Trust No One

by Velvet Vaughn

  What had he done? He attacked her like some wild animal with no control. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment. He was a complete ass. "Olivia—"

  She frantically shook her head as she scooted up and adjusted her clothes.

  Oh man, had he hurt her? It was consensual, wasn't it? It seemed to be at the time, but he'd been so hot for her…now he wasn't sure.

  She scrambled out the door, stumbling into her shoes. He hurried to right his clothes and catch up with her. He caught her on the porch. He paused before he slid the key in the lock, not trusting himself to look at her. "Did I hurt you?"

  Her voice was low, shaky. "No, you didn't hurt me. And it was completely consensual if that's what you are worried about."

  Thank God. He did turn now. "But you don't want to talk about it?"

  She shook her head, her eyes still wide and dazed. "No. That wasn't me. I don't…I mean I've never…" She sighed. "I don't jump into bed with strangers. I'm not some cheap, easy lay."

  "I never said—"

  "I know," she cut in gently. "It's nothing against you. I'm just disappointed in myself. But it was amazing."

  It had been amazing. Cataclysmic. Earth shattering. Life changing.

  But he lived in Chicago and she lived in New York City. He was a burned-out cop, she a television beauty. They could never work, no matter how much he wanted it to.

  Good thing Dorian was here. He needed to hit something and Demon was always up for a few rounds.

  #

  "Kendall?"

  Dorian’s tone was soft, probing. She couldn’t answer. The movement of her fingers short-circuited her brain. Somewhere in the depths of her mind, she knew all he would have to do was roll over and she'd be gone.

  When she didn’t answer, he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes full of questions. She didn’t have an answer to those either. All she knew was that she was drawn to this strong, powerful man. Tonight he saved her life. What would one more kiss hurt? Her head moved closer to his, her eyes locked on his slightly parted lips. He started to roll over when the sound of the door opening shattered the spell.

  She jerked back with a gasp, shaking her head to clear the haze of lust. Dorian started to rise but a hand to his shoulder stopped him. She didn’t think she could take a full frontal right now. She grabbed his bag and tossed it to him, hoping he would understand her silent plea. He did, using the bag to cover himself as he beat a fast retreat to the bedroom.

  She tried to act casual as she greeted Olivia and Alex. Both of them looked rumpled and pre-occupied. Olivia actually looked shell-shocked. Her protective instincts kicked in. "Olivia? Is everything okay?"

  Olivia jumped. "What? Oh, hey, Ken. Yes, everything's fine."

  Dorian stepped into the room, gingerly tugging a shirt over his battered back.

  "What the hell happened to you?" Alex asked.

  "Long story. I'll tell you all about it later. Olivia, how was the date?"

  "Let me get a fire going first," Alex said. "I have beer and wine in the fridge."

  "I'll get it," Kendall volunteered. Both Alex and Dorian wanted beer so she handed them two cold bottles. Then she opened a pinot noir and poured a glass for Olivia and then herself.

  When they were all seated in front of the roaring fire, Olivia started her story. She was composed now, all traces of her earlier turmoil gone.

  "It was a stellar start to the date—it took well over thirty minutes to be seated because the guy had to shake everyone's hand like a true politician. You'd think he was the one running for office. Even after we were seated, he greeted people and chatted away like I wasn't there. He kept apologizing but it was so patently fake. I was ready to call you guys to come get me. Then Luca, the owner of the restaurant, comes over and greets Byron like they're old buddies. Luca told him that he read about his girlfriend's murder."

  Kendall gasped. "Stefani."

  Olivia nodded. "Byron acted like he could care less, waving her off like she was nothing. I asked him about her and he said they hadn't dated long and he barely knew her. Then he went on to say that she became demanding and he broke it off. I watched him closely and there was definite sorrow there, even remorse and maybe guilt for lying about their relationship. I'm not sure. I tried to ask more questions, but he kept blowing them off. Then he got a phone call from the senator. He apologized for taking the call but admitted that he had to answer since the senator paid the phone bill."

  "That's why Hofstra's name came up on both the numbers that appeared frequently on Stefani's call log," Kendall said.

  Olivia nodded. "Byron said he was always on call. And get this…" She paused for dramatic effect. "The senator is determined to pay the ransom."

  "What? Does he even know if his wife is alive?" Kendall asked.

  "Apparently not. Byron tried to argue but it didn't do any good. Then the senator's running mate called and Byron ended the date to head over there."

  Dorian shook his head. "It all seems off to me. If this was a kidnapping for ransom, why wait a week to demand payment? That should've happened within the first few hours."

  "I agree," Alex said. "It's almost like an after-thought. It's either someone trying to cover their tracks or some sick pervert trying to cash in on a tragedy."

  "Regardless," Olivia said. "He's going to pay it unless they can talk him out of it."

  Dorian turned to Kendall with a triumphant look. "Now that we know Wilks is the one Stefani was calling in the senator's office, you can cancel your date tomorrow."

  She shook her head. "I need to find out what he knows. Just because Stefani was dating Wilks, we still don't know who killed her."

  "He, who?" Olivia asked.

  "Gray Posten, the senator's press secretary."

  Olivia gasped. "He was a major ass!" She grabbed Kendall's arm. "Tell me you aren't going out with that smarmy bastard."

  Kendall smiled at Olivia's fierce outburst. She rarely used bad language, so when she did, it made an impact. "He called and apologized for how he treated me earlier and complimented me on the interview. Then he asked if he could take me out knowing I would be leaving soon. He said he got to New York often, implying that we could keep seeing each other."

  "What?" Dorian boomed. "You didn't tell me that."

  "I didn't think it was important. It's not like I'm going to take him up on it. I still can't stand the guy."

  "Wait, I'm lost. Someone fill me in," Alex said.

  "After all the work Kendall put into securing and preparing the interview with the senator, this preppy pipsqueak tried to talk Kendall into letting Olivia do it instead," Dorian growled. "Olivia set him straight…and handed his balls to him on a silver platter."

  Olivia smiled sweetly. "I thought I was very restrained…I really wanted to knock those overly-white teeth out of his mouth."

  They all laughed.

  "And you're going out with him, Kendall?" Alex said incredulously.

  "Just as a fact-finding mission. I want to find what he knew about Stefani, maybe get his take on her dating Wilks. I get the feeling there's no love lost between the two men."

  "I assume you're not letting her go alone?" Alex asked Dorian, one eyebrow raised.

  "Damn straight." Dorian shoved back against the sofa and then grunted in pain.

  "Be careful," Kendall chided, scooting over to fuss over him and check the wounds. "You'll start them bleeding again." She pulled his shirt up to check the damage.

  "What the hell happened to you, man?"

  Dorian told him all about searching the boat and the explosion. Alex got up to check out the damage and whistled. "Do you need the emergency room?"

  "Nah," Dorian said. "Kendall took care of me."

  Once they were all seated again, Olivia said, "I'm sorry I had to miss the interview. I taped it back home but I'd love to see it now."

  "I should have it on DVR." Alex grabbed the remote and powered on the television. He keyed up the program and they all settled back to watch.

 
Chapter Fifteen

  Monday, September 20

  "I wish I didn't have to leave so soon," Olivia said the next morning as she slid the strap of her bag over her shoulder. "I thought I could take a few days off. I mean, why have vacation days if you can't use them?" Her boss had called earlier and ordered her back for a story this afternoon. She reminded him of her vacation days. He reminded her of her contract.

  "You've helped so much," Kendall said giving her a hug. "Not only finding out who Steph dated, but just having you here to support me."

  "Please keep her safe," she said to Dorian.

  "I promise," he said solemnly.

  She started to shift her bag to the other arm but Dorian took it from her and she thanked him. "So, um, is Detective Mylonas here?"

  Dorian shook his head. "He took off early to work on the case."

  Olivia's shoulders slumped. She wouldn't get to say goodbye to the sexy detective who rocked her world. She hadn't been able to sleep last night, replaying their antics over and over. There were bags under her eyes the make-up woman would never be able to cover.

  If anyone had asked her about love at first sight, she would've laughed in their face. That was something for romance novels and chick flicks. It didn't happen in the real world. Love was built on trust and friendship and shared interests. It didn't happen the instant you looked into another person's eyes. But she was afraid that's exactly what happened to her. Love. At first sight.

  "Well, please give him my best." She tried to act breezy when inside she was miserable.

  "He'll be upset he missed seeing you off," Dorian said with a directness that rattled her. How much did he know?

  "We'd better get you to the airport." Kendall gave her another hug. "Your flight leaves soon."

  Dorian hefted her bag over his shoulder and guided them to the truck. She made it just fine through check-in and boarding. It wasn't until the jet taxied down the runway and the city of Chicago disappeared from sight that the tears started. They didn't stop until the plane landed at JFK.

  #

  Ron Daulton entered the office they'd commandeered for the Hofstra case and handed Cory a cup of coffee. "Dig up anything on Ms. Mathison?"

  Cory thanked him and took a sip. "She serves on several local committees for everything from planting trees to feeding the homeless. Despite her altruistic endeavors, she's not well liked among her contemporaries. Her father was a senator—"

  Ron snapped his fingers. "The prostitute scandal. I remember that now. It was big news a few years ago."

  "Apparently he died soon after of a heart attack and then her mother overdosed the next day."

  "Coincidental timing."

  "Very. We knew Ms. Mathison was engaged to Senator Hofstra until he broke it off to elope with Pamela Hofstra nee Riggs. Ms. Mathison quickly married a contemporary of her father…several years older and very wealthy. He died about a year later, also of a heart attack."

  Ron's brows knit. "Was an autopsy performed?"

  "No and get this…the grieving widow had him cremated almost immediately."

  "Now that is interesting. She had something to hide."

  "There are drugs that mimic a heart attack."

  Ron sighed. "But we can't exhume the body to check since there isn't one. She reduced him to ashes."

  "Correct."

  "So that's a dead end." Ron emptied his cup and tossed it into the trash. "I've been trying to track down security footage from the Hofstra neighbors to see if we can spot who put the note in the mailbox. There are only two that cover the area. One system was down for repairs, the other owner is out of town until Wednesday. I'll hit him up as soon as he gets in."

  "I'll keep digging for dirt on Vivian Mathison."

  #

  Gray Posten was waiting for Kendall when she arrived at the restaurant. Dorian entered first so he could get a seat at the bar where he could keep an eye on her. She waited five minutes before she followed. She spotted Dorian instantly, her gaze automatically finding his in the crowded bar. Their eyes met and locked. She almost moved in his direction but Gray stood and waved. She pasted on a smile and forced herself to move forward. Even from a distance, he looked like a weasel. Why had she agreed to do this?

  Gray grabbed her hands. "Kendall, it's so good to see you again." He leaned down to kiss her but she turned her head so that he hit her cheek. Did he really think he could kiss her like they were old friends after the way he treated her yesterday?

  He smiled awkwardly and held out her chair for her. She murmured her thanks and started to pick up her menu, but Gray grabbed her hand and held it between both of his. "I'm really glad you agreed to this date," he said. "I haven't been able to get you out of my thoughts."

  "That's nice," she said, trying to reclaim her hand. It must be her imagination, but she swore she heard Dorian growl.

  "I apologize again for my actions yesterday."

  "Apology accepted," she said, meaning it. She believed in forgiving and forgetting. She forgave Gray, now she just wanted to forget him.

  The waiter arrived and she was finally able to pull her hand free.

  "We'll have the sampler appetizer," Gray told him. "And we'll wait to order."

  Oh, God. She didn't want to spend any more time than necessary with the man. She wanted to eat and run. Time to get him to talk. "So how do you like working for the senator?"

  "It's a good job, lots of hard work, but many rewards, too."

  "Are you excited about his run for the presidency?"

  A look of hatred crossed his face. "I won't be a part of his team if he's elected."

  Dorian had told her about Posten being left off of the staff but she pretended like she had no idea. "Why? You seem to be doing a wonderful job for him. His press clippings are always positive and he gets plenty of airtime."

  He shrugged. "He and the governor decided on a new direction."

  "So he's just leaving everyone behind who got him to where he is today?"

  "Not everyone," he mumbled.

  "Who are they keeping?"

  "The senator's campaign manager will transition to chief of staff."

  Perfect lead-in to her questioning. "Byron Wilks?"

  His face looked like he'd sucked a lemon. He took a slug of water.

  "I heard his girlfriend was murdered."

  "Yeah, such a shame. She was a looker." He crunched a piece of ice. Nice table manners.

  "Did you know her?"

  He shook his head. "Not really. She came by the office a couple of times and he brought her along to some events, but I only spoke a few words to her."

  "Did they date for very long?"

  "A few months, maybe. I'm not sure."

  Interesting since Wilks told Olivia they only dated briefly. "Does he have any idea who killed her?"

  "Don't know, didn't ask. We don't talk much."

  Oh, great. The only reason she agreed to the date was to find out what he knew about Stefani and apparently he knew absolutely nothing. Now she would have to sit through this entire lunch and make idle chit-chat with a man she didn't like or respect. Just freaking great.

  She grasped for another subject. "Is the senator really going to pay the ransom?"

  Gray nodded. "Tonight. He's supposed to drop a bag of money off and then wait to hear about his wife. I tried to talk him out of it but my protests fell on deaf ears." He shrugged. "It's his money." She opened her mouth to say more but before she could get a word out, he recaptured her hand. "Enough shop talk. Let's focus on you."

  Her phone rang, saving her from having to kick him under the table to let go of her hand. "Sorry, I have to take this." She bit back a smile at the name on caller ID. "Hello?"

  "He touches you one more time, I'm going to rip that sweater-vest right off of him."

  "Yes, hello. It's good to hear from you."

  "This guy knows jack." Dorian had given her a necklace to wear with a hidden microphone so he could listen to the conversation.

  "Yes,
I do know Mr. Jack. He needs to meet with me now?"

  "Hell, yes. Let's blow this joint and find some real food. Did you look at the menu? Sprout veggie tofurkey sandwiches. What the hell is tofurkey?"

  She had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from laughing. "Can you explain to Mr. Jack that I'm currently unavailable?"

  "Don't make me come in there," he warned. "It won't be pretty."

  "Well, okay then. I'll be there as soon as I can."

  "Make it snappy."

  She hung up and dropped her phone into her bag with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, Gray, I have to leave. One of the producers at the television station needs to meet with me right now."

  "I've got the afternoon off. I'll escort you there and wait for you. Then we can resume our date."

  Gah. "I don't know how long the meeting will last."

  "That's okay. You're worth waiting for."

  This guy was harder to shake than a deer tick. "I appreciate the offer, but I have plans for later so we'll just have to say goodbye here."

  "What kind of plans?"

  "That’s really none of your business."

  "Do you have a date?"

  "Again, none of your business."

  "I'm making it my business."

  Stalker much? "Look, Gray—"

  "I like you, Kendall," he said, cutting her off and grabbing her hand. "A lot. I want to get to know you better. Once Aaron is elected, I'll be out of a job and I'm thinking of moving to New York."

  Oh, great. Now she'd have to avoid him back home, too. She was afraid to turn around, sure she would see Dorian stalking towards them. She needed to end this now. She eased her hand from his grip. "I don't mean to sound harsh, but I think it's best if we part here. I'm leaving soon and I don't have time to date in New York."