“What’s changed? They all still live in Key West. In fact, I hear they’re multiplying like rabbits.”
Wexler cleared his throat and straightened his tie. “Be that as it may, the job shouldn’t take but a few weeks. Your brothers won’t even know you’re in town.”
Resting his hands on his hips, Jonas cursed beneath his breath. “And Linus? Anybody working on him?”
“The first two agents we sent in to replace you didn’t move up the ranks in the organization as quickly as you had, and they were pulled out. The agent currently stationed there has made greater progress, but she hasn’t gained access to the compound where the auction is rumored to be taking place.”
“Philip Linus is a suspicious man with good reason. What makes you so sure he’ll rehire me?”
Placing his briefcase on the floor, Wexler bent to open it and pulled out a thin file. He handed it to Jonas. “Five years ago, a bounty hunter caught up with your alias Jonas Smith and took him to jail on an outstanding warrant. You were sent to prison where you beat up a guard and landed in solitary confinement. After serving a five-year sentence, you’re out on probation looking for employment.”
Jonas flipped through the file without really seeing what he was looking at. “And if I happen to bump into my brothers, will I be yanked out of there again?”
Wexler picked up his briefcase and held it in front of him. “They may pull you out, but it’s unlikely. Time is of the essence on this, and it’s the one thing we don’t have.”
Jonas nodded and closed the folder.
Wexler hesitated as if he was deciding how to frame his next words. “Do me a favor though?”
“What’s that?”
Voices filtered in from the hall and they both glanced at the door. The Inquisition was coming.
“Promise me you’ll try to resist entanglements of any kind. The more you keep your distance from people, the easier your job will be.”
Jonas’ stomach clenched. Did Wexler know about his brief involvement with April Linus? No, that was impossible. “Don’t worry.” Jonas tucked the folder under his arm. “I know how to keep my distance from people.”
“Good. I’ll inform The Agency. You’ll leave for Key West tomorrow.”
Chapter Three
April reapplied her lipstick in the passenger-side visor mirror as Juan grumbled about having to wake up so early to driver her across town to her father’s house. She’d chosen the lipstick, a bold shade of red called “Fierce,” because it usually gave her an extra boost of confidence when she needed it. She’d carefully chose the cosmetics and casual up-do to revive the five-year-old Armani dress. She’d sold off most of her clothes from her old life, but the light pink jacquard knit with its flirty pleated mini skirt and plunging U-neck had been one of her favorites. It was slightly too large on her frame, but she still had to tape the open neckline to prevent a slip. Fashion usually didn’t fail her, but her confidence was a different story.
April flipped the visor up and closed her eyes as she leaned back in the seat. “Take it easy on the turns. I don’t feel so well.”
“You better not toss your cookies on my Italian leather seats.”
April peeled an eyelid open. “You drive a Honda Civic, and the seats aren’t even leather.”
“Why are you sick?” He glanced over at her. Juan may have crawled out of bed thirty minutes ago, but he’d made time to put on his eyelashes and gel his hair. His lightly shadowed jaw made him even more darkly gorgeous. His eyes widened. “You haven’t been riding the phony pony, have you? Chica, have you been seeing someone behind my back?”
“Like I have time for that.”
“You never know.” He stifled a yawn with the back of his hand. “Ahh! Who schedules a meeting at seven frickin’ AM?”
“We’re lucky my father agreed to see me at all.” The thought of returning to Casa Linus, the home she grew up in, and knocking on the door like stranger made her want to vomit.
April had dragged her feet for the past week while Carly and Juan searched for alternative solutions. After the way she’d left things with her father four years ago, he was the last person she would dreamed of asking for a loan. But if pride was the only thing holding her back, she would set it aside and easily agreed to approach him. How could she tell her friends that swimming in shark infested waters would be less dangerous than borrowing money from Philip Linus without revealing the truth about his alternate ego? As Carly and Juan spiraled into despair, she scraped together her courage and made the call to set up the appointment.
“Don’t get me wrong.” Juan fanned himself. “Me and Carly, we’re really grateful. You know that, Mama Kitty?”
“I do. I just wish there was another way.”
When they turned onto Casa Linus’ long driveaway, her stomach twisted into a knot. A new stone fence had been installed around the perimeter of the property. It was so tall it totally blocked the view of the beautiful landscaped grounds that was once visible from the main road. A large, medieval style gate with brutal-looking spikes now blocked the entry. High-tech cameras pointed at the car and a black speaker box with no buttons was planted by the driver’s side door.
Juan turned to April for guidance but all of this was new to her.
She shrugged and leaned forward as he lowered his window. “Hello? Is anyone there?” She waited for a response and then waited a bit more. She was just about to give up and try something else when the speaker came on.
“Can I help you?” The low and gritty male voice had a slight southern accent. It was vaguely familiar, like déjà vu, a memory but not a memory and it made the tiny hairs on her arms stand up.
Jonas wasn’t here. He couldn’t be. He was in Europe, somewhere far-far-away from Key West and Casa Linus. He’d quit working for her father the night she foolishly persuaded him to have sex with her. Her face heated as a viewfinder reel of explicit images flashed through her brain.
At first, she’d thought her father had somehow found out about her and Jonas and made him disappear. But a few months into her pregnancy at a Thanksgiving gathering at Molly’s house, she overheard Anders’ brother Jimmy talking to his wife Sophie about how he’d heard from Jonas who was working on a job in Germany. April didn’t know how long Jimmy and Jonas had been friends, but Jonas had helped him when Sophie was searching for her missing father. April had been so relieved to know Jonas was alive and well she came into the room sobbing with relief to Jimmy’s dismay. When she eventually pulled herself together, she blamed her outburst on a stubbed toe and pregnancy hormones.
The voice at the other end of the speaker couldn’t possibly belong to Jonas because no one quit working for Philip Linus and got their job back. Her father simply did not believe in giving people second chances. She was foolishly hoping he would be willing to make an exception for his own daughter, but deep down she knew she was wasting her time.
Juan nudged her leg and she realized she’d been staring at the speaker box way too long. “Um, y-yes. This is April Linus. I have an appointment with my father.”
Silence met her on the other end of the speaker. April glanced at Juan. He shrugged and opened his mouth to say something when the buzzer buzzed and the gate opened.
April sat forward and tucked her hands beneath her legs so Juan wouldn’t see they were trembling.
He parked on the horseshoe drive in front of Casa Linus’ white-columned portico. As April gazed out the passenger side window at the looming stucco mansion where she grew up, a warm feeling took the edge off her nerves. Philip Linus had built the house to impress his friends, and he didn’t do anything halfway. His Cornucopia Hotels and Resorts had the same lush tropical oasis feel and same five-star swagger, but for April, Casa Linus had always simply been home.
“No need to strangle the cow, it’s already dead.”
“What?” April followed his gaze to the leather clutch purse she grasped in her lap. “Oh.” She loosened the vice grip she had on it and gave him a shaky smil
e.
“Should I come with you?”
“No,” she said quickly. “Wait in the car. It’ll be better if I speak to him alone.”
“Mama Kitty?” Juan caught her arm when she reached for the door handle. “You don’t have to do this. Carly and I will find the money some other way.”
“No. You’re running out of time. I have to do this for you. Let me.”
“Then breathe, Chica. You got this.” Juan kissed the corner of her mouth. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
It felt odd ringing the bell, but she concentrated on breathing as she stood in front of the French doors waiting for the maid to answer.
“Mr. Linus will join you shortly in the lanai.” The young maid was new or at least new to April. Her nametag said Elise. “Would you like me to show you the way?”
“I know it. Thank you.” Distracted by the flood of memories that came rushing back to her, April didn’t glance her way as she walked off. The house looked exactly the same as it did on the day she’d left and felt as if she’d just been gone for a few hours instead of years. The white marble art-deco style staircase across from the entrances still curled like a half moon up to the second floor. The custom-made saltwater fish tank, which followed the left side of the stairs up, still looked out over the white marble living room and white leather sofas. They were the comfiest in the house, but Courtney freaked if anyone sat on them for too long. The dining room was off to the right where the same sixteen seat dining table stood perpetually dressed for company. The water color painting of a Key West sunset still hung over the serving table. It was one of the few traces of the first Mrs. Linus her stepmother Courtney hadn’t wiped out when she redecorated. April had wondered if it was because Courtney didn’t know Hope Linus was the artist who painted it.
April passed through the living room and headed toward the rear of the house. It was too quiet for a household with two little girls under the age of 6. Her stepmother Courtney couldn’t still be a late sleeper, could she?
April stepped through the open sliding glass doors and stopped short. Her father sat at the head of a twelve-seat outdoor dining table reading The New York Times. His cell phone lay face down beside a cup of steaming hot coffee and an untouched croissant. Her stomach dropped like it rode a free fall rollercoaster.
Then, suddenly, she was fourteen again and comforted to see her father back at his usual routine after returning from an extended business trip. At five-foot-four, Philip Linus was barely a hundred and forty pounds in his shoes. His neatly trimmed hair was mostly gray, but he was still a fit and handsome man for fifty-four. April had his nose and his petite bone structure, but she took after her mother in every other way. She knew he was Albatross and just the thought of that terrified her, but the exterior shell belonged to the man she’d loved since she was born.
Daddy. As the word filtered through her mind, warmth spread from her core. She took two steps toward him before she caught herself. What was she doing? She wasn’t a child anymore and she couldn’t run to him for a hug like she used to do.
She crossed her hands over her clutch purse and glanced back toward the house. “Are Courtney and the children home?”
“They’re spending the week at Disney World with her Mommy’s club. They’ll be back on Friday.”
“That sounds nice. I’d like to take Archie to Disney one day.”
He lowered the newspaper and went about folding it using its original folds. “Yes, well. What that really means is the children are spending the week at the parks with their nannies while the mommies spend it relaxing at the hotel pool with several bottles of wine.” He set the folded paper aside, and his flintily gray eyes examined her. “You look tired.”
The sympathy in his voice made her heart hurt. She was trembling, she couldn’t help that, but she could ignore it. “I’ve stayed up late this past week studying for mid-terms, but they’re over now.”
He reached for his coffee cup and took a tentative sip. “Courtney mentioned you’re completing your degree at an online university.” He said online as if the word was distasteful in his mouth.
“Yes. If all goes well, I’ll be graduating this December.” Living on a small island, she couldn’t avoid bumping into her stepmother and stepsisters from time to time. Courtney always asked her a million questions, but April never thought she would report back to her father.
“Did you do well on your exams?”
She raised her chin a notch. “I haven’t gotten my grades back yet, but I think so.”
He gestured to the table. “Sit.”
She sat in the chair to his right and tried not to fidget under the scrutiny of his iron gaze.
“What did you want to see me about, April?
His cold tone made her ill.
Moistening her dry lips, she longed for a glass of water or something cold to quench her thirst. “Well, you see, um, I’m not here for myself—”
“Of course, you’re not.”
April rested her purse on the table and sat on her shaking hands again. “My friends mean a lot to me, and they’re in trouble. They borrowed money from a Miami loan shark who is demanding they pay the balance in full by the end of this week. They just need a few more months until the season picks up and they’ll have the money, but the loan shark is being unreasonable.”
“That’s why they’re called sharks.” Philip leaned back in his swivel chair. “How much money do your friends need?”
Her mouth tasted like cotton balls. “Fifty thousand dollars.”
“I see.” His expression revealed nothing. “And you’ve already gone to your friends? Molly MacBain married money, didn’t she?”
“Her husband is rich, but she didn’t marry him for his money.”
“Of course not.” An amused smile tugged the corner of his mouth. “Let me guess, you didn’t ask Molly for help because you don’t want to burden her with your friends’ problems?”
He was scarily accurate, but then, he knew her so well. She nodded.
“You always did care too much about other people.” He sat forward and reached across the table to cover her hand with his own. His palm was solid and warm and the heat sank into her bones like a good hug. “Still, these friends of yours must mean a lot to you if you’re willing to put your pride aside to ask me for assistance after I disowned you.”
Emotion choked her throat. As she struggled against it, a couple of tears leaked from her eyes. One day her father would go to prison for the crimes he committed as Albatross, and she would be totally alone in the world except for Archie and that terrified her. She hadn’t realized how much she yearned for his touch and the security she’d once felt as a child when she was surrounded by her parent’s love in the safety of their home.
He squeezed her hand gently. “I said some harsh words that day and I regret them. I’ve always wanted what was best for you. I still do.”
She couldn’t do this. She needed to move the conversation back to the reason she was there. “I came to ask you for a loan because you’re our last hope.”
He withdrew his hand and picked up his coffee cup. “You seem distressed to be here, but you came anyway because your friends asked you to and you couldn’t say no.”
“I made the decision to come. They didn’t force me.”
He lifted the cup of coffee and took a sip.
April gazed at it with longing.
“You wouldn’t have come here if your friends weren’t in trouble.”
She shook her head. “No, I wouldn’t.”
The cell phone on the table buzzed with a notification alert. He picked up the device and read the message. “I have a proposition for you,” he said, typing a short reply.
The spark of hope made her sit up straighter.
“I’ll loan your friends the money, but I want something in return.”
The flare grew brighter. “What is it?”
“I want you to move home to Casa Linus. Of course, you’ll have u
nlimited use of your Porsche and your Amex Black Card for as long as you stay.”
“Move here? I couldn’t possibly do that. I have Archie.”
“I’d like Archie to come with you. I want to get to know my grandson.”
Her brain held up a big fat stop sign, but outwardly she remained calm. “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“That’s unfortunate. I’m sorry we couldn’t reach an agreement. Have a nice day.”
He pulled back his chair preparing to stand.
“Wait.” She swallowed hard. “We’ll visit for a month.”
“Six months.”
“No.” She shook her head. “That’s too long.”
He stood.
“Two months, and Archie stays with my friends. He can visit on the weekends.”
“Three months. Archie moves here with you full time. And if you both stay for the entire length of our agreement, I’ll set up a trust fund to pay for his college education. You would be the trustee, of course.”
He had her there. It was spooky his ability to zero in on the thing a person desired most, but that’s what made him such a savvy business man. One of her biggest worries was that she would never be able to save up enough money to send Archie to college. But accepting her father’s offer could mean gambling with Archie’s life. Philip Linus’ world was a ticking time bomb. At any moment the FBI could swoop in and raid the house or Albatross’ enemies could come calling.
The cell phone on the table began to ring. A shrill, old timey rotary phone ringtone he’d had forever. A wistful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her father had been living a double life for at least the past five years and probably much longer than that. What was three more months? The odds were in her favor that it would be business as usual at Casa Linus, and she and Archie would be safe behind the enormous stone walls that surrounded the estate. Not to mention the armed security team that patrolled the premises. April had only to agree to live in luxury for the next three month and her friend’s problem would be solved, and Arche would have a free college education. The answer sounded like a no-brainer.
Passion Punch Page 4
