Deadly Deception Read online

  Deadly

  Deception

  Deadly

  Deception

  Tami Kidd

  Deadly Deception

  This publication is a work of creative fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, real business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, scanned, or distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the author’s written permission.

  Text Copyright © 2017 Tami Kidd

  Cover Design Copyright © 2017 by DLD Designs

  ColtonBooks.com

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-10: 1976323762

  ISBN-13: 978-1976323768

  This book is dedicated to all the people suffering, or who have suffered from diseases with no known cures. It is my hope that one day there will be a cure for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other ailments that plague the world. Although this book is fiction, I pray cures will someday be a reality.

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  Every morning, I wake up grateful for the people in my life. Each person whose path I cross influences me either by providing sound advice, interesting stories, or fodder for my characters. After all, we are all characters in someone else’s story.

  This book is a collaborative piece of creative work. Without the efforts from so many people, it would not have ever been born.

  Davy, my love, you inspire me every day. Thank you for being my friend, soulmate, and the person who keeps me grounded.

  Jessica, you and Atlee are the glue that holds my universe together. Every breath I take is filled with gratitude for you both.

  My dear sister, Jesslyn, there aren’t enough words to express how much you have encouraged me. You are the definition of true strength. My dream is to be just like you when I grow up.

  My editor and cover designer deserves a medal. Debbie DeCosta worked tirelessly day and night to fine-tune my writing without affecting my prose (or voice).

  Laurie Allen is a saint. Without her creative insight and help with formatting my book, it would still be residing on my laptop. Her suggestions and vision for the cover art will also earn her great karma rewards.

  Tammie Hunter, a long-time friend, has endured so much; yet, her unwavering strength has been an inspiration to so many, myself included.

  Where would I be without my critique group? Not writing this acknowledgement that’s for certain. The Writing Warriors have provided unending support, diligent editing, and sound advice to make this book possible.

  I would be remiss if I did not mention my gratitude to the Crestview Writers Group. For the past three years, they have been a source of endless inspiration and made me aspire to inspire others to write.

  One

  Mara Byrne placed a palm to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut, wishing she could disappear. Hot cheeks burned from embarrassment. Fear raged through her body. When a strange man in dark sunglasses and a sharp suit boarded the plane, her dream vacation turned into a nightmare.

  ****

  Earlier, Mara had settled into her seat on the Boeing 747, excited to visit her family in Arkansas. The first part of the flight had gone smoothly, the June weather picture perfect. The calm, cloudless sky was a traveler’s dream. She even enjoyed engaging conversation with a good-looking young man who was a male nurse. While she sipped her diet coke, they compared notes about life in Arkansas, learning a little about his background. He sat across the aisle from her, and leaned over the armrest in an effort to distance himself from the bulky man seated beside him. Eventually he asked Mara if he could move to the empty seat next to her. She obliged, letting him join her.

  Switching seats, the young man extended his hand. “Hi, my name is Calvin Lewis. Everybody calls me Cal.”

  “Nice to meet you, Cal. I’m Mara Byrne.”

  “Business or pleasure?” Cal asked.

  “Pleasure.” Mara smiled.

  “Good for you. Visiting family?”

  “Yes, my brothers. How about you?” she asked.

  “A little of both actually. I’m going to attend a workshop at the University of Arkansas Medical School in Little Rock, but I also hope to visit family in Hot Springs.”

  Mara’s face brightened. “I’m from a small town just south of Hot Springs called Persimmon Hollow. Ever hear of it?”

  “Oh, yeah. Nice little area.” Calvin’s words garbled somewhat as he crunched on ice from his drink.

  “I can’t wait to see it. I haven’t been back there in years. I bet it’s changed a lot.”

  A baby wailed a few rows behind Cal and Mara.

  Cal leaned toward her, cupped his hand to one side of his mouth, and raised his voice. “How come you haven’t been back in years?”

  “My husband’s career didn’t give us much time to travel. We were pretty much homebodies.”

  “I guess that’s why he isn’t with you. He probably stayed home to work, huh?”

  Mara paused for a beat. “No, he passed some time ago.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” Cal said. “I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate it.” Mara felt uncomfortable telling people about Thomas’s death. To her it seemed almost like a lie. Happily married for almost twenty years and then he was gone. The suddenness of his death still rocked Mara to her core. In her heart, Thomas wasn’t dead. He still lived inside her mind, existing in another dimension, somewhere unattainable. His death left her devastated. At first, unable to function, she didn’t allow herself the joy of writing, even though her friends and agent gently encouraged her to get back to what she loved. The heroine of her novels, Alex Strange, floated aimlessly in the dark recesses of her mind. Then one day, Mara read a passage she had written in one of her novels. It opened her eyes. To truly honor Thomas, she had to stop the downward spiral and survive.

  Then Mara met Alex Strange, same name, but not the heroine in her books. A hero nonetheless. He took her on the wildest, most dangerous ride of her life. Together they searched for answers about Thomas’s past that haunted Mara after she found a mysterious letter in his belongings. The letter had ripped out her heart and made her doubt the foundation of her marriage. As part of the deception, it was written as a love letter to throw spying eyes off course. The letter held clues some would stop at nothing to possess.

  Thankfully, the letter no longer existed. The author burned it to ashes to keep it from villainous hands. During the ordeal, Mara and Alex built the foundation of a strong relationship, one that could be long lasting.

  Mara looked at the wedding ring that Thomas had slid on her hand so many years ago. A symbol of their love, she twirled it around her slender finger, thankful that mystery was now behind her. So much had happened since his death. Yet, it seemed like a lifetime ago.

  Awkward silence filled the air around Cal and Mara. Even the baby a few rows back stopped crying.

  Cal opened his mouth to say something when a booming voice overhead interrupted him.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen, this is Captain Scott Mannis. We will be making an unscheduled landing shortly. I’m sorry for the inconvenience. We will try to keep our delay to a minimum. Thank you.”

  Mara and Cal exchanged glances. Cal shrugged. Murmurs of concern from the passengers floated throughout the cabin. Her mind raced with her own worries. Driving from California to Arkansas didn’t seem like such a bad idea now. Before this, the thought of taking a road trip by herself proved daunting. If only Alex had come with her, then they could have taken turns driving. Ins
tead, he had to stay behind to testify at a trial, promising to join her when he completed his obligation. Too late to worry about what-ifs now.

  ****

  The 747 taxied down what appeared to be a rarely used, dust-covered runway in Cimmerian, Texas. The wind blew wildly. In the distance, Mara could see dust from the barren field whisking into the desolate, gray sky.

  Cal moved back to his seat looking slightly green.

  She guessed her coloring looked much the same. The landing had been rough, so she breathed in a deep sigh as the plane slowed and started its advance toward the gate. No covered gangways led to the terminal. Instead, a rolling stairs sat solemnly in the scorching sun, its glare radiating off the concrete made her squint. The small airport looked uninviting and bleak, an unwelcome impression for first-time visitors.

  Mara did not get a sense that this was a friendly place. Clearly, the airport personnel had no interest in making the place an appealing tourist destination. Through her window, she saw a heavy, middle-aged woman in a tight, dark-blue airport uniform pretending to sweep near the only door leading into the terminal. The ashen tone of woman’s face matched the dusty haze of the sky. Chills spread over Mara’s body. Looking back, it felt like a lifetime had passed since she first labeled this a perfect flight and enjoyed the enlightening conversation. Lives really can change from one heartbeat to the next.

  ****

  From her vantage point, Mara watched the flight attendant as she spoke into the galley phone. After her call ended, she saw the young women straighten her shoulders, pull her head back, and present her best smile as she walked down the aisle. Halfway down, a plump elderly lady stopped her.

  “Miss, do you know why we’re here and how long we’ll be here?” The passenger leaned closer and lowered her voice as if she were conveying a confidence to the flight attendant. “Was there a problem with the plane? Does someone need medical attention?”

  “No, ma’am, I don’t know how long we’ll be on the ground, but I can assure you there isn’t a—” The flight attendant leaned in closer and whispered, “A mechanical issue.” She patted the woman on her shoulder. The woman smiled and inclined back in her seat. She leaned over to the gentlemen next to her and said, “It’s not a mechanical issue. We’re fine.”

  Mara stared out her window with her hand on her abdomen. Tense nerves drove her near the edge. The pit of her stomach felt like she swallowed a cannonball. She checked her watch. They were supposed to land in Little Rock two hours from now. She pulled her phone out of her purse and turned it on. It powered on, but there was no service. Great, now Noah’s going to be sitting at the airport wondering where I am.

  When the blonde flight attendant walked by, Mara asked, “Pardon me, miss. Do you know if the agents in Little Rock were informed of our delay? I have family meeting me, and since we’re going to be late, I don’t want them to worry.”

  “Yes ma’am, they’ve been notified. It will be posted on the boards throughout the airport.”

  “Thank you.” Mara sat back and powered off her phone.

  The flight attendant walked back to the front of the cabin where she joined two other crewmembers. She whispered to them as they looked curiously around the cabin.

  Mara glanced out the window and noticed a man in dark sunglasses and a black suit exit the terminal door and limp to the stairs. If it hadn’t been for the limp, she would have guessed he might be a secret service agent based on his appearance. That’s crazy. Why would the secret service board the plane? Another man in an airline uniform came out of the terminal door behind him and jogged to catch up. Mara clearly made out the airline logo on the second man’s shirt and tie. He carried a clipboard. She continued to watch as the two men made their way up the stairs together.

  A knock pounded on the cabin door. The attendant gave the thumbs-up through the observation window. She took a few steps back while someone from the outside opened the door. Taking the clipboard from the airline employee, she read it carefully. She picked up the galley phone, spoke into it, wrote something on the clipboard, and then handed it back to the airline employee.

  The two men stepped on board the plane. All eyes in the deathly silent cabin scrutinized them. The man with the clipboard leaned over to the man in the suit and whispered. They both looked down the left row of seats until their eyes settled on Mara. Along with them, the entire cabin focused their attention on her. She looked around and felt the heat rise in her face.

  The man in the black suit lumbered to Mara’s row and leaned down. “Ms. Byrne, I have to ask you to come with me.”

  “Why?” Mara stammered. “Who are you?”

  “I’ll explain everything once we exit the plane. Please come with me.”

  The man’s voice was gentle but commanding; however, Mara wished she could see his eyes behind the dark glasses. She could learn so much from a person’s eyes, whether they were sincere or cold. He had a nice voice, but voices could be deceiving. The eyes usually portrayed a person’s true intentions. Mara gripped the armrests, digging her nails into the fabric. “I’d like to see some identification.”

  “Certainly.” He reached inside his suit pocket and removed a badge holder.

  Her eyes narrowed as she studied the ID and handed it back to him. “I have to get to Little Rock. My brother is waiting for me.” Mara’s voice cracked.

  “Ms. Byrne, we’ll get you to Little Rock, but first, you will have to come with me. Please cooperate so these people can be on their way.” The man held out his hand to her.

  Mara felt her eyes fill with tears. What the hell is happening? She wiped her eyes and asked, “What about my bags?”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll take care of them.”

  With her hands still latched onto the armrests, Mara stood and wavered a bit, but regained control. Taking her purse, she turned to remove her carry-on from the overhead bin, thankful no one would have to move to let her out. She stepped into the aisle and looked at Cal, who avoided her gaze and glanced away as she made her way to the front of the cabin. The man took her elbow and led her down the stairs into the harsh Texas heat.

  Two

  Noah Carpenter studied the electronic arrivals and departures board at the Little Rock airport. He found Mara’s flight number and scanned across to the status column. Delayed. Fantastic! He crumpled the note listing his sister’s flight information in his fist. Noah settled into a seat at one of empty tables scattered around to accommodate waiting friends and loved ones. With nothing else to do but wait, Noah kept his eyes on the escalator, passing the time by watching people arrive from faraway places. He glanced at his watch and noted the time.

  A young woman holding the hands of two small children descended. The children, a boy and girl, appeared to be twins. Same chocolate brown eyes, same dark curls framed the round cherub faces. If they weren’t twins, they were very close in age, like he and Mara, who were often referred to as Irish Twins when they were little, even though they weren’t Irish or twins. Less than a year separated their ages, thus the moniker.

  Their mother had given birth to eight children, six boys and two girls. Unfortunately, their baby sister died very soon after birth, making Mara the only girl out of seven children. Those years had been lean and hard, but still good. Their parents worked hard and struggled to provide for their children. What the family lacked in material possessions, they more than made up for in love. They desired a better life for their children, thus the reason they sent Mara to California after she graduated from high school. They hoped she would have more opportunities there.

  The emptiness Noah felt inside when she left remained unfilled. Not only was Mara his sister, she was also his best friend. Though his heart ached from her absence, he was happy she discovered a world away from the tiny universe they had existed in. He was as proud of her success as his parents had been. She married a good man, and with her writing, she achieved more than most people. Sure, she had suffered a great loss when Thomas died, but she bounced back, pu
lled herself from a crippling despair, and found another good man to make her happy. He smiled, watching the two little ones accompanied by their mother and hoped they would remain close to one another.

  When the flight was ninety minutes past-due, Noah walked to the customer service counter where a mature woman, described as handsome, greeted him.

  “Can I help you, sir?” Her bright pink lips formed a wide grin.

  Leaning in and squinting to see her nametag, Noah said, “I hope so, Corinne. I’m waiting on Flight 1286 from Ontario, California. It’s been delayed. Can you tell me why? Do you have an estimate of when it will arrive?”

  Corrine typed something in her computer with quick, experienced fingers. Reading the screen, she said, “Yes, sir, Flight 1286 experienced a delay and is now scheduled to arrive in approximately one hour.”

  “Good. Thank you, Corrine.”

  Noah decided to get a cup of coffee while he waited for Mara to arrive. He removed his green and tan camo cell phone from his pocket to call his wife, Patty. After updating her on the flight’s status, he settled in for the wait.

  Fifty minutes later, Flight 1286 landed as Corrine promised. Noah stood aside while the passengers descended the escalator from the arrival gates. One by one, he watched people being greeted by loved ones. Hugs, kisses, and squeals of delight were bountiful. As the parade of new arrivals thinned, Noah looked around, wondering if he had missed Mara. Maybe she was looking around for him. He didn’t see her. It had been a long time since he last saw her, so her appearance could have changed. Surely, she would have told him if she had transformed herself to a large degree.

  Seeing the flight crew descend, Noah felt sure that everyone must have disembarked the plane. His palms began to sweat. His heart raced. What the hell? Where is she?

  Once again, he went back to the counter where Corrine greeted him with a wide smile.