Gilded Cage (Harbour Bay Book 6)

by Camille Taylor

  After exchanging pleasantries, Declan got straight into the reason for his call.

  “Can you get me a full work up on Bethany Bennett and her father? I’d like to know what I’m dealing with.”

  He needed to know more about the woman, and if she was as the newspapers reported. He didn’t trust Davies’ glowing recommendation over the woman’s virtues. Not to mention he was already itching to be done with the case and hightail it out of temptation.

  He included Bethany in the request because he needed to know what he’d been told was the truth. Professionally, he needed to know if she had someone waiting in the wings, waiting for daddy to leave so she could run off with the man. Women could be such fools, particularly if they thought they were in love and with Beth’s money she would be a constant target to conniving fortune-hunters.

  He didn’t fancy finding out she had run away and had no desire to chase after her to make sure she didn’t get herself killed by leaving her protection behind.

  “Also, see if you can get a read on Bennett’s top enemies. One of them is responsible for the threats. I want to know who.”

  “Bennett never said?”

  “Not specifically. But now I wonder if he had a better idea than he let on.”

  Which would explain why he felt like something wasn’t quite right and Declan always followed his gut. It had kept him alive on more than one occasion.

  Chapter 5

  Isaac Hunter squeezed the trigger, the bullet entering the man’s head and lodging in his brain. The body of Grayson Hughes sagged in the chair it was tied to, blood dribbling out of the small .22 calibre hole. His face bloody and bruised from the beating Isaac had just given him. Hughes had failed him. Had led the fucking police right to his door. That kind of betrayal could never be forgotten or forgiven and you were a fucking moron if you expected it from him.

  Isaac Hunter does not accept failure.

  At his desk, he picked up the hundred and fifty-dollar bottle of fine Scotch whisky. He took a swallow straight from the bottle, the whisky burning in his guts. Gritting his teeth, he prepared himself for the sting he knew was coming. He poured the amber liquid onto his knuckles and hissed as the alcohol spilled over the small cuts on his skin.

  Interrogations were a messy business.

  He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, the last of his kind to use one and dabbed at his injured knuckles.

  The only way to get at his container was to lay siege on the port. He had already had applied pressure on Harv Olsen, the dock manager. If anyone opened that fucking container before he did then Olsen’s family were dead. Simple as that.

  He cursed Hughes again at his incompetence and then his thoughts turned elsewhere, to another man who had failed miserably—Dirk Bennett.

  Bennett had assured him his shipping company had a long-standing agreement with the Terminal. Money exchanging hands so that Dirk’s clients had the luxury of privacy and their goods in a timely manner. Isaac had been counting on that agreement and the fact customs tended to give Bennett plenty of room to get his containers in.

  He needed that fucking container.

  How fucking unlucky Harbour Bay Police had decided to seize the docks and containers right when he almost had everything he needed. It wasn’t as if he could simply walk up to the Terminal and declare himself the owner. The cops were just looking for a reason to throw his arse in prison and he wasn’t about to make that easy for them.

  He had big plans. He was going to run Harbour Bay. The foundation was already there just waiting for someone to come and take charge but first, he needed the contents of that container to make an impact so that he could take his rightful place as the head of Dick Coleani’s fallen empire.

  Diversity was key to today’s businessman. What was in now may not be tomorrow. For a man like him, it was wise to invest in all forms of crime.

  After years of working for the old bastard, paying his dues he had almost been in a position for a hostile takeover. Coleani had dissension in the ranks and otherwise occupied with vendettas. It had been a prime time.

  And then Coleani had been shot and his assets seized by the government and the kingdom had crumbled, the serfs heading for the hills—himself included.

  He would succeed when others had failed. He had already made mistakes, mainly Grayson Hughes and Dirk Bennett, but he always learned from his mistakes and never made them again.

  One had already been taken care of, the other had absconded like a thief in the night. Obviously, he hadn’t made himself clear to Bennett earlier or perhaps the man was dense or maybe he just plain didn’t care if Isaac chopped his little princess to bits.

  Well, he would have to change that. He couldn’t have people think he’s soft. Only trouble lay that way because a soft man was an exploited man and Isaac had no desire to be thought of as a stooge.

  No, he would kill the girl. He would rather do it himself but one of his men should be more than adequate. He had to be cautious. The police were everywhere and he had come too far to fail now.

  Soon, Harbour Bay will know not to cross Isaac Hunter—if they didn’t already know and soon he would have his container. Just as soon as Bennett realises he’s not playing around.

  One dead daughter should do nicely to drive that point home.

  Chapter 6

  The shrill ring of her mobile woke Amelia Donovan from her well-deserved sleep. Her body nestled protectively inside the warm, comforting arms of Aidan Carmichael, a prosecutor who worked for the New South Wales’s Director of Public Prosecutions.

  She groaned with displeasure as she groped for the phone, shivering as the morning chill settled over her. Aidan sat up beside her, the blanket falling to pool around his hips, showing off the toned expanse of his chest, his nipples pebbled from the cold. She admired the view as she answered, promising death to the person who dare interrupt her sleep without a good fucking reason.

  This was not how she had planned the morning. First, she was going to allow herself to wake up naturally, not to the damn alarm that ruled her life. Then she was going to have some fabulous morning sex. Aidan always was quite the enthusiastic lover after a good night’s rest. Sex was then going to be followed by a relaxed breakfast—preferably in bed and then a long hot shower—again with some sex. Since she and Aidan were often working, their schedules conflicting more often than not, it was a silent agreement between them that they spent the time they did have screwing like rabbits.

  As Superintendent of the Local Area Command—the LAC, she was often wound so tight only Aidan could unravel her. He was her rock, the only man who was always there when she needed him. She wasn’t stupid enough to call it love. Affection maybe but never love. Amelia Donovan did not love anybody. Although the closest she came to the emotion was her feelings towards her best friend Kellie Munroe-Hill and adopted niece Hallie Walker-Murphy, both having a special place in her heart as did the rest of the DU—the LAC’s Detective Unit in which she’d once a part of.

  Aidan touched a part of her that no one ever had. He was a confident man, a brilliant and thorough lover. He was also smart as a whip and oozed a manly vitality she had never known before—hadn’t thought existed. Not that she would ever say that out loud. She had never needed a man before in her life and she wasn’t about to now. She was a strong, independent woman. A normal man would cause problems, demand attention. But she and Aidan had set rules to their ‘relationship’—sex and friendship. No shop talk. No dates. No heartbreaks. Just great toes curling, bed head thumping, oh my God moaning sex. It was the way both of them wanted it. Neither having the time to go out socially and both needing the release that came with having high profile, time-consuming jobs.

  “Donovan,” she growled into the phone, allowing the caller to hear her annoyance. She listened with growing anger. “Shit, I’ll be right in. Inform Hawke and Matthews. This is something we can’t abide. I don’t want the DU working on anything else until this case is closed. If you need help rope Watson in. Y
ou know how eager he is and isn’t bound to fuck-up.”

  She hung up from Matt Murphy, her day moving from sugar to shit in sixty seconds. A dead cop. There was nothing worse. Not just because a cop was dead, but because he’d been murdered and they would have to make a statement. You kill a cop and a ton of shit will fall down right on top of you.

  Aidan’s hand flattened against the nape of her neck and began to massage. “Everything okay?”

  “No, a cop was murdered last night. Murphy’s at the scene now.”

  She hadn’t known Grayson Hughes personally but she’d heard his name a time or two.

  “Shit. Anything I can do?”

  Amelia gave a half-hearted smile. “Yeah, send the arsehole who dared kill a cop straight to hell when we find him.”

  “Will do. Now come here. You still have a few minutes before your presence is required.” He caught her around the waist and pulled her to him. His mouth fitted to hers and he stole her breath.

  Just like the first time and all other times after that one.

  It didn’t matter his touch lacked passion to her body, Aidan instead giving her comfort and compassion, she still went up in flames.

  Okay so maybe she’ll get at least one thing she wanted before she left.

  ***

  Hours later, Amelia made a statement to the media, promising to catch the men who had killed Inspector Grayson Hughes. She’d also ensured the public that this was a onetime murder and that they should not expect more bodies to turn up. She hoped she hadn’t been lying. In the past five years, the city of Harbour Bay had seen three serial killers captured or killed and the takedown of the head of organised crime. The LAC were still dealing with the fallout from Dick Coleani’s demise four years earlier.

  But it was not over yet. Slowly Coleani’s top men had come out of the woodwork determined to take over. To rule Harbour Bay as their own, the real estate prime here, all they needed was a leader.

  The latest in a long line of would-be kings was Isaac Hunter, a ruthless man who had been one of Coleani’s favourites.

  Amelia rubbed at her temples. A relentless headache pounded beneath her skull like a jackhammer and she wanted to scream. A knock sounded on her door and Hallie, dressed in a black skirt and white blouse entered carrying a mug of coffee.

  “I emailed the last of the media releases—complete with your quotes and Hughes’ official photo to the Tribute. So expect to see it splashed all over the front page tomorrow.”

  Amelia nodded. “Anyone give you trouble?”

  Hallie shook her head. “Are you kidding? They don’t even try anymore. I guess they finally understand that they won’t get anything out of me. A pushover I am not, nor can I be bribed or seduced.”

  Amelia laughed. She had dealt with crime reporters before and they were a blood-thirsty lot that had no scruples. Fortunately for her, Hallie could hold her own and despite the wholesome image she projected to the world was as tough as nails. Little fazed her. She was lucky to have her for an assistant. She would certainly miss her once Hallie moved to the training college.

  “You’re one in a million, kid. I’ve already spoken with Cade Watson. The moment you get back from Goulburn I’ll be pairing you with him. He’s a good bloke who won’t give you grief.”

  Being the daughter of a cop and part of the DU family, Hallie had been given certain advantages. None that she hadn’t worked damn hard for them but jealous people never saw that, they only saw the result and Hallie already had more training than most of her fellow constables.

  Hallie nodded. “Thanks, Amelia, but you don’t have to do that. I have thick skin. I can take whatever they want to throw at me.”

  “I know you can. But I’d rather not have you side-tracked by high school bullying. You’re going to be one of my best commodities.”

  The young woman’s eyes twinkled. “And you’ll have no issues using me, I get it and believe me I’m willing. That is, after all, what I’ve spent the last six years training for.” She looked about Amelia’s sparse office. “Matt says Hughes was a good friend. He’s taking it badly.”

  The entire command was taking it hard. Everyone felt it when one of their own was murdered. Everyone took it personally whether they knew the victim or not.

  “From the way he was killed, I’d say it was a revenge killing. The boys are looking into old case files Hughes handled looking for people with grudges.”

  “I bet that’s a long list.”

  “Aren’t they all?”

  “Superintendent, if I may have a word?” Both she and Hallie turned at the male voice and faced a man they both knew. Lewis Carlisle was the head of Special Crimes and Internal Affairs—SCIA and her friend, Kellie’s boss.

  Hallie bit her lip. “I’ll leave you to it.”

  Amelia waited until the door closed behind Hallie. “So, Carlisle what can I do for you?”

  Lewis Carlisle, a man who had started balding stepped closer to her desk. “Actually, it’s what I can do for you.”

  Intrigued, Amelia gestured to her visitor chair, indicating he should take a seat.

  “You have my attention.”

  Chapter 7

  “What are you doing?”

  Declan unfolded himself from the wall opposite Bethany’s bedroom door. She bit back a groan. She didn’t have the energy to deal with him today.

  “Starting today, where you go, I go.”

  The muscles in her neck tightened and she expelled a pent-up breath.

  “How long were you waiting?”

  His gaze swept over her. “A while.”

  “You could’ve just knocked.”

  “Didn’t want to disturb you.”

  He disturbed her all right, just not in the way he’d been thinking.

  “Where are you heading?”

  She started down the staircase. “To the pool. I always swim in the morning before breakfast. I assume you’ll be joining me?”

  “I’ll wait poolside.”

  “Is it really necessary to follow me around on the property? I mean of all places I’m safe here.”

  “Can you guarantee that?”

  Bethany tightened the knot keeping her terry cloth robe secure around her body, suddenly feeling vulnerable, something she’d not experienced before on the property.

  She wet her lips. “We’ve never had an issue before.”

  “Just means no one has tried hard enough.”

  “You sound disappointed. Am I that abhorrent?”

  “I don’t know you well enough to say one way or the other.”

  She stopped by the pool. “And yet, you’ve cast judgement already. But that’s okay so have I.”

  “I take that to mean it’s unfavourable?”

  “It’s subject to change depending on how much of an arse you continue to be.”

  Bethany slipped into the water, thankful for the stillness and anonymity of the deep pool. Beneath the surface, a new world waited. Quiet and still. A place she could think.

  She kicked her legs and came up for air before scissoring her way from edge to edge, all the while she could feel his gaze on her back. Just as she had the day before, only then she hadn’t known what the sudden heat had been.

  A prickle of unease zipped down her back, making her feel exposed. She wasn’t sure she liked him hovering. Her previous bodyguards had never been so diligent.

  She wasn’t at all up to dealing with a man such as Declan O’Neill. One, he had enough confidence for the both of them, taking her share as well as his own. He was bound to run roughshod over her. Two, the last thing she wanted was to fall in love with someone who was in her life on a temporary basis and she just knew it would be her dumb luck, knowing absolutely nothing about men that she would be off-balance the entire time and misread every sentence uttered, every gesture and fantasise about the rest.

  Damn those romance books, they really spoil it for the average woman. The reality was so different from what happens on the pages of a paperback. Why couldn�
�t O’Neill be a woman? She was much better equipped to handle a woman.

  Her other bodyguards had been women, which she had been thankful at the time. Her father wasn’t the most attentive and frankly discussing bodily functions and growth with him was just plain awkward. After the age of ten, her friends had seriously depleted and she rarely saw her aunt, Caitlyn or Caitlyn’s daughter, Sophie anymore and the Copeland girls had always been flying off someplace exotic, so Heidi Fletcher, her first and longest bodyguard, had been mother, friend, and protector to a young girl who had no idea what the hell was happening to her.

  Good thing he continued to be an arse around her. No way would she soften toward him and put her heart in jeopardy.

  Declan handed her the robe as she rose from the water and gratefully wrapped it around her.

  Acutely aware of his presence, she knew he followed her all the way to her bedroom door. Bethany turned to him, frustration fraying her nerves.

  “I’ll be showering. Unless you need to be present for that too?”

  She hadn’t meant to snap. His constant hovering annoying her.

  “It’s my duty to keep you safe. You never know from which direction the harm may come.”

  Her eyes rounded. Did that mean he would be joining her?

  Was it possible to have hot flashes at twenty-five? An image popped into her mind of her showering and looking over at him watching her. Her skin tingled and her mouth went dry. Every nerve ending was alight until her whole body quivered. The image changed. He stripped and joined her, pressing her wet body against the tiles. Her breaths became shorter. Faster. She wet her lips. Her body screamed, her nipples hard and aching.

  She swallowed.

  His nostrils flared and something flickered behind those eyes, darker now than she’d ever seen.