“Anna and I are happy to help.”
“We are?” Anna glared at Danny before turning back to Jenna. “Just take care of Mike. I can handle the wedding details on my own. I know how you want everything. Don’t worry about it.”
“Hey,” Mike waved from the hospital bed, “I want Danny involved. He can be my voice in any matters concerning the groom. You know, just in case you decide the groomsmen should wear pink shirts or something.”
“Keep it up, gimp, and I’ll switch your tux from black to baby blue.” Anna winked at Mike, then turned back to Jenna. “You’ve got your hands full with your year-end project and now taking care of Mike after his surgery tomorrow. Let me handle the final wedding details.”
“I think you and Danny should finalize the wedding details, while I babysit my fiance.” Jenna turned to Mike. “Or, maybe we should just postpone the wedding until you recover from surgery.”
“NO!” Anna, Mike, and Danny all shouted at the same time, prompting a harsh glare from the nurse walking past Mike’s room.
“The doctor said I’ll be able to stand without crutches for short periods of time on our wedding day. I’m not giving you a chance to change your mind. You’re marrying me in 10 days and that’s final.” Mike held Jenna’s hand and gave her his best ‘I’m a former FBI agent, so don’t mess with me’ look, before pulling her down for a long kiss.
“Okay, I’ve seen more than enough. Time for me to go.” Anna started towards the door, but turned back to look at Danny. She sighed, “I’ll meet you at the bakery at 10 tomorrow morning.”
“Anna, wait.” Mike called after her. He looked at Danny and said, “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Anna waited for Danny to leave before walking back to Mike. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it can wait till you’re feeling better.”
Mike shook his head. “No, it can’t wait. I was calling this afternoon to tell you that Vladimir is dead. A former colleague in the New York office has been keeping me updated on the Brighton Beach situation and he called yesterday to let me know. We’re still not sure if it was a hit or of natural causes. And, I’m not sure how this will affect you.”
Anna stood paralyzed in shock. She was torn between wanting to cry with relief that the man who had held her hostage was dead and regret that she wasn’t able to exact her revenge.
Jenna tackled Anna in hug that almost knocked her over. “Oh, God. Does this mean you’re safe?”
Anna hugged Jenna, but looked at Mike. “I don’t know. I guess it depends on how he died and who will take his place.”
Jenna was squeezing her so tight she started to see spots. Anna pleaded with Mike to call Jenna off her, but he just smiled. “Who knows, Mole, you may be able to unpack your backpack.”
Jenna stepped back and pointed to the bag in question. “You have carried this ‘go-bag’ every day since before we even met. It’s time to retire it.”
Anna gently caressed the well-worn leather. “It’s all I have left of my Dad. I’ll never get rid of it.”
“I know, honey. All I’m saying is maybe you can unpack and settle in. You’ve lived here for almost 10 years, yet you’ve always had one foot out the door. If Vlad’s death means you’re safe, I hope you will stay in St. Helena. I mean, I know you probably want to visit New York, but your home is here.”
“I’ll never go back to New York. There’s nothing there for me.”
Anna closed her eyes and replayed the last memory she carried of New York. In the aftermath of her parent’s death, Vlad’s men hadn’t been paying close attention to her and she had escaped late one night. She stayed in New York long enough to watch her parent’s coffins lowered into the ground, then she headed west. She made her way across the country by working a few weeks in a diner, then moving on to the next town. That’s how she wound up working the late-shift at a diner in Sacramento when she met Jenna. Jenna had just started at Sac State and would come into the diner a several nights a week to study while her roommate partied in their dorm room. Jenna never pried into her background or asked her questions Anna didn’t want to answer. As their friendship grew, so did Anna’s trust in her new friend. Every week, Anna found herself delaying her departure a little longer. Eventually, they decided to rent an apartment near campus with another friend of Jenna’s, Samantha.
One weekend Jenna asked Anna if she wanted to come home to St. Helena with her. Visiting St. Helena and meeting Jenna’s Aunt Alice changed her life. Alice took Anna under her wing and late one night, over a bottle of wine, Anna opened up about her past. Alice and Jenna never judged Anna for the things she had done. Instead, they helped her move forward. Alice pulled strings and got her enrolled in the Computer Science program at Sac State, where she graduated with a BS in three years and her Master’s degree the following year. When they graduated, the three sisters-by-choice, moved to St. Helena.
“I think you should tell Danny your story.” Mike held his hand up to stop Anna’s protest. “Right now, Jenna and I are the only people who know your story, and I can’t protect you with a bum leg.”
Anna thought about the feeling she had earlier of being watched and the attempted break-in at St. Paws. Since she didn’t believe in coincidences, it had to all be related to Vlad’s death. But, what did it mean? If Vlad had the most to lose, why were they coming after her now? Did they think they could force her to work for them again? They’d lost their bargaining chip when her father died. She looked at Jenna and Mike and realized she had another family to lose if they came after her now. By staying in St. Helena so long they had found her, and she had put Jenna and Mike in danger.
She tightened her grip on her bag and resolved herself to leaving. If she could figure out who was watching her, she could lead them away from St. Helena. She could stay one-step ahead of them long enough to convince them Jenna and Mike didn’t matter to her and maybe that would keep them safe. And, the best way to prove they didn’t matter was to leave now. Right when they needed her the most. With Mike’s injury and their wedding in less than two weeks, she’d send a clear message that they didn’t matter to her if she just walked away. Would it be enough to convince whoever was after her?
“Absolutely not.” Danny’s quiet anger reverberated through the hospital room. “Anna, look at me. You are not leaving. I’ll chain you to a chair in the basement if you try to do this alone.”
* * *
Anna flinched at the intensity of Danny’s stare. “How long have you been there?”
“Long enough to see you think you can solve your problem by running away. I don’t know what the problem is, but it’s clear you think you can avoid it by leaving.”
“Uh, Danny -” Mike tried to diffuse the ticking time bomb, but he was too late.
“You,” Anna stepped forward and poked Danny in the chest, hard. “Know nothing. You know nothing about me, my problem, or why I need to leave. This isn’t your business, so just stay the hell out of my way.”
Danny was almost to parking lot before he realized Anna would need a ride home. He came back hoping he’d get to spend some more time with the woman who was taking up so much space in his head. He was as intrigued as Sneakers and, like Sneakers, he wanted to know more. As he was about to walk into the room, he overheard Mike saying he couldn’t protect Anna. He almost charged in to find out why she needed protection, but stopped himself. He could see Anna’s profile, but she was focused on her staring contest with Mike. He waited to see what she would say before he made his presence known. Instead of answering, he’d seen her clutch her bag like a life line. He could practically read the emotions on her face as she thought about running.
“I know Mike says you need protection. I know I’m the person who can provide that protection.” Judging by the look on her face, he wasn’t going to win this argument unless he played dirty. “Would you really walk out on Mike and Jenna when they need you the most?”
“Anna,” Jenna pleaded, “Let him help.”
“Again, you know nothing. It’s better for them if I leave now. They’ll be-” Anna stopped herself.
“What? You think you can keep them safe by running away?” Danny asked.
“That’s what this is about? Protecting us?” Mike started to pull himself out of bed. He grunted and broke out in sweat as the pain etched itself in his face. Jenna pushed him back down and pushed for the nurse.
“That’s enough. No one is leaving.” Jenna glared at all of them in turn, saving her last furious look for Mike. “You, stay put. I’m getting you a shot of morphine.”
“Mole, trust Danny. He’s a good man. Stubborn as a mule in a coma, but you can trust him.” She turned to Danny, “Don’t push her. She’ll tell you when she’s ready. You can earn her trust while you protect her. Because if one hair on her head gets so much as a knot, I’m coming after you.”
Jenna stood with her hands on her hips, daring anyone to defy her.
Danny tried to fight the smile at Jenna’s warrior woman pose. “Fine, I’m on protection detail. I’ll earn her trust and she’ll tell me in her own sweet time. But, I’m not calling her Mole.”
“Good, because only my friends call me Mole.”
“Anna-” Jenna started.
“I can’t stand for anything to happen to you.” Anna stopped Jenna as she started to wind up again. “I’ll stay. For now. I need to see who’s following me and why.”
Danny straightened up from where he was leaning against the door frame. “You’re being followed?”
His anger grew as she just shrugged.
“What else aren’t you telling us?”
Anna was saved from answering by the nurse. “Okay, everyone who doesn’t want to see this man’s tush needs to leave now.”
Jenna gave Anna a hug and whispered, “I trust him with your life, Mole. You can, too.”
On the drive to Anna’s house, Danny decided not to push her anymore tonight. He’d watched her check the surroundings as they walked to the car, then adjust the side view mirror once she got in the car. He figured she’d had enough strife for one night.
She unbuckled her seat belt when he pulled onto her street and had the door open before the car had some to a full stop in front of her house. She looked over her shoulder and sighed. “I’ll meet you at the bakery at 10 tomorrow.”
“I’ll pick you up at 9 tomorrow.”
Anna huffed, then slammed the door. He grinned. This was going to be so much fun.