Entangling: Book One of the Kirin Lane Series

by Kelley Griffin

  From the squeals echoing down the hall when she got to work and took her sweater off, they must’ve noticed.

  When their patient load thinned, Laura, Stacy, and Kirin met in the break room and Kirin explained everything except his real reason for popping the question so quick. She told them she loved him. They’d get married in about a year but hadn’t settled on a time or a place. Stacy looked shocked and Laura was so excited she bounced up and down. She wanted to help plan it.

  “Absolutely,” Kirin said with a smile. Laura squealed and hugged her. “I’m so happy for you! He sounds amazing.”

  Laura’s chipper attitude always gave her confidence as if she’d made the right decision. Stacy grabbed both their hands and squeezed. “Leave it to Kirin to find Mr. Perfect in a flash and live happily ever after.”

  Not quite.

  On their next break, Stacy called her brother. She left him another message with Kirin’s cell, so he could call her back directly.

  ~*~

  Aunt Kathy and Uncle Dean sat together on the deck, drinking cold beers and laughing at Little Jack. His rendition of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ theme song was his go-to for a crowd these days. The sun sank over the top of the trees as Kirin handed a plate of patted burgers to Sam who manned the grill.

  She’d hoped to get her Aunt Kathy alone and show her the picture her father had included in the envelope.

  After dinner, Uncle Dean, Sam, and the boys went out back for flashlight tag. Kirin and Aunt Kathy retreated with their dessert coffees to the front room. As soon as they sat, Kirin pulled out the picture and handed it to her aunt.

  “Who are these people in this picture?” Aunt Kathy grabbed her glasses out of her purse and sat back down, slow. Her eyes scanned the faces.

  “Oh my,” she whispered, “where on earth did you get this, Kirin?”

  “An old box of my dad’s junk the attorney brought to me,” she lied.

  Aunt Kathy stared at the picture for a long time. Probably deciding what to tell Kirin and what not to.

  When she couldn’t take the silence any longer, Kirin said, “Well?”

  “Well, dear, this was your baptism. We are in front of the steps at Sacred Heart Cathedral right after the service. Of course, holding you in the front is your mom and dad.”

  “I know those people!” Kirin blurted out like an impatient twelve-year-old. She silently chided herself. Clearing her throat, she added, “I was more interested in the other people. That’s you and Uncle Dean to the left of my parents, right?”

  “Uh huh,” Kathy muttered still staring at the picture.

  Kirin bit back a smile, “Nice bell bottoms. And holy cow, what happened to your hair?” She giggled, elbowing her aunt.

  “I was stylish!” Kathy laughed and elbowed back.

  “So, who are the other four people? That looks like Uncle Shane, but who is that next to him?”

  Kathy sighed, “That was the girl we hoped he’d end up marrying. She was so sweet and smart. But no, he ended up as a playboy. Marrying a drunk girl in Vegas, then getting an annulment.” Now she sounded like Kirin’s mom.

  “All right, what about the last two people?” Kirin pointed. Those were the two she couldn’t place.

  “Ah. That’s your dad’s sister Margaret, or Maggie as we called her back then. Don’t you remember her, Kirin? No? Well, you probably wouldn’t. She passed away when you were little. She was … different. We thought she had mental issues. She dated the toad next to her.”

  Aunt Kathy’s nose crinkled up. “None of us could stand him, especially your dad. Never knew what she saw in him. But, your dad tolerated him because Maggie was so in love. He was okay, I guess, just possessive. And money hungry. He carried a chip on his shoulder—little man syndrome. His only redeeming quality was that he adored Maggie and worshipped the ground she walked on.”

  She turned. “They were your godparents, Kirin. Maggie and her boyfriend. Oh, what was his name? It’ll come to me. Give me a minute.”

  She closed her eyes to think and Kirin pulled the picture from her hands to stare at the couple. The more she stared at the woman, the more she looked familiar. The woman was thin with long beautiful brown hair and a flowy sundress on and wait… Kirin put her face right next to the picture.

  She had rings on her toes.

  Kirin jumped straight up and off the couch as if she’d been shot out of a gun. Holy Crap—this was the lady in the Galaxy 10 store downtown. She was sure of it.

  Because of her sudden revelation, her aunt toppled head-first off the couch.

  “Kirin! What’s wrong?” She yelped, picking herself up off the floor.

  “Oh, sorry… I remembered the pie, that’s all!”

  “Dear Jesus, girl!” she held her heart, “You should maybe consider a warning to others before you set your mind to doing something!”

  “Sorry.” Kirin took her aunt by the elbow. “You okay?”

  “Fine dear, just startled.” She chuckled and stared at the picture again, trying to remember the man’s name.

  Kirin trotted into the kitchen to put the pie in the oven as the boys came running in. Two laughing, grass-stained, and sweaty adults trailed behind them, playfully arguing.

  “Kirin, Little Jack is as fast as lightning! You should consider putting him on a track team.” Sam laughed.

  Dean ribbed him, “Sam’s only mad because Jack smoked him every time he tried to catch him!”

  “I wouldn’t be talking, old man,” Sam said to Dean, “you couldn’t catch Will and he walked!”

  Lord, they were at it again. Those two had bonded like brothers in such a short time.

  Sam walked over and hoisted Kirin up, kissing her. His eyes danced. She remembered how he’d described his nonexistent family growing up. The more time he spent with hers, the more he opened his heart and let them inside.

  Later, as they dove into their pie, Kirin cleared her throat, “What happened to my Aunt Margaret—er Maggie?” She caught the twitch in Uncle Dean’s eye at the mention of her name.

  “Well,” Aunt Kathy began slow, “it’s not a pleasant story, Kirin. Maggie was a wonderful girl, passionate, creative and always talking to herself. She was an avid photographer who went nowhere without her camera. Boy she had an eye for a good picture.

  “Toward the end of her young life, we all thought she might have been schizophrenic. She became paranoid that someone was out to hurt her. She wasn’t dangerous, mind you, just looney. It was odd, she was normal one day and then she changed.” Aunt Kathy stared off into the distance as if she remembered Maggie, then shook her head.

  “We never figured out what happened to her. But for all her drama and craziness, her overbearing boyfriend never left her side. He did everything for her. He ignored his family and friends. He wouldn’t leave Maggie. Lord, he was crazy for her.

  “There came a time where she needed to be hospitalized, but her doctor wanted her to travel to Ohio to seek out a specialist. She’d stayed a month for treatment and nobody, not even the boyfriend, had access to her.

  “While there, she fell from a second story window. She was pronounced dead on the spot. We were all devastated, especially your dad. The boyfriend moved away. He was heart-broken. But your dad was happy to see him go.

  “Maggie was cremated soon after, and they had a small service for her here in town. Her urn was sent to your Uncle Shane.”

  They all sat in silence eating their pie.

  “I’m sorry dear. Somehow, I assumed you knew about her, but, how could you?”

  The pie was put away and the laughter died down. Little Jack yawned and rubbed his eyes. After kisses and hugs from everyone, Sam jogged up the steps carrying Little Jack on his back with Will at his heels. Aunt Kathy and Uncle Dean headed out the door toward their car while Kirin walked toward the kitchen to start the dishwasher.

  The front door swung back open. Kathy ran back inside panting.

  “Kirin!”

  Kirin ran into the hallw
ay, “What? What’s wrong?”

  “Saul.” She said out of breath, “That was Maggie’s boyfriend’s name, it was Saul. Dean reminded me. He’d be your Godfather, wherever he is now.”

  She kissed Kirin’s cheek beaming, proud of herself for remembering, then turned to run back to the car, shutting the front door behind her.

  A stunned silence hung in the air. She was thankful Sam was upstairs. Or did he already know this? She wasn’t sure, but it was all clicking into place. Saul had dated her Aunt Maggie, and she’d bet her last dollar her father helped fake her death to get him to leave.

  Then Saul must have come back trying to convince her dad to join his club. When he refused, Saul had her mother killed. What a heartless son of a bitch. Now, she better understood the character of her opponent.

  New plan.

  Wednesday, when she got out of work at noon, she’d head downtown for a quick visit to her Aunt Maggie. Maybe even take the boys with her. If she truly was Kirin’s aunt, she’d be able to coax more information out of her about Saul and how to defeat him.

  After prayers with the boys, Sam sat on Kirin’s bed talking, while Kirin folded a warm load of laundry.

  “You know,” he said as he stretched out on her bed propping his head with his elbow, “the night I brought you home from the bar, I had to stop myself from sleeping next to you after you passed out.”

  Kirin froze. She’d have flipped out if she’d woken up with a man she barely knew next to her.

  Sam pointed at her. “Yep. See, that’s the reaction I was afraid of.”

  Kirin folded again, smiling. “You know, in the drunken state I was in and as handsome as you looked and smelled, I’m surprised I didn’t try to kiss you. I told you, I’m a terrible drunk. I wouldn’t have had the brain power to follow through, though.”

  “I would’ve taken the kiss,” he whispered. “I did give you a peck on the forehead while I covered you up. That was the first time you told me you loved me.”

  “What? I did not!” Kirin’s lips turned up automatically as her mouth gaped open.

  “Yes, you did. Afterward, I convinced myself you were probably dreaming about Jack, instead of me.”

  Kirin stopped folding again and stared at him.

  “Sam.” She took a long breath. “I loved my husband with all of his quirks. But I think, at that point, I knew. I knew you’d left a mark on my heart.” She got quiet for a moment, then added, “And as hard as it was to let anyone in, I knew you’d walk over fire for me. I felt it.”

  Sam stared at her as she put the last of the folded clothes back in the basket, “Plus remember, I’d been stood up, so I was feeling a little sorry for myself, too.” Kirin narrowed her eyes pointedly.

  “You know,” Sam rolled to the edge of the bed, sat up and pulled her close, “the only reason I left you alone was fear. I figured if I loved you, they’d find out and take you from me.”

  Too late now, they already know.

  “I watched you sit in that restaurant and I decided it didn’t matter. I’d trade the rest of my life for a few weeks with you.”

  Kirin cupped his face with her hands and gently kissed him. He stood slowly from the bed, took her hand and walked her into the bathroom. Leaning past her, Sam started a bubble bath for her and lit a few candles around the room. He kissed her. A long, deep stirring kiss.

  “Goodnight,” he whispered, then shut the bathroom door.

  Kirin undressed and stepped gingerly into the steaming hot bath. Normally, she’d take her time, maybe even fall asleep, but something in his kiss made her hurry. She washed wondering if he’d still be there when she was finished. She listened for his truck engine to start outside.

  Kirin dried off and put on an oversized white V-neck T-shirt and shorts. She tiptoed out of the bathroom and scanned the room. He’d turned off the light, turned down the covers on her side and put the laundry basket on the floor. She stood for a moment, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness. He wasn’t there.

  She snuck downstairs and strolled to the front window to check if he was gone, but his red truck glistened in the moonlight. Sam crept up behind her and hugged her. It took all she had not to scream. She smacked him when she turned around and noticed a pillow-and-blanket bed made on the couch. She pointed at it.

  “What’s this?”

  “I didn’t want to drive home. I’m gonna sack out here on your couch. I’ll be gone before Rosa gets here. Is that okay?”

  “Absolutely not!” Kirin stepped back, hands squarely on her hips. Sam stammered, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

  “Oh. Okay. No problem. Let me clean this up and I’ll go.”

  He bent over, grabbed the blanket and folded it. Kirin snatched it from him and put it back in the closet while he tugged his jacket on. She couldn’t help but smile. He’d believed her.

  Before he could make it to the door, she turned him, grabbing both sides of his jacket and kissed him gently.

  “You’re not allowed to sleep on the couch, ever,” she said, smiling. “I’ve got plans to fall asleep in your arms.” Kirin took his hand and led him toward the stairs.

  “Woman,” he growled, a low chuckle rattling in his throat. Without warning, he picked her up and carried her up the steps and into her room, flinging her onto the bed.

  He strolled into the bathroom and got ready for bed. Kirin was already tucked under the covers waiting for him. It wasn’t human how warm he could be. He climbed in and she snuggled up next to him nestling her face into his neck. She’d be asleep in seconds. He made her feel so safe and so warm.

  But soon the memory of that last kiss hit her. She leaned up and kissed him. Within minutes, their bodies intertwined, and their clothes were scattered. This time was much easier. She didn’t know if it was the ring on her finger or the fact that she trusted him.

  In the morning, as promised, he was gone. Not sure how he did it, but she woke to six red roses on the pillow next to her. She smiled all morning.

  Driving to work, her phone rang with an unknown number. Not again.

  “Hello?”

  “Kirin?” The low voice on the other end bellowed, “Steve Withrow, Stacy’s brother.”

  “Steve! How are you?” Without giving him time to answer, she added, “Thank you so much for calling me back!”

  “No problem,” he said. “So, what’s this I hear about you needing some advice on how to trap someone?” His voice was serious.

  She’d met Steve years ago when Stacy and Kirin were in nursing school. He was a house of a man, intimidating, with an inability to fail. The overachiever of the family, while Stacy was the divorced, single mom who barely made it out of nursing school without a rap sheet for her partying.

  Steve was the straight-A student, valedictorian of his class, college class president, with a master’s degree in criminal law. He was a former police officer turned TBI agent and now FBI agent. They used to joke he’d be president someday, but only to make Stacy look bad.

  Kirin nervously laughed, then carefully replied, “Well not exactly to trap someone, but I need to know what type of evidence could convict someone and put them away for life if, let’s say, they ordered others to be killed?”

  “And this is for a novel you’re writing, correct?”

  “Yes,” she answered cheerfully.

  “Hypothetically, of course,” he cleared his throat, “you’d need concrete proof he ordered the killings. You’d also want credible witnesses, ones who saw the events firsthand or a heard a confession. Hearsay or someone telling you the story doesn’t work. You need something tangible to convict.”

  This was what she needed. So, if she could push Saul to admit he’d ordered people killed, she could help convict him, then pray the justice system didn’t let her down. Still too many unknowns, but it was all she had.

  “So, if my main character recorded a conversation, could I … I mean could she send it to the local police department, or would it be better to take it to the FBI?�
��

  He paused then responded, “I’d say both. That way all her bases were covered. But there’s a caveat to it in Tennessee law. It’s illegal to record someone unless at least one of the parties speaking knows he or she is being recorded. For instance, if you and I were having a conversation, I could record it because I’m part of the conversation. But if you and Stacy were having a conversation, I couldn’t record it and use it against you two because neither of you knew you were being recorded. Does that make sense?”

  “Sure,” she said, “Cool. Hey, thanks so much for taking the time to talk with me, I appreciate your help.”

  “Not at all, Kirin, my pleasure. Oh, and Kirin?”

  “Yes?”

  “I was sorry to learn of your father’s death.”

  “Oh, thanks.”

  “Save this number in your phone, it’s my cell. Call if I can help with anything, okay?”

  “Sure. Thanks again, Steve.”

  Kirin hung up and stared into the distance. She got her answer. She’d need to converse with Saul herself for the evidence to become admissible. Something inside of her knew he was exactly the type of man who’d come after her children. She’d have to anger and push him hard enough to get a confession on camera.

  She had no choice but to end this. Even if it meant the murder she recorded was her own.

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  When Kirin arrived home from work Tuesday, Laura’s husband Adam had run the wire for the two new indoor/outdoor cameras. Kirin checked, and they were on schedule to arrive on Wednesday. He’d wired one in the corner of the living room where it would be partially hidden next to a picture. The other one would be placed up high on the front porch.

  Both cameras would connect to her cell, the family computer and the one in the panic room. She’d be able to remotely hit record even if she wasn’t home. These panoramic cameras would capture both video and audio and send the file to all her devices.