Enemies and Playmates (35 page)

“I’ll certainly understand if you’d rather not,” Paul said. “You’re in a delicate position. I shouldn’t even have put you on the spot by asking. It’s just that your insight would add tremendous depth to the story.”

***

Lauren drove to Carrie’s apartment in a daze. She’d wanted this since she was a young girl. Her first assignment. She finally had it. But why did it have to be about her father? Why did her entire life revolve around him?

She swung her Pontiac into the parking lot and mindlessly found an empty space. Would she be able to handle this story? Could she keep her emotions still long enough to work with Raymond? To behave professionally?

She parked, absently frowning out at the darkness. Her body functioned automatically, as her mind was temporarily lost to the world. How much information did Raymond want to put in this article? And how much was she willing to give? Did Paul and Raymond have any idea what kind of mess they were stepping into?

Lauren shook her head. They couldn’t possibly know. No one would imagine the truth behind Alex Covington.

As she stepped out of her car, she came face to face with that man. Her father. “I have nothing to say to you,” she said.

Alex stepped closer, so close that Lauren could smell the breath mint in his mouth. “Perfect,” Alex said. “You can be quiet and listen. I have been more than tolerant of your crusade against me. Tell your boyfriend to call everything off. Now.”

Alex shoved Lauren against her car. His fingers dug into her shoulder, holding her still. His voice was low and haunted. “Removing Ryder from this planet will be a pleasure. Don’t make me destroy my own daughter in the process.”

Lauren stared into his ice cold eyes. Her stomach quivered. She could find no words.

Alex grabbed her face with one hand while the other continued to dig into her shoulder. “You know what I’m capable of,” he said.

Suddenly tires screeched as a car swerved through the parking lot. Jesse’s car. The Mustang bucked as he slammed to a stop beside them. Before Alex could react, Jesse was out of the car and in his face. “Get your fucking hands off her,” he said.

Alex dropped his hands from Lauren and turned to face Jesse. “How utterly predictable,” he said. “The hero comes to save the princess once again. Enjoy the glory while you can, Ryder. In this story, the hero dies at the end.”

Jesse’s right hand shot out in a blur of motion. The anger behind the jab sent Alex reeling backward, his nose gushing blood. As Alex staggered, Jesse clutched his tie and yanked him forward. The next punch was square in the gut and had Alex stumbling to his knees.

Lauren gripped Jesse’s arm. His taut muscles were like a trap ready to spring. The rage was a live thing pulsating through him. If she didn’t stop him now, he’d kill her father. Then he’d be the one spending his life in jail.

“Lauren!” Alex called sharply. “You have allowed this man to destroy your family. Remember that you are responsible for the outcome. Your mother? She was innocent in this. You pushed her away from me. All that happens now is because of you.”

Lauren’s step faltered. She was so close to doing what she had always done. Give in. Let her father win. Let him control her. But Jesse leaned close to her. His voice was low and confident, his breath warm against her ear. He told her to keep walking. Don’t turn. Don’t listen. And a minute later, they were stepping inside the apartment building, leaving her father behind.

***

Lauren sat on the couch hugging a pillow while Jesse made her hot chocolate. She wanted nothing more than to end this insanity with her father, to call everything off, walk away forever. But it was too late for that. In truth, it had probably never been an option. From that first day when Jesse had done the unthinkable by standing up to her father, their path had been sealed. He was not about to let them live their lives away from his control.

So now, no matter what her father threatened her with, no matter how much guilt he threw her way, she couldn’t give in. Even if she went back and begged his forgiveness, nothing would change. She would be crushed under the weight of his thumb. And Jesse would die.

Her stomach did a little flip. To sit here and acknowledge that her father was capable of murdering the man she loves was not even fully comprehensive.

All her life Lauren had been on the sidelines of her father’s verbal attacks. She’d watched him destroy Stephen’s spirit, then his life. She’d stood by while her mother had been forced into submission. She’d kept her mouth shut and been the good little girl because that kept the peace. Or so she’d thought.

For too many years her father’s twisted sense of justice had been law and none of them dared speak against it. She’d been taught to suppress her feelings to the point where she no longer considered herself capable of love. Only recently did she realize how much she could and did feel. She loved and trusted deeply. Instead of taking those emotions away, her father had inadvertently taught her to use them wisely.

Lauren studied Jesse’s profile. Sometimes he drove her crazy. When he didn’t want to answer a question, he’d either abruptly change the subject or simply tune her out. He was a master at avoidance. At times he treated her like a fragile flower. Did he think she was incapable of handling the truth? Or was he only protecting her? Were things that much worse than she thought? Was that even possible?

The front door popped open and Carrie and Gina walked in. They sank into the chairs opposite the couch where Lauren and Jesse sat. Gina’s eyes were red and puffy. She didn’t meet anyone’s eyes.

Gina absently rubbed her stomach. Lauren looked away, reminded of that ever-growing life, her half-brother or sister. How was she going to feel about this innocent baby? How was Gina going to handle being a mother, a single mother, to a baby the father wanted no part of?

Lauren turned her attention back to Jesse. She was still annoyed, though not angry. Things were happening that he wasn’t telling her about. She told herself that the reason he’d been following her father was no longer important. He had been there when she needed him, like he always was. And now he was doing his best to create some sort of normalcy in her life.

As they ate, Lauren decided to spring her news on them. With all the commotion, she’d nearly forgotten herself. “I got my first real assignment today,” she said.

Jesse pulled Lauren close and kissed her cheek. “What took you so long to tell us?” he said. “That’s great news. We should be celebrating with champagne and sex.”

Lauren blanched while Carrie and Gina giggled. Jesse laughed, nudging Lauren. “I meant you and me alone, of course. ‘Cause you know I couldn’t handle all of you.”

Lauren rolled her eyes. “Good Lord.”

“So tell us the details,” Carrie said.

Lauren recounted her conversation with her boss. She shook her head, still slightly amazed and more than a little apprehensive. She said, “I don’t know if I can keep my personal opinions separate from the facts.”

Lauren laughed. She did realize the opportunity she had. She could write an article no one could ever come close to, one that her boss couldn’t imagine in his wildest dreams. Sure, it would be full of emotion and personal opinions. But it would also be full of facts.

She wrestled with her thoughts privately while the conversation went on around her. As she thought about it, her confidence grew. She was going to do it. If her boss and Raymond agreed, she was going to give them a story they’d never forget.

28

“I can’t stop the investigation,” Barnes said. “It’s out of my hands.”

Alex slammed his fist against his desk. His coffee mug rattled and the cold dark liquid sloshed against the sides. His house was quiet and in total darkness aside from the glow of the lamp in the corner of his den. Almost midnight. The police would have their warrant in a few short hours.

“Fine,” Alex said. “Then we’ll fix this. Nothing will stick. When I’m finished, the D.A. will be making a public apology.”

Captain James Barnes sat rigid in the sleek recliner. “I did what I could,” he said. “But Ryder kept pushing and then Forenzi opened his damn mouth. That was a shock. Of course the D.A. had to go with it.”

“I need a drink.” Alex said.

He crossed the room to the wet bar and poured two shots of thirty-year-old Macallan whiskey. He handed one to Barnes and lifted his glass in a mock toast. He drank in one long swallow, enjoying the burn as the liquid raced down his throat.

“At least Kristen isn’t talking,” Barnes said. “That’s one thing I was able to straighten out. She should be lost somewhere in California by now.”

“Incompetent fools,” Alex muttered. “One dead, one useless. Losing Martin unexpectedly left me squandering for last minute replacements, none of whom have been effective.”

“But Forenzi’s been with you a long time,” Barnes said. “I’m surprised he couldn’t handle Ryder. And this sudden turn around. Frankly, I didn’t see it coming. I never would have pegged Forenzi for a snitch.”

“He was a large part of this operation,” Alex said. “The man is street smart. Turning on me was not something I anticipated. Until recently Forenzi was a man who would have taken a bullet rather than break down and cooperate with the police. That was merely one of the qualities that made him such a valuable asset.”

Alex poured himself another shot of whiskey and quickly drank it down. He said, “Sadly, Forenzi has fallen into a heavy drug habit. I was aware of it, of course. Had Martin not loved speed more than his life, I would have parted ways with Forenzi. Drug use makes one too unpredictable. Having had no immediate options, however, I was forced to rely on Forenzi’s services.”

“I feel like we’re caught in a whirlpool,” Barnes said. “And Ryder is the only one with a guardian angel helping him walk on water.”

“He’s smart,” Alex said. “I’ll give him that. A quick thinker. I would have liked to have him on our team. However, he will go down. I know his weakness, his Achilles heel. Ryder needs to be approached from his blind spot. We need to use that to our full advantage.”

Alex strode back to his chair. “The children’s games are over,” he said. “I am out of time and long out of patience. Whatever it takes, there will be no more loose ends.”

***

Lauren woke cramped and achy on her makeshift bed on the old couch. Still, it was better than lying on her comfortable mattress, listening to her parents fight. She stood and stretched out the kinks, then headed for the coffeemaker.