Hotshot P.I.

by B. J Daniels

  She crashed her way out of the lilacs as if the person was at her heels. Scooping up her purse and overnight bag, she rushed down the beach toward her dock. Who had been at the window? The same person who’d called her down to the dock and tried to drown her? It hadn’t been a dream, her mind screamed. No more than the crushed grass beneath the window.

  With relief she passed the old boathouse, and Jake didn’t jump out of the shadows to stop her. All that stretched ahead now was the dock and her boat waiting beside it. The sun danced on the slick surface of the lake, golden. The tall pines shimmered, a silky green at the edge of the water. She took a calming breath. The air smelled of so many familiar, rich scents. Safe scents she’d grown up with. But she was no longer safe. From Jake. From the phantom in the lake. From the real live person who’d stood looking in her window. As long as she kept sleepwalking, she wasn’t even safe from herself.

  She reached the dock without incident and started down it, walking as quickly and quietly as possible. A sudden flash of memory tormented her. A hand coming out of the water. Grabbing her ankle. Pulling her. She walked faster, fear dogging her steps.

  Just a few feet ahead she could see her boat, a yellow-and-white inboard-outboard; a coat of dew on the top and windshield glistened in the morning sunlight. Once she reached it and started the engine, Jake wouldn’t be able to stop her. The thought buoyed her spirits.

  She shot a parting glance toward his lodge. Jake must still be asleep. He’d been so adamant about shadowing her every step last night, this seemed almost too easy. She smiled to herself, imagining his surprise when he woke and found her gone, as she untied the bow and started to swing her overnight bag into the hull.

  “Good morning!”

  Clancy jumped, nearly tumbling backward off the dock. She swallowed a startled cry, pretending she wasn’t trying to get away and his catching her wasn’t a problem. Jake grinned up at her from the bottom of her boat, where he lay sprawled on a sleeping bag, his arms behind his head.

  “Going somewhere?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at the overnight bag still clutched in her hand.

  She cursed under her breath.

  “If you’re set on a life of crime, Ms. Jones, you’re going to have to be more devious,” he said, getting to his feet. “And jumping bail.” He wagged his head at her. “Bad idea.”

  Clancy groaned. This man was the most irritating—She took a breath, trying to still her anger as well as the silly sudden flutter of her heart as he vaulted effortlessly from the boat to join her on the dock.

  “Level with me, Clancy,” he said, his voice as soft and deep as his gray eyes.

  The sound sent a tiny vibration through her, igniting memories of the chemistry between the two of them as teenagers. She wondered if it was still there and hastily brushed that errant thought away.

  Having to deal with this man on top of everything else was too much, she told herself. She didn’t have the time or energy for this. Nor did she need the constant reminder of what she’d lost ten years ago—or how much more she had to lose now.

  “Where are you going so early in the morning?” he asked as he stalked toward her, backing her against the edge of the dock, trapping her.

  Clancy had to tilt her chin back to meet his gaze. He’d cornered her in more ways than one. And she acknowledged that it wasn’t going to be easy to get rid of him. But getting rid of him was exactly what she had to do if she held any hope of clearing herself.

  “If you must know,” she said, coming up with the first plausible explanation that popped into her head, “I’m going to see my lawyer.”

  Jake pushed back his baseball cap. “Good, I need to see your lawyer, too.”

  She shot him a look. “You’re going like that?”

  He glanced down at his rumpled.chinos and T-shirt, then looked up at her as he rubbed his blond, stubbled jaw. “It kind of makes me look dangerous, don’t you think? Like a man who has nothing to lose?” He gave her a slow, almost calculated smile. “And anyway, what choice do I have? If I were to shower, I’d barely have the water turned on before you’d be hightailing it to wherever you’re in such a hurry to get to.”

  That was exactly what she had in mind. She wished he didn’t know her so well.

  He stepped back to allow her room to get into the boat. “But I’m a reasonable man. I’ll even let you drive your boat.”

  “You’re so thoughtful,” she said, but didn’t move. Outwardly, she gritted her teeth and fumed. Inwardly, she plotted. She would dump Jake. And soon. She had to. She just didn’t know how yet.

  * * *

  WHEN CLANCY DIFN’T make a move to get into the boat, Jake swung back in and offered her a hand. He’d hoped his disposition would improve with daylight. It hadn’t. If anything, the late-night adventure, his phone conversation with Kiki and trying to sleep in the bottom of a cold boat with his clothes on had left him even more irascible. Add to that, the gall of Clancy thinking she could get away from him this morning.

  He’d been on this case less than twenty-four hours, and he felt as if he’d been beaten up by somebody twice his size. He didn’t like the feeling he was being manipulated by not one, but two females. Kiki had hired him for reasons he could no more fathom than he could walk on water. And Clancy. At one time he thought he’d known her better than he knew himself. But that was years ago and a lot of water under the bridge. For all he knew, she was a killer. Let her rot in prison for all he cared.

  You’ve become a cold-hearted bastard, haven’t you, Hawkins. Reluctantly, he admitted it was true. Something had died inside him that day at the trial. He’d lost Clancy, and he’d lost his father. Only, Clancy had voluntarily chosen to leave; his father hadn’t.

  He watched her flick a glance at his outstretched hand but make no move toward it or the boat. Instead, she brushed her hair back with her fingers and looked toward shore as if she were thinking of making a break for it. Silently, he dared her to try. So help him, he’d take her over his knee and”Clancy,” Jake said softly. “There’re a few things you should know. One, I hate being lied to. Two, these dirty little secrets of yours? I’m going to know them all before I catch a plane back to Texas, and you can bet the farm on that.” He extended his hand again. “And three, if you try to run again, I’ll track you down no matter where you go, and you won’t like it when I find you.”

  He flashed her a smile. But to his surprise, she took his hand, stepped into the boat and came right up to him. If he’d thought he could intimidate her, he’d been wrong. Her gaze met his, challenging him, daring him to take her on.

  “Jake, there’re a few things you should know,” she said as softly as he had. “One, I don’t have the time or energy to lie to you. Two, I have no intention of helping you send me to prison. And three—” her smile deepened “—I’m going to ditch you just as soon as I possibly can.” She moved past him to slide behind the wheel. An instant later she started the boat.

  Jake smiled to himself as he took a seat next to her. He’d forgotten how much he’d liked Clancy Jones’s spunk as a kid. He was glad to see it was one of the things that hadn’t changed about her. Unfortunately, it didn’t alter the fact that she’d lied about his father or that she was lying to him right now about not jumping bail. If she wanted to play hard ball, he’d play, too. But he doubted she was going to like his rules.

  * * *

  THEY PICKED UP the expensive bright red Mustang convertible he’d rented with Kiki’s money at the mainland marina. The marina was one of several his father and Clancy’s had owned as partners. Jake saw Clancy raise an eyebrow as she climbed into the car’s leather seat and realized he’d dropped another notch or two in her estimation.

  “Doesn’t it bother you to take my aunt’s money on the pretense of helping me?” Clancy asked.

  “No,” Jake replied, angry to discover that what she thought of him mattered.

  “I thought you hate being lied to,” she said. “Or do you overlook it when you’re lying to yoursel
f?”

  He floored the gas pedal, sending gravel flying as he headed into town. Beside him, Clancy smiled. Jake cursed. What an impossible woman! He’d expected her to still be that cute little tomboy he’d grown up with, someone he thought he could handle—not some beautiful woman who knew how to push all his buttons. He swore to himself. What had made him think this job was going to be easy?

  She smiled, seemingly amused. “You’re certainly wide awake this morning. I don’t remember you being such a morning person.”

  He didn’t want to be reminded of their past or of the foolish, love-struck nineteen-year-old he’d been. Not that he was about to let that past distract or dissuade him from what he’d come to Montana to do. He’d come to settle an old score, and he had no intention of taking any trips down memory lane along the way.

  “I’m forced to be wide awake at all hours around you,” he said as he pulled out into the traffic and headed for the office complex. “Want to tell me why you were about to jump bail? Or do you want me to guess?”

  “Guess,” she said, looking out the side window.

  “Look, why don’t you just level with me. I’m going to find out, anyway.”

  She glanced over at him, and to his surprise, her eyes glistened with tears. “What if you’re wrong, Hawkins? What if I didn’t lie about your father?”

  He felt a sharp stab at his heart, followed instantly by an unexpected desire to take her in his arms and comfort her. What was it about this woman that made him feel protective? Had always made him feel that way?

  He shoved away the desire, the same way he’d shoved her away ten years ago. “You lied and we both know why.”

  She shook her head and looked away.

  “You could tell me the truth now and save us both a lot of grief,” he said, letting the old rancor replace any warmer feelings he might have had for her.

  “And save you the satisfaction of blackmailing it out of me?” She shook her head. “Not a chance, Hawkins. Let’s find out just how good a private eye you really are.”

  Jake drove toward Kalispell, furious that she could still get to him. He blamed it on that silly childhood crush he’d had on her. He’d opened up, letting her get closer than any other person in his life. Now he bitterly regretted having done that. It made him vulnerable. And it gave her the upper hand.

  Okay, so she wasn’t going to make it easy. She was going to make it pure hell. But what she didn’t seem to realize was that he’d already been to hell and back because of her. And it was payback time.

  * * *

  CLANCY BREATHED A SIGH of relief when Jake finally pulled up in front of Lake Center, a large old hotel that had been made into an office complex. All she wanted to do was to get out of the close confines of the car and put some distance between the two of them. With a little luck, a lot of distance.

  But as she started to open her door, he grabbed her arm. She pretended she didn’t feel the jolt from his fingertips that seared her bare skin.

  “I wish I didn’t know you so well, Clancy,” he said, sounding as though he meant it. “Whatever’s on that conniving mind of yours, forget it. We’re going to see your lawyer and find out what evidence they have against you.”

  She gave him what she hoped was one of her most innocent looks. “All right. But I’m starved. Why don’t I go get us some breakfast at that café up the block and bring it back. What can I get you?”

  He laughed as he opened his door and got out. She stepped out of the convertible, only to find him waiting for her. She watched him lock the car, her overnight bag in the rear seat. Then he linked his arm with hers and steered her toward the building’s front entrance.

  She didn’t resist the gentle strength of his persuasive hold on her. It wouldn’t have done her any good if she had. But while she also wouldn’t admit it under Sodium Pentothal, she liked the feel of his skin against hers; she liked his touch, as dangerous as it was to her future, to her heart. And she glimpsed something in his expression that made her wonder if he wasn’t as immune to her touch as he wanted her to believe.

  “Geez, Jones,” he said as they headed for the elevator. “Breakfast? A bit too predictable and not very imaginative. But a nice try, nonetheless.”

  Too predictable, huh? Not imaginative enough for him? Well, she’d see what she could do about that.

  * * *

  JAKE STUDIED CLANCY as they stepped into the elevator and she pushed the third-floor button. She’d been like a kid in church, squirming in her seat on the way into town, glancing at her watch every few moments, tapping her toe to a nonexistent tune. She reminded him of a woman about to jump off a ledge. Actually, more like a woman about to jump bail, he corrected himself.

  As the elevator climbed slowly to the third floor, Jake wondered what Clancy would have done this morning if he hadn’t been there to stop her? With the depth of her bank account, she could probably disappear without too much trouble. At least for a while. But why run? Unless she was guilty of Westfall’s murder and knew she was headed for prison.

  But wouldn’t a woman who planned to disappear forever take more than a small suitcase—or nothing at all—and buy what she needed when she got there?

  The elevator doors thumped open, and it suddenly occurred to him that there might be a man—a man other than Westfall—in Clancy’s life. That could explain the small suitcase. Jake realized he knew nothing about the nature of Clancy’s relationship with the deceased. Kiki had said Clancy had dated Dex. But that didn’t mean Dex was the only man, now, did it? Clancy could have dozens of men on the string.

  “You don’t mind if I step into the ladies’ room a moment to freshen up, do you?” Clancy asked, breaking into his thoughts.

  He grinned at her, hoping it hid his true feelings. “I’d hate to see you any fresher than you already are, but hey, it’s all right with me since I’m coming along. Not that I don’t trust you.”

  She scowled. “You can’t seriously plan to spend every waking moment with me?”

  “Every waking—and sleeping—moment.” He took her elbow as they headed down the hall.

  “That might be a bigger job than you think,” she said cryptically. “And I suppose you want me to believe you’re doing this for my own good, right?”

  He held open the door to the ladies’ room for her. “How can you doubt it?”

  She shot him a drop-dead look.

  “The truth, Jones, will set you free,” he said, and smiled.

  “Or send me to prison for life,” She took only a quick glance into the rest room before she added, “I think you’re right. I’m fresh enough.”

  As he let the door close, Clancy took his arm and smiled up at him as if he’d actually done something that pleased her. One side of her mouth crooked up a little, her brown eyes glinted with mischief, and just the hint of a dimple dented her left cheek at the corner of her lips. Jake had forgotten her smile could pack such a wallop. It hit him in the chest, taking away his breath and knocking him off guard.

  He stumbled. Her smile deepened; humor glinted in her gaze. If he’d had any doubt before, he didn’t now. She knew damned well the effect she was having on him, and she loved it. This was war. And for a moment, he wished there was another way, other than all-out war, to settle things between them.

  He stared at her, wishing he could find the answers he needed in that face of hers. If only he could look into those brown eyes and know everything he wanted to about her. Like why she’d lied about his father. If she’d killed her boyfriend. Where she’d been going this morning in such a hurry. Why she’d betrayed him.

  Instead, all he got were more questions from that adorable face of hers. And more suspicions.

  She brushed against him as she stepped past, the silkiness of her skin sparking responses in him he didn’t want to be feeling. Her scent filled him, branding his senses. He watched the provocative sway of her hips as she walked away from him. He assured himself he could handle this woman, that it would be a pleasure giving her
some of her own medicine.

  But that little voice of reason that kept him honest suggested the best thing he could do would be to get this case over with, pry the truth out of Clancy and head back to Texas lickety-split.

  He swore softly to himself as he opened the door to the office with the sign that read Attorney Tadd Farnsworth, and watched Clancy waltz through, her bottom filling out her jeans in a way that should have been against the law. Clancy played him like a cheap guitar, but made him feel like he was a fine Gibson. Jake promised himself he’d have her dancing to his tune—and soon.

  Chapter Four

  “Jake? Jake Hawkins?” the handsome, prematurely grayhaired man said, coming around his large desk. “I didn’t know you were back in town.” Tadd Farnsworth’s smile was as quick as his handshake and just as slick.

  “1 didn’t know I had to check in at the border,” Jake said, taking the attorney’s outstretched hand.

  “And Clancy,” Tadd said.

  Jake thought Tadd held her hand a little too long, his look a little too sympathetic and seductive.

  Jake told himself he would have liked Tadd Farnsworth if the man hadn’t been the prosecuting attorney who sent his father to prison. But he knew that wasn’t true. At one time Tadd had been a regular at the island resort, always sporting a fast new boat, always a hit at the parties Jake’s mother threw at the lake lodge. Jake remembered only too well how taken his mother had been with Tadd. That was plenty reason to make Jake dislike the man.

  Seeing the way Clancy smiled at Tadd, Jake could see that even ten years older, Tadd still had a way with women. He decided he liked him even less.

  “I was sorry about your mother, Jake” Tadd said as he returned to his chair behind his desk. “I heard she passed away a few months ago. My condolences.”

  “Oh, Jake,” Clancy said. “I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.”

  Jake nodded and took a chair beside Clancy. He didn’t want to talk about his mother. Especially with Tadd. Nor did he want to talk about his father. He pulled his business card from his wallet and tossed it on the desk. “I’m here on the Dex Westfall case.”