“Shawn called to tell me that another woman I know is missing.”
She knew the answer but asked it anyway. “How do you know her?”
“We dated last year, but I haven’t talked to her since.”
“When did she go missing?”
“Her boyfriend talked to her before she left work last night. She owns a boutique spa in town. She never made it home.”
“Have they checked her cell phone? Car GPS?”
He held up his hands. “Literally, all I know is that she didn’t make it home. I have no idea about the investigation.”
“I’ll shower and see if I can dig up details.”
They headed up the steps and disappeared into their separate rooms. She forgot to use her swim cap, so she rinsed the chlorine out of her hair and borrowed the dryer hanging from a hook on the wall. Instead of dressing in her work outfit of a COBRA Securities polo and khaki tactical pants, she selected a floral print top and yoga pants. She’d change if they went out, but she planned on doing research. She chose comfortable clothes for sitting around the house. Since it looked like there was a case and she was officially on the job—whether Finn agreed or not—she’d also need to include the required Kevlar vest. She planned on insisting he wear one as well.
The sound of a blender led her to the kitchen. On the counter in front of him were several fresh fruits, leafy greens, and a tub of whey powder.
“I make a mean protein shake. Would you like one?”
“Yes, please.”
Sliding into a chair at the bar, she watched as he efficiently chopped the fruit and added them to the blender. His movements were sharp and practiced. Once he was satisfied with the consistency, he reached into a cabinet and withdrew two large glasses, filling them before adding straws. The color was an unappealing muddy green, but it tasted delicious.
“I need this recipe.”
“My secret is a dollop of honey.”
He led her to the deck overlooking downtown Pittsburgh. They sat in silence as they finished their drinks. It wasn’t uncomfortable. The opposite, actually. She enjoyed his company, even if they weren’t speaking.
His phone beeped again, and his brows narrowed. Looking up from the screen, he announced, “The police are at the gate.”
#
Finn buzzed the gate open and headed to the door to meet the detectives. He had no idea why they would visit him unless they wanted to ask questions about his relationship with Megan. He didn’t have much to tell them. It was over months ago.
He opened the door and waited while the detectives exited their unmarked sedan. Kayla stood by his side. It felt nice to have her support. He almost reached for her hand before stopping himself.
“Mr. Bates, I’m Detective Anja Johansen, and this is Detective Roy Mitchell.” She indicated the man next to her. “We’d like to ask you a few questions about your association with Megan Fletcher.”
He’d been right. “Sure. Come in.” He led them to the living room. They both took a seat on the sofa while he chose one of the recliners. Kayla stood behind him, and again, her presence was a comfort.
Detective Johansen pulled out a notebook. “Mr. Bates, can you tell me about your connection to Megan Fletcher?”
“We didn’t have one, at least not recently. We dated last year, but I haven’t spoken to her since we broke up.”
“How long did you date?”
He hitched a shoulder. “Five weeks, give or take.”
“Why did the relationship end,” Mitchell questioned.
“We couldn’t find time to get together. She owns a spa, and it took up much of her time. I was busy with the hockey season. There were no hard feelings. It was amicable.”
Johansen glanced up from her notebook. “Who broke it off?”
“It was mutual. As I said, I was busy, and she was, too. Neither of us was heavily invested.”
“Where were you last night around nine?” Mitchell was studying him with a laser-sharp gaze.
“Home.”
“Can anyone verify that?” Johansen questioned.
He opened his mouth, but Kayla spoke first.
“I can.”
“And you are, Ma’am?”
Finn answered. “Kayla Hepburn. She’s…”
Kayla rounded the chair and dropped into his lap. “I’m his girlfriend.”
A bolt of awareness shot down his spine and landed squarely in his groin. He’d thought of her every day since they met. It felt surreal to have her sitting on him now, declaring to the detectives they were dating. He needed to concentrate hard to keep his bodily reactions in check. Thinking of Megan missing and possibly meeting the same fate as Nina worked to cool his libido.
“I’m familiar with police procedure,” Kayla informed them. “Isn’t it early to be investigating a missing person? If you’re asking for Finn’s alibi at nine, it’s only been twelve hours.”
Detective Mitchell cleared his throat. “There are exigent circumstances.”
“Her boyfriend is on the city council,” Finn murmured.
“Ah,” Kayla remarked in understanding.
Mitchell heard his statement, and his gaze zeroed in on him again. “Did you keep in touch with Ms. Fletcher?”
“No. As I said, I haven’t seen or spoken to her in a year, but we parted on good terms.”
“Then how did you know she was dating a city councilman?” Mitchell fired questions at him. “Did you keep tabs on her? Did you want to get back together with her, and when she said no, you snapped?”
Were they seriously trying to pin this on him even after Kayla alibied him?
He felt Kayla stiffen in his arms. “I already told you that Finn was here when Megan disappeared, and hours before, too.”
“Can’t answer for yourself, Mr. Bates?” Mitchell taunted.
His jaw clenched. “I did not want to get back with her, nor did I keep tabs on her. Until an hour ago, I had no idea who she was dating now, nor did I care. My agent is friends with her current boyfriend. He knew I’d dated her, and he called me this morning to tell me she was missing. Feel free to call and ask him.”
Detective Johansen shot an annoyed glance at her partner before turning back to him. “You aren’t a suspect, but was there anyone you can think of when you were dating who might want to harm Ms. Fletcher?”
“She had an abusive boyfriend in her past. I don’t know his name, but she moved from Philadelphia to get away from him.”
“That’s a good lead,” Detective Johansen said. “We’ll look into it. Anyone else?”
“Not that I can recall.”
They asked a few more questions before thanking him for his time and leaving. He waited until they were in the car and driving away before he shot a look at Kayla. “My girlfriend? Are you sure that’s something you should say right now? It’s a pretty risky move these days.”
“That’s why I did it. Until we figure out what’s going on, we need to keep up the pretense. If someone is targeting you and your girlfriends, my appearance might provoke them to make a move.”
Realization dawned, and his jaw dropped. “You’re setting yourself up as bait?” Oh, hell to the no. He vehemently shook his head. He would not let her risk her life for him. “No. No way. Forget it.” He waved a hand. “Consider us broken up.”
“Finn, I’m highly trained and very good at my job. I can take care of myself. Just keep up the act. I’ll do the rest.”
His teeth clenched so hard he wouldn’t be surprised if they cracked like a broken mirror. He hated this. The thought of her in danger made his gut cramp painfully. He knew she had to be incredibly skilled to work for one of the top security firms in the country, but that didn’t matter. The need to protect her nearly overwhelmed him. He could send her back to Indiana, even if his heart protested the move.
“I’m not leaving, Finn, so deal with it.”
Despite the worry and fear rolling through him, he almost smiled. She’d read his mind. He would continue to argue
his case, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. Stubbornness appeared to be one of her traits. “Can I at least tell Shawn and Clint the truth? They're my best friends. I’ve known them since high school.”
“For this to work, everyone needs to believe it, so no, I’d prefer if you didn’t tell them. We’ll make appearances in public and hopefully catch the attention of whoever is doing this.”
“Hopefully not,” he muttered. It went against every instinct he possessed to put her in harm’s way, even if he wasn’t entirely sure there was a threat.
“That’s settled. Now we need to make a list of any people who might want to harm you.”
“How about eight point four million New Yorkers.”
She tossed back her head and laughed, and his heart skipped several beats. She was so damn beautiful. He was determined to make her laugh like that more often.
“Yeah, you stealing the trophy they were sure they were going to win might upset some folks.” She grabbed her laptop. “Let’s go out to the deck and work on some names.”
#
Kayla loved sitting on Finn’s deck and gazing at the city. She loved hers too, with a peaceful lake as a backdrop. She spent most of her downtime there, either reading, researching cases, or filing reports. She had a hard time sitting still, but when she was resting in her Lafuma padded zero gravity chair enjoying nature, she felt peace.
Finn’s chairs were comfortable, too. She placed her laptop on the cushion in front of her and crossed her legs. “Excluding the irate New Yorkers, who else?”
“Honestly, I can’t think of anyone. Maybe the self-proclaimed president of my fan club. I don’t think she’d want to hurt me, but she might the women I’ve dated.”
“Jealous, is she?”
“I’m not convinced her elevator goes all the way to the top, if you know what I mean.”
“Ah. I do.” Her eyes narrowed in thought. “Maybe she’s killing your old girlfriends so she can have you to herself.”
“She can’t. And that doesn’t explain Fred, assuming he’s a part of this and not some random crime.”
“Good point. I’ll add her to the list anyway. What’s her name?”
“Darcy Driessen. She’s been known to show up here.”
“How does she get past your security?”
“I haven’t figured that out yet. She scaled the hill once.”
Kayla glanced down at the rocky, tree-covered incline. “That took some serious determination.”
“Tell me about it. She usually ambushes me outside the arena.”
“She sounds disturbed. She’s definitely on the list.” She typed Darcy’s name. “Who else?”
When he didn’t answer, she glanced over at him. His gaze was fixed on the buildings below as he slowly shook his head. “I can’t think of anyone else who would want to hurt me.”
She wasn’t surprised. From what Tyler told her about him, everyone loved him. He was down-to-earth, generous, and kind. Success didn’t go to his head. He repeatedly raked in awards for sportsmanship, leadership, and humanitarian causes, not to mention his Most Valuable Player awards for both the regular season and playoffs. Speaking of awards… “Where do you keep them?”
“Keep what?” He focused his gaze on her, and she completely lost her train of thought. The blue-green depths of his eyes—bluer in the sunlight—sucked her in. There was a connection she hadn’t felt with anyone else before. It was electric.
She wasn’t sure how long they stared at each other. She was a professional known for her unflappable composure. It was nowhere to be found. What was her question? Oh right, she’d been thinking inside her head. “All of your trophies and awards. I figured you’d have a huge display to showcase them.”
“They’re at my parents’ house. They love to look at them. My dad was my first coach, and my mom’s my biggest cheerleader. Dad built a display case that takes up one wall of their living room, complete with glass doors and lights. Mom polishes them once a week.”
Her heart melted. “That’s so sweet.”
He shrugged. “There are no guarantees in the life of a professional athlete. They could trade you at any moment, and you’d need to pack up and move to a new city. The fewer possessions, the better.”
She had a feeling he would’ve given his parents the awards no matter what. It was obvious from the way he talked about them that he loved them dearly.
“You don’t have to worry about being traded. You’re as Pittsburgh as the Steelers.”
“You never know. We have a new owner. Things might get shaken up.”
“Oh, that’s right. I remember hearing Broderick Westfield died before the playoffs. Didn’t his much-younger wife gain control of the team?”
“Yeah, much to Broderick’s son’s disgust. He thought the team was his. His father promised it to him, but he changed his will after marrying Georgiana, giving her complete control.”
“Does she know hockey?”
“I’m not sure she knows a puck from a football. Broderick and Ricky, his son, lived and breathed the sport. They’ve been involved in some aspect for decades. They founded the Punishers.”
“What was he thinking, leaving his beloved team to her instead of his son?”
“I’ve no idea. He wasn’t thinking with his brain, that’s for sure.”
“Are you worried about the direction she might take?”
“A little. My contract’s up. Negotiations are scheduled for later this week.” He shook his head. “I guess we’ll see. I wouldn’t be surprised if she changed the team colors to pink.”
“Seriously?”
“It’s pretty much the only color she wears. Even her car is pink.”
His cell phone rang, and he glanced at it before groaning. “Speak of the devil. It’s Georgiana. If I ignore her, she’s likely to show up.”
“Hi, Georgiana.” She watched him as he spoke. His mouth pinched into a frown. “You’re where?” Pause. “Now’s not a good time. I have company.” He closed his eyes and sighed before rubbing his forehead. “Fine, I’ll buzz you in.”
Kayla closed her laptop and rose to her feet. “She’s here?”
“Yeah. As you can tell, she doesn’t take no for an answer. I’d tell her to get lost, but my agent would murder me if I upset her before the contract is signed.” He winced. “Sorry, poor choice of words.”
Finn opened the slider and stood back so she could precede him in the house. She placed her laptop on a table while he activated the gate from an app on his phone. “Get ready. She’s a force of nature.”
Kayla followed him to the door and watched as a pink—he wasn’t kidding—Bentley limo glided to a stop. The driver got out and rounded the car to open the back door. Long legs appeared first with the signature red soles of five-inch Christian Louboutin’s. The driver helped a woman with copper hair, large black sunglasses, and a pink dress so tight it left no room to the imagination out. She spotted Finn and rushed to him, dramatically throwing herself into his arms.
“Oh, Finn, darling, I’m so sorry. I heard about Megan.”
Standing five feet away, the scent of Chanel No. Five was overbearing. It had to be choking him.
He gingerly extracted himself from her grip and stepped back. “You didn’t need to come over, Georgiana.”
She closed the space and clutched his arm. Kayla could practically hear his teeth clench. “Why, I did. You used to love her, so you have to be hurting knowing she’s missing and possibly in danger.” She rubbed her hand over his heart.
The thought that Finn had loved Megan made something inside Kayla tighten. It couldn’t be jealousy—could it?
“I never loved her, Georgiana. We dated, but it wasn’t serious.”
Just then, Georgiana looked over Finn’s shoulder and spotted her. Kayla resisted the urge to waggle her fingers. Georgiana slid off her sunglasses and trained her bright green gaze on her.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m Georgiana Westfield. Are you Finn’s si
ster?”
Kayla almost snorted. Why did the woman assume they were related?
Finn walked over and tossed an arm over her shoulder. Kayla’s heartbeat picked up. “Georgiana, this is Kayla. My girlfriend.”
Georgiana’s smile froze in place as her emerald eyes widened. “Girlfriend?” She dragged her gaze away from Kayla to eye Finn. “I didn’t know you had a girlfriend. When did this happen?” She focused on Kayla again and said in an accusing tone, “I didn’t see you at any of the games. I would think his girlfriend would want to support him in his endeavors.”
Kayla would remain civil even if it killed her. “We’ve known each other for a while.” A month, give or take. “We recently reconnected.” Last night, as a matter of fact.
“It’s been a whirlwind romance,” Finn agreed.
“I see.” Georgiana’s mouth pinched. It was apparent the woman wanted Finn for more than a starting spot on her hockey team. Kayla felt a twinge of unease. What if Georgiana held it against him when it was time to renegotiate? She didn’t want to cause him any problems with his career. She just wanted to keep him safe so he had one.
Georgiana returned her attention to Finn, and Kayla felt dismissed. “I got to know Megan well when I visited her spa. She was so sweet, and I could tell how she talked about you, that it was obvious she still cared deeply for you.”
“It was over a long time ago.”
“Well, I don’t think she was happy with her current boyfriend.” She lowered her voice. “By the way she talked about him, she was going to end it. She said he didn’t compare to you in any way and that when she told him, he would get so mad.” She gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. Long acrylic nails painted with the Punishers’ red and black logo clashed with her dress. They were also utterly impractical. Kayla didn’t know how women worked with those things. “Do you think he killed her?” She blinked wide doe eyes.
“It’s too soon to be placing blame or making assumptions,” Finn warned. “She might’ve taken some time away or visited a friend.”
Georgiana looked skeptical. “You don’t believe that.”
“It’s better than assuming she’s dead.”
Kayla’s phone dinged. She hated to leave the room to answer. She was afraid Georgiana would sink her claws into Finn and drag him away to her lair. When she glanced at her screen to see Tyler’s picture, she knew she had to answer. He was a worrier. “Excuse me.”
Iron Cross (COBRA Securities Book 20) Page 5