Operation: Normal (18 page)

"Um, mom?"

"Yes?"

"What kind of work does Dad do?"

Mom opened her eyes again and frowned at me. "Why on earth do you ask?"

"Because you kept saying 'I knew this would happen' when I told you about the
letters."

"I did say that, didn't I?"

"Yeah. By the way, Dad's called me--three times, in fact--and I found out that Adele St.
Martin is his aunt."

Mom gasped. She started to say something, changed her mind, then sort of sputtered to a
halt.

"Apparently Dad's been keeping up with me for years through her."

"I don't know what to say."

"So what, exactly, does he do for a living?"

Mom hesitated. "Before you were born, I promised your dad that I wouldn't--"

"Oh, give it up!" I retorted in frustration. "We've figured out most of it already."

"We?"

"Zach's been helping. He, um, sort of got sucked into the daddy dilemma against his
will."

For several seconds, she just looked at me, clearly struggling with how much she should
to say.

"I'm eighteen, Mom. Isn't that old enough for my parents to be finally honest with
me?"

Mom sighed. "Of course it is. Interpol. Your dad works for Interpol."

I nearly fell off the couch. "Excuse me?"

"You dad works for Interpol."

"You mean he's a spy?"

"Everyone who works for Interpol isn't a spy, Ally."

"Then what is he?"

"I believe the term is Special Agent for Covert Operations."

I looked at Zach. "My dad's a freakin' spy."

He cracked up.

I turned to Mom again. "How long has he been working for them?"

"They recruited him right out of grad school. That's when we met. I was getting my
degree in journalism; he was getting his masters in justice policy. I'd be less than honest if I
didn't tell you that he offered to marry me when I found out I was pregnant, even though that
wasn't what either of us really wanted. I said no. I'd seen my mother's spirit crushed by my
father's strong will. I never wanted to be anyone's wife."

Surprised, but not, I just looked at her.

"Yes," she said, as if reading my thoughts. "I chose a career over marriage, which means
this whole set up is mostly my fault. I say 'mostly' because it was Clint Wilson's idea to stay out
of your life completely. He knew his work would be ridiculously dangerous, and he feared that
someone would hurt us to get at him."

"The chink in his armor," Zach murmured.

Mom nodded. "Exactly. So in his way, Clint chose career over marriage, too. And there
you have it. The whole sad story. Your dad didn't leave because he didn't love you, Ally. He left
because he did."

"You couldn't have told me this sooner?"

"He made me swear not to." She caught the accusing look on my face and shrugged. "He
thought that would be easier on everyone. Since I didn't really want him underfoot, I
agreed."

My brain suddenly felt like it might burst, and no wonder. I'd just found out that my
parents weren't perfect. Pressing my fingers to my throbbing temples, I changed the subject.

"How'd you meet Seth Thomas?"

"I knew this was coming," Mom said, encompassing both Zach and me in her glance.
"Well, the sooner we get everything out in the open, the better, I guess. Early last year, Seth and
I worked together on an ad campaign for Zach's grandfather's company."

"We guessed as much," Zach said.

"I really liked him. He was charming, polite and funny, but strictly professional."

"Did you know he had a son?" I asked.

"Yes. He talked about Zach a lot. Said he was going to UT Dallas and majoring in
Linguistics."

"What about my mom?" Zach asked. "Did he say anything about her?"

"Only that the two of them were divorced. I was surprised that Seth still worked for your
grandfather, but he said he was so good at his job that your grandfather kept him on. I thought
that said a lot about him. Seth, I mean. I never met your grandfather."

Zach and I exchanged a glance.

Mom didn't notice. "As to how Kayly was conceived... Seth and I celebrated the
successful launch of the ad campaign by eating out together. I drank that night, which I never do.
We wound up at his apartment, and, well, the rest is history. I'm not proud of myself. But I'm not
sorry I had Kayly, either."

"Why did you make him sign that contract?" I asked.

"So that's how you found him. Guess I should've locked the file cabinet, huh?"

"I'd have found him another way. I was that determined."

Mom just sighed. "I didn't make Seth sign the contract, Ally. I told him about the
pregnancy. He--" She hesitated, as if trying to find the right words "He said that Kayly was a
complication he was not prepared to handle." She turned to Zach. "Not that I'm blaming him. In
fact, I'm grateful. I did not want him around, either."

"But why did you pay him?"

"He'd mentioned having some financial problems because of his recent divorce. I
figured if money changed hands, the contract would be more binding."

"But that note he wrote about making it work... What did that mean?"

She blushed. "That was an invitation to, um, get together again sometime."

Zach and I exchanged another look. This time Mom caught it. "What?"

"I don't know exactly how to tell you this, Mom, so I'm just going to be honest. I mean,
that's what we're being tonight, right?"

"Ri-ight."

"Seth was not divorced from Zach's mom when the two of you hooked up."

"They were separated?"

"No."

Mom gasped and sat up straight. "They were together?"

Zach slowly nodded. "Still are."

"No!" Mom jumped up, her hand pressed to her chest like she feared her heart would
jump out of it. I watched the color drain from her cheeks. "Oh...my...God." She began to pace the
room only to halt abruptly and spin to face Zach. "What you must think of me."

"My dad is not a very nice person, Mrs. Mills. You're lucky you got rid of him so easily,
especially if he thought you had money."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that my dad always needs cash. He's tried to get into my college trust fund more
than once, but Grandpa Jose's got it locked down tight."

Mom dropped into her chair again. "I am such an idiot."

"No you're not," I told her. "You're the most amazing mom ever."

"I agree," Zach quickly added.

Mom just shook her head. I could tell she wanted to be alone, so I looked at Zach,
intending to suggest we call it a night.

But, psychic that he is, he'd already picked up on her mood.

"I should be going." He stood. "But first, there's one more thing we need to be honest
about."

What? I frowned slightly at him, wondering what on earth we'd left out.

Zach waited until he had Mom's full attention. Stepping over to me, he reached out and
pulled me to my feet. Then he framed my face with his hands and deliberately laid a great big
sloppy kiss right on my lips, which were rounded in an Oh! of surprise.

When Zach raised his head again, ending that heart-pounding kiss, my mom said,
"Allison Michelle Mills. You have got to be kidding me."

I shook my head.

"Have you two..."

"No!" I said. "We haven't." I pushed Zach. "Go. I can handle this."

"No way."

"Please, Zach."

"No. I started it, and I'm not going to--"

"Please?" I choked on the emotion knotting my throat.

Zach's face flushed crimson.

"Ally--"

"I said no."

Fuming, Zach stood for long seconds in visible indecision. Then he abruptly pivoted,
stalked across the room, and left the apartment, slamming the door hard behind him.

Only when I'd slid the deadbolt into position did I relax. Zach did not check the
lock.

"What have you been doing?" My mom raged the moment I turned back to. She jumped
up, glaring at me. "My God, Ally--"

"If you think I'm going to let your mistakes ruin my life, you're very, very wrong," I told
her. "Zach and I love each other."

"But his dad--"

"Has nothing to do with anything."

"Really? And just how are you going to have any kind of relationship with that boy
without getting to know his parents and grandparents? Do you honestly think he'll cut off ties
with all of them to be with you?"

"N-no," I stammered, taken aback. "And I wouldn't want him to."

"So what are you going to do? Lie about how you met? Pretend Kayly doesn't exist?
Because something tells me Zach would never agree to either of those things."

"Zach told me his mom knows about his dad's indiscretions."

"Are you saying you think she'll embrace the half-sister of her husband's child by
another woman? Because I can assure you that she will not. And what about his grandparents?
Do you really think they'll welcome the Caucasian daughter of their son-in-law's fling into their
Hispanic household?"

"I never said this would be easy."

"Easy? Try impossible." Mom put her hand to her head as though it hurt. "You have no
idea how hard it is to deal with family, Ally. God, what a mess."

"This is not a mess, it's my life!" I yelled, frustrated with her dramatics. "So what if
things are difficult? I'm up for the challenge. And, unlike you, I intend to stay and fight for what
I want."

Mom went very still. "I guess you're referring to your grandfather. Well, I have fought
for what I want, which is why we're here. Do you think it was easy leaving my mom? My brother
and sister?"

"I didn't mean--"

"I can't talk about this anymore," Mom suddenly declared, turning around and leaving
the room.

Alone in the living area, I burst into tears. I didn't stand there for long. Unable to stop
crying, I stuffed my cell phone into my purse and left the apartment, headed nowhere in
particular. I just knew I had to get away for awhile. I needed to think about things.

I hadn't really been alone since Zach and I figured out how we felt about each other. No.
Not true. I think each of us felt something special from the moment we met. What we didn't
know was that the feeling was mutual, not to mention what to do about it. I still didn't, to be
honest. Mom's tirade, unjust as it was, had definitely confused me. I mean, I didn't want to ruin
Zach's life. I just wanted to be in it.

Suddenly needing to see that boy very, very badly, I ran to the stairwell and then down
all five flights of stairs. I avoided the elevator on the slim chance I'd see someone I knew. Mom
wouldn't be happy if I took the car without asking, but at this point one other transgression
wouldn't make much difference.

I noted that the clock on the bank said 1:35 a.m. For a second, I couldn't think where I'd
parked the Miata a week ago. Then I thought I remembered and started that way, only to spot it
parked on the opposite end of the lot, which was very large since residents of my building and
customers of the businesses on either side shared it. Threading my way through all the parked
vehicles, preoccupied with thoughts of Zach, I barely registered the low rumble of thunder and
never considered the wisdom of being out there alone in the dark.

But I should've.

Right before I reached the car, I heard footsteps coming up fast behind me. I spun
around. Someone yanked a cloth bag over my head, cinching it tightly at the neck.

I screamed. A huge hand clamped down on my mouth through the bag.

Suddenly lifted off my feet from behind, I kicked and twisted to free myself. I dug my
nails into my assailant's bare muscled arm and fumbled behind my head to claw eyes or pull
hair.

So much for self-defense lessons. Nothing worked.

He--it had to be a man--sort of tossed me into the air. I landed hard on my side, cracking
my elbow on something in the process. An engine roared to life. I smelled motor oil and rubber. I
heard a thunk and felt the air shift. I tried to sit up, but hit my head, confirming what I'd already
guessed.

I was locked in the trunk of a car.

The vehicle surged forward a second later, throwing me off balance. Bile rose in my
throat, leaving a bitter taste no amount of swallowing could fix. Frantically, I groped around to
get my bearings. I felt rough carpeting under me, molded metal overhead. I fumbled for my
purse, but it was gone, so I searched for anything I could use as a weapon. I found nothing. I
pulled at the bag that covered my head, but someone had knotted the cord holding it. Even
though I slipped the thing around to the front of my neck so I could mess with it, I couldn't get
the knot undone.

My elbow throbbed with pain. It felt sticky. Blood, no doubt. The car swerved, tossing
me helplessly from side to side. I heard and smelled gasoline, sloshing in the car's tank, near my
head. The vehicle turned right, then left, then right again, going very fast. I listened for a radio or
conversation, wondering if one or several people had me. Then I remembered how the engine of
the car started before the trunk lid came down. Two people at least were involved.

All I could think of was Kayly, who'd never have normal now. Instead, she'd be the poor
little girl whose sister got murdered by... Who?

I had no idea and could only assume that whoever wrote the threat letters had now
followed through. That cleared Sylvie, unless she had Mafia ties or something, which I
doubted.

I imagined how bad my mom would feel. Her last words to me were said in anger, as
mine were to her. I began to cry again, not only for myself, but for my family, and for Zach.
Especially for Zach.

Where were they taking me?

My tears finally dried, leaving me struggling to breathe through a snotty nose. Outrage
began to replace my self-pity. The nerve of these creeps. Sending me threat letters, kidnapping
me. Did they think I'd take this lying down?

That thought almost made me laugh. I was taking it lying down, I guess, but only for the
moment. If these punks thought they'd really intimidated me, they had another think coming. I
wasn't the daughter of a spy for nothing.