Killer Romances

by Dana Delamar, Talullah Grace, Sandy Loyd, Kristine Mason, Dale Mayer, Nina Pierce Chantel Rhondeau, K. T. Roberts, H. D. Thomson, Susan Vaughan

  He was still eyeing the lady when Frank Cardello stepped into his line of vision. Frank eventually noticed him and turned, angling his way through the crowd toward him.

  Jack swallowed another mouthful of bourbon, allowing his focus to return to the woman so prevalent in his thoughts. It was doubtful that Lucy had had time to use her equipment, yet she was clearly hiding something. He had a job to do and damned well couldn’t be sidetracked by the likes of her, nor could he let that mouth go unchecked. Too much was at stake.

  Oakmont might be small, but it was close enough to Frankfort that reporters constantly stalked the area looking for a juicy meal. One screw-up’s comments could ruin Frank’s reputation and destroy his chances of running for governor at the same time. If a hungry reporter happened to catch any of Lucy’s accusations, it wouldn’t take much more to start a feeding frenzy for a bigger story. And at that point, the truth wouldn’t matter. Not one damned bit.

  Frank halted a few feet away. “I just spoke with Olivia.”

  “Oh?” Jack stiffened slightly, but his attention didn’t waver from his quarry as Lucy continued speaking earnestly with her partner. He noted Gillespie’s interest wasn’t just on conversation. The man was enamored with her breasts that, though nothing to write home about, did seem to capture notice when they perked to attention under that fancy gown like they had in the storeroom. He purposely looked back at Frank, disliking the ditch his thoughts had driven into.

  “She said something about interrupting you in a heated moment in my office.” Frank studied him thoughtfully. “I told her she was imagining things, either that or she’d misinterpreted what she saw. But she insisted.” He snorted. “So? Did she really catch you kissing?”

  “Yes,” he admitted as he clenched his teeth, annoyed because he didn’t care to have Olivia and Frank dissect his personal life. He could just imagine that conversation. “I’ve been known to take advantage of a God-given opportunity on occasion, you know.”

  Frank’s eyebrows rose. “An opportunity just presented itself? In my office? Why am I not buying that that’s the entire story?”

  Of course Frank found it hard to believe, when Jack hadn’t had the slightest interest in any female since Ginny. Hell, he hadn’t had the desire to date, much less kiss a woman, in over a year and even he found it hard to believe he’d actually enjoyed the encounter. Maybe that was the problem. His libido was starting to wake up after all this time. Jack shook the thoughts and snorted. “What? I can’t seek out a quiet place to make a move without a lot of speculation?”

  “No. Not you. And not with Lucy Maddox.”

  Straightening, Jack cleared his throat. How had Frank known about Lucy? Obviously, he hadn’t been discreet enough.

  “Don’t worry. Olivia has no idea.” Frank laughed. “So, tell me. How’d you end up in my office with her in the first place? Did you follow her in there or did she follow you?”

  As the questions registered, the hairs on his neck stood on end and he eyed his astute friend more closely. Their friendship dated back more than twenty years and they understood each other better than anyone.

  Jack brushed off his uneasiness, chastising himself for being a cynical ass. This was Frank, his mentor—someone he’d always looked up to. Jack had spent too long in the DA’s office. Dealing with bureaucratic idiots along with drug-dealing scumbags had skewed his thinking. Still, something was bothering Frank. “Why the sudden interrogation about your office and Maddox? What’s up?”

  “Nothing.” Frank lifted a shoulder and turned to focus across the room, where Lucy and her partner were still talking. “I was just curious.” Then he smiled. His nod indicated the couple. “She cleans up real nice. Never noticed it before, but she’s quite attractive.”

  Wondering at the sudden change in topic, Jack nodded, raised his head, and stared past Frank, having already come to the same conclusion. When you dressed Lucy-goosey up, she didn’t look half bad. Damned appetizing, in fact. That gold getup made her skin glisten, and her hair was all done up with a few dark curls framing her face. No heterosexual male over the age of sixteen could resist giving her the once-over.

  Frank’s bark of laughter rose above the music. “Don’t bullshit me, Jack. I caught you rushing her into that closet seconds after Olivia ratted on you.” Frank grabbed a glass of bourbon from a passing waiter, downed half the contents in one gulp, then added, “In fact, I think it’s a brilliant move, distracting her like that. Keep ’er guessing and maybe even shut ’er up in the process.” He held the glass at his lips and shook his head before whispering, “Just brilliant.”

  “Busted.” Jack hadn’t meant to do either, and considering Lucy’s feisty departure, he’d been unsuccessful at both.

  “Is she still spouting off about her missing friend?”

  “Yes.” He swirled his glass, watched the amber liquid mix around the ice, and debated whether he should mention the reason Lucy went into his office. Jack would simply have to keep her under control, as he’d promised. “She definitely thinks you’re responsible for her disappearance.”

  “So, Gerald’s warning did no good?”

  “Not hardly.” Jack polished off his drink before setting the glass on a nearby table. “In fact, in my opinion, she’s determined to prove you’re involved in some kind of conspiracy.”

  “Stupid woman. But I’m sure you’ll take care of her.”

  “I certainly aim to try.” Jack glanced back at Lucy. “Exactly what happened when you met with this TV reporter, Cassandra Harding? You never said.”

  “Nothing out of the ordinary.” Frank shrugged and waved a hand. “It was hardly a meeting. More like an ambush. Had some questions about one of the juveniles who’d gone through my courtroom about six months ago. If you ask me, she was looking for a scapegoat. She wanted to wrap up her assignment in a nice little package and put my name on it to get more air time.” He slipped a hand into his pants pocket, his gaze scanning the room before landing on Jack once again. “You’re not suddenly buying Maddox’s load of garbage, are you?”

  “No, but she’s certainly bought a couple of bags.” Jack indicated the woman they discussed with a nod. “She’s quite insistent and I doubt she’ll go away.”

  “Then do your job. I didn’t get to this point in my political career without making a few enemies who might have recruited both her and her friend to shred my reputation. At a most inopportune time, I might add. You’ve obviously ended your self-enforced celibacy, since the two of you were caught kissing. Mutual attraction can be a wonderful thing.” Frank’s eyes narrowed to slits, adding to the meaning of his words. “Use it. I want to know exactly what she’s up to and why she’s zeroed in on me.”

  Jack nodded, frowning slightly. “Okay.” Frank was beginning to sound like a politician, something he had never expected, but then he’d lived in Louisville for the past several years. Times changed. Situations changed. The business of politics was a dirty game, one that made it hard to avoid some of the mud that splashed when slung.

  “But you might want to check your safe.” When Frank stiffened, a movement so insignificant Jack would never have caught it without knowing his friend so well, he smiled. “As a precaution. Humor me. I have my reasons.” Then Jack added, just to see Frank’s reaction, “You wouldn’t happen to possess any incriminating evidence that Lucy might be looking for?”

  “No.” All emotion left Frank’s face, replaced with a closed expression that appeared locked tighter than any dead bolt. “Why do you think that?”

  “No reason,” Jack replied, mirroring the expression he could only describe as a politician’s. He waved to a passing waiter. When the man stopped in front of him, Jack took a drink from his tray and said as nonchalantly as he could, “Just a feeling.”

  “Well, then.” Frank covered his concern with a forced laugh that did nothing to ease the tension tying Jack’s shoulders in knots. “To err on the side of caution, I’ll check the safe right now.”

  Jack’s ears
perked up, the caution in Frank’s voice confirming that something wasn’t quite right. His intuition never lied, which meant he would have to do more digging to figure out what the hell was going on.

  Frank cut across the dance floor, snaking around dancers toward the hallway leading to his office. When Jack couldn’t see him any longer, he refocused on Lucy. She was dancing with some old geezer, separated from her partner, as both were now doing what they’d been hired to do. Mingle.

  Jack hadn’t moved from his spot and was still keeping tabs on Lucy when Frank reappeared less than twenty minutes later and stopped a foot in front of him.

  “Is something wrong?” he asked, noting Frank’s tight grip on his glass.

  “No.” His lips curled into a humorless smile. “Nothing’s wrong.”

  Nodding, Jack mutely observed Frank turn and focus his attention on Lucy.

  “Did you follow her into my office?” he asked after a long pause. “You never said.”

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Why? What’s going on?”

  “You were right to have me check. Someone’s been inside my safe.”

  “You’re kidding?” Jack’s speculative gaze flew across the room and a snippet of respect bloomed to life. If Lucy was responsible, she’d handled herself damned well. But then, it also meant she’d lied to him. He should have expected lies, considering their past run-ins.

  “I wish I was.” Sighing, Frank ran a hand through his hair and rubbed the back of his neck. “Well? Was Maddox in my office before you got there?”

  “What’d they take?” Jack asked, answering his question with another because he wasn’t about to reveal the complete truth until he understood more. He knew without a doubt that the “they” was Lucy and that she’d lied her ass off to get out of that closet.

  When Frank stood silent, still rubbing his neck, he prodded, “I’m your campaign manager as well as your lawyer and friend. If you can’t trust me, then you might as well fire me.”

  “This doesn’t concern you,” Frank spit out, shaking his head. “I’ll handle it.”

  “Okay. I certainly don’t want to pry.” Except that curiosity was eating a hole in his gut, which meant he’d stooped to lying too. But Frank’s closed expression had returned full force and Jack doubted he’d get anywhere if either of them pushed for the truth right now.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Frank said before briskly striding away, clearly ignoring his own advice. He was obviously worrying about it. Big-time.

  Jack’s probing gaze returned to Lucy. He toyed with the idea of intervening when another geezer claimed her for a dance. She definitely hadn’t lacked for partners. Of course, most were too old to truly appreciate the way her dress followed her curves in certain spots, especially that nice ass as it moved to the beat of a fast Springsteen number.

  Realizing where his thoughts had drifted, he swore under his breath. But then he shrugged. So what if he found Lucy attractive. He’d never act on it. Yet the memory of her soft body, so pliant in his hands, resurfaced just then to test his solemn resolve with a shot of pure lust, making him wonder. What would have happened if Olivia Cardello had silently stepped out of the room without speaking and he’d kept on kissing her?

  “Shit.” He blew the word out in a frustrated sigh. Jack had to quit with the X-rated thoughts. He stuck his hand in his pocket and glanced away. Lust was a complication he didn’t want or need right now, especially with the likes of her. Turning, he caught Frank and Olivia out of the corner of his eye in a heated discussion, and expelled a second sigh. Jack could only imagine their conversation—one that most likely revolved around him and his deviation from his normal pattern of avoiding women since he quit his job as a prosecutor and returned to Oakmont.

  Knowing Olivia, she’d insist on some kind of explanation. Jack wasn’t about to offer one. Nor could he explain why he’d kept Lucy’s true actions hidden. Neither would understand. How could they, if he didn’t fully comprehend the reasons?

  Gaining full rein of his thoughts, Jack refocused on Lucy. As he kept her in his sights, he let his mind churn. The lady had some explaining to do for her actions, and he had some atoning to do for his stupidity of letting her go so easily. Jack had to figure out a way to get close to Lucy in order to discover exactly what she stole out of Frank’s office, and fast.

  Chapter 2

  Lucy made her way back into the ballroom after ushering a rowdy guest who’d had one too many drinks to the door. The band played on as her partner danced to Lady Gaga’s latest.

  “You were gone a long time,” Mike said, coming up to her once the music died. “Is everything okay?”

  “I’m fine. Some tasks take longer than others.” Exactly the reason she rarely signed on for this type of job. Lucy hated dealing with drunks. They reminded her of her father.

  “Did you get what you needed earlier? Out of Cardello’s office?” Mike nodded toward the hallway that led to the office he referenced. “You never said.”

  “No.” Lucy had been evasive on purpose, having already pushed her luck in taking his offered help tonight. He was the office gossip and if her recent activities slipped out, Gerald might hear, which wouldn’t bode well for either one of them. “I got absolutely nothing.” She frowned. Investigating was a game and she loved the thrill of the chase. She just wished Cassie wasn’t the person she was chasing. “Finnegan interrupted.”

  “Tough break.”

  “Tell me about it.” Lucy sighed heavily and shoved the memory of kissing Jack out of her mind. Except it wouldn’t budge, which concerned her immensely. “I never thought I’d get away in one piece,” she added honestly. “Now he’s watching my every move.”

  She scanned the dance floor and spotted him in a corner, where he’d stood since their encounter. From there, Jack could have been watching her all night. Like hell, she thought. Of course he’d been there earlier, watching her, and how sloppy of Lucy not to have noticed. No wonder he’d searched her out. Refusing to cower, she turned back to Mike.

  “Seems Gerald got to him and warned him I might try something.” She hadn’t anticipated Jack Finnegan’s involvement. Which meant she’d have to tread more carefully.

  “So, what are you going to do now?”

  Lucy threw her partner a slight smile and shook her head. “I have no clue. What would you do?”

  “Gerald believes Cassie’s working undercover on some special assignment, so maybe you don’t have to do anything.” Mike shoved his hands in his pockets and lifted his shoulders into a careless shrug, a lopsided grin on his face.

  It wasn’t lost on her that, though he was an attractive, well-built guy, her partner looked like a penguin in his tuxedo. Lucy glanced across the room, caught Jack in her sights again, and increased the wattage of her smile. Funny—she could never describe Finnegan as a penguin. He looked…elegant. His tuxedo fit him as if the suits were made with his body type in mind.

  Realizing where her thoughts had wandered, she shook them off. “There is a possibility that Cassie is on a secret assignment and can’t, for whatever reason, get through.”

  “That has to be it,” Mike agreed. “I’d just wait until I heard from her, if I were you. She’ll resurface eventually.”

  “Yeah, I guess.” Lucy sighed. If that were the case, then why was the thumb drive exactly where Cassie had told her it would be, in the text she sent seconds after Judge Frank Cardello had placed it in the safe? Unfortunately, that time-stamped note was Cassie’s last communication. In fact, her last typed words were, “someones coming—gotta run—meet me at Ps—usual time—to fill u in.” Her friend had sworn her to secrecy, so Lucy hadn’t mentioned anything to anyone. She’d waited at their favorite hangout for most of the evening, but Cassie never showed. Nor had she responded to any of Lucy’s calls and texts. Over a hundred.

  “Hey, let me know if I can help,” Mike said as the band started up again, this time playing a slow Eagles ballad about a cheating wife’s lying eyes.

  “Th
anks.” Lucy glanced up and saw that Jack had finally vacated his position. She then spotted Cardello, deep in conversation with his wife. If only she could be a fly on the wall. Earlier, she’d watched the judge speak to Finnegan, then disappear and return awhile later looking none too pleased. Did he know the drive was now missing? Had he relayed the information to Jack? Was that what Cardello and his wife were discussing?

  Dying to know, she turned to Mike. “I’ll be right back. I gotta go to the john.”

  Lucy started in the judge’s direction. The Cardellos were so absorbed in what they were saying neither noticed her walk by, then stop a few feet away and lean against the door frame.

  “How dare that little tramp steal from you?” The shrieking voice made Lucy wince just as someone grabbed her arm from behind and spun her around. Regaining her balance, she tried to shake off the unyielding grip. Her mouth opened, but nothing came out. Staring into Jack Finnegan’s broad chest had shocked her into silence. Where in the hell had he come from?

  His eyebrows rose, even as his smug smile spread. “Aren’t you supposed to be watching the guests rather than spying on the hosts?”

  “I beg your pardon?” Lucy said, going for an outraged front. Only the effect was weakened by her shaky voice, which totally annoyed her. The urge to hit him for interrupting at the worst possible moment was all encompassing, but she refrained. At times, like now, she had to remember she was no longer that street kid who’d settled arguments with her fists. Hitting Jack might provide instant gratification, but it wouldn’t help her find Cassie. Nor would it help her reputation.

  “I’d appreciate it if you’d let go of my arm.” Lucy kept her voice low, but firm. She risked a glance in the Cardellos’ direction and swore under her breath. Both were looking their way.