Assassin Deception (4 page)

Chapter Two

James studied Chloe thoughtfully for a moment. He glided his hand down her cheek in a loving gesture. “How long have you known, sweetheart?” he finally asked, resigned. Somehow he had always known this day would come.

“A long time, James, a very long time. I know what my father was, I knew before he died. He would pull out his gun, drunk or not, and tell me he would shoot me if I didn’t make my bed or clean up my toys.” James winced, but she continued. “You both may have been in the same profession, but he was nothing like you. You never harmed or frightened Damien like my father frightened me.

“Children learn from example. I knew what he did was wrong because I had you to compare him to. Damien has always respected and admired you, and so do I. It was you who kept me and my mother safe. I’m just sorry Mother never understood that.

“I remember my talks with Dirk, our own secrets of things I or Damien had overheard. I’m not afraid of any of you, James. My father was cruel, evil. Why did you ever employ him? Was he the type of man you needed? It’s hard to look at you, knowing how caring you are, and yet feel so confused about what you do and why. Please, James, tell me why.”

James sighed. He rose from the bed to pace the large room. He stopped in front of the dresser and ran his hands over an oak and glass jewelry case he had given to Samantha for their tenth wedding anniversary.

When his wife had died, James had given the jewelry and its case to Chloe, knowing it would have made his wife happy. Closing his eyes, he could envision Chloe as a small child, poised directly beside his wife and trying on each piece of jewelry, mimicking his wife’s actions with precision.

Samantha, laughing happily when Chloe propped the tiara onto Damien’s head. Damien, always the clown, dancing around the room, curtsying to make Chloe and his mother howl with peals of contagious laughter.

“Your mother was pregnant with you when your father came into my employ. He was a good man in the beginning. His brother, your uncle, was a good man and recommended him. It was a shame your uncle died; it was shortly after you were born. He was killed in a tragic accident. He would have kept your father in line; they were always paired together.

“Your father loved you, really he did. We worked well and became close. For a while he respected what I taught, and my values. We accepted him into our fold and made him one of us.

“Or at least I thought we had. The money and the power went to his head after a few years. Life became nothing to him, including yours and your mother’s. He killed for fun, sport, petty things, revenge, and no one was safe when he was drinking, evil or innocents alike. His gambling got him so far into debt he could no longer afford to put clothes on your back or food on the table.

“I would have canceled my employment with him sooner, yet I couldn’t seem to separate myself from you. I worried over you. You always came to me. Do you know I was the one who named you? I’ve always loved your name. I was heartbroken when Samantha was unable to have any more children after Damien was born. Yours is the name I had picked out for my own daughter, if we’d had one. It was my mother’s name. Since, for some reason, your parents had only boys' names picked out, they were happy to let me name you.

“Your first steps were to me while your father lay passed out on the couch. Your first word was James. You cried when I left a room you were in, wanting me to take you with me. I was afraid if I told him I no longer needed his services he would take you away from me.

“Your mother loved him; she wouldn’t listen when I told her I would take care of the both of you if she left him. I would have kept her safe. I wanted to keep her safe. I had no idea your father was filling her head with horrible lies, saying I was plotting to take you away or kill you and her, that he was the only one who stood between us.

“A few years later he began to beat your mother. I was furious and forbade him to lay a hand on her, but he understood how much my family had grown to care for you. He used that against me. The first time he beat you I almost killed him.

“I know you don’t remember that night. You were six. Your grandmother stumbled through my backdoor with you bloodied and wrapped in a sheet. I was enraged to see you lying so motionless and unresponsive. I raced to your home and broke down the door. I attacked him. Pounded him into oblivion. I wanted him dead right then and there.

“I would have made him disappear. Your mother was screaming. She cried for me to allow him to live, to spare his life, pathetically pulling on my arms, as if she would ever be strong enough to stop me. She was terror-stricken. Finally she fell to her knees, begging me, clutching at my pant legs and crying so pitifully I relented. She swore he would never touch you again.”

* * * *

“But he did,” Chloe interrupted sadly. He had struck out at her many times. Calling her horrible, brutal names. Yanking her from the corners she tried to hide in. Finding all of her hiding places until there was nowhere in or around the house she felt safe.

He dominated everywhere. The moment he walked into a room the atmosphere became charged with deadly intent. She remembered the long knife he kept strapped to his belt in plain view. She never remembered a time he was not without his large, black gun. Chloe had been terrified of him. Only when James or Dirk were around was she truly happy and safe from his assaults.

“Chloe, your grandmother came to me sometime later and told me something that sickened me, made my blood run cold. Do you remember the last time your father beat you?”

“No!” Chloe said. She was horrified he had even brought that up. She began sobbing as the frightening images came to mind. “Don’t, James, please,” she whimpered in a tiny voice.

James moved to her and gathered her into his arms. “I’m so sorry, Chloe. But I couldn’t let him stay near you anymore. I had no choice; I had to dispose of him immediately before he tried again. The car bomb went off prematurely.

“You and your mother were never supposed to be around. You were never supposed to witness it. It was supposed to be done in a quiet place of my choosing. I could have then told your mother he left the country and put both of you in my care. I didn’t want either of you traumatized. I swear it! I was so angry with my man who planted it. He was lucky he didn’t die a horrible death that night. As it was, I got rid of him.”

“I remember that night. I heard how angry you were. I wish Dirk hadn’t made me swear to forget what I overheard. I could have told my mother it was an accident. She would have listened.”

“No, Chloe, she wouldn’t have listened. She had spent too many years listening to your father tell her how she would be next if he walked out on her. She convinced herself he was telling the truth after the bomb went off.

“He had manipulated her thoughts so cruelly. He hinted to her that his brother’s death was planned. Even your grandmother couldn’t reach her, though she tried. The damage was done and was irreversible. It killed me to see your pain and hers, sweetheart. None of this is your fault. You were just the last straw. Your father would have eventually hurt my family by his irresponsibility. He was out of control, unpredictable…a loose cannon.”

“Do Dirk's and Wolf’s wives know what you do?” Chloe asked.

“Yes, sweetheart. So does Carrie, and now you. We never kill for sport. Every action is discussed, assessed, re-discussed. Please believe me when I say life has value to us. This is a last possible resort. We dispose of men and women like your father. Evil people who maliciously hurt others for pleasure or their own gain, people uncaring of any consequences and who feel there will be none.

“Chloe, in your innocence I don’t think you’re even capable of comprehending the evil filth out there that prey upon the helpless. Disgusting, fake, moving inhumanities who pose as men, who are not and who possibly have never been capable of a merciful act.

“We protect people who are unable to defend themselves against such cruelty. Sometimes the laws are unjust; innocents seek justice. Sometimes through grief people find themselves turning into someone they loathe when their deepest despair confronts and assaults them. They are incapable of finding closure. Then and only then do we step in.

“Don’t be afraid. I understand this sounds strange. Our organization is very far-reaching. We’ve been in operation for quite some time. I’m certain you can imagine how in demand our abilities are to dispose of the evil at any cost, any way. There is also nothing evil about you, no matter who your father was. That is not how we operate. None of my men would ever harm you.”

“I’ve never in my life feared you, James, for any reason. I won’t start now. But why did you send me away? I would never, and have never said anything to anyone. I would never do anything to hurt any of you. Your secrets are safe with me.”

James bowed his head into Chloe’s hair. “Your grandmother, before she died, begged me to send you away, before your mother’s insanity consumed you. She was terrified of you being left alone with a suicidal woman. She feared that your mother, with her irrational thoughts, would kill you, thinking to save you from me.

“It took me a while to be able to let you go. If you recall, you spent a great deal of time at my home by then, while I employed others to watch your mother. The men and women I sent to stay with you when you needed to be home, to keep you safe, only frightened her further. She felt her concerns were reinforced, that I was watching her, controlling her and you.

“She didn’t understand it was she I feared would harm you. If I could have convinced you to live with me and never see her again I would have tried. Loyalty is a powerful thing in the young. The effort would have been futile.”

Chloe pulled herself from James’ arms. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what, Chloe? That I disposed of your father, that because of me your mother went insane?”

“That you loved me and you didn’t want me to go,” Chloe accused hurtfully.

“Chloe, if I could have, I would have kept you near. But I couldn’t remove your mother to some type of asylum. I felt guilty enough. You were the stronger of the two, with the resilience of the very young. I tried to take care of the both of you as best as I could. It was a shame that your mother got to stay and you didn’t.

“I will understand if you hate me. I loved you the moment I set eyes on you, at the ripe old age of four minutes old. I threatened a doctor into allowing me to hold you. They had whisked you away from your mother because of complications she was having. Your father stayed with her, and your uncle was away on business. I took charge of you, not wanting you to be alone. I fell in love, head over heels, sweetheart. I did my best by you. I’m only sorry it wasn’t good enough.” James hung his head.

“I love you, too, James. I could never hate you, you mean too much to me. I lied when I said I didn’t remember what my father did to me, and then tried to do to me. Granny stopped him. Drunk or not that’s not an excuse. Thank you for saving me from a life filled with unbearable pain and anger. I’m just sorry you didn’t do it sooner. Maybe if you had, we could have saved my mom from the hell he locked her in.”

“The past is filled with maybe’s, would have’s, should have’s, didn’t’s, and wanted to’s. The future is filled with hope. You have your whole life ahead of you. Let your memories lie in peace with your mother.” James ran a hand over his face. He kissed Chloe’s forehead, looking drained of emotion.

“Rest for awhile, sweetheart, then freshen up. Don’t worry if your suitcase is still in your car. I’ve taken the liberty of acquiring new clothing for you, already in your closet and drawers. I hope you don’t mind. Carrie and Candy were very helpful. And don’t be surprised if they come asking to borrow items. I’m afraid they fell in love with some of the purchases that they picked out for you.”

Chloe smiled at that. It would be interesting having other women around to talk to. But James was right, she felt physically and emotionally drained and perhaps some rest would be a good idea.

* * * *

Chloe smiled as she looked around the large dining room table. All of the younger children were eating upstairs under the care of another watchful eye. James had always insisted the evening meal was reserved for adults.