by Lori Foster
Alec snorted, shifting his big body uneasily in the chair. He was in his usual jeans and a flannel shirt, his hair pulled back in a ponytail. He looked like a mugger, or the typical bad guy. Dane grinned.
“You don’t like him either? Why?”
Alec shrugged, indifferent. “I don’t really know him.”
“Dammit Alec…”
“Something about him just doesn’t sit right. You know it yourself.”
“Yes. I know you’re also suspicious of just about everyone.” Dane assumed his own dislike of Raymond was personal. He was engaged to Dane’s sister, Celia, and Raymond reminded him too much of his own family—ruthless, business-oriented. He probably suited Celia to a tee.
“I do have some info for you.”
Dane straightened, his thoughts once again in perspective. “Let’s have it.”
“Where your brother’s car went off the road, there’s an extra set of skid marks. Two cars were going fast that day, and two cars braked. Unfortunately, your brother’s was the one that went off the berm.” Alec handed him a file folder. “I checked with the police on duty that day. They say that’s a dangerous curve and people are always squealing their tires there, that the extra marks don’t mean anything and could have been from long ago. I don’t think so.”
Dane took the folder, his temper heating as he pondered his brother trying to escape another car. He would find out what had happened.
“There’s another thing.”
Dane looked up.
“Your brother had been in a local bar, not the classiest of joints, which is what drew my attention, and he’d been drinking it up right before the accident. The bartender said he’d met someone there, but that nothing seemed unusual about it. He didn’t have a description, only that it was a male.”
“Dammit!” Dane exploded from his seat and paced around his desk. Playing the role of his brother was wearing on his nerves. Using Derek’s office, his name, made him edgy. He’d left this life behind long ago and though he hadn’t moved far away, he’d still managed to keep an emotional distance from it all; now he was back under the worst possible circumstances. “Why are the cops blowing this off?”
“You know as well as I do, everyone claims your brother was acting goofy for a month. They just summed this up to stress.”
“Bullshit. My brother could run two companies and not be stressed. He was primed for it, raised to do it. And he thrived on it.” Unlike Dane, who hated every minute of the corporate business agenda. He wondered why his mother didn’t know any of this, why she hadn’t pursued the truth.
“I’m not arguing with you.”
Pressing a fist against his forehead, Dane muttered, “So what does Angel have to do with all this? I don’t believe she was directly connected to Derek’s death, but it is possible she helped pave the way for the killer, maybe unknowingly. She could be our only lead to what really happened since she was the last person to be close with him. But why would Derek have treated her so poorly?”
Alec shrugged, not forthcoming with a verbal response.
A knock on the door had both men swinging their heads around. “Come in.”
Raymond Stern sauntered in, his three-piece suit immaculate, his hair styled. Dane winced at the sight of him. The man, though pleasant enough, represented everything Dane disliked about the corporate world and his family. “Thank you for stopping by, Raymond.”
Raymond looked at Alec, a suspicious frown in place. “No problem. You said you wanted to talk?”
Dane nodded and reseated himself behind his desk. Alec stood. “I’ll be going now, unless you need something else?”
Dane shoved the file folder into a drawer before answering. “No. I’ll be in touch with you later.”
As Alec left, his eyes briefly skimming over everything and everyone in the room, Raymond asked, “A crony of yours?”
“One of my top men.”
A look of disbelief, or maybe scorn, passed over Raymond’s features. “Is he working on something right now?” Before Dane could answer, Raymond continued. “I think this P.I. business is fascinating, regardless of how your sister feels about it.”
“Oh?” Dane cocked one eyebrow, wishing he could plant a fist in Raymond’s face. “And how does Celia feel?”
He chuckled. “That you’ll outgrow it. She seems to think now that you’re enmeshed back in the office, you’ll want to stay.”
There was an unasked question in his tone. Dane started to reassure the man that once he married Celia, the business would be his, with Dane’s blessing. In truth Dane wanted no part of it. He was already bored with the endless paperwork and the tedium of board meetings. But he decided against it. Let Raymond stew. Let him wonder if the company was part of the marriage bargain.
“Celia has never liked it that I stepped out of the family’s affairs.”
“I think it’s incredible that you’ve always been located so close, yet I never met you.”
“My own offices aren’t that far away, true, but I’ve traveled a lot, especially in recent years. Some cases require constant surveillance, and that means you follow all leads, regardless of where they take you.” He didn’t add that he deliberately hadn’t kept in touch with his family, hadn’t clued them in to where he would be or for how long.
And now his brother was dead and he hadn’t even made it to the funeral.
Quickly closing that particular subject in his mind, Dane went on to another. “I asked you here because I know you transferred over from the Aeric Corporation.”
Raymond straightened with pride. “That’s right. Derek was there often once his intent was known, and he and I met. I agreed it was a natural acquisition, combining your family’s interests in health products manufacturing with Aeric’s research capabilities. When Derek finalized everything, he asked me to join him here.”
“You were at the funeral?”
Shaking his head, his eyes downcast in a regretful way, Raymond said, “No, unfortunately I missed it, also.” He looked back up, his expression resigned. “I hadn’t realized what happened until I reported here a week later. Derek had given me time to tie up my own loose ends and I spent two final weeks at Aeric, then took a break to sell my house and move closer. When I reported to work here is when I was told. That’s also the day I really got to know your sister.” A small smile now curved his mouth.
“I see.”
“When I asked to see Derek, I was referred to Celia. Things were still in an uproar, your mother most upset and Celia constantly on the verge of tears. They couldn’t locate you and they needed everything to be kept quiet, contained. Derek’s death hit them all very hard…” Raymond stuttered to a halt. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t making accusations. I realize it was very difficult for you as well.”
“Yes.” Dane knew that Raymond had shown up when the company needed him most, his past experience and lack of emotional involvement, along with Derek’s written blessing, making him the ideal man to take temporary control. Every effort was made to keep the stockholders from panicking. If nothing else, he owed Raymond his gratitude for that.
But Dane deliberately kept his own dialogue brief in the hopes Raymond would say more. Trying to get information from his sister or mother had proved most provoking. Anytime he mentioned Derek’s name, they would turn solemn, overwhelmed with the loss. The entire episode of the takeover of Aeric seemed very hush-hush.
“Anyway, I guess you could say your sister and I hit it right off. I care deeply for her.”
And deeply for the Company, but Dane kept those thoughts to himself. His sister was old enough, and certainly wise enough, to choose her own husband.
“Did Derek associate on a regular basis with anyone else at Aeric?”
Raymond shrugged. “Most everyone on the board, the managers, the—”
“No, I mean in a social way.”
“Well, there was the woman, secretary to the R&D department.”
Research and Development. Dane already knew w
hat Angel’s position had been. Somehow, Derek had gotten information from her that had enabled him to take over the company.
And then he’d dropped Angel cold.
“Were they close?”
Raymond shrugged, looking thoughtful. “Everyone thought so. She’d never dated much, and then suddenly she had a steady date. At that time, no one realized Derek was after the company. But I suppose it should have been more obvious that he was using her. She was a mousy sort of person, not real talkative, withdrawn, but apparently good at her job. Good enough that the head of R&D often sent her top-secret information through a P.O. box to work on at home.”
“A post office box? That’s unusual.” Derek remembered the address Angel had given him, not a home address, but the anonymity of a post office.
Raymond shrugged. “Her supervisor was from the old school and didn’t trust the company computers, swearing too many secrets had been stolen. But he trusted the wrong person. Angel got the last of the information, a huge breakthrough worth top dollar that would have offset the takeover attempt, and she gave it to Derek. Of course, we found all this out after Derek dropped her.” He laughed. “She got fired real quick. Most everyone else was able to keep their jobs.”
“I see.”
“Why do you ask?” Raymond straightened. “She’s not here asking for a job, is she?”
Raymond looked appalled by the possibility. “No, of course not. I just wondered if I could get in touch with her, to talk to her about Derek.”
“Why?” Raymond’s eyes narrowed and he shifted forward. “What’s going on?”
Keeping his tone smooth and nearly bored, Dane said, “Not a thing. It’s just that I hadn’t seen my brother for some time. I’d like to talk to the people who knew him.” Raymond relaxed and Dane asked, “What happened to her, do you know?”
Dane had to keep his hands beneath the desk. His fingers had curled into fists as Raymond spoke and he imagined Angel’s humiliation, her hurt. He didn’t like feeling so much anger toward a dead man, especially when that man was his twin. The conflicting emotions ate away at his control.
“I have no idea. I haven’t seen her since I left Aeric. And Derek broke things off with her during a board meeting, for everyone to see. He asked her to sit in on the meeting, then deliberately told everyone where he’d gotten his information. That pretty much proved she couldn’t be trusted in the company.”
“Good God.” Sick dread churned in the bottom of his stomach.
Raymond laughed. “Yeah, she was stunned to say the least. But maybe it taught her a lesson about keeping business dealings private. As I’m sure you already know, even though you haven’t been involved in some time, there’s no room for deceit in the corporate world. You absolutely have to be able to trust your employees. Especially when they’re in the position she was in.”
Dane could barely see, he was so angry. The rage ran through him, red-hot, and he wanted only to get to Angel, to apologize, to…He stood abruptly, coming around his desk with stalking steps. He went to the coat tree and grabbed up his coat. Raymond quickly stood to face him.
It took two deep breaths before Dane could trust himself to speak without breaking Raymond’s nose. This was exactly why he hated the business, why he had to separate himself from his family. Ruthless barracudas, all of them, with no thought for humanity or dignity. It sickened him.
Raymond looked at him warily. “Is that all you wanted?”
“Yes, thank you.” He couldn’t bear to shake the man’s hand. He turned toward the door instead and opened it. “I appreciate your help, Raymond. Unfortunately, I have an appointment at my own offices shortly, so I’ll need to ask you to go.”
“Yes, of course.” He hesitated. “You know, Derek and I were somewhat better than associates before he died. If you’d ever like to talk about him, to know about him, I’d be glad to tell you what I can.”
Dane’s smile actually hurt, but he managed it. “Thank you. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“Will you be at dinner tonight?”
Damn, he’d forgotten his mother planned a family gathering. He had hoped to eat with Angel, to get to know her better. “Probably,” he conceded, knowing his mother would demand a valid reason for missing the meal. It was to be a formal dinner in preparation for his sister’s marriage, where the duties of the company would be discussed.
“I know it’s difficult for you, stepping in here and keeping your own business afloat. If I can help in any way…”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you.”
Raymond finally left with a lagging step, looking as if he had more to say but was reluctant to press. Dane knew he sensed where the present power lay, but that was just a fabrication of his mother’s fancy. He didn’t want the damn company. In fact, he would only stay in charge as long as was necessary to find out what had happened to Derek, to uncover the truth.
And to get things settled with Angel.
ANGEL SLOWLY HUNG UP the phone, her fingers tight on the receiver to keep her hand from shaking. Why wouldn’t it stop? She’d never hurt anyone, she held no power. There was absolutely no reason for someone to harass her.
For one insane moment, she wanted to call Derek, but she quickly quelled that absurd thought. She wouldn’t rely on him, ever again. For all she knew, he could be behind all this. That thought made her stomach queasy.
Moving slowly, she made her way to the bathroom and splashed water on her hot face, then leaned against the counter and took deep breaths.
When the knock sounded on her front door only seconds later, she jumped, her hand going to her throat. The apartment was quiet, Grayson sleeping soundly in his crib. It couldn’t be Mick because he had left for school hours before after dropping off more papers to be typed, and no one ever called on her other than him. Derek would surely be at work and—
The knock sounded again, this time a little harder and she feared Grayson would wake. She hurried to the door, hesitated just a moment, then called out, “Who is it?”
“Ah,” she heard in deep, satisfied tones, “much better than just letting anyone in. I see you’re learning.”
“Derek?” She turned the dead bolt and unlocked the door, swinging it open. “I always lock my door, except when I’m expecting Mick.” She looked him over, the casual way he leaned against the doorjamb, his open-neck shirt, so unusual for him. “What are you doing here this time of day?”
His gaze went over her from head to toe. She wore a long caftan of muted gray-and-blue plaid. It was old and worn and the material draped her body softly. It unzipped down the front, making it easy for her to feed Grayson. Right now, the zipper was just low enough to show her cleavage and assure Derek that her breasts were unrestrained by a bra. Typically of late, her feet were bare; since injuring her leg, she seldom bothered with shoes at home.
A long low whistle filled the air between them and Angel felt herself blushing. Selfconsciously, she tried to smooth her hair which hung loose, but when she realized what she was doing she dropped her hand and scowled. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“Yeah, but I missed you so I’m here instead.”
Before she could move, or even guess what he would do, he leaned forward and kissed her. The touch of his mouth was warm and soft and fleeting, leaving her stunned. Then Derek pushed in past her, taking his welcome for granted. The door closed with a snap.
“Don’t do things like that.”
“Why not? You like it, and I can guarantee I love it.”
She felt her temper rise and he quickly held up both hands. “Okay, okay. You don’t like it. You’re entirely repulsed.”
“Derek…”
“What?” He smiled at her, a beautiful smile and she looked away. “I really do enjoy it, sweetheart. And I honestly did miss you.” He stepped closer to her once again, his gaze bright and probing. “You didn’t mind yesterday in my office. You asked me to kiss you then.”
Angel drew a blank. He was right, she had pushed t
he issue. But that was when she’d thought he might not be interested, when she’d thought he’d need motivation.
For a single moment she wondered if he was toying with her, but his expression was enigmatic, impossible to read. “This is a bad time,” she said, suspicious and determined to resist his classic charm. “I have tons of things to do.”
“I can help.”
“Derek…”
He came close to laughing, but swallowed it down. “Okay, I’m sorry. I’m pushing again. But damn, I have so much to make up for and I’m anxious to get started.”
Nonplussed, she moved past him, removed a large basket of laundry still needing to be folded, and sat on the couch. “The past is the past, Derek. You can’t erase it, and since you haven’t contacted me in all this time, I have to assume it didn’t matter much to you until now.”
“You’re surprised at my easy acceptance of things?”
More than surprised. She was amazed.
His hands were deep in his trouser pockets, his coat pushed back, and he rocked on his heels as if in thought. Finally, his head down, he sat beside her. Silence hung heavy in the air. He turned to her. “I’m sorry.” He shrugged his wide shoulders, his expression earnest. “I have no excuse, nothing, to explain why I was such a bastard. I wish I did, I wish I could pull up some believable tale to help smooth things over, to take away some of the hurt. But what I did to you was unforgivable. I know that. Still, I want you to forgive me.” Dumbfounded by this outpouring of emotion, she allowed him to take her hand, holding it when she would have pulled away. “Do you think you can?”
When she merely frowned, he added, “For Grayson’s sake?”
Angel stared at him, so many things he’d said clogging in her brain. He wanted forgiveness, even though he admitted there was no excuse for his behavior? And to use the baby’s welfare against her…but that was her biggest concern, her reason for contacting him in the first place.
Only he didn’t act the way she’d expected, as she’d planned for. She’d expected grudging help in calling off his family—if indeed they were behind the threats. She didn’t even want to contemplate the possibility of another enemy.