Love Inspired Suspense October 2015 #1 (9 page)

But when she thought about how he'd held her there by the old oak, she had to close her eyes and take a breath. He'd told her he'd get her out of this, one way or another. Rikki didn't want Blain to get killed trying to save her.

When she got to the kitchen, that room and the big adjoining den were both empty. Blain and his father must have left. Where was Daphne? That nurse didn't do nearly the job that Peggy did.

And where was her father?

The intercom buzzed while she was giving Pebble a treat. Thinking it might be Santo or her mother, Rikki answered. “Yes?”

“Come into my office,” Franco said. “We need to talk.”

Rikki took a calming breath. “I'll be right there, Papa.”

She figured she was about to get a lecture.

Well, she could handle it for her mother's sake.

She would have to handle all of this and survive so she could leave again, one way or another. After all, she'd been doing that for years now.

Running away.

Always running away.

NINE

R
ikki knocked on the double doors to her father's study and steeled herself against his wrath. She'd get through this and then she'd go and sit with her mother since Santo had finally left.

“Come in.”

She opened the doors and saw her father standing by the mantel staring into the fireplace. This place had several fireplaces and usually they were all decorated for the holidays. But without her mother's organized supervision, no one had bothered bringing out the rest of the decorations. Maybe she could do that, to keep herself busy.

After she shut the door, Franco turned around and motioned to the sitting area by the fire. “I have coffee and hot tea if you'd like any.” He pointed to the coffee table. “And some sandwiches. You need to eat.”

Wondering why her father was being so solicitous, Rikki shook her head. “I'm not hungry but thank you.”

Franco finally sat down and took up his cup of coffee. “I'm sorry for the things your brother said to you earlier.”

“Really?” Shocked, Rikki decided maybe she did need some hot tea, after all. “I've had the feeling since I've been home that nothing I've done has pleased any of you.”

“You're wrong on that,” Franco said, lowering his head. “Listen, I've been angry at you for a long time. First, you marry that boy—”

“I loved him.”

“You used him to get away from me.”

Rikki's heart cracked at that comment. “No, I loved Drake. We wanted to have a life together but...you had him killed.”

Her father lifted his head, his eyes red-rimmed and fatigued. “What are you talking about?”

“You can tell me the truth,” she said. “I know you had him killed but everyone thinks it was an accident. I had to leave after that, Papa. I...I couldn't stay here. And I'll leave again as soon as this is over.”

Franco sat his coffee cup down so hard the rich liquid slapped over the sides. “I did not have Drake Allen killed.” He pushed a hand down his face. “The boy was drunk that night, Regina. He liked to party when you thought he was working. He ran off the road and died in a car crash. That is the truth.”

She'd heard that same story over and over. But she'd never believe it. “Why did you ask me to come in here?”

Her father stared at her, his eyes still misty. “You are so like your mother. She wanted us to make peace, you and me. I want that but I get so angry and I lash out and I hurt people.”

“Atonement, Papa? Is that what this is about? You want me to forgive you in case Mama dies?”

“She will not die,” Franco said. “She can't die.”

And then Rikki saw it there in her father's old eyes.

Fear.

Franco Alvanetti was afraid of the one thing he couldn't control. Losing his wife.

Rikki got up, her own eyes burning. “She's getting better and I'll stay to make sure she does.”

Then she turned and left the room, her heart splitting as she waged anger and bitterness against acceptance and forgiveness.

* * *

Blain came out of the interrogation room located in the back of the district substation not far from the Alvanetti estate. The SWAT and K-9 teams had cornered the shooter in the woods near the state park that ran along the bay.

That meant television cameras and reporters pushing microphones in his face. People wanted answers and Blain had none to give. Yet.

Blain had gone in with a deputy to question John Darty. Fun name for a fun criminal.

“You're a piece of work, Darty,” Blain said by way of a greeting. “Drug charges, stolen property, petty crimes. Seems you just got out and now you'll be going right back in.”

“I want a lawyer.”

The man was trained in weaponry, courtesy of the United States Army. As Blain had told Rikki, not every soldier was a hero. This soldier had gone quiet and now refused to speak. Not surprising. Whoever had sent him would probably try to kill him if he talked, in or out of a jailhouse.

“Think long and hard about telling us who hired you,” he told the fidgety man. “We can help you now but once you go back inside, it might be too late.”

Sam Kent was waiting for Blain in the conference room.

“Things sure have changed since my day,” his father said, glancing around. “Districts, SWAT teams, even a Major Crimes Unit. Used to be just a sheriff and several deputies.”

“This county has become more populated over the last decade, Dad. Not to mention having advanced technology.”

“Job never gets any easier,” Sam said on a grunt. “What did our guest reveal?”

“Not much,” Blain said. “Didn't you listen in?”

“Nope.” Sam threw his disposable cup in the trash. “I thought I'd let you do your thing.”

“My thing didn't work.” Surprised at how docile his usually ornery father seemed, Blain gave Sam the once-over. “Hey, you feeling okay?”

Sam's eyebrows winged up like an eagle in flight. “Fine as a fiddle, thank you.”

Blain took a good look at his dad. Sam looked tired. He'd lost weight. Not daring to ask any more questions, Blain decided his cagey father could be as tight-lipped as a career criminal at times.

So he tried another method. “What do you think?”

“About what?” Sam asked.

“This case.” Blain ran a hand over his hair. “I think Regina Alvanetti is being targeted for a reason and I've got a feeling someone is after her because they think she knows something or she saw something.”

“I agree,” Sam said, lowering his voice. “You might consider her family. Lots of hidden agendas going on.”

Surprised yet again, Blain gave his father a thoughtful stare. “Do you know something I need to know?”

Sam grinned. “I know a lot of things I've never talked about but I always knew that one day some of those things would float to the surface.”

Aggravation slapped at Blain, making him snap. “I'm not sure what you're trying to say.”

“Sonia,” his father whispered. “Sonia knows more secrets than anyone else.”

“But she's ill,” Blain replied. “No way I can get to her. She's barely able to get out of bed.”

“But you can get to the daughter,” Sam said. “That woman trusts you and trust from an Alvanetti is a rare thing.”

“She might not trust me now,” Blain admitted. “I didn't tell her that I'm your son.”

“I kind of gathered that,” Sam said. “She'll get past that because she knows you're on her side.”

Blain understood but he didn't think Rikki would appreciate him trying to get past her to her mother. “So I get to Sonia through Rikki?”

“Yep.” His dad gave him a crystal-eyed stare. “You'll figure it out.”

A dozen mixed emotions whirled through Blain's system. “Why are you changing your tune?”

Sam shot him a long stare and then waved his hand in the air. “Like you said, this whole county has changed over the last few years. You need to understand, the Alvanetti family has changed, too. A new guard has taken over and I've got a feeling what I saw in my day is tame compared to what could be going on now.”

Blain wanted to ask his father what exactly he was trying to say but decided he'd had enough shocks for one day. This conversation was the first decent one he'd had with his father in a long time. And yet, he didn't have a clue what was being said.

“Hey, Dad,” he called after his father. “What made
you
change?”

Sam stopped, one hand on the glass doors to the parking lot. “Watching you today.”

Then he turned and stomped out the door.

* * *

“I've got to start back over from square one.”

Blain sat back in his chair and stared out at the water. It was raining and cold but he sat with Alec and Preacher out on the screened porch of the camp house they all owned together. An electric heater buzzed nearby and the pizza boxes were now almost empty.

Alec Caldwell gave Blain a blank stare. “Sounds as if you got more information from your old man than you did from this suspect.”

“Yep.” Without giving away any details, Blain had told his friends what was common knowledge since it had been blasted all over the airwaves. He'd also told them about the sudden change in his father. “I can't decide where my dad fits in.”

Rory Sanderson stood up, his hands in the deep pockets of his fleece jacket. “Your dad's getting on in years, Blain. Maybe he's trying to make amends before it's too late.”

“I wish he'd just level with me,” Blain said. “I don't need amends right now. I need cold, hard facts.”

Rory shot Alec a glance. “He's a lawman like you. Maybe he can't divulge everything he's seen or heard.”

“He could be trying to warn you and protect you,” Alec offered. “Sure he's stubborn and hard-edged but he loves you. I'd think there was a lot he shielded you and your mother from when he was in charge.”

Alec had never known his own dad and because his mother, Vivian, had mourned her military husband's death, she'd been emotionally distant toward Alec. Blain needed to take that into consideration.

“I guess so. I mean, in spite of our differences he's never once condemned me for anything I've done. Criticized my methods but he never told me I shouldn't do something. He didn't try to talk me out of joining the marines and he didn't even blink when I came home and joined the police force.”

“And so he's not saying anything to condemn you now, either,” Rory added. He sat back down. “I'll be praying for both of your tonight, that's for sure.”

Blain lifted his soft drink in a salute. “Without ceasing.”

“And what about Rikki?” Alec asked.

Blain wasn't sure how to respond. She was not taking his calls. “I don't know. I have to find out who's behind this before she gets killed. That's my job.”

“We don't want her to get killed,” Alec said. “I was asking more along the lines of what about how you
feel
about Rikki?”

Blain lowered his gaze and studied the plastic cup in his hand. “I don't know about that, either. She's a complicated subject.”

Rory grinned. “A dangerous subject. You might need to walk away once you're done with this case.”

“Worried about me, Preacher?”

“Nope.” Rory found a piece of cold pizza. “Just...bemused. I haven't seen you so besotted before.”

“Who says I'm besotted?”

Alec laughed. “Rikki is a beautiful woman. Mysterious and under pressure right now. You're one of the good guys.”

“Your point?”

“It all adds up to trouble,” Alec finished. “She'll turn to you and you'll do the right thing. Just be careful.”

“I thought you had already vouched for her,” Blain said.

“I did on a professional basis. And I like Rikki. But you've always avoided getting tangled in a relationship so it's different seeing you so tangled up in this one.”

Blain got up and tossed his cup in the trash. “I kind of miss Hunter. The Okie doesn't badger me the way you two do.” He shrugged. “He must be deep undercover. He's not returning my calls.”

“Hunter
is
on assignment,” Rory replied. “I guess I'd better throw in a prayer for him, too. Being a private eye is a whole new set of concerns.” He chuckled. “Especially when Hunter's idea of finding answers is to inflict physical pain.”

“Several concerns,” Alec retorted. “But he was special ops. He does that thing—”

“Slips around without a sound?” Rory asked, grinning.

Alec glanced back over his shoulder. “Yeah, that thing.”

“He'll show up, hopefully for your wedding,” Rory said, glancing at Alec.

“I hope my best man shows up, too,” Alec quipped, grinning at Blain.

“I'll be there, okay.” Blain decided he'd had enough. “I'm beat. Think I'll head home.”

Rory lifted his hand. “Hey, we didn't mean to get too personal.”

Alec chimed in. “It's your business, buddy. I should know to trust you since you're good at your job.”

Blain nodded. “I know you mean well. But you both need to remember something about me. I may be a bit besotted, but I'm not stupid.”

Rory bobbed his head. “And stay not stupid, okay?”

“Always.”

He waved to them and headed down to the open garage underneath the house on stilts. He wasn't stupid but he had to make sure Rikki was all right. Did that make him crazy?

Probably.

He got his phone out and hit her number. He didn't like the way they'd left things. They'd been through a lot together since the night he'd seen her on the boardwalk.

And she had to still be reeling from what had happened this morning. He told himself checking on her was the right thing to do.

Just in case she needed someone to talk to tonight.

* * *

Rikki wished she had someone to talk to. She'd been so tired by the day's events she'd come to her room right after dinner, taken a hot shower and was now trying to read. Pebble lay spread out in a long cat stretch by her feet. Rikki had tried telling her tale to the cat, but Pebble had become so bored he'd taken to licking his paws and grooming himself.

A sure sign of total disregard.

Her mother, always her first source and the best confidante a girl could have, was sleeping. And even if she were awake, Rikki couldn't bother her mother when she was so sick. If Sonia knew what was going on, she's worry even more.

But then, Sonia Alvanetti never seemed to worry about anything. Her faith held tight against so many things.

Rikki thought of Tessa. Her best friend. Gone. They'd never get to stay up late again, eating chocolate and watching romantic comedies. No more going shopping at cluttered boutiques and having cheesecake for dessert. No more trips to places all over the south and sometimes out of the country. No more quiet conversations about the state of their constant need to find true love.