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Authors: Barbara Freethy

Taken (13 page)

BOOK: Taken
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105

of Alcatraz’s unsolved mysteries.’

” Nick glanced at

Kayla. “What do you think of that?”

She didn’t know what to think, but she felt cold, shiv-ery. Her grandmother had told her that Johnny had to go away — had he gone to jail? “I don’t want to believe it, yet I think I do.” She continued reading where Nick had left off. “ ‘The three men, former altar boys at St. Basil’s Church in North Beach, terrorized San Francisco businesses for almost five years. They were finally caught a month after stealing a fortune in rare gold coins from the U.S. Mint in San Francisco. During the course of the robbery two security guards were killed. The gold coins were never recovered. The men were captured and sentenced to life in prison at Alcatraz but had served only five years of their sentence when they made their escape.’ ” Kayla drew in a breath, shocked by what she’d just read. “This can’t be the same guy. Grandma could not have been in love with a murderer.” She saw the truth in Nick’s eyes, a truth she didn’t want to accept. “It’s not possible.”

“It explains why she was so reluctant to tell you anything about him. What interests me even more is the treasure in missing gold coins. That sounds like something Evan would want to pursue.” Nick sat back in his chair, rubbing his jaw as he pondered the situation. “It’s a leap, but I’m guessing the watch that once belonged to Johnny has something to do with that missing treasure. Plus, this article appeared in the newspaper just after the New Year.

When did you meet Evan?”

“Middle of January. But how would he know about my grandmother or me?”

“I don’t know, but he first made contact with your grandmother just after that article came out. You said he toured her house to give her an appraisal, which would
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have provided him with plenty of opportunity to look for the watch there. Then he met you.”

“And he took a tour of my house,” Kayla finished. “He asked me about the history, who had lived there, for how long, that kind of thing. I told him my grandmother had moved in just after she got married and had stayed there until two years ago. I think I even complained to him that she’d left everything behind, and that I didn’t understand how she could not want to take the things from her past with her.” She took a breath, trying to recall their conversations. “At some point we started talking about antiques, and the conversation must have turned to jewelry.”

“And none of this made you suspicious?”

“Well, it didn’t happen right away,” she said defensively. “I’m just giving you the condensed version.”

“Your whole relationship lasted less than a month.

That’s pretty condensed already.”

She frowned at his sarcasm. “You’re not helping.”

“Fine, go on.”

“I’m trying to remember when I first told him about the watch.” She paused for a moment. “I remember we were shopping at an antique store. When we got back that night, he asked if I had any antique jewelry from my grandmother. I mentioned that I had my grandfather’s pocket watch. I showed it to him, and he was very interested in it. He said it had great craftsmanship. He spent a long time studying it.”

“Did he ask if he could buy it?”

“How did you know?”

“It seems like a reasonable next step.” He paused.

“Did you tell him you couldn’t sell it because it was a family heirloom?”

“Yes.” She could see in Nick’s eyes that his brain had
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already made it to the next step. She had only to confirm it. “I told him I was going to give it to the man I married.

That it would be his wedding present.”

“And the next day he asked you to marry him.”

“No, it was at least a few days later. I don’t think the conversation was still in my mind at the time. I know it seems clear now — in retrospect — but it wasn’t as if we were talking about a diamond necklace. I didn’t think it was a big deal.”

Nick didn’t say a word for a long moment. She didn’t need to ask what he was thinking; she already knew. She was an idiot who’d overlooked obvious red flags, caught up in a whirlwind of romance and promises. And now there was nowhere left to look but at herself. She’d let Evan into her life. She’d helped him ruin Nick. But the past was done. She could kick herself all the way across the city and it wouldn’t change anything. She had to concentrate on the present and the future.

“It says that the author of
Tales from the Rock
will be doing a book signing on Alcatraz in a few days. We should check that out, see what he knows about Johnny Blandino,” Nick said. “But in the meantime you need to talk to your grandmother again. Tell her we know about Johnny. Find out more about the watch.”

“You’re right. Maybe she’ll stop trying to protect me if I confront her with what I now know.”

“Didn’t she tell you that she thought the watch was stolen?”

“Yes, she did,” Kayla replied, latching on to that little fact. “Maybe that’s the key. Maybe the watch never belonged to Johnny, and the true owner is important in some way.”

“It will be interesting to find out if Delores Ricci can
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tell us if Johnny Blandino bought that watch from her father.”

“Or maybe he robbed the jewelry store.” She blew out a weary breath. “It’s a lot to take in.” Before Nick could reply, the doorbell rang. “Are you expecting someone?”

“No, but it could be one of my sisters or my mother.

They love to drop in unannounced.”

Kayla hesitated as Nick stood up. Not particularly wanting to get caught in his bedroom by his mother or his sisters, she followed him down the stairs. When he opened the door she saw a package on the front step.

There was no one in sight.

“What’s this?” Nick muttered, bringing in the white box tied with a silver ribbon.

He held up the card and her heart skipped a beat. The envelope was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Nick Granville.

“Do you want to open it?” Nick asked in disgust. “It looks like a wedding present.”

“Who would send a wedding present here? My friends never had this address.”

Nick opened the envelope and pulled out a card.

“ ‘Welcome home, Nick,’ ” he read. “ ‘Hope you enjoy your new wife. It was the least I could do. Evan.’ ”

The note was stunning and cruel in its simplicity.

Kayla thought for a moment that Nick had read it wrong.

There was no way that Evan had married her and left her for Nick as some sort of . . . consolation prize? He wouldn’t have done that. She put a hand to her mouth, feeling sick at the thought. “Do you think Evan rang the bell?” she asked.

Nick met her gaze, then threw the note on the table and ran to the front door.

She was right on his heels.

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Had Evan been standing just outside the door a few minutes earlier? Had he personally left the present for them?

Nick jogged down the steps to the street, looking in every direction. A car passed by. Kayla caught her breath and then let it out when she saw an older man and woman sitting in the front seat. It wasn’t Evan. He must have left.

Or had he?

There were lots of cars parked on the street. It was the weekend. Everyone was home. He could be in any one of those cars, watching them right now. And he probably was, she thought. He’d left the present for a reason. No doubt he’d stick around to see their reaction.

Nick joined her by the front door, his expression grim.

“If he was here, he’s gone.”

“I don’t think so.”

“What do you mean?”

“He wants a show,” she said. She felt an intense burst of anger as she remembered his callous words,
Hope you
enjoy your new wife.
“Let’s give him one.”

“What are you talking about —”

She threw her arms around Nick’s neck and kissed him hard on the lips before she could think twice about the wisdom of such a move. Rage and frustration drove her over the edge, and she thrust her tongue into his mouth, taking advantage of his surprise. After a moment Nick kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her body, pulling her up hard against his chest, meeting her kiss with demands of his own.

Suddenly she wasn’t leading anymore; Nick was. His restless, eager hands roamed her body, cupping her buttocks, pulling her into the hard cradle of his hips. He completely erased all rational thought from her brain. She
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just wanted to taste, touch, and kiss her way into mindless oblivion. She thought Nick was willing to go with her, but suddenly he wasn’t there anymore.

Kayla reached for him, but he took a step back, his breath coming fast and ragged. His gaze burned into hers with a question she didn’t want to answer.

“What the hell was that?” he asked.

“I . . . I’m not sure,” she muttered, running a hand through the hair he’d tangled with his fingers.

“Get in the house,” he ordered.

She didn’t like his tone, but she moved inside anyway.

Nick shut the door and leaned against it, crossing his arms. His gaze was sharp, penetrating, and still glittering with desire. She had the terrible feeling she’d just awoken the beast. She wanted him to say something, and yet she was afraid of what he would say.

“I’m sorry,” she said, unable to stand the tension a second longer. “I thought maybe Evan was watching.”

“He probably was.”

“I didn’t want him to think he was in control. I didn’t like his note. He acted like he’d left me for you. It made me mad. I didn’t think.”

Nick slowly nodded. “Got it,” he said, his voice clipped.

She didn’t think he
got it
at all.

“Let’s see what else is in the box,” Nick said, brushing past her.

Kayla wasn’t sure she wanted to know. “It can’t be good,” she murmured. She was right. Nick pulled out a picture. He turned it around to show her. She swallowed hard. It was a picture of her and Nick having lunch together a few hours earlier. Across the print Evan had scribbled the words,
The happy couple.

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“Evan was there. He was watching us,” she said, stating the obvious.

“Maybe he was in the church, too,” Nick said.

“And at the jewelry store. He must realize we’re trying to find out about the watch. But why is he following us? Why isn’t he doing whatever he wants to do with that damn watch?”

“That’s a good question. I’m sure part of his enjoy-ment comes from watching me try to squirm out of the ropes he’s tied around me.”

“And I’m one of those ropes.” She wanted Nick to deny it, but he simply shrugged. She let out a sigh, feeling suddenly overwhelmed and exhausted. She’d gone through so many emotions in one day, her head was both pounding and spinning. “I have to go, Nick. I have to get out of here.”

“Kayla, wait,” he said, as she headed toward the door.

“Where are you going?”

“Home. I’m going to lock myself in my studio and concentrate on my work and try to forget the past several weeks.”

“You can’t bury your head in the sand.”

“I can try.” She grabbed her purse off the table and then stopped. “Do you think he’s still out there?”

“I don’t know. But I don’t think you should go home alone. I’ll follow you in my car and make sure you get into your house okay.”

“He’s not going to hurt me. At least not physically,”

she said, not completely sure she was right.

“You don’t know what he’s capable of doing.” Nick waved the photo in his hand. “Does this look like the work of a man who is totally sane?”

Her heart skipped a beat. No, it didn’t, bringing home
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to her the fact that she’d married someone who might be crazy, cruel, and diabolical. Had Evan disguised himself as a nun? She could still see those blue eyes behind the clear glass frames. The familiarity of his gaze had kicked her in the stomach, but she hadn’t wanted to acknowledge the truth. What did he want? Why was he still hanging around? What was left for him to do?

“Don’t you think he’s done his worst?” she asked.

Nick slowly shook his head. “You asked me to always tell you the truth. I’m sorry, Kayla. I think the game is just beginning.”

She almost wished he’d lied, but she had to face reality. “If you want to follow me home, I won’t say no.”

“Then I’ll follow you home.”

Kayla was glad for Nick’s presence when they walked outside. She got into her car and locked herself in while Nick pulled the Porsche out of his garage. She searched the street for something unusual but found nothing. She felt as if every nerve in her body were strung so tight it was ready to snap. She didn’t think she’d be able to relax until she got home.

Nick stayed close behind her on their drive across town. She occasionally checked her rearview mirror for some other car, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.

At her house she pulled into the driveway and parked there. Nick met her on the porch. She dug through her purse for her house keys.

The porch light was off, and she was glad to have Nick’s solid body behind hers. She tried to insert the key in the lock and was shocked when the door pushed open before she’d unbolted it. Had she somehow left it open?

Nick grabbed her arm. “Wait? You didn’t lock your door?”

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“I thought I did.”

“Someone could be inside,” he said.

Her breath caught in her chest. Had Evan come to confront them? Was he here waiting, knowing she’d return eventually? “What should we do?” she whispered.

“I’m going inside. Stay here.”

Nick pushed open the door and stepped into the entry.

“Where’s the light?”

“On the wall to your left,” she replied.

He fumbled for the switch. When the light went on, he moved down the hall and into the living room. She heard him swear.

“What’s wrong?” she called.

“Someone has been here,” he said, reappearing in the hall. “The living room is a mess.”

“Someone robbed me?” she asked in astonishment. No one had ever broken into this house, not in the fifty years that her grandparents had lived here.

BOOK: Taken
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