by Lori Foster
Rowdy considered his options, but the idea of being caught by anyone other than Reese hadn’t crossed his mind. He’d known Reese was at the station, so he thought he’d have time.
He hadn’t counted on his neighbor making that call.
And now the lieutenant had joined them. When the two of them only shared an accusatory stare, Rowdy asked her, “Why are you here?”
“So I need to go first? Fine.” She motioned for Reese to step back. “He’s been cagey, secretive. Before bringing you and your sister in, I thought I’d find out why.” Her gaze went back and forth between the two men. “I didn’t expect to find you here. Are you working with him, then?”
Rowdy didn’t understand her. “Him who?”
“Reese.” She nodded at the file in his hand. “The two of you have joined Morton’s ranks?”
Slowly, Rowdy grinned. “That’s what you think? Seriously?”
Reese didn’t see the humor. “I would have loved to be wrong.”
“You are wrong, Detective.” Her gaze skittered over to him, and her eyes narrowed. “You really believed I’d let you get away with this? Not likely. I’ve known for weeks that you were up to something.”
“He’s been following you.” Rowdy fanned the folder in the air. Because he believed it to be a misunderstanding, he gave her a verbal nudge. “Detective Bareden thinks you’re the one who’s been cozying up with Morton.”
Her delicate jaw clenched. “Never.”
“Bullshit.” Reese took a forceful step toward her, drawing her aim. “You’ve kept your more personal association with Morton under the radar.”
“What personal association?”
To free up his hands, Rowdy dropped the folder onto the nightstand. If anyone started shooting, he had to be ready. “It’s all in there,” he said, hoping to give them a chance to sort out the confusion. “Dates and times documented.”
Slowly, after an impressive visual standoff, the lieutenant lowered her gun. “Seriously, Reese? That’s what you’ve been doing?” She curled her lip in disgust. “All this time you were watching me? My God, are you an idiot?”
Reese frowned at her vehemence. “No.”
“The proof says otherwise.” She holstered her gun. “I detest Morton and his ilk. Yes, I’ve had conversations with the man. But that’s all.”
“Why would you do that?” Rowdy asked.
“He tried to buy my involvement, and we both know what happens to those who deny him. So I met with him. He made veiled offers, and I strung him along. But I gave him nothing.”
“Yes, but you were quite charming,” came another voice, “so I allowed you the ruse.” Morton Andrews stepped into the room. He held a Sig Sauer 9 mm with a silencer attached. Beside him stood another thug, a big, bald, sweating menace, and equally armed.
“Fuck me sideways,” Rowdy said. “Is there a damned turnstile on the door now?” Incredible that so many would come trooping in when he’d thought to be the only one.
“Give it time,” Morton all but purred, “and I can guarantee you will be fucked in every way imaginable.”
“Is that a come-on or a threat?”
Morton laughed.
He’d done what he could to change his appearance, but Rowdy would know those cold, dark eyes anywhere. “Gotta tell you, Morton, you look like shit.”
“It’s temporary.” At his leisure, utterly relaxed, he stood blocking the bedroom door. He smiled at his cohort—who pointed the gun at Rowdy—then addressed the lieutenant. “If my business dealings hadn’t gotten so complicated, I’d have tended to you next.”
At that open threat, Reese tried to step in front of the lieutenant, but Morton wasn’t having it. “Ah-ah, now. None of that.” He aimed his gun at Peterson. “Hand over the weapons, slowly. Place them on the floor and then walk to the other side of the bed. Make one wrong move, and I’ll put a bullet through her brain.”
Reluctantly, both Peterson and Bareden were forced to hand over their weapons. Morton used his foot to kick them across the hardwood floor, out of the bedroom and into the hall. He produced chain-lock handcuffs and tossed them onto the bed. “How convenient that you have a slatted headboard. Put one cuff on your wrist, thread the other through the headboard, and then she can cuff herself to you.”
“On a bed?” Peterson said. “No way.”
Reese gave her a quelling frown. “You wish.”
Morton sighed. “Do it now,” he said as if reciting a boring litany, “or I shoot her in the head. Your choice.”
“Great. Fucking great.” Reese attached the cuff to his left wrist, threaded it through, and raised a brow at Peterson.
“I knew you weren’t dead,” Peterson grumbled while attaching the cuff to her right wrist. They were both forced to sit in the middle of bed, close together. “It couldn’t be that easy to get rid of you.”
“No, not easy at all. I’m here and I’ll be here long after the rest of you are gone.”
Both Morton and his man were watching Reese and Peterson. This might be his only opportunity. Sure, he’d probably get shot, but what did it matter when that’s exactly what Morton intended anyway?
Masking his hatred, Rowdy started to move, and Morton said, “Try it, and after I’ve shot you, I’ll rape her. Detective Bareden can watch.”
Impotent fury brought him to a standstill. Yes, Pepper was his number one priority, but he couldn’t sacrifice another woman so easily.
Morton smiled again. “So the infamous Rowdy Yates is also a gentleman? Who knew?”
“Anyone who’d met him,” Peterson said. “That is, anyone not too dense to see the obvious.”
Reese spoke quickly, probably to keep Morton from reacting. “How do you expect to get out of here?”
The rage in Morton’s gaze subsided. “Don’t look so hopeful, Detective. It’s true, I’m not currently in contact with most of my staff, but hiring a man to guard the entrance of the apartment building was easy enough. Money talks—you should know that by now, given the cops I’ve bought.”
“Not always,” Peterson told him. “You couldn’t buy me.”
“Ah, but you see, those I can’t buy, I destroy.”
“You still have the traffickers to deal with,” Reese pointed out. “After the way you tried to cheat them, they’re not feeling real understanding.”
Peterson rounded on Reese. “You knew about that?”
“Of course.”
Her exaggerated gasp nearly choked her. “But you didn’t see fit to report it to me?”
“I didn’t trust you, if you’ll recall.”
Rowdy could see that Morton disliked losing their attention. He spoke over them to regain center stage. “I’ll be dealing with the traffickers next. They believe I’m dead, so they won’t be expecting me when I show up.”
“Show up?” Rowdy asked.
“After I take over, I’ll reestablish myself under an alias and be more powerful than ever.”
“The traffickers are close enough for you to just drop in, huh?” If they found the resources to get out of here alive, Rowdy would take great pleasure in destroying that operation.
Discounting any interference with his plans, Morton said, “They have absurd accommodations at a ramshackle house down on Third Ave. Filthy, really. Not at all up to my standards.” He shivered as if repulsed. “I’ll enjoy killing them all, but not as much as I’ll enjoy killing you.”
Reese said, “He’s not the one who saw you kill Jack Carmin. All this time, you’ve been chasing the wrong person.”
“Shut up, Reese.” Whatever plan he might be forming, no way in hell did Rowdy want his sister’s name bandied around in front of Morton.
“Had the incompetent fools questioned the reporter before cutting his throat,” Morton muttered, “they’d have known it was his sister, not him, who’d snitched. But no matter. I’m told that Rowdy and Pepper are inseparable. Find one, you find the other.”
Every muscle in Rowdy’s body went taut. “You won’t get anywhere near my si
ster.”
“Actually, men are seeking her right now.”
“You don’t know where she is,” Peterson said. “Even I don’t know.”
“And you would have told me if you did?” he inquired.
“I would have killed you—when the time was right.”
Rowdy knew he’d find a way to destroy Morton with his bare hands before he let him get anywhere near Pepper. If he died in the process, so be it.
*
LOGAN PULLED UP to Reese’s apartment and the first thing he saw was the woman with the midsize black dog held on a leash. She looked toward him, and misgivings kicked him in the gut.
“Something’s not right.”
Pepper looked around. “What is it?”
Just inside the front doors, a burly thug loitered. “They’re here.” He called Dash. Keeping his attention on the area, he said, “Pull up beside me. When I get out, switch over to my truck and get Pepper away from here.”
Without question, Dash said, “You’ve got it.” He pulled up alongside Logan as directed, but Pepper wasn’t so obliging.
She locked both hands on Logan’s arm. “Who’s here? What’s going on?” She looked around the area.
Logan cupped a hand around the back of her neck. “Don’t do that, honey. Just act normal so you don’t draw attention.” He pulled her in for a quick hard kiss. While staring into her eyes, he reminded her, “You trust me. Don’t forget that.”
She nodded, forced her shoulders to relax so that she appeared casual—and didn’t budge. “What’s going on?” she asked calmly. “Tell me who’s here.”
The dog barked, and Logan looked up to see that the woman watched him more closely. “Morton’s goons, or the traffickers, hell I don’t know. But Reese is here, too. That’s his car.”
“You think—”
“No.” Logan shook his head. “Hell, no. Reese might be up to something, but not that. Not ever.”
She searched his face. “You’re sure?”
“Positive.” Reese would never deliberately put a woman in harm’s way, or assist anyone else with that agenda.
“Okay then. If you trust him, I do, too. So I should probably tell you…I see Rowdy’s car.”
Flummoxed, Logan stared at her. “I thought he was going to steal something.”
“He’s not a car thief,” she complained with ire, then she drew a breath. “He kept old beat-up cars, weapons, changes of clothes…everything he or I might need, at the warehouse. That old sedan parked about six or seven cars down? It looks like his.”
So Reese wasn’t alone. Hopefully that meant he had backup—instead of two victims. “If I can get inside, I can work it out.”
Suddenly the woman and dog started toward him. She smiled, waved as if she’d just seen him, and Logan didn’t know what to think.
“Who is that?” Pepper asked with accusation.
“I think she might be Reese’s dog sitter.” When the woman strode over to his side of the car, Logan rolled down the window.
Still smiling, she leaned down to speak to him. “You’re a friend of Detective Bareden’s?”
More than a little confused, Logan said, “I am.”
“You’re a police officer, like him?”
“Yes.”
“I thought so. You have the look.”
Logan had no idea what the look might be.
“Something is going on, so play along, please.” Faking a friendly chat, she leaned on the frame of the window. “There’s been a parade of people going into his apartment. One is a particularly sinister character who has a bodyguard of sorts with him. I don’t think we have a lot of time, so if you want to come with me, I can get you inside. We’ll act like old friends. Does that work?”
Jesus. He didn’t know what to think. “You’re Alice?”
“Yes. I’m a neighbor. Now do you want in or should I try to think of something else?”
Like what? “I do.” Logan turned to Pepper. “You’re going to leave with Dash.”
She licked her lips. “There are probably men around back, as well.”
“I don’t think so,” Alice said. “I took the dog for a walk around the perimeter and didn’t see anything else amiss.”
With effort, Pepper pulled her gaze away from Alice and back to Logan. “I can stay and help—”
“No.”
She spoke in a rush, both urgent and offended. “You promised my brother that you’d stay with me. You promised me. And, Logan, you know you can’t do this alone.”
“I can and I will.” But he hated to let her out of his sight, she was right about that.
Alice said, “If I could offer a suggestion? Bring her in, and she can stay in my apartment with me. It’s secure.”
Secure? An odd word choice for a run-of-the-mill neighbor lady.
She looked over her shoulder at Dash, who pretended to adjust his radio. “He’s with you?”
Unbelievable. “Yeah.”
“He can handle himself?”
“He can,” Logan said.
“Good. He can keep an eye on the bully at the entrance.” She opened his door as if greeting a longtime friend. “Let’s go then.”
Giving her a stern frown, Logan hesitated before getting a gun out of the glove box. He put it in the waistband of his slacks, under his shirt.
“Walk over and greet Pepper,” he told Alice. “Both of you wait by the side of the car for me.”
The dog barked excitedly, and Alice said, “I do believe he’s enjoying himself.” With no apparent cares, she went around the car to carry on an animated faux conversation with Pepper.
Few things really threw Logan for a loop anymore, but he had to admit, Alice had him reeling. He walked to Dash and slipped the gun in to him through the open window. “It’s loaded, so be careful.” He’d be left without a weapon, but he could improvise.
Dash rested the gun over his thigh and lifted a brow. “Who am I supposed to shoot? The gorilla up front there?”
“If necessary, yes.” Briefly, he explained Alice and her dubious plan. “I’m going in. Pepper will wait in Alice’s apartment with her while I check on Reese.”
“And kick ass—if necessary?”
Yeah, if it came to it, with or without a gun, he’d demolish all threats, because that’s what it’d take to keep Pepper safe. “If this setup goes south…” shit, shit, shit “…get Pepper away from here. Preferably across state lines. Then you can go to the police. But not here.” There were too many unanswered questions, and he didn’t know who to trust.
Dash clasped his arm. “Much as I’m enjoying the adrenaline rush, I’ll enjoy it more if you come out of this whole-hide.”
“Count on it.” He looked over at Alice, who alternately played with the dog and treated Pepper like a long-lost friend.
Other than appearing a little shell-shocked, Pepper played along well enough.
Best to just get it over with.
Pasting on a huge smile, he joined the ladies, and together they strode back into the building. He kept the women on his right, away from the jackass guarding the door. Except for an appreciative look at Pepper, the man barely gave them any attention until the dog started snarling at him.
Like a cool, seasoned pro, Alice said, “Cash, behave.” After stroking the dog’s head, she smiled at the guard. “Sorry. He’s usually well mannered.”
The guard gave her a dismissive nod.
A minute later, Logan saw the ladies safely ensconced in Alice’s apartment. Pepper wore an empty look, twisting his guts in a sick knot of dread.
“None of that,” he told her.
She looked at him, nodded, but he could see what it cost her to find her grit.
Alice said, “One moment, please.” She offered the leash to Pepper.
Absently, Pepper stroked the dog with a gentle hand, but her expression turned feral. “I don’t like this. If anyone has hurt my brother—”
“The guard wouldn’t be there if that was the case,” Logan
told her. “I still have time.”
“You aren’t armed,” Pepper argued.
“He will be.” At the hall closet Alice went on tiptoe to retrieve a box. She took out a revolver and handed it over to Logan. “Don’t worry. I have another in my bedroom. We’ll be safe enough.”
Reese had said she was strange. Well, he couldn’t have been more correct. “Get the gun now.” He wanted to see it in her hands before he left.
While Alice left to do that, Pepper watched him take off his hard-soled shoes and set them on the floor. Next he stripped off his dress shirt and pulled his T-shirt free from his slacks.
Carrying a Glock, Alice reentered but faltered when she saw him removing his shirt. “What are you doing?”
“Preparing,” Pepper said, grim-faced. “He needs to be unhindered, and he has to be able to get in there unannounced.”
Logan put the gun in his waistband.
“Do you need a knife, too?” Pepper asked.
“I don’t want to cut his throat, honey.” He pulled his T-shirt over the gun.
After giving the leash back to Alice, she went about checking the locks on the windows and closing the drapes.
“I already got the windows in the bedroom and bathroom,” Alice told her.
“We’ll dead bolt the door behind you.” Pepper checked the lock and nodded in approval. “As Alice said, it looks sturdy. And don’t worry, I’m not opening the door to anyone I don’t know.”
Seeing she had more to say, Logan waited.
“We won’t interfere, but, Logan…”
She braced her shoulders and her courage, as he knew she’d had to do too many times in her life.
Touching her soft, warm cheek, he said, “Try not to worry, honey. You have my word, I’ll do everything in my power to see that Rowdy isn’t hurt.”
Lips trembling, she knotted a hand in his T-shirt. “Damn you, Logan.”
It amazed him that one woman had become so precious to him. On the off chance he failed, he wouldn’t walk away without her knowing. “I love you.”
Her eyes flared and her hand fell away from him. “What…?”
“I love you.” Smiling, he said, “Think about that while I’m gone, okay?”
And with that parting shot, he left.
