Trust No One

by Velvet Vaughn

  "Are you staying at Stef's apartment?"

  "I'm not looking forward to it…it'll be hard. But I am. I'll need to…" she paused and sniffed, "clean it out."

  "I'd like to help."

  "I'd appreciate it, but it's not necessary. I'll be there for a few weeks. Her lease is good through the end of the year. I'll probably take my time."

  "If you need help, just ask. Stef used to always hide a key…"

  "Because she was always forgetting hers," Cassie finished with a watery laugh that turned into a choked sob.

  Kendall had to fight back her own sob. It was so hard to talk about her friend in the past tense. "If you let me know where she kept it, I'll stock it with some food so you won't have to worry about that when you arrive."

  Cassie blew her nose. "Oh, Kendall, I would appreciate it. I'll have been travelling for hours so I won't feel like shopping." She told Kendall where to find the key. They talked for several more minutes with Kendall promising to keep Cassie posted on any new developments. As soon as she hung up, she hurried to the bathroom and pushed open the door. Dorian was in the shower singing off-key, which she found endearing. She'd never been bold with men before, but Dorian brought that side of her out. She pulled back the curtain, realizing by the wicked grin and the gleam in his eye that she hadn't surprised him at all. She'd never get away with anything around this man.

  "Will you walk into my parlor?" he murmured, pulling her inside until she was flush against his now-aroused body.

  "Said the spider to the fly," she finished, her eyes rolling back in her head as his lips found the sweet spot on her neck. She needed to tell him about her phone conversation but all rational thought flew out the window. He picked up the bar of soap and lathered her thoroughly, paying special attention to her breasts. When he moved lower, he chased the bubbles away with water and then replaced them with his tongue. She came apart, gasping his name. She would have screamed if not for their other house guest.

  Dorian didn't give her a chance to catch her breath. He lifted her up and pinned her against the wall with his strong body, then he was inside her, filling her, completing her. He grasped her legs, opening her wider. Stars exploded behind her eyes in a million shimmering bursts of color. He pumped faster and then he followed her into oblivion, his chest pressed to hers as he tried to catch his breath.

  The water turned cold so he roused himself to shut off the taps. Reaching out of the stall, he grabbed a thick towel and proceeded to rub her dry. It involved more kissing and touching and a repeat performance with her sitting on the counter, him standing in front.

  "We'd better check in with Costa before he sends in a search party." He was sitting on the closed toilet lid. She was perched contentedly in his lap, her head on his shoulder as he stroked her hair. She'd never been this comfortable around a man before, especially this soon. To be sitting here naked in his arms was completely out of character. And apparently he'd gotten over his aversion to mixing business with pleasure.

  "Oh, I almost forgot. I found out something interesting." She told him about the call from Cassie and how Stef thought Wilks was about to propose.

  "That's a far cry from his claim that they broke up weeks ago."

  "I know, and get this…they had a lunch date the day she was murdered."

  "Wasn't Hank Colbert murdered that day?"

  "Yes," Kendall confirmed. "And Stef took pictures of his murder. If she was with Wilks…"

  "Then he could be one of our killers," Dorian finished. He stood with her in his arms like she weighed nothing at all and carried her into the bedroom. He eased her to her feet, gifted her with another scorching kiss, and then reached for his cell. "He's hiding something and it's time to find out what that is." He dialed Alex and when he answered, Dorian filled him in on all the latest details.

  Kendall dressed in a pair of jeans and a comfy sweater. She really didn't bring enough clothes. She thought she'd only be in Chicago for a weekend. She needed to hit a clothing store and soon. She was down to her last clean pair of undies.

  #

  Dorian disconnected at the same time Kendall finished tying her shoe. "I'll go out first," he offered. He wasn’t ashamed of their relationship—if what they had could even be called that—but after his last assignment, he didn't want his co-workers to think he was the office gigolo…which was so far from the truth.

  He'd tried to stay away from her…he really had. He'd even given himself a stern talking-to last night as he stood with his hand on the door knob. He'd recited all of the reasons why it was a bad idea. He conjured a picture of Blair in his mind but nothing did the trick. He knew she was upset after finding Pamela Hofstra's body and he had an overwhelming need to comfort her. He told himself that's all it was…he'd wrap her in his arms and take away her pain. One thing led to another and he was a goner.

  Costa was sitting at the small kitchen table, nursing a cup of coffee. He'd obviously made a run to the nearby supermarket. A box of pastries and bagels sat open on the counter and he was reading today's paper. He raised one sardonic eyebrow at Dorian but didn't say a word, for which he was grateful.

  "Front page news in all the papers," he said, indicating the stack. Dorian grabbed a copy of the Tribune and perused the article. No new details on the case. He tossed it down.

  "Stefani's sister called Kendall," he started, just as she walked out of the bedroom. Dorian was rendered speechless. She took his breath away every single time. So not good. He was setting himself up for a major fall, but he couldn't seem to care. Every minute he spent with her was a gift. He vowed not to worry about the future, just enjoy the present. He wanted to walk over and kiss those sweet lips…would have if not for Costa, whom he noticed was smirking at him. He realized he'd began a story only to stop when she walked into the room, lighting it up with her presence. Her beauty was like a lighthouse beacon, calling to him in the storm.

  He mentally slapped himself. Now he was getting all sappy in his head. Next he'd be composing flowery sonnets and professing his undying love.

  That thought brought him up short. Love? When did that four letter word slip into the mix? He liked Kendall, sure. She was intelligent, beautiful, funny, sexy…so damn sexy. There were definite benefits to dating a former cheerleader. Her flexibility was off the charts.

  "Demarchis?"

  He shook his head. "Huh?"

  "Was there a point to you telling me that Stefani's sister called Kendall?"

  For a half-second, he considered knocking that smug grin off Costa's face. The only thing that stopped him was Kendall. Well, that and the fact that Costa would hand him his ass without breaking a sweat. The man was made of steel. He really didn't want Kendall seeing that.

  "I spoke with her a little while ago." Kendall picked up the story. "I was filling Dorian in on what she told me and then he called Alex to let him know." Twin flags of red rode high on her elegant cheeks. He knew she was embarrassed for Costa to know what they'd really been up to, but her attempt to throw him off the scent wouldn't work. Costa was too perceptive.

  "What did she say?" Costa's look was questioning, not at all accusatory like the looks he'd shot at Dorian. He could have hugged his friend for putting her at ease. She slid into a chair, picked up a bagel and proceeded to replay the conversation. Dorian was only half-listening. He was too busy watching her pick off a small piece of bagel and slide it into her mouth.

  He was in deep trouble.

  #

  After Dorian's call, Alex had a heck of a time tracking down Byron Wilks. He wasn't at his apartment or the senator's mansion. He wasn't with the senator, who'd been hospitalized for a breakdown after the discovery of his wife's body. Alex finally pinned him down at campaign headquarters. Millson was checking the senator's office, so he called his partner and instructed him to meet him. He waited a few minutes before going inside to give Millson time to arrive. Finally he opened the door and stepped out of the car. There was a leak in the department and he didn't want anyone tipping Wi
lks off before he could question him. He hadn’t told anyone but Millson and his chief about Wilks, but walls had ears.

  As he strode inside, a young woman with a dark ponytail greeted him cheerfully, a "Hofstra for President" button displayed proudly on her sweater. "Can I help you?"

  He flashed his badge. "I need to speak to Byron Wilks."

  Her eyes widened. "He's on the phone in the senator's office. I'll let him know you're here." She started to get up but he held out a hand.

  "I'll see myself in," he assured her.

  "But—"

  He strode past before she could stop him. He knocked twice on the door before barging in. "Mr. Wilks, we need to talk."

  Wilks had made himself at home behind Senator Hofstra's desk, his feet crossed on top as he leaned back in the chair. His eyes narrowed and he covered the phone with his hand. "Excuse me, Detective, can't you see I'm on the phone?"

  Alex grabbed the cell from his hand and punched the off button. "I don't think you understood me." Alex tossed the phone to the desk. "We're going down to the station for a little chat."

  Wilks' eyebrows shot up. "Why do you want to speak with me? Am I being arrested? I'm calling my lawyer." He reached for the phone.

  "Your prerogative," Alex told him, forestalling the call. "But you can make the call from the station. Now, you can either come along quietly or we can do this the hard way with handcuffs."

  "I am being arrested. I demand to know on what grounds. What evidence do you have?"

  "You aren't being arrested. We just have a few questions about your whereabouts on certain nights." Alex read him his rights, just to cover the bases as he led the man outside, forgoing handcuffs since he was cooperating, albeit reluctantly. "I'm parked right…"

  A loud crack rent the air, the sound ricocheting off the tall buildings. Alex whipped out his Glock, ducking for cover while simultaneously searching for the shooter. Wilks jerked with a grunt and fell backwards to the concrete sidewalk. His head hit with a sickening thud. A woman nearby screamed. A man yelled "Shooter." He reached for Wilks to drag him to the vestibule of the nearest building but stopped. There was a neat round hole between Wilks' open eyes.

  Time seemed to stand still. He canvassed the area for any sign of a threat while calling for backup and an ambulance, notifying them that they had one DOA. A car screeched to a stop next to him and he aimed his gun. Millson jumped out and ducked behind the open door with his weapon at the ready. "What happened?" He scanned the surroundings. "I heard you call for backup and a bus."

  "Sniper," Alex told him. "Shot came from over there." He indicated down the street.

  Millson glanced down at Wilks. "Damn, what accuracy. Right between the eyes. Guy was a pro."

  Alex nodded, still checking for any sign of the shooter. "Our case just got tougher."

  Sirens sounded as backup arrived. Apparently the shooter fled as no more shots were taken. A barricade was quickly constructed around Wilks' body to keep onlookers and camera-happy gawkers away. He was sketched and photographed from every angle.

  Alex called Dorian to fill him in on the murder. There was noise and static on the line. "Where are you?"

  "Mall," Dorian responded. "Kendall needed some new clothes."

  "Well, tell her to pick out a nice outfit and get to the television station."

  "Why's that?"

  "Wilks is dead."

  "What? You're kidding me?" Dorian said.

  "I wish I was."

  "How'd it happen?"

  "Bullet right between the eyes with me less than a foot away."

  "Damn. You okay? You weren't hit?"

  "No, I'm fine, just tired."

  "I'd say that pretty much proves his involvement. Someone didn't want him talking."

  "Yeah, I agree."

  There was low murmuring as Dorian filled Kendall in on the news and he heard her gasp through the phone.

  "We're headed to the station. Kendall wants to know if it's okay to make the announcement."

  "Tell her it's fine. His next of kin has already been notified. It happened outside of the senator's campaign headquarters, so it's probably all over Chicago by now." He gave Dorian all the pertinent details.

  "You coming to the cabin or staying at your apartment tonight?"

  "Not sure yet. I'll call later and let you know."

  Alex stashed his phone as the coroner finally arrived and pronounced. Wilks was loaded into a body bag and transported to the county morgue. Alex sent two officers inside to interview the senator's staff to find out if Wilks had any known enemies. Millson offered to gather any footage from security cameras in the area. Hopefully they'd get lucky and catch the shooter on film.

  Alex headed back to the station to brief the chief and fill out paperwork. It was dark by the time he wrapped everything up and headed to his apartment. He didn't feel like making the drive to the cabin, so he called Dorian to let him know. His call was kicked straight to voicemail so he left a quick message that he was crashing at his apartment.

  He pulled into the parking lot and killed the engine. He rested his head on the steering wheel. God, he was tired. This case was getting to him. With the added pressure of finding Aaron Hofstra’s wife dead, and now one of their top suspects murdered in front of him, this case just became the focus of the nation.

  He wished like hell Olivia hadn't left. He would love to fall into her arms. Just holding her would make him feel so much better. They hadn't even gone out on a date. He wanted to woo her, wine and dine her. But she lived seven hundred and twelve miles away…he'd googled it.

  With a weary sigh, he dragged himself out of the car and headed up the walkway to his unit.

  Two men came out of nowhere and sandwiched him. He barely had time to register the all-black outfits and faces covered in ski masks before he felt a sharp stab in his neck and then he felt nothing at all.

  Chapter Twenty

  Alex’s head swam, his body throbbed. He knew he needed to open his eyes, but he couldn’t seem to make his lids work. A blast of ice water managed to do the trick. He gasped at the unexpected bath, sucking water into his throat. He coughed, tasted blood, spit it out.

  "Who’s your source, Mylonas?"

  He couldn’t focus on the question. The pain was intense. His hands were wrenched painfully behind his back, his feet bound to a chair. He was naked sans for his black boxer briefs. His face throbbed, his ribs ached. He definitely had a couple cracked ones. One eye had already swollen shut.

  "Answer me, asshole." A meaty fist connected with his cheek.

  He knew that voice. He focused with his good eye on the large shape in front of him.

  "Turn the light on, dammit," the voice snapped.

  A bright light clicked on, temporarily blinding him. But it was too late to disguise the man in front of him: George Williams.

  "I’m going to ask again. Who's your source?"

  "Screw you."

  The blow to his stomach caused him to teeter precariously on the chair. More blood bubbled up his esophagus. Damn. He had some serious internal bleeding going on, not to mention his head was about to explode.

  "Ease up, Williams," a second voice whispered. The voice was too low to recognize, probably the intent.

  "You used my name, you asshole!" Williams roared. A fist connected with flesh.

  "Goddammit," the other man roared.

  In the midst of their struggle, a knock sounded on the door. "Mylo, what the hell's going on? Open up." Dorian.

  The grappling stopped. "We’ve got to get out of here," Williams fretted. The doorknob rattled.

  "Shoot the son-of-a-bitch," Williams roared. "He knows who we are."

  "No, he doesn’t know who I am, only who you are…George."

  "I’m coming in," Dorian called out.

  "Get 'er done, Williams," the second man ordered.

  "Shit," Williams said.

  It was the last thing Alex heard as the bullet slammed into his chest, the pain unimaginable, stealing his
oxygen, knocking him backward. He didn’t even feel the jarring pain to his shoulders as his bound hands hit the floor first with a heavy thud.

  #

  Dorian left Kendall and Costa at the television station and headed to Alex's apartment. They'd spent the day shopping so Kendall could purchase additional clothing since she hadn't packed enough to sustain her extended stay. He and Costa had indulged her trip through the mall, when they would both rather be anyplace else. Costa did hit up one of the sporting goods stores to buy equipment for his son. Kai was a huge baseball fan, so Costa even purchased an authentic Cubs jersey. Dorian purchased the matching cap for him, to thank him for letting his Dad help with the case. He knew it was upsetting to Kai when Dante had to be gone for any amount of time. The kid had lost his mother at a young age so he worried when Dante was on assignment.

  After Alex's bombshell, they headed directly to the station. Kendall called her producer in New York, who was so excited about the leads she was getting he was beside himself. He praised her decision to stay in Chicago and made it sound like it was his brilliant idea. Dorian couldn't stand the guy and he'd never even met him. Probably never would.

  He parked next to Alex's car and jogged up the walk. He knocked but no answer. He knew his friend was home since he'd left a message that he was headed there earlier. Plus, his car was in the lot. He tried knocking louder, figuring he was in the shower and couldn't hear.

  Leaning closer to the door, he heard what sounded like two men fighting. "Mylo, what the hell's going on? Open up." He reached for the knob as a gunshot rang out. He whipped out his Glock. "I'm coming in." With a powerful thrust, he splintered the door on the frame.

  He searched the entry leading with his gun. "Alex?" As he carefully made his way into the living room, he heard a commotion on the fire escape outside. He started to head for it when he spotted his friend.

  "Alex? Ah, God." Dropping to his haunches, he checked for a pulse. There was so much blood. He found a faint one as he punched 911 on his cell. Ripping off his shirt, he pressed it to the chest wound as he informed the operator an officer was down and requested an ambulance. After rattling off the address, he tossed the phone aside.