On His Watch (Vengeance Is Mine Book 1)

by Susanne Matthews

  “Here, let me carry you. You’ve been on your feet all day. I’m sure you’re tired.”

  “I haven’t been the one outside shoveling a path to the garage every hour.”

  “I’ve only done it twice,” he argued. “I’m big and strong, remember?”

  He picked her up and carried her into his small office where he set her down on the chair, before sitting on the edge of the desk. While he might’ve liked to sit with her on his lap, if he was ever going to let this friendship of theirs change, it would have to happen slowly.

  She placed her left hand on the desk and looked up at him. He could read the anxiety in her eyes and didn’t know if what he was going to tell her would make things better or worse.

  He placed his hand on hers and felt her tremble slightly as she had when he’d pulled her into his arms last night. He wished he could make those horrible nightmares go away. Maybe once this threat was over, she would feel safe again, and the dreams would ease up and give her some peace.

  Something about last night’s dream had been different. Before she’d been frightened, but this time, she’d been upset. He wondered if perhaps the nightmare had been about the attack, but all she remembered was something shining brightly and roses. The roses could be a memory—the sight of the petals in the blood had haunted him often enough, but the shiny object was a mystery.

  He’d lain beside her and cradled her until she’d fallen asleep, and he’d eventually drifted off. His wrist alarm had awakened him at six, and he’d had the hard-on-from-Hell. Thank God Nikki had stayed asleep.

  “Are you going to tell me something, or are you just going to stare at my hand?” She laughed softly, but her nervousness was evident.

  “Sorry, I was wool gathering. You know the team’s been looking into Thomas Lincoln’s business activities. It seems that not all his business partners are as squeaky clean as they seem. When you peel back the rind, you find the fruit’s a little rotten. Thomas has invested heavily in manufacturing in Mexico with a company that’s apparently a front for the Ortega crime syndicate. Ortega’s had dealings with the Scarletti family. We think that’s why your father was convinced there wasn’t anything to worry about. Why would his business partners want to hurt his daughter? And remember to him and them, you’re still his daughter. On the other hand, he could have asked if there was a contract and been told, no.”

  Brow deeply creased, eyes narrowed, Nikki chewed her lower lip, a gesture Jason realized she made when she was nervous.

  “Then The Butcher isn’t after me? Thomas was right? All of this was for nothing?”

  Jason nodded. “It doesn’t look as if Vincent Scarletti could’ve ordered it. He’s in the hospital, and Luciano Melvici has taken over the reins of the organization. The last thing the new capo wants is Interpol breathing down his neck. He’s made it clear that he didn’t order this assassination, but his sources confirmed The Butcher was hired for the deed. They don’t know by whom.”

  “If it isn’t the mob, who wants us dead?”

  Jason read confusion and fear on her face. He squeezed her hand to offer comfort. “I wish I knew the answer to that question.”

  “What about the ring?” she asked.

  “We haven’t given up on it yet. That ring had to be made by someone, and I still think it’s the key to this whole thing.”

  Jason saw Nikki tremble and stood, pulling her up as he did. His arms enfolded her and he held her tightly to his chest.

  “Don’t worry. Nothing’s changed. You’re as safe today as you were yesterday. I won’t let The Butcher get to you. Scarletti may not have ordered the hit, but someone did.” He pressed his lips against her brow. She didn’t pull away.

  * * *

  Nikki stood at the window, watching Mandy and Jason make snow angels in the freshly fallen snow. Despite everything, she loved it here in the mountains and would stay here for the rest of her days if she could. If things were different between her and Jason, she could see them coming back regularly. She couldn’t imagine a more perfect place to celebrate Christmas with a tall tree in front of the windows where the ceiling was open to the A-frame’s top rafters. She closed her eyes and imagined the scent of fresh pine and sugar cookies. Was it so wrong to want those kind of memories?

  She glanced in front of the fireplace where an exhausted Danny lay in his basket. The puppy had tried valiantly to keep up with his mistress, but after ten minutes, Jason had brought the poor thing to the door.

  “This little guy needs to stay inside,” he’d said and laughed. “We’re losing him in the drifts.”

  She’d carried the family’s newest member to his blanket, and he hadn’t budged since.

  She’d awakened with a headache this morning. It had taken two analgesics to ease the pain. Nathan had checked her over carefully, but she knew the reason for her discomfort. She’d had another of her vicious nightmares last night, and even though Jason had held her almost all night long, she’d been afraid to close her eyes. She remembered some of the images vividly; in fact, she couldn’t get them out of her mind.

  There were two hideous monsters—a bald one she saw clearly and a shadowy faceless demon who seemed to shift in size. She glanced down at the drawing she’d just completed, unsure of what was part of the dream and what came from the information about that night Jason had told her. One creature stood in a pool of blood, and the body on the floor at his feet had to be her son Danny. The creature’s face was badly scarred, and he wore a diamond earring. Hatred distorted the face. The other figure resembled the Grim Reaper.

  She shoved the sketch back into her art pad and placed it on a high shelf where Mandy wouldn’t see it. She would show the picture to Jason tonight after the child was asleep.

  Mandy had given up on the snow angels and was in the process of burying Jason. Nathan was out there, too, checking the generator. Angie and Troy were checking the perimeter. The storm might have passed, but they were still without power. The devices Troy’s man had planted needed to be checked to make sure they still worked.

  “I see they’re having fun.” Cassie handed her a cup of hot chocolate.

  Nikki sniffed the air appreciatively. “What smells so good?”

  “Chocolate chip cookies. Baking takes my mind off being stuck here. Jason said it’s okay since power should be restored shortly.”

  “I know what you mean. I drew a bit. Cabin fever, I guess. I can’t wait to get outside, too.”

  “Nathan thinks you can go out for a short time tomorrow if the wind eases up and the sun’s out. Can I see your drawing?” She pointed to the painting above the fireplace. “You’re an incredibly talented artist. I look at it, and I swear I can hear the surf hitting the rocks.”

  Nikki reached for the sketch pad, hiding the image of demons between the back pages, and instead opened the tablet to the one she’d made earlier of Mandy and Jason building snow people. They’d made three of them—each one smaller than the previous one. Nathan had been sent in for the necessary accoutrements—carrots for noses, buttons from Cassie’s sewing box for eyes, and red yarn for mouths.

  “This is beautiful,” Cassie said admiring the sketch. “I can’t believe how well you captured the emotions on their faces. I love the sappy smiles on the snowmen. Jason’s quite a guy, isn’t he?”

  “Yes, he is. I owe him my life and Mandy’s. We’ve become friends. I hope we can keep it up after this is over.”

  Cassie chuckled softly. “You guys have a lot more going here than friendship. He’s great daddy material.” She put up her hand to stop Nikki from commenting. “I know, this isn’t the time or the place, and you’re newly widowed whether you remember your husband or not. Even after this threat is over, you’ll have a lot to deal with in the next few months—I heard you guys talking about Thomas Lincoln. Man, I didn’t like that guy from the moment I saw him. You’re going to need someone by your side to help you get through all that crap, and I think Jason’s the right person for the task. I heard him tell Nath
an he had vacation time coming to him when this was over, and he might stay in Larosa for a while. You did say you were going back to your home there, didn’t you?”

  Nikki nodded.

  “People are brought together by all sorts of things. Just because a horrible thing took you into one another’s lives, doesn’t mean something good can’t come of it. I think you two make a great team, and Mandy likes him. If kids and dogs like a guy, he’s got to be a keeper.”

  Cassie hadn’t said anything she hadn’t thought herself, but she wasn’t sure Jason wanted their relationship to change. Mandy had already broached the daddy question at bedtime a couple of nights ago.

  “Mommy, since my old daddy is in Heaven, can Jason be my new daddy?”

  Nikki had felt her cheeks heat. Jason, still standing in the room waiting to help her back to the sofa, had cleared his throat awkwardly.

  “Honey, getting a new daddy is a little more complicated than getting a puppy. One special thing at a time, okay?” she’d said before Jason could comment, afraid in the moment he’d say something to hurt the child.

  Which was actually rather silly of her. Jason had been extremely kind, caring, and patient with the little girl who could be quite dictatorial at times.

  Before Mandy could comment on her strange answer, the puppy had yipped, as if saying good night, jumped off Nikki’s lap, and settled into his bed. Mandy had fallen asleep before Nikki had read more than a few pages of the bedtime story her daughter had chosen.

  “She’s a great kid,” Jason had said as he’d settled Nikki on the sofa once more. “She’s got quite the imagination.”

  “I’m sorry if her question upset you.”

  “It didn’t upset me. I was afraid it had upset you.”

  He’d handed her a glass of wine and they’d watched a movie, but Nikki had been unable to concentrate on the story, her mind focused on Mandy’s question and Jason’s comment.

  “Looks like Jason’s had enough of being buried,” Cassie said bringing her back to the present and what was happening outside. He was covered in sticky snow from head to toe. It clung to his jacket, pants, and knitted cap. He must have called it quits when Mandy had tried to bury his head. She sighed. Was that how the thought of a deeper relationship made him feel—smothered? Trapped? Buried alive? She shuddered.

  Jason shook the snow off himself, flinging it at Mandy in the process, as if tossing mini snowballs. The sight pulled Nikki out of her retrospective mood, and she laughed. He noticed her and Cassie standing in the window and tossed a fistful of snow at them. Nikki ducked playfully and turned away.

  “Come on. We can make hot chocolate for the Abominable Snowman and his companion. Are those cookies ready?”

  Nikki moved toward the kitchen area, Cassie following in her wake.

  The kettle whistled, and Nikki turned off the burner just as the back door opened and the playmates came inside. She filled two mugs with water and hot chocolate mix. By the time Mandy and Jason got undressed and hung everything up, the chocolate would be cool enough to drink. She reached into the tin of miniature marshmallows and added a few to each cup.

  Mandy raced into the room, her cheeks red from the outdoors.

  “I had the best time, Mommy. Did you see what I made?”

  “I did. Those are some of the nicest snowmen I’ve ever seen.”

  “That’s us. That’s Jason, you, and me. He’s the biggest one.”

  Nikki laughed. “I can see the resemblance now that you mention it. You’re certainly an accomplished snowman maker. The little one looks just like you.”

  In truth, all the creations were identical except for the size of the snowballs used, the length of carrot serving as a nose, and the different colored knit caps and scarves.

  “You did a wonderful job. I’ll bet you’ll be hungry come suppertime.”

  “I’m hungry now, and I smell cookies,” she giggled.

  “Only two. I don’t want you to spoil your supper.”

  “Do I get some, too?” Jason asked coming into the kitchen. His cheeks were as rosy as Mandy’s and he’d never looked better. Desire pooled in Nikki’s stomach.

  “I think you earned your share.”

  Nikki looked away to hide the heat in her cheeks as Cassie’s words came back to her. She glanced over her shoulder at the little girl and the man sitting side by side, chocolate and marshmallow foam decorating their upper lips. With their similar coloring, they could pass for father and daughter. The thought unnerved her.

  “Did you like our snow angels?” Mandy asked, sneaking a third cookie off the plate.

  “I did, and so did Cassie. You make lovely angels. I also saw you burying Jason in the snow. I’m glad you had fun, sweetie.”

  Jason tugged gently on Mandy’s pigtail. “You can bury me any day, munchkin. Just remember to dig me out again.” The words and the gesture went straight to Nikki’s heart.

  * * *

  Jason was finishing his second cup of cocoa when his cellphone rang, startling them all. He looked at the caller ID and stood.

  “It’s Ivan. Cassie, can you keep an eye on Mandy? We won’t be long.”

  Between them, he and Nikki had agreed to keep Mandy as unaware of the circumstances surrounding the reason they were here as possible. He saw the concern on Nikki’s face before he picked her up, carried her into his office, and shut the door behind them. He set Nikki down on the chair and answered the call, putting the phone on speaker at the same time.

  “What’s up, Ivan? You don’t usually call at this time of day. Did you learn anything from your contact in Italy?”

  “I did, and I’ve learned something from the Swiss authorities, too. Which news would you like first?”

  “The news from Switzerland—is it about my father or the contract?” Nikki asked before he could speak.

  “Your father,” Ivan answered, and Jason could hear the seriousness in his voice.

  “Let’s have it,” he said, knowing instinctively it would be what Nikki wanted.

  “This wasn’t the first time your father and those men climbed together. It seems there was a cursory investigation after the bodies were recovered, but it didn’t amount to much, and the deaths were ruled accidental. Your father’s mountaineering party wasn’t the only one climbing the glacier at the time. My investigator found a climber from another expedition. The man knew your father and the men in his group well. They’d all camped together two nights before the accident. His party had been on its way down the mountain, your father’s on its way up.”

  “Did they remember anything specific?” she asked.

  “The man my contact spoke to did,” Ivan confirmed. “Apparently there was a loud argument between your father and one of his fellow climbers that night, but the man couldn’t say who it was or what the argument had been about. His guide had warned your father to be careful. The weather had changed, and the ice was treacherous. The edges of the crevasses were weak. Some had crumbled between the time they’d gone up the glacier and come back down. Climbers in a group usually have set positions, but for reasons unknown, your father’s party changed their climbing order that day. I suppose since Thomas was the largest man, making him the anchor made sense. It’s the only thing that saved your stepfather’s life.”

  “Can the case be reopened?” she asked.

  “I’m not sure, ma belle. I’ll continue my inquiries, and we’ll see if any evidence of wrongdoing appears. According to the man my operative questioned, it was simply a tragic accident—something every climber risks. From what I can see, Thomas never climbed again.”

  “As much as I dislike him, I would rather not discover he was responsible for my father’s death, too,” Nikki said, her hands fisted in her lap. “What motivation would he have? Envy? Greed?”

  “We won’t know until we ask him, and I’m certainly going to add it to my list of questions,” Jason added. “What did you find out about the ring?”

  Ivan chuckled. “It took some doing, but we’
ve identified its rightful owner. No offense, Nikki. There was no way you could’ve known it had been stolen.”

  “So Sam did steal the ring?” Nikki’s voice betrayed her anger.

  “I doubt that,” Ivan answered, “but the owner may have thought he knew who did. Let me tell you what I learned. The ring has a tragic history, but as I suspected, the central stone was the key. The original ring was designed in the early part of the twentieth century by Allessandro Piccato, a famous diamond merchant in Rome. It consisted of ten red diamonds surrounding a similar square-cut stone from the Argyle mine in Australia. It was created as a wedding ring for Vincent Scarletti’s mother who died during the war. Vincent had the ring remade for his wife who was killed in a car accident just after their only child was born. The ring was given to his daughter, Carlotta, when she married twenty years ago. She had the ring redesigned to suit her, but the man who did the work is dead. One of his apprentices recognized the stone. He finished his apprenticeship before the ring was finished and never saw the completed piece. Sadly, the ring disappeared the night of the fire in which Scarletti’s son-in-law was killed and his daughter badly disfigured. She’s spent the last twenty years in seclusion and mourning. Neither the authorities nor Scarletti ever found the person responsible for the fire. I suspect Carlotta believed your husband knew the identity of that man, and that’s why he was tortured. The contract is valid. I’m afraid the danger is very real, but whoever stole that ring may also be on The Butcher’s list.”

  “Are you saying the person who hired The Butcher is a woman?” Nikki asked, the disbelief in her voice as great as his own. No way a woman could order something as vicious as this.

  “Yes.”

  “Ivan, I’m not doubting what you’ve said, but how would a woman in seclusion even find out about a doctor in San Francisco?”

  “I don’t know, but there are newspapers, magazines, and of course the Internet. Mrs. Hart wore her wedding ring all the time, did she not? Interpol agents are on their way to the convent where Carlotta has lived these past few years. As soon as I have more information, I’ll contact you.”