The Christmas Clue (11 page)

The shelf had a large gap where some of the surveillance disks were missing. But they weren’t just any disks.

No.

They were the very ones that Cass needed to prove her innocence.

C
ASS’S HEART FELT
as if someone had closed a tight fist around it. Those disks had been her lifeline, her hope to clearing her name.

Now they were gone.

And the hope was gone, as well.

But that feeling of hopelessness was quickly replaced by another. One of grave concern. Why had the disks been removed?

Had Dominic gotten suspicious?

“We need to get out of here,” Matt ordered. And he obviously had the same thought as she had. Perhaps Annette wasn’t the trap.

Maybe this was.

Maybe Dominic had somehow figured out that she was there at the estate, and he’d set up this elaborate game to punish her. He might let her think she was close to getting her freedom, only to snatch it away from her.

But Cass couldn’t let that possibility stop her.

She grabbed the box of decorations from Matt so that his hands would be free to get to his weapon, and she checked the infrared. No one was lurking at the stairs waiting for them, but with all the movement in the house, it was impossible to tell if someone had found a way to monitor them.

They hurried into the hall and headed for the servants’ entrance so they could go out the same way they came in.

Cass’s concerns skyrocketed when they reached the top of the stairs and she heard the voices. And on the infrared, she saw the group of people approaching. Matt immediately pulled her into the doorway of one of the rooms. Probably in case Dominic was about to make a return visit.

But it wasn’t Dominic.

Cass didn’t recognize the woman’s voice, but she did recognize the tiny sound she heard. It was a baby making fussy noises.

“Molly,” Matt whispered.

And in his voice she could hear all the emotions that he’d been fighting to keep under control. But it would be next to impossible not to react to the fact that his daughter was only a few yards away.

He stepped out of the doorway before Cass could figure out if she should stop him. After all, they did have permission to be in the house, and Annette would likely vouch for them if there were questions. Plus, there was that whole part about her not being able to stop him. Judging from his intense expression, he was going to see his daughter.

Cass peeked out so she could cover his back in case this situation took a turn for the worse. However, it all seemed routine. Almost mundane. The tall formidable-looking blond nanny had Molly in a stroller, and she was pushing the child toward the nursery. Molly was squirming, tugging at the lap strap that held her firmly in place, and she was babbling sounds of protest.

The nanny stopped cold, probably because Matt was blocking her path to the nursery. “Can I help you?” the woman asked, but her tone was more like a bark from him to get out of her way.

Molly continued to fuss.

Matt continued to stand there and stare at his baby.

And Cass knew she had to do something or the nanny just might shout out for the guards or Dominic.

“My, my,” Cass said, stepping out. She leaned down so she could make eye contact with Molly. “Are you sleepy, sweetheart?” she asked the baby.

Molly stared at her with those suspicious blue eyes—Matt’s eyes—and she volleyed glances between Cass and him.

“She didn’t sleep well last night,” the nanny explained. “Nor did I. We both need naps.” She gripped the stroller handles and proceeded to move forward.

Matt didn’t back up.

He seemed frozen, unable to take his eyes off his child. Cass couldn’t blame him. It was amazing. Father and daughter seeing each other for the first time.

But this visit had to end.

“Bill,” Cass said, remembering to use his fake name.

The fake name had hardly left her mouth when the armed guard rounded the corner. He, too, stopped and eyed them.

“Is there a problem?” he called out to the nanny.

“No,” Cass quickly assured him.

She caught Matt’s arm and pulled him aside so the nanny could get by. And that’s exactly what she did. However, the guard stayed in place and stared at them.

“We’re putting up decorations for Annette,” Cass volunteered.

With a now precarious hold on both Matt and the box, Cass got him moving toward the servants’ entrance.

“I want to get her out of here now,” Matt mumbled. It seemed as if he had to fight to utter each word.

“I know. But we can’t. It’s safer and smarter if we stick with the plan.”

That seemed to do the trick, and he sped up his steps. Unfortunately, they had to slow down again when Cass heard a voice she didn’t want to hear.

Dominic.

Mercy, what else was going to go wrong?

He was in the doorway of the servants’ entrance. Talking to Hollis.

Matt and she ducked into the butler’s pantry before either Hollis or Dominic could see them. Cass wasn’t sure her heart could withstand too much more of this emotional roller-coaster ride, what with Annette’s offer, the missing security disks, Matt seeing his baby for the first time and now a second near encounter with Dominic.

“What was my sister doing out in the cold?” she heard Dominic ask Hollis.

And Cass was extremely interested in what her informant had to say. She peeked out at them.

“Said she needed fresh air,” Hollis answered. All in all, it was a good, deceptive answer.

One that Dominic apparently didn’t like.

“You have orders to bring her back in if you see her outside. I want her monitored at all times. I’ve already told you that she’s losing her grip on reality.”

That was BS. It was Dominic who was losing control of his sister. He obviously didn’t like that.

“What about the guy Annette has putting up Christmas decorations,” Dominic continued. “You trust him?”

“I don’t know anything about him.”

It was another jolt for Cass. That wasn’t an answer she wanted to hear, and judging from the way Matt cursed under his breath, neither did he.

“Come on, Hollis,” Dominic prompted. “You make a point of knowing everything about everyone.”

“Not this time. He sorta dropped out of nowhere. Suspicious, if you ask me.”

“Is that some sort of warning?”

“Take it for what it is,” Hollis answered.

Cass suddenly wanted to throttle her well-paid informant. She didn’t know if Hollis was just being sly, or if he truly wanted Dominic to be suspicious of them.

“You might want to check into your sister’s pen pal, too,” Hollis advised. “There’s something not right about that guy.”

“I have that matter under control,” Dominic said.

It sounded ominous. And probably was. But what did it mean? Was Dominic aware that Gideon was a federal agent? Or was Gideon on Dominic’s payroll?

“Find Annette’s Christmas
decorator,
” Dominic ordered Hollis. “Keep a close watch on him. And post guards in every hall. I don’t want anyone else wandering around here.”

“Will do,” Hollis said, and he strolled away.

But Dominic didn’t move. He stayed put, and he looked outside as if watching for someone. Hopefully, he wouldn’t stay there long, because every second that passed was a second that someone might spot them, and they would have to explain what they were doing in the butler’s pantry.

“I’m sorry you couldn’t take Molly,” Cass whispered.

“Me, too. But the extra guards won’t stop me. She’s leaving this place with us tonight.”

Yes, but first they had to get past Dominic and regroup. They also needed a backup plan, several of them, and somehow Cass had to come to terms with the fact that Dominic had likely destroyed the disks—the very thing she needed to prove her innocence.

“There you are,” Dominic said.

Cass’s heart jolted, until she realized he wasn’t speaking to them but rather someone who’d just come through the service entrance.

“I trust you had a pleasant morning walk,” Dominic added.

“Yes.” It was a woman’s voice. She stepped into the room, bringing the cold and some fresh snowflakes with her.

Cass’s heart jolted again. When she saw the visitor.

It was Special Agent Libby Rayburn.

Libby stepped into Dominic’s arms as if she belonged there, and she kissed him.

“Libby,” Matt snarled under his breath.

And he checked his watch—again. By God, he should have had answers by now.

He’d been snarling his fellow agent’s name all day, since he’d seen her in a lip-lock with Dominic. What the hell was going on? Better yet, would Libby’s presence and that kiss impact the rescue mission that was only two hours away?

“The minutes aren’t going to pass any faster if you keep checking the time,” Cass remarked.

But Matt couldn’t help himself. In two hours he could have his daughter. In two hours and twenty minutes, they could be off the estate.

If
things went as planned.

The plan was to use the jammer one last time to enter the estate. Not at eight o’clock as Annette had insisted. But as soon as it got dark, which should happen around 6:00 p.m. since the iron-gray sky and the snow were practically shutting out the sun.

Once inside the estate, Matt would incapacitate anyone who might try to stop him as he took Molly. Then he’d hurry back to the car that Matt had hidden in the woods just beyond the cottage.

The car where Cass and he had spent most of the day.

Talking.

Freezing.

And keeping watch on the estate with the infrared and binoculars.

Matt had covered the car as best he could with fallen tree limbs, and the snow had given them a good half inch dusting. They weren’t totally concealed, but a person would have to look hard to find them. So far, no one had come close to looking, and Matt didn’t think they would. All the activity was centered on the house with everyone getting ready for the big Christmas Eve party. Hopefully, that party would be the perfect cover for a quick, quiet rescue.

Beside him on the car seat, Cass gave their single blanket another adjustment. She tried to cover both of them, something Matt had insisted she not do. He wanted her to take the full blanket. But she’d refused, of course, and was trying to keep them both warm.

Cass was right next to him, practically in his lap. On one hand, Matt welcomed the shared body heat. On the other, he didn’t welcome the distraction that the body heat was creating.

The dangerous energy boiling inside didn’t help. He wanted to do something.
Anything.
He wanted to move. But he couldn’t. They needed to stay put so they wouldn’t risk being seen.

Matt’s phone vibrated, and he immediately checked the screen. “Ronald,” he snapped, answering it. “I’ve waited all day for a call from you.”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I got your message about Libby still being at the estate, and I’ve been trying to figure out what’s going on.”

“And?”

“I don’t have much. Gideon or someone has hidden Dominic’s files. The department might be using Libby to try to gain Dominic’s cooperation so she can get information that’ll either lead to his arrest or the arrest of his new business associate.”

“She kissed Dominic,” Matt informed him. “I saw it with my own eyes. They aren’t just chummy, Ronald. Something’s going on.”

“Maybe. Or else maybe her assignment is to gain Dominic’s cooperation any way she can.” He paused. “Still, if she kissed him, then it would appear that she’s been at this relationship or assignment for a while. It certainly wasn’t something she mentioned to me.”

“Nor me.”

“I did find out something interesting about Annette Cordova, though. Did you know she’s been in contact with Collena Drake?”

Matt knew the name. From what Cass had told him, Collena Drake was a former cop at SAPD, and she was now heading the task force to locate all the illegally adopted babies. Collena had apparently been digging through the hundreds of files left by the criminals at the now infamous Brighton Birthing Centre where the illegal adoptions had originated. But piecing together the information was like a huge puzzle, and to make the process easier, she’d been posting information on a public website in addition to asking the public for help.

Matt didn’t like the immediate conclusion that came to mind. “Does Annette know that I’m Molly’s father?”

“She does if she can put two and two together. Collena knew the identity of the baby’s birth mother, and all Annette had to do was figure out who Vanessa’s lover was fifteen months ago.”

That wasn’t a stretch, since it was exactly the way Cass had learned that he was Molly’s father. And since Vanessa and he hadn’t exactly kept their relationship a secret. Heck, their picture had even ended up in the newspaper when he escorted her to a fancy charity ball.

Of course, this made Matt even more suspicious of Annette.

“Where are you?” Matt asked.

“In a blink-and-miss-it-size town about thirty minutes from the estate. I decided to stay close if you needed me. And in case you missed it, Matt, I’m offering to help you in any way I can.”

Matt really wanted to accept Ronald’s help, but he wasn’t sure he could trust him. In fact, he wasn’t sure he should have trusted Ronald with the bit of information he’d just told him about Libby. Ronald could know every detail about what Libby was doing. Heck, he could even be the one responsible for the leak in communication since the main suspects for that leak were Libby, Ronald and Gideon.

Trusting anyone now was too big a risk.

“I wish you’d give up this dangerous attempt to get your baby,” Ronald told him.

“I have,” Matt lied. “I’m driving back to San Antonio. I’ve decided to go through official channels to get Molly away from Dominic.”

Silence for several moments. “What about Cass—is she with you?” Ronald asked.

“She left earlier,” Matt lied again. Why, he didn’t know exactly, but he didn’t think it was a good idea for Ronald to know too much.

Cass gave him a questioning glance but then nodded. She obviously didn’t want him to tell Ronald the truth, either. So, Matt decided to go with a few more lies. If Ronald was a snitch, or a traitor, then a lie or two might send him and anyone else who was listening off on a wild goose chase.

“Cass found the evidence to exonerate her,” Matt explained.

“Oh. I see.” Ronald cleared his throat. “Well, she should have brought it straight to me.”

“She doesn’t trust you, Gideon, Libby or anyone else in the department. Including me.”

More silence. “So, what’s she going to do?”

“I’m not sure, but with her old contacts, she’ll find someone who can get the evidence into the right hands, or maybe even the press.”

“You think she’ll go to the newspapers?” Was it Matt’s imagination that Ronald was highly concerned about that?

“That’s what I would do. Then the press can start asking questions and digging for the truth.” And Matt left it at that. “Ronald, if you hear anything about Libby, call me.”

“That was clever,” Cass commented when he ended the call. “You think Ronald believes you?”

Matt shrugged. “Hard to tell. But it might make Gideon, Libby and him leave the estate to look for you. I’d rather them be anywhere but here.”

“True. What about Libby? Did Ronald have a theory for that?”

“She might be trying to worm her way into Dominic’s trust and heart.”

“Hmmph. Unless she’s got a huge bank account, that won’t happen. Still, I suppose she could be playing the part of a wealthy prospect.”

“Or she could have sold out to Dominic,” he pointed out.

Cass bobbed her head. “Ronald or Gideon could have done the same. In fact, you could possibly be the only honest agent within a hundred miles of here.”

Now he smiled. Matt wasn’t sure how she could keep up her spirits under the circumstances, but Cass was managing it. “Have I said I’m sorry that you couldn’t find the surveillance disks?”

“About a dozen times, but it’s nice to hear it again.” She pulled in her breath. “I really thought this would work, that I’d be able to find the proof I needed. Now I’ll need to come up with a different plan.”

“Yet, here you are helping me.” He turned toward her and adjusted the blanket so that she’d be covered. “It wasn’t supposed to work this way.”

She made a sound of dismissal. “Right now there’s nothing more important than getting your daughter.”

“You really mean that.” And it wasn’t a question. “Now we both might have to live on the run.”

The corner of her mouth lifted. “Misery loves company,” she mumbled. Then the smile faded. “But that life isn’t for Molly and you.”

“We might not have a choice. I’m breaking the law every time I go onto Dominic’s property.”

“Technically. But you could also say that you’re in pursuit of a felon. And we haven’t exactly broken in. We’ve walked in through unlocked doors or entered at Annette’s invitation. Plus, Dominic illegally adopted Molly, and that means you have every right to claim her.”

“Through legal channels, yes.” The blanket slipped off her, and Cass and he bumped hands trying to reposition it.

“You’ll get around to those legal channels, but as you know, we can’t trust them right now.”

It made Matt wonder. What would happen after tonight? Would Cass just leave and try to come up with another plan to gain her freedom?

“The snow is pretty,” she said, looking through the branches and the few bare spots on the windshield. “A white Christmas. I haven’t had one of those in years.”

He had. White Christmases in places where he was undercover. Places where being single at Christmas didn’t matter because he had no one to go home to.

No family.

No significant other.

But it would matter now. And that brought him back to the same question that’d been going through his mind.

“What’ll happen after tonight?” he asked aloud, something he hadn’t planned.

“Your life will change forever.” Cass made it sound as if she’d given it lots of thought. And she probably had. “Nothing will ever be the same again. Oh, and you’ll have to learn to change diapers and talk baby talk.”

She looked up. Smiled. Man, it was dazzling. She probably didn’t know a smile could light up her entire face. And for some reason that smile caught Matt right in the heart. He was getting a new life with his daughter, and Cass was getting nothing.

“Don’t look sad.” She reached out and touched her index finger to his lips.

He caught her hand before she could pull it away. “Man, you’re really freezing. I can turn on the engine and the heat—”

“No.” And she grabbed his hand when he reached for the keys. “We’ve already been through this. Someone might see the exhaust and come to investigate. We don’t need that, not when we’re this close to getting Molly.”

Still, he could do something to warm her. He pulled her even nearer to him. She cooperated, probably because she needed the heat to keep from going numb. She not only snuggled, Cass put her face against his neck.

His mind immediately registered that there was a problem being this close to Cass. After all, they’d had zero success in resisting each other—especially when under stress.

But he couldn’t let her freeze, either, and his brain seemed perfectly content with offering that kind of comfort. Too bad his body took that contentment a step further. Parts of him stirred at the contact.

“I hope the roads won’t be slick tonight,” Matt mumbled. “I don’t want anything to slow down the escape.”

While he had his mind on the plan, he checked the infrared monitor. There were still people milling all around the estate. Annette was in the nursery with Molly. Dominic or someone of his body size was in his office. Libby had either left the estate, or she was one of the heat blobs in one of the many guest rooms. And there were more people arriving.

In other words, nothing had changed in the past hours.

“Want to hear something I’ve never told anyone?” Cass asked. Her breath was warm, the only warm thing in the car, and it hit against his neck. He welcomed it, though it stirred yet more warmth in his body.

“Sure.” Anything to pass the time. And anything to get his mind off her. Except, he couldn’t seem to do that.

He kept looking at her, at the hair that she’d pushed almost haphazardly away from her ivory face. At her eyes—the color of a Christmas tree. At her mouth. No lipstick for her, but her mouth was still the color of some exotic flower.

Hell.

Christmas-tree eyes, exotic-flower lips, an ivory face? Oh, man. These were not descriptions normally in his vocabulary.

Green eyes. Pink lips. Pale face.

There.

That was better.

“My dad was a thief,” she confessed, obviously unaware of the mental battle he was having with himself. “He used to infiltrate companies and steal secrets. He made a fortune and was eventually arrested. The Justice Department then hired him as a consultant. That’s how I met Gideon. Before my parents were killed in a car accident two years ago, Gideon was Dad’s supervisor of sorts.”

Matt shook his head. “I had no idea.”

And he still couldn’t get his mind off her lips.

“It was all kept pretty hush-hush.” She looked up at him. This time, her breath brushed his face. Like a kiss. “So, you see, I’m not really a debutante heiress. I’m just a woman who inherited her father’s ill-gotten gains. Sometimes I think that’s why fate is doing a number on me.”

Without thinking, Matt traced the bruise on her cheek with his fingertips. “You don’t deserve what fate’s done to you,” he assured her.

And they both froze.

Cass stared at him. He stared at her. And she finally shook her head. “That sounded—”

“Sappy,” he finished. “Like Christmas-tree eyes and exotic-flower lips.”

“Well, I was going to say it sounded
scary.
And then I was going to add that fate hasn’t been so kind to you, either.” She stared at him, frowned. “‘Exotic-flower lips?’ Care to explain that one?”

“Not in a million years.”

Her frown curved into a slow, sly smile. “If it’s any consolation—I was thinking that your eyes are the color of a Ulysses butterfly. Butterfly blue.”

That should have made him groan. “Butterfly blue? Poetic.”

“Yes.” Her smile went south. “But how did this happen? How did we end up feeling…
poetic
about each other?”

Since she made it seem a little like a death sentence, Matt couldn’t help it. He chuckled. “Temporary insanity. We’re in a highly dangerous situation. Our bodies are probably…”