Flames Of Deceit (15 page)

“Mia! Where are you?”

If Jake’s voice could melt her insides, what could his love and attention do? She would never know if she didn’t get away from the madman hauling her away.

Clawing her nails in the man’s back like talons, she heard his grunt. The pressure on top of her head eased, but the ache down her neck and back continued. Pain meant she was alive. For now.

Another twist of her upper body gave her enough freedom from the assailant’s grip to lean over and plant her feet on the ground. And not a second too soon.

Steps to the garage were only a yard away.

Ignoring the urge to scream for Jake, she put every ounce of strength left into a jab with her right fist and aimed at the assailant’s crotch.

The man gasped and lunged forward, dropping his hold on her as he clamped both hands to his crotch. She stumbled. His forward momentum, and the jacket wrapped around her upper body, pulled her to her knees.

Her teeth jarred as her hands hit the brick surface of the patio. Fearing a renewed attack, she went rigid. Did he have a knife? Would he slash her throat right here in public?

Inhaling a sob, she shoved backward, hoping to escape any slash of his blade, and caught sight of his hooded form. Bending double, still clutching his middle, he did a crab-like scramble down the steps and disappeared in the parking garage.

Relief drained the tension out of her limbs, making her fall on the walk with a thump to her butt. She sat there, staring at the spot the man disappeared and gasped for air. She was alive, bruised, scared out of her wits, but unharmed. How had she escaped? If this was the slasher, how…

“Mia? Are you okay?” Reaching her side, Jake leaned over to stare in her face. “Are you hurt? Can you stand?” Taking her hand, he gently pulled her upright. “What happened?”

Pointing to the garage with a shaking finger, she managed trembling words between gasps for air. “A man grabbed me under his sweat jacket and tried to take me away.”

Her words ended in a whisper. Tears rolled down her cheeks. She turned into Jake’s embrace and burrowed her head against his chest.

Two minutes earlier, she had been in a similar position with her abductor, but this was different. Jake’s warmth felt safe, not threatening. He smelled different. Clean like the attacker, but without the pricy cologne.

Alarms went off in her head. She wanted to stay, wrapped in the safety of Jake’s arms, but she had come into personal contact with the killer. Every alert in her body told her it was true.

“It was him.” Mia pushed away enough to see Jake’s face. “I know it was him.”

“Did you recognize him?”

Sighing with frustration, she shook her head. “He wrapped his sweat jacket around me before I had a chance to see his face, but it was the killer. I know it was.”

Jake stared into the parking garage. “He’s probably gone by now. He had a head start.”

“I hit him in the crotch, so he wasn’t moving too fast.” Her body quivered, remembering the last few moments in the man’s grip.

“Come on, let’s have a look. I’m not leaving you alone.”

Mia pulled back, a wave of emotions flashed through her head making her feet stick to the ground. The parking garage was shadowy in broad daylight. After this recent attempt on her life, she didn’t have the energy to fight against her fear of the dark and the attacker.

“I can describe him. A navy sweat jacket, tobacco brown cargo pants and new white athletic shoes.”

Jake gently brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “How do you know the shoes were new?”

“They didn’t have a smudge on them until I stomped on his feet, trying to get away.”

Jake stared back at the garage.

Mia could feel his tension radiating from his hold on her arms and in the rigid set of his shoulders. The muscle along his jaw rippled like a dragon’s back. Jake wanted to chase after her attacker, but he wouldn’t leave her.

She understood his urge to give chase, but her encounter with the bad guy had been too close, too frightening. She wanted Jake’s comfort. She needed to know he was there, protecting her while she recharged her energy.

With another glance at the garage, Jake gave a slow nod of his head. Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close to his side.

She melted into his warmth and strength. She was safe with Jake. She didn’t question that, she just knew. Jake wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

If she had been alert when she walked out the patio door, the assailant wouldn’t have grabbed her. If she had waited for Jake, before making her exit, nothing would have happened.

But she’d been focused on Charles Herne’s comments.

Shivering, she snuggled closer to Jake’s side. His arm tightened. She sighed. His chin touched the top of her head. She winced and pulled away.

“What’s wrong?” Jake frowned.

Running her fingers through her hair, she found the tender spot. “He held my head down with his chin. It’s a little sore, but I’m okay.”

“Let me look.” Jake parted the strands of hair and examined her scalp. “No bleeding, but I see a goose egg.”

She sighed. “If that’s all I suffered, I’m lucky.”

Jake stared in her eyes for long seconds, then dropped a quick kiss on her lips. “I think it’s time to call police.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be arrested.”

Holding up a hand, Jake punched a number in the disposable phone.

“Chief? It’s Jake. Any news on the body I found in the courthouse?” His brow furrowed, he listened to the voice on the phone.

Mia studied his strong, handsome face, and then rested her cheek against his chest.

“Chief, I can’t come in. I’m one step away from a murderer.” His free hand clenched her side. Mia could feel the tension in his body as the arm across her back turned to iron.

“I’m not a suspect. I don’t care what the SBI tells you. You know me, Chief. I’m a judge, for crying out loud.” Jake sighed.

Mia wiggled so close their bodies made contact from shoulders to knees. Her mind drifted to a different topic, a place with naked bodies and earth shattering kisses, until his words made her dreams disintegrate like a shattered vase.

“I can’t be your main suspect. Someone is trying to kill me. I’m hiding to stay alive, not to avoid the law. You can tell the SBI that the killer tried to abduct my friend ten minutes ago.”

Mia shuddered. Friend. Was that all she was? A friend? How could he sound so aloof? Pushing out of his arms, she willed her emotions to calm down, but the urge to cry almost overwhelmed her.

“I’m not coming in until you catch this guy. He’s wearing a navy sweat jacket with a hood, mud brown pants and new white tennis shoes.” Jake paused. “Yeah, Chief. I hear you, but I value my life. Catch the killer. He was at Grover’s ten minutes ago.” Jake clicked off the phone. “We have about a five minute head start. Let’s get out of here.”

***

Fifteen minutes later, sitting in Starbucks cradling a tall iced coffee, Jake stared across the table at Mia. “Hope you don’t mind the break. I thought it was a good idea to stay off the road after I called the Chief.”

“You didn’t throw away your phone.”

Jake studied her colorless cheeks, wanting to wring the attacker’s neck. Worse, he wanted to shake the Chief and his SBI buddies until their teeth rattled for adding to Mia’s worries. “I’ll give them a few minutes to trace the call, so they’ll know we were at Grover’s.”

Brow wrinkled, Mia stared over the tall iced coffee cup with wide blue eyes. “Why?”

“If the chief checks, he’ll know I was telling the truth about being in Durham.”

“He can trace us here. Is that what you want?” Mia’s color turned ghostly. “I can’t get arrested, Jake. I’ve done all this to avoid any brush with the law.”

“You risked your life to save your brother. Why?” He held up a hand. “Don’t give me that line about clearing the senator of false claims. I get that. It sounds crazy, but I’ll take your word for it. But you nearly died a few minutes ago and I want to hear the real reason this is so important to you.”

“I’m not a good sister.” Mia stared at passing traffic. “Shouldn’t we hide so we can’t be seen?”

“Hiding in plain view is safer.” Jake lifted a brow. “You were saying?”

Squaring her shoulders, she sighed. “There’s always been competition between us.”

“And that’s bad?” Jake allowed his disbelief to show. “It’s clear that you love him, or you wouldn’t have risked your life.”

“I should have supported him when he went into politics, but I didn’t trust his decisions.”

Jake settled back in the chair. “It couldn’t have been easy, knowing your life is under a microscope because of his choices.”

“Things were tense before that. I realize now that I reacted immaturely, but in my heart I know I’ve always loved him.”

“In other words, you have doubts.” Jake released a loud breath.

“Wouldn’t you? An ex-model claimed he got her pregnant. What am I supposed to believe? That he isn’t susceptible to beauty and sex? One, he’s a man, and worse, he’s a politician.”

“You went to all this risk, doubting your brother’s innocence?” Jake shook his head. “That makes no sense.”

“Would you believe me if I said my mother made me do it?”

Jake met her gaze. “She couldn’t force you, you’re an adult.”

“I did it because I felt guilty.” Mia slammed her cup on the table. “There, are you happy, now?”

Lifting his cup, Jake returned her glare. “It’s time to talk to your brother.”

Mia shook her head. “He doesn’t know about any of this. I can’t tell him. He never makes a move without telling his aides. Details might leak to the media.”

“You’re a reporter. What’s wrong with seeing your name in the news?” Jake leaned close to catch her response.

“My boss goes rabid when a reporter’s name appears in the news.” She shrugged. “I don’t want to lose my job. I can’t. It’s all I have.”

Holding her gaze, there was more to the story than she was telling, but Jake shook his head. “You need to find out what your brother knows.”

***

Ten minutes later, she called Phil on the disposable phone. “It’s me, how are you?”

“Where the hell are you? Have you read the papers? Your employers are ruining me.” Phil’s voice roared through the speaker.

Her insides still quivering from the near abduction, Mia put all her energy into keeping her tone civil. “I’m fine, thanks for asking.”

“What’s wrong? Why wouldn’t you be okay? Can’t you stop your boss from printing this trash?”

“So the model is dead?” Mia said.

“Ex-model and you know she is. Your paper printed the story. Are you calling to gloat, Mia? I’m to busy to play childish games.”

She blew air past lips she clamped to keep from screaming. “We need to talk.”

“We are talking and you’re wasting my time.”

“It’s true, isn’t it? Everything Leigh Anne Saddler said was true.”

“I’m hanging up, now.”

“I saw her body,” Mia whispered, clenching her fingers around the phone.

Silence followed. She heard the rustle of papers shuffling. Clearing his throat, Phil demanded in a dead sounding voice. “Why are you calling?”

“Someone tried to kill me.”

“When? How?”

Mia gripped the phone for seconds. “We need to talk. No staff. No cameras. No recorders. Just us. Okay?”

“I can’t just waltz out of the office like a normal person. I’m in the middle of organizing a campaign.”

Resisting a very strong urge to stomp the phone, Mia lost the last restraints on her patience. “If you didn’t kill that model, meet me. Convince me.”

***

“Why meet outside a church in plain sight, are you crazy. Why all the theatrics?” Phil demanded as he sat on the bench beside Mia.

Mia glanced at the thick growth concealing several benches along meandering walkways alongside University Methodist Church.

“Hello to you, too, brother dear.” She cut a glance in Phil’s direction, hardly recognizing him in jeans and a windbreaker. “Are you sure you weren’t followed?”

Glaring his displeasure, Phil snapped. “You called Mom?”

“I told her everything was okay. That’s all she needs to know.”

“You think everything is okay? Are you out of your tiny little mind?” Phil slammed his hand against the wood bench. “What’s going on, Mia? What did you mean by saying I need to convince you I’m not a killer. Is this some immature prank, with you threatening to go to the cops if I don’t play by your rules? Tell me this, why would I kill Leigh Anne?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Teeth grinding, Mia leveled a glare at him. “Maybe because she was pregnant? This is your mess, Phil. Why did you lie about dating Leigh Anne Saddler?”

Mouth opening and closing, Phil sent her a look out of the corner of his eye. “I wouldn’t call it dating. How much do you know?”

“Not enough to stay alive unless we catch the killer.” Mia lowered her voice. “In the past three days, I’ve been locked in a burning building, chased through the woods, followed by more than one car, and just now, someone tried to kidnap me at lunch. I want the truth.”

“You can’t handle the truth.” Phil jumped up paced in front of the bench. “You were always Dad’s golden girl. Always the perfect child. You don’t know squat about real life.”

“Sit down so you won’t be seen from the street.” Mia stuffed her hands in her jacket and lifted her face for the cool March breeze to ease the heat racing through her veins. “Mom insisted I do whatever it takes to clear your name. I’ve done that, Phil.” She blew out a sigh. “I breached security to search the courthouse for evidence and almost died for my efforts. I stumbled over the model’s body. I can’t prove you’re innocent if you don’t tell me the truth.”

“So you can wipe my face in my bad judgment? Finally convince Mom you are the good child?” Phil slouched. After long minutes, he whispered, “Sorry, sis. But the truth isn’t that simple.”

“I’m not accusing you of anything, or trying to show you up. You’re my brother. I love you. But I don’t want to die because of a lie.”

Sitting up straight, obviously back in control of his emotions, Phil stared at her. “Things are really that dangerous?”

“Two women are dead. What do you think?”

“Oh, God. I never expected this.” Phil scraped a hand across his face and stared at his feet. “I appreciate your help. I know it doesn’t sound like it, but I really do. I don’t want you to get hurt, sis. It’s just--I can’t face losing everything because of one mistake.”

Thinking of Pam Foley, Mia arched her brow. “One?”

Face flushed, Phil turned a shocked stare on her. “How did you find out?”

“Pam Foley told me…about ten minutes before someone killed her.”

“You think—”

“All this is connected to you? Yes.” Mia touched his shoulder. “Tell me what’s going on, before we both end up dead.”

“I ruined everything.” Phil whispered, staring at his hands. “I have to tell Ellen, don’t I?”

“She deserves the truth so she can protect herself and the kids.” Mia pulled her hand away from his shoulder.

“Oh, God. I might lose my wife and kids. How could I have been so stupid?”

“If you didn’t kill Leigh Anne, who did?” Mia kept her voice firm.

“You can’t think I’m a murderer?” Phil’s face lost color.

“I know you didn’t kill those women, but you need to help me find out who did.” Mia curbed her impatience. “What are you involved in, Phil? Why is it worth murdering someone for?”

“From the moment Edward introduced me to her, I couldn’t resist Leigh Anne,” Phil sighed. “It makes me sound weak, but that’s what happened. She turned those hot blue eyes on me and wiggled that lush body and I forgot everything.”

Nausea churned in Mia’s stomach. “You got her pregnant?”

“No!” Phil cringed as if sex or pregnancy was beneath him. “I could have, but I was careful. We haven’t been together for months. Two at least.”

“It could still be your child.” The words seared Mia’s tongue. Her niece or nephew might have been murdered along with their mother. “We haven’t heard the coroner’s report but she wasn’t far enough along to show.”

“It wasn’t mine. I tell you, it couldn’t have been.”

Mia tried not to gag. “What about Pam Foley?”

Cheeks red, Phil snapped. “That was stupid.”

Mia bit down on her lip to keep from agreeing.

Finally, Phil sighed. “She was a nice, not sexy like Leigh Anne. Pam was the kind of woman you take home to meet the parents.” He shrugged. “That's what got me in trouble. With Leigh Anne things burned hot and then wham it was over. But Stern-McHamlin kept calling, wanting me to vote in their favor. Pam just showed up one evening, said they sent her to explain company policy.”

“It wasn’t true?”

“Why ask my opinion? I screwed up so many things lately. I don’t know what I believe, anymore.” He sighed. “Do you think Ellen will leave me?”

“I don’t know. What you’ve done...cheating on your wife and betraying her trust, hurts on so many different levels. Pain. Disappointment. Pride. Heartbreak. I don’t know what she’ll do.”

“All I had to do was vote like the company asked me to and none of this would have happened.”

“What’s the big deal about the vote?” Mia kept an eye on the streets as Phil filled her in on the depth of Stern-McHamlin’s involvement. When he finished, she stared in his eyes as if she were looking at a stranger. Maybe she was. “This all boils down to money?”

“Millions,” Phil agreed, nodding.

“Enough to commit murder for?”

***

Mia sighed, watching Phil mingling with people passing on the sidewalk outside the church. In the floppy fishing hat and windbreaker, he looked more like a man off to the library than a senator.

If half of what he suspected was true, he wouldn’t be a senator long, but he wouldn’t be in jail for murder, either.

“Have police questioned him?”

She jerked to alert as the low voice came from the bushes behind her. Jake was sitting on the other side of the thick row shrubs and azaleas, keeping watch. They had selected this bench for two reasons. Mia could keep an eye on street and Jake could listen to her conversation with Phil and make certain no one else heard.