Witness Protection

"Do you wanna play with her with me?" Abagayle said.

"Well, okay. Sure."

Knight stepped aside and told Kate he'd be back at 7pm for his shift, then winked at Risa knowing what she was about to do. "Can I get a tiny little hug from the prettiest girl in the whole world?" he asked Abagayle before he left.

"Uh-huh!" she said nodding her head. As Knight reached down to hug her she held up her doll. Landon laughed as he took it and gave it a big old hug then said, "How about the prettiest REAL girl in the whole world?"

She offered him her one good arm and he hugged her thinking he would likely never see her again. "You be a good girl and remember you're mommy loves you very much, okay?"

"Okay. I will," she said. "Bye Mr. Landon. See you later."

"Right. See you later, sweetie." He briefly touched Risa's hand as he left and she very carefully touched it back. He walked to the door, took another look, then walked out.

He wasn't about to let the other two guys at the main entrance see the tears welling up in his eyes. He blinked furiously, wiped his eyes, took a deep breath, then walked out. "Take it easy, Knight," the told him.

"Yeah. You, too," he said without looking at them.

Landon's phone rang around 1700 hours or five o'clock. It was Kate again. "Sorry, buddy. We need to talk—immediately. We've got some huge changes on the horizon. How soon can you get back here?"

"Fifteen minutes," he told her knowing what was coming down the pike.

This time when he walked in the Director of the Miami office was there with her. He pulled Landon and Kate aside and said, "The wife is asking for spousal separation based on abuse and the Director has approved her request. As you know, it's Kate's call as to who stays with the husband and who remains with the wife and child. Kate? The ball's in your court. I'll have two more agents assigned to cover the other party. Just let me know who's doing what ASAP, okay?"

"Will do, sir," she said as the older man walked out.

"Normally, I'd assign you to the male and I'd stay with the female. But..." She motioned for Knight to move to the corner of the room with her then spoke in a very low tone of voice.

"As much as it pains me to admit it, I know you have feelings for her. It also pains me to have to ask but you know I have to so... Can you do your job in spite of these feelings?"

He looked over at Risa who was staring at the ceiling. "Yeah, sure. Of course I can."

"Then against my better judgment I'm leaving you with her. With them. Don't make me regret this, Landon." Her words more hopeful than directive and he understood why.

"Thanks, Kate. This means a lot to me."

Kate smiled wryly and said, "Yeah, yeah. Always a bridesmaid and never a bride for yours truly." She laughed pretending it didn't hurt knowing Knight didn't feel the same way about her then slapped him on the arm and said, "I'll get over it. You're not that hot, you know!"

"So I guess the Service will have to change the husband's destination now?"

"Oh, definitely. She knows his planned location so that's a non-starter. This means another week of fu...screwing around here in Miami with that sonuvabitch. You better thank me for this, Knight," she teased.

Knight got serious and said, "Thank you, Kate."

Kate sighed and said, "You're welcome. I guess."

"It's pretty close to 1900 so if you want to take off, I got this. I'm ready to take over. Besides, you've a boatload of stuff to do because of the change so why not go ahead and get out of here?"

"You know, I think I'll take you up on that." She went back over to the bed and said goodbye to both Risa and Abagayle and wished them all the best. Risa thanked her for her help—especially for getting her away from her abusive, controlling husband.

"Okay, Landon. Guess I'll see when this is wrapped up. I'll send you the location of your new safe house well before she's ready to be released. Take care, okay?"

"You too, Kate," he told her as she grabbed her things and left.

He walked back over to Risa who said, "I'm scared, Landon. Once he finds out what I've done..." She looked down at Abagayle and said, "My poor baby." She looked up at him and asked, "Have I just killed my daughter, Landon? Have I?"

"Hey, come on. Have a little faith in the system. In me. We'll be okay."

"We?" she said.

"All of us. We'll all be okay. I promise."

"When will they tell him? My husband. When will he learn I'm...we're not coming back?"

"A few days. Maybe a week. It's hard to say exactly. Why?"

"Because," she began. She turned toward him and said, "I'm very serious when I said he still has connections. Once they tell him his wife and daughter aren't going with him, he'll blow up. Literally. He'll go insane, Landon. He'll find a way to call someone and I'll be watching over my shoulder for the rest of my life. I'll be afraid every single day from then on. My daughter..."

"We're very good at our jobs, Risa. I just need you to trust me, okay? Can you do that?"

She tried to smile and winced. "Yes. Of course I can trust you, Landon. But I can't help but worry about my daughter. Can you guarantee me nothing will ever happen to her?"

Knight knew he couldn't guarantee anything. He also knew this was a very unusual case involving a very powerful man who likely did still have some very loyal foot soldiers. In spite of all his training he had to admit he had concerns. Very real, very valid concerns. But there was no way in hell he'd pass them on to Risa.

"I'll be right here with you every step of the way and I will protect and your daughter."

Abagayle overhead what he said but had no idea what he meant. She looked up at him and said, "And my dolly."

Knight smiled and said, "Yes, of course. I'll protect your dolly, Kate, too."

"Here that, Kate? Mr. Landon is going to keep you safe. Just like me and Mommy!"

For the next three days, mother and daughter remained in the hospital recovering. Kate sent Landon the location of their new safe house which was about seven miles southwest of the one where the husband was located. She also informed him they'd just let Franklin know his family wouldn't be returning. Most of the text was in coded language but she signed off with, "There was quite an explosion here as you can imagine when we informed him. Not sure what you can do with that information but thought you needed to know. Take care and stay vigilant. Call me if you need anything. Kate."

Landon had two other Deputy Marshals working with him now. One of them was at the new safe house as a black Suburban with another Marshal behind the wheel pulled up to transport Risa and Abagayle.

"Tango Charlie on approach," the driver said.

"Roger. I have a visual." This kind of transfer was something Landon and the other Marshals in Security Service had drilled a hundred times before. It was all standard operating procedure.

"Okay, you ready to go?" he asked Abagayle who was clutching her doll.

"Yes I am!" she said authoritatively. "Are we going to see my daddy?"

Landon looked at Risa and said, "Not right now, honey. Just hold Mommy's hand, okay?"

"You ready?" he asked Risa. She nodded and he went over the protocol one more time. She still had the splint on her nose but the swelling had gone down dramatically and she could now see clearly again.

"Got it," Risa told him as the large vehicle pulled up. The door opened automatically and Landon stepped out, looked both ways then motioned for Risa to move. As she took her first step outside, Landon saw the flash of gunfire before he heard it. "Get back inside!" he hollered as a ran whizzed passed his head chipping a piece of material off the wall and striking him in the face. He pushed Risa inside, hollered to the two Marshals still standing security. They'd already drawn their weapons as Knight watched them grab the two females and put them back in the room. The Suburban sped off and the driver called in the incident to headquarters as Landon went back inside to check on his protectees.

Risa was shaking like a leaf and clutching Abagayle who was asking, "Why did you push me, Mommy? Why did that man grab me? Is he mean like Daddy?"

She looked at Landon and managed not to scream as she saw blood all over his face. He looked in the mirror over the sink and knew it was nothing. The face is full of capillaries and bleeds easily. "I'm okay. A chip from the wall nicked me. It's nothing. Are YOU okay?" he asked her.

"I'm scared. I told you they would find us. I knew it. That bastard will never let us go!" she said as she began to cry and shake uncontrollably.

Two more days passed until the Service was ready to try again. This time, they had four vehicles and a ton of firepower with them. They made it to the safe house after the main vehicle broke off making sure no one was following for nearly an hour.

"Now what?" Risa asked when they got inside.

"Now we wait for your next new identities and new location."

"But what about those men? Have they been caught?"

Knight knew they hadn't and he could only imagine there were more of them. "No. But the Service and the police and even the FBI are working on it. I can assure you you're safe here."

"Yes, but not out...there. I'll...we'll never be safe, Landon. Never."

The thought came to him that evening but he needed time to mull it over. His plan had the potential to end any threats to Risa and Abagayle, but it was fraught with other risks and would have serious implications for him.

That night as he stood watch, he ran the idea through his head over and over trying to think of every possible detail. It was just after 2am and he went to get himself another cup of coffee when he heard someone moving. He went to draw his weapon when he saw Risa stumble into the kitchen. Even with the splint still on her nose, she was just so incredibly beautiful.

"Shouldn't you be asleep?" he asked her.

"I slept for a couple of hours," she said. "Do you have enough for me?" she asked pointing to the pot.

"Tell you what. I'll make a fresh pot. This stuff is pretty awful."

She sat on a barstool as the coffee brewed. "Have you heard from Kate?" she asked. "Not about my husband. I know you can't discuss that. She's just such a nice girl. She likes you, you know."

Knight smiled and said, "You're very perceptive."

"I notice everything," she said with a smile. This time she didn't wince which was a good sign it wasn't hurting as much. "When you live with a man who's prone to blow up over any little thing, you learn to pay attention to everything."

Landon handed her a cup then waited for more to brew. "That has to be taxing. And stressful."

She thanked him, took a sip and said, "You have no idea. Then again, maybe you do. Something tells me you understand. I don't know what it is, but I can just tell."

"Wow, you're good," he said as he poured himself a cup.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" she asked. "I mean, it's not like we have anything else to do at two o'clock in the morning."

She smiled again and Landon, who was exhausted said, "You're very beautiful but especially when you smile."

Risa laughed and said, "Yes, this splint is all the rage in Miami this year." She turned back and forth in her robe and said, "Do you like it?"

She even managed a laugh and said, "Do you know how long it's been since I laughed? Even like that?" She took a sip of her coffee not expecting an answer. "So tell me. About your past. I want to hear it."

Knight sat next to her and started talking. Marshals weren't prohibited from sharing personal information, they just rarely did so. Thirty minutes later, Risa understood why.

"It makes you live on high alert, doesn't it?" she noted. "You walk around on eggshells to make sure nothing upsets them. You weigh everything you say or do just to be sure and even then..."

"Even then you can't be sure," Knight said filling in the blank. "You never really know what's going to set them off." He looked down into his cup then over at her and said, "How did you do it? How did you stay so kind and polite and not became angry and jaded?"

"By never giving up hope," she replied. "My husband finally agreed to let me have a baby and I got pregnant with Coll...Abagayle. She gave me a reason to hold on...to live. And honestly? I never gave up hope I might one day escape." She looked over at him and said, "And find someone wonderful. Someone caring. Someone with empathy and understanding."

Knight could tell by the way she was talking and looking at him she was referring to him. And every fiber of his being was screaming for him to tell her how he felt about her and...to kiss her. Instead he only smiled weakly and said, "I have no doubt an intelligent, attractive woman like yourself will have no trouble finding a guy like that."

"How about you, Landon? Is there someone in your life? Kate perhaps? Or someone else maybe?"

"No, not really," he began. He smiled again and said, "What do I mean 'not really?' The real answer is there's no one."

"Are you looking by any chance? You know, in case someone came along or are you too busy protecting other people to take care of your own needs that you wouldn't notice?"

"I always notice," he told her still trying to muster up a genuine smile.

"So you've noticed Kate?" she asked directly.

"Yes, of course. And she's a wonderful person and a really great Marshal. She even has a ready-made family so if circumstances were different, who knows?"

"Circumstances?"

"Don't laugh, okay?" he said.

"I won't. I promise," she told him.

"Well, I hope to find someone who wants to be a stay-at-home mom. I mean, I'd never try and change a woman. If she wants to work, she should do that. I just mean that...for me anyway...I'd like a woman who wants to be home with our children. Is that too old-fashioned or maybe even patriarchal in today's world?"

"Not at all. Many of us women love being home with our children. Some of us just want to have a husband who will love us and appreciate what we do for them."

"Do you want some more coffee?" he asked. She handed him her cup and he poured some more for both of them.

"Risa? I'm curious. It's none of my business but how did a woman with an Ivy League education—who looks like a fashion model, by the way—get involved with a Mafia boss?"

Risa smiled a full smile and said, "Thank you for saying that, Landon. It's so rare to ever hear any kind of compliment. That means so much to me." She looked down then said, "Especially coming from such a...handsome young man."

She spent the next few minutes explaining how this came to be. "My maiden name is Scarpetto."

Landan's eyes opened wide in total surprise. "How did we not know that?" he asked.

"I can't answer that. What I can tell you is I was adopted when I was a baby."

"That explains the blonde hair in an Italian family," he said with a weak smile. "Go on, please."

"I met Benny at a 'truce meeting.' Both sides were killing each other left and right and Benny was SO handsome and dangerous. He saw me peeking in and as they say 'took a shine to me.' He was willing to risk anything and everything to see me and...he did. It was so exciting sneaking around with the enemy!" Risa was actually smiling as she recounted her glory days.

"My father disowned me when I told him I was marrying Benny but..."

"But what?" Knight asked.

"Well, let's just say I still have...friends in my family who are...in the Family. No matter how upset my father is with me, he'd never harm me or let any of his men harm me. The only threat is from the few guys still fiercely loyal to Benny. With them out of the way..."

Knight spent some time absorbing that revelation and its implications but only said, "Oh what a tangled web we weave..."

"Truly," she said wistfully. "That is oh-so true, Landon."

"So...how does it feel being free?" he asked.

"I'm still frightened, you know? But mostly for Abagayle. I often wonder when the next gunshot will be or when someone will grab me or my daughter and kidnap us and take us back to Benny or his Family." She didn't bother using his new name—which would be changed yet again unless they could prove he'd contacted the outside world—and he knew she was genuinely still afraid.

"I wish I could take your fear for you," he told her honestly. "I hate that you still feel that way even in our custody."

"I feel safe with you, Landon. But you won't always be with me," she said wistfully. "Besides, why would an attractive young man like you be interested in a washed-up, old woman like me anyway?" She tried to laugh to play down her feelings, but Landon knew what she meant.

He set his cup down and spun the barstool her way. "Hey. That's ridiculous. You're incredibly attractive. You're gorgeous and you're desirable as hell. Washed up? Please! That's nonsense. If I wasn't assigned to your detail I'd..."

She saw, heard, and felt the sincerity in his voice and reached out for him saying, "Can you please...kiss me?" The question was clearly twofold. The first part was a concern about whether he'd even want to. The other was job related as in how much trouble might he get into were he to do so.

He put his hand on hers and told her, "I can," he said. "But I won't." He held her hand and said, "Risa, you have no idea how badly I'd like to kiss you—trouble or no trouble. But..."

She moved closer to him then leaned his way and asked, "But what? I'm very good at keeping secrets." Even with the splint, her smile was incredible. She was incredible.

"But...I'm afraid of falling in love with you."

"Not me," she said. "Because...I'm already in love with you."

He had no idea how to even respond to that. Instead he said, "Risa, I know what you're asking me to do, but you don't know how I feel about you; how I...think about you all the time. How much I wish I had the chance to get to know you. Under any other circumstances, you couldn't keep me away from you."

"That's where you're wrong, Landon. You're wrong because you think I don't know how you feel about me, but I do. I told you I'm very perceptive. I knew Kate loves you but I could tell you didn't have those feelings for her yet you made sure to never say a single word to hurt her. I could also tell you...had those kinds of feelings for me. And...I think about you all the time, too. I've even dreamed about you. About us." She looked into his eyes with the deepest of longings and said, "Is there no way to change our circumstances? Is there no way for us to be together? No way at all?"

Landon sighed. "Risa. How could you possibly be happy with me? You know what I do, the hours I work. I make $40,000 a year and you're used to having the finest things money can buy. What could I possibly offer you?"

"Other than my daughter, I would trade everything I have or ever had for a man who loves me, a man who respects me, a man who would make me feel special. I don't need things. I've had them and I'm miserable. If not for my girl, I believe I might have taken my own life some time ago. My life was so empty, so sad, and so desperately lonely. I was nothing but a trophy. A thing. Something to dress up and show off when it was convenient for him. Someone to be used...and abused...at his will. I wasn't allowed to make any choices. What to wear, where to go, what to do. Not even what to eat. Everything—all of it—was decided by my husband. That's not life, Landon. That's hell."

"But why me, Risa? How do you know you'd be happy with me?"

"Have you not heard a word I said? Do you not understand how perceptive I am?" She put her hand on his face and said, "I know it because I feel it. Landon, I see it. I see happiness with you as clearly as I see you sitting near me. It's you who isn't sure. But...but if you'll let me show you..."

"Risa, please," he said backing off. "I can't. I can't do this."