Walking through the screen door, Rayna let it slam shut behind her. If they wanted to hear her story, they would follow. Passing through the living room, she walked into the kitchen and took a seat at the table, her back against the wall. Whenever the Andrews sold the house to her, they agreed to let her purchase the washer, dryer, kitchen appliances, and kitchen table. That was all she had in her home at the moment, but she was alright with that. She wouldn’t be adding much more. She knew she could lose it all when Cortez’s men showed up. Those bastards did not play nice, but then, neither would she.
Crossing her arms over her chest, Rayna leaned back in her chair and waited patiently for the Caldwells to enter the house. She knew it wouldn’t take long. They wanted answers, and she was the only one who had them.
Creed led the way into the kitchen moments later, followed by Katy, and finally Ryder. Katy sat in the chair across from Rayna, Creed chose to lean against the breakfast bar, and Ryder stopped just inside the doorway, leaning his shoulder against the wood trim.
“You are the only one who survived the crash that night?” Katy questioned softly.
“Yes.” Rayna fought against the tears that threatened again. Being back in her old home had her on edge, her emotions running wild. She missed her family so much. Talking about them was very difficult. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to continue, “When I was a child, my father worked for an accounting company in D.C. One night, his boss asked him to stay late to help him figure out why there was a discrepancy in some figures for one of his clients. They were having a difficult time finding the issue, and Dad could tell his boss was becoming more and more agitated for some reason. When Mr. Herrington left the room for a few minutes, Dad took a closer look at the files and found out the client was actually Diego Cortez. Everyone in the D.C. area knows who Diego Cortez is.” Glancing away from Katy, Rayna let her eyes fall first on Creed before moving to Ryder. “He is the head of the Mafia in D.C.”
“Son of a bitch,” Creed swore softly.
Turning back to him, Rayna nodded gravely. “When Mr. Herrington returned, Dad confronted him about it, asking him what in the hell he was doing working with a man like that. He was told to mind his own business and just find the discrepancy in the figures, or he could start looking for a new job.” Shaking her head in frustration, Rayna ground out, “Dad didn’t have a choice. He had to take care of his family. A couple of days later, he finally figured out what the problem was. One of the employees was skimming money off the company, and he was altering all of the files to throw anyone off who may find out and take a closer look into it. My father told his boss, but it was too late. What he did not know, was that not only did Aztec Accounting handle the accounts of Diego Cortez, but the company was actually owned by Cortez. So not only was that employee stealing money from the company, he was stealing from the mob. Cortez sent his men to deal with the problem two days later. They shot and killed both the employee who was caught stealing, and Mr. Herrington. Then they told my father that he was in charge now. They said he better make sure everything ran smoothly from then on, or he would follow them in death. My Dad was a good man. An honest man. He went straight to the FBI in Virginia and told them everything. They promised protection for him and his family if he would testify against Cortez, so he did. But, Cortez walked because he has people everywhere. He got off on a technicality because he had the judge in his pocket, and the jurors were terrified of him.”
Creed swore again. “And then what happened?”
“Cortez promised my father after the trial that he would kill not only him, but his wife and children as well. He said he would not stop until all of us were dead. After that, the U.S. Marshals stepped in and relocated us to Serenity Springs.” Letting a small smile escape, Rayna whispered, “Life was wonderful for so long after that.” Rayna leaned forward, resting her arms on the table. Clasping her hands together, she looked at all of them. “My father was honest with us from the beginning about what happened because he wanted us to be alert to any danger at all times. We had escape routes planned out just in case anything was to happen. At first, we went over them two to three times a week. But, as time passed, we grew more lax. After a while, it was like Cortez just disappeared, and we moved on.”
“But Cortez was just waiting, biding his time,” Katy guessed.
“Yes,” Rayna answered, nodding slightly in agreement. “The bastard waited until we formed new lives here in Serenity Springs, until we were so involved with our friends and everyday things that our thoughts of him were fleeting. I don’t know how long it took him to find us. Hell, I don’t even know how he did end up finding us. It could have been because my mother refused to change our first names.” Shaking her head, she whispered, “She refused because she said that we needed some normalcy in our lives. So, even though she agreed to change our last name, all of our first names stayed the same. I believe that was part of our downfall. Also, I found out recently that there is a leak in the FBI. We haven’t been able to track down the source yet, but we will.”
“Why did you choose to come back here to fight this battle?” Ryder asked quietly. “Why not just take him out in D.C. on his own turf?”
Rayna rose and walked over to him. Stopping just in front of him, she responded softly, “For two reasons. First of all, he is too good to allow himself to be caught in D.C. He has always been a very patient man, and has no problem waiting until the perfect moment to take me out without getting caught. That moment won’t come in D.C., but I am confident it will here.” Her eyes narrowing, she continued, “And because I am going to end this once and for all. What better place to do it than where he took everything from me? That bastard destroyed my life, and now I’m going to destroy his.” Glancing back at Creed and Katy, she said, “Now you know the whole story. Please, stay away and let me do my job. Cortez took my family from me. Please, don’t let him take you too.” Without another word, Rayna turned and walked away, leaving the house and the Caldwells behind. She needed to get some lunch, along with some provisions for the night, and she wanted to get the hell away from Ryder Caldwell and his family before she brought death to their door.
Chapter 8
“What do you think?” Katy asked quietly after Macey left the house. Not Macey, Ryder reminded himself, rubbing a hand tiredly over his face as he tried to process everything that she just told them. For all intents and purposes, Macey was gone. She was Rayna now.
“I think, no matter how you spin it, that woman is after revenge.”
“She’s after justice, Creed,” Katy corrected. “Justice for her family who was taken from her way too soon, and justice for herself because she is the one who has to live with the fact that she is still here while they are all buried and gone.”
“True,” Ryder agreed. He saw the guilt that haunted her eyes when she talked about the death of her family. She was probably wondering why her life was spared, and somehow decided that it was so she could take down Cortez after everything he had done to her family.
“What do you think, Ryder?” Katy asked.
Ryder thought for a minute before responding. “I think, if it were me, I would hunt down not only Cortez, but every last one of his men, and show them just what happens when somebody fucks with my family. Because of that, I know that I am going to help Rayna, whether she wants me to, or not.”
“Agreed,” Katy said, rising from the table.
Creed removed his Stetson and raked a hand through his thick hair. “You both realize it could be years before Diego Cortez shows up here, if he does?”
Shaking her head, Katy replied confidently, “No, maybe months, but not years. There is no doubt in my mind that he will show, and he won’t wait that long this time. Rayna challenged him by coming here. Not only that, but she has the FBI backing her. They have something planned, I can feel it. They wouldn’t have agreed to let her come to Serenity Springs if they didn’t. Cortez won’t wait.”
“Then we need to be ready,” Creed caut
ioned, placing his hat back on his head. “We not only have a town to protect, but also an old friend. As tough as that woman may seem, there is no way she is going to take on the mob by herself and win.”
“Well, he won’t be here tonight, and I have animals to feed,” Ryder grunted, turning to make his way through the dining room. The need to get out of that house and away from his siblings was almost strangling him. There was so much to think about, and the only good thing about any of it was the fact that Macey Johnson was alive. “I’ll check on Rayna in the morning.” Leaving the house, Ryder ran lightly down the steps and walked over to where Cochise still waited for him. Gathering up the reins, he swung easily into the saddle. Letting his gaze wander around the farm, his heart ached as he finally accepted the fact that Olivia was gone and she was never coming back. After twelve years of mourning his best friend, the girl he’d loved so many years ago, he could finally lay her to rest.
Taking a deep breath, Ryder turned Cochise toward home. He had the next couple of days off from the station, and there was so much work he needed to catch up on at the ranch. Urging the Palomino into a gallop, Ryder let his mind wander back to so many years ago, when he, Olivia, and Macey were just teenagers. Life was so much easier back then. He’d been the star quarterback on the Serenity Springs High School football team, Olivia the head cheerleader, and Macey...well, she had been all together something different; a good different, and someone he had mourned deeply as well.
Chapter 9
Rayna walked slowly around the town square, flooded with childhood memories. Even though a lot had changed in the small town since she’d lived there so many years ago, many things were still the same. Like the ice cream shop across from the hardware store where Rayna and her father used to stop when they were in town. They both had a sweet tooth, ice cream being their favorite way to satisfy it. They always ordered the same thing, a family sized banana split with no nuts, which they shared. Her dad let her have the three cherries on top, claiming he didn’t care for them, but she knew that was not true. He ate them at home all of the time.
There was the appliance store that her friend’s dad used to own. She’d come across his name in the obituary section of the town newspaper two years ago, and knew his wife had since sold the business and moved to Florida to be with her sister. Director Talbot would have been pissed if he found out Rayna subscribed to the Serenity Springs Tribune, but she didn’t care. It was just one of the ways she’d been able to keep up on things in town. There was Mac’s Diner, just a block off the square, where she and her family used to eat lunch after church almost every Sunday. Serenity Springs was the only place that had ever truly felt like home to Rayna.
After confirming with the furniture store that her order was in and would be delivered later that afternoon, Rayna decided to grab a bite to eat at Mac’s Diner before heading to the grocery store. Since she was not much of a cook, that trip wouldn’t take long.
The bell on the top of the door jingled when Rayna opened it. She stepped inside, letting it shut gently behind her as her gaze wandered around the room. It was just as she remembered, from the bright red vinyl stools in front of a long counter, to the matching red booths. Old records decorated the wall behind the counter, and a jukebox stood in the back of the room. Rayna walked over to one of the empty booths, and slid in on one side. It didn’t take long before a waitress appeared by her side. “Hello, sweetie,” the woman said with a wide smile. “My name’s Dottie. What can I get for you today?”
Rayna returned her smile, immediately liking the other woman’s friendliness, and the open, honest expression on her face. Dottie’s long, blonde hair hung in large curls down her back, her light blue eyes sparkled with happiness, and she looked as if she did not have a care in the world. One of these days that will be me, Rayna vowed. Once Cortez was out of the picture, she was going to learn how to live life to the fullest. Her smile grew when she realized that was the first time she thought of when she survived against the mob boss instead of if. “What’s the special?” she asked, wondering if they still had one weekly like they used to.
“We have something new this month. Chicken barbeque nachos, and they are wonderful!” So it was monthly now instead of weekly. It probably made it easier to shop for food.
Before she could respond, there was a loud crash in the back of the building and someone started cursing loudly. “Oh, hon, I am so sorry. I will be right back!” Dottie promised, before rushing back into what Rayna assumed was the kitchen.
Hearing a child’s laughter, Rayna turned to where a young mother sat with two small children. “No, Mama,” the little girl giggled, “horses aren’t purple!”
“No?” the mother teased, reaching over to pull on the child’s braid. “What color are they?”
“Green!” the little boy piped up. The girl dissolved into a fit of giggles, shaking her head at him before picking up a brown colored card from the table and handing it to her mother.
Rayna turned from the family, a small smile on her lips. When her brother Matty was younger, he had colored everything green, it didn’t matter what it was. It was his favorite color, so he used it on everything.
“I am so sorry about that,” Dottie’s words interrupted her thoughts. “We hired two new waitresses a couple of weeks ago, and one of them just needs a little more training is all.”
Rayna hoped that it wasn’t Lyssa that needed more training. They could not afford for her to be fired before their plans were even set into motion. “I’m sure she will catch on soon,” was all she said.
“Of course she will,” Dottie agreed with a chuckle, “she’s just young, and this is her first job. At eighteen, everything is so scary, and Mac terrifies the hell out of her with his gruffness.” So it wasn’t Lyssa, that was good.
“Dottie, I think you might want to go back into the kitchen,” a soft, female voice interrupted. “I will take this order.”
Dottie’s uncertain gaze went from the new waitress to Rayna, then back again. “She’s crying, Dottie,” the woman said quietly. “I think she is going to quit.”
“Go,” Rayna encouraged, “we will be fine.”
After one last look at Rayna, Dottie apologized again before rushing back to the kitchen. “My name is Melissa. Sorry about the interruptions ma’am. Now, what can I get for you?”
Rayna took in the young woman in front of her. Just shy of twenty-eight years old, average height and slender, with short blonde hair and expressive light-blue eyes. This was Lyssa Taylor, or Melissa Timmons as the town knew her. “I would love to try the special, please,” Rayna told her, noticing how there was not one flicker of recognition in Lyssa’s eyes. She was good.
“And to drink?”
“Diet coke, please.”
Nodding, Lyssa wrote the order down on a notepad before saying, “I will have that out to you shortly.”
Fifteen minutes later, Lyssa set a plate down in front of Rayna with a grin. “These are some of the best nachos you will ever have,” she promised.
Thanking her, Rayna looked at the overflowing plate in front of her, her mouth watering in anticipation. It had been hours since she last stopped to eat, and her stomach was growling in protest. Glancing down, she noticed the corner of a piece of paper peeking out from under the plate. Looking around to make sure no one was watching, Rayna slipped the paper out and read it quickly. Nothing new to report. Very quiet. That was it, but it was enough to let Rayna know that as of right now, there was nothing to worry about.
After finishing her lunch, Rayna quickly paid and then left Mac’s to continue her walk around the square. A moment later, her eyes fell on what used to be the used bookstore in town. Now it was called Turn the Page Bookstore. She knew that it was owned by Sloane Murphy, Creed’s fiancée. She still sold used books, but from what Rayna had seen online, Turn The Page also featured new books by both traditionally published and self-published authors.
Deciding she needed something to help pass her time while she
waited for Cortez to show, Rayna crossed the street, her eyes continuously scanning the area for anything or anyone who might look out of place. A bell clanged loudly when she opened the door and entered the warm, inviting room. The atmosphere inside immediately enveloped her, making her feel welcome. Stepping forward, she returned the smile of a woman standing at a counter in the front part of the store. Rayna had seen pictures of Sloane, but the bookstore owner was even more beautiful in person, with her long dark hair and pretty brown eyes. There was a huge stack of books in front of her and it looked like she was inputting the inventory into her computer.
“Good afternoon,” Sloane greeted Rayna, immediately walking around the counter and offering her hand. “You must be Rayna Williams.”
Rayna’s eyes widened in surprise, but then she laughed. “Did you get that from small town living, or Creed?”
Sloane chuckled, her eyes lighting with mirth. “Maybe a little bit of both.”
Rayna shook the other woman’s hand as her gaze wandered around the large, spacious room. One wall was dedicated to new books, another to used. Throughout the store were more used books on standalone shelves, and it looked like a children’s reading area in the back. She could see everything from children’s books, to young adult, to adult with a wide variety of different genres. But, what really interested her was the first half of the south wall.
Walking over to it, she grinned as she saw some of her favorite self-published authors’ work showcased on their own separate shelves, the covers facing out to grab the attention of buyers.
“I’ve made several friends in the book world who publish on their own,” Sloane commented, walking up behind her. “There are so many wonderful authors out there, both traditionally published and self-published.”
Saving His Soul (Serenity Springs Series, #3) Page 5
