by Tara Randel
“I don’t suppose I can convince you to stay here?”
She rolled her eyes at him like he was dense.
“Didn’t think so. Follow me.”
Cassie stayed at his side as they moved in a crouched run up the sidewalk. Luke scoured the surroundings, but everything remained calm. He unlocked the door and stealthily moved inside, keeping Cassie behind him. After listening for any sounds, he jogged across the gym and motioned for Cassie to do the same. His office door was closed. Reaching out, he turned the knob. The door banged against the wall to reveal an empty room.
“Shoot,” he muttered under his breath.
“Should we check the other rooms?”
“Let’s split up.”
Taking a quick inventory of the building, they found nothing out of the ordinary. He switched on the overhead gym lights as the chief walked in, weapon in hand.
“There’s no one here,” Luke informed him.
The chief holstered his firearm. “You know you aren’t very good at taking direction.”
“Not when the Klub is at stake.”
Then the chief noticed Cassie. “What’d you do, call in the troops?”
“Trust me, I didn’t expect reinforcements.”
The chief nodded, looked like he was going to argue about both of them being there, then changed his mind. “Anything missing?”
“Let’s check.”
The three went back to his office. The first thing he did was search the desk drawer. “The cash I left here is missing.”
“What about the other rooms?”
“Nothing’s disturbed. Whoever took the money knew it was in here.”
The chief’s brow rose. “Care to explain?”
Luke did. About his plan, the camera and the marked money.
“I’m impressed.”
“Don’t be. These are talents I picked up from being a troublemaker.”
A deep chuckle rumbled in the chief’s chest. He looked around and bent to pick up a pink paisley backpack. “Yours?”
Cassie looked over. Her stomach dropped. “Erin’s.”
“Could she have stolen the money?” the chief asked.
“No way,” Cassie came to her defense.
“Cassie, Erin knew about the money.” Luke turned to the chief. “So did a bunch of other kids, but I don’t see her breaking in. Not her skill set.”
“She was at the station the other night with kids who do fit that set.”
“You released her,” Cassie reminded the chief.
“Doesn’t mean she wasn’t involved,” he replied. “I’ll go by her house tomorrow. No point waking the family until we have more proof.”
“More proof than her backpack?” Luke asked.
“I’d like to find the marked money in her possession.”
Luke nodded. Made sense.
“There should be more proof.” He rounded the desk and stood on his chair. With the small screwdriver attached to his key chain, he loosened the screws on the air vent. Inside, he retrieved the security camera. “We can check the memory card and see who was here.”
He ejected the small card and booted up his computer. In minutes, he fast-forwarded through the grainy images on the screen until dark figures appeared. Two people slinked inside, one moving directly to the desk while the other stood by the door. From the angle, Luke couldn’t see much, but he did have a perfect view of the desk. The problem was, the figure wore dark clothes and a cap pulled low, obscuring his or her face.
“I can’t make out any features.”
“Me, neither,” the chief seconded.
They watched as the figure opened the desk drawer, pocketed the money, closed the drawer. Then the two figures disappeared from the camera frame.
“So much for my inspired idea,” Luke muttered.
“Run it again,” the chief commanded.
He did as asked.
“Stop.”
As he studied the frozen frame, Luke noticed something new. “Does that look like blond bangs under the cap?”
“Sure does.”
Luke looked at the chief. “Erin has blond hair.”
“Long, if I remember correctly.”
“That doesn’t mean it’s her,” Cassie added.
“She could have stuffed it up under the hat,” Luke reasoned.
The chief peered at the screen with an objective eye. “Coulda, but it seems more like the build of a boy.”
“It could be anyone,” Luke said, reaching out to shut off the device.
“Wait,” Cassie placed a hand on his arm. “What’s that logo on the cap?”
Luke studied it, but the image was too dark and grainy to read. “It looks familiar, but I just can’t place it.”
“Let me have the footage,” the chief said. “My guys can enhance the picture. We might get a lead yet.”
Luke ejected the card and handed it over. “Sorry to wake you for nothing.”
“Oh, this ain’t nothing. We’ll figure it out Luke.”
Yeah, but would he like the results?
The chief pocketed the card and took the backpack. “I’ll send my guys around in the morning.” He nodded to Cassie. “Good night.”
A heavy silence settled in his office.
“So what happens now?” Cassie asked in a weary voice.
“We let the chief investigate. Go on with the musical tomorrow.”
Cassie dropped into a chair. It was then Luke noticed the rumpled T-shirt and shorts. She must have run right out of the house. The fact that she’d rushed over in her casual clothes warmed his heart.
“You shouldn’t have come.”
“Like I could stay home.” She bit her lower lip, the worried expression she’d lost returning. “You don’t really believe Erin could be involved, do you?”
“I can’t say for sure.”
Her shoulders slumped. “I thought I’d made some headway with her.”
Luke crouched down beside her. Laid a hand on her bare knee. “It takes more than a few hours spent with these kids to make any inroads.”
“I get it now. I’d just hoped...”
“Hope is good. I have to wake up with it every day, or the disappointments would pull me under.”
She looked up. Met his gaze. The compassion in her eyes made him realize he loved her. More than he thought possible. The revelation shocked him to his core.
Stifling a yawn, she stood. “I should get home.”
Luke stepped back. “We have a busy day tomorrow.”
He walked her to the front door. She started to leave, then turned. “Would it be okay if I dropped by Erin’s house tomorrow?”
“I’d let the chief handle this, Cassie. He knows what he’s doing.”
“Right. I’ll see you at the park.”
Luke leaned against the doorjamb, making sure Cassie made it safely to her car. When her taillights disappeared in the distance, he stayed, thinking about her.
Now that he’d admitted the truth of his feelings, what would he do with them? Cassie was going back to LA, back to the industry he’d walked away from. How could he reconcile her fame-driven choices with the quiet, private life he needed?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
TWO HOURS BEFORE the filming on Friday afternoon, Cassie, along with Luke and the kids involved, met at the makeshift platform set up for the performance. The news outlet had already arrived, setting up cameras and equipment. A lively crowd gathered in the park, spreading out blankets to get a good view as they came out to support the mayor and her newest publicity event.
Everyone involved in the news story dressed in a Kids’ Klub T-shirt and white jeans, with only Cassie in high-heeled boots. Most wore reasonable footwear,
like sneakers or ballet flats. She could only blame her choice on her slavery to fine shoes.
While the kids loitered, laughing and horsing around, Cassie paced, frequently checking the time on her phone. So far Erin was a no-show. No one had seen or heard from her. Her parents were worried, proving to Cassie they did care about their daughter. If Erin would let them know she was all right, then Cassie could calm down. Only Denny seemed as distracted as she, his gaze moving from the crowd to the main street, as if he, too, were waiting for Erin to arrive.
“Pacing isn’t going to solve anything,” Luke told her for the fifth time.
“It makes me feel better.” She recognized nervous energy and the only way to dispel it was to move. Constantly.
When her cell rang, she nearly dropped it in her haste to answer. Frustration swept over her when she realized it wasn’t Erin. “Travis.”
“There’s my favorite gal. Got a minute?”
She glanced at Luke, held up a finger and walked a few yards away to stop under the shade of an oak tree. “What’s up?”
“Good news. There was an opening so I booked the studio. You start recording next week.”
“What?” Panic swept over her. “I still have a few weeks left.” She should have been more annoyed with her manager’s move, but her concern for Erin took precedence right now.
“We take what we can get. This is a positive move to show the record label we’re all in.”
She’d be in once she knew Erin was okay.
“Is your song list ready?”
She peered around the thickening crowd, searching for a familiar blond head. “Not enough for an entire album.”
“We’ll go with what you’ve got so far and hope for the best.”
She would have cried if she weren’t so sidetracked.
“Making any headway with Luke?”
With songs or the attraction neither could deny? She didn’t want to say too much. They’d worked on songs, but he didn’t want credit. And when she went back to LA, where would that leave them?
A steady tapping, like a pen on a desk, sounded from the phone. “Are you listening to me?”
“Yes.” She moved to the other side of the tree for a different view. “Studio. Songs.”
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you aren’t all there right now. We’ve been working toward this day, Cassie.”
Actually, before she’d come up with the new songs she’d been dreading stepping foot in the studio again, but with Luke’s help and a bit of Cypress Pointe inspiration, she was finally ready to return to work. As long as they found Erin safe and sound. “I’m sorry, Travis. I’m worried about one of the kids from the youth program.”
“Cassie, get your head in the game. Come next week, you’ll be in LA. You should be more worried about the studio execs than a kid in a small town.”
Yet here she was, anxious over the welfare of a girl she’d only met not long ago. Her frustration grew, reflected in her tone. “Travis, now isn’t a good time.”
His voice went hard. “Get focused, Cassie. Your career depends on it.”
He hung up, his words ringing in her ears. Okay, she might be anxious to return to the studio, but right now all she cared about was finding Erin in one piece. The record executives would have to wait. Her career would be fine, she assured herself. She could only deal with one crisis at a time.
Luke strode over, lines around his eyes, his blond hair darker under the canopy of the leaves. “Erin?”
“My manager.”
His brow rose in question.
“He called about the studio date. Things are moving forward.”
He stuffed his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “Good for you.”
“Can we talk about it later?” She ran a hand over her braid, a new black streak threaded through her brown hair, scanning the crowd again. She didn’t care about the record, her manager, the label, or anything else just then. She’d always made sure to jump when they snapped their fingers, even when it seemed they required more and more of her time and loyalty. They’d moved up the studio date for Pete’s sake.
“Sure,” came Luke’s terse reply.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to sound so short.”
“You’re worried.”
“Aren’t you? How can you be so calm?”
“Look, the chief is looking for Erin. Her folks have been notified.”
“What if she doesn’t make it? Who will sing her solo?”
“Taylor can fill in if necessary. We’ll have to hope for the best.”
Which wasn’t enough for Cassie. She wanted to take action, but didn’t know what action to take. If Erin didn’t show up here at the park, Cassie wouldn’t have the first clue where to search for her.
“Let’s run through the songs again,” he suggested.
“You’re trying to distract me.”
“Is it working?”
“No.”
He ran a hand over his jaw. “Me, neither.”
They’d returned to the stage when Denny hurried over to Cassie. “I haven’t been able to find Erin. Where is she?”
Hiding, Cassie assumed. No one said it, but she was sure they were all thinking it. “You know Luke’s office was broken into last night. Her backpack was found there.”
“Yeah.” He rocked back on his heels. “It might have been my fault.”
“What makes you say that?”
“We were together at the park last night. We kinda had a fight, well, not a fight exactly. Anyway, I left her with Gary and his gang.”
“Doesn’t mean she broke into the office.”
“I don’t think she would, but her not being here looks bad.”
The television reporter arrived with the mayor. Everyone performing gathered around for instructions on filming.
“I need to talk to the tech guys before we start.” Luke placed his hand on her arm. Even in the tense setting she couldn’t ignore the shiver of pleasure from the merest touch of his fingers. “You sure you’re okay?”
“Yes.” She waved him off with a reassuring smile. “Go. Do your job.”
When her cell rang again, Cassie stepped away from the group. Her blood raced when she read the unknown number. “Hello?”
“Cassie,” came a quivering voice.
“Erin. Thank goodness. I’ve been so worried about you.”
“I’m at the hospital.”
Cassie’s heart sank.
“I’m not hurt,” Erin rushed to say.
A strangled breath escaped Cassie. She could barely say a word as relief flooded her.
“I’m here with a friend.”
Cassie finally found her voice. “Erin, people are looking for you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t call my parents. It’s just...”
“I’m coming to get you.”
“Please,” Erin pleaded with a sob.
Cassie ended the call. She searched the crowd for Luke, but couldn’t locate him. Where had he gone? Without taking time to search, she ran to her rental car, nearly turning her ankle in her high heels. “What were you thinking?” she muttered before making it to the vehicle. Once on the road, her speed getting to the hospital would have made a race car driver green with envy. She rushed into the building, heart pounding as she searched the faces coming and going. Erin hovered just inside the lobby.
“Erin.” She rushed over just as the young girl burst into tears. Cassie wrapped her in an embrace and pulled her away from the busy entrance. Finding the waiting room, she pulled Erin aside and took her by the shoulders. Pierced her with what she hoped was her best you’d-better-tell-me-everything look. “What happened?”
Sniffling, Erin ran a finger under her nose. “Denny and I had a disagreement last
night. I really hurt him. It’s what I do, disappoint and hurt people.” She hiccupped. “So I took off. Ended up at a friend’s house. She was driving me home after lunch when a tire blew. She swerved off the road and hit a tree.”
Cassie looked her over. “Are you injured?”
“No. But Kelsey banged her head on the steering wheel. Another car stopped and called 911, so I came to the hospital with her.”
Cassie placed a shaky hand over her chest. “I was so worried when we hadn’t heard from you.”
“I’m sorry. I know I’m supposed to be at the park, but...I can’t face Denny. I blew it. Mr. H. will never let me sing today.”
Denny and singing were the least of Erin’s worries. “So you were with your friend all night?”
“Yes.”
“And she can vouch for you?”
“I slept at her house.” Erin’s brows angled downward. “What’s with all the questions? You’re freaking me out.”
“Luke’s office at the Klub was broken into last night. The police found your backpack there.”
The color leached from Erin’s face. “But I couldn’t... Wait. I got into a fight with Gary and walked off. I left my pack with them.”
“Them?”
“Gary, Kyle, Brandon. A few others.” She stopped talking as the gravity of the situation sank in. “Do you think I broke into the office?”
Cassie gently pushed her down into a nearby chair. “I didn’t think so. But the evidence...”
Erin’s mouth hung open. “I... This can’t...” she sputtered.
“You have an alibi. That’s good.”
“For last night.” Her eyes filled with tears. “Not for the night of the concert.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I took the missing money.”
Cassie’s stomach flipped. “Erin, why?”
Tears poured down her cheeks now. “I don’t know. It was there. I kept thinking, if I get caught, my parents will have to pay attention to me. But then I realized how bad it was and Mr. H. blamed Denny. I didn’t know what to do.”
“Oh, honey.” Cassie pulled her into her arms.
Erin’s sobs broke Cassie’s heart. When the tempest passed, Cassie wiped the moisture from Erin’s face. “I’m not gonna sugarcoat this. This is bad. Do you still have the money?”