Trey's Secret

by Lois Faye Dyer

  “Yeah, but where?” Luke put in. “How would we find it or even access it if we did know? If Harlan filed everything, it could be in a bank box in Wolf Creek or Helena, or some other town. Or it could be at his office, his home or out at the ranch house. Hell, for all we know, he could have buried it somewhere. Where do we start looking?”

  “I’m hoping you, Zach or your sister, Rachel, can help us figure that out,” Trey said. “Your mother, sister and you stayed with Marcus after your dad died. Harlan and Lonnie lived there, too. I know the house is big and you’ve said you avoided both of them as much as possible, but I’m hoping you saw enough of your uncle to make a guess about where he might put something he wanted to keep secret.”

  Zach frowned at the floor, obviously deep in thought. Then he shifted suddenly, his gaze lifting. “The house,” he said slowly. “When I was thirteen, Granddad installed a walk-in security vault in his bedroom for his antique gun collection. Mom told me Harlan took over the room after Granddad moved to the nursing home. His will left the weapons to me but Harlan claims Granddad sold them to raise cash to cover bad investments.”

  “How large is the vault?” Chase asked. “Is it only deep enough to mount the guns on the wall? Or is it bigger?”

  “It’s maybe six feet wide by four feet deep. Harlan and Lonnie were out of town when the workmen installed it but I was home so I hung around and watched them.”

  “And the door? What kind of lock?” Trey queried.

  “You can’t see the door itself — it looks like all the other walls in the room. When you key in the right combination of numbers on a fingerpad, a whole panel slides sideways, like a pocket door.” Zach paused. “It’s directly across from the hall door and lined with mirrors.”

  “What’s the likelihood Harlan would keep incriminating evidence in a family vault? Wouldn’t he be smart enough to know that’s the first place you’d look?” Luke said, his expression unconvinced.

  “I doubt he thinks anyone but he and Marcus knew it existed. Grandad was very secretive about it, and no one was scheduled to be home when he had it installed, including me. I was supposed to spend the week at a friend’s house, but his family had an emergency and canceled.”

  “And Harlan never found out you were there?”

  “I don’t think so. He was gone for a few weeks and by the time he came home, my canceled visit was old news. Not that he would have asked,” Zach added. “He had no interest in anything Rachel and I did unless it involved Lonnie.”

  “Okay, if Harlan thinks no one knows about the vault, then maybe it’s the most likely place he’d hide the information,” Luke conceded.

  “Exactly what kind of documents are we looking for?” Chase put in.

  “Cash transactions.” Zach’s expression was grim. “Harlan was careful to provide the estate attorney with documents signed by Granddad while he was in the nursing home verifying he’d transferred property and sold stock. There were hundreds of deals and the few I’ve had time to trace have a money trail that’s convoluted and complicated. So far I haven’t been able to find proof the end result generated profit rather than loss, but I’m convinced it’s there.”

  “So it’s possible that if we follow the money we might get proof Harlan manipulated the books?”

  Zach nodded. “I think so. But it’d be a helluva lot faster if we can find a set of duplicate books that covers the last few years.”

  “Good.” Luke looked at Zach, his eyes glinting. “So, how do we get into the house?”

  “That won’t be difficult,” Zach said. “Harlan and Lonnie are both in Helena this week for hearings on a water rights bill. The biggest problem is deciphering the code to open the vault.”

  “I’ll call Ren,” Chase said.

  “How will Ren get it?” Luke asked, clearly puzzled and intrigued.

  “If there’s a security code, it’s registered somewhere, maybe with the company that installed it. If Ren can’t hack into their computer and find it, he can get us the schematics for the system Marcus had installed and tell us how to crack it.”

  “Damn.” Zach whistled. “Gotta love a guy that good at breaking and entering.”

  Chase looked amused. “Speaking of breaking and entering, we’re going to be guilty of the crime ourselves the minute we enter Harlan’s house.”

  Luke shrugged. “Who cares? If the evidence is there, Harlan isn’t going to be in any position to file a police report.”

  “True.” Trey grinned at him.

  John, who’d been listening without comment, finally spoke. “If you obtain evidence illegally, can you use it in a court of law?”

  “Probably not,” Chase admitted.

  “Then I suggest we find another way. Lonnie’s finally stepped over the line and committed a crime that has a good chance of sending him to prison.” John’s face hardened. “I want the same for Harlan.” He held up his thumb and forefinger, almost but not quite touching. “We’re this close to putting both of them away and severing Harlan’s hold on this county. Let’s not blow it.”

  Reluctantly the others agreed with him. Much as they wanted to raid Harlan’s house, they had to concede it would be better if they found evidence legitimately.

  Trey was quiet on the drive home, and Lori wondered what the conference in John’s office had been about. Using the excuse that she was still tired, she went into the bedroom as soon as they entered the apartment.

  He let her go without comment but she felt the weight of his gaze between her shoulder blades as she walked away. The tension between them thickened the air and she wondered how long before it exploded.

  Much as she denied it, she knew in her heart of hearts that she wanted him.

  She didn’t trust him; after all, he’d lied to her.

  But she craved the blind passion that she felt when he kissed her. No one but Trey had stirred that in her…what if no one else ever did again?

  She slid off her jeans, folding them on the bed. Then she tugged the green cotton camisole over her head, piling it neatly on top of her Levis. She moved the clothes to the end of the dresser, planning to shower. But she was distracted by the framed photos on the wall. She’d looked at them earlier this morning, but hadn’t had time to really study them. Now she did, and was fascinated by the window on Trey’s childhood. She leaned closer to the picture of Trey, Raine and their parents.

  How sad that he and his sister are the only ones left in their family.

  The door opened. Wearing only jeans, Trey took one stride into the room and stopped abruptly. His eyes narrowed, going hot as they skimmed her body from head to toe, then returned for a slower second appraisal.

  Heat moved up her throat, burning along her cheekbones, as she realized she wasn’t wearing anything but a lacy pale green bra and panties.

  “Sorry.” His voice was deeper, roughened. “I came in to get a pillow and blanket — I thought you were in the shower.”

  “I almost am.” She refused to flutter like a schoolgirl and forced her hands to remain at her sides when she desperately wanted to cover herself.

  His gaze met hers. “How far does this truce of ours go?”

  Desire flickered and raced through her veins, pooling in her belly and moving lower. Her nipples hardened, the lace of her bra faintly abrasive against the sensitive tips.

  “I don’t know what you mean.” It was a last, desperate attempt to fight herself, and him.

  He knew it. He reached her in two long strides.

  “Yes, you do.” He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek, his thumb stroking the swell of her bottom lip. “I want you, Lori.”

  “You lied to me,” she muttered, wincing at the undercurrent of pain she couldn’t erase from her voice.

  “I did,” he agreed. “And I’ll regret it the rest of my days.”

  “I don’t trust you.”

  Now he was the one who flinched, hurt and remorse clouding in his eyes. “I’ll have to change that.”

  “Just because we
sleep together doesn’t mean I care about you,” she said.

  His eyes darkened with intent. He slipped his arms around her waist and slowly gathered her against him. “Liar,” he whispered just before his mouth took hers.

  His body was sleek and hot. Lori clasped his neck and pulled him closer, reveling in the slide of her bare skin against his. The soft denim of his jeans gently abraded the inside of her legs as he cupped her bottom and lifted her, fitting the cove of her hips against the harder angles of his.

  She murmured and twisted in a vain attempt to get closer, and he nudged her backward until the edge of the mattress met her legs. Then they were falling, rolling on the bed until he was on top of her.

  Yes, she thought. This was what she wanted — his weight blanketing her, his lips on hers. She stroked her hands down his back, and his muscles shifted, shuddering in reaction.

  He kissed the underside of her chin, moving down her throat to linger on the pound of her pulse at the base of her neck. He slipped her bra straps off her shoulders, nudging the lacy cups aside until his mouth closed over her nipple.

  She arched against him, breathless, and he sat up, stripping off his jeans and pausing a second to tear open a silver packet before he returned.

  “Baby…” His voice was guttural as he un-hooked her bra and slid her undies down her legs. “Next time we’ll go slower, I promise.”

  She wondered hazily what he meant but then he kissed her again, his mouth hot against hers as he nudged against her center, demanding entrance. She surged toward him, desperate to have him inside her, and he slid home. He groaned, holding himself rigidly still for a moment. She pulled him closer and he cursed softly and began to move, quickly driving her crazy and sending them both over the edge.

  They made love several times, agreeing wordlessly to set aside the unresolved issues that still lay between them.

  The following morning everything conspired to put off the conversation they both knew was inevitable. First Trey was called downstairs after breakfast to deal with a bar delivery mix-up. Then Risa phoned and chatted with Lori for two hours. After that, Raine ran upstairs planning to discuss her wedding with Trey but spending most of the time brainstorming with Lori.

  The interruptions were seemingly endless and by dinnertime, they still hadn’t managed to talk about the night before and what it meant to their future.

  At six o’clock, just when Lori thought the evening would bring quiet time and conversation, Raine and Chase arrived, with Zach and his wife, Jessie, and Luke and Rachel.

  Lori would have given anything for three hours alone with Trey.

  Chapter Ten

  “I don’t think Harlan would have left evidence lying about. He’s too cagey for that,” Raine argued. The remnants of dinner, ordered and delivered from the restaurant downstairs, were scattered over the countertop and coffee table.

  “Locking something inside a wall safe isn’t the same as leaving it out in the open. He has no reason to believe anyone would ever find out. And remember,” Zach added, “he doesn’t realize anyone else knows the safe exists.”

  “But still — by keeping the documents he risks possible exposure. Why wouldn’t he destroy them?” Lori asked, clearly unconvinced.

  “Because he’s obsessive about keeping note of details. He always has been,” Zach explained. “Granddad was the same — he kept two sets of books, always, in case there was a fire at the office and the originals were destroyed.”

  “But those were legitimate business records, weren’t they? Having a backup makes perfect sense for a company, but if you’re committing a crime, would you keep written proof of illegal transactions?” Raine shook her head. “It just seems reckless and stupid. And I’ve never thought Harlan was dumb.”

  “Lonnie, on the other hand, isn’t the brightest bulb,” Chase said dryly. “Stupid and Lonnie go hand in hand.”

  Everyone laughed.

  “That doesn’t mean he isn’t dangerous,” Trey cautioned. “We shouldn’t underestimate him.”

  “No,” Chase agreed. “You’re right. He’s more than capable of violence.”

  “So, where does that leave us?” Trey asked.

  The room was silent.

  “Ren’s favorite rule for catching a criminal is only three words,” Chase said slowly. “Follow the money.”

  “How does that apply to Harlan — or Lonnie, for that matter?” Raine asked, looking up at him.

  “I doubt Harlan siphoned money from Marcus’s holdings and deposited it in his Wolf Creek bank account. Which means he’s probably hidden it somewhere.” Chase covered her hand with his where it rested on his knee.

  “Like in the vault at the ranch house,” Zach said.

  “Maybe,” Chase agreed. “Or maybe he was smart enough to invest it somewhere and cover his tracks.”

  “But how would we find out where?” Trey asked, frustrated. “Doesn’t that bring us back to breaking into the vault and hoping we find evidence?”

  “Unless we can find another way…” Lori said.

  She’d been silent up until now. Everyone turned to stare at her.

  “Do you know of one?” Trey asked.

  “I’ve always thought if you can’t go over the top of a mountain, go around it, and if that won’t work, dig a tunnel through it.” She looked around the room. “I don’t know Harlan, but from what I’ve heard about him from all of you, he sounds arrogant and self-important.”

  Raine rolled her eyes. “That’s definitely Harlan — plus a lot of other unflattering adjectives.”

  A murmur of agreement went round the room.

  “Arrogant people are more likely to hire someone to look after their books, not make entries themselves. Does Harlan have a bookkeeper on staff?” Lori asked. “Did he have one a couple of years ago when he took over managing the properties and businesses after Marcus became ill?”

  Trey stared at her for a moment, and then a grin broke over his face and he grabbed her to drop a swift, hard kiss on her lips.

  “Babe, you’re brilliant.” He looked at Chase. “And she’s right, isn’t she? Harlan must have a bookkeeper.”

  “As far as I know he uses the same one Marcus had for years — Anne Davis. She has an office here in town.”

  “I can’t see Anne cooperating in a scheme to cheat Marcus,” Zach said. “They were really tight — he was her first client when she started up straight out of college.”

  “I agree,” Rachel put in. “I remember when Granddad hired her. It must have been twenty or more years ago. She used to come to the house for business meetings and stay for dinner — she adored Granddad. I don’t see her doing anything that would harm him.”

  “It sounds as if it might be a dead end, but I think we should explore it.” Chase looked around the room. “Any other ideas?”

  “Not from me,” Trey answered, noting the others shaking their heads.

  “Then I suggest Zach and I pay a visit to Anne.”

  “Just you and Zach?” Trey didn’t appreciate being excluded.

  “We can’t all go. If Harlan notices us traveling in a pack he’s going to guess we’re up to something, and we want him to keep on feeling safe and unsuspecting. I’m going because I’ve interviewed potential witnesses before, and Zach’s coming along to give the appearance of legitimate family concern. Of course,” he added, “if she won’t cooperate, we don’t have any legal standing. We can’t force her to answer questions.”

  “Yes, but if she stalls, we’ll know we might be on the right track,” Lori said.

  “I suggest we meet back here tomorrow to go over what we’ve learned.” Chase rose. “In the meantime, everybody keep brainstorming. As Lori said, there’s a way to solve this. We just have to find it.”

  The following afternoon they all returned to Trey’s apartment, but Chase and Zach didn’t have good news.

  “Anne Davis seems to be honest,” Chase said.

  “And she sure as hell doesn’t like Harlan,” Zach added. �
�Which isn’t a surprise.”

  “She also told us she thought Harlan was up to no good before Marcus died, but she had no proof. She remained as bookkeeper when Marcus got sick and she questioned Harlan about the drop in the company’s income. But he gave her vague responses and she didn’t have any hard evidence to take to the sheriff.”

  “And he stopped using her agency a few months after Marcus died,” Zach added.

  “Who took over?” Trey asked.

  “A firm in Helena. Ren’s checking them out, but we have to be careful not to alert Harlan.”

  “Damn.” Trey scrubbed his hands down his face. A headache was beginning to throb at his temple. “We’re back to square one, aren’t we?”

  The room fell silent. Luke stared at the floor, his face gloomy.

  The shrill ring of the telephone broke the quiet, making everyone jump.

  “I’ll get it.” Luke reached behind him and picked up the portable receiver from the countertop. “Yeah?” A bemused smile curled his mouth. “Mom? What’s up?”

  His sister Jessie lifted her eyebrows and met Chase’s questioning gaze. “Did you tell Mom we were going to be here?” she said softly.

  He shook his head. “Not me.”

  “Okay, we’re on our way. ’Bye.” Luke set the receiver back in its base and stood. “We have to go out to the ranch.”

  “Is everything okay?” Jessie asked, sounding worried.

  “I’m not sure.” Luke swept the group. “Hannah Rimes is sitting in Mom’s living room and says she won’t leave until she talks to us. All of us, especially you, Trey.”

  “Who’s Hannah Rimes?” Lori asked.

  “She’s the mother of Carl and Bobby Rimes, the brothers who hit Trey over the head and stole his SUV.”

  “What in heaven’s name do you suppose she wants?” Lori asked.

  “I don’t know,” Trey said grimly. “But I damn sure want to find out.”

  Mindful of not being conspicuous, they left in pairs by different exits, several minutes apart and met up at John and Margaret’s ranch.