Page 78 of Buried Too Deep

Another good question yet again. The government had an entire division of people creating new identities for the witnesses they protected.

“I don’t know,” Alice said. “Like I said, I only asked my father about it once and he wouldn’t talk to me about it. I only interacted with the man I knew as John Robertson.” She studied Cora for a long moment. “Richard and I were finally blessed with a son. We named him John Robert VanPatten, after your father.”

Cora’s breath hitched. “What?” she tried to ask, but the word wouldn’t come out.

Alice frowned. “I’m sorry. I know that John Robertson wasn’t your father’s real name, but it’s the name I’ve known him by all these years.”

“Cora’s brother was John Robert,” Phin explained when Cora could not. “He died from cancer a year ago.”

“Oh,” Alice breathed. “I’m so sorry, Cora. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“No, it’s okay.” She breathed slowly because she felt like she was about to hyperventilate. Phin let go of her hand and put his arm around her shoulders.

Grounding me. “I think,” she finally said, “that my father would have been very happy to hear that. And I know that John Robert would have. He was involved in charities supporting victims of domestic violence. It’s like his memory will go on.”

Alice smiled. “That’s lovely.”

Phin cleared his throat. “I’m sorry to ask this, but one more question. When did you two meet? And when did Richard learn about your background?”

Cora’s mind took a minute to parse the meaning behind Phin’s question, but when it did, her eyes widened. Could Richard have been involved somehow? It didn’t seem possible.

Richard VanPatten didn’t seem offended. “Alice is an interior decorator. I bought this house twelve years ago and hired her to redecorate. She moved in a year later and we were married the year after that. She told me all about her past and the man she knew as John Robertson before we got married.” He swallowed. “I saw the photos of what her husband did to her. I’ve thanked God for your father every day since. If it hadn’t been for him, I wouldn’t have Alice in my life. I wouldn’t have a son.”

“Thank you,” Phin said, apology in his voice. “I’m sorry that I had to ask.” He twisted around to look up at Val. “Any other questions?”

“No. You asked the ones I had. You ready to go, Cora?”

“I am. Thank you, Alice,” she said sincerely. “Now we know what to look for.”

Val got them out to the car and Cora slumped into the back seat, exhausted once again.

“That was not what I was expecting,” she said once Val had them back on the road. Phin sat beside her, SodaPop at his feet. “Thank you both for coming with me. For asking the questions I wouldn’t have thought to ask.”

“Phin asked all of the good questions,” Val said. “Nicely done, Phin.”

Phin’s cheeks became flushed. “Thank you,” he mumbled.

Val laughed. “You just took a compliment without making noise about how it ‘wasn’t anything special.’ Progress. I’m going to call Burke.” She called her boss, talking through her earpiece as she drove.

Cora leaned her head back and closed her eyes, trying to ignore Val’s rehash of what they’d just learned. “She’s right. You were really good, Phin. Thank you.”

He put his arm around her shoulders. “You’re welcome. Get some more sleep. I’ll wake you when we get back to New Orleans.”

So she leaned into his shoulder and let herself drift off to sleep, knowing down deep that this man would keep her safe.

11

Baton Rouge, Louisiana

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 1:10 P.M.

SAGE WAITED UNTIL THE BIG black SUV carrying Cora Winslow had driven past before pulling onto the road, keeping a safe distance behind them. He wasn’t taking any more risks, especially after he’d been confronted by that old-lady librarian that morning.

The old woman had rattled him, which was embarrassing. He should have said he was waiting to research something, but did he? Noooo. He’d mentioned Cora Winslow. Said he had a date with her.

She’d claimed that Cora wasn’t coming into work that day, so he’d gone back to the Winslow house and followed Cora back to the library from there. But then the tall blond bodyguard had spied him tailing them once they’d departed, losing him in a move that had been pretty damn impressive.

And now things were starting to get interesting. Why had Cora Winslow come all the way to Baton Rouge?

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