Deadly Vows

by Shirlee McCoy

  “No problem, but have the nurse close the window shades before Ms. Jarrod enters the room,” Jackson responded, and the surgeon nodded.

  “I’ll let her know. The last thing we want is another gunshot wound to treat. I’ll be around for a while longer just in case there’s post-op bleeding, but if I don’t see you before I leave, I’ll check in with you in the morning, Ms. Jarrod.”

  “Thank you again, doctor.”

  And thank You, God. Thank You.

  The prayer chanted through Olivia’s mind as the surgeon exited the room and was still there as a nurse arrived. A prayer of praise and of hope and filled with more joy than Olivia had ever felt.

  Ford was alive. He’d make a full recovery.

  And they would get through the trial.

  They would begin a new life together.

  She had to believe that. Had to hold on to it.

  It only took a few minutes for Olivia’s FBI guards to coordinate themselves, but it seemed like an eternity. She paced the small waiting room a few more times, anxious to see her husband. As reassured as she was by the surgeon’s words, she wanted to see for herself that Ford had survived.

  Finally, Jackson motioned for Olivia to step out of the waiting room. Several agents surrounded her as she was hurried down the hall and into an elevator. She couldn’t see past the wall of bodies, but if she could she was sure she’d see curiosity in the eyes of everyone they passed. Pressed in on all sides, she felt like a prisoner, but being a prisoner was a whole lot better than being dead, and she didn’t complain.

  The nurse walking beside Olivia seemed unfazed by the procession, her sharp gaze raking over each of the agents in turn. “Gotta say, I wouldn’t mind being surrounded by this group of men every day for the rest of my life.”

  Her comment surprised a laugh out of Olivia. “You might if you knew that they were the only thing standing between you and death.”

  “Don’t know about that. They’re one good-looking group of men. They can be my bodyguards any day.”

  Olivia wasn’t sure, but she thought one of the agents actually blushed. It was almost enough to take her mind off of Ford.

  Almost.

  “Is my husband awake, Nurse…”

  “Just call me Rachel. Everyone does. And your man is awake. Awake and asking for you. He must love you something fierce because he was calling your name before he even came out of anesthesia. Me? If I had a man like that, I wouldn’t be commenting on the good looks of your personal body guards. I’d be like you, wanting to ditch the crowd and have some quality alone time with my guy.”

  Now it was Olivia’s turn to blush.

  “Ford is a good man.”

  A man who’d saved her life.

  Just the thought made Olivia’s stomach churn. When he’d told her he was going for a weapon, she’d wanted desperately to jump from the car and pull him back in. Only the thoughts of the fragile life she carried had kept her from doing so.

  “Now, listen, dear heart, your husband is looking a little rough around the edges,” Rachel said as they approached a door at the end of the hall. Two armed police officers were seated in chairs on either side of it. Olivia wasn’t sure, but she thought a man leaning against a wall a few feet away might be an undercover officer.

  Jackson had been telling the truth. The FBI wasn’t taking any chances, and no expense was being spared to keep Olivia and Ford safe. For the first time in a long time, she felt safe.

  “If you’d rather wait to see him after he’s feeling a little better, it’s okay. He told me about the pregnancy, and he’s worried something fierce that you’re overdoing things. Tried to tell him we women were made of hardier stock than the average man, but he’d have none of it. So, I’ve got to ask, you ready for this? Or would you rather rest up a little before you go in?” Rachel asked, her sharp eyes suddenly soft with concern.

  “I’m fine. I want to see him,” Olivia hurried to assure her, anxious to step into the room, to see that Ford really was going to be okay.

  “You ever seen someone hooked up to machines, tubes coming out of his chest?”

  “No.”

  “Me? I’ve seen more than one person pass out after seeing a loved one hooked to machines. We don’t want to be scraping you off the floor.”

  “I’ll be okay.”

  “I thought you would, but I had to mention it. I’ve already closed the curtains. You ready to go see your husband?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then let’s get this show on the road,” Rachel said, pushing the door open. Olivia took a step to follow, stopping short when an agent put a hand on her shoulder, holding her in place.

  “Let one of us go in first. Just to be sure.”

  “There’s two armed guards—”

  “Procedure, Olivia,” Jackson cut in. “It’s just an extra measure of precaution.”

  And the sooner she shut up and let them do their job the quicker she’d be in the room with Ford. Olivia nodded and waited impatiently as one of the men followed the nurse into the room.

  “All clear,” he said as he returned, nodding at one of the two police officers. Neither looked happy to have the FBI double-checking their efforts, but they had the good grace not to say anything. Not that Olivia would have hung around to listen to the conversation.

  She hurried into the dimly lit room, her pulse racing with anxiety. The hum of machines and gentle beep of a heart monitor were the only sound, and she approached the bed quietly. Ford lay still, his eyes closed. A thick blanket covered him from the shoulders down. Blond hair dull, his skin ashen, it seemed that the vitality that made Ford who he was had drained out of him, and for a moment Olivia thought she was looking at someone else’s husband.

  Her hand shook as she brushed a lock of hair from his forehead and then placed her palm against the cool flesh of cheek.

  “Ford,” she whispered, her voice catching, her stomach twisting with sorrow. He’d nearly died to keep her safe, and all the things she’d once thought so important—missed birthdays and dinners, weekend getaways spent alone, forgotten anniversaries, conversations cut short—paled in comparison to the sacrifice he’d made.

  He opened his eyes, blue fire blazing from his pale face. “Liv. Thank God. I thought maybe I’d dreamed that you’d survived.”

  “It was no dream. You saved my life, Ford. I don’t even know how to thank you,” she said, tears dripping down her face despite her best efforts to stop them.

  “Don’t,” he said, covering her hand with his, pressing it closer to his face.

  “You nearly died, Ford.”

  “But I didn’t. You didn’t. We’re both okay. The baby is okay. Tell me something, Livy. Did you mean what you said?”

  “What did I say?”

  “That you didn’t want to raise our baby alone?”

  “I did, but there’s something that I didn’t say. There’s no one else I want to raise our child with but you, Ford. The past is over. I want to start fresh. The two of us together building that life I’ve always dreamed of.”

  “You’re not the only one with that dream now, Olivia. When they wheeled me into surgery, you know what I was doing?”

  “Telling them you were fine and trying to jump of the gurney to find me?”

  “Besides that,” he said, offering a smile that made Olivia’s heart swell with joy. He looked like Ford again. Handsome, charming, exasperating Ford.

  “What?”

  “I was praying I’d get a chance to build a new life with you. One with that old Victorian you’ve always wanted. A white picket fence. A swing set in the backyard.”

  “Long walks in the evenings?”

  “And church on Sunday morning. Picnics in the park. A couple of kids laughing and playing while we talk.” His eyes drifted shut, and Olivia tried to slip her hand out from under his, her tears still flowing, her heart so full she thought she’d burst with the joy of it.

  Ford’s grip tightened and he opened his eyes. “My body wa
nts to rest, but my mind says that if I do, you’ll disappear and I’ll have to spend another four months searching the country for you.”

  “Rest. I’m not going anywhere,” she said.

  “I’m not worried about you going. I’m worried about the FBI coming and stealing you away.”

  “No one is going to steal anyone on my watch,” Rachel cut in, her voice brusque as shoved a wad of tissues into Olivia’s free hand.

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem. Now, sit yourself down in this chair and relax while your husband sleeps. I’m going to call for a cot to be brought in, ’cause it looks to me like you could use some rest, too.” She turned away before Olivia could tell her not to bother. A chair was just fine as long as she was with Ford.

  She eased down into it, smiling. “Happy now?”

  “More than happy. We’re both alive. We’re both safe.”

  “For now.”

  “Forever. I really believe that, Livy. God didn’t get us through the last few days to abandon us. He’ll get us through the next few weeks. Get us through the trial. And when it’s over, He’ll be the cornerstone of the new life we build together. How does that sound, my love?”

  “It sounds perfect,” Olivia responded, pressing a kiss to Ford’s lips, sealing their love, echoing his faith.

  Then she leaned back, smiling into Ford’s eyes until he drifted to sleep and she drifted with him, hands still connected, hearts beating in rhythm with one another. In sync as they’d never been before. Their hope for the future, their faith that God would keep them safe, filling Olivia with peace as she let the dream take her.

  NINETEEN

  “You two ready to head out?” Special Agent Jackson McGraw asked as Olivia and Ford were shepherded out of the courthouse. Bright May sunlight shimmered on the pavement and flashed on camera lenses aimed in her direction, but Olivia paid no attention. The trial was over. The jury would decide Vincent Martino’s fate, and Olivia and Ford were finally free to begin the life they’d been planning while Ford recovered.

  Olivia glanced at her husband, smiling as she responded to McGraw’s question. “We’ve been ready for weeks.”

  “Yeah, I figured that,” Jackson said, his gaze skimming the crowd, still searching for danger despite the trial’s end. The Martino family wasn’t the kind to forgive and forget. The hate-filled looks they’d shot in Olivia’s direction during the trial had contrasted sharply with Vincent Martino’s blank, dead-eyed stare. Just looking into his eyes had made Olivia want to cup her hands protectively over her noticeably expanding belly.

  “How are you going to get us out of the city with this circus of reporters following our every move?” Ford asked, his voice gravely with worry and irritation. He’d been antsy during the trial, confident in his faith but concerned for Olivia. The trial was too stressful for a pregnant woman, he’d claimed, and Olivia had laughed.

  After all they’d been through, sitting in a chair while lawyers questioned what she’d seen in December had seemed like a piece of cake.

  “We’re taking you back to FBI headquarters. We’ve got a helicopter there waiting to bring you to the airport.” They also had Olivia and Ford’s new identities. Jackson didn’t mention it, but the truth was a warm kernel of hope in Olivia’s gut. Soon she and Ford would put the horror of the past few months behind them, they’d begin a new life filled with a million possibilities.

  The thought filled her with joy, and she could barely contain it as they piled into a sedan and made the ten-mile trek to the building where she and Ford had spent the last few weeks since Ford’s release from the hospital. Jackson had been telling the truth when he’d said their stay would be comfortable. A large conference room in the upper level of the building had been converted into an apartment while Ford recuperated, and Ford and Olivia had been taken there as soon as Ford’s doctors gave the okay for him to leave the hospital. During their short stay there, they’d almost been able to pretend they were back in early days of their marriage when an efficiency apartment and their love for each other had been more than enough.

  Olivia waited impatiently while several agents approached the sedan and stood watch while Jackson opened the door. “Ready?”

  “I was ready months ago,” Ford muttered as he maneuvered out of the car and offered a hand to Olivia.

  She accepted, excitement thrumming through her veins. A new life. A fresh start. And in just a few more months a baby.

  “I can’t say I’m sorry to say goodbye to this place,” Ford said as they walked into the building.

  “And I can’t say I blame you. It’s been a long and difficult road, but you two are almost at the end of it. I can’t express to you how much the FBI appreciates what you’ve done, Olivia.” Jackson responded, pressing the button on the elevator and then waiting while Olivia and Ford piled in.

  “I couldn’t have done anything else.”

  “Maybe not, but not everyone would feel the same. You’re a strong woman.” Jackson smiled, and Olivia sensed his relief. He’d done as he’d promised and gotten her through the trial in one piece.

  “She is, isn’t she?” Ford said, his arm around Olivia’s shoulders. He’d healed more quickly than the doctors anticipated, surprising everyone with his swift recovery. Everyone except Olivia. She knew how determined her husband was. How focused and goal driven, and his goal had been to get better so that he and Olivia could start their new lives together.

  “One of the strongest people I know,” Jackson responded, something dark and troubled in his gaze. “Which reminds me—”

  “Whatever it is, she’s not doing it. She’s testified and now we’re going,” Ford interrupted.

  “Why don’t you let me decide what I am or am not going to do?” Olivia said, and Ford smiled sheepishly.

  “Sorry. I’m just a little anxious to put this place behind us.”

  “And you’re going to, but there’s someone who wanted to meet Olivia. I told her it was up to the two of you whether or not you wanted to put your trip off for a few more minutes.”

  “Who?” Olivia asked, curious. During the past few weeks she’d had few visitors. Jessie had come, pale and still recovering from a nearly fatal gunshot wound. Marshal James had made an appearance. Olivia’s parents had been noticeably absent. Though Olivia had called to update them, neither had made the time to visit.

  And that was fine with Olivia.

  She had everything she’d ever wanted. She wouldn’t ask for anything more.

  “She’s someone I’ve known for twenty-two years. A young lady whose life was impacted by the Martino family. She wants to meet with you to thank you for testifying against Vincent.”

  Olivia couldn’t say no to that. She glanced at Ford and he nodded his agreement. “I’d be happy to meet with her.”

  “Thank you. It’s going to mean a lot to Kristin. Before I take you to her, let’s go over the plans for your departure. You’ve packed a small suitcase each?”

  “Yes, and I’ve wired funds to an off shore account,” Ford said, his arm tightening around Olivia’s shoulders. She knew what he was feeling—excitement, apprehension. Joy. They were leaving the past behind completely, starting fresh in a way most people never could. Their travel plans were convoluted and besides Ford and Olivia only Marshal McGraw knew their final destination—a small city outside of Paris. Maybe they’d stay there. Maybe they’d move on. For now, though, a tiny cottage in the French countryside waited, and Olivia couldn’t wait to get there.

  “And you’ve told no one of your plans, and you realize that once you get on the helicopter you must assume your new identities. No contact with old friends or associates or family.”

  “We’ve been briefed, McGraw, so how about we just move on to the part where you wish us luck and we walk out of this place?” Ford said, and Jackson grinned.

  “Sorry. Let’s go. Ms. Perry is waiting right down the hall. Once you’ve met with her, we’ll go up to the roof. The helicopter is on standby.”<
br />
  He pushed the door open and led them out into the corridor, past a few closed doors and to one that stood open.

  “This shouldn’t take long,” he said as he stepped inside.

  Olivia followed, Ford pressed close to her side.

  A woman stood at the far side of the room, staring out one of the windows. She turned as they approached, her thick brown hair swinging with the movement.

  “Olivia?” She asked, her gaze on Olivia’s face, then dropping to Olivia’s stomach.

  “Yes,” Olivia responded, offering her hand.

  “I’m Kristin Perry. Jackson has told me so much about you, and I’ve got to admit, I’ve been glued to the news for the past week watching the media circus surrounding the trial.”

  Olivia had been the news for the last week, but she didn’t say that, just smiled at the young woman encouragingly. “Jackson said you wanted to speak to me.”

  “I wanted to thank you.”

  “For?”

  “For testifying against Vincent Martino. That took a lot of courage.”

  “Thank you, but as I’ve said to Jackson, I did what anyone would have.”

  “Not anyone. Only some people have it in them to go against a family like the Martinos. You’re one. My mother was one,” Kristin said, the sadness in her eyes unmistakable.

  “Your mother?”

  “She was like you. A young pregnant woman who witnessed a crime. I know she must have been scared. She wasn’t fortunate enough to have someone standing beside her,” Kristin said, her gaze shooting to Ford. She offered him a quick smile before continuing.

  “It was just my mother, and she could have run, ignored what she’d seen and gone on with her life, but she believed in doing the right thing and she agreed to testify against the Martino family. The Martinos weren’t happy about it. They attacked my mother and me, but Mom was able to save us. Unfortunately, she was so scared that I’d be killed because of her testimony, that she left me with Jackson and went into hiding. I haven’t seen her since.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Olivia said, reaching out to take Kristin’s hand.