by Debra Webb
MIA FLINCHED AT REECE’S harshly spoken words.
“Are you in pain, sweetie?” Gloria leaned toward Mia and patted her arm. “Do you want me to call someone?”
Mia manufactured a smile. “I’m okay. Just the occasional twinge.” She rubbed her shoulder. “The seat belt did a number on me.”
Gloria sighed. “I can’t believe this happened. Not after what you’ve been through already. It’s just awful.”
Mia worried that Reece was right. Her faux uncle wasn’t going to show. Gloria would probably get a call any second now saying as much. “I’m okay.” She managed a more genuine smile. “Now that you’re here.”
“Oh.” She took Mia’s hand. “My butterfly. I couldn’t bear it if anything happened to you.” She sighed. “Vinny is beside himself.”
“You should call him and let him know I’m okay. Or let me talk to him. I tried to explain to his assistant that I was all right but I’m not sure the message was passed along properly.” If he was close, the number could be traced to his position…maybe. She couldn’t remember how that worked exactly, but surely she’d done that when she was a cop.
She stilled. Had she just thought of herself as Lori Reece? She shook herself mentally and chalked it up to the staggering events of the day.
“…been delayed. I’m sure he’ll catch up with us by the time we’re home.”
Mia cleared her head. “I’m sorry, what?” She had to pay attention. She resisted the need to adjust the weapon Reece had given her. It had slipped farther down her thighs. Still within reach, she hoped.
Gloria patted Mia’s hand. “Don’t worry, your uncle will be here soon. Even if he’s been delayed he’ll see you at home.”
That would not work. “I’m not sure when they’re going to release me,” Mia said, as much for those listening via the communications as for Gloria. “We may be here awhile.”
“I hope they’ve arrested that terrible man,” Gloria offered with a shake of her head. “Why in the world would he do this?” She turned a worried face to Mia. “And you thought he was so nice.”
Mia suddenly understood what she needed to do. “He said some things….” A sharp “no” from Reece hissed across the com link.
“What kind of things?” Gloria’s concern appeared authentic.
Mia pushed away the confusion. Now was not a good time to analyze that aspect of this bizarre relationship. “That my name wasn’t Mia Grant and that you and Vince had lied to me all these years.”
Horror claimed Gloria’s face. She gasped. “Is he insane? Where did he come from? What was he doing in Blossom?”
“He’s from Los Angeles.” Mia bit her lip and frowned as if struggling to recall all that Reece had said. “He said that I’m his wife.”
Reece swore in her ear.
“That’s just crazy,” Gloria wailed. But her face told a different story. The softer emotions vanished, and suspicion and anger took their place. “Your uncle will be so alarmed. With your condition, that sort of nonsense is the last thing you need.” She swung her head from side to side. “This is just awful.”
“What’s worse,” Mia pressed, “is he kept saying he was taking me to the police. I hope he didn’t regain consciousness and start spouting that crazy talk.” She rubbed her forehead and tried to look worried. “What if they won’t let me go home?” The uncle Mia knew would not delay coming to her rescue. He had always done exactly that, even when she hadn’t wanted him to.
“Oh, Lord.” Gloria launched to her feet. “We should call him.”
That was what Mia had been hoping for. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Gloria snatched up her purse. “First we should get out of this excuse for a hospital.” She literally shimmied with urgency. “Your uncle will take care of this, but first I should get you safely home. You should be under the care of your own doctors.”
Not the reaction Mia had hoped for. Real worry yanked at her nerves. “Gloria, you know I can’t go until they release me.”
Gloria walked to the door and peeked out. “They’re probably just keeping you here under false pretenses,” she whispered to Mia, “until the police can investigate his claims.” She made an angry sound, a growl almost, as she strode back to the bed. “That awful man is trying to take you away from us.”
Worry shifted to apprehension. “I think he’s just delusional.” Mia had never seen her aunt behave this way. “The hospital wouldn’t keep me unless it was medically necessary.” Reece growled a caution in her ear, the tone every bit as ferocious as Gloria’s.
Gloria’s face pinched with anger. “You just don’t know what people are capable of. We’ve always shielded you from these unsavory goings-on. Now, come along.” She ushered Mia to climb out of the bed. “We’re leaving this incompetent place.”
Mia let the gun slip down to the mattress before swinging her legs over the edge. “I think you’re over-reacting.” She tucked a handful of hair behind her ear, adopting an expression of regret. “I shouldn’t have told you.” Mia had to do some serious backtracking. “None of what he said matters. We’ll go home as soon as Uncle Vincent gets here.”
Gloria grabbed her by the arm, her fingers biting into Mia’s skin. “We have to go now.”
“I’m coming in,” was muttered in Mia’s ear.
“No,” she fairly shouted. She glanced at the hidden camera, hoping to stall Reece. “Gloria, you need to calm down. He’ll be here soon and you’ll have gotten all worked up for nothing.”
“I won’t let them take you from me.” She tugged more insistently on Mia’s arm. “Come along. We have to hurry.”
“I… My clothes. I need my clothes.” It was the only stall tactic Mia had left.
Reluctantly, Gloria released Mia and snatched the jeans and T-shirt slung over the back of the chair. “Hurry.”
Mia took her time dragging on the jeans. Gloria paced like a caged animal, her impatience visibly mounting. Mia turned her back to the camera before removing the hospital gown. Reece had already seen her naked from the waist up but she wasn’t ready for that to happen again. Uncertainty and a hint of humiliation already nagged at her. She pulled on the shirt and stepped into her shoes.
“You’re going too slow.” Gloria grabbed her arm again. “Let’s go.”
“You know they’ll try to stop us,” Mia reminded her in a last-ditch effort to make her think rationally.
Gloria dug into the purse slung over her shoulder. “They’re not going to take you away from me.” She pulled out a small handgun. “I won’t let that happen.”
The air rushed out of Mia’s lungs. “Oh, my God.”
“I have to protect you,” Gloria insisted, the gun held loosely in her right hand as if she weren’t sure of precisely how to hold it. “Your uncle would never forgive me if I didn’t.”
This couldn’t be happening. Gloria hand-fed dogs, rocked them like children. She loved all things. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. “Please put the gun away. You’re not thinking clearly.” Mia shouldn’t have pushed the situation. What had she done? “Please, Gloria.”
Reece burst through the door before Mia finished the plea. “Put down the gun!” His weapon was leveled and aimed at Gloria.
“No!” This was Mia’s fault. She’d caused this!
Gloria glared at Reece. “You!” She pointed her gun at him. “You won’t take her away from me.”
“Put down the gun,” Reece warned, “or I will shoot.”
Gloria’s face contorted with fury. She tightened her hold on Mia’s arm. “Let’s go. Ignore him. He’s not going to shoot. He wouldn’t dare risk hitting you.”
Mia stared at the woman, dumbfounded. “Don’t do this, Gloria.”
“Do as I say, Mia.” She glowered at Reece. “He’s just a sad, pathetic man who should have died seven years ago.”
Mia shook loose from her vicious clutch. “What’re you saying?” How did Gloria know Reece? Why would she think he should have died seven years ago? The voice of tru
th screamed in Mia’s head.
“That doesn’t matter right now, Butterfly.” She motioned for Mia to come to her, her aim at Reece never deviating from center chest. “Let’s hurry. He just wants to tear us apart.”
“By telling me the truth?” Fury battered Mia as the whole truth assimilated in her brain. Gloria had helped build this nightmare. She was equally responsible for stealing Mia’s life.
“Come,” Gloria commanded, her face twisted with menace, “or I’ll shoot him.”
Mia quieted the fury raging inside her. She nodded, the movement stiff. “Whatever you say, Gloria.”
The instant Gloria’s full attention swung back to Reece, Mia shoved her hand beneath the sheet and seized the gun. She grasped it with both hands as she turned the barrel on the woman who had bathed her when she could not bathe herself. The woman who had fed her when she could not feed herself. The woman who had lied to her and stolen her life.
“Shoot him and I swear I will shoot you.” Mia’s heart raged against her breastbone.
“Mia…you’re my sweetheart…my precious butterfly,” Gloria implored. “You wouldn’t hurt me.”
Reece rushed her. He disarmed Gloria before Mia could blink. The weapon slipped from Mia’s hands and clattered on the tile floor.
The other agents streamed into the room. Gloria screamed and howled as they subdued her and read her the Miranda rights.
Mia couldn’t move. Shock, she decided. She was in shock.
There was no longer any doubt.
She was Lori Reece.
Her gaze sifted through the tangle of activity around her, coming to rest on the man attempting to cut through the chaos to get to her.
Her husband.
Chapter Sixteen
Nashville Federal Holding Facility, 11:15 p.m.
Mia watched the man she had known as her uncle for the past seven years. On the other side of the viewing glass he sat, shackled, at a small table. The interview room was generic white. Only the table and two folding chairs held court in the middle of the austere space. Nothing about it was designed for comfort.
“They’ve been pushing him for two hours,” the special agent in charge said. “He isn’t talking.”
Reece stared in disgust at the man who had devastated his life. “He won’t talk.”
Mia glanced at Reece but she couldn’t meet his gaze. After Gloria had been taken away, Keaton had driven Mia and Reece here. Marcos had been transported to this location after his capture in Blossom. As Reese had suspected, Marcos had felt confident returning to Blossom, since Mia and Reece were in Winchester. He had departed from and arrived at alternative airfields while a decoy plane took the expected route in order to throw off any surveillance. The agents had been smart to move quickly. Marcos had only returned to clear out his safe room, a room Mia hadn’t known existed.
After his capture the Bureau had contacted DEA, who suspected that Marcos had been using his art and antiques business as well as massive nursery shipments across the country for transporting drugs. The Colombian government, with new drug laws in place, was happy to cooperate in his prosecution. His property there was being searched at this very hour.
All of it had happened so fast. Mia felt weak and disoriented. As confused as she felt, there was one thing she had to do before moving forward into the unknown. “I have to talk to him.” She turned to the special agent, who didn’t attempt to hide his surprise.
“Miss Grant,” Agent Krober said with obvious skepticism, “I understand the compulsion you feel to ask him certain questions. But—”
“I’m sorry, Agent Krober, but you couldn’t possibly understand. I have to talk to him.” She felt Reece watching her but Mia couldn’t look at him. “I just have to.”
Krober exchanged a look with Reece. He nodded once, then turned back to the viewing window.
Her request hurt him, she knew. Mia regretted that, more than words could adequately articulate, but this was something she had to do.
“All right. Five minutes, Miss Grant.” Krober led the way out of the room. “Do not discuss any aspect of his business operation.”
Reece kept his back turned as Mia followed the agent. Her heart rammed harder and harder against her breastbone. Uncertainty, pain, regret and anger had combined inside her, creating a tornado that wouldn’t allow her to hold on to her equilibrium.
She wanted this nightmare over.
But this part couldn’t be skipped.
Krober opened the door to the interview room. Mia took a deep breath and stepped inside. The shackled man she refused to call her uncle observed her closely as she crossed to the table. Mia sat down, facing him. It wasn’t until she looked into his eyes, eyes that had shown such love and care for her, that hatred ignited inside her.
“Why?” That was the only answer she wanted. Then she never wanted to hear his voice again. Never wanted to see him or receive any news of him.
He didn’t speak, just continued staring at her.
The blazing hatred exploded into hot tendrils of fury. She slammed her palms on the table. “Why did you do this to me?”
He laughed, a dry, hostile sound. “Why what? Why did I ensure you received world-class medical care? Why did I ensure your complete recovery from a tragic accident? Or why did I put you in the loving hands of my sister-in-law, who treated you like her own child?”
Mia shook with a new bombardment of blistering emotion. “You stole my life.” Her voice ached with the misery that would not be overshadowed by her rage. He had taken everything from her. Even her name.
He leaned forward. “Your life was over. You were dying.” His face twisted with fury of his own. “I saved you and this is how you repay me.”
Mia struggled to maintain her composure. “Say it.” She swallowed to ease the choking sensation deep in her throat. “I want to hear you say my real name.” She needed him to confirm the truth screaming for attention inside her. She wanted to hear the words. “Say it.”
He smirked. “You know your name.”
“Say it!”
A smile slid across his evil lips. “You are Mia Grant, daughter of—”
“Stop lying.” She rocketed to her feet and the chair screeched across the tile floor. “My real name. The one you robbed me of.”
He lifted his gaze to hers. “Whatever stories they tell you, Butterfly, your name has always been and will always be Mia Grant. You are not who they say you are. And they cannot prove their allegations.”
“You son of a bitch.”
“Your father would be ashamed of you.” The bastard shook his head. “Reece has done this to you.”
“You,” she blasted him, “did this to me.”
Another of those malicious smiles spread across his face. “Prove it.”
“I will find the whole truth if I have to retrace every step you took seven years ago.”
He laughed. “You will never know for certain. That is the gift I leave you with.”
If she’d had a gun she would have killed him. The need throbbed in her very soul. But she would not. A sense of victory calmed her. He didn’t deserve to die quickly. She wanted him to rot in prison, slowly and surely.
Mia turned her back on him and walked out. She braced against the wall in the corridor, and no longer able to hold back her emotion, she let the tears flow.
She squeezed her eyes shut against the pain. He was lying. She understood this with complete certainty, but she’d needed to hear him say the words. And he had robbed her of that, too.
Her eyes opened and lit on Reece, who waited a few feet away. Dear God, what did she do now? He would want answers of his own. How could she blame him?
She wasn’t Mia Grant but she wasn’t Lori Reece, either. The memories of her life before the explosion were gone. The ones she had made since were irrelevant.
She was no one.
“This is…overwhelming. I know.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
He looked so incredibly sad, h
er heart grieved for him. “It’s…” She shook her head. There were no words to describe how she felt. “I can’t explain.”
“Tell me what you want me to do.” He dared to draw another step nearer. “Whatever it is, I’ll do it.”
He wanted to help. He wanted his wife back. Wanted his life the way it used to be. But she couldn’t give him those things.
“I need time.” She hauled in a heavy breath. “I have to figure this out.”
He reached into his pocket and withdrew a piece of paper. “The Colby Agency says this place is the best on the planet for recoveries from…things like this.” He offered the paper to her.
She took it, careful not to touch his outstretched fingers. Dealing with her reactions to his touch was more than she could endure just now. “Thank you.” She tucked the paper into her pocket.
“Where will you go?”
The hurt in his voice ripped at her heart. But it was the single tear that slid down his unshaven jaw that shredded her composure completely. She had to hold him. Stepping forward, she put her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. He shook with his own emotional struggle as he hugged her tight. Listening to the pounding of his heart and inhaling the scent that was uniquely his chased away the fear and anguish.
She felt safe.
They held each other that way for a long time.
Mia hated to release him but it was time to go.
The only way to begin her life again was to go away for a while and sort through these debilitating emotions. When she was strong enough she would make the hard decisions.
Pulling back, her soul grieved the loss. She wiped her eyes and reached for courage. “I have a lot to fix.” She almost laughed. Was that even possible? He’d used that word. “So I do have to go.” She drew in a resolute breath. “I just don’t know exactly where and for how long.”
“I understand. You do what you have to.” That vivid blue gaze held hers with a compassion that had more tears brimming in her eyes. “Wherever you go, know that I’ll be waiting. For as long as it takes.”
She nodded, then turned away before she broke down completely. Leaving him standing there, watching her go, was the hardest thing she’d ever had to do.