by Tiffany Snow
“Someone with a lot of resources,” he said. “Government resources.”
My eyebrows shot up. “Blane said he thought that might be the case, that the Defense Department budget is supposed to be cut by billions next year.”
“Yep,” Kade confirmed. “Always follow the money, princess. Nine times out of ten, it’s all about the cash.”
“And the tenth time?” I teased.
“The tenth time is personal,” he shot back, his lips twisting in a smirk. “Everyone knows that.”
“Ryan Sheffield came by tonight,” I told him. “I’m going on a date with him tomorrow night.”
“You realize he works for the government,” Kade said. “He could be our mysterious caller. Or our shooter. Why the date?”
I shook my head. “No, I don’t believe that. He doesn’t strike me as the type. And why not a date?” Last I checked, I was excruciatingly available. “Maybe he knows more than he’s telling, though. If he does, I’ll get it out of him.”
“And how do you plan on doing that?”
“Men the world over all have the same weakness.”
“Really?” Kade said mockingly. “Do enlighten me, princess.”
I crossed my arms on the bar and leaned over. Sure enough, Kade’s eyes flicked downward to my cleavage. I laughed. “Breasts, of course.”
“Point taken,” Kade conceded, clearing his throat.
“What about Stacey Willows?” I asked, grabbing a towel and drying the glasses I’d just taken out of the washer. “You know she was murdered today.”
“So Blane said,” he replied. “What happened?”
I explained how my day had gone and how I’d found Stacey’s body. “She said she was being threatened, too, that she was supposed to testify against Kyle.”
“And you were so sure she wouldn't hurt you,” he mocked. I chose to ignore that comment. “I’ll check her phone records, too,” Kade said. “But why would she knock you out? Were there signs of a struggle?”
“You mean other than her slit throat?” I asked sarcastically.
“Smartass,” he replied without heat. “If she knew her killer, she would have trusted him, let him into the house. Otherwise, there would have been signs of forced entry, a struggle, something to signify she’d fought.”
I frowned, remembering the spotless condition of the house and door. “I don’t think there was any kind of struggle,” I said finally. “Her body was right outside the door of the closet she’d stowed me in. Maybe she was going to show him she had me when she turned her back and he took advantage of the moment, killing her before she could tell him about me.”
“So it seems you’re lucky to be alive this evening,” Kade said, his gaze shrewd.
I shrugged, not wanting to talk about it. If I didn’t talk about it, I wouldn’t have to think about my conversation with Blane that had followed. “Any luck on finding Bowers?”
Kade shook his head. “These guys are good. If he doesn’t want to be found, I don’t know if I’ll be able to find him.”
Kade finished his beer and tossed a bill onto the bar, but I snatched it up and handed it back to him.
“The drink’s on me,” I said. “It’s the least I can do.”
“The sooner I can track down who's making these calls, the sooner we can catch whoever's doing this,” Kade said.
“Then go do it,” I said, waving him away. “I don't need you dogging my every move anyway.”
“Since when?”
His sarcasm only covered his concern, so it didn't bother me.
“Go home, Kade,” I insisted. In the back of my mind, I knew it would be a bad idea to have him sleeping in my apartment again.
I walked him to the door so I could lock it, but before he stepped through he surprised me, pressing his lips to my cheek.
“Car’s parked out front,” he said, lightly brushing my bare shoulder with his fingers and sending a shiver through me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I hurried through the rest of my work, excitement giving me new energy. I still couldn’t quite believe he’d gotten me a car. I braced myself for a hulking monstrosity built in 1982, but when I finally walked outside there was only one car parked nearby – a shiny black Lexus SUV.
Unable to believe my eyes, I tentatively hit the unlock button on the key fob Kade had given me and saw the lights blink on the car.
I climbed inside; the leather interior smelled rich and decadent. The engine turned over with a gentle purr. My hands slid over the beautiful wood paneling on the dash and steering wheel. I had never in my life had a brand new car, not even close.
I was almost afraid to drive it; it was so gorgeous, but it handled beautifully. It was big and I felt safe behind the wheel. When I parked in my lot, I locked it, noticing that there was also a car alarm installed. That was a good thing, considering the neighborhood.
Once inside, my eyes went to my answering machine, which sadly proclaimed no messages. Well, what did I expect? Why would Blane call?
I showered and fell into bed, asleep almost before my head hit the pillow.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I was awakened by the ringing of the telephone. I groaned, blearily looking at the clock, which read 3:43 am. Grabbing for the phone, I mumbled something resembling hello into the receiver.
“Kathleen?” A girl’s voice, vaguely familiar.
“Yeah?” I sat up, rubbing my tired eyes.
“Kathleen, it’s CJ.”
Now I was awake. “CJ,” I said, “are you all right? What’s the matter?” Phone calls in the middle of the night were never good.
“Um,” she hesitated, “I’m sorry to bother you, but I didn’t know who else to call.”
“It’s not a problem. What’s wrong?”
“I-I’ve been arrested,” she said, her voice wavering.
“Arrested! For what?” I gripped the phone tightly, imagining her stuck in a jail cell downtown.
There was a pause before she answered. “Treason.”
I was so surprised I was speechless.
“Kathleen?” Her voice was anxious. “Are you still there?”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said quickly. “I’m still here.”
“Kathleen, can you help me?”
“Yes, absolutely. Of course I’ll help you,” I assured her. In actuality, I had no idea what I was going to do. “Just sit tight, all right? I’ll be right there.”
“Okay.” Her voice, so small and trusting, steeled my resolve.
I hung up, then hurriedly climbed out of bed to pull on some clothes. I knew what I had to do, knew the only way I could help CJ, but was dreading doing it. I dressed and pulled my hair back in a ponytail. Picking up the phone, I stared at it, taking a deep breath.
I had to call Blane.
Chapter Fourteen
Blane answered on the third ring.
“Kirk.”
His voice was deep and sleep-roughened. When I heard it, I had a brief flash of lying next to him in bed and waking to his voice in my ear, then I remembered that he may not be alone.
“Blane,” I said hesitantly, praying Kandi wasn’t there, or if she was, that I wouldn’t hear her voice. “It’s me. It’s Kathleen.”
A pause, then he said, “Kat? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I said quickly. Nerves were making my voice shake and I clutched the phone tightly.
I heard a sigh and the rustle of sheets. “I’m glad you called,” he said quietly. “God, I really fucked up, Kat.” He paused. “I miss you.”
My gut twisted at his words. “I...I miss you, too.” I abruptly remembered CJ. This wasn’t a personal call – it was supposed to be business. Panic made me blurt, “Blane, I need you.”
“I need you, too, Kat,” he said in a tone so deep and full of sensual promise it sent a shiver down my spine. “Just say the word and I’m on my way.”
Oh, God. He thought this was a...a booty call. My cheeks burned.
“I didn’t mea
n-that’s not why-” My tongue stumbled over the words. “I need your help. It’s CJ. She just called me. She’s been arrested.”
Silence on the line.
“Blane?” I asked, worried he’d hung up on me. “Are you there?”
“You’re calling me because you need a lawyer?” His voice was completely different. Gone was the soft, sexy growl. Now his words were cold and hard, and I cringed at the underlying anger in them.
My palms were sweating now. “Yes. I mean, no.” I hesitated. This had been a bad decision. “I’m sorry. Never mind. I shouldn’t have called.” I’d just have to figure out some other way to help CJ.
“Wait.”
I heard him just as I was about to hang up the phone.
“Kat? Are you still there?”
“Yes,” I answered. I felt like the worst kind of heel. He’d thought I was calling because I wanted to be with him again, which I did, but I’d messed everything up and now it was all topsy turvy. But I couldn’t suppress the surge of pleasure that Blane wanted me, would have come at my beck and call to be with me.
I heard him take a deep breath. “Tell me what’s going on.”
It didn’t take long to relate my conversation with CJ. When I was through, Blane said, “All right. I’ll pick you up in fifteen minutes.” He hung up before I could tell him that I didn’t need a ride.
I brushed my teeth and splashed water on my face while I waited. If anything, I looked worse now after a few hours sleep than I had before. My skin was stark white and my eyes had what looked like bruises beneath them, I was so tired. I tucked my black turtleneck inside my jeans and cinched my belt, pushing my feet into a pair of sneakers.
I thought I was prepared for Blane’s arrival, but the knock on my door startled me so badly I dropped the brush I was holding and it clattered loudly to the floor.
Taking a deep, steadying breath, I opened the door.
Just as it always did, Blane’s presence enveloped me. I’d never developed an immunity to the charisma and personality that was a force of nature. He stood head and shoulders above me, his hair ruffled by the wind. His expression was impenetrable and I stepped back to allow him inside.
He wore a leather coat similar to Kade’s with jeans and a dark sweater. The only light in my apartment was coming from the Christmas tree he’d gotten for me and the glow drifting from my partially closed bedroom door. Belatedly, I wished I’d turned on a light.
As if he had read my mind, Blane reached behind me and flipped on a lamp. I blinked in the sudden brightness, to find him studying me shrewdly. Blane’s eyes never missed anything, and I was embarrassed at how I knew I looked at this hour. Kandi probably woke in full makeup and heels. Turning away, I grabbed my coat. I went to shrug it on, but Blane had taken hold of it and held it open for me.
“Thank you,” I said quietly, pushing my arms into the sleeves. His fingers brushed the nape of my neck as he lifted my ponytail out from under the collar. Unnerved, I stepped away and cleared my throat. “You didn’t have to come get me,” I said, turning to face him. “I can follow you there.”
“You don’t have a car, remember?” he said.
“I do now.”
He shook his head, his eyes searching my face. “You look like you can barely stand, much less drive a car. You’ll ride with me.”
I wanted to argue, but knew that CJ was waiting for us. It wasn’t worth the time it would take not to mention that knowing Blane, I’d still end up riding with him no matter what I said to the contrary.
I knew I looked like hell, whereas you would never know I’d just dragged him out of a dead sleep in the middle of the night. Grossly unfair.
We rode in silence, the tension thick between us. I stared out of the window as we flew through the cold, empty streets.
“Are you ill?” Blane asked out of the blue.
“What?” I turned toward him, wondering where that had come from.
“You’re white as a sheet,” Blane said frankly. “And I’m guessing you can’t remember the last time you ate.”
“It’s been a rough week,” I replied. Blane didn’t respond, though his hands gripped the steering wheel more tightly. I turned back to the window.
I chewed my lip in indecision, twisting my hands in my lap. Should I say something? Should I tell him that I believed him about Kandi? I glanced sideways at him as he drove. His expression was as cold and forbidding as I’d ever seen it. I swallowed heavily, wishing I had the courage and energy to say what I wanted to say, but I sensed this wasn’t the time or place. It would have to wait.
When we reached the police station, Blane led us inside, his hand guiding me at the small of my back. The clerk at the desk recognized Blane, though his eyebrows flew upward when Blane told him whom he was there to see.
“The treason case?” he asked. “The feds brought her in. We’re just holding her until they can arrange transport to Washington.”
“To my knowledge, everyone is given the right to an attorney,” Blane reminded him.
The cop sighed. “All right. But she’ll have to wait here.” He pointed at me.
“But-” I began, only to have Blane squeeze my arm, silencing me.
“That’ll be fine,” he said to the cop.
Blane led me to a small bank of blue plastic chairs. “Sit here and wait for me,” he said. “I’m the one she needs to see.”
I wasn’t stupid enough to question the truth in that, though I was disappointed I couldn’t verify for myself that she was okay.
“All right,” I sighed, sinking tiredly into a chair. “Just tell her I came, okay?” I didn’t want her to think I was cozy at home in bed while she was sitting in jail.
“I will,” Blane assured me.
I closed my eyes and leaned my head back to rest against the wall. For a brief moment, I thought I felt the brush of Blane’s hand against my cheek, then he was gone.
I tried not to fall asleep, jerking awake whenever my head bobbed, but I must have succumbed because the next thing I knew Blane was gently nudging me awake. I sat up with a jerk, realizing I’d stretched out onto the chair next to me.
“CJ,” I said, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. “Is she all right?”
“She’s fine,” he said, his brows creased in concern as he crouched in front of me. “Better than you, actually.”
“What happened? Why is she here?” I asked, ignoring his comment.
“We’ll talk about it in the car,” he said quietly, with a meaningful glance at the cop behind the desk.
I nodded, understanding that he didn’t want to say anything that could be overheard.
“Are you awake enough to leave?” Blane said.
“Of course,” I replied.
Blane stood and I rose to my feet as well. The room tilted in a slow spin and I abruptly sat back down.
“What’s wrong?” Blane asked, crouching in front of me again. He took my hands in his. “Your skin is clammy.” He felt my forehead.
“I’m fine,” I insisted. “I just stood up too fast.”
Blane pinched the back of my hand.
“Ouch! Cut it out!” I tried to pull my hand away, but he held firm, looking at my skin.
“You’re dehydrated,” he announced. “Which is why you’re so tired.”
“I’m so tired because it’s nearly five in the morning and I worked until one,” I retorted.
“Come on,” he said, standing and pulling me to my feet. He wrapped his arm firmly around my waist so I wouldn’t fall.
The room didn’t tilt this time, though it still did a slow turn. I stumbled and Blane’s arm tightened, keeping me upright and glued to his side.
“How would you know if I’m dehydrated?” I asked as we walked. The cold air outside hit me and I started shivering. Blane tucked me more closely to his body, shielding me from the wind.
“I’m a SEAL, remember? I know the signs.”
Oh, yeah. Duh.
Blane bundled me into his car, then drove to a
nearby all-night convenience store. Leaving me to wait, he jumped out and was back within a few minutes, carrying a small paper bag.
“Drink this,” he said, opening a plastic bottle and holding it out for me.
I looked at the label - something fruity with electrolytes.
“Eat this, too.”
Blane handed me a banana. I noticed as I took it that he’d already broken the peel for me. For some reason, it struck me as sweet that he would do that.
We drove toward my apartment while I slowly chewed on the banana.
“So what did CJ say?” I asked.
“It’s complicated,” he replied. “Apparently, her parents are missionaries who went to China several years ago, leaving her to stay with an uncle when she was sixteen.
“Things were fine for a few months, then they stopped hearing from them. Eventually, she found out her parents had been detained and sent to a labor camp for inciting separatism.”
“That’s horrible,” I breathed. I’d heard enough news stories about Chinese labor camps to know what fate awaited her parents. “Are they still there?”
“That’s part of the problem,” Blane said, glancing at me. “When the US Embassy produced no results in getting her parents released, CJ decided to take matters in her own hands. She approached the Chinese looking for a deal, offering to work for them in exchange for getting her parents released.”
“That’s why she sent the election results there,” I said, “from TecSol’s server.”
“Yes,” Blane confirmed. “They were supposed to release her parents upon completion of that project.”
“But they didn’t?” I guessed.
He shook his head. “Since the hack was discovered and the project shut down, they said she didn’t complete her mission and their agreement is void.”
I rubbed my forehead, feeling the throb of the headache I’d fought all day since Stacey had clonked me over the head. I knew I had done the right thing with TecSol, yet I felt awful that CJ’s parents were still prisoners.
“So why is she in jail?” I asked.
“She threatened them, told them she was going to go to the US government with what she knew if they didn’t release her parents. They retaliated, leaking information on her first. She said she’s been on the run for a while, but was arrested tonight after trying to use her ATM card.”
