“Yes.” Peyton nodded. “Killyama … By then she was grown, and they hadn’t talked in years. I didn’t handle it well. Even though I didn’t spend much time with him, I missed him so badly that I’m ashamed to admit I turned to drugs. By the time Killyama found out, I was an addict and kept using them every chance I had. I refused to stop, sneaking out to get some during the middle of the night. She even took my car away so she would have to take me everywhere. When she was gone, I would walk to somewhere the dealers would meet me.
“One night I slipped out then came back to bed to pass out, Hammer, Jonas, and Killyama carried me out of my home and checked me into a rehab center. When I tried to leave, she told me it was the drugs or her. She told me that I had chosen Timothy over her and asked if I was going to choose drugs over her, too. I’ve been clean ever since.”
“Can I ask you a question?” Train handed her a tissue from the desk.
She shakily wiped her tears away. “There isn’t much I haven’t told you.”
“Why does she mail presents so I don’t know who they’re coming from? Why won’t she just give them to me herself?”
Peyton’s tear-filled eyes met his. “When she was a little girl and Timothy came by, she would draw him pictures he would never take with him. As she grew older, she would save her money to buy him things. The last time I remember her giving a present, she had bought him a watch. He left it sitting on the table in the kitchen when he left. Usually, I would hide the gifts so she wouldn’t get her feelings hurt, but I didn’t see it sitting there when we went outside to say good-bye. He was getting in the car when she saw he wasn’t wearing it, so she said she would go get it for him. He left as she was coming out the door.”
Peyton flipped the scrapbook closed before carrying it back to the closet. Then she opened the second closet. Taking out a small box, she then lovingly packed Killyama’s statue with bubble wrap before putting it inside. Placing the lid on, she handed it to him.
“Remember, you gave me you word not to tell anyone.”
“Her father is dead; why would it make a difference if anyone found out now? She made sure no one can discover who he is.”
“Rae doesn’t want his other children to be hurt because of Timothy’s past.”
Train shook his head in disgust. “That’s why he didn’t want her to go into the military. He was afraid she would run into her brother and sister.”
“Yes.” Peyton paused, then told Train, “If Rae took the key, she had a good reason. I don’t know what it was, but if she knew it would cost her you, she would never have done it unless it was important. I’m not saying she isn’t sneaky—the Lord knows that’s why I gave her that silly nickname. What I am saying is that the woman on that sculpture wouldn’t want you hurt.”
“I agree. That’s the one thing I do know now, thanks to you. I can wait until she’s ready to tell me.” He gave her a small smile in gratitude. “Can I give you a ride back to your trailer?”
Peyton shook her head. “No. I think I’m going to work for a while. I’m used to walking back and forth between the two.”
“If you’re sure.” He looked around the place before saying, “You should get some security. No one is close—”
“Jonas did. I turned the alarm off when we came in.”
“You put a lot of trust in a man you’re just getting to know.”
“Not really.” She shrugged. “Killyama would have never introduced you to me if she didn’t trust you. My daughter is a good judge of character. Much better than her mother.”
“I think you did just fine. You raised a woman you can be proud off. A woman I hope to marry.”
“Good luck with that.” She smiled warmly.
Train started laughing. “I’m going to need a lot of luck. Fortunately, luck is on my side.”
33
The grim-faced men entered the vacant building one at a time. It had been vacant for years before T.A.’s new boyfriend rented it for her. She had told him that she wanted it for her bookkeeping business. The numbnut must have taken too many tackles to have believed that story, but it had worked.
“Tracker is here. We’re ready,” Jonas told Killyama. “Hammer will finish loading up the equipment after you make the call.”
“I will. I want to talk to you first.” Killyama’s hands had been clenched so tightly she had left marks on her palms. She had been standing apart from the men as they checked their guns. “We’re wasting time, I know. I just … I need you to promise me something first. When we get there, I know one of you will want to be with me. Not tonight. Tonight, Train comes first.”
“No way in hell! I’m sticking with you,” Jonas argued heatedly as Hammer came over.
“I’m going to do what needs to be done, and then get the hell out of there. We’ve planned this for two weeks now. I know what I’m supposed to do. If Train gets hurt, though … If I know you both are with him, I know he’ll come out alive.”
Hammer’s jaw clenched. “In and out, just like we planned.”
“Yes.” Killyama gave one curt nod. “Jonas?”
He nodded reluctantly. “Fine,” he growled. “But I’m checking your equipment myself.”
“Good.” She briefly squeezed their arms before she took the cell phone from Hammer. “Let’s get this show on the road.”