All That I Desire

by Francis Ray

  “Why—why no one, Mr. Sanchez. I was walking though here, checking to see that things were in order as usual, and I saw the letter on the table. It had Ms. Dupree’s name on it so I immediately took it to her.” He swallowed, his frightened gaze jumping from one to the other. “Is there a problem?”

  “Because of this letter, a man almost kidnapped Skylar,” Rio snapped out.

  Patterson’s eyes widened even more. His hand reached for the chair beside him and missed. Rio caught him with one hand, then pulled out a chair with the other and eased him into the seat.

  “I’ll get some water.” Skylar rushed into the kitchen, trying to stay out of the way of the caterers, saw a tray of sparkling water, and grabbed a glass. When she returned, Patterson was still pale.

  “Mr. Patterson, drink this.” Skylar held the glass up to the man’s thin lips. He managed a couple of swallows.

  “T-thank you.” His breath shuddered out as he opened his eyes. “Ms. Dupree, I’m truly sorry. I—I don’t know what to say.” He looked around the room as if dazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened before.” He sat up abruptly. “Does Mr. Navarone know about this?”

  “Yes,” Rio answered.

  “I—I must go and apologize.” Patterson attempted to stand.

  Rio and Skylar gently urged him to remain seated. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Mr. Patterson,” Skylar told the trembling man. “It wasn’t your fault.”

  “But I feel responsible. If I hadn’t given you the note…” His voice trailed off.

  “Then someone else would have,” Skylar finished and glanced at Rio. “We have to go speak with the police. I’m sure Blade and Sierra will understand if you wish to lie down for a bit.”

  “No.” The house manager struggled to his feet, then steadied himself. “I couldn’t do that with guests in the house. I’ll be fine. Thank you for your concern.”

  “Let’s go, Skylar.” Rio reached for her arm.

  Outside the door, Rio saw the crowd gathered in the hallway. He could still hear the band playing, but from the difficult time he had maneuvering through the crowd he figured no one was dancing or at the buffet. It was even tougher once he neared Blade’s office.

  “Police. Let us through. Police.”

  People stepped back, but just enough for the four uniformed officers to pass. Two stopped in front of Blade’s office door; the other two continued inside. Rio nodded to the officers outside and entered Blade’s office.

  Luckily, it was big enough to hold the twenty or so people inside. Dakota, in a black tux, stood in front of the man Skylar shot. Just behind the police chief were Blade, Shane and Luke, Morgan, Daniel, and John Henry. It would be Rio’s guess that the Grayson and Falcon men wanted to ensure Mrs. Grayson—mother, aunt, and sister—wasn’t in any danger. Rio’s gut told him she wasn’t.

  Skylar was the target. Rio could understand Tennyson’s hatred of him and Blade, but hiring men to harm her because he couldn’t get into an auction seemed excessive even for a bastard like Tennyson. Still, people had been murdered for a lot less.

  “Skylar.” Mrs. Grayson said Skylar’s name, and every person except those standing in front of the gunman looked around. She rushed to Skylar, followed by Sierra, Felicia, Catherine, Sabra, Laurel, Mrs. Albright, Paige, Faith, Phoenix, Fallon, Dominique, and Raven.

  All Rio could see was the top of Skylar’s head. He wondered where the other women were just as the door opened and Victoria, Madelyn, Shannon, and Naomi arrived. It hit him that they all were mothers. Even knowing there had been no danger to their children, they’d needed to see and hold them.

  Skylar would make an incredible mother, he thought. She’d be gentle and loving, but like a mother lion if anyone tried to harm their child. Rio tensed, fought against the image of Skylar holding their baby in her arms. Marriage and children weren’t for him. He was only thinking that way because he’d come so close to losing her, because of seeing her that morning in the small dining room playing patty-cake with Tempest and Daniel Junior.

  Rio skirted the men behind Dakota and held the letter in front of the handcuffed man. “Do you know anything about this letter?”

  “I want a doctor and a lawyer.” He clenched his teeth in pain. “I’m entitled.”

  Rio leaned down to within inches of the man’s sweaty face. “You’re entitled to roast in hell and I’d like to send you on your way.”

  “Now, Rio,” Dakota said jovially. “Let me talk to him first.”

  The man leaned back in his chair and winced. “Rio? She—she said your name was Brazos.”

  “Because I knew you’d shoot him,” Skylar said tightly. “You said Tennyson offered double if you killed Rio.”

  “I—I don’t remember.” He licked his lips.

  Dakota glanced around at his officers. “Maybe me and my men should step outside so Rio could help you remember.”

  “You—you can’t do that! That’s against the law,” the man yelled.

  “So are attempted murder and kidnapping. Federal offenses.” Dakota peered down at the man. “I’m betting you have a rap sheet a mile long. You’re looking at life with no chance of parole. You tangled with people whose power reaches all the way to the White House. Once the judge bangs that gavel and those prison doors clang shut, you’ll never breathe fresh air again.”

  “You—you don’t scare me.” He licked his dry lips. “I got connections, too.”

  “Rio, why don’t you take out that fancy phone of yours and show Mr. Big Mouth how much trouble he’s in?” Dakota asked. “I’d go outside and ask the governor to come in, but just in case you walk out of here a little worse for wear than you came in…” He spread his callused hands wide. “I wouldn’t like to put him on the spot. I voted for him.”

  Rio started with Blade and Daniel. “If you even thought of going after Mrs. Grayson, you’re a dead man walking.”

  Sweat beaded on the man’s face. “I … I don’t know nothing about no Grayson woman. He hired me to—” He snapped his mouth shut and looked away. “I never heard of her.”

  “Skylar Dupree was the only target?” Rio asked, his voice cold with rage.

  The gunman looked at Dakota. “I need medical care. My arm is killing me.”

  “Strange words from a man who wanted to kill me or at least take me to Tennyson, who would.” Skylar’s eyes narrowed furiously. “Rio was right. I should have placed the bullet between your eyes.”

  “If Dakota and his men leave, we can make that a reality.” Rio opened his jacket to reveal a gun.

  “Won’t do,” Skylar said, matter-of-factly. “Needs to be the same gun. Ballistics and all that.” She sniffed, dabbed beneath her eyes. Her voice hitched as she said, “I tried to just wound him, but he just kept coming. I—I was so afraid. I warned him.” She looked around wildly. “I had no choice. No choice but to shoot again and make sure he stayed down and wouldn’t kill me.”

  “You’re crazy,” he yelled frantically. “You can’t kill me in cold blood. Cop, do something.”

  Dakota stared up at the beamed ceiling. “I wonder how they got them so straight.”

  “Blade, do you have the Guardian you took from me?” Skylar held out her hand.

  “Here you go.” Blade placed the gun in her palm.

  Her fingers closed over the pearl handle. “Thanks. So small and beautiful, yet so deadly. I was taught always to check my gun before using it.” She opened the chamber, closed it, and sighted down the barrel. “We’re good to go.”

  The man tried to scoot back in his chair. “You can’t kill me.”

  “I was always taught turnabout was fair play,” she said sweetly.

  “He said you’d be an easy target. That I wouldn’t have any trouble,” the man blurted out, his words tripping over one another.

  “And I told you, Tennyson is a liar with little money and no friends.” She glanced around her. “Whereas I have plenty of friends, buckets of money, and Rio. If you want to see tomorrow, I’d advise you to
talk. Last chance.”

  “You won’t get another one.” Rio’s voice was deadly quiet.

  “Wait! Wait a minute!” The gunman swallowed, perspiration beading his face. “Tennyson hired me and a pal to take you out. When I couldn’t pick you up at the restaurant, we followed you in the rental until the police came. Lonnie and me came out here Tuesday night. I drove him. He never came back. I took off when I saw beams of light in the woods. I found out later that you’d caught Lonnie.” He paused for a breath. “After this dude busted into his office and took his bodyguards out, Tennyson wanted you alive. I was to bring you to him.”

  “Where?” Rio asked.

  “You got all you’re gonna get from me. You’ll have to find the rest on your own,” he said. “I’m saving the rest as a bargaining chip for my lawyer.”

  “Not good enough,” Rio snarled. “How did you get in here? How did you know the solarium door was the only one not guarded? Who delivered the letter? Who is your contact here?”

  “I guess you don’t hear good,” the man taunted.

  Rio reached for the man. Dakota caught one arm, Skylar the other.

  “Get him away from me!” the gunman yelled, gritting his teeth in pain as he shrank against the chair. “I’m telling my lawyer about you threatening me and that the police didn’t do squat.”

  “You tell your story, and I’ll tell mine.” Dakota pulled the man from the chair by his uninjured arm. “We’ll just see who they believe.”

  “Where—where’re we going?” The gunman tried to pull back.

  Dakota lifted a brow. “Didn’t you ask for medical care?”

  “Yeah, yeah. It’s about time,” he grimaced. “I’m gonna tell my lawyer that, too.”

  “I’m trembling in my boots.” Dakota kept walking. “I’m sure everyone else in here is doing the same.”

  The man looked around at the many faces in the room. The men’s were filled with hatred, the women’s distaste. No one would speak on his behalf. He gulped.

  “Take him to the ambulance. Tell them to do the eval on the road. There’s been enough talk and speculation already.” Dakota handed the man to one of the uniformed officers. “Put out an APB on Tennyson. Rio, can one of your men give my office the particulars?”

  “I will.” Shane stepped forward and followed the police put of the room.

  “According to my contact guarding his house in Chicago, Tennyson is supposed to have been there since late last night.” Rio’s mouth tightened. “I bet anything he’s not there.”

  Blade stepped forward. “He has a private plane. He could be anywhere.”

  “With the FBI involved, we’ll have a better chance of running him to ground.” Dakota turned to Skylar. “You’re something. You got him to talk.”

  “Unlike the man who broke into my room.” Skylar handed the gun to Rio.

  “This one was sweating a lot more,” Dakota said. “I took a chance that he’d break, and he did.”

  Skylar smiled. “I’ve always wanted to play good cop/bad cop.”

  Dakota chuckled and glanced at Rio’s hard face. “I think it was bad cop/baddest cop.” He went to Ruth. “Glad to hear you weren’t involved. Thanks for the invite. Best party I’ve been to in a long time.”

  “I’m glad you could come, Dakota,” Mrs. Grayson said. “Please join us here for brunch around nine in the morning.”

  “I’ll be here.” He tipped his hat to Sierra and Blade. “’Night.”

  “Conner, I want everyone to stay on high alert. He and his pal got information from someone working here. Until we find out who it is, we don’t take chances,” Rio told him.

  “Got it.” Conner and the three other men left the room.

  Skylar sighed. “I guess I should go talk to the family about what happened.”

  “You can use my office,” Blade offered.

  “Thanks.” Skylar sighed again. “If you hear shouting, just ignore it. It will be my father.”

  Chapter 19

  “What!” Beau Dupree shouted. “I can’t believe you were in danger and no one told us!”

  “Baby.” Meredith enfolded her daughter in a hug. Her grandparents wrapped their arms around both of them.

  “I’m fine,” Skylar told them for the umpteenth time. “The men responsible are in jail, and the authorities are searching for the man who hired them.”

  “Which might take days or weeks,” Beau said. “In the meantime, this nut could hire someone else.”

  “His assets have been frozen,” Rio said.

  Her father rounded on Rio. “How do you know that? It takes time and a court order for that to happen.”

  “Rio has contacts,” Skylar offered. Rio was in one of his moods. He wanted Tennyson in the worst way. Skylar could only hope the authorities found him before Rio’s people did.

  “I think your father might be right about you coming home,” Meredith said.

  “Not happening.” Skylar pushed out of all their arms. “I’m safer here with Rio than in Boston.”

  “Safer!” Beau yelled. “A man held a gun on you!”

  “And there’s not a scratch on me because Rio made sure that I wouldn’t be helpless. He even went so far as to put a mini microphone in these earrings and tracking devices on my gown.” Skylar stared at her family. “I’m staying here.”

  “He also had two bodyguards who left you,” her father reminded her.

  “Because I insisted they look for Rio,” Skylar explained.

  “They’ll be dealt with,” Rio said, his voice flat.

  Skylar turned on him. ““If you do more than talk to them, we’re going to have a talk. I was worried sick about you and—” She took a deep breath to try to stem the tears. “They saw how upset I was.”

  Rio’s glacial eyes warmed, comforted.

  “Baby.” Her mother pulled a tissue from her small purse and dabbed her daughter’s eyes. “It’s all right.”

  “How can you say that, Meredith?” Beau asked.

  “Because she is fine, thanks to Rio,” Meredith told him.

  “She wasn’t a victim like I was,” her grandmother said. “I’m proud of you, Sky.”

  “Me, too,” her grandfather added. “Rio, I’m liking you more and more.”

  Beau threw up his hands. “Are you all crazy? Did you hear what I heard? Skylar was almost killed.”

  “We could ask you the same thing, Father.” Skylar clenched her hands. “Why do you continue to act like I have no sense in my head? That I can be easily led? So I come back to Boston, then what? You drop by once a week, if your schedule isn’t too busy. What about the other days when I don’t see you because you and Mother are divorced?”

  He flinched as if he’d been sucker-punched.

  Her voice softened. “I’m sorry if what I said hurt. I love you both, but perhaps it’s time I told you the reason I left Boston. It was because you, especially you—and you, too, Mother, but you’re not nearly as bad as Father—put me in the middle. You made me feel as if I was being disloyal because I still loved and wanted to be with both of you.”

  Her mother briefly closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I was just so angry at him for cheating.”

  “I didn’t cheat! That woman lied!” he yelled.

  “Pictures don’t lie,” she shot back.

  A muscle leaped in Beau’s jaw, but he remained silent.

  Skylar held up her hands. “Please. No more. I thought you should know what happened tonight so you wouldn’t be blindsided by reporters or friends. As for me, unless Navarone Resorts and Spas moves its headquarters, I’m staying in Tucson.” She took her mother’s and grandmother’s arms. “I have an auction to run. My mother and grandmother have things to buy.”

  Rio opened the door. “Don’t forget Mr. Carrington’s signed baseball.”

  Her grandfather smiled. “Yep, more and more. Let’s go.”

  Rio fell in behind them as they left. Skylar urged her family to go on in. Seats were waiting for them in the
front row beside Mrs. Grayson. Speaking briefly with the headwaiter, she took Rio’s hand and squeezed. “I have plans later for you.”

  “Behave,” he said.

  She grinned and walked to the front where item number twenty-six, the NASCAR package, had just sold for fifty-one hundred dollars. Skylar applauded the sale and reached for the microphone from the auctioneer.

  “Good evening once again, and thank you for coming. I guess you got a little more excitement than you expected.” She winked to laughter from the audience. “Thanks to the excellent security of Mr. Navarone, the intruder is in custody and we can get on with tonight’s events.” She lifted her hand. Waiters came in bearing trays of champagne, sparkling water, and hors d’oeuvres.

  “I’m going to relax one of my rules and let you eat in here. The buffet line is still open and the band will play softly if you have what you came for and want to romance that certain someone. Delivery can be arranged. In the back of the room, St. John’s honors music students can answer any question or assist you in any way. Now, let’s go to our next item, number twenty-seven, a painting by the very talented Kara Simmons-Landers. I see the current bid is thirty-five hundred. Remember, some invitees were unable to attend, so there could be bidding online as well as in this room. So, let the bids begin.”

  * * *

  Skylar was sensational. She had the audience in the palm of her competent hand. Rio couldn’t have been prouder of her. It was difficult to believe that earlier she had faced down a gunman and threatened to put a bullet between his eyes. The announcement of the final total—$2,789,000—brought screams from the students and applause.

  Blade and Sierra came to the microphone. “Sierra and I would just like to add our thanks to all of you here tonight; to Skylar, for doing such an incredible job organizing this wonderful event; and of course to my fantastic mother-in-law, Mrs. Ruth Grayson, department chair, for her dedication and pride in sharing her love of music with the outstanding Music Department of St. John’s College.”

  There was more applause that grew as Ruth stood and waved. She started to sit down, but Blade beckoned her. He stepped aside so she could stand between him and Sierra. “I’ll make this quick. Sierra and I believe in you, the students, and St. John’s. All of your children earned their degrees there. So Sierra and I would like to donate two million, two hundred and eleven thousand dollars to make tonight’s total an even five million.”