Without Warning

by Lynette Eason

  Quinn studied her for a moment. “That’s not the answer I’m looking for. You know you want to.”

  Yes. Yes she did. “It’s not a matter of want to, you know that.”

  “Come on, Katie, you can do this.”

  “Quinn . . .” She sighed.

  “Just come. Stand there and watch the fire. Give me feedback on it. You don’t have to do anything else.”

  His furrowed brow and intense stare didn’t faze her. Her internal struggle did. Very few people knew the reason she was no longer with ATF. Quinn was one of those people. “Fine. I’ll ride over. I know where the place is.” She pursed her lips, wanting to recall the words. But she didn’t.

  She caught the brief flash of surprise in his eyes before he nodded. “Good. See you there.”

  “Where’s Daniel?”

  “Still answering questions. He’s pretty shaken up.”

  “Are you going to arrest him?” she asked.

  He blew out a puff of air. “No. Like I said, I don’t think he did it. But even if I did think him guilty, I’ve got no evidence to support an arrest tonight.”

  She hesitated. “Why don’t I give him a ride? I can come back here on my way home and drop him off to get his car.”

  “I’ll tell him.”

  So much for her renovation vacation.

  [2]

  Saturday morning

  1:44 AM

  Daniel sat in the passenger seat of Katie’s Jeep. He inhaled the scent of new leather. She had good taste. He blinked. Was he really noticing her car when a man had been hung in A Taste of Yesterday’s basement and one of his other restaurants was now burning?

  It must be some kind of coping mechanism. His brain couldn’t handle reality right now. Kind of like when he’d been on active duty in the Middle East. He drew in a deep breath and forced the images he’d seen there from his head. He closed his eyes and pictured Riley’s sweet face, her smile, thought about her robust laugh that had been all too infrequent since her parents’ deaths. Katie’s face slid over Riley’s and he jerked. Blinked. Then glanced at her.

  She was of a mixed heritage, with her dark hair and eyes and light brown skin. A combination of genes that made up a physically gorgeous woman. She wore her long wavy hair up in a tight ponytail that pulled just enough to enhance her high cheekbones. From what Riley had to say, her heart was just as beautiful. The fact that she’d been concerned enough to stop when she saw the flashing lights at his restaurant spoke clearly to that.

  Katie drove in silence, her features tense. He appreciated that she didn’t spout platitudes or even try to offer comfort. He’d met her only a few times when he’d gone to watch Riley at the self-defense demonstrations her classes had done. He remembered being impressed by Katie’s students—and her. Detective Holcombe hadn’t explained anything to him when he’d told him to ride with her, just that she was going to the scene at the detective’s request. “What made you stop? The lights? The fact that you know Riley?”

  She glanced at him, then back to the road. “I recognized the restaurant as being yours,” she said. “So, all of the above.”

  “I appreciate that.” He paused. “Riley really looks up to you.” Small talk? But what else was he supposed to do? Bang on the dashboard and demand an explanation from a God he wasn’t on speaking terms with?

  “She’s a great girl who’s got her head on straight, her priorities lined up well,” Katie said.

  The blaze just ahead caught his attention and all thoughts of conversation fled. Law enforcement and emergency vehicles swarmed the area. Katie flashed some kind of badge and an officer waved her through. The strobe-type lights blinded him, bringing on an instant headache. Daniel opened his door and stepped out. Cold air blasted him, even through the heat and smoke from the burning building. He processed the sight, his heart thudding a heavy beat in his chest. A sick feeling swept over him and he drew in a deep breath. Then coughed on the smoke that filtered into his lungs.

  “Unbelievable. Please tell me no one was in there,” he whispered.

  She flicked a glance at him. “I don’t know. We’ll find out soon enough.”

  How she’d heard him over the roar of the fire and the organized chaos he didn’t know. Firefighters were already on the scene and working to get the blaze under control. Two ambulances stood ready. His mind flipped through the names of the employees who worked at this location, but he had no idea who would have closed the store. The manager took care of the schedule.

  Daniel stared, struggling to process the devastation in addition to the murder. What had happened to his world?

  “Hope they can keep it contained,” Katie said. “It’s getting pretty close to the building to the left.”

  “At least there’s no one in the lot to the right.” The area was in the process of being cleared and a large backhoe sat waiting for someone to fire it up to finish the job.

  Katie stared at the fire and shook her head. “This can’t be a coincidence.” She pulled a phone from her back pocket and punched in a number. “Hey, Olivia, sorry to call so late, but I need a favor.”

  Daniel didn’t know who the person on the other end of the line was, but he listened as he tried to think. He heard her explain the situation.

  “Yeah, I know. I think someone needs to go by his house and keep an eye on it. As well as the other restaurant downtown.”

  Daniel finally processed what she was saying. He faced her. “Wait a minute. What? Go by my house?”

  She met his gaze. “Okay, thanks. I’ll let you know when he heads that way.” She hung up.

  His eyes narrowed. “You think Riley’s in danger?”

  “I don’t know, but if I were you, I’d consider it a slight possibility. And even a slight one is a possibility to pay attention to. It’s no accident someone hung a body in your basement.” She nodded to the fire. “I’m willing to bet that’s not an accident either.”

  He looked her straight in the eye. “So who did you send to my house?”

  “A friend and partner. Her name is Olivia Edwards. She’ll show Riley her identification, but Riley’s met her a couple of times when Olivia’s taught the self-defense class, so she’ll know her.” She looked back at the fire. “If I were you, I’d want someone there with her, because this definitely concerns me.”

  “So you’re saying what I’m thinking.”

  “If you’re thinking that it’s entirely possible you’ve become a target, then yes. And until it’s proven otherwise, I’m saying I think you should be smart. Nobody does stuff like this without a motive. Until we learn what that is, you need to take some serious precautions.”

  Her words hit him hard. He wanted to protest but had no rebuttal that sounded logical. He couldn’t deny what had happened tonight—was happening in front of his eyes at that very moment. “Okay, I can’t talk about this now. If there’s even a hint of a possibility that Riley’s in danger, I’ve got to get home. Can you take me? If not, I can call a cab.” He looked back at the burning building, sadness and loss threatening to overwhelm him.

  “Even if you left right now, Olivia will still beat you there. But it would be a good idea to let Riley know she’s coming.”

  He pulled his phone out of the clip and sent the short text. He’d let Olivia go into more detail when she got there. He waited for Riley’s response, which came lightning fast.

  Olivia Edwards? What? Seriously? She’s a BODYGUARD. WHY DO I NEED A BODYGUARD??? Where are you? WHAT IS GOING ON????

  He winced. She was still up, probably waiting on him to get home. Sometimes she acted more like his mother than his niece.

  I’ll explain as soon as I get there, I promise, just ask for identification when the woman gets there.

  I know Olivia, I don’t need to see her ID. Daniel Matthews, you’re scaring me. Call me.

  Detective Holcombe approached, his tight lips and narrowed eyes not boding well for whatever he had to say. Daniel tensed as though getting ready to ward off a blow. He shot
Riley a quick reply.

  Have to go. Talk to you soon. Text me when Olivia gets there.

  As soon as he hit send, his phone rang. He glanced at the screen. “It’s Riley. I need to answer.” He paused. “But I want to hear whatever it is you’ve got to say.” He stepped away from Katie and Detective Holcombe and pressed the phone to his ear. “Hey.”

  “Uncle Daniel, are you all right? First I get your crazy text, then Beth texted and said one of the restaurants is on fire!”

  Beth Sawyer, Riley’s best friend. And perpetual night owl and news junkie. He glanced at the news vans already on the scene. He was surprised they hadn’t been clamoring to get to him. Beth had either seen something on television or—more likely—a breaking news banner that had come across her iPhone. “I’m fine,” he said. He kept his voice low and reassuring. “And yes, it’s been quite a night. I’ll tell you more about it when I get home.”

  “When will that be?”

  “I’m not sure. Just go to sleep. I’ll be there when everything calms down.”

  “Go to sleep? Really? I’ll come to the restaurant. You need someone there with you.”

  “No,” he barked. Silence. He drew in a breath. “Sorry, didn’t mean to snap. Katie Singleton is here.”

  “My self-defense instructor?”

  “Yes.”

  “Oh. But how—”

  “It’s a long story, I’ll give you all the details when I get home. There’s nothing you can do right now. Just stay home, okay?”

  “Fine, but I’m going to keep my phone nearby. Call me if you need to.”

  Again he wondered who took care of whom. “I will, Princess, I promise.” The detective and Katie glanced at him. “Now I’ve got to go.”

  “Fine. Bye. And don’t call me Princess. I love you.”

  “Love you too, Princess.”

  He hung up on her groan and turned to find Katie and Detective Holcombe in deep conversation. He moved closer to hear. It was his restaurant, he figured he needed to be in on the details. He started to listen, but his phone buzzed again.

  Riley

  GET MOM’S BOX.

  Then a second text on the next line.

  PLEASE. If you can.

  I’ll do my best.

  Her mother’s marble box. The one he’d kept at the restaurant. The box was a lovely antique marble keepsake that Riley had spent hours playing with as a child. When he’d started opening his restaurants, he placed one item that had belonged to his brother and sister-in-law in each store. It had been like having a piece of them with him in every location. He glanced at the destruction that had once been a thriving business and sighed. Would the box survive? He hoped so. For Riley’s sake. But he’d have to worry about that later.

  Katie and Holcombe stopped talking at his approach. “So what now?” he asked.

  “Once they get the fire out, there’ll be an investigation,” the detective said.

  “Of course.” Daniel nodded, his eyes sliding back to the fire. “No one was in there, right?”

  “Not that we can tell. It looks like the fire started in the kitchen. When the firefighters got here, there was an explosion. When they tried to get in the back, there was something barricading the door. By the time they made a way in through the wall, the flames were hot and high, but they think the explosion came from the gas stove. Right now, they’ve got the blaze under control.”

  Daniel thought his blood pressure might just cause him to stroke out. He swiped his forehead with the back of his hand. Thirty degrees and he was sweating. “So there’s no doubt this is deliberate.”

  Katie pressed a Kleenex into his hand and then slipped the packet back into her jacket pocket. He pressed the tissue against his upper lip and forehead, then crumpled it into a ball, his fist tight.

  “I’m not an arson investigator, but it looks pretty suspicious to me. We’ll have to wait for the official report before making that call.” Holcombe cleared his throat. “So we talked to a couple of your employees.”

  “You woke them up?”

  “Yeah. We have to do that sometimes. Like when we’re trying to solve a murder.”

  Daniel met the man’s gaze. “Why the sarcasm?” he asked.

  “I don’t like it when people don’t tell me everything.”

  “Such as?”

  “Such as I’m still thinking about the argument you had with the dead man.”

  “Okay, what about it?”

  “So you fired him.”

  “I did,” Daniel growled. “You already know that. And you know why. I caught him stealing from me.”

  “But you didn’t call the cops.”

  “Again, you know that I didn’t.”

  “Because his daughter would go into the system if you did.”

  Impatience threatened. “Yes. Partly.”

  “What’s the other part?”

  “I believe people deserve a second chance.”

  “Is that why you went to his house a few days ago?”

  Daniel drew in a breath. “Well, if you’ve talked to his daughter or his mother, you know why I went to his house.”

  “Actually Mrs. Armstrong said you and her son talked privately, and after several minutes he yelled and ordered you out of the house. She said he never told her what you two argued about, but she overheard you tell him you hoped he didn’t wake up one day with nothing but regrets.”

  “Yes. That’s true.”

  “So what did you argue about?”

  Daniel massaged his temples. “I offered to set up a college fund for his daughter if he’d go to counseling.”

  “And that made him mad.”

  “Yep.” Daniel’s temper had been ignited and he was struggling not to punch the guy. He saw where this was going. But he’d left his hotheaded reactions in his youthful past. He would control himself. With effort, but he would.

  Detective Holcombe tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  “He said it wasn’t any of my business and told me to stay out of his life.”

  “I see.”

  “I don’t think you do, but you’re going to believe what you want anyway, aren’t you?”

  Holcombe ignored the dig. “Did Armstrong come back tonight to confront you?” He glanced down at Daniel’s rock-hard fists. “Maybe you lost your temper and took things a little too far? Or he reached for a weapon—”

  “And so I killed him and hung him in the basement to make it look like a suicide?” Daniel gritted the words through his teeth. The detective lifted a brow. Daniel snorted. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Why would I kill someone and hang them in my own restaurant when I own a gun and could’ve shot him miles away from here and not be under suspicion?” Daniel stepped forward, locked his eyes on the detective, and made sure he had his full attention. “Look, Detective, my brother and sister-in-law were killed by a drunk driver. A drunk driver who suffered a slight concussion and walked away to drink again—and will probably kill someone else when he gets out of prison next year. If I was going to kill someone, Armstrong wouldn’t have been my first choice.”

  The detective stilled but kept a steady gaze on Daniel.

  Daniel let out a sigh, shook his head, and uncurled his fists. “Yeah. I have a temper.” He took a deep breath. “But it’s one I’ve learned to control.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “How do you figure?”

  Daniel placed his hands on his hips. “You’re still standing, aren’t you?”

  Katie, who’d been silent and watchful during the entire exchange, let out a low sound, either a snort or a chuckle, Daniel couldn’t tell which. Quinn lifted a brow and Katie cleared her throat. “Quinn, this isn’t getting us anywhere. Chill.” She looked at Daniel. “You too.”

  Holcombe rubbed his bloodshot eyes and nodded. “Right. So you had an argument with the guy because he was stealing from you.”

  “Yes,” Daniel said, the word short and clipped.
/>   “Your employee also said you threatened him.”

  That stilled Daniel. “What? Threatened him how?”

  “Said you threatened that if he didn’t straighten up and fly right, you’d make sure he lost everything he had.”

  Daniel blinked, his brain churning. “I never said that.”

  “What did you say?”

  “I told him if he didn’t straighten up and fly right, he would lose everything he had. Quite a bit of a difference in meaning.” His frown deepened. “Who’s the employee anyway?”

  “She didn’t want her name revealed to you.”

  Daniel stared, then shook his head. “Unbelievable,” he muttered. He ran through the list of employees in his head but couldn’t pick out a specific one who might have a grudge against him. He’d be sure to find that out as soon as possible.

  The detective wrote something else down and looked back up. “You own a gun?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where is it?”

  “Locked in my desk drawer at the other restaurant.”

  “I’ll want to see it.”

  “Then we’ll need to get back over there.”

  “We’ll do that as soon as I can leave here,” Holcombe said.

  He felt Katie’s gaze on him and looked at her.

  “You’ve become a target,” she said. “Why?”

  “That’s the million-dollar question for the night, isn’t it? What do you think?”

  “I think you might be the only one who can answer that. You have any enemies?”

  He flinched before he could stop it. Then sighed and ran a hand through his already seriously mussed hair. “Probably a few.”

  “Shocking,” Holcombe muttered.

  “Shut up, Quinn,” Katie murmured.

  Holcombe’s complete about-face, going from believing him not guilty to thinking he had something to do with Armstrong’s death and the fire, had Daniel’s blood boiling. He turned his back on the detective. “Most of them are overseas, though. Then again, they consider all Americans the enemy.”