by Krissy V
Once I’m safely under the covers, I reach my hand under the pillow and wrap it around my handgun. Now I feel safe. Now I can sleep in peace.
Chapter Six
CARTER
Dinner last night was really tasty and relaxing. I love being in Kenzie’s company and Jaden’s such a happy child. She’s done a really good job bringing him up. I wonder briefly where his father is and if he’s still around. The way she was leaning into me last night made me think he’s not. She never mentions him so I wonder if he put those marks on her body.
I know she’s hiding something and that brings out my curious side. I’m on duty at the resort today so I won’t be able to look at the background check I have for her until later. I’m very intrigued to find out what it contains.
Ross calls me.
“Hey, Ross. How’s things?”
“Someone broke into the office last night.”
“Anything missing?”
“Yeah, a couple of trailer keys. I’ve not been up to check them. Do you want to meet me up there?”
“Sounds like a plan. Don’t go inside ‘til I get there though. Wait for me.”
“No chance of me doing that, Carter. I don’t want to lose my life.” He laughs. He’s a wuss and there’s no chance of him going in without me.
He tells me the first trailer and I drive past Kenzie’s to get there. Everything looks normal in her cabin. The curtains are open so she must be up. When I get to the trailer, I text her.
Carter: Hey, thanks again for dinner last night. I really enjoyed it.
Kenzie: Even though I freaked out?
Carter: Did you? I don’t remember that.
Kenzie: Thanks. What are you up to?
Carter: Just checking out another break in. Do you want to meet for coffee later?
I can’t seem to get enough of her.
Kenzie: I need to go and buy a school uniform for Jaden ready for school on Monday. I’ll give you a text when I’m back and if you’re free then we can meet up.
Carter: Okay. I’d give you a lift but I have to work.
Kenzie: No problem, I don’t want to monopolize all your time.
Carter: You’d never do that.
I can see Ross waiting for me. I get out of the car and approach him.
“Hey. Stay out here.” I push him to one side. The door is open so I make my way in carefully. Grabbing my gun from my holster, I push the door fully open and step inside. “Hello? Anyone here?”
There’s no answer. No movement. When I see that there is no danger, I lean out of the door and shout to Ross.
“It’s clear in here if you want to come in. You’ll be able to see if there’s any damage or anything missing quicker than me.”
“Yeah.” He steps inside and gasps. “This was only cleaned last week ready for the new occupants who come next week. Someone slept here, Carter. I can’t tell you if it was last night or prior to that but someone has definitely been sleeping here.”
“Okay. Take me to the other trailer and then I can file a report and get some forensic information.”
He jumps in my car and we drive over to the next trailer. It’s in the same condition, so whether someone has stayed between the two or they were staying in one and then stole the key for the other one last night, I don’t know. I ring the locksmith to come down to change the locks on both trailers.
Ross goes back to his office while I dust for fingerprints. If someone was sleeping here then they’ve probably left some fingerprints for us to use.
The locksmith arrives about an hour later and I have all the evidence I need so leave him to do his job while I go back to the station and do mine.
Everything I do in Ending takes a long time. When I send the prints off, I know it will take a few hours for them to come back.
I remember Kenzie’s file.
Sitting back in my chair, I open it up and see that there is nothing about her prior to six months ago. Actually, scratch that. Kenzie Miller disappeared off all records and then she suddenly reappeared six months later. That’s strange. It’s like she’s used someone else’s identity. Why would she do that? How would she be able to organise that?
This woman is a bit of an enigma. She has a past and I’m determined to find out what it is. If she’s in trouble, I’ll help her as much as I can.
I do some more searching on social media for her name and come up with nothing. She doesn’t have any social media accounts. That’s odd for a woman in her late twenties, right?
Maybe I should be careful around her. Maybe she’s bad news or she’s on the run or something.
I must have been looking through social media for a while because I get a ping of an email. It’s the fingerprint results.
Chapter Seven
KENZIE
We got Jaden’s uniform and his bag for school. He’s excited about starting school. He won’t stop talking as we’re on the bus back from Ending.
“So, do you think I’ll make some friends, Kenzie?”
“Of course you will. You’re very social. Are you excited about starting school?”
“Yes, I am. I want to make a couple of friends and maybe I can go to their houses and play. I’ve never done that.”
My heart breaks for him. Luis never allowed him out to play. He was constantly watched by bodyguards and wasn’t allowed friends.
“Of course you can go to their houses as long as I’ve met their parents. I can feel that everything is going to go really well for us, Jaden.”
“Yeah. I’ve never been this happy, Kenzie.”
I pull him into a hug just as the bus stops in the Happy Endings Resort. We climb off the bus with our bags and make our way back to our cabin. I feel the tiny hairs on my skin stand on end and turn around to see if anyone is watching me. It feels like someone is here, but when I turn around, there’s no one there.
Shivering, I pull myself together. There’s no one here. No one knows me. No one knows where I went. “Come on, Jaden. Let’s get home, then I’ll make us some dinner.”
“Yay,” he says, running ahead of me to the door.
When I unlock the door, I’m hesitant. I’m not sure why, but suddenly I expect the place to be trashed. I’m pleasantly surprised when it’s not. Everything is where it should be.
We unpack the bags and hang up his uniform. It makes me so proud to see it there. Only a few months ago, I didn’t think either of us were going to make it. We were prisoners in our own home and Jaden was going to have to be homeschooled.
As I’m making dinner, Jaden’s watching TV and everything feels normal. We’ve never been a normal family unit, but finally, it feels like we are now.
Since I got to Happy Endings Resort, I’ve been writing a journal. I want to be able to look back at this time in my life and realise how strong both of us are. I like to write it before I go to bed. Today, I want to write about the feeling of getting the school uniform for Jaden. To most people, this is an everyday occurrence, but my emotions are all over the place.
I go to take my journal out from the drawer in the hallway and it’s not there. I know I always put it back, just in case Jaden gets it, or more likely, Carter. I’ve written about my feelings for him.
Going into the kitchen, I search every drawer and cupboard there is. Nope, nothing. I check out my bedside locker and drawer. Nothing there either. Where the hell did I put it?
Freaking out, I go back over all the other places it could be. I don’t find it anywhere. That’s odd. Throwing myself down on the couch, I sigh. Where the hell is it? I’ll go and buy myself a new one and start again tomorrow. It’s not like there’s a lot written in there anyway.
When I get up in the morning, I wake Jaden and he sits on the couch while I make breakfast. I have the feeling that someone’s watching me again. I stare out of the window but there’s no one there. I must be just feeling paranoid.
“Shall we go out for the day today, Jaden? We can pack up a picnic and look around the resort.”
“Yay,” he says, jumping up and down and running off to his room to get dressed.
He comes back in a few minutes later. “Kenzie, where’s my school bag?”
“It’s hanging on the back of the door with your uniform.”
“No. It’s not there.”
“You must have moved it before you went to bed.”
“No. I never touched it. I promise.”
I follow him back to his room and his bag isn’t behind the door. I check his wardrobes, drawers, and under his bed, but it’s nowhere to be found.
I start freaking out, remembering my journal that went missing. “Shit.”
“Kenzie, don’t swear.”
“Sorry, baby.”
Walking out to the kitchen, I grab my phone and call Carter. He answers after only two rings.
“Carter, I need you to come over straight away.” My voice is shaking.
“What’s the matter, Kenzie? Are you okay?”
“Some things have gone missing, but I need to explain something to you first. Please?”
“On my way. Do you want to keep talking to me? Are you in any danger there right now?”
“No, I’m not. I’m okay.”
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Before he hangs up, I hear him starting the car.
“Are you okay?” Jaden asks.
“Yes, I’m fine. Carter’s on the way over so we can find out where your bag is.”
“I’ll go have another look to see if it’s under your bed.”
“That’s a great idea.”
I sit on the couch twiddling my thumbs, waiting for Carter to turn up. I’m nervous about what is going on and nervous to have to tell him about Luis.
It only takes him ten minutes to get here, thank God. I hear his car pull up, and after looking through the spyhole, I open the door and run out into his arms.
“Woah, easy on there, Kenzie. What’s going on? You look petrified.”
“I’m so happy to see you. I know you’ll protect me.”
“Always. I think we need to go inside and talk, don’t you?”
“Yeah, we do. Just have an open mind when I talk. Please?”
Chapter Eight
CARTER
My heart jumped when I heard how desperate Kenzie sounded on the phone. She’s really scared, but my heart lifted when she ran out into my arms. It felt good just to hold her. She released all her tension and relaxed in my arms.
I follow her inside and Jaden runs out to meet us. “Hey, Carter. Are you here to find my school bag?”
I look at Kenzie and she nods. “Yes, I am. Are you sure you didn’t put it somewhere and forgot?”
“Nah, silly. I’ve looked everywhere.”
“Why don’t you go and look again while Kenzie tells me if there’s something else that’s gone missing.”
“Okay,” he says as he skips off to his room.
“Time to talk, Kenzie. Please don’t hold anything back.”
She sits down on the couch and sighs. “I couldn’t find my journal last night, but it didn’t really strike me as odd. I write in it every night before I go to bed. I want to look back on my time here and remember everything.”
“Do you keep it in the same place?”
“Yeah. In the locker in the hallway. When it wasn’t there, I looked everywhere for it but couldn’t find it. I didn’t think much about it, to be honest. But then, this morning, Jaden came in and told me that his school bag has gone missing. We only bought it yesterday, then we hung it behind his door with his uniform. We never left the house, but it’s not there. It’s freaking me out, Carter.”
“That sounds a bit strange. Do you think someone broke in and took it? Or what do you think happened?”
“I don’t know. Surely if someone broke in then they would have taken more than his bag. My journal must have gone missing during the day when we were out, but I securely locked the door when I went to bed last night. I double checked.” Her voice is getting higher and faster.
“Just take a few deep breaths, Kenzie. It’s okay. We’ll sort this out.”
“Sorry, it’s just freaking me out that someone might have been in here last night when I was asleep.”
“If that’s the case then you’re right, they would have taken more than his school bag. Is there anyone that would do this to you?”
Her eyes cloud over and she looks down at her hands laying in her lap.
“Kenzie, I need to know everything so I can help you.”
“I know you do, but I don’t know how much to tell you.”
Everything starts to slip into place. Having no history, and not on social media. “Are you on the run? Are you in witness protection?”
She nods her head, like saying yes would get her into trouble.
“Wow, okay. That does mean a whole lot more than just a book and a bag going missing. I can see why you’re panicking. Can you tell me why you’re in witness protection? It might help me to find out what’s going on.”
She takes a few deep breaths and her body starts to shake. “I… I’ve not talked about it to anyone except the officers in charge of the investigation.”
“Let me make you a coffee and then we can sit down and talk.”
She doesn’t make a sound or a movement so I go into the kitchen and make her a coffee, keeping an eye on her the whole time I’m in the kitchen.
Once I’ve handed her the cup, she wraps both her hands around it.
“Have you ever heard of Luis Mendoza?”
I gasp when I hear that name. “Who hasn’t heard of him? He’s the reason I’m out here and not back in the city.”
“What do you mean?” She turns to look at me.
I can see it playing out in my mind. “I was on the task force who got him cornered a couple of years ago. The only thing was, he shot me in the leg. Blew my kneecap off before he managed to get away.”
“Oh, no. Carter, I’m sorry. That must have been awful.”
“You could say that. I was given an option of being medically retired or come out here and be a resort cop. I wanted to stay in the business so I moved out here.”
“You know he died, right?”
“Yeah. I nearly had a party the day I heard. But what’s he got to do with you?”
“Imagine me with blonde hair, glasses, and smart clothes.”
I look at her and try to make those changes in my mind. “Fuck. You’re Carla Mendoza!” I get up from the couch and pace up and down. How did I not realise it was her? I’ve looked at her picture enough times over the years. I’ve followed her hundreds of times, trying to get intel on Luis.
“Carter, please sit down.”
“I’m sorry. I need to process this information. So, Jaden isn’t your son, he’s your brother, right?”
“Yeah. I brought him up though. Mom died in childbirth, so he’s been with me ever since. Luis accepted him in the house, but he never let him leave or play with other kids. That’s why we were having so much fun on the swings the other day.”
“And then I come along and shout at you for sitting on the swing. Nice move.”
“I’m worried that one of Luis’ men has found me. His net was cast wide, and even though he’s dead, I always knew that someone might try and find me to get money from me. His life insurance was cashed in and is in a secret account, which I won’t get access to for another year. They told me that I will need to change identities a couple of times before I can settle anywhere.”
“Would one of his men really come after you? Do you think it’s Marco? Do you think he could have taken over the cartel when Luis died?”
She shudders when I say that name. I’m guessing he’s inflicted some of those scars on her body.
“I don’t know. I don’t want him to find me. Maybe I should move away before anyone around here gets hurt. I couldn’t cope with knowing it’s because of me.”
“Don’t even think about running away.” The thought of her leaving upsets me more
than it should. “You’ve got me to protect you. I don’t intend letting anyone hurt you. I’m going to make a few phone calls to my friends back in Chicago and find out if there’s been any rumblings with the Mendoza gang.”
“Thank you, but be careful. I don’t want you to be hurt because you’re asking questions.”
“Kenzie, I’ll be fine. I’m not leaving you and Jaden alone though. You can both move in with me.”
“No, we’ll be fine. I don’t want to inconvenience you, Carter.”
“If there are strange things happening here then you’ll both be safer if you move in with me. I’ll sleep on the couch until we find out who is doing this. There’s been some activity around the resort and I need to find out who is behind it.”
“Okay, if you insist. We can talk about the sleeping arrangements later. Thank you for coming over so fast and for listening to me, and not judging me for who I used to be.”
“It’s who you are now that I’m concerned about, not anything in your past.” I lean forward and kiss her gently on the lips. I want her with a passion I’m finding hard to hide. “What do you need to do today?”
“I was going to go for a picnic with Jaden, just to get some fresh air and have fun before he starts school.”
“I’ll get Rory to go with you. You’ll love her. She owns the resort and she’s really friendly.”
“Okay, if it makes you feel better. I don’t want to impose on anyone.”
“You’re not. I have some calls to make and then I’ll meet up with you later.”
She stands to say goodbye and I pull her into a hug and kiss her again. This time it’s slow and sensual and I hope she knows how I feel about her.
When I leave, I drive straight over to Rory’s. “Hey, is there any chance you can hang out with Kenzie today? She’s the new resident in cabin 24.”
“Yeah, sure. Any reason why you want me to babysit her while you’re at work? Does she mean something to you?”
“She does and she’s going through some things right now. I need to make sure she’s okay today and then I’ll look after her from tonight. I just need to make some phone calls and then I’ll be back. Kenzie wants to take Jaden for a picnic. Just keep an eye on them and let me know if there’s anything strange going on.”