The cute little cottage house they rented on the end of a cul-de-sac was completely engulfed in flames.
Chapter One
Luke Colton faked left and then dribbled around Ethan Addison, trying to find an open lane to the hoop. When Sawyer Oldham blocked his path, he looked to pass the ball, but the defense blanketed his teammates. Kayla Hepburn crowded close and wiggled her fingers at his eyes. She was a lethal weapon—a fierce warrior packaged inside a gorgeous face and killer body. He faked a shot to get Kayla off her feet and when he realized her momentum would send her crashing into him, he let the rock fly as he fell backward. His hands eased the impact as he hit the floor and then Kayla landed on top of him. She tried to block his view of the hoop. He ignored the stab of pain in his palms and twisted enough to watch as the ball sailed through the net. With a whoop, Luke thrust his arms in the air. “That’s three points, baby!”
“And a foul,” Dan Bradley tacked on as he jogged over and playfully knocked Kayla aside to help Luke to his feet. Then his chivalry kicked in and he graciously helped Kayla up, ignoring her pout. “He hits this and the game’s ours.” Dan gyrated his version of a victory dance. Kayla stuck out her tongue.
Wyatt Hollister scoffed and yelled, “No way he’ll hit it. His free throw percentage is so low, it needs life support.”
Luke narrowed his eyes at the blond Aussie.
“Uh, sorry boss?”
Luke chuckled. Their weekly pick-up games were intense and competitive. None of them liked to lose. The fact that his coworkers were comfortable enough to talk trash to the bosses, showed that he and Logan fostered a working environment that was both friendly and comfortable. Still, he didn’t like to have his ability questioned. And his free-throw percentage was damn impressive, if he did say so himself.
Dan’s older brother and Luke’s business partner, Logan, brushed by Luke and whispered, “I sure hope your head’s in the game and not someplace else, say New York City with a certain troubled beauty.”
Luke shouldered Logan out of the way and the other man laughed. They were on opposing teams this week and neither wanted to be on the losing squad. They were both intensively competitive. But dammit, his taunting worked because now all Luke could think about was that troubled beauty. He suddenly regretted confiding in his best friend. It’d been almost a month since the encounter with the mystery woman, and he still couldn’t get her face out of his mind. Maybe it was guilt for not following her. She was obviously frightened and he’d let her take off on her own, watching as she disappeared down the street. It went against everything he stood for. Maybe that’s why she was taking up so much space in his head.
Luke dribbled the ball to the free-throw line. He tried to shake off the images in his brain, but failed miserably. He needed this point…a rare four-point play…to clinch the game. The opposing team heckled him mercilessly. Kayla brushed against him as she sashayed to the line. He took a deep breath and tuned everything else out. Focus. He dribbled once, twice and then let the ball fly, his arms frozen in the air. The trajectory was a bit short…it hit the top of the rim and bounced high in the air. All gazes were locked on the round orb as it sailed up, stopped, and then descended in slow motion…or it felt that way to Luke…and then sunk through the nylon. Free throw good. Game won!
He was mobbed by his teammates as they celebrated the victory. He smiled and high-fived with them, but his heart wasn’t in it. He couldn’t get that scared face out of his mind.
#
Layla paced in the cramped motel room, her cell clutched in her hand. She needed to call Mrs. Craig to find out if the firemen had recovered anything from the house, but she kept putting it off. It’d been a month since flames destroyed the home they’d been renting. Thankfully there was nothing inside that could tie them to the house, but she was afraid the fire meant someone knew they’d been staying there. Mullins was getting too close. She was relatively certain he didn’t know she was alive. He was trying to track down his children.
They’d spent the month holed up in a motel, afraid to leave. She’d ditched the SUV and purchased another car with cash. She slept with one eye open, afraid of what waited on the other side of the door. She was exhausted and hanging on by a fraying thread. She’d tried repeatedly to get in touch with Henry, but he didn’t pick up. A few days after the fire, her phone rang again. She’d answered but no one spoke. Panicked, she discarded the phone and they’d fled to another motel in a different city. She’d worried that Henry had no way to get in touch with her now. His silence was terrifying. They didn’t have access to the internet for fear of being traced, so she found the local library and researched his name. What she discovered almost wrecked her. Henry had been killed in an automobile accident.
Without his help, she was lost. She felt like a balloon that had broken free from its tethers, floating aimlessly in the wide-open sky, at the mercy of the wind and elements. She had to do something.
She’d wanted to call Mrs. Craig sooner, but she’d been afraid someone might be watching her house, waiting for the renters to return. Layla hoped that after a month, they’d given up and moved on. She inhaled deeply and punched in Mrs. Craig’s number. She didn’t want to leave the state without knowing if a year’s worth of work was destroyed.
“Hello?”
“Mrs. Craig? It’s Monica Webb.”
“Monica! Oh, I’ve been so worried about you, dear. You heard about the fire?”
“I did.”
“I was afraid after I didn’t hear from you, that you and the children might have been inside, but the firemen assured me they didn’t recover any remains.”
“No, we were…out of town.”
“I’m afraid it was a total loss. The house burned clear down to the foundation.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Oh, not to worry. It was insured.”
“Do they know what caused it?” She prayed it was something like a faulty outlet, a lightning strike, a mouse chewing through a wire…anything but—
“Arson.”
Layla closed her eyes in despair. Arson meant someone deliberately and intentionally set the house ablaze. She rubbed her forehead, trying to stem the brewing headache. Mrs. Craig’s next words intensified the ache.
“The police would like to speak to you, dear.”
No way she could go to the cops. Her fake background might stand up to basic scrutiny, but if they dug deeper, they’d discover her duplicity.
“I told them you weren’t involved, but they insisted that if I heard from you, to tell you that they needed to speak with you.”
“Do they have any leads?”
“None. One of my neighbors’ surveillance cameras caught a person sneaking up to the house carrying a gas can and then running away empty handed but the person was all covered up so it was impossible to tell if it was a man or woman.”
“I am sorry, Mrs. Craig.”
“No, don’t you apologize. I know it wasn’t your fault.”
But it was. Somehow, Mullins’ cronies had tracked them to that house. She bet whoever the firebug was, he stuck around to watch it burn, hoping they would return. He probably even kept the house under surveillance for days afterward.
“Oh, I almost forgot, the firemen recovered a small safe. Thankfully it was fireproof so it withstood the blaze. Is it yours?”
Layla sighed with relief. “Yes. I keep important papers in there. Can I swing by and pick it up from you before I head to the police station?” Maybe if Mrs. Craig thought she was doing the right thing, she’d be more amenable in handing over the safe.
“Of course, dear.”
It took forty-five minutes for Layla to navigate the winding roads to Mrs. Craig’s neighborhood. She passed by the house three times, looking for any suspicious vehicles or people milling about. Spotting none, she pulled into the driveway. “Keep your heads down and I’ll be right back,” she said to her siblings hiding in the back.
Mrs. Craig met her at the door wearing an ap
ron. She gave her a hug. “Why don’t you come in for some tea?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t. I have to go pick up the children.” She hated lying to the sweet woman, but the longer she stood chatting, the better chance someone watching might find them.
“I understand. The safe is right in here.”
Layla stepped inside the door to the enticing aroma of cinnamon and vanilla. She spied a plate of cookies on the kitchen table and her stomach rumbled. Her appetite had fled after the fire and she hadn’t been able to eat much since. A small dog yipped and sniffed at her feet. She reached down to pet Bingo. He rewarded her with a swipe of his tongue.
She spotted the safe on the floor under a side table and breathed a sigh of relief. It looked worse for wear, but still intact.
“This is for you, too.” Mrs. Craig handed her a pristine stuffed teddy bear.
She shook her head. “This isn’t ours.”
“Oh, I know, dear. The firemen brought it for your children. When they found out that kids lived there, they were upset. They keep a stash of animals to comfort little ones and they thought yours might want it. I’m afraid they’ll have to share.”
She accepted the bear. “Thank you. That was very kind.”
“What will you and the children do now?” She motioned to her house. “I have extra rooms here.”
Tears sprang to her eyes at the older woman’s kindness. She suspected she was lonely and having someone to talk to would brighten her day. But there was no way she’d expose the sweet lady to danger. “I appreciate the offer, but I have a sister who lives in El Paso. We’ll head down there until we figure out where to go next.” Hopefully, if anyone questioned Mrs. Craig, she’d send them on a wild goose chase.
“At least take some cookies. I just made them, so they’re nice and warm.” She shuffled into the kitchen and filled a bag with the delicious-smelling treats. She zipped the lock shut and handed it to Layla.
“Thank you. For everything.” She hugged Mrs. Craig and turned to go.
“Tell that nice Officer Minton I said hello while you’re at the station. I play Canasta with his grandmother.”
Layla nodded and waved. She didn’t breathe until she was back in the car and motoring away. She checked the rear-view mirrors and when she was sure they weren’t being followed, she exhaled. “You can sit up now.”
Two heads popped up. Tiff’s eyes widened when she spotted the bear. “What’s that?”
Layla picked it up and handed it over the seat. “The firemen brought it for you two to share.”
“Mine!” Tiff claimed.
“As if I’d want a stupid stuffed animal,” Sean grumbled.
Layla smiled as Tiff hugged it to her chest. She held up the plastic bag. “How about a cookie instead?”
Sean’s eyes widened and he snatched it from her hands. “Chocolate chip, my favorite.”
“I want one, too,” Tiff cried.
“You get the bear, I get the cookies.”
Layla eyed him in the rear-view mirror. “Sean?”
“Fine.” He held the bag open so Tiff could take one.
“Pass one up here.” She held out her hand and Sean placed a cookie on her palm. “Put on your seatbelts. It’s going to be a long drive.”
Chapter Two
Layla followed the directions on the GPS she purchased from Walmart. She was exhausted from the long drive to Indiana. After being unable to get in touch with Henry, and then finding out the fire was arson, she didn’t want to delay their trip any longer. They’d driven straight through from Mrs. Craig’s house, stopping only for food, gas and bathroom breaks.
Once they arrived in Bloomington, she’d checked them into a motel and crashed for a few hours. When she woke, she showered and now she was on her way to find the COBRA Securities headquarters. She thought about bringing the kids, but she wasn’t sure what she would face. She didn’t like leaving them alone, but they’d locked the door and secured a chair under the handle so they were safe. She just wanted to ask a few questions and then she’d head back.
The automated voice instructed her to turn right so she flicked on her blinker and pulled onto the blacktop driveway. Trees lined either side of the road and before she got another ten feet, a huge black gate blocked her entry. The gate was attached to a fence that blended in well with the surrounding forest. She wondered if it was electrified. There was no signage to let her know she’d arrived at the right location. She glanced through the windshield and searched the area. An intercom box was positioned off to the side of the gate. She shifted into park and grabbed the glasses she used as part of her disguise. The chunky black frames were horribly unflattering, but they served as another layer of protection. She opened her door and stepped out. The wind whipping off the nearby lake was chilly, so she pulled her jacket tight and adjusted the toboggan on her head.
Glancing up, she noticed the camera attached to a pole, filming her movements, no doubt. She pushed the red button.
“Can I help you, ma’am?”
That the voice knew it was a woman confirmed her theory of being watched. “Yes, I would like to speak with Mr. Mylonas, please.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, but this won’t take long.”
“I’m sorry, ma’am. I can’t let you in without an appointment and an escort.”
“I just need a few minutes of his time…”
The sound of an approaching car had her snapping around. A black SUV pulled in behind her car. A burst of panic raced through her veins. What if her stepfather’s flunkies found her? She glanced around. Not another building or person in sight. She gasped when the door opened and a giant of a man stepped out. He’d blocked in her car, effectively shutting off her escape route. She was trying to decide which way to run as he approached her with an easy stride.
She chanced a peek at him. The glare of the sun prevented her from getting a good look until he was standing right in front of her. Dark hair. Dark sunglasses covering his face. “Is there a problem here?” Using one finger, he whipped the sunglasses off and blue eyes widened. “You?”
“You!” Layla gasped at the same time. It was the man she literally ran into in New York. The man she hadn’t stopped thinking about since. Excitement and relief were quickly replaced with suspicion and doubt. “Wait…” Her hand flew to her chest. “Are you following me?” Her heart rate, which had picked up when she spotted him, triple-timed it. She was going to be seriously pissed if the man she’d been fantasizing about was in cahoots with her stepfather. His deep chuckle rumbled through her body.
“I was about to ask you the same question.”
#
Luke couldn’t believe he was staring at the woman who’d spent too much time in his head ever since his trip to New York City. Her clothes were still plain and unflattering, her hair still stringy and dull, even tucked beneath a toboggan. She wore glasses that she didn’t have on the last time. But there was no mistaking that striking face…or the look of sheer panic. She was afraid of him, he realized.
“What are you doing here?”
Her lips pursed and he could see the wheels turning, trying to come up with a lie, perhaps? His lips twitched when he noticed how she held her keys with the longest one between her fingers, acting as a weapon if needed. He hated to break it to her, but he could’ve disarmed her in about two seconds.
“Hey, Luke,” Tucker Nash greeted through the intercom. “This lady was asking to speak to Alex.”
Luke’s eyes narrowed. What business did she have with the newly-engaged agent? She better not be here to cause trouble. Alex’s fiancée Olivia had become part of their family. They protected their own. “Why did you want to speak with Alex?” His tone was harsh.
“You know Mr. Mylonas?” Her eyes widened and her hands covered her mouth. “Oh, God, are you both working for him? You’re one of the top security companies, of course he’d hire you.”
The last sentence was said under her breath but he heard her
anyway. She looked ready to bolt. He had no idea who “him” was, but Luke had no doubt he was the one who put that haunted look in her eyes. He wanted to find the man and beat the hell out of him for terrifying her.
Before he could say anything, she turned and sprinted for her car.
“Wait!” He hustled after her. She’d gotten away from him once—he wasn’t letting it happen again. She had nowhere to go, pinned in by the gate and his Escalade. “I do know Mr. Mylonas. We both work for COBRA Securities.” That seemed to calm her for the moment and she stopped with her back to him. “You’re safe here.”
Her shoulders slumped and she slowly turned around. He noticed the dark circles under her eyes. Her cheeks were gaunt, as if she hadn’t been eating enough. She looked exhausted.
He reached for her but she flinched away. His hand dropped uselessly to his side. “When was the last time you slept?”
A shoulder shrugged.
“Ate?”
Another shrug. Apparently, she was conversing in body language.
“Do you know Alex Mylonas personally?” Strictly a professional question, he told himself.
Her head moved slowly from side to side and she wrapped her arms around herself. “I followed the coverage of the Vigilante and I saw him on the news. He saved that reporter. I wanted to ask his advice on a…situation I’m having.”
“That day we uh, met, Alex was giving an interview at the station. You were there to speak with him?”
She nodded. “I hoped to, but there were so many people there.”
He almost told her how much he’d thought about her the past few weeks. How he wanted to run after her, find out what put that scared look on her face and then slay her dragons. But she was already skittish. He checked his watch. He had over an hour before his next appointment. He decided he would not let this woman flee again before he knew her story. He wanted to erase that haunted look from her face…and from his brain.
Face the Music (COBRA Securities Book 9) Page 2