Handling it like that had worked out well, with one major exception. He had finally been able to tell his family the truth, but they had been unable to share the information with anyone else. Full disclosure was too dangerous. So, to the public at large, Seth had still been a well-known restaurateur who’d dabbled in sleaze on the side. His reputation had never hurt his restaurants, though … probably even helped, especially when he put them up for sale.
At first, having his family know the truth changed nothing. Then, slowly, one by one, forgiveness and understanding had dribbled in. His mother, his staunchest defender even when it didn’t appear he deserved her loyalty, had been the first to offer her support. To hear his mother tell it, Seth was a hero. Though he knew he was anything but, the deep ache he’d felt for so long had been eased by her defense.
His brothers and sisters had been a different matter. Never had he seen such division in his family. To know he’d caused that dissension only made the guilt go deeper. The last family dinner he’d attended, it’d been like a dam had been unplugged. Shouting, accusations, and anger had spewed. And while it had only been his brother Joel and sister Sandra who’d been the mouthpieces of anger, he’d hated the discourse he’d brought them.
Seth had walked out of his mother’s house, figuring it’d be better if he never returned. He shouldn’t have tried to come back into the fold and act as if nothing had happened. The easy camaraderie he’d once had with his family was gone. Leaving town seemed a hell of a lot better for everyone than sticking around and pretending things could go back to the way they were.
Dropping his feet to the floor, Seth stood and stepped back into his bedroom. To hell with regrets. He had a hankering for clams casino, and the freshest clams always came in around this time. When he got back, maybe he’d go for an afternoon run on the beach. Then he’d come home and spend a couple of hours in the kitchen. His new stove had arrived last week and he’d barely scrambled an egg on it. Time to christen it with something worth his time.
He was almost to the door when the cellphone on his nightstand vibrated. He was tempted to ignore it since it was probably somebody wanting to rent his boat tomorrow. And since tomorrow he’d be using the boat, why pick up?
Shrugging, Seth stalked over and grabbed it anyway. “What?” he barked.
“Seth?”
Not immediately recognizing the voice, Seth said cautiously, “Yeah. Who’s this?”
“It’s Joel … you know, your brother.”
His legs suddenly weak, Seth dropped down onto the bed. Someone in his family had died. That was the only explanation; the only reason Joel would call would be to share bad news. Seth closed his eyes. Before he’d heard who or what, grief and regret already gripped his heart. He forced words from his frozen mouth. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Kelli.” The thick hoarseness in his brother’s voice was unmistakable.
“What’s happened?”
“She’s missing.”
“Missing how? Where? When?”
“From her college. She hasn’t been seen in over a week.”
And no one had called him? What the hell? Had they thought he wouldn’t care? Hell, she was his niece! His mind already working in cop mode again, Seth surged to his feet. Crossing the room, he opened a dresser drawer and began to pull out clothes. “What are the police saying?”
“They don’t know anything. The FBI finally got involved, but they can’t find her.”
“I’ll be on the first plane tomorrow. I’ll—”
“Wait! I …” Joel swallowed audibly. “I know you have connections.”
“With the Houston PD? Yeah, I still have a lot of contacts there.”
“No, you know people who know people. Slimeballs who can—”
Seth froze. “Shit, Joel, I don’t know people who abducted kids.”
“You can find out stuff ordinary people can’t. You owe us, Seth. This family has never been the same. With Kelli being taken, it’s killing us.”
Seth swallowed a disgusted sigh and resumed grabbing his clothes. There was no point in trying to explain to his brother that his old contacts with his once sleazy undercover life couldn’t help Kelli. Joel’s opinion didn’t matter … Seth’s first and only priority now was to find his niece. “Give me all the info you have.”
As his brother related details, places, and dates, his mind began functioning at full throttle again—something it hadn’t done in a very long time. Pulling a duffel bag from his closet, he stuffed in clothes and shoes. When Joel finally paused for a breath, Seth said grimly, “I’ll be there tomorrow morning.”
Two weeks later
Last Chance Rescue headquarters
Paris, France
Beads of sweat rolling down his handsome, determined face, the man held Honor’s arms above her head and growled softly, “Say it.”
Her entire body stretched almost painfully on the floor, voice strained from the effort it took to speak, Honor gritted out one word: “Never.”
He kept his voice low and soft, as if speaking to a wild animal he was trying to tame. “Come on, give it up, Stone. Say it and I’ll let you go.”
Not bothering with words this time, Honor wrapped her leg around one of his and jerked. It was like trying to move a mountain. Dammit, she didn’t want to give in, but he’d given her almost a full minute of leeway. Someone less stubborn would have said what he wanted to hear well before now and received some relief. Not Honor Stone.
Though it cost her, she arched an arrogant brow and said, “I’ve got nothing else on my agenda today.”
His chuckle echoed in the small gym as LCR operative Aidan Thorne rolled off her. Determined to show no weakness, Honor sprang to her feet, ready for another attack.
Sprawled on the mat as if it were a bed, his grin as cocky as ever, Aidan drawled, “Just because you didn’t say I’m the best doesn’t mean you didn’t mean it.”
“Now, that’s the kind of logic I’d expect from a surfer dude.”
As he got to his feet, he gave his usual snort of disgust for one of her many nicknames for him.
Honor pulled the elastic band from her sweat-dampened hair and ran her fingers through it. Panting lightly, she smiled at the man she’d almost bested. Aidan wasn’t breathing as hard as she was, but still, she’d come as close as she’d ever been to bringing down the big lummox.
His answering wink told her he’d read her mind. “You got close.”
Except for his blond, beach-bum looks and the hard, cold expression she’d sometimes glimpsed on his face, Aidan reminded her of her brother. She had never been able to take Nick down, either. Didn’t mean she’d ever stop trying. Someday both men would be paying her the hundred bucks they’d promised if she ever accomplished that goal. Never one to back down from a challenge, she intended to collect in full.
Her grin equally cocky, she replied, “One day, Beach Boy … one day.”
He snorted again and threw her a towel. “In your dreams.”
“You two through razzing each other?”
Honor whirled around and smiled at Noah McCall, who stood at the door. In unison, she and Aidan replied, “Never.”
Though McCall’s mouth twitched in humor, the somber expression in his eyes told her he had something on his mind other than hearing two of his operatives trade insults.
“Honor, can I see you in my office?”
She nodded and threw her towel into a laundry bin. Grabbing a bottle of water, she tossed a grin over her shoulder. “See ya, Goldilocks.”
Though Aidan flashed her a smile, she could tell he was disturbed by McCall’s expression, too. Feeling a bit more somber she followed her boss into his office.
She’d been with LCR for over two months now, and every day she grew more certain she’d made the right decision. Already she’d been on four rescues—all successful. Rescuing live victims felt damned good.
Not one to wait, Honor dropped into a chair and asked immediately, “What’s wrong?”
“You think you’re ready to head up a rescue?”
“Absolutely.” She might feel lacking in other areas of her life, but she didn’t doubt her abilities.
“This might be a tough one for you.”
“Why’s that?”
“It involves someone you know.”
She sat up straighter. Someone she knew was in trouble? Why hadn’t she already heard about it? Her heart thudded with dread. “My family?”
“No.” McCall paused for a second and then said, “An old friend.”
And she knew. Without McCall having to say another word, she knew it was Seth. All breath expelled from her, she collapsed back into her chair. Was Seth in trouble? Hurt? After she’d left Houston, she’d deliberately not followed what happened to him. Hell, he could be in prison for all she knew. But the thought of him hurting or in pain, no matter how much he’d crushed her heart, wasn’t something she wanted. Of course she didn’t love him, but still …
Thankful for the ability to keep her expression neutral, Honor asked calmly, “Who?”
“Seth Cavanaugh.”
Of course, McCall would know about her former relationship with Seth. It hadn’t exactly been a secret that they’d dated; their breakup had been fodder for Bureau gossip for weeks.
“What’s happened?”
“His niece has been abducted. He’s asked for our help.”
Refusing to acknowledge her immense relief that Seth was apparently fine, she asked, “Does he know I work for LCR?”
“Not yet. I thought I’d leave you to be the one to tell him.”
McCall was notorious for getting involved in his operatives’ pasts, often reuniting old lovers. Her boss’s manipulation was not only unappreciated, but he obviously didn’t realize that throwing her and Seth together would not produce the results he normally got. She and Seth had nothing left between them. He had destroyed that when he’d walked out of her life.
“What are the details?”
“The niece is twenty years old. Disappeared from a small private college in Iowa. No ransom demanded.”
“How long has she been gone?”
“Almost three weeks now.”
“What are the authorities saying? Is the Bureau involved?”
McCall nodded. “They’re surmising that she’s dead or has run away.”
“Seth doesn’t believe that?”
“No. As soon as he found out, he started doing some research, and he’s uncovered what he thinks is a pattern. A couple of other girls have disappeared under similar circumstances this year. And two last year.”
Honor frowned at the oddity. “If there have been four other disappearances, why would the Bureau think she’s run away?”
“Other than the ages, there’s no real commonality between the victims. Different backgrounds, different races. The locations of the disappearances stretch across the country.”
Honor nodded. Yes, there had to be a pattern, some similarity.
“So Seth is asking LCR to find his niece and the other girls?”
“Yes, but only if he can be involved.”
“Involved how?” Seeing Seth again was one thing; having him close by, seeing him on a daily basis, was out of the question. “Seth isn’t trained to—”
“He’s a former cop.”
“That was several years ago. And he’s a former cop who resigned under suspicion.”
“I think you need to talk to Cavanaugh before you make the assessment that he’s not qualified.”
Had Seth turned his life around? Five years ago, he’d been teetering on becoming, if not a criminal, at the very least a man with questionable ethics and judgment. Not that it mattered to her if he had or not, but for his family’s sake, she hoped he had changed for the better.
“Is he coming to Paris for a meeting?”
“He’s already here.”
Her heart thudded harder. “Where and when are we meeting him?”
“In about two hours. Here.”
Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her boss. She was glad if Seth had taken a new path in his life, but to have him come to LCR headquarters seemed to be taking that assumption too far. Only LCR operatives and people McCall had total trust in were allowed to know this location. Most meetings with clients took place in hotel rooms around the city.
“Do you think that’s a good idea?” Honor asked.
“I’m not worried.”
Though surprised, Honor didn’t question him further. McCall’s first priority was protecting LCR and its employees. If he was sure, she wasn’t going to argue the point.
The heart that refused to acknowledge any remaining feelings for the man who’d trampled it so thoroughly began to thud harder. Seth was here … in Paris.
“Since you apparently know about my past relationship with Seth, are you sure you want me to handle the case?”
“I trust your judgment.” McCall leaned forward, his black eyes piercing in their intensity. “Do you?”
“Do I what?”
“Trust your judgment? Can you put the past aside and do your job?”
She wanted to snap out a “Hell, yes!” but bit back the automatic reply and made herself think calmly, unemotionally. Okay, yes … the sound of Seth’s name sent chill bumps over her skin. The love no longer existed, but she couldn’t deny their past. The intensity of their relationship was unlike anything she’d experienced before or since. Could she see him every day and do her job? Of course she could. She was older, wiser. Seth had no control over her life. Not anymore. She had wanted to make a complete break from her past. Well, what better way to do that than to face the nemesis of her heart?
“Yes, I trust my judgment. And yes, I can do my job.”
His expression telling her he had expected no other answer, McCall said, “Be back at four o’clock for the meeting.”
Honor got up and went out the door. She’d always faced challenges head-on; this would be no different. Rescuing Seth’s niece and any other victims was her priority. Completely eradicating Seth Cavanaugh from her mind would just be an added bonus: the final and much-needed death knell to any remaining feelings for the man who’d never deserved her love in the first place.
five
Seth sat in his hotel room. He was a ten-minute walk from the address Noah McCall had given him. He had half an hour before he needed to leave. In that time, he wanted to review his notes. Though he could almost recite them from memory, he nevertheless went over them again.
His niece Kelli, aged twenty, had disappeared from Tyron College, a small private school in Des Moines, Iowa. She’d left for class one morning and never returned to her dorm. Her roommate had reported her missing the next day. The police had scoured the county looking for her, with absolutely no results.
Kelli’s sweet, innocent face stared up at him and his heart hurt for her. Where was she? Who had taken her and why? He refused to even consider that she might not be alive. He would find her and bring her back home. There was no other option.
Laying out the photographs of the four other missing girls beside Kelli’s picture, Seth once again strived to see the tie … the commonality. FBI said one didn’t exist. They were treating the disappearances as separate cases. Logically, he knew he should, too. There were no similarities other than gender, age, and that the girls were college students. The disappearances ranged over an eighteen-month time span. There were numerous reasons why each of these girls could have disappeared, and none compared to the others. So why couldn’t he look at Kelli’s disappearance as a separate entity?
Because that’s what everyone else was doing. Fresh eyes, a new take—why the hell not? He had no other leads to go on. Besides, this was what he was good at. Working undercover, never knowing if or when he’d be found out, had trained him to look for nuances, clues that didn’t seem suspicious.
The last few months before Clemmons finally went down, he’d drawn his inner circle tighter and tighter around him. The older Clemmons had got
ten, the more suspicious he’d been. With good reason. Seth had been on the outer edge of that inner circle and each day that dawned, he had woken with the knowledge that it could be his last. But as far as he knew, Clemmons had never suspected him. Bill had once told him he played polished sleaze better than anyone he’d ever met. The man had meant it as a compliment, but it’d ended up making Seth feel even dirtier.
Maybe the nickname he’d had in school had been a portent for his future. He’d been known as “the dark Cavanaugh” and looked nothing like the rest of his family. Everyone, including his parents, had been golden blond with light blue or green eyes. Seth had gotten some recessive gene, giving him the black hair and dark blue eyes of a great-grandfather. Funny, the man had been a minister.
Throwing off his self-indulgent thoughts, Seth looked down at the photographs. Five young women, ranging in age from eighteen to twenty-four, stared up at him. What secrets lay behind the soft, vulnerable eyes? What hopes and dreams had they had? What had they done to attract a predator? And most important, how the hell was he going to find them?
* * *
Honor stood outside Noah’s office. She knew they were in there waiting on her. The sound of muffled male voices came through the door. One of those was Seth’s. It had been five years since she’d heard that sexy, rough-edged voice. Five years since she’d gazed into those piercing dark eyes. Five years since …
Oh God, what was she doing? He meant nothing to her anymore. Their relationship had lasted barely three months. Three months in thirty years of living. That was nothing … he was nothing.
She glanced down once more at her clothes. Her favorite black pantsuit, paired with an ice-blue silk camisole and a multicolored scarf around her neck. She’d taken to wearing a scarf to cover her scar; though it had faded somewhat, it was still there. Besides, she wasn’t the most fashionable person; the scarf made her feel a bit more up-to-date.
Sweet Justice Page 5
