He shook his head in reply. At worst, she was mentally troubled. At best, she was…
Telling the truth?
And there he was again. What if she was telling the truth?
“Just…hang on a second, all right?”
He pulled out his cell, checked the text message queue. The last two were from Jones, the first telling him he’d arrived, and was renting a car, the second that he was now aboard the Washington State ferry and would be at the address Cooper had given him in less than an hour.
And that had been an hour ago. In the middle of hearing her version of that night’s bloody events.
If she was lying, or confused, because of her brother’s death, things were going to be fine momentarily.
If she was telling the truth, things were about to get very ugly. Because if she was telling the truth, that meant he’d been lied to. In a particularly nasty way, for a particularly nasty reason.
“Nell, listen to me—”
“Why?” She grabbed up her duffel bag by the long strap and slung it over her shoulder. “You’ve lied to me from day one.”
He started to protest, then gave up on arguing the finer points of lies of commission and omission. It didn’t really matter now. What mattered was her brother was going to arrive here any second.
Or someone was.
His mind was racing. He was facing two diametrically opposed possibilities. Her brother was right, and she was borderline unstable and thus her version was untrustworthy. This version held more weight, logically, because he’d read the news story, spoken to the man, who sounded eminently reasonable. But he also knew there was a tendency to believe what you’d heard first.
Second, she was telling the truth. Which meant she’d been caught up in a horrible situation, had managed to escape it, and he had brought disaster down on her. Not to mention that if she was telling the truth, he wasn’t sure anymore of anything.
Including who had hired him.
The sound of a car door slamming from outside told him the moment had arrived. Her expression, a painful mix of fear and hope made him realize she, too, was caught between two possibilities, at least as far as her brother was concerned. Her knuckles were white where her fingers were wrapped around the strap of her bag.
“Nell—”
“You bastard,” she hissed.
He stopped breathing. She wasn’t looking at him, she was looking through the cottage’s front window. But there was no doubt the epithet was meant for him. He looked, saw a man approaching. Wearing a black wool coat over a suit that also looked expensive and custom-tailored. And walking like a man who felt he owned everything within his sight.
Charm, charisma and power.
He’d been had.
“Damn you.” Nell’s voice was low and harsh, and it bit deep. “You knew all along, didn’t you? You just strung me along, used my brother—my dead brother!—to keep me here. You knew he was really dead but you lied to me, let me hope—”
“I didn’t know,” he protested, feeling more than a little sick. “I never—”
She didn’t wait for whatever lame explanation he might have been able to come up with. She turned on her heel and darted toward the back of the cottage. There wasn’t a back door, but there was a large window that looked down toward the water. There was a narrow sidelight with old-fashioned louvers on each side, and that was where she stopped, grabbing at the narrow strips of glass, pulling them out, making an opening. There wasn’t time, but that didn’t stop her from trying, and she almost made it.
And then the man in the suit was there, clearly following Cooper’s helpful, detailed directions exactly. He didn’t even acknowledge Cooper; he was utterly focused on the woman who turned to face him. She’d already tossed her bag through the gap, but she hadn’t had time to get through herself. She held that last glass louver in her hand, and Cooper had the feeling she was assessing its usefulness as a weapon.
“Leaving so soon, my dear?”
The man walked toward her. Cooper moved that way, too, now; the smug, sarcastic tone of the man’s voice erased any last doubts. While this was indeed the man he’d talked to on the phone, any trace of the loving brother he’d professed to be had vanished. And it suddenly became clear why the man had been so careful to communicate only by text messages or email since Cooper had found Nell. Or Tanya. He’d been afraid she might hear and recognize his voice at some point.
“And my, don’t you look…rustic,” he said.
“Go to hell,” she said.
Cooper reached her just as the man shook his head and made an exaggerated sound of disapproval. “Really, such language. So common. But then, you always were, under the polish I gave you. But it’s a habit you’ll have to break, once we get home.”
“I’m not going anywhere with you, you lying murderer.”
“Easy, Nell,” Cooper said softly, as he reached her side and turned to face the newcomer. He hoped she would understand he meant he was on her side, literally and figuratively, but instead she shot him a sideways glance that repeated the Go to hell, as clearly as if she’d said it to him, too.
“You are coming with me. You will come back home, be the loving, repentant wife you should be.”
“I filed for divorce.”
He waved a hand. “Oh, that. Silly of you, my dear. That paperwork was destroyed long ago. We’re going home, and I will publicly forgive you for the anguish you’ve put me through, and see that you get the help you need for your mental condition. I only want to take care of you, dear.”
“How noble of you.” Nell’s voice was nothing less than a jeer.
“Exactly. And it will be seen as such. The sympathy factor will be immense.”
Cooper stared at the man. What Nell had told him was playing back in his mind, and the man was doing nothing to disprove her assessment of him.
“You’re a fool if you think I’ll go along with your scheme,” she said.
“Oh, but you will. You will, or I’ll be forced to confess the truth, that it was really you who shot your own brother that night, and I, as the loving, protective husband I am, was willing to sacrifice myself to save you. You were just so unstable, I feared for your life if you had to go to jail. For me, win-win.”
Cooper shot a glance at Nell; he might have believed Brown’s story if she hadn’t already predicted he’d do just that, the man was that smooth.
And he had passed a lie detector test. And while they weren’t infallible, they were a heck of a tool. Was Brown good enough to defeat one? Maybe. He sure as hell had fooled him.
“That’s enough,” Cooper said.
The man flicked a glance at him, as if he’d forgotten Cooper was even in the room. He shrugged off his earlier words.
“Oh, that’s just my impatience talking.” He smiled then, a powerful, charming smile Cooper imagined got him many things. “And I apologize, I’ve been remiss. Thank you. You’ve done your job, more than adequately.”
“You’re not Tristan Jones.”
The man waved a hand in an imperious gesture of dismissal. “You’ll get the rest of your money, don’t worry.”
“You lied to me. From the beginning.”
“Please,” Brown said in a tone that matched the gesture. “What does it matter to you, as long as you’re getting paid?”
“It matters,” Cooper said grimly.
He wasn’t sure exactly how much of Nell’s story he believed, but it was obvious this man was a practiced and effective liar. Enough to beat a lie detector? He didn’t know. And being a liar didn’t necessarily make him a killer.
But that he’d lied to Cooper from the get-go put the weight of truth on Nell’s side of the scale, in his book. And she’d predicted accurately his threat to blame her for her own brother’s death, even if Brown brushed it off as mere impatience. Cooper had no doubts where he stood.
“She’s not going anywhere until I sort this out,” Cooper said.
Jeremy stiffened. “May I remind you, you w
ork for me?”
“No,” Cooper said flatly.
Brown’s gaze flickered, and he got the feeling that was a word he didn’t hear often. Except maybe from his wife? He nearly glanced at her then, but something about the way Brown’s expression had changed kept him focused there. Plus, he was aware she had been fingering the glass piece she held with a definite intent, and he didn’t want Brown noticing.
“I was hired by Tristan Jones.”
Brown smirked. “Hired by a dead man?”
Cooper sensed, as if it were a physical thing, the last whisper of hope leave Nell. Her hands stilled on the glass louver. She had to have known, the minute she’d seen her soon-to-be-ex-husband, but it took those words to smother that final, stubborn flicker.
And he had done it to her. Given her that false hope.
She said nothing, but Cooper was afraid the confirmation of what she’d known all along might be enough to push her to do something foolish. Worse, he was afraid she might not care if anything happened to her.
“I was hired under false pretenses. By a liar who used the name of a dead man to perpetrate a fraud. By any code, I’m not responsible to you anymore.”
“Code?” Brown sounded incredulous. “What kind of ridiculous talk is that?”
“Everyone has one they live by,” Cooper said. “Even if they don’t realize it. Even if it’s twisted.”
“Please,” Brown scoffed. “Grow up. What do you think you are, some knight in shining armor, come to rescue the fair maiden? Well, she’s neither fair nor a maiden, though she might as well be for all the good she is in bed.”
Nell didn’t even blink, and Cooper had the feeling this was hardly the first time she’d heard that assessment. It fit with what she’d told him. Isolation. Ridicule. Threats, anger…
“Real gentleman, aren’t you?” Cooper sneered. “As far as I’m concerned, I was hired by her brother. Not you. I owe you nothing.”
“I don’t need anything more from you,” Brown said. “We’ll be leaving now.”
“I don’t think so. Maybe the police need to come sort this out.”
Brown laughed. Nell shook her head. “It won’t do any good. Trust me. He’ll talk his way out of it, subtly threaten them with who he is, the people he knows, people in high places who owe him favors.”
“Not all cops play that game,” Cooper said.
“You believe that? Then you’re as big a fool as she is,” Brown said. “And I am out of patience for fools. This is over. We’re going home.”
He took a step toward Nell. A blast of urgency shot through Cooper. And he knew in that instant he wasn’t about to let Nell go with this man, not until he had time to sort out truth from lie.
And he had the distinct feeling Brown wasn’t going to like that. At all.
Chapter 19
The moment Cooper moved, Nell could almost feel Jeremy adjusting, reassessing. He stopped in his advance on her, and shifted his attention to Cooper. She’d seen him work before, knew he’d decided Cooper was the key. Or the impediment.
And Cooper was looking at him as if he were decidedly uncharmed.
Jeremy hadn’t succeeded with him. Of course, he’d barely tried, but that was usually all it took for most people. Or perhaps he’d never intended to try and charm the man he’d hired, knowing that as soon as she saw him, the truth would be out. He must have thought it wouldn’t matter to someone whose services he’d paid for. He hadn’t taken into account, apparently, the possibility that Cooper wouldn’t appreciate being lied to.
That was odd. Usually Jeremy thought things through better, carefully assessing the possible help or damage to himself. Collateral damage didn’t matter, of course. Nor did the irony that Cooper himself had lied to her from the beginning.
“Now, now,” Jeremy said, recovering his poise, “let’s all just calm down.”
“You first,” Cooper said.
“Oh, I admit I lost my patience there. But she is the most provoking woman.” He looked at her then, with all his smug overconfidence firmly back in place.
“Come along, Tanya.”
“Nell. I’m Nell, now.”
If there was a more ridiculous response she couldn’t imagine it, yet it had been the first thing that had sprung to her lips.
Jeremy sighed. “That’s even worse than Tanya. I loathe alliteration among siblings.”
“You loathe everything and everyone except yourself,” she retorted.
“Thank you for that brilliant analysis,” he snapped, sarcasm fairly dripping from every syllable. Apparently the return of confidence hadn’t been as complete as she thought; a confident man didn’t snipe at others.
“If I’m so stupid, why do you want me back?”
“Precisely because you are stupid and should do as you’re told. And you will. I won’t have you destroying all my plans.”
“You don’t need me.”
“But I do. It’s the picture that’s important, the impression. And you’re already in place, and I haven’t time to devote to long explanations. So you will come back and behave.”
“I will not.”
He ignored her. “That ridiculous haircut will have to go, and you’ll go back to blonde, of course, but once you’re back in appropriate clothes—and rid of those hideous glasses—you’ll be presentable again.”
“An accessory. That’s all I ever was, isn’t it?”
“What else could you possibly be? Why do you think I selected you? Because you were moldable. You’ll be the perfect political wife, with a little schooling and practice.”
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell the truth?”
“With your history, all it will do is remind people of my kindness and love for putting up with your mental instability. So you will behave.”
Cooper had said nothing during this exchange, just inched ever closer to her. Too scared to trust anyone, she edged closer to the window. She could do it, she thought, get through that space now, all she needed was a chance.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll say something stupid and embarrass you?” she asked.
Jeremy nearly sneered. “No. Because you will say nothing—nothing—unscripted by me, ever.”
“Going to buy me a teleprompter?”
His hand came up. For a moment she thought he would strike her. He’d never resorted to actual physical violence before, but perhaps he was losing his grip. And if that was true, perhaps she could use that. She had to get away from Jeremy first, then she’d decide what to do from there.
She hurled the piece of glass at his head.
Jeremy ducked instinctively. In that instant she dived through the opening that last louver had given her. Tumbled into the flower bed outside, half on her duffel bag. Scrambled to her feet. Since it was there, she grabbed the bag. And ran.
She heard Jeremy’s shout. She kept running. She raced up to the driveway, to where she’d parked Riley’s car. Groaned when she saw a silver sedan with a rental agency sticker blocking her in, along with Roger’s car in the garage.
Roger. She had to get out of here before he came looking for her, and walked into the nightmare she’d brought here.
Cooper’s motorcycle was there, and it could get out along one side, but she knew nothing about controlling one, and she doubted it was something you could learn on the fly.
She’d have to run, literally. She would—
Her breath caught in her throat as she heard the front door of the big house open. Roger must have seen her. She turned to call out to him, to tell him to stay inside.
And then her new nightmare began in earnest as two things happened simultaneously.
Roger stepped out onto the porch.
And a hand came down on her shoulder from behind.
Chapter 20
“Take your hand off her.”
Cooper didn’t look at Roger, who was looking down at him from the front porch of his house. He kept his eyes—and that hand—on Nell, who had whirled on him.
“Le
t go of me,” she demanded, trying to twist away from him.
“Not until you slow down and listen.”
“Slow down?” She stared at him incredulously. “With him likely to show up any second?”
She yanked her arm, but he held on. He couldn’t let her vanish again, not until he had the whole story, and not until he knew she was safe. He didn’t think he’d ever had a situation do a one-eighty so fast in his life, and he wanted the truth. All of it.
“Cooper Grant, you let go of her.”
The man came down the steps. For all his years, Cooper had the feeling Roger might actually be a more formidable opponent than the much younger Jeremy Brown. He was wiry, tough; and Brown, for all his sleek style, was soft.
“It’s all right, Roger,” he said, holding up his free hand to stop the man from whatever he was thinking of doing. But he still never took his eyes from Nell. “It won’t be seconds. We’ve got a few minutes.”
“You’ve deceived her—and me—since you arrived,” Roger reminded him.
“There was a good reason,” he told the man.
“A few minutes?” Nell asked.
“I tied him up with one of the T-shirts you left.”
He didn’t mention the struggle, or the restraint it had taken on his part not to beat the man bloody. He truly hated being lied to. And he wasn’t having any luck convincing himself that being lied to was the reason he had wanted to do even more damage to the man who had hurt her.
“But it won’t take him long to get loose,” he said. “We should call the sheriff.”
“No!” Her exclamation was sharp and immediate. “It will take too long, and trust me, they will never believe me, not against Jeremy. No one ever does. Let me go,” she said, trying to pull free a third time. “I have to get out of here before he gets loose.”
“All right,” Cooper said, with the sound of a man making a quick decision. She looked startled, but stopped trying to break away. “But by the time we get this car—” he indicated the vehicle Brown had left, no doubt intentionally, sideways across the driveway “—out of here, he’ll be here.”
Enemy Waters Page 12
