Highways & Hostages (23 page)

“I have a few choice words for you, too,” Stella said over her shoulder to Julian before turning and following Derek into a sparse but comfortable bedroom.

Derek closed the door. As soon as he was face-to-face with her again, she punched him the chest.

“When did you get so violent?” he asked, rubbing the spot she’d hit.

“Probably while you were away on one of your ‘business trips.’”

Derek shook his head. “I never got the obsession you have with air quotes.”

“Don’t you change the subject,” Stella said, wagging a finger in his face.

“You’re not the only one who gets to be mad, Stella. I don’t even know where to start. Why the hell didn’t you tell me what was going on with Phoebe? Why didn’t you go straight to the police? Instead, you made up some lie about needing time to find yourself…and ended up in Texas with a criminal! Let’s start there.”

Exhausted, Stella sat down heavily on the neatly made bed and willed herself not to cry. “Derek—I don’t even know what’s going on right now. I don’t know what’s real and what’s fake, what’s right and what’s wrong. We have to get Phoebe back.”

Derek sat on the bed and put an arm around her shoulder. She hesitated, then leaned into him and wiped her nose on his shirt.
This
was what she liked about Derek. The way he made her feel safe, and how she was certain he’d be there for her no matter what.

“That’s super attractive,” he said. He was silent for a couple of minutes. “Can you tell me how you got involved with these guys?”

“Finn—Jacob—has been a regular at the bar with his friend Alex, and sometimes that Billy guy, for months. The other day after my shift ended, I left through the back door by Bert’s office like I usually do, and Finn was there waiting with a gun. I didn’t have a chance to think or anything…there was a freakin’ gun pointed at my face.”

“Jesus, Stella.” Derek’s mouth set into a grim line. He waited for her to continue.

She sniffled and pushed a lock of hair out of her face. “I thought he wanted to rob me—” Stella faltered as she felt herself blush. “And then because of something stupid Valerie said, I thought he was interested in me. I mean, he said he wanted to go to my house! He pointed the gun at me and was ready to shoot—it’s not like I could say no.

“We drove to my trailer, and he showed me two fake bloody fingers and told me they were Phoebe’s. Then he said he had kidnapped her, and that he would take me to her if I helped him out with a favor. So I did it. He said she wasn’t in any danger or anything, and I was able to talk to her…but then his friend who was watching her disappeared.”

“Billy,” Derek said matter-of-factly. Stella nodded. “What a bastard,” Derek spat. He didn’t clarify which person he was talking about; maybe he meant both.

Stella leaned away and looked him in the eye. “Finn’s not a jerk all the time. I think it’s more a front than anything. He told me he’d give me part of his commission from the job.”

Derek removed his glasses again and took a deep breath. “And all this happened the night you called to tell me you were leaving?”

Stella bit her lip and nodded. “He was right there with the gun.”

Derek groaned. “This complicates things so much. We need to extract Phoebe without blowing our investigation.”

“That’s right!” Stella cried, shoving Derek away and standing up. “You’ve been lying about your job and God knows what else since we met. How can I believe anything you’ve ever said to me? I was going to marry you! I don’t even know if Derek is your real name.”

Derek stood but kept his distance. “Stella, my job is the only thing I’ve lied to you about; I promise. If I had told you the truth, you would have either decided not to date me because my job can be dangerous, or you’d constantly be in a state of worry. I didn’t want to do that to you. And, I’ll be honest; part of it was because I was selfish. I liked being able to leave work at work and just enjoy spending time with you without worrying about the next case. My job consumes everything in my life…except for you.”

Stella shook her head as she paced the floor. “I’m a waitress…and you’re a fucking FBI agent,” she exclaimed.

“Actually, my title is specialist, not agent,” he said, sheepish.

Stella rolled her eyes. “Is there anything else you haven’t told me? Your mother—is she really that vile, or has that all been an act too? Please tell me it’s an act.”

Derek lifted his hands up, palms toward Stella, and chuckled. “I promise I’ve told you all of it. And unfortunately, Mom is just Mom.” He paused. “What about you? What’s going on between you and Finn? He’s engaged in some questionable criminal activity, and I don’t want to see you go down with him, Stell.”

Stella sighed and wrapped her arms around herself as she thought about how much to reveal to Derek. Of course nothing had happened with Finn, but that didn’t mean she hadn’t wanted it at times. She blushed and glanced at Derek. “I’m not seeing him.”

A slow, hopeful smile started across Derek’s face. “So there’s a chance we can work things out?”

Stella sighed again and scratched the back of her neck. “I’m really confused, Derek. Now I actually
do
need time to think.”

Derek swallowed hard and nodded. “I understand.”

“I can’t just forget that you put a
GPS tracking device
on my car…and then followed me to another state.”

Derek flushed. “I’ll admit it wasn’t my finest moment.”

They stood in the middle of the room, staring at each other. Stella inclined her head toward the door. “We should get back in there and devise a plan to get my sister.”

“You go on out,” Derek said as he pulled his phone from his pocket. “I’m going to put in a call to my boss and fill her in. We’ll talk more later?” he asked hopefully.

Stella gave him a half smile and shrug before exiting the room. Figuring out her imploded love life would have to wait until Phoebe was safe and sound back in Las Vegas.

While Derek and Stella got reacquainted in the guest bedroom, Julian and Finn sat tensely in the living room.

Finn remained on the couch, drumming a beat on his thigh as he stared off into the distance. Julian sat in his armchair, fingers steepled in his lap.

“Why?” Finn addressed his question to the empty air in front of him.

Julian sighed and gazed around the room before answering. “The FBI has been watching me for some time—it’s part of the reason I’ve been worried about your recklessness. Luckily, our business is a little more legal than his, something of which I’ve always been proud. Knowing my history with Christoph, the Art Crime Team approached me to assist their investigation in the role of consultant; I was going to keep you completely out of it. Unfortunately, you put a target on your back when you shot Christoph.”

Finn heaved a huge sigh and ran his hands over his face. “So what’s going to happen to me?”

“That depends on Derek and what his team decides. I never expected Christoph to request you join his team. This whole situation adds a new layer of complication. I suggest that whatever the FBI asks you to do, you do it. You know I would never steer you wrong, Jacob.”

Finn nodded slowly. He wanted to believe Julian always had his best interests at heart, but this was a big thing he’d kept hidden.

“How did you meet Derek in the first place?” Julian asked.

“He’s Stella’s fiancé—ex-fiancé. He put a tracking device on her car and followed us out here. He showed up and I knocked him out.”

Julian gave a low chuckle and shook his head. “I wouldn’t expect anything less from you, Jacob. Funny how things work out, eh?”

Finn shrugged in response as the bedroom door opened and Stella appeared. Her face looked blotchy, as if she’d been crying. He wondered what that asshat had said to her. He wanted to wrap her in a huge hug, but instead looked down at his hands clasped in his lap.

Stella took a few steps forward and sat at the far end of the couch, not looking at Finn or Julian. “Derek is calling his boss.”

The silence in the room seemed to swell. Finn couldn’t come up with anything useful to say, so he remained silent. He glanced at Julian, who sat looking pensively off into the distance. Stella remained unnaturally still, staring straight ahead through the window.

Finn nearly breathed a sigh of relief a few minutes later when Derek re-entered the room. Julian turned to him, eyebrows raised.

Derek cleared his throat. “Placing Jacob in von Rothschild’s household will speed up our timeline.”

“Wait a second; I haven’t agreed to anything,” Finn said. He caught Julian’s narrow-eyed glance and added, “Yet.”

“We want you to wear a wire when you go to meet von Rothschild. We need as much information as possible to be able to take him down.”

Stella raised her hand. “Can I ask a question?”

“Go ahead,” Derek replied.

“If von Rothschild does the same thing as these guys, why are you taking only him down?”

“Von Rothschild cares nothing for ethics or the law. Much of his business comes from looting churches and selling items derived from animals. Oh, and grave robbing,” Derek said. “There are also rumors he’s gotten rid of some of his competition, if you know what I mean.”

“Did you know about this?” Finn asked Julian.

“Oh my God—
this
is the guy who has my sister? He sounds sick! And you want Finn to help him?” Stella chimed in.

“Right now, we’re only going off of the hearsay of informants. We need to catch him actively doing these things. That’s why Finn’s help will be extremely valuable.” Derek turned to Finn. “Are you willing to cooperate with us?”

Finn looked down at his feet and swallowed. He glanced at Julian, whose face remained passive, and at Stella, who sat wringing her hands. Stella and her sister didn’t deserve to be caught up in this mess. He’d gotten them into it, and he’d get them out. “I’ll do it.”

Derek gave a sharp nod. “Excellent. Julian, I need you call von Rothschild now and tell him that you’ve made your decision. Tell him Phoebe must be returned tonight, or you’ll have no choice but to get the police involved. Does this work for everyone?”

Heads nodded all around. Julian dialed a number on his phone, then placed it on the coffee table. The phone rang only once before it was answered.

“Hello, Julian.” Christoph was chipper. “I assume you are calling early because you’ve made your decision.”

“I have,” Julian said. “We accept your deal, on the condition that you release Phoebe to me tonight.”

“How can I do that when you’re all the way in San Antonio, old friend?”

“Don’t worry; I’ll be returning on my plane momentarily. If you don’t release her to me tonight, I’ll have no choice but to alert the authorities.”

Christoph let out a mirthless chuckle. “Oh, Julian, we both know you wouldn’t be stupid enough to do that. But Phoebe will be released into your care, and
only
your care, when you arrive at my abode.”

“Understood.”

“Good. I’ll expect Gilroy at my door tomorrow morning at nine a.m. sharp. I promise I will shoot him at the first sign of anything amiss,” von Rothschild said briskly. He hung up.

Stella’s head swiveled back and forth between Finn and Derek. “This is CRAZY.”

Derek spread his arms. “Welcome to my life.” He turned to Julian. “Alright, after you pick up Phoebe, bring her to the Leaky Stein, where Stella and I will be waiting in a green Ford pickup behind the building. Does that work for you?”

Julian nodded. Derek turned to Stella. “Does that work for
you
?”

“I guess it has to,” Stella replied.

Derek glanced at Finn. “Can I speak to you privately?”

What could this loser possibly have to say to me?
Finn thought.

He threw Julian a questioning look. Julian returned it with a shrug, and Finn followed Derek into the guest bedroom. He closed the door and crossed his arms, glaring defiantly at Derek. “So?” he said.

Derek quickly crossed the space between them and grabbed Finn by the collar of his shirt. He slammed him against the wall.

“You stay the hell away from Stella,” he hissed, inches from Finn’s face.

“Or what are you gonna do about it?” Finn asked, smirking.

Derek slammed Finn into the wall again. “The only reason I didn’t pummel you into the ground at the fun park was because I didn’t want Stella to know anything.”

“What’s going on in there?” Stella called through the door.

Derek raised his eyebrows at Finn as if daring him to tattle.

Finn was no snitch. “Nothing!” he called back. “Everything’s just fine.” He shoved Derek away and lowered his voice. “Just fucking dandy. So I stay away from Stella, or you do what?”

“I end you,” Derek said, the picture of calm.

Finn sneered at him. “You know
she
chose
me
, right? She
ended
your engagement.”

“According to her, the two of you are nothing. I’ll always believe her word over yours, Gilroy.
Always
. I’ve known her for almost two years. I know her dreams, her hopes, and her desires. I’ve been there when she’s been sick, and when she’s been upset. You’ve only spent a few days with her. She would never choose you over me—especially with all of the facts.”

“We’ll see about that. We done here?” he asked, not waiting for an answer as he strode to the door and opened it. Stella waited in the hallway with her arms folded.

“What happened in there?” she asked.

Finn stormed past her into the kitchen without speaking. He threw a right hook at the wall, immediately regretting it when the air stung his scraped knuckles and his hand began to throb. The wall was a lot less forgiving than human flesh.

Finn hated not being in control of the situation, and more than that, he hated having to cooperate with that asshole, Derek. He placed his other hand on the counter to steady himself and inhaled deeply.

Stella appeared in the kitchen. Wordlessly, she grabbed a hand towel from a stack on the opposite counter. She opened the freezer, pulled out a handful of ice cubes, and placed them into the towel before twisting it closed and walking over to Finn. She took his bloody hand and pressed the cold compress over it, holding it there with her own.