Martinis After Dark (Bernadette's Book 1)

by Gina Drayer

  “He might have been wrong,” she said with a shrug, but she didn’t look convinced. “Was there anyone else working yesterday?”

  He nodded toward Abbie. “You’re free to talk to Abbie, my waitress. She gets around the room, and notices people.”

  “Any other employees? Maybe someone in the kitchen? She could have slipped out the back.” The woman wasn’t a good liar or role player. “I just want to cover my bases. Maybe they saw her.”

  “It’s a small place, and like you said, and if she was here, I’m sure one of us would have seen her.”

  “Do you mind if I talk the waitress? Just to be thorough.” She smiled a practiced-looking smile and lifted her glass. “After I finish my drink.”

  “She’ll be here all night. But why don’t you tell me what this is really about?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I can’t imagine anyone chasing around strange bars just to find a friend who is dodging them.” He leaned onto the bar and shot her a sideways glance. “If she’s your friend and she disappeared, maybe she has a good reason she doesn’t want you to find her.”

  “You’re right. She’s not really my friend.” Her smile fell, and there was a ruthlessness in her stare. “It’s about a criminal case.” She handed him a business card. “Lee is in trouble, and I’m trying to find her.”

  Dylon picked up the card and read it. ADA Janet Granger. District Attorney's Office of New York City. There was a city seal and everything. “You’re the DA?"

  “One of the assistant district attorneys. It’s a damn big city.”

  Abbie came over with a tray of empty glasses, and Dylon nodded to the woman. “Abbie, this lawyer here is looking for a Lee—” He turned back to the ADA and raised a pierced eyebrow. “What was that name again?”

  “Lee O’Brien,” Janet said and pushed the photo across the bar.

  Abbie looked at the photo and shook her head. “Never seen her. She looks a little too uptight to be hanging out here. Have you tried the Signal Light Lounge? They get more of the professional after-work crowd.”

  “Are you sure? I really need to talk to her.”

  “Sorry.” Abbie shook her head and left before Janet could question her further.

  “So, what exactly did this Lee do?” Dylon asked, feeling a little apprehensive about prying into Lee’s past. “It must have been pretty bad to get someone from the DA’s office to come out on a weekday night to look for her. Is she dangerous?”

  “No, but she got mixed up with some pretty dangerous people. That’s why it’s important I talk to her.” Janet finished her drink and tapped her finger on the photo. “The trial is scheduled for next month. She still has full immunity, so as soon as this is settled, she's free to go. Lee had to give up a lot because of this case and I know she’s very eager to get back to her life she left behind. And if she’s worried about her safety, the offer for protective custody is still on the table.” She slipped the photo back into her jacket pocket. “We can protect her. So if you do see her, pass on my message.”

  “I’ll do that. How about another vodka tonic?”

  “Sorry, ADAs have early bedtimes. Judges frown on lawyers falling asleep in the courtroom.” She pointed to the card in his hand and then her phone. “Please let me know if you see … my friend.”

  “Sure thing,” he said.

  Part of him wanted to quiz Janet about his girlfriend, and the other part wanted to toss her out and pretend the conversation never happened. Was this what Lee had meant about reinventing herself? Was she on the run? Were criminals out to get her? Why hadn’t she told him? She’d had several opportunities to come clean.

  Janet dropped a ten on the bar and stood up. “I know I said she isn’t my friend, but when it comes down to it, I might be her very best friend. If she doesn’t contact me, she could be in a lot of trouble.”

  Dylan tucked the card into his vest pocket. He didn’t like her thinly veiled threat. "I'll put it in the office in case she comes in."

  “Thanks." She grinned. “Just in case she does.”

  Janet walked toward the door, with that determined, professional stride, stopping to talk to Abbie and give her the business card and the pitch. Abbie played it cool, taking the card and nodding. She told the woman she’d keep her eyes open, and stuck the business card in her apron pocket.

  Nothing ruffled Abbie, and she’d never talk. For her, private meant exactly that. Except for things she considered gossip, of course.

  After they closed for the night, Abbie took the card out of her pocket, glanced at it and then threw it in the trash can. She came up to the bar and asked Dylon the question that had to have been eating at her.

  ”What the fuck was that was about?”

  “I don’t think Lee has been completely honest with us.”

  “No shit. That woman is sure no friend of Lee’s. And what’s with that O'Brien name?”

  “That’s something I intend to ask Lee."

  “Or not.” Her voice was sharp, and Dylon looked at her.

  “What do you mean?”

  “Maybe this is none of our business. Maybe Lee has a good reason to lie. Maybe things are better with us not knowing.”

  “How can you be okay with this? Lee’s been lying to us since the moment she walked in the door. That lawyer said she was involved in some crime.”

  “You know Lee. Do you really think she’d get involved with something illegal? Hell, the woman corrects people’s math so they don’t over-tip.”

  “We need to know the truth. I need to know what’s going on. After all, we are her friends, aren’t we?”

  “Friends? You two are way more than that.”

  Dylon wondered what they were. He didn’t know her at all, and she had no problem lying to him. So where did that leave them? “No, you’re wrong there. I was building something with Lee Taylor,” he said. “But that woman doesn’t exist. She was just a lie.”

  “You sound nasty and bitter, Dylon. Lee is in love with you. She wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. Don’t screw this up because you’re scared.”

  Abbie was wrong. He wasn’t scared, he was pissed. “When I hired Lee, I had no intention of getting involved with her. After what happened with Claudia I promised myself I wouldn’t do that again, make the same mistake twice.” He laughed. “From the first moment she came in here I knew something was different about her. I knew she wasn’t the right kind of girl for me.”

  “Why not?”

  He frowned. “She doesn’t belong here, in this bar, in my world. And this”—he held up the card the lawyer had given him and flicked it hard with a finger—“just proves my point.”

  “That’s not true, and you know it.”

  “Lee has a whole other life. Everybody has a past, has secrets. But she’s hiding from hers. It’s just a matter of time before she decides that she doesn’t need to hide anymore. I see it in her eyes. There’s a drive there, a longing for something more. I was an idiot to fall for her, to let it go so far.”

  Abbie stared at him. "Don't do this, Dylon. Don’t push her away without giving her a chance.”

  “She’s had several chances."

  “You’re making a mistake.”

  Dylon wanted to have the same faith in Lee Abbie had. He really wanted to, but it was hard to muster up that much conviction when the DA’s appearance had done a lot to confirm his worst fears. He’d made a lot of bad choices over the years. Too many times he’d let desire overrule his instincts.

  Lee was special—he was sure of that. But his past experiences told him that she was also toxic, and the idea made his gut ache.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Lee woke up the next morning to an empty bed. It was an odd feeling. Dylon normally snuck in after closing and crawled into bed without waking her. But not last night.

  It was possible that he was just too exhausted, or maybe he was trying to prove his point; she should move in with him.

  She hadn’t given him an answer yester
day. Too many things were still unresolved. She might not be involved with Christian's case anymore, but it hadn’t gone to trial yet. There was a very real possibility she could still be arrested and compelled to testify. Or worse, charged as an accessory. Her name was on a lot of those transactions.

  And then there was the little problem of Lee Taylor. There was a good chance that Dylon wouldn’t forgive her for deceiving him, but she couldn’t go on living a lie.

  But as she walked through her empty apartment, Lee decided to give him—give them—a chance. She was in love with Dylon and had faith that he felt the same. It was time she cleared the air. Tonight, after the bar closed, she’d tell him what she could.

  Lee was in the bathroom, getting ready for work when the front door opened and Dylon walked in. She smiled, feeling lighter than she had for weeks. Even though there was still a lot to talk about, the burden of the trial was gone. She was free to move forward with her life. A life she wanted to build with Dylon.

  “Hey there,” she said.

  He stood by the door with his arms crossed, the stress on his face evident. He wasn’t happy about something. Hopefully, she could change his attitude before work.

  “I missed you last night,” she said. “I expected you’d come by after closing.”

  “It was busy yesterday. A lot happened, and I needed some sleep.”

  She zipped up her dress, went over to him, and gave him a quick kiss. “I crashed pretty early. I had a lot of errands to run. I picked out this new dress,” she said with a wiggle of her hips. “And I loaded up your refrigerator. I even stopped by the liquor store for a bottle of wine. It’s one of my favorites. I think you’ll like it.” She looked at him again. The muscles in his face were twitching, and he hadn’t left the entryway. Her attempts to lighten the mood weren’t working, so she went for the direct approach. “What’s the matter?”

  “I had an interesting customer last night. She had this crazy story. Not the usual stuff I get. This was a tale about crime and fake identities.”

  “That’s different,” she said. A sickening tightness spread across her chest, and she had to fight to keep her smile in place.

  “It was odd. It was about a woman that got involved with some bad people and went into hiding. Her name is Lee O'Brien. I was wondering if you could tell me about her—who she is, for example.”

  Hearing that name come from Dylon startled her. There was a note of challenge in his voice, the unspoken demand to know the truth. But that was overridden by the hurt and disappointment in his expression.

  She took a long breath. She’d have to answer him. She had to tell him something, but how much? Was there a good way to explain how they’d gotten here without putting him in danger? She suddenly found herself halfway down the road to fucked with no exit in sight.

  She’d lied to him, was still lying to him, and been caught. Now she needed to figure out a way to unravel the tale and tell the truth without inflicting more pain.

  Maybe there was no way to do it. Maybe she’d screwed things up completely by not coming clean earlier. The damage to their relationship could be catastrophic. She stepped up to him and looked up, gazing into his brown eyes, trying her best to be fearless, hoping she wouldn’t do any more damage.

  “If you haven’t guessed by now, I am Lee O'Brien.”

  “Why did you lie to me?”

  Here was where it got tricky. “I didn’t, not really, not to you.”

  “That’s a Cop-out. A lie is a—”

  “It’s not what you're thinking,” she said and held up her hand to stop him. He closed his mouth and waited, but was clearly agitated. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you. When I first came here, I was scared. I needed a place to hide, so I lied to a guy who owned a bar and had a room to rent. I needed a cheap apartment but, for various reasons, I was afraid to use my real name. When he asked me who I was, I used my middle name. Taylor.”

  “But you didn’t just take the apartment?”

  “You’re the one that offered me a job to go with the apartment. I took both because I needed both. I intended to work hard, mind my own business. I only lied to protect myself. I didn’t know you, didn’t know if I could trust you.”

  “That’s bullshit,” he said. “It’s been months. You know me. You had every chance to tell me the truth but didn’t. Hell, you’ve been sharing your body with me, but not your name. How fucked up is that?”

  Lee felt her gut wrench with every accusation, but she went on with the story. “When things got serious, I was afraid to tell you the truth. We were well past the point of making introductions. We were sleeping together by then, and you were clear about lies.” She took a deep breath and continued. Her voice was thick with emotion. “I tried to tell you a hundred times. Don’t you get it? I was terrified of losing you. This thing between us was too new, too fragile, and I was afraid it was exactly the excuse you needed to leave me.”

  “Don’t do that,” he said, stepping back. His voice became ice as he withdrew from her. “Don’t put this on me. Honesty. That’s what we agreed on. When were you planning on telling me? Or were you ever going to tell me? Was I just a fun way to pass the time until you could go back to being Lee O’Brien?”

  “I don’t want to go back,” she said, wiping away hot tears of shame that slid down her cheeks. His words cut so effectively, Lee hadn't even realized she’d started to cry.

  “That’s not the way I hear it. I heard you had this great life that you can’t wait to get back to,” he said, refusing to look her in the eyes.

  “That’s not true. I want this life. I want you,” she said, reaching out to him, but he turned away, effectively ripping her heart out in the process. “I had some crazy hope that once I got things sorted out, once I didn’t need to hide, I’d find a way to explain it all.”

  “Even if I wanted to believe that was true, what proof do I have?” he said, a flash of anger crossing his face. “Your actions speak louder than your words. You managed to say all that without telling me why you needed to lie. Or even if you ever plan on telling me the truth. You’re still keeping things from me. So how about I help you? Tell me about Janet. Why is she looking for you?”

  “What?” Hearing the name was like a kick in the gut. “Janet is the person who told you all this?”

  “Yes. Your good friend Janet with the DA’s office. She was at the bar, looking for you. She wanted you to know she can offer protective custody if you’re worried about your safety. Why would you need protection, Lee? What the hell are you involved with?”

  Her heart pounded. If Janet could find her, then other people could. Then again, maybe they didn’t have to find her. Lee didn’t want to believe it, but Janet could very well be the leak at the DA’s office.

  “Does she know I’m here? Did she say how she found me?”

  “She came in, had a drink, and told me that a mutual friend saw you come in here the other day. She wanted to know if we knew how to get in touch with Lee O'Brien, her good friend who wasn’t returning her phone calls.”

  Lee felt her face grow flush and her stomach knot up. “That bitch had me followed. What did you tell her?”

  “Don’t sound so worried. Abbie and I told the truth … we’ve never heard of a Lee O'Brien.” Dylon’s eyes narrowed. “We lied to protect you, but we don’t even know from what.”

  “Thank you,” she said in a small voice.

  “I always protect the people I—” He didn’t finish the thought. “I wouldn’t throw you to the wolves, but don’t expect me to lie for you again. Does this have anything to do with your special library project? ”

  “Library project?”

  “Stop lying, Lee. I saw the papers in this room … those spreadsheets. Whatever is going on, you are involved. The lawyer said as much.”

  “I can’t talk about it,” she pleaded. “It’s better if you don’t know.”

  The more he knew, the more danger he would be in. This last bit of her past was going to be the end of th
em, but she’d rather he leave her than end up dead.

  He gave her a smile, but it wasn’t friendly. “You could talk about it if you wanted to, but you don’t trust me.”

  “I can’t.” She touched his arm. He was rigid under her fingers. “This is a mess I created, and I can’t drag the people I love down with me. God, I can’t stay here. It’s too dangerous.”

  “And what about you? Aren’t you afraid something is going to happen to you?”

  She squeezed that arm tight. “Me? Yes, I’m scared. I’ve been scared for months.”

  “Then let me help,” he said, sounding desperate.

  But he couldn’t help. He had a life. A bar, employees, and a sister who depended on him. She wouldn’t put him at risk.

  “I can’t,” she said and let out a long breath. “Trust me. It’s too dangerous. I’m terrified something's going to happen to you. Or Abbie or Roxie. That’s why I need to go.”

  “No, you just won’t,” he said, coldly. “If you were invested in this relationship, in me, you’d let me help you. You wouldn’t just leave at the first sign of trouble. But you aren’t willing to trust me. So how can I trust you?”

  “Dylon …”

  She wanted him to understand, to see reason, but he was already leaving the room.

  Dylon hated himself for being a jerk. He was wallowing in self-pity, letting himself feel betrayed. Lee might have lied to him, but she hadn’t actually betrayed him in any way that he knew about. Whatever she was running from, whatever had the DA tracking her down, didn’t have anything to do with them.

  Except that it did. He loved Lee, or at least the woman he thought she was. He wasn’t afraid to admit that now. But the sad thing was, he didn’t really know her. Was Lee Taylor the real woman or was she just some made-up version?

  It didn’t matter; either way, Dylon wanted to protect her. But she wouldn’t tell him what was going on, and he hated her for that. That wasn’t right—he didn’t hate her, but he was angry with her, furious. And he was disappointed. She wouldn’t let him in, wouldn’t let him be a part of what was, apparently, an enormous issue in her life. He felt impotent—at the mercy of unknown forces.