Light from Her Mirror (Mirrors Don't Lie Book 3)

by Becki Willis

  He perched on the edge of the couch she indicated, as she settled into the nearby armchair. The Captain arched one eyebrow and made a sage observation. “Must be the same thing that’s ailing Ranger Kaczmarek. Never seen him this bad before.”

  Kenzie sighed, feeling the weight of guilt press upon her shoulders. She could not help but feel responsible for their break-up, even though Makenna assured her the blame was not hers to bear; she had been fully aware of the consequences when she agreed to accompany her sister to New Hampshire. “Let’s hope it’s a fleeting thing,” she muttered.

  With a simple clearing of his throat, Ranger Captain Ramirez was suddenly all business. “I wanted to tell you the latest before you heard it on the news. We have turned your files over to the Justice Department. The Attorney General is filing formal charges against all parties involved, including Joseph Mandarino.”

  She knew charges against her father were inevitable, but the words still stung. She nodded curtly, finding her throat oddly thick.

  “We will continue to provide protection for you and your sister until the charges are made public. Once the media gets wind of the news, the threat against you should be negligible. All parties involved in the scheme will be revealed, so trying to silence you should become a moot issue. It should also become apparent that you have no further information on the case or on the whereabouts of your father. However, just to be on the safe side, we will continue to offer surveillance until we feel reasonably certain that you and your sister are no longer in any sort of danger.”

  “I-I appreciate that.” Kenzie sat back with a dazed expression as the long-awaited news sunk in. After a long moment, she drew a deep breath and asked, “So it’s really over?”

  His hesitance was notable. “I’m not sure ‘over’ is the right word. In many ways, this is only the beginning. You do realize there will be numerous interviews, depositions, Congressional hearings, and public outcry, not to mention all the trials, and a deluge of reporters and media. They will probably camp out on your front lawn and shadow your every move.”

  Kenzie’s entire face scrunched in worry. “We-We hadn’t thought of that aspect.”

  “You will still need to be vigilant, Miss Reese. It may take a few days for the all the players in the game to realize they have nothing to gain by kidnapping or harming you or your sister. I don’t mean to frighten you, but you should know that the mafia may still try to do you harm.”

  “But… why? They were hoping to keep our father quiet, to keep him from revealing the information he had on them. If it’s all out in the open, why would they even be interested in us anymore? What could they hope to gain?”

  “I can tell you in one word. Revenge.”

  His words were cold and blunt. A shiver ran along Kenzie’s spine. “If that’s the case, we might always be in danger.”

  “I won’t lie to you. That is a possibility. But eventually, even the mafia has better things to do than play out an old grudge. We will do everything in our power to help speed that process along.”

  His words brought little comfort. Focusing on the positive, Kenzie asked, “So when do you think our bombshell will be dropped on the American people?”

  “I understand there is a press conference set for tomorrow afternoon at one.”

  Kenzie rubbed her arms as a sudden chill invaded her. “So this is really happening,” she mumbled. “The same day the convention starts. This whole fiasco my father created is about to be revealed.”

  “If it’s of any comfort, your names will be kept out of the initial announcements. As you know, there is very little information on your past and on your true identity as Tressa and Tamara Mandarino. Even the media will have no clue of your connection until the hearings and the depositions begin. I’m afraid there’s no way to keep your identity hidden after that point.”

  “Why do we even have to be involved? We had nothing to do with our father’s scheme!” she said indignantly.

  “You were the ones to uncover the truth. If not for you, we might never have known the truth behind the scam.”

  “It was our mother who documented the facts and left the information for me to find,” she murmured.

  “Yes, even though it incriminated her own husband. And herself, for that matter, as an accessory to crime. We are also looking into the possibility that your father was coerced into doing what he did. In order to exonerate him, however, we must find him.”

  Kenzie held her hands up in a gesture of innocence. “Believe me, I have no idea where the man is.”

  The uniformed man studied her for a long moment. With a slight nod, he finally said, “Ranger Merka assured me that was the case, but I needed to be certain.”

  “If you should find him, I have some questions of my own!” Namely, who was that woman who raised her? And what happened to her real mother? Kenzie almost brought the subject up to the Captain, thinking he might be able to help solve the mystery, but in the end, she remained silent. Enough details of her sordid past would be drug through the spotlight, enough shameful secrets revealed. This, the most sacred of her heartache, was one small piece she could keep to herself, at least for now.

  The Texas Ranger Captain stood from the couch, signaling the end of his visit. “Please, do not hesitate to call me if you need anything. If you think you are still in danger, if anything seems out of character or out of sorts, call immediately. It is better to be safe than sorry.” He handed her a business card with his personal information.

  “You sound like Hardin and Travis,” she said, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

  “If anything should happen to you or your sister, I know I will have to answer to those two. They are two of our best.” A smile teased the corners of his mouth and he leaned in to add a confidential note. “I wouldn’t want to be on either man’s bad side. They can be scary when riled up.”

  Kenzie laughed outright, understanding why both men spoke so highly of their commanding officer. She walked the Captain to the door and bid him farewell, but not before making a heartfelt plea.

  “Please, if you hear anything from Travis…” she begged him before he left.

  “You will be the first to know, Miss Reese,” he assured her.

  “Is-Is what he’s doing terribly dangerous?”

  He did not - could not - answer her directly, but his answer gave her comfort. “Lieutenant Merka is very good at what he does, Miss Reese,” he assured her with confidence.

  “Thank you,” she acknowledged softly. With a glance toward Makenna’s closed bedroom door, she added, “And if there’s anything…”

  He interrupted her with gentle reproach. “Things have a way of working themselves out, Miss Reese. Just give it time.”

  Kenzie gave a reluctant nod. “Thank you for stopping by, Sir. I appreciate the heads up.”

  “Good luck with the fall out, Miss Reese. Things may get rather hectic around here.” He tipped his cowboy hat and said in parting, “Give your sister my best.”

  ***

  The political convention was set to begin the next day, meaning Craven would be returning to Austin.

  Per their two-week hiatus - and because of Kenzie’s impromptu trip - they had not spoken since his last visit. After only a handful of brief text messages between them, Kenzie found herself missing her friend. A part of her was anxious to see the auburn-haired man, but another part of her, the part that knew she would soon be breaking his heart, dreaded his arrival. She had truly missed him, but only as a friend. Her decision would be a blow to him personally, but tomorrow’s bombshell would rock his professional world.

  Thoughts of Craven were pushed aside when she returned from her errands and found Makenna awake and milling around the kitchen.

  Seeing her sister with a skillet in her hand, Kenzie arched a skeptical brow. “You’re cooking?” she asked warily.

  “Don’t sound so frightened. My cooking isn’t that bad.” She poured a bowlful of whisked eggs into the too-hot skillet and winced at th
e telltale hiss and sizzle. Wrinkling her nose, she amended her claim. “I hope.”

  “Breakfast for supper? Yum. What can I do to help?”

  “Biscuits are in the oven and the bacon’s already done, but you can get the drinks.”

  Without having to ask, she poured milk for Makenna, orange juice for herself, and coffee for them both.

  “You’ll never guess who dropped by today,” Kenzie said as they sat down to eat. Seeing the hopeful look that sprang into her sister’s eyes, she immediately regretted her opening sentence. She placed a hand on Makenna’s trembling fingers and gently shook her head. “Captain Ramirez,” she told her.

  “Oh.” The one word held a sea of heartache.

  “Let me call him, Kenna,” she urged, not needing to clarify whom she was referring to. “It’s all my fault anyway.”

  “I wish you two would stop acting like I cannot think for myself!” Her green eyes flashed with indignation. “I knew exactly what I was doing when I lied to Hardin, first about being you, then about going on that cruise. I have no one to blame but myself.”

  “But if I hadn’t talked you into either situation…”

  “I’m a big girl, Kenzie, and I can think and act for myself. End of story.” Her voice brooked no argument. Buttering a flaky biscuit that her stomach was too queasy to eat, the action at least kept her hands busy. “What did the Captain want?”

  “To let us know that tomorrow afternoon at one, all hell is going to break loose.”

  Makenna sucked in her breath. “They’ve pressed charges?”

  “There will be a press conference tomorrow, with all the sordid details.”

  “So this thing is nearly over?”

  “Not necessarily. In many ways, Captain Ramirez says it is just beginning.” She told her sister about the Captain’s visit and the things he had discussed with her.

  Makenna bit on her lower lip. “I don’t think I ever considered all the consequences.”

  “Me, either, but what else could we do?” Kenzie sighed. “We had to tell the truth. We had to expose the scam, especially Bernard Franks and his partners in crime.”

  “Which included your father,” Makenna said softly. She corrected herself and said, “Our father.”

  Kenzie shoved a handful of dark curls off her face, even as she pushed her uneaten dinner aside. “The Captain said they were looking into the possibility that our father was coerced into his part of the scheme. He hinted that he might be exonerated.”

  “Do you think that’s a possibility?” Even Makenna could hear the hopefulness in her voice. The sound took both sisters by surprise.

  Kenzie shrugged. “I have no idea anymore. Maybe the Captain was just trying to trick me, thinking I was holding out on telling them where our father really is. Or maybe he has some reason to believe our father truly was forced into creating and carrying out the scam.” Her voice turned hard. Cold. “I don’t know and I don’t care. As far as I’m concerned, Joseph Mandarino deserves any and all punishment they can heap upon him. Even if he was forced into the scheme with Modern Power, no one forced him into lying to me all those years about our mother. If he ever surfaces again, he doesn’t have to worry about what the mafia might do. He needs to worry about what I might do.”

  Makenna reached for her sister’s hand. “Don’t say something you might regret.”

  “What I regret is not remembering my own mother. What I regret is the fifteen sad, loveless, miserable years I suffered, believing that woman was my mother!” Kenzie jumped up from the table and paced the narrow confines of the dining area, now fully agitated. “I regret many things, but wishing our father bodily harm is not one of them!”

  The sound of the doorbell was almost a welcomed relief. Kenzie stalked to the door and looked through the peephole, ready to turn away any unwanted guests or their ever-present security detail. She faltered when she saw Craven on the other side of the door. A confrontation with him was the last thing she needed right now.

  The smile on her face was forced as she gathered her courage and swung the door open.

  “Surprise.” His voice was low-key, as if he feared his unannounced appearance might not be welcomed.

  “You didn’t call,” she chastised immediately. “When did you get to town?”

  “Just got here.” He hung back in the hallway, but his hungry eyes took in the sight of her, telling her without words that he came here the moment his plane landed.

  “Come on in.” She waved him inside, suddenly nervous. “We were just eating. Would you care to join us?”

  “I don’t want to interrupt…” Ever the gentleman, he hesitated as he stepped over the threshold.

  The spicy cologne he always wore crowded around her senses and made her think of cinnamon rolls. Cinnamon rolls made her think of how close she had come to confusing physical attraction with love; she had thought herself a tiny bit in love with Craven, after all. But any thoughts of love made her think of Travis, and there was nothing tiny or halfway about her feelings for him. Thinking of Travis gave her courage.

  With a laugh, Kenzie pulled Craven further inside the apartment and assured him, “Believe me, any interruption is welcome. Makenna cooked.”

  From the dining area, her sister called, “I heard that!”

  “Maybe I could take you two ladies out for dinner,” he suggested gallantly.

  “Thanks anyway, but it’s been a pretty rough week. I don’t think either one of us is up to going out tonight.” In her own way, she was mourning her sister’s breakup, too. She was genuinely fond of Hardin and knew how happy he made her twin. The two of them not being together was just wrong.

  “Tomorrow night, perhaps?” he asked hopefully.

  Makenna came out of the dining room, spoke to Craven for a few moments, then excused herself before disappearing into her room. Drawing a deep breath of courage, Kenzie invited Craven to join her on the couch.

  “You didn’t comment about tomorrow night,” he noted when she settled at the edge of the sofa, a bit further away than she normally sat.

  “I don’t think tomorrow night’s going to be much better, either.” She was thinking about the press conference, but Craven misinterpreted.

  Stiffening beside her, his blue eyes turned murky. “You’ve had time to make a decision, I take it.”

  “This doesn’t have anything to do with us. I can’t go into the details, but after tomorrow, a lot of things are going to change.”

  His brow puckered. “I don’t follow.”

  “I know.” She heaved a deep sigh. “I shouldn’t have said anything, but I don’t want to see you blind-sided. I certainly don’t want to see you hurt. I think of you as a dear and trusted friend, Craven. I wish I could tell you more, but I shouldn’t have said this much. Just know that I’ll be here for you, if you need a friend.” She touched his hand, her eyes troubled.

  “I’m not sure what worries me more,” he said, brow still crinkled, “your ominous tone about tomorrow, or that dreaded use of the word ‘friend’. Neither bodes well, does it?”

  Before she could answer, the telephone rang. “I’m sorry, but I should get this,” she murmured. “I’m sure you could tell something was wrong with Makenna. She and Hardin broke up, and I know she doesn’t feel like answering the phone. Excuse me for a second.” She grabbed her phone and glanced at the caller I.D., not recognizing the number.

  “Hello?”

  “Hello, darlin’.”

  As Travis’s warm greeting filled her ear, relief flooded through her body. If he was calling, he was safe. Even as she jumped off the couch, she breathed his name. “Travis! Are you all right? Are you safe? Where are you?”

  His low chuckle seeped through her like sweet wine, turning her warm and making her tingle in all the best places. She forgot all about the other man sitting just a few feet away, his heart breaking at the undisguised love in her voice as she spoke to the Ranger.

  “One question at a time, darlin’, one question at a time. I�
��m fine, I’m safe, I’ve just got a second to spare. I’m calling from a gas station, so don’t try to call back. I just wanted to let you know things are going good here.”

  “I’ve been so worried about you!”

  “I’ve been worried about you, too. Are you behaving like I asked you to?”

  “Why?” she hedged. “What have you heard?” she asked suspiciously.

  “Nothing. I’m deep undercover. That’s why I’m asking.”

  “If I tell you the truth, we’ll just argue.” Before he could protest, she hurried on. “I just want to know when you’ll be through with this mission.”

  “I think we’re getting close. A few more days and I should have everything I need.”

  She closed her eyes with relief. “He hasn’t recognized you, then?”

  “If I tell you the truth, you’ll just worry.” He turned her words back on her, but there was a touch of warm humor in his voice.

  She gasped aloud. “How can you joke about this! If something should happen to you…” She shuddered, unable to complete the horrific thought.

  “Nothing’s going to happen to me, darlin’,” he assured her. “Look, I gotta go. I shouldn’t have risked calling you, but I promised I would try.”

  “Travis, are you in danger?” Her voice became shrill.

  “I’m fine, darlin’. I just called to say -” He hesitated, his voice filling with a rare uncertainty. He cleared his throat nervously, but she could hear the delicious warmth in his tone. His voice was low and thick with emotion as he finished somewhat awkwardly, “Heart and soul, darlin’. Heart and soul.”

  The unsaid words hung in the air between them deliciously, teasing Kenzie with their zest.

  “You, too, Travis,” she whispered. “Heart and soul.” She sniffed away a lonely tear before adding almost frantically, as if the words made all the difference between life and death, “Be safe!”

  “You, too, darlin’.”

  She held on to the phone long after he disconnected, savoring the sweet echo of his words. Heart and soul. So much more original and eloquent than ‘I love you’. Every bit as powerful.