MemoriesErasedTreachery

by Charlie Richards

  "No, thanks," Devin replied. "We have it covered."

  "Okay." Patterson headed toward the door. "I'll be in touch."

  The door closed behind the detective and Devin turned to Mick. "Carlos will begin construction on the condo, day after tomorrow."

  "Yeah. Tag and I talked it over and we're good to go." Mick went to the sideboard to refresh his coffee. "We'll move in tomorrow. With you and Ewyn spending most of your time over here, we'll monitor the construction, and keep an eye on the place."

  "Are you sure? I'll be in and out, in case there are any problems with the changes."

  "Yeah, it's all good. I want to check out the lay of the land, so to speak. See what kind of surveillance we'll need, and where. Get it set up and integrated into the construction plans." Mick returned to his seat. "I want entry to the penthouse limited to key lock access installed in the elevator, and the stairwell doors alarmed. We'll also check out the neighborhood."

  "Good deal. Timothy and I will want in on the surveillance set up."

  Mick nodded. "Sure thing, and while Tag isn't here, I want to fill you in on how we met. It involves Tag's baby sister, and why he feels so connected to Kieki."

  * * * *

  Hell. What's with all the activity?

  Slouching down in the seat and peering through the windows--too many people. They could be watching me. Damn. Things are getting too risky here. Surveillance is no longer viable. I bet it's Ewyn's partner. With the botched hit on Ewyn, then Gregorio disappearing, more than likely, they're suspicious of everything. Hell. Didn't consider that. I wonder if they're investigating the deaths. Nothing in the news, and with Nicole's father out of the picture, this should have been easy. I can't think, and I didn't take the pills again. My head is going to explode.

  I hate that bitch! Even dead, because of her brat, Nicole did it to me again. Well, I'm not giving up. She owes me, after everything I've done for her. I can bide my time, let things calm down, and wait for them to drop their guard. It's going to take a while for me to get what I need set up on my end anyway.

  Need a passport, have to find a safe house out of the country, make travel arrangements. By the time it's done, the kid will be walking and getting out more, off the estate, which should open up a wide range of options for getting close to her.

  It'll be worth the wait.

  * * * *

  Devin sat on the sofa in Gregorio's office. With his arm draped across Ewyn's shoulders, he looked around at the assembled company. For the last six months, Devin, Ewyn, and Timothy had met with Patterson, Mick, Tag, and even MacGregor sat in on some of their sessions. With so much law enforcement and its associated resources, they had nothing.

  They weren't able to get a lead on Kiera's father and they couldn't find a marriage license. They had checked the states with the most popular marriage spots within the contiguous forty-eight, Hawaii, and the Caribbean islands, and nothing. There were registrations for quite a few Nicole Calderones, but without the mystery man's last name, it was a wash. The collective consensus was Nicole had married somewhere in Europe. Nicole's phone records indicated she called only known friends, and their one potential lead came from Timothy's Italian connections. It was iffy.

  In the town bordering the monastery where Cecilia purportedly died, Timothy's sources heard rumors about survivors of the earthquake's devastation. Two years had passed however and memories were sketchy. Some of the townspeople thought the survivors were nuns. Others said they were transients the nuns had taken in. "Again, we're working with hearsay," Timothy said. "The only thing the townspeople agreed on--two people survived the monastery destruction, and the survivors were brought to the hospital in the town."

  Devin picked up the threads of conversation. "Our sources encountered problems tracking that lead because the town had suffered quite a bit of damage, too. During the chaos, recordkeeping wasn't at its best. Our people are still running down leads," he stated and felt Ewyn tense beside him.

  "So there's a possibility CeCe is a threat," Ewyn grumbled.

  "Hey. Let's not anticipate. CeCe being alive is a long shot."

  "Ewyn, even if she's alive, she has no power here," Timothy commented. "Your family despises Cecilia more than you do. The cousins won't come to her aid because Vince loved your mom as if she were his own. The other syndicate families won't help her either, for fear of antagonizing your cousin."

  "That's true," Ewyn agreed. "But what if no one recognizes her? If she had reconstructive--"

  Devin cut him off. "I thought we settled the issue of Cecilia."

  "Without proof, I don't think it will ever be settled, Devin. Not for me. I'll never stop looking over my shoulder," Ewyn declared, an edge of impatience creeping into his voice. "Just for a moment, let's reverse your theory about not concentrating on CeCe for fear of someone else coming out of nowhere and biting us in the ass." He looked around the assembled company. "What if CeCe comes out of nowhere, because we've relegated her to non-threatening?"

  "You're right." Devin reached over and massaged the tense muscles in the slender neck. "We won't let her slip through the cracks, but you have to agree, she has no power here. Greg saw to that. Besides, she has nothing to gain in this situation without eliminating you, Kieki, Kieki's father, and most of the people in this room," Devin reminded him. "It's a long shot without contacts, especially if she changed her look."

  "Ewyn." Taggart drew his attention. "Do you honestly believe she could arrange a hit without your cousins getting wind of it? Someone trying to put a hit on a Calderone, as Devin said, even disguised would draw attention. There are channels you have to go through. What your cousins don't control, every agency in this room does."

  "Okay! You're all right. I'll try not to get so hyper every time Cecilia's name comes up."

  Everybody laughed, even Detective Patterson, who knew enough about Ewyn to recognize the absurdity of his statement.

  Still smiling, Devin said, "I realize none of us can continue to spend as much time on this as we have. However, if we're all agreed, we'll do what we can in our spare time and meet here next month, if we have anything new to report."

  Everyone nodded and the group moved to the dining room for dinner.

  * * * *

  "Hey. Checking in."

  "How's the trip?"

  "A lot on my mind. So, what's the word?"

  "Cops say Carolyn was shot. They found the gun in the car."

  "Damn. What are they doing about it?"

  "Setting up round-the-clock protection for baby and uncle, and trying to locate the child's father."

  "Hmm. They suspect he's the killer."

  "Yeah."

  "I'll be out of the country for a while. You know what to do. I'll check in when I can."

  "Right."

  Six months later

  Ewyn turned over and smiled.

  Alerted by the rustling of Kiera's disposable diaper, and the scraping sound on the carpet made by the pads on the feet of her pajamas, he waited in anticipation. He always woke before her, and then he'd hold his breath while he lay listening for her to climb safely out of her crib.

  Hell. He'd never forget when, at ten months old, she had managed to scramble over the crib rail, scaring him shitless. Although she landed safely on her little padded butt, since then, his fear of her falling headfirst over the rail, prompted him to leave the crib rail lowered. After his initial scare, he had wanted to rush out and purchase one of those youth beds with the half-rail, but the voice of reason talked him out of it. Devin convinced him Kiera was too young, still slept wildly all over the crib, and might fall out of bed while asleep, injuring herself more than if she were awake. Ewyn had conceded and agreed to wait until she turned, at minimum, three years old before buying the bed. At eighteen months, Kiera had honed walking to a fine science. With the crib rail lowered, she climbed in and out of bed with ease, thereby reducing his anxiety, while not diminishing it completely.

  Ewyn heard the soft giggle and felt the j
erk on the covers as his little bundle of energy scaled the side of the bed. Lips compressed to keep from smiling at the picture conjured up by that image, he kept his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep, so he wouldn't ruin her fun. It had become their regular routine, her climbing out of her crib, and waddling down the hallway connecting her room with the master bedroom. She'd scramble up on the bed and pounce on him. He'd yell, act surprised then tickle her until they were both breathless from laughter.

  If Devin were home, Kiera would tackle Devin, try to tickle him, and he would laugh and squirm, begging her to stop, letting baby-girl think she had control. At times, Devin would hide and take pictures of Ewyn and Kieki romping together.

  "Gotcha, Ew," she squealed and pounced on him. Once their laughter died away, she looked around. "Daddy gone, Ew."

  "Yeah, baby."

  Kiera continued to surprise and impress Ewyn on a daily basis. Her speech skills, quite developed for an eighteen-month old, were the product of the family structure, according to her pediatrician. Up to this point in her life, Kiera interacted solely with adults and mimicked their speech patterns and mostly their repetitive phrases.

  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she whispered against his ear, "Eat…Ew." She kissed his mouth, and rolled to the end of the bed. With her little feet dangling off its edge, she grabbed the sheet in her tiny fists and repelled down the side. Giggling, she darted for the door, shouting, "Exs…mulk, Ew."

  Okay. Some of her words might need explaining to outsiders, but he knew she meant eggs and milk. Laughing, he jumped out of bed, grabbed his robe, and hurried to catch up with the little munchkin scooting through the doorway. Just as he entered the living room, Kiera screamed, "Daddy!" Strong hands reached out from the foyer and scooped up his jumping, giggling bundle of energy, seconds before Devin came into full view.

  "Hey, baby-girl." Devin placed a loud smacking kiss on her smiling mouth. "Am I in time for breakfast?" He looked over at Ewyn.

  "Brefas," Kiera repeated and shoved on Devin's chest. "Down, daddy. Now!"

  "Hey." He lifted her up and blew air bubbles on her tummy. She laughed, pushed at his hands, and he set her on the floor. "So bossy, this early in the morning. Spending too much time alone with Ew, huh." Devin grinned at Ewyn, pulled him close, and gave him a quick kiss.

  Ewyn felt a tug on his robe and looked down at Kiera, who glared up at him. Hands on her hips, she demanded, "Brefas, Ew."

  "Hungry, huh?" Devin tapped the tip of her nose. "I'll join the two of you, after I take a shower. Is that okay with you, Kieki?"

  Kiera pushed at Devin's legs. "Go." Headed for the kitchen, she stopped on the threshold and looked back over her shoulder. "Eat, Ew." She had the audacity to sigh and roll her eyes before proceeding on her way.

  "How long have I been gone?" Eyes glinting with pleasure, Devin smiled at Ewyn. "Our little girl is developing skills," he teased.

  "Oh yeah. You just don't know." Ewyn shook his head. "Besides your smoothie, do you want anything special for breakfast?"

  "An omelet will work." Devin gave Ewyn another quick kiss and strolled toward the bedroom, shucking out of his clothes as he went.

  Devin entered the kitchen as Ewyn put his smoothie on the table and Kiera's sippy cup on her high chair tray. He smiled at Kiera, who was tucking into her scrambled eggs, and he waited until Ewyn had settled down with his own meal before he started eating.

  "How's it been going?" He picked up his smoothie and took several gulps before reaching for the newspaper. Pulling out the sports section, he laid it beside his plate and set the rest of the paper aside.

  "Kieki had a checkup the other day. She's as healthy as ever." Ewyn picked up his coffee and took a few tentative sips. "Oh yeah. Kieki and I attended Jen and Kath's graduation."

  "Hmm. I thought Kathleen was younger," Devin said.

  "That's because she was Caro's roommate. But Niki, Jen, and Kath were the same age, in the same year," Ewyn explained. "And, by the way, the gifts I gave them were from the entire family."

  Devin grinned. "Oh. What did I give them?"

  "In appreciation of their caring friendship to Niki and Caro over the years, the Calderone family, and their significant others, gave each young lady ten thousand dollars in savings bonds. I'm sure those will serve them best for starting out in new careers."

  "Good deal. What did you give Calabria?"

  He ignored Devin's question. "I told Jen and Kath to contact us if they ever need anything."

  "Calabria didn't get so much as a handshake and a smile, huh." Devin held up his hands in mock surrender when Ewyn glared at him, and he changed the subject. "No news from the group."

  "Nothing. We're spinning our wheels. Mick and Gem work on it full time, the rest of us have other commitments. Are we overreacting?"

  Devin frowned. "About what…Kieki's safety?" He shook his head. "Doubtful. Until we find her father, or whoever is responsible for Nicole's death, Kieki will have a safety net around her for as long as it takes."

  "It's been almost two years, why hasn't anyone made a move?"

  "For the kind of money involved, people can do patience for a long time. Trust me. There is someone out there waiting for us to drop our guard," Devin retorted. "You do recall how that works, right?"

  "Yeah. I remember all too well."

  "I'll call Tim after breakfast and let him know I'm back," Devin said. "Is Tag in town?"

  "Yeah. He took Kieki to the park yesterday."

  "Good. I'll ask Tim to call Patterson. Maybe we can get together today or tomorrow and light a fire under the investigation, come up with some fresh ideas. We're overlooking something."

  "Like what?"

  Devin shrugged. "Something about the husband, Kieki's father, some elusive memory--I don't know."

  "I hear you. My first talk with Patterson left me with the feeling everything he told me was just smoke, concealing some truth I couldn't put my finger on."

  "We should go over the journal again."

  Chapter 14

  Kiera climbed onto her old high chair. Devin had removed the tray so she could sit at the table with the adults like a big girl. Once she settled, her busy hands knocked over her cup, spilling orange juice on the table.

  "Chit, Dev…Kieki's juice spill," she grumbled, her tone a good imitation of an irritated Ewyn.

  Devin lowered his paper and looked over at baby-girl who glared back at him. With her bottom lip puffed out, her little brow knitted, and her eyes sparkling with temper, she was so Ewyn's double.

  Eyebrow-arched, he glanced over her head and stared at Ewyn, who stood poised in the middle of the kitchen with the proverbial caught-in-the-headlights look. Devin moved to the sink to retrieve the dishcloth, giving Ewyn the I-told-you-so stare as he passed.

  "What!" Ewyn snapped.

  Not bothering to respond, Devin proceeded to clean up the mess. It wasn't much because she knocked over her old sippy cup and they never filled it over halfway. A few days shy of three years old, Kiera insisted on using her baby cup, just because it was hers.

  Ewyn sighed, walked over to the table, and stood next to Kiera. He brushed a stray curl from her forehead and said, "Baby-girl, I've told you not to say those words."

  Tears welled up in those big gray eyes and she slid from her chair. With her little hands balled into fists and resting on her hips, she fixed Ewyn with a defiant stare. "No, Ew…" She stamped her little foot. "You say!"

  "I know, but I'm wrong, Kieki. Okay?"

  "No!"

  Kiera scooted around Ewyn and launched herself at Devin, who scooped her up onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered against his ear, "Daddy, Ew yelled."

  Devin did his damnedest not to laugh at the shocked expression on Ewyn's face. "Yes, Kieki, I know, but Ew is right. You shouldn't use those words. They're not nice." He and Ewyn discussed cussing in front of Kiera, on a regular basis. Devin had trimmed his cussing to nil in her presence, but for Ewyn, cussing was reflexive, and to
o much a part of his personality. Yet Devin had to give baby-boy props for toning it down quite a bit, but he expected Ewyn's occasional lapse.

  They hadn't counted on Kiera's overuse of the word no, which she used like a cuss word. The pediatrician categorized it as a phase, one she'd grow out of soon. Devin had his doubts. Baby-girl seemed to relish using the word, enjoying the affect it had on the adults.

  Kiera sat back in Devin's arms. With her small legs still encased in her footy pajamas, she toyed with the padded feet and kept peeking up at Devin through her thick coal-black lashes. Brow wrinkled as if giving his words serious consideration…he knew better. Suddenly, she grinned and winked. Devin hooted.

  Oh yeah, baby-girl was good. Now, for days, Ewyn would worry about having hurt her feelings. Hell. Kiera was as tough as nails, but Ewyn refused to see it. He continued to pamper her and treat her like a delicate little princess. Devin had asked Ewyn to stop doing to Kiera what his family had done to him.

  To balance out Ewyn's over-protective tendencies, Devin and Taggart took Kiera out whenever they could. They let her run free, roughhouse, and get as dirty as she wanted. Devin had had to insist Ewyn buy her the appropriate clothing--jeans, tennis shoes, sandals, shorts--casual and sporty clothes. If he had left dressing Kiera solely to Ewyn's discretion, Kiera would be wearing velvet dresses with ruffles, patent leather Mary Jane shoes, and little anklet socks with lace trim. The picture of Kiera dressed that way still made Devin cringe. Ewyn was so over the top with anything concerning Kiera, even Gemma had to step in and tell him to back off.

  Devin would never forget the first time Kiera fell down and skinned her knee. Able to walk on her own, Ewyn had taken her to the park, damn it! What happened remained indelibly imprinted in Devin's mind because it scared the holy hell out of him.

  In a meeting all that morning, when he had a chance, he checked his cell phone, because it vibrated during the entire meeting. Five voicemails and six text messages, all prefaced with 9-1-1, and he had found two handwritten messages on his desk. All the messages read--Kieki fell, bleeding won't stop--hospital, Ewyn.