Saved By The Glass Slipper Page 11

  “John’s going to want to know what happened and why we’re suddenly married after knowing you for such a short amount of time. I didn’t think about that before I accepted your offer.”

  “That’s what Tony and Andrew are for. They’ll keep John in line.”

  “You brought your thugs to take care of family issues?”

  “They’re not my family…yet,” he whispered. “But they’re an interesting group.”

  “You have no idea.”

  “You’re the normal one, aren’t you?”

  I just nodded because the rhyming couple were headed our way.

  “Feel better?” Mark asked Brandy.

  She sat down, her head falling to her knees. “Not really.”

  He motioned to the stewardesses and they appeared at his side in an instant. He whispered something to them and they brought Brandy some ginger ale and crackers. Mark checked his watch and nodded to the stewardesses again. They went into a back room and brought all of us some drinks.

  “Champagne…again?” I asked.

  “Drink up,” Mark said. “We’re celebrating today.”

  “We are?”

  “Sure,” Randy said. “Your wedding, remember?”

  “Oh yeah.” I chugged the whole glass of champagne, making bubbles go up my nose forcing me to hiccup.

  Mark chuckled, leaned over to me and lowered his voice to a whisper. “This desensitization is going to take longer than I think. At least you’ll be fun for our wedding night.” He elbowed me and I leaned back in my chair.

  It was going to be a very long flight to Colorado.

  Randy and Mark started to talk about Florida attractions, while Brandy’s head was in her hands. She left frequently to use the bathroom and I knew I didn’t want to be involved. I found some magazines, and must have dozed off, because I was awakened when the plane hit the tarmac, arriving in Colorado about two hours, local time, after we left Atlanta. A limousine was waiting for us, and after getting off the plane, we all got inside. My head hurt, but I tried to paste a smile on my face.

  “Gosh Mark, you must do all right for yourself,” Randy said. “My employers would never get me a limo.”

  “They like me,” he said.

  Tony and Andrew were in a car behind ours, and I just rested my head on Mark’s shoulder.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I have a headache.”

  “You’re not going to be sick, are you?”

  “You’ll know when I vomit all over you. How’s that sound?”

  Randy leaned forward from the other side of the car. “Amy, tell me the truth. Did you have to get married?”

  “No.”

  Mark put his arm around me and stroked my hair. “Too much to drink, huh?”

  “I think so.”

  The rhyming couple started to whisper to each other, probably about me. I was sure it would clinch my idea of vomiting, because the two of them made me sick. Mark whispered into my ear, too, but it was hardly sweet nothings.

  “The FBI is going to be watching over us from now on,” he said. “They don’t like us being threatened. Something’s going on, for sure, and they think you’re in real danger and are encouraging us to get married. If you would have been in your apartment—”

  “It didn’t happen, so let it go,” I whispered back. “I had my mace and my knife, anyway.”

  Mark shook his head. “These guys will try to get you no matter what. We’re trying to figure out what triggered everything. What do you have that they’d want, other than your thesis?”

  “I have no idea,” I said. “Could it be my project I just turned in?”

  “What was it about?”

  I swallowed hard, knowing he wouldn’t like it. “Optimizing threats from a population.”

  “Can you speak English for me?” he whispered.

  “If you look at the entire population in the United States, what’s the chance that any given individual could be a terrorist? I created an algorithm for every individual for a threat assessment using data analysis and modeling. That’s the basis.”

  His face paled as he stared at me. “You just wrote that?”

  “Yes, and that’s the project you just handed in for me on Friday.”

  “Uh-oh.”

  “What?”

  He pulled out his cell phone. “You’re now considered a national treasure and you need top security.”

  “Great.” I whispered into his ear. “I get all the brain cells for the family and now my life’s the one in danger. Do you see a problem with this?”

  “Yep. One we’re going to take care of. The man in your apartment has a name, too, and my guys told me as soon as we landed.”

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “He was a friend of your father’s and served with him in the Army. He even moved closer to you guys and was friends of your family before there was a big fight between your father and him. His name was Jack Niles.”

  I turned toward him. “How do you know all of this?”

  “There was a third man in the group in the Army named Ned Putnam. He kept in touch with the other two as much as he could. He lives in Maryland and knew there was some sort of dispute, but never found out what it was about. The FBI questioned him this morning as he was leaving the house. Now the other two are dead and the story died with them.”

  “Maybe, but John might know something.”

  He dialed the phone and I listened to his side of the conversation. “Sir, it’s Mark Dallas. I need to have a meeting with you as soon as possible about another matter.” He glanced over at me. “Yes, sir. I understand. I’ll be available at about seven this evening, your time.” He said a few other confirmations of things then ended the call.

  “Who was that?” I asked.

  He glanced at the rhyming couple then back to me. “You don’t want to know.”

  We were driven to John’s home on the outskirts of Colorado Springs. I’d never been there, but from what I saw, he was doing all right for himself and his family.

  His two young girls were playing outside, looking up when the two cars pulled into the driveway.

  “Daddy! Someone rich is here!” yelled the oldest one when Randy opened the door to the limo. They were both blonde and very adorable.

  “Ready, Uncle Mark?” I whispered.

  He just grinned and we all got out of the car. I walked over to the girls and smiled. “I bet I know your names.”

  “Betcha don’t!” the younger one said, with her hands on her hips.

  I pointed to the older one. “You’re Rachel and you’re six.”

  “Hey, how did you know that?”

  “And, you,” I said as I pointed to the younger one. “Are Bethany and you’re four.”

  “Mommy said to never talk to strangers,” Rachel said.

  “But we’re not strangers. I talk to you all the time on the phone. I’m your Aunt Amy.”

  “No! She’s old and gray!” Bethany said. “You can’t be her.”

  “But I am. I promise.”

  John walked out of the house, followed by his wife, Annemarie. “Amy! Randy!”

  John said. “It’s so good to see you!”

  “You are Aunt Amy!” Bethany exclaimed. She ran to me and gave me a huge hug. I scooped the child into my arms, hugging her back.

  We all hugged each other and Randy introduced Brandy to them.

  “And this must be Mark,” John said. He shook his hand, glancing over at the limo. “You guys travel in style.”

  “Wealthy employer and they got married this morning,” Randy murmured. “They’re also being chased.” He always was a tattletale.

  I saw John’s face suddenly turn red. “What? You just met the other day! Amy, what’s going on?”

  “It’s a long story,” Mark said. “Needless to say, she’s being protected from the person who killed Jack Niles.”

  “Uncle Jack?” Randy asked. “Why would someone kill him?”

  “He was killed i
n my apartment,” I said. “I don’t even know him and he was dead when I was robbed.”

  “You didn’t tell me this on the phone,” John said, crossing his arms. “I want to know exactly what’s going on.”

  Annemarie lowered her voice. “Why don’t we go inside and talk. The neighbors don’t need to hear any of this.”

  John glanced at his wife, then at Randy and me. “Right. We’ll go inside and talk.” He looked at his two daughters. “Bethany, Rachel, go inside to play.”

  “Yes, Daddy,” Bethany said. The two adorable girls ran inside the house and ran up the stairs.

  We all entered their home and sat in the cozy living room that looked like a cabin with bare wood on the walls and floor. Annemarie brought us all soft drinks and I sat my glass on the coffee table. All my head needed was a soda on top of the champagne.

  “I want to know what’s going on,” John said. “Start at the beginning, Amy, because this is your story, not ours.”

  “Well, since you two have never been robbed, let’s go back a few years. First, after you guys sent me to France, I was robbed at my apartment in North Carolina. I moved to Gainesville, where I was robbed again. After that, I moved to Devon, as you both know, and now have been robbed a third time. Each time, they take family heirlooms—never any money or expensive things.” I glanced over at Mark. “We were working on some things at Mark’s house and went back to my place. When we got to the door, it was open, so Mark called the police and they found Jack Niles’ body in my bedroom. Everything was destroyed, even my bed.”

  “How can your bed be destroyed?” Randy asked.

  “Well, that’s kind of a weird story. Because I’d moved so many times, I only had things I could move in my car. I had a blowup bed so it would be easier to get out quickly. I had folding chairs and a television. Other than clothes and dishes, that’s all I had to my name. It was easy to move things that way. They destroyed my blowup bed and pretty much everything else.” I wiped a few tears from my eyes while Mark moved closer and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.

  “You’re safe now,” he whispered. “You’re fine.”

  I took a deep breath. “Anyway, when we were going through the things in my apartment, I remembered a box of keepsakes in my linen closet. I had family photos and both of your pictures were missing. I’m worried about your safety. They also took my phone records, and your phone numbers were on those papers from when I call you both every month.”

  Annemarie’s hand flew to her chest, horror covering her face. “Can they find us?”

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I’m also not sure why that man was in my apartment and why someone killed him. It’s just weird.”

  “Jack Niles was a friend of Mom and Dad’s,” John said. “He used to visit our house all the time, then suddenly stopped coming. That’s probably why you don’t remember him.” He stared at Mark and Brandy then turned to me with a solemn face. “Did you bring the jewelry box and the bat?”

  “Yes, sir. We found something in the jewelry box.”

  “Show me.”

  Mark went out to the car and brought the bat and the items from the jewelry box into the house. John took them to the dining room table and laid them all out.

  “This combination is to a lock on a storage building, and the key is to open something inside the building. You weren’t to find these things, and Dad had me promise not to tell any of this until I was forty.” He glanced at all of us. “That’s eight years from now. The storage building was paid up for that long. On my fortieth birthday, I was to contact both of you and ask you for the bat and the jewelry box.” He glanced at his wife. “I wrote all of it in a paper next to the will, in case anything happened to me.”

  “I understand the jewelry box, but the bat?” I asked.

  John took a black marker out of the desk in the dining room and pulled off the cap. Under the logo for the bat was a blank area that looked completely normal. He started to color it with the black marker and suddenly an address stood out in yellow.

  “How did you do that?” I asked.

  “Special markers. They were working on codes like this in the Army when Dad was in. You can get them at any toy store now.”

  We all leaned forward and examined the bat. “415 West Acre Avenue, Lancaster, Pennsylvania?” I whispered.

  “It’s where the storage building is located. Dad wanted us to have what’s inside.”

  “What is it?” Randy asked.

  “I have no idea. He made me promise not to say anything to either of you until I was forty, and I intend to let whatever’s there stay there for eight more years.”

  “But Amy’s life’s in danger!” Randy exclaimed. “It might be the key to saving your sister!”

  “Tough,” John barked, crossing his arms. “I promised Dad.”

  “You’re heartless!” Randy said. “Your promise is more important than Amy’s life?”

  John looked at me, then at Mark, then back to me. “I think she’s in good hands with her new husband.”

  Both Randy and I sighed. We were at an impasse and John wasn’t going to budge.

  “Can we have a little talk outside?” Mark asked John.

  “Why?”

  “Trust me. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

  Mark and John went outside, while Randy, Brandy, Annemarie, and I sat back down in the living room.

  “What do you think they’re talking about?” Randy asked.

  “I can only guess.” I was sure it was something about who was chasing me, that we hadn’t gotten married yet, and that I hadn’t even slept with Mark…well, other than sleep with him. I could only imagine what he was telling John about me being drunk.

  We waited in silence, and after a few minutes, Mark and John re-entered the house. They were laughing, the type of belly laugh that you couldn’t stop even if you wanted to.

  “What’s so funny?” I asked.

  “Nothing,” John answered. “Annemarie, pack up the kids. We’re all headed to Pennsylvania…together.”

  “When?” Annemarie asked, sitting up suddenly.

  “Tomorrow morning. I’m calling off work and we’re going on vacation.” He glanced at Mark. “All expenses paid.”

  I should’ve guessed. I lowered my head and covered my face with my hands. Mark was paying off my family to get what he wanted.

  “You okay, dear?” Mark asked, touching my arm.

  “Just tired. I’m not good at flying.”

  “You can take a nap in our bedroom,” Annemarie said. “I have to make up the beds in the guest bedroom, and—”

  “No,” Mark said. “We’re all going to a hotel in town tonight and it’s already reserved. I’d feel much safer if we were somewhere else in case you’re being targeted.”

  “I’ve never been in a hotel,” Brandy said. “What’s it like?”

  Mark smiled. “You’re going to love this place. It has a water park attached to it for the kids…” He looked at me. “And the kids at heart.”

  “But I don’t have a bathing suit,” Brandy said.

  “No problem. Leave it all to me,” Mark answered then looked at John. “We can leave as soon as you guys are packed.”

  John and Annemarie left the room and I bit my lips. If I said anything, I was sure it wouldn’t be pleasant. Mark had no idea what he was getting himself into. Some fake honeymoon this was going to be.

  ~~~~~

  Chapter 6

  “We have to make a little detour before we go to the hotel,” Mark said to me as we rode in the back of the four-door car with Tony in the front passenger’s seat and Andrew driving. The rest of my family rode in the limo with another thug I hadn’t met yet, named William.

  “Why?” I asked, facing Mark.

  “We’re going to get married, remember?”

  “Now?”

  “You told me it was okay, remember?”

  “Yeah, but it seems so sudden.” Was I ready for this?

  “Look, Amy. I can’t
lie to these people, and if you want, you can have it annulled back home later.”

  “I won’t have it annulled. Let me just get over my fears.”

  “Fears?” he whispered.

  I shot him a dirty look.

  He continued. “They’re opening City Hall just for us and the Justice of the Peace will be there in about twenty minutes.”

  Oh, he was so cute when he begged. I sat back and studied his face, just making him suffer. I crossed my arms. “I’ll do it, but this isn’t our honeymoon.”

  He kissed my cheek and smiled. “You’re right, and I promise you won’t regret it, either.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. “I love you, Amy, and I promise to be the best husband I can be.” He opened the box and showed me a huge diamond.

  I uncrossed my arms and pointed at the tiny box with the huge rock. “Holy smokes! Where did you get that?”

  “My guys took care of it,” he said with a grin, looking up at Tony and Andrew. Tony turned from the front passenger’s seat and winked at me.

  “Look. If I’m marrying Mark, you can’t wink at me. It’s just not right.”

  “Just remember me when you give Mr. Dallas the boot,” Tony said.

  “You’re married!” I said, staring at Tony.

  Andrew looked at me in the rear-view mirror. “Put me next.”

  I stared at him in the driver’s seat. “I don’t even know you!”

  “You don’t know Mr. Dallas much, either, and you’re marrying him.”

  I sat back and closed my eyes. “Tell me I’m asleep and this is all a dream.”

  Mark nudged me. “Okay, you’re asleep and—”

  “Comedian.”

  “You love me for it. You do love me, right?”

  I looked at Tony and Andrew, who were both waiting for my answer. If I played this right, they’d all leave me alone with Mark.

  I faced my future husband. “Yes, Mark, I do love you. I wasn’t lying about that before.”

  “You mean it’s not his money that you really love?” Tony asked.

  “I’m not that kind of girl. Besides, that’s his money, not mine.” I folded my arms to get my point across.