Surrender (6 page)

  Chapter Seven

Brett returned to his seat next to Lauren without a word. His instincts were right.
How the hell do I tell Lauren her father is the missing link and wants her dead?
Brett hoped she would sleep. He needed to come up with a plan before they landed.

Brett messaged Rick to dig deep into Charles Vanderholm and his financial records. He informed him that Charles was the missing link. Brett knew they were not headed for a safe place and asked Rick to place a track on his phone.
He knew he could trust Rick. That thought made him think of Kevin. Kevin had been his only contact outside of the drug world for three years. Their brief but few chats kept Brett going. Kevin was not only his superior but also a trusted friend. Brett had no choice but to leave Kevin in that warehouse. He couldn’t risk blowing this case. He had given up his life to bring down Nick Mendez and his New York operations.

How the hell is a father capable of ordering his own daughter’s death?
He rubbed his hand across his jaw. His father had been obsessed with the family business and had never forgiven Brett for his choices but he knew his father couldn’t put out a hit on his own child. Beyond frustrated, his fist hit the table in front of him. He looked up to find Charles beside him with a stern look on his face.

“What’s wrong?”

“You tell me Mr. Vanderholm,” Brett said, in an accusing tone.

Lauren stirred from her sleep.

“Tell you what, Agent?”

“Why you ordered your daughter’s death?” Brett drew his gun.

Lauren jumped from her seat.

“Brett, have you lost your mind?”

She went to move toward her father, but Brett held her back.

“Well, Mr. Vanderholm, are you going to explain why you just made a phone call to Nick Mendez informing him of Lauren’s whereabouts and that you demand he finish the job?”

Brett’s tone grew louder with each word as he demanded answers.

Lauren looked confused. She glanced back and forth between her father and Brett.

Charles calmly took a seat. He appeared completely relaxed as though he’d done nothing wrong.

“Agent Donovan, I have no contact with this Nick Mendez. I only know the name because my daughter told me this was the man connected to John’s death and the attempts on her life. It is extremely rude to listen to another’s conversation. You have assumed without asking who I spoke to in my private office.”

He sat back and continued with confidence.

“If you must know, I was on the phone with my lawyer. I always inform him of any potential threat to the family business or name. And for finishing a job that was regular business talk. Business must continue even under circumstances such as this.”

Charles did not flinch. The tone of his voice remained confident, yet Brett was trained to detect lies. This time he was certain Charles was covering his ass. He looked back at Lauren.

“Yes, my father’s lawyer’s name is Nick. Satisfied?”

There was anger in Lauren’s eyes as she pushed past Brett to join her father. He knew he had to regain her trust in order to protect her. At the moment it was his word against her father’s. Brett knew what he had heard and Charles’s exact words.

Brett took a quick breath and held out his hand. “I’m sorry Mr. Vanderholm. My assignment is to protect your daughter at all costs.”

Charles stood and shook Brett’s extended hand.

“I respect a man with integrity. We’re on the same side. We both want Lauren safe.”

Charles gave his daughter a barely-there hug and announced his return to his office until they landed.

“May I ask where we are going, sir?”

Charles turned with a solemn look.

“Our summer home in The Hamptons; enjoy the light lunch provided by the staff. We land in a half-hour.”

Without another word, Charles retreated to his office. Brett had to come up with a plan. His only help was Rick. Lauren kept to the opposite side of the plane without a word to Brett. He knew damn well she was pissed at him for the accusation. Brett messaged Rick their destination and a request for back-up.

A limo waited for them on the airstrip. Lauren walked with her father. Brett followed. An uneasy feeling stirred in his gut. No one spoke on the short ride to the summer estate in East Hampton. Brett took note of the quiet neighborhood. Though they arrived late at night Brett still assumed it to be quiet during daylight hours. Most homes here were only used in the summer months. Brett wondered if this was the reason Charles chose the summer home. The silence in the limo broke when they stopped in front of an elegant estate.

“I’m sorry Lauren, but there will be no staff at the home. The earliest I could arrange for staff is tomorrow afternoon.”

“Will you be staying?” Lauren asked her father.

“No. I have business in New York I must attend to. I’m sure Agent Donovan will protect you.”

Brett heard a touch of sarcasm in Charles’s tone. His gut told him that Charles didn’t even care if his daughter would be protected. Charles remained in the limo. Lauren waved good-bye to her father and walked toward the front door. Brett made eye contact with Charles but didn’t speak, then stepped out of the car and closed the limo door.
What a cold man
.
He followed Lauren. He hoped Rick found proof of the connection between Charles and the Mendez family. Then he had to convince Lauren and get her away from the home where she felt safe.

Brett walked into money. He thought
his
family had left him a substantial inheritance. He stood in amazement. His sports bag dropped to the floor. Lauren stopped before she climbed the staircase and turned.

“A little overwhelming at first but it’s a beautiful home. I desperately need a long soak in the tub. Make yourself at home.”

Her tone remained cold. His job to convince her of her father’s involvement with the Mendez family would be difficult. Brett grabbed the piece of paper from his pocket. Charles handed him the alarm codes before he left the limo. After he set the alarm he picked up his bag and began his search for a drink.

****

Lauren turned on the water and lit a few candles. She removed the clothes from the second-hand store and tossed them in the laundry hamper. She wondered if she should burn them. Then she looked at the shoes she’d just taken off. Never in her lifetime did she think she’d wear flip-flops. But Brett was right about their comfort. That thought only made her think of Brett and the past couple of days with him. The one heated night they shared. Then she remembered his accusation that her father wanted her dead. Lauren stepped into her bath and sunk into the bubbles. The warm water surrounded her body and began to relax. Her eyes closed. She thought of Brett and their night in that run-down motel. Then she remembered her guilt afterward. She should be mourning her husband not crawling into bed with a stranger. So much confusion raced through her thoughts. Her sadness for the loss of her husband, her feelings for Brett she tried hard to deny and the fear for her life.

The water cooled and the bubbles dissolved. Still confused, Lauren stepped out and reached for her robe. She sat at her dressing table and brushed her hair. She swept it up into a French-twist and applied a touch of make-up. Lauren dressed in black silk top and matching silk shorts. She wanted to crawl into bed and hide under the blanket like she did as a child when she’d just had a nightmare. Her stomach told her not to. She slept on the jet and missed the food prepared for her. She knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep anyway so she decided to head to the kitchen. She took the west wing staircase at the end of the hallway that led straight into the kitchen. She hoped she didn’t run into Brett. She wasn’t ready to talk to him.

“How was your soak in the tub?” Brett asked as she entered the kitchen.

Damn! Why didn’t I just crawl into bed?
“Fine,” Lauren answered quickly.

She knew the one-word-answer seemed cold. She sighed heavily.

“Sorry. I don’t mean to sound rude. I’m just tired, scared and angry.”

“You have every right to feel that way, Lauren. There’s a hit out for you and I’ve accused your father of being involved.”

Brett dipped the spoon he held into the sauce. He stepped closer to her.

“This may help. Honestly, I am one hell of a chef. One that has promised to feed you a couple of times now.”

He smiled. The smell drifted into her senses and drove her stomach wild. She took the offering and smiled. The taste aroused her senses and she forgot her recent thoughts.

“I take that as a yes?” Brett inquired.

“Perfect. I’m starving.”

Brett poured her a glass of wine and escorted her to the table.

“Your dinner will be served momentarily.”

Lauren appeased her hunger with a few bites before she broke the silence.

“Brett?” Her tone called out question time.

He set his fork down and looked up.

“Yes.”

“What makes you think my father is involved? I know he’s not the loving devoted father, but I’m sure he wouldn’t want me dead. That’s just absurd.”

Brett sighed. “I know what I heard outside his door. I can recite the exact words to you. If you still believe he was speaking with his lawyer, then maybe I’m wrong. Still. I’m waiting for Rick to get back to me with information to prove it.”

“What were his exact words?” Lauren asked him.

She needed to know. She thought her father loved her but she knew business always came first. Brett reached for her hand. His thumb rubbed the top of it as he looked into her eyes and conveyed what he heard, word-for-word. Lauren gasped. She pulled her hand from Brett’s and stood. She walked into the sitting area off the kitchen and collapsed into the leather chair in front of the fireplace.

Brett followed her.

“I’m sorry Lauren. I played along with your father’s version of the phone call he supposedly had with his lawyer. I want him to think I believe him. We’re not safe here.”

He knelt down before her.

Her eyes filled with tears of sadness but mostly of fear.

“Do you really believe my father wants to have me killed?”

Brett nodded. She didn’t want to believe her father was capable of this. She trusted him.

“He wants me dead for the sake of his business, his name?”

“I’m afraid so Lauren.”

“He had my husband killed?” Lauren asked Brett through tears.

“I believe John wanted out. One doesn’t walk away from Mendez business. You’re just part of the cleanup in case John told you anything.” Brett wiped her tears with his thumbs.

“And how is my father involved?”

“From what I overheard, I now believe your father is the missing link. I’ve tried to uncover the Mendez connection to who laundered the drug money. John’s warehouse may have been used the past few years to move drugs but there had to be somebody with enough power and money to hide the funds in an overseas account. Rick is going to search your father’s accounts. Then we will have our proof. For now I need you to continue to play along. Should your father call you, you need to talk to him as if I’ve told you none of this. Can you do this for me Lauren?”

Lauren sat quietly and tried to absorb what Brett just told her. She nodded. She knew she had no other choice. She believed Brett would protect her and keep her from harm. She knew her father would never call anyway.

“I know it’s a lot to digest Lauren. Trust me. I will keep you safe.” Brett’s hand touched her cheek softly.

Lauren looked into his eyes. She hoped he’d keep her safe. At this point she wasn’t sure who to trust.

“I’m scared. Will you stay with me in my room? I don’t want to be alone in this big house.” Lauren asked.

Brett nodded and took her hand. He grabbed his phone and gun from the table on their way through the kitchen.

  Chapter Eight

“You’re wearing the flip-flops?” Brett laughed as he followed Lauren up the stairs. A slight chuckle came with her answer which pleased him. Through all the horrific news and experiences the past few days, he smiled.

“You are right. They are comfortable.”

Lauren stopped at the top of the staircase. “Brett, am I going to die?”

The fear in her eyes ripped at his heart. He swallowed hard.

“Not with me around. May I ask one favor of you?”

“Anything”

The desperation in her tone only convinced him he needed to remain focused.

“Could you put on something more…uh…less appealing?” He stumbled with the last couple of words then laughed.

She looked down at her silk camisole and shorts and then laughed.

“Sorry. I’ll throw on some sweats. They’ll go great with the flip-flops.”

Brett laughed through a thank you.

She continued on into her bedroom and to her bathroom.

“We still haven’t talked about that night in the motel.”

Lauren called out from behind the bathroom door.

He didn’t answer.

She opened the door and stood in sweats as she promised.

“Better?” she asked.

Even in sweats, his heart raced. It didn’t seem to make any difference to him. He still wanted her. He’d ignored her comment about the other night but it had never left his thoughts. Brett smiled.

“Not really.”

Lauren said nothing. She moved closer to him and removed the sweats. She stood a mere two inches away from him, totally naked.

“Is this better?” she whispered.

His tongue moved across his bottom lip. He felt his jeans tighten.