Borrowed Identity

She moved her foot and stared down, trying to find the offending item. She had bent over when a small white bead caught her eye. She picked it up and studied it. It appeared to be a small pearl. But where had it come from?

The answer floated up from the depths of her subconscious, an unwanted epiphany. She tried to deny it access, but her mind opened, spilling a recent memory. Her wedding gown had been covered with tiny pearls.

But the wedding dress had been part of a dream.

She knelt down on the floor. Sweeping her hands over it with long, desperate movements. She managed to find three more tiny pearls.

Kelly scowled at the white beads in her hand. If her wedding was a dream, then where had the pearls come from? If it hadn’t been a dream, why was Michael lying to her?

Chapter Three

The next morning, after pulling on faded jeans and a pink angora sweater, Kelly reluctantly went downstairs. Before leaving the sanctuary of her bedroom she placed the tiny pearls in a trinket box on top of her dresser. Asking Michael about them wouldn’t do her any good if he was lying to her. She had to find a way to trick him into admitting the truth.

Kelly stood in the foyer and wondered about Michael. Where was he? A small part of her hoped he had left the house and her behind. But she knew if he was gone, she would miss him horribly. Her feelings for him were muddled, melding together in terrible confusion. Did she love him or didn’t she?

It would be nice if she made up her mind before the wedding, she thought derisively.

She was tired, having spent the night tossing and turning, afraid to sleep for fear of nightmares. Several times she had heard strange noises in the walls. Most nights the sounds didn’t bother her. They were to be expected in a place as old as Moore House. But last night, layered on top of her fears, every strange sound vibrated through her entire being, chilling her to the marrow.

Several times during the night she had almost gone running to Michael’s bedroom, like a little child hoping to crawl into bed with her parents after a particularly bad nightmare.

Somehow she’d held her ground. She was an adult, not a child. She could handle a few bumps in the night on her own.

Michael stepped into the foyer, startling her. He stopped next to her, so close his proximity made her nervous. But he appeared to be going somewhere. He was wearing his denim jacket and his feet were encased in work boots. A set of keys was dangling from his hand. Good fortune was smiling on Kelly now. Maybe he would stay away. She was supposed to marry the man in a month. How could she? Being in the same room with him made her feel like a nervous cat in a dog pound.

“Leaving?” she asked, a thread of hope in her voice.

“I’m going into town for supplies. Is there anything you need?”

Privacy, she wanted to reply. Her uneasiness grew. She wanted him to leave, but at the same time she knew she would race after him if he did. She had too much invested in him to call off the wedding now.

“I don’t need anything,” she said with a sigh.

“Are you sure?” His piercing brown eyes stared straight at her, through her, as if he was trying to read her mind. “The forecast is for snow. I heard it on the radio early this morning. I don’t know how reliable the weathermen are in these parts, but I think we should be cautious. If we get as many inches as they’re predicting, we’ll be trapped inside for a while.”

She shivered. His last words echoed in her mind. She didn’t want to be trapped in Moore House with him. There were more than forty rooms, yet the place felt far too small for the two of them.

“I…” She turned away, unable to look into those bottomless eyes and think at the same time. “I guess we need staples. Get food that won’t need refrigeration in case the electricity goes out. Canned goods. Dried milk. The usual.”

His hand settled on her shoulder as if he sensed her need to put distance between them. She froze beneath the gentle pressure. Her breathing quickened. Why couldn’t he leave her alone?

“I’ll get a flashlight and some batteries, too, just in case.”

“Why?” Her eyes narrowed, and she spun around to face him. “We have three flashlights and you just bought batteries last week.”

“Well,” he said with a shrug, “you can never have enough batteries.”

She watched him walk across the foyer to the front door, and she thought about the changes in him. He was hiding something from her. She could feel deceit in his every word. She opened her mouth to mention the pearls she’d found. The accusation soured her tongue, filling her with bitterness.

He stopped at the door and smiled wryly at her. “Will you be okay here by yourself while I’m away?”

“Fine,” she said. “Don’t hurry back on my account.”

Then he was gone. The door shut softly behind him. She regretted not having the courage to confront him with her suspicions. Either she was losing her mind or he was lying to her, setting her up for a fall.

Kelly grabbed the phone and brought it to her ear. She wanted to call her only close neighbor, Margo Lane, and warn her about the coming storm. The elderly woman had a hard time getting around. She didn’t have her own car, but relied on family and friends for transportation. She would need supplies, too.

Kelly remembered selling the guest house to Margo as one of the smartest things she’d done. At first she’d wanted an elderly couple to buy the place. She hadn’t needed the money of course; she’d made that clear to the Realtor. She was willing to take a financial loss as long as she liked the people, feeling lonely after the loss of her father. Margo had fallen in love with the little house on sight and begged Kelly to sell it to her. Margo had family, but they didn’t spend much time with her. Kelly remembered Margo’s last remark to her that day, the reason she’d told the Realtor to let Margo have the house. “You and I, we’ll look after each other.”

And they did.

The phone line was dead.

Kelly slowly set the receiver down. Her eyes went to the front door. Margo lived in a small bungalow down the road from Moore House. Kelly considered walking there. The place had been part of the Moore estate at one time, a guest house for visiting relatives and friends.

John Moore had bought five hundred acres and then instructed the builders to erect the mansion. It was followed by the guest house, barracks for the workers, a detached garage and a barn. Each building stood separate from the other, spread out over the great expanses of land. Over the years, piece by piece, bits of the Moore estate had been sold off, the seven-room guest cottage among them.

The guest house was connected to the main public road right along with Moore House. John Moore, the original owner, had wanted his guests to have their privacy, wanted them to feel as if they were in their very own house, a house separate from his. But the guest house was also connected by a rocky path that wound past the detached garage and eventually traveled up a hill to meet the guest house’s wraparound porch.

Kelly grabbed her coat and headed out the door. There was a thin layer of frost on the ground. If she fell on the rocky path, there would be no one nearby to hear her screams for help. Margo was hard of hearing, and there wasn’t another soul in the vicinity. Kelly couldn’t rely on Michael to save her; he would probably be gone for quite some time.

Despite the slippery conditions, she arrived in one piece. Climbing onto Margo’s porch, she rapped hard with her knuckles on the front door. She listened for activity inside the house, but didn’t hear anything.

Kelly wondered how long it had been since Margo’s relatives had checked on her. The woman lived alone, with a large golden retriever for company.

Kelly moved to the window and peered through, cupping her hands around her face to block the glare. Inside, the living room was empty, the television turned off. It was strange that Margo wasn’t watching her favorite afternoon stories. There was no sign of her anywhere.

Suddenly a large form hit the window near Kelly’s face, startling her. She shrieked and leaped away. Her foot caught the end of a wooden porch chair and she toppled backward. Pain lanced through her body.

Loud barking caught her attention. From her position flat on the porch, she peered upward. Margo’s dog was at the window. Boomer yelped at her, raking his paws against the glass in his excitement at seeing her.

Kelly struggled to her feet, using the chair as leverage. Finding her balance took longer. She retrieved the spare key from the potted plant near the front door, then slid the key home and turned the knob.

Boomer barked happily and tried to jump on her.

“No.” She pushed his front legs away. “Sit, Boomer.”

The dog followed her command and Kelly moved from room to room, calling out to the elderly woman, who should have been somewhere in the house.

She wouldn’t have left Boomer alone to fend for himself. A family member would have been called in to take care of him if Margo was planning to be gone long. Could her friend have gone for a walk alone and hurt herself?

Kelly hadn’t seen the place in such bad shape before. Margo usually kept her home immaculate, but today it was a wreck. There were empty cans on the kitchen counter and table. Papers were strewn across the floor. It looked as if a tornado had ripped through the cottage.

Alarm spread through Kelly like wildfire. Something bad must have happened to Margo. Where could she be?

Kelly put the dog on a leash and took him outside with her. He was more hyper than he’d ever been, jerking on his leash, trying to force Kelly to run. As if he hadn’t been outside in days, he ignored her firmly spoken commands and continued to struggle against the leash.

Kelly circled the house, calling Margo’s name. She paused frequently, hoping for a response. There was no reply, just total silence. Margo seemed to have vanished without a trace.

There was nothing else Kelly could do on her own. She led the dog back along the path to Moore House. Fortunately, she kept a spare bag of dog food at her place in case Margo ever ran out. When she was almost there, she thought she saw someone duck inside the garage—a shadowy form without recognizable features. Her breath caught in her throat and fear gripped her once more. What should she do?

Her hand trembled, weakening her grip on Boomer’s leash. The dog took advantage of her momentary distraction and bolted.

“Boomer!”

But the animal had raced around the garage, vanishing from sight. She wanted to call after him, but her mouth was as dry as the Sahara. Her respiration was labored, and she still had a long way to go to reach the safety of her front door.

First she had to check the garage, however. It was possible Margo had been on her way to see Kelly and had stopped in the garage. But why? What would her friend want in a deserted garage?

Kelly opened the garage doors and called, “Hello? Is somebody in here? Margo?”

The chains that had held the doors shut swung free, a padlock dangling from one end. Kelly never bothered to bolt the place. She didn’t keep anything inside the decrepit structure worth stealing. She kept her truck in the newly built garage on the other side of the house. The lock had been purchased by her father when he’d kept his car inside, before a tornado had made the place unsafe.

The building was dark and seemed to be empty. She took a step inside, groping for the light switch. But when she found it and flicked it on, the place remained dark.

“Hello?” Her voice seemed to bounce off the walls, echoing eerily. Kelly limped inside, though she was unwilling to stray too far from the door. Her ankle was beginning to throb after her fall on Margo’s front porch.

There wasn’t anyone in the garage. Light streamed through gaps in the roof, highlighting certain areas. She planned on tearing the decrepit building down eventually; it was becoming a real danger. It had originally been a big red barn, but eventually was transformed into a white garage.

She turned to go, satisfied she was alone. But just as she did so the doors swung shut, startling her.

A nervous laugh escaped her throat. Sleeping in the legendary Moore House was finally getting to her. The stories had warped her mind from youth, desensitizing her. She had nothing to fear; there were no goblins hiding in the dark.

A soft click sounded like a thunderous explosion in the stillness.

She knew the origin of the sound before testing her theory. The doors were chained and locked. Someone had purposely trapped her inside the four-car garage! Besides the doors, her only escape route was a small window near the ceiling, too high for her to reach. Even if she could find a ladder or bench and climb up there, the window was painted shut.

Kelly banged her fists against the door, screaming for help even though she knew there wasn’t anyone around to hear her frantic cries. If she was lucky, Michael would return from town soon. She would actually be glad to see him.

Of course, there was a good chance he wouldn’t be able to hear her. The garage was set too far from the house for her peace of mind.

Rubbing her upper arms in an attempt to warm herself, she closed her eyes and prayed for a miracle.

FOR A SMALL TOWN, Tinkerton had more than its share of bars. Michael straddled a stool in one of them and ordered a cold beer. John “Paddy” Paddington was tardy. It was late afternoon and patrons were just beginning to fill the dimly lit room. Michael scanned the faces. He was relieved when he didn’t recognize any of them. Mostly men, they appeared more interested in their alcoholic beverages than in him.

Michael was about to give up on his old friend when Paddy appeared in the doorway. Michael waved him over, ordering two more beers.

Paddy sat down with a tired grunt. He rubbed his back at the base of the spine and nodded at Michael without saying a word. The Irishman swallowed half his beer in quick chugs.

Michael waited, feeling impatient.

“Aw,” Paddy said with delight, settling back. “That hit the spot. I did everything you asked of me. It all went as planned.”

“Good.” Michael asked, “Is there anything you need to tell me? I don’t want to stay away from the house for too long.”

“I spoke to our mutual friend. Zu Landis hasn’t been found yet. Sneaky devil. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if he was behind all of this.”

Michael blinked slowly, keeping his expression neutral. “Anything else?” He popped a pretzel into his mouth. Paddy was a good friend, but Michael trusted very few people these days.

“Yes.” The Irishman grabbed a handful of pretzels himself. “You are to do anything you deem necessary. You have carte blanche. But our friend wants you to know that if you screw up, he’s never heard of you.”

Michael nodded with a grim smile.

Paddy continued, “I’ll keep an eye on the house from my vantage point down the road. If you need anything, just holler.” He groaned, “I hope this doesn’t take long. I’m not sure my back is going to hold up. Sleeping in a car will cripple you faster than anything.”

“I’ve told you for years, you need to hire a partner. That way, you could switch off with him.”

“I don’t want a partner. I’m hoping to retire soon.”

“Aren’t we all?” Sarcasm dripped from Michael’s tongue.

“What about the girl?” Paddy asked. “Is she giving you any trouble? She looked like a little ball of fire to me. Am I right?”

“Kelly Hall,” Michael stated. “That’s her name.”

“Whatever.” The man’s ample middle shook like a bowl of jelly when he laughed, reminding Michael of a demented Santa Claus without the suit. “You always had a way with the ladies.”

“This one is different. I can’t figure her out.”

“How so?”

“She seems so sweet,” Michael said. “But I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her.”

“Good man. Never trust a pretty face.” Paddy shoved a pretzel into his mouth. He stopped crunching long enough to ask, “Are you living in her house now?”

“Of course. I’m her doting fiancé.” He waved a hand at Paddy as if to negate his dirty thoughts. “We don’t share a bed, though. I have a room at the end of an entirely different hallway. I could probably shout my head off and she wouldn’t hear me.”

“That’s convenient. Well, what about this Kelly Hall?” Paddy asked. “Do you think she had something to do with our current situation?”

“My gut tells me no, but I’ll keep my eye on her. As far as I’m concerned, everyone is suspect.” Michael drank half his beer in a few thirsty gulps. It felt good to relax and be himself. “I almost blew it today. I need to watch what I say. That lady is one sharp tack.”

“You can do it,” Paddy said. “I have faith in you. You can manage a cute little blonde with your hands tied behind your back.”

That didn’t sound like too bad of an idea. If he kept his hands tied behind his back, he wouldn’t be able to touch her. Touching her would lead to more trouble than he could handle.

“That woman looks at me and throws me off balance,” Michael admitted. “She’s an enigma. According to the reports you compiled for me, her only friends are an old lady living in the guest house and a mentally retarded man who does handyman work around her place.”

“Speaking of Margo Lane, have you met her yet?” Paddy winked. “She’s a fine looking lady. Not that I’ve been looking. I’m happily married.”

“Of course, you are.” Michael sighed, focusing on the question. “No, I haven’t met the neighbor yet. I saw the handyman. What was his name again? Wade something?”

“Carpenter.” Paddy laughed and slapped the bar. “Carpenter. That’s funny. Like a gardener named Plant or a baker named Baker. Funny, huh?”

Michael’s jaw tightened. He rarely found life amusing. He didn’t have time to ponder puns or think of jokes.

“Any news on where our buddy Landis could be holing up?” Michael asked, his eyebrows raised.

“Oh yeah.” Paddy smiled. “I was just about to get to that. Landis was spotted near Tulsa, Oklahoma. Keep your guard up. He’s too close for comfort.”

“I’d better go.” Michael glanced at his watch. “I have to get some supplies before returning to the house. Did you hear the weather? We may get snowed in.”

He finished his beer and stood up, searching the pockets of his jeans for money to pay for the drinks. His fingers came across a small circular object. He withdrew Kelly’s wedding ring and stared down at it as if it were a snake. The last thing he needed was for her to stumble across a piece of evidence like that. He slapped the ring down on the bar in front of Paddy.

“Do me a favor. Take this thing and get rid of it for me.”

“What do you want me to do with it?”

“I don’t care.” Michael shrugged. “Toss it in the garbage. Pawn it. Whatever.”

The bartender approached with another cold beer. He set it in front of Michael along with a folded piece of paper.

“I didn’t order this,” Michael said.

“It was paid for,” claimed the bartender. “A guy gave me a twenty to deliver the beer and the note.”

“Is that so?” Paddy asked. “What man?”

The bartender briefly scanned the bar. “I think he left right after he paid me. Enjoy the beer.”

Michael unfolded the note and read it. It was simple and to the point, stirring fear deep in the pit of his stomach. “First the girl. Then you.”

“What is it?” Paddy grabbed the note, reading it for himself. He swore beneath his beer-laden breath.

“Kelly,” Michael said, “I have to hurry. She could be in danger.”

“Do you need me?”

“Not yet.” He shook his head. “Stick to the plan. I’ll call you.”

Michael raced out the door, note in hand. He climbed into the Mustang and gunned the engine, determined to save Kelly. He told himself it was part of his job. He saved lives when possible. No one under his care died without a hard fight from him. He would die for the people he protected. He assured himself that Kelly was no more important than any of the others he’d guarded. It was nothing personal.

So why were his hands shaking like a tree in a hurricane?

THE GARAGE FLOOR was solid concrete. Smudges of dirt and oil stained the gray surface like an abstract painting. There were several holes in the ceiling, which was propped up on weathered wooden beams. Kelly rattled the door handles, but they wouldn’t budge. Taking a deep breath, she ran at one door and delivered a karate kick.

A horrible sound that made Kelly think of a dinosaur screaming in rage forced her eyes heavenward. She watched helplessly as a large beam sagged, the metal sheeting groaning in protest.

She backed away slowly.

Wrapping her arms around her body to ward off the chill, she straightened her spine. Her teeth were starting to chatter. Hypothermia was the biggest worry on her list, next to being crushed to death by the collapsing garage.

Dying was a possibility she didn’t want to consider. Her mind turned to other matters. Concentrating on facts, she thought about who had done this—and why.

Maybe it was a practical joke. It could have been Wade playing a game with her. He would let her out soon. Or maybe local kids daring each other to get closer to Moore House. They might have locked her in the garage to keep her from reporting them as trespassers.

She couldn’t think of anyone who would actually want her dead.

MICHAEL RACED THROUGH the house, yelling for Kelly at the top of his lungs. He searched the mausoleumlike mansion room by room, a thousand horrible thoughts flitting through his head. Something terrible could have happened to her. He imagined the worst.

When he made it upstairs and started searching bedrooms, he spotted a dog when he glanced out one of the windows. It was running around the garage, barking as if there was a rabbit inside.

Michael wished he had his .38 at his side. He took the fastest route to the garage, running down the back stairs. Within seconds he was outside.

A metal chain hung from one of the garage doors. A rusty lock had fallen to the ground nearby. He yelled Kelly’s name, wondering where she could be. Was she inside?

“Michael?” Her quavering voice reached his ears. “Michael!”

Something was wrong.

Without hesitating he charged inside. Getting to Kelly, making sure she was safe, was the only thought in his head.

“No!” Kelly yelled a warning, but it was too late.

Above him, he heard the screech of metal giving way. He looked up. A heavy wooden beam fell, coming straight at him. There was no time to jump out of the way. No time to think.

No time for one last prayer.

Chapter Four

“Look out!”

Kelly shouted the warning as Michael blundered into the garage, loosening the wooden beam as he entered. She watched in horror as it fell. Time slowed and a surreal quality clouded her vision. The large beam would crush him.

She rushed forward, reaching out with her hands. There wasn’t time to think about the consequences of her actions. She didn’t consider the possibility that they might both die.

Before she could reach him, Michael flew toward her.

He tackled her, knocking her backward. His arms went around her as he tried to cushion their landing. One of his hands held the back of her head, saving her from an inevitable concussion.

They hit the concrete hard. Whether by accident or design, Michael landed beside her instead of on her. She felt her spine rattle as if every bone was shattering. Pain shot through her limbs. The impact shook her beyond belief.

Explosive noise deafened her. For a moment she feared the entire garage was going to collapse on top of them. Michael covered her body with his own, shielding her from the debris.

When her ability to hear returned, the first sound her ears picked up was Michael’s harsh breathing. He turned his head slightly and his warm lips brushed her earlobe. The brief touch was comforting.