Chapter Twenty-One – Cadie
Cadie
One hour earlier
It was rare that I got to the bakery this late in the morning, but Opal needed someone to cover the few hours before closing, so I offered to do it. It had been nice sleeping in this morning, but not something I would want to do each day. I had gotten in a good workout, though, at the gym up at the house. A part of me wanted to stay at the guest house, but I longed to get to the cabin and enjoy the peace and quiet it offered. Not that the guest house wasn’t peaceful, it was just strange for me to be living there, knowing that Kian’s parents owned it.
After pulling my hair up into a ponytail, I took one more look in the mirror before heading back into the bedroom to grab my purse and sweatshirt. I swear Opal kept the bakery at subzero degrees, and if I wasn’t busy baking, I was freezing.
A strange sound caused me to pause and listen. Turning toward the door, I waited. When I didn’t hear anything else, I headed out of the bedroom. The hair on my arms stood, and I knew something was wrong before I even walked into the living room. I abruptly stopped when I saw Michael standing in the living room, dressed entirely in black. When he saw me, a slow smile spread over his face .
“I would say it’s a pleasure seeing you, Katy, but then I wouldn’t be telling the whole truth.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “How did you find me?”
He tilted his head and gave me a slow once-over. Meeting my gaze with his, he laughed. “I have to admit, I was ready to give up. Wanted to give up. My father kept pushing and pushing to find you. The crazy thing is, if you hadn’t run, you would have been fine. I would have thought you simply left the dinner and went home. But when you disappeared, my father figured you saw something. It really put me in a sour spot, Katy. Now my father wants me to bring you back to Boston so he can deal with you.”
My legs nearly buckled out from underneath me. Could that have truly worked? Had I jumped the gun by running? Randy was the worst CIA agent ever!
Shit. Shit. Shit.
“What makes you think I left town because of you?”
He folded his arms over his chest and sighed. “Let’s not pretend either of us is stupid, Katy. When you vanished without a word, my father got suspicious. He pulled the video from the cameras in the hotel. It showed you running down one of the hallways, your shoes in your hands.” He closed his eyes, and a pained look came over his face. “Why did you run, Katy? Why? Now I have to do this, and I really don’t want to take you back to my father.”
I stared at him then shook my head. Talk about regretting one’s actions. Michael was being forced to bring me back to his father. I looked around the room for someone else but knew it was just us. I decided to go a different way .
“Then don’t. Why do you have to tell him you found me? Just turn around and leave and I will never even think of you again.”
He frowned. “You know, I might have believed that if you didn’t have a barrage of FBI agents watching the house.”
I shook my head. “How do you know that?”
“My father is in the mob; I know what it looks like when the FBI is watching your every move. After finding out where you were, I watched you for days after getting here. It’s hard not to miss the one who follows you every day when you leave for the bakery, sits across from it, and waits all day. Or the one behind the house who walks the back property to check on things at the same time every damn day. He really should have changed up his routine. It was too easy to sneak onto the property when I knew his schedule. Are these rookies or something?”
“So you’ve proven you can sniff out the FBI; it still doesn’t explain how you knew I was here in Moose Village.”
He laughed. “That, my dear, was pure luck. A coworker of mine came up for a festival or some bullshit these small towns have. She thought she saw you working at the bakery in town and mentioned it to me at work. Unfortunately, my father was in my office when she decided to share this news with me. He demanded I come up here and see for myself. I thought about just lying, saying I did, and it wasn’t you, but he had one of his guys come with me. I didn’t think it would be possible that you would be that close to Boston. I kept trying to tell my father’s goon that I knew it couldn’t be you. You were most likely on the West Coast, but he was the one who came into the bakery to confirm. He was the one who told my father you were here. Once we spotted the FBI, he got spooked and returned to Boston. Now that the FBI is here, my father knows you’re talking.”
“I didn’t call them; they found me. They knew you were looking for me, and they found me first. Told me your father wouldn’t be far behind.”
He laughed. “If it hadn’t been for Jules, we wouldn’t have known you were here. My father can buy some cops in the Boston PD, but doesn’t mess with federal agents. I don’t know if he would have found you, Katy. But now he did, and it’s a fucking mess.”
“Why does it sound like you’re blaming me? You’re the one who killed someone!”
He closed his eyes. “I didn’t want to kill him.”
“But you did!”
His phone buzzed, and he seemed to snap out of what he was thinking. He pulled out a gun and pointed it at me. I gasped and took a few steps away from him.
“What are you going to do? Kill me?”
With a slow shake of his head, he said, “I don’t want to hurt you, Katy, but if I don’t bring you back to Boston, he’s going to hurt Melanie.”
I drew my head back in surprise. “Who is Melanie?”
His cheeks turned red. Jesus H, was he really holding a gun and pointing it at me while blushing?
“A girl I’ve been dating. I really like her…a lot. And my father knows it. He said he would hurt her if I didn’t clean up my mess.”
I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. When his phone buzzed again, he cursed.
“Put the purse down, Katy. And your cell phone.”
I shook my head, and when he walked closer, I dropped the purse .
“Is your cell in there?”
Nodding, I said, “It is.”
“This is what we’re going to do, and I don’t want you to make so much as a peep, understand me? I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Why don’t you just shoot me and get it over with? Because once you bring me back to Boston, I’m as good as dead.”
He raised a brow. “Do you really think I want to do this?”
“I don’t know, Michael! I never thought I’d see you kill someone!”
He shook the gun at me, and I jumped. “I don’t have time for this! Let’s just go!”
“If I don’t show up at the bakery, they will start looking for me. Then what?”
“I have a plan.”
Michael motioned for me to walk, and I did. A part of me wondered what he would do if I ran. Would he shoot me? It depended on how much this Melanie girl meant to him.
“We’re going out the back door and we’re going to follow the same path I walked down here on.”
He glanced at his watch. “By the time we get up there, that idiot FBI agent will have returned to the house, and we can walk right off the property.”
I went to say something, and he pushed the gun into my side. “This isn’t up for discussion, Katy. Let’s go.”
By the time we climbed up and got to the road, I had said what felt like a million prayers. How long would it take before someone realized I was missing? I closed my eyes and cursed that I had talked Kian into leaving before me.
We walked about a mile to a road that appeared to be an old driveway. Another half a mile down that road and I saw a black Toyota 4Runner parked. My heart started to pound so hard in my chest I thought for sure I was going to have a heart attack. I slowed down and suddenly felt the pistol back in my side.
“We’ll get into the car, and you’ll be quiet. When I say I don’t want to hurt you, I mean it, but if I have to, I will, Katy.”
“Where in the world do you think we can go and be safe?” I asked as I climbed into the SUV. Michael shut the door and walked around to the driver’s side the entire time he pointed the gun at me.
Once he was back in the SUV and started it, he spoke. “I found a cabin that I think is a rental, maybe. The few times I went by, no one has been there. Doesn’t look like anyone lives there. We’ll stay there tonight and then it’s back to Boston.”
A part of me wondered why he wouldn’t want to get the jump on everyone since I highly doubted anyone had missed me yet. We weren’t that far from Boston after all.
“You think we can just drive to Boston?” he said, reading my mind. “They’ll be watching the roads today, Katy.”
He swallowed hard. “I have to get you back. If I don’t, he’s going to hurt Melanie.”
My stomach lurched. “You don’t have to do this, Michael. Just let me go and I swear I will never tell anyone what I saw. I promise you. Tell your father something happened, and I died, or you had to kill me. You can go back to Melanie.”
“He has her, Katy. He has her. I have to bring you to him. He knows you’ve talked to the feds. Whatever you told the FBI, they’ve been poking into everything. The bank, the death of the guy you saw me kill. They’re coming down on the family hard; if you’re still living, you’re a threat. At least in my father’s eyes.”
“And you don’t think I’m a threat? You’re the one who killed him.”
We drove silently for a few minutes, and when Michael spoke again, I jumped.
“If you would have just stayed in the ballroom. What in the hell were you doing back there anyway?”
“Looking for you to tell you I was leaving.”
He cursed under his breath. “Why didn’t you just leave?”
I let out a disbelieving laugh. “I thought that would have been rude.”
Turning to look at me, he asked, “Did you know about my family?”
When I didn’t answer, he gave a nod.
“I didn’t think you were involved in any of that, though. I thought you just worked at the bank, and your dad did what he did.”
He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “I didn’t want to be involved in it. At all. My father pressured me.”
“Couldn’t you have said no?”
“I did, Katy, for years. He told me it was my duty to the family. He started by having me do small things. Still all illegal, but it wasn’t murder.”
His voice sounded defeated and made me feel slightly sorry for him.
“First it was me moving money around. Then it was setting up fake businesses so he could launder his money through them. Every time he called, I would hold my breath and wonder what he would want me to do next. When he found out Andrew Wagner was stealing from the company and had been in contact with a friend in the FBI, my father told me I needed to take care of it. I thought he meant he wanted me to fire the guy.”
Laughing, I shook my head. “Are you serious, Michael? Fire the guy? Even I would know what he meant by take care of it .”
He pushed his hand through his hair. “I’m not a killer, Katy.”
I raised my brows. “Really?”
“I didn’t want to kill him. I just wanted to work at the fucking bank and do my job.” He turned and looked at me. “I never wanted any of this. I wish I would have just left home and never looked back.”
Turning, I stared out the window. It didn’t take me long to figure out where we were headed.
“Why are we going in this direction?”
“To the cabin I told you about.”
My heart slammed against my chest as I realized Michael was taking me to my cabin. Well, Kian’s cabin.
“How do you know no one has been there? Maybe they were just out of town for the weekend or something.”
He shook his head and turned down the road leading to Kian’s cabin. I forced my hands to stay still by sitting on them. I knew that Mark had set up an alarm at the cabin, just in case Kian and I decided we wanted to come up to it. I also knew there was an FBI agent in another cabin farther up the hill keeping an eye on the house. How had he not seen Michael if he had been by the cabin a few times already?
“Did you break into the cabin?” I asked.
“No, I rented a cabin not far from it. I could see it from the balcony. I bought binoculars and have been watching it and have never seen anyone there. No lights, no cars, nothing. It’s rained a few times, and no tire tracks in or out.”
I stared out the window. Could it be that freaking easy? Chewing on my lower lip, I decided not to question God’s plans and just prayed that the agent was still up there.
Michael pulled up to the gate and quickly got out to open it. When I first looked at the cabin to rent it there was no gate. Mark has suggested to Kian to put one in.
When he jumped in and started down the drive, I realized I was holding my breath. I slowly let it out and tried to steady my breathing.
When I saw the cabin, I forced myself not to look around. Keeping my gaze fixed on the cabin and only the cabin.
Please let the FBI agent be here. Please let the alarm be silent.
The SUV came to a stop, and I chanced looking around.
“If this was a different situation, this might be romantic.”
My head snapped to the left as I stared at him. “Are you serious right now? Romantic?”
He shrugged. “It would be. Not to be a douche, but I’d want to be here with Melanie.”
“Let’s see. You killed someone. You kidnapped me, and then said you would rather be here with your girlfriend in this cozy, romantic cabin. Yeah, not a douche comment at all.”
He looked like he wanted to say something but simply shook his head. He got out and took two bags out of the back seat. “Don’t try and run, Katy. We’re out in the middle of nowhere.”
Once Michael opened my door, I exited the SUV and looked around. I couldn’t tell if anyone was watching the cabin or not. I guess that was the point, though .
“Let’s go,” Michael stated as he gave me a light push toward the front door. I walked up the steps and stopped at the door.
“Try the doorknob.”
Turning, I gave him a disbelieving look. “Do you honestly think they would keep it unlocked?”
He shrugged. “Try it.”
Sighing, I reached for the door and tried to open it. “It’s locked.”
“Step aside.”
“What are you going to do?” I asked as I watched him put the two duffle bags on the porch.
“Kick the door in.”
“What?” I nearly screamed. “What if they have an alarm, Michael?”
“Then we’ll have plenty of time to leave. We’re out in the middle of nowhere, Katy, the police will take forever to get here.”
Putting my hand behind my back, I crossed my fingers that the alarm was silent. The last thing I wanted to do was get back into the car with him and drive away from Moose Village. Michael lifted his foot and kicked. I wasn’t surprised when nothing happened at first. Michael wasn’t exactly the type who was capable of kicking in doors.
He did it again, and when nothing happened, he cursed. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was the kind of door Kian had put in to keep people from doing exactly this, or if Michael was just weak as hell.
“Looks like you need more leg days at the gym.”
Shooting me a dirty look, he said, “Be quiet, will you?”
Holding up my hands, I said, “I’m just saying. ”
He did it again, and the door broke. I made a mental note to see how to make it harder for someone to break into the cabin—that is, if I got through all of this.
Glancing over his shoulder, Michael grinned. “Looks like they don’t have the alarm set.”
Or so you think.
He motioned for me to walk in, and I did. I glanced at the alarm panel on the wall. It was blinking three times in a row, which I knew wasn’t normal. The alarm had been triggered. I almost let out a sigh of relief. Now, to wait for the cavalry to show up and keep Michael occupied so he didn’t see them coming.
“Cute place,” Michael said as he walked over and tossed the bags onto the sofa I had picked out with Kian weeks ago.
I looked around the cabin in utter shock. We were standing in my rented cabin, and Michael had no idea. I almost laughed at how absurd it all was.
“What’s wrong? If you’re worried I’m going to take advantage of you, I hope you know me better than that.”
I did laugh then. “You killed someone, Michael. You kidnapped me, and you’re bringing me to your father, who is most likely going to kill me. Of course, I’m worried.”
He scoffed. “Do you have to keep bringing up the fact that I killed someone?”
“Oh, I’m sorry, does it bother you?”
“Yes!” he yelled back. “It does fucking bother me. I can’t sleep at night because I only see his face.”
“Not my problem,” I said as I turned and walked toward the bedroom. I doubted he would look in the closet, but if he did, did I have any clothes he would recognize? Would he figure it out that I rented this place? I didn’t have much that I brought with me from Boston, but I couldn’t risk him even thinking I had a connection to this cabin.
“Food is in the fridge, so someone lives here for sure,” Michael called out. “Wonder when they’ll be back.”
“Sooner than you think,” I softly said. Turning away from the closed closet, I walked back into the main living area.
He was opening the pantry and looking inside. “I think we have enough food here to make it through the night. I figured once they realize you’re gone, the first thing they’ll do is assume I’m taking you back to Boston. So, we’ll stay here tonight and then head there tomorrow.”
I rolled my eyes. He really was terrible at this.
“I’m not hungry.”
He shut the pantry door. “We’ve got all day, and tonight, you will be hungry.”
“What do you suggest we do, Michael? Cook up a meal together and pretend all is well?”
Giving me a dirty look, he walked over to one of the bags and unzipped it. He reached in and grabbed something and tossed it to me, and I caught it.
“Protein bar?”
He shrugged. “I needed something to eat while sitting in my car trying to work out my plan.”
Little did he know his plan would have been great if he hadn’t brought me to the very cabin I was renting.
Opening the wrapper, I took a bite and walked toward the front door.
“Don’t even think about it, Katy.”
Sighing, I stared out the window as I spoke. “I’m not stupid, Michael. I’m not going to run. ”
“Good. I don’t want to shoot you.”
I turned and faced him. “Not yet, you mean.”
He blanched but then quickly recovered. “If it were up to me, I’d let you go.”
“Would you?”
“I know you don’t believe me, but I do care about you.”
“Then don’t do this, Michael.”
He let out a bitter laugh. “What else can I do? I told you I don’t have a choice. I’m in too deep now.”
I sat down on the sofa. “Why don’t you just go to the FBI?”
“And do what? Tell them I killed someone? They’ll put me in jail and my father will still get away with everything he’s done.”
“You could testify against your father. You probably have so much on him they could put him away for life.”
He stared at me. “You want me to turn against my father? He’d have me killed.”
“Listen to what you just said, Michael. You can’t even entertain turning your dad in, but he wouldn’t think twice about killing you. That isn’t normal.”
Michael’s shoulders slumped, and he stared at the floor. “He has people everywhere, Katy. You have no idea. He’d be able to get to me in jail.”
“What if you didn’t go to jail? What if you worked out a deal to testify against him but were put in some kind of protection program?”
When he looked at me, I swore something in his eyes changed. Was that…hope? Did Michael want out from under his father’s thumb?
“You don’t have to do this. ”
He closed his eyes. “I don’t have a choice.”
“Everyone has a choice. You’re scared, and I get that. I was terrified after I saw you shoot that man. So scared, I ran away from the only life I’ve ever known. From my family. If I can do it, you can do it.”
Michael stood and started to pace. He was thinking about it, and that was all I needed—a little bit of hope. I could work with that.
“Nothing is tying you to Boston. You could go anywhere, start a new life and put the past behind you.”
He stopped and looked at me. “What about my sister? My mother? Melanie? I wouldn’t be able to ever see them again, and God knows what he would do to Melanie.”
“Maybe she could come with you. You’d be free, Michael. You wouldn’t be forced to do your father’s dirty work.”
Shaking his head, he closed his eyes. “I don’t know, Katy. I’m so fucking scared for you…for me…for my sister. Melanie. If my father pulled me into this, how do I know he won’t do the same to her?”
“Then stop him, Michael. You have the power to do that.”
He turned and looked at the door, then frowned. “Do you hear that?”
The sound of a helicopter flew overhead. “Yes.”
“Is that a helicopter?”
I followed him as he walked outside and looked up.
“Michael, I don’t know how to tell you this, but this cabin…the FBI has been watching it, and there is a silent alarm.”
He spun around and looked at me. “What? How in the world would you know that?”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Funny thing…I rented this cabin. It’s owned by the guy I’m dating. I was staying wi th him at his family home because the FBI thought it would be safer than here.”
Blinking at me, Michael opened his mouth to say something then shut it. Then he laughed. “Safer? Holy shit, Katy. I managed to get you out of that mansion without them knowing and I didn’t even know what in the hell I was doing.”
“I know.” I nodded. “But then you brought me here. What are the odds?”
He ran his hand down his face and then sat down on the steps. “Holy fuck. I really do suck at this criminal shit.”
“I mean, I wouldn’t say you totally suck. You did manage to get me out of the guest house under the nose of the FBI.”
Michael glanced up at me with a dumbfounded look. “Are you trying to make me feel better?”
“Kind of,” I said, sitting down next to him. “I’m going to guess vehicles will be pulling up soon.”
He sighed. “Should I just stay here?”
I took his hand in mine and squeezed it. “Maybe if we’re just sitting here, they won’t come in with guns blazing.”
He looked at me, and we both laughed.
“This is so fucked up.”
“It is,” I agreed. “If Kian is with them, he won’t shoot you, but he may punch you.”
Michael nodded. “The boyfriend?”
“Yes.”
“Probably should let him punch me. It’s the least I deserve.” He turned to face me. “I’m sorry I scared you, Katy.”
“If it helps, I didn’t think you would hurt me. I mean, I was scared, but not because of you.”
“My father. ”
“Yep. Michael, they can keep you and Melanie safe.”
He raised a brow. “Okay, let’s forget that you were able to get me out of the house. You can start over somewhere. Maybe even in another country.”
Sighing, he said, “He’s got Melanie, Katy. What if he hurts her?”
“Trust me. I’ve got an insider advantage.”
“You do?”
I nodded.
The sounds of cars coming up the drive caused us both to look that way. We stayed seated, and when the first car pulled up, Kian opened the door before the car even came to a stop.
“Don’t move,” I said to Michael.
“Trust me, I won’t.”