The Perfect Murder--A Novel

by Kat Martin

  “I’ll set it up,” Kenzie said. “But until we can get out of the city, we need to be careful. You have your job to think of, and I have Griff.”

  He nodded. She had a family to consider. Why the hell did everything have to be so complicated?

  They worked till lunch, had a quick meal sent in to his office, then Kenzie returned to her desk to finish out the day. She was gone by the time he cleared his desk and left for home.

  Reese was sitting in the back of the black SUV, Reggie Porter behind the wheel, when his cell phone rang. Chase’s name popped up on the screen. With a sigh of resignation, he pressed the phone against his ear.

  “So I guess you saw the paper,” Reese said.

  “I didn’t see it. Mindy did.” Chase’s receptionist. “Not a surprise. We knew it could happen. That’s not the reason I’m calling. I’ve got something for you. I’d rather talk in person. I’m at the office, but I can meet you wherever.”

  “After the day I’ve had, I could use a drink. How about Clancy’s?” The Irish pub just down the block from Chase’s office, a place The Max crew hung out.

  “That’ll work.”

  “I was on my way home. I’ll have Reggie swing by and drop me off.” Fifteen minutes later, he walked past the old-fashioned etched glass windows and strode into Clancy’s. The interior of the pub was all dark wood, with wooden booths and tables in the dining area and a long oak bar with at least twenty different beers on tap.

  Chase waved as he approached, a bottle of Lone Star already sitting in front of him. Reese took off his suit coat, hung it on the brass hook at the end of the booth, and slid onto the seat across from his brother. Seconds later, a waitress with short curly blond hair arrived to take his order.

  “Jameson,” Reese said. “Neat.”

  The blonde flashed him a smile. “I’ll be right back.”

  Stretching his legs out in front of him, he leaned against the back of the booth. “What’s up?”

  “Aside from your fame in the tabloids?”

  He grunted. “Yeah.”

  Chase took a drink of his beer. “So how are things going with you and Kenzie?”

  “I have no idea. In the office, she’s all business, which is good because it keeps me focused. We haven’t been anywhere together except the police station since this began.”

  “If you’re seriously interested in her, you need to fix that.”

  He sighed. “I know.” Were his feelings for Kenzie serious? She already meant more to him than any woman he could recall, but until he spent more personal time with her, he couldn’t be sure.

  “Haines’s funeral is tomorrow,” Reese said. “I haven’t talked to Kenzie about it, but I’m planning to go. We won’t be together, but at least she’ll know I’m there.”

  Chase nodded.

  Reese’s drink arrived and he took a grateful sip, felt the burn of the alcohol loosen his muscles and joints. “So why are we here?”

  Chase set his beer bottle down on the table. “Hawk called. He’s out of town. Got a lead on a skip he’s been hunting, so he gave me the info he had, figured I could follow up.”

  “And?”

  “Nobody knows anything about Haines’s murder. No rumors, no speculation, nothing. According to what I could get out of Heath Ford, the cops don’t have jack, either. No prints, no blood evidence, absolutely nothing left at the crime scene. The only thing they have is the murder weapon, registered to Kenzie, found two blocks away. It was wiped completely clean. Other than that, zero, zip, nada.”

  Reese sipped his scotch. “And this helps us...how?”

  “According to Hawk—and I agree—the murder had to be a hit. And it had to have been done by a real pro.”

  Reese frowned. “So not a fight that got out of hand or a crime of passion?”

  “No way.”

  Reese felt a rush of relief. He’d always believed in Kenzie’s innocence, but he didn’t like the uncertainty that crept in once in a while. “Hawk have any ideas who might have done it?”

  “Several, actually. His personal favorite is a guy who works for the mob in Louisiana. He’s a real ghost. No one even knows his name.”

  “What makes Hawk think he’s the guy?”

  “Apparently, the shooter’s known for getting the job done without leaving any trace evidence. He’s meticulous in his research and planning. Knows the target inside and out. What the subject does, where he lives, who’s in his bed. He formulates a plan, eliminates his quarry, and does whatever it takes to divert attention away from himself.”

  “Like using the gun that was in Lee’s house, then tossing it for the cops to find.”

  Chase nodded. “He probably knew Haines had the pistol and where he kept it. The shooter might even have known it was registered to his ex.”

  “If the guy was that good, why did it take him three bullets to put Haines away?”

  “Probably the same reason he used Haines’s gun then planted it. To make it look like an amateur instead of a pro.”

  Reese sipped his scotch. “Why would a Louisiana mob hit man want to kill Lee Haines?”

  “No idea. But I’ll keep working on it. Unfortunately, Bran’s headed back to Colorado. He’s got to finish getting the new office set up by the end of the week. He didn’t want to leave but I told him we could handle things here.”

  Bran’s wife, Jessie, loved the city, and he was always up for a new challenge.

  “Bran’s going to keep digging,” Chase said. “He’ll let us know if he comes across anything useful.”

  Reese sipped his whiskey. “I remember Kenzie mentioning Lee’s brother is a Louisiana state senator.”

  “Could be something.”

  “Next time I see Kenzie, I’ll ask her about it.”

  Chase nodded, finished the last of his beer, and slid out of the booth. “Your drink’s on my tab. I’ve got a pretty wife waiting at home. I’ll let you know if I turn up anything new.”

  As his brother left, Reese felt a pang of envy. Once he had wanted the kind of life his brothers now had. After his divorce, that had changed. Marriage to Sandra had soured him. He wasn’t sure he would ever try it again.

  Kenzie’s image popped into his head and arousal slipped through him. There was no doubt he wanted her. More than that? He needed time to find out.

  NINETEEN

  Gran fixed ham and green beans for supper. While the ham was baking, Griff finished his homework. Since Kenzie was upstairs helping him, she and Gran hadn’t had time to talk, but Kenzie knew her grandmother had seen the article in the Spectator. Maybe now she was beginning to understand what Kenzie had tried to explain about the problems of an office romance.

  “Dad’s funeral is tomorrow,” Griff said glumly as he sat at the desk in his bedroom. It was decorated in navy blue and white, a sailing theme because Griff loved the water so much. “I wish it was already over.”

  Kenzie ran a hand over his dark hair and pulled him in for a hug. “So do I, sweetheart. But funerals are a way for people to show their respect for the person who died. And they come to be supportive of the family.”

  He closed his notebook. “I saw on TV where sometimes the killer shows up. The cops come so they can see who’s there, then they can check them out, get evidence, and arrest them.”

  “It’s not exactly like the movies, sweetie.”

  “I’m going to watch for anyone who looks suspicious. Maybe we can catch him ourselves.”

  She bent down to his level and cupped his cheek. “You need to leave the detective work to the police.”

  Griff didn’t argue, but she could tell by the mutinous look in his eyes he’d be watchful during the service. Maybe a distraction would help lessen his grief.

  Homework finished, they went down to supper. Afterward Griff helped Kenzie clear the dishes then went back up to his room. She
was watching him climb the stairs when her cell phone rang. She didn’t recognize the number, but it was local, so she took the call.

  “Kenzie, this is Martin Bales, Lee’s attorney. I’m sorry to call you at home, but I needed a little more time to go over things. I wanted to be sure I had everything correct.”

  “What’s this about, Martin?”

  “I wanted to let you know Griffin is the beneficiary of Lee’s life insurance policy.”

  Surprise filtered through her. “I didn’t know he had a policy, but it’s good to know Lee was thinking of his son.”

  In his own way, Lee had loved Griff. He’d just been too selfish to ever have time for him. Which was probably good considering his abusive behavior. She hadn’t considered using the information against him in the custody battle, but if he hadn’t been killed she might have been forced to. Except she didn’t want Griff to know.

  Unease slipped through her. Protecting Griff gave her a motive for the crime, exactly what the police were probably thinking.

  “It’s quite a large sum, Kenzie,” Bales continued, returning her attention to the call. “Three million dollars.”

  “What?”

  “That’s right. As his mother, you’re his guardian. Lee also named you Griffin’s custodian, which means you’ll be managing his money until he reaches his majority at age eighteen.”

  A three-million-dollar life insurance policy—and I’m in charge of the money. Her hand tightened on the phone. “No, Martin, I can’t do it. You have to appoint someone else.”

  “It’s too late for that, Kenzie. You need to think about what’s best for Griff. You’re a smart businesswoman. You’ll make good choices for your son. No matter what happened between you and Lee, he trusted you. He knew you’d take care of Griff.”

  Kenzie fell silent, her mind spinning with the ramifications of what this would mean.

  “I’d like you to come down to my office as soon as possible,” Martin said. “We can go over the details and I’ll explain things.”

  She didn’t answer.

  “Kenzie?”

  “Yes, all right. I’ll come down to your office.”

  “Call my secretary in the morning and set up a time. I’ll see you at the funeral. Good night.”

  The line went dead. She turned to see her grandmother watching her. “More trouble?” Gran asked.

  “Lee had a life insurance policy, Gran. Three million dollars.” Her chest tightened. “Griff’s the beneficiary, and I’m in charge of the money.” She swallowed and turned away. “I have to go. I need to see Reese.”

  Her grandmother dried her hands on the dish towel she was holding. “I’ll put Griff to bed. You do whatever you need to, honey.”

  Kenzie grabbed her purse off the breakfast bar, paused long enough to kiss Gran’s cheek, and headed for the garage. A few minutes later, she pulled her Subaru into a visitors’ parking space in front of Reese’s condominium building. She had never been there. In today’s business world, it was too risky for an employer to entertain a female employee in his home.

  Too late to worry about that now.

  A uniformed guard in the lobby, thick silver hair, slightly overweight, rose from his seat behind the counter. “May I help you?”

  “I need to see Reese Garrett. Can you let him know Kenzie Haines is here?”

  “Of course, Ms. Haines.” The guard made the call and gave Reese her name. “You can go right on up,” he said. “His elevator is the one on the right. He’ll enter the code.”

  She hurried in that direction. As she stepped inside and the doors closed, it occurred to her that Reese might have a woman in his apartment, something she had failed to consider. Surely he wouldn’t allow her to come up if he had someone there.

  On the other hand, they hadn’t established any rules. Kenzie had no interest in seeing anyone else, but what about Reese?

  She prayed he was alone as the private car swept up to the top floor of the high-rise building. The moment the doors opened and she stepped into the entry, Reese pulled her into his arms.

  “Reese...” Her eyes closed in relief. She was shaking, she realized, as she slid her arms around his neck. With a sigh, she pressed herself against him and just hung on.

  “It’s all right, baby. I’m right here. Whatever’s going on, it’s going to be okay.”

  She felt his hand running up and down her back, reassuring her. Just being with him settled her nerves. She held on a little longer, then let go.

  “I should have called first,” she said. “But I...I wasn’t thinking. I just... I had to see you.”

  He led her farther into the apartment and eased her down onto the sofa in the living room, an elegant space with lots of glass and polished dark wood floors, a sleekly modern, high-ceilinged interior done in white and silver with cool aqua accents.

  It was as beautiful and remote as Reese was on the outside, giving no hint of the warm, caring man he was on the inside. She was sure someone else had done the design with little input from Reese.

  “Tell me what’s happened,” he said, looking down at her from his superior height. He was wearing faded jeans and a soft white cotton T-shirt that hugged his powerful chest. She had never seen him dressed in such casual clothes, but he looked good. So incredibly good.

  Kenzie swallowed. “I got a call after supper. It was Lee’s attorney, Martin Bales. According to Bales, Lee had a life insurance policy. Three million dollars, Reese. And Griff is the beneficiary.” Nerves slid through her. “Worse than that, Lee named me custodian. That means I have control of the funds until Griff turns eighteen. Oh, God.” She pressed her fingers over her trembling lips. “The police are going to be sure I killed Lee to get the money. Reese, I’m so scared.”

  He sat down beside her, eased her down beside him and into his arms. “It’s okay, baby. The money Griff inherited has nothing to do with you. Every man wants to insure his son’s future. Even Lee Haines.”

  She should have anticipated Lee doing something like this. He was always talking about his son being his legacy. And because he had been just thirty-five, Lee’s death benefit policy wouldn’t have been that expensive.

  “Maybe there’s a way to prove I didn’t know anything about it,” she said.

  “Maybe. You have the best criminal attorney in Dallas working for you, along with my brothers, both top-notch detectives. We’ll figure it out.”

  Some of her tension eased. She could feel the heat of his body beside her, incredibly solid and strong. The muscles in his biceps flexed and desire slipped through her. It was completely unexpected and totally out of place. She pressed her knees together, but it only made it worse.

  “I know I shouldn’t have come,” she said. “But I wanted you to hear it from me. I needed you to know the truth, and...”

  “And what?” His beautiful blue eyes searched her face.

  “And I just needed to see you.”

  His gaze didn’t waver and Kenzie couldn’t look away. He must have read the desire she was trying so hard to hide because his pupils flared. Her heart skittered an instant before he tipped her chin up and settled his mouth over hers.

  Hunger hit her full force. Kenzie clutched his shoulders and Reese deepened the kiss, turning it hot, wet, and intense, completely swamping her senses. It went on and on until her skin felt flushed, her body damp and throbbing. She could feel Reese’s arousal, hard against her thigh.

  “I needed to see you, too,” he said pressing soft kisses to the corners of her mouth. “Being with you again like this is all I’ve thought about since we were together. Holding you. Kissing you. Being inside you.”

  “Reese...”

  He pulled back a little. “I’m sorry. I know you didn’t come here for this, but—”

  Kenzie captured his face between her hands and silenced him with a kiss. He was right. She hadn’t co
me here for this—or maybe she had. She kept on kissing him, aching for him with a desperation even greater than before.

  Reese unbuttoned her simple cotton blouse and slid it off her shoulders, unhooked her plain white cotton bra and tossed it away. She hadn’t dressed for seduction, hadn’t thought that far ahead.

  “Such pretty breasts,” he said, thumbing her nipple, turning it hard, then settling his mouth there, tugging until she moaned.

  He kissed her as he stripped away her clothes, then shed his own. The time he spent keeping himself in shape showed in his solid biceps and six-pack abs. She ran her fingers over his tanned chest and amazing pecs, ringed a flat copper nipple, and heard him groan.

  “I want you,” he said, caressing her breasts as he eased her back onto the sofa and settled himself between her legs. “I need this so much, Kenzie. I need you.”

  “I need you, too, Reese.”

  Reese kissed his way down her body, kissed the inside of her thighs. She was trembling when he began to pleasure her with his mouth and his hands, bringing her to a shattering climax. Then he came up over her and slid deep inside, kissed her as he began to move.

  Kenzie thought that she had never known what sex really was until she’d made love with Reese. As his strong, deep thrusts carried her higher, driving her toward the peak again, Kenzie squirmed beneath him, silently begging for more.

  “Not yet,” he said, drawing her hands above her head and locking her wrists together. “Not until it’s time.” In and out, fast and then slow, setting up a rhythm so delicious she began to moan.

  She started pleading, saying his name over and over. It embarrassed her—and it turned her on.

  “You want more?” he asked, pausing.

  “Yes, oh, God, Reese, please don’t stop...”

  He kissed the side of her neck, then took her mouth, let go of her wrists as he began to move faster, deeper, harder. Pleasure tore through her, stretched into what seemed eternity. For the second time, she was flying, tears in her eyes, her heart filled with emotion.

  Afterward, Reese just held her. “You okay? I was a little rough. It wasn’t too much?”