Daring Hearts: Fearless Fourteen Boxed Set

by Box Set

  “I’ll take it.”

  “We should go see the priest again.” Ellie bent over in her chair, her elbows on her knees. “He’s faking it after all. We can get more information.”

  Kate hadn’t thought of that. “What more could he tell us?”

  “Why your mom disappeared.”

  “You think?” Kate thought for a minute. “No. We’d never get him alone. On top of that, the receptionist is a Marconi. Aren’t they the ones keeping Cremashci there?”

  “Actually,” Ellie broke in. “I think the mafia bosses were getting too close to what he was really doing and he’s faking Alzheimers to avoid them killing him. If that receptionist saw us again, then something really bad might happen.”

  “You have a point there.”

  “I could go,” Colby said.

  Mrs. Lambert broke in. “I think it would be more believable that an older person would go and see him. An older devotee.”

  “Yes. We’ll go together,” Mr. Lambert said.

  “No. I don’t want to get you two involved. I’m okay with the FBI thing because I think you two are more believable than a seventeen-year-old girl, but no one is going to see that priest. He was way too freaked out.”

  “If we hope to get any information from the FBI, I think we better get going,” Mr. Lambert said. “I want you kids to stay here. This is the mafia we’re talking about. Let’s allow the FBI to take the lead. Don’t go anywhere. You hear me?”

  They all nodded, but Kate’s nod was not sincere.

  After the door shut behind them, Kate noticed Ellie had been biting her lip, her tell-tale sign that she was thinking hard. “What are you thinking about, Ellie?”

  “Nothing. I got nothing.”

  “I might have a way to uncover information about my birth mom. I’m not excited or comfortable with it, though.”

  “What is it? Maybe we can make you excited about it.” Colby flashed his dashing smile.

  “Vincenzo Bellini, the one who might be my father—he claims he keeps that painting of my mom in his office to remind him to stay away from a pretty face, but I think he keeps it because he still loves my mother. And Duran said he doesn’t like people in his office when he’s not there.” She laid it all out for them slowly, though she already had the plan all figured out. She wanted to give them a chance to catch up. “I bet he has information on my mom in there. It’s only a hunch, but I’d bet just about anything that I’m right.”

  “And you’re going to use Duran to get into the office,” Ellie said, smirking.

  Kate did have an in with Duran, a connection she had been willing to exploit earlier, but now her conscience poked at her. Did she really want to use him? He was such a nice guy, it seemed the wrong thing to do. Maybe she could simply ask him to help her. He obviously cared about her. Maybe if she laid everything on the line with him, he’d be more than happy to help her out. Then again, the way he talked about the Bellinis and family made her think she couldn’t count on that happening. And from the movies she’d seen about the mafia and how they treated traitors, she couldn’t stand to think of putting him in that much danger. No. She’d get the keycard from him this afternoon after he got off work, and she’d sneak in sometime after they closed for the night and before the early shift came in. She’d find a way to give it back to him before his next shift. He wouldn’t even know she’d used the card.

  “I can get his keycard and sneak into Vinny’s office. Hopefully, I’ll find what I need in there.”

  “Get in and get right back out,” Colby said.

  “I will,” Kate said. She definitely wouldn’t be hanging out in there longer than she needed to.

  “I mean it. In fact, I’m going with you,” Colby added, a resolute look on his face.

  “Me, too,” Ellie said, putting her arm through Kate’s as if that made her declaration stronger.

  Kate shook her head. “No. Too many cooks in the kitchen. I’ve been there, I know the layout of the place, you don’t.”

  “I don’t like it.” Ellie scratched her neck.

  “We don’t have to go in with you,” Colby said. “We’ll be your lookouts.”

  That plan did have merit. “All right. Let’s do it.” Kate sat back in her chair and sighed, the thought of finding her birth mom filling her with sweet anticipation.

  20

  With the help of key hotel staff members and a delivery bay, the three conspirators snuck out of the hotel. It was quite amazing what the Lambert’s good money could buy in the service sector. The night manager dropped them off five blocks from the hotel, and a cab carried them away. Kate, Colby, and Ellie were going to the beach and shopping near Bellini’s Bagels to wait for Duran to finish his shift. Ellie tried on a bunch of different clothes and bought several things. Kate tried a few things on, but she couldn’t spend any money; she needed what little she had left to get her around town.

  Duran was about to be off work. She said good-bye to Ellie and Colby, hailed a cab, and texted Duran on the drive toward Bellini Bagels. I’m heading your way. I hope you meant it when you said you wanted to hang out.

  He didn’t answer right away, and doubts entered her mind. Maybe Duran didn’t feel about her what she thought. Maybe he seemed like a nice guy and really wasn’t. She didn’t stop the cabbie from continuing to drive her to Bellini’s. She had to hold on to hope.

  At exactly 6:31 that afternoon, he texted her. She should have known that he wouldn’t text on the job. He would have to be on break or be off in order to answer her. He was a boy scout, and she couldn’t deny that she found that very attractive. It wouldn’t be easy to get that keycard. It occurred to her that she couldn’t let him go home. What if he left his keycard there? For her plan to work, Duran had to have his keycard on him, otherwise she wouldn’t be able to take it.

  I did mean it, but I really should shower and change. She’d seen that coming.

  Didn’t I see a shower inside the shop? You could shower and put the clothes you were wearing this morning back on. She added a smiley face.

  If it gives me more time with you, then I guess I’m game, but no funny comments about my wrinkly clothes.

  My lips are sealed. As she typed it, his lips popped into her mind. She didn’t want to feel anything for this boy. She only wanted friendship, and she wasn’t sure even that would be a possibility after tonight. She sighed and closed her eyes. This had to be done.

  I’ll be waiting next door in a cab, she sent.

  You could come in and have a bagel.

  No thanks. Just ate.

  I’ll hurry.

  No rush. In truth, she wanted him to be super fast. The ache in her chest continued to grow the longer she had to wait.

  She texted Ellie and Colby with an update. As soon as Duran came out, he rushed to the car. It had only been fifteen minutes, and Duran looked like he’d taken his time getting ready. She opened the cab door and got out. A smile stretched over his face, making him more attractive still. He had his duffle over his right shoulder. He hugged her. They climbed back in together. The cab smelled like fake lemons, almost like the scent of pledge. The cabbie wore a headscarf and had a little gray, fraying mustache.

  Duran had the driver take them to a carnival nearby. The smell of cotton candy, sweat, and hot dogs with relish filled the air. They stopped by a clown who was blowing up balloons and creating various things out of them. He made Kate a heart with a small monkey hanging in the middle of it on a swing.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it. It’s so elaborate.”

  “Me, neither. Awesome.” She loved it when he said awesome, his accent was super cute. At this point, she only needed to wait until it was dark outside. She’d concentrate on moving slowly through the carnival to drag out the experience as long as she could. They rode a few rides and slid down the huge slides. Fun, but she was ready to relax a bit.

  “I think we need to do some serious people watching.” Kate led Duran to a bench, and they watched and talked about th
e people they saw. The laughing was the best. When the sun moved from behind the tree and started to cook them, they got up and got a snow cone. She hadn’t had the chance to fish for his keycard yet, but had seen it in his wallet when he’d paid for the boat ride they were about to take.

  They played a few more games, and he won a few prizes. Kate won a real fish and gave it to a little boy, who oohed and ahhed over it.

  The park lights lit up once twilight set in. The smells of popcorn and fried sugar floated on the air. It wasn’t cold, but chilly. She shivered. He gave her his hoodie out of his duffle, and she happily put it on. It was time for her to make her move. It was already eight-thirty. They stopped to play a car game, where the prizes were super fun and big. With purpose, she crashed her car, which ended her game. Duran was determined to win her the big prize, though, and she knew it was time to ask for what she needed. “I hate to ask, but I’m thirsty. Could I get a drink?” She felt like an idiot asking for money, but was certain it was the only way to get that card. He was nearing the end of the course and would most likely win if he kept going.

  “Sure. Grab my wallet from my back pocket.”

  “You’re so close. I’ve got a feeling I’m going home with that awesome bear tonight.”

  “Yes. Yes you are.” He kept his eyes steady on his car.

  She had to concentrate on not trembling when taking his wallet. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.” As she paid for the drinks, she slipped the keycard out and put it in her pocket. It was time to break away. She texted Ellie that she needed her to give her an excuse to leave in about twenty minutes, that she had the card. She put the sound on her phone. When she got back to the spot she’d left Duran, he was standing there with the big bear she’d pretended to want. Her heart tripped, and she had to work hard not to stop walking toward him. Could he be a better guy?

  She forced herself to smile and pick up the pace to get to him. “I can’t believe you actually won it! You’re too good to me.” She handed him his drink, and he handed her the big bear which she almost couldn’t hold while holding her drink. She laughed and carried the bear to a table and set it down.

  “Do you even have space in your room for that thing?” he asked.

  “I guess I’m going to have to find room.”

  He had a self-satisfied look on his face. “Let’s get some pictures with it.” They set it in different places and took funny and ridiculous pictures. “Find some cute kid to give it to before you get on the plane.”

  “Thank you. I sure wish I could take it back to Texas with me.” She said it with a sincerity she had to dig deep for, not because she wasn’t thankful, but because her guilt was making her feel disingenuous.

  “I love seeing you smile.” His eyes sparkled and fell to her lips. She panicked and took a sip of her drink through her straw. He pulled back and drank from his. “What is this?”

  “A rodeo.”

  “And what might be in a rodeo?”

  “Coke, Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, and Mountain Dew. The combination will make you spin for a while and then leave you on your butt. Do you like it?”

  “Now that I know what’s in it, it makes me wonder why I liked it.”

  “Never met a guy who didn’t like a rodeo.” He drank more and so did she. “You ever been to a rodeo?”

  “Yeah. You?” They sat down on a nearby bench under a lamp that lit the area now that it was dark.

  “Four or five. They’re pretty interesting.”

  “I’ve never really understood why someone would want to be in a rodeo or watch one for that matter.”

  “That’s because you’re a city-slicker. Once you go to one and get it all explained to you, you gain a new appreciation for it.”

  He pressed his lips together and nodded. “Sounds like someone’s going to be taking me to the next rodeo.”

  “It’s a plan.” That would have been fun to do. Too bad she’d be in Texas, and he’d be in New Jersey when the next one rolled around.

  He took her hand. A fuzzy zing sailed through her and her breath caught. “I’ve had a lot of fun today. I really love hanging out with you.”

  “I love hanging out with you, too,” she blurted without thinking it through. His thumb moved over her hand, and an aura of seriousness settled over them. Her heart raced as his head moved closer to hers. He moved so slowly, she held her breath. “I’d like to kiss you,” he whispered into her ear, “but this hardly seems the right place.”

  She was surprised at the want she felt. She wanted to kiss him. But he was supposed to stay in the friend zone. This was not acceptable.

  “If we were in the right place, would you like to kiss me?” His nose brushed hers and she closed her eyes. At the moment, the answer was yes, but if he kissed her any time soon, things would get way too hard for them. Her eyes popped open as he rested his cheek on hers.

  “Right place. Right time. I’m in.” She would have to make sure there was no right time or place.

  He pulled back. “We’re going to have to make that happen.” Her phone rang. She reached for it and stood up to take the call.

  “Oh, okay. Sure. I’ll be right there.” She gave Duran a sad look and hung up. “Looks like I’ve got to go.” She called a cab before he could protest.

  “Good thing I showered at the shop. But even doing that didn’t give me enough time with you.”

  “Sorry. I know.”

  “I work the early shift tomorrow anyway. An early night will be good for me even though I don’t want it to be.”

  “Do you always find the silver lining of everything?” Most of Kate wanted to step back and tell him everything and enlist him to help her. She couldn’t imagine him refusing, but the videos and his own words about the importance of family sticking together made her hold back.

  “If you lived my life, you’d learn to, that’s for sure. Are you still fighting with Ellie?”

  She shook her head. “No. Thank heaven.”

  The cab pulled up. “We’ll take you home first,” Kate said.

  “No. You go. I’ll catch the train. That bear’s gonna take up the whole back seat.”

  “Thanks again,” she said. He opened the door for her and she climbed in. He brought the bear to the other side and shoved it in. It took up a good two-thirds of the back seat.

  She waved as they drove away, a sick feeling invading her. When she picked both Colby and Ellie up near the boardwalk, they gave the bear to a little girl sitting with her dad on a bench eating hot dogs. The two teen Lamberts carried a bunch of bags the driver put in the trunk. Ellie pulled out a receipt and wrote some instructions on it. When the driver got back in the car, she handed him a fifty dollar bill and the note. “Take our bags to the front desk of the Seaside Hotel with this note. Say nothing. If you follow the instructions exactly, you will have another fifty waiting for you.

  He nodded. “You got it. Where to now?”

  Ellie pretended to look at some note in her hand and told him the address. It was two blocks south of the bagel shop. They pulled out into traffic.

  Ellie stood watch across the street from the front of the store, and Colby stood outside the alley, the only passage leading to the back door. Kate hugged Colby to help calm her nerves before walking down it. She’d seen the store was dark and empty as they passed the front windows. Only one sparse light illuminated the area near the cash register. She pulled Colby’s hoodie over her head and tightened the drawstrings slightly before swiping the card and pulling on the handle. The door opened without a problem, and she rushed inside. She popped on the flashlight and hurried to the office, praying it was open. The door was shut and a moment of fear raced through her. She rolled her eyes. If that door was locked, all the sneaking around had been for nothing. The knob turned when she tried it, and she sighed in relief. It didn’t seem like Vinny cared that people went in his office. It’d been wide open the other day, and he kept it unlocked.

  She thought about flipping the light on, but it scared her too much. Wi
th the hoodie still in place, she opened the file cabinets and pulled each file out, taking a quick glance at the contents. Nothing. All the files were personnel or financial records. She turned to the desk and pulled out the drawers. Her jaw dropped when she opened the bottom folder. Her mom’s face looked out at her. A big red x crossed over her face and the word snitch was written in cursive just under her chin. A smaller picture fell from the file onto the floor. Her fingers scrambled for purchase. When she finally retrieved it, she took a quick breath in. It was her as a child, maybe two or three years old. A red x crossed her face. She looked up at the man holding the child’s hand. Vinny.

  21

  Her hands shook, and the file and all its contents fell to the desk. All the evidence was falling together nicely to fit her hypothesis. Her birth mom had to have worked for the FBI, and she’d been discovered. It made it all easier to deal with. Had her birth mom escaped? She sat hard in the soft office chair, the leather, squeaking as she did. So Vinny was her father after all. Why had he lied? Losing sense of all time, she sat, motionless in the chair. Male voices startled her back into reality. She stood and peeked out the office door. Men stood at the back entrance, using a keycard to go through one of the doors that she’d never seen behind. The tall men looked serious, mean. They all went into the room and as far as she could tell, the door shut behind them. She looked at her phone. No warning from her lookouts.

  Then a text came through, from Ellie. Mom and dad texted us, said they’re leaving the FBI field office now. We’re going to run back to the house and pretend you’re sleeping so we don’t get busted, then we’ll sneak back out. Don’t let anything happen while we’re gone.

  Kate shook her head. She wasn’t sure if she should be grateful or mad. Kate rubbed at her chin and sighed. She was alone on this one, and this one might find her caught red handed. She grabbed up the entire folder and stuffed it under Duran’s hoodie. She went straight for the front door. There wasn’t a key swipe dock. She looked around and found nothing. The door had several keyed locks, and she could see where they crossed the divide and held the door in place. The front door was a no go. She also noticed the alarm running to it. She felt the folder shifting under the hoodie, about to fall out. She shoved it into her waistband to help secure it.