Kitabı oku: «Interrogating The Bride»

Chapter One

In and out, he told himself. That was his job. Get in, get what he was after, then get out before there were any problems.

Micah Stone stood on the deck of the small ferry that would carry him to the tiny island of Fortuna just off the coast of Louisiana. The island, touted as a playground for the rich, was lit like a gaudy Christmas tree rising up from the sea.

This was the last ferry of the night, carrying wealthy tourists from the Louisiana coast to the island that had been transformed by a smart businessman into a semi-private escape for the wealthy and bored. The ferry would begin running again at eight in the morning, but by then Micah would be long gone.

Despite the warm July night air, a faint mist cooled his face and forearms as he leaned on the deck railing and mentally prepared for the job ahead.

As an ex-Navy SEAL he knew all about mentally preparing for an assignment. He drew a deep breath, centered himself and envisioned success. If all went well, within an hour he’d be in a small Cessna 192 plane on his way back to Kansas City.

His partners Troy and Luke would be happy. The bank would be happy. The only unhappy person in the mix would be Jason Worthington, who had managed to get the plane on credit with the power of his family name, and then neglected to make a single payment. The young man refused to take phone calls from the bank about the payments and ignored the letters sent to him.

Loser, Micah thought. It hadn’t taken much research to learn that Jason Worthington was a trustfund brat with few morals and no direction. The bank that had financed the plane had been patient, not wanting to stir the ire of Jason’s father, Grant Worthington, a mover and shaker in the Kansas City area. But after almost a year of no payments and no excuses from the young man, the bank had hired Recovery Inc., the business run by Micah and two of his best friends and ex-Navy SEAL buddies.

That morning the men of Recovery Inc. had gotten word that three days ago Jason and his personal pilot had flown from Jason’s home in Kansas City to the island of Fortuna for a weeklong visit. The plane now sat on a private runway outside the private residence owned by Jason’s grandfather, but if Micah had anything to do with it, the plane wouldn’t be there for long.

“Looks like Las Vegas,” a female voice said from just behind him. “All the sparkle and glitter out there.”

He turned to see a tall, attractive redhead eyeing him with a predator’s gaze. He fought a sigh of irritation. He’d come up here on deck to be alone, hoping that nobody would notice him, nobody would be able to identify him if things went bad.

“Yeah,” he replied and turned back to face the glittering island, hoping to discourage her from any further conversation.

She sidled up next to him at the railing, engulfing him in the scent of expensive perfume, and placed her hand far too close to his on the railing. A cocktail ring the size of an orange rode one of her fingers. “Staying at one of the hotels?” she asked with a distinctly seductive tone in her voice.

“No,” he replied, not giving her any more information.

“I’m staying at The Fountains,” she replied, obviously not put off by his disinterest. “My name’s Miranda Killory. Just give me a ring if you feel like a party.” She smiled and slid her gaze from the top of his head to his feet. “I’m always ready for a party.”

Thankfully she drifted away when Micah remained silent. It wasn’t the first time an attractive woman had come on to him, but it was definitely one of the most inconvenient.

He breathed a sigh of relief as the ferry approached the dock. He had all that he’d need for the recovery of the plane on his person…. his gun and a flashlight. The rest of what he needed was in his head.

He’d memorized the terrain of the island and had plenty of experience in covert operations. He anticipated no trouble as he knew how to get in and out of a situation like a shadow in the night.

Once the ferry had docked, Micah slipped off and disappeared into the thick brush that hugged the bank. According to the maps of the area he’d studied, the Worthington estate was less than three miles away, an easy jaunt for a man in his physical prime.

He took off at a fast pace, the air filled with the noise of the nearby resort and the tangy scent of the sea. Music poured from open doors and the sounds of people rode the faint light breeze.

Micah stayed near the shoreline and moved with the stealth of an animal, creeping forward to where his sources told him the private runway existed at the back of the Worthington estate.

It never failed to amaze him how many wealthy people didn’t pay their bills. Recovery Inc. didn’t go after the little fellows who got strapped for cash and didn’t make a couple of car payments. They were in the big league, repossessing boats and planes and occasionally people who found themselves in trouble.

He shoved all thought of the business aside as he approached the Worthington estate. Despite the fact that it was after midnight, lights shone from the windows of the two-story mansion.

Micah skirted the house and headed for the back where he hoped his sources were right and the Cessna would be sitting on the runway. He didn’t expect a guard, but if there was one, Micah knew a dozen ways to incapacitate a man without killing him.

As the runway came into view, a sliver of moonlight danced on the wings of the small plane. Bingo, Micah thought with a sigh of satisfaction.

He crouched down in a stand of brush to one side of the runway and waited. He remained there for just a few minutes to make sure there were no guards, no patrols of any kind for him to encounter.

He never went into an assignment without planning for every contingency. If things went badly he knew not to expect help from any law enforcement agency. At best, the relationship between the men of Recovery Inc. and the local police force was one of strained tolerance. He had a feeling the authorities on Fortuna wouldn’t look kindly on him either.

After a few minutes had passed, he was certain that the plane was unguarded, ripe for the picking. Piece of cake, Micah thought as he moved forward.

He’d worn black clothes that would allow him to blend in with the night and he moved across the tarmac at warp speed.

Jason Worthington was so arrogant, so certain he was above the rules that guided ordinary human beings, he not only hadn’t posted guards but he also hadn’t bothered to secure the plane.

Micah opened the door and climbed into the pilot’s seat, pleased that it looked as if he were home free. Within three or so hours of flying, he’d have this little baby back in Kansas City in a hangar owned by Recovery Inc., ready to go back to the bank it now belonged to.

The most dangerous moment would be when he started the engine and prepared for takeoff. If there were guards in the area then the noise of the engine would alert them that something was amiss.

Hopefully he could get in the air before anyone got hurt or an alarm sounded. That was the way these operations were supposed to happen.

It took him only minutes to check that the plane was ready for flight. There was enough gas in the tank to get him back home and he was ready to get out of Dodge.

Troy and Luke would be pleased that the mission went without a hitch and Micah would be home in plenty of time to rest up for his date the next night with a statuesque blonde named Heidi. She was the only woman he knew who wanted a committed relationship less than he did.

He revved up the engines and took off, the euphoric pleasure of flight pulling a smile to his lips. But the smile froze as something poked him in the back, and he felt the warm breath of another person on the nape of his neck.

“I don’t know who you are or why you’re flying this plane, but if you don’t take me back to Kansas City I’ll shoot you.”

Micah shot a quick glance over his shoulder and fought his surprise. He’d planned for every contingency except the one in which a beautiful, dark-haired woman in a bridal gown held a gun to his back.

“That’s exactly where I’m heading,” he replied evenly. “Why don’t you put that gun away before it accidentally goes off and somebody gets hurt?”

The pressure in the center of his back didn’t move. “Who are you?” she demanded. “What are you doing here? Do you work for Jason?”

“My name isn’t important and no, I don’t work for Jason.”

“Then, what are you doing in his plane?” She had a nice voice, low and melodic. And despite the fact that she held a gun to his back, Micah felt no fear. If her intention had been to shoot him, she would have already pulled the trigger. She wouldn’t have waited until they were up in the air. Unless she was a skilled pilot, she wouldn’t shoot the man behind the controls.

“I work for an agency that recovers items when they haven’t been paid for,” he replied.

There was a long pause and the “barrel” of the gun bent slightly, letting him know it wasn’t a gun at all. “Oh my God, I’ve been rescued by a repo man,” she exclaimed just before he banked the plane sharply to the left.

CAYLEE WARREN cried out as the plane tilted and she was thrown across the small cabin into the wall on the opposite side.

She fell to the floor and then fought her long, frilly lace dress as she tried to sit up. “What did you do that for?” she complained as she finally righted herself.

“Because I don’t like backseat drivers who poke a finger in my back,” he replied.

She frowned in dismay. So, he knew it wasn’t a gun but rather her finger that she’d used on him. But when he snuck into the plane and prepared to take off and she realized it wasn’t Jason’s regular pilot, she’d been terrified. It was a state of mind she’d experienced for the past three days.

Once she was on her feet, she scooted into the copilot’s seat and looked at the man who, at the moment, controlled her life. “Okay, I don’t have a gun,” she confessed. “Are you really flying to Kansas City?”

She stared at him. His curly black hair did little to soften his lean, dangerous features and she hoped and prayed she hadn’t jumped from a frying pan into a roaring fire.

All she wanted to do was get back to her little apartment in Kansas City. She’d never go off on a trip with a man again unless they were married. In fact, she might never date again, she had so badly misjudged Jason Worthington.

“I’m really flying back to Kansas City,” he replied. He turned his head and looked at her for the first time. His eyes were a startling pale blue and narrowed in cool unfriendliness. “Now you want to tell me who you are and why you were hiding out in the plane? And I’m not even going to ask why you’re wearing a wedding gown.”

A flush rose to her cheeks. “My name is Caylee Warren. Three days ago I flew down here with Jason to be his guest for a weeklong vacation.”

“So how did you get into the back of the plane?”

“I really don’t think that’s any of your business,” she replied. The last thing she wanted was to tell anyone how foolish she’d been. And God, she’d been foolish going off with a man she barely knew.

“Did you marry him or were you playing some kind of fantasy game? You know, doctor and nurse, cheerleader and quarterback, bride and groom.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she scoffed, once again a flare of heat warming her cheeks.

“Hey, I’m not the one dressed like a wedding cake topper and hiding in the back of a plane,” he replied.

“No, you would be the one stealing a plane,” she retorted.

“Not stealing, recovering,” he replied. “And if you’re going to sit there, buckle in.” It was a command rather than a request.

She did as he said, buckling the seatbelt around her. “I told you my name, now why don’t you tell me yours.”

“Micah Stone.”

Micah Stone. She rolled the name around in her head. It suited him. Hard and solid.

It had taken them a little over three hours to fly from Kansas City to the small island of Fortuna, so she was stuck with Mr. Micah Stone for at least the next couple of hours.

She stared out the plane window where the darkness was profound. It was impossible to see landmarks or anything of interest. She couldn’t believe she’d gotten herself into such a mess. She’d acted uncharacteristically impulsive with crushing results.

Micah was obviously a man who didn’t care much for conversation. The silence stretched between them, thick and uncomfortable, until finally she couldn’t stand it any longer.

“This is what you do for a living? Take back things from unsuspecting saps who haven’t paid their bills?”

“Jason Worthington isn’t exactly an unsuspecting sap,” he replied. “He’s worth a fortune, but he’s not above the law that governs normal people. If you don’t pay your bills you lose your toys.”

“Jason Worthington is a psychotic creep,” she blurted out and then bit her lower lip to stop herself from saying anything more.

Micah cast her a glance that told her he thought it was possible she was one of the toys Jason had bought and paid for. She stiffened her back, deciding she didn’t much like Micah Stone.

What she wanted to do was explain the events that had brought her here, the craziness that had resulted in her hiding in the back of a plane clad in a wedding dress. But Micah Stone deserved no explanation for her behavior.

Once again a tense silence descended between them. She tucked a strand of her long, dark hair behind her ear and cast him a surreptitious look.

He had massive shoulders, and even though he was seated, she could tell his legs were long and lean. Physically he was the type of man who had always made her heart beat just a little faster. But she sensed something dark inside him that told her she didn’t want to get to know him any better than what the circumstances warranted.

But she needed something from him, so when he glanced at her with those cool, pale blue eyes, she offered him a friendly smile. “I was wondering if maybe you could do me a favor when we get back to Kansas City?”

“What’s that?” he asked, although his tone let her know he didn’t particularly like the idea of doing her any favors.

“I don’t know where you’re dropping off this plane, but would it be possible for you to drive me to my apartment on the north side of town? I don’t have my purse with my ID or any money, so taking a cab is out of the question.”

“Before I agree to do anything you have to tell me how you ended up in here—dressed like you are— without your purse or anything else.” Those arctic eyes of his gazed at her curiously.

Caylee frowned. She wanted to tell him again that it was really none of his business, but she also needed a ride home. The last thing she wanted to do was call any of her family members and confess her stupidity to them.

“I met Jason about a month ago at the jewelry store I own, Rings and Things. It’s in the Oakridge Mall. Ever been there?” It was a stupid question. He didn’t look like a man who spent much time in a mall. “Anyway, he seemed charming and bright and when he asked me out, I didn’t see any reason not to go. So we’d been seeing each other for the last month, and then he suggested this trip to Fortuna. He told me his family had a place here and that I’d have my own suite of rooms.”

She realized she was rambling. She always chattered too much when she was nervous and it suddenly struck her that she had no idea what kind of man Micah Stone was, had no idea if she’d escaped from one psycho into the arms of another.

“Go on,” he said curtly.

He didn’t look like a psycho. But then Jason hadn’t looked like one either, and that man was positively certifiable. She sighed, realizing she really didn’t have any other choice but to trust the man in the pilot’s seat.

“Anyway, we got there and things were okay, even though I started noticing things about him that bugged me. By the next day I realized he wasn’t anyone I wanted to be with, but I figured I’d finish the trip and once we got back to Kansas City I wouldn’t date him anymore. Then tonight he brought me this dress and insisted that I try it on. Then he started talking about how we’d be married as soon as possible and he’d never let me leave his side. That was when I knew I had to get out of there.”

She paused a minute, remembering the glint of madness that had shone from Jason’s eyes. She’d never been so afraid in her life.

“Anyway, when I went into the bathroom to change out of this dress, I snuck out the window and ran,” she continued. “I hid in the plane because I overheard Jason telling his pilot to fly back to Kansas City first thing in the morning and pick up some personal items Jason wanted from his house. I figured I could hide out and be back home before Jason realized I was gone from Fortuna.”

She waited for him to say something, to say anything but he remained silent. He probably thought she was all kinds of a fool to go on a weeklong holiday with a man she didn’t know well.

“So, are you going to give me a ride home when we get to town or are you going to force me to call one of my relatives and let them know how utterly stupid I’ve been?” she finally asked.

“I’ll drive you home,” he said and those were the last words he spoke to her for the duration of the flight.

Caylee spent the time staring out at the night sky and wondering how she’d been such a bad judge of character. Jason had seemed so nice, so normal during the six dates they’d had before going to Fortuna.

Of course, she’d been out of the dating game for years before she’d met him. Since taking the helm of the jewelry business five years ago, she’d been focused solely on the shop with no time for socializing.

She glanced back at Micah. God, the man was a hunk. Jason had been handsome in a boyish, charming kind of way, but there was nothing boyish about Micah Stone.

The dark clothes he wore only enhanced an aura of hardness, of danger. He looked like a man who could handle anything life threw at him. But just because she liked the way he looked didn’t mean she’d like him as a man. In fact, she’d only been in his presence a couple of hours, had only exchanged a few sentences with him, but already she had a feeling that she didn’t like him.

But at the moment she needed him. Once he got her safely to her apartment, then she could put him and this entire fiasco behind her.

A sense of relief filled her as the plane descended quickly and she looked down and saw the lights playing on the Missouri River. She assumed he was landing at the downtown airport rather than Kansas City International Airport, which was to the north of the city. The downtown airport with its shorter runways and close proximity to the river better suited small planes for landing and taking off.

They had just touched down and taxied into a hangar when she heard the distinctive ring of a cell phone. Micah cut the plane engine, reached into his pocket and pulled out the phone.

“Yeah. Just landed and hit the hangar,” he said into the phone. He listened for a minute, then cast a narrowed glance toward Caylee. “I picked up a passenger along the way. I’ll explain later.”

He listened some more, and even though she wouldn’t have thought it possible, his features tightened, appeared to grow more lean and dangerous as he stared at her.

“Yes, I understand. Okay. See you in half an hour.” He hung up the phone, his gaze still intent on Caylee. “Jason Worthington was found stabbed to death in his family home on Fortuna Island an hour ago. The police are looking for you for questioning.” Micah’s pale eyes narrowed to slits. “You want to tell me what really happened there tonight or should I just drive you directly to the nearest police station?”