Kace (Allen Securities) (3 page)

There was a great niece that would come out once in a while, but from what Jessica understood, she had married an unsavory man a few years back and getting away was very difficult for her. Her distance was hard for Mrs. Masing, and she worried about Amy often.

As Jessica reached the top step, the door opened. Mrs. Masing stood just inside.

“Your sister said you would come today,” the elderly woman said with a big smile.

Jessica smiled back.

“You know I can’t stay away long from your cooking,” Jessica said and took off her shoes.

Rule number one, no shoes in the house.

Same as it had been since they moved in with their grandmother next door, Mrs. Masing had kept her furniture in perfect condition since the 70s. Not really the best decade for taste, but it always felt like home when Jessica came over. Avocado green furniture and macramé plant hangings littered the room. The brown and green made her almost glad to see the burnt orange table and chairs peeking out of the kitchen.

She glanced sideways at the woman as they made their way through the living room to the kitchen. Mrs. Masing seemed to be shrinking as the years went on, but that seemed to be common with age. Recently, she had lost a little weight, and it concerned Jessica. The pension from Mr. Masing was likely getting hard to live off of, especially with inflation.

Jessica made a mental note to talk to Victoria about how they could help. Mrs. Masing was a proud woman, so just offering money wouldn’t work. Her sister was really the one who would have the best luck. Her sweet nature made it hard for others to turn her down.

“So,” she said, smiling widely at the older woman, “what’s for lunch?”

“You always were one to get to eating first.” Mrs. Masing laughed.

Jessica shrugged. “That’s what happens when you can’t cook.”

The older woman waved her hand. “You just need to come over and eat more.”

Jessica patted her on the shoulder and sat down. The tiny little kitchen always seemed much smaller when she was standing in it. Being a two bedroom, they had the benefit of a slightly larger kitchen.

“I really want to. Things have just been…” She furrowed her brow. “Hectic at work.”

She was pierced with a knowing look. “You come home later and later. This have anything to do with that no-good boss of yours?”

Jessica dipped her spoon into the creamy sausage broth and filled her mouth with vegetables. The spicy rich flavors hit her tongue, and she sighed. When she looked up, Mrs. Masing was waiting. She groaned.

“It’s not him,” Jessica said, setting her spoon down. “Someone is stealing and not just a little. Whoever is doing this has connections.”

“What? He doesn’t think you did this right?” The little woman puffed up, ready to charge in and take down the head of the Irish mob.

“No, he’s actually been very good about all this,” she said. “I just hate to think someone I know would do something like this.”

“Do you know it’s someone working there?”

Jessica thought for a moment. It seemed like it would be, but it could really be anyone, especially with the recent trouble with the Russians.

“No,” she said, not bothering to elaborate about the Russian trouble.

“Well then, innocent until proven guilty.” Mrs. Masing smiled at her, and Jessica couldn’t help but return the smile. “Well, eat up. You’re going to need your strength for the task I have for you.”

Jessica laughed as she dug into her soup. No doubt she would need her strength.

* * *

“Damn pipe,” Jessica said. She huffed as she pulled with her little wrench.

Nothing.

She stood and dusted off her hands when the sound of a horn tooted from outside. After grabbing her little tool kit, Jessica slid it back under the sink, careful not to knock the pan catching the water from the pipe.

When Mrs. Masing said her pipe was leaking, she hadn’t been kidding. The damn thing was on so tight that Jessica would need something more than she had.

She went into the living room and grabbed her purse.

“I can’t get it with the tools I have,” she said to Mrs. Masing, who was waving to Victoria from the door. “I’ll have to pick up a bigger wrench and come back.”

The little woman wrapped her in a big hug. “Good. You need to come eat more tomorrow.”

Jessica laughed. “Luckily it’s Sunday, and we’re closed. I’ll come by as soon as I wake up.”

She hugged back and walked to the door.

At the bottom of the stairs, she stopped to wave when she got to the car. Mrs. Masing returned the wave.

“Did you get it fixed?” Victoria asked.

Jessica shook her head. “I need a bigger wrench. Think I’m going to have to call in a favor.”

She pulled out her phone and punched in Finn’s number.

“You think your cousin would be willing to loan you some pipe tools?”

Jessica grinned when he groaned into the phone.

“What do you need?” he grumbled.

Chapter Three

It was shaping up to be another long night at the club with her running the front as well as taking out drinks and even working behind the bar. It was only an hour until she could close shop, but it still felt like ages away. Jessica scanned the floor, looking for signs of Finn. She wasn’t concerned he’d show, but it would be good if it was sooner. She wanted to leave before two-thirty for a change.

Jessica peeked out the window at the unmarked car across the street. Her heart sped up just looking at Kace, and she cursed her traitorous hormones. He might be unbelievably hot, but his attitude wasn’t so hot.

Her eyes met with his, and she shivered a little at the intensity of his stare. Well, maybe he could win her over if he kept looking at her like that. She looked away and tried to control her thumping heart.

“Um, Jessica?” Alyssa’s sweet voice cam from behind her.

She turned to look at her.

“We’re running low on rum and vodka,” she said quietly.

Jessica patted her on the arm when she passed and felt her temper flare when the woman jumped at her sudden touch. She had been meaning to say something to her, but she hated to open any wounds if Alyssa was still healing. Ignoring the urge to wrap her in a hug, she nodded to the back room.

“I’ll go get some,” Jessica said. “Watch the front.”

Alyssa nodded and went back to where the last few customers were mingling.

Jessica moved to the back near the office and bar. She glanced back to see Alyssa was already hard at work on closing duties and smiled. There was no way that woman was up to anything other than getting over an abusive relationship.

She made her way to the storage room next to the office. When she flipped the switch and nothing happened, she frowned. Of all the times for the light to have blown. She pulled out her phone, but the light was barely enough to see a foot in front of her.

When she walked a bit farther in, she checked the rack to the right for a new light bulb. She froze when a scraping sound came from farther into the room.

“Hello?” she said nervously.

The sound stopped, and her palms started to sweat. Something or someone was in here with her.

Jessica spun around and moved farther into the room, casting bluish light across the room with her phone. She shook when her light cast a shadow near the very back. A person was stooped near the back corner.

“You need to leave, or I’m yelling for Dale and calling the cops,” she said. “One’s right outside.”

Pain lanced through her as something struck the back of her head. She saw a bright flash of light, and then darkness overcame her.

* * *

Jessica groaned as her eyes blinked open. Her stomach rolled, and she shut her eyes again.

“Just stay here,” a soft, deep voice said. “I got you.”

She could feel his strong warm arms around her and felt the unease pass. When she opened her eyes again, she was staring up into Kace’s concerned face.

“What happened?” she rasped out.

His arms tensed around her. “Someone clocked you on the back of the head.”

She lifted a hand to gingerly feel around. Kace let the icepack move away slightly as she felt the large knot. She winced when the ice was put back on.

“I know it hurts,” he whispered. “This is really the best thing for you right now.”

He looked over to her other side, and she shifted to see a very worried Alyssa.

“Can you find some aspirin for her?” Kace asked.

Alyssa nodded and hurried out.

“Did you catch him?” Jessica asked. She looked back to him.

He shook his head. “By the time I got to you, he was already gone.”

Jessica frowned. “How did you know to look?”

“I didn’t,” he said. “Alyssa came running out. Ash white and crying.” He swallowed, and the muscles in his neck moved. “When I came in, you were lifeless on the floor. Dale cleared out the customers, and Alyssa played nurse while I kept you still with ice.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. When she looked up to him, his brown eyes stared deeply into her own.

She closed her eyes to escape his dangerous stare. When she opened them again, he was looking toward the door, his body tense.

“Who called you?” He glared at the returning Alyssa who ignored him and handed Jessica the aspirin.

“Well seeing as it’s my place, seems like someone should have called,” Finn said, walking through the door. His cool voice sent a chill over her.

Jessica watched as Alyssa froze where she was at and looked up to Finn. Her hand shot over to Alyssa’s, and she gave a squeeze.

Kace looked down at her when she placed a hand on his well-formed chest.

“Can you help me to the couch?” she asked.

He lifted her with ease and moved her to the couch. She was surprised that he decided to sit with her. He placed her head on the couch with the bag of ice behind it. He sat down and moved her head onto his lap. She could only assume for elevation, but regardless, it felt good.

Jessica glanced up to see Finn staring at her. She closed her eyes and decided he could just wait until she was ready for him. She liked being where she was and with the way the room kept spinning, she figured it was okay to take her time.

Quiet wrapped the room for a bit while she relaxed. When she opened her eyes again, Kace was staring down at her.

“Think you can tell us what happened?” he asked gently.

She swallowed, her mouth dry from the waves of nausea she was feeling. Jessica turned to Alyssa, who was standing shyly to the side.

“Think you could get some water?”

The little waitress nodded and scurried out of the room.

“I was going to get some rum and vodka. The light was out, but I didn’t think anything of it since we were still open,” she said. Behind her head she could feel the muscles on Kace’s legs flex. “I was using my phone to find a light bulb when I heard a noise.”

“Why didn’t you call for help?” Kace asked.

She could see the anger brewing from Kace and looked away.

“I thought it might be a mouse or something. By the time I knew, I was already hit,” she said quietly.

“Did you see anyone?” Finn asked, his eyes also dark with rage.

“No. Just that it was a man, but there must have been two because I was looking at the one in the back of the room when I got hit,” she said.

Jessica watched as Kace and Finn exchanged looks.

“Your cop buddies and paramedics are here,” Dale said from the door to the office.

“Where were you when all this was going on?” Kace glared at Dale. The veins in his thick neck bulged as he stared at him.

“I was smoking out back,” he said.

“Maybe you should take a few less smoke breaks.”

Dale shrugged and headed back out.

She watched as Kace looked down at her. “I’ve got to make a phone call, and you need to get your head checked out.”

She frowned at his pushy ways. Being told what to do was never something she liked much.

“I’m fine,” she said and sat up. Her stomach lurched forward, and she broke out into a cold sweat.

“That doesn’t look like fine to me,” he said at her ear.

She breathed in slowly, trying to keep the contents of her stomach down.

His warm hands pulled on her shoulders as he leaned her against the back of the couch so the ice rested on under her head. He tossed his jacket over her.

“Just let them check you out,” he said. When she started to protest he cut in. “I’d just like to know that you’re going to be all right,” he said quietly.

Jessica nodded slowly and winced at the pain. Kace stared at her for a few moments and then left without another word.

“You know it’s her,” Finn said when Kace was out of the room.

She moved slightly, so she could look at him as she talked. “I don’t know it’s her.”

Finn paced the room furiously. “It makes sense.”

“Actually,” she said. “I was thinking that nothing is really making sense right now.”

“Whatever,” he said and stopped pacing. “But if it turns out to be her…”

He stopped as Alyssa came in the room and gave her a dark look. The women glanced nervously at him as she handed Jessica a glass of water.

“I think the paramedics would like to look at you now,” Alyssa said quietly.

Jessica took a drink and sighed. “It’s fine. Let’s get this over with.”

* * *

“What the hell is going on over there, Allen?” Lt. Jackson shouted into the phone.

Kace paced as he talked, scanning the dark street as he walked the path.

“I’m not sure, sir. I was outside when Jessica was attacked, but it seems like a case of wrong place, wrong time.” He watched a car drive slowly by.

“Jessica?” his boss said. “Is this getting too personal for you?”

“No,” Kace said quickly.

“Think it’s an inside job?” Lt. Jackson asked.

Kace walked around the side of the building where the storage room was located. Maybe the person had left being the curtain. “Could be. The waitress seems a little cagey. Every time I’m near her, she goes out of her way to be elsewhere.”

“Check into her,” Lt. Jackson said. “For now stick with the manager. If they hit her once, they are likely to do it again. If we can be there, that would be best. I want to stop this before Finn and his men take it to the next level.”