A Taste of Tragedy (31 page)

Devyn wanted to go with Nick to pick up Morgan, but she could sense this was something he needed to do alone. Besides, she didn’t know if he was mad and blaming her for Morgan’s abduction. It was her fault. There was no denying it.

She had also promised Tanner she’d help him scale down the building-to-building search and finish going through the security footage at the hospital. She needed to check in with the crime scene investigation unit to see if they found anything interesting in Aaron’s hospital room, continue the search for Candace, and call Conroy and give him a briefing.

“How are you holding up?” Tanner asked as he and Devyn drove back to the hospital.

“Now that Morgan has been found alive, the adrenaline is subsiding and the pain is returning in spades,” Devyn replied. “And I don’t know if Nick will forgive me for letting Morgan out of the house.”

“Maybe we can get the hospital to give you something for the pain. As far as Nick is concerned, normally, he’s a forgiving guy, but this is Morgan we’re talking about here, so your guess is as good as mine.”

“I’m already on so many pain meds that it’s probably a good thing you’re driving, not me. In fact, I wouldn’t hold it against you if you wanted to confiscate my gun until morning.”

Bob chuckled. Devyn had a reputation of bulldozing her way through assignments, poaching on other agent’s territory, and telling other agents just what she thought of their abilities. But she also had a track record of getting the job done, which was probably what bothered most of the male agents the most. That, along with the fact that she wouldn’t give any of them the time of day on a personal level, hadn’t endeared her to her colleagues. If she dated, she had kept it out of the office.

“Glad you’re enjoying my misery,” Devyn mumbled as she leaned her head back against the rest and closed her eyes.

“Not at all. Actually you’ve taken all the fun out of tormenting you.”

“Sorry to ruin the party.”

“So, is Nick tougher than most or are you mellowing in your old age? You’ve only told me a couple times in the past twenty-four hours how to do my job.”

“If I didn’t feel so darn old right now, I’d punch you for that comment. Honestly, though, probably a little of both. Conroy said if I run Nick off I’m relegated to solo desk duty.”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm, what?”

“Devyn mellowing? Never thought I’d see that day. Could there possibly be a man in your life?”

Devyn opened one eye and focused it on Bob. “You just earned a rain check on that punch, and if you heard that from Nick, he gets one too.”

Bob smiled and shook his head. She’d practically admitted she had a man in her life. No one they’d ever worked with was going to believe him, and he had every intention of telling them all at the first opportunity he got.

“What are you smiling about?”

“A man in Devyn’s life—I would have been less floored if you would have told me you were from another planet.”

Devyn ignored the comment and closed her eye. She didn’t even waste her time begging him to keep his assumption to himself. There was no faster way to spread personal gossip than to let Bob Tanner know. She wondered if word would get back to the office before she did.

Gage, you better not be stringing me along, or I’m going to look like a real fool.

Nick kept the speedometer pegged at eighty-five all the way. He hoped he didn’t encounter any highway patrol because he didn’t have the patience to stop and explain. All he wanted to do was get to Morgan and verify for himself that she was okay. She didn’t sound good on the phone.

He took the exit as fast as he dared and swung the rental car into the parking lot of the truck stop in front of the diner. He slammed the car into park and bolted out the door. He strode into the diner, his eyes scanning the place.

A trucker at the corner table looked up as he entered. Their eyes met, and he knew by the serious expression and concern on the man’s face that this was Fred Simms. The woman with her back to him had to be Morgan.

The trucker nodded to the woman and she rose slowly from her chair, turning to face him. She smiled, and his heart clenched. Nick closed the distance and pulled her into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him in return and held on tight.

“Thank God, you’re okay,” he whispered into her ear. “I couldn’t have survived if anything had happened to you.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but I’m way behind schedule.”

“Thanks for everything,” Nick said as he extended his hand to Fred. “We won’t keep you any longer.”

Fred shook Nick’s hand but hesitated. Nick pulled out his wallet, thinking Fred expected something for his trouble, and for being put behind schedule for delivering his load.

“No money,” Fred stated as he realized Nick’s intent. “After everything this lady has been through, I’d just feel better leaving her here with you if you could, um, prove you’re really FBI.”

Nick smiled and showed the trucker his badge.

Fred studied it for a minute. “Best of luck to you, Morgan. And you, Agent
Melonis
, need to take better care of this woman.”

The comment struck Nick hard in the gut. The realization that Morgan had been in the grasp of a killer terrified him. Nick slid the glasses off of Morgan’s face and ran a finger gently down her cheek. “How could anyone do this to you? Why?”

“When I accused Candace of killing Aaron, she didn’t react like I had expected. I saw pain in her expression, right before she caused me a great deal of physical pain.”

If Morgan was correct, there was a connection. Even though Aaron was dead, maybe that connection could lead him and Devyn to Candace.

He pushed the case and the woman from his mind and focused on Morgan. “Do we need to get you to a hospital? Where do you hurt?”

“Most of the pain is in my jaw and eye. My wrists are raw, and I have a few body aches and pains from where I hit the concrete, but I’ll be fine.”

Nick’s eyes gazed down at her. His lips descended to hers. Her immediate response and passion fueled his sense of urgency and desperation to make up for lost time. He hoped she could feel the love he held for her and never lost, and he didn’t care if everyone in the diner watched.

“I was so scared,” he whispered in her ear when the kiss finally ended.

 
“Let’s go home,” Morgan said as she slowly regained her senses, took his hand and led him out the door into the sunshine.

On the way back to Phoenix, Nick explained what they knew about Candace Rogers, a.k.a. Janice Green. He could tell Morgan was a little shaken to learn that she had been at the mercy of this deadly woman. For some reason, Candace had chosen to spare her life and he was grateful, but he was even more committed than ever to bringing Coterie’s members to justice.

“I realize this isn’t the best time to bring this up,” Morgan said, “but I’ve been given another chance at life and I want you to know how I feel before I chicken out. When you don’t know if you’ll live to see another sunrise, a person tends to really look at their life and reassess their priorities. I don’t want any regrets.”

“I know,” Nick said as he reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’m tired of regrets.”

Morgan smiled. “It’s not just what happened today. I’ve been doing a lot of soul searching ever since I moved here. I thought about what’s truly important in life, and had already begun readjusting my priorities.”

“And where in your list of priorities do I fall?”

“Solely and firmly at the top. I don’t know what I was thinking. I had this inexplicable drive to succeed. I wanted to make my family proud. I finally realized that except for a few aunts, uncles, and cousins, you were my only family, and I pushed you away.”

“I should have pushed back even harder. You’ve always been worth fighting for. I was just too proud to show you.”

“So does this mean you’ll give us another chance?”

“I’ll turn in my resignation right now if we can try,” Nick stated as he pulled out his phone.

Morgan smiled, her eyes brimming with tears. “No, this time we try things your way. I wanted everything my way and look where it got us—two miserable, lonely people full of regrets. I never stopped loving you, Nick.”

The cell phone, still in Nick’s hand, vibrated. “Sorry, I
gotta
get this.”

“I know.” Morgan smiled.

“Devyn, this better be important.”

Nick listened as Devyn explained that the highway patrol had found Morgan’s abandoned car, and they had no idea where Candace had gone from there. They would keep looking, but didn’t sound too optimistic.

“I can’t believe she slipped through our fingers again. We definitely know a lot more about Coterie than we did a week ago, learned the truth about Dexter Fowler’s death, and ferreted out that weasel of a mole in Sacramento, thanks to Morgan calling her ex, but we’re no closer to bringing this sick group down,” Devyn ranted.

Nick heard and shared Devyn’s frustration. They had to figure out who Candace Rogers and Coterie really were before they struck again, but how? Five, possibly more, horrific crimes had been committed in scattered areas across the country, with only a fine thread connecting them all.

He and Devyn had been looking at pharmaceutical and nutritional research and development companies until Morgan called. Now, it seemed like any industry with a tenuous link to weight loss or even health and fitness could be involved or the next target.

“What’s your plan? I imagine Bob and the
Phoenix
field office want us to get out of their backyard and let them do their jobs.”

“If you’d bring my bag from Morgan’s guest room, I’ll catch a flight out tonight. Bob doesn’t need anything else from us, and eagerly offered to help me make flight arrangements and drive me to the airport. We’ve struck a bit of a truce. I think he feels sorry for me, and I don’t want to blow it by overstaying my welcome. I’ll deny this if you bring it up at work, but I’m getting too old for this. I hurt in places I didn’t know possible. I probably do need to see another doctor and I’d rather see my own. Besides, I hate to push my luck with Conroy. He’s losing his patience with me always stepping on jurisdictional toes.”

“Will do. Take care of those injuries and I’ll see you in a few days as soon as I tie up a few things here.”

“With Agent Bob or Morgan?”

“Both.”

“Well, tell Morgan thanks for the hospitality and the wardrobe loan. I’ll return everything or pay her back. And don’t be a schmuck. Bury your pride and do whatever it takes to get her back. I’m tired of watching you pretend to be interested in women at work when clearly you were still pining away for her.”

“I’ll take that advice since you’re such an expert on relationships.”

“Very funny. I’d laugh but my ribs hurt too much. Goodbye.”

Nick ended the call and stowed the phone in his pocket. He reached over and took Morgan’s hand. “Where do we go from here?”

“While you tie things up with Agent Tanner, I’ll get a hold of my realtor and list my duplex and pack enough things to get by in
Salt
Lake
until we can make a trip back for the rest. We can’t make this work long distance, and I don’t want to be without you ever again. Besides, I’m unemployed at the moment anyway.”

Nick couldn’t believe the change in Morgan. It was everything he dreamed of, but more than he ever expected. “Are you sure?
Salt
Lake
isn’t as big of a city as you’re used to. I’m sure you can find a job, but I doubt it will pay what you’re accustomed to earning.”

“I’ve never been surer about anything in my life. Our relationship is my number one priority. I haven’t decided if I’ll ever go back to work. If you’re okay with it, I’d like to paint.”

“I didn’t know you painted.”

“It was just another one of those things I loved when I was younger that I gave up because it wasn’t practical, didn’t fit into the family tradition of business success.”

“What about the place in Sedona?”

“I hope you’ll want to keep it so we can build our own family memories there.” Morgan leaned over and placed a kiss on his cheek. “I hope I didn’t hit you with too much too fast, but I don’t want to squander our second chance or waste any more time apart,” she whispered in his ear.

“Nor do I,” Nick replied as he exited the interstate, anxious to get home and show Morgan just how much he missed her.

Sofia arrived back in D.C. very late—or early, depending on which day she used for a reference point. She was exhausted, having only gotten four hours of sleep, but she needed to go to the office. She had left her foundation unattended far too much as of late. Thankfully, Justine was dedicated and kept things running smoothly in her absence.

Sitting on her condo balcony, sipping a cup of espresso, she thought back over the last twenty-four hours. Her two-hour flight with Max from
Arizona
to
Texas
was miserable. They barely spoke to each other while in the air. When they touched down at a remote private airstrip, they found J.R. waiting as promised. Max and J.R. exchanged a few words, and then the little plane left.

J.R. told her how much he appreciated her sacrifices for the common good, but he never touched her. She was confused, if not a bit disappointed. Losing Aaron had pained her, and she could have used a little consoling human contact.

The mastermind behind Coterie had lured her into the fold and had convinced her she was special. She had tried to keep their interactions professional. Despite her best efforts to avoid it, she feared she had fallen in love with him. Now, she wasn’t sure what she felt. He had to know how much it hurt her to silence Aaron. How could he have any feelings for her while expecting her to give so much of herself?

They had driven for several hours to where J.R.’s private jet waited. They talked about what had happened in
Phoenix
and what further damage control might be needed. When they reached the airstrip, he gave her a brotherly peck on the check and left, claiming he had business to attend to in
Texas
. She got on the plane, and he walked away.

The flight home gave her too much time to think, and rest eluded her. When the plane finally landed, a car was waiting to drive her home. She had yet to hear from J.R.

She hoped they could all lay low for a while, at least until the dust settled in
Arizona
. Even if they had to let a few opportunities pass by that they would otherwise manipulate, it seemed the most prudent action under the circumstances.

Unfortunately, she did have one more situation to monitor in the furtherance of their mission. She wasn’t so sure
whose
mission it was anymore. Sure, she benefitted financially, but she noticed that she was doing the bulk of the dirty work lately.

Keeping the senator in line used to be easy, and she enjoyed watching him squirm, but their last conversation left her with an uncomfortable feeling. Things were unraveling, and she wasn’t sure what to do to stop it. She had hoped not to play her ace-in-the-hole yet, but his actions might force her hand.

One decision she had reached on the flight from
Texas
to D.C. was that she had to solidify an exit strategy. She hated to lose the business she had built, but getting caught or getting killed were even worse options. She had already funneled a substantial amount of money into offshore accounts, but she would skim off even more in case she needed to disappear for good and maintain the lifestyle she had come to expect. J.R. had always taken care of new identities and travel documents for her, but she needed to have several sets of documentations he didn’t know about.

Sofia
parked her car in the public garage near her building. Memories of the time Aaron tried to mug her flashed through her mind and made her smile. They had been through a lot together since then, and she would miss him. She should have fought harder for him when J.R. insisted Preston needed him in
Phoenix
. If she hadn’t let him go, he might still be alive.

She shook off the memories and put on her poker face. She couldn’t let on to anyone that she was troubled, or the well-intentioned Justine would want to talk about it.
Sofia
pasted a smile on her face and rounded the corner. She stopped abruptly.

“Who are you and where is Justine?” she demanded of the man sitting behind Justine’s desk.

“Ms. Wilks, I’m your new assistant, Trevor Montoya,” the young man said as he stood and extended his hand.

“Where is Justine?”
Sofia
’s body trembled with a mixture of anger and fear.

Trevor lowered his hand and cleared his throat. “She’s moved on, and since I had just finished a project for J.R., he thought it would be a nice solution.”

“How did J.R. know Justine was gone?”

“I don’t know.”

“Let’s talk in my office.”
Sofia
kept Trevor within her field of vision as he followed her into her office and closed the door. He stood obediently while she set her briefcase on her desk and removed her coat.

She struggled to digest this new information. She doubted Justine just happened to get another job or “moved on” for any other reason, especially since she had just talked to her the day before. She feared that J.R. was losing his trust in her, and Trevor was sent to keep him informed.

“You can gather your things and leave. Tell J.R. thank you for the offer, but I hire my own staff.”

“He won’t be pleased.”

“I don’t really care. This is my company. I built if from the ground up, and I will have no one taking any of its control from me. It’s mine.” She took several deep breaths to regain her composure, fearing she had sounded a little hysterical.

She was proud of what she had built. Buyer’s Choice Foundation had been successful before J.R., but she had gotten greedy, thinking not only of vast amounts of money the alliance could bring in, but of the vindication she could get for her and her mother, not that the woman deserved any.

“I’m sure once I locate Justine, I can convince her to stay. I’ll match whatever salary she was offered if she got another job, or rectify whatever situation made her leave so hastily, and so your services will not be needed.”

“That won’t be possible.”

“What have you done to Justine?”
Sofia
slowly rounded her desk until she stood just inches in front of the slightly taller man.

“Me?
 
I’ve never met her.”

Sofia
was out of patience and desperate to vent her rage on anyone. With speed that caught Trevor off guard, she brought her knee up hard, connecting solidly with his groin. As he doubled over, she rammed an elbow into his back just below his neck. He collapsed onto the plush carpeting on her office floor, gasping for breath. He rolled to his side, curling up into a fetal position. She dug a heel into his side.

“Last time, where is Justine?”

“Paper on your desk, front page,” he moaned through clenched teeth.

Sofia
grabbed the newspaper and stared at the headline in disbelief. It took several moments for the headline to sink in.

Woman’s Body Found in Rock Creek Park
.

The front-page story stated that identification was pending notification of family, but she had no doubt this woman was Justine. The paper slipped through her hands and fluttered to the floor.

Trevor stood, hunched over, supporting himself on the corner of her desk. She looked up and her eyes met the hatred in Trevor’s glare.

“I don’t care if you are sleeping with J.R., you come at me again, and I will kill you,” he hissed as he turned and limped out of her office.

Sofia
let Trevor leave, suddenly drained of all her fight. How could she forgive J.R.? How could she have ever loved him?