The Naughty Angel Returns (Naughty Angels In Love) (14 page)

“I know, and you're not supposed to worry in your condition, so settle down,” Haley said with a fond smile. Now she'd actually get to hold her new niece or nephew if this ended well.

“Fine. I'm calm,” Kiera said.

“Good,” Haley said gently, knowing she needed to choose her words with care. “I need to ask you a question, Sis, and it's nothing to get excited about…okay?”

“Okay,” Kiera said with a rueful tone.

“Fine,” Haley said, relaxing. “What do the words '8th and Mandrake' mean to you? We don't have a Mandrake Road here in town, that I'm aware of.”

“Hmmm…let me think,” Kiera mused. “There's a Mandrake Street in Siler City over in the industrial park. Jaden did some business there last year. Why do you ask?”

“That's where Crispin went, I think.”

“Trevor!” Kiera said, aghast. “Oh my Lord, it's him, isn't it?”

Haley smiled as her sister guessed it. “How did you know?”

Kiera snorted. “It didn't take a rocket scientist. I told you last night Trevor left town after we took out a restraining order against him, and he moved there. I heard Jaden tell someone that the bastard is working at an advertising agency there.”

Now if I just had the slimy bastard's number, Haley thought wistfully and then heard a scribbling sound beside her. She looked over to see a phone number magically appear on the paper on the nightstand. Max! It had to be. And then the plan came together in her mind. She'd beat Trevor at his own game. “Here's what I need you to do, Sis. Call Miranda from Indiscretions for me.” She heard her sister's embarrassed gulp and smiled. “It's okay to know an erotica shop owner, Sis. You're a married woman.”

“Okay,” Kiera said with a giggle. “I admit it. Jaden and I love that store.”

“Great. Give her a call for me, and tell her to quietly clear the shop by four o'clock and have her Louisville Slugger handy. I'm arranging a little trap for Trevor. I'll get the psychotic bastard if it's the last thing I do.”

“I don't like the sound of that,” Kiera said tensely. “Are you sure you know what you're doing, Sis?”

“For once in my lives, yeah, I do,” she said with a soft smile of recognition at her newfound power. She finally felt whole thanks to Crispin, and she wasn't letting him get hurt by Trevor.

“Why don't you call Crispin or the FBI for help?” Kiera cut in. “You don't have to do this alone, Sis.”

“I'm not alone, Kiera. I've got Max power,” Haley said feeling a certainty deep inside. “And don't worry. I will call the FBI once I have Trevor where I want him.”

Kiera let out a snort. “Max power…that sarcastic jerk. From what I saw last night, he wasn't impressive.”

“Have a little faith, Sis, in both of us. And do me a favor if you run into Crispin. Don't tell him anything. I don't want him caught in the crossfire.”

Kiera sighed. “He's a big boy. Don't you think he can take care of himself?”

“He's my soul mate, and I can't lose him this soon,” Haley said firmly, adding gently, “you of all people should understand that after what you went through saving Jaden.”

“You've got me there,” Kiera admitted grudgingly. “But if I get a bad feeling about this, I'm going to tell on you, so be prepared.”

Haley smiled, glad that her sister was strong enough to tell on her now. They'd both grown so much. This just had to have a happy ending. “Okay. I'm finally going to listen to my big sister. Use your own judgment. Bye.”

“I expect hourly check-ins, or I'm calling the cops,” Kiera warned.

“Okay.” Haley hung up before her sister could argue anymore and dialed the number that had miraculously appeared on the pad. She was surprised when a special ringtone blared into her ear rather than a normal ring. “Hey there, Little Red Riding Hood, you sure are looking good…”

She wrinkled her nose. It had to be him. The sleaze thought he was the big bad wolf. Then there was a
click
and a heavy breath on the other end. Her skin crawled.

“Who is this? And how did you get this number?” Trevor asked suspiciously.

She smiled, picturing the trap being set. “I'm the one who got away, Truck.”

He chortled. “Haley Aims. What's the matter, babe? Did you miss me?”

His evil vibes made the hair stand up on the back of her neck, and she rubbed it. “Hardly.”

“What's the matter? Cat got your tongue…whore? I figured it all out. It came to me in a dream that was way too real after you escaped me in the hospital. You taking up with that asshole reporter will turn out to be your doom,” he said with a sharp laugh. “I showed you yesterday that I can still get to you.”

She winced. He was seriously crazy.

“Nice peep show you put on for me at the
lingerie
shop,” he sneered, drawing out the word
lingerie.

Rage made her pull herself together as she thought of him spying on them at Indiscretions. “You creep.”

“Ooh,” he mocked. “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but a stupid slut like you can never hurt me.”

“Why did you have to destroy Crispin's work, you sicko?” she snapped back at him.

“Did I hurt the nerd's feelings?” he mocked.

She read behind his bluster. He was actually running scared. “Did he get a little too close to the truth? Did you feel the noose tightening around your neck?”

“Shut your fuckin' mouth, you whore,” he hissed into the phone. “You two think you can outsmart me. Well, think again. I have powerful allies you can't even imagine.”

Okay, time to reel this crazy in and set the trap. “Yeah, right. Ramble on all you want. I know it's all bullshit.”

“Whore,” he sputtered. “I'm not stupid enough to let you keep me on the line and triangulate my location. Nobody suspects me.”

She smiled as his voice cracked. Good, she was pushing him over the edge. It was time to up the ante. “I know where you work, Truck—or should I say, Trevor?—and where you live. If you think the Feds are trouble, just wait until you mess with me, you psycho idiot. I have the good forces on my side, and you don't.”

“Ooh I'm scared,” he mocked.

Her spine straightened. “I'm going to turn you in, Trevor. You'll be a hunted beast unless you give in to my demands,” she stated and then held her breath when he hesitated, breathing hard.

“What do you want?” he asked suspiciously.

He actually thought he could manage her. “What do you think a whore like me wants, Trevor? Money.”

“What if I don't have any?” he asked in a wheedling tone.

“I know you've had an inheritance, Trevor. You're loaded and only work at the Print Shop to harass the women.”

“Who told you that?” he hissed.

“I've got spies everywhere,” Haley said, thinking of Max and his crew. “Eyes are always on you.” She could practically feel Trevor freeze up over the phone. Finally he let out a low grumble.

“Where and when do you want to meet?”

He was going to kill her; she could hear it in his voice. “Indiscretions… I'm sure you know where it is. In an hour. And don't even think of messing with Crispin. It'd be your last mistake. Because when I try to kill someone, I don't miss. I think an eternity alone and in a very dark place where you work your ass off should scare you.”

“Bitch,” he spat.

She clicked off the phone, her heart pounding. Well, she had him good and riled up; now she just had to set the trap.

Turning to go, she spied stationery on the desk and sat down to write a short good-bye note to Crispin, just in case Trevor was smarter than he seemed.

Chapter Ten

Crispin shadowed Harry as they burst into the Print Shop, a small-time ad agency set in an industrial park. It was Trevor's place of employment. When they burst in, secretarial staff looked up, wide-eyed, at them.

The pretty blonde receptionist let out a little peep as she gaped at the FBI task force that followed in their wake.

Crispin and Harry exchanged a glance, satisfied by their reaction. He knew that Harry had a lot riding on this. He'd called in his last favor to convince his superiors. Most of them were content with Chad behind bars and thought it would be Harry's last screwup before he did out his duty in Fargo. Crispin only hoped that it wouldn't cost his buddy his assignment, but getting Trevor was paramount.

A middle-aged woman dressed in a stiff, old-fashioned suit stepped out of a side office, her narrow-eyed gaze focused on them as she pushed past the gaping receptionist. “May I help you, gentlemen?” she snapped.

“Trevor. Where is he?” Crispin demanded gruffly.

The woman glared back at him, her lips thinning as she clamped them together.

Harry gave him a reproving look and then pulled out his badge to flash it at the frowning woman. “We're with the FBI, ma'am, and we do need to see Trevor Banks now.”

She stayed mum for a moment and then sighed. “He left,” she said, looking worried. “Did he do something wrong?”

“What makes you ask that?” Harry said.

“Well, there have been a few complaints of harassment…unfounded, of course.” She flicked a warning glance around the office.

“Unfounded, my ass,” Crispin said under his breath.

“I told you so,” the young receptionist said from her chair.

The older woman flashed her a quelling frown. “This is not the time, Mandy. Let's not air our dirty linen—”

“When did he leave?” Harry asked, cutting in.

Mandy smiled. “The creep left about half an hour ago. He was on break, got a call on his cellular phone that pissed him off, and left in a fury.”

The older woman gave her a firm look. “That's enough.”

“Did he say where he was going?” Crispin asked her, ignoring the older woman's glare.

“No. He just said he had personal business to take care of.” Mandy smirked. “He tore out of here fast, muttering under his breath about Haley…”

“Shit,” Crispin and Harry said and turned to go.

Harry nodded at the other agents. “Lock down his office. I want it swept. And get statements from everyone. You might as well start with Mandy. She seems the most observant.”

They swept out of the building to the tune of older woman's furious sputters, Crispin leading the way. The sooner they got to Trevor, the better. “Five will get you ten he found out where you two were staying and is heading to the Hyatt.”

“Maybe,” Crispin said. “But why would that piss him off? Who could have rattled Trevor this bad? It would take someone with spunk, someone with nerves of steel.” They exchanged troubled looks.

“Haley,” they both said at the same time. They turned to head toward the car when Harry's earpiece crackled.

“What?” he asked.

After a moment he turned to look at Crispin. “I think you're right. She's back.”

“Thank heavens,” Crispin said, picturing her surrounded by agents and probably spitting mad. “Are they holding her at the hotel?”

Harry grimly shook his head. “They had a glimpse of her sneaking out of the hotel. She lost the FBI tail and took off, heading west for the edge of town. What's out that way?”

“Her sister's place.”

Harry frowned. “Sister?”

“It's a long story,” Crispin said, calling Kiera's number.

“Haley, is that you?” Kiera asked.

Crispin closed his eyes. What had those two been up to? “No, it's Crispin.” He all but felt her freeze up on the other end.

“Are you okay, Crispin?” Kiera asked gently. “Do you want Jaden and me to come and get you?”

Why the worry over him? “I'm fine. The one I'm worried about is your over
-heroic sister.” He listened to Kiera's breath catch at the disclosure.

“She told you.”

“Last night.” Crispin's mind drifted back to that unearthly moment. She'd been lying under him, naked, when she'd bared her soul to him. More fool him, he hadn't believed her, and then she'd vanished. “I didn't believe her at first, until she vanished. Now she's back and risking her neck for me, rattling some dangerous cages. I won't allow that. You need to tell me where she is.”

“She made me promise not to tell,” Kiera said softly.

His gut twisted when he heard her hesitate. He had to know. He had to save his woman. “And I'm begging you to break your vow. I need her, Kiera. I can't lose her.”

Kiera sighed. “She was setting up some kind of ambush at Indiscretions. She had me call Miranda to have her quietly empty the shop of bystanders. And she told her to have her baseball bat ready, whatever that means.”

He let out a growl, biting back a curse, picturing the two women sneaking up to the killer with nothing but a baseball bat for protection. His blood chilled.

“That's pretty much what I said,” Kiera said with grim humor. “It's going down at four. You still have time to intervene.”

He flicked a glance at his watch. Quarter to four. He could just barely make it. “Thanks, Kiera. I owe you a big one.”

“Just bring my sister home safe.”

He hung up the phone, turned to look at Harry, and jerked open the car door. “Let's roll. They're going to Indiscretions. Haley has cooked up some kind of harebrained plan to get him.”