Iron Cross (COBRA Securities Book 20)

by Velvet Vaughn

  He was an icon in the city. People loved him. And it was easy to see why. Not only was he one of the best players in the league—if not the best—but he was down to earth, easily approachable, and gave both time and money to several charitable causes. She had to be very careful here. It would be so easy to fall head over heels for him. If she was honest with herself, she might be the teeniest bit in love with him now. The intimate dinner and fascinating conversation didn’t help. The more she learned about him, the more she liked. She needed to keep the relationship on a professional level.

  It took another half hour after the tire was replaced for them to leave. Finn’s fans kept him busy, and he obliged them all.

  Once they were seated in the SUV heading to his house, he apologized for the delay.

  “It’s no problem. Your legions of fans adore you.”

  “It’s not legions,” he scoffed. “They’re just passionate about hockey.”

  Maybe, but she couldn’t see people surrounding Dmitry or Barrett or any of his teammates like they did for him. Not that they weren’t great at the sport—they were. But Finn was in another league when you factored in approachability, friendliness and compassion.

  It was late by the time they returned to his house. She planned on researching more potential suspects, but tiredness weighed her down. “I’ll move my things back to the other room.”

  He stopped her with a hand on her arm. She fought her body’s reaction to his touch. “There’s no sense in moving things back and forth. We were fine sharing the bed last night. It’s big enough that we have our own space.”

  He might’ve been okay with the arrangement, but she’d endured naughty dreams all night about jumping his excellent bones, only to wake up and realize she’d done precisely that. Plus, it was highly unprofessional to sleep with a client, even if sleep was all that would happen. Still, her mouth had a brain of its own. “Okay.” Traitor.

  He let her use the bathroom first. Once she finished washing her face and brushing her teeth, he took his turn. She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep, but she was out as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  Chapter Eight

  Finn spent another restless night with Kayla in bed next to him. He knew the moment she rolled to him and plastered her body against his. It was all he could do to keep from having his wicked way with her. Why had he thought it would be a good idea to share a bed again?

  Once she was in his arms, he slept deeply. It was as if a sense of calm settled over him. He almost didn’t wake to workout. He never set the alarm, relying instead on his internal clock. It rarely let him down. But when he opened his eyes, he was already forty-five minutes late.

  Kayla woke when he moved from the bed, and then they were heading to the gym together. He had a hard time concentrating on the weights. Everything she did was sexy. Warming up on the treadmill. Killing it on the rowing machine. Lifting dumbbells and kettlebells. Even though the bathing suit she wore was made for sport and not seduction, it hugged her dips and curves and made his oversexed brain conjure up images he had no business thinking.

  He needed to rein in his inappropriate feelings for her before they got him into trouble. He admired her, but more importantly, he trusted her. She was the calm in the storm that was his life right now.

  Once he showered, he headed to the kitchen to discover she’d made the protein shakes this morning. Though the flavor differed from the ones he put together, they were just as tasty. He took an alternate route to the arena to give her various views of the city. As he parked in the lot, he was happy to note Darcy was absent. He hadn’t expected her to show up, but with her, you never knew.

  “No Darcy today,” Kayla remarked.

  They even thought alike.

  She was out the door before he could open it for her. As they crossed the lot to the arena, he explained about the sponsor shoots he’d have to partake in with his teammates, not to mention the promo shots for the next season’s marketing materials.

  Since most of the pictures were team-related, they were using the main arena today. He led her to the elevator that would convey them to the box level and his private suite. He’d purchased it for when his parents visited, or when he needed to schmooze. But most of the time, he filled it with children from disadvantaged areas to introduce them to the sport, and he worked extensively with the Make-A-Wish foundation.

  Kayla could watch the action live and on multiple televisions scattered around the room. He’d made sure the suite would be catered so she’d have food and drinks, and he planned on inviting his teammates for lunch during the break. Once she was settled, he headed down to the locker room to change into his uniform.

  Clint was coming out of the training room as he passed. He craned his head around. “Where’s that gorgeous girlfriend of yours? I thought you’d want to spend as much time with her as possible before she has to leave.”

  Finn almost didn’t tell him, not wanting Clint to find his way to the box to chat her up. But that was mean. “I set her up in my suite.”

  “Nice. How’s it going with you two? Are you going to convince her to move here? I think she’s the one for you, Finn.”

  “It’s going good, but we’re taking it one day at a time.” Clint’s question had him thinking of when she left for real. He didn’t want his friends to know they’d been lying, so they’d have to stage a break-up. The thought made the protein shake in his belly sour.

  Arnie and Barrett headed towards them, fully dressed in their uniforms. Arnie stepped in front of him.

  “You planning on becoming a priest, Bates?”

  Finn narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about, Roman?”

  “I figured with all those crosses in your locker, you were studying to join the seminary.”

  “What crosses?” Finn brushed past him as he headed inside the locker room with Arnie, Barrett and Clint on his heels. As Arnie said, three crosses hung from a hook inside his cubby. He almost grabbed them but remembered to use something so as not to contaminate fingerprints. Kayla was rubbing off on him. He settled for a towel and gingerly wrapped them inside.

  “What are those?” Clint asked, peering over his shoulder.

  “I have no idea.” He wanted to study them closer, but his teammates were watching him expectantly. There were no cameras inside the locker room, so there was very little chance they’d find the person who left them. “From a fan, I guess.”

  “Well, she must be religious,” Barrett surmised.

  Arnie elbowed him. “Unless she’s a vampire slayer. Maybe she wants to suck your blood.”

  Finn shoved Arnie good naturedly. “Get lost, Roman.”

  Kip came rushing inside, his breath sawing in and out, as he instructed everyone to head outside. Finn wrapped up the crosses and placed them back inside before changing into his pads and uniform. After he laced his Bauer Vapor 2X Pro skates, he joined his teammates.

  The morning was packed with numerous photo ops around the inside and outside of the arena. The official team picture wouldn’t be taken until right before the season when the roster was finalized. Trades or cuts would happen before then.

  They were allowed an hour and a half break, and he invited his teammates to his box for lunch. He’d given Kayla a heads up so she wouldn’t be overwhelmed. Maybe a part of him wanted to show off his fake girlfriend. She’d met Arnie, Jacques, Barrett and Dmitry, but the others were just as enchanted with her. He spotted her talking to Coach Sammy Silva with their heads bent in conversation. Silva was a hockey legend, having spent two decades in the league before retiring to coach the Punishers fifteen years ago. He was both revered and respected. Finn considered himself lucky to have played for him for the last ten years. Judging from the way Sammy hung on her every word, he looked just as enraptured with Kayla as he was.

  All too soon, they were summoned back to the ice. By the time the last photographer called it quits, he was drained. All he wanted to do was take Kayla home, grab a beer, and relax on
the deck with her by his side. It sounded like a perfect evening.

  Reality slapped him in the face when he returned to his locker and spotted the bundle on the top shelf. After a quick shower, he changed into his street clothes—trying to keep the bullet-proof vest hidden so he didn’t have to answer unwanted questions. He found a duffel to use and tucked the crosses inside before bidding goodbye to his teammates.

  Kayla was waiting for him by the exit and his steps faltered. She took his breath every time he spotted her. In case his teammates were watching, he grabbed her hand and threaded their fingers together. A warm feeling settled in his belly when she didn’t pull away. He waited until they were inside the SUV before handing her the bag. “I found these hanging in my locker.”

  She unzipped the sides and studied the contents. “Crosses.”

  “Yeah, three. Look closely at the engraving on the back.”

  Using an edge of the towel, she flipped one over and then the others. “MF, NO and FR.” Realization dawned, and she jerked her gaze to him. “Megan Fletcher, Nina Ortega, and Fred Russell.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed grimly.

  “You know what this means? The deaths are tied together. Whoever killed Nina also killed Fred, and we have to assume Megan.”

  “And they want me to know they did.” She’d been right all along. Their deaths were linked to him.

  “Are there cameras in the locker room?”

  “No. And there’s no telling how long they’ve been in there. I haven’t been to my locker since before Nina’s murder.”

  She tested the weight of the bundle. “They’re heavy, made from either iron or steel. We need to contact Detective Johansen. I’d like to take these back to your house and snap pictures first. The police will confiscate them as evidence.”

  Before they could take any action, his phone rang. When Shawn’s name popped up, he answered instantly.

  Shawn wasted no time with niceties. “They found Megan.”

  Chapter Nine

  Kayla’s phone beeped right after Finn’s. She heard Shawn telling him Megan had been found. From the sound of Shawn’s voice, it wasn’t good news. Tyler was calling, so he probably had the same info—and he did.

  “Where did they find her?”

  “Floating in the Allegheny River.”

  They’d found Nina in the Monongahela, two of the three rivers that surrounded Pittsburgh. “Did she drown?”

  “She was strangled first, like Nina. Crushed larynx.”

  “Are there any suspects?”

  “None at this time.”

  She wasn’t surprised. “I have news, too.” She told him about the crosses Finn found hanging in his locker.

  “I knew it,” Tyler burst out. “This is all about him. I was right.”

  She hadn’t been wholly convinced when she took the assignment, but she was now. Someone wanted to make sure Finn knew the deaths were related.

  “You need backup.”

  “I was about to call the bosses and ask for Colt Fontaine and Kaiya Quillen.” Though they were both newbies having worked their first case with her last week, she trusted them with her life. They’d passed all the grueling physical and mental tests. They wouldn’t be agents otherwise. She didn’t think either would’ve been sent on another case yet, so they should be available.

  Since Finn’s friends and teammates didn’t know she worked for a security company, she’d need to be careful with her interactions with her coworkers. There was a legitimate reason to bring in security for Finn with the recent threats, so that’s how they would explain their arrival.

  “I’ll take care of it from this end and let you know when to expect them. Keep me posted.”

  “Thanks, Tyler.”

  Finn disconnected at the same time. “You heard about Megan?”

  “Yeah, that was Tyler.”

  He ran a hand down his face. “I know it was a longshot, but I was hoping she’d met someone and ran away with him.”

  “With someone leaving the crosses for you, we must seriously investigate the people around you, especially those who might want to hurt you. And you need to make a list of your old girlfriends so we can track them down and warn them to be careful.”

  #

  Finn cringed. He wasn’t looking forward to making that list. He wasn’t Wilt Chamberlain or anything, not even close, but he’d enjoyed an active dating life. “How far back are we talking?”

  “All the way. Who was your first girlfriend?”

  “Brittani Thornton.”

  “How old were you?”

  “Five…no six.”

  When she said nothing, he glanced over to see an amused expression on her face. “What? She shared her Twinkies with me. I was a goner.”

  “So that’s the way to your heart? Golden sponge cake with a creamy filling?”

  “It doesn’t hurt.”

  She chuckled. “Good to know. How long did the relationship last?”

  “A week. I broke it off after I caught her sharing Twinkies with Max Gruber.”

  “Hussy,” Kayla teased, and he laughed. “We don’t need to go back that far. Start with college girlfriends.”

  “What about ones who live out of the state?”

  “We should probably warn them, too, but we’ll focus on ones in this area first. The killer seems to be local.”

  His phone rang again, and he checked the screen to see Kip Pennington’s name. He considered rejecting the call but answered. “Hey, Kip, what’s up?”

  “Did you hear about Megan?”

  “Yeah, I did. How did you so soon?”

  “I was with Georgiana when the call came through. Sorry, man.”

  “Me, too. What did you need?”

  “Wipe your calendar clean for tomorrow. I have a plethora of interviews set up for you, starting with a press conference in the morning.”

  “Sorry, but I’m busy.”

  “You’re ratings gold right now, Finn. We need to capitalize on it. It’s good press for the Punishers and you.”

  “People died, Pennington.”

  “I know, I know.” He tried to sound contrite, but he couldn’t quite pull it off. “But my job is to promote the team and the players. That’s what I’m doing. We have a press conference set up for ten in the morning with Georgiana outside the arena. I need to go over details with you, so I’ll stop by your house this evening. I’ve got to run. Bye.”

  Finn gritted his teeth as he disconnected. The last thing he wanted to do was go on national television and talk about the friends he’d lost. It was ghoulish. The press would dig for salacious details in his relationships with Nina and Megan and even Fred.

  The deaths had nothing to do with the Punishers, so it seemed odd that Georgiana wanted a press conference, but she loved basking in the limelight, just like Nina.

  He hated this. His privacy was being invaded, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do to stop it. The stories would get printed with or without his input. Maybe it was better if he set the records straight.

  “Is something wrong?”

  He glanced over at Kayla and felt his anger ebb. How did she do that? “That was Kip, the public relations guy. He’s set up a press conference in the morning with Georgiana and interviews with media outlets after.”

  “What does Megan’s death have to do with the Punishers? Or Nina and Fred, for that matter?”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  As soon as they arrived at his place, he ran upstairs to change while Kayla took the crosses and photographed them to send to her office before calling Detective Johansen.

  He found her on the deck with her laptop. Instead of a beer, he grabbed two bottles of water and joined her.

  #

  Kayla thanked Finn for the water as she took a sip and then placed the bottle on the table between the seats. “Since we now know the murders are connected, and the unsub has tied them to you, I’ve requested two agents to assist me. They’ll be here tomorrow.”

 
“Unsub?”

  “Sorry. It’s short for unknown subject. If you hear me say perp or tango, they all mean the same thing. They’re slang for the person committing the crimes.”

  “Got it. Will the other two agents be staying here?”

  “Not necessarily. We can book rooms in a nearby hotel.”

  “No need. I’ve got plenty of room.”

  “If you’re sure, it would help to have them close. Thanks.”

  “No problem. What are we telling people about them?”

  “A version of the truth. We can say that you were worried about me, so you hired security as a precaution. That way, it won’t look suspicious when I’m constantly interacting with them.”

  Finn’s phone dinged. “Detective Johansen’s here.”

  Kayla placed her laptop on the table. “I’ll go get her.”

  She met Anja at the door and let her in. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Water would be good.”

  Kayla grabbed a bottle from the fridge and handed it to her before leading her outside to the deck.

  “I’d never tire of this view,” Anja murmured. “I’ve always admired these homes on the hill.” She turned around and took a seat beside Kayla.

  Kayla handed her the crosses wrapped in the towel Finn brought from the locker room. Anja snapped on a pair of latex gloves before picking up each one and studying the initials carved into the back. “NO for Nina Ortega, FR for Fred Russell and MF for Megan Fletcher. I agree that these tie the three murders together.”

  “I thought of a different explanation,” Kayla offered. “They might be from a fan as a sort of sympathy gift for the losses.”

  Anja looked up at her. “You don’t believe that.”