Crossing Danger: A Shelby Nichols Adventure (3 page)

By the time I got to Uncle Joey’s office, I had loosened up a bit, realizing that the whole episode was probably all my doing...and even a little funny if I thought of it that way. Why did I ever think I could take Ramos? Of course, I hadn’t expected Uncle Joey to be there with his camera. Whew! That was close. Thank goodness I’d deleted it.

I took a seat in front of Uncle Joey’s desk and eyed him with new understanding. He hadn’t gotten where he was by coincidence. He knew how to be at the right place, at the right time, to take advantage of situations just like mine. I hadn’t missed Ramos’ thought of how Uncle Joey had ‘let’ me delete the photo either and, right now, I was glad I was on his good side.

“I hope you’re not too upset with me,” he began, taking in my observant stare. “But I couldn’t resist having a little fun.”

“Oh no...it’s okay...I mean, what can I say? It was pretty silly of me to think I could take Ramos. Of course, in my defense, all I really wanted to do was show him some moves I’d learned at Aikido last night. I decided to take a martial arts class after what happened with that guy who tried to kill me. It kind of spooked me, you know? So I thought this might help, so that maybe next time...of course, hopefully there won’t be a next time, but since I’m still working...uh...well, you never know what could happen.”

I swallowed, grateful I hadn’t said,
since I’m still working for you,
like I was thinking, and I clamped my lips tight. I usually didn’t open up so much to Uncle Joey but, for some reason, I couldn’t seem to stop the words from pouring out of my mouth. What had gotten into me?

“That’s good, Shelby. It shows a lot of initiative on your part and should help you cope with everything you’ve been through lately.”

“Yeah.” I sighed, relieved he understood. “I think it’s helping a lot.”

“Good. I’m glad. Well...shall we get down to business?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Do you remember the man who left this little note at my wake?” He pulled a note from his desk drawer and handed it to me.

Just a few weeks ago, Uncle Joey had survived an explosion but faked his death to find out who had tried to kill him. At his wake, a man approached the casket, dropped a note, and quickly left. I’d seen the whole thing, and grabbed the note to show Uncle Joey. He’d been on edge ever since then.

“Yeah, sure I do.”

“Did he look anything like this guy?” He pushed a grainy, black-and-white photo in front of me.

It showed a man in dark glasses leaving the building. From the side angle, it was hard to see his features but, after a moment of study, I nodded. “Yeah...it looks like him. The dark glasses hide his eyes, but it’s the same jaw and hair. That crease down the side of his face is one of the things I remember most about him. So yeah...it’s probably him.”

Uncle Joey rubbed his chin, thinking that having Blake Beauchaine show up after all these years wasn’t a good thing.

“Weren’t you thinking about sending Ramos back to Seattle to check up on him?” I asked.

His lips twisted in annoyance that I’d read his mind, but he let it go and answered my question. “As a matter of fact, I was. I don’t know why he’s here in town unless it’s to check up on me. Now that I’m not dead, we might have some unfinished business he wants to take care of.”

“Where did you get this photo?” I asked.

“Yesterday, a large envelope addressed to me was left in the lobby downstairs. Someone who works in the building noticed it and brought it up. After I opened it, Ramos went through the surveillance cameras to see who’d left it.”

“What was in the envelope?”

“It was the newspaper article about the explosion on the yacht,” Uncle Joey answered. “I don’t know if it’s a veiled threat that he wants me dead, or just a reminder that he’s watching me. Either way, I’d sure like to know what he’s doing here.”

“Yeah,” I agreed. “But at least you know who it is, right?”

He nodded and glanced my way, not at all comforted that it was his old college roommate. Not after what had happened back then. He thought they had leveled the playing field all those years ago, and he didn’t want Blake poking around in his business.

“Thank you Shelby. Once I find him, I might need your help to know what he’s doing here. I’m sure he wouldn’t tell me the truth.” Uncle Joey was also thinking he might have to figure out a way to draw Blake out but, with the right incentive, he could do that.

“Okay...sure. Just let me know. Is there anything else?”

“Not at the moment, but I’ll keep you informed.”

“Well, I’d better get going then.”

I said goodbye to Jackie and got on the elevator, uncomfortable that Uncle Joey was unsettled about this Blake Beauchaine person. Mostly because if this guy worried him, it was bound to be bad, and that meant I could end up right in the middle of it.

Chapter 2

I exited the elevator in the parking garage and, without even thinking about it, walked around the corner to look at Ramos’ motorcycle one more time. From the way it was parked, it looked like he’d been using that instead of his car lately, which made perfect sense to me. I’d certainly be riding it on a day like today if I could.

Sighing, I turned to leave and came face to face with Ramos. “Babe,” he drawled. “It looks like you’re drooling just a little. Want to go for a ride?”

My breath caught and, even though I knew I shouldn’t, I nodded my head and grinned like a fool. I didn’t have any control when it came to Ramos and going for a ride on his motorcycle. What was worse, he knew it.

“It shouldn’t take long,” he said.

“Okay...that should work for me.” I hated that I sounded so eager, especially since I didn’t know where he was going or why. Who knew what I was getting myself into? There might be guns involved. It could be dangerous. But did that matter? Nope. I’d risk it all for a ride with Ramos.

Before I could decide if that made me a bad person or was just something any warm-blooded woman would do, he popped the trunk of his car and got out the gear I’d need. As I held his soft leather jacket in my hands, all doubt flew out the window.

I quickly slipped my arms through the sleeves and pushed them above my hands so I could zip the jacket up. It was huge on me, but I didn’t mind. It was soft and supple and smelled of leather and that musky scent that was all Ramos. Next, I slipped on the helmet and, to my delight, I even managed to snap the straps together under my chin like a pro.

Ramos straddled the bike and moved it forward for me to get on. In one smooth motion, I swung my leg over the seat and got comfortable. He started her up, and I held on tight as we shot forward. A thrill went down my spine, and my stomach clenched. We pulled onto the street and I couldn’t help the bubble of laughter that escaped my lips. What a rush!

We drove through town, then into a residential area close to the university campus. The homes here were old and stately with huge trees and sidewalks. Ramos found the house he wanted and pulled down the driveway and around to the back. Dismounting from the bike, I took off my helmet and left it on the seat.

“This is where my computer expert lives,” Ramos explained. “He’s checking out the surveillance footage from yesterday.”

“Oh.” I nodded and followed him to the back door. He rang the buzzer, and we heard sounds of someone running up the basement steps before the door opened. A young man barely out of his teens, with curly brown hair and glasses, invited us inside. He glanced at me with suspicion but, thought since I was with Ramos, I had to be okay.

“Come on down.” He left the door open and led the way into the basement.

At the foot of the stairs, a large room opened up to reveal a serious computer setup. A huge desk had about six computer monitors stacked in a semi-circle at various levels on top of it. The computer guy slid into his chair and rolled over to the keyboard. He quickly typed in a few commands. “Okay...I hacked into the system and found the guy you’re looking for.”

A clip showing Blake Beauchaine leaving the building came up on a monitor. “It looks like he went along the street a few blocks before heading down to the metro. I couldn’t pick him up after that.” We watched his progress on the monitors and saw how he seemingly disappeared at the station. “I’ve looked at all the camera angles, but I couldn’t pick him up anywhere. It’s like he vanished.”

We watched the replay several times, trying to catch sight of Blake, but had no luck. “Sorry,” the young man said. “I’ll keep looking. Maybe he doubled back or something. If I find him again, I’ll let you know.”

“I’d appreciate it. The boss wants a complete background check on the guy. His name’s Blake Beauchaine. He’s here in the city somewhere, and we need to know where.”

“Sure...I’ll find him.”

Ramos handed him an envelope full of money. “Thanks kid. I’ll be expecting your call. We’ll show ourselves out.”

I followed Ramos outside, trying to pick up his thoughts about what was going on, but they were closed up tight. “What do you think is going on?” I finally asked.

“I don’t know...but once the kid finds him, Manetto will know what to do.”

“All right, but this whole thing worries me.”

He put his hands on my shoulders and shook his head. “This is nothing for you to worry about. I mean it...forget about it. Now...are you going to make me sorry I brought you? Because it’s a beautiful day for a ride, and I’d hate to see that ruined.”

I let out my breath and smiled. “You’re right. I’ll try not to worry.”

“Good.” He was thinking that trying wasn’t the answer he wanted, but he let it go. My problem was that I was just too tender-hearted for my own good. Hell, even he had taken advantage of that in Orlando. Maybe it was time I quit being so helpful and thought about myself for a change.

“I heard that,” I said.

“I was counting on it.” He slid his helmet on and started the bike. “We’ll take the scenic route back.”

The streets were covered in leaves and, as we zipped through them, they scattered across the pavement to mark our passage. Golden sunshine warmed my back. It was a timeless moment, and I let go of my worries to enjoy it.

By the time we got back to the parking garage, my soul was light and happy. “Thanks for the ride. So far, it was the best part of my day.”

“Good,” Ramos said, taking my helmet and his jacket. He caught my gaze, thinking that, for him, it was more of a tie between pinning me to the floor in the apartment and having my arms locked tightly around him on the bike.

I smiled, but my mouth went dry remembering the feel of his weight on top of me. I cleared my throat and tried to swallow. “Well...I’d better get going.” His smoldering gaze sent a flash of heat from my head to my toes, and I started to back away before I lost my cool. “Uh...bye.”

“Shelby, wait...”

I smiled, but no way was I going to keep standing so close to him when he looked at me like that. I mean...a girl can only take so much. I kept going backwards, only to lose my balance when I stepped off a small step I didn’t know was there. Ramos tensed, ready to catch me, but I managed to right myself without falling on my butt, and the moment passed. Still, I couldn’t stop my cheeks from turning red with embarrassment. “Oops.”

“Are you okay?” Ramos asked, his eyes glowing with mirth and satisfaction that he’d rattled me.

“Yeah...I’m fine.” My phone began to ring. “Uh...gotta go...see ya.” A little breathless, I hurried to my car while digging through my purse, grateful for the timely interruption. I smiled to see it was Holly, my best friend. Maybe she wanted to go to lunch? This was perfect. I could tell her all about my motorcycle ride and, when she told me she would have done the same thing, I wouldn’t feel so guilty.

“Hi Holly,” I said.

“Shelby!” Holly shouted. “Something terrible has happened. I need your help. My brother just called and told me his daughter’s missing. No one’s seen her since yesterday!”

“Oh no. That’s terrible. How old is she?”

“She’s fourteen.”

“How come he didn’t know sooner?” I asked.

“Apparently there was a mix-up with his ex-wife. She thought Chloe was spending the night with him, but he had no idea. Listen, I’m headed to his ex’s house to meet with him and the police. Is there any way you can come? Scott and I both want you there.”

“Of course. I’m downtown, but I’ll come right over.”

Holly told me the ex’s address, which just happened to be close to my own neighborhood, and we disconnected. As I drove to the house, the name, Chloe Peterson, seemed familiar, but I wasn’t sure how I knew her. I didn’t think I’d ever met her before, but maybe she went to the same school as my kids.

I turned down the street and found the place packed with several parked cars lining both sides. Next to a police car, I recognized an unmarked detective’s car and hoped Dimples was the lead detective assigned to the case. He wouldn’t have a problem with my involvement, where someone else might.

I found a place to park and let out a relieved breath to find Holly’s car already parked up the street. At the house, the front door stood open, and a police officer blocked my way. “Ma’am, are you with the family?”

“No, but the family requested me. I’m Shelby Nichols.”

“Shelby!” Holly interrupted, pushing past the officer. “Please...come in.” She’d been watching for me and pulled me into the house. “I’m so glad you’re here. Let me get Scott.” She caught her brother’s attention, and he hurried over to meet me. “This is my best friend, Shelby. She can help. She’s really good at finding people. She has her own agency and everything.”

His eyes held the torment of a tortured father’s soul, and he caught my hand in his. “Thank you for coming. I don’t know what’s going on. I didn’t know she was missing until the school called a few hours ago.” He was thinking that if someone had abducted her, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure between all of us we’ll find her,” I said.

His eyes filled with tears, and he swallowed, glancing into the living room at his ex-wife, Kira. She was holding it together lots better than him, but fear was beginning to take its toll.

A detective I knew too well talked to her and my heart sank. He was the only detective on the entire police force who didn’t like me much. His gaze caught mine, and his brows rose with incredulity. What the hell was I doing here? Excusing himself, he hurried over to find out.

Holly caught his intent and quickly introduced us. “Detective, this is my friend, Shelby Nichols. She’s a P.I., and we asked her to help.”

“I know who she is,” Bates ground out, clearly unable to keep his disgust from showing.

“Detective Bates,” I said. 

All at once, Holly understood the tension between us, and her eyes widened. I’d told her all about Detective Bates and his dislike of me at one of our lunches. She straightened to her full five-foot-ten height and glared at him. “I don’t care how you feel about Shelby. She is staying to help us.”

Caught off guard, Bates sputtered. “That’s fine. I hope she can help.”

“I can,” I answered. “Now fill me in on what’s going on. A girl’s life is at stake here.” That was enough to get past the awkward moment, and we all sat down in the living room to go over the details.

“I last saw Chloe yesterday morning before she went to school,” Kira began, handing me a photograph of her daughter. “Everything was fine. It was just a normal day. I reminded her that I had to work late, and she told me she’d already arranged to stay at her dad’s for the night, so I could stay as long as I wanted.”

She was thinking that Chloe had been a little flippant when she’d said that and, deep-down, she knew Chloe resented all the times she had to work late. As guilt spiked through her, I caught that the main reason she told Chloe she worked late was because she was seeing someone, and my eyes widened with surprise. Did Chloe know this? That might be a good reason for her to run away.

“I didn’t check with Scott, because I just assumed she was telling me the truth,” she continued.

I picked up that Kira didn’t like Scott much, and talking to him was something she avoided at all costs. It was easier for her to have Chloe do all the arranging and leave her out of it. “I didn’t know anything was wrong until Scott told me the school had called, and he wanted to know if she was sick or something.”

Scott shook his head in frustration. “Maybe if you’d called to let me know what was going on, this wouldn’t have happened. What if someone’s taken her? Who knows where she could be? You should have checked her story out with me in the first place. Why do you always do that?”

“Let’s calm down and focus,” Bates interrupted. “We need to try and figure out what happened.” He was thinking that Chloe probably ran away just to see if her parents cared about her. He’d seen that a few times. “It looks like she may have run away. Has she ever done anything like this before?”

“No,” Kira said. But she was thinking about the argument they’d had, and how Chloe had threatened to run away and go live with her father. She’d told Chloe she could stay with him more often if she wanted, but there was no way in hell she would ever allow her to live with him. That’s why she didn’t think Chloe had lied about going to Scott’s house in the first place.

“What school does Chloe go to?” I asked.

“She’s in the ninth grade at Hillside High,” Scott answered.

“Okay.” Now I knew why her name was familiar. She went to the same school as Josh. “Has anyone talked to her friends? Maybe she’s at one of their houses.”

“She’s not,” Scott said. “I called their parents right away. None of them has seen her. I even searched everywhere I thought she might go. Here, my place, the park, everywhere I could think of. I’ve called her cell phone a hundred times, but it goes straight to voicemail. I don’t know what else to do. If she ran away, where could she be?”

“Did she have any money or take your credit cards?” Bates asked. “Have either of you noticed any of your cash missing?”

Kira hurried to her purse on the kitchen counter and pulled out her wallet. After rifling through it, she shook her head. “My cards and cash are all there. I’ll check my office.”