Chapter 18
The note and envelope clutched in her trembling hand, Skylar whirled to Hendrix and Marshall, working to keep her voice calm. “Please radio Rio. I need to speak with him.”
Both men jerked their earpieces out at the same time. “Something’s interfering with the signal.”
“It’s being jammed,” Hendrix said, his mouth tight, his gaze going to the letter. “What did it say?”
“Personal.” She left the auction room and went into Blade’s office. “Rio, if you can hear me, please call Blade’s private line.”
She stared at the phone on the desk. It remained silent. “Can you call the control room and see if Rio is there?”
Marshall pulled out his cell phone, mumbled under his breath. “No go.”
“Blade’s phone is a landline,” Skylar told him, praying Rio was all right.
In seconds Marshall was talking to the control room. “Rio isn’t there. He’s isn’t tagged, so we can’t locate him.”
“Find him now!”
Both men looked at the note in her hand. “Our orders were to stay with you.”
Opening the door, she quickly walked to the entrance of the auction room. “I’ll stay here with the other men until you find him.”
“I don’t—”
“Find Rio and stop arguing with me,” she said tightly. “Now!”
“If anything happens to you, he’ll have our necks,” Hendrix told her.
“And if anything happens to him, you’ll have me to deal with,” she came back. “One of you go notify Blade and Shane. The other, look for Rio.”
“Don’t worry, Skylar, we’ll find him. Let’s go, Marshall.” Hendrix went in search of Shane and Blade, while Marshall left through the front door to search for Blade.
Skylar headed to the solarium at a slow walk when she wanted to run. The solarium’s door was the only one in the castle that didn’t have one of Rio’s men, because it only opened from the inside.
Cautiously, she opened the door and peered outside. The lights along the path were out. Only the lights high above were on. Once she let go of the door, she’d be locked out. “Rio, I don’t know if you can hear me, but I received a note that someone had you. I’m to meet them outside the solarium.”
She waited a few moments, hoping for Rio to come through the door behind her. Nothing. She considered getting out the gun, but reasoned that if someone did have Rio, they’d have a gun as well and in the light she’d be a clear target. Or they’d threaten to shoot him if she didn’t drop the gun. No, keeping it hidden was her best option.
“Keep coming or he dies,” ordered a cold, menacing voice.
Her heart slammed against her chest. She stepped outside, letting the door swing shut behind her. Her skin prickled. She bit her lip. If she’d been had, Rio was safe and she was the one in danger. Hoping the signals were no longer jammed, she said, “I’m here as you wanted at the back entrance by the solarium. You can come out and bring Rio with you.”
A man dressed in black, holding a Glock 17 with a silencer attached, stepped out of the shadows. “Let’s go.”
Recognition dawned. “You’re the man from the restaurant, but you had a mustache.”
“If you would have cooperated then it would have saved a lot of people a lot of trouble.”
He didn’t have any bruises on his face; nor were his clothes disheveled. She couldn’t imagine Rio being taken unaware. “I didn’t see you on the tape.”
“Reversible coat. Dark glasses.” He jerked his head. “Let’s go. A man wants to see you.”
“I’m not going anywhere until I see Rio and know that he’s all right.”
“This gun says differently.”
“I know exactly what a gun can do to human flesh, but I’m still not moving. You said a man wanted to see me. If he’d wanted me dead, we wouldn’t be talking.”
“I don’t like smart women.”
“And I wouldn’t like being dead. You wouldn’t like it, either.”
He frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“My fiancé, Rio, would come after you and you’d die screaming.” She thought that a gruesome touch. She must have heard or read it someplace.
The man’s dark eyes narrowed a bit. “That’s the dude with the ponytail. He broke Keith’s wrist like a matchstick and shattered Joe’s knee.”
“And he referred to it as nothing much.” Skylar casually crossed her arms. “Just think what he’d do to the man who dared harm the woman he loves.”
“You talk too much.” The man’s voice hardened.
She snatched her arms to her sides. She had to stall. “You would, too, if someone was about to kill you. I came out to the back door by the solarium just as you said, so I’m willing to talk. You didn’t keep your end of the bargain by showing me Rio. However, I’m willing to negotiate. The man who hired you has money problems. I can double, triple what he’s paying you.”
“He said you might try that.”
“Tennyson is sinking in debt. You should have checked.”
“I didn’t say Tennyson hired me.”
“If he hadn’t, you wouldn’t have repeated his name.”
He took a step closer and leveled the gun at the middle of her chest. “No more talk. Move your butt over here, or we’re gonna test your theory about your boyfriend.”
“Fiancé.”
“Now.”
“This place is well guarded. How do you plan to take me?”
“That’s my secret. You can do it walking or unconscious,” he threatened.
If she went with him, she’d be going to her death. Skylar took a few wobbling steps. “I’m so scared I can’t walk in these high heels.”
“Well, take them off. I’ve wasted enough time!” he snapped.
She started to bend and the door behind her burst open. She whirled, seeing Rio with a gun, his face enraged. She accepted that part of the anger was aimed at her for disobeying.
“Stop right there and toss the gun unless you want her to get a bullet.”
Rio tossed the gun. “Let her go.”
“Is that him?” the gunman asked Skylar.
“No, it’s Brazos, his brother. He looks mean, but he’s kind of slow,” Skylar lied. Tennyson probably hated Rio for showing him up and Blade for destroying his business.
“I can tell.” He sneered. “He said if I popped that Rio dude and you saw it, I’d get double.”
“I told you I’d pay triple.”
“Look, sister, shut the hell up and bring your butt over here before I put a bullet in this dude’s stupid mug.” He frowned. “I wonder if I could do him instead. He’s got a ponytail.”
“And I’d tell him the truth,” Skylar threatened.
“Not if you were dead.”
Rio took a menacing step closer.
“Do it. I’m just pissed and tired enough of her talking my head off, I’d do you for free.”
“Don’t. They’re very close,” Skylar quickly told him. “I’m just going to take my shoes off, like you suggested.”
“No.” Rio stepped in front of her. “She’s not going anywhere with you.”
“Move to one side,” the man ordered.
Skylar moved since she knew Rio wasn’t going to. “One shoe off.” She tossed the shoe toward the gunman, but he never took his eyes from Rio. “Reaching for the next shoe.”
“No, don’t,” Rio told her.
“Begging for your life. What a wimp.” Rio started for the man. “So be a dead—”
Skylar fired. The man yelped as the bullet tore into his arm, shattering the bone. His gun tumbled to the stone walk.
Rio quickly retrieved the Glock and checked for other weapons. Ignoring the man’s groan, Rio bound his wrists, then snapped out his position on the radio, adding that he had the man. He straightened and advanced on Skylar. “What the hell did you think you were doing coming out here alone?”
“I thought he had you. I’m sorry. I was wrong.”
“Wrong! Wrong is when you make a wrong turn or pick up the wrong tape. Wrong is correctable,” he said, his voice inching higher with each word. “You could have gotten yourself killed.”
“So could you. You didn’t have your gun,” she said.
“Do you think that was my only weapon?” He pushed his jacket back to reveal another gun. Lifted his pant legs to show a knife strapped to each. He tapped his chest. “Kevlar. I’m an expert in self-defense. I told you to let me handle it. Going for your gun was an idiotic thing to do.”
“You’re the one who’s idiotic if you think I was going to stand by and let some creep shoot you,” she yelled right back at him.
“Then why didn’t you put a bullet between his eyes instead of risking him getting a shot off and hitting you?”
“Because he can tell us where Tennyson is. He was taking me there.”
The back door bust open. Men piled out. Blade, Shane, and Luke led the charge.
“You two all right?” Blade asked, glancing between the two silent people. He didn’t receive an answer.
“We should have known Rio would get him.” Conner pulled the whimpering man to his feet, ignoring his cries of pain.
“I don’t think so,” Shane said.
Blade slipped the still-warm gun from Skylar’s hand. “I guess she can shoot.”
“Like I said, she’s some kind of woman,” Luke said.
“Conner, take him to my office and hold him for Dakota. He was in the auction room earlier,” Blade ordered. “I’ll go reassure the guests. I’m sure Skylar and Rio will be in shortly.”
“I have your gun, Rio,” Shane told him as he passed. “I’ll leave someone at the door to let you back inside.”
When they were alone, Skylar placed her hand on Rio’s galloping heart. She took his hand and placed it on hers, which was beating just as fast. “I didn’t want you hurt. You’d protect me no matter what. I couldn’t let that happen. Just like you, I protect those I care about.”
He jerked her into his arms, then kissed her until she was trembling for an entirely different reason. “I couldn’t find you. I wanted to beat Hendrix and Marshall for leaving you. We managed to jam the frequency jamming our systems and I heard you on the radio. All the time it took to get here, I was praying.”
She brushed her lips across his. “God and the Master of Breath heard you.”
He stared down at her. “You’re determined to give me those gray hairs.”
“You have a long way to go yet. Come on, I suppose Dakota will want a statement. We better grab Patterson on the way. He gave me the note.”
“Hendrix mentioned a note,” Rio said. “Where is it?”
“By the door. I left it there in case I was wrong and you had to come get me.”
“I put two tracking devices in your dress after I left you this morning,” he told her.
“Smart.” She started for her shoe.
He reached it first. “I’ll do it.”
With one hand on his shoulder to balance herself, she lifted her stocking foot. He brushed off the bottom, tenderly kissed her leg, then slipped the thin gold-buckled strap over her heel. “You’re not moving out of my sight the rest of the night.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
* * *
“Who gave you the letter?” Rio asked the moment they had Patterson in the small dining room with the double doors closed.
Patterson blinked and caught his throat as if he was having trouble breathing. Skylar, standing behind Rio, felt sorry for the older man. He had enough problems. However, she wasn’t going to interfere. They needed the information.
Rio held up the crumpled letter and note card. “Who gave you this letter to give to Skylar?” he asked again, his voice as hard as his face.
“Why—why no one, Mr. Sanchez. I was walking though here, checking to see that things were in order as usual, and I saw the letter on the table. It had Ms. Dupree’s name on it so I immediately took it to her.” He swallowed, his frightened gaze jumping from one to the other. “Is there a problem?”
“Because of this letter, a man almost kidnapped Skylar,” Rio snapped out.
Patterson’s eyes widened even more. His hand reached for the chair beside him and missed. Rio caught him with one hand, then pulled out a chair with the other and eased him into the seat.
“I’ll get some water.” Skylar rushed into the kitchen, trying to stay out of the way of the caterers, saw a tray of sparkling water, and grabbed a glass. When she returned, Patterson was still pale.
“Mr. Patterson, drink this.” Skylar held the glass up to the man’s thin lips. He managed a couple of swallows.
“T-thank you.” His breath shuddered out as he opened his eyes. “Ms. Dupree, I’m truly sorry. I—I don’t know what to say.” He looked around the room as if dazed. “Nothing like this has ever happened before.” He sat up abruptly. “Does Mr. Navarone know about this?”
“Yes,” Rio answered.
“I—I must go and apologize.” Patterson attempted to stand.
Rio and Skylar gently urged him to remain seated. “There’s nothing to apologize for, Mr. Patterson,” Skylar told the trembling man. “It wasn’t your fault.”
“But I feel responsible. If I hadn’t given you the note…” His voice trailed off.
“Then someone else would have,” Skylar finished and glanced at Rio. “We have to go speak with the police. I’m sure Blade and Sierra will understand if you wish to lie down for a bit.”
“No.” The house manager struggled to his feet, then steadied himself. “I couldn’t do that with guests in the house. I’ll be fine. Thank you for your concern.”
“Let’s go, Skylar.” Rio reached for her arm.
Outside the door, Rio saw the crowd gathered in the hallway. He could still hear the band playing, but from the difficult time he had maneuvering through the crowd he figured no one was dancing or at the buffet. It was even tougher once he neared Blade’s office.
“Police. Let us through. Police.”
People stepped back, but just enough for the four uniformed officers to pass. Two stopped in front of Blade’s office door; the other two continued inside. Rio nodded to the officers outside and entered Blade’s office.
Luckily, it was big enough to hold the twenty or so people inside. Dakota, in a black tux, stood in front of the man Skylar shot. Just behind the police chief were Blade, Shane and Luke, Morgan, Daniel, and John Henry. It would be Rio’s guess that the Grayson and Falcon men wanted to ensure Mrs. Grayson—mother, aunt, and sister—wasn’t in any danger. Rio’s gut told him she wasn’t.
Skylar was the target. Rio could understand Tennyson’s hatred of him and Blade, but hiring men to harm her because he couldn’t get into an auction seemed excessive even for a bastard like Tennyson. Still, people had been murdered for a lot less.
“Skylar.” Mrs. Grayson said Skylar’s name, and every person except those standing in front of the gunman looked around. She rushed to Skylar, followed by Sierra, Felicia, Catherine, Sabra, Laurel, Mrs. Albright, Paige, Faith, Phoenix, Fallon, Dominique, and Raven.
All Rio could see was the top of Skylar’s head. He wondered where the other women were just as the door opened and Victoria, Madelyn, Shannon, and Naomi arrived. It hit him that they all were mothers. Even knowing there had been no danger to their children, they’d needed to see and hold them.
Skylar would make an incredible mother, he thought. She’d be gentle and loving, but like a mother lion if anyone tried to harm their child. Rio tensed, fought against the image of Skylar holding their baby in her arms. Marriage and children weren’t for him. He was only thinking that way because he’d come so close to losing her, because of seeing her that morning in the small dining room playing patty-cake with Tempest and Daniel Junior.
Rio skirted the men behind Dakota and held the letter in front of the handcuffed man. “Do you know anything about this letter?”
“I want a doctor and a lawyer.” He clenched his teeth in pain. “I’m entitled.”
Rio leaned down to within inches of the man’s sweaty face. “You’re entitled to roast in hell and I’d like to send you on your way.”
“Now, Rio,” Dakota said jovially. “Let me talk to him first.”
The man leaned back in his chair and winced. “Rio? She—she said your name was Brazos.”
“Because I knew you’d shoot him,” Skylar said tightly. “You said Tennyson offered double if you killed Rio.”
“I—I don’t remember.” He licked his lips.
Dakota glanced around at his officers. “Maybe me and my men should step outside so Rio could help you remember.”
“You—you can’t do that! That’s against the law,” the man yelled.
“So are attempted murder and kidnapping. Federal offenses.” Dakota peered down at the man. “I’m betting you have a rap sheet a mile long. You’re looking at life with no chance of parole. You tangled with people whose power reaches all the way to the White House. Once the judge bangs that gavel and those prison doors clang shut, you’ll never breathe fresh air again.”
“You—you don’t scare me.” He licked his dry lips. “I got connections, too.”
“Rio, why don’t you take out that fancy phone of yours and show Mr. Big Mouth how much trouble he’s in?” Dakota asked. “I’d go outside and ask the governor to come in, but just in case you walk out of here a little worse for wear than you came in…” He spread his callused hands wide. “I wouldn’t like to put him on the spot. I voted for him.”
Rio started with Blade and Daniel. “If you even thought of going after Mrs. Grayson, you’re a dead man walking.”
Sweat beaded on the man’s face. “I … I don’t know nothing about no Grayson woman. He hired me to—” He snapped his mouth shut and looked away. “I never heard of her.”
“Skylar Dupree was the only target?” Rio asked, his voice cold with rage.
The gunman looked at Dakota. “I need medical care. My arm is killing me.”
“Strange words from a man who wanted to kill me or at least take me to Tennyson, who would.” Skylar’s eyes narrowed furiously. “Rio was right. I should have placed the bullet between your eyes.”
“If Dakota and his men leave, we can make that a reality.” Rio opened his jacket to reveal a gun.
“Won’t do,” Skylar said, matter-of-factly. “Needs to be the same gun. Ballistics and all that.” She sniffed, dabbed beneath her eyes. Her voice hitched as she said, “I tried to just wound him, but he just kept coming. I—I was so afraid. I warned him.” She looked around wildly. “I had no choice. No choice but to shoot again and make sure he stayed down and wouldn’t kill me.”
“You’re crazy,” he yelled frantically. “You can’t kill me in cold blood. Cop, do something.”
Dakota stared up at the beamed ceiling. “I wonder how they got them so straight.”
“Blade, do you have the Guardian you took from me?” Skylar held out her hand.
“Here you go.” Blade placed the gun in her palm.
Her fingers closed over the pearl handle. “Thanks. So small and beautiful, yet so deadly. I was taught always to check my gun before using it.” She opened the chamber, closed it, and sighted down the barrel. “We’re good to go.”
The man tried to scoot back in his chair. “You can’t kill me.”
“I was always taught turnabout was fair play,” she said sweetly.
“He said you’d be an easy target. That I wouldn’t have any trouble,” the man blurted out, his words tripping over one another.
“And I told you, Tennyson is a liar with little money and no friends.” She glanced around her. “Whereas I have plenty of friends, buckets of money, and Rio. If you want to see tomorrow, I’d advise you to talk. Last chance.”
“You won’t get another one.” Rio’s voice was deadly quiet.
“Wait! Wait a minute!” The gunman swallowed, perspiration beading his face. “Tennyson hired me and a pal to take you out. When I couldn’t pick you up at the restaurant, we followed you in the rental until the police came. Lonnie and me came out here Tuesday night. I drove him. He never came back. I took off when I saw beams of light in the woods. I found out later that you’d caught Lonnie.” He paused for a breath. “After this dude busted into his office and took his bodyguards out, Tennyson wanted you alive. I was to bring you to him.”
“Where?” Rio asked.
“You got all you’re gonna get from me. You’ll have to find the rest on your own,” he said. “I’m saving the rest as a bargaining chip for my lawyer.”
“Not good enough,” Rio snarled. “How did you get in here? How did you know the solarium door was the only one not guarded? Who delivered the letter? Who is your contact here?”
“I guess you don’t hear good,” the man taunted.
Rio reached for the man. Dakota caught one arm, Skylar the other.
“Get him away from me!” the gunman yelled, gritting his teeth in pain as he shrank against the chair. “I’m telling my lawyer about you threatening me and that the police didn’t do squat.”
“You tell your story, and I’ll tell mine.” Dakota pulled the man from the chair by his uninjured arm. “We’ll just see who they believe.”
“Where—where’re we going?” The gunman tried to pull back.
Dakota lifted a brow. “Didn’t you ask for medical care?”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s about time,” he grimaced. “I’m gonna tell my lawyer that, too.”
“I’m trembling in my boots.” Dakota kept walking. “I’m sure everyone else in here is doing the same.”
The man looked around at the many faces in the room. The men’s were filled with hatred, the women’s distaste. No one would speak on his behalf. He gulped.
“Take him to the ambulance. Tell them to do the eval on the road. There’s been enough talk and speculation already.” Dakota handed the man to one of the uniformed officers. “Put out an APB on Tennyson. Rio, can one of your men give my office the particulars?”
“I will.” Shane stepped forward and followed the police put of the room.
“According to my contact guarding his house in Chicago, Tennyson is supposed to have been there since late last night.” Rio’s mouth tightened. “I bet anything he’s not there.”
Blade stepped forward. “He has a private plane. He could be anywhere.”
“With the FBI involved, we’ll have a better chance of running him to ground.” Dakota turned to Skylar. “You’re something. You got him to talk.”
“Unlike the man who broke into my room.” Skylar handed the gun to Rio.
“This one was sweating a lot more,” Dakota said. “I took a chance that he’d break, and he did.”
Skylar smiled. “I’ve always wanted to play good cop/bad cop.”
Dakota chuckled and glanced at Rio’s hard face. “I think it was bad cop/baddest cop.” He went to Ruth. “Glad to hear you weren’t involved. Thanks for the invite. Best party I’ve been to in a long time.”
“I’m glad you could come, Dakota,” Mrs. Grayson said. “Please join us here for brunch around nine in the morning.”
“I’ll be here.” He tipped his hat to Sierra and Blade. “’Night.”
“Conner, I want everyone to stay on high alert. He and his pal got information from someone working here. Until we find out who it is, we don’t take chances,” Rio told him.
“Got it.” Conner and the three other men left the room.
Skylar sighed. “I guess I should go talk to the family about what happened.”
“You can use my office,” Blade offered.
“Thanks.” Skylar sighed again. “If you hear shouting, just ignore it. It will be my father.”