“Why meet outside a church in plain sight, are you crazy. Why all the theatrics?” Phil demanded as he sat on the bench beside Mia.
Mia glanced at the thick growth concealing several benches along meandering walkways alongside University Methodist Church.
“Hello to you, too, brother dear.” She cut a glance in Phil’s direction, hardly recognizing him in jeans and a windbreaker. “Are you sure you weren’t followed?”
Glaring his displeasure, Phil snapped. “You called Mom?”
“I told her everything was okay. That’s all she needs to know.”
“You think everything is okay? Are you out of your tiny little mind?” Phil slammed his hand against the wood bench. “What’s going on, Mia? What did you mean by saying I need to convince you I’m not a killer. Is this some immature prank, with you threatening to go to the cops if I don’t play by your rules? Tell me this, why would I kill Leigh Anne?”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Teeth grinding, Mia leveled a glare at him. “Maybe because she was pregnant? This is your mess, Phil. Why did you lie about dating Leigh Anne Saddler?”
Mouth opening and closing, Phil sent her a look out of the corner of his eye. “I wouldn’t call it dating. How much do you know?”
“Not enough to stay alive unless we catch the killer.” Mia lowered her voice. “In the past three days, I’ve been locked in a burning building, chased through the woods, followed by more than one car, and just now, someone tried to kidnap me at lunch. I want the truth.”
“You can’t handle the truth.” Phil jumped up paced in front of the bench. “You were always Dad’s golden girl. Always the perfect child. You don’t know squat about real life.”
“Sit down so you won’t be seen from the street.” Mia stuffed her hands in her jacket and lifted her face for the cool March breeze to ease the heat racing through her veins. “Mom insisted I do whatever it takes to clear your name. I’ve done that, Phil.” She blew out a sigh. “I breached security to search the courthouse for evidence and almost died for my efforts. I stumbled over the model’s body. I can’t prove you’re innocent if you don’t tell me the truth.”
“So you can wipe my face in my bad judgment? Finally convince Mom you are the good child?” Phil slouched. After long minutes, he whispered, “Sorry, sis. But the truth isn’t that simple.”
“I’m not accusing you of anything, or trying to show you up. You’re my brother. I love you. But I don’t want to die because of a lie.”
Sitting up straight, obviously back in control of his emotions, Phil stared at her. “Things are really that dangerous?”
“Two women are dead. What do you think?”
“Oh, God. I never expected this.” Phil scraped a hand across his face and stared at his feet. “I appreciate your help. I know it doesn’t sound like it, but I really do. I don’t want you to get hurt, sis. It’s just--I can’t face losing everything because of one mistake.”
Thinking of Pam Foley, Mia arched her brow. “One?”
Face flushed, Phil turned a shocked stare on her. “How did you find out?”
“Pam Foley told me…about ten minutes before someone killed her.”
“You think—”
“All this is connected to you? Yes.” Mia touched his shoulder. “Tell me what’s going on, before we both end up dead.”
“I ruined everything.” Phil whispered, staring at his hands. “I have to tell Ellen, don’t I?”
“She deserves the truth so she can protect herself and the kids.” Mia pulled her hand away from his shoulder.
“Oh, God. I might lose my wife and kids. How could I have been so stupid?”
“If you didn’t kill Leigh Anne, who did?” Mia kept her voice firm.
“You can’t think I’m a murderer?” Phil’s face lost color.
“I know you didn’t kill those women, but you need to help me find out who did.” Mia curbed her impatience. “What are you involved in, Phil? Why is it worth murdering someone for?”
“From the moment Edward introduced me to her, I couldn’t resist Leigh Anne,” Phil sighed. “It makes me sound weak, but that’s what happened. She turned those hot blue eyes on me and wiggled that lush body and I forgot everything.”
Nausea churned in Mia’s stomach. “You got her pregnant?”
“No!” Phil cringed as if sex or pregnancy was beneath him. “I could have, but I was careful. We haven’t been together for months. Two at least.”
“It could still be your child.” The words seared Mia’s tongue. Her niece or nephew might have been murdered along with their mother. “We haven’t heard the coroner’s report but she wasn’t far enough along to show.”
“It wasn’t mine. I tell you, it couldn’t have been.”
Mia tried not to gag. “What about Pam Foley?”
Cheeks red, Phil snapped. “That was stupid.”
Mia bit down on her lip to keep from agreeing.
Finally, Phil sighed. “She was a nice, not sexy like Leigh Anne. Pam was the kind of woman you take home to meet the parents.” He shrugged. “That's what got me in trouble. With Leigh Anne things burned hot and then wham it was over. But Stern-McHamlin kept calling, wanting me to vote in their favor. Pam just showed up one evening, said they sent her to explain company policy.”
“It wasn’t true?”
“Why ask my opinion? I screwed up so many things lately. I don’t know what I believe, anymore.” He sighed. “Do you think Ellen will leave me?”
“I don’t know. What you’ve done...cheating on your wife and betraying her trust, hurts on so many different levels. Pain. Disappointment. Pride. Heartbreak. I don’t know what she’ll do.”
“All I had to do was vote like the company asked me to and none of this would have happened.”
“What’s the big deal about the vote?” Mia kept an eye on the streets as Phil filled her in on the depth of Stern-McHamlin’s involvement. When he finished, she stared in his eyes as if she were looking at a stranger. Maybe she was. “This all boils down to money?”
“Millions,” Phil agreed, nodding.
“Enough to commit murder for?”
***
Mia sighed, watching Phil mingling with people passing on the sidewalk outside the church. In the floppy fishing hat and windbreaker, he looked more like a man off to the library than a senator.
If half of what he suspected was true, he wouldn’t be a senator long, but he wouldn’t be in jail for murder, either.
“Have police questioned him?”
She jerked to alert as the low voice came from the bushes behind her. Jake was sitting on the other side of the thick row shrubs and azaleas, keeping watch. They had selected this bench for two reasons. Mia could keep an eye on street and Jake could listen to her conversation with Phil and make certain no one else heard.
“Yes.” Mia sighed.
Jake walked around the shrubs and sat beside her. “We need to talk to Thomas Goldman.”
“It’s almost dark.” Eyes wide, she shivered. “I’d rather meet him in daylight.”
“What makes you think he’s the killer?” Jake studied the lines of tension marking her face. She looked tired. She hadn’t stopped since this event started. A few hours here and there to rest or do research, and then she was back to tracking the killer.
Did Phil Clark know how lucky he was to have Mia for a sister? “After looking at your files, I’d say Thomas Goldman is the top candidate for CEO.”
Head tilted, her brow arched. “So he had the most to lose.”
“Call him.”
Chapter 14
When they arrived at the popular bar, He Just Left, there were so many people, Mia and Jake decided it was safe to enter bar together.
“We’re in disguise.” Jake insisted, urging Mia forward. “We’re safe.”
With the glasses on and his gelled hair combed back from his face, Jake didn’t look anything like the firefighter she’d first met. With the blonde wig on, she looked like a different p
erson as well. “I hope we don’t miss him in this crowd.”
“Keep your eyes open.”
She watched the line of customers move slowly toward the outdoor bar. “I told him to meet me outside. But maybe we should check upstairs?”
“Nope.” Jake nudged her forward. “A man in his position follows orders. I don’t want you trapped inside. Keep watching. He’ll be here.”
Drink in her hand, Mia plowed through the crowd, aiming for the maple tree in the side yard. Laughter and music floated over a customers standing elbow to elbow. She shivered in the chilly evening air. “Do you see a green jacket?”
“Relax. We’re in the heart of Carolina territory.” Jake nodded to the blue and white UNC flags flying from all the fence supports. “A green coat will stand out a mile.”
“I’ll be glad when this is over.” Mia glanced around the crowd and gasped. Her blood turned to ice in her veins as she sputtered. “What’s he doing here?”
Hearing the tension her voice, Jake’s body went rigid. “Who?”
“Alan Yow just came through the gate.”
“Is he alone?” Jake tried to check the man out without looking obvious.
“In this crowd, I can’t tell.” she stood on tiptoe to get a better view.
“Ignore him. If he feels you staring at him he might get antsy.”
Ten minutes later, her heart thudding hard, Mia watched as man in a green jacket joined Yow at the outside bar.
“They’re together now,” Jake confirmed, lifting his glass.
“Here he comes.” Mia said into her glass as she lifted it to drink. “He’s alone.”
“I lost sight of Yow.” Jake mumbled, looked away from the man in green. “Don’t approach Goldman. Wait till we see what Yow is doing.”
“Goldman’s just standing there.” Mia said behind the cover of her glass. “He’s in plain sight and I don’t like waiting.”
“This could be a trap.” Jake checked the crowd but didn’t see any sign of Yow. “How do you want to handle this?”
“I’m going to talk to him.” Mia turned away, easing through the groups of chatting people, before finally stopping in front of Thomas Goldman. “Is this the green jacket you mentioned?”
Surprise glowed from the icy blue eyes in his handsome face. His perfectly groomed brown hair and elegant tie made the vice-president look out of place. Most of the crowd gathered at He Just Left wore sweat jackets or chunky collegiate looking sweaters. Holding her breath, Mia waited for Goldman to respond.
“They told me you were a brunette.” His words sounded sharp as ice cycles as his frosty gaze roamed over her blonde wig. “Why the disguise?”
“Thanks for meeting me.” Mia ignored his question as she attempted to take control of the conversation. “I wanted to ask you some about—“
“If you’re here to ask about Leigh Anne Saddler, forget it.” Goldman snapped.
“Is the topic of Pam Foley off limits, too?” Mia lifted her chin. “Stern-McHamlin lost two employees to tragedy. I just wanted to ask how your staff is reacting to the shock.”
“You expect me to believe that’s all you want, Ms. Clark? You should know, I’ve been warned. I’m well aware your brother is Senator Clark.”
Mia shrugged. “I still have to work for a living, even if my brother is a politician. I’d appreciate your cooperation.”
“Why pretend this isn’t about your brother? You’re digging around to find out what I know about his affair with Leigh Anne Saddler, right?”
“What affair,” Mia had never been more proud of her acting ability than she was at that moment. With her body seething in response to his jabs, she still managed to force words through stiff lips. “I heard Leigh Anne was dating a company VP.”
Holding her breath, anticipating his response, Mia swirled the drink in her glass. Dim lighting and flickering shadows kept her from being certain, but Goldman’s face seemed to lose color.
“Where did you hear that nonsense?” Goldman huffed on a sound intended for a laugh as his gaze bored into her. “If that’s your line of questioning, you’re way off base.”
“So, Leigh Anne didn’t date Edward Poole?” Mia cocked her chin, challenging him to deny facts she could prove. “Just as a reminder, I will be quoting you in the article I’m writing for the paper. So before you answer, I should tell you I have two sources confirming that information. One is Edward Poole.”
Goldman’s eyes flickered like ticker tape before he dropped his glance to the glass in hands the cold slick color of a corpse. “That’s right, I forgot about Edward. He’s such a fool.” Taking a swallow of his drink, Goldman’s gaze sliced over her. “If you already have two sources, Ms Clark, then you don’t need me.”
Praying she could stop him from clamming up and walking away, Mia rushed to respond. “Actually, I have three sources. Your input would make four statements representing the company. I didn’t want to leave your opinion out of my article.”
“What are you trying to trick me into saying, Ms. Clark? Leigh Anne and Pam are both dead. I am sorry. The company will miss them very much. If you wanted to hear more than that, you’re out of luck.”
Mia’s blood chilled under his frigid stare. “Is it true that you are the father of Leigh Anne’s unborn child?”
“Who told you that?” Goldman demanded, stepping so close his sleeve brushed against her breast, and causing ice pellets to form in her blood. “The autopsy results haven’t even been released, yet.”
“Your influence, I’m sure.” Mia angled her chin higher.
“Are you accusing the police department of bribery and corruption, Ms. Clark? Is that how you acquired the autopsy results before they were released to the public?”
“I have sources. I don’t need to wait for an announcement.” Mia tilted her head high. “I have it on good authority that you had an affair with Leigh Anne. That you sent her to seduce my brother.”
If eyes could freeze, Mia would turn to a glacier under his glowering stare. Shoulders rigid, she returned Goldman’s glare for long seconds, feeling her heart almost jump out of her chest.
Goldman barked a laugh. “Nice try, Ms. Clark. If you live long enough, with that imagination of yours, you’ll make a good reporter.”
“Is that a threat, Mr. Goldman?”
“No, young lady, I’m giving you advice. Hone your skills on local news. You’ll live to reach the top.” With a sneering tilt of his lips, Goldman wheeled and stomped away.
Knees wobbling, Mia gasped for air. Thomas Goldman had stared at her as if he wanted to choke the air out of her lungs. But that still didn’t make him a killer. She couldn’t go to the police without evidence that Goldman had killed those two women.
If she couldn’t prove Goldman was the murderer, how could she clear Phil?
“Are you all right?” Jake bumped against her back and paused. To anyone in the crowd they looked like strangers bumping into each other in the crowd, but every fiber in Mia’s body responded to Jake’s strength. His protectiveness made her feel strong.
“I’m fine. Freezing,” she shivered in the cool night air, “but I’m okay. Can we go, now?”
“What about Yow?” Jake asked as they eased through the crowd.
Mia stopped mid-step and stared back at the crowd gathered around the outdoor bar. “I forgot about him. Do you think he’s still here? Should we look for him?”
“He might be upstairs listening to the band.” Jake took her arm and urged her forward. “We need to get out of here.”
“Not together,” Mia pushed away from his side, “he might be watching.”
“Okay, but stay close.” Jake warned as turned and headed out of the gate to the sidewalk.
Mia was about five strides from the gate, and only two yards behind Jake, when someone grabbed her from behind, clamped a hand over her mouth, and started dragging her backwards.
She flung her arms and twisted, trying to grab hold of her captor, but nothing worked. Smothering fr
om the gloved hand over her mouth and nose, darkness closed in on her. Not again. She couldn’t disappear with Jake in sight…
Jake.
Images of Jake filled her fuzzy head. Strength surged through her body. She didn’t want to lose Jake and her hopes for the future. And for what? To end up with her throat slashed like the other two women?
For men like Goldman and Poole? Men willing to lie and cheat to get their way, no matter who they hurt. Jake was worth a dozen of those men. She wanted to spend her life with him. Escaping now was her only hope.
Bending her right arm, Mia rammed a swift jab to the man’s stomach.
“Sonofabitch.” He grunted, loosening his grip.
Mia hit the ground hard.
“Jake,” she screamed, crawling away on hands and knees fast as she could.
Shuffling and scrapping noises sounded on the pavement behind her.
Jake’s footsteps thundered the sidewalk as he rushed toward her and fell on his knees beside her. “Mia, what happened? Did you fall?”
Angered by his assumption that she was just clumsy, Mia shoved to her feet and forced words past gritted teeth. “Someone grabbed me from behind and covered my mouth so I couldn’t scream.”
“Are you sure?” Jake searched the dark shadows lurking from trees and vehicles. “I was only a few feet ahead of you. I didn’t hear anything.”
Wanting to punch someone else in the middle, Mia stomped away, heading for the vehicle. “You think I made it up?”
Jake’s long legged stride brought his alongside her. “Did you get a look at him?”
“No.” She climbed in the car and slammed the door. “Let’s get out of here. Someone might call police.”
“He must have been watching the whole time.”
Her mouth dropped open as she turned to him. “Yow?”
“That’s too convenient,” Jake kept his eyes on the road. “We saw him at He Just Left, but so was half the population of Chapel Hill.”
“Okay, if it wasn’t Yow. Who was it?” Hugging her arms across her chest, she stared out at the night. “I’m tired of people grabbing me from behind.”
“Are you okay?” Jake glanced at her profile in the dimness of the Explorer’s interior, and then turned his attention back to the road. The twenty minutes since they left Chapel Hill had passed in silence.
Flames Of Deceit Page 16
