“There has to be something I can do.” The waiting was going to drive her insane. She hated feeling helpless. She sat up and picked up her phone. A few taps later, the contact information for Agent Ian Graham was displayed on her screen. Her thumb hesitated over the number for a moment before she tapped it to initiate the call. It rang three times before she heard his gravelly voice.
“Agent Graham? It’s Ridley Wells.”
“Good to hear from you, Miss Wells. I’ve been trying to get in touch with you. Are you out of town?”
“Just for the weekend. Why?”
“I’m finishing up the accident report.” He cleared his throat. “We’ve been trying to get a clearer picture of what your friend was doing in the days leading up to his death. You said he was a private investigator, right?”
“Yes. I hired him to do a search for my father.”
“How much did he charge?”
Ridley frowned. “He charged by the hour. Usually about a hundred unless it required surveillance. So far, he hadn’t needed to do that. He was mainly looking through paperwork, I think. I know he pulled my mom’s credit history. He was trying to figure out exactly where she was living and who she had contact with around the time of my conception.”
“Did he seem to be having money problems?”
“I didn’t think so, but I’m not really sure. Why are you asking all these questions? What does this have to do with his car accident?”
“We’re not sure. We noticed some unusual activity in the past month and thought you might be able to help us put the pieces together.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about his financial situation.”
“You didn’t wire him fifty thousand last week?”
“Fifty thousand? Uh, no. I don’t have that kind of money,” Ridley stated.
“Miss Wells, I don’t want to alarm you but I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that the FBI isn’t usually involved in cases like these.”
“Please tell me what’s going on.”
“Mr. Finemore was spotted with a person of interest in one of my cases. Alberto Moreno. The FBI has been monitoring Mr. Moreno for years. He’s suspected of arms dealing, racketeering, drug trafficking, you name it.”
“Moreno? As in the Moreno crime family?” Ridley squeaked.
“Yes. I’m something of an expert on the Morenos, which is why I was asked to assist with Mr. Finemore’s case. He met with Moreno the day before his death. Do you have any idea why?”
“Maybe he was doing investigative work for them?”
Agent Graham grunted. “If he was doing work for the Morenos it definitely wasn’t legal. Look, I know Mr. Finemore was a friend of yours, but whatever he got himself into got him killed. You were the last person to see him alive. Somehow, you were also the first person at the scene of the accident.”
He stopped speaking abruptly. Ridley had the distinct feeling that he hadn’t meant to say that last part.
“What exactly are you implying, Agent Graham? You don’t think I had anything to do with this, do you?”
“I didn’t mean that. We just want to figure out what’s going on before anyone else gets hurt. When will you be back in town?”
“I don’t know. I’ll call you back.” Ridley hung up and immediately turned her phone off.
She dragged in a ragged breath, her heart beating so hard she couldn’t hear anything else over the sound. It was tempting to pretend she’d never called Agent Graham. To go on ignoring the signs that had been there since the beginning.
Hadn’t she thought it odd that an FBI agent would be involved in something as simple as a car accident? Now she could no longer ignore the obvious—she was in way over her head. Maybe she should have told Agent Graham that David had come to see her right before the accident. Not that she could see how that would make any difference.
Especially since he already suspected her of killing her friend.
If David had found evidence that Moreno was her father, he would have tried to verify it. But it was doubtful that he would have told Moreno directly of his suspicions. If she could stay off the grid for a while, there was a good chance that Moreno’s people would never know what he really suspected. If she was lucky, they would never know that he might have a daughter. Daughters , she corrected. After all, this wasn’t just about her.
It had been big news in Florida when the Morenos’ only son had died. No wonder David had told her to lie low. If he’d suspected her father was a Moreno, then he wasn’t just being paranoid when he’d told her he was on to something dangerous. He’d been trying to protect her.
Now he was dead, and if whoever killed him had followed her here, she’d led them right to her sister. If Moreno found her, it wouldn’t be long before he found Raina, too.
She and her sister might be his only surviving children.
I have to get out of here.
After pulling her cell charger from the wall, she stuffed it in her backpack and made sure it was zipped securely. The thought of someone following her here, possibly hurting her sister or Jackson, made her sick to her stomach. It was a stupid idea to come here. All she’d done was bring trouble to her sister’s doorstep. She was the one who’d wanted to find their father. This was her mess.
No one else deserved to be dragged into the maelstrom of her life.
The day hadn’t been a total waste because at least she’d been able to rest for a bit and charge her phone. It seemed petty to leave without saying anything to Jackson, but it was probably easier this way. No explanations. No goodbyes.
Business as usual.
***
“This way, Raina! Give us that famous smile, sweetheart!”
“Come on, Legs. Just one shot.”
Early Sunday morning, Raina Winters strutted past the horde of paparazzi camped out in front of the Fullerton Hotel, her security team surrounding her like a moving wall of muscle. Her agent had booked her on back-to-back appearances and photo shoots, so she didn’t even have time to enjoy the picturesque hotel with its charming views of the Singapore River. The only thing she would see for the next two weeks unrelated to work was her hotel room, the back of her security chief’s tee shirt, and the inside of her limo. But it would be worth it to get the first real vacation she’d had since she started modeling.
“Come on, Leggy! Give us a money shot.”
The paparazzo who yelled out was one of the regulars who followed her from city to city. He was just as annoying as all the others, but at least he sold good shots of her. Unlike the greasy pig who’d deliberately gotten down low to take a crotch shot when she was exiting her limo after a night of partying last year. He’d made her look like she’d been completely wasted and showed her thong on purpose. Anyone would look like they were flashing their underwear if they had someone kneeling in front of them taking a picture!
“Just one, Sam,” she murmured.
Samuel Gannon, her chief of security, turned back to her and nodded. He motioned for the other security guards to flank her, preventing the photographers from getting too close.
She turned to the side, lowered her chin, and flashed a wide smile. A blinding flurry of flashbulbs went off as the group scrambled to take shots before she whipped around and ducked into her limo. A second later Sam and two other security agents followed. The rest would trail them in a second limo. She only needed this much security when traveling and she couldn’t deny that it was weird having so many people following her around.
In the beginning she’d tried to keep current on who was guarding her and would chat with them, ask about their families. As time went on and her need for additional security grew, it became too difficult to keep track. Sam had been with her since the beginning and she trusted his judgment.
That had to be good enough.
“This morning you have another shoot for…” Sam consulted the clipboard he held. “La Fleur. The skin-care company. Then this afternoon we have the layout for the energy drink.”
“Vitamin supplement.”
Sam smirked. “Whatever you want to call it.”
She pulled her cell phone from her purse and turned it on. She’d been so exhausted the night before she’d shut it off before falling into bed. As it powered up, she looked out the window of the limo as they inched through the crowded streets of central Singapore. People lined the streets, their garments a kaleidoscope of colors. A bike passed by the limo so closely she wouldn’t be surprised if he’d taken the paint off the door.
It was controlled chaos and she wished she could stop the limo and go wading in the sea of people. For once, she’d like to actually experience and enjoy a city while she was there. But she was booked solid for the next two days. Then she was off to the Bahamas for her first shoot with Sports Illustrated .
It was everything she’d been working toward for the last five years. The only thing she hadn’t gotten yet was a major sponsorship deal. Her agent was working on a possible contract with a lingerie company, but she wouldn’t agree unless she was going to be treated like a star.
If they weren’t going to give her a pair of diamond-studded wings, then it wasn’t worth her time.
The screen of her phone flashed and she swiped her thumb over the face to view her log of missed calls. Her sister Ridley had tried to reach her several more times. It was probably time she stopped avoiding her. This was the longest they’d ever gone without speaking since they’d had a crush on the same boy in high school.
“Oh crap.”
Sam looked up from the printed schedule he was reviewing. “What? Is everything okay?”
“I’m not sure. My sister came to see me and I forgot to tell her I changed the security code.”
“Oh, you mean the pathetically obvious security code that I made you change a month ago?” His deep laugh sounded more like the growl of an irritable bear. “Who uses their birthday?”
She gritted her teeth. “Whatever. The point is my sister is locked out. I’m so glad Jackson was home. At least I know she’s safe with him.”
Sam frowned. “What do we know about this guy?”
Raina rolled her eyes and pulled up Ridley’s contact information so she could call her back.
“His boys come over and play in my yard all the time. He’s a music producer, a single dad, and a real sweetheart. Any man who loves his momma that much is okay in my book. Ridley is probably safer with him than she would be staying at my house all alone. I was actually hoping to introduce them at some point, anyway. He’s just the kind of guy my sister needs to be involved with, unlike the losers she normally picks. He’s handsome, successful, and most importantly, rich.”
She heaved a breath. “I’m really happy my sister came but man, this timing sucks. I’ve been trying to get in with Sports Illustrated forever. I can’t miss this shoot.”
“Why would you need to go home? Can’t you just call your sister and give her the code?” Sam asked.
“I don’t want her to be alone. I can barely understand her messages but she sounds like she’s been crying. All I can hear is ‘David’s gone,’ so it sounds like she broke up with her new boyfriend, who was more than a little weird in my opinion. I told her he sounded like a scam artist, but at least this one didn’t last long—” She stopped suddenly, tracing her thumb over the screen of her phone. Ridley’s number was still displayed.
“What?”
“Nothing, it’s just… I could have not checked my messages this morning. That’s possible, right?”
“Raina,” Sam warned.
“What! I’m just saying this time change is huge. Killer. It’s actually still Saturday evening back home. I could have been so tired that I shut my phone off last night and forgot to turn it back on this morning. Even if I remembered around lunchtime, well… It would be too late to call the East Coast then because it would be midnight there.” Her lips curled up in a small smile.
“You have that look,” Sam drawled. When she narrowed her eyes at him, he clarified. “The look you get when you’re about to do something you know you shouldn’t. Which usually means I’ll have a mess to clean up afterward.”
“Don’t worry, Sam. This is one mess that you won’t have to deal with.” Raina bit her lip. “Besides, I’m not actually going to do anything. It’s more what I’m not going to do.”
Sam didn’t look mollified. “Are you going to ask your sister to join you in the Bahamas?”
“I am not .” She grinned. “She’s finally around the kind of guy she deserves to be with. I think she should stay exactly where she is.”
***
The alarm on the wall of his study beeped. Jackson looked up. The system always sounded a warning when a door or window was opened. Something he considered a necessary precaution with two young children in the house.
He stood and strode to the window. Damn, he hadn’t realized how late it had gotten. Some host he was. He’d mentioned ordering takeout to Raina, but it was already after seven o’clock. It would probably make more sense to take her into town and pick up something. Just then, he saw a blur of color at the edge of the yard. Raina was walking down his driveway with her backpack over her shoulder.
“Where is she going?” He watched as she looked down at something in her hand before turning left. She didn’t look back.
Shit.
“Well, what did you expect?” He cursed under his breath and grabbed his keys off the edge of his desk.
Outside, he waited as his garage door opened with agonizing slowness. Once he was on the street, he gunned his engine. Normally driving the convertible BMW was a pleasure. Today, he only cared that it was fast.
After he left his street he took a right onto Havensbrooke Drive and pressed his foot harder on the accelerator. Several of his neighbors raised a hand in greeting as he passed by, but he didn’t slow down. As he approached the stoplight at the entrance to his community, he cursed. How could she have gotten so far ahead of him on foot? A horn honked behind him and he looked up to see that the light was green. He also saw a small figure turning right on the main road.
“Gotcha.”
He pulled the wheel all the way to the right, cutting off the car that was about to make the turn. He ignored the chorus of honking horns behind him as he passed Raina and parked on the first side street he came to. He jumped out and jogged back to where she stood squinting at the small screen of her phone. When she heard him approach, she looked up absently.
“Excuse me, do you know where…” Her voice trailed off as she met his eyes.
“I’m sure I do but I’m not going to tell you. Why are you walking? Why didn’t you just take one of your cars? Oh wait, if you’re locked out you don’t have your keys. Right. Where are you going anyway?”
She sighed and put her phone back in her pocket. “What does it matter?”
“Well, I was about to order dinner for myself and a guest until I realized said guest left without even saying goodbye.”
She flushed slightly before squaring her shoulders. “Look, it’s not going to happen.”
“What’s not going to happen?”
“Don’t pretend. You know I overheard you talking to your brother. You’ve made your feelings pretty clear; you think all pretty girls are attention whores who are lucky enough to get paid for letting people take their picture.”
He cringed at the word whore but didn’t interrupt.
“And, you know what? That’s fine because maybe I don’t think much of pretty boys who talk about women as if we’re all just vaginas with legs. Either way, I am not sleeping with you. So you can keep your fake sympathy. I’ll just be on my way.” She brushed past him and continued walking.
He jogged after her again.
“Please, wait. I know I’ve given you nothing but the worst possible impression of me today. But I guarantee you there are things about me that will surprise you.”
“I highly doubt that.” She pulled out her phone again, pointedly ignoring him.
“Hey! I’m a very
nice person. I pay my taxes. I’ve never been arrested.”
“Good for you.” She didn’t stop walking.
“You already know that I’m a musician,” he added.
“Let me guess, you’re kind of a big deal? Get over yourself.”
Jackson scowled and sped up until he was walking next to her. “How can you think I’m this much of a jerk? Most single fathers don’t have time to do jerky things.”
Raina stopped walking so suddenly that her backpack swung off her shoulder and bumped against her thigh. “Wait, you’re the guy…”
“What?” Jackson asked.
“Nothing.” She swung her bag over her shoulder again but at least she’d stopped running away. “It’s hard to believe you’re the father of those adorable little boys. I used to tell people what a nice guy you were.”
“Usually I am. Today, I am clearly not myself.”
“Okay, well, whatever. I know I’ve said things I was ashamed of later, and Lord knows I put my foot in my mouth more than it’s on the ground. That doesn’t change anything. I seem to attract trouble and I don’t want to bring that down on you or anyone else.”
He shaded his eyes with his hand. “Are you in trouble, Raina?”
She looked away for a moment before her eyes met his again. “I don’t know. I figure staying out of sight is a good idea though. Just in case.”
He looked back at the road. There wasn’t much traffic but they were definitely attracting attention. A blue sedan slowed down as it passed. Jackson lifted a hand in a friendly wave.
“Look, I don’t know the situation, but the idea of you running off alone doesn’t sit right with me. Hiding out at my place would be better than just taking off with no plan at all.”
Raina closed her eyes, her exhaustion so palpable that he knew he’d won.
“Staying does have a certain appeal.”
He turned back to his car, parked haphazardly at the curb behind them. “Let’s go back. At the least you can sleep on it and then make a decision in the morning with a clear head.”
After a moment, she turned toward the car. He opened the door for her and she sank into the luxurious leather interior. He closed the door gently and went around to the driver’s side. Once he started the car, she turned her head toward him.
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