“I think the guy’s for real. He even left one of those gold cowboys at the store so we’d know he’s the same guy who shot Collin and took care of Auslo and Taft before saving Kit. The guy’s a regular Superman.”
But Dylan wasn’t yet ready to get on the guy’s fan list. “So this hit man plants a bomb and he goes in and saves the day—again? Aren’t you nervous? Kit knows what he looks like. How does this guy know when to show up? How does he know all this? Who does that? What’s in it for him?”
“Of course I’m nervous. But Kit thinks he’s looking out for her, and now it sounds like he’s looking out for Baylee. She thinks it’s because he doesn’t like the Boyds or has some kind of grudge against them, probably because of the Parkers. He obviously knows about Collin’s obsession, knows Collin doesn’t want us to testify against him, and he’s decided we’re the good guys. Now, he’s warning you about Connor. But what I don’t get is why Connor wants Baylee dead? That’s the other thing I don’t understand.”
“What’s the statute on rape? Obviously, he thinks she could still burn him for some reason and he’s worried.”
“Either that or he’s just a sick bastard right along with his brother.”
“I vote for sick bastard. What should I do, Jake? I need to get her out of town. But where? Where will she be safe?”
“Will she want to leave her father? You forget he hasn’t got that long to live.”
Shit, thought Dylan, one more complication. “See, that’s the thing; I’m not sure about anything.”
“Hey, if you can convince Baylee to leave town, will you take Kit with you?”
“So you’re saying I might not get her to budge at all,” he muttered almost to himself as he tried to formulate a battle plan.
“Hey, I’m right there with you. I couldn’t even get Kit to leave the store while I played bomb squad this morning.”
“I’ve got to let Baylee know. This isn’t exactly turning out the way I’d planned.”
“You had a plan?”
“Look, I thought Connor would see us together and just leave us alone, leave her alone, go on with his life. End of stalker story. I didn’t count on him wanting her dead. This was about not letting him know about Sarah, not Baylee’s demise. I didn’t count on him following us to her father’s house. No, that isn’t true. He didn’t follow us. He must have been staking the place out this afternoon and I delivered her on a platter. Damn. That means I walked right into his net. He saw the baby. I got careless, Jake.”
“Don’t beat yourself up. If he saw anything, he saw a couple with a baby. That’s it. I’m wondering how I can get Kit out of town, someplace safe. You want to bring them and stay at Crandall House?”
“Too much ground to cover. And they probably already know you’ve bought the place; they’re just waiting for the moving truck to pull up. After all, you’re already basically living there. I hate to break it to you, but Collin probably already knows.”
That didn’t make Jake feel any better. It did, however, cement his decision. But Dylan was too wound up.
“No, I need some place that’s fortified, somewhat secure.” At that moment, Dylan’s e-mailed dinged signaling he had mail. “Wait a minute, looks like he sent a follow up.” He double-clicked the message and read:
If you need a safe house for Baylee and the baby, take her to 12261 Contreras Court, Palos Verdes. Key’s under the mat.
Dylan repeated the e-mail to Jake. “Okay, this is getting weird. Is he listening? It sounds like he has my house bugged. A safe house, is he kidding? This is a joke, right? This guy expects me to take Baylee to some house in the middle of the night on his say-so alone. He must be crazy as a crack addict. I’m not letting Baylee anywhere near this place on his word alone. I don’t trust this guy.”
“I’ll call Jordan again, tell him we need help.”
“Call me back.” Dylan hung up the phone but continued to pace back and forth in front of the computer until he looked up to see Baylee standing in the doorway with her arms crossed, hugging herself, watching, listening.”
“How long have you been standing there?”
“Connor knows where we are.”
“Uh, then you heard everything.”
“Pretty much. Connor must have been parked in the neighborhood waiting for us. Let’s see the e-mail.” Baylee walked over to the laptop, read the follow-up e-mail about the safe house and then the first one he’d sent in warning. “Who is this guy?”
“Gotta be Kit’s hero. Somehow he’s keeping track of the Boyds and it’s like he’s listening to us.”
“That’s freaky. Why does Connor want me dead, Dylan? I haven’t made trouble for him. I did like he wanted. I didn’t go to the police, didn’t tell anyone and yet, he wants me dead.”
“He’s a sick bastard that’s all there is to it. Pack a bag. We aren’t staying here tonight. Just in case this guy knows what he’s talking about, I’m not sitting here waiting for the bastard to make his move in the middle of the night.”
“So Sarah and I are on the run again.”
“All three of us are.”
Baylee looked at him then. Drawing in a deep breath, she stepped over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “You don’t have to do this, Dylan. He could just as easy kill you to get to me. I don’t want you hurt.”
“That’s why we’re running like rabbits in the middle of the night, getting off his radar for a while. But I’m in this Baylee, one way or another. I promise you I won’t let him near you or Sarah. I’m just not sure where we should go.”
“That’s perhaps the sweetest promise anyone’s ever made to me. As to where to go, an idea came to me while you were on the phone. My father has a place on Catalina Island, actually it’s Avalon. We could stay there for a while. I need to call Tanya, let her know where she can reach me.”
“Not if there’s a chance anyone at BBG&G would know about the house. Is there?”
“I don’t think so. When I was younger we’d spend the whole month of July there. A few times Kit and Quinn came along. As far as I know, the Boyds never knew we stayed there. I even considered going there when I left L.A. The only reason I didn’t was because the island’s fairly remote. They only have a twelve-bed hospital. For a first-time mother-to-be, for a first-time delivery, that was a little too small for my peace of mind. Even though the island has a healthy tourist trade, there’s less than four thousand people living there year-round, and I didn’t want complete solitude. Plus, I needed to be able to go where I could find a decent job. Blair assured me I would be able to get a good doctor, get a good enough job in Denver, so that’s where I ended up. But Catalina is almost an afterthought, strictly a tourist destination most of the time.”
“Then that’s where we’ll go.” He picked up the phone to let Jake know their destination. “I need the Sea Warrior. If you can talk Kit into closing up the Book & Bean for a couple of days, you’re both welcome to join us.”
“Look, I need a favor, Dylan. And I haven’t even talked to Kit about it. I need you to babysit Kit for a few days.”
“Then meet me at the boat. We’ll talk there. Two can play this cat-and-mouse game.”
“Gotcha. Shouldn’t we synchronize our watches or something?”
“Was that a joke, Boston? You pick a helluva time to get a sense of humor. You’re a regular riot, you know that?”
On Jake’s end, Kit had been listening to the entire conversation. She also had sensed all evening there was something he didn’t want to tell her, talk about. And she still wasn’t happy knowing he’d kept the e-mail their mystery man had sent to him about Claire to himself. She decided the best approach should be the direct one. As soon as he hung up the phone, she pounced. “Okay, what’s up?”
With her arms folded across her chest, Kit looked at him like she wanted information. He assumed it was about the conversation he’d just had with Dylan.
So he told her about the e-mail sent to Dylan and that Dylan and Baylee pla
nned on leaving town tonight.
She cocked her head to one side and waited for him to look at her. When he seemed to ignore her, she pushed the issue. “And?”
He finally looked at her, shrugged, and said, “I want you to go with them, close the store, and just go for a few days.”
“And where will you be while I’m safe and sound hiding out with Baylee.”
“Meeting with St. John to go over everything he has in his files about Claire’s murder. Reese convinced him to meet with us. The meeting’s tomorrow. I was planning to drop you off at Dylan’s anyway. But now that we suspect Connor knows how to find Baylee, that isn’t an option.”
“Jake, when will you stop keeping things from me? You have to share. I knew something was bothering you all day. Why can’t I go with you? I want to be there if for no other reason than to show my support.”
When backed into a corner with her, he did the only sensible thing he could. He pled ignorance. “I’m new at this couple stuff, okay? I’m used to keeping things inside, not sharing what’s going on. And this, this is so personal for me, something I’d very much like to close once and for all. Plus, I don’t want you there reminding St. John that you were his primary suspect in Alana’s murder. It’s too risky to think about you walking into that police station where St. John might give you a hard time about Alana’s murder. Even though Reese will be there, I don’t want to chance St. John taking out his itchy trigger finger and doing something stupid.”
“Like arresting me? But it’s okay for you to go in there? What if…?”
He put his fingers to her lips. “He won’t arrest me, Kit. Trust me.”
“You know something, don’t you?”
“He has DNA. He’s always had it. Claire fought the guy. I just know she did. It isn’t mine. I wasn’t even there until after midnight that night. But I saw the room where she died, where she fought.”
“Okay, I’ll go with Baylee and Dylan. But call me the minute you walk out of there.”
CHAPTER 17
Ninety minutes later, they met up with Dylan and Baylee at the San Madrid harbor in front of the Sea Warrior, the French-built, fifty-foot sloop that would take them to Catalina.
Dylan and Jake immediately started loading the boat with supplies they’d brought for the trip. Kit and Baylee unloaded the gear from the car and set it on the dock, waiting for the guys to lug it onto the boat, including most of Sarah’s baby items. Jake took one look at the haul of stuff and said, “Jesus, there’s a lot to this baby thing.”
“You have no idea. If you’re planning on getting Kit pregnant anytime soon, we need to have a serious discussion about doctor’s visits and immunizations. You just won’t believe what they do to the kid after it gets here.”
In spite of the lateness of the hour, Baylee and Kit couldn’t help but keep an eye out for anyone that might be watching them from a distance. Even though the harbor was relatively deserted and the place quiet, they were both aware that the day could have turned out much worse.
Baylee took Kit’s hand. “On the drive up, Dylan told me about the bomb. I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“You and Sarah might have been there too. If that man, that stranger hadn’t intervened, Jake and I might be collateral damage. Ka-Plewie! Blown to pieces!” Trying to lighten the stress of that idea, with a twinkle in her eye, Kit deadpanned, “Jake’s dumping me.”
Baylee gave her a hard stare, not buying it for a minute, before Kit added, “Dumping me on you guys, that is. He wants his freedom for a couple of days.” When Baylee still didn’t react to the lame attempt at humor, Kit said, “You’re a tough sell tonight, Baylee.” She then told her about Jake’s plans to go see St. John.
“It is past time Jake confronted him and got some answers for his own peace of mind. He doesn’t have a choice, Kit.”
“I know. But I wanted to be there with him.”
“Are you ready for that, to sit down with them and listen while they go over all the gory details about what happened to Claire? He couldn’t share that with you, Kit. He doesn’t want that part of his life tainting yours. Don’t you see that? He’s doing his best to separate that part of his life from you.”
“He said almost the same thing. But hearing it from you, you always did see everything so clearly. That’s why I don’t understand how you couldn’t have trusted Quinn and me to help you during what had to be the most difficult of circumstances.”
“I know you don’t. I’m sorry I disappointed both of you.”
“You didn’t, Baylee. But to go through childbirth without us to help, Connor must have really scared you.”
Tired to the bone had her revealing what she hadn’t been able to tell anyone. “He didn’t just call, Kit. One night after I found out I was pregnant; he caught me off guard, outside my apartment. He had this crazy look in his eyes. He told me if I ever told anyone,” she hedged, bit her lip. “He’d killed before and he would do it again. Those were his exact words. He’d killed before to protect what he had, that no one would take down what his family had built just because of a one-night stand. I had no idea what he was talking about. But he scared the crap out of me. So much that I knew I’d never tell him about the pregnancy. Those crazy eyes told me if I said anything to you or Quinn about what happened he’d do something to both of you. And if…” She took a shaky breath.
“If one of my neighbors hadn’t pulled into the parking lot about that time, I’m convinced he would have done something to me that night. My neighbor got out of his car. He came over and asked if I needed help. Luckily, Connor took off before I could answer. But the following day, he called to remind me again he’d hurt you or Quinn if I said a word. So I didn’t. That e-mail Dylan got tonight said he wants me dead, Kit.”
“Oh, Baylee, Jake thinks he’s the one who killed Claire.”
“Oh, God, really? I think he’s certainly capable of it.”
Seeing the pitiful look on Kit’s face obviously there because she didn’t want to leave Jake, Baylee tried to make her feel better and bumped her shoulder. “It’s been ages since we were in Catalina. Remember how Dad always flew us over there in that little plane of his? Remember how we used to love going up and then looking down over the water? Didn’t your father take you to Catalina once on a boat trip for the day?”
Kit nodded.
With no sign of a mood change, Baylee went on, “Won’t it be fun to sail, even if we are making the trip at night?”
“We won’t use the sails, Baylee. I’m sure Dylan will probably use the motor to get us there as fast as he can at this hour of the night.”
“Oh. Well, you know more about that than I do. Remember that time the three of us found that old row boat that had washed up on shore? We wanted to make it into a pirate ship. That happened in Catalina.”
“Okay, I get it. I’m making a big deal out of nothing. It’s just a couple of nights apart. I should be able to deal with that.”
“Think of it as a well-deserved rest after, you know, having so much…sex in the early stages.” Baylee grinned. “Not like I was peeking in the window or anything. But it’s fairly typical early in the relationship. Not that I would know anything about having too much sex, or any, for that matter.”
Kit laughed, bumping Baylee’s shoulder. “So you and Dylan haven’t gotten around to doing the bump and grind yet.”
Baylee sighed. “I’m a mess right now. And this thing with Connor would scare anyone off. I don’t want Dylan getting hurt. And we agreed to take it slow because of Sarah, you know, not just jump in the sack.”
“But you want to…”
“Oh, God, yes. Yes, I do.” The admission had her peering over at her wide-awake daughter sitting in the carrier playing with her hands. “I don’t want to mess this up, Kit. Look at her. She’s the reason I get up every day, the reason I’ve gotten through all of this. If it hadn’t been for her…”
Kit reached out with her hand and took hold of Baylee’s. “I can only imagine how diff
icult all this has been on you, but I’ll help you any way I can. We all will, Baylee. You don’t have to do this alone. Not anymore. We agreed to keep Connor from knowing anything about Sarah. We’ll continue doing what we have to do.”
Jake approached them slowly and announced, “She’s all loaded, ready to go.” His face had a look of pure dejection as he locked gazes with Kit. Baylee took the hint and left them alone to say goodbye.
Carting the baby carrier with Sarah tucked inside, she walked down the gangway to board and spotted Dylan standing at the helm. When he looked up and saw her hefting the infant carrier, he came around to take the thing out of her hands.
“Who do we have here?” he asked the baby in a jovial tone, as he easily swung her up to eye level. Sarah giggled at the movement, reaching out, trying to get her hands on Dylan’s face.
He responded by shooting her a wide grin, letting her touch his nose. Instinctively, he kissed her hands. “Ready for your first boat ride, Gidget? It’ll probably be a rough ride tonight. Sorry, nothing I can do about that.” He made like he was chewing on her fingers and she cooed at the attention.
The scene made Baylee’s heart swell at the way Dylan seemed to act as if Sarah were his own. If only…
Once they got underway, the sway of the boat as it rose up and down, skimming on top of the water at a rapid pace, kept them from too much activity. Kit had been right. Dylan didn’t bother with the sails but rather gunned the motor with a speed she was sure he was at ease with.
In spite of the constant motion, Baylee located the galley and made a pot of much needed coffee for all of them. When the coffeemaker finished brewing, she found a thermal cup and filled it full, adding enough sugar to give Dylan a nice buzz, just the way he liked it. She left Kit sitting in the salon holding Sarah on her lap and took the coffee topside.
He was standing at the helm. She went around to face him, handing him the cup. “You look like you could use this.”
Deeper Evil (The Evil Secrets Trilogy Book 2) Page 24
