“James, just for the record, I am a happy wife,” Mandy said. “This vacation leaves a little to be desired, though. You are going to have to bring me back.”
James barked out a laugh. “I’ll take you anywhere you want to go, wife. I’ll take you to the ends of the Earth, and I’ll be happy to do it because you’re at my side.”
“For now, I’d just be happy with a bayou ride that doesn’t end up with me in the water and a trip to the wax museum where I can actually look at the horror stuff.”
“You’ll get it,” James promised. “Now, give me a kiss. I want to hold you for the five minutes we have to burn before we head down to dinner.”
Mandy clicked her heels together and saluted. “Yes, sir.”
“You’re so damned cute. Get your ass over here.”
“I’M really hungry,” Emma said, smiling as the waitress delivered a full plate of food to her. “I have no idea what’s going on, but this city has really amped up my appetite.”
Finn smiled at her. “I’ve never seen you eat like this. It makes me … happy.”
Emma stilled, her fork halfway to her mouth. “Me getting fat makes you happy?”
“You’re not fat,” Finn said. “You’re pregnant.”
“You were too thin before anyway,” Sophie said, reaching for the big platter of crawfish they’d ordered to share. “You made the rest of us mortals feel fat because you were a rail.”
“She’s right,” Mandy said. “It was distressing.”
Due to tacit agreement, Mandy and Sophie had agreed to keep up the bulk of the conversation for the duration of the meal. The men interjected statements from time to time, but their biggest concern was appearing relaxed.
“You have nothing to be distressed about, baby,” James said, rubbing the back of her neck. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“Oh, I beg to differ,” Grady said, his eyes twinkling. “My Sophie is the most beautiful woman in the world.”
“They’re just posturing, sweetheart,” Finn said, shooting a playful wink in Emma’s direction. “You’re the prettier than every other woman in the world combined.”
“You guys are all freaks,” Emma said, reaching for some crawfish. “I know this makes me a bad vegetarian, but knowing they’re bugs doesn’t make me feel guilty about eating them.”
Mandy smiled. “Knowing you call them bugs makes me reticent to eat them.”
“They’re good,” James said, cracking one in half. “They’re awesome. If you could cook, I would suggest making them when we get home.”
“I can cook,” Mandy said. “You know darned well I can cook. I made you breakfast after the first night you slept on my couch. You loved it.”
“You can make breakfast,” James conceded. “Your other cooking endeavors have been … interesting.”
“I make great kabobs.”
“Chopping up vegetables and meat and shoving them on sticks is not cooking,” James said. “It’s … skewering.”
“I marinate them in red wine, too.”
“I stand corrected,” James said, grabbing another crawfish. “You’re the best chef ever.”
“Cooking is a waste of time,” Sophie said. “If God had wanted us all to cook, he wouldn’t have invented takeout.”
“Takeout is the best invention ever,” Grady agreed. “My Sophie can’t cook, and she’s proud of it. She does know the best takeout in all the land, though.”
“I can cook if I want to,” Sophie protested.
“When I met you, you had thirty Lean Cuisines in the freezer and a jar of mustard in the refrigerator,” Grady said. “The only one who has ever cooked in that kitchen is me.”
“And you look good doing it,” Sophie said. “You wear an apron and everything.”
“I only wear an apron so I don’t ruin my clothes,” Grady clarified.
“Sometimes he wears nothing but the apron,” Sophie said, her eyes sparkling. “Those are my favorite nights.”
“James doesn’t cook,” Mandy said. “He doesn’t even pretend to cook. He likes to grill.”
“Men love to grill,” Sophie said. “There’s something about an open flame that turns them on.”
“Finn cooks,” Emma said. “He cooks more than I do.”
“That’s because you would sit around and eat raw fruit and vegetables all day if I didn’t cook,” Finn said. “That’s not food to me. That’s stuff you skip at a buffet.”
“I happen to like fruit and vegetables,” Emma said. “We never had them growing up. My mom would pick up fast food and drop it on the table. I never ate anything that wasn’t fried.”
The table sobered. Emma’s childhood was always a stark reminder of the horrors other people had to overcome.
“Peter hired a cook,” Sophie said, opting to distance the conversation from Emma’s admission. “We had four-course meals every night. He liked to surprise me with odd things.”
“Like what?” Mandy asked.
“Escargot.”
“What’s that?” Emma asked.
“Snails,” Sophie replied, making a face. “Of course, he didn’t tell me what they were before I ate them.”
“What did they taste like?”
“Little rubbery balls,” Sophie said. “They were saturated in butter, though, so I ate them. Once I found out what they were, I was horrified.”
“Why?”
“They were bugs.”
“You’re technically eating bugs now, sugar,” Grady pointed out, gesturing to the crawfish in her hand.
“These are cuter bugs,” Sophie said. “Plus, I’m an adult now. I’ve realized some of the best things in life aren’t always what they appear to be. You, for example. When I first met you I thought you were a total jerkwad who bedded women for sport.”
“He was,” James said, smiling. “The second he met you, though, that was all over with.”
“I heard the same thing about you and Mandy,” Sophie challenged. “Grady says you slept with women once and then ran. Then you got reintroduced to Mandy and you were reformed within an instant.”
James cast a sidelong look at his wife. “I wasn’t reformed,” he said. “I was … found.”
Mandy leaned forward and kissed him. “You’re going to get really lucky tonight.”
“I got lucky the moment you loved me,” James said. “What happens tonight will just be frosting on the cake of my life.”
“OKAY, let’s get out of here,” James said, dropping some money on the table to cover the bill. “I’m ready to relax a little.”
“I thought we were relaxing,” Emma said.
“He’s talking about a different kind of relaxing, sweetie,” Finn said, poking her in the ribs. “We’re going to relax when we get back to the room, too.”
“Oh,” Emma said, her eyes widening. “I never think of that as relaxing.”
“What do you think of it as?”
“Happiness.”
Finn cupped the back of her head and gave her a sweet kiss. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“No, you’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“I’m the best thing that ever happened to anyone,” James said, pointing to the small gate that would lead them off the patio. “Can we go?”
“You’re so grumpy,” Emma said, moving forward. “You would think you’re sex deprived with all that grumpiness.”
Finn realized what was about to happen before Emma’s hand hit the gate, but it was already too late. “Emma.”
She didn’t turn around, and she was already on the other side of the gate – separated from the rest of them – when a dark figure moved in behind her.
“Emma!”
She moved to turn around, her eyes widening with alarm, but the figure had a hand around her throat and a knife to her chest before she could finish the movement. Shane petted the back of Emma’s head as she stiffened against him.
“Well, I see we have a new predicament
,” he said, focusing on James. “It seems I’m touching one of your women, and yet I’m still alive.” He clucked in a taunting manner. “You’re not as big and tough as you think you are.”
Emma made a heartbreaking sound in the back of her throat. If Finn didn’t know better, he would think she was choking. “It’s going to be okay, sweetie.”
James remained calm in the face of Shane’s overt action. “You’re probably right. I’m going to give you a new offer.”
“I’m all ears.”
“Let her go.”
“How is that an offer?” Shane asked.
James pursed his lips, considering. “Okay. You’re right. Let her go and I won’t beat you to death.”
“You’re not in the position to make threats,” Shane said. “In fact, you’re not in the position to do anything. I have an offer for you.”
“I’m not interested in listening,” James said.
Finn’s face was anguished as he watched Shane run his fingers through Emma’s hair. “James … .”
James ignored him. “Let her go, or I’ll kill you.”
“I don’t think you can back up that threat.”
Boyd moved in behind Shane and pressed the barrel of his gun against the back of the man’s head. “I think you’re wrong.”
The color drained from Shane’s face as he realized what was happening. “I don’t … .” He dropped his knife to the ground and held his hands up, resigned. “Great.”
“I’d hit you,” James said. “I think my brother would hate that, though.”
“And why is that?” Shane sneered.
Finn vaulted over the fence and approached the man who had threatened his future. “Because I’m going to do it myself.” Finn slammed his fist into Shane’s face, and before the man hit the ground, he had Emma in his arms. Instead of tears and recrimination, though, Emma’s face was flushed with excitement.
“And you guys thought I couldn’t act.”
Twenty-Four
“Who do you work for?”
Shane was sitting on one of the chairs in the fourth suite, and the look on his face was drawn and tight. Boyd had insisted on everyone being there for the interrogation – mostly because he was hoping to trip Shane up and he didn’t have enough information to do it on his own.
“What makes you think I’m working for anyone?” Shane asked. “As far as I’m concerned, I was just walking down the street and you guys entrapped me.”
“We entrapped you?” Boyd was leaning back in a chair a few feet away, and his stance was relaxed. “How did we make you grab a pregnant woman and threaten her with a knife?”
“You planted that knife on me.”
Boyd rolled his eyes. “You realize I have fifty witnesses who are going to say otherwise, right?”
“It doesn’t change the fact that you’re trying to railroad me,” Shane said. “I’m pre-law. I know what I’m talking about.”
Mandy and Sophie exchanged a look.
“I thought you said you were a software developer who had recently graduated and was looking for a job,” Sophie interjected. “That’s what you told us at the restaurant.”
Shane made a face. “I think you’re imagining things.”
“I’m not imagining things,” Sophie said. “I’m a reporter. Taking mental notes is what I do. We were purposely testing you that night.”
“Well, you’re making stuff up, too,” Shane said. “It’s a conspiracy.”
“If I didn’t know any better, I would think you’re paranoid,” James said. “I know better, though, and you’re not paranoid. You’re playing a game. The thing is, I can’t figure out how you think playing this game is going to help you.”
“He’s right,” Boyd said. “We have you dead to rights. You’re going away for twenty-five years – at a minimum – and yet you’re still sitting here and protecting someone. We want to know who.”
“I’m not protecting anyone,” Shane said. “I’m the wronged party here.”
Boyd narrowed his eyes. “I guess we’ll have to see about that.” He got up from his chair and motioned for everyone to follow him into another room. He didn’t speak again until they were out of Shane’s earshot. “He’s extremely cocky.”
“Do you have a hit on his fingerprints yet?” James asked.
“We’re running them now,” Boyd said. “If he was a resident of the state, we would already have them. It shouldn’t take long, though.”
“He knows his defense isn’t going to hold up,” Grady said. “He’s still refusing to talk or turnover on whoever his boss is. That’s got to mean he expects something else to happen.”
“If he was a normal guy, he’d be sweating bullets right now,” Finn said. “He’s not even upset. Either someone has bailed him out of every criminal situation he’s ever been in or he’s got something else planned.”
“I don’t like it, whatever it is,” Boyd said. “He should be scared shitless. He’s out there demanding bottles of water and pretending to be a victim. Something else has to be going on here.”
A short knock on the door drew everyone’s attention. Boyd opened it to let a junior officer inside. “Officer Dan Stevens, this is … well … everybody.”
Stevens smiled cordially. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“What do you have?” Boyd asked.
“We have a hit on the prints.”
Boyd took the iPad from Stevens and studied it for a moment. “Well, this isn’t good.”
“What is it?” James asked.
“It seems our friend out there is Shane Davenport.”
“He didn’t even bother to change his name?” Grady asked.
Boyd shook his head. “That’s not the biggest problem. It seems Shane Davenport is Sidney Davenport’s son.”
“Who is Sidney Davenport?” Finn asked, confused.
“He’s a major player in the Chicago mob scene,” Sophie interjected, nonplussed. “He runs drugs, prostitution and stolen goods. He’s known for being … brutal.”
“How do you know that?” Boyd asked, raising an eyebrow.
“I’m up on a lot of news,” Sophie replied evasively. “I recognize the name. Chicago isn’t that far away from Detroit.”
Boyd obviously believed her. “If Davenport is here for this chip, he’s obviously branching out,” he said. “We’re dealing with a whole new element here. I’m sure we have some mob activity in the city, given our proximity to the water and everything, but I’m honestly not the person who deals with it. I don’t know what to do.”
“We need someone who knows Davenport and how he works,” James surmised.
“How do we find someone like that?” Boyd asked.
Grady and James shifted their eyes to Sophie, conflicted.
“Oh, man,” she grumbled. “I can’t believe you’re asking me to do this.”
“Do what?” Boyd asked.
“I’m going to do it,” Sophie said. “I need privacy, though. I’m not … entrapping him. I won’t do that for anything.”
“We know that, sugar,” Grady said. “We just need someone with insight.”
“We need someone with insight and a private plane,” James said. “We need a way to get the chip back to New Orleans without putting Ally and Jake in danger. What better way than a man who has a private plane and impeccable security?”
Sophie groaned. “He’s not going to like this.”
“I don’t think we have a choice,” James said. “I’m sorry.”
“Just … give me the room.” Sophie pulled her phone out of her pocket. Grady gave her a quick kiss and then left her to her own devices. He knew she was going to struggle with this, but he didn’t see where they had any other options.
“Who are we talking about?” Boyd asked once they were out of the room.
“Sophie’s foster father,” James said. “His name is Peter Marconi … and he’s in the business.”
“Oh,” Boyd said. “That’s … interesting.”
�
��It is indeed.”
“I NEED to run down to our room and change my clothes,” Mandy said, tugging on James’ arm.
“Can’t it wait a few minutes? I want to hear what Sophie says when she’s done on the phone.”
Mandy rolled her eyes. “It won’t take me long. I just want to get in something more comfortable.”
“I … .” James really didn’t want to be away from the action.
“I’ll take her,” Stevens volunteers.
“I can take her,” James said. “That’s not part of your job description.”
“I don’t mind,” Stevens said. “I wouldn’t mind stretching my legs a little. This room is starting to feel claustrophobic. It’s just down the hall, right?”
“Right,” James said. He glanced at Mandy warily. “Do you promise to do what he says?”
“I just want to change into more comfortable pants and put some socks on,” Mandy said. “My feet are cold.”
“Fine,” James said. “Just be quick. I don’t want you out of my sight for more than a few minutes.”
“Yes, sir.”
James grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her in for a quick kiss. “We’ll play that game later. Be good.”
Mandy followed Stevens out into the hallway. “It’s clear,” he said.
“It’s just down here,” Mandy said, walking down the hallway. “Thanks for doing this. I know he didn’t want to leave.”
“It’s no problem. I don’t mind at all.”
Stevens followed her until she was in front of her suite door. She stilled when she felt the cold barrel of a gun pressed against the back of her neck. “You’re going to need to come with me,” Stevens said.
Mandy shifted nervously, her eyes traveling up to Stevens’ formerly amiable face and finding overt menace there. “W-w-what are you doing?”
“I’m taking you away from all this,” Stevens said.
Mandy opened her mouth, a scream on the tip of her tongue, but Stevens silenced her by brandishing the gun in her face. “You’re not going to want to do that,” he said. “I’ll kill you right here. I won’t even use the gun. I’ll just snap your neck. Then, when your husband comes to look for you, I’ll shoot him in the leg to keep him alive and then use him as my bargaining chip. Is that what you want?”
Deadly Vacation (Hardy Brothers Security Book 10) Page 16