Fade To Gray (Triad Series Book 1) Page 27

  "I won’t. I promise. Besides, Jules will be just as worried as you are."

  "Em, nobody will ever worry about you as much as I do." He leaned over, bracing one hand on each side of her. She stared up into the gold-flecked green of his eyes, her heart almost stuttering to a stop at the intensity she saw reflected there. "I love you. And whatever it takes for us to make this work, you should know that I’m all in."

  She swallowed, tears pricking the backs of her eyes. "Me, too. All the way. Whatever it takes," she whispered, repeating his promise.

  With a groan, his lips covered hers, the kiss filled with both tenderness and passion. For a moment there was nothing but the two of them and the feel of their mouths moving together, their souls fused as one. And then he pulled free, regret filling his eyes. "As much as I’d like to stay, I really need to go. Russ and Evan are outside, so you’ll be safe."

  "I know. And Jules will be here. It’s all good."

  He brushed the hair out of her face and kissed her again. Hard. And then pushed to his feet and walked toward the door, Bailey padding complacently at his side.

  "Stay," Gideon said, reaching down to scratch behind the dog’s ears. "Watch over her for me, okay?"

  Bailey raised a paw in salute.

  Emily laughed. "Stop worrying, I’ll be fine." He turned to go and her throat tightened. "Gideon?"

  He turned back to look at her.

  "Please be careful out there."

  "Always." His grin was cocky, and she resisted the urge to ask him to stay. There’d be time for the two of them later. She had to believe that. But right now, it was time to find a killer.

  CHAPTER 28

  "WHAT HAVE YOU GOT?" Gideon asked as he strode into the computer room, where Ryder was huddled in front of a monitor and Declan was hanging up the phone.

  "Nothing on Victor," Declan reported. "It’s like the guy’s just fallen off the face of the planet. And Yuri Patanko hasn’t been any easier to locate. The guy had dinner at a usual haunt in Brooklyn last night but hasn’t been seen again since."

  "Doesn’t sound promising."

  "I’ve been looking further into Jesse Tyler’s phone calls, and found evidence of a couple of conference calls that included Tyler, Vincent and Margaret Grossman."

  "The congresswoman?"

  "Yeah. Interesting, right? Especially considering it’s public knowledge that there was no love lost between her and Irwin. But without access to the actual conversations there’s no way to know for certain if they were connected to Tyler and Vincent’s scheme. Although I’d lay odds that she’s part of this."

  "Which means she could be at risk. Do we know where she is?" Gideon asked, his Spidey sense tingling.

  "Turns out," Declan replied, "she called in sick this morning. I just tried her cell phone. No answer."

  "Great. We’ve got a cast of disappearing characters and no way to connect any of them, except Tyler, to the actual murder."

  "Yeah, but the fact that someone came gunning for Jesse makes it seem likely that he wasn’t the killer."

  "Or at least that he wasn’t working alone." Gideon ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

  "I hate to say it, but my money is on Vincent Masterson. We’ve got him on text colluding with Tyler to blackmail Irwin."

  "Yes, but there was nothing about killing the man."

  "Maybe Vincent found out it was Emily that Jesse Tyler drugged. That’d be enough for him to go crazy and murder the senator. And maybe even finish Jesse off."

  "After the fact? Why not kill him on the spot? And if he was motivated by Emily’s involvement, why leave her there? Besides, there’s still Jack Wetherston’s murder to consider. And the attempt on Emily’s life. Add it all together and none of it makes any sense."

  "Maybe he lost it, killed Irwin, and then decided to cover his tracks by framing Emily. When that didn’t work, he tried to kill her. And when that failed he started eliminating loose ends. Wetherston could definitely have been perceived as a threat. Look, I know Emily cares about her uncle, but he hits me as a self-preservation first, family second kind of dude."

  "I hope to hell you’re wrong. After what her father has already done, if it turns out that her uncle is behind all of this, it’s going to destroy Emily."

  "Well, maybe he’s just incredibly stupid and Yuri Patanko is our man."

  Gideon shook his head. "But that doesn’t fit either. Patanko and his lackeys aren’t the type to stab a guy multiple times. Too messy. Too much trace evidence. It just doesn’t make sense."

  "Unless one of them had a personal beef with the senator. Still, you’re right, it doesn’t feel like a mob hit."

  "Which leaves us stumbling around in the dark."

  "I wish we knew whether the connection between Vincent Masterson and Yuri Patanko had to do with Vincent’s plans for Irwin or if it was purely ancillary." Declan’s phone started to ring. "Hang on. I should answer this."

  Gideon nodded and blew out a breath as Declan walked out of the room. He glanced down at his own phone, thinking maybe he’d call Emily. But he’d only been gone an hour or so and he didn’t want to worry her. And he sure as hell had nothing good to report.

  Shoving his phone back in his pocket, he walked over to Ryder, who was still sitting in front of the monitor. "What about the security photo? Did Harrison find a way to enhance the shimmer we found in the reflection?"

  "Yes and no," Ryder said. "He’s definitely isolated something, but it’s still not completely clear what it is we’re looking at." Ryder hit a button and the image on the screen enlarged to focus on the area of reflection in the elevator door frame. "I’m thinking that’s definitely an appendage. Maybe a hand?"

  He pointed to the shadowy outline just above the glittery bit. "Which maybe makes that a watch." He shrugged. "Or, I don’t know, maybe metal or jewels of some kind? There seems to be a pattern to the sparkles, but without context, I’m not sure there’s any way to ID it. Harrison’s running his reconstruction software, but it’s kind of hard to reconstruct something from nothing. You know?" Ryder sat back, lifting his hands in apology. "He’ll send a file if he finds anything."

  "So for the moment at least we don’t have anything new."

  "I wish I had better news."

  "Not your fault. I know if there was something to find, you’d find it. But I can’t help but feel like time is running out. Which honestly scares the hell out of me. If we’re right and the killer is trying to clean up loose ends, then Emily is definitely a target."

  "Which begs the question why you’re here and not there." Ryder turned in his chair, his gaze meeting Gideon’s.

  His heart twisted, but he knew he was better off here than there. No matter how much he would have preferred the latter. "I left Russ and Evan on guard duty. And Jules is coming by for a meeting about her campaign or something. I figured I was more use to Emily here, working the case."

  "There’s truth in that," Ryder said. "How is she feeling today?"

  "Pretty banged up. Although it could have been so much worse. I almost think the emotional toll is more dangerous. I mean, between her father and her uncle, it’s pretty much like her heart got ripped out of her chest with a pair of wire cutters."

  "Graphic way to put it." Ryder winced. "But at least she has you to staunch the bleeding."

  "No thanks to you and your meddling," he said, but there was no heat in the words. The truth was he owed Ryder for setting things straight. Not that he’d ever admit as much.

  "Yeah, well, remind me of that again when I’m dancing at your wedding." His friend turned back to the computer screen.

  "Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’ve barely begun trying to fix the mess we made of things the first time around. And unless we figure out who the hell is behind all of this, there may not be anything left to fix."

  "On that note, maybe I’ve got a little good news," Declan said, coming back into the computer room. "That was Ceraso. They have Margaret Grossman in custody."

 
; "They arrested her?" Gideon frowned.

  "Well, technically, they’re holding her for questioning. But with any luck they’ll hit pay dirt. So far she’s not admitting anything except being involved in a plan to sponsor legislation Vincent was interested in. Which explains the conference calls."

  "I remember Emily saying something about him working on a new deal of some kind. Her father apparently didn’t support the effort."

  "No surprise there. Vincent’s schemes never seem to amount to much. I should have mentioned earlier that I checked his bank records and the guy’s flat broke. Although he did have an infusion of cash a few months ago. Which could explain his involvement with Patanko. But all of it’s gone now."

  "Is there anything that might link Irwin to this scheme or the legislation he and the congresswoman were working on?"

  "Nothing we’ve got. But maybe Ceraso will get something more out of Margaret Grossman. At least it’s something." Declan shrugged.

  "Yeah, I know. What about the ballistics test? Did we get it back?"

  Ryder looked up from his computer. "We did. Both men were killed with the same gun."

  "Well, I guess that’s something. At least we’ve definitively linked Wetherston’s death to Tyler’s." Gideon frowned. "Maybe I should go over to the PD and see if I can sit in on Margaret Grossman’s questioning."

  "You and Ceraso seem to have had a meeting of the minds."

  "We just want the same thing. To find the man who killed Tom Irwin and put the bastard behind bars. And in the meantime, I’d settle for finding Vincent fucking Masterson."

  "Well," a voice from behind him said, "maybe I can help you with that."

  The hair on the back of his neck rose as Gideon turned around to face the man in the doorway, his fingers closing around his gun. "Speak of the devil."

  Vincent Masterson held both hands up in surrender. "I’ve come to turn myself in." He opened one hand to reveal a cell phone. "And I’ve brought you a little gift."

  *****

  "IS EVERYTHING OKAY?" Emily asked as she brought a cup of coffee over to Jules. "You keep looking at the door."

  Jules took the cup and smiled. "Just thinking about your goons outside."

  "Gideon’s men are hardly goons." Emily took her own cup and sat on the sofa across from Jules. Bailey, who’d followed her to the kitchen, jonesing for doggy treats, climbed onto the cushions, dropping his head in her lap with a sigh. "They’re here to protect me. To protect us actually, since you’re here too."

  "Well, I suppose it is necessary. But speaking of Gideon," Jules tilted her head, her eyes full of speculation, "how are things going with the two of you?"

  Emily felt the hot stain of a blush. "We’re trying to work things out."

  "You looked pretty cozy yesterday when I was here. I assume he stayed?"

  Emily perched on the side of the couch, her mind moving to thoughts of Gideon and their lovemaking last night. If possible it had been even more intense than before. As if somehow they’d added a new layer to their attraction. Common sense told her to write it off as a by-product of having come so close to death, but in her heart she knew that it was something more lasting. Something significant.

  "Actually," Jules said, pulling Emily from her thoughts, "I can see the answer on your face. At least one of us is getting laid."

  "I’m sorry things didn’t work out with the guy you were seeing." Emily felt guilty. With everything that had been happening she hadn’t even given her friend’s life a thought. "I know you had high hopes."

  "Yes, well, that’s ancient history. As I said, he turned out to be a real loser. There was another woman."

  "He was married?" Jules had always had a way of picking the worst of the lot.

  "No. But he was more interested in her than me. And then, to make it all that much worse, he tried to use things I’d told him in confidence against me." She paused, pain cresting in her eyes, then disappearing. "But no matter. I handled it. Made it clear that I wasn’t going to take any of his crap."

  "Good for you. But I’m sorry. It hurts when you put your trust in the wrong person. And even if you manage to stay standing, there’s still a little bit of doubt. Like maybe it’s your fault you didn’t see the truth."

  "You’re not talking about my love life anymore, are you?"

  Emily sucked in a breath. "No. I guess I wasn’t. But I’m being selfish. We were talking about you."

  "No. Don’t apologize. It’s totally understandable under the circumstances. Besides, I’m fine. I just need to see to a couple of loose ends and then I’ll be ready to move on."

  "Well, be careful. When someone is cornered, they often come out swinging. And this guy doesn’t sound like someone you should underestimate."

  "Believe me," Jules sighed. "He’s the least of my problems."

  "You want to tell me more about what happened?"

  "No. Honestly, I’m good. I should have known better than to trust someone like him. Hell, to trust anyone at all."

  "Oh, Jules, I’m sorry. Someday you’re going to find the right guy. And he’s going to adore you."

  "The way Gideon loves you?"

  Emily started to deny it, but then stopped. There was no point in covering up her feelings. She loved Gideon. And he loved her. He’d said as much and surely, even without the words, he’d more than demonstrated his feelings. There was no reason at all not to admit the truth. To say it out loud. "Yes. The way Gideon loves me."

  "My God, Emily, you’re so fucking lucky. I mean, if anyone else had been through what the two of you have been through, there’s no way they’d have managed to sort through the bullshit, let alone reunite. It’s miraculous, to say the least. Almost as if Tom Irwin did you a favor."

  Emily shivered. "I’d say that’s pushing it a bit too far. I don’t owe Tom Irwin anything. He can roast in hell for all I care."

  Jules’ expression sobered. "I think that’s a distinct possibility. And anyway, I was just kidding. Of course you don’t owe that bastard anything. He was completely obsessed with you. Despite your obvious rejection, he was still determined. Absolutely no one else would do."

  "Which is really scary."

  "Except that the man is dead. He can’t hurt anyone anymore."

  "Valid point." Emily leaned back against the sofa cushions, suddenly feeling all of her aches and pains but determined nevertheless to put on a good face. "Now if we can just find his killer, maybe all of this will be nothing more than a bad memory."

  "Yes, and you and Gideon can ride off into the sunset." Jules took a sip of coffee, watching Emily over the rim of the cup.

  "You make it sound so easy. I’m not sure there’s a true happy ending in store for me. Not with my father and my uncle both suspected of misconduct."

  "Misconduct is an understatement, Emily," Jules said. "But surely their crimes aren’t yours."

  "Not literally, no. But how much of what happened had to do with my involvement—or non-involvement—with Irwin? And before that my involvement with Gideon? It seems that I bring out the worst in the men I care about."

  "Now you’re just feeling sorry for yourself."

  "Maybe." She sighed, forcing a smile and changing the subject. "What we need to do is discuss your campaign. This is your last major fundraiser. So we have to make it count." Emily reached for a file folder on the table just as the doorbell rang. Her hand froze and Bailey whined softly.

  "Don’t worry," Jules said with a shake of her head. "It’s probably one of Gideon’s goons. Or your nosey neighbor. I’ll take care of whoever it is."

  Emily sucked in a breath, trying for a calm she most definitely didn’t feel.

  She heard Jules talking and the lower hum of a male voice and relaxed. She was jumping at shadows now. Gideon’s men were watching over her. Jules was right; there was nothing to be worried about.

  As if to underscore the thought, or on second thought perhaps to refute it, Jules walked back into the living room—followed by Emily’s father.

>   "What are you doing here?" Emily asked, anger pushing away all worry. "I thought I made it perfectly clear that we had nothing more to say to each other."

  Her father moved closer, holding his hands out to her. "Angel, you know I can’t live with the way we left things yesterday. I need to talk to you. To explain things."

  "You’ve said enough already. I want you out of my house now."

  "Emily, I’m your father." He stepped closer, his voice cajoling. "You have to give me another chance."

  "I don’t have to do anything." She narrowed her eyes, her gaze locked on her father. "Jules, can you please show him out?"

  "I’m afraid I can’t do that," Jules said and at the tone of her voice, Emily and her father turned toward her.

  Emily’s heart stuttered, cold fear washing through her at the sight of the gun in Jules’ hand.

  "What the hell?" her father asked, his attention also trained on the weapon.

  Jules smiled and shrugged, her hand steady as she leveled the revolver. "It’s like I told you, Emily. A few last loose ends."

  CHAPTER 29

  "MAYBE WE SHOULD START with clarifying what exactly it is that you’re confessing?" Gideon asked Vincent as they settled around the conference table in the computer room. Gideon sat across from Vincent with Declan adjacent on his left and Ryder on the right.

  "I’m admitting to my involvement with both Yuri Patanko and with Jesse Tyler. And I’m admitting to our plot against Tom Irwin. But I didn’t kill anyone. Not Irwin. Not Tyler and you have to believe that I never meant to drag Emily into any of this."

  "But you did." Gideon fought against his anger. It wouldn’t do any good to frighten the older man. He needed answers and to get them he had to keep his temper in check, even though he wanted nothing more than to beat Emily’s uncle senseless.

  "Yes. Inadvertently, I did. And then I compounded my error by thinking that Yuri Patanko and his henchmen could help me get out of the mess I’d made." He stopped, dragging in a long breath. "It was Patanko who had the bomb placed in your car. It was meant for you."

  "Another inadvertent mistake on your part?"