Regan Harris Box Set

by Kelly Wood

  “That’s not why I’m calling.”

  “Then what is the reason?”

  “We are just at an impasse. Until we move on, I still want to know about your day. You are still my favorite person to talk to.” My heart fluttered in my chest. I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks.

  “Right back at you.”

  “That being said, I know you. What’s wrong?”

  “I—” I couldn’t force my head to catch up to my heart in the other matter, but this one was clear. I could trust Gray. It may be selfish to lay my thoughts of Anya on him, but I needed to talk to someone. So, I plunged on. “I’ve come across some incongruities in the financials here.”

  Spilling that one sentence opened a floodgate in me. I told Gray everything I had seen so far. Gray listened patiently, only asking questions when he needed a point clarified.

  “Are you still at the pub?” he asked.

  “Yes, but I’m leaving soon. I’m about done for the day. Why?”

  “I’ll meet you there and escort you home.” I warmed at his chivalry, though unneeded as it was, declined the offer. “Then I’ll meet you at Peter’s. No, better yet, we’ve had a rough few weeks. Let’s get a nice hotel room, go swimming, putz around being lazy. It’ll give us a chance to talk.” His voice sounded urgent. Almost pleading.

  “Gray, I’m not doing that. I need time to think. Time with you and away. We wouldn’t get that in a hotel.”

  “We’ll get a two-room suite.”

  “I’m fine with Peter’s. Why are you pushing this? I’ll call you later.” I hung up the phone, irritated at him. Just last night, he was telling me he would give me time and now he wanted to share a room?

  My irritation showed as I packed up my things. I threw my phone into the bottom of my purse with the check copies. I rearranged my wallet and planner over them, making sure they couldn’t be seen with a quick glance inside. In my haste, I knocked over my bag, and spilled everything back out. I picked it all up again. My epinephrine pen caught on the papers. I hastily put it back in its side pocket. Out of habit drilled into me, I kept it in the same spot no matter what purse I was carrying. I hadn’t had the need for one in years, but the habit was still strong. My purse felt noticeably heavier with the copied checks in it. I laughed when I realized it wasn’t the checks weighing it down, but my guilt over trying to be sneaky. I heaved the straps over my shoulder and walked out. I didn’t have a purpose for taking the checks yet, but I wanted to be able to reference them if I needed to.

  Seth and Anais were standing by the banquet room door. I had a moment of panic that they may have been inside the room and overheard my conversation with Gray. Anais saw me and waved, dispelling my fears. I waved back before turning to go. My palms started to sweat at the sight of them. I wiped them down the legs of my jeans. That was a close call.

  After the hubbub of the last few day, I planned to hide in my room tonight and avoid people. I wasn’t used to being this social. I was used to just Gray and me. My plan was foiled when Peter caught me at the door, inviting me to join him, Anais and Jax for a glass of wine on the patio. I said yes when Peter insisted, even though home sounded like a better idea.

  I joined the table, taking everyone in. Anais was looking a bit frail today, almost like she had lost weight and color since the previous evening. Today, it was easy to see that she was in fact deathly ill. Neither Peter nor I seem inclined to be social, but Jax was talking nonstop in our places.

  "Bored with Romeo, yet?" I asked Jax. I tried to participate in the conversation.

  Jax blushed at my comment. Anais, Peter and I shared a look. An unspoken thought passed between us. She really likes this one. Hmm.

  The sun was out and warm on my skin, and the sky was clear with a slight breeze. If that kind of weather continued, the summer would be a hot one. Peter was right. Finishing the day off with a chilled glass of wine, and enjoying the view was what I needed. It was one of those moments that got etched in your brain, like a photograph of a perfect instant. The four of us together, maybe for one of the last times.

  "Excuse me."

  Ben stood at the end of our table. My perfect photograph withered. Any feelings I’d had for Ben had withered and died over the past few days. For once in my life, I didn’t feel an urge to be around him. I could view his actions for what they were. Self-interest. It’d taken years to realize but Ben only did what was best for him. From having his doorman break up with me to flipping the table last night, he chose the path that was easiest for him.

  "Ben, have a seat if you'd like? Only if we can keep the table on all fours, though," Peter said with a grin, gesturing to an empty seat next to me. Peter’s words were nice, but his smile was tense. I assumed he was just trying to avoid a scene in his restaurant.

  "That's why I'm here. I'd like to apologize for my behavior last night. I want to explain, but really there is no excuse," Ben said.

  All of us spoke at once.

  "It’s quite all right,"

  "No problem,"

  "It's forgotten, dear."

  "It was insane," I said.

  Oops, what? I thought they'd all be with me on this one. Oh, well, I couldn't turn back now. I looked around the table; Peter was smirking, Anais looked bored, Jax's eyes bugged out, and Ben was grinning.

  "I was just saying. It was a bit . . . over the top. I think everyone would agree with me." I pointedly looked at each person at the table, but no one would meet my eyes. Thanks a lot, guys.

  “That’s what I’ve always liked about you, Regan. You speak from the heart.” Everyone laughed.

  Seth brought over some appetizers and got a drink order from Ben, returning with small plates and Ben’s beer a few minutes later. The bruschetta and fried green beans looked great. I slid a piece of the bruschetta onto my plate and use a fork to skewer a few of the beans. In my distraction over the food, I didn’t notice Liam and his partner walking towards us until Liam spoke.

  I looked up at the sound of his voice. He was not using the friendly tone from last night. His cop voice was out now. The hardness of it surprised me. I was having a hard time separating his two personas.

  Liam clamped his hand on Ben’s bicep, pulling him up from his chair. Ben pulled his arm free and settled himself back down. I didn’t know if situations like this were always so stressful or if this one was worse due to Ben and Liam’s friendship. Liam looked fit to be tied. His anger radiating off of him.

  "I'd like to do this later, Detective. I'm in the middle of something right now," Ben said.

  "I would prefer to do this in private. I have a few questions that you need to answer. Now," Liam replied.

  "I have nothing to hide, Detective. Whatever you need to ask me, you can do it right here, right now.”

  "Okay, Ben. We'll do this your way." Liam pulled a chair over from the empty table next to us. He turned it around, straddling it at the end of our table. His arms were crossed over the back giving him leverage if he needed to push up and give chase. It was not lost on me that he had effectively blocked Ben from leaving. Ben couldn’t go behind because of a wall. He couldn’t go to his right because I was there against the balcony railing. And now he couldn’t go left without going through Liam.

  "Why don't we go inside? We'll just get out of your way," I said. I was feeling lightheaded after watching the sparring match between them. I stopped myself from biting my nails in anticipation about what was going to happen.

  "No, stay. Everyone," Ben said.

  Ben leaned back in his chair, looking very relaxed, the complete opposite of me. I in no way wanted to be a part of this. I had a feeling it wasn’t going to end well. For whom, I didn’t know. I could feel my room at Peter's beckoning me. My inner know-it-all id was shaking her prissy finger at me, saying I should've listened to my gut and gone home.

  Too. Late. Now.

  "Tell me, again, where you were last Wednesday evening when Anya Burrows, your ex-girlfriend, was brutally stabbed?" Liam had his cop face
on. It was all hard edges and sharp lines. And scary. Very scary.

  Ex-girlfriend?

  I had never been in trouble with the law. I wouldn’t make a very good criminal. I sweat, quite profusely, when I was nervous, laughed uncontrollably and spewed whatever came to mind out of my mouth. Ben seemed cool, calm, and collected. That probably wasn’t his first time being questioned.

  I clasped my hands in my lap, put my head down and tried to use willpower alone to make myself invisible. Why, oh, why couldn't I have had a superpower? Even as nosy as I was, I would rather hear this conversation through someone else, instead of firsthand.

  "I was out with friends. Just a few blocks away, actually, at the Tilted Kilt, until closing,"

  "The Tilted Kilt is only open until midnight. Where were you between midnight and three a.m.?"

  "Mother Hubbard's, until their closing time, at four a.m.” Ben sounded very casual, almost bored. I feared where this was going. Liam did not seem the type of person to not have his ducks in a row.

  “Try again.” When Ben didn’t respond, Liam continued. "That's funny because I have security camera footage of you leaving the bar just before two a.m. and then returning at three a.m. Where did you go?"

  "I was—”

  "Now, don't lie, because I also have eyewitness testimony about who was, and who was not, with you," Liam said.

  The curiosity was killing me to see how everyone else was absorbing the situation. I looked up to see all of their faces. Anais and I must have had the same plan to be invisible. She was looking out over the river, drinking her wine and putting on an oblivious face. Peter and Jax? Not so much.

  Peter had his hands folded in his lap demurely, but he was leaning forward intently. I assumed he was straining not to miss a single word. He stared at the two men, unblinking. Like watching a train crash in slow motion, he wanted to commit every detail to memory.

  Jax was also leaning forward in her chair. She sat across from Ben, but I didn’t think she was even aware of his presence. She was wholeheartedly fixed on Liam and oozing some serious sex pheromones. Her skin was actually glistening in the sunlight. Seeing Liam's cop face must have pushed some button in her that unleashed her primal instinct.

  I looked back at my clasped hands before making eye contact with anyone. I could feel the little bubble of laughter planting its seed in my belly. I mean, what could be funnier? A man that had haunted my dreams for years reappeared in my life, right as I was pondering getting married, to be accused of murder . . . A murder of an old acquaintance of mine. It didn’t get any more surreal than this.

  "I did leave at that time. Alone. I needed to take a walk," Ben said.

  "A walk to . . ." Liam asked.

  "I came here. I wanted to see if Anya was done. Everyone knows we walked home together sometimes. I knocked on the back door, but no one answered, so I walked back to Hubbard Street."

  "You admit to being here at the time of the murder? It’s not a far leap that you did it. All of us can vouch for your temper. Firsthand," Liam said.

  "Two men were speaking in the hallway by the back door. I believe one is a security guard in the building. I'm sure he can vouch for me that I never entered the restaurant," Ben said.

  Cupping my hand, I placed it over my mouth, hoping to block in the laughter. Little hiccups of noise started to squeak out. I cleared my throat to mask the noise.

  "Yes, I have already spoken to him. It’s time we end this charade."

  Liam stood up, reaching for Ben. "You are under arrest for the murder of Anya Burrows. You have the right . . ." As Liam recited the Miranda warning, he pulled Ben's hands behind his back, and cuffed them.

  The laughter exploded from my body. I couldn’t keep it in any longer. This couldn’t really be happening. It had to be some crazy joke. I clutched my stomach, hoping to control some of the spasms. My muscles quivered.

  The patio was packed with after-work drinkers, and every head was turned, watching our table. I didn't know if everyone was staring at Ben getting arrested or at me for laughing, but everyone was staring. The staff stood around the restaurant like statues, unmoving. The whole restaurant had paused, all movement suspended. The patio was so silent all of us could've heard a pin drop, except for an occasional hiccup of laughter.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The relief I felt over knowing Peter wasn’t involved was palpable. A weight had been lifted off me. I glanced down at my purse, the incriminating checks burning a hole through it. I didn’t want any further involvement with the darker side of Peter’s business. If he wanted to launder money or run girls or hire geriatrics to dance the mamba, it was none of my business. I would just shred the copies of the checks and be done with it. I wiped my hands of the whole mess.

  I did feel a twinge for Ben. I was having a hard time believing he hurt her. He may be self-centered and arrogant, but I’d thought him to be dangerous. I put the thought out of my head for now. My emotions were feeling overwhelmed already.

  “Couldn’t hold it in, could you?” Jax asked me.

  “I tried,” I replied sheepishly.

  The four of us let out a breath of relief. The mystery had been solved. The stress of the arrest lifted all at once. Silverware clinked against the sides of plates and conversation returned around us. The noise was almost deafening after the silence.

  "We need something stronger than wine," Peter said before leaving the table.

  "No objections here. Now we can all relax a little, no more murderer out on the streets. What do we do, now?" I asked.

  "We eat, dear," Anais ordered fresh bruschetta toast and green beans for us since ours had gone cold. Seth tried to take my plate, but I didn’t want to waste the food already on it. I found my viewpoint on American habits had changed considerably after spending so much time in countries with so little.

  Peter returned with glasses of scotch for us. I left mine untouched until I got some food in me. Seth returned with the new order of appetizers. It had only taken a minute. I had a feeling he was anticipating Anais’s request before she even made it. I waited for the others to load their plates before digging in. Jax excused herself from the table when her cell phone started to ring.

  "Peter and I have hired a replacement for Anya. She starts tomorrow."

  "That's great. What time?" I asked Anais.

  "I'll do her training. Thank you for helping us."

  "Okay. It’s no big deal, really. Is it anyone I know?" I asked. I finished off a green bean before cutting off a piece of the bruschetta toast to eat.

  “We promoted one of the bartenders. She’ll work part-time in the office and still bartend a few days per week.”

  “Okay, let me know if I can help,” I said. The bruschetta was perfect even if a little cold.

  “REGAN! PETER!" Jax screamed as she ran back toward our table. "I just got the best news! An artist canceled a solo show at the Thomas Horn Gallery, and they want me to fill in!" She bounced on her toes as she talked.

  "That’s amazing!"

  "Congrats! When?" Peter asked.

  "That's wonderful, dear." The three of us all spoke on top of each other.

  "Friday night. I only have a few days to get my pieces together. I definitely need your help," Jax said, looking at me.

  "Sit down. Take a breath. Let's toast." Peter raised his tumbler of whiskey, prompting the rest of us to follow suit.

  "To the soon-to-be world-renowned artist, Jaxon Hayes!"

  I tried to take a sip of my drink after raising my glass, but my throat felt like a rock was lodged in it. My breathing came out in strained whistles. I felt off. I struggled to take a full breath. I found a spot over the water to focus on. I needed to calm down and breathe in slowly. It was easier said than done. My mind was racing, I hadn’t felt like since—

  “Pea . . . nuts,” I tried to say. I used my last bit of energy. My hands clawed at my throat. I tried shaking my head to clear it. Peter and Jax's voices sounded far away, tinny. I tried to reach for m
y purse, but my body was not responding. The jerky movements caused me to fall off my chair. My only thoughts were of air.

  I felt the sting of the injection in my thigh. The medicine burned as it entered my body. Within a moment I was able to take a deeper breath. My mind screamed for more oxygen causing me to pant, my heart raced. As my mind cleared, I saw Gray leaning over me. His face was full of concern. Jax, Peter, and Anais were behind him. Peter had a phone pressed to his ear. I was lying on the floor, halfway under the table where I was sitting only moments ago. Jax moved toward my head, brushing my hair out of my eyes before holding my hand. Gray removed the needle. I didn’t feel it, but I heard the telltale click of it returning inside the mechanism.

  "I'm okay. I'm okay," I croaked. I could breathe again. Not well, but it was much better. As my head started to clear, I felt a heaviness in my body. I tried to fight it and sit up.

  “Stay down.” Gray put his hand on my chest, stopping me.

  "What happened?" I heard Anais speaking, but could no longer see her.

  "Peanuts. What did Regan eat?” Gray asked, but he never took his eyes off of me.

  “I’m sorry. Oh, darling, this is my fault. I didn’t think before I ordered.” I saw Anais again over Gray’s shoulder. Her face was pinched and distraught. My right hand rested on my throat, preparing to pull it again. I feared the feeling of suffocating. I didn’t have much to compare it to but gasping for breath had to be in the top ten worst ways to die. No, top three.

  "Mother! You know she's allergic," Peter said.

  "It completely slipped my mind. It was just a little oil, for flavor." Her hand fluttered to her throat.

  “Nothing like a little near-death experience to brighten up a dinner,” Gray said and grinned. I small laugh escaped me. He said those same words the last time this happened. Ambulance sirens were faint in the distance.

  "I didn’t realize it was this severe. I am sorry, Regan. Allergies are the newest rage. Everyone has one or wants one. In my day, you just ate what was set in front of you." Just like that Anais was over her concern. I ignored her. I kept my focus on Gray. He held my hand to him against his chest.