Burned Hearts (14 page)

My sketch. “That's Wayne Horton. Asshole.”

Kyle snorted. “Nice depiction.”

“You think you're the only one who's creative in this house?”

“
You
realize Dane is going to have a conniption when he sees all the tiny nails you've hammered into his walls?”

With a coy smile, I said, “I'll just have to convince him to get over it, now won't I?”

Kyle grunted. “I don't even want to know about that.”

“Okay, then.” My attention shifted to the printouts. “So here's the Lux.” Off to the left side of Wayne. I hooked a piece of yarn around the head of the nail and pulled it tightly to my sketch of the Asshole and looped it around that nail. Then I continued upward, to the right, where Vale's picture was, effectively connecting three dots. “We're pretty certain Vale and Wayne conspired to destroy 10,000 Lux, even if there's no actual evidence to back up that theory.”

“Not a news flash,” Kyle tried to delicately tell me.

“No, not a news flash. However, we're not entirely sure of everyone's motives and who's fully responsible for all the destruction.”

“I believe that's what the trials are about.”

“Maybe,” I said. “Don't forget that we're dealing with an Illuminati faction with a powerful network built around it. Lots of pieces to the puzzle.”

I gathered three more printouts. I posted my hand-drawn rendering of Tom Talbot with a rifle, his stick figure–illustrated wife and daughter tied up, and the snake-tat guy we'd encountered who'd provided the rattler for Vale when he'd set me up in the stairwell at the Lux.

“You have way too much time on your hands,” Kyle drawled.

“Just hang in there a few minutes more.”

For good measure, I scrawled out the shadow of a likeness of myself—with an enormous belly—and tacked it up. Then I twined yarn from here to there to there and stood back, eyeing the web I'd created.

“Tom, Candace, Ruby—all connected to Wayne, I'm positive of it. Who else would have planted the snakes on our patio and held Tom's wife and daughter hostage—just as he left the snake for me in the stairwell and helped Vale kidnap me? It sure as hell wasn't Vale, because it was finally confirmed with DNA samples that he was splattered on the front of that freight train in Flagstaff,” I stressed. “Snake-tat guy provided all the reptiles to torment and endanger me. He worked with Wayne, according to Vale. Then there's me, directly related to Wayne, because I'm always his target.”

I raised my hands in the air in a
voilà
way. Then I grabbed my red marker and drew a circle around Wayne's “cheeks.”

“It all leads to him, not Vale. Not Bryn.” I concluded. “Just as Dane had begun to suspect. This chameleon, wraith, satanic bastard is our nemesis. And until we rope him in,
anything
could happen.” I swept a hand over my body. “Look at me. I'm six weeks away from giving birth. Do I want that psycho out there, lurking in dark shadows? Hell. No.”

Kyle stood. “Ari, you're not suggesting—”

“Not
suggesting
. We've discussed this before. Now it's time to take action.”

Perhaps it was the conversation I'd had with my dad and the fact that I'd reached that point of no return where I couldn't afford to let—
wouldn't
let—anyone threaten us again.
Any
of us.

Kyle shook his head. “No, Ari. No way. I'm not about to—”

“We both know that we need a confession from Wayne. Because he links right back to this.” I tapped the Lux with my finger. “And while he's out there, I can't fully do anything with the hotel, for fear he's going to sabotage it again.”

“So let the Lux go.”

“No,” I insisted. “Not an option. Besides, I have more.”

He eyed me curiously. Slowly said, “I'm not sure I want to hear more.”

“Get a grip.” I rolled my eyes for effect. “You know that all Amano has to do is gaze at a person and he can pretty much read their every thought. He totally figured out what I was up to when he came in here again the other day. So he did some of his own research. Turns out, Wayne Horton used to work at a new multiplex casino in Las Vegas.” I smiled triumphantly.

Kyle stared at me as though I'd just declared I was the one to invent Post-it Notes. And couldn't convince him it was true.

“Follow me here,” I said. “One of the high-rise towers had some damaged or misplaced rebar or some such thing that substantially weakened the structure and, after paying six hundred million to have it built, the owners had to reinforce the tower with concrete pillars within the lobby area. Apparently, it turned out to be quite the eyesore, and wasn't a sufficient solution anyway. No one has ever been allowed to set foot inside, let alone occupy a room. They're now taking apart the tower piece by piece. All that money and effort gone to waste.”

“And that has what to do with …
what
?”

“According to Amano's findings, Wayne was a construction lead on the project. He could have easily been in charge.”

“Of a six-hundred-million-dollar catastrophe? Wayne Horton?”

Not to be deterred or undermined by his lack of confidence in my reasoning, I said, “Might I remind you that Asshole Horton hijacked the Lux Web site at the most crucial time, deactivated my access badge
at the most crucial time,
so I faced a diamondback with no escape, set fire to a media room I was trapped in, helped Vale kidnap me, destroyed the entire security system at the Lux—and, oh, let's not forget that he was the one to devise the whole
wouldn't it be fun if Ari was stung by scorpions?
campaign.” I stared unwaveringly at my friend. “Trust me, not so fun.”

Kyle clearly tried very hard to keep up with me but fell short. “We already know he's a problem.”

“No, he is the root of all evil. And he's not on
anyone's
radar! That's how fucking brilliant he is at covering his tracks.” Fear rippled down my spine, but I maintained my steady footing.

“So let's sic Amano on him—he'll find Horton,” Kyle assured me. “That lowlife piece of shit keeps coming back here, after all.”

“Since Vale's dead, likely the reason for Wayne's return would be because if he's spotted in Vegas the hotel owners might want to have a dangerous word or two with him. Or … maybe his work
here
isn't done.”

Kyle's strong jaw set in a hard line. “That's not exactly a comforting thought.”

“Tell me about it.” I snatched a fat, black marker and wrote
Vegas
on the wall.

He grimaced. “You are so playing with fire here, messing up the King of Everything's walls.”

“We can repaint. I need to see all of this, mull it over.” I climbed onto the sofa and drew a curving arrow from Vegas to Wayne's piece of paper. “There's something about him being involved in that tower debacle that's eating at me. Like, the guy knows too much. Has too much power for someone who worked at the Lux as a valet, grounds crew, gofer type.”

“Those roles did allow him to have access to all critical touch points at the resort.” Kyle offered his hand to me and helped me off the sofa.

“Exactly.” Returning the marker to the desk, I added, “Now, if only I could figure out who he really is and what he's really up to—because it seems like it's much more than just being Vale's henchman. In fact, like Dane, I'm starting to think that maybe it was the other way around and Vale was the minion to Wayne's master—” My mouth fell open as a slight tug occurred between my legs and then a splash hit the floor. And my shoes.

“Ari,” Kyle complained. “That's gross.”

I glared at him, a hint of panic besieging me. “It's not pee, Kyle. I think—” I shook my head. “No. I
know
my water just broke.”

“Your
what
?”

“Oh. Shit.” The panic morphed into full-blown horror. “I'm not at full term yet!”

While Kyle's blue eyes turned as large as saucers, I felt a kick. Then another. Not contractions. I was certain I could discern the difference.

I wrapped my arms around my belly. “It's like he's on the move.”

“Whoa, whoa,
whoa!
” Kyle started his own freak-out. “You're a month and half early, Ari.”

“No kidding. Call Macy.”

As he reached for the landline—designated for emergency purposes only—to phone his aunt, I shuffled to the doorway and yelled out for Rosa. She appeared almost instantly. “Water broke.” I indicated my shoes.

A hint of concern flitted over her face. Then she said in a matter-of-fact voice, “You could have an infection. Or you could be going into labor.”

A third swift kick had me saying in a strained tone, “Doesn't feel like labor. More like he's run out of room or something. Trying to stretch.”

Amano joined us, just as Kyle did.

Rosa said, “Dr. Preston might be able to stall the birth. I'll pack your clothes.” Rosa rushed down the hallway.

“I'll drive,” Amano said as he reached for his cell.

I grabbed his arm. “Don't you dare call Dane!”

“Ari.” Amano gave me his warning look, reminding me of whom his loyalty ultimately rested with—my husband. For once, I was one step ahead of him. Maybe two.

“You'll only worry Dane and make him completely crazed. Plus, this could be nothing. And, let's face it—” I hated to do this, but I couldn't have Dane tormented even more because he wasn't here during a potential baby crisis. “You owe me.”

Amano glared at me, taken aback. I'd pushed the boundary with that one, but he clearly couldn't dispute my logic. He'd been the one to rescue Dane from the explosion at the Lux—and had not told me that Dane had survived. For good reason, but still. Amano had perpetuated the lie that Dane was dead in order for him to work undercover with the FBI. Amano had known it'd ruin me, but he'd also seen the prime opportunity for what it was.

“I'm sorry,” I said. “I wouldn't ever play that card, except what's the point of telling him when he can do nothing about this, even if he were here? He can't stop this baby from coming early, if that's what's going to happen.”

“He'd still want to be with you.”

I shook my head. “We have come too far—he has sacrificed
too
much to be distracted by something that could be nothing.”

Okay, I played another card I'd never intended. Amano had absolutely no experience with pregnant women or premature babies. If I stayed calm—
appeared
calm, at any rate—he wouldn't get mired in the full impact of what could actually be happening. I'd read enough books on childbirth to be deeply distressed, because if my baby was born at this point he could suffer severe health risks. I didn't share that knowledge with Amano.

“I just need to get to the retreat,” I told my bodyguard. “I need Macy and Dr. Preston to check me out.”

Did I sound normal or was my voice an octave too high? I spared a glance at Kyle, who seemed to grasp what I tried to achieve.

With a nod, he said to Amano, “You know Ari. It's not a typical day in our world unless there's some drama. Seriously.” He tried to look nonchalant. Though I had no doubt he was as wigged as I was.

Rosa returned with a bag and a towel to clean me up. Then the men helped me into the SUV. Rosa sat with me in the back, since Amano refused to leave her alone at the house with no protection—not quite considering the safeguarding offered by our FBI property sitters reliable protection. He was just that way.

Rosa patted my hand and whispered, “Babies don't need the water so much at this point in the term and more will be produced, so it should be okay.”

I didn't dare pose the
or…?
question while Amano was in earshot. Tried not to dwell on that prospect myself.

When we arrived at the medical retreat, it was handy to have Kyle with us to alleviate problems with the massive security his aunt was required to maintain for her accreditations. Though the guards knew me anyway, since I'd stayed there during my first trimester and returned for my routine checkups and ultrasounds with Dr. Preston.

Macy ushered me into an exam room as I explained what had happened. She had me in stirrups with a blanket covering me in no time. The guys promptly disappeared, though I begged Rosa to stay with me. Not that I'd really had to—from her determined expression, she wasn't going anywhere.

“Dr. Preston is on her way,” Macy informed me. “She'll be about an hour.”

My OB-GYN was based out of Scottsdale, south of us. Since I didn't believe I was about to deliver
right this very second,
I didn't stress over the travel time. I was relieved she could break free for me.

Macy made me comfortable and talked me through a few possible scenarios. She assured me delivering today wouldn't be the end of the world, though it'd be necessary to closely monitor the baby if that occurred.

“From the size of that belly of yours,” Macy said in a playful voice, “I don't think there'll be a problem with his weight.”

“It's like he sprouted a few inches the past couple of weeks. Even my dad was shocked by how big I'd gotten, so quickly.”

“That's not out of the norm. And sometimes babies stop growing when they've reached a certain point, which will contribute to a premature birth,” Macy explained. “That situation is actually rare, but it does happen.”

“Believe me, nothing about this child is going to be ordinary. You've met his father.”

Both Macy and Rosa laughed. Easily, not strained or forced humor.

Okay, that was good.

Rubbing my belly, I said, “So maybe you can help me kill time by offering up some baby names.”