Mitch went to the driver’s side, and Jake went to the passenger side. They opened the doors. Then they leaned in and did a visual inspection of the car.
“What are the chances she’ll let us do forensics on the car?” Jake asked as he squatted down on his haunches.
“Zero. Feel free to use your hands.”
Jake nodded and started running his hands over the seat and checking the whole passenger side area. Mitch did the same with the driver’s side. They both came up empty. She had cleaned out the car and left it in pristine condition. Nothing in the glove box. Nothing on the floors. If he had to guess, she probably had worn gloves and possibly wiped it down. Stepping back out of the car, he shut the door. In the brightly lit garage, he could see chips in the paint and a few dings where debris from the bomb must have hit. He was willing to bet Diana hadn’t looked closely at the car yet. She was going to lose her mind when she saw the damage. No way to hide that.
“Okay, we’re finished.” He walked over and offered his hand to Diana. “Mrs. Sterling, thank you for your help. Sorry we had to meet under these circumstances.”
She shook his hand and nodded. She did the same with Jake and then turned to go.
“If you can think of anything else about John or the thief, please be in touch,” Mitch said.
Diana frowned but nodded. “Jameson,” she said before turning and mounting the stairs to her front door. She opened it and walked through without a backward glance.
Drake turned to Mitch. “I’ll see you in my office in ten minutes. I want an update.” He turned on his heel and strode over to his Mercedes. His driver opened the back door while his security detail kept watch. They nodded to Mitch and then got into the car after Drake. A minute later, the car drove off.
“Well, shit,” Jake mumbled as they walked back to the car. “I was hoping this would be the end of it when I saw that car.”
“You and me both, but I couldn’t be that lucky.” Mitch opened the driver’s side door and climbed in. “Somehow, this is all just the beginning of one big mess. I can feel it in my gut.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Alex pulled off her wig and tucked it into her backpack. Then she took off the vest she’d been wearing as part of her valet uniform. Now the white blouse and black pants she was wearing no longer looked like a uniform. She reached behind her and grabbed a black blazer and a short brown wig off the back seat. By the time she got out of the car, she would look like every other woman with short brown hair in New York.
She glanced at Leo, but his entire focus was on the road ahead. Glancing at her watch, Alex noted they were making good time. It was only slightly after two a.m. They’d taken some back roads as a precaution, but they were coming up to the city. Alex couldn’t take anymore silence.
“I can’t use the original exit strategy. He has my name, and he can find a picture. It’s too dangerous for me to go to an airport now, at least one in the New York area. You’re still good, though. He doesn’t know about you. You can still fly out of Newark. We’ll meet up, just maybe in a couple of months instead of a few weeks. That will give me plenty of time to get out of town.” She was nervous. Leo never got mad at her. He was really the only parent she’d ever known, and he was silent. It was making her crazy. “I have another plan in place just in case things went to hell. I think this qualifies. Like I said, it will take longer, but it should be—”
“Stop talking, lass. You’re making it hard for me to think.”
Leo had finally spoken to her but hadn’t yelled. A weight lifted from her chest that was immediately replaced by guilt. Once again, she was thinking of herself. She needed to make sure Leo was okay, no matter what. This was all on her.
“We don’t know what Callahan knows. We know he has your first name but not if he has your last. We have no idea if he has my name or not. If or when he talks to Diana Sterling, he’s going to find out I exist. I didn’t use my real name and we never met in person. There shouldn’t be a way to trace me but, still, he’s going to find out about me. It doesn’t leave us with much in the way of choice. We can drive down to D.C. or go to Baltimore and catch a flight there. It should be far enough.”
She laced her fingers together and gripped her hands. “The thing is, the longer we drive, the more time he has to figure things out and get organized. I think”—she took a breath—“I think you should still fly out tonight. Go to Newark. Callahan will take a little while to figure out what happened. The explosion will buy you a bit of time. He’ll talk to the Sterlings and find out about you, but you’re using a different alias than the one you gave Diana Sterling. He won’t have a picture of you.”
Even now, Leo was wearing a ball cap pulled low and a fake mustache. By the time he got to the airport, he would be wearing something different again. “Fly out tonight.”
“And what are you going to do? I’ve not ever left you behind, and I won’t start now.” Leo shook his head.
She swallowed the huge lump that sat in her throat and brushed an errant tear off her cheek. Leo was the sweetest man ever. She loved him like the father figure he was to her and, thankfully, he still loved her, too. “I’ll be okay. New York is a big city, and I have connections there.”
Leo glanced at her quickly. “Are you sure?”
She shrugged. “My choices might be a bit limited at the moment.” She squared her shoulders. “It’s more important to me that you get out of town. You need to get back to your nonna. Someone needs to look after her. Besides, I need you far away from this mess so you can help me if I need it.
“That explosion wasn’t a coincidence, and whatever or whoever caused it, chances are good it’s going to come back on me. I’m going to be hotter than hell for the next while, which means I’ll need outside support.” She reached over to touch Leo’s arm, but he caught her hand and squeezed it.
They drove in silence the rest of the way into New York City. Alex’s stomach was tied in knots. She was worried about Leo getting out. She wouldn’t be able to live with herself if he got busted for helping her.
As they crossed the bridge into the Manhattan, Leo asked, “Where do you want me to let you out?”
“Anywhere you like. I’m fine.”
He nodded. “I don’t like leaving you behind. I feel like I’m abandoning you. It just doesn’t sit right with me.”
“Leo, whatever happens to me is my own fault. You’ve been trying to convince me to stop for months. I took one risk too many, and it’s not paying off. I just don’t want you dragged down into whatever kinda mess this becomes.” She stuck a false smile on her face. “Maybe we’re panicking for nothing. Maybe the explosion was an accident, and it has nothing to do with me stealing the car.”
Leo shot her a frown. “Ducks, I’d love to believe that, but you and me both know that’s not the truth.”
She sighed and worried her lip between her teeth. “We can always hope, Leo. Either way, I have connections that can get me out of most things. It’s important to me you’re safe. You’ve been nothing but good to me, Leo. We made a fantastic team.”
“Made? What’s the made business? We make a fantastic team.”
She smiled ruefully. “I think we might have just gone into retirement, which is what you wanted, so it’s all good, right?”
Leo frowned again and then brightened. “You can come visit me and my nonna in Italy. You haven’t eaten until you’ve had dinner made by my nonna.”
She tried for another smile. “I’m looking forward to that.” She saw an opening at the curb ahead. “Pull in there.” As the car moved into the spot, she said, “Let me know when you’re out safe. I have my burner. I’ll see you in the usual spot three months from today.”
When Leo turned to her, she gave him a peck on the cheek and then grabbed her bag and hopped out of the car. She went around to the trunk and pulled out her luggage. She closed the trunk lid, walked away from the car, and moved down the sidewalk without looking back. She was afraid if she did, it would be
the last time she ever saw him.
She navigated her way through the streets, keeping her head down and an eye out for anything unusual. She made a few loops and turns to see if she was being followed, but it seemed all clear to her. Finally, she made her way to her flop house.
No one except Lacy knew she had a bolt-hole in New York. She had never even told Leo. She approached the building and dashed inside at the last second. The lobby looked the same as it had the day she bought the condo. She went over to the elevator and hit the button and went up to the twenty-fourth floor.
After the doors opened, she took a brief look around and got out. She went down the hall to her place. She dug in her luggage and pulled out her keys. She unlocked the door, and once she let herself in, closed the door and leaned against it. Home sweet home, at least for the next while.
She kicked off her shoes and pulled off her wig. She was in dire need of a shower. She walked through the living room, pulling the white sheet covers off the furniture as she went. She threw them in a pile in the corner. Sneezing from the dust, she made her way into the bedroom and did the same there. By the time she got into the shower a few minutes later, she was in the middle of a sneezing frenzy.
She let the hot spray pound onto her shoulders. Her whole body hurt. She tried to swallow the tears when they came, but it was too much. The last twenty-four hours had been rough. She was an emotional wreck, as well as a physical one. She sobbed as she stood under the spray. It was bad that she put Leo in jeopardy tonight because of her ego. It was worse that she was not only humiliated and betrayed by a man like all those women she did jobs for, but she was starting to suspect she was in love with him.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Mitch sat his elbows on his desk and rubbed his eyes with the fleshy part of his palms. How could it be less than twenty-four hours since the shit hit the fan? He was exhausted. He’d gone back to his room at the estate after another dressing down from Drake and had a shower. He’d tried to catch a few hours’ sleep, but every time he closed his eyes, he either saw Alex’s face filled with horror when he’d said her name or Alex’s shocked expression just after the bomb went off.
He consoled himself with the fact that she was okay. If she never believed he hadn’t intentionally seduced her on the yacht to humiliate and betray her, he’d have to live with it. Her being alive was the important thing. It would be nice to see her again just to confirm that fact.
He’d gotten up after a few hours and driven into the city. He needed to be at his own office with his brothers. He hated to admit it, but he needed the support. Besides, Jake could handle managing the cleanup and anything else that needed to be done out at Drake’s.
He sighed as a cup of black coffee appeared directly in front of him. “Drink up. It’s going to be a long day,” Logan said as he sat in one of the visitor chairs in Mitch’s office.
“Thanks.” Mitch picked up the mug and leaned back in his chair. He glanced over his shoulder out the window at the street. West 48th Street had changed drastically since their father had bought the buildings back in the seventies.
He remembered visiting his dad at work but not being allowed to go outside to the street for any reason. It was a dangerous neighborhood then. Hell’s Kitchen had been gang territory back in the day, and although gentrification had started in the seventies with people like his dad, things didn’t really pick up until the nineties. Even then it wasn’t really until the mid-oughts that real estate really took off. Now, Mitch and his brothers could never purchase this size office space here, let alone own a couple of buildings.
Gage walked into Mitch’s office and plopped down in the other visitor’s chair across from Mitch. He leaned back in his seat and looked around. “Tell me again how you ended up with the nicest office?”
Mitch smiled slightly as he looked at his space. His back was to the wall with his desk and visitor chairs in front of him. The door was in the far right corner. The two huge windows that flooded the space with light made up most of the left wall. The floors were the original hardwood, and the mantel over the working fireplace that was on the opposite wall from his desk was hand carved. The buttery brown leather couch that was in front of the fireplace was long enough for him to sleep on, and it was comfortable, too. “You two wanted bigger spaces. I don’t need that much space.”
“I don’t recall saying I needed more space,” Logan said as he eyed his brother. “I seem to recall you telling me where my furniture had been delivered. I’m pretty sure we never had a discussion about offices.”
Mitch shrugged. “Oh, I thought you wanted Dad’s old office.”
Gage grinned. “I think we got played, Logan. Not sure how he did it, but he arranged the whole thing. We’re gonna have to keep a closer eye on this guy.”
“Duly noted.” Logan nodded and took a sip of his coffee, sizing his brother Mitch up over the rim. “So, where do we stand with this mess?”
Mitch winced.
“I didn’t mean to imply it was your fault.” Logan tried to quickly assure him while a look of guilt flashed over his face.
“But it is my fault.” Mitch knew it in every cell of his body. It was his responsibility, so it was his fault.
“Bullshit.” Gage shifted in his chair until he was leaning forward. “Drake didn’t give you the whole picture. And the stupid asshole put the prototype in the car. If he had trusted you in the first place like he should’ve, the prototype would still be locked in the safe. Hell, if he’d given the car back like he should’ve, then the whole thing wouldn’t have happened.”
“But it did happen, and now I have to figure out how to clean up this mess before it ends up destroying everything we’ve built here.” Mitch took a sip of coffee and swore. “Damn, that’s hot. How much sugar did you put in there, Logan?”
Logan gave him a small smile. “Just enough.”
Mitch didn’t like the look of the smile. He’d be making his own coffee from now on. Logan’s revenge had always been brutal when they were kids. If Logan thought he was cheated out of the office, vengeance would be in the cards.
“We,” said Logan.
Mitch looked up at him puzzled. “I said ‘we’ve built.’”
“No. I mean ‘we’ have to figure this mess out. You were a SEAL, so I know you get being a team player. We’re your family and your team. We all have to work to sort this out. We took the job on. We all agreed on it, not just you. I’ve read the reports on everything, excellent by the way. I’m assuming you had Jake do it.”
Mitch tried to look insulted but couldn’t pull it off. He made Jake write every report, just like when they were in the SEALs. Mitch sucked at writing, period.
Logan set his coffee cup on a coaster on the desk. “You did it right. Even I can tell that, and I don’t have the experience you and Gage have. You didn’t screw up. It’s not on you. It’s on us, so please just accept that so we can plan together.”
Mitch was stunned into silence. He and Logan had never really gotten along. Logan had always been on his case about being a slacker and lazy. Now, all of a sudden, he was saying all the right things.
He glanced at Gage, but his brother’s face was impassive. Logan wouldn’t have come out with that speech on his own. No way, but he appreciated the sentiment behind it. He could tell Logan meant it. “Thanks.” It was all he could trust himself to say. He wanted to ask why the change of heart, but it would lead nowhere good, so it was best left alone.
“Now, fill us in on the latest, little brother, and let’s make a game plan,” Gage said as he leaned back in his chair and put his feet up on the edge of Mitch’s desk.
“I already told you about finding the car. Drake tore another strip off me for that whole debacle. Jake went back to see Dan at the hospital this morning. He was still pretty doped up. Jake said it was hard to get anything out of him. Dan doesn’t remember anything after yesterday afternoon. He has no memory of the explosion. He doesn’t remember standing guard or the party at all. Jake s
ays Dan had no idea the car was stolen.”
“What does the doctor say?” Logan jotted something down on a pad a paper he had magically produced somehow. Once a lawyer always a lawyer.
Mitch shook his head. “The doctor agrees that it could be possible. Dan doesn’t have any head injuries, but given his proximity to the explosion…” He shrugged.
“Anything is possible,” Logan finished for him. “The doctor is trying to cover his ass just in case something turns up later. Jake won’t get anything definitive from him either way. Doctors hate to be pinned down. Have Jake make another run at Dan later today. Tell him to find out when the next round of medication is to be given and show up about half hour before. Pain tends to clear the mind a bit, but also distract. Patients tend to tell the truth a bit more when they are in pain and waiting for their meds. If you can get the doctor to hold off a bit on the medication, all the better.”
Gage and Mitch exchanged a look. Gage chuckled. “That’s pretty cold. You lawyers are a scary lot.”
Logan snorted. “Says the man who worked in naval intelligence. Bit of pot and kettle, isn’t it?”
Gage grinned at his brother. “Maybe, but it’s classified.”
Logan glanced at his watch. “I have a couple other clients I have to check in with about a few things. Nothing major since it’s Sunday, but there were a few minor fires I put out last week, so I want to make sure all is running smoothly. After that, we’re going to continue doing a deep dive for information on Tolliver.” Logan stood up. “I’ll check back with you in a couple of hours.”
“Sure.” Gage gave him a wave.
Logan grabbed his coffee and left the office.
“I wasn’t kidding. He’s a bit scary when he’s in lawyer mode,” Gage said as he readjusted his feet on the desk.
“Logan is always Logan. Very ‘stick up his ass’ efficient.” Mitch took another sip of coffee and promptly spit it back into the cup. It was too sweet to drink.
Break and Enter: A Sexy, Thrilling Romantic Suspense (Callahan Security Series Book 1) Page 17
