Текст книги "Love or Justice"

Автор книги: Rachel Mannino

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Текущая страница: 12 (всего у книги 19 страниц)

He kissed her. Just as he deepened the kiss, he heard a cough behind him. Dante heaved a sigh. It was the one time he wished Bob wasn’t there. He pulled himself away from her, turning to his uncle, who grinned at him like a kid at the ice cream store.

“That was a nice show. You too should do comedy together.” Bob clapped for them.

Laurie giggled.

“Hi, Bob.” She broke away from Dante to give Bob a hug.

“Where did you learn to break into cars?” Bob asked Dante over Laurie’s shoulder.

“Law enforcement on the islands. You meet a lot of tourists who lock themselves out.” Dante tossed the wire onto the side of the yard.

“Uh huh. You better hope that’s all.” He winked at Dante.

“Did you come with your wife and kids?” Laurie took him by the shoulders.

“Yes, ma’am. Thought you all could use some company for the holiday.” Bob put his arm around Laurie’s shoulders as he led her toward the house. Dante had to follow in their footsteps.

“Great. Can you call next time? Before Dante shoots you by accident?” Laurie looked over her shoulder. The men burst out laughing.

“In fact, he almost did. He is his father’s son.” Bob tossed a look over his shoulder.

Dante glowered at him, which only made Bob chuckle more.

“You’re being mean on purpose.” Laurie slapped him lightly on the arm as they entered the house.

“Nope, just making sure he remembers why he’s so good at what he does.” Bob raised his eyebrows.

They walked into the kitchen to find Emma at the stove making dinner with two young boys. Both of them had black hair, and that was all Dante could see of them. Aunt Emma’s cooking lesson dominated their attention.

“Boys, do you remember your cousin Dante?” Bob gestured to Dante.

They turned, waved with a dull, “Hey,” and turned back to the lasagna preparation before them.

“Boys.” Bob folded his arms over his chest.

Dante saw them roll their eyes as they both lumbered around to say hello properly. They had brown eyes like the rest of the Stark men. Their eyes were more almond shaped, though, and their skin was a shade of olive. They were both in their young teens, barely into high school.

“Hi, Dante,” they said in unison.

“Hey guys.” Dante smiled. He approached them and shook their hands. “Haven’t seen you since, man. I haven’t seen either of you in years.”

Dante was amazed, awestruck even, as he realized just how many years it had been.

“This is Dante’s girlfriend, Laurie.” Bob pushed Laurie forward.

Both of their eyes widened.

“I’m James,” said the oldest one.

“I’m Devin,” said the other. They both shook her hand, pumping it awkwardly. Dante had to stifle his laughter.

“This is your girlfriend?” James asked Dante.

“Yeah.” He nodded his head. James and Devin exchanged a look, then turned back to Dante with newfound respect.

“It’s nice to meet you both.” Laurie smiled down on them.

They both blushed and nearly ran over Emma as they backed up toward the stove, still looking at Laurie.

“Sorry, Aunt Emma!” James exclaimed.

“That’s all right boys. Why don’t you chop the herbs?” Emma pushed a bundle of greens toward him.

Laurie looked at Dante.

He smiled back at her. They sat down at the kitchen table with Albert and Bob.

Bob caught up with the news on the farm, and the success Laurie and Dante had with the orchard.

After a few minutes, Gabriella came down the stairs. Dante always thought she was a beautiful woman. Gabriella had jet-black hair and eyes so dark they almost looked black. Her skin was the same olive tone as the boys. She was petite, slight, and much younger than Bob. Dante thought she seemed an odd match for an Air Force general, but the way they beamed at each other when she entered the room told him everything he needed to know.

“Feeling better?” Bob arched an eyebrow as Gabriella came up behind him, dropping her hands on his shoulders.

“Yes, a lot better.” She squeezed his shoulders as Bob kissed her hand. She greeted Dante next, then introduced herself to Laurie.

Dante thought she had a serene quality, a calming peacefulness in her voice. She had the kind of voice that evoked zen gardens in spring or trickling streams.

“Emma, can I help you with anything?” Gabriella gestured to the dinner.

“No, not at all. I think the boys and I have it all well in hand, don’t we boys?” The boys nodded their agreement. “The lasagna should be done in half an hour or so, so you just relax.” Emma waved Gabriella into a seat at the table.

She smiled, sitting down beside Laurie.

Albert looked thoughtfully at the table.

“You know, Bob, I don’t think you’ve seen the barn yet, have you?” He traced a knot in the wood with his forefinger.

“No, I don’t think so. But it’s a barn, not that much to see.” Bob shrugged.

“Well, Dante and I have been working on a few projects out there you might be able to help us with.” Albert gave Bob a bland expression.

Dante’s brows knit. Then he schooled his features into mild interest in the conversation. Why was his father bringing Bob into tracking Kaimi?

“Sure.” Bob raised an eyebrow.

“Why don’t we go out there now and we can show you.” Albert nodded his head in the direction of the door.

Dante nodded, and the three men excused themselves from the kitchen.

They walked in silence across the lawn. When they reached the barn, Bob turned to his brother as he stood just inside the door, arms crossed.

“All right, what are you up to?” Bob gave Albert a pointed expression.

“How do you know we’re up to anything?” Dante put his hand on his hip.

“I’ve known my brother a lot longer than you. The last time he asked for my help with a project, I ended up out in Hawaii bringing you home. What are you up to now?” Bob turned from Dante to Albert.

Albert didn’t answer. He went to the fake wall panel, unlatched it, and unlocked the safe. Bob stared at his brother, curious about the papers Albert brought back to the table.

“Dante and I have been trying to track the man who attacked him and Laurie. We also need to figure out who the mole is in the Marshals Service. Dante can’t return to Hawaii with Laurie until both men are found.” Albert rolled out the map of Hawaii.

“Who is this man you’re after, again?” Bob looked to Dante.

“Kaimi.” Albert flipped through the other papers in his hand.

“Cleaning up loose ends, Albert?” Bob leaned against the table.

“It would be a service to the nation to have him put away.” Albert glanced up at Bob. “The FBI has had no luck locating him.”

“Did they call today? Did the house in Molokai turn up anything?” Dante grimaced as he leaned against the worktable.

Albert shook his head.

“But they did find something in a reservoir on Kauai, where they first thought Kaimi was staying.” Albert’s expression turned stony.

“What’d they find?” Dante held his breath.

“Two bodies.” Albert’s lips became a thin line. “Dental records just confirmed a match to Katherine and Easton James.”

Anger swelled in Dante’s stomach, gnawing at his insides. He ran his hands into his hair. He held his head in his hands as he began to pace.

“They were killed not long before they were found. They were emaciated. Both were abused.” Albert looked to Bob.

Dante stopped pacing and stood with his hands on his hips. His jaw clenched, as he looked down to the floor of the barn. He felt nauseous with anger. Katherine and Easton didn’t deserve to die. Not like that.

“He’s a disgusting son of a bitch,” Dante spat out.

“What about the mole? Do they have any leads on who it is?” Bob tugged the map of Hawaii closer.

“They’re not looking for one. Since Dante left with their only witness, they think it’s him.” Albert gave a nod in Dante’s direction.

Bob’s eyes widened for a moment. Then he shook his head. He leaned against the worktable, studying the maps that Albert carefully laid out.

“Even though I know it’s one of my own men.” Dante massaged the base of his neck where a headache was forming.

“Suspect.” Albert flicked his eyes up at Dante. “We haven’t found corroborating evidence yet.”

Dante glared at his father for a minute before turning to his uncle.

“So now we have two bodies, a suspect so deep in hiding we can’t get a lead on him, and no one even suspecting the real mole is right under their noses.” Dante began to pace again. “This is a nightmare.”

“It’s only a matter of time before Kaimi can find a way to get off the islands undetected and make his way to friends in China.” Albert leaned over the work table, watching Dante.

“Then we’ll lose him for good. He will never stop searching for Laurie. No matter where he is, he’ll be looking for her. I need him behind bars.” Dante threw his hands up in the air.

“There is one way to handle this investigation now. We need to go there.” Albert leveled a look at Bob.

“We can’t. Every law enforcement official on the islands is looking for me.” Dante gestured to himself.

“They’re on the lookout for Kaimi, but he’s avoiding them just fine. It will make us think like he does.” Albert raised his eyebrows.

“No, no, no,” Dante shook his head. “I can’t leave Laurie without protection. They will do anything to kill her.”

“Your mother can take care of Laurie.” Albert pinned him with a look. “She was one of my best agents, after all.”

“No.” Dante walked away from his father. “That was years ago. There is no way we can find Kaimi, and leave Laurie and Mom here. Mom would kill both of us!”

“It’s the only way, son.” Albert came around the table towards him. “It’s the only way he’ll ever leave her alone. You’ll never get a good night’s sleep if we don’t do this.”

Dante grimaced. He turned back to his father and uncle.

“We can’t.” Dante held up a hand. “It’s too dangerous for Laurie and Mom. If we’re caught before we catch him, then all of us will end up in jail. Both of you aided and abetted the kidnapping of a federal witness. They won’t care that she went willingly; they’ll find some way to make it stick. It won’t matter to them.”

“Then we’ll have to find Kaimi and the mole before anyone finds us.” Albert put his hands on his hips.

Dante laughed.

“It will never work. There’s no way it can work.” Dante turned away.

His father took a couple of steps to close the gap between them.

“Why wouldn’t it?” Albert asked. “You are the best Marshal in the federal service. You know that. So do I. Hilton’s been feeding me your evaluations for years.”

Albert’s eyes held a mixture of confidence and admiration. His father had never said one word to him, not one, of praise. Then his father put his strong, work-worn hands on Dante’s shoulders.

“You and me.” Albert shook him. “We can find this man. We can put him away where he can pay for everything he’s done, where he can’t hurt Laurie anymore. It’s just one mission.”

Dante’s brows knit, trying to decide between the safe defensive road, and the long-shot offensive path. One small step on that path, and it could blow up in all their faces. He thought hard, torn between wanting to protect, and wanting justice.

Albert pressed on Dante’s shoulders in a firm grip.

“It’s one last mission. You and me. We can find him.” His eyes were pleading Dante to agree.

Dante realized how much his father needed him; his father just needed him to say yes. He took a deep breath.

“Okay. You’re right. It’s the only way,” Dante said softly.

“Yes. Yes, son, it is the only way.” Albert shook Dante’s shoulders. He released his hold on Dante, turning to his brother. With eyes alight, he smiled at Bob.

Bob rolled his eyes while heaving a great sigh. He stretched out his forearms to lean forward onto the worktable, shaking his head at Albert.

“Bob. Come on Bob, don’t hold out on us.” Albert ambled back to the table. “Your nephew needs you.”

Bob started laughing. He laughed until he doubled over. He stared at the floor, shaking his head and laughing. A minute or two later, he leaned against the worktable.

“We have to be back by Christmas. Gabriella will kill me if I’m not there for Christmas,” Bob said finally.

Albert smiled. He approached the table to extend his hand out to Bob. Bob playfully smacked his hand away.

“I’m not doing this for you.” Bob pointed at the table with his chin. “I’m doing this for Dante, and for the woman and child. No one deserves to die like that.”

Still smiling, Albert leaned over the map of Hawaii.

Dante joined his father and uncle at the worktable to see his father unroll another map, this one a map of the United States. There were several other maps Dante had never seen before. They were sections of the country between Nebraska and Southern California.

“What’s our flight plan?” Albert took a pencil, handing it to Bob.

Bob swiped the pencil out of Albert’s hand with overexaggerated force. Then he took the ruler and began sketching out a flight plan crisscrossing several air bases until the Pacific Ocean. Then they debated on where they should start their search on Hawaii. They settled on Molokai, since that was the freshest lead. Finally, they debated on where on the islands they should land. In the end, they settled back on Bradshaw, despite the distance to Molokai.

“Do you have any friends with a boat?” Bob’s eyes flicked up to Dante.

“I can’t contact any of my friends. They’re all in law enforcement.” Dante leaned over the map.

“I can rent one as a tourist looking to fish.” Albert nodded.

“We’ll need one for the entire time we’re there. You got enough cash in that safe to make it work?” Bob quirked an eyebrow at Albert.

Albert gave him a sly smile.

“I’ll have plenty.” He rolled up the map of Hawaii.

“All right then. When should we plan on leaving?” Dante asked.

“Day after Thanksgiving. No one will be at the airbases. They won’t care about a little plane with a couple of vets. But we’ll all have to promise Gabriella you’ll have me back before Christmas.” Bob nodded to Albert.

“We can’t tell the women.” Albert’s hand cut through the air.

“Why?” Bob stood up straight.

“Would your wife just let you up and leave to go track down a mob boss?” Albert’s expression grew impatient.

Bob thought about it for a minute, then shook his head no.

“Neither would mine. His would insist on going with him.” Albert pointed to Dante.

Dante smiled and gave a small laugh—his father was right.

“The women can’t know.” Albert laid a hand on the table, his expression sober. “It’s for their protection. In case anything happens, or Kaimi’s men track Laurie here, it’s better if they don’t know where we are.”

Dante nodded absently. He couldn’t let his thoughts wander too far down that road. The idea of Kaimi’s men even being in the same state with Laurie made every muscle tense. He assured himself they were well hidden, they were safe, and Laurie would be safe until he returned.

Bob agreed not to tell Gabriella. Next, Bob plucked his cell phone from his pocket and began to call in a few favors at the airbases he wanted to pass through.

With plans now laid, Dante’s heart sank. He had a handful of days left with Laurie. This plan was one thing he wasn’t going to share with her. His father clapped him on the shoulder, distracting him from his thoughts.

“His days are numbered now. I’ll keep up on the investigation. Hopefully, we’ll get a good lead from there.” Albert grinned, a wicked glint in his eyes.

Dante nodded as he watched his father roll up the maps. He stared at the table, before they headed for the door of the barn. Switching off the light, he followed his father and uncle out into the frigid November air. Dante shivered, quickening his step, anxious to spend time with the woman he now had to leave.

Dante was first in the door, and the smell of his mother’s lasagna hit him like a cloud, mingled with the warmth of the kitchen. He looked over at the table to find Laurie busy setting out plates and cups. She looked up at him and smiled, setting down the last plate in her hand. He strode over to her. He pulled her hard against him, and gave her a short, searing kiss—a promise for more to come later. She squeezed him back, laughing into his ear.

“What was that for?” She tilted her head back, looking up at him with a bewildered expression.

“Nothing.” He shrugged. He wanted to kiss her again, but he thought better of it as he caught his father’s sour expression out of the corner of his eye. He just smiled, hugging her tighter, despite his father’s disapproving grimace.

His mother however, beamed at him, as she walked to the table with a steaming casserole dish. He gave Laurie a final squeeze and released her so they could sit down for dinner.

“So what is your project?” Gabriella asked. Dante stared at the plate in front of him, not moving a muscle.

“New posts for the fence.” Albert glanced up at her.

“Aren’t you finished with those yet?” Emma frowned.

“We have a long border, dear.” Albert looked at his dinner. “I want to make extra so I don’t have to work so hard when I don’t have all of these extra hands around.”

“Well, when you’re finally done with those posts, we need to check the fence around the orchard.” Emma slid her eyes over to Gabriella. “Maybe we can go over there tomorrow.”

“That was a masterful suggestion, Emma.” Bob winked at her. “Say, you wouldn’t be trying to sell the place off to me and Gabriella now would you?”

“Oh, Bob.” Emma’s voice filled with exasperation. “You should at least look at it!”

Bob chuckled, picking up his napkin to settle it in his lap.

“It’s a beautiful house. I’d move into it in a heartbeat.” Laurie smiled at Emma.

“Did she pay you to say that?” Bob poked at his dinner.

“No. It’s beautiful. Really.” Laurie laughed.

“We’ll go over and see the orchard tomorrow, we promise.” Gabriella’s voice flowed over the chaotic conversation like warm honey.

“Wonderful.” Emma clapped her hands together.

“Wonderful,” Bob repeated, shaking his head.

Emma leveled a frustrated stare in his direction.

“Gee, Emma, with the way you’re looking at me, it’s no wonder I don’t want to live any closer.” Bob grinned. The boys started laughing, and a smile broke over everyone’s face.

Emma struggled to keep her stern expression, but a smile bubbled to the surface.

Dinner took well over two hours, as the adults talked and talked over dinner, pie, and coffee and tea. The boys finally gave up and went into the living room to watch TV. Around 10:00 p.m., Laurie began yawning behind her hand, while staring out into space. Dante leaned over, rubbing her back.

“I think it’s time for us to head upstairs.” He smiled at her.

***

 

Laurie

Dante strode upstairs behind Laurie. When they got to the bedroom, Dante caught her hand as she headed toward the dresser.

She smiled up at him.

“Hi,” she said.

She gave him her sexiest smile as she walked back toward him.

He smiled into her bedroom eyes, shaking his head.

“I need to talk to you for a minute.”

“What’s wrong?” Dread crept across her shoulders.

“Let’s sit down.”

He led her to the bed. She felt an icy chill sweep through her. He squeezed her hand.

“Laurie, my dad got a call today. They found Katherine and Easton James.”

Sadness swept over Laurie. She looked up at Dante’s warm brown eyes. She knew the answer to the question she was about to ask, but she had to know for sure.

“Are they dead?”

He nodded.

Laurie’s mouth went dry. She swallowed hard, tasting ash and dust. She looked away from him. A sharp pain knifed through her heart as she thought of the boney little boy with the haunted blue eyes.

“Their bodies were found in a reservoir on Kauai.”

She swallowed hard again, fighting the tears. He put his arms around her, pulling her to him. He held her head against his heart, and he rocked her as she began to sniffle.

“I was right there.”

“There was nothing you could do, Laurie.” He ran his fingers through her hair.

“But I should have done something, Dante, screamed, shouted, something.”

“He would have killed them both and you before the police even made it to the room. He wanted revenge more than anything.”

She shook her head against his chest. She let out the breath she’d been holding in a blast of air. Dante pulled her back, holding her face in his hands.

“You didn’t kill them.” Dante wiped away a few years. “He did. It’s his fault, Laurie. He’ll pay for that.”

“When? They can’t even find him!”

“Soon. He’ll be found soon. He’ll pay for what he did.”

Laurie nodded, though she felt a bottomless despair. Her chest ached. Dante held her for a while, running his hands through her hair and down her back. He kissed her forehead.

Laurie listened to Dante’s heartbeat, letting that soothe her. She closed her eyes. She’d known Katherine and Easton might not survive. She knew this moment might come. Yet, she’d hoped. She’d hoped that somehow, the FBI would find Kaimi with his hostages still alive. Now, Katherine and Easton could only be remembered and avenged. Laurie would make sure that happened. She would make sure Katherine and Easton had their day in court.

“You know, as much as Kaimi is a criminal, I think once he’s behind bars I might just have to pay him a visit to say thank you.” Dante kissed her temple.

Laurie turned her face up to him. She looked at him in confusion.

“Well, it occurs to me that if Kaimi hadn’t done what he did, I never would have met you. I’d have taken another assignment, and you would have finished up in law school. We never would have met. Even though I despise the man, I do owe him for bringing me to you.”

Laurie’s heart melted as she looked up into Dante’s eyes. She kissed him, touched by what he’d said.

When he broke the kiss, he held her face in his hands, stroking her cheek.

“I love you,” he breathed.

Laurie’s eyes widened.

“You love me?”

Laurie was shocked, amazed. She knew he cared for her, but she hadn’t expected him to say it.

Dante nodded his head. He cleared his throat.

“I love you,” he repeated.

Laurie smiled up at him with all of her heart.

“I love you, too.”

The words rose up from her heart, unbidden. She knew she didn’t have to say it to him, but she wanted to tell him. She wanted him to know how much she cared for him as well.

Dante let out a breath. He kissed her for a long time, gently deepening the kiss when her lips parted beneath his. When he pulled away to take a breath, he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Don’t cry.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I’m happy. I didn’t expect you to say you loved me, and what you said about us never meeting. Well, I guess it just hit me how lucky I was to find you.” She clutched at his shirt.

He pressed his forehead to hers. He ran his hands up her back and into her hair.

“Yes, very lucky.” He kissed her again, more insistent now.

The tiredness that weighed Laurie down disappeared. In its place, was a brilliant need to show him how much she loved him.

They leaned back onto the bed together, helping one another undress. They made love slowly, savoring their good fortune in finding one another. Dante caressed every inch of her like he was memorizing it. They dissolved into each other like melted chocolate. Then they curled into one another, and Dante covered them both with blankets. They both said, “I love you,” before they drifted off to sleep.