by Mimi Barbour
Kayla, entranced by the story, kicked in, “He must be a very special person.”
“You’d love him. But wait, there’s more. Next, he went to two stained glass classes and picked up the basics. After a lot of reading and a bit of trial and error, he spread his work everywhere. Back home, I have lamps, vases, jewelry boxes, window ornaments and the most breathtaking Christmas village you’ll ever see.”
Blake piped up, “Stained glass. Now that I never saw coming! So, he’s creative too.”
“Strangely creative, who knows what he could have been if he hadn’t lost his own dad at thirteen and been forced to work. Back in those days, it’s what one did. He had a mom and three siblings to help take care of. That’s when he taught himself about engines, and it gave him a way to make a living with only a fourth grade education.”
“No wonder he made the most of his retirement. He finally had a chance to do something he loved,” Blake surmised.
“True. He told me he couldn’t afford to do it in the style he’d have preferred. For instance, he did a bit of carpentry before the stained glass but he didn’t have the right tools and a large enough shop. But he managed to renovate their house and build some tables and a china cabinet for Grandma, which he still has today.”
“Wow, it hasn’t been easy for him. Makes me realize I’m not the only kid who has obstacles,” Kayla shook her head.
“I think a lot of our oldies had far more to handle than some of us realized. He finally had to stop both his hobbies, and it wasn’t because he lost the sight from his one eye, but because they’d moved to the lodge and there was no room for him to set up shop. At first, he missed it terribly, until I finally stumbled on audio books as a way for him to fill those hours. After Grandma passed last year, he needed something he could focus on and between his activities at the lodge, listening to his favorite suspense authors and all the visitors he gets, life isn’t too bad for him. At least he’s happy, as you can tell by his quirky sense of what’s funny.”
Looking back, it still shocked Charli at how much she’d shared about her grandfather and their personal business that evening. It wasn’t a normal way for her to behave, but then it wasn’t normal for her to be completely separated from him for such a long time either.
Lordy, how she missed spending time with him. All through her last undercover stint, what kept her going was constantly revisiting her plans for them to be together on a vacation.
If only he was here now, enjoying this house and pool with her like they’d planned. She glanced around at the gleaming white walls, the blue and yellow ceramics inside the pool area and the plush royal blue furnishings. She suffered a long breath full of sorrowful disappointment.
If only…
Restless now, she remembered that today she didn’t have chauffer detail. Seems that Kayla had made a new friend almost upon starting her first class, and the two girls would be stopping at the mall after school, a teenage girl’s favorite pastime. Then they planned to come home by bus, followed, of course, by an undercover cop that Blake assigned to tail them as soon as he’d heard their plans.
Last night before bed, Kayla had opened the conversation yet again. “Are you sure you don’t mind Angie coming for supper and a sleepover, Charli?” Kayla stood at the bathroom sink, washing a bright turquoise blouse, one of her new ones.
“Why would I mind? I’m glad you made a friend. And why are you washing that in the sink instead of the washer?”
Kayla shyly admitted, “It’s so bright; I was worried the color would run and look, it did.”
Joking, Charli pretended to reach outside the door and wrestle with a phantom. “Gotcha, you bastard! Get back here.”
Brows arched in confusion, Kayla questioned, “What are you doing?”
“I caught that sucker running, put up one hell of a fight.”
Laughing hard, Kayla’s howls finally turning to snickers, she snorted, “You’re nuts!”
Charli winked and watched the girl in the mirror over the sink. Most of the shadows around her beautiful, dark Chinese eyes had thankfully faded. But then a worried look reappeared.
“What?”
“You’re sure it’s okay for me to be out in public?”
“Of course, why are you fussing?” For a few seconds, Charli felt the same anxiety, but shook it off.
“I got the feeling you hesitated when you said I was allowed to go.”
“Sure, because I haven’t met your friend, Angie, yet. As for the other, it’s been weeks now and no sign of Long John Silver, so I’m breathing a bit easier.”
Laughing at Charli’s nickname for a man as dangerous as her stalker, Kayla wouldn’t stop gnawing at the proverbial bone between her teeth. “You’re sure? We could head straight here, instead.”
“If it’ll make you feel less nervous, and to be on the safe side, Blake promised to have one of his people shadow you at the mall. If they’re good at their job, you won’t even know they’re around. So, you go and have some fun, make sure you take the money I gave you and spend it. Time you felt like a normal kid. Soon enough, when they catch that slime ball, we’ll be back into that whole mess again. I’d like to think this time here in witness protection with me wasn’t all turmoil and worry.”
Kayla turned to Charli and the look on her face gave Charli warning. The kid needs another hug… again! Her charge had become fond of cuddles, so much so that Charli had to suffer them frequently. It was as if Kayla had been starved of affection for so long that she intended to make up for that lack all at once.
Bracing herself, not giving any indication that this was hard for her, she gathered the girl close and let her hand smooth the long black hair. A few seconds was all that was needed, and Kayla pulled back. “So, you really don’t mind. I’ll be home in time to make supper, I promise. And you’re sure that Angie can spend the night?”
“For the seventeenth time, no problem.” Charli teasingly rolled her eyes, dropped her chin to her chest and sighed loudly. When she peeked up to see Kayla’s brightness, she changed the subject. “First of all, I’m ordering pizza for a treat. And second, tell me more about your friend.”
“I already told you most of what I know. She lives in that residential area, can’t remember the name, it’s on the other side of the school, with her sick mom and a stepdad. Her older brother and sister left last year because of him… couldn’t stand being around him, I guess. If the look in her eyes when she talks about him is any indication and her calling him a sick, slimy bastard helps, I’m pretty sure she hates him, too.”
“Poor kid.”
“I know, and I thought I had it bad. She hasn’t said much more about him but her eyes speak for themselves. He must be horrible.” Kayla hesitated, but then continued, “She kinda dresses like a middle finger against tradition too. She told me her hair used to be down to her hips last year but she cut it all off and changed her look. Piercings and her hair is wild, all uneven and colored often pink or purple.
“She has a lot of tight clothes torn in strategic places, like some of the stuff you see in the stores today. But my belief is they’re just old and too small on her, so she covers that up by ripping them.
“One thing is for sure, she’s smart, more so than me, and as you know, I’m no slouch. She challenged me on a math test, and I figured ninety-eight percent would trump her, but she got a hundred. Shocked the math teacher, you know the stickler I told you about, Mrs. Moore, who rides her all the time, says she’s wasting her potential. Well, she proved it that day.”
Charli was intrigued. Now she looked forward to meeting this girl even more.
Chapter Twenty
John Madison missed his little girl, not that she was still little… or a girl. All woman and an FBI agent, Charli would always be his precious baby granddaughter. And they had a routine he happened to cherish.
But it had been a long time, almost two weeks, since she’d contacted him. That had never happened before. She’d always managed to call every f
ew days, even when she was undercover. He missed hearing her voice teasing him with her usual opening line, “Hey Popsicle. How’s things?”
The fact that she hadn’t called this time, even though she’d warned him she couldn’t, gave him even more reason to worry. After a couple of glasses of wine to loosen the man’s tongue, he’d set up traps to pry information from Mark Crawly. From his careful answers, John surmised that Charli’d taken on a witness protection gig. At least, that’s what he’d guessed and Crawly hadn’t refuted it, just changed the subject.
Having listened to a lot of audio suspense books and watched a lot of his favorite cop shows on TV, he decided to follow up on his instincts. He took one of the younger lodgers, a guy in his late seventies, aside. “Brad, you used to be an editor for one of the big newspapers, right?”
“Yep, those were the fun days, before my heart attack. Now, I’m just getting over my pneumonia, and still dealing with my Plantar Fasciitis and that makes walking as painful as hell.”
Thinking to butter him up, and against his better judgement because he knew the man to be a boring, whining hypochondriac whose every ailment became solely his own property, he dutifully said, “Sorry to hear that, Brad. You better now?”
“Better than my doctor.”
“Why? What do you mean?”
“Well, a week ago I went to see him, and he said I had pneumonia. Told me we had to be careful because it killed old people like me.”
“Guess you beat it?”
“I did, but when I went back to see my doc earlier this morning, the nurse said he’d died yesterday… from pneumonia. Shook me up, I tell ya.”
John hid a grin. “How old was he?”
“Oh, just a youngster, maybe fifty. A pity.”
At Brad’s reply, John broke down and he laughed until he noticed Brad didn’t get the joke. His sour expression warned John to get serious. “So, what do you need to see me about?”
John sobered, not wanting to put Brad in one of his moods. “If I wanted to look up a certain day on the internet, involving stories about police activities, what’s the easiest way?”
Brad’s features became all business-like. “You mean ordinary break-ins and thefts or felony criminal cases like murder?”
“I’m thinking the bad shit. Can you show me?”
“All you’ll get from newspapers is what the police have offered to the reporters, not any in-depth explanations. You know that, right?”
“Sure, sure. I’m thinking something happened the night or two before Charli took off, and she’s involved in some way. I’m just being nosy.”
“Okay, it’ll be easy. And if you want more, I can always call in a few favors from the guys I know who still work at the paper.”
Soon, they sat together at his desk while Brad’s still limber fingers worked magic with the keys on his laptop. Together, they searched various newspapers and went back to the last few nights that Charli had been in town. Brad filtered through all the police posts and tragedies that took place in Seattle and eventually they hit the mother-load. They found what they sensed might be the story.
A woman in an apartment across from Charli’s had been found shot, and there were no suspects yet. Which had to mean that the killer was still on the loose. Maybe someone had witnessed the shooting and could identify him? That’s if this story ran along the same lines as one of the old cop series, In Plain Sight, John had faithfully watched a few years ago.
Every week, they’d have to protect a witness, and so they’d moved him/her away until the killer was taken into custody. On one show that stood out in his memory, they’d intended to hold a trial so the witness could put the killer away for good. Except that’s not what happened.
The killer had found the victim’s family and taken them hostage. When the witness learned the truth, through social media leaking the story, he’d slipped away from his protectors to save his wife and child. If John remembered correctly, this had led to a huge battle where, of course, the law had arrived in time to shoot the killer. Other than the witness getting shot in the arm, the law had prevailed.
Great! He liked an ending where the good guys won – maybe because he was ferociously proud of his Charli and the role she’d chosen as an FBI agent, to help others and uphold the law.
“Hey, John, is this enough for now? Its dinnertime and they’re serving stuffed chicken breasts tonight. You know, I need to keep my strength up.”
“No problem, you go ahead. And, thanks, Brad. You’ve been a big help.” He fetched Brad’s walker that had been moved to the side.
Once Brad had his wheels, he left John to ponder over what they’d found. So, if Charli was involved in something like this, where would she go? Would they give her a choice? If he knew his Charli, he’d bet the farm she’d opted for Fort Lauderdale. Would they allow the protector to choose their own hiding place?
Damned if he knew the answer.
Suddenly, he hurried to his night table and found the printouts of the house Charli had rented for them for their vacation in Fort Lauderdale.
Maybe he could find out.
He quickly rushed to the desk and checked on his laptop to see if the house was available for the month that Charli had booked it. Now that she had a case, he figured she’d have canceled the agreement and gotten a refund… wouldn’t she?
Could the rental agency find another interested party for the expensive house on such short notice? He wouldn’t think so. It should show as available.
Hell. It wasn’t. Either they had found occupants, she hadn’t canceled… or what if she was there? Would the authorities allow Charli to use that particular place for her witness? After all, the house in Fort Lauderdale had already been rented under her own name.
But… in witness protection, the subjects would be forced to change their names. So, couldn’t they show the changed names on the rental agreement now? Therefore, the trail would be cold. Hmmm… would the authorities let that happen?
He wasn’t sure, but one thing he did know, the house sat on a lagoon he was familiar with. Surveying the printout again, seeing the buildings in the background, he knew that area well. Could he find that particular house? Sure, easy-peasy. He’d rent a boat and go up and down the Intracoastal Waterway until he recognized the yard he saw in the photo, the one where the owners had put a stained glass insert in the upstairs window. That alone was like a sign.
But would Charli be happy to see him? He grimaced. He’d never interfered with her job before. He had to think carefully about this.
Would the cops be pissed if he slipped away? Who cares! Well, except for Mark Crawly… he’d become a good friend.
Should that stop him? Aw, crumbs. He was too old for this shit. On the other hand, at ninety, life was too short for him to waste another week without his kiddo. He’d think hard.
Chapter Twenty-one
After the hilarious pizza fest with Kayla and Angie, thanks to Blake’s constant teasing and jokes, Charli let him help clean the kitchen so he’d stick around. Uneasy, she had to share her feelings and intended to discuss her apprehension with him.
Before she could open the conversation, Kayla returned, Angie trailing behind her. “Charli, do you have an extra bathing suit Angie could borrow. Mine won’t fit her.”
Cutting off Charli’s response, Angie’s agitation clear, she said, “No biggie, Kayla. I told you, I can wear my shorts and t-shirt.” She pulled on Kayla’s arm, but did so gently.
Ignoring the other girl’s discomfort, Charli answered the question, “Sure, kiddo. I washed all three of mine and left them hanging in my bathroom.” She smiled at Angie, watching the sullen expression transform into pleased shock. “Angie, take whichever one you want.”
“Thanks, Charli, you’re aces.” Kayla beamed with gratitude and Angie just looked like a victim who’d taken a two-by-four to the head. It made Charli wonder how often the girl made requests and had them granted.
After they headed to the pool, Charli shared her fe
ars with Blake.
“Can I talk to you about this new girl, Angie?”
“Sure.” He leaned against the counter, crossed his arms and waited.
She folded the towel and hopped onto the counter opposite him. Watching him, watching her, as she took her comb out of her hair, used it to gather the curls by her ears that had escaped and replace it, she ignored the flash of interest he didn’t attempt to hide and began.
“When the girls first arrived home, things were definitely awkward. Angie was offhand to the point of being unapproachable. No matter what I said, the girl couldn’t seem to relax. I thought if I asked questions, it might be easier for her, but her answers were noncommittal to the point of rudeness.”
“You probably interrogated the poor baby.”
“That poor baby, as you call her, sports 38 D’s and has eyes that said goodbye to innocence a long time ago.”
Being used to such insolent attitudes in her undercover work with young gang members, Charli had sensed an underlying reason for Angie’s reticence. Just the girl’s appearance screamed abhorrence with rules of normal behavior. Then she remembered what Kayla had told her about the girl, about her dysfunctional family.
“Kayla told me earlier she had an asshole for a stepdad, her siblings escaped last year, leaving her there alone, and her mom being ill doesn’t help the situation.”
“There’s no law against having a broken family, Charli, my love. Sadly, it’s now the norm in many areas. She seemed nice enough with Kayla, almost worshipping in a way.”
Charli sneered at his cheeky “my love” endearment, which just made him grin, but his comment made her rethink the situation. “You’re right. As snarly as she was with me, she behaved completely the opposite with Kayla.”
