Decoding a Criminal

by Barb Han

  “Layla West is sitting in prison right now. Whether or not your wife leaves you doesn’t stack up to what has happened to her, does it?” Dash couldn’t help himself. His brotherly instincts took over. He fisted his hands at his sides and, by sheer force of will, stopped himself from plowing into the jerk.

  “Hey, man. I didn’t have anything to do with her ripping off the company.” He put his hands in the air in the surrender position. “That, she did all on her own.”

  “You spent time with her. Do you really think she’s capable of stealing from the company?” Dash fired off.

  “Capable? She’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever met. Yes, she’s more than capable. Would she do something like this and implicate herself? No way. Layla’s too smart for that,” he said.

  “Then you believe she was set up?” Dash pressed.

  “I don’t know what to believe anymore. All I do know is that if I don’t get my butt inside the house, my wife is going to have a fit. I’ve already put her through the wringer. I’m on my third strike. So, if you don’t mind...”

  “Don’t go anywhere out of town in case I or someone from the Behavioral Analysis Unit needs to get in touch with you,” Dash stated. Yes, he was seething. And yes, it was taking all his willpower to keep his feet planted and not deck Calum Langston. The guy was a jerk, but based on his answers and his actions, Dash didn’t believe he’d set up Layla. The timing of their affair was unfortunate for him because it was going to be public knowledge if it wasn’t already.

  Revenge was a strong motive. Hurting his mistress and teaching him a lesson in the process. Was Bitty that calculating?

  Dash climbed in the SUV. “We’re going to my sister’s apartment.”

  Raina shot him a confused look.

  “I haven’t been by there in the past week since her arrest. I want to dig around the place and see if we can pick up any clues,” he said.

  “We should probably eat something,” Raina said, and he realized they hadn’t eaten breakfast yet. “It doesn’t have to be much. I can get by on power bars when I’m coding.”

  “We can do a little better than that,” he said, wanting to share his favorite breakfast burrito spot. “This place is on the way to Layla’s.”

  It was most likely the stress of the day combined with the pull of attraction he hadn’t felt in far too long before Raina that had him wanting...no, needing to reach over and kiss her again.

  Not the time, West. Not the time.

  * * *

  LAYLA’S DOWNTOWN APARTMENT was pristine, like always. Raina had no idea what they were looking for, and going inside the place without her friend felt like trespassing. “What are we trying to find?”

  “Good question.” Dash stood in the middle of the living room and glanced around, surveying the area.

  The flooring inside the apartment was wood, stained in a light color. The furniture was all white, and there was a painting of a red dot over the fireplace that Raina would never understand the price tag of.

  “Nothing looks out of sorts,” she said. Nothing was ever out of place.

  Two small sofas faced each other. Each had a red throw blanket folded over the back. The cleaning lady who came in every week made sure everything stayed in its appropriate spot. Layla worked long hours, so she wasn’t home much.

  Dash moved to the kitchen. Again, there was nothing to find there. Layla didn’t cook, despite having all brand-new stainless steel appliances and a gas cooktop. Raina had only ever seen her friend use the microwave on a regular basis. Not unusual for a young, single professional woman.

  He opened the fridge. There were a few takeout boxes and a carton of milk. There were a couple of yogurts—Layla’s go-to breakfast—and some once-fresh fruit that looked pitiful. He tossed it and the stale takeout containers. Other than that, there was orange juice and a couple bottles of wine. He picked one up and read the label.

  “Expensive,” he said low and under his breath. He of all people should know Layla had a thirst for the good life. It was half the reason she worked her behind off.

  There was a wet bar in the hallway leading to the living room. Raina took him by the hand and walked him over. She opened the pocket doors that revealed the expensive stuff.

  “I don’t even drink this on a regular basis.” He picked up one of a dozen bottles of champagne to the tune of two hundred plus dollars each.

  Raina shrugged. “What can I say? Your sister has expensive taste.”

  Looking at it from his perspective, he had to be thinking this wouldn’t look good to a jury. A young ex-criminal who’d used her computer skills to wash her background clean and then go to work at a financial company, where she got greedy and made two million dollars disappear.

  It was a sound bite that would sell. It was clickbait that would work. No one bothered to dig deeper and find the truth. Most people seemed to make up their mind after the ten-or fifteen-second pitch. It didn’t help that there’d been an attempt to cover the tracks on the password that had been used.

  Anyone who knew Layla would realize she wouldn’t be that sloppy. But Raina, Dash and even Calum weren’t the ones who would be picked to decide her fate.

  There was something about Sheldon that still wasn’t sitting right with Raina, though. She couldn’t quite pinpoint it. He was angry with everyone. Did he have a beef with Layla? Revenge would be a good motive. But, also, just proving that he could do it might be enough for him to feel like he was getting one over on everyone. She had no idea people were making Sheldon’s life so hard. It shouldn’t surprise her, though. Layla’s boss also still bothered Raina. It was news to her that clients were complaining about him. But then, working in another department would mean that she wouldn’t necessarily get word. Heck, she didn’t know what was going on with her own team half the time. Then there was Bitty. Raina didn’t trust that woman as far as she could throw her. A spoiled LA princess whose husband cheated on her... Raina didn’t see Bitty taking that lying down. She had admitted to knowing about the affair. She didn’t need the money. Two million dollars would be enough to have Layla locked up for a long time. What lengths would she go to keep her family intact?

  Then there was Talia to consider. How far would she go? The black rose on the seat was more than a threat. It was also her telling them both she could get to either one of them at any point in time if she wanted to.

  The motorcycle guy was serious. He had tried to shoot at Dash and probably her, as well. He would have run them off the road. He’d been going after them. Why? Who was he working for?

  Talia was a possibility despite Dash thinking she wouldn’t put him at risk. He hadn’t seen her in two years. She’d been out for six months, circling like a vulture.

  Raina’s cell phone buzzed. She’d been so deep in thought the noise made her jump.

  She fished her cell out of her handbag and checked the screen. Her landlord. She must have made a face, because Dash asked, “Is everything okay?”

  “I’ll let you know in a sec.” Her landlord rarely ever called. She answered on the second ring. “Hello?”

  “Where are you?” Mrs. Applebaum’s voice wasn’t right.

  “I’m in Seattle. Why? Is everything okay?”

  “Thank the stars you’re not home.” The relief in her voice was palpable. “I saw your bike in the garage and your car was here, so I assumed the worst. I drove my husband up the wall, and he suggested that I call you.”

  “Why? What has you so worried?”

  “Your apartment, dear. Something caught on fire. The firemen are here now, putting out the blaze, but I was so worried you were inside,” she said.

  “My house is on fire?”

  “Yes. I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but I was worried sick,” her landlord continued. “Don’t you worry—we’ll get insurance right on it. The blaze moved so fast I don’t know how.”


  Raina sat down on the edge of Layla’s bed. She was momentarily stunned. “Have the firemen determined the cause?”

  “They haven’t said anything yet. We ran across the street in case it jumped to the main house. It didn’t, so our place is safe, and you’re welcome to stay in the spare bedroom until we can sort out the insurance and rebuild. Of course, you can break your lease without penalty too. You let me know what you decide once you figure out what’s left and where you want to go.” Her landlords had always been kind and fair, so it didn’t surprise her that they were willing to rush to take full responsibility.

  She feared the fire was no accident. Talia?

  “Thank you for calling and letting me know, Mrs. Applebaum. Can I ask how bad the fire was?”

  “It covered the place fast. So fast. I’m not sure much will be salvageable,” she said after a sigh.

  “I’ll come home right now and—”

  “There isn’t much to see here. Of course, you’re welcome to come back if you want, but the police are cordoning off the entrance,” she informed her. “It looks like it took pretty much the whole second floor over the garage.”

  “Oh. Okay, well, thank you anyway. I’ll check in later. I have a place to stay tonight. In fact, I was planning to be away from home for a few days anyway. Would you mind keeping me posted and letting me know what survives?” Raina asked as dread settled over her. She didn’t have much, but the thought of losing what little she had caused a heavy weight to settle on her shoulders like a cold, wet blanket.

  “I will do that as soon as the firemen give me a report. I’ll be honest, it doesn’t look like much, if anything, made it. I’m sorry this happened.” Mrs. Applebaum meant it too. She was exactly the kind of person who would care more about Raina’s feelings and safety than her rent or the loss. “I’m just real glad you weren’t home.”

  “Thank you. Same here.” Raina ended the call and put her head in her hands. “It’s all gone.”

  “What is gone?” Dash came to her side and sat down next to her. The mattress dipped under his weight.

  “Everything. My dad’s medals. My mom’s favorite necklace. Things I can’t replace.” Raina was not a crier. So not a crier. But this made her want to bawl.

  No. Whoever did this didn’t get to win. The person could take away her possessions, but she still had her memories—memories that she would cherish for the rest of her life.

  “How? What happened, Raina?” He cupped her chin and tilted her face toward him. A rogue tear slipped out that he thumbed away.

  “A fire in my apartment.”

  “Talia,” he said under his breath. He fished his cell from his pocket and fired off a text, presumably to one of his colleagues.

  “Could be someone who is not very happy with me being part of this investigation,” she said.

  “Not likely,” he countered.

  “Why not?” She was actually curious about his response. Her life had been pretty straightforward—albeit a little bit boring—before all this...mess had started with Layla. Maybe someone was trying to silence her too.

  “Well, first of all, Talia is the only one who would have something against you personally. This fire...this is a very personal attack. It doesn’t match up with the other case,” he said.

  “Someone tried to kill me as much as they tried to kill you,” she reasoned.

  “True. The jury is still out on who was responsible for the attack,” he said. “But I’ve all but dismissed Talia, considering the fact she wouldn’t want to have me killed. She wants me to suffer and come back to her, begging her forgiveness. The psych profile doesn’t match up.”

  “Unless she changed her mind while she was locked up.” Stranger things had happened. “Layla’s case is still so confusing. We have a few suspects, but I don’t have a front-runner. I don’t feel closer to the truth than we were twenty-four hours ago.”

  “It’s been a long morning. Neither of us slept last night.” His voice was smooth like silk now, and that’s exactly how it felt as it washed over her.

  “This day barely started and it feels like it might never end.”

  “I’ll keep looking around my sister’s place. Why don’t you take a shower? There’s no reason we can’t plant here for the day,” he said.

  “I can name one. I left my laptop at your place.” She bit back a yawn. Lack of sleep was clearly taking its toll. She never went anywhere without her laptop but leaving it at Dash’s place was safer than taking it with her under the circumstances.

  “True.” He stood up and held his hands out.

  She placed her hands in his and felt the jolt of electricity all the way up her arms.

  “But the brain starts slowing down after so many hours trying to figure something out. It’s natural to need sleep. You’ve been in these clothes since yesterday morning, and it might help you think if you take a hot shower and change.” His grin was devastating to her heart. “I’ll do my best not to think of you naked in the next room.”

  She used him as leverage to pull herself up to standing. “Is that right?”

  “I think we both know the two of us being together wouldn’t work for more reasons than we care to count. My heart has yet to get the memo,” he admitted, and there was something irresistible about his honesty.

  Should she fight what felt like the most natural thing in the world? Or would another hot kiss douse some of the flames still flickering between them?

  Chapter Seventeen

  Dash couldn’t help but think about how small Raina’s hands were in comparison to his. Her creamy skin was like silk against his palms as he walked her the couple of steps to the master bedroom.

  He wasn’t kidding about the fact that it had been a long twenty-four hours. Adrenaline had spiked several times and was now depleted, leaving Raina with the wired-tired feeling he could so easily see in her eyes.

  She needed rest. Continuing to operate with an empty tank would yield a similar result as driving a car on E. Convincing her to take time away from the investigation was a whole different ball game. But he could start with a shower and a fresh change of clothes. She and his sister couldn’t be too far off in clothing size, and Layla had to have something casual that would fit Raina. Of course, general height and weight was where the similarities between the two ended.

  Raina was nothing like Layla physically, mentally or emotionally.

  It was easy to see why the two were friends. They were opposites in most every way. Layla lived in an expensive apartment as close to the action as possible, whereas Raina lived over someone’s garage on an island. She rode a bike, which was something Layla wouldn’t be caught dead doing. Layla drove an expensive sports car. Looking around her apartment cemented the idea that his sister preferred the finer things in life.

  Was she hiding something? He hated to think about her in those terms, and he didn’t believe she was guilty by any means, but her attorney was going to have to sell her innocence in a court of law if Dash didn’t nail the bastard who was actually responsible for this.

  Another thought occurred to him. Was she protecting someone?

  “Was there anyone else in Layla’s life?” he asked Raina as he pulled a fluffy chocolate-brown towel from the hall closet. He set it on top of the counter and then headed toward the door.

  “Since Calum?”

  “In addition to?” he asked.

  “No. At least, I don’t think so,” she said. “But then, she didn’t tell me about Calum until long into the relationship. I seriously doubt there would have been anyone else. She was pretty into him. And, to be fair, I suspected something was up at the time when she started canceling plans with me and it took her a long time to answer a text. I just didn’t know who she was seeing.”

  Dash let that sit as he exited the bathroom. He closed the door behind him to give Raina some privacy. He was
n’t worried about her finding fresh clothes. As close as she was to his sister, Raina most likely had left something behind. And if she didn’t, his sister wouldn’t mind if her best friend borrowed an outfit. Layla faced bigger battles at the present time.

  He forced his thoughts away from the kisses he and Raina had shared, despite them wanting to force their way into his mind and take center stage. The attraction simmering between them wasn’t something he’d experienced in the past but it had gone as far as they could allow.

  Speaking of fires, the one at her place bothered him more than he was letting on. He had half a mind to reach out to Talia and give her hell about it. But that would be the equivalent of pouring gasoline on a blaze and definitely fell into the category of counterproductive.

  It also required an update to his team, which he gave almost immediately. Looking around, he spotted Layla’s laptop on top of her bar-height counter that separated the living room from the kitchen. He booted up her system figuring he could give the password she provided a go.

  He set up his cell phone, using the wall-mounted flat-screen TV as a monitor.

  Every day for at least fifteen minutes, Dash needed to sit in as quiet a room as possible and process the events. On a run like this one going on no sleep, it was especially important. He never knew when one little detail would suddenly pop and click the puzzle pieces of an investigation together. While Raina finished up her shower, he turned the lights down and leaned back into the couch.

  He closed his eyes and reviewed, beginning with yesterday morning’s meeting with the team. From there, he went to Layla’s office to interview Alec Kingsley. In all the excitement of the day, Dash almost forgot about the video he’d taken of Kingsley with the mystery man. He made a mental note to review the video and check in with home base as to whether or not the guy had been identified.

  Raina hadn’t recognized him, which led Dash to believe the guy was an outsider to the firm. A client? A rival company? To be fair, he could be a consultant. As much as technology had sped up investigations, this one couldn’t move fast enough for Dash.