Nowhere to Turn Read Online Free Page B

rechecked her rearview mirror all the way to the hotel. At the library, where she’d spent as much time as possible when Kurt was gone and Simon was at school, she’d googled and mapped and planned her route. They’d made it to the first stop.
    Inside the hotel room, Simon questioned her nonstop, his hands flying at warp speed. “Where are we going?”
    “A long way from here.”
    “Across country?”
    “Yes.”
    “To see your mother?”
    A pang hit her. “No, that’s the first place your father will look.”
    His shoulders drooped. “I want to meet my grandmother.”
    “I know, hon. And maybe one day that’ll be possible. I know she’d like to meet you too.” Dani kept her contact with her mother to a minimum. She was too afraid of what Kurt would do if he found out she was in touch with the woman.
    Simon flipped on the television and picked up the remote. “I hope they have closed captions here.”
    “I’m sure they do.” She didn’t offer to see if she could get them working. Simon knew better than she did how to do that.
    The room was nice. Nothing fancy, but it wasn’t a dump either. The money from the safe would carry them for a while as long as she wasn’t extravagant. But she refused to stay in a dangerous area. She’d had enough of danger for the past twelve years. It was time to find out what it felt like to feel safe again.
    “Mom?”
    She turned to find Simon’s gaze fixed on the television screen.
    And she saw why.
    “Two FBI agents have been declared dead at the scene of the Crown Vista hotel. We don’t have any more details at the moment . . .”
    “That’s where Dad is, isn’t it?”
    “Yes.” She sank onto the bed beside him.
    Simon looked at her. “You think it could be him?”
    Dani signed that she didn’t know. “Let’s watch.”
    As time passed, she and Simon stayed glued to the screen, pausing only to order supper. Finally, a reporter came on the screen. “Alan James has been identified as one of the dead agents. The other agent’s name has not been released yet because his family hasn’t been notified. We’ll be back with more news after this break.”
    Simon signed. “We need to find out.”
    Dani nodded. “Yes, you’re right.”
    “Who can you call?”
    “Your dad’s boss.”

5
    SIX MONTHS LATER
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 SC FBI RESIDENT AGENCY, SATELLITE OFFICE GREENVILLE, SC
    Special Agent Joseph Duncan stepped through the doors and made his way to the small square room he called an office.
    “Yo, Duncan, welcome back. Nice job on that last assignment. Took you long enough, though.”
    Joe turned and waved at Ralph Thorn, who nursed a cup of coffee on his way to his own desk. “Thanks, man.”
    “Six months is a long time.”
    “Too long, but not as long as I thought it would be.” He tried to force a smile, but was sure it came out more in the form of a grimace than anything else.
    “You been home yet?”
    “Nope. Had to stop by here and get caught up a little. Then I plan to go home and sleep for about a week.” Home. He should call it his hovel. Bitterness nearly engulfed him. Two years ago his father had died and left everything to Joe’s older brother. The shining star. The Wall Street executive. The one who already had more money than he knew what to do with.
    And Joe? He inherited a trailer park where no one paid the rent unless you hounded them or threatened eviction. Like he had time for that. It was one reason he liked the long undercover assignments. Actually six months wasn’t all that long. He’d been hoping for a year or longer. Maybe next time.
    “Sounds good. Let’s get together for lunch when you surface.”
    “Right.”
    Thorn took a gulp of his brew and disappeared into his office across from Joe’s cubicle.
    Joseph Duncan. He shook his head. The name sounded weird. He’d used so many names over the past six months he wasn’t sure who he was anymore.
    His phone rang and he sighed. Word traveled fast.