Did Jillian go with him willingly, or by force?
“Sam, it’s me. Listen, Morgan’s sister is missing. I presume James Weston’s got her. He’ll try to squeeze Morgan for money to get her back. Can you start digging and see where he might be?”
“How is she?”
“She’s doing just fine. Full of energy this morning, she woke up happy.”
“I’ll bet you did, too,” Sam teased.
He laughed. “Yeah, I did. Now, knock it off and help us out.” He hung up and looked at Morgan. “What?”
“Are you reading my mind this morning?” Morgan winked.
“I already did that.” He winked back at her. “Not hard to figure out what you wanted when you climbed on top of me. If you want to go again, you’ll have to give me a little time to recover. When you wake up happy, boy, you wake up happy.”
He pulled her up off the side of the bed, her sock hanging half off her foot, and kissed her because he wanted to and because he could. He’d lain in bed wishing for her to be with him more nights than he could count. Now that they were together, he didn’t want to miss a minute of being able to touch her.
“It’s not so much that I woke up happy, it’s that you woke up happy with me. Happiness can make me feel a little high. It’s like having a drink and getting tipsy. Mix your happiness with mine and add in some passion and you have ecstasy. That’s just my assessment of this morning, mind you.”
“Hell, honey. If we wake up like this every morning, I’ll be dead in a month.”
“It’ll be a sweet death for both of us.” She touched her fingertips to his lips.
He took her hand and pressed a soft kiss to her palm, placed her hand to his cheek, taking in her warmth. “Don’t kill me yet. I want a long and happy life with you right beside me.”
“I’d like that. Unfortunately, things are about to go from very good to very bad.”
“Did you have a vision about this happening?”
“You and me? No. I have a hard time seeing things that will happen to my family, or me. I only see events with me in them when they have to do with someone else.”
“Okay, so what did your sister’s husband say?”
“It’s like you told Sam. My sister is missing, or so it appears. Her husband is quite upset and blaming me for everything. The only good thing is the children are safe at home with him, for now.”
Worry lines furrowed her brow. Their wonderful morning had certainly gone from good to bad. The concern and fear on her beautiful face told him she expected things to get a lot worse, especially with her father involved.
“You and I both speculated your father would try to get the money. I’ll bet when he contacted your sister and found out you wouldn’t turn over signing authority on the kid’s accounts, he took her in order to get you to pay.”
“If she isn’t partnering with him,” she added.
“I’m sorry, honey. I know how much you hoped someday she’d come around and accept you and you’d have a piece of your family back.”
“I have you, and your family now.”
“Always.” He sealed that promise with a kiss.
The silence stretched for a moment, their gazes locked on each other’s. They settled into their connection and let it surround them. She welcomed the familiar bond. No matter the distance, the pull between them would always guide her home.
She broke the spell, even though she wanted to block out all the rest and just be with him.
“Let’s give him a call and see what he has to say.”
She dialed and waited for her father to answer. Years since she’d heard his voice, she didn’t want to hear it now, or ever again. She had a flash of him standing in front of her and slapping her across the face. She threw up her hand, blocking her face.
Tyler reached for her. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Nothing. I saw something. It’s fine . . .”
Her father answered. “It’s about time you called. I’ve been waiting.”
“Where’s Jillian?”
“She’s in a time-out. I asked her to do one damn thing, and she screwed it up.”
“You knew I’d never turn the money over to her.”
“You would have if she’d kept her damn mouth shut. She shouldn’t have told you that she and I talked. You owe me.”
“I don’t owe you anything. Nothing, and that’s what you’ll get.” She caught a flash of a dark cramped space with someone curled up in a heap. Like a flash bomb going off in her mind, she put a hand to her head and tried to focus and get the picture back. An old memory of her in a closet, or Jillian wherever she was now?
“You owe me big-time, and it’s going to cost you a cool million. That is, if you want your sister back.”
“You just got out of jail. Do you really think I believe you’ll hurt her and risk going back?”
“You know I’ll do whatever it takes to get my hands on that money. I’m also not stupid enough to leave your sister where anyone can find her. If you won’t pay for her, perhaps you’ll pay to get one of the little brats back,” he threatened.
She saw the smile spread across his face in her mind. He enjoyed tormenting her, and he thought he had the upper hand. Just another sick and twisted game he thought he could win. She’d prove him wrong. Again.
“You think you can hide what you’re doing from me. You should know better.”
“You couldn’t tell me what Jerry was doing with that business.”
“Not couldn’t. Wouldn’t,” she said to piss him off. “There’s a difference.”
“You bitch! Why didn’t you tell me? I wouldn’t have had to kill your mother if you’d just told me what I wanted to know.”
Nothing would have stopped him from killing her mother. He needed her out of the way. She’d become too suspicious. If he took over Jerry’s operation, he had no doubt she’d have left him and taken Morgan with her. He couldn’t let that happen. Morgan was his ticket to getting what he wanted. Finding out other people’s secrets and exploiting them was his bread and butter, so long as Morgan cooperated.
Now, he didn’t have to do any of that. She had money and a lot of it. She’d pay to get her sister back. Then he’d make her continue to pay to keep him away. A simple plan, and one he had no doubt she’d fall in line with in order to keep him out of her life and interfering in other people’s lives. She refused to see the potential her ability had in making them rich beyond belief. That’s all he wanted. It’s what he deserved, what he was destined for. He dreamed about sitting on a beach in the tropics, women and booze and a life of excess and leisure. He’d live the high life, the life he deserved. The life she took from him once, but not this time.
“You and I both know you planned to kill her long before you ever did. Don’t put that on me. I won’t give you what you want. I’ll see right through you and find Jillian.”
“I don’t think so. Not this time. Prison provides a man a lot of time to think and read. I learned a lot about people who are psychic, and the way they do the things they do. There are books and books filled with information. They even give tips on how to hone what little skill most people have, and how to shield and put up mental blocks. I have a pretty good idea how to keep you from seeing into my mind. So, here’s the deal. I want you to come to my place with the million dollars in cash. Unmarked bills. Don’t think I don’t know you’re working with the FBI.”
“And you think they’re going to let me give you a million dollars, and you’ll walk away without them coming after you? You must be really confident in your ability to make sure I can’t see what you’re doing.”
“How many times did you tell me you couldn’t see things in the people closest to you, especially when they involved you?”
“I lied before. What makes you think I didn’t lie about that?”
“Because you didn’t know I was going to kill your mother until it was too late. I’ve got your number, and you don’t have a choice this time. Get the money, a
nd maybe you’ll get to your sister in time.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks, but she wouldn’t let him know how much it hurt that she hadn’t seen what happened to her mother in time. She wouldn’t let that happen again. She’d get her sister back, and she’d make her father pay.
“Where and when?” She’d get the money, and then she’d get him.
“I’ll see you at my place at one. That should give you plenty of time to get my money. Come alone.”
“The FBI won’t let me come with a million dollars and no escort.”
“They don’t have to know,” he said.
“They already do. My FBI contact is sitting next to me and listening to this conversation. They’ve already heard you say you have Jillian and are holding her against her will. Now, you’ve demanded a ransom. This is right up their alley.”
Tyler put his arm around her. She was doing a great job and making sure she didn’t have to face her father alone. He’d be with her.
“Then you know I’ve already considered their involvement and planned for it. You can bring your escort. I’m sure it will be that man you had dinner with when you met your sister. If I see any other agents, or they prevent me from leaving after the meeting, your sister will never be found. Once I’ve been allowed to leave, I’ll contact you and tell you where she is.”
“You and I both know you aren’t going to tell me where she is.”
“That’s a chance you’ll have to take, and one I’m sure the FBI will go along with because they’re bound by rules and regulations. Taking me into custody will only ensure her death. Believe it. If they arrest me, I won’t tell them where she is.”
He didn’t care if Jillian lived or died. He only cared about himself. Being arrested for kidnapping and murder wouldn’t change his mind. He’d go to jail no matter what. This was his big score and he was either going to get his money, or take out another family member at Morgan’s expense. She wouldn’t let that happen. He knew it and counted on it.
He hung up on her. She sat and stared through the cabin window at the sea. A beautiful day, the sun shined bright and the water remained calm. She knew what she had to do. She couldn’t let him win.
She pulled her laptop out of its bag and booted it up.
“What are you doing?” Tyler slid his hand under her hair to her neck. He rubbed softly, just to let her know he was there for her.
“I’m transferring the money out of my investments, so I can get the cash. Can you get a local bank to put the money together?”
“I’ll make a few calls. You know you can’t just give him the money and expect him to give you Jillian. He won’t.” He pressed his forehead to her temple, then kissed her softly on the cheek.
“I know.” Morgan leaned into him and loved having him near. She didn’t have to do this alone. She’d never be alone again. The truth in that thought gave her strength.
“I have a plan. I just need a little time to work things out.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
* * *
SAM WORKED WITH the bank to get Morgan’s money. He had everything ready.
“She needs to make the transfer in the next ten minutes, so it can get to the bank in time. They’ve already started pulling the cash together,” Sam told Tyler over the phone.
“I’m on it. What’s the bank’s routing number?”
Sam rattled off the digits and Tyler typed them into Morgan’s laptop.
“Are you making the transfer?”
“Yeah, she left me with her computer and the code to get into her account and move the money.”
Tyler hit enter and watched her bank balance fall a million dollars. It blew his mind to see all her accounts and investments lined up and totaled. Extremely organized. The rolling ticker tape at the bottom of the screen showing various stocks and their prices, along with whether they were up or down, mesmerized him. He’d seen the same kind of thing running across the screen during news programs.
“Hey, Sam. Can I ask you something personal?”
“Is there something you don’t know about me?”
“I’m serious,” Tyler said, trying to figure out how to phrase his question.
“Sorry, go ahead, shoot.”
“Does it bother you that Elizabeth is wealthy?” Tyler thought he knew the answer, but needed to hear how Sam felt and thought about Elizabeth’s wealth.
Sam didn’t expect that question. He never really thought about Elizabeth’s money. It was just something she had and they used. They lived a comfortable life, and nothing had really changed for them since they met and married. They didn’t live a lavish lifestyle, but they could. There had been one moment where he’d realized she was different from him, when he’d looked at her and known he couldn’t give her all the things she was used to.
Sam cleared his throat. “Do you remember the night of the charity benefit where Elizabeth trapped the Silver Fox?”
“That’s a night I’d like to forget. You were kind of a mess when you shot her. Again,” Tyler added.
“Thanks for reminding me. No, I’m talking about when I came to the house to pick her up. Jack and Jenna were with me and you were with Elizabeth.”
“Yeah, she looked like a million bucks. I helped her get dressed,” Tyler said wickedly.
“If you keep this up, I’m going to have to punch you.”
Tyler laughed. He and Sam were best friends. Razzing each other was part of their friendship. “Fine. I remember that night. We surprised you with the benefit setup at the last minute.”
“Do you remember my reaction when I saw her come downstairs in that dress dripping with diamonds?”
Tyler had to think about it, but yeah, he remembered. “You told her you’d just realized what being a Hamilton meant.”
“Yeah, that night, I looked at her and saw dollar signs. She told me to get over it, she was just like everyone else and all those zeros didn’t matter. After that, it never bothered me again. She loves me, not my wallet. I love her, not her bank account with all those zeros. That makes all the difference. If you love Morgan, all the zeros are just that, zeros. It’s her that matters, not the money. If her net worth isn’t important to her, then don’t make it important to you.”
“How do I know if the money is important to her?”
“You already know it’s not. She gave you her password to her bank accounts. You could wipe her out with a few clicks of the keys. She’s about to give a million dollars to her father without an absolute guarantee she’ll get it, or her sister—who hates her—back. She’s willing to take that chance.”
“You’re a smart man, Sam.”
“Yeah, well, it’s easier to see things from the outside. You’re stuck in the middle, and you’re blinded by a beautiful, golden goddess.”
“She’s golden all the way. I’m being stupid.”
“Yes, you are. Where is she?”
“Up on deck. She’s gone to another place. She’s standing in the sunlight with the wind blowing through her hair. Her eyes are looking out at the horizon, but they’re dark as night. She’s not really there. The whole ship has this strange vibe. Even Captain Finn came down to ask if I felt it.”
“What’s she doing?”
“I don’t know. Who can explain what Morgan does?” Even she had a hard time explaining how she did it. “She’s doing her thing. She told me to wait and take care of the money. She wants you to be ready to leave.”
“Where am I going?”
“I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and ask her when she comes back.”
“That’s just weird,” Sam said. Though none of their interactions with Morgan had been normal. “She’s up on deck and you’re talking like she’s left.”
“I can’t explain it. Her body is up there, but she’s not. I can’t say whether she’s gone inside herself, or she’s outside herself. She’s there, but she’s not.”
“See, and you were on my case when I was talking about good and bad energy. She’s got you do
ing the same thing now. So, you two worked out everything this morning.”
“I thought we did.”
“You didn’t get mad at her again?”
“No. It’s this thing with her father. It got me thinking about what you said concerning the Psychic Slayer and how she’ll end that, too. She already knows. She won’t tell me anything about it though. She said it has to play out the way she saw it.”
“Like the way things played out with Matt in the restaurant.”
“Right. So I got to thinking this guy must know her. When he heard her name on the news and discovered she really knows things, he must have connected her to the website. At one time, he must have sent her a request, and she told him something accurate enough to scare him into thinking she knew something about him he didn’t want anyone to know. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“Okay, I follow you,” Sam said. “That jibes with what I’m thinking.”
“Well, since she’s up on deck communing with the ether, I thought I’d look at her website files.”
“Did she tell you you could do that?”
“She didn’t say I couldn’t.”
“I’ll go with that.”
He’d used the same kind of logic many times in his line of work. It wasn’t really crossing the line if you weren’t told not to cross it.
“Find anything interesting?”
“She’s anal about organizing her files. The stacks of papers and records in my home office will make her cringe. Anyway, she keeps a running log of the questions she answers on her website. The log records the person’s question and the answer she sent along with the amount she charged, or didn’t charge.”
“She doesn’t charge some of them?” Sam asked puzzled.
“Nope. She charges most of them, but there are times when the news is so good she just sends a reply and doesn’t charge them.”
“I think she thrives on good news, good vibes, whatever. That’s why she probably doesn’t collect a payment. She gets something and they get something. There’s a balance there for her. The money isn’t important. See, another confirmation on that,” Sam said enthusiastically. “She holds more intangible things important.”
Chasing Morgan Page 23