“Wasn’t me. Maybe you’re not as good at spotting a tail as you think.”
“Why’d you do it, Ed? I trusted you.” The pain cut deep.
Ed sat behind his desk and hung his head. He stayed like that nearly a minute. “You have no idea what I’ve been through, the shit that’s permeated my life. And it’s all fucked up now.”
Pain stabbed behind his eyes. Holding his fury in check, he drew a deep breath. He was sitting opposite the man who’d helped a murderer try to kill the woman he loved. His first inclination was to rip the bastard to shreds, but he had to play it cool. “Tell me what happened.”
“It started about a year after I married Veronica.” Ed heaved a sigh. “Her spending had gotten out of control. She’d been buying all these designer clothes and shoes, stuff I couldn’t afford. I asked her to stop. She blew up at me, said she’d have never married me if she’d known I was so cheap.”
Will flinched when Ed opened his desk drawer. He fingered his gun, but Ed only took out a bottle of antacid. Relief washed over him as the older man tipped the bottle to his mouth for a swig, then returned the medicine to his drawer.
“Then she started taking these junkets to Vegas and Atlantic City with her girlfriends. Racking up thousands in gambling debts.” He rolled his head back. “Aw, Christ, I don’t know if she was really doing that or shacking up with some young guy.”
“I’m sorry, Ed.” But he wasn’t terribly surprised. Since he’d started working for Ed, he’d picked up bits and pieces of conversations, enough to convince him Veronica had been bleeding Ed dry.
“Last week she tells me she owes this casino in Atlantic City a shitload of dough. And she knew, Will. She knew we were headed for the damn poorhouse, and she didn’t care. Then I caught Jarity at Megan’s house dressed like a fucking ninja.”
“What?” He sat up straighter.
“I’m a piece of shit, but I was a desperate one.” He met Will’s stare, and the misery in his eyes was plain. “I’m sorry, kid. He offered to give me more than I needed to pay off all Veronica’s debts. If I’d turned him in, my business would have gone under, and then where would I be?” He shook his head. “I’m not proud of myself, but Jarity talked me into giving up your hiding place, the rental cottage.”
“So he set the fire.” Will gritted his teeth, thinking about what could have happened.
“He promised me he wasn’t going to hurt her. I swear. But that’s what I get for trusting that son of a bitch. When he tried to burn the place down, I was furious. But then he had me, Will. He recorded our conversation, that double-crossing bastard.”
Will thought about the microphone taped to his skin. “Go on.”
“He also told me some stuff about my wife. That she’d been pawning the jewelry I’d given her.” He looked as if he was about to cry. “I went home and searched her things, and I found thousands, Will. She’d been stashing all that money.”
He could only imagine how Ed must have felt, but it didn’t justify what he’d done to Megan. Or to him. Nothing could.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of losing her. So I tried to rein her in.” He buried his face in his hands and sobbed like a baby. “She left me, Will. Now I have nothing. Nothing but a business that’s going down the tubes and a fucking mountain of debt.” He sat up and sniffled loudly.
“She wasn’t worth it, Ed.” Could he be all that surprised that a beautiful yet trashy woman like Veronica had had ulterior motives for marrying him?
“I told you. They’re no damn good. When I saw you were getting too involved with Megan again, I tried to talk you out of it, but you wouldn’t listen. Jarity told me he just wanted to scare her, I figured maybe she’d leave town, get the hell out of your life. Didn’t work that way, though.”
Will wanted to jump across the desk and wring his neck, but he sat tight. Ed would get what was coming to him by way of the justice system.
“I got nothing left, kid. That’s punishment enough, don’t you think? Let’s forget about this, huh?”
Incredulous, Will couldn’t hold back a smirk. “No, Ed. I don’t think so.”
Suddenly there was a gun in Ed’s hand, so fast Will hadn’t even see him go for it. Will stared into the barrel, then met Ed’s red-rimmed eyes.
Ed would never shoot him. He’d stake his life on it. But he wished Ed weren’t watching him like a damn hawk. His own weapon was so close, but Ed would be able to crack off at least two rounds before Will could get to it.
“Listen to me, kid. We can pretend we never had this conversation. All I have left is my reputation. If my friends at the SO hear about this…” More tears. “Jesus, Will, please. I’m begging you, man to man.”
More like pussy to man.
If he agreed too quickly, Ed would never believe him. “I don’t know.” Then he remembered Kenny could hear everything they said. “I don’t like having a gun in my face. You mind lowering that thing while I think about it?”
Ed narrowed his gaze. He came around the desk, never moving his eyes—or his weapon—off Will. “You’re wearing a wire, aren’t you?”
His heart rocketed faster. “’Course not.”
“Put your hands up.”
Blood pulsed in his ears. “Come on, Ed. It’s me.”
“Put them up.”
Will slowly raised his arms. Ed grabbed at his T-shirt and lifted it high enough to see the microphone. And the gun in his waistband.
“Calm down, Ed.” He reached for his weapon, but Ed pushed his against Will’s forehead.
“Take your hand off it, real slow.”
He had no choice but to do as he was told. “This is crazy.” He lifted his hands in the air, and Ed took his gun.
“Thought I knew you, Will.” He backed away a few paces.
“Same back at ya.”
“No one is who I thought they were.” He turned his weapon toward his head, then opened his mouth and pushed the barrel inside.
He gasped. “Ed, no!”
The door burst open. “Don’t do it,” Kenny Horvath said from the doorway. “Please, Ed. That’s not going to solve anything.”
Ed squeezed the trigger.
Chapter Thirteen
Will waited outside Ed’s office building with Kenny, too shell-shocked to utter a single word.
Will’s former boss, Captain Zuckerman, approached the men. “They’re almost finished in there, guys. Hell of a scene. Long as I’ve worked this job, it never gets any easier to see, particularly when it’s someone you know.
Knew.
”
“Sure as hell wasn’t pleasant to watch.” Kenny paced the sidewalk and shook his head.
“You both will need to see our mental health counselor this week. Don’t put it off. Even tough guys like you have trouble dealing with something like this.” The captain scrubbed a hand over his face. “Never in a million years would I have believed Ed Dawkins was dirty.”
“Captain Zuckerman?” Will said.
“Hmm?”
“I’m not with the SO anymore. I left months ago. I was working for Ed.”
“What’s your point, McCoy?” The older man clasped his hands behind his back.
“You said Kenny and I should see the counselor. That’s only for employees, isn’t it?”
“Listen to me.” He set his hand on Will’s shoulder. “I hated that you left in the first place. Seems you don’t have a job anymore. Without Dawkins, there’s no more Dawkins Security and Investigations, right?”
He shrugged. “I’d assume so.”
“You’re a damned fine detective. Horvath told me you’ve been instrumental in this human-trafficking case he’s working. The SO needs more guys like you. I want you back.”
“I appreciate that, sir, but—”
“Look, we all make mistakes. I’ve read the report from the night you shot that kid. He was dressed exactly the same as the perp who’d just killed a store clerk. And the guy was running from you. You did exactly what I would have, and most other cops too. Time to stop beating yourself up over it.”
The memory of that awful night would haunt him for the rest of his life, but he realized it was less painful than it used to be.
“Will you at least think about it? Take a week, two if you want, but the answer had better be yes.” A rare smile looked foreign on Zuckerman’s face. “Go ahead and make an appointment with our counselor. Trust me, it’ll help.”
“I’ll think about it. Thank you, sir.” He’d loved being a cop, missed it every day. Maybe it was time for him to face his demons head-on.
“Horvath,” the captain called to Kenny, who’d crossed the parking lot, probably giving them some privacy.
“Sir?”
“Take McCoy with you and go back to headquarters. Professional standards will want statements from both of you.”
“Yes, sir.” Kenny looked at Will. “Ready?”
He drew a steadying breath. “As I’ll ever be.” Recounting the event so soon was going to be torture, but he had to do it.
The interview took nearly two hours, but when he left the interrogation room, the heavy weight on his shoulders felt lighter. But it would take a long time to get completely over it.
He wandered down the hall and found Kenny at the vending machines, chomping on a candy bar. “How’d it go?” Kenny asked with a mouthful of chocolate.
Shrugging, he dropped four quarters into one of the machines. “Well as can be expected. Yours?” He pushed the button for a bag of potato chips.
“Same. Got some news you might be interested to hear.”
“Yeah? What’s that?” Will took his snack from the bottom of the machine, then tore it open.
“Walk with me.” Kenny started down the hall toward the large office used by the entire detective squad.
Will fell in step.
“Guy named Harvey Jarity was arrested by ICE at Miami International last night when he tried to get through customs with three teenage girls from Sri Lanka. Something in the paperwork raised a red flag. Turns out it was all forged. When they interviewed him, he blamed the whole thing on his brother,
John
Jarity.”
They arrived at Kenny’s desk and sat.
“Harvey worked for his brother’s imports company as a buyer, according to my research,” Will told him.
“Correct. So Harvey wanted a deal. He tells them he has all kinds of shit on his brother. ICE called us, and we informed them of John’s death and all the crimes of which he’s now suspected. We found several girls from Sri Lanka working for businessmen around the state. They were all basically slaves. All from Sri Lanka and brought here by the Jarity brothers. Including the murdered Jane Doe in Alachua County. Her name was Shola, and she was smuggled into the country by Jarity and sold to a—” he opened a file folder on his desk and stared at the paper inside, “—Peter Arrow. Mr. Arrow has many business ties with John Jarity. All the pieces are falling into place.”
Will crunched on a chip. “Thank God you were able to find the other girls, rescue them.”
“Yeah.” Kenny tossed his empty candy wrapper into the trash can. “After hearing about his brother, Harvey said he has knowledge of a murder John committed. Seems he was the one who hid the body, and he’s willing to show us where in exchange for a lighter sentence.”
“The girl Megan saw strangled.” Megan would be relieved when the girl was found and given a proper burial.
“That’s what I’m thinking. We’re extraditing him from Miami now. He should be here by five or six this evening. Interested?”
“Bet your ass. Mind if I come back later and sit in?”
“I figured you would.”
***
Megan had just delved into the stack of messages and other papers on her desk when the phone rang. Although she had to place an ad to find a new assistant, staying extra busy did wonders for keeping her mind occupied so she didn’t have to think about all the bad stuff. “Southern State Vacation Rentals, this is Megan.”
“Just the lady I wanted to speak to.”
Her whole body warmed at the sound of Will’s voice. “Hey.” She’d missed his embrace last night more than she’d imagined. No one could have comforted her but him, yet she’d put off calling him. She had to let him know their relationship was over, but breaking his heart again—and hers—wasn’t a task she looked forward to.
“I have some news.”
“Oh?” She wanted to tell him about Gram, but she’d wait until he’d said his piece.
“Would you let me take you to lunch? It’s really too much to discuss over the phone.”
She had no appetite. “How about coffee?”
“That works. Pick you up in half an hour?”
She glanced at her massive to-do list. Being away from the office for so long had left her way behind. But how could she refuse Will’s request after everything he’d done for her? “Sure.”
After she hung up, she threw all her concentration back into her work. No sense in guessing what he wanted to discuss with her. She’d find out soon enough.
She’d just finished responding to the most pressing messages when she saw Will at the glass door. Her heart fluttered as she unlocked the bolt and let him in.
He immediately pulled her into his arms. God, she didn’t want to enjoy it so much. As she breathed in his scent, a flood of sweet memories hit her, shaking her resolve.
“I know it’s only been a day, but I’ve missed you so much,” he murmured next to her ear.
She softened against him, only for a moment, then lassoed in her emotions and backed away. “Shall we go?”
He motioned toward the door. “Your chariot awaits.”
She climbed into his truck, and he walked walk around the front and got behind the wheel. His brow was knotted and his complexion pale.
“How are you?” he asked.
She thought about Gram and sighed. “I’ve had better days.”
“What’s wrong?” He turned to face her, concern etched on his face.
She grappled for the strength to say the words.
Will slid closer and put his arm around her shoulder. “Megan, what is it?”
She wiped away the tear that escaped. “Gram passed away last night.” Saying the words made it all the more real. The intense sadness she’d been shoving away all morning finally came to the surface, along with a flood of tears.
Will held her close, rocked her and kissed the top of her head. “Oh, baby, I’m so sorry.”
She let his love comfort her as she sobbed. Minutes passed before she collected herself. Will handed her a tissue box.
“Thanks. I’m better, for the time being.” But there’d be lots more tears for a long time to come. She told him about Gram’s stroke.
“Why didn’t you call me?” The hurt on his face went straight to her heart.
“I didn’t want to disturb you. You’ve been through enough, thanks to me.”
Tiny muscles around his jaw quivered. “What’s going on with us, Megan? I need to know what’s changed.”
She leaned her head back against the seat. Now was as good a time as any to deal with this. “At the cabin, when I told you about what your mother said to me at the country club, you blew up at me. Called me a fucking bitch. I don’t think I can forgive that.”
His eyebrows snapped together. “Whoa. I did no such thing. If I said that, it was directed at my mother, not at you. God, Megan, how could you think I’d speak to you that way?” His anguished sigh assured her he was being honest. “I’m livid that my mother treated you that way.”
She mulled over his words. That made so much more sense. Will had never spoken to her that way before. How could she have been so oversensitive? “I thought you were angry with me because I didn’t tell you then, but between your mother and Gram, I didn’t think we had a shot at being together. That’s why I ended our relationship back then.”
He combed his fingers through his hair. “You should have told me about it. I wish you’d had enough faith in me to give me the chance to fight for you.”
His words went straight to her heart. A giant lump formed in her throat. “You mean you’d have walked away from everything for me?”
“I don’t think it’ll come to that, but frankly, if it did, you’d win, baby.” He grasped her shoulders. “I love you, Megan. You’re the most important person in the world to me. I’m furious at my mother for saying all those hurtful things to you and for pushing a huge wedge between you and me. But make no mistake.
You
are number one. You always will be. But I need you to be honest with me, no matter how upset you think I’ll be. Deal?”
She thought about Gram. If her grandmother had truly loved her, wouldn’t she want her to be happy? Being without Will would make her miserable, and him too. Gram’s wishes had been colored by her experiences, but times had changed, and Will was a hundred times the man her father was.
Please understand, Gram.
A strange calm settled over her, and she knew this was the right decision. She smiled through her tears. “I love you, Will.”
He shut his eyes briefly. “You have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say that again.” Leaning closer, he skimmed his lips over hers.
She hooked her hands around his neck and opened her mouth to him, savored his wonderful cinnamon taste. Everything about him felt like home.
Will smoothed a hand over her hair and met her stare. “I need to hold you, Megan. I need
you
to hold
me.
”
She nodded. “Me too. Let’s go to my place.”
The short drive to her place felt like one of the longest of her life. After Will parked the truck, they started for the porch and stopped to kiss along the way. Seconds later they made it to the bedroom, having left a trail of clothes in their wake.
Megan stood next to the bed and faced Will, sliding her gaze over his nude body. She’d never tire of that sexy V from his strapping shoulders to his narrow waist or the long legs roped with muscle. He took a step toward her, and she reached for his erection and closed her hand around it, yearning to feel it inside her.
He hissed out a breath and threaded his fingers through her hair. She slid her hand lower and gently grasped his balls.
Covering her mouth with his, he swirled his tongue around hers, glided it over her teeth. Desire spooled through her, making her whole body tingle with longing. Knowing that nothing stood between them, no impediment to their happiness, she allowed herself to give in totally to her carnal needs.
Will moved his attention to her breasts. He laved the areola of one while he cupped and massaged the other. She savored the erotic sensations. How could she have considered ever walking away from him when no one else knew how to love her as he did?
She moaned with delight when he scraped his teeth over her nipples, then sucked and licked. All the barbs she’d erected around her heart fell away. She needed this so badly, yearned for the release making love provided. But more than that, she craved the connection. After all she’d been through, after losing Gram, she had to feel like she was part of him, like she wasn’t on the road all alone, but rather with her soul mate.
Will took her wrist and eased her hand away from his cock. Then he knelt in front of her and planted tender kisses on each breast and along the valley between. She swooned with overwhelming passion as he trailed his lips lower. He nipped at her skin, then circled her belly-button ring with his tongue. “I love everything about you, Megan.” He gazed up into her eyes. “I love the sound of your voice and the taste of your skin. I love that tiny birthmark below your ass that you probably didn’t know you had.”
She smiled. “I didn’t.”
Another kiss on her belly. “I love your beautiful smile and the way your hips sway when you walk.”
His words heated her from the inside out. A ripple of liquid desire rolled through her and moistened her pussy.
Will sat back on his heels and slid his hand between her legs. When his fingers grazed the lips of her sex, she trembled with need. He kissed her skin just above her mound. Her pulse quickened.
He lifted her right leg and hooked it over his left shoulder, giving him better access to her sex. She grasped the edge of the bed for support. When he started licking at her folds, she moaned with pleasure. He spread her lips wider and circled her bud with his tongue.
Her breath caught. This man knew her body, sensed what felt good as if he read her every thought. The intimate connection affirmed how right they were together, how perfect.
Will slipped a finger inside her, then another. He looked up at her with smoldering eyes. “You’re soaking wet. You must be enjoying yourself.”