Page 22 of The Library on Plum Island
She never thought she’d adjust to small-town life again after her career in Los Angeles. But once the trouble began, Daniella felt nothing but relief moving back here and reopening the small clinic. Working at the town’s only medical doctor had humbled her and took her back to why she’d gone into medicine—to help people. Sure, she was helping people in Los Angeles, but her career had started to go to her head. Daniella’s heart had hardened patient after patient until it became about chasing the numbers. Yes, she was saving lives, but more so because she never wanted to blemish her track record.
As her name in the cardiothoracic field became known, Daniella started receiving offers from all over the country. While she began honing her specialty like a finely sharpened blade, Daniella had always known deep down that pushing herself was the only way she knew how to cope after Tom’s death. She’d found a way to shut off the part of her that ached for him every single day. A way to plaster a smile on her face to help Emily cope with the loss of her father. Two years after Tom Died, Emily was struck down with meningitis and lost her hearing. Daniella and Emily had just learned how to cope with Emily’s hearing loss when they were forced to pack up their lives in Los Angeles, change everything about themselves, and flee to Uncle Sam on Plum Island two years later.
“It’s the truth, sweetheart,” Sam assured her. “Look how well you and Emily have settled here.” He smiled, thinking about his great-niece. “She’s thriving and coping better than ever with her hearing loss. Emily’s made good friends—friends that treat her like she’s a normal teenager.” He shook his head, his determination hardening his eyes. “Iwillnot let some obsessed narcissist ruin your lives again.”
“So you do think it’s him?” Alarm shot through Daniella.
“Honey, to be honest, I wouldn’t put anything past that man,” Sam told her. “I would love to say otherwise, but I can’t lie to you because while I will protect you and Emily, I need you to be vigilant and prepared.” He patted her hand again. “While I have people watching him, nothing is stopping him from hiring someone to do his dirty work.”
Part of Daniella wanted her uncle to wrap her in cotton wool and tell her everything was going to be okay. But that wasn’t Uncle Sam’s style. He was more the ‘it’s better to be prepared’ type, which also gave her comfort because it meant she could trust him. Uncle Sam’s brutal honesty had always been an odd comfort.
“That’s what worries me, too,” Daniella admitted. “While I don’t really need it, maybe protection for Emily?” Her hands shook slightly as she lifted the mug to her lips, savoring the sweet taste that was in direct contrast to the bitter truth she may have to face. “Especially being hearing impaired.” She closed her eyes, trying to push bad thoughts away. “I’d hate for her to be taken by surprise even with faithful Hicks always by her side.”
“I’ve already organized someone to watch Emily,” Sam admitted. “Especially after what happened the other night.”
“Thank you, Uncle Sam.” Daniella breathed a sigh of relief and finished her hot chocolate. She glanced at her wristwatch. “What time did Emily finally go to bed?”
“At about eleven. Emily really wanted to go visit Alex, but I told her I’d take her tomorrow if it was okay with you and him,” Sam said, looking at Daniella questioningly.
“Alex doesn’t have anything contagious.” Daniella pushed the chair back and dropped to her feet. “I’ll check and see how he’s feeling later this morning.”
“I’ll take her as soon as you give the all-clear,” Sam promised.
“Uncle Sam, please don’t tell anyone about my situation.” Daniella swallowed nervously.
She knew it was better to tell the ones around you because they could be in danger. But she wanted to make sure the shadows of her past had caught up with her before letting anyone know about it. Daniella was a private person, and the only people who knew were her immediate family and Jennifer Gains.
“Okay, but for the record, I don’t think that is a good idea,” Sam stated.
“I know.” Daniella nodded. “But if we find my past has finally caught up with me, then we’ll tell everyone who needs to know.” She sighed. “I still can’t believe my life took this kind of turn.”
“None of us know what’s waiting for us around the next corner we turn,” Sam pointed out. “And NONE of this is your fault, sweetheart. You need to remember that.”
“For years, I tortured myself wondering if I did something, if I somehow showed more interest than I should have.” Her brow creased as her heart thudded. “But I didn’t, Uncle Sam. I didn’t treat him any differently than how I treated the other doctors and theater nurses I knew.”
“I know, Dani.” Sam nodded. “What that man did was cold and calculated. When you didn’t return his feelings, he tried to upend your life.” His eyes narrowed. “This time, I don’t care who his father is or how powerful his mother’s family thinks they are. I will ensure he ends up behind bars where he belongs.”
“I can’t believe how things got so twisted!” Daniella shook her head and pushed the thoughts away. “You’re right, though. I can’t let someone who means so little to me control my life with fear like he has been for the past three years.”
“I’m not saying we take the fight to him,” Sam made it clear what he meant. “But if he has found you, let him bring the fight to you because this time you have an army behind you.”
“Thank you, Uncle Sam.” Daniella walked around the counter and kissed his cheek. “I’m going to check on Emily and then go to bed.”
“But not sleep,” Sam guessed. “If you can’t, why don’t you jot down all the names and anything significant about three years ago for us?”
“I will do.” Daniella nodded, thinking it was a great idea because Uncle Sam was right. She wasn’t going to get much sleep tonight.
“Don’t worry about the mugs. I’ll clean them.” Uncle Sam waved Daniella off to bed.
On her way to her room, Daniella quietly snuck into Emily’s room. Hicks was curled up next to the bed with his blanket pulled over him and only his snout sticking out. He didn’t budge as Daniella tiptoed over to her daughter’s bed and kissed her forehead. With Emily asleep and Hicks keeping guard, Daniella went to have a soak in her tub and prepare for a long night of reflection. Although not that long as she needed to be up at nine.
After her bath, Daniella opened the safe Uncle Sam had installed in her closet. She pulled out a box and took it to her bed. Sitting on her bed, Daniella opened the box of memories. Most of it was family photos and mementos that documented a life she was abruptly forced to leave behind. The first photo she found brought tears to her eyes and an ache to her heart. It was a picture of Tom and Emily taken two weeks before he was deployed on that fateful mission.
Daniella held the photo before her, tracing his handsome face with her finger.
“Oh, Tom, you have no idea how much I miss you.” Daniella wiped a tear from her cheek. “How we both miss you and how messed up our lives became not long after you left us.” Their lives had been upended by tragedy, leaving Daniella to navigate a world filled with shadows and threats. Not ready to put Tom back in the box, Daniella put his photo on the nightstand before turning back to the box.
She found the folder she was looking for hidden at the bottom of the box. She pulled it out, and her breath caught in thought as she saw it simply labeled—May Day. Daniella had labeled that as a distress call, which is what she’d have to make if she ever needed to access the file again.
