Page 26 of The Moment He Couldn’t Walk Away

“Your mom fell in love with Dale Falcon not knowing what he was,” the sheriff said. “But she discovered he was part of a large drug-trafficking network and brought vast quantities of heroin and cocaine into America.”

Dan’s hand rested briefly on her clenched fist. I’m here, he was saying, but it didn’t help. The shocks just kept coming.

“Falcon was put away for twenty years, but served longer for some trouble he got into while inside. They released him from prison a few weeks ago.

Her father was no longer locked away. Nina wasn’t sure how she felt about that. “Wh-where is he?”

“We think Arizona, where his family is,” Sheriff Dans said in that calm way he had that did absolutely nothing to calm Nina today. “When your mom approached me, she said you were too young to know all this, and because your father wasn’t a threat while he was in prison, I agreed to say nothing, and just keep an eye on him.”

“But why didn’t you tell me when he was released?” Nina asked.

“I had planned on doing just that, but then the burglaries happened, so I was leaving the conversation until things settled down. I’m really sorry, Nina, I should have told you sooner.”

“At least I know now,” she said wondering how her world could have imploded so catastrophically in such a short time.

“Do you think there is a threat to her now, Uncle Asher?” Dan asked.

“I don’t know, and now he’s out of prison, he’s harder to keep track of, but if Dale Falcon wants to find out what happened to his wife and daughter, he may come looking for you, Nina.”

“But my name is different now.”

“It is, but he was part of a big drug ring, and from what I gather, the mastermind behind it. Additionally, the Falcon family possesses immense wealth and influence, so they undoubtedly have people who could track you down.”

“Are they all bad like him—my father?” Nina felt the need to ask.

“He was the only member of his family implicated, but that’s not saying they aren’t involved,” Sheriff Dans replied. “Shirley informed me that the name change to Winter was legal, so I need you to search through your mother’s belongings and find the paperwork because back then, it wouldn’t have been done electronically, so there will be physical documents. If someone wanted to look hard enough, they’d eventually find it. I want to know where they are to see if we can stop that from happening.”

“I just need to get through the next few days and organize everything for Mom, then I’ll look.”

“Of course, and if you need help, you just call,” Sheriff Dans said, his face solemn.

The thought that her father could come looking for her was terrifying, and yet there was something deep inside Nina that had longed for years to know about him.

“He’s been inside a long time, Nina. We don’t know the man he is today, but I need you to know you’re safe here. If he finds you, we’ve got this—got your back.”

“I don’t want to see him, Sheriff Dans,” she said to convince herself it was the truth.

“Good, because that was your mom’s biggest fear.”

“It’s going to be okay,” Dan said. “We got you, Nina.”

Four simple words, and she felt the tears choking her again, but she forced them down. Not here and now. She’d give in to more tears later at home.

“Tell me more about what he did? Make me understand how bad this man, my father, is.”

“He put enough cocaine and heroin on the streets to destroy the lives of thousands of people, but not only that, his name was linked with multiple murders, but no one could get enough evidence to convict him.”

Her stomach churned with nausea on hearing the words. “D-does he have more children?”

“No. You’re the only one. He has a brother and a sister, and they have four boys and a girl between them. His parents are still alive,” the sheriff said.

“Jesus,” Dan whispered. “I’m so sorry, Nina.”

She ran a hand over her face. “This is crazy. I woke up this morning grieving the loss of my mother, and now I have all this other stuff to deal with.”

“Like I said, I thought you should have been told years ago, but that wasn’t my decision to make.” Sheriff Dans reached for the box he’d pulled out of the safe. Red tape was wrapped multiple times around the outside. “Your mother gave me this to look after for you when she realized she had dementia because she was worried she’d lose it. I was instructed to hand it to you after Shirley died.”

She got out of her chair so fast, it wobbled. “What is in it?”