“That shows what you know,” Maverick scoffed. “I’m twenty-one.”
“Since when?”
“It’s been almost a month.”
“Well, that’s neither here nor there,” James said after a beat. “You’re too young for what we have planned.” In truth, he switched up the original plan. He just hadn’t told his wife about it yet and he had no intention of doing it until he could surprise her later in the evening. Maverick’s attendance would throw a wrench in that plan. “You’re not invited.”
“You suck,” Maverick muttered, shaking his head. “I have no idea why I hang around with you guys and take your abuse. You’re mean.”
“Oh, don’t be mean, James,” Mandy said. “You can go to the bachelor party, Maverick. It will be fine.”
Maverick noticeably brightened as James scowled. “Thank you. You’ve always been my favorite. I hope you know that,” Maverick said.
“Oh, you’re sweet.” Mandy preened under the compliment.
“The sister has the better boobs and the model is the hottest woman on the planet, but you’re my favorite because you have a filthy mind and don’t always wear underwear,” Maverick added.
Mandy’s smile slipped. “I can revoke my invitation.”
“What? That was a compliment!”
James stepped between his wife and Maverick to head off a potential fight. “What do you have?”
“So far all I know is that whoever tried to hack into the computer did it from a proxy server location that I’ve managed to track back to Macomb Township,” Maverick replied. “I’m getting close to narrowing down that location, though.”
“Macomb Township?” James rubbed the back of his neck. “That’s where the school is. That’s where Kaspar was before he ran. I didn’t see anything in his file to indicate he was a computer genius, though. Whoever attempted to do it had to be good with computers, right?”
“Yes and no,” Maverick replied. “I think whoever did this had some formal computer training … like a class or something. Most computer hackers learn by experience and they come up with their own system. Whoever tried this followed a set plan, which is why it was so easy to detect the infiltration.”
“So … what are you saying?” James was confused.
“That whoever did this had computer knowledge but no practical application in the real world,” Maverick said. “If I had to guess, whoever did it was young.”
James ran his tongue over his teeth as he shifted his attention to Mandy. “Like a teenager?”
Maverick nodded.
“The only teenagers who would have an interest in this are dead, though,” James said. “They died in the mall.”
“Then I don’t know what to tell you,” Maverick said. “I’m on it, though. You can count on me.”
“Okay.” James held up his hands in a placating manner. “Keep at it. We need answers as soon as you find them, though.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Maverick said. “I won’t let you down.”
TWO HOURS later James sat in the lobby going through computer files with Finn, Grady, and Jake while Mandy sat in the chair across from her husband’s desk and watched Maverick work. She was fascinated with the process.
“How did you get involved with computers?” Mandy asked, genuinely curious.
“I always loved computers because I could hide behind them,” Maverick explained. “I don’t do well in social situations – which you’ve probably figured out yourself – so I wanted a way to interact with other people without having to do it in person.”
“That sounds like a sad existence.”
“It is what it is,” Maverick said. “It never really bothered me until recently.”
Mandy leaned forward, intrigued. “What bothers you about it now?”
“You.”
Mandy’s eyebrows flew up her forehead. “Me?”
“Not you specifically,” Maverick explained. “It’s all of you. I was raised to think there were two types of men in the world. There were alpha men – like the dudes in there – who were all tough and did the whole ‘love them and leave them’ thing. You know, banged a woman for a night and left her with a broken heart.”
“How charming.”
Maverick ignored the sarcasm. “I also thought there were men like me who were smarter than the dudes out there,” he said. “I believed all of the hype that I would eventually get the girls when they matured and the alpha dudes would get fat and lose the girls.”
Mandy bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. “And how is that working out for you?”
“I’m lonely.”
Maverick’s earnest answer was enough to tug on Mandy’s heartstrings. “I’m sure we can find a girlfriend for you,” she offered. “You’re a handsome guy and you’re smart. You just need to learn to occasionally filter yourself. Not mentioning underwear would be a great start.”
“It’s not just that,” Maverick said. “I see how those dudes are with you women, especially how James is with you, and I find myself jealous. I always thought guys who looked like that were superficial and they would get vapid women. That’s not what happened here, though.
“All four of those guys are smarter than I ever gave them credit for and they’re kind of romantics at heart,” he continued. “They all got pretty and smart women and they seem happy. I want that. I want to be like the dudes I always hated and looked down on.”
“Do you know why they got the girls?” Mandy asked.
“Because they’re hot.”
“It helps that they’re hot. I’m not going to lie,” Mandy said. “They also got us because they’re sincere … and loyal … and giving. I think you have all of those traits inside of you. You just need to learn how to package them better.”
Maverick looked hopeful. “Do you think you could help me package them? I want to ask out Darcy.”
Mandy stilled, surprised. “Darcy?”
“She’s so pretty and cool,” Maverick said. “She’s been around the office a few times this week and she’s always nice and talks to me. I like her.”
Mandy chewed on her bottom lip as she considered the possibility. “Here’s the thing, Maverick … um … I think you’re a good guy, but Darcy has been through a terrible ordeal. She might not be ready to date. That’s not because of you. It’s because of what happened to her.”
“You mean because she was raped?”
The question was simple, but there was no easy answer. “Yes. That’s not something someone can just get over.”
“I don’t expect her to have sex with me right away or anything,” Maverick said. “I just want to hang out with her. She’s really interesting … and she knows a lot of stuff. I would never pressure her.”
“That’s good,” Mandy said, and she meant it. “I just don’t know if she’s going to be ready for everything you have to offer her. You won’t know until you try, though, and there’s no harm in trying.”
“Yeah, I’m definitely ready to try.”
Mandy shifted her eyes to the open door when she felt James’ familiar presence. Instead of looking at her, though, his eyes were thoughtful as they rested on Maverick.
“You can come out with us tonight,” James said after a beat. “I changed my mind and think you’ll be a good fit.”
Mandy internally grinned. James had a soft heart when it came down to it.
“Cool, man,” Maverick said, smiling. “I guess it’s good that I figured out who tried to hack us, huh? Now we’ll be able to get done early so I can get my drink on.”
“That’s definitely good,” James agreed. “What have you got?”
“An address.” Maverick rattled off the address in question and James wasn’t surprised when he recognized it.
“That’s Kaspar’s house,” James said. “He must have more computer experience than we realized.”
“Unless it’s his kid,” Mandy offered.
James pursed his lips. He hadn’t considered that. “Do we know where the kid
is?”
“I haven’t heard from Sophie about that yet,” Grady supplied, joining the small group. “I can call her.”
“Do that,” James instructed. “I’m starting to wonder if the kid is just as big a part of this as the father.”
“He’s definitely the most believable link between the boys who went into the mall and his father,” Mandy said. “If Kaspar took the kid when he ran, where do you think they’ll go?”
“I honestly have no idea, baby. That’s what we need to find out.”
“ACCORDING to Sophie, Jacob Kaspar is in the wind, too,” Grady announced twenty minutes later, pocketing his cell phone as he strolled back into the room. “The sheriff’s department isn’t making that public knowledge, but she has a source on the inside and he confirmed it.”
“So Jacob is part of this, too,” Finn said, leaning back in his chair. “I’m not surprised. He had to know his father’s plan from the beginning.”
“The kid probably never had a chance,” Jake said. “He was raised by his mother for the bulk of his life, but we all know how powerful a father can be when it comes to shaping who you become. Jacob probably knew what his father was and yet still wanted his approval.”
“So when Kaspar got out of prison, Jacob willingly went with him and they changed their names together,” Mandy said. “Kaspar probably groomed his son to work with him and ease the way so he could access as many girls as possible. How much do you want to bet that Darcy wasn’t the first victim?”
“I’m betting there are a lot of victims out there,” James said. “They probably don’t even realize they’re victims because of the drugs. Darcy said she could only focus on Dakota Landers’ face and that everything else was a blur. These other girls might think it was a bad dream.”
“And even if they believe it happened, they can’t accuse anyone if they don’t know who violated them,” Finn added. “They’re in a terrible situation. Most rape victims don’t even report the crime. If you don’t know who did it and you’re confused because you were at a party … .”
“I want them to pay,” Mandy grumbled, rolling her neck until it cracked. “I want to find them and … castrate them.”
“I wish that was an option, but finding them is going to have to suffice, baby,” James said, moving closer to his wife so he could soothe her with a hand on the back of her neck. “We’ll find them. We’ll make them pay. I don’t think you’re going to be allowed to castrate them, though.”
“I guess that will have to do.” Mandy pressed her face into James’ side, only lifting her head when James’ phone dinged with an incoming text message. “What’s that?”
James’ face was grim as he stared at the screen, although there was a slight gleam in his eyes. “It’s Peter,” he replied. “He has a confirmed sighting of Kaspar.”
“Where?”
“A hotel in Mount Clemens,” James answered. “In fact, it’s the same hotel Emma’s mother stayed at when she was here.”
“Well, I guess we know where all of the psychopaths like to hang out,” Grady said, shaking his head. “Are we moving?”
“We’re definitely moving.” James leaned over and pressed a kiss to Mandy’s forehead. “It’s almost over, baby.”
“Can I go with you?” Mandy was hopeful, but she didn’t believe for a second that James would allow her to walk into a fraught situation.
“Not on your life, wife,” James replied almost immediately. “You’re staying here with Maverick. You guys can keep talking about women and stuff. In fact, you can help him embrace those traits you were talking about.”
Mandy wasn’t happy with the answer, but she refused to put up a fight when James was so close to ending this situation and getting whatever limited justice he could for Darcy. “Be careful. I’m awfully fond of you. It will ruin everything if you get hurt.”
“I won’t get hurt,” James said. “These people are cowards, baby. That’s why they operate in the manner they do. They can’t take me. I’m too manly and strong.”
He was going for levity, but Mandy wasn’t convinced. “Come back to me.”
“I will always come back to you.” James pressed a firm kiss to her lips. “Never doubt that.”
“Go and get him,” Mandy ordered. “I’ll stay here with Maverick. I promise I won’t get in trouble.”
“That will be a nice change of pace,” James said, grinning. “Load up, boys. Peter and his men will meet us there. I’m guessing this is going to be a quick operation.”
“That will definitely be a nice change of pace,” Grady said.
Mandy watched them go, her heart full of love and hope. Then something occurred to her. “James?” she called out before he disappeared through the door.
“What, baby?”
“Kick him in the balls for me.”
James grinned. “You’ve got it. I’ll be in touch as soon as possible. We’re almost there, wife. It will be over before you know it.”
20
Twenty
“He’s on the second floor.”
Peter stood next to his limousine, his expensive Italian suit seemingly out of place given the nature of the rundown hotel, and crossed his arms over his chest.
“I’m not keen on going in there to get him,” James admitted, tilting his head to the side as he studied the faded façade of the hotel. “We could cause a scene and if the hotel employees call the police … well … we could find ourselves in jail.”
“And then you will miss your prom,” Grady teased, causing Peter’s eyebrows to fly up his forehead.
“What prom?” Peter asked, legitimately curious.
“It’s nothing,” James said, his cheeks burning as he averted his gaze. “It’s just something I have planned for Mandy.”
“It sounds interesting,” Peter said.
“Then I’m telling it wrong,” Grady interjected. “It’s schmaltzy. It’s … beyond schmaltzy.”
“Enlighten me.” Peter’s expression was hard to read, but his eyes were intense.
“Mandy mentioned the other night that she had a fantasy when she was a teenager,” Finn supplied. “She said she always imagined her date getting sick – which seems like a mean part of the fantasy, but I guess it’s not important – and that for some reason James showed up and offered to take her to the prom so she wouldn’t miss it.”
“That sounds like a typical teenager, unless I’m mistaken,” Peter said. “Sophie never told me if she had fantasies like that, but I’m guessing she did.”
“She said that in the fantasy James took one look at her and fell in love,” Grady said, adopting a feminine tone and clutching his chest. “She’s such a girl sometimes.”
“I don’t see anything wrong with that,” Peter chided. “Mandy feels comfortable enough with James to admit something that could’ve been embarrassing at some point. I’m much more interested in what James is doing to fulfill this fantasy.”
“It’s not a big deal,” James said. “While everyone else is at their bachelor and bachelorette parties tonight, though, I’m throwing my wife a private prom.”
“He rented outdoor lights and ordered balloon arches,” Grady taunted, his eyes lighting up. “He ordered her a corsage and hired a disc jockey to play bad power ballads and everything. He bought a new tuxedo and picked out a dress for her.”
“I think that sounds unbearably sweet,” Peter said, his expression earnest. “How do you know she’ll like the dress, though? Girls are particular about clothing.”
“I couldn’t be sure of that, so I hired a personal shopper,” James replied. “Jake went through Ally’s old photos for me and found a photograph of them at their prom. I sent the photo to the woman doing the shopping and told her I wanted something like that dress but modern and updated. She came up with a beautiful dress. It’s blue … like Mandy’s eyes.”
“And Mandy doesn’t know any of this?” Peter was beside himself.
“I want it to be a surprise,” James explained. “
I want her to get the prom she always wanted.”
“He’s such a putz, isn’t he?” Grady sought support, but the look Peter shot him was stern.
“James is giving Mandy everything she’s ever wanted,” Peter countered. “He’s the perfect husband, and not because he does everything right. He’s the perfect husband because he puts Mandy’s needs above his own and tries to give her what he believes will make her happy.
“James makes mistakes like anyone, but the reason Mandy is always so happy and capable of bouncing back from everything life has thrown at her is because she always knows that he will do his very best by her,” he continued. “Even when he fails, the fact that he tried is enough to make Mandy’s heart soar. I hardly find that effort worthy of being considered a putz.”
Grady had the grace to look abashed. “But … it’s so schmaltzy.”
“I don’t care about that,” Peter said. “I doubt Mandy does either. All Mandy is going to remember is that James made her dreams come true. She’s going to remember he gave her the night of her life.
“That doesn’t mean she’ll forget the first prom, but this will be a better one,” he continued. “She’ll have two proms. Sophie doesn’t even have one.”
Grady stilled. “What do you mean? Why didn’t she go to prom?”
“Because no one asked her,” Peter answered, a sad expression overwhelming his handsome features. “Being my daughter was never easy. There were always whispers about me. People knew what I did for a living. The boys were scared to ask out Sophie because of that.”
“So she didn’t get to go to prom?” Grady looked horrified. “She never mentioned that.”
“She wouldn’t, would she? She doesn’t like people feeling sorry for her.”
“Well, now I feel bad,” Grady grumbled, running a hand through his long hair. “I didn’t know she never had a prom.”
“Emma didn’t either,” Finn said, his eyes keen as they shifted toward James. “Her prom was held after her father was arrested for molesting all of those kids. She was already looked down upon at school because she was poor, but after that happened, she was pretty much ostracized.”
“I’m betting she didn’t have money for a dress anyway,” Jake said. “That’s too bad. I think every girl should have a prom. Ally still talks about hers, which I find irritating because I didn’t know her then.”
Deadly Forever (Hardy Brothers Security Book 24) Page 17