"Yeah, I noticed."
"I'd like to meet Vanessa's friends," Jack continued. "I might be able to retrieve their real memories."
"Oh my gosh!" Lara jumped to her feet. "That would be great. We could get a real description of the kidnapper."
"Then you agree. We will work together." And he could protect her from harm. He stood and motioned toward the foyer. "The car's out front. I'll drive."
"Great!" Lara dashed into the foyer. "LaToya!"
"What?" LaToya yelled. Footsteps pounded on the stairs. "I'm coming! Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," Lara shouted. "I'm going out with Jack. He wants to help us with the case."
"What?" LaToya halted on the second-floor landing and gasped for breath. Carlos stopped right behind her. She gave Jack a wary look. "He can't help us: He's a suspect."
"He's fine." Lara smiled at him. "He's a good guy."
Jack's heart expanded in his chest. "Grazie, bellissima." He took her hand and kissed her fingers.
"Wait a minute." LaToya marched down the last flight of stairs, glaring at Lara. "You're going somewhere alone with this guy?" She glanced at Jack. "No offense, but you're not exactly normal."
Jack bowed his head. "I understand. And I applaud your desire to protect Lara. I feel the same way."
"Ain't that just dandy?" LaToya grabbed Lara's arm and pulled her away from Jack. "Girl, we need to talk."
"He has an alibi for last night," Lara explained as she was dragged into the living room. "He was at church."
LaToya snorted. "Right. He's a regular choir boy."
"What's going on?" Carlos whispered as he reached the bottom of the stairs.
Jack held a finger to his lips. He wanted to listen in on the conversation next door. Carlos nodded.
"Have you lost your mind, girl?" LaToya whispered. "One minute you think he's a suspect, and the next, you're ready to believe anything he says?"
"He has an alibi," Lara repeated. "A lot of people saw him last night."
"You only have his word for that. And what if he programmed those people to say they saw him?" LaToya asked. "What if he's messing with your mind, too?"
"I'm immune to him."
LaToya snorted. "Girl, if that man had the flu, you'd already be running a fever."
"He's an honorable man," Lara insisted. "I–I sorta offered myself to him, and—"
"What?"
"Shhh," Lara hushed her. She lowered her voice so that Jack had to strain to hear. "I offered myself to see how he would react, and he turned me down, even though it was obvious that he wanted me. It was so sweet."
"How special," Carlos whispered with a wry smile. "I feel strangely nauseated."
Jack shot a look at Carlos that said, Butt out. Still, he was surprised that the shape shifter's hearing was as good as his. "How did the tour go?"
"Fine," Carlos kept his voice low. "I made sure she didn't see any bathrooms with missing mirrors."
"Good." Jack focused once more on the conversation in the living room.
"He's going to help us find the kidnapper," Lara whispered.
"What if he's steering the investigation away from himself?" LaToya asked.
"He's not," Lara hissed. "Did you come across any imprisoned women upstairs?"
"No, but I haven't seen the basement yet. You know there's something weird about him."
Lara sighed. "Yes, I know."
"What do you know?" LaToya asked sharply.
"I know that I don't know."
"Well, I know that."
Lara moaned. "This is getting us nowhere. I'll be fine. Why don't you go home, and I'll be along later."
"All right," LaToya grumbled. "But before I leave, I'm going to finish checking this place out. If you need me for anything, call me."
Jack strode to the console and collected the car keys. "Are you ready, Lara?" he called.
"Coming." She rushed into the foyer, swinging her handbag onto her shoulder.
LaToya followed her and glared at Jack. "She'd better come back safe."
He nodded. "I would never do anything to hurt Lara."
"I'm holding you to that. I've got a cousin in New Orleans who's into voodoo. Don't make me start playing with dolls."
Jack looked at Lara and smiled. "I'll try to behave myself."
She leaned close and whispered, "Don't try too hard."
He squeezed her hand. "Whatever you say, bellissima. I always aim to please."
"Oh God." LaToya grimaced. "Y'all are so sweet, I'm going into hyperglycemic shock. Just kill me now."
Carlos laughed. "How about a beer?"
"Sounds good." LaToya crossed her arms, still watching Jack with a suspicious eye, while Carlos disappeared into the kitchen. "So, choir boy, what's in the basement?"
"A dead body or two, usually." Jack smiled. "But they're gone now."
Lara gave him an annoyed look. "That's not helping."
"Sorry," Jack said. "There's a washer and dryer downstairs."
"Of course." LaToya narrowed her eyes. "And plenty of bleach for getting out bloodstains."
"Exactly." Jack nodded. "I hate bloodstains."
Lara elbowed him in the ribs. "Would you stop kidding? She's going to believe you."
Unfortunately, he wasn't kidding.
"Here's the beer," Carlos announced as he returned from the kitchen. He handed an opened bottle to LaToya.
"Thanks." She took a swig. "So what is in the basement, Carlos?"
"A pool table. Would you like to play?"
"Sure." She followed him to the basement stairs and gave Jack an irritated look as she passed by. "Dead bodies, my ass. You've probably got a spaceship down there."
Jack strode to the front door and punched some buttons on the keypad to deactivate the alarm. "Shall we go?"
"Sure." Lara followed him out the front door. "Please don't mind LaToya. She's just very protective of me."
"I understand." He closed the front door and turned the alarm back on. "I feel the same way." There was a bloodthirsty vampire out there collecting redheads. He would do whatever it took to protect Lara.
CHAPTER 10
"Megan, this is Jack… Venezia." Lara realized she wasn't sure what Jack's last name was, which was a bit disturbing since she kept ending up in his arms, kissing him. "He's going to help us locate Vanessa."
"Okay." Megan's eyes widened at the sight of Jack standing at her door.
"How do you do?" He nodded politely. "May we come in?"
Megan stumbled back a few steps, still gawking at Jack. Lara knew how she felt. Jack had a way of taking over one's senses.
He closed the door. "Have a seat, please. This will just take a moment."
Megan retreated until she collided with her bed and fell onto her rear. Lara sat across from her on the other twin bed. She retrieved pen and paper from her handbag while she wondered what exactly Jack would do to this girl.
He leaned casually against the door. "So, Megan, you and Vanessa are good friends?"
"Oh yes. Vanessa's like the coolest friend I've ever had. I–I hope she's okay." Megan's bottom lip trembled and tears filled her eyes. "I'm so afraid for her."
"I'm sure you are," Jack spoke softly. "And where did you and Vanessa go last night?"
The change that swept over Megan's face was alarming. Lara's skin prickled with gooseflesh as she watched the young woman go from near tears to a totally blank expression in a matter of seconds.
"We were in our room, studying," Megan said with a dull, robotic voice.
An icy blast of air swirled around the room. With a shiver, Lara turned her attention to Jack. What kind of human brain could change the temperature? He was frowning, completely focused on Megan. The gold flecks in his eyes gleamed.
Lara swallowed hard. What did she really know about him?
He stepped toward Megan. "Where were you last night?"
"We were… in our room…" Megan swayed, her eyes closing.
A strange crackling static echoed
in Lara's ears. Beneath the buzz, she thought she detected a low and masculine voice. It sounded like Jack, but she couldn't make out the words. Since his mouth wasn't moving, he must have been communicating telepathically.
"Yes," Megan whispered.
Yes, what? Yes, she would answer his questions truthfully, or yes, she would say whatever he mentally ordered her to say? Unease tickled the back of Lara's neck. Could LaToya be right? Was Jack programming Megan to lie for him?
He placed a hand on top of the girl's head and closed his eyes. "You will remember. Where did you go Saturday night?"
"We were in—" Megan grimaced. "We went to the Student Services building for a seminar. Vanessa wanted to go."
"Who was presenting the seminar?" Jack asked.
"He — " Megan slumped back.
Jack grasped her head, covering her temples. "Who was he?"
"Apollo," she whispered.
Lara wrote the name down on her pad of paper.
"Describe him," Jack ordered.
"Tall, blond, really good-looking." Megan wrinkled her nose. "Really pale."
Lara paused in the middle of taking notes. She'd always thought Jack was a little pale, too.
"What did Apollo tell you?" Jack asked.
"He showed us a PowerPoint presentation with pictures of a fancy resort and spa. We filled out a survey about our favorite spa treatments, and one lucky person was chosen to receive a deluxe spa package. One week, all expenses paid. Vanessa was the lucky one."
Lara shook her head. That kind of luck could get you killed.
"Did he say where the spa is located?" Jack asked.
"I don't know." Megan frowned. "It looked pretty. Classical Greek architecture. White marble buildings. It was in the country somewhere."
"Thank you, Megan. You will go to sleep now, and when you wake in the morning, you will have no memory of us being here. You will not remember answering my questions." Jack released her.
She fell sideways on the bed, and Jack pulled her up to where her head rested on the pillow. The cold air in the room dissipated.
Lara rushed across the room to remove Megan's flip-flops. "Why did you erase her memory of us?"
Jack covered her with a blanket. "As long as she sticks to the story that Apollo programmed her with, she'll be safe. If he ever suspects she's been talking about him, her life could be in danger."
Lara nodded. "I understand." She headed for the door. "I doubt Apollo is his real name."
"I agree." Jack turned off the lights as he exited the room. "He probably thinks it goes well with the Greek architecture of this supposed resort."
"A free spa package would be hard for any woman to resist." Lara motioned down the hall. "Do you want to see the other friends?"
She led him to Carmen and Ramya's room. Ramya was at the library studying, so Jack did his spooky mind tap on Carmen. Like Megan, Carmen reported that Apollo was tall, blond, and handsome, and that he'd chosen Vanessa to win the free spa package. They left Carmen asleep and walked across campus to the Student Services building. There was no record of Apollo filling out any forms to rent a room, and the manager had no memory of him.
As they neared the exit, Lara spotted a vending machine. "I need a drink. Would you like something?" She fumbled in her handbag for her billfold.
"No thanks." Jack whipped out his wallet and inserted a dollar into the machine before she could unsnap her billfold.
He sure was fast. "Thanks." She punched the button for a Diet Coke. Once again, he was refraining from drinking with her.
"Shall I drive you home now?"
"Yes, thank you." She unscrewed the top from the cola bottle and took a sip while he opened the door.
She strolled across campus with him, mentally reviewing what they'd learned so far. Kidnapping college-aged girls was uncommon enough, but using mind manipulation to pull it off was definitely different. Apollo covered his tracks just as well as Jack had at the Plaza hotel. How many people possessed these powers? How many crimes were being committed on a daily basis that were so well covered up, no one knew they had even happened? It was the perfect crime, if the victim didn't realize he'd been victimized.
Lara suppressed a shudder. This whole train of thought was very disturbing. There could be a crime syndicate of secret mind manipulators who were abusing, raping, and killing the innocent. And if no one knew about it, how would they ever be stopped?
She gulped down some cola. "Jack, we have to find this guy. He could be a serial killer."
"I agree."
As they approached the parking lot, she realized Jack had also been quiet. He was frowning, apparently deep in thought. How much did he know that he wasn't telling?
"So what do you want to do next?" she asked.
"I'll find out more information." He glanced at her with a lopsided smile. "I'm an investigator, remember?"
"A secretive one," she muttered.
"That's the best kind." He punched his keypad to unlock the Lexus.
"If we're going to work together, you should tell me everything you know."
A pained look crossed his face as he opened the passenger door for her. "I'll do what I can."
Which translated as "not much," Lara figured as she slid into the passenger seat. He closed the door behind her and circled the car. Once again, she was struck by how old-fashioned he was. She buckled up and inserted her Coke bottle into a cup holder.
He climbed in and started the car. "I want to thank you, Lara, for telling me about this case."
"You're welcome." She fiddled with her handbag, gathering up her courage as he pulled out of the parking lot. "You know, when I introduced you to Megan and Carmen, I realized I wasn't sure about your last name. Is it really Venezia?"
"Venice is my home." He glanced at her with a smile. "Would you like to see it?"
She blinked. "Well, sure. Of course." She'd always thought it would be wonderfully romantic to float along in a gondola with a handsome Italian man. Who wouldn't? And the rascal was changing the subject on her. He was good at manipulation without using any psychic power. "About your last name—"
"I shall take you."
"Excuse me?"
He turned south onto Henry Hudson Parkway. "I'll take you to Venezia."
She gave him a dubious look. "If you insist, but you might want to top off your tank first. And I seem to recall an ocean somewhere along the way that could be a problem."
He chuckled. "I'm not prepared to go tonight."
"Duh. I don't have a plane ticket. And I can't really afford one, so even though I appreciate the offer, I'll have to pass."
"You won't need any money, bellissima. You can stay at my palazzo."
"Is that like a palace?"
"We'll ride in a gondola under the moonlight," he continued. "And I'll show you my favorite places."
"How can a guy who works as an investigator afford a palazzo?"
He shrugged. "It's not a very big palazzo. It's been in my family for years. And I work because I want to do more than merely exist. I want do something meaningful, like rid the world of bad guys. We have that in common, yes?"
"Yes, but I don't have superpowers like you."
"You have power, bellissima. You can bring a man to his knees."
She snorted.
A corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. "You might be surprised at what I can do on my knees."
Her cheeks grew warm. "So this palazzo of yours—do you have family living there?" she asked casually, hoping to get more personal information from him.
"No. I'm not there very often. I'm usually on assignment."
"Do you have any family at all?"
"I have a… distant cousin who runs the family business. I'm a major investor."
"And what is the family business?"
"Shipping." He slanted an amused look at her. "I am somewhat aware of the oceans out there."
"Good. I feel so much safer now."
He snorted softly. "Cara mia, you are ne
ver entirely safe with me."
Her skin tingled. "Are you threatening me?"
He gave her a wry smile. "Nothing painful. If I pounced on you, it would only be to give you pleasure."
"Oh." Her face burned as she turned to look out the window.
As the minutes ticked by, the tension in the car grew. Lights flashed and horns blared, but it all seemed distant, as if they were alone in the world, as if nothing could touch them in their private cocoon. It was only him and her and this strange magnetic energy that was pulling them together.
An odd sense of destiny overwhelmed her thoughts, making her feel as if her whole life had zoomed by for the express purpose of reaching this moment in time. This moment with Jack.
She thought remaining silent would help, but it didn't. Heavy desire surrounded her, swathing her in heat. It felt so dense, she would have sworn there was a physical connection between her and Jack. If he hadn't been driving, she'd be climbing all over him by now.
He turned onto Canal Street, going east.
She cleared her throat. "Jack?"
"Yes?" His voice sounded strained. Was he feeling it, too?
"If we ever… I mean, if I go to bed with you, I want it to be entirely my own decision." She turned to him. "Promise me you won't use any of your manipulative powers to sway me one way or the other."
"I promise." He gave her a sad look. "I would not have it any other way."
"Thank you." She took a deep breath. "What is your last name, Jack?"
"Good question. I go by the name Giacomo di Venezia, since my last name has always been debatable." His eyes twinkled with humor. "I'm a bastard, but I'm sure you've already noticed that."
She smiled. "Yes, it was painfully clear from the start."
He chuckled. "According to my birth certificate, I'm Henrik Giacomo Sokolov."
"You're kidding. You're… German?"
"Half Bohemian, from my mother. Her husband's name was Sokolov. I've never used the name since I'm not related to that cuckold, who refused to allow me in his house."
"Your mother's husband rejected you as a baby?"
Jack shrugged. "Why not? I was evidence of his wife's infidelity. He sent her back to her family in disgrace, and she died a few years later. I never really knew her."
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