Love Inspired Suspense October 2015 #1 (53 page)

“Well, excuse me for interrupting this warm family reunion but if it's all right with both of you, I'm leaving.” Donna's voice caught their attention. “If I want to salvage my career, I have to get busy and spin a tale of how Ms. Baroni took me by surprise, grabbed my weapon and forced me to drive her to Atlantic City where she made her escape.” Donna looked directly at Vincenzo Baroni. “I did what you requested. My business with you is over. My debts forgiven. My slate clean. Right?”

Vincenzo Baroni inclined his head. “That was our deal.”

“Good.” She stared at him another instant and then turned and walked away.

Vincenzo raised his weapon and aimed at the marshal's back.

“No!” Angelina screamed. She lunged forward and pushed her father's arm away. The gun fired but missed its intended target.

At that same instant, when Donna heard Angelina yell she spun on her heel, raised her weapon and fired multiple times.

Her bullets didn't miss.

Vincenzo Baroni's body recoiled with each hit. A surprised expression appeared on his face.

“Dad!” Angelina had an overwhelming sense of déjà vu as the blood saturated her father's chest and, almost in slow motion, he crumpled to the ground. She fell to her knees beside him, sand grinding into her skin. She placed two fingers against the carotid artery in his neck to search for a pulse. There was none.

“Dad!” She yanked on his shirt, pulling at him, shaking him, venting her hurt and shock. “Why did you do this? Why?” She kept yelling even though she knew he'd already died and she would never get that answer.

She turned her attention to the marshal. “You killed him.”

“He gave me no choice. It was him or me.” Donna raised her arm and pointed her gun at Angelina. “Sorry, Angelina, but that's why I have to kill you, too. Nothing personal. You're a witness. If you can testify against your own father, you will have no trouble testifying against me. I can't afford to leave any witnesses, especially you.”

“Donna?” Dylan ran forward, his shoes sinking in the sand. “I got here as quickly as I could.” His eyes flew immediately to Angelina hovering over her father's body. “What's going on?” He took another step toward Angelina.

“Is that Vincenzo? Is he dead?” He had almost closed the distance between them when Donna called out.

“Stop right there! Don't take another step.”

Dylan did as she commanded.

“Now take out your gun and throw it nice and easy over to me.”

Dylan hesitated.

Donna smiled. “Do it, Dylan, or I'll put my next bullet into your girlfriend.”

Dylan removed his weapon and tossed it onto the sand within Donna's reach.

She bent to the side to pick it up, never taking her aim from Dylan. “Now raise your hands.”

He did as he was told. “What's going on? Where's Selma? How did you get involved in this?”

Donna's laugh was harsh and cold. “You two make a great pair. You both ask so many questions it's a wonder you ever get a word in edgewise with each other.”

Donna held her gun on Dylan but nodded in Angelina's direction. “Get up and move over there with Dylan.”

Angelina stood. “What are you going to do?”

“Stop with the questions and move!”

Angelina slowly moved toward Dylan.

“Run, Angelina!” Dylan lunged forward, pushing Donna's arm up. They fell to the ground, both struggling for control of the gun.

The sound of the gun firing echoed beneath the pier.

Angelina held her breath, her eyes glued to the two immobile figures on the sand.

“Dylan?”

The seconds ticked past. Angelina thought her heart would stop.

Move, Dylan. Dear Lord, please let him be all right and tell him to move.

It took another excruciating second before Dylan moaned and then rolled onto his back.

“Dylan!”

Angelina raced to his side and helped him to his feet. “Are you all right?”

He threw an arm across her shoulders and stared down at the dead body of his former colleague. “I didn't want to kill her. The gun went off during the struggle.”

“I was so scared. She killed my father. She would have killed both of us without hesitation if you'd given her the chance.”

“Shhh, it's okay.” She felt his hand stroke her hair, then slide down her back and encircle her waist, pulling her close. “It's over. You're safe.”

Her entire body shook like a leaf in the wind. She clung to him, burrowing her face in his chest, grasping his shirt in a death grip. She looked up and her eyes found his. The expressions on his face moved her deeply. Fear. Relief.

“I almost didn't make it here in time.” The huskiness in his voice revealed his inner anguish. “One second longer and...and...” Even in the dimness of the evening she could see his dark brown eyes glistening with unshed tears. She could feel the desperation in his touch as he clasped her against him, holding her tightly in his arms. “One second longer...”

“Dylan, stop.” She reached up and cupped the side of his face with her hand. She smiled into his eyes. “You saved me. You kept your promise. You kept me safe. Do you hear me?” She placed her lips against his in the gentlest of kisses and when she had his full attention she smiled again. “You saved me, Dylan McKnight.”

He claimed her lips with his own. Passion warred with gentleness, desperation warred with relief, and it seemed he was allowing his kiss to do all his talking for him.

Gently she pulled her head back enough to look him full in the face.

“How did you find me?”

“A tracking device.”

“But Selma told me she destroyed the bug you put in my purse.”

He chuckled. “She did.” He kissed her again, then grinned. “You taste like salt from ocean spray and tears.” He dragged a thumb across her cheek, washing away her tears. “But there's no reason to cry. It's all over now. I found you. Selma didn't know about the bug I hid in your shoe.”

“You bugged my shoes?”

Both of them looked at her feet.

Dylan laughed loudly. “Yes, I did. After your escape act three years ago, I wasn't taking any chances.” He tilted her chin and looked deeply into her eyes.

“Are you mad at me?”

Angelina laughed in return. “Furious.” She laced her fingers in his hair, pulled his head down and kissed him back with passion, yearning and hope.

The sound of sirens could be heard in the distance.

Angelina looked at him with a question in her eyes.

“I know you think I'm a superhero, but I called for backup just in case.”

“Have you spoken to Selma?”

“I haven't spoken to anyone yet. I was doing my best to follow your tracking device and get here before anything happened to you. I barely took the time to call for help. Thank the good Lord, He got me here in time.”

He brushed the hair from her face. “Where is Selma? What happened?”

“Donna told me Selma had the US Attorney's Office investigate the marshal's office. They ran a background check on everyone from your boss to every clerk and marshal that had been involved in the case. Donna knew that when they discovered her debt load and gambling addiction, it would give her motive and expose her. She took me to my father in a desperate attempt to get me out of the picture and wipe her debt clean.”

The sound of multiple loud, wailing sirens from the boardwalk area blasted the airwaves.

Dylan kissed her again. “Sounds like help has arrived.”

“Let them wait,” Angelina whispered, her lips moving against his as she returned his kiss. “We don't need any help at the moment.”

Dylan chuckled. “I love you, you know.” His expression sobered and his eyes darkened. “I think I always have.”

“You think?” Angelina teased him. She buried her nose in his neck and inhaled the male muskiness of his scent. “How will I know when you are sure?”

“Every day of my life I am going to hold you in my arms.” Dylan pulled her so close she could feel the pounding of his heart. “And kiss you...” Which he did. “Over...” He kissed her. “And over again.” He smiled down at her. “Then when we hit the ripe old age of one hundred, maybe then I'll be absolutely sure not only that you are my soul mate, the woman God intended me to share my life, but the woman I've loved since sixth grade.” He tapped his index finger on the tip of her nose. “Only then, after a lifetime of love, will we both know for sure.”

Angelina's heart swelled with joy. Finding their way to each other had come with heartache, pain and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, but with patience, determination and a strong faith they'd found their way to the promise of a future filled with hope and happiness.

“Sounds like you've got your work cut out for you,” she whispered against his lips. “If I were you, I wouldn't waste another minute.”

He didn't need any further encouragement, crushing her against the length of his body, lacing his fingers in her short auburn hair. “Red hair looks cute on you, but I like your dark hair better. It will be good to have the real Angelina home again.”

The intensity in his dark brown eyes melted her to the spot.

The sound of sirens from the boardwalk swirled in the air around them. Cold ocean water hit the wooden pier supports and the frigid water sprayed their faces and splashed against their clothes. But none of it mattered. They were lost in their own little world.

Without another word, Dylan lowered his head and claimed her lips.

Angelina lost herself in his kiss. Thinking of nothing and no one, only Dylan and this moment, this kiss—a perfect kiss—the forever kind.

EPILOGUE

October
One year later

“I
can't believe you call this fun.” Angelina blew a wisp of black hair out of her eyes and adjusted her fisherman's cap. “We've been sitting here for hours. The sun's beating down on us. We haven't caught a thing. And you won't let us talk because you said we'll scare the fish away. How is this fun?”

Dylan laughed. “It is fun. It's relaxing.”

Angelina rolled her eyes. “Yeah, about as much fun as standing on a street corner watching traffic.”

“Somebody sounds hungry and tired.” Dylan took the rod from her hand. “Let me put these away and we'll head up to the cabin and get some lunch.”

“Now you're talking.” Angelina sprang up. She scrunched her face as if she was disgusted and wiped her hands on her jeans. “Yuck, how can my hands smell like fish when we didn't catch anything?”

Dylan laughed again, secured the fishing poles to the bottom of their boat and helped her step up to the pier. “I do believe, my little Miss Complainer, that learning how to fish was your idea, not mine.”

“I'm not little
Miss
anything. I am Mrs. Dylan McKnight, I'll have you know.”

Dylan wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. “I heard a rumor to that effect. Think there's any truth to it?”

Playfully she pushed against him but he didn't let her go. His eyes darkened and his expression sobered.

“Are you happy?”

She wrapped her arms around her husband's waist and smiled into his eyes.

“Ecstatically happy. The past forty-eight hours have been wonderful.”

He took her hand and they began the short trek to the cabin.

Sun dappled through the overhead foliage dotting the ground ahead like thousands of diamonds. The brilliant fall colors entranced her with their beauty—golds, reds, oranges, greens. Water lapped gently on the shore and she could hear the occasional sound of a duck. Dead leaves crunched beneath their boots. Angelina took in everything, not wanting to miss a thing, storing it in her memory banks to last a lifetime.

“Are you sorry?”

She shot him a look of surprise. “Sorry? For what?”

“For choosing Bear's fishing cabin for our honeymoon?” He squeezed her hand. “It is your fault you know. I offered you a honeymoon in Hawaii or the Bahamas or anyplace else you wanted to go. Why did you let Bear talk you into coming here?”

She leaned her head against his shoulder for the briefest moment before continuing on their walk. “Because it meant so much to him. He was like a proud papa gifting us with the honeymoon location, strutting around the reception like a peacock.”

He grinned at her. “I did say that I offered Hawaii, the Bahamas...”

Angelina laughed. “I'm glad we chose the cabin.”

“Yeah, right. Let's spend our honeymoon coming back to a place where we hid out from bad guys. Great memories, Angelina.”

She stopped walking and gave him a serious look. “This cabin does hold great memories, Dylan. This is the place where we reconnected. We had the opportunity to talk about the past, get rid of misconceptions, start fresh. This was a place of rest, of healing, of peace. Good memories happened here and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now. Would you?”

He smiled into her eyes. “Since you put it that way...”

Angelina wrapped her arm around his waist as they continued their walk. “Besides, I wanted to make Bear happy. I can't forget that we almost lost him. He had a long, painful recovery.”

“Yes, he did. But he's a tough old bird.”

“It was so much fun seeing him at his retirement party.”

He chuckled. “That it was. He was king for a day and basked in every second of it.”

“And now the two of you are opening your own security business next month. What a difference a year can make.”

They walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts. Angelina was the first to break the silence.

“Do you think you're going to miss being a federal marshal?”

“Protecting witnesses that either don't deserve it or don't want to be protected? Dodging bullets? Sometimes having those bullets hit their target?” He scrunched up his face as though considering a major puzzle and then grinned. “Not on your life.”

They climbed the few steps to the porch and Angelina reached for the doorknob.

“Hold up, there. What do you think you're doing?” Dylan swept her up in his arms. “A new husband is supposed to carry his wife across the threshold.”

Angelina laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You carried me over the threshold yesterday. You're not supposed to do it every day.”

He nuzzled her neck and held her tightly in his arms. “Why not? I think we should start a new tradition. I think the groom needs to take every opportunity he can find to hold his lovely...” he kissed her “...beautiful...” he kissed her again “...wonderful wife in his arms.”

She clung to his neck with one arm and cupped his face with her free hand. “I love you, Dylan McKnight.”

“You better.” He grinned back at her.

She reached down, turned the knob and gave the door a shove.

Once inside, Dylan settled her on the sofa. “Wait right here.”

“Where are you going?” she called as he moved toward the bedroom.

He paused in the doorway. “Patience, love. Good things come to those who wait.”

True to his word, he was back in a few minutes. He knelt beside her.

“What are you up to?” she asked, noting that he was hiding something behind his back.

“I have a present for you.”

She clapped her hands together and giggled. “You know how I love presents. Let me see.”

He placed a gaily wrapped gift in her lap.

“Can I open it?”

He nodded.

She pulled at the ribbon and then paused. “I feel bad. I don't have a gift for you.”

He laughed and waved his hand. “Just open it.”

She peeled back the wrapping paper and then gasped. Nestled in a bed of tissue paper rested a cigar box painted pale blue with pictures of daisies glued all around.

“You kept it! After all these years, I can't believe you still have it.”

He sat back on his heels. “I could tell you that I threw it in the top of my closet and forgot about it until recently.”

“You could.” But her tone told him she didn't believe him.

He reached out and captured a strand of her hair in his hand. “Or I could be truthful and tell you that I've loved you all of my life. Our lives may have veered apart a couple of times, but we've always seemed to find our way back together.”

Gently she lifted the lid and drew another surprised breath. Lying on the white silk was a locket shaped like a heart. “What's this?” She picked up the piece of jewelry, the delicate chain slipping through her fingers.

“Open it.”

Angelina hit the clasp and found four small chambers inside, two of them occupied with their pictures and two empty. Tears filled her eyes and she smiled at him.

“And the empty spots?”

“For our children. We'll put their pictures inside and you will always have our family right next to your heart.”

“Two children, huh?” Her smile brightened. “And what if I want a larger family?”

He grinned. “I hoped you might say that.” He reached out and showed her a tiny loop at the bottom of the locket. “I made sure we could add additional lockets.”

Angelina wrapped both hands around his neck and pulled him close. She kissed him, hoping this kiss would tell him everything he needed to know, would let him feel all the joy and love she harbored for him in her heart.

“I love you Dylan McKnight.”

“I love you Angelina McKnight.” He whispered against her lips. “And I always will.”

* * * * *