Deadly Coincidence (Brantley Walker: Off the Books Book 4)

by Nicole Edwards

  “I thought for sure you’d call me today. I expected you to come by after I got back from brunch.”

  Ah, hell.

  Baz’s stomach roiled, his eyes shooting to JJ.

  Nope, no way was she too preoccupied to notice. She was staring back at him, clearly waiting for him to say something.

  Because he had no explanation for either woman, he stepped out of the room, opting for a little privacy. “How’d you get my number?”

  “I called myself from your phone. Then I programmed mine into yours, silly. I didn’t want you to forget to get it. Which you did,” she said in a singsong voice. “So, would you like to come over?”

  He was able to answer with a resounding, “I can’t.”

  “You can’t? Or you won’t?”

  Yeah, this wasn’t good.

  “Look, Molly, last night…”

  “Was amazing,” she filled in. “So amazing. I know you felt it too, Sebastian.”

  Sebastian? No one called him that.

  “And I think we owe it to ourselves to explore this, see where it goes.”

  Before he could object, she blasted him with news that nearly took him out at the knees.

  “After all, there’s a good chance I’m pregnant.” She giggled. “I mean, we did have sex without a condom.”

  “What?”

  Instantly the night was on replay in his head. He recalled Moonshiners, going home with her, on the couch. He specifically remembered her rolling a condom on him because—

  Oh, fuck.

  She had rolled a condom on him, but she’d been so aggressive it had broken.

  Had they had sex without it? Seriously?

  Oh, Jesus.

  “It’s okay, Sebastian,” Molly said sweetly. “I know you think we don’t know each other well enough to have a baby, but if it happens, then it must be kismet, right? Divine intervention and all that?”

  Oh, hell.

  Baz was going to be sick.

  *

  JJ forced herself to focus on searching Dante’s emails for anything that might lead them to his drug dealer.

  Normally this would’ve been a relatively easy task, something she could probably do in her sleep.

  That was not the case when Baz was taking calls from women, then disappearing out of the room to talk in hushed tones.

  There was no doubt in her mind that this Molly was the woman he was with last night. And clearly they’d connected on at least some level for him to have given her his phone number. One-night stands generally didn’t result in the exchange of digits.

  Was he in there right now promising to come see her as soon as he could? Would he spend the night with her again? Take her to dinner? Coffee?

  Speaking of coffee… The little bit she’d had gurgled in her stomach.

  JJ narrowed her eyes on the computer screen. Dante. That was the only thing she needed to worry about right now. Finding the man before someone decided he was a loose end after they managed to swindle the Greenwoods out of two mil.

  God, he was such a douche. Why in the world would he think hitting his parents up like this was a good idea? And heaven help him if he thought cutting off his own finger would net him more. She’d always known he was a spoiled brat who thought he was God’s gift to women, but this…? This was beyond ridiculous.

  JJ paused to modify the search she was running. The first couple had come back with nothing. Using words like drug, dealer, cocaine, and buy wasn’t getting her the results she wanted.

  JJ had just kicked off another search parameter when Baz stormed through the kitchen, then disappeared down the hallway. She craned her neck, trying to see where he went and briefly wondered if she should go after him. She hadn’t gotten a good look at his face, but from his profile, he’d appeared a bit green.

  Probably from the alcohol he’d indulged in last night. When she’d asked, he had told her after she left the diner, he’d gone over to Moonshiners and hung with Brantley and Reese for most of the night. Obviously his agenda had consisted of more than that, but JJ was doing her best to avoid getting those details even if her curiosity was getting the best of her.

  She didn’t really want to know.

  Just the thought of Baz with another woman…

  Now she was feeling a bit green.

  Thankfully, her cell phone rang, Luca’s number popping up on the screen.

  “You’re done already?” she asked by way of greeting.

  “I think I’ve found somethin’ that might be helpful in your search.”

  “Give it to me,” she said, cheerfully engaging in the task.

  “It’s a phone number I came across. It was actually in his contacts. He had a meeting scheduled two weeks ago to meet with MH. I skimmed his contacts for someone with those initials and came across Marcus Harris. I didn’t do a lot of research, but from what I found, the guy’s a little shady. He works as a collector.”

  A collector? What the hell was a collector?

  JJ used the information to do a search on Dante’s messages. She looked for the initials, then by first name, and finally by last and came up with nothing.

  “I don’t suppose he’s got a number for that contact.”

  Luca chuckled. “As a matter of fact…” He rattled off the number.

  “Bingo!” she exclaimed when it brought up an instant messenger conversation. “In his email, the contact name is Book. Looks like Dante was promising to give him the money for his last purchase as soon as he got paid.” JJ frowned. “Since when does Dante buy books?”

  Another laugh from Luca, followed by, “Book? Like Bookie? Dante’s gamblin’.”

  “At least it’s not his drug dealer,” she muttered.

  “Hate to break it to you, but I found his contact for that, too,” Luca said, sounding sincerely bothered by it.

  Ah, Jesus. It pained her to know that Dante had gone down that path, but honestly it didn’t surprise her that he had. This last time they’d attempted to make a go of it had been the worst yet. He’d always seemed so distracted and so energetic. He wanted to go places and do things, never slowing down.

  She probably should’ve seen it at the time, recognized the signs, but the truth was, her heart hadn’t been in it.

  “Did you find something?” Baz asked when he walked into the room.

  JJ’s gaze shot to his face, scanned it with concern in her heart. He looked better, more color in his cheeks.

  “We’ve got a number.” She turned back to her computer to ping the phone, see if she could get a location. “If we’re right, this is the guy his bookie sent to collect his debt.”

  “There’s a damn good chance,” Luca said, his voice echoing from the phone’s speaker.

  “Anything I can do?” Baz offered.

  “We’re good for now, but thanks.” She grinned wide when the ping delivered results. “Luca, I’ve got a location!”

  “Seems too easy,” Luca said.

  “Too easy?” JJ snorted. “Speak for yourself. I’m the one with the mild concussion and the scent of copper baked into my brain.”

  “Touché.”

  “And who says it’s always gotta be a twisty-turny mystery,” she told him. “This is Dante. He obviously didn’t think this one all the way through.”

  “No, probably not.”

  “Brantley still there with you?”

  “He is,” Luca confirmed, then shouted for Brantley.

  She heard Brantley’s familiar grumble as he moved closer to the phone.

  JJ was quiet while Luca gave a quick rundown of what they’d done, what they’d found.

  “We’ve gotta move on this now.” Brantley’s tone was no-nonsense once again. “We’re gonna head over. Charlie, you’ll go with us. We’ll call Trey on the way, let him know what’s goin’ on. JJ, you’re a rock star, as always.”

  “Keep me in the loop,” she told him. “I wanna talk to Dante once you’ve got him.”

  “Figured you would.”

  When the cal
l disconnected, she was left with nothing to do but look at Baz. She had no idea what to say to him, how to make this incredibly awkward situation any better. For either of them.

  “I guess I’ll get to go home soon,” JJ told him, not meeting his gaze.

  “Your house, JJ. It’s…”

  Her heart instantly plummeted at the reminder that she’d lost everything she had. It was easy to pretend it was still there, still intact. But it wasn’t.

  She had nothing to her name. No house, no car.

  What was she going to do now?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “This seems too easy. Either he really is stupid or we’re gonna royally fuck this up,” Reese told Brantley as they drove toward Taylor, a small town just northeast of Coyote Ridge.

  Reese couldn’t remember the last time he’d been out this way. Probably back when he’d assisted Travis with a situation his cousins Wolfe and Lynx were involved in. Although that time he’d ventured a little farther to the even smaller town of Embers Ridge, which seemed to be another hub for those related to the Walkers.

  Brantley’s eyes remained on the road. “I know you like a challenge, but I don’t think that’s what’s goin’ on here.”

  Reese would have to take his word for it. In his experience, when things seemed too easy, there was usually a catch. It was difficult for him to believe they would close this case in a matter of a day.

  “Do you know Dante?” Charlie asked, glancing sideways, her question directed at Reese.

  He answered with a shake of his head, although neither Brantley nor Charlie could see him from the front seat. “Never officially met him. Only time I encountered him was the night he brought a woman to Moonshiners, back when he was datin’ JJ.”

  He still remembered that night, but it had nothing to do with Dante or his infidelity. That night had been a low point in his relationship with Brantley. They’d been at an impasse—Brantley wanting something Reese wasn’t sure he could give him—and they’d taken a bit of a break. Enough of one that Reese came to terms with the fact he was in love with Brantley.

  “What a douche,” Charlie murmured, staring at the side window.

  “He absolutely is,” Brantley agreed. “Pretty much always has been.”

  “Then how’d JJ end up with him?” Charlie inquired.

  “Young and dumb, like the rest of us back in high school. He was popular with the ladies, the self-proclaimed bad boy. Buckin’ the rules, mouthin’ off to the teachers, spendin’ a good amount of time in detention.”

  “I remember guys like that. A couple of girls, too,” Charlie said wistfully.

  “Early on, he set his sights on JJ, and when she played hard to get for a little while, I’m pretty sure he fell in love. Unfortunately, teenage love lasts about as long as the chase. They were together for years, on and off. Mostly off.”

  Reese glanced at Brantley. “I’m surprised she’d date an entitled, pompous ass.”

  “I’m not sure he’s always been quite as bad as he is now. But I think there’s reason to worry about him. If he’s gone to these lengths to get money, he’s in deep. While I don’t have a high opinion of him, I honestly didn’t think he’d do somethin’ like this.”

  “People surprise you.” Charlie sighed. “And not always in a good way.” She pointed out the windshield. “You’re gonna want to take a left on Main. According to the GPS signal, they’re holed up in an industrial area close to the rail yard.”

  “You’re familiar with the area, then?” Brantley asked.

  “I don’t live too far from there. Taylor’s a small town. Those of us who live or work here know our way around.”

  Reese remained quiet, half listening to Charlie’s instructions. While they focused on the navigation, he shot a text to Trey, asking for an update.

  Luckily for him, Trey didn’t mince words, responding quickly. The update: Gerard and Katrina were still waiting for the phone call. They’d scraped together the full two million and were more than willing to pay it to get their son back.

  If all went well, they wouldn’t have to pay. The only concern Reese had was whether or not Dante’s partner was going to do things the hard way. Money was a significant motivator, and for those driven by greed, they’d do pretty much anything to get it.

  “Just outta curiosity, what charges will they be brought up on?” Charlie asked.

  “Destruction of property, assault, attempted murder by blowin’ up the house,” Brantley rattled off.

  “Sure. Those I can see. I guess what I mean is, Dante’s not bein’ held against his will. Does kidnapping still apply?”

  “That we know of,” Reese added. “It could’ve started out that way. We don’t know the status of their workin’ relationship at the moment.”

  “I’m not a DA,” Brantley said, “so it’s anyone’s guess. I figure Marcus Harris will be charged with kidnappin’. He’s the one who made the ransom call, therefore he’s stated his intent.”

  Reese still couldn’t wrap his head around the reason for cutting Dante’s finger off. They’d watched Dante willingly open the door for someone—they now assumed that someone was Marcus—then let him in. They’d done enough damage to warrant some attention. That and the blood they’d covered the house in. What was the point of leaving a finger? It seemed like overkill. The only thing that made sense was the pair had a falling-out.

  “True.” Charlie looked at Brantley. “What about Dante? Will he be charged with anything? Extortion? Coercion?”

  “Plus the aforementioned assault, etc. He’s damn sure guilty.” Brantley glanced at Charlie. “But you have to remember what this’ll do to the governor’s reputation if people find out his son staged his own kidnapping for a payday. I figure he’ll have this swept under the rug. Can’t afford for it to get out.”

  Reese had to agree there. He didn’t see Governor Greenwood watching his son go down for extortion. The best they could hope for was that they got Dante into rehab for his addiction.

  “This is it,” Charlie said, her voice lowering. “It’s around the corner. Since this is a sparsely traveled area, I suggest we move closer on foot. They see your truck, who knows what they’ll do.”

  Brantley nodded, then shot a look back at Reese as though seeking his input.

  He nodded his agreement, retrieved his weapon from its holster, thumbed off the safety. Because they weren’t sure what they were walking into and Tesha wasn’t far along in her training, Reese had opted to leave her back at HQ with Luca and Holly, so he was rolling without his four-legged backup today.

  Once Brantley stopped the truck, the three of them got out. They moved as one, Reese keeping close to Charlie, letting her lead the way while Brantley covered their six.

  Charlie began using hand signals the closer they got to the building, splitting them up. They’d tested their comms earlier to ensure they could communicate between them if necessary, so Reese moved away, heading for the south entrance.

  He kept close to the building, scanning his surroundings as he moved. This looked to be a deserted area, mostly three-story corrugated metal buildings surrounded by pitted gravel lots and old chain-link fence.

  The big metal door he came to was once red but had faded with time and gotten a few colorful graffiti paint jobs over the years.

  As quietly as possible, he opened it, peeked inside before moving into the interior. The inside was damp and dark except for the sunlight peeking in through the large windows that ran the length of the building on all four sides. If it wasn’t for the grime clouding the glass, the space would’ve been well lit. Thanks to it, Reese had to move in the shadows, keeping an eye out for someone or something lurking.

  Every twenty feet or so, there was a trio of pylons holding things up above. What had once been a three-story building appeared to have been reduced to two if the crumbling and rotting piles of wood and concrete were any indication. Above him, the holes left behind from the falling debris.

  The main floor was littere
d with old wooden pallets and a few large blue barrels. Whether or not anything was in them was a good question, but Reese decided it wasn’t worth finding out.

  He made his way through, weaving between the piles of rubble and doing his best to keep his noise to a minimum. It wasn’t until he was halfway up the south-end staircase that he heard voices.

  Reese keyed his mic, said, “Sounds like two males in the south end of the second floor.”

  “Ten four,” Brantley responded, his voice coming in clear through his earpiece. “Movin’ your way.”

  Holding until Brantley and Charlie joined him, Reese attempted to hear what the men were saying. Every now and then he’d catch a word, but nothing that made much sense. If the raised voices were anything to go by, they were arguing.

  A loud crash sounded from behind him, and everything came to a standstill.

  “What was that?” came a muted shout.

  Reese peered back, saw Brantley looking behind him, Charlie’s expression one of apology.

  Didn’t look like they had the element of surprise on their side anymore.

  *

  Brantley winced when Charlie hit the board that had been propped up against a rail. He hadn’t thought to warn her it was dangling precariously over the edge. Or it had been. Now it was on the ground, having made enough noise to alert the pair that someone was there.

  “I’ll kill him!” came the angry shout from the second floor.

  Brantley continued up the stairs, stopping behind Reese.

  “Come through that door and I put a bullet in his head!”

  “You did this, you know,” Brantley muttered to Reese.

  Reese’s what the fuck expression was priceless.

  “You said it was too easy.”

  Brantley held back a smile when Reese rolled his eyes.

  “Marcus, it’s over,” Brantley shouted up to him. “The building’s surrounded. You need—”

  The gun’s report was loud in the metal building, the first bullet slamming into the wood door that separated them from the room the two men were holed up in, no more than ten feet above them.

  The second bullet whizzed past, way too close for comfort.