Good.
She needed coffee.
It was like having a house full of kids. Two of them were fighting at dawn.
“Who did you find for us,” Greyson asked.
“His name is Javier Santiago. He worked for Famiano Pavone as one of his bodyguards. It took quite a few questionable contacts to locate him. Fortunately, he’s still in Vegas,” Dimitri offered. “I suggest you bring the booze and leave the wife behind.”
She looked insulted. “I’m a cop, not a piece of luggage you leave in your closet! You do want to get shot, don’t you?” Emma stated.
Dimitri rubbed his jaw. Three times in one week, he’d been punched by a Croft. As it was looking, it might be four.
They were definitely his kind of people.
Maybe they had a little Russian in them.
“He works in a strip club, and not one of the nice ones that I own. Trust me, Emma. You’ll get syphilis just walking in.”
“So I let my husband go? Like I want him getting some raging STD and bringing that home?”
Dimitri laughed. “He was a soldier. He’s had his shots. I’ll keep him safe.”
She watched him walk away.
“What the hell is going on today? What did I miss?”
“I’ll tell you as we get dressed. You’re going to find this amusing.”
Emma stared over at a drenched Curtis. “Get changed and get your ass moving. Tessa will be here in twenty to pick you up. You two have a road trip to interview Vonda Herron.”
He had forgotten.
Shit!
Now he couldn’t talk to Katerina.
Greyson dropped his arm around his wife. “You have to deal with your meltdown last night and Chris Ford. It’s going to make him uncomfortable as hell.”
She finally laughed.
“And there’s my silver lining.”
It looked like his wife was better. There was no doubt in his mind that she was going to be fine.
Emma Croft was tough.
* * * Croft & Croft * * *
Greyson had been right. The ride was really uncomfortable for the man sitting beside her. Chris was acting as bodyguard while everyone else was on duty, and he didn't look pleased. When a woman cried all over a man, they normally wanted to bolt.
This had to be killing him.
“Are you too warm? I can turn on the air conditioner if you are.”
Emma was amused that he was clucking over her like a mother hen.
“I’m good.”
“Okay,” he said. “Are you hungry? You skipped dinner last night and breakfast. I can stop and get you something.”
“No, I’m good.”
“Coffee?”
She had to let him off the hook. The man was squirming and driving her crazy. “Chris, I’m good. You can stop babying me. I had my meltdown, and now I’m good to go. I said what I had to say, and it’s done.”
He glanced over. “I don’t get females and hormones, so excuse me for being out of my element.”
Emma grinned at him. “Did you tell your ex-wife that after she cried?”
“All the time, only I also added, suck it up. That didn’t go over well.”
She imagined it wouldn’t. Then again, her allegiance was with the man beside her. She’d heard the tales of his ex when he got drunk one night on bourbon.
She’d been a bitch.
“Well, for future reference, don’t tell any other women that when you start dating.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. This port of ‘give a damn’ is closed to any female ships looking for a place to dock.”
“Thinking like that is probably why you’re jacking off to porn on your couch.”
His head turned so fast she nearly laughed.
“Jesus! You’re getting worse with each day being married to Greyson. You can’t say things like that in conversations, Emma!”
She snickered. “Are you telling me you aren’t servicing your own needs?”
“Emma, I’m not talking about sex with you. It’s so many kinds of wrong.”
“Why not?”
He stared straight ahead.
“I have some single females who I can…”
“No! Stop! I’m not taking that route again. I got married, I got divorced, and I’m done. I don’t need you playing matchmaker.”
“Why?”
“It’s awkward!”
“Why?” she asked.
Chris glanced over and then closed his mouth. He wasn’t going to give her any more fuel to add to this fire. If she even suspected he had a crush on her, and that redheads made him hot and bothered, she’d torture him.
“No.”
She grinned.
“You’re torturing me, aren’t you?”
“Well, I figured we should stick with that big brother and kid sister thing.”
He punched her.
“Hey!”
He started laughing. “You’re right! That was awesome! Wait until I keep popping up whenever you and Grey start kissing. That’s going to add to it.”
“You’re mean.”
“Then I’m going to tell your husband that you were talking masturbation with me. That’s going to go over well with him, and you can’t lie to him either. Technically, you were.”
She stared at him. “You’re terrible at this!”
He laughed as he pulled into the parking lot. “I had many years with my siblings to perfect my skill. You should have worked harder at it.”
It got quiet.
“I would have had he not died.”
Chris realized what he’d just said. Quickly, he glanced over. “Emma.”
“It’s okay.”
She went to get out of her vehicle. Only, Chris had grabbed her arm.
“Wait. I didn't think about it before I said it. I’m sorry I let that slip. I’ve read the report about your brother, and that had to be hard.”
She stared at him. “It was the worst day of my life.”
He pulled her close and dropped a kiss to her forehead. “I know it was.”
“That’s why you need to be safe, Chris. That’s exactly why I told you to watch your ass.”
He grinned. “Got it, kiddo.”
Emma took a deep breath as soon as she noticed the media all around them. “If I shoot them, am I fired?”
He laughed. “Uh, yeah, unfortunately!”
As they headed in, Chris protectively placed his larger body beside her, making sure the media didn't get too close. They were shouting all kinds of crazy at her.
‘What are you wearing to the Fling?’
She ignored them.
‘You just pulled a huge case, are you going after Dominic Marianna?’
She said nothing.
‘The captain just kissed you. Are you having an affair behind your husband’s back?’
That one made her stop.
What did that asshole just say?
Instead of giving Emma the chance to make a comment, Chris pulled her through the crowd, his ear close to hers. “Don’t let them bait you. They know we have a relationship and it’s platonic. They want details to make something up. Let them wonder.”
He was right.
Inside, she wanted to scream, but she managed to hold it in. As Chris fixed his brass buttons, medals, and tie, she grabbed them two coffees.
Oh, how she would have preferred being anywhere but here. Maybe even with her husband working the actual case and not wasting her time.
How crazy was that?
A cop actually doing cop things?
“Do I look okay?” he asked. “I don’t think I look too rumpled, do I?”
She checked him out. Emma knew that uniform was a very important thing to Chris. He’d had it, moved up the ladder, and missed it so much he returned.
He wore it with pride.
“You look good, and you’re not rumpled because our housekeeper ironed your blues.”
He grinned. “For my birthday next year, can I have a housekeeper, Mom
?” he teased.
“You want me to buy you a woman?” she said, as the elevator opened.
Chris hissed and shoved her inside.
“What are you thinking?”
She started laughing. “Was that sisterly enough for you?”
He grinned right before patting her on the head. “Yeah, that was just right.”
* * * Croft & Croft * * *
Route Ninety-Five
Vonda Herron
They were almost there, and Curtis wasn’t himself. In fact, he was incredibly quiet, and that was a bad sign. Tessa could tell he was working on something in his head, and she couldn’t let him dwell on it.
Partners always had your back.
“Spill it, Curtis. You have that look on your face.”
He glanced over. “Do I?”
“What’s her name?”
He started laughing. “Am I that transparent that you can pull that out of the air and be right? Is that really the only thing that everyone believes I think about?”
“Well, first off, I’m your partner, and I know you. Secondly, I’m married now. I know that ‘troubled man look’ anywhere. Paris gets it when he’s working through something in his head.”
“I was contemplating something, but it had me worried.”
“What? I’m a girl. Lay it on me.”
“Tomorrow night is the commissioner’s party thing, and I have to go.”
She glanced over. “Is someone holding a gun to your head?”
“No, but since Emma and Greyson filed the papers to adopt me, and they are hosting, we’re obligated.”
“By obligated, who do you mean?”
“Dante and myself.”
“You’re lucky. It’s going to be amazing. The commissioner’s Spring Fling is where all the rich go to flaunt their power in Vegas. Just the fact that you’re on the guest list is a huge privilege.”
“Want to go?”
She laughed. “Hell no! I don’t do shit like that. Paris and I are going to stay home, have dinner, and fornicate until one of us passes out.”
He closed his eyes. “Well, that’s now stuck in my head. Thanks for that. Talk about inappropriate images of your partner.”
She snorted. “I know, right?”
“Is it wrong to invite a girl this late? Is there some code? Is it going to offend her?”
Tessa patted him on the back. “Getting back onto the horse, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“Who is it?”
“Katerina.”
She looked over. “As in Dimitri Gideon’s baby sister? Are you trying to die?”
He told her about that morning.
All of it.
She laughed. “Go for it. He’s giving you his blessing. Just don’t break her heart or knock her up. Like he threatened, he’ll probably kill you if you do either.”
Curtis knew that he needed to take that part slow. He didn’t want to get remarried fast, and kids…yeah, that was so far out there that the Hubble Telescope couldn’t spot it.
He was going to be twenty-seven soon, and Kat was just at the legal drinking age.
They had time.
Lots and lots of time.
“I really need to know if it’s uncouth to ask a lady this late in the game. Is it?”
“It depends on why you’re asking her. Tell her you were afraid he’d kill you. That’s why you waited.”
He could do that.
“I really like her, but I want to move slowly. I don’t want a repeat performance.”
“Can I be honest?”
“Yes.”
“Brynn was a bitch, and she was a horrible partner for you.”
There.
She said it.
Curtis grinned over at Tessa. “I happen to agree, but I still want to build something lasting. I don’t want to look back in twenty years and have four ex-wives.”
They pulled into the woman’s driveway.
“I’ll stop you at three. Don’t worry,” Tessa teased.
“Here I was just thinking I was glad you were back. I can see that you didn’t leave the snarkiness in Paris.”
That made her laugh.
“Do it. You’ll have fun. Besides, Kat is sweet. She’s always in the shadows watching our backs. Let her come out and play.”
Yeah, she was.
“Thanks, Tessa, I really needed some advice.”
She grinned. “I aim to please. Now…good Fed, bad Fed?” she asked. “Can I be the bad one?”
He laughed. “Have at it. It’s your welcome back present.”
They crossed the woman’s lawn to the door. Once there, Curtis knocked, and they pulled their badges. When the door was open, a woman was standing there.
“Can I help you?”
“Are you Vonda Herron?”
“I was years ago. Who wants to know?” she asked.
They showed her their ID’s.
“This is about Rutherford Bentley. We learned that you worked for him.”
Her eyes watered up and she started sniffling. “I did work for him. He was the love of my life.”
“Can we come in, ma’am?” Tessa asked.
She backed up and led him into the room. “Sorry for the mess.”
They had seen worse.
It looked like she was in the middle of working on some paintings.
“What can you tell us about the day he went missing?” Tessa asked. “Walk us through it, please.”
She leaned back and closed her eyes. “He showed up at the office that morning, and he wasn’t happy. Normally, when he’d show up, he was sweet, gentle, and always smiling.”
Curtis lifted a brow.
That didn't sound like the man Steele described at all. He sounded like Doctor Jekyl and Mr. Hyde.
He pulled out a picture. “Are we discussing the same man?”
She checked it out. “Yes, that’s him.”
Okay, then someone was a tad bit split personality-ish.
“After that, ma’am?” Tessa asked.
“He had a meeting around lunch time. We had coffee before he left, and he told me he’d see me before I headed home. Sometimes, we had dinner together if he was in the mood to work late.”
“Ma’am, did he say if anyone was bothering him?”
She shook her head. “All I know is he was nervous that week, but it could have been his wife. They weren’t happy, and he wanted to leave her.”
Yeah, they’d heard that story before. If Tessa and Curtis had a dollar for every time, they’d be as rich as the Crofts.
“Okay, and?”
“And nothing. It was an ordinary day. He never came back, his wife, that shrew, threw me out of the office the day after he went missing. She closed it, and that was it. She’s a bitch. Look at her as the one who made him disappear!”
Curtis kept them on track. “What about a man by the name of Dominic Marianna?”
She shrugged. “He was a client—a big one.”
“What kind of work did he have Rutherford doing for him?” Tessa asked.
“All kinds of things.”
“Can you elaborate?”
“I don’t know personally, but I may, or may not have stolen some of his files.”
They stared at her.
“Pardon?” Tessa asked. “You did what?”
“When I was booted, I had been working on them at home, and I never gave them back to that bitch. They were the last thing I had of Rutherford.”
“Do you still have them?”
“I don’t know how much they’ll help you, but I’ll get them.”
When she left, Tessa began walking around the room to get a feel for the woman. The walls had many photographs, and in them was a woman with some boy.
Then there was the woman with a growing child, and finally a boy about twenty.
When Vonda returned, she stopped by Tessa. “That’s my son, Ben. He’s in college. The boy is as smart as a whip.”
Tessa continued to study the phot
os and Curtis flipped through the files.
“Can we take these?” he asked.
“Sure. They’re just memories for me.”
Curtis pulled out one of his cards from behind his badge. “If you think of anything, Vonda, call me.”
“You found him, didn't you?”
He nodded.
“I knew he wouldn’t leave me. Someone hurt him, didn’t they?”
“Yes, they did.”
She began crying.
Curtis patted her on the arm before signaling to his partner that they could head out. Once outside, Curtis hopped behind the wheel.
Tessa was searching something.
“What are you doing?” he asked, glancing over.
“She has a son who’s nineteen and look.” She handed him her phone. Tessa had snapped a picture of the man. “Does he look familiar?”
Curtis checked it out.
As he looked up, Tessa had found his name on the DMV database.
“Ben is actually Bentley Herron. He’s got aqua eyes, and was born seven months after Rutherford disappeared.”
Curtis stared openmouthed. “Check the baby records.”
They pulled it up.
On it, there wasn’t a father’s name, but two initials and no signature.
R.B
“Curtis, do you know what this means?” Tessa asked.
He certainly did.
Rutherford likely had another child, only with his secretary. More importantly—Steele wasn’t an only child. He had an illegitimate brother.
Well, holy shit!
They had to tell Croft!
* * * Croft & Croft * * *
He was watching the news, and it wasn’t making him happy. Right now, Emma Croft was cuddling up to the captain of the police force.
Somehow, Dominic didn't believe that it was behind her husband’s back.
That infuriated him.
He had wanted that woman for one night, and Croft wouldn’t budge. Had he let him have her, none of this would be going on, and life in Vegas would be how it used to be.
“Boss?” Kenneth asked, placing down the coffee cup on the table.
“I want him dead. In fact, I want them both dead. Contract someone outside the city. I want this clean, fast, and painful. Break him.”
Justice is Dead (Croft & Croft Romance Adventure Book 7) Page 21