Heart of the Woolf (Woolf Series) (16 page)

Adrienne panicked. What did that mean? Was her stepfather
Jared’s client as well? Why wouldn’t her stepfather just let go and let them
live in peace? In the midst of her alarm, she felt Jake’s reassuring squeeze on
her hand. She met Jake’s eyes. Her heart filled, overflowed. She wasn’t alone.
Not anymore. From now on, he would be there beside her. She squeezed back.

It was Jake who asked, “Did you come to any conclusion?”

Jared nodded briefly. “I received additional information that
the one I was hired to look for has a twin sister, which Adrienne doesn’t
have.”

Adrienne released the breath she wasn’t aware she’d been
holding.

“See? I told you so!” Marcy crowed from her place on
Adrienne’s left. “You shouldn’t have wasted so much time and effort trying to
ruin Adrienne’s name at the company!”

A low growl issued from Jake’s throat.

Adrienne’s head whipped around. Jake was staring intensely at
Jared, his features rearranged into the beginnings of a ferocious frown. She
felt the vibrations of his anger along her skin.

“It’s not ruined, I assure you,” Jared said hastily. He shot
a furious glance at Marcy. “Will you stop saying things you know aren’t true.”
Turning back to Jake and Adrienne, he continued, “Have faith in my many years
of being a PI, for heaven’s sake. I know what I’m doing. Your HR Manager
thought I was interested in Adrienne and merely wanted to know more about her.
She thought it was so romantic that I wanted to surprise her with her favorites
on her birthday, which is two months down the road, by the way.” This
information Jared directed toward Jake. He boasted, “She was so helpful,
bringing out the whole file for me to see and browse at my leisure.”

“Miss Prissy Ice Queen?” Marcy’s eyes were wide with shock.
“The one whom our director couldn’t talk into letting him see
his own
file? You must have cast a spell on her.”

Jake was frowning. There was a soft warning to his voice as
he said, “Jared?”

“Stop acting like Dad. It was just a nudge!”

“A nudge?” Adrienne felt more and more adrift. “You mean you
nudged Prissy? As in a body nudge?”

“More like a mental nudge,” Jake corrected wryly.

Adrienne caught on. “That’s his gift?”

“Gift?” Marcy looked bewildered. She looked from one face to
the other.

“He’s psychic,” Adrienne explained briefly. “Show me.”

Jared just looked at her. The silence was deafening in the
room. He continued to look at her. Why wasn’t he doing anything? He’s taking so
long. God, all this waiting was making her thirsty. Oh, didn’t Teresa leave a
glass of water on the bedside table? Adrienne reached out for the
glass ...

... and looked at the glass in her hand perplexedly. She
wasn’t even thirsty. What was she doing with the glass? Wasn’t Jared going to
demo something?

She looked up at Jared irritably. “Well, what are you waiting
for?”

He pointed at the glass. “I just did.”

That threw her for a spin. “Huh?”

Jake spoke up. “You weren’t thirsty, were you, Adrienne?”

She shook her head.

“He made you believe you were thirsty, so you picked up the
glass, intending to take a drink. Before you could do that, he released you
from the thrall.”

Marcy’s wide-eyed stare hadn’t diminished one bit. “Man,
you’re a dangerous person to be around, Jared. I think I’ll keep far away from
you.”

Jared looked like he was about to say something, but then his
mouth snapped shut.

“That is one powerful talent, Jared.” Adrienne smiled. “I
hope you don’t use it indiscriminately.”

“Jake’s been my conscience all these years.” Jared’s mouth
twisted. “If you add to his voice, I think I’ll be kept well in hand.”

Coming from the pack leader, that was an ironic statement
indeed. Adrienne delighted in Jared’s sense of humor. God, what a great family
to belong to!

“By the way, what happened to Charlie?” Adrienne shivered,
remembering her ordeal. “I hope they lock him away for the rest of his life; he
shot three people in cold blood, you know.”

Jared and Jake shared a look, but it was Jared who answered.
“Yes, you needn’t worry about him anymore. He’s been taken care of.” He lifted
an eyebrow. “But three people?”

“There were only those two guys that I saw at your flat,
Adri,” Jake chimed in.

“There should have been a girl.” Adrienne was confused. “Her
name was Lissa. I don’t exactly know who she is, but she must be related to
Lucien, from the way he acted to protect her. From what he told me, I inferred
that Charlie had taken Lissa hostage so that Lucien and Paul would do his
bidding and kidnap me.”

“The bastard!”

Jared’s eyes flared with anger as well, though his voice was
sober and grim as he said, “We’ll do our best to find her. I’ll get my men to
check the roads for a girl wandering about. Do you know how old she is, any
description of her features?”

“I’m sorry.” Adrienne shook her head. “I’m not much help, as
I didn’t get to see her at all. I only know she’s small, so she could be
anything from, maybe age ten to twelve?”

Jared nodded and turned away to speak into his mobile phone.

Adrienne shuddered, her eyes on Jake. “Charlie’s pure evil.
He was the one who sent me all those awful gifts --” Adrienne paused as
Marcy gasped. “-- and he made a few threatening calls.” Now that she had
started, the words poured out. It was a cleansing that she needed badly, having
confided in no one. “He shadowed me from work almost everyday, and he was also
the one who caused the car accident on the day I was kidnapped.”

“Why did you never tell me any of this?” Jake grasped her by
the shoulders. “I could have asked Jared to investigate who it was, and I would
have made sure we were together all the time.”

Adrienne closed her eyes in remorse. When she opened them a
moment later, she smiled at Jake sadly. “Why? There are so many reasons, but
the bottom line is, I didn’t know who to trust. I dare not trust anyone
lightly. Not only was my life at stake, but my brother’s life was in danger as well.”

“Your brother?” Marcy echoed. “I didn’t know you had a
brother.”

“It wasn’t in your file either,” Jared put in as he snapped
his mobile phone shut.

“I couldn’t take the chance of anyone knowing about him.”
Adrienne looked straight at Marcy. “I never told anyone, until Jake started
asking about a kid’s drawing that he saw at my house. His name is David, and
he’s my brother. Half-brother, actually. We share the same mother; my mother
died giving birth to him.” She continued with a catch in her voice, “I miss
him. I used to visit him every day after office hours, but since the phone
threats started, I dared not go to see him.”

Marcy’s gaze softened. “You don’t have to tell us if you
don’t want to, Adrienne.”

Adrienne had come to a decision. “No, I want to tell you, but
I must ask that you keep it secret.” She waited until they all nodded before
she continued. “Charlie didn’t exactly tell me who hired him to kill us, but I
know of only one person who might be responsible: my stepfather.”

There were shocked gasps and questions of “Why?” from the
other three in the room.

“David is ten years old, and he is ...” Adrienne took a
deep breath. “... autistic. His mental development is slower than other
kids, although outwardly, he looks very normal. He lives in his own world of
magic and fantasy creatures; sometimes, he doesn’t even hear us calling him.
Needless to say, he didn’t do very well in class, although his art teacher was
very impressed with his drawings.

“My stepfather couldn’t bear to have an imperfect child. You
have to understand, he’s the chairman and CEO of UK’s largest hotel chain. His
image was tarnished by whispers of his ‘retarded’ son. Many times, he tried to
put David away, to lock him up in an institution somewhere, maybe an asylum.”
Adrienne gave a bitter laugh. “I wouldn’t allow him; I believed that David
should be given as normal an upbringing as possible, among family. I tried to
protect him as best as I could, but in the end, I failed.” She sighed. Her
shoulders slumped in defeat. “I put David into an institution myself, here on
Tolidet Island, as I couldn’t care for him and earn a living at the same time.”

“What happened?” A trace of anger underlined Jake’s voice.
“Your stepfather forced you out of the house?”

“No.” Her lips twisted. “His third wife gave birth to a
perfect baby boy. Afraid that she’d be given less in the inheritance, she
wanted my stepfather to put David away for good. I came to overhear their
conversation. I was afraid of what my stepfather would do, as he was bewitched
by her. So, I took David and ran. I made a false trail, leading to Canada. We
were safe for awhile, for fourteen months. How short it seems now.”

“What you’re saying, Adrienne,” Jared said thoughtfully, “is
that you aren’t sure it was your stepfather who sent Charlie.”

Adrienne breathed out. “Yes.” She could remember her
conversation with Charlie clearly, and not once did Charlie mention a name,
only a description: a rich Englishman. With her affirmation, she gave voice to
the fear that had been nagging at her.

“You mean it could be someone else?” Marcy exclaimed.

“But who?” Uncertainty and foreboding plagued Adrienne. Her
hands twisted together in her lap. “I don’t really have any idea.”

Jake and Jared exchanged a glance.

Jared spoke up. “Why don’t I investigate the matter for you,
Adrienne? I have some contacts in the UK. I’ll be very discreet, I promise.”

“Um ... I just thought of something.” Marcy bit her lip
when they all looked at her. “I mean, if the mastermind is really your
stepfather, Adrienne, and if he is really as determined to do away with David
as you say, don’t you think he will send another man to replace Charlie when he
realizes that Charlie has been incapacitated?”

Fear gripped Adrienne in its thrall.

Jake squeezed her hand. “Don’t worry. I’ll be with you at all
times from now on. Nothing and no one will get through me.”

“Right.” Marcy’s hand found its way onto Adrienne’s other
hand. “You’re among friends now.”

“And family,” Jared added, his voice brooking no argument.

“And when you’re ready to talk to your stepfather, I’ll be
there beside you. For now, you’re safe.” Jake assured Adrienne, his hands
tightening painfully on hers. “You’re both safe.”

“Safe,” Adrienne echoed, her eyes misting with tears.

Epilogue

Edinburgh, United Kingdom

He punched in the familiar numbers and held the phone to his
ear.

Ring ring. Ring ring.

He tapped his foot impatiently on the linoleum floor.

The phone continued ringing incessantly. Endlessly.

Incensed, he heaved the phone across the room. Its cord
jerked out of the socket. The phone crashed against the opposite wall.

He ignored the broken apparatus and paced the room. His robe
swirled about his legs in angry patterns.

It was the nth time he’d tried calling Charlie in the past
five days. Each time, the phone just kept on ringing or was picked up by
strangers. He couldn’t understand how Charlie could have failed to be at the
particular phone booth they had agreed upon to take his call. He’d given
Charlie a list of the days and times he would be calling, and pending a major
catastrophe, he had strongly emphasized to Charlie that he expected him to be
there.

He stopped short.

Unless ...

His eyes narrowed.

Could it be that his henchman had been caught?

He cursed softly.

Yes, that must be it. It would explain why Charlie never
picked up that blasted phone.

But how had that happened? One defenseless girl ...

He couldn’t afford to lose any more time. There seemed to be
no recourse left but to send the one he trusted most. He’d have to change his strategy
as well.

An evil, delighted smile crossed his face.

That one would get the job done. Adrienne Lee would have no
hope of rescue from him.

* * * * *

One week later ...

“Woo hoo!” Jake whirled Adrienne around the room.

Adrienne laughed. He had taken the precaution of moving the
low glass coffee table in the middle of her living room before whirling her
around. “You still haven’t gotten over it?”

“You mean you have?” His voice mocked her.

She shook her head. “No. I still can’t believe we got the contract.
Will we have a fat bonus at the end of the year?”

“You bet. Aside from which, the company is rewarding us with
a three-day, two-night stay at an island resort of our choice!”

“Great! Let’s choose the most expensive, plushest resort.”

“How mercenary you are, my love.” He caressed her nose with
his. “You may invite Marcy along to occupy the other room, since we’ll be using
only one.”

“I’m sure she’ll love it.” She opened her mouth to say
something, and then closed it. Of course, Jake took the bait.

“What is it?”

“I was wondering if we should invite Jared along.”

His eyes twinkled with evil intent. “Are you matchmaking your
friend with my brother?”

Adrienne aimed a light punch at his chest. Desire began to
raise its delicious head within her. “Didn’t you see the sparks between them?
I’m sure they’re perfect for each other.”

“Not if they kill each other first.”

They laughed.

Adrienne unbuttoned his shirt. “Let’s stop talking and get
into bed.”

“We can still talk in bed.” His eyes were hot with naked
lust. He caressed her buttocks with urgent hands.

“I’d much prefer to do something else in bed,” she responded
with a deliberately husky tone. She tore away from his arms, stopped at the
doorway to her bedroom, lowered her eyes to half-lids and aimed him a sensuous
look. She crooked a finger at him.