by Jenna Brandt
She looked up into his crystal blue eyes, loving how they reminded her of the brightest parts of the night sky. She licked her lips as he moved towards her, knowing that he wanted to kiss her; knowing that she wanted it too.
His lips gently touched hers, caressing hers like feathers tickling her delicate skin. She let herself fall into him, her lips molding to his as he deepened the kiss.
Erica pulled back and smiled. “Who knew you were that good of a kisser.”
“I tried to tell you,” he teased, right before he dipped her, causing a rush of electricity to shiver up her spine.
The moment was perfect—right until gunshots rang out—destroying the enchanting evening. Chaos erupted; women screaming, tourists running away from the terrorizing sound of several more shots that followed.
Zach’s cop instincts must have kicked in because he quickly wrapped his arm around Erica’s shoulders and pulled her down.
“What’s going on? Where is that coming from?” Erica questioned with fright before sending up a silent prayer for protection.
Zach looked over her. “Whoever is shooting is doing so from the garden across the way. We need to head through the restaurant and out their back entrance. We can’t stay in the open like this.”
He continued to keep his arm wrapped around her as he guided her through the tables and chairs. They stayed as low to the ground as they could, wanting to remain hidden.
There was a few moments’ pause, causing Erica to think it was over. She stood up, wanting to run faster, but Zach pulled her back down. “Don’t do that. It’s not safe. They might be reloading.”
Sure enough, more gunshots filled the night air, causing more screams and cries from the people around them. Police sirens could be heard in the distance, but the local police were already too late. As Erica looked behind her, she noticed several of the people who had been around them during the dancing were wounded or on the ground bleeding.
“We have to keep moving,” Zach ordered, pulling her forward. “It’s not safe here.”
Her legs were shaking like Jello and she felt like she might pass out at any moment. “I’m so scared, Zach. I don’t know if I can move.”
“You can do this. Just put one foot in front of the other,” he coaxed. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Erica.”
She braced herself and took one last look around before taking off. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a man she recognized from Colorado. There was no possible way someone from back home would be here coincidently. He had to be involved.
Her suspicions were confirmed when she saw him raise a gun and point it directly at her. She screamed, causing Zach to yank her the final distance into the restaurant.
Though it was a building, it offered little more protection than outside. The entire front was made of glass. The bullets sprayed through it, causing those that were sheltering inside to scream out in pain and fear.
Before she knew what was happening, Zach had gathered her up into his arms and was carrying her through the restaurant. He rushed past everyone and headed straight for the back. He kicked the door open as he darted through it.
Once they were outside, he didn’t stop. He sprinted down the back alley and turned a corner. He whispered against her ear, panting, “Call your chauffeur. Tell him to meet us at the next corner.”
Erica glanced up and looked at the street name. She did as Zach directed and made the phone call as he continued to carry her in the opposite direction of the attack.
Safely inside the limousine, Erica let herself sag into the leather seat. She forced herself to concentrate on her breathing, wanting to calm herself down.
“Are you all right?” Zach inquired, reaching out and inspecting her for injuries.
“Nothing happened to me. I’m just shaken from all of it.” She glanced over at him and said in a quiet voice, “I think that happened because of me.”
“Why would you say that? That could have happened for any number of reasons. A domestic situation, a terrorist attack, or a—”
She shook her head and cut him off. “No, I saw the man who was pulling the trigger. He pointed the gun right at me.”
“Again, that doesn’t mean he was aiming for you,” Zach tried to counter.
“I’m not explaining it right,” she let out a sigh, then added, “I recognized the man. He was at my lawyer’s office, and I think he was the man at the restaurant back in Clear Mountain that you confronted. He must have followed us here.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Why would he come all the way over here and attack you?”
“I think he’s from here. I think they sent him over to America to keep tabs on me, and then for some reason, they put a hit on me.”
“Could he have been the man who attacked you outside the library?”
Erica shook her head. “No, that man looked completely different. He was pale with a shaved head. Plus, he was a lot shorter than the man who just shot at us.” She placed her head on Zach’s shoulder, letting herself lean on him. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I’m so grateful we got away unharmed.”
She draped her arm across his chest. As she spread her fingers out, she felt a sticky, wet substance that reminded her of chocolate syrup. She pulled her hand up and looked at it, gasping when she realized it was blood.
“Oh my gosh, Zach, I think you were shot.”
Zach looked down at her hand and then over at his shoulder. “I thought I felt something during the initial shooting.” He sat up and pulled off his jacket, grunting in the process. He inspected the wound, then said, “It’s only a graze. If we stitch it up, it’ll be fine.”
“We need to go to a hospital,” Erica protested.
“We can’t. The assassin might look for us there if he saw me get hit.”
They arrived at the hotel, Erica helping Zach through the lobby and up to their room without drawing attention.
Erica called down and requested extra towels and a first aid kit. She pulled out a set of sewing supplies she kept in her suitcase in case she popped off a button during travel.
The hotel maid delivered the requested items, then Erica sterilized the needle and got to work patching up Zach’s shoulder under his direction. Luckily, she wasn’t a squeamish person. Never had she been so glad she got used to the sight of blood during teeth cleaning and oral surgery.
She snipped the final piece of thread, then wrapped the wound with a clean bandage, securing it with a solid knot.
“Thanks,” Zach said. Looking at the work she did, he added, “You did a really good job.”
“I guess I found a hidden talent,” she said, trying to keep the mood light.
Erica didn’t want to dwell on the fact that if the bullet had hit a few more inches to the right, Zach wouldn’t be alive. The thought of it made her heart lurch. She wasn’t sure when it happened, but she cared for Zach, and as more than just a friend.
“You should probably rest. Do you want me to help you into your room?” Erica asked.
He shook his head. “Tempting to have you in my room, but I need to be a good boy tonight. We both need our rest.” Leaning over, he kissed her on the forehead before standing up and heading to his room.
Before he slipped between the adjoining door, he turned to her and said, “I want you to know, I don’t regret taking a bullet for you tonight. Despite it, it was still one of the best nights of my life. Sleep tight, Erica.”
As she watched Zach disappear through the door, she realized that it hadn’t been one-sided. Their time together had only increased in quality and depth, leading Erica to finally see Zach was the right man for her too.
Nineteen
The next morning, Zach woke early, the aching pain in his arm causing him to get up and take some aspirin.
Tentatively, he knocked on the door to Erica’s room. He waited a few beats, then knocked again. There was no answer from the other side. Worried the man from The Jordaan might have found a way into her room, Zach came cha
rging into her suite of rooms. Erica was nowhere to be found.
After a few more minutes of searching, he found a letter with his name on it laying in the center of the table in the sitting area. He picked it up and read the contents:
Zach,
I couldn’t sleep last night. I worried all night about you and realized I can’t put you in danger anymore. I called ahead and booked you a ticket back to Denver for this afternoon. You should go. I’ll see you when I get back and have all of this sorted out.
—Erica
His heart almost stopped as he read the words. If anything happened to Erica, he wasn’t sure what he would do.
Why did she have to be so impulsive and strong-willed? She had no business running around Amsterdam all by herself.
He glanced at his cell phone. 8:30 AM. It probably meant she was at the bank. If he hurried, he could catch up with her before she got into more trouble.
The bank was just opening up as Erica entered the building. She made her way directly to the bank manager, bypassing everyone else that worked there.
“Good morning,” she said, “I trust you were able to verify my identity and the claim to my father’s safety deposit box.”
“We did indeed, Miss Cruz,” the man said, gesturing for her to follow him. “Let me take you to the vault.”
They entered the room which had walls lined with rows of various bronze boxes marked with different numbers. The manager walked over to one and slipped his key into it. “This one belonged to your father,” then he corrected himself, “I suppose that means you now. You’ll have to slip your key into the slot on the other side to get the box out.”
She did as directed, and they turned the keys at the same time. The manager lifted the lid, then said, “You can take the box out.”
Erica pulled it free and placed it down on the center table.
“I’ll give you time,” the manager said. “If you need anything, just ask.”
Gingerly, she lifted the lid. Inside were two simple dark brown books. To her, they looked like journals. She lifted the first book out of the box and opened it.
Inside were dozens of pages filled with rows of names, activities, and numbers beside it. Several of the names she recognized from the newspapers. These were organized crime members from the Netherlands. Big ones, with big, bad reputations, the type of dangerous men that would definitely kill to keep this book from falling into the wrong hands.
She pulled the second book free and opened it. In this one, there were the same names but with two sets of numbers. One row of numbers was larger than the other. Erica’s stomach clenched in fear. Had her father been cooking the books for this organization, pilfering money from the wrong people to steal from? If he had been, that would explain why they were coming after her. If they knew, they probably killed him and wanted her dead too. They might want the money as well.
She slipped both books into a bag she brought along. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do with them, but she knew she had to do something.
Just before Erica exited the bank, Zach stopped her inside the lobby. “You can’t go out there,” he warned. “I saw a couple of suspicious men watching the bank. They’re probably waiting for you to grab whatever was in the safety deposit box before they take it and kill you.”
Erica’s eyes grew round with fear as she whispered, “I didn’t even think about the men from last night following me here today.”
“That’s right, Erica, you didn’t think, coming here all alone. You can’t ever do anything like that again,” he said, pulling her close. “I don’t know what I would do if something happened to you.”
Warmth spread through Erica, not only from his embrace but from his telling words. Zach cared just as much for her as she did him. Though she hated how it happened, she could see these horrible circumstances had brought them together.
“Let’s get out of here. I’m sure the bank has a back way out and will make an exception for you to use it.”
A short time later, they were back in Erica’s limo and on their way to the airport. On the drive, Erica showed the ledgers to Zach and discussed what they meant.
“I can’t keep the money, Zach, knowing where it came from. This is blood money, earned on the backs of horrible acts perpetrated by despicable people. The problem is, if I give it away, they’ll just kill me because I did. If I give it to them, they’ll probably still just kill me because I know too much. They’ll want to make an example of me.”
“I agree. There’s no way to get rid of the money without creating more problems for yourself. Beyond that, we have the dilemma these cause,” Zach said, shaking the books. “I think there’s only one thing you can do.”
“What’s that?” she asked, leaning towards him, eager to hear his suggestion.
“You need to go to the FBI.”
Twenty
As soon as the private plane Erica secretly chartered with an off-books flight plan landed in Denver, she contacted the FBI. She asked for a secret meeting with them. She explained her situation and made it clear no one could know.
Apparently, they knew exactly who she was. They quickly brought her through a back entrance of the FBI regional headquarters, guided her into a conference room with the intent of making a deal. At first, they insisted they meet alone with her, but Erica made it clear she wanted Zach with her.
“Miss Cruz, like everyone else across the nation, we know who you are,” a tall man with brown hair and matching eyes said. “Over the past decade, there had been rumors that your father had links to organized crime, but nothing could ever be proven. He put you in a very dangerous situation, leaving you all that money.”
Erica nodded. “I didn’t realize it until it was too late. I don’t want the money, but I can’t just give it away. They would just kill me anyway, and I can’t give it back to them because I’m pretty sure I would end up with the same outcome.”
“You’re quite astute. If the ledger and the money can be linked back to the group you mentioned, they are some of the worst criminals in all of Europe. The Penoze Gang would wipe you out, and everyone you love, in a second to get their hands on the ledger you’re talking about. The money is of little consequence considering the amount they make annually is dozens times that. It’s probably why your father figured they wouldn’t miss it, but he was wrong.”
“So what do I do?” she asked with concern.
The man folded his hands on the table, paused for a moment, then said, “We’re willing to put you into witness protection if you give us the ledger and sign the funds over to us. You’ll also have to testify before you’re given your new identity.”
Zach couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Though he didn’t want her to go, he cared more about her safety than he did being with her. Knowing she was safe, however, wouldn’t minimize the loss he would feel once she was gone.
“I don’t know if I can do that,” Erica said with audible concern. “Wouldn’t it mean giving up everyone and everything I know forever?”
“It would, Miss Cruz, but given the alternative, I don’t see how it’s much of a choice.”
Zach watched as tears formed in the corner of Erica’s eyes. She pressed her lips together as she shook her head. “This isn’t fair. I can’t believe my father did this to me. It was bad enough he left me as a child, but to leave me with his mess to clean up, what was he thinking?”
“He probably didn’t expect the story of your inheritance to go viral. If it had remained quiet, the Penoze Gang wouldn’t have known, and it might never had become an issue. They probably looked into you once the amount of your inheritance was disclosed.”
“That would explain the money, but the man that shot at us in Amsterdam followed me before the story came out about my inheritance. Plus, they told me they killed my father. I think they suspected my father of stealing and murdered him for it.”
“That’s possible. We may never really know, Miss Cruz.”
“Can you give her a lit
tle time to think about it?” Zach asked, wanting to help Erica as much as he could.
“She can take all the time she wants, but I wouldn’t suggest leaving without making a deal with us. They’re gunning for you, Miss Cruz, and the Penoze Gang is ruthless.”
Erica took the advice of the FBI and waited in the lobby as she debated what to do. As she sat in one of the chairs with Zach beside her, she tried to wrap her mind around what was happening. Never in her wildest nightmares would she have thought she would end up having to decide whether or not to join witness protection program.
It would mean saying goodbye to her friends, her church, her job, and Zach. Just when she finally realized what a good match he was for her, she might end up having to give him up. Could she walk away from everything she cared about? Did she have another choice?
In the pit of her stomach, she worried that her only choices were between death or loss. Neither set well with her.
“What are you thinking?” Zach probed, looking at her with concern.
“I’m not sure. I can’t believe this is all happening.”
“I bet. I can only imagine,” he said, reaching out and patting her knee.
The FBI director came out and asked them to follow them back into the conference room. “We have something new to discuss with you.”
Erica got a feeling of déjà vu as they sat down at the table once more. She looked over at the director and waited for him to speak.
“We’ve come up with another plan, one that would let you forgo witness protection.”
“What’s that?” Erica said with hope. “I’m willing to do anything.”
Zach inclined his head towards Erica and whispered, “Be careful. Don’t agree to anything until you know exactly what they want from you.”