“I understand you’re displeased with my work,” a man said from a chair situated in front of a desk covered with various electronic equipment.
“I don’t know. I just need you to explain something to me.”
“Okay. What is it that concerns you?”
Niall explained about the men dropping off information to Deidre and what she’d found afterward.
“You’re complaining about a load of money landing in your girl’s lap?”
“No. The money’s not the problem. The fact that it’s not a clean identity is my concern. For the money we paid, she was supposed to have a completely fresh start.”
“She does.”
“Then explain the money and envelope from what appears to be her dead Dad.”
“It’s part of the system. There are things triggered by her old identity as well as her new one. So, I gave her a clean identity. I’m not going to explain to you how my system works, but I will guarantee you that the real Deanna Caine has been deceased since she was four years old.”
“Could someone know that?”
“Not anyone that’s going to admit it. Little Deanna had an accident that went unreported for personal reasons, and her parents moved far away before anyone asked questions. So, even if her father were alive, he wouldn’t be sending anything to his daughter, nor would he know where to send it. My identities are clean, always—just like I guaranteed.”
“Okay, then what’s this about being part of the system?”
“When someone gets relocated, any finances they have get relocated with them. We scrub their accounts and filter them through certain laundering processes so that they arrive clean on the other end.”
“But the paperwork said something about her Dad and included a note from him.”
“I don’t know what to tell you. Some of these guys like to paint a picture so anyone who runs across the situation sees it a certain way. That’s outside my control.”
“You don’t think that they could have told her that?”
“I don’t know why they would. Most people know they have money floating around that’s coming to them. They don’t really question the vehicle.”
“That’s just the thing. She did.”
“Look, I know you’ve been doing this a long time and that you are good at what you do, but she’s freaked out about the money. She had nothing, not even a pot to piss in, and now she’s got millions in the bank and a stash of cash in American dollars. Is it possible that there could be some sort of mistake?”
“I suppose it could happen, but I’ve never had it happen. Listen, I’ve got another appointment, so I’m going to have to cut this short. I tell you what, though, I’ll check into it. Give me a few days and I’ll get in touch through the usual channels. Okay?”
“I’d appreciate that,” Niall told him.
“Aye. Just go to the door and knock. She’ll let you back out.”
Niall wanted to call and tell Deanna once he was out, but she’d be at work by now so it would have to wait. Instead, he walked to the docks to catch the ferry, letting the gentle rocking of the vessels lull him into a peaceful nap as he traveled back across the sea, the woman he longed for left in the wake behind him.
For now.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Deidre
Only two days had passed since Niall had left to return to Ireland and Deidre already missed him terribly. He’d hardly even talked to her other than a quick call to let her know that she wasn’t in any danger, but that he was still waiting to find out where it had come from.
She wasn’t sure how she was supposed to feel. On the one hand, she wanted nothing more than for him to come back for her, but on the other, she wasn’t sure it mattered if he wasn’t as torn about being away from her as she was from him. She kept busy, tried not to think about him, and just worked her shifts.
During her downtime, she read her books, picking up more each time she went to work. She’d have to save up a lot more money to start her own business and wasn’t even sure what sort of business she wanted to pursue, but she had plenty of time to decide.
Before she’d left Ireland, it had never even been an option. She was treated like property, given away to some man she didn’t love to do whatever he said, pop out his babies, and that would have been her life until she keeled over.
Now, she had a chance to do something more with her life. She had an opportunity that she wasn’t going to squander. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to get married or have children, but there was plenty of time for that, and why couldn’t she do both? It might not be something acceptable in her old life, but she was a whole new person now.