Nowhere To Run (To Protect And Serve) (11 page)

“Do you need anything, my love?” He sat on the edge of
her bed waiting for her to finish her shower.

“No, I’m fine. I just want to sleep.” She sto
od in the doorway. Not to close. Being in the same room with the man she suspected of murdering her brother in cold blood brought home her own vulnerability.   

You’re a liability to him now, Jordan. If he doesn’t take care of you, his family will.

“Of course. Don’t worry about a thing. Try to get some sleep. I’ll be in my office if you need anything.” He kissed her possessively then let her go.

Jordan slipped beneath the covers and prayed for sleep. Her thoughts raced. It was hard to think clearly. Nothing made sense anymore. Not her brother’s death or the fact that someone might want to do her harm as well.

And as she was quickly discovering, the brother she loved and thought she knew so well had secrets which might cost them both there lives.

Jordan couldn’t believe the truth staring her in the face. Even after hearing all the things Riley had suggested about Caesar, part of her still hadn’t wanted to believe it was true.

She had no choice now that she held the
possible proof in her hands.

It had been here all along. Right under her nose. He’d been arrogant enough to think she wouldn’t ever discover the truth.

She’d pretended to be asleep when
Caesar came into her room that morning. He’d left her a note, explaining that he needed to stop in at the office on his way to the funeral home. He’d be back in a couple of hours.

There wasn’t much
time.       

She started with his office
while keeping a careful eye out for his return.

This room,
like the rest of the house was meticulously clean. He insisted on it. In the time she’d known him, Caesar had gone through at least three housekeepers.

After
a quick search through the papers on his desk, she started in on the drawers but soon decided the office would be a waste of time. Instead, she turned her attention to Caesar’s closet.

She
knew he kept a safe in his closet behind his suits. He probably thought she didn’t have a clue about that. Caesar believed women were the weaker sex. He’d be surprised to know how easily it was to figure out the combination.

The last number clicked into place and the safe opened to reveal a large amount of cash,
a jeweler’s bag containing loose diamonds, and a stack of unmarked CDs.

She slipped one
of the CDs from its paper sheath and headed back into the back to the office. After a second, the first page of the document appeared on Caesar’s laptop screen, filled with numbers grouped together in sequences of six. She scanned the number and tried to reconcile what she saw on the screen with birthdates, anniversaries, even his social security number, but none of fit.

She had no idea what the numbers represented. She clicked to the second page. Unlike the first, this one was filled random words.
None of which made any sense. She spent another fifteen minutes trying to decipher their meaning before giving up.

W
hatever was on those discs, she was willing to be was important. She retrieved the rest of them from the safe and began making copies.  

Sh
e put the last of the disc into the computer to copy when something caught her attention beyond the room. She’d left the door ajar. As she listened, she heard it.

The sound of a k
ey inserted into the front door. Caesar had returned.

For a second she froze, then fear forced her into action. She
ejected the CD, shut the laptop down and raced back to the closet. She tossed the discs back into the safe and tried to remember the exact position in which she’d found them. Dear God, she hoped he didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary. She just managed to lock the safe again when he closed the door.

“Jordan?” She could hear Caesar tossing his keys on the table near the door.
She just had time to slip back into the adjoining closet where she kept some of her things and hide the copied discs under a stack of sweaters before he strolled into the bedroom.

“There you are. Didn’t you hear me calling?”
His shrewd gaze focused on her expression. “Are you okay?” She knew her appearance was probably giving her away.

She drew a couple of deep breaths. “Yes. I’m fine. I was searching for my black suit.”

After a moment, he nodded. “I don’t remember it being here.” He came into the closet next to her. His gaze holding hers. “Are you sure you’re okay? You’re perspiring.” His hand went to her forehead. “You’re burning up. Are you coming down with something?”

Jordan stepped back
wards, jabbing her heel against the wall. “I’m fine. I’m just tired. Don’t worry, I’ll be okay.”

He didn’t give in so easily. Caesar continued to study her for a long time
while she held her breath. “It’s probably at your apartment.”

“What?”

“The suit.”

She let out a sigh. She could breathe again. “Yes. Yes, you’re probably right
.”

Caesar slipped off his jacket and moved to his closet
and Jordan froze. Had she replaced everything the way it was before she opened the safe?

Her heart pounding with each step, she followed him. Caesar stood in the open doorway staring at the row of suits. She noticed it right away. In her haste, she’d forgotten to straighten the clothes hanging above the safe where she’d pushed them aside to gain access.

Jordan held her breath when he turned to her. She could feel the tension in him. His gaze, locking with hers became more cautious. Accusatory. He knew.

She needed to get out of there. Jordan said the first thing that came to mind. “
I think you’re right about the suit. I should go over there and get it.”

He stepped closer. Although he never touched her the threat in him was clear and present. The air constricted in her lungs. She couldn’t breathe.

“No need. I’ll have Serena pick it up on her way. She’s dropping some files over for my signature. I thought you and I might have a quiet night together. Tomorrow will be a very difficult day for you. For us both.”

She nodded, trying to remain calm. He wasn’t letting her out of his sight. Dear God
, he knew! What would he have in store for her if he figured out the things she suspected?

“
Sure. That sounds nice.” After a moment, she stepped forward and kissed his cheek. “I’d like that very much.”

“Have you spoken to that cop – Donovan today?”

His question took her by surprise.

“Why would I talk to him?”

Her gaze raked hers. After what felt like a lifetime, he nodded and she released the breath she’d been holding inside.

“Good. Keep it that way.
I don’t trust him. Let me I’ll handle the police.”

“Why don’t you trust Detective Donovan?” She tried to keep the question casual but failed miserably.

His mouth twisted into a sinister smile and he answered her question with one of his own. “You’re not interested in him, are you? Is he the type to melt your cold heart? Well, I wouldn’t go there, Jordan. I really wouldn’t. You’re engaged to me. You’d do best to remember that.” The threat was clear enough to make her blood run cold and yet vague enough to be misconstrued to mean anything.  

“And besides, Detective Donovan is not the hero you
might be imagining,” Caesar was saying.”

Jordan forced herself to ask, “What do you mean?”

“I have a friend at One Police Plaza. He tells me that Donovan was once with the FBI. He left the Bureau under very…questionable circumstances.”

“Questionable?” The word slipped out before she could stop it. It pleased him that he had her full attention.

“Yes, something about a woman, a fellow cop. All very unethical.”

She didn’t want to believe him and yet as she looked into his guarded eyes, Jordan no longer knew who to trust. The only
person she could count on to get her out of this mess besides Mariah was herself.

Chapter Eight

“Thank you for coming, Ms. Billings. I’m sure Jeremy would have been so happy knowing you were here.” The surprise on Mariah’s face told Jordan how strange her use of Mariah’s maiden name must sound. Her friend probably thought she’d lost her mind.

“Mariah, don’t say anything. I need your help.” Jordan’s words were little more than a breath against her friend’s ear as she
embraced her. Even though they were alone in the foyer of Caesar’s townhouse, she couldn’t risk someone overhearing and discovering her connection to Mariah. She needed her friend’s help too much. She pulled a little away so that she could look into her friend’s eyes.

“Of course. Tell me what you need.”

Jordan’s smile was forced. “Not now. Not here. Tomorrow at the usual place.” Mariah started to say something more, but Jordan stopped her. “I’ll call you when I can get away.”

Jordan’s gaze scanned the room. She found Caesar standing with a group of family members and friends. His eyes locked with hers. After a moment
, he smiled. He’d watched her like a hawk since the incident in the closet. She wondered if he was just waiting for the right moment to ‘take care of her’, as well.

“Thank you again for coming, Miss Billings,”
she said loud enough for Caesar to hear then hugged Mariah once more. “Please, leave now. I’ll explain everything tomorrow, okay?” She released Mariah who seemed stunned for a moment, but hid it quickly.

She patted Jordan’s arm then turned and hurriedly left Caesar’s
home before Caesar could untangle himself from the group of mourners to make his way to Jordan’s side.

It took everything for Jordan not to show her repulsion when Caesar placed a comforting arm around her waist and drew her close. She shuddered at his nearness.

She’d seen the monster lurking beneath that polished exterior. The man she thought she loved was nothing like the real Caesar Santiago.

He smiled down at her, but it didn’t reach his eyes. They remained cold and dead.
Cruel.

Jordan knew t
ime was running out on her future. She couldn’t keep pretending that she didn’t know the truth about his role in her brother’s death.

Involving Mariah was risky at best. If Caesar discovered her relationship
, it could end up costing her friend her life. But Jordan was desperate. She had very little choice. The few options still open to her were quickly disappearing.

“A friend of yours?” Caesar whispered against her temple.

She fought to control the rage from showing in her voice. “No. No, just someone who knew Jeremy.”

“Really? I do not recognize the woman. I thought I knew all your brother’s friends. What was her name?”

“I-I don’t recall. I haven’t seen her in years. I’m sure she said but...” Jordan deliberately kept her tone vague.

His narrowed gaze slipped over her.
He wasn’t even trying to pretend any longer. The evening before had been one of the longest she’d ever spent. Whatever hope she’d been clinging to that Riley had been wrong was quickly slipping away and yet now, there was no one except  Mariah to turn to for help. She couldn’t trust Riley. Not after Caesar had planted his seed of doubt in her head.

It wasn’t so much the things that Caesar said. In fact
, they hadn’t really talked. But he’d watched her with the same calculating expression she was becoming accustomed to.

After dinner,
he’d disappeared into his office for a long period of time. Once, she’d tiptoed to the door and listened in. Caesar spoke in quiet tone, making it impossible to catch much of the conversation, but she guessed he was speaking to Ruggerio, his second in command.

She heard him
pacing the room -– a habit of his when he was worried about something. Fearing he might check on her at any moment, Jordan was just about to return to the living room when she heard him mention her brother’s murder. And then he’d laughed. Actually laughed as if amused by Jeremy’s death.

If she’d ever doubted Caesar’s involvement, in her mind
, this wiped away all doubts. She couldn’t hear anything more, but it sounded as if the conversation were winding down.

Just before she moved away from the door
, she heard Caesar say, “Make the arrangements. I want a quiet service. Nothing extravagant – call our friend the judge to perform the ceremony.” Another short pause followed. She guessed Caesar must have been listening to Ruggerio.

“She’ll go along with whatever I tell her to do.
And if not, then something might happen to her as well.”

Dear God, it was all true.

“It’s been a very trying day for you,” Caesar was saying now. He hugged her close for the benefit of their guests. He wouldn’t press the issue now.

“Perhaps you should rest now.” His narrowed gazed slipped over her. In the past, she’d loved the take charge side of him. Now it made him appear controlling.