Secret Past

by Sharee Stover

  Might as well give her the full reveal. “Your mother committed the ultimate sin in Marino’s world. Not only did she betray him with her testimony, she took away his most precious possession. He’s vowed to pursue everything he lost.”

  Katie shifted. “Whatever this precious item is, if it means enough for him to kill, he can have the stupid thing. Then this nightmare will be over.”

  If only it were that easy. “Marino doesn’t want a thing. He wants a person.”

  “That’s dumb. He can’t have a person.”

  “People are possessions to Marino. Things he can own and treat however he chooses. He’s a narcissist.”

  “No wonder Mama wanted to get away from him,” Katie mumbled. “Who’s this person he wants to own?”

  Daniel swallowed, staring out of the windshield. “You.”

  “Why me?” Her green eyes widened.

  Spit it out, Knight. “Because you’re Anthony Marino’s daughter.”

  TWO

  Daniel’s words hung between them, a cloud of fog and distance. Katie couldn’t tear her gaze away. He had to be joking. A cruel and stupid joke, but that would be a better alternative than accepting she was the daughter of a psychotic criminal.

  The sudden urge to talk to Uncle Nick overwhelmed Katie. “Turn around. We need to return to Starling and get Uncle Nick. And we need to call the police.”

  “If he’s alive—”

  Katie gaped. “What do you mean, if? You don’t think those men...”

  “Garrett will call as soon as he can,” he finished.

  The man was rambling. She steadied her voice using her best preschool teacher-to-student tone. “Who’s Garrett? Your boss?”

  “Deputy US Marshal Mason Garrett was your mother’s handler. He posed as your uncle, Nick Romano.”

  The guy might be good-looking, but he was delusional. And armed. Great. I’m stuck with a delusional, armed maniac. “You think my uncle, Nick Romano—whom I’ve known my whole life, the guy who grew up in a foster home with my mother—is a US Marshal named Mason Garrett?” Katie shook her head. Delusional.

  Silence filled the truck.

  Katie considered the information against the things she knew for sure. Nick’s ever-present weapon—blamed on his previous employment as a cop. Mama’s final words—apologies that seemed out of place before her death—took on new meaning in the present moment. I wanted to shield you. Someday I hope you’ll forgive me.

  Katie had chalked up the confession to the massive amounts of painkillers flowing through her mother’s dying body.

  Too many pieces lined up, giving Daniel’s words frightening plausibility.

  “So, Nick—er—Mason Garrett was assigned to protect us from this Anthony Marino?”

  “Yes.” Daniel shot her a quick glance before returning his focus to the road. “This sounds like a bad mobster movie. But I assure you, those men weren’t actors. You’re in very real danger.”

  In danger from her own father. “Marino is a convicted crime lord?”

  “Marino’s business dealings include import and export of weapons and drugs. He’s cutthroat and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. If someone’s in his way, he removes them.”

  Katie tilted her head. “As in, kills people?”

  “That’s an understatement. Killing is merciful compared to what Marino’s men do.”

  “Quit with the cryptic talk.” Irritation edged her voice.

  “All right. Marino tortures people and murders entire families for revenge. He’s ruthless.”

  Katie shook her head, wrapping her arms tightly around her torso. God, I can’t deal with this.

  Daniel reached for her, compassion evident in his eyes. “The truth—”

  “Truth?” Katie snorted, anger rising above her reasoning. “Tell me, Daniel, was the loss of my mother, my closest friend, my deepest confidant, not enough? Why on earth would you think I could handle news like this right now?” She glared at him. The anger was misplaced, but she didn’t care.

  He blinked. “You said—”

  “I haven’t even eaten the casseroles friends and neighbors brought. I haven’t cleared out her room. Did you know I gave up everything to move in with her when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer? Did you know that I’ve been caring for my mother full-time? I never minded. I love her. Would have done anything for her.” Katie slapped the dashboard. “I want off this insanity ride. Take me home.”

  “I’m sorry. I can’t do that.”

  The endless miles of fields, cows and highway blurred with Katie’s frustrated tears but she refused to allow them to fall.

  After what seemed like hours, she found her voice again. “What happens now?”

  “First, I need to call my boss and update him. Then, we get to the ranch. We’re scheduled to fly to Maine first thing in the morning.”

  “Do I get an opinion?”

  “Not if you want to live.” Daniel pulled out his cell phone, swiped at the screen and made the call.

  Katie scooted closer, intent on hearing his final declarations over her life. With her right hand, she fingered the oval object concealed in her pocket that Nick had given her at the house. She shifted in her seat, turning to face the window. Using Daniel’s preoccupied moment to inspect the item, she surreptitiously withdrew it. A gold locket. Daniel’s words had her shoving the item back into her pocket.

  “Chief, Marino’s men arrived sooner than we expected. Katie Tribani’s with me. Garrett stayed behind to hold them off. Have you heard from him?”

  She bit her lip. Please, God, let him say Nick’s okay.

  * * *

  Daniel worked the steering wheel, gripping tight then relaxing his hold. Chief Bridges hadn’t heard from Garrett. That told him everything he needed—and didn’t really want—to know.

  To her credit, Katie hadn’t fallen apart. Impressive, but not surprising. Garrett said she was strong.

  The transfer happened too quickly, but they’d expected that possibility. Months of training to take Garrett’s place as her handler hadn’t prepared Daniel for the way Katie would affect him. Her worry for Garrett’s safety spoke of their closeness. Her willingness to go with him—a complete stranger—said she trusted Garrett. She’d placed herself into Daniel’s care without huge resistance. Protectiveness he couldn’t explain, beyond the job duties, pulsed through him. He barely knew her, yet months of studying her files bypassed his common sense.

  Get a grip, Knight. Garrett had allowed his feelings for Evangelina to cloud his judgment. That would not happen to Daniel. No woman, no matter how gorgeous she was, would steer him away from being a marshal. He’d worked too hard. Sacrificed too much. Katie Tribani was under his protective duty. That’s all.

  A quick, stolen glance in Katie’s direction whittled at his steadfastness. She hadn’t even had a chance to grieve her mother’s passing. Her black hair hung limply around her face, veiling her stunning emerald-green eyes. Modestly dressed, she sat with her legs curled under, leaning against the window. She was tiny—he’d guess five foot—no more than a hundred pounds and far more beautiful in person than any of the pictures he’d seen.

  A delicate diamond cross hung from a thin silver chain around her neck. The jewels shimmered casting a kaleidoscope of colors inside the Suburban. Katie had grown too quiet. Maybe she was praying? She wasn’t the only one.

  Whatever the case, he was grateful for the reprieve of questions, though he knew there’d be more once she digested the information he’d been forced to provide.

  Daniel checked the dashboard clock. They were close to the ranch and safety. At least until they could travel to the small airport in Grand Island. But the hours between destinations posed a huge vulnerability for them. Marino wouldn’t give up.

  “We’ve been driving forever. Where are we going?” Katie
’s inquiry interrupted his contemplation.

  Daniel turned onto another dirt road. “The middle of nowhere. A little-used ranch owned by the Marshals’ office.”

  The hum of the engine and crunching tires nearly drowned out Katie’s murmured question. “Nick’s dead...isn’t he?”

  He stared straight ahead. “We don’t know for sure.” But Daniel knew. Garrett wouldn’t last as a prisoner. If he wasn’t already dead, he would be soon.

  “It’s all my fault,” Katie’s voice quivered.

  Daniel glanced in her direction and grimaced. He’d take a gun-toting criminal any day over a crying woman. “Don’t do that to yourself. You deserved to know the truth. Garrett hoped your mother would tell you, but she asked him to do it after her passing.”

  Katie sighed. “When Nick doesn’t want to do something, he’s the biggest procrastinator.”

  “Yep.” Daniel frowned. And that procrastination probably cost Garrett his life.

  “I always thought my father was in the military and died in the Gulf War. There’s so much I didn’t question. I had no reason to. Mama never lied to me.” Her laugh was laced with a bitter tone. “At least I didn’t realize she was lying to me.”

  “Everything they did was to protect you.” Daniel reached over to touch her arm, inadvertently grazing her leg. He quickly jerked back his hand and gripped the steering wheel, clearing his throat. “Their motives were good. The execution was a little off.”

  Why was contact with her causing him to behave like a crushing teenager?

  He spotted the green mile marker at the last second, almost missing his next turn. Daniel yanked the wheel, dodging the large holes plaguing the minimum-maintenance road.

  Katie grabbed the dash as the Suburban jostled over the unpaved route.

  “We’re almost to the ranch. Watch for a skinny lane.”

  She pointed to the left. “There?”

  The road resembled more of a trail framed by tall, golden weeds that swished against the sides of the vehicle. The older ranch-style house sat several hundred feet away nestled behind a row of full oak trees. The bright colors of the autumn leaves danced boldly against the cerulean sky.

  He parked at the end of the driveway, left the engine running and turned to face her. “Wait here. Let me clear the house. If I’m not back in five minutes or you hear anything, drive south and call Chief Bridges.” He tossed his cell phone to her, withdrawing his gun.

  Katie sat taller in her seat and pivoted.

  Probably gaining a better view of the road.

  She turned, pressed her lips together and nodded. Her determination did little to mask the fear in her unblinking eyes.

  Daniel tromped on the overgrown prickly weeds that consumed the vast yard. He made his way toward the back of the house. Sections of faded brown siding hung askew, half of the drain spout was missing and the sparse trim was peeling. Hope the inside doesn’t look this bad.

  Only one point of entry besides the garage. Not good.

  He returned to the front and peered at his black Suburban parked on the road. Cloudy remnants floated behind the vehicle, taking too long to settle and limiting his view. He craned his neck searching for any sign of Marino’s men.

  Anxiety tempted him to ignore protocol, but he forced it down. Focus on the immediate. The dust provided a quick reveal for anyone driving along the road. Good advantage. He’d taken a ridiculous number of dirt roads and turns to ensure no one followed them.

  Daniel returned to the attached two-car garage, entering the code on the keypad. The door groaned open. He inhaled a wave of dusty air and coughed, then covered his nose and mouth with the neck of his shirt.

  The blue Dodge Ram sat inside. He checked the keys were in the ignition. Had Garrett remembered to fill the gas tank?

  Gun poised, he climbed the small set of stairs leading to the house. The door gave an ominous creak as he pushed it open. Olive-green appliances and a yellow counter dated the adjoining kitchen. He moved through to the living room, sparsely furnished with an old-fashioned brown plaid couch and matching recliner. A coat closet near the front door stood ajar.

  Daniel stepped to the side, fixated on the open space.

  Movement? Or shadow?

  He swallowed and aimed his gun at the closet.

  “US Marshal, come out with your hands up.”

  Silence.

  Daniel repeated the command.

  The cuckoo clock on the wall ticked away seconds.

  He reached forward, keeping a healthy distance, threw open the door and jumped back. A pair of Carhartt overalls and coat swung in the otherwise empty space.

  Daniel snickered. Glad Katie didn’t see me make a complete fool of myself.

  Refocused, he continued to the right, entering a short hallway. Two bedrooms located on the left side sat adjacent to the bathroom. Both included double beds, nightstands and small chests of drawers. The beds weren’t made, but the mattresses appeared new, covered in clear plastic.

  He moved into the first bedroom and flung open the closet door. The smell of mothballs filled his senses. He peered under the bed and spotted nothing, then walked into the second bedroom. Last, he cleared the small bathroom. The porcelain circa the early sixties in robin’s-egg blue took up nearly all the movable space.

  Daniel rushed back through the garage to the Suburban.

  Relief was evident on Katie’s face.

  He gave her a reassuring smile.

  “That was the longest five minutes of my life,” she exhaled.

  “Mine too,” he quipped.

  Katie’s light chuckle made him grin. He slid behind the wheel and drove the Suburban into the garage beside the Ram.

  “Whose truck is that?”

  “Marshals Service. We need to change vehicles. Marino’s men know this one.” He shut off the engine. “C’mon.”

  Daniel hit the garage door button and led Katie into the house. She pressed against his back.

  “It smells funny,” she whispered.

  “Hasn’t been used in a while.”

  The early afternoon sunlight streaming through the dusty windows provided plenty of illumination, but Daniel flipped on the kitchen light switch. “Two bedrooms and one bathroom. You get first pick.” He pointed to the hallway. “Linens are in the closet.”

  Her dazed expression said the adrenaline rush had subsided. Katie plopped down on the bed of the first room she entered, rustling the plastic mattress cover.

  He knelt in front of her. “I’ll see what we have in the way of groceries. You hungry?”

  She shook her head. Exhaustion apparent by the shadows around her half-lidded eyes. A stray section of her hair drooped over the left side of her face.

  Without thinking, Daniel reached up and tucked it behind her ear, careful not to hit the silver hoop earring. What possessed me to do that?

  “Mama’s favorite pair.” She touched the earring, drawing his attention to her slender neck.

  Daniel stood and shoved his hands into his pockets. “Let’s move to the kitchen. Maybe there’s even something edible here not from 1970.”

  That earned him a laugh. He liked the sound.

  “Garrett stocked the cupboards.” Daniel rummaged through the cabinets, shuffling the canned vegetables and boxes of pasta, cereal and quick-fix meals.

  “I’m not hungry.”

  He leaned against the counter cognizant of the space between them. “You need to keep up your strength.”

  Katie slid onto a chair at the table and put her head in her hands.

  He moved to her side wanting to hold her, comfort her. Instead he touched her shoulder in an awkward I-care-but-I’m-keeping-this-professional pat.

  “They had this secret life totally outside of my reality.” She closed her eyes for a moment.

  Daniel didn’t
speak. What could he say?

  “I’m scared,” she admitted.

  “Of what?”

  “I don’t know.” She pushed back from the table and stood. “This morning I didn’t think anything could be worse than losing Mama. Now I’m running from my biological father and I’ve never even met him.” Katie paced the rectangular kitchen then leaned against the old yellow Formica countertop. “Mama’s life inspired so many. The congregation wanted to honor her with the newspaper tribute. When Uncle Nick—er, Garrett—ordered me not to send in her picture, I rebelled. Like usual. We’ve had a battle of the wills since I was a teenager. But then I got to feeling guilty and decided it wasn’t worth arguing over, so I asked the editor not to print the picture, but I was too late. No wonder Nick was so furious with me.”

  Daniel dropped onto a seat. “He wasn’t angry at you. He was angry at himself.”

  “Why?” Katie held his gaze.

  “For keeping Evangelina’s secret and not telling you the truth.”

  Katie returned to the table, sitting across from him. “If Marino wants to kidnap me as you say, why shoot at us?”

  Good question. One he’d been tossing back and forth since they’d escaped the goons. “Honestly, I’m confused about the same thing. Marino would want you alive. It doesn’t add up with what we believe.”

  And it meant they were possibly up against another enemy. The problem was...who?

  THREE

  “I need some air.” Katie hurried to the front door and yanked it open. A fresh breeze met her, and she inhaled deeply. She skipped several of the cement steps and ran out to the gravel driveway. The reality of her surroundings barricaded her, an invisible prison wall.

  There was no place to go, but she needed space...distance...an escape. Time to walk off the emotions flooding her in overwhelming waves. She walked laps between the driveway and house, frustration mounting with each forceful and fast-paced step.

  She’d told Mama everything. Her deepest secrets, wishes and dreams. They’d been best friends. The one person she’d trusted more than anyone. Why hadn’t Mama trusted her enough to tell her the truth? The sorrow was so heavy it pressed in, crushing Katie’s heart.