No One to Trust (Hidden Identity Book #1): A Novel Read online

  “If the cops don’t do their jobs right, the judge can’t hold them.”

  “I know, I just don’t have to like it.”

  “From what I’ve heard and read, he’s a stand-up guy. Former military, got the nickname Steamroller as a criminal lawyer.” Adam shrugged. “He’s one of the best, isn’t he?”

  “So it would appear.”

  “Then it’s a good thing he’s got this case.”

  “Right.”

  Adam sighed. “Look, I know you and Summer are having a rough patch right now, but …”

  He stopped and David looked at him, curious as to what the man had to say. “Go on.”

  “I mean, I know it’s not my business and we don’t even know each other that well …”

  “Will you just spit it out?”

  Adam gave a low chuckle. “Yeah.” He rubbed his chin. “Summer seems like a fine woman. A good one. She’s strong and obviously has a temper. She’s also smart and I …” He shrugged. “I hate to see you two give up on a good thing.”

  “I have no intention of giving up,” David retorted.

  “Good, good. Because family is everything, you know?”

  David studied this man who now stood before him. He had a feeling in a different time, a different place, they would have been good friends. “No, I don’t know that. I’ve never had much of a family, but this last year with Summer has shown me what I’ve been missing.” He ran a hand through his hair and felt the tug on his ribs. “I’m not giving up on her. Ever.”

  “Good.”

  David shifted and then stopped trying to get more comfortable. It wasn’t going to happen. “Just out of curiosity, how did Mike get Summer to agree to go with him?”

  Adam grimaced. “He told her a little lie.”

  Oh great. Another lie. “What was that?”

  “He said she had to go with him because his car was parked in front of your house and Raimondi had already run the plates and found out he was a cop.”

  “Ah. Summer should know better. If Raimondi had someone run the plates, the marshals would have been all over that. And Mike’s information would never have come back he was law enforcement.”

  “Summer was a little shook up at the time. When she’s thinking more clearly, she’ll figure it out.” Adam shrugged. “Mike was doing what he had to do to keep her safe, saying what he had to say. Maybe she’ll appreciate that one day.”

  “We’ll see.” He figured another lie would just send Summer deeper into her pit of anger. Not a happy thought.

  “What’s on that laptop that’s so important anyway?” Adam asked.

  David studied the man. “Pictures.”

  “What kind?”

  “The kind my buddy Sam used for blackmail. The kind someone didn’t want released to the media.”

  Adam narrowed his eyes. “Who are the pictures of?”

  “I don’t know. I have a vague description of the man, but other than that, his face has been blurred out.”

  “What’s he look like?”

  David shrugged, then winced. “He’s an older man, I think. Either that or he’s prematurely gray. And really, it’s not even gray. He’s got a shock of pure white hair that stands out on his forehead right here.” David showed him on his own head. “And then there’s a tattoo.”

  “A tattoo? Of what?”

  “A snake. On his left bicep.”

  “So he should be pretty easy to identify if those pictures got out.”

  “Oh yeah.”

  Adam rubbed a hand down his face. “What were the pictures of?”

  “He was meeting with mob boss Alessandro Raimondi.”

  “I see.”

  “So, depending on who he is, he may not want people to know he’s in cahoots with Raimondi.”

  “That’s for sure.” Adam gave him an easy slap on the shoulder. It still hurt. “I’ll leave you alone. You need to rest if you can. Tomorrow’s going to be a long day.”

  He left and for the next fifteen minutes, David watched the news and felt his eyes grow heavy in spite of the constant throbbing in his ribs, the shooting pain in the left side of his face, and the gnawing hunger in his belly.

  He closed his eyes.

  A scuffle outside his window sent his eyes wide. His muscles tensed and yet he didn’t move. Didn’t hardly breathe as all of his special forces training shot to the surface and sent his senses on high alert. He glanced at the clock. He’d been asleep about an hour.

  He moved off the bed, ignored the aches and pains screaming at him, and pulled on the jeans he’d tossed over the chair.

  David wrapped his fingers around the grip of the Glock and slipped next to the window. The house had an alarm system, but they wouldn’t care about that. Once they were in, the distracting noise might even work in their favor. For most attackers. Fortunately for David, he knew how the game was played. At the edge of the window, he tried to see around the blinds and couldn’t.

  With one finger, he dipped the blade just enough to see out.

  His blood went cold.

  Three shadowy figures, barely illuminated by the half-moon, moved like eels through the darkness, gliding, writhing up to the front of the house, then dividing, one going to the east side, the other toward the west. The third one slithered up to the front door.

  David moved as fast as his injured body would allow. In the hall, he nearly ran into Adam, who had just come from the den.

  “They’re here,” Adam whispered. “Backup’s on the way.”

  “I’ll get Summer.” David slipped into her room, grateful she hadn’t locked the door.

  She lay still beneath the covers, earbuds still in her ears, iPod on the pillow beside her. She slept in her usual spread-eagle position that normally had him hugging the side of the bed. He rubbed her silky shoulder and she jerked into a sitting position, her hair whipping into his face. He breathed her familiar scent and wished he had time to linger, kiss the side of her neck like he did almost every time he had to wake her …

  Sleep fled from her gaze and anger blazed. Before she could lambaste him, he said, “They’ve found us, we’ve got to go.”

  The anger faded as his words registered. Without a word, she threw off the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed to grab the clothes she’d tossed on the floor. He swallowed hard and looked away, his sense of loss nearly smothering him. How he loved her …

  “How much time do we have?” she asked as she stuffed the iPod in her purse and slung it over her shoulder.

  Tamping down his feelings, he grabbed desperately for the wall he used to have no trouble erecting when he didn’t want to feel something. With Summer, it never seemed to work. “None.”

  “Then let’s go.” He could hear the fear behind her attempt to sound brave.

  “Not so fast. Wait on the marshals. Get your vest on, now.”

  “We’re here.” Chase Tollison had his weapon ready. Adam was on the phone right behind him.

  “How’d they find us?” Summer asked as she snapped the last button on the vest.

  David shook his head. “Don’t know. We’ll worry about that later after we’re safe.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “Good question.” David clasped her chilled fingers and pulled her after him. Adam led the way. Chase pulled up the rear. “What’s the plan?”

  “Get to the car and go from there.” His fingers pressed the earpiece tighter into his ear. “One’s on the roof.”

  “There are three of them,” David said. “I saw them approach and split up.”

  Adam grunted. “They don’t know who they’re tangling with. Head toward the back door.”

  “The back?” Summer asked.

  “There are three vehicles. One parked at each exit,” David murmured. “Safest way out right now is the back.”

  Summer nodded and scooted up behind him, her fingers tightening on his. He hated that it took danger to get her this close. But this was the route he’d chosen. Now he need
ed to focus on traveling it.

  Sirens sounded in the distance.

  Then the home alarm started blaring. A gunshot rang and David ducked, pulling Summer down with him to the floor. He rolled and huddled over her, trying to discern where the shot came from. She shoved against him and he grunted with the sharp pain that sliced through his ribs, but he refused to move.

  Adam stood next to them, crouched, weapon aimed down the hall behind them.

  “The car, David, to the car,” Mike yelled over the ear-shattering noise. He turned from the den window.

  David rose. Pain traveled through him, but he pulled Summer to her feet.

  Chase motioned to the back door as a bullet pierced the window next to Mike. Mike ducked and swore, then dared another glance through the broken window. “Backup’s here.” Into his radio, he said, “Don’t shoot. Repeat. Don’t shoot. We’re still inside. Hold your fire.”

  David hoped they listened. After staying alive and outwitting Raimondi this long, he had no desire to die by friendly fire. Summer ran a hand through her hair, her eyes darting from one marshal to the next. Then to the door.

  He squeezed her fingers. “Hold tight, babe.”

  A shadow moved from the living room, lifted his weapon. David lunged to the left with Summer, Adam lifted his gun and fired. The figure grunted and spun back into the dark of the room he’d come from.

  “Go!” Adam pointed to the door as he raced toward the man he’d just shot.

  Mike herded them toward the exit while Chase brought up the rear.

  As Mike reached for the knob, the door burst in.

  David shoved Summer down and spun, arm outstretched, the heel of his palm connecting with a chin. The man howled as his jaw snapped. With a swipe of his foot, David clipped the surprised attacker’s legs out from under him. Chase came from the left and tackled him the rest of the way to the floor.

  13

  Summer rolled away from the tangle of bodies. Her heart beat in her throat as she lived this nightmare David had dropped her into. Scrambling back, she watched the fight unfold. David clipped the man on the chin again and the mask slipped. Adam brought the grip of his weapon down to crack against the attacker’s head. His pained cries cut off and he dropped like a rock.

  David’s white face said he was in pain. His granite expression said he didn’t care. She hoped his vest had provided some protection to his battered ribs. He held a hand to his side and moved away as Chase came from the living room to give a nod of satisfaction at the unconscious man on the floor. “Two down. One to go.”

  “Where is he?” Adam asked.

  “Dunno.” Chase’s gaze darted around the room.

  Summer found herself doing the same, probing the shadows and scanning the doorways.

  “Let’s get them out of here before he puts in an appearance,” Mike said as he took the lead and exited the house. Summer heard the car door open. “Come on. Come on. Stay low and move fast.”

  Summer knew the words were for her benefit. Without asking, she knew David had done this before.

  She slid into the vehicle followed by David, then Mike. Adam took the wheel. “Where’s Chase?”

  “He’ll stay behind and clean up the mess, then meet up with us later.”

  Summer clasped her hands between her knees and closed her eyes. She wondered what time it was, then nearly laughed. Did it matter? She also wondered if the crazy feeling inside was hysteria. Probably. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Felt David’s arm slide around her shoulders. More than anything, she wanted to lean on his strength and shut out the fact someone wanted to hurt her. So they could hurt her husband.

  Husband …

  Summer stiffened as the car pulled away and fell in line behind the other two identical vehicles. “Are we even married?” she whispered.

  David froze, his arm tightened. She pulled away to look into the eyes that had captivated her from the moment she’d seen them at the bank. She’d been talking to the teller and elbowed her purse off the counter. Items had scattered. David had helped her clean them up and she’d been unable to take her eyes from him. When he’d asked for her phone number, she’d been giddy with disbelief. And joy.

  “Yes, we’re married,” he said.

  “How? You signed a fake name.”

  “No. It’s my real name now. A whole new identity compliments of WITSEC that makes my signature legal.”

  She swallowed hard. So, at least she was really married to him. She wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “You could have faked it. You didn’t have to go to all that trouble. I never would have known and after the trial you could have walked away a free man, no strings attached.” She couldn’t help the bitterness.

  His eyes narrowed. “I could have.” He paused. “I didn’t want to.”

  Four simple words that carried a huge punch. A small piece of her reveled in the knowledge that he would go to all that trouble to make sure they were legally married. Another part of her was furious that he’d trapped her in a lie, one that would take time and money to dissolve.

  If she really wanted to go that route.

  But what else could she do? He’d lied to her.

  The one thing she’d told him she could never forgive. And it wasn’t just that he’d lied, but he’d done so with absolute conviction shining in his eyes. She shuddered, wondering what else he’d lied about.

  He was going to tell you, she argued with herself.

  But he didn’t.

  But he really married you when he didn’t have to.

  Might have been better if he hadn’t.

  Then she could have walked away.

  Right. She pulled her iPod from her purse and shoved the earbuds into her ears. Jupiter Wind’s lead singer crooned in her ear, reassuring her that God was with her, telling her what hope looked like. When the next song came on, she couldn’t help the humorless smile that curved her lips. How appropriate. She sang along silently.

  I’m walking on a tightrope

  And my feet are slipping.

  I’m about to lose control

  I’m hanging on a thin wire.

  And my hands are sliding

  And I’m crashing to the ground.

  When the chorus came on, she made it her prayer.

  I know you’re gonna save me

  ’Cause I know you’ll never let me go.

  Summer heaved a sigh. He’d said, “I didn’t want to.”

  And those four little words did more for her heart than she wanted to admit.

  14

  SATURDAY

  7:30 A.M.

  “What’s on the laptop?”

  David spun to find Summer standing in the doorway to the bedroom of the second safe house. He winced at the fast movement, his bruised ribs protesting.

  She wasn’t smiling, but at least her ferocious glare had faded to a hard-eyed stare.

  “Everything’s really on the flash drive, but you can’t access the flash drive with just any computer. The flash drive is a special one used by organizations like the Department of Defense.”

  “Nice that the bad guys have access to the same equipment.”

  David shrugged. “You can buy them online. On the flash drive is everything you can imagine. Information, pictures, dates, money transactions, all linking Raimondi to numerous illegal activities. Stuff Raimondi doesn’t want falling into law enforcement hands.”

  “And you stole it.”

  He sighed, glanced around the room, and wondered if it was bugged. Finally he nodded toward the bed. “Sit.”

  She did so. Grudgingly.

  Arms crossed, she kept her gaze glued on him. The distrust there pierced like a flaming arrow.

  “I’m sorry I lied to you.”

  “I am too, Ky—David.” She rubbed a hand over her eyes. “That’s going to take some getting used to.”

  Did that mean she was going to be around to get used to it? Hope flared, then dimmed when the distrust stayed firmly planted on her face. He si
ghed. “Summer, I—”

  “Who are you?”

  He looked away, then back. “I’m a man who made a mess of his life and only by the grace of God was able to attempt to do something to restore it.”

  She blinked. “By stealing a laptop from the Mafia?” She sighed and closed her eyes. “Oh David.”

  “I had to. Summer, I was working as a CI for the FBI.”

  She stared at him. “A confidential informant?”

  David ran a hand over his bruised ribs. “To make a long story short, I was in the Army. Special Forces. But I was also part owner in a business. It was what I did when I wasn’t on assignment and it provided a good income. When I got home after a long eight-month assignment in Afghanistan, my partner had apparently decided to get into some illegal activities with organized crime using our business as a front while I was gone.”

  She winced. “How did you find out about it?”

  “The FBI approached me. At first I didn’t believe it, but the seed of doubt was there. I asked them to give me a week to snoop around and see what I could find out.”

  “What did you find?”

  “Enough to convince me they were telling the truth. Sam was involved with the Mafia and he was using our business just the way the FBI said he was.”

  “So you started working with them.”

  “Yeah, but they weren’t real interested in Sam. They wanted the big guy. Raimondi. In the first six months, I managed to gain access to his private residence. I planted listening devices, copied whatever I could from whatever computer I came across. But Raimondi is paranoid careful. He never says much over his office phone, he doesn’t keep anything on his personal computer, and his staff is extremely loyal because Raimondi treats them like equals.”

  “Sounds like a stand-up guy,” she muttered.

  “Then it came to my attention that Sam was going to frame me for murder.”

  Summer paled. “Murder?”

  He nodded. “That business partner I told you about? Sam Gilroy. He killed a man and it was recorded on his laptop.”

  “Then how would he frame you for the murder?”

  “Simple. He didn’t know he recorded it, but I did. He was working on a video presentation when Carl Hyatt came in and threatened to go to the building inspector about some substandard materials Sam was using. Sam couldn’t let that happen, because if the business was flagged and shut down for an investigation, Raimondi’s business would come to a halt. As would all the nice money Sam was pocketing.