ToServeAndProtect (34 page)

Robert’s heavy breath echoed in her ear. “This ends
our association.” The connection severed.

Trembling rocked her body. Her heart raced and eerie
tingles made the hairs on her arms stand on end. She stared at the receiver
unsure of what to do.

Dustin would know. Tension knotted her neck, and her
vision blurred from the tears in her eyes. She dialed his cell phone.

“Elliot’s dead,” she blurted when he answered. “I just
got a call from Robert Marino.”

“I’m almost home.”

And he was. A few minutes later, he stormed into the
kitchen, tossing her mail on the table. She rushed into his arms. “I never
expected to hear that voice again.” She pulled back and met his stare. “The
only way Robert could know about the wedding is if he and his brothers were
still watching me.”

“You don’t have to worry, Mickey. I’ll protect you.”

“I know.” She stepped back. “What if it isn’t over?
Robert didn’t say anything about Roslyn.”

“I don’t know. I’m going to make a few phone calls and
do a little browsing on the web. We have to find out what happened to Elliot
and Roslyn.”

Web surfing was a good idea. There was just one
problem. “Remember, the Marinos stole my computer.”

“Shit.” He took out his cell and dialed Tyson. “I need
a favor.”

McKenna flipped through the stack of mail on the
counter. A hand written letter was addressed to McKenna Pearce, she tore it
open. She glanced at Dustin. He still spoke with Tyson.

Inside was a clipping from a Mexican newspaper. She
didn’t read Spanish, but she didn’t have to. She was looking at an article with
a picture showing a man being pulled from a watery grave. The car had obviously
gone off the rocky cliff in the background of the photo.

“Dustin.” Her hand shook as she handed him the paper.

“I’m not about to get on the bad side of Robert
Marino,” he said to Tyson on the phone. “Hold on.” He gave his attention to
McKenna. “What is it?” He took the newspaper article. “Shit.” He studied the
picture. “Tyson, Mickey received a newspaper clipping. We need to get it to the
FBI.”

A few minutes later, he hung up the phone. He paced
across the kitchen floor. “It’s over. Tyson will come for the letter.” He
glanced at the newspaper again. “Clearly Elliot’s dead.”

“What if he staged his death again?”

“This is the work of Robert Marino.” He braced his
arms on opposite walls at the threshold of the hallway.

“And what about Roslyn?”

“As long as she’s somewhere out there, our leads to
your past aren’t dead. We won’t stop looking.”

She smiled. “I hadn’t thought of that.” Panic clamped
around her neck. “They married. Wouldn’t all of his life insurance, the house,
and all his assets become hers?”

“She wouldn’t be allowed to profit from her crimes.
We’d need to talk to Albert, but this nightmare is over.”

McKenna approached and slipped her arms around his neck.
“After all we’ve been though, I’m just glad it’s over.”

He brushed her bangs from her eyes. “This is where we
live happily ever after.”

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