Stolen Identity Page 14

  “Britney flirted with everyone. Most guys didn’t take her seriously. I know I didn’t.”

  “I know that now, but at the time it struck me that could be us one day,” she confessed.

  All the missing pieces of their past relationship started coming together. Jason shook his head. “You thought I’d leave you just like your father had left you. Just like Susie’s father had left her mother?”

  She told him about finding out about her father’s affair, something she’d never shared in detail with him. About how he’d walked out and taken on a second family. That she’d never seen him again. All these years later the rejection still hurt. Which had been why all of Jason’s declarations of love and commitment hadn’t been enough.

  Sadness filled her pretty brown eyes. “I panicked. The closer we got to our wedding date, the more I knew I couldn’t go through with it. I was terrified that I’d end up alone like my mother, raising a child alone… I know it sounds crazy, but it was so real to me back then.”

  “Why didn’t you ever talk to me about it?” he asked, his gut churning with emotion.

  “I didn’t know how.”

  He studied her expression, wondering if he should broach the question he’d always wanted to ask. “What made things different when you met Quinton?”

  “A lot of things, I guess. Over a year passed before we started to date. I’d spent time on my own in Europe and had to grow up. I also spent a lot of time with an Italian couple I met there. They’d been married for over forty years.” She sighed. “I finally realized that not everyone was like my father. Couples married and divorced, but there were also those who stayed together, and men who were faithful to their wives.”

  “Fear is a powerful emotion.”

  She’d nodded. They’d both been wrapped up in its effects the past few days.

  “I realized that I didn’t want to miss out on something again because of fear.”

  He felt the familiar stir of his heart, but wasn’t ready to make any assumptions. “What are you saying, Danielle?”

  *

  Danielle felt as if she’d stumbled through her confession. She’d never been good at laying her heart out on the line. Which was one of the things she’d failed at all those years ago when they were together. Admitting that to herself had been hard. Admitting it to Jason even harder.

  She pressed her hands against the log and searched for the right words. “I’ve spent the past couple years trying to keep things together, but I’m tired of trying to just survive. Now over the past week, I’ve realized just how much I’ve tried to do things on my own without stopping to seek the will of God in the process.”

  Why was it that facing struggles always brought about the most growth?

  “Do you know what you want?”

  His question was the same one she’d asked herself over and over at the beach this afternoon.

  “I’m still not sure what I think, except that kissing you last night made me want to run away. Now I’m wondering if I should listen to my heart and get to know the man sitting beside me again.”

  He looked away from her toward the sea without saying anything. Danielle’s heart thudded. She needed to read his expression. Needed to know what he was thinking.

  “I’m not trying to play games, or toy with your emotions.” She waited until he turned back to her, and let the moonlight gave her a glimpse into his reaction. Cautious. Careful. “The past week has been one of the most frightening things I’ve ever gone through, but nothing compares to finding out that my baby might be in danger.

  “Which is why I’ve spent the day realizing what is truly important. My daughter, family, my faith and maybe…maybe us.” She hesitated, feeling as if she’d just laid her heart out on a platter. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m not thinking clearly, but on the other hand, what if I’m foolish to find a second chance at love and throw it away just because I’m afraid things might not work.”

  Jason sat close enough to touch her—close enough to kiss her—but he kept his hands beside him. She was afraid she knew what he was thinking. What would have happened if she’d come to him and told him this on the eve of their wedding? What if they had found a way to work things out between them?

  He pulled back. “I don’t want you to kiss me because your emotions are in turmoil. You’ve been through a lot. Last night you made it pretty clear that you were not interested in exploring a relationship again. I’m not willing to get caught in an emotional saga that leaves my heart broken again.” He tightened his jaw. “I once loved you, Danielle—maybe a part of me never completely stopped loving you—but planning to spend the rest of my life with you then losing you…I don’t want to go through that again.”

  “I know.”

  “And I’m not sure that this is the right time for us to be making decisions. Maybe when this is all over and life gets back to normal…. But the truth is, you were right when you said you’d been through a lot lately. I’m just afraid that emotion is clouding what you’re seeing in me.”

  She felt the sting of his words, yet knew how badly she’d hurt him. She’d walked away with little or no explanation. Maybe that was why he’d done the same thing over the years. Avoiding a serious relationship in fear that he’d get hurt again.

  “What if what I’m feeling right now isn’t just the fear and frustration I’m encountering?” she countered. “Something tells me that even if this were the first time we’d ever met, I’d want to get to know you. I’d wonder if you were the one I’d been waiting for. I wasn’t ready back then, but I do believe we’re both older and wiser now.”

  He moved closer to her this time. Close enough she could see his blue eyes in the moonlight. The slight smile on his lips. “Are you wanting to try again, Danielle?”

  “I just don’t want to let something pass me by because I’m too afraid.”

  He leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Instead of pulling away like she had last night, she wrapped her arm around his neck and kissed him long and hard, wondering how long had it been since she’d let her heart feel again.

  Jason’s phone rang, breaking through the intensity of the moment. Realizing he’d forgotten to switch it to vibrate, he pulled it out of his pocket.

  “I’m sorry—”

  “Go ahead and answer.” She pulled away, breathless, and nodded. “It might be important.”

  He hesitated, then took the call. A moment later, Jason hung up and turned back to her. “It was Philip. He was able to trace the name of the woman Garrett was dating.”

  The fear was back in her eyes. “Who is it?”

  “One of your employees. Kate Stevens.”

  FIFTEEN

  An hour later, Jason sprinted parallel to the shoreline alone, pushing himself despite his fatigued muscles. The dark waters pooled beneath his running shoes, splashing saltwater around his ankles as he made his way back to his father’s cabin. Growing up, the two of them had come here often. They’d bring their German shepherds for runs along the beach, or build a bonfire and roast s’mores after twilight. He’d learned to pray here after his mother died. To fervently seek God’s will on starting a business while running this same route.

  Tonight, though, his thoughts were centered on what he should do about Danielle.

  God, I never believed that Danielle and I would ever have another chance at love but now…even with all that’s happened between us, I’m not 100 percent sure how to move forward.

  Tonight’s kiss had been unexpected—just like her reaction. Having their paths cross again after so many years was the last thing he had expected. Maybe his hesitancy was nothing more than a reaction to avoiding getting his heart broken again. He glanced up at the stunning array of stars above him. He’d spent the past few years using Danielle to measure what he wanted in a relationship and even in a wife. Which hadn’t been right. But he’d known that with any more encouragement on her part, his heart was going to cave in. Which was exactly what had happened tonight.
>
  And truthfully, this time it was different. The years that had passed between them had given her confidence and direction. They weren’t two college kids unprepared for the realities of the real world.

  On top of that, he adored Lauryn. She’d reminded him of his dreams to have a family. Without kids of his own, he’d turned to his sister’s children. But while he loved his nieces and nephews, even they couldn’t completely take the place of having his own children.

  Small bonfires dotted the shoreline, like lights beckoning him to safety. Dealing with Garrett’s death and the ensuing fallout from the situation had contributed to his doubts about the future of a relationship with Danielle. But even if they survived the emotional tsunami they’d been swept into, building a relationship meant first taking the time to deal with their past.

  Jason skirted around a long piece of driftwood and headed back toward the cabin. Part of him felt as if he were jumping off the edge into the unknown. Relationships had always left him looking for a way of escape. But somehow, Danielle made him look differently at the possibility of losing his heart and falling in love. Because for the first time in as long as he could remember, he was beginning to wonder what it would feel like to stop running.

  *

  The familiar twinges of fear that had haunted Danielle throughout the night had begun to fade with the first light of day. The police had put out a BOLO on Kate in hopes of finding her and bringing her in for questioning. But for Danielle, feelings of betrayal had managed to rival her fears over her future. Kate had always been more than simply an employee. They’d been friends. Or so Danielle had thought. Instead, the person Danielle had put her trust in had been living two lives. One, acting the part of a friend. The other lost in some dark world Danielle couldn’t even begin to understand.

  Danielle snuggled beneath a colorful homemade afghan with a thick mug of coffee between her hands on Eddie’s couch, content for the moment to find peace knowing her family was safe. While Eddie showed Lauryn and her mother his stash of spy equipment, her mother attacked the dusty living room furniture with a can of furniture polish and a clean rag.

  According to her mother, Eddie Ryan’s charm made up for his lack of organization. Danielle, though, wasn’t sure what she thought about her mother’s newfound romantic interest any more than she was certain where her relationship with Jason was headed.

  Which was why she was trying to simply grasp on to the many things to be thankful for—her family’s safety, Jason’s unwavering support and his father’s hospitality. They’d become the beacon in the storm that was making today’s situation bearable. For now, she was content to soak up the warm morning sun filtering through the window and listen quietly to the friendly banter between Jason’s dad and her mom.

  “What do you think, Danielle?” Eddie’s question broke into her thoughts. “Do you know how long on average a thief will spend in your home?”

  Danielle looked up from her coffee and shook her head.

  “Eight minutes. Unless they are there after something specific, the only thing they want to do is get in and get out, so their plan is to grab anything of value that they see and run. Period.”

  “Makes sense.”

  “Where do you store your valuables?” he asked.

  “Are you asking me to give away all my secrets?” Danielle laughed. “Sounds like a trick question to me.”

  “Touché, but there is a point to my madness.” Eddie grabbed a saltshaker from the cluttered hutch behind him. “Lauryn, can you tell me what this is?”

  Lauryn looked up from her coloring book. “A saltshaker.”

  “Are you sure?”

  The little girl cocked her head, then nodded.

  “It might look like a saltshaker, but it’s actually a small safe. Take off the lid and you can see for yourself.”

  He handed the saltshaker to Lauryn whose eyes widened as she opened the lid and pulled out a wad of bills.

  “See what I mean? Sometimes hiding things in plain sight is even better than hiding it away in a safe.” He handed her a dollar bill, then put the lid back on and dropped the saltshaker back onto the hutch. “And that is only one of my secrets. Valuables can be hidden in almost anything. After forty-odd years working as a private investigator, I learned a few tricks. Would you like to see something else?”

  Lauryn nodded, seemingly as enchanted as her grandmother.

  “Check out this.” Eddie rummaged again behind him on the cluttered hutch then pulled out a fancy, cone-shaped listening device.

  Danielle’s mom stopped beside him, hands pressed against her hips, still clutching the cloth and spray can. “You know you’re going to have to eventually clean off the hutch so I can dust.”

  Eddie shook his head and grinned. “Not sure I can trust a woman who gets between me and my spy gadgets. Though for you I suppose I might be convinced to make an exception. But first…” Eddie put the padded earphone on Lauryn. “What do you hear?”

  The four-year-old’s smile broadened. “The dogs are barking outside.”

  “Exactly. You’d be amazed at the things you can hear with this device.”

  “Giving away all your secrets, Dad?” Jason entered the living room from the hallway, looking rested—and handsome—in jeans, a white T-shirt and an Oregon Ducks sweatshirt.

  “Morning, son.” Eddie took the headset back from Lauryn. “Finally decided to get up.”

  “Funny. I’ve actually been working the past couple hours.”

  Danielle caught his gaze and felt her heart stir. “Your father has been entertaining us with all his spy gear.”

  Jason picked up one of the electronic gadgets from the table. “Isn’t this stuff illegal, Dad?”

  “I’ve never broken the law, though I’ll admit there are always exceptions to every rule.” His eyes crinkled with mischief. “And despite the laws, that doesn’t mean I can’t have some fun on my own time.”

  “As long as you keep it on the up-and-up.”

  The buzzer went off in the kitchen, and Danielle’s mom nodded at Eddie. “Breakfast is ready. If you can’t clear off the hutch, you could at least try starting with all that stuff at the other end of the table, so I can serve breakfast.” She gave him a hint of a smile. “Lauryn, why don’t you come into the kitchen and help with the plates and silverware. I made a pan of cinnamon rolls. With cream cheese frosting.”

  “My favorite!” the little girl exclaimed.

  Eddie jumped up and quickly moved the piles of books and newspapers onto the floor. “Smells delicious, and I have a feeling it will taste even better.”

  Danielle watched the blush creep up her mother’s face as she turned toward the kitchen. When was the last time she’d seen her mother flirt with a man?

  Eddie followed her across the dining room. “How have we let so many years go by without seeing each other, Maggie?”

  “I’ve been asking myself that same question.”

  “We could remedy that, you know. How about dinner in town once this is over. I hear that The Crab Shack makes the best crab cakes along the Oregon Coast….”

  Eddie’s voiced faded away as he followed her mom into the kitchen. Jason picked up the sound amplifier and held it up to his ear.

  “Jason!”

  “What?” He shot Danielle a grin then set the gadget back down. “I don’t know about you, but I was just wondering if I heard right? Our parents are actually talking about going out on a date?”

  “Yes, you heard right. I think it’s sweet.”

  “It’s just new for me to see my father so…so smitten over a woman. On the other hand, maybe she’ll get my dad to clean up this place once and for all.”

  Danielle laughed. “One can hope, I suppose.”

  “What about you?” He stepped in front of her and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “How are you feeling this morning about Kate?”

  “I feel betrayed…deceived…. I keep trying to look back to see if there were any signs. Something I misse
d. How could Kate have lived two lives without my noticing something was wrong?”

  “Honestly, I don’t know.” He let his hand drop and grasped her fingers. “But knowing it was her does mean that we are one step closer to finding out the truth.”

  “Which is why I’m trying to remember to count my blessings.”

  “Like?” he prodded.

  “My daughter and mom are safe. I have friends, like you and your father, who are standing by me.”

  “So do you have any regrets over what happened between us last night?”

  She shook her head and felt an unexpected shyness sweep through her, along with a growing anticipation for what the future held for the two of them when all of this was over. “And you?”

  “I don’t think either of us should rush into anything, but no…I don’t have any regrets, either.”

  “Why don’t the two of you come on to the table and get something to eat.”

  Danielle pulled away from Jason as her mother placed a hot pan of cinnamon rolls on the table. Eddie and Lauryn were right behind her carrying a stack of plates and forks.

  “Can I help with something, Mom?”

  “You sit right there, eat some breakfast and keep working with Jason to figure out this mess we’re in. Eddie and Lauryn can help me finish dishing up the fruit salad and pour the juice he graciously went out and got this morning. As far as I’m concerned, the sooner all this is over, the sooner life can get back to normal.”

  Danielle helped Lauryn set out the plates and silverware then began serving up the cinnamon rolls. She looked over at Jason from across the table. “You said you’ve been working this morning. What have you found out?”

  “Philip and I are working through audit logs and other files to see if our system has been compromised.”

  “Have you found anything?”

  “So far we haven’t found evidence of any security breaches, but if Garrett was the one accessing the accounts, his activity won’t necessarily put up any red flags.”