The Shelter of His Arms (Harlequin Heartwarming) (14 page)

Right, Travis thought. Regardless of how convinced they were of Bryce’s guilt, they needed hard evidence.

When it came to building a case, the facts that he had a possible motive and was home alone the night of the murder only added up to a starting point.

“Oh, something else,” Hank said. “There’s still no sign of Donna Rainfield, and her mother’s filed a missing person’s. So I’ve got the option of paying Wayland another visit about her disappearance. Without even mentioning Parker.”

“Just off the top, that sounds like the best idea.”

“Yeah, well, as I said, let me know what you think after you’ve talked to Celeste.”

“Right. I’ll get back to you.”

“That was Hank,” she said as he tucked the phone away.

“Uh-huh.”

“And he said...?”

Briefly, Travis told her. “So he wants to know what I think about your conversation with Bryce,” he concluded.

She nodded, then began to recount it.

When she got to the part where Bryce said he wanted to give their marriage another try, Travis’s heart froze.

What if she went along with that? What if, regardless of everything, she didn’t really believe he was behind the contract? What if she still loved him? More than she loved a man she’d known for almost no time at all?

He exhaled slowly, telling himself that line of thinking was so irrational he must be having some kind of brain seizure.

She’d left Bryce almost a year ago. She’d said they hadn’t had much of a marriage even before she’d learned he’d been cheating on her. And she was far too intelligent to be taken in by anything he tried at this late date.

“What’s wrong?” she said.

“Nothing. I just can’t believe he has that much gall.”

“Well, he does. He wants us to get together and discuss how we could work things out. And I’m wondering...I asked Hank this, but he didn’t really give me an answer. Do you think Bryce would try to set me up for the Ice Man?”

“It’s possible. Or could be he’s had second thoughts about killing you. If he wants to lay his hands on your mother’s estate, and you went along with the idea of—”

“I wouldn’t get back together with him in a million years,” she murmured.

Absurd as he realized it was, her words made Travis feel immensely better.

“But you know what I’ve been thinking?” she continued.

“What?”

“That maybe I
should
agree to meet him for that talk.”

He glanced at her, assuming she was joking. But her expression was deadly serious.

“Are you out of your mind?” he said quietly.

“No, listen for a minute. If his idea
is
to set me up, you could turn it from a setup into a trap.”

“With you as decoy? Not a chance.”

“But I could wear a bulletproof vest. The loose way my coat’s cut, if I kept it on the vest wouldn’t show. And you could have a dozen cops there, and—”

“And you’d be scared half to death.”

“I’m scared half to death, anyway! Travis, I’ve been living in fear since the minute you told me about the contract. I can’t stop thinking about it while I’m awake, and when I fall asleep I have nightmares.

“There’s a faceless man with an enormous gun,” she continued, “who keeps saying my time is running out and... I just want this to be over. So badly that—”

“No. It’s absolutely out of the question. Aside from anything else, it’s against department policy to use civilians as decoys.”

“Oh? Well I’d rather be a decoy than a sitting duck. Because sooner or later, if you don’t get him he’s going to get me.”

“I’ll get him.”

“Travis...I know how hard you’re trying. But what if he finds me before you find him? Finds me sometime when you’re not around? When I’m not wearing a vest and there aren’t any cops watching out for me?

“I mean, you’re right. I’d be scared. I’d be downright terrified. But at least I’d be doing something that might help bring this to an end.”

He didn’t reply, just wondered whether he’d be reacting quite so negatively if someone else was offering to play decoy. If it wasn’t the woman he loved.

* * *

H
E
’
D
PRACTICALLY
FROZEN
his butt off before the black Mustang appeared.

The cop drove by slowly, providing him with a good look into the car. The Langley woman was in the passenger seat.

He took a drag on his cigarette and waited.

They found an empty parking space down the block, and a minute later the two of them were walking toward Quinn’s building. He was carrying takeout, which probably meant they weren’t just going in to pick up her things.

The Ice Man had figured she might move back to her own apartment after the funeral. Thought she might have only been staying with Quinn until after it was over. That she’d been feeling down and didn’t want to be on her own. But now he was thinking she’d be here at least a little longer.

Having established that he still knew exactly where to find her when the time came, he turned and started away—trying to ignore the sense of impatience that had been growing inside him for days now.

In the beginning, this hit had seemed perfectly straightforward. Oh, he didn’t usually get told he couldn’t pick and choose his own time. Didn’t usually have to wait for a go-ahead call.

Still, it wasn’t unheard of. Sometimes, a client wanted to be sure that the hit went down when he had an airtight alibi. Like, he was out of the country or something. So the condition hadn’t struck him as any big deal at first.

But that was before he’d known how long the call would take in coming. Before he’d known Langley wouldn’t stay put in her own place. That he’d have to keep an eye on what she was up to for all this time.

He should be able to charge extra for that. And for her having a boyfriend who was a homicide detective, too.

* * *

“I
THINK
IT
’
S
a good idea,” Hank said.

Even before they’d phoned him, Travis had been almost sure that would be his partner’s reaction. But he’d been hoping against hope it wouldn’t.

He switched his cell to his other ear and glanced at Celeste—sitting on the couch with the cordless.

She shot him a glance that didn’t exactly say “I told you, so,” but came close.

It made him wish that he’d never introduced her to the conference-call routine. Because if he’d had his way she sure wouldn’t be listening in on
this
conversation. Yet when she’d insisted, there hadn’t been much he could do to stop her.

He’d learned that if she wanted something badly enough, she got extremely stubborn.

“I don’t mean that if Bryce suggests a secluded place you should agree,” Hank was saying. “But if he’s thinking about a restaurant or something, then I’d say he’s
not
trying to set you up. That it’s the other alternative. He’s decided he’d be smarter to get back together with you, at least for a while, than have you killed. That way, he can still get his hands on the estate, and—”

“Why would he change his mind?” Celeste interrupted.

“Well, maybe whatever actually happened with Donna Rainfield’s unnerved him. Or maybe he realized that three deaths by unnatural causes, in the same family, would make us just too suspicious.”

“Look, if he’s changed his mind, then there’s no
point
to them meeting,” Travis said. “Because Celeste getting back together with him is out of the question.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean a meeting wouldn’t be useful. If she can get him talking about her brother, or Donna, she might learn something that’ll help us.

“But I think we’ve got to go with a vest instead of a wire, this time. Just in case I’m guessing wrong. So we have to figure out how you can get away with wearing one, Celeste.”

“I’ve already thought of that. It won’t show if I keep my coat on.”

“Wait a minute,” Travis said. “You two are talking details—as if we’ve already decided this is the plan. And, Hank, you know Espizito would have our hides if we used a civilian as a decoy.”

“Uh-uh. Not under these circumstances. Let’s say Celeste told us she was going to meet with Bryce whether we liked it or not. We could hardly
order
her not to. So ensuring her safety would be our obvious move.”

“Well, I just don’t like the idea,” Travis muttered. “I don’t like anything about it.”

“I know. But just because you don’t like it...”

As Hank’s words trailed off, Celeste glanced uneasily at Travis—then said into the phone, “I told Bryce I’d get back to him in a day or so.”

“Yeah, you mentioned that.”

“But I could do it earlier. I could call him as soon as we’re finished talking. Tell him I’ve been thinking about what he said and...”

“The sooner the better. All I need is time to get things organized, so if you want to set something up for tomorrow—”

“Will you hold on here,” Travis snapped, glaring across the room at Celeste. “We still haven’t agreed this is the way to go.”

“Then let’s vote on it,” Hank suggested. “I vote she does it.”

Travis continued to look at Celeste, willing her to rethink the idea.

She held his gaze for a long moment, then said, “I vote with Hank.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Saturday, October 9, 4:18 p.m.

W
HEN
B
RYCE
ANSWERED
his phone, Celeste took a deep breath, then said, “Hi, it’s me.”

She glanced at Travis as she spoke.

He was sitting on the far end of the couch, listening in on his cell. And although she knew he was still unhappy about her doing this, he gave her an encouraging thumbs-up.

“Well, hello,” Bryce was saying. “I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”

She uneasily licked her lips. He sounded as pleased that she’d called him as he used to way back when. But they were light-years beyond those days.

“Yes, well, I changed my mind about Connecticut. Decided I’d wait a day or two before heading up there again. And I’ve been considering what you said.”

“Good. Then how about dinner tonight?”

Dinner. A restaurant, not a secluded place. That sounded as if Hank had guessed right. But he needed more than a couple of hours’ lead time.

Feeling a bit less nervous, she said, “I’m afraid tonight won’t work. What about tomorrow, though? Maybe just meet somewhere for coffee?”

“Why don’t we compromise. Do lunch.”

She’d known he’d never let her off with just coffee, so they were a step ahead of him on that. Before she’d called, they’d checked that Zia’s was open for both lunch and dinner on Sundays. The surveillance had been so easy when she’d met Evan Reese there, it only made sense to use the restaurant again.

“Lunch,” she said slowly. “Well...sure, that would be nice. Do you want to try a new place I discovered?”

“Anywhere you’d like.”

She’d anticipated that response, too. Bryce was always easy to get along with when he wanted something.

“It’s called Zia’s,” she told him. “Just down the block from Joe Allen. Why don’t I meet you there around one.”

“I’ll come by your place. Pick you up. A little after twelve-thirty?”

“No, I’ll be out in the morning. I’ve got a few things to do. So meeting you makes more sense.”

“Oh, okay. But I’ll drive you home afterward. Maybe come in and pay Snoops a visit.”

She glanced at Travis again.

He shook his head, even though he had to know there wasn’t the slightest doubt in her mind. There was no way she intended to be all alone with her ex-husband.

“How’s he doing?” Bryce asked.

For a second she didn’t realize he meant Snoops—the cat he’d basically ignored when they’d lived together.

“Fine,” she said. “He’s fine.”

“Good. Well...tomorrow then. I’ll make reservations.”

“Yes, we might need them. It’s not a very big place.”

“Then I’ll call now. And Celeste?”

“Uh-huh?”

“I’m really happy you got in touch right away.”

“Oh, no,” she murmured as he clicked off. “He figures I’m
eager
to get together with him.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Travis told her. “I’ll phone Hank. Let him know we’re on. And it’s supposed to be cold again tomorrow. So if he tells the owner to give you that table by the door, you’ll have a perfect excuse to keep your coat on.”

She nodded, trying not to think about the reason she’d be wearing a Kevlar vest under it.

“But I’ll have to be there first,” she said. “Because if they try to give Bryce that table he’ll insist on a better one.”

“We’ll get you there in plenty of time.”

As Travis pressed the speed dial for Hank’s number, Snoops came skulking into the room and leaped onto the couch between them. Celeste absently stroked the cat while she listened to Travis’s side of the conversation.

After it was over, he said, “Hank was thinking about paying Bryce another visit in the morning, but now he’s going to leave it until after your lunch. See how that goes first.”

She nodded, then waited, expecting him to say something more. When he merely sat gazing at her, she said, “What are you thinking?”

Travis shrugged. He didn’t want to tell her the truth—that he’d been thinking how much he loved her. And about how, if Bryce
was
setting her up...

“Travis? You’re still upset that Hank and I outvoted you, aren’t you.”

“Yeah, I am. I’d far rather you’d just stay far away from Bryce. But that wasn’t what I was thinking.”

“No? Then...”

He mentally scrambled for something and decided on, “I was thinking that once this is over you’ll have to meet my family.”

She smiled a smile that made him love her even more. Which was pretty unbelievable, considering he wouldn’t have imagined “more” was possible.

“I’d like that,” she said softly.

“And they’ll like you.”

“I hope so.”

Her words made his pulse race.

Oh, he hadn’t forgotten what she’d said mere days ago. That they should wait until this situation was resolved. See how they felt about each other at that point.

And even though the “waiting” had pretty much gone by the boards, he knew that didn’t necessarily mean she was contemplating a future together—something he just couldn’t stop himself from doing.

But if she cared about whether his family liked her...

He told himself it was a promising sign. That was
all
it was, though.

“I wish we could go out,” she said quietly. “Just for a walk or something. I enjoy walking.”

Suddenly, he was imagining long walks with her. Wandering around the South Street Seaport. Heading up to the top of Manhattan to explore the Cloisters. Window shopping on Fifth Avenue. And Central Park was only a couple of blocks from her apartment.

There was so much to see in the city that they could walk forever if she liked. But not until this was over.

The odds that the wrong person would see them, would figure out that she was staying here, had to be eight million to one. But he didn’t want to take even that slight a chance.

“Now you’ve got me wanting to go out, too,” he said. “It’s not a good idea, though.”

“I know. It’s just that I’ve only been out twice since I got here. Yesterday, to meet Evan Reese. Then today, to Steve’s...” She shook her head. “I still feel so badly about him, Travis.”

He slid closer to her—prompting Snoops to leap off the couch. When her gaze met his, her eyes were as blue as the sea and glistening with tears.

“Oh, Celeste,” he murmured, wrapping his arms around her.

She buried her face against his shoulder and hugged him hard. He thought she was crying but wasn’t sure. Then he felt her tears on his neck.

“Things are going to get better,” he said into her hair. “I promise.”

“And do you always keep your promises?” she whispered.

“Yes. Always.”

After a long minute of silence, she eased away far enough that she could look at him and said, “Travis, if I didn’t have you I don’t know what I’d do.”

He smiled, aware his heartbeat was accelerating. “Then it’s a good thing you’ve got me, isn’t it?”

She did her best to smile back. “It’s a
very
good thing,” she murmured before she leaned closer again and kissed him.

That was all it took. He was instantly lost in her warmth, her softness, her sultry scent. Lost in his love for her.

* * *

T
RAVIS
LOCKED
HIS
apartment door, then led the way downstairs, ordering himself to act cool. Anything else would only make Celeste more nervous.

When they reached the front door, he gave her a lingering kiss before opening it. Then he checked the street to be sure there was no one just standing around, keeping an eye on his place.

There wasn’t. Of course, that didn’t mean someone wasn’t watching from one of the parked cars—using the angles to prevent being seen.

Reminding himself the Ice Man had no way of knowing Celeste was here, he took her hand and started down the outside steps.

Just as predicted, it was another chilly day. Even so, while he walked her to the yellow cab waiting at the curb he could feel himself sweating.

Once she was in the back seat, he headed around to the driver’s open window and asked the undercover officer playing cabbie to take good care of her.

“You’ve got it,” the man said.

“See you later,” he told Celeste through the window.

The tight smile she gave him made him wish he could have ridden along with her. But they just couldn’t risk that.

He remained where he was until the taxi disappeared from sight, making sure that none of those parked cars pulled out and followed it. Then he strode down the block to his Mustang.

Barely fifteen minutes later, he was walking into the restaurant directly across the street from Zia’s.

As promised, a table had been reserved for him at the front window. It afforded a perfect view of Celeste, already there waiting.

He ordered the lunch special, even though he knew he was too anxious to eat, and settled in to watch—trying, one more time, to convince himself that this would be a complete nonevent.

Celeste probably wasn’t in any danger at all. Not when Wayland had most likely changed his mind about the contract. In fact, he might have already called it off.

Well, no, that was being overly optimistic. He’d wait until he saw how things went with her. But even if they went badly, from his perspective, the Ice Man
wouldn’t
try to make his hit in a restaurant.

However, just on the off chance he might, Hank had taken every possible precaution.

The alley door was locked and a uniform was back there again. No one would be able to sneak in unnoticed.

Also like last time, detectives were both inside Zia’s and on the street. Plus, Celeste was wearing the vest.

He couldn’t help wishing she had on a wire, as well, but the vest would smother the sounds of any normal-level conversation. Besides, it didn’t really matter that he couldn’t listen in, because nothing was going to go wrong.

Unless, of course, the Ice Man
did
make his move—and shot her in the head.

Travis told himself that couldn’t conceivably happen. Hank’s people would be on him long before he could get off a shot.

At least, that was how the scene was supposed to play out.
If
the hit man showed. Which he
shouldn’t.

“Travis?”

He looked up to find Hank standing beside him, his expression strained.

“What’s wrong?” he demanded, instantly assuming Celeste was in a lot more danger than he’d been telling himself.

But what Hank said as he sat down was “My father’s had a heart attack and it’s touch-and-go.”

“Oh...man...I’m sorry,” he said quietly. He knew Hank was close to his parents.

“It was my uncle who called. My mother’s in such bad shape she can’t even talk on the phone. I’ve got to get to Chicago.”

“As soon as you can.”

Hank nodded. “I’m already booked. The plane leaves in two hours, so I’ve pretty well got to head for the airport right now.”

“What about Robbie?” Taking off on short notice had to be hard when you had a child to worry about.

“Mrs. Chevalier said they’ll be fine.”

“Thankfully you have a great housekeeper, huh?”

“Exactly. But, look, I’m sorry I’ve got to leave with everything the way it—”

“Don’t even think about it. I just hope your father comes through all right. And call me after you get there, okay? Let me know how he’s doing?”

Hank nodded again. “And I’ll phone Koscina on my way to the airport. He’s already figured out that you’re unofficially still involved with the case. So I’ll tell him that if there’s anything you need to know he should fill you in on the quiet.”

“Thanks.”

Koscina, the detective who’d replaced Travis as the other primary on the Parker case, was an all-right guy. So if Travis
did
need anything it shouldn’t be a problem.

But he’d feel a whole lot better if Hank wasn’t going to Chicago.

* * *

C
ELESTE
SPOTTED
B
RYCE
before he saw her—walking down the street, watching for the address.

Despite the cold, he wasn’t wearing a coat. Just a perfectly tailored three-piece suit that looked new and a silk tie that looked expensive. Dressed to kill.

When the phrase formed in her mind, her pulse began to race and her throat felt dry.

Even though she was almost certain he wouldn’t, personally, try to harm her, and even though Travis kept assuring her that hit men didn’t like places where there’d be witnesses...

As Bryce breezed into the restaurant, she told herself not to let him know how frightened she felt. But she wasn’t the actress. Donna was.

Donna, who had disappeared without a trace.

That thought made it tough to return the warm smile Bryce gave her.

“I’m not late, am I?” he said, glancing at his Rolex.

“No, I was early.”

He smiled again, and kissed her cheek. She managed not to cringe.

“Aren’t you taking off your coat?”

“Maybe in a bit. Right now, I’m a little chilly.”

“Then why don’t we get another table. Away from the door.”

“No, this one’s fine. I like sitting near the windows. Watching the world go by.”

“Uh-huh, you always did.”

The waiter was at their table before they could say anything more, and Bryce ordered a bottle of Orvieto without either asking if that was all right with her or looking at the wine list.

“So,” he said as the man turned away. “This friend in Connecticut. You met her recently?”

As in, he meant, since he didn’t know her, it must have been after they’d broken up.

“Yes. She’s a freelance editor, too, and we worked on a series together. For Harper,” she added, thinking that detailed lies were probably more convincing.

Bryce nodded as if he were sincerely interested in her work, although he never had been when they were together.

The waiter arrived back with the wine and they silently sat through the uncorking-and-tasting ritual.

Once he was gone again, Bryce held his glass up in a toast. “To us.”

She forced her glass to her lips, but couldn’t make herself take a sip. She had an almost overwhelming urge to simply repeat what she’d told him yesterday, to say there
was
no us. But the plan involved getting him talking, not making him angry.