“I’ve examined their computer system,” said Katarina.
A flat keyboard lay in front of her. She tapped on the keys. A screen that had been hidden in the ceiling lowered silently. It filled with an image of the resort—probably taken from a promotional shot. A large hotel sat on an expanse of green. The Rocky Mountains, capped with white, were in the distance.
The vision left his pulse racing.
“This is the resort,” said Katarina before changing the image on the screen to a blueprint of the facility. A red dot pulsed in a back corner. “And this is where the surveillance equipment, along with an on-site server, is housed. It’s lucky for us that they have their own server.”
“It’s probably because the rural internet is so spotty,” said Liam. Sure, he really didn’t care for technology. Yet he’d come to appreciate a strong cellular signal.
“You’re right,” said Katarina. “And what’s more, it works to our advantage.”
Works to our advantage? “For what?”
It was Marcus who spoke. “We need to tap the phone system and the security cameras. That will give us access to every call that comes into the White Wind. If Darcy calls again, we’ll be ready. This time, we’ll be listening.”
Liam shifted in his seat. True, he didn’t see himself as a team player, but at least he followed the rules. “Is this legal?”
Marcus lifted his hand, measuring out a small space between forefinger and thumb. “It’s close to legal.”
It was then that it hit him. Marcus Jones reminded Liam of his cousin, Charlie. A tendril of guilt uncoiled in his chest and Liam couldn’t breathe.
Hadn’t Charlie been overly sure of himself? Arrogant, even?
The memory of the last time he saw his cousin came from so many years ago, it should’ve been nothing more than a murky shadow. Yet the recollection was sharp and stark.
Liam forced air into his lungs, certain that his chest would burst. He exhaled long and slow, shoving the past aside. “Is this assignment about justice or making sure that RMJ solves the case?”
Marcus paused. “What does it matter if we find Darcy Owens?”
“It matters if judgment is tainted by ego.”
“There are no egos involved in this search,” said Marcus.
“No offense,” said Liam, “but I don’t believe you. The way I see it, RMJ has lost the chance of catching Darcy Owens twice. If one of your operatives brings her in, then the other failures will be forgotten. If not, it becomes a defining and negative moment for the agency.”
Marcus seemed to mull that over, then said, “You aren’t completely wrong, but you aren’t completely right, either. Darcy is dangerous, and she needs to be stopped before she kills again. Sure, she’s become RMJ’s problem, but I always make sure we fix everything we’ve broken.” He hesitated. “And there’s the fact that she attacked Julia and left her for dead. If wanting to go after Darcy Owens makes me a vengeful egomaniac to you, tough. But RMJ takes care of their own. Always.”
“I assume you have a plan,” said Liam.
Wyatt spoke. “We need to get someone inside the resort. It has to be someone that Darcy has never seen—on the off chance that she visits her contact personally.” Picking up a cell phone, he held it out to Liam. “This has special facial recognition software. You need to take pictures of as many people as possible.”
“I need to take the pictures? What are you saying?” he asked, although he already knew. “Am I supposed to be the undercover operative?”
“You might be the only person at RMJ who Darcy’s never seen,” said Marcus. “It has to be you.”
“And how in the hell am I supposed to do this? My situation hasn’t changed since yesterday,” said Liam. “I still have a child to take care of.”
“No offense, but that’s not our problem,” said Marcus. “You’ll have to find a sitter.”
“My girlfriend, Everly, might be able to help out,” Wyatt offered.
Liam’s pulse raced, hammering in the back of his skull. He inhaled. Exhaled. Reminded himself that parents everywhere needed additional childcare. In fact, didn’t Saplings offer overnight care? “I think I can manage, but thanks,” he said to Wyatt, thankful for the gesture.
“There’s more,” said Marcus.
“Why am I not surprised to hear you say that?”
“A single man arriving at the resort will look suspicious,” said Katarina. “We need to provide you with a fake wife.”
“You?” he asked, pointing.
“In your dreams,” she said with a wink.
“We haven’t found the right candidate,” said Marcus. “Yet. But by the time you leave tomorrow morning, you’ll have a new, pretend spouse.”
“You know,” said Liam, as the perfect person came to mind, “I think I know just who to call.”
* * *
Holly’s day could be described in one word. Horrible.
It began when she announced to the staff that ownership of the school was changing hands. She tried to tell herself that the sale was just business, even though she knew that wasn’t true.
She’d left Tonya in charge of the late-day pickups. And at 5:00 p.m. she turned out of the parking lot and started the short drive toward Pleasant Pines, and from there, her home.
Her cell rang and a number appeared on her in-car phone system. She didn’t recognize the caller but answered anyway.
“Hello?”
“Dr. Jacobs, I’m glad that I caught you,” said a male voice she recognized but couldn’t place. “This is Marcus Jones again. From RMJ. I was wondering if there’s a time that you can meet with my team.”
Holly drew her eyebrows together in confusion. She had already discussed the Darcy Owens case with Marcus Jones. Without more detailed information on the subject, she really didn’t have anything else to add. More than that, she wasn’t in the mood for another meeting. Turning a corner, Holly began to drive down Main Street. Streetlights illuminated the town square and the whitewashed gazebo. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’m not sure that I have anything else to add to the discussion we had earlier today.”
“Actually, I need to hire someone on a temporary basis. I think that you’re the perfect person for this job.”
Temporary job? He definitely had Holly’s attention. “Actually,” she said, “I’m free now.”
“Good,” Marcus said. “Can you meet me at Sally’s on Main?”
Holly glanced in her rearview mirror. The business district was nothing more than a glare of lights. Ahead of her was home, and safety, and a place to collect her thoughts. Then again, there was no reason to go home now. No children. No husband. Shoot, Holly didn’t even have a cat.
She turned around in the middle of the deserted street. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”
Chapter 9
Holly pulled into a parking place next to Sally’s on Main and looked up and down the street. It wasn’t simply scanning her surroundings, she knew. Rather, she was looking for Liam Alexander or his silver sedan.
It wasn’t there.
Holly walked up the street. Using her shoulder, she opened the restaurant door. Marcus Jones and his coworker Wyatt Thornton sat at a booth in the back of the restaurant. There were no other patrons seated nearby.
Jones spotted her at the same time she saw him. He stood as she approached. “Thanks for meeting us on such short notice.”
She slid into the booth, taking a seat next to Wyatt. Even if Holly could never get the money to pay off all her debts and keep the school open, she did need some kind of cash flow in order to survive. “You said you had a temporary job.”
“First, what we’re about to tell you is for you alone,” said Marcus. “Is that clear?”
“I understand about the need for confidentiality,” she said. “Trust me.”
“We have reason t
o believe that Darcy Owens has a connection to the White Wind resort,” said Wyatt, his voice low despite the fact that nobody was at any of the adjoining tables.
The news hit Holly like a shock of electricity. It was a sharp pain, followed by a racing pulse. “How could you know that?”
“It turns out that Darcy was hiding in the woods not far from here. We found her hiding place and discovered that she made a call to the resort. The call lasted four minutes. Everyone at the resort has been questioned, yet nobody admits to talking to her.”
“I’d say someone is lying, but who? And why?”
“That’s what we all want to know. And to find that out, we need someone inside the resort. We have to access the phone system and the security cameras, but because we don’t know who we can—or can’t—trust, our team has to go in undercover.”
Holly had to admit she was intrigued by all the cloak-and-dagger business. Still, why was she sitting here? “How do I fit into your investigation? I’m no IT expert.”
“You don’t have to worry about any of that. Our operative is being trained in what to do right now. The operative is going to register at the resort as a guest and stay there for two nights. What he needs is someone to pose as his wife.”
“His what?” Holly practically yelled, drawing glances from the few other patrons. She lowered her voice and leaned in close. “Look, guys, I really want to see Darcy Owens caught and brought to justice, but if you think I’m going to be a fake wife, then both of you are nuts. Trust me, I have the credentials to give that diagnosis.” Reaching for her bag, she slid from the booth and stood. Turning, she stopped short. He was right there. Liam Alexander.
“Hey,” he said.
Liam was close enough that she could smell the mint of his gum.
“Hey.” Her heart pounded against her ribs.
“Sorry I’m late,” said Liam. “Katarina was very patient in teaching me everything I’ll need to know about the server.”
Just then, Holly understood everything. Liam asking if she consulted with police on cases, followed by the arrival of Marcus and Wyatt. Liam’s intake form at the school with private security listed as his occupation. The mention of his coworker who’d been injured and airlifted to the hospital. It all made sense now. “Did you suggest that I pose as your wife?”
“I did,” he said. “Your background makes you an asset to this case. You might be able to figure out why someone would help a killer.”
Suddenly, the plan didn’t seem so bad to Holly.
“You’d get paid,” said Liam.
Holly looked over her shoulder and met Marcus’s gaze. “What’s your rate?”
“Consultants get a thousand dollars a day. We’d need you from Wednesday until Friday.”
Friday. The same day that her school would be sold to cover all her loans. “I’m not sure this is a good time for me...” she began.
“Twenty-thousand,” said Liam.
“Twenty-thousand, what?” asked Marcus.
“Holly needs twenty-thousand dollars to go to the resort with me.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Marcus with a shake of his head. “No way. We’ll find someone else.”
“With her qualifications? By tomorrow morning?” Liam asked.
Marcus sighed. “I won’t give you that kind of money unless you find a clear connection to Darcy Owens.”
Liam asked, “If we don’t?”
“Holly gets what she earned.”
“Understood,” said Liam. “Holly, what do you say? Will you help me?”
She paused. “I don’t have anything to lose and everything to gain.” And then she said, “What about Sophie? You can’t bring her with you. Us.”
“I already spoke to Tonya. She’s going to pick up Sophie for school tomorrow morning. She’ll bring her home at the end of the day and stay at the house both nights. That way Sophie’s at least in her own home.”
Holly smiled. Liam had told her that he was worried about his lack of parenting skills. From what she saw, he was already a really good dad.
“Now that’s settled, let’s get down to business,” Marcus said. “Your reservation is for tomorrow morning. I need you there on time.”
“Sure thing,” said Liam. “Holly, I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning.”
“No way,” said Holly. “If we’re supposed to be prompt, I’ll come and get you.”
* * *
Just before eight on Wednesday morning, Holly pulled her car up to the curb next to Liam’s house and turned off the engine. The lawn was tipped with white frost. Spring in Wyoming meant she should expect almost any conditions and today was no exception. According to her weather app, the morning would be cold, the day mild, and then rain showers in the evening.
For a two-night stay, Holly had packed enough for a week-long trip. She wrestled the suitcase, filled with everything from gloves and a winter coat to a bathing suit for the pool and sauna, from the back seat and crossed the lawn. With a sigh, she rang the doorbell and waited as far-off chimes echoed throughout the house.
“One minute...” Liam’s voice came from somewhere inside. After a moment, he asked, “Holly? Is that you?”
Pressing her mouth to the door frame, she called back, “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, it’s just... Come on in,” Liam called. “I’m going to be a few minutes.”
Holly pushed the door open and stepped into the house. The small entryway was hazy with smoke. A smoke detector blared somewhere close. A duffel bag sat next to a set of stairs. Holly stowed her bag with the other. “Liam? Sophie? Everything okay? It smells like something’s burning.”
“Come into the kitchen,” he said. “I’m making breakfast.”
Holly followed the sound of his voice through a darkened living room, full of moving boxes that had yet to be unpacked. The kitchen sat at the back of the house. Like all of the homes in the neighborhood, it had been built in the early 1900s. Most had been renovated at least once, and Liam’s home was no exception. From the color scheme—avocado green and marigold yellow—she guessed that the last set of updates happened in the 1970s.
Sophie, clad in leggings and a sweater, sat at the table in a booster seat. Liam wore only flannel sleep pants and his dog tag necklace. Standing under a smoke detector, he was waving a dish towel. His pecs and abs were well-defined and covered with a dark sprinkling of hair. The hair narrowed to a trail that dove straight down the waist of his low-hanging pajama bottoms. Gesturing to a plate of blackened bread and dry scrambled eggs, Liam said, “Burned the toast and eggs.”
For a moment, she was powerless to do anything beyond wonder what it would be like to kiss Liam Alexander. Collecting her thoughts, and her libido, Holly said, “I can see.”
“I figured Sophie should have a full breakfast. He snorted. “Clearly I’m not used to day-to-day parenting.”
“You’ll get the hang of it,” said Holly. “How long will Sophie’s mom be gone?”
Liam said, “Erin won’t be back for a whole year.”
“Wow,” said Holly. “You’ve all made a huge sacrifice.”
“It is for Erin, of course.” Liam tilted his head toward his daughter. “And for Sophie.”
“But not for you?” she asked. The smoke detector stopped wailing and her voice was overly loud in the quiet room.
“Erin and I were never a couple. We dated for a little while, but we weren’t really right for each other. Then she called me a few weeks after we stopped seeing each other. She was pregnant, and we agreed we wanted to work things out and figure out how to co-parent. Nine months later, Sophie was born.” He smiled at his daughter, who was drinking from her PAW Patrol cup. “Don’t get me wrong, Erin is an amazing woman. But we weren’t meant to be, even if we did create a terrific little girl together.”
Holly wasn’t sure how to respond. A
s a teacher, she encountered lots of different families. More than once, she’d seen parents stay together for the sake of the children. In the end, everyone was miserable.
“Sophie is a great kid,” she said. “I’m sure you’re both fantastic parents.”
“To be honest—” Liam reached for the dog tag that hung from a leather cord around his neck “—parenting full-time is a lot harder than I thought. Erin is an incredible mom. I have big shoes to fill.”
Holly opened a window over the kitchen sink. The fresh morning air sucked out the stench of smoke. “It looks like you’ve got lots to take care of. Why don’t you let me make some breakfast for you and Sophie?”
“I can’t ask you to do that,” said Liam, wiping his brow with the dish towel.
“You didn’t ask. I offered. Go and get ready.” Holly lifted the lid to the garbage can and threw out the burnt toast and dried eggs.
“Thanks,” said Liam, sighing. “I guess I really could use the help.”
“I’m happy to pitch in, really.”
“Are you always this helpful?”
Wasn’t that Holly’s dilemma? After what happened in high school, she could never really be helpful enough. It was as if the accident were a stain on her soul, and service to others was the only way to cleanse herself. Yet, the car wreck had left an indelible mark, one that she could never wash away.
Seeming not to notice her changed mood, Liam placed a kiss on his daughter’s head. “Be good for Holly.”
“I will,” said Sophie.
Waiting until Liam left the kitchen, Holly turned to the little girl. “Since your daddy made you scrambled eggs, I guess that’s how you like them.”
Sophie shook her head. “I like sunny eggs, but Daddy only knows how to make them scrambled.”
“One egg,” said Holly. “Sunny style.”
As the egg cooked, Holly dropped a piece of bread into the toaster. Both egg and toast were done at the same time, then Holly put the meal in front of Sophie.
“How’s that look?”
Agent’s Mountain Rescue Page 9