Deadly Hunt

by Margaret Daley

  Shane wrapped his arms around Tess, tugging her until she pressed against him. His mouth came down to claim hers completely. He hadn't kissed a woman since Elena, and the sensations Tess created in him rocked him to his core. Suddenly, he didn't want to go to the party. He wanted to spend the evening alone with Tess, getting to know her even better. Her embrace enveloped him, and he imagined their hearts beating as one.

  Someone cleared a throat. The sound irritated him, and he wanted whoever was in the foyer with them to leave, but reality intruded. Tess pulled away. She straightened and stepped to the side as if nothing had happened between them. Only the flush of her cheeks remained to indicate she'd enjoyed the kiss as much as he had.

  He didn't want her to leave after the decision on the merger was announced, but Nick had told him today he'd found two excellent bodyguards who could take over as soon as he was ready. He'd been working on this merger for almost a year, and now he wished he could delay the decision a few more days.

  Turning slowly, he composed himself and faced his head of security, who was their driver to the party. "You're right on time. We're ready. Let's get this over with."

  He offered Tess his arm and escorted her to the double front doors. He saw the puzzled look Nick had tossed at him and thought about saying he was preparing for his role as Tess's date. Nick knew him better than that.

  When Shane settled into the back of the limousine, he slid a glance toward Tess who had slipped into her bodyguard mode—alert, assessing her environment, focused on her job. He should be happy about that. One part of him was, but another part wished this was a normal date and that he and Tess could enjoy the evening as a true couple.

  She shifted toward him, her purse in her lap with her hand covering her bag. He studied her expression in the soft lighting. It revealed nothing of what she was thinking. Not anything like when she'd been on the staircase. He released a long breath.

  "In a few hours this will be over," she said, all business now. "I'll be right beside you the whole evening. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

  Although her tone was businesslike, there was a hint of something beneath her words. Concern? Regret? "I know. But you'll have to relax and play the part of my date."

  "Don't worry. I will."

  #

  An hour later on the edge of a small ballroom, Tess watched the crowd and Shane. It reminded her of a jammed marketplace she'd visited in Spain where her client was nearly kidnapped. Too many people, too much noise. And while being vigilant about her surroundings, she had to act like she was in love with Shane. Truth was, that last part wasn't that difficult. Watching Shane was easy. Tearing her eyes away to focus on the crowd—that was the hard part. But Shane's life was in the balance, and she wouldn't risk him by giving into the feelings churning her stomach.

  Lord, help me do what needs to be done.

  Shane leaned toward her ear and whispered, "Here comes Dale Mason, the president, and Chase Temple, one of the board members who doesn't want to merge with DDI."

  She'd memorized the looks of the main players in this merger. She'd already seen and met Mark Collins. Anthony Revell was across the room, occasionally throwing a glance Shane's way. No love lost there.

  "I haven't seen Ben Smith yet," he continued. "Surely he'll be here."

  Tess curled her arm around Shane and pressed close to him as if she were enthralled with every word he said. She was playing her part.

  Not true. I am enthralled, and that's the problem.

  "Ah, I see Ben in the entrance with his wife," Shane said.

  Chase and Dale stopped in front of them, and Shane smiled at them. Tess was impressed at how well he carried his façade. Most people couldn't smile at a man they suspected might've been trying to kill them.

  Chase Temple was a large man, built like a linebacker, and he blocked Tess's view of the rest of the guests.

  A frown marred the president of Virtual Technologies' face. "We need to talk to you." He looked at Tess, then back at Shane. "In private. Something has come to our attention."

  When Shane stiffened, Tess squeezed his arm then slipped her hand away. "I can leave you three alone right now." Then she leaned close and whispered, "I won't be far away, keeping my eye on you."

  Shane turned partly away from the two gentlemen and gave Tess a quick kiss on her cheek near her ear. "Dale is the one person on DDI's side."

  Before she moved away, Dale Mason said, "We'll go into my library, Shane. I don't want anyone overhearing us."

  Shane threw her a glance then smiled at the two men. Tess could tell it was forced, because his eyes didn't light up as they usually did when he genuinely grinned.

  "Gentlemen, I'm at your disposal."

  Tess forged her way through the fifty guests toward the entrance, so she could watch which room the trio entered. The layout of the house Nick had given her indicated a study, but not a library. Were they the same room?

  Near the doorway into the corridor, Chase said something to Shane and Dale, then excused himself and made his way toward Ben Smith about ten feet off to the side. Strange. With the absence of Chase, Tess relaxed a little. She exited the ballroom and hurried across the hall, where she entered the powder room. She immediately spun around and cracked the door open to watch the president and Shane head down the hallway. When they disappeared, around the corner, she came out of the restroom and quickened her step after the pair. She rounded the corner as a door closed at the end of the corridor.

  Nick came up behind her. "I saw you take off. What's happening?"

  "Shane went with Dale Mason. The man wants to talk with him about a concern. My first impulse is to barge into the room, but that wouldn't put Dale's mind at peace. I wonder what he'd think if he found me standing guard in the hallway."

  "I've got an idea. We could be talking right here." He stepped across from her and propped his shoulder against the wall on the other side. "Now you can keep an eye on the door. There's only one way into that room. Shane will be safe with Dale."

  "What do you want to talk about? The weather?"

  Nick smiled. "It's been perfect the last few days. Not too hot."

  Tess chuckled. "What did you do before this?"

  "I was in the military."

  "I noticed you wear a wedding ring. Tell me about your wife."

  "She's the love of my life."

  As he said it, the shadow in his eyes didn't coincide with his words. She wondered if they were having marital problems. According to Shane, Nick kept long hours at DDI. Tess started to say something when the door opened and Shane and Mr. Mason came out. Shane's smile reached deep into his eyes, and Tess's tensed shoulders sagged.

  "It looks like they cleared it up," she murmured to Nick. She stepped toward the pair coming down the hall. "I hope the business portion of the evening is over with, darling." With what she hoped was an adoring look, she approached Shane and fell into step next to him.

  "Yes, Dale and I have come to agreement, and it should become official tomorrow after the board meeting."

  "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Miller. You do a good job watching over Shane." Mr. Mason shook Tess's hand. "If you all will excuse me, I'd better get back to my guests." He nodded toward Shane and Nick before he sauntered toward the ballroom.

  "Nick, we're leaving. There's no reason for us to stay, and I'm sure Tess would prefer if I were at home rather than out in the open."

  "I'll bring the car around."

  As Nick left, Shane faced her. "Chase Temple informed Dale that the hunting accident was really an attempt on my life."

  "How did he find out?"

  "Anthony Revell told Chase, who immediately ran to Dale and everyone else on the board he could find."

  "Mr. Mason didn't seem to be concerned about it."

  "I assured him that my corporation is his best bet to revive his own, whether I was at the head or not. I also told him I have taken precautions. Our two companies will make a powerful team."

  "You to
ld him about me?"

  Shane nodded. "As well as what security measures would be put in place when the merger was announced. I'm not taking the threats to my life lightly."

  "This is one ... bodyguard who is glad you aren't. You're right. I'll feel better when we're back at your house."

  When the limousine pulled up to the door, Tess exited the house first and scanned her surroundings before giving Shane the signal to follow. The valet opened the car door, and Shane and Tess slid into the luxurious car. The limo pulled away from the entrance.

  Shane took her hand. "I'm glad that's over with. I hate working a party, and I can imagine you were bored."

  "No, not bored. I was too busy watching all the people, hoping we could leave when you persuaded that board member to vote for DDI tomorrow. From what you said, that would cinch your merger."

  "I'm glad I stayed around. I knew Chase Temple wasn't in favor of my company merging with Virtual Technologies, but I didn't know exactly who he wanted, because the corporation needed an influx of money. Now I believe he's working with Anthony Revell."

  In two days she'd be gone, and none of this would be her problem, but she wished the person behind the attempts on Shane's life would be caught before she left Phoenix.

  "We need to talk about what happened on the staircase, Tess. You can't deny there are feelings between us."

  She closed her eyes for a few seconds and fortified herself with a deep inhalation, then let it go slowly. "We live in two different worlds. When I stop long enough to be home, I live in Dallas. I don't think it's a good idea for ..." Her words came to a halt as the limousine did at an intersection.

  Nick turned to face them. The locks clicked, and the door next to Shane flew open. Tess had her hand in her purse when Nick pointed a weapon at her.

  "Don't even think about it." Shane's head of security's voice was lethally quiet. "Give your purse to my associate."

  The man in the doorway had a revolver aimed at Shane's chest. Reluctantly, Tess handed him her purse while noting two things about the man: the scent of tobacco emanating from him and a white bandage around his forearm. One of the men in the ditch?

  "Good girl," Nick said.

  The man in the doorway set her purse on top of the limo, never taking his gaze off of them. A moment later, he yanked a pair of handcuffs from his back pocket.

  Nick spoke again. "Shane, take the handcuffs and put them on Tess, arms behind her back."

  The soft interior light cast a shadow across Nick's face, but Tess spied the fierce determination in his eyes and shivered. "So Nick, was that you shooting at us that day when Shane came to my uncle's ranch?"

  "Yes. I didn't think he'd convince you to guard him." Nick returned his attention to Shane. "Now lean forward. Your turn to be handcuffed. I don't want you two to run away before I get the ransom."

  "The ransom?" Shane asked.

  "My friend here will be taking you two away, leaving me beside the road for dead. He'll knock me out and shoot me in the chest, not realizing that I have a bullet proof vest, like any security guy would wear when there has been a threat against the employer he's protecting."

  "What do you think that will accomplish?" Shane asked. "You know I've made arrangements that no ransom can be paid for my kidnapping from company funds."

  "Maybe not, but I bet your parents won't let their only granddaughter be without her father. I'll make sure of that when I talk with them tomorrow."

  "Why are you doing this?" Shane bit out the last word between clenched teeth.

  "Money, of course."

  While Shane occupied Nick's attention, Tess slowly worked her hands down behind the back of the seat. Thank God she'd hidden her second weapon there earlier. She also had a knife strapped to her thigh, but with her hands behind her back, that would be harder to get.

  "Don't do this, Nick," Shane said, a nerve jerking in his jaw line.

  "Too late. I was committed when Mark Collins approached me about taking you out. With his money and your parents' money, I can get lost and live the kind of life I should've."

  "What about your wife?" Tess asked as she worked the handle of the gun into her right palm.

  "She walked out on me three months ago. I have nothing to lose. I'm gonna start over in a place the authorities will never find me, assuming they even figure out I'm behind it. Let's go, Cal. You know what to do."

  After Cal shut the door and the locks clicked closed, Nick left the front seat and rounded the rear of the limousine.

  "Keep an eye on them, I stashed a gun in here earlier." Tess had to get her cuffed hands around to the front.

  "Cal hit Nick," Shane said, his voice not betraying any emotion. "He went down."

  The sound of the gunshot shuddered down Tess's spine as she brought her arms under her backside and wiggled her legs through the tight loop formed by her bound hands. "It's a good thing I have long arms, or this wouldn't work."

  "Cal's coming around to the driver's side."

  Tess stopped moving and buried her hands in the folds of her dress, praying the thug didn't look back at them until he got into the limousine. "Good thing Nick left the glass partition open. It gives me a good shot when Cal gets in."

  Right on cue, the assailant unlocked the driver's door and opened it. The interior lights popped on. As the man climbed in, he turned toward them. Tess raised her gun and leveled it at the man's head.

  "I'm an expert shot, and before you get your weapon up, you'll have a bullet in your brain."

  The thug paled.

  "Lift your gun up slowly by the barrel then drop it on the backseat floor. I won't hesitate to kill you if you try anything." A steel thread wove through her voice with the last sentence emphasized.

  Cal did as instructed.

  "Now toss me the key to the handcuffs. I will be watching."

  While she talked, Shane contorted himself until his hands were in front of him, too. A few grunts peppered the air, but Tess didn't take her eyes off Cal. When he threw the key into the back, Shane caught it with his bound hands and began working on his lock. Freed, he took Cal's weapon from the floor and aimed it at him.

  "Unlock your cuffs, Tess. I've got him." He turned his attention to Cal. "And just so you know, I know how to use this weapon."

  Tess hurried to free herself. "Unlock the back doors."

  When she heard the click, she slipped out. "I'll be greeting Nick when he awakens. Hand me your cell. I'll call the police."

  Standing behind the limousine watching Nick slowly wake up, Tess placed a 911 call then waited. It was over, all except rounding up Mark Collins.

  #

  The next day after the police left, Tess finally allowed herself to relax. She and Shane were sitting in his den. He'd been on the phone a number of times that morning, but she'd stayed in her comfortable place. Her job was over. Mark Collins had been arrested, along with Nick and Cal. Seemed they'd planned for the suspicion to fall on Anthony Revell. Shane was the driving force behind DDI, and with him gone, Mark planned to offer Virtual Technologies a merger that would make them competitive with what was left of Shane's company for the majority share of the marketplace. It was unthinkable the things people would do for money.

  Her packed duffel bag was in Uncle Jack's Jeep, and she would leave as soon as Shane heard if the Virtual Technologies' board approved the merger. He'd been on the phone an hour earlier talking with Dale Mason about what had happened. She'd heard his voice as they'd spoken about the new prospects for both companies as they blended their technology together. Listening to Shane's excitement made her wish she felt that way about her work. Never before had she been dissatisfied with her job. Where had these feelings come from? And why? Because her vacation had been disrupted? It didn't matter. When she returned to Dallas and her life, she'd be fine.

  The phone rang, and Shane snatched up the receiver. A smile transformed his whole bearing. When he hung up, he said, "It's official. We're merging with Virtual Technologies."

  "I'm gla
d it worked out. I'm not surprised, though. They'd be foolish to work with anyone but you."

  That was her cue. It was time to go.

  "The new gaming system they're developing will be fantastic, and with our capabilities, we'll be unstoppable." He rounded his desk and came toward her. "A week ago, I didn't know if I'd see this happen. It wasn't that long ago I was in Jack's cabin, fighting for my life."

  Tess stood. "Speaking about your life, I need to get back to mine." She straightened her clothes and pushed back her shoulders, pushing away her feelings for him at the same time. Those feelings should never have developed in the first place. His world was so different from hers.

  He bridged the few feet between them and took her hands. "Can't you stay a while and finally have the vacation I interrupted?"

  "No, I need to get back to Dallas." Then I can start forgetting you.

  "Why? You have an apartment there you stay in only because of your job." He tugged her nearer, wrapping his arms around her. "I want us to get to know each other even better."

  She felt as though she already knew Shane better than a lot of people. She'd seen him in tough situations, the kinds of situations that could bring out both the best and the worst in people. She loved what she'd discovered—his best. But this ... this falling in love thing? This lifestyle? It wasn't her. She relished living simply, relying only on herself. Having servants didn't fit her lifestyle. Neither did having a man in her life.

  "I have to make a living. My job isn't here."

  "What if I offered you Nick's position? I need a new head of security, and I've seen you at work. Nothing gets past you."

  She stepped away, breaking his embrace. "No. Uncle Jack would be better suited to that job. Ask him."

  "What are you afraid of? Remember the kiss on the staircase? I want to see where it leads."

  It leads to heartache. She remembered her parents' marriage. Uncle Jack's was good, but most weren't like his. And even his led to heartache. "That kiss should never have happened. You're mistaking gratitude for something more. We both need to forget the kiss and move on. I'm leaving." She pivoted and marched toward the front door, berating herself for ever letting down her professional guard and getting close to Shane.