Perfect Fling (17 page)

Sam cleared his throat. “We just need you to think. You said she’s setting up a special place. Would she use a Realtor? Does she have any friends she’d confide in?”

She pressed her fingers against her forehead. “Umm . . .”

“Anyone you can think of,” he encouraged her.

“No friends. She’s not good at keeping them,” she muttered.

“Real estate agent?” Cole asked.

She shook her head.

“Decorator?” Sam said, obviously grasping. “Someone who’d have the address for deliveries.”

“Well . . . there’s this antiques dealer she’s used for unique items in the one apartment she had on her own and both houses Victor owned.”

Cole exhaled a long breath. “Call him.”

“I don’t remember his name and I certainly don’t have his phone number memorized. I need to think, and I can’t do that with all of you pressuring me.”

Cole nodded and took a step toward the door. “Fine. I’ll go.” This woman represented the only shot they had at finding Victoria before she went after Erin again. She wouldn’t cooperate if he suffocated her. “Just answer one question for me?”

She turned in her seat. “What is it?”

“How dangerous do you think your sister is? How big a threat?”

She bit down on her lower lip. “Truth? I’ve never heard her so out of control before. That’s why I came here. To find her and try to make her see that she’s behaving this way because she’s off her meds. And to warn Erin.”

Son of a bitch. “Thank you for being honest.”

Nicole inclined her head. “She’s my sister. I want her to get help.”

Cole wanted her behind bars or, at the very least, padded walls, far away from Erin and his unborn child, but he couldn’t tell her sister that. They needed Nicole to keep them in the loop.

She didn’t trust Cole. Sam was another story.

Cole leaned his head against the wall, trying to think clearly. “Sam. A word?” Cole tipped his head to the outer room.

Sam placed a hand over Nicole’s. “Sit tight. I’ll be right back.”

• • •

Erin and Cara remained out back at the house while
Cole and Mike went to the station. Erin was not happy they all insisted she remain behind. She wanted to see this woman firsthand. Confront the threat. But she also understood the wisdom of being smart and protecting herself and the baby. Which didn’t mean she had to like it.

The only good news was that the day had remained full-on gorgeous, with bright sunshine and warm temperatures, allowing Cara and her to sit on the patio and soak up the rays.

Cara’s cell rang suddenly, interrupting the serene peace Erin had almost begun to find.

“Hello?” Cara answered. She waited a couple of beats, then . . . “Yes, I understand. I’ll tell her. Thanks. Tell Sam to be careful.”

Erin sat up straighter. “Tell Sam to be careful about what?” Her heart rate picked up speed.

Cara met her gaze. “Apparently the woman Sam arrested wasn’t Victoria, but her twin sister, Nicole. It seems Victoria is bipolar and off her meds, which goes a ways toward making sense of her irrational, impulsive behavior.”

“I’d feel bad if my whole life weren’t turned upside down,” Erin said. “Okay, I do feel bad. But she’s still a threat to me.”

Cara nodded. “But Nicole isn’t. Mike said she was at your house trying to find her twin and to warn you.”

Erin narrowed her gaze. “Why does Mike believe her?”

“I don’t know yet. We’ll have to see what he has to say when he gets here, but I’m guessing he’s not one hundred percent convinced, because Sam’s going to stick close in case her sister makes contact.”

Erin frowned. “So that psycho’s still out there.”

“I’m sorry,” Cara said.

Erin rose from her seat. “I have to do something.” She paced the back patio. “We need to draw her out. She wants me—let her think she can have me.”

“Over my dead body.” Cole approached from the side of the house. Faded jeans molded to his well-defined body and a white T-shirt hugged his chest and muscular forearms. His expression was dark, frustration emanating from him.

“Why are you coming up that way?” Erin asked.

“I wanted to walk the property, check the perimeter. Just in case.”

“Okay.”

“You are not making yourself a target. If Victoria wants anyone, it’s me.”

Erin nodded, an idea slowly forming. “Then let’s give her what she wants.”

“What?” Cara touched Erin’s arm. “What are you talking about?”

Erin swallowed hard, hating her idea, as much as she thought it made perfect sense. “A public breakup. A loud, ugly public breakup where you make it clear we will never be a couple.”

Cole stared at her long and hard. “That won’t remove you as a threat to her. You’re still the mother of my child.”

Oh, Erin knew that all too well. One he wouldn’t or couldn’t commit to, and she wasn’t so sure the distinction mattered anymore.

“I know. I’m just thinking about the psychological profile of this woman. She’s clearly in a manic state. She wants a man who will take care of her, love her. A man who needs her. She’s going to respond to any opening she sees. By this point I’m sure she’s itching to talk to you face-to-face. So you’re going to make sure she thinks you’ll be happy to see her.”

Cole tipped his head. “How?”

Cara watched them both carefully, as if looking for hidden meaning in Erin’s words. Considering her sister-in-law knew just what had transpired between Erin and Cole, Erin didn’t blame her. But this plan really was intended to play into Victoria’s needs, not Erin’s insecurities—although in the end, Cole’s words would indeed slice open her heart.

“You’ll let me know, in public, that just because I’m having your baby, I shouldn’t expect us to be a family. But that you know firsthand a kid needs two loving parents, like your mother and Brody, so I’m free to find someone else. And you’ll do the same.”

Cole’s eyes darkened. “What the hell do you expect to accomplish with that?”

Cara blinked. “As warped as it sounds, that makes sense. She’ll know you’re open to being with someone else. That Erin’s no threat to her.”

Erin nodded. “I’ll move back home, and you’ll leave, taking all your things with you. When you’re on your own again, she’ll know you meant what you said. That gives her a chance to come to you.” Erin finished with what she thought was a flourish.

Inside, she was sick to her stomach. She might have known her time with Cole would come to an end, but she wasn’t ready now. And she had no desire to play this scene out in public. Still, it would give Cole a chance to arrest Victoria, once and for all.

Cole’s expression was as dark as she’d ever seen it. “If I go along with this, I want Cara taking over for me until Victoria’s caught. You have a full-time bodyguard or this doesn’t happen,” Cole said.

“Done.” Cara agreed immediately, not giving Erin a chance to argue. “I’ll take time off. I happen to have an in with the boss.” She smirked at that. “Not to mention that he’ll want his sister protected too.”

“But—”

Cole silenced Erin’s complaints with a glare. “If you want to play things your way, you’ll give me this.”

She clenched her teeth, wanting to scream at his bossy tone. Still, he’d granted her a concession by giving in to her plan, and she knew it. So she remained silent.

“Good.” He folded his arms across his chest, his eyes still stormy.

Cara stepped between them. “So how about this for a plan? You stay here until Wednesday night. Then, at Joe’s, you play out the breakup thing.” Her excitement grew as she described the plan. “I’ll be there for you, Erin, when you’re
upset
, and I’ll take you back here. Meanwhile, Cole will head on upstairs alone. If Victoria doesn’t come to Cole that night, we move you home in the morning and wait.”

Cole exhaled hard. “Yeah. Fine.”

“Erin?” Cara asked.

She tossed her hands in the air. “Fine. We wait till Wednesday.” What was two more days when all she’d been doing lately was
waiting
.

She wanted her life back. So if she had to live through a public breakup with Cole and humiliate herself to achieve her goal, she’d do it.

Wednesday arrived too soon. Cole hated what was
about to go down, even if the idea, once he let himself accept it, was brilliant. Remaining in hiding and out of sight had kept Erin safe, but it did nothing to lure Victoria out. Tonight’s plan would. He didn’t blame Erin for wanting to reclaim her life, but he’d never approve of her making herself a target to do it.

Making himself one was another story.

But once their
show
ended, Cole’s entire life would change. He’d go back to the solitary life he hadn’t wanted to leave in the first place. So how was it that now he’d rather live with a cool-to-him Erin than move back upstairs to his small apartment over Joe’s? He’d gotten used to more space and pleasant company. Sleeping with Erin’s warm body by his side—and damn, he missed that already.

Cole shook his head in disgust. Obviously ending their arrangement before he lost more of his mind made sense after all.

He’d just stepped into the kitchen, where Erin was eating yogurt mixed with granola, having reverted back to her old eating habits. He was still cooking, but she was eating her own food, and nothing he did or said would change her mind.

“I’m making eggs. Do you want some?”

“No thanks. I’m almost full.”

He groaned. “How long are you going to punish me for doing the right thing?”

Erin met his gaze with wide, too-innocent eyes. “I’m doing no such thing.”

“You’re cutting off your nose to spite your face. So to speak.”

She shook her head. “Because I don’t want your eggs?”

“Because you don’t want anything from me, including my company.” Had he really just said that?

A whisper of a smile crossed her lips. “Still sending those mixed messages.” She rose and cleaned up her breakfast without saying another word.

He muttered a curse. Just then, his cell rang. A glance told him he had Mike on the line. “Hey.” He turned away from Erin.

“Nicole got in touch with Sam. Said she called her mother, who did know the antiques dealer, and she gave Sam an address where she thinks her sister set up house. It’s about twenty minutes from here,” Mike said.

“You going to check it out?”

“Yeah. I’ll wait to hear if you find Victoria.”

Mike clicked off and Cole returned to where Erin stood. “Mike thinks he has a lead on where Victoria’s hiding out.”

“If he finds her, we won’t have to go through with tonight?” she asked, stark relief in her voice.

“You don’t have to go through with it no matter what. We can still opt to wait her out, hope she shows herself eventually.”

And damn if a part of him wished she’d choose that option.

• • •

Erin hadn’t dressed up nor gone out for fun in so long
that despite the circumstances, she put thought and effort into her style. Maternity clothes or not, she wanted to look good. And she wanted to hang out with her friends before all hell broke loose, so she called Trina and Macy to make sure they’d be there for moral support. She hadn’t filled them in on the details of the plan. She wanted to do it in person.

She also wanted an outlet for the stress building inside her. Mike had called earlier, and he’d found Victoria’s location, but not the woman herself. He wondered if she’d been tipped off by her sister, but unable to prove it, he said he had to live with Sam keeping an eye out.

But Mike had gone to check out Victoria’s place himself, and the house had creeped her brother out. Inside, there were photos of Cole from afar, both framed and laying around, making it look like it had come from an episode of
Criminal Minds
. Or at least
America’s Most Obsessed
—not that there was such a thing.

She and Cole were going to Joe’s separately, in order to make a statement they’d further reinforce later. Erin knew the plan. She’d crafted it herself, but she hoped she could be as good an actress as it required.

She walked downstairs to see Cole pacing the front hall. “Cara should be here soon to pick me up.”

He faced her, looking delicious in faded denim and a soft gray T-shirt that, as usual, hugged him in all the right places. Erin did her best not to drool.

“We’ll get her,” he promised, obviously focused on the plan and not their imminent parting.

She forced a smile. “We’d better. This hiding out is getting old.”

“I can’t imagine how bored you’d get on a good old-fashioned stakeout.” He paused to glance out the window before facing her again.

She laughed. “I’d probably want to hang myself.”

His grin lightened the more somber mood that had been hanging over them for too long. Since she’d opened her big mouth and he’d moved out of the bedroom.

The sound of a car horn broke the silence between them and Erin tore her gaze from his. “I’ll see you at Joe’s.”

Cole raised his hand in farewell.

Erin drew a deep breath and walked out the door.

• • •

At Joe’s, surrounded by friends, Erin could only focus
on one thing. “Where’s Cole?” she quietly asked Cara, who sat by her side.

“I don’t know. He should have been here by now. Wasn’t he ready to leave when I picked you up?”

Erin nodded. “He said he’d be a few minutes behind me.”

“Have you called him?”

Erin tipped her head to the side and glared at her sister-in-law.

“Okay, dumb question.” Cara laughed. “Let’s talk about something else while we wait for showtime. How are you handling everyone knowing your secret?” She reached out and patted Erin’s stomach.

Erin took a sip of her club soda. “Considering I haven’t been allowed to leave the house since the news broke, just fine.”

Cara winced. “Right. So . . . how’s it going being out tonight?”

“You all already know.” Erin gestured around the table to Macy, Trina, and most of the same people who were at Nick’s. Though Joe’s was crowded, Erin had immediately taken a seat. Besides, she was so thin she could still cover . . . mostly.

But there was nothing she could do about the news being public.

“Erin! You’re out and about.” Evan Carmichael’s familiar voice sounded from behind her. He walked around and eyed her warily.

“It’s not what it looks like,” she assured him. Erin knew that if she wanted to save her job, she needed to explain. “Give me a second and we’ll talk, okay?”

He nodded, but his expression showed his confusion and displeasure.

She swiveled in her seat. “Cara, I need a few minutes to talk to my boss. I won’t go far. Just to the nearest quiet corner.”

The other woman frowned. “Erin—”

“It’s about my job,” she said, rising from her seat before Cara could stop her. “I have to do this,” Erin insisted.

Cara let out a groan. “Fine. I’ll call Cole in the meantime. And you keep me in sight. Your brother’s at the bar with an eye out too. Any problems, just let us know,” she said, tipping her head toward Mike, who leaned against the bar, talking with some guys from the station. But Erin didn’t miss that he was alert, his gaze shifting around the room.

“I’ll be right back.”

She and Evan stepped to the nearest wall, but they were constantly jostled by people walking by, and it was too noisy for a private conversation.

“This is ridiculous,” Evan muttered. “Come on.” He steered Erin toward the bathroom hallway. She would have argued but he wasn’t listening, and since she could still see her brother from her location, she tried to relax.

He faced her, his back to the main room. “What’s going on? And I’m asking not as your boss, but as your friend. Because I know you well enough to realize you wouldn’t bail on work but come drink at Joe’s.” He raised an eyebrow, the concern in his chiseled face very real.

Erin opted to explain the stalker part of her situation first and gave Evan the briefest overview of why she was in Joe’s Bar tonight and what she hoped to accomplish.

He nodded slowly. “So where’s your partner in crime?”

Erin swallowed hard. “I can’t imagine what’s keeping him.”

The other man’s scowl told her just what he thought of Cole. “Do you really know what you’re getting yourself into with him? You must realize you can do so much better.”

Erin stiffened. She disliked being told who or what was good for her, but even more, she hated anyone making assumptions and insulting Cole. He might not be the man for her, but he had reasons she had to respect—though none that warranted Evan putting him down.

“Look, I appreciate that you think you mean well, as a friend and as my boss, but I’ve told you before, the subject of Cole is off-limits. He’s going to be in my life for the foreseeable future and that’s the end of it.” Her voice sounded harsh, brittle to her own ears.

Evan stepped back and studied her. “For God’s sake, why can’t you see he’s just going to leave you high and dry when he’s had his fill?” the man asked.

Erin blinked, unable to believe his nerve. Beyond being uncalled-for, it was just plain rude, with no real care for her feelings. So much for calling himself her friend. His jealousy was showing and it was just plain ugly.

Erin had been carefully choosing her words, but no longer. “Why?” she asked. “You want to know why he’s in my life? Because he’s the father of my unborn child, that’s why!” she yelled at him.

His mouth opened wide but no sound came out. His gaze traveled from her face down to her stomach. Erin knew she was being bitchy and rude but she couldn’t stop herself. She flattened the flowing material of her shirt over her stomach, letting him see the tiny bump.

A vein throbbed on one side of his head as he forced himself to look her in the eye once more. “I’m speechless.”

“I know. It doesn’t happen often. Look, Evan—”

He held up a hand. “Let it go. Obviously I’ll have to.”

Before he could reply, he turned around and walked away. This time, it was Erin left with her mouth open, no sound coming out.

She pulled in a couple of deep breaths, needing to calm down before going back inside to face other people. She reached a point of rationality and was about to head back, when someone bumped her from behind.

Erin spun around to see a woman with teased blonde hair, staring her down. “Do I know you?” Erin asked.

“No, but you should. I’m the one who matters. Not you.”

At the hate-filled look in the woman’s eyes, a chill raced through Erin and she shivered. Despite the hair, which had to be a wig, Erin suddenly knew who she was facing. “Victoria.”

“So he
has
mentioned me to you!” Her eyes lit up in her face.

“Yes,” Erin murmured, realizing what she should do. “He’s spoken of you quite often.”

“Then you realize that kid of yours won’t let you hold on to him when he really wants me.”

Her throat dry, Erin forced out the words. “Cole and I aren’t together that way. He doesn’t want me. I don’t want him.”

“Liar,” the other woman spat.

Erin drew in a deep breath. She could wait for Cara to come looking for her, scream and send Victoria running, or—she reached for Victoria’s hand. “Look—”

With a vicious tug, the woman yanked her hand from Erin’s so fast, she’d had no time to get a real grip. Erin turned and screamed her brother’s name but when she spun back, Victoria was running for the back exit door. By the time Mike pushed his way through the crowd, all Erin could do was point to the half-open door.

Mike sprinted after her, but Victoria had disappeared. Her brother was furious over the entire turn of events. “And where the hell is Cole?” he asked, when he, Cara, Erin, and Sam gathered together once the excitement died down.

“When Cara picked me up, he was supposed to leave to come here right after me.” She turned to Cara. “Any luck reaching him?”

The other woman shook her head.

Erin reached for her purse and pulled out her cell phone. She was about to dial him again when she saw the message indicator. She listened to Cole’s message in complete disbelief.

“What?” Mike asked, irritation oozing from him.

“His father’s in the hospital. Jed had a heart attack.” Erin grew light-headed. Her first thoughts were of Cole and how this news would affect him. “He said he knew I was safe with Cara, and he’d be in touch when he knew something.”

He hadn’t asked her to meet him there. Hadn’t said he’d appreciate her company, or support. No, Cole being Cole, he’d chosen to face this alone.

Or so he thought. Because there wasn’t a chance in hell Erin would leave him alone at a time like this.

• • •

Cole didn’t know how to deal with his father on a good
day, and today wasn’t one of those. No sooner had Cole climbed into his car than his cell rang. A nurse from the hospital had used Jed’s cell to find his
IN CASE OF EMERGENCY
number. Lo and behold, the old man still had Cole listed. He hadn’t, however, wanted him called, something he’d made perfectly clear when Cole entered the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. Another thing Cole didn’t know how to deal with? These feelings running through him about his father’s heart attack.

He’d never thought of Jed as mortal. In fact, he’d always thought the old man would be around to insult and torture Cole forever. But even he knew the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit—or CICU, as the nurses referred to it—meant things with his father were serious. His throat swelled at the notion.

Good thing he had his father to keep his emotions in check. When Cole walked in, Jed had gotten so worked up, the doctors asked Cole to step out because stress wasn’t good for him. Cole moved to the waiting room—a place he’d been before, when Erin had been admitted for the gunshot wound—and stared at the ceiling.

From the minute he’d received word, he’d been torn between wanting to be with Erin and needing to make certain his father would be okay. Erin, he knew, would be fine with her brother and Cara’s protection. Jed . . . he was still waiting for word. A little over an hour had passed since he’d arrived and nobody had been out to see him.

He rose, deciding he’d check in at the nurse’s station—spare Jed his presence but find out when someone would explain his father’s medical condition.

“Cole?”

He turned at the sound of Erin’s voice, surprised to see her. To his relief, Cara followed behind her, which meant Erin hadn’t run off on her own after receiving his message.