Page 73 of This Moment

My attempt at humor went right over Kian’s head.

“What did Lauryn think?”

“I didn’t tell her I was going. I knew she would tell me I was crazy. But it was a gala; there were going to be hundreds of people there. Michael had a limo pick me up, and I was okay with that. The less impression I gave of us being a couple, the better. At least, that was my thinking.

“I showed up at the gala, and everything seemed normal. I couldn’t find Michael for the first twenty minutes, but eventually he appeared. He seemed distant and cold.” I shook my head. “No, not cold. Distracted. Nervous. He kept looking around, and when I asked him what was wrong, he said he had had a bad day.”

“What happened next?”

“Well,” I said with a sigh. “We danced a few times; he introduced me to some of his work partners, brought me over to his father and mother, and introduced me. I was relieved when he introduced me as a friend of his. His parents were polite, but his father was very distant. Not just to me, but it looked like everyone he spoke to. He asked to talk to Michael alone, and they walked out of the ballroom. After an hour, I got tired of waiting for Michael and decided to leave. I searched the ballroom and couldn’t find him, so I decided to go out the same door I saw him and his father exit through. I quickly got turned around and gave up. I pulled out my phone, ordered an Uber, and started to make my way back to the ballroom. Like I said, I got twisted around and started down a hall. I heard voices, male voices, and thought I recognized Micheal’s voice, so I followed it. The closer I got, the more apparent it was that they were arguing. I almost turned around and left when I heard Michael’s father say, ‘just do it, Michael.’”

Kian squeezed my hand in silent encouragement.

“I slipped off my heels and walked around the corner. I could see a room with the door open. I moved closer and froze. There was about six men inside that room. Two of them were police officers. One man was in the middle of them all, I couldn’t see him very well. Michael stood in front of him and had a gun pointed at him. His hand was shaking so badly I wasn’t even sure how he was holding the gun. Before I could even move, his father yelled for him to shoot him, and Michael did. I carefully backed away and ran as fast as I could. Once I got some distance between me and the men, I slipped my shoes on and quickly walked until I found the lobby.”

“Holy shit, Cadie.”

I nodded. “Once I got in the lobby, I calmly walked out the front, and my Uber was already there waiting for me. I had booked it to go to my condo, but I changed it to another house instead. My lawyer’s house. His name is Randy. He was my father’s lawyer, or one of them; I had known him my whole life. I told him what I saw and asked if I should go to the police, and he said no. I needed to leave. So, we came up with a plan that night. I would disappear, and he would find someone to buy the bakery immediately. He was the one who set up everything as far as selling the bakery, changing my identity, and getting me the money after the sale of the bakery. He somehow even managed to get my money out of my bank account and put it in another account with my new name.”

“I don’t even want to know what kind of lawyer he is.”

I smiled.

“Once we had the plan down, I returned to my condo. I wasn’t sure if Michael knew I had seen what had happened or not. Lauryn stumbled upon me packing up a bag. I toldher I needed to leave but couldn’t tell her anything else. She wanted me to go to her boss, but at that point, after seeing the police in the room, I wasn’t even sure I could trust him. I left Boston and drove south per my lawyer’s instructions. I met up with a guy I sold my car to. He gave me cash and looked the other way. I then went to North Carolina, where I met the guy my lawyer set me up to meet. He gave me my new identity. He kept my first name; he just changed the spelling. He told me if I could stick to the truth with everything, then I would be okay. So, that’s what I tried to do, but I knew that my being so quiet about my past would draw attention, and it did. From your sister Macy especially.”

“What happened then?”

“Um, after he gave me my new driver’s license and passport, he handed me a bag filled with some of the cash from the sale of the bakery. He told me to use cash for as much as possible, but he gave me a credit card if I needed to use it. He also gave me a debit card to a new bank account that had my new name on it. They even gave me a new Social Security number. He even went so far as to give me a fake resume and told me that if anyone called the two numbers, it would go through him when someone called for references.”

Kian’s eyes widened. “And this guy was arranged by your lawyer?”

I nodded. “I know, I thought the same thing. What in the hell is Randy doing with a guy who makes a completely new identity for people. I’m pretty sure Randy works for the government and that his cover is that he is a lawyer. Why my father has a friend like that…I don’t want to know.”

“It could be innocent. We have a guy in our office who arranges things like this for people who are in protective custody.”

I nodded. “That makes sense.”

“Did you dye your hair?” Kian asked.

Reaching up, I grabbed my hair and said, “No, why?”

He shrugged. “I was just curious. You’re beautiful as a brunette, but I can’t imagine you as a blonde.”

I laughed and felt the vise around my chest ease some. “No, this guy said I needed to stay as close to myself as possible.”

“What happened after you left there?”

“Randy and I figured that if Michael did look for me, he would assume I would get as far from Boston as I could. So, I drove back north in the car that Randy’s guy had waiting for me. Anyway, I planned to go to New Hampshire or maybe Maine. The rest I already told you. I stumbled on Moose Village, and here I am.”

Kian dropped my hand and stood. “Jesus, Cadie.”

“I know. I didn’t want you to know the truth because if Michael and his family are looking for me, it would put you in danger. I only told Opal about me owning a bakery because she already had an idea. And a part of me was tired of lying.”

Kian was pacing. “I think the first thing we need to do is find out about what happened that night. Was it in the paper or the news?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t had any contact with Randy or Lauryn. I wrote a letter to my brother and parents and told them I had to go into hiding, but I couldn’t tell them why. The secret identity guy mailed those letters for me.”

“Do you remember the night, the date, I mean?”

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