Chapter 34
Del stuck his head out the front door. “All right. You can come in.”
Aunt Bay rushed past him. She hugged Michael, Amy, and then Emilie. “Thank God you’re safe! Dafiq saw someone climb out of Emilie’s car and sneak to the house. I contacted Del.”
Amy wilted against Michael. Help had been on the way long before she called. If she’d known, would she have been less afraid?
Another man stood at the threshold, watching. A stranger. Or — Amy gasped. Hissed at Michael. “Is that—?” But she didn’t need his answer. She slipped from his side and walked toward the door. Slowly, her eyes never leaving those bright, brown ones she’d last seen dazed with pain.
He held out a hand.
She took it. Smiled. Dove into his arms and held on as if she were the only thing keeping him anchored to this world.
“Women still run to me.”
His chuckle was the same, but his touch… definitely didn’t spark the same reaction. Amy stepped back and grinned at him like an old friend. “Nathin. Thank you. For everything.”
He winked at her. “Send me an invitation to the wedding. I hope to bring a guest.”
“I want to hear your whole story — but you need to talk to Emilie.”
Gilles frowned. “I can’t believe she did this.”
“She needs help.” Amy turned back to the group. “Emilie?”
Del ushered the others into the living room. Michael stopped just outside, waiting.
Gilles closed the front door and walked with Amy to meet his sister.
Emilie stared dully at him. Sudden light flashed in her eyes. Her lips quivered. “Gil—”
“It’s Nathin for now. But it’s me.” He pulled her into his arms and let her sob on his shoulder.
Amy met his gaze. “Join us when you can.”
She crossed the floor to Michael and looked up into his face. “Were you worried I’d change my mind? About us?”
“Not really.” But his gaze flickered away from hers.
“Michael. Your best friend is now my very good friend. Nothing more. You are my one and only, lifetime love.” She traced the collar of his shirt with a finger. “That means you’re stuck with me.”
“Mission accepted.” He squeezed her hand. “Let’s join the debrief.”
Del stood with his back to the window, tapping the fingers of one hand against his leg. Likely impatient to get on with his job. Amy and Michael sank onto the couch.
Amy looked over at Aunt Bay in the recliner. “I wonder how Safia’s managing to keep Dafiq away.”
The older woman smiled. “She took him for ice cream. And told me we were all welcome to go to her place if we had to.”
“There was a little fire upstairs, but they put it out quickly.”
Michael shifted nearer. “The insurance adjuster will not be pleased. But it made the distraction we needed to jump Ross. I’ll take that any day.”
Amy shivered. “I don’t ever want to be that scared again.”
“You’re likely in shock, child. I’ll make you a hot drink as soon as I’m allowed into the kitchen.”
Del shifted his feet. “As soon as the prisoner is removed. Which will happen as soon as our friends in the entryway decide to join us.”
Amy tucked her feet under her and concentrated on the warmth emanating from Michael. “Del, thank you. That’s not enough, but… thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Thanks to Michael for challenging Zarin verbally. Every bit of evidence helps. We want this pair put away for a long time.”
“Pair.” Amy blinked. How could she have forgotten the scope of this? “Reza Zarin. Did you get him?”
“A strategic response team apprehended him not long ago.”
Gilles led Emilie into the room. The girl didn’t make eye contact with anyone.
Amy jumped up. “You two sit here together. Emilie needs someone near.”
For a second, the girl glanced at her, surprise on her face. Then she looked down again. She subsided into a corner of the couch. Gilles sat close enough that there was room for another person between him and Michael.
Mindful of Michael’s doubts, Amy opted for the other chair.
Emilie spoke to the floor, her voice barely audible. “I’m sorry.”
Del cleared his throat in a way that said “time for business”. His shoulders squared. “Miss Renaud, your actions will require an investigation. Beginning with a psychiatric evaluation. You’ll be taken from here to hospital, where we’ll arrange for your family to meet you. Nathin will leave you before they arrive. Please understand his former identity is not to be revealed until this case comes to trial. We need to get him back into hiding. He shouldn’t even be here.”
“Couldn’t keep me away.”
“But can I keep you alive?” Del walked to the door. “You can transport the prisoner now.” He glanced over his shoulder at Gilles. “You, keep out of sight.”
Del occupied the doorway until the men escorted a still-cursing Ross from the house. Then he resumed his position at the window. He inclined his head toward Aunt Bay. “Thank you for your cooperation. The kitchen is yours. But I’m about to ask these folks to tell their stories.”
Conflicting emotions chased across her face. As Aunt Bay started to rise, Amy said, “I’m warmer now. Or we could all move into the kitchen.”
Aunt Bay settled back in her chair. “You deserve to be comfortable.”
Del fixed Emilie with a stare. “We know what happened here in the house. Tell us the background. How you got involved with the Zarins and what you thought would happen here today.”
Emilie paled even further. “I met Ross here. At the gallery. He seemed interested in Amy, so I tried to encourage him.”
“To what end?”
“She wanted Michael. But I’ve loved him forever. I wanted Ross to take her away.”
Del tapped his pen against his chin. “Literally?”
Red filled her cheeks. Her hands twisted on her knees. “Not at first. He’s gorgeous. Why couldn’t she fall for him? When she didn’t, I sent some warnings. To scare her away. To make her think she wasn’t in a safe place. But she wouldn’t go.”
“Did Ross know about these warnings?”
“He did. He was mad, though, when he found out I was telling her to leave.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t love her, but he didn’t want her to go away, either.” Emilie’s fingers picked at her skirt. “Men! Why do they all go for her? What’s wrong with me?”
Amy’s heart echoed that need to be loved — to belong. She ached for the girl. Couldn’t Emilie see herself? How bright, popular, energizing she was? Had it become all about the disappointment of not attracting Michael?
Del glanced at Amy as if gauging her reaction, then continued his questions. “And how did today’s plan come about?”
Emilie sniffled. “When Amy told me she and Michael were engaged, I was devastated. I texted Ross. He promised he’d think of something. Then he asked me to meet him today before I came out here. I needed to talk to Michael face-to-face, to make him see.”
She let out a hiccuping sob. “Ross was so kind. He said, what if he could take Amy away and I could be with Michael? I drove to his condo. He hid in the trunk. My job was to get everybody up to the studio, pretend to see someone in the back. When Michael sent the guard to check, Ross slipped in through the front door.”
Del held up a hand. “How did he bypass the alarm?”
“He borrowed the remote key fob the night of the open house.”
“Were you aware that he later broke in and vandalized Michael’s studio?”
“He was clever about that, using a window, so the remote would be a surprise for later.”
“And so, knowing he had already committed criminal activity, you willingly aided him in a kidnapping attempt?”
“It wasn’t like that! He had to take her away so I could have Michael.” Emilie’s face darkened. “Except he lied
to me. He wanted to kill us — all of us. How could Michael love me if we were dead?”
“How indeed?” Aunt Bay’s tone was dry.
Gilles draped an arm around his sister’s shoulder and pulled her close. “We’ll get you help, Emilie. Don’t be afraid.”
She started from the couch.
Del positioned himself between the girl and Amy. Gilles tugged her back to her seat.
Emilie dissolved in sobs. “Not afraid? I’ve ruined my life. I’ll go to jail! Because of her. And Ross. Michael will never love me now. Our parents will disown me. My life is over!”
Del paced back to the window. “You’ll be remanded for a psychiatric assessment and you will go to trial. But you have family and friends who will stand by you.”
Emilie turned her face to Gilles’ chest and sobbed.
Gilles’ arms circled her. “This is as much the terrorists’ fault as my supposed death. She wasn’t like this before. They’ve destroyed my entire family.”
He’d built a new life at least. But Luc, Emilie, and Honore had paid a higher price. Only his married sister and her family seemed untouched. Or was that simply because Amy hadn’t interacted with them since the crash, to know?
Emilie’s shoulders heaved. Her sobs spoke despair, not her usual drama. What would become of her? She’d nearly caused their deaths. Now she had to live with the fallout.
Amy’s heart twisted. “Em? For what it’s worth, I forgive you. If you want, I’ll still be your friend.”
Emilie’s sobs might have slowed, but she didn’t respond. Gilles’ smile carried gratitude.
Del tucked his notepad into a pocket. “Time to take you to the hospital.” He shook hands with Michael, Amy and Aunt Bay. “I’ll be in touch. Take some time to talk this through among yourselves. We have the recorded evidence, but we’ll have some questions as well.”
He held out a hand to Gilles. Between them, they guided Emilie to her feet and led her from the room.
~~~
[Not ready to leave these characters yet? See the bonus chapter on the next page.]
Bonus Scene: Chapter 20.5
[Would you like to have seen Michael’s and Gilles’ reunion? I couldn’t include it in the novel, for spoiler reasons and because everything else is in Amy’s point of view, but I really wanted to eavesdrop on this scene, so I wrote it. ~Janet]
The van’s turn indicator clicked as Michael drove into the parking lot of a three-star, drive-up motel. He backed into a spot against the shrubbery to hide his license plate. The plain, brown van had no distinguishing marks to identify it as his.
He sat a few minutes, watching. Light traffic continued normally on the road. Michael turned off the engine. He slipped from the van and crossed the parking lot to the unit marked 117. Feeling like a spy in a bad movie, he rapped softly on the door and stepped back to be visible through the peephole.
Before he was ready, the door swung inward. A shadowy figure hissed, “Inside. Quickly.”
As soon as Michael obeyed, the door shut behind him. The deadbolt clicked home, and the security chain rattled.
All senses alert, Michael waited for his eyes to adjust to the dim room.
A shadowed figure closed a crack in the curtains and flipped the light switch. He turned. “Michael.”
Michael choked. “Gilles.”
Gilles’ eyes narrowed. “Nathin. I told you, that name will get me killed.”
They clasped each other’s upper arms and shared a long look. Lines etched Gilles’ — Nathin’s — face. His pupils carried the faint dilation of a prescription painkiller. Everything about the man seemed faded.
But he was alive. “What’s going on? How — why — did you fake your death? And why come back now?”
Gilles dropped into one of the wooden armchairs beside the room’s tiny desk and waved Michael toward the other. “My father’s company is being used by terrorists to mask the movement of funds. When he found out, he gave in to their threats and let it go on.” Pain twisted Gilles’ face. He stopped and massaged the back of his neck. “Sorry. This is life, since the crash. The long flight here aggravated the injury.”
He took a few slow breaths before going on. “I didn’t know until I started at the Halifax dealership. I blew up at Dad, and took off to cool down.” He flashed a wry smile. “I was young. Indestructible. I could fight them and win.”
Michael nodded. “You always won.”
“Exactly. I came back, pretended to be on board. But I’d contacted the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and was working with them to gather evidence.” Gilles held out his hand. “I swear I had no idea I was bringing Amy into danger. I’d have chucked it all and stayed in Ottawa with her.”
Michael’s mind flashed an image of Gilles and Amy, carefree, laughing, swinging a little girl by the hands. The toddler looked just like her mother. The scene twisted a bitter-edged knife in his heart. It could still happen. He swallowed hard. “They’d have still known you knew.”
Gilles shrugged. “Maybe.”
“What happened at the hospital?”
“CSIS had given me a medical alert tag. When the first responders phoned it in, my contacts descended on the emergency room and arranged for me to ‘die’ on the table.”
“But your family — Amy—”
“They lost me. CSIS said it was best. I’ve been in witness protection since then, and my handler is not happy about me being here. Essentially I’ve left the program.”
“What does that mean for you?”
“I don’t know.” Gilles slid a takeout menu from the desk and rotated it in his hands. “They have my recorded statement. If I’m killed, it won’t harm their case. When Amy wouldn’t take my warnings, I had to talk to you in person.”
“But not to her.”
“Amy shows her feelings too clearly. Her happiness that I was alive, her sudden fear of the terrorists… she’d be an instant target.”
“Who would see?”
Gilles rolled the menu into a tube and tapped it against his leg. “My friend, they’re using your products, too, in the money laundering. In lower dollar amounts. The Zarins. Reza and Ross.” He cursed. “Ross is short for Rostam, a legendary hero warrior. He’s done a stint fighting over there, and now he’s here radicalizing young, disenfranchised Canadians for the cause.”
Michael’s entire body surface poised on the edge of a shiver. “Ross. He’s been taking an interest in Amy.”
“How?” The word came out like a bullet.
“Chatting in the gallery. He took her to visit the crash site. Invited her to lunch today.”
Gilles stared. He didn’t seem to notice he’d crushed the paper in his fist. “Keep him away from her.”
The knife twisted again. “Now that you’re back—”
“Michael, I am not back.” Gilles leaned forward, eyes revealing his pain, and whispered his next words. “Gilles Renaud died that day. Nathin Ayon has a new life. His concussion, the damaged neck muscles, are healing, but he’s — I’m — a different man. Believe it or not, I sell life insurance. I’m doing well with it, too.”
He swept his arm around the room. “I could afford better than this, although not as much as my predecessor. This is close to your gallery and not somewhere they’d look for me.” He stood. “If they ever start looking for me, I’m dead. Amy’s in danger, but I can’t take her back with me. They’d look for her and find us both.”
Gilles stood. “Coffee?” He took the mini carafe and filled it from the bathroom faucet.
Michael watched him dump the grounds into the filter. “Please.”
Once the water started to hiss and burble, Gilles circled the cramped room. He stopped in front of Michael. “How is Amy? And the indomitable Beatrice?”
“Fine. Amy’s healing. She still has pain in her hip if she stands too long. I don’t know what this will do to her emotionally.”
“If all goes well, she’ll never know.”
“You’d do that to her?”
>
“Wouldn’t it be best? She’s over me by now. I’m over her.” Gilles passed a hand over his face. “Don’t look at me like that. Death ends relationships. I think I’m falling for my physiotherapist. If she can see beyond the rehabilitation project, we may have a chance.”
The room seemed to tilt. Michael gripped the arms of his chair. “You’re not here to reclaim your fiancée.”
“Michael, she’s not a package I left in a taxi.” He poured coffee into two thick, porcelain mugs and fanned out packets of sugar and powdered whitener on the table.
Michael opted for black. “No, she’s not. Amy is a person who lost her love. Her future. Your family cut her off. So did her own father. If Aunt Bay and I hadn’t taken her in—”
The plastic stick made a faint tick-tick as Gilles stirred sugar and whitener into his drink. “I didn’t script any of this. We had no warning. But come on, ami, you’re the winner here.”
“I’ve had to watch this beautiful soul suffer through abandonment and physical therapy while she grieved, knowing my best help couldn’t touch her deepest hurts. You know how I feel about her. How is this winning?” Michael’s hand jerked, and coffee splashed the table. He grabbed the stack of napkins and blotted the mess.
“I don’t understand.” Gilles dropped back into the opposite chair. Ignoring his coffee, he picked up the crumpled menu and began twisting it. He raised his eyes to Michael’s. “My friend… my very best friend… the minute I saw you and Amy in the same room, I knew you were perfect for each other. In my selfishness, I kept you apart. Cut my truest friend out of my life to keep a treasure who shouldn’t have been mine. When you acted honourably and withdrew, I was relieved. Can you forgive me?”
“I would have done the same thing. There’s nothing to forgive.” Michael risked a sip of coffee. The bitterness curled his tongue. “Plenty of girls dropped me for you, but you’re wrong to think Amy would be like that. I’m hardly a better prize.”
A flash of the old arrogance crossed Gilles’ face. “Not better. A perfect match.” His lips twisted. “Amy’s loyalty is also a match for yours. I saw how it would play out. She’d fight it each step of the way. You’d both deny it and live in misery to give me a hollow victory. When my own love faded, you’d feel too guilty to get together. It would make a terrible novel. But now—”
Without Proof Page 26