Read Too Far Gone Online

Authors: Debra Webb,Regan Black

Tags: #Melinda Leigh, #hollywood, #Melissa Foster, #Literature & Fiction, #Suspense, #Harlequin Intrigue, #Romantic Suspense, #Military, #Romance on the Run, #Mystery & Suspense, #bodyguards, #woman in jeopardy, #Romance, #Navy SEALS, #celebrity romance

Too Far Gone (4 page)

BOOK: Too Far Gone
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“Claudia pulled the crime scene photos,” Mike warned, aiming the cursor at a folder on the screen. “Are you squeamish?”

“I saw it firsthand last night.” The pictures couldn’t possibly be any worse than being there. Nothing could be as bad as her memories of the murder as she’d tried and failed to sleep last night.

Mike straightened away from her. “Take it at your own pace then.”

She opened the file and examined each picture, not bothering to ask how Claudia had acquired the evidence report so quickly. It took her a few minutes of clicking back and forth between angles to pinpoint the inconsistencies. Like Treadwell said, the woman’s body wasn’t in the room and there was no pool or splattering of blood anywhere except around Desmond.

She leaned forward, looking for anything the police might interpret in a way that made her look guilty. Paperwork had fallen from the desk, which didn’t make sense to her as Desmond had a habit of keeping his desk clear.

“Wait.” She used the mouse to enlarge one photo. Her blood turned cold when she recognized those papers as the script she’d been carrying. “I wasn’t in that room.” She swiveled in the chair, her knees nearly knocking into Mike’s legs.

“Are you referring to the script with the note on it?”

She nodded. “I dropped it in the hallway. The sound is what gave my presence away.”

“You can see it’s spattered with the victim’s blood.”

She saw it, but couldn’t believe it. “I did not go into his office. I ran.” She shook her head. “This doesn’t make sense.” She wanted to swear and yell and pound something or someone. “They set me up. I didn’t go in. I swear. I never went in.”

“I believe you, but the police can only work with what they find.”

“They’ve found lies!” She pushed back from the desk and stood but her knees had turned to jelly and she fell right back into the chair.

“Take it easy, Lauren. We’ll figure this out.”

She minimized the file, unable to bear the sight of the accusing pictures. “How could they have known I would be there to play the part of their scapegoat?”

“They probably didn’t plan to pin it on anyone. They expected to get away with it, but you interrupted. They still might get away with it if they can make you a believable patsy.”

“And kill me before the truth comes out.” She let his words roll through her mind, twisting and turning as she tried to make sense of this terrible mess. “The woman. We have to find her. She knows the truth.”

Mike leaned his hip against the desk. “Whether she’ll tell the truth is another matter.”

Lauren turned her face up to his. “What do you mean?”

“Worst case scenario, the fact that she survived suggests to me that she was in on it with the two men you saw.”

A chill skated over Lauren’s skin. It wouldn’t be the first time Desmond had been fooled by a gorgeous face. She closed her eyes, trying to remember where she’d seen that face before. “What’s the best case scenario?”

“Unfortunately, I can’t see one yet.”

“We have to find her and talk to her.” Lauren searched her memory banks again. Where had she seen that woman? The image of a bar... then the woman’s face. “Wait.” She replayed the images again. “She works in a bar, I think. Maybe she’s a bartender or a waitress.” Her thoughts immediately turned to the long list of Desmond’s favorite clubs.

“I’ll put Claudia on the search for LA bartenders and waitresses, but you need to keep your expectations real. The task will be like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

“How real?”

“The criminals think you’re a threat. The police think you’re a potential suspect. The woman is only a wildcard. You don’t know what Desmond was involved in.” He ticked each point off on his fingertips. “You need to stay here, out of sight, until we figure this out. It could take some time.”

“There has to be another way.” She shook her head and forced herself to stand. This time, she managed to do so without swaying. “I have professional obligations.”

“Your show isn’t shooting right now.”

“An acting career isn’t that simple.” She’d never been a passive person. A small voice in her head reminded her she’d been way too passive about Desmond. She shut it down and moved away from the desk. “There’s a community event I’m supposed to attend tomorrow. An interview next week. I can’t just skip those. Someone has to plan Desmond’s funeral. He has no other... family.”

“First, Trinity’s body won’t be released for a while so no rush on a funeral. Second, a public appearance is out of the question. Besides, no one expects you to carry on as usual right now. Your longtime lover has been murdered. You’re grieving.”

She wanted to argue with him, but he was right. Instead, she started to pace the room as another approach popped like a light bulb in her mind. “A public appearance might be exactly what we need. I can draw the bad guys out. It’s a classic strategy.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I know Desmond’s passwords. If we go by the office maybe we can figure out what he was doing for those men.”

“Not today.” He shook his head, his eyes tracking her movements like some kind of predatory cat. “Your car just blew up. You’re a person of interest in a murder case. People will see you in every petite blonde in the city. And let’s not forget the Trinity office is a crime scene. His computer has probably already been seized as evidence. The police likely have the office as well as the house under surveillance.”

“If we wait, the woman could disappear... or end up dead.”

“It’s possible,” he said. “But the cops as well as the bad guys are looking for you. The risk is too great.”

She rubbed her hands up and down her chilled arms. If he needed a plan or direction, she’d find something plausible he couldn’t argue with. “If the woman wasn’t with Desmond by chance, maybe she was the distraction that allowed them to catch Desmond at an inopportune time.”

“Maybe.”

“You’re not going to go with any of my suggestions. Got it.” Enough. Lauren stalked out of the office. Faced with the kitchen and bar, the marvelous view, or sulking in the bedroom, she opted for the bar. It was far too early, but she poured vodka into a glass and added enough cranberry juice to give it some color. The first sip burned away the frayed edges of her nerves and shushed the little voice in her head threatening to erupt into panic.

What in the hell was Desmond into that someone would kill him? Why that woman? Angry all over again, Lauren went to the kitchen and dumped the remainder of her drink down the drain. The last thing she needed was to have her brain fuzzy. Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she hadn’t eaten since late yesterday. If they weren’t going anywhere, she could make herself useful and prepare lunch. Doing anything was better than doing nothing.

How could she have known Desmond Trinity so intimately for all those years and not have recognized he was far more than a top-notch agent and so much worse than a perpetual cheater? How long had he been involved with those men? She had never seen either of them at any of the parties they hosted or attended. She’d never heard the names Nikoli or Andreas before. Although Hollywood seemed like a big city, the television and film community was actually fairly small. Almost everyone knew everyone else.

Had she been so successful in building that wall between her and Desmond that she ignored the trouble he had gotten himself into?

The thought made her sad.

Whatever happened to all those dreams she’d had of love and happily ever after as a young girl? In these days of uncoupling and overnight divorces, maybe true love no longer existed. She thought of the man in the other room and how he’d saved her life once already. In a movie he would be her knight in shining armor. He would defend her honor and then they’d ride off into the sunset together.

Only this was real life and she wasn’t so sure knights in shining armor existed anymore.

 

Chapter Four

Mike scrubbed at his face. His eyes were dry. He and Claudia had been at this for hours without getting anywhere with identifying the woman Lauren had seen in Trinity’s office. Claudia had confirmed that the witness and the woman Lauren saw were one and the same but the cops had not released her name.

“Looks like the only way you’re going to learn what Trinity was up to is by shaking the bushes,” Claudia said. “If you allow Miss Woods to reach out to her sources, you might just get lucky.”

That was the thing, he couldn’t do that and ensure her safety. “Based on what Lauren saw and heard, I’m thinking these guys are Russian mafia. The trouble is, they aren’t in any of the databases we’ve accessed.” The cops as well as the FBI and other federal and international agencies typically had significant info on the mob types, but nothing along those lines had been mentioned in press releases.

“They’d have to be powerfully connected for someone to be keeping them off the grid like this.”

“Have you got a contact you can reach out to?” Mike needed intel. He couldn’t help Lauren without it.

“One or two. I’ll get back to you.”

“I’ll be standing by.”

The call ended and Mike swiveled in the chair. Facing the door, he debated his less than optimal options. Lauren got under his skin in ways he couldn’t quite define. Part of it was her skill as an actress. He’d always been damned good at reading people, but with her not so much. How was he supposed to know what was real and what was just for show when she could turn it off and on instantly?

She claimed the missing woman was familiar in the same breath she claimed no knowledge of her boyfriend’s illegal activities. The two items just didn’t add up. Claudia had found the individual bank accounts for Trinity and Lauren. The two had conducted their finances completely independent of each other. That allowed for some of Lauren’s ignorance of Trinity’s activities, but certainly not all.

She’d offered to make him a sandwich hours ago. He’d declined but his appetite was suddenly revving into high gear. He headed for the kitchen, the scents drifting out to meet him making his stomach growl. “Did you get bored?”

She glanced up from the pot she was stirring. She’d twisted her long blond hair up and out of the way, but little wisps were curling in the fragrant steam rising from whatever she had going on the stove top. “We have to eat.” She shrugged. “There wasn’t any bread for sandwiches.”

His stomach rumbled again. “What’s on the menu?”

“Red sauce and pasta.” She made a face. “There wasn’t a lot to choose from. Do you want a beer or something stronger to go with it? There seems to be a good supply of alcohol.”

He laughed. “Water.” He couldn’t risk the slightest dimming effect of alcohol while on the job.

As he watched, she moved through the kitchen, a picture of domestic grace that gave him a strange sensation that he’d been missing something in his life. She filled two glasses with water and piled pasta high on a plate. She added the sauce and a scoop of steamed broccoli before passing it to him.

“You didn’t have to go to all this trouble,” he said, shaking off the momentary daze.

“No trouble,” she answered with a small shrug. “It gave me something to do.”

She made a smaller plate for herself and sat at the other end of the kitchen island. For several minutes he ate, wondering how she’d tweaked the sauce. It never tasted this good when he poured it straight from the jar. He pointed with his fork. “What’d you do to this?”

“Just added a bit of this and that for a kick,” she said.

“It’s good.”

She smiled. “Thank you.”

They ate in silence for a while. Then he asked, “You and Trinity kept separate bank accounts.”

“I insisted.”

“Why?”

She sighed and her gaze didn’t stray from her pasta. “At the beginning of our relationship it was too good to be true. Girl from Kansas finds her Oz, you know? Every day I was sure he’d wake up and be done with me so I didn’t want to take a chance on joint bank accounts. As my agent, my paychecks went through him anyway. He took his cut and I got the rest. I didn’t think he needed to know what I did with the money.”

“Seems like you were smart with your money.” He’d been surprised by just how smart. Anyone who thought there weren’t any brains behind all that beauty would be dead wrong.

Lauren nodded, and then sipped her water. “I grew up poor. Being poor in Kansas is one thing, being poor here is entirely another. I made up my mind early on to save and invest a hefty chunk of my earnings. I sent some back home for my mom, supported a few charities, and lived comfortably on the rest.” She tipped her head, gracing him with a direct look. “In light of recent events, it seems my precautions were prudent.”

“You can’t access any of it. The police will be keeping an eye out for any financial activity.”

She set her fork aside. “Which adds yet another layer of urgency to my predicament.”

“Lauren.” He’d wanted to get her talking, not worry her. “Anything you need, I’ll take care of it. Money is not an issue for you right now.”

“What I need is to find something that connects Desmond to the killers.” She set her fork aside. “If the police stop looking for suspects, I may never be able to prove what really happened.”

“When was the last time you caught Trinity with another woman?”

She raised her eyes, meeting his gaze. “Why does that matter?”

“I’m trying to get a handle on the man.”
And you
, he kept to himself. She insisted on making it clear that Trinity was only her agent, not her boyfriend, but the two had been cohabitating for six years.

“I did my best
not
to catch him.” She patted those lush lips with her napkin.

“By avoiding the office?”

“At all costs,” she said quietly, pushing her plate away.

Mike felt a surge of anger over what Trinity had put her through. What she’d allowed the jerk to put her through. “But you knew when he was
involved
elsewhere.”

“Yes.” She sat stiffly, her hands in her lap. “Two years ago I caught him at the office after hours. It was the only time I saw him in the act of seducing a potential client. He called it business. I called it cheating. We eventually came to an agreement that I wouldn’t leave him and he wouldn’t flaunt his extracurricular activities.”

“But you went up after hours last night.”

“Last night, that script...” She rolled her eyes. “It was the last straw for me and long past time to cut ties as his client and as his roommate—
separate
rooms, in case you’re wondering.” She got up and carried her plate to the sink.

Mike couldn’t imagine a relationship riddled with infidelity. He detested emotional games and liars even more. Why did anyone put up with that? A woman with Lauren’s fire, beauty, and talent should’ve left at the first sign of trouble. But she’d stayed. For the sake of her career. And separate rooms? Jesus, Hollywood was twisted. “What happened to her?”

“Who?” Lauren asked, leaning back against the counter as she dried her hands on the towel.

“The first woman you caught him with.” Mike wished like hell the man was still alive so he could beat him senseless.

“I don’t know. I’ve made it a point
not
to think about that, but my guess is he either chose not to represent her or she never made the cut with any studio.”

“But you have that memory for faces and detail,” he said, with complete sincerity. “Would you recognize her again if you saw her?”

Lauren caught her full lower lip between her teeth. “Probably.”

His instincts were sparking. This was bigger than Lauren getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time by a pair of lethal men. “So, the fact is, she didn’t make it big or you would have run into her somewhere.”

She nodded. “I suppose that’s true.”

“How many clients did Trinity represent?”

“It varied from year to year. He was the agent everyone wanted. His ability to identify and match talent with the right roles was unprecedented. Why?”

“Just thinking.” About the dead talent agent and the mysterious witness who apparently contradicted Lauren’s statement. “Did Trinity ever travel out of the country?”

“Once or twice a year, but I didn’t go with him.”

“Because?” He’d bet good money Trinity made his travel plans to purposely exclude her.

She made a small production of replacing the hand towel on the rack. “The dates conflicted with my schedule on
Harper Cove
.”

“So your relationship with Trinity really was just for show.” It wasn’t a question. The answer was clear to him now. For whatever reason, Trinity had liked or needed the image of stability with Lauren. Was she part of his cover?

“Maybe not at first, but in recent years, yes.” The admission cost her. The pain in her eyes gave away just how much.

He almost wished he could take back the question. But if her feelings were the only thing that got hurt before they figured this out, he would be damned happy about it. The idea that she’d gotten out of that building alive still stunned him.

Assuming the killers had watched her and tailed her from the crime scene to the police station and then to her motel, why not just kill her? They obviously wanted her dead and there would’ve been ample opportunities before she’d reached the motel and after. Instead, they’d staged the crime scene to implicate her and then wired a bomb into her car. Why the extra step?

“What’s going through your head?” she asked, returning to the island and her chair.

Too many things, but only one of them he was ready to share. “We need to determine if the police on this case can be trusted.”

Her eyes lit up with excitement. “I’d very much like the answer to that question.”

He wasn’t sure she fully understood the danger involved in making that happen. “It may not work at all,” he warned.

“If there’s any chance, I want to try,” she replied.

His job was to protect her. End of story. But if Claudia confirmed his worst suspicions, Lauren would never be safe unless the men who’d murdered Trinity were behind bars. “We’ll set up a meet for first thing tomorrow. Until then, relax and try to get some rest.”

To his surprise, she didn’t argue. He didn’t know her industry as well as she did, but he knew human nature. Her ex was into something serious and Mike wanted to know if it had started before or after Lauren had come to Hollywood with stars in her eyes. More importantly, he wanted to know if Trinity had somehow been using her to some end she couldn’t see.

Mike worked for hours until he finally had an idea he liked and Claudia could support. This should give him the answers he needed. He returned to the living room to talk through his plan and found Lauren curled into a corner of the couch sound asleep. The television volume was no more than a soft murmur. She’d chosen an old romantic movie. The stress had caught up with her and he hated to wake her. Her body relaxed, she looked fresh and tempting from her hands tucked under her chin all the way to the pale pink polish on her toes.

Watching her, he felt something stir deep inside. The need to protect her, to keep her from harm was part of it. Desire seared through him, but he ignored it. What man wouldn’t be attracted to that exceptional package? She was far more than the gorgeous exterior. She was smart and witty and caring.

He grabbed a throw from the back of the loveseat and draped it over her, careful not to touch or linger over the process. Weighing the options, he stretched out on the floor to watch the end of the movie. He told himself staying in here with her was expedient. He’d know the minute she woke up and he could explain his plan for the morning right away. He even believed the tale as he dozed off to the barely audible bar fight playing out on the television.

 

Thursday, December 11, 10:30 a.m.

Mike backed into an open space near the parking garage exit. He turned off the car and handed Lauren a ball cap to hide her hair. It probably wasn’t the right accessory for her snug jeans, tunic, and the rose-colored winter sweater, but that was the point. They didn’t want her recognized.

Jeans and a sweatshirt worked just fine for him. He had a gun in his waistband at the small of his back and another at his ankle, plus his knife just in case things turned ugly. Hopefully none of that would be necessary.

The decoy the agency had hired to disguise herself as Lauren would enter the building across the street in just fifteen minutes. The police believed Lauren would be meeting with an attorney to discuss turning herself in for questioning. This building, the one he and Lauren were about to enter, was still under construction. Claudia had made arrangements for them to access the sixth floor where they would wait to see who showed up for the party.

“Ready?” Mike turned to Lauren, studying her profile.

She nodded, donning dark sunglasses.

“Do you want to walk through it one more time?”

“We go in quietly. Ignore anyone we encounter inside.” She paused to gulp in some air. “We take the stairs to the sixth floor and then we watch.” Her lips stretched into a smile but he didn’t miss the slight tremble. “It’s just like blocking a scene.”

He’d have to take her word on that. Leaving the car was a big risk, despite the precautions. They’d discussed pros, cons, and fallback strategy over breakfast. She’d embraced all of it with enthusiasm. She understood the importance of this first step. Since a decoy was in place, they could have stayed at the safe house, but Lauren’s ability to recognize faces was needed. Her job was to look for anyone she’d seen speaking to Trinity at a party or at his office.

Still, walking beside her, he kept his eyes open wide and his senses on point. He’d chosen a congested area smack in the middle of LA’s infamous
Box
. From eight to five, the Box was the city’s hectic business district. After five, however, all bets were off. The shops closed for the day and trouble seemed to ooze from every crack in the sidewalks.

“Are you nervous?” he asked as they entered the newest high rise along this block. He’d been in similar situations with clients. Somehow this time felt new to him... uncertain.

BOOK: Too Far Gone
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