THE MARRIAGE PROTECTION PROGRAM

by Margaret Watson

  Ben leaned forward. "Have you kept anything from your previous identity? I thought you were supposed to get rid of everything."

  "You are." Janie met his gaze with defiant eyes. "But I couldn't do it. If I had destroyed everything from my past, I knew there would come a time when I would look in the mirror and wonder if it had all been a dream. I don't know if I'll ever see my family again, or my friends. So I kept some pictures and some papers. They're in a safe-deposit box in a bank, along with the information about my contact with the witness protection program. Don't worry," she said, and she must have seen the concern in his eyes, because she gave him a bleak smile. "They're not in the bank in Cameron." She hesitated, then leaned close. "They're stored eighty miles away in a bank in Panguitch. I keep the key in the house. I'll show you where it's hidden."

  "You don't have to do that if it makes you uncomfortable." He was overwhelmed by her trust in him.

  She shook her head. "No, I want you to know. You're my husband, and you need to know." She swallowed hard. "If anything should happen to me, I want you to be able to get in touch with my family and let them know."

  "Nothing is going to happen, Janie." He bent closer, so she could see the truth in his eyes. "I won't let anything happen to you."

  "You need to take care of Rafael," she said, but her voice was shaky.

  "I'll take care of both of you." He leaned closer, needing to touch her, aching for contact with her. His lips brushed hers, and he felt her cling to him. He wanted, more than anything, to take her in his arms and shelter her from the ugly truth of what had happened to her today. He wanted to make her forget all about the murderer who might have found her, and the danger she was in. But he couldn't allow himself to do that He had to focus on keeping her safe.

  So he stepped away, ignoring the emptiness in his heart and the ache in his arms. "Let's go back to the house," he said, his voice grim. "Jim can carry on here, can't he?"

  "I guess he can." She looked around the office once more, then back at him. "This will be the first day that I won't be at Heaven on Seventh since I bought it." Her voice was wistful.

  "Then it's about time you took a day off." He purposely made his voice brisk. "Go talk to Jim and Phyllis, then we'll go."

  "All right."

  She stood up and headed for the kitchen, and Ben walked out into the dining area. His boss, Devlin McAllister, stood talking with his sister Shea and her husband Jesse, who were eating breakfast He walked over to the group.

  "Good morning, Shea. Jesse." He shook hands with the former FBI agent who had married his friend's sister and relaxed enough to smile at the couple. "What are you doing here for breakfast? And does Maria know you snuck away from her breakfast?"

  "We didn't have to sneak. Maria is taking a vacation. She's gone back to San Rafael to visit her family now that the civil war is over." Shea beamed up at him. "And since we're without our housekeeper for a couple of weeks, Jesse and I decided it would be safer to eat Janie's cooking than our own."

  "It's good to see you." He turned to Dev. "This is supposed to be your day off. What are you doing in town?"

  "Marge the dispatcher called me and told me what's going on, and I was concerned. I thought you could use another set of hands."

  "Thanks, Dev. But doesn't Shea need you on the ranch?"

  "She told me to get lost."

  "We can survive without him today, Ben." Shea wasn't smiling now. "I want to make sure that you both take care of Janie."

  "I'll take good care of her, you can be sure of that." He heard the grim determination in his voice and tried to soften it. "We'll find whoever did this."

  "I know you will, Ben. But I didn't just mean finding the person who broke into her restaurant." Shea's eyes softened and she smiled at him again. "But I can see I don't have to tell you how to take care of Janie. I can see you'll do a perfect job all by yourself."

  "Of course I'll take care of her. She's my wife," he said stiffly.

  "You're an idiot, Ben Jackson." She gave him a warm smile as she turned to her brother. "Isn't he, Dev?"

  The sheriff rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, Shea." He pulled Ben to the side. "Let's talk about this break-in. Phyllis said nothing was taken besides the cash in the cash register. What's going on?"

  "Meet us back at our house in about a half hour," Ben said. "We'll tell you about it then."

  Dev's eyes sharpened, but he didn't ask any more questions. Nodding, he walked back over to Shea and Jesse and sat down. Ben turned away, uncomfortable with Shea's perception. He didn't want to think about the knowing look in her eyes, or what it meant He didn't want to think about what Shea thought she saw when she looked at him and Janie.

  Janie came out of the kitchen then, and he stood up. "Ready to go?"

  She nodded. "Jim is set for the day, and Phyllis is fine up front here. I told both of them to call if there was a problem."

  Ben led her out of the restaurant and over to his truck. Again, he felt her watching, felt her tense as she surveyed the street. But there was nothing to see. The street in front of the restaurant was momentarily deserted, except for the sheriff's deputy who was pretending to write parking tickets. He was far down the street now, still scanning the street, but his posture was more relaxed. Apparently he hadn't seen a thing.

  No one followed them home, either. And Janie's house hadn't been disturbed. But that didn't mean a thing, he reminded himself grimly. It would be far too easy, in a small town like Cameron, for anyone to find out where Janie was living now. The people were wary of strangers asking about Rafael, but his and Janie's wedding was still big news in the town. Most of the people would be only too happy to strike up a conversation about them.

  "He probably knows where I'm living by now," Janie said, her words an eerie echo of what he'd just been thinking.

  "Probably," he said, after hesitating for a moment. She was probably hoping he would reassure her, but he couldn't do that. He'd vowed early on never to deceive her, and that included this situation. "It would be easy enough to find out."

  "There were papers in my desk with my home address on them. I don't think there was anything there yet with your address, though."

  "It doesn't matter. If he found Cameron, and your restaurant, he'll find the house."

  "What do we do now, Ben? What about Rafael?"

  He heard the anguish in her voice, and wished he could snap his fingers and make all three of them disappear. But he couldn't do that. So he would do the next best thing. "I have an idea. Let's wait until we get home, then I'll tell you about it." When they arrived at the house, Matt told them he hadn't seen or heard a thing. After thanking the deputy again, he sent him home, then turned to Janie. "Dev was in the restaurant. Marge called and told him about the break-in, and he wanted to help. I think we should tell him everything. What do you think?"

  She only hesitated for a moment. "Yes. At this point, I don't have much reason to hide, do I?"

  "No, you don't. And the more people who know, the safer you'll be."

  She swallowed and nodded, but he saw the misery in her eyes. "I suppose you're right. And, I should call my contact in the witness protection program, too."

  "You should. But other than Dev, let's not bring anyone else into it yet, until we see what's going on."

  "Thank you," she said, and her mouth trembled. "I know it's stupid, but I don't want anyone else to know. I don't want to know that people are looking at me and talking about me."

  "Then you shouldn't have married me," he said, trying to keep a teasing note in his voice. "Everyone is wondering what you saw in a bum like me."

  "They know exactly what I saw in you, Ben Jackson." She lifted her head and looked him in the eyes. "The only reason anyone would be talking about me is to envy the fact that I finally caught Cameron's most elusive bachelor."

  If only her words were true. The thought stunned him and he tried to banish it, but it lingered in his mind, making him uneasy. Was Janie becoming more important to him th
an he could allow her to be?

  It didn't matter now, he told himself. He had more important things to worry about, and so did Janie. An examination of their marriage would have to wait for this crisis to be resolved.

  He wasn't sure if he was relieved or angry, and that was the most frightening thing of all.

  * * *

  Chapter 10

  «^»

  "You need more information to know what is going on, Sheriff. I need to tell you who I really am."

  Ben took her hand as Devlin sat forward on the couch and narrowed his eyes. "What does that mean?" His voice was low and quiet, but Ben wasn't fooled. He'd heard Devlin use that voice before.

  "It doesn't mean she's a criminal," Ben shot back at his boss.

  Devlin gave him a startled glance, then leaned back in his chair. His gaze became thoughtful as it lingered on him and Janie. "I wasn't implying anything, Ben. Why don't we just let Janie tell me what she means?"

  Janie took a deep breath and sat up straight. Ben tightened his hold on her hand, and she glanced over at him. He saw the trust in her eyes, and wondered why she'd given it to him. Then she nodded once and looking over at Devlin began telling him about the murder she'd witnessed.

  An hour later, Janie leaned back against the cushion of the couch and watched the sheriff try to absorb the story she'd just told him. Ben hadn't let go of her hand, and she wanted to thank him for holding on to her, for helping her get through the story one more time. But she wouldn't do that in front of the sheriff.

  "I'm sorry, Janie." They were Devlin's first words, and she could see the regret in his eyes. "This must have been an awful three years for you. I wish someone could have been there to help you."

  "Someone is now." The words slipped out by mistake, but she wouldn't take them back, even if she were able to. Ben's support meant more to her than she could express.

  "Thank goodness for that." Devlin looked over at Ben. "What about the boy?"

  "Rafael's in school," Ben answered. "But I have an idea to keep him safe."

  Janie leaned forward. She had been thinking about Rafael all morning, torturing herself with images of him in danger. "That's what's most important right now. What's your idea?"

  "We've never taken a honeymoon," Ben said slowly. He didn't look at her, but Janie felt red heat creeping up her cheeks. "We had Rafael starting school and your restaurant to worry about. Maybe we should go away now."

  "What good would that do? If the killer is in Cameron, why wouldn't he just wait for us to come back?" she asked.

  "It would give Devlin and the other deputies a chance to look around for a stranger here in town while you're out of sight."

  "But what if he follows us? Then all three of us are at risk, and isolated from the people who know us."

  "We wouldn't take Rafael on a honeymoon with us," Ben said quietly.

  Something stirred inside Janie that wasn't fear, something she couldn't allow herself to think about. She wanted to spend time with Ben, alone and isolated. Trying to banish the wisps of desire, she said, "You would trust someone else to keep him safe?"

  "This murderer isn't after Rafael. He's after you, Janie. So why would he even bother to go after Rafael if he wasn't with us? If we're lucky, he may not even know Rafael exists. I thought, if it was all right with Dev and Shea and Jesse, that Rafe could stay at the Red Rock Ranch for a few days. He'll be safe and out of the way, and we wouldn't have to worry about him."

  Fear gripped her at the thought of Rafael being with someone else when he might be in danger, but she was forced to admit Ben's idea was logical. "What do you think, Sheriff?"

  "I think it's a good idea," he said slowly. "Carly and I could stay out there for a few days, too, so there would be extra people around. I know Shea wouldn't mind. She's crazy about the kid."

  "Then where would we go?" She turned to Ben.

  He slipped an arm around her waist and hugged her reassuringly. "I thought we could go up to that cabin in the mountains on the Red Rock Ranch. It's isolated enough to be a good 'honeymoon cabin,' but close enough that we could get back to town quickly if we needed to."

  "Of course," Devlin said immediately. "That's a great idea. I don't think anyone is using the cabin right now." He stood up. "Let me call Shea and ask her."

  He disappeared into the kitchen, and Janie turned to face Ben. She trembled inside at the thought of being alone with Ben, isolated in the mountains, for several days. She wasn't sure if it was fear or excitement that quivered through her.

  "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

  Ben slowly shook his head. "I don't know if it's a good idea or a terrible one. But I can't think of anything better. I know this will protect Rafael. I think I can protect you."

  "What if his social worker finds out that we've left him with Shea and Jesse? Our hearing is coming up in a couple of weeks. Won't that be a problem?"

  Ben's eyes softened. "Janie, every newly married couple is entitled to a honeymoon, even a couple who has a child. No judge in the world is going to fault us for going away together. And it's not like we'll be gone for a long time."

  "But is this going to gain us anything but a few more days before the murderer finds us?"

  "I don't know. But while we're trying to figure out the next step, Rafael will be safe, and so will you. In town, you're too predictable. Everyone knows where you live, they know you'll be at the restaurant every day, and everyone knows what time you get there and what time you leave. A clever man could arrange all kinds of accidents with that information.

  "If we disappear for a few days, Devlin and the other deputies might be able to flush out any strangers in Cameron. If we're gone and everyone in town knows we're on our honeymoon, people are going to notice anyone asking questions about you."

  "And if the worst happens and he finds us in the cabin, you're the one who's going to get hurt." Janie spoke softly, but Ben heard her. He tightened his hold on her.

  "I'm not going to get hurt. I'll be watching for him. And if he finds us, I have a better chance of catching him if we're at the cabin. I know those mountains above the Red Rock, and we'd have the advantage. But the worst isn't going to happen."

  Before she could answer, Devlin came back into the room. "Shea thought it was a great idea. She's expecting Rafael this afternoon."

  Ben nodded once and stood up. "We'll pick him up from school and go directly there."

  Dev nodded to her, then looked at Ben. "I've got a lot to do between now and this afternoon. I'll see you at the ranch."

  He slipped out the door, and Ben locked it behind him. Then he looked down at her. "Is that all right with you, Janie?"

  "Do we have any choice?" Her nightmare was happening all over again, but this time, Ben was involved. A sick feeling gathered inside her at the thought of Ben getting hurt. "Maybe we should all leave Cameron altogether for a while."

  Ben took her hand, and she could read understanding in his eyes. "It'll be all right, Janie. No one is going to get hurt. Rafael will be safe, and so will you."

  "It's you I'm worried about," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "You'll be with me, so you're the one who's going to be in the line of fire."

  "I can take care of myself, Janie. This is what I'm trained for." His face relaxed into a small smile. "Maybe Devlin will get a chance to see if all our fancy training was worth the money."

  Fear splintered through Janie, and the too-familiar feeling of helplessness threatened to overcome her. Once again, people she cared about were in danger because of her. And once again, she was powerless to help them. She didn't even know who they were fighting.

  Ben pulled her against him and murmured, "It's all right, Janie."

  She burrowed into him, wanting the comfort of his presence, the reassuring strength of his body. She wanted to feel him surrounding her. Because when Ben held her, she could believe, even if only for a while, that everything would be all right.

  "It's not like three years ago," he said, as if
he could read her mind. "You're not alone anymore. This time, you have people who will fight for you. Whoever this man is, he's not going to get to you so easily here in Cameron. We take care of our own. And you're one of ours, Janie."

  A lump swelled in her throat at his words. She wanted so desperately to believe him, to let someone else share the burden of worry and fear. But she couldn't allow Ben to give her that. "Thank you, Ben. But this isn't your fight."

  "It is now. I said 'for better or worse,' and I meant it." He cupped her chin in his hand and stared down at her, and she saw the resolution in his eyes. "You're my wife. We're in this together."

  Every fiber of her being wished that his words were true. But they weren't. She might be his wife in the eyes of the world, but in his heart, where it counted, she was only the woman who was helping him adopt Rafael. "What would happen to Rafael if you were hurt or killed?"

  "What would I tell him if you were hurt or killed because I wasn't there for you?" he countered. "What kind of example would that be? You're not getting rid of me, no matter what you say. Now why don't you pack some things for yourself then help me pack a bag for Rafael."

  She should tell him no, make him leave and take Rafael somewhere safe. But she couldn't force the words out of her mouth. She needed his faith in his town and his confidence in himself. She needed his quiet courage and his rock-steady strength. She needed him. So she went into their bedroom to pack a suitcase, hoping that it wouldn't be the last time they'd be in this house together.

  * * *

  Several hours later, Ben watched in the rearview mirror of his truck as Rafael stood on the porch of the Red Rock, next to Shea and Jesse, and waved goodbye to him and Janie. One of his hands rested on the head of Buster, and the boy had a huge grin on his face. Mimi stood inside the screen door, glaring out at the dog. "Rafael will be fine," he said to Janie, who sat too quietly in the seat next to him, twisted around so she could watch Rafael. "He's thrilled to be staying at the ranch."