You were ashamed of us. You forgot that you used to be one of us.”
“I never forgot. I just moved on. At least, that’s what I thought. But now I’m terribly afraid that my secrets are about to be completely exposed.”
“Why should I care?”
“Because they’re your secrets, too.”
Dana’s eyes narrowed. “Do I look like I have something to hide? I run a strip club. Everyone knows who I am, where I come from. I’m famous around here, and I like it that way.”
Charlotte shook her head. “I’m not talking about our days as dance hall girls, or this club. I’m talking about Johnny.”
Dana drew in a sharp breath. “What about him?”
88
Barbara Freethy
“Do you remember the watch he used to wear?”
A light flickered in Dana’s eyes. “Of course I remember,” she said evenly.
“I gave it to my granddaughter, and now it’s missing.
Someone stole it two weeks ago.” Charlotte saw Dana’s eyes narrow and the pulse in her throat begin to jump. “It was the only thing they took,” she added. “It wasn’t a random theft. Someone knows the value of the watch. I need your help to find out who.”
Dana looked down at the desk, then back at Charlotte.
“I can’t help you.”
Charlotte gazed into her old friend’s eyes and saw fear.
“Can’t or won’t?”
“It’s all the same.”
“You heard something. What?” Charlotte leaned forward. “I have to know, Dana. I have to protect my family.”
“So do I,” Dana said. “You need to leave.”
Charlotte gave her a long, hard look. “I’ll go, but think about this: If they know about me, then there’s a very good chance they know about you.”
“I was smarter than you, Charlie.”
Charlotte smiled. “No, you just liked to think you were.”
Kayla walked through the front door of St. Peter and Paul Church in Washington Square and immediately felt a sense of peace wash over her. She loved churches, and this one was particularly magnificent with its forty-foot altar made from Italian marble and North African onyx. It had been carved in Italy by master craftsmen, then carefully shipped to San Francisco in pieces and reassembled in the church. For a few moments Kayla stood still, ab-TA K E N
89
sorbing the beauty of the cathedral, the light streaming through the stained-glass windows that were superbly done. Here in this beautiful church everything seemed to be exactly as it should be. She could almost forget that her life was in complete chaos. Almost . . .
The sound of footsteps drew goose bumps down her arms, and the serenity in her soul turned to uneasiness.
She whirled around, ready to confront whoever was behind her. It was a nun dressed in full habit, black gown, white head covering, a cross hanging on a chain around her neck. A pair of thick glasses sat on the end of her nose. As she came closer, Kayla looked up and saw a pair of sharp blue eyes. She sucked in a breath. She had the weird feeling she knew those eyes.
The nun smiled and murmured, “Bless you,” as she moved past, heading down the aisle toward the altar. She was a tall woman, and she walked with a long stride.
Kayla’s body tightened. Her instincts told her something was off. The nun disappeared through a side door in front of the church. There was no one else in the cathedral, but now it was too quiet. The silence was too tense. She turned to leave; she had the urge to get out of the building as quickly as possible. The sudden sound of organ music caught her off guard, made her pause in the middle of the aisle. She looked up at the balcony just in time to see something come hurtling down toward her head.
A moment later she was on the ground, flat on her back, looking up at the vaulted ceiling, stars spinning in front of her eyes.
“Kayla?” Nick’s face came into view as he knelt beside her.
Where had he come from? She tried to ask, but she couldn’t catch her breath. Her chest was too tight.
90
Barbara Freethy
“What’s wrong? What
“I never forgot. I just moved on. At least, that’s what I thought. But now I’m terribly afraid that my secrets are about to be completely exposed.”
“Why should I care?”
“Because they’re your secrets, too.”
Dana’s eyes narrowed. “Do I look like I have something to hide? I run a strip club. Everyone knows who I am, where I come from. I’m famous around here, and I like it that way.”
Charlotte shook her head. “I’m not talking about our days as dance hall girls, or this club. I’m talking about Johnny.”
Dana drew in a sharp breath. “What about him?”
88
Barbara Freethy
“Do you remember the watch he used to wear?”
A light flickered in Dana’s eyes. “Of course I remember,” she said evenly.
“I gave it to my granddaughter, and now it’s missing.
Someone stole it two weeks ago.” Charlotte saw Dana’s eyes narrow and the pulse in her throat begin to jump. “It was the only thing they took,” she added. “It wasn’t a random theft. Someone knows the value of the watch. I need your help to find out who.”
Dana looked down at the desk, then back at Charlotte.
“I can’t help you.”
Charlotte gazed into her old friend’s eyes and saw fear.
“Can’t or won’t?”
“It’s all the same.”
“You heard something. What?” Charlotte leaned forward. “I have to know, Dana. I have to protect my family.”
“So do I,” Dana said. “You need to leave.”
Charlotte gave her a long, hard look. “I’ll go, but think about this: If they know about me, then there’s a very good chance they know about you.”
“I was smarter than you, Charlie.”
Charlotte smiled. “No, you just liked to think you were.”
Kayla walked through the front door of St. Peter and Paul Church in Washington Square and immediately felt a sense of peace wash over her. She loved churches, and this one was particularly magnificent with its forty-foot altar made from Italian marble and North African onyx. It had been carved in Italy by master craftsmen, then carefully shipped to San Francisco in pieces and reassembled in the church. For a few moments Kayla stood still, ab-TA K E N
89
sorbing the beauty of the cathedral, the light streaming through the stained-glass windows that were superbly done. Here in this beautiful church everything seemed to be exactly as it should be. She could almost forget that her life was in complete chaos. Almost . . .
The sound of footsteps drew goose bumps down her arms, and the serenity in her soul turned to uneasiness.
She whirled around, ready to confront whoever was behind her. It was a nun dressed in full habit, black gown, white head covering, a cross hanging on a chain around her neck. A pair of thick glasses sat on the end of her nose. As she came closer, Kayla looked up and saw a pair of sharp blue eyes. She sucked in a breath. She had the weird feeling she knew those eyes.
The nun smiled and murmured, “Bless you,” as she moved past, heading down the aisle toward the altar. She was a tall woman, and she walked with a long stride.
Kayla’s body tightened. Her instincts told her something was off. The nun disappeared through a side door in front of the church. There was no one else in the cathedral, but now it was too quiet. The silence was too tense. She turned to leave; she had the urge to get out of the building as quickly as possible. The sudden sound of organ music caught her off guard, made her pause in the middle of the aisle. She looked up at the balcony just in time to see something come hurtling down toward her head.
A moment later she was on the ground, flat on her back, looking up at the vaulted ceiling, stars spinning in front of her eyes.
“Kayla?” Nick’s face came into view as he knelt beside her.
Where had he come from? She tried to ask, but she couldn’t catch her breath. Her chest was too tight.
90
Barbara Freethy
“What’s wrong? What
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