Lethal Deception by Lynette Eason Page A

stop me. He thought I was going to Paris. Mom and Dad knew Kara and Jacob had been killed, but they didn’t know about the custody arrangements. At least not until Amy told Daddy about it later. I’m sure they probably traced my plane ticket, but I went via Paris, hoping Dad wouldn’t think much of it other than I was resorting to my childhood pranks. I should have known his connections would be better than that. He managed to trace me to Brazil, I’m sure.” Cassidy chewed her bottom lip as she thought. “Oh, and Amy and her parents knew because I was eating supper with them when Anna called. Amy agreed to take care of my house and get the room ready for Alexis while I was gone. Really, anyone could have figured it out if they tried hard enough.”
    “So, that’s how you knew where to find Alexis? Anna called you?”
    “Yes, she was the third witness to the hand-written codicil.” Cassidy reached back and felt for the papers in the pocket of her jeans. They were gone of course. Thankfully, Anna had faxed a copy to Cassidy’s home. Still, from memory she was able to tell him the gist of what it said.
    “What does the original will read?” Gabe asked.
    “I have no idea. I took off to get Alexis before the reading of it.”
    “Does the lawyer have a copy of the codicil?”
    “I’m sure he does. His name is Oliver Morgan. But he wouldn’t have any idea that I’d hop a plane and go to Brazil.”
    “So, Anna called you to tell you what happened to Kara and Jacob. Is it possible that she would have called the lawyer also?”
    Cassidy stilled. Kara and Jacob had made it clear that if anything happened to them, Anna was to take temporary custody of Alexis until Cassidy could get to her.
    “Yes,” she said thoughtfully. “She probably would have.”
    “So, the lawyer knew you would have to go get the child. He also would know the location of the orphanage.”
    “But why on earth would he send someone to kidnap me?”
    Gabe shrugged. “I don’t know that he did. All I’m saying is that he knew you’d be traveling to get Alexis. Like you said, it wouldn’t be hard to track your itinerary if he wanted. You flew a commercial airline, right?”
    Cassidy felt dazed. “Yes.”
    “So, we need to start with Mr. Oliver Morgan, the lawyer.”
    “Start what?”
    “Tracking down whoever was behind your kidnapping. Because our rebel didn’t want to report his failure. Which means someone hired him. Which also means that person is still out there and probably knows by now that you’ve escaped.”
    Cassidy shivered. “Which means someone may still want me dead.”
     
    The plane landed and Gabe had never been so glad to be back on American soil. He hung back and held Alexis while Cassidy ran to greet her parents at the end of the runway. The three-story mansion set in the middle of twenty-seven luxuriously manicured acres, boasted its own hangar and landing strip, two pools—one indoor and one outdoor—a movie theater, a state-of-the-art security system, a helipad and, if Gabe’s memory served him right, twelve staff members. These were just a few of the niceties Cassidy had grown up with.
    Gabe shook his head. Born to comfortable, but definitely not wealthy, parents, this lifestyle remained beyond his comprehension. Gabe also noticed that Cassidy’s parents had aged well. Cassidy’s mother, Christina McKnight, in her late fifties, looked as though she could pass as an older sister.
    The woman had her hair dyed an expensive auburn red with blond highlights, and had it piled artfully on her head. She still had a trim figure and a classy style of dressing in designer jeans and a flowing flower child-type blouse.
    Mrs. McKnight grabbed her daughter and covered her in kisses and tight hugs. Finally, Cassidy sputtered, “Okay, Mom, I’m glad to see you, too. I have someone you need to meet, though. Gabe?”
    Gabe walked toward the three McKnights. The ambassador looked at him, and for a moment, Gabe swore he saw