“There’s a photographer on the way over here,” Jake continued. “We can do the standard happy couple pose and he can have the pictures on the way to newspapers this afternoon.”
“That fast,” she mumbled, getting to her feet.
“That fast. Later, I have a Citizens’ Action Board dinner at the Sullivan Hotel, where we’ll be spending the night. We can make the official announcement there, and tomorrow morning we can announce it again at the brunch with a local watchdog group. It’s in the same hotel so it’ll be easier for me to set up security.”
Jessie went through the plan and saw one obvious glaring contingency. Or rather two. “This is just a guess, but this wasn’t Douglas’s or Willa’s idea.”
She could tell from his bunched-up forehead what the answer was. “They aren’t pleased, but once I tell Willa the whole story, she’ll come around. As for Douglas, eventually he’ll look past how this affects the campaign. If not, it doesn’t matter. I don’t have the time to soothe their ruffled feathers right now. Later. When we’ve put the killer behind bars.”
So his family had given him plenty of grief. It wouldn’t stop there either. His friends and constituents would feel the same way.
Jessie couldn’t let him go any farther with this. It was past time for the truth. Once she’d told him she had been conducting an unauthorized investigation into Christy’s death, Jake would quickly put aside this idea of a pretend engagement. Of course, he’d hate her, too, for not telling him the truth sooner. But maybe, just maybe, he wouldn’t cause so much trouble that it would cost Byron his badge.
“There’s more,” Jake continued, before she could say anything. “Marion Cameron is dead. The cops found her body in a motel off Interstate 35.”
The breath rushed out of her. She groped behind her for the chair arm and, when she located it, dropped onto the seat before her legs could give way. “She was murdered.”
“She left a suicide note.”
But Jessie wouldn’t place a bet on the woman taking her own life. Like Dr. Radelman, she’d been killed. Either way, it didn’t really matter. Suicide or murder, Marion was dead. That meant Jessie’s link to finding her kidnapper was dead, too.
“Do you see now why it’s so important that we make everyone believe we’re engaged?” Jake asked. His voice was strained, as if each word struggled to get past his throat. “Don’t think about what you want. Think about the baby. This person won’t be merciful. He’s killed at least two people and wouldn’t hesitate to add you to the list.”
It felt like another punch. Because it was true. She’d be killed and so would the baby. Jake would be framed for their murders. And she could stop it. She could stop it by simply saying yes.
“Make the arrangements,” Jessie said softly. “We’ll announce our engagement as soon as possible.”
Without looking at her, Jake took her hand and slipped a ring on her finger. “You’ll need this—”
It was a single square-cut diamond set in white gold. It caught the light and sent sparkles dancing over the room. It was also incredibly beautiful. She prayed it hadn’t belonged to Anne, but she instinctively knew that it hadn’t. Jake wouldn’t have allowed her to wear Anne’s engagement ring. That engagement was real. A promise to marry the woman he loved.
This engagement was strictly an arrangement. An arrangement that might save both of them and their child.
“Between now and tonight, you won’t leave my side,” he insisted. “And we won’t trust anyone but each other. Understand?”
“Does that include Douglas and Willa?”
She saw the battle go on inside his head and saw the equally determined look in his eyes. “We only trust each other,” he restated.
It was what she’d wanted to hear. Everyone was suspect.
“That includes your friend, Byron,” Jake added.
“But—”
He pressed his fingertips over her mouth. “Everyone.”
It wasn’t even something she wanted to consider—that Byron had played some part in this. However, Jake must have felt the same way about Willa and Douglas.
“Everyone,” she agreed.
But she prayed this pact wasn’t necessary, that the killer was really Abel Markham. That was certainly better than the alternative. That the person who wanted them dead was someone they loved.
Chapter Fourteen
Jake cursed the cuff link that gave him so much trouble. He didn’t need this tonight. He already had too much on his plate to be bothered by such trivial things.
He rapped once on the bedroom door before he pushed it open with his elbow. “Jessie, I have to go downstairs. I have to make sure—”
Jake looked up, the rest of what he should have said frozen somewhere between his throat and his mouth. She was there in the center of the room. Looking a little lost. Looking somewhat nervous. And absolutely stunning.
“Wow,” he managed to say. Barely. The sight of her knocked most of the breath out of him.
Her nervousness showing, she touched her hair. “The stylist from the hotel salon came up and trimmed it for me. Willa bought the dress. You don’t think the dress is too short?”
Oh, it was short, all right. Strapless. Midnight blue. And it fit her like skin. Jake was certain he wouldn’t be the only man at the party who’d notice that. The well-above-the-knee dress was one unbroken surface of shimmering light, like tiny faceted sapphires glued to her body. He had a sudden urge to pluck them off one by one.
With his teeth.
“You look, uh, nice.” Jake had to force out the understated compliment. He loosened his collar, hoping that would help. It didn’t. Nothing short of eating his way through that dress would help.
“I don’t know…” She looked in the mirror and smoothed her hands over the front of the dress. “It’s not really me, you know?”
Yes, it was. It looked as if it had been designed with Jessie’s slim body in mind. The only thing that appealed to him more was getting her out of the darn thing. “You’ll dazzle everyone.”
Her head snapped up, her gaze immediately fastening to his. Her eyes were wide and as brilliant as the dress. She obviously hadn’t expected a compliment from him. Too bad the one he’d given her was pithy at best. Yes, she would dazzle everyone, but none as much as she’d already dazzled him.
She had her dark hair combed back from her face, but it didn’t look stiff or overly styled. It was incredibly sexy. So was the thick band of liquid silver that she wore around her throat.
“Having trouble with that?” she asked.
For a moment he thought she’d looked at the front of his slacks. He was definitely having trouble in that area. But her attention was higher, on his cuff.
She walked to him, her stride confident despite the fact she wore thin high heels. Not quite stilettos, but they were high enough to give him a few fantasies. Of course, he hadn’t needed the shoes to help him out with thoughts like those. He’d fantasized about her for days.
“Here, I can help.” She eased the silver cuff from his fingers and began to push it through the hole. She shifted her body forward, and her hip brushed his thigh. “I’ll try not to do anything that will draw attention to myself. Or anything that will embarrass you.”
She was serious and apprehensive, but he couldn’t give her the reassurance she obviously needed. Her simple touch had taken him from being semi-aroused to full-speed ahead.
Great.
Anybody with even partial eyesight would notice that. Talk about drawing attention to himself.
Jessie finished the cuff link and released his arm. Fidgeting, she adjusted his tie. “Should I hold your hand or anything when we’re out there?” she asked.
Jake knew her question was innocent, but right now his thoughts weren’t. They were somewhere in the nether regions of raunchy. “Just follow my lead. I want people to think we’re engaged for all the usual reasons.”
All in all, that would be easy to do. Right now, he felt very much like
a sex-starved fiancé. Too bad the timing was stupid. He needed to be on his toes, and he damn sure had to think with his head and not another part of his body.
“I need to go into the ballroom first,” he explained. “I want to make the announcement that we’re engaged. Wait here until the guard escorts you down. Then I’ll introduce you to some people.”
She nodded. “I won’t have to answer a lot of questions, will I?”
“No. Just smile and look…” His gaze traveled down her body. “All you have to do is smile.” Hell, nobody would even hear the announcement once they got a good look at her. “After the introductions, we’ll get out of there as fast as possible. I’d rather not have a crowd around you until we’re sure the killer has gotten the message that you’re not his next victim.”
“That makes sense. Jake?” she said, when he started to leave. “Be careful, okay?”
“You, too.” And he turned and left before he did something really stupid, like kiss her again. Because the next time he kissed her, he wasn’t sure he could stop.
Hell, he wasn’t sure he’d want to stop.
“ALL RIGHT, LET’S GET this show on the road,” Willa said, when Jessie opened the door to the suite. But she wasn’t alone. She lifted her hand to the man in the tux standing behind her. “This is your bodyguard. He’s to escort us to the ballroom. Jake’s orders.”
Yes, Jessie had expected that. Jake had also mentioned there would be other undercover guards dispersed throughout the ballroom and the hotel.
Willa looked stunning in her slinky black gown, even with the formidable scowl on her face. It was a scowl that Jessie didn’t think would go away anytime soon. Willa was obviously very unhappy about her brother’s engagement. But then, Willa didn’t know the whole story. She didn’t know the engagement was fake. Well, she probably didn’t. Jessie wasn’t sure how much Douglas had told her.
Jessie gave her own dress one last look in the mirror. Blue silk and sequins. It was a far cry from her usual jeans. But then, so was the gelled hairstyle. She definitely didn’t look like a pregnant woman in fear of her life.
“You’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy,” she mumbled as the three left the suite. She was somewhere between Buckingham Palace and the Twilight Zone. It wasn’t likely to get better, either, with the party and announcement of her engagement to Jake.
Jessie tried to recall how long it’d been since she had attended a party, but she couldn’t remember. There had been a get-together at the precinct for those working Christmas Day. It was nothing like what she thought she would face in that ballroom.
For one thing, she’d face Jake. In a tux.
Now that was a sure-fire way to get her pulse racing. How could any man possibly look that good in a glorified suit?
They stopped just outside the doorway of the ballroom, and Jessie peered inside. She didn’t spot Jake because there was a sea of people in front of her. Jeweled gowns sparkled under the heavy chandeliers. The room smelled of champagne and expensive perfume.
“You’ll have to excuse me a moment,” Willa told her. “I need to find Douglas and let him know you’re here.”
“Sure.”
Willa turned her attention to the guard. “And according to Jake, you’re supposed to mingle while keeping an eye on Jessie.”
With that tersely given cue, the man quietly stepped into the crowd. Conversation murmured throughout the room, stirring with the sound of a softly played piano. Nothing was overstated, except the underlying feel of old money.
Willa stared at her a moment longer. “Don’t do anything to make this worse, all right?” Willa didn’t even wait for Jessie to answer before she strolled away.
“You bet,” she mumbled under her breath. Jessie was glad to have time to herself. Solitude wasn’t something she’d had much of in the past few days, and despite the full-scale party going on, she’d never felt more alone in her life. Alone.
And vulnerable.
Jake’s plan had to work. If not then she might as well tape a bull’s-eye to her forehead. She was in the room with hundreds of people and any one of them could easily be the assassin hired to kill her. But that was only if Jake was wrong.
“I understand congratulations are in order, Ms. Barrett.”
The speaker made her name sound like rattler venom and she turned around to face him. It was Abel Markham. He was dressed to kill in his tux and he had the look of a killer in his eyes. Jessie matched his glare. Markham was perhaps the pond scum responsible for the attempts on her life. And Jake’s.
“I know who you are,” Markham said simply. He sipped pungent-smelling whiskey, eyeing her over the rim of his glass. He eyed the dress, too. Funny, she hadn’t felt self-conscious under Jake’s intense scrutiny, but she sure did now.
“Oh?” Her glare probably took a nosedive with his remark, but she was anxious to hear what he had to say.
“You worked at Ray’s Cantina and asked a lot of questions about the death of one of his employees. Christy Mendoza.”
“So?” She glanced around, searching for Jake. He was nowhere in sight. However, she did spot the guard only about ten feet away. He lifted an eyebrow as if to ask if she needed help. She shook her head. Not that she particularly wanted to have this discussion with Markham, but it could prove enlightening.
“So I think it’s strange that you’d become engaged to the man who was likely responsible for her death,” Markham stated.
“The cops said it was an accident.”
He smiled. It was slow and evil, and made goose bumps rise on her skin. “Then why were you asking the questions if you believed that?”
It was time to stop this game of cat and mouse. “How did you know I asked about this woman, anyway?”
His expression never faltered. “Ray is an acquaintance.”
“Oh, yeah?” Jessie ran her cop’s gaze over his face. And she took her time. “You don’t look like the sort of man who’d admit to knowing Ray. It’s hard to believe you and I have something in common.”
His smile eased away. “Be careful, Ms. Barrett.”
“Of what?” she asked boldly.
“Of whom you trust. If your soon-to-be husband didn’t kill that woman, he’s no doubt covering for someone who did. If I were you, I’d look at Douglas Harland or even Willa. Douglas’s womanizing is common knowledge. Maybe Willa finally got fed up and eliminated her competition.”
Jessie wouldn’t dare let him know that he’d made a direct hit with that accusation. It was the main reason she’d begun her undercover investigation. All along, she’d felt that someone had covered up Christy’s death.
“Where’s Willa?” Jake asked.
Jessie whirled around to face him. He was not a happy man, and all that unhappiness was aimed at Abel Markham. “She went to find Douglas,” Jessie told him.
Jake kept his stony gaze on the other man when he spoke. “She shouldn’t have left you alone. No telling what might come crawling in here.” He put a firm grip on her arm and led her away from Markham. “I don’t want you talking to him, understand?”
“Believe me, it wasn’t planned.”
“Did he say anything to upset you?”
“No.” She wouldn’t mention that he’d all but implicated Jake, Douglas and Willa in a possible murder and cover-up. Besides, the room was packed—not the ideal place to discuss anything that might be overheard by the wrong person.
Jake forced a smile as a couple approached them. “We’ll talk about that later. Mr. and Mrs. Emmett, I’d like for you to meet my fiancée, Jessie Barrett.”
Jessie greeted them, but out of the corner of her eye she watched the transformation in Jake. He slid right into the role of the soon-to-be groom, merging it with that charismatic politician persona. He smiled at the right moment. The nod was perfectly timed, as well. And so was the gentle caress he gave her bare shoulder. Style, class and just a touch of Texas arrogance.
He would break her heart, of course. He’d have no choice. This was h
is world. Silk, champagne and grand parties. She didn’t belong here. She was a temporary glitch in his otherwise occasionally glitched life.
Jake led her to another group of people, the introductions passing in and out of her short-term memory. All eyed her curiously, but none said anything other than the niceties suitable for greeting a newly engaged couple.
“Would you like to dance?” Jake whispered.
He might as well have asked her if she wanted to bungee jump. She hadn’t danced in years, and never in a ballroom. Jessie was about to decline when he added, “I want to hear what Markham had to say.”
Of course. Somehow she’d almost forgotten. And dancing was probably the only way they would be able to have a private conversation.
Jake took her hand slowly, as if he had all the time in the world. He coupled their fingers and circled his arm around her waist, edging her to him. The music was soft and unhurried. He followed it and led her into the lazy rhythm of the dance. They moved together, like one. Body against body. Man and woman.
“Well?” he asked softly.
Jessie forced herself out of the romantic trance. The dance was fake, like their engagement. What Jake really wanted from her was information about Markham. “We didn’t talk that long,” she started.
She took a deep breath. Jake’s scent was all around her. On her. Jessie moved her mouth closer to his ear. So he could hear her better, she rationalized. It occurred to her that a sudden turn in the dance step just might allow her lips to brush his skin. She wanted that. As ridiculous as it was, she wanted that cheap thrill.
“Markham admitted he knows Ray, the owner of the cantina where I worked,” Jessie continued. “That could explain how he picked me for his victim. I’m sure Ray would have handed over my address and anything else Markham wanted to know. I’ll bet if you look deep into their financial records, they’ve crossed paths before all of this—”
It happened. Someone on the dance floor bumped into them. Just an accidental nudge. Jessie’s mouth glanced off his jaw. She didn’t have time to savor her small pleasure; she felt the difference in Jake’s posture immediately. His hand on her back tensed. She heard the whisper-soft groan rumble in his chest. Her body responded, too, to those subtle changes in his. A heat spread through her.
His Child Page 15
