Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen
We made it to our new home in Santa Fe. It was a home in a gated community and I discovered the US Marshal’s office kept this property to use for circumstances like mine.

When someone goes into witness protection normally, it is after the trial is completed and they are simply given a new identity but in my case the trial hasn’t happened yet and it is necessary for the marshals to actually live in the home with me and my family.

I had asked several times what the address was but Bryntley told me that was confidential and it was for our safety that we didn’t know the address until it was time to reveal it. I was assured that no amount of pleading or begging would obtain that information. 

One of my concerns was for Lincoln. He was getting confused. He was getting too close to these marshals who would eventually leave our lives. He was so heartbroken when Charles died, I didn’t want to go through that kind of pain again. I thought about talking about those fears with Bryntley but haven't mustered enough courage to do so yet. I knew she had a job to do and probably wouldn’t understand anyway. 

I hadn’t met anyone at the new job yet because I have yet to go there, but Bryntley told me that would happen tomorrow. We had to get unpacked and settled into the home we would be at for the next several months. The house was large and everyone had a room. The marshals had spent time in this house before so they knew the layout and they knew it was safe. We went through a gate that required a code and then into a garage that required an opener and a code to get into the door to the house.

Most of the work of the house was done by the two marshals. They did the driving, prepared meals and anything that needed to be done around the house. My family and I got settled in and I would be leaving the home and going to a new job tomorrow. I told Bryntley I needed to talk with her when she had the time. She told me there was no time like the present. 

I said, “I know we will all be together in this house for the foreseeable future and I worry about Lincoln forming attachments to you and Todd and then when the trial is over, you two move on and he will be shattered. He sees real relationships forming and it will devastate him when you move on.”

Bryntley said, “I understand your concerns and to be honest I have formed some attachments of my own. Lincoln reminds me of my own little brother growing up. I will talk to Todd and we will try to keep our distance as much as is professionally possible.”

I made my way to my room and the adjacent room which was for Lincoln. I liked the way the rooms connected and it seemed to be made for close families. It had been a long day of travel and we were all tired. We would eat out for dinner at the restaurant adjacent to “La Fonda”. The “La Plazuela” was part of the hotel I would be working at and specialized in the New Mexican cuisine that was so popular in the area. 

We loaded into the Suburban and went to the downtown Plaza area of Santa Fe to eat dinner and while we were there Bryntley took me to see my new boss at the La Fonda. There was a waiting list at the restaurant and our estimated time was forty five minutes, which was plenty of time to meet my new boss before we ate. 

Todd, my mother and Lincoln, held our place in line while we made a mad dash down a corridor to the office area of the business. Bryntley had met her before and wanted to do a quick intro before I came in tomorrow. Sofia Alvarez was the head of customer relations at “The La Fonda” and would be my boss when I start to work soon. 

We told her we were in line to eat at the restaurant but wanted to make a quick introduction before I came in the following day. She walked with us back to the waiting line. She went into the restaurant for a few minutes and when she came back out she told us she had us a table and to follow her inside. 

We were seated at a table away from the other people there and the staff was very attentive to us while we were there. I am sure MS Alvarez exerted some influence to improve our service while we were there. Service was quick and I ordered a margarita to get things started and so did my mom. The two marshals drank water and kept looking around the place like they were protecting the president. We all ordered Mexican food of one sort or another. I had enchiladas and so did Bryntley and Todd had the chili relleno plate. We had tableside guacamole.  

There wasn’t a lot of talking at the table. I got the feeling the marshals wanted things quiet enough they could hear trouble. I could tell they were dedicated to their job and since they were protecting my family I appreciated they were that way. The two of them reacted to anything out of the ordinary. If the busboy dropped some dishes, they reacted. If new people entered the restaurant they were cautious and kept a watchful eye on them. 

I knew we wouldn’t stay out too late. We needed to be fed and this was an easy way to do that. I was glad to get something besides pizza for a change. That was what we ate most while traveling. I assumed we wouldn’t eat out a lot since they wanted to keep a low profile. I would be out of the house for the job tomorrow but most of the time we would stay close to the house. 

I was grateful to have my son and my mother along with me. I felt bad that I couldn’t tell Jill anything that was happening but that was forbidden. I had to leave my old life behind. Anyone not with me now would have to be forgotten. I knew that both Todd and Bryntley were both armed and I had even asked about bringing my 9mm with me for my own protection but I was told that wasn’t allowed. 

Our dinner was good and I was able to get along with Bryntley and Todd but I wish they would talk more. I couldn’t wait to go to work so I would actually get to talk to someone. I was working hard trying to get used to my new name. Rita Watson doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue but I suppose it would do since I didn’t have much choice. 

Todd took the check left by the waitress and placed it down with a credit or debit card on top. I assumed the card was an issue from the US Marshals service. When it came back he signed it and filled out a tip. I couldn’t see what he wrote and I had to wonder if ole’ Todd was a big tipper. Our entire time seemed so formal and wasn’t at all like me. I am more laid back. I never plan for much and just fly by the seat of my pants. 

Todd was cute and if I wasn’t still in a mourning stage over Charles I may have even flirted with him a little but I wasn’t up for that yet. The wounds were too fresh and I knew I had already found my soulmate. He was taken from me but I had certainly found him. 

Bryntley was a little more fun. She seemed a little younger than Todd although I didn’t know the ages of either of them. It seemed that they wanted to stay distant from us in order to protect us better. I was good with that, staying alive was high on my list of things to do. 

Bryntley said, “Rita, are you guys ready to go?”

That took me by surprise. I wasn’t exactly used to being called by that name but I knew I was going to have to become ready. She had to say it again while kicking me under the table to get my attention. The second time she asked I answered.

I replied, “Yes we need to go back and get some rest. I am sorry I was caught in a daydream.” 

I lied, I hadn’t been daydreaming, I just wasn’t used to that name but I knew it was who I am now. Lincoln just called me mommy so I didn’t have to worry so much about him learning a name. My mother had her own problems with it but she was trying hard.

We were cautious when we left but I couldn’t imagine anyone knowing where we were unless someone ratted us out. It was all very clandestine. No one knew where we were going. I didn’t know until we got here and I still didn’t know what the address was where we were staying. 

We never went straight anywhere. We always went out of our way and then doubled back and finally backtracked and made another turn after that. I wouldn’t be able to tell anyone even if they tortured me. I simply didn’t know and all of the backtracking maneuvers kept me confused. 

I wasn’t that familiar with Santa Fe anyway, although I had been there a couple of times on a girl’s trip. We had gone there to shop and stayed at a house one of the girl’s family owned. It was up in the mountain area not far from the ski area. We did some skiing while there but only stayed a couple of days. It was in my college days and I met Charles not long after and that was the start of the life I loved. It was the life that gave me Lincoln and I couldn’t imagine anything better.

We made it back to our New Mexico refuge. I was tired and knew tomorrow would be the first real day of my new life. I had to get Lincoln to bed and that always meant reading a story and sometimes he would ask me to tell him about daddy. It was sad for me to do it but I knew he needed to know. It always puts me in a somber mood. 

I read a book about firefighters which was Lincoln's favorite subject. He was crazy about firefighters and could never get enough of rescuing people from a burning building. He didn’t ask about Charles tonight and I was thankful for that because I had been thinking about him a lot and wishing he could be here to protect me and Lincoln. I could tell this would be one of those nights filled with rears. 

I went to tell my host good night before heading to my room to have a good cry. Oh Charles, why did you have to leave me? My life was shattered when Charles died and it would never be the same again. I will never be whole again, I just had to take care of Lincoln and make sure he grew up to know his dad and that was my life’s work now. Taking care of Lincoln helped to keep my mind off of Charles. It was beneficial to have something to concentrate on so I didn’t have time to think about Charles. 

Although Lincoln was a good diversion it was only temporary relief and as soon as I was alone again for any length of time thoughts of Charles would creep back into my memory. My heart was in pain and the memories of Charles kept seeping back into my consciousness. Charles was my rock and was there to stabilize me when I felt shaky.