by Regan Black
“Not much,” she said. She paused as the waitress deposited their food on the table and blew out a breath, her lips pursing slightly in a manner that was entirely too appealing. In another time and place, he’d have interpreted the expression as an invitation. But Felicity had made no secret of the fact she wanted to keep their relationship on an impersonal footing, and she didn’t seem like the type of woman to act the tease. She likely had no idea how sexy he found her, and for a fleeting instant, he regretted volunteering to help with the case. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, but now that he was faced with resisting her unconscious charms for the next several weeks, he wasn’t so sure.
Cold showers, he decided grimly, tearing his gaze away from her mouth. That’s my only hope.
“So far, Sulla has claimed responsibility for the hack. But I don’t know why Colton, Incorporated, was on Sulla’s radar. Furthermore, I don’t know if there are other strikes planned.”
Dario nodded, redirecting his thoughts to the case. “I think it’s safe to assume the initial hack might not be the only attack. The Cohort probably has more trouble planned for Colton, Inc.”
“Yes, but why?” Felicity took a bite of her sandwich and chewed thoughtfully. “Of all the companies out there, why target Colton, Incorporated? The Cohort said it was against the collection of personal information, but there are lots of corporations nowadays that create extensive digital profiles of their customers. It seems odd to target one company for doing something so common.”
Dario dipped a fry in ketchup. “Maybe the privacy story is just a smoke screen to conceal the group’s true motives.”
Felicity’s eyes brightened with interest. “What are you thinking?”
Dario took a sip of his tea. “It’s no secret the Colton family has a lot of enemies. Do you suppose the company was targeted as a way of doing more damage to the family and the Colton name?”
“That’s an interesting possibility,” Felicity said. She sounded a little surprised, and Dario hid a smile in his napkin, pleased that he’d shown her he could be useful to her investigation.
“That would mean Sulla probably has a personal connection to the family,” she continued.
“Most likely,” he agreed.
She thought for a moment. “That doesn’t exactly narrow the field,” she said wryly. “There’s no shortage of people who hate the Coltons.”
“We should probably talk to the Coltons themselves. They might be able to come up with a list of names to check out.”
Felicity nodded. “That’s going to be a big job. There are six Colton siblings alone living in Shadow Creek.”
“Which means if we each pick three, it will take half the time to interview them.”
“You’d do that?” She arched one eyebrow, plainly surprised.
Dario tilted his head to the side. “I did volunteer to help you,” he pointed out.
“Sure, but I figured you’d just want to stick to the computer stuff. I didn’t realize you intended to actually embrace all aspects of the investigative process.”
Dario leaned back and clapped his hand over his heart. “You wound me,” he said, affecting his best Southern drawl. “I’m not a dilettante.”
Felicity laughed, a light, bright sound that made her seem almost girlish. “Forgive me,” she said. “I certainly didn’t mean to impugn your honor.”
“The truth is, it’ll be fun to talk to the Coltons. I usually do my work in front of a computer and don’t really get to participate in other aspects of a case.”
“It’s not like you see on TV,” Felicity cautioned. “This job isn’t always exciting. Most of the time, it can be downright boring.”
“That’s okay,” Dario said. “I’m just happy to help.” Hopefully, Felicity would appreciate his efforts and relax around him.
She was silent a moment, then said, “Thank you.”
Dario swallowed a bite of his burger and felt a surge of warmth at her words. It seemed she was softening toward him already.
“So which siblings do you want to interview?” he asked. “I know River was in the Marines, so maybe you should talk to him. He’d probably be happy to chat with a fellow vet.”
“Sounds good. I’ll talk to Jade and Claudia, as well. Can you interview Knox, Thorne and Leonor?”
Dario nodded. “No problem. Can you give me your phone number?” He kept his voice casual. “In case I need to reach you?”
Felicity hesitated only a second before reaching into her bag. She pulled out a business card and wrote her cell number on the back, then slid it across the table toward him. “The main office line is on there as well, in case you need Adeline.”
“Great.” He quickly memorized her number, then put the card into his wallet. “Now, what about my badge?”
“Your badge?” Felicity frowned, her confusion plain.
Dario couldn’t contain his grin. “Don’t you need to deputize me or something?”
She nodded thoughtfully. “Of course. How could I forget?” She stood abruptly and grabbed her purse, then walked away from the table.
Dario sat there in shock, unsure of what was happening. He’d only meant to tease her; had he somehow overstepped his bounds and offended her? Was she headed back to the office to explain to Adeline how she couldn’t work with him?
He needn’t have worried. Felicity returned a moment later and tossed him something. “Here you go.”
He caught it reflexively, then examined the object. It was a shiny gold plastic star stamped with the word sheriff. She must have gotten it out of the coin-operated toy dispensers located by the entrance to the café. Dario stared at it for a second, hardly believing his eyes. The gesture was so unexpected he wasn’t sure how to respond, but after a second his laughter took over. It seemed the straitlaced former marine had a sense of humor, after all...
“I trust that’s sufficient?” There was a spark of mischief in her eyes he’d never seen before, and Dario felt an answering flare of heat in his belly. He liked seeing this side of Felicity.
He sniffed, pretending to consider it. “I think I can work with this.”
“I’m glad to hear it.” She studied him over the top of her water glass. “Do you think you can get in touch with your group of Colton siblings today?”
He nodded, appreciating her sense of urgency. This was a big case, and the sooner they made progress, the better. “I’ll start calling after we’re done here.”
“Excellent.” Felicity glanced around and gestured to the waitress for their check. Apparently, she didn’t want to linger. He shoved the last bite of his cheeseburger into his mouth and lifted his hip to pull out his wallet. It seemed their lunch was over.
Time to get to work.
* * *
One hour later, Dario parked in the driveway of Thorne Colton’s home and killed the ignition. The house was a pretty ranch-style rambler with lots of exposed wood and a large front porch. Rocking chairs and a porch swing swayed gently in the breeze, adding to the picture of domesticity.
He climbed out of the car, his boots crunching on the crushed gravel of the driveway. He heard the distant sound of horses neighing, the noise carrying easily in the cold winter air. He knew from the drive in that Thorne’s house was tucked away from the barn and other ranch structures, but he spied a paddock about fifty yards away where a beautiful palomino horse grazed peacefully as a smaller bay horse frolicked around. Mother and foal? he wondered as he climbed the porch stairs.
Dario pressed the doorbell, and a loud squeal sounded from inside the house. What the—?
A series of loud thumps sounded, accompanied by the murmur of a deep voice. After a few seconds, the door opened to reveal a tall, dark-haired man and a small, bright-eyed baby sporting a onesie that read Mommy’s Little Cowboy.
“You must be D
ario Ortega.”
“That’s me. Nice to meet you.” He extended his hand, and Thorne reached for him.
The baby, sensing his father’s distraction, chose that moment to make a break for the freedom of the outside world. He lunged forward, arching his back and angling his body away from his father’s chest. Thorne made a grab for the child, but the little one was slippery, and his eyes filled with horror as he lost his grip on the baby...
Without stopping to think, Dario stepped forward and scooped up the child before he wriggled free of his father’s arms. “Hey there, little man,” he said calmly.
The child blinked at him, apparently stunned at this sudden change of circumstances. He studied Dario warily, glancing to his father for reassurance. Not wanting to scare the little boy, Dario stepped inside the house and handed him over to Thorne.
“Thanks,” Thorne said. He looked at the boy in his arms. “Way to knock a few years off my life, Joseph.”
The baby cooed, grinning at this pronouncement. He wriggled his legs, and Thorne tightened his grip on his offspring. “Come on in,” Thorne called over his shoulder as he carried the baby down the hall, headed for the warm glow of the room beyond.
Dario followed at a slightly slower pace, feeling a little self-conscious. The house was warm and cozy, and the hallway was lined with what appeared to be pictures of family: he recognized the sheriff Knox Colton in a few of them, along with Thorne and his wife. He stepped into the living room to find Thorne sitting on the floor, stacking blocks with his little boy.
“Have a seat,” Thorne said. “Sorry it’s a little chaotic here today. Maggie’s gone to the grocery store, and Joseph just woke up from his nap, so he’s got a ton of energy to burn.”
“It’s no problem.” Dario lowered himself to the couch and watched the two of them play, trying to reconcile what he knew about Thorne with the man sitting in front of him. Thorne Colton had a reputation as a quiet, reserved man, and yet here he was, laughing and playing with his son as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“You’re Natalia Ortega’s son, right?” Thorne glanced at him curiously. “The equine vet?”
Dario nodded. “That’s my mom,” he confirmed.
“She’s taken care of some of our animals before. Excellent vet. You have her eyes.”
“Thanks,” he said. It wasn’t the kind of observation he’d expected Thorne Colton to make, but he was pleased to know the man was impressed with his mother’s skills.
Thorne must have recognized his surprise. “Sorry. Before Joseph came along, I never would have commented on your resemblance. Lack of sleep has removed my normal filter.” He shook his head, then reached out to muss the little boy’s hair. “A lot has changed.”
“I imagine so.” And that was the biggest reason Dario didn’t want to settle down and have kids. Life after children was never the same, and he liked things the way they were now. He had the freedom to do what he wanted, when he wanted, with no one to answer to or consider. It was nice to be able to pick up at a moment’s notice, and a wife and kids just seemed like an anchor that would hold him down.
Thorne seemed to be enjoying fatherhood, but despite the cozy picture he and his son made, Dario wasn’t convinced this was the life for him.
“Are you sure this is a good time to talk?” Joseph had scrunched up his face and was emitting a soft whine.
Thorne picked him up and set him down a few steps away, next to a pile of picture books. “I’d hate for you to waste a trip,” Thorne said, grabbing one off the stack and holding it open. Joseph began to pat the thick cardboard pages with his chubby hand, jabbering happily as Thorne flipped through the book.
“Well, as I said on the phone, I’m helping Felicity Grant investigate the Colton, Incorporated, hacking case. We’re trying to unmask the leader of the group, and there’s a very good chance it’s someone known to the Colton family. Probably someone who harbors ill will toward your family, maybe feels like they’ve been wronged in some way and is looking to exact revenge. Can you think of anyone who fits that description?”
Thorne snorted, and his breath ruffled his son’s fine brown hair. Joseph shivered, and Dario couldn’t help but smile. He really was a cute kid, even though he never seemed to stop moving for very long.
“You know who my mother is, don’t you?” Thorne’s tone was heavy with sarcasm, and Dario nodded, smiling ruefully.
“I’m familiar with her reputation,” he said carefully. He didn’t want to start off on the wrong foot by offending Thorne. Livia Colton was a bona fide psychopath, and it sounded like there was no love lost between them. But she was still Thorne’s mother, and that wasn’t a bond that was easily broken.
“It would take days to tell you about all the people she hurt. Not only the victims of her crimes, but her former business partners who have an ax to grind.”
“I take it she cheated them?”
Joseph waved his hands, grabbing a rattle his father held. He shoved it into his mouth and began to chew enthusiastically. Thorne smiled absently at his son.
“Livia is a user. She preys on people, identifying their weak spots and taking advantage of them. She has no conscience, no remorse at all. And no sense of loyalty. She gets what she wants from someone and then cuts them loose, no matter the cost.”
“It sounds like she has a lot of enemies.”
“That’s putting it mildly,” Thorne said.
Joseph squealed as if in punctuation, and even Dario had to smile at the child’s evident joy.
“Can you think of anyone in particular whose anger toward Livia might extend beyond her? Someone who might choose to target the Colton family since Livia is now in hiding?”
Thorne’s expression turned thoughtful. “I might be able to give you some names,” he said after a moment. “But to be honest, I didn’t really stay up to date on all of Livia’s dirty laundry.” He shook his head. “I tried to keep her out of my life as much as possible.”
A low rumble sounded through the room. Joseph’s eyes widened. Thorne stood and picked up the baby. “My wife is home,” he called, heading for the other room. “Come on back and we can keep talking.”
Dario followed the man and boy into the kitchen to find the baby staring at the door that presumably led to the garage. After a moment, the door opened to admit a pretty blonde woman, her arms laden with bags.
Joseph let out a squeal and lurched forward, clearly seeking his mother’s arms. Thorne walked over and handed her the baby before giving her a smacking kiss, collecting the bags from her in one smooth motion. “Welcome back,” he said.
The little boy pressed his face to his mother’s cheek, clearly thrilled to be with her again.
Something flipped inside Dario’s chest at the sight of this little family, so in love with one another. They were obviously a team, and he had no doubt that whatever life brought them, they would all face it together. Perhaps there was something to be said for that...
“Oh! Hello. I didn’t see you.” Thorne’s wife offered Dario a smile. If she was bothered to see a stranger in her kitchen, she didn’t show it.
Thorne made the introductions. “Maggie, this is Dario Ortega. He’s working on the Colton hacking case. Dario, this is my wife, Maggie.”
She balanced Joseph on her hip and extended her hand, which Dario shook. “Nice to meet you,” he said.
“Likewise.”
Thorne placed the bags on the kitchen counter and began unpacking them. Dario watched as he pulled out box after box of what looked like sugar cookies. “Um, babe?” Thorne frowned in confusion. “What’s all this?”
“Cookies,” she said, her tone making it clear that this should be perfectly obvious.
“I can see that,” Thorne said. “But why did you buy all these?”
“For the cookie decorating tomorrow,�
�� she explained. She rifled one-handed through another bag, withdrawing tubes of icing and containers of brightly colored sugar sprinkles.
“I thought you were going to bake them,” Thorne said.
Dario inwardly cringed, immediately recognizing Thorne’s mistake. Oh boy...
Maggie leveled a stare at her husband, and to his credit, Thorne blushed.
“Sweetheart,” she began, her tone saccharine sweet. “Do I look like I have time to bake six dozen sugar cookies?”
Thorne immediately shook his head. “Of course not. This is perfect. I only asked because I was looking forward to the house smelling so good.”
Maggie reached into another bag and plunked a candle on the counter. Dario smiled to himself as he read the label: Sugar Cookie Wonderland.
“Knock yourself out, honey.”
Thorne laughed and leaned over to kiss her cheek. “I see you thought of everything. As always.”
Maggie shook her head, smiling wryly. “Flatterer.” She glanced at Dario. “So you’re working on the Colton, Incorporated, case? Are you with the police?”
“No. I’m consulting with Adeline Kincaid—one of her investigators is trying to track down the leader of the hacking group, and since I have some computer forensics expertise I volunteered to assist while I’m in town.”
“Have you found any leads yet?” Maggie extracted her necklace from Joseph’s chubby grip and grabbed a bottle from the fridge.
Surprising himself, Dario reached out and took the bottle from Maggie’s hand. He quickly stuck it in the microwave, then aimed a questioning look at Maggie. She told him the correct time, and he punched the buttons for her. “Thanks,” she said.
“No problem.”
The microwave dinged, and Dario retrieved the bottle. Maggie tested the formula, then began to feed the baby. Dario watched them for a moment, then returned his attention to Maggie’s question. “It’s a tough case,” he said. “My brother, Emiliano, is an agent on the FBI’s cybercrime team. They’re working on it as well, but so far, there haven’t been any credible leads. That’s why I’m here—I was hoping your husband might know of anyone who would want to hurt the family.”