So many questions, but my brain was overloaded and I could barely focus.
One question looped in the front of my mind. The one I’d been asking my whole life.
“Why’d they give me up?” I whispered, my finger once again tracing the outline of their faces.
“I can’t say for certain, but we believe it was to protect you.”
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.”
