Running Scared

by Desiree Holt

  “I didn’t think he had anything to do with your company.”

  Zoe lifted a shoulder and dropped it. “He didn’t have an interest in the company per se, but since it was under the DI umbrella, he wanted to be kept in the loop. Nate was the major source of our financing so he felt what Lombardo Simulations did affected DI.”

  “Do you happen to know how Max and Nate hooked up to begin with? Just out of curiosity?”

  She shook her head. “Not really. Uncle Ivan said they’ve been partners for years. Max owns a big cattle ranch south of San Antonio. He also made a ton of money in the oil boom. Apparently, he could light cigars with dollar bills, he’s got so many of them.”

  “Zoe.” Zak’s face was set in a serious expression. “Oil hasn’t boomed in Texas for a long time. If Detwiler has that kind of cash, he had to be making it somewhere else.”

  “I asked Uncle Ivan, who said Max has overseas interests that are highly lucrative. My uncle is very careful who he recommends and who he deals with. He is a senior partner in one of the oldest firms in Texas, and he has to be very, very careful.”

  “I know all about his law firm. I always wondered how your uncle came to be a partner with them. The others are all old Texas aristocracy. It seems like an unusual match.”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know all that much about it. I seem to remember my mother saying they reached out to him when they needed help with an international situation. He was running a sole practice then. They were so grateful for his help they brought him into the firm. They wanted all his connections.”

  “Let’s leave that for the moment. What happened to change your situation?”

  “I got to DI early for a meeting one day. Nate’s secretary wasn’t at her desk and I didn’t see Max so I just let myself into Nate’s office. The monitor on his computer was turned sideways so it was easy to get a glimpse of the screen. When I saw the Lombardo Simulations name at the top of what looked like a financial statement, I had to look.”

  “And found what?”

  “Customers I never heard of. Suppliers I knew nothing about. And while the company has quadrupled its sales, the numbers were nowhere near as big as what I saw on that screen.”

  She could see Zak registering everything in his mental computer, just as he always did. It was one reason why he was so good at what he did. No detail ever got by him.

  Zak allowed himself a long moment to study the woman across from him. This was no act she was pulling. She was in big trouble. Big trouble.

  And she’d called him. Despite everything, despite the way things were left between them, he was the one she’d called for help. He’d asked her if she trusted him, and she’d said yes. Maybe she’d have trusted him two years ago if he hadn’t been a raving maniac and instead had tried to discuss the situation with her intelligently.

  At least he had a chance to make up for that.

  “Did you ever ask him about it?”

  She nodded. “Of course. He told me that was just a list of prospects he wanted to discuss with me and new suppliers he thought we should try out.”

  “I’m sure he did. Who handles all that for Lombardo Simulations, anyway?”

  “That’s Nate’s area. He uses an accounting firm that Caz recommended.”

  Zak snorted. “This is all beginning to feel a little incestuous. Like the tentacles of an octopus wrapping around everything.”

  “That was never my area of expertise,” she explained, “so I was happy to leave it all to someone who knew what they were doing.”

  “I’ll bet they did. Let me ask you this. Did you keep any records personally? I mean, not on the server but your own hard drive?”

  She shook her head. “Not originally. I didn’t see any need to. But after I saw that information at Nate’s place, I immediately went back to my office and copied as much as I could. And I saved it on my personal laptop, rather than the Lombardo server. I also saved all the original files of the simulations we’d done since Nate came on board. And finally, I copied everything to a brand new cloud account that no one has the password for except me. I crunched the files and coded them, then changed my password for the cloud again, just in case.” She played with the hem of her shorts. “I had a feeling it might be a good thing to do.”

  “Whoever Nate was meeting with that day probably threw a fit when he discovered Nate left the info up on his screen. They wanted to make sure you didn’t start digging into the files of your own company too deeply. That explains the break-in at your house. They were looking for your laptop. The attempt to run you off the road was to at least incapacitate you and get your off their trail. You were sticking your nose in and making somebody very nervous.”

  “But who?” She spread out her hands. “Who would that be? Nate might have been a slimeball, but this was definitely not his style. So who is the evil presence?”

  “Whoever’s behind Nate’s money,” he told her. “And whoever framed you tonight. Okay. Where’s your house key?”

  She frowned. “My house key? Why?”

  He held out his hand. “I want to check and see if anyone’s been snooping around there again and if they left any kind of a trace. While I’m there, I might as well pick up some stuff for you.”

  “What for?”

  “I plan to stash you in a safe house, and you’ll need more than those shorts and T-shirt to carry you through.”

  “Do you think it looks suspicious for me to be ducking the police? They’ll want to question Nate’s partner, and I was at the party, after all.”

  “Under other circumstances, yes. But someone went to a lot of trouble to set you up for this. I’m sure the plan was to get rid of Nate, who must have outlived his usefulness, and set you up to be arrested. Much as I hate to admit it, they could have someone on the force in their pocket who can make you disappear or have an accident.”

  Her jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”

  He shook his head. “Not even a little. They could also arrange for you to commit suicide, distraught over killing your partner. They want you where they can get their hands on you and make you go away.”

  “So why not kill me when they killed Nate?”

  The fear in Zoe’s voice stabbed at Zak. But he needed to keep his emotions under control and not lose his head here. That would only bring trouble to the table. Business, he kept telling himself. Just business.

  “Because someone has to take the fall and you’re it.” And they almost got away with it.

  “So where can I go?”

  “I’ll figure it out. Meanwhile, give me your house key.” He pulled a pad of paper from the coffee table drawer along with a pen and handed them to her. “Make a list for me. I’ll sneak in while it’s still dark, check everything, and get you some of your stuff.”

  “Can you get my laptop, too?”

  “I could, but if you’ve got everything stored in the cloud, I’d rather get you a brand new one and you can download to it. Do you have your programs in the cloud, too?”

  She nodded. “I wanted everything someplace besides the company system. I pulled as much as I could access, but I had to do it in increments.” She frowned. “The house system is set up to track anyone who accesses files and what those files are. I figured out a way to get around that, but I had to be very careful and only do a little at a time. I looked at the file directory, and there are still a lot more to copy.”

  “Smart about the cloud, but I’m not surprised about the files. Too bad. I just know there’s something in there that triggered Nate’s murder.”

  She picked up her purse from the end table, pulled out a ring with one key on it, and handed it to him. “I still remember what you told me about keys.”

  Don’t keep your car and house keys on the same ring. If your car gets stolen and they have your address, they can get into your home.

  He blinked in surprise. “Good girl. Now. While I’m gone, write down every name you can remember from the list you saw on Nate’s computer. Even if
it’s only a partial. And anything else on that screen that stuck in your mind.”

  “I didn’t see it for all that long,” she reminded him.

  “Doesn’t matter. It gives us a starting place. Just put down whatever you can.” He studied her face, trying to keep his own emotionless. “You’ve got a sharp brain, Zoe. You’ll probably remember more than you think you do.”

  Unlocking a panel in the wall, he carefully removed a small handgun. He checked that the magazine was loaded and there was a round already chambered, then he shoved the weapon into the small of his back.

  “What are you doing?” Zoe asked, her heart rate accelerating. She’d had enough of guns tonight. “You think you need a gun to go to my house?”

  “Just making sure I don’t find any surprises when I get there. Someone killed Nate, and their plan to have you caught at the scene didn’t work. They may decide it’s better to just eliminate you.”

  “Zak, I—” She swallowed and tried again. “Listen, I—”

  He turned to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “It’s okay. Don’t sweat it. I didn’t think this would be a cakewalk. And I know how to be careful.”

  “I know you do. I just…”

  “I’ll be as quick as I can,” he told her. “And careful. While I’m gone, don’t go near any of the windows and don’t answer the door or the phone. Right now, this very minute, Zoe Lombardo has to disappear from sight. As soon as I get back, that’s the first order of business.”

  Chapter Four

  Zak tried to focus on the situation at hand as he drove through the darkened streets to Zoe’s house.

  The itch on the back of his neck told him Dunning’s murder was just a small piece of a big puzzle, and Zoe was being staked out as the sacrificial goat. Even as he tried to anticipate any problems that might be waiting, his brain was still processing the shock of hearing her voice tonight after all this time. He’d lost count of the number of times during the past two years he’d regretted the words he’d thrown at her. Wished he could take them back. Wished the whole thing had never happened.

  But she’d been quickly wrapped up in her business and developing a relationship with Nate—although he’d never known exactly how intimate that was. He’d just waited too long to tell her what an ass he’d been. That he’d only had her best interests at heart. That he wasn’t trying to run her life, only help her. Too bad his testosterone had gotten out of control and in the way of his brain. She’d just made him so fucking mad, pushing back every time he brought it up. He reminded himself not to point out she’d let her emotions override her smarts, since he’d done the same thing.

  He took a quick moment to call Reno and let him know what he was doing. The agency had a firm rule and a good one. Never walk into danger without checking in. Someone had to know where you were at all times, just in case.

  Just in case is right.

  Zak parked one street over, behind another car pulled into the curb, one that looked as if it was parked for the night. He had a feeling whoever had orchestrated the death of Nate Dunning would be keeping an eye on Zoe’s place. Unexpectedly, she’d slipped through their fingers, so it stood to reason they’d try to pick up her trail. She was a loose end they couldn’t afford to leave dangling in the wind.

  As he eased through darkened backyards, hugging shrubbery and trees, he wondered if his connection to Zoe would be on their radar or if the two years since the breakup would be enough to keep him off the list of people she might contact. Once he got back to his house and got her squared away, he’d have to do some research there and make sure no one decided to connect the two of them. Otherwise, they’d both have to hide until he could find some answers.

  Zoe’s neat backyard looked pristine in the moonlight. The patio was furnished with wrought iron table and chairs, a lounge chair, and a swing with an awning, all covered in bright cushions. Huge pots of flowers stood at each corner of the concrete rectangle.

  Zak crouched low as he broke from the cover of two tall oaks and headed for the back steps.

  As he approached the back porch, he took his time to examine the flowerbeds that bordered the house, checking for signs of recent visitors. He easily identified the indentations of ladies’ sneakers, an indication Zoe had worked in her gardens not too long ago. But his senses cranked up when he saw many of them wiped out in places, as if someone else had stepped here and brushed away the trace.

  He mounted the stairs, stepping carefully, checking for thin wires or anything else that might indicate a trap. Then, looking left and right and not seeing or hearing anything, he inserted the key in the lock and turned the knob. But instead of pushing the door, he kicked it open and jumped back. Just in case.

  An explosion erupted inside the house.

  Zak leaped down the steps and threw himself on the lawn, covering his head as pieces of wood, brick, and glass rained down around him. When he’d told Zoe he didn’t want any surprises at her house, this wasn’t exactly what he’d had in mind. He pulled the gun from the small of his back and rolled over, waiting to see who might appear.

  Suddenly, lights popped on in the surrounding houses, and he heard people shouting. Brushing the debris from his body as best he could and gritting his teeth against the sting of cuts and bruises, he rolled over again and belly-crawled to the back end of the yard. He made it safely through the hedges and slipped out to the street where he’d parked. Before he’d gotten out of his car, he’d turned off the switch to the inside lights so there was only blackness when he quietly opened the door and inched inside. Nothing to give him away.

  Looking through the window on the passenger’s side, he could see flames shooting into the air as Zoe’s house succumbed to the bomb that had been set. Reaching in the glove box for a rag he kept there, he wiped his face and arms, wincing as he saw the smears of blood on the cloth. His back felt as if he’d been stabbed multiple times, and he knew he’d have some bruising from his flying leap to the ground, but at least he was alive.

  If nothing else, it was very clear that someone heavy was behind this. Someone who could kill a man and set a woman up to take the fall. Who could, in a short amount of time, rig a house to explode? If they couldn’t have Zoe in jail with no logical defense for murder, then they’d simply kill her. And they obviously had the ability to move fast and do what needed to be done.

  God knew what else they had up their sleeves.

  The question now was whether or not these people, whoever they were, could connect the two of them and whether Zoe would be safe at his house after all.

  Turning the corner, he punched speed dial on his phone for Reno.

  “More problems,” he said when his partner answered the phone He gave him a rundown on what had happened.

  “Are you hurt?” was Reno’s first question.

  “Scrapes and bruises, that’s all.”

  “I’ll get one of the men over there,” Reno told him. “Someone who can blend in and sniff out what’s happening. I’ll call you in a little while at your house. Just make sure Miss Lombardo’s safe.” He paused a moment. “You, too, Zak. These aren’t amateurs.”

  “Don’t worry. I will.” He punched the End button.

  Zoe, Zoe, Zoe. What in the name of all that’s holy have you gotten yourself into?

  ****

  Zoe had been pacing from the moment Zak left, unable to sit in one place, her still-foggy mind working overtime to pull together the loose threads dangling in it. When she heard the garage door slide up, she rushed to the side door to open it. One look as Zak walked in from the garage and panic sluiced through her again. He was streaked with dirt and blood and grass stains, and his face and arms were peppered with tiny cuts.

  “Ohmigod, what happened?” She stared at him. “You’re bleeding. Look at you.”

  “Nothing a shower won’t take care of.” He tossed two plastic bags he was holding onto a chair and pulled his T-shirt off over his head as he made his way toward the stairs. “Good thing you didn�
�t see me before I cleaned up a little.”

  “But what happened?” she asked again. “Did you have trouble at my house? That’s it, isn’t it?”

  He turned, and she nearly bumped into him. Anger raged in his eyes, but she sensed it wasn’t against her.

  “Don’t freak.” His voice was low and soothing. “I’m fine. I’m just glad I was the one who went there, not you. And that my business makes me naturally suspicious.”

  “Tell me everything,” she demanded.

  As she listened to him describe in detail what had happened, the blood drained from her face and her heart stuttered erratically.

  “My house?” She couldn’t absorb what he was saying. “Someone blew up my house?”

  He nodded. “I’d say it’s pretty well destroyed. Whoever set the explosives did a good job. These people are playing very, very rough.” He let out a long slow breath. “Even this house may not be safe enough for you if they get any idea you came to me.”

  “Zak—”

  “It’ll be okay. I’ll make it okay. But before I do anything else, I need to wash off this junk. Then we’ll talk.” He reached out to touch her, then drew his hand back. “Everything’s gone. I am so sorry.”

  “Gone?” She took in a steadying breath. This was no time to fall apart any more than she already had. She swallowed and clenched her fists. “It’s nothing that can’t be replaced. Even the laptop, as you pointed out. At least you’re alive. Go take your shower while I make some fresh coffee.” She tried on a weak smile. “I think I still remember where things are.”

  “Coffee sounds terrific. I don’t think we’ll be getting sleep any time soon.”

  They were so close she could feel his breath, fanning her cheek. Without warning, his head lowered and his lips brushed against hers. She was totally unprepared for the spike of electricity that jolted her system.

  From the look in his eyes, so was Zak. He stared at her, heat in his eyes, then backed away and walked upstairs to the master suite.