The Root of All Trouble (25 page)

"
How so?" I was trying to remember how to breathe properly. They were making me nervous.

"
Tam's Internet search spurred a visit by the U.S. Marshals to our farm," he said.

Pain pulsated in my head.
"I don't understand."

Maria settled herself back into the recliner.
"Me, either."

"
I didn't either," Tam said, "until they explained."

"
Let's backtrack a little. Why did you want to know about Cain Monahan?" he asked.

I didn
't want to backtrack. I bit the inside of my cheek. "Personal reasons."

"
Personal why?" he asked.

"
Why does it matter?" I winced at my headache.

"
Just tell him, Nina," Maria said.

Ian watched me closely.
"Fine," I said. "I met Cain the other day when he was here working the Joey Miller case. I was a little taken aback because he reminded me of someone I used to know. Someone who's dead. The thing is, I know it's him. I know it is. I saw his eyes... But Cain is not his name."

Ian nodded, not seeming the least bit surprised.
"His name is Seth Thiessen."

My jaw dropped.

"Holy shit!" Maria clapped a hand over her mouth. Through her fingers, she said, "I thought you were just crazy, Nina."

"
Thanks," I said to her.

"
Sorry." She shrugged.

Ian said,
"Do you know any of the duties of the U.S. Marshals?"

"
Not really," I said.

He clasped his hands together and leaned forward.
"Well, one of the many duties is the Witness Protection program."

I let his words sink in. Realization hit me hard.
"The plane crash." Now it made sense why there had been no follow up.

"
Exactly," Ian said. "No one was on that plane—it was a ruse. The family was relocated to Florida to start a new life."

"
But his scars..."

"
There was another accident, a car accident in Florida. His family died, and he was in a coma for months."

"
That's...horrible. Did the Witness Protection fail them?" Maria asked.

"
Actually, no," Ian said. "It was just an accident. A tragic accident. Seth finally came to, but had little memory of who he used to be. A blessing, I guess, considering. He truly started a new life."

No wonder he hadn
't recognized me right off. He wasn't pretending to be someone else. He
was
someone else. I thought of his parents and his sister, and my heart ached.

"
He was taken in and adopted by a Marshal in Florida," Ian said, "where he finished high school and went to college."

Maria leaned forward, which wasn
't easy for her to do. "If he has no memories of his childhood, what's he doing here?"

I was struggling to wrap my head around all this.
"When I was talking to him yesterday, he said he wanted to call me Bo-bina."

Maria gasped.

"It was a childhood nickname he used to call me," I explained to Tam and Ian. "So he must remember some stuff."

"
It's definitely possible. It turns out his adopted father, the only family he knew after the accident, died last year, and shortly afterward Cain moved back to Ohio. Before he died, his adopted father expressed concern to his colleagues that Cain would eventually investigate his childhood. The father feared that even twenty years later that there might still be some bad blood toward the Thiessen family. The Marshals were put on alert when Cain moved. Then when Tam started searching...they paid us a visit. Who else knows you were looking into his background?"

"
Just Maria. And Ana, but she wouldn't say anything."

"
Good. I was asked to convey to you that you need to keep quiet about all this until it's ascertained whether there remains a viable threat to Cain's life. It's doubtful, but the Marshals are checking with the FBI, and there are hoops to jump through. So...until you hear from me, mum's the word."

"
Our lips are sealed. Right, Nina?" Maria said.

Seth was alive. He was alive! I couldn
't wait to tell Peter. But, I'd wait. I couldn't do anything to jeopardize putting Seth in danger again. "Sealed," I agreed.

"
Good." Ian stood up.

Behind him Tam gave me a thumb
's up.

"
Oh, and by the way," he said, "Tam's fingerprinting service is closed for good. You should have seen me trying to double-talk my way out of trouble yesterday."

Tam frowned and gave me a thumbs down.

"Does that mean I don't have to babysit for those hours?"

He laughed.
"On the contrary—your hours have doubled."

"
That hardly seems fair," I said.

"
Would you like me to send the Marshals here for an interview?"

"
Doubled it is!"

Tam kissed me on the head before they headed out.
"Call me if you get an update from the hospital."

"
I will," I promised.

The door closed softly behind them. I glanced at Maria.

Her blond hair shimmered as she said, "Can you even believe it?"

I leaned back on my pillow and smiled.
"I can. I saw his eyes." A second later, I heard hammering. "Is that in my head or outside?"

She wiggled out of the chair and went to the window.
"Oh my word. You have to see this."

***

S
quinting against the pain in my head, I was careful not to disturb Gracie as I stood up and went to the window. Pulling aside the curtain, I peeked out.

Dozens of scary-looking people milled about along with some familiar faces. The sound of a circular saw split the air, and I saw a man decked out in tattoos and leather bringing a piece of trim work into Mario and Perry
's house.

"
What in the world?" I grabbed my robe, tied the sash, and stepped out onto the front porch. Ana, dressed in a pair of cut-off shorts, tank, and pink tool belt was headed my way.

"
Do you have any good coffee?" she asked. "Kit's stuff is too weak, and I don't have the heart to tell him."

"
In the kitchen. What's going on?"

She smiled and it lit her whole face.
"Kit called in a few friends to finish Mario and Perry's house for good."

"
Who?" Maria asked. "The Hell's Angels?"

A dozen motorcycles—at least—were parked in Kit
's front yard.

"
I don't ask questions like that," Ana said, ducking past me. She was back a second later with a mug of coffee.

"
Why is my crew there?" I'd emailed them last night, telling them to enjoy the day off today and we'd pick up on Mario and Perry's yard on Wednesday or Thursday (Tuesday was our regular day off) once we all got our bearings again.

"
Kit heard there was rain in the forecast for tonight and called to see if anyone would come in today. Everyone agreed. Plus, I think after what happened, they want to get it done for Mario and Perry."

"
Aw," Maria said.

I felt the sting of tears and blinked them back.

"I took the day off to help. A mental health day. After yesterday's trauma, I need it."

I didn
't crack any jokes about her renovation skill level. For Kit to do all this—and for people to show up—it restored my faith in humanity.

"
Kit says not to worry about anything. That he has things covered and for you to rest."

"
Tell him I said thanks. For everything."

Nodding, she waved as she wal
ked off, and earned several catcalls from men pulling up on their Harleys.

Maria said,
"I think I saw that guy on a Wanted poster once."

I smiled.
"He's winking at you."

"
Eee!" she cried and ducked back into the house.

I stood outside for a moment, taking in the sight of dozens of strangers pitching in to help two men they didn
't know. It did my heart good.

Really good.

Chapter Twenty-three

T
he day only improved when we swung by the hospital. We were there to pick up Mr. Cabrera, but we'd gone upstairs to check on Mario first and found that they'd moved him to a private room. When we walked in, he was sitting up in bed looking a little ragged but none the worse for wear.

"
Mario, look at you!"

He smiled weakly. Maria and I took turns kissing his cheek.

Perry yawned and said, "Isn't it great? He woke up in the middle of the night. The doctor says he's not quite out of the woods yet, but he's getting there. The worst is past."

I went to hold Mario
's hand and found it shaking. "Are you cold? I can get another blanket."

"
It's a side effect," he said softly, his voice scratchy.

Perry said,
"He'll probably need some physical therapy when he's released."

"
Big!" Mario said, eyeing Maria's stomach.

She shook a finger at him and said,
"I'll forgive you for saying that only because of what happened."

Confusion flooded his eyes.
"What happened?"

I gla
nced at Perry.

"
There are some memory issues, too. There was an accident," Perry explained patiently to him.

Mario nodded and closed his eyes.

Perry motioned us out of the room.

"
Memory issues?" I said. "Will they last?"

"
I hope so!" Perry said.

Maria stared at him.
"Perry Owens, are you insane?"

"
Not at all. Right now he doesn't remember our fight at all. He's not mad at me, and I'd like to keep it that way. It's like a clean slate."

I couldn
't help but shake my head. "You're awful."

Maria said,
"I'll be right back," and veered off toward a restroom.

"
When's she due?" Perry asked.

"
The induction is at the end of next week."

"
She looks ready to pop."

"
Well, if you value your life, then don't tell her that."

He glanced back into the room.
"He'll be out for a little while now, can I catch a ride with you two? I'd like to take a shower and freshen up a little."

"
Sure," I said. "We were just headed downstairs to collect Mr. Cabrera."

"
Any sign of Brickhouse?"

I shook my head.

He whistled low. "Let me just tell the nurses where I'm going. I'll be right back."

I leaned against the door frame, watching Mario sleep. I supposed if he came out of this missing a week
's worth of bad memories and a slight tremor then he was one lucky man.

Perry came back and nudged me.
"What're you thinking about? You look lost in thought."

"
Just how lucky he was," I said.

"
No," Perry said softly. "I was the lucky one."

***

W
e'd explained to Perry about the goings-on at his house during the ride home so he wouldn't be taken aback by the motorcycle gang that had shown up in his yard.

He had tears in his eyes as we pulled into my driveway.

Mr. Cabrera looked as sullen as the storm clouds on the horizon. I said, "Maybe you should stay with me for a few days, Mr. C."

"
Pah," he said. "I'd rather go home."

Maria said,
"No, really, stay with us."

"
Us?" he echoed.

"
Maria's staying with me for a couple of days."

She said,
"On account that Nina cracked her head open yesterday and needs someone looking after her."

He stared at my head.
"Doesn't look like anything's wrong with your head."

I said,
"Only on the inside."

A smile tugged the corner of his lip.
"That makes more sense." He pushed open the car door. "But all the same, I'd rather go home."