by Lucy Quinn
“I don’t think so. Why don’t you tell me how you got involved with the Franklins and why you’re so willing to turn a blind eye to their money laundering?” Dora said, yanking on his arm again.
He let out a hiss. “You bitc—”
“Don’t you dare say that to my friend,” Evie said with a low growl. “Besides, how unoriginal can you get?” She cast a glance at Jock, who was still staring at the gator beside Luke. Certain that Luke didn’t need her to guard Jock, she crossed the room to stand right behind Dora. “What are your secrets, Brian? And what’s your connection to Riverwoods?”
His eyes widened in surprise before he scowled at her. “What do you know?”
“Ah-ha! Jackpot. You are running some kind of scam over there, aren’t you? And the Franklins are helping you hide the money, right?” Evie demanded.
“Evie!” Dora said, jabbing her in the gut with an elbow. “Not now.”
“If not now, when? We have to figure out why he’s disgracing his badge. What better time than the present while that gator over there contemplates chowing down on his nuts.”
Brian let out a whimper.
Evie laughed. “We have him right where we want him.”
“Wrong,” a strange voice called from behind them. “Let the officer go, Dora, and we might let you live.”
Ice ran through Evie’s veins as she recognized the voice.
“Marco?” Evie asked as he stepped out of the shadows.
“Making sure nothing happens to my investments.” He pulled out a nine-millimeter and pointed it right at Dora. “Release the cop. Now.”
Dora visibly swallowed, and her hands started to shake.
Evie’s head began to spin as she frantically tried to rack her brain for how to get out of this situation. She believed Marco would have no trouble killing the woman who’d killed his father. They were royally screwed.
“Do it!” Marco barked, waving the gun wildly.
Sunshine let out a whimper as she cowered at Evie’s feet. She longed to bend down and scoop up her scared pup, but she didn’t dare move. Dora let go of Brian and started to back up.
Brian twisted, grabbing Dora just as Cecilia lunged for him, and Evie let out a blood-curdling scream.
21
Pain radiated up Dora’s arm, making her stomach turn. She let out a loud gasp and tried to jerk back, but the intense pain sent her straight to her knees. Pure rage had her seeing red, and on instinct she’d carefully cultivated with daily practice, she used her free arm and jabbed her fingers right into Brian’s eyes.
They were softer than she’d expected, and the wetness of his eyes made her stomach turn, but he dropped his hold on her and she quickly scrambled back up just in time for Cecilia to shoot past her, jaws open as she lunged for Brian.
“Let’s go,” Luke said into her ear.
The sound of his calming voice washed over Dora, and she turned to him with her eyes wide. “The gator—”
“She’s doing exactly what I told her to do. She won’t kill him. She’ll just keep him detained for a while,” he said and tugged her away from the cop and the beast.
Dora couldn’t bring herself to turn and look at the scene behind her. Instead, she frantically scanned the area for Evie and Sunshine, and was relieved to find them already hurrying out of the room with Billy right behind them.
Someone moaned off the to the right, and when she glanced over, she spotted Marco writhing on the ground, his arm cradled to his chest and no gun in sight.
“Did you take him down?” she asked Luke.
“We can thank my martial arts training for that.” He gave her an encouraging smile. “Let’s go.”
At least that was something. She sped up and darted out of the room too, hoping she never saw another alligator again. It was a stretch considering she lived in Florida, but a girl could dream, right?
With no need to worry about the security cameras now, Luke and she rushed down the hall and through the gator park toward the exit. Bullets rang out behind them, followed by shouts and orders for them to stop. Dora was nearly paralyzed by fear, but Luke grabbed her wrist and pulled her into the shadows as he continued to jog and hissed, “Just keep moving.”
Without any other plan of action, she did as he said and prayed Evie and Sunshine would be all right.
“This way.” Luke came to a sudden stop before he pushed through an emergency exit. More bullets blasted behind them, and she wondered if they were still aiming at them, or...
“Evie,” she whispered with her hand to her throat.
Luke grabbed her arm and, stepping behind her, practically pushed her through the gate. “Just keep moving. They’re fine, understand?”
She nodded, her heart in her throat. How did I get myself into this mess? she wondered for the thousandth time.
Relief washed over Dora when Evie called out, “Over here!” She was waving frantically for them beside Luke’s car. Evie slipped into the driver’s seat. Sunshine hopped in after her, while Billy climbed into the back seat.
Dora took off at a dead run, no longer unsure of her next move. She sprinted so fast she was sure if she were in a race she’d have broken some sort of record. Before she knew it, she was crammed in the back seat of the car with Billy.
Once Luke was safely in the car as well, Evie peeled out, more than likely leaving rubber on the road.
Billy leaned his head against Dora’s shoulder. “I’m starving,” He said.
Dora wrapped her arms around him and held on. “Evie. Your purse?”
“You know it, Dor.”
“I have food at my house. Just go straight there,” Luke said.
“But Evie has Poptarts,” Dora said. “Blueberry ones.”
“Blueberry?” Billy asked.
“That is not food.” Luke shook his head but retrieved the toaster pastries from Evie’s purse. He turned and handed the treat to Billy as he eyed Dora. “We seriously have to discuss what constitutes a meal when this is all done.”
When this is done? “Right,” Dora said, trying and failing to contain her giddy smile. She gently ran a hand over Billy’s back, trying to give him some comfort and to focus on the seriousness of what had just happened.
Billy let out a small moan as he devoured the sugary junk food. “That was some serious alligator whispering,” he forced out. “Thanks for saving my tush.”
Luke reached back and squeezed the man’s hand. “No way were we going to leave you there, Billy. Don’t worry. We’ve got it from here.”
Billy nodded and let out a deep sigh as he leaned his head on the window and closed his eyes.
Dora met Luke’s gaze. The two stared at each other for a long moment, and she wondered what he was thinking. She’d panicked back there, and if Luke hadn’t grabbed her, she might have been shot while frozen in fear. She said, “Thank you, Luke. I don’t know what we would’ve done without you.”
He gave her a hint of a smile. “I’m betting you and Evie would’ve figured something out. I’m picturing paintball guns and ski masks. But I was glad to help.”
Evie let out a snort. “I’m gonna need to stock my purse with paintball guns and Poptarts now. That’s a great idea.”
“Aren’t you even the least bit freaked out?” Dora demanded. She glanced between the two of them. “We were just shot at, And Billy was almost gator food!”
Luke turned again, but instead of saying anything, this time he reached back and grabbed Dora’s hand, squeezing it tightly.
Evie took a sharp turn down a side street. “Nah, Dora. They weren’t shooting at us. They were shooting at each other. I don’t know what was going down, but Marco seemed pissed at Brian and Jock. Maybe they messed up the job so bad Marco was ready to be done with them. Either way, we’ve got Billy, and now we can start making plans to find the evidence we need to clear you.”
Dora slumped back into her seat. She didn’t think Evie and Luke were taking the situation as seriously as they should. She wished it were true t
hat Evie and she could leave Luke and Billy to deal with any fallout while they hightailed it to New Orleans to retrieve the flash drive, but didn’t they need to make sure the two weren’t in any danger first? Dora pressed her fingers to her temples and tried not to let her anxiety get the best of her.
“Don’t stress, Dora,” Evie said almost cheerily. “We’ve got this. You’ll see.”
“Famous last words,” Dora muttered and pressed her head to the cool glass of her window.
Evie just chuckled. “Always the pessimist.”
Dora preferred to think of herself as logical, but she knew that sometimes she could be pessimistic, too. But at the moment, she couldn’t imagine feeling any other way.
Dora swirled her frothy cappuccino remains in her cup as she said, “I don’t think it’s wise that we keep coming back here.” They were sitting at Luke’s kitchen table while he cooked.
“Where else are we going to go?” Evie asked.
Dora knew she was right, but it didn’t make her any less nervous.
“Besides,” Evie added. “We’re out of here in the morning. That should turn the heat down considerably.”
“We can’t just leave Billy and Luke as sitting ducks,” Dora insisted. “Do you really think Brian and Marco are going to just stop looking for us? Besides, the minute Billy goes home, they’ll be pounding his door down.”
Evie frowned and bit on her bottom lip as she petted Sunshine. The dog was curled up in her lap, staying as close to her mother as possible. It appeared the gunshots had rattled at least one other soul besides Dora. “So, what is it you think we should do? We can’t go to the cops. We don’t know who’s dirty and who isn’t.”
“True.” Dora tapped her fingers against her lips and glanced over at Luke, who was busy making food again. He’d already supplied Billy with water and some truffle cheese. Because doesn’t everyone have that in their fridge? Now he was working on a late-night dinner for all of them. The heavenly scent of onions and garlic wafted over her, and her mouth started to water. Luke was right, Poptarts were so not a meal you had with him around.
“Earth to Dora.” Evie waved her hands in front of her friend’s face. “Focus, will you? You can drool over the hottie in the kitchen later.”
Luke glanced over his shoulder at Dora, giving her a knowing grin. Dora’s face flushed, and she thought she might die right there on the spot. “Thanks a lot, Evie,” she whispered through clenched teeth.
“Pshaw.” Evie rolled her eyes. “You two are so hot for each other I’m about to get heat exhaustion just being in your presence. Don’t act like it’s not happening. None of us are stupid.”
Luke let out a low chuckle but didn’t turn back around.
Dora sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. “This isn’t the time for this conversation. Let’s get back to working out a plan.”
Evie sat back in her chair. “We don’t have a plan.”
Dora ignored her painfully obvious statement. “We need to expose Brian. Figure out what his deal is, so that the heat is on him and not us. I think we should head to Riverwoods and find out why exactly he spends so much time there. He’s already inadvertently confirmed that something is up.”
“Do we know anyone who works there?” Evie asked as Billy’s gaze bounced back and forth between the two women.
Dora turned her attention to Luke. “You said a cook you know adopted Miss Morris, right? How did that happen? Did she get her from a shelter, or did she just take her from Riverwoods after her owner died?”
“Hmm.” Luke started placing his steak stir fry onto four plates. “Cassie didn’t say. I can give her a call.”
Cassie. Dora knew it was irrational, but she suddenly had a vague mental picture of Luke laughing and flirting with another woman… one who shared his passion for cooking.
“You do that,” Evie said, setting Sunshine on the floor. “I’m going to call Trace and see if he knows anyone.” She slid out of her chair and disappeared into the next room.
Luke glanced at the clock. “It’s a little late to call Cassie. I think I should wait until the morning.”
Billy piped in. “I know who delivers the mail at Riverwoods. Kyle Johnson. Want me to call him? Feel him out for what he knows?”
Dora didn’t like the idea of bringing Billy any further into the situation. Besides which, she wasn’t sure his friend would have any useful information as a mailman. She reached over and touched Billy’s arm. “That’s sweet, but I think one kidnapped mailman is all my conscience can handle.”
Billy placed his hand on hers. “Sure. But I have another way I can help. Jock and Brian weren’t exactly worried about the things I heard.”
Maybe the caffeine of her cappuccino had just kicked in, or maybe it was because Luke set food down before Dora, but she perked up and said, “Tell us more.”
22
Evie listened to Trace’s voicemail message for the third time. She didn’t actually think he knew anyone who either worked or lived at Riverwoods. And she knew he was likely still on the stage of whatever gig the band had that night, but she wanted to hear his voice.
The showdown at the alligator park had shaken her up more than she cared to admit. But when they were driving away from the scene, she’d known Dora was one gasp away from falling apart, and Evie had managed to stay strong for her friend. But now she could see that Dora was compensating for the trauma by jumping into action, and it was time for Evie to catch her breath.
Her body began to shake with the delayed shock, and she wrapped her arms around herself. She hadn’t signed up for kidnappings and bullets flying. Not that she would change anything she’d done to help Dora.
Dora was her best friend and she’d walk through fire to get her out of a jam. But this was starting to get intense. More intense than Evie had bargained for. Evie lay back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She knew Dora was right. They couldn’t just leave Luke and Billy hanging in the wind while they took off to New Orleans.
And what about Trace? It wasn’t a secret that Evie was involved with him. Would Brian and his criminal friends go after him in order to get to her and Dora? It was more than probable. Her heart stopped for a moment before it filled with so much emotion for her sexy boyfriend that she thought it might burst. She picked up her phone and sent Trace a text. Miss you. Call when your gig is done. Doesn’t matter how late.
It was only a few minutes later when the phone rang, but Evie had already imagined a shallow grave full of the bodies of her friends. Her heart lurched when she saw Trace’s name pop up on her phone. She answered and said, “Hey, baby. Did you have a good crowd?”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice full of concern.
“What makes you think there’s anything wrong?” she asked, wondering if he’d heard something. Had they already started looking for him? Her insides went cold, and she sat straight up on the bed.
“Evie, you don’t ever call me during a gig. And you sure as hell don’t ever call multiple times and not leave me messages.”
That was true. She loved teasing him and leaving dirty little messages on his phone when he was too busy to talk to her. She couldn’t even the remember the last time she’d called and hadn’t told him exactly what she wanted when he got back in town. “Fair enough.” She let out a deep sigh. “Do you know anyone associated with Riverwoods?”
“The assisted living place on the north end of town?” he asked, sounding confused.
“Yeah. That’s the one.”
There was silence on the other end of the line, followed by a muffled voice as he asked the same question of his bandmates. When he came back on the line he said, “I don’t, but Jax has a cousin who works there.”
She heard Jax yell out, “Cal.”
Trent asked, “Why?”
“There’s some crap going down here that I can’t really talk about. I would, but… I don’t want to put you in the middle of it. We need an in over at Riverwoods so we can try to work this out
before it turns into a major nightmare.” Although, from where Evie sat, it already was.
Silence again.
“Please don’t worry about me, Trace,” Evie said, trying to keep the tremble out of her voice. The truth was, he should be worried. He should be terrified. After what happened at the gator park, she should be curled up in a ball, falling completely apart. But she wouldn’t. She couldn’t because Dora needed her.
“It’s not easy to not worry, Evie,” he said gently. “You sound… different. Do you need me there?”
Evie remembered something that made her regret the weak moment when she decided to call him, and she knew she had to do something to prove to Trace she was fine. She found a way to sound confident when she said, “I appreciate that. I really do. But you can’t. You have a record label coming to check you guys out tomorrow.” She might have wanted Trace by her side, but she loved him too much to ruin his big break, and she added, “Besides, seriously, we’ve got this handled. It’ll probably all be over by the time you could get here anyway.”
Trace blew out a breath. “Yeah. We do. I’m nervous, Evie.”
She let out a silent sigh, relieved she’d managed to convince Trace she was fine. “Nervous is good, baby. This is a big deal, but you know how those nerves disappear the moment the spotlight hits you? You get that cocky grin and start to strut and—" She let out a small growl of desire.
Trace laughed softly. “Damn it, woman, you make me want to come there to help you out—of your clothes.”
Evie laughed. “You’re going to be great. I’m sure of it.”
“Thanks. I’ll call as soon as we know anything.”
“I’d love that. Any time of night. I won’t care.”
“If you’re lucky, it’ll be a booty call.”
She chuckled but her mood sobered, because flirting with Trace was good for her heart but not so good for getting out of trouble. “Can I get Cal’s phone number? We need some information to make sure our plan is solid. That would be a tremendous help.” She wasn’t sure if they’d call him, but she thought it would be good to have the option.