Treachery

Two years ago, Ewyn Calderone escaped the subjugation of domestic violence. The love and support of Devin Nilsson helped Ewyn reclaim his self-esteem. Now his fragile selfconfidence is tested when his brother, the Calderone mob boss, vanishes, Ewyn becomes head of the family, and his pregnant niece and her sister die in a purported accident. The baby survives and Ewyn becomes guardian. Days later, police report the deaths are homicides then ask about the women‟s dubious lifestyles. Ewyn has no answers and the panic of self-doubt re-emerges. To alleviate Ewyn‟s angst, Devin enlists law enforcement friends to help unravel the mystery of paternity, the nieces‟ lives and deaths, and stop a killer before the child becomes the next victim.

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author‟s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Memories Erased: Treachery Copyright © 2011 M. E. Reid ISBN: 978-1-77111-000-6 Cover art by Martine Jardin All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher. Published by eXtasy Books Look for us online at: www.eXtasybooks.com

Memories Erased: Treachery By M. E. Reid

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Prologue

T

he night their lives intersected—Devin Piers Nilsson, a Department of Justice undercover operative and Ewyn Kelley Calderone, a mob brat—their association became much more than a law enforcement issue. Devin owed their chance encounter to his former lover Allister Teague‟s desertion. Single after a five-year monogamous relationship, when Devin came in from an operation, he‟d trawl the trendy bars and nightclubs on the prowl for a quick fix. Without much success, he tired of the party scene environment and drifted over to the Silver Fox Bar and Grille, a dive located in a crime-infested part of San Bernardino. Considering the neighborhood, and his line of work, Devin wasn‟t sure of his intentions. Was he hunting for something to maim or kill to soothe the blow to his self-esteem, or to find an Allister substitute? The hard part was choosing which activity would provide the most pleasure. In the mellow ambience of his surroundings, he relaxed against worn red vinyl and sipped his Chivas while contemplating the future of his love life, and that‟s when he walked in. Even in the dim lighting, the young man‟s attributes were all too obvious, and right on cue, Devin‟s dick clamored for attention, pressing into the zipper of his jeans, forcing him to shift on the seat. He stretched his legs out in front of him in an attempt to give his cock some breathing room. 1

M. E. Reid Devin only took brief notice of the young man‟s companion because he wouldn‟t be a deterrent. In his current frame of mind, if he had to take out the friend to get close to what he wanted, a little aggressive foreplay would work for him. Keeping his eyes on the two men, they appeared to be arguing. The small one, who had Devin‟s interest, started to walk away, the big guy grabbed his arm, and short-shit snatched his arm away then headed for the john. His friend followed. Distraction out of sight, Devin‟s thoughts returned to his defunct relationship with Allister. But several minutes into his rumination, a loud thump on the wall next to him made him jerk to attention and glance around. He noticed the two men hadn‟t returned, and out of curiosity, he slipped out of the booth, strode toward the bathroom, and shoved open the door. What he saw stopped him midstride. Clearly, he had disrupted a physical altercation. With tears brimming in his eyes and the stain of blush or a bruise from a blow coloring one cheek, the younger man stormed into the last stall. The big brute brushed by Devin and strode from the room. Devin heard what sounded like a choked-off sob and glanced toward the stall as he moved to the urinals and relieved himself, then went to the sink. He took his time washing his hands and the lingering paid off. The stall door opened, the young man stepped out, and Devin watched the kid saunter across the floor with a sexyas-hell, swiveling hips-in-motion walk. Taking note of curly, ink black hair, luminous green eyes and dimples, baby-boy‟s slim toned physique didn‟t reach six feet. He appeared to be young, maybe mid to late twenties, packed all right and tight in beige slacks accentuating trim hips and a first-rate ass. Reluctantly, Devin raised his eyes, their gazes converged in the mirror, and Devin frowned. Why did this kid look familiar—damn! 2

Memories Erased: Treachery He‟d seen him around the agency. Evidently, his preoccupation with Allister‟s departure had blinded Devin to prospects right under his nose. He extended his hand. “I‟m Devin Nilsson.” “Hi, I‟m Ewyn Kelley.” He grasped the proffered hand. Devin stared into luminous green eyes and experienced a soul-stirring, heart-wrenching jolt to his senses. A chill of apprehension swept his body, and that alone should have cautioned him to back off. Instead, he offered to buy Ewyn a drink. His friend Mick Tavis, ex-FBI agent now doing a stint as bartender, tried to warn Devin that any involvement with Ewyn could be risky. Devin ignored Mick‟s Intel and made the decision to take Ewyn home with him. Then, all it took was that first kiss from Ewyn for Devin to decide baby-boy would be worth any risks. Even discovering Ewyn‟s real name connected him to the mob—his brother Gregorio being head of the Calderone syndicate, and his abusive lover Gareth Varvarinski, a member of the Russian consortium didn‟t deter Devin. Although serious Italian and Russian affiliations…hell, Ewyn‟s ass had victim scrawled all over it, which made mob connections a moot point if Devin didn‟t have the patience to help Ewyn regain his self-esteem. To further his commitment to a possible relationship, Devin took Ewyn from Varvarinski and moved Ewyn into his place. Once he settled Ewyn into his condo, he left on assignment and experienced a frisson of fear for the first time in his life when it became clear the risks weren‟t onesided. One of Varvarinski‟s men came after Ewyn. Mick and his partner, Kyrk Taggart, currently with the FBI, were able to intervene and had the man arrested. Days later, someone killed the perp in his jail cell. If an UNSUB could get to a man under police protection, how vulnerable did that make 3

M. E. Reid Ewyn? Despite the emotional chaos of the new relationship, the risks and danger were normal days in the life of a man whose regular routine consisted of lying, murder, and covert ops. But damn. Who would have thought falling in love could be as hazardous as the job. Tired of the notoriety of his partner at their usual hangout, Ewyn had convinced Gareth to take him to the Silver Fox. Imagine his astonishment at finding Devin in a well-known gay bar. He almost creamed his briefs thinking of the potential Devin‟s presence suggested. Hell. On several occasions, he had encountered Devin at the agency and had written him off as a straight macho prick when he attempted to gain his attention and failed. Unfortunately, this time, his attention to Devin wasn‟t unnoticed. Gareth took note, which sparked the quarrel in the men‟s room. Devin‟s interruption was a welcome reprieve. Watching his six-foot three buff figure stroll into the bathroom, for a few seconds, Ewyn ignored his anger and the pain. Not classically handsome, Devin reminded Ewyn of the Russian ballet dancer, Alexander Godunov, with his long blonde hair tied back with a strip of black leather, and brushed away from strong chiseled features. All-over golden, Devin had sexy amber eyes, which left no doubt about what the man wanted. Staring into that compelling gaze, Ewyn knew he finally had Devin‟s absolute interest, which he intended to act on, knowing he shouldn‟t. Hell. He lived a life steeped in lies and secrets— dangerous secrets. His secrets would create a conflict of interest for Devin, his secrets would test Ewyn‟s own loyalties, and due to his alliance with Gareth, his secrets could kill. In view of Devin‟s profession, Ewyn knew he couldn‟t keep those secrets and have a serious relationship 4

Memories Erased: Treachery with Devin. Nonetheless, rather than forego a chance to be with Devin, Ewyn would settle for one night, for a memory. Despite his good intentions not to involve Devin in his life, after a bout of mind-boggling sex, Ewyn blurted out a long-held secret. The one secret keeping him out of the public eye, the mainstay of his life that kept him safe, and of all the people to reveal it to… He‟d never given his real name to anyone before, because his family had gone to great lengths to have his mother‟s maiden name Kelley documented as his surname. Hell. At a time when he‟d reached his breaking point, to have Devin rescue him and want him despite his name and associations, Ewyn couldn‟t believe his good fortune. Once he settled into Devin‟s place, for the first time in his adult life, he relaxed. He even dared to believe he would be happy and safe. Six months later, life disabused him of those idealistic thoughts. The shit started coming at him and Devin hard and fast. In their wildest imaginations, neither could have envisioned a scenario like the one they found themselves in, unfolding with all the deadly twists and turns of a crime drama. What Ewyn failed to factor into his happily-ever-after equation was a visit from Mairianna Calderone, his feisty red-haired Irish mother, accompanied by family driverbodyguard Patrick McCormick, who refused to stop calling Ewyn pipsqueak. It had been more than a year since he‟d seen either of them, yet his mother knew everything about his life during that time. After that disturbing reunion, he had a throw down with Devin‟s ex, with the first attempt on his life happening later that night. Next, he became the prime suspect in the murder of Varvarinski. Besides that last attempt on his life with Devin stepping up to the rescue and almost dying in the process, Mairianna, who had been suffering with flu-like symptoms for months, 5

M. E. Reid collapsed. What no one knew at the time was she had been ingesting small doses of poison for more than a year and Cecilia, his sister-in-law had orchestrated the entire scheme to wipe out the Calderones. Ewyn wanted to kill her. But Mother Nature intervened and did the deed for him when an earthquake destroyed the monastery where Gregorio had incarcerated her after discovering her treachery.

6

Memories Erased: Treachery

Chapter 1

A

mantle of storm grey clouds rolling in from the San Bernardino Mountains combined with a light sprinkling of rain to cloak the day in an atmosphere of gloom. It was the perfect backdrop for the day‟s event. Ewyn sat between Devin and Gregorio. With Ewyn‟s nieces Nicole and Carolyn on their father‟s right, and Patrick on Devin‟s left, Gemma, Timothy, Mick and Taggart occupied the seats behind them. More than one hundred solemn family members and associates stood by as his mother‟s coffin disappeared into the ground. Mairianna never recovered from Cecilia‟s attempt on her life. A silent sob shook Ewyn‟s body. He had no more tears. His supply had been exhausted when, desperate to reclaim his self-esteem by escaping the bondage of domestic violence, what should have been the highlight of his life had deteriorated into a year and a half of emotional upheaval. Although an unlikely liaison, he and Devin managed to survive that odyssey of fear, deception, murder, and anguish. Foolishly, he‟d thought the emotional rollercoaster had been a test. They had passed, and that would be the end. But it wasn‟t. This was the end, here at the cemetery, mourning the loss of his mother. The result of a diabolic scheme his sister-in-law had been plotting for years to wipe out the Calderones, including her husband and children— 7

M. E. Reid Ewyn flinched. The sudden intrusion of Father Casale‟s deep baritone voice on Ewyn‟s rumination forced him to return his attention to his immediate surroundings. He noticed most of the assembled group had dispersed, but lingering mourners were approaching to offer condolences. Together with his family, Ewyn stood, Devin draped his arm across Ewyn‟s shoulders and he shivered. Remembering the extent of his sister-in-law‟s insidious hatred made him think he could have been attending Devin‟s funeral today. He edged closer to Devin and snuggled into his warmth. Hell. Even the resolution of those unnerving complexities didn‟t end the uncertainties. Major concerns about his paternal aunt‟s welfare compounded the overwhelming heartbreak of losing his mother. Diagnosed with ovarian cancer, his aunt Gemma fought an uphill battle to survive. A mere skeleton of her former self, the chemotherapy had taken its toll, and he worried about her being out in the day‟s inclement weather. Then in a few weeks, another disturbing change would infringe on life, as he knew it, when his brother relinquished his role as mob boss. Opting out of syndicate business, Gregorio would hand over the reins of the crime family to their cousin Vincenzo. Without Ewyn‟s knowledge, his brother had been paving the way for his retirement with hints of failing health. To assure the other crime families knew Gregorio wasn‟t ratting out to the FBI, he‟d go underground, disappearing for an undetermined amount of time. Having survived the last two years of turmoil, Ewyn could handle this. Hell, what else could happen? Ewyn glanced around at the assembled company. Gregorio, Nicole, and Carolyn were present. Along with 8

Memories Erased: Treachery Gemma, Patrick, Timothy, Mick, Taggart, and Devin, they were there to have one last meal together as a family, before Gregorio and Patrick disappeared from their lives. Seated at the dining room table, conversation lulled when the servants appeared. With the precision of a choreographed performance, they removed the remnants of the meal and then dessert and coffee materialized. Task complete, the staff left as stealthily as they came. Beneath the table, Devin‟s hand rested on Ewyn‟s thigh, and Ewyn had a death-grip on that hand, his thoughts in turmoil. After Mairianna‟s death, and with Ewyn‟s welfare secured by his relationship with Devin, Patrick had declared his job complete. He‟d been with the Calderone family since he was a kid, running errands and doing odd jobs until he became bodyguard to Ewyn‟s father, to Ewyn, then Ewyn‟s mother. Rather than retire him, Gregorio offered Patrick the position as his right-hand man, an offer Patrick readily accepted. He and Gregorio hashed out the conditions of the new position, and Patrick arranged for his and Gregorio‟s underground isolation. After securing a safe house, Patrick concocted a plausible cover story and had them packed and good to go within a month of Mairianna‟s funeral. Ewyn stared at Patrick. The idea of losing Patrick and Gregorio for an uncertain amount of time troubled him, until he realized the loss had an upside. In view of Gregorio‟s past associations, knowing Patrick had Gregorio‟s back, helped to reconcile Ewyn to the change. Gaze traveling from Patrick to Nicole and Carolyn— Ewyn knew so little about his nieces. A child when they were born, away at college during their formative years, he‟d left home by the time they were old enough to communicate as adults. To further the distance between him and the two girls, their mother‟s bitchiness alienated both daughters, lessening their interaction with the family. Once 9

M. E. Reid they moved on campus, they refused to come home with their mother there, except on the rare special occasion. Even then, time spent with the family had been fraught with discord because of Cecilia‟s hatred for Ewyn. The family turmoil must have taken its toll on both young women, so what kind of comfort could Ewyn offer, with his recently developed emotional stability only a half step above iffy. “Ewyn.” He flinched, took a deep breath, and mustered up a smile before turning to Devin. The obvious love visible in Devin‟s clear amber eyes reassured him. During their relatively new hook up, with the steady decline of blood relatives, Devin had become the one true constant in Ewyn‟s life. “I‟m sorry, Dev. Were you saying something?” Devin leaned close and whispered, “Relax.” He glanced down at the grip Ewyn had on his hand. “It‟s going to be all right. I promise.” “I know.” Loosening his hold, Ewyn glanced at his nieces. “I was thinking about Niki and Caro. I hardly know them.” “True, but this is your opportunity to get better acquainted.” Ewyn remained quiet, not so sure he could accomplish that. Niki turned twenty-one last month and Greg released both trust funds to her. She would be responsible for Caro, and as a business major, she was more than capable of handling the money, and taking good care of her sister. What could he or Aunt Gemma do for them? “Hey…don‟t anticipate.” Devin caressed Ewyn‟s thigh, his fingertips soft-stroking Ewyn‟s cock. Inching his legs apart, Ewyn relaxed as the warmth of those fingers, seeping through the material of his slacks, had his prick reacting to the touch. Devin always knew how to ease Ewyn‟s anxiety. “Gemma, are you sure you should do this?” Ewyn asked. 10

Memories Erased: Treachery “Positive. The girls need to know someone will be at the house whenever they come home. They need family, baby. So much has been taken from them in such a short time.” “I know. That‟s what Dev said. But this has been your home since you and Tim married.” Ewyn looked around and sighed. “All your memories…” “Will come with me,” Gemma replied. “Back home. Did you forget, I grew up there, lived with my brother, your father, until I married Tim? Furthermore, Greg arranged to have part of the third floor converted for us. And, if you‟ll remember, Greg had the elevator installed several years ago, although your mother rarely used it.” She came to the sofa, sat next to Ewyn, and took his hand in her frail one. “There‟s no need to worry about me, Ewyn. This is what I need. I‟ll have the household staff there to help me, while giving them something to do. Rosa is looking forward to having family in the house all the time.” “I could come over here and check on you.” Ewyn looked to Devin for support. “I‟m sure Mick will help out, and Tag, too, when he can.” “Ewyn,” Timothy interjected. “I need to know Gem isn‟t alone if I have to go out on an op.” “Well, that‟s another point. How will it look if you move into the Calderone home, Tim?” Ewyn sighed. “Won‟t you compromise your position with the company?” “No. Everyone who needed the information knows I‟m married to a Calderone, and it never has affected my principles or job performance,” Timothy remarked. “Hell. In most syndicate families, Irish and Italian, half the members are mobsters and the other half, split between the priesthood and law enforcement. Besides, it‟s to be expected, as matriarch of what‟s left of this branch of the family, Gemma would take over the estate with Greg gone.” “Yeah, I guess you‟re right.” 11

M. E. Reid “Ewyn, you can‟t be with her all the time, but the staff can.” Devin brushed his fingertips along the nape of Ewyn‟s neck. “She‟s family. You know damn well the household staff will look after Gemma with the same care and devotion they gave your mother, twenty-four/seven.” “I know. I don‟t doubt their loyalty, but the family home is so far from the hospital…just in case.” Devin grasped Ewyn‟s chin and turned his head. “What‟s up with all this apprehension?” “It seems as if I‟m losing everybody just when we‟ve come back together as a family.” “Oh, baby.” Gemma squeezed his hand. “You‟re not going to lose me or the girls, and Greg will be back.” She looked at Timothy. “Ewyn, let me set your mind at ease,” Timothy stated. “Greg left details for the remodeling to me. Part of the third floor conversion will include accommodations for a live-in RN, and any necessary medical equipment. Rosa‟s oldest daughter, Mycelia will be Gem‟s personal assistant.” Devin watched the anxiety in those luminous green eyes fade to acquiescence. “Baby, your family‟s home is large enough to house a small platoon. Gemma will have as much room there as here. She‟ll be comfortable.” “Okay.” Ewyn managed a weak grin. “All of you can‟t be wrong.” “Devin‟s right,” Timothy declared. “Even with the conversion, the nursery will remain intact. Who knows, Gregorio might remarry and decide to have more children.” Ewyn chuckled. “Yeah right, as if that will ever happen.” “Hey, you never know. Greg isn‟t that old. He has a few good years left in him.” Devin leaned over and brushed his lips across Ewyn‟s ear. “Or Nicole might marry and want to settle down at the homestead.” “True.” Ewyn turned to Gemma. “When are you going to 12

Memories Erased: Treachery move in?” “Next week. The construction will be complete, and Tim has the move arranged. It shouldn‟t take more than a day to get us settled. There‟s enough help at the house to keep the changeover to a minimum of hassle,” Gemma explained. “Don‟t worry, I won‟t lift a finger.” Ewyn leaned over and kissed his aunt‟s cheek, then stood. “Okay, you‟ve convinced me, and I‟ve taken up enough of your time with my tenuous worries. Get some rest, Gem.” He nodded at Timothy and walked toward the door. Devin stood, looked from Gemma to Timothy, and shrugged. “He‟ll be all right.” He bent and kissed Gemma‟s cheek, then headed for the door with Timothy close behind. “I‟ll see you at the office tomorrow. I hear something big is coming down the pike and you‟re going out with me.” “Yeah, and that‟s the reason I need to get Gem settled.” Timothy opened the door and scanned the corridor. “I guess Ewyn went down to the garage,” he remarked. “All of this shit is coming at him hard and fast. He‟s come a long way, Devin, don‟t let him regress.” “He won‟t. This isn‟t about insecurity. It‟s Mairianna‟s death. He still blames himself. He thinks he should have been able to second-guess Cecilia.” Devin shook his head. “He insists Cecilia wouldn‟t have hurt his mother, if she hadn‟t been after him.” “Bullshit. Mairianna was always her main target,” Timothy stated. “As soon as Cecilia discovered the family home belonged to Mairianna for life. Considering Mairianna‟s age, it must have seemed as if she would live forever, and Cecilia wasn‟t getting any younger.” “But Cecelia lived a life a luxury. Greg never interfered with anything she wanted to do.” “True, but the woman was a selfish bitch. If Gemma, Mairianna, and the servants hadn‟t intervened, I believe 13

M. E. Reid Cecilia would have hurt her daughters when they were young. She never wanted them. She wanted a boy to secure her position in the family and the syndicate. Hell. By the time Niki was ten, she must have realized her mother didn‟t like her or Caro, and from then on, Niki refused to leave Caro alone with Cecilia.” “Damn. I can‟t fathom what the girls felt, growing up knowing their mother didn‟t want them, or love them.” Timothy nodded. “As for Ewyn, heir to the family‟s personal wealth, Cecilia despised him and did little to hide her feelings. She banked on the hook up between Varvarinski and Ewyn to take care of the problem, thinking one of them would kill the other. She‟d done her homework, knew what Varvarinski was, and she had watched Ewyn growing up, knew passivity wasn‟t a character trait, so she expected he‟d eventually fight back.” “Hoping to trigger a mob war, but instead, Ewyn came back into the fold, and he wasn‟t alone.” Devin grinned. “Bet it surprised the hell out of Cecilia and her cohorts when Ewyn refused to become easy prey.” Timothy snorted. “Oh yeah, she had to re-evaluate her plans for him, but never altered her campaign against her mother-in-law.” “I know, and I‟ve explained it to Ewyn, numerous times.” Devin sighed. “Don‟t worry, we‟ll work it out.” Devin rode the elevator to the underground garage. He reached the Escalade and found Ewyn sitting in the passenger seat staring straight ahead, unblinking. Devin knew that look—Ewyn‟s give me my space look—which meant Ewyn required time to work out the uncertainty on his own. Climbing into the truck, Devin buckled up, and they rode home in silence. At their destination, he drove into the 14

Memories Erased: Treachery parking structure and eased into his space next to Ewyn‟s Mustang. The penthouse condos had private enclosures at the back on either side of the garage. Two slots each, which afforded the owners a measure of privacy, and kept vehicle damage to a minimum. Devin put the gear in park then turned to Ewyn just as baby-boy released his seat belt, green eyes dancing with mischief, and sexy smirk in place. Devin recognized this particular look, too. He reached down and pressed a button, lowering the back of his seat as Ewyn clambered over the console. Mouths merged and Ewyn‟s little round ass settled right into place. After several satisfying moments, Devin drew back. “Worked it out, have you?” “Sorry, Dev.” Ewyn swooped in for another quick kiss. “It‟s just, when I think everything is under control…” “I know, but you‟re handling it.” Devin clasped Ewyn‟s face. “Do you know how proud I am of you? With the amount of responsibility thrust on you recently, going from baby to head of the Calderone family, I believe you‟ll do all right, no matter what comes at you.” Thumbs teasing the corners of the seductive mouth, Devin stared into spellbinding green eyes full of love. Times like this, he experienced feelings of invincibility, being the recipient of such unconditional love he wholeheartedly reciprocated. Leaning forward, he recaptured Ewyn‟s mouth. Tongues sparred, sliding and teasing until he caught the tip of Ewyn‟s tongue with his teeth. Sucking, lips curling, he drew the tender flesh into his mouth and fed on the tantalizing flavor for several minutes then retreated. He nibbled the succulent bottom lip and mumbled, “Family issues aside, at the moment, we have a more pressing concern.” “Oh.” Ewyn leaned away. “What?” “Baby, if you keep squirming, I‟ll take your bad ass right here.” 15

M. E. Reid He shifted beneath the wriggling butt and watched a jagged tinge of color streak its way across Ewyn‟s cheeks as a glint of pleasure lit up the jungle green eyes. No longer indicative of embarrassment, Ewyn‟s blushes had become the precursors to imagined pleasure. Over the past two years, Devin watched Ewyn evolve from an abused apprehensive novice to become a bold adventurous lover. Having lost most of his naiveté, Ewyn had learned to accept and enjoy Devin‟s creative times, places, and approach to sexual proclivities. More often than not, Ewyn instigated the onset of those encounters. Hell. The kinky acrobatics Ewyn initiated on the bidet had come as a refreshing surprise. Devin hadn‟t known getting clean could be so enjoyable, and those antics had become an addictive habit. Conversely, before today, Ewyn had confined his daring to the privacy of their home. His arrogant dismissal of Devin‟s warning and bold behavior in a public venue amazed Devin, prompting him to test the bounds of Ewyn‟s bravado. He leaned in for another kiss using Ewyn‟s preoccupation to unfasten the button on his jeans and ease the zipper down. Baby-boy made no effort to climb off his lap, and Devin needed no further encouragement. Maneuvering his hands inside the snug material, he palmed the warm, taut ass cheeks. “Are you sure?” He fed the words into Ewyn‟s receptive warmth. “Mmm-hmm…taking a page from your book—private enclosure, dim lighting, tinted windows,” Ewyn murmured as he rose up on his knees and wriggled out of his jeans and briefs. “Don‟t fuck with me, Ewyn,” Devin growled and unzipped his trousers, his cock bounding out with precum 16

Memories Erased: Treachery seeping from the tip. Ewyn leaned close, staring into intense amber eyes, he whispered, “Oh, but Dev, it‟s exactly what I intend to do…fuck with you.” He winked, smoothed his palm across the moist glans of Devin‟s cock, then down around the hardening, silky-smooth heat. Gazes locked, he grabbed Devin‟s hand, brought it to his lips, and eased the first two fingers into his mouth. Slowly and meticulously, he licked and sucked, moistening both digits before guiding them to his ass. “Mmm, I need this…you. Can‟t wait, hell, don‟t want to wait,” he babbled as he eased down on the fingers, his hips working in tandem with Devin‟s every stroke. “Oh damn, Dev.” Ewyn worked his hands under the hem of Devin‟s shirt, edging the material upward, he ran his fingers over a firm six-pack, inching them upward to well-defined pecs. His fingertips circled and teased the flat nipples until the soft nubs pebbled, and then his hands shifted to Devin‟s shoulders as his mouth followed the trail forged by his fingers. He inhaled Devin‟s musky scent, his tongue lapping at salty perspiration, his lips teased and sucked on taut skin. His mouth lingered on remnants of jagged scar tissue, a souvenir of the gunshot wound reminding him of his near loss. Ewyn reached down and pressed a button along the side of Devin‟s seat until they were fully reclined. He reversed his position, leaned forward, and braced his hands against the dashboard as Devin‟s cock replaced fingers and made a slow deliberate penetration. A shockwave of intense passion surged through Ewyn‟s body. “Shh-yit…” “Bring it, baby,” Devin growled as he wrapped one hand around Ewyn‟s cock, and rested his other hand on the 17

M. E. Reid curvature of Ewyn‟s hip, then lay back. Ewyn did what he did best and all too soon, his body stiffened, his sphincter tightened, then his cum coated Devin‟s fingers as sperm flooded his ass. **** Damn it. Thought they would lead me to Nicole. After following them for days and watching their disgusting behavior in public, it wasn‟t a stretch of the imagination to know why it was taking so long for them to exit the Escalade. They‟re revolting. No wonder Nicole thought nothing of dating and fucking around outside her race. Did the family know about her repugnant behavior? Hell. Stupid question. Of course, they know. Her uncle and his partner are a classic example of repulsive acts the entire family condones as their lifestyle. Growing up in that type of environment, why should Nicole act any differently? Her actions are as vile as her uncle‟s behavior, and the way her father pampers both girls, neither bitch deserves what she has. The entire family has no boundaries. It was downright embarrassing to learn all of Nicole‟s friends on campus knew about her uncle. Nicole bragging about him as if he‟s some kind of hero. The little bastard should have died in the attempt on his life. Then, to find out Nicole is pregnant—damn humiliating. Campus rumorcontrol is reporting Nicole is pregnant by some bastard she had a thing with a few months ago. Some say the son of a bitch is Black, but no one can verify the allegation since the only thing Nicole has revealed to anybody is he attends one of the Ivy League schools back east. Nicole‟s roommate verified the pregnancy, but little else, 18

Memories Erased: Treachery because Nicole is very secretive about the baby‟s father. The roommate only knows what everyone else knows—while visiting someone on campus, the mystery man met Nicole, and he purportedly has relatives in Riverview. Those leads would be helpful if the man‟s so-called friends could be located, and they could supply the necessary information about the man‟s relatives. ―Argh-hhh!‖ I could scream, nonstop, if only the headaches would quit. Have to remember to take the pills. Hell. I need a clear head for this. Okay…okay, let me think. Nicole needs a reality check. She has learned all the wrong values, but it‟s not too late for her to grasp the concept of heritage. Still in her first trimester, abortion is a viable solution. While word on the street alleges her father has disappeared, and considering the bastard‟s profession, more than likely, one of the other crime families has disposed of him. Without her father‟s influence or protection, Nicole will learn to see reason. Just need to find the bitch.

19

M. E. Reid

Chapter 2

I

t was hot as hell. Yet, Devin lay awake fully clothed watching the reflection of the neon sign across the street illuminate the wall opposite his bed at regular intervals. It annoyed him, but he didn‟t dare get bare-assed naked—his preferred method of sleeping—or close his eyes for fear of falling asleep. This time out, the assignment required he remain on alert, clothes on. Besides, undressing didn‟t guarantee sleep. Since meeting Ewyn, when Devin went on prolonged ops, if he managed to close his eyes, thoughts and images of Ewyn would flood his mind. Unfastening his jeans, his hand would slip beneath the material, release his cock from its confinement, then relive their nights together, which always led to several bouts of satisfying masturbation. You‟d think he‟d fall asleep after, but sleep would remain elusive because memories of those other hellish events that became part of their lives would resurface, too. Damn. Devin sighed and rolled off the bed. Hands shoved down in his pockets, he strolled over to the window and stared out at the flickering neon light and the deserted streets. His first long-term op since the attempt on Ewyn‟s life, and hell, he missed Ewyn something fierce. It must be time to get off the front line when his operations didn‟t have his absolute focus because it unsettled him when he had to leave 20

Memories Erased: Treachery Ewyn alone. Shit. Mick and Taggart lived nearby and Ewyn had proven he could take care of himself with the skill and resolve of a covert op. Yet Devin couldn‟t shake the irrational fear Ewyn wasn‟t safe. Was he being paranoid, or what? Hell. After surviving those disturbing getting-to-knoweach-other exploits, what else could happen? **** The ambulance pulled away just as Ewyn‟s Mustang screeched to a stop. He jumped from the car and rushed toward the people milling about the scene. This cannot be happening. Both nieces critically injured. What were they doing out on the highway at this time of night? Were they coming home, just before midterms, with no warning, no phone calls? They always called him or Gemma when they were coming home. How long had it been since he‟d spoken to either of them, about a month? And if they weren‟t coming home—damn, babbling. Ewyn approached the cop cordoning off the accident scene. “Sir, you‟ll have to stay behind the tape.” “I‟m the uncle. Someone called me…how bad…” Holy hell. Ewyn stared in stunned disbelief. The car was a mangled mess. How could anyone have survived? “Where are they? Which hospital? Please!” “St. Bernadine‟s and you‟d better hurry. The paramedics had little hope of the young lady surviving and even less hope for the baby.” “Young lady?” Ewyn snapped. “There‟s supposed to be two. The caller said two…weren‟t two women in the car. And what do you mean, baby,” he growled. “Whose baby?” 21

M. E. Reid “Calm down, sir. The young lady is pregnant and pretty close to term according to the—” With tears welling up in his eyes, Ewyn took off running. “Sir…sir!” Ignoring shouts from the officer and other police personnel who scrambled to get out of his way, Ewyn hopped into his Mustang, swiped the tears from his cheeks, and peeled out. Damn. A baby. Which niece, and why didn‟t she tell him…hell, what was he thinking? Why would his nieces confide in him? He had spoken to Nicole on the phone every other month, but their conversations were primarily business discussions, and he hadn‟t seen them since spring break, a little over—oh, my God! Whichever niece was pregnant, she knew it then. She should have told him or at least Gemma. Wait a minute. The officer had said, one young woman. Not good. He reached for his cell phone. He had to call Timothy so he could contact MacGregor. Gregorio needed to come…damn. He flung his phone on the passenger seat. Timothy was out with Devin, so no help there. He was on his own. Tears of pain and frustration welled up in his eyes. His nieces, dead or dying, and a baby. What did he know about babies? Assuming the baby lived, what was he supposed to do with a baby until Gregorio returned? More to the point, what if his brother wasn‟t able to come home any time soon. It had been more than a year. Enough time for people to forget Gregorio‟s past, wasn‟t it? Maybe he‟d find Gregorio himself. Was he still in the States, or did he go back to Italy. They still had distant relatives there. What name would Gregorio use…hell. What did any of that matter? Gregorio had to come home, now. Gemma! 22

Memories Erased: Treachery No, wait. What was he thinking? Gemma couldn‟t help. She had her own ongoing issues to overcome. At her present stage of remission, his aunt wasn‟t strong enough to deal with a baby. Hell. Without Timothy there, just telling her about Nicole and Carolyn, regardless of their conditions, might cause a decline in Gemma‟s progress. No, he couldn‟t lay the care of an infant on his aunt. Mick and Tag! Hmm. They probably couldn‟t help with a baby, but they could contact MacGregor for him. Ewyn pulled onto the hospital grounds, eased into the visitor parking out front and jumped from the car. He hauled ass toward the emergency room and reached the check-in desk just as several green-garmented hospital personnel barreled pass, wheeling a gurney headed toward the elevators. “Wait!” Ewyn ran and caught up to the gurney, grabbing its side, impeding its progress. He froze when he glanced at the woman lying there. “Sir! Stand aside. We have to get her to surgery.” With his hold hindering the trauma teams‟ forward momentum, Ewyn whispered, “Nicole?” Severely injured and unconscious, the disfigured face had tubes and other paraphernalia protruding from its crevices. He assumed it was Nicole, and not Carolyn, because of the stray wisps of red hair peeking out from beneath the bandages covering her head. Nicole had the signature Kelley coloring, red hair and blue eyes, while Carolyn had the jetblack, Calderone hair and green eyes. For sure, it was Nicole. “Sir!” Ewyn flinched and staggered back. The hospital staff brushed by him at a trot, gurney wheels squeaking as they clattered over the elevator threshold. The doors closed in Ewyn‟s face. 23

M. E. Reid “Sir…” Someone touched his arm. “Sir…” He swung around. “If you‟ll come with me, I‟ll explain—” “I‟m her uncle,” he interrupted as the nurse steered him toward the waiting room. “Where‟s her sister?” “Can I get you something?” “Miss, uh…” Ewyn glanced at the woman‟s nametag. “Miss Johanssen. No platitudes, just give it to me straight.” “Sorry, Mister Calderone…” “Kelley,” Ewyn responded automatically. “Oh, I thought…never mind.” The nurse shook her head. “I am so sorry, but the younger girl was dead on arrival, and they don‟t hold out much hope for the other one.” She looked down at the clipboard she held. “Nicole?” “Yes.” Ewyn inhaled deeply, staving off the sob caught in his throat. He couldn‟t fall apart, not now. “Nicole is on a respirator. They‟re trying to keep her alive long enough to save her child. The baby is full term. Nicole was in labor at the time of the accident.” Ewyn turned away, tears blurring his vision. He walked to the wall of windows and stared blindly out into the darkness. “I‟m sorry for your loss,” Ms. Johanssen told him. “I‟ll give you a few moments. Then I‟ll need you to fill out some forms.” Ewyn nodded. **** The baby survived. Imagine, his brother a grandfather. Of course, Gregorio had had plenty of parenting experience since their dad had died and he‟d had to step into the role of father for Ewyn. In addition, with the help of his mother and aunt, Gregorio had 24

Memories Erased: Treachery raised his two girls. Cecilia had been useless, and now the girls were gone, their young lives cut short. Ewyn had gone to make positive identification of his nieces and to fill out the necessary paperwork before heading to the nursery. Feet feeling like lead weights, he trudged up the stairway on his way to meet the newest member of his family. He reached the second floor and paused on the stairwell landing. The remembered sight of Nicole and Carolyn, pale and lifeless, once familiar faces battered, swollen, and barely recognizable, the agony of loss clutched at his heart and a gut wrenching sob escaped his lips. He took a deep calming breath, swiped tears from his face, then yanked open the door and moved inside. The muted hallway lights made the glow from the nursery window seem like a beacon guiding his way. He strode silently across the carpeted floor, his pace slowing as he neared the large display window. He came to a complete stop in front of a bassinet with the name, baby girl Calderone on the attached placard. Ewyn gazed through the glass partition at the miniature figure with her pert nose, little lips pursed and in motion, and a noticeable cleft in her chin. Bundled in a pink blanket, she lay on her back sleeping calmly, her tightly clenched fists resting on each side of a small round head covered by a pink knitted cap. He wondered what color her hair would be. A jumble of emotions crowded his mind as he stared down at the tiny bundle. He didn‟t know a damn thing about babies, and God knows he didn‟t want to seem arrogant, but he thought she was the prettiest baby in the nursery. Full term, she weighed in at nine pounds four ounces, which wasn‟t unusual for a Calderone, since he had weighed nine pounds at birth and Gregorio had weighed nine pounds eight ounces. However, what was unusual, the staff said she had gray 25

M. E. Reid eyes, which wasn‟t a Calderone or a Kelley trait, at least not in recent generations. Could be her father‟s contribution to the gene pool, the son of a bitch. Ewyn would love to get his hands on the bastard, but that would have to wait. First order of business, he needed a name. He didn‟t want his niece referred to as baby girl Calderone for another moment. Remembering the stories his mother had told him about her Catholic school days, Mairianna used to talk about her best friend Kiera. He liked the name. It had a nice sound to it. Then again, maybe he should name the baby…damn, listen to him. The anonymity of baby girl Calderone had him referring to her as the baby, as if she were an inanimate object. Ewyn sighed. He‟d need a second name, too. Maybe he should name her Alanna, since it was Nicole‟s middle name, and it would be the legacy from mother to daughter. But which name should be first? The sudden tapping on the window jerked him to attention. One of the nursery staff signaled for him to come to the main doors. He moved to the entrance and waited. The double doors whooshed open and a nurse stood there holding out a surgical cap, gown, and booties. He stared. “You need to put these on, if you want to hold her.” Ewyn stepped back. “Excuse me?” “Come on, Mister Calderone, don‟t be shy. She needs you. Her mother is dead, father unknown, she needs some love. This is a crucial time in her life.” Still, he hesitated. “I don‟t want to hurt her. I‟ve never held a baby before, I‟ll drop her.” “No, you won‟t,” the nurse announced. “I won‟t let you. I‟ll be with you the entire time. Come on, she needs to be held. Normally, the mother would cuddle her immediately after birth, to start the bonding process, but…” “You‟re right.” 26

Memories Erased: Treachery What was he thinking? Having experienced feelings of insecurity and doubt when he thought he didn‟t have anyone to turn to, he damn sure wouldn‟t let Kiera start her young life in such a manner, or let her get familiar with those emotions. She didn‟t have anyone else, so he needed to step up to the plate. Ewyn walked into the inner hallway, removed his leather jacket, took the items the nurse held out to him, and slipped them on over his clothes and shoes. “What do I need to do?” “Follow me.” The nurse led him through another set of double doors and into the inner sanctum. He paused just inside the entrance and inhaled deeply. The regulated air enveloped him in an aroma of newness—clean and fresh. He followed the nurse to a small room where subdued lighting glowed from a lamp on a white dresser with multicolored knobs. A rocking chair occupied the space between the dresser and the bassinette holding his niece. Against an adjoining wall, there was a changing table, a small sink, and a shelf unit containing a supply of diapers and other baby necessities. Ewyn moved to the rocker, settled down, and waited. The nurse turned to him with Kiera in her outstretched arms. Not knowing what to expect or how to act, with trembling hands, he reached for his niece. He was terrified, until he cradled Kiera in his arms and she opened her big gray eyes. She seemed to be looking directly at him. On his part, it was love at first sight. He cuddled her against his body, inhaled her baby-fresh scent, and gently trailed his fingertips across one downy soft cheek. Lifting the edge of the pink, knitted cap, he touched the slightly curly jet-black hair. Overwhelmed by his feelings, he made a solemn vow to protect this little life with his own, and he relaxed. 27

M. E. Reid The nurse kept her word by rolling a chair into the room and spending the next two hours instructing him on the proper care and handling of an infant. Ewyn gave Kiera her first feeding, cringing every time spooge dribbled down Kiera‟s chin, and kept interrupting her feeding to wipe her mouth. He learned how to burp her, discovering he should place a clean cloth on his shoulder first. “It will keep you from getting spooge, as you called it, on your clothes, and the baby won‟t get foreign particles from your clothing in her mouth,” the nurse explained. “Nothing with nap. They sell burp cloths made from one hundred percent cotton, and you can purchase them in bulk.” She showed him various baby necessities and their uses. “You‟ll need to stock up on these items. I‟ll have a list of the essentials for you when you‟re ready to leave.” Ewyn balked when it came to changing the poopy diaper, but once he learned to breathe through his mouth during the process, he was good to go. He gave Kiera a quick sponge bath, redressed her, and rocked her to sleep. “You did well, for a first-timer. Have you thought of any names for her?” the nurse asked from her observation post across the room. Ewyn nodded. “Her name is Kiera Alanna Calderone,” he whispered. He‟d already been thinking of her as Kiera. It seemed so right. It fit. “It‟s a lovely name,” the nurse remarked. “But you don‟t need to whisper. You want her to get used to your normal speaking tone.” “Oh…okay,” he responded without taking his eyes off Kiera. “How long will she have to stay here?” “Well, because of the circumstances of her birth, we‟re going to keep her for a few days.” “Is something wrong with her? She looks okay.” “I‟d say she‟s darn near perfect. However, she had a 28

Memories Erased: Treachery traumatic beginning. It‟s just a precaution to be on the safe side.” “Oh, right. I‟ll use the time to get everything ready for her at home,” he said. “Will you need home assistance?” “No. There‟s adequate staff to accommodate her requirements. She‟ll be just fine.” “Good.” The nurse stood and headed for the door. “Do you feel comfortable enough for me to leave you alone?” “Yes. I don‟t know why I was so afraid.” “Even some of my mothers are a little fearful their first time,” the nurse remarked then, looked at her watch. “Although it‟s past visiting hours, under the circumstances, we‟re letting you have a little more time with Kiera. Another half-hour…okay?” “Promise,” Ewyn replied. “I‟ll return then.” “What time can I come tomorrow?” “Any time you want, the earlier the better. Normally, the mother would be with her during the day…” Ewyn stopped rocking, tears welling up in his eyes. “Sorry.” The nurse dimmed the lights a little more and opened the door. “No. I have to get over it.” Ewyn sighed. “Kiera needs me.” The absence of motion must have awakened his niece because she started to squirm and make soft mewling noises. His gaze flew to her face to find her eyes fixed on him. “Can she see me?” “Yes, but focus is iffy.” Ewyn smiled, leaned back, and set the chair in motion. “I‟ll be here bright and early, in time to give her breakfast.” Relaxing, he hummed a lullaby he remembered hearing as a child. Kiera‟s eyes began to close before the nurse left the room. 29

M. E. Reid

**** Oh, my God! Were they both dead? That wasn‟t supposed to happen. Teeth chattering, the shivering wouldn‟t stop, and squeezing into the drainage tunnel didn‟t help. The wind and the rain buffeting the hillside assisted the cold in seeping through the damp clothes and into the bones. My head…where are the damn pills! I can‟t think! Oh, God. Carolyn grabbed the gun. Why did she grab the gun? Damn it! The gun. Was it still in the car and what about the brat? Nicole was in bad shape, semi-conscious when I left her. So much blood, I couldn‟t get her out of the car. The child. It couldn‟t survive if Nicole died, could it? It would ruin everything. Carolyn wasn‟t supposed to die. She shouldn‟t have been there. Pills…did I take the damn pills? What went wrong? I can‟t think! Nicole‟s reappearance after it was too late for an abortion had been bad enough, but she came back a different woman. The little bitch looked more beautiful than remembered. They say motherhood changes some women. Moreover, she had returned more confident, defiant, and defensive. Why did she resist? Damn you, Nicole. All that money. She had it all, the selfish bitch. More money than one person would ever need. We could have shared. Oh, shit! With all her newfound confidence, did she think to change her will, or contact the family attorney with the intent? Oh-kay…calm down. If she didn‟t change her will and all three of them were dead, then the original still stands. If she did change it, who 30

Memories Erased: Treachery gets all the money. For sure, Carolyn is out of the running, leaving Uncle Ewyn or the child, if it survives, as beneficiaries. Hell. Need to find out if there‟s a new will. Damn her, damn her, damn her! After all those months spent trying to track her down, finally catching up with her on campus today seemed like a godsend. Now I could lose everything. “You‟re not going to win, bitch!” the voice screamed out into the night. “Do you hear me, Nicole?” **** On the drive to the family estate, Ewyn couldn‟t forget the experience of holding Kiera in his arms. He‟d felt such an overwhelming sense of wellbeing, and in normal circumstances, a birth in the family would be cause for a lengthy celebration. Instead, he would deliver devastating news, which would overshadow the jubilation of birth. Still, he hoped Kiera‟s existence would minimize any adverse effects the deaths might have on Gemma. Before he left the hospital, feeling the need for support, he had called Mick, who had promised to meet him at the house. Except for Gemma, at the time, Mick was the closest thing to family Ewyn had. God, he missed his mother. Being temporary head of the family was a bitch. The family treating him like a baby for most of his life hadn‟t schooled him for the job. Nonetheless, fate had grandfathered him into the position of responsibility, and demanded he step up for Gemma and Kiera‟s sake. There were death notifications and funeral arrangements to make, and he had to prepare the household for Kiera‟s arrival, then deal with the police. Something about his nieces‟ accident bothered him. With no other cars involved, what made the girls run off a road they had driven hundreds 31

M. E. Reid of times. Surely not the rain when they had years of experience driving in the snow whenever they went up to the family estate in Big Bear. Unless Nicole was driving, and she went into labor…damn. He needed details and answers. He wanted closure. Mick or Taggart could point him in the right direction.

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Memories Erased: Treachery

Chapter 3

E

wyn pulled onto the estate grounds and drove straight to the garage. Before getting out of his car, he glanced at his watch. For what was left of the night, he‟d stay at the house, in case Gemma needed him. Sighing, he wearily climbed out of the car and strolled across the courtyard. He noticed most of the lights were on inside the house, picked up his pace, and entered through the kitchen. Rosa, the family‟s long-time housekeeper was there, bustling around filling coffee urns. Laid out on a nearby counter was an array of ingredients for cold sandwiches. “Hey, Rosa.” The housekeeper whipped around to face him, tears streaming down her face. “Mister Ewyn, is it true? Something has happened to our girls?” “Yes.” Ewyn went to her and hugged her, then held her at arm‟s-length. “I‟d like you to be present when I talk to Gemma, then you can inform the rest of the staff.” He started to leave but stopped. “Have Mick and Tag arrived?” “Yes. Mister Mick is in the office. I sent Myce to wake your aunt and her nurse.” Rosa removed a handkerchief from her apron pocket and wiped her eyes. “This is bad. Mister Greg will be devastated when he finds out.” “I know. But right now, we have to be concerned about Gemma.” 33

M. E. Reid “This is true,” Rosa said. “I‟ll have coffee and sandwiches ready soon. I have the flavored decaf for you.” “Thanks, Rosa. Have everything taken up to Gemma‟s apartment.” Headed for his brother‟s office, Ewyn ran his fingers through his hair in nervous agitation, then massaged tense neck muscles while trying to pull his thoughts together. What was he supposed to say to Gemma, or how? Blurt it out, procrastinate with a long-winded explanation, or…damn, he didn‟t have a clue, and could only hope Mick had some experience. He opened the office door and paused on the threshold. Mick, Taggart, MacGregor, and another man occupied the room. Frowning, Ewyn looked at the stranger. “Mick…” “I am so sorry about Niki and Caro,” Mick said with a catch in his voice. He embraced Ewyn then stepped away. “It‟s not enough to compensate…” He broke off. “Sorry.” Taggart and MacGregor offered their condolences then MacGregor introduced the stranger. Tall and lanky, the man had dark brown hair desperately in need of a haircut, a pencil thin moustache, and deep-set, dark brown eyes. Probably late thirties, early forties, the man was quite handsome, if you looked beyond his unkempt appearance. Ewyn experienced an instant dislike for the man. “Ewyn, this is Detective Sergeant Michael Patterson from the San Bernardino County Sheriff‟s Department,” MacGregor said. “He‟s heading up the investigation into your nieces‟ accident. Found him waiting at the gates when we arrived. Rosa wouldn‟t let him in.” “Tried to tell me you weren‟t home,” Patterson sneered. “Condolences, Calderone. Now, I have a few…” “Kelley,” Ewyn corrected. 34

Memories Erased: Treachery “What? I thought…then who…” Patterson‟s voice stuttered to a stop. “Fine. Condolences, Kelley. Oh yeah, you‟re the uncle. Where is…uh—” “Stop!” Ewyn charged across the floor. Invading Patterson‟s space, he stopped mere inches from the man. The detective took a step backward. The man‟s snotty tone had Ewyn‟s stomach knotting and anger rising in his throat like bile. Fists clenching and unclenching, every muscle in his body tense, it strained his self-control not to hit the son of a bitch. “Save your goddamn condolences. Try showing some fuckin‟ respect,” he gritted out from between clenched teeth. “Get the hell out of here.” “Now wait a minute, Kelley. I have questions for, uh…” He looked at his note pad. “Where‟s the girls‟ father, Gregorio Calderone?” Eyes narrowing, Ewyn stared. “Questions?” He held up his hand when the man opened his mouth to speak. “No, don‟t. I‟ve had one hell of a night, I still have to inform my aunt about my nieces‟ deaths, and…get this straight, Detective,” he mocked. “It‟s Mister Kelley to you.” Ewyn turned at the knock on the door, saying over his shoulder, “I can understand why Rosa wouldn‟t let you inside. She has excellent instincts, and taste.” He focused his attention on Gemma‟s personal assistant standing in the doorway. “Yes, Myce?” “Ewyn, your aunt is ready for you,” Mycelia said. “Thanks. We‟ll go right up. Please show this…uh…gentleman to the door.” Ewyn tipped his head in Patterson‟s direction, started out the door, then paused and pulled his billfold from his inside breast pocket. He retrieved a business card, handed it to Mycelia, and looked back at the detective. “If you want to talk to any member of the Calderone family, you go through me first, and you make a fuckin‟ appointment,” he snarled. “Failing that avenue of 35

M. E. Reid communication, contact the family attorney,” he added. “Mick, Tag…Gemma will want to see you.” “Now wait a minute.” Patterson moved to follow Ewyn. Mick, Taggart, and MacGregor scrambled to block his path. MacGregor reached Patterson first and grabbed his arm. “Hey! What is this? Who do you people think you‟re dealing with?” Patterson grumbled and snatched his arm from MacGregor‟s grasp. “I want—” “You want,” MacGregor cut him off. “Look around, man. It doesn‟t matter what you want. You need to remember where you are, and who you’re dealing with.” He turned to Ewyn. “I‟ll take care of this.” Ewyn nodded and left without a backward glance. Mick and Taggart followed. “You go, kid,” Taggart said. “I couldn‟t have handled him better myself.” “The arrogant son of a bitch pissed me off.” Ewyn felt heat warming his cheeks. “And why is a Detective Sergeant investigating a traffic accident?” “The Calderone name,” Taggart suggested. “Is his attitude what Greg and the family have had to deal with because of our name?” he asked but didn‟t wait for an answer. “Well, hell. With the recent traumatic events decimating this family, I‟m short on social etiquette, especially with people like Patterson.” He stopped walking and turned on the two men. “I‟m not putting up with the bullshit from him or anybody else,” he snarled, then immediately mumbled, “Sorry.” “Hey. Don‟t you dare apologize,” Mick said. “Patterson is one of those full-of-himself dicks who don‟t know when to step down. The asshole should consider himself lucky Devin wasn‟t here. Trust me. Mac will handle him. He‟ll be singing a new tune when he talks to you again. If Devin isn‟t back by then, I‟ll go with you, just in case.” 36

Memories Erased: Treachery “Thanks. I‟d appreciate it.” “Whoa. I‟m not doing it for you,” Mick teased. “It‟s for Patterson. Remember, I‟ve seen you in action. Don‟t want Devin coming back and kicking off in my ass because you‟ve been arrested for assault.” “You‟ve got that right.” Taggart grinned. Ewyn snorted and headed up the stairs, taking the time to tell them about the night‟s ordeal. “You should see her. She‟s beautiful. Of course, I‟m probably prejudiced. I only hope Kiera‟s existence helps to ease some of the pain of loss for Gemma. She spent a lot of time with Niki and Caro when they were children.” “Gemma‟s nurse is here, right,” Mick said. “Yeah. Round-the-clock.” They reached the third floor and Ewyn paused outside his aunt‟s apartment, took a deep breath, knocked, then opened the door and stepped inside. Rosa was present, bustling around setting up the coffee and sandwiches on a sideboard in the living room, while the nurse on duty hovered in the background. Gemma, curled up on one end of the sofa, turned frightened eyes on him as soon as he came into view. “Ewyn, what happened?” She looked from him to Mick and Taggart. “Is it Tim…Devin?” Eyes tearing up, Ewyn rushed across the room and dropped down on the sofa next to his aunt, grasped her frail hands in his own, and whispered, “No, Gem. It‟s Niki and Caro.” His aunt‟s grip tightened. “They were in a car accident.” “How bad, baby?” His breath caught on a sob. “They‟re dead, Gem.” “Oh, my God, Ewyn. No!” She started crying, the sound heart wrenching. Tears spilled out onto Ewyn‟s cheeks as he pulled his distraught aunt into his arms. “I‟m so sorry. They were dead 37

M. E. Reid when I reached the hospital.” He looked up and signaled to the nurse, who hurried forward. “Mrs. Ryan…” The nurse offered Gemma a handkerchief. “I think you should rest.” “No.” Gemma pulled away from Ewyn, took the proffered handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes. “I‟ll be okay. Ewyn needs me.” She sniffled and wiped her nose. Her nurse retrieved the used handkerchief and replaced it with a clean one. “We need each other.” She looked at Ewyn. “Baby, are you okay? How did it happen? Where…when? Why were they out on the road?” “I don‟t know. I‟ll have to talk to the police. Maybe they can give me some answers,” he replied. “Gem, are you sure you‟re okay?” “Yes, baby, it was just such a shock. I‟m all right. Promise.” She dried her eyes and looked around at the assembled company. “Oh, Rosa, you practically raised the girls, and Myce, you grew up with them…you were like sisters.” “Yes, Miss Gem,” Mycelia said, her eyes tearing up. “It‟s bad. But it will be worse for Mister Greg.” Gemma‟s hands flew to her mouth. “Oh, Jesus! Greg. We have to get hold of Gregorio!” “Calm down, Gem,” Mick warned. “MacGregor has taken care of it.” “Oh. What am I thinking? You‟re right, Mick.” She smiled weakly and turned to her nephew. “Ewyn, I am so sorry. Of course, you would have taken care of it. Here I am still treating you like a child when, in the last two years, you have proven yourself to be more than man enough to handle any situation.” “It‟s okay, Gem, not important. There‟s something else I need to tell you.” Eyes widening, Gemma grabbed his hand and held tight. 38

Memories Erased: Treachery “What else could have happened?” “Nicole was pregnant.” “No! We saw her during spring break. She would have…” “Yes. She would have known she was pregnant then,” Ewyn admitted. “Why didn‟t…never mind. The baby,” Gemma whispered as if she were afraid to say baby aloud. Ewyn grinned and squeezed her hand. “She‟s beautiful, Gem. A beautiful little girl and I took the liberty of naming her.” “Oh, Ewyn, a girl. Tell me about her. Is she all right, did you get to hold her?” Gemma stopped and took a deep breath. “What did you name her?” “I chose Kiera Alanna Calderone.” “Lovely. I like it. A combination of both sides of the family—Irish and Italian. Baby, you did good.” She wiped her eyes again, and looked at the housekeeper. “We‟ll have to get the nursery ready for her, Rosa, and we‟ll need a nanny. Myce! You‟ll be her nanny. Get me a pen and paper. I need to make a list…and christening!” She turned to Ewyn. “She has to be baptized as soon as possible.” “Yes, Gem.” Ewyn leaned back on the sofa and watched his aunt, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. She was more animated than he had seen her in quite a while. Mycelia returned to the sofa with pen and paper. Ewyn stood and wandered over to the sideboard where he joined Mick and Taggart. “It will hit her later,” Mick whispered. “But I think your baby-girl is just the medicine Gem needed to see her through this.” Eyes on his aunt giving directions, making lists, and talking nonstop, Ewyn nodded.

39

M. E. Reid **** Ewyn had set the alarm for five o‟clock, but he awoke moments before it went off. He‟d only slept two hours, but he didn‟t want to waste a moment of the time he had to spend with Kiera. Hopping out of bed and heading for the bathroom, he only paused to get clean underwear from the dresser. Once dressed, and allowing for traffic, he should reach the hospital around six-thirty. He stepped from the shower, gave his hair a quick blow-dry, and practically ran into the walk-in closet. He always had clean underwear here, but not clothes. Luckily, the last time the family had a weekend gathering, he‟d left some clothes, so he didn‟t have to go home to change. Ewyn dressed and headed for the third floor, taking the stairs two at a time. He wanted to check on Gemma before going to the hospital. To his surprise, not only was she awake, she was dressed and insisted on going with him. “Gem. I don‟t think you should come with me. Your resistance is low and hospitals are germ infested.” “Forget it, Ewyn. I‟m going.” He had to admit she looked better than she had since her cancer diagnosis, but he looked to Gemma‟s nurse for help. “I spoke to her Oncologist last night. He said getting out in the fresh air would be good for her. Couldn‟t hurt.” Miss Halloran shrugged. “His words, not mine. However, I‟m going with you to make sure she doesn‟t overdo it.” Gemma looped her arm over Ewyn‟s arm and smiled up at him. “Okay?” “Hell. Why not. Her first few days, Kiera is going to need all the love and support she can get,” Ewyn admitted. “And listen to me, sounding all knowledgeable.” He patted Gemma‟s hand and kissed her cheek. “Let me call down and have Martin bring your car around. You wouldn‟t be comfy 40

Memories Erased: Treachery in my Mustang.” “Not to worry,” Gemma said. “I‟ve taken care of it, along with all the necessities a newborn needs to wear home.” Ewyn gawked, then laughed. “I‟m not even going to ask how you managed that during the middle of the night. But they‟re not going to release Kiera today.” “Money talks, baby.” Gemma grinned up at him. “We have a registered nurse on staff, so Kiera will be coming home with us today.” Ewyn shook his head, knowing what his aunt said was true. The family name and money still had the hook up. With Gemma leaning heavily against his arm, he guided her from the apartment with Miss Halloran following close behind. **** Goddamnit to hell! The baby survived. Wasn‟t expecting that. Moreover, Nicole, the bitch, drew up new wills while in hiding. Found copies in her dorm, stipulating, if neither Nicole nor her child survived, everything would go to Carolyn. If the baby and Carolyn survived, the baby inherited Nicole‟s money. In the event both sisters died and the baby survived, the child would inherit everything with Uncle Ewyn as the executor, eliminating anyone else. A helluva lot of money for a damn baby. However, if Nicole, Carolyn, and the baby died, the terms of the old will would stand, and yours-truly would remain a beneficiary. Carolyn‟s will mimicked Nicole‟s almost verbatim, both signed, dated, and notarized the day they died, with their roommates as witnesses. Wait a minute. If Nicole signed the wills the day she died, why were there only copies in her dorm? Where are the 41

M. E. Reid originals? Oh, shit! Did she have them in her purse when she died? Damn you, Nicole. If you were still alive, I‟d kill you and the little bastard! Okay. Deep breaths. Relax…think. The police would have gone through the girls‟ things for identification. If the will was in Nicole‟s purse, they must not have thought anything of it, but the family…had they picked up her personal effects. The news reports were calling the deaths a tragic accident, so checking personal effects wouldn‟t be a priority for the family. Hell. Without cause, their uppity asses probably wouldn‟t ever go through them. Conversely, with or without the official document, if the family discovered Nicole‟s intent—game over. I wonder. Did Nicole have time to mail the originals to her attorney before I caught up with her or, damn. She drew up the new will herself and had it notarized, but would it stand up in court? All right, let me think. If they‟ve documented the accident as the official cause of death, they haven‟t found the gun, or they found it and thought it belonged to one of the girls. Either way, I‟m in the clear, giving me time to work out my next…wait. As a family member, I can claim Nicole‟s property, get the will, and the family never has to know. Failing that, babies die, the kid is expendable. It‟s all her fault. If she hadn‟t been born, Carolyn wouldn‟t have been there. The little brat ruined everything. **** “Let us out at the main entrance, Martin,” Gemma said to her driver when the hospital came into view. “Take a break. I‟ll call you when we‟re ready to leave.” “Yes, ma‟am.” Martin pulled up in front of the hospital, double-parked, then jumped out and came around to the 42

Memories Erased: Treachery rear passenger door and helped Gemma from the car. Ewyn climbed from the backseat and hurried to assist his aunt. Miss Halloran followed, but when they reached the reception area, he stopped her. “You can take a break, too. We‟ll page you if there‟s a problem. Otherwise, we‟ll meet you back here when we‟re done.” “Not a problem, Mister Kelley.” Ewyn smiled down at his aunt and said, “Let‟s go meet our baby-girl.” **** The phone rang several times. Then, “How did it go?” “Got pictures of her in the nursery, and shots of the family as they left the hospital.” “Good. Enlarge the ones of the baby.” “Not a problem, but something is up.” “What do you mean?” “A Detective Sergeant is handling the accident.” “Could be the Calderone name.” “Maybe. I‟m going to see what I can find out before I head back.” “Stay off the radar.” The connection went dead.

43

M. E. Reid

Chapter 4

A

procession of vehicles followed two hearses from Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church to the Calderone burial plot. Family and friends came from all over to bid farewell to Nicole and Carolyn. Afterward, Gemma and Ewyn returned to the estate and met with the family attorney, who laid out the details of Nicole‟s will. It was only a formality since nothing had changed, which surprised Ewyn to discover Cecilia was still included as a beneficiary. However, since Nicole‟s child had survived, she became the sole beneficiary of both Nicole and Carolyn‟s estates with Ewyn as executor. Cecilia eliminated. One week old and Kiera was an heiress. **** Ewyn pulled up outside the Silver Fox and turned off the ignition. Before he could get out of his car, Mick came around the corner, climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up. “Are you sure you want to do this today?” “Yeah. Patterson contacted the family attorney asking him to intercede and have me call the Detective. Said it was important.” Ewyn sighed. “Hell. Before we buried the girls, I didn‟t have the patience to deal with him. Then, between getting Kiera settled, making sure the trauma of the girls‟ 44

Memories Erased: Treachery deaths didn‟t adversely affect Gemma‟s health, there didn‟t seem to be enough time in the day. Besides, where Patterson is concerned, my social etiquette skills run on empty.” “With reason.” “Yeah…well, I‟ve left the man hanging long enough. I‟m ready for answers. I want to understand why and how the accident happened. I need closure, Mick.” Ewyn started the car. “So yeah, whatever Patterson‟s problem is, I‟m up to the challenge. Let the games begin.” “I hear you.” Ewyn glanced at Mick. “By the way, were you paying attention to the mourners at the funeral?” “Not really. My focus was on Gemma. Why?” “With everything coming at me so hard and fast, I thought I must have imagined it, so I put it out of my mind until now,” Ewyn replied. “I know it‟s going to sound crazy, but I thought I saw Greg in the crowd.” “No! Why wouldn‟t he have come forward—shit. What am I thinking?” Mick shook his head. “A hell of a situation, having to attend your children‟s funeral incognito.” “I don‟t understand.” “He has to make a clean break, Ewyn. If he had shown himself, it would have changed nothing.” Mick stared out the window for a few minutes. “At least, he was there.” “I guess. But what about Gem? She could have used his support.” “Gemma is a Calderone who grew up in the business. She knows how it works,” Mick remarked. “Besides, Greg has to be grieving, too, and maybe it was his way of getting through the trauma.” “Yeah, you could be right. Who am I to judge how he deals with his grief. Besides, I‟m not positive it was Greg. No one else seemed to notice.” Ewyn turned off Waterman onto Third Street, slowed 45

M. E. Reid down in front of the San Bernardino County Sheriff‟s Office and pulled into the parking lot. He climbed out of his car and looked around. It had been years since he‟d been on this side of town, and didn‟t it bring back memories. Looking east on Third, Norton Air Force base used to be down that way. As a kid, he could remember riding by and gawking in fascination at all of those big transport planes. Turning, he looked across the street. He‟d forgotten about the Goodwill complex located there. He had been with Gemma, a few times, when she had dropped off things at the donation trailer. To the west, he could see where the street came to a dead end. If he remembered correctly, there used to be a hotel down there. After a morning of shopping with Gemma at the Central City Mall across the street from the hotel, his aunt used to take him there for lunch—the Maruko! That was the name, but the last time they went there for lunch, the hotel had changed hands. Damn if he could recall which hotel chain had taken over. Hell. Even the mall‟s name had changed from Central City Mall to Carousel Mall. Being away at college, and then living in Rancho Cucamonga, Ewyn had spent his adult life hanging out on the Westside of San Bernardino County. Except for the Silver Fox, he didn‟t know this part of town any more. “Brings back memories, huh,” Mick said as he and Ewyn strolled across the parking lot. “Oh yeah. Old stomping grounds. Spent a lot of time cruising the mall as a teen. Didn‟t have a clue as to what I was looking for back then.” Ewyn and Mick entered the Sheriff‟s building and checked in at the reception desk. The young woman said Detective Patterson would be with them shortly and directed them to the waiting area. Ewyn removed his sunglasses, slipped them into his inside breast pocket, and 46

Memories Erased: Treachery sat down. “We‟re on time, right?” Mick grunted. “You‟ve got it.” “So Patterson is still trying to play me.” “It would seem so. What do you want to do?” “Wait until they call me, then leave.” “I hear you.” Ewyn watched Patterson saunter up to reception, stop to chat with a few of the officers milling about, before he turned in Ewyn‟s direction. Their gazes met. Ewyn stood and moved to the reception desk. “Mister Kelley.” Patterson extended his hand. Ignoring Patterson, Ewyn looked at his watch, then reached into the inside breast pocket of his sport coat and retrieved his pen. Refusing to waste a business card on the man, he asked the receptionist for a piece of paper. He jotted down his name and office phone number, and returned the paper to the young woman. “Please make sure Detective Patterson gets this,” he told her. “Tell him I had business to take care of and couldn‟t wait.” He smiled at the stunned look on the woman‟s face and said, “Thank you.” Turning to Mick, he said, “Let‟s go.” “Now wait a minute,” Patterson blustered. Ewyn continued out the door and never looked back. He had reached his car before he spoke again. “As much as I need closure, I‟m not feeding into his BS.” “You shouldn‟t have to. I‟ll talk to MacGregor. He can go over Patterson‟s head.” “Uh-uh, don‟t bother. Let‟s wait and see how long it takes the asshole to contact me. When he does, we‟ll meet on my terms, on my turf. If Devin isn‟t back by then, I‟ll handle Patterson.” “Are you sure? I can be there.” “No, Mick. I need to do this myself. The dumb shit needs to understand I won‟t be intimidated. As a member of the 47

M. E. Reid victims‟ family, I deserve as much respect as any other citizen who pays his salary. I intend being the idiot‟s wake up call.” Ewyn grinned. “I‟m the new look of the Calderone family and he‟d better get used to it. If he continues to diss me, he‟s in for a rude awakening, and I doubt he‟s equipped to deal with it.” Mick laughed. “You‟ve got that right. The dumb ass doesn‟t get it—the implications of why Mac is so involved with the Calderones. Maybe it will sink in when he has to deal with Devin,” he said. “But you know I have your back if you need me.” “I know, and I appreciate everything you, Tag, and Mac have done, but I don‟t want to wear out my welcome on the minor stuff. I need to save some of your back up for all the help and favors I‟ll need when I get in over my head taking care of Kieki.” “Kieki?” “Yeah. I‟ve been calling her Kieki when I‟m talking to her.” “I like it,” Mick replied. “But I don‟t think you‟ll need help with Kieki. For someone so new to the parent game, you‟re doing great. Nonetheless, Tag and I are there for you and Gemma. Hell. If it were up to Tag, he‟d be over at the house every day.” “I‟ve noticed. He‟s become quite attached to Kieki.” “She reminds him of his baby sister right down to the big gray eyes,” Mick said softly. “She‟s dead now. And coincidentally, her name was Teresa.” Ewyn glanced at Mick. “Yeah. Kiera‟s baptismal name.” Eyes dark with pain, Mick turned away. “We rarely talk about her death anymore. Tag and I met, working on her case. But hey, it‟s a story we can save for another time.” “Damn. I‟m sorry. Tag is welcome to spend as much time 48

Memories Erased: Treachery as he can with Kieki. She needs all the loving we can give her.” Ewyn pulled up outside the Silver Fox. “Thanks,” he said as Mick climbed out of the Mustang. “Not a problem.” “I‟ll call if the shit gets too deep with Patterson.” Ewyn put his car in gear and headed back to work. By the time he reached his office, Patterson had left a voicemail. Ewyn listened to an apology and a request to reschedule their meeting for tomorrow. He erased the message and dialed the detective‟s number. “Patterson.” “Ewyn Kelley. I‟m afraid I can‟t make it tomorrow. My weekends are full. However, if you can come to my place tonight—not the family estate—I‟ll be able to give you a few minutes,” Ewyn told him. “You have the address, right?” There was a moment of silence then Patterson cleared his throat and said, “Yes, I do. What time?” “Does eight o‟clock work for you?” “I‟ll see you then.” Patterson disconnected with a bang. Ewyn chuckled and hung up the phone. He swiveled his chair around to face the window and sat there staring at his reflection, watching a slow smile alter the contours of his mouth. The doorbell pealed just as Ewyn came out of the bedroom with Kiera in his arms. He took his time settling her in the playpen and turning on the mobile above her head before heading to the door. The bell rang again. After talking to Patterson earlier, Ewyn vowed he wouldn‟t let the man provoke him. He wanted to know the details of the accident, and he needed to retrieve his nieces‟ personal effects. He took a deep breath and opened the door. Patterson stood there with a small storage box in his hands, looking as unkempt as the previous times Ewyn had seen 49

M. E. Reid him. Ewyn so wanted to offer the man a few grooming and fashion tips. “Patterson.” Ewyn left the detective standing on the threshold and returned to the living room. He heard the door close, then Patterson‟s footsteps crossing the tile floor. Ignoring the man, he went to the playpen to check on Kiera. “Mister Kelley.” Ewyn turned and watched Patterson walk into the room. The man looked around, eyes widening as if he‟d never been indoors before. “Have a seat. I have to get Kieki‟s bottle,” he said as he headed toward the kitchen. “Kieki?” Patterson placed the box on the coffee table and strolled over to the playpen. “Oh yeah, the older girl was pregnant.” From the kitchen, Ewyn watched Patterson bend over the playpen, then stiffen. His head jerked up and he looked across the room. Ewyn pinned him with a stare. “Another black mark, no pun intended, against the Calderones, huh?” “No. The baby…I thought…” Patterson stuttered then shrugged. “Never mind, it was a surprise.” “A surprise?” Ewyn snorted. “Being a detective, I would have thought you should have known,” he mocked. “Have a seat. Are you off duty? Would you like something to drink?” “Yes, to both questions. I‟ll take a beer, if you have it.” Patterson sat on the edge of the sofa looking uncomfortable as he continued to peer around the room. “Heineken work for you?” “Yes, thanks. Nice place,” Patterson added. “I understand the owner of record is Devin Piers Nilsson. Occupation…sales rep for Expiation, Inc. Are you renting?” “Been doing your homework, Detective?” Ewyn chuckled. “Then save us both some time. You know damn well who Devin is, you know we live here together, and you know my relationship to him.” 50

Memories Erased: Treachery “Right. Is he home? I have a few questions for him.” “Would you give it a rest? As a sales rep, Devin travels quite a bit, but you know that. And before you ask, let me verify,” Ewyn remarked. “I‟m the IS manager at the same company.” He sighed. “I know you‟ve already checked, so…shall we can the bullshit and move on to the real reason you‟re here?” Ewyn came out of the kitchen carrying two beer bottles in one hand and a baby bottle in the other. “Don‟t worry, you‟ll meet Devin soon enough. I can assure you, after I tell him about you, he won‟t require an appointment.” He grinned. “Do you need a glass?” “No,” Patterson snapped. “And you‟re right. I had both of you checked out, and it didn‟t do much good. I didn‟t learn any more than what you‟ve just told me. “Maybe it‟s because we‟re law-abiding citizens?” “Yeah, right. With connections to the Calderones,” Patterson scoffed. “Nobody at the Sheriff‟s department has ever heard of your company.” “Why would they? Unless they‟re looking for the type of services we provide.” Ewyn handed one beer to Patterson then bent and opened a little chrome box on the table. He pulled out two coasters, set his beer on one, and handed the other to Patterson before going to the playpen. “And just what are those services. Your company isn‟t listed in the phone book.” Ewyn stopped moving and looked at the detective with obvious feigned surprise. “Are you serious? I‟m shocked. Must be word-of-mouth keeping us in business, huh.” “What exactly does Expiation, Inc. sell?” “Uh…solutions?” “I‟m asking you,” the detective growled. “Solutions to what?” “Listen, Detective. Our company is U.S. G-O-V-T 51

M. E. Reid contracted, so you should take your questions to the current administration.” Ewyn smiled. “Enough said?” He picked up Kiera, tossed a burp cloth across his shoulder, and settled back on the sofa with her tucked in the crook of one arm. He touched the bottle‟s nipple to her lips and she latched on. Ewyn then turned to Patterson and caught him staring as if he‟d never seen a baby drinking from a bottle. “Is there a problem?” “No. It‟s…I thought…um…she‟s a pretty little thing.” Ewyn‟s gaze strafed Kiera‟s features. “She is.” “About the accident. There are a few facts I need clarified.” Patterson cleared his throat. “If Gregorio is your brother, why the different last names? Are you stepbrothers? Kelley was your mother‟s maiden name.” “Yeah, so what. Is it relevant to this matter, Detective?” “I don‟t know. I‟m asking just to cover all the bases,” Patterson replied. “There‟s no record of you being part of the Calderone group? Where do you fit into the family? How come no one knows about you?” Ewyn gave Patterson a sidelong glance. “Who says no one knows? Are you keeping tabs on the Calderones? I thought racketeering came under the auspices of the FBI,” he remarked. “Must be a lot of work for you local boys.” “That‟s not an answer.” “It‟s my answer,” Ewyn countered. “As I said, my relationship to Gregorio Calderone isn‟t germane to the accident or anything else. All you need to know is we‟re related. I say I‟m his brother, and I‟m head of the Calderone family in his absence. Leave it alone, Detective. You do not want to go there.” “Is that supposed to be some kind of threat?” Ewyn shrugged. “Take it any way you want.” “I‟ll eventually get the answers I‟m looking for, one way or another.” 52

Memories Erased: Treachery “Good luck with that.” Ewyn snorted. “Now, about the accident…” “Fine. Do you know anyone who would want to hurt your nieces? Someone connected to your brother‟s business?” “What are you saying, Detective? It wasn‟t an accident.” Ewyn glanced down at Kiera and smiled. Her eyes were starting to close, but she reflexively continued to suck on the nipple. “Oh, it was an accident, all right. However, your brother‟s disappearance without a trace, combined with evidence of someone else being in your niece‟s car, brings up a multitude of questions about the cause of the accident.” Patterson looked directly at Ewyn. “We found a gun in the car. Carolyn died from a gunshot wound.” “What!” Ewyn shouted, startling Kiera, who jerked awake, eyes wide, hands trembling, and her little legs stiffening. “Shh-yit,” he hissed in an undertone. “How come I wasn‟t given that information at the hospital? Or when you came to the estate.” He eased off the sofa. “Wait. Let me put Kieki in her crib.” He hurried into the bedroom, settled Kiera in her bed, turned on the baby monitor, and then turned on the stereo, which had become part of their nightly routine. Once, when the ringing of his phone had disturbed Kiera, through trial and error, he had discovered music could soothe her back to sleep. Since then, he just turned on the music as soon as he put her to bed then nothing disturbed her. He put George Winston‟s December CD into the disc player, adjusted the volume, and dimmed the bedroom lights as he left the room. He strode over to the sofa, snatched his beer off the coffee table and took a long swig, then started pacing. “Let‟s hear it.” 53

M. E. Reid “I didn‟t have the information when I came to the Calderone estate, and you showed up at the hospital right after the girls had died. Hospital personnel only had time for minimum cleanup for proper identification. The younger girl wasn‟t stripped until the bodies were removed to the morgue.” Patterson paused. “If you‟ll recall, I‟ve been trying to connect with you…left messages with your attorney, yet you didn‟t feel the need to respond.” “Yeah. Some people have that effect on me.” Ewyn stopped pacing and sat down. “And your messages weren‟t specific. Why didn‟t you tell my attorney?” “There are some details I don‟t like discussing on the phone,” Patterson snapped. “Besides, when I received the information, there was nothing anyone could have done to change the outcome. As uncouth as you may think I am, I didn‟t think I should interrupt the funeral with that type of news.” “Uh-huh. Or you decided to play out your version of check…checkmate?” “Listen. No one thought to examine her before she reached the morgue, since all outward appearances suggested she had died like her sister, as the result of injuries sustained in the crash. The small caliber of the gun made the wound unnoticeable until the medical examiner xrayed her body, and discovered the bullet,” he explained. “Because of the nature of her injuries, an autopsy wasn‟t a priority, and the ME didn‟t get to her until the day before the mortuary retrieved the bodies. Hell. Even after finding the gun in the car, quite a few women carry guns, the Calderone name came up—” “The assumption being people like the Calderones carry guns and deserve whatever happens to them, right?” Eyes narrowing, Ewyn held his temper in check. “Go on.” “Mister Kelley. If I had suspected anything but a tragic 54

Memories Erased: Treachery car accident, I would have pursued my suspicion from day one, as diligently as any other homicide, regardless of the Calderone name,” Patterson declared. “I have been pursuing it from the moment I became aware a crime had been committed, without your family‟s cooperation, and despite the FBI‟s interference. I‟ll continue to do so until it‟s resolved. However, at this point, I need answers and cooperation from you and your family to help with my investigation.” “Right.” Ewyn nodded. “What else do you have?” Patterson sighed. “The ME found the gunshot wound and contacted me. Thinking it could have been an accidental shooting, I had to wait for the coroner‟s full report, and those findings led me to believe it was a homicide.” “Why?” “From the bullet‟s trajectory and location, the Gun Shot Residue on Carolyn‟s hands and the sleeves of her clothing, she must have grabbed the gun. With the muzzle in her hands, the gun went off,” he said. “She was in the backseat, passenger side. Nicole had been strapped into the front passenger seat when we retrieved the car from the ravine. So the perp must have been the driver.” “Damn.” Tears of angry frustration welled up in Ewyn‟s eyes. “Any idea who…man, woman…” “No. The damage to the car, smudged prints—the rain didn‟t help either. Once we verify which prints belong to the girls, we‟ll run the others through the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, just in case we get lucky with a point match on a few of them,” Patterson explained. “I doubt we‟ll get anything viable.” “Why? “The cold. Nicole had been wearing gloves and Carolyn‟s were in her jacket pocket. More than likely the perp had on gloves.” Patterson flipped a page in his notebook, checked 55

M. E. Reid his notes, and said, “We found blood trace on the steering wheel and the dashboard on the driver‟s side. Neither girl was in the driver‟s seat. Once we eliminate the possibility of it being your nieces‟ blood, we‟ll run it through the COmbined DNA Index System.” “Which will be useless if your unknown subject doesn‟t have priors. He or she won‟t be on the grid,” Ewyn stated. “True.” “Gun unregistered, serial numbers filed off.” “You‟ve got it.” “I understand the ATF has a process for retrieving filed off numbers. It‟s not a hundred percent proof, but worth a try?” “You know about that?” Patterson looked impressed. “Yeah.” Ewyn smirked. “Devin has an interest in it. Guess I‟ve picked up a few things from him.” “I‟m already looking into the feasibility of getting the ATF to run the tests.” “I understand.” “There‟s more,” Patterson told him.

56

Memories Erased: Treachery

Chapter 5

“W

hat else could there possibly be?” “Once I realized I had a homicide, I thought maybe it was a carjacking gone wrong. Until I went to Pepperdine and spoke to the girls‟ roommates.” “And?” “Jennifer Cardiff, Nicole‟s roomy said your nieces had been AWOL from college for the six months prior to their deaths.” “No! We spoke on the phone every other month, they never said…” Ewyn mumbled and shook his head. “I had no idea. Hadn‟t seen them since spring break. What in the world would make them leave school for such a long period without telling me or their aunt?” “Good question. The combination of circumstances— the gun, their absence from school, their father‟s disappearance—aroused my suspicions. The roommates said it wasn‟t normal for your nieces to ditch school.” The detective sighed. “And I have to admit, the Calderone name played the bigger part in my suspicions.” He picked up his beer and leaned back. “I went through the things found in Nicole‟s car, but nothing jumped out at me, relative to the deaths. I also talked to Anthony Calabria—one of those snot-nosed rich kids who think the world revolves around him. Said he and Nicole had been friends since freshman year. Know him?” 57

M. E. Reid “I‟ve met the roommates, but never heard of this Calabria,” Ewyn stated. “What was he…a boyfriend?” Patterson shrugged. “According to him, he, Nicole, and Carolyn were like brother and sisters, yet he claims he had no idea where they had been for six months. He assumed they had gone home because of their aunt‟s illness. School administration had a similar story from Nicole regarding family leave.” “For six months, and why now? My aunt has been sick for close to two years, and she has around-the-clock care.” Ewyn frowned. “If this Calabria and Nicole were like brother and sister as he claims, it‟s odd he would assume she went to the estate.” “Not really. According to Jennifer, Calabria and Nicole were best friends. But within the last year, something changed, but Jennifer doesn‟t know why.” Patterson paused and took a few gulps of beer. “Jennifer thinks Calabria took the role of brother too far, and Nicole‟s reticence about the baby‟s father could have alienated the two friends. Maybe Calabria‟s persistence in learning the truth prompted Nicole to get away for a while, and since she was pregnant, rather than let her go alone, Carolyn went along.” “Sounds reasonable, but why didn’t they come home? Calabria couldn‟t have gained access to the estate without Nicole‟s permission. And why didn‟t the girls tell their roommates where they were going?” Ewyn frowned. “Maybe your nieces thought their roommates would tell Calabria.” “Perhaps,” Ewyn mumbled. “Did you ask Calabria about the baby?” “Oh, yeah. He said Nicole confided in him about being pregnant when she first found out. Everything he told me was consistent with what her roommate said. Nicole refused to talk about the baby‟s father.” 58

Memories Erased: Treachery “Something doesn‟t fit. If Nicole and Calabria were so tight all those years, why would things change because Nicole didn‟t want to talk about the baby‟s paternity?” Ewyn paused. “And why wasn‟t he at the funeral?” “Good questions.” “Maybe it‟s nothing, but Jennifer was only speculating on the cause of the rift between the two. What I‟d like to know for sure is when the animosity began. Before or after Calabria learned about the pregnancy. As a brother figure, maybe Calabria objected to Nicole seeing the baby‟s father from jump-street.” “Hmm. You have a point. I hadn‟t considered that aspect,” Patterson said and jotted something in his notebook. “Your theory strengthens my suspicions about Calabria knowing more than he‟s telling, so I put the carjacking theory on the back burner.” “Hmm. With a name like Calabria, I‟ll assume he‟s Italian. Is he from California?” “He‟s Italian, but originally from the Chicago area. He came out to visit friends after high school and decided to go to college out here…so he says. I had him pegged as the child‟s father, until I saw her.” Patterson glanced at Ewyn. “Personally, I didn‟t like him, and I‟ll be keeping Mister Calabria on my radar.” “No one else in their circle of friends knows where the girls were for the last six months? Or no one is telling,” Ewyn added. “You‟ve got it.” Patterson drained the last of his beer. “What can you tell me about your sister-in-law?” Ewyn scowled. “Why? You think this has something to do with the girls‟ mother.” “Well, both Nicole and Carolyn‟s roommates said your nieces hated their mother, never got along with her. Nicole‟s roommate said the mother despised the girls.” Patterson 59

M. E. Reid shook his head. “Odd, a mother hating her own children.” “If you knew the mother, not so odd,” Ewyn muttered. “According to our records, she‟s deceased, yet there‟s no documentation indicating where she‟s buried.” “Ah-ha. So you think she might be alive and involved in the girls‟ deaths.” Ewyn stared at Patterson, his mind whirling. Was it possible, Cecilia alive? They never recovered her body—no, Nicole wouldn‟t have let her mother get close to her or Carolyn. Nicole despised Cecilia even more than Ewyn despised the woman. Besides, Nicole would have told him about seeing her mother…shit! Maybe the girls didn‟t recognize her. If Cecilia survived the fire, she might have sustained burns or some form of disfigurement, had reconstructive surgery. Damn. Some scary thought—Cecilia roaming around amongst them, unrecognizable. On the other hand, maybe Cecilia had contracted the girls‟ murders when she had arranged his demise and never had the chance to call it off. Hell. Cecilia thought she was invincible, never considered she‟d get caught, much less die before her daughters. If she was dead. “Mister Kelley.” “Huh…oh. Sorry to disappoint you, Detective, but my sister-in-law died in a fiery car crash in the mountains of Italy. By the time rescue reached her, nothing but ashes.” He gave Patterson the family‟s official version. “The family buried her in Italy. It‟s been almost two years.” “A car accident like her daughters? Ironic. Could both accidents have been a hit, some type of retaliation against your brother, who is now missing?” “No, Detective, sorry to disillusion you. My brother‟s disappearance could be attributable to syndicate activities, but my sister-in-law and my nieces, definitely not. As a 60

Memories Erased: Treachery norm, we mobsters don‟t do family members, especially females.” “If you say so.” Patterson stood. “Sorry to hear about your sister-in-law.” He jammed his notebook into his shirt pocket. “One more question.” “Sure.” “I imagine your nieces were wealthy. How are their wills setup, and who benefits from their deaths?” “According to their wills, each girl was the other‟s beneficiary, unless the girls married or had legitimate issue, who would take precedence over each girl inheriting the other‟s estate. If there were a spouse and a child, they would share equally. If said spouse is the paternal parent of said child, the spouse would be executor of child‟s portion until said child is of legal age. If said spouse wasn‟t the paternal parent, estate trustees would choose another executor for said child‟s estate. Cecilia, their mother, was excluded if the aforementioned conditions exist.” Ewyn picked up his beer and took a few swigs before continuing. “If none of the aforementioned conditions exists, their mother would receive a small set percentage, and the remainder of Niki and Caro‟s money would revert to the Calderone estate, evenly distributed amongst surviving Calderone relatives. Gregorio, their father, was excluded because technically it‟s his money, but he would be included as part of the surviving relatives clause. Since Niki had a child, all else became a moot point, null and void,” he explained. “The details are a matter of record, so why do you ask?” “Cutting through the red tape.” Patterson grinned. “So the baby is quite the heiress.” “Yes, she is.” “Who inherits if something happens to the baby?” 61

M. E. Reid Startled, for a moment, Ewyn didn‟t respond. What the detective‟s question suggested was unthinkable. “Why do you ask? You don‟t think…” “Just a formality.” “I had the family attorney draw up a will for Kieki, one similar to Nicole‟s. It‟s standard practice in our family. The child can change it when said child reaches eighteen.” “So her money would revert to the estate, or the father?” “For now, the estate. Since a father hasn‟t come forward.” “Well, thanks for talking with me.” Patterson held out his hand. “I‟ve taken up enough of your time.” “Sure.” Ewyn stood and shook the proffered hand. “Thank you.” “I can assure you this will remain an open investigation. If you think of anything, or you find something helpful in the girls‟ things, let me know. Their friends might talk more freely to a family member.” He turned and headed for the door. “It sure would help to know where your nieces were for six months. If they were with somebody, why it was a secret—to give me a starting point.” “Of course.” Ewyn walked Patterson to the door. “Pepperdine is my Alma Mater. I know a few people still on staff. I‟ll ask around.” “Could help. I‟ll keep in touch.” Patterson nodded and left. Ewyn closed the door and leaned back against it. His mind a jumble of thoughts, he couldn‟t take it all in. Could it have been an attempted carjacking? Or maybe Kiera‟s father had something to do with it. Who was the bastard? Considering he hadn‟t come forward to acknowledge Kiera or accept responsibility—wait a minute. If he attends school back east, he might not know. More importantly, what made the girls leave school? Damn. Patterson left him with a lot to think about. 62

Memories Erased: Treachery He‟d had a moment of disquiet when the man had asked about Cecilia, adding an entirely new aspect to the girls‟ deaths, which needed serious consideration. Was it possible Cecilia had survived? If so, Patterson might be on to something, because it would be typical of her twisted mind to have her daughters die in the same manner her death had been purported. Hell. Was he giving the woman too much credit? Then there had been Patterson‟s question about the beneficiary of Kiera‟s estate. Surely, the detective didn‟t think…but she‟s a baby, someone wouldn‟t… Goosebumps sidled up Ewyn‟s arms and he shivered. Shaking his head, he pulled himself together and pushed away from the door. He went into the living room, gathered up the empty beer bottles along with the used coasters, and took them into the kitchen. While he rinsed the beer bottles and disposed of them, then washed and dried the coasters, his mind remained a jumble of chaotic thoughts. If Cecilia were alive and involved in the girls‟ deaths, wouldn‟t she have come after him first? As far as Cecilia knew, the girls‟ money came to him if their deaths preceded his own. Besides, how would she expect to collect any money? She killed his mother. Hmm. What if it wasn‟t about money anymore? The woman was certifiable. Maybe she only wanted revenge. What better way to hurt Gregorio than to destroy the two people he loved most. Ewyn returned to the living room and replaced the coasters in their case, then stood staring down at the box with Nicole and Carolyn‟s belongings. Feeling an oppressive sense of loss, he knew he wasn‟t ready to deal with the anguish of handling their things. He grabbed the box, took it into the bedroom, and put it in his closet. He checked on Kiera before heading to the shower. Ewyn turned on the water, and once it was hot and 63

M. E. Reid steamy, he shucked out of his clothes and stepped into the enclosure. He picked up a washcloth and the body wash, then made no move to use them. Instead, he backed up and dropped down on the seat. He couldn‟t shake the feeling all of the speculation was just smoke, leading in the wrong direction. The pivotal issues were the reason for the girls‟ disappearances for six months, and what someone tried to force the girls to do, which required holding them at gunpoint. Where had they gone and what or who could make Nicole go into hiding? She was like her father. If she had been a boy, she would have been the perfect fit for head of the family business. The answers to all other questions hinged on the response to that one. Then there was Calabria. As much as Ewyn hated to agree with Patterson, Calabria probably knew more than he had let on. If the kid had known Nicole since freshman year, and they had been as tight as he had claimed, why did it seem as if he knew so little about her? Was he trying to protect the identity of Kiera‟s father? Or maybe he just didn‟t like talking to cops. Patterson‟s social interactive skills did fall way short of warm and fuzzy. He needed to talk to Calabria. The cooling water jarred Ewyn to attention. He hurriedly washed up, grabbed a towel and blotted most of the water from his hair, then wrapped the towel around his waist as he exited the shower. Standing at the vanity, he stared at his reflection while he flossed, brushed, and gargled. He felt as puzzled as he looked. After towel drying his hair, he tossed clothes and used towels into the hamper, and left the room. He slipped on his sweat pants and checked on Kiera once more before climbing into bed. Tomorrow, he‟d get hold of Mick and Taggart, run Patterson‟s information and his own suppositions by them 64

Memories Erased: Treachery to get their perspectives on everything. Taggart could find out if Calabria‟s name had any connection to the crime families. Hell. He was a damn Calderone, yet he knew very little about the inner workings of the syndicate or the families involved. He‟d told Patterson the mob didn‟t do family members, especially the women, but he really didn‟t know, and he needed to check. On Monday, he‟d make some calls to Pepperdine. Something wasn‟t right, and he didn‟t trust Patterson to follow through, knowing the detective‟s mind-set regarding the Calderones. Devin and Timothy needed to get involved with the investigation when they returned. Unable to stop thinking and speculating about the night‟s conversation, it was quite a while before Ewyn dozed off. Three and a half weeks after the funeral, a somber atmosphere of hushed anticipation hovered over the vestibule of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church. Once again, the Calderone family, along with the household staff and a few close friends had gathered at the church. This time, they had come together to witness the rites of Baptism for the newest member of the family. The last to arrive were Mick and Taggart, the proud godparents. Ewyn stared down at Kiera dressed in a white satin gown with hand-embroidered smocking and matching satin booties. Her mother, her aunt, and her great-grandmother had worn the same gown before her. With her mixed genetic background becoming more obvious every day, tiny corkscrew tendrils of jet-black hair peeked out from beneath the white satin bonnet on her head. Ewyn‟s heart swelled with love for the beautiful child who remained asleep and unaware of the momentous occasion occurring in her life. Father Teodore Casale appeared and greeted Gemma, then Ewyn, before motioning for everyone to follow him 65

M. E. Reid into the church. Gemma, leaning heavily on Mycelia, the godparents, the staff, and family formed a procession line behind Ewyn and trailed him inside, moving toward the small alcove housing the baptismal fount. Looking around in wonder, Ewyn couldn‟t remember the last time he‟d been inside a church. Some Catholic he had become. Gemma, along with the family and staff filed into the pews. With Gemma settled, Mycelia followed Ewyn, Mick, Taggart, and Father Casale into the alcove. She removed a video camera from its bag and began filming the proceedings. Ewyn eased the cotton batiste blanket from beneath Kiera and handed it to Taggart and then transferred the sleeping child into Taggart‟s arms. Smiling, he glanced at Gemma and shook his head. It had amazed him at how quickly Gemma had arranged Kiera‟s baptism, on such short notice, and truthfully, he didn‟t even want to know the details. Besides bypassing the usual pre-baptism classes required for parents and sponsors, Father Casale had agreed to let Mick and Taggart stand up as the godparents. Until Gemma had started the preparations for the baptism, Ewyn hadn‟t known Mick and Taggart were Catholic. Father Casale made the sign of the cross, everyone followed suit, and the liturgy began. Everything progressed smoothly until the priest used his finger to place the blessed salt in Kiera‟s mouth, rubbing it across the inside of her bottom lip. Startled awake, Kiera‟s little hands flailed, her legs stiffened, and for a split second, her eyes widened. Then her little brow puckered and her gaze seemed directed at the priest when she burped loudly and a spit bubble shot out of her mouth. Little lips pursed, her face screwed up into a look of disgust before she closed her eyes again. She snuggled into her blanket and the crook of Taggart‟s arm. Mick looked at Taggart. The corners of their mouths 66

Memories Erased: Treachery twitching, both men looked at Ewyn. He quickly averted his eyes, lips compressed to keep from laughing. Shit. Should Kiera be able to do that—at five weeks? It seemed as if she did it intentionally, and directed it toward the priest. That wasn‟t possible, was it? No, it had to be reflexive. Hell. If it was deliberate, he didn‟t know if he should be proud of her development skills, or afraid her action was the precursor of inherent personality traits. Ewyn‟s efforts to keep from laughing were short-lived when he glanced at Gemma, who sat there, one eyebrow arched, and openly grinning. He coughed to mask his amusement then glanced at the priest who appeared just as stunned, his hand raised in preparation for the Sign of the Cross, frozen in the position of the Father. Then the priest shook his head, chuckled, and continued the baptism. Father Casale placed his stole over Kiera. Mick and Taggart made the profession of faith on Kiera‟s behalf. The priest continued to pray as he touched Kiera‟s ears and nostrils with spittle and moved up to the baptismal fount. There, Father Casale asked Taggart and Mitch to make the triple renunciation of Satan for Kiera while he anointed her chest then moved to anoint her shoulders. Mick and Taggart made the declaration of faith, asking for baptism on Kiera‟s behalf while Father Casale changed his violet stole for a white one. The priest administered the threefold ablution, made the sign of the cross three times with the stream of water he poured on Kiera‟s head. “Kiera Alana Teresa Calderone, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Father Casale placed a white veil on Kiera‟s head, espousing the words: “Receive this white garment, which mayest thou carry without stain before the judgment seat of Our Lord Jesus Christ, that thou mayest have eternal life. Amen.” 67

M. E. Reid Picking up a lit candle, he placed it in Mick‟s hand and said, “Receive this burning light, and keep thy baptism so as to be without blame. Observe the commandments of God that, when Our Lord shall come to His nuptials, thou mayest meet Him together with all the Saints and mayest have life everlasting, and live forever and ever. Amen.” The entire gathering echoed the word. Amen. Father Casale made the Sign of the Cross and said, “Go in peace.” Taggart returned Kiera to Ewyn‟s arms and whispered, “I hope Myce captured all of Kiera‟s performance.” “Damn right.” Mick chuckled. “No one will believe what our baby-girl did without proof.” Eyebrow arched, Taggart stared down at Ewyn. “Reminded me of another Calderone when he‟s pissed off.” “Oh yeah. You‟d better believe I have that part on tape.” Mycelia laughed. “Our baby-girl is a Calderone, to the bone. For a moment there, I expected her to roll her eyes, jump down, and stomp away.” Heat strafing his cheeks, Ewyn refused to rise to their bait. Ignoring them, he strode down the aisle, his heart bursting with pride as he stared down at the littlest Calderone snuggled securely in his arms. **** The phone rang twice. “Were you able to film it?” “Hid in the choir loft. I have great shots of the doting uncle with the baby.” “Were you able to get close-ups of everyone in attendance?” “Yeah. There was police surveillance, just as you suspected.” Silence for several seconds, then… “I‟ll be out of town for a while. Don‟t call me. I‟ll touch base with you, if necessary. 68

Memories Erased: Treachery See what else you can find out, and watch your back.” The connection ended. **** Police stations. If it hadn‟t been necessary to check Nicole‟s personal belongings, wouldn‟t have gone within a mile of one. What a waste of time. “Damn it!” Talked to some dumbass receptionist over the phone, and she said any member of the immediate family could retrieve personal effects, with proper identification. All the trouble— driving to San Bernardino, filling out paperwork until my fingers cramped, and waited an hour, only to have some detective show up and retrieve Nicole‟s stuff. Bad move. Had to haul ass out of there. Good thing I didn‟t mention the girls‟ names, and had the prescience of mind to take the paperwork with me. Okay, the personal belongings are a no-go. Been flying blind, not thinking this through. All right. Pills, deep breaths, not going to panic. Need to back up, let everything settle, and re-evaluate. I can do this. They are not sending me back to that place.

69

M. E. Reid

Chapter 6

T

hree months later Damn—two AM Devin quietly closed the front door, tossed his keys on the credenza, and headed for the bathroom. He clipped his weapon to the waistband of his jeans and stripped off his shirt as he went. Out for a little over four months, to be home with Ewyn again…he needed Ewyn in the worst way. Even being bone-tired couldn‟t diminish the depth of his body‟s need. He intended spending the entire day in bed with Ewyn, making up for lost time. Good thing it was Saturday. He entered the bedroom, glanced at the bed, and smiled. Ewyn lay on Devin‟s side of the bed with an arm flung across a pillow on the other side, something Ewyn did whenever Devin wasn‟t home. The enticement to touch Ewyn was intense, but he refused to wake him until he had the stink of death cleansed from body and mind. He moved to the dresser, pausing long enough to put his weapon away, then strode into the bathroom and eased the door closed. After starting the shower, he unstrapped his ankle holster, laid it on the vanity, removed the last of his clothes, and walked into the shower. Standing under the cascade of hot water, he closed his eyes, sighed and relaxed for the first time in months. This time out had been a bitch. One Op dead, two 70

Memories Erased: Treachery wounded…shit. For a time, he and Timothy had lost track of each other, and when he‟d heard the gunfire, he thought Timothy had gone down. Thoughts of Gemma had flashed across his mind, wondering if she could survive a setback of such enormity, at this time of her life. Hell. Devin opened his eyes, grabbed the shampoo, then washed and conditioned his hair. He needed a haircut. He lathered body wash over every inch of himself, scrubbed his skin until it tingled, rinsed and towel-dried most of the moisture from his hair, before stepping out of the enclosure. Grabbing a bath sheet from the rack, he draped it around his hips and strolled to the vanity. He did a quick blow-dry, brushed his hair into some semblance of order, then stood poised in front of the mirror staring at his reflection. He ran his fingers along a jaw line desperate for a serious trim, but his need for Ewyn‟s sexy ass outweighed grooming issues. He tossed used towels and washcloths into the hamper, snatched his weapon off the counter and flipped out the light as he left the room. Weapon tucked away in the gun safe, he strolled toward the bed and what lay waiting for him there. Ewyn hadn‟t stirred. Devin went to his side of the bed, eased beneath the covers, and slipped his arm around Ewyn‟s body. Hand splayed across the warm chest, he edged closer, spooned the lithe body to his, then stiffened when baby-boy‟s little round butt snuggled into place. Brow furrowing, he eased his hand down over smooth contours, checking to make sure he hadn‟t imagined the feel of cool silk brushing against his cock. Surprised to find pajamas covering Ewyn‟s ass, Devin‟s hesitation was short-lived because it was evident his cock didn‟t discriminate. Despite the cloth barrier, his prick 71

M. E. Reid sprang to life, demanding attention. He slipped his hand beneath the restrictive material, cupping Ewyn‟s dick in his palm as he nuzzled the slim neck. Low rumbling emanated from deep in Ewyn‟s throat, yet baby-boy didn‟t awaken. Something wasn‟t right. Ewyn always came awake as soon as Devin touched him, and he never wore anything to bed. Devin lifted his head and leaned over to look at Ewyn‟s face. The pillow beneath Ewyn‟s arm moved. “What the fuck,” he growled, scrambling from the bed while reaching for the light switch. “Hmm…what?” Ewyn turned his head, eyes narrowed against the bright light. “Dev!” He bolted upright and hurled himself at Devin, who caught him in his arms. Devin even returned Ewyn‟s enthusiastic kisses, but his eyes never left the smiling, chubby feet-and-hands-waving baby wriggling on the bed. Ewyn pulled back and looked up at Devin‟s face, and then his eyes followed the direction of Devin‟s gaze. “Oh, Dev.” Sobering, tears sprang to Ewyn‟s eyes. “Come here, sit down. Quite a bit has happened while you were away.” “Oh-kay…” Ewyn‟s change of attitude had Devin‟s gut tightening with apprehension. Gaze still on the baby, he complied with Ewyn‟s request and sat down, leaned against the headboard, then tugged Ewyn onto his lap. It unnerved him even more when Ewyn settled, no squirming, no sexual nuance to his actions, just straddling Devin‟s lap and sitting there, unmoving. “Ewyn, what is it? Talk to me.” “Sorry. It‟s been hard. The emotions are still raw, close to the surface.” Ewyn turned and looked down at the baby, who had started to fret. “Hold on.” He lifted the child and held her 72

Memories Erased: Treachery cuddled between his body and Devin‟s chest. She snuggled in and closed her eyes. “Dev, meet the newest member of our family. Kiera Alanna Calderone.” “Member of…whose child?” Seeing the tears in Ewyn‟s eyes overflow onto his cheeks, Devin tilted Ewyn‟s face up. “Baby-boy, what is it?” “Niki and Caro…” Ewyn‟s breathing caught on a sob. “They died in a car crash almost four months ago.” “My God, Ewyn…both girls,” he whispered, tears blurring his vision. His arms tightened around Ewyn and the baby. “What the fuck happened…where?” Ewyn looked up, eyes widening. He reached over and swiped a tear from Devin‟s cheek. “I tried to contact you. The company said you and Tim were under the radar. I am so sorry, Dev.” “No, baby. I‟m the one who‟s sorry I wasn‟t here for you.” “It‟s been hell.” Ewyn inhaled sharply. “I was afraid for Gemma.” “I can imagine.” Devin sighed. “How‟s she doing?” “That‟s where this little cutie comes in. Wait until you see the changes in Gem.” Devin looked down at the sleeping baby, her little lips pursed and her thumb stuck between them. He reached out, ran a finger over one soft cheek and up to her brow. He toyed with a springy tendril of jet-black hair, looked at Ewyn and smiled. The resemblance was remarkable. The hair and the thick black lashes, the stubborn chin…he wondered what color her eyes were. “Want to hold her, Dev?” “Hell no!” He snatched his hand away. Green eyes sparkling with irritation glared at him. “Why not?” Ewyn snapped. “Hey. Don‟t get all over attitude with me.” He glowered back. “Look at me, Ewyn. My size, my hands…sometimes 73

M. E. Reid I‟m still afraid I‟ll hurt you with my big paws.” “Oh.” Ewyn smiled sheepishly. “My bad. Sorry.” “Wait a minute.” He grabbed Ewyn‟s chin. “What did you think?” “Well, if the texture of her hair is anything to go by, you‟ve probably noticed she‟s part black—” “Ewyn Kelley! You thought… If you weren‟t holding Kiera, I‟d…hell,” Devin growled. “I don‟t know what I‟d do, but you wouldn‟t get any pleasure from it.” “Ooo, rough stuff. Let me put Kieki in her crib.” “Kieki? I like…what crib?” Ewyn nodded toward the window alcove. Devin looked across the room to where the table and chairs should have been, a crib and a dressing table with baby supplies on the shelves had replaced them. Shit! He hadn‟t noticed the changes. So much for his keen skills of observation. Shifting Ewyn from his lap, he made sure baby-boy was steady on his feet before releasing his grip. Even with the tight little ass encased in pajamas, Devin‟s gaze followed the enticing outline as Ewyn sauntered across the floor. “What‟s with the pj‟s?” “I thought I should get into the habit of wearing them when Kieki is with me.” Ewyn shrugged. “As she gets older, just in case…hell, I don‟t know. It seemed the right thing to do.” “Not a problem. I can get used to it, when Kieki is with us.” Devin watched Ewyn gently place Kiera in her crib, smoothly tuck the covers around her little body, and tenderly kiss her forehead. Turning back, Ewyn rushed across the floor, and when he reached the bed, he unfastened his pajama bottoms, let them drop to the floor, then threw himself on Devin, straddling his lap. Sloppy kisses, babbling—Ewyn pulled away and stared into Devin‟s eyes. 74

Memories Erased: Treachery “Dev, I‟ve missed you something fierce.” “Back at you, babe.” “It‟s been hell. Mick and Tag have helped. They spend quite a bit of their spare time with Gem and Kieki.” Ewyn paused for breath. “After the accident, they contacted Mac for me, yet I still haven‟t heard from Greg. Although, I could have sworn I saw him at the funeral.” “Doubtful. It‟s too soon for him to show himself openly.” “Mick said the same thing, but Greg isn‟t testifying against anybody, he just wants out.” Ewyn sighed. “He has to come home, Dev. Kieki needs him. She can‟t grow up not knowing him.” “Baby, listen. I don‟t mean to sound cold about Caro and Niki‟s deaths, but let‟s put this in perspective. Greg‟s daughters were dead. He had no reason to show himself, since it wouldn‟t have changed a thing,” Devin rationalized. “He has to adjust to the loss and handle his grief in his own way. Besides, he‟s not alone with his grief. Pat is with him.” “Damn. I never considered how Pat might be dealing with this. Niki and Caro were his little princesses.” “Did you tell Mac about Kiera?” “Yes.” “Then Greg knows about Kiera, and he knows she has enough people to care for her until he returns. Think about it.” He smoothed his hands down Ewyn‟s back. “Greg did the right thing. He may not be testifying against anyone, but it will take more than a year or two for his former associates to get the message that he‟s not giving them up, but he‟s out of the game.” “Yeah. I know you‟re right, but Keiki…” “Ewyn. Greg put quite a few years into setting up his break from the syndicate. What would you have had him do? Come out of seclusion to take care of Kiera and ruin his chances for a clean split and putting his life in order. Or have 75

M. E. Reid had him take Kiera underground to live with him. He couldn‟t have it both ways.” Unable to resist any longer, Devin leaned forward and took possession of Ewyn‟s inviting mouth. For several minutes, he reacquainted himself with his favorite taste before pulling away. “We‟ll work it out, okay? Kieki is young. Greg will return before she gets too old, and even if he doesn‟t, Kiera will adjust to her circumstances.” “I hope you‟re right.” Ewyn sighed. “Dev, there‟s more. You need to get involved in the investigation.” “Investigation?” Devin moved Ewyn away from him. “What are you saying? It wasn‟t an accident.” “A gun and unknown DNA were found in the car. Neither girl was driving, and…” Ewyn inhaled sharply. “Caro was shot, Dev.” “Excuse me,” Devin snarled. “You‟d better explain that…and what the hell are the locals doing about it?” Ewyn told him about meeting Patterson, about the man‟s derisive attitude, and then he gave him the details of his conversation with the man. “Patterson had the blood run through CODIS, and nothing.” “So the perp isn‟t in the system.” “Right. Do you think CeCe could have survived the earthquake?” “Not likely.” Devin frowned. “Besides, if her blood had been in the car, her DNA would have some of the same markers as Niki and Caro. The lab would have noted it. Nonetheless, after what your sister-in-law did to this family, I‟ll talk to Tim. He‟ll want any possibility of her having survived thoroughly checked out.” “I‟ve thought about it a lot, Dev. If she‟s alive, I keep coming back to what does she have to gain?” “Only revenge.” 76

Memories Erased: Treachery “Yeah, my conclusion, and it would be just like her.” Ewyn went on to tell Devin about Taggart‟s research of the Calabria name. “It‟s not much, but it‟s a start.” “Oh yeah. But my first priority is meeting this Patterson,” Devin stated. “It‟s okay, Dev.” Ewyn rolled his eyes. “I took care of him. He knows where I‟m coming from.” “You did good.” Devin reached above him, turned out the light and then lay down, pulling Ewyn on top of him. “Still, Patterson needs to feel where I‟m coming from, since I‟m not always around. He needs to meet the entire extended Calderone family, understand what our roles are, and how we operate.” With Ewyn straddling his body, his hands settled on the little round butt to stop the distracting squirming. “Tim and I will provide said enlightenment.” Ewyn chuckled. “What?” “Mick said something similar.” Ewyn rested his arms on Devin‟s chest and propped his chin on the back of his hands. Devin snorted. “I‟m sure Mick, Tag, and Mac did as much as they could without totally alienating the locals, but we know the FBI and the locals aren‟t known for playing nice with each other,” he clarified. “Mac didn‟t tell Greg about the way Caro died, did he?” “No. We didn‟t have the information when Mac notified Greg of the deaths and Kieki‟s birth. Afterward, when we learned the truth, Mac said he hoped to hell Greg wouldn‟t find out before everything is resolved. He‟s worried Greg will get wind of the investigation and deal with the issue.” Lifting his head, Ewyn looked down at Devin, and the soft glow from the clock reflected in the green eyes. Devin remained quiet for a moment, distracted by the inviting look in the warm stare, then pulled himself together and said, 77

M. E. Reid “Who could blame Greg? To take out both of his daughters, and one of them was pregnant, is overkill, even as a revenge motive. What about news reports?” “Treating the deaths as a tragic accident. I guess I have to give Patterson props for keeping his investigation off the record. Although I think Mac has something to do with it.” “I‟m sure he does. The FBI wouldn‟t want the spotlight on the Calderone name.” “True. But the cousins are suspicious. I assured Vince it was just a tragic accident, but I‟m not sure he believed me.” Ewyn heaved a sigh. “Dev, if they get involved…” “Damn. We don‟t need Vince asking questions. Besides, I doubt the deaths have anything to do with Greg‟s old cronies. They wouldn‟t do female family members.” “Same thing I told Patterson. Something so destructive would indicate serious retribution, and Greg wasn‟t into oldschool syndicate methods. He worked too hard at becoming legit.” Ewyn shook his head. “A power play couldn‟t have been a motive either. All the families knew the cousins were next in line, and you know they were aware of Greg‟s intentions to step down.” “True. Still, we don‟t need Vince starting anything.” “It could be Kieki‟s father,” Ewyn suggested. “If the bastard isn‟t involved, why hasn‟t he come forward to acknowledge her?” “Because he doesn‟t know,” Devin replied. “Patterson said Niki‟s friends believe he goes to school back east. Nevertheless, he definitely tops the list of suspects. I‟ll touch base with Tim tomorrow and get things started. As members of the family and law-abiding citizens, Tim and I will get more cooperation from Patterson,” he asserted. “And don‟t worry about the cousins. If I hear they‟re scouting—Gem is matriarch of the family and she still has some influence with the older council members. She can 78

Memories Erased: Treachery intercede. Let‟s hope Patrick isn‟t monitoring the family‟s activities.” “Oh, shit! Didn‟t even consider…damn. Pat has been the family‟s eyes and ears since forever, but he‟s not fond of the cousins, so I doubt he‟s keeping tabs on them. And they shouldn‟t be talking outside of the families. Maybe we‟ll get lucky.” “Well, Pat is supposed to be as far under the radar as Greg for the change to be convincing.” Devin nipped Ewyn‟s succulent bottom lip, drawing it into his mouth, sucking, and teasing with his tongue. “Mmm. Enough about the accident for now. I need your sexy ass some kind of fierce. When will Kiera need to be fed?” “Oh, Dev, she is such a good baby. She normally sleeps through the night.” “The shower and the blow dryer probably disturbed her.” He brushed a stray curl from Ewyn‟s forehead. “I don‟t suppose she‟s used to late night visitors.” “True.” Ewyn glanced at the clock. “She won‟t be ready for breakfast for two hours. After she eats, I‟ll bathe and dress her, then take her home. Usually, she spends the entire weekend with me, but since it‟s your first weekend back…” “Good enough. Two hours should be enough time to slake my hunger, and then I‟ll want food,” he teased. “While we eat, we‟ll go over the details of the accident again.” He threaded his fingers through the soft curls and pulled Ewyn‟s head closer. “Come here, you.” Devin reclaimed Ewyn‟s mouth and rolled baby-boy beneath him. With great reluctance, he pulled away from the unique taste he only dreamt about over the past few months…mouth moving down over the stubborn chin to the slim neck, nuzzling his way over to that special spot behind the ear. Lips pulling, he latched on, sucking the tender skin inside, teeth and tongue teasing until he had Ewyn writhing 79

M. E. Reid beneath him. Cocks pressed between them, their bodies moved against one another as guttural moans echoed deep within their throats. “Baby, I want you,” he whispered, licking a trail down the smooth torso, only pausing to pay homage to the tiny nipples. The pudgy prick sliding along beneath him pulsed and leaked pre cum on his abs and chest as he inched lower. Contemplating the import of Devin‟s words and actions made Ewyn‟s balls ache and his cock jerk to attention. Toes curling against the sturdy legs, heat strafed his body as he squirmed beneath the velvet touch stroking its way over his body. Teeth grazing across his tender nipples and sensitive skin had sparks of unadulterated pleasure surging along the network of nerves just below the surface. The torment continued with Devin‟s mouth hovering above his navel. Hot air swept across its surface as Devin‟s tongue invaded the shallow depths, darting in and out, before the firm lips sucked the surrounding skin into all that wet heat. Muscles quivering beneath the onslaught, Ewyn‟s fingers clenched and unclenched as he weaved them through the soft blond waves. “Dev.” His grip tightened as the assault moved lower. Ewyn inched his legs further apart and Devin settled between them, his tongue cruising the sensitive grooves flanking Ewyn‟s groin causing electrifying impulses to jet through his body. Hips tilting off the bed in anticipation of the first sizzling touch of Devin‟s mouth, he stifled a whimper when only a wisp of breath huffed out, bathing his glans in warmth. Then, Devin‟s mouth was there. First, a whisper soft kiss, then the tongue teasing the slit before heated moisture enveloped the entire shaft. A hand moved to caress his balls while a finger ghosted the tightness of his asshole. Those simple touches, precursors to extreme orgasm, had muscles tensing, cum gushing… 80

Memories Erased: Treachery “Oh, shit—fuck! Dev…” Devin lapped up every semi-sweet drop then came up on his knees. After months of do-it-yourself, he needed a lot more. He flipped Ewyn over and watched him reposition himself for the expected assault. Hands kneading and caressing the firm round ass, he stared down at the enticing sight while considering Ewyn‟s months of abstinence. Expecting to meet with mild resistance, he stuck two fingers into his mouth, then eased them into the tiny puckered orifice—snug fit. Not satisfied, he leaned forward, rimmed the little hole, lavishing it with saliva before attempting another penetration. It was a slow breach, electrifying the sensations and heightening his pleasure as he inched forward until fully entrenched. Ewyn‟s sphincter flexed and Devin lost all sense of self-control. Hands gripping the slim hips, nails digging in, he fucked Ewyn with the strength, stamina, and brutality of irrepressible pent up passion. Baby-boy kept pace. The sound of flesh meeting flesh, and the long-awaited sight of them joined, inflamed his senses, spurring him on. He came down over Ewyn‟s back and braced himself with his hands. His tongue traced the outline of Ewyn‟s ear, teeth nipping the lobe, he whispered, “Now, baby.” “Oh…hell yeah, Dev. Give me what you‟ve got.” Mouths fused. One final synchronized thrust and Devin exploded, spunk jetting out in pulsing waves, he gave Ewyn all he had.

81

M. E. Reid

Chapter 7

D

evin came awake as soon as soft lips touched his mouth. He opened his eyes and watched Ewyn settle back against the headboard with Kiera in his arms. Sucking heartily on her bottle with her stare fixed on Ewyn, her little hands were busy, patting and stroking Ewyn‟s hand. “Breakfast is ready. Kieki has had her cereal and fruit, and when she finishes this bottle, she‟ll take a short nap.” “I‟d better catch up.” Devin winked and rolled out of bed. In the light of day, as he headed for the bathroom, he took note of how Ewyn had rearranged the room to accommodate Kiera‟s things. He made a mental note—need more permanent space for Kiera. While in the kitchen, whipping up an energy drink, Ewyn came up behind him. Slim arms wrapped around his waist, and Ewyn‟s hands slipped inside the waistband of his sweats. Slender fingers trailed along his groin and settled around his cock. He pushed into the warm touch. “Hey. You‟re going to ruin your breakfast,” Ewyn mumbled while trailing kisses down along Devin‟s spine. “I have a cheese, sweet peppers, and mushroom omelet warming in the micro, fruit chilling in the refrigerator.” “I won‟t ruin breakfast, this is my appetizer. I‟ve been jonesing for a smoothie the entire time I was gone.” He chugged his drink in three gulps. “Ahh, I needed that.” Turning, he gave Ewyn a quick kiss, rinsed the glass, and 82

Memories Erased: Treachery put it in the dishwasher. “Now I‟m ready for breakfast.” Ewyn grabbed a potholder and retrieved Devin‟s meal. He paused at the counter to flip on the baby monitor just as Devin passed by and goosed him. “Dev!” “Hey. I‟ve been gone a long time. I‟m going to need memory enhancers for a while.” Chuckling, Ewyn placed Devin‟s plate in front of him, fixed himself a cup of coffee, and joined Devin at the table. “Looks good, and I‟m starved,” Devin said. “Where‟s yours?” “I ate after I fed Kieki. It‟s our routine when she‟s here. You should see her, Dev. She sits in her bouncy seat while I eat.” He nodded toward the baby seat on the counter behind him. “I turn on the mobile and she kicks her feet and waves her little hands as if she‟s doing aerobic exercises to the music. It‟s too funny.” Devin smiled, studying the way Ewyn‟s eyes sparkled while he talked about Kiera. Ewyn was a natural. The proud parent bragging about his little girl. “I‟ll have to join the two of you for breakfast tomorrow. Get pictures.” “Dev.” Ewyn rolled his eyes. “I have tons of pictures of Kieki.” “I‟m sure you do, but I want some of you and Kieki together,” he said, imagining pictures of the two of them would be priceless. Sobering, Ewyn blew on his coffee then took a cautious sip. “It‟s been over four months, yet it doesn‟t seem to get any better. I‟ve accepted the girls‟ deaths, but now, all the ambiguity has me on edge.” “I can understand, but relax.” “Could it have been a carjacking gone wrong?” “Maybe, but Patterson brought up some good points, and he wouldn‟t be doing his job if he didn‟t look into them,” Devin explained. “Neither would we, if we don‟t check out 83

M. E. Reid the Cecilia aspect. We have Ops in Rome, and I‟m sure Tim can call in some favors, have someone conduct a detailed investigation into her demise.” He forked food into his mouth, savoring the flavors before he continued. “There‟s no doubt Calabria isn‟t Kieki‟s father.” “None. Third-generation Italian, Northern Italy, blond, fair skin, and hazel eyes, more of a Nordic-mix ancestry. If he were Sicilian, I‟d keep an open mind about the possibility, since some Sicilians have North African roots.” Ewyn shook his head. “Unless he has African markers somewhere in his genetic code, which we‟d have to get a sample of his DNA to find out.” “And we don‟t have cause to get a warrant to force him to give it up.” “Yeah. So, except for Kieki‟s grey eyes—the combination hair texture and her skin beginning to develop a slight parchment tinge are characteristic indicators of a black/white mix. I had her pediatrician do a DNA test. Kieki has African markers.” “Okay. Calabria is eliminated, unless we find cause to suspect otherwise.” “True. However, I think Patterson is right about Calabria holding something back. He claims to have been like a brother to Niki, yet he didn‟t come to her funeral.” “Hmm. You said Patterson is going to keep an eye on him, right?” “Yeah.” “I‟ll make Calabria my second priority. Kieki‟s father takes precedence. Find him and maybe we‟ll have the answers to all of our questions.” “If he‟s on campus—Pepperdine is a large campus, and a lot of students are transient so the possibilities are endless. If he‟s back east, where do we begin?” “Hey, we‟re not alone with this. While I‟m home, I‟ll set 84

Memories Erased: Treachery things in motion. I‟ll light a fire under Detective Patterson, and I‟ll do as much as I can between assignments. When I‟m not here, Tim won‟t drop the ball. This hit home for him, too.” Devin reached over and grasped Ewyn‟s chin. “We‟ll find whoever did this. I promise.” “I know you will.” Ewyn leaned forward and kissed Devin‟s mouth just as the sound of baby gurgling emanated from the monitor. He pulled away and grinned. “Duty calls.” Leaning against the doorjamb, drinking from a bottle of water, Devin watched Ewyn bathe Kiera, a scene of tranquil domestication. For someone whose introduction to parenthood only began a few months earlier, Ewyn seemed knowledgeable and organized. On Ewyn‟s side of the vanity, he had laid out all the essentials for the baby‟s bath. A bath sheet lay folded on the counter presumably for padding, with a large towel draped across it ready for drying. An array of baby powder, baby oil, several vials of creams, and two glass canisters containing q-tips and cotton balls stood sentry along the perimeter beneath the mirror. Next to the vanity, the chrome and glass shelves, as a rule, only contained towels and washcloths, had disposable diapers and tiny undershirts stacked in neat piles on one shelf. Hell. He must have been damn near comatose last night because he had never noticed. Shaking his head, he returned his attention to Ewyn. With Kiera securely tucked into a bath seat nestled in the sink, Ewyn carefully and methodically washed the squirming baby. Music played in the background, and while he worked, Ewyn alternated between singing, humming, and whistling along with the melody. This made Kiera gurgle, smile, and blow spit bubbles while her tiny hands 85

M. E. Reid flailed like an orchestra conductor. Her chubby legs kicked and pumped, spattering and splashing water all over Ewyn, and his sexy laughter filled the room. Watching their antics, Devin couldn‟t control the smiles and chuckles escaping him. Ewyn‟s careful, loving demeanor with Kiera stirred something within Devin. Something he didn‟t know how to classify, but he knew it involved contentment, and he wanted to be a part of what they had. “She likes music?” he asked in a whisper. “Oh, yeah. She‟s already a music freak, seems to have the same eclectic tastes we have, and goes right to sleep when I turn on the music at night.” Ewyn bent and kissed Kiera‟s cheek. “And you don‟t have to whisper. She needs to get used to our normal speaking voices.” “Oh…okay.” Devin walked up behind Ewyn, wrapped his arms around the trim waist, kissed the slim neck, and Ewyn leaned back against him. He watched as Ewyn dried Kiera, sprinkled her with a light dusting of baby powder, and smoothed a dab of cream on her little bottom. With efficient dexterity, he had her butt enclosed in a clean diaper, and her wriggling body encased in a fresh undershirt. Hands securely holding Kiera in place, Ewyn looked back over his shoulder, his eyes radiant and his sexy smirk in place. Devin bent and took a quick kiss. “Do you need any help?” “No, I‟ve become quite good at this. You should have seen me the night Kieki was born. I was afraid to touch her, thought I‟d drop her, or break her.” He lifted Kiera from the vanity and turned to Devin. “Here…hold her.” Without hesitation, Devin set his water down, held out his hands, and gently scooped Kiera into his arms. At four and a half months, Ewyn said she weighed nineteen pounds. Yet holding her close, she appeared so tiny and light…a 86

Memories Erased: Treachery featherweight. He glanced at Ewyn. “Tell me what I need to do.” “Just love her.” Ewyn leaned against Devin‟s side. “And make sure you support her back, just to be on the safe side. She pretty much has it under control, but she has a tendency to jerk away when she‟s giggly and happy.” Devin walked out of the bathroom holding her in his arms with one hand on her back, and his fingers supporting the back of her head. He moved to one of the chairs, sat down and settled back. Holding Kiera securely under her arms with her feet resting on his thighs, he inhaled her baby sweet scent, his thoughts chaotic. He never imagined himself holding a baby, but now it was fact, and it felt right. Kiera stared at him with her little brow puckered and big gray eyes pensive, as if she was considering whether she would accept the new face. They eyed each other like adversaries, and her steadfast scrutiny disturbed him. He looked at Ewyn. “I don‟t think she likes me.” “Oh, Dev…” Ewyn came over and stood next to the chair. “She‟s going to love you as much as I do.” “Yeah…maybe,” he mumbled. Ewyn leaned down and placed a quick kiss on Devin‟s mouth then moved away. Kiera suddenly stamped her little feet, bounced and wiggled, while waving her fists. Startled, Devin‟s gaze returned to her face to find her staring at him, eyes sparkling, and her wide toothless grin causing her chubby cheeks to dimple. She gurgled and slobbered all over Devin‟s hands. “Oh.” “Yeah, it‟s like that.” Ewyn handed Devin a wet wipe. “You‟ve been officially accepted.” Devin stared mesmerized. His mind coming to terms with what his heart had already taken for granted. A surge of affection thought only reserved for Ewyn—baby-girl had 87

M. E. Reid won his heart. Ewyn took Kiera from Devin, went to the dressing table and laid her down. He checked her diaper, then scrunched up his nose, and rolled his eyes. “Whew…Kieki, stinky,” he teased. Devin chuckled while scrutinizing Ewyn‟s actions as he removed the offensive smell and folded the soiled diaper into a neat package. With a fluid continuity of motion, Ewyn‟s foot tapped the pedal on the diaper pail, the lid flipped open, and he made a three-point diaper toss worthy of applause. Ewyn seemed to have honed every aspect of parenting skills to a fine science. Grabbing a moist towellette, Ewyn gently cleansed Kiera‟s bottom, smeared it with a dab of cream, and deftly wrapped her little behind in a clean diaper. He wiped his hands with a fresh wipe then cleared away the used items. Afterward, he dressed Kiera in the cutest powder blue and white, one-piece knitted shorts set with snaps along the bottom. To complete her outfit, he eased her tiny feet into pale blue socks and a pair of soft white leather, t-strap sandals, and tied a clean bib around her neck. “I guess I should learn how to do all of those things, too.” Surprised, Ewyn stared, mouth gaping. “You‟d want to?” “Why not? I‟m going to be a significant player in her life when I‟m home. I imagine I‟ll be taking care of her as much as you.” Speechless, Ewyn continued to gawk. Devin was such a contradiction. Hardcore killer, sensitive compassionate lover, and now, a willing father substitute. Dragging his attention back to the wriggling body on the dressing table, he added a matching powder blue knitted sweater and hat to her ensemble. He lifted Kiera from the table, walked over to Devin, kissed the firm mouth and whispered, “I love you, Dev.” 88

Memories Erased: Treachery “Back at you, baby.” Ewyn grabbed a crocheted blanket from a shelf, slung a diaper bag over his shoulder, and headed out the bedroom door. “Mick and Tag are meeting us at the house.” “Okay.” Devin stood and followed. “Give me Patterson‟s number. I want a meeting.” “Way ahead of you. I called him while you were in the shower. Will Monday after work be all right? He‟ll meet us here.” Devin grunted. “Let me help you with Kieki‟s things.” He took the diaper bag. “Go get settled in the Escalade.” He bent and retrieved the baby seat and the playpen leaning against the wall in the foyer. “I‟ll get her car seat out of the Mustang.” “Uh-uh. I bought a second seat for the SUV. It‟s in the storage space in the garage.” “Hmm, smart move. Would you prefer to have the Escalade since you‟ll be hauling Kieki around most of the time?” “That would be great, Dev. Do you mind? The Mustang isn‟t exactly a family vehicle, and sometimes it‟s so much stuff to lug back and forth, but we don‟t have enough room to keep her stuff here.” “Baby, I want you and Kieki to be safe and comfortable, so whatever works best for you. Hell. I‟m hardly here. The Mustang will do it for me when I need a personal vehicle.” He leaned down and kissed the smiling mouth, as he reached over and opened the front door. Ewyn and Kiera preceded him into the hallway. “Next week, I‟ll touch base with my contractor and find out if we have room to remodel, so Keiki can have her own space when she‟s here. We‟ll duplicate the necessities and you won‟t have to carry anything back and forth.” Devin locked the door and caught up with Ewyn and 89

M. E. Reid Kiera as they entered the elevator. No sooner had Ewyn entered the house than Mycelia appeared and removed Kiera from his arms. “Well, hello to all of you, too,” he said and quickly moved aside when Rosa and a few of the other staff members gathered around fussing over Kiera. “Sorry. We miss this little one when she‟s away. The house is too settled.” Rosa grinned at Ewyn then exclaimed, “Oh, Mister Devin, you‟re safely home. Good to see you.” “Thanks, Rosa. It‟s good to be home.” He set Kiera‟s stuff on the floor. “I see Ewyn has competition for Kieki‟s affections.” He winked at Ewyn, who stood in the middle of the room looking lost. “Oh, yes. It‟s good to have a little one in the house again. It‟s been so long. Everyone dotes on her.” “I can imagine.” “Would you like some breakfast?” she asked. “No, thank you. I‟ve already eaten.” Devin went to the refrigerator and retrieved a bottle of water, then went to retrieve the baby‟s gear. “Have Mick and Tag arrived?” “Yes, they‟re upstairs with Gemma.” Rosa bustled over to prevent him from taking the baby‟s things. “Leave those. The help will take care of them.” “Okay.” He hurried to catch up with Ewyn, who had left the kitchen in a huff. “Hey, baby-boy. What‟s the matter?” “I should be used to all the fuss they make over Kieki by now, but every time I bring her home, I don‟t want to leave her.” “Hmm. Is jealousy rearing its ugly head?” Devin chuckled. “Hell, yeah.” Devin put an arm across Ewyn‟s shoulders and turned him toward the stairs. “If it makes you feel any better, I had 90

Memories Erased: Treachery a moment of jealousy myself.” “Really, Dev?” Ewyn looked up at him. “I fell in love with her the first time I held her, and I‟ve become so possessive…” Devin put a finger to Ewyn‟s lips, looked around in a conspiratorial manner, then he whispered, “Don‟t tell anybody, but we‟re taking her back home with us. It‟s your weekend.” Ewyn stopped moving, turned, and hurled himself at Devin. “But it‟s your first night back, and you‟ve been gone a long time. Are you sure?” “Baby, listen to me. I‟ve fallen hard for another Calderone, and since my time at home is iffy, I intend to use these weekends to get to know my niece. Besides, she sleeps more than she‟s awake. We‟ll fill in those moments with some one-on-one.” He nipped the pouty bottom lip. “Thanks, Dev. Have I told you how much I love you? “I‟d prefer a demonstration, but I‟ll settle for a kiss.” He claimed Ewyn‟s mouth in a sultry kiss that ended too soon, when someone clearing their throat intruded on the moment. “Good thing the two of you can‟t procreate,” Taggart remarked. “Because this house would be full of little Nilsson-Calderones.” Devin loosened his hold on Ewyn but didn‟t release him. Ewyn turned in his arms and he pulled baby-boy back against him, his arms snaking around the trim waist. Eyebrow arched, he stared at Taggart. “Jealous?” “Hell yeah.” Taggart came over and shook Devin‟s hand. “Good to have you back in one piece. Sorry about your guys.” Ewyn swung around and glared at Devin. “Whoa. Did I miss something?” “I‟ll tell you about it when we get home. I believe we had 91

M. E. Reid more important issues to discuss this morning—Niki and Caro.” Devin stared into tempestuous green eyes and wanted to laugh when a look of indecision crept into their depths. Oh yeah, cut that tirade off at inception. “Which topic do you think was more important to me, Ewyn? My job is what it is…iffy. You have accepted that, right?” “I have,” Ewyn grumbled. “Hey, man, I‟m sorry,” Taggart interjected. “I wasn‟t trying to start a family feud.” “No, Tag,” Ewyn countered. “My bad. Dev is right.” “So, where‟s my baby-girl?” Taggart looked pass them toward the kitchen. “You‟ve got it. They confiscated her at the door.” “I‟ll see about that.” Taggart stormed off toward the kitchen. “Good luck,” Ewyn called after him. “What‟s up with Tag?” Devin asked as he and Ewyn climbed the stairs. “Did you know he had a baby sister and she died?” “No. When?” Ewyn shrugged. “Mick mentioned it. He and Tag met while working on her case.” “Hmm. I didn‟t know. She must have been awfully young. Mick and Tag have been together for a while.” “Mick says Kieki reminds Tag of his sister when she was a baby.” “It‟s amazing, what you don‟t know about people,” Devin remarked. They reached the third floor just as Mycelia and Taggart came out of the elevator. “Hey, Tag, I see you found her.” “Yeah. The trouble is getting some quality time with Kieki, the way Miz Myce hovers over her.” “Tag, you know the routine,” Mycelia said. “Do you want to help or not.” She looked at Devin, grinned and winked. 92

Memories Erased: Treachery He hooted. “It‟s not funny, Dev. She treats me the same way,” Ewyn remarked raising his voice to make sure Mycelia heard him. “As if she thinks I should make an appointment. I‟m the uncle!” Mycelia giggled and entered the nursery with Taggart close on her heels. Ewyn turned to Devin. “She‟s not going to let me take Kieki back with us.” “She will. Promise.” Devin bent, gave Ewyn a quick kiss, then straightened and knocked on Gemma‟s door. Not waiting for a response, he opened the door and let Ewyn precede him into the apartment. “Dev, Myce can be a real tyrant when it comes to Kieki.” “It‟s her job, isn‟t it?” “I guess,” Ewyn mumbled. Timothy and Gemma, sitting together on the sofa looked up and smiled. Mick, seated in the chair opposite the couple, stood and came over to greet Devin. The two men embraced. Mick stepped away and said, “Glad to have you back in one piece.” “Tell me about it.” Devin walked to the sofa and sat next to Gemma. “You‟re looking good. Don‟t I get a hug?” He reached over and gently enfolded her in his arms, kissed her cheek, and held her at arm‟s length. “How are you, Gem?” Gemma beamed at him. “I‟m much better with you and Tim home safely.” “Okay, enough,” Ewyn growled. “Am I the only one who doesn‟t know what happened?” “Ewyn…” Devin glanced at him. “We‟ll discuss it when we‟re alone. Okay?” “Fine,” Ewyn snapped and headed for the door. “I‟m going to the nursery.” He stormed out. Devin held his laughter until he heard the door close. “I 93

M. E. Reid see one thing hasn‟t change.” “Never will.” Gemma patted his hand. “That‟s Ewyn. Fits of temper, gone in a flash.” She stared at Devin for a moment before continuing. “You know this thing with Niki and Caro has him on edge.” “Yeah. Thanks to dumbass Patterson bringing Cecilia‟s name into it, then bringing up Kieki‟s beneficiary. I gaffed it off as procedure, so Ewyn wouldn‟t go into panic mode.” He looked at Timothy. “Can you have the Cecilia thing looked into?” “Already on it.” Timothy shook his head. “I really want to meet this Patterson. Mick and Tag have given me their assessment of the man. But knowing the interaction between the FBI and the locals isn‟t always the best, I‟ll reserve judgment,” he teased, a slow smile shifting the corners of his mouth. “I understand Ewyn was about to kick off in Patterson‟s ass.” “Yeah, so I‟ve heard, and it‟s one reason why I want to meet the man. He‟s due at the condo on Monday evening.” “I‟ll be joining you,” Timothy declared. “I want this piss ant to understand where this faction of the family is coming from.” Devin and Mick shared a look then laughed. “What?” Timothy stared at one man then the other. “It seems we‟re all on the same page,” Devin replied.

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Chapter 8

E

wyn parked in his assigned spot in the garage. The Mustang was conspicuously absent. Climbing out of the Escalade, he headed for the elevator. He hadn‟t seen Devin all day. For the first time since the start of their relationship, Devin had left for work early without bothering to wake Ewyn. He had only himself to blame, acting like a jealous ass their first weekend together in months. Well…hell, he‟d been pissed. Every time he‟d wanted extra time with Kiera, Mycelia would give him a ration of shit about why it wasn‟t a good idea. Yet, when Devin stated—didn‟t ask—just declared he was taking Kiera back home with him, Mycelia didn‟t utter a word. Next, Devin spent more time with Kiera than with him. Okay. He‟d give Devin props for his efforts at learning his way around parenting, but Devin could have let him share some of the time with Kiera too. Instead, Devin went straight for Father of the Year, in one weekend, rushing to Kiera‟s side each time she peeped. Moreover, Kiera had taken to Devin as if Ewyn hadn‟t been a major player for the first four months of her life. Damn it, he was jealous, and yes, his attitude had been inappropriate, since Devin hadn‟t totally ignored him, paying just as much attention to him whenever Kiera had taken a nap. A slow smile eased the tightness in his jaw as he recalled the specifics of the attention Devin had given him. 95

M. E. Reid One particular episode in the shower — He had put Kiera down for a nap then stormed into the bathroom in a huff. He had been in the shower long enough to wash up before Devin had strolled into the enclosure and sat down on the seat but didn‟t say a word. Feeling foolish because of his childish display of jealousy, he had turned to apologize, but the look in those hypnotic amber eyes made him forget what he had intended to say. Instead, he moved between Devin‟s muscular thighs, eyes lowering to Devin‟s slightly ajar mouth, and the sight of his delectable tongue barely visible behind the smooth lips. Hell. He so wanted to dive into that heat, suck the hell out of the pink tongue, then lick a trail along Devin‟s jaw to the pulsepoint in his neck. Not wanting to seem too eager to be placated, he hesitated, and Devin took control. Devin had grasped his ass and pulled him onto his lap, so he was straddling those firm thighs. Cocks bumping and pulsing between them, leaking pre cum on tight abs, Ewyn‟s ass puckered in expectation. One of Devin‟s large hands had wrapped around their cocks, pulling and sliding. Ewyn had dragged his eyes up along Devin‟s narrow nose and their gazes locked. Moist heat breezed across his lips and they parted in anticipation as Devin‟s tongue skimmed their outline, only to linger at the corner of his mouth, circling, teasing, tasting. The touch of Devin‟s tongue had Ewyn‟s nerve endings alive with erotic impulses. Thumbs pressed down on his chin and Devin‟s tongue eased inside, probing every aspect of Ewyn‟s mouth before plunging deep then withdrawing. His teeth latched onto Ewyn‟s bottom lip, nibbling and sucking, all over spitexchange, Ewyn lapped it up. Abruptly, Devin had pulled away, lifted Ewyn off his lap and stood. Ewyn had stared into passionate amber eyes while brushing his fingertips across the firm mouth before 96

Memories Erased: Treachery pressing them into the waiting warmth. Devin‟s lips closed around one of them. He could feel Devin‟s need in the strong pull exerted on his finger as Devin teased the pad with the tip of his tongue, which jump-started Ewyn‟s pulse to a thundering pace. Gently tugging his finger from between Devin‟s lips, he wrapped his arms around Devin‟s neck, and tried to climb up the solid frame. Devin had thwarted his attempt, spun him around, and forced him face first up against the wall, Devin‟s cock tapping his ass. Hands splayed on the shower wall, he had pushed back into the touch in expectation. Devin reached for the lube then slick fingers slid down the crease of Ewyn‟s butt to his asshole. He had shivered when Devin‟s fingers slipped inside while Devin‟s lips had teased his earlobe before closing in on the sensitive pulse-point. Devin had drawn the susceptible skin into his mouth, lips pulling, teeth grazing, tongue stroking, he left his mark. “Hard and fast,” Devin whispered against his ear before he thrust into him, plunging deep with powerful strokes, hands wrapping around Ewyn‟s cock, and Ewyn had countered Devin‟s momentum. It had been hard, but not fast. Devin had prolonged their climax, pulling back every time Ewyn had begged for release, but their climax had been worth the torment. Shit. Each time those memories had come to mind throughout the day, it had been necessary to settle a dispute, hands on, between his cock and his briefs; neither would give an inch. It was a good thing he‟d spent most of the day in his office, alone. Conversely, he had to take responsibility for part of Devin‟s distraction once he‟d brought out the photo albums containing every picture taken of Kiera since she had come home from the hospital. To compound his culpability, he 97

M. E. Reid just had to show Devin the priceless film of Kiera‟s baptism. Devin had laughed so hard he‟d had tears in his eyes, declaring Kiera‟s facial expression to be identical to Ewyn‟s pissed off look. Ewyn exited the elevator and glanced at his watch, wondering how much longer Devin and Timothy would be at work. Timothy‟s admin had sent Ewyn an email to let him know Timothy and Devin had loose ends regarding their last operation to complete. Hell. Until the last assignment, Ewyn thought he had reconciled himself to the hazards of Devin‟s profession. But knowing how close Devin and Timothy had come to dying wasn‟t the same. He inhaled deeply. Had to stop thinking about that facet of Devin‟s job. What Devin did for a living was part of his fundamental nature, and he couldn‟t expect Devin to give it up. Life is iffy, and the hazards aren‟t occupational specific, which Cecilia proved with her attempts on his life, and his mother‟s murder. Brushing those unsettling thoughts aside, he opened the front door and headed straight for the bathroom. He was running late and had to prepare dinner. After a quick shower, he toweled most of the moisture from his hair, shimmied into sweatpants and a tee shirt, and hurried into the kitchen. Knowing Timothy would be joining them, before leaving for work, he‟d taken out a package of butterfly shrimp to defrost, deciding to do a quick shrimp stir-fry. Ewyn pulled the rice cooker from the cabinet, filled it to the measure line with water. Taking the rice tin from the refrigerator, he scooped out three cups, and dumped them into the cooker to soak. He turned on the stove, adjusted the flame to medium under the wok and added a quarter-cup of vegetable oil. After he set the table, he turned on the rice cooker, took several frozen egg rolls from the freezer and 98

Memories Erased: Treachery popped them in the microwave. The oil started to sizzle and he dropped the shrimp and a mix of chopped vegetables, onions, and sprouts into the wok and sprinkled Mrs. Dash seasoning over all. He tossed, stirred, and blended the ingredients until they spit and hissed, and then he put on the cover and left everything to simmer while he removed the egg rolls and placed them on a tray. One final stir, and then he emptied the contents of the wok onto a serving platter, set the micro-convect to warm/hold and shoved the stir-fry and egg rolls inside. Ewyn was in the process of removing the cork from the wine bottle when the doorbell chimed. He looked at his watch. Patterson, damn. He‟d have to invite the man to dinner. “Hell,” he grumbled as he grabbed a towel, wiped his hands, and hurried into the foyer. Where were Devin and Timothy? He did not want to share a meal with the Detective. Yanking open the door, he frowned. “Patterson.” “Mister Kelley.” He glared. “You were expecting me, right?” “Yes. Come in, have a seat. Want a beer, a glass of wine?” “I‟ll have the beer, thanks.” Patterson followed Ewyn to the kitchen and sat on one of the stools at the counter. “Something smells good. Am I interrupting dinner?” “No. Devin isn‟t home yet.” Ewyn pulled a beer from the refrigerator and handed it to Patterson then turned to the rice cooker. He was putting the rice in a bowl when he heard the front door open then close and looked up to see Devin and Timothy come into view. With his eyes fixed on Devin, Ewyn watched the amber gaze pass over the detective before settling on Ewyn. With his blonde hair pulled back, emphasizing the clear-cut Nordic features, Devin‟s eyes were full of promise and his firm mouth curved up at the corners in the special way he 99

M. E. Reid reserved only for Ewyn. Heat strafed his body as sexual impulses jetted through his veins. Hell. How could he not react to Devin‟s presence when he looked so damn good? Not having seen Devin all day, Ewyn was surprised to see him wearing a dark brown sport coat, a beige button-down shirt, and a patterned tie in multiple shades of brown. He had on a pair of tan slacks fitted to perfection emphasizing long legs, drawing attention to strong muscular thighs, and the definitive outline of…sh-h-yit! His eyes darted back to Devin‟s face, hard-pressed to control his laughter. Eyebrow arched, his gaze traveled from Devin‟s face to his trim waistline and the belt, complete with gun and badge hovering above his hips. Devin never wore his badge and gun into the condo. He only brought the gun inside to lock in the safe. Hell. Devin had said he wanted to get his point across to Patterson. Devin removed his sport coat, draped it across the back of the sofa, and strolled into the kitchen. Ignoring their audience, he leaned down and kissed Ewyn‟s mouth. “Hey,” he whispered, his attention focused solely on Ewyn. “Something smells good.” He kissed Ewyn again then moved him aside. Ewyn watched with fascinated wonder as all previous warmth in those clear amber eyes turned hostile when Devin‟s gaze settled on Patterson. A faint blush tinted the detective‟s cheeks as he hopped off the stool and straightened to his full height, which fell short of Devin‟s stature. “Mister Nilsson.” Eyes fixed on Devin‟s badge, Patterson held out his hand. “I‟m Detective Sergeant Michael Patterson.” His demeanor toward Devin—a three-sixty from the antagonism he had displayed to Ewyn. Okay. He had to admit the gun and badge made the difference, especially with Department of Justice clearly 100

Memories Erased: Treachery etched across the top of the gold shield. In addition, Devin‟s size and bearing may have been contributing factors. “Patterson.” Devin shook the proffered hand, turned to Timothy, and made the introduction. “My boss and Mister Kelley‟s uncle, Timothy Ryan.” With an uneasy side-glance at Ewyn, Patterson extended his hand. “Mister Ryan. I didn‟t know…damn. I should have suspected when I encountered MacGregor and his people at the Calderone estate, but I thought it was a territorial issue because of the mob connections.” “We‟re not FBI,” Timothy stated. Patterson glanced at Devin‟s badge then back at Timothy, who didn‟t elaborate. “Ewyn, is dinner ready? Maybe the detective would like to join us.” Devin looked at Ewyn then Patterson. “I will, thank you, if it‟s not an inconvenience,” Patterson responded. “Is there anything I can do to help?” Ewyn looked from Patterson to Devin, tempted to hit both of them, he controlled the impulse and mumbled, “Everything is ready. I‟ll set another place.” “Have a seat, Detective,” Devin said over his shoulder as he left the kitchen. “Going to wash up. Be right back.” He grabbed his sport coat as he passed the sofa and went into the bedroom. Ewyn watched Devin walk away before glancing at Timothy. “Go ahead.” Timothy chuckled. “Patterson and I can manage. I‟ll show him where he can wash up.” **** Ewyn opened the door to an empty bedroom. Music emanated from the stereo, Devin‟s belt and badge lay across the bed, and his gun was on the dresser. He heard running 101

M. E. Reid water and strode over to the bathroom, propped himself against the doorjamb and waited. Devin finished drying his hands then looked at Ewyn and grinned. “Do you think I made my point?” “Hell, yeah. So much for being a sales rep.” He snorted. “So why are we having him to dinner?” “Intel.” Devin walked toward the door, stopped in front of Ewyn and cupped the stubborn chin in his palm. “Need to peep his hold card, see if he‟s going to be a player or an obstacle.” He kissed Ewyn‟s mouth and strode into the bedroom. Ewyn followed. Devin opened his dresser drawer, removed the gun safe, and tucked his weapon inside. Turning to Ewyn, he slipped one arm around his waist, took Ewyn‟s hand in his, and slow-danced baby-boy across the floor. “Are you over your snit?” he whispered against one ear then nipped the lobe. “Excuse me?” Ewyn leaned away and looked up at his face. “I know you felt ignored because of all the attention I gave Kieki, but I‟m gone more than I‟m here, so I need to utilize every free moment I have with her. Hell. Holding her, caring for her, it made me realize I like the idea of being a daddy,” Devin acknowledged. “Until Greg returns, this is my only chance to be a parent. Besides being forty years old, my occupation precludes adopting. I wouldn‟t do that to a child who, more than likely, has already had a stress-filled life.” “I hear you, and I‟m sorry about the way I acted this weekend. Knowing your time is limited, I need to get over myself.” Ewyn slipped his arms around Devin‟s waist. “Kieki needs as much love and attention as she can get to compensate for the lack of full-time parents.” He smiled half-heartedly. “Honestly, Dev, I don‟t know who I was more jealous of—you or Kieki.” 102

Memories Erased: Treachery Devin leaned his forehead against Ewyn‟s and whispered, “I love you.” “Back at you.” Ewyn gave him a quick kiss then moved away. “Oh-kay. Jealousy issue settled, let‟s go entertain the po-leece-man,” he teased. He started toward the door then squeaked, “Dev!” Shit. He really had to do something about the girly squealing. He rubbed his ass and glared. “If we didn‟t have company…” “Are you issuing an invitation?” Devin leered, wiggling his eyebrows. “I‟ve been away a long time, don‟t tempt me. I have no qualms about going out there, announcing my intentions, and clearing the house. Do you want me to?” Ewyn started to reply but thought better of it. Opening the door, he put some distance between them before he responded by childishly sticking out his tongue, thinking his gesture would be the lesser provocation. He had hoped to avoid Devin creating a scene; his optimism was in vain. “Whoa,” Devin called out, loud enough to attract Timothy and Patterson‟s attention and to stop Ewyn mid-stride. “I could show you several creative ways to utilize a tongue if you‟ll step back into the bedroom.” Ewyn did a one-eighty, eyes wide, mouth opening and closing, at a loss for words. “I‟m sorry, I didn‟t hear you.” Devin grinned. “Was that a yes?” Ewyn rushed over to him and gritted out from between clenched teeth, “Not funny, Devin.” “Funny?” Eyebrow arched, Devin queried, “Have we just met?” He kissed the compressed lips then whispered, “You know I’m never embarrassed.” Ewyn growled, “Fuck you.” “Now!” He never could resist teasing Ewyn. “I‟m shocked. We have company.” He watched baby-boy open his mouth as if to say something, instead he shook his head and stormed away. Devin followed him into the kitchen and 103

M. E. Reid came up behind him. “Need any help?” “No,” Ewyn snarled. Devin chuckled and backed off. He‟d wait until they were alone to pursue Ewyn‟s tempting offer, and to give a demonstration on the multiple uses of the tongue. He walked to the table, picked up the wine and filled each glass halfway before he sat down across from Patterson and Timothy. He dispensed with all humor when his gaze settled on the detective. “So, Patterson, how do you want to play this?” he inquired coming straight to the point. Ewyn came to the table with the platter of stir-fry, the egg rolls, and the bowl of rice. Setting them down, he muttered, “You can help yourselves.” He plopped down on his chair and scowled. Devin winked, picked up the rice and spooned a few portions onto his plate before passing the bowl to Patterson. “Will your involvement be an official investigation or personal?” the detective asked. “Strictly personal. The ball is in your court. However, we have resources you aren‟t privy to, and they could be helpful.” “All we ask is you keep us in the loop,” Timothy interjected. “If you encounter any snags, we can check them out from our end.” “Will this be a problem with your superiors?” Devin asked. “If so, Tim will talk to them.” “There shouldn‟t be a problem, once I let them know we‟re dealing with Feds, unofficially.” “Good deal.” Timothy slid his business card toward Patterson. “Contact me, if you need anything from us.” He glanced at his nephew. “If you can‟t get hold of me, call Ewyn. In the meantime, we‟ll look into things from our end and turn over anything we discover.” 104

Memories Erased: Treachery “Even if it involves your other nephew, Gregorio?” Ewyn had remained quiet throughout the conversation, busying himself with eating and sipping his wine while periodically glancing at Patterson. With Gregorio‟s name thrust into the conversation, he put his fork down, leaned back, and looked directly at the detective. Devin‟s knee nudged his. “It‟s okay, Dev. I know how the detective feels about my family.” “Whoa, now…wait a minute,” Patterson said. “You misunderstood. I know your brother‟s activities come under FBI jurisdiction, so you can‟t reveal anything connected to them. But, if some of his cronies put a hit on your nieces…” “We‟ll let you know,” Devin interposed before Ewyn could respond. “Then it‟s between you and the FBI.” “Right.” Patterson sipped his wine and stared at Ewyn, who glared back. “Will you bite my head off if I tell you, dinner was delicious?” Ewyn couldn‟t help himself and burst out laughing. “Thank you.” “Truce?” Patterson wiped his hands on his napkin and extended one. Ewyn stared into Patterson‟s eyes for several seconds before taking the extended hand. “Truce.” “Okay. It‟s settled,” Devin stated as he stood and proceeded to clear the table. “Ewyn, since you did all the cooking, relax, take our guest into the living room and offer him something to drink. Tim and I will clean the kitchen.” **** Ewyn climbed into bed and snuggled up to Devin. “What do you think of Patterson‟s change of attitude?” “Not much.” Devin pulled Ewyn on top of him. “If he 105

M. E. Reid gives you any more grief, he‟ll find out about attitude.” His hands roved down over Ewyn‟s body and settled on his ass. “I can handle him.” Devin snorted. “I was referring to you, after the look you gave him when he mentioned Greg.” “Funny.” Corners of his mouth twitching, Ewyn bit down on his bottom lip to keep from laughing. “Do you think Patterson is going to play it straight with us?” “Yes and no. He‟ll give us enough to make him appear cooperative, so we‟ll keep up our end of the bargain, and allow him access to our resources. Oh, he‟ll put his all into resolving the case, so he can take the credit and get brownie points with his peers.” “Especially if it ties Niki and Caro‟s deaths to a mob connection,” Ewyn suggested. “The Calderone name is high profile within the law enforcement community.” “Damn, Dev. I need to get away for a while. Clear my head, and maybe put everything into perspective.” Ewyn sighed and snuggled his face beneath Devin‟s chin. “The girls‟ disappearance for six months has to be the clue to what happened.” “Could be. And you might be able to get more information from Niki and Caro‟s roomies than Patterson.” “For sure. I can‟t imagine his interrogation methods were a hit with college kids.” Ewyn snorted. “You know, we didn‟t celebrate Christmas. It was Kieki‟s first Christmas and we were in mourning.” Devin chuckled at the quick change of topic, in typical Ewyn fashion. “She won‟t remember. Next Christmas, she‟ll be what…fourteen months old, and she‟ll understand a little of what it‟s about then. Hell. If nothing else, we‟ll have fun spoiling her. It will be the beginning of our holiday memories with her.” 106

Memories Erased: Treachery “Right.” Ewyn raised his head and propped his chin on his arms. “I‟ve been thinking. There‟s still snow on the slopes at Big Bear, do you think you can take time off…a week or two? The family has a place in the mountains.” “Hmm. What do you have in mind?” “A little skiing, a lot of relaxing, maybe a late Christmas. More importantly, let‟s go away and put everything out of our minds for a few days.” “What about Kieki? You‟d want to be away from her for two weeks.” “Hell, no. Myce and Kieki will go with us.” Devin grinned. “Good deal. I could use the break, and I‟m only catching up on paperwork right now. Let‟s do it. When do you want to leave?” “This weekend.” Ewyn kissed Devin‟s mouth. “I‟ll make all the arrangements.” “I‟ll put in for the time off in the morning.” Devin gently rolled Ewyn beneath him. “Now, about the many uses of the tongue.” He wiggled his eyebrows, reached up and turned out the light, then proceeded to lick and kiss his way down the quivering body. “I think I know the perfect starting place.”

107

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Chapter 9

E

wyn took the day off and drove to Pepperdine University in Santa Monica. The Director of Housing had contacted the Calderone attorney requesting the family remove the girls‟ things from the campus as soon as it was convenient. The school needed the space. Ewyn arranged for a moving company to have one of their trucks meet him on campus to collect the girls‟ things and take them to the family estate for storage. The time had come to delve into Nicole and Carolyn‟s personal lives, search their belongings, and possibly find the answers to the baffling circumstances surrounding their deaths. When he returned from Big Bear, he had to stop procrastinating. He glanced at his watch as he turned off Pacific Coast Highway and onto John Tyler Drive headed for parking lot J. He‟d made good time. The sun was just beginning to crest the mountains behind him. Hell. He‟d had to leave the house at o-dark-thirty to beat the traffic gridlock into Los Angeles, and he‟d made it, but his pre-dawn arrival had a down side. He hated having to wake the roommates at such an early hour, even though they seemed pleased he wanted to talk to them, and they said they didn‟t mind. In contrast, Anthony Calabria had been difficult to track down, and once Ewyn made contact, Calabria seemed hesitant. He gave Ewyn some lame excuses about class, lab, 108

Memories Erased: Treachery and basketball practice. Since Ewyn and Patterson suspected Calabria of holding back useful information, Calabria‟s reluctance to meet with Ewyn seemed to confirm those qualms. Ewyn had stipulated he expected to see the kid in Nicole‟s dorm when he reached the college, and Calabria had grudgingly conceded, but the more Ewyn thought about it, the more pissed off he became. The kid had inferred he‟d been like a brother to Nicole, so he should be cooperating with the investigation, volunteering information, not coerced into helping. Ewyn grinned, thinking about Devin‟s response to Calabria‟s reluctance. Devin definitely had coercion on his mind, suggesting he should go to Pepperdine and talk to Calabria. Watching the heat of anger darken Devin‟s amber eyes, Ewyn was sure Devin‟s idea of talk was Ewyn‟s interpretation of interrogate. Devin‟s version of talking had prompted Ewyn, albeit unwillingly, to come to Calabria‟s defense and make excuses for the kid. “Dev, he could be afraid because of the Calderone name. If he knew Niki as well as he has implied, then he‟s well aware of the family‟s reputation.” “More reason why I should talk to him, being the benevolent voice of law enforcement.” “Uh…you forget, Calabria has talked to law enforcement. I doubt the kid experienced empathy with Patterson.” “Okay, I‟ll give you that one. But once you‟ve spoken to him, if you think he‟s bullshitting you, it‟s my turn. I‟ll introduce him to the other side of the family. Show him my techniques and how they differ from Calderone methods, and Patterson‟s skills.” Ewyn was still smiling when he pulled onto the parking lot outside Lovermich Residential complex. Exiting his car, he noticed the Sage Moving and Storage truck had arrived. 109

M. E. Reid He strolled toward the vehicle, and at his approach, the driver climbed down from the cab and Ewyn introduce himself. “Mister Kelley, I‟m John Thornton and this is my partner, David Serrano. Where would you like us to start?” “I need to go through everything first,” Ewyn explained. “Separate what I‟m going to keep for storage from what I intend to donate. It may take a while,” Ewyn replied. “Do you have a cell phone?” “Yes,” Thornton replied and handed Ewyn a business card with the cell number on it, then climbed back into the truck. Ewyn slipped the card into his pocket. “The two of you can go get breakfast and I‟ll call you when I‟m ready.” “Sure thing.” “If I don‟t get all of this done today—did your supervisor tell you to make plans to stay over?” “Yes, and everything has been arranged.” “Okay. I‟ll call when I‟m ready for you.” Ewyn turned back toward the dorms. As he crossed the parking lot, he pulled his cell from his pocket and flipped it open. He noted the time—5:45 a.m.—keyed in Jennifer‟s number, and when she answered, he let her know he was on his way up. She met him at the door. “Hello, Mister Kelley, it‟s good to see you again,” she said and stepped aside to let him enter the apartment. “You remember Kathy.” “Sure. Hi, Kathleen.” Ewyn nodded at the other girl. “Have you had time to go through Niki and Caro‟s stuff, take whatever you wanted to keep?” Yes, sir,” Kathleen replied. “We went through everything. We kept some of the newer clothing, a few pictures of us together, and other mementos from our past years as a group. The rest of their clothing and shoes, we gave to the 110

Memories Erased: Treachery thrift shop in town. We packed their jewelry and everything else.” “Great. It will save me some time.” Ewyn looked around. “Did you get a chance to go through their school papers and books?” “Yes,” Jennifer responded. “We donated current textbooks to the bookstore, gave the obsolete ones to the library in town, and trashed the old notebooks and school papers. We boxed up what we thought the family might want to go through…what appeared to be personal papers.” “Thanks. I appreciate all you‟ve done. It‟s much more than I had expected.” Ewyn reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell. “Do you want to keep any of the furniture?” “I‟d like to keep Caro‟s television,” Kathleen responded. “I mean, who wouldn‟t. It‟s the latest in HD.” “Niki‟s bed,” Jennifer cut in. “It‟s way nicer than mine. I sleep on a futon.” “Not a problem.” Ewyn grinned. “They‟re yours. When the movers arrive, tell them to remove your old things with the rest of the stuff, and I‟ll take care of disposal on the other end.” He flipped open his phone and keyed in John Thornton‟s number. “Have either of you seen Anthony?” “Not since yesterday,” Jennifer said and glanced at her friend. “Was he supposed to meet you here, too?” Ewyn nodded then spoke into his phone. “Hey, John. When you‟re through with breakfast, you can get started.” He chuckled. “Yeah, I‟m fast.” He closed his cell and looked at Jennifer. “Which dorm is he in?” “He‟s across the way in Rockwell Towers. I can show you,” Kathleen said. “Jen has class in an hour, but I‟m free until late afternoon.” “Thanks for the offer, but I‟m a Pepperdine alumnus. I remember my way around.” He glanced at his watch. 111

M. E. Reid “Kathleen, could you stay and wait for the movers. I want to catch Mister Calabria before he gets out and about.” Kathleen hesitated. “Sure…” “If you can‟t, no problem.” “Uh, it‟s not about staying.” Kathleen looked at Jennifer, who nodded. “It‟s Anthony. He‟s been acting different since Niki died. He refused to go to her funeral, we‟ve tried to talk to him, and now he‟s avoiding us. Something‟s not right.” “Mister Kelley,” Jennifer said. “I think he knows something about the six months Niki and Caro were gone, but I haven‟t a clue what it could be. By the time Niki went away, she had stopped confiding in him, and he had stopped hanging with us as much as before.” “Why didn‟t Niki tell the two of you where she was going?” Both girls shrugged. “Niki said they would only be gone for a week or two. Said she wasn‟t sure where they were going, she just wanted to get away for a while,” Jennifer explained. “She promised to check in with us on a regular basis, and since Caro went with her, we didn‟t press the issue.” “We weren‟t expecting them to be gone for six months,” Kathleen added. “And they did check in from time to time. Caro accounted for their continued absence, by saying Niki needed time off until she had the baby. We assumed they were at the family estate.” “Hmm.” Ewyn remained thoughtful for a moment then he asked, “Jennifer, do you have time for a few more questions before you go to class?” “Sure. Let‟s sit down. Would you like some coffee?” “No, thanks.” Ewyn and the girls talked for a half hour before Ewyn stood and said, “By the way. The day Niki and Caro died, was Anthony here?” 112

Memories Erased: Treachery “Actually, he showed up after Niki left the second time,” Jennifer responded. “He seemed surprised and a little angry because she‟d been on campus, but didn‟t get in touch with him.” “I don‟t know why he was so surprised,” Kathleen remarked. “They weren‟t talking much before Niki left.” Jennifer nodded agreement. “I told him she only came by so Kath and I could witness new wills, and he stormed off.” “You said, second time Niki came by.” “Yeah. We signed the wills, they left, then Nicole returned with the wills notarized and put them in her desk file.” “Did you pack copies of the wills?” “Um, well…” Jennifer glanced at Kathleen. “When I went through Nicole‟s personal papers, I couldn‟t find her copies in the file,” Jennifer explained. “So I packed my copies. I put them in the box marked personal papers.” “Odd.” Ewyn frowned. “She gave both of you a copy?” “Yes. We thought it strange, but she said it was insurance.” Jennifer shrugged. “We had classes all day, so we were in and out.” “You leave your doors unlocked, huh,” Ewyn remarked, remembering his living on-campus days. “More than we should, but we‟ve never had a problem. Niki probably came back and took her copies.” “Hmm. Did Niki say where she was going when she left here?” Jennifer hesitated. “Not really. She talked about getting to the post office before it closed and before they got back on the road.” “Why did you hesitate, just now?” “I didn‟t remember about the post office until after I spoke to the detective,” she said. “I know I should have called him, but I didn‟t like him, and I know there‟s no excuse for not calling.” 113

M. E. Reid “Hey, I feel you.” Ewyn smiled. “Don‟t sweat it. You‟ve been a big help, and I appreciate it.” “Thanks. If you need anything else, just let us know. Niki, Caro, Kathy, and I were family.” “I know, and I‟m glad they had the two of you in their lives,” Ewyn said. “Listen, I‟ll be back as soon as I catch up with Anthony.” He turned to Kathleen. “You don‟t have to stay with the movers, once you let them in. Any damage or loss, let me know, and I‟ll make sure you‟re reimbursed.” Ewyn started toward the door then turned back, reaching inside his jacket, he extracted an envelope from the breast pocket, and handed it to Jennifer. “I thought the two of you would like these. There‟s a set for each of you.” Jennifer opened the packet, pulled out a picture and tears welled up in her eyes. “Oh…she‟s a cutie. Look, Kath…look how much she‟s grown since the funeral.” She handed Kathleen the picture of Kiera. “Thanks, Mister Kelley.” “You‟re welcome, and one last question. Where is Caro‟s car?” “They took both cars with them,” Jennifer answered. “Wherever they were staying, Caro‟s car should be there.” “Okay, thanks. I won‟t take up anymore of your time.” Ewyn hurried from the dorm and drove to Rockwell Towers, then realized he should have walked. “Damn it!” It took a while to find a parking space because most of the students were still in their dorms. Angry about having to go looking for the little piss ant Calabria, Ewyn stormed into the building and took the stairs two at a time. He reached Calabria‟s room, found the door open. A young man sat at a desk bent over an open textbook. “Are you Anthony?” Startled, the kid whirled around and jumped to his feet. “Yeah. Who the hell are you?” “I‟m the man you were supposed to meet at Niki‟s dorm.” 114

Memories Erased: Treachery “Oh, shit.” The kid looked around as if in a daze, then he focused on a clock hanging on the wall next to the open doorway. “Sorry.” He smiled sheepishly. “Studying for a makeup. Lost track of time.” He came across the room with his hand extended. “Anthony Calabria…nice to meet you, Mister Kelley. Niki talked about you a lot.” Ewyn looked the younger man over. Up close, Calabria was bigger than he seemed from a distance. Taller than Ewyn —who wasn‟t—Calabria was a good-looking kid, oozing charm and personality. Ewyn didn‟t like him. Accepting the proffered hand, he said, “Anthony, we need to talk. No more bullshit.” Calabria walked back to his desk, dropped down on the chair, and stared up at Ewyn. “Sure. But I haven‟t been able to think of anything more than what I told the detective.” “No, Anthony, don‟t go there. You claim to have been close to Niki, so what happened. Why would she stop confiding in you if you were so tight? Either you lied about being close to her, or you‟re lying now.” Anthony lunged from the chair, stopping mere inches from Ewyn, fists clenching and unclenching. “Look, you little fa…” He stopped, his face reddening. Ewyn tensed. “Little what?” Eyes narrowing, he snapped, “Go ahead…say it!” For a split second, something in Calabria‟s hazel eyes changed, rage replaced charisma, then gone in a flash. Hell. Just what Ewyn needed. A throw down with giant jock. He should have let Devin handle this. “Listen,” Anthony hissed and leaned closer. “I‟m telling you, I knew everything there was to know about Niki— about her dad, his business, his disappearance. He must be dead or he would have been at the funeral. There‟s nothing I don’t know about the entire dysfunctional Calderone family.” He smirked. “Including the truth about you, Mister Kelley. Despite what Niki said, no one has ever heard of you 115

M. E. Reid in connection with Niki‟s family. You are not a Calderone, and…” “And?” Ewyn glared. “You‟re not who or what you claim to be, because I believe you know the reason why Niki disappeared for six months. But let me clarify a major discrepancy in your knowledge. It‟s crucial.” “Oh yeah…what?” he scoffed. “I am a Calderone, to the bone. And, if you don‟t step off, right now, in keeping with family tradition, I have no qualms about kicking off in your ass.” “Hey!” The kid took a step back, but he remained belligerent. “You come in here calling me a liar, trying to intimidate me, threatening me. Considering the Calderone reputation, I could have your ass arrested. I know what I‟m talking about, because I‟m third year law—” “Whoa! Color me impressed,” Ewyn mocked, cutting off the tirade. “Nonetheless, as a member of those dysfunctional Calderones, you should consider what I‟m capable of doing and choose your words wisely.” “You lay one finger on me…” “I was wrong.” Ewyn smiled, clearly envisioning Devin‟s smug, I-told-you-so, look. “Excuse me.” “Devin wanted to handle this, but I talked him out of it, suggesting the Calderone name might have intimidated you. You‟ve not only proven me wrong, but you‟ve debunked your assertions about how well you knew Niki, the two of you being like brother and sister.” “Devin?” Anthony frowned. “Uh-oh. Something else you didn‟t know about Niki‟s family, huh.” “Now listen…” “Don‟t bother. You‟ve told me all I want to hear. Devin will handle this from now on, and unlike the detective, he 116

Memories Erased: Treachery plays by a whole other set of legal rules.” Ewyn snorted. “Be sure to wow him with your legal expertise.” He turned toward the door. “See you around.” “Wait a minute!” “What? You‟ve remembered something.” Ewyn glanced back, but kept walking. “If not, we have nothing else to say to each other.” “Mister Kelley, please.” Ewyn paused in the doorway. “Listen. I‟m sorry…really. It‟s not what you think,” Calabria offered. “It‟s…I‟ve been on edge since Niki died.” “Why?” Ewyn turned to look at him. Calabria lowered his eyes and mumbled, “I feel responsible for her death.” “Really?” “Yes!” he shouted. “Yes! We were like brother and sister.” Then he calmed down and whispered, “ I should have taken better care of her, been able to stop her from leaving. She seemed so agitated before she disappeared. At first, I assumed it was a hormone thing, because of the pregnancy, but then, I don‟t know. I suspected the baby‟s father had something to do with her unease, maybe harassing her.” A sly look came into Calabria‟s eyes. “Rumor has it, the man is Black,” he sneered. “I suspected Niki was contemplating an abortion, and considered it her reason for going—” “Stop!” Blindsided by anger so intense, without thinking, Ewyn charged across the floor. He reached Calabria, but the apprehension in the kid‟s eyes pulled him up short. “Son of a bitch!” he snarled. To hear the bastard suggest Nicole would have considered an abortion—the fucker wasn‟t worth it. Gritting his teeth, he swung around, strolled toward the door, and paused on the threshold. He even managed a civil tone when he spoke. “Again, your ignorance of Niki is obvious. To imply she‟d 117

M. E. Reid contemplate an abortion because of the ethnicity of her child is further proof. Hell. A Calderone considering an abortion? Chalk it up to our arrogance, but the father‟s donation to the gene pool is immaterial, since Niki‟s child became a Calderone, the day of conception. Neither Nicole or the family would have given a shit what anybody thought.” “Mister Kelley, I think you misunderstood what——-” “No doubt,” Ewyn cut him off. “So, you have no idea where Niki stayed for six months, or who Kiera‟s father is?” “No to both questions. I swear! She wouldn‟t tell me or anyone else about the baby‟s father, not even Jennifer. Caro claimed she didn‟t know either.” He shook his head. “Believe me, if I had known where she‟d gone, I would have gone after her, tried to help. I should have done more,” he declared. Ewyn stared. What a crock of shit. Calabria‟s entire alleged anguish dissertation, although well rehearsed, didn‟t ring true. Not when his derogatory attitude about Ewyn‟s sexuality, Nicole‟s character, and Kiera‟s paternity had triggered major warning bells. Fuckin’ bigoted ass wipe. “So you didn‟t see Niki the day she died?” “No. Evidently, she only came by to have her will witnessed, not to see friends. I stopped by their dorm and Jen told me I‟d just missed Nicole.” Calabria gave Ewyn a hard look. “Did Jenny tell you about the wills?” Ewyn ignored the question. “Oh-kay. I won‟t take up any more of your time. If you think up anything else, I‟d appreciate it, if you‟d let my partner know,” he mocked. “Uh…sure. I‟ll keep going over every little detail since the day Niki told me she was pregnant.” “You do that. Here‟s Devin‟s card.” Ewyn tossed it on a shelf next to the door. He refused to waste another minute listening to Calabria‟s crap. Except for his woe-is-me speech, the bastard hadn‟t said a thing he hadn‟t told Patterson, 118

Memories Erased: Treachery repeated almost verbatim. Mentally kicking himself for not letting Devin deal with the kid, he stepped into the hallway, stopped and did a oneeighty. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. “Oh, yeah.” He glanced at Calabria. “I‟d been told you were close to Nicole and thought you might want these. I‟m probably wrong.” He tossed the packet of pictures on top of Devin‟s business card and strode away. Ewyn reached his car, climbed inside, and sat there staring at Rockwell Towers until a car horn honked, snapping him out of his reverie. Someone wanted the parking space. He acknowledged the prompt, started the car, and drove back to the girls‟ dorm. Once he parked his car, he reached for his cell phone. He pressed #1 and waited. “Hey, babe.” “Dev, you were right.” “Whoa! Say that again. Wait a minute, I want to record this.” “Hey!” Ewyn laughed. “Okay. I admit it. I get a little arrogant sometimes.” “Mmm-hmm…” “Seriously, Dev. You don‟t need to get in Calabria‟s face, per se, but something isn‟t right with him.” He stepped out of his car. “I‟ll tell you about it when I get home. Just wanted to give you a heads up before you left work. Maybe you can get someone started on checking him out.” “Didn‟t like him, huh?” “Right up there with Patterson.” Devin chuckled. “How much longer will you be out there?” He told Devin about Niki and Caro‟s roommates doing the majority of the packing and sorting before he arrived. “I should be out of here before rush hour.” 119

M. E. Reid “I‟ll start dinner. Be careful.” “I will. Love you, Dev.” “Back at you.” Ewyn closed his phone and headed inside. He met the movers on the stairs. “Almost done with the first one, Mister Kelley.” “Good.” Ewyn looked at his watch. “If you‟re not done before rush hour, go ahead and use those room reservations. Tomorrow will be soon enough to deliver the stuff. I‟ll alert the staff and someone will be available at your destination to show you where to store everything.” “Should we call first?” “Sure. You have the number?” “Oh yeah,” Thornton replied. “Uh…Mister Kelly? About staying over, are you sure?” “Yes. If your boss gives you any bull about it, tell him I said you‟re on my dime, and he can call me if he has a problem with that. And don‟t forget to take lunch.” “Yes, sir.” Thornton grinned. “Will do. And thank you, Mister Kelley.” Ewyn continued up the stairway to Jennifer‟s apartment. He found the door closed, so he went to Carolyn and Kathleen‟s rooms, and found Kathleen in the bedroom folding linens. “Kathleen.” She jumped and swung around to face him. “Sorry, didn‟t mean to scare you. I came to ask if you would have an early lunch with me. I know the perfect place— Dukes—if it‟s still there. My treat for everything you‟ve done.” “Uh…” Kathleen hesitated. “It‟s not necessary. I mean…” Her voice died away and she snorted. “Who am I kidding? I‟m a starving student, here on loans and grants. I need to take advantage of any freebies coming my way. So why not, and thank you. I‟ll wash, change, and meet you out front.” 120

Memories Erased: Treachery “Deal.” Ewyn started to turn away then paused. “Did you tell Anthony that Niki‟s father wasn‟t at the funeral?” Yes.” Kathleen frowned. “But he initiated the conversation, and it was the only thing he asked about the funeral.” “Hmm, thanks.” He went back to the other apartment, retrieved the box marked personal papers, and headed for the parking lot. After putting the box in his trunk, he wandered over to the moving van. “John. I‟m taking the young lady to lunch. If she‟s not back by the time you‟ve finished, make sure you close the doors to both apartments.” “Sure thing.” Kathleen was waiting by his car. They were about to pull out of the parking lot when he spotted Jennifer coming across the street, and opened his window. “Hey, Jennifer, you‟re just in time. I‟m taking Kathleen to lunch. Can you join us?” “Without a doubt.” Jennifer grinned and shimmied out of the straps of her backpack while Kathleen stepped out of the car and climbed into the back seat. Jennifer tossed her pack to Kathleen and took over shotgun.

121

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Chapter 10

M

mm, something smelled good. Ewyn tossed his keys on the credenza in the foyer and sauntered into the kitchen expecting to see Devin, but the room was empty. Hearing the low murmur of music coming from their office, he headed there. Devin, barefoot and wearing nothing but sweat pants, sat hunched over his computer keying in data. Ewyn approached and Devin looked up. “Hey, you.” Devin pushed the chair back and Ewyn straddled his lap. Mouths merged. For several minutes, besides music, the only other sounds in the room were guttural moans and soft sighs. Devin withdrew, leaned back, hands smoothing down over the warm body in his arms, they settled on the curves of the firm round ass. “You look tired.” “I hate driving into Los Angeles.” “Tell me about it,” Devin remarked. “But I have something I think will cheer you up.” “Good. I‟m hungry. What‟s for dinner?” “Not that.” Devin swiveled the chair so he and Ewyn could see the computer screen. “Our neighbors are moving to South Florida and their condo was up for sale.” “Oh. So we‟ll be getting new neighbors.” Ewyn scowled. “Why would that cheer me up?” “Will you let me finish.” 122

Memories Erased: Treachery “Sure…wait a minute. What do you mean it was for sale? Someone bought it already?” “If you‟d let me, I‟m trying to tell you. We bought it. My attorney negotiated the purchase. All we have to do is sign the papers…escrow, and it‟s ours.” “You‟re serious. That quick.” “Hey, money talks. They wanted a quick sale, we needed more room for Kieki, and I made them an offer they couldn‟t refuse,” Devin teased. “I figured it was the perfect solution and everyone wins.” Ewyn threw his arms around Devin‟s neck, then stiffened, pushed away and glared. “I get to share the cost, right?” Devin threaded his fingers through the ink-black curls and drew Ewyn‟s head forward. He ran his tongue across the pouty mouth, tracing the outline of the smooth lips before he took a quick kiss and leaned away. “Yes, you get to share half the cost.” “Oh…okay, then. Because you know, I was ready to throw down over that.” Ewyn grinned sheepishly. “Well hell, Dev. I‟m still waiting for all those vacations you promised we‟d take using my money, which is amassing at a rate I‟ll never spend in my lifetime. You rarely let me pay for anything, and my trust fund kicks in next year.” “Hey! We‟re going to Big Bear this weekend.” “Right. And how much money are we going to expend there.” Devin chuckled and gently turned Ewyn‟s face to the computer. “Just look at these floor plans. After I talked to my contractor, he emailed a few drafts, and I think this design best suits our purposes.” Ewyn scanned the screen. “The other side of the wall behind our closets is the second bedroom over there,” Devin said pointing to a corner of the screen. “Break through the wall in our 123

M. E. Reid bedroom…right about here, and we build a hallway to run adjacent to our closets between the two condos, wall off the bedroom over there from the rest of the condo…” “Quite a large bedroom for a baby.” “Not so.” Devin leaned over and scrolled to the next page. “Carlo is going to divide the room this way.” “Oh…sweet. Kieki will have a bedroom, a play area, and a bathroom.” “Yep. Moreover, she won‟t be a baby forever. She‟ll need her space as she gets older.” “What‟s this in the hallway…a door?” “Emergency exit only. It will be invisible from outside.” Ewyn turned away from the computer and wrapped his arms around Devin‟s neck. “You‟ve thought of everything. Love you, Devin Nilsson,” he whispered against firm lips before giving Devin a quick kiss. “Is dinner ready?” “That‟s my baby. Focus on the important stuff,” Devin teased. “Yes, the food is ready. Veal parmesan, fresh asparagus with butter sauce, and your favorite, five-cheese garlic bread. It‟s warming in the micro.” “Do I have time for a shower?” “Oh yeah, we do. Thought you‟d never ask.” Devin shifted Ewyn from his lap, grabbed Ewyn‟s hand and tugged baby-boy along beside him into the bathroom. After turning on the shower, he helped Ewyn out of his clothes, dropped his own sweat pants, and hustled them into the enclosure. “What are we going to do with the rest of the condo, Dev?” “It‟s a surprise. Tell you later.” He pulled Ewyn close and slim arms snaked around his neck. “You‟re not right, Dev. You know I don‟t like surprises.” “Yeah, you do. You just can‟t stand being the one surprised.” 124

Memories Erased: Treachery Ewyn giggled. “True. And today, I‟m going to let you slide because I need to discuss my visit to Pepperdine.” “We‟ll talk over dinner. Right now, I have something else on my mind.” Head lowering, Devin‟s gaze focused on Ewyn‟s slightly open mouth and the tantalizing tip of the little pink tongue barely visible behind the smooth lips moving closer. Damn. He so wanted to go slow, but he couldn‟t resist the temptation. Diving into all Ewyn‟s heat, tongues dueled and teased until he trapped the tip of Ewyn‟s tongue with his teeth. Lips curling, inch by inch, he sucked tender flesh into his mouth and feasted on his favorite taste. The soul-stirring kiss had cocks pulsing as their bodies brushed together. Devin worked his hands down over the water-slicked skin, and, settling on the firm ass, he tugged Ewyn closer while licking a trail along Ewyn‟s jaw to that singular spot just behind the ear. He nuzzled the slim neck and inhaled the distinct musky-sweet scent, before his mouth latched on to the vulnerable pulse-point. “Oh…shit, Dev!” “How do you want it?” he whispered against Ewyn‟s ear. “Hard and fast…” “Oh yeah.” Devin seized the slim wrists, jerked them from around his neck, then grabbed Ewyn‟s shoulders and roughly reversed his position. He shoved baby-boy against the wall and pinned him with his body. Lips nudging Ewyn‟s ear, he growled, “Spread them.” Ewyn placed his hands flat against the wall and adjusted his stance, moving his feet apart. He shivered when the stimulating touch of Devin‟s hands glided down his sides and across his ass. Devin‟s eager mouth kept pace, moving down along his spine…kissing, the lips pulled and sucked, 125

M. E. Reid while the hot tongue licked and teased sensitive skin. Devin squatted behind him and trailed his thumbs down the crease of his behind. Pulse quickening, Ewyn squirmed, his fingers curling against the tile, he pushed back into the touch. His cock throbbed and his asshole puckered in anticipation when a rush of warm air swept across his butt. “Damn, Dev,” he whimpered. “Want me to stop?” “Hell, no.” Devin grinned and eased the cute symmetrical orbs apart. The sight of the tiny aperture, beckoning—an invitation he couldn‟t refuse—his cock twitched. Leaning forward, he inhaled the familiar heady scent before his tongue breached the snug opening, lapping and circling, darting in and out. Ewyn‟s hips picked up the tempo and kept pace with the rhythmic assault. “Dev.” “Oh yeah, I hear you.” Sucking on the quivering flesh, his fingers grazed across the perineum as his hand slipped between the firm thighs. He palmed the ball sac and his fingers grasped the root of the rock-solid cock as he licked, kissed, and nibbled his way up along the trail he forged earlier. He came to his feet, released his hold, and reached for the lube. His body pressed against Ewyn while he coated his dick and whispered, “Ready?” “No doubt,” Ewyn mumbled. Devin slid his prick up and down the crease of the dimpled cheeks, teased the puckered opening, then pushed forward and penetrated the tight heat. His hands roamed over the firm globes and up along the sexy body shuddering within his grasp. His fingertips skimmed along well-defined arms, his hands coming to rest on the backs of Ewyn‟s hands. Fingers linked Ewyn turned his head and mouths 126

Memories Erased: Treachery fused together. Fully entrenched, with the aggression of unrestrained passion, Devin gave Ewyn what he wanted—hard and fast —satisfying both their needs. “That was delicious, Dev.” “Oh?” Devin leaned back in his chair. “The shower or the dinner?” “Both.” “Thank you. I aim to please.” Devin removed the dirty dishes from the table. “So, you‟re on the same page with Patterson as far as Calabria is concerned.” “Oh yeah. The son of a bitch knows something.” “Good enough. I‟ll let Patterson know we agree with his suppositions.” Ewyn took the bottle of wine and glasses from the table, set them on the counter, and joined Devin at the sink. He snatched the dishcloth from Devin‟s hand. “Sit. You cooked, I clean, house rules.” Devin bent, kissed the slim column of Ewyn‟s neck, and went to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water. “Do you want one?” “No, thanks. I‟ll finish off the wine.” “You said Tag ran a check on Calabria‟s family.” “Only to find out if they had any known syndicate ties.” “Hmm.” Devin pulled out a counter stool and sat down. “I‟ll suggest Patterson do a background check on Calabria.” “I can do that.” “Uh-uh. We want it to be official, in case it turns out he‟s involved and we have to prosecute.” “Understood.” Nibbling his bottom lip, Devin nodded while aimlessly rolling the water bottle between his hands. “So the roommate didn‟t mention Cecilia. Not that it eliminates her 127

M. E. Reid from the equation, but it‟s something.” “What do you mean?” “Ewyn. The girls were close. As Jennifer said, they were family. Niki and Caro told their roommates about their dislike for Cecilia, about Cecilia‟s loathing for her daughters, and they told their friends everything about the turmoil in the family. Even going so far as to brag about Uncle Ewyn, their hero.” Devin laughed and ducked the wet dishcloth. “Hey! Their words, not mine.” He tossed the cloth back. “My question is why wouldn‟t they tell their best friends if their deceased mother suddenly showed up?” “You‟ve got a point.” Ewyn put the utensils in the dishwasher and started the machine, then came around the counter and climbed on the stool beside Devin. “Maybe CeCe didn‟t show herself until it was too late for the girls to say anything about it.” “What would be too late?” Devin asked. “Jennifer said they checked in on occasion, and they saw them on the day they died…” “Okay. Maybe she, or someone she hired, followed the girls and waited for a chance to ambush them. Their going away and isolating themselves probably played right into the perp‟s hands.” “Yeah. I considered that. Not the Cecilia‟s involvement thing, but the perp waiting until the girls isolated themselves. Maybe the perp is watching Calabria and he knows it. Could be the reason for his reticence.” Wine glass halfway to his mouth, Ewyn paused, brow puckering. “Never considered that, although it would serve the asshole right.” Ewyn explained about Calabria asking if Gregorio attended the funeral. “If Cecilia is our perp, she and Calabria deserve each other.” “Ewyn, I‟m only speculating. I don‟t believe Cecilia is alive. So any involvement on her part would have been by 128

Memories Erased: Treachery proxy, set up in advance.” “But why would the perp wait until now?” “Gregorio,” Devin stated. “The arrangements for Greg‟s disappearance were designed to create conjecture. Outsiders believe the syndicate disposed of your brother, but insiders believe he stepped down because of illness, the story your family put in the street. How many people who know your family would dare go after the girls if they thought Greg were alive?” “None.” Ewyn stood, took his glass to the sink, returned to the counter, and scooted between Devin‟s legs. “So Patterson‟s theories could be right.” He wrapped his arms around Devin‟s waist, snuggling close. “Not necessarily,” Devin stated. “Keep in mind, all of this is supposition. Because, in the scheme of things, if Cecilia could have prearranged the deaths, who would be so dedicated. Cecilia‟s dead, why bother.” “Okay, I‟ll give you that one. No professional would take on a contract without money up front.” “Exactly. So, until we find Kieki‟s father, he‟s our prime suspect.” “By the way, Dev. Caro‟s Beamer wasn‟t on campus.” “Probably left it wherever they were staying. Find the car and we‟ll know where they were for those six months.” “True, unless it‟s been stolen.” “I‟ll give Patterson a heads up in the morning. Ask him to put out a Be On the Look Out.” Ewyn yawned. “I‟m wiped.” “So am I.” Devin‟s tongue teased Ewyn‟s lips before forging its way inside. “Mmm. A few more days, then vacation time. Two whole weeks, I won‟t know how to act.” He kissed Ewyn‟s temple. “Ready for bed?” “I thought you‟d never ask.”

129

M. E. Reid **** Brrr. Too damn cold this early in the morning to keep up surveillance throughout the winter. Opening the car door and hopping inside, trembling hands snatched the blanket from the passenger seat. Glad I remembered to bring this to wrap around myself for the extra warmth. Looks as if they‟ve beefed up security on the estate. They couldn‟t possibly know about me, could they? Slouching down on the seat and peering into the darkness through binoculars, a flurry of activity detected in the front drive had the powerful lenses homing in on the Escalade. “Perfect timing.” Servants loading the truck with baby items, more stuff than Uncle Ewyn normally takes to his place. Hmm, I wonder. Could he be taking the little brat out of their comfort zone? This might be my chance to catch him unaware. Uh-oh, the partner. Uncle Ewyn isn‟t going alone, and who is the woman carrying the baby. Shit. Maybe they do know. Okay, here we go. The partner is driving, and I need to maintain a safe distance, which shouldn‟t be hard to do in this traffic. Hmm. They‟re heading for the—son of a bitch! Where did they go? Took my eyes off them for a few seconds to make the merge, damn it. Fucking rush-hour traffic. All right. Let me think. If I lost them at the CA-210 and CA-330 connection—they have property in Palm Springs, Big Bear, and Lake Havasu, Arizona—going in that direction could take them to any one of those places. I could pick one at random and end up spinning my wheels. Oooh, no. My head, it can‟t, not now. I took the damn pills. I need sleep. Guess I‟ll have to chalk this up to another missed 130

Memories Erased: Treachery opportunity. At least freezing my ass off on these little jaunts wasn‟t a total waste of time, since I‟ve learned the baby is most vulnerable when Ewyn takes her to his place. Conversely, after checking out the condo, I realize I can‟t get to the little rugrat inside the building. Too restrictive and no easy access, so my best shot at her would be in the parking structure. Wonder how long they‟ll be away. **** Even with the Santa Ana winds buffeting the vehicle, the drive up the mountain had been uneventful. Ewyn and Mycelia dozed off and on, while Kiera slept the entire trip. Hell. Must be the cool fresh air, because despite the early hour, Devin was ready for a nap. No sooner had he stopped in front of the Calderone chalet, than the front door flew open, and several members of the staff rushed from the house toward the SUV. He leaned over and kissed Ewyn awake. Sleepy green eyes opened and homed in on Devin. “Mmm, nice.” Ewyn sat up and stretched. “Are we there yet?” “Cute. And yes, we‟ve arrived.” Ewyn opened his door, climbed out of the Escalade and took several deep breaths before turning back and opening the rear door. Mycelia transferred Kiera into his arms and he headed for the house with Mycelia close on his heels. “Need to get Kieki out of this wind, Dev,” he called over his shoulder. “Meet you in the kitchen.” Devin nodded and remained outside to supervise unloading the vehicle. Opening the hatch, he shook his head, still amazed at the amount of stuff they needed for a twoweek vacation. Ewyn had duplicated all the baby necessities Kiera would need for this trip, and any future visits, and 131

M. E. Reid he‟d had the necessary baby furniture—all new —delivered. He insisted the nursery furniture at the chalet would be too old and musty. Once Devin removed the skis from the top of the SUV, he left the staff to unload the things from the cargo space. He entered the house and the combined aromas of fresh brewed coffee, bacon, and newly baked bread broadsided his senses. Damn, he was hungry. He paused and inhaled deeply while looking around at the first floor layout. It was an open floor plan. Two steps down, most of the space consisted of a huge family/living room with a floorto-ceiling fireplace, and a built-in entertainment center and a bar area along one wall. A pool table and a game table stood in front of a wall of windows and sliding glass doors. Beyond the living room, two steps up, there was a formal dining room setup, and beyond that, a doorway into the kitchen where he could see Ewyn moving about. Next to the kitchen entrance, a powder room door stood ajar. Off the foyer, an open stairway led to the second floor, and beneath it, he noticed an alcove, the size of a walk-in closet without doors. He peeked inside and discovered two racks, one for coats, one for skis, and a Parson‟s bench. He hooked the skis on the rack, shrugged out of his leather jacket and hung it up, then walked into the powder room. Devin entered the kitchen to find a buffet breakfast had been set up, and Ewyn had prepared two plates piled high with home-fried potatoes, eggs over-easy, sausages, bacon, and slices of chilled melon. A breadbasket with hot flaky biscuits sat in the middle of the table along with two glasses of orange juice setting on the placemats. “They only have regular coffee, so I‟m having hot chocolate. Do you want some?” “No. I‟ll just have the juice.” For someone who normally didn‟t do heavy breakfast 132

Memories Erased: Treachery food, Devin finished everything on his plate before his hunger was satisfied. Sighing, he leaned back and looked over at the two boxes stacked on the empty chair next to Ewyn. “What‟s in those?” “The girls‟ personal papers,” Ewyn responded absently, his attention focused on the panoramic view outside the wall of windows. With his elbows propped on the table, he took a few sips of hot chocolate before continuing. “The small box is the one Patterson gave me, and the other is from their rooms at college. I decided I‟d go through them after breakfast and get it out of the way.” “I‟ll help. Where do you want to do this?” Devin wiped his hands, stood, and grabbed the boxes. “How about our bedroom? In case we get tired, want to take a break, uh…” Ewyn grinned. “Get busy.” “You read my mind.” Devin turned toward the door, but Mycelia rushed in and blocked his way. “Devin, Ewyn…” Breathless, she paused, inhaled deeply, and started again. “Niki and Caro, they were here!” “What!” Dishes and glasses rattled as Ewyn shoved away from the table. “When…how do you…” “Calm down, Ewyn. Let her talk.” Devin looked at Mycelia. “Come on, Myce, sit down.” He strode into the living room and set the boxes on the coffee table. After directing Mycelia to a chair, he and Ewyn dropped down on the sofa. “Okay, Myce, take it slow.” “I was talking to Brigit…” Devin frowned and looked at Ewyn. “The housekeeper, one of Rosa‟s…Myce‟s relatives,” Ewyn told him. “Go on, Myce.” “We were talking about Kieki and the tragedy of her never getting to know her mother. Then we were reminiscing about what we remembered of the girls growing up, and Brigit mentioned how happy the girls were the last 133

M. E. Reid time she saw them, just before they died.” She looked from Ewyn to Devin. “The months they weren‟t at school, they were here. I heard you and Mick discussing the girls. Does any of this help?” she asked. “Yes,” Ewyn said. “Go on.” Mycelia shook her head. “It never occurred to any of us on the estate…why would they come here?” “Don‟t stress about it, Myce. It‟s a done deal.” Ewyn looked at Devin. “Why couldn‟t they have told me or Gem?” “Can‟t say.” Devin shrugged. “Myce, would you get Brigit?” “Yes.” Mycelia hopped up and rushed upstairs. “After we talk to Brigit, I want to see the rooms the girls used,” Devin remarked. “Why? The staff will have cleaned…” Ewyn paused. “Oh. They wouldn‟t have thrown out personal things. You think we‟ll find something in their stuff?” “Why not? As far as we know, the day they died, they planned to return here after their trip to Pepperdine. Won‟t hurt to check.” Mycelia reappeared tugging a middle-aged woman behind her. “Devin, this is Brigit.” The woman entered the room looking apprehensive. “Hey, Brigit,” Ewyn said. “Have a seat.” He directed her to a chair opposite the sofa. “Mister Ewyn, I thought the family knew.” She blushed. “Some families send their pregnant unmarried daughters away until term. At the funeral, nobody said anything,” she said, anxiously. “It never occurred to me to mention it. Besides, they weren‟t here all the time. “When I heard about the accident, I assumed they were returning from the estate. They only left here that morning.” Wringing her hands, she glanced at Mycelia. “You know we‟re not allowed to gossip about the family. I only went in 134

Memories Erased: Treachery to see Kiera because she brought back memories of Caro as a baby—the black hair—I never…” Her voice faded. “I‟m sorry,” she whispered. “It‟s okay, Brigit,” Ewyn reassured her. “Just tell us about their time here. Anything unusual. Did anyone come to visit them?” “No. As I said, they weren‟t here the entire six months. They would stay a few weeks then take off. Niki always let me know if they would be gone for a while, and she‟d call to let me know when they were returning,” she explained. “They went to the Caribbean for two weeks in June, and they spent three weeks on Maui during August and September. They were gone over the Labor Day weekend. They never told me where they were staying, only where they were going.” “Is Caro‟s car here?” he asked. Brigit shrugged. “They always left together in Niki‟s Lexus. I never saw them in any other vehicle. If Caro drove it here, it would be in the main garage,” she replied. “Dave and I, along with the rest of the staff, park in the garage below the servants‟ quarters. The day workers park out back.” Devin frowned. “Wouldn‟t the staff have noticed the car in the main garage?” “Sure, but it wouldn‟t have been anything out of the ordinary,” Brigit said. “Both girls were here, two cars would have been normal. The day workers have no reason to go to the main garage, and my husband never mentioned it. Caro must have put it away herself. I can have someone go check.” “Don‟t bother. I‟ll check it out later,” Ewyn said. “By the way, do you know which obstetrician Niki saw while she was here?” “None in Big Bear. When they went away overnight, Niki 135

M. E. Reid said she was driving into town to see the doctor. I assumed she meant the family doctor in San Bernardino.” Devin asked, “Who picks up the mail?” “Usually one of the day workers. They bring it to me and I distribute it,” Brigit answered. “But I never saw anything from a physician.” “Niki could have set up her own post office box, Dev.” “Mister Ewyn, the girls were happy while they were here. Nothing about their behavior was out of the ordinary. Niki seemed ecstatic about having a baby. She and Caro were always giggling, making plans, and she had every type of how-to baby book, parenting guide, and the catalogues with baby clothes, toys…” Her voice died away as tears filled her eyes. “Thanks for telling me that.” Chest tightening with the anguish of loss, Ewyn took a deep breath before continuing. “I‟m glad they were with people they knew, people who took good care of them.” Devin questioned Brigit and a few other staff members for an hour. Once satisfied they had told him everything they could remember, he thanked them and sent them back to work. Ewyn turned to Devin. “Well, we know Niki wasn‟t using the family physician, because he was at the funeral. He would have mentioned it to Gemma.” “Yeah. Makes me wonder about the doctor Niki did use.” “Why?” “Because Brigit said there wasn‟t any mail from a doctor. If I were a doctor and my patient stopped coming to see me so close to term, I would have sent out a query letter asking if she had changed doctors so I could forward her records.” Devin picked up the boxes containing the girls‟ personal possessions and headed upstairs with Ewyn trailing behind. “Of course, she could have used an alias.” 136

Memories Erased: Treachery “I suppose. But at this late date, is it important…to know what doctor she used?” Devin paused at the top of the stairs. “Only if Niki provided info about Kieki‟s father.” “Oh, yeah. I‟ll check with the post office.” They went to Nicole‟s room, first.

137

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Chapter 11

N

icole‟s bedroom was large and airy with heavy white oak, southwestern furniture. There was a king-size bed set back in an alcove on a raised platform. Although the curtains, carpet, and bed linens were in several shades of blue, it was a distinctly woman‟s room without being prissy—no frills. A huge fireplace dominated part of the room, with a sofa, tables, and an easy chair arranged in front of it. Next to the fireplace, there were floor-to-ceiling windows and a door leading to a balcony. Noticing a stack of logs outside, Devin set the boxes on the coffee table and headed for the balcony. A knock on the door, sidetracked his intention to retrieve a few logs and start a fire. “Come in,” he called out. A man rushed in, introduced himself as Dave the groundskeeper and headed outside. He collected a few logs, stacked the wood in the fireplace, and had a fire started within moments. “Thanks, Dave,” Devin told the man as he exited the room. “Hey, babe, why so quiet?” Ewyn shook his head and shrugged. “I guess I‟m in shock. It never would have occurred to me to check here for the girls. If we hadn‟t decided to come here for vacation, we may never have known. As Brigit said, the staff doesn‟t gossip about the family.” “I guess it comes with the territory.” 138

Memories Erased: Treachery “Yeah. The nature of the family‟s business makes it a condition of employment. Brigit and her staff live in the area…they‟re on retainer. She and Dave, her husband, are the only lifers. The rest, Brigit hires them as needed. The chalet employees are a separate entity from the estate staff, and only required to live in when family members are in residence here.” Ewyn paced the room while he spoke, pausing every so often to look at a variety of family photos on the walls. “Brigit has full autonomy regarding the running of this property, so there‟s no reason for her to communicate with Rosa, unless there‟s a problem Brigit can‟t handle.” “As family, they don‟t talk on a regular basis?” “I doubt it. They‟re distant cousins, several times removed. And even if they did talk, neither would breach their commitment to the family,” Ewyn declared. “What goes on at any given property doesn‟t leave the property. They‟ve been with the family forever, since they were young girls. They understand.” “Hmm. I think the staff‟s code of silence may have been the reason Niki decided to come here.” “But why…what did she think she couldn‟t tell us?” Ewyn came to an abrupt stop when Devin stepped in front of him, halting his forward momentum. “It couldn‟t have been about the pregnancy, hell…she was grown, what possible objections could Gem or I have had.” Ewyn looked up, tears brimming in his eyes. “Dev, what could she have been afraid of?” His eyes widened. “Or who?” “I don‟t think their coming here had anything to do with fear. Think about it. Brigit said they were happy, carrying on as usual, anticipating Kiera‟s arrival, traveling, and doing what any two young women of means would do in their free time.” He slipped his arms around Ewyn‟s waist and pulled him close. 139

M. E. Reid “Besides, Niki was smart, organized, and too much like her father to be fearful. If there had been something she couldn‟t have handled on her own, or she thought it was life threatening, she would have contacted you or Mick,” Devin stated. “Especially if it involved her mother. She would not have put her baby or Caro in jeopardy.” “Okay. So what went wrong, why the secrecy?” “Who‟s to say Niki was being secretive? She and Caro had been handling their own lives for some time. With Gem being ill, Niki probably didn‟t want to stress her out. We don‟t know what changes a woman experiences during pregnancy, but you know Gem would have worried about every minute until the baby arrived.” Devin shrugged. “Maybe pregnancy and the pressures of school didn‟t mix— it was Niki‟s last year. Or, she decided to take a leave of absence until she had her baby.” “Okay, I can buy that. It seems strange they didn‟t keep their roommates in the loop.” “Not really. Niki‟s leaving school indicates she didn‟t want to be bothered with anyone fussing or hovering, and she wasn‟t alone, she had Caro with her.” Devin grabbed Ewyn‟s hand and tugged him over to the sofa. Once they were comfortable, he whispered, “Relax. We know where they were, so we have a starting point.” “You‟re right. I‟ll start with this one.” Ewyn leaned forward and opened the box obtained from Patterson. Devin reached for the other box and they worked in silence for almost an hour before a knock on the door interrupted them. “Come in.” Ewyn watched Mycelia enter with a squirming Kiera in her arms. “Break time.” He took Kiera from her nanny, and baby-girl gurgled and smiled as if happy to see him. Her rapid growth and advancing motor skills constantly amazed him. Already teething, her first tooth was trying to 140

Memories Erased: Treachery break through the gum. The pediatrician said she was right on schedule for five and half months— happy, healthy, and having an easy time with the teething, sans fevers and crankiness. Ewyn climbed on the bed, placed Kiera on her stomach, then settled down beside her, chuckling at her attempts to get on her hands and knees. She was at the up on her hands and knees rocking back and forth in preparation for the crawling, stage. He didn‟t know if he should be happy those particular skills had developed to such an extent, or fearful of the consequences of her achieving her goal. He wasn‟t ready for that phase. Devin came to the bed and flopped down next to Kiera. She rolled onto her side and giggled. “Hey, baby-girl.” He scooped her up, nuzzled her neck, blew air bubbles on her tummy, then held her at arm‟s length while she kicked and squealed, making him laugh. He kissed her slobbering mouth and put her back on the bed, where she squirmed and wiggled her little butt, propelling herself around the bed in a circle. Devin grinned and looked at Ewyn. “I think our little girl is growing up. She‟ll be walking and talking in no time.” “Hell, Dev, don‟t tell me that. I‟m lying here thinking about the crawling stage and the chaos accompanying it.” “What‟s to worry? I‟ve got it covered. Carlo is going to childproof the entire condo.” “Oh.” Mycelia laughed. “We‟ve already taken care of the nursery and Gemma‟s apartment,” she said. “By the way, I came to ask if you‟re ready for lunch, and is there anything I can do to help you with Niki‟s things?” “Yes, to both questions.” Ewyn glanced at Devin. “I‟m starved. Are you hungry?” “I am. And Myce, you can go through the room, see if you 141

M. E. Reid can find anything helpful.” “Sure.” She picked up the phone on the bedside table and pressed the intercom button. “Hey. Yeah, they‟re ready for lunch. Niki‟s room. Hold on, let me ask.” She put the call on hold. “Do you mind if I have my lunch in here with you?” “Myce, pul-lease.” Ewyn rolled his eyes. “Tell Brigit to send up a bottle and a few teething pretzels for Kieki.” He lifted Kiera and used her bib to wipe the drool from chin. Lunch arrived and Ewyn spread a baby blanket on top of the comforter and placed Kiera in the center, supported by pillows and cushions against her back and sides. He handed her a teething pretzel and joined Devin and Mycelia at the table. While they ate, Mycelia said, “By the way, Brigit asked me to apologize for her.” Brow furrowed, Ewyn asked, “For what?” “She‟s feeling guilty because she didn‟t put any significance on the girls being here. She thinks she may have forgotten something important.” “Tell Brigit to stop worrying and apologizing. If she remembers anything, no matter how trivial, tell her to feel free to come to us.” With the lunch things removed, and Kiera asleep on her mother‟s bed, Devin, Ewyn, and Mycelia went to work. Devin and Ewyn returned to the two storage boxes, while Mycelia, methodically rifling through the walk-in closet, suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, no!” Ewyn jumped to his feet and rushed into the closet with Devin close behind. “Myce?” He came to a sudden stop when he saw Mycelia staring down at an oak chest. Turning at his entrance, she stared at him with tears welling up in her eyes, then brushed by him and ran from the room. Stunned, Ewyn moved to the chest and stood motionless, 142

Memories Erased: Treachery staring at its contents—neatly folded baby clothes, blankets, toys, and baby books. He whispered, “Dev, she…” He couldn‟t go on, couldn‟t even take a deep breath. Devin‟s strong arms circled his waist. “I know, baby. I feel you.” Devin‟s arms tightened and he kissed the top of Ewyn‟s head and pulled him out of the closet. “Let‟s not do this now.” “You‟re right. Let‟s get back to finding whoever is responsible for this tragedy.” Mycelia came back into the room. “Sorry.” “Don‟t worry about it. It had the same effect on me,” Ewyn remarked. “Leave it. I‟ll go through it later.” Mycelia returned to the closet and resumed her search. Finding nothing else of note, she moved to Nicole‟s desk. Half-hour into her search, she found a lockbox in the bottom desk drawer. Devin went to the desk, sat down, and retrieved the lockbox. “I have her keys.” Ewyn extracted a key ring from an envelope and tossed it across the room. Devin caught the ring, rifled through the keys until he found the right one, and opened the box. Inside were two sealed manila envelopes and a book. “Niki kept a journal,” he said and flipped through the pages. “Maybe it contains the answers to our questions.” He set the book aside and examined the contents of the two unaddressed envelopes. “Copies of hers and Caro‟s wills.” Brow furrowed, Ewyn leaned forward and rummaged through the box he picked up from the dorm until he found the folder labeled, wills. “Copies here, too, which are Jennifer‟s, plus Niki gave copies to Kathleen, and there are the missing ones, too. Wonder why she made so many copies, and where are the originals.” Devin shrugged. “Haven‟t a clue. Have you read it yet?” 143

M. E. Reid “No. I wasn‟t ready to deal with the legalese. I wanted to go over everything else first.” Ewyn tossed the envelope on the table. “It‟s probably a straightforward revision of the original, making Kieki sole beneficiary. Since it was signed and witnessed, it‟s just a matter of form for our attorney to have it officially executed, superseding the old one.” Kiera woke and made her presence known. “I think someone is hungry. I‟ll bring her to see you before I put her to bed for the night,” Mycelia said. “Okay, and thanks for your help.” Ewyn watched her whisk Kiera away. “I could use a drink, Dev.” “Me, too.” Devin stood and stretched, then walked over to the sofa and sat next to Ewyn, who slipped off his shoes, propped his feet on the arm of the couch and rested his head on Devin‟s thigh. Devin flung the journal and two envelopes on the table and settled back. “Let‟s take this stuff to our room and start fresh tomorrow morning. I want to take a walk before dinner.” His fingers toyed with the disheveled black curls. “Want to join me.” “Sure. Probably need to make walking or running a regular thing while we‟re here, or we‟ll each weigh a ton by the time this vacation is over.” “True, if breakfast and lunch were anything to go by.” He smiled down at Ewyn. “I‟ll give Brigit the recipe for my smoothie, let her know what you like to have for breakfast, and have her stock your decaf coffee.” He watched Ewyn‟s brow pucker. “What…you don‟t want her to fix your usual?” “Huh? Oh, no…I mean yes, let Brigit know what I normally have for breakfast.” Ewyn sat up and grabbed the envelope with the will. “I was thinking about all the copies of the wills. Why did Niki need so many? Once executed, it‟s a matter of record, a permanent copy.” He pulled out the 144

Memories Erased: Treachery will and quickly perused the salient points. “Maybe she didn‟t think she‟d have a chance to have them executed.” Devin retrieved the two envelopes he had tossed on the table. “But she had them notarized. They‟ll stand up in court, if someone tries to contest them.” “Is each copy dated and witnessed the day she died?” Devin scanned the copies he held then looked at Ewyn. “These are,” Ewyn replied. “These are dated, not witnessed. You need to call your attorney and let him know about this revised will.” “Yeah, but it‟s only a matter of form. The original already made Kieki the beneficiary. This one only eliminates the possibility of anyone trying to claim…” Ewyn‟s voice died away as he stopped reading and looked at Devin. “Do you think there‟s a link between so many copies of the wills and Niki getting out of Dodge for six months?” “Hmm. Like whoever killed her has a vested interest in the details of the original will,” Devin remarked. “No, I don‟t think it‟s connected to her leaving town, but I‟ve considered she made so many copies for insurance, as she told Jennifer. In case something happened to her before she had them witnessed or executed. Whatever was going on in her life at the time, she wanted to make sure at least one copy reached the family attorney.” “Does this bring us back to CeCe?” “No, because we can‟t rule out Kieki‟s father. He‟s a more likely candidate. If he knows the terms of the original will, and he comes out of the woodwork to claim paternity, he could be banking on getting his share of the inheritance along with controlling Kieki‟s share. Finding out he doesn‟t because of the revision, or if he‟s connected to the murder…” Devin paused to let his words register with Ewyn before he continued. 145

M. E. Reid “Do you understand the implications of what I‟m saying?” He saw a look of apprehension enter the greeneyed gaze and nodded. “Yeah. If the dirtbag killed Kieki‟s mother—” “No,” Ewyn snarled. “He wouldn‟t dare.” “We‟re talking about a helluva lot of money. If he should gain custody, and he‟s our perp, people have killed for less, and children are not exempt. It also puts you in danger.” “But the way Niki worded this new will…” Ewyn paused then growled, “What do you mean, I’m in danger? This will is airtight—oh! Kieki‟s father doesn‟t know, does he?” “If he‟s the killer, he knows. Remember, Niki‟s copies disappeared. Whoever took them, he or she must be aware of the terms of the initial will and must benefit in some way. Why else take them,” Devin stated. “The perp wouldn‟t want that revised copy to see the light of day since it eliminates everybody but Kieki, with you as executor holding the purse strings.” “But it‟s too late to stop the process,” Ewyn exclaimed. “Besides, how could the perp expect to benefit? Whoever tries to claim the money, wouldn‟t he or she be the killer.” “Not necessarily. However, if the perp is one of the beneficiaries, and so far, we have no proof, then he or she has figured it out and has a contingency plan. So how do we stop him or her? Brings us back to the danger.” “Dev, if anyone tries to hurt our baby-girl…” “You‟d have to get in line. But we can‟t leave anything to chance with so much money involved.” Smiling, Devin leaned forward and kissed the pouty mouth. “We‟ll make sure nothing happens to Kieki. However, I don‟t think Nicole‟s reason for coming up here had anything to do with the wills.” Ewyn scowled. “Why do you say that?” “Because of the date of the wills. If something had been 146

Memories Erased: Treachery bothering her when she arrived, she would have changed her will then. Brigit said the girls weren‟t nervous or upset. They were happy and carried on as usual, did quite a bit of traveling.” “Well, I can understand them traveling. Being pregnant, Nicole probably had restrictions on her usual summer activities, leaving very little to do up here all summer.” “True.” Devin nodded. “And she probably didn‟t want to go to her usual haunts in Los Angeles, because she wanted to avoid her regular crowd. Those are the actions of someone who didn‟t want to be bothered, not the actions of someone running scared. “No, something happened while Niki was here, or she discovered something during one of her trips to the doctor. I don‟t know, but the timing of the revision indicates something critical happened, which made her believe her will had to be changed before Kieki was born.” Devin sighed. “You know, maybe she was using the new will as leverage.” “Against who or what?” “Haven‟t a clue. Just speculating.” “Damn, Dev. I came here to get a break from this for a while. Instead, it‟s getting more complex.” Bottom lip gripped between his teeth, Ewyn remained silent for a few minutes, then, “Hell…here we go again. I can take care of myself. Kieki‟s safety is what‟s important.” “For now, her safety is guaranteed. No one can gain entrance to the estate if the family hasn‟t approved access,” Devin reassured him. “I‟ll contact Tim and have him put the staff on alert. They know the procedure. Any time Kieki leaves the property, she‟ll be well protected.” “What about when Kieki is with me? I can protect her inside the condo, but when we‟re out…wait a minute. What did you mean, Kieki is safe for now?” Ewyn sat up. 147

M. E. Reid “As a baby, no one can get to her, because she‟s under constant supervision. But when she starts walking, goes to Pre School…hell. Gemma signed her up for that exclusive private preschool, the day after she was born.” He shook his head. “If we don‟t resolve this before then, we won‟t be able to control her movements so easily. She‟ll be more accessible and protecting her will become more complicated.” “But we‟ll resolve this before then, won‟t we?” “Ewyn. Cecilia plotted on you and your mother for years before making her move.” “Then we have to set up something now, damn it! We need Patrick.” “Oh-kay. Calm down. You‟re determined to ruin my surprise.” “Surprise? We don‟t have time for any surprise bullshit with Kieki‟s life hanging.” Ewyn glared. “Are you talking about the condo?” “Oh yeah.” Devin sighed and tugged Ewyn onto his lap. “As soon as Cecilia‟s name came into this, I went on full alert. Tim was already on the same page, because as soon as I broached the topic with him, he had several viable ideas.” “Such as?” “After speaking to Gemma about the possible threat to you and Kieki, she added a new employee to the Calderone payroll.” “A bodyguard?” “Yes and no.” “Devin,” Ewyn growled. “Okay! Mick has agreed to work for the family, taking over where Patrick left off. Not only did Gem add him to the payroll, but also, Mick and Tag are going to purchase the rest of the other condo. Is that okay with you?” “Dev!” Ewyn threw his arms around Devin‟s neck, then just as quickly leaned away and frowned. “You‟re not just 148

Memories Erased: Treachery messing with me, are you?” “No, not this time. Not about something as crucial as Kieki‟s safety.” He pulled Ewyn‟s head forward and kissed the tempting mouth. “Mmm, nice,” Ewyn mumbled, pulling away. “Then it‟s more than okay, it‟s perfect. The way Mick and Tag feel about Kieki, let someone try to hurt our baby-girl.” “That‟s the idea.” “Good enough. Knowing Mick and Tag are onboard with Kieki‟s safety, I‟ll try to relax. Let‟s get a drink, then I‟ll be ready for our walk.” Ewyn stood and gathered up the papers spread out across the table and put them back in the boxes. Picking up his shoes, he headed toward the door. “Going to change these,” he said, indicating his shoes. “Meet you in the lounge.” Devin put out the fire, grabbed the boxes, and left the room. When he entered the master suite, Ewyn wasn‟t there. He dumped the boxes on the table, snatched his cell phone from his waistband, pressed #3, then speaker, and laid the phone on the table. While he waited for Timothy to respond, he exchanged his Dockers for his Converse cross-trainer tacboots. “Hey, Devin. How‟s all that relaxation treating you?” “I wouldn‟t know. Except for the fresh air, we‟ve been knee-deep in discovery.” Devin went on to explain. Conversation finished, he disconnected and went searching for Ewyn.

149

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Chapter 12

“L

et‟s walk through the woods,” Ewyn said tugging Devin along behind him. Devin came abreast of Ewyn, laid his arm across the slim shoulders, and pulled baby-boy against his side. He looked down and couldn‟t help but smile at the sight of Ewyn bundled up in a fur-lined lambskin jacket with a knitted cap, the exact color of his green eyes, plastered to his head. Rosycheeked, eyes gleaming, and wispy strands of coal-black hair inching from beneath the edges of his cap, Ewyn had a tousled, freshly fucked look about him. Enjoying the brisk air and the sight of the setting sun on the horizon, they walked along in companionable silence for a little over a half-hour. Once darkness had blanketed the landscape, and the wind had picked up to a buffeting velocity, they turned back toward the house. “Slow down, baby. Remember, I‟m an old man.” Devin grinned, easily keeping pace with Ewyn. “Old man…yeah, right.” Ewyn pulled away and took off running, his breathy laughter echoing on the wind. Devin grinned and set out after him, catching up just as Ewyn darted into what looked like a two-story barn. After the cutting wind outside, warmth enveloped him as soon as they stepped through the double doors. Wrapping his arms around Ewyn‟s waist, he lifted the giggling, squirming body off the floor. He nuzzled the nape of Ewyn‟s neck, tongue teasing, teeth nipping, then he the lithe body slide down his 150

Memories Erased: Treachery to the floor. “You‟re awfully quick for an old man,” Ewyn teased as he reached over and flipped on the lights. Devin blinked into the sudden brightness and looked around, realizing they were in a garage. “Well, this is cozy.” To his right, in the far corner of the room, stood a potbellied stove with a sofa, two chairs, and an array of tables arranged in front of it. A stairway led to a loft. On the other side of the room, there were snow chains, shovels, and snowshoes hung neatly along one wall, with a snow blower parked below them. His gaze skimmed over three snowmobiles, two Hummers equipped with snow tires, and his Escalade parked next to the Hummers. What caught and held his attention was Carolyn‟s dark, metallic green Beamer at the end of the row of vehicles. Ewyn stiffened then went limp in his arms. He released his hold and walked toward the BMW with baby-boy trailing behind him. “I guess that clears up one issue,” Ewyn said quietly. Devin opened the passenger side door, popped open the glove compartment and rummaged through its contents. He found a few maps, proof of registration and insurance, a package of tissues, and a pair of sunglasses. Closing both doors, he turned to Ewyn. “Nothing, huh.” “That‟s to be expected, since they used Niki‟s car during their stay.” Devin draped his arm across Ewyn‟s shoulders, and feeling the tension in his stance, he urged Ewyn toward the door. “Let‟s go back to the house. Dinner should be ready, and I‟m eager to get started on Nicole‟s journal.” “Yeah. As much as we needed this vacation, we need to discover the truth about her death even more. One day, Kieki will want answers.” “True. But we can‟t let this get to us or we‟ll overlook 151

M. E. Reid something critical.” Devin stopped moving and pulled Ewyn into his arms. “Relax.” Head lowering, he teased the pouty mouth before dipping between the parted lips. Several moments later, he raised his head, leaving Ewyn gasping. He stared into passionate green eyes and smiled. “That was the prelude.” He flung his arm across Ewyn‟s shoulders, flipped out the lights, and they stepped out into the cold. “If we hurry, we‟ll have time for a quickie and a shower before dinner.” “Sounds good, but…if we really hurry, there‟s a bidet in the bathroom, Jacuzzi in the solarium.” Ewyn looked up with a sly look. “Dinner can be brought to our room.” “Bidet, huh. Feeling kinky,” Devin teased. “You know what they say about cleanliness.” “Hmm. Hard choices. Jacuzzi, shower—well, we don‟t get so involved in the shower, and I‟m hungry.” Devin stopped walking and his arm dropped away. Head cocked to one side, he looked down at Ewyn, grinned, and then took off running. “Last one to the Jacuzzi…tops,” he called over his shoulder, his hearty laughter filling the air. Stunned by the swiftness of Devin‟s breakaway, Ewyn stood rooted to the spot, gawking. There was no denying the man‟s physical aptitude. Still, for someone Devin‟s size to be so quick on his feet… Ewyn took off after him, his laughter mingling with the echo of Devin‟s mirth lingering on the wind. He had run several yards, rapidly closing in on Devin, when the meaning of Devin‟s words registered and he slowed his pace. What was he doing? Devin‟s challenge had no merit. Born to sub, and he preferred it that way, it was a tremendous boost to his ego to know, on occasion, someone so distinctly alpha wanted Ewyn to fuck him. Hell. Top…bottom, either way, he wouldn‟t lose. Smirking, he managed to maintain a reasonable distance 152

Memories Erased: Treachery behind Devin. By the time he reached the chalet, his speed had decelerated to virtually slow motion. He entered the house, paused to remove his coat and cap then hung them in the mudroom. Devin was nowhere in sight. To ensure he was the winner…uh, loser, Ewyn detoured through the kitchen. He lingered for several minutes, chatting with Brigit before telling her to send his and Devin‟s dinner upstairs. He could have phoned those instructions to Brigit from the bedroom. Ewyn reached the master suite and the only evidence of Devin‟s presence were his clothes strewn across the bed, his boots and socks haphazardly flung against the closet, and the open French doors leading into the solarium. He stripped out of his clothes and grabbed a robe, slipping it on as he sauntered into the other room. Devin lay in the Jacuzzi, head resting on a cushion, looking relaxed and sexy as hell with his hair falling loosely about his face and shoulders. Mirrored in sparkling amber eyes were flickering flames from several candles illuminating the area around the tub. He held a glass of wine in one hand, while hot steamy water bubbled and swirled around his naked torso. He watched Ewyn‟s approach with a slow smile altering the contours of his firm mouth. “Hey, slowpoke. Bet your hyper ass struggled to move slow, huh.” Hard-pressed not to laugh, Ewyn retorted, “You could have just said you wanted me to fuck you, instead of expending the unnecessary energy.” “And ruin my image as alpha dog.” Devin ran his hand up along one slim leg and under Ewyn‟s robe, palming the warm ass cheeks. “Besides, I needed the exercise. What‟s with the robe?” “Dinner is on its way. Thought this would be appropriate attire for greeting the staff.” As if on cue, there was a knock on the door. Devin‟s gaze 153

M. E. Reid followed the enticing motion of Ewyn‟s ass, outlined beneath the clingy material of his robe. He heard baby-boy speaking to someone, there was the clinking of silverware and the rattling of dishes, followed by the sound of the door closing. Ewyn returned to the solarium, removed his robe, and climbed into the Jacuzzi, body sinking beneath the steamy water, he sighed. “Mmm, I needed this,” Ewyn whispered. Devin pulled Ewyn on top of him. “Dinner is going to get cold,” he mumbled against soft lips. “Not. It‟s a Cesar salad with prawns. It will keep.” Devin hooted. “Planning ahead, huh.” “Oh yeah. Make love to me, Dev. I‟ll take a rain check on my win.” “Talk about satisfying.” Devin picked up his glass and drained the last of the wine. “Not too much, yet I‟m full.” He wiped his hands and mouth on his napkin then walked to the bedside table. “You know this wearing pajamas thing isn‟t right,” he grumbled. Ewyn chuckled. “You‟ll get used to it.” Devin picked up the phone and pressed the kitchen intercom button. He asked Brigit to send someone to remove the used dishes. “Hold on,” he added and turned to Ewyn. “Do you want anything else from the kitchen before Brigit closes down for the night?” “No. There‟s an assortment of cold drinks and snacks in the mini-fridge in the solarium. If we get the munchies, we can fend for ourselves.” Devin nodded then spoke into the phone. “We‟re set for the night, Brigit, and thanks, dinner was delicious.” Ewyn pushed away from the table and crossed the room, removing his robe as he went. He clambered onto the bed, propped pillows against the headboard, and settled back. 154

Memories Erased: Treachery Moments later, a young woman arrived with a serving tray, cleared the dirty dishes from the table and left. The minute the door closed behind the woman, Ewyn asked, “What did you do with Niki‟s journal?” “Right here.” Devin retrieved the journal and climbed on the bed. Ewyn closed the distance between them and snuggled close, resting his head on Devin‟s chest. Within moments, Ewyn had dozed off. Devin had been reading for a little over a half hour when a knock on the door startled Ewyn awake. “What.” Ewyn‟s head popped up. Eyes wide, he stared at Devin. “I fell asleep, didn‟t I?” Devin leaned over and kissed the tip of his nose. “Oh yeah.” He chuckled then called out, “Come in.” Mycelia entered with Kiera in her arms. “Someone wants her goodnight kisses.” She handed Kiera to Ewyn. “Be back in a bit with her bottle.” Dressed in one-piece, pink fleece pj‟s, looking cute and cuddly, Kiera had a white bib tied around her neck and nestled beneath her chin. Ewyn held her securely under her arms with her little feet braced on his thighs. Cooing and gurgling, blowing spit bubbles and drooling, she bounced up and down then did a little two-step as if she were marching in place. Laughing, he teased, “Hey, girlfriend, where are you running off to.” He leaned forward, rubbed noses, and blew air bubbles on her stomach while making loud growling noise. She giggled and squirmed until he pulled her close and hugged her against him. Nuzzling her neck, he inhaled her sweet baby-fresh scent, kissed her smiling mouth then placed her on the bed. “I love these bedtime moments with her,” he said looking over at Devin. “And don‟t ask me why, because I can‟t explain it.” 155

M. E. Reid “Hey, I feel you.” Devin reached over and tickled Kiera‟s tummy, kissed her forehead, settled back and returned to reading the journal. “Anything of interest so far.” “Not really. Calabria wasn‟t lying about him and Nicole being like brother and sister. So far, she writes about him, Kathy, and Jen as if they were siblings. Along with Caro, the five of them spent most of their free time hanging together.” “Hmm. I still don‟t like him.” Mycelia knocked on the door, entered, and handed Ewyn the baby‟s bottle. “Call when you want me to come and get her.” “Don‟t worry about it tonight, Myce. I‟ll put her to bed,” Ewyn said. “Okay, thanks. Goodnight.” “Night,” Ewyn and Devin spoke simultaneously. Ewyn turned onto his side, and with his head resting on the pillows, he put the nipple to Kiera‟s lips and she latched on. With both hands resting on the bottle, her eyes closed. Devin glanced at her and smiled. “She‟ll have total control of holding her bottle soon, huh.” “Uh-huh. And Myce already has her sipping from one of those baby cups, preparing for her first teeth, and baby-girl biting through the nipples.” Ewyn yawned. “She‟s already chewing on them like they‟re teething toys.” “Oh…now that ought to be fun,” Devin remarked then returned to reading while keeping a watchful eye on the other two occupants of the bed. True to form, it wasn‟t long before Ewyn‟s hold became slack, both he and Kiera were asleep. Removing the bottle from Ewyn‟s hand and Kiera‟s mouth, Devin placed it on the nightstand, pulled the covers up over both of his babies, and returned his attention to the journal. At three a.m., Devin scrambled out of bed, snatched up 156

Memories Erased: Treachery his robe, and stuffed the journal into its pocket. After retrieving his phone, he walked into the solarium, grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator, and settled down at the table. He flipped open his cell and pressed #3. “Hey. What‟s up?” “Tim, I‟m bringing Ewyn and Kieki back to town, the day after tomorrow. Would you get hold of Mick and Tag? Tell them we‟re upping the timetable. How soon can they move in?” “What happened, Devin?” “I read Niki‟s journal.” Ewyn came awake with a start and sat up, disoriented, he glanced around the unfamiliar surroundings. It took a moment for him to recognize the setting and to realize Devin wasn‟t in bed, but Kiera was there, lying on her stomach, sound asleep. Easing out of bed, he slipped into his robe, carefully lifted Kiera into his arms, and carried her to the nursery. He flipped on the baby monitor and returned to his room. Hearing Devin‟s voice in the solarium, he headed that way. Devin looked up and winked when he entered the room. “Hold on, Tim. Ewyn‟s here. I‟m putting you on speaker.” “Hey, Tim.” Ewyn leaned down and kissed Devin, proceeded to the refrigerator, and grabbed a bottle of orange juice. He sat down and propped his feet on Devin‟s thighs. “So, what‟s up?” “Unless we find something definitive to indicate Cecilia is involved, for now, we can rule her out as a possible suspect,” Devin declared as he fished the journal from his pocket. Ewyn frowned. “Why?” “Are you sure?” Timothy asked. “No, I‟m not positive. But according to Niki‟s journal, she 157

M. E. Reid married someone she only refers to as he.” Devin flipped through the pages of the journal until he found the entry he wanted. “Niki wrote, Went to the party tonight and met the man of my dreams. Tall, handsome, polite…different from all the plebs I’ve met over the years. Where has he been all my life? I think I’m in love. “That was three months before this entry. Today, I let him know I’m pregnant. He insists we marry so baby will be legitimate. I refused. When I told Caro, she laughed and said I didn’t have to marry anybody to give my baby a name. She insists baby has a last name—Calderone. Have to love the Calderone arrogance, but she’s right. Who would dare repudiate a Calderone? “I can only assume she didn‟t mention the man‟s name because she didn‟t want someone to come across her journal and discover the identity of the father,” Devin remarked. “What is it Niki didn‟t want anyone to know about this man?” Ewyn asked. “My guess—he‟s from a prominent family, and neither he nor Niki wanted the families getting involved. Although, we know Niki could care less about our opinions, and rightfully so. Once she gained control of her trust fund, she had the family‟s seal of approval, and their vote of confidence in her judgment.” “True,” Ewyn stated. “There was never a doubt.” “So we‟ll assume it‟s his family they didn‟t want involved,” Devin added. “His family probably wouldn‟t be amenable to mob connections, hence the concealment.” “Damn,” Timothy exclaimed. “Kieki‟s father remains our prime suspect.” “Oh, hell yeah. Yet somehow, he changed Niki‟s mind about marrying him. So he had a lot more to gain than Cecilia,” Devin explained. “Except now, the new will negates both of them as beneficiaries. Besides, there is no mention of Cecilia in the journal,” he concluded. 158

Memories Erased: Treachery “I‟ll get right on it and see if I can find a marriage license,” Timothy said. “That‟s going to be tough,” Devin remarked. “She doesn‟t say where they were married. She noted, Realize the logic of his arguments. Wedding arranged, flight booked, flying out next week. Caro coming with me. He’s meeting us there. “So where do you start?” he asked. “I‟ll get Patterson involved. Have him check her cell phone records. Give him something to do, keep him in the loop,” Timothy said. “Niki must have been communicating with this man somehow. We can backtrack from there.” “Correct. However, there‟s an entry dated a month after she mentions the wedding. I’ve made a serious mistake. I thought he understood the marriage was only to avoid any conflict. Since we married, he thinks he owns me. Should have followed my instincts…listened to Caro. He has become belligerent and annoying because I refuse to tell him where I’m staying. Who the hell does he think he is? This is not going to work. I don’t trust him. Changed my cell number.” “I remember that.” Ewyn sighed. “She emailed the new number to me, and I never thought anything of it.” Then he added, “Even if he‟s not involved in the deaths, why hasn‟t he come forward to claim Kieki?” “Good question,” Devin responded. “Family issues or something more sinister—Niki did write she didn‟t trust him. Whatever he did or said disturbed her enough to make her revise her will, eliminating him as a beneficiary, even as Kieki‟s father. His silence gives us good reason to take precautions regarding Kieki‟s safety.” “Damn right,” Timothy asserted. “His family may consider Nicole‟s pedigree less than estimable on their social scale, so he might not want them to know about Kieki. But I doubt he would be averse to Niki‟s money. Her estate is a substantial incentive for removing any obstacles to 159

M. E. Reid inheriting.” “True,” Devin agreed. “Except he‟s not thinking clearly if he‟s involved in Niki‟s death and believes he‟ll inherit. We don‟t have proof now, but if he comes forward, we‟ll sure as hell scrutinize every aspect of his life.” “Damn it!” Ewyn exclaimed. “If he threatened her, she should have contacted me.” “Ewyn, please. Threats,” Devin scoffed. “As her father‟s daughter, what would have been her fear factor? She wouldn‟t have acknowledged the bastard as a threat. From the tone of her notes, she never considered him anything more than an annoyance. She stuck it to him by removing him from her will. Although, at one point, before she changed her number, she made this entry, He doesn’t know who he’s messing with. Caro and I talked it over. Told him to back off or I’ll have my uncles deal with him. He should consider himself lucky Daddy and Patrick aren’t available. “But get this,” he added. “Niki mentions getting an annulment in her next entry, Realize I made a serious error in judgment; need to rectify as soon as possible. Drawing up new will. Need to talk to a lawyer about annulment. Can’t use family attorney without Gem and Ewyn getting involved. Gem not well enough to handle any drama. “Unfortunately, she probably died before she had the chance to get the annulment.” “Hell,” Ewyn whispered. “Do you think Niki told him about the annulment and the accident was the result of him trying to stop her?” “Doubtful. Remember, she wrote she didn‟t trust him,” Devin remarked and paged back a few pages. “Besides, she didn‟t mention the annulment in her journal until after she changed her phone number. So unless they were emailing each other, how were they communicating? This was the week before her final entry, Talked it over with Caro—managed 160

Memories Erased: Treachery to get appointment with an attorney. Filing papers for annulment. “Entry dated the day before she died, Going to Pepperdine to have Jen and Kath witness the wills. Caro concerned about me traveling so far, so close to term.” Devin looked at Ewyn. “Is there a computer here? I didn‟t notice one in Greg‟s office.” “No, Greg came here to get away from everything, but he always had his laptop with him, just in case. Niki and Caro might have done the same.” “No, because theirs would still be here.” “Oh…right. As far as we know, they were returning here after taking care of business.” Ewyn sighed. “Damn. Another dead end.” “Not necessarily,” Timothy stated. “Keep in mind, all of this is conjecture on our parts.” “Their laptops and computers should be with the stuff in storage on the estate.” Devin took a drink of water before continuing. “Tim, have someone pull Niki‟s laptop out of storage and Ewyn will check it out when we return to town.” He looked at Ewyn who nodded. “There may be some mention of this mystery man before she came out here.” “Will do,” Timothy replied. “I need to reread the journal.” Ewyn asked, “How will that help?” “I‟m not sure, but I could be missing something.” Devin stared at the journal. “Think about it. So far, we‟ve been basing our assumptions on information we received from Patterson, the roommates, and friends, which is no more than hearsay, rumor, and innuendo.” “Whereas, the journal tells us her friends didn‟t know everything,” Timothy stated. “Exactly,” Devin said. “Everybody who knew Niki thinks Kieki‟s father attended school back East because it‟s what 161

M. E. Reid Niki wanted them to know. Her journal doesn‟t confirm or contradict any of the hearsay.” “Bringing us back to how she and the husband were communicating with each other,” Ewyn interposed. “Yes. Was he flying back and forth? Is he out of school, staying with his family in Riverview—again hearsay. Or, has he been in California all along, attending Pepperdine?” “All good points,” Timothy said. “Because, in the scheme of things, the only thing we have proof of is the man‟s ethnicity, the one thing everyone had right. I‟d like to have a look at her journal, too. Once I contact Patterson, we‟ll have to turn the original over to him.” “No doubt. I‟ll take care of it,” Devin said. “You know Patterson will probably want to go out to Big Bear, since you found crucial evidence there,” Timothy pointed out. “Hell,” Ewyn growled. Devin leaned over and tugged Ewyn from his chair and onto his lap. “Fine. Tell him we‟re leaving the day after tomorrow, so he needs to get here before we leave, if he wants to look around. The staff won‟t give him access once we‟re gone.” He kissed Ewyn‟s mouth. “Of course, he could be stupid enough to play the search warrant card, and he shouldn‟t go there with us.” “I‟ll make that clear to him.” Timothy chuckled. “But if he persists, I‟ll have MacGregor tie his ass up with jurisdictional BS for months,” he said. “I‟m going to make a few calls. I‟ll touch base with the two of you when you get back to town.” “Thanks, Tim.” Devin closed his cell and wrapped his arms around Ewyn, pulling baby-boy against him. “Damn, Dev, this is deep. Niki married the bastard.” Ewyn sighed. “I can‟t think any more, I‟m going to bed.” He stood, gathered up the empty bottles, and tossed them in the 162

Memories Erased: Treachery trash bin on his way out of the solarium. Devin turned out the lights and followed. Ewyn climbed into bed and as soon as Devin slipped in beside him, he snuggled up, spooning his body to Devin‟s frame. “I don‟t understand.” He yawned. “If the man was trying to do the right thing, and Niki married him, then why change her will.” “After they married, the man‟s attitude disturbed her. Another entry in her journal noted he asked too many questions about the family business, he wanted details of her trust fund set up, and about her inheritance.” Devin‟s arms wrapped around the lithe body. “Consider her roots. Questions about family business, not acceptable, and it would have made Niki suspicious. More to the point, if he claimed he married her solely for the benefit of Kiera‟s legitimacy, why all the questions. None of the personal stuff should have mattered. Maybe she had him investigated.” “Naw. If she had, where is the information?” Ewyn shook his head. “Nothing in her personal papers. So, unless we find it on her computer…” “Again, conjecture on my part,” Devin said. “If her husband is involved in the deaths, I have to wonder if the deaths were premeditated. Did he marry Niki intending to kill her?” “Right.” Devin moved his hands down along the warm chest and abs, easing them beneath the waistband of Ewyn‟s pajamas. His fingers trailed through spirals of curly shorthairs, hands settling around Ewyn‟s cock. Fingertips stroking balls and perineum, teasing the tight asshole, the flaccid cock came alive in his hands. Both relaxed with sighs. “We‟ll sort it out.” He kissed Ewyn‟s neck and closed his eyes. “I‟m beat. We‟ll go over everything again when we get up.” 163

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Chapter 13

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utside the windows, beyond the craggy outline of the mountainside, fingers of sunlight teased the hovering shroud of darkness. Ewyn lay listening to the slow even breathing of the man beside him while he watched the dawn encroach on what was left of the night. Sighing, he turned over, snuggled up to Devin‟s side, and eased his leg over one muscular thigh. “Dev, are you awake?” “Sure thing. Been dozing on and off.” Devin ran his hand down Ewyn‟s back and eased the pajamas down over his ass. “What‟s bothering you?” “What do you think happened to Niki‟s copy of the marriage license?” “Unless she stashed it somewhere other than with her personal papers, I‟m assuming it was taken from her dorm along with the copies of her will.” “Yeah, my thoughts exactly,” Ewyn remarked. “So we need to go through all of her things when we get back.” He nibbled his bottom lip for a few seconds, then, “Are you sure we can rule out CeCe?” “No. I‟m basing my conclusions solely on the lack of Cecilia‟s name in the journal.” Devin removed his pj‟s then hauled Ewyn on top of him, his cock coming to life when baby-boy‟s warm supple body and hard cock pressed against him. His fingers slid along the 164

Memories Erased: Treachery crease of the little butt, smiling when Ewyn reflexively clenched the cheeks. “For now, our main focus is Kieki‟s father. Unless we discover proof Cecilia is alive, I don‟t want her to become a distraction. Remember last time, we focused on Varvarinski, and we know how that ended.” With his hands stacked on Devin‟s chest and his chin resting on top of them, Ewyn stared into sleepy amber eyes. “Maybe Niki didn‟t recognize her,” he suggested. “Uh…a strange woman in the car. I don‟t think so. Neither Niki or Caro would have let a stranger drive the car.” “The person had a gun.” “True, but the girls probably didn‟t know until it was too late. Niki was in labor, Caro let the perp drive, got into the back seat. They must have known the perp. From the angle of the bullet, Caro was on the passenger side probably trying to comfort Niki,” Devin reminded him. “Oh yeah, right. Sorry. Forgot about that.” “Hey, it‟s okay. I can understand your trepidation concerning your sister-in-law,” Devin assured him. “After everything she put you and your family through, and now, with Kieki‟s safety on the line, I agree we can‟t take anything for granted.” “Dev, if she‟s involved in this and she goes after our baby-girl, I swear I‟ll kill her this time.” “Baby, you are preaching to the choir. But what I keep coming back to is the confusion of the wills.” “What do you mean by confusion?” “Well, who would take them? Only someone who would benefit from the old will, right?” “Yeah…” “CeCe or a spouse, correct.” “Oh. I see where you‟re going,” Ewyn exclaimed. “So 165

M. E. Reid how does Kieki‟s father come into it unless…” He paused, brow furrowing. “I don‟t get it.” “Neither do I, hence, my confusion. Kieki‟s father may have known he had to marry Niki to become a beneficiary, according to the original will. However, he‟d have to be in California to know about the revisions, and to take them from the dorm. Niki wouldn‟t have given up that information.” “Bringing us back to the where, and the how of their communications, if he‟s involved.” “Precisely,” Devin said. “Furthermore, if CeCe were involved, how would she have known about the revisions or have gained access to Niki‟s dorm to find them?” “Damn.” Ewyn shook his head. “Could Kieki‟s father have someone on campus helping him? Maybe the friend who introduced him to Niki.” “If so, it would have to be someone Kathleen, Jennifer, or Calabria knew, and they would have told you. It‟s only rumor someone introduced them. It could have been a chance encounter.” “Yeah, and you‟re right about Kath and Jen, but I wouldn‟t trust anything Calabria says.” Ewyn scowled. “Besides, he‟s such a fuckin‟ bigot, I doubt he has any Black friends, much less one close enough he‟d become an accomplice to murder for him,” he stated. “I need to read the journal. Might be something in there you‟ve overlooked or didn‟t understand.” “Not a problem. When we get out of bed, we‟ll take Kieki for an outing into town. While we‟re there, I‟ll make a few copies of the journal so Patterson can have the original. You can check the post office to see if Niki or Caro opened post office boxes in their names.” Ewyn glanced over at the clock—six o‟clock. “Kieki should be having breakfast right now, then playtime and a 166

Memories Erased: Treachery nap.” Eyebrow arched, he stared down at Devin. “You know, if we hurry, we can get busy, shower, have breakfast, and be ready to go when Kieki wakes from her nap.” “Hmm. I don‟t know about hurrying. I believe I won the challenge yesterday.” Devin rolled pinning Ewyn beneath him. “Maybe we can forego breakfast, take our time, and christen the bidet.” “Oh yeah.” Ewyn ran his fingers through the soft blond waves, pulling Devin‟s head downward until their mouths were a whisper apart. “Except, we‟re parents now,” he added. “If we‟ve learned anything—our baby-girl is unpredictable, which means daytime is not sexually productive time.” He leaned forward and took custody of Devin‟s receptive mouth for a moment, then sighed and leaned away. “Any in-depth amorous pursuits have to wait until nighttime, or when Kieki isn‟t with us.” Devin groaned, rolled off Ewyn, and sat up. “She has us completely whipped.” “You‟ve got that right, and we wouldn‟t have it any other way.” Laughing, Ewyn scooted off the bed and moseyed toward the bathroom. “So, I guess we do a quickie—Dev!” he squeaked when strong arms lifted him off the floor. “Shit! For such a big man, you really have that stealth thing going on.” “Necessity of the job.” Devin laughed and nuzzled Ewyn‟s neck as he stepped into the shower. “Mmm. Let‟s get this party started and I‟ll demonstrate another of my signature moves.” Devin‟s cell rang just as he finished dressing. He flipped it open, noting the caller ID and the time as he pressed the speaker button. “Patterson. You didn‟t waste any time.” “If it‟s okay, I can be there within two hours, depending on traffic.” 167

M. E. Reid “See you then,” Devin replied and closed his phone. He turned to Ewyn. “Let‟s go get our baby-girl.” “Papoose or stroller?” “Papoose,” Devin replied, referring to the baby sling. “I‟ll carry her.” “You know, I‟m feeling hungry. We should stop for brunch.” “Why not. Suddenly, I‟m hungry, too.” Devin stared into green eyes sparkling with mischief. “I did work up an appetite.” He bent and kissed the soft lips. “I‟ll let the staff know to expect Patterson.” Ewyn grinned. “I‟m sure he won‟t mind waiting until we get back.” Devin pulled up to the estate, pressed the code numbers, then glanced over at Ewyn while he waited for the gates to open. “I promise we‟ll take a real vacation once we resolve this.” “Hey. Don‟t sweat it. With the possibility of Kieki‟s life being on the line, vacations can wait.” Devin drove up the driveway to the front door, unlatched the doors, climbed out of the SUV, and handed his keys to Martin. “Have Mick and Tag arrived?” “Yes, sir, they‟re with Miss Gemma and Detective Patterson. Mister Timothy called, said he was on his way.” Ewyn laughed. “I wonder if Patterson is still pissed.” “Who cares?” Devin snorted. “If he wants to play in the big leagues, he‟d better get over himself. Of course, he wouldn‟t have had to wait three hours, if someone hadn‟t gone shopping, as if Kieki needed more things.” “Hey! I recall you purchased a few outfits and toys for her, too,” Ewyn said as he stepped out of the truck. He helped Mycelia by taking Kiera from her arms. “And that reminds me—Myce, did the staff pack the storage chest we 168

Memories Erased: Treachery found in Niki‟s closet?” “Yes, but I couldn‟t go through it.” “No problem, I‟ll do it. Kieki may be able to use some of the stuff. At the least, it will make a nice toy chest and heirloom for her.” Turning to the chauffer. “Thanks, Martin. You can put the Escalade in the garage after it‟s unloaded.” Martin nodded and moved to the back of the vehicle. Ewyn looked at Kiera and scrunched up his nose. “Phew…Kieki, somebody made stinky.” She giggled and bounced in his arms. He kissed her grinning mouth and handed her back to Mycelia. “I think a change will help,” he stated and followed them into the house. “Oh yeah.” Mycelia chuckled. “A change, a bath and food, then down for a nap. She remained awake the entire trip,” she said moving toward the elevator. “Since you‟re still on vacation, will you be taking her with you when you leave?” “No,” Devin responded. “We‟re going to finish off our vacation with the contractor coming in to remodel. Most of the time, we‟ll be here during construction. Would you have the staff put our stuff in Ewyn‟s room?” She nodded. “Sure thing.” Mycelia stepped into the elevator, while Devin and Ewyn headed up the stairs. Mick greeted them at Gemma‟s door. “Damn, man.” He looked at Devin. “Don‟t you know the definition of relaxation?” He shook hands. “Remind me to never take a vacation with the two of you.” “Tell me about it,” Devin countered as he headed across the room. He joined Gemma on the sofa, gave her a hug, and kissed her cheek. “How are you holding up?” “To be honest, Dev, and this may sound macabre, I haven‟t been this alive for quite some time. Sans the possible threat to Ewyn and Kiera, I‟m enjoying myself, I like being involved, and I‟m really getting into this detecting stuff.” 169

M. E. Reid She patted his hand. “Ewyn‟s dad let me sit in on his business discussions, on occasion. Oh, I knew it wasn‟t a socially acceptable form of commerce, especially for a young lady, but it was my heritage.” She laughed and looked at Detective Patterson. “I loved my big brother, and I was proud of him, regardless.” Grinning, Ewyn came over and gave her a hug. “Calderone to the bone.” He kissed her cheek then turned to Patterson. “Did you get anything out of the journal?” “It was interesting, to say the least, but I came to the same conclusions as the rest of you,” Patterson told him. “The husband is the prime suspect.” Ewyn nodded and turned to Taggart. “I‟m going to help get Kieki settled, want to join me? Dev and Mick can fill us in later.” Taggart followed Ewyn to the door. “Don‟t have to ask me twice.” Ewyn and Taggart encountered Timothy on his way into the apartment as they left. “The gang is all here,” Ewyn joked as they passed. “We‟ll catch up later.” Devin vacated the seat next to Gemma, greeted Timothy who took his place on the sofa, then he went to the sideboard to get a bottle of water. He made himself comfortable in the chair next to Mick and asked the detective what he had discovered. Patterson told him what he knew regarding the blood, the fingerprints, and the gun found at the scene of the accident. It led nowhere, but he did canvass the Big Bear area and found the obstetrician Nicole had consulted. “She used an alias—Alanna Kelley. Told the doctor she was visiting friends in the area, gave her address as a post office box, and said she would only be there for the summer,” Patterson reported. “Not unusual since the estates in the area only use post office boxes. The doctor‟s staff 170

Memories Erased: Treachery didn‟t push it since it‟s a resort, and they get quite a few transient patients. “At her last visit, the week before she died, she told him she was going home. That‟s the reason he didn‟t send out a query. She took copies of her pregnancy history with her.” Devin asked, “Were you able to get copies?” “Yeah, but she listed the father as unknown.” “Damn. You said she used an alias. Don‟t they require I-D for health insurance purposes?” “She paid cash. However, get this—she had a bogus driver‟s license for Alanna Kelly with a bogus address in San Mateo.” Patterson shook his head. “Smart woman,” he mumbled and looked around at the assembled company. “No offense, but she‟d have to know the right people to arrange that, planned out in advance to the smallest details.” No one responded, so he continued. “It completely floored the doctor to find out Nicole had died. Said he read an account of the accident in the newspaper, but he didn‟t connect it to Nicole.” “I don‟t understand,” Gemma remarked. “Where was she planning to have the baby?” “Saint Bernadine‟s,” Devin replied. “They wouldn‟t have turned her away. It had to be Nicole‟s destination when the car crashed, considering the location of the accident. She was coming home, so to speak.” “Makes sense.” Gemma sighed. “Explains why they were on that highway.” The group spent a few hours reviewing the information at their disposal without resolving anything. Discussions turned to the individual areas of investigation each would pursue. After coordinating their schedules, they agreed to meet once a month to discuss any progress. “So we won‟t be spinning our wheels, duplicating efforts,” Devin stated. “If anyone discovers something in the interim, contact 171

M. E. Reid Mick. He‟ll touch base with the rest of us.” Devin turned to Patterson. “Tag and I will have to forego a few of these sessions when duty calls. Mick will keep us in the loop.” “Not a problem,” Patterson responded. “Will you need help with surveillance and protection for your baby-girl, or Mister Kelley?” “No, thanks,” Devin replied. “We have it covered.” “Okay.” Patterson headed toward the door. “I‟ll be in touch.” The door closed behind the detective and Devin turned to Mick. “Carlos will begin construction on the condo, day after tomorrow.” “Yeah. Tag and I talked it over and we‟re good to go.” Mick went to the sideboard to refresh his coffee. “We‟ll move in tomorrow. With you and Ewyn spending most of your time over here, we‟ll monitor the construction, and keep an eye on the place.” “Are you sure? I‟ll be in and out, in case there are any problems with the changes.” “Yeah, it‟s all good. I want to check out the lay of the land, so to speak. See what kind of surveillance we‟ll need, and where. Get it set up and integrated into the construction plans.” Mick returned to his seat. “I want entry to the penthouse limited to key lock access installed in the elevator, and the stairwell doors alarmed. We‟ll also check out the neighborhood.” “Good deal. Timothy and I will want in on the surveillance set up.” Mick nodded. “Sure thing, and while Tag isn‟t here, I want to fill you in on how we met. It involves Tag‟s baby sister, and why he feels so connected to Kieki.” ****

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Memories Erased: Treachery Hell. What‟s with all the activity? Slouching down in the seat and peering through the windows—too many people. They could be watching me. Damn. Things are getting too risky here. Surveillance is no longer viable. I bet it‟s Ewyn‟s partner. With the botched hit on Ewyn, then Gregorio disappearing, more than likely, they‟re suspicious of everything. Hell. Didn‟t consider that. I wonder if they‟re investigating the deaths. Nothing in the news, and with Nicole‟s father out of the picture, this should have been easy. I can‟t think, and I didn‟t take the pills again. My head is going to explode. I hate that bitch! Even dead, because of her brat, Nicole did it to me again. Well, I‟m not giving up. She owes me, after everything I‟ve done for her. I can bide my time, let things calm down, and wait for them to drop their guard. It‟s going to take a while for me to get what I need set up on my end anyway. Need a passport, have to find a safe house out of the country, make travel arrangements. By the time it‟s done, the kid will be walking and getting out more, off the estate, which should open up a wide range of options for getting close to her. It‟ll be worth the wait. **** Devin sat on the sofa in Gregorio‟s office. With his arm draped across Ewyn‟s shoulders, he looked around at the assembled company. For the last six months, Devin, Ewyn, and Timothy had met with Patterson, Mick, Tag, and even MacGregor sat in on some of their sessions. With so much law enforcement and its associated resources, they had nothing. They weren‟t able to get a lead on Kiera‟s father and they 173

M. E. Reid couldn‟t find a marriage license. They had checked the states with the most popular marriage spots within the contiguous forty-eight, Hawaii, and the Caribbean islands, and nothing. There were registrations for quite a few Nicole Calderones, but without the mystery man‟s last name, it was a wash. The collective consensus was Nicole had married somewhere in Europe. Nicole‟s phone records indicated she called only known friends, and their one potential lead came from Timothy‟s Italian connections. It was iffy. In the town bordering the monastery where Cecilia purportedly died, Timothy‟s sources heard rumors about survivors of the earthquake‟s devastation. Two years had passed however and memories were sketchy. Some of the townspeople thought the survivors were nuns. Others said they were transients the nuns had taken in. “Again, we‟re working with hearsay,” Timothy said. “The only thing the townspeople agreed on—two people survived the monastery destruction, and the survivors were brought to the hospital in the town.” Devin picked up the threads of conversation. “Our sources encountered problems tracking that lead because the town had suffered quite a bit of damage, too. During the chaos, recordkeeping wasn‟t at its best. Our people are still running down leads,” he stated and felt Ewyn tense beside him. “So there‟s a possibility CeCe is a threat,” Ewyn grumbled. “Hey. Let‟s not anticipate. CeCe being alive is a long shot.” “Ewyn, even if she‟s alive, she has no power here,” Timothy commented. “Your family despises Cecilia more than you do. The cousins won‟t come to her aid because Vince loved your mom as if she were his own. The other syndicate families won‟t help her either, for fear of 174

Memories Erased: Treachery antagonizing your cousin.” “That‟s true,” Ewyn agreed. “But what if no one recognizes her? If she had reconstructive—” Devin cut him off. “I thought we settled the issue of Cecilia.” “Without proof, I don‟t think it will ever be settled, Devin. Not for me. I‟ll never stop looking over my shoulder,” Ewyn declared, an edge of impatience creeping into his voice. “Just for a moment, let‟s reverse your theory about not concentrating on CeCe for fear of someone else coming out of nowhere and biting us in the ass.” He looked around the assembled company. “What if CeCe comes out of nowhere, because we‟ve relegated her to non-threatening?” “You‟re right.” Devin reached over and massaged the tense muscles in the slender neck. “We won‟t let her slip through the cracks, but you have to agree, she has no power here. Greg saw to that. Besides, she has nothing to gain in this situation without eliminating you, Kieki, Kieki‟s father, and most of the people in this room,” Devin reminded him. “It‟s a long shot without contacts, especially if she changed her look.” “Ewyn.” Taggart drew his attention. “Do you honestly believe she could arrange a hit without your cousins getting wind of it? Someone trying to put a hit on a Calderone, as Devin said, even disguised would draw attention. There are channels you have to go through. What your cousins don‟t control, every agency in this room does.” “Okay! You‟re all right. I‟ll try not to get so hyper every time Cecilia‟s name comes up.” Everybody laughed, even Detective Patterson, who knew enough about Ewyn to recognize the absurdity of his statement. Still smiling, Devin said, “I realize none of us can continue to spend as much time on this as we have. 175

M. E. Reid However, if we‟re all agreed, we‟ll do what we can in our spare time and meet here next month, if we have anything new to report.” Everyone nodded and the group moved to the dining room for dinner. **** “Hey. Checking in.” “How‟s the trip?” “A lot on my mind. So, what‟s the word?” “Cops say Carolyn was shot. They found the gun in the car.” “Damn. What are they doing about it?” “Setting up round-the-clock protection for baby and uncle, and trying to locate the child‟s father.” “Hmm. They suspect he‟s the killer.” “Yeah.” “I‟ll be out of the country for a while. You know what to do. I‟ll check in when I can.” “Right.” Six months later Ewyn turned over and smiled. Alerted by the rustling of Kiera‟s disposable diaper, and the scraping sound on the carpet made by the pads on the feet of her pajamas, he waited in anticipation. He always woke before her, and then he‟d hold his breath while he lay listening for her to climb safely out of her crib. Hell. He‟d never forget when, at ten months old, she had managed to scramble over the crib rail, scaring him shitless. Although she landed safely on her little padded butt, since then, his fear of her falling headfirst over the rail, prompted him to leave the crib rail lowered. After his initial scare, he 176

Memories Erased: Treachery had wanted to rush out and purchase one of those youth beds with the half-rail, but the voice of reason talked him out of it. Devin convinced him Kiera was too young, still slept wildly all over the crib, and might fall out of bed while asleep, injuring herself more than if she were awake. Ewyn had conceded and agreed to wait until she turned, at minimum, three years old before buying the bed. At eighteen months, Kiera had honed walking to a fine science. With the crib rail lowered, she climbed in and out of bed with ease, thereby reducing his anxiety, while not diminishing it completely. Ewyn heard the soft giggle and felt the jerk on the covers as his little bundle of energy scaled the side of the bed. Lips compressed to keep from smiling at the picture conjured up by that image, he kept his eyes closed, pretending to be asleep, so he wouldn‟t ruin her fun. It had become their regular routine, her climbing out of her crib, and waddling down the hallway connecting her room with the master bedroom. She‟d scramble up on the bed and pounce on him. He‟d yell, act surprised then tickle her until they were both breathless from laughter. If Devin were home, Kiera would tackle Devin, try to tickle him, and he would laugh and squirm, begging her to stop, letting baby-girl think she had control. At times, Devin would hide and take pictures of Ewyn and Kieki romping together. “Gotcha, Ew,” she squealed and pounced on him. Once their laughter died away, she looked around. “Daddy gone, Ew.” “Yeah, baby.” Kiera continued to surprise and impress Ewyn on a daily basis. Her speech skills, quite developed for an eighteenmonth old, were the product of the family structure, according to her pediatrician. Up to this point in her life, 177

M. E. Reid Kiera interacted solely with adults and mimicked their speech patterns and mostly their repetitive phrases. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she whispered against his ear, “Eat…Ew.” She kissed his mouth, and rolled to the end of the bed. With her little feet dangling off its edge, she grabbed the sheet in her tiny fists and repelled down the side. Giggling, she darted for the door, shouting, “Exs…mulk, Ew.” Okay. Some of her words might need explaining to outsiders, but he knew she meant eggs and milk. Laughing, he jumped out of bed, grabbed his robe, and hurried to catch up with the little munchkin scooting through the doorway. Just as he entered the living room, Kiera screamed, “Daddy!” Strong hands reached out from the foyer and scooped up his jumping, giggling bundle of energy, seconds before Devin came into full view. “Hey, baby-girl.” Devin placed a loud smacking kiss on her smiling mouth. “Am I in time for breakfast?” He looked over at Ewyn. “Brefas,” Kiera repeated and shoved on Devin‟s chest. “Down, daddy. Now!” “Hey.” He lifted her up and blew air bubbles on her tummy. She laughed, pushed at his hands, and he set her on the floor. “So bossy, this early in the morning. Spending too much time alone with Ew, huh.” Devin grinned at Ewyn, pulled him close, and gave him a quick kiss. Ewyn felt a tug on his robe and looked down at Kiera, who glared up at him. Hands on her hips, she demanded, “Brefas, Ew.” “Hungry, huh?” Devin tapped the tip of her nose. “I‟ll join the two of you, after I take a shower. Is that okay with you, Kieki?” Kiera pushed at Devin‟s legs. “Go.” Headed for the kitchen, she stopped on the threshold and looked back over 178

Memories Erased: Treachery her shoulder. “Eat, Ew.” She had the audacity to sigh and roll her eyes before proceeding on her way. “How long have I been gone?” Eyes glinting with pleasure, Devin smiled at Ewyn. “Our little girl is developing skills,” he teased. “Oh yeah. You just don‟t know.” Ewyn shook his head. “Besides your smoothie, do you want anything special for breakfast?” “An omelet will work.” Devin gave Ewyn another quick kiss and strolled toward the bedroom, shucking out of his clothes as he went. Devin entered the kitchen as Ewyn put his smoothie on the table and Kiera‟s sippy cup on her high chair tray. He smiled at Kiera, who was tucking into her scrambled eggs, and he waited until Ewyn had settled down with his own meal before he started eating. “How‟s it been going?” He picked up his smoothie and took several gulps before reaching for the newspaper. Pulling out the sports section, he laid it beside his plate and set the rest of the paper aside. “Kieki had a checkup the other day. She‟s as healthy as ever.” Ewyn picked up his coffee and took a few tentative sips. “Oh yeah. Kieki and I attended Jen and Kath‟s graduation.” “Hmm. I thought Kathleen was younger,” Devin said. “That‟s because she was Caro‟s roommate. But Niki, Jen, and Kath were the same age, in the same year,” Ewyn explained. “And, by the way, the gifts I gave them were from the entire family.” Devin grinned. “Oh. What did I give them?” “In appreciation of their caring friendship to Niki and Caro over the years, the Calderone family, and their significant others, gave each young lady ten thousand dollars in savings bonds. I‟m sure those will serve them best 179

M. E. Reid for starting out in new careers.” “Good deal. What did you give Calabria?” He ignored Devin‟s question. “I told Jen and Kath to contact us if they ever need anything.” “Calabria didn‟t get so much as a handshake and a smile, huh.” Devin held up his hands in mock surrender when Ewyn glared at him, and he changed the subject. “No news from the group.” “Nothing. We‟re spinning our wheels. Mick and Gem work on it full time, the rest of us have other commitments. Are we overreacting?” Devin frowned. “About what…Kieki‟s safety?” He shook his head. “Doubtful. Until we find her father, or whoever is responsible for Nicole‟s death, Kieki will have a safety net around her for as long as it takes.” “It‟s been almost two years, why hasn‟t anyone made a move?” “For the kind of money involved, people can do patience for a long time. Trust me. There is someone out there waiting for us to drop our guard,” Devin retorted. “You do recall how that works, right?” “Yeah. I remember all too well.” “I‟ll call Tim after breakfast and let him know I‟m back,” Devin said. “Is Tag in town?” “Yeah. He took Kieki to the park yesterday.” “Good. I‟ll ask Tim to call Patterson. Maybe we can get together today or tomorrow and light a fire under the investigation, come up with some fresh ideas. We‟re overlooking something.” “Like what?” Devin shrugged. “Something about the husband, Kieki‟s father, some elusive memory—I don‟t know.” “I hear you. My first talk with Patterson left me with the feeling everything he told me was just smoke, concealing 180

Memories Erased: Treachery some truth I couldn‟t put my finger on.” “We should go over the journal again.”

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Chapter 14

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iera climbed onto her old high chair. Devin had removed the tray so she could sit at the table with the adults like a big girl. Once she settled, her busy hands knocked over her cup, spilling orange juice on the table. “Chit, Dev…Kieki‟s juice spill,” she grumbled, her tone a good imitation of an irritated Ewyn. Devin lowered his paper and looked over at baby-girl who glared back at him. With her bottom lip puffed out, her little brow knitted, and her eyes sparkling with temper, she was so Ewyn‟s double. Eyebrow-arched, he glanced over her head and stared at Ewyn, who stood poised in the middle of the kitchen with the proverbial caught-in-the-headlights look. Devin moved to the sink to retrieve the dishcloth, giving Ewyn the I-toldyou-so stare as he passed. “What!” Ewyn snapped. Not bothering to respond, Devin proceeded to clean up the mess. It wasn‟t much because she knocked over her old sippy cup and they never filled it over halfway. A few days shy of three years old, Kiera insisted on using her baby cup, just because it was hers. Ewyn sighed, walked over to the table, and stood next to Kiera. He brushed a stray curl from her forehead and said, “Baby-girl, I‟ve told you not to say those words.” Tears welled up in those big gray eyes and she slid from 182

Memories Erased: Treachery her chair. With her little hands balled into fists and resting on her hips, she fixed Ewyn with a defiant stare. “No, Ew…” She stamped her little foot. “You say!” “I know, but I‟m wrong, Kieki. Okay?” “No!” Kiera scooted around Ewyn and launched herself at Devin, who scooped her up onto his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered against his ear, “Daddy, Ew yelled.” Devin did his damnedest not to laugh at the shocked expression on Ewyn‟s face. “Yes, Kieki, I know, but Ew is right. You shouldn‟t use those words. They‟re not nice.” He and Ewyn discussed cussing in front of Kiera, on a regular basis. Devin had trimmed his cussing to nil in her presence, but for Ewyn, cussing was reflexive, and too much a part of his personality. Yet Devin had to give baby-boy props for toning it down quite a bit, but he expected Ewyn‟s occasional lapse. They hadn‟t counted on Kiera‟s overuse of the word no, which she used like a cuss word. The pediatrician categorized it as a phase, one she‟d grow out of soon. Devin had his doubts. Baby-girl seemed to relish using the word, enjoying the affect it had on the adults. Kiera sat back in Devin‟s arms. With her small legs still encased in her footy pajamas, she toyed with the padded feet and kept peeking up at Devin through her thick coal-black lashes. Brow wrinkled as if giving his words serious consideration…he knew better. Suddenly, she grinned and winked. Devin hooted. Oh yeah, baby-girl was good. Now, for days, Ewyn would worry about having hurt her feelings. Hell. Kiera was as tough as nails, but Ewyn refused to see it. He continued to pamper her and treat her like a delicate little princess. Devin had asked Ewyn to stop doing to Kiera what his family had 183

M. E. Reid done to him. To balance out Ewyn‟s over-protective tendencies, Devin and Taggart took Kiera out whenever they could. They let her run free, roughhouse, and get as dirty as she wanted. Devin had had to insist Ewyn buy her the appropriate clothing—jeans, tennis shoes, sandals, shorts—casual and sporty clothes. If he had left dressing Kiera solely to Ewyn‟s discretion, Kiera would be wearing velvet dresses with ruffles, patent leather Mary Jane shoes, and little anklet socks with lace trim. The picture of Kiera dressed that way still made Devin cringe. Ewyn was so over the top with anything concerning Kiera, even Gemma had to step in and tell him to back off. Devin would never forget the first time Kiera fell down and skinned her knee. Able to walk on her own, Ewyn had taken her to the park, damn it! What happened remained indelibly imprinted in Devin‟s mind because it scared the holy hell out of him. In a meeting all that morning, when he had a chance, he checked his cell phone, because it vibrated during the entire meeting. Five voicemails and six text messages, all prefaced with 9-1-1, and he had found two handwritten messages on his desk. All the messages read—Kieki fell, bleeding won’t stop—hospital, Ewyn. Heart thundering, Devin rushed to Saint Bernadine‟s and found Kiera calmly sitting at the nurses‟ station amusing the personnel on duty. Poised on the counter with the stem of a lollipop protruding from the corner of her mouth, she chattered non-stop in her baby gibberish. Basking in all the attention, she brandished a small, cartoon character BandAid on her knee like a badge of honor. Satisfied Kiera wasn‟t in eminent danger, Devin went looking for Ewyn. Hospital personnel were still trying to calm him down. The trauma resident on duty had been 184

Memories Erased: Treachery effusively grateful when Devin took Ewyn in hand. Devin never let Ewyn live the incident down and often used it as an example whenever Ewyn became overbearing with his concern for Kiera‟s welfare. Hell. If Ewyn knew Devin and Taggart were teaching Kiera self-defense tactics, Ewyn would need sedating. Devin didn‟t think it too early to prepare Kiera for the realities of life, since her mother‟s death remained unresolved. That day at the hospital also redefined how much babygirl meant to Devin. Before she came into his life, the love he and Ewyn shared, from the moment they met, had satisfied both. But baby-girl‟s invasion, and Ewyn‟s single-minded devotion to her, worried Devin. At times, he felt left out, until he realized nothing had changed. Ewyn‟s affection for Kiera took nothing away from what he and Ewyn shared. In fact, Kiera‟s arrival forced them to recognize they were capable of sharing their love with another person without diminishing its strength. Devin stood and put Kiera back on her highchair. “Be good, Kieki. Ew has breakfast ready. I‟ll get more juice.” He smiled at Ewyn, who had his wounded-worried expression on, and he winked at Kiera, who giggled and started eating, head bobbing to her own imaginary beat. With her soft, crinkly hair parted down the middle and pulled up into two ponytail puffs, the little spirals jiggled and bounced with her every move. Always a happy child, even as an infant, she didn‟t stay irritated for more than a moment or two. An independent little person, Kiera had adjusted to an environment of two fathers and an assortment of caretakers quite easily. Besides Gemma and Timothy, she had Mick and Taggart hovering over her as if she was their own, and she called them Uncle. All of the Calderone staff treated her like royalty and guarded her with loyal determination. She 185

M. E. Reid played well with the children on the estate, but she didn‟t take crap from any of them, which resulted in a few physical skirmishes. Proudly showing off what she called her boo-boos, she enjoyed regaling Devin and Ewyn with her account of what happened. She never blamed the other children and never held a grudge. Her ability to take care of herself had Devin convinced, he and Taggart were right to begin her instructions in self-defense. Conversely, Ewyn‟s reaction to Kiera‟s first fight had been off the charts. He had wanted to fire anyone on the estate who had children. Gemma resolved the issue by reminding him of his, Nicole, and Carolyn‟s exploits with estate children. Ewyn had been the holy terror. “Considering the isolation of the Calderone children, how else can they learn the realities of life in the outside world,” Gemma had pointed out. Devin continued watching Kiera while she ate. She was a feminine little person, and with age, her ethnic heritage became more obvious. Damn, if she didn‟t remind him of someone, but that didn‟t make sense. He wasn‟t familiar with any of Nicole‟s circle. “How come you‟re Daddy, and I‟m Ew?” Ewyn‟s voice sliced into Devin‟s thoughts, and he looked from Kiera to Ewyn, who glared and sat down next to Kiera. “Well,” Ewyn snapped. Kiera stopped eating and looked at Ewyn. A warm smile lit up her little heart-shaped face as she reached over and patted Ewyn‟s cheek. “Sorry, Ew.” She giggled, resumed eating and humming, while Ewyn‟s disgruntled expression morphed into one of incredulity. Teeth gripping the inside of his bottom lip, Devin managed to keep a straight face when he noticed the smears of egg and butter from Kiera‟s fingers trailing along Ewyn‟s cheek. 186

Memories Erased: Treachery Ewyn sighed. “What?” Devin picked up his napkin. “I have no idea why she calls me Daddy. Sometimes she calls me Dev.” He reached over and wiped the little finger smudges from Ewyn‟s face then kissed the pouty mouth. Kiera‟s tinkling laughter rang out and she extended her arms toward Ewyn. “Me, too. Kisses, Ew.” Devin couldn‟t control his laughter any longer. Devin lay on his side, stretched out across the bottom of the bed, watching Fugitive Strike Force until Ewyn moseyed into the room. Effectively distracted, his eyes followed Ewyn as he crossed in front of the television, approached the bed, and climb on. Crawling across Devin, Ewyn wriggled and squirmed until he had his body spooned to Devin‟s, then he snuggled close. Devin draped his arm across Ewyn‟s shoulder, nuzzled the slim neck, and whispered, “That was quick.” “She fell asleep as soon as I tucked her in. Didn‟t even ask for a story.” “Hmm. Tag must have worn her little butt out when he took her to the park.” Ewyn wiggled around to face him. “You know Tuesday is her third birthday. What are we going to do for her this year?” “Well, if you take the time off, I thought we‟d spend the day with her, take her out to lunch, then an hour or two at Pharaoh‟s Theme Park. Afterward, off to the estate for the usual celebration with the entire clan.” “Sounds good to me.” “Actually, it will be a double celebration.” “Oh…” “You remember the promotion I was up for—” “Dev!” Ewyn threw himself against Devin and knocked 187

M. E. Reid him over. “You got it…when…” He punched Devin‟s arm and crawled on top of him. “Why are you just telling me?” “Hey!” Laughing, Devin palmed Ewyn‟s fist when he went for another hit. “Timothy just told me yesterday. I didn‟t get the chance to say anything because you rushed off to pick up Kieki, and spent time with Gemma. By the time you returned home, it was late, we had our regular gettingKieki-settled routine, followed by your hyper ass passing out.” “Oh, yeah. Sorry.” Ewyn kissed Devin‟s firm lips. “So Timothy is finally retiring.” “Yes. Been threatening to retire for the last three years, since the last op we did together, which put things in perspective for him. Since Gemma‟s been in remission for over a year, they‟re going to take a shot at living as normal a life as they can. Travel before they‟re too old to enjoy themselves.” “Yeah. Gem and I talked about her traveling. She had hoped Greg would have returned by now, because she doesn‟t want to leave Kieki.” Ewyn sighed. “I convinced her Kieki would be fine for the intermittent periods of travel. With the security measures you and Mick implemented, she has no cause to worry.” Devin nodded. “Tim and I discussed her fears, and they‟re not about safety. Gem doesn‟t want Kieki to think Gem is abandoning her. Gem is the only mothergrandmother figure Kieki has had in her life.” “Uh-huh. But, as you‟ve told me, ad nauseum, as a Calderone, Kieki will adjust to whatever her circumstances are,” Ewyn teased. “And you were right.” “Too true.” Ewyn snorted and rolled his eyes. “Wow. I have my very own, new division chief. The youngest one ever appointed, and the first openly gay man to hold the position.” 188

Memories Erased: Treachery “Yes, you do, and yes, I am.” Tears welled up in Ewyn‟s eyes. “I am so proud of you, Dev.” “Thank you. But you do know this is supposed to be a happy occasion, right.” He swiped a tear from Ewyn‟s cheek. “This is my happy look.” “Oh, sorry. Couldn‟t tell.” “Funny, Dev.” Ewyn giggled. “Hey. It looked so much like your hurt look, and your upset look, and your—ouch! You pinched me.” Devin rolled on top of Ewyn and tickled him until he was breathless. “Stop…Dev! I‟m sorry.” Gasping and struggling to get his laughter under control, he panted, “This means…you won‟t go out…so much. Doesn‟t it?” “Hardly at all, and it will take some getting used to.” “Makes me happy.” Devin grinned. “Me, too.” Sobering, he added, “Before meeting you, the job was my entire life, and I lived for the danger. You and Kieki have changed that. With you in my life, every time I‟ve gone on assignment, getting off the frontlines has been uppermost in my mind.” Ewyn‟s hands came up to clasp Devin‟s face. “I love you, Devin Piers Nilsson. More than I can put into words.” “The feeling is mutual, Ewyn Kelley Calderone,” Devin whispered. “I can‟t imagine life without you.” Fingers brushing the ink black curls from Ewyn‟s forehead, he kissed the irresistible mouth. “I have a meeting Tuesday morning, the official changing of the guard. Christopher Corbett, one of the top dogs from back east, is coming to put the official seal of approval on my appointment,” Devin explained. “Afterward, we‟ll go to lunch. Where do you want to take our little princess?” “We haven‟t been to Black Angus since my mother died. If I‟m remembering correctly, they have a decent kiddie 189

M. E. Reid menu, not the usual finger foods. I thought we‟d have a big girl date with her. No more baby chairs, just a booster seat if needed.” “Okay, it‟s a date.” Devin rolled off Ewyn and the bed. He untied the strings on his sweats and they dropped to the floor. Headed for the bathroom, he said over his shoulder, “We have another hour before Kieki wakes from her nap. Shower or Jacuzzi?” Watching Devin‟s strong, naked, chiseled physique stroll across the floor, toned ass flexing as he moved, Ewyn felt his dick spring to life, pre cum dampening his briefs. He hopped off the bed, shimmied out of his clothes, and trailed Devin into the bathroom. “Hard and fast…” “Shower it is,” Devin responded just before he closed and locked the bathroom door behind him.

190

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Chapter 15

“N

o! Nooo! Dad-dy…Daad-dy!” The piercing screams had Devin charging out of the bathroom and down the hallway toward Kiera‟s room. Pulse racing, he came to a sudden stop inside the doorway, not believing what he saw amidst the tangle of clothes strewn about the floor. Ewyn on his knees glaring at baby-girl, and Kiera, one hand on her hip scowling back, they seemed to be having a tug-of-war over a dress. Before Devin could react, he heard thundering footsteps running through the condo. Mick and Taggart appeared in the hallway, guns drawn. “Stand down,” he told them. “What the heck is going on,” Taggart growled. “I could hear her screams from our living room.” “Daddy, Ew…” “Devin, she…” “Whoa!” Devin held up his hand. “One at a time.” He glanced over at Mick and Taggart who had holstered their weapons and were trying not to laugh. Schooling his features to an appropriate look of concern, Devin turned back to the combatants and stepped into the middle of the fray. “Ewyn, what‟s the problem?” While he listened to Ewyn‟s explanation, he looked Kiera over. With her hair parted down the middle, two large white barrette bows held her ponytail puffs in place. She wore 191

M. E. Reid light pink denim overalls, a white knit, long-sleeved turtleneck, and a pink denim hoodie lay on her bed. Her little feet were shoved into fuchsia Skechers boots on the wrong feet and untied. Clearly, she dressed herself, and she had done a damn fine job. Their baby-girl was growing up, and becoming more independent each day. If only Ewyn would recognize it. Returning his gaze to Ewyn and the dress he held, Devin cringed. Damn. Should have burned the frou-frou crap when he first saw it. Instead, he‟d given Ewyn the benefit of the doubt, hoping he wouldn‟t insist Kiera wear the stuff unless it was a formal occasion, or she wanted to wear it. “Ewyn, we‟re going to an amusement park after lunch, not a social tea,” Devin remarked. “If she wants to wear the overalls…” Kiera ran across the room and wrapped her arms around one of Devin‟s thighs. “I think she looks cute.” “Fine,” Ewyn snapped. He stood, picked up the clothes scattered about and re-hung them, then he stormed out, brushing by Mick and Taggart without a word or glance. “All righty, then,” Taggart said. “Happy Birthday, Kieki!” Devin picked up Kiera and hugged her as he started down the hall. “You look nice, baby-girl. What are you all dressed up for?” She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Birday, Dev,” she whispered. “Oooh, that‟s right. Happy Birthday, Kieki.” Devin kissed her grinning mouth. When they reached the master bedroom, Ewyn was nowhere in sight. “Has she eaten?” Mick asked. “Yeah.” “Well, another glass of juice won‟t hurt her. We‟ll take her with us, while you go take care of your other baby.” “Thanks.” Devin chuckled. “Tag, are you going to lunch with us?” 192

Memories Erased: Treachery “No can do. But I‟ll be at the estate tonight. Wouldn‟t miss it.” Devin walked them to the front door, kissed Kiera‟s cheek and handed her to Taggart. “Be good, baby-girl. Let Tag fix your shoes.” She patted his cheek and giggled. “„Kay, Daddy.” Once the front door closed behind the threesome, he strolled back into the bedroom and found Ewyn seated on the bed, unnaturally still. Sighing, Devin approached the bed, nudged Ewyn‟s legs apart, and squatted down between them. He placed a finger beneath Ewyn‟s chin and tilted his head back. Their gazes locked. Tears welling up in the jungle green eyes spilled out. Devin clasped Ewyn‟s head with both hands and used his thumbs to swipe the moisture from the flushed cheeks. “What‟s wrong?” “I‟ve been a selfish, self-centered ass, treating her like an extension of myself, as if she should want what I want.” Ewyn took a deep breath and tried to smile. “I‟ve ignored everything you and Gem have tried to get me to understand from the beginning. Treating Kieki like my family treated me, and you‟d think I‟d remember what it was like then not make the same mistakes.” “Ewyn. Kieki will get over this. Hell. She‟s going through a phase, transitioning from the terrible-two‟s to the bossy three‟s. Didn‟t you get the memo?” he teased and heard an answering chuckle. “No, seriously. Am I the only one who read all those child development books you keep in our office?” “I‟ve read them, but they didn‟t prepare me for today. When she threw the tantrum, insisting on having her way, I finally saw her as an independent little soul with a definite mind of her own.” He sighed. “Your intervention made me realize the issue wasn‟t important enough to alienate her 193

M. E. Reid over it.” Ewyn leaned forward and kissed Devin‟s mouth. “The way she screamed for you, she actually seemed afraid of me.” “No, Ewyn, not afraid, but asserting herself in the only way she knew how. She did well with her choice of clothes.” “You‟re right. Myce matches them up and hangs them together so Kieki can choose for herself, which should have clued me in, made me realize our baby is growing up.” He relaxed against Devin. “She doesn‟t need me anymore, except to do her hair.” “That‟s not true. You are her security blanket. The first face she saw after she was born, the one who is always there for her. The rest of us come and go. She needs you, but not as much as before.” Ewyn looked up. “I realize it now, and I promise I‟ll change. In the future, I‟ll choose my battles. I don‟t want her to feel she can‟t depend on, or bring her problems to either one of us.” Devin smiled and kissed the tip of Ewyn‟s nose. “Feeling better?” “Oh yeah, but it was a wakeup call,” he declared. “Hey. You‟re doing an excellent job as a parent. You‟ve come a long way since we first met. I‟m proud of how you‟ve taken charge and handled your entire family situation on your own, more often than not.” Devin leaned forward and kissed Ewyn, long and deep. Both pulled away breathless. “We have a young lady waiting for us.” He stood and tugged Ewyn from the bed. “Let‟s go celebrate a birthday.” Ewyn took Kiera down to his office while Devin headed up to his meeting. “Hey, Roger.” Devin nodded at the admin as he strolled across the room toward Timothy‟s office. “Is Tim in?” 194

Memories Erased: Treachery “Yes, sir,” Roger responded. “You‟re to go right in.” “Thanks.” Devin stepped into the office. Timothy, standing alone at the wet bar getting coffee, turned at Devin‟s entrance. “Hey, Devin. Have a seat.” He moved to the sofa and sat down, coffee mug in hand. “I wanted to talk to you before everyone else arrives.” “Fine. What‟s up?” “You‟ve met Corbett before, haven‟t you? “Sure. I sat in on a couple of meetings when he came here before, and we met several times in the field, but it‟s been a few years,” Devin said. “If I remember correctly, he has a younger brother with the company. They‟re out of West Virginia, right.” “Uh-huh. Brother‟s name is Anthony. Both are criminal law attorneys, and they‟re ready to get out of the business. Thinking about retiring in California,” Timothy explained. “They have a younger brother living here.” “Corbett has a son, right? “Yeah.” “I remember meeting the son, a few years ago—late teens, early twenties, almost as tall as his father. Handsome kid.” Brow furrowing, a vague memory teased Devin‟s consciousness refusing to become explicit thought. What was it he couldn‟t recall? Something about Corbett or his son. “Son recently graduated from college,” Timothy said disrupting Devin‟s musing. “Going to be a lawyer like his father. Following the family tradition.” “Right. If I recall, there were rumors about some kind of family problems requiring Corbett to come out here and get involved,” Devin remarked. “Oh yeah. Involved his niece. His nephew by marriage Jered Reardon is one of ours. You may have seen around here from time to time. He‟s with Hansen‟s section. 195

M. E. Reid Whatever went down, someone tried to kill Corbett‟s niece, and it wasn‟t the first time a member of his family had a problem requiring his intervention,” Timothy explained. “His family‟s issues are not unlike our own.” “Damn. Do you think our lifestyle brings the nut cases out of the woodwork?” Timothy laughed. “Don‟t know, but the Corbetts could give the Calderones a run for their money in the nutty perpstalking department. Hell. Corbett‟s wife became entangled in one of his assignments and almost died.” “Are you shitting me?” “Nope. Before my time in this department, so I don‟t know the details.” Timothy shrugged and handed Devin a file with Reardon‟s name on it. “Reardon is ready to move up, so I‟m giving you a heads-up. He‟s taking your vacated slot, under your auspices.” “Hmm.” Devin opened the file and scanned the contents. “Why have the Corbetts decided to retire out here?” “They‟re going to combine their law practice with private investigating, something the younger family members want to start.” Timothy smiled. “Chris and I have talked about it a few times, and I‟m interested.” “Well, with your combined skills, it ought to work.” A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Timothy‟s admin entered first, followed by Christopher Corbett. Older than Devin remembered, Corbett‟s six-foot-four frame had retained its well-toned, muscular physique. His once totally sandy-blond hair, now sprinkled with gray, he still wore it cut high and tight. Classic features—cleft chin, firm mouth, and the distinctive high-bridged nose completed the man‟s overall handsome appearance. The reflective lenses of dark glasses concealed Corbett‟s eyes, but Devin had the instinctive sense of being under scrutiny. 196

Memories Erased: Treachery A tall, handsome young black man, who Devin recognized as Jered Reardon, entered the room behind Corbett. Timothy and Devin stood and shook hands with the newcomers. “We‟ll get started as soon as the brass arrives,” Timothy told the new arrivals. “There‟s coffee, regular and decaf, water and juice, you can help yourselves. If you‟d prefer something else, let Roger know.” Two and a half hours later, Devin glanced at his watch and stood. The meeting had lasted longer than he had expected. He shook hands with his bosses, walked them to the door, and returned to his seat at the conference table. “It‟s official,” Timothy said. “Congratulations! This is your office and I‟ll have my things out of here by the end of the week.” “Thanks, Tim. There‟s no rush on clearing out. I have a lot to do before I take up residence in here.” Devin turned to Christopher. “Will you be in town for a while?” “Yeah. My wife and I are staying with my brother in Riverview.” “Maybe we can get together. I‟d like a little background, from your perspective on what to expect when I go back east for training,” Devin commented. “I‟m sure Tim is tired of my questions by now.” “Not a problem. I‟m on vacation. I‟ll be in California for another two weeks.” Christopher reached into the inside breast pocket of his jacket, pulled out a business card, and handed it to Devin. “You can reach me on my cell.” “Thanks.” Devin slipped the card into his pocket. “I have to go. My baby-girl is three years old today, and I have a date with her for lunch. Can‟t miss that.” “Tell me about it.” Christopher chuckled. “My baby niece turned three a few weeks ago, and she wanted the family 197

M. E. Reid together to celebrate. Since she has all of us wrapped around her little finger, my wife insisted we fly out early to be with her.” “I feel you.” Devin grinned and turned to Timothy. “Can you make lunch?” “No, I‟ll catch up with you tonight. Gem and Rosa have gone all out over Kieki‟s birthday, as usual.” “Okay, see you then.” Devin stepped into the outer office and caught a glimpse of those signature ponytail puffs halfhidden behind Roger‟s desk chair, and Roger nowhere in sight. Surprised, he looked around for Ewyn. The only other person in the room was a young woman seated on the sofa, flipping through a magazine. “Kieki.” He headed around the desk. “Where‟s Ew?” He grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him. In the split-second before he realized his mistake, pain exploded in his shin, followed by Kiera streaking through the office door screaming, “Daddy!” She pounced on the other child and all hell broke loose. “Hey!” The young woman rushed over and snatched Kiera off the little girl before turning on Devin. “Are you craz—ow, shit!” she yelped. Her gaze shot to Kiera who had kicked the side of her leg. Hand dropping away, the woman gawked, looking from one little girl to the other. Before the woman could say anything further, Ewyn stormed into the office, stepped between the woman and Kiera, and joined the conflict. “You touch her again…” “Whoa, Ewyn.” Devin intervened. “It‟s okay.” He bent and scooped up Kiera. “My fault.” He looked at the woman who continued to stare at Kiera. “Sorry. I thought she was my little girl. I didn‟t notice the different color bows…clothes, until it was too late.” Devin looked at the other child, and the resemblance—his head jerked around and his gaze locked with Christopher 198

Memories Erased: Treachery Corbett‟s steely grey stare. His earlier elusive memory became patently tangible. “Son of a bitch!” For two hours, he had looked into those seemingly familiar grey eyes, unable to make the connection. “You and I need to talk, Corbett. Now,” he growled. “Inside.” He handed Kiera to Ewyn, who set her on the floor. Eyebrow arched, Christopher didn‟t bother to respond. Instead, he looked quizzically from the young woman to Reardon, who stood beside the woman and the little girl with a bewildered expression on his face. Corbett‟s attention finally focused on his great-niece then Kiera. “What the…” Puzzled, Ewyn looked at the perplexed expressions on everyone‟s faces not realizing the significance until Devin‟s words and the other man‟s mumbled response registered. His eyes moved from Kiera to the other little girl, mouth opening, he stared, dumbfounded. Except for the eye color, the girls were identical. He whirled around, scrutinizing each person in the room until his stare settled on the man Devin had addressed. “Dev, what does this mean? He‟s one of ours, right. But it‟s not possible, he‟s…Kieki isn‟t…” His gaze flew to the young black man. “I don‟t understand.” Timothy cleared his throat. “I think we should take this discussion inside.” He glanced at his admin re-entering the office. Devin stepped aside and let everybody precede him into the office. As the young woman passed, he heard her whisper to Reardon, “We need to call Mom. Something isn‟t right.” Jered nodded, lifted his child into his arms, and trailed Timothy into the office. Once seated, Timothy said, “I believe introductions are in order.” With that taken care of, he looked at Devin. “So, what‟s the problem?” Seated at the desk with Kiera on his lap and Ewyn 199

M. E. Reid standing beside his chair, Devin said, “Look at the girls, Tim.” Timothy frowned and looked at Kiera then the other child. “What the…damn.” He whipped around and stared at Christopher. “But Kieki is…” He stopped, his gaze going to the young woman holding Kiera‟s look-a-like. Kristen Corbett Reardon, Corbett‟s niece—skin the color of parchment, long thick, reddish-brown hair with a slight curl, blue-green eyes. An ethnic mix of African-American and Caucasian like Kiera and the other child. “Exactly,” Devin declared. “Earlier, I remembered meeting Corbett‟s son about the time you said Corbett came to California to resolve family issues. I believe Corbett‟s son is only part Caucasian, and I remember he has grey eyes like his father.” “So what are you getting at,” Kristen demanded. “Is that child‟s mother accusing Ricardo of being the father?” She snorted. “If so, she‟s a liar.” Red-hot anger motivated Ewyn across the room. “You bitch!” Reardon came to his feet and stepped in front of his wife, blocking Ewyn‟s attempt to get to her. “Whoa, kid! You don‟t want to do that.” “Kid.” Ewyn glared up at Jered and snarled, “You‟d better back up off of me.” Timothy moved to Ewyn‟s side and grabbed his shoulder. Ewyn glanced at his uncle, nodded, shrugged off his hand and stormed out of the room mumbling, “Son of a bitch.” “Ew!” Kiera hopped off Devin‟s lap and ran toward the door. Devin called after her. Halfway across the room, she came to a sudden stop and glared up at Reardon, before looking at his wife and child. Without a backward glance, she continued out the door, saying, “Ew, Daddy.” Corbett, who hadn‟t said a word so far, finally spoke. 200

Memories Erased: Treachery “May I suggest everyone calm down so we can resolve this?” He turned to Kristen. “You owe the young man an apology, Kris.” “Why?” “Yeah. Why should she,” Reardon scoffed as he reseated himself next to his wife. “He should be glad I didn‟t knock him on his ass for…” His voice faded, eyes widening, he looked from Devin to Timothy. “Oh, shit! I remember hearing—the accident—he‟s that Ewyn Kelley isn‟t he?” “Yes,” Christopher responded before Devin or Timothy could answer. “So,” Kristen prompted. “The little girl‟s mother was his niece,” Christopher replied. “Was…oh, no.” Kristen looked at Devin, tears welling up in her eyes. “I‟m sorry. I—” “Don‟t.” Devin cut her off. “You need to tell Ewyn.” He went on to explain about Nicole and what had happened since her death, concluding with, “The resemblance of the girls and Kiera‟s gray eyes, the proximity of your son at the time of Kiera‟s conception makes me suspect she‟s your grandchild, Corbett.” “Yes, it would have been my conclusion, too. Except, I‟m familiar with Corbett genealogy.” Christopher glanced at Kristen. “Meaning,” Devin prompted. “I have a twin brother,” Kristen replied. “It‟s more likely Korey is Kiera‟s father. He grew up in Riverview, he had friends at Pepperdine, and our mother is African-American. Whereas, my cousin grew up on the east coast, only attended school back there, and Ricardo is part Hispanic, not Black.” She looked at Timothy. “About your nieces…my condolences, and my apologies. I get defensive about my family.” 201

M. E. Reid “Don‟t we all,” Timothy remarked. “Does your brother have grey eyes?” She glanced at Devin. “No, they‟re a darker shade of amber than Devin‟s. But you‟ll notice mine are a blue-green, almost turquoise, and my husband‟s are hazel, yet my daughter has cobalt blue. Uncle Tony has the cobalt blue eyes,” she explained. “It‟s a freaky Corbett thing.” Ewyn and Kiera re-entered the office. Kiera climbed onto Devin‟s lap and Ewyn positioned himself beside the chair, his hip touching Devin‟s shoulder. Kristen passed her sleeping daughter to her husband, stood and approached Devin‟s desk. “May I speak to you outside, Ewyn…please?” Devin felt Ewyn stiffen and glanced up at him. Eyes narrowed, Ewyn stared at Kristen, but he made no move to comply with her request. Devin nudged his leg, smiled, and nodded. “Fine.” Ewyn sighed and followed Kristen from the room. The moment the door closed behind them, Devin turned on Reardon. “Jered. Two things. First, Ewyn is older than you are. Second, Ewyn is quite capable of defending himself, but make no mistake, Ewyn means as much to me as your wife does to you.” He frowned. “Do you understand what I‟m telling you?” “Understood.” “Good. Because you and I need to work together, amicably.” “Oh-kay.” Christopher stood and walked over to the wet bar. “With that out of the way…” He poured himself a cup of coffee and returned to his seat. “First priority, paternity tests, although gut instinct tells me Kiera is a Corbett,” he stated. “And I want in on your investigation because, like you, I don‟t appreciate one of my own being in jeopardy.” “Not a problem,” Timothy said. “If your boys aren‟t 202

Memories Erased: Treachery involved.” “Oh, I can vouch for my son and nephew. Neither has been on the west coast since the entire family came here three years ago,” Christopher assured him. “Both were studying law, and when not in school, they clerked for the family firm in West Virginia. Neither is married.” “Fuck,” Devin growled and glanced at Kiera, glad to see she had dozed off. “Now I realize what‟s been bothering me. We‟ve assumed father and husband were the same, but all indications—rumor combined with the journal— pointed to separate entities.” He shook his head. “Who the hell did Nicole marry?” “Good question, if you‟ve eliminated the friend, Calabria,” Christopher commented. “Yeah, he had an alibi of sorts, and we couldn‟t disprove it. But Nicole had stopped talking to him long before her death.” Devin shook his head. “Damn. The case had gone cold even before we knew about your family. Now…” “We‟ve eliminated the father as the perp.” Christopher stared at Devin while he sipped his coffee. “Whoever is behind the deaths must be someone your nieces knew, to get that close to them. Making the perp stupid in every sense of the word, or verifiably insane.” “Why do you say that?” “Hell. Who in their right mind would think it‟s possible to eliminate a Calderone without repercussions, even with Gregorio out of the picture.” Christopher shook his head. “Uh-uh. You may have Vincenzo convinced his cousins‟ deaths were the result of an accident, for now. However, if he‟s still suspicious and the UNSUB goes after Kiera, Vincenzo will find out, and our perp will have signed his or her death warrant. “If the perp doesn‟t know that, he or she is stupid, or worse, we‟re talking nutcase, which makes this person 203

M. E. Reid extremely dangerous,” he stated. “No offense, but I‟m thinking…” “Ewyn is right to be looking over his shoulder until we have concrete proof of Cecilia‟s death,” Devin concluded. “She fits both qualifications, stupid and insane.” “From everything I‟ve heard about the woman, I concur.” “Yet, knowing the animosity between Cecilia and her daughters, none of us believe the girls would have let their mother get close to them. She killed their grandmother and tried to kill their uncle. They would have told us.” “They may not have known it was her,” Christopher suggested. “Again, Ewyn keeps saying something similar. He‟s convinced she‟s had reconstructive surgery.” “If it‟s her, she may have changed her appearance and created a non-threatening personality beforehand. They could have become familiar with someone routinely seen around campus.” “Damn. We never considered her establishing a new identity in their environment in advance. Where was my mind? She plotted on Ewyn and his mother for years before making her move. Ewyn is the only one whose singleminded focus remains on Cecilia.” “Because the rest of you don‟t believe she‟s indomitable. It‟s the logic of our jobs. Whereas Ewyn operates primarily from fear and hatred,” Christopher said. “True.” “Another thing,” Christopher added. “If this is about the will, how does this nutcase expect to inherit? Whoever comes forward will be the prime suspect.” “Right. But regardless of our suspicions, the burden of proof will be on us. The blood trace found in the car belonged to Jennifer. She often drove Nicole‟s car, and the gun, stolen,” Devin informed him. “We have no evidence 204

Memories Erased: Treachery and the perp must have realized it by now, which is why I‟m concerned about Kiera.” “With reason.” Christopher frowned. “Consider this. Nicole wasn‟t supposed to die with her sister there. She should have been alone, and in the driver‟s seat, so it would have seemed as if she‟d gone into labor and ran off the road. Kiera wasn‟t supposed to survive.” “So you‟re thinking premeditation, too. The husband married her intending to kill her.” Devin glanced at Timothy. “Caro died because she refused to leave her sister.” Timothy sighed. “And, as Chris said, she knew or recognized the perp.” “Yes,” Christopher said. “Furthermore, if your UNSUB wanted money so badly, he or she killed two young women in cold blood, this nutcase will blame Kiera by proxy for things not working out. The hatred is for Nicole because your perp has the new will and realizes, even in death, Nicole thwarted him or her.” “We‟ve taken that into consideration,” Devin mentioned. “Hence the security measures we‟ve implemented to insure Kieki‟s safety.” “Threat assessment—this person will come after Kiera,” Christopher stated. “After three years, it‟s no longer about money. In all probability, the perp‟s mindset has escalated from greed to hatred to unadulterated rage and revenge.” “You‟ve given us a lot to reconsider, Chris,” Timothy told him. “Speaking from my own personal experience with nutcases,” he stated. “Tim‟s right. Yours could be the fresh perspective we‟ve needed, and I would like to continue this discussion.” Devin leaned forward and kissed Kiera‟s forehead. “But I have a date with a special lady.” Sleepy grey eyes peeped out at 205

M. E. Reid him from behind half-closed lids. “Hey, baby-girl. Ready for lunch.” Her eyes widened and she grinned, then she looked around the room. “Ew?” “He‟s outside waiting for us.” He stood with her in his arms and headed for the door. “Devin, we need to get on this,” Timothy said. “Kieki is going to be more exposed now.” Devin stopped, hand on the doorknob, he turned back. “You‟re right.” Kiera pushed against him. “Daddy…let go.” He set her down and watched her scoot out the door. “Except for Detective Patterson, everyone involved in the case will be at the estate tonight. Chris, how do you feel about family get-togethers?” “What do you have in mind?” “Kieki‟s birthday bash at the Calderone estate. If you and your family can make it, I think tonight would be the perfect occasion for Kieki‟s introduction to her other family.” “Not a problem and you‟re in luck. Korey and Ricardo are in town working on the family‟s new business venture. I‟ll round up everybody.” Christopher grinned. “With family get-togethers in mind, I should warn you about members of my family.” “Oh?” “Paternity tests or not, just by looking at Kiera, I believe your baby-girl is a Corbett. And regardless of which Corbett is the father, you need to prepare yourselves for the introductions to my wife and my sister-in-law. Their reactions to another child, especially a girl in a maledominated family, might be a little over the top.” “Not a problem.” Devin headed out the door. “You‟ll find our extended family a treat, too. Tim, will you get hold of Patterson?” “Will do.” 206

Memories Erased: Treachery

Chapter 16

E

wyn opened the rear passenger door and Kiera clambered into the SUV. She settled in her car seat, fastened the safety harness and grinned. “Big girl now, Ew.” “Yes, you are. You‟ll be going to school soon, huh.” He closed her door and climbed onto the front seat, belted up, and glanced over his shoulder. Her smile had disappeared. “Hey. What‟s up with the frowny face? You don‟t want to go to school, play with other children, and learn your ABC‟s.” “Play with Mario, Stefan, and Josie at home.” She pouted. “„Ready know ABC‟s, Ew.” “You‟re right. I‟m sorry.” Ewyn looked at Devin and nodded his head toward Kiera. “Uh-oh.” Devin scanned her features while fastening his seatbelt, then started the truck and drove off. “What‟s with the face, baby-girl?” “I don‟t think she likes the idea of going to school,” Ewyn replied. “Says she already knows her ABC‟s.” Devin grunted. “We know that‟s true, since she recites them every chance she gets.” He looked over his shoulder. “Hey, little miss, today is your birthday. We‟ll go to lunch, and afterward, off to the amusement park, then you‟re having a party—lots of gifts, food, cake and ice cream. We can save the school talk for another time, okay.” Glancing in the rearview mirror, he chuckled. “She‟s asleep. It‟s been a busy morning for all of us, huh.” 207

M. E. Reid “Tell me about it.” Ewyn turned to Devin. “What do you know about the Corbetts?” “Nothing about the family, and only minimum about Christopher,” Devin said. “He‟s the standard most Ops want to achieve, and there‟s a younger brother with the company. Why?” “According to Kris, her family has been through hell.” Ewyn went on to repeat what he had learned about the Corbett family. “Can you believe people hold grudges for so long?” “Oh, yeah. Ask Mick and Tag. The FBI deals with that type of crime more than we do. We‟re the solution. Once it‟s brought to our attention, the cause is irrelevant, the issue no longer problematic,” Devin stated. He grabbed Ewyn‟s hand, fingers linked. “If you had been involved in your family‟s business, you would be very familiar with the art of vendetta.” “Yeah, I guess. But Greg didn‟t use the old school mode of operation from Dad‟s generation. I didn‟t think it still happened.” “Sure it does. A lot more than people imagine, and it‟s not mob specific.” “I assumed our family drama was unique.” Ewyn snorted. “Kris challenged my assumptions.” “So, you‟re referring to her as Kris.” “You know me, Dev.” Ewyn squeezed Devin‟s fingers. “Once I calmed down, I realized I shouldn‟t have taken offense. I would have been as defensive if a stranger had accused you or Greg of something.” “I hear you, and speaking of defensive, Christopher wants in on the investigation, because he doesn‟t believe it‟s a coincidence—the girls being identical. He‟s convinced the odds they‟re not related are astronomical.” “Yeah. Seeing the girls together, and Kris having a twin 208

Memories Erased: Treachery brother, it‟s a given Kieki is part of their family, which complicates the investigation. It takes Kieki‟s father off the suspect list, huh.” “Right.” Devin gave Ewyn an edited version of his conversation with Christopher. “I‟ve invited them to the party at the estate.” “Good. The sooner we remove the paternity issue from the table, we can move to other possibilities. We‟ll have more resources to operate with, and definitely more protection for baby-girl.” Ewyn remained quiet a moment. “So he‟s suspicious of CeCe‟s death, too.” “Not so much suspicion as conjecture.” Devin pulled up in front of Black Angus and parked. He unfastened his seatbelt and turned to Ewyn. “Once we‟ve verified paternity, it may be hard on Kieki, not knowing who to call daddy.” “I considered that, and where she‟ll live full time.” Brow furrowed, Ewyn nibbled his bottom lip. “Suppose her father wants her to live with him.” Devin cupped the stubborn chin in his palm. “Listen. This I promise you. Nothing changes until Gregorio returns. It will be his decision, and I hope they won‟t fight it.” “I don‟t know, Dev. Except for Kris‟ dad, they‟re all attorneys. They can make trouble.” “And alienate Kieki?” He leaned over and kissed the soft lips. “I don‟t think so. She only knows our family. They‟ll have to slowly integrate themselves into her sphere…her comfort zone.” “Oh, yeah. Didn‟t think about that.” Devin watched Ewyn‟s smile light up the green-eyed gaze. Ewyn gave him a quick kiss, released his seatbelt, and stepped out of the vehicle. He opened the rear door, reached inside and unfastened Kiera‟s safety harness, then gently shook her awake. As if spring-loaded, the thick-lashed eyelids popped open and vivid grey eyes peered around in 209

M. E. Reid wonder. “I‟m hungry, Ew.” “So let‟s go have lunch, then dessert—cake and ice cream.” “Yaay!” she squealed as she wiggled out of her car seat and threw herself into his arms. Devin came up beside them just as Ewyn put Kiera down. Holding hands, with Kiera skipping along between him and Ewyn, they entered the restaurant. With Kiera asleep in his arms, Devin followed Ewyn out of the elevator. Eyes fixed on the wiggle of Ewyn‟s tight little ass, he watched baby-boy juggle doggie bags and gifts while trying to retrieve the door key from his pocket. If he weren‟t enjoying the view so much, Devin would have handed his keys to Ewyn. The door to the other condo swung open and Mick emerged, dressed in jeans, a polo shirt, and armed. He hurried to assist Ewyn, taking the packages from him. “Our baby-girl must have had a rough day,” Mick said. “Rough is an understatement.” Ewyn laughed as he unlocked the door and stepped inside. “Let me put Kieki down for her nap, then Dev and I will fill you in on everything.” “Yeah, Tim called.” Mick snorted. “Gave me the relevant details. Baby-girl has a mean right hook, huh.” Devin grinned. “More of a good body-tackle, but her opponent was no slouch.” He handed Kiera to Ewyn. “The excitement of riding the amusements at Pharaoh‟s Theme Park for the first time, she‟s out for the count.” “Good thing, since she‟ll be up late tonight.” Ewyn headed toward the bedrooms. Devin joined Mick in the kitchen. While they repackaged the leftovers and put them away, Mick repeated what 210

Memories Erased: Treachery Timothy had learned about Christopher and his family. Some of what he said confirmed what Kristen had told Ewyn. Tasks complete, Devin grabbed a bottle of water and a beer from the refrigerator. He and Mick had just seated themselves at the table when Ewyn rejoined them. “She never stirred, not even while I removed her jacket and shoes. So what have I missed?” “Nothing. We just sat down,” Mick told him. “So we have a father for Kieki and he‟s not Nicole‟s husband.” “We‟re missing something.” Devin recounted his conversation with Corbett. “We need to concentrate our resources on verifying Cecilia‟s death.” “Oh yeah,” Mick agreed. “Until we do, she‟ll remain a distraction. Personally, I don‟t think she survived, but…” He shrugged. “I hear you.” Devin glanced at Ewyn expecting a retort from him. With his elbows on the table and his head propped up by his hands, Ewyn dozed. Devin motioned to Mick who snorted. “Guess Kieki wasn‟t the only one who wore herself out,” he remarked. “I‟ll leave you to him. I need to scout around outside.” “What‟s up?” “Went for my run this morning and a car parked across the way caught my attention. The occupant was sitting there reading the newspaper—on the side of the road, out here, uh-uh.” Mick stood and downed the rest of his beer before heading for the front door. “I couldn‟t get a good look, couldn‟t tell if it was a man or a woman, but I made note of it and went for my run. Car was still there when I returned, trotted over to check it out, and it sped away.” “Get the license?” “Yep. A rental. I‟m waiting for Tag to get back to me with the information.” Mick opened the door and stepped into 211

M. E. Reid the hallway. “Probably nothing, but I want to be on the safe side.” “Let me know what you find out.” “Will do. See you tonight.” Devin closed the door and returned to the kitchen to find Ewyn, head resting on crisscrossed arms on the table, sound asleep. He shook Ewyn awake. Confused green eyes peered up at him. “Hey, sleepyhead.” Ewyn jumped up and looked around. “Where‟s Mick?” He grimaced. “Is it bedtime?” “No, it‟s late afternoon.” Devin steered him toward the bedroom. “Oh.” Ewyn climbed on the bed. Devin closed the door connecting to Kiera‟s room, strode over to the bed, and shucked out of his clothes. He sat next to Ewyn, who yawned and slumped against his side. “Maybe I need a nap, too, huh.” “No doubt.” Devin eased him back on the pillows. “After,” he mumbled against the soft lips and slowly stripped Ewyn of his clothes. Mouths merged. He rolled onto Ewyn, nudged his legs apart, and settled between the firm thighs. With reluctance, he withdrew from the kiss and came up on his knees. Fingertips trailing down along the supple form, he soft-stroked the sensitive grooves between groin and thighs, watching Ewyn wiggle and his cock pulse. Hands coming to rest on the round curves of Ewyn‟s ass, he lifted the writhing butt off the bed and settled it on his thighs. Devin didn‟t think he would ever tire of seeing Ewyn this way, and his dick reacted to the sight, throbbing, leaking precum. “Dev…” Leaning forward, he reached for the lube, and whispered, “I want to spend more time with you.” “Uh-uh. Hard and fast, Dev.” A slow smile altered the 212

Memories Erased: Treachery corners of his mouth. “Parenting clause—we‟re on the clock.” Devin grinned, lubed his cock and the tiny hole flexing beneath his touch. He grabbed Ewyn‟s legs and placed them on his shoulders, then spread the smooth ass cheeks and made the breach. “Shh-yit, Dev!” Ewyn pulled his knees back toward his chest. “Oh yeah,” he groaned. “Hard and fast works, baby. Give me what you‟ve got.” He reached over and folded his fingers around the head of Ewyn‟s cock, slick with precum, and worked his hand down over the shaft. Ewyn‟s hand clutched his, as he gently twisted and kneaded the silky smooth hardness, hand moving in rhythmic tandem with his thrusts. His orgasm building, Devin watched myriad emotions flickering in the jungle green eyes. He gritted his teeth to harness the growl wanting out as he shot his load, filling the snug receptacle with sperm. Ewyn‟s cum spurted, bathing his fingers in warmth. Ewyn strolled into the room and flopped down across the bottom of the bed. “You were right.” “Always,” Devin pronounced then ducked and caught the pillow hurtling toward him. He tossed it back on the bed and sat down. “Funny.” Ewyn rolled his eyes. “I‟m referring to Kieki.” Before he could say another word, Kiera skipped into the room dressed in the very outfit she and Ewyn had fought over earlier. Complementing the color of her eyes, she wore a dove grey knit smock with a square neckline, empire waist, pleated bodice, and long sleeves with white cuffs. With her legs encased in white lace leotards, she had black patent Mary Jane shoes on her little feet, and two white ribbon 213

M. E. Reid bows held her hair in place. “Whoa, baby-girl. Don‟t you look pretty…what‟s up?” “Dev, my party.” She rolled her eyes, looking just like Ewyn, and hopped on the bed next to Devin. “Ew say that little girl Niqui‟s comin‟. She has Momma‟s name, huh.” Eyebrow arched, Devin looked at Ewyn. “Kristen‟s daughter. Spelled N-i-q-u-i, not like Nicole‟s nickname.” “Oh.” Devin chuckled. “So Kieki has competition.” He leaned over and tickled her. “Stop…Daddy!” she squealed and giggled, then jumped off the bed. “Messin‟ my dress.” She smoothed her hands over her outfit, patted her hair, and flounced toward the bedroom door. “Time to go, Ew. Gonna get Mick.” “Well, excuse me,” Devin called after her. “I guess we‟d better not keep her waiting, Ew.” Ewyn pulled his cell off his waistband. “I‟ll let Mick know she‟s on her way over.” With all the security measures installed, they never locked the front doors when Kiera was in residence, still… He flipped open his phone and pressed #2. Mick answered on the second ring. “She‟s already here, demanding we hurry up.” “Got it.” Grinning, he closed his phone and repeated what Mick had said. Devin nodded. “She‟s getting used to Mick following her everywhere, huh.” “Oh yeah. Baby-girl is very observant. She knows to look for Mick if she is separated from me or Myce when she‟s out,” Ewyn replied. “Myce is teaching her not to talk to strangers, and to scream if someone she doesn‟t know approaches her. She told Myce she would kick butt if a stranger touched her.” Eyebrow arched, he stared at Devin. “I wonder who taught her that.” 214

Memories Erased: Treachery Devin hooted. “She‟ll be fitted for her GPS tracker next week. Mick is getting it set up. With her starting Pre School only weeks away, we‟ll always be able to locate her.” “Yeah.” Ewyn sighed. “She‟s been talking non-stop about her special bracelet.” “What? You don‟t think we should.” “No, we need to do whatever it takes to assure her safety. It‟s just…damn it, I hate doing this to her. She‟s a baby, Dev. Her life shouldn‟t be so complicated.” “True. But consider your family background, and the added complications of her becoming a target because she‟s a Corbett—they do have the drama dogging their asses, too.” Devin raked his fingers through his hair. “Hell. She‟s already accepting Mick‟s constant presence. She‟ll learn to live with the surveillance just as all Calderone children have.” “I know you‟re right, still, I hate it.” Ewyn hopped off the bed, leaned over and gave Devin a quick kiss then headed for the door. “Let‟s go party.” **** Devin entered the estate from the back road, stopped at the gates, input the code, and drove around to the garage. As suspected, cars filled the drive, so he parked the truck in front of the garage, climbed out, and left the keys inside. He went to the passenger side to get Kiera. “Lookit all the cars, Dev,” she whispered as he set her on the ground. “Yeah, baby. You must be awfully popular.” He chuckled, knowing she probably didn‟t know what he meant. Kiera giggled and skipped off toward the house, yelling back over her shoulder, “Hurry up, Ew. Gonna be late.” Devin opened the front passenger door and looked at 215

M. E. Reid Ewyn, who had not attempted to get out of the SUV. “Hey, what‟s up?” “I don‟t know.” Ewyn unfastened his seatbelt and stepped down. “Suppose I don‟t like Kieki‟s father, or her Corbett grandparents.” He sighed. “She‟s going to have real family, Dev. Maybe she‟ll want to live with them.” “Hey. You are her real family…you and Gem, all of us. Don‟t anticipate. I told you, nothing changes until Greg returns, and who knows when that will happen. By then, Kieki could be old enough to make her own decisions. Besides, they can‟t separate her from us totally. Greg is her grandfather, too.” “I worry too much, huh.” “Yes.” He kissed the smiling mouth. “Let‟s go inside before baby-girl comes back to get us, and we know that won‟t be pretty.” Laughing, they turned toward the house and entered through the kitchen. Tantalizing smells and a scene of bustling activity greeted them. Ewyn looked around, expecting to see Kiera. “She demanded Myce take her to meet everyone,” Rosa said with a chuckle. “She didn‟t even stop to look at her cake.” She smacked at Ewyn‟s hand when he tried to swipe a taste of the icing. “I see you haven‟t changed.” She chased him from the kitchen. Grinning, Ewyn dodged her swat and hurried to catch up with Devin. He reached the family room, came to a sudden stop on the threshold, eyes widening, mouth open. For an older man, he had considered Christopher extremely handsome, but seeing all the Corbett men together…daayam. The entire Corbett clan sat or stood around the bar, while Timothy, positioned behind it, fixed and served drinks. Dragging his gaze away from the esthetic representation 216

Memories Erased: Treachery of the male species, Ewyn glanced around, noticed Kiera and Niqui sitting beside Gemma on the sofa, and headed their way. He‟d made it halfway across the floor before Devin came up behind him and whispered against his ear, “Close your mouth, you‟re drooling.” Startled, Ewyn flinched. Shit! With his libido focused on the Corbett males, he hadn‟t noticed Devin‟s presence. Heat strafed his cheeks as he turned and stammered, “Dev, I…uh, you don‟t think…” “Hey, no explanations needed. Minus the wide-eyed look and the drool, my reactions were the same,” he teased and put an arm across Ewyn‟s shoulders. “It appears you‟re having the same affect on the Corbetts—men and women.” “Which one is Kieki‟s dad?” Ewyn slipped his arm around Devin‟s waist. “Reddish-brown, sun-streaked hair, and the white-blond haired Adonis standing next to him is his father, Kieki‟s grandfather.” “You‟re shitting me, right. How old is he?” “Hmm, if I were the jealous type—ouch!” Devin glanced down, eyes narrowing. “You know that deserves payback.” Ewyn glared. “Devin…” “Okay. His name is Tristan and he‟s the baby of their family. Christopher is the oldest, and he‟s the youngest, so I‟d say he‟s about forty-eight, forty-nine. The two of you should hit it off real well, baby-boy,” Devin joked. “Since you‟re both computer geeks.” “Hey!” Devin moved away before Ewyn could poke him again. “Sorry, can‟t stop. Our favorite detective just arrived and he‟s looking lost.” He winked. “I‟d better go greet him.” Kiera hopped off the sofa, yelling, “Daddy, Ew!” She grabbed Niqui‟s hand, tugging her along. “C‟mon, Niqui, see my daddy and my Ew.” As the two girls approached, in 217

M. E. Reid the unmodulated voice of a child, Niqui bellowed, “How come you don‟t have a mommy?” Kiera skidded to a stop, and Ewyn tensed. The whole room went silent as if everyone held their breath, and Ewyn had the sensation of viewing the entire scene as time-lapse photography. Head cocked to one side and her little brow puckered, Kiera looked at Devin and Ewyn, then turned and stared across the room at Niqui‟s mother and father. Kristen started to move away from the bar, but one of the other women grabbed her arm. Mick and Taggart stopped mid-stride on the family room threshold. Ewyn started forward, intending to intervene, but a glance at Gemma, who shook her head and mouthed the word, don’t, kept him in place. He sensed Devin moving up behind him. A few minutes passed before Kiera turned back to Niqui. “How come you only have one daddy?” She giggled. “I have two. C‟mon. Dev, Ew…this is Niqui!” She ran up to Devin and raised her arms. A collective sigh, then an explosion of sound filled the room, everybody talking at once. Devin scooped up Kiera and hugged her tight. “Happy Birthday, baby,” he whispered and kissed her smiling mouth. “Dev.” She sighed, rolled her eyes, and placed both hands on his cheeks. “Big girl now, not a baby.” She kissed his nose, then reached out for Ewyn and put her arm around his neck. “See, Niqui, two daddies.” She giggled. “Hold Niqui, Ew,” she demanded. Ewyn smiled down at Kiera‟s look-a-like, who surprised him by raising her arms. He tensed, but carefully picked up the child. She wrapped her little arms around his neck and he relaxed, then returned her hug. She kissed his cheek. “Hello, Ew.” “Hello, Niqui.” 218

Memories Erased: Treachery Kristen came across the room and surprised Ewyn by hugging him, too. Grinning, she took her daughter from his arms and set her down. Devin put Kiera down and the two munchkins skipped away, giggling. “Let‟s find Myce,” Kiera told Niqui. “Show you pictures of my momma and my ganpa.” Ewyn watched them scamper from the room before he turned back to Kristen. “Come on,” she said. “My mother and my aunt are eager to meet you.” Two women stood by the bar watching his approach. The taller of the two had to be Kristen‟s mother. They resembled each other in looks and stature. Kristen introduced the shorter woman first. Five feet tall, she had a pretty, heart-shaped face with full lips, and a lovely smile. Her olive-toned skin, dark, shoulder-length slightly wavy hair, and soft brown eyes spoke of her Hispanic lineage. “Ewyn. This is my aunt Villa Leon Corbett, Christopher‟s wife, and their son, Ricardo.” Ewyn shook hands with the woman and her son, but he couldn‟t stop gawking at the young man. Almost as tall as Christopher, Ricardo had a swarthy complexion and thick dark lashes highlighting startling grey eyes so similar to Kiera‟s, his baby-girl resembled Ricardo more than her father. “Ewyn,” Kristen prompted. “Oh, sorry. I can‟t get over the resemblance.” “It‟s the eyes. Wait until you meet Uncle Tony and see him and Niqui together.” She turned to the other woman. “Mom, this is Ewyn. Ewyn, this is my mother, Marissa Wells Corbett. Almost as tall as Ewyn, her smooth, caramel colored skin had very few wrinkles, but there were laugh lines around her mouth and eyes. She had amber eyes, a deeper hue than Devin‟s, and her shoulder-length reddish-brown hair had a 219

M. E. Reid minimum of grey streaks threaded through the soft waves. Her trim figure suggested a strict regimen of physical exercise. Ewyn extended his hand, but the woman stepped forward and hugged him. “It‟s a pleasure to meet you,” Marissa said. “And thank you.” “It‟s nice to meet you, too.” Eyebrow arched, he asked, “Uh, why are you thanking me?” “Come on, let‟s sit…talk.” She moved to the other sofa. “Your aunt told me, you‟re responsible for Kiera‟s upbringing. You and Devin. I owe you a debt of gratitude, and before we go any further, let me assure you, our family doesn‟t plan to change a thing,” she said then turned to the men she left standing by the bar. “Korey…Tristan, come meet Ewyn.” Ewyn shook hands with Marissa‟s husband Tristan, the blond Ewyn had been drooling over earlier. About Devin‟s height and physique, he had the same turquoise eyes as his daughter. Turning his attention to Korey, Marissa‟s son and Kiera‟s father, Ewyn found himself staring up at another first-rate specimen of the male species. The same height as his father, Korey had a slightly slimmer build, and deep amber colored eyes like his mother. Ewyn couldn‟t help but stare. The Corbett men had identical features, yet the different eye and hair colors made them standout as individuals. Dragging his gaze away from Korey, Ewyn formally introduced his family, including Mick and Taggart, and he introduced Detective Patterson. By the time Mycelia announced dinner, Ewyn had dropped his guard with the Corbetts. It seemed right—they fit.

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Chapter 17

H

e flipped open the phone on the third ring. “Hey. What‟s up?” “Where are you?” “At the estate, and besides the usual players, there‟s a lot more activity this year, more people.” “Do you recognize any of them?” “Only the police detective and I can‟t figure out why he‟s at her party.” “Could be part of her protection, so don‟t worry about him. Get pictures of everyone else.” “Will do. And speaking of protection, they have the condo locked down so tight the Feeb almost caught me outside the other day.” “Hmm. Forgot who you‟re playing with, huh.” There was the sound of chuckling. “You need your a-game on. You‟re not playing with the locals. Devin and his cohorts are no dummies. Stay off their radar.” The connection ended. **** Kiera had chosen her own menu—all of her favorite foods— barbeque chicken, corn on the cob, macaroni and cheese, biscuits, butterfly hotdogs, and baked beans with honey and onions. Rosa added baby spinach, a few varieties of lettuce, 221

M. E. Reid an assortment of chopped and diced veggies, and a variety of salad dressings. She had everything set up buffet style. Mycelia settled Kiera and Niqui at the table, their plates filled with a smidgen of everything, while the adults fixed plates for themselves then joined the two girls. Dinner became a boisterous affair with both families sharing hilarious and hair-raising anecdotes of their lives. The estate children joined the festivities when the ice cream and cake arrived. Everyone sang the birthday song to Kiera‟s delight, while she stood on her chair, clapping and giggling. “Make wish, Kieki,” Niqui shouted while the other children yelled, “Make a wish then blow.” Prompted by their encouragement, Kiera managed to blow out the candles, all three of them, at the same time. While Rosa and Mycelia sliced the cake and dished out ice cream, Kiera opened her gifts. It surprised Ewyn to find gifts from the Corbetts among the presents, but it astounded him when Patterson presented Kiera with one. By the time everyone had finished dessert, it was close to midnight, and both baby-girls were almost asleep on their feet. Ewyn checked with Kristen before directing Mycelia to take the two girls up to the nursery. “Niqui can nap with Kieki until you‟re ready to leave,” he told Kristen. With the children out of the way, both families moved to Gregorio‟s office. They talked well into the early morning hours, discussing every aspect of Nicole and Carolyn‟s deaths, and the combined strategies in play to insure Kiera‟s safety. Once they had exhausted all opinions and options, Devin and Ewyn walked the Corbetts out to their cars. “I think your little girl is out for the night,” Ewyn told Kristen as he watched Jered secure the child in her seat. Kristen snorted and climbed into her vehicle. “But it doesn‟t mean I‟ll get to sleep late. She‟ll be up before dawn.” 222

Memories Erased: Treachery “Oh, hey…I feel you.” “It was a rocky start, but Niqui and Kiera have moved passed that, and I‟m not surprised. Considering the forced isolation of their lives,” she said. “Or maybe they feel a connection. So, if you don‟t think it‟s too soon, I‟d like to set up some play dates, so they can get to know each other better.” She grinned. “And you know Mom is looking forward to spending time with her too.” “Uh…sure.” Ewyn cast an anxious glance at Devin. “Hey.” She took Ewyn‟s hand. “We don‟t intend to overwhelm her, so whatever you decide.” She looked at Devin. “Listen. Even without paternity tests, the family has acknowledged, and accepts Kieki is a Corbett.” Devin nodded. “I‟ll talk to Myce, see what times are good for her, then get back to you.” “Sounds good, and thanks.” Kristen closed her car door and drove away. Ewyn had started back toward the house when Kiera‟s father approached him. “I didn‟t know Nicole very long, but I‟d like to learn everything about her, and get to know Kiera,” Korey said. “Can we get together sometime? I‟d love to see pictures.” “Sure.” “Thank you.” Korey handed him a business card. “Call me when you want to get together.” Devin and Ewyn stood huddled together in the doorway watching the cars disappear down the drive. Ewyn glanced at his watch when they turned back into the house. It was three a.m. **** Hell. How much longer do I have to wait? Following them over here wasn‟t supposed to be an all223

M. E. Reid nighter, not on a weekday. She‟s not usually with him during the week. What is wrong with people? Where is their routine? They think I‟m too crazy to keep my act together. They want to put me away. I‟m wasting too much time. I don‟t need this. Damn it, another headache, they‟re coming too close together, and I‟m taking too many pills. If I close my eyes…wait a minute, people are leaving. Ducking down on the seat and peering through the windshield, hmm, must have been a party…uhoh. Uncle Ewyn and his partner are going back inside. It‟ll be light soon, and I can‟t let them catch me now. Shit, I‟ll have to chance it because everything is ready. I wonder if Ewyn is going to take her back to his place today. Hell. Why don‟t these people stay consistent? Okay, I‟ll wait. Pull the hood up, have gloves, a blanket…might as well get comfortable. At least I prepared for the weather this time. **** “I‟m impressed, Dev. Not once did any of them try to deny Kieki.” “How could they? The two girls are identical in everything but eye color, and Korey admitted to sleeping with Nicole. Kristen said they have acknowledged and accepted Kiera as one of their own.” “True. Why was I so worried? Their family as a whole should be good for Kieki. Give her a chance to interact outside our closed environment.” “I agree. Did you notice Kieki never hesitated? She wasn‟t nervous or shy with any of them, boldly walked up to her grandfather, introduced herself, and asked him his name. She let them hold her while she laughed and chattered nonstop.” 224

Memories Erased: Treachery “Yeah.” Ewyn chuckled. “Baby-girl took to Marissa right away, calling her ganmom, mimicking Niqui.” “Gem feels comfortable with them, too,” Devin remarked. “They impressed her because they didn‟t act condescending toward the mobsters.” He snorted. “Her words, not mine. She can go on her trips, her mind at ease, knowing Kieki not only has other mother figures, but an honest-to-goodness grandmother.” “Right.” Ewyn yawned. “I‟m glad Kieki feels comfortable with them. It could have been a catastrophe. This morning…uh…wait. I should say yesterday wasn‟t an auspicious beginning.” He laughed. “By the way, you know how you‟re always razzing me about Kieki having my personality. Well, Daddy, when Niqui asked about Kieki‟s mommy, baby-girl‟s concentrated stare, answering a question with a question, she jumped all over your attitude.” “Makes a daddy proud, huh.” “Oh, yeah. She handled it better than I would have.” “No doubt.” “Hey!” Ewyn pouted. “Yeah…” “Whatever,” he grumbled. “I told Marissa about Mick and Tag being Kieki‟s godparents—Marissa‟s Catholic— and I expected her to object. Instead, she laughed and said, “Baby-boy, pul-lease. Do they love her, will they protect her with their lives, take care of her if you and Devin can‟t?” “She reminds me of Mairianna,” Devin stated. “Yes, she does. Easy to talk to, doesn‟t hold back, and says what‟s on her mind. Mom would have liked her.” Ewyn stopped walking, cocked his head to one side and listened, surprised to hear Mick, Taggart, and Timothy in Gregorio‟s office. “I thought they had gone to bed.” Mick and Taggart stayed at the estate when they had late meetings, but they never stayed up so late. Ewyn stepped 225

M. E. Reid into the room and saw Patterson, whose presence explained why the guys were awake. “Hey. If we‟re going to hang for a while, we need to move this party to the kitchen,” he said. “I‟m hungry.” Taggart shook his head. “Tell us something we don‟t know. Gem is a step ahead of you. Rosa is fixing breakfast as we speak.” “Where is Gem?” Devin asked. “She went to bed,” Timothy said. “She‟s doing so well, I don‟t want her to overdo it and have a relapse.” “So what did you think of the Corbett‟s?” Ewyn asked Taggart as they headed for the kitchen with the others trailing behind them. “Hmm. Let‟s say, you weren‟t the prettiest face in the room tonight,” Taggart teased, and received a punch on the arm. “I mean, Kieki‟s grandfather, whoa—okay!” He threw up his hands in surrender when Ewyn turned on him. “Seriously. They‟re good people, and Kieki‟s grandmother really impressed me.” He looked at Mick as they seated themselves at the table. “I think our people should recruit Marissa for our BAU. Her intuitive skills seem off the chart.” “Yeah,” Mick concurred. “But I‟d wager Christopher already uses her skills.” He turned to Devin. “Why so quiet?” “Something Marissa said.” He looked at Patterson. “Where is Calabria?” “Went back to the Chicago area after he graduated,” Patterson replied. “Why?” “I‟m not sure. Are you still keeping tabs?” “Not for some time, but I have contacts back there who can check him out. What are you thinking?” “Marissa asked about Nicole‟s phone records, about the friends Nicole called. Calabria was one of those friends, but we never considered the timeline, damn it!” Devin abruptly 226

Memories Erased: Treachery pushed away from the table, stood, and started pacing. “Patterson. You need to call your contact. Have him track down Calabria.” “Why, Dev?” Ewyn went to Devin and grabbed his arm to stop his pacing. “What is it?” “Maybe nothing, but who was the only friend she didn‟t call after she changed her phone number…” “Calabria,” Ewyn whispered. “That son of a bitch!” “Hold on. Let‟s not get excited.” Devin pulled Ewyn close. “Remember, Jennifer said Niki and Calabria were on the outs before she changed numbers. His number not showing up on the new phone billing could be connected to that.” He turned to Patterson. “We need to go over those phone records again, and find out exactly when she stopped talking to him on her old cell.” “Will do,” Patterson said. He grabbed his napkin, wiped his mouth and hands, stood, and headed for the door. “I‟ll get right on this. It‟s the first fresh idea we‟ve had in more than a year. I‟ll touch base with you later.” He hurried away. “Mick…Tag.” Devin tugged Ewyn back to the table and they sat down. “What did you find out about that rental car?” “Stolen,” Taggart told him. “I‟m working on it. I put out a BOLO. However, if it‟s connected to our case, I doubt we‟ll find any trace.” “Tim, can you have someone check the Chicago area for a marriage license?” Devin asked. “Sure, I could. But you‟re the boss now, you can do it yourself.” “Damn.” Devin shook his head. “Between Kieki‟s birthday and discovering her other family, I totally forgot.” “Dev…” He turned to Ewyn and saw disquiet reflected in the green eyes. “Hey. I don‟t want to get all excited, then not 227

M. E. Reid have it pan out.” He reached over and rubbed Ewyn‟s neck, feeling the tension. “Let‟s get some sleep and start fresh in the morning.” “Okay.” Ewyn yawned. “I am tired. Are you going to call the Corbetts?” “Not until I hear from Patterson.” They finished their meal in silence, then everyone trudged upstairs. “Hey.” Devin came out of the bathroom, climbed on the bed, and turned out the light. He pulled Ewyn back against him and nuzzled the slim neck. “Are you going to work today?” “No. Staying here. Kieki may have questions about the Corbetts. Are you going in?” “Uh-uh. Want to follow up with Patterson, talk to Christopher, and see what other leads I can unearth.” Devin stifled a yawn. “We need to put this to rest before our perp makes a move.” “Dev…” “Hmm.” “I‟m thirty-six, almost thirty-seven. Don‟t I look thirtysix?” “Where is that coming from?” Devin chuckled. “Because Marissa called you baby-boy.” He rolled Ewyn over to face him, palmed the stubborn chin, and tilted Ewyn‟s head. “Babe, some families use the term as a generational thing, and for others it‟s a slang thing, referring to you being the younger one. I call you baby-boy all the time, and we call Kieki baby-girl. Neither of you are babies anymore.” “Dev.” Ewyn sighed. “I know that, but Reardon called me kid, and I‟m several years older than him.” “It‟s the pretty face.” “Yeah, right.” “Hey.” Devin leaned over and took a quick kiss. “I need at least an hour of sleep in order to function today. Okay, 228

Memories Erased: Treachery baby-boy.” **** Devin hung up the phone just as Kiera skipped into the office with Mycelia close on her heels. “Hey, Kieki.” “Dev…” She climbed onto his lap and frowned. “Ew said I could see Niqui at Niqui‟s house and Myce said not today maybe tomorrow, but Niqui‟s ganmom said I could see her anytime I wanted to.” She took a deep breath. “How come I can‟t go now, huh, Daddy?” Devin struggled to keep a straight face, and refrain from laughing at the seriousness of Kiera‟s expression. Just as he opened his mouth to respond, Ewyn came barreling into the room, dressed in sweatpants, tee shirt, and barefoot. “There you are. Baby-girl, why did you run off?” Ewyn turned to Devin and grinned. “I‟ve already taken care of it.” He dropped down on the chair in front of the desk. “I spoke to Kristen and she‟s coming by to get Myce and Kieki.” “Oh-kay. See, Kieki, Ew fixed it.” Devin kissed her brow. Kiera hopped off Devin‟s lap and ran to Ewyn. “Thanks, Ew.” She hugged him and placed a noisy kiss on his lips. “See, Myce, told‟ya.” Mycelia chuckled and took her hand. “Well, I think you might want to change out of your pj‟s, huh.” They walked out of the room with Kiera chattering about what she wanted to wear. “Kris will be here within the hour,” Ewyn called after them then turned back to Devin. “Kieki seems to be all right with the Corbett situation. Her only question was when she could go to Niqui‟s house. I figured why not let her go today, let the bonding start at her pace.” “Good idea.” 229

M. E. Reid “Yeah. The Corbetts are so anxious to get to know her, Kristen jumped on the opportunity to start today,” Ewyn said. “Furthermore, I want to help with the investigation. Without Kieki around to distract me, I figured I could get a lot more done.” “Are Mick and Tag still here?” “Mick is here, and I told him about Kieki going to the Corbett‟s house. He‟ll be ready when Kristen arrives.” Ewyn stood and came around the desk, picked up the phone, and pressed the intercom button. “Have you eaten?” “Not since four hours ago, when we went to bed.” Ewyn grinned, sat on the edge of the desk as he spoke into the phone, and requested breakfast—Devin‟s smoothie, fresh fruit, two omelets and his decaf coffee. Turning back to Devin, he said, “After talking to Kristen, I called Kieki‟s pediatrician and arranged for the paternity tests. Since Korey already admitted his responsibility, it‟s just for the record.” “Right.” “So what did Patterson have to say?” “According to Calabria‟s family, Anthony has been in Europe for the last eighteen months. He went to visit family in Italy and decided to stay for a while.” “Damn.” Ewyn frowned. “He can afford to do that?” “Yeah, old money. The family has been in the importexport business since they came to this country.” “With no ties to the syndicate.” “Stereotyping?” Devin chuckled. “All Italians aren‟t mob connected.” “I know. Only speculating out loud.” “Anthony is supposed to be taking time off to travel and visit family, before settling down. He wants to start his own law firm when he returns.” “How ambitious. So now what?” Ewyn asked. “Our contacts checking on Cecilia will try to track 230

Memories Erased: Treachery Calabria‟s whereabouts. What‟s with the smile?” “You. I like seeing my very own headman—oops, no pun intended. Dev!” Ewyn squeaked when pulled off the desk onto Devin‟s lap and then tickled. “Sto-op! I meant boss…my very own boss man,” he gasped. A knock on the door saved him from more teasing. Devin stood, kissed him, and dumped him in the chair. Ewyn called out, “Come in.” One of the staff entered, pushing a serving trolley ahead of him. “Thanks, Alberto.” Ewyn jumped up. “We‟ll serve ourselves.” Once the servant exited the room, he removed the dishes from the trolley and placed everything on the table. “Patterson will be here around noon with Nicole‟s phone records,” Devin stated. “We‟ll go over them and verify when she stopped talking to Calabria, coordinate the phone records with the journal entries.” “He‟s in Italy, why bother?” “Well, he‟s supposed to be, but again, we‟re back to unconfirmed information.” Devin gulped down his smoothie and started on the omelet. “Dev. You‟re not thinking Niki married Calabria. No way! Why would she?” “After talking to the Corbetts, I reread parts of Niki‟s journal. Remember, she wrote, realize the logic of his arguments, and the part about avoiding conflict.” “Yeah…” Ewyn wiped his mouth and picked up his coffee cup. “We know she wasn‟t in touch with Korey. So what he would she confide in?” “Hell! Why would she fall for Calabria‟s bullshit?” “Remember, Nicole didn‟t know anything about the Corbetts, but I bet Korey let her know he was a law student, and maybe about the family law firm. He would have let her know he had family in Riverview,” Devin explained. 231

M. E. Reid “Suppose she had made up her mind to have her baby and raise her on her own, but worried about Korey showing up and trying to get custody. Think about it.” He paused. “At minimum, Korey would have wanted to share custody, which could have involved Kieki going back east. Nicole might have discussed those worries with Calabria.” “Why wouldn‟t she have expressed her concerns to Jennifer? They were like family, too.” Devin frowned. “I don‟t know. Maybe she didn‟t think Jennifer could handle it. But Niki must have had a reason for choosing Calabria to confide in, instead of Jennifer. Could have been because he was studying law.” He shrugged. “However, what we do know, according to her journal, she and Calabria were like brother and sister, in the beginning. She thought he was straight up, he might have expressed concern about her and her child‟s welfare, and he came from money. She would have thought she wouldn‟t have any problems with him regarding her estate.” “Okay, I can see the sense in that.” Ewyn sighed. “So yeah, why not marry him to protect her baby from the unknown quantity.” “Right,” Devin stated. “Niki meant it to be a marriage of convenience, name only, and as she noted in the journal, he tried to make it real, tried to gain control.” Ewyn finished his meal and strolled over to the desk. “If he‟s from money, and he‟s our perp, I don‟t understand his motivation.” Picking up the phone, he pressed intercom and two. “Mick, can you come down to the office?” He replaced the receiver and returned to the table. “We should notify the Corbetts, huh, since Kieki will be spending the day with them.” “Mick will handle it from our end, and Christopher is on his way over. I‟ll tell him what we know and let him handle security on his end.” 232

Memories Erased: Treachery “He‟s good, right?” Devin pulled Ewyn down on his lap. “He‟s the best. I could take lessons from him.” The knock on the door announced Mick‟s arrival. Ewyn hopped off Devin‟s lap, sat in the chair next to him, and listened to Devin repeat everything he‟d told Ewyn. “Yeah, makes more sense to me than Cecilia. And you‟re right, he‟s supposed to be in Italy,” Mick said. “We only have the family‟s word on that.” Another knock on the door and Christopher entered the office. He wasn‟t alone. “Hi, Kieki‟s Ew!” Niqui squealed as she ran across the room and threw herself at Ewyn. Stunned, he caught her in his arms, lifted her onto his lap, and looked at Christopher then Kristen. “She‟s been talking Kieki‟s Ew and Kieki‟s daddy, nonstop, since she woke up,” Kristen told him. “Is Kieki ready?” She looked over at Mick. “I‟m going to take them to the park, to my place for lunch and a nap, then to my mom‟s for a visit.” “Okay. Here‟s my cell number.” They exchanged numbers, coordinated their travel, decided Mycelia should drive Kiera, and meet Kristen and Niqui at the park. “You won‟t have to bring Kieki home, and I‟ll be close at all times,” Mick told her. “Got it.” Kristen turned to Ewyn. “How is Kieki with dogs?” “She hasn‟t had interaction with any,” he replied. “The estate dogs are strictly security. Why?” Eyebrow arched, he glanced at Devin. “I have two Dobermans.” “Oh. Dobermans.” He nibbled his bottom lip. “How are they with Niqui?” “They‟ll protect her with their lives.” “So it won‟t be a problem,” Devin responded before 233

M. E. Reid Ewyn could say anything further. Kiera skipped into the room dressed in black denim overalls, black and white striped turtleneck, a white fleece hoodie, and white Nikes, with black laces. She had a black knitted cap on her head. Niqui hopped off Ewyn‟s lap and ran to Kiera. “Look, Momma. Kieki has the same hat and shoes, „cept my laces are blue.” She giggled. “Ready, Kieki. Momma‟s takin‟ us to the park, and to see my dogs.” “„Kay.” Kiera ran across the room and kissed Ewyn, before turning to Christopher and Devin to kiss them, too. Niqui did the same. The two girls rushed for the door, but Kiera stopped on the threshold and looked back. Ewyn watched her little heart-shaped face light up. Tears stung the backs of his eyes as he realized what an oppressive environment she lived in that such a simple treat generated so much excitement. Good thing Pre School started soon. “Bye, Ew…Daddy. Gonna go out…miss you. Be back.” “Have fun, Kieki. Be good.” “Ew.” She rolled her eyes. “C‟mon, Mick, time to go.” She skipped out the door with Niqui beside her. Mick stood and glanced around. “Guess I‟ve been given my orders so I better get a move on.” Patterson arrived as Mick was leaving, and Ewyn left the room to go put on his tennis shoes. **** “What else do you have for us?” Devin asked the detective. “A lot. My contact is a PI. People are more willing to talk to him than the police,” he said. “He discovered Calabria‟s family considers Anthony a risk. His money is in trust until he‟s forty, so it‟s doled out to him as the family sees fit.” “What do you mean a risk?” Ewyn snapped as he re234

Memories Erased: Treachery entered the room. “They used terms like acting out as a child, narcissistic, always in some sort of trouble as a teen, but super intelligent. No one would say it outright, but my interpretation would be mentally unstable,” he said. “He‟s supposed to be on medication to keep his mood swings to a minimum, if he remembers to take it.” “Why the hell didn‟t your contact get that information the first time out?” Christopher asked. “He made the mistake of going to a so-called friend in the police department.” Patterson went to the bar, grabbed a bottle of orange juice from the refrigerator, and returned to the table. “This time out, he decided to take another route. He talked to people who know people who know the family, but don‟t like them.” He pulled out his notepad. “According to those upstanding citizens, Anthony‟s issues got him arrested, but, if he has a record, there are some highpowered people obstructing access to the file. My contact thinks the family owns the police department.” Devin scowled. “In Chicago?” “No, a little burb outside the Windy City.” He took a sip of juice, then continued. “Everyone who willingly spoke to my contact agrees on one point. Anthony lied to us. He didn‟t come out here to visit friends and decide to stay. His family sent him to California so he wouldn‟t be prosecuted.” “And no one in law enforcement is talking,” Devin declared. “True. Claiming ignorance. My contact is trying to find someone with the PD who‟ll talk.” Patterson turned to Christopher. “I have to agree with you. If Calabria is our perp, he has nothing to gain, and going after Kiera is all about revenge. Making your assessment right on—stupid and insane.” “Oh, hell yeah,” Devin exclaimed. “If we were dealing 235

M. E. Reid with a sane person, he or she would have realized we don‟t have any evidence, and leave it alone.” “I‟m curious to know if Calabria‟s record involves a felony,” Christopher remarked. “Why?” Patterson questioned. “Well, if it‟s a felony, he‟s wasted a lot of money and several years of law school. A felony isn‟t an acceptable qualification for any form of employment, and I believe they still do criminal background checks for the bar exam.” “And he should have known that, huh,” Devin speculated. Christopher shrugged. “Money talks. Maybe the family has the necessary connections.” “And maybe the FBI needs to look a little closer into their activities,” Devin suggested. “Enough! Who cares? It‟s him, isn‟t it?” Ewyn hopped up. “I should have hurt him when I had the chance. Maybe I should turn Vince loose on his ass and his family if they try to intercede.” “Whoa.” Devin grabbed his hand. “Calm down. All of us wrote him off as non-threatening when he left the state.” He tugged Ewyn over to his side. “So before we rally the lynch mob, we have to sit tight until we hear from Patterson‟s guy, our contacts in Italy, and we recheck those phone records.” “Along with revisiting Calabria‟s alibi,” Christopher said. “That‟s going to be tough.” Patterson gulped down the last of the juice. “Once his friends graduated, who knows where they are, three years later.” Devin nodded. “So we‟ll each take a few names and run with them.” “Fine.” Ewyn looked down at Devin. “Does this rule out CeCe?”

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Chapter 18

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amn, it‟s cold out there, but I had to take care of business. Next time, earmuffs under the hoodie. Ears are always so damn cold. I need a shower and…whoa. Looks like the little rugrat is going out. Black knitted hat, black hoodie, light blue denims, white tennis shoes. Have to remember…is that a new nanny? Now isn‟t she special. They probably have a different nanny for different days. Wonder where we‟re going. I need coffee. Hope I‟ll have a chance to grab some coffee when—the park! They‟re going to the goddamn park. Just what I need. A day hanging around a bunch of whiney brats. I hate kids. Hmm. Could present a better opportunity to get up close to the little brat than the condo parking structure. I think it‟s time the kid and I get to know each other. And look, there‟s a canteen truck…coffee! Oh yeah, things are looking up. **** Mmm. Heat. Feels good. Coffee‟s not bad either. Oh-kay. Let‟s see. Where did she go? Black knitted hat, black hoodie, light blue denims, white tennis shoes…ah-ha, there she is with her nanny, and another kid joining them, probably with her 237

M. E. Reid nanny, too. Typical. Rich bitches don‟t take care of their own snot-nosed brats. Oh good, run off and play. Go to the sandbox. Yes! The further away from the nannies the better. One more walkthrough. Only one adult nearby—man on the bench reading the paper. Brat sitting on the edge of the sandbox, her little friend sitting inside. If I jog by, I can grab her without stopping. Yeah, that‟s right, nanny, ignore the kid, talk on the phone. This is it. **** “Mick,” Kristen said into her cell. “I‟ve got them,” he said. “I‟m on the bench, several feet to their left in front of the hedges.” “Did Kiera see you?” Mick chuckled. “Yeah, she knows I‟m here, but she‟s good. She only glanced at me as they passed. Devin and Tag have taught her well.” “Good. Ring me when they head back my way.” “Will do.” Mick closed his phone, picked up the paper, and returned his attention to the girls. **** “Boss. You are not going to believe this.” “What‟s up?” “There are two of them.” “Excuse me. Two of what?” “Baby-girls. They look identical.” “Are you drunk? There was only one live birth.” “I‟m watching them, and I‟m telling you there are two. 238

Memories Erased: Treachery They‟re with Myce and another woman. Mick is hovering.” “Another nanny?” “Don‟t think so. The other woman resembles the babies.” “Ah. Then I‟d say they‟ve found the father, huh.” “I guess.” “Damn. Listen. I‟m still in Italy, but I think it‟s time Aianna and I—” “Wait! That‟s the third time he‟s walked by the girls.” “Who? Never mind. Do what you have to do.” “It‟s a given. Shit! He grabbed her.” He snapped his phone shut and took off. **** “Gotcha—ouch!” he growled, lost his grip and she fell to the ground. “You little brat, you bit me. Come here.” He seized her arm again and tried to drag her away. “Nooo…stop! Let go me!” Kicking and scratching, Niqui tried to pull away. “Kieki…Mom-my!” she screamed. “Let go her, man!” Kieki threw herself at him, landing a barrage of kicks and punches, bit him on the thigh then squealed, “Mick!” “Owww, damn it! What the…” Startled, the man released the child‟s arm and stared. “What the hell is going on here?” he roared, staring from one girl to the other. This is not right. “Oh, shit.” From his peripheral, he saw the nannies charging toward him. He turned—the man from the bench coming at him blocked his only other means of escape. Panicked, he dove through the hedges. Breathing heavily, he picked himself up, sprinted across the grass, jumped in his car, and peeled out. He kept glancing in the mirror to make sure no one was following him. When he pulled into the hotel parking lot, he made no move to get out of the car. 239

M. E. Reid “What is happening?” He repeatedly slammed his fists on the steering wheel. “No! I‟m not losing my mind.” There‟s no record of twins. Head in his hands, for several seconds, he massaged his temples. Feeling the tacky moisture beneath his fingertips, he looked in the mirror. Blood oozed from two deep cuts and several shallow scratches that tattooed his forehead and cheeks. He hadn‟t felt any pain. Nothing had gone right since he‟d met Nicole, the bitch. “Have to get out of here,” he mumbled. **** Every cell phone in the room went off at the same time. Ewyn snatched his cell from his waistband and flipped it open. “Hey, Myce…what!” he shouted and jumped to his feet. “Where…okay, calm down…who? Oh, my God. Is she all right. They did…yeah. On our way.” He snapped his phone closed. “Son of a bitch!” He kicked his chair over, then turned to face a roomful of stunned people. “Christopher. He went for Kieki, grabbed Niqui instead.” “I heard.” Christopher came to his feet. The glacial look in those steely grey eyes had Ewyn taking a step back. He thought Devin could be scary. “She‟s okay,” he quickly added, then looked at Devin, whose expression mimicked Corbett‟s look. “They‟re okay, Dev.” He hurried to keep up with the two men as they strode toward the door. “Where did this happen?” Patterson asked, following behind as they left the house. “Riverview. Out of your jurisdiction,” Christopher replied. “My family has a friend on the force down there. Trust me, Kristen will have contacted him.” He shook his head. “Damn!” “What?” Devin asked. 240

Memories Erased: Treachery “She will have called her mother and my wife, too.” “Good,” Ewyn growled. “I hope they caught the fucker and let the women loose on his ass.” “I guess this means Calabria isn‟t in Italy,” Patterson stated. **** Calabria scanned the parking lot before he climbed out of his car then hurried toward his room. Shit. I can‟t believe this is happening, after all my plans…twins! Why didn‟t I notice? Damn it, the pictures…I should have looked at the pictures, instead of trashing them. Jennifer and Kathleen should have said, those bitches. They were my friends first. “Have to get out of here,” he grumbled and started throwing clothes into his duffle bag. He had the passports and the house in France. He could live over there for quite a while. His family would pay anything to keep him away from home. With everything packed away, he looked around the room. “Pills…” He opened and closed all the drawers. “Where are my goddamn pills?” He rushed toward the bathroom, but pulled up short when a knock on the door startled him. He tensed, glancing around, no escape. The door was the only exit. Tentatively, he called out, “Who is it?” “Housekeeping.” He relaxed. “Just a minute.” He snatched his pills off the bathroom vanity, grabbed his duffel, and hurried toward the door. One last look around and he opened the door. “Hey. I‟m checking out—oomph!” His world faded. **** 241

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After Christopher spoke to Detective Steppling at the Riverview Police Department, a statewide APB went out for Anthony Francesco Calabria. Patterson returned to San Bernardino, while Devin and Christopher rejoined the rest of the family at Marissa‟s house. “Can Steppling be trusted?” Christopher nodded. “He‟s been this route with us before. He‟ll work it under the radar and keep the Calderone name out of the limelight. If not, I‟ll put MacGregor on his ass.” Devin dropped down on the chair next to Ewyn at the kitchen table. “How are Niqui and Kiera?” “Surprisingly, okay.” Ewyn shook his head. “Bragging about kicking butt, comparing techniques. They‟re too young to understand the seriousness of what happened.” He looked from Devin to Christopher. “I guess we owe the two of you and Tag a debt of gratitude for teaching our little warriors so well.” Christopher grinned. “Uh-uh, not me.” He glanced at Kristen and Marissa. “Niqui‟s mom and ganmom have the skills.” Wide-eyed, Ewyn turned to Kristen. “Hey. I live in a male-dominated environment. A girl has to keep up,” she teased. “As for my mom, someday you should ask about her childhood.” “Only if you can stomach the blood and gore of horror stories,” Marissa commented. “Listen. With Jered out on assignment, Kris, my husband and I have discussed how we should handle this situation. We‟ve agreed Niqui should spend a few days with Kiera, until we can get decent security set up here, and at Kristen‟s place.” “Just in case my dogs aren‟t enough,” Kristen interjected. Marissa looked at Ewyn. “If it‟s okay with you.” “Not a problem.” He glanced at Devin. “I‟m going to 242

Memories Erased: Treachery work from home for the next few days to help Kieki settle down. She‟s not afraid now, but her bravado could change. She‟s only a baby.” “Good idea.” Devin turned to Christopher. “The condo is more confined, so security and surveillance are more effective than the wide-open spaces of the estate.” He stood and headed for the door. “If you have time, I‟ll take you over there and give you the tour.” “Right behind you.” Christopher followed Devin from the room. “So, Mick. You think it was Calabria, huh,” Ewyn said. “Pretty sure. Right height and build…didn‟t get a clear look at his face.” He stood and refilled his coffee cup. “I think the girls would recognize him.” He returned to the table. “But I don‟t want to confront them with it today.” “I agree. Enough drama for one day. The son of a bitch,” Ewyn snarled. “Why didn‟t we see it?” “Because you were looking for someone more sinister like your sister-in-law,” Marissa pointed out. “You and your niece only thought of Calabria as annoying, and a bigoted ass-wipe, I believe you called him. You never considered him a threat.” Marissa stared at him while she sipped her tea. “You have good instincts, Ewyn, you never trusted him, but you allowed your suspicions to become misdirected. He played the role. The nuttier they are, the better they are at fitting in. Trust me, I‟m speaking from experience.” Ewyn thought about Anthony‟s derisive attitude, the animosity behind his flash of temper, and nodded. “You‟re right. I guess I didn‟t learn anything from my encounter with CeCe.” “Ewyn.” Kristen reached across the table and put her hand on his. “We‟ve been there, dealing with nutcases, and you can‟t blame yourself.” “That‟s what Dev says.” He looked around. “All of you 243

M. E. Reid are so calm about this.” “On the surface, yeah. We‟ve been down this block enough times, we‟ve learned to cope,” Marissa remarked. “But my inner rage wants to kill something.” Stunned, hearing the deadly intent in the quiet tone, Ewyn glanced at Kristen and her aunt, who nodded their heads. The men‟s expressions were menacing, too. “Hey. It will be all right. Promise.” Kristen patted his hand and sat back. “Change of subject.” She grinned. “Will Myce stay at the condo while the girls are there, or should I come by to check on you? I mean…wait. Don‟t take that the wrong way, because you‟re a great parent, but two threeyear-olds could be a handful, if you‟re not used to it.” “I hear you, but Myce will be there during the day. Mick and Tag are across the hall,” he reminded her. “I want everything to remain as normal as possible for them, and that‟s why I‟m going to leave Kieki here with you today, so you can carry on with your outing as if what happened was no big deal.” Marissa smiled and nodded. “What?” Ewyn queried. “Nothing. I‟m agreeing with you.” “Oh.” Heat strafed his cheeks and he looked away. “Mick will stay, too.” He stood. “Right now, I need to go to the estate and reassure Gemma. I‟ll see you later, Kris.” Headed for the door, he paused on the threshold. “Marissa, will you come, too? I‟ll fix dinner.” “How could I refuse an invitation to a night of no cooking?” She laughed. “Tristan and I will be there. What time? Should we bring anything?” “Uh-uh. Will eight o‟clock work for you?” Marissa looked at her husband and Tristan checked his watch. “Since I have to get back to work, that‟s perfect,” he said. 244

Memories Erased: Treachery “Okay. See you then.” Ewyn hurried from the room. **** He heard her before he saw her. “C‟mon, Niqui. See my room.” Kiera bounced into the living room, spotted Ewyn in the kitchen, and screamed, “Ew! I‟m home.” “Me, too,” Niqui added. “So I see,” Ewyn replied. Kiera skipped into the kitchen with Niqui close on her heels. She climbed onto the counter stool and puckered her lips. “Kisses, Ew.” Niqui clambered onto the other stool and said, “Me, too.” He leaned across the counter and gave each girl a loud noisy kiss. Both giggled. “Did you have a good time?” “How come I don‟t have a dog, huh? Niqui has two.” Kiera‟s little brow furrowed. “Well, ackully…” “Whoa. There‟s a new word,” he teased. She rolled her eyes. “Dogs, Ew.” She sighed. “Talkin‟ bout dogs. Niqui have three dogs „cause Ganmom have one for her too. Can I have a dog, huh? Can I?” “Slow down, baby-girl. I‟ll think about it.” Kristen walked into the kitchen. “Hey, little people, I‟m not unpacking for you.” She grinned and winked at Ewyn. “Kieki, where do the backpacks go?” “Momma…” Niqui sighed and did the Kiera eye-roll thing. “Kieki wants a dog.” “C‟mon, Niqui,” Kiera said. “Let‟s see my room. I‟ll ask Dev about the dog.” She jumped off the stool and flounced out of the room with Niqui right behind her. “Well, put me in my place,” Ewyn called after her. Kristen hurried to catch up with the two munchkins, calling back over her shoulder, “Myce said she‟ll see you 245

M. E. Reid first thing in the morning.” Devin strolled out of his office, came up behind Ewyn, and wrapped his arms around the slim shoulders. He kissed the slender neck, and whispered, “Didn‟t I hear our babygirl?” Ewyn turned his face to him and mouths merged for several breathtaking moments, then Devin pulled back. “Oh yeah. The twins have arrived, and Kieki wants a dog or three. I‟m not sure how many.” A bark of laughter exploded out of Devin. “Guess that calms your fears about her contact with dogs. Did she happen to mention what kind of dog?” “No. I didn‟t give her the answer she wanted to hear, so she terminated further discussion with me. She told Niqui, she would ask Dev.” “Uh-oh.” He turned Ewyn to face him. “What do you think? You‟re the one who will have most of the responsibility for the dog.” “I never had a dog, Dev. Did you?” “Yeah. As a kid, until I left Sweden. Since then, with college and what I do for a living, no. I was never at home. But I can see the sense in getting one for Kieki.” He moved to the counter and sat down. “Christopher said Kristen and Marissa have trained their dogs to be protective of the children in their family.” Kristen came into the kitchen. “Did I hear my name being bandied about?” “Oh yeah. Thanks to you, we have a dog problem,” Ewyn teased. Laughing, she sat on the stool next to Devin. “Hey. Korey and I grew up with the best-trained Dobies you‟d ever want protecting you—CJ and JC. When we were babies, they slept in our room under our cribs.” Eyes wide, Ewyn said, “Marissa left them alone with you.” 246

Memories Erased: Treachery “Oh yeah. They even went on vacations with us. Mine — Siege and Jazzmine—are Niqui‟s best friends. Well, they were until Kieki came along. You should have seen your baby-girl with them. It was love at first sight all around.” “Probably because she looks like Niqui,” Ewyn stated. “No, Ewyn,” Devin responded. “They go by scent, instinct.” “That‟s true. Mmm, speaking of scent, what smells so good—which reminds me, I have to get home and start dinner.” Kristen stood and headed toward the front door. “The girls are settled in. I left them watching television. Niqui gets a snack before bedtime. Usually fruit, sometimes ice cream.” “Not a problem. We have those individual ice cream cups for Kieki.” Ewyn wiped his hands, then he and Devin walked with Kristen to the door. “We always have fresh fruit. Anything she can‟t eat.” “No. She‟ll eat whatever you give her.” She paused in the living room and looked around. “I like the set up you have here. Is Kieki‟s bedroom a recent addition?” “We added it when she was four months old,” Devin explained. “Next visit, we‟ll give you the grand tour.” “Sounds good.” Kristen glanced at her watch as she stepped out the door. “Oh, shit. Look at the time. Jered is back in town and should be home soon. I‟ll stop by tomorrow evening to spend some time with Niqui. This is her first sleepover.” “Not a problem,” Ewyn replied. “See you tomorrow.” She started toward the elevator, then stopped and turned back. “Oh, wait. Mick brought me up. Do I need a key for the elevator to get out?” “No, but hold on.” Ewyn dashed inside, returned with a key, and handed it to her. “To get back in, since you‟ll be a regular visitor.” 247

M. E. Reid “Thanks.” She hugged Ewyn and rushed away. Ewyn closed the door just as Devin‟s cell phone rang. Devin flipped it open and headed for the office, while Ewyn returned to the kitchen to finish preparing dinner. He was setting the table when Devin reappeared. “Chicken fingers, corn on the cob…” Devin laughed. “I thought we were having rib eye, mashed potatoes, and green beans.” “Dev.” Ewyn rolled his eyes. “The chicken is for the munchkins. I‟m feeding them first, then baths, and bed by eight o‟clock.” “Teasing.” Devin kissed the tip of his nose. “I‟ll help with the baths and bedtime routine.” “Thanks.” He wrapped his arms around Devin‟s waist. “I guess sex is out until they leave, huh.” “Not. That was Tag on the phone. After hearing about today‟s scare, he‟s taking a vacation day to spend time with the munchkins. He and Mick are going to take the babies out for the day.” “Until Calabria is caught, are you sure it‟s safe?” “Taking every precaution.” He winked. “Pencil me in for an afternoon of loving?” “It‟s a date.” Ewyn leaned up for a kiss. **** “Ewyn, dinner was delicious.” Marissa stood and removed hers and her husband‟s plates from the table. “Tris and I will deal with the cleaning detail.” “No way. You‟re the guest.” “Way.” She smirked. “House rules. You cooked.” Ewyn stared wide-eyed. “You do that, too?” “Doesn‟t everybody.” She took the washcloth from Ewyn‟s hand, passed it to her husband, and moved to the 248

Memories Erased: Treachery sink. “Sit.” “Yes, ma‟am.” He looked at Devin, who grinned and winked. “Do you want to save these green beans?” Tristan asked. Ewyn retrieved a plastic storage container and handed it to him. “Kris said she talked to Mick about taking the girls out tomorrow,” Marissa said. “Yeah.” Ewyn sighed. “But I‟m not sure it‟s such a good idea, so soon after today‟s attack.” “Baby-boy, as you said, we have to carry on as usual. Mick and Tag will have it covered,” she assured him. “Tag is taking Kristen‟s dogs with them. Trust me. Your nutcase won‟t get within a yard of the girls.” “Oh…okay.” Ewyn relaxed against Devin‟s side. “They‟re so well trained.” “It‟s what Kris trained them to do, to protect Niqui.” Marissa put the last of the dishes in the dishwasher and turned it on. “Let‟s get comfortable,” Devin said. He headed for the bar in the living room. “Do either of you want something to drink?” Marissa made herself comfortable on the sofa. “I‟ll have a Perrier, VO and seven for Tris,” she said as her husband settled next to her. “I‟m the designated driver.” Ewyn grabbed a bottle of water, crossed the room, and sat on the floor next to the chair facing the sofa. Once Devin handed the drinks to the Corbetts and settled down in the chair, Ewyn scooted between his legs, resting his arms on the muscular thighs. “Marissa. I know we‟ve just met,” he said. “But I feel, uh…I don‟t know. It‟s like we‟re connected.” “Strange as it may seem, I know what you mean. Feels like family and it doesn‟t have anything to do with Kiera 249

M. E. Reid being my grandchild.” Ewyn nodded. “My mom would have liked you.” “I‟m sorry I didn‟t get the chance to know her.” “Kris mentioned your childhood. What did she mean?” Ewyn shivered when Devin‟s fingertips brushed the nape of his neck. They talked for a couple of hours. Around midnight, Tristan stood and said, “I hate to break this up, but one of us has to work tomorrow.” He held out his hand to his wife. “I‟ll just peek in on the girls before I leave,” Marissa said. Ewyn and Devin walked them to the elevator. While Devin locked up, Ewyn headed straight for the shower. Devin soon joined him, stepping into the enclosure and dropping down on the seat. Ewyn turned and straddled his lap. “Dev…” “Hmm.” Devin leaned in for a kiss. Ewyn threaded his fingers through the soft blonde waves and wrapped his arms around Devin‟s neck. “We‟re not going too fast are we?” “No, Ewyn, we‟re letting Kieki move forward at her own pace. She has bonded with the Corbetts without really understanding they‟re her family.” His arms snaked around Ewyn‟s body, hands settling on the curves of his ass. “By mimicking Niqui, she‟s already calling Tristan and Marissa, ganpa and ganmom. When she‟s ready, or more likely, she‟ll ask questions, then we‟ll explain. We tell her what she wants to know until she‟s old enough to understand all of the details.” “Yeah, makes sense.” Ewyn rested his head on Devin‟s forehead. “Korey wants to come over and talk about Niki, see pictures. Should I include Kieki?” “I‟d like to see you stop her.” Devin chuckled. “When is he coming?” “This weekend.” 250

Memories Erased: Treachery “Good.” He stood, kissed Ewyn long and hard then released his hold. Letting Ewyn‟s body slide down his, he turned baby-boy toward the cascade of hot water. “Let‟s shower, get some sleep. You know the munchkins will be up at the crack of dawn.” “Can we rule out CeCe, now?” “To ease your mind, she‟ll remain a suspect until we capture Calabria and verify his guilt.” Ewyn leaned back and smiled up at Devin. “Thanks,” he whispered before Devin reclaimed his mouth in another breathtaking kiss.

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“K

ieki’s daad-dy…Ewww!” Devin heard the screams before he was fully awake and hit the floor running. He reached the door just as Niqui barged into the room, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Baby, what is it? Where‟s Kieki?” He scooped her into his arms and rushed down the hall toward Kiera‟s room. “Kieki cryin‟…scared.” She took several hiccupping breaths. “She broked it.” Ewyn came up beside them, eyes wide with fright, he clutched Devin‟s arm. “Dev. What happened, where‟s Kieki?” Devin handed Niqui to Ewyn and stepped into the room not knowing what to expect, dreading the discovery. He looked around —toys strewn everywhere—no Kiera. Then he heard sounds emanating from the toy chest and opened the lid. Kiera sat crouched inside, head resting on her knees, crying as if her heart would break. He lifted her out and hugged her tight. “Baby-girl, what‟s wrong? Are you hurt?” “Playin‟ hide „n seek.” She pointed to the chest. “Momma left to me, Dev…I broked it.” She laid her head on his shoulder, her sobs heart wrenching. “Kieki. Baby, it‟s okay.” Devin massaged her back. Ewyn came across the room, set Niqui down, and looked into the chest. The bottom, broken in several places, wasn‟t 252

Memories Erased: Treachery anything they couldn‟t repair. “Baby-girl, it‟s all right. I‟ll get it fixed.” Kiera looked up, her big grey eyes shimmering, awash in tears. “Really, Ew?” “Sure, baby, come here.” He took her from Devin‟s arms just as the doorbell pealed. “I bet that‟s Myce coming to get you ready to go out with Tag. You‟re going to look at puppies today, aren‟t you?” She leaned away, hiccupped and nodded, then gave him a weak smile. Her little hands petted his face, she kissed his mouth, and he set her down. He watched her walk out of the room with Niqui beside her patting her arm, trying to comfort her, and he heard Kiera whisper, “Ew gonna fix, Niqui.” “„Kay.” Niqui whispered back. “Don‟t want your momma to be sad.” “Hey, you two.” Mycelia met them in the hallway. “What‟s this…tears? Why so sad? What happened?” “Ew gonna fix it, Myce.” “Well then, everything will be all right, huh. Have you had breakfast yet?” Ewyn heard a unanimous no, before the voices faded. Turning back, he saw Devin squatting and bent over the chest, removing the broken slats. He moved closer when Devin brought his hand out of the chest holding a manila envelope and a folded document. “Fuck!” Devin growled. Ewyn knelt down beside him, took the document from Devin‟s hand, and read the print across the top. What he held was a marriage license. The name of the bride and groom typed on the document—Nicole Alana Calderone and Anthony Francesco Calabria. “Son of a bitch!” He came to his feet. “We‟ve had the proof all the time.”

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M. E. Reid **** “Tell me.” “Man down. It‟s a done deal.” “Never doubted your abilities, but I‟m talking about the two girls. What did you find out?” “According to my source, it turns out the babies are cousins. The mother of the one and the father of the other are siblings—twins. And get this. Not only are two members of the family attorneys, they‟re also spooks.” “Same group as Nilsson and Ryan? “Yep.” “Good. Aianna and I are heading back to the States. Flying out in the morning. I think it‟s time to come home. Nothing to find over here.” “Want me to pick you up?” “No. Scheduled a limo. Have Aianna‟s belongings been packed and taken to storage?” “Yes. Sale signs posted on both homes.” “Good deal. See you back at the house.” **** “Patterson.” Steppling greeted the detective as he strolled toward him across the sand. “Steppling.” Patterson extended his hand. “This is Officer Roberts, first on scene, responding to the 9-1-1 call, and this is Detective Owens, Huntington Beach Police Department, and he‟ll be in charge of the case. He saw the APB and called me.” Patterson nodded at the officer and detective. “That was quick, Steppling. Are you sure it‟s our guy?” He pulled out his notebook. “Oh, yeah. Positive ID. Whoever did this didn‟t try to 254

Memories Erased: Treachery conceal identity.” Patterson scribbled on his pad. “Do you have a TOD?” “No, but my guess would be sometime yesterday, since he‟s still wearing the clothes he had on when he attacked Niqui. The coroner gave me the body being in the water, body temperature won‟t be accurate spiel,” Steppling explained. “Said he should be able to give a better estimate, once he gets the corpse back to the morgue.” “COD?” “Gutted like a fish. Literally.” “Hmm. Killed here?” “Doubtful,” Detective Owens interjected. “If, as Steppling suspects, he was killed yesterday, somebody would have noticed the body and called it in before now.” Owens shook his head. “This beach and the pier are busy from sunrise until sunset, and then some.” “No one reported seeing anything out of the ordinary until the body appeared?” “Probably carried here on the current from up north. Long Beach, Santa Monica…who knows.” Owens shrugged. “We received the call about…” He looked at Roberts. “A little over an hour?” The officer nodded. “An hour.” Patterson glanced at Steppling. “Helicopter?” Steppling took Patterson‟s arm and tugged him away from the Huntington Beach police officers. “Yep. Thought I‟d better fast track it down here before the Corbetts heard about it. They have a habit of taking over—Fed style—and things, people disappear.” Steppling watched the coroner and his assistants struggle to retrieve the body bobbing on the incoming tide. “You?” “Oh, yeah. Because this involved the possible abduction of the Calderone baby, short of a ride on a speeding bullet, the brass wanted me here, and the issue resolved before the Feebs try to take over,” Patterson explained. 255

M. E. Reid “I hear you. Hell. I‟m just glad my former partner and his wife are away on a cruise.” Patterson frowned. “Why?” “Corbett didn‟t tell you.” Steppling chuckled. “Typical.” “Tell me what?” “My former partner married Niqui‟s other grandmother, Reardon‟s mom. If Sanderson were here, I would have had to arrest him to keep him from killing your perp.” “Are you serious?” “Oh yeah. That little cutie is his heart,” Steppling told him. “Hell. Considering the Corbetts are involved, I have to wonder if one of them did the stiff in.” “Yeah. I‟ve been wondering about that whole group. Who do they work for?” “Forget it. Don‟t wonder. Take them at face value and move on. Trust me. You‟ll want to keep them on your side.” Steppling lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. “So what do you think? With the Calderone involvement, body left on display—somebody sending a message.” Patterson shrugged. “The FBI has us keeping a lid on because of possible syndicate connections. So only the immediate family and their inner circle knew I was pursuing a homicide.” “Does that include Vincenzo Calderone?” “Uh-huh. Vincenzo suspected, but his cousin, Gregorio‟s brother has him convinced the girls‟ deaths were a tragic accident,” Patterson explained. “Regarding the threat to the baby, no, he definitely didn‟t know. Until yesterday, none of us knew for sure if anyone would make a move, or when. It‟s been three years.” Steppling nodded and sighed. “I guess I should let the Corbetts know. Case closed.” “Yeah. I‟ll head back to San Bernardino and touch base with Nilsson and Ryan.” 256

Memories Erased: Treachery Patterson shook Steppling‟s hand, then walked back to Detective Owens. “Will you make sure I get copies of yours and the coroner‟s reports when they‟re ready? I‟ll notify the next of kin.” Both nodded and Patterson started back toward the pier. Shuffling across the sand, he called back over his shoulder. “Let me know what you need from me, so we can close this damn case.” “Will do.” **** “Listen.” Devin followed Ewyn back into their bedroom. “Let‟s not get into this until Myce and Tag get the girls out of here.” “You‟re right.” Ewyn tossed the envelope and document on the bed, snatched his cell off the nightstand, grabbed his robe, and slipped it on. He strolled over to the chairs in the alcove and dropped down on one. “I‟ll call Mick and explain.” “Good deal. I‟ll contact Tim and ask him to contact everybody else. We‟ll meet at the estate so Gem can be included.” Devin slipped into his robe. Just as he picked up his phone, it rang. “Patterson. I was about to call Tim and ask him to get in touch with you and—what! When, where?” He dropped down on the chair across from Ewyn. “Shit. I don‟t know whether I‟m pissed or relieved.” He shook his head. “Yeah, the estate, two hours? That will work. Thanks.” He flipped his phone shut and turned to Ewyn just as Mycelia and the twins came into the room. “I‟ll clean up the mess and lay out their clothes,” Mycelia said as she passed through. “Tag will be here within the hour.” Ewyn ended his call when Kiera ran to him and climbed 257

M. E. Reid on his lap. Niqui came over, stood next to the chair, and leaned on his arm. “Hey, sweeties, feeling better?” Ewyn kissed Kiera‟s cheek and Niqui‟s forehead. “Did you have a good breakfast?” Kiera nodded. “Myce fix waffles sausage fruit „n milk. Hungry, Ew. Ate it all.” “Good. What about you?” Ewyn looked down at Niqui. She giggled and bobbed her head up and down. “Well, you‟d better go get dressed so you‟ll be ready when Tag gets here, huh.” Kiera jumped off his lap, grabbed Niqui‟s arm, and tugged her over to Devin. “Kisses.” Devin leaned down and both girls kissed his cheeks. “C‟mon, Niqui, let‟s dress. Gonna see puppies.” Holding hands, they scampered from the room. “Mick said he‟d catch up with us when he gets back.” Ewyn stood and headed for the door. “What did Patterson have to say?” Devin caught up with him in the doorway. His arms circled the trim waist as he nuzzled Ewyn‟s neck. “Let‟s get some breakfast,” he whispered against Ewyn‟s ear. “I‟ll tell you while we eat.” “I guess our date for an afternoon and evening of loving has been shot to hell.” “You‟ve got that right.” Devin nipped Ewyn‟s ear lobe. “Rain check?” “Absolute.” Devin explained about their discovery of the marriage license and more copies of the wills. “Switzerland. No wonder we couldn‟t find a record of the marriage,” Timothy said. “But why Berne, instead of Geneva, or Zurich.” “Because it would be the last place anyone would look. 258

Memories Erased: Treachery You have to remember, this was only a marriage of convenience for Niki. Her insurance against the father coming to claim custody,” Devin reminded them. “Consider Niki‟s background and the type of contacts available to her. She would have had this planned from the moment she decided to marry the bastard.” Ewyn looked at Christopher. “Is the marriage legal in the States?” “Yeah, it‟s a binding marriage. But you have to register it here in the states, if the wife wants to have her name legally changed,” Christopher explained. “I‟m not sure of the process or all of the details. My international marriage laws aren‟t up to par, so don‟t quote me on that.” “If there‟s no record of a name change, Niki stuck it to him again,” Timothy scoffed. Devin nodded. “Calabria was studying law, he would have looked into it, but Niki outsmarted him by keeping both copies of the marriage certificate. He probably tried to push her to file for the name change, and I bet that‟s what made her terminate all contact with him. I‟ll have the name change looked into, just to tie up loose ends.” He turned to Patterson. “We have positive ID?” “Yeah, and get this. I contacted the family and talked to the father. He didn‟t seem upset or surprised when I told him what Anthony had done.” Patterson sighed. “It was business as usual. He thanked me for calling, didn‟t ask for details, and said one of his people would arrange for body pick up. Some family, huh.” “Was it a random killing?” Marissa asked. “Doubtful,” Patterson replied. “It has all the earmarks of a mob hit.” “Oh, well. Guess I‟ll never know who to thank for saving me the trouble, huh,” Marissa stated. Startled, Patterson whipped around to face her. “Excuse 259

M. E. Reid me?” She stood and made direct eye contact with him. “Don‟t go dumb on me now, Detective, and lose all my respect. You heard exactly what I said.” She walked over to Gemma and took hold of her hands. “You can go on your trip with your mind at ease. Let me know if there is anything I can do to help you prepare for it.” “I will.” Gemma reached out, hugged Marissa, and whispered, “You should have been a Calderone.” “Thank you.” Marissa laughed and turned to Ewyn. “With Calabria out of the picture, do you still want Niqui to stay over?” “Oh yeah. I‟m working from home for the rest of the week. Myce will be there, and we did promise them. I wouldn‟t be able to live with Kieki, if Niqui doesn‟t stay.” He looked at Devin. “Is that okay with you? “Not a problem.” “I‟ll come over with Korey, this weekend, and take Niqui back with us. See you then.” Marissa left. “Was she trying to be funny,” Patterson grumbled. “Not,” Christopher stated. “But…” “Leave it alone, Patterson,” Ewyn told him, then looked around the room and sighed. “So, does this rule out CeCe?” Everybody groaned. Ewyn smirked. “We‟re home, Ew,” Niqui yelled as she bounded into the living room. Kiera giggled. Standing at the stove, adding the final touches to dinner, Ewyn grinned. “Did you see the puppies?” The twins skipped into the kitchen and clambered up on the stools, knowing not to come into the cooking area while food cooked on the stove. Without saying a word, Kiera puckered her lips and waited. Ewyn continued working, pretending 260

Memories Erased: Treachery he didn‟t see her action. “Ew.” Niqui sighed. “Kieki waitin‟, then my turn.” Laughing, he put the potholder down, came around the counter, and scooped the giggly, squirming bodies off the stools. With one under each arm squealing and wiggling, he ran into the living room, flopped down on the sofa and gave both girls a resounding kiss on their cheeks. “Daddy!” Kiera screamed when Devin entered the room. He joined them on the sofa and Kiera scrambled over on top of him. “Kisses, Dev.” He placed a noisy kiss on her cheek, hugged her, and settled her on his lap. “Did you decide on a puppy today, sweetheart?” “Lotsa puppies lick my face crawl on me. I want the brown one like Niqui‟s dogs.” Devin looked at Ewyn. “I think she‟s talking about a Doberman.” “Oh…noooo,” Ewyn groaned and fell back on the sofa cushions. Both girls giggled and pounced on him. Two weeks later Ewyn sat at his desk smiling and staring at the photo of Kiera and her large Doberman puppy, Samson. He had to admit the housebreaking had come along very nicely. Samson stayed on the estate during the week, Martin handled all training, and he allowed Kiera to participate. His baby-girl was a natural. Kiera and Niqui had started Pre School and had adapted to being away from home with a minimum of trepidation. Ewyn attributed the ease of integration into their new environment to Gemma, who had used her influence to get Niqui enrolled in the same private school as Kiera. The twins, as both families referred to them, were still under strict surveillance and the joint security measures established to insure their safety. They wore identical GPS 261

M. E. Reid tracker bracelets. The knock on the door startled Ewyn from his reverie. “Come in.” A young man entered, dropped several envelopes on Ewyn‟s in-basket, smiled and nodded, then left. The phone rang as the door closed behind the kid. Ewyn reached for the mail as he pressed the speaker button. “Kelley.” “Hey, babe. Are you busy?” “Not really, why?” He rifled through the envelopes and noticed one with no stamp, no postmark, and no return address, only his name—typed. He pulled it from the pile. “Patterson is here with Calabria‟s file. He wants to go over it with us, so he can close the case.” “On my way.” Ewyn left his office, taking the envelope with him. He jabbed the elevator call button, and while he waited, he tore off one end of the envelope. The elevator arrived and the doors slid open to reveal a full car. Not willing to wait for the next one, he turned toward the stairs. Folding the envelope, he slipped into the inside pocket of his sport coat, and took the steps, two at a time. He entered Devin‟s office and nodded at Roger as he strolled toward the inner sanctum. “I guess he‟s expecting you, Kelley,” Roger called after him in his usual snotty tone. Ewyn chuckled but refused to acknowledge the comment. Roger did it to agitate him. The jealous bitch. After their first confrontation, Devin intervened and let Roger know he wasn‟t interested. He explained the relevant facts to the obnoxious twit and advised Roger to focus his talents on the job, if he wanted to keep his position. However, if Roger couldn‟t accept the situation, Devin would have him transferred. Ewyn opened the door and stepped into the inner office. 262

Memories Erased: Treachery Patterson and Christopher were present. He nodded to both men and joined them at the conference table, seating himself next to Devin, who had the contents of two file folders and several photos spread out before him. One file, labeled Coroner’s Report—Case File #72774—Calabria, Anthony Francesco, had the usual sketches of the human anatomy with indicators marking the locations of the injuries to the corpse. Accompanying the sketches were the actual photos of the body and the crime scene. The other folder, labeled Police Report—Case File #72774 with Calabria‟s name had typewritten notes protruding from it. Ignoring the conversation flowing around him, Ewyn reached for the photos, unperturbed by the sight of Calabria lying on the beach, half in and half out of the encroaching tide with his abdomen decimated. The pictures, taken from various angles, clearly detailed the viciousness of the crime. If the photos had been of anyone but Calabria, Ewyn might have felt a measure of empathy. Instead, he examined each photo with coldhearted detachment, brow furrowing, they seemed familiar. But why? Some long ago memory? He couldn‟t remember viewing crime scene photos before. Or had he? “What is it, Ewyn?” Patterson asked. Startled, Ewyn looked up. “Huh…what?” “The way you were looking at the pictures, it seemed as if you recognized something.” “No. Morbid fascination, I guess.” Ewyn glanced around, noticed Christopher and Devin watching him with identical concentrated stares. Clearing his throat, he said, “Sorry, I zoned out for a while. What were you saying about the report from you contact?” He picked up the notes from the other file. He perused the comments by the Huntington Beach police and Detective Steppling, while Patterson repeated what he‟d learned of 263

M. E. Reid Calabria‟s background. “So, it wasn‟t a criminal record, but a psychiatric one,” Ewyn commented as he put the notes back in the file. “And it‟s genetic.” “Yeah. Calabria‟s mother, in and out of institutions for most of his childhood. The family thought the medication had Anthony‟s episodes under control,” Patterson reported. “More times than not it did, but there were trigger factors.” “Let me guess,” Ewyn said. “Everyone your contact spoke to referred to Anthony as narcissistic, so he had control issues.” “Got it on your first try.” Patterson stood, moved to the wet bar, and refreshed his coffee. “It fits,” Devin said. “As long as he and Nicole were just friends, no problems. Once she agreed to marry him, then refused to conform to his skewed idea of the marriage contract, the whole love, honor, and obey thing set him off.” “Yep. My contact managed to get a peek at those sealed records.” Patterson returned to the table and looked at Christopher. “Don‟t know how he managed to get the information, didn‟t ask, and I don‟t want to know because I‟m afraid it won‟t be legal.” Christopher and Devin made eye contact, then grinned before Christopher responded. “Hey, Patterson, relax. You‟re preaching to the choir here. Besides, he‟s dead, it really doesn‟t matter.” “Yeah, well, Calabria was on the brink of insanity his entire life, and seeing the way his dad controlled and dictated every aspect of his mother‟s life, he never understood the reason why. He assumed the man…the husband should have all the control.” “He picked the wrong woman,” Ewyn mumbled and picked up the crime scene photo again. “True, but his fucked up mind couldn‟t grasp that.” 264

Memories Erased: Treachery Patterson started gathering up his files, stopped, looked over at Ewyn, and extended his hand. “I‟ll need that.” “Of course.” Ewyn handed over the picture. Patterson stood, put the files in his briefcase, and snapped it shut. “Do you think you‟ll ever find out who did that?” Ewyn asked, nodding toward Patterson‟s briefcase. “Doubtful. He‟d been in the water long enough to wash away trace, if there ever was any. Besides the obvious cause of death, the only other marks on the body were a few scratches on his face and a bruise on the forehead. Figure that‟s how the killer incapacitated him.” Patterson grabbed his briefcase. “Calabria‟s homicide will remain open, relegated to cold case files, but your nieces‟ deaths and the attempted kidnapping of your baby-girl, those cases are closed.” He looked around the table. “I know we got off to a bad start, but it has been a pleasure working with all of you.” “Same here.” Devin stood, shook his hand, and walked out of the office with Patterson. No sooner had the door closed behind the two men than Christopher said, “What did you recognize in the photos?” “I‟m not sure.” Ewyn leaned forward, put his elbows on the table, and propped up his chin with his hands. “They seemed familiar, but I haven‟t a clue as to why. Maybe I saw something similar in the newspapers, on television…” He paused. Nibbling his bottom lip, he shook his head. “That couldn‟t be right. They wouldn‟t have shown such detail of a crime scene, would they?” “Not on regular television broadcasts. Do you watch the real forensic shows on cable?” “I don‟t watch much television. I might glance at the headlines in the papers, read the sports pages. But the only time I catch the TV news is when Devin is home and watching it in bed.” 265

M. E. Reid “Hmm. Want anything while I‟m up?” Christopher went to the wet bar and fixed himself a cup of coffee. “No, thanks.” While he waited for Devin to return, Ewyn retrieved the envelope he had shoved into his pocket earlier. After examining the outside again, he looked inside, extracted a single sheet of paper, unfolded it, and found one typed line centered on the page. It read—Pipsqueak… Take better care of your own. I won’t be around forever. In an instant, Ewyn remembered where he‟d seen photos like the Calabria crime scene, and fell back in the chair, laughing. He‟d been about ten years old when he found similar photos in his father‟s office and asked his dad about them. His father had explained they weren‟t real. Said they were shots of movie stars made up to look dead, and he‟d had no reason to think his father would lie to him. He stared at the message in his hand. Thinking back over the years, he‟d heard his father‟s men talking about this person or that person gutted like a fish. The same phrase Steppling used in Patterson‟s report. Hell. His naïve ass never had a clue back then. Ewyn looked up to find Christopher sitting across the table, eyebrow arched, staring. Heat warmed his cheeks and he bit down on the inside of his bottom lip to keep from laughing again. Like Devin, for such a big man, Christopher had that stealth thing going on, too. Ewyn never noticed the man returning to the table. Grey eyes sparkling with humor, Christopher asked, “Want to share the joke?” Devin re-entered the room and returned to his chair, looking from Ewyn to Christopher, he said, “What did I miss?” Ewyn handed the note to Devin, who read the message 266

Memories Erased: Treachery and passed the paper to Christopher. “I‟ll have to disagree with Patterson about the Calabria homicide,” Devin remarked. “Case is closed.” He looked at Christopher and they spoke unanimously. “Shredder.” Ewyn grinned. “Does this mean CeCe is really no longer a threat?” He ducked when Devin and Christopher picked up spoons and threw them at him. “A whole afternoon and evening to ourselves.” Devin lay back in the Jacuzzi and watched Ewyn strip out of his clothes. “Is this what parents have to do, make appointments to get busy?” Ewyn stepped into the tub, laughter lighting up his jungle green eyes as sank beneath the swirl of hot steamy water, and crawled up along his body until mouths joined. After several minutes, Ewyn pulled away and chuckled. “I guess. They manage to procreate.” He sat up. “You know, with your new job, you‟re going to be around more and the temptation will be hard to resist. We‟ll have a lot of frustration building up.” “Not so.” His hands settled on the curves of Ewyn‟s hips and tried to slow the squirming of the little round ass. “Since Kieki goes to school, and spends time with her other family after school, I‟ll slip home for a nooner.” “Umm…I like the sound of that.” Their mouths joined and Ewyn took control of the kiss and their actions.

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M. E. Reid

Epilogue

H

e rolled off Devin and reached for his phone on the third ring. “Ewyn.” Movements lethargic, he yawned and stretched, then bounded upright. “What! Yeah, yeah, on our way.” He tossed his cell on the nightstand and turned to Devin, who lay awake, watching him. “Dev! Come on, get up.” He jumped off the bed and rushed into the bathroom, then poked his head out the door and said, “Greg is home! Hurry up.” Grinning, Devin propped the pillows against the headboard and leaned back on them. The next time Ewyn‟s head popped out the door, he held up his right index finger and beckoned Ewyn over to him. Eyes narrowing, baby-boy cautiously approached the bed. “What?” Devin yanked Ewyn over on top of him and kissed him, long and deep, before pulling away. “Baby-boy, I can understand your enthusiasm about your brother‟s return. But I think we can shower, dress, and oh, I don‟t know, have breakfast, and your brother will be at the estate when we get there.” Ewyn chuckled. “You‟re right. Sorry. When Myce said he has a wife with him—” “Say what? A wife!” Devin shifted Ewyn to his feet. “Why didn‟t you say so? That type of information is worth a quick shower and a late breakfast.” He rolled off the bed and 268

Memories Erased: Treachery strolled toward the bathroom, looking back over his shoulder, he grumbled, “What are you waiting for? Rosa can feed us at the house.” Ewyn hooted and caught up with him in the doorway. Devin scooped Ewyn off the floor as they entered the shower. Baby-boy draped his arms over Devin‟s shoulders and wrapped his legs around his waist. “Dev, have I told you how much I love you?” “Oh yeah, with your every word and action since the beginning,” Devin whispered, tongue teasing the pouty bottom lip before insisting on entrance into the seductive warmth. He stared into passionate green eyes and the memories of their first encounter resurfaced. Even with their sixth anniversary fast approaching, it never ceased to amaze him how their every kiss reminded him of their first. The one that rocked his world, captured his heart, and seared his soul, binding him to the man who remained the love of his life. Absolute.

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About the Author Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she currently resides in Bullhead City, Arizona. When not writing, or mired in research, she spends her time enjoying the company of her two adopted/rescue pets, Apache, a Giant Schnauzer and Mason, a Weimaraner. Besides Internet resources, quite a bit of her research is via Discovery, National Geographic, History, and Military channels watching crime/police/forensics and CIA/DOJ documentaries. She is an insatiable reader and has eclectic tastes in music.