by DiAnn Mills
The bartender laughed. “Maybe he did find religion. Been following him in the paper. Why he took that gal back is beyond me. I’d have filled her with holes.”
“They seem to be happy, but—”
“Krestle, I’m here to socialize, not talk business,” Thatcher said. “Maybe this guy can point me toward the right lady.”
The bartender leaned on the counter. “You’re on your own there, unless you want to pay.”
Thatcher chuckled. “Not my style.”
Daniel nodded to the dance floor. “I think Wilmington used to date that one.”
“I wouldn’t know,” the bartender said. “See the brunette in red over there? He dated her before the gal who sent him to prison.”
“Thanks,” Thatcher said. “I’ll see what I can do. Might get lucky.” He made his way to the dance floor and the brunette.
Now was Daniel’s chance. “I don’t suppose you’re looking for a bouncer,” he said.
“Might be. Wilmington not pay well?”
“Not sure what he’s into. Once did some time, and I don’t want to head back there again.”
“Don’t blame you. Haven’t seen him since before he went to prison. Word is he practically gave away the club.”
“He’s doing the good-guy walk, but the company he keeps is bad.”
The bartender pulled an application from under the counter. “Bring it back tomorrow, and I’ll see what I can do. One of his men used to work here.”
Daniel raised a brow.
“Jack Breacher.”
“He’s dead. My point.”
“What happened to your wrist?”
“I made it out alive.”
CHAPTER 59
2:00 A.M. TUESDAY
TWO DAYS UNTIL OCTOBER 15
Laurel woke at her apartment to the phone ringing. She rolled over and grabbed her burner. Couldn’t sleep with new information marching across her brain anyway.
“This is Daniel. Sorry to leave you alone with Wilmington.”
“He slept a lot and I ran errands. Are you at the condo?”
“Yes.” He explained the bartender’s conversation at the Instantaneous. “Natalie Ashton’s name has shown up twice. Is she helping her husband in the scam, or is he using her? Thatcher had little luck. The woman who used to date Wilmington hasn’t heard from him in over six years. She despises him and has no idea who his current friends are. What about you?”
“I met Cayden and his family at the airport. Rather interesting.”
“Hope you learned something we could use.” Negativity crept into his tone.
“A strong possibility. I’m taking Natalie and her daughter to lunch tomorrow. But that’s not the clincher. Erin Cayden doesn’t look a thing like her parents. She’s the spitting image of Josie Fields.”
“Laurel, don’t leave me hanging.”
“I contacted SSA Preston to dig a little deeper. Our friend Cayden enjoys his family ties. Fields and Messner were half brother and sister. Natalie Cayden is a first cousin through their mother. Eight years ago, Geoff and Natalie adopted an infant girl through an attorney.”
“Are you saying Cayden killed his daughter’s biological mother?”
“Are we surprised? The little girl’s olive complexion in contrast to her parents’ lighter skin hit me as unusual, and she looked so familiar.”
“Let’s talk this through. Geoff Cayden hired his wife’s cousins to do his dirty work about the same time he adopted Fields’s daughter.”
Laurel was fully awake. “My question is where does this put Natalie? She has to know Fields and Messner are dead. How did Cayden explain that?”
“Good question. Did you mention this to Wilmington?”
“No.”
“Think I’ll wake up my friend. Doubt if it brings evidence to make an arrest, but it opens up the dynamics.”
“Call me after you talk to him. I’m too wired to sleep.”
2:15 A.M. TUESDAY
Common sense stopped Daniel from shining a flashlight into Wilmington’s face, but he was furious. One more time it looked like the ex-con had kept vital information to himself. Instead he shook him gently until the man rolled over.
“We have to talk.” Daniel flipped on the lamp.
“All right.” He sat up, rather awkwardly since the wound in his back forced him to sleep on his stomach. “You aren’t happy, so spill it.”
Daniel pulled a chair to his bedside. “Why didn’t you tell us the Instantaneous had been sold to Natalie Ashton?”
“When did that happen?”
“Since ownership was transferred from you to her.”
He rubbed his face. “The club was sold to a corporation out of Florida.”
“Right.”
He shook his head as if he had no clue. “Cayden owns it?”
“His wife does and her name is on the offshore account holding your four mil.”
“Daniel, my attorney took care of the sale. All I wanted was to unload it.”
“Do you know how this looks?”
“Yeah, as though I’m on Cayden’s side. Vega, Breacher, and now this. I’ll talk to him first thing in the morning.”
“Another tidbit of info to jog your memory. The Caydens adopted their daughter.”
He shrugged. “Are you asking? Because I don’t know.”
“Have proof Erin is adopted, and the strange thing is she looks like Natalie’s cousin, Josie Fields.”
Wilmington startled. “Cayden built his operation after we separated.” He paused. “Natalie has to know her cousins are dead.”
“Exactly. Cayden can use her name on business dealings, but how does he explain family deaths? That’s a stretch.”
“Unless she doesn’t have any idea until he plans to tell her. I’m getting up. Need to think this through. Brew the coffee, Daniel.”
Daniel made his way to the kitchen. Sometimes he believed Wilmington, but tonight’s findings shoved back the truth zone. The anger toward those who’d suffered under the hand of the scammer bubbled. Like Laurel, he pushed aside the reality of what they were doing to simply get the job done.
He texted Laurel and explained he and Wilmington would be up most of the night.
I’m on my way.
Daniel analyzed Wilmington, obviously tired, and from his stiffened back, he must be hurting. But Daniel and Laurel weren’t much better off.
Daniel and Wilmington were working on their second cup of coffee when Laurel arrived. She had half moons under her eyes. They all did.
“Have a seat,” Daniel said. “We waited for you to continue the discussion about Natalie Ashton Cayden.”
She sank into a kitchen chair. “So what did you talk about?”
“Gun laws.”
She cringed. “Go ahead. I’m ready.”
Wilmington rubbed his face. “Geoff chose Natalie because she was in love with him and had no idea of his business dealings. She was his cover. A beautiful woman who believed every word he said.”
“I met her,” Laurel said. “Friendly. Protective of Erin. In fact, Cayden did a good job with the doting husband and father routine. But that’s meaningless in light of what we’ve learned.”
“I’m saying Cayden kept Fields’s and Messner’s deaths from her and used her name in his business dealings. He could be planning to . . .” Wilmington’s words trailed off.
“Planning what?” Irritation rose in her voice.
“To leave her and cash in on those things in her name before she files for divorce.”
Daniel raised a finger. “All the twists and turns lead to one question: How will he scam the four hundred guests and make himself look blameless? I have no reason to believe the plan he gave you and Laurel is legit. The public is going to scream for blood. And, ladies and gentlemen, that’s you and Laurel.”
“We were aware of that from the beginning.” Laurel clenched her fist. “But it won’t happen.”
“Looks to me like he has a foolproof plan, originated
eight years ago. You show me how he’s scamming the group on Thursday, and then we can figure out how to catch him . . . or her . . . or both of them.” Or all three. Daniel stood and reached for a coffee refill. “When you have those answers, we’ll arrest him, or them, for murder and fraud too.”
“You’re hotter than I’ve ever seen you,” Wilmington said.
“You weren’t at the funeral of one of my grandparents’ friends, a man who purchased a life insurance policy from Messner.” Daniel’s voice rose. “You weren’t at the hospital when I learned Emma Dockson had died, and now that death is labeled murder. Your grandparents weren’t almost kidnapped from an Uptown parking lot. And what about the other elderly either dead or in Cayden’s database? Yeah, I’m hot. It’s two days to a possible explosion time, and we aren’t much better off than when this started.”
Laurel stared at him, wide-eyed. “Daniel, I’m as angry as you are.” Her voice whispered calm. “We’re exhausted and frustrated. You’re good with pencil and paper. We’ll line up what to do next and do it.”
Daniel grabbed pen and paper from the counter and sat at the dining room table. His face burned in the heat of fury. Wilmington wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “You saved my life. I’d do anything for you. Name it, and I’ll get it done. My back’s better, so don’t cut me any slack.”
Daniel nodded. “Thanks.” He breathed in deeply and wrote Laurel’s name first. He hadn’t lost it for a long time. Actually the unloading felt good. His head cleared. “You’re having lunch with Natalie and Erin tomorrow. Dive into family stuff. Pick her brain. Go shopping. Ask if anyone else close to Cayden will be at the fund-raiser. See if you can get her fingerprints.”
“Got it, and I’ll text Preston in a little while to see what he can find out. I know he thinks that’s useless, but that was before the new info.”
“Okay, Mr. Wilmington. Find out about Erin’s adoption. Is his marriage solid?” Daniel lifted his pen. “He might have had his fill of the wife and her side of the family. Does he care for Erin? What did he mean when he used the word explosion? An explanation about his lack of fingerprints. Plans for future business ventures.”
“I’m the ace when it comes to extracting information. Too bad I can’t use some of my old tactics.”
Daniel chuckled. “Laurel and I could hold him down.” But what if this was all playing into Wilmington’s strategy? He had a reputation for maneuvering people, and Daniel and Laurel could be dancing in tune to his strings. “Now my list. I want to walk around the Junior League. Place the guests, servers, FBI agents, host table, the stage, all of it. Pray for guidance.” He didn’t look at Laurel, but Wilmington offered an amen. He turned to the man. “I have a few loose ends to run down. Ignacio Vega isn’t stupid, and I want to find out what he knows.” He pushed the paper to the middle of the table for the other two to examine. “Can we check in with each other during the day and then regroup here tomorrow night, say seven?”
They all agreed. Soon after, Daniel walked Laurel to her car. “Text me when you get home.”
“Sure. What are you really doing tomorrow?” she whispered.
He smiled in the darkness. “Just exactly what I said, and I intend to follow Wilmington.”
“I have a secret too. I gave Natalie roses. Put a bug in one of the stems and the transmitter in the vase. Talked Preston into listening in.”
“You really think she’s in on it?”
“I’m covering all the bases.”
He took her hand, craving the closeness of her. “I’d kiss you, but Wilmington or Cayden might be watching.”
She opened her car door. “I’ll take a rain check, Officer Hilton. Lots of them.”
CHAPTER 60
10:30 A.M. TUESDAY
Laurel texted SSA Preston regarding Natalie Cayden’s bug. Nothing but family chatter. She asked him to continue monitoring, and he reluctantly agreed.
“Has she ever been in Houston before?”
“We have no flight record for Natalie Ashton or Natalie Cayden. Doesn’t mean she hasn’t been here.”
“Don’t think it’s a rabbit trail to follow right now,” she said.
A short while later, she grabbed her purse and drove to Truluck’s on Westheimer, where she and Natalie had agreed to meet at eleven thirty. The meal went well. Erin talked freely, and her mother encouraged the little girl to be a part of the luncheon.
“How long have you and Geoff been married?”
“We celebrated our tenth anniversary in August. We wanted children, and Erin came along.”
“Morton wants children soon, but I’m a little unsure. Did you have a hard pregnancy?”
“Not at all. Never had morning sickness, and the weight came off easily.” She covered her mouth and laughed. “Erin is adopted.”
“I was chosen,” the little girl said.
Laurel’s emotions sank. She’d been wrong about Natalie, a lovely woman who’d been used as Wilmington suggested. “You are one beautiful little girl.”
“Thank you.”
“Geoff has been smitten since the day she was placed in our arms. She’s his princess, and while he’s putty in her hands, he makes sure she behaves and is respectful. Schooling is a biggie, and we brought her assignments so she won’t lag behind.”
Laurel smiled at Erin. “What’s your favorite subject?”
She touched her chin. “Science. What was yours, Miss Laurel?”
“Math.”
“That’s my number two favorite. And dance.”
Laurel kept up appearances while she chastised herself for chasing a rabbit trail. Two days until the fund-raiser. Two days before four hundred people were scammed. Two days before a possible explosion. She shivered. Where were the answers?
1:30 P.M. TUESDAY
Daniel had followed Wilmington. True to his word, he took a taxi to meet Cayden at a hotel at the Galleria. Stayed one hour and thirty-five minutes and took another taxi back to the condo. Nothing.
Now he felt like the carry-out king. Wilmington had called him and wanted to share what he’d learned from Cayden. Announced he was hungry. The man must have the metabolism of a lion. He put away more food than a football player in training, and none of it transferred to body fat.
Daniel entered the kitchen with a Sonic bag in one hand and a huge drink in the other.
“Thank you, my friend.” Wilmington inhaled the aroma of burger and fries. “Sonic never made the prison menu. Did you bring anything for yourself?”
“It’s all yours. Can’t eat when I’m working hard on a case.” He set the drink on the counter. “Here’s your cherry slush. You’re getting around pretty good with fifteen stitches in your back.”
“Slept well before meeting Cayden and had an hour of prayer.”
Daniel thought lightning would strike the man. Too many signs of deceit. He grabbed two bananas and set one beside Wilmington. “Want a potassium kick with your fries?”
With their food, they sat at a table overlooking the golf course. Wilmington said grace and dug into his double burger and fries. “I’ve learned a few things,” he said between mouthfuls.
“I’m ready,” Daniel said. “I learned nothing about Breacher, and Vega only comes out at night. I’ll be on him later.”
“Have you heard from Laurel?”
“She’s bummed. Natalie told her Erin was adopted. Didn’t read anything into her body language. Natalie asked her to do a little more shopping, and she went along with the idea in case something might slip. She also has a meeting with Thatcher.”
“You don’t like him.”
“Thatcher has a chip on his shoulder the size of Mt. Everest.”
“Needs the Lord.” Wilmington took a long drink of his cherry slush. “You gave me a list, and I did my best. Cayden is bored with his trophy wife. Wandering eye. Found Josie more exciting but got tired of her not following orders. Kept her around because she was Natalie’s cousin and the mother of his child.” He lifted a brow. “Cayden and Jo
sie are Erin’s biological parents. When Josie was shot, he had to dispose of her.”
“Sticky family situations.”
“I told him my concern about my fingerprints and DNA following me the rest of my life. He laughed. Claimed he’d burned his off. Suggested I do the same. Said it helped in many instances, but he hadn’t found a solution for rewriting DNA.”
Wilmington’s features rang true. Would Daniel ever be able to figure this man out before Thursday night? “How did you respond?”
“Said I’d look into it. Questioned him about future business ventures. Asked if the secret partner would be there. He refused to comment. Something’s not right about this.”
“Like he’s taking orders from someone else?”
Wilmington nodded. “I texted Preston on the way back with what I learned. It looked like a book by the time I finished, but I didn’t want to talk with the taxi driver listening.”
“How’d you leave it?”
“Cayden will let me know in time for me and Laurel to get out of the way of the Feds. He’s seen them snooping around the Junior League. The challenge intrigues him.”
“What about the diversion he mentioned earlier?”
“Car bombs during the event.”
“Doesn’t it seem risky to involve his wife and daughter?”
Wilmington shook his head. “He cares about Erin, but Natalie has lost her worth. God help us. I hate to think I was at his level. I’m staying on him. I promise you this won’t go down without a fight.”
Where from here? Daniel prayed for wisdom like he’d never prayed before.
CHAPTER 61
10:45 P.M. TUESDAY
Laurel finished her coffee and stared into Morton’s face. They sat at his round dining table. Daniel had left a few minutes before to trail Vega, and Wilmington was waiting for a call from Cayden. The man had a business proposition to toss.
The awkwardness of once more being alone with Wilmington hovered over her, although he’d exhibited the attributes of a perfect gentleman. Fear snapped her attention. How long would he keep up the charade? The peacefulness in his face made him look younger. Yet if he’d planned her demise, it could happen at any moment. Her gaze swept to her purse and Glock.
