Key Witness (5 page)

She nodded, and they stepped into the crisp outdoors. A chilly autumn wind swept against the stoop and ruffled their hair. His gaze surveyed the landscape. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Still, he kept a brisk pace as he led Elle to the SUV and secured her inside, then he joined her.

The driver pulled away. “Where to?”

“Back to your parents’?” Denton asked.

Elle clicked her seat belt in place. “I really need to swing by my place and pick up a few things. Especially since everyone insists that I can’t stay there right now.”

“Your parents’ house is safer,” Denton stated.

Lines tightened at her eyes. “Of course.”

“Just give me your address and we’ll go there.”

She identified the street before looking out the window, a certain melancholy seeming to fall over her.

“Elle?”

She glanced at Denton, the sparkle gone from her gaze. “Yes?”

“I’m not going to tell you what to do.”

Her eyelids fluttered down a moment, some of the hard shell she tried to put on disappearing when she looked back up. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, my job is to protect you. But you’re a grown woman. I’ll respect your decisions—unless I see a bullet flying through the air.”

She stared at him a moment before answering. “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Fifteen minutes later they pulled up to a modest condo located on a golf course in Virginia Beach.

“Stay in the car while I check things out. Please.”

Elle nodded, and he slipped out. He used Elle’s key to unlock the door and slip inside. He was surprised at her soft and feminine decorations. She always came across as so professional, but her home showed a different side of her. He’d pay attention to that later, though. Right now, he needed to check everything out and make sure it was safe.

Once he’d swept the area, he went back to the car for Elle. She stepped inside and deposited her purse on the honey-colored dinette. Her eyes scanned the place with obvious unease.

“What’s wrong?”

“Something feels different.” She stepped toward her living room, her brows furrowed.

“What?”

“I don’t know. It’s just a feeling. You know, that instinct that something has been moved.” She whirled around to him. “Did you move anything?”

He shook his head. “Not a thing.”

“I’ll put my finger on it eventually.”

“Let’s get your things and get out of here.” He nodded toward the door, not liking the implications of what Elle said. What if someone had been in her condo, not to harm her but to take something—or plant something? Why would someone do that?

“I’m not going to argue with you there.” She disappeared into her bedroom.

Denton lingered in the doorway, close enough to keep an eye on her, but distant enough for privacy. His gaze wandered the wall of pictures beside him. Elle with her parents. Elle with some girlfriends. An older picture of Elle with another girl when they were probably fourteen or fifteen years old. No pictures of Elle with any men, which seemed to confirm his initial impression that she was single. Not that it mattered to him. He wasn’t looking for a serious relationship—any relationship, for that matter. Despite that, his heart still lifted slightly at the realization.

Elle charged from her room, walking toward the living room like a woman on a mission. “I think I know what’s different.”

Denton followed at a close clip behind her. She stopped at an end table and picked up a picture frame holding a snapshot of her and the senator. With a shaky finger, she pointed at it. “This is my frame but that’s not my picture.” She scrambled to remove the backing.

Denton put his hand over hers. “Let me.” He didn’t know what might wait beneath that picture. It could be an airborne disease, for all he knew. Or it could be nothing.

Carefully, he slipped off the back of the frame. His heart raced as he waited to see what waited underneath. He blinked. Nothing. Except a picture of Elle hugging her father.

“Where’d my picture go? Why would someone take it?”

“What was the picture of?”

“My sister.”

“Your sister?”

Elle wiped the corner of her eye, obviously trying to conceal the fact that she was crying. “She’s been dead for six years.”

“I’m sorry, Elle.”

“It was my favorite picture.”

“Do you parents have another copy?”

She wiped her eyes again before wrapping her arms over her chest. “Probably. I’ll ask them.”

“Where did someone get this snapshot?”

She shrugged. “Anywhere. It’s on my dad’s official campaign website.”

“Of course,” he muttered. “You have a paper bag?”

“Under the microwave.”

He walked into the kitchen and pulled out a lunch-sized bag to slip the frame into. “I’m going to have this tested for fingerprints. I’m pretty sure they didn’t leave any, but I want to make sure.”

She pulled in a deep breath, her face pale and her voice on the edge of fragile. “This feels like... I don’t understand why someone would do this.”

He resisted the urge to touch her, to try and comfort her. It wasn’t his place. But he hated to see her struggling as she was. He stuffed his free hand into his pocket instead. “You witnessed a horrific crime. Sometimes people are just sick. They want someone to pay for what happened. They’re playing a game, basically.”

She swallowed and nodded. “Let me finish getting my stuff and let’s get out of here.”

He slid the frame inside the bag. His instincts were ramped. Someone had stepped up the game. Whatever it was they wanted, Denton had a feeling they were sick and twisted enough to not let anything stand in their way.

FIVE

E
lle’s thoughts were getting the best of her as she stared out the car window. What a whirlwind. More like a nightmare. How had her life gone from orderly to chaotic?

Joshua 1:3-9 ran through her mind.

“I promise you what I promised Moses: Wherever you set foot, you will be on land I have given you.... No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.”

The verse had been her grandmother’s favorite, one that she quoted to Elle over and over.
I will not fail you or abandon you.
Certainly God wouldn’t let her down now, even if it sometimes felt like that when she relied on her feeble, human understanding of circumstances.

“How about we go grab a bite to eat?”

Denton’s voice cut into her thoughts, and she sat up straighter. “I’d love to.”

“One caveat. I get to pick the place.”

“It’s a deal.”

She looked a moment at the passing landscape. Though they lived in Virginia Beach, they were far from the hustle and bustle of the area’s more urban sections. Out here, there were acres and acres of fence-lined lawns, complete with horses and plenty of trees. It was a great place to live...most of the time.

“I know that picture meant a lot to you, Elle. What happened to your sister?”

She cleared her throat. “She was kidnapped. The kidnappers demanded a ransom. We were advised not to pay it. A week later, the police found my sister’s body.”

“I’m sorry, Elle. Did they ever catch who did it?”

She nodded. “A few weeks later they caught a break. One of the hairs found on her matched someone they had in the system. He claimed his innocence, but the evidence said otherwise.”

“At least he’s behind bars now.”

“My dad used to be a judge. You probably know that, though. Anyway, he made quite a few people mad. He always seems to be a target. Even before he was a judge, he was a lawyer and he defended some pretty shady characters at times. I guess we should be used to this life.”

“No one wants to get used to being a target. No one should have to, especially you. You didn’t sign up for a life in politics. You were born into it.”

“I choose to work for my father. My sister—Emily—she didn’t choose any of this. She was barely a teenager. She’d just finished dance class when a man pulled up outside and told her our dad had sent him to pick her up. People told us that she tried to step back, to get away, but the man grabbed her and pulled her into his car.”

“It must have been awful for your family.”

“Beyond awful. My mom still goes to counseling for it. And my dad...he just works. All the time.”

“And you?”

She swung her head up. “Me? I guess I’m like my dad. I stay busy. I worry about Mom.” She touched the necklace at her throat. The emblem there seemed to burn into her skin.

A few minutes later, they pulled into the gravel parking lot beside an old building with a hand-painted sign that read Fred’s Seafood. Elle had seen the place before, but never bothered to try it. She stared for a moment at the peeling paint on the building’s exterior and the flashing sign in the window letting everyone who passed know they were open.

Denton seemed to sense her hesitation. “It’s great. I promise. Don’t let the outside fool you.”

The driver pulled to a stop by the front door, and Denton helped her out of the SUV. Staying close—close enough that she could smell his citrusy aftershave—he ushered her inside the dimly lit establishment. A few people called out hellos as they stepped onto the stained linoleum floor.

One of those places where everyone knew your name, Elle thought. The notion seemed foreign, yet welcome. Denton pointed to a booth in the corner and an older gentleman only visible through the service window into the kitchen nodded approval. Denton slid across the ripped upholstery, sitting where he could face the door.

Elle sat down across from him, resisting the urge to wipe her finger over the table to make sure it was clean. It wasn’t that she was a snob. She just liked the familiar places where she knew what to expect, perhaps more than she should. Still, trying new things was good for the soul. She needed to get out of her comfort zone more often.

She glanced around the place and released the breath she held. The building and furniture may be old, but the place itself had more of a homey feel to it than she’d originally expected. The other patrons seemed to mind their own business, and a mix of murmured conversations and clattering silverware filled the air. Elle looked back at Denton, who appeared to be watching her as the edge of his lip tugged upward. She ignored his amusement. “You come here a lot?”

He rested an arm on the table and grabbed a menu to hand her. “Every week if I can.”

She grasped the laminated piece of paper and paused. “Really?”

He grinned, way too handsome for Elle to feel comfortable. “Our headquarters isn’t too far from here so it’s a favorite with all the guys at work. I know it looks like a dive, but they catch the seafood fresh every day and the menu is never the same because of it.” He leaned closer. “Not your kind of place, I take it?”

Her gaze scanned today’s selections before locking on Denton. “I’m really not as much of a snob as you might think, Mr. Denton.”

He tilted his head. “Mr. Denton? You’re making me feel old. And for the record, I don’t think you’re a snob at all. You seem like a five-star-restaurant kind of girl, though.”

“The truth is that I love a good cheeseburger every once in a while. Not the expensive kind, either. The kind you get at a drive-through. You’ll have to excuse me if I seem antsy. I’m just on edge.”

His grin slipped. “Understandable.”

“Isn’t your driver coming in?”

“He’s a bit of a health-food nut, so he always brings his own lunch. I think he’s catching up on emails while we eat in here.”

Denton’s eyes roamed the room. Even though he looked relaxed, he was obviously still on guard. Good. Elle appreciated being with someone competent who took his job seriously, especially when her life was on the line.

A twenty-something waitress came and smiled widely at Denton, fluttering her eyelashes. “Hey, Mark. Good to see you in here again. It’s been a few days. I was getting worried that you’d forgotten about us.”

“Nah, just been busy. You know you guys are the best-kept secret in this area. How could I forget about that?”

She giggled. “We’ve got a seafood platter today that I think you’re going to love.”

“I’ll take it.”

The waitress turned to Elle and her smile slipped some. “How about for you?”

“Catch of the day. Broiled. Salad on the side with no croutons.”

As soon as the waitress stepped away, Elle raised an eyebrow at Denton. “Now I know why you really come here.”

He chuckled and shook his head. “It’s not like that.”

Elle wasn’t so sure about that. He was good-looking, charismatic and had a smile that could win over anyone. He probably left a long line of broken hearts wherever he went.

It was a good thing Mark Denton wasn’t her type.

Okay, he was totally her type, but what she wanted and needed were two different things. They had to be, for the sake of her emotional well-being.

She laced her hands together on the table and locked her gaze with Denton. “So, you know a lot about me now. How about you? How long have you worked for Eyes?”

“Four years.” He leaned back, an arm casually draped across the top of the booth. “I met the company’s founder when we were both SEALs. I went on to work for the CIA. When Jack decided to open his own paramilitary operation, he asked me to join his efforts. I did, and, as they say, the rest is history.”

“Sounds like quite the operation you guys have going.”

“Never a dull moment.”

“You must like that kind of life. Full of adventures, taking risks, dodging trouble.”

He grinned. “I’m not James Bond, if that’s what you’re implying, nor do I aspire to be.” He shrugged. “I think what we do is important. I think I’m good at what I do. So it’s a nice marriage of sorts.”

Yeah, Elle had seen his type before. Been engaged to his type before, even. Risk-takers weren’t her match, that was for sure. She needed the safe type, the type who were happy with what they had and not always looking for the next rush of adrenaline.

The waitress set a seafood platter in front of Denton and some broiled flounder by Elle. She lifted a quick prayer before unrolling her silverware. She looked up and noticed Denton studying her.

“What?”

“I knew there was something different about you.”

“Because I pray?”

“Yeah, because you pray. In public. When you don’t have to. I like that.”

She raised her fork. “My family grew up only going to church on holidays. But when my sister was kidnapped, my world was turned upside down. I knew I had to trust in a higher being or I’d never find any true hope in this world. The more I studied the Bible, the more I realized that I really believed in God with all my heart—not only because I wanted Him to answer my prayers. I wanted to know Him more because of what He did for me on the cross.” She wiped her mouth. “How about you?”

“I was kind of wild for a long time. A party boy, some might say. But after I met my wife, she taught me that there was a lot more to life.”

Elle blanched. “Your wife?” Elle hadn’t seen him as the marrying type, much less as the
married
type. How had she missed that?

“She passed away two years ago.” Elle didn’t miss the shadow that fell over his gaze. He’d loved her, and Elle knew all his pain hadn’t subsided. Did it ever when you lost a loved one? “I’m sorry. I had no idea you were married.”

“Why do you sound so surprised?”

She shook her head, flustered for showing her emotions so easily. “I just...I just didn’t expect that.”

“I don’t seem like the marrying type?”

“Honestly? Not exactly.”

He shrugged. “I’ll take being married any day to being single.”

Elle paused from eating, leaning back slightly so she could soak in the answer to her next question. “Really? What was so great about it?”

“Those were the happiest days of my life. Even with our ups and downs—and we had them—marrying Wendi was the best thing I’ve ever done.” His words sounded sincere, honest and down-to-earth.

Elle’s heart thudded. She’d lost hope in having her own
happy ever after,
of finding a good man who believed in forever. She cleared her throat. “That’s sweet.”

“I mean it.” Denton’s gaze was unwavering and grounded.

Elle’s throat burned with some strange emotion she couldn’t identify. “I believe you. I just wish I had that much confidence.”

Denton put down his fork and straightened, his eyes narrowed. “Funny, because you seem like the marrying type.”

In an effort to retain her composure, she took another bite of her food. The fish was cooked to perfection, she had to admit. Too bad they weren’t talking about the food anymore. She swallowed and wiped her mouth, noticing that Denton still waited for her response. “I haven’t seen that many examples of happy marriages.”

“That’s a shame.”

She had to change the subject and find a way to not talk about herself. “What happened with your wife, if you don’t mind me asking?”

He shrugged. “It’s okay. She’s in a better place now and isn’t suffering anymore.” He paused a moment. “She had brain cancer. We tried everything—surgery, chemo, radiation. Nothing helped. They were all just temporary fixes, I suppose. The last couple weeks before she died were the worst.”

Elle’s throat burned still. “I can’t imagine what that would have been like. I’m so sorry.”

“Being married makes you grow up fast. But having a spouse with a terminal illness really shows you what you’re made of. I’m glad I was able to be there with her. It was another reason why I wanted to work for Eyes. The flexibility of my schedule let me stay home with her when she needed me.”

“How long were you married?”

“Five years. Not long enough.” He leaned forward. “You ever been married?”

She shook her head, probably a little too hard. “No. I came close, but thankfully I saw the light, so to speak.”

“About your fiancé or about marriage in general?”

She shrugged. “Maybe both.” Her cell beeped and she picked it up, saw that Bentley was calling. “Saved by the cell.” She smiled before answering. Her smile quickly faded as her father’s chief-of-staff came on the line.

“Elle, we have a problem. A big problem.”

Her back muscles instantly tightened. “What’s going on?”

“Someone hacked into our server again. This time they sent out a letter to everyone on our donation list.”

“What did it say?”

“Nothing. It was a picture of your father.”

“What kind of picture?” She held her breath as she waited for his response.

“A picture of your father with another woman.”

Elle closed her eyes. “What do you mean exactly?”

“You’re going to want to see it for yourself. The press is going to have a field day with this.”

Elle stood, ignoring how she jarred the table and made everything rattle with the action. She grabbed her purse and began scrambling through her wallet for cash. “I’ve got to get back to the house and start doing some damage control.”

Denton appeared at her side, back in bodyguard mode. “What was that phone call about?”

Where was all of her cash? “Someone sent out an email to our campaign subscriber list of my father with another woman.”

Denton’s hand went over hers. She couldn’t deny that jolt that rushed through her at his touch. “I’ve got the meal covered. Tell me about the email. You think it’s the same person who sent you the threatening email yesterday?”

She paused long enough to close her purse and pull it over her shoulder. “Makes sense to me. I thought our IT guys had fixed whatever problem that allowed them to do it in the first place. Apparently not.”

Denton threw some bills on the table while still keeping in stride with Elle. She reached the front door and swung it open.

Denton stepped in front of her. “Wait. I know you’re upset, but we still need to take precautions.”