When I Find You: A Trust No One Novel (13 page)

“Are you sure it was Reggie Allen you saw in the house Friday night?”

“Yes, I’m positive.”

“Did you actually see Mr. Allen kill Johnny Fontana?”

“No, but I heard him talking about . . .”

“So you didn’t see Mr. Allen pull the trigger?”

“I told you, I was upstairs when I heard the gunshots.”

“How well do you know Reggie Allen?”

“He came to the house a few times. We were never introduced.”

“Would you say he was a pleasant man?”

“No!” Her answer came loud and instantaneous, and Walker studied her until she looked at her hands.

“You’re quite adamant about that, Ms. Maddox.”

“What would you like me to say? Most likely he killed Johnny. I don’t think he’s pleasant at all.”

She was back under control, but the strain in her voice was clear. Cooper didn’t seem to notice.

“So you didn’t really like Mr. Allen?”

“You could say that.”

“And Mrs. Fontana? How did she feel about him?”

“I think she was afraid of him.”

“So it’s quite possible you and Mrs. Fontana would accuse Mr. Allen of murder simply because you don’t like him.”

Darcy stared at the deputy and anger blazed in her eyes. Walker smiled humorlessly and waited for it.

“Is there a question in there somewhere, Deputy Cooper, or are you answering for me too?”

The deputy smiled, and Darcy’s eyes narrowed.

“Ms. Maddox, were you having an affair with Johnny Fontana?”

She gasped audibly and pushed her chair back as she stood.

Cooper grabbed her wrist, further compounding his mistake. “Answer the question, Ms. Maddox.” He glowered up at her, holding her effortlessly as she tried to pull from his grasp.

They both jumped when Walker slammed his empty cup down. Two strides brought him to the table and his hand encircled the deputy’s wrist.

“Hands off.”

“Stay out of this.” The deputy tried to shake him loose.

Walker squeezed, his thumb and forefinger hitting pressure points in Cooper’s wrist. “I don’t think so. You’re done here.”

Cooper swore and jerked his hand back, cradling the temporarily numbed appendage with his other hand.

Walker reached for Darcy’s arm. “Take a walk with me.”

She followed him out onto the deck, and he closed the sliding glass door behind them. His hand on her back, he guided her to the railing, as far from the door as possible. Darcy leaned against the wood, her eyes misting with tears. In front of them, the ground dropped off quickly, offering a spectacular view of a timbered hillside, the town of Gold Beach, and the ocean beyond. Forcing himself to remain calm, even though he’d like to rip the deputy’s head off, he waited for her to regain her composure.

“Suddenly I’m glad you’re bigger and meaner.” She gave a shaky laugh.

“It has its advantages.”

“Why would he ask me something like that?”

“He definitely has an attitude, but he’s not as bad as some in his profession.”

“That’s encouraging.”

“Remember, all you have to do is answer his questions. You don’t have to go with him. And you don’t have to testify. You can say no, and if he has a hard time with that, he can deal with me.”

“But if I don’t testify, it’s possible Reggie will get off.”

“True.”

“If I do testify, they’ll put me in the witness protection program. Right? And I’ll have to leave everyone . . . Nick and Eddy . . . my parents.”

“It won’t be easy.”

“What if I agree to testify but refuse witness protection?”

“That wouldn’t be smart. I doubt you’d even make it to trial. Reggie’s boss, Frank DeLuca, will make an example of you, and he probably won’t stop there. He’ll kill everyone you care about.”

“So I either testify and never see my family again, or I don’t testify and Reggie Allen walks away a free man.”

“There’s no guarantee Reggie will let you live even if you decide not to testify. You can place him in the house the night Johnny disappeared. As long as you’re alive, you’re a threat to him.”

“This just keeps getting better.”

Her breathing grew shallow, and her gaze darted from left to right as though searching for something that would ground her again. Overnight, her life had turned into a living nightmare. Walker wanted to fix everything, but he was powerless to help her. He didn’t like feeling powerless. It filled him with rage.

Abruptly, she turned to meet his gaze. “What would you do, if you were me?”

“I already told you. If I were you, I’d find someone I could trust and stick with him until this is over.”

“Do you think I can trust Deputy Cooper?”

“I’m sure he takes his job very seriously. I think you know what I meant, though. This isn’t an easy decision. You don’t have to make it today, or next week, or even next month. When you do decide, your life will never be the same. Take some time. Think it through. Make your move when you’re ready, and not until.”

“Are you saying I could stick with you for a while longer?”

“If you think you can trust me.”

“Does that mean you’re not angry with me anymore?”

“I was never angry with you, Darcy.” The sadness in her eyes tore at his heart.

“Well, disgusted then—or put off—or repulsed—or . . .”

“Enough. None of those things are true.” He noted her perplexed look. She really didn’t understand and she deserved an explanation. Problem was, he didn’t fully understand it himself, except that his response to her kiss was dangerous for both of them. He took the coward’s way out.

“If you decide to stay, I’m going to teach you how to shoot and how to make sure nobody puts their hands on you like that again. But it’s up to you. What do you want to do?”

“I’d like to stay.”

“Good choice.” He caught her eye and nodded toward the house as he took out his cell phone. “Let’s go tell the deputy.”

“He’s going to be mad.”

“Probably.” He dialed and held the phone to his ear. “Hey, Joe . . . I need a little favor . . .”

“M
Y ORDERS ARE
to take you into protective custody, and that’s what I’m going to do.” Deputy Cooper was indeed mad. His face grew red and mottled as he ranted and paced in front of her. For the first few minutes, he’d acted professional and unemotional in the face of his failure to complete his mission, but apparently Darcy’s total lack of regard for his authority was more than he could take. She watched him cautiously as he advanced toward her.

“Sit down, Cooper.” Walker’s voice was as cold as steel, and a dangerous glint shone in his eyes. Even Darcy found him a little frightening, so she wasn’t surprised when the deputy backed down, glowered his dissatisfaction, and reseated himself at the table.

“Are you under duress, Ms. Maddox? Did this man . . . threaten you?”

“For the third time—no. Look, I’m not saying I won’t testify. I just need some time to think it through. Mr. Walker has graciously offered me his protection while I do that.”

“I’ll bet he has.” Cooper smirked and his gaze slipped from her face and roamed over her body.

Heat swept up her neck and into her cheeks, but she refused to look away.

A heartbeat later, Walker grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, pulled him up, and shoved him backward. Cooper fell over his chair and sprawled on the floor. He went for his gun, but he wasn’t quick enough. Walker twisted his arm back and up, applying pressure on the man’s shoulder with his knee until Cooper gasped with pain.

“You owe the lady an apology,” Walker said calmly.

“Fuck you.”

Walker barely moved his hand, but the deputy grunted and turned white. “Now you can apologize for your language too.”

“I’m . . . I’m sorry, Ms. Maddox. I meant no disrespect.”

“There, that wasn’t so hard, was it? If you ever go for your gun again, I’ll rip your arm off.” Walker released him and stepped back.

Deputy Cooper slowly levered himself off the floor, getting to his feet just as his cell phone rang. He looked startled for a second, then reluctantly answered it, never taking his eyes from Walker. The conversation was somewhat lopsided with Cooper doing most of the listening. The uncertainty in his replies, coupled with the dark vendetta in his eyes as he stared at Walker, struck her as contradictory.

“I’ve located the girl . . . there’s been a complication on this end too . . . okay, yes I understand . . . I’m sure that won’t be a problem . . . yes, sir.”

As Cooper returned his phone to his pocket, he glared first at Darcy, then at Walker. “Apparently, your boss has some high-powered friends. I’ve been ordered to give you any assistance you might need for the protection of Ms. Maddox. You’ll be glad to know I’m at your disposal.” He took a business card from his breast pocket and tossed it on the table. “Please, do call if you have any problems.” A scornful smile belied his conciliatory statement.

“Where are you parked?” A muscle ticked in Walker’s jaw.

“In the garage, of course. I didn’t think it would be smart to advertise someone was moving in all of a sudden.” Cooper pulled car keys from his pocket and turned to go.

“Made yourself right at home, didn’t you?” Walker took Darcy’s hand and winked at her as they followed the deputy from the kitchen, through the utility room, and into the two-car garage, where Cooper’s black Taurus was parked beside a silver Land Rover.

Cooper eyed their joined hands. “Not anything like you, Walker.” He hit the garage door opener as he walked by, got in his car, and backed out without a word. He disappeared down the hill.

Walker pushed the button to close the overhead door and pulled Darcy back inside the house.

“I think we’ve made an enemy.” Darcy righted the chair Cooper had been sitting in.

“Better an enemy than a friend who doesn’t know where the boundaries are.” Walker watched her closely. “Having second thoughts?”

“No. I’m just . . . exhausted. And hungry. Are you hungry?” She smiled at the sudden amusement in Walker’s eyes. “What’s so funny?”

He shook his head. “You’re one tough lady.”

“I wish.”

“Take my word for it. Come on, I want to show you something.”

Darcy followed him back through the front room, down a hallway, and into a large study. An oak desk sat in the center of the room, bookshelves lined one wall, and windows faced east with a view of the mountains in the distance. He moved to the adjacent wall and waited for her. Directly in front of them hung a painting—a young woman, barefoot in the sand, staring out to sea with one hand shielding her eyes from the sun.

“It’s beautiful.”

“That’s not what I want you to see. Give me your hand.” He stepped slightly behind her and laced their right hands together. Slowly, he swept their fingers along the wall in front of them. “Can you feel that?”

His hard chest and abdomen against her back and his arm stretched along hers to where their fingers intertwined made it hard to concentrate, but she was pretty sure that wasn’t what he wanted her to feel. Twice more their fingers swept the length of the wall before she could get his scent of spice from her head enough to focus on the change in the wall.

“There’s a difference in texture the closer we get to the corner of the room.”

“Very good. Now, pay attention.” He moved her hand across the wall again until she clearly noticed the subtle change in the grain. Abruptly, he switched direction, lifting her fingers and sliding them up the wall. He stopped when she started to search on her own.

“The texture is different here again. It’s . . . squishy.”

“Okay, we’ll go with squishy.” His voice vibrated with laughter. “Push it.”

Darcy pressed the spot with her fingers then jumped back as a section of the wall in front of her cracked open and rolled back soundlessly. Everything beyond the first two steps leading down lay in inky blackness. Déjà vu again as her escape from the Fontana house three nights ago came back in vivid detail. “Does everyone have a secret passage these days?”

Walker started down the stairs, pulling her gently to follow. A few seconds after she cleared the opening, the wall rolled back into place sealing them inside. Darcy pushed against the dread that threatened to panic her. She couldn’t shake the feeling she’d just been sealed inside a mausoleum.

“Darcy, you’re cutting off the circulation in my hand.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” The alarm in her voice echoed and she wanted to strangle him when he laughed softly.

“Hold on to the railing. There are eighteen steps. As soon as we reach the seventeenth step, the lights will come on.”

As he said it, the lights flickered on and Darcy had to squeeze her eyes closed for a moment. When she was able to open them again, the first thing she saw was Walker’s face, watching her with a lopsided grin.

“Maybe I should have warned you.”

“You think?” Becoming aware of the death grip she still had on his hand, she let him go and murmured an apology, which only seemed to increase his amusement.

A few steps beyond the staircase, they pressed through a narrow passage and the space opened into a surprisingly large room. Walker stepped aside and let her go first.

“What is this place?”

“You’ve heard of a panic room? This is the same idea, only you’ve got a few more conveniences. Bathroom over there, a bed, refrigerator, microwave, a big screen TV in case you get bored watching the monitors along the wall.” He motioned toward a bank of dark screens and then flipped a switch above them. They all came to life. Images of the front entry, the living room and kitchen, the deck, and the area surrounding the house and garage from every possible angle flashed in front of her.

“There’s a closet with some women’s clothes. You might find something in there that fits. There’s also a stash of weapons down here. I’ll show you tomorrow.”

“How did you know this was here?”

“Joe thought it might be good information to have.”

“Joe?”

“He owns this place, and he’s also the guy who asked me to track you down.”

“Is this where I’ll stay?” A shiver rippled through her. “It feels a little like . . . a tomb.”

“We’ll stay upstairs. The only time I’ll ask you to stay down here is if I can’t be here with you. If you ever feel threatened in any way, or if you sense there’s something wrong, get down here and wait for me.”