Liam

by Kate Hoffmann

  “What is this?” Liam asked, reaching out to pick it up.

  “Ronald gave this to me a few weeks before we broke up. And then right before I left New York, he asked if he could have it back. He said it was a family heirloom. But this isn’t an antique. I was so angry at him, I refused. Then I left New York to start over in Boston. And the next thing I knew, Ronald shows up here. I think he may have been the one to break into my apartment.”

  “So do I,” Liam said.

  Ellie glanced over at Sean and he nodded in agreement. “And I think this is what he was looking for,” she continued. “I had it in a box down in my landlord’s storage locker. Ronald wouldn’t have known to look there.” She reached out to turn the music box over, her hand brushing against Liam’s. For an instant she remembered what those hands had done to her, how they’d moved over her body, how they’d driven her wild with need. Ellie swallowed hard. “The bottom comes off. You just push that little clip forward.”

  Liam popped the bottom off, then glanced up at Ellie. “There’s a key in here,” he said.

  Ellie nodded. “It’s for a safe-deposit box and that bank is here in Boston. We came here on a long weekend and that’s when he gave me the music box. We weren’t together every minute and he may have had time to visit the bank. It’s Rawson Bank. They have a branch a few blocks from the hotel where we stayed. I think that whatever is in that safe-deposit box has something to do with the embezzlement.”

  “If we could get in the box and-”

  She shook her head. “Unless he put the box in my name, we won’t be able to open it. I would have had to sign a card at the bank and I don’t remember doing that, so I don’t think that’s the case.”

  Liam handed the key to Sean. “We’ll check it out.”

  “No,” Ellie said.

  “No?” Sean asked.

  “I have a plan. I’m going to call him and tell him that I know about the embezzlement and that I want part of the money in exchange for the key.”

  “Ellie, I don’t want you to-”

  She held up her hand, stopping Liam’s protest. “I’m going to do this. I’ll do it alone or you can be a part of it. But if I don’t get it straight, then they’re always going to think I’m an embezzler.”

  Liam slid out of the booth then reached over and grabbed Ellie’s hand, dragging her after him. “Excuse us, I need to talk to Ellie alone.”

  As he pulled her toward the kitchen, Ellie tried to yank her hand away. “You can’t talk me out of this.”

  When they reached the kitchen, Liam backed her up against a counter and braced his hands on either side of her, blocking her escape. He caught her gaze, his eyes intense and unyielding. “Ellie, this guy has already proved that he is willing to kill for this money. I don’t want you taking this into your own hands. Sean and I will track down the money and we’ll go to the authorities.”

  “No,” Ellie said.

  “If this doesn’t work, then Ronald is going to pass the blame to you. And he might walk away from this free and clear while you serve his time in jail. Do you want to risk that?”

  “I didn’t do this,” Ellie said.

  “I know you didn’t.”

  “Do you?”

  Liam sighed. “Ellie, I never really believed that you were a part of this. Ask Sean. From the moment I met you, I questioned whether you could have done this. Do you think I would have gotten involved with you if I really thought you were a criminal?”

  “And why did you get involved with me?”

  “Because…I don’t know…I couldn’t help myself.”

  “Or maybe you were just doing a job?”

  “I know you’re angry and you feel as if I deceived you and-”

  “You did,” she said.

  “I’m sorry.” He stared down into her eyes and Ellie willed the tears from falling. Slowly he brought his hands to her cheeks, cupping her face in his palms. He bent closer and she knew he was about to kiss her. At the last moment Ellie turned her head and stepped away from him.

  “So how are we going to handle this?” she asked.

  “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

  “I-I mean about Ronald. I think I should call him and invite him over. But I don’t want to show him the key right then. He might…”

  “Damn it, Ellie, you can’t-”

  “Stop,” she said. She took a deep breath. “Maybe I can tell Ronald that I have the key in a safe place. Then we can go get it, then go to the bank, then when we’re there, you can arrest him.”

  “I can’t arrest him. Sean can’t, either. According to Sean, once we have Ronald dead to rights, then we call the bank. They call the authorities, the grand jury indicts Ronald, an arrest warrant is issued and then they grab him. It’s all pretty complicated.”

  Ellie looked up at him. “I can do this. I know I can get him to tell me what he did.”

  This time, Liam didn’t hesitate. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her to him, kissing her long and hard. She didn’t pull away. Instead she smoothed her hands over his chest and wrapped her arms around his neck. When it was clear Liam wasn’t going to stop until she did, she pulled back, and he pressed his forehead against hers. She wanted to tell him how he’d hurt her, how much she’d cared and how fragile she felt.

  But Ellie wasn’t ready to tell him what was in her heart. If he didn’t return her feelings, then she was certain that her heart would break into a million pieces. And this time it wouldn’t mend. She was in love with Liam Quinn, really and truly in love for the first time in her life.

  “I should go,” she said.

  “No. We’re going to talk about this. If you’re going to do this, I have to know you’ll be safe,” he murmured.

  “What should I do? Just tell me.”

  “You’re going to call Ronald tonight and say you want to meet him. But it has to be somewhere that we can watch you. And listen.”

  Ellie nodded.

  “Don’t tell him what you want to talk about. Or if he asks, just mention that thing about finding a job. Keep it light. Make him believe that he’s finally got an opening.”

  “I can’t believe I ever cared about him,” Ellie said. “I should have dumped him before he had a chance to dump me.” She frowned. “The only thing I can’t figure out is why he dumped me before he got the key back.”

  “He probably figured he could charm his way back into your life at any time. And he had to wait for the right time, once the suspicion was off him. But after you quit at Intertel and came to Boston, it must have taken him a while to track you down.” Liam paused. “Maybe I should be there when you call him.”

  Though Ellie would have welcomed his support, she knew she couldn’t fall back into their relationship so quickly. It was easy to love Liam Quinn, to depend upon him. But for once in her life she was going to take off her rose-colored glasses and see the guy for who he really was. A man who had deceived her, a man who had betrayed her.

  “I’ll call you,” she said.

  “I’ll drive you home.” He touched his finger to her lips before she could protest. “I just want to make sure you’re safe.”

  Ellie nodded. She did feel much safer when he was with her-at least physically. But emotionally she knew that all it would take was another kiss and she’d risk losing her heart. Though he’d been there to save her from danger before, this time she’d have to save herself.

  ELLIE SMOOTHED HER HANDS over the front of the black cocktail dress, then tugged at the neckline in an attempt to hide a bit more skin. She’d purchased the dress nearly three years ago for a special date she’d had with a Wall Street stockbroker, thinking that it might impress him. But then he’d called and canceled at the last minute and she’d never heard from him again.

  When she’d pulled it from her closet, the tags still dangled from the dress. But at least it would be put to good use now. Tonight she was determined to trap a man and, in the process, to clear her own name.

  She should be
scared, or at least a little worried that she might not be able to pull this off. But since she’d met Liam, Ellie had learned that even she had the capacity to wield her feminine power. She may not be a femme fatale, but she’d gained a confidence that she’d never had before, secure in the knowledge that at least one devastatingly attractive and charming man found her sexy.

  Ellie tugged on the hem, which rose to midthigh. But when she did that, the neckline plunged, revealing a fair amount of cleavage. “Just leave it alone,” she murmured, adjusting her bra. She took a deep breath and examined herself critically. “I look…good.” She turned to her side. “Really good. He’s going to be putty in my hands.”

  “Is that what you’re wearing?”

  Ellie’s heart skipped a beat at the deep sound of Liam’s voice. He and Sean had arrived at her apartment several hours ago to plant a microphone. And since that time, Liam had been hovering over her, watching her get ready for her “date,” silently observing-and driving her a bit crazy, as well. Sean had merely wished her luck and returned to the attic across the street.

  She saw Liam’s reflection in the mirror, his shoulder braced against the doorjamb of her bedroom. “What do you think?” Ellie asked. “I think it will do the trick, don’t you?”

  “Aren’t you a little…exposed?” Liam snapped.

  Ellie slowly turned to look at him. He was jealous. She smiled inwardly, taking a secret pleasure in that fact. “I want to entice Ronald, to show him that I’m not just some meek little wallflower. I need to appear confident and sexy, the kind of woman who would stand up for herself, who’d be willing to do anything to get what she wants.”

  “And you can’t do that in a different dress?”

  Ellie frowned. “What’s wrong? You want this to work, don’t you?”

  Liam cursed, then turned on his heel and walked back to the living room. Ellie followed him. But as she caught up to him, she realized why he was so surly. “Are you upset because my dress is too sexy? Or because Ronald is going to see more of me than you think is proper?”

  He turned on her, his jaw tight, his eyes icy. “You don’t know what Ronald Pettibone is capable of. He tried to kill you more than once. I don’t think it’s wise to provoke him.”

  “But…but you’re going to be here to protect me if anything goes wrong. And Sean is watching from across the street. I’m not afraid. I’m just worried that I might mess up.”

  “You know what we agreed on, right? If at anytime you feel unsafe, then you say the word ‘hungry.’ Ask Ronald if he’s hungry. I’ll be out of that bedroom in less than a second.”

  “All right. But what if he wants to go get the key right away?”

  “Just tell him that the music box is in another safe-deposit box with your other valuables. And you can’t get it until tomorrow morning. You’ll get it and meet him at his bank tomorrow to pick up the money.”

  “And that’s when we’ll catch him in the act, right?”

  “Right. Sean has talked to Intertel and they’ve called the authorities and told them that Ronald is here. They’ll pick him up when he takes the money from the bank.”

  Ellie nodded. “And what about me?”

  “You’re going to have to tell your story,” Liam said. “But I think it’s pretty obvious that you didn’t have anything to do with this. That Ronald was planning to use you as a scapegoat if things fell apart.” He reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “You can do this, Ellie.”

  “I have to,” she said, staring down at their intertwined fingers. It felt so good to have him touch her again. Since he’d kissed her a few nights ago at the pub, they’d maintained an uneasy distance. Ellie still stung over the fact that he had deceived her. As for Liam, he seemed to want her to forget all his transgressions and pick up where they’d left off.

  Ellie sucked in a deep breath and the knots in her stomach tightened. After this was all over she had vowed to make another fresh start, to find a new place to live, a new job, to put this all behind her. But when she thought about life without Liam, the pain moved from her stomach to her heart.

  The buzzer sounded on the security panel and Ellie jumped. “That’s Ronald,” she said, glancing at her watch. “He’s early.”

  “I’m going to be in the bedroom. I’ll be able to hear everything he says.”

  “What if he wants to go in the bedroom? I mean, what if I have to-”

  Liam’s eyes narrowed. “If he wants that, then you just get him out of this apartment. Under no circumstance are you to-”

  “No! I meant, what if he wants to see my apartment?”

  He tipped his head back and sighed. “Just try to avoid that. If he does, then I’ll hide in the closet.”

  She nodded, then reached over to the security panel and buzzed him in. Liam grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, then lifted it to his mouth and placed a kiss on her wrist. “Remember the word?”

  “Hungry,” Ellie repeated.

  She waited until Liam was safely in the bedroom, then opened the front door, stepping out onto the landing. When she saw Ronald climbing the stairs, she pasted a smile on her face and tried to appear as nonchalant as possible. “Hello, Ronald,” she said.

  He gave her a smile, the same smile he’d given her hundreds of times before. But she’d never really noticed how smarmy it was. “Hello, beautiful.”

  “Come on in. Sit down.”

  He did as he was told, sauntering inside with a cock-sure attitude. “Nice place,” he said.

  Ellie gritted her teeth. As if he’d never seen it before! “Thanks. Can I get you something to drink? I have a nice bottle of wine.”

  “Sure.”

  She escaped to the kitchen, giving herself a moment to breathe and to compose herself. So far so good. “Are you-” Ellie stopped herself. “Interested in something to eat? I have cheese and crackers.” She’d almost said the secret word! “Focus,” she murmured to herself.

  “No,” Ronald replied. “Just the wine.”

  When she returned to the living room, she found Ronald standing at her bookshelves, carefully examining the knickknacks she had on display. She held out the glass of wine.

  “Thanks,” he said. “I was just noticing. You don’t have that music box that I gave you.”

  “Funny you should mention that,” Ellie said.

  “Why is that?”

  Ellie sent him a shrewd look. “Sit down, Ronald. We need to talk.” When he was settled on the sofa, Ellie took a tiny sip of her wine, marshaled all her resolve and jumped in. “About a week ago, I spoke with someone from the bank. Dana. Do you remember her?” She waved her hand. “It doesn’t make any difference if you do or you don’t. The point is, she told me that you’d left your job. And she also told me that someone had embezzled a quarter-million dollars from the bank. Can you believe that?”

  Ronald shook his head, an uneasy expression crossing his face. “That’s terrible.”

  “It is. What’s even more terrible is that they have two suspects.”

  “How could that be terrible?”

  “Because one of the suspects is me. And the other is you. Now, I know I didn’t do this, so that leads me to only one conclusion-that you did.”

  “Ellie, I can’t believe that you’d believe that I-”

  “Save it, Ronald. I found the key in the music box. I know what you’re trying to do. You broke into my apartment a few weeks ago, looking for the music box. You tried to run me down on the street and to kill me with a falling brick, probably thinking that if you put me in the hospital you’d have more time to search my things. And when that didn’t work, you broke in a second time and ransacked my apartment.”

  “Really, Ellie, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “I have the key,” she said. “It must be pretty important-important enough for you to search me out. So if you want the key, then you and I are going to have to make a deal.”

  He stared at her for a long moment, obviously e
valuating the situation and gauging her determination. “Let’s say I did embezzle that money. What do you expect to get out of this?”

  “I could ask for half, since you’ve already made it look like I was the one who did this. But I’m not a greedy person, Ronald. I’d be happy with fifty thousand. Enough to buy me a new start, maybe in San Francisco or Chicago.”

  “Do you have the key here?”

  “No. It’s in a safe place. If you agree to the deal, I’ll get it and we’ll meet at the bank and you can give me my share.”

  Ronald opened his mouth, as if he were about to refuse, then laughed sharply. “I think I underestimated you, Ellie.”

  “Most men do. They don’t realize what they had until it’s gone.” She set her wineglass down, then stood. “So, do we have a deal?”

  He rose and took a step closer. “I guess we do. And maybe we should seal the deal with a kiss? For old times’ sake.”

  Ellie couldn’t think of anything worse than kissing Ronald Pettibone, except maybe dental surgery without anesthesia. But she had a part to play and she didn’t want to arouse his suspicions. She gave him a coy smile. “All right,” she said. “To seal the deal.”

  8

  LIAM CURSED SOFTLY, his mind conjuring up images to match what he was hearing through the crack in the door. He should have never allowed Ellie to do this, never put her in such a dangerous position. He wanted to pull the door open and to step into the hallway, curious to see exactly what type of kiss Ellie and Pettibone were sharing. But he knew he couldn’t give away his position. Besides, Sean was watching from across the street. If he felt Ellie was in any danger, he’d been instructed to ring Liam’s cell phone in warning.

  Liam tapped his foot impatiently, waiting for them to start speaking again, wondering just how long the kiss would last. And then finally the sounds of their voices drifted down the hall to him.

  “Now I know I underestimated you,” Ronald said. “You’ve changed, Eleanor.”

  “Maybe I have,” she replied in a teasing tone.