Fatal Exposure (22 page)

“Afraid we don’t have time, Mr. Gavin,” Lucy said, blandly. “We’ve got a crime scene here.” She gestured toward two of the detectives. “Boys, take her into the station, would you?”

The men reached for Ava, but Kade held a hand out. “I said wait.”

“What’s going on?” Ava’s deep blue eyes searched his face. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine.” God, he hoped so. “I just wanted to kiss you good-bye before you go.”

“Why can’t you come with me?” she asked him and then looked up at Lucy. “We’ll go together and straighten this all up.”

“Miss Lureau,” Lucy began with an annoyed tone. “We’re going to read Mr. Gavin his rights, and you’re going to the station. Put up a fight, and we’ll read you yours as well.”

Kade drew out a breath. It was obvious Lucy had been undercover all this time. Shit. Ava caressed his jaw with her tiny hands and looked into his eyes. “What are they talking about?

You didn’t do anything. Zack did.”

“It’s okay,” he said, as calmly as possible. “I’ll handle this.” Whatever it takes. He kissed her lips and watched helplessly as the policemen grabbed her from his arms. “No matter what happens, don’t forget I love you, okay?”

Her mouth fell open and her eyes narrowed with bewilderment. They had her by her arms, forcing her out of the room.

“Don’t forget!” he yelled again and then dropped his head into his hands. It was time to face the music.

****

Jax pulled back and watched as the truck in front of him lost all control and slammed into the ditch on the side of the road. Hell, all he wanted to do was get the goddamn money, not kill the feisty little tramp.

He eased his truck to a complete stop and slid out, waiting to see if there was any movement in the wreckage. He wouldn’t be surprised if the woman tried to run off through the snow with the case in hand. She was a complete nutcase as far as Jax could tell. Adorably sexy, but crazy.

The truck had dropped rear first into the ditch. The cab stuck out a couple of feet from the road. He pulled himself up and opened the passenger side door. Inside, Poppy was slumped over. Her eyes were closed.

He slid into the seat, threw the briefcase to the floor, and checked her pulse. Steady.
Good
.
She’s notdead
. And there wasn’t any blood to be seen. She must have just passed out. Not that he cared. Why would he? She was just another woman, and as far as he was concerned women were nothing but trouble.

Jax skimmed his fingers down the lining of his jacket, which still covered her body. He took in the sight of her full breasts. Plump with rosy nipples. He had forced himself not to check her out earlier when she’d practically shoved them in his face. But now there was something so appetizing about her. It was impressive how she’d taken on Moreno and come out with the case full of money. He hadn’t counted on her coming out alive at all. But she had and here she was. Right in front of him. Breathing. Her chest expanding while her ample breasts rose and fell.

The urge to feel her soft skin overwhelmed him, and he reached out and caressed her supple flesh. Her eyes fluttered open, catching him in the act. But she didn’t stop him.

Instead, she grinned. “You didn’t take the money,” she whispered.

“No,” he said, only then remembering why he’d tracked her down to begin with.

She sat up and stared at his lips. Her sensual green eyes devoured him for a moment. Jax grew hard in his jeans and smiled at her, letting himself

think of all the fun he could have with her curvy little body.

****

Poppy jerked her eyes away from Jax’s alluring stare, taking in the situation she’d gotten herself into. The truck was totaled. There was a bump on her head, a hand on her breast, and a massive bulge in his jeans. “I think I need a ride,” she said, happy he hadn’t taken the case and left her stranded. And thrilled the gorgeous man had finally noticed her assets.

“Well, then...” Jax squeezed her flesh in the palm of his large, rough hand. “I’d be more than happy to give you one.”

What a gentleman.

Poppy wrapped a leg around him to straddle his lap. Could it be Poppy Q. Smith found herself the man of her dreams
and
the money to buy her house on Bluebird Street?

Her mama would be so proud.

****

After hours of questioning, Ava slouched down in the wooden chair in the cold, bland interrogation room and took a deep breath.

“No, Kade Gavin did not kidnap me,” she repeated for the hundredth time. “Yes, I was free to leave if I had chosen to.” And “No, I do
not
want to press charges.”

It was mostly lies, but she didn’t care. All she wanted was her life back with Kade in it, and she’d do or say anything to get it.
Where was he?

The bald-headed man with the mustache who had been questioning her took yet another loud slurp of his coffee and then set it down. “Well, then, Miss

Lureau, you realize if he’s set free, we can’t offer you protection from him?”

“I don’t need
protection
from him.” She grinned. If she told the man what she desired from Kade, he’d surely want to add a bolder ingredient to his java.

“I see. You do understand we’ve had our eye on this particular man for quite some time. He’s a dangerous person. We just haven’t had enough proof to lock him up yet.”

“And you won’t get any more evidence from me. He saved my life, Officer
¯”
Whatever-the-hell-his-last-name-was
. It didn’t matter. “And I’d like nothing more than to see him so I can thank him properly.”

The door opened and Lucy stepped in wearing a knee length skirt and matching coat with a silk chamois underneath. Her hair was up in a tight bun. Mauve lipstick.

It didn’t look like the same woman Ava had met at Kade’s cabin. But she was. And she was avoiding Ava’s stare. “Officer Kingsley, can I speak to you for a moment?”

Who the hell
was
this woman? And what was she up to? Ava wondered if Kade knew her true identity.

After Lucy whispered to Officer Baldy, he shrugged and took a seat in the corner of the room. Lucy turned to Ava and nodded. “You’re free to go, Miss Lureau.”

Ava stood and adjusted Kade’s white cotton shirt to cover herself as much as possible. The scent of fresh mountain air wafted up into her nose. “What about Kade? Where is he?”

Lucy shut the door behind her and took a few steps toward Ava. “Sit down.”

Ava didn’t like the look on the woman’s face. Solemn and grave, not snide like it had been before. Ava sat but didn’t take her eyes off Lucy. “Where’s Kade? I want to see him right now.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m afraid he’s dead.”

“What?” It couldn’t be true. She was lying. The bitch was screwing with her mind. What kind of interrogation tactic was this?

Lucy’s face seemed to pale as she straightened her shoulders. “I was forced to shoot him when he attempted an escape by grabbing at my gun.”

“That’s bullshit,” Ava bellowed. “Why are you doing this? Who the hell are you?”

The woman turned to the cop and gestured for him to leave. He nodded and obeyed.

Good. She was alone with the wench. Maybe now Ava could get some real answers.

Lucy took the idiot cop’s seat and looked over the table at Ava. Certain sincerity blanketed across her stunning face but Ava wasn’t fooled.

“What have you done with him?”

“I’ve been working undercover for quite some time, so I know all about Kade Gavin drugging and kidnapping you.”

“He didn’t—”

“And I know about Mr. Moreno paying to have you found.”

“Just tell me where Kade is.”

“You’re lucky to be alive. You understand that, right?”

“Who are you?” Ava finally asked. Curiosity leaving her no other choice.

“I’m Special Agent Lucy Keller. And I’m not here to hurt you. I think the best thing for you to do is to go home and get back into your regular routine.”

“My regular routine? I don’t—”

The woman put her hand up and stopped Ava from going on. “Forget about Moreno. Forget about Kade.”

“I won’t forget about Kade. I love him, and I want him back.” Ava searched the woman’s heavily made up eyes for something...anything that said she was lying.

There was nothing but blank expression on her face.“Tell me where he is,” Ava pleaded, losing control. It didn’t make sense. Kade couldn’t possibly be dead.

Lucy slammed her hand on the table and looked Ava directly in the eyes. “Kade Gavin is dead,” she said pointedly. “Move on.”

Chapter Fourteen

Kade sat on the couch in the tiny living room of Ava’s apartment and stared over Lucy’s shoulder at the front door. “When is she supposed to be home?”

he asked anxiously as he ran his fingers over Raven’s fur.

Six months had passed since he had last seen Ava. Six excruciatingly lonely months. But Lucy had insisted he wait that long to make sure there wasn’t a threat of retaliation from Senator Wadsley or any of the men working under him. Moreno had been his top man, the guy who had done all the dirty work. And now he was deceased with Kade to blame. The long list of wrongs Lucy had on Kade gave him no choice other than do as they said to avoid prison time. Including agreeing to play dead until the FBI collected enough evidence against Wadsley to take him down.

Kade Gavin no longer existed. Kaden Thompson did. He hoped Ava liked the new last name since it would be hers soon, too. That is, if she agreed to marry him.

“Any minute. She works in a battered women’s shelter on the weekend, but our surveillance team informed me she usually arrives home by seven.”

Kade looked at the clock on the wall. Five past the hour.

He swallowed down his anxiety and took yet another look around the small apartment. The Ava

he
didn’t
know lived here, but somehow it felt familiar. Veterinary textbooks spread across the secondhand coffee table. His cat that she’d kept purred at his fingertips. A pink, loosely knitted sweater lay on the couch beside him. He scooped it up and inhaled the fruity scent before setting it back down.

“Think she’ll recognize me?” He ran a hand over the stubble on his head. He’d kept it shaved, and it was just now growing back.

Lucy chuckled and gave him the once over. “It’s not like you’ve had plastic surgery. Geez, Kade, you’ve got it bad. It really is pathetic.” She tossed a manila folder onto the table between them and stood. “Birth certificate, social security card, driver’s license—they’re all in there.”

“Thanks.” Kade didn’t bother picking it up. His mind wouldn’t be able to register anything other than the thought of pulling Ava into his arms and onto the bed. Thankfully, he finally had that choice.

“I appreciate you going up to bat for me, Luce.”

She shot him a sly grin as she stood and headed for the door. “Why wouldn’t I? You’re a good man, Kade. And a talented investigator. You’ll more than make it up to me after you complete your training and show everyone at the force what you’re made of.”

A new name, a new career, a fresh start—it was all coming together. And he couldn’t wait to share it all with Ava.
Where was she
?

****

At a quarter past ten, Ava walked up the steps to her apartment. Her friends and co-workers from the shelter had convinced her to finally go out for drinks and dancing. Their intentions were good. But

after two and a half hours of being hit on by men who weren’t Kade, Ava was done.

It was too soon. His image was still fresh in her mind. Light blue eyes that easily switched from ice cold to a warm pale hue. Broad shoulders that were intimidating to others but made her feel secure. Muscular arms that could completely engulf her body to make her think she was the luckiest woman on the planet.

The ripped stomach muscles that traveled down

— Ava shook the thought from her mind.
He wasgone
. It had been six months, long enough for her to accept reality.

She shoved her key in the door, but it turned too easily. She reflected back to that morning. Had she remembered to lock it? It was hard to tell. Her mind was useless ever since
it
all happened. Ava twisted the door knob slowly and pushed. The lights were off so she reached and flicked the switch, illuminating the living room. Raven slept lazily at the foot of the couch. Nothing seemed to be to be bothering her. Not that it would. The cat was the sweetest animal Ava had ever come across. And she was the only memento that bitch, Lucy, had let her keep from Kade’s cabin.

After closing the door behind her, Ava swept a long glance over the apartment. Everything was in its place except for a folder sitting on the coffee table. That was odd. She was sure she’d remember putting something like that there.

Someone had been here. Or still was.

She went to see what the file contained. But stopped short when she heard the shower running in the bathroom.