Whatever It Takes (33 page)

Letting go a rough laugh, Eli grabbed her up and whirled her around in a circle. “You are incredible, and I love you beyond measure, Kathleen Callahan.”

She buried her face in the crook of his neck, embarrassed by her incredibly inept declaration of love and enormously relieved he had ignored all the garbage she’d spouted beforehand.

“I’m so bad at this.”

“You’re better than you think you are.” He pushed her head up so he could see her face, the tender look in his eyes melting her. “And I’ll give you plenty of opportunities to say it over and over again. Say, about sixty, seventy years.”

Emotions swelled to a fever pitch inside her. “I don’t deserve you, Eli. You’ve put up with so much crap from me. Can you forgive me for—”

His fingers pressed against her mouth. “You deserve everything good, my sweet Kat. I plan to spend the rest of my life making sure you get it.”

They shared a kiss of promise and hope. Wonderment. 

Heated moments later, Eli raised his head. “We’ve got a lot to talk about…plans to make.”

“Yes. But first…”

“Yes.” He dropped a hard kiss on her mouth. “But first we have a killer to hunt down.”

With reluctance, she pulled out of his arms and went to her laptop on the desk. “I brought everything with me. It seems crazy, doesn’t it? That there’s a connection between your father and Braden?”

“Hell if I know. They were both sleazebags. As far as I know, Mathias never got involved in prostitution or human trafficking, but I wouldn’t rule it out.”

Eli grabbed her laptop while she grabbed several notebooks. As they headed out, Eli stopped at the doorway. “Whatever we find…no matter what it is, we’ll get through it together. Right?”

“Yes. If there’s one thing this whole ordeal has taught me, it’s that I don’t want to go through life alone.” She flashed him a bright smile. “You’re stuck with me, Mr. Slater. Deal with it.”

“Oh, I intend to, Miss Callahan.”

Chapter Thirty-nine

“Linda and Douglas were found outside London in an abandoned farmhouse,” Justice said. “Both are suffering from exposure and dehydration. Your brother-in-law may have had a small stroke. They’re evaluating him. Other than a slight blood pressure problem that’s being treated, your sister is fine.”

Teresa took in a ragged breath and released it with a sob blended with laughter. “We Longviews are a hearty bunch.”

Eli squeezed her shoulder. “You saved their lives, Teresa. Remembering that tracker in Douglas’s watch was the key to finding them.”

Teresa gave him a teary smile and then turned to Justice. “Thank you for sending your people to save them. I owe you…” Her gaze went around the room. “I owe all of you for saving them.”

“I’m just glad we were able to help.” Justice stood. “I’ve got an appointment to get to. Keep me posted on any new developments.”

“Will do.” Eli gave Nick and Kennedy a telling look. “If you don’t mind, Kathleen and I would like to talk to Teresa alone.”

Nick nodded. “We’ll get set up in the conference room.”

Eli waited until they left to turn to Teresa. Regret beat at him, and though he dreaded the answer, he had to give her the words.

“I want to apologize again, Teresa. None of this would have happened if not for my shortsightedness.” He raised his hand to keep her from speaking. “No matter what you say, I hold myself responsible.”

He took her hand in his and squeezed it gently. “Tell me what you want to do. If you want to be with your family, I’ll have a plane ready for you in an hour. Douglas and Linda are under protection. No one can get to them now, but I completely understand if you want to be with them.”

Teresa patted his hand. “Don’t you fret, Mr. Eli. I’m exactly where I want to be. My sister would be the first person to agree. And you need to stop apologizing. You can’t predict what bad people will do.”

“Maybe not, but protecting my family is my responsibility.”

“A few months before Miss Shelley passed away, she said something to me. I didn’t know quite what she meant at the time, but now I think I do.”

“What’s that?”

“She said that you have a hero complex. That you have a tendency to want to save people, even from themselves. And even when it’s not your place.”

Eli didn’t know how to respond. He sure as hell hadn’t been able to save Shelley, especially from herself.

“She also said that’s one of the reasons she fell in love with you. Said that chivalry was one of your greatest gifts.” She patted his hand again. “Now I’m going to go call the number Mr. Justice gave me so I can talk to my sister. Then I’ll get started on dinner. And don’t even think about telling me not to bother. Staying busy is a gift.”

He watched her go, wishing he could have done more. Wishing he could figure out just what the hell he was supposed to do.

“It bothers you, doesn’t it?” Kathleen asked. “What she told you that Shelley said. That you try to save people.”

“It’s what I did…what I do. When it’s something I want or feel strongly about, someone I care about, I do manipulate people to get my way.” He looked at her then. “It’s what I did with you. Manipulated the situation.”

She smiled at him then. This beautiful woman he loved to distraction. “You want me to be angry about that?” she asked. “Too bad, because I’m not. You did it because you wanted to help me. I don’t think Shelley meant her words to be an insult. There’s a shortage of heroes in the world. I love that you want to help people.” 

She moved into his arms. “And I’m particularly grateful you wanted to help me.”

Eli buried his face in her hair, inhaled her scent, took solace from her strength. “I don’t know when this will be over…if it’ll ever be over.”

“It will, Eli. With all of us working on it, I promise it will.”

“And then what, Kat?”

She raised her head and spoke with a quiet confidence. “We’ll live happily ever after. Just like we’re supposed to.”

Slater House Hotel

Downtown Dallas

She shot up from the fragrant bubble bath she’d been thoroughly enjoying. “What do you mean they disappeared?”

“Just that. I left them there overnight, tied so tight one of ’em couldn’t scratch an itch without the other saying thank you. Came by this morning to see if they were still kicking. The door was busted open. I didn’t go in. Figured the place was being watched.”

“This is very disappointing.”

“Hey, I followed every direction you gave me. You said there was no need to watch them. You said—”

“I know exactly what I said. But, as one might expect, that doesn’t diminish my disappointment.”

“It’s not my fault they’re gone. You still owe me three grand.”

“I take care of my obligations. It’s such a shame you don’t do the same.”

She ended the call before she could say anything more. She didn’t have time to deal with this right now. Going all the way back to England just to kill one stupid criminal was pointless. He could be found under a rock at some point later. 

Stepping out of the delicious bath, she dried off quickly and then began to pace across her hotel room. Staying in the most luxurious accommodations was one of the many perks of her job. That it was the Slater House Hotel was an amusing coincidence. Luxury and decadence often soothed her, but not tonight.

Dammit, she had read Teresa Longview wrong. Her kind usually believed that family was the most important thing. How many times had she used this technique in the past? Dozens? It had always worked like a dream. Where the hell had she gone wrong?

Anger ignited. Looking around the room for an outlet, she picked up a vase, threw it across the room, and watched it shatter. No, that hadn’t helped. She whirled around, grabbed a small statue, and lifted her arm. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Turning, she faced herself fully and felt the rage drain from her body.

Being beautiful had been a gift. She hadn’t always looked like this. The man she had loved and lost had given her this. What woman wouldn’t want to have this face? This body? 

Soothed by her beauty, she regrouped. Obviously, she had underestimated the housekeeper. Not only had she not served Slater and Callahan the poison, she had apparently told them. And if she’d told them, it was only a natural step for Slater to have called the one man with the kind of worldwide connections that could find and rescue people in trouble. Grey Justice had been a thorn in her side for as long as she could remember. Even while she hated him, he had fascinated her, enthralled her. And for one very specific reason, she wanted him dead.

But that was for another day. Right now, she had to go to her backup plan. Frustrating, because she hadn’t done the recon she normally would beforehand. But it was reasonable, sensible. And it would have to be done soon, before Slater suspected her next move. He now knew no one was safe.

She picked up her cellphone again, this time to make flight arrangements. Maybe once this part of the job was finished, she’d take a few days there and relax. She certainly deserved it, and France was so nice this time of year.

Rubbing his hair dry with a towel, Eli walked out of the bathroom and then stopped at the sight before him. Kathleen Callahan, beautiful, sexy, and without a doubt the love of his life, sat in the middle of the bed. He had dreamed about having her here, all the wickedly delicious things he wanted to do to that sweet, luscious body. But this image had never entered his mind. 

The entire bed was covered with stacks of papers, most of which carried his father’s name. Kathleen sat in the middle of those stacks, reading, studying, researching. It had been a helluva long day, and he’d looked forward to holding her in his arms for a few hours without the stench of his family invading.

Only a few hours ago, she had told him she loved him. Despite all the troubles still facing them, he wanted to celebrate that miracle. Hold her in his arms and convince himself that for a few stolen moments, all was right with his world.

He gestured at the bed. “This is one place I really don’t want my father.”

Lifting her head, Kathleen gave him a weary smile and started gathering papers together. “Sorry. Still looking for that connection between Braden and your father.”

He had some thoughts on another kind of connection, but he wasn’t about to bring that up tonight. He needed to do a little research on his own before destroying her world once again.

“We’ve dug enough to know there doesn’t appear to be a business link, but you’re talking personal? There was a big age difference between the two. They lived across the country from each other. Other than they were both sleazebags, their perversions of choice weren’t related. What kind of personal connection could there be?”

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s get some rest and tackle it tomorrow.” He gave her his most lascivious leer. “My eyes are so blurred it’s almost impossible for me to tell if you’re wearing clothes or not.”

She laughed and shoved a stack of papers off the bed. “Is that right? Well, I guess this sexy, see-through gown I’m wearing is pointless.”

He gave an exaggerated blink. “How about that? I think they’re clearing up again. But where’s that sexy see-through?”

“Come down here and help me find it.”

“My pleasure.”

He sat on the bed beside her and helped her stack the rest of the papers. “What’s this?”

She peered over his shoulder. “What’s what?”

“This list.”

“Oh, it’s a list of companies Braden had an investment or interest in. I thought maybe someone had him killed either for revenge or to possibly get his stock at a good price.” She shrugged. “I was scraping the bottom of the barrel, I admit. I—”

Obviously noting the stiffness in his body, she sat beside him so she could see his face. “What?”

His heart pounding, he surged from the bed and grabbed up the papers. “Come with me.”

Chapter Forty

Grey arrived just as Kathleen and Kennedy finished setting up. Kathleen and Eli had worked until after three this morning. When she could no longer hold her eyes open, she’d convinced him to come to bed for a few hours. They’d fallen into bed, arms wrapped around each other, believing they had finally found that connection. 

A few hours later, she’d woken alone and found a note beside her pillow to meet him in the conference room when she was dressed. She’d walked in to see he’d already consumed half a pot of coffee but looked as triumphant and optimistic as she’d ever seen him. Kathleen felt an almost euphoric glee.

By the time Kennedy and Nick arrived, she and Eli had completed half the boards. When Eli explained what he’d found, they’d gotten to work, too. Once they’d seen the thread…where it was going, it had been easy enough to follow, connect, and then tie them together.

When they’d felt they had gone as far as they could, Eli had made a call to Grey.

Now armed with more information than they’d believed possible, Eli stood at the front of the room and faced the small group.

“Since Justice hasn’t heard any of this, and I want to make sure we’re all on the same page, I’ll begin with how we believe it started. After that, we’ll move to what we can prove and are certain of. And then, we’ll talk about what we speculate.” Eli’s gaze went to Grey. “That’s where you come in. There are certain things I think you can find faster than we can.”

At Grey’s nod of acknowledgment, Eli continued, “Forty-nine years ago, a twenty-year-old Mathias went to visit his cousins in Dorman, Nebraska. It’s a little town right outside Omaha and at that time had a population of right under ten thousand.

“Since it was such a small town, there was little to do. Except a special event happened to be taking place in Dorman. One of their own, Frisco Durango, was coming for a visit.” 

Justice’s arched a brow. “Frisco Durango?”

Eli grinned. “I kid you not. Anyway, Frisco had made it big on the rodeo circuit and, wanting to give back to the community, arranged a rodeo for the town. People came from all over the state, some from neighboring states.”