A son she hadnt bothered to tell him about.
Stricken, Leigh turned away, realizing in a horrible rush the gross injustice shed done this man, a man shed once claimed to love with every corner of her heart. She couldnt imagine anyone better suited to being a father. He would never forgive her for the secret shed kept, but she knew she had to tell him. Not today, not while the FBI had him in their sights. But after shed cleared his name, then shed give him his son.
The irony almost choked her. Shed dedicated her life to truth and justice. She advocated that every man, every woman deserved a chance. But she, purveyor of honesty and champion of fairness, had denied Eric everything she espoused. For over ten years shed kept a life-changing truth buried deep in her heart.
At the time it hadnt seemed like a lie. Shed been young and scared and broken-hearted, and shed thought she was doing the right thing. Eric had told her he was staying in Cloverdale and marrying Becky, that he was sorry for their night together and hoped she could forget it. Hed encouraged her to go to Oxford and marry an Englishman, just as shed always said she wanted to do.
Leigh hadnt been able to bear the thought of adding one more responsibility to his plate. Hed already had his mother and Becky to care for, a business to bail out of trouble. And the two of them hadnt exactly been deeply in love. At least he hadnt. Not with her. Theyd been friends. Once hed made it clear he regretted making love, thered been no way she could add to that regret by informing him he had a child on the way. She knew what it was to have a father who viewed his child as a responsibility, not a joy. She didnt want that for her son or daughter.
So shed moved to England, and that had been that.
Except now she and Eric were back in Chicago, and he deserved to know the truth. That he was a father. That he had a son.
He deserved to know.
Shouldnt there be a security guard down here?
Leigh glanced around the parking garage reserved for her firm. Normally Mercedeses and BMWs sat leisurely in row upon row of reserved spots, but at close to eight oclock, few vehicles remained. Overhead, fluorescent lights hummed, but they didnt provide much light, only enough to reveal shadows and oil spots.
Im sure Ed is around somewhere. He monitors two floors.
Eric moved closer, scanning the shadows and crevices that suddenly seemed sinister. The sounds of their footsteps echoed through the concrete cavern. I dont like the idea of you down here alone.
The protective clip to his voice sent warmth rushing through her, overriding the chill that had settled deep once shed realized she had to tell him about Connor.
This is a secure building, she said, depressing the small black button on her key chain and waiting for the double beep of her car. The guards had done an excellent job of keeping the press out. You dont need to worry.
Eric slid an arm around her waist, drawing her closer. Youre a beautiful woman. You should always have an escort after hours.
Leigh smiled. For years shed worked hard to be treated as an equal, not a woman, but Erics concern made her feel achingly feminine. Im fine, really. Im a big girl. I can take care of
Goddamn it, Eric bit out, stopping abruptly.
Leighs heart started to pound. Hard. Her car sat where shed left it that afternoon, but during the hours shed been upstairs, someone had destroyed the gray paint job on the drivers side. Deep gouges streaked horizontally along both the doors.
Eric charged forward, untucking his shirt as he went. At the front of the car he wrapped his hand in the cotton knit fabric and retrieved a note from under the windshield wipers.
Leigh rushed forward, leaning over his shoulder to read the words scrawled in a bold, messy handwriting.
Eric Jones is taking a fall.
If youre not careful, youll fall with him.
Six
E ric reacted on instinct. He reached for Leigh and tucked her behind him, shielding her between his body and the concrete wall of the parking garage. His hands itched for some kind of weapon, but he knew if an attack came, he would fight with everything he had before he let anyone touch Leigh.
I know youre out there, you coward, he shouted, scanning the shadowy parking garage. His words echoed insidiously.
Eric, dont, Leigh said from behind him. Just let it go.
Is threatening innocent women how you get off? he demanded, incensed. Cold fury snaked through him. Someone was after him, he knew that. Someone had targeted him. He could deal with that. But not Leigh. Not Leigh. Hed go to prison for life before he let this filth touch her.
Its me you want! Come after me, damn it! Not her.
Leigh pushed against him. Eric, its okay, really.
He spun toward her. Okay? You call vandalizing your car and threatening your life okay?
She put a hand to his arm. Its just a stupid note. No harm done.
His blood took on a slow, hard boil. No harm done? He gestured toward the car. How do you know theres not more? How do you know they didnt tamper with your brakes or plant a bomb in your ignition system? The possibility filled him with a violence hed never known. How do you know if you slide behind that steering wheel, youll live to see another day?
The blood drained from her face, but her words came out strong, classic Leigh. I think youve watched too many movies.
The past forty-eight hours exploded through him. Ive been arrested for a crime I didnt commit, Leigh. The feds ransacked my apartment, took my stuff. Whatever the hell they found, they think its enough to fry me. Instinctively, he scanned the darkened parking garage once more. He could feel someone out there, watching them, waiting, loving the show. But he wasnt about to leave Leigh to go after them.
The press is dogging me every step, turning my life into a sideshow. They think Im a genetic freak, he added, turning to her. The president himself said he was pleased about my arrest. He tried to wrestle the anger under control, but it spewed too frenetically. So yeah, crucify me for being paranoid or watching too many movies, but Im not letting you get in that goddamn car.
Leighs eyes went wide and dark, her mouth fell open. Beneath the tailored jacket of her pantsuit, her shoulders rose and fell with jagged, irregular breathing. Eric, I didnt mean it like that.
He knew that. God help him, he knew that. She was the last person he should take out his frustration on. I know, he said, drawing her close and savoring the fresh scent of apples clinging to her glossy hair. Damn, he wished shed take it down from the severe twist shed showed up with this afternoon. Im sorry, he said roughly. So damn sorry. I just dont want you hurt.
Leigh leaned against him, shocking him by curling her arms around his waist. Dont worry about me.
The resignation in her voice twisted deep. It was as though she knew she was going to be hurt, but didnt care. Gruffly, he murmured, I do worry about you. Youre an innocent in all this.
She tipped her face toward his. So are you.
The certainty glowing in her eyes warmed through him. Youre amazing. And God, how hed missed this woman. Shed been only a girl the last time hed seen her, but even then shed had the rare ability to bring peace to chaos.
The urge to lower his face and fe
el her soft lips beneath his slammed in from the darkness. He felt himself moving, his body tightening, saw her eyes widen, her lips part. His heart thundered hard, crashing out a dangerous desire hed worked hard to forget.
But then she was turning away, struggling out of his arms. We should call the police, she rasped.
Frustration pierced deep. Youre right, he said, but knew the cops couldnt do a damn thing to stop what was coming. Not from the bastards whod framed him, and not between him and Leigh.
Eric had learned long ago that inevitability had a mind of its own.
It wont do a damn bit of good, will it, to tell you I dont want you involved? Once Leigh Montgomery sank her teeth into something, neither hell nor high water would make her give up. Loyalty and tenacity ran through her blood. Courage shone in her eyes.
I already am involved, she said, lifting a hand to his face. Her smile was both soft and strong. And I dont scare easily. No matter how bad it gets, Im not backing down.
God help him, that was what scared him worst of all. No matter how it soothed his soul to see her, hear her voice and feel her touch, he wished hed never walked into her office.
You look great, Jake said, pulling Leigh into his arms. She hugged him back, wholly, warmly and without reservation, the exact opposite of how shed greeted Eric less than forty-eight hours before.
Youre looking pretty good yourself, Sherlock, she said, pulling back to grin up at him. Its great to see you.
You, too, Jake said, leaving an arm around her waist but turning toward Eric. Both of you.
The two men pumped hands before sitting at the dimly lit, out-of-the-way table Jake had requested. At the university theyd hung out at Ranallis Pizza with such frequency the staff had known them by name, their pizza and beer preferences by heart.
Mushroom and green pepper? Jake asked.
Eric took a deep swig of beer. You know it.
Leigh was smiling now, all traces of the scare in the parking garage either gone or deeply buried. The police had arrived within minutes, Venturi a short while later, and after a thorough inspection of Leighs car turned up no sabotage, they were allowed to leave. Of course, Venturi had made his skepticism clear. Hed also made it clear that by no means did petty vandalism and a cheap note mean Eric was being framed. Anyone could have staged the scene. Anyone.
Even Eric.
Venturi had let the insinuation hang there between them, before turning to walk away.
This isnt the first time something like this has happened, Leigh had told the officer. Defense attorneys arent exactly on everyones popularity list.
Shed said the words lightly, in jest, but they chilled Eric to the bone.
Frowning, he looked at Leigh, and felt everything inside him go painfully tight. She looked heart-stoppingly beautiful sitting there with the light of a flickering candle casting a warm glow to her face. On the drive over shed complained of a headache brewing, prompting him to suggest she take down her hair. And she had. Now the long glossy strands danced around her face and made his fingers itch to reach over and see if the texture would be as silky as before.
Its official. Jake glanced at two men in dark suits sitting a table away, his bodyguards, then lowered his voice. The World Bank removed me from the case.
Leigh put down her Corona. Thats ridiculous.
Its the plan, Eric pointed out, signaling the waitress for another round. It didnt escape his attention that Jake had requested the most secluded table. And that he sat with his back to the wall. Whoever these bastards are, theyre thorough.
Well get em, Jake said in that faint Texas drawl of his. Its you Im concerned about, Indy. How are you holding up?
Eric bit back all the nasty things that immediately surfaced and focused on the facts. He and Leigh filled Jake in on the days events, speaking in spurts, ending each others sentences and trains of thought with an ease and familiarity not even a decade apart had destroyed.
Can you believe that nonsense? Leigh reached for her bottle of beer. They implied Eric could be preprogrammed from birth to commit crimes.
Jake muttered something under his breath as he put down his beer with a thud. That might not be as far-fetched as it sounds. He glanced around the restaurant, kept his voice low. Where theres smoke, theres usually fire.
The waitress appeared before he could elaborate, balancing two large round trays on her hands. Jake and Eric moved their beers to make room, but even after the young woman with pierced eyebrows hurried away, no one reached for the gooey pizza.
Jake? Leigh prodded. What are you talking about? You think The Inquisitor could be right? You think Eric could be the result of some wild experiment?
Laughter and conversation filled the crowded dining area, but the world seemed to quiet. Government files indicate there really was a Code Proteus, he said in an unusually grave voice. Children really were born, then placed up for adoption.
A chill slithered through Eric. And these childrenYou believe theyre dangerous?
Jake stared at his beer a long time before answering. Theres a school of thought, he said slowly, that they were subjected to a form of hypnotic brainwashing. Its possible they could lead double lives, functioning as law-abiding citizens most of the time, but under hypnotic influences theres the potential they could commit crimes, but have no conscious memory of it.
Leigh pushed the hair from her face. They could commit crimes theyre not even aware of?
Which meant Eric could be the mastermind behind the World Bank heist. He could be Achilles. He could be the walking time bomb the paper alleged, a man programmed from childhood to commit crimes.
Jake let out a rough breath. This is all classified, so whatever gets said here, stays here.
Eric pushed the pizza back. The rich smell of tomato that usually brought fond memories and fired his appetite suddenly left him sick to his stomach. Agreed.
Absolutely. Leighs eyes were intent and focused, the small table candle casting a flickering light to her face.
There was a case recently about a Navy SEAL assigned to protect the American ambassador to Delmonico from a rumored assassination attempt.
Samantha Barnes, Leigh supplied.
Thats right.
I remember reading about that in the paper. There was an attempt, but someone else got shot.
The SEAL got shot, Jake bit out. Came damn close to dying.
Eric studied his friend closely, watching the way his normally calm eyes glittered. Jake had one hand on his mug of beer, but it was curled so tightly around the frosty glass that Eric almost expected the container to shatter. How does this connect with genetic engineering?
Jakes mouth twisted. The SEAL assigned to protect her was also the one stalking her. Only he had no idea.
My God, Leigh said quietly. Thats possible?
With mind control, almost anything is possible.
So you think this Navy SEAL is one of the genetically engineered children? she asked, suddenly sounding very much like an attorney intent on cross-examination.
Im not saying that, Jake hedged. Im only saying he was under hypnoti
c influence. Thats the danger.
Horror and disgust twisted through Eric. Youre saying I could steal billions of dollars and not even know it?
Frowning, Leigh reached for his hand. Dont say that, she said in that strong, reassuring voice of hers. Dont think it. You had nothing to do with what happened.
But the evidence said that he did. If the newspapers were to be believed, he could be planning more crimes, preparing to hack into other computer systems. The Pentagon. Air traffic control. Nuclear power plants. They were all vulnerable to Achilleswho could be some heinous alter ego buried deep in Erics subconscious.
The possibilities chilled.
Its possible, Jake admitted.
The noose around Erics neck tightened. I could have massive computer programming skills that never surfaced in any other area of my life, he muttered, but had a damn hard time believing it.
Yes.
The lively dining area blurred. Eric looked from Jakes stern face to Leighs stricken expression, not for the first time in his life wondering just who the hell he was.
Seated in the back of a nondescript black sedan, Jake watched his friends walk away. That was what Eric Jones was. His friend. Not his sibling. The two of them, along with Matt and Ethan, had acted like brothersthe Blues Brothers, the girls in school had dubbed thembut Jake knew deep, deep in his bones that genetics did not bind him to Eric.
His friends involvement in the World Bank crisis stemmed from a far more sinister and deliberate origin.
Eric had been targeted for the sole purpose of playing mind games with Jake. Of derailing his investigation before he uncovered the bastards responsible for playing Russian roulette with his life and the lives of his brothers and sisters.
Family Secrets: Books 5-8 Page 32
