RT was the next one to speak. “Actually, we don’t think it is. Dennis’s sister contacted the police a short time ago. She reported a crime scene, and based on their findings, there appeared to be signs of a struggle and blood—a rather large amount, in fact—in the living room of the house he was staying in.”
Nope. Kye still didn’t buy it.
“Whose blood was it?” Dani asked, her gaze darting between Hunter, Casper, and RT.
“Dennis’s,” Hunter confirmed. “Enough that they believe he likely died there.”
“Where’s the body?” Kye asked. Until they found a body, they couldn’t consider the threat neutralized.
“No idea,” Hunter replied.
“Do we know anything about the sister?” Kye asked. Something was wrong with this picture. “Has anyone talked to Max?”
“I’m actually on my way to his house when I leave here,” Casper informed them. “I’ll let you all know when I have more information.”
“I’ll go with you,” Hunter said. It was more a demand than a request, Kye could tell.
Casper glanced at Hunter, then nodded. “As long as you promise to be civil.”
“Always,” Hunter agreed with a smirk. His eyes cut to Kye’s briefly, then over to Dani.
It was evident Hunter had a plan. As for what it was, Kye had no clue.
Unfortunately, Kye knew they had no choice but to sit back and wait.
“HE’S DEAD,” COURTNEY STATED WHEN Max joined her in his home office.
Max didn’t need to ask who she was referring to, he already knew. However, he didn’t believe it.
“I doubt it,” he told her as he walked over to his desk. Nothing was ever that simple.
“Based on the amount of blood found at the scene, it’s inevitable,” she explained. “No way could he have faked his own death.”
“It’s a trap.” Max wouldn’t get his hopes up. He wouldn’t.
“Actually…” Courtney moved closer to his desk when Leyton stepped into the room. “It’s not a trap.”
Max studied his wife. His beautiful, incredibly sexy wife. She seemed intent on making him believe what she was telling him. “What makes you think that?”
“This,” Leyton told him, holding out his cell phone.
There on the screen was a picture of a very dead Dennis Moroso, his body slumped in the front seat of a car.
“It’s legit, boss,” Leyton confirmed. “I checked with my guy and he verified they have Dennis Moroso’s body in the city morgue.”
“Where did they find him?”
“In his car, just a few blocks from Devil’s Playground.”
“How?” Max leaned back in his chair.
“He was shot in the back of the head,” Courtney relayed. “At close range. But definitely not in the car. His body was moved.”
“I thought there were signs of a struggle at the house.”
“There were,” Leyton told him.
“It was staged.”
Max peered around Leyton to see the owner of the voice.
Walking through the door was none other than his father-in-law, Casper Kogan, followed closely by Courtney’s brother, Hunter.
Casper came to stand a few feet away. “I checked with DPD homicide and they verified it was staged. Dennis was murdered in his own house.”
Of course, Casper appeared suspicious as he stared back at Max. He already knew what his in-laws thought about him. However, in this instance, they’d be wrong.
“So, he knew his killer?” Max questioned.
“I’d say so,” Courtney surmised, sounding like a woman who knew far more than she was sharing.
Max frowned. “And that means what?”
Leyton was flipping through his phone when he said, “Sabrina shot him in the back of the head.”
Max glanced between the two of them, still trying to wrap his head around it all.
That caught Casper’s attention. “Sabrina?”
“Moroso,” Courtney clarified. “Dennis’s sister.” Courtney sighed. “Unfortunately, she didn’t do it because she felt threatened by him, either. Although that was my first thought. We all know she’s good at playing the victim. But victim she is not.”
“No?” Max knew Dennis was an even bigger asshole than Marco had been. It wouldn’t surprise him if it had been a sibling quarrel that got out of hand. Then again, shooting him in the back of the head spoke of something much, much different. Personal, vindictive.
“No.” Leyton held out his phone again. “This was taken an hour ago.”
There on the screen was a picture of Sabrina Moroso, looking anything but remorseful that her brother had just been murdered. In fact, she looked as though she’d just…
Max looked between the four people staring back at him. “She’s taken over as the head of the Moroso family.”
His wife nodded. “And we thought Dennis was dangerous. It looks like there’s a new bitch on the block.”
Fuck.
Turning his attention to Casper, Max lifted an eyebrow. “So, what brings you over?”
Casper motioned toward Hunter. “We’re trying to figure out who’s after Dani. We’ve come up with a few theories, none of which included Dennis as the suspect. Thought maybe we’d get your take on it.”
Max glanced at Hunter. “Is that why you’re here?”
Hunter looked unfazed. “No, but we’ll get to that.”
“All right.” Max turned to Casper. “So, what’re your theories?”
“Based on some details we’ve recently uncovered, it appears this is personal against Dani. More accurately, against her father.”
Max frowned. “Which one?”
“Good question,” Hunter added. “Considering we believe he’s seeking revenge against her father, we don’t know specifically. He told her that the child shall pay for the sins of the father.”
That piqued his curiosity. “Told her?”
“Technically, he wrote it on one of the walls in the safe house she was staying in.”
“How would he know that Samuel’s her father?”
Casper shrugged. “Dani seems to believe it’s revenge on Samuel.”
“I doubt that,” Max said with a sigh. “My father might’ve killed a lot of people, but it was all business. Anything personal…well, he tended to seek revenge within his own ranks or within the family itself.”
“We agree with you,” Hunter noted. “Which means whatever his issue is revolves around Nick.”
Max considered that for a minute. “My uncle detested the family business. He was in the ranks because of Samuel. He was a drunk, but I don’t see him being responsible for something that would provoke this sort of reaction. Now, if you were talking about Patrick, that’s an entirely different story.”
“Patrick was a pedophile,” Hunter stated.
“He was.” Max held Hunter’s stare. “And he’s in hell, where he belongs.”
“Was Nick ever involved in anything the other two did?” Casper asked.
Max glanced over at his wife. He wondered how much he should share with her family. While she knew the ins and outs of his life, including the deaths his family was responsible for, he wasn’t sure he could trust all of the Kogans.
“I trust them,” she said softly.
He nodded, then turned his attention back to Hunter and Casper. “There is one incident I’m aware of. As for the details, I don’t have them.”
“Incident?” Hunter probed.
Max leaned back in his chair. “I found some news clippings in my uncle’s house. I was going through his things shortly after we put him in the home. I found an article about a little girl. It was from a few months before…Patrick died.”
Hunter’s eyes narrowed, and Max could see his obvious disgust.
“I don’t think Nick had anything to do with it, honestly. However, I do believe Patrick did and Nick tried to stop it.”
Max shifted his chair over and opened the file drawer on his desk. He pulled
out a folder and passed it over to Casper. “Who knows if it’s related or not, but it’s certainly worth looking into.”
“Thanks. We’ll look into it.”
Max glanced over at Hunter. “Now, why are you here?”
Hunter produced a sheet of paper from his pocket. “I actually came because I need a favor.”
Max chuckled as he took the paper, unfolded it. There was a picture of a man. It was a mug shot. He looked up at Hunter again. “A favor? You’re asking me for a favor?”
“I am.”
“For?”
“I’ve been looking into a decade-old murder case,” Hunter explained, his gaze never leaving Max’s face. “And thanks to some impressive detective work, we’ve found the killer.”
Christ. Was Hunter here to accuse him of murder? It wouldn’t surprise Max one bit.
“Whose murder?” Max inquired.
“Toby Sterling,” Hunter stated firmly. “Kye’s younger brother.”
Max didn’t recognize the name, but he didn’t think he was supposed to.
“And what do you want from me?”
Hunter lifted one eyebrow, his eerie eyes boring into Max. He didn’t speak, but the silence was far louder than any words could’ve been.
Max’s brother-in-law was asking Max to take care of a problem.
“Why was Kye’s brother killed?” Courtney inquired, moving to stand beside Max.
“Because he was gay.”
Max narrowed his eyes. “Someone killed him because he was gay?”
“Yes.”
“And this is your suspect?” Max lifted the paper.
“No. He’s the murderer.”
“You have proof?” Courtney asked.
Hunter peered over at his sister. “I do.”
“Why not bring him to justice?” she countered.
“It’s too late for that,” Hunter said simply.
Ah. So this was personal.
“I do request one thing, though,” Hunter added.
Great. “What’s that?”
“I want a written confession from him before…”
Max glanced at Casper. The older man gave a nearly imperceptible nod of his head.
Max looked back at Hunter and smiled. “It’d be my pleasure.”
SEVENTEEN
Nine days later, Saturday…
“IT’S BEEN A WEEK. NINE days, to be exact,” Dani proclaimed when she stepped into Hunter’s living room. “I think it’s safe to assume that the threat was Dennis Moroso. Now that he’s dead, I see no reason to keep hiding.”
Hunter stared back at the woman as though she’d grown two heads. Was she serious? Did she honestly believe the bullshit she was trying to sell? No one believed Dennis had been the person who was stalking her. They’d determined that he had been responsible for the attack on Devil’s Playground that had killed one of Max’s bodyguards. Dennis was also responsible for the death of three others, including a doctor Max had on his payroll, but Hunter didn’t think the man had ever gotten close enough to Dani to follow through with any of the threats he’d been making against Max’s family.
“Come on, Hunter,” she whined. “I can’t stay in this house any longer. I’m going to lose my mind if I have to stare at these walls one minute longer.” Dani threw up her hands. “I’m going shopping.”
“Not a good idea,” he told her, thrusting his hands in his pockets and regarding her carefully.
Ever since they had explained their theory that Dani’s stalker was not after her because of Samuel but rather as payback to Nick, Dani had shrugged it all off. She’d given the excuse that Nick was in no way capable of even understanding a threat to his family, so how would it benefit anyone to follow through? She made a valid point, but Hunter knew that killers didn’t generally work on the same thought process as rational people.
Kye, on the other hand, felt strongly that Dani was underestimating this ghost who was haunting her. Hunter was siding with Kye. Based on the information they’d received from Max, it was highly likely that the man was after Dani because of something Nick had done. Or rather, something he believed Nick had done.
Since they didn’t have proof, Hunter hadn’t relayed any of the information Max had given them. He was currently working with Claire to dig up information on the crime. Unfortunately, it appeared Samuel Adorite had worked his evil magic at the time and most of the evidence that would’ve proven Nick or Patrick had been responsible for the brutal rape and murder of an eleven-year-old girl had long ago disappeared.
And since Hunter hadn’t shared that information, Dani was clinging to her belief that Dennis had been stalking her.
Regardless, Hunter knew he couldn’t keep her locked up indefinitely. Two weeks had passed since they returned from the Oklahoma safe house. They had confirmation that Dennis Moroso was dead and no longer a threat to Max’s family, so at least he was out of the picture. Granted, the Moroso sister was something else entirely, but Max insisted he was taking care of it on his side. The mob boss didn’t believe that Dani was in immediate danger from the blowback of that. Not from the Morosos, anyway.
Still, Hunter knew there was still a threat out there. One they couldn’t see. And in his experience, the threat was merely biding time, waiting for the right opportunity.
“Two hours,” she stated firmly, as though this was a negotiation. “That’s all I’m asking for. Give me two hours. I promise, I’ll do my shopping and come right back here.”
“Who’s going with you?”
“No one. I need some…alone time.”
Hunter shook his head. “No.”
Dani glared at him and Hunter couldn’t help but laugh. She was so damn cute when she wanted to get her way. And he did understand that she’d been cooped up longer than anyone should have to be. Didn’t mean he was comfortable with her going shopping by herself.
“Where are you going?” Kye asked, rubbing a towel over his wet hair as he emerged from the bathroom.
Dani turned to face him. “The mall. It’s a very public place and I seriously doubt anyone’s going to hunt me down and kill me there.”
It was Hunter’s turn to glare. “Not funny.”
Dani pivoted and moved closer to Hunter. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m honestly not trying to make light of it. But I seriously think it’s fine. I don’t have that prickling at the back of my neck anymore.”
He did, but Hunter wasn’t going to tell her that. He knew for a fact that he was always going to be expecting something bad to happen. It was the world he lived in and he couldn’t change who he was, even if Dani wanted him to.
“I’ll go with you,” Kye insisted.
“Nope,” she replied quickly. “I don’t want company.” She held out her hand expectantly. “But I’ll take your keys.”
“Mine?” Kye frowned, wide eyes darting back and forth between Dani and Hunter. “Why mine?”
“Because my car is almost out of gas.”
Kye peered over at Hunter as though seeking permission. Kye obviously wasn’t on board with this and he was trying to make excuses.
Hunter cocked his head toward Dani, an affirmative sign to hand over the keys. He turned his attention to Dani. “Fine. You’ve got two hours. If you’re not back here by three thirty, we’re coming after you.”
Her smile was so bright he could practically feel her happiness. “I promise, I’ll be here. And if I’m not, I’ll call you and let you know where I am.”
Kye pulled his hand back, withholding his keys. “No. Absolutely not. You’re back here by three thirty. No phone calls. This is serious, Dani. We don’t know for a fact that the threat has been eliminated.”
“It has,” she said reassuringly, although Hunter knew she didn’t believe what she was saying. Sure, Dani wanted it to be the truth, but she didn’t quite believe it.
“All right,” Hunter conceded. “Miss me while you’re gone.”
She giggled as she moved into his arms, kissing him sweetly before turning
to Kye. “You boys better be good, too.”
“Always,” Kye said in that sexy, mischievous manner of his as he reluctantly passed over his keys.
Hunter watched as Dani walked out the front door. He moved to the window, keeping an eye on her as she backed Kye’s truck out and headed for the main gate.
“You think she’s really goin’ shoppin’?” Kye asked, standing beside him.
“Yeah.” He believed that much.
“You think she’s really out of danger?”
“No.”
Kye turned to face him, his disapproval evident. “Then why’d you let her go?”
“Because it’s the only way I know to draw this bastard out.”
Kye’s eyes widened and he stepped back. For a brief moment, Hunter thought he was going to punch him.
“Why the fuck would you put her in danger?”
“Trust me, I’m not.” He’d thought this through. He would never put Dani in danger. “I’ve got eight agents assigned to her. I guarantee he won’t get anywhere close.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and shot a text off to Conner.
Kye frowned. “I’m goin’, too.”
Hunter grinned, reaching for his wallet and his keys. “I knew you’d say that.”
“Shit. She’s got my truck.”
Hunter tossed his keys at Kye, then nodded toward his helmet. “Take the bike.”
“What’ll you drive?”
“I’ll catch a ride with Conner and Casper.”
“How’d you know she’d insist on leaving?”
“Because she’s Dani. That’s what she does.” Hunter smirked. “I just didn’t know when.”
“Am I as predictable as she is?”
“No.”
Kye turned but Hunter stopped him by grabbing the front of his shirt and pulling him until they were nose to nose.
“I don’t expect anything to go down, but if it does…” Hunter gripped the back of Kye’s head. “Whatever happens, you be careful. You’re comin’ home to me tonight the same way she is. Understand?”
Kye chuckled. “So fucking bossy.”
Hunter kissed him, squeezing his eyes shut and sending up a prayer. He needed them. Not only because he loved them but also because he didn’t think he could live without them.
Tomorrow's Too Late (Sniper 1 Security, 3) Page 25
