Red Handed(68)

She unclasped her necklace and clutched the locket in her hand. The tip of the key shaped locket fit perfectly into the lock of the box. She heard a click and flipped open the top. Inside was a folded document. She took it out, unfolded it, and read. Just as Rinaldi and Cole had said, her father had left fifty million dollars for her.

Blood money.

She didn’t want it. Then again, she doubted her father actually intended for her to keep it. This was an insurance policy. Too bad it had expired the moment she’d turned twenty-five.

She looked at Agent Miller. “Now what?”

“How are you supposed to contact Rinaldi?” he asked.

“I’m supposed to call him.”

The agent pulled a phone from his pocket. “What’s your cell number?” As she gave it to him, he punched the numbers into his phone. “I’ve programmed my cell to make it look like it’s coming from your phone.” He handed his cell to her. “Call him.”

Cole soothingly rubbed the back of her neck as she dialed. After one ring, Rinaldi answered. “You have it?”

“I do.” Trembling, she read off the account number.

“Now inside your locket is the password,” Rinaldi informed her. “What is it?”

She didn’t have to open the locket to check. She knew the inscription by heart. It was her parents’ names and anniversary. “James and Jessica 2-21-85.” She grabbed Cole’s hand. “When will you release Tasha?”

“As soon as I’ve got the money safely in my account. See you soon, Danielle,” Rinaldi said in a way that made it sound like a threat.

When the call went dead, she returned the phone to Agent Miller. Her body began shaking violently, and her legs buckled. Cole caught her before she hit the floor, swept her up into his arms as if she weighed nothing, and carried her back to the couch. Once settled, she took a few steadying breaths and addressed Agent Miller. “Now what do I do?”

“We’ll try and trace the wire,” he said. “Unfortunately, there are procedures we have to follow. Because it’s overseas, it’s a time-consuming process, but we’ll do our best. We want to nail him just as much as you. I’ll swing by tomorrow and get you wired. You don’t want to make it too easy for him to nab you, but this place is like Fort Knox.”

Logan whispered something to Adrian, then got up from the couch and nodded once to Cole before walking out the door.

“Tomorrow night, Danielle and I have an invitation to meet friends for drinks,” Gracie said. “It would get her out in the open, but we could have Adrian come so it appears as though he’s watching out for us. Would that work?”

That’s right. She’d forgotten Kate had issued her an invitation.

Sitting beside her, Cole turned her to face him and caressed her cheek. “Danielle, we’ll find another way—”

“You heard Agent Miller.” She took Cole’s hand and interlaced their fingers. “They’ve already tried and failed. If there’s any chance that Tasha is alive, I have to do this.”





Chapter Twenty-Six


AFTER GRACIE AND Adrian left with Agent Miller, Danielle rested her head on Cole’s shoulder. She curled her hand around his thick biceps, marveling at the steely strength beneath his satiny skin. “Why do you have all those pictures of me?”

He brushed his hand down her hair, re-creating the intimacy she’d worried she’d lost earlier tonight by drugging him. “When your father died, I took it upon myself to hire someone to watch over you. If they got to him, what would keep them from coming after you? My only hope was they had no idea where the money had gone or who had access to it.” He kissed the top of her head. “But that has nothing to do with why I kept the photos or why I spent hours staring at them.”

She looked up at him, her lips parting in invitation. “Why, Cole?”

He swept her up into his lap and grasped the nape of her neck. “Because I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you on the stairs of your home all those years ago when you were seventeen. I kept your photos because it was the only way I could have a piece of you.” Sadness shone from his eyes. “I understand if you never forgive me for getting your father mixed up with Rinaldi.”

They’d both carried their burdens alone. It was time for forgiveness.

“It wasn’t your fault,” she said. “I’ve wasted years blaming you and, at the same time, hating myself for wanting you.” She shifted to wrap her thighs around his hips.

She was done with the guilt. Done with the tears.

Right now, she didn’t want to worry about tomorrow. She wanted to escape for a few more hours and live in the fantasy world where everything would work out. She wanted to believe her stepmother was alive, Rinaldi would go to prison, and she and Cole would live happily ever after.