All They Ever Wanted (22 page)

Greer pulled her hand from his. “I'm not sure I want to be lumped in with Mallory Dykstrom.”

“I'm not sure all the facts are out yet,” he challenged. “You and she may not be that far apart in what motivates you.”

She sighed heavily. “But it is a fact that you slept with her.”

Miles didn't bother acknowledging her statement. He'd never understand what motivated jealousy among women.

“Does she know you'll never love her, either?”

Her question baffled him. While he'd been friends with Greer for years, he didn't feel the same distress at losing her as he felt about the possibility of never seeing Lori again. He chalked it up to chemistry and lust, once again cursing the fact that he couldn't feel that same attraction to the woman sitting next to him. It would have made life so much easier.

“It was just a fling, Greer—one of those ‘heat of the moment
'
events that just happened.”

She smiled slyly. “You keep telling yourself that, Miles. But I know you're not a ‘heat of the moment' guy. If you were, we'd be announcing our engagement.” Greer stood up from the sofa, smoothing her skirt. “So what's the plan from here on out? I'm assuming you didn't know who Lori was before last night?”

Miles nodded.

“Okay, so we need her to go on the record saying that. Maybe to apologize, also. We'll keep going with the integrity ads that we have. We can portray you as being as human as the next guy while you use this as an example that it's even more imperative that we pass legislation to get these types of crimes stopped.”

He stood as well. “Are you sure you want to keep your wagon hitched to my campaign? It could very well be a blow to your own credibility in this business. Not to mention your relationship with your father.”

She shrugged. “You'll be my last hurrah in politics. I told you, I respect what you stand for. Once we get you elected, I'll have plenty of time to decide what I want to be when I grow up. And you're right; it's time I cut the apron strings from Daddy. Watching what Mallory is going through has given me enough motivation.”

*   *   *

Lori sipped from the coffee Deputy Lovell had brought her from the Java Jolt. After months of serving it every morning, she'd become used to the unique blend. Cassidy had come by the
station house after helping with the morning rush at the inn. She'd brought Lori a change of clothes, a toothbrush, and a breakfast of leftover muffins Lori had made yesterday.

“I'm going to search the entire B and B from top to bottom,” the teenager said. “I'll find that stupid pen and bracelet if it's the last thing I do. Sheriff Hollister can't keep you here forever.”

Lori smiled at Cassidy. The fact was the sheriff could only keep her for another ten hours. After that, she'd be in Matt's custody. The idea of Sheriff Hollister holding her in the cozy Chances Inlet jailhouse indefinitely was certainly more appealing.

“Are you really who they say you are?” Cassidy asked quietly. “I mean they're saying you're this greedy girl who just wanted her father to love her so you helped him steal from all those people.”

Lori tried not to cringe at Cassidy's description of her. “Part of that's right,” she admitted.

“You're forgetting who I grew up with. I know the difference between a generous person who cares about others and one who . . . doesn't.”

Reaching across the small table in the interrogation room where they were having breakfast, Lori linked her hand with Cassidy's. “Thanks for believing in me. I'm glad you don't let your past experiences cloud your relationships with others.”

“Is your dad the one you were hiding from?”

“Not exactly,” Lori explained. “I'm sure my dad is living quite comfortably somewhere.”

“He just deserted you?”

Lori's lips formed a grim smile. “My dad is pretty good at that.”

“Yeah, I always thought my mom would change, you know? She'd disappear for a few days or sell my laptop for money to buy some blow and then beg me to forgive her. ‘It's the last time,' she'd say.” Cassidy snorted. “I believed her. Every time.”

“I never knew my dad really. My mom divorced him when I was two. But he was always this larger than life romantic hero to me.” Lori smiled in remembrance. “The gifts he would
send me were amazing. He always seemed so important when he came to visit. I would get angry with my mom and stepfather every time he left.” Tears stung the backs of her eyes. “I'd beg for him to take me with him. But he always told me my mother wouldn't let me live with him.”

“Sounds like your mother had some common sense,” Matt said from the doorway of the room.

Cassidy pinned the FBI agent with her belligerent glare. Matt was unfazed, shoving a mini lemon poppy seed muffin in his mouth. “Mmmm,” he said when he'd swallowed. “Your pastries are truly one of a kind, Mal.”

He'd showered and shaved somewhere after spending the night in the holding cell across from hers. Matt had refused to leave her despite the sheriff's assurances that she wouldn't disappear from the jailhouse. Clearly, the FBI agent didn't trust anyone in Chances Inlet.

Matt gestured toward the lobby. “Your legal team has arrived. Since there are six of them, we'll have to adjourn to the sheriff's office.”

Cassidy stood. “I should get back to the inn and help change over the rooms. I hope the Bensons have left already. I don't think I can be nice to that lady right now.” She hesitated before quitting the room. “You'll still be here this afternoon, right?”

Lori met Matt's eyes.
Not if he has his way.

“We'll stop by the inn before we leave,” he surprised Lori by saying.

Cassidy visibly blanched. “Promise?”

He nodded solemnly.

With one last agonizing look at Lori, the teen slipped out of the room. Matt sat in the chair she'd vacated.

“I hope you weren't just placating the girl. She's had a pretty crappy life,” Lori warned him.

Matt scrubbed a hand down his face. “I'm not a monster, Mal. I'm the same guy who was your friend.”

“Ha!” Lori choked out a laugh. “‘Friend' is laying it on a bit thick, isn't it?”

The FBI agent looked genuinely upset. “I was doing my
job. Contrary to what you think, I don't go around picking on innocent people.”

“Until me.”

“I truly believed you were innocent, Mal. Right up until the point where you ratted me out to your old man. Then you ran. I would have helped you.” He leaned across the table. “Let me help you now.”

“That would involve me trusting you, Matthew, and I think we've already covered that.”

He gave her a resigned look as he stood up again. “As much as I'd like to stall all morning so those stuffed suits can bill your father up the ass, I'd rather get you back to New York tonight. I've got tickets for the Yankees game tomorrow.”

“It's not going to matter whether I'm here or in New York,” she said. “I'm still not going to cooperate with you, Matthew.”

“I wish you would, Mallory. Things are going to get ugly from here on out.” His charming smile was gone and his lively green eyes were determined as he lowered his voice to speak to her. “Believe it or not, I do care what happens to you. And when I get my hands on your old man—and I will find him with or without your help, Mal—I'm going to make sure they throw the book at him for the way he's treated you.”

Lori swallowed painfully. She wanted to trust someone. And Matt was definitely one of the good guys. He'd been that way even when he was pretending to be her friend, she reluctantly realized. But the need for self-preservation was greater than her need for reliance and comfort right now. Keeping her own confidences, she led the way down the hallway to the sheriff's office.

Matt wasn't lying when he said a team of lawyers awaited them. Four men and two women were seated around the conference table. Two of the sharply dressed people were talking quietly on their cell phones. One of them Lori recognized from his visits to her father—Daniel Thomlin—who was likely the ring leader. He shot to his feet at the sight of Matthew at her elbow.

“Don't say a word, Mallory,” the lawyer ordered. “Agent Kovaluk, you don't have permission to speak with our client
at this time.” He turned to the sheriff. “Sheriff, we'd like to meet with Ms. Dykstrom in private, please.” No one in the room was fooled by the word “please”—it was a command, pure and simple. The lawyer's demeanor made her recoil, but the sheriff seemed to take it all in stride.

Sheriff Hollister stood up from his chair, indicating to Lori that she should take his place. She shot him a look of relief as she slid into the position of power within the small room. The sheriff gestured for Matt to precede him out of the office. “If there's anything you need”—the sheriff directed his remark at Lori—“don't hesitate to let me know.”

The door had barely closed when Mr. Thomlin began speaking. “This is a fine mess here, Mallory. If you had just remained in New York like you were told, we could have avoided all this nasty publicity.” Not waiting for her to respond, he turned to the lawyers at the table. “What have you got, Eric?”

“The sheriff hasn't located the missing items. Apparently, he's been searching the area pawn shops for at least a week and nothing has turned up,” one of the younger minions said.

“Have you disposed of the items yet, Mallory?” Thomlin asked her.

The breath left Lori's lungs in a whoosh. “Excuse me?” she managed to choke out.
Wasn't her own lawyer supposed to assume she was innocent until proven guilty?

He huffed disapprovingly. “The stolen items. The sheriff won't find them today, will he?”

“I have no idea,” she said incredulously. “Since I didn't steal anything, I can't possibly tell you when and where they'll be found.”

Six sets of eyes stared at her as if she'd just said the earth was square.

Anger swelled in her stomach. The jerks all really did think she was guilty.

Mr. Thomlin cleared his throat. “If you say so.”

“I do say so!” She slammed her palm down onto the desk.

He looked at one of his other minions—one of the two who had a cell phone glued to his ear. “Where are we with the plea deal, then?”

“Plea deal?” Lori's chest squeezed in panic.
Surely he wasn't talking about a plea deal for her?

“Yes, Mallory, a plea deal,” Mr. Thomlin said condescendingly. “Your father doesn't want this to even reach the courts.”

Lori was taken aback that her father was even in communication with this blowhard, much less that he would help defend her. “But I just told you, I didn't do it.”

The lawyer eyed her as if she were a recalcitrant toddler. “Not the theft. The money laundering.”

“I didn't do that, either.”

He all but rolled his eyes at her. “The deed to the restaurant was in your name. It will be impossible to prove you had no knowledge. A plea is your best bet. It will also appease the feds for the time being, which will give your father some peace.”

A roaring began in her head and her face grew painfully warm.
Which will give your father some peace.
Her father was selling her out. Again. He was going to let her take the fall for something she didn't do.

“It's for the best, Mallory,” Mr. Thomlin was saying—most likely in reaction to the look on her face. “Your father has asked that we pursue a deal that would get you to a minimum security facility—most likely the same one where Martha Stewart was incarcerated.” He spoke as though they were booking her a vacation at a resort, not sending her to prison. Lori's head felt like it might explode any second.

“Sheriff!” she shouted as she jumped to her feet.

The door burst open a second later as Sheriff Hollister stormed back into his office. She was relieved to see Matt standing behind him. Surely this team of morons couldn't strike a deal without the FBI agent's backing.

“I'd like to go back to my cell,” she said, biting back the tears that threatened. “And these people”—she waved an arm at the room at large—“do
not
represent me. Do you hear me, Matthew? I'm not making a deal with anyone.”

Matt gave her that cocky grin she was used to. “Atta girl.”

“You heard her, ladies and gentlemen,” the sheriff said. “You're off the case. Now get out of my office.”

Mr. Thomlin blustered while his entourage watched in
stunned silence. “Don't be churlish, young lady. Not after all your father has done for you.”

The air in the room seemed to crackle as she turned to face the buffoon who represented Dykstrom. “You tell your client, I know exactly what he's done
for
me and
to
me. And from this moment on, he doesn't have the right to call himself my father.”

“You can't just dismiss us,” he continued. “You don't have a dime to your name. Everything you owned came from your father.”

“I'll take my chances on a free public defender rather than let him or you idiots steer my life.”

Mr. Thomlin began to panic. “You may not discuss this case with anyone else, Mallory.”

“Is that a threat?” The question came from outside the small room.

Everyone turned to the doorway to see Miles filling up its frame, his blue eyes snapping with anger. Lori swallowed a relieved gasp at the breathtaking sight of him, his posture ready for battle and his mouth dogged.

“Just exactly who are you?” Mr. Thomlin demanded.

Miles' eyes met hers for a brief moment before he shocked the heck out of her with his words.

“Her new attorney.”

“H
ave you thought this through?” Lamar asked under his breath.

Hell no.
Miles hadn't thought anything through. Not since last night when the man had led Lori out of his mother's B and B in handcuffs. He certainly hadn't been thinking when he left his campaign headquarters a few minutes ago and strolled down to the sheriff's office practically making the walk of shame in front of a barrage of national media camped out on the street. Ignoring the questions reporters threw out at him, Miles told himself that his purpose was to see if he could get more details on Lori's arrest in order to prepare a defense against the character attack that was being waged against him. If he caught a glimpse of her in the process, so be it. But the overwhelming feeling of relief at the sight of her was like a sucker punch to his senses.

She was dressed in her usual drab wardrobe, yet she looked different somehow. Despite the telltale shimmer of tears in her eyes, she held her head high and kept her back ramrod straight. Her long hair was pulled back in a sleek ponytail, where it could no longer disguise her determined chin and
model-worthy cheekbones. There was a tremor in her voice, but she managed to keep her composure in spite of the bullying from her supposed attorney.

Miles planned on telling the assembled media that he had only ventured to the sheriff's office to get the details of his employee's arrest, but the sight of Lori valiantly fighting her battles alone made something snap inside him. Perhaps she was right after all and he was Dudley Do-Right at heart. The fact remained, however, he couldn't let her fight this battle alone.

The team of stuffed suits eyed him incredulously as they passed by him while exiting Lamar's office.

“You'll be sorry that you got involved with this, young man,” the older guy warned.

“Again with the threats,” Miles said, keeping his tone mild. He wanted to tell the man he'd grown up with four siblings and his words were like a dare that only spurred him on.

“What are you doing?” Valerie mouthed behind the attorney's back before she turned and led the team toward the building's foyer.
Committing professional suicide
, he very nearly said out loud.

Lori stared at him, her eyes wide and her shoulders squared. “You shouldn't have done that,” she said. “You shouldn't even be here.”

Resisting the urge to haul her into his arms, he wisely kept the desk between them as he wandered into the room. “It's a little late for that, don't you think?”

“No! It's not. You need to tell them you didn't know who I was; or that I tricked you somehow. Anything so this doesn't ruin your campaign. Please, Miles,” she pleaded. “Don't jeopardize the political career you've dreamed about your whole life. Not for me.”

Her last words were said with such anguish that Miles' breathing hitched. “I'm here to get the truth, Lori. If you want to help me, don't push me away. Just tell me what really went down. Because I know you're not guilty of anything.”

A puff of air escaped her lips before she sank down limply into Lamar's chair. “But I suspected it,” she whispered. “And I looked the other way. That makes me guilty.”

Miles barked a sarcastic laugh. “Using that logic, half the world would be guilty of something.”

The sound of a throat clearing made them both turn to the doorway. “Agent Kovaluk's superiors are on their way in from Washington. I can certainly stand in for a lawyer while they question her if need be, Miles.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Miles watched Lori blanch at the sheriff's words.

“Can you give us a second, Sheriff?” he asked.

With a silent nod, Lamar closed the door behind him.

Miles placed his palms flat on the desk and leaned down to meet her wide-eyed stare. At the risk of his dream, he was going to rescue a second woman today from selling out for her father. Except Lori hadn't been willing to sell out, he realized. She'd all but told those high-priced defense hacks where to go. Unlike Greer, she never considered bowing to her father's pressure. Which meant she was protecting someone else and that thought made his gut burn.

“You can save face with the media by telling them you came to make sure charges were pressed,” she said. “But you need to go now, Miles.”

He was getting a little sick and tired of her trying to get rid of him. Especially since he was trying to do the chivalrous thing here.

“Why didn't you tell me who you were?” He asked the question that had plagued him the most since last night. “You had to have known you could trust me. But you didn't. You're still hiding from me now.” He shoved away from the desk, breaking their stare. “Damn it, after everything we shared between us, even knowing who I am, you're still keeping secrets from me. You're prepared to go to prison for someone. The least you can do is tell me who it is.”

Lori shot from the chair and circled the desk. “How dare you! I'm trying to help you.”

“And I'm trying to help you!” Miles reached for her elbows, pulling her body flush with his.

“I told you before, you can't help me.” She smacked her hands on his chest. “Of all the people in this world, Dudley, I
would have confided in you. Now all that's going to happen is I'm going to hurt you. And that's the last thing I wanted, you idiot.” Tears were streaming down her face and Miles couldn't help himself any longer. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a kiss. Lori's body melted against him as she opened her mouth to his more demanding one. Her hands reached up to grip his skull. She kissed him as though she were trying to hide inside him. Miles would have let her if it were the only way to keep her safe. His hands slid beneath her T-shirt, roaming the familiar soft skin beneath. One of them—he wasn't sure which—moaned deep in their throat when Miles used his body to guide her back against the wall. She arched her hips into his and all coherent thought left his brain for other more demanding parts of his anatomy.

“Hey! Before you two get any further along with that, you might want to alert Deputy Lovell so he can kill the security cameras,” Lamar said, startling them both apart.

Reluctant to be separated from her, Miles traced the flush along Lori's neck while both tried to regulate their breathing back to normal.

“I'm sure that's an image neither of you want Tanya Sheppard and her cronies to air on the evening news tonight,” the sheriff continued.

Miles continued to contemplate Lori. “Then I guess it's a good thing my mother is sleeping with the sheriff. He wouldn't want to upset her by leaking any video.”

Lamar harrumphed as he took his seat. “We're running out of time here, kids. I can't legally hold Lori in the station house past nine o'clock tonight.”

A throbbing began in Miles' temple. The woman before him was stubborn and loyal to a fault. He told himself it didn't matter who she might be protecting. Their relationship wouldn't be anything more than friends with benefits. Miles was peeved because he was risking his career to help her and she was still withholding the truth, not because he was jealous of some mystery person.

“Lori,” he said, gripping her shoulders. “We can't help you if you don't tell us the truth.”

Her chin jutted up and she crossed her arms beneath her ample breasts. “I told you the truth. I suspected my father was up to something wrong, but I ignored it. For all the reasons the talking heads on the news channels are citing. I was selfish and I wanted to be a part of my father's rich lifestyle.”

There was more to the story; he understood her well enough to know that. But pressing her further wasn't getting them anywhere. “Fine,” he snapped. “Then let's just bring the FBI agent in here and tell him that. I'm sure he's never had a suspect say she's guilty of ignorance before.”

Lori narrowed her eyes at him. “Matthew already knows all this.”

“And that's another thing,” Miles continued, his voice rising in volume. “How come you and this guy are so cozy?”

The sound of a deep chuckle had Miles spinning on his heel and coming face to face with the shit-eating grin of the FBI agent.

“I've got to hand it to the guy, Mal,” the agent said. “He clearly has a set of stones to brave the paparazzi. But I really don't want to find myself on the other end of Lover Boy's fist, so can you please set the record straight about us?”

With a roll of her eyes, Lori shoved past Miles and moved between him and the FBI agent. “Matthew claimed to be an accountant,” she explained, her tone a mix of condescending and exasperated woman.

The agent shrugged innocently. “I did take an intro class in college.”

Lori groaned. “I confided my suspicions to him about my father and showed him the books from the restaurant.” She shot the agent a glare. “I played right into his undercover ploy.”

“What can I say?” Agent Kovaluk grinned unabashedly. “I'm good at what I do.”

“You took advantage of a woman,” Miles accused.

The FBI agent's face grew hard. “That's not how I operate, McAlister, on or off the job.”

“Play nice, boys, or I'll throw you both out of my office,” Lamar warned from behind his desk.

Miles blew out a breath, trying in vain to cool his growing frustration. “Either way, you know she's innocent.”

Kovaluk shot a resigned look at Lori. “Anyone who gets to know Lori like I did knows she couldn't have perpetuated this kind of crime against unsuspecting people.”

The agent's words made Miles' fists clench. “Exactly how much getting to know her went on?” Just imagining Kovaluk's hands on Lori's body made him furious.

He hadn't realized he'd advanced on the agent until Lori grabbed his arm and yanked him back. “Miles, stop it.” She turned him so he was facing her. “Matt and I never had
dessert
.”

It took a moment for her words to penetrate the haze of anger that enveloped him.

“We had lots of dessert together,” Kovaluk interjected, making Miles' pulse ratchet up again. “You're one of the best pastry chefs the city has. Well, had. I used to bring your cupcakes back to the bureau and the rest of the team would devour them. They'd beg the agent in charge to take me off the op and let them take the assignment just to get a taste of your baked goods.”

Miles' whole body tensed. Lori dropped his arm, putting both her hands on her temples. “That's not what I'm talking about, Matthew.”

The agent looked from one to the other before recognition dawned. “Oh.” He grinned as he leaned a shoulder against the wall. “Is that what they're calling it these days?”

Lori blushed and Lamar simply shook his head. “I'm glad we got that all sorted out,” the sheriff said. “Now if you two boys are done beating your chests, perhaps we can solve Lori's dilemma?”

Miles glared at Kovaluk. “You're wasting a lot of energy on an innocent woman. Why?”

The agent studied Lori with a desolate look in his eyes. “After I had the evidence we needed, I revealed my true identity. Mallory was offered immunity in exchange for her testimony.” His mouth formed a grim line. “Instead, she tipped her father off.”

A feeling of trepidation danced down Miles' spine. That couldn't be right. There was no way Lori would condone her
father's actions, much less help him flee the authorities. Miles turned to Lori but she wouldn't meet his eyes.

“The game changed that night,” Agent Kovaluk continued ominously. “And then they both disappeared.”

“I don't understand,” Miles said. Had he been wrong about her?

“That makes two of us,” Kovaluk added.

Lori was wearing a belligerent mask she'd obviously borrowed from Cassidy.

“Damn it, Lori. The man just tried to use you as a scapegoat for his crimes,” Miles yelled. “He's not worth protecting and he's definitely not worth giving up the rest of your life for.”

“I'm not protecting him!” Lori shouted back.

Miles' gut clenched at the thought that she might be protecting another man. “Then who is it?” he demanded.

“Ian,” said a female voice from the doorway.

Miles turned to see a woman who looked like the Earth Mother version of his own mom, with her long silver hair and her makeup-free face. The stubborn set of her mouth and her light brown eyes were very much like Lori's, however.

“And the cavalry has arrived,” Kovaluk said.

“Mom!” Lori cried before launching herself into the woman's open arms.

*   *   *

“I'm so glad you are all right,” her mother, Diana, murmured as she held Lori tightly. They'd moved in tandem to the small sofa in the corner of the sheriff's office. Lori was afraid if she let go, her mother would slip away and the last few moments would have just been a dream. A hand squeezed her shoulder and she looked up to see her stepfather, Bruce Hunt, smiling above them. Tears flowed down Lori's cheeks when Bruce leaned down to kiss the top of her head.