According to Noah’s FBI source, several months ago, the journalist had infiltrated the organization of notorious crime boss Mateo Russo, one of the most-wanted criminals in the world. She had gained the trust of one of his generals and had apparently gotten access to a ton of information. For her safety and their investigation, the FBI had tried to stop her from writing her stories until Russo was apprehended. She’d resisted, but then it didn’t matter, because she was discovered, and Mateo Russo was out for blood. But first, he would want to know what she knew, how she knew it, and who she had told.
Noah’s gut told him that Russo wouldn’t kill her until he believed he had all the information. And from what he knew about Taylor Vaughn, she would hold out as long as she could. She would know that the instant she was no longer useful, she would be killed. Noah hoped to hell she was as strong as she appeared. Mateo Russo was known for his ruthlessness.
The man had the money and connections to have dozens of hideaways throughout the world, which was one of the reasons he hadn’t been captured. Mafia wealth could purchase both secret real estate and confidentiality. The man had been hidden for years, and unless something changed, he would stay that way.
LCR wasn’t out to capture Russo. Their mission was to rescue Taylor Vaughn.
Noah had followed Vaughn’s career and had read most of her articles. The journalist’s ingenuity was impressive. At the same time, he was amazed that she had survived this long without anyone targeting her. With Mateo Russo, Taylor Vaughn’s luck had run out.
Their biggest obstacle was finding where Russo had stashed her. The man had created an intricate web of hideouts that crisscrossed the globe. Many of the locations were fake, and a dozen or more were real. Finding the one where Vaughn was being held would take time. But just how much time did Taylor Vaughn have?
The buzzer on his desk sounded. Without taking his eyes from the monitor in front of him, he pressed answer. “Yes?”
“Noah, there’s a William Larson on line one. I’ve taken the pertinent information, but he insists on speaking with you. I know that you usually like to read the background facts before you talk to a prospective client. It’s just…this man…” She cleared her throat. “He’s quite insistent.”
Vicki Jackson was one of his most experienced screeners. As the wife of a law enforcement officer and the mother of two Navy SEALs, she wasn’t easy to spook or rile. From the tone of her voice, Noah knew William Larson had managed to do both.
“Send me what you have on him.”
Within seconds, Noah was looking at the bare facts on the case of a young woman who had been missing for eight years. Larson, a freelance computer consultant, was her father. The woman, Jessica Larson, was twenty-nine years old and had a long history of mental illness.
“Did he say anything out of line to you, Vicki?”
“No. Not really. There’s just something about him that put me on edge.”
Noah admired Vicki’s instincts. If there was something off about the guy, Noah believed her.
“I’ll take the call.”
Seconds later, Noah pressed a button and said, “This is Noah McCall.”
“Thank you for taking my call, Mr. McCall. That woman didn’t want to put me through. She—”
“That woman is doing her job. How can I help you?”
There was a second of awkward silence, and then Larson said, “Of course. Of course. It’s just that I’m at my wit’s end. You’re my last hope, Mr. McCall.”
“I see that your daughter, Jessica, has been missing for eight years now?”
“Yes. We’ve tried everything trying to find her.”
“And she has a history of mental illness? What is her diagnosis?”
“She’s delusional, Mr. McCall. It started around her eighteenth birthday. Up until then, she was a normal, happy-go-lucky, young woman.”
“Any history of self-inflicted harm or violence to others?”
“No, not really. Just mostly paranoia.”
“She was twenty-one when she disappeared?”
“Um. Yes.”
The hesitancy in Larson’s speech could have been a normal response to Noah’s somewhat intrusive questions. If Larson thought those few queries were intrusive, he hadn’t heard anything yet.
“Where are you located, Mr. Larson?”
“Located? You mean, where do I live now?”
“Yes.”
“Uh, um. Chicago.”
“I have business in Chicago on Monday. I can meet you at one. Bring all the information you have on Jessica.”
“Oh, couldn’t we meet sooner? I can come to your office. Where are you located?”
“The Drake Hotel in Chicago. One o’clock Monday. That’s my offer.”
“Well, of course, of course. I just thought…” Larson gave a long, overly dramatic sigh. “I’m just so eager to find her, Mr. McCall, but I’ll comply with your timeframe.”
“I’ll see you then.”
Noah slumped back in his chair, frowning at the phone. Vicki’s instincts were indeed sound. There was something off about William Larson. A fakeness to his tone had put Noah on alert and made him highly curious. Just what was William Larson hiding?
Pressing another button on his phone, he waited until one of his best researchers answered, then said, “Deidre, get me everything you can on a William Larson. Says he’s in Chicago, but I have my doubts. Trace the number. See if it’ll tell us his location. I’ll send you what little I’ve got.”
After he sent Deidre the sketchy information Larson had supplied, Noah leaned back in his chair again. A shadow of an idea niggled at the back of his mind. He wasn’t going to jump to conclusions. But one thing he knew for sure. He was definitely looking forward to his one-on-one with the man calling himself William Larson.
Chapter Five
New York City
Riley slipped into the small, elegant room in the back of the church. The cathedral was well guarded, and she had wondered if she’d have difficulty getting inside. Thanks to the forethought of the bride and groom, she’d had no problem. Saying LCR had been the golden passkey.
The paparazzi surrounded the building but would not be allowed inside. Still, the number of reporters and photographers who had been allowed into the church was enough to make anyone nervous, much less a woman in hiding. Being photographed, even accidentally, wasn’t something she could risk. Even dressed in a disguise, she was on edge. She had no idea if anyone was still looking for her. As helpless as she had been, they probably assumed she was dead. Still she would take no chances. The blond wig and thick glasses were an easy, uncomplicated cover-up.
“Kacie?”
The bride whirled around, and Riley caught her breath. She had never seen anyone lovelier. Dressed in a gorgeous, fitted white gown of lace and silk, Kacie Dane was the very definition of a beautiful, glowing bride. So glowing that Riley looked around to see if there was some sort of light shining above her head. There wasn’t. It was all Kacie. Had any bride ever looked happier? Had any bride ever deserved happiness more?
“Hey!” Kacie’s smile was both brilliant and welcoming. “It’s so good to see you. I’m so glad you could come to the wedding.”
“I hope you don’t mind me coming in here.”
“Absolutely not. Skylar was here but stepped out for a moment to help Gabe with his bow tie.” She winked at Riley. “I like your disguise. Very retro.”
That was another reason she liked Kacie Dane. Not one question of why she felt the need to wear a disguise. Kacie accepted people as they were.
“Your dress is lovely.”
“Thank you. I was thrilled that Julian Montague agreed to design one for me.” She glanced down at her dress and then grinned. “Brennan’s going to love it.”
“Yes, but not as much as the person wearing it.”
“Oh yeah.” Kacie expression softened.
“So, I just wanted to wish you well and…um…” Riley trailed off, belatedly realizing what a
colossal mistake it had been to come here. Bringing up the worst experience of Kacie’s life on what should be the happiest day of her life was not only incredibly insensitive, it was downright cruel. Even someone with her limited people skills should know that.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just wanted to say congratulations.” She began to back away, toward the door.
“Thank you.” Kacie held out her hand to stop her. “But there’s something else isn’t there? What is it?”
“No. Not really. We can talk another time. Maybe when you get back from your honeymoon.” Seeking to change the subject, she asked, “Where are you two going?”
“I don’t know. Brennan planned everything. He won’t tell me until our plane lands. He even packed for me.” Kacie laughed and added, “Considering the small suitcase, I have a feeling it’s not a place that requires a lot of clothes.”
Riley gave a strained smile and put her hand on the doorknob. “I’m sure it’ll be great. Have a wonderful time.”
Kacie grabbed Riley’s hand and led her to a low settee. “Listen. LCR is my family, which means you’re family. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing’s wrong. I just—” Seeing the compassion and concern in Kacie’s eyes, Riley swallowed and said, “I just wanted to tell you how courageous you are for what you did.”
Confusion glimmered for a second, and then she said, “Oh, you mean spilling my guts at the press conference?”
“Yes.”
“It was something I felt I had to do.”
Thankful that Kacie didn’t seem the least bit upset to be talking about her dark past, she said, “Why?”
“For several reasons. One, there was always a chance that someone would have found out the truth on their own and try to use it against me. Living under that kind of shadow wasn’t something I wanted. Now, that risk is gone. And two, I was living a lie and I felt like a hypocrite. I’m a role model for a lot of young women. How could I tell other women who have been raped to come forward when I kept my past abuse hidden?”
“How did you find the courage to do it?”
Awareness flickered in Kacie’s eyes, and Riley knew she saw the truth behind her questions.
“Part of it was Brennan. Having his love and support gave me the strength and courage to face my past.”
“What was the other part?”
“The knowledge that I did nothing wrong. Nothing I did could ever make me deserve what happened to me. Even though I had recovered, I still felt shame for what I’d gone through. Even though I knew up here”—she touched her head—“that I’d done nothing wrong, I realized I still felt shame. I was raped and tortured by a monster. The shame was on him, not me.”
Riley nodded. She knew all this. Had gone through tons of counseling herself.
“Do you regret making it public?”
“No. Oh, there were some nasty comments. Some calling it a publicity stunt. Online trolls looking for attention. Things like that. People whose opinion means nothing.”
Save a handful of people, Riley didn’t care about others’ opinions of her. No, it wasn’t her reputation at stake. It was her life, her sanity, at risk. But what would be at risk if she didn’t take this next step?
Soft music sounded from the auditorium.
“Thank you. I’d better let you get back to getting ready.” Impulsively, Riley hugged her and then jumping up, walked swiftly to the door.
As she opened it, Kacie said, “Riley?”
She looked back at the woman still sitting on the settee. The compassion on Kacie’s face brought a lump to Riley’s throat.
“If there’s anything you need,” Kacie said, “anything I can do to help, will you let me know?”
“I will. Thank you.” Before closing the door, Riley added, “Be happy, Kacie. I wish you and Brennan the happiest of lives together.”
***
Justin stood in the large foyer of the church, out of the way of the guests exiting the building. The wedding had gone off without a hitch. Brennan and Kacie had looked good together. As Brennan’s best man, he’d been standing up front with him when Kacie had walked down the aisle toward her waiting groom. The entire church had exhaled with a collective gasp. Yes, she’d looked beautiful, but it had been more than that. Justin didn’t think he’d ever seen anyone more joyful or more in love. Brennan’s expression had been a mirror image of Kacie’s.
Justin hoped all their dark days were behind them.
He’d been about to turn and face the front when he spotted a woman sitting in the back row. Even with the long blond hair, heavy makeup, and thick-rimmed glasses, he recognized his partner.
He hadn’t seen her since their op in Iraq a week ago. He’d asked her if she would be attending the wedding, and she’d been noncommittal, saying only that she was unsure if she’d be able to make it.
The audience had been filled with LCR employees and operatives. Many of them in disguise. This wasn’t an op, but because of their pasts, most needed to stay out of the limelight. It was something Justin understood and accepted. Seeing his partner dressed in disguise was something else entirely. It had been a punch to the gut. An abrupt, unpleasant discovery that revealed just how much he didn’t know about her. Who was Riley hiding from and why?
The fact that they’d been partners for over three years and he hadn’t known before about her need to stay hidden infuriated him. The anger was directed at himself, not her. Why hadn’t he known this? Why had he allowed all these secrets between them? They were more than partners. They were friends. And hell, whether she was ready to admit it or not, they were more than friends.
It was way past time to find out the truth about Riley Ingram.
Before he could come up with a plan on how to make that happen, she came through the doors from the auditorium into the foyer. He watched in silence as she practically hugged the walls, staying in the shadows. He knew the moment she caught him looking at her. An awareness clicked in her eyes.
Weaving in between the hordes of guests headed toward the exit, he caught up with her. “Nice wedding, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, it was.”
“Are you going to the reception?”
“For a little while. I’m not much for parties.”
“Yeah, me either.” He gave her a look she couldn’t misunderstand. “We need to talk. Want to meet me somewhere for a late dinner?”
“No.”
If there was one thing he liked about Riley Ingram, she didn’t prevaricate. If you asked her a question, she would either tell you the truth, tell you it was none of your business, or just not answer.
Deciding to go for broke, he said, “All right. Then you want to tell me who you’re hiding from?”
Riley looked up at the man who’d come to mean so much to her. The black tuxedo fit his tall, muscular frame perfectly. He’d had a haircut since she’d seen him. His thick brownish-blond hair had just enough curl in it to make a girl think about twining her fingers through it. She had seen numerous women give him long, admiring looks. The two women in front of her during the wedding had whispered about how handsome the best man was, giggling about how much they’d like to meet him.
Justin Kelly was a handsome, ultra-masculine man whom most any woman would sigh over. Riley should know. She had done her share of sighing, especially in the last few months.
And now he wanted to know who she was hiding from. Just for a moment, Riley allowed a fantasy to take flight. In her imagination, she heard herself give him honest answers and explain what had happened to her. She watched his face darken with concern for her. There was no judgment, no condemnation. No disgust. Instead, she saw understanding, maybe compassion, but not pity. Never pity.
Then she returned to the real world and faced the truth. Speak the words she hadn’t allowed herself to say in years? Tell him the truth in the middle of a crowd of mostly strangers? No. Way. In. Hell.
If she proceeded with her plan, he would know soon enough. Once
he knew everything, would the admiration she’d often seen in his eyes be replaced with revulsion?
She could withstand a lot, but that was something she would not survive.
She gave him a smile that probably looked as fake as it felt, but it would have to do. “That’s a discussion for another day.”
“I see.”
Now even more nervous as those slate-gray eyes seemed to penetrate straight through her bravado, she tugged her purse strap over her shoulder. “So. Guess I’ll see you at the reception. Or, if not, on our next call.”
Giving him no time to respond, she backed into the shadows, followed a group of people to an exit, and ran out the door. She told herself she wasn’t being a coward. That it was ludicrous to have a discussion of such import with so many people milling around.
A hand grabbed her arm. She was so intent on escape that she snarled a curse as she turned around, her fist raised and ready to strike.
Justin let go of her arm and held up his hands in surrender. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you.”
Mortified, she glanced around to see if anyone else had caught the unusual break in her cool façade. Fortunately, all the other guests were intent on enjoying themselves. No one had noticed other than the brooding man frowning down at her.
“We will talk soon, Ingram. This can’t go on.”
There were a lot of ways she could respond to that autocratic statement. Another time, she might have told him exactly what he could do with his arrogance. She opened her mouth to do just that and then saw the concern in his eyes. Justin played things cool most times but not on this. Not tonight. This man cared for her, and though nothing could ever happen between them, he deserved the truth.
“You’re right. We will.” She backed away again, saying softly, “I just hope we can handle it.”
Turning, she ran out the door and into the night.
RunningScaredBN Page 4