Shattered Heart (Z series)

by Jerri Drennen

  He did have her husband killed. So, he certainly didn’t deserve anything but her contempt.

  She grabbed the towel off the rack and quickly dried her face.

  After changing, she walked back into her bedroom and sat down on the bed. She was exhausted, but to sleep with so much going on? She doubt she’d be able to.

  Instead, she rose and walked to her closet, reaching on the top shelf for a box where she kept some of her wedding things and any memories of Shaun. All his clothes had been packed up and taken to Goodwill six months after he’d died. Cara had insisted that she get rid of them. They were only a constant reminder of what she’d lost.

  As she brought the box down, her eyes caught a flash of something shiny behind the air duct that the container hid. Why hadn’t she ever noticed that thing before? Because the box had been there since forever.

  Charlotte rushed to put the box down onto the bed and reached for her vanity seat. She wanted to know what was up behind that vent cover.

  She placed the chair inside the closet and climbed, using the shelf as leverage to pull herself up. She peered through the slates and made out something metal.

  Her heart started to pound hard in her chest.

  Was it a lockbox?

  Charlotte dug her fingernails under the lip of the thing and worked the vent lid forward until the thing fell. Inside was a green-tinted metal container, not even as big as a shoe box.

  She stretched up and grasped the end and pulled it out. This could very likely be what that key in the envelope opened.

  She stepped down off the chair and carried the box like it was breakable, staring at it as if it held the answers to the universe.

  Charlotte rushed to the door, calling for JT. The two met in the hall, his eyes widening when he saw the box.

  “Where did you find that?”

  “It was behind a vent in my bedroom closet. A box of my keepsakes was in front of it. I just happened to catch a glint of metal and wanted to find out what it was. Shaun could have put it there, right?”

  “Maybe, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Perhaps it was there before. Let’s see if the key fits.”

  JT took the container from her and walked to the living room where Zack was on the phone talking to someone. Charlotte was curious if it was something important, but finding out if the key fit into the lockbox pulled her back to JT.

  He sat the thing down on the coffee table, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the key. He looked at her as he inserted it into the lock.

  Charlotte’s heart hammered harder.

  It fit.

  Whatever was in that box might very likely have gotten her husband killed. She prayed it wouldn’t be the death of them all.

  CHAPTER TEN

  JT tipped the top of the box up and peered inside.

  “What is it?” She leaned over to tried and see.

  “Hang on, Charlotte.” He reached in and pulled out a wad of folded paper. He quickly opened them, noting that the first was a photocopy of an invoice.

  JT drew it closer to read what it was for. The date was from over two years ago for a shipment that was delivered directly to The Terran Corporation. Nowhere did it say what the shipment was. That seemed odd.

  He paged to the next. Another invoice. A month later. Again, nothing indicating what was in the shipment or even where it came from.

  Shaun couldn’t have thought this was enough to bring Terran down. The next sheet of paper wasn’t an invoice, but a copy of a note from an Oman Samir. The letter said he expected Terran to take care of everything until he was able to get excess into the country.

  Take care of what?

  This didn’t look good.

  JT glanced back in the box and saw that there was a tiny disc that looked to be from a digital camera.

  What the hell was on it? He needed to find out. It had to be somehow connected to the invoices. “Do you have a camera or a computer for us to look at this?”

  “Shaun had a laptop but it was with him when he had his accident. We didn’t have a digital camera. At least not that I know of.”

  Zack cleared his throat, the look on his face grim. JT knew what he’d been told on the phone wasn’t good and he didn’t want Charlotte to know whatever it was. All she’d do was worry, and he could see she was stressed enough about what she had already learned that day.

  “Charlotte, why don’t you go make some coffee? I have a feeling we’ll be up all night.” JT gave Zack a quick glance.

  She hesitated for a moment, then nodded and left the room.

  “Who was that on the phone?”

  “Dalton. He said that SUV was located on Highway 97. It looks like they’re headed toward Portland. Do you think they plan to meet up with Terran?”

  JT shook his head. “I wish I knew. This isn’t looking good, Zack. I get the feeling something big is going to happen. We need to find out if this Samir character entered the country, and if he did, we need to find him.”

  “I’ll call Dalton back and get him on this right away.” He punched in a number and turned to leave the room just as Charlotte returned.

  “What are we going to do?” she asked, her forehead creased with concern.

  “There’s not much we can do right now. Zack is contacting Z to see if the guy who wrote that letter is in the US.”

  “And if he is?”

  “Then we need to find out where. We’re going to have to get Homeland Security to locate him and fast. First place I’d look would be Portland since Terran is there.”

  “You don’t really think he’s planning to take down some building, do you?”

  “I could lie to you, Charlotte, but what would be the point? I think he’s involved in something that could change everything—like 9-11 did. I need to get my hands on a computer so I can find out what’s on this disc.” He sighed. “It could be the key to everything.”

  “Cara has one. I’m not sure if it’d have a way to read that.”

  “Call her. Ask if she has a small port for a camera’s memory card.”

  Charlotte left and came back with her phone. She punched in a number and waited. “I’ll put it on speaker.”

  “Hello,” a female voice said, sounding breathless.

  “Cara, I need to ask you a question.”

  “I’m kind of in the middle of something right now. Can I call you back?”

  “No. This is important. I need to know if your computer has a port for a camera’s memory card.”

  “What?”

  A man’s voice whispered something in the background.

  JT looked at Charlotte.

  Her cheeks reddened. Cara was with a man. “You need to see if that computer has that slot,” Charlotte said, without JT saying a word. She knew how vital it was to see what was on the disc.

  “Okay, okay. Hang on.” Rustling of sheets indicated that she was getting out of bed.

  JT rubbed at the stubble on his chin, anxious about this whole thing. If Cara had access, then she was going to have to be brought into the loop about all that was going on. He hoped he could trust her.

  “Charlotte,” Cara said. “Yes, my computer has a slot for a small camera disc.”

  “Good. We’ll be right over,” JT said, not caring what Charlotte’s friend thought.

  “Wait, what? Is that JT?”

  “Get rid of your company. We’re on our way over.”

  “Wait a minute. I’m in the middle—”

  JT took the phone and ended the call. “We need to go now. Time is ticking, and it just might be running out for some people.” He took Charlotte’s hand and tugged her toward the door.

  “I can’t leave dressed like this.” She dug in her heels.

  “We’re going to Cara’s, Charlotte, not out to dinner. Whatever is on this disc is what got your husband killed. We need to find out what it is right now.”

  JT led her to the back door. They met Zack outside. “We’re on our way to Charlotte’s friend, Cara’s. She ha
s a computer. I’m going to see what’s on the disc.”

  “I’ll stay here and wait. If I learn anything while you’re gone, I’ll call you.”

  “All right. We’ll be back as fast as we can.”

  In the truck on the way to Cara’s, Charlotte was quiet. JT knew she was trying to digest everything that had happened that evening. It was a lot to take in. Something he did without blinking.

  No way could she live this kind of life. So, even if JT wanted to have a relationship with Charlotte, it wouldn’t be good for her. This covert activity was for his Type. The kind that came from broken homes—those who had no real connection to anyone, or like Zack, brought up in the life. Charlotte wasn’t that type, and he couldn’t make her, no matter how much he might want to.

  * * *

  At Cara’s door, Charlotte held JT back. “Let me talk to her while you use the computer.”

  She rapped on the door.

  Cara opened it, looking disheveled and annoyed. “What’s this all about?”

  “Let us in and while JT reads the disc, I’ll try to explain.”

  Inside, Cara led JT to her computer desk, then turned back to Charlotte. “What’s so important that this couldn’t wait until morning?” She tucked her hands on her hips.

  “William Terran is involved in something that could very likely be bad. JT told me that Shaun contacted Homeland Security just weeks before his death. He had something on Terran. They think he was murdered because of it.”

  Her friend’s jaw dropped. “What? This is crazy.”

  “That’s what I thought at first, but there is something going on, Cara. William is stockpiling a chemical that could be used in making a bomb.”

  Cara’s eyes widened, and her hand covered her mouth.

  “Exactly. We need to see what my husband had on him. We believe it’s on that disc.”

  Charlotte turned to JT, who was inserting the card. She moved closer and what came up on the screen made her knees go weak. It was blueprints of a building’s underground parking garage. The word charges were placed strategically here and there.

  “Is that what I think it is?” she asked over JT’s shoulder.

  “Terran plans to bring down the Portland Exchange.”

  “But why? I don’t understand.”

  JT turned to her. “I don’t either, but do you see the date in the corner?

  Charlotte glanced back at the screen and then gasped. “That’s two days from now.”

  “Which means we have to find Terran. We need to stop him before he even gets close to that building.”

  She couldn’t believe what was happening. The whole thing made no sense. But JT was right. They needed to locate Terran—right away.

  “I have William’s private number. Maybe I could call him. Try to convince him to meet with me somewhere.”

  “No,” JT said, his tone sharp. “This...” He pointed to the blueprint on the screen. “...tells me that he’d kill you in a heartbeat if he knew you were trying to mess with his plans.”

  “But we don’t have time to waste. We need to find him before he has a chance to set those charges.”

  “Zack and I will take it from here, Charlotte. I’m going to leave you with Cara. I’ll call you when it’s over.”

  “I want to go with you. I might be able to distract William somehow.”

  “No, Charlotte. You’re staying here.” He turned to Cara. “You make sure she does.”

  He turned and stormed out the door.

  Charlotte clenched her fist. How was she going to just erase the last twenty-four hours from her mind and try to stay calm? And not want to help in some way?

  The answer? She couldn’t.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  JT hated to leave Charlotte in Freemont, but they had to reach Portland before Terran had a chance to set those charges. He slid behind the wheel of his pickup and secured his seatbelt. Zack opened the passenger-side door and jumped in beside him. “If we only stop for gas, we should be there by morning. Dalton said when Homeland finds out if Samir is in the country they’ll let us know. The Portland Exchange is doubling security and they’re on high alert. So far they haven’t been unable to locate Terran.”

  JT slammed the truck in gear and backed away from Charlotte’s. No way was this guy going to achieve his directive. Not if Z had anything to say about it.

  On the highway headed for Portland, Zack’s phone rang. His friend flipped it up. “Talk to me.”

  JT held his breath, hoping they’d caught a break and found William.

  “Right. Okay. Yeah, we should be in Portland by six.”

  Zack closed his phone. He turned to JT. “So far no one can find Terran or this Samir character, though they have a record of him entering the country. From there he just disappeared. The state patrol is still tailing that SUV. That might be our only way of finding both.”

  JT pressed hard on the gas pedal. He needed to get to Portland. If Terran could hide his whereabouts from the authorities, then he might be able to get to that building, even with all those eyes looking out for him.

  “I never dreamed this case would turn into something so dire,” JT said, glancing away from the road long enough to gauge Zack’s reaction.

  “Yeah, here I thought that getting away from home would be another trip like New Orleans, though nothing is ever going to top my one night with Chelsea Reese.”

  “If it was such a great night, why didn’t you call her?”

  “She told me not to.” He cleared his throat. “I guess it wasn’t as monumental for her.”

  “Ouch. Sorry.”

  “Whaddya gonna do?” Zack shrugged. “What about you and Charlotte? I noticed you two seemed chummy in the truck cab earlier. You going to see each other after this mess is over?”

  “I don’t know how we could. We live on opposite coasts. Besides, she isn’t cut out for this life. I can’t see trying to force her into it.”

  “Don’t you think that should be up to Charlotte? You might want to at least ask her what she wants.”

  JT shook his head. “I think it’s best we end it here. I was just the man that brought her back to life. Now she can finally move on and find someone suitable for her.”

  “So you’re not?”

  JT snorted. “Not even close.”

  “Wow, JT. Your mom really screwed you up. You need to get it through your head that it wasn’t you—it was your mother with the problem. I can see that. I bet if you ask Charlotte, she’d agree.”

  “I don’t want to talk about this, Zack. I haven’t stuck my nose into your social life. I expect the same from you.”

  Zack shook his head. “Friends tell friends when they’re being stupid. But I’ll respect that you want to remain stupid and move on.”

  “Thanks. I think.”

  “Why the Portland Exchange?” Zack asked out of the blue.

  “That’s a good question. I wish I knew the answer. What could he possibly have against the people in that building?”

  “Maybe it isn’t Terran. Maybe it’s this Samir character that has it out for them. Terran might just be in it for money.”

  “Good point. Remind me to ask Terran that question when we catch him. I’d be curious to know what would turn a prominent businessman into a terrorist.”

  “Damned straight. An automatic death penalty crime at that.”

  “Maybe he was planning to leave the country as soon as this whole thing was over and this Samir character was bankrolling the move. What countries have no extradition treaties?”

  “I’d say a number of Middle Eastern countries for sure. I think Dalton told me Samir is from Yemen. They don’t have extradition.”

  “We need to find out if Terran has a passport and if he’s got a flight at Portland International or a private charter.”

  “We also need to find a connection to Samir and the Exchange. Call Dalton. Get him working on that.”

  Zack nodded, then opened his phone. They needed to find this informa
tion, and fast, before Terran caused a disaster and hightailed it out of the country, never to be seen again.

  * * *

  “No, Charlotte. You heard JT. He wants you to stay here until he returns.”

  “I refuse to sit here. I’m going to go home. I’ll be fine since William isn’t in town.” Charlotte headed for the door.

  No way was she going to stay with Cara. Her home was just as safe as any.

  Outside, she took off down the street, her mind spinning with a number of troubling issues—mainly that JT had to be all right. She knew he was a capable man, but it didn’t stop her from worrying about him.

  At the house, she walked inside and locked the door behind her. She’d fix herself a fresh pot of coffee since she wouldn’t be getting any sleep tonight. Not with JT out looking for William.

  Fifteen minutes later, changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, a cup of coffee in her hand, Charlotte stepped back into her bedroom. She glanced around, feeling strangely calm for the first time in days.

  She went to sit on the edge of the bed, next to her box of keepsakes, and took a sip of her French Roast. What would Shaun think of what had happened in the past few days? Would he have been disappointed in her or proud of her? The letter JT had found in Shaun’s office came to mind—a letter she’d forgotten all about until now.

  Charlotte reached over and opened the drawer to her nightstand and pulled out the envelope she’d put in there days before. With shaky fingers, she tore it open and extracted the note from inside. She unfolded it slowly, numbed by the fact that this was the last thing Shaun had written to her.

  To my loving Charlotte,

  If you’re reading this letter, I’m no longer here. First and foremost, I want you to know how much I love you. More than anything in the world. I wish I would have told you more often.

  Tears filled Charlotte’s eyes, and she swiped them away, then cleared her throat, and read on.

  Months ago, I came across some strange shipments from Yemen, delivered to the Gray Summit site, ones that I regretfully signed for. I had no idea what they were. I spoke to William about my concerns, but he reassured me that they were custom building supplies he’d ordered. I couldn’t get that nagging feeling out of my gut that he was lying. That’s when I contacted Homeland Security. About a month later, after everyone had left for the day, I went to William’s office and found blueprints for the Portland Exchange. That’s when I realized what Terran was planning. I took pictures of the blueprints and letters from some guy named Samir. I put it all on a pen drive. It’s in a lockbox in our closet, behind the air vent. The key is with our attorney.