Merchants with Evil Intent (34 page)

      
“Gel?”

      
She pointed to the bed with a shaky hand,
unable to formulate words.

      
He looked at the bed, hoping Eoghan hadn’t
made an appearance and frowned when nothing seemed amiss. He gently grabbed her
upper arm and forced her to tear her gaze from the bed.
“Camryn?”

      
“The bed?
It’s
exactly like mine at home.”

      
He laughed and crossed his arms over his
chest. Phew!

      
Then he choked a little.

      
He recently purchased the entire ensemble
before going to the states. The room had been empty save the two sitting chairs
and the braided area rug. He had no intention of placing a bed in the room.
Until he dreamt of a bed like the very one that now sat in the room.

      
“Declan? Are you okay?” she half-laughed.
“It looks like you saw a ghost.”

      
His head whipped up and quickly scanned
the room, then he realized she was speaking aboot his strange demeanor. “I’m
right as rain,” he pronounced. “Um, I’ll be back in a few. Why dontcha get
comfortable.” He waved his hand to the right and continued, “Through that door
you’ll find the privy,” he murmured, making his escape downstairs.

      
She furrowed her eyebrows when he
practically ran from the room.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Joe and Camille walked into Dr.
Corrigan’s office and were greeted by her secretary.
“Detective
Butler?”

      
“Yes,” he replied, pulling out his
credentials.

      
She eyed Camille for a moment. “I’m not a
cop.”
Camille half-grinned.
“I’m going to wait for
Detective Butler right here. I think I see a copy of People magazine I haven’t
read yet.”

      
Joe smiled weakly at the secretary.
“Excuse us.”

      
He pulled her to a far corner of the
waiting room. “Are you okay?”

      
“Yeah.
I’ll be
okay. Besides, I’m itching to read People,” she grinned. He raised his eyebrow
to her. “Go on. I’ll be fine.”

      
He kissed her on the forehead. “I won’t
be long.”

      
As he turned back towards the glass
window a raven haired woman stood next to the secretary. She’d been watching
the exchange between him and Camille and when he tried to make eye contact with
her, her eyes were on Camille.

      
He quickly walked towards the two women.
“Can I see Dr. Corrigan now?”

      
“You are,” the dark-haired woman replied.

      
The secretary opened a side door and
waved him in. Dr. Corrigan extended her hand to him. “Afternoon, I’m Colleen
Corrigan.”

      
“Joe Butler,” he murmured, taking her
hand into his.

      
“We can talk in me office,” she nodded
and turned towards the hallway.

      
Once inside the office she sat on a black
leather couch and waved her hand for him to do the same.

      
He produced a small notepad from the back
pocket of his blue jeans and took a pen from his shirt pocket before he sat. “I
have only a few questions for you, doctor.”

      
She nodded, “I have a few for you as
well, but please continue.”

      
“How long have you been married to Dr.
Valik?”

      
“Ten years.”

      
“You realize he’s probably not going to
be released from prison very soon, right?”

      
She nodded, “I’m hoping that’s the case. I’ve
contacted my attorney to begin divorce proceedings and am putting my home on
the market. I’m biding my time until I leave.”

      
His eyebrows furrowed and he stopped
writing. “Where are you going?”

      
“Back to Ireland.”
She hung her head into her hands. “I didna know what he was doing. I honestly
believed he was working a lot of hours. I was so busy in preparation for me
brother’s visit, that I didna think overmuch why Andre wasn’t home.”

      
“Your brother came for a visit?”

      
“Aye.
He was
here for two weeks and prior to his visit, I was busy getting his room ready
and making plans to rearrange me patients.”

      
“Is he here now?”

      
“No. I have no one here, ‘cept me boys,”
she sighed wistfully.
“Tis why I’m goin’ back home.
The boys don’t know where their Da is and I don’t know how to bloody tell them
he’s a monster.”

      
He
reached over and placed his hand over hers. She looked up at him through tear
filled eyes. “Is there someone on his side of the
family

you
can turn to?”

      
She trembled slightly. “Only his uncle,
Alec, and I don’t like him. He’s creepy.”

      
Joe licked his lips and edged closer to
her. “Does Uncle Alec have a last name?”

      
“Aye, it’s Lukov.”

      
No
fuckin’ way!
The
bastard had been holding out on them! “Dr. Corrigan…”

      
“Colleen, please.”

      
He nodded, “Colleen. Does Lukov live in
the city?”

      
“Aye.
Just down the street from me house.
Didn’t Andre pass the
information along to the police?”

      
“No and he did mention a ‘Lukov’ as the
ring master.”

      
“Oh me God!”
Colleen cried.

Chapter
12

      
Declan pushed open his bedroom door and
found Nellie curled up in a ball asleep in the center of his bed. It was odd
she hadn’t come downstairs when she heard his voice.

      
“Nellie?” he whispered as he neared her.

      
She lifted her black and white head, with
eyes half-closed, yawned and stretched out two front paws. He laughed and sat
next to her.
“Rough day, aye gel?”
Her tail patted
lightly on the bed.

      
“Leave the lass alone. I’ve tired her out
for the day, playing ball and such,” Eoghan replied.

      
Declan’s head whipped towards the window
seat. “Quit doin’ that!”

      
Eoghan smirked and ran his hand through
his dark black mane, smoothing back the hair that escaped from his ‘pony-tail’
as Declan called it. “Quit doing what, pup?”

      
Declan strode to him and stood nose to
nose, as much as he could.
“Quit turning lights on, quit
getting into me feckin’ head and quit showing up unannounced!
I’ve a
guest now and don’t need you meddlin’!”

      
“I durst say, the wench has you at odds.”

      
“No, she doesna!” hissed Declan.

      
A small yip sprang from Nellie’s mouth.

      
Both Eoghan and Declan turned their heads
and followed her gaze.

      
Camryn stood in the doorway.

*
     
*
     
*

      
Colleen gave Joe the directions to
Lukov’s house and he immediately phoned McShane with the information.

      
She pulled a bottle of whiskey from her
desk drawer and two plastic cups. He noticed her hand tremble as she brought
the cup to her lips.

      
“Colleen, let’s sit for a few minutes.”

      
He led her back to the couch. “It’s clear
you had no knowledge of your husband’s activities and you aren’t considered a
suspect,” Joe said soothingly.

      
“Well, I’m glad of that. I should’ve seen
the change in him!”

      
“Hey, the guy’s a great liar.”

      
“He’s a psychopath! I’m a feckin’
psychologist and I
didna
see the
signs!”

      
“Are you close to your brother?”

      
“Aye.
He’s me
best friend.”

      
“Call him. I’m sure you’ll feel better.”

      
She scoffed. “Declan used to be a member
of the Garda and me other brother, Ian, still is. They’d want to know why I
didna see the signs. I can’t handle that now.”

      
As a long silence passed between them,
Joe noticed a picture on the coffee table and pointed. “Is this your brother?”

      
She grinned, “Aye, that’s Declan.” Then
she thought for a moment. “The gel you came in with. Is her name Cam?”

      
“Yes. Why?”

      
Colleen jumped from the couch and
sprinted towards the door. She ran down the short hallway, with Joe hot on her
heels.

      
She threw open the door that separated
the back offices from the waiting room and shouted, “Cam?”

      
Camille jumped at the sound of her voice.

      
Colleen reached out her arms, finally,
someone
she
sort-of knew, the gel from the concert who
stole Declan’s heart! As she neared she immediately put her arms at her side.
Declan said his gel had brown eyes. This gel had green eyes.

      
“I’m so embarrassed. I thought I knew
you,” whispered Colleen. Then as she looked into the woman’s eyes, her own eyes
widened.
“Oh me God!
You’re the girl who was snatched
from the concert!”

*
     
*
     
*

      
Camryn stood in the doorway wearing
shorts and a tank top. Declan’s eyes smoldered, making her feel as if she wore
a sheer negligee.

      
Nellie bounded off the bed and ran to
Camryn, with her tail at full wag. Camryn bent to pet her, making her breasts
very visible to Declan and Eoghan. Both man and ghost turned their heads away.

      
“Oh! What a sweet doggie! Yes you are!”
Camryn crooned as Nellie happily licked her face. “What’s your name,
sweetheart?”

      
Declan walked near her and murmured, “Her
name is Nellie.”

      
Why
is she bent in that position? Jaysus!

      
“Look away, pup!” Eoghan warned in his
ear.

      
Declan shot an annoyed glance. “Er, gel,
your um, well,” he spluttered as he moved his hands to his chest area.

      
Camryn looked away from Nellie and
realized what he said. She looked down at her chest and gasped. She quickly
stood and crossed her arms over her chest.

      
“Didja need something?” he croaked out.

      
A tongue lashing, perhaps?

      
He faintly heard Eoghan snort.

      
“Can you turn the heat up? It’s cold in
my room and I didn’t bring a robe,” she stammered.

      
He grinned slightly. “I can fix that.” He
pulled a thick blue robe from his closet and wrapped it around her shoulders.
“Better?”

      
“Yeah, thanks.”

      
Now would’ve been the perfect time for
him to kiss her, but instead he walked into the hall and into her room.

      
Nellie eyed her for a second and yipped,
urging her to follow.

      
She found him placing peat in the
fireplace. “This should do ya,” he said when he heard her enter.

      
She sat down in the green over-stuffed
chair, watching him.

      
“Declan?”

      
“Aye?”

      
“Who’s Teaghan?”

      
He frowned and turned back towards the
fireplace. “Why do you ask?”

      
She lifted a shoulder and pulled his robe
tighter around her. “Tristan mentioned her earlier. I just wondered who she
is.”