by Cindy Stark
"Right." Ryan grimaced. "No. If you loved me, then you'd be honest about this guy. You're holding something back, and until you're ready to deal with it and kick him out of your life for good—" he shook his head, "—I'm outta here."
"Ryan—"
"Think about it, Alex. Think about what you're asking me to accept. It's not fair."
She reached for his arm again, and this time he didn't stop her. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist and held on. "I know I'm asking a lot." She wiped her tears with her free hand. "But I don't want to lose you. Just give me a little more time. I'll make things right."
He shook his head, his blue eyes sad. He pulled away and headed for the door. "Call me when you're interested in an honest relationship."
She stood, looking at the closed door. Her hiccup echoed through the silence. She took a deep breath and let it flow out of her. Her heartbeat settled, and alone, she felt more in control. Boo had stayed out of the line of fire by sitting in his favorite spot on the couch, but now that Ryan was gone, he wanted her attention. He brought his favorite orange tennis ball and dropped it at her feet. Her sweet puppy had always been there when she'd needed a friend. "You get to stay, Boo." She picked up the ball and tossed it across the room with more force than was necessary. "But everything else that reminds me of my previous life has to go." Joey's tattoo, Jase's money, and most of all the memories.
Unfortunately, she knew now there was only one way to get Jase out of her life for good.
* * *
Jase studied the photograph Max had handed to him. The picture was a close-up of a gunshot wound which had pierced a tattoo on someone's skin. Chinese symbols edged the left side of a heart with the letters A and J resting inside. Whatever had been on the right side had been blown away. Jase set the photo down on his office desk and looked up at his sidekick. "So?"
Max grinned as he pulled out a chair on the opposite side of the desk and sat. "It might be the clue we've been bustin' our asses looking for all these years."
Jase tried to ignore the spark of hope Max's comment had ignited. He'd been searching for a way to get revenge on the Trasatti family for far too long. For all his efforts, he'd only managed to cause them some headaches and not the serious trauma he'd hoped for. At least, he'd been able to slow some of their underhanded dealings and reroute some of their money to help out the locals who'd suffered at the mob's whims. Jase nodded at the door, and Max leaned over and kicked it shut. "What kind of a clue?"
"This is a tat Joey Pagano had on his chest." Max looked like he'd just won the lottery, but Jase wasn't so certain.
"What does it mean?"
"Some of the symbols are Chinese numbers. The others are some shit about love. Could be a code of some kind, though. Look at the initials in the heart. J and A. Joey and Allie, don't ya think?"
Allie. His heart stuttered at the mention of her name. "Yeah, could be. Joey was her boyfriend." And also the father of her child, but Jase had never mentioned Allie's pregnancy to anyone. "Why haven't we seen this before now? It's been six years, and you're now just bringing this to me?"
"I know. I guess it’s been buried in police files. That cop, Cates, keeps a tight lock on his cases.” Max adjusted his hat. “Maybe we need to look Allie up, see if this rings any bells." He looked hopeful, just like he had many times over the years when he'd mentioned looking for Allie. Of all the people in his organization, Max was the one who'd never stopped talking about her.
Jase shook his head. He'd given Allie a new life. She was successful, and from the occasional reports he'd received, she seemed to be quite happy. He wasn't about to drag her back into his contemptible existence now. "She doesn't know anything, Max. She would have told me if she did. Besides, I don't know where she is anymore. I've lost track over the years."
"We could find her. Where was her last known residence?"
"Florida. Outside of Orlando," Jase lied. "I don't know where she went from there." He couldn't explain why he hadn't told Max the truth. Max was his best friend, his confidant. Maybe it had something to do with the fact Jase couldn't admit how much he cared for Allie. If he talked about her to Max, then his friend might figure out his secret.
Max wouldn’t relent. "I think we should talk to her. Somehow, I know she's the key to this mystery."
Mystery was right. He wondered if he'd ever discover why the Trasatti family had wanted Allie so much, or what Joey had taken to his grave. These days most of the Trasattis believed Allie was dead. Jase hoped to keep it that way.
Max waited for an answer. "Give me the go-ahead, and I'll put some men on it."
"Fine." Let them look. Jase had changed Allie's name several times before he'd sent her to California. His men in Chicago had no clue about his life in Oregon. They were two separate worlds. He'd covered her tracks pretty damn well. If only he could remove Allie Jordan from his heart as easily as he'd removed her from his life.
* * *
Allie was completely lost. She stared at the winding black road, sprinkled with dappled September sunshine. Many times, she'd thought of trying to find her way back to Jase's home in Oregon. But he'd made it clear he didn't want her there, so she'd never followed through with her idea. Now here she was, driving down an endless road that curved back and forth between towers of trees. She'd forgotten how much she loved the area.
Hints of fall had already left their mark on the leaves, but Allie was too frustrated to enjoy the beginnings of gold and scarlet. She remembered she and Jase had followed the Columbia River into Portland, but she'd driven past Portland long ago.
She'd lost count of how many times she'd been back and forth on this same stretch of road. But she was certain she was in the right area. Allie was terrible with names, maybe because she knew firsthand how easily they could be changed, but she had a knack for remembering places, and this part of the road was the only place that seemed remotely familiar. She'd passed a cute red barn a few miles back, and she was certain it was the same one she'd seen years ago.
Then again, she'd been distracted both coming to and leaving Jase's home. He'd probably done that on purpose. She sighed as she continued a little farther down the highway than she had the time before.
She'd been so naïve six years ago, thinking he'd come back to her looking for his dog, give up on revenge and make a life with her. She knew now it wouldn't have mattered how much she'd begged and pleaded with him, he wouldn't have given up that life for her. Please. It was what he lived for.
She should probably be mad, too. She'd thrown herself at Jase that night. Of course, he would have taken the sex. She'd handed herself to him on a platter, thinking somehow a night of passionate sex would change her world. Still, she couldn't bring herself to regret or forget it.
But things had changed. She wasn't so naïve anymore. She was an educated woman with a man who said he loved her and a life full of possibilities on the road map ahead. She should be thankful for the opportunities Jase had given her, and she would be as soon as he quit sending her money.
The inside of the car had warmed from the bright sunshine, and Allie lowered the windows to compensate. She reached over and ruffled Boo's head, waking him from his slumber. He'd been her constant companion during the last six years, and she loved him dearly. Boo sat up and stuck his nose out the window, the fresh air teasing his black floppy ears. Immediately, he began to wag his tail.
She slowed, feeling a hint of excitement. What was it they said about animals being able to find their way home from the scents in the air? "What do you smell, Boo? Are we close?"
The bend that lay ahead of her looked familiar. It was possible it was her desperate imagination, but...she didn't think so.
She slammed on her brakes, causing Boo to grapple to keep his spot on the seat. Gravel along the side of the road slid along with her as she missed the obscure driveway. Her heart pounded faster. This had to be it. She put the car into reverse and backed up until she had room to make the turn.
A canopy of
trees hovered overhead as she drove down the winding driveway. There was the huge rock she was sure she'd seen before. Her excitement grew and then dropped like a boulder. Up ahead stood a large wrought iron gate barring her way. There hadn't been a gate before. Unless she'd somehow missed it.
Allie parked her car in front of the ornamental structure. Damn. She was so sure this had been the right place. She opened the door and stepped out into the warm sunshine. Boo whined to come along with her. "Sorry, baby. You'll have to stay here for now." She shut the door.
A soft breeze cooled the heated fall air as she walked to the gate and checked to see if it was locked. A keypad was posted on the edge of the gate, and she could see a large steel bolt that prevented her entrance. She pulled on the latch anyway, but nothing moved. She kicked the gate in frustration, knowing it wouldn't do any good. Damn, she hadn't come all this way to be stalled by an obstinate hunk of metal.
She eyed the fence as it disappeared into the trees in both directions. Then she glanced up. With her toned body, she could easily scale the gate, but should she? Her training as an officer warned against it.
Allie turned toward the car and then stopped. She couldn't just walk away. Not when she'd come this far. What would it hurt if she hiked a little way in to see if she had the right place? No one had to know.
Her choices swung before her like a pendulum and stopped on the opposite side of the law. She was almost positive she had the right place, and what other options did she have? She needed Jase to stop interfering in her life. She couldn't leave without achieving her objectives.
She'd be quiet and careful, and gone before anyone realized she'd been there. Unless of course, it was Jase's house. Then she supposed she'd walk up to the front door. Or maybe to the guesthouse first. At the moment, Robert seemed less intimidating than confronting Jase head on. For all she knew, Jase might not even be there.
Allie found a good foothold and hauled herself up. She landed on the other side in a crunch of twigs and old leaves. She glanced around and waited. No barking dogs. Nothing.
Good.
She ran at an easy pace, keeping to the mossy grass on the side of the drive, heading for the next bend. She slowed as she reached it, giving herself a chance to peek around the corner.
The distinctive sound of a gun being cocked stopped her in her tracks.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Some might have mistaken the clicking sound for an animal creeping through the fallen tree branches, but Allie knew better. Someone had a gun trained on her. She slowly turned around.
An extremely fit man, shaved head, in his forties had a Beretta 9mm pointed straight at her. She swallowed and lifted her hands in a show of surrender.
She should have kept her own weapon with her instead of in her suitcase. Then again, she wasn't expecting any hostilities. "I'm sorry. I got lost." What she wouldn't give to have Boo next to her right now.
"You got lost crawling over a fence?" His voice was deep, composed, and she wished like hell he wasn't wearing sunglasses so she could gauge his intentions from his expression.
"Well, no, I climbed over on purpose. What I meant is I'm lost in trying to find a location. I'm looking for someone I once knew. I spent some time at his property a few years ago, and I was sure this was the place. I only jumped the fence to take a quick look."
He blew a bubble out of his gum and then popped it, apparently considering her words, but remaining silent.
"His name was Jase Tyler," she continued, hoping he'd see she wasn't a threat. "Do you know him? Does he live somewhere around here? If you could just point me in the right direction, I'd be happy to leave."
"Never heard of a Jase Tyler." The man popped another bubble, still keeping his gun trained on her.
"Oh." Great. "Well, I should probably go then. I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"Afraid I can't let you do that. You've just trespassed on private property."
Yes, she had. Her pulse thudded in her ears as he pulled out a phone and dialed. She did a quick survey of the scenery around her, clueless how she'd escape this one.
"Got a small problem down here by the gate. A woman climbed the fence, said she's looking for a guy named Jase Tyler. What do you want me to do with her?"
"What do you mean, what are you going to do with me?" Allie interrupted his conversation. "You have to let me go."
He silenced her with a jerk of his gun as he listened to the phone. "What's your name?" He nodded at her.
"Alexandra Fox." He started to repeat her name, but she cut him off. "I mean Allie Jordan." He raised an eyebrow at her as she hurried to repeat herself. "They knew me as Allie Jordan."
"Says her name is Allie Jordan."
He shook his head. "Don't think so."
Don't think what, she wanted to ask.
He clicked off the phone and lifted his chin. "I'll escort you back to the gate."
Thank God.
"Then you can drive your car up to the house. They said they'll see you."
"What? Who'll see me?"
"I guess you'll find out when you get there."
Sitting once again in her car with Boo growling at the stranger, Allie thought about hightailing it in the other direction, but she was desperate to know if she'd found Jase's home. Even though the man told her he didn't know Jase, something in her gut told her otherwise.
Her nerves twisted into a tangled mass until the house was in sight. Then she sighed in relief. She had found the right place. Carole waited for her at the front door just like she had the night Allie had first visited. As soon as Allie opened the door, Boo was off and running toward Carole. He danced around her feet, barking and rubbing his head against her leg, clearly remembering her.
Allie wasn't sure if she'd receive the same welcome, but Carole grabbed her and hugged her when Allie was within reach. She didn't let go until they were inside, and she had Allie sitting on the cozy loveseat where she'd once sat with Jase. Boo settled at her feet.
"Good Lord, honey, what took you so long?" Carole had cut her hair short and, with her squared shoulders, it made her look butch. But no matter how tough she looked, Allie knew Carole's heart was as soft as a warm summer rain.
"What do you mean, what took me so long?" Allie kicked off her mules and tucked her feet beneath her. It was weird how she felt instantly at home.
"I could tell you were a stubborn girl, but six years? I never would have dreamt it would take you this long to bring back that loveable doggie of mine."
"How did you know I'd come back at all?" Allie had thought about returning many times during the first year, but Jase had made his intentions clear.
"I knew you'd come back for Jase. Too much chemistry between the two of you to let it go. I told Robert you would. He wasn't so sure." Carole winked. "But I knew it."
It was strange being back in Jase's house. The loveseat was still the same warm shade of chocolate. With the exception of some new lamps, everything seemed the same. "It feels like I never left."
Carole picked up a russet-colored pillow and plucked at the fringe. "We wish you hadn't." She held up a hand. "I know. We had to respect your choices, but things have gotten worse with Jase."
Allie's chest tightened. "What's happened? Is Jase okay?"
Carole snorted. "He's fine, but he's never here. As usual, he's in Chicago, pretending he's a mobster, hell-bent on getting revenge. He thinks we have no clue what he's doing, but we're not dumb. We read the papers and surf the Internet. His family would roll over in their graves if they knew he was wasting his life this way."
"Is he still managing to avoid the law?"
"Who knows these days? I think he's formed his own sort of vigilante gang. But is he involved in drugs and prostitution? No, I don't think so. That's not the type of man he is."
Allie smiled. She'd always sensed that about him. Deep down, she'd known he was a good person, even if he did borderline illegal things. Look what he'd done for her. She caught herself before she became too enam
ored with his good qualities and reminded herself why she was there.
"You should have seen him, Allie, back before the tragedy. He always wanted to help people. He'd planned to go to medical school." Carole patted her hand. "He'd have made an amazing doctor." Her lips flattened into a thin line. "That Trasatti family didn't kill just three people that day. Jase's body might still be alive, but his soul has been as good as dead ever since."
She eyed Allie. "Except for the time he spent with you. He was a different man then." Her smile returned. "He could be again, you know."
Allie nodded. "He needs to leave Chicago and never look back. He has such a wonderful place here. It amazes me that he can't see that."
Carole smiled, seeming to approve of Allie's concern. "We wouldn't see him at all if it wasn't for—" She stopped, her gaze locking on to Allie.
An awkward silence filled the space between them. "If it wasn't for what?" What wasn't Carole saying?
Carole's features turned as smooth as granite, and she looked away. "Oh, he bought this damn horse, Muffin, swearing he'd be around to take care of her, but he's not, so Robert and I end up doing the brunt of the work."
"Muffin?" Allie snorted. "Jase named a horse Muffin?"
Carole shrugged, but didn't join in the joke. "That man does strange things sometimes."
Sensing Carole had lost her good mood, Allie stifled her laughter. "I'd hoped I'd find him here. I need to discuss a few things with him." Like learning how to stay one hundred percent out of her life.
Carole pursed her lips. "I have no idea when he'll be back around."
"Do you have a way I can reach him in Chicago? You must have his number." If she couldn't tell him off face-to-face, a phone call would be second best. She refused to leave Oregon without resolving her problems.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to call him. We're not supposed to unless it's an emergency." She smiled at Allie. "But under the circumstances, I think it would be okay."
