by Regan Black
“Because you said earlier today you’d reopen the Paxton case. He can’t let you do that.”
“I said that in private,” she countered after mentally rewinding the events of the past few hours.
“Not just in private. You said something about justice for Grave Gulch.”
He was right. “I wasn’t specific. I’m not sure I was even thinking about Orr directly at that moment.”
“But you were standing right next to me when I said I believed he was guilty.”
“Even so—” she checked her watch “—he must have been close to take action that fast.”
“Orr isn’t one for patience,” Antonio said with aggravating certainty. “I know him better than you do. He had me fooled for a long time.”
“I’m listening.”
He ran a fingertip around the rim of his glass. “Drew started as a casual acquaintance. Looking back, I’d say he worked me over systematically. He stayed at the hotel a few times. Introductions were made and we found common ground as property owners. He asked my opinion on a couple of developments he was kicking around.” He finally raised the glass and took a sip of water.
She was nearly distracted by what should’ve been uninteresting motions. With Antonio, even something as mundane as swallowing had her temperature rising. She’d been tucked under his body when the gunfire started and she now knew the scent of his skin near his collar.
“Eventually, he proposed a joint venture.” He shifted in his chair. “It looked good at first, nothing out of the ordinary with a serious profit margin. Then I saw the bids and the list of contractors he planned to use.”
“Red flags?”
He snorted. “Plenty. But it was the timeline that put a spotlight on the problem. The only way to make his proposed grand-opening date was to take shortcuts on the foundation and swap out the finer details with cheap finishes.”
“You balked.”
“I tried to talk first. It’s not my nature to bail without reason.” Another sip of water, followed by the glide of his tongue over his lips. “Fortunately, I hadn’t invested any serious money at that point and we hadn’t finalized the contract. As his friend, I didn’t want to leave him hanging, so I confirmed he had the capital to get started. Told him not to worry about what I’d given. Once he got started, it would be easier to find investors to carry him to the finish line. About the same time, one of my Florida hotels took some serious hurricane damage. I couldn’t responsibly spread myself so thin.”
“And he understood all of that?” she asked.
“I thought so.” He took a deep breath. “I dealt with my projects. Drew dealt with his. We had dinner once in a while or went out for a round of golf. And then another friend in Canada called me, wanting insight on Drew after a questionable interaction they’d had with him. Suffice it to say, either he’d always been shady, stealing from one project to pay off another, or he’d made some significant mistakes after we parted ways.”
“Does it matter which?” she queried.
“No to me. I didn’t talk to him for several months until the day he turned up with blood on his hand, frantic about what to do now that ‘she was dead.’”
“She being Wendy Paxton.”
He nodded.
“I’ll pull the file and read the statement, but can you refresh my memory?”
He drank some water, taking his time. “Drew said, and I quote, ‘I killed her. Oh, God. I don’t know what to do.’ He told me he tossed her body in some area of the city park. When he asked for my advice, I suggested he turn himself in. Repeatedly.”
That was concise, but not quite what she was after. She could see he wasn’t enjoying the conversation, but she’d never spoken directly with him about the case. “Where were you when he turned up that day?”
“I was helping my elderly neighbor with yard work...”
His voice trailed off as she burst into laughter, too tired from everything else to stifle the automatic reaction.
His gaze narrowed. “That’s funny to you?”
She fanned her face. “I’m sorry. Blame it on fatigue or—”
“Being shot at?”
“That, too.” The drive-by had rattled her. It seemed as if she’d climbed onto a never-ending roller coaster of emotion and drama since the moment Danny had disappeared. She tried to catch her breath and, noticing the amused sparkle in Antonio’s eyes, she started sputtering all over again.
“Seriously,” she said at last. “Forgive me for having a hard time picturing you up to your elbows in dirt and mulch.” She bit her lip. “You’re always so...you.”
He stared at her and then tapped the table. “I will take that as a compliment. And, yes, I was getting my hands dirty. One more reason I didn’t shake Drew’s hand when he showed up.”
“The blood was on his right hand?”
“Yes,” Antonio replied immediately. He turned his own hand palm up and showed her where he’d seen the blood. “My first thought was he must have been in an accident. He had that frantic, shocked energy.”
She knew exactly what he meant, having been on scene for emergencies ranging from fender benders to domestic violence. Adrenaline was a powerful chemical reaction and the rush manifested in many ways, depending on the person and the situation.
A prime example was that moment on the street when she thought Antonio was going to kiss her. When she would’ve kissed him back.
“The more he talked,” Antonio continued, “the clearer it became that he’d done something terrible.”
“You didn’t offer to help him?” she queried.
“How? By covering it up? Not a chance, even if I had still considered him a friend. He showed up, distraught and close to a panic, and I told him to go to the police.”
“No one else overheard this conversation or recognized him?” she persisted.
He shook his head. “He wore a hoodie, pulled up and shading his face. He called me over to him near the curb. Looking back, it becomes clear he was avoiding as much contact as possible.”
She had to give him credit for delivering details without embellishment or speculation. “You didn’t tell him to get a lawyer?”
“The man was not my friend.” He leaned back, propping an ankle on the opposite knee. “I have no idea why he even came to me. I went straight to the police after he came to me and your department let it go.”
She bristled at that—they hadn’t let it go, but had investigated and not found sufficient evidence to charge Orr—but contained her reaction. “Did he tell you why he killed her?”
“He told me she’d been cheating on him. He was a wreck,” Antonio replied. “I’d met her a few times, over dinner. They weren’t what I’d call a stable couple.”
“How so?”
“They argued over dumb, irrelevant things. He kept tabs on her phone location, checked her messages. They fought once in front of me when she and my date bonded over their latest sexy celebrity crush.”
“So he was the jealous type.” It shamed her to feel a pang of envy for the woman who had been his carefree date that night. She couldn’t imagine thinking of another man, celebrity or not, while spending time with Antonio.
“He was the unstable, criminally negligent, fiscally dangerous, murderous type.” Antonio leaned forward. “I don’t have psych evaluations or a rap sheet to show you, but Drew Orr is as shady as they come in business. He takes shortcuts, makes payoffs to smooth his way.”
“In other words, he’s nothing like you.”
“That’s right.” The cool, slightly aloof mask she recognized from city-council meetings dropped over his face. “I’m confident you were his target, not me. I can’t do anything more to him. You can. His past actions prove to me there is no limit to how low he’ll go. He wants to prevent you from taking another look at Wendy’s case.”
It was a l
ogical argument. If Orr wanted to get to Antonio, he could’ve been more aggressive at any time in recent months. Still, the timing of tonight’s attack bothered her. “Are you aware of any other connections between Orr and the police department?” She assumed his arched eyebrow meant no. “Never hurts to ask.” It was something she’d have to dig into as soon as the Everleigh situation was handled. “Any idea where Orr spends his time when he’s not shooting up Grave Gulch?”
“You aren’t taking me seriously,” Antonio accused, pushing to his feet and pacing away from the table before turning around. “I underestimated him once and nearly lost a fortune. I won’t repeat that mistake. Lives—yours, mine, Wendy’s—are invaluable.”
Fortune. She briefly wondered how a man like Antonio defined that term. She didn’t ask, as that detail was irrelevant to the case and wouldn’t advance the situation with Orr.
“Thanks for the meal,” she said, standing. “Can I help you clean up?”
“I can manage. If I get stuck, I’ll just call Housekeeping.”
She really had offended him with the laughter over him working outside. “All right.” She went to the coatrack for her coat and folded it over her arm. “I’ll let you know when I have news.”
“Haven’t you been listening?” He scowled and stalked closer. “You can’t go home. Stay here. At the hotel,” he added in a hurry.
“No, thank you.” The city would never approve that kind of expense and she wasn’t in the mood to toss away money on a pricey room when she had a perfectly good house a few miles away.
“Melissa.” There was an ache in his voice that struck a chord deep inside her. She caught the flash of pain in his eyes, the clenched jaw. “Tell me you’re taking precautions. Please. This man is dangerous.”
“I’ll be careful. I can defend myself, you know.”
“I’ve had more contact with him than you. He won’t hesitate to hurt people close to you.” He stepped closer. “Wasn’t the trouble with Danny enough of a scare?”
“Any trouble is always too much,” she said. He was pleading with her. “I’m on high alert. You might not trust my department, but we are good people. Smart and reliable, too, though I understand why you would doubt me.” She managed to get her coat on by herself this time.
He scrubbed at his face, then shoved his hands into his pockets. “There’s a penthouse suite with private access and impenetrable security right upstairs.”
She gripped the ties of her coat. “You have a safe house.”
“Yes. I build at least one into every hotel. It’s yours,” he said. “No charge. You’ll have everything you need and Orr can’t get to you.”
The urgent worry was a wave crashing over her. Where was this coming from? “That’s very kind.” And definitely too much. “You should use it.”
“But he’s after you.”
She tried to smile. “Your opinion. The smart cop in me says we’re both at risk.”
He blew out a breath, muttering something in a mix of languages she couldn’t decipher. “There’s room for both of us in the secure suite.”
“Stop.” She held up a hand. The idea of hiding from her responsibilities was bad enough. But sharing a private suite with Antonio was far too tempting. She needed a clear head if she was going to bring her department thought the problems with the Emerson and Paxton cases.
With deliberate steps, she moved to the door. “Thank you again for your assistance tonight with Danny and...” It was suddenly difficult to mention the drive-by shooting. “I will keep you updated on the Orr case as things develop.”
“Nothing I can do will change your mind?”
“No.” She wanted to touch that whisker-shadowed jaw, to smooth away the worry creasing his forehead. She couldn’t recall another man outside of her family ever being so concerned for her safety.
“Then I’ll have to settle for walking you to your car,” he said.
Ever the gentleman, she thought as he stuck by her side from the office to her vehicle. He waited for her to get in, buckle up and start the engine. But it was the tilt of his mouth, a little sad, a lot frustrated, that left her second-guessing her decision.
* * *
Back upstairs in his office, Antonio finished clearing the table but he couldn’t relax. Tension gripped his shoulders in an unrelenting hold. Had she made it home? He should’ve insisted that she call one of her officers to escort her. Why hadn’t he asked her to call him when she got to her house?
He knew she could keep herself safe... But Melissa was out there alone with a killer on the loose and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. His supposedly legendary charm and influence had no effect on one stubborn police chief. Who would help her if Orr struck again?
He tried work, his preferred method of distraction, but he couldn’t concentrate on the work that had been interrupted when Victor stormed in with news of Danny’s abduction. More than once, he caught himself with one hand on his cell phone, determined to let Orr know he’d been seen driving that car.
Firing that gun.
That would pull the jerk’s focus off Melissa.
Well, to be fair, he hadn’t seen Orr’s finger on the trigger. And now he was thinking like Melissa. Facts only, no guessing allowed. In Antonio’s mind it was the only logical conclusion. They’d been shot at by the driver of that black car and the driver had been Drew Orr.
He went back to the table and discovered the lingering scent of Melissa. She’d worn a soft, unforgettably feminine fragrance tonight. Instantly, he was back on that sidewalk, wishing he’d kissed her.
His gloves had been torn, but his slacks had survived. They were nearly dry now. His heart worried him more. The feel of her hands skimming over him, searching for any injury...well, he wouldn’t be forgetting that anytime soon, either.
He enjoyed dating and was always clear about his short-term philosophy. It was a rare woman who gave him enough sparks to remind him of the joy and affection he’d shared with his wife.
Melissa had done that, and they didn’t even like each other.
Maybe he liked her a little. She was undeniably attractive. He’d definitely gained more respect for her while she’d worked the rescue operation, too. Her sense of justice needing to prevail resonated with him, too. A normal man might enjoy that connection, but it only made Antonio twitchy.
He shouldn’t be looking for common ground. Not with her. Nothing could erase the mistakes made by someone in her department. Where and why those errors occurred wasn’t his concern. Orr should be held accountable for his crimes.
Antonio stretched his neck and stared out across the dark lake. Yesterday, he might not have cared if that pursuit put Melissa at risk. Somehow, tonight, he couldn’t stop worrying for her safety.
Aggravated with himself, he walked to the closet he kept stocked with a few key items and changed into worn jeans, a thermal shirt and a thick flannel. Melissa would probably laugh all over again if she got a look at him now. Well, if everything went well, she wouldn’t.
He donned thick socks and a pair of boots in case he had to keep watch for any length of time and then grabbed his heavy coat and another pair of gloves. If she had a patrol team posted, watching her back, he could go home with a clear conscience. If not, he’d stay until morning just to make sure she didn’t get hurt by Orr’s violent tenacity.
Melissa’s home address was a matter of public record. And even if it hadn’t been, she kept her official car parked in the driveway in an understated attempt to deter crime in the neighborhood. That kind of subtlety would hardly stop a man who’d opened fire on her once already.
As he waited for his car to warm up, he told himself he should just head to one of his southern hotels for a few weeks. He could let winter blow itself out without any more frigid nights or worrisome drama. Then he recalled the stark relief on Melissa’s face when he’d come down tho
se stairs with her little cousin in his arms.
Who was he kidding? He’d stay the course, do everything possible to protect her from whatever Orr had planned.
Maybe if he’d told her the whole story she would’ve stayed in the secure suite. He really shouldn’t have held anything back. Once she finished the urgent matter of the Emerson case, he trusted her to dig into the Paxton case.
Based on comments and conversations with his friends in the last few months, it seemed Orr had moved on, leaving Antonio and Grave Gulch behind. It made him twitchy to think of Orr returning to this area, being close enough to react so swiftly to a throwaway comment during a media crush.
Antonio drove slowly down Melissa’s street. She lived in a neat cottage with craftsman details and a wide front porch. It was similar to the house he’d grown up in just a few blocks away. When his dad retired, his parents had sold the house to him and moved back to Florida. He’d lived there and made some updates while he built his home on the lakefront. A home big enough for his parents, siblings and their families to visit anytime.
It was a double-edged sword to see Melissa’s official SUV in the driveway. At least there was a GGPD cruiser parked at the curb across the street. He took a deep breath, inordinately relieved that she wasn’t taking anything for granted. She’d pegged him when she observed that he enjoyed caring for people. With her, though, he didn’t want to feel anything except professional courtesy. Unfortunately, he couldn’t put a lid on the emotions surging through him and the streak of overprotectiveness that reared up in him.
Maybe it was the kidnapping that brought back all of the grief and angst with such a vengeance. Much as he wanted to blame that situation, he knew there was more to it. She was more.
Melissa Colton threatened his peace of mind. Even when all he’d known was her quiet, calm professionalism, something about her tempted him. Now that he’d seen her in action, that tough competence broken up by the flashes of vulnerability when she’d seen the ransom message or worried he’d been shot, he was utterly fascinated.