Hardheaded Brunette

by Diane Bator

"Thanks, love." He draped the blanket over his broad shoulders and sat cross-legged on the chair. "I guess I should've told you what was going on before I dug up half your backyard."

  "I should think so," she snapped, still miffed by his earlier attempt at flirting. "I can't believe you were digging in my backyard in a thunderstorm. Are you nuts?"

  Kane tugged the blanket around him tighter. "That would seem the most likely conclusion, wouldn't it, love? But could you please stop asking? You're giving me a bit of a self-esteem issue."

  Gilda sat back. "Then prove me wrong."

  He sank back into the chair. "Before you bought this charming little place it was owned by some little old lady named Mildred Palmer. Charlie's grandma."

  "I know. I'm the one who told you that."

  He scowled. "Just let me think out loud, will you, love? Charlie used to crash here when he'd go through town. He told me once he hid things here he didn't want found by the people he worked for."

  "You mean like steroids for his fighters and cash to launder?" She hugged her blanket and glanced at her phone. Still nothing from Mick.

  All the smugness disappeared from Kane's face. He opened his mouth then let out a long breath. "How do you know about that?"

  "I have friends too." She met his gaze over the candle. "I heard Charlie got you and most of his other fighters hooked on drugs."

  Kane rubbed his face with one hand then set his glass on the coffee table. "He gave me a roof over my head, some serious training, and a stellar career. But what Charlie Hunt giveth, he can also taketh away."

  "What did he take from you?" She sipped her water, not so sure she wanted to know.

  "Money. Pride. Sanity. My life." He sighed. "It's a long, ugly list, love."

  "Which is why Thayer was convinced you killed him," she said.

  He stared at the floor. "Maybe I should just let him lock me away. Guilty by reason of insanity. He and Fabio have more than enough proof of that already."

  Gilda's mouth dropped open. "Is that what you've been doing since you got to town? Building an insanity case for the police to use to lock you away for life after you dig up my backyard looking for evidence?"

  Kane sat back and looked around. "It kind of seems like that, doesn't it?"

  "Just a bit."

  "So, how do I convince them otherwise?"

  Gilda bit her lip in thought. "Have you told Fabio and Thayer everything?"

  "I'd kind of hoped to leave the past behind, but if it's the only way to help find a killer, even if it was Charlie who died…" Kane closed his eyes and his breathing slowed until Gilda was sure he'd fallen asleep. When his gaze met hers again, he appeared calm and peaceful. "You're right, love. I may have to answer for a few things I've done, but I suppose it'll be worth it to settle the demons."

  "What demons?" Gilda's stomach churned and she thought of calling Mick to haul Kane out of her house. She paused and smiled. Only a couple months earlier she'd called Razi to cart a drunken Mick off her couch. History had an odd way of repeating itself.

  Kane glanced out the window toward the raging storm. "Do you mind if I crash on your couch for a while, love? I've had enough of the rain for a bit. I need to rest and you should have someone here to keep an eye on things until Mick gets back."

  "No problem. As long as you don't start searching my house, especially my bedroom." She forced a smile, glad she could lock her bedroom door and sleep with her phone clutched in one hand. "I'll get you a pillow and another blanket."

  "No worries, love. I'll just use the one you're wearing." Kane stood and pulled Gilda to her feet. With no hesitation or warning, he pressed his lips to hers until heat surged through her entire body and seemed to singe the ends of her hair. He eased the blanket off her shoulders, his hands warm as he slid the fabric off her neck and down her back, letting it puddle around her ankles. So much for respecting her relationship with Mick.

  Kane met her stunned gaze with a small smile. "G'night, love. You get some rest. I'll hang out and keep the bad guys away."

  She'd just raised her hands to push him away when someone stuck a key in the lock on her front door.

  "Gilda?" Mick shouted. "Is everything okay? I had to go to the school."

  Her knees buckled. How would she explain why she had wet hair, wore fluffy pajamas, and had a half-naked MMA fighter not only wrapped around her body but also attached to her face? She shoved Kane aside and ran toward Mick.

  "Are you okay? You look funny." Mick lunged inside and grabbed her arms. "I should have called Razi instead of leaving you alone. That storm is…" He stopped when he saw Kane standing in the middle of the living room and narrowed his eyes. "What's he doing here?"

  "Apparently, doing some moonlight gardening before the storm blew in," Gilda said. "I couldn't just leave him out there in the lightning."

  "Sure you could've." Mick closed the door behind him. "The police called to say there'd been a break-in at the school. I went to make sure everything was fine. What are you doing here, Kane?"

  "This lovely lady saved me from drowning and catching my death of a cold." Kane sat back on the couch. "If I got sick, you'd have to find someone to cover my classes."

  "Yeah, well, that would be the least of my worries." He scowled.

  Kane folded his arms. "Can you believe Gilda was here alone with no bodyguard?"

  "Yes, I can." Mick turned to face her. "That was my fault. I'm sorry."

  Gilda closed her eyes and wished her bad dream would end soon. "Seriously, Mick, I caught Kane out in the storm digging up my backyard. The only reason I let him inside was because it was pouring. There's nothing going on between us."

  Nothing aside from a kiss that had left her knees trembling long after, that is.

  "Was there any damage at the school?" Gilda stepped between them.

  "One of the windows broke when a branch went through it. Other than that, things were fine." Mick glared at Kane before he met Gilda's gaze. "You know I trust you, Gilda. Just not him."

  Kane threw back his head and laughed. "So you'll believe I didn't kill Charlie, but you won't believe I'm not flirting with your girlfriend?"

  "Not for a second." Mick sat in the damp armchair Kane had vacated and folded his arms. "So what lame excuse do you have for digging up Gilda's backyard in the middle of the night in a thunderstorm?"

  "What lame excuse do you have for abandoning your terrified girlfriend in the middle of a stormy night?" Kane smirked.

  "Charlie used to hide things at his grandma's house he didn't want found in Detroit." Gilda sat at the opposite end of the couch from Kane. "Like steroids and cash. Kane had a hunch where those things were and felt the need to dig them up."

  "Steroids?" Mick glanced at Kane. "Was that really why you sent Charlie packing?"

  Kane sighed. "Partly. As long as I was on top and winning every fight, he was my best friend. The second I lost a couple bouts, he trashed me behind my back and got me into trouble with the law. He said it was to give me a solid 'bad boy' image with the public."

  "Yeah, that sounds like Charlie." Mick frowned.

  "In reality, I think he and the people he worked for were setting me up for a tumble." Kane scrubbed his face with one hand. "If anything bad happened to me, he'd be set. Insurance paid. No questions asked. Probably a drug deal gone wrong. I caught on nearly too late."

  Mick nodded. "After he'd created a complete history for you with the police."

  Kane pointed his index finger and clicked his mouth. "Spot on, mate."

  "So, why were you digging up Gilda's yard?" he asked. "What's back there?"

  "Drugs." She curled her icy feet beneath her blanket.

  Kane shook his head. "Worse than that, love. Legal contracts. Charlie had a strongbox he kept all his documents in. Fighter contracts, leases, all that sort of thing. That box went missing when he went to jail and no one knew for sure where to look until he came back to Sandstone Cove when they let him out."

  Mick shrugged. "So what's the big deal
? The contracts are all void now he's dead."

  "Not all of them." Kane stood and paced the living room. "Some of the contracts are held by a company called Stocker Holdings. From what I've learned, Charlie was only a small fish in a big lake. There are five people on the Board of Directors. Charlie was just the front man."

  Gilda's stomach churned. "Five? Who else is on the Board?"

  Kane stopped to stare out the window. "Charlie, a guy who got killed last month in Detroit, and your buddy Gary del Garda. I don't know who the other two are."

  "Gary?" A heaviness settled over Gilda, and she shook her head. "Are you sure?"

  "Yeah, love, I'm sure."

  Mick met Gilda's gaze then winced. "How valuable are these contracts?"

  "To the right people? They're worth millions." Kane turned back, his face pale in the candlelight. "The whole reason your house keeps getting searched, love, is for money. One hell of a big pile of money."

  Gilda blew out a long breath. "What are they worth to you?"

  "Freedom." He averted his gaze. "All I want is out of my deal. I need those contracts to go back to the Board of Directors and break off ties with them."

  Mick narrowed his eyes. "Don't you have a copy of your contract?"

  Kane snorted, placing his hands on his hips. "You know me a lot better than that, mate. Besides, the copies Charlie had were different. They either altered them somehow after the fighters signed them or snuck things into them along the way. Being a dumb fighter, I never thought to read the fine print or save copies. How was I to know I'd sold my soul to five devils, not just one?"

  Mick dropped his head against the back of the chair. "I don't understand all this exactly, but I think we really need to find that strongbox. Where have you looked so far?"

  "I've searched the whole house twice, attic to ground, but I never found a thing. Nor did I make a mess." Kane sat on the couch and avoided looking at Gilda. "I even searched your unmentionables drawer just for kicks. You really need a makeover, love. Those granny panties just aren't all that sexy."

  "What?" Gilda gasped.

  "I'm just kidding. Lighten up a little." His smile seemed forced. "There's nothing inside the house, the yard, or the shed that belonged to Charlie."

  Gilda leaned forward. "Wait, if you searched it twice and never left a mess, who tore everything apart?"

  "Couldn't tell you, love," Kane said. "I'd guess one of the Board members."

  "Then who left the duffel bag in my backyard?"

  Mick frowned. "Whoever killed Charlie and is still after that strongbox."

  "I didn't need to hear that." Gilda got up to pace. Was that why Mena bought Marion and her dinner at The Cove that night? "When did you search my house?"

  "Early on, before I moved on to the yard," Kane said. "I didn't wreck anything, honestly. I didn't want to be too obvious, but Mena was so sure Charlie had hidden stuff here."

  "So, was it you or Mena who bumped into me on the street after Marion and I left The Cove that night?" she asked. "Someone dressed in black walked straight into me and hit my arm."

  Kane frowned. "When you and Marion came back that night, I was in the backyard trying to get my sorry backside over your fence. I ripped a good pair of pants on your lovely white pickets, by the way."

  Gilda covered her face with both hands. "Mena stood lookout while you went inside, didn't she?"

  "Nope, I was on my own after we had a fight at the restaurant. After I left The Cove, I came straight to your house since I knew you were out for a while longer. Mena said she was going to a hotel, so I didn't wait up." Kane stood and met Gilda near the window. "Mena and I have had a great past, but I'm presently done with her."

  "Again?" Gilda raised her eyebrows. "You've been saying that since I met you."

  "For good this time. We argued about working at the school and how she didn't want me in any of her classes, but she'd be more than happy to have me sink some cash into her new store and said that would keep her away from me."

  "Did you give her the money?" Gilda folded her arms across her chest.

  Kane shook his head. "No, but someone must have. Suddenly she not only had a store, she had merchandise, and a cozy little apartment in a nicer part of town than where I live."

  Mick scratched his jaw. "Do you think she found a sugar daddy?"

  "No, I think the black-hearted bitch is blackmailing someone." Kane's cheek flinched. "My guess is she's told whoever really wants what's inside that box that she can get it."

  "By using you." Mick nodded. "Seems about right."

  When Gilda yawned and rubbed her burning eyes, Mick and Kane decided to spend the rest of the night warming her furniture while they watched out for intruders. She locked the front door and threw Mick and Kane extra blankets. Then she stared at the ceiling with every cell in her body vibrating while the two men talked in low tones out in the living room. She strained to hear them as the storm died down but was slowly lulled to sleep by the patter of the rain on the roof.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Gilda awoke when Mick climbed into her bed and snuggled up against her back. She welcomed the warmth as he wrapped his strong arms around her. Storm or no storm, she settled back into a restless sleep. Sometime later the storm surged with a loud, house-shaking crash. Gilda awoke with a gasp as a hand clamped over her mouth. Her heart raced and her muscles clenched as her breath stuck in her throat.

  "Don't make a sound, love." Kane hissed in her ear as he pressed against her. "I think someone just broke into your house again."

  She hadn't even heard Kane come into her bedroom.

  "What the hell?" Mick flew off the other side of the bed toward the bedroom door.

  While Gilda lay motionless, pinned beneath Kane's large hand with her eyes wide, Mick paused to listen, then returned to the bed. "Sounds like there might be two. Come on, Kane, we can take them."

  "Is this why Fabio told you to come here?" She pried Kane's hand off her mouth. She sat upright in her bed, damp hair plastered to her face and sweat flowing in small rivers between her breasts. "Just call the police."

  "Then you'd have to explain to Marion why there were two handsome men in your bedroom, and you're still fully clothed," Kane whispered. "We'll be fine, love. You call the cops. Mick and I'll deal out some justice of our own."

  She grabbed both men by an arm and huffed. "But—"

  Mick kissed her left cheek. "Just hide under the bed and call Fabio."

  "Yeah." Kane kissed her right cheek. "What he said, love."

  Gilda blew out a sharp breath. Kane was right about one thing. After being single for two years, who would have thought she'd end up with two handsome men in her bed? While they headed toward the bedroom door, she tried not to hyperventilate as she rolled off the mattress and onto the cold wooden floor.

  Marion answered her call to 9-1-1. "Gilda? What's going on?"

  Her voice crackled. "Someone broke into my house again. Mick and Kane went to confront them."

  Marion gasped. "It's two in the morning."

  "I know," Gilda said. "I guess the prowlers thought I'd be asleep."

  "I meant what are Mick and Kane doing there?"

  She groaned. That was harder to explain. "Just send the police. I'll tell you everything over breakfast later."

  After hanging up the phone she lay beneath the bed and listened. Silence. No voices or sounds of battle broke the air, only the rain and rumbles of thunder. Something was wrong.

  "Mick?" Gilda crawled out and made her way down the dark hall. "What happened? Is everything okay out there? Who broke in?"

  "No one," Mick said.

  When the house was illuminated by another burst of lightning, Mick and Kane became visible in the kitchen. They both stood in the shadows, staring out the window.

  "What's going on?" She joined them near the sink and peered outside.

  "Lightning must have hit your neighbor's tree." Mick pointed. "Half of it crashed down on the roof of your back porch."

&n
bsp; "Whoa." Kane stared.

  Gilda caught sight of Kane's shovel beneath the thick branch amid a clump of fallen branches. A large hole gaped in the roof of the back porch and opened up the earth below to the torrents of rain. When the next streak of lightning lit the sky, her gaze fell on the one place no one had searched, and she sucked in a sharp breath.

  "He hid it under the back porch." She headed for the back door.

  "Are you crazy, love?" Kane lunged toward her and grabbed her wrist. "Didn't you notice there's a storm out there?"

  She glowered. "You were out there."

  "Yeah, but I am crazy." He grinned. "At least that's what you keep telling me."

  Mick nudged Kane aside to unlock the door. "Come on. Let's go see if it's out there. Maybe we can finally find a few answers."

  They tread across the porch, careful to keep one eye on the tree limbs bouncing on the roof overhead. Mick hopped to the ground first, followed by Kane, who lifted Gilda away from the debris. Together the two men dragged the heavy branches out of the way before they could fall.

  Gilda ran for the shovel. "We might need this."

  Mick winced. "We may have to tear your whole porch apart."

  "Just do it." She handed him the shovel. "Start in the middle."

  Kane barged between them with a sledgehammer in one hand. "Did I ever mention I was a Boy Scout? Get back."

  After a few large swings, Kane chopped a six-inch hole in the porch then stepped back to let Mick shine a flashlight beam into the darkness. "Anything?"

  Mick nodded. "There's a box below the far right corner."

  "Wow." Gilda gasped and wiped the rain from her face, positive the key in Charlie's necklace would fit the padlock. "It's been right here the whole time. Literally right under everyone's feet. How did he get to it without tearing apart the porch?"

  "Maybe he built an access panel behind the shrubs," Mick said. "Let's check there before we destroy the rest of the porch."

  "Good idea." Kane rifled aside the branches of one of the shrubs then grinned. "Found it, but this bush is in the way." He reached to the root of the tree and yanked the whole thing out of the earth.

  "Kane!" Gilda stared.