“We never told Sam,” Kayla Di Meglio said. “We felt that if and when Frederick wanted her to know, he would tell her.”
“Eventually, I would have told her,” Frederick said. “In the beginning it was important that she accepted me and got to know the man I am. Then, after a while, when she did accept me for who I was, it didn’t matter. So, no, she didn’t know.”
“Even when she found out about your relationship to Quincy and about all your trips to Oklahoma that she didn’t know about, she still believed you were innocent,” Blade said.
“And the reason he didn’t tell anyone about those visits was mainly because of me,” Priscilla said, as she nervously entered the office.
She moved over to Frederick’s side. “We fell in love, but I wasn’t ready for anyone to know I was involved with a younger man. And I made him promise not to tell anyone.”
Mac leaned back in her chair. “So, we still don’t know who sent that bomb.”
“Yes, we do.” Alex, who’d been quietly working at his laptop, suddenly jumped up. “Damn. The bastard covered his tracks well.”
He looked up, saw everyone staring at him and decided to explain. “According to the statement received from the FedEx driver, he’d made deliveries in Sam’s complex that day, but he didn’t leave one for Sam, which meant it had to be personally delivered. I asked the security company for Sam’s complex to provide me with the names of all their employees, regardless of whether they were working that day or not. I just compared that list to the list of employees Sam sent me, of who works here, including your security staff. I saw a number of them work at both places.”
Mac nodded. “That can be explained. When Sam, Peyton and I decided to hire security service here, Sam recommended that we use the same company that was being used in her gated community. They had a good reputation.”
“Yes, but one of their employees is someone we need to question immediately,” Alex said.
“Who?” Blade asked, moving toward Alex.
“Frank Denson.”
“Frank?” Peyton asked, surprised. “Why would Frank want to hurt Sam?”
Alex sighed deeply. “I just finished doing an extensive background check on Denson, who changed his last name, by the way. The man has a degree in chemical engineering from MIT.”
“Why would someone with that kind of degree and from such a prestigious school work as a security guard?” Detective Adams asked.
“According to the report I received just now,” Alex said, “he had a mental breakdown after his last year of college. It seems he never got over his sister’s suicide almost ten years ago. The two were extremely close growing up. Their parents had been abusive, so the two had always been there for each other.”
“And who was his sister?” Mac asked.
Alex pulled in a deep breath, then said, “Vivian Randall.”
“Vivian Randall!” Sam’s father exclaimed. “She was Sam’s roommate her first year at college. Randall committed suicide over some guy on campus. Why would Denson want to get back at Sam for that?”
“He probably blames her,” Blade said, thinking out loud. “Damn. I bet in his mental state that he blames Sam for what happened to his sister.”
“But why?” Kayla Di Meglio was asking. “Sam had nothing to do with that. Vivian Randall committed suicide. Sam wasn’t even in their dorm room when she did it.”
“Yes,” Blade said, nodding. “But Vivian Randall used Sam’s prescription drugs when she overdosed. I know that shouldn’t matter, but I bet in Denson’s sick mind, she’s just as guilty as Tyrell Graham, the man who drove Randall to commit suicide.”
“Then why not go after Graham and leave my daughter alone?” Antonio Di Meglio angrily asked.
“He might have,” Alex replied. “Tyrell Graham was killed last year and his girlfriend was arrested for the crime. But she has always maintained her innocence. Now I’m wondering if perhaps she was set up.”
At that moment Luke’s phone rang, and when he saw the call was from one of the men posted to watch Sam, he quickly picked up. “Yes, Marvin, what’s up?”
“Did you forget to call to let us know you were sending someone from Security to pick up Ms. Di Meglio? That security guard from her office showed up and they just drove off.”
“What!” Luke exclaimed getting to his feet. “Follow them. Stay a safe distance behind and let us know where he’s headed.”
Luke clicked off the phone and look at everyone. “That was one of the men we left guarding Sam. It seems Denson showed up, probably convinced her we sent for her, and she left with him. The bastard has Sam.”
Detective Adams pulled his cell phone out of his jacket pocket and, ignoring Blade’s roar of anger, called in to headquarters. “I need police backup.”
Chapter 26
They had been riding for a good ten minutes when Sam glanced over at Frank. “Why are we going this way? This is not the way to the office.”
Frank chuckled. “I was wondering how long it would take you to notice. We aren’t going to the office, Ms. Di Meglio.”
Sam was confused. “Why? I thought you said Blade asked that you bring me to him and that—”
“I lied.”
For the first time since being in Frank’s presence, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. “What’s going on, Frank? I think you need to take me back to the resort.”
The laugh that came out of his mouth chilled Sam to the bone. “And I think you need to shut up. You would be dead now if you had opened that box like I planned.”
His words sent Sam’s mind reeling. “You’re the one who sent that bomb?”
“Guilty as charged, Counselor,” he said, bringing the car to a stop. “And I found out where you were from eavesdropping on a conversation between Ms. Madaris and Ms. Mahoney this morning. It gave me another chance to take care of you once and for all.”
“But why? What have I ever done to you?” She glanced around and saw Frank had brought her to a secluded area near an abandoned warehouse.
“You helped take away the only person who loved me. Because of you, I lost my sister.”
Sam began racking her brain, trying to remember what case she’d handled that had involved anyone that could have been in Frank’s family. “Your sister? There must be a mistake.”
Frank grinned. “No mistake. Those were your pills.”
Sam frowned. “My pills?”
“Yes. My sister took your pills and killed herself.”
“Vivian?” Sam exclaimed.
Saying her roommate’s name made Frank’s face become more contorted with rage. “Yes, Vivian!” he screamed. “They were your pills, so you helped kill her. I’ve already killed Tyrell Graham for his part, and I was glad to let him know who I was before putting a bullet in his head.”
Frank smiled, and the way his lips curled sent chills through Sam’s entire body. “Then I set it up to make it seem that it was his girlfriend’s doing,” he said proudly. “That wasn’t hard to do, since I heard them arguing that same day. A lot of the neighbors heard them, too. And since I worked security at that condo complex, I followed her back to her place so I’d know where she lived. When I killed Graham, it was easy for me to return to her place and hide the murder weapon inside her house.”
He paused as if gathering his thoughts. “And now, Samari Di Meglio, I am going to kill you. Now get out of my car.”
“They’ve turned off a road that leads to an abandoned warehouse,” one of Jake’s men said to Luke on his cell phone.
“We’re there,” Luke said, turning off the main highway and onto a dirt road. He heard Blade curse and knew exactly how his cousin felt. Luke had gone through the same thing when Mac’s life had been in danger.
Detective Adams had reviewed a map of the area and figured out where Sam was being taken, so his men were already in place. But Luke knew that was not enough to satisfy Blade, since anything could go wrong.
Before they’d left the law firm, Pat
sy Ackerman had admitted to the police that she was the one who’d kept Frank informed about Sam’s whereabouts, and knew that he had been sending her the flowers. Frank had convinced Patsy that he wasn’t planning to harm Sam, but just wanted to shake her up a bit. Patsy hadn’t realized how obsessed he was until he had come over to her place and told her about the bomb. He had tied Patsy up and said he would take care of Ms. Di Meglio and then come back and deal with her.
Luckily, Patsy was able to untie herself. The police officer who’d accompanied Detective Adams to the office with Rowe had transported Patsy down to police headquarters for further questioning.
It hadn’t been easy, but they had convinced Sam’s parents to remain at the law office with Mac and Peyton, who seemed capable of handling the couple better than anyone.
Luke glanced over at Blade and saw the intense look on his face. “You love Sam, don’t you? I mean really love her.”
Blade, who’d been staring straight ahead, glanced back. “Yes, I really love her, and I’m not going to try and figure out how it happened. It happened. And like I told her parents, I’m going to marry her.” Blade took a deep breath and shook his head. “I remember Justin saying that Lorren was his fate. In my case, Sam is my destiny.”
Luke was about to ask another question when his phone rang. He listened for a short while and then ended the call. “Frank’s at the abandoned warehouse and he’s made Sam get out of the car,” he told Blade.
Sam knew that Frank was unstable, and she didn’t intend to become another one of his victims. She had every intention of getting way from him as soon as she could.
“Move,” Frank ordered, breaking into her thoughts.
“Frank, please listen and—”
“Shut up or I’ll shoot you now.”
She’d seen the gun and, considering his mental state, knew she had to tread lightly. She began walking. “Shooting you now and getting it over with isn’t such a bad idea,” Frank said. “Stop and turn around.”
She slowly turned as he’d ordered her to. At that moment she knew she didn’t have a chance to escape, and talking to Frank was no use.
“Vivian died because of you. If you hadn’t had those pills, she wouldn’t have died,” he snarled.
Sam pulled in a deep breath. There was no way she could reason with him to make him see that even if she hadn’t had the pills, Vivian would have found some other way to end her life.
“And now you will die,” he said.
She stared at him and saw the demented look in his eyes and felt her knees weaken. At least she had told Blade she loved him.
Frank raised the gun and aimed it straight at her head. She closed her eyes, and the moment she did, a shot rang out, then a second. She opened her eyes and saw Frank crumple to the ground. Someone had shot him.
She looked around as police officers came swarming from everywhere. She heard Blade call her name, and then she saw him racing toward her. Somehow she found the strength to move, once she realized what had happened.
She threw herself into Blade’s arms as he pulled her close and whispered that he loved her. She buried her face in his shirt, trembling with relief that he was there. Sam knew at that moment that she was safe and in the arms of the man she loved.
Sam opened her eyes, once again shivering while reliving the nightmare of Frank Denton aiming a gun at her head.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. You’re here with me.”
She took a deep breath at the sound of the deep, husky voice so close to her ear. Instinctively, she leaned back against Blade’s hard body, and the arm already around her middle tightened.
They were naked, in her bed, after having made love earlier. Now he was whispering in her ear, telling her how he wanted to make love to her so that she would forget the near tragic incident earlier that day.
After providing Detective Adams and the police with all the information they needed, Blade had taken Sam home and run warm, sudsy water in the Jacuzzi tub, then had gotten in with her. With strong gentle hands he had tried soothing away all her hurts and fears.
He had dried her off, wrapped her securely in a towel and taken her to the living room, where he had held her in his arms until she had gone to sleep. She had awakened hours later in bed and wearing the nightgown he had put on her.
She had gotten dressed and had gone downstairs to find Blade in the kitchen, preparing dinner. The moment he looked up and saw her, he’d stopped what he was doing, moved toward her and pulled her into his arms. He had swept her off her feet, taken her upstairs and had made love to her until they were both satisfied and completely drained. Then they had drifted off to sleep until she awoke from the nightmare of her recent ordeal at the hands of Frank Denton.
She shifted in bed and turned toward Blade and pulled his mouth to hers, eased her tongue between the lips she adored and kissed him in a way she needed to. He responded the way she wanted, taking over the kiss, and had her moaning moments later.
He pulled his mouth away and trailed kisses down her throat before returning to her mouth again. Later, he gathered her into his arms. “Hungry?” he asked in a deep voice.
She gave him an affirmative nod. Other than the bagel and coffee she’d had for breakfast, she hadn’t eaten anything. “What were you cooking?”
“Baked chicken, rice pilaf, green beans and corn bread,” he said proudly.
She smiled and licked her lips. “I can’t wait.”
He laughed. “I prepared enough, since I invited your parents over.”
She blinked in surprise. “My parents?”
“Yes. I can expect Luke and Mac to entertain them for just so long. The only reason they haven’t shown up is because I convinced them you needed your rest.”
Sam appreciated that.
“They were worried about you, which is why they flew into town in the first place. They suspected something was up. I talked to them earlier today and assured them I would take care of you.”
“You did?”
“Yes, and I might as well confess right now that I told them I was going to marry you.”
She studied him for a moment, trying to gauge if he was serious or not. “Are you?” she asked.
“Am I what?”
“Going to marry me?”
“I hope that I am. Will you marry me?”
She smiled. “Is this an official proposal?”
“Yes,” he said with a serious expression on his face. “I thought I’d never ask a woman to marry me, but I need you in my life, Sam. And if you prefer to live here because of your law practice, then I can move to Oklahoma City.”
“But what about your company?”
“I can set up a satellite office here. Houston is only eighty minutes away by air, and Slade and I have been thinking about purchasing a Cessna for the company, anyway.”
“You can fly a plane?”
He laughed. “After the incident with Christy a couple of years ago, we decided to all get our pilot’s licenses.” He didn’t say anything for a moment and then asked, “So, will you marry me?”
She reached up and placed her arms around his neck. “Yes, I will marry you.”
Blade’s smile spread from ear to ear. “I might as well do another one of those sensual confession things,” he said.
“About what?”
He reached out and gently rubbed her stomach. “I told your parents that we would make lots of babies.”
She held his gaze. “And you want babies, Blade? Lots of them?”
“Yes, I want babies, lots of them. And for a man who’d never given a thought to being a father, that’s saying a lot.”
Sam nodded. Yes, it certainty was. She swallowed, thinking she might as well tell him her suspicions. “What if I told you there’s a possibility that—”
“You’re already pregnant.” He finished her sentence for her.
Her eyes widened. “Yes. How did you know?”
He told her about his great-grandmother’s fish dreams.
“And your family believes there’s a connection?” she asked in amazement.
He smiled. “Yes. So far she’s been right most of the time. All the dream does is confirm that someone is pregnant. She doesn’t always know who. But once she says she’s had a dream about fish, then everyone starts looking at each other suspiciously.”
“And how will you feel if they began looking at you?”
His smile widened. “It wouldn’t bother me a bit. So when will you know for sure?”
“I can always take one of those pregnancy tests. But I’m an old-fashioned girl and I prefer hearing it from a doctor. I have an appointment on Friday.”
“We have an appointment on Friday. We’re in this together, and no matter the outcome, we’ll leave there and go shopping for an engagement ring.”
He leaned down and placed a kiss on her lips. “How does a June wedding sound?” he said.
“That’s only two months away,” she said, looking up at him.
He laughed. “Hey, I met your mom. She can handle it, and if she needs help, the women in my family will be glad to pitch in.”
Sam’s lips softened. “In that case, I guess a June wedding it is.”
Satisfied, he pulled her closer and captured her lips in a kiss that was meant to seal what he knew was his destiny. She was the only woman for him, smart mouth and all. He would love her, adore her and cherish her forever.
Epilogue
Slade Madaris raised his champagne glass in a toast to the newlyweds. “Today, Blade and Sam, the two of you have made the oldest member of the Madaris family truly happy.”
He glanced over at his great-grandmother and grinned before returning his attention back to the smiling couple. “May today be the first of many days the two of you will share in wedded bliss.”
Blade took a sip of champagne and smiled at Sam. She’d had to settle for sparkling cider. Her doctor had confirmed what she’d suspected, that she was having his baby. He hadn’t had to make an announcement to his family, since Mama Laverne’s dream about fish had pretty much narrowed it down when Alex and Christy said they weren’t expecting.
Sensual Confessions Page 24