Ellie Ashe - Miranda Vaughn 02 - Dropping the Dime (15 page)

I discovered that I'd been defending a liar and uncovered a Greek tragedy
. "Uh, it was fine. How was yours?"

Oh God. Was this what happened when you fell for someone based solely on looks? And a lot of adrenaline. And chemistry.

He smiled and my heart did an extra little flutter. "Well, I got to take a romantic drive in the country with a beautiful woman, then take her to dinner."

The heat rose up my face. "You certainly spun that in a positive light."

Jake's smile widened. "How would you have spun it?"

"I don't know. Maybe that I completed a successful undercover mission," I said. "I guess I'm not as mushy as you."

He laughed and raised an eyebrow. "Mushy?"

"Yeah, you know. Romantic. Soft."

He was in front of me in an instant, his arms on either side, leaning in, a wall of chest covered in a snug black T-shirt backing me against the counter. I had to tilt my head back to look at him and when I did, my breath caught at the nearness. My gaze lingered on his lips, so close. So very close.

"Not soft," he whispered and leaned in.

It had been more than half a year since I'd felt the touch of those lips, but the effect was the same. Dizzying. Electric. A tug of passion that reached from my soul. Nothing, no one, had ever made me feel like that.

"We shouldn't do this," I whispered.

"I know." Jake's voice was low and gravelly and thrilled me to the pit of my stomach.

"I told Rob there wasn't anything between us," I said as his lips grazed my neck, sending a shiver through me.

"The case will be over soon."

It wasn't his voice that caused the tremors this time—it was the words. It didn't matter that we had nothing to talk about except for work, which we were not allowed to discuss. It didn't matter that we were at odds. This connection wasn't something to give up on, just because of our jobs. I'd work at the bakery for the rest of my life to keep this.

Our lips met again, and that spark ignited.

"Oh, God. Not now," he said, his voice low. His breath brushed my neck as he shifted his body, and I realized my hand was gripping his arm while Jake was trying to reach into his pocket.

"No?" I whispered, trying to remember if there was a question.

"Ah, damn it," he said, his cell phone gripped in his hand. The shrill ring filtered into the fog of lust in my brain. "Sorry."

He pushed himself away, and I nearly fell forward. Jake walked into the dining room and answered the phone, and I shook my head to clear the fog. What the hell was I thinking? This was a bad, bad idea. Yes, the case would be over soon, but it wasn't yet. And then another one would come along, since Rob's criminal practice was largely federal cases. And then what? We would still be at odds. And yes, I could go back to slinging pastries at the Sugar Plum Bakery, but not if I wanted to buy a home or have a professional career. Working as Rob's assistant wasn't my dream job, but I liked it. It paid okay, and it felt like I was doing important work. And it felt like I was betraying Rob by kissing the federal agent who may be investigating our client.

Suddenly, my lungs felt empty of air, like I couldn't get a deep breath. I grabbed my coat from the chair back in the dining area and slipped it on. I had to get out of the house, or it was very likely that I'd make a huge mistake.

"Going somewhere?" Jake asked from the door.

I looked up, unsuccessfully trying to hide the guilt on my face. "Uh, yeah. I should get home."

He nodded, and the serious Jake was back. I already missed sly, joking Jake and hot, lustful Jake. "Great. You can give me a ride back to my car."

Oh, right.
I nodded dumbly and picked up my purse. "Is everything okay?"

Jake led me out the back door that was dominated by the largest dog-door I'd ever seen. We followed a short cobblestone path to the left, where Jake opened a gate letting us onto the long driveway that ran the length of the house. The lights in the kitchen cast a warm glow onto the Golf Ball.

Jake was typing into his phone and didn't speak, except to give me a few terse directions that took me through the town and onto a two-lane highway that would lead us to the interstate. After a few minutes, he sighed.

"That was Finn."

I glanced over, but he was looking straight ahead. Did his partner's call remind him of his professional obligation to not kiss the defense attorney's employees? I waited for more information, but he was silent for a little longer.

"There was a break-in at the Leonidis Development office," he said.

The air seemed to be sucked out of the car. "What happened?"

The phone rang again, and I jumped, jerking the wheel. I may have been a little more tense than I thought.

"Hey, what do you have?" Jake said, greeting the caller.

I could hear an indistinct man's voice, but couldn't hear what he was saying.

"I've got a contact there. I've reached out. I'll see if he can get the surveillance video, maybe go back a few days. I'm sure he'll share anything he gets on the prints, too."

Another long pause and I was starting to put this together, to my absolute horror. If Jake saw the security video from the Leonidis office, would he see me skulking about and sneaking into the basement entrance? And my fingerprints.
Oh, God.
My prints were in the system from when I was arrested. Would they find my prints on the doors, on the light switches, and on the shelves in the basement?

I struggled to breathe in the car, finally giving in and rolling the driver's side window down to gulp in some air. And some rain, which splattered across my face.

"I'll call you back," Jake said, sliding his phone into his pocket. "Are you okay?"

He sounded concerned.

"Yeah, sure."
Just about to be busted for breaking and entering, ensuring that my job is toast and any chance with you will be torpedoed.
Sure, Kathryn could tell the cops that I had her permission to be in the basement, but since I was there looking for evidence of the Leonidis family committing fraud, they'd probably still press charges. I really should have talked to Rob myself.

I rolled up the window and wiped the water drops from the steering wheel. "I just needed some air."

"Sure," he said, not sounding sure at all. "The local police are investigating. If Kathryn hears anything, can you let me know?"

"Do you need to go there?"

He shook his head. "No, there's no good reason for Finn and me to be there, but I have a friend who is a local detective. He's going to keep me in the loop."

My stomach dropped at the thought of what that would mean.

"Can you let Rob know what's going on?" Jake asked, as I pulled the car in front of the house where we'd met up earlier.

"Yes, I'll call him."

Jake paused, his hand on the door handle. "Thanks."

Still he didn't get out of the car.

"About earlier," he said.

I waited.

"Maybe you're right. This could get complicated. Let's wait and see what happens," he said.

My heart dropped, and my mouth went dry.

"Sure." It was hard to even get the words out. Once he saw me on the surveillance video, I knew what would happen.

He reached over and put his hand over mine and squeezed. "I'll talk to you soon."

Then he was gone in a rush of damp cold air. I watched him walk down the block and get into a Toyota truck then watched the red taillights disappear around a corner at the end of the street.

I reached for my cell phone. When Sarah answered, I swallowed hard.

"I think I screwed up."

By mid-morning, Sarah and Burton had the scoop on the break-in. I didn't ask how, but assumed they each had their sources at the police department. With the promise of baked goods, they agreed to meet at the office on Saturday morning to give me the update.

The good news was that nothing appeared to have been stolen, though the burglar seemed to target Simon's and Kathryn's offices. The point of entry was the side door where I'd come into the building, which was bad news for me because they'd probably dust for prints there and because it wasn't a busy point of entry, my fingerprints may still be there.

"Don't worry about it too much," Sarah said, reaching across my desk and patting my hand. "They're not going to dust every inch of the basement. If they see you on the tape, you can always say that you were meeting Kathryn."

"Yeah, you've got plausible deniability for your own questionable search," Burton said.

"I'd rather have a clean conscience," I said, frowning. "Or at least an ironclad alibi."

"Take what you can get. At least you have a great alibi for last night. Doesn't get much better than a romantic dinner with an FBI agent," Sarah said with a grin.

"It wasn't that romantic," I muttered, glancing away and feeling my face get warm at the memory of being pinned against Jake's kitchen counter, his body up against mine.

Sarah turned to Burton. "What's your sense? Was it an inside job? A pro? A lucky burglar?"

Burton leaned against the doorjamb to Rob's office, which was dark and empty since it was a Saturday morning. Plus, Rob and Aunt Marie were on a romantic Hawaiian beach, blissfully unaware of the turmoil back at the office. Rob's instructions to Sarah had been to call him "if absolutely necessary." I debated whether this qualified and decided it didn't—yet.

If I were brought in for questioning in the burglary at Leonidis Development, then maybe. For now, I'd rather not disturb him. Or face the music about what I'd done.

Burton sat on the edge of Sarah's desk facing us. "It's not a typical burglary. The computers weren't touched. There was a fifty-two-inch TV in Leonidis' office and any number of high-end electronic gadgets lying around. It was all still there."

He ran a hand over his smooth head and down his face, a gesture he only did when he was really thinking hard. "It could be someone who works there, but they probably would have known about the security cameras. So I'm thinking that's unlikely."

"What's on the security tapes?" I asked.

"My guy saw the tapes from the camera over the front door and one in the parking lot that takes in the side entrance. He says that two guys approached the side entrance, pried open the door and went in. They were out eleven minutes later, just after a car from the private security company pulled into the lot."

"They triggered the alarm?" Sarah asked. "Doesn't sound like a pro."

Burton shook his head. "No, they disabled the alarm. The car was on a routine patrol."

"So they panicked?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Looks like it."

That also didn't sound professional, but this wasn't my area of expertise. "How did they disable the alarm?"

Burton grinned. "Disabled might not be the right word. They used the passcode. The same passcode the company has used since they installed the system nine years ago."

"So it could have been anyone who worked for the company in the last decade?" Sarah asked.

Burton shrugged. "The cameras were installed last year, which narrows that theory down to people who worked for Leonidis during an eight year period."

"Well, at least we know our client has an alibi," I offered. "She was up in the foothills having a clandestine affair with her boss's son. It's unlikely that she'd be able to get back to the city in time to break into the office."

"The two people on the video are men. Kathryn came in early this morning and went through her office with the cops, confirmed that nothing was missing," Burton said. "My source said she seemed nervous, but he just chalked it up to how some people don't like cops."

I thought about Kathryn's aborted pass at Finn and Jake after her failed undercover operation. She liked cops well enough.

Burton pushed himself off the desk. "If you two don't mind, I'm going to get back to my weekend now."

"Thanks for your help, Burton," I said.

He nodded and pointed at Sarah. "You're a bad influence," he said. "Try and stay out of trouble, at least until Monday when I'm on the clock."

Sarah waved a dismissive hand as Burton grabbed a Danish and headed for the door.

"We need to talk to Kathryn," I said when the door closed behind Burton.

"She may not have told the cops everything about the burglary," Sarah said.

A distinct possibility, since Kathryn was lying to everyone about everything. "And we need to talk to Alexi, too."

Kathryn didn't answer the door to her condo, so Sarah and I drove to the house where she'd met up with Alexi the night before. She didn't answer this door, either. Instead, it was opened by a shirtless Greek god. Alexi Leonidis was lean and muscled, from his broad shoulders to the low-slung waist of his jeans. Behind me, I heard Sarah exhale with either appreciation or frustration. It was hard to tell which.

"You must be Alexi," I said.

He tilted his head and smiled. God, the man was gorgeous. His eyes were the same shade of green as his sister's, his hair dark and tousled. Full lips softened his high cheekbones and strong jaw.

"And you must be Miranda," he said, opening the door. "And Sarah?"

We nodded and walked into the tidy living area. Kathryn was in the kitchen, her hair pulled into a loose ponytail. She wasn't wearing her glasses or her trademark frumpy cardigan. Instead, she was wearing faded jeans and a snug T-shirt that showed off her curves. She looked a decade younger without the heavy outerwear and dated eyeglasses. Her eyes widened, and she gasped when she saw me.

"Oh, Miranda," she said, her cheeks reddening. "Uh, well. I guess you met Alexi?"

"Yeah," I said. "We just introduced ourselves."

"I guess you found out about us," she said with a nervous giggle.

I frowned. "And so did the FBI."

At that, she paled and her bottom lip trembled. Alexi was at her side, his arm around her in an instant. She leaned into his bare chest.

"I know I should have just told you, but I thought it would look bad," she said.

"The fact that you covered it up looks worse," Sarah said.

"I know," she whispered.

"We're not doing anything wrong," Alexi said, stroking Kathryn's arm while she wiped her eyes. "Not really, I mean. Nothing illegal."

Somehow I didn't find that comforting. I'd defended Kathryn, and before I inched out on that ledge again, she was going to have to tell me the truth.

"What is going on, Kathryn?" I asked. "And I mean everything."

She nodded and motioned to the kitchen table, and Sarah and I sat down. Kathryn joined us and Alexi brought coffee and cups.

"I didn't tell you about me and Alexi, about us, because, well—"

"We're in love," Alexi said, sitting next to Kathryn and pulled her close. He had put a T-shirt on. Thank God. "We're getting married."

Kathryn blushed again.

"Well, congratulations," I said. "But why lie about it?"

"I didn't lie, exactly. I just didn't say anything," Kathryn said.

"We kept our relationship secret because my father would have fired Kathryn," Alexi said.

"And the investment you made?" I asked, the pieces coming together.

Kathryn nodded. "We're starting a new development company."

Alexi smiled. "Smaller houses, energy efficient, low-water landscaping. All the things my dad refused to do."

"Okay, that's great," Sarah said. "But why set Simon up for tax fraud?"

Kathryn gasped and Alexi shook his head. "We're not framing him," he said. "He's always operated as if he were above the law. Not any longer. If he's doing something illegal, he needs to account for it."

"And he is up to something," Kathryn said. "I am not making that up. Those payments are not for legitimate expenses."

I nodded. "Okay, I got it. But Alexi, he is your father. Why are you trying to send him to prison?"

Alexi shook his head. "My father is a piece of work. He's always been a bastard, but when my mom was alive, she kept him in check. After she died, he just did whatever he wanted, didn't care about who he hurt. He cost the company a lot of money when he declared war with the IRS. But he didn't care that he was throwing away the company's resources and the family's reputation. He could have used that money to build eco-friendly homes, design better communities. But he'll never see this family's legacy as anything beyond a profit and loss statement."

Sarah drummed her fingers on the table. "Your father doesn't know about your new company."

Alexi looked in her direction. "No, of course not. Not yet."

"We want to get a few more things lined up before we announce it," Kathryn said.

"You think he'll sabotage your efforts," I said, and they nodded. "Like he did last time?"

Alexi nodded, his expression grim. "I don't mind competing with him, but I want a level playing field."

"I understand," I said.

Kathryn reached across the table and touched my arm. "I know it doesn't look good. But please understand, I couldn't wait to go to the authorities with my suspicions. In a few weeks, I'll be gone from Leonidis Development, and I wouldn't be able to get the evidence for the FBI."

Sarah and I exchanged a glance. There was some logic there, but would it convince the skeptical FBI agent that Kathryn wasn't using the FBI to settle her fiancé's grudge against his dad?

"Speaking of that evidence," Sarah said, "any ideas where it might be?"

Alexi and Kathryn exchanged a glance.

"His home office," Alexi said. "He keeps important things there."

"Can you get in?" I asked. Maybe having Alexi on our team would be helpful.

He shook his head. "He keeps it locked most of the time. Even when I lived with him, I wasn't welcome in his office. And it's not like we're close enough where I can stop by to visit."

Kathryn cleared her throat gently. "But you could get in there, Miranda."

"What?" I frowned. "Are you still thinking that I should break in during the fundraiser?"

"That's perfect!" Alexi exclaimed.

Sarah shook her head. "No, it's not perfect. It's perfectly illegal."

"No, it could work. The party's tonight. I can get the office key and pass it to you during the party. Kathryn and I can make sure my father stays downstairs," Alexi said, leaning forward with excitement.

"The office is in a part of the house away from where the guests will be," Kathryn said. "And if you go up the back stairs, you won't be seen by anyone."

"Well…" Sarah started to say, and I felt my mouth drop open. She raised a hand to silence my objection. "If you had some assistance, I think we could do it."

"No, you are not considering this harebrained scheme," I said. "I'm not a burglar. I will get caught because I'm not a criminal. I'll get arrested."

Sarah shook her head. "Just hear me out."

My mouth was still hanging open.

"If we want the FBI to stop looking at Kathryn, then we need to figure out who Simon's been paying," Sarah said. "And we need to do that soon, before they lock onto Kathryn as a target of their investigation."

She raised an eyebrow and looked directly at me. "Or on you."

My stomach sank. She was right. It would be best to wrap up this case as quickly as possible before my prints were discovered. While we still had access to Mr. Leonidis's home office. And even more helpful to get this resolved before Rob returned from his getaway with Aunt Marie, when I would have to tell him how I well and truly botched Kathryn's case.

Still, I hesitated. "I don't know about this."

The other three people at the table looked back with hopeful eyes, Kathryn's full of tears. I sighed.

"What time is the party?"