Chapter 24
Austin
Guilt wasn’t something I felt when talking to a person of interest, regardless of their innocence.
But seeing the toll this was taking on Nina tore me up inside.
I wanted to hold her. Comfort her. Protect her from the evil I’d brought into her life. Turn back time so she’d never experience the pain I’d inflicted.
She was better off before I’d identified her as the Singer’s missing child. The child rumored to be the key to a valuable treasure.
A treasure people would kill for.
She was safer before my investigation led those people to her doorstep.
More guilt.
I have to identify the threat. It was the only way to protect Nina.
A responsibility I placed on my shoulders, not John’s. He’d provide the protection detail, but I’d be calling the shots.
I half hoped the threats would get impatient and make their move so I could take them down. Eliminate them if I had to.
It’d be faster than trying to find them.
Gibson was running facial recognition but hadn’t gotten a hit.
Cate’s FBI contact hadn’t responded.
Doug would only find the scrubbed version of the two men, if he found anything.
That’s all he’d find on me and Gibson, too. All he found. I had a feeling John had him run a background check after our run in at Grannie’s.
I signalled to Doug, and several images appeared on the projector screen behind John.
“Nina, have you ever seen these two men before?” We’d taken stills from the video at Grannie’s.
She took her time before answering. “No. Who are they?”
“We haven’t ID’d them yet.”
Nina’s hands trembled, her courage wavering, while she stared at the screen. “I don’t understand why this is happening.” She leaned forward and let her head rest on the table.
The images disappeared, and soothing music filled the room.
I turned and nodded my appreciation to Doug.
“I’m sorry,” Nina said, sitting back up. Her eyes stayed glued to the agency photos of her parents.
“No need to apologize. It’s one hell of a shock to have your past crash into your life like a wrecking ball.”
She sniffled and blew her nose on a tissue. I opened her untouched water and handed it to her. “Drink.”
I couldn’t do much to help, but I could take care of her.
Protect her.
“Who were the people from the fire?”
It took a second for my brain to catch up to her disconnected question.
“Greg and Sheila Foster. We’re still tracing their connection to your parents.”
“How come no one knew I was there?” Nina’s whisper was high pitched.
I couldn’t imagine growing up with so many gaping holes in my history. Nina could’ve grown up bitter; instead, she’d let go of her odd history and embraced life. Thanks to the Novaks. Every record indicated they were model parents and had given Nina the best life they could.
“Gibson?”
“Nothing yet, boss.”
“This is purely speculation, but we think your parents asked the Smith’s to take care of you while they worked a case. Only they never came home.”
When she winced, I placed a hand over hers to comfort her.
Gibson cleared his throat behind me.
I ignored his less than subtle suggestion that I needed to keep it professional and left my hand where it was. Nina’s comfort was more important than protocol.
“Did they die because of me?”
“No. The house fire was ruled an accident.” I handed her the water, and she sipped without hesitation. “Do you remember anything about them?”
“No, my parents.” She paused, her eyes drifting to the photos again. “The Novaks told me about the fire, but they didn’t know anything about the couple.” She shook her head. “I don’t remember anything.”
No surprise there; she was three when the Fosters died in the house fire.
“They didn’t live completely off grid, but they used cash for just about everything.”
The police report stated there wasn’t a single credit card charge for anything baby related. There wasn’t a single picture of them with a baby. If they had paperwork linking them to Nina or the Singers, the fire destroyed it.
“My parents said the police assumed they had kidnapped me, but I didn’t match any missing children reports.” She sniffled as she straightened her spine. “I spent my whole life thinking my parents didn’t want me.”
Tears filled Nina’s eyes, but she blinked them away.
Her strength at each shocking revelation impressed me. No doubt, she’d break down later, but right now she was handling our meeting like a champ.
“We’re done for today,” John said, standing.
“Nina, I’m sorry we sprang all this on you.”
She looked up at me, her beautiful dark blue eyes glossy from tears.
“Can I keep the picture?” She reached for the one of her parents holding her.
“I’m sorry, it’s evidence.” Hating the depth of the pain in her eyes, I offered, “Maybe John can make you a copy.”
When she looked at John, he nodded.
“Thank you,” Nina said.
“Jack?” The entire SSI team had been so quiet through the meeting, I’d almost forgotten about them.
“On it.” When he stood behind Nina, he held out his hand.
“Leave it in the bag.”
“Not my first rodeo, Cuz,” Jack grinned, looking so much like his father had when I was a kid that I thought I was having a flashback.
“Force of habit.” It was the only apology he’d get.
While he did that, I asked Nina if I could call her if I had any more questions.
“That’s not a good idea,” John said. “I promised Nina I’d be present anytime you questioned her.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and reminded myself that John had Nina’s best interests at heart.
“Fine. If I have any questions, I’ll call you.”
I had Nina’s number, and everything else I needed to contact her, but I’d play by John’s rules for now.
“Nina, do you have any more questions for us?”
“I have a thousand questions, but the only one that matters is why?”
“Why, what?”
“Why’d they give me away?” Her voice broke.
“We may never know all the answers, but if it makes you feel any better, I don’t think they intended to leave you an orphan.”
If my suspicions were correct, Nina’s parents died trying to expose corrupt CIA officers.
Gibson stood up. “Nina, one last question. Do you have anything from the night they found you, after the fire?”
Did he find something? Or was he grasping at straws?
Nina tilted her head. She worked her lips and stared at the images scattered on the table.
“Just a baby blanket and a teddy bear.”
“Any chance they’re the ones from the photo?” he asked. You had to know him to hear the excitement in his voice.
Fear replaced her curiosity as she asked, “I think so, why?”