Deadly Rumors

by Cheris Hodges

  “Wow. Having a midlife crisis or what?” Zoe laughed as she got into the car.

  “This was all they had.”

  Zoe nodded. “Right. Please tell me you’ve found some food.”

  Carver handed her a brown paper bag. “Turkey sandwich and fries for now.”

  “God bless you, Carver Banks. If you have a bottle of water for me, I might love you forever.”

  “You’re going to do that anyway. I got you a sports drink. I figured you’d broken a sweat in this desert heat.”

  He glanced at Zoe as she devoured her sandwich. She was sexy even when she ate like a homeless woman.

  “What?” she asked as she swallowed.

  “Nothing. Glad I made the right decision with the sandwich.”

  She gave him a thumbs-up, then took a huge bite. “So,” she said after swallowing, “where should we actually be looking for this girl’s body? Did you talk to your friend at the field office?”

  “He’s off today. Haven’t had a chance yet.”

  She was about to pull out her tablet when Carver grabbed her wrist. “Eat,” he ordered.

  Zoe took the last two bites of her sandwich. “Fine. And I’m only doing it because these fries smell amazing, not because you told me to.”

  “I’ll accept that, but I know the truth.” He winked at her, then revved the engine.

  Chapter 21

  Joe and Lewis had been plotting for two days to get Zoe’s family. They’d decided to snatch her sister-in-law for two reasons. Joe knew Zoe would be scared that he would put Chante out on the stroll.

  Chante Harrington was fine, but too old to get the money his younger girls commanded.

  And Zach Harrington would pay anything to get his wife back. He was stupid enough to love and trust a woman. That’s why it had been so easy for Natalie to get inside his office and give him the list of high rollers.

  If she had been loyal, she’d still be alive, he thought as he and Lewis ate breakfast in silence.

  “So, when are we going to North Carolina?” Lewis asked.

  “That’s going to be a little tricky. I can’t just hop on a plane. Driving is going to take about twelve hours.”

  “Why don’t we just drive out there in the morning? I know she’s a lawyer, so we can easily get into her office.”

  Joe nodded. “But we have to be smart about it. I’m sure there are cameras and shit at her building. We need a couple of days to watch what she does. And I have a girl in North Carolina who can go inside and check out what’s going on.”

  “What about her husband? Zoe’s brother will probably be around.”

  “Not during the workday. And I can keep him busy, but we have to be precise. We can’t afford mistakes.”

  “Right. No more than ten minutes, and I have to spike her drink.”

  Joe handed Lewis a vial of a clear liquid. “That’s right, and don’t put too much in it, so that you aren’t dragging a dead weight.”

  Lewis nodded. “Two drops, right? I think we’re ready. All we need to do is get down to the Carolinas and put this plan in motion.” Joe and Lewis clinked their coffee mugs together.

  “That bitch is finally going to get hers,” Joe said.

  * * *

  Carver and Zoe had been in Vegas for four days and she wasn’t any closer to finding Jessica. And she felt as if Carver didn’t have a huge problem with it. She glanced at him as they sat down to eat at the Spice Market Buffet.

  “We need to talk,” Zoe said.

  “That’s never a good sign.”

  “What if we don’t find Jessica? Maybe this case was cold for a reason,” she said with a sigh.

  Before he could respond, his phone rang and it was Sarah. Rising to his feet, he turned to Zoe and said, “I have to take this.” He walked outside. “What’s up, Sarah?”

  “Well, we did track Singletary to New York. Looks like he’s getting desperate. What’s Zoe’s connection to Lewis Martinez?”

  “That’s her former partner, and there’s bad blood between them.”

  “Not good. Singletary was seen on camera with him, but we’ve lost their trail.”

  “How?”

  “That man is a ghost. He appears and disappears when he wants to. It’s like he’s taunting us.”

  “He is. Son of a bitch.”

  “We’re closer to getting a tail on him. We’re going to switch tactics because what we’ve been doing isn’t working.”

  “At least he doesn’t have anyone else on the inside that we know of. Tell Ray to keep an eye on Lewis. He may be an ex-cop, but he’s going to slip up—use a credit card, get caught somewhere he shouldn’t be.”

  “His cell phone has been shut off, and we’re going to have local stores that sell those disposable cell phones monitored, all up and down the East Coast.”

  “Good idea. I have to go, Zoe is on her way to the car with the sheriff’s deputy.”

  Carver got out of the car and shook hands with Deputy Dale. He gave the man a sidelong glance, wondering what in the hell Zoe ever saw the skinny, Goof Troop–looking dude.

  Well, if he was being honest, Dale wasn’t that skinny, but he could toss him a few yards if he had to.

  “How are you doing, sir?”

  “Agent Banks.” He glanced at Zoe, who seemed to be hiding a laugh.

  “Excuse me, Agent Banks. I was telling Zoe that I was able to uncover some reports that might help you in the Dolan case. We did unearth a body about two years ago that we couldn’t identify. I have those reports.”

  “Thanks. When can we see the reports?”

  “We can head over to headquarters now and take a look at them.”

  “What happened to the body?” Carver asked with his arms folded across his chest. Zoe shook her head and looked away from both men.

  “A body that doesn’t get identified usually ends up in a potter’s field. I’m sure you wouldn’t know anything about that since the FBI usually leaves the hard work to local agencies.”

  Carver narrowed his eyes at Dale but didn’t say anything. He was so sick of these local cops and their complaints.

  Zoe turned to Dale. “Thank you for all of your help. Both of us appreciate it.”

  “Zoe, you know I’ll still do anything for you.” He winked at her and Carver wanted to punch him in his schoolboy face. But Carver was playing it cool, so he thought.

  Opening the car door for Zoe as Dale walked away, Carver offered her a small smile.

  “You’re not slick,” Zoe said. “And I know you’re having a little pissing contest with Dale.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Play dumb if you want to, but I know you.” Zoe laughed. “It’s cute.”

  “Whatever.”

  “We need to focus on what we might find in these reports, and not a long-lost relationship from college.”

  “So, if I find my Woo-Woo, you’re going to be cool with it?”

  “This is what you want to talk about right now?”

  “Just tell me you’d be ready to have dinner with her and hop in her car, then I’ll apologize to Howdy Doody.”

  “You’re so childish.”

  “So you say.” Carver revved the engine as he took off behind Dale.

  Arriving at the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, Dale led Zoe and Carver into a conference room, which was stacked with three boxes of reports. “Have fun, guys.”

  Zoe sighed and took a seat at the table. “I guess we have a lot of reading to do.”

  Carver smiled and opened the boxes. Even though he figured they were going to be reading a bunch of reports that didn’t mean anything, this was the safest he’d felt Zoe was since they’d gotten to Vegas.

  Four hours later, they decided that it was time to go. “I can’t believe we still haven’t found a clue,” Zoe said as she yawned.

  “Me either,” Carver said. “I didn’t think there was going to be so much paperwork that shows nothing.”

  “Do you want to get a drink?�
� Zoe asked.

  “Sure, but not in some crowded bar.”

  “We can order room service. My room or yours?”

  Carver smiled slyly. “Well, you know my door is always open, but since you offered, your room.”

  She shook her head. “Just so you know, we’re just having a couple of drinks and talking about this case.”

  “Whatever you say.” He winked at her.

  Chapter 22

  Charlotte, North Carolina

  Singletary sat across the street from Zach and Chante’s house. They had to be the most boring people in the world. That man was always kissing or hugging on that woman.

  Idiot. If another man came through with more money, she’d be gone. He dropped his night-vision binoculars and waited for Lewis to return to the car. Lewis was dressed as a jogger and was scouting out the Harrington household. They didn’t have security cameras, but they had those motion-detection lights and a standard home security system.

  The garage seemed to be the easiest way to enter the house or leave a ransom note. Lewis thought he and Singletary should at least get some money from the Harringtons before they killed Zoe and her sister-in-law.

  Singletary didn’t agree, because he knew that would do nothing but bring the FBI out in force, and he wasn’t trying get caught because he didn’t need the money. Singletary thought about killing Lewis after he got rid of Zoe.

  This man was getting on his nerves, and Singletary was starting to wonder if he’d made a mistake in bringing Lewis with him. Though having the extra body was a good thing, and in the last two days, Singletary had a lock on Chante Harrington’s schedule and her routine. She was predictable. She was beautiful, as well. Joe knew he was going to sample that before he slit her throat. Or maybe he would just shoot her and toss her body in one of the rivers around Mecklenburg County.

  Just like her sister-in-law, this bitch made enemies, and anyone could be a suspect.

  “Are we ready to make this thing happen?” Lewis asked as he hopped in the car.

  “Tomorrow morning, my girl is going in to look at how her office works. Then we’ll put the plan in motion,” Singletary said.

  “And the ransom?”

  “For the last fucking time, we’re not asking for ransom. That was never a part of the plan, and it adds a layer that we don’t need. Neither Chante nor Zoe is returning to this man, no matter how much money he throws our way.” Singletary wanted to speed down the street, but the last thing he needed was to call attention to them.

  “You’re thinking too small, man.”

  “And you’re thinking like a common hood. Just shut the fuck up and let me handle this.”

  Lewis glared at him but didn’t say a word.

  * * *

  Back in Las Vegas, Zoe and Carver sat in the middle of her queen-size bed. They had a cornucopia of food—lobster tails, crab legs, jasmine rice, shrimp, and chicken salad—and an empty bottle of wine. Zoe had suggested eating after they’d downed the wine like water.

  “What kind of wine was that?”

  “Rosé. I figured since it has its own hashtag that we might as well give it a try.”

  “Good call,” she said, then gave him a kiss on the cheek. Carver took her chin between his forefinger and thumb.

  “Now, you can do better than that.” He captured her lips in a hot and wet kiss. Zoe pressed her hands against his chest.

  “You know the rule for tonight, right?”

  “And you know rules are meant to be broken.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. This time, Zoe was powerless to resist the burgeoning passion growing between her thighs.

  He pulled back from her and smiled. “But, if you want to follow the rules, I understand.”

  “Just move the food.”

  Carver moved the tray of uneaten seafood to the table across the room and returned to the bed. He was thankful that Zoe was wearing a pair of boy shorts and a tank top. She’d given him the easiest access to everything he wanted. Pressing her against the pillows, he ran his fingers across her lips.

  “So soft.”

  She licked the pad of his index finger. “If we’re breaking the rules, you better make it worth it.”

  Carver knew when he was being challenged, and he was ready. Pressing her back on the pillows, he ran his fingers across her wetness. Zoe moaned in delight as he slipped his finger inside her shorts.

  In and out. In and out.

  “Carver!”

  He pulled her shorts down, spread her legs and planted his face between her thighs. He licked and sucked Zoe as if she were a lollipop.

  “Yes, yes, yes,” Zoe cried as she writhed underneath his sensual kiss. Carver reached up and palmed her breasts until her nipples were rock hard and pressing against her shirt.

  Locking eyes with his woman, Carver’s heart swelled with love. But in the back of his mind, he hated lying to her, hated pretending that they would find a body he was sure wasn’t in the Vegas desert.

  “Baby?”

  “Zoe, you’re so beautiful,” Carver said. “I love you.”

  “I love you, too.” She leaned forward and stroked the top of his head. “Now, make love to me.”

  Carver kicked out of his denim shorts and dove deep inside his woman. Thrusting harder and deeper as she silently willed him to do so, he didn’t think about the fact that he hadn’t protected them.

  Zoe drew him in deeper, tightening herself around him as they rocked back and forth. Carver wanted to pull out before he reached his climax, but the heat of Zoe’s body rendered him senseless. He exploded. Zoe’s explosion was seconds behind his. As they clutched each other’s sweaty bodies, Carver realized two things: He never wanted to let Zoe go, and if he had to continue this lie, he would until she was safe.

  “There is a lot of cold seafood over there that we should eat,” Zoe said after a beat. “And now that I’ve had an unexpected workout, I’m starving.”

  “You knew you were going to get that workout when you opened the door in those so-called shorts.” Carver winked it her.

  “I actually expected you to follow the rules. I guess I should’ve known better.”

  “When it comes to you, there are no rules. Zoe, you’re going to get it real soon—I’ll do anything for you.”

  She followed a bead of sweat down his chest. “Does that mean you’re going to bring me some crab legs?”

  “I will get you crab legs,” he said as he rose from the bed.

  * * *

  Zoe watched Carver as he crossed the room. His body was artistic, like a better version of Adonis. As much as staying in bed seemed like a great idea, Zoe wanted to solve this case, because her heart was starting to ache for the Dolans and she wanted to know what happened to Jessica. She hoped that if something happened to her, she wouldn’t end up in some shallow hole that people walked over.

  “Carver,” she said. “Do you think we’re going to find Jessica at all?”

  He set the platter of crab legs on the side of the bed. “I don’t know. We can work on that in the morning. My mind is fried after looking through all of those reports.”

  “Why does it seem like you’re not very plugged in to finding Jessica Dolan? You were the one who walked in my office dropping the president’s name and you act as if this is some romantic romp. That’s not true. I’ve—we’ve—been following the leads as they come. What else can we do?”

  Zoe expelled a frustrated sigh. “Isn’t this why you came to get me? We’re supposed to be doing more.”

  Carver took a crab leg from the tray and cracked it open. He pulled the meat from the shell and brushed it across Zoe’s lips. “Eat.”

  She bit into the crabmeat and smiled after she swallowed. “You’re not feeling some kind of way about all of these dead ends?”

  “Zoe, I’m not trying to make you pass out from exhaustion.”

  “This is my job, and I know when I’m tired. I don’t need you to police what I do and how I do it.” Zoe hopped out of the bed a
nd slammed her hand against Carver’s shoulder. “Just because we’re sleeping together, it doesn’t change the way I work this case.”

  “I didn’t say you should change anything, but there is no need for you to—”

  “Just stop. I need to take a shower.” Zoe slammed into the bathroom. Turning the shower on, she waited until she heard the hotel room door close before she got in.

  * * *

  Inside his room, Carver called the Shadow Team. As their faces came up on the screen of his tablet, Carver hoped they would tell him that Singletary had been captured.

  “Where do we stand?”

  Sarah shook her head. “Same place. No sign of Lewis or Singletary.”

  “I have a trace on Lewis’s credit and debit cards. Did get a signal from his cell phone, but it was in Brooklyn,” Ray said.

  “Did you follow it?”

  “Yes. Led straight to a homeless shelter. Joe is training him up right.”

  “Banks,” Kenneth said. “Have you checked in on Zoe’s twin brother? Singletary isn’t above going after folks’ family.”

  “Being that Zach Harrington is still hating my guts because of the investigation into his ex-wife, I can’t just call him up and say hello.”

  “That’s true,” Sarah said. “And I don’t want to get another office involved. I checked in on the official investigation into Singletary, and they don’t have anything either. What I do know is, Wendy was the only person working with him from the FBI, but he could have a nationwide web of crooked cops.”

  “I still don’t understand why she worked with him.” Carver ran his hand across his face.

  “Either money or blackmail, but we’ll never know because dead women don’t answer questions,” Kenneth said.

  “So, let’s move on. Since I’m in Virginia, I can get to Charlotte before anyone else. I can get eyes on the Harringtons just in case Singletary has plans to make a move on them,” Ray said.

  “And you guys are sure no one knows Zoe and I are in Las Vegas?”

  “You’re cloaked by shadows,” Sarah said with a smile. “You’re officially in Texas. You might want to check in with your new field contact, Michael Silvers. I programmed your FBI-issued phone to ping off a tower in Dallas.”