Nowhere to Turn (20 page)

Stuart slumped back into his chair. “You got along okay? Just okay? I thought he saved your life.”

Joe shrugged. “He did. But that’s what we do when we’re in the field. We look out for each other. We’ve got each other’s backs no matter how we feel about each other outside of work. I didn’t agree with the way he treated his wife, but that was his business. Kurt was a good agent.”

Stuart studied the man. Was he lying? He couldn’t tell. But he’d caught Joe in lies before, so Stuart was never sure what to believe when the man opened his mouth. Then again Stuart had lied to Joe on more than one occasion. “Kurt wrote a letter telling her to stay away from me.” He couldn’t wrap his mind around it. Had Kurt suspected Stuart’s fascination with Dani? “Really?”

“Just telling you what he told me, man.”

Kurt must have figured it out. Stuart was usually pretty good about hiding his emotions, but when he got around Kurt . . . Stuart blew out a breath. If Joe had noticed Stuart’s fascination with Dani, then it went to reason that Kurt might have too. Maybe he and Joe even discussed it. Even laughed about it.

The thought sickened him.

Stuart wiggled the mouse to life. “We’ll see about that.”

THURSDAY EVENING

At the safe house off the coast of North Myrtle Beach, Adam examined the contents from the safe once more. His main focus was on the stack of twenties. One by one, he went over them, examining each and marking them with his pen. He looked up to the faces surrounding him. “They’re excellent forgeries.”

A collection of sighs filtered from the group. Dani picked up one of the bills. “How can you tell?”

Adam rubbed the bill. “The paper feels the same as the real thing. And see the colored fibers?” He used a magnifying glass to point them out. “You can’t re-create that.”

“Then why would you call them counterfeit?” Simon asked, his attention glued to what was unfolding in front of him.

“See this edge?” Adam pointed. “It’s got some broken spots going around the bill. They’re very faint and you wouldn’t notice unless you were looking for them. That’s the only thing that’s tipping me off. The ink is slightly raised, the paper is authentic, but in a genuine bill, you wouldn’t have the break in the ink around the border.”

“How did they get the paper?” Dani asked. “I mean you can’t just walk into the nearest Office Depot and buy currency paper.”

“True.” Adam leaned back and looked at Blake, Tabitha, and
Isaac. “I’m guessing they bleached lower denominations and then printed the twenties. You’ve even got a few fifties in here.”

Dani shook her head and paced to the nearest window. “Unbelievable.” She spun back to those gathered around the table. “So this is why someone broke into my house? They wanted the counterfeit money?”

“Probably.”

Isaac blew out a breath. “We need to let the Secret Service in on this. They’re the ones who investigate these reports.”

Adam nodded. “We’ll contact them eventually.” He glanced at the twenty-four-hour news station playing on the television. The finding of the counterfeit money was the top story of the day. “Right now, I don’t want to do anything to draw attention to Dani and Simon.” He looked at Dani. “Could this be why Stuart’s been so determined to get to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, he came to the house the day Kurt died to get something from the safe, right?”

“Yes.”

“What if he was after the counterfeit money?”

Dani nodded. “Maybe. Stuart never said what Kurt told him to get. It’s very possible he was coming after the money.”

Adam glanced at Isaac then back to her. “What about this black box with the key?”

Dani cocked her head. “That keeps nagging at me. I just don’t remember that being in the safe.”

“It was in the bag.”

“Then it must have been in the safe.” She rubbed her eyes. “Maybe Stuart knows what the key is for.”

Adam shook his head. “Maybe, but I’m willing to bet he wouldn’t tell us even if he did know. I’m not exactly his favorite person right now.”

“He’d probably lie,” Dani agreed.

“I get the feeling that Stuart would lie about anything as long as it suited his purpose. He was going to get something out of that safe, just a small box. But we know he agreed to get it, as it gave him a reason to see Dani.”

Isaac cleared his throat. “So either Stuart is really obsessed with Dani and agreed to get whatever it was Kurt wanted as an excuse to see her, or there’s something in the safe he actually wanted and is trying to get it.”

“But he’s had six months to get it. Why start now?” Tabitha asked.

“That’s the big question,” Adam said. “What’s triggered the action six months after the fact?”

“Was he at your house a lot after Kurt died?” Tabitha asked.

Dani rubbed her forehead and closed her eyes. “Yes, he was, but he never said anything about the safe or anything in it.”

“Because he didn’t want you to know he was interested?” Blake asked.

“Or because he didn’t care,” she said.

Adam pulled his phone from his pocket. “Dani, I’ve got to share something with you and I’m hesitant because it’s going to be another shock.”

Dani pulled in a deep breath and braced herself. “What is it? Just tell me.”

“Someone has cameras set up in your house.”

“What do you mean . . . cameras?”

“Surveillance cameras. The crime scene cleanup crew found one in the guest room and in the hall. They were pretty well hidden, but these guys clean every nook and cranny, so I’m not surprised they found them. The camera in the hall was in the
fire alarm. The one in the guest bedroom was attached to the lamp.”

Dani stared at him. She knew her jaw practically rested on her chest, but she couldn’t find any words to respond.

Isaac took pity on her. “Would Kurt have done that?”

“No,” she gasped. “No. I mean I don’t think so.”

“Then who?”

“Stuart. He’s the only one.”

Adam and Isaac exchanged a look. Isaac rubbed a hand over his chin. “I think we need to pay Stuart another little visit. I’m not sure I buy into the fact that he wasn’t interested in what was in the safe.”

Isaac shifted and pulled the box with the key toward him. “You said there were security cameras. Whoever was watching wouldn’t have any trouble figuring out the combination.”

“Stuart didn’t need the cameras to find out the combination,” Dani said. “He already knew it. Kurt would send him over to get things out of the safe.” Her head was on the verge of exploding. Cameras in her house? She shuddered. “Who was watching? Where are the monitors or whatever you use to watch the cameras?”

“They didn’t find any. That means whoever put them in is watching from a remote area.”

“Probably via his computer,” Isaac said.

Dani felt sick. Violated yet again. “I want them gone and I want that house put on the market. I never want to go back there again.”

Adam nodded. “I can have someone arrange that. I can also call in a professional moving company to pack everything up and move it to storage.”

“Yes, please do.”

“Consider it done.” Adam stood. “Where’s Simon?”

“In his room, on his Nintendo.”

Isaac looked up. “Nintendo. He’s not on the internet, is he?”

Adam blinked. “Internet? No. It’s a video game with cartridges.”

“Yeah. A video game that can connect to the internet. Kids play each other all the time on those things. My niece and nephew each have one. JJ plays someone in China.”

Dani gasped. “He plays his friend Mitchell Lee, but where would he get the code for the wireless here?”

“Off the modem,” Adam said on his way to the back of the house.

Dani followed behind him. Adam rapped on the door. Dani would have laughed if she hadn’t been so stressed. “He can’t hear the knock.”

Adam flushed. “Right.”

She opened the door and stuck a hand inside to flip the light switch off and on.

Within seconds Simon stood at the door. Dani’s hands flew as she asked him, “Are you on the internet?”

Simon frowned. “Yes, I’m playing Mitchell. Why?”

Before Dani could explain, Adam took over. “Interpret for me, will you?”

“Sure.”

“Simon, have you gotten on the internet at all of the safe houses?”

Her son shrugged. “Yes. I got the password off the modem.”

Dani closed her eyes, praying for strength. “Okay. Thanks for letting us know, but from now on, you can’t play Mitchell, okay?”

Simon’s mouth flattened and his nostrils flared. “Why not?”

“Because anyone after us can trace us through your game. They probably know you’re friends with Mitchell and are connecting his game to yours. That’s how they’re finding us.”

His anger faded and his eyes widened. “Really?”

“Yes,” Adam said. “We wouldn’t just tell you that you couldn’t play the game. I know this whole thing is crazy and totally boring at times and I’m sorry, but it’s the only way to keep you and your mom alive. Understand?”

Simon shut off the game. His face had paled about three shades and Dani wanted to pull him to her and protect him, tell him everything was going to be all right.

But she couldn’t.

His hand shook as he held the game out to her. “I’m sorry, Mom, I didn’t know. I mean I knew I couldn’t get on a computer and use the internet, but I didn’t think about the game. I’d never put you in danger, I wouldn’t, I promise.” His voice shook.

Tears clogged her throat. Dani nodded and took the game. “I know you wouldn’t, hon, I know.”

Dani looked at Adam. “We’re going to have to move again, aren’t we?”

Stuart almost had the next location, but just before he nailed the exact address, the tracker went blank. The kid had shut off the game. He swore. Then sat back in his chair. He’d come back online again sometime soon and Stuart would have him.

Joe stepped into his office and Stuart wanted to growl.

“Glad you’re here late,” Joe said. “Saves me a phone call.”

Stuart shrugged. “What’s up?”

“We’ve got a case.”

Stuart stood and grabbed his wallet and cell phone. “What is it?”

“Disappearance of a kid.”

“Abduction or runaway?”

“Not sure yet, but we’ve been called in on it because it looks like it’s gang related. They left some symbols.”

“Great.” Together they headed for the parking garage. Stuart pulled the keys from his pocket. “Where to?”

“That ritzy neighborhood on the west side of town. Stonebridge?”

“I know where it is.”

He clicked open the locks and within minutes they were on the way.

Joe looked at him. “I had an idea about how you could get Dani to come around to your way of thinking.”

“Really.” Stuart didn’t bother to hide his cynicism. “Because your last idea worked so well, right?”

“Hey, I didn’t say it would work, I just said you should try it.”

“And I did.” He paused. “So what’s your next brilliant idea?”

“You’ve got to get the kid in your corner.”

“And how am I supposed to do that when she won’t even talk to me? When she’s running from me and has people helping her run?” He made the next left onto 29. The subdivision was a straight shot about four miles ahead.

His partner remained silent and Stuart figured it was because the man couldn’t come up with a good answer.

They parked at the curb and Joe said, “You’ll think of something.”

“Why do you care?”

A smirk crossed his partner’s face before he turned serious. “Because that woman is distracting you and I don’t need a distracted partner. So let me know what I can do to help you out.”

Made sense.

Stuart took a deep breath and focused on the frantic parents waiting on the front porch.

Adam stood in the doorway watching for Isaac, who would be arriving any moment with another car. Blake and Tabitha scouted the area around them and Simon looked dejected. Adam shifted, praying for the right words. When Simon looked up, Adam caught his eye. “Don’t feel bad,” he signed slowly. “We all make mistakes.”

Simon’s brows rose and Adam thought the boy almost smiled.
Almost. Simon signed, “Thanks.” He paused and chewed on his lower lip.

“What is it?”

“You’ve made mistakes?”

Adam curled his lips into a rueful smile. “I’ve made so many mistakes, you’d be an old man before I finished telling you about them.”

Simon didn’t look like he was sure he could believe Adam, but the tension in his shoulders relaxed a fraction.