Code Word

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  “Come on, Jay. It’s not like I’m trying to convert you.”

  “Since when?” Jay asked, sarcasm dripping. “You’ve given me three copies of the Book of Mormon in the past six months.”

  Seth’s wife, Vanessa, shifted in the passenger seat to look back at him. “Jay, I hate to say it, but he’s going to keep giving you copies until you break down and read one of them.”

  “Look, I just really don’t know about this.” Jay shifted his attention to Vanessa. Maybe she would get that he didn’t belong here. “I know Commander Bennett is blessing his baby today, whatever that means, but I hardly know the commander.”

  “He obviously knows you or he wouldn’t have invited you.” Seth pushed open the car door and climbed out. “Come on.”

  Muttering under his breath, Jay climbed out to stand beside Seth. He looked him in the eye and shook his head skeptically. “This is just weird.”

  “If you tell me you’re afraid to walk into a church, I’m going to be really disappointed in you.”

  “You aren’t seriously trying to dare me to go inside, are you?”

  “Whatever works.” Seth gave his arm a friendly punch. “Come on.”

  Jay sighed heavily. Resigned, he fell into step beside Seth and Vanessa and headed toward the double glass doors.

  * * *

  Carina walked out of the Relief Society room into the crowded church hallway. Four different people had approached her about going to the upcoming young single adults’ activity. The more people who told her about it, the more Carina dug her heels in, determined not to go. Couldn’t everyone understand that three hours of church a week was plenty? The last thing she wanted was to be hanging out with a bunch of people she didn’t know and get preached at.

  Associating with the other young single adults always made her feel so out of place, so isolated. They were all so cheerful, their lives so uncomplicated. Sure, she knew they all probably had some minor trials in their lives, but worrying about finding a date for Saturday night seemed pretty insignificant compared to being related to the Chicago mob.

  Besides, she was tired of feeling like everyone’s charity case. It wasn’t like she hadn’t dated at all since her mother’s death. Admittedly, she hadn’t gone on many second dates, but she didn’t have time for that kind of stuff anyway. Every time someone asked her out or set her up, she couldn’t help feeling like a huge fraud.

  CJ knew a little about her past. At least, she knew her father had killed her mother. Yet somehow, despite their close friendship, Carina had never been able to confide in her about the rest of her family.

  How would she even start such a conversation? By the way, CJ, did I ever mention that my father is the top man in the Outfit, also known as Chicago’s mafia? Yeah, she couldn’t see those words coming out of her mouth. Besides, the fewer people who knew about her past, the safer everyone would be.

  Carina managed to work her way through the crowded hallway until she reached the foyer, where she could at least breathe a little while she waited for Bianca. The anonymous note still on her mind, Carina moved to the window and stared out into the parking lot.

  The cars outside ranged from beat-up station wagons to luxury cars, a tribute to the eclectic neighborhoods that made up her ward. Most ward members lived in the beautiful neighborhoods in Miami that boasted mansion-sized houses and private ocean access through a series of canals that led to the ocean. A few members, like herself, lived in the little slice of the ward made up of low-income housing in crime-infested apartment complexes.

  She tried not to resent her current housing situation as she continued to search the cars. She didn’t realize what she was looking for until she was sure it wasn’t there. No dark SUVs, no men who looked like they were fresh in from Chicago.

  Lou hadn’t seemed too concerned about the note left on her car, and she wondered now if she was just being paranoid. Maybe it really had been from some random friend. Surely she was overreacting to think it was possibly time to relocate again.

  Lou’s instincts had served them well over the past two years, and Carina couldn’t begin to imagine what it would be like to truly be out on her own without Lou around to keep an eye on them. Even though she had, in essence, been taking care of her sisters since their mother’s death, Lou’s presence continued to make her feel safe.

  Carina thought of Bianca and how well she was doing with her new coach and knew she would be devastated if she had to start over somewhere else. She also knew she didn’t have the money for a move right now, especially since Gianna had decided to stay out at BYU for the summer. Despite living as frugally as she could, they were living paycheck to paycheck, and Carina didn’t see that changing anytime soon.

  “Hey, Carina.”

  She turned to see Matt Whitmore standing behind her. “Hi, Matt. Welcome home.”

  “Thanks.” He glanced around the hall before turning his attention back to Carina. “Where’s your sister? I was hoping to catch her today.”

  “Looking for a babysitter?”

  He grinned and nodded. “Yeah. CJ is supposed to be speaking at a fireside tonight and I’ve got a game.”

  “I’m sure she can help out. I’ll have her give you a call to work out the details.”

  “That would be great. Thanks.” Matt took a step toward the door. “By the way, I have some extra tickets to my game for Wednesday. I thought you and Bianca might want to come.”

  “Sure, we’d love that. Thanks.”

  Matt nodded, his face lighting up when he noticed his wife standing outside, loading their kids into their car. His focus already on his family, Matt gave her a quick nod and started for the door. “See you later.”

  “See you.” Carina nodded, trying not to let the happiness of everyone around her aggravate her. Maybe in a couple more years, she could start going after what she wanted in her own life. Maybe then she would get her turn.

  * * *

  Jay noticed the two missionaries the moment he walked in the door. They weren’t the same ones he had met by his apartment, but they were dressed in the same white shirts and matching black name tags. He thought a moment about the plan of happiness Elder Smith had mentioned. They had made it sound so simple. Just believe and be happy. He wished it were that easy.

  Prelude music sounded softly as he followed Seth and Vanessa into one of the long pews in the center of the chapel. Jay took the seat beside Tristan and exchanged greetings with him and his wife, Riley.

  “Glad you were able to make it,” Tristan commented, his arm draped casually around his wife’s shoulders.

  “I’m glad Kel and Marilyn decided to push off the blessing until you all made it home,” Riley added. “They had originally scheduled it for last Sunday.”

  Jay’s mind immediately raced to the events of the Sunday before, the day he’d almost died in a helicopter crash. Riley must have noticed a change in his expression because she leaned forward and looked at him intently. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” Jay said, trying to shake off the memory. He quickly turned the attention back to Riley, motioning to the hand she had resting on her slightly rounded stomach. “How are you feeling?”

  “Really good, thanks.” She nodded toward Tristan. “I just hope there aren’t any international incidents five months from now. It would be nice for Tristan to be home when the baby comes.”

  “Yeah.” Jay nodded, considering the strain all of his teammates must be under trying to juggle marriage and family while gone so much of the time. Jay remembered vividly when Tristan had finished video chatting with Riley in February, eager to tell them the news that they were expecting. He would be the first in their squad to become a father, and Jay was a little surprised that Riley and Tristan seemed so undaunted by the possibility that Riley might go through the birth of their first child without her husband by her side.

  After growing up with a father in the Marines, Jay understood the balancing act required to be successful in both family and a military c
areer. He looked forward to facing that challenge himself someday. Still, he couldn’t help but notice the ease with which Tristan and Riley faced the uncertainty in their future. It wasn’t that they didn’t plan for what was to come, but rather they seemed completely accepting that some things were inevitable and that ultimately everything would work out.

  It was that same attitude the rest of his squad had exhibited on the helicopter in those long seconds when Jay had been so certain their lives were about to end.

  A man stood at the pulpit in front of them, the music stopped, and the quiet chatter in the congregation ceased. Jay settled back in his seat and prepared to be bored for the next hour. He had only been to church services a handful of times during his life, and most of them had been for weddings or funerals. He was pretty sure his aunt had taken him to mass once or twice when he was little, but he couldn’t have been more than six or seven at the time. All he remembered was that it had lasted forever.

  The first few minutes of the meeting were somewhat predictable, the man in front making some announcements, everyone singing, and then someone from the congregation saying a prayer.

  When the man at the pulpit announced Commander Bennett’s baby’s blessing, Jay’s eyes narrowed when all of his teammates stood and moved to the front of the room. They and a few other men formed a circle around the commander, who was holding his baby girl. The prayer that followed, said by the commander himself, was unlike any Jay had heard before. Rather than some sort of standard prayer, it was one filled with promise, and it appeared to be unique for the child in Kel’s arms.

  After the blessing concluded, Kel held little Zoe up so the congregation could see her, and then they all returned to their seats. After another song, several boys passed the sacrament. Jay followed his friends’ lead and took a little piece of bread from the tray when it was offered, followed by the miniature cup of water.

  Jay wasn’t sure what to think of the next part of the meeting, which started with two teenagers giving talks. They were surprisingly articulate for their age, both of them quoting from scripture and offering messages of what they could do to be good citizens. The final speaker, a man of about forty, continued the theme, sharing some personal experiences from his military career.

  When the man spoke of his own struggles with a mission that hadn’t gone as planned, Jay was surprised to hear his conviction of how he believed the Lord had helped him overcome the past and that with His help, he had found understanding and peace. The man’s eyes swept over the congregation, and Jay could have sworn he was speaking right to him.

  Those memories of the woman stepping into his line of fire pressed at him, but somewhere from deep inside, he found a desire rising up in him to let the memory go, a silent prayer for peace.

  It wasn’t until the last speaker concluded that Jay realized he hadn’t been bored during the service as he had expected. Rather, he had found himself intrigued by the speakers and at times even uplifted. When the meeting concluded, he stood up with his friends, not quite sure what to think of their meetings or how oddly comforting it was to be here with them.

  7

  Carina didn’t notice the yelling at first, the sound of angry voices blending into the normal sounds of the busy neighborhood; her sewing machine drowned out most of the sound. Then the words became loud enough for her to make them out, and she realized they were being shouted in Italian.

  Now recognizing Lou’s voice among the shouts, Carina pushed back from the sewing machine in the bedroom and hurried to the front of her apartment.

  “I told you to leave!” Lou shouted. “There’s nothing for you here.”

  A male voice answered, fury vibrating in his tone. “Don’t make me hurt you, old man.”

  Carina pulled open the front door, immediately assaulted by the hot wall of humidity. “What’s going on out here?”

  Both men turned toward her, frustration evident on Lou’s face, victory lighting the other man’s expression.

  Her eyes skimmed over the man in the expensive clothes and designer Italian shoes before she looked questioningly at Lou.

  The younger man took a step toward her, and she was surprised that Lou didn’t stop him. “I didn’t expect to see you living in the slums, bellisima. You deserve better than this.”

  She took an automatic step back, studying him more closely. He was around her age, midtwenties, and his black hair was cut stylishly short. She saw the recognition in his eyes and tried to place where she might know him from.

  “Surely you remember me, bella. Every girl remembers the first boy she ever kissed.”

  Her eyes widened, the memory of a backyard barbeque flashing into her mind. Nick Baldino had grabbed her hand and pulled her behind a thick oak tree so he could kiss her without their families seeing them. She had felt so special in that moment, knowing the boy she had liked for months had finally liked her back. That had been only two weeks before her mother had made her escape. Carina gave his face another quick study, now recognizing the dark eyes and the arrogance reflecting from them. Confusion and apprehension shot through her. “Nick?”

  His laughter rang out haughtily. He closed the distance between them and took her face in his hands, kissing one cheek and then the other.

  Stunned by both his presence and the overly friendly welcome, Carina stepped back. “What are you doing here?”

  “I came for you.”

  “I don’t understand.” She glanced over at Lou to see him glaring at Nick. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably at the knowledge that Nick clearly wasn’t an invited visitor. “How did you even find me?”

  “A lucky coincidence.” Nick waved smugly toward Lou. “I was just asking Lou where to find you, and here you are.”

  “Why would you come to Lou?”

  “Please.” Nick sneered and rolled his eyes. “Everyone knows that he kept in touch with your mother after she ran away.” He motioned at Lou’s mangled hand. “Or didn’t he ever tell you how he lost those fingers?”

  Carina paled, her eyes darting to Lou’s face. He looked down at the ground but not before she saw the truth in his eyes. Luigi Rizzoni, the man who had always been like a treasured uncle to her, had been tortured by her family and had still protected them. She didn’t have to ask to know that Nick had been there when it happened.

  “Tell me why you’re here, Nick,” Carina demanded with a deceptively calm voice.

  “Your father sent me.”

  “My father and I aren’t exactly on speaking terms. What does he want?”

  “He’s worried about you.” Nick seemed to struggle for the right words. “He expressed concern that some of his former clients might try to hurt you to get to him.”

  Disbelief filled her voice, overshadowing her anxiety. “And you’re here to protect me?”

  “I’m here to bring you home,” he stated simply. “It’s time for you and your sisters to come back to Chicago.”

  Before she could respond, Lou stepped forward. “They aren’t going anywhere with you!”

  “I already told you, old man, stay out of this. It isn’t your concern.”

  “The devil it isn’t!” Lou took another step.

  Carina stepped between the two men. She shot a placating look at Lou before turning to address Nick. “I appreciate your concern, but I can take care of myself.”

  “You don’t know these people. You don’t know what they are capable of.” Nick’s words carried a hard edge of truth. “Your father can’t protect you now, so he sent me.”

  “Tell me this, Nick. How long did it take you to find me?” Carina asked perceptively. “My father has been in prison for two years.”

  He looked over her shoulder. “We didn’t realize how serious the threats were until recently.”

  “You know, you never were a very good liar,” Carina told him, remembering the way he had broken her fourteen-year-old heart. She had believed him when he’d told her she was the only girl for him. Then he had broken up with her only a day afte
r that first kiss so he could go out with Liliana Minimi. She put a hand on his chest and nudged him back. “Go back to Chicago, Nick. I can take care of myself.”

  Nick stared down at her for a moment and then shook his head. “You think you can take care of yourself, but this time you’re wrong.”

  Carina pointed at the shiny black Jaguar that obviously belonged to him. “Nick. Leave.”

  He took a step back and shot her a cocky smile. “You’ll change your mind.” Before Carina or Lou could protest any further, he climbed into his car and pulled out of the parking lot.

  “I’m sorry, Carina. I don’t know how he found me.”

  “It doesn’t matter, and you have nothing to be sorry for.”

  Lou stared after Nick for a moment before turning his attention back to Carina. “Maybe we should move again.”

  “What?”

  “I know you and Bianca like it here, but if there really is a threat against you, we may have to leave.”

  “You’ve always said the family would protect us no matter what. I believe that.” Carina reached for his damaged hand, lifting it so she could see the evidence of where his fingers had been brutally and painfully removed. “My father did this, didn’t he? Or was it my uncle?”

  He pulled his hand free. “It’s not important.”

  It was important to Carina to know the truth, vitally important to know if it had been her father who had inflicted such pain. She opened her mouth but couldn’t bring herself to press him for details. Instead, she said, “You said my family thought you betrayed them, that that was why you left.”

  “The past is the past.”

  “Yes, but I need to understand it,” Carina insisted. “I’m not like Bianca and Gianna. I’ve seen what my father is capable of. I know how dangerous he is.” She hesitated and looked up at him, her eyes pleading. “What I don’t know is how my mother managed to escape the family or where the money came from for all those years.”