Hearts and Diamonds

by Nichelle Gregory

  Nia’s stomach somersaulted. “Do you think Scott kidnapped her?”

  “It’s a possibility we’re looking into, but more than likely not the case.”

  “What do you mean?” She could see the tautness in his jaw line as he glanced at her.

  “I think you better start wrapping your head around the idea she may be involved with this thing too.”

  “No, way.” She shook her head in a daze. “Tess, would never—”

  “How long have you known her?”

  “She’s been with Fletcher’s almost a year. I hired her myself.” Despite being her boss, Nia considered the two of them friends.

  Quin nodded. “That’s how this thing works. They get someone inside to help with the heist they’ve been planning for months. These guys are very good at what they do.”

  Nia stared at him, trying to picture Tess a part of something so wrong.

  “We suspected they might hit your store or another one of Fletcher’s calibre sometime during the holiday season. I’ve been watching your store for two weeks for any suspicious activity and nothing until tonight. I saw those two men pull up with Scott and I knew something was going to go down. I called for backup, but I knew they wouldn’t get there in time.”

  “In time to stop the robbery?”

  “In time to save your life.”

  Chapter Two

  All the heat in the world couldn’t stop her teeth from chattering as he pulled the vehicle into a empty parking lot and his words sunk in. “No masks, they weren’t wearing any masks.” She barely noticed him shrugging out of his coat and wrapping it around her shoulders.

  “They had no intentions of letting you live or anyone else in the store. They would’ve killed me and Tess, possibly forced you to open the safe before stealing the most expensive diamonds. Security footage would’ve been destroyed.”

  Whiffs of his clean, masculine scent embedded in the fabric of his coat wafted up to her nose. “Except this time they didn’t get the goods.” She dug into the pocket of his coat and pulled out a handful of loose stones. The streetlamp picked up the glittering fire of the diamonds in her palm.

  “No, they didn’t.” He looked up from the sparkling gems to meet her eyes. “I need to get these back and take a look around the store.”

  Nia nodded, pushing the diamonds back into his pocket. “I’m coming with you.”

  “Are you sure? You’ve been through an incredible ordeal. I can get your statement and take you home. The store will be protected, the police aren’t going anywhere.”

  She shook her head as he started the car. “I want to count the diamonds and see the extent of the damage for myself.”

  Two hours later, she had completed taking inventory for the second time that night. Her head ached and she rubbed her temples as sheer exhaustion crept in. She drew in a long breath and straightened her shoulders.

  No time to be tired.

  There were two trays of diamond rings gone. Despite the fact the robbery hadn’t gone as planned, the thieves managed to still walk away with a small fortune.

  The knowledge made her sick as if she was somehow responsible for the store’s incredible loss even though she couldn’t have stopped the robbery. Tension made her stomach roil as police worked around her. She couldn’t stop thinking about Tess, despite Quin’s accusations she was somehow connected to what happened.

  Was she involved as he suggested or was she somewhere in danger, possibly hurt?

  She stared at the police talking and moving about the showroom floor in a daze.

  The store was in pretty bad shape. There were bullet holes riddled along the walls, shattered display cases, broken glass all around and crimson blood stains on the white carpet. Nia couldn’t stop looking at the stains as forensic police milled about taking pictures and dusting for prints. Watching countless episodes of Law & Order hadn’t made what was happening around her any less shocking.

  She pushed down her own scattered emotions as her boss, Donovan Fletcher approached. He owned three other diamond stores and had got out of bed, commuted the hour it took to get into the city to assess the damage and talk to the police. She smiled now as he walked back over to her, talking a mile a minute on his cell.

  “What a nightmare,” Donovan said, ending the call. “All these years in business and I’ve never had to deal with this.”

  Nia nodded. At least you didn’t have a gun pointed at your face.

  He looked away from the cops studying the bloodstain on the carpet to her. “Thank God, you’re all right.”

  “If it weren’t for Agent Rios, I don’t know what would’ve happened.”

  Her boss sighed, shaking his head. His tanned face a mask of displeasure. “Are you aware they suspect Tess was involved?”

  “I find it hard to believe actually,” Nia said, spotting Quin coming from the back office.

  He commanded attention with his purposeful stride and confident manner. He caught her gaze and lifted his chin in her direction. She returned the small gesture, turning her attention back to Donovan who was already discussing how soon they could reopen the store. His cell phone rang again and she breathed a sigh of relief as he answered the call.

  “Don’t worry about coming in early tomorrow,” Donovan said, holding the phone away from his face. “Call everyone else and tell them not to come in, unless you need them to.”

  Nia nodded. “Already done.”

  Donovan gave her the thumbs up sign as he pivoted and began barking instructions to whoever was on the other line.

  “Is this yours?”

  She turned to see Quin holding out her cashmere coat. “Thanks.” Nia took it from him and glanced at her watch. “Do you have any more questions for me?”

  “I think I’ve got everything I need from you tonight.” He pulled out a card from his inner suit pocket. “Call me if you think of anything else about Tess or Scott.”

  “I will.” She took the card from his fingers and wondered how to express her gratitude to him for saving her life. “Agent Rios—”

  “Quin.” His lips curved up in a small grin and Nia found herself smiling back.

  Good lord, he’s even sexier when he smiles.

  “Quin, thank you for coming in when you did. If you hadn’t…”

  “Don’t think about that.”

  Nia nodded but it was all she could think about. “My purse, I almost forgot it. I always lock it in the bottom desk drawer.”

  Quin frowned. “That drawer was open.”

  He led the way back into the back office and Nia was hit again by the surreal scene of police working the crime scene. With shaky hands, she went to the drawer and pulled out her brown leather bag.

  “You call that thing a purse?”

  Nia smirked at him as she opened the oversized bag and rummaged through the contents. So, she had a thing for purses. All women had some sort of fashion vice and hers was definitely fashionable bags. She liked to change them daily to match her outfit.

  A sliver of dread crawled up her spine as she accounted for her personal items. “My wallet.” She looked up at Quin and back down at her bag as she opened the final compartment. “It’s gone. I was the only one with a key to this drawer.”

  Quin shook his head. “Believe me getting in there was easy for these guys. Hang on.” He strode off to talk to another police officer before grabbing his coat off the back of her chair. “I’m taking you home.”

  Nia spent the six-mile ride to her bungalow home calling and cancelling her bankcards. She was very conscious of Quin handling the car in the snow with ease as she finished her last call and dropped her phone into her lap. “What a mess.”

  “Yeah. Was your current address on your driver’s license?”

  She cast him a sidelong glance. “Yes, it was.” She waited for him to say something else, but he remained silent. “Should I be worried?”

  “Cautious.” He gave her a quick look, his handsome face illuminated beneath a street lamp. “Being c
autious is always smart.”

  She stared at him for another second before turning to look out the foggy window. He was a man of little words and obviously didn’t believe in sugar-coating anything. They turned down her street and Nia’s stomach twisted at the thought of going into her home alone. Her mind conjured up all the possible scenarios of the bad guys having access to her personal information.

  “Are we getting close to your home?”

  Snapping out of her reverie, she focused on the snowy landscape. “This is it,” she said, pointing to the bungalow with festive holiday lights strung up around the porch. There were balls of white lights hanging down in an archway formation under the stairs leading to the door.

  “Did you do all that yourself?” Quin asked as he pulled the car in the driveway.

  “Yep.” She smiled at him as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

  “Impressive.”

  “Thanks.”

  He looked away from the cheery spectacle. “Let me go up first.”

  “You think they’d come here?” She searched his face for an answer.

  “I don’t know. Those guys didn’t know I was an agent. Either way, they might react on the assumption that one of us still has the diamonds.” He unlocked the car door. “Just sit tight, I’ll be right back.”

  She locked the door after he got out, watched him circle her house and disappear from sight. When he came back into view, she breathed an audible sigh of relief. She peered out the foggy window as he mounted the stairs and went to her front door before coming back to the car.

  He rapped on his window and she jumped before unlocking the door. Her nerves were completely and utterly fried.

  “Nothing out of the ordinary.” He slid back into the seat and brushed snowflakes off his dark jeans.

  “Really?” She didn’t scare easily but the last thing she wanted to do was go into her home alone. This was one moment she wished her family wasn’t four hours away in Indianapolis.

  “Do you have anyone who can stay with you tonight?” Quin asked as if reading her mind.

  “I’ll be okay.” A valiant lie, but what else could she say? Oh, please Mr. Agentman don’t leave me alone, I’m awfully frightened.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Positive.” She pulled on her gloves and offered a bright smile. “Thanks for bringing me home.”

  Quin nodded. “You’re welcome. I’ll walk you up to the door.”

  His gaze flicked to her lips or was it her imagination?

  “That’s not necessa—” She shook her head as he got out of the car.

  Chivalry wasn’t dead after all.

  He opened her door and she took his hand, carefully stepping in the snow. She turned once they reached her front door. “Thanks again for everything.”

  “I’m just glad you’re safe.”

  Nia stared into his warm brown eyes and was surprised to feel tears fill her own. On impulse she hugged him…really hugged him. She released a tight breath as his arms wrapped around her and she inhaled the scent of his subtle sexy cologne. He felt so strong, so warm and so damn good, she didn’t want to let go.

  Shocked by her own behaviour, she jerked away with a nervous chuckle. “Goodnight, Quin.”

  He tilted his chin down at her, his expression unreadable. “Goodnight, Nia. Be sure to lock up.”

  “Oh, I will.” She turned away from him and opened the door, saddened by the seemingly finality of their chance encounter as it closed behind her.

  Would she ever see him again?

  Quin waited until he heard the lock turn in her door before going back to his car. The sweet scent of vanilla still hung in the warm air. Nia’s scent. Her impulsive hug had surprised him and sent his senses into overdrive. He wasn’t known for his warm and fuzzy side. His job required just the opposite.

  With a dark curse, he pulled away from the kerb and circled the block in search of a place to park. He found the perfect vantage point of Nia’s house a few feet away. He could still feel her body pressed against his, still see her shocked gaze and unshed tears as she pulled away from him.

  Wouldn’t she be stunned to know how he’d longed to kiss her?

  Her porch light came on, followed by lights in the living room, dining room and a few minutes later in a room upstairs.

  She’s turned on every light in the house.

  It didn’t take an agent to know that Nia was scared.

  Although he hated to know she was afraid in her own home, another part of him was glad she realised the seriousness of the case. It was much harder to protect the ones that didn’t. The odds of the robbers staying in the vicinity to track her down were not high, but experience had taught him never to rely on a gamble. The holiday season brought out the best and worst in some people. Criminals became even more ruthless and predatory, targeting unsuspecting, distracted prey focused on the joys of the season.

  Something in his gut told him to stick around. Until they had a decent lead on the whereabouts of the jewellery thieves, he’d stakeout Nia’s house. It hadn’t helped to see the moment of hesitation flashing in her eyes before she’d got out of the car.

  Another light came on in what had to be her bathroom.

  She had masked her fear with a smile…and what a beautiful smile it was. Hell, she was beautiful, all soft luscious curves and flawless brown skin. And those wide guileless eyes…no doubt about it, Nia Marie Sanders was a knockout. There was no way she could be involved in the jewellery heist as suggested by his friend and fellow agent Stephanie Tan. His instincts told him Nia was as sweet and sexy as they came.

  And wouldn’t you like to see her do just that?

  Quin shook his head, disgusted with his unprofessional, purely animalistic thoughts.

  She couldn’t be a greedy, cold-hearted criminal.

  Not when she felt so soft in my arms.

  He turned off the car and settled in for a long, cold night. His job had taught him more than once to expected the unexpected.

  Chapter Three

  Nia woke up with a weary groan before the sunlight hit her face. Turning on her side, she peeked at her alarm clock. Five thirty-four. Her eyes felt grainy and the same headache from the previous evening still pounded against her temples. She sat up in bed as the sound of gunfire replayed in her mind. For a split second she’d almost believed last night’s robbery had all been a nightmare.

  She felt like she hadn’t slept at all and when she’d finally drifted off her dreams had been about Tess. Something she had said stuck out in her dream.

  Nia stared at the little clock, watching the minutes tick by as her mind raced. “No more sleep for me.” She shoved her feet into her fuzzy mouse slippers with a little shiver. She always dialled down the heat while she was gone to save on the bill and now there was a definite chill in the air. Last night she had been so tired she’d forgotten to turn the heat back up.

  Coffee.

  She needed at least two cups to even think about starting her day. The kitchen smelt of fresh hazelnut, her caffeine fix already brewing on the countertop. She grabbed a mug from the dishwasher, opened the fridge, took out caramel coffee creamer and poured a generous dollop in her cup.

  Tess had told her Scott travelled to LA and New York City on business. That’s what she’d remembered in her dream. She poured the coffee into her mug and stared out the kitchen window at her snow-covered backyard.

  Did that mean anything? Was it worth calling Quin about?

  She sipped the hot brew as she padded into her living room. The curtains were drawn and she pulled them back to look out the window as she drank her coffee. Her street was quiet, but it was Sunday. She glanced at her winter coat thrown across the couch with Quin’s card inside the pocket.

  He’d probably want to kill her himself if she called this damn early.

  I’ll wait until seven.

  With her mind made up, she flipped on the television to the morning news. One story after another of violence and mayhem had her changing the c
hannel to an early morning talk show where last minute holiday gifts were the topic of conversation. She watched it with little interest as she waited for seven o’clock. Finally, she got up, retrieved Quin’s card from her coat and picked up her phone.

  A bolt of nervousness riffled through her stomach as the phone rang.

  “Agent Rios.”

  His deep husky voice was smoother than her java. “Um, Quin, it’s Nia, Nia Sanders.” She swallowed the lump in her throat that came out of nowhere as she clutched the handheld phone.

  “Good morning, Nia, how can I help you?”

  Was he always so polite and professional?

  “I thought of something last night…this morning rather. I don’t know if it means anything or if it will help the case any, but I thought I’d call and tell you anyway.” A rush of heat flooded her cheeks. How could she be rambling on like this after two cups of the good stuff?

  “I’m glad you called. I’m actually in your area.”

  “You are?”

  “I could stop by…if it’s not too early for you.”

  “That’s fine, how soon?”

  “Hmm…about twenty minutes. Is that okay?”

  Twenty minutes to wash her face, fix her wild hair and throw something on. Impossible. “Sounds good.”

  “See you then.”

  She ended the call and stared at the phone for a split second before dashing up to her bedroom. There was not time for anything but the essentials. Exactly nineteen minutes and twenty-three seconds later, she was washed and dressed in her favourite pink jogging suit. She pulled a headband around her naturally curly hair, hoping she didn’t look as tired as she felt.

  Well, it’s not every day you survive a jewellery heist.

  She grabbed her eyeliner and had just applied lip gloss as the doorbell rang.

  * * * *

  “You’re lucky. I was already up, Rios.”

  Quin grinned. “You’re always up, Tan.”

  His partner stifled a yawn. “I know. I should have made coffee part of the deal to meet you this morning.”