Where had she gone? Was she alright? Nick left the police station in the early morning, his nerves still vibrating with the same overwhelming fear that had hit him the second he woke up alone the day before. She was gone, just gone. He jumped in his car and ripped out of the parking lot too fast.
He had promised Jerry, and then Cora, that he’d keep her safe. How did he let this happen?
Nick wasn’t sure which prospect frightened him more: that Alexander had found them and stole her away, or that she took off on her own, into the wilderness with no way to defend herself and no map. He’d searched, yelled, searched, and yelled some more, even though Alexander might have heard.
Alexander didn’t show up. That most likely meant he hadn’t heard.
At least the police would be looking for her. That might make her mad, and probably made him a suspect, but he was not risking her safety.
His feelings for her seemed to grow with each breath he took. He gripped the steering wheel in anger. He had to stay focused if he was going to find her again.
He headed to Keith’s house, dreading it yet knowing it was his best lead. Thinking back, he wondered what he could have done differently, but the other options just wouldn’t have worked out. He had kept Cora safe, at least until she disappeared. Nice. Now she was might be going rogue and planning to save her father from Keith…but what if…what if Jerry had embezzled that money? He could be as crooked as Keith.
Nick had originally planned to get Cora away from his family, hide her away, and then call the police to investigate and sort out who did what. It would have worked if Alexander hadn’t followed them that first night. That would have kept both Cora and her father safe, but it hadn’t worked out that way. Now he needed to right the situation. Even if Cora never spoke to him again, he would get her out of this alive.
He pulled up to the gate and waited for it to open.
“Show time,” Nick muttered, pulling together his courtroom persona: cool confidence, but not to an offending degree. He worked his shoulders, relaxing them, and then let the tension out of the rest of his body. He refused to let any nervousness show through.
He parked outside the garage and went inside to Keith’s office. He knocked and opened the door, almost in one motion, so he’d catch Keith off guard. As expected, Keith’s brothers were present, sitting two chairs pulled back toward opposite walls. Keith stood, leaning back against his desk.
“I don’t think Alexander’s following your plan.” Nick caught Keith’s attention.
“And you are?” Keith pulled in a drag from his cigarette and watched Nick while squinting in the smoke. He knew Nick had bashed Alexander’s head in, and he might know Nick reported Cora missing. “We have Jerry here, and I’m sure Alexander has Cora under control.” Keith snuffed out his smoke and lit another before sitting down.
Nick knew it, too. “Alexander set Jerry up just to get his hands on Cora.”
Michael and John exchanged skeptical looks. They seemed to be enjoying the show. Nick feared he wouldn’t be able to convince his father, or his uncles. The three brothers looked related by their similar features, but their ever-thirsty greed truly held them together. The Holloways had secrets like every family, but their secrets got people hurt. Killed.
He tried anyway. “You’re all aware of how close Alexander kept to Jerry.”
“Well, of course,” Keith said, “Alexander recommended I hire Jerry, said he’d follow orders and keep quiet.”
This new information stopped Nick in his tracks. He was amazed that they had the incriminating proof right in front of them, yet they disregarded it. Counting the facts on his fingers, Nick rattled off, “Alexander brought Jerry in. Alexander accused Jerry. Alexander supplied the plan to take Cora as incentive. He wanted to take her out in the mountains.”
“So what?” Keith broke in, “What does that mean to us?”
“Isn’t it clear to you that Alexander planned to frame Jerry to get his hands on Cora?”
“That’s Cora’s problem. She wouldn’t be in this mess if her father were honest.”
Like Keith could recognize honest. Nick clenched his fist to control his temper. “Do you care that Alexander stole your million dollars?”
A chilling look washed over Keith’s face. A murderous look.
Nick kept going. “You have an innocent man held hostage downstairs.”
Keith coolly stared at his son while John and Michael stiffened in their leather chairs.
“We’re going to find Alexander, one way or another, and hear what he has to say,” John said. “Maybe you should get back with the program and help us.”
Nick remained quiet, but Keith said, “We don’t need to go looking for him. Either Cora will show up here again, looking for Jerry, or Alexander will hand deliver her.”
Keith’s words ran up Nick’s spin like a cold knife blade. Knowing that he needed to bluff, he waited a long minute and said, “So we wait for them to show up here. Then what?”
Keith stood up from leaning on the desk. “You’ve been disrespecting us for some time, but I still gave you one job to do. Look how that turned out.” He walked past Nick to the door and opened it. “We’ll let you know when there’s something you can do.”
Nick left the room and Keith shut the door behind him. He could try to eavesdrop, but that wouldn’t help him find Cora.
Was it possible that he misread the look in her eyes? Could a woman kiss like that and not mean it? Was she afraid of him, along with his family?
He drove away, wondering where to look. Her apartment was empty still. Cora was too smart to endanger anyone else, so that didn’t leave many choices.
His cell rang. He wouldn’t have answered calls from very many people just then. However, it was Adam.
“Hey bro,” Adam greeted. “Where are you? I’ve been trying to reach you.”
“I’m driving... I’m surprised I haven’t spotted someone following me yet.” Nick glanced in his mirrors and let out a heavy sigh. “I didn’t take my phone in when I talked to King Kong and his thugs.”
King Kong had been their nickname for Keith when they were kids.
“You were there?”
“Just now. Why?”
“I went there last night, looking for you, and Alexander stopped by.”
Damn it! They had lied to his face. Of course Alexander beat him there. “Cora?”
Nick yanked the steering wheel and drove the car over to the curb, realizing he wasn’t watching the road at all.
“Alexander sounded sure that Cora’s going to show up there Friday morning.”
“How could he know what Cora’s planning to do.... unless she’s with him. Great, just great.” Nick punched the steering wheel. “So, Alexander is bringing Cora to Keith. Why is he waiting? Did he try to make a deal with Keith?”
“That’s where I’m confused. Listen, man, I couldn’t get the whole picture, but what I understood was bad. I heard Alexander tell Keith ‘make sure she sees it. I’ll get her out of there and get you the key.’ I’m not sure what it is.”
“Can’t be good. I’m going in tomorrow morning. You with me?”
The Enemy's Son Page 19
