Chapter Sixteen

“We have to relocate you.”

Sunday closed her eyes. “No. Sam, no.”

She heard his sigh on the other end of the burner phone. “Sunday, I can’t make you do anything. But if your stalker has found you, your life is in danger.”

“I can’t leave, Sam. I have a life here, commitments … someone I love. People I love.”

“You had the same in New York.”

With his words, she realized that no, this wasn’t the same. “No. It wasn’t the same in New York. I didn’t realize it then but my life there ended when Cory died. I was clinging to nothing. Here … my life really began.”

“You know we can’t guarantee to protect you. I mean, we’ll work with local law enforcement to track this guy down, but staying there, you’re a sitting target.”

“I know. I’ll get through this, Sam. I need to face him.”

“Do you know how to use a gun?”

“No, but I can learn. My partner has one in his home.”

“Have you told him about the note?”

“Not yet.” Sunday felt guilty. “I wanted to talk to you first, before I dump this on him.”

“He knows about you?”

“Yes. It’s a serious relationship, Sam. It’s River Giotto.”

“Ah. Well, the man knows about security from what I hear.”

Sunday didn’t say anything. She could tell Sam was worried. “Look, maybe I should reveal myself, call this guy out. Tell him to come for me. Get this over with.”

“And if he kills you?”

“If he kills me, he kills me. At least it will be over.” Her voice broke, belying her strong words. “I cannot live like this anymore.”

“Okay, sweetheart. Look, is there anyone new in town? A stranger to everyone?”

“A couple. One snowboarding dude, and a guy whose big in property in New York.”

“Who’s the last?”

“Brian Scanlan?”

“Ah, yes.”

Sunday felt her heart lurch. “You’ve heard of him?”

“Not many people in NYC haven’t. And no, he’s not a person of interest. So, who’s the other guy?”

She told him about Tony and he told her he’d make some inquiries. “For now, keep out of his way. Just in case. Can you stay at River’s?”

She sighed. “I guess now that the secret is kind of out, yes. His ex-stepmother is Angelina Marshall. She’s in town.”

“That viper.”

Sunday smiled gratefully. “Oh, what I’d give for her to be arrested for something. Anything.”

“Yeah, she’s a piece of work, all right.”

For a second, Sunday contemplated telling Sam about Angelina’s sexual abuse of River … but it wasn’t her story to tell. “I’ll go to River’s house.”

“Good. And for the love of God, take care of yourself. Keep this phone close. I call you.”

“Thank you, Sam.”

She called River straight away and he made her promise to stay inside with the door locked. “I’m coming to get you. Pack all your stuff; you’re moving in with me.”

The feminist in her rankled, but the lover in her loved his masterful words and she told him. He didn’t laugh. “I can’t make jokes while your life is in danger, baby.”

He was there in less than twenty minutes. She let him in and he pulled her into his arms. She realized he was trembling.

“I’m so angry, baby. I should never have let you be alone.”

“I don’t know how he found me.” She leaned against him, feeling only relief that he was there. “But it’s time to finish this, once and for all.”

River let her go and studied her. “You think I’ll let you use yourself as bait?”

“No, and that’s not what I mean. I mean I’m done running. You are my life and my life is here in Rockford.” She saw the admiration as well as the fear in his eyes. “Then we’ll face it together.”

River kissed her. “You bet we will.”

Berry ran up to her and threw her little body into Sunday’s arms. “Sunny!”

Sunday giggled and swung her around. “My new name?”

River was hiding a smile. “Tell Sunny why you want to call her that.”

“Well,” Berry began, “You’re Sunday, but also like a mommy, so I figured I would call you Sunny.”

Sunday was moved to tears and she cleared her throat before answering. “I love it, Berry, and I love you too.”

Berry smiled in delight, burying her face in Sunday’s neck. Sunday held her tightly. River watched them, a smile on his face. “Family,” was all he said and she nodded.

River told her that Angelina would be coming by later to see Berry. Sunday nodded. “Well, I’ll be there. I’m not hiding anymore. Fuck that.”

River didn’t look happy but he had to agree. “I’m arranging security around this place and, please, honey, until he’s caught, don’t go out on your own.”

She told him what Sam said and he nodded. “Yeah, I wondered about that kid. You think it might be him?”

“That’s the thing. I don’t. I mean, he said he recognized me the other day, asked me if I had ever been on TV. He seems so guileless and Daisy likes him a lot. I hope, hope, hope it’s nothing.”

River nodded. “Maybe … no.”

“What?”

“We could ask Aria to keep an eye on him. For Daisy’s sake, she’d do it, I’m sure.”

Sunday was skeptical. “It’s just … can we trust her? She’s not exactly the biggest fan of either of us.”

“To protect Daisy, yes, she would. Say what you like about Aria and her prima donna ways, but she adores Daisy.”

Sunday nodded. “Okay.”

River stroked her hair. “Are you ready to face Angelina?”

Sunday smiled back at him. “I’ll try not to rip the bitch’s face off, if that’s what you mean.”

“I love your fire.” He hesitated for a moment. “Say, no biggie, but did you …”

“I haven’t gotten to that part of your father’s diaries yet,” she told him gently, and he shrugged sheepishly.

“I shouldn’t even ask with everything that’s going on. It just would help when dealing with her.”

“Is she still being … whatever it is she thinks she’s doing?”

“Not so much with the fiancé around, but when he steps out … yeah. She made it clear I could make this all go away if I were to … ugh. I can’t even say the words.”

Sunday put her arms around his neck. “Listen … while we’re dealing with her, let’s give her a taste of her own medicine. I’ll make myself known, if she doesn’t recognize me this time, and I’ll tell her I’m here on a deep cover assignment. A historical case … a story about the sexual abuse of a child of a rich man … and the outing of an abuser. It won’t be true … but it’ll give her pause.” She shook her head. “Every time I think about it, I want to kill her, and to think she had the nerve to want to be in Berry’s life …”

“Hey, hey, breathe,” River said, then chuckled. “I guess we both could kill for the other.”

Sunday nodded. “I would die for you, River. And Berry.”

River took a deep breath in. “I feel the same but neither of us is dying for anyone. This is our family now, and there’s nothing I won’t do to protect it. Nothing.”