She punched in the code, and the gate opened. She passed through and stopped in front of a three-car garage, revising her earlier thoughts. Perched on the hill with a fantastic view of the city below, the house was spectacular. What it lacked in size, it made up for in incredible vistas.
Deciding to leave her bag for now, she headed to the front door and pressed the bell. Taking stock of her surroundings, she noted the immaculately maintained yard with nary a weed in sight, blooming flowers and decorative grasses. A fountain bubbled merrily with birds fluttering to the water. She spun around with a smile when the door opened. It died at the look on Finn Bates’ face. His expression cataloged shock and disbelief.
“Kayla?” He blinked. “Wow. What an unexpected surprise.”
Tyler better enjoy his weekend with his lovely wife because she was going to kill him when she returned home. “Didn’t Tyler call you?”
“No. I haven’t heard from him in a couple of days.” He shook his head and stood back with the door open. “Sorry. Please come in.”
“Thanks.” She stepped inside his house, her gaze taking in the modern, luxurious décor and expensive upgrades. The space was large and open, but comforting at the same time. Being a bachelor, she wouldn’t have been surprised to see beer cans and pizza boxes littering the counters and socks on the floor, but his house was immaculate. He couldn’t have cleaned up for her because he had no idea she was coming.
Like her home, his house also featured a wall of windows showcasing an impressive view. A stairway with wrought iron rails against the far wall led to the second floor. Forcing herself to turn away, she faced him. “Tyler asked me to come because of the recent deaths of Nina Ortega and Fred Russell.”
He rocked back on his heels. “Why?”
“Because two people close to you are dead.”
His mouth firmed. “I appreciate the thought, but it’s not necessary. It’s just happenstance that they died close together.”
“In our line of business, there’s no such thing as coincidence. I’d like to read over the facts of both cases and judge for myself.”
He looked like he wanted to argue but gave a reluctant nod. She released a breath. The first hurdle cleared.
With an outstretched hand, he led her to the living room. She took a seat on a brown suede sofa and almost groaned at the softness. She could curl up here with a book and be happy. He chose the recliner adjacent to the couch. It wouldn’t be a man’s house without a gigantic television. His hung on the wall above a gas fireplace.
“I don’t have any files for you to look through.”
“That’s okay. Tyler provided some, but I haven’t had a chance to go over them yet. He just asked me to check it out yesterday.” She glanced around the space again and unexpectedly felt at home. Her house was her favorite place on earth. She’d had it constructed to her specifications, and every room and detail was her own. She’d never felt the same kind of comfort before she stepped into Finn’s abode.
“Before I go over the files, I need to make a reservation at the nearest motel. I planned on arriving earlier, but a crash on the highway set me back a few hours.”
“I have six bedrooms. You’re welcome to stay here.”
It was what she wanted, but she was too uncomfortable asking him. If Tyler had manned up and told him she was coming, it wouldn’t have been so awkward.
“Thanks. That would be a relief. I’ll get my bags.”
She headed outside to retrieve her luggage from her SUV. Before she could carry it in, Finn was there, taking it from her. If he’d been one of her coworkers, she’d have demanded he put it down and not treat her like a helpless female. But the chivalrous act was different coming from him. It made butterflies flutter in her belly. He was even more handsome than she remembered. It would be hard to live under the same roof for a few days. She needed to remind herself that his girlfriend just died, and she was on the job.
#
The last person Finn expected to see when he whipped the door open was the gorgeous Kayla Hepburn. Few people had the code to his gate. Tyler. His housekeeper Della Gorman, but she was on vacation for another week. His parents. But since they hadn’t called to let him know they were coming, he assumed it was his agent and longtime friend, Shawn Langer. That Kayla was standing outside his house never entered his mind. She was his fantasy, the woman he dreamed of every night. To see her on his front porch had been a punch to the gut—in a good way.
She was even more incredible than he remembered. Sun-kissed caramel hair fell past her shoulders, and sky-blue eyes glittered in a heart-shaped face. She wasn’t overly tall, five-six, or so, but her athletic body was perfection. Why hadn’t he called her? Nina’s image flashed through his mind. He’d been so caught up in her disappearance, Fred’s unexpected death, and Nina’s subsequent body retrieval. He hadn’t had much time for anything else.
Fred Russell was one of the first people he met when he arrived in Pittsburgh a decade ago. He’d worked with him for ten years to coordinate his summer hockey camps. Fred was incredibly organized and never forgot a face. More than a valuable employee, he was a trusted friend. His death was another blow.
“I’ll take your bags to your room. There’s a suite upstairs at the end of the hallway to the right.” It featured a king-sized bed, an enormous bathroom and a sitting area, along with a private deck overlooking the view. His bedroom took up the entire third floor.
Della Gorman cleaned his house twice a week, so he knew the sheets were fresh and clean. He placed her bags beside the dresser and headed back downstairs.
“There’s a spot in my garage. If you give me your keys, I’ll pull your SUV inside.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can manage.”
“I insist.”
He was slightly surprised when she handed them over. He opened the garage door and, after adjusting her seat, backed her Escalade next to his Land Rover. After making sure the door closed, he headed inside through the kitchen entrance and halted abruptly. Kayla was drinking a bottle of water, her long elegant neck exposed.
She turned to look at him with a look of guilt. “I hope it’s okay if I raided your fridge. I was thirsty after the long drive.”
His voice came out gruffer than he intended. “Make yourself at home.” And he meant it. It felt right to have her in his house.
“Thanks. I’d like to ask you some questions about Nina and Fred.”
“Let’s head to the living room.” He almost put a hand on her back to guide her, but that felt too intimate. He barely knew her. He hoped to change that while she was here for however long.
She chose the sofa again, and though he wanted to drop down beside her, he picked the recliner instead.
“Nina’s body was recovered this week?”
“Yeah. Fishermen found her floating in the Monongahela River.”
“And Fred was killed the day after Nina disappeared?”
“Yes. They found him in an alley. He’d been shot.” The location of Fred’s recovery was troubling in that he was discovered in a part of town known for crime. His family had no idea what he would’ve been doing there. The police investigated the possibility of a drug deal gone bad, but there was no evidence, and his postmortem tox screen came back clean.
“You don’t think there’s any connection to Nina’s murder?”
“I don’t see how there could be a link. As far as I know, their paths never crossed. Nina and I only dated for a month before we ended the relationship.”
“Who broke it off? You or her?”
“Does that matter?”
A tinge of red colored her cheeks. “It might. If Nina ended it, it might be motive…”
His jaw clenched, waiting for her to finish the sentence, but she let the implication hang. “I did, and in case you need an alibi, I was at Tyler’s wedding when she disappeared.” He was profoundly disappointed she might think him guilty. He’d dealt with the police considering him a suspect and speculation in the med
ia. Even after he’d been cleared, some people were determined to tarnish the reputation he’d worked hard to achieve.
She held up her hands. “I didn’t mean to offend you. I’m just trying to gather all the facts from an impartial perspective. I need every piece of information I can get to put together a cohesive and successful plan of action. For the record, I have no doubt you’re innocent.”
That pacified him a bit, and he gave a brisk nod. “The police did consider me a suspect at first, but Nina had been seen the day I was already out of town. Since my alibi was rock solid, they cleared me quickly. The media, not so much.”
“The news outlets still think you’re guilty?”
“Not all, but there are a few who still cast doubt my way just because I was the last man she dated. It doesn’t matter that our relationship was over weeks before she disappeared.”
“I haven’t seen an autopsy report yet. Do you know the cause of death? Did she drown?”
“No, she was strangled. She was already dead when she was dumped in the river.”
He didn’t tell her that for the whole time she was missing, he thought Nina might be pregnant with his child. The long wait to find out what happened had been excruciating. He didn’t tell his parents or Shawn or anyone, so he had no one to share his worry. It ate him up inside. It wasn’t until the autopsy was completed that he found out she wasn’t pregnant.
“You said Fred Russell was shot?”
He still couldn’t believe Fred was gone. “Yeah. There are no suspects for either case. Fred’s life was dissected, but he came up clean.”
Finn glanced at the clock. It was getting late, and she’d driven a long way. “Have you eaten? I’m by no means a chef, but I can fix something to tide us over until the morning.”
“I don’t want you to go to any trouble.”
“It’s no problem.” His mom made sure he learned to cook while growing up. He didn’t get the chance with his schedule, so he relied on easy meals or takeout. “Anything you don’t eat?” With her incredible figure, he didn’t know if she was a vegetarian or vegan.
“Beets or Sushi.” She followed him into the kitchen. “I hate the taste of beets, and I don’t know why anyone would want to eat uncooked fish.”
He agreed with her on that one. “How about Tuscan chicken pasta?” It was one of his favorite recipes.
“Only if I can help.”
He added water to a pot to boil the pasta and then sliced the chicken while she chopped the vegetables. He poured them each a glass of red wine, and they talked while they worked together seamlessly. She told him stories about adult Tyler while he shared tales of young Tyler. They laughed and enjoyed the food. It was the best non-first date he’d ever experienced. She was easy to talk to, smart, witty, and their senses of humor meshed perfectly. He could spend a lifetime talking with her and never get bored. She was so damn intelligent and capable. She didn’t need him to take care of her, even if every instinct he possessed screamed to do precisely that. She was what he’d been searching for his entire life without even knowing it.
The wine went down the wrong pipe, and he choked. That thought came out of left field, but he knew in his heart it was true. Kayla Hepburn was his ideal woman.
“Are you okay?”
He held up a hand and swiped a napkin across his mouth with the other. “Fine.”
Kayla’s jaw dropped when she glanced at her watch. “Are you kidding me? It’s almost two in the morning. How did that happen?”
He didn’t know, but he was reluctant to leave her. She made him feel alive, like when he was gliding down the ice converting a power play. He wanted to take her to his bed, slowly undress her and learn every dip and curve of her body. But she was here at Tyler’s request, not his. She didn’t sign on to having him jumping her as soon as she stepped in the door.
“I can’t believe we talked for seven hours and only drank two bottles of wine,” Kayla remarked as she handed him a plate to add to the dishwasher. Once all the silverware was loaded, he inserted the detergent pod and punched the start button.
“Me, either, but I enjoyed the conversation.” And spending time with her.
“I did, too, but we didn’t get a chance to go over who might want to harm you.”
He still didn’t believe Nina or Fred’s deaths had anything to do with him, but if it kept her here a little longer, he’d go along with her questioning. “How about in the morning?”
“You don’t have any plans?”
“No, but I’m hosting a poker game for some teammates tomorrow night. I can call and cancel.”
“No, don’t. I’d like to observe everyone close to you.”
“You think it’s someone I know?”
“It could be. We don’t want to discount anyone until we can check them out.”
“Nina was a local celebrity—a television personality. Everyone knew and loved her. It seems like a leap to consider her death is somehow related to me.”
“That’s true, and it might have nothing to do with you. But coupled with Fred’s death, we can’t make any assumptions.”
She was the expert, so he’d go along with her theory, but it made him uneasy to consider his friends and teammates suspects. “Okay. I’ll show you to your room. I usually get up early to work out in the basement, but it’ll be later since we’re going to bed so late.”
“Do you care if I join you?”
He froze, thinking she meant joining him in bed until he snapped himself out of it. He needed to drag his mind out of the gutter. “Of course not. Help yourself to anything while you’re here.” Including him, he wanted to add but wisely kept his mouth shut.
He showed her to her room and then quickly jogged up the stairs to his suite. He needed no more temptation where she was concerned. All it would’ve taken would’ve been a sly look, a passing remark, and he’d have gladly spent the night in her bed.
After a quick shower, he fell onto the mattress. Usually, the sparkle of the city outside his windows calmed him, but he was addled. She did this to him. Made him feel things, want things he couldn’t have. Her.
Chapter Three
Finn was already exercising when Kayla descended the stairs to his basement. The space was large and open, with one end hosting so many machines and equipment, he could open his own gym. There was an authentic bar in the middle with pendant lights and a retro countertop that looked as if it was constructed of reclaimed wood. Hanging on the back wall was a signed Wayne Gretzky jersey behind glass and several lighted beer signs. A shelf held an assortment of liquors. He even had beer on tap.
On the opposite wall was a giant television surrounded by two smaller ones on either side. Two rows of four media seats were positioned in front to take in a game or five. Behind a round poker table were several arcade games and a dartboard. The room was open to the pool covered in glass to bring the sunshine inside. Total man cave. Her coworkers would love it, though most had spaces like this in their homes. Actually, she did, too.
The rhythmic clink of weights drew her closer to see Finn bench pressing an impressive amount. He racked the bar and sat up, mopping sweat off his face. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” It was past her usual workout time. Pleasant conversation mixed with expensive wine and a comfortable bed equaled Kayla sleeping like a rock. “You sure you don’t mind if I work out with you?”
“Absolutely not. Mi casa es tu casa.”
Breath caught in her throat. My house is your house. He’d meant it as friendly welcoming, but her heart took it literally. She wanted to run her fingers over his bulging biceps, glistening with sweat. She was around fit, muscular men day in and day out. She should be immune by now. But there was something about Finn that drew her to him like a moth to a flame. Her heart raced, and it wasn’t from the stationary bike warm-up.
With a shake of her head, she focused on her cardio. She was here for a job, not to hit on the prospective client. After an hour, she’d worked up a sweat and her m
uscles were burning.
“Did you bring a swimsuit?”
“I did.” She always packed one on assignments hoping to get in a water workout.
“I like to finish with laps in the pool.”
“Me, too.”
She grabbed the suit she’d brought with her and disappeared into the bathroom to change. When she stepped out, Finn was already stroking smoothly through the water. His pool featured a diving board at one end and an adjacent hot tub spilling water over the edge. Several plants were scattered around, giving it a secret lake feeling, but nothing obstructed the fabulous view.
Waiting for him to flip and head the other direction, she slipped inside and swam after him. She continued after he’d moved to the hot tub before stopping to join him. The heated water soothed her muscles. It would be a perfect place to end the day with a glass of wine and the twinkling lights of the city.
The buzz of his cell phone broke the spell. He picked it up from the side of the hot tub and checked the screen. “It’s my agent. He gets cranky if I ignore him.”
She smiled and watched the play of his muscles as he shifted out of the water. He settled on the edge and her tongue glued to the top of her mouth. Ripped abs without an ounce of fat. What was it about this man that fascinated her?
“Hey, Shawn.” Finn’s jaw hardened. “What?”
Instantly alert from the look on his face, she rose and grabbed a towel, wrapping it around her as she stepped out.
“Are you serious?” He rubbed his forehead. “How long has she been gone?”
A sick feeling of dread pooled in her stomach. Another missing woman. It sounded like he knew this one, too.
“No, I haven’t talked to her in over a year. I have no idea. Okay, keep me posted.” He ended the call and stood. He nodded his thanks as she handed him a towel to dry off.
She waited for him to speak, but when he looked lost in thought, she prodded him. Patience was not one of her virtues. “Is everything okay?”
Iron Cross (COBRA Securities Book 20) Page 4