Secrets Revealed: Obsessed Bounty Hunter Romance Series, Book 1 Read online

  “It was frightening… I was in my room when I heard dad pleading to spare my mom… He was using his body to shield her. Mom was crying hysterically… struggling to get in front of my dad as if to shield him,” Jacqui’s voice cracked as she remembered. Then she continued, “The man had the gun pointed at his head… the gunshot was so silent. I didn’t even realize he had fired. At first I thought it was my dad that got hit. But then I saw my mom topple over as dad screamed.” A fresh wave of sobs made her voice incoherent. But Jacqui couldn’t stop.

  “Dad cradled my mom as she lay on the floor with a surprised look on her face. Then she reached out and touched dad’s face. Dad just kept saying no…no…no…The killer did it on purpose, Uncle Max. He wanted my dad to see him murder my mom. And then…and then… Danny appeared from the kitchen. He still held a spoon in his hand. He was eating cereal. Uncle Max, I didn’t even know my brother was home. I thought he was still in school. But he must have gotten sick and mom made him stay home. Then the man wheeled around and shot him too. He was just a kid…he was just a little boy.”

  The old man’s shirt was drenched with her tears as the memory sent shockwaves of pain, remembering the bloody slaughter. Then Jacqui continued on, “My dad screamed with rage. Then he tried to grab the gun away. The man shot him in the head. He didn’t even see me crouching behind the door. I wanted to scream for help, but I was frozen with terror. I couldn’t move. Everything happened so fast. It felt like hours before I realized the man was gone. I crawled all the way to see them. There was blood everywhere. I didn’t know I was screaming until the neighbors came.”

  Jacqui finally allowed months of pent up feeling to come out as she bawled and screeched her sorrow over the tragic murder of her family. Uncle Max held her gently, tenderly, allowing her tears to lighten the load she had carried all these months. After what seemed like an eternity, Jacqui’s heaves eventually settled into quiet sobs, and then to silent sniffles, until she just lay exhausted in his arms.

  “It’s alright, baby girl, everything will be alright…” Uncle Max consoled her. Jacqui looked up and smiled into his face and said, “I’m glad you’re here now.” Uncle Max held her at arm’s length and said, “We need to talk, Jac. Can we do that? There are things you need to know. Go take a shower. Change your clothes and come with me. There’s an all-night café near the park where we can chat.”

  Jacqui nodded her head in agreement. She entered the bathroom, took a quick shower, and came out with a towel wrapped around her body. She rummaged through her closet for some clean clothes. “Aren’t you going to give me some privacy while I change?” she asked. Uncle Max was relieved to hear the hint of amusement in her voice.

  “I’ve changed your diapers since you were a baby. You’ve got nothing that I haven’t seen,” Uncle Max replied seriously. Jacqui smiled, took a pair of jeans and a light cashmere sweater and reentered the bathroom. In a couple of minutes she was out again, with her hair tied back into a ponytail. She was eager to hear what Uncle Max had to say. Maybe he had some ideas that could help the FBI and the Police. They had drawn a blank and the case had been shelved until a new lead could be found.

  Uncle Max led the way out of her bedroom. Instead of going straight for the door, he walked into the living room and stood near the spot where her mom and dad and Danny died. He stood still except when he wiped away the tears from his eyes. And then he walked towards Jacqui and ushered her out the door. They strolled down two blocks and turned a corner where he approached a car that was parked by the sidewalk. Jacqui understood that he didn’t want the neighbors to see him. Suddenly she realized there was so much she did not know about Uncle Max. Dad said they were together in the military until both were discharged. But even her dad didn’t talk much about the past.

  Uncle Max was a familiar figure that had come to visit through the years. A doting man they learned to call Uncle. He would stay for a couple of days here and there, and during those times, Jacqui remembered how happy his dad seemed to have him around. They would often talk in his study for hours. Her mom showered him with affection and treated him sweetly. Jacqui had always assumed he was a distant relative.

  Still, Jacqui couldn’t remember any stories about where he lived or if Uncle Max had family somewhere. It dawned on Jacqui that Uncle Max was the closest person to a family that she had. The thought left her feeling sad, but somehow at ease. At least for now he was here.

  ***

  Jacqui stared incredulously at the old man seated in front of her. Two empty mugs of coffee and a plate of sandwiches were the only witnesses to everything Uncle Max had said. He spoke in a low voice, eyes alert and constantly looking around. He would stop whenever someone came within earshot.

  Jacqui felt her head would explode. She was stunned. She didn’t know what to say. “I understand it’s a bit much to take in all at once…” the old man said, seeing the bewilderment on her face. “A bit much? How about me realizing I didn’t really know my dad after all these years. He was just…dad,” Jacqui replied still in denial.

  And then she continued in amazement, “My dad was a bounty hunter?” “Yup, one of the best. I recruited him and trained him,” Uncle Max replied. The old man continued, “During the times he was away from you guys, he was out there tracking someone.” Jacqui remembered the long absences from home. But mom always said dad had a job as a consulting engineer building bridges or making roads somewhere. Jacqui learned to accept it. Whenever he came home he was always exhausted and seemed to have lost weight. Jacqui concluded it was because he had worked very hard during his travels. But he always had presents for her and Danny. A token from one of the many places where he worked, he said.

  And whenever he was around, he brought them everywhere - the mall, the dentist, to the doctor’s office. He drove them to school every single day. He even cooked breakfast for them. He often joked he was giving mom a rest from all these chores because he was away a lot. And mom seemed like a changed woman whenever dad came home. She would smile more often unlike when he was away. She was always tense and irritable. Her mom was totally devoted to her dad.

  Growing up, Jacqui had looked forward to his return every time he went away. Dad was cool and easygoing. He allowed them liberties while mom would just shake her head in disapproval. Now, she suddenly realized he was making up for his absences, grateful perhaps, that he had made it home safe and in one piece.

  “Did mom know about his other job…his real job?” Jacqui asked. “Yes, your mom knew about it,” Uncle Max replied. Jacqui whistled through her teeth. So it wasn’t a secret. Her mom must have supported her dad all the way. Jacqui stared at her Uncle Max once again. She wouldn’t have such a hard time accepting him as the bounty hunter, but not her dad. Uncle Max was tall and burly. Even at his age, almost 70 years old, Jacqui believed he could beat the shit out of any younger guy.

  But remembering her dad, Jacqui found it hard to think so. Dad was never violent. He was shorter than Uncle Max, and wasn’t the athletic type. Jacqui never saw him exercise or lift weights or do stuff that required much strength. “Shouldn’t a bounty hunter be some kind of macho man, with bulging muscles… someone who can kick ass?” Jacqui inquired, still unable to go from the picture of the dad she knew to the man her Uncle Max spoke about.

  “Jac, being a bounty hunter doesn’t have anything to do with muscles or being the strongest man alive,” Uncle Max informed her. “Your dad was one of the best because he had a sharp mind that he camouflaged by being ordinary. He could blend well in a crowd and not look suspicious. That was his strength. You’d be surprised how many fugitives we managed to capture because they thought he was just another guy they could push around. He wasn’t intimidating to anyone,” Uncle Max explained.

  “But how did he protect himself when things went bad? I assume he must have had some sticky situations,” Jacqui asked curiously. The old man gave this some thought before he replied. “Your dad was a dead shot with a firearm. He was a sharpshooter. He could take
down anyone from fifty meters away. And besides, he said he was the fastest thing on foot when he needed to be.”

  Jacqui laughed at that. She did remember her dad running after a pickpocket who had snatched her mom’s purse near the mall. He overtook the younger guy and tackled him to the ground. This also explained his one passion. He loved guns. He had a collection, but he always kept them under lock and key because of Danny. But it was also through a gun that he had lost his life, and her mom’s and Danny’s too.

  Uncle Max saw the sudden change in her expression and knew she was remembering that fatal day once again. He reached out his hand and clasped hers from across the table. “Jac, your dad left you some money. I want you to know that. You never need to work again or worry about your future as long as you decide to live simply.” Jacqui looked up in surprise. She hadn’t seen that coming.

  “Your dad never touched a single cent of what he earned as a bounty hunter. And he earned a lot. He placed it all in a trust fund for you and Danny. He called it his ‘what if something happens to me’ money. But with Danny gone, it’s all yours now. I hope you don’t mind that I invested it in some bonds. Your dad agreed it was the best thing,” Uncle Max said.

  “How much money did he leave for me and Danny?” Jacqui was curious to know. “Here’s the information on the accounts. The money is yours anytime you want,” Uncle Max said, handing her a memory stick and a number scribbled on a piece of paper. Jacqui almost choked on the amount. She kept silent, her mind reeling over everything she just learned.

  She looked all around her. The café was slowly filling up with early morning patrons ordering coffee on their way to work. Everything looked so ordinary. And yet it wasn’t. She was now all alone in the world without a family to share her failures, her triumphs, or her plans for the future. She also happened to be rich because of the money dad had left her.

  This made her think about her future plans. What was there for her to do? She was 24 years old and until three months ago, she was still living at home with her mom and dad. But that was because her mom had needed help to look after Danny whenever dad was away. But now they were all gone.

  “Hmm….Bounty Hunter…” she murmured softly to herself. It sounded like something straight from a B movie. And she had lived with one for 24 years without knowing it. Suddenly she remembered something very important. “Uncle Max, was my family murdered because of this…this bounty hunter stuff?” Jacqui asked.

  Uncle Max drew a sigh before he replied, “I believe so. Your dad was on the trail of a notorious arms dealer. He was posing as a supplier. He managed to set a meeting with the target. But the guy never showed. We concluded that your dad’s cover was blown… perhaps the target acquired fresh information about who your dad really was.”

  “These guys are vicious, Jac. Vengeance is a common occurrence. It’s a way of sending the message, ‘you don’t mess with us.’ Your dad knew that. He lived knowing each job could be his last,” the old man said. “Who’s the guy, Uncle Max?” Jacqui asked curiously. She had an instinct that the old man knew something. Uncle Max sighed deeply. A troubled look marked his face.

  He looked Jacqui in the eye and replied, “Jac, in my line of business there is information that is too sensitive to disclose. I can’t tell you that. I have no proof and I answer to a higher authority. All we do is supply the name and whereabouts of the person we track. We get paid big money for that information. When one of us gets killed, everything connecting us to that person is erased. That’s why you couldn’t get in touch with me after your family was murdered.”

  Jacqui could hardly believe Uncle Max wasn’t going to help her catch her family’s killer. Yet a quiet acceptance started to dawn on her. Her dad had done this for a living. She had to respect that. He had known the risks he was taking and he prepared to face them. Her dad loved them so much, and had wanted to guarantee a good future for her and Danny. She was sure of that.

  Uncle Max stood up. Jacqui knew this conversation was over and followed him out the door of the café. The old man thought it was best to go while he still had the will to keep silent. It would not do any good to let on more than Jacqui needed to know. Both were silent on the drive back home.

  “You’re leaving again,” Jacqui said as Uncle Max reached the driveway to her house. She hoped he could stay longer, although she noticed there was no luggage to indicate a longer visit. “Yes, baby girl…” Uncle Max replied as he searched for something in the backseat of the car.

  His hand drew out a cell phone, which he handed to Jacqui. Jacqui looked at it curiously. “Call me if you need anything. Use this… but only to call me. No one should know about this phone. Hide it. Is that understood?” Uncle Max asked. Jacqui nodded her head, acknowledging that she understood. She tucked the phone into the pocket of her pants and stepped out of the car.

  “I love you, Uncle Max,” Jacqui said through the window. “Love you too, baby girl,” Uncle Max replied before driving away, glancing at the receding figure of Jacqui through the rearview mirror. Jacqui stepped into the threshold of the house, caressing the phone that bulged through the pocket of her pants. She walked into the living room and drew the curtains aside to let the sunshine in.

  As light flooded into the room, Jacqui felt less lonely for the first time in a long time. Things will change, she thought. It will become easier in time. She just needed to find out what she wanted to do with her life. She could make a phone call. She had a lifeline.

  ***

  Whistling a happy tune in her head, Jacqui surveyed her front yard. The grass, which had grown wild and untended the last couple of weeks, was trimmed and a gardener had spread soil along the path leading to the house. Jacqui had bought flowering plants, hoping the bloom would make the house feel homier.

  A long time neighbor, Mrs. Higgins waved at her and then decided to come over for a chat. “Hello, Jacqui…” the old lady greeted her, holding tightly to the leash of her Boston terrier, Checkers. “Hi Mrs. Higgins,” Jacqui answered happily, glad for the company. She knelt down and gave Checkers a scratch behind the ears.

  “I see you’re putting in some flowers,” Mrs. Higgins smiled, “Nothing like a bunch of flowers to make one feel happy.” “Yup,” Jacqui agreed as she squirmed away from the dog, who was intent on licking her face. An awkward silence followed. Jacqui knew Mrs. Higgins wanted to give her some consoling words but was hesitant to talk about it.

  “It was a horrible tragedy…I’m so sorry for you…” Mrs. Higgins managed to say. “I’m sorry too, Jacqui replied, “but things are getting better now.” “Take all the time you need, Honey. It was a horrible thing that you went through. I don’t know what’s happening in the world. Right in your own home…” Mrs. Higgins muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

  Jacqui thanked the old lady and walked back to sit down by the porch steps. She was feeling better. Uncle Max’s short visit a couple of days ago must have triggered something inside her brain. She had called her employer right after he left and asked if the offer for a vacation was still on. Her boss was more than glad to give it to her.

  Jacqui had asked for two weeks leave. She then searched the yellow pages for a cleaning lady from out of town. She reckoned the woman wouldn’t be as concerned that a murder had taken place right in her own home. But the service did request for higher rates coming from out of town.

  Jacqui was more than glad to pay it. The cleaning lady had arrived the very next morning and stayed until everything was shiny and clean. They changed the curtains and removed the dusty covers from the throw pillows in the living room. The living room floors were waxed and vacuumed, and the linoleum kitchen floors polished until they shone.

  For the first time in three months, Jacqui had entered her parents’ bedroom. Everything was as it was on the night they were killed. Jacqui managed to put away her mom and dad’s clothes in boxes to be picked up by a Goodwill truck. She was surprised by how very little personal stuff her father owned. There were no legal documents
except the deed to the house, which Jacqui planned on securing in a safety deposit box.

  Her mom was never much into fashion or make-up, never favored jewelry, and simply relied on an old wristwatch for an accessory. Jacqui fingered the watch and decided to keep it as a memento. When she entered Danny’s room, Jacqui was suddenly assailed with a vicious loneliness. If her mom and dad had lived simply, Danny’s room was filled with toys that could make a little boy very happy. His Play Station Portable 3000 rested on the bed, while a stack of DVD’s of his favorite cartoons lay scattered on the floor.

  Danny was prone to asthma attacks. Dad and mom made sure he was happy inside his room during those days he couldn’t go out. That must have been why he was at home instead of in school during that fateful day. The thought brought sudden tears to Jacqui’s eyes, which she brusquely brushed away. She didn’t want the cleaning lady see her lose it. Happy over the clean house, Jacqui cooked some eggs smothered in cheese and brought it to the living room. She flicked on the TV and leaned back against the soft cushions. With the cleaning lady gone, she had the whole house to herself.