“How long were you in prison?”
If the question surprised him, he didn’t let on. “Almost three years.”
“Was it difficult?”
“Some days more than others.”
“I don’t remember the details about what happened. I just remember seeing the news that you’d been convicted. Can you tell me about it?”
For several long seconds he didn’t answer. She figured when he did speak, he would tell her to mind her own business. Instead, he said, “If I tell you, will you answer some questions, too?”
That seemed only fair. “Yes.”
As he eased into a chair across from her, his gaze shifted and became unfocused, as if he was watching the past unfold. “My brother’s executive assistant, Teri Burke, contacted me. We had met a couple of times, but had done nothing more than flirt a little. One day, she called and asked me out. I met her at a restaurant a few miles outside Dallas.”
A small, wistful smile played around his mouth. “I had my mind on romance, but that wasn’t the real reason she’d contacted me. She had worked for my brother for a little over a year and had discovered some disturbing things. She thought I should know.”
“How did she know she could trust you?”
“Adam and I had no use for each other. We rarely saw each other, but when we did, neither of us hid our disgust. The only time we tried to get along was when our mother was present. Teri was around the family enough to know who she could trust.”
“What did you do then?”
“I was already doing my own investigating. I had been working for my father and had seen some things that didn’t seem right. Her suspicions ramped up my own. I went to a man I knew I could trust. Turns out, he’d been working his own angle against my father. Then I brought my brother Eli on board.
“We thought we had been so discreet…that we would never get caught.”
“But you did?” Gabby said.
“I was overseeing a shipment of goods for my father. It was completely legal, but the feds showed up and uncovered a boatload of heroin and cocaine. I got busted. Didn’t matter how innocent I was. My father was determined to teach me a lesson. My trial barely lasted a week. After my conviction, Teri disappeared. Almost two years passed before her body was discovered.”
“You loved her.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry. Do you know what happened?”
“Only that my father ordered the hit. I’m still looking for the man who killed her.”
“What will happen when you find him?”
“I’ll kill him.”
He made the statement without a hint of hesitation, not bothering to hide his intentions. The idea of taking another person’s life was disturbing to her, but she appreciated Jonah’s honesty. He could have lied and told her he’d make sure the killer was arrested and convicted. He chose to tell her the truth. Oddly enough, that made her feel better about him. If he could tell her this…trust her with this, could she trust him, too?
“I guess all families have a few bad apples, don’t they?”
“Yeah, but I doubt there are too many families who make it a point of killing the people they don’t like, including their own relatives.”
“Your family had some of their relatives killed?”
“Teri was my fiancée. Also, my father had arranged for me to be killed in prison. Fortunately, the plan went awry.”
“I’m sorry about your fiancée. I hope you find the man responsible.”
“The man responsible is burning in hell. The man who carried it out will join him soon.”
He said it with such surety and clarity, she believed him.
Apparently deciding he had shared enough and it was now her turn, he gave a little go-ahead nod. “Now you.”
In between writing down her goals for the future, Gabby had given this a lot of thought. She had decided that she would either trust that the information she gave Jonah would be used to destroy her grandfather or it wouldn’t. They could take her back or kill her whether she gave them information or not. At least this way, there was the chance that one day Luis Mendoza would pay for all that he had done.
And telling him the truth seemed only fair. He had given her ample time to settle in and feel more comfortable with him and the situation. He had truthfully answered what she had asked of him. It was now her turn.
She took a breath and a leap of faith. “My grandfather has quarterly dinners with many of his associates. I arrange those events and act as hostess.”
“So you know who he does business with?”
“Yes. But I know more. Remember I told you that I do a lot of Internet surfing?” She waited for his nod before continuing. “I learned how to hack into not only his accounts but the accounts of his associates. I can give you names. Events. Shell corporations. Dates. Partnerships.”
To say her revelation surprised him would be an understatement. Jonah didn’t know if he should hug her for her ingenuity or shout at her for putting herself at risk.
“Why would you do this? What if you’d gotten caught?”
“The risk was worth it. Besides, what would my grandfather have done if he’d caught me? Nothing more than take away my computer.”
He wasn’t so sure about that, but there was no point in chastising her for something she’d managed to get away with.
“How can you remember so much?”
“I have a good memory. And for the last year, since I knew I would finally be able to escape, I’ve concentrated on memorizing as much as I could.”
The treasure trove of information inside her head could be of infinite value, but it could also put her in much more danger than any of them had ever imagined. Not even Justice could have anticipated what Gabby might know.
“Did you plan on getting even with your grandfather someday?”
“Perhaps. The first time I snooped, it was more of a game. Just to see if I could actually get away with it. When I realized I could…that no one would ever suspect that meek, malleable Gabriella was intelligent or gutsy enough to do such a thing, I decided to learn everything I could. Knowledge is power.”
For someone who had felt the powerlessness of having no control over his life, Jonah could certainly identify with her need for knowledge.
He stood and headed toward the door.
“Where are you going?”
He glanced over his shoulder as he walked out of the room. “To get you another notebook.”
Her brilliant smile slammed into him with the force of a speeding train. Jonah felt the effects all the way to his feet. His heart pounded, and an uncomfortable and unfamiliar emotion swept through him. Oh hell no.
If a mere smile could do this to him, then he was getting in too deep with her. Other than a few members of his family, he hadn’t cared about anyone in years. His only focus was to find Teri’s killer. Damned if that was going to change.
He didn’t care how beautiful, intelligent, or sweet she was. Gabriella Mendoza was a job to him and not one damn thing more.
Chapter Thirteen
“Out of all the men who came to my grandfather’s last gathering, Donald Benson is probably the scariest.”
Jonah glanced down at his notes. “Businessman out of Chicago?”
“Yes. I hacked into one of his bank accounts.” She shrugged. “It’s not under his name but his stepdaughter’s. Anyway, a couple of years ago, he sent twelve payments over a three month period, all under ten thousand dollars, to a bogus company in the Caymans. I think he had someone killed.”
Depositing a hundred thousand or so dollars to a secret account in the Caymans could mean just about anything, including payment for a hit, but Jonah was learning that Gabby had excellent instincts about her grandfather’s business associates.
“Why do you think he had someone murdered?”
“His first ex-wife died in a boating accident that same year. The boat exploded. The authorities blamed faulty wiring.”
Jonah
jotted another note beside Benson’s name. Even though he was recording the conversation and Gabby had already written some of this stuff down herself, he was making his own notes, too. With all the info she had provided over the last couple of days, Justice was going to have a field day.
They were sitting in the first floor den. Gabby was curled up in a chair, sipping a cup of cocoa, gazing into the fire. After that first, uninformative interview, Jonah had moved their location to a more relaxed setting. And those types of interviews were over. They’d progressed from his blunt questions and her vague answers to real conversations.
He had made a mistake, treating her as if she were in some way responsible for her family’s antics. Gabby had no involvement in their illegal activities and without a doubt the things she was sharing would go a long way toward ending them.
“Oh, and there’s Marcel Dubois. He hasn’t been to a gathering in a couple of years. I’m not sure if he and my grandfather had a falling out or what happened, but about three years ago, the two had a secret meeting in Paris. About two weeks after that, my grandfather made a sizeable investment to Marcel’s corporation. About a year after that, my grandfather received a payment that was more than double his investment.”
“And you know this, how?”
“My grandfather uses an accounting firm in Caracas to handle many of his international transactions. I hacked into their system and accessed his accounts.”
She said the words casually but he saw the gleam in her eyes. She knew the information she was providing would cause an uproar. As much as he was glad to get the information, he wasn’t nearly as happy with the danger that would follow Gabby, not only from her grandfather, but other, possibly even more dangerous men.
“Did it ever occur to you what you might be opening up by digging into these men? The danger you’d be placing yourself in?”
“Yes and no.” Her eyes took on a distant look as she continued slowly, “At first it was like solving a puzzle. Seeing all the different pieces and figuring out how they fit together. The more I uncovered, the more outraged I became. Then it became a quest.”
She refocused on Jonah and gave him a solemn look. “It just wasn’t right.”
And that was the Gabby he was coming to know. She had a distinctly high moral code. It was little wonder she had been so isolated from her family. They were opposites in every way.
She set her empty mug on the table beside her and then shifted in her chair, reminding him that they’d been sitting for several hours. A break was definitely called for.
“Why don’t we take a breather until this afternoon?”
She sent him a grateful look. “Thank you. Talking about these people always makes me tense and out of sorts.”
“There’s a hot tub and sauna in the gym. That might help.”
“Sounds perfect.” She lifted her slender arms above her head and stretched in an effortless, graceful movement. The white turtleneck sweater she wore tightened against her chest, outlining her full breasts.
And just like that, Jonah was no longer thinking of criminals and the shitty things they did. Instead, his mind veered to the image of a beautiful woman with long, black hair, golden creamy skin, and luscious breasts. She was sitting in a steamy hot tub, her eyes were closed and a sensuous, dreamy smile was curving her lovely lips.
He surged from his chair like a rocket. “I need to do some things. I’ll see you later.”
“Wait.”
He’d already been striding toward the door but her words stopped him. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I was just wondering if there are any books or magazines here that I could read?”
Jonah cursed his lack of foresight. He’d been so focused on getting what he needed, he hadn’t given much thought to the restlessness Gabby must feel. She had asked for nothing since she’d been here. When he’d given her a spiral bound notepad and a writing pen, she’d acted as if he’d given her keys to a castle.
Glad to be able to give her something else, he said, “Follow me.”
Without hesitation, Gabby followed. Each day she knew this man, the more she liked him. She couldn’t say he was easy to get to know. He didn’t use pretty words or fake emotions. There was no double meaning to his statements. In fact, on more than one occasion, he had been painfully blunt. His lack of artifice was both refreshing and exhilarating.
They walked across the large foyer and headed up the stairway. “I can’t believe I still haven’t explored this house.”
“Go anywhere you like. The third floor’s got some good views of the mountain range. Kind of hard to see with the snow we’ve been having.”
It had been snowing for days. Even for a person who spent the majority of her time in seclusion, Gabby was feeling closed in. She had walked out onto the balcony of her bedroom a couple of times but had only been able to stay for a few minutes. The icy wind had almost taken her breath.
“It’s a beautiful house. Does it belong to the organization you work for?”
“Actually, no. This one belongs to the man himself.”
“And I still can’t know his name?”
“I think he wants to introduce himself. As soon as the weather calms down, he’ll come meet you.”
Before she could ask more questions, Jonah opened a large door on the second floor. Speechless, Gabby walked into one of the loveliest libraries she’d ever seen. The room was huge and circular in design. As she made a slow 360 degree turn, she gazed up in wonder at the tall wooden shelves stacked with more books than a person could read in several lifetimes.
On one side of the room, a beautiful spiral staircase led to a second level. On the other side were a massive stone fireplace, a large leather chair, and a giant sofa. From the gleaming cherry-wood shelves to the thick Persian rugs on the dark, hardwood floors, the library screamed elegance, grace, and comfort. Whoever had designed this library had the soul of a dreamer.
“I can’t imagine owning all of these books.” She returned her gaze to the silent man who still stood at the door. “Do you like to read?”
“Used to. Hated it when I was a kid but it grew on me when I got into college. Haven’t had time for it lately.”
“What did you study in college?”
“Business.”
“Did you go to a large school?”
“Yes. University of Texas.”
“Longhorns. Right?”
“How did you know?”
“Just a bit of useless trivia I picked up.”
His mouth tilted in an almost smile. “Hey, there’s nothing useless about the Longhorns.”
A shiver of excitement zipped up her spine. If just a half smile had that kind of impact on her, she could only imagine what a full smile from Jonah would do to her.
“So you think you can find something to read?”
She laughed, gazing up at the treasure trove. “I’m sure I can find one or two I haven’t read.”
She looked at Jonah again and almost stumbled. Any trace of amusement had disappeared from his face. She had no idea what he was thinking but his granite hard expression told her something was bothering him.
“Jonah? Are you okay? Is something wrong?”
He stood silently for several more seconds, his eyes almost burning into hers. Then he abruptly shook his head and backed away. “Nothing’s wrong. I’ll see you later.”
“Thank you, Jonah. For this.”
Shrugging, he said, “Sure,” then disappeared out the door, closing it behind him.
Gabby stared at the closed door. She had never felt like this before. She was breathless and lightheaded but also felt amazingly, wonderfully alive. Exhilarated. All because of one intense look from Jonah Slater. If the man ever really did turn on the charm, she wasn’t sure she would survive. She was, however, quite sure she would enjoy every single moment.
Turning away from that sizzling thought, Gabby took in her surroundings again. She took in a deep breath, inhaling the wonderful fragrance of
books, and smiled.
Chapter Fourteen
The snow continued to fall. Gabby had never seen anything like it. A part of her wanted to go out and play in the icy wonderland. Another part wanted to stay inside, snug and safe, and just enjoy the pristine, otherworldly beauty. Jonah had promised that once the heavy snow ended, she could go out, build snowmen, have snowball fights, and play to her heart’s content. She opted for staying inside and waiting. She was learning that Jonah Slater was a man of his word. He could be trusted.
The oddity of trusting anyone, especially a man, was both scary and liberating. For so long, she had lived in an isolated world of distrust and skepticism. What she had seen and experienced had molded her into a person she didn’t particularly like. She didn’t want to be distrustful and suspicious. She wanted to be free of all those doubts. She would soon start a new life—she wanted a new attitude, too.
The cautious, inhibited Gabby told her to be careful. Reminded her of all the betrayals of the past. Getting her hopes up only to have them destroyed had happened too many times to have high expectations. She told herself to set her sights on what was achievable and acceptable. Anything higher was just going to disappoint. That included Jonah Slater.
But her heart, which, much to her dismay, seemed to be calling the shots lately, told her to stop with the caution and distrust. There were men worthy of her trust. Honorable men with courage and integrity. Just because they weren’t in her own family didn’t mean they didn’t exist. Her heart told her that Jonah was one of those men.
Hard to believe she had known him for only twelve days. Even as taciturn as he was, he’d shared things with her she suspected he hadn’t told anyone else. Horrible things that had happened in prison. The absolute emptiness he’d experienced each morning that he woke was something she could definitely identify with. Lack of hope was soul destroying.
She ached for him when he described how he had learned of his fiancée’s disappearance, the helplessness he’d felt. In turn, she had shared with him her own hurts and fears. The heartache of losing her friend and mentor, Raiza. The ache of loneliness had been almost unbearable.
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