FORBIDDEN LOVE (14 page)

“Do you know the story about my dad and James Courtland—Del’s dad?”

He felt his brow furrow. He knew there was some history between the two men, but he always assumed it had to do with Danielle’s mother, Clare. He shook his head, afraid to let himself speak, afraid of the words he wanted to give her.

“I was eight when my dad died. I mean, when we thought he died. He was supposedly killed while on a deep-sea fishing trip. Others said it was a rescue mission to Cuba. Either way, we never knew for sure, but the story kept coming back that there were witnesses who saw him fighting with your father just before he died,” Danielle said, looking up at him through her eyelashes.

“My father?” he asked incredulously. Where the hell was she going with this story? “What does my father have to do with Richard and James?”

“A year or so after my dad disappeared, a stranger showed up in Généreux. My mom found him wandering along the edge of Bayou Rose near dark. He was disoriented, didn’t seem to know his own name. Instead of calling the cops, she decided to bring him home, like some lost puppy,” Danielle said, a trace of bitterness in her voice, even after all these years.

“That could have been dangerous!”

“Yes, well, my mom the psychologist always knows best. Anyway, he stayed with us while she treated his amnesia. Pretty soon she’d convinced herself and damned near everyone else in town that he was my dad, come back after some horrific accident.”

“But James doesn’t look anything like your dad,” he said, his skepticism showing.

“No, he doesn’t,” Danielle agreed. “Mom found traces of plastic surgery, scars from injuries, and most telling of all, a tattoo that matched one on my dad’s shoulder. James never actually had my dad’s memories, but after a few months, he had my dad’s life. I really hated him for not remembering me. It was just too hard for a nine-year-old to understand. He and my mom were so caught up in each other, there just wasn’t any room for me. Our lives were nothing like before, nothing like with my real dad. As I got older, I resented James more and more, and eventually completely dismissed any idea he was my real dad.

“Turned out I was right. One day Dad came crawling out of the mud and muck near Oyster Bayou. By the time everything was settled, Mom had to admit the man she’d brought into our lives was a complete stranger. She and Dad reconciled, but it didn’t last. She and James just couldn’t stay away from each other. I really hated them for that, for the pain it caused my dad.”

Danielle looked at him then, her eyes shining brightly with unshed tears. “I made a promise to myself when my parents divorced. I vowed I would
never
fall in love,
never
marry, because no matter what, you just couldn’t be sure it would last. I didn’t wanted to hurt like my dad did.

“Hawk, there’s never been enough proof, but the FBI believed my dad was held prisoner during that time he was gone. It was nearly five years, and his memories were completely scrambled. Not quite as bad as James’s, because Dad still remembers everything except the missing years.”

“Held prisoner? Why the hell would anyone do that?
Who
would do something like that?” he asked, a sick feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. He was sure he already knew the answer.

“They suspected Julian, but there’s never been any proof. I’m not telling you this to hurt you, but you need to understand something. There is a long history of hate and betrayal between our families. Every time something bad happens to a Delacroiux, you can bet Julian Charbonnet isn’t far behind. He’s been obsessed with us for decades.

“You’re not responsible for your father’s actions, but from this point forward, you are responsible for your own decisions. As I am for mine.

“There has to be trust between us, there has to be honesty. I’m not interested in a fuck buddy. If anyone had asked me a week ago, I would have said I wasn’t looking for anybody. Now, I think I understand my mother for the first time…”

He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. What do you say to a soul-baring story like that? Danielle shook her head and placed her fingers gently on his lips.

“So cowboy up. Right here, right now. Truth and trust between us, Hawk, because without those, there can be no
us
. What happens next is in your hands.

“What’s it going to be, Hawk? Was tonight hello or good bye?”

The panel on the wall near the door made a muffled sort of ping, and Danielle’s gaze shot around to glare it into silence. Hawk, however, stood quickly and pressed the intercom button. He knew only an emergency would have persuaded his chief security officer to interrupt him tonight.

“What is it, Deuce?” Hawk asked, his voice clipped.

“Hawk, I’m sorry to disturb you, but I have two officers here in the lobby who seem rather concerned that they can’t reach Detective Delacroiux on her cell. I tried to tell them she was perfectly fine when she came home from work earlier this evening, but they’re insisting on inspecting her place,” Deuce said.

Deuce had very definite opinions about the abilities of the Généreux PD, and they weren’t particularly flattering most of the time.

“Did you point out that unless there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed they won’t get a warrant and without a warrant, they won’t get in?” Hawk asked, hearing the amusement in his own voice.

“Funny you should mention that, Hawk. I was just explaining exactly that, when one of these here morons…Excuse me, Hawk…Will you keep it down? I can’t hear Mr. Charbonnet, Officer. What’s that?
Oh, riiight
…”

Hawk heard Deuce’s drawl and fought the smile that threatened.

“Sorry about that, Hawk. So anyway, as I was saying, this officer…I mean
agent
, insists he be allowed to talk with you.

“The other fellow with him seems a good bit brighter. His identification says he’s Detective Beau Delacroiux. I figured with the similarity in names, perhaps our Detective Danielle Delacroiux might be interested in speaking with him?”

Hawk had to fight back the urge to laugh. “Give me a minute, Deuce. I’ll check,” he said and then released the intercom button.

“Feel like company, sugar? It sounds as though your uncle Beau and Agent Espinoza would like to see you.”

“We’re not finished with this, Hawk,” she said mildly.

His heart gave a jerk at her quiet words. He couldn’t do it. He would find a way to protect her from his father, from Costa, but he couldn’t walk away from her. He’d asked her not to let him fall alone, and by God, she hadn’t. There were no coy games, no waiting to see if he would say it first. She’d just put all those feelings out there with no strings attached.

“No, indeed, we’re not,” he said, smiling. Then he suddenly moved to the side of the bed and pulled her to her feet. “Tell me, Danielle,” and he knew his voice was rough and needy. Meeting her calm, steady gaze, he pleaded, “Tell me again!”

She smiled, her eyes blinking rapidly. “I love you, Hawk Charbonnet.”

Feeling as though he’d just had Christmas, his birthday, and won the lottery, he wrapped his arms around her waist and spun her around, ending with a low and theatrical dip. With a smiling, laughing, and crying Danielle draped over his arm, Hawk said, “And I love you. Hello, Danielle Delacroiux.”

He pulled her upright, planted a big sloppy kiss halfway between her mouth and cheek before turning back to the intercom.

Over his shoulder he asked, “Your place or mine?” Then he instructed Deuce to make the visitors wait ten minutes then release the penthouse elevator.

****

Dani answered her door to her uncle Beau and Special Agent Espinoza, and held back the laugh that threatened to bubble over at the looks on their faces. Their heads were swiveling, trying to take in all the features of the penthouse-level apartment. Dani imagined she and Tolley had looked much the same their first night, visiting the luxury suite.

“What the fuck is this, Dani?” Beau asked. He was hot, practically quivering in his fury at whatever it was he imagined she’d done with Hawk in order to earn this place. It would be such a shame to spoil his illusions.

“My new place, Uncle Beau. Do you like it?” she asked, not bothering to mask the amusement in her voice.

“You certainly don’t let the grass grow under your feet, Detective. I hear congratulations are in order, too,” Tony said, then turned to Beau. “It looks like Dani is better at this undercover shit than I thought.”

Dani wasn’t unaware of the significance of Espinoza’s words, but she wanted to gloss over them, now was not the time. She needed to think.

“Come on in and sit down, and I’ll bring you both up to speed,” Dani said, leading them into the living room. “I haven’t actually spent too much time worrying about your case, Agent Espinoza, because I’ve been so busy with the murder investigation.”

“How’s that going for you, anything the bureau can do for you, there?” Tony asked, casually stretching out his arm.

“Nothing, thanks. I’m about to wrap it up. Another twenty-four to forty-eight, and I think I’ll be able to close it.”

Beau finally seemed to recover from his shock, and started peppering Dani with questions about her new living arrangements.

“Beau, relax. I’m not doing anything that you didn’t ask me to do. I needed an apartment, Hawk offered, so here I am. I figure it will make keeping an eye on him a little easier, without being too obvious.”

The elevator doors slid open, and Tolley stepped into the room.

“Hey, Beau,” he said with a quick glance at Dani’s uncle, then he turned to the other man in the room and Dani thought she could see the sparks flare. They weren’t happy sparks.

He looked at Tony. “Get out. Now,” Tolley said in as menacing a growl as she’d ever heard from him.

“Tolley? They’re my guests. What’s wrong?” Dani asked.

“Tony Espinoza is a fucking homophobic prick of the worst type. He is never welcome in my home. Get out!”

Dani had thought of Tolley as her cuddly sidekick for so long, she sometimes forgot how big and bad he could be. Nearly a foot taller and a hundred pounds heavier than her, he was always just Tolley. But he’d been on scene with her more than a few times, and there wasn’t anyone better on the force to have at her side in a fight. The waves of testosterone poured off him now, and she seriously worried Espinoza might pull a weapon in self-defense. It would be the only true way to save himself if Tolley went after him.

The agent quit toying with the base of the lamp and stood, feet apart. He gave his shoulders a little roll, as if he was preparing for a fight. Dani flicked a look at Beau, and by unspoken agreement, he took Espinoza’s arm to steer him toward the elevator. Dani went to Tolley and wrapped an arm around his waist.

“I’ll give you a call tomorrow, Dani,” Beau called as the doors slid shut.

“Get Hawk,” Tolley said, stepping to where Tony had rested his hand at the base of the lamp.

“I’m here,” Hawk said moving quickly into the room from the elevator. “Deuce will be up as soon as the other two leave the building. I’d ask as a professional courtesy that we wait for him.”

They waited without speaking until the elevator doors slid open again, revealing Hawk’s head of security. “Mind if I come in, Detective Delacroiux?”

“Not at all.” She smiled despite the sick feeling in her stomach. She watched while Tolley and Deuce went to work with a variety of handheld scanning devices, cameras, and evidence bags.

“Hawk?” Deuce asked.

“Have a seat. Danielle, would you mind if I got us all a drink?” Hawk asked.

“I’ve got it, Hawk,” Tolley said. “Looks as if we all may have some stories to tell. Macallan okay with everyone?”

Tolley handed glasses of whisky all around, then sighed as he sank into a soft-as-butter saddle-colored leather wingback chair. Dani and Hawk sat side by side on her old sofa, while Deuce took an overstuffed floral armchair.

“Danielle, Tolley—first, I’m afraid I’ve misled you a bit,” Hawk said. “As you might have guessed, Deuce here is much more than the head of security for Renaissance Tower. He’s my chief security officer for Resurgence. We’ve been together a good long time, and I don’t suppose there’s much I’ve done he doesn’t know about.” Hawk smiled at the other man, and Dani saw a great deal of affection in their expressions.

“Nice to meet you…Mr. Deuce?” Dani’s voice rose in a question.

“Just Deuce, if you don’t mind, Detective.”

“Only if it’s just Dani, Deuce. And this is Todd Tollefson,” Dani continued.

“And that would be just Tolley,” he interrupted with a grin. “Nice equipment. I’d love to get my hands on an SB-20i scanner like that for the lab.”

Before the two could lapse into geek speak, Dani said, “So tell me what you found.”

Deuce blinked at her for a moment before he brought himself around to the subject at hand. “Right. I already knew from the elevator scan that one of the men was loaded with electronics. As soon as I walked in, Tolley here pointed out the spot where I confirmed his discovery of the first listening device. I found a second device on the floor, kicked just under the edge of the sofa there. Both devices are the same model, designed to transmit a short distance, less than a mile. Most likely, they go directly to a recording device.

“They’re voice-activated to make the battery last longer and to spare whoever’s monitoring them from listening to hours of dead air. There was one other device planted in the elevator. They’ve all been removed, but it wouldn’t have made a difference because the elevator and top floors of the Tower are equipped with jamming devices and swept every few days. I’ll switch that to daily for now, Hawk.

“Got anything to add, Tolley?” Deuce invited.

“Not really, except to say that I bagged the evidence and got a real nice thumb print from the lamp,” Tolley said.

Dani jumped from the couch and started to pace. She needed a moment to compose her thoughts. She felt as if this was suddenly a defining moment in her life. Funny how you never knew when one would come, but here she was. She had something to share that might put her in danger. It might also play into Julian’s hands if this was an elaborate scheme by the master manipulator.

Hawk was Julian’s son. Could she trust that he had actually turned his back on his father? All of LeAnn’s research this afternoon indicated that Julian had gotten into the property game surrounding the waterfront long after Hawk made his land purchases and started construction on the Tower. Wouldn’t Hawk have clued his father in earlier if they were working together?

Putting that speculation aside, she thought about Hawk’s fear for her at Julian’s, the sheen of tears in his eyes when she’d told him she loved him. The goofy little twirl and dip he’d given her.

No matter how she played it in her mind, she believed him. Did that mean she could trust him? It meant she
had
to. Tolley would be her back up, if it all went wrong, but for now, she was going to trust Hawk. Which meant, she supposed, that she would trust Deuce, too.

“Tony congratulated me,” Dani said without preamble. Then she started over in order to bring Tolley and Deuce up to speed. She told them about the little game she and Hawk had been playing all day, and how at Julian’s, Hawk had taken the prize by announcing they were engaged.

“It was the only place the comment was made. Obviously we really aren’t engaged.” She looked at Hawk. “I assumed you said it to counter my telling your father we were together. I could feel the tension in you.”

Again, she shook her head impatiently at herself and continued before Hawk could speak. “The point is, Espinoza knew. Which means he has Julian’s place bugged or they’re working together. I think he’s got too much of a hard-on for your family, and he plans to bring you down to make a name for himself. For now, we’ll assume he’s working alone.

“We know he can’t listen here, but we should assume he has access to our conversations everywhere else. The question is, why? And how? As far as I know, there isn’t a warrant. He said there wasn’t when I asked.”

Just as she was about to outline her plan, Dani’s phone rang, and she flicked a glance at the caller ID. Nicolette Watkins.

“Hang on, guys. I need to take this,” Dani said and stepped from the room. When she returned a few minutes later, the men abruptly stopped their discussion.

“I need to go,” Dani said. “I’m meeting a witness at Alma’s Diner, but I should be back inside an hour. We can all meet again tomorrow after work. If that’s okay with everybody?”

“I’m going with you,” Hawk said.

“No, you can’t. It’s official business, Hawk. I’ll be fine. I’m a big girl.” Dani watched as Tolley and Hawk exchanged some seriously secret man looks.

“I’ll go. I’m official, and I haven’t eaten yet,” Tolley said to Hawk.

She rolled her eyes at their tough-guy antics and said, “Let’s go, Tolley.”

****

He tossed back a shot of Patrón, thinking of the information contained in the file, trying to decide what to do next. Goddamn, he’d nearly fucked this up. The first kill was just to bring the attention to an area he knew Julian Charbonnet had been trying to purchase. All he wanted was to make that deal go south, keep Julian off his game.

He hadn’t figured anyone would tumble to it so soon, because the drug dealer should have stayed fish food for a few days. He thought back to that first day. Killing Beaker had been easy. He’d taken a bat out of an unlocked car on the street and just walked up to the drug-dealing son of a bitch and swung. The redheaded prick had been so focused on his next fix he hadn’t even looked up from tightening the tourniquet with his teeth. The bastard had gone down like the sack of shit he was.

He’d been crouched behind some crates adding stones to the dead man’s pockets to weigh him down when that fucking Del Courtland came along and found the bat. Courtland hadn’t seen him, but he needed to keep the bastard from telling anyone about the body too soon.

Drugs. Courtland had a problem with drugs. He’d just needed a few more minutes. He grabbed the loaded syringe from where it had rolled from Beaker’s limp fingers and jabbed Courtland while the man was bent over the bloody bat. Then he’d had to rush to get away in case someone came looking for Courtland. He shoved Del hard, knocking him headfirst into the stacked crates, and then kicked Beaker’s body into the water, not at all confident he’d weighed it down enough. He didn’t have to worry; he’d just needed to get away unseen.