The Perfect Witness: A Novel
Iris Johansen
Language: English
Pages: 384
ISBN: 1250067243
Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub
She was the perfect witness―until they found her.
When Teresa Casali was young, she discovered that she could read people's memories. But this strange gift became a curse when her mob boss father used Teresa to gain the upper hand in his world of corruption and violence. Exposed by her own family to the darkest impulses of mankind, Teresa finds herself defenseless and alone…until, from seemingly out of nowhere, she meets the mysterious Andre Mandak. Armed with a chilling set of skills, Mandak can protect Teresa and kill her pursuers. But can she trust him?
Now she's the perfect target―and there's nowhere left to hide…
With Mandak's help, Teresa learns to control her power before it consumes her. It is his promise to get her into Witness Protection that convinces Teresa to assume a new identity: she becomes Allie Girard and tries to forget Teresa Casali ever existed. For years "Allie" lives a normal life with a new family…until the day her cover is blown and the truth spreads like wildfire. Now she will have to use her finely-honed gift to end the threat that began with her family's betrayal. Nothing can stop her from revealing the truth…even if it kills her.
thinking. His smile was slightly sensual though his words held no hint of intimacy. “I’m just catching my breath.” She turned in the direction he’d indicated. “I can take care of myself.” “Pity.” He turned back and headed for the kitchen again. “I’ll give you forty minutes, then I’ll check to make sure you’re all right.” “I’ll be fine,” she said firmly. “Forty minutes.” * * * “RIGHT ON TIME.” HE TURNED as Allie came toward him across the great room. “You even washed your hair.” “Very
shaky breath. “Give me a minute. It’s hard for me to talk about it.” “Then don’t do it.” She gave Natalie an impulsive hug. “I don’t want to hurt you in any way. I can wait. Maybe when we’re up in the mountains would be a good time. We’ve lived a great life together without me prying into your past. We can keep on doing that.” Natalie looked her in the eyes, and her own hazel eyes were glittering with moisture. “I never had a daughter, Allie. Only my son, Simon, who was a wonderful child, a
with UNESCO. Lee and Natalie were very proud of him.” Allie remembered that last night when Natalie had spoken to her of her son. “I know they loved him very much.” “He was everything to them.” He paused, then said bluntly, “Praland tortured Simon, then cut him into pieces. He called Simon’s parents and told him that he laughed, then walked away after he’d done it. It nearly destroyed them.” “Couldn’t the government do anything about Praland? Simon was a U.S. citizen.” “Praland had money,
first, I was numb and scared and just did what he told me to do. Then I began to wonder what effect my telling my father about those memories was having on those people he had me read. One night Ned Jokman came to see my father. He had worked with him for years. His memories were … bad. Death. Cheating. Bribes … After I gave my father the report, he seemed angry. He stormed out of the house. I followed him. He went to the guesthouse, where Jokman was staying. My father’s men dragged Jokman out
was getting only bits and pieces, but then it all came clear, and it was right there in front of me.” “The ledger?” He grasped her shoulders. “You know where it is?” “I saw it. Praland was very proud of finding a foolproof hiding place, almost smirking. Every time you said something that had to do with you finding the ledger, it sent him spiraling back to the time when he ordered it built or when he was taking the ledger out of the compartment.” “Compartment? Where the hell is it?” “Inside