said thanks. For everything."
Nodding, she waved as she walked off, and earned several catcalls from men pulling up on their Harleys.
Maria said, "
I think I saw that guy on a Wanted poster once."
I smiled. "He's winking at you."
"Eee!" she cried and ducked back into the house.
I stood outside for a moment, taking in the sight of dozens of strangers pitching in to help two men they didn't know. It did my heart good.
Really good.
Chapter Twenty-three
The day only improved when we swung by the hospital. We were there to pick up Mr. Cabrera, but we'd gone upstairs to check on Mario first and found that they'd moved him to a private room. When we walked in, he was sitting up in bed looking a little ragged but none the worse for wear.
"Mario, look at you!"
He smiled weakly. Maria and I took turns kissing his cheek.
Perry yawned and said, "Isn't it great? He woke up in the middle of the night. The doctor says he's not quite out of the woods yet, but he's getting there. The worst is past."
I went to hold Mario's hand and found it shaking. "Are you cold? I can get another blanket."
"It's a side effect," he said softly, his voice scratchy.
Perry said, "He'll probably need some physical therapy when he's released."
"Big!" Mario said, eyeing Maria's stomach.
She shook a finger at him and said, "I'll forgive you for saying that only because of what happened."
Confusion flooded his eyes. "What happened?"
I glanced at Perry.
"There are some memory issues, too. There was an accident," Perry explained patiently to him.
Mario nodded and closed his eyes.
Perry motioned us out of the room.
"Memory issues?" I said. "Will they last?"
"I hope so!" Perry said.
Maria stared at him. "Perry Owens, are you insane?"
"Not at all. Right now he doesn't remember our fight at all. He's not mad at me, and I'd like to keep it that way. It's like a clean slate."
I couldn't help but shake my head. "You're awful."
Maria said, "I'll be right back," and veered off toward a restroom.
"When's she due?" Perry asked.
"The induction is at the end of next week."
"She looks ready to pop."
"Well, if you value your life, then don't tell her that."
He glanced back into the room. "He'll be out for a little while now, can I catch a ride with you two? I'd like to take a shower and freshen up a little."
"Sure," I said. "We were just headed downstairs to collect Mr. Cabrera."
"Any sign of Brickhouse?"
I shook my head.
He whistled low. "Let me just tell the nurses where I'm going. I'll be right back."
I leaned against the door frame, watching Mario sleep. I supposed if he came out of this missing a week's worth of bad memories and a slight tremor then he was one lucky man.
Perry came back and nudged me. "What're you thinking about? You look lost in thought."
"Just how lucky he was," I said.
"No," Perry said softly. "I was the lucky one."
***
We'd explained to Perry about the goings-on at his house during the ride home so he wouldn't be taken aback by the motorcycle gang that had shown up in his yard.
He had tears in his eyes as we pulled into my driveway.
Mr. Cabrera looked as sullen as the storm clouds on the horizon. I said, "Maybe you should stay with me for a few days, Mr. C."
"Pah," he said. "I'd rather go home."
Maria said, "No, really, stay with us."
"Us?" he echoed.
"Maria's staying with me for a couple of days."
She said, "On account that Nina cracked her head open yesterday and needs someone looking after her."
He stared at my head. "Doesn't look like anything's wrong with your head."
I said, "Only on the inside."
A smile tugged the corner of his lip. "That makes more sense." He pushed open the car door. "But all the same, I'd rather go home."
"Dinner at least," I offered.
Reluctantly, he nodded and toddled away. I made a mental note to check on him later.
Perry helped Maria out of the car. "Have you heard from Kevin at all today?" he asked me.
"Not a thing." I headed for the front steps.
Maria carefully navigated the stairs. "He's mad at her because he thinks she has a thing for the coroner guy."
Perry said, "Do tell!"
"Nothing to tell." There was a package sitting on my welcome mat. "Do you have something to tell?"
"Oh no, that's not from me," he said. "I learned that lesson."
I bent down, cursing the pain and pressure in my head, and straightened back up. "The tag has your name on it."
He took the box out of my hands and shook it. "Impossible."
"Open it," Maria said.
Perry tore open the wrapping and removed a small velvet box from inside a larger gift box. The hinges creaked slightly when he pulled back the top. "I don't understand," he said.
"What is it?" Maria leaned in, trying to see the gift.
I glanced at Perry. "Come on, you're behind this."
He shoved the box into my hands. "I'm not. I swear I'm not. I don't get it. Who'd send me these?"
In my hands were the cufflinks he'd admired the other day at The Gem Shop.
"You really didn't send them to yourself?" I asked.
"Nina, I'm telling you, no. I learned my lesson. This is a little creepy, isn't it?"
"Why don't we call Saul?" I said.
A quick phone call later, we were still stumped. Saul had cited store policy about revealing his customers' names and hung up.
Maria looked at me. "This is strange."
"Definitely a little creepy," I said.
Perry eyed the cufflinks. "Do you think I can keep them? I can tell Mario he gave them to me—he won't remember."
I snatched the box back. "No!"
"I knew you were going to say that." He marched upstairs to take a shower.
As I watched Gracie sniff around outside, I shifted the box from hand to hand.
"What are you going to do with them?" Maria asked.
"I think I need to pay Saul a visit." I brought Gracie back inside, rubbed her head, and set her on her favorite spot under the couch. "Do you want to come along?"
"Actually, I'm a little tired. I think I'll rest a bit."
I eyed her. "Is Small-Town Crown coming on TV soon?"
"At two!"
I smiled, but her staying here posed a problem. I couldn't go alone because I wasn't yet cleared to drive. "I'll see if Ana will go."
"Can you bring me home a shake? Since you're going out? A chocolate one?"
As I walked out the door, I figured a lot of things about Maria were about to undergo a drastic change. And some things would forever stay the same.
Chapter Twenty-four
I'd just stepped outside when Kevin pulled his SUV behind Maria's Mercedes.
"I thought you were supposed to be resting," he said.
"I've rested. Now I have a quick errand to run."
"You're not driving..."
"I was going to get Ana to take me." Across the street, she was passing out water bottles to Kit's scary-looking friends. I noticed Jean-Claude was hard at work, stacking shrubs into a wheelbarrow. I hadn't spoken with him since the day at the park. I hoped he was okay—there was a lot going on in his life. I saw that several neighbors had joined in the cause to fix up the house as well, and also hoped Mario and Perry realized how welcomed they were here.
"She appears to be busy. I'll take you."
"You don't even know where I'm going."
His gaze settled on me. "Doesn't matter."
Warmth slid down my spine. "Okay."
He held my hand as I settled into the passenger seat, and I wondered at the shift in his behavior. He'd gone from being surly to being...flirty?
"Where to?" he asked, already backing out.
"The Gem Shop."
"The Gem
Shop?"
"Perry received an anonymous gift today that has him a little freaked out. It came from the store."
"Another secret admirer present?"
"I guess, but this time the admirer really is secret." I told him how Perry had sent all the other presents to himself. And now he was over the moon because Mario couldn't remember their big fight.
Kevin laughed. It had been a while since I'd heard the sound, and I suddenly remembered how much I liked it.
How much I liked him.
I looked out the window as we drove past house after house. "How'd Delphine's hearing go?" It had been postponed until today when the news about the accident reached the courtroom yesterday.
"Not well for her."
"But—"
"I know what you're going to say, Nina, but if it looks like a duck and acts like a duck, then it's a duck. She had means and motive and the evidence is stacked against her."
I folded my arms. "Sometimes a duck is a loon."
He smiled. "Same family, right?"
I wasn't sure, so I kept my mouth shut.
"Look," he said, "I talked to Honey and checked hers and Jean-Claude's alibis. They're airtight."
"Did she admit to being the accident victim's sister?"
"Yes. She confessed to marrying Joey to ruin him. To make his life miserable, to take all his money, to turn evidence she discovered against him cheating homeowners over to police. She says she'd never kill him because she'd wanted him to live as long as possible in misery. Delphine wasn't kidding when she told us that Honey didn't like her husband. She didn't just not like him—she hated him. She gets the last laugh about it, too."
"Why's that?"
"Joey had an enormous life insurance policy taken out a month after they were married. She's the beneficiary."
"Um, hello! Motive!"
"Quack, quack, remember? Honey took a lie detector. Passed with flying colors. She's telling the truth."
This time. "Well, we know Delphine couldn't have tampered with the water heater. Did you talk to Plum?"
He stared out the front window. "She's absolutely devastated, Nina, and was barely coherent when we questioned her."
"She could be a good actress."
The Root of All Trouble Page 16