No One to Trust (Hidden Identity Book #1): A Novel (16 page)

“You guys all right back there?” Chase asked.

David opened his eyes. “Yeah. You?” Chase had a nasty cut above his right brow that some medical personnel had butterflied shut.

“I’ll live. I was getting ready to get on the elevator when the bomb went off. A piece of the ceiling slammed into me. Just gotta learn to duck a little faster.”

Adam said, “I think it’s time to hand over the laptop, don’t you?”

David let out a snort. “My only piece of insurance? Not a chance.”

“You still don’t trust us?”

David didn’t answer for a moment as he thought about the question. He said, “I think I trust you. I don’t necessarily trust the program.”

“We haven’t lost a witness since the inception of WITSEC in the seventies. At least no one who followed the rules.”

“I’m not very good at following rules.” He paused. “And there’s a first time for everything. Unfortunately.”

Adam and Chase fell silent. David had trusted Mike and Mike trusted Adam and Chase. They were good men. At least they seemed to be.

When Adam pulled into the parking lot of the next hotel, David gritted his teeth. They took their security measures and within minutes the five of them were in the presidential suite shedding the bulletproof vests.

“I’m hungry,” Marlee announced.

“We’ll get room service.” David glanced at his watch. A little after 1:30.

“I’ll call.” Marlee picked up the phone. “I know what Summer likes, what about the rest of you guys?”

Her friendliness made him blink. And wonder what she was up to. But he gave her his order. Adam and Chase did the same.

David palmed the phone in his pocket as a plan formed.

Alessandro Raimondi was proud of his family. He was proud of the long line of crime that he came from. And he was proud of the fact that if his hired help couldn’t tie up loose ends, he wasn’t afraid to step in and do the dirty work himself. Something his grandfather had passed on to his father and his father to him. Raimondi had taught his three boys well, but had bowed to his wife’s wishes to keep his daughter out of the business. And to have David—

“Yes sir? May I help you?”

“I’m here to see one of your prisoners.” He gave the woman the name. She motioned him through. Raimondi stepped through the metal detector, suffered a wand search, and left all of his belongings behind. Including the fake ID. He pressed the mustache harder onto his upper lip and blinked at the grittiness caused by the colored contacts he’d acquired for this occasion. He didn’t want his face on camera. He sure didn’t want anyone knowing he was meeting with this particular prisoner.

Knowing the meeting would be videotaped, Raimondi thought carefully how he would word his questions. He just hoped the man he was meeting with would play it cool.

Raimondi followed the guard into the private meeting area
he’d requested and sat at the table to wait. Seconds later, the door clanged open.

He turned and smiled. “Hello, Sam.”

Sam squinted. “Do I know you?”

“Have a seat.”

Sam sat slowly. The guard stood by the door.

“You’ve aged,” Raimondi said.

“Prison does that to a person.”

“Watching your back, huh?”

Sam’s eyes widened as recognition finally hit him. Raimondi lifted a finger to his lips. The guard shifted and took a step toward the table. Raimondi leaned back and crossed his arms. The guard relaxed. Sam’s gaze flicked to the door and back to Raimondi. He took a deep breath, then mimicked Raimondi’s position. “What brings you here?”

Raimondi offered a careless shrug. “Just thought I’d visit an old friend.”

Sam licked his lips and Raimondi gave a slight smile. He relished Sam’s uneasiness, knew the man was wondering if this was going to be his last day alive.

Raimondi took great pleasure in knowing he could answer that question with a confident “yes.”

Summer gripped her notes on Olivia’s case. Not that she needed them. She had the flash drive with several videos. One of which would probably be the most condemning piece of evidence against Silas Todd. She almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Hiring a private investigator had paid off big-time. Silas had an ego the size of his wallet. He thought he was invincible. Fortunately his extreme arrogance would be his downfall.

The courthouse came into view and David tensed beside her. Adam and Chase were silent. Summer caught sight of a number of
police officers. Her heartbeat slowed a fraction as she realized the marshals had arranged for extra security. Of course they would. And of course David had insisted on coming with her. Something everyone had argued against to no avail.

Uncertainty gripped her. Was she doing the right thing? Refusing to back off the case and let someone else handle it?

No. None of this was Olivia’s fault. If Summer handed her off to someone else, Olivia and her girls would suffer. Besides, it was too late now. At least Marlee had agreed to stay put with two marshals guarding her.

The car pulled up to the door at the back of the building. Summer climbed out after David and let them usher her straight into the building. The door slammed shut behind her and she jumped.

Chase patted her on the back. “It’s all right.”

She nodded and let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The Kevlar vest felt heavy and bulky and she wanted it off. David took her hand, and together, they walked toward the conference room. The first room they entered resembled a waiting area. Olivia’s girls sat on a love seat. They held hands and stared at the adults with eyes too old. Too weary. Summer went to them and hugged one, then the other. The girls squeezed her neck and Summer breathed in their sweet clean scent.

“It’s going to be okay,” she whispered. “I don’t know how, but it will. God does answer prayers. Remember that no matter what happens today. Promise me.”

Sandy merely nodded against her. Laura said, “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Summer’s heart ached. She remembered feeling exactly the same way. “I’m praying you see it. Soon.”

Judge Reed Morton came out of the conference room and greeted them. “No trouble?”

“Not a bit,” David said.

“You’ll have to wait out here.” He looked at the marshals and
the two police officers already there for the hearing. “Looks like we have the security we need.”

Chase nodded. “We’ve got more around the building and snipers on the roof of the bank across the street.”

The judge had been updated as to the risk, but when he realized the level of security surrounding David and Summer, he agreed to continue the hearing. “Then let’s get this done.”

Summer shot a glance at David. He was making funny faces at the girls. Sandy smiled behind her hand. Laura rolled her eyes. A pang shot through her. He was a good man.

Wasn’t he?

She stepped into the room and immediately focused on the occupants, thoughts of her own personal problems tossed to the back burner.

Olivia Todd sat at one end of the long table. Her husband, Silas, sat at the other. He glared. Olivia stared at her lap.

“Hey,” Summer said and touched Olivia’s shoulder.

She looked up and relief flared like a blow torch. Summer gave her a reassuring smile and took her place beside the woman. The judge sat at the end of the table next to Silas’s attorney.

Introductions were made and Judge Morton started by saying, “We’re here to determine custody arrangements for the minors, Laura Denise and Sandra Rene Todd.”

David’s heart went out to the little girls who sat across from him. A woman the little one had called Aunt Lily squeezed in between them when she’d come out of the restroom. “They’ve already started?” she asked.

“Yes, I believe so.”

She nodded and held out her hand. “I’m Lily St. James.”

David shook it. “David Hackett.”

Lily slipped an arm around Sandy’s shoulders. The little girl leaned into her and winced.

“What’s wrong?” Lily asked.

“Nothing. My ribs still hurt sometimes when I move wrong.”

David’s hands curled into fists. He met Laura’s eyes. She looked down at his hands, then back up and gave him a grim smile. “Yeah,” she whispered. “Me too.”

Her perception shocked him.

Chase peered out the window that had been covered in anticipation of David and Summer’s arrival. He spoke and his words were carried into the small earpiece he had in his ear to whoever was listening. To Adam he said, “We’re all clear so far.”

So far.

He glanced back at the girls. Laura had gotten up to pace in front of the closed door. Every so often she would shoot an anxious look at it. He wished he had a way to make the child feel better, but figured he might make things worse.

She pulled out an iPhone and fiddled with it for several minutes.

“Are you playing a game?”

She looked up at him. “Something like that.”

“You want my seat? I don’t mind standing.”

She eyed the couch. “There’s a seat over there. I don’t need yours.” She must have felt guilty for her abrupt words because she added, “But thanks, though.”

“Sure.” Maybe he should just shut up. Men were probably not her favorite people.

She studied him a moment longer, then went back to the phone. More pacing.

A yell came from behind the closed door and David leapt to his feet. Laura jumped back and then froze, her back against the wall. Sandy buried her face in her aunt’s shoulder, then started coughing.

Chase placed a hand on his weapon and moved toward the room.
David beat him to it. Stepping to the side, he twisted the knob and pushed the door open. Chase stood on the opposite side.

“Everything all right in there?” David called.

Summer came to the door, her tense face and haunted eyes reaching right into David’s heart. This case was especially hard for her. “We’re fine. Silas is a little uptight, but I think the two officers in the room with us can handle it.”

Chase and David nodded. She shut the door.

Sandy looked up from her aunt’s shoulder. Her hitching breaths worried David. “She okay?”

The woman nodded and pulled an inhaler from her bag. Sandy took it and used it like a pro. Lily stared at the door with a look of pure hate on her face. David hoped the woman didn’t own any weapons or Silas Todd would be in danger of serious harm.

She blinked, shuddered, and sighed. Running a hand over Sandy’s hair, she looked at David. “Anxiety-induced asthma.”

He nodded. “Maybe she won’t need that anymore after today.”

Lily’s shoulders relaxed a fraction. “That’s the prayer.”

Laura had been following the conversation. David watched the girl take a deep breath and give a quick nod as though in answer to a question she’d just asked herself. She moved from the wall and walked to the door to rap her knuckles against the wood.

A knock on the door startled them. Silas swung his glare from his wife to the door. The knob turned and Laura Todd stepped into the room.

Olivia jumped up. “Honey, what are you doing? You’re supposed to be waiting outside.”

Her small hand trembled, but she notched her chin. “I want to talk to the judge.”

“But you’ve already—”

“No, I mean again.”

Summer glanced at the judge, who leaned forward with a frown. “Young lady, this is a very serious meeting we’re having here and you’re interrupting.”

She met him frown for frown. “And it’s my future that you’re meeting about so I think I should have a say in it.”

“I gave you that chance. You didn’t have a whole lot to say.”

“Well, I was scared of you before.”

“And now you’re not?”

“Oh I’m still scared of you, but I’m more scared of my daddy, so may I please talk to you?”

Olivia gasped. Then silence echoed around the room. Silas’s
face grew red. He stood. “Laura, you need to stop this nonsense and wait outside. Now.”

Laura looked at him. “No. Not until I talk to the judge. I hate you and I want him to know why.”

“Laura—” Silas’s voice took on a menacing edge that had his lawyer placing a hand on the man’s forearm. Silas took a deep breath and settled back into his seat.

Laura asked the judge, “Are you going to make us have to see him?”

The judge sighed. “Honey, I have two daughters.” He pointed to Silas. “A father who would fight so hard to keep custody of his girls deserves to see them.”

Tears filled Laura’s eyes. “Even when he screams at them that he hates them and tells them that he wishes they were never born? Even when he gets drunk and hits them?” she whispered.

“I object.” Silas’s lawyer leaned forward. “Judge, this is irrelevant. You’ve already talked to the children.”

“Shut up,” Judge Morton said.

The lawyer snapped his lips shut, then started to say something else.

Judge Morton nailed him. “You want me to hold you in contempt?”

The man stayed quiet, speaking volumes of displeasure with his body language. The judge turned and shot a ferocious frown at Silas.

Silas slammed a fist on the table. “Laura, why are you doing this? I’ve never laid a finger on you.”

Summer thought Silas’s blood pressure might just cause him to stroke out and save them all a lot of grief.

The little girl trembled and stepped closer to her mother. Olivia reached out to hold her daughter’s hand.

Judge Morton asked, “Why didn’t you mention any of this when you had the chance to tell me earlier today?”

“I couldn’t get my tongue to work. I was scared.” She swallowed hard. “But I have to do this for Sandy.”

“Your little sister.”

Laura nodded. “My dad doesn’t hit me, but he hits her. He even put her in the hospital with a punctured lung.”

“Laura, that’s a lie,” Silas growled. “Now shut your mouth.”

“It’s not a lie and I have proof.” She dug into her pocket and pulled out an iPhone.

Olivia lifted a brow. “Where did you get that?”

“It’s Claudia’s. She let me take it home one day after school.” She swallowed hard. “The day Daddy hurt Sandy so bad.” She tapped the screen. “We were playing with it. Sandy was recording me singing and stuff. Then Daddy came home. He was mad because Mom hadn’t started making dinner yet. But she was sick and didn’t feel good. She was throwing up and everything, and Daddy wasn’t supposed to be home until the next day anyway. He got home early.”

Olivia didn’t make a sound. Tears slipped silently down her cheeks.

Judge Morton leaned back in his chair. “Go on.”

With a glare at her father, Laura tapped a few more times, then handed the phone to the judge. “Sandy left the phone recording. Press Play.”

“I object,” Silas’s lawyer said. “We haven’t had the chance to review this.”

“Neither have we,” Summer snapped.

“Be quiet, both of you.”

He stared at Laura, who stood trembling, everything about her shouting her desire to flee and her determination to be brave and make the adults in the room listen to her.

“Press Play. Please, sir.”

The judge did.

A child’s singing, girls giggling echoed through the room.

Then a door slammed. Curses rent the air.

Silas jumped up once again. “Shut it off!”

“Sit down,” the judge roared.

The officers moved toward Silas as he started around the table. His lawyer stopped him. “Sit.”

“The video was rigged.”

From the phone, Silas’s voice echoed, “Where’s your mother? Where’s that lazy, lying, no good—”

“I’m here, Silas,” Olivia’s weak voice answered.

“So this is what happens when I’m gone? You haven’t even started dinner?” He called her a few more names.

A whimper. “I’ll start now, Silas. I’m sorry. I’ll start now.”

“Leave her alone!” The young girl’s voice echoed through the room. Sandy, the younger child.

“Sandy, no!” An older girl’s voice. Laura.

Heavy footsteps. Then a sharp crack. A gasping cry of pain. “Talk back to me, will you? Guess it’s time to teach you some manners.”

What followed was too horrible to listen to. Summer wanted to cover her ears. She didn’t. She listened and swallowed the ever-present nausea churning in her stomach, flinching at Sandy’s high-pitched screams and Laura’s cries for him to stop.

Summer wanted to rail at the man who’d done this to his family, a man who could beat a child. She glanced at the judge. Even he looked horrified.

Olivia wept silently. Silas sat still and glared at them all. And even though she trembled, Laura glared right back.

Judge Morton broke the silence. “Full custody granted to Olivia Todd.” He looked at Silas. “No visitation until you get the help you obviously need.” He looked at the two officers near the door. “Take him into custody. Charge him with child abuse. I’m not sure on how many counts, but it’ll be enough to put him away for a while.”

Laura burst into tears and raced around the table to fling herself into the judge’s arms. “Thank you.”

Judge Morton looked stunned and gave her back an awkward pat. He held her away and looked into her eyes. “No one is going to hurt you anymore.” He guided her to her mother. Olivia held her and stroked her hair as Laura closed her eyes and wept.

Silas bolted to his feet with a roar. “No! You can’t do this!” He rushed toward his wife. “You’re dead!”

The nearest officer slammed into Silas, tackling him to the floor. He whipped his hands behind his back. “And you’re under arrest.”

Summer sat, stunned by the abrupt end to the ordeal. As the officers led a protesting Silas down the hall, Olivia lifted her gaze. The judge cleared his throat and Laura grinned at her mother through her tears. “I didn’t believe her, but Summer was right, Mom. God sometimes answers prayers in a big way.”

David and Summer, flanked by Adam and Chase, walked toward the exit. David squeezed her hand. “You did it.”

Summer took a deep breath. “Yeah, well, I think I’ll give God and Laura the credit for this one.”

“Silas was not a happy man.”

“Nope.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m better. I’m so glad I was here.” She looked at him. “You understand why I had to put my life on the line to be here?”

“Oh yeah. I understand.”

She nodded and they continued their trek through the courthouse flanked by the two marshals.

“I don’t think I’m mad at God anymore,” she said. He lifted a brow and she shrugged. “Remember in the car I was so furious with you? You had said something like I didn’t deserve what you’d done?”

Wary, he eyed her. “Yeah.”

“I’m glad God doesn’t always give us what we deserve. We deserve to be miserable creatures for as long as we’re on this earth, and yet he delivers us from evil time and time again.”

“And uses children to do it sometimes.”

“Exactly. Laura will always know that she was a hero today.”

“So were you.”

She gave a half laugh.

A pop sounded and Chase dropped.

“Gun!” Adam yelled as he shoved David toward the nearest door. The stairs. Chaos erupted inside the courthouse.

“Chase!” David resisted.

Adam gave him another hard push. “I’ll take care of him. You’re the priority. Now go!”

David grabbed Summer and pulled her with him into the stairwell. A bullet slammed into the door just above his head. He shoved the door closed and guided Summer halfway down the steps. “Stop here.”

Shivering, shaking, she obeyed without a sound. David had his weapon in his hand, ready to use it. The stairwell door opened once again and he lifted the gun.

Adam stumbled through it. “Go, go, go. The car’s coming around.”

He spoke into his mic. David kept a tight grip on Summer’s hand as he descended to the basement floor.

“Who was able to get a gun in here?” David demanded. Security had been so tight.

His question went unanswered as they burst through the basement door. Three black SUVs sat waiting, engines running. Adam opened the door to the middle vehicle and Summer climbed in. David followed her. Bennie sat at the wheel.

Adam said, “Get them out of here.”

“What about you?” Summer finally spoke.

“I’m making sure no one’s following you. Bennie will take care
of you. You’ve got marshals in front of you and marshals behind you. See you soon.” He shut the door.

The first vehicle took off with a squeal of tires. Bennie was right after him. The third vehicle stayed close behind.

They exited the parking garage into the sunlight. David squinted. The SUV in front of them peeled off around a corner. Bennie went straight. He turned to see the vehicle behind them go in yet a third direction. At least they knew what they were doing. If anyone was trying to follow, they’d have to guess which vehicle David and Summer were in. Hopefully they would guess wrong.

David watched the mirrors. No sign they were being followed. He leaned his head back and closed his eyes for a brief moment. Summer sat silent beside him.

The car jerked to the right and David slammed into the door. “Hey!”

Bennie put the vehicle in Park and turned. “Sorry about that.”

“What are you doing?”

Bennie lifted his left hand and David found himself staring into the barrel of a Glock 40.