by Mary Eason
She’d opened the door and started to leave the car when he caught her wrist. “Don’t talk to the police without me.” Her gaze locked with his. A muscle in his jaw flexed.
“Why? What are you afraid of?”
Unfazed by the challenge in her words, his eyes narrowed. “You are not to trust them. It’s a force filled with corruption. They’ve been trying to frame me for years. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone on the NYPD wasn’t responsible for Jeremy’s death. From all accounts, the scene appeared staged.”
“What are you talking about? What accounts?” All thoughts of escaping disappeared. She found herself but repulsed and mesmerized by his words.
His grip tightened on her wrist. He didn’t like that she’d dared to stand up to him. Challenge his authority. “I have friends on the force. High-ranking, trustworthy officials. They tell me the two detectives assigned to investigate Jeremy’s death have less than a stellar reputation. Your ‘friend’, Donovan in particular.”
Your friend Donovan? How did he know she’d spoken to the detective?
I have friends on the force...
Did he have officers watching her that she wasn’t aware of? “What about Donovan?” She found herself asking.
Caesar’s gaze raked her. A thin smile curling the corner of his mouth. Her reaction had just confirmed his suspicions. “I told you. He used to be with the FBI. Until he was forced to leave. According to my sources there, it was because of a scandal with another officer. A woman.”
Jordan couldn’t stand to hear any more. She’d jerked her hand free and slammed the car door to the sound of Caesar’s satisfied laughter.
She didn’t want to believe his suspicions, but he’d succeeded in planting a seed of doubt. How well did she really know Riley? Well enough to trust him with her life?
There was only one person she trusted that much. Mariah. She just hoped it wouldn’t end up costing Mariah Jennings her life.
Mariah was the only one with contacts to the old neighborhood who could get her the documents she needed to escape.
“No problem, kiddo. Although I have to confess, I’m a bit confused by all this cloak and dagger stuff. But I do love a good mystery. Since the ex left, my life has become rather boring.” A tall statuesque blonde, Mariah Jennings could have been a model. Instead, she’d chosen to become a private investigator. But the long hours and endless travel hadn’t set well with her ex-husband Blake Jennings, a fellow detective. Their marriage lasted less than a year before Blake pulled roots and moved to LA.
“Your life is never boring, Mariah.”
“Yeah. You’re right.” Mariah squeezed her hand. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am about Jeremy, babe.“
Jordan swallowed back emotions. “Thanks.” Throughout the long morning where she’d been forced to wait several hours before calling Mariah in case Caesar might be watching the hospital, her grief had turned to anger. Followed by rage.
“I know you are.” God, where did she start? The less Mariah knew about the situation, the less it could be used against her should Caesar ever discover her identity.
She could only hope that moment never came. If Caesar were willing to kill Jeremy – someone he professed to love, then what would he be capable of doing to Mariah.
A shiver of apprehension ran through Jordan at the unwelcome image.
“So how are you doing really?” Mariah hadn’t missed Jordan’s uneasiness. “You seem a bit lost.”
Her gaze dropped to the coffee cup that sat untouched in front of her. She felt lost. She missed Jeremy every single second of the day. The only thing keeping her going insane seemed to be the hatred she felt for Caesar. She’d been forced to bury her grief and focus on saving her own life.
Jordan attempted a smile. “I’m okay.”
“No, you’re not.” When Jordan didn’t respond, Mariah added, “I take it this has something to do with the very mysterious Caesar Santiago. You said you needed my help. Name it and I’ll do it. You know I loved Jeremy, too.”
Jordan nodded. “I do.” She took out the large envelope contained the copied CDs and passed them to Mariah who peeked inside.
“What’s this?” Mariah raised one suspicious brow.
“Something I’m hoping will help prove Caesar is responsible for Jeremy’s death.”
Mariah’s unwavering gaze held hers. “If there’s evidence of a crime on these discs I’m obligated to turn them over to the police.”
Jordan blew out a frustrated sigh and shook her head. “That’s just it. There isn’t. At least not that I can determine. The files are all encoded.”
After a lengthy pause, Mariah asked, “Where’d you get these?”
“From Caesar’s safe he keeps at home.”
“You broke into his safe?” Mariah seemed torn between shock and admiration.
“Sort of.” She took a deep steadying breath and plunged ahead. “Mariah, I need you to find someplace safe to store those. You can’t keep them with you. It’s not safe. There’s always a chance Caesar may find out about are friendship. It was hard enough convincing him you were Jeremy’s friend at the funeral.”
Mariah didn’t hesitate before agreeing. “I’ll overnight them to Blake in California. They’ll be safe there. Blake has a friend with the State Police. Maybe he can figure out what’s one them.”
“Thank you, Mariah.” It was a relief knowing she wasn’t in this alone.
“There’s something else, isn’t there.”
Jordan looked Mariah in the eye and knew she’d made the right decision. “Yes. I need you to get me a passport and all necessary documents to start a new life.” She saw a dozen different expressions cross Mariah’s pretty face. Before she could let her friend ask a single one of them, Jordan added, “And I need you not to ask questions.”
“Alright.” Mariah accepted her wishes for the moment. Jordan knew her friend wouldn’t stick to that plan long. Once she was certain Jordan was safe, Mariah would go into full PI mode. Which was fine by her. In fact, she was counting on it. “How soon do you need them?”
“Soon. This week.”
Mariah’s gaze held hers. “It will be difficult but I think I can manage. How do I get in touch with you?”
“You don’t. I’ll call you.”
“Okay.” Jordan knew there were so many things Mariah wanted to ask. She didn’t dare answer a single one of them.
“You should go. I’m pretty sure no one followed me, but I don’t want to take any unnecessary risks. It’s bad enough that I have to involve you in this at all.”
Mariah started to say something then changed her mind. She stood and kissed Jordan’s cheek.
“Take care of yourself.”
Jordan jerked her head in answer then reached for the cold coffee fighting back tears as Mariah left the diner. She had to be strong for Jeremy.
She took a sip of the cold coffee then sat the cup back on the table and reached for the ticket. Before she could make a move, someone slipped into the booth across from her and grabbed her wrist.
“Don’t say a word.” Her startled eyes collided with familiar blue ones. Riley.
“What are you doing here?” Jordan tried to free herself, but his fingers tightened around her wrist holding her in place.
“I could ask you the same thing,” he countered. “Not exactly the place I’d expect to find Caesar Santiago’s fiancé hanging out. Nor the company for that matter.” His answer told her he’d been waiting for Mariah to leave. It wouldn’t take long before he knew all about her. From there he’d fill in the remaining pieces of the puzzle easily enough.
“Leave her out of this. She’s not involved.”
“I’d say she’s involved in it over her head.” She tried once more to free herself without avail. He blew out a frustrated sigh. “Jordan, if you want to keep her out of this then you need to talk to me. Stop struggling. I’m not going to hurt you.”
“How did you find me?” Stupid question considering he was a cop.
/>
“I followed you.”
The two detectives assigned to investigate Jeremy’s death have less than a stellar reputation. Your ‘friend’, Donovan in particular. Caesar’s accusations sprang into her thoughts unwelcome.
“You’ve wasted your time, detective. I have nothing to say. I can’t help you.”
“Jordan, listen—“
“You want some coffee, hon?” A waitress sporting tomato-red tresses piled high on her head, stopped next to their booth with a half-empty coffee pot in one hand and the other fisted against his boney hip.
Riley released Jordan’s arm, but the waitress stood between herself and freedom. His gaze locked on Jordan’s once more. He was warning her not to try anything.
“Sure. That’d be great.” Riley waited while the waitress turned over the extra coffee cup and filled it.
“Touch yours up, hon?”
Jordan’s gaze slipped to the barely touched coffee in her cup.“ No. Thank you, its fine.”
With a bored shrug of her shoulders, the woman moved on to the next table and out of hearing range.
“What do you want?” Jordan finally managed wearily. God, she was exhausted down to her soul.
“I want you to listen, that’s all. Dammit, Jordan, I care about you. What happens to you. You don’t have to fight this battle alone any longer. I can help. Why are you shutting me out all the sudden?”
She wasn’t about to answer that question. She shook her head.
“I just need you to listen to what I have to tell you because it might just save your life.” The gentleness in his tone surprised her.
Nothing else he might have said could have managed to achieve what those few honest words had accomplished.
She looked into Riley’s blue eyes and wanted to cry. She believed him. Even if she couldn’t trust him, she believed he meant every single one of those words.
***
“Alright, I’m listening.” She looked as if she hadn’t slept in days, but at least he had her full attention.
“What say we get out of here? This place is too noisy to talk. And you look as if you could use some fresh air. When was the last time you got any sleep?” Riley paid the bill, threw some money on the table for the tip then stood and waited for Jordan.
She hesitated. He hadn’t realized until then that he’d been holding his breath. Waiting for her. Why did it feel as if everything was riding on her taking that next step?
Maybe because it did.
Her eyes locked with his. She still didn’t trust him. Santiago had probably fed her a string of lies about cops. He could feel her searching for assurances. Whatever she saw in him must have been enough because she got to her feet and followed him outside.
“Want to take a ride?” He stopped in front of his pickup and attempted a smile.
She didn’t look too confident in the old truck. But then, she had no idea it had been in the family for as long as I can remember. He’d learned to drive in this truck.
He tried to reassure her. “Trust me, its not as bad as it looks.”
A frown creased her brow. “I’m not going to the station with you.” She insisted. “I have nothing to add that can help you solve Jeremy’s case. I don’t know anything.”
Riley held open the passenger door. “Riley. It’s Riley.”
The scowl didn’t readily disappear. “Well – Riley – I still don’t know anything that can help you. I shouldn’t even be talking to you.”
“Okay, I understand. I just want you to listen.”
“To what? Look, detective--”
“Riley. You never had a problem calling me Riley before. Please, just give me a few hours. That’s all I’m asking.” He reached for her hand. The touch of his fingers stroking against her skin wiped away the last of her resistance. “What have you got to lose?”
“Oh, I don’t know – my life maybe.” He barely caught the words. She pulled her hand out of his and hopped into the truck.
So she’d begun having doubts. Riley shut the door then climbed into the driver’s seat.
They drove in silence until he’d maneuvered through the heavy midday traffic and began heading out of the city.
Her head whipped around to eye him suspiciously. “Where are we going, detective?”
“Riley.” he corrected.
“I beg your pardon?” She watched him with a look of uncertainty in her eyes.
“Come on – it’s not such a difficult name to pronounce.” He tossed another smile her way before forcing his attention back to the road ahead.
She didn’t look the least bit pleased with him. “Where are you taking me, Riley?”
“Stop worrying so much. Otherwise, you’re going to get some hellacious frown lines on that pretty face of yours.” When she actually glared at him, he added, “We’re going somewhere quiet.”
Her attention jerked back to the passing scenery outside her window, but he could feel her tension. It was almost palpable. She didn’t trust him. He couldn’t blame her.
Some distance outside of the city, he pulled off the main highway onto a small farm-to-market road leading to upstate New York’s cattle country.
Jordan glanced at her watch then subconsciously twisted her fingers together. The farther from the city they drove the more anxious she became.
“There’s a small town a little ways up the road. It’s one of those quaint little tourist traps. You know the kind that sells crafts and such on weekends. But it should be fairly deserted today.”
She didn’t answer. She just kept clenching her hands together in her lap.
“Are you hungry?” His question seemed to take her by surprise. “You look as if you haven’t eaten in days.”
“I don’t know. I guess I haven’t. Not since…” She didn’t finish. She seemed to have trouble focusing on anything. Lack of sleep not to mention food had a way of doing that to a person.
“Look, I really have to get back to…I have…work – patients that need me. I didn’t tell anyone I would be gone this long. They’ll be expecting me back by now. ”
She was lying. Her body language was giving away plenty. The only person she was worried about missing her was Santiago.
“I’ll have you back at the hospital door in a few hours, I promise.” Riley didn’t wait for her to argue. He got out of the truck and opened the door for her.
Jordan’s gaze shifted to his. Resentment mingled with exhaustion darkened the hazel to green. She blew out a breath scattering long, silky bangs from her face. Then got out of the truck.
The Cattle Guard was one of those greasy spoon restaurants you read about in the ‘places not to eat section’ of the Times.
Riley still remembered the first time he’d eaten here. It was the first time his old man told him about his plans to retire here someday. His father loved the place.
“Well, hi there, Riley Donovan.” Maya McGregor the owner of The Cattle Guard’s smile faltered only a smidgen when she spotted Jordan standing next to Riley. She’d been after him for almost as long as she’d owned the Guard. “I got this one, Midge.” Maya grabbed the coffee pot from its holder with enough force to send it sloshing over the edge. Clearly annoyed by the new developments.
She marched over to the booth Riley had just slid into after Jordan, shooting him daggers with every step.
“Usual?” Maya turned two coffee cups over, sending them clattering against their saucers.
“Um yeah. That’d be good.” He glanced at Jordan. She watched his exchange with Maya with a spark of interest. “Make that two, Maya.”
The platinum blonde huffed off barely tossing a staccato ‘harrumph’ over her shoulder.
“Friend of yours?” Jordan’s tone sounded strained. He glanced her way, studied her expression, and saw she was fighting hard to control laughter.
“I’ve known Maya for years.”
“Yeah? And how many of those has she had a crush on you?”
He thought about denying it, but figured at l
east she was talking to him again. It was a start. “All of them.” As he watched, Jordan Scott burst into laughter. He liked the way her face lit up when she laughed.
“How’d you find this place anyway?”
He wasn’t sure if she meant the town or the restaurant. “My father used to bring me fishing up here. Then later on, he bought a place. Thought this was where he wanted to retire some day, but changed his mind.”
Her hazel-green eyes grew serious as she watched him talk about his father. For just a little while, some of her worries seemed to melt away.
“Why’d he change his mind?” They were skirting around the darker issues for the moment, but Riley sensed he needed to tread carefully.
“Got tired of the long winters, he says. Once he left the force he moved to the Keys.”
“Your father’s a cop? Sort of a family tradition?”
He nodded. More like a calling than a tradition, but he didn’t tell her that.
“What about the place here?” He could tell she was only a little interested. Mostly she just needed a distraction.
“I bought it from him a few years back. I plan on retiring here myself some day.”
“You’re not going to get tired of the long winters?”
“Me?” He considered the question while studying her face. It was nice. Not the knock-out-gorgeous type, but nice. The kind you wanted to protect. “I love the winters here. But mostly I love the solitude.”
“I see.” Her gaze held his. A man could get lost in those eyes of hers. He felt her pulling him in, losing his equilibrium. It would be easy to lose much more if he let himself.
“We can play at this all day long, but I think you know why I brought you here.” She slicked her tongue out to wet her lips. A nervous reaction for her. A dangerous distraction for him. It brought his attention to her lips. She had the pouty kind made for kissing. Riley untangled his gaze from her mouth with difficulty, focusing instead on her eyes. Sexy as hell, but at least safer than the mouth.