“I want to help you—and keep you safe.”
“I’m fine. Thank you. You can leave now.”
“Someone wrote your name beside Carina Frendal’s phone.”
“Why don’t you ask your girlfriend about it?”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” Matt gritted out between clenched teeth. “Listen, Katt. She stopped by my house the other night, said she needed to talk to me. She was concerned about her sister. That’s when you arrived, so I don’t know specifically what was on her mind.”
“She and Molly are sisters?”
“Yes.”
“Well let me assure you, I know exactly what she was thinking. It had nothing to do with sibling relationships. More along the lines of a happy meal.” Katt couldn’t raise her head to look at him. If he denied it and she saw it for a lie, it would crush her all over again.
“Dammit. I saw her months ago, and it was one night.”
“When is not the headline here. And what else would one expect from a night hawk?”
“Ach, can we focus on the case? Your name has popped up in a murder investigation and a missing person’s case.”
“Missing?”
“We can’t locate Carina.”
Katt felt the blood drain from her face. “I haven’t had anything to do with either. You know that.”
“Obviously. But it doesn’t mean you haven’t become a target.”
“For once in my life, I’m glad I don’t have big breasts and a great ass.”
“You’re perfect the way you are. ’Sides, you have class, and that makes you more of a lady than anyone I know.”
“You’re trying to soften me up. I’m not staying at your house to listen to your... nighttime activities.”
“Dammit, Katt. I don’t have sex in my own home. If there’s one thing that’s sacred to me, it’s that.”
“Kind of makes life easier, too. Doesn’t it?” In her world, few men had a conscience bigger than a termite’s.
“Look, I know you don’t have any other safe place to go. I want you to stay with me, just until this clears up. Okay?”
“My father would let me stay at his house—”
“He can’t defend you if he’s drunk. C’mon, Katt. My family is coming over tonight and wants to see you.”
Life saw fit to limit her choices to the point of either suffocating under Matt’s scrutiny or abandoning her work and starting over. It would take years to lay the groundwork she’d gained in prior months. Big decisions shouldn’t be made in haste or during overwhelming emotion. “All right. But I’ll have to stop by my place to pick up Gila’s food and a change of clothes.”
Chapter Twelve
The familiar surroundings of Matt’s home should have comforted, but the memory of Carina’s smug satisfaction fractured the fragile wall surrounding her heart. Subtle flowery aromas in the great room had to be a product of a vicious imagination.
Matt had kept her nearby throughout the day while chasing empty leads in his search for Carina. Apparently he subscribed to the idea of bring a kid to work day, aside from discussing details of the case as if she were a seasoned cop.
No sooner had she deposited Gila’s food on the kitchen counter than Matt’s brother Ethan and his girlfriend strode through the door, his hand resting at her waist. Their mixed shepherd, Hoover, padded behind them.
Katt sighed, wondering if she’d ever share the kind of casual but indestructible intimacy so common to the McAllisters. “I still can’t get over a blue-eyed shepherd.” She smiled as the rest of the McAllister crew drifted in for a family conference, each heading for the large kitchen table. Evening shadows crept across the floor to gather in the corners. The day proved mild enough they’d opened the house to welcome the warm breeze.
“She’s a confusing mix but a wonderful companion.” Lexi retrieved her laptop from her satchel and booted the hard drive. “I’ve got a new hack to show you, if Jack’s ready for it.”
“Hell, yes. Jack’s always ready.” Katt scooped Gila into her arms when the ferret stood on its hind legs at her chair.
Billy groaned as he pulled a seat out for Remie. “Here we go again.”
“Who’s Jack?” Matt turned to give her his full attention.
“My laptop, silly. Who else would be ready for me?” Katt snickered.
“No one on this plane of existence.” Matt shook his head. “Why would you name a laptop?”
With a sigh, Katt explained, “Because, it assigns more... value, significance. In my line of work, it’s one of my biggest investments, so I have to keep him safe and comfy.” Katt and Lexi both began a flurry of clicks and mutual “hmms.”
Caden and Lucas sat beside Kaylee and Megan while Matt deposited several bags of chips on the table.
“All right, cyber twins, before you get lost in the land of ones and zeroes, let’s take care of other things. I’ve got hotdogs and hamburgers ready to cook, but I’d like to talk business first.” Matt sat at the head of the table, diagonal to Katt.
“A family meeting without food? Your skills as host suck, Matt.” Caden sat back in his chair and crossed one ankle over the opposite knee, relaxed and confident like the rest of the family.
“Hey, you know he’s off his game. Cut him some slack.” Ethan’s sympathetic gaze swung to Katt, as did the rest of the crew. Pity for her mixed with disgust aimed at their brother spoke volumes soon to take voice.
Acceptance as one of the group meant more to Katt than anything after obtaining her PI license. Each of the men had years of police and investigative experience and were willing to share tips and tricks of the trade to further her career.
By now, they’d all have an outline of what transpired between herself and Matt. Nothing remained private between the brothers and their significant others.
“Enough. I need you all on board for this. Katt’s latest case involves Denny Alscher and his fiancée Molly Brenner.” Matt opened the file before him. “Denny is a scientist at Horizon Solar. The angle he presented to Katt was that of victim of his girlfriend’s jealous ex and had just broken off their relationship.”
“He wanted me to find the goons who’d attacked him. I guess he figured if I brought the thugs to light, they’d back off. Unfortunately, Denny called me a few days later to fire me. Said it was all a misunderstanding.” Katt turned her attention to her own laptop, wanting to check her notes.
“Katt had driven by his home several times. No one answered—which is probably when she got the bright idea to slip inside for a peek.”
Despite Matt’s disapproving glare, Katt knew the McAllisters’ history, at least some of it. “Hey, you all don’t always toe the line, either.” Each sibling either guffawed or looked away from her pointed stare.
Caden, an ex-cop and current private investigator, snickered. “Sometimes the right thing isn’t always the legal thing. What’d ya find?”
“Nothing informative. Though, I didn’t have much time before two goons showed up.”
“Did they get a look at you or your vehicle?” Ethan asked.
“It was dark, so I don’t think the one guy saw much more than the broom handle I jammed in his face. I think that distracted him enough.” Katt grinned at Lexi, who’d escaped a similarly dangerous situation. “One prick took several shots at me as I headed into the woods. I’d thought about going back later to see if I could find the bullet or maybe get a fingerprint in the house but wasn’t quite nervy enough. They were searching for something. I didn’t notice whether or not they wore gloves.”
“Damnit, Katt. Someone shot at you? You didn’t tell me that. Don’t you see how serious this is?” Matt’s voice thundered in the kitchen.
Billy, the second eldest sibling, spoke up. “You were wearing gloves though, right?”
“Of course. I’d parked my car in a different neighborhood, too... but I’m not sure if they cased the area before their arrival. They may have seen my car or they may have seen me earlier when I’d knocked on the door and l
eft when no one answered.”
Matt picked up the thread of conversation, his thunderous expression a signal of intent to berate after his family left. “When we checked on Molly, we found her dead. To date, forensics hasn’t picked up anything notable.”
No one flinched when Lexi pulled up secure documents, as was her habit. As a consultant for the police department, she understood and followed protocol, after a fashion. She turned her screen to face the group. “Autopsy showed she died early Tuesday.”
“We had an unknown visitor, male, dark hair, late Sunday morning,” Matt continued. “I couldn’t tell if it was Alscher or not.”
“That tag you got came back as stolen.” Billy rubbed his chin, considering Katt. “Did you get the impression Denny was playing you?”
“Not per se, but he was definitely withholding information. There was blood on his jacket, and it didn’t come from him.”
“A jacket that the dead woman’s sister almost took when she came to visit.” Matt avoided Katt’s gaze, his cheeks tinging a little darker.
“Matt, do you think she came specifically for the jacket?” Lucas held Megan’s hand. Her smile acknowledged the unbreakable link between them. Even in deep discussions, each McAllister sought the connection with their significant other.
“Either that or to ask for help. I don’t know.”
“Hence, we have a solar fuel scientist who is missing, presumed alive, and possibly a killer.” Matt drew a deep breath and canted his head to the side. “He contacts a young private investigator, either for help, or to use as a crutch if things go south. I don’t know why he claimed Molly was his ex.”
“Molly is dead, and her sister is missing. I spoke with Molly’s neighbors and coworkers. They all said she was head over heels with her fiancé, although the wedding date hadn’t been set.” Ethan glanced at Lexi’s screen where she pointed at something specific. “Oh, and Denny has not shown up for work this week according to his time card. I interviewed his supervisor, who said Denny had taken two weeks’ vacation on short notice.”
“He hasn’t used any credit cards and I haven’t picked up his vehicle in any traffic cameras,” Katt added. “Though, I think he may be smart enough to live off the grid and either steal or buy another vehicle. He did say he had a cabin, which I can’t seem to locate.”
“Could he be a corporate spy? Maybe Molly turned on him...” Quiet until now, Megan, Luc’s better half, spoke quietly, her analytical mind sorting facts on the fly.
“It’s possible, but I got a sense from the neighbors that they were very close.” Katt snuggled Gila against her chest, needing the warmth of the contact as she realized the depth of her disastrous life.
“Since we don’t know if Denny is killer or victim, and we don’t know who all he’s tangled with, I’d say that puts Katt in the middle of a confusing chess board,” Billy summarized. “Hell, we don’t even know if Matt’s uninvited visitor Sunday morning was related to this mess. You’ve ruffled a few feathers of your own lately.”
“Katt, I ran the pic you sent me of Denny through several programs. I’ve come up with another name, Dennis Brandt. I don’t know which one is real just yet.”
“That doesn’t make him a corporate spy. If it’s a recent change, he could be on the run from something else, or maybe he ran into trouble before taking the job at Horizon Solar.” Katt had learned the hard way not jump to conclusions.
“There is one more...thing.” Katt shrugged her shoulder as if nothing major had occurred.
“Jesus. Now what?” Matt thinned his lips and glared.
“I went to Horizon Solar to talk with Denny’s boss, Dr. Saunders.”
“O-kay. I know you parked your car there one evening for a bit. And? I know there’s more to the story.” Matt’s glare indicated his patience ended long ago.
“I didn’t get anything from Saunders. He seemed on the up and up. As I was leaving, I did have a bit of a run-in with a mean sonofabitch.”
“Explain,” murmured Caden and Lucas simultaneously.
“He said he had some questions for me.”
“Was he looking for Denny?” Matt asked.
“Um, the conversation didn’t get that far before I broke his nose, reduced his chances of having children, and Gila bit him.”
“Damn. Did you recognize him?” Lexi continued her flurry of clacking.
“No. And I didn’t stop to make friends with the security guard either.”
“Shit. This is so fucked up. Caden, how about you go over and have a chat at Horizon Solar. At least let your presence be known.” Matt raked his fingers through his hair. Further discussion led to various possibilities with little support to back up their theories.
“As much as I want this madness to end, I leave Monday morning for my survival training course. I am not going to miss a minute of that.” Katt’s shoulders bowed under the weight of her guilt for putting off the inevitable. “Speaking of which, I was wondering if one of you guys could look after my baby here.” Matt would do it in a pinch, but their relationship wouldn’t bear the strain.
Gila protested being held up as a prize with hissing and squirming.
“I can take him.” Megan held her hands out in invitation, one accepted by the ferret. When it crawled into her arms, she cooed over him, giving him his due. As a veterinarian and animal lover, she stood the best chance of understanding her furry friend.
“Thanks. It means a lot. I’ll drop him off along with his food and crate in the morning.”
Katt’s stomach gurgling earned the attention of the group. “Sorry.”
“Let’s eat before Katt’s stomach deafens us all. No need for food to go to waste.” Matt shoved to his feet and began retrieving items from the fridge.
“Since all devoured food eventually gets flushed down the toilet, isn’t that what you’re doing?” Katt chuckled then gestured a thumbs up toward Lexi, who returned a broad grin of her own.
Remie scooted her chair back and stretched. “I’ll say one thing. I thought when I joined the ME’s office as a pathologist that life couldn’t get more exciting. Damn, it’s nothing compared to life with a McAllister.”
Billy stood and wrapped his arms around her to pull her tight, nuzzling her hair. “And you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Jeez, where do you find such committed partners?” Katt mumbled to no one in particular.
“The mental hospital. Billy and Caden came as a pair, but since they were too much work as a team, we decided to split them up.” Remie nodded to Kaylee, who smirked in return.
“Katt, it’s not a good idea for you to go to this training.” Matt sighed, as if knowing the outcome of his statement.
“Too bad. I’ve paid my fees. They’ve accepted me. I’m going. If it makes you feel better, I’ll carry your tracker in my backpack.”
“Which won’t stop a bullet or a knife.”
“I. Am. Going.”
“Then I’m going with you. I have the time, and I can clear it with the captain.” Matt’s resigned tone bore the same forbearance manifested by a condemned man walking toward the electric chair.
“I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Protective custody is not babysitting, Katt. They’ve already taken a shot at you, which, by the way, you should have reported. Immediately,” Caden, the youngest of the siblings, supported Matt’s declaration. The others nodded in agreement. “Luc, you and I can poke around Denny’s house, see what we find.”
Damn traitors. She sighed. The McAllister family always stuck together. “Matt, you don’t have the proper gear.” Katt smirked at her host while punching various keys on her laptop.
“I have enough to get by, and I bought a new sleeping bag last month.”
Katt pulled up a new window on her screen, shooting Lexi a conspiratorial wink. “Not according to your credit card statement.”
“Damn, Katt. Stay out of my private life. I paid cash.”
One step ahead, Lexi cleared her throat. �
��Ah, you haven’t made any cash withdrawals from an ATM recently...”
“Knock it off guys. I cashed my paycheck and used that.”
“Hmm, no, your paycheck is an automatic deposit. Are you keeping off-shore accounts?” Lexi asked.
“No. I don’t see any record of hidden accounts on his computer.” Katt smirked at Matt’s frustration.
“Jesus. I’m gonna need a bottle of aspirin.”
“You might want to pick up some from Raker’s drug store when you refill your anti-cholesterol medication.” Lexi smiled in the face of the brothers’ guffaws. “Which, considering you haven’t filled in over two months, looks like you’re overdue. Medications really should be taken on a regular basis.”
Matt gritted his teeth. “I don’t need it anymore.”
“Actually, I cross-referenced your medical records, and your last cholesterol was higher, not lower. Lexi is right. You really should take your medication.” Katt’s giggle inspired chortles from his brothers.
“Matt, you know they’re going to keep digging until you apologize.” Caden held his hands out in surrender. “I don’t know what all you’ve done. But once they start, there’s only one way for it to end.”
“Yeah, surrender or suffer digital herpes.” Megan snickered.
Matt set the condiments on the counter. “I’m going to move out of the country... to a place without cell phones, ATMs, drug stores, and most of all, without computers.”
“That’s fine, Matt. However, may I suggest that before you book a flight you renew your passport? I see that yours has expired.” Lexi chuckled and gave her other half, Ethan, a high five.
“Okay, okay. I’m sorry for not telling Katt about why Carina dropped by. Is everybody satisfied?” Matt sat a platter of patties on the counter before glaring at his family. “And the only reason I’m apologizing is because I don’t want all records of my existence erased. We don’t have time for that shit.”
The moon’s sickle shape appeared when a warm breeze shuffled the clouds to its side. All through the woods, the sounds of nighttime creatures hindered Denny’s ability to distinguish between the two and four-legged beasties.
McAllister Justice Series Box Set Page 10