“His protection? What did he do?”
Kendra looked at Sutker. “We had an agreement, detective.”
“Your agreement was with the Marshals Service, not me.” He hesitated and then shrugged. “But I told them I would give you a ride. Least I could do.” He motioned toward his car. “Please come with me. It’s only a short trip.”
Short, indeed. Just three blocks away Sutker parked on a dark residential street.
“Why are we here?” Janet said.
As if in answer to her question, the rear door opened on a car parked across the street. A man climbed out and closed the door behind him.
Janet stiffened and then gasped as she recognized him. “Dale.”
She jumped out of the car and ran across the street toward him. He moved toward her, but they stopped short of each other in the middle of the deserted street.
Kendra and Sutker climbed out of his car and stood several feet away.
Tears welled in Janet’s eyes. “You didn’t trust me? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Dale shook his head. “Janet…It wasn’t that at all.” He moved closer to her. “God, I thought I would never see you again.”
“Answer me. Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I wanted to, Janet,” he said hoarsely. “But I was afraid. Afraid I’d lose you.”
She wiped tears from her cheeks. “That could never happen.”
“Not even if you found out that I had lied to you about who I am?”
Another man climbed out of the car that Dale had come from. He flashed his U.S. Marshals Service badge at them. “Henry Samuels, ma’am. Whatever he may have told you, he’s a good man. He did the right thing.”
“You don’t have to tell me he’s a good man.” Janet’s gaze never left Dale’s face. “What happened?”
Dale looked away. “I worked for a company in Savannah, and I found out some things about my employers that I wished I didn’t know. They were mixed up in a lot of bad, scary stuff from drugs to Mafia-controlled vice. I thought about just ignoring it, but I couldn’t. I ended up testifying against them. The next thing I knew there was a price on my head, so I entered witness protection. I moved here, and I was really hating life…until I met you. After that, I didn’t regret anything that had happened.”
“Then why were you just going to leave without telling me?”
“It was for your own good, Janet. After that man tried to kill me the other night, I knew that I couldn’t stay. I had to leave you. I had to start all over.” He added simply, “It broke my heart.”
“Did it?” Janet thought for a long moment. “Then take me with you.”
“What?”
“I mean it. Take me with you. I’ll start over with you.” She met his gaze. “You said you loved me, that you wanted to spend your life with me. Unless you’ve changed your mind.”
His eyes widened. “Are you kidding? I’d love to have you with me. But I could never ask you to—”
“You didn’t ask. I volunteered.”
“But it’s your entire life. It would mean leaving behind everybody and everything you’ve ever known.”
“I know, Dale. But I’ll have you.” She smiled. “And I’m quite capable of creating a dandy new life for myself wherever we go. I won’t depend on you for anything but what we have together. Deal?”
“Deal. I’m not sure it’s a great bargain for you.” He drew her into his arms. “But I’m going to be selfish and take it anyway.” He kissed her. “I want you to know, if you change your mind, I’ll let you go.”
“Oh, shut up. You’re not going to get rid of me. I’ve made up my mind and Kendra will tell you that I can be very determined when I—But you don’t know Kendra.” Janet pulled away and gestured toward Kendra. “Dale, this is my friend Kendra Michaels.” She added huskily, “My very, very good friend.”
“I’ve already heard about her.” Dale shook Kendra’s hand. “I understand you threatened to go to the media and scream bloody murder unless the Marshals Service arranged this meeting.”
Kendra smiled. “You understand correctly.”
Marshal Samuels scowled at Kendra. “And the U.S. Marshals Service doesn’t appreciate being blackmailed, Dr. Michaels.”
“Too bad,” Janet said. “I sure appreciate it. When do we leave?”
“Immediately,” the marshal said. “The sooner we get you both out of town, the better. Don’t you want to think about it? Are you sure you want to do this, ma’am?”
Janet looked at Dale. “I’m sure.”
“Okay. It’s your decision.” He shrugged. “After tonight, Janet Sanders won’t exist.”
Even in the darkness, Kendra could see color drain from Janet’s face.
“Then I guess this is goodbye.” Janet forced a smile as she turned toward Kendra. “You know I can’t thank you enough.”
“Are you scared?”
“Maybe a little. It’s kind of a shock to realize that all my past and experiences don’t exist.”
Kendra hugged her. “Janet Sanders will always exist for me. And for the thousands of other kids you helped over the years. None of us will ever forget you. You know that, right?”
Janet smile became warm with feeling. “I do now. Thank you, Kendra.”
Dale put his arm around Janet and walked with her back to the marshal’s car. The marshal climbed behind the wheel and started the engine while they settled into the back seat.
As they pulled away, Kendra waved, but Janet’s attention was focused solely on the man beside her.
As it should be, Kendra thought. She was looking forward not back. But Kendra wasn’t at that point yet. She had too many treasured memories of her years with Janet. It would take time to let her go.
She lifted her hand in a final farewell that was more for her own sake than for her friend.
Then she watched as their car moved down the long street, until it became one with the lights of the city.
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this story are either products of the authors’ imaginations or are used fictitiously.
WITH OPEN EYES. Copyright © 2012 by Johansen Publishing LLLP, and Roy Johansen. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
ISBN: 978-1-4668-2068-5
Turn the page for a look at Iris & Roy Johansen’s new novel,
CLOSE YOUR EYES, featuring Kendra Michaels:
Available July 2012
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Copyright © 2012 by Johansen Publishing LLLP
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
CLOSE YOUR EYES. Copyright © 2012 by Johansen Publishing LLLP, and Roy Johansen. All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10010.
www.stmartins.com
ISBN: 978-0-312-61161-3
Prologue
IT WASN’T JUST her imagination.
Stephanie Marsh looked back as she walked through the second level of the parking garage for Gold’s Gym. She wasn’t alone.
She had been aware of distant footsteps attempting to fall in time with her own, but she had told herself that they were just echoes reverberating off the empty garage’s concrete walls.
No such luck. There was definitely someone in the shadows behind her.
Or was he in front of her?
Stay calm, she told herself. It wasn’t as if she were one of the gym’s perfect tens who were weirdo magnets in their skimpy, formfitting workout wear.
But since when did a psycho need a reason to attack a woman at 10 P.M. in an empty parking garage?
She was okay, she told herself. Everything would be fine. As long as those security cameras were—