Unfinished Business (16 page)

 
Christy tried ignoring the shivers that touched her body as she watched Alex’s hands at the controls of the Cessna. Although she could tell he was an expert at what he was doing, she was studying his hands for another reason. She couldn’t look at them without remembering how he had touched her breasts last night, fondled them, kissed them, tongued them all over. Nor could she look at his mouth and not remember what he had done with it as well. The pleasure he had given her still made her entire body tingle just thinking about it. She had slept well last night thanks to him. It was the best rest she had gotten in a long time.

She shifted in her seat when a pool of heat invaded her midsection. And it wasn’t helping matters that the cockpit of the plane was small, cozy, and intimate; it was a two-seater and nothing like the roomy Cessna her brothers had purchased together, which could hold up to ten people. And of course it was no comparison to the huge Cessna jet her uncle Jake owned, which was too beautiful for words. She had tried to talk her brothers into giving her flying lessons, but it had been her uncle who had eventually taken the time to show her how to operate an airplane.

“You look nice today, Christy.”

Alex’s words nearly startled her. They were both wearing a set of headphones, which made communication easier in a plane this size. She slanted a glance over at him. They had kept conversation to a minimum since taking off. She hadn’t wanted to distract him in any way. “Thank you,” she said, although she didn’t see anything spectacular about the outfit she was wearing, a chocolate-colored pantsuit she had chosen to wear for comfort.

“You look nice yourself,” she said, deciding to return the compliment. And she meant it. He always looked nice.

“Thanks.”

She tried not to remember how he had greeted her when she had opened the door to him that morning. As soon as he stepped over the threshold, he had pulled her into his arms and kissed her like a starving man, and of course she had immediately responded, kissing him like a starving woman, which had set off intense hunger and desire within the both of them.

She had heard herself moan—although she wasn’t sure how that had been possible when he’d been sucking the air right out of her lungs, but she had remembered the exact moment he had cupped her bottom, bringing her closer to the fit of him, as if he wanted her to feel his hardness, to know what she could do to him in the arousal department. She had definitely gotten a
firm
idea.

Last night she had wanted him. In the state she’d been in, if he’d suggested that they sleep together, she would have gone along with it. She knew they had slept together before—or, more correctly stated, had shared the same bed for a while that night she had been under the influence. Her memory denied her the ability to recall any details, and she would give just about anything to know how it felt to have his entire hard body pressed to hers, limb to limb.

“So what do you want to accomplish today with this trip?” he asked, again bringing her concentration back around to the business at hand. She was grateful, since the thoughts she was having could get her in trouble.

She glanced over at him. “To find out all I can about Detective Mark Tyler’s death, to see if perhaps there was foul play and he was killed investigating that kidnapping ring.”

She released a deep sigh. “And while I’m busy doing that, what will you be doing?” She deliberately asked the question as a reminder that although he had insisted on coming along, she didn’t intend for him to become involved in her investigation.

He looked over at her and smiled. “Umm, I can think of a number of things I’ll be doing. Like I said, I haven’t been to Philadelphia in a while, so I intend to check out the sights.”

Christy nodded. That sounded like a workable plan and one where he wouldn’t get in her way.

“How about dinner tonight when we return to Cincinnati? And I thought we could do the zoo this weekend. I heard the Cincinnati Zoo is one of the best in the nation.”

Christy sighed. “She wasn’t sure about it being one of the best in the nation, but she knew it was one of the oldest. In fact, it was the second-oldest zoo in the United States. Unfortunately, she hadn’t had the chance to visit since moving to town. Going there with Alex would be nice if she didn’t know what he was trying to do—break down her defenses. All she had to do was remember what happened last night in her apartment to recall just how close he’d come to doing that very thing. Her defenses hadn’t stood a chance and she couldn’t handle a repeat of last night anytime soon. It was hard to fight his killer charm and blatant seductiveness.

She met his gaze as she raked her fingers through her hair. “Dinner tonight and the zoo on Saturday? I’ll think about it,” she said, deciding not to commit to either.

She watched as Alex slanted an irresistible grin before saying, “Yeah, you do that.”

Alex couldn’t help but smile inwardly. Christy wasn’t giving him an inch, but then like he had told her last night, he was beginning to enjoy the fight. The battle would make the victory that much sweeter.

He still couldn’t erase from his mind the sight of her last night in that shocking blue dress. He had thought about it all night as well as first thing this morning. Nor could he get out of his mind the taste of her on his tongue.

“How long before we land?”

He glanced over at her and grinned. “It won’t be long. Don’t you like my company?”

“It’s OK.”

He grinned a little wider. “Just OK, huh? Well, later I’m going to have to make you think it’s more than just OK.”

Christy got a heated feeling in her stomach just thinking about how he might go about accomplishing that. Deciding to ignore him for a while, she glanced out the window only to shield her eyes from the brightness of the sun. She had forgotten to bring her sunglasses.

“You want to use mine?”

She glanced over at him. She was beginning to wonder if he was into mind reading like she’d suggested last night. “What will you use? Doesn’t the sun bother you, too?”

“I’m used to it,” he said, handing her the pair of sunglasses that was sitting on the console between them.

“Thanks,” she said, putting them on. “Nice fit.”

He looked over at her. “When it comes to us, Christy, there will always be a nice fit.”

She inhaled, slowly and deliberately, trying not to imagine another nice fit they would make . . . in bed together.

“Make sure your seat belt is fastened,” Alex said, snagging back her attention. “It’s time to take this baby down.”

Christy nodded. She was becoming a lost cause. In spite of her resolve to remain unaffected by Alex’s presence, the truth of the matter was that she
was
affected. A part of her knew that this plane wasn’t the only thing going in for a landing.

Christy frowned as she looked across the desk at the man sitting behind it. “And you’re sure there isn’t anything else you can tell me, Lieutenant Jones?”

“Unfortunately, that’s it. According to our report, Detective Tyler’s death was an accident.”

Christy nodded. “And you weren’t aware of any type of investigation he was doing regarding a ring that’s kidnapping teenage girls and shipping them out of the country to use as part of a slave trade?”

The man shrugged. “No, I can’t say that I was.”

He wasn’t telling her the truth; Christy could feel it. Lieutenant Jones had been completely taken aback by the questions she had begun asking him, and she saw how cautious he had been to answer each and every one. She could tell that there was a lot he wasn’t telling her. Why?

“Did Detective Tyler have any family?” She asked the question although she knew he hadn’t. According to the obituary, Mark Tyler was thirty-four and single. She had seen a picture of him. He was a very nice-looking man, so chances were he had a girlfriend.

The lieutenant’s eyes narrowed. “Why do you want to know if he had a family?”

With him being a cop she would have thought it was obvious but decided to answer anyway. “I’d like to talk to them.”

She watched as he snagged a paper clip off his desk and began toying with it. “I’d prefer if you didn’t bother them.”

“Why?”

“They’ve been through enough already. Losing him was hard on them.” He held her gaze. “Losing Mark was hard on all of us. He was a valued member of this force.”

She let out a weary sigh. “I only want to ask them a few questions.”

“And like I said, I’d prefer that you didn’t bother them.”

Christy leaned forward in her chair. The man had gotten on her last nerve. “And I really don’t care what you prefer. There’s someone claiming that young girls are being kidnapped and taken out of the country. That might not mean anything to you, but it means a hell of a lot to me, especially if it’s true.”

The man shifted his gaze from her to glance out the window. Moments later his glance returned full force, pinning her to her chair. “You can’t believe everything you hear, Ms. Madaris.”

She lifted a haughty brow. “No, but as a reporter, I have a right to deliver news based on facts I’ve obtained after a thorough investigation. And that’s what I intend to do.” She stood. “Thanks for your time, Lieutenant.”

Lieutenant Jones released a deep, troubled sigh after the woman walked out of his office. He picked up the phone and dialed a number he had memorized. As soon as a voice came on the line, Jones spoke rapidly and angrily: “I think you guys have a problem.”

Fifteen minutes later Christy was sitting in the coffee shop that was across the street from the police station, sipping her coffee. Her next stop would be the dock where Mark Tyler kept his boat and question the person in charge there. Perhaps he could describe what he saw before the detective took the boat out.

Christy lifted her brows in surprise when the waitress slid a small plate containing a pastry in front of her. She was about to open her mouth and let the woman know she hadn’t ordered anything when she noticed the folded slip of paper that had been placed beside the plate.

She studied the woman, someone who appeared to be in her late sixties, smiled, and said, “Thanks.”

The woman merely nodded and walked off. Christy glanced around, making sure she wasn’t being watched, then picked up the note and quickly read it:

I understand you’re asking questions about
Mark Tyler’s death. Meet me in the lobby of the
Marriott Hotel in thirty minutes so we can talk
.

  Christy refolded the paper and glanced over at the waitress who had delivered the note. She was busy taking the order from a group of police officers who had just walked in.

Slipping the note into her purse Christy wondered who had sent it. She knew where the beautiful hotel was located, and she intended to be there to find out what they had to say to her.

She glanced down at her watch. She was supposed to meet Alex for lunch in a couple of hours. She dismissed the idea of calling him on his cell phone to tell him of her meeting with this mystery person at the hotel. Like her brothers, Alex had an inherent protective streak and wouldn’t hesitate to interfere. The less he knew about what she was doing, the better.

Taking a last sip of her coffee, she left enough bills on the table to pay for the coffee and the pastry she hadn’t eaten before walking out of the café.

A frown marred Alex’s features as he watched Christy leave the café at a hurried pace and cross the street to her car. They had rented separate vehicles and had planned to meet up later.

She thought he was sightseeing. Little did she know, he had intended from the very beginning to stick to her like glue. And it was a good thing he did because she looked like she was hurrying off to meet up with trouble. And how did he know it was trouble? Because Christy and trouble seemed to go together like apples and pie.

Another reason he intended to stick to Christy was that his suspicions of last night had been proven true when he’d noticed a car following them from her apartment to the airport this morning. That observation prompted him to consider that the reason they were followed had something to do with this case she was investigating.

Yes, no matter where she went, he would be right on her tail and he actually felt his body react from the vision that very thought provoked.

Christy glanced around the elegant lobby of the Marriott hotel and didn’t see anyone other than members of the hotel staff. She was about to walk up to the desk to see if a message had been left for her when she noted this young woman who seemingly appeared out of nowhere to come stand beside her.

“You’ve been asking questions about Mark.”

Christy lifted a brow. The attractive young woman with long red hair and beautiful green eyes appeared to be just a year or so older than she was—if that. She hadn’t referred to him as “Detective Tyler” but had used his given name, which indicated she’d known him on a personal basis. “Yes, I’m Christy Madaris, a reporter for a newspaper in Cincinnati and I’ve been asking questions. How did you know?”

Instead of answering, the woman nervously glanced over her shoulder and looked around. “I suggest we go sit in the hotel’s cafe and talk. It’s better than us standing in the middle of the lobby conversing.”

Christy nodded in agreement and followed the woman to the cafe that was located not far from a bank of elevators. They bought coffee at the counter, grabbed a table in the back, and sat down.

“Now where was I?” the young woman asked after taking a quick sip.

Christy lifted a brow. “You were about to tell me how you knew I’d been asking questions about Detective Tyler.”

She saw the bout of pain and sadness that appeared in the woman’s eyes and knew that her earlier assessment had been correct. This woman had known Mark Tyler in a deeply personal way.

“I still have friends on the force.”

Christy’s brow lifted higher. “Friends on the force?”

“Yes. I used to be a beat officer. My name is Mariah Long. Mark and I were lovers.”

For a moment Christy couldn’t say anything. She was struck by the ease with which the woman had defined her relationship with Mark Tyler. She had spoken without any sign of regret or shame. Christy wondered how she would define her relationship with Alex if anyone were to ask. They most certainly weren’t lovers, although she had given him more liberties than she had given any other man. Just thinking of those particular liberties made her blush.

Christy cleared her throat. “What about the woman in the coffee shop? Another friend of yours?”

“Yes. Mark and I used to go there often for coffee before reporting to work.”

“And you used to be a police officer?”

“Yes. Mark and I met on the force. I had been a rookie. We connected right away, and dated exclusively for six months.”

“Why did you leave the force?”

“Because I believed there was a cover-up involving Mark’s death.”

Christy slowly nodded upon hearing her suspicions actually put into words. “The reason I’m asking questions about Mark’s death is because I met a runaway who also believes his death wasn’t an accident. She thinks the reason he was killed was because he was investigating a kidnapping ring that sent runaways out of the country as part of a slave trade. Do you know anything about it?”

“Not much, but I told that FBI agent all that I knew.”

Christy raised a brow. “An FBI agent questioned you?”

“Yes. He questioned Lieutenant Jones as well. The lieutenant knew what Mark was investigating. I know for a fact that Mark reported everything to him.”

“Umm, that’s strange. I specifically asked Jones if he knew anything about it and he said he didn’t.”

“Then he’s hiding something. I used to think Lieutenant Jones was one of the most honest men I knew, but since Mark’s death I’ve seen another side of him.”

“What do you mean?”

“He refused to entertain the possibility that Mark’s death wasn’t an accident. In fact, he was the one to suggest that I take an extended leave from the force to get myself together. But I quit instead.”

Christy nodded. “So what do you do now?”

“I work here, at this hotel as a special security agent.”

Christy leaned back in her chair. “Why do you think Mark’s death wasn’t an accident?”

“Because I know he was working on something big that involved some high-powered people in this city. Although this kidnapping ring seems to have expanded nationally, Mark was convinced he was putting together proof that the ringleader was someone well-known from this area.”

Christy leaned forward. “Did he say who?”

Mariah shook her head. “No. There were certain aspects of the investigation that he kept me in the dark about. He figured what I didn’t know couldn’t hurt me. He wanted to protect me.”

Christy nodded again. “Do you know if he was in touch with any runaways during this investigation?”

Mariah took a deep breath. “Yes, there were a couple. That’s how he first found out that the ring existed.”

“Do you recall any names?”

“No. But I do recall he got a call from one living in Columbus, Ohio. He believed the kidnappers had expanded there. Some girl living there verified that theory, but I don’t recall her name. I know it started with a B, though.”

Bonita
? Christy lifted a brow. “And how do you know that?”

“Because she called one day, and he was about to write her name down and remembered I was there beside him, and the letter B was the only thing he jotted down before tossing the paper aside.” She paused for a brief moment, then said, “Again, he was trying to protect me.”

Christy swallowed, hearing the break in the woman’s voice. “Tell me about the boating accident.”

Mariah inhaled deeply. “That wasn’t an accident. Mark was killed.”

“The authorities are saying otherwise.”

Mariah met her gaze and leaned forward. “And like I told you, they are trying to hide something. If you ask me, they are all in this together.”

Christy stared into eyes that actually believed what she was saying. “Were you around when Mark was killed?” she decided to ask.

Mariah shook her head sadly. “No, that weekend he had convinced me to visit my mother in Arizona. I think he knew something was about to go down and wanted me out of harm’s way, especially after he purchased that plane ticket.”

Christy paused with the coffee cup halfway to her lips. “A plane ticket to where?”

“I don’t remember, but I know it was a place located on an island. Mark was convinced he had discovered the name of the place that was being used as a drop-off point for the kidnapped teenagers before they were split up and sent elsewhere.”

Christy wished Mariah could remember the name of the island. “What about the boating accident? Did Mark own a boat?”

Mariah shook her head. “No. Although he would go fishing occasionally with friends and knew how to operate one, he only became interested in boating recently. Personally, I think there was something going on at the docks that was connected to his investigation. He would go out on a boat practically every weekend. What he was looking for, I’m not sure.”

“How did he die?”

She watched as the woman took deep breaths before answering. “There was an explosion. There was nothing left of Mark . . . except for a few items that were used to positively identify him.”

Christy studied the woman, watched the tears that flowed down her eyes to drench her cheeks. Mariah was having a hard time dealing with her loss, and Christy couldn’t help but wonder how she would feel if anything were ever to happen to Alex.

She suddenly felt a deep punch in her gut, a sudden invasion of emotions she had tried holding at bay, keeping under lock and key for three years. They were trying to return and she was determined not to let them.

“Christy?”

Breathing deeply, Christy met Mariah’s gaze. “Mark’s death wasn’t an accident.”

Christy felt a lump thicken in her throat. “If it wasn’t an accident, then I intend to do everything within my power to prove it.” She refused to think about the time limit that Malcolm had given her. First thing in the morning when she returned to work, she would meet with him and convince him of the necessity of her having more time.

Mariah released a deep sigh. “Thanks. I owe it to Mark for everyone to know the truth about what happened to him, and his son has a right to know what really happened to his father.”

Christy lifted a surprised brow. “His son?”

A smile touched Mariah’s lips. “Yes, I found out I was pregnant with Mark’s child a few weeks after he had died. He’s all I have left of Mark, and I want the people responsible for taking him away from us brought to justice, but more than anything I think Mark deserves for everyone to know just what a heroic man he was.”

A half hour later, Christy parked her car at the entrance to the docks. She checked her watch. She had another hour before she needed to meet Alex for lunch.

Moments later, she was walking up the entry ramp and saw all the boats lining the water. It was a nice day and people were taking advantage of it. She immediately headed toward the building that indicated the manager’s office. After a couple of knocks on the door, she was gruffly ordered to come in.

“What can I help you with, lady?” a huge man with a beard asked from behind a desk.

“Are you the manager?”

He stood and came around his desk. “It depends on why you want to know.”

Already she had a feeling he would be difficult. “I’m Christy Madaris, a reporter from Cincinnati, and I need to ask you a couple of questions about Mark Tyler’s accident.”

She sensed him tense. A cautious shadow that appeared in his eyes as well as the straightening of his shoulders gave him away. He stuck out his hand. “I’m Hank Adams, and yes, I’m the manager. I told the cops everything I know.”

Christy shook hands with him. “Perhaps there’s something you might have forgotten.”

He frowned as he walked back to his desk and sat down. “There’s no perhaps about it. I didn’t forget anything. Mark started hanging around here a month or so before his accident. He was a nice guy, kept to himself. It was a shame he died that way.”

“Yes, it was, wasn’t it? Did you see him that last day?”

“Yeah, and talked with him too. Briefly though. He was eager to get out on the water.”

Christy nodded. “Did he say why?”

“Nope, and I didn’t ask.”

“Did he ever seem particularly interested in any of the other boats docked here?”

The man shrugged huge shoulders. “No, not particularly.”

“Did he ever ask you about any of your other customers who used this dock frequently?” The man wrinkled his eyebrow, which was a sure sign of irritation. “No. Like I said, he minded his own business.” He then attempted an easy grin which became a forced smile and said, “I wish others were like him.”

A part of Christy wondered if the man was giving her a warning. “Is it okay if I take a look around?”

The man rubbed his hairy chin and stared at her. His forced smile had vanished. “Suit yourself.”

“Thanks.”

She then walked out of the office.