Love Inspired Suspense December 2015, Box Set 2 of 2 (30 page)

She bent over and examined the tear better. “Would you look at that? I've torn my jeans, and they're new.”

Lucas stared at it over the rim of his cup and then set it in the saucer. “Probably happened when we skidded across that pavement. Did you hurt your knee when you fell?”

She shook her head. “No. Just my jeans. I think I'll go upstairs and change. It won't take but a minute. I want to find out what the police said about Janet's information.”

Hurrying upstairs, she quickly changed clothes and folded the torn pair of pants in her suitcase. She turned to leave the room, but she stopped as her gaze fell on the one-eyed Teddy sitting on the bedside table.

The toy that had brought her so much comfort in her childhood stared back at her, his one eye seeming to bore a hole through her. She sat down on the edge of the bed, reached out and picked him up. Cuddling him in her lap, she felt herself tearing up.

Since coming to the Knights' home, she'd been immersed in Christmas decorations and talk of presents, family, memories and the promise of a celebration on Christmas morning. She wondered what it would have been like to grow up where people loved each other and made Christmas a special time for friends and family. Or to have had a husband who wanted to establish new family traditions and make happy memories with his wife and children.

Teddy represented the one happy Christmas memory that she had, the last one she'd spent with her mother. She would never have what the Knights had. She could have been a part of their family, but she'd lost that chance. And it never would come again.

Tears poured down her cheeks, and she buried her face in Teddy's stubby fur. As she pulled him closer, something tickled her nose, and she drew back to get a closer look. A white thread stuck out from under his left arm. She stared at the thread for a moment before she raised his arm to get a better look.

The seam where his arm was attached to his body had a small gap in it where the stitching had come loose. She hadn't noticed the tear before.

The closer she looked, the more puzzled she became. She lifted the other arm, but the stitching there appeared intact. Frowning, she moved the bear's left arm again and realized as she moved it about, the arm became looser from the body. Had the bear's arm been damaged when Clyde had ransacked her house?

She shook her head. That didn't make sense. The seam looked as if it had been hastily sewn back together with a thread that didn't match the color of the bear. She had no idea what had happened to the toy, but she needed to fix it. Maybe Mrs. Knight had some thread and a needle she could use to do the repair.

Carefully, she pulled the white thread, and it began to unravel around the bear's arm. With a slight tug, the bear's arm detached from the body. As she tugged the arm free, some of the stuffing also came loose and rolled out. Mia picked it up and, with the tip of her index finger, pushed it back inside the bear's body. As she did, her finger touched something cold, and she realized it was metal.

She frowned and wiggled her finger around, trying to touch the metallic piece inside the bear's body. Her fingernail hooked on a groove of some kind, and she pulled her finger out of the bear's armhole. Her eyes widened in surprise at the sight of a key sticking out.

Within seconds she'd pulled the key out and was holding it in her hand. She'd seen this object before. The last time was right before Kyle was killed. It had been where it hung every day–on a wall hook next to the back door of the kitchen. What was it doing inside Teddy now? The answer came to her in a flash, and she gasped.

She closed her fingers around the key, jumped up from the bed and ran to the stairs. As she burst into the kitchen, she stopped short at the sight of Lucas grasping the edge of the counter with one hand while the other held his cell phone to his ear. A horrified expression covered his face.

“Thank you for calling,” he said. “Tell her husband we're so sorry and to call me when she's out of surgery.”

He ended the call and lifted tortured eyes to Mia. Her breath hitched in her throat as she inched forward. “Who was that?”

Lucas swallowed. “The police. They wanted me to know that Janet Williams was found shot and left for dead in the parking lot behind Shackleford's. She must have been attacked when she was leaving to go to the police.”

“But she's not dead?”

He shook his head. “No, she's in critical condition but was conscious enough to ask the police to call me. They've called her husband, and he's on his way to the hospital.” He took one step toward Mia, and she almost gasped at the anguish on his face. “I thought when I left the navy I was through seeing people die violently, but I'm not, Mia. Janet was only trying to help me get to the bottom of this case, and now I've caused her to be hurt. I don't want to be the reason she dies.” He closed his eyes and turned away from her.

Without saying anything she walked over and stopped next to him. When she put her hand on his arm, she felt his muscles contract at her touch. “This wasn't your fault, Lucas. It's Tony's. And Kyle's, for bringing this trouble into Shackleford's in the first place. He brought pain and trouble to everybody he encountered. He's hurt me enough in the past, but I don't want to see you beating yourself up over what he's done. You can't take on the responsibility for someone else's actions, and you can't let it bring you down. You're too good to let him have any effect on your life.”

A sad smile pulled at his lips as he turned and faced her. Reaching up, he trailed his fingertips down her cheek. “You're beginning to sound more like that Sugar Plum Fairy I knew in college, not the scared woman who showed up on my porch a few days ago.”

Mia took a big breath. “If I am, it's because you've helped me remember who I was then, and I can never thank you enough for that. But right now we have something else to do. We need to see if our theory about Kyle and Tony smuggling the stolen artifacts into this country is true. And I think I know how we can prove it.”

Lucas arched an eyebrow and stared at her. “And how is that?”

She held up the key she had clasped in her hand. “I think I know where Kyle hid the treasure.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

L
ucas frowned as he concentrated on the key Mia held in her hand. Then he glanced up, and the frown quickly disappeared as he saw that she was practically bouncing from foot to foot. “A key? Where did you get it?”

“I noticed Teddy's arm was loose, and when I examined him, I found that it had been detached and clumsily sewn back on. Then I found this key stuffed in his chest.”

Lucas looked back down at the key. “And you recognize it?”

“I do,” she practically squealed. “It's the key to Kyle's locker at the gym where he worked out every morning. He kept it on a key ring next to the back door. When he'd leave the house going to the gym, he'd grab it off the hook and then replace it when he came back to shower before going to work.”

She handed the key to him, and he turned it over in his hand as he examined it. “When did you last see it?”

She shrugged. “I've been trying to think, but I don't remember seeing it on the hook after he was killed.”

“And you think he may have hidden the key inside your bear for safekeeping?”

She crossed her arms and nodded. “The morning of the day he was murdered, he was coming in from working out when I got up at about 6:00 a.m. He didn't usually go that early, but the gym is one of those places where VIP members have their own keys and can access the facility at any time. The strange thing was, though, he didn't look like he'd been working out. No sweat. His hair was not tousled like it always was when he got home. When I asked him why he'd gone so early, he growled that he didn't have to answer to me, and he drew back his hand like he was going to slap me. I cringed, and he just laughed and walked out of the room. I was so terrified that I would make him angry that I didn't move from the kitchen until I saw him walk out that back door.”

Lucas's chest tightened at the pain flickering in Mia's eyes. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her that he would never let anything like that happen to her again, but he didn't think she'd welcome that. Instead he balled his hands into fists and cleared his throat. “And you never saw him hang the key up?”

“No. Not when he came in and not when he left. And I was in the kitchen the whole time.” A frown flashed across her face. “But come to think of it, he didn't have his gym bag when he came in. He always had it and gave me the same strict instructions about how he wanted his workout clothes laundered every time. But not that morning. He didn't mention it, and I was so eager for him to leave for work that I didn't bring up the subject.”

Lucas stared down at the key again. “Have you heard from the gym since he died?”

She nodded. “I received a short condolence message from them, and they told me I could come by and clean out his locker any time I wanted to. His dues were paid up until the end of the year. I thought I could care less about what was inside that locker, but now I think it's something we need to look at.”

Lucas took a deep breath. “Me, too. Let's go.”

They turned to leave, but Lucas's mother appeared in the door, blocking their path. “Where are you two off to now?”

Lucas held up the key and quickly explained to his mother where they were going. “We shouldn't be long. Then we may run by the hospital to check on Janet.”

His mother looked at her watch. “Try not to be late for dinner. I'm cooking for the whole family tonight, and I expect you both to be here.”

Lucas nodded. “We'll be back.”

He reached out to grab Mia's arm and guide her through the door, but she pulled her arm loose and took a step backward. He glanced around at her, and her face had turned pale. “The whole family?” she rasped. “I shouldn't be here for that.”

Before Lucas could speak, his mother walked over to Mia and put her arm around her shoulders. “Of course you should be here. Your being here for the past few days has reminded me of why we were so fond of you when you and Lucas were dating. This is just dinner. No big deal. Now go search that locker and come back. Claire and Jessica have been working on the nursery for the new baby all afternoon, and I may need your help getting dinner on the table.”

Mia's chin quivered, and Lucas spotted a tear roll slowly out the corner of her eye. She wiped it away before she reached out and hugged his mother. Lucas felt as if he'd been hit in the chest with a sledgehammer at the sight, and he inhaled a deep breath.

Taking Mia by the arm again, he pulled her toward the door. “We'll be back for dinner, Mom.”

“See you then,” she called out as they headed toward the front door.

Neither of them spoke until they were in the car. Lucas had his hand on the ignition to turn it when Mia spoke up. “Your mother has been so nice to me, Lucas. I thought she would hate me.”

He turned to look at her, a puzzled expression on his face. “Why did you think that?”

“Because of the way I hurt you.”

He sighed and rested his elbows on the steering wheel as he stared straight ahead. Then he took a deep breath and rubbed his hands across his eyes. “Mia, why won't you believe me when I tell you that nobody hates you? All my family has ever wanted is for me to be happy, and they want the same for you.”

Her lips trembled, and he could see the struggle in her face as she tried to control them. “I want that for you, too.” She smiled and covered his hand with hers. “Now let's go see what's in that locker.”

His skin burned where her fingers brushed his, and he huffed out a quick breath as he started the car. “You'll have to give me directions.”

She laughed, and his heart skipped a beat. He glanced at her, and she looked excited, almost happy. He memorized the way she appeared at that moment and wished he could see her that way more often. With a smile, he pressed down on the accelerator and headed to the gym.

Twenty minutes later they pulled to a stop in front of a huge complex with a sign proclaiming twenty-four-hour health and fitness activities available. The parking lot appeared packed with a late afternoon crowd of customers.

Mia took a deep breath and grabbed the door handle. “Ready to go?” she asked.

“Lead the way,” he said with a smile.

Together they walked into a spacious reception area that contained comfortable-looking leather couches and chairs. Pictures of men and women with perfectly toned bodies lined the walls, and Lucas couldn't help but suck in his stomach a bit as his gaze drifted around the room.

A young woman in tight-fitting spandex workout pants and top stood in back of a tall counter. A matching sweatband circled her head and looped underneath a long pony tail. She glanced up and smiled with the look of a hungry lion focused on its next meal when they approached.

“Good afternoon,” she gushed as they stopped in front of her desk. “I don't think I've seen you here before. Have you come to sign up for some of our classes or just enroll in our general workout program?”

Mia smiled and shook her head. “Neither. My deceased husband, Kyle Lockhart, was a member, and I've come to clean out his locker.”

The girl's eyes darkened at the mention of Kyle. “Oh, yes, I was so sorry to hear about Mr. Lockhart. He was a favorite of the staff around here. Always joking and talking with us. He had such a great personality. He must have been a wonderful husband.”

Mia stiffened, and Lucas reached out and grabbed her hand. “Mrs. Lockhart has been through a terrible time, and she's trying to get all of her husband's affairs in order. So if you could just tell us where his locker is located, we'll go clean out any of his personal effects that may be in it.”

The girl nodded and glanced at Mia before she directed her gaze to the computer in front of her. She clicked a few keys and looked up with a smile on her face. “His locker is number 124. It's in our VIP locker room. I'll get one of the trainers to take you down there.” She picked up the phone and spoke into it. “Kane, come to the reception desk, please.”

She'd barely finished speaking before the double doors to the side of her desk opened, and a guy who looked like a model for a Mr. Universe poster walked out. Lucas didn't think he'd ever seen anyone with biceps like this man had.

Kane came over to the desk. “You called for me, Nikki?”

She nodded as she pointed to Mia. “This is Mrs. Lockhart. She's here to clean out her husband's locker. It's number 124 in the VIP lounge. Can you show them the way and make sure there aren't any other clients in there right now?”

“Sure,” he said. Kane grinned and motioned for them to follow him.

He led them through the gym and down a hallway with doors on either side. Stopping outside one, he turned to them. “Let me check inside before you enter.”

Lucas nodded. “Thanks.”

Mia fidgeted as they waited in the hall and glanced up at him from time to time. Within minutes Kane reappeared and smiled. “It's empty. Come on in.”

They walked into a room lined with lockers. Off to the side Lucas could see a door with the word Sauna printed on it. Another said Weight Room. Another said VIP Indoor Track.

Lucas rolled his eyes and wondered how much a VIP membership in this club cost before he followed Kane to locker number 124. When they stopped in front of it, he glanced at Mia. “I didn't ask if you need a key.”

She smiled and held up the key. “No, thanks. I have my husband's.”

Her hand shook as she reached up to insert the key in the lock, and Lucas covered her hand with his. “Let me do it.”

She nodded and handed him the key. He inserted it into the lock, turned it and pulled the door open. Lucas didn't know what he expected. An earthen pot with jewelry and coins piled to the rim? A leather pouch, its sides distended from the treasure enclosed within? The only thing that sat inside the locker was a nondescript gym bag. A small twinge of disappointment rippled through his body.

Mia nudged him out of the way to reach inside and pull the bag out. Then she turned to Kane, who still stood beside them, and gave him her most dazzling smile. “This is my husband's bag. I had wondered where it was. Thank you so much for helping us today.”

Kane smiled, and his cheeks flushed a bit. “No problem, Mrs. Lockhart. If there's anything else you need, let me know.”

“I will. Now I think we need to get going.” She turned to Lucas. “Are you ready to leave? We don't want to be late for dinner.”

Lucas let his gaze drop to Mia's hand that grasped the handle of the bag before he looked up into her eyes. There was an urgency in her expression that told him they needed to go. He put his hand on the small of her back and turned her toward the door. “You're right. Let's go.”

They exited the lounge and walked with Kane back to the main gym, thanking him once again before they walked out to the reception area and stopped at Nikki's desk. Mia smiled again. “Thank you for being so helpful today, Nikki. Maybe after the first of the year, I'll buy my own membership in the gym. It might do me good to work out a few times a week.”

Nikki didn't miss a beat as she slid a pamphlet across the desk. “Here's some information on our prices and the different programs we have. If you have any questions, just call and ask for me. I'll be glad to help you.”

Mia took the pamphlet and let her gaze drift over it before she looked back up at Nikki. “I'll do that. And thank you again.”

“You're welcome, and have a merry Christmas,” she called out as they walked through the door to the parking lot.

Once outside they increased their gait until they arrived back at Lucas's car. Then they climbed inside, and Mia positioned the bag on her lap. Lucas's heart pounded. “Well, I guess we should check and see if we were right.”

Mia nodded, slowly unzipped the bag and pulled it open. She reached inside and drew out a pair of shorts and a T-shirt that lay on top and then peered down to see what was left. A soft gasp escaped her lips. “Oh, my.”

Lucas leaned closer, and she pushed the bag toward him until he could see what lay on the bottom. A smile curled the corner of his mouth and slowly spread across his face. Then he threw his head back against the headrest as laughter rolled from his throat. “I don't believe it,” he gasped as he stared down at the gold jewelry and coins. “We've found the stolen Roman artifacts.”

Mia pulled out matching gold earrings and held them up to her ears. Her eyes sparkled with excitement, and her cheeks were flushed. He didn't think she had ever been more beautiful. “How do I look?” she asked.

His gaze drifted over her face. “Like a Roman goddess,” he said. Then he placed his hands on either side of her face and pulled her to him until their lips touched.

He heard the earrings drop back into the bag, but he couldn't pull away from her. Then her arms looped around his neck and her fingers locked into his hair as she pulled him closer.

* * *

Mia couldn't believe this was happening. She and Lucas were sitting in the parking lot of the fitness center kissing, and she realized they were pouring all the hurt, the loneliness and the anger of the past seven years into this moment. The thought was sobering, and she pulled away.

She sank back in her seat, and Lucas crossed his arms on the steering wheel and buried his face in them. After a moment he straightened and took a deep breath. He turned to face her, and Mia almost cringed at the sadness in his eyes.

“I'm sorry, Mia,” he finally said. “But I can't go on pretending that your presence these past few days hasn't affected me. It has. A lot. I convinced myself years ago that I was better off without you, but I can't lie to myself anymore. There's never been anyone in my life who starts to compare with you, and I have to tell you that I've always loved you. I'm sorry if that upsets you, but I wanted you to know.”

He reached for the ignition, but she put her hand on his to stop him. “Lucas, I'm not upset. I'm happy. In fact those are the sweetest words I've heard in years. And deep down I've always known I still loved you, but I wouldn't let myself even think that there would ever be a chance for us to work things out.”