Misha: Lanning's Leap (7 page)

But Hannah was a problem. Without
Hannah’s job, and her income, Bella couldn’t do the things she wanted to do. Like her hair. Fluffing it now, she had worked really hard that morning to color out the gray she’d noticed with a Magic Marker. It had gotten on her fingers, too, but she felt she’d done a good job in hiding the old hair. She’d thought about cutting it out again, but that had been such a mess the last time that she looked for other ways to deal with it. Then there was the rent.

Sure
, they only had to pay a little bit because of them being poor all the time, but it was hard to even make that right now. Bella had gone into Hannah’s room to find her stash, knowing that she had one, but had only managed to fuck the room up and not find a damned thing. How she could live in that blank room was beyond her. Bella loved color and thought that anyone who didn’t was stupid.

The landlord was at her door when she came around the corner.
Bella stayed out of sight until he moved away. She noticed that he’d hung something on her door again, and decided that she was just going to pretend she didn’t see it like she had yesterday. Where the hell was she supposed to find…? “Damn it.”

The guy who had given her a ride would have had money in his wallet.
Bella actually thought about going back to see, but figured that by now somebody would have seen the blood and wondered where it had come from. She got into her apartment without disturbing the note and sat on her couch.

“What to do? What to do?”
There was no one she could borrow anything from either. All her friends she’d borrowed money from before had told her this time that they weren’t going to lend her money until she paid them back what she already owed them. Bella had told them about the beating that her daughter had given her again, but that didn’t fly with them either. Bella would have to have old Pete beat her a little again before her daughter’s trial.

Getting up
, she went to the kitchen and fussed over the flooring again. They’d made such a mess of her house when someone had called for the ambulance. Why they couldn’t have put a sheet under Hannah when they made her bleed was beyond her. And the spray paint she’d tried to cover it with only peeled up and came off on the bottoms of her shoes. Now she had big blotches of naked floor and purple patches of paint to show for all her good tastes.

Bella heard someone at the door a little after five and nearly didn’t answer it. But looking out the peep hole she opened the door to the big man.
Christ, he looked good enough to eat. She posed herself against the open door and showed him her best coy look. The man looked her up and down and she knew she had him.

“You here for something you like?” He took a step back and she pouted prettily at him.
“Ah, you’re not leaving me here all ready, are you? I’ve been looking for a man like you for years. And here you stand.”

“Mrs. Oliver?” She nodded at him
, then winked. “I’m here representing Miss Hannah Oliver. I think she’s your daughter.”

“She is. And whatever she’s done now, I had nothing to do with it. I can barely move the way she knocks me around.
Why, just last week I had to defend myself against her or she’d have kilt me.”

“You’re saying she hit you?”
Bella nodded and moved into a better position. The man noticed her then, and she pushed out her breasts so he could get a good look at them. “Our report says that you hit her, but there was no mention of her hitting you.”

“I don’t like to let people know that my only daughter hits me. She’s got a
brain problem, you know. And I just don’t like to talk about it.” She tried another position only to have him look at the file in his hand. Was nobody going to help her out today? A quick fuck with him and she’d hit him up for some dough. But it wasn’t going to work if he didn’t look at her. Finally, she lifted her breast up with her hands and moaned for him. That certainly got his attention.

“Mrs. Oliver, I don’t know what you think you’re going to accomplish with this…this display, but I’m not interested in whatever it is
you’re trying to give me.”

“Give you?” She laughed. “I never give it away,
Mister…what did you say your name was?” She smiled at him again, and he shook his head. “Surely you’ll give me your name so I can have something to scream out when I come, won’t you?”

“It’s Mr. Moran. And I doubt very much you’ll be shouting out my name.” He handed her an envelope.
“You’ve been served, Mrs. Oliver. You’re to appear in court on Monday morning. Good day.”

He
was gone before she could say anything to him, and by the time she did find her tongue, he was out of the parking lot. While she was standing there trying to think what to do now, her landlord came around the corner and pushed his way into her place.

“There’s standards about paying on time, Bella. And as of right now, you’re over six months behind in your rent
. I’ve been okay with your daughter paying a little at a time but, well, you hurt her, and there won’t be no more payments. Even small ones. Either pay up or I’m well within my rights to have you evicted.” Bella wanted to stomp her foot and scream at her daughter, but she wasn’t there and he was.

“Can I give you a
down payment?” Wiggling her brows at him, she pulled off her blouse. Her bra barely hid anything, and she was glad now she’d taken the time to slip her jacket off and put on her silky pajamas. “I have a lovely bed upstairs. I bet we can come to some kind of arrangement.”

“No
, and hell no. I wouldn’t touch you if…man, you have got to be kidding. Fuck you? Christ, lady, I wouldn’t let my dog fuck you if I had one.” He pulled out his cell phone and took two pictures before he backed out of her home. She stood there, stunned, while he called the police.

Bella shut the front door on him and tried to think. In this neighborhood she probably had like fifteen minutes to get gone. Grabbing up her purse
, she went to the bathroom and slipped out the window. She’d done it before, and this time she didn’t even cut her leg when she crawled out the broken window. By the time she heard the sirens screaming their arrival to her part of the world, Bella already had a nice little cozy place to stay in one of the many abandoned buildings not far from where she lived.

“Damn it, Hannah. This is all your fault.”
Bella had to get to her daughter and make her get a job. If she’d just kept her mouth shut and did what she’d told her, none of this would be happening. “I’ll go back to that place tomorrow and have her released. She’ll be so grateful that she’ll get a job right away and help her mother out. It’s the least she can do after I’ve put up with her all these years.”

Chapter
7

Misha watched the man he’d been trailing for nearly three days with a kind of respect. He was good, he’d give him that. But Misha and his brothers were better. When he slipped into his car, the one that had the tracking device on it, he moved out of his hiding place to follow him. It was nearly over.

It had taken him longer to figure this one out than it had in a long time. Even Rider, who was usually very good at looking at a file and saying what was going on within minutes
, was stumped. It finally took another death before they got a clue. And that was when Andrew stumbled onto a small stain on the floor of the second victim’s apartment.

The man was
going down today. Misha stopped by a shop window to look in when the man’s car pulled to the sidewalk in the reflection. It was a woman’s kind of shop, and he had a moment looking at one of the little nighties to wonder if Hannah would like it. But he turned from it when he heard something behind him. The man, Terry Barnshaw, was talking to a woman about where to grab some lunch.

“You could join me.” Misha watched her shake her head no in the reflection of the glass. “Ah
, come on. You’ve been very helpful, and I’d like to repay your kindness.”

“No thanks.” She started away but turned back.
“You’re new around here, aren’t you? I guess…is that your car?”

Barnshaw
glanced at the stolen car and nodded. The woman looked at it again before she moved on. Barnshaw leaned against the car and watched her. Misha turned to move down to the next shop when his mom touched his mind.

I just got a call from the judge. Do you have time to listen?
He told her he did, and he held his breath waiting for the news.
She’s been declared fit and will be released on Friday. He said there was no reason for her to stay in the hospital over the weekend when he’d already come to his decision. I was going to pick her up if you can’t make it in the morning.

I don’t think we’ll be finished here by then.
He realized that he was sort of nervous now that she was going to be living with him.
Have you spoken to her? At all?

I’m going over to talk to her today. She’s been
notified as well, he told me, and her mother, too. There were some issues with her, but nothing that they’d tell me about.
Misha knew what they were; she was listed as a person of interest in the death of a man who had been bludgeoned to death.
Is there anything you need for me to tell her?

I
can’t…I don’t think so. I talked to her last night on the phone and she said that she was doing fine.
The entire conversation had left him feeling like he’d been talking to himself. She’d answer his questions, but that was all. The one time she did speak first, it was to have him tell Carter thanks, and that was it.
We should be home in a couple of days. This is about to wrap up here.

After he and his mom closed the connection, Misha moved through his part of the plan without thinking about what he was doing.
Hannah was his mate and there was little to nothing he could do about it. And he’d realized when he hung up with her last night that he really wasn’t sure he wanted to do anything about it. She was quiet, but he was sure that had more to do with her not knowing him rather than her being standoffish. Misha wasn’t thrilled about her and Carter getting along so well, but that was simply because he’d been there for her more than Misha had been able to. Misha was going to try and do something about that when he got back.

He
didn’t want her to get the wrong idea about their relationship. There was never going to be anything between them, but they could be friends, he supposed. He’d heard Carter talking to Rider about her, how she could speak three languages and that she was a whiz at crossword puzzles. He’d also said that she was going to find a job as soon as she could.

And Carter leaving
left a large hole in his heart. As soon as this business was over, he was going to move to the other side of the country. Misha’s heart hurt each time he thought of his family pulling apart like this. He was taking on a whole new role as a mated leopard, and his entire family wasn’t going to be there to support him.

He was being whiney
, and he knew it. But things were just not…his mother was short with him, Rider barely spoke to him anymore, and even Andrew was avoiding him. The only time they seemed to agree on anything was when they were working. And sometimes even then it was a little—

I have a movement with the car. Where is it?
Thomas sounded panicky, and Misha let a little of it wash over him. They had to get this man before it was too late for someone else.
Misha, are you there?

The car is moving but just to another spot. I don’t think he’s doing more than just trolling.
Does anyone know what the woman he’d spoken to is doing now? I’m worried he’s not going to take no for an answer.

She’s just standing in front of the
drugstore. It looks like she’s debating with herself.
Rider laughed as he continued.
Probably trying to decide if she should go here or down to the local general store. Wait, she’s moving toward me.

There was silence for a bit from
all of them, but Misha watched Barnshaw. When he moved his car again, Misha started to get a little nervous. What the hell was he doing? He told Thomas, who was closest to him, what was happening.

I see him. It’s almost as if he’s trying to find something closer to…where does that broad work?
Someone must have answered him because Thomas spoke again
. Okay, this makes sense. She’s more than likely on her break and he’s trying to get closer to where she works. It’ll make it easier for him to nab her if she’s his intended.

She fit the profile
…tall, leggy, and blonde. Rider told them that he was following the woman. Misha asked him what was going on.

She knows the car. Or at least she thinks she does. I’m thinking…she had a long
conversation with someone on the phone, and now I think she’s on her way to confront him. If she does, then we’re fucked.
Misha started toward the car and the man. He saw the woman just as he was in front of the car.

“That’s my cousin’s car.”
Barnshaw stood up and Misha stilled. He told everyone to be on alert but to wait. “You might want to know that I’ve called the police, too. And they’re coming here now.”

Rider said that she hadn’t
, but the person on the other end might have. Barnshaw took several steps toward the woman and Misha had to stifle a laugh. She looked ready to beat his ass and he was pretty sure Barnshaw knew it.

“I
don’t know what you’re talking about. This is my car.” She was shaking her head. “It is. I think you should just leave me alone before you get yourself hurt.”

“You think I’m afraid of you?” Her laugh was sarcastic and loud.
“You are nothing but a two bit piece of shit. Come on, big boy, try me.”

Misha, what the hell is she doing?
He told Rider he didn’t know, but it was making Barnshaw nervous and nervous people made mistakes
. Watch them.

I am.
The woman moved closer to Barnshaw while reaching into her large purse. When she pulled out a can of something, Misha started forward, only to come up short when she pulled a gun out, too.
Christ.

“You’re fucking nuts.” She shrugged at Barnshaw
, then fired at his feet. He dropped so quickly that Misha was impressed a man his size could move so fast. “I’m going to get you, bitch, see if I don’t. You’re just going to be another notch in my work area.”

“You think so.”
Misha watched Rider move up behind the woman as he made his way to the man. As soon as he was within a couple of feet of the car, he smelled it. Blood. Then he saw the gun in the back of Barnshaw’s pants. He told them what he’d found.

I think he has a body in the car.
Rider took off running and lifted the woman off the ground just as Misha moved to grab the man who had pulled his own gun. The shots fired were fast and loud, and Misha had a moment of panic when he felt something tear into his shoulder. As he took Barnshaw to the ground, Rider was pressing the woman against the building closest to them. It was over that fast.

They were waiting on someone to open the trunk. Misha would have already opened it
, but since they weren’t arresting him for that just yet, the police had to take over. All they had him on now was a gun charge. The woman, who was a retired cop herself, was being charged as well. Firing a weapon within the city limits was a hefty offense.

When the trunk was finally opened, three younger cops backed away from it. The smell alone was enough to make even a seasoned officer back off. But this was…the two women had been brutally beaten
, almost to the point where it was going to be hard to identify them.

Misha was standing near one of the officers who had arrived first when
all of a sudden he felt lightheaded and slightly sick to his stomach. He heard Thomas cursing and then Carter, but Misha was having a hard enough time just trying to focus on sliding to the ground. It wasn’t until Rider shook him that he could hear.

“You’ve been shot
, you stupid cock sucker.” Misha thought his anger was funny and laughed. “You moron, why the hell didn’t you say something?”

“Something?”
Rider growled low and told him to shut the fuck up. “I think I need to lie down.”

“You’re on the fucking ground.
It’s small wonder that you’re even…why the fuck didn’t you say something?”

Misha thought about telling him again
, but his head was suddenly pounding. He tried to sit up, but he couldn’t seem to do it. When Carter came into his sight, Misha grabbed him.

“Don’t leave me.
Please, don’t leave me.” Carter nodded. “Never leave me. I need you with me. Please. I’m going to fuck this up and you have to help me.”

“You’re a prick, do you know that?”
Misha nodded. “I’ll stay until you get things settled. Not that I—”

Everything went black.

~~~

Han didn’t know what to do with herself.
The house was really nice, but it wasn’t hers. Well, she supposed it was sort of hers. She did have a nice room with a bed, but the rest of the house was…it was sort of empty.

There was a chair in the living room that pointed toward the television
, which was the biggest one she’d ever seen. The dining room was so bright with all the windows that she found herself there the most. There wasn’t a table, so she could get around with her wheelchair pretty easily in there, which helped. The kitchen was the only room that was complete. It even had a cook.

“Miss Oliver, would you like some lunch?” She looked up at the big man and nodded. “Very well.
I have luncheon meat if you’d like, as well as a pot of soup for you. Beef barley and crusty bread if you’d rather have that.”

“May I have soup and a small sandwich?” He beamed at her and nodded.
As he moved out of the dining room to the kitchen, Han looked out the window again.

There were trees everywhere.
And flowers. They were fading, of course, but they still had enough color in them to give her a clue as to what might be there in the spring and summer. The last fall colors of the trees had her wishing she could paint, but she knew that even if she were very good, which she wasn’t, she’d never be able to do them justice. The colors were just too beautiful. When Mr. Jackson called her to lunch, she moved into the big kitchen with him.

“Miss, there will be two more women coming by today for you to see about. I know that you don’t like doing it
, so perhaps it would help if I sat with you this time.” Han flushed when she thought of the first woman she’d been asked to interview for house maid. “I have some experience in this field.”

“She was…scary.”
Mr. Jackson nodded and grinned. “I had no idea…I’ve only seen Mr. Lanning a couple of times, but she knew things that…wow. Where on earth did she learn this stuff?”

“I believe she made most of that up.
And you did very well with her, I think. Mr. Lanning would be quite proud of you for your quick thinking.” Han doubted that. Maybe he’d want the other woman to work for him. She certainly made it clear as to what she wanted to do for him. “The agency that sent her along is most unhappy with the error. I don’t think we’ll get that sort of applicant again.”

Han had confessed to Mr. Jackson that she had no idea what a house maid was to do.
He’d sat her down and told her what would be expected of the woman they hired and what she wasn’t to do. Giving the master of the house a morning blow job was not a part of her job description.

The interview had started out oddly
. Even with her lack of experience, she knew that when dressing for a job interview, one didn’t wear clothes that looked to be painted on and enough make up that a shower would be needed to wash it all off. The woman had reminded Han of her mother, and she’d taken an instant dislike to her. The interview went from bad to worse until Han had called for Mr. Jackson.