Knock Out (A Reynolds Security Novel) (15 page)

“
But you did feel the need to charm me?” Jace stepped closer and ran his thumb along the lower edge of her lip.

“
Darlin’ you inspire all sorts of things in me. Being charming and attentive is the least of it.”

“
I’m not ready for this Jace.” She whispered panic rising up in her chest.

“
For what? Nothing has changed it is still one day at a time.”

“
It doesn’t feel like one day at a time.”

“
What is the big deal? I love you, you love me. We are just moving forward.”  Lou felt cold like she suddenly had ice racing through her veins. She straightened up needing some physical space.

“
Jace I can’t, I just… there are things about me, my life, that I am not ready to share. I’m sorry.”

“
What? What is there that you can’t share with me? I don’t care about your neurotic habits. I already know that you hog the covers and talk in your sleep.” He was trying to make her laugh, she could tell by his smirk but she didn’t find it funny. Now she was worried about what she could’ve possibly said while sleeping. What if she had a nightmare? She wasn’t ready to explain she certainly didn’t want to explain in that situation. Her heart was pounding and she began to shake her head.

“
I can’t… I just can’t do this.” She fled the kitchen rushing back to the bedroom she gathered up her clothes and went into the bathroom and locked the door. She prayed he wouldn’t come in. She already had issues with the bathroom and shower she couldn’t deal with him in here at all. She dressed as quickly as she could, trying to get a hold on her raging emotions. She kind of wished she’d asked Savannah if she could run with her.

Chapter 20

Lou was surprised to find Jace dressed and waiting when she went back to the kitchen.

“
I just talked to Frank. There were no prints at all on the necklaces. Only yours and Colby’s on the box.” Jace’s tone was all business. It seemed he was going to pretend that the mini meltdown she’d just had about their personal relationship had never happened. That was fine with her, the less awkward personal conversations the better.

Unfortunately, without the personal conversation there was no conversation at all. The ride to where she had left her car was a quiet one. There was a cool remoteness in Jace
’s eyes that she had never seen there before. She tried reminding herself that it was for the best. She reminded herself so many times it was almost a mantra running through her head. When they got to her car Jace got out and looked the whole thing over and even had Cooper check it, before he let her touch it.

“
I’ll follow you back.” He said before walking back to the range rover. She sighed and continued her mantra as she slid behind the wheel.

The team met back at headquarters to regroup. Brent brought up the cameras in place on her apartment on monitors in the conference room they had affectionately dubbed the war room.

“That is really creepy.” She said looking at the perfectly clear pictures of her apartment inside and out. “Every one of those cameras had better come down when this is over.” The men snickered at that. Everyone except Jace who’s mood hadn’t improved at all.

Colby reported back that the housekeeping staff at the Radisson had been somewhat enlightening. The display Jewels were all kept in the hotel vault but the Heart of Africa gem had stayed in Mrs. Castillo
’s room until the night before the apparent robbery. Also, the robbery hadn’t been reported even to the hotel staff and apparently nothing else was missing from the vault.

“
They have separate rooms?” Lou questioned when Colby finished his report.

“
Different suites in different wings on different floors.” Colby smirked.

“
Hmm trouble in paradise.” Lance muttered. Something in the back of Lou’s brain ticked.

“
I need a computer.” She started to head back to her desk but Jace stopped her. He called his assistant and had a laptop brought to the war room.

“
He is cute.” She whispered to Jace after he left but Jace just rolled his eyes.

“
I agree.” Colby whispered apparently having heard her and she giggled earning both of them a glare from Jace. 

“
You think his marital problems have something to do with this?” Charlie asked watching her rapidly typing.

“
No, but what if it’s her necklace they are after? It is one of the largest diamonds in the world. No matter how many you put together it’s not the same as a big one.”

“
Whatever happened to what’s yours is mine?” Lance asked.

“
Prenumps and a sixty percent divorce rate happened. If they are sleeping in separate rooms maybe that giant diamond is slipping out of his grasp. Ah-ha here it is. I knew I had read this. Her maiden name is Jwana her family founded one of the largest diamond mines in the world. They held it for decades until the blood diamond controversy. Even though they weren’t supplying conflict diamonds, her family lost everything including the Heart of Africa which had been in her family for generations.  To the Karakas family. When she married Viktor he gave her the Heart of Africa as a wedding present.”

“
Talk about your hostile takeover.” Sam muttered. 

“
So he has both necklaces stolen… but why stash them at your place?” Colby asked.

“
Maybe he thought that was the last place anyone would look for them.” Brent said.

“
Maybe it’s a way to get closer to Lou.” It was the first time Jace had spoken and they all looked at him. “He made a point of saying he didn’t want the authorities involved. He doesn’t know she’s one of us. Or even if he does, he stashes them at her place, we find them, he is gracious enough not to press charges and she is… grateful.”

“
Not that grateful.” Lou snorted.

“
He did have quite a hard on for her at the party.” Charlie put in.

“
Come on he is old enough to be my… well my father for sure, maybe my grandfather.”

“
As if that ever mattered to a guy.” Lance snickered. They were all quiet for a minute while they mulled the idea over.

“
Oh come on!” Lou said exasperated. “You guys really think he would go this far just to get in my pants?”

“
Yes.” Several of them said at the same time and Lou rolled her eyes. “Men, you have to do everything the hard way. Stage a fake jewel heist instead of just picking up the phone and saying, Hey you wanna grab a pizza and a Giants game?” The men in the room all laughed at that.

“
I don’t know a single woman that would work on.” One of them said.

“
Man I couldn’t even get my wife to agree to that.” Another laughed. Lou crossed her arms and huffed while they all continued to crack jokes. She glanced over at Jace and caught his eye, he actually smiled for the first time all day.

“
Didn’t Viktor say there was a woman caught on the surveillance footage?” She said loudly trying to get the men to focus again.

“
Could’ve been to point us in your direction.”

“
But we know I didn’t take the necklaces, so shouldn’t we take a look at that footage?”

“
Yes we should.” Jace pulled his phone from his pocket. “Ethan, have we got that security footage from the Radisson yet? Well call and light a fire under ‘em would ya?”

“
So what is our next play?” Colby asked as Jace disconnected.

“
We wait.”

“
Just wait?” Colby questioned.

“
Yeah, whoever planted the diamonds in my apartment is bound to come back for them. If it was Viktor he’ll have to do something eventually. It’s like calling his bluff. He is going to have to either implicate me or come for the diamonds himself.”

“
I have your apartment wired. No one is getting near it without us knowing.” Brent said proudly. Jace glanced at his watch.

“
All right, set up a schedule to watch the apartment. For the time being I don’t want to bring anyone else in on this so we’ll each take a shift as a camera watchman. We’ll go with four hour shifts for now. I am going to check in with Sinclair and see if the feds have anything to add.”  Jace left the room and they quickly wrote up a schedule. Lou volunteered to take the first half of the night shift since she’d likely be there to work out anyway. Then she and Colby volunteered to go pick up lunch for the rest of the team.

“So?”

“
So what?”

“
Well you seem to be in a better mood today but lover boy sure doesn’t.”

“
Shhh, don’t call him that. Someone might hear you.”

“
Right like no one has noticed.”

Chapter 21

Jace was running on the treadmill when Lou stepped into the gym. She hadn't seen him through most of the afternoon. She knew he had been busy. He still had a business to run but she could tell he was avoiding her too. She stretched out but instead of working the bag she stepped onto the treadmill next to his and began to run. She had always enjoyed sharing her workout with him. It was nice to be able to share something they both enjoyed. She was so conflicted. She didn't want to let him go but she didn't want to hurt him either. And she was just not stable enough to be in a relationship. She didn't even know how to have a relationship.When he finished and stepped off the treadmill she watched him rub the towel over his head. Finally he turned his intense gaze on her. She stopped the machine.

"When are you relieving Sam?" She looked up at the clock.

"In about a half hour."

"Okay I am after you I am going to pull the feed in my office if you want to watch it there, it will be more comfortable."

"You took a shift?"

"I'm on this team too aren't I?" he snapped.

"I didn't mean..."

"What that I should just go home quietly and leave you to handle it. Or maybe I should just let Colby take care of you. I am sure he'd be happy to take you home with him. Or maybe that was already your plan when you leave here tonight."

"Jace..."

"Don't Lou. I got it okay. You have made yourself clear. Crystal." He turned and walked out and she stared after him slightly stunned. Her temper flared as she thought about all he'd said. This wasn't her fault. She had told him she couldn't do a relationship.
Repeatedly. She gathered her stuff and walked back to the war room. She wasn't going to go up to his office. He could sit there and stew by himself. She would just sit here by herself because Colby left hours ago. Colby... Realization lit up her mind. Jace was jealous of Colby. It was easy to remember how bad she felt when she had seen him with Savannah. Since Colby was gay she didn't think about him as a potential rival for Jace but if Jace didn't know he was gay then their friendship took on a whole different context.

She tapped lightly on the door and heard a muffled
‘Yeah’ from the other side.

“
I brought pizza.” She said softly. He looked up and watched her as she approached. “I even had them put olives on your half.” She saw his lips quirk slightly. “I don’t have any plates so table manners are just going to have to go out the window.” She set the pizza on the table by the sofa and approached him. He didn’t move away when she drew close so she took that as encouragement. She looked up in his eyes.

“
I am really bad at relationships. Terrible in fact. But I am really good at monogamy.” His brows dropped slightly. “I don’t know what we’re doing here but I can promise that as long as we’re doing… it.” She could feel her cheeks heating. “I won’t be with anyone else.” One side of his mouth tilted up in a slow smile.

“
You’re pretty cute when you blush.” He said. She hit him playfully on the arm and he laughed.

“
Com’ere.” She pulled on the front of his shirt and he bent towards her. She pressed her lips to his. He met her with the same hot passion he always did and a small part of her danced in celebration.  “Jace,” She whispered when their lips separated. “Colby is gay.”

“
Huh?” He said pulling back slightly.

“
I didn’t think about how it must look to you. He is just a friend. If he were going to make a move on either one of us it would probably be you. But he knows there is something between us. He respects that.” Lou smiled at Jace’s odd expression.

“
What’s the matter?”

“
I don’t know I just didn’t think… I don’t think I possess a gaydar.”

“
Really this close to San Francisco you can’t possibly be homophobic.”

“
No. It’s not a phobia.” He protested. “Not like I am afraid of gay people.” He laughed. “More like uncomfortable. I mean I don’t want there to be any misunderstandings.”

“
Jace, he knows you’re straight. Everyone knows you’re straight.”   

“
What does that mean?”

“
Well some guys put out a gay vibe, you put out a straight vibe.”

“
A vibe?”

“
Yeah, I mean I bet women just flock to you. You don’t even have to try right?”

“
Well all except the one I want.” He grumbled and she grinned.

“
Come on I am starving.” She pulled him over to the sofa in front of his monitors. Several had been changed over to the cameras in and around her apartment. “Man I hope nothing happened while we weren’t watching.” She laughed.

They ate the pizza and talked while they watched the monitors. Long after the garbage had been cleared away Jace yawned and stretched.

“This is the most boring movie ever.”

“
Why don’t you lay down and take a nap? I’ll wake you in a couple hours.”

“
I don’t know if I should trust you. You do naughty things to me when I am sleeping.”

“
You didn’t like it?”

“
You kidding? It was hot as hell. I just want to be awake to enjoy it.” He laughed and she rolled her eyes. He laid down on the sofa and put his head in her lap. She gently threaded her fingers through his hair and soon he was asleep. She watched the monitors but it was more interesting to watch him sleep. He looked so good it made her teeth ache. She still couldn’t quite fathom what he saw in her but clearly he felt something for her. He was right when he said what they had was special. She just wished she had the courage to embrace it.

“Jace… Jace.” Jace opened his eyes and tried to orient himself. He remembered he was in his office. He sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

“
You ready for me to take over?” He mumbled.

“
No look look.” She gestured excitedly at the monitor. “Can you freeze this?” He grabbed the remote. He froze the image she had gestured to but kept the feed going on another monitor.

“
I know this guy.”

“
Who is it?”

“
Okay maybe ‘know’ isn’t the right word. I have seen him before. He was at the party. He was sitting at the bar acting strange. He’s been just hanging around outside the apartment for a while but look,” she pointed at the screen,” That is a woman he is arguing with. Maybe it is the woman from the surveillance footage.” They both watched. It looked as if the two were arguing about something then finally she turned and they both gasped.

“
I’ll call in the team.”

Lou grabbed her cell phone and helped. Soon she, Jace, Colby and Sam were standing outside her apartment.

“I say we just go. They are going to get away.”

“
The rest of the team isn’t here yet. Frank is still forty five minutes out.”

“
Lou is right, we can follow them but by now they know the jewels are gone. This might be our only chance. There are four of us and two of them. The odds are in our favor.” Jace relented and they crept slowly up the stairs. The door was closed and still locked. Lou produced the key and the four of them crept inside. Lou had been right about the couple arguing. They were still arguing.

“
I told you this was a stupid idea. You should have just brought the diamonds to me in the first place.”

“
You are supposed to be retrieving Marcus in exchange. Where is he?” The four of them lined up outside the bedroom door guns drawn. Elena gasped and put her hands up. The man put his hands up as well but he didn’t look worried.

“
Easy gentlemen, and lady. I am just going to get my ID.”

“
Slowly.” Jace barked. The man moved very slowly and withdrew an ID badge.

“
I am Agent James Rathdrum with the FBI.”

“
The FBI is breaking into people’s apartments and planting stolen property now?” Lou asked angrily.

“
Where are the diamonds? You didn’t hand them over to him did you?” Elena demanded, her voice taking on a panicky tone.

“
They are safe.” Jace lowered his gun but he didn’t holster it. “Why don’t you tell us what this is all about?”

“
We don’t have time for that.” Elena cried. “A man’s life is at stake.”

“
Who?”

“
Marcus Latimer my… love.” Lou felt her own brows go up but none of them said anything. “He knows I took them. If I don’t get them back he is going to kill Marcus.” Elena’s breath hitched and tears began streaming down her cheeks.

“
Maybe you’d better start at the beginning.” Jace said and gestured everyone out to the living room.  Lou grabbed a box of tissues and handed them to Elena.

“
Why is the FBI involved? Or I guess what I should be asking is why was the FBI involved before the diamonds were stolen?”

“
I can’t discuss an ongoing investigation.”

“
I understand.” Jace said blandly. “Of course you understand that I am going to have to make a citizen’s arrest and call the Edgepark PD to come and take you both in for breaking and entering. If you are who you say you are it won’t stick but it sure will make a good story in the morning paper.”

“
You can’t do that. It could destroy our case.”

“
And Marcus’s life.” Elena cried.

“
What case would that be?”

Agent Rathdrum glared at him and sighed,
“Castillo is trafficking in stolen diamonds. Conflict diamonds. He has been for… well always but he is careful. He’s never been caught. He has ties to a gun smuggling operation bringing guns in through Latin America. We have teamed up with ATF to catch him in the act. Get him to flip. The necklace, the rainbow one, is made from marked diamonds.”

“
How can you mark a diamond?” Sam asked.

“
With a laser. It’s a kind of bar coding system. He has always been really careful not to use marked diamonds but this time he messed up and we can prove they are stolen. But of course we need the necklace.” As he was speaking the remaining members of the team arrived.

“
So you stole it?”

“
We tried to steal it at the party. It should have been easy. He always finds some young woman to impress by allowing her to wear a piece. It should have been easy to relieve you of it at the party. When the police were called for the robbery the diamonds would be discovered.”

“
Sorry to have screwed up your plan.” Lou muttered.

“
You did at that. You also handed Marcus right to Castillo.”

“
Marcus is ATF.” Jace wasn’t really asking but Rathdrum nodded.

“
Marcus and Elena have been… involved. Castillo was simply waiting for the appropriate time to use that information.”

“
You knew he knew.” ‘

“
No. I didn’t even know.” Rathdrum glared at Elena. This seemed to be an obvious point of contention between them. “Anyway Castillo offered Elena Marcus’s freedom in exchange for the Heart of Africa. She gave him the stone but he didn’t hold up his end of the bargain." Lou looked at Elena again and realized she looked as if someone had roughed her up a bit. Her dark skin hid the bruises but they were there.

“
Elena managed to get into the hotel vault and stole both necklaces.”

“
How did you manage that?”

“
The Hotel manager thought I was supposed to be allowed in.” She sniffed.

“
Obviously Castillo couldn’t report the robbery so he apparently hired you to recover the necklace. Unfortunately, he knows Elena took them and has promised to kill Marcus if she doesn’t return them. We think we know where Marcus is but we need Castillo to be in possession of the stolen diamonds when we take him down.”

“
Please, you have to give them back.” Elena pleaded.

“
We don’t have them.” Jace said looking somewhat sympathetic.

“
Who does?”

“
The FBI.”