Read Online Hide Away by Iris Johansen - Free Book Online Page B

why you couldn’t go to the police?”
    â€œElena didn’t know what happened that night. She thought maybe we’d been given something in the food we had for supper, and when she woke up, we were in a truck with a group of workers … and Walsh.”
    â€œDid she recognize Walsh?”
    Cara shook her head. “Elena worked and lived in our house. She didn’t know anything about any of the men who belonged to the Castino or any other cartels. But she could tell Walsh was in charge and that he was … bad.” She moistened her lips. “Her only thought was to find a way for us to escape. But her family had raised her to know that going to the police was an automatic death sentence. She wouldn’t risk it. Any more than she’d risk taking me back to Mexico. She said that if my father’s enemies had been able to reach me once, they could do it again.”
    â€œAnd how do you feel about your mother and father?”
    â€œI don’t remember them. Sometimes I have a vague memory of a woman with dark hair and a lovely smile. But she smiled more at Jenny, than at me.” She added simply, “And Elena was my family. I didn’t need anyone else.”
    â€œYou were lucky to have her.” She added gently, “I hope you can be as happy with us.”
    Cara nodded. “If you’ll let me stay with you.” She turned and moved back across the room toward the kitchen. She stopped as she saw a painting on the wall of the living room. “That’s a painting of you.” She gazed at the portrait of Eve in her blue work shirt. “I like it. It looks … warm.”
    â€œIt was done by my daughter, Jane. She’s an artist and very, very good. She gave the portrait to Joe as a gift.”
    â€œIs she very famous?”
    â€œNo, she’s young and just starting out, but people are beginning to know her name.” She started to stir the hamburger again. “She lives in London because that’s where her agent and gallery are located.”
    She went closer to the portrait and peered down at the scrawled signature. “It’s signed, but it’s not—”
    â€œNot mine or Joe’s last name? Jane MacGuire. She’s adopted. She was ten when she came to us.”
    â€œYou must have loved her very much to have chosen her.”
    â€œYes. But we kind of chose each other.” She tasted the hamburger and put the lid on it. “The cheese definitely helped. Good job, Cara.”
    She smiled. “We did it together.” She came toward her. “What else can I do?”
    â€œGet some rolls out of the freezer and put them in the oven. I’ll get down the plates.” She shook her head. “I should have put those rolls in before. This Hamburger Helper is almost done.”
    â€œI kept you too busy,” Cara said as she opened the freezer. “I asked a lot of questions.”
    â€œYes, you did. And I asked you a few, too.” She added, “It’s a process called getting to know each other. How do you think we did?”
    â€œPretty good.”
    â€œMe, too. Dinner can wait a little while. Joe isn’t—”
    Even as she spoke she heard the key in the lock, and Joe came into the house.
    â€œHi. Just in time,” she said. “Cara and I did a joint experiment, and it’s very close to—” She stopped as she saw what Joe was carrying. “Is that what I think it is?”
    â€œI called the music store from the airport and asked them to choose the best one they had in stock and have it ready for me.” Joe came toward Cara and handed her the black-leather case. “I hope it will do. I don’t know anything about musical instruments. I had to trust them.”
    â€œI don’t care. It will be wonderful.” Cara’s eyes were glittering with excitement as she took the case and ran to the couch to open it. She carefully took out the