When a Secret Kills (3 page)

“What?” Colton jerked and nearly dropped the notebook as he registered her words.

Jillian lifted her chin, eyes clear, determination etched, shoulders squared. “It’s true. I saw him do it.”

“I don’t believe you.” He heard the frigid tone in his voice, saw her flinch, then narrow her eyes.

“It doesn’t really matter if you believe me or not. It’s why I left that night and it’s why I’m back now. To prove it. With or without your help.”

What she was saying was crazy. And a lie. But why would she lie about something like that?

She pointed toward the door. “That man tried to kill me to shut me up.” Her jaw firmed. “Well, it’s not going to be so easy this time. I know it doesn’t look like it, considering what happened in the bathroom, but I’ve had ten years to learn how to take care of myself.”

Colton watched her eyes. They flared with truth and determination. A sinking feeling swirled in his gut. She believed every word she said. He shot a glance at Hunter, who’d been quiet through the whole conversation. But the frown pulling his brows toward the bridge of his nose suggested he was thinking. Hard. “Hunter?”

“There’s something . . .”

“What?”

“Something I read not too long ago.” He rubbed his chin. “It was when someone was after Alexia and we were searching for the guy. We had connected that whoever was after Alexia had something to do with the night Jillian left town. I researched all of the crimes and 911 calls that came in that night.”

“What’d you find?” Colton asked.

“Something about a gunshot being reported in your uncle’s neighborhood, but when authorities got there, all was quiet. The police did a drive-by, stopped at a few random houses to ask questions, but came up empty and just wrote it off to a car backfiring.”

Jillian drew in a deep breath and asked, “And what was the date of that report, Hunter?” Colton could see that she already knew the answer to the question.

Hunter looked first at Jillian, then at Colton. The sinking feeling grew. Hunter said, “Graduation night. Like I said, it was the night you left town.”

“And they covered it up. Somehow.” Jillian fidgeted with the carry-on, the hole from the knife a visible reminder that someone had really tried to kill her.

But Uncle Frank involved? Colton shook his head. Impossible.

“Excuse me?”

Jillian jumped and Colton swung around to see Serena and Rick.

He stood and shut off the camera. “What do you have?”

Serena gestured for Rick to go first. He said, “I’ve got his prints.” He held up a device and Colton exchanged a look with Hunter. Rick caught the exchange and snorted. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to force you to add to your limited knowledge at this point in time.” However, a small secretive smile crossed his face. A smile that made Colton nervous. Rick didn’t explain the look. Instead, he said, “I just came to tell you that your dead guy isn’t in the system.”

“Of course not,” Colton muttered. “That would be too easy.” He looked at Serena. “Your turn.”

Concern knit her brow as she glanced at Jillian, then over to Colton. She said, “I’ve already talked to TSA and the FBI, but wanted to fill you in. Cause of death is pretty obvious. The three shots to the chest killed him. He bled out before the ambulance pulled in the parking lot.” She looked at Jillian. “There was no ID on him. You know who he is?”

“No. Not a clue,” she said. “I’m sure he’s just a hired killer. Someone to do the senator’s dirty work for him.”

Colton looked at Jillian. “You can’t make these kinds of accusations without proof. If you go public with that kind of thing, you’ll ruin his career. Ruin
my family
. Is that what you want?”

He saw a deep weariness invade her features before she schooled them. Her brown eyes held his as she said, “I have no intention of making accusations I can’t back up with solid proof. That’s why I’m here, to get proof.” Her gaze flicked back and forth between him and Hunter and Serena. “And that’s why I’ve told you what I have. Now if I turn up dead, you’ll have your motive.”

Colton rocked back. The confrontation in the bathroom, seeing Jillian again, fighting memories of their past—and now hearing her talk as if his uncle was a murderer swarmed together in his mind. He looked around. “We need to talk. After I finish here, we have some serious catching up to do.”

She lifted her chin. “Fine.”

Hunter nodded and Colton made a mental effort to loosen his jaw before he shattered his teeth. He narrowed his eyes at Jillian. “Where are you staying? Your dad’s?”

“No.” She didn’t elaborate. “Not there. I was going to get a hotel room and go from there.” She paused. “My top priority is to put a killer behind bars and stay alive while doing it.”

Serena smiled and spoke up. “You can stay with me until you figure out what you’re going to do.”

Hunter shook his head. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea, Serena. You’ve already been targeted and we don’t know that it’s over.”

“Exactly.” Serena hitched her chin much like Jillian had done moments before and looked first at Hunter, then Colton. “If she’s with me, it’ll be easier for you to keep us safe.” She motioned to a man who hovered discreetly behind her. “Besides, I have a shadow. He can watch us both at the same time.”

“Dominic might have something to say about that,” Colton said.

“Wait a minute,” Jillian said. “Dominic? Alexia’s brother?”

“You and Colton aren’t the only ones who need to catch up.” Serena lifted a brow at Colton. “Dominic will agree.”

Colton smiled. “Yeah, I guess he will if
you
ask him.”

Serena nodded. “I’ll ask him.” She stepped the rest of the way into the room and rounded the table to gather Jillian into a quick hug. “Welcome home. Get your things. I’ll show you where I live.” She looked at Colton. “Once you’re finished here, will you bring any luggage Jillian can’t get to right now to my house?”

“Sure.” Colton frowned as Serena led Jillian from the room. Neither woman paid attention to the man who moved to follow them, but he made eye contact with Colton and nodded. Colton nodded back. Dominic had hired someone to continue watching out for Serena. Anyone with Serena would receive the same treatment. Jillian was safe.

For now.

Jillian stepped into Serena’s house and shut the door behind her. Serena’s shadow stayed outside. She set the hard case box containing her weapon onto the table in the foyer. Getting it had taken some doing. But Jillian had followed all regulations for flying with a firearm. After TSA had searched everything except her large suitcase that hadn’t shown up by the time she was ready to leave,
they had returned her things. She set down her small suitcase and slid off her backpack, taking in her surroundings. “I’m impressed,” she told her friend. “This is nice.”

Serena punched in the code to deactivate the alarm. “I’ve done all right.”

“More than all right.” Jillian felt some of the stress of the last ten years ease as she looked around. “It’s very peaceful.
Serene.
”

Her friend smiled at the pun, then frowned. “I can’t believe you carry a gun.”

“Never let it get too far away from me. Thanks for doubling back at the airport and letting me claim it.” She paused. “I didn’t want to have to explain it to everyone.”

Serena’s eyes changed, studying her. “You’re different,” she said.

Jillian nodded. “Very.” She softened her gaze. “I had to change, to learn to rely only on myself if I wanted to survive.”

“You were so young,” Serena whispered.

That brought a sad smile to Jillian’s lips. “We’re the same age.”

Serena frowned. “I feel older.”

Laughing, a short, amused chuckle, Jillian shook her head. “I don’t know why.”

“I guess because I keep picturing you as you were ten years ago. We’ve only spoken on the phone a few times in ten years. That’s made it hard to know you, to know who you are now.”

Jillian felt tears prick the back of her eyes. “I know.”

“So why didn’t you want to stay with your dad?”

Grateful for the change in subject, Jillian said, “Same reason I’m not sure I want to stay with you. I don’t want to put anyone in danger.”

“So it’s better to stay with me since I’m already a target?” Serena asked with a teasing smile as she walked toward the living area. She gestured to the couch.

Jillian sank down onto the soft leather and sighed. “Something
like that.” Then she frowned. “I’m sorry I dragged you into this. I shouldn’t have sent you that package.”

“Ah yes, the package.” Serena looked away for a moment.

It didn’t take a genius to understand. “You read it, didn’t you?”

“I did.”

Jillian studied her friend. Guilt and some other emotion clouded Serena’s eyes. “You felt you had to?”

“Yes.”

Serena looked relieved at Jillian’s understanding. But Jillian knew her friend. If Serena had read the information in the package, she’d had a really good reason.

Serena ran a hand through her thick black hair, pushing strands behind her ears. “We thought there might be a clue in there to tell us who was after me and why. I’m sorry, Jill, I wouldn’t have read it if—” She bit her lip.

“It’s all right.” Nerves made her want to fidget. “Who else knows?”

“Just Dominic and me.”

Relief crashed over her like giant waves. “Then Colton doesn’t know?”

“That you and he have a daughter? No.”

Jillian swallowed hard. “I’m going to have to tell him, aren’t I?” Serena simply looked at her and Jillian grimaced. “I think I’ve known I was going to have to do that for a while now.”

“She’s nine?”

“Yes. She’ll be ten on December 25th.” She couldn’t help the small smile that curved her lips. “My Christmas baby.”

“Where is she now?”

“With a friend. A very trusted friend.”

“If the people after you—us—find out about her, they’ll use her.”

Fear shivered through her. “I know. I’ve already thought about that, trust me.”

Serena clicked on the lamp on the end table next to the sofa.
“We memorized everything about Meg and deciphered your crazy clues as to how to find her if we received word of your death and then destroyed the package.”

“Good.”

“I figured that’s what you were doing. But you took a big chance on mailing that to me. What if it had gotten lost in the mail or worse—intercepted?”

Jillian winced and licked her lips. “I was desperate. I’d felt like someone was watching me, following me. I figured they’d found me and I had to give myself time to come up with a plan, but I had to make sure Meg was taken care of in case I failed. So I took a chance and prayed God would deliver it to you.” She swallowed. “And that if it fell into the wrong hands, no one would be able to figure out what everything meant.”

“Well, God got it to us, but someone knew about the package.”

“So you said.”

“My house was broken into more times than I like to remember. Thank goodness I had the foresight to hide that package really well.”

Emotion clogged her throat. “Thank you, Serena.”

Serena nodded. “Okay, enough about that. Let me show you the spare bedroom and you can freshen up, take a nap, whatever you need to do.”

“You need to get back to work?”

“Yes, I’m the weekend shift this week, but don’t worry, this house is now more secure than Fort Knox. Dominic had the security upgraded. Every window and door is wired. The fence outside is lined with motion lights and sensors. If someone even touches the fence, an alarm goes off. It’s not sensitive enough to sound if the wind blows hard, but if anyone tries to climb over or come through it, you’ll know.”

Jillian swallowed hard. “I can’t believe it’s come to this,” she whispered. “I need to call my dad and warn him that I’m back,
that he might become a target.” She gulped. “Everyone I love is in danger now.”

Serena’s brow wrinkled. “I think they must be getting desperate for some reason.”

Jillian picked up the cordless phone and dialed her father’s number. It rang four times, then went to voice mail. When his deep bass voice came over the line, Jillian’s heart shuddered. With her mother dead, her father meant even more to her than she realized. She’d missed him. He was a good father. Confused by his only child and hurt by her lack of communication, but she knew he still loved her. At the beep, she found her voice. “Hi, Dad. It’s been a long time, but I just wanted to let you know that I’m home and I need to talk to you. Um, I’ve got some pretty nasty people after me. Please be careful and watch your back. They might try to get to you to get to me.” She paused. “I love you, Dad. Call me.” She gave him her cell phone number, disconnected the call, and looked at Serena. “I didn’t tell anyone I was coming home, but they found me anyway.”

“You said they’d found you in California.”

“They did.” Sorrow pierced her as she remembered the explosion outside the restaurant, the death of a good man—and the raging terror as she realized her worst nightmare had come true.

But that story could wait. She’d kept Serena long enough. She stood and grabbed her suitcase and backpack. “Show me which room is mine and I’ll get out of your hair.”