Mine Until Dawn (12 page)

“It’s in the news, Jade. Not reporting it only makes things worse. For both of you.” Eddie dropped her arms, shifted and shot Vince a hard glance. “Who the hell are you? How did you get my cousin involved in this mess?”

“She’s not.” Vince shot Jade a warning look. “Jade didn’t go inside Cohen’s store, I did.”

She sighed. “Vince, don’t—”

“No, you wouldn’t have been there if it weren’t for me, Jade,” he cut in with uncompromising tone. “I searched Cohen’s store. Alone.”

Jade shook her head, but Vince’s attention already shifted to her cousin.

“Holy shit,” Eddie murmured, his gaze bouncing between Jade and Vince. “You guys don’t know?”

“Don’t know what?” Jade asked.

Instead of answering her, Eddie said, “I left three messages in your voice mail, Jade.”

His evasiveness caused goose bumps to spread across her skin. “Don’t know what, Eddie? You’re beginning to scare me.”

Seconds ticked, but Eddie still didn’t elaborate.

“We need to talk,” he said, his voice was low and urgent. “Privately.”

Jade slid her hand through Vince’s. “It’s okay. If this has anything to do with what happened at Cohen’s, then you can say it in front of Vince.”

“Whoa. What has happened to you? You’re discussing murder so calmly as though it’s something you deal with everyday.”

“Murder?” Jade’s hand crept up to cover her mouth. “Whose?”

“Cohen’s. They found him stuffed in a garbage bin behind his store. The problem is this. Photographs of you and
him,
” he jerked his head toward Vince, “are pinned on the board beside those of Cohen’s cadaver. Can you explain what went down in that store?”

***

Montague raised the glass to his lip, but couldn’t sip the generous amount of the cognac the ambassador had poured for him. Fear clogged his throat and beads of sweat coalesced on his forehead and upper lip. The bastard was deliberately keeping him on edge. But then again, that was the way the ambassador operated.

Montague studied him from the corner of his eye. Even after hours at a party, not a wrinkle creased the man’s hand-made tux, or a strand of hair was out of place. Did he once think of Cohen, the man whose death he’d ordered, while he was shaking hands with the moneyed California’s upper-class and kissing their wives’ perfumed hands?

To them, Renard Descartes Bouchard, Saint-Noel’s ambassador to the United States, was above reproach. Only a select few, and Montague considered himself one of them, knew the man’s subtle charm hid an extreme malevolence and unsurpassed thirst for power.

“Is something wrong with your drink, Montague?” Bouchard asked without glancing up from the photographs he was studying.

“No, sir.” Montague quickly took a sip and hoped it wasn’t poisoned. He’d helped dispose enough of the ambassador’s victims to know the man killed without remorse. His unsuccessful attempt to kill the judge was a major blunder.

Bouchard placed the photograph on the table and picked another. “You did a good job tonight.”

Relief coursed through Montague. “Thank you, sir.”

“With the local police after him for Cohen’s murder, we will continue with our search uninterrupted. I want to know who he is, though.” Bouchard picked up the last picture and frowned. “There’s something very familiar about him. I know I’ve seen him before.”

Montague remained silent. After working for the ambassador for fifteen years, he knew the man didn’t pay him for his thoughts or ideas. Bouchard liked facts and solutions, and Montague’s fat bank account was attest to that. Personally, he thought Vince Knight—he’d learned his name from Cohen—looked like the judge, the owner of the statue his employer coveted. Montague had spent weeks following the judge around, learning his routine and about his friends. Without him, Bouchard would never have gotten close to the judge, known the judge’s secret or set-up the now botched blackmail scheme. However, Montague wasn’t paid to speculate or share his thoughts with his employer. Until he had proof that Knight and the judge were related, he would keep his mouth shut.

“You said you paid the woman a visit,” the ambassador said, interrupting his thoughts

“We did, sir, but she wasn’t home.” Montague reached inside his pocket for the rest of the photographs and his hands closed around the jewelry the Hudsons stole. Incompetent fools. He warned them against taking anything from the break-ins and explained that pawning stolen goods would leave a trail. Still, they didn’t listen. After tonight, they’d never forget.

Pushing the matter aside, Montague pulled out an envelope and removed the two four-by-six photographs and a photo I.D. “I didn’t know her identity until we were at her home. She’s Professor Jade Fitzgerald.”

The ambassador’s eyes sharpened. He uncrossed his legs and reached for the photographs. “Estelle Fitzgerald’s daughter?”

“Yes, sir. When we searched her place—”
 

Bouchard raised his hand and cut Montague off. A strange expression crossed his face as he studied the first picture, then the next. Montague wondered how he would react to the picture of Jade Fitzgerald in her black dress. She was an unexceptionally beautiful woman.

Bouchard looked up and asked, “Is she his girlfriend?”

“I don’t think so, sir. There was nothing of the man in her home. No pictures of his or of them together.”

“The statue?”

“It wasn’t there either. We searched every room and a safe, but nothing was there except jewelry.”

The ambassador placed the pictures on the stool, crossed his legs and picked up his glass. A calculating smile settled on his lips. “Take the rest of the night off, Montague. Tomorrow, follow Professor Fitzgerald. Keep me posted on her movements.”

Montague stood. Instead of leaving, he stayed standing, his gaze on his employer. Should he tell him now or wait until tomorrow?

Bouchard raised an eyebrow. “What is it?”

“I know where she’ll be tomorrow night, sir.”

CHAPTER 9

Vince felt the tremors stream through Jade as he led her back into the house. He longed to take her in his arms and apologize for everything she’d been through since they met, but he couldn’t ignore her cousin’s presence. Any hint that they were at odds with each other and Eddie would pounce on him. The man’s give-me-an-excuse-to-kick-your-ass vibes weren’t exactly subtle.

“Son of a…?” Eddie muttered when he saw the mess inside Jade’s home. He looked at Jade. “Is this the burglary you mentioned outside?”

“Yes,” Vince answered for her. “We’ve already called it in.”

“We?” Eddie shook his head. “My cousin doesn’t need to deal with cops tonight, Knight. I know they’ll be here for hours.” He pulled out his cell phone and disappeared into the living room.

Vince helped Jade to the stool she’d occupied earlier and took the one beside her. He covered her shaking hands with his, cocking his head to listen to Eddie at the same time. The drone of the cop’s voice floated from the living room. Vince ignored it and turned to face Jade just as she eased her hands from under his. When she gave him an apologetic smile, something gripped his chest and made it difficult to breathe. He didn’t try to understand or explain it, just knew it had everything to do with the woman seated beside him. He cleared his throat before he spoke.

“Listen, I know things are bleak right now, but I promise you, they’ll work out in the end. We haven’t done anything wrong.”

“We did, Vince,” she whispered, her gaze haunted. “We went inside Cohen’s store after hours, saw signs of a break-in but didn’t report it.”

He reclaimed her hands and squeezed. “The doors were unlocked, Jade, and the OPEN sign was on. Once we explain that and why we were there, the cops will understand.”

She pulled her hands from underneath his, and this time, placed them on her lap. Her eyes searched his, a tinge of desperation in their depth. “How did the police know we were there? The security camera must have been on.”

“No, I checked—”

“Unbelievable,” Eddie interrupted him as he stalked back into the room. He shot Vince an accusatory gaze. “Tell me you know who’s responsible for this mess, Knight, because I’m holding you accountable. In fact, I want to know everything that
you
know. And don’t bullshit me. I’m not in the mood.”

Pissed that he couldn’t reassure Jade with Eddie busting his balls, Vince dragged his gaze from Jade’s glassy eyes and snapped, “The men who took her purse did this.”

Eddie’s eyes narrowed. “You were together when her purse was stolen. I should have known. You’re like one of those people bad things follow all the time. Have you had any dealings with these men before today? Before they stole her purse?”

“In a manner of speaking.”

Annoyance crossed Eddie’s face. “Don’t play games with me, Knight. The only reason I’m not hauling your ass to jail is because of her.” He jerked his head toward Jade.

Man, Eddie Fitzgerald had a short-fuse for a cop. Vince didn’t know how much he would take before he told him to take a hike. But one glance at Jade killed his mounting frustration. She didn’t need to have him fight her cousin on top of everything else.

Vince took a deep breath and softened the tone of his voice. “I caught them ransacking my room just before they took off with Jade’s purse.”

“Start from the beginning.” Eddie picked up an overturned stool and sat.

Vince quickly explained about the party his father gave, the theft of the statue, up to what happened at Cohen’s. Eddie interrupted him every step of the way, grilling him as though he were America’s most wanted criminal.

“We didn’t leave any fingerprints and I made sure the security camera didn’t record our search,” Vince added. If Eddie appreciated his vigilance, he didn’t show it. Jade, on the other hand, looked up at him with gratitude.

“When?” she asked, her voice still unsteady.

“When you went back to the car. I also checked for surveillance tapes, but there weren’t any.” Vince glanced at Eddie. “How did your people get our pictures?”

“Someone faxed them to the precinct. From what you’ve just told me, whoever is after your statue doesn’t want competition.” Eddie’s expression became thoughtful. “He used Cohen to flush you out and eliminated him once he’d served his purpose. That tells me the man is ruthless and doesn’t want to be exposed.”

Vince shifted uncomfortably in his stool. He might resent Jade’s cousin’s overt hostility, but he appreciated his candidness. Hudson’s employer was desperate to get his hands on the statue and would probably kill again to protect his identity. Luring him back to the antique store to take the fall for Cohen’s murder indicated the man wasn’t stupid either. Smart villains were a pain in the rear. He’d met his share of them during his days as a reporter.

“How did you drag my cousin into your mess anyway?” Eddie interrupted his thoughts, his voice back to being mean.

Vince felt Jade stiffen beside him. He deliberately omitted to mention that Estelle, Jade’s mother, was a suspect in his investigation, and that both Hudson and the person they thought was his employer stopped by Jade’s office to ask for Estelle’s whereabouts. The way he saw it, there were certain things Eddie didn’t need to hear from him.

Vince glanced at Jade. Behind the fatigue, he saw a flicker of apprehension in the depth of her eyes. He returned his attention to Eddie.
 
“I needed an expert opinion on the statue I bought from Cohen. Jade stopped by my hotel to take a look at it.”

“I’ll make more coffee.” Jade gave him a grateful smile and slid off her stool.

Vince watched her for a few minutes, amazed at how well she was taking everything. Most women would be hysterical at being framed for murder. He knew she was scared, though. When he turned, he caught Eddie’s gaze on her too. Her cousin’s expression was grim.

“How did you know about the pictures?” Vince asked, drawing Eddie’s attention away from Jade.

“A friend recognized Jade and called me with the news. Luckily, I was still up. Why haven’t I heard about this missing statue? That kind of news generates a lot of waves.”

Vince shrugged. “We didn’t report it.”

“Why not?” Eddie asked. “We have detectives on art theft detail, not to mention the FBI’s ACT agents to deal with crimes like that.”

Behind him, Vince could tell Jade had stopped moving and was listening to their conversation. “My aunt said the judge insisted on it. I don’t know why, but I have to respect his wishes.”

“Surely not after this.” Eddie jerked his head to indicate Jade’s home. “What judge are you talking about?”

Before Vince could answer him, Jade said, “The judge is Vince’s father. Did he say why he didn’t want the cops involved?” She slid back on her stool, her expression curious.

“No. He tried to kill himself the morning after the statue was stolen. Jumped from the roof of his office building, but somehow managed to survive. He didn’t have a chance to explain anything to anyone or my aunt before he slipped into a coma.”

“Oh, Vince.” Jade reached for his hand and squeezed. “How terrible. Is he going to be all right?”

His chest constricted at her compassion, making him feel like a heel for not stopping by the hospital to visit the judge. On the other hand, his old man never acknowledged his existence and probably wouldn’t want him around now either.

“His vitals are stable. The doctors are optimistic he’ll pull through,” Vince explained.

Jade shook her head in sympathy. “I’m sure he will. He must have been devastated by the theft to attempt suicide.”

Vince’s gaze bounced from Jade to Eddie, who wore a puzzled expression. “From what’s been happening, I’m beginning to doubt the suicide theory. Why would he want to kill himself? He was running for political office when it happened and, from the polls, was quite popular with the voters.”

“Damn,” Eddie interjected. “You’re talking about Honest Abe.”

“Judge Abraham Dixon is your father?” Jade whispered at the same time

Vince found their disbelief irritating. The judge earned his nickname for being hard on deadbeat dads who crossed his dock, yet he couldn’t even admit he had a son. Honest Abe, what a joke.

Vince’s gaze drifted from Jade to Eddie. “For his sake, I hope this won’t leave this room.” His voice came out sharp.

“Of course,” Jade said quickly.

Eddie just nodded.

A brief, tense silence followed. Jade looked at him, a bewildered expression on her face. “Do you know that my mother is a very close friend of your father’s, Vince?”

“Yes.”

“Then how can you believe…,” she stopped in mind-sentence and shook here head. “Your aunt, Della Dixon, is my mother’s sorority sister, a long time friend.”

Jade’s tone told Vince what she was thinking—how could Estelle’s friend accuse her of stealing? He didn’t know what to say to ease Jade’s pain, not with her cousin following their exchange with obvious interest. Maybe if he spoke with her privately.

“Can we talk alone, Jade?”

She shook her head and stood up. “Not now. I need to think. Excuse me.” She hurried toward her bedroom.

Vince let her go, but an oddly painful sensation pierced through him. He’d hurt her, the last thing he wanted. As long as he continued to suspect her mother, he’d continue to hurt her.
  

Eddie cleared his throat. “I’m not going to pretend I understood what that was all about, but it sounds as though you’ve said or done something to hurt my cousin.”

Vince sighed, not bothering to hide his weariness. “I would never do that. Jade and I need to discuss a few things, that’s all. It’s been a long day.” He leaned forward to add, “Listen, man, I know you don’t know me and don’t care about my problems, but I could do with a break here. I need a few days to sort through everything that’s happening. I can’t do that if I report the theft of the statue, or have a warrant hanging over my head.” He searched Eddie’s face, but the cop’s expression didn’t give much away. “All I’m asking for is a couple of days, three tops.”

Eddie gave him a tight smile. “I’d love to cut you some slack, but you’ve landed my cousin in your mess and my family expects me to get her out of it.” Eddie got up. “All I want from you are two things, then you can go on your merry way. One, you come with me to the precinct right now and clear this misunderstanding. I don’t want to see my cousin’s face on the crime board. And two, you stay away from her until you’re done with your investigation.”

Vince ground his teeth as Eddie headed toward Jade’s bedroom. His plan to go back to the Blue Swan and corner Hudson or his partner for information was shot. He couldn’t accomplish much if he explained his actions to a bunch of detectives. Then there was his aunt whom he gave his word to keep everything quiet. Either way, he was screwed unless….

“I can deliver Hudson and his partner,” he said.

The cop stopped walking and turned to face him. “You know where they are?”

“We followed them to a club tonight.” Vince quickly explained about the hotel cleaners. “They’re probably still at the Blue Swan. I know the number plate on the car they’re driving and the model.
 
If I’m not mistaken, they left their prints all over Cohen’s and possibly here. Going after them should keep your people busy, throw them off my track.” When Eddie didn’t speak, just continued to eye him with unblinking stare, Vince lost it. “Come on, man. Give me a break here. I’m giving you a lead on the case.”

“Yes, Eddie. Give us a break.”

Vince turned at Jade’s words. Us?

Eddie scowled, none too pleased by her sudden reappearance.

“He took you to the projects, Jade,” he snarled, his gaze moving to Vince.

“We’ll come in some time next week if you still want us to, Eddie,” Jade said, ignoring her cousin’s incredulous expression. She joined them, but avoided making eye-contact with Vince. “You know Vince is right. Just give your people Hudson and his partner and they’ll be happy to put us in the back burner for a few days.”

Eddie searched her face. “Are you sure you know what you’re getting into?”

“Yes.” She threw Vince an innocent smile that didn’t fool him one little bit. She wanted something. “I promised to help Vince get to the bottom of this case and we can’t work with your people targeting us.”

Vince listened to their exchange with growing amazement. When did she promise to help him? The woman fascinated him. One minute looking sweet and vulnerable, then next a tigress ready to take on the world. What was she up to? She wasn’t doing this just for him. In fact, the way she avoided looking at him indicated she was still pissed.

“There’s probably an APB on Knight’s car,” Eddie said. “It was among the photographs I saw.”
 

“He can leave it here in my garage for a while.” Her eyes found Vince again, daring him to deny her. “You don’t mind, hon, do you?”

She was good. No, more than good. She knew he’d be a fool to reject her help, not when Cousin Eddie was putty in her delicate hands. Shrugging, Vince got up and pulled his keys from his pocket as he walked around to her side. He draped an arm around her shoulders. She stiffened, but he pretended not to notice.

“Absolutely not, babe. Go on ahead. Bring her in and lock her up.” He pressed his car keys in her hand and turned to her cousin. “You think you could give us a ride to my hotel and remove the tire lock on Jade’s car? We’ll need it tonight.”