Deadly Questions (Hardy Brothers Security Book 8) (5 page)

“What are you doing here?” Finn asked, gracing Emma with a sultry kiss when he saw her poke her head through the office door at Hardy Brothers Security the next day.

“I brought you lunch,” Emma said. “I figured you would all be too busy to eat, and I was at the opening of a new restaurant and the owner gave me a bunch of free food.”

“Why did he do that?” Finn asked, taking the bags from Emma and placing them on James’ desk.

“He liked the vee in my dress,” Emma said, placing her tongue in her cheek and forcing her gaze from Finn’s accusatory face.

Finn frowned. “Did he … touch you?”

“No,” Emma said, shaking her head firmly. “It wasn’t for lack of trying, though.”

“You need to quit your job,” Finn grumbled.

“Yes, and then I’ll live on my trust fund for the rest of my life,” Emma scoffed.

Finn collected himself. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just … you’re mine to ogle, sweetie. I don’t like sharing.”

Emma patted Finn’s cheek affectionately. “Men always look,” she said. “You’re the only one who can touch.”

Finn snatched her hand, pressing her fingertips to his lips. “This is true. I still don’t like it.”

Emma shifted uncomfortably. “So, what are you guys doing?”

“We’re discussing our options,” Sophie said, getting to her feet and searching through the bags. “What kind of restaurant was it?”

“Italian.”

“Cool,” Sophie said, grabbing one of the Styrofoam boxes. “I love Italian.”

“Try to stay away from the garlic, sugar,” Grady ordered. “That’s going to ruin my plans for tonight.”

Sophie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right. When has garlic ever stopped you?”

Grady considered the question. “You’re right. Go nuts.”

“That’s exactly what I was planning,” Sophie said, opening the box and inhaling deeply. “This smells great.”

“The food is good,” Emma agreed. “I had a few bites while I was there. The owner was adamant that the guests see the models eating.”

James wrinkled his nose as he opened a box and grabbed a plastic fork. “Why would ridiculously thin women eating food propel the regular public to want to eat the food there? This does smell good.”

“Because a model doing something with her mouth gives men ideas,” Emma said. “I don’t make the rules. I just have to follow them.”

“Your job sucks,” Sophie said, sucking a noodle into her mouth and slurping enthusiastically. “This food is awesome.”

“I’m not doing the job because I like it,” Emma said. “I’m doing it because it’s easy money. I’ll be done with school in a year. I won’t have to stay after that.”

“You don’t have to stay now,” Finn said, his voice low.

Emma shot him a look. “We’ve had this discussion.”

“What discussion?” Grady asked, shoveling a forkful of pasta into his mouth. “Okay, the owner may be a douche, but this food is amazing.”

“Finn wants me to quit my job,” Emma explained.

“How are you going to pay for school if you don’t have a job?” Sophie asked.

“He wants to pay me.”

Everyone in the room lifted their heads.

“That’s nice,” James said carefully. “You don’t want that?”

“It’s my responsibility,” Emma said. “I need … I need to do something for myself. I need to stand on my own two feet.”

Sophie leaned forward, patting Emma’s hand reassuringly. “I understand.”

“Finn doesn’t.”

“They’re men,” Sophie said. “What they don’t understand could fill a continent.

Grady stuck his tongue out at Sophie. “You’re a true joy, sugar.”

Sophie ignored him. “So, other than that, how are things?”

“Boring,” Emma replied, shrugging. “What’s up with you guys?”

“We’re trying to see if there’s any merit to Peter’s story,” Sophie said.

“What story?”

“Oh, that’s right, you weren’t there when Peter told us what he wanted us to investigate,” Sophie said.

“I guess not.”

Sophie told Emma what was going on. Even though she doubted the woman would be interested – or have anything to offer – the reporter often worried that Emma felt left out of the loop where the Hardys and their business was concerned. She didn’t want to add to it.

Emma’s face was unreadable when Sophie was done.

“We’re just trying to decide if there’s really something there or not,” Finn said.

“Oh, there’s definitely something there,” Emma said.

Finn shifted, leveling Emma with a questioning look. “What makes you say that?”

“It’s not the first time I’ve heard the story,” Emma said.

“What do you mean?”

“About six months ago, I was working a job at the new theater out in Shelby Township,” Emma said. “You remember, it was the one where they made me dress up like the chick from
The Hunger Games
.”

Finn snorted. “I did love that braid.”

“You also wanted me to chase you around the apartment with a bow and arrow.”

Grady and James broke into enthusiastic guffaws. “Was he Peeta or Gale?” Grady asked, wiping a tear from his eye.

Emma wrinkled her nose, puzzled. “Who are they?”

“How can you keep getting these jobs when you know nothing about pop culture?” James asked.

“Not all of us are obsessed with movies,” Emma countered.

“Hey, my blonde is a geek,” James said. “I’m fine with it.”

“You just like it when she watches shark movies,” Finn said. “It makes her horny.”

“I’m not going to deny it.”

Emma shook her head. “Anyway, back to what I was saying … .”

“Yeah,” Sophie said, shifting her shoulders so she could concentrate on Emma. “You said you’d heard the story before?”

“There was another model there,” Emma explained. “I usually don’t talk to them – you know how obnoxious they are – but she seemed so lost. I asked her what was wrong, and she just kind of exploded. She told me she was recovering from a big ordeal.”

“What ordeal?”

“She said … she said she was working the streets for three months,” Emma said carefully. “She said she had to quit because someone grabbed her and tried to transport her over the bridge. She managed to escape, and she said she lucked into modeling.”

James frowned. “That sounds a little … .”

“Unbelievable,” Grady finished.

“That’s why I ignored the story,” Emma admitted. “I thought she was just looking for attention.”

“And now?” Finn prodded.

Emma shrugged. “Listen, I’m not saying she’s telling the truth,” she said. “I’m just saying the story stuck with me.”

Sophie rubbed her forehead as she rocked in her chair. “Do you remember her name?”

“Yeah. Lily Lange.”

“Do you think you can find her?”

“Is it important?”

“Yes.”

“I can find her,” Emma said.

“Then let’s go see her,” Sophie said.

“Wait a second,” Grady protested. “Maybe we should talk to her?”

“And maybe she’s going to be more willing to talk to women,” Sophie replied.

“But … .”

“She’s right,” James said.

Grady swiveled, fixing his brother with a harsh look. “That’s easy to say when it’s not Mandy, isn’t it?”

“They’re not questioning dangerous men,” James said, choosing his words. “They’re talking to a model.”

“Who used to be a prostitute!”

“Grady, this is what I do,” Sophie said, her voice firm.

“Sophie … I … .”

“I’ll be fine,” Sophie said. “Emma will be fine, too. I promise we’ll just go and talk to this woman and that will be it. We won’t do anything but that.”

Finn and Grady exchanged worried looks.

“It will be fine,” Emma said. “She’s not dangerous. She just seems a little … sad.”

Grady sighed, resigned. “Fine. Just don’t do anything stupid.”

“I never do anything stupid,” Sophie said. “Trust me.”

“SO
, tell me about Lily’s personality,” Sophie said, parking in the lot of the rundown apartment building and fighting the urge to sneer. Sophie could never imagine living in a hovel like this – but since Emma had been in a similar one only a year before, she was trying to refrain from insulting her friend by extension.

“I don’t know her well,” Emma cautioned. “She seemed … earnest.”

“And?”

“She also seemed to like attention,” Emma conceded. “I’m not saying she’s telling the truth … .”

“We still have to find out,” Sophie finished. “It’s okay. We won’t know until we talk to her, so we need to go and talk to her.”

Sophie followed Emma into the building, trudging up the stairs until they found the unit they were looking for. Emma knocked on the door, greeting the surprised woman inside with a warm hug.

“Hi, Lily.”

“Emma … I … what are you doing here?”

“I came to see how you were doing,” Emma said, her smile warm and engaging.

“Oh,” Lily said, her face pinched. “I … okay.” She pushed open the door, ushering the two women inside.

Once the introductions were finished, Emma settled on the couch next to Sophie and regarded the pale countenance sitting in the chair across from her. “I’m sure you’re surprised to see us.”

“Yes,” Lily agreed.

“I just … the story you told me … I’d like to hear it again.”

“I thought you didn’t believe me,” Lily shot back, her face drawn into an unpleasant sneer.

Sophie took the opportunity to look the woman over. Her hair was long and blonde, her face angular and pleasing, and her body was strong and fit. Green eyes flashed impatiently as she regarded the two women on her couch.

“I didn’t say I didn’t believe you,” Emma said. “In fact, I was so stricken by the story that I didn’t want to believe it. Now … now I realize you were telling the truth all along. I brought Sophie because I thought she could help.”

Sophie kept her face placid, silently admiring Emma’s lying skills. She shouldn’t have been surprised. Emma was sexually tortured and physically abused for years. Of course she would know how to lie. She’d just never seen the woman in action.

“And what can she do for me?” Lily asked.

“I’m a reporter,” Sophie said. “I’m investigating the disappearance of five women along the Canadian border. Emma suggested you might … have a story.”

“I do have a story,” Lily said, tilting her chin obstinately. “I just didn’t think you were really interested in hearing it.”

“We are,” Sophie said. “I want to hear it.”

Lily shifted her gaze between the two women, considering. Finally, she gave in.

“I never meant to end up where I ended up,” she started. “My mother kicked me out of the house when I was sixteen. She said I was too much to handle, and she just couldn’t bear dealing with me anymore. She kicked me out on the street.”

Sophie nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“At first, I thought I would be all right,” Lily said. “I met Christian three nights after I hit the streets. He seemed like a great guy. He listened to my troubles – which were stupid from where I’m sitting now – but I was a teenager, and you know how that goes. Anyway, Christian took care of me. He gave me a place to sleep on the couch in his apartment. He bolstered me. He told me everything was going to be okay.

“After a few days, he had me under his spell,” Lily continued. “I was young, and I was naïve. I had no idea what he was.”

“He was a pimp,” Sophie said.

Lily nodded. “The first time … the first time I did it, I told myself it wasn’t a big deal. I just rested there and let him get off on top of me. It hurt, and I felt dirty afterwards, but Christian was so happy that I convinced myself I’d done the right thing. The second time was easier. I … it just got easier.

“Before I knew it, I was working every day,” Lily said. “Christian was still cool. He seemed to dote on me. It didn’t last long. The first time I returned to his apartment without any money, he hit me. It hurt so bad … I didn’t think anything could hurt that bad. I cried, but only when I was in the bathroom and I was alone.

“After that, I knew I could never return penniless again,” Lily said. “That’s why I got in the car with him.”

“Him?” Sophie prodded.

“I don’t know his name,” Lily said, meeting the reporter’s gaze head on. “He never said. He tried to charm me through the window, and I was too scared not to let him. He was older, maybe forty or so. He had black hair, and a scar across his chin. I don’t remember a lot about him, I just knew I needed a trick.

“He promised that we would just go to the parking lot behind the Value Mart,” she said. “I knew getting into the car was a bad idea. I did it anyway. I was scared. When I realized he was going across the bridge, I started to fight him. He hit me. Hard. I’d been hit before. My mother did it all the time. I pretended I was passed out, and when the car started to slow before the checkpoint, I opened the door and jumped out.”