Once Burned (Task Force Eagle) (17 page)

“Good or bad?” she asked.

“Depends.” He took a long pull on the fizzing drink. “The
team out west tackling the capture of El Águila picked up one of his men who
gave over some info on Hector Vargas.”

She scooted forward. “So why isn’t that good?”

“Seems his real name isn’t Vargas but Johnson. His
mother was a Vargas. He’s a cousin—big family—but that’s all the guy knew.
Apparently he looks as white bread as you and me. Is bilingual with no
Spanish-accented English.”

Lani sighed. “Rats. So much for spotting an obvious
Mexican gun runner. He could be a tourist, a boater, anyone.” From Independence
Day on, tourists crowded the narrow coast roads, armed with cameras, backpacks,
golf clubs, fishing gear, and maps to the historic lighthouses. Too many
people.

“Not a tourist. If Hector Vargas or Johnson, or
whoever the hell he is, is here, he’s been here since spring. Winter weather
was too chancy for gun smuggling. They’ve shipped out at least three boatloads
of weapons and ammo that we know of. Now we’re onto them, the task force
figures they’ll make one more shipment before moving their operation. God knows
where. I have to nail this down before then.”

She nodded. “Did this contact, Donovan, have any more
on the background checks?’

“Some. They eliminate some people and add
complications to others. Gail’s college boyfriend’s old alibi still checks out,
but it doesn’t matter now because he died in a car accident two years ago. Mike
Spear at the marina’s clean as a seagull’s wing. No traffic violations, no
drunken rampages, no hint of anything except being a family man and church
elder. The harbormaster has a pristine employment record, Cape Cod before he
came here. Same story on everyone else he checked on. He’s sending a longer
report by e-mail.”

She hated to ask, but... “What about Kevin?”

“Nothing yet.”

Not sure what that meant, she sipped her soda. “What’s
your next move?”

“Go back over the same people we’ve already checked
out. See if I missed something. Correction, try to see
what
I missed.”
He leaned against the screening and closed his eyes. “After you’ve entered all
our data, maybe you can look everyone over again. You have good instincts.”

“Thank you, Mr. Agent Man, says the apprentice
G-Woman.” She gestured at the screen. “All this data can be helpful, but
finding Gail’s old secret lover has little to do with the kind of stuff a
background check is likely to find, like financial difficulty or jail time or a
substance abuse problem. From how she was acting the night of the fire, he was
more than one of those casual hook-ups with the others. I like local gossip for
leads in this situation.”

“No argument here. But I see one area where the
background checks might come in handy. If our killer has linked up with an
arsonist for hire, we might find their association in what my ATF guy can come
up with.” He shifted on the box and rubbed his thigh. “Granted, nothing so far
hints at criminal connections for anyone. So gossip and old history it is.”

Gesturing at his less than comfy seat, she said, “What
are all these boxes out here? Your grandmother’s belongings?”

He wagged his head. “Some. The rest is from Ma’s
house. Hank and I packed up all the family stuff thinking we’d divvy it up
sometime.”

“Family stuff? Like pictures?”

“Photo albums, sports trophies, framed pictures. Old
music albums, even some old vinyl LPs. Like that. Why?”

“Grace remembered me as a kid after her mind worked on
it awhile. Maybe seeing family albums would jog her synapses. Even listening to
familiar music. Without short-term memory, she might find it easier to talk
about years ago. It might be a way for you to connect with her. And she with
you.”

He smacked himself in the forehead. “The nursing-home
counselor mentioned something to me about that very thing when I first visited
Ma. I was so blown away with how she was, I blanked on it afterward.”

Sporting an elated grin, he set down his soda and
pulled Lani to her feet. “Thank you. When I finish with this last wall, I’ll
dig through the boxes. You can help. And now I can do what I’ve wanted to do
since we arrived at the house.” After planting a searing kiss on her, he went
back to work, whistling.

In peripheral vision, she saw him smiling. He’d put
her off balance with the boat name. Now this. How could she resist this man?
And should she?

Chapter 18

The next evening, Lani accompanied Jake to the
Blueberry Head Resort as Kevin Meagher’s fundraising gala was revving into high
gear. The peninsula’s only resort comprised a sprawling complex of hotel,
conference center, condos, and golf course on a broad projection into the Gulf
of Maine. The oldies sounds of a local combo and the clink of glasses floated
from the ballroom’s open windows.

“Thanks for the ticket,” Lani said.

He slapped his chest. “You don’t object to my paying?
Not too much like a real date?”

She slanted a speaking look his way. He’d hit too
close to the truth. “Doesn’t matter. It’s not a date. We’re investigating.”

“Remember it’s
we
, G-Woman. Don’t disappear by
yourself.”

“I won’t leave your sight,
mi capitán.
”

Attending was essential, even at fifty dollars a
ticket. And even if it meant support for Kevin the Wimp. She hadn’t caught up
to Ava Warren again since the bartender promised to ask around about Gail’s
affairs. Ava would be working the bar and Lani intended to corner her.

“Isn’t this the same place J.T. had a fundraiser way
back when?” Jake asked her as they stepped into the spill of light from the
party.

“Afraid so. Déjà vu all over again.” She heard the
strain in her voice in spite of her flippant words.

He must’ve detected her unease too because he clasped
her hand to stop her. Since the kiss yesterday, he’d kept hands off. Dammit.

“Hey, don’t let being here get to you. You’re safe
with me.”

“I know.” She did. But inside she quaked. What if the
killer tried again tonight? She’d just recovered from the carbon monoxide. “And
most of our suspects are here where we can keep an eye on them.”

“I’ll have my eye on you. Especially the way you look
in that dress.” The appreciation showed in his heated gaze.

The cocktail dress flirted with her knees and dipped
low in the back. The hot-pink silk did look good. Compliments from men always
made her suspicious but he wasn’t paying lip service or lying. His admiration
boosted her confidence.

“Thank you. Nora and I didn’t have much time to shop
today. I hit it lucky in Damariscotta.” She surveyed him, lean and mean in a
dark-blue suit, white shirt, and blue tie. “You look spiffy yourself.”

“My court testifying suit.” He ran an index finger
around inside the shirt collar. “Give me a T-shirt any day. Maybe I should
ditch the ATF, take up carpentry.”

“You’d starve.”

His hearty laugh warmed her. No self-deprecating or
reserved chuckle.

In the last few days he’d let down his guard. And so
had she. But not tonight while they were here and maybe under scrutiny by Gail’s
killer. And maybe Hector Vargas. As if the Mexican gangster had touched her, a
shiver lifted the fine hairs on the back of her neck.

She was ready to go inside, away from the evening
breeze and the yen for Jake’s strong embrace to warm her bare arms. “You ready
to work the room?”

“Let’s do it. Maybe a little booze’ll shake loose some
tongues and some memories.” He turned her to face him, his hands on her elbows.

She wanted to lean in for a kiss, but said, “What?”

“The killer could be at this party. Or Vargas. Or
both.”

“Big shocker. But didn’t you just say I was safe here?”
She eased out of the temporary haven of his arm. Her nerves vibrated like live
wires, but she’d be safe in the crowd. Definitely.

“Safe, yeah, but with me. For what it’s worth.”

She wanted to reassure him but they’d arrived at the
entrance with several other couples, so she merely squeezed his arm. Someday
she’d get him to tell her the full story of what had happened in New Hampshire.

A teenage boy took their tickets and stamped their
hands with a blue smiley face as they entered. From the stage at the far end of
the room, the music segued from “Mack the Knife” to “Free Fallin’.” Was the
band onto something? “Karma Police” would suit her better.

The resort had set up cash bars on both sides of the
room. No Ava at either station.

Before she could mention not seeing her quarry, Nora
and Kevin greeted them, thanking them for coming. Nora looked the gracious
political hostess in her new dress, green with a matching shrug. Kevin, on the
other hand, looked nervous. Sweat beaded his brow and his eyes were glassy.

“Hey, old buddy.” Jake clapped Kevin on the shoulder. “Wouldn’t
miss it. The resort’s food and helping you over the top.”

“Let’s get you two something to drink.” Kevin led Jake
off toward one of the bars.

“You’ll have to excuse Kev,” Nora said. “He’s on edge
about tonight.”

“I can’t imagine why,” Lani replied. Excusing Kevin
for anything, forcing any words remotely nice through her teeth ate acid into
the enamel, although what she felt for him now resembled reluctant tolerance
rather than anger. Fine with her if he couldn’t wait to escape her presence. “Just
look at all the people who’ve forked over fifty dollars.”

Nora pruned her mouth. “I hope it’s enough. Money’s an
issue. His dad can pull only so many strings.”

Lani had other matters on her mind. Not Kevin’s
success in politics. “I need to talk to Ava Warren. I heard she was working
here on her night off from the Wheelhouse.”

“I haven’t seen her.” Nora tugged Lani into a corner. “Have
you heard what she’s been saying?”

That got Lani’s attention. “No, but I’m listening.”

“She bragged at the bar about knowing the identity of
the other man in your sister’s life.”

Lani gasped, her pulse racing. What was Ava up to? A
ploy to get money from her and Jake—or someone else—or were her claims only hot
air stemming from jealousy? But maybe Lani was stampeding to conclusions. “What
exactly do you mean?”

Nora leaned closer. “She claims to know who Gail saw
after Jake left that night.”

*****

Jake ordered a white wine for Lani and a club soda for
himself. He edged to the side of the bar so he could keep an eye on her. She
still stood talking with Nora but with her hands firmly planted on her hips and
that tongue-on-teeth thoughtful expression. Agitated.

He turned back to pay for his drinks in time to see
Kevin knock back a shot of whiskey. Judging from his friend’s bleary eyes, he’d
hoisted a few already.

“Take it easy, man,” he said. “You have a speech to
give later.”

Kevin set down the shot glass and ordered a wine for
Nora. He glanced toward J.T., who held court in the middle of a crowd. “Don’t
you
start on me. I’ve spit out this speech so many times I’m a robot recording.” He
pushed an imaginary button on his chest.

Chalk up Kevin’s anxiety to his dad’s presence. Jake
had other issues to deal with. He surveyed the room but caught no one paying
him or Lani any undue attention.

He leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. “I have
more to ask you about Gail.”

The other man held up a hand in protest. “Hey, man, I
told you all I know.”

“Maybe. You said she’d slept around. You didn’t say
where you stood in that lineup.”

“
Me?
” Kevin shook his head hard enough to
rattle his brain. His fleshy cheeks reddened. “No way. I didn’t touch Gail. She
was yours. I don’t poach on my friends.” But he wouldn’t hold Jake’s gaze.
Dammit, he was lying.

Even if by remote possibility Kevin hadn’t poached,
Jake couldn’t count him blameless. A slow boil worked its way up from his gut
to his throat. “Apparently others
were
—poaching, I mean—and you didn’t
tell me.”

His old buddy hiked a shoulder in defense and picked
up his wife’s white wine. “I figured you knew. Or maybe you didn’t want to
know.”

Lame. And cowardly.
“And no one said anything
when Gail was killed? Afraid for yourself? Afraid saying anything would
implicate you?”

When Kevin sweated more and didn’t reply, Jake had to
force himself not to let the roiling inside him explode into physical violence.
He jabbed a finger in his
former
friend’s chest, backing him up. “Or did
you think I was guilty, that I’d found out and killed her?”

“No, I never—”

“Forget the protest, man. Did you expect I’d be
grateful you didn’t rat me out? And I don’t believe your damn denial about
Gail. Not that it matters now.”

A few people seemed to notice their raised voices. He
didn’t give a damn who listened. Leaving Kevin mopping splashes of Nora’s wine
from his shirt, Jake picked up his drink order and stalked off through the
crowd. He needed to get to Lani.

Except she wasn’t where he’d left her.

“Chill out, bro. She’s over there by the other bar.”

Jake wheeled on the source of the restraining voice. “What
the hell are
you
doing here?”

Hank held up his beer as a shield. His expression was
serious except for the glint in his eyes. “Don’t dump your fury on me. I’m on
your side.”

Buoyed by his brother’s support, Jake dipped his head
and hauled in a breath to clear his brain. “I’d slug you or hug you but my
hands are full.” He indicated the drinks.

“No prob. I can’t stay. Sure don’t care to hang around
long enough to be subjected to Meagher’s tarnished-gold words.”

Jake spotted Lani on the other side of the room with
Steve Quimby. She had to angle her gaze toward the rafters to converse with
him. Her brow was furrowed in irritation, and Steve looked ready to bolt. No
memory still, none he’d admit to, Jake bet.

Although he wanted to cross to Lani, he made an effort
to carry on a normal conversation. “Nicole with you?”

Hank shook his head. “She had a company party. Zack’s
with Uncle Paul and Aunt Beth. I’ll stay with them in Thomaston tonight.”

Jake knew there had to be more to the story. The
couple’s troubles over Nicole’s disinterest in child raising seemed to have
escalated. “You and Nicole okay?”

Hank made a throat-clearing sound. “Yeah, fine. Just
fine. No worries here.” But his words didn’t ring with confidence.

His brother wasn’t a Meagher fan any more than he was
these days. “You didn’t come to support Kevin.”

Hank smiled. “Stopped to see Ma earlier. Marina
customer gave me the ticket to this shindig. I came because I figured you’d be
here. Wanted to see how you were holding up. No news?”

“Nothing helpful.” Jake took a drink of his soda and
turned to observe J.T.’s entourage. Kevin was glad-handing some fat-cat donors
under his father’s watchful—and critical—eye. “Waiting for info on Steve and
our next U.S. Representative.”

Hank snorted. “I’ve been observing Kevin since you
guys were kids. He has a hot temper but not the brains to cover up a murder or
keep it quiet this long. If he manages to get elected, he’ll be a one-termer.
For the arson-murder, my bet’s on Steve.”

*****

“I told you all I can,” Steve said, shaking his head.

Lani could only watch as the tall man stalked toward
the stage area, where people were gyrating to “All I Wanna Do.” All
he
wanted
to do was escape
.
A big fat waste of her time and temper control.

She turned to see Jake weaving his way through the
crowd toward her. Steely command in his jaw and shoulders, he looked
determined.

“You were supposed to stay put.” He handed her the
wine.

She smiled sweetly. “I’m fine, as you can see.”

The identity of the other man with him eluded her at
first. A little taller and a little older than Jake, dark-blond hair. When he
ambled closer, she saw the Wescott sky-blue eyes.

Jake’s brother was six years her senior, older enough
he’d no longer lived at home when she and Gail were teenagers. She’d seen him
only a few times during her summers in Dragon Harbor.

“Hank,” she said, “I haven’t seen you since forever.”

After shaking his hand, she felt Jake step to her
side. She felt more secure with him near. He wasn’t touching her, but she could
feel the heat of his body, smell the lime of his aftershave.

Hank grinned and searched above as if his memory was
hanging from the glittering chandelier. “Probably not since I was about
seventeen. You announced at the annual dock party my alternative rock band sounded
like instruments falling downstairs.”

As if on cue, the band eased into lower decibels with
a Sugar Ray ballad.

Jake sputtered into his soda. When he recovered, he
said, “Good thing someone told the truth. Honey, you saved the whole family
from loss of hearing.”

She took a sip of wine and offered a smile. “I call ‘em
as I see ‘em—or hear ‘em, in that case. Jake, looks like Kevin got some
straight talk from you just now.”

He rubbed his nape and worked his shoulders. “He
denies being one of Gail’s conquests. I’ll tell you the rest later. You find
Ava?”

“She’s not here. The caterer said she never showed up
for work tonight. He’s pissed as hell. But I did learn something interesting
from Nora.” She explained Ava’s boasting.

“Hope the woman told the cops or the fire investigator
what she knows.”

“
If
she knows anything,” she said. “I have my
doubts.”

“Either way, mouthing off like that’s risky,” Jake
added. “What about Steve?”

She shrugged in resignation. “I wormed no more out of
him than you did the other day. Just made him more defensive.”

“No sweat, you two,” Hank said. “I have a feeling your
background checks will help someone stand out.”

“Well, no one’s standing out at the moment.” Lani
waved a hand carelessly at the crowd.

The music stopped and a smattering of applause broke
out. The county head of the political party stepped to the microphone. Time for
Kevin’s speech. Lani wrinkled her nose before schooling her features to
neutral.

She stilled as her gaze landed on someone unexpected.
Fortyish, bland looking, complexion rubescent from the sun or from drink.