Taken (15 page)

“Because Kayla is a victim. She believed what Evan told her. She didn’t know his history. She didn’t understand that he cons people for a living.”

“Are you sure Evan didn’t clue her in on any of it, maybe offer her a cut of something? She married the guy after a few weeks. Who does that for real?” he asked, sounding skeptical.

“Women do that,” Nick replied. “And don’t ask me why.”

“Good point.”

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“So what’s your story, J.T.? Last I heard, you were going after a pro football career.”

“Yeah, well, things changed,” J.T. replied, turning somber.

“I still can’t believe you’re with the FBI. You used to hate authority figures. You said you’d never wear a suit and work a nine-to-five job. What happened?”

“A lot. Too much to go into now.”

Nick detected a hint of pain in his old friend’s voice, but it was obvious he didn’t want to talk about it. And Nick had never been one to stick his nose into other people’s business. “Does Evan know you’re following him?”

he asked instead.

“Oh, yeah. He actually personally invited me into his games a few years back.”

“What do you mean?”

“He owed both of us, Nick.” J.T. sent him a pointed look, letting the words sink in.

“Right. What did he do to you?”

“He ruined my father a few years back. Dad was a gambler, always thought he was going to make his fortune on one lucky roll of the dice or a Pick Six at the racetrack. Evan offered him better-than-even odds, some investment scheme that he’d concocted. I didn’t know about it until it was over, until my father lost everything, including his house. My mother blamed my father, said he was weak, and she was done with his foolish dreams.

She left, moved into her sister’s house.” J.T. stared down at his can of soda as if it held the answer to life. “Three weeks later my father killed himself. Evan didn’t pull the trigger, but he might as well have.” When J.T. lifted his head to meet Nick’s gaze, his eyes were brutally cold.

“I’m going to put Evan away if it’s the last thing I do.”

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Nick’s stomach clenched at the horrific story. J.T. had always had a conflicted relationship with his dad, who’d also been his football coach. That sometimes made a volatile combination. But despite their many arguments, Nick knew that J.T. had loved his father more than anyone else. Evan had known it, too.
Damn him.

“I’m sorry about your father. I’m going to help you nail Evan,” Nick said. “He’ll pay for what he’s done.”

“Yes, he will,” J.T. said. “Speaking of family, how’s Jenny?”

Nick didn’t like the question. J.T.’s story had reminded him that Evan’s revenge knew no boundaries. “I talked to her earlier today. She said she hasn’t spoken to Evan in years, but a while ago she began receiving anonymous presents in the mail, and she admitted that she thought it might be Evan behind them. I can’t stand the idea that he’s watching her. And it irritates the shit out of me that she still doesn’t hate him, after everything he did to her.

At least Kayla is angry now. She sees what Evan is really about. Why can’t Jenny get real?”

“She fell hard. First love and all that shit. You know how that goes.”

Nick wasn’t sure he did. He’d had relationships, but he’d never known a woman he’d wanted to die over, one he couldn’t live without. He’d also seen firsthand with his parents and with Jenny just how bad love could get.

As far as he was concerned, the emotion was highly overrated.

“What’s Jenny doing now?” J.T. asked.

“She cuts hair.”

“Is she married?”

“No. She dated one guy for a few years, but he’s not around anymore. I’m not sure why.” Nick thought back to
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how much promise his sister had had. “She could have been anything, you know? She was so smart, so good in school. I remember when she wanted to be a doctor. If she hadn’t had to drop out, if Evan hadn’t ruined her life, things would have turned out differently.”

“Is that what she says?”

“She says she’s happy.” Nick shrugged. “She doesn’t complain, so I’m not sure if that’s true, or just her nature.”

“I think I’ll drop in on her, have a chat.”

Nick nodded. “Do you think she’s in danger?”

“Absolutely,” J.T. said bluntly. “Anyone around you is in danger. If Evan wants to completely destroy you, he’s not just going to hit your wallet.”

“You said you’ve been tracking him for years. Why haven’t you caught him?”

“So far he’s played a better game,” J.T. admitted, “but now that it’s turned personal, he may have made a critical mistake.”

“What’s that?”

“Sticking around to watch you and Kayla twist in the wind.”

“Or maybe he’s still around because he has something else in mind. Or he didn’t get what he was after. That’s why he trashed this house.”

“I don’t know if he did this. It doesn’t look like his handiwork.”

“You think it’s a random burglary?” Nick asked in disbelief?

“No, I think it has to do with Evan. Someone else is in the game. We have to find out who.”

“Maybe a partner in crime,” Nick suggested. “What
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else have you learned about Evan? I haven’t seen him in years. You’re obviously more up-to-date.”

“His real name is Evan Jones. He took Chadwick when he was a teenager. Thought it made him sound more important. No known father of record. Mother died of a drug overdose when Evan was eight. He got shuffled around the system, ended up on the streets at fifteen, where he survived by pulling cons and stealing. He changes his name, wears disguises, and becomes who he wants to become.”

“He didn’t disguise himself this time. Kayla has a photograph of the two of them together. That’s how I identi-fied him. I still haven’t figured out exactly how what he did to me is related to what he took from Kayla.”

J.T. rubbed his jaw. “I do find it interesting that there’s an old treasure involved with this watch Evan took.”

“Apparently the original owner of the watch, Johnny Blandino, was part of a gang that terrorized San Francisco in the late fifties. He was sent to Alcatraz. And get this: He and his buddies attempted an escape five years later, and only one of their bodies ever washed up — not Johnny’s. No one has seen him since. And no one has seen the gold coins.”

“I’ll check it out. Those coins could be worth a lot of money today.”

“Exactly. Which leads me to believe that Evan thinks he knows where the coins may be, because I don’t think he went to all this trouble to get himself a silver pocket watch from fifty years ago. I just don’t know how a watch could lead him to the coins. Although,” he added, drawing a breath, “there is an inscription —‘of Heaven Await.’

It could be some kind of code or a clue to something else.”

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“It’s definitely worth looking into. However, I wouldn’t completely discount the theory that Evan wanted the watch for itself. He likes family heirlooms.

He’s taken those before from other people, and they haven’t led to any hidden treasure. He especially likes items with engravings or initials. I’m not a shrink, but a profiler told me that Evan has probably always felt like an outsider. Taking on new identities, becoming different people, feeds on his fantasy of belonging somewhere.

Owning family heirlooms completes the picture in his brain.”

Nick thought about that for a moment. He supposed it made sense in an odd way. Not that he gave a damn about the fact that Evan had no family. Not every orphan turned to a life of crime. Evan had to be held accountable for his actions. But was it possible that he was jumping to as-sumptions that weren’t true? Had Evan just wanted the watch?

Despite his rationalization, his gut told him that didn’t track. The scheme had been too elaborate, too complicated

—and why would Evan still be hanging around if that were all he’d wanted?

“You know, Nick, I can’t believe you didn’t safeguard your accounts better,” J.T. said, interrupting his thoughts.

“I thought you were supposed to be the brain of our group. Have you never heard of passwords?”

Nick didn’t appreciate the reminder. “I live alone. I didn’t think I needed to lock up my computer. Believe me, I’ve learned my lesson.”

“So what have you been doing the past few years? I take it that means no one has been able to get you down the aisle.”

“Nope. What about you?”

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“I was married for a couple years. Things got bad and then they got worse.” A shutter came down over his eyes.

“Anyway, it ended. I’m a free man. It works better with my job.”

Nick liked his freedom, too. At least, most of the time he did. Now that his savings had been wiped out, he was beginning to realize he’d never fully appreciated the security that he’d built, which had allowed him to travel without any worries. He had to find a way to get that back.

“I have to take off,” J.T. said, rising to his feet with a sigh and a stretch. “I have to catch a plane to LA. But rest assured I will be working on the case. And I should be back here on Tuesday, at which time you will have my undivided attention.” He pulled out a business card and held it out to Nick. “You can reach me at that number any time of day or night.” Nick reached for the card, but J.T.

moved it away from him. “One more thing. I want you to stay out of this, Nick. Don’t try to track Evan down on your own. He’s not a nineteen-year-old kid anymore.

He’s dangerous. His brain is wired wrong. I’m not sure any of us knows what he’s capable of doing.”

“I appreciate your concern, but I won’t sit by and do nothing while Evan spends my money.”

“Think about what happened the last time, Nick. You tried to be the hero, and you almost got Jenny killed.”

Nick burned at the memory. He had rushed in stupidly, recklessly. And Jenny had been hurt because of his actions. He’d blamed himself for that for a long time. “That won’t happen again,” he promised.

“Let me take care of it. This is my job. It’s what I do.

I catch the bad guys.”

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“Maybe you can use my help. He’s evaded you so far,”

Nick couldn’t help pointing out.

J.T. scowled at him. “I will catch him — if it’s the last thing I do. I just don’t want it to be the last thing
you
do, Nick.”

The Pagoda Dragon was a popular restaurant in Chi-natown. Evan bypassed the main restaurant, heading up the stairs to the private dining room. Two men in dark suits met him at the door. One quickly moved in front of him.

“This is a private party,” he said.

“I’m invited. Evan Chadwick. Go ahead, ask.”

One of the men slipped into the room, while the other gave him a hard stare. Evan wasn’t intimidated. He’d never been afraid of the muscle. In the end, brains always won out. The first man returned to the hall. “You can go in,” he said, holding the door open.

Evan had expected nothing less.

The room was shadowy, lit by candles. Incense burned. Thick drapes covered the windows. So preten-tious, he thought, as if anyone cared who was using the room. She was not only rich; she was paranoid. It was that element of madness in her personality that he liked.

The rest of her drama bored him. But she had presented him with a challenge, a dare, and he’d never been able to resist a gamble such as this one.

There were two other men at the table. When he moved across the room, they got up and left without saying hello, without offering an explanation. She’d always demanded obedience from her men, but he wasn’t one of her men.

He waited until they were completely alone. He didn’t
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bother to sit down. He had no intention of lingering.

“Someone broke into Kayla Sheridan’s house.” He watched carefully for her reaction. There was none, except bored disinterest. Was it feigned? Or was it real?

She picked up her wineglass and took a sip. “And why should I care?”

“Because it wasn’t me.” Evan paused. “Nick and Kayla went to Ricci’s earlier. They know about the watch.”

“You were a fool. You should have taken more from her than the watch, so she wouldn’t know your true intention. If you’d taken her other jewelry, even her cash, she would have had nothing to go on.”

No one called him a fool. He’d had his reasons, and he wouldn’t explain them.

“I know what I’m doing,” he said, keeping his temper in rein. He would wait until the right moment to exact penance for that remark. “I won’t have you interfering. If you sent someone else —”

“Then that would be my choice.”

“No, that would be your end,” Evan said flatly.

She laughed. “Do you think you call the shots? How sweet and very naive.”

“I do call the shots. And you need me — far more than I need you. We do this my way, or we don’t do it at all.

You already sent me on one wild goose chase.”

“It was a necessary move. We had to rule out that side of the family.”

“It was a waste of time. From now on, I follow my instincts, not yours. Now, I want an answer to my question.”

A tense silence lengthened between them. And then
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came her words, slow and deliberate. “I didn’t send someone else.”

Evan didn’t particularly like the answer. If she hadn’t made a move, who had? Who else was in his game?

“Then I’ll find out who did.”

“Do that. Time is running out. And make no mistake: If Nick Granville and Kayla Sheridan get in my way, I will eliminate them, with or without you.”

Evan didn’t bother to reply. Nick and Kayla wouldn’t get in the way. They were his puppets. He called the tune.

If he wanted them to dance, they would dance. And if he wanted them to die, they would die.

8

It was almost one o’clock in the morning, and Kayla could not sleep. She’d tidied up her house, in particular her bedroom, but it was impossible to forget the chaos she’d found earlier. Her dresser drawers had been emptied into a large pile of clothes on her bed. Her jewelry box had been ransacked, yet surprisingly nothing had been taken. Her closet, her desk drawers, even her laun-dry hamper had been dumped out on the ground. She couldn’t imagine what anyone was looking for. Evan already had the watch. What else could he possibly want?