Retrograde (Galaxy)

by Desiree Holt

  The image of her brother-in-law’s body and Brianne’s pale face came alive in her brain, reminding her there was no time to think about sex right now. She needed to focus on why she was here. She had a mission to complete and she hoped these men would help her. After all the doors slammed in her face, she needed someone who wasn’t afraid of political fallout.

  Blaze gestured toward the plane and followed her up the pulldown stairs into the cabin. She’d never had a meeting like this before and certainly hadn’t flown in style like this. Commercial first class was nothing compared to the absolute luxury of the Gulfstream 500. From the way the interior was outfitted, it was obvious no expense had been spared. She marveled at the rich scent and feel of the padded leather of the seats, the thick carpet on the floor, the polished mahogany of the trim and the built-in tables, the damask curtains on the windows. It was like having a meeting in someone’s living room.

  They certainly must make a boatload of money doing whatever they do. I hope I can afford them.

  Nolan hadn’t mentioned their fees and she’d been so excited that she might have found someone who wouldn’t be stonewalled in the search for the truth that she hadn’t asked. Well, no matter. She knew she’d somehow find whatever she needed to pay these people.

  And to that end, if she really wanted their help, she’d damn well better control her unexpected and unwanted impulses. Blaze Hamilton probably had women climbing all over him. And much sexier women than she was. She’d do well to remember that.

  “Take any seat where you think you’ll be comfortable,” he urged, gesturing. “I’ll be back in a minute. I just need a second with my pilot.”

  “Of course.” She chose one of the upholstered armchairs and settled herself into its softness.

  Blaze strode forward to the cockpit, then after just a few minutes rejoined her. She’d thought he’d take the seat across from her, but instead he dropped to the couch against the other cabin wall. His presence dominated the confined space, making her feel as if he consumed nearly all the air. Before she could analyze what she was feeling, however, the roar of the powerful engines increased and they were rolling down the runway. She took a deep breath, telling herself to settle down and get her thoughts in order. Once they were aloft, she’d have one chance to tell her story and convince Galaxy to take her case. She’d better make it good.

  Blaze smiled at her, the curve of his lips like a warm blanket, easing her tension just the least little bit. “We’ll have coffee as soon as we’re at cruising altitude and maybe you can relax a little. Then we can talk about why you’re taking this plane ride.”

  “Thank you. And thanks for agreeing to meet with me.”

  He dipped his head in a brief nod. “My brother never recommends anyone to us, so I figured it had to be very important.”

  “It is.” She wanted to blurt it all out now, but she knew he’d let her know her when he was ready to listen.

  “Do you live in Tampa?”

  She shook her head. “San Antonio. But my sister and brother-in-law live here.” Maybe lived, past tense, would be more appropriate, she thought.

  “You said this has to do with them?”

  “It has everything to do with them.”

  If she weren’t so focused on the situation she was here to talk about, how easily she could be seduced by that voice, she thought. It was deep and husky, the kind that made a delicious shiver race over her skin. It shocked her that in the middle of this unbelievable crisis, such thoughts would even enter her mind. She certainly wasn’t here for sex, something that had been absent from her life for longer than she cared to remember. She was here for Brianne. And Dane. To get answers and, hopefully, punish the people who had done this. She’d just have to keep her brain focused and her panties on tight.

  She was restless, fidgety, eager to begin the conversation but forced to wait until they reached cruising altitude. At last the pilot’s voice broke the silence.

  “Blaze? We’re at thirty thousand feet.”

  Blaze unbuckled his seat belt and rose with an easy grace. “That’s our cue. Coffee? Or something stronger? Wine?”

  “Coffee is fine,” she told him. “Black, please.”

  He lifted a table from a slot in the wall, turned it and her chair so she faced the couch and locked it in place.

  “Let me know if you need to adjust this thing. I’m more comfortable if I take the couch. Easier to stretch my legs. Hope you don’t mind.”

  “No, of course not. Anything is fine. Truly.”

  I don’t care if you stand on your head as long as I can tell you what I need.

  He strode to the back of the cabin, where she assumed the galley was. She spent the intervening moments until he returned organizing her thoughts. Not that she needed much time. Since Nolan Hamilton had given her his brother’s number, her brain had been focused on nothing but the situation and how she’d present it.

  “Miss West?”

  She looked up to see Blaze standing beside her chair, holding two cups of steaming liquid.

  “Oh. Thank you.”

  She wondered if he noticed that her hands had a faint tremble as she took the coffee from him. She needed to keep it together here. So much depended on him agreeing to help her. Otherwise, she had nowhere to turn. Dane would have died for nothing, and Brianne might never awaken from her coma.

  Stop. Think positive.

  He lowered himself to the couch and sat facing her, then took a swallow of coffee.

  “I Googled you this afternoon.”

  “No less than I expected.” She tried to smile. “Good thing I don’t have any deep dark secrets.”

  He laughed and the sound warmed her chilled body. “Not unless you count being a successful published author one.”

  “Hardly. And before we start, please understand this isn’t something I’m embroidering with my creative mind. This is very real.”

  “We’ll see.” He crossed his legs. “Anyway, after I ran the check on you, I called my brother. It doesn’t appear that you’re nuts or a scam artist and he speaks very well of you, so why don’t you tell me why Nolan thought you needed to get in touch with me? Galaxy only takes cases that either no one else will touch or the authorities have screwed up in some way. Something that needs our particular skills. Is that what we’re looking at here?”

  “I’m pretty sure I fit the bill.” She fortified herself with another sip of coffee before setting the cup down.

  Make it good, she told herself.

  “Let me start with the last Skype conversation I had with my sister. She told me Dane had been very tense and edgy the past couple of weeks. She thought it may have had something to do with some pictures she took that she showed him. Pictures that Owen Kendrick, the son of the senior partner in the law firm where Dane worked, was in. He had her forward the pictures to his phone, but he hadn’t said a word about it since then. He kept brushing it off when she mentioned it, even though she could see he was upset.”

  “Did he ever explain to her?”

  Peyton shook her head. “No, and that surprised me. They didn’t have the kind of relationship where they hid things from each other.”

  “There’s always a first time,” Blaze pointed out.

  “No. Not with them.”

  She had always envied their marriage, the connection they’d had and the unrestrained love they’d felt for each other. Her own life was devoid of anything like that. She had just been too busy with her writing and dealing with everything that went with growing success to spend time on a relationship. Oh, she never lacked for dates if she wanted them, and she’d even had her share of interesting sex. She’d never, though, even come close to the connection Dane and Brianne had had. Mostly, she figured, because she hadn’t been looking.

  “I’m sure if I could ever find out what Dane was bothered about, I’d have the answer. I just feel that’s a priority. It’s got to be connected with the hit-and-run.” She paused, organizing her thoughts. “I mean, think
about it. For me to be shortstopped at every turn is an indication, at least to me, that some pretty powerful people wanted Dane eliminated and his death swept under the rug.”

  “I’m not saying no to that. Not yet, anyway.”

  “I need someone who knows how to conduct investigations like this as much under the radar as possible. None of the people who have been so busy covering up their shit can be tipped off until I have the proof I need.”

  “Tell me about the incident.”

  “At least you didn’t call it an accident like everyone else.” She blew out a breath, steadying herself again. She wished she could get a better read on this man. Was he buying this? “Okay. Three weeks ago, on a Friday night, my sister, Brianne, and her husband, Dane, were having a late dinner at a favorite restaurant. Relaxing, I guess. Anyway, after they’d eaten, they were crossing the road from the restaurant to the lot where their car was parked. A vehicle came out of nowhere and ran them both down.”

  “Jesus!” Blaze blew out a breath.

  Jesus is right. At least she now knew she had his attention.

  “Dane is dead and Brianne is in the hospital with a broken leg and arm, and in a coma she may never wake up from.”

  She watched his face for some reaction. God, this was like trying to read a blank page.

  “That’s both unfortunate and sad, but not exactly the type of case Galaxy takes on.”

  “If I told you there was something weird about the whole thing, would you be more interested?”

  “Maybe. Depends how weird, and why the police aren’t handling it.”

  Okay, so he wasn’t ready to commit to anything yet. But she hadn’t given him all the facts.

  “When Peter Kendrick, the senior partner at Dane’s law firm, called me to tell me about my sister, I jumped on the first plane I could get. Our parents are dead, so Brianne and I only have each other. Of course, she has Dane.” She paused to take a breath. “Did have. Damn it. Anyway, that was all he told me except for the name of the hospital. Said he was sure Brianne would want me to be there. Damn straight she would.”

  “That’s sad and depressing, and I’m sorry for your loss, but it still doesn’t sound like anything that needs our attention.”

  “I’m getting there. That’s only the beginning.” She swallowed some coffee and gathered her thoughts.

  “Take your time.”

  “Does this flight have a time limit?”

  He gave her a reassuring smile. “Yes, but we aren’t even close.”

  “Good. When I got to Tampa, of course I went right to the hospital. I nearly lost it when I saw my vital, bubbly sister lying in bed with a broken arm and leg and barely a breath of life. She had not yet regained consciousness, which scared the hell out of me. I just broke down. I couldn’t help it.”

  “Understandable.”

  “Then I got my shit together, if you’ll excuse my language. After I made sure Brianne was getting the care she should, I called Dane’s parents to offer my condolences. Questioning them was hard, but they didn’t know anything more than I did.”

  She had to stop for a moment. She made her living from words, but this was incredibly hard for her to describe.

  Blaze just sat on the couch, waiting for her to continue.

  “They said the funeral would be in a few days. I promised them I’d be there. They were just so upset that they couldn’t wait for Brianne. After we got through that disaster, I found out which police station had taken the call and went to get a copy of the report. That’s when it got interesting.”

  He dipped his head once. “Go ahead.”

  “The report wasn’t in the computer. Everything goes in the computer, right? At least I assumed so. They told me the cop writing it up probably still had all the notes on his desk. And no, he wasn’t in at the moment.”

  Blaze arched an eyebrow. “So you never saw the information?”

  “Only after three days of making a pest of myself. Then they told me it had finally been entered, but the damn information is so sketchy it tells you nothing. First of all, they were still trying to find the car and its driver. They said they had conflicting descriptions and they were all hazy anyway. It happened so suddenly, they told me. It was late at night when Dane and Brianne were crossing the street from the restaurant where they’d had dinner.”

  “And?”

  “The report said there were a few people on the sidewalk at the restaurant entrance, plus the man who ran the parking lot across from the place. But everyone had a different story. Yes, they heard Brianna scream, but it all happened so fast! No, they have no details. The car was gone before anyone realized what had happened.”

  “Was there any description of the car at all? Any identification of the driver? License plate, at least?”

  “If only. I kept asking the traffic cop who talked to me, but I might as well have saved my breath. Yes,” she recited, “they checked the traffic cams and no, they hadn’t found the car. They put out a call for it, but they believed it was long gone. Someplace. Someplace? Give me a break.”

  “And no trace of the driver, I’m guessing.”

  “That’s what they told me. I went back twice to see that cop and find out if he’d learned anything, but that was a dead end. Every time I went there after that first time, I was told he was gone. Off for a week, they said. Not available.”

  “Off. Yeah, that sounds weird.”

  “Especially when I got the feeling they’d closed the case and moved on from it. No car, no driver, shaky witnesses. Bam. Done.”

  Something flickered in Blaze’s eyes and Peyton was sure she’d caught his attention now.

  “What did you do after that?” he urged. “I’m guessing you didn’t stop there.”

  “Absolutely. I asked again about witnesses and was told they’d been no help. The traffic detectives had questioned everyone and assured me they were very thorough. However, the stories were all mixed. Different people remembered different things.”

  “That’s not unusual in a situation like this,” Blaze pointed out. “Especially if it happens very quickly. People aren’t prepared to see something like that, and by the time their brain catches up with their eyesight, it’s over and done with.”

  “That’s what the policeman said. He told me it was like blowing in the wind. People said it happened so fast they didn’t get a good look. Some people said the car was brown, others gray and one even said she thought it was black.”

  Blaze shrugged. “So basically, they have nothing.”

  “Right,” she agreed. “The next thing I did was track down the paramedic who had been called to the scene. The one who took Brianne to the hospital. Blaze, she got very nervous. Said if the cops told her no one saw anything, then no one did. Her whole attention was focused on Brianne. Then she excused herself in a hurry and said she had to get ready for her shift.”

  “Okay.” Blaze nodded. “What did you do next? You don’t strike me as someone who’d just let something like this go.”

  “You’re right. I didn’t. After that I went to see Peter Kendrick, the senior partner in the law firm Dane was with. As I told you, he’s the one who made the calls to Dane’s parents and me after it happened. I had thought for sure he’d be able to get some information. Get them to at least question everyone again. He’s very well connected, both in the corporate world and politically. Even all the way to Washington.”

  “Was he able to help you?”

  “Far from it.” She scowled. “Oh, at first he was very solicitous, very concerned. Promised he’d check into it. But the next time we talked, he told me he wasn’t able to find out anything more than I had. Agreed with me this was a terrible disaster. How awful that it happened so fast no one was able to give a good description of the car. And wasn’t it terrible that the traffic cam videos blurred so there was no clear picture of the car or driver. I was shocked when, after he apologized, he urged me to drop it. Said the firm was saddened by the tragedy and disappointed at the lack
of information, but the important thing for me was to concentrate on my sister. To help her get well.”

  “Did you get the feeling he’s involved in whatever this is?”

  A bitter taste flooded her mouth. “At this point I think everyone’s involved. I told him thanks for his efforts, but I wasn’t about to let it go.”

  “What did he say to that?”

  “He got very testy with me. Told me the police can get nasty if you doubt their word and they could make my life miserable. Repeated that he’d talked to them and whoever did this is in the wind. Again, he said I should concentrate on Brianne and praying she comes out of this coma. That she had a long road ahead of her if she did and she’d need me with her. That’s where my energy should be, not on chasing some wild-ass theory.”

  “Do either the restaurant or the parking lot have outside security cameras?”

  She nodded. “Both of them. The cops assured me, and not too pleasantly, I might add, they looked at both videos, but the car was a blur and the cameras didn’t catch the license plates.”

  “Okay.” He studied her face as he spoke. “Let me see if I’ve got this straight. A car comes racing down a street at a time when it’s pretty deserted. And even though the victims had just walked out of a restaurant and there’s a parking lot across the street, the car hits two people and not a soul has any details.”

  “That’s correct.” She rubbed her forehead, trying to stave off the beginning of a headache. “Believe me, I was plenty skeptical, too, but the more I asked, the more irritated they got.”

  Telling the story always made her edgy and upset. She wished she had something stronger to drink than coffee. It would also help a lot if she could read Blaze Hamilton better and judge his reaction. She was sure his years as a SEAL had taught him how to keep his face expressionless, but she needed to know what he was thinking.

  “Have you spoken to anyone else?”

  “I tried talking to the people who work at the restaurant, but they were as skittish and distant as everyone else. They gave their reports to the cops and that’s all they know. And no, they couldn’t give me the names of any customers without their permission. They are very sorry and wish they could be more help.” She snorted. “Yeah, right.”