Danger Zone

by Stacy Claflin

  Nick couldn’t believe it. “Two weeks? Are you sure?”

  He nodded. “This isn’t my first rodeo, Captain. I’ve dealt with several of these cases before I transferred here. I would imagine this attic would get cold in the winter and stifling in the summer.”

  Sanchez gestured toward the open window. “Did you open that before or after finding it?”

  “Before.”

  She went over and closed it. “I’m going to call and make sure the coroner is almost here. Wu, you take pictures.”

  He nodded and got to work.

  Nick turned to Sanchez. “I’m going to get the kids out of here before the body is removed.”

  She nodded. “If we need anything, I’ll call your cell.”

  “I appreciate it.”

  “No problem, boss. I’ll make sure to lock everything up before leaving.”

  “Thank you so much for everything.” He and Genevieve made their way down the ladder. His stomach knotted at the thought of his baby seeing the mummified remains. Hopefully, it wouldn’t give her nightmares.

  Late

  Zoey parked and checked her makeup in the mirror. She added some lip gloss—most of it had come off on her coffee cup—and smiled. Despite waking up several times the night before to deal with a fussing infant, she had successfully camouflaged the dark circles under her eyes and looked hire-worthy. With any luck, Hiram Ricci would also think so.

  She fluffed her new style before stepping out of the car. A smile spread across her face as she recalled Alex’s reaction to her new look. She’d been worried he wouldn’t like it, but his expression had lit up and he immediately ran his hands through it. In fact, they’d put the twins to bed early and enjoyed hours of rare alone time.

  Zoey brought herself back to the present, set the alarm for her car, then marched up to the tall building as though she owned it. The automatic doors opened as she neared, and she stepped inside the air-conditioned building, her heels echoing on the shiny floor.

  She looked at Mr. Ricci’s text to double-check she was heading to the right place. They were meeting in the courtyard because his office was under construction. He was working remotely but had assured her the office would be ready by the time of her start date if she was a good fit.

  Her heart raced with anticipation. If anything, she was overqualified, which could cost her the job. But Mr. Ricci was so eager for the temporary help, she liked her chances. And he was offering a pay Zoey couldn’t refuse. If she got the job, Alex could cut out his overtime completely and they’d be able to take their vacation sooner than planned. It was perfect.

  She stepped onto the elevator and smiled at the lady who was there. The button was already lit for the twelfth floor. She leaned against the wall, took a deep breath, then glanced at her reflection in the shiny wall and beamed. Mr. Ricci would be crazy not to hire her.

  The elevator dinged, and the doors opened to a bright and bustling floor. Zoey marched out and looked around. Two glass doors led to the courtyard beyond, and each table outside was filled. Hopefully, Mr. Ricci was already at one of them, or they’d either have to wait or find a new place for the interview.

  She didn’t know what he looked like. Why hadn’t she asked? Her confidence waned and her heart raced. Then she pulled out her phone. All she needed to do was to call him.

  A man in a suit turned to her and spoke with a slight Italian accent. “May I help you find a seat?”

  Zoey was caught off guard, not realizing a business courtyard would have someone seating people. “I’m looking for Hiram Ricci.”

  The man nodded. “Yes, yes. He reserved a table. Called and said he’s running a few minutes behind schedule and hopes you won’t be upset.”

  “No, of course not.”

  “Follow me.” He led her to a sunny table near the ledge. The view was incredible. “Have a seat.”

  She started to sit, but the man held out the chair and scooted her in.

  “Hiram said to start you off with his best wine. Do you prefer white or red?”

  Wine for an interview? “None, thanks.”

  “He insists.”

  “I’m nursing.” Maybe she shouldn’t have said that. What if he wouldn’t want to hire her?

  “Ah, I see. Does he realize this?”

  Her breath caught. “You know what? It doesn’t matter.” Her mind raced. She could pump and dump. The babies were eating solids—they didn't rely on milk. “Bring me some white, please.”

  The man gave a slight bow and disappeared.

  Zoey took several deep breaths to calm herself. If she wasn’t careful, she’d mess up this interview for the perfect temporary job. She had no intention of actually drinking the wine and risking the alcohol going to Laney and Zander. It would be easy enough to pretend to drink and then sneakily dump it into the potted plant next to her.

  A few minutes later, the man arrived with a single glass of wine. “For the lady. Hiram has just let me know he’s almost here.”

  “Thanks.” Zoey smiled at him.

  He didn’t leave, but glanced back and forth between her and the drink. She glanced out at the view, but when she turned back, the host was still there. “Drink.”

  “Oh, I’ll wait for Mr. Ricci.”

  “Hiram would like you to have this as his apology for running behind. There was a problem with a client, but now everything is resolved.”

  Zoey lifted a brow. “Really, I don’t mind waiting.”

  “Drink.”

  She wanted to ask why he was being so pushy, but maybe this was just business as usual for Ricci.

  Neither she nor the host budged. He straightened his back. “It’s not polite to refuse a gift.”

  At this point, she’d do anything to get him to leave her alone. “Can’t have that.” Zoey lifted the glass to her lips and the sweet aroma tingled her nose as the liquid pressed against her closed lips. It smelled buttery and expensive. She set the glass down and smiled. “It’s delicious.”

  He nodded and finally left.

  She released a slow breath. If Mr. Ricci was half as pushy, she would have her work cut out for her. Would that be the price of accepting the perfect job? Maybe it wasn’t nearly as ideal as it appeared. She was also interviewing him, not just the other way around. If she didn’t like the situation, she would say no and move on to the next opportunity.

  Not that any others had presented themselves yet.

  Zoey glanced around, looking for anyone who might be her interviewer. The host was looking her way next to the door. Was he watching her? Or just looking out at the view?

  If he didn’t stop, she would just leave. Something was off about the whole situation. Or was she jumping to conclusions because of what she’d been through in the past, or because she was married to a cop and always heard stories of the worst of humanity?

  She scanned all the tables full of people. With such a crowded place, she wasn’t in danger. In fact, this was probably safer than going into Ricci’s office alone.

  Zoey relaxed, but then noticed the host was heading her way. She held back an eye roll and quickly grabbed her glass. Held it up, then brought it to her lips.

  He stepped back to his spot near the door.

  She pretended to drink some more to keep him at bay. As soon as he was distracted, she poured half the glass into the soil.

  Advance

  Zoey checked the time. Mr. Ricci was now twenty minutes late, and Zoey had been waiting for twenty-five. Between this, the creepy host, and the forced wine, it was becoming clear this wasn’t her ideal job after all.

  She set the glass down and stood. Just as she grabbed her purse, someone cleared his throat. She turned to see a deeply tanned man with dark hair and eyes wearing a tight V-neck and equally snug jeans. He was extremely muscular, and several tattoos poked out from his sleeves and collar. Strong woodsy cologne wafted from his direction.

  He held out his hand and gave her a movie-star grin. “Zoey Mercer?” He spoke with a thick Italian
accent. “I’m Hiram Ricci. I apologize for my attire. I’d have changed, but as you can see, my client kept me, and I didn’t want to arrive any later than I already was.”

  It took her a moment to find her voice. “It’s fine. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Ricci.”

  “Call me Hiram.” He grabbed a chair from the other side of the table and sat next to her, barely leaving any space between them.

  She did her best to hide her surprise, and scooted her chair away from him as she sat.

  “Have you been enjoying the wine?” He gestured toward her half-empty glass.

  “It’s delicious, thank you.”

  “I’m glad you like it. It’s from my grandparents’ vineyard back home. You won’t be able to buy anything like that around here.”

  Guilt stung for dumping it out, but she managed a smile. “I appreciate you giving me some.”

  “My pleasure.” He scooted his chair closer. “Shall we order lunch?”

  She sat straighter. “I wasn’t expecting to eat.”

  “Nonsense. It’s lunchtime.” He waved over the server. “Lorenzo, we’ll start with salads.” He turned to Zoey. “That is okay, isn’t it?”

  She nodded, then scooted over when Mr. Ricci turned his attention back to Lorenzo. Now there was no room between her and the plant, but at least there was a little space between the two chairs.

  He turned back to her and scooted his chair so close, their legs touched. Zoey’s heart raced. Not cool. It didn't matter that this guy was offering her a high salary or that he was accustomed to a different culture, this was not appropriate for a job interview.

  She started to say something, but he spoke first.

  “Do you like pasta?”

  “I’m really not hungry, Mr. Ricci.”

  “Like I said, call me Hiram.” He grinned. His eyes seemed to drink her in. “I like to keep things casual. Usually not this casual, though.” He panned his palms over his attire, his muscles flexing as he did.

  Everything in her screamed to run, but she wanted to give him a chance. Maybe he was just clueless. Fresh from a touchy-feely culture. She cleared her throat and played with her wedding ring. “Hiram, would you mind scooting over? I’m feeling a little claustrophobic.”

  “Closer?” He moved his chair even closer to hers, though she wouldn’t have thought that possible.

  Definitely a language barrier.

  “What was your client meeting about?” She struggled to move her chair away from his without being obvious, but it wouldn’t budge.

  He spoke about the meeting, and as he made wild gestures along with his story, his hand managed to brush against her leg and her arm.

  Zoey flashed back to the woods. After she’d fled from the cabin where Dave held her, he caught her and—she shuddered as the images flooded her mind—a month later she discovered she was pregnant with the twins. Zander was Dave’s, and Laney was Alex’s.

  Hiram’s laughter brought her back to the present. Zoey tried to shake the memories. Maybe it was her past trauma that was making her overreact to this situation. The man was clearly a boisterous personality and unfamiliar with the boundaries Zoey was used to.

  That was all it was. He couldn’t hurt her with so many witnesses around them.

  But what would it be like in an office with him? More of the same? Sure, she’d be able to work from home, but not all of the time.

  Lorenzo brought the salads along with the bottle of wine and poured some for Hiram, who dug in, still speaking about the business. He’d moved from talking about the client he’d just seen to telling her about the projects he’d need Zoey’s help with and why she would be the perfect candidate for the position.

  The way his tone changed when he said position made her squirm.

  He didn’t seem to notice her reaction, but he nodded to her salad. “Eat.”

  She picked at it while he continued on, telling her how he’d started the company from scratch after moving here and barely speaking a word of English. He paused and downed most of his glass of wine. “Have some more wine. My poor grandmama would turn over in her grave if she knew a single drop went to waste.”

  “Can’t have that.” Even though the woman had probably spun circles in her casket after Zoey had given half the glass to the plant. She brought the glass to her lips and pretended to take a sip.

  “You like?” Hiram asked.

  “It’s heavenly.”

  He beamed. “Good. Nothing could make me happier. Now, tell me what you look forward to most in taking the position under me.”

  Zoey’s stomach knotted at his choice of words. She ignored it and thought about the most professional answer to the question. “Given my experience—”

  Hiram leaned over and pressed his mouth on hers, kissing her deeply, forcefully. His hands pressed on her arms and moved toward her chest.

  She struggled to jump up, but his grip was tight. He let go and cupped her, squeezing but giving her the opportunity to leap up. She shoved him, her heart thundering like a jackhammer. “What are you doing?”

  His brows drew together. “Following your advances. That was what you wanted!”

  Zoey grabbed her purse. “No, it was not! You can take your stupid job and stuff it up your pompous—”

  “Is there a problem?” Lorenzo asked.

  She ignored him, then picked up the wine glass and dumped the remaining drink in Hiram’s lap. “Good luck finding someone to fill the position!”

  With that, she stormed to the elevators, blinking back hot, angry tears.

  Overwhelm

  All of Alex’s worries melted away when he saw Zoey reclining on their bed, looking at her phone. Memories of the night before ran through his mind, sending a warmth through him. He quickly locked his gun before climbing onto the bed and raking his fingers through her hair.

  She stiffened at his touch and turned off her phone’s screen.

  He leaned back, ignoring the disappointment from the rejection. “Is everything okay, Zo?”

  “Yeah, fine.” Her reply was too fast.

  “Did I do something wrong?”

  Zoey shook her head. “No. The interview didn’t go like I expected. That’s all.”

  “Really? He didn’t offer you the job?”

  “It wasn’t a good fit.”

  “He’s an idiot. Doesn’t know what he’s missing.” He scooted closer.

  She scooted away.

  Ouch. Perhaps she just needed space to get over not getting the position. “I’m going to see if your dad wants help with dinner. Is Ari home?”

  Zoey shook her head again, not looking at him. “She texted me and said she had to stay late at her study group.”

  “She should definitely get an A after as much time as she spends with them.” Alex grinned, but Zoey wasn’t even looking his way. He gave her a kiss on the cheek, which elicited no response, then headed to the kitchen, where Kenji was busy at the stove with his back to Alex.

  He closed the door behind him and tried to ignore the ache in his heart. First Ari, and now Zoey. What was going on with his family? What next? The twins? No, that was obviously an overreaction. Or was it? Both his wife and oldest daughter were acting uncharacteristically against him. Well, Zoey wasn’t acting like she didn’t like him. Not yet, anyway. But something was up. It was like a wall between them. It reminded him of the time after her abduction, when she’d kept quiet about the full extent of her violations.

  That thought made him want to run back to their apartment and ask if something had happened. Was she keeping something else from him?

  No. He’d give her space but let her know he was there for her no matter what—as much as it killed him to step away.

  Although maybe Zoey didn’t need space. He could’ve been reading too much into Zoey’s disinterest moments ago. Maybe she was just tired or upset about the interview. That would make sense. Actually, that was probably it. He was making too big of a deal about it because of Ariana’s recent behavior. His wife could be
back to her normal self by the time dinner was ready.

  Alex took a deep breath and joined Kenji. “Need any help?”

  He glanced over. “Perfect timing. Can you stir the sauce while I check the oven?”

  “Think I can handle that.” Alex reached for the wooden spoon and stirred, giving his father-in-law space to open the oven door.

  A large pot boiled over, spilling onto the burner.

  “Hey, Kenji. Want me to pour out some of the water?”

  He glanced up from flipping over garlic bread. “Can you strain the spaghetti? It’s ready.”

  “Sure.” Alex grabbed the colander from the rack and set it in the sink before dumping out the large pot and getting steam in his face.

  Ten minutes later, they had the table set and everyone else was making their way to the kitchen. Alex took Zander from Zoey and got him settled into one of the high chairs. Ariana came in from the living room, talking with Valerie. She said hi to everyone other than Alex.

  He swallowed his pride and gave her a big hug. “I love you, kiddo.”

  She stiffened and mumbled what sounded like, “You too,” then sat across the table from him, not making eye contact once.

  Alex wasn’t sure he could take much more heartache. Perhaps it was time to talk with his parents and find out how they got through his teen years. He’d acted out differently than Ari was—mostly hiding his rebellion and getting away with everything. It was something that had driven a wedge between him and Macy, and he’d always believed that his behavior had somehow played a part in her abduction just after her fifteenth birthday. Their parents had been put through the wringer, so they might be able to offer some useful advice.

  Dinner went by in a blur of discussion and passing food to one another. One thing was obvious—neither Ariana nor Zoey were looking at him or talking to him. At the end of the meal, Laney started fussing and quickly escalated into a tantrum.

  Alex reached for her, but Zoey grabbed her. “I’ve got her.”

  “Are you sure? I can take her.”