After Six

by Jeannette Winters

  “I’m so glad you have Logan to take care of you,” Zoey stated. “But if he gives you any trouble at all, you just call one of us. We’ll straighten him right out for you.”

  Cori knew Zoey wasn’t joking. That explained how they all functioned. As a family, they took care of each other. She was just an outsider, not even a girlfriend, yet they were already including her in their group. She didn’t mean for the question to be voiced, but it was too late once it was.

  “Why are you all so nice to me?”

  It was Zoey who answered. “My family hasn’t always been . . . close. There are things in our past that we can’t run from. The only thing that has held us together is love. So for Logan to introduce you to us says a lot about how he feels. Because he’s important to us, so are you.”

  She was torn between feeling honored and feeling like a piece of crap. They were warm and welcoming now, but what about once they found out it wasn’t true? They’d never trust her. Actually, they’d hate her. It hurt knowing that day would come and there was nothing she could do to prevent it. The sad part was, she didn’t want it to end. She wasn’t without family, but for the most part, she felt as though she had been.

  “We’re . . . just starting. Nothing serious.”

  Morgan shook her head. “I saw how he watched you at my parents’ party. He never took his eyes off you. You might not want to admit it’s anything more than dating, but I’m telling you, I’ve never seen him like that.” She turned to the others. “You’ll see for yourselves on Sunday.”

  “Logan told Brice he couldn’t make it.”

  “Oh, he’ll be there. Trust me,” Zoey said firmly.

  “And so will you, Cori. He’s just worried we’ll scare you off. But we haven’t, have we?” Tessa asked.

  She was petrified. It wasn’t about a story at the moment. This was a real family who loved each other, and if she was right, she had information that was going to break their hearts. How could she tell them their father murdered her grandpa? It would be a wedge between them that would never leave. And she would have been the one who put it there. The worst part was Logan was the one helping her, and he had no clue what he was doing either.

  Cori forced a smile and said, “I would love to be there.”

  That didn’t mean she would. There were too many things that stood between her and Logan. First of all was the truth. Second was the truth. And last, once again the truth. No matter how she cut it, she needed to find a way to be honest with him before Sunday. If he still wanted to take her, that would be an entirely different story. She couldn’t picture him doing so. And they wouldn’t be quite so welcoming either.

  “Good. I hope Shaun is back from Tabiq by then,” Morgan said.

  Zoey shot her a look that spoke volumes. Morgan had slipped, and Cori didn’t miss it. She’d heard of that place. It was known for the mistreatment of women. Why would Shaun be there? Something wasn’t adding up. From what she knew, Shaun was a financial wizard. There wasn’t anything in Tabiq that should appeal to a Henderson. Whatever it was, it was something they didn’t want getting out. That was her specialty. Now all she needed to do was figure out what was so important over there that they all knew about and yet wanted hushed.

  Cori played it off nicely by saying, “It’d be nice to see him again too.”

  Since she hadn’t reacted to the mention of Tabiq, the ladies seemed to relax again. The rest of the lunch was spent talking about things that were light and fun. The conversation turned to what she assumed they always spoke about, their children. Although Cori didn’t have any, she’d done her share of babysitting when she was young. She’d always thought she’d have a houseful by now. Since she wasn’t actually dating, it felt safe to assume she wasn’t any closer to achieving that goal than any of her others.

  At least I’ll have accomplished one. I’ll have the truth about Grandpa.

  She knew exactly what she was going to do with the rest of her day. Cori needed to find the connection between Tabiq and Shaun. It was sad because whatever it was, wasn’t good. Honest businessmen didn’t want anything to do with that place.

  She no longer felt bad about her quest. Knowing that the family had probably lied to her all along, she was back to thinking they were most likely just like James. The only thing different is they were much better at covering it up. She needed to remind herself of what a vile man James was. If they were as bad, if not worse, she’d need to be extremely careful, or that could be her fate as well.

  Although she texted back and forth with Logan that night, she chose to stay at home alone. She had a lot of thinking to do. There was the story of a lifetime out there, and she knew it. But something was holding her back. Nothing had ever prevented her from digging for the answers. It’s all she ever wanted. Why was she hesitating? Was it the truth that scared her or was it the repercussions of the truth that troubled her? Either way, the ball was already rolling. Logan had told her he was looking into the fire. Brice confirmed it wasn’t accidental.

  While they dug into her past, she was digging into theirs. They had no clue. It really was a win, win for her. Except for one major piece: Logan. Somehow through all this, she’d really come to care about him. That hadn’t been part of her plan. But no matter how she calculated it, the answer was the same. It can’t ever be.

  Chapter Eleven

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  Logan had known he wasn’t going to have a restful sleep last night. Not with worrying about Cori. He’d gotten some feedback from his sister about the lunch. They all loved Cori. That wasn’t a surprise. She was highly intelligent, knew how to hold her own in the company of strangers, and genuinely sweet. But when she wouldn’t chat on the phone or see him afterward, he was concerned they’d questioned her more than either had let on. He knew what those ladies could be like. It probably was an inquisition instead of a lunch with laughter.

  He needed to find a way to see her soon. Unfortunately, she’d denied his request for dinner. Why was she avoiding him? Was it something he’d said or done? Most likely. I’m a jerk. Just wish I knew what it was so I can fix it.

  However, the list of potential issues seemed endless. He knew he wasn’t easy to get along with. That’s why he chose to be alone. That didn’t mean he didn’t find her company more than appealing. It just meant she got the short end of the deal.

  He thought about just showing up at her apartment. It wouldn’t be the first time. If he continued doing that, he might be pushing his luck. She’d already said no. Pushing himself on a woman wasn’t him. He’d respect her wish today. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t find something she couldn’t refuse to entice her for an outing tomorrow.

  He’d need to step up his research on the fire. Bennett was out of commission as leader on this; he’d have to look to his other resources. He’d never needed anyone in this manner. Usually, it was his brothers who required such assistance. He wasn’t sure where to begin outside of flying to California himself and talking with the police department. It seemed like the most logical thing to do.

  Right now he wished he was more like Brice or Dean. One loo at those two and people got out of their way. He was a surgeon. The only time anyone was afraid of him was when he approached them with a scalpel. Since he wasn’t performing brain surgery on them, he probably wasn’t going to have much luck.

  His phone rang, and it was Brice. He wasn’t ready to speak to him. “What can I do for you?”

  “Actually, I think it’s you who needs me this time,” Brice said sarcastically.

  He wasn’t about to admit it even if he did. “And what makes you think that?”

  “Those pictures weren’t from any game. I don’t know what’s going on, but I figure that girl of yours is in some sort of trouble. Care to tell me what it is or should I go figure that out for myself?”

  Logan should’ve known it was too good to be true. Although Brice didn’t let on at the time, he’d given information in such detail that he must’ve known they were real. “She believe
s her grandfather was murdered and the police state it was an accident.”

  “What you showed me proves the fire wasn’t an accident. How was he killed?”

  “She said the fire was out of control, and he stayed trying to put it out. If the fire was covered up, what else was?” Logan didn’t mention his concern to Cori. It must be difficult enough thinking someone was only out to burn the place down. Something in Logan said this cover-up went much deeper.

  “You think he was killed and then the fire was set? I mean, there are other ways to dispose of a body.”

  He was sure there were countless ways, but this person or group wanted to take everything from him. This wasn’t a simple act of robbery or vandalism. This was based on hatred. Logan needed to find out who Joe Sparks’s enemies were. Then he’d know what type of people they were dealing with. “I think this was personal. If I’m right, this cover-up is bigger than any of us think.”

  “What are you going to do?” Brice asked.

  “I’m going to go talk to the police and see what they remember of the case.”

  “Hasn’t it been thirty years? I’m sure they’re all retired by now.”

  Brice had a point, but one thing he’d learned from his father, greed never retires, it always chases more money. If they were still alive, he’d lure them out. It was just a matter of how much it would cost him. Whatever it is, I’ll find the truth for her. He only hoped it wasn’t too painful once it was revealed.

  “I think it’s time I throw the Henderson name around and see if it stirs anything up. If not, I’ll let you know if I need your help.” Logan didn’t want any. If he took it, he’d lose control of what happened with the results. Right now he wasn’t one hundred percent sure he would share them with Cori. Sometimes the truth was best buried.

  He had his jet fueled and ready to take off. Surprisingly, he was able to move a few surgeries around without too much hassle, given he would only be away one day. Although he wanted to tell Cori where he was going, he knew she’d insist on tagging along. If anyone thought he was helping her, that might jeopardize them both. The only way this was going to work was for him to go alone. Good thing that’s how I prefer it.

  That had been irrefutable before he met Cori. An eight-hour flight would normally be spent reviewing case files, catching up on medical reading, and occasionally, catching up on sleep. This time he wished he could have someone with him. Cori. Her companionship sure would spice up the travel. But this wasn’t about what he wanted. It was all about Cori and what she needed. The last thing she needed was him hitting on her right now. And if they were alone that long, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep his hands off her. Each time they kissed, it became more difficult to distance himself. She smelled sweet, and her lips tasted even better. He could only imagine what it would be like if he sampled all she had to offer.

  Logan felt his pants tighten. Great. That’s the last thing I need on this flight.

  Cori was pushing her luck right now. Her search engine was filled with questionable material, most not easy to read, but when it came to Tabiq, well, that material was incredibly hard to read. What she thought had been a bad situation actually was a horrendous one. It was a country that had been poor but loving. And about forty-five years ago something drastically changed. It was as though a switch flipped, and evil walked in.

  None of that made any sense because there hadn’t been a change in political power. So the influence had to come from outside of Tabiq. What could’ve happened to cause such a change?

  As she continued, she found something very interesting. Alex’s wife was from Tabiq. Marrying someone from another country wasn’t so strange, but it didn’t explain why Shaun was there. He surely wasn’t looking for a wife because Morgan would wring his neck. So why should he be there? It wasn’t as though he had anything to offer the country. He wasn’t a scientist or a doctor. Something wasn’t adding up.

  Maybe the answer lies with Ziva. If she’d known about her connection yesterday, she’d have slid in some questions about her home. She’d known from Ziva’s accent that she wasn’t born in the US, but that hadn’t fazed her then. Now she knew she had to speak to her again. Since they’d just met yesterday, it’d be odd for her to call out of the blue. She needed a different way in.

  Cori hated to do it, but Morgan was the perfect link. Grabbing her phone, she dialed her number.

  “Hi, Cori.”

  “Hello, Morgan. I just wanted to thank you again for organizing yesterday’s lunch. It was so lovely to meet your new family.”

  “Oh, you’re welcome. The girls loved meeting you. In fact, they were a little surprised how easy it was to talk to you. Logan’s so reserved, so we’re all curious how you got him to open up.”

  “We clicked from the start.” She truly hated lying, but she was already in so deep, what was another lie? “I have some spare time today, so I wondered if Shaun is still out of town, would you like to go shopping with me today? I want to pick up something . . . romantic for Logan, and I have no idea what to get.” Oh, please don’t let lightning strike me down. This is so wrong.

  “Oh, I wish I could, but I have homework to do with Tyler. Ziva loves to do stuff like that and has an eye for such things. She actually helped me shop for Shaun for Valentine’s Day. I’m so boring I probably would’ve gotten him a fun pair of underwear. You know, like the kind you write about.”

  Cori rolled her eyes. That was the problem with those stories. Everyone seemed to think she related to each and every one of them. If that is the case, why am I the only one not getting any?

  “I don’t really know Ziva.” Actually, I don’t really know any of you, but here goes nothing.

  “She’s a peach. And I think she would love to find another friend here. It’s been quite an adjustment moving to the States. You would never think that she’s had the type of life that she had. I mean growing up in—Well, not as fortunate as we have had it. I really shouldn’t have mentioned it. Ziva is very private about her past. I guess we all have things we wish to keep to ourselves.”

  Cori almost burst out laughing. Morgan was the one who had spilled it about her writing career. “That we do.”

  “Why don’t I put her on the line, and we can all chat about it. If she’s free, I’m sure she would take you. Can you hold for a second please?”

  Morgan didn’t give Cori a chance to decline. Instead, she was waiting for their calls to merge.

  “Hi, Cori. How are you? Morgan told me you’re looking for something . . . fun for your guy. I’d love to go with you if you like?” Ziva asked.

  She couldn’t believe how easy this was. Then again, they were all still under the impression she was sweet and Logan’s girlfriend. Why wouldn’t they be kind? That didn’t mean she was going to pass this by. She would shop for Logan. And goodness knows I’ll need her help. If Cori happened to learn anything more about Ziva than she already knew, it would be a bonus. She wasn’t going to push or pry. One thing she didn’t want to do was bring up anything so painful that it triggered things Ziva wanted to forget. Cori had her own struggles. Like me not being able to let go of Grandpa.

  It wasn’t long before Ziva arrived, and they were on their way. Cori had thought long and hard how to present these questions. She started off as anyone else would. “I love your accent. Where are you from?”

  She didn’t miss the twitch in Ziva’s eye before she evaded answering. “A little island. So any idea what you’re looking for?”

  Cori shook her head. “Must be a change living in Boston then.”

  “Life is full of changes. Depending on how romantic you want to get, I know a place that sells sexy underwear.”

  Cori laughed, “Maybe not quiet that romantic.” Yet.

  “In time. But I also know a shop that sells unusual trinkets. They are not new. Each piece is old, and I’m sure has a tale to tell. Do you want to check it out?

  She smiled at Ziva and said, “I’d love to.”

  Cori knew right
away that she wasn’t going to get anything about Tabiq from Ziva. She’d have better luck with Morgan. The only thing this outing was going to accomplish was some bonding time.

  What started off as a short shopping adventure, turned out to include a late dinner. What Ziva lacked in talking about herself, she made up for in overall personality. She had Cori almost rolling on the floor in stitches. She spoke about Alex and what he really did for a living. It was funny because, in all her research, Cori never had been able to put him in any position. An author sure wasn’t what she pictured him to be. Guess that’s two Hendersons I’ve had pegged wrong so far. Four more to go.

  She was glad to get home and back in bed. Cori thought for sure she’d have heard from Logan sometime during the day. Yes, she’d declined his offer to see him today, but that didn’t mean he should’ve given up so easily.

  Really? This is what I’ve become? A woman who wants a man to pursue her? Heck, he’s not even really my man. Cori laid back and buried her face in her pillow. She was getting so entwined in her own lie she wasn’t sure what was true anymore. All she knew was, she missed him. And I wish he’d call.

  Chapter Twelve

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  Logan was right. As soon as he introduced himself at the police station he noticed the dispatcher covertly grab the phone and make a call. Logan intentionally spoke loud enough to be heard, but he never thought it’d work so easily. If only the rest of his plans would.

  The sergeant on duty informed him it was a closed case and nothing could be done. “We have real cases to work on.”