She hadn’t felt like she was sleeping, but maybe she was. She didn’t remember much other than when he put her inside the car he had called for. That’s right; he had ridden in the ambulance with her so he would have had to have a car come pick them up from the hospital. She didn’t want to think about the logistics now. She started to roll over on her side, but he stopped her. “Your arm,” he cautioned her.
“Oh,” she whispered before turning onto the other side instead. She was halfway to slumber land, but she was still awake enough to know when Thomas’ weight shifted off the bed and he left the room. He must have put her in the guest room. She wished he had stayed with her for the night. She wanted him to hold her. She wanted him to tell her everything was going to be all right, even if it really wasn’t. Just for one night she needed to believe she could beat this maniac at his own game.
Chapter Eleven
“What would you like for me to do about it, Captain?” Phoebe paced the floor as if pacing was going to solve all her problems. She had handled Thomas McGregor, or at least she had tried. He left the precinct. He stopped asking questions…or so she thought. How was she supposed to know the man wouldn’t back down?
“This gets out and we all lose, and I mean we lose everything; do you understand that? We lose everything. You stop him. You stop her. You fix this. Or you kiss your career and your freedom goodbye.”
Phoebe heard the click in the line. He hung up on her again. Why did everything come down to her? Why was she the one to fix their screw up? Why; because she had entered into this game lock, stock and barrel she took on the past twenty years of their sins the moment she took the money.
“Fine,” she mumbled. She would fix it. One way or the other she would fix it. She knew she could get away with murder if it were anybody other than Thomas McGregor. She knew the McGregor family; everybody did. You mess with one and you take on the entire clan. There was no way killing Thomas would be easy. Even if she made it look like an accident she was sure it would come back to haunt her. Thena Davis on the other hand, now there was somebody she could make disappear rather easily. Accidents happened at construction sites all the time—or so she had been told. Maybe it was time to make one happen at 1012 Cypress Lane, one that would solve all of their problems. First, she would try plan B, and if that didn’t work, well then she would have to improvise another accident. This time she would have to make sure the accident was fatal.
Chapter Twelve
“Drake, I need a favor.” Thomas paced the kitchen. He didn’t have an issue getting information on anybody, but when it came to D.C., the best person to ask was Drake Daniels. He was still in and out of D.C. With his security clearance he had greater access to needed information than Thomas had as a civilian.
“I can be on the first plane out,” Drake offered.
Thomas laughed. “Not that kind of favor, my friend.” He shook his head. He had the best friends a guy could ask for, even if they were all action junkies. “I need information that, right now, I just can’t get without drawing attention to my case. I need to know more about Doctor Harold Evans. I know what I’ve found so far, and it looks a little too press release to be truth.”
“Congressman Elias Evans son?”
“The one and only.”
Drake laughed. “Yeah, I’m sure what you found on him was the PR version. What I have heard of the doctor and his father would paint an entirely different picture.”
“That’s what I thought,” Thomas mumbled. “I need to know what he was doing twenty years ago, if there was anything possibly illegal, possibly related to a theft of hospital drugs and supplies, anything like that.”
“What’s going on, Thomas?”
If Thomas thought he could get out of telling Drake more, then he was seriously mistaken. Drake didn’t do limited information. When he asked questions he expected to get answers—preferably true answers. “I’m working a case, and she…she’s in danger, Drake. I don’t know how everything fits together yet, but I’m sure that doctor was involved with her mother’s disappearance. He might be involved with the attempts on her life too. The more information I have about what went on here, the better I can be at protecting her.”
“I see,” Drake mumbled. “Will she be attending future family events?”
Thomas exhaled slowly. “I’m not getting married, Drake. All of you know I won’t take on that responsibility until I have Sabian where he belongs.” Be that in a grave or in prison, he planned to see his mission through without complications. Marriage, no matter how much he wanted it, would be a complication that he couldn’t afford right now.
“Any progress on Sabian?”
“None. I had a lead, but it didn’t pan out—again.” He bit his tongue to keep from cursing. “I’m really getting tired of how easily he seems to vanish. But I have to get this guy, Drake. I owe my unit that much. Those were good men and they left behind good families. He can’t get away with what he did.”
“And he won’t, Thomas. I know it’s not easy waiting, but don’t let impatience be to your detriment. Sabian will hide anywhere and everywhere for a long time, but he’s going to screw up one of these days, and when he does we’ll get him.”
He knew that eventually Sabian would make a mistake, he just didn’t know when. The longer this case took, the longer it would be before he could have the family he wanted, before he could truly have Thena. She wouldn’t wait that long. Why would she? Why should she? She deserved better. She deserved more.
“How’s Geneva?”
“She’s fine. She’s in New York recording her album. She’s almost finished. Once she’s done I think we’re both going to spend some time in the Keys.”
“Still splitting your time, huh?”
“For now. I’ll pull out once we wrap up this Sabian issue. Once I’m done with that Geneva and I will probably settle in South Carolina. She likes being near her father. We can vacation in the Keys. You know me. I’m not attached to any one place. So long as I’m with her it doesn’t matter where it is.”
Thomas did know the truth in those words. Drake had been around the world on missions, never really fully calling a place home for more than a few months out of the year. “Tell her I said hello when you speak with her.”
“Will do.”
“How’s Mike and Zenya doing?”
“They’re great. Patience is almost one. I can’t believe how fast time flies. It feels as if it was just yesterday when Zenya was pregnant.”
Thomas laughed. “Yeah, time goes quickly sometimes. I need to get out there and see my goddaughter again. Last time I saw her she was three months and gorgeous.”
“She’s still gorgeous,” Drake said. “She’s going to be a heartbreaker when she gets older. She looks a lot like Zenya already.”
He was right. Patience had Zenya’s coloring and small button nose, but she had Mike’s blue eyes.
“Once we settle things, and Geneva gets her album done, we want to concentrate on having a few of our own.”
Thomas shook his head. It seemed like everybody was making babies. Sully and Alaina were expecting their little girl any week now. According to calculations, Alaina was approximately eight months pregnant. From what Sully had told him the last time he spoke with him, the doctors were anticipating she would deliver on time. Out of their group, Drake and Gavin were the only two married without children. And from what he figured out the last time he spoke with his brother, London and Gavin were planning to start a family of their own—soon. Now Drake was talking babies...Thomas knew his day would come—he just didn’t know when. He couldn’t start a family, not like this, not when his life’s mission was to find Sabian and get justice.
He needed to change the topic—quickly. “Call me when you know something,” Thomas shifted the conversation back to business in an effort not to think about the life he was putting on hold, the life he wanted to have now, but couldn’t commit to until his mission was over.
“Actually, I’m going
to be up in New York to see Geneva over the weekend. I’ll come through Boston before heading back to D.C.”
“It’s not necessary, Drake. I don’t want to keep you from whatever you’re working on.”
“I’m working on finding Sabian. Other than that, and the busy work the higher ups seem to keep giving me, there’s not much else demanding my time.”
“Thanks,” Thomas felt the need to utter that one word. Drake had been more help to him than he could ever know. They all had been there for him, for his family.
“See you soon,” he disconnected the call.
Thomas leaned against the kitchen counter, thinking about Thena, her case, his case, and the future they might not have because he couldn’t marry her. He couldn’t promise her forever, not until he found closure for what happened in Afghanistan. Until that happened, he wasn’t much use to any relationship. He had told himself to stay away from women who wanted more than he was able to give, but Thena had been different. Thena had come into his office and he knew he was in trouble. She was the woman he could see himself taking beyond the bedroom. He wanted more than that with her. The first moment that thought entered into his mind he knew he needed to distance himself, and he had tried, but he had failed. The harder he tried to walk away from his emotions, from the connection he had felt bonding him to her, the more he wanted it. He wanted it then and he wanted it now. He just didn’t think it was possible. She wouldn’t wait, and he couldn’t abandon years of work to be the husband he would need to be, the husband she deserved.
The thought of her with somebody else made him physically sick. He didn’t want her to love anybody else, to be with anybody else. He wanted her to love him, and only him. He was jealous of a guy who didn’t even exist in her life yet. There was Kyle, her friend, and ex-boyfriend, but Thomas wasn’t worried about him. It was becoming clear to him that Kyle really was just a friend to Thena. She had no intentions of rekindling their previous romance. At least she didn’t at this time. A lot could change over the years. A woman that smart, that beautiful, that good at heart, wouldn’t stay unspoken for forever.
He tugged the band from his hair, letting his hair fall loosely on his shoulders. “Stop torturing yourself, McGregor,” he mumbled. “Just enjoy what time you can with her. Figure the rest out after you solve this case.”
He looked at the clock. It was late, and he had work in the morning. She had work too and he was sure she wasn’t going to skip a day. She was that kind of woman, the kind who worked extra hard to prove herself in a world where everybody already knew she was capable of great things. She wouldn’t give in easily. It’s why he knew he was going to have to think of another way to keep her in his house until he had a chance to find answers for her, a chance to keep her safe. Otherwise, if he didn’t think of something, she would be back in her own bed by tomorrow night.
He went back up the stairs. She was still asleep in his bed as he shed his own clothes. She looked so peaceful, so angelic, so perfectly lovable. He pulled back the covers and eased into bed beside her, trying not to wake her as he did so.
She moaned and started to roll toward him. He placed one hand against the back of her shoulder to stop her from rolling over onto her injured arm. He nestled closer to her and pulled her flush against his body. His chest pressed hotly against her back as he draped one arm over her waist.
“Hmmm,” she mumbled.
“Shhh, sleep now; just sleep.” He kissed her temple before settling completely into bed and drifting off to sleep himself.
“I need to go home and change and then I’m going to work, Thomas.” He had to know she wasn’t going to sit around and cower in fear all day. She had a company to run, a construction site to check up on, and way too much to be done before tomorrow’s visit from the city’s code inspector.
“You can’t do anything with your arm like that.” He pointed to the fresh bandages he had applied this morning.
She knew he was right. It was more painful today than it had been yesterday. Her arm felt stiff. Raising her arm to certain levels wasn’t an option. There was no way she would be functional on the site, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t go and make sure things were coming along as planned. “I won’t get myself into any trouble by trying to actually do any labor, but I need to check up on the site.”
He nodded. “Okay, but I’m taking you and I’m picking you up, and there’s no room for negotiations on this one.”
She shrugged. “Fine. But I’m sure that will mess up your day because I don’t need to be on site for more than a few hours today. I could just get a ride back to my office.” She stopped speaking when she saw him shaking his head. “Okay,” she laughed. “Well in that case take me home so I can change.”
“Be sure to pack enough clothes for the week.”
She stopped dead in her tracks. “Excuse me?”
“You’re staying here.”
“No, I’m not. I’m staying at my home. I will not let some crazy person scare me out of my home.”
“Your window is a mess, there’s a bullet in the wall, and that guy could come back at any moment. I don’t want you there by yourself. I don’t want you there at all, but especially not by yourself. Help ease my worry a little by staying here with me, please?”
He had asked nicely, although she was sure that was his way of trying to sweet talk her into saying yes. “Okay,” she sighed. “But, I’m going to have a new window ordered and put in, and then I’m going home.” It wouldn’t take long to get the window, and she could pay one of her guys to install it for her. Then, once her arm was completely better, she could set about fixing the guest bedroom wall.
“Humor me for a little while. Stay here. I can promise great sex nightly.”
She laughed. “Are you trying to bribe me with sex?”
He shrugged. “Will it get you to say yes?”
She laughed again as she shook her head. “You’re too cute for your own good. Fine, I’ll stay for a little while, a week minimum, but eventually I have to get back to my place.”
“Deal,” he nodded. “I’ll take a week, and we’ll renegotiate after that.”
After a brief stop at her home Thena arrived on her construction site, waved bye to Thomas and set about inspecting things for herself. There were only a couple problems that she could see right off, and it was nothing major, but she wouldn’t want the inspector to come out and see it. A simple move of some materials took care of the problem, making her stress level decrease. That is, it decreased until she saw the big city truck pull up into the driveway. She was just getting ready to return Kyle’s calls. Her cell showed fifteen missed calls—all from Kyle. She didn’t have her cell last night and this morning had been so busy already. She needed to call him, but clearly that wasn’t happening right now.
“He’s early,” she peeped out the window. “That’s just great. A day early.” She walked out the front door, and down the steps.
“Hello,” she approached Eddie with a professional smile on her face. “We weren’t expecting you until tomorrow.”
“I know,” he placed his hard hat on his head. “Do you have any objection to me inspecting today?”
“None,” she said. “Go on in.”
“I’ll need to speak with you once I’m done.”
“Okay.” She tried to keep the hesitation out of her voice. Eddie never spoke to her when he was done. He always just sat in his truck scribbling notes before pulling away from her site. He was as non social as they came when it came to inspections. She wasn’t sure the change in his usual operating procedure was a good thing.
“Take a break guys,” she allowed her workers to exit the room as Eddie did his walk through. It made more sense to have them leave than to have them keep trying to work around him.
Fifteen minutes later he was done. Fifteen minutes was that good or bad? Bad, she deduced because it usually took him longer. Fifteen minutes was definitely bad. Unless he had a date he was trying to get off early. If that was
the case then fifteen minutes was a non issue. Eddie might be hardnosed, but he was definitely a man the ladies would flock to. He was six feet, golden brown skin, with hazel eyes and a very sexy goatee. He was slender, yet muscular, and his voice was so deep it was almost sinful. She was always attracted to white men, but if ever she did date within her own race, Eddie would fall at the top of the list by way of looks—personality she wasn’t so sure on because he had uttered more words to her today than he ever had.
“I’m sorry about your mother,” he said and it shocked her. “I heard about it. Trust me; the find is the talk of the guys at the office.”
She nodded. How could it not be the talk of the profession? She was sure it was the talk amongst her workers too, at least when she wasn’t there that is. While she was on site nobody mentioned a thing. “Thank you,” she steadied her voice.
“If you need a shoulder to cry on, I’m available.” He handed her his card. “My cell number is on the back. Call me anytime.”
“Mr. Mason…”
“Eddie,” he reminded her. She knew he wanted her to call him Eddie; she just wasn’t sure she should.
“I heard you and your boyfriend broke up.”
“Kyle?” Her voice rose just a little. They broke up a long time ago, what did that have to do with anything now.
“I tried to tell your father that guy was no good for you.”
“Excuse me?”
“Your dad didn’t tell you.”
“Tell me what?”
“I told him about Kyle’s arrest.”
“Kyle was arrested? For what?”
“He stalked his last girlfriend when they broke up. He couldn’t let it go. He followed her to work. He vandalized her property. Her house was broken into and some very personal items taken. The cops arrested him, but they couldn’t make the charges stick so they had to release him.”
“No way. Kyle wouldn’t do that.”
Secrets and Lies Page 14
