Daring Deception

by Barbara Freethy

  "I do," he said, patting his pockets. "I don't know where it went. But the FBI already went to the tower, and I texted Agent Sakato when I got into the house that you were here. I'm sure she's on her way."

  "How did you have her number?" she asked curiously.

  "We talked at the hotel after you and your father were taken. I actually saw the van leave the loading dock. I followed you down that back hall when I realized you had disappeared right as people were getting sick at the gala."

  "Getting sick?" she echoed in confusion.

  "The ice was poisoned."

  "Oh, my God," she said, shocked by that piece of news.

  "Did anyone die?" her father bit out.

  "I don't know," Quinn said. "I hope not."

  She shook her head. "This gets worse and worse."

  "It's close to over now."

  The distant sounds of sirens reassured her. But as she looked back at the house, another thought occurred to her. "You said you took care of Allison and Lauren? Were they inside the house?"

  "Lauren was in the backyard. I knocked her out when I arrived. I hit Allison over the head when she went to get Lauren for you. She was by the back door. I don't know if they're alive."

  "We need to find out." Before she could move, strobe lights lit up the area. Firefighters, police and FBI agents descended on the scene. She ran down the driveway and pushed the button to open the gates, then moved back to her dad and Quinn.

  "You are a sight to see," Emi said, running across the yard to give her a hug. "When I saw the flames, I had a bad feeling."

  "I'm okay. Quinn saved us."

  Rob was right behind Emi, relief flooding his gaze when he realized both she and her father were safe. She doubted he wanted to lose such a prominent member of the corporate world on his watch.

  "Mr. Carlson," Rob said. "It's good to see you, sir."

  "Get these damn ties off me," her father said.

  Rob motioned for one of the agents to free her dad, while Emi pulled out her key chain and used a small tool to release the cuffs locking her hands together.

  She rubbed her wrists with painful gratitude when she was finally free.

  "What's the status?" Rob asked. "Anyone inside?"

  "Yes. Tim Coulson is in the basement," she said. "I shot him in the neck. He was dead before the bomb went off. Allison and Lauren Sullivan are unaccounted for. Quinn knocked them out. One was by the back door. The other was in the backyard. I don't know if either survived the explosion."

  "We should be able to find that out soon," Rob said. "I'll let the firefighters know. I'm glad you're all okay. Although I would like to know how Mr. Kelly got here before us." He gave Quinn a sharp, suspicious look.

  "How did you know where they were?" Emi asked Quinn.

  "I remembered something Tim's brother used to say, about killing the viper in his nest. I took a chance," Quinn replied. "As soon as I knew I was right, I contacted you."

  "You should have contacted us earlier," Rob said.

  "Leave him alone," her father interrupted, cutting Rob off and surprising them all. "Quinn saved my life, and my daughter's life. We wouldn't be alive if it wasn't for him."

  "All right," Rob muttered. "Can I speak to you for a moment, Mr. Carlson?"

  Her father nodded, and the two of them moved toward the sidewalk.

  "We were across town at the tower when Quinn texted," Emi said. "Sorry we didn't get here faster. I didn't see the text right away. We were arresting three men in a gray van. We believe they were the ones who kidnapped you and your father, Caitlyn. There were more explosives in the truck. It looked like there was a plan B."

  "Allison made reference to people waiting for them at the tower," she said.

  "Your brother, Spencer, told us that Kevin might have provided security information to the terrorists, so we went over there to make sure the tower was secure."

  "How did Spencer know that?" she asked.

  "I mentioned it to him," Quinn cut in. "We were talking after you were taken, and Spencer was wondering why he was suddenly being brought into everything. It struck me that they were setting him up, and that the breach of security at Lexitech was part of that."

  "It's exactly what they were doing," she said with a nod. "Tim told me that. Do you know who the men in the van were, Emi?"

  Emi pulled out her phone. "Rich Conley, Stan Huff, and David Waksman. They all have lengthy records."

  "They weren't part of the current environmental group at Bolton?" she asked.

  "No. They're in their thirties and forties."

  "Quinn said that people at the gala got sick. Are they going to be all right?"

  "So far, no one appears to be critical, but I haven't gotten an update in a while." Emi paused. "I'm going to see if the firefighters have located the Sullivan sisters."

  "Thanks." When Emi moved away, she let out a breath as she met Quinn's gaze. "I think you turned my father into a fan."

  "I only had to save his ass to do that," he said dryly.

  "What you did was incredibly generous."

  He shrugged. "I did what needed to be done. But there was a minute there when I wasn't sure I could get back to you in time, and I felt a terror very similar to the one I experienced ten years ago. I couldn't stand the idea of having the same or worse outcome."

  "It wasn't the same. I'm fine."

  "I know. I want to hold you, but I don't want to mess up your work reputation."

  She smiled back at him. "I'm not worried about that now."

  "Good to know." He put his arm around her shoulders as they watched the house burn and squeezed her tight. "Did Tim tell you how he got into all this?"

  She snuggled into his side, suddenly feeling the chill as the adrenaline began to wear off. "He wanted to follow in Donovan's footsteps. It was clear he thought his brother was some kind of god. After he met Allison, Lauren gave him the pages from Donovan's notebook. She must have been in Yosemite, too. Or she took the pages at some point before that."

  "She was in Yosemite. She went there with Wyatt but apparently took the pages and the blackmail evidence without telling Wyatt she'd done so. He was under the impression that she'd found nothing." Quinn paused, shifting slightly so he could look into her eyes. "I asked Lauren if Donovan had told her to get both you and me out of the building. She said yes, but she couldn't stand you, so she only got me out."

  Her gut clenched at the harsh but unsurprising truth. "Deep down, I've always thought that; I just couldn't prove it."

  "Lauren was as crazy as the rest of them," he said, his jaw tight, his expression grim.

  She nodded. "Tim was definitely out of his mind. He looked like Donovan, but he was so evil. There was no heart in his eyes, no conscience whatsoever. He didn't care how many people he killed. He was convinced that he was some righteous warrior for the good of the planet. He was really just a criminal and a killer."

  "What about Allison?"

  "She didn't say much of anything. She seemed very cold, withdrawn. I don't know if Tim brainwashed her or if she was always that way. But she obviously used Kevin and had no second thought about it. Nor did she try to stop Tim from killing Kevin. I asked Tim why he had started it all now, and he said it was because he finally had the means. When his father died, and he got all that money, he knew exactly what he wanted to do with it. But he didn't want to take the time to build an army with friends and fellow believers. In fact, he thought Donovan had made a mistake turning the LNF into a social group. Tim wanted to just buy the talent he needed and then get rid of them." She paused. "I asked him if anyone else was helping him, like Wyatt. And he gave me a derisive, sneering look. He said he had no need of help from people who had failed the first time around."

  "Well, I'm kind of glad to hear that. Not that it excuses anything else Wyatt may have done ten years ago."

  "Agreed."

  "How did your father handle what was going on?"

  "He was defiant, but he was helpless. Tim loved having my fa
ther at his mercy. Tim's biggest downfall was his desire for us to know that he was bigger and better than his brother. He wanted to talk to us. He wanted to tell us everything. And he wanted to set that timer so we could watch our lives slip away minute by minute. But I knew the longer it took for him to kill us, the better chance we had."

  "You were right."

  "I was lucky that you were there," she corrected. "I don't think we would have been able to survive if you hadn't come." She paused as Emi came toward them.

  "Both women have been found," Emi said. "They're deceased. The EMTs are bringing them out now."

  She felt a conflicting range of emotions at that piece of information.

  As the paramedics brought the first gurney down the drive, she knew she had to see the face for herself. She walked over to the ambulance, with Quinn on her heels, asking the EMT to wait. She wanted to ID the body.

  The paramedic warned her that it was bad, but that didn't deter her.

  "Show me," she ordered.

  He pulled the sheet back.

  She sucked in a breath as she looked at the burned face and body that was almost unrecognizable.

  "It's Lauren," Quinn said quietly. "She was wearing that necklace."

  The sliver of gold was one of the few things that had not burned.

  Quinn put a hand on her shoulder, leaning in close. "I'm sorry you didn't get to do it yourself," he whispered.

  His words would have sounded strange to anyone but her. But he knew how much she'd wanted to confront the person who had killed their baby. Lauren had certainly had a hand in that. So had Donovan.

  "Ma'am?" the paramedic said, giving her a questioning look.

  She nodded.

  The EMT pulled up the sheet. As the next body was brought out, she shook her head and moved away from the ambulance. She didn't need to see anyone else's face.

  Quinn took her hand in his. She looked into his eyes, seeing the question there. "It's enough," she said.

  "Really?" He gave her a doubtful look.

  "Yes. There has been so much violence, so much death. Lauren can't hurt anyone ever again. Neither will Tim or Allison. Donovan's plan has finally been extinguished. And I am tired of all of it." Her eyes blurred with tears as she saw the compassion in his gaze. "I'm not going to cry."

  "You can if you want to."

  "I'm a tough FBI agent now."

  "Maybe later then."

  "Or maybe not. I've shed way too many tears. I thought I needed to confront the person who killed our baby in order to let go of the pain, but I think maybe I just needed to confront myself. I needed to stop blaming myself for going into that building, for not protecting my daughter."

  "You've been blaming yourself all this time, Caitlyn?" he asked in shock. "That is so wrong. You were a victim."

  "Intellectually, I know that, but it has been hard to feel it."

  He cupped the back of her head and pulled her in for a kiss, then he said, "You have brought down all the bad guys. You have gotten justice for Isabella. I hope you can let go of the pain now."

  "I think maybe I can," she said with a teary smile.

  "Everything okay over here?" Emi asked, as she rejoined them. "Do either of you need to see a medic?"

  "Quinn needs to go to the hospital," she said. "He broke his hand."

  "I don't need to go now," Quinn protested.

  "You do. And I will meet you there. It looks like my mom and brother have just arrived, and I need to speak to them." She gave him a questioning look. "Is that okay?"

  His smile was filled with understanding. "It's fine. I'll see you later. Take your time."

  Emi walked Quinn over to the ambulance. As they left, she joined her family on the sidewalk. They hugged each other for long minutes, and then her mom's gaze swept worriedly across her face. "You're so dirty, Caitlyn. Are you hurt anywhere?"

  "I'm fine, thanks to Quinn. He saved my life; Dad's, too."

  "That's what your father said. I'm shocked he would do that."

  "Quinn did it for Caitlyn," her father replied.

  "And for you, too. That's the kind of man he is. You misjudged him horribly, Dad."

  "I'm beginning to realize that."

  "You are?" her mom asked in amazement.

  "I am," her father said, meeting her gaze. "I have a lot of apologizing to do to both of you. Where is Quinn?"

  "He's on his way to the hospital. I think he broke his hand."

  "Then I'll talk to him later." He paused. "I'm going to do better, Caitlyn, not just with Quinn, with Carlson Industries. My most important job is to protect my family, and I haven't done it very well. You asked me to call off the gala, and I refused. I was so caught up in the idea that I could control everything that I couldn't see what was happening."

  "You didn't want to bow to terrorists, but sometimes you have to listen to the smart people around you who are trying to keep you safe."

  "You're right."

  "Dad said that the guy in charge is dead, that you shot him," Spencer said.

  "I did."

  "She was amazing," her dad put in. "So courageous and unbelievably determined. I still don't know how you got free from that pipe, Caitlyn, or how you got Tim's gun and took a shot with your hands in cuffs."

  "I just did what I was trained to do. And believe it or not, I am rather good at my job."

  "I believe it. You don't have to convince me." He looked at his wife and son. "You both would have been impressed. Caitlyn worked that guy to get information, to keep him talking until help could come. She is one hell of an FBI agent."

  She couldn't help but appreciate the pride in his voice. "I'm sorry I had to prove it to you in this way."

  "Is it over now?" Spencer asked. "Or is there more to come?"

  "It's over."

  "Thank God," her mother said. "But our home…"

  They all turned toward the fire that had ravaged the house.

  "I can't believe it's all gone," her mom added, sadness in her voice. "It was our home, our life."

  "Our life is with each other," her father said. "We'll rebuild or we'll move somewhere else. Whatever you want."

  "I can't think," her mom said.

  "You don't have to decide now," he told her.

  "You should all go back to the hotel or maybe to Spencer's place," she suggested.

  "Don't be silly," her mom said sharply. "I've already called Baxter. We'll go there. Spencer's place is small and not very clean."

  "It's not that bad," Spencer protested.

  "Still."

  As Rob approached her parents, Spencer pulled her slightly away from them. "I'm glad you're all right, Caitlyn. I was very worried. I have to ask—did they try to tell you I was involved again?"

  "Tim said he was setting you up to look like the bomber, the mastermind of all of this."

  "That's what Quinn thought was happening, but it's crazy."

  "I don't think the plan would have held together in the end, but they were working it hard."

  "You don't believe I tried to kill you, right?"

  "Not for a second; I never did. I know who all the bad guys are now, Spencer, and you are not one of them."

  Relief flooded his gaze. "Good." He gave her a smile. "So, do you think Mom will rebuild the house exactly the way it was?"

  "Probably," she said with a grin.

  "I know I complained about nothing ever changing, but now I hope she rebuilds it exactly the same way."

  "Me, too."

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Two hours later, Caitlyn walked into the elevator at the Vanguard Hotel with Quinn. It was almost midnight. She was exhausted but also hyped up. So much had happened. She was still trying to process everything.

  After her parents had been picked up by Baxter and Lana, Spencer had headed to his place, and she'd ridden to the hospital with Emi, who had filled her in on what she'd missed at the gala and the tower. It still amazed her that Tim had been able to organize so many attacks in such a short time
, proving just how dangerous he had been. She was more than happy to know he was dead.

  As they entered their hotel room, she blew out a breath of relief. "I feel like a hundred years have passed since we were in this room."

  "I know what you mean," Quinn said, giving her a tired smile.

  "We're both filthy." Her dress was ripped, and she was covered in ash and dirt. Quinn's appearance was even more battered after his fight with Tim and his broken hand, which was now in a cast.

  "We're alive," Quinn said. "That's what matters."

  She took a seat on the end of the bed and kicked off the tennis shoes that Emi had generously pulled out of the gym bag in her car. Her heels had been lost somewhere between the hotel and her parents' house.

  Quinn pulled two bottles of water out of the fridge and handed her one.

  She took a grateful sip, her throat parched from the smoke she'd inhaled.

  Quinn emptied his bottle with a couple of long thirsty gulps, then set it down and sat next to her. He slid his right hand into hers. "It's over, babe."

  "I can't quite believe it," she admitted, setting her water bottle aside. "Finding the truth has driven me every single day of the last ten years. It will be strange to wake up tomorrow and not have to wonder who was responsible for the bomb that killed Isabella and almost took my life. Every day, I've thought of that blast. I've been obsessed with finding the truth, with getting justice."

  "You've done that. Now you have to find a way to let the past go."

  "I want to do that. I suspect it will take some time. A lot of work will need to be done to untangle the plots from ten years ago and last week. But after that…"

  He smiled. "Then you'll let it go."

  "Yes. What about you? How do you feel about everything?"

  "I wasn't as focused on finding the truth as you were these past ten years. I thought I'd gotten my revenge when Donovan went off that mountain."

  "He was the bomber. Even if he did have second thoughts about killing us, he killed Isabella and the custodian. He injured a bunch of other people. He was guilty. You weren't wrong about that."

  "But his evil didn't die with him. Lauren had Donovan's plans, and when she met Tim, she saw a chance to find glory for herself. I think it always bothered her that Donovan used her but didn't really respect her. She also hated that everyone in the group abandoned her when she divorced Vinnie. I suspect that played into her motives, too. But she was clearly out of her mind."