Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2)

by Steele, C. M.

  “What?! So there’s more crazies out there?” she replied.

  I could see her anxiety start to build, so I tried to calm her. “Yes, but we have a lead, and that’s what Eli and I are working on right now. So you girls need to stay close to the house or with the security.”

  “Are you going to be gone all day?” Claire whined. I loved that she was going to miss me because I was going to miss the hell out of her.

  “I don’t know, sweetheart. I really have to nail these people first.”

  “Okay,” she mumbled. I knew she was frustrated. Since the attack there was no sign of Jane and Rita. They fled the moment they realized she survived. Eli took his family back home the day after the Turks who shot Rick and Sam were killed because the threat for them had passed.

  “Just be careful and come home as soon as you can.” I loved it when she got all pouty. She really hated when I left her. Our relationship was still developing, but I couldn’t get enough of her and her need for me.

  “I’m going to miss you too, baby,” I answered before kissing her passionately.

  I left the house reluctantly. I’d rather have spent the day with Claire, but I needed to make our future safe. I took one of Richard’s rides to the police station just in case there was a chance that there was still someone looking for me. It was a nice, fancy ass ride, but nothing I wanted to have back home. On the family ranch, I needed a truck because of all the dusty roads.

  I pulled up to the station, and I looked at the ground that had since been cleaned and prayed that Rick survived.

  “Hey, Williams, you made it,” the lead cop on Claire’s case, Detective Anderson said.

  “Yeah. Did we get the warrant?” I asked.

  “No, but we got something better,” he smiled.

  “What?”

  His grin increased before he finally responded, “The landlord’s consent. Apparently they’d been behind on their rent for two months, and so they were evicted the morning of the fire.”

  “Great, it adds to their motive. So what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” I shouted as I walked back out to the car.

  The two investigators, Eli and I followed by the forensic team drove to their apartment five miles from the salon. It was a nice building and a little high-end for women who didn’t have a large income.

  “Isn’t this place a little too rich for their blood?” Eli said.

  “Apparently…that’s why they were evicted,” I responded.

  The landlord let us before returning to his office. The apartment was almost empty. There wasn’t anything really in the apartment besides some furniture. We scanned room to room, but all the electronics were gone. I hoped to find something to tie these broads to the arson. I knew it had to be them. No one else had access to the salon like they did.

  The forensic team started to get to work.

  “Damn, Eli. It’s seems they cleared out.”

  “Let’s hope that they left something here for us to find,” the younger investigator, Kline said.

  “I want to find them.” I was ready to tear them apart for all this.

  Eli chimed in, “I know you do. Claire won’t be safe until you do.”

  “Sirs,” one of forensic investigators called to us.

  “Yes,” I answered.

  “I think we may have found what you were looking for. It was in the trash they didn’t empty. There were two crumbled receipts in it. There was one for a gas can and one for a gas purchase.”

  “Let me see.” I took the bagged receipts from him, and sure enough, the purchases were made at two-thirty in the morning, the day of the fire.

  “Did you get pictures of this and the can?” Anderson asked.

  “Yes, we did.”

  “Great, let’s see if we can find anything else.”

  We searched the apartment, but couldn’t find anything else. After another hour, we called it a day at the apartment. Once we had the warrants we could search their bank statements and track their credit cards.

  Eli and I left the team at their office and grabbed some lunch. We were almost done when his phone rang. It was my sister and of course they were doing their usual “I love you” thing, making me want to barf up my meal.

  I heard him say, “Oh no. He isn’t going to like that. Yeah I’ll tell him.”

  “What gives?”

  “You’re parents and siblings are at my house,” he said with annoyance written all over his face.

  “What?!” I barked.

  “Once they found out about Claire they couldn’t wait to come. Since you’re no longer undercover, they don’t have to worry about revealing your identity.”

  I came from a large loving family. We had a crowded house: three boys and two girls plus our parents. I hadn’t seen them since Christmas when they came up to see Mel and the kids.

  “Great. Well, let’s get down to the gas station and see if they got the footage we asked for ready and loaded for our viewing pleasure.”

  “Sure thing, Travis. Are you going to introduce them to the Claire?” my brother-in-law asked the question that I knew he was anxious for an answer to.

  “I have no choice. They don’t like the O’Connell family after what happened before, but I’m not letting them stop me from marrying Claire. So I might as well get the meet and greet over with.”

  We finished our food and got down to the gas station on Washington Street. The owner left us the tapes then went back to work. We played the queued video. About one minute in there it was, all the evidence we needed. Jane was pumping the gas into the canister as a man I’d never seen before walked back to the car.

  He was a shorter guy, about five foot nine, skinny with dark hair, and really needed a shave. I could see that there was another female in the car. It was more than likely Rita.

  “There they are, and we got a great view of the plates!” Eli cheered.

  I grabbed my cell and called the station to run the tags. They came up with the name of an Everett Meyer. I didn’t know who he was, but he was going to get his ass buried for trying to kill my woman.

  Two hours after the request, the Chicago PD had a warrant in hand and showed up at his apartment in Chicago and arrested all three suspects. They would hold them until we were ready to pick them up.

  Chapter 17—Claire

  “Hey, Mel. What’s up?” I said as I picked up the phone.

  “Hey, Claire. I was wondering if I could stop by with my family.”

  “Sure. Why is something wrong?” I asked since I hadn’t heard from her after they left the house.

  “Nothing’s wrong. You’re going to be my sister-in-law. I want to get to know you better.”

  “That’s great. After the funerals yesterday, I totally could use some life in this house,” I said.

  “Is everyone there?”

  I was starting to think she was up to something. “Well, the guys are at work, but they left us with enough security to prevent a siege.”

  “Great. Eli has been on my ass about leaving the house. He’s still worried that they would come after us. I highly doubt it though.”

  “Well, come on over. Travis dropped off Sam at the hospital this morning, so my mom and I are only home.”

  “Okay. We’ll be on our way,” she cheered before hanging up.

  I got ready for the day in a rush just in case they were already on their way. Once I was showered and dressed I called the hospital to check on Rick, but there was no news. The doctors were already talking about pulling the plug, but my family was completely against it. There was no way they would give up on him.

  I needed the diversion. I loved and missed Travis. I couldn’t wait for him to come home, but playing with the kids would be a nice substitute.

  They entered the house, and I was in for a big surprise. When she said family, she neglected to tell me it was her and Travis’s family. There were two big muscle bound young men along with an older version of Travis. Mel was a complete replica of her mother and the little si
ster was a tall version of them.

  I eyed her and greeted her with a hint of irritation. “Hi, Melanie. You’re sneakier than your brother.”

  She tried to apologize for misleading me. “Sorry, they really wanted to meet you, but I was afraid you’d refuse.”

  The striking older woman approached, looking everything like a mother. “Hi, Claire. I’m Vivian Williams, Travis’s mom. Once Braxton told us about you, we couldn’t help but intrude.”

  A very similar version of Travis approached and took my hand in his before bending to kiss it. Southern charm I presumed, nevertheless I still blushed. “So you’re the salon girl. I’m Braxton, Travis’s older, more handsome brother,” he said with a crooked smile. He was really handsome, but Travis was the only man for me.

  “Ha, boy you’re uglier than a toad. I’m the good-looking young one. I’m Tyler,” chuckled the other attractive brother.

  It was the older man that shoved his youngest boy out of the way and grinned. “Don’t mind the boys, they are just a bunch of brats. I’m Braxton Sr., it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I shook his hand and smiled nervously. His likeness to Travis was uncanny, yet his brute strength actually made me scared.

  “Thanks,” I said with an awkward pause. That was when my mother appeared. Her tears were still evident on her face. I made the introductions, and she turned into the ever-gracious hostess she was.

  “Please join us in the sitting room for some refreshments and some conversation,” my mom said.

  “Mrs. O’Connell, you don’t need to go through all that trouble for us. We know it’s a difficult time for you,” Mrs. Williams said kindly.

  “It’s Caroline, and it’s nonsense. I have employees to do such things. Besides, I need something to keep my mind off my baby.” My mother smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes, and it was noticeable to everyone in the room. She turned to me and said, “Sweetie, please escort them there. Thank you.” Then she left to get everything together.

  I walked them into the next room. Everyone took a seat, except the big burly Braxton. I could have sworn Travis told me he was a forensic accountant, but he sure as hell didn’t look like one. He was more like a wrestler or something like that.

  Mrs. Williams was the first to speak. “We’re really sorry about your brother. We know you have to be in a great deal of pain and fear.”

  “We have been. I just want him to come home already, but Travis has helped keep my mind on other things,” I sighed.

  “I bet,” Tyler chuckled as he elbowed his father, who returned the comment with a whack to the back of the head.

  “So what gives on the fire at the Salon?” Braxton asked.

  “I don’t really know. They believe it was some of my employees.”

  “It’s crazy that you’re a salon owner, and I’m only going into my final year in college,” Abby the youngest Williams muttered. She was meek and quiet, even though she was giant. Abby had to be at least five-nine and very beautiful. She sat on the edge of the seat, almost afraid to be here. She looked ready to run. According to Travis we were the same age, but we were completely different.

  “I used to own a salon, but that’s gone now, and your brother doesn’t want me to open another one.”

  “Not here at least. I’m sure he wants to take you back home to McAllen with him,” Braxton commented.

  “Not even then. He says I work too hard,” I griped and pouted. His unwillingness to budge on the subject was a sore spot for me.

  “That’s true dear,” my mom said as she and the maid walked in with glasses, and pitchers of tea and lemonade. Both the burly brothers jumped up to take the trays from them. “Your father and I talk about it all the time. You spent so much time trying to pay your father back that you’d left no time just for yourself.”

  “I needed to get it off the ground and running,” I complained.

  “Well, I happen to agree with Travis. I think you should focus on being a wife, and then only working at a salon if you want to get away,” my mom added.

  “I think that’s a great idea, too. You shouldn’t work that hard. That’s what we men are for,” Braxton stated.

  Mrs. Williams rolled her eyes and said, “See what I have to deal with. These men are stuck in the fifties”

  “Woman, you love it,” Mr. Williams said to his wife. Then he turned to me and my mother and added, “Don’t pay her no mind. She’ll have you doing the same. A woman should want a man to care for her needs and to be the providers and protectors.”

  “I agree too, dear. Your father is just the same. It’s wonderful to feel that safety and love.”

  “I feel like this is a losing battle,” I grumbled before dumping my head into my hands in frustration.

  “It is,” Tyler added.

  I heard the door and thought it was Travis, but it was just Ethan. He was supposed to be working. “Hey bro, what brings you home so soon?”

  “Just wanted to check on you two ladies, but I didn’t realize that there was a party going on here,” he said slowly as he looked around the room and stopped directly on Abby and lingered.

  “This is the Williams family. They came to meet me.”

  “Yeah, right. More like check up on you,” he scoffed. I knew what he was thinking because I was thinking the same thing. They were evaluating me to determine if I was good enough for their son.

  “Ethan, please behave yourself,” my mother warned him.

  “I’ll try, but it’s not looking like I can,” he groaned as he stared right at the anxious Abby and shamelessly licked his lips.

  All three Williams’s men looked right at him like they were ready for a fight.

  “Ethan, may I have a word with you in the kitchen?” my mother asked in the “get your ass up” tone because she really wasn’t asking. Like a boy in trouble he got up and walked into the kitchen ready for a scolding. I didn’t see Ethan the rest of the visit because mom sent him back to the office.

  Travis’s family stayed almost all afternoon, but were tired from their trip and returned back to Mel and Eli’s house.

  I smiled and addressed them all at once. “It was really nice to meet all of you.”

  “It was nice to meet you ladies as well. Perhaps we’ll see each other before the wedding,” Mrs. Williams said.

  “Oh…” I was a bit embarrassed about the whole wedding thing. Nothing was official yet, and I wasn’t even sure they liked me.

  “Come now, we know our boy,” his father said with a Travis-like smile. “It’ll be sooner than expected. He isn’t a patient man.”

  Mom and I were talking about wedding plans because we all knew that Travis wanted us to marry like yesterday, so we were in planning overdrive. Neither of us really wanted to celebrate because Rick was still in a coma, so it would be a small wedding with just the immediate family.

  I let my shoulders fall as I tried to get in the spirit to do the planning, but it was hard. “Mom, I want to marry him, but with Rick in a coma…I don’t think it’s right to be celebrating.”

  “Me either, but he may never wake up. I’m just trying to take my mind off that possibility and your wedding is a welcome distraction.”

  “I’m sorry, Mama. I want him back too. I know he’ll be back,” I murmured the last part to myself. Then I laughed as I thought about the last day we spent together and how insane he was over Sam.

  She looked at me like I was losing it. “What’s funny?” she asked.

  “I was just thinking about the first time Sam and Rick met. He demanded that I leave her hair alone. I better not dye it or I would be in trouble.”

  “See…he’s too stubborn to leave her,” my mom added with unshed tears in her eyes.

  “Yes. So let’s continue to plan this wedding. Even though technically he hasn’t asked me or given me a ring—yet.”

  “That can be fixed…” I turned around to the sound of that sensual voice that called to all my womanly bits.

  I smiled up at him and whispered, “Really…”


  My mom looked between the two of us and realized we needed some privacy. She picked up some of the magazines and her notes, “If you two will excuse me, I need to make some calls,” my mother said as she rushed out the door.

  He smiled as he walked up to me with his swagger that just exuded manliness. Travis was naturally masculine, and it was such a panty ruining thing. My heart raced as I watched him drop down to one knee.

  “Claire, I’m madly in love with you. Will you let me love you until my dying day? Will you marry me?”

  “I think you know the answer already. Yes.”

  He slid the large diamond ring on my finger.

  “I hope you like it. It was my great-grandmothers. It was to go to the first of us to get married. If you don’t I can always get you something else.”

  I looked down at this spectacular ring and thought why would I want to get rid of it. The ring was gorgeous.

  “It’s beautiful, Travis. I love it.” My tears seemed to have been almost nonstop since I met him, but I couldn’t stop them flowing at that moment.

  “Please tell me those are happy tears,” he said as he wrapped his hands over mine.

  “Yes, they are,” I muttered and nodded before reaching up to kiss him.

  Chapter 18—Travis

  Once they picked up the suspects they gave us a call. “So what do you want us to do with them? They aren’t ready for interrogation. They’re completely doped up,” Chicago PD officer McKnight said.

  It was collectively decided to let them sit in the holding cell before they were interrogated. We had twenty-four hours, and I was going to use them all up, besides they were all too strung out to even talk to us.

  Eli and I left the office and made our way to his house, so I could meet with my family. Once we got into the house, I knew something was up. I saw a bunch of suspicious looking characters. Every single one of them had been up to no good. It took a second, but I figured it out.

  “You went to see her, didn’t you?” I asked as I gave them a knowing look.

  “We like her, my boy,” my father said, clapping my shoulder trying to pacify the anger they knew would come.