Evil Secrets Trilogy Boxed Set

by Vickie McKeehan

  He decided he’d gone this far, he might as well go the distance and tell her everything. “I promised him as he lay dying in hospital I’d finally get in touch with you. He had cancer. During his treatments we’d sit and talk about—the past.” He picked up her hand. “Try to understand, I thought you were better off with your mother. Lisa truly was a beacon of light.”

  “You mentioned that in Reese’s office. It’s pretty fancy words for a simple roll in the hay, a one-night stand that meant nothing,” Quinn commented.

  “She wasn’t. A one-night stand, that is.”

  Quinn’s eyes widened. “Excuse me? What are you saying?” But then the light came on for real. “You knowingly had a relationship with a fifteen-year-old girl.” It wasn’t a question.

  “I met her in April. I was nineteen. She followed the band for several months afterward, especially that summer. At first, I really believed she was eighteen.”

  Quinn slanted him a disbelieving look.

  “Okay. Even after I found out her true age, I still took her to bed. She got pregnant in July, found out about it in September. You were born the following April.” He took a shaky breath. “By that time, the band had taken off. We were getting gigs other places besides California. I was on tour in New York playing Madison Square Garden when this attorney showed up.”

  “Jessica Boyd.”

  “No. It was a man, Sumner Boyd I believe. I put him in touch with Portman and cut a deal to stay out of jail. You already know about the money.”

  “Thanks for telling me. I guess.”

  “I want to make amends, Quinn. I want you in my life. I want you to get to know your brothers.”

  “Brothers?” Her mouth dropped open.

  “Jack turned eighteen last week. Sean will be fifteen this fall. Their mother and I are divorced, but we’re still very much friends. Usually I get the boys during the summer. Right now, they’re back at home, anxious to meet their only sister.”

  “So, you left them alone to come take care of this little problem that occurred a quarter of a century earlier?”

  “Spending time with you,” he corrected. “I’ve had other summers with them. Not a single one with you. They know that, Quinn. They know I’ve been a shitty father to you. I want that to change.”

  She sighed. “Then I guess I have another family reunion in my immediate future.”

  Upstairs, Trevor felt better but still couldn’t seem to shake the fever and with it the delirium. Because the fever meant infection, people kept hovering over him, especially Gloria.

  Through a mindless fog in which he could only guess what was happening around him, Trevor weaved a tapestry of images, both real and imagined. Part of him wasn’t sure he cared any more about either one.

  But he knew she did, somehow she kept waiting for him to wake up. He wasn’t even sure why. He wasn’t even sure he liked having her here. He wasn’t even sure he wanted to wake up.

  He dreamed of green eyes, not brown like his Nelia’s had been. but deep green pools, as green as Irish heather.

  The face that kept coming to him might have been older but it was just as striking with golden skin, a wide smile, a stubborn chin, and those kind eyes of jade.

  She was mostly leg. Not like his petite Nelia at all.

  When his own eyes popped open, he saw the platinum blonde hair first, bluntly cut, angled down her chin. The word cute hung on the tip of his tongue. For some reason, he didn’t think she’d be too impressed with it.

  “You were dreaming again,” she said matter-of-factly. Once again, she mopped his brow.

  “Why don’t you look more like Alana?”

  The question must have come out a little too harsh because he saw her flinch.

  “Ten year age difference for one. Believe me we had nothing in common either. I was naïve, she was worldly.”

  “She was a heartless bitch.”

  Gloria laughed and the sound soothed him for some reason.

  “That too. She took my twins away from me. But you know all about that already. You know about loss, too. I like that about you, that you know how awful it feels to lose people you truly loved.”

  “Since it was my fault my wife and child died, I thought I might as well kill other people for a living. For a while afterward, I went on my own personal crusade against evil and if people wanted to pay to get rid of the evil, so much the better. I got so good at my job I didn’t think twice about it either.”

  “But your eyes have so much tenderness in them.”

  He felt Gloria’s lips on his, her mouth full and wet. His body responded even before fully awake. If this were a dream he didn’t want to wake up. With his one good arm he brought his hand behind her neck, finally getting a good hold on her golden tresses. The kiss went on until his eyes fluttered open. There she sat next to him on the bed.

  “What was that for?”

  “You were dreaming about me.”

  He locked onto those jade pools to keep from drifting away again and saw how they twinkled with mischief. “I was?”

  “You were tossing and turning and talking in your sleep. Rambling.”

  And she had made out the gist of his angst. “You mentioned my name, and you looked like you needed kissing.”

  He chuckled at that. “Am I awake now?”

  “Uh huh, that was some kiss.” She narrowed her eyes. “You didn’t feel that?”

  “Aye, I felt that just fine, although I thought it might be an earthquake. Maybe we could do it again.”

  She covered his mouth until she drew a low moan out of him. When she started to get up to wet another washcloth to cool his face, he reached to pull her back down on the bed. “Don’t go.”

  Since he was naked underneath the sheets, she ran her hand along the planes of muscles in his arm before running her fingers through his chest hair. “Let me lock the door first.”

  “Okay.”

  The minute she sat down on the bed, she asked, “Are you sure you’re up for this?’

  He took her hand and brought it under the cover. “Does that answer your question?”

  “Mmm, I believe it does.” She began to unbutton her shirt.

  With his one good hand, he tried to help her get out of her top. “I am slightly at a disadvantage, though.”

  “That’s okay,” Gloria muttered. “I don’t mind doing all the work.” And with that, she straddled him.

  The minute Gloria walked back into the kitchen, Kit asked, “How’s Trevor doing?”

  Gloria looked around the room, realizing all eyes were on her. They were all about to sit down to the table for supper. She wondered if her face indicated to everyone that she’d just had amazing sex. “Uh, he’s fine.”

  “Still hot?”

  Her mind went blank until she remembered he’d been burning up with fever. She could attest to the fact that it certainly hadn’t affected his performance. Like a schoolgirl caught in the backseat of a muscle car, she sputtered out, “Uh, the fever is still there if that’s what you mean. For a while he was delirious.”

  That got Kit’s attention. “What was he saying?”

  Gloria wasn’t about to share that with anyone. To take the focus off her, she suggested to Quinn, “Maybe you should increase his antibiotics.”

  “He isn’t septic, so I think it’s the usual signs of the body healing. We’ll give it until the morning, see if he’s gaining his strength back. He isn’t lethargic, is he?”

  Gloria stifled a chuckle. “He seems to be right on schedule then.”

  After supper, inside Trevor’s room, the men gathered with the intentions of going over the plan.

  From his bed, Trevor acted as tactician. “Remember, you’re dealing with men who have a distorted view of reality, a sense of entitlement; the laws don’t apply to them. It’ll be easy to draw them into the illusion. But once they realize they’ve been tricked, they’ll have nothing to lose.”

  “That’s why we need to be ready for anything.”

 
“There’s a house in Palos Verdes with all the weapons you’ll need.” He threw Dylan a look. “You remember the one I mentioned where you could take Baylee for safekeeping.”

  Dylan nodded. “I remember. But that night I couldn’t trust anyone I’d never met.”

  “Understandable. How about now?”

  Dylan cocked his head. “Do you want a pinky swear? The women are big on it.”

  When Dylan looked up and saw the women standing in the doorway, he abruptly stopped talking.

  “You aren’t making fun of our pinky swear are you, Surfer Boy?” Quinn asked as she came farther into the room, crossed her arms over her chest, and announced, “I thought we agreed no more secret meetings. You guys aren’t very good at covert. You disappear all at once, you raise our suspicions.”

  “I believe this constitutes a clandestine meeting,” Kit accused as she stared over at Jake.

  “Sneaky is the way I see it,” Baylee concurred.

  “What gives, guys?” Quinn asked innocently.

  “We were just talking about the lousy Dodger season this year,” Reese lied.

  “Is that your official story? Because if it is…” Quinn took out her cell phone. “I’m two seconds away from dialing Cade Boyd’s number. I’m telling him to meet me at the Sea Warrior at ten o’clock tonight.”

  Kit took out her cell phone as well. “And I’m calling Collin with the story that I’ve finally come to my senses. I’m dumping Jake and desperately want to run off with him to Mexico to spend the rest of my life there. We’ll steal Jake’s boat while we’re at it and sail off into the sunset. And you know what? Collin will buy it because he’s two bricks shy of a full load.”

  “Now what’s it going to be?” Quinn eyed Reese. “We’re part of this whether you guys understand that or not. We have a surefire way to lure the Nutty Brothers out to the boat. Anyone interested in hearing a real plan?

  “You wouldn’t?” Reese accused.

  “Oh yeah, we would.”

  Just then Nick Tyler and Ben Griffin trailed into the room. “We’re in this, too. And we’re with them.” Nick nodded his head toward the women. “My daughter isn’t going anywhere without my backup.”

  “Or my twin sister either,” Ben said with a certain amount of pride in his voice. “I’ve only just now found her and I’m for keeping her safe.”

  “That’s just it. I’m trying to keep your daughter and your twin sister completely out of this so they’ll both be safe.” Reese glared at Tyler. “Neither one of you understand how dangerous these men are.”

  “Quinn and Kit filled us in. Besides, I’m done sitting around while these spawn of the devil try to kill my daughter.”

  Quinn cleared her throat. “As delighted as I am to have my father and my lover arguing about my participation, I’m fairly certain this is my decision. Kit, Baylee, and I are in this whether any of you agree or for that matter like it or not.”

  “What am I, chopped liver?” Gloria railed. “I got kidnapped. I had my chance at shooting one of them but I missed. I want another chance.”

  “See. We’re a united front. You either accept that or we find a way ourselves to take down Cade and Collin—without you.”

  Reese ran a hand through his hair. “You are without doubt the most stubborn, hard-headed woman on the planet. I’m trying to…”

  Jake grabbed his arm. “I strongly suggest you shut up while you’re ahead.”

  “That’s probably what got her through med school, don’t you think?” Nick pointed out. “And probably what you like the most about her.”

  Reese didn’t want to burst his bubble, but her hard head wasn’t it. On the other hand those deep almond eyes of hers could do a number on him.

  Reese gritted his teeth. “Fine. The plan is simple. We make it look like we’re all headed to Catalina in fear, with our tails between our legs. We load the boat with supplies, make sure they know when we’re scheduled to leave, draw them out in the open and finish it, one way or the other.”

  “We’re hoping once they see they’re outnumbered, they’ll give up,” Jake added.

  “But we aren’t counting on it,” Dylan finished.

  “That’s actually not bad,” Quinn muttered.

  “Of course we’re dangling the fact that they’re getting their money back as insurance that they’ll actually show,” Dylan said as he draped his arm around Baylee.

  “But we need weapons. What about it, Trevor?” Baylee asked.

  Dylan was not impressed. “Now, wait just a minute. Has it escaped your memory that you are the mother of a six-month-old baby? You will not…”

  Baylee stepped away from him, let his arm dangle in midair. Her eyes turned to slits. “Do not remind me I’m a mother, Dylan Burke. It’s because I am that…”

  Trevor shook his head. “Hey kids, maybe you could take this argument out of my very crowded room and downstairs until you figure these all important details out.”

  ‘Now see what you’ve done, you’ve upset Trevor,” Baylee said, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “Me? I’m not the one inconsiderate enough to bring up guns when he’s the one lying in bed shot up.”

  “Like you didn’t already think about weapons. Wait, you did consider how we’ll all be armed, right?” Baylee asked. “Please tell me you’ve planned for the guns.”

  “Good point,” Quinn said. “Only a mother could think ahead like that, think on her feet, do that kind of planning, even if it is about—guns.” With that Quinn cracked up. “Baylee and guns, it’s official, we have definitely entered the Twilight Zone, people.”

  “Time out,” Kit shouted over the din. “What happened to the conventional method of dealing with the bad guys? You know, locking them away from decent members of society because they’ve committed numerous felonies and heinous crimes against said society. Why haven’t the cops already arrested the Nutty Brothers for blowing up Quinn’s building? And what about all those missing call girls? And what about Cade killing Claire?”

  “Turns out they have no actual evidence, no fingerprints, no DNA to link them to the arson and they’re just getting started on the call girl theory,” Reese said. “Although there’s a warrant out for Cade about Claire’s murder, they have to find him first.”

  Quinn blew out a breath. “And that falls to us.”

  “For chrissakes, how long does it take for them to do their jobs?” Baylee sighed, reality sinking in. “So it really is up to us?”

  “Looks like.”

  “Then I say we better make it count,” Quinn reasoned.

  CHAPTER 25 Book 3

  Cade didn’t trust Collin enough to leave him alone for five damn minutes.

  For the past forty-eight hours since they’d allowed Gloria to escape things had gone from bad to worse. Not only were their bank accounts at zero, including their overseas accounts, but the financial institutions so far had been unable to trace each wire transfer. The money hadn’t stayed long enough in one account before it had jumped to another.

  The banks told him it might take weeks, even months to unravel the trail, if indeed it could be done at all.

  The people he’d talked to had assured him of one thing though. Whoever had transferred the money had been in possession of the correct codes, every last one of them.

  So how the hell had they gotten access to the numbered accounts?

  It didn’t matter. The money was gone and it wasn’t coming back unless he could get Reese Brennan and those bastards at Billing-Pro Software to hand it over.

  If that hadn’t been bad enough, Cade had finally talked his cousins, Adam and Jacob, into arranging a funeral for Connor, only to drive up to the service and realize the chapel had been crawling with cops.

  Because of that, he hadn’t been able to muster up the balls to crawl out of the vehicle.

  It might’ve had something to do with the fact he had five dead women buried in a grave near the nature preserve. In trying to put an end to Quinn, he’d taken the
lives of eight people. He’d gotten his own cousin Scott killed in a drive-by in which he had yet to own up. And from what Adam told him there was an arrest warrant out for him.

  He had discovered just that morning Adam and Jacob had filed a missing persons report about Scott. The report meant it was only a matter of time before authorities went searching for the cousin he’d already put in the ground. And one more reason for the cops to shove a probe up his ass.

  Inside the motel room they’d rented, Cade looked over at Collin sitting on the bed. The seedy place sat back from the 101 as it met up with State Route 23 in what Cade thought of as a dump. It certainly wasn’t the kind of place he was used to staying. A steady hub of traffic noise coming from outside pissed him off, knowing he couldn’t afford a better place at the moment.

  He watched his sibling fidget and drum his fingers annoyingly on the built-in nightstand.

  At this point, Cade couldn’t be sure Collin wouldn’t spill his guts at the first opportunity and tell Adam and Jacob they’d already put their cousin in the ground, an unmarked four-foot hole next to a bunch of sluts.

  He didn’t think his cousins would appreciate Scott Geller’s final resting place.

  Even though he doubted anyone would discover the bodies on their own, the only other person alive who knew they were there was Collin.

  Since the scene with his brother at the burial site, for some reason that bothered him. He didn’t like the idea of Collin knowing so much because it meant he couldn’t leave him alone for five damn minutes.

  That meant he’d have to make the call to Reese, demand his money back within earshot of his brother. Very much afraid Collin loomed above some precipice and was about to fall off, Cade pointed out, “It’s time to phone Brennan. Are you okay backing me up? Because I need to know if I can count on you no matter what.”

  “I said I’d see this to the finish,” he returned in short, clipped tones. “I keep my word.”