Family Secrets: Books 5-8

by Virginia Kantra

  Thanks. Faith walked toward the door. I wont be there that long.

  The armed guard at the door, illogically dressed in jungle camo and wearing a helmet, nodded at her as she passed. Faith returned the gesture. At least she didnt have to worry about anyone disturbing her work while she was away from the lab to answer this supposedly urgent phone call.

  Faith sat down in Lukes padded swivel chair. It was nice to sit, she grudgingly admitted as she lifted the receiver to her ear. Faith Martin, she said crisply.

  There was a moment of silence. She almost hung up the phone. A split second before she pulled the phone from her ear, a deep voice said, Faith?

  Speaking. Who is this and what do you want? I have a crisis here. Im told this is a life-and-death emergency. If its not

  It is, the voice on the phone assured her. My name is Jake Ingram.

  So Ive been told. Whats the emergency, Mr. Ingram?

  I saw your photograph on the news.

  Faith closed her eyes for a long moment. Jake Ingram, if that was indeed his real name, was a nut. A nutcase who had seen her on the news and had tracked her down. Great. Now shed have to have someone screen her calls. Mr. Ingram She stopped speaking when the door opened and Molly walked in, a cold soda in one hand, a granola bar in the other. Faith had said she wasnt hungry, but suddenly she was eternally grateful to Lukes nurse, who placed the offerings on the desk and stepped quietly out of the room. You have ten seconds, she said as she reached for the soda.

  Thats not enough time, the man said, clearly agitated. Theres so much to explain. I have so much to tell you.

  Goodbye, Mr. Ingram. Dont call again. Faith was moving the phone away from her ear, intent on hanging up on the man, when his voice rang through the phone.

  Do you remember anything of your life before the age of ten?

  Faiths heart almost stopped. She slowly brought the phone back to her ear. What did you say? she asked softly.

  In a matter of minutes, Jake Ingram told her a fantastic story, and she listened. The story was preposterous, unbelievableand yet she did not hang up on him.

  He told her briefly and succinctly of a secret scientific experiment, success, betrayal and death.

  Certain words and phrases rang oddly true, though Faith found no memory of the time Jake Ingram spoke about. In a few instances she experienced a chill that cut to her very bones. Mark. Gideon. Brothers with whom shed supposedly shared a womb. Grace, a sister. Jake, an overly protective big brother. As Jake told her of a harrowing escape, the dream of a few nights ago came back to her. Water. Fire. A sense of loss she could not explain.

  What followed was a warning she could not accept. Jake Ingram said she and the others had received hypnotic programming that should not be possible, not now and certainly not then.

  According to this man, she was one of the super-babies shed read about in the supermarket tabloidsProteans, some called them, after the name of the research project, Code Proteus, that supposedly created them. He referred to her as a ticking time bomb, just waiting for the delivery of a trigger that would force her to do something evil for the organization Jake Ingram called the Coalition.

  Being logical, Faith quickly found a way to dismiss the mans story. Hed seen her on the news, and for some reason had done a background check. How hard would it have been to discover that shed been adopted at the age of ten? The rest of the story was fantasy, a sick mans way to torture her with the past she had never been able to recall.

  I didnt want to tell you over the phone, Ingram said in an almost kind voice. But since the town is quarantined and I cant get in, I had no choice. Faith, youre in danger. The Coalition I mentioned earlier, they want you. They want to get their hands on you before youre deprogrammed. We cant allow that to happen.

  Suddenly Faith had a headache. Her head swam. She quickly convinced herself the reaction was caused by hunger, nothing more. She reached for the soda and took a sip.

  This is the most ridiculous story

  Its far-fetched, I know, but not ridiculous, Ingram insisted. Faith, you have to get out of there. If I found you, so will the Coalition. They want

  What do you want? she snapped.

  I want you safe, he said, sounding sincere. Obviously the man was an accomplished actor. Please, let me arrange for you to be transported out of Carson County and taken to a safe place.

  Impossible. Like she would actually let this man take her anywhere!

  Mark is dying to see you.

  Again her heart flipped and fluttered. I dont know anyone named Mark.

  You do, Jake said softly. Reach back, Faith. Remember.

  She panicked and slammed the phone down, abruptly ending the phone call.

  Before she left the room, the phone began to ring again. Faith ignored it as she slammed the door behind her and returned to the lab. She tried to dismiss the mans words, but she couldnt. What he said was impossible. Ridiculous. So why did her heart continue to flutter? Why did she have to push away the memories of last nights harrowing dream?

  Because she was tired, that was why. This had been the most bizarre trip! First her unexpected attraction to Luke, and now this.

  Before she was emotionally ready for work again, the door opened and Molly stuck her head in again. That man called back.

  I dont want to talk to him again, Faith said sharply. If Mr. Ingram continues to call, report him to the sheriff. Let Talbot handle Ingram! She had no desire to talk to him again. Ever.

  He left a message, Molly said, holding up a scrap of paper.

  Faith rolled her eyes. Do I want to know what that message is?

  Its a cell phone number, Molly said, reaching into the room to lay the scrap of paper on a metal table. He said when youre ready to hear more, call him day or night. Anytime.

  Is that it?

  Molly shook her head. He also said for me to tell you that he cares about you and only wants whats best for you.

  Great. The man was not just a nutcase, he was a potential stalker. Just what she needed.

  Since the town was quarantined and she had an armed guard at her door, she didnt have to worry about Jake Ingram. Not today, at least.

  But no matter how she tried, she could not get that phone call off her mind.

  Finally, in a fit of anger, Faith crossed the room and snatched up the paper with Jake Ingrams phone number scribbled on it. After a moments hesitation, she crumpled the paper in her hand and tossed it into the nearest trash can.

  Six

  L uke wandered down the hall of the clinic, long after dark. There was only so much they could do tonight. The virus had been identified, and the patients were on the mend. Those who might have been exposed had been given the new antibiotic, as a precaution.

  The armed guards stationed in and around his clinic, as they were stationed in and around the county, gave the place that was so familiar to him an unreal atmosphere. Luke was consumed by the certainty that this tragedy should not have happened here.

  Hed finally convinced Molly to go home for a few hours. The woman wa
s about to drop on her feet. Faith, who walked toward him with a strained and pale expression on her face, looked even worse than Lukes number one nurse.

  How about we call it a night, he said, trying to give her a half smile he did not feel.

  I cant. I have too much work to do.

  Ill feed you, he promised. Real, hot food.

  That offer elicited a short-lived smile from Faith. Sweet-talker.

  Come on, he said when she looked as if she planned to keep on walking. Shed work through the night, if no one stopped her. Take a couple of hours, at least.

  It has been a long day, she conceded. Maybe I could use a break.

  Luke had a suspicion that Dr. Faith Martin didnt take many breaks, that she was harder on herself than she was on anyone else. He had the urge to wrap his arms around her and protect her from all this. But he also knew she would never agree that she needed to be protected from anything.

  Soldiers kept the reporters at a distance, as Luke and Faith made their escape. The redhead was particularly persistent, but this time even she fell back quickly. As she retreated, the redhead seemed to be flirting with one of the soldiers, more interested in him than in the physicians at the moment.

  Nelda and Abby were already asleep, but as always, there was plenty of food in the refrigerator. All Luke had to do was heat it up. Tonight it was stew, hearty and, while it heated on the stove, aromatic.

  Faith sat at the kitchen table and watched him work. As he took bowls from the cabinet, she asked abruptly, Have you read about the genetics experiments that supposedly took place in the sixties and early seventies?

  Luke glanced over his shoulder, surprised by the question. Sure. Hasnt everyone?

  She shook her head. Not me. I was out of the country for months, before coming here. Africa and then India. It wasnt until I got back and saw this bizarre headline on the front page of a newspaper Her voice faded into nothing. After a few deep breaths, she found her voice again. Do you think its possible?

  Luke shrugged. Had he really hoped for more personal conversation from Faith Martin? This was shop talk.

  Hed read the articles, wondered about them, and then dismissed the matter from his mind. I guess if you think about it, anything is possible. I dont think its probable, though.

  She nodded as if she agreed. Neither do I. Its extremely unlikely that such advances were made without the knowledge of the entire medical community. Have you ever heard of a man named Jake Ingram?

  Talk about an abrupt change in subject! Luke had to think for a moment before answering, Sure. Ingram is some rich guy fromTexas? I think Texas. Hes a financial wizard, or something like that.

  Faith looked surprised. Rich? Are you sure? Theres probably more than one man named Jake Ingram, she suggested.

  Probably. Luke carried two steaming bowls of stew to the table and sat. How do you know him? he asked.

  I dont, not really, Faith said.

  Great. If he did decide to take a chance and pursue his attraction to Faith, what chance did he have? She wasnt going to be here much longer, and even if she was, of course other men were interested in her. How could he hold a candle to some rich hotshot?

  The children, Faith said abruptly, again changing the subject without warning. She played with her stew rather than eating it. If the stories are true and there are genetically altered children, theyd be freaks, wouldnt they? She stirred the stew and lifted a spoonful only to let it dribble back into the bowl.

  Freaks is a strong word, Luke said.

  But they would be different, she insisted. Notnormal.

  Whats normal? Luke asked. He intended his question as a lighthearted joke, but Faith didnt take it as such. She shook her head and closed her eyes.

  Eat, he commanded. And then you can stay here for the night.

  Her eyes got wide.

  You can sleep on the couch, he clarified.

  The shock faded from her face, but still she shook her head. Id prefer to return to the motel. II need to be alone.

  She needed to be alone. Suddenly Luke realized he was damned tired of being alone. He had Abby, sure, but that wasnt enough. Not anymore. Maybe that was why he found Faith so damned attractive, so appealing; maybe that was why she had worked her way under his skin. He wanted her to spend the night, but he damn sure didnt want her sleeping on the couch.

  He wondered if Faith was capable of carrying on a casual conversation. No shop talk, no questions about other men, no far-fetched medical suppositions.

  There was only one way to find out. So, he said as he lifted a spoonful of stew. What do you like to do when youre not chasing down viruses?

  Faith looked mildly shocked. I beg your pardon?

  Hobbies, entertainment, peccadilloes, he explained. What do you do in your spare time?

  Her dark blue eyes were impossibly wide. I dont have any spare time.

  Luke laughed. Everyone has spare time, Faith. Come on, throw me a bone here. Tell me what youre like when youre not no-nonsense Dr. Martin.

  Why? she asked seriously.

  He had never had so much trouble getting a woman to talk about herself. Maybe it wasnt worth the trouble, trying to get to know Faith. Then again

  Im interested, he said. Interested could mean so many things.

  Faith was stumped. Genuinely taken aback. Finally she said, Oh! I like to read.

  It was a start. Mysteries? Romance? Creepy horror novels?

  Did she look sheepish? Medical manuals and periodicals, primarily, though I am also interested in travelogues.

  Medicine was her job, and she traveled all the time, from what hed been able to tell. Surely theres

  What about you? Faith interrupted. What are your hobbies? She looked at him as if she were certain he didnt have any, either.

  Trout fishing is my favorite, he said. But I also like to kayak and golf when I can. I tried skiing once, but I busted my ass and decided the sport wasnt for me. Living that dangerously isnt my style.

  Oh, she said softly.

  I do like to hike, but I havent done that in a while, and there are lots of places near here to go horseback riding, but I dont do that often, either.

  When do you have time to see patients? she asked dryly.

  I manage.

  She gave the stew her full attention.

  When this is all over, Ill show you a part of Montana you dont see from the clinic, Luke promised.

  Faith glanced at him almost warily. Oh, you will?

  Ill take you fishing first, see how you like the great outdoors. If you survive the fishing expedition, then well see about the kayaking.

  If I survive? Faith asked with a widening smile. I had no idea trout fishing could be considered such a challenge.

  We could always try something less ambitious first. A walk in the woods, maybe.

  Why on earth would I want to walk in the woods? she asked.

  It took a minute for Luke to realize that she was serious. Completely, cluele
ssly serious. Because its beautiful, he said. And because Id love to get you away from the clinic and under the trees and kiss you until your head swam.

  Fat chance.

  Late in the spring, theres a festival right here in Rockland, he said, attempting to veer his mind away from the walk in the woods he would never experience. Its really lots of fun. Theres a craft fair, a pie-eating contest and a dance, among other things.

  I dont dance, Faith said with a wide smile, and I certainly wouldnt have anything to contribute to the craft fair. But I might be interested in entering a pie-eating contest.

  Ill teach you to dance, Luke suggested in an offhand manner.

  Faiths smile died and she stiffened just slightly. This is lovely dinner conversation, but of course, I wont be here in the spring.

  Of course not, Luke agreed.

  There was no telling where Faith Martin would be come spring. Across the world and up to her elbows in something nasty, most likely.

  Too bad. He really would like to get the chance to teach her to fish. To walk in the woods. To dance. But Faith was all business, and that would never happen.

  Faith had been tempted to take Luke up on his offer and sleep on his couch. His house was warm, secure, and even though she had insisted that she wanted to be alone tonight, it was a lie. It would be nice to know there was someone in the next room, a friend she could call on if she were bothered by nightmares again, a friendly face to look at over breakfast.

  But staying at his place was not a good idea. Especially once he started talking about Rockland in the spring, dancing at a town festival and walking in the woods. She didnt have that kind of life and she never would. She didnt even long for such ordinary things. A twitch of her nose and an unsettled clenching in her stomach protested her silent insistence, but she didnt back down. No, she did not yearn for such simple pleasures.