At least I had a better handle on why Maverick was so possessive of me. I’d remembered more details about the case I’d mentioned. The judge had been Hudson Armstrong; the witness, Valentina Sciascia. What had occurred had been textbook romance novel 101. The press had eaten it up, calling the people involved heroes.

  A term Maverick hated.

  His former partner had warned him to let the case drop. To allow Samuel to die. Why? I continued to pick through any plausible reason other than saving face. It just didn’t make any sense to me. Maybe Samuel was the one to help put the pieces together.

  I stared at the group of buildings even before the guard ushered us into the parking lot. The razor wire was something else I’d paid little attention to before. Or the guards holding assault rifles in towers located throughout the heavily guarded property. Now they were beacons of security, although two convicts had escaped the establishment a couple of years before.

  It wasn’t something I would concentrate on now.

  The gray day was fitting for the visit. As soon as Maverick pulled into a parking spot, I took a deep breath. For all the conviction I’d felt and shown him earlier that morning, I was feeling a little puny now. I hadn’t seen the bastard since before I’d been rescued. Other than a couple of times when I’d caught the story on television, something my mother had actively tried to avoid.

  “While I called ahead to have you placed on the visitor’s list, have your identification ready.” Maverick was hesitant, staring out the windshield. When I slipped my hand into his, he softened.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I like the sound of that. Maybe I’ll require you to address me that way at all times.” He threw open the door, giving me a wink.

  “Over your dead body.”

  His grin was more carefree than I would have thought given the circumstances. He was doing everything in his power to make me feel better.

  He waited until I managed to push myself free of the car, still marveling that we’d headed to a prison in a Lamborghini. Who did that? Oh, that’s right. A bestselling author.

  I glared at the tiny windows at the building, squinting even though the clouds created an ominous series of shadows. I could swear faces were peering at me through the thick glass coming from every direction.

  We’d stopped at my house, allowing me to change into a suit. Nothing special. Nothing flashy. Just a nondescript dark suit. I even shoved my hair into a bun, which I hated, and was currently tugging at the single strand that had fallen free.

  I couldn’t let my nervousness keep showing.

  The buzzer allowing us in through the gate grabbed my attention to the point I teetered on my feet just enough he was forced to grab me. “Are you certain you’re up for this?” He pushed me away from the cameras, which seemed to be everywhere.

  “I’m fine. I need to do this, Maverick.” The man was as tense as I was, but for an entirely different reason. Yet as soon as I pressed my hand against his chest, every aspect of his being softened.

  “Let me handle the conversation. Okay?”

  “You do realize you spent almost an hour of the drive going over details of the conversation including that you were handling the bulk of the questions. Right?”

  “Just in case you forgot. You are not Maria Rivera.”

  “I know,” I said to appease him. “I’m an attorney finalizing details of his estate, which means I will need to talk.”

  “Limit your interactions.”

  “We’ll see how he handles the situation. Trust a woman’s intuition.” What I’d yet to tell him was that I’d remembered the last thing he’d said to me after grabbing Lily that fateful night. His comment on the greatest loss in life would be something I’d never forget again. Now I needed to put his face and eyes to his voice to know for certain whether we were dealing with a clone.

  “Like I said. Don’t forget what I told you.”

  “I forget nothing, including purchasing a suit.” I adored annoying him or maybe I was buying time. My skin tingled, my pulse thumping to the point the sound was echoing in my ears. By the time we were finished with the interrogation, I’d be a puddle of nerves.

  I pushed him gently away, immediately pulling my identification into my hand. I was the first one to approach the guard after another opened the door once I buzzed. “We’re here to see Samuel Wells. We should be on the list.”

  “ID,” the guard barked.

  The older man took my driver’s license, not only reading every line several times, but also fingering my name twice before slowly lifting his head and staring into my eyes.

  My skin began to crawl. Was there some crazy chance he recognized me? That wasn’t possible. I was merely reacting to a guard doing his job and nothing more. Not that it should matter if he did other than that Samuel’s attorney could have some issue with my visit. Taunting his client was considered against the rules. As if the bastard had played by them.

  He grabbed Maverick’s ID, his face furrowing. “Hold on a second, Mr. Callahan. Ms. Martino. I need to double check that Mr. Wells is allowed to have visitors.”

  “I already called ahead,” Maverick stated and he was none too happy for the holdup. “He’s allowed.”

  “Yeah, well, that means nothing unless the warden agrees. Hold on.” The guard walked away and I sensed Maverick was fuming.

  We were standing in a sweltering alcove and the poor guard who’d been motioned to keep an eye on us was none too happy. He pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, clearly agitated. He walked further away, not wanting to be brought into a conversation.

  “This is my turn to tell you to take it easy. They can deny us from visitation for several reasons including if he’s being disciplined or if there’s an overall security threat.” I kept my voice low.

  He said nothing, but I could sense his observation skills were in full force, studying the other guard, who was visibly uncomfortable. When Maverick walked closer to the young man, I fought a smile. Once a powerful FBI agent, always an agent.

  Maverick had changed very little from his days working for justice. Except now, he didn’t need to take shit from anyone.

  “Can I bum a smoke? Left mine in the car.” He was playing the guard, buddying up to him.

  I learned something new about Maverick every day.

  The young guard was reluctant at first. Maybe because Maverick outweighed him by a solid fifty pounds. Finally, he held out the pack. “Suit yourself.”

  Maverick lit up and I expected him to cough. He pulled in the smoke, holding it in his lungs for a solid five seconds before expelling. “I haven’t had a good menthol in years.”

  “Helps with the stench around here,” the guard said mostly under his breath. Not only was he keeping his voice down, he was also keeping anyone from reading his lips.

  Interesting.

  “Yeah, I bet.” They smoked together for maybe a minute while Maverick leaned against the cement wall. “Has Mr. Wells had a number of visitors over the years?”

  The guy shrugged. “A couple. Same two assholes.”

  “Well, I guess he doesn’t have too many friends. From what I heard, his attorney can’t stand him.” Maverick chuckled and miraculously, so did the guard.

  Like smiles and yawns, laughter was catching.

  “Not too many people do. They call him crazy. A space cadet.” He twirled his finger by his temple.

  That was new. The man who’d been my kidnapper had been sharp as a tack. Maybe wired a little tight but definitely not anyone I’d consider crazy. I already had questions, but as soon as I took a single step closer, Maverick motioned with his eyes to stay away so I obeyed, as much as I didn’t want to.

  “Yeah, I also heard Wells has multiple personalities but swears the people are real. Claimed he had a brother. An uncle. Something.” Maverick laughed. “Maybe he was seeing aliens the entire time.”

  Maverick was damn good at playing games. I’d need to keep that in mind.

  The guard snorted. “Could be. He did have a psycho who visited him from time to time.”

  A psycho. Every hair on my arms stood on end.

  Immediately, I tensed and this time when I took a step closer, Maverick didn’t stop me. I could tell he was about to grill the guy, but our window of opportunity was tossed aside as the massive steel door was yanked open. The older guard stood halfway in the door, even motioning for the young guard to head back inside.

  Maverick took his time, taking another puff as the older man looked back and forth between us.

  “I’m afraid your trip was a waste of time,” he said.

  “Why is that, Gerald?” Maverick kept his tone conversational, but the cords on the sides of his neck were standing proud.

  “No visitors for the prisoner. Warden’s orders.”

  Hold on. He’d had visitors before. Was this just another attempt at keeping the truth from being pulled out into the open?

  “I find that fascinating since our visit was preapproved. Was there an incident?” Maverick’s jaw was clenched.

  “No incident. You just won’t get time with him today. Sorry for any inconvenience.”

  Sorry, my ass. “We drove for over four hours to get here. We will see Mr. Wells or I will make certain that by this afternoon, an injunction is filed with the courts regarding obstruction of justice.” I was in his face, refusing to back down.

  He was the one who had to take a step away.

  “Do whatever you want, Miss Rivera, but you’re not getting into see him.”

  Both Maverick and I heard the mistake he’d made with my name. They’d seen us coming.

  Or was it actually a mistake and not a threat? A cold shiver slammed my system.

  The guard obviously knew he’d rattled me by the shit-eating grin on his face. He backed into the building, trying to slam the door, but Maverick was too quick for him, planting his foot on the threshold.

  When the guard immediately reached for his weapon, Maverick remained calm and collected. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Gerald. Not only will it not be good for your career, but it will also cost you time with your grandkids. Given you’re aware of Ms. Martino’s protected identity, then you’re aware of mine. And the connections I continue to nurture. I suggest you allow us to pass through, or if you don’t have that authority then have the warden drop what he’s doing and get his fat ass down here.”

  Poor Gerald. He simply wasn’t certain what to do with a man like Maverick.

  “Now!”

  Even I jumped hearing the tone of his voice. But I had to admit, I adored his vehemence as I did just about everything else about him.

  Gerald didn’t need to respond, which meant the entire time after our arrival, we’d been watched. A man in a suit moved walked down the hallway toward us, clearly annoyed. What surprised me was his manner of dress.

  This was a prison where violent criminals could go off at any time, yet his suit was clearly high end, easily costing as much as six thousand dollars. I found that highly curious.

  “Maverick Callahan. Causing trouble again, I see.”

  “Abbott Baker. Being a pain in the ass again.” They shook hands, but I sensed both good and bad blood between them.

  “Let’s pop into one of the interview rooms.” Abbott didn’t bother greeting me before leading us toward an empty room, closing the door.

  Maverick glanced at the corners where the ceiling intersected the walls.

  “This room is bug free,” Abbott told him.

  “Why would that matter?” Maverick asked. “This is nothing but a friendly visit.”

  “Nothing with you is straightforward, Maverick. You forget I know you too well.” He immediately moved to sit on the edge of the table. “Ms. Martino, I am very sorry you needed to go through that. Gerald means well but his IQ is sometimes lower than that of a slug. I know you’re expecting to see Mr. Wells, but what I can’t understand is why. After all this time.”

  “Because there are a few loose ends, Abbott. That’s all you need to know. I assure you that we have no intention of interfering with your execution.”

  “It’s not my execution, son, and you know how many people have been looking forward to the day. That might sound crass but tough. He’s a killer and I don’t want him in my system.”

  “Are you so certain about that?” I asked the question before thinking, which of course caused Maverick to suck in and hold his breath and Abbott’s full attention to pull in my direction.

  “Do you know something about a hundred other people who worked on his case don’t know, including me? I was a detective in those days. I’d been around the block one too many times. The case did me in. I have a daughter your age, Alexia, and I can’t for the life of me understand why you’d want to do this to yourself. Haven’t you experienced enough heartache?”

  Why was it that I didn’t believe his concern? He didn’t want us talking with Samuel Wells, but it had nothing to do with whether or not I had nightmares.

  “It’s called closure, Mr. Baker, and Maria ceased to exist somewhere in the swamps. Maybe when I was fighting alligators or a man with a machete. Closure was something I didn’t have thirteen years ago because I was far too young. No one believed it was owed to me. I simply want to look the man in the eye and nothing more. I wasn’t allowed that opportunity because I was underage.”

  He hesitated, rubbing his jaw, but he’d winced when I’d talked about a machete.

  “Why does your guard know her real name?” Maverick pushed.

  The warden shrugged. “That I don’t know.”

  Maverick sighed. “You’re lying to me and I don’t like it. Now, I don’t want to do this, Abbott, but I will call the governor if necessary. Alexia came to me with one request that I promised I’d help fulfill. I think the system owes her that much after refusing to acknowledge Samuel Wells was a danger to society.”

  Maverick was pulling out the stops in baiting anyone who tried to stand in our way and in doing so was gathering information.

  Every clue was a further indication there were secrets surrounding the case.

  Abbott huffed. “That’s not fair, Maverick, and you know it. This case is dead. The man is about to face his maker. Why are you interfering? You wanted that guy dead. You almost killed him thirteen years ago. Hell, I watched your own men pull you off him.”

  “No one ever claimed that I was fair, Warden. Not one person. In this case, Ms. Martino is determined to continue calling me a hero and I plan on giving her cause. I didn’t kill him because I believed in the system of law.”

  “Does that mean you’ve changed your mind?”

  Maverick glanced into my eyes and I could sense he was hoping I still trusted him. With my life. “Yeah, I have. It’s your choice, Abbott, but I can make your life messy and let the press know how you handle prisoners. Entirely up to you.”

  He took his sweet time deciding. “Fine, but fifteen minutes. That’s it. You said so yourself, Samuel is unwell. I can’t be held liable for your safety.”

  “Don’t worry, Warden. I’m highly skilled in dealing with master manipulators and safety concerns.” Maverick laughed, so carefree. So remorseless.

  Abbott was clearly under stress, beads of sweat already forming across his upper lip. I wondered if the armpits of his Egyptian cotton shirt were already stained. What was he hiding or perhaps the better question was who was he assisting?

  That he was none too happy doing either was obvious.

  I was learning skills I hadn’t been aware I needed. In truth, Maverick was the master manipulator.

  “Alright. I won’t stop you, but you will follow the prison rules. I don’t think I need to explain them to either one of you. I’ll have the guards take you to him.” The warden headed for the door, stopping with his hand on the knob. “Keep something in mind, Maverick. Things have changed significantly since you were an agent.”

  “How so, Abbott?”

  “Let’s just say nothing is as it seems and loyalties can be bought for a song and a promise. It was good you got out when you did. You wouldn’t have survived the blowback.” Abbott walked out, his Ferragamo moccasins tapping distinctly against the cheap tile floor.

  “Pretty much as I knew it to be,” Maverick answered then placed his finger across his lips. Maybe we weren’t on a security camera, but we’d been brought into this room for a reason.

  For blackmail material or simply to keep an eye on what we were doing? One thing I could easily tell. The warden was hiding something and had been for a very long time.

  We were quickly led down a hall to a corridor leading to another building. From there, we were taken to the second floor, passing several guards and every one of them paid very close attention to the moment we passed. Was everyone in the prison system on the take?

  The room we were led to was sparse, exactly like the interview rooms you’d see in cop dramas. We’d been taken past a typical visitation area, which had several prisoners seeing family and friends inside. Perhaps because Wells was on death row, he wasn’t allowed anywhere close to the general population.

  Whatever the case, I was concentrating more on my breathing than anything else. My nerves were already starting to get the better of me. By the time the door was closed behind us, I was lightheaded. Maverick’s expression was one of concern, but he knew better than to ask.

  We were playing our own version of cat and mouse or perhaps a game of poker. Maybe I could learn even more from his expertise.

  I placed the briefcase on the floor as required, rubbing my hands together and glaring at the camera positioned on the table.

  We were forced to wait for almost fifteen minutes before we heard a jangle of keys outside the door. My nerves were now completely frayed, but I did my best to keep any sense of emotions off my face.

  When the guard walked in, I backed against the wall, using it for support.

  The experts said that time changed everything. Heartache. Memories. Perceptions.

  What it didn’t change for me were the stark feelings that I’d had since Max had licked my face. It wasn’t quite fear or even relief, but a strange combination of anger, remorse, embarrassment, and hatred.