by Marie Astor
“The Treasury can get its hooks into anything involving money transfers. I’m pretty sure whoever faked the Kovars’ death got paid handsomely for their services.”
“And do you really think the Kovars paid with a check or a wire?”
“No. But it’s worth a try. You never know—sometimes people do dumb things.”
“Tell me about it,” Janet sighed pointedly, but the hint was lost on Dennis.
“We should look for officials living beyond their means, spending excessively. That sort of thing,” Dennis continued.
“And of course you want to keep the whole thing secret from Ham?”
“You heard his reaction last time. Don’t get me wrong—I know we have to tell him, but I want to actually have something of substance to show before we tell him.”
“Fine. I’ll give you two weeks. If you don’t get anywhere, we’re telling Ham and the FBI.”
“Fair enough.”
“You can sleep on the couch tonight. And I think it might be better if you found a hotel while Mila’s at your place.” Janet rose to her feet.
“Hang on a minute—”
Before Janet could say another word, Dennis’s hands were around her waist and she found herself being swept onto his lap. “Let me go,” she demanded, wriggling, but Dennis held on tight.
“I will,” he said calmly, “just as soon as you tell me why you’re so upset.”
“You mean you still need an explanation? I thought it was pretty obvious,” she bristled.
“Yeah, it’s pretty obvious you’re jealous of Mila. So whatever crazy thoughts you have on that account, I want you to drop this nonsense right now.”
“I’ll be the judge of that,” Janet muttered, trying to get out of Dennis’s embrace, but he held on tight.
“Might I persuade you to change your mind?” he asked.
Before Janet could say another word, Dennis’s lips dovetailed over hers, his hands seeking out all the sensual points in her body he knew so well.
“Have I managed to convince you?” Dennis asked after he finally pulled away.
“For now,” Janet consented breathlessly. It was impossible to stay mad at him.
“Do you still want me to sleep on the couch?” Dennis asked, his hands sliding by his sides.
“Don’t you dare,” she growled, aware of the mockery in his tone. By now she was on fire, yearning for his touch, and of course it was just like Dennis to withhold it to prove a point.
“Does that mean I’m forgiven?” he pressed, his hands still hanging limply by his sides.
This time she caught him unawares as she used her freedom of movement to straddle him. “Dennis Walker, if you don’t take me to bed right now, I swear there’ll be no forgiveness for you.” She kissed him hungrily, channeling all the frustration that had bubbled up inside her into passion.
“Well, in that case—”
“No more talking.” Janet pressed her finger against his lips, eager to obliterate their fight with lovemaking.
Without another word Dennis lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed.
“I love you, Janet, don’t you ever forget that. Nothing is more important to me than you,” he whispered, kissing her neck.
She closed her eyes, half delirious with pleasure. No matter how many times Dennis Walker made love to her, it never got old. Sure, the man could be stubborn as hell sometimes, but that was also what made him so damn irresistible. Dennis was in her bed—he loved her and no one else. How could she have been stupid enough to ever doubt him?
Chapter 9
“We’d better hurry. You know how Laskin is about punctuality.” Dennis grimaced.
“I’d say we’re not in any position to criticize Laskin,” Janet shot back. She was walking as fast as she could. They were supposed to meet Laskin at twelve thirty in his office at the Treasury, but at the last minute Ham had pulled them into a client meeting that lasted way longer than it should have. To make things worse, they couldn’t get a cab and wound up taking the subway.
Dennis checked his watch. “We’re five minutes late. Laskin is going to have a fit.”
“Stop being so dramatic. We’re two blocks away from his office. I’ll text him and tell him we’re a little behind.”
“As if that’s going to make a difference.”
“Stop complaining. If you hate Laskin so much how come you’re asking him for help?” Janet shot back.
“’Cause we’re in a bind. And I got nothing against Laskin. He just irritates me. Fussy know-it-all, if ever I knew one,” Dennis muttered.
“He may be fussy at times, but he’s damn good at his job,” Janet countered. She knew Dennis hated asking for help, but at least this time he admitted they were in over their heads. She just hoped that Laskin would have access to the information they needed.
“I can’t argue with you there,” Dennis conceded.
Fifteen minutes later they were in the elevator, heading for Laskin’s office.
“Janet, Dennis, come in, come in,” Laskin greeted them the minute he saw them in the doorway. Laskin shook hands with Dennis and kissed Janet on the cheek. “It’s great to see you guys.”
“It’s good to see you too, Peter.” Janet looked around Laskin’s office, which, except for the name plaque on Laskin’s desk, had remained mostly unchanged since Laskin had been made department head after Ham Kirk’s departure. The place brought back memories. A lot of cases had been solved in this office when Janet and Dennis worked alongside Laskin at the Treasury. They didn’t always see eye to eye, but they got things done and there hadn’t yet been a case that stumbled them. She just hoped that their winning streak wasn’t going to run out on them now.
“It’s always great to see you, old pal. Wish we could do it more often,” Dennis chimed in. And despite his earlier grumbling, Janet could tell he meant it.
“Yeah, me too. How long has it been since we last saw each other? Too long.” Laskin shook his head. “What is it they say, life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans or the days are short, but the years fly by—”
“You got that right,” Dennis cut in. “Which brings me to the point of our visit.”
Janet glared at Dennis—she could just kick the man. Would it have killed him to let Laskin reminisce a minute more?
“I’m all ears.” Laskin straightened in his seat. “Please forgive my digression. It’s just that when a man learns that he’s going to be a father, it makes one put things in perspective.” He took off his glasses, pinched the bridge of his nose, and started to wipe his glasses meticulously.
Dennis blinked, his mouth agape, but Janet ignored him—the man could be such a spaz at times. “Peter, that’s great news! When did you find out?”
“Just now.” Laskin grinned. “I got off the phone with Aileen a minute before you walked in. You’re the first people I told.”
“Congratulations! I’m so happy for you guys.” Janet jumped from her seat to hug Laskin. “Give my love to Aileen.”
“Congrats, Peter.” Dennis reached over and stiffly shook Laskin’s hand. “Really happy for you. You’ll be great parents.”
“Thanks. It wasn’t something we planned, but now that it happened, I highly recommend it. What about you two?” Laskin winked. “I say, just do it, like the Nike commercial.”
“Time out, Peter,” Dennis cut in. “We haven’t even tied the knot yet, not to mention found an apartment to move in together.”
“So, what’s stopping you? Quit dragging your feet man, and get busy making little Walkers. I need playmates for my kid. And by the way, I’m yet to receive my wedding invitation,” Laskin added. “What’s up with that?”
By now Dennis had turned the color of crimson and looked like he was about to blow steam out of his ears. “I’ll tell you what’s up—”
“Peter, the reason we came to see you today,” Janet cut in to get the conversation back on track.
“Yes, yes, please forgive me. I got carried
away there for a moment.” Laskin put his glasses back on. “I’m all ears.” He interlinked his fingers and looked at Janet intently.
Since Dennis still looked shell-shocked by Laskin’s news, Janet took over and gave a quick summary of the latest twists and turns in the Kovars case. Laskin listened attentively, frowning and nodding at each new development in the story.
When Janet finished, Laskin gave a low whistle and shifted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. “You’ve really gotten yourselves into hot water now.”
“Now you see why we didn’t have time for wedding invitations or apartment hunting?” Dennis said testily.
Laskin looked up in dismay and Janet hurried to smooth things over, “We’re past that, honey. Peter was just kidding around.”
Laskin coughed apologetically. “I see now why you’re so high strung, my friend. Please forgive me,” he added solemnly. “Now is no time for levity.”
“Thanks, man. You make it sound like we’re already dead meat,” Dennis groaned.
“Now, now, let’s not get overly dramatic,” Laskin counseled. “There’s still time to turn things around. Although if the Kovars are indeed on the loose, I must admit that the odds of success are not very promising.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Dennis muttered.
“Oh, it has nothing to do with your investigative abilities, which are superb,” Laskin clarified, “it’s merely a matter of statistics—you and Janet against the Kovars . . . The odds don’t look too good. But you can count on me—anything I can do to help, I’m happy to do. Although given the caliber of criminals we’re dealing with, it may not be much. Just giving full disclosure here,” he added.
“Thanks, Peter. You’re a real pal. We knew we could count on you,” Dennis said testily.
Janet nudged him with her elbow. “What Dennis is trying to say so ineptly, Peter, is that we’re both very grateful for your help. Because we really do need it,” she added.
“So what can I do you for?” Laskin asked, reaching for a pen.
“The Kovars had to have greased someone on the inside to get out. The way their so called ‘car accident’ so conveniently happened, points in the direction of the office of U.S. Marshals.”
Laskin nodded. “Possibly, but not necessarily. The Kovars could have someone influential on the take elsewhere. Someone could’ve called in a favor for them.”
“That’s a pretty big favor if you ask my opinion,” Dennis shot back. “But then maybe I’m oversimplifying because I want my theory to stick. At any rate, we’ve got to start somewhere. Could you run a trace on any unusual personal fund transfers for the officials in the U.S. Marshal for Eastern District of New York office?”
Laskin whistled. “That’s a lot of data to run through. I’ll do what I can. Why are you focusing on this particular office?”
“That’s the office that would’ve authorized the Kovars transfer.”
Laskin slapped himself on the forehead. “Dah, figures. Sorry, I’m a little distracted today.” He smiled in allusion to his earlier news.
“No need to apologize, Peter. It’s a big day for you. And you’re doing us a huge favor. We both really appreciate it,” Dennis added.
“No sweat. Like I said, I’ll do anything I can to help. I’ll call as soon as I have any news.” Laskin checked his watch. “Oh, shoot, I totally forgot. I have a meeting in fifteen minutes and I didn’t even have lunch.”
“We’ll be out of your hair.” Dennis rose from his seat and Janet followed suit. “Thanks for your help, Peter.”
A few minutes later they were standing outside. Dennis tucked his hands in his pockets. “That was deeply unimpressive.”
“Whatever do you mean?” Janet asked.
“The prospect of fatherhood turned Laskin into a total space cadet. I doubt he’ll be any help to us now.”
“Oh, come on. You’re not being fair. He’d just gotten the news as we walked in. Cut the poor guy some slack.”
“The job we’re in doesn’t leave any room for distractions or slack.”
Janet bit her lip. “Of course not.” The bewildered look on Dennis’s face when Laskin had teased them about having kids flashed before her eyes. Dennis had looked as if the prospect of having a family was about the same as tying a noose around his neck.
Not that the thought of having a baby had crossed her mind before—not until she’d heard Laskin’s news, at any rate. And it went without saying they had to put their wedding plans and apartment hunting on hold. It was only temporary of course, until the Kovars case was over, but what was there to stop the same thing from happening with the next case, and the next, and the next? She knew it was selfish, but Janet couldn’t help wishing Dennis hadn’t picked up that newspaper article about the Kovars and hadn’t answered Mila’s phone call—then they wouldn’t be in the mess they were in right now.
***
Mila turned off the TV, dejectedly flinging the remote control on the couch. It was almost six p.m. She had spent the night at Dennis Walker’s apartment and had been marooned there all day and she was starting to feel antsy. As promised, Dennis had been checking on her every few hours, but that didn’t make her feel any better. In fact, it made her feel like a prisoner.
Sure, she was the one who’d come to Dennis for help, but she had expected more than being locked up in his apartment. She had hoped Dennis would offer her real protection and put her fears to rest. Instead, she was just as afraid, but now she didn’t even have the comfort of being afraid in her own apartment. Maybe, the whole thing was a mistake. Maybe, she should’ve just stuck it out on her own.
Mila reached for her phone and checked her messages. There was a message from Philip and she dreaded returning it. How on earth was she going to explain to him her whereabouts?
She needed someone to talk to or she’d go mad. Quickly, Mila dialed Amy’s number.
“Hey, I was just going to call you,” Amy’s voice sounded as cheerful as ever.
“Hey,” Mila did her best to match her friend’s mood. She hadn’t told her about the terrifying note she’d found in her apartment or the fact that she was hiding out at Dennis’s place.
“By the way, Philip is looking for you.”
“Yeah, I got his message. We’ve been playing phone tag,” Mila lied.
“He is a busy man.”
“Did he say if there was any news from the insurance?” Mila asked.
“Not yet, but they are looking into it. You know how those buggers are—always there to collect the dues, never there to pay up.”
“You got that right.” Mila wondered if arson was a covered event. By now she was certain Amy and Mila’s going up in flames and the note she found in her apartment were more than coincidences.
“Do you want to grab a drink?” Amy asked. “I’ve been sitting around all day, waiting for news, and I need to get out. Let’s go paint the town red.”
Mila desperately wanted to say yes, but Dennis’s warning rang in her ears, making her pause. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea. We should be saving our pennies.”
“We can make an exception for tonight. We need to blow off steam. I’ve got a few bucks saved for a rainy day and right now I’d say it’s pretty much pouring.”
“I can’t argue with you there.” Mila bit her lip, thinking she really should call Dennis first. But then she already knew what his answer was going to be—a flat out no. But this was Amy—her best friend—what harm could there be in seeing her best friend for a couple of hours?
“So I’ll meet you at the Vine at seven?” Amy suggested one of their favorite bars.
“No, let’s try something new. How about Olives?” Mila came up with a busy bar in Midtown where it’d be easy to get lost in the crowd.
“That’s all the way in Midtown,” Amy complained. “We never hang out there.”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to shake things up? Let’s try something new for a change.” Mila reasoned—if Anton was looking for her,
he’d have a much harder time doing so in touristy Midtown.
“You got a point. See you there. Oh, and no bringing Philip with you. This is girls’ night out!” Amy cautioned.
“You got it.” Mila hung up, wondering how on earth she was going to explain it all to Philip. That’s why she needed to see Amy—to figure things out, she rationalized. She was only going out for a couple of hours and she was going to be super careful. Manhattan was a big place—what were the odds of her being spotted by the Kovars? The way she saw it, there was no need to call Dennis and get him all worked up over nothing.
Chapter 10
Janet was busy working her way through the stack of cases on her desk when Dennis walked into her office and shut the door behind him. It was eleven a.m. now, and they had barely spoken since they’d come in to work at eight in the morning. Janet was swamped catching up on her workload, making up for the time they had spent away from the office with Laskin yesterday. Business was booming for Kirk & Associates.
“Hey,” Janet greeted him, her fingers busy hitting the keyboard—she was in the middle of the last sentence of her memo and didn’t want to break the momentum. “Any news?”
“Have you heard from Mila?” Dennis asked.
The tone of his voice made Janet lift her head from her computer, but her fingers continued to type. “Nope. Didn’t you say you’d be checking up on her?”
“I was and I haven’t heard from her since last night.”
“There, all done.” Janet eyed the finished memo with satisfaction. Now, all she had to do was proofread it and hand it in to Ham. She’d finished a day ahead of schedule too, so there was no way for their boss to suspect they were working on a case that Kirk & Associates wasn’t billing for.
“What do you think we should do?”
Sensing Dennis’s intent stare, she tore herself away from the computer screen. “Wait, say that again? Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention,” she admitted sheepishly.
“I haven’t heard from Mila.”
“Since when?”
“Since last night. Didn’t you listen to anything I said?” he snapped.