“Also, there’s something he needs to know.” He paused, his brows narrowed in concern. “Sally Sue Nolan was murdered last night.”
A warning tingle ran down her spine. “Who’s Sally Sue Nolan?”
“Finn’s high school sweetheart.”
Chapter Twelve
Kayla watched Clint leave, her mind racing. It wasn’t a coincidence that Finn’s high school girlfriend had been murdered, especially coming on the heels of Nina and Megan’s deaths. Grabbing her phone, she stepped into the hall and dialed Tyler.
“Hey, Kayla.”
“Tyler, do you remember Sally Sue Nolan?”
“Sure. She was the head cheerleader and homecoming queen. Pretty girl. She and Finn dated junior and senior year. Why?”
“She was murdered last night.”
“Are you serious?”
“I just heard about it, but I don’t have any other details.”
“I’m on it.”
Slipping her phone in her pocket, she reentered the conference room. Finn went from one interview to another. She knew he was exhausted, but he didn’t show it. He answered the same questions over and over with a sympathetic voice and a look of sincerity. People would believe him.
“How is he?”
She turned to see Shawn step inside. “Hanging in there.”
“How are you doing? It has to be hard listening to the questions about his former girlfriends.”
It was, but she answered, “I’m good.”
“I saw the press conference on the news. The firecrackers sounded just like gunshots.” He eyed her curiously. “You’re making a habit of diving to save him.”
She inwardly winced. “They showed that on television?”
“Yep. From several angles.”
“It was instinct.” Change of subject needed. “What brings you here?”
He withdrew a manila envelope and handed it to her. “Can you give this to Finn, please? I’ve been hammering out the details on his new contract. Georgiana is easier to negotiate with than her husband. Plus, she’s motivated. Her starting offer was way more than I was going to ask for altogether, so I cranked it up. We’ve almost finalized it, with Finn’s approval, of course. I’m sure he’ll be pleased.”
She took it from him. “Sure.”
“Thanks.”
“Have you heard the news about Sally Sue Nolan?”
“Sally Sue Nolan? Wow. That name’s a blast from the past. What about her?”
“Clint told me she was murdered yesterday.”
Shawn staggered until his back hit the wall. “What?”
“I don’t have any other details.”
He ran a shaking hand over his close-cropped hair. “Does Finn know?”
“No.”
“They were the it couple. He was captain of the hockey and baseball teams, prom king, class president. She was head cheerleader and homecoming queen. They were both voted most likely to succeed.”
“Do you know what she’s been doing since high school?”
Shawn shook his head. “No idea at all. She and Finn broke up, and that was that.” He glanced at his watch. “I wish I could stick around to be there for him when he finds out, but I’ve got to run. See you later, Kayla.”
Curiosity—and okay, just plain nosiness—had her wanting to open the envelope and examine the details to his new contract, but she refrained. It was a personal matter, and she wasn’t really his girlfriend. She’d made that point clear to him earlier.
When Finn finished the last interview, he looked wiped. His eyes searched the room. When he spotted her, his shoulders relaxed. Something deep in her chest squeezed. She was having a hard time keeping the relationship professional—though that ship might’ve sailed after last night. She needed to regain her legendary control. Her coworkers would arrive today, and she refused to set a bad example.
He shook hands with the last interviewer and then headed her way. It was all she could do to refrain from hugging him. He had no such qualms, pulling her into his warm embrace and resting his head on hers. A sigh escaped before she could stop it.
“You okay?”
“I’m good, but I’m not the one who sat in front of cameras and suffered through hours of questions. How are you?”
“Tired. Ready to be home.” He hugged her tighter and whispered, “Hoping for a repeat of last night.”
She smiled against his shoulder. She was, too, but it would not happen with Colt and Kaiya under the same roof. Easing back, she handed him the envelope. “Shawn dropped this off for you. He said he was close to a new contract and wanted you to look it over.”
He took it from her hands and tucked it under his arm. “Thanks.” Then he threaded their fingers together as they made their way outside. “We have a free afternoon. How about I show you around the city?”
“My coworkers aren’t scheduled to arrive until later, so that sounds like a plan.”
She hated to give him more bad news, but he needed to know about Sally Sue. She released his hand to push through the doors to the parking lot. As they headed to the SUV, she said, “I have something to tell you.” When he didn’t respond, she turned to see he’d dropped the envelope and was picking it up.
Suddenly an engine flared to life and tires squealed. She jerked around to see a car barreling towards them. She had a split second to spin around and lunge for Finn, taking him to the ground with a flying tackle as the car raced past so close, she could feel the heat of the exhaust.
He grunted when his back hit the concrete. “We’ve got to quit meeting like this,” he ground out between clenched teeth.
“Sorry. Are you okay?”
“Better with you on top of me.”
She wanted to stay right where she was until her heart rate returned to normal, but the person might try again. They were sitting ducks—or lying ducks as it was. Pushing to her feet, she held out a hand to help him up, surprised to see it shaking. She never lost her composure.
He brushed bits of gravel from his backside. “That was Darcy’s car.”
“I noticed. The driver wore a black hoodie and sunglasses. I couldn’t see the face.”
Finn pinned her with a worried look. “The engine gunned when you appeared. She was targeting you, Kayla.”
#
Finn was not as young as he used to be. A couple of years ago, he could take a hit on the ice and pop back up without breaking a sweat. But each one of Kayla’s tackles knocked the air from his lungs. He felt every one of his thirty-two years.
He couldn’t believe Darcy tried to kill them—or Kayla. He had no doubt the car aimed for her. It was all because she declared herself to be his girlfriend. The person responsible for murdering Nina and Megan targeted his old flings. It would gut him if she were killed because of him. A world without Kayla wasn’t one he wanted to contemplate.
“I say we pay Darcy a visit,” Kayla said as they climbed into the SUV and buckled up. “I want to hear what she has to say before we call the police.”
“I have no idea where she lives.”
“I’ve got it.” She checked her phone and then entered an address in the GPS.
He started the engine and followed the directions…wait a minute. “Is that Tyler’s voice?”
Kayla chuckled. “Yes. Don’t ask me how he figured out how to do it.”
Finn smiled. “He’s a genius. I’m going to have him do the same to my vehicle.”
“He’ll love that.”
He turned right out of the arena parking lot when Tyler prompted him to and continued through the next intersection.
“There are no red flags in Darcy’s background.” Kayla was reading the report her office compiled on her. “Never married. No kids. She earns a living selling jewelry online. She calls it industrial chic. She must be good because she makes a decent income. She owes on her house and car, but no massive credit card debt.”
Ominous clouds rolled in the sky, carrying the promise of rain as he parked at the curb in fro
nt of Darcy’s small ranch house in the suburbs. The lawn was freshly mowed, and flowers bloomed from hanging pots on her porch and around her mailbox. A Punishers’ flag waved proudly from a pole attached to a post. When she appeared, her eyes widened with joy, and she threw open the door.
“Finn! You’ve finally come home. I’ve been waiting for you forever. Come in, come in.” She stepped back to allow him to enter. He stood back so Kayla could precede him.
Darcy threw out a hand. “Wait—what’s she doing here?”
Finn couldn’t answer. His attention was riveted on the interior of Darcy’s home. Her living room was a shrine to him, with his pictures lining three walls. Behind a glass frame was a game jersey. Next to it was one of his hockey sticks he’d broken and Darrel threw away, he assumed. There was even a life-sized cutout of him wearing a line of workout wear from one of the companies he endorsed.
“Creepy,” Kayla muttered.
No kidding. It was downright frightening.
“Come. Sit down.” Darcy grabbed his arm and guided him to the sofa. He would’ve resisted, but he was still in shock at the display. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“No, thanks. We’re here for a reason.” Before he could tell her what it was, Kayla’s voice sounded.
“Darcy, what is this?”
Kayla was standing in what should’ve been a dining room, but Darcy had converted it into a workshop. Various tools were scattered over a large table in the center of the room with a magnifying lamp anchored to one side. Several multi-drawer cabinets lined one wall. In the opposite corner was a workstation where she took pictures of her creations. A camera on a tripod was positioned in front of a white fabric box surrounded by lights on the top and sides. Two white umbrella lights flanked the camera. A selection of lenses rested on a shelf, including one that was at least ten inches long. The other wall held a large frame made of wire where she displayed her designs.
“This is where I make my line of jewelry. It’s very popular,” she boasted.
Kayla picked something up. “You use steel in your creations.” She eyed Finn, and he easily read her thoughts. Darcy could’ve made the crosses he found in his locker.
“Don’t touch that.” She jerked the piece from Kayla’s hand and placed it back on the workbench. “Of course, I use steel. Iron, too. It’s what we’re famous for in Pittsburgh.” She held out her arms as if to block Kayla from her space. “Leave the area, please. This is private property.” Then she turned to Finn. “Why is she here? You didn’t answer me.”
He ignored the question again. “Darcy, we’re here because of what happened earlier at the arena.”
“What happened? Oh, you mean the press conference. I saw it on television. You looked very handsome, Finn. My online friends are so impressed that we’re married.”
He always thought her elevator didn’t go all the way to the top. Now he realized it was stuck in the basement.
“We’re not here because of the press conference. You know what you did, Darcy,” Kayla insisted. “It was your very distinctive car. Plus, I saw the license plate.”
Her gaze ping-ponged from Kayla to Finn and back. “I have no idea what you’re talking about right now. I’ve been home all day working on my jewelry and chatting with friends.” She pointed to the computer set up on one end of her worktable, complete with printer, speakers and webcam.
“Don’t lie to me, Darcy. We’re giving you a chance to explain before we notify the police.”
She tossed out her arms in frustration. “What did I do?”
“You tried to run us over. That’s attempted murder.”
Darcy’s mouth dropped open. “M-murder? I would never hurt Finn.” She shook her head resolutely. “I don’t know what you think you saw, but it wasn’t my car or my license plate.” She waved her hand in a motion for them to follow her. “I’ll show you.”
She led them through the house to a side door off the kitchen. Thankfully, it appeared she’d confined his shrine to the living room. He shuddered to think of her bedroom.
Darcy opened the door and stepped down the two steps before coming to an abrupt stop. “My car! It’s gone!”
Finn glanced around the empty carport and then rounded the house to make sure she hadn’t parked it out of sight. When he returned, Darcy was pointing at Kayla menacingly.
“You took it.”
“Why would I be asking you about it if I’d taken it? We didn’t steal it, Darcy. Someone driving it just tried to run us over. And please remove your finger from my face before I move it for you.”
Darcy’s mouth puckered as she dropped her hand. Then her eyes widened. “You really were almost run over? Finn, are you okay?” She threw her arms around him. Kayla’s amused grin was not helping. He extracted her arms and stepped back.
“I’m fine. When was the last time you saw your car?”
“Last night, when I came home from the grocery store.”
Kayla was scanning the exterior of her house. “Do you have a security system or cameras?”
“No.”
“If your car’s been stolen, we need to notify the police. I’ll call Detective Johansen.”
A long, tense fifteen minutes later, an unmarked car pulled into Darcy’s driveway. Detective Anja Johansen stepped out just as a crack of lightning sounded, followed by a rolling boom of thunder. Darcy led them back inside her house.
Detective Johansen’s astounded gaze roamed the living room. “Mylanta,” she whispered to Finn. “This is messed up.”
“Tell me about it.”
#
Detective Johansen took Darcy’s statement about her stolen car and then Kayla and Finn’s account of the parking lot mishap. Rain was coming down in sheets as they exited Darcy’s house. Anja’s phone buzzed. After checking the screen, she held out a hand for them to wait.
Once she disconnected, she said, “Darcy’s car was abandoned two blocks from the arena. They’re checking for prints now, and we’ll pull feeds from traffic cameras in the area.”
“Do you think she’s guilty?”
Anja shook her head. “No.”
Kayla didn’t either. She might be delusional, but Kayla couldn’t see her as a killer. Her line of jewelry wasn’t as beautiful as the pieces Tyler’s wife Lyra created, but they were intricate and creative. Lyra’s creations were works of art.
“No luck in identifying the individual who paid the kid to toss the firecrackers, either. The camera near where the person approached the boy wasn’t working.”
“Convenient.”
“Yeah.”
“My coworkers just texted me. They’re a little over an hour out. They’ll be staying at Finn’s house with me.”
“Got it. I’ll keep you posted, and you do the same.”
They dashed down the steps and to their vehicles, trying not to get completely soaked. Kayla fired off a text to Kaiya, letting her know they were on their way to Finn’s house. She’d need to somehow move her suitcase back to her original room without her coworkers noticing. She’d meant to do it before they left the house, but she’d been distracted with spectacular shower sex.
She glanced over at Finn. He made her heart pound. It would be hard being under the same roof and not being able to touch him, but she refused to act inappropriately in front of Colt and Kaiya. She was glad to have the support of her coworkers, but sad that her time alone with Finn was ending.
“Tell me about your coworkers.”
His request snapped her from replaying images of last night in her head. “Colt Fontaine is a former Navy SEAL, like many of my coworkers. Kaiya Quillen was in the Army like me, but she served two tours. I only did one.”
Finn glanced over at her, his brows quirked with surprise. “You were in the Army?”
“Yep. Signed up to follow in my father and older brother Brett’s footsteps, much to my mother’s dismay. She still hasn’t forgiven me.”
“Why? She should be damn proud of you.” That made every nerve
in her body tingle. “What did she want you to do?”
“Become Ms. America, followed by Ms. Universe. It was her dream.”
He nodded slowly. “I can see that. I have no doubt you’d have won both competitions easily.”
Now those nerve endings were on fire with desire for this man. “I hated every minute of the pageants. My sister Avery loved them. She couldn’t wait for the next one. After she passed away, my mother focused everything on me and entered me in every competition from the time I was five until I joined the military.”
He reached over and clasped her hand. “I’m sorry about your sister.”
She smiled sadly. “Me, too. I don’t remember much about her except that she was so beautiful. She looked like an angel. She was Mom’s first dress-up doll.”
“What happened to her, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Leukemia. She fought it off once when she was six and was in remission, but it came back. She was ten when she died. She was the oldest, then my brother, and then me.”
“That’s rough.”
“It was. My parents didn’t take it well. My mother finally snapped out of her funk when she decided that I would be her next project. She enrolled me in everything from gymnastics to piano lessons so I’d have a wide range of talent for the different competitions. I didn’t argue because I was sad that my sister was gone and glad that my mother was smiling again. The whole time I was practicing piano or dancing ballet or taking etiquette lessons, I wanted to be playing baseball with Brett and his friends, but I also wanted to make my mom happy.”
His fingers squeezed hers. “It sounds like a rough childhood.”
“It wasn’t easy, but I knew I was loved. It wasn’t like they mistreated me or anything.”
Kayla realized they were almost to his house and she still hadn’t broken the news about his high school sweetheart. She didn’t get the chance when she noticed a dark sedan parked at the gate with a man and woman dressed in suits leaning against the car with their arms crossed. The rain had stopped, so they didn’t have to worry about getting soaked. Even without the badges clipped to their belts, she’d have pegged them as cops.
“What now,” Finn grumbled as he rolled down his window. The woman stepped forward and held up her credentials.
Iron Cross (COBRA Securities Book 20) Page 12