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The pounding increased, and he stormed across the living room floor and jerked the front door open. “Adam, what do you mean...”
His words died in his throat, and all he could do was stare in surprise at Mia Fletcher standing in front of him. He shook his head. No, Mia Lockhart. That had become her name after she’d walked out on him for the man her daddy had picked for her.
He grabbed the side of the door and hung on so that he didn’t collapse right in front of her. What was she doing standing on his porch at six o’clock in the morning?
His gaze swept her, and he swallowed the tiny glimmer of pleasure at seeing her. She was just as beautiful as ever. Even though she wore no makeup and her long blond hair was pulled up in a practical ponytail, she had that fresh-scrubbed look he’d always liked. What he didn’t like was the hint of fear in her blue eyes. She stared at him apprehensively, as if to say she had no idea how he would react at her sudden appearance.
He wouldn’t allow himself to be glad to see her. Couldn’t allow it. It had taken too long to get over her, and he wasn’t about to revisit those old memories and the scars they had left deep inside of him. He should slam the door in her face and forget she’d ever come here. He started to do that, but she spoke before he could.
“Lucas, please, I need to talk to you.”
His hand tightened on the door. “We have nothing to talk about, Mia.”
She glanced over her shoulder, as if checking to see who might be behind her, and turned back to face him. Tears stood in her eyes. “I’m in trouble, Lucas, and I have no one to turn to. Just give me five minutes of your time. After that, if you won’t help me, I’ll go away and never bother you again. Five minutes. That’s all I’m asking.”
She shivered and clutched her jacket tighter around her. For the first time he noticed the chill in the air. The temperature had to be in the thirties, and she looked as if she was chilled to the bone. Against his better judgment, he stepped aside and nodded.
“All right. Five minutes. I’ll give you that.”
She brushed past him, and the scent of the fruity shampoo she’d always used filled his nostrils. The memory of that smell had kept him awake many nights when he was still a navy SEAL, but he’d never thought he’d experience it firsthand again.
He closed the door behind them and turned the thermostat up before ushering her into the living room. “Have a seat.”
She sank down on the sofa and rubbed her hands together before she offered him a weak smile. “It feels good in here. I must have stood on your porch for fifteen minutes trying to get up my nerve to knock. It was colder than I thought.”
He pressed his lips together and didn’t say anything, but his gaze drifted down to her hands, which she was still rubbing together. No sign of a wedding ring.
She shivered again, and he refocused his thoughts. A good host would offer her a cup of coffee, but he was in no mood to make this any easier. The quicker he could get Mia out of here, the better off he’d be.
He took a deep breath. “Five minutes, you said. So, what has brought you to my door so early in the morning?” He paused for a moment and frowned. “Wait a minute. I haven’t seen or heard from you in seven years. How did you know where I live? I bought this house after I got out of the navy. You’ve never been here before.”
Her cheeks flushed even more. “I was going to come to your office, but I decided I couldn’t wait that long to see you. I had to leave home quickly in the middle of the night, and I’ve spent the last three hours in an all-night diner. I used my phone to look up your address online.”
For the first time he noticed her red-streaked eyes and the dark circles underneath on her skin. “Have you been up all night?”
She nodded.
Lucas sat down in a chair facing the sofa and placed his hands on his knees. “Okay. I can see you’re upset about something. So tell me about it.”
Mia rubbed her hand across her eyes and sighed. “I hardly know where to start.” After a moment she took a deep breath. “Did you know that Kyle was murdered?”
Lucas exhaled a deep breath. “Yes. It’s been covered enough by the local media. ‘Kyle Lockhart, respected antiques authority and honored young leader in the local arts community, found brutally murdered in an apparent burglary of his office at Shackleford’s Imports,’ I believe is how the newscasters on TV stated it.” He regretted his mocking words when he saw her eyes fill again. He swallowed and spoke in a gentler tone. “I’m sorry, Mia. You have my condolences.”
She looked up at him, and he recoiled from the anger that lined her face. “I don’t need your pity, Lucas. Not now. I need help to find his killer. That’s what I want you to do.”
He shook his head and stood up. “The paper said the police had arrested somebody. If it’s true that they have enough evidence for a conviction, then the case is closed. The killer will be found guilty, and you can move on, living the life of a rich widow.”
“Rich widow? Is that what you think of me?” she screamed as she jumped to her feet. “I would love to get on with my life, but, unfortunately, I can’t. Tony Chapman, who was arrested for killing Kyle, was able to make bail, after which he ran. As far as the authorities are concerned, he’s disappeared. But he hasn’t. He’s terrorizing me and making my life miserable.”
Her outburst stunned Lucas, and he frowned. “What do you mean he’s terrorizing you?”
She sank back to the couch and closed her eyes for a moment. “A few days after Tony jumped bail, I began getting phone calls from him demanding to know where Kyle had hidden it. I told him I had no idea what he was talking about, but he didn’t believe me. The phone calls have gotten worse, and tonight he came to my house and attacked me. I only got away because I had a canister of pepper spray on my key ring.”
Lucas stared at Mia and tried to process what she’d just told him. “Mia, I don’t know what to say.”
She scooted to the edge of the sofa and stared at him, her eyes pleading with him for help. “I need help, Lucas. I want to hire you to find him. He’s a fugitive, and you’re a bounty hunter. If you can bring him in, then maybe I can put this whole crazy ordeal behind me.”
Work for her? She wanted that after everything that had happened between them? He pushed to his feet, walked over to the window and stared outside. He couldn’t help her. It would stir up too many memories that he had safely stored away, and he didn’t need to be reminded. But he had to admit, she needed help.
Finally he turned back to her and shook his head. “I’m sorry, Mia. I don’t think it would be a good idea for me to work for you. But I’m sure Adam would be glad to do it.”
Her eyebrows arched. “Adam?”
“Yes. You remember my older brother. He takes cases like this all the time. Why don’t you come by our office later today...?” A sudden thought hit him, and he shook his head. “No, he won’t be in today. We’re going to Nashville. Maybe you could come tomorrow.”
She stared at him for a moment before she slowly rose to her feet. “No. I can’t wait that long.”
“Then what about Jessica? She’s going to be in the office today. I’m sure she would be glad to help you.”
She shook her head. “That’s all right, Lucas. If you won’t help me, I’ll have to figure out another way to get through this.”
The words, spoken without any emotion, hit Lucas as if his heart was being ripped from his body. He watched as she took a step to leave, but he felt powerless to stop her. She had almost reached the front door into the entryway when her cell phone rang. She stopped and pulled it from her pocket. Her eyes grew wide, and she began to shake.
“He’s calling again!” she moaned. “Why won’t he leave me alone?”
Lucas was at her side in two strides and jerked the phone from her hand. “Hello! Who is this?” he yelled into the phone.
There was a short pause before a soft chuckle sounded. “Hello. Mr. Knight, I assume. Tell Mia that running to you isn’t going to help her any. You can’t be with her every minute, and the next time I get my hands on her, I’ll gladly cut her throat without hesitation.”
“You’ll what?” But there was no answer. The man had already disconnected the call. Lucas handed the phone back to Mia. “He’ll cut your throat? What’s that about? You didn’t say anything about a knife.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “I didn’t? That was when he caught me trying to get in my car. He was holding a knife to my throat when I sprayed him with the pepper spray.”
Lucas’s mouth dropped open. “Do you realize that his reflex action could have left you stabbed and bleeding to death?”
She nodded. “I did. But doing nothing would have been worse. I knew I couldn’t be his victim.” She clenched her fists and pounded them against the sides of her legs. “I don’t want to be anybody’s victim anymore.”
Something in the way she said it sent warning signals flashing in his mind. Maybe there was more to Mia’s situation than she was telling. If so, he wanted to find out what it was. He stuck his hands in his jeans pockets and rocked back on his heels.
“Are you hungry, Mia?”
“Yeah, a little. I think I drank about five cups of coffee while I was in that diner, but I couldn’t eat anything.”
He smiled. “Would you like some breakfast? I still know my way around the kitchen.”
Her body relaxed, and she smiled the first real smile he’d seen since she arrived. “You always were the best cook I’d ever known.”
His skin warmed, and he couldn’t help but grin at the compliment. “It was one of my many talents,” he joked. “If I’m going to take your case, I need to find out all the details, and I always work better on a full stomach. Go on in the kitchen. I need to call Adam and leave a message for him. Then I’ll see what I can rustle up for us to eat.”
He swept his arm in the direction of the kitchen, and she smiled before she headed there. He closed his eyes for a moment and bit down on his lip. What would Adam say when he told him why he was canceling on their trip to Nashville? Especially when his brother found out that Lucas had just accepted Mia Lockhart as a new client at the Knight Agency. After a moment he shrugged. It didn’t matter.
Mia had shown up on his doorstep looking like a lost waif. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that she was in a lot of trouble and needed help. If he could help her, that’s what he needed to do. He’d never forgive himself if he sent her away and then learned from the news that she’d been hurt, or killed.
But finding the bail jumper was all this was going to be. She was hiring him for a job. After it was over, she would pay him, and he’d never have to see her again. That’s the way he wanted it, and that’s the way it was going to be.
TWO (#uc0fee459-51c7-5b68-aa7d-56da1e54ffed)
Thirty minutes later Mia sat across the kitchen table from Lucas and stared down at the plate in front of her. “This is delicious. I haven’t had an omelet in a long time, and you always made the best,” she said.
He nodded and finished chewing his last bite before he spoke. “I still like to cook, but I don’t advertise it to any of the guys in my biker club. I don’t think I could take the jokes they’d make about me in the kitchen.”
She laughed and arched an eyebrow. “So you’re still riding a motorcycle?”
He shrugged. “Yeah. It gives me something to do when I’m off work, which isn’t very often.”
“I suppose your mother is still as concerned about your dangerous hobby as ever,” she said as she scooped another bite onto her fork. “By the way, how are your parents? I always liked them.”
She sensed a sudden chill in the friendly atmosphere and sat back in her chair. “Is something wrong, Lucas?”
He raised his head and stared at her, his eyes dark and foreboding. “If I’m going to take your case, I think we need to get something straight right off.”
She laced her fingers together in her lap and gripped them tightly. “A-all r-right. What is it?”
He leaned forward, a frown creasing his forehead. “I think it would be better if we don’t mention our past relationship. There’s no need to revisit ancient history, whether it’s talking about what I used to cook, my parents or whatever. This is strictly business. You’re hiring me to do a job for you. I’ll do it, and you’ll pay me when it’s over. Can you agree to that?”
She struggled to keep her voice steady as she answered him. “I can, but if you’re going to take my case, then there’s something I need to tell you.”
He tilted his head to one side and eyed her suspiciously. “What is it?”
“I know your services don’t come cheap, and I will pay you. It just may take some time. Kyle’s lawyer is in the process of untangling all his business dealings. I’ve been allowed to stay in the house for a while. Although it’s the last place I want to be, I don’t have anywhere else to go until the estate is settled. I have very little money. I thought you should know.”
Lucas stared at her for a moment before he set his coffee cup down and leaned toward her. “I can understand about the will not being settled. But what about your money?”
Her eyes grew wide. “What money?”
“That you make from your job.”
“I don’t have a job. I’ve never had one.”
His mouth gaped open, and he blinked his eyes. “All you ever wanted to do was to own a dance studio and teach children ballet. You studied for years. What happened?”
Her stomach was beginning to roil at all his questions, and she jumped to her feet and grabbed her plate. She walked to the garbage disposal and shoveled her leftover food into the sink before she turned back around. “I thought this was going to be strictly business,” she retorted. “Do you need to know to solve the case? The studio never happened—end of story.”
He stepped closer to her. “Fine, then. What about your father? If you don’t have enough money to live on until the estate is settled, couldn’t he help you?”
She shook her head but didn’t turn around to face him. “My father died three years ago. He and Kyle got along great.” Much better than she had ever gotten along with her distant, disapproving father. “So much so that he made Kyle the executor of his estate. My lawyer told me I’ll be able to get that inheritance back, but it’s going to take a while.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know about your father. But what about friends? Could they help you?”
Mia clenched her fists and gritted her teeth before she whirled and faced Lucas. “No! Don’t you understand? I’m not like you, Lucas. I don’t have a family that cares what happens to me, and I don’t have friends who want to help me.” Tears welled in her eyes. “When I was racking my brain trying to think who I could go to for help, you were the only one who came to mind. A college boyfriend that I hadn’t seen in seven years. You probably haven’t given me a thought in years, and yet you were the only one I felt like I could turn to for help.”
She covered her face with her hands and began to sob. After a few moments, Lucas reached out and patted her arm. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to make you cry.”
He reached for her napkin and stuck it in her hand. She began to wipe the tears from her face and shake her head. “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I shouldn’t have gone to pieces like that, but I’ve been so scared ever since those phone calls started. I knew you were my only hope of getting anything done. Will you please help me, Lucas?”
The look on his face told her he still wasn’t pleased about the prospect. “I’ll take the job of tracking Tony Chapman. After all, that’s what we’re in business for, bringing in fugitives from justice. But I can’t guarantee how long it will take me.”
Mia wiped her eyes again. “It can’t be soon enough for me. I want to try and get on with my life.”
“I hope it won’t take long either. But for now, I need some information from you. Why don’t we take our coffee in the living room, and you can fill me in on all the details about Kyle?”
She blew her nose and smiled through her tears. “Okay.”
They walked back to the living room and settled on the sofa, their cups in their hands. Mia pulled her knees up and curled into the corner of the sofa, so she could sit facing him. He reached for a notebook that was lying on the coffee table, flipped it open and pulled a pen out. “Now, tell me about Kyle’s job.”
She wrapped her hand around the mug and thought for a moment before she answered. “Kyle went to work at Shackleford Imports right after we were married. They sell antiques and antiquities in their showroom, as well as working with clients on arranging special purchases. Kyle was the import/export manager. It was his job to oversee the paperwork and the monetary transactions on all the international acquisitions, as well as working with customs agents on all items coming into or leaving the country. He also handled special clients for the company.”
Lucas wrote as she talked and didn’t look up as he asked his next question. “It sounds like an important job. I assume he was paid well.”
“He was. I don’t really know how much—he handled all our finances—but he told me once it was in the six figures.”
Lucas gave a low whistle. “The owner must have thought he did a good job to pay that well.”
Mia shrugged. “I suppose so. Mr. Shackleford has been ill for the past year and a half, and Kyle was basically running the business.”
“Did the other employees like him?”
“I don’t know.”
He glanced up at her answer and then directed his gaze back to his note-taking. “And why is that?”
“Because I never got to know any of them very well.”
Lucas slowly raised his head to stare at her, a frown wrinkling his forehead. “Shackleford’s is well-known in the city. There are stories in the paper all the time about events they’re having to show a new acquisition or the opening of some exhibit they’ve come up with. He worked there for seven years, Mia. Didn’t you go with him to any of the events?”
She shook her head. “A few times when we first married, but that soon ended. He thought I couldn’t hold my own in conversation with the intellectual people who frequented the events. So he quit taking me.”
He opened his mouth to speak but then seemed to think better of it. He cleared his throat and looked back down at the notebook. “The police arrested Tony Chapman for Kyle’s murder. Did you know him?”
“No, I’d never heard of him, until he was arrested. Then a few days later I was notified he had made bail. And soon after that, he disappeared. Except he started calling me all the time.”
“And you have no idea what it is he thinks Kyle has hidden from him?”
She shook her head and frowned. “I can’t imagine what it is. Kyle never talked to me about his business dealings in any kind of detail. Everything he told me was very general. I don’t even know if he and Tony had business dealings. I’m beginning to wonder if it wasn’t something illegal. And if there was a falling-out with them, and that’s why Tony killed him.”
Lucas nodded. “That’s a logical explanation, but I don’t guess we’ll know for sure until I can find Tony.” He paused a moment and then looked at her again. “There are lots of unanswered questions about this whole case.”
“I know.”
