by M Brereton
The group waited in silence until Suzanna said. “All right, let me up.”
Tyler had returned with a tarp, so Eva declared, “Bring the body.”
After they loaded it into the FBI ME van and everyone went their separate ways. Once Noah and Eva were alone and back in the White House, Noah asked, “Please tell me that wasn’t a body you stashed there!”
“And forgot about it? Are you crazy? I hope it’s not one of Daddy’s!” Eva shuddered.
“I don’t think it is,” Noah muttered.
“Why do you think that?”
“The bodies there meant something to him. I doubt he’d put a random kill there.”
“Then who is she?” Eva asked then declared “I doubt she’s my mother because going by his actions so far I don’t think he’ll bury her with another man.”
“Can’t argue with that,” Noah murmured as they both got lost in their own thoughts.
“There’s nothing left to do but wait and see what Suzanna finds,” Eva whispered tiredly.
“I have a theory…”
“But you’re not going to tell me,” Eva added sourly.
“I think your father was hiding something.”
“He hid a lot of things. You have to be more specific.” Eva responded dryly as she collapsed on the chair.
“He hides your mother’s body to help hide you. Why did he hide that woman’s body?” Noah asked as he paced.
“Maybe she’s someone special. A lover maybe.”
“I don’t know…” Noah murmured.
“We’re not gonna solve this tonight.” Eva declared standing up. “I’m taking a shower then going to bed. Want to join me?”
“In a bit,” Noah told her absently as he stood there thinking.
Eva knew where this was going. She just gave him something to solve, so until he had some answers, she just became invisible.
The next three days Eva wasn’t surprised to find that Noah spent a good portion of his free time at the bureau. In the early days of their marriage, it was just like this, Noah gone for days, chasing after a case.
When most women worried about the possibility of a lover, Eva’s competition was the bureau and always the bureau won. In the beginning, she resented the fact but now she accepted it. It was a part of him and trying to change it would require an in-depth surgery that would change him too drastically. So, she left him be and spent time with their children and prepared for their final trip to Camp David.
Noah’s presidential duties kept him too much away from the bureau, but he was glad his friends could accommodate him in his spare time.
“We finally got an ID on the body,” Cho told him as soon as he walked in. “Meet Gwendolyn Tynes. Reported missing thirty years ago.”
“And that’s not all,” Moss added with a smile. “Gwendolyn is a mother.”
“So how do you know this?”
“It was also her cause of death,” Moss informed him.
“So, where’s the baby.”
“That’s another mystery,” Alex said. “We’re checking the adoption agencies, but my gut is telling me that’s a dead end.”
“Most likely it is,” Noah muttered.
Alex, Suzanne and Richard were casting secret glances between them. Noah caught them at it and said “What?”
“David Green is not Eva’s father,” Moss whispered looking Noah in the eye.
When he said nothing, Alex said, “You don’t look surprised.”
“You’ve been holding out on us,” Cho added. “What exactly are we looking for?”
“It’s safer if fewer people know,” Noah told them.
“We’ve always had your back. Now you act as though you don’t trust us.” Moss put in.
“This …affects my life…and the Presidency,” Noah told them.
“And it’s about Evaline,” Suzanna stated.
Noah nodded. “She may not like this… but if I can’t trust you guys, I’m sorry for putting your lives on the line.”
“This sounds serious,” Cho muttered.
“It is,” Noah admitted. “This is Eva’s life. It’s one she didn’t want. She’s trying not to be like that anymore. Eva’s father is Evan Fort also known as Terrance Welker.”
There was a collective jaw drop after that announcement. Alex pulled up a chair and asked. “How is that even possible?” Everyone looked at him skeptically then he added, “You know what I mean!”
“Years ago,” Noah began as he told the tale. “Welker fell in love with her mother, Suzanne Decker. Her family thought he was no good and didn’t want them to get married, so she runs away to be with him. They break up for some reason then Eva is born. Suzanne gets brutally murdered by the mafia. We think Welker went after the killers, that’s how he got his empire. He gets David Green to sign a marriage certificate giving Suzanne David’s last name. I’m guessing this was after she died because Suzanne letters don’t mention her ever getting married. Welker also introduced himself to the Decker’s as Terrance Green.”
“What happens to Eva?” Suzanna asks.
“Welker rescues her from two days of watching her mother’s corpse. He dumps her in a nunnery until he made arrangements with the Molino’s, a mafia family in Italy. He then kills the Molino’s in gratitude for feeding and training her and brings her back to the states to work for him.”
“Training her?” Cho asks.
“Eva is a trained assassin.”
Noah didn’t think they could look more shocked, he guessed he was wrong.
30
Earning Trust
“Holy Crap!” Cho stated, stunned.
“Now all those badass moves of hers makes sense,” Alex remarked.
“So, then what?” Suzanna asks.
“Then he sends her to kill me,” Noah stated.
“Since you’re not dead, why didn’t she?” Alex asks.
“She fell in love,” Suzanna muttered with a smile.
Noah smiled back as he admitted, “Yeah. She had Cooper set us up.”
“Wait, our Cooper?” Cho asks.
“He was the mole, wasn’t he?” Alex declared.
Noah nodded and remarked bitterly “It was the reason he was killed.”
“Eva killed him, didn’t she?” Suzanne stated, and Noah nodded “She was so upset after he died. She kept saying how she wished she could undo it. She never told me what it was. I thought she cheated on you at first, but she loved you too much to do that. In the beginning, when she met you, she also said she was no good for you. Now everything makes sense, why she constantly thought she was worthless.”
“I made things worse for blaming her for Cooper’s death when I found out,” Noah told her. “We almost got a divorce. I didn’t even know how many times she had saved my life before she got shot. She’s the reason I’m alive. She’s been protecting me since we met.”
“So, Welker sends her to kill you, instead she marries you, that must piss Daddy dearest off,” Frazier remarked.
“It did,” Noah admitted. “Especially since he made grand plans for her.”
“What was he going to do with her?” Cho asks.
“Marry her to Antonio Mancini,” Noah growled.
“Why?” Suzanna asks.
“Why do you think?” Noah growled “His family connections that’s why! And he …he did things…to her and he was a murderous freak and still, Welker wanted her to marry him. He was possessive and thought she was his. … “
“How could he think that if you two were dating?” Cho asked.
“He didn’t know about me,” Noah replied. “but he was going to find out.”
“How?” Alex asked.
“Let’s just say…I took something he definitely would’ve missed.” Noah said with a blush.
Collective eyebrows went up then a chorus of “Ohh!”
“Anyway, he had a thing where he’d check on her. It was mandatory she showed up and if she wasn’t…”
“That’s one hell of a risk she to
ok!” Cho said.
“It was a risk I took, unknowingly.” Noah said “If a guy even looked too hard he had his eyeballs removed. Image what would’ve been my fate.”
“So that’s why Antonio had to die.” Alex said then added, “She set off a shit storm doing that.”
“Technically, she didn’t do it. Winters did.”
“How is she mixed up with Winters?” Moss asked.
“She isn’t really. She just knew of him and hired him for the warehouse job.”
“She set Gambol up!” Alex asked stunned.
“She wanted you to be a hero.” Suzanna mused. “She was the one fixing your cases.”
“Yeah,” Noah admitted. “As for Winter’s, he found out about her and me and made a few threats. So, she killed two birds with one stone.”
“She pitted Antonio against Winters.” Cho deduced.
“She told Antonio, Winters had been threatening her and he wanted what was his and of course Antonio rushes to Rome to deal with Winters who kills him in self-defense. Winters doesn’t walk away unscathed, she said he lost an arm. She finds him and finishes him off two years later.”
“Jesus!” Alex cried then asked “So why are we looking into this shit. Let’s just leave all this in past where it belongs!”
“Eva recently discovered Welker told a whole lot of lies to keep her tied to him. He may not be who she thought he was.”
“I forgot to tell you, Noah,” Suzanna interrupted. “David Green’s DNA also matches Evan Fort’s.”
“So, what they’re brother’s?” Noah asks.
“They must be.” Suzanna clarified.
“So, David was an uncle.” Noah muttered as he paced “Why bury a woman who died in childbirth with him?”
“If we know whether or not the child is still alive or where it is we may have some answers,” Alex said.
“You told me someone took over Welker’s business.” Noah mused aloud. “Maybe he’s a relative as well.”
“He hasn’t done anything illegal,” Alex stated. “so, we haven’t been keeping heavy tabs on him.”
“We need to talk to this guy without bringing Eva into it,” Noah stated. “She’s afraid he’ll come after her.”
“About Eva?” Alex asked hesitantly.
“What about her?”
“I get how you feel about her…” Alex began “…but in essence, she is a criminal…and what you’re asking us to do is aid and abet a criminal.”
“That was once a concern of mine, believe me, but now I have to choose between tearing apart my family, losing the woman I love or following my conscience and that’s no choice at all.” Noah admitted and when Alex and Cho looked at each other skeptically Noah continued, “You asked I told you. This is your decision to make.”
“I’ll do whatever Eva needs me to.” Suzanna declared into the tense room. “She has been through enough. She doesn’t deserve to lose this family as well.”
“This could cost us our jobs!” Cho stated.
“We could keep the secret for friendship sake …as long as she doesn’t kill anybody, but I’m not down with helping you to do anything more,” Alex said then added to Moss. “I know she’s your girl, but this will affect your marriage too. Can you keep something like this from Ethan? And if you’re caught…you can go to jail! I don’t think Ethan and your new baby will want that.”
“He’s right Suzanna.” Noah admitted “This is serious. I have everything to lose if this blows up in my face. Including my kids. I can’t ask this of you. I shouldn’t have asked it of any of you. I’m sorry I told you and put you at risk like this.”
“You keep saying we’ll be at risk. From who?” Cho asked.
Noah hesitated, and Alex put in coldly, “From his wife.”
“I’ll explain and talk to her…”
“Talk to her!” Alex growled. “She’s a frigging assassin! Killing is what she does. If we get in her way she’s gonna erase us!”
“Calm down Alex!” Suzanna ordered, “Eva isn’t a crazy killing machine!”
“No, she’s much worst. She’ll be methodical.” Richard agreed as he countered. “She’ll hunt us down and pick us off at her leisure.”
“She knows you guys!” Noah interrupted. “She’s not killing anybody! I won’t let her!”
“You won’t let her!” Alex gritted out. “The fact that you need to keep her in check doesn’t exactly relax me!”
“She wants to protect her family,” Noah whispered softly. “She’ll do anything to protect her family.”
“Including getting rid of potential witnesses,” Richard stated.
“It won’t come to that, I swear!” Noah promised.
“If she had to choose between protecting you and ending us…” Alex whispered. “We’re definitely going to be the losers, aren’t we?”
Noah’s silence said it all. Eva would choose him.
“Maybe I shouldn’t have told you,” Noah muttered.
“You think!” Cho replied sarcastically.
“You asked!” Noah argued.
“That’s the sort of shit you keep to yourself man!” Alex countered.
“We keep her secret, Eva does nothing. End of!” Suzanna stated in finality.
“You sound like you knew already,” Frazier told her.
“I know Eva. Forcing her into such a choice is going to hurt her, maybe even, send her down the final path. We keep the secret and just remember she can be a good person.” Moss said then added at their skeptical looks. “Think of it as therapy guys. She needs us. We were her only family before, you can’t make her choose between us and her Noah. Even if she kills us, there’s no chance she’ll survive the impact as well.”
“She wanted to kill herself after Cooper and still hasn’t gotten over her father.” Noah put in. “And I’d rather not have her choose between you either.”
“That’s right. She killed her father too.” Cho stated suddenly. “He was in the warehouse.”
“It was either him or me. He was going to destroy me, and Cooper was going to help him. She didn’t like making that choice either.”
There was another tense silence then Alex asked with a sigh. “All due respect sir, you couldn’t find a normal fucking woman?”
Noah relaxed as he replied. “I’ve asked myself that a thousand times, believe me!”
“Seriously though if the crazy chick scene is your thing. I got an ex she just slashes your tires for you no problem.” Cho added.
“Funny,” Noah replied dryly then asked. “So, we good?”
Cho, Moss and Frazier looked at one another then Frazier replied. “We’re good.”
The men pounded fists and Moss asked “Now that that’s sorted. What are we going to do about speaking to Ethan Green?”
The men groaned then Noah suggested, “I invite him to a fundraiser!”
“That’s perfect!” Moss agreed.
“I need money for re-election. Ethan is rich. Eva is there. I can ask questions right in front of everybody!” Noah elaborated.
“One problem with that.” Frazier put in. “You’ll be publicly linked to him and if he’s dirty it could affect your campaign.”
“I thought you weren’t doing that anyway.” Richard wondered.
“I have my reasons,” Noah said vaguely.
“You just told us the biggest secret a man can tell. Why aren’t you letting us in on this?” Alex asked.
“Hey just because I broke that law, doesn’t mean I’m throwing all National Security protocols out the window!”
“Ahem!” Alex cleared his throat then coughed, “Guns.”
“No detail.” Cho coughed.
“Went to war.” Suzanna coughed.
“To hell with you guys!” Noah cried then added. “I’m not that bad!”
“Noah, you’re standing in the FBI ME department at one in the morning without your security detail.” Suzanna chastised.
“They baby me!” Noah complained “I can take care of myself! One
you say?” Noah asked, and Suzanna nodded. “I have to be back before shift change. In exchange for using their names, Tucker and Hector let me go.”
“Let you go?” Alex smirked.
“See this is what I’m talking about…” Noah began as Cho and Frazier laughed at him. “…go ahead, let it out! I’m passing an executive order in the morning. No laughing at the president. Fine one million. That ought to stop the comedians over here!” He threatened.
31
Ties That Bind
Noah snuck back just in time, but he didn’t escape completely unscathed. Eva found him in the security passageway.
“How do you know about this?” Noah asked.
“This is an old house. It was once the servant’s passage.” Eva informed him.
“Why are you up then?”
“My husband sneaking around at 2 am interested me, so I sought answers,” Eva whispered.
“I wasn’t sneaking around,” Noah corrected, “I had to speak to the guys at the bureau.”
“What did you find?”
“David Green is an uncle.”
“That makes sense, but how,” Eva wondered aloud. “Daddy never had any brothers and neither did David…Uncle David…deceased Uncle David.” She corrected, puzzled.
“Maybe you could ask Ethan at the fundraiser.”
“What?”
“I’m inviting Ethan on the pretext as a campaign contributor. You guys can talk there.”
“You think Ethan is family.”
“He must be. Welker liked keeping things in the family. It seems he trusted no one else.”
“He trusted Cooper,” Eva said suddenly.
“How much?”
“Enough to tell him about me,” Eva stated. “I got the feeling sometimes that me being with Cooper wouldn’t disappoint him.”
“He was proud of Cooper?”
“He liked him that much, I knew. He thought he was ‘ballsy’ was the word he used.”
“Cooper was that tight with him?”
“He acted as though he was his son, of course, this was when Cooper wasn’t around. After all, he had appearances to maintain. Even told me the day he…I killed him that we should get along like a family.”