All That I Desire (32 page)

“I called Blade. He’s on his way.” Skylar stared at the sniveling man with hurt confusion.
“I trusted you.”

“We all did,” Rio said. “I checked you and your sister and her family out again after
the first break-in. Her family is doing well in Amarillo.”

Patterson’s frail hands tried ineffectually to remove Rio’s. “But they wouldn’t be
if I hadn’t agreed to help Tennyson. It’s not my fault. He made me do it. I wouldn’t
do anything to harm Mrs. Navarone if he hadn’t made me.”

“What did you say about Sierra?” Blade’s voice was dangerously chilling.

“If you kill him, we’ll never have the whole story,” Rio said.

The man whimpered louder.

“Before he died, he’d tell me everything I needed to know.” Blade started for the
man.

Sierra stepped in front of her husband. “I’m fine. I won’t be if you beat the crap
out of Patterson. We need to find Tennyson and put an end to this.” Sierra grabbed
Blade’s arm. Shane moved to the other side.

“Keep talking,” Rio ordered as the kitchen filled with more houseguests. Two of Rio’s
men positioned themselves behind Patterson.

“Two of the paintings sold tonight were fakes. I switched them out and gave the real
ones to Tennyson. He’d planned to raise questions about their authenticity a couple
of weeks after the auction, but things changed when Ms. Dupree saw me talking with
Tennyson’s right-hand man. If she could identify him, it would lead back to Tennyson.”
Patterson, growing paler, reached for a chair. Rio lowered him into one. “He hired
new people to be at his office just in case and kept the other man out of sight.”

“So that’s why you were so nervous when I asked you if things were all right and you
asked me not to tell anyone,” Skylar said. “His back was to me. I only caught a glimpse
of him.”

“I didn’t know that. When I told Tennyson, he was infuriated. At first they hadn’t
wanted you to be able to connect us, then Tennyson became enraged because Mr. Navarone
didn’t want him at the charity event.” Patterson swallowed. A jerk of his collar got
him talking again.

“I didn’t want to do it, but he made me. Martin dotes on Mrs. Navarone and planned
on making her crepes for brunch this morning. Tennyson sent the drugs to make her
ill along with a gunman. I smuggled him in the trunk of my car tonight. The same way
I smuggled in the first man. Tennyson said he was just to tie up Ms. Dupree, scare
her so she wouldn’t talk if his plan was ever discovered. She wasn’t to be hurt. He
wanted you and Mr. Navarone to suffer for causing his downfall. He said it was fitting.”

“Tennyson lied,” Rio snapped. “The gunman planned to kill her.”

Patterson shook his head in disbelief and horror. “No. No. You’re wrong. He gave me
his word.”

“The word of a liar isn’t worth warm spit,” Blade tossed out.

“You should have told someone, Patterson,” Shane said tightly. “Now you’re going to
prison.”

“I don’t want to go to prison. I was just scared for my sister and her family, and
for myself. Surely, you see I had no choice.” The house manager looked from one person
to the other. “You have to help me.”

“You could have come to me,” Blade said, fury in every syllable. “Instead you were
willing to cause harm to two innocent women.”

“Skylar felt sorry for you, and you were willing to let that bastard have her.” Rio’s
hand fisted in the man’s collar and cut off the circulation.

Skylar grabbed his hand. “Don’t let him ruin our lives. Turn him loose. Rio!”

His hand unclamped. The house manager crumpled to the floor crying. “He said he was
just going to frighten her.”

Shane dragged the man to his feet. “Where’s Tennyson?”

“He’s nearby. The—the man tonight was to sedate Ms. Dupree and put her in the trunk
of my car. He was to wait in the backseat. Once she was missing, Tennyson knew Mr.
Sanchez would turn this place upside down looking for her. He gambled on you not searching
my car.” Patterson rubbed a shaky hand across his face.

“When things settled down, I was to—to put the drugs in the half-and-half, then fake
chest pains and leave to deliver the gunman and Ms. Dupree, and then return. He wanted
to know how both of you reacted once Ms. Dupree was missing, and Mrs. Navarone became
ill.” He dropped his head. “I’m supposed to call back after I finish in here.”

“Where’s your phone?” Rio snapped.

“My pocket.”

“Call Tennyson and put it on the speaker,” Rio ordered.

Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, Patterson punched in the number. “Mr. Tennyson.
I—I did as you instructed.”

“Good. Your sister and her family might survive, and you might not end up in the hospital
after all. I wish I could see that bastard’s face when his wife is convulsing and
dying.”

Patterson jerked, almost dropping the phone. Rio caught his hand and steadied it.
“D-dead? You said it was to make her sick.”

Tennyson laughed nastily. “I was afraid you’d be too big a coward to go through with
it otherwise.” His voice hardened. “And if you even think of going back and disposing
of the milk, I’ll do more than break your legs, I’ll have my man carve you into little
pieces. Understand?”

“Y-yes, sir.”

“Good. Is the Dupree woman secure? I haven’t heard anything on the news.”

Rio nodded.

“Y-yes. They’re keeping it quiet.”

“I bet that bastard Rio is going out of his mind searching for her when she’s right
under his stupid nose. He won’t be so bad now.” Tennyson laughed again. “Bring her
to me. I have some things planned for her before she dies. We’re on the tarmac at
the Santa Cruz private airstrip three miles out of Santa Fe. Do you know how to get
here?”

Once again, Rio nodded.

“Yes, sir,” Patterson answered again.

“I just wish the man I sent tonight had taken out Rio, but you can’t have everything.”

“No, sir.”

“What did you say?”

“I—I meant, yes, sir. Mr. Tennyson, you deserve only the best.” Patterson’s voice
quaked.

“That’s what I had until that bastard Navarone and his guard dog Rio interfered. Well,
I’ll have the last laugh,” Tennyson said with contempt.

“Yes, sir.”

“Bring that woman to me as soon as you can, then I want you to go back and call me
the second you can after Blade’s wife is dead. Don’t keep me waiting this time. The
poison works fast. There’s no way he can save her.” Tennyson laughed. “I wish I could
see his face.” The line went dead.

Patterson hunched his shoulders as if trying to disappear. “I didn’t know. I swear
I didn’t know.”

“This is what the man Skylar shot was holding as a bargaining chip. The bastard knew
about the poison and was willing to let Sierra die to plea-bargain a deal,” Rio snarled.
“He overplayed his hand. He wasn’t wearing gloves. With his fingerprints on this bottle,
he’ll be looking at two counts of attempted murder.”

“He better pray he never gets out of prison.” Blade’s nostrils flared with rage.

Rio pulled Patterson to his feet. “You have one more phone call to make. Where are
the keys to your car?”

“On top of my dresser.”

“I’ll get them and bring his car around front and meet you there.” Shane hurried out
of the room.

Rio started out of the kitchen. His two men followed. Blade was already gone.

Skylar stepped in front of Rio. “Let Dakota take care of Tennyson.”

“Sure. We’re just going to smoke him out,” Rio said. “Don’t worry.”

“Rio.” Skylar glanced at the frightened, crying man. “He was scared. He was more terrified
of Tennyson than he believed in you or Blade.”

“And that’s the only reason I didn’t come down harder on him,” he told her. “Let’s
go.”

Skylar followed Rio and the whimpering Patterson to the door. Conner and Henderson
got into the back seat of the waiting SUV. In seconds a black BMW 745 pulled up. Opening
the back door, Rio helped Patterson inside. Blade got in on the driver’s side. Shane
moved to the passenger seat. The BMW sped off, with the SUV following closely.

“Rio said they’d call Dakota.”

“Do you believe him?” Sierra asked.

“To a point. He’ll call, but I’m worried about when,” Skylar answered.

“Same here,” Sierra said. “Blade has never lied to me, so that means he plans to call
after
they’ve dealt with Tennyson.”

“There’s only one thing we can do.”

“You read my mind.” Together, the women walked back into the house.

*   *   *

“Mr. Tennyson, we’re here,” Patterson said, his voice trembling.

“That didn’t take long. I’ll have Hawkins lower the steps.”

Rio took the phone from Patterson. “My men are here to guard you. You’re in enough
trouble so don’t move or make a sound.”

The car dome lights off, Blade and Rio got out of the car and headed toward the steps
of the small Learjet. Shane got out as well. Henderson slipped into the backseat to
guard Patterson. Conner, his hand on the butt of his Glock, stood by Shane and waited.

“I want Tennyson,” Rio said.

“You can have him—once I’m finished,” Blade said, hitting the steps. Rio was right
beside him.

Guns drawn, they entered the luxury cabin. The smirk on Tennyson’s face died. He bolted
behind a man almost twice his size. Without hesitation, the man reached for the gun
in his shoulder holster.

Rio and Blade fired at the same time, hitting the man in each thigh. Howling in pain,
he went down. Rio and Blade were already moving toward the door Tennyson had fled
through. Rio disarmed the man and put a zip-tie on his wrists, then cursed as Blade
kept going. Hearing Shane coming up the steps, Rio was up just as Blade shot the door
lock, then kicked. The door slammed against the wall.

Blade went through first with Rio close behind. Tennyson glanced up, terror in his
eyes as he backed against the wall. Blade’s fist landed solidly under Tennyson’s chin.
Rio caught him before he fell and plowed his fist into his soft belly. Blade pulled
the man toward him and drew back his fist.

“That’s enough, fellows,” Dakota called from behind them. “He’s not worth the aggravation.
Besides, he looks unconscious.”

Blade let the man drop. “Which one called you?”

Dakota squatted to examine his prisoner. “Don’t know what you mean.”

“Did Sierra or Skylar call you?” Rio asked.

“Confidential.” He patted Tennyson on the cheek. “A deputy is outside with Patterson.
Which one of you has the vial?”

Rio pulled the small brown bottle out of his pocket in a cloth napkin. “My fingerprints
are on there as well.”

“Thanks. I expect all of you and Ms. Dupree to be at my office after brunch to give
a statement.”

“You change your mind about coming?” Blade asked.

Dakota spun. “Wasn’t sure the invitation was still open.”

“It is,” Blade said. “By the way, Rio got engaged tonight.”

“Congratulations.” Dakota rubbed his nose. “Kind of figured it wouldn’t be long the
way you acted toward Ms. Dupree. You got yourself some woman.”

“Don’t I know it,” Rio said. “I’m sure you know about the painting switch. The real
paintings are probably on the plane.”

“I’ll check. ’Night.”

“’Night, Dakota,” Rio and Blade said.

Rio glanced at Blade, who nodded. “Tennyson threatened Patterson’s sister’s family,
and him. We all heard it.”

“So I was told. It will be noted on my report,” Dakota assured them, then turned back
to Tennyson, his eyelashes fluttering. “Tennyson, you have to be the dumbest man on
this planet to go after their women.” He pulled the groggy man to his feet. “You’ll
have the rest of your life in jail to think about it. Starting tonight.”

Epilogue

Rio was nervous. It’s wasn’t the tailored tux he was wearing or the five hundred guests
waiting in the flower-filled church; it was the woman who would forever hold his heart.

He paced—something he never did—waiting for Luke to come get him. “I don’t have the
foggiest notion of how to be a good husband. I’m used to keeping my own counsel.”
He tossed a look at Blade sitting on the couch and Shane by the window. “Couples,
the ones who make it work like you two, talk and share their feelings.” He shook his
head and continued to walk the length of the groom’s room. “I’m afraid I’ll fail and
disappoint Skylar.”

He stopped and lifted his hands. His voice trembled. “She’d stay out of loyalty and
love, and that would slowly kill me. I love her more than I thought it possible to
love anyone.”

Blade got up and went to Rio. Shane joined them, standing on the other side of Rio.

“We didn’t know, either,” Blade told him. “Love will guide you. In any case, any woman
strong enough and patient enough to wait two years on a man who showed no interest
in her, and courageous enough to take out an armed gunman, is strong enough to whip
you into shape.”

“My money’s on Skylar,” Shane said. “I used to feel sorry for her.”

Rio whirled and took a step back to stare at his best friends. “What? You both knew
she was watching me?”

“And we watched you trying not to look back,” Shane said, smiling.

“You know I made sure my and Sierra’s paths crossed again so I could make her mine.”
Blade laid his hand on Rio’s shoulder.

“I took a job to protect Paige from an unscrupulous man because she already had my
heart.” Shane place his hand on Rio’s other shoulder. “Blade is right. Love will guide
you.”

He stared at the two men he’d gladly lay down his life for. There had always been
honesty and trust among them. His fear disappeared. Laughing, he hugged them, knowing
he had enough love to last a lifetime and beyond, and every day would be a happy one
for him and his little warrior.

*   *   *

Skylar stood in the bridal room of the church she had grown up in. She’d wanted a
few minutes alone before she went down the aisle. She’d thought about this day so
many times and now it was here.

Tears tried to form in her eyes, but she willed them away. She wanted to look absolutely
perfect for Rio. She could hardly believe that they were going to be married.