Alessia (Casella Cousins #4) - Kathryn Shay Page 0,20
He shined a light from presumably his phone up near his chin and Derek got a look at his face.
“You’re Ronan Casella, Alessia’s cousin.”
“Yes.”
“What’s the cloak and dagger for?”
“I thought you might disappear before I had a chance to talk to you.”
“Disappear?”
“I know who you are.”
“Let’s move out to the street so I can see you better.”
“Fine by me.”
In what was left of the daylight, Derek studied the guy. Tall and fit, he had searing green eyes, a darker color from Hayley’s and Finn’s. And his hair was graying. “How’d you come by it?”
“I watched you and Ali together in the back of the church. And Hayley said something about her new beau. And after talking to you, I ran a background check.”
“Are you a cop, Ronan?”
“No.” Derek had to give him something. “So, I’m sort of dating Ali. What’s it to you?”
“Nothing, if you’d turned up in the background check. But Derek Davidson doesn’t exist.”
“Sure, he does. You’re lookin’ at him.”
“I got a picture of you from the wedding. We ran facial recognition. I know you’re Special Agent Derek Drake with the FBI.”
“You got me mixed up with somebody else.”
“Look, if there’s a good reason why you assumed another identity, I want to know. If you don’t explain that, I’ll tell Ali everything, then alert the college.”
And screw up the whole operation.
“All right, I’m not Derek Davidson.”
“I’ll ask you—why all the cloak and dagger?”
“I can’t tell you any more than name, rank, and serial number if I had one.”
“Why should I believe you? Trust you?”
“Because I’ve become more than fond of your cousin. I’m hoping she’ll forgive the deceit when this is all over.”
“When what’s all over?”
“I said I can’t explain.”
“How long before you can?”
“I don’t know. I’m five months into it. I hope, soon.”
Ronan shook his head and some dark hair fell onto his forehead. “That’s not good enough.”
“No? What I’m doing is life or death for other people.”
“Again, why should I believe that?”
“Please, Ronan. I’m one of the good guys. Don’t blow my cover.”
Ronan watched him thoughtfully. “Tell you what. Talk to your powers-that-be. Meet me tomorrow at that little diner there,” he pointed across the street “at ten o’clock. I won’t do anything beforehand.”
Then without saying more, he circled Derek and strode away.
It didn’t hit Derek that Ronan Casella had been MIA for twenty years and recently reentered Alessia’s life. Who knew what he did in those years? Was it possible he himself was a human trafficker? Shit, shit, shit. He was going to have to tell Grant about Casella’s threats.
* * *
“Wow, I haven’t done this in ages.” Alessia pulled the laces through the holes of her old ice skates on a bench in the rink.
Next to her, Kate snorted. “Better you than me.” She patted her stomach. “No ice skating for us.”
It was cold today, but they sat in an enclosed area with benches near the ice. The twins and Tomaso were already out there with their friends from first grade. Child laughter and shouts indicated that the school ice-skating party was in full swing.
Alessia stood and wobbled slightly. She’d been good at this in high school and in her twenties. But she hadn’t done much to have fun the last four years. “I’m off.”
“Good luck.”
She remembered how to dig her toe into the ice and push off. Seconds later she was gliding along.
Mikey called out, “Hey, Mom, you’re skating.”
“I am.”
Mattie zoomed over. But he came a bit too fast and he toppled her onto the ice with him on top of her. “Mom, I’m sorry.”
“No problem, buddy.”
She was trying to think of a graceful way to get up when someone plucked her son off her and stood him on his feet.
“Thanks, Mr. Baron.”
A man towered over her and extended his hand. He tugged her up, then said to Mattie, “Be more careful the next time, sport.”
“I will.” Mattie’s smile was big and broad. He loved this teacher when he had him last year.
He focused on Alessia. “Mr. Baron sounds too formal for you, Mrs. Benatti. I’m Adam.”
“Alessia.”
His chocolatey eyes smiled at her and sandy-colored hair peeked out from his cap. “I appreciate you volunteering to chaperone. Want to skate a bit with me?”
“Sure.”
She stole a couple of glances at the boys’ teacher. He was a few inches taller than her five-eight and very fit. As they glided along, she noted that he was attractive. Not as good-looking as Derek, but Mr. Baron was hard to miss. They chatted about ice skating and other