JUDE: Book 2 The Justice Brothers Series (18 page)

Marion frowned, her disbelief apparent. “Really? Where did you get it?”

Skylar shrugged, “At Brunello Cucinelli’s. It’s my favorite shop in Chelsea.”

Jude chuckled and winked at Blake. “Uh-oh, we may have gotten in the middle of a dress designer one-upmanship morass. Not a good place for us guys to be.”

Blake seemed to gain courage from Jude’s humorous comment. He looked at Skylar and said earnestly, “I thought you looked beautiful last night, Skylar, but then, you always do.”

At the chorus of disparaging snorts from his sisters, Blake’s face flushed, then seeming to gain courage, he resolutely faced Alicia. “I think the least we can do is help Jude and Ms. Hughes find our parents’ killers. Rudeness doesn’t help anyone.”

“Nor do ridiculous statements like the one you just made, Blake. Honestly, I think you are going to need to up your medicine. You’re getting positively unhinged.” Alicia’s sneer was as sharp as her words.

Jude raised his hand shutting down the impending squabble among the siblings. “A couple of things. First, in answer to your question, Charlotte, we are here for two reasons. The first is to get your thoughts on Charlie’s death. The second is to discuss the people you indicated had a reason to be angry with your parents.”

He turned to Skylar. “I’ll defer to Ms. Hughes on that issue. She has narrowed the names on the lists you sent down from thirteen to three.”

Skylar nodded. “Thanks, Jude.” She frowned slightly, and said to Alicia, “One other thing before we discuss the individuals on your lists. You indicated that you and Charlie had an unassailable pre-nuptial agreement, correct?”

When Alicia jerked back, clearly surprised at the question, Sky asked, “Does the Lars McClellan firm have a copy of your agreement?”

Marion broke in. “Why do you need that? And, for God’s sake, what does that have to do with who murdered our parents?”

“I’m not assuming that it has anything to do with your parents’ murders. But as we are also investigating Charlie’s accident, it’s pertinent to understand how his finances may have played into his state of mind.”

Charlotte answered Sky before Alicia could. “I’m sure his skaggy sister and welfare mother will be coming after Alicia for something, but that’s why you wrote their agreement the way you did, correct, Blake?”

Blake’s expression hardened. “Yes, I did. As I told Charlie last night, he willingly signed the agreement he made and now was not the time to question it. As I pointed out to him, Alicia generously gave him the house they were living in, which was not required by their agreement.”

“Whom will the house go to now that he’s dead?”

When none of the sisters answered Sky, Blake glanced at Alicia and shrugged. “In that their divorce wasn’t final, it will go…back to Alicia.”

Skylar nodded, indicating that was her assumption. Turning back to Marion, she asked, “Regarding the people who were likely angry with your parents, I’m particularly interested in the Venezuelan oil venture your parents conceived. I believe they called it Parker, Weiss, Martin & Benson, or PWM&B Inc., after the four investors. To reiterate, at this point we do not believe that any of these three persons were involved in your parents’ deaths. However, from my preliminary research, we know that Ronald Weiss, Donald Martin, and Wayne Benson each lost millions of dollars in the oil venture they participated in with your parents.”

Marion interjected. “You need to understand. Oil is a risky business.”

“Especially if you are a new investor?”

“Yes, especially then.”

Skylar nodded thoughtfully. “Let me see if I understand what happened. When the price of Brent crude dropped nearly seventy-five percent, it threw the oil markets into chaos. With their almost exclusive reliance on oil income to support their economy, and having fewer financial reserves to cushion them against lower prices, Venezuela was especially hard hit.”

When Marion nodded, Skylar continued. “I understand that when the bottom dropped out of the Venezuelan oil market, PWM&B Inc. was written off as a colossal failure. Each of the partners lost their entire investment. Except for your parents.”

Charlotte emphatically disagreed. “No, my parents lost as much as the other investors did. It was just that—”

Marion broke in smoothly. “What Charlotte was about to say is that unlike the other partners in PWM&B, our parents had significant investments in other lower-cost OPEC producers that didn’t get hit in the supply glut.”

Skylar agreed. “Indeed, if my research is accurate, overall your parents came away from that venture significantly more well off than they had been.”

Marion shrugged. “You need to understand. My parents were excellent investors. They never made a bet that they didn’t cover.”

***

As they were leaving Sky asked Alicia, “Regarding your pre-nuptial agreement. Does Mr. Larson have a copy of it?”

Before Alicia could answer, Blake interrupted. “There’s no need to ask Lars for it. If you think it is important, Ms. Hughes, I’m pleased to give you a copy.”

Skylar was at the door when Blake sidled up to her and spoke in a low voice. “Rather than messengering the agreement, Skylar, I’d be pleased to take you to lunch. I could give it to you then.”

“That’s not necessary, Blake, I—”

Blake shook his head and smiled at her. “No, please. It would be my privilege. There is so little in my life at this time that gives me pleasure, having lunch with you would be a bright spot in an otherwise dismal existence.”

Before she could refuse, Blake squeezed her hand and said, “I’ll call you.”

Skylar headed for Jude’s Z and waited for him to open the door. Sorting through the multitude of equations flitting through her brain, Skylar startled, realizing that Jude had asked her a question. She frowned up at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear what you said.”

“I asked you, what was that about?”

For a split second Sky’s mind went blank, not understanding what he was referring to. “My interest in Charlie and Alicia’s pre-nuptial agreement?”

When Jude’s eyes narrowed further and he tightened his grip on her arm, she understood.

“Or Blake’s offer to take me to lunch?”

“Both.”

“As for the pre-nuptial agreement, it simply confirms that the Parker children bought into their parents’ ‘scorched earth’ view of finances.”

“And the luncheon invitation?”

Seeing his stern expression harden further, Sky thought for a moment, then gave a nonchalant shrug. “Hmm, if I didn’t know better, I might think that Blake finds me
appealing
.”

***

After six hours of intense study, Sky sat back in her chair to contemplate her stunning findings. As she had expected, the three investors who participated in the PWM&B debacle were bankrupt. They had literally lost everything. But other than being ruined financially and making outraged threats against the Parkers, Sky couldn’t find evidence of any of the three retaliating against them.

Deciding that she could no longer ignore the low-level rumblings of a volcano threatening to erupt in her brain, Skylar turned to the Parker siblings’ finances. She started with Alicia, then went on to her sisters. After hours of combing through the three sisters’ investments and tax returns she conceded that they appeared to be in order. That assessment changed dramatically when she turned to Blake. As she began to follow the breadcrumbs and dig deeper and deeper into Blake’s finances, her gut hit the floor. After all, insider trading—in your family’s corporate holdings, no less—was nothing to sneeze at. Nor was opening several anonymous offshore accounts to sequester your profits.

Overcome by the potential magnitude of her discovery, Skylar knew that the last thing she could handle tonight was Jude. With the astonishing information teeming in her brain she knew she needed to focus on the likely nuclear bomb she’d uncovered. Besides, as the day progressed she’d become more and more frantic about the idea of spending the night with Jude. She admitted that all she really wanted to do was to run ten miles and then run another five. Maybe then she’d be able to deal with her torrential feelings regarding the dark-haired, emerald-eyed Lothario who was intent on breaching the defensive ramparts she’d spent a lifetime constructing.

Shuddering, Sky admitted that she was practically a virgin. Now, for God’s sake, she was seriously considering having sex with a man who was as infamous for his sexual prowess as he was famous for his professional accomplishments. The thought alone was terrifying and solidified her intent.

Pleading exhaustion, she texted Jude a message bowing out of their rendezvous. She concluded by saying that they could talk in the morning.

Chapter 20

“Where is she, Hailey?”

Hailey’s face paled dramatically and her sky-blue eyes widened, confirming that he looked as fearsome as he felt. “I…I don’t know, Jude. I mean, I know she went running but I’m not sure where.”

Jude didn’t try to mask his anger. “Where does she usually go?”

“I know she likes to run in the reservoir.” At Jude’s disbelieving gasp, Hailey nodded in agreement. “I know. Jared warned her it isn’t safe to run there at night, but Sky doesn’t always—”

Jude finished her sentence with a sarcastic snort. “Skylar doesn’t always do as she’s told, correct?”

Hailey raised her hands in defeat. “I think it’s because she’s always thinking about other things. She gets…distracted. She doesn’t seem to see or hear what’s going on around her at the moment.”

Jude grunted and turned on his heel, striding down the sidewalk. Looking back over his shoulder, he glared at Hailey.

“If she happens to get back before I find her, let her know I’m looking for her. Just so you know, Hailey, Ms. Hughes will not be sleeping in her own bed tonight.”

Jude didn’t know how he could get angrier but navigating the twisting roads deep in the reservoir canyons, his rising fury alone could have lit the dark recesses. Jesus Fucking Christ, as if it wasn’t bad enough that she ran at night, Skylar had to choose one of the most dangerous places in the city to get her exercise. Hell, not only was the reservoir a hangout for kids getting high on sex and drugs, but it was a favorite haunt for homeless tweakers looking for a place to do their shit and decide how they could make a bigger mess of their lives. Like attacking a slender, solo runner who wouldn’t have seen them coming if they’d been wearing reflective body suits and blowing a bullhorn.

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her running along the road a hundred yards in front of him. His reprieve quickly merged into a stream of muttered obscenities when he saw her abbreviated running shorts and halter-top. Gasoline on a smoldering fire couldn’t have exploded his rage more than the sight of her revealing outfit. Shoving his Porsche into overdrive he was next to her in seconds. Pulling alongside of her, he leaned over and jerked open the passenger door.

“Get in.”

Sky jumped back. Her already pale face blanched in the moonlight. But almost instantly the expression on her face morphed from surprise to anger as she backed away from the car. Amazed that she would blatantly disobey his command, Jude forced himself to keep his voice low.

“Goddammit, Skylar, you heard me. Get in the fucking car. Now.”

Instead of answering him, Skylar stared at him, then glancing over her shoulder, she turned away from the road and sped across the uneven ground toward a copse of trees.

Not believing what he was seeing, Jude slammed on his brakes coming to a shuddering stop spraying a shower of gravel behind the squealing tires. The engine was still spurting when he leapt from the car and chased after her. She was fast, that was for sure, and obviously an accomplished runner. But no runner, no matter how practiced, was a match for a highly-trained cop and special operative. Much less one powered by fury. In a matter of seconds Jude’s long, powerful legs ate up the distance between them.

Skylar made the mistake of looking back. Seeing him almost upon her, she stumbled, her arms flailing wildly.

Jude caught her and breaking her fall with one strong arm he rolled them both to the ground, landing squarely on top of her. “Goddamn you, Skylar!” His voice was harsh, threatening, but didn’t come close to telegraphing the fury he felt. Her thrashing movements and angry shrieks ratcheted his anger higher.

Pressing her against the grassy ground, he grabbed her wrists and held them above her head. “Damn you, Skylar! How
dare
you run from me? And send me a text
message?” Almost incoherent with rage, he sputtered, “Telling me we’ll talk in the morning? How dare you?”

Trying to get control of his anger, he stared into her flashing eyes. Surprised that she looked more angry than scared, he ramped up his verbal attack. “For Christ’s sakes, woman! Are you totally insane? Do you have any idea how dangerous this fucking place is? Jesus, you could have been attacked or raped twenty times before you got out of here. Answer me, Goddammit!”

Her face flushing dangerously hot, Sky broke his grip and with a mighty heave shoved him off of her. She rolled onto her stomach and before he could stop her she was on her hands and knees scooting away from him.

He reached out one long arm, capturing her ankle. Dragging her back over the rough ground he ignored her outraged cries and in seconds was again on top of her, pressing her stomach into the ground. Grabbing her hands he yanked them out to the sides, then shoved his knee between her legs, spreading them open. Pressing her cheek against the ground he lowered his powerful body over hers. Feeling her curvy ass pressing up against his burgeoning cock, he gave a harsh laugh.

“That’s a good idea, baby. You keep doing that. In fact, you can raise that tight little ass of yours even higher in the air. I just remembered, I warned you that when I got you down like this I was going to spank your ass. Is that why you’re pressing those curvy cheeks up against my cock? You want me to spank you, Skylar? Is that what this naughty little girl wants?”

At her passionate groan, Jude lost what little control he had. Grabbing the waistband of her shorts, he yanked them down to her knees, the telling sound of tearing fabric echoing her irate screams. Dragging the remnants of her shorts over her legs he quickly dispensed with the satin panties that were doing a piss poor job of covering her firm ass cheeks. Seeing the outrageous tattoo on her glorious ass shot any thought of restraint to hell. Pressing down on her back, he anchored her chest to the ground with one big hand and with his other he lifted her hips, raising her ass in the air.