Shattered Heart (Z series) (3 page)

Cara?

The police
?

A cold sweat worked its way over her body as the night she was informed of her husband’s accident came rushing back.

Charlotte sucked in a breath, then raced through the living room to the front door, flipping on the porch light. Through the window, she was shocked to see the very reason she was up, on the stoop.

That cold sweat turned to intense heat.

Why would he be here? How did he find out where she lived?

Without releasing the chain, she unbolted the lock and slowly eased the door open.

“Mrs. Delaney?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes.” A whirlwind of confusion tugged at her mind. How could he possibly know her last name? Cara had never told him. Unless she did when he was having breakfast that morning.

“I need to talk to you about your husband.”

The statement staggered her back a step. “What?”

He leaned closer and his eyes widened. “Charlotte?”

“What is this about?”

“Can I come in, please. I don’t want anyone seeing me standing here.”

Charlotte’s thoughts spun. Why would he need to talk to her? This late at night? The whole thing seemed fishy. Maybe he wanted in to rape her.

“I—ah...”

“I’m not going to hurt you, Charlotte. I need to talk to you about what was going on with your husband right before he died.”

Her jaw slacked. What could he possibly have to tell her about Shaun? He couldn’t have even known her husband since he was new to town.

She glanced into his eyes. The seriousness reflected within their depths made Charlotte want to hear what he had to say.

She closed the door, pausing long enough to gather her composure, then released the chain and opened it to him.

JT rushed inside.

Charlotte twisted her hands together, uncomfortable with her state of dress. The mere thought brought goose bumps to her arms.“What is this all about?”

“Two years ago, your husband contacted Homeland Security. He was convinced the man he worked for was bringing illegal contraband into the country. The night before he had his accident, he called them to say he had evidence. Before he could meet with those officials, he was killed.”

“Are you serious? What are you saying? That Shaun’s accident was no accident at all? That my husband was murdered?”

“We have no proof of that but... .”

“No!” She shook her head, and clutched for the nearest wall to keep her balance. This was too unbelievable. Just the thought made her sick to her stomach. “You’re wrong. My husband didn’t tell me anything about Terran being involved with anything shady.”

“I’m sure he wanted to keep it from you. He probably thought it’d put you at risk.”

“This is absurd. William Terran has been an upstanding member of this community for as long as I can remember. Why would he do something illegal?” She stared at him, needing to somehow be convinced this man who stood in the shadows next to her front door was telling the truth.

“Well, we all know everyone in the construction business has taken a hit since the housing crisis. Maybe this was his only way to stay afloat.”

“But to have my husband killed?”

JT eyed her intently. “You’d be surprised what people will do for money.”

Charlotte swallowed past the lump in her throat. Until today, she was contemplating marrying William to save her business. Would he have been willing to kill her husband to do the same?

The room began to spin as she remembered how stressed Shaun had been those last few months. Had he been keeping all this to himself to protect her? If so, what was it her husband found that got him murdered?

Her knees buckled, and she started to go down until JT scooped her up into his arms, carried her to the sofa and placed her atop the cushion.

“I know this all must come as a shock to you. But we need to know what your husband had on Terran.”

She scrubbed at her face. “I don’t know.”

“Then we need to look high and low to find it.”

* * *

JT couldn’t believe blue-eyed Charlotte had been Shaun Delaney’s wife. Talk about a small world.

Doubt and disillusion filled her eyes, clearly questioning whether or not his story was true.

Could he blame her? Not really. Finding out that someone was murdered would be hard to grasp for anyone. Especially a man’s wife.

“Are you okay?” He took hold of her hands, noting the gold band again. She was still wearing it after all this time. Talk about devotion.

JT’s stomach clenched at the thought, and his reaction left him confused and uncomfortable.

He shook the thought and studied Charlotte, his eyes zooming in on the wide V of her robe. The thing gaped, revealing creamy skin between full breasts.

He gulped and turned away.
Get your mind back on task.
He had to find what Shaun Delaney had on Terran,
or see something yourself,
and that could take months.

His best option was to discover what Charlotte’s husband had found.

“Did Shaun have an office here?” JT turned to face her again.

She nodded. “I haven’t been in there since he died. I just couldn’t face it.”

Clearly this woman loved her husband, so unlike any woman in his life. His own mother moved from one man to the next without so much as a single tear. Of course, none had been worthy of crying over. All scum. All abusive to him.

“Would you allow me to look?”

“Okay.” She rose and started down a short hallway, stopping in front of a door.

“You don’t have to go in if you don’t want to, Charlotte.”

She glanced at him, the pulse point at her neck fluttering wildly. “No. It’s okay.”

Charlotte turned the knob and opened the door, then switched on the light, bathing the room in a yellow glow.

“You okay?” he asked when she didn’t move inside.

She nodded and started for the desk.

JT went around the opposite side and they met at the chair. Her hands gripped the leather so tightly he could see white on her knuckles.

“You sure you’re all right, Charlotte?” JT cupped one of her hands with his. The contact sent a charge all the way up his arm.

He pulled his hand back and brushed off the feeling. “You said you haven’t been in here since Shaun’s death?” Best to make conversation, get his mind on something safe.

She shook her head, then moved away to stare out the window. JT could tell this was hard for her.

Just get it over with
.

He moved the chair back and pulled open the top drawer, referencing what was inside. Nothing out of the ordinary. Then again, if Shaun had something damning on Terran, would he keep it where anyone could find it? JT didn’t think so.

He turned to Charlotte. “Did your husband have a safe here or a deposit box at the bank?”

“No.” She turned to look at him. “At least not that I know of.” The look of disillusionment in her eyes was clear.

“Look, Charlotte, I know this is all so...unbelievable. I get that. But if Shaun kept this from you, it was because he knew it was too dangerous to tell you, and he didn’t want you to get hurt. That tells me he must have loved you very much.”

Tears clouded her eyes, turning them to a sparkling blue topaz.

Emotion clogged JT’s throat. He wanted to pull her into his arms and make her forget her pain, but he knew she’d resist him—especially after what she’d just learned about her dead husband.

JT needed to put himself into that man’s mindset. Where would he hide something that could uncover corruption by a prominent member of the community? Somewhere his wife wouldn’t knowingly stumble upon it, putting her at risk?

No way would he conceal it at his office at The Terran Corporation. That would be too easy for William Terran to find. So where would he have put this so-called proof? And, what the hell was it? Pictures of what was being imported? Some kind of paperwork for it?

“He wants to marry me,” Charlotte said from behind him.

“What? Who?”

“Terran. He’s asked me several times. I was going to say yes until Cara suggested I wait and think about it over the weekend.”

JT rubbed at the stumble on his jaw. Wow. This said a lot to him. Clearly, there was some kind of evidence—otherwise, why would he ask Charlotte to marry him?
Besides the fact the woman is breathtaking
?
And sexy. And could cook like nobody’s business
.

But, William Terran was a businessman first and foremost. There had to be more than his attraction to a woman for him to enter into marriage. Not when he never had before. No. This was all about Terran finding what Shaun had on him. Pure and simple. And that placed Charlotte’s life in danger—especially if she said
no
to the man.

“Does he think I have this proof?” she asked, her eyes connecting with his.

Lying to her would do no good. She’d see through his ruse. “I think he wants to find it before you do.”

“But I had no idea about this whole thing. Surely he must know that by now.”

She had a point, unless this was something so explosive that he couldn’t risk her finding it. Then again, the man killed for it. It had to be something pretty damning. Treasonous even.

JT glanced at Charlotte. “You said up until today you were going to say yes to this offer. Why?” The man had to be at least thirty-five years older than Charlotte. Why would she even consider marrying him?

“He offered to save Lettie’s. I’m behind on my loan and he said he’d settle it for me if I married him. I need that cafe. It’s all I have.”

JT tried to keep the contempt he felt for her decision from showing. The men his mother had always dragged home were only there to keep her from going without booze and whatever else she needed. When the guy ran out of funds, she was onto the next. So, the idea of Charlotte marrying Terran to save her restaurant didn’t set well with him.

“What changed your mind?” he asked, an uncontrolled sharpness in his tone.

“I don’t want to marry him. I just want to save Lettie’s.”

JT inhaled, then slowly released the breath. “When were you going to tell him?”

She shrugged. “I guess when I saw him again.”

“I’m afraid the minute you do that, you’ll be putting yourself at risk.”

Her blue eyes widened. “What do you want me to do?”

“Maybe it’s best you not say anything at all until I find what your husband had on him.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know if he’ll be happy with that.”

“Your husband has been gone for almost two years. I think a few more days isn’t going to matter to Terran. If he asks, just tell him you need more time.”

“I’ve been telling him that for a while now.”

“Throw in the fact that you’re still grieving. Maybe he’ll feel a tinge of guilt and stop pressing you for a while.” JT inwardly scoffed at the idea. A man like Terran probably didn’t feel an ounce of remorse for anything he did. Not if money ruled his every thought. Hell, that’s why Z existed. To protect people from the likes of Terran and all the scumbags of the earth—a shitload of them residing in Washington, DC. All with their hands in the pockets of elected officials. All with their own agendas.

JT shook his head. More than anything he hated dirty politicians who only cared for the top one percent of the country. Not what the Founding Fathers had envisioned for the United States of America when the Constitution was drawn up. Whatever happened to
all men
were created equal? Bring us your poor, your downtrodden.

He brushed off the thought and returned his attention to Charlotte. “He’ll have no choice but to accept that you’re not ready.”

And if Terran didn’t, JT would be there to make sure he did.

CHAPTER FOUR

Charlotte locked the cafe and turned to leave, her heartbeat taking off when she spotted William’s Escalade parked in the lot. How was she going to act normal around him when all she wanted to do was run away—or tear the man’s face off?

The first option would be easier. Too bad that was impossible right now.

A cold sweat raced across her body while her heart thudded a crazy drum beat in her chest.

All day she had wanted to talk to Cara about what she’d learned, but JT had told her not to say anything to anyone. He was right of course. Yet, emotionally she wished she had someone to confide in.

“Charlotte,” William hollered, signaling for her to come to the truck.

She gritted her teeth. Somehow, she had to tell him she wasn’t ready to commit and hope she’d never have to see him again.

Reluctantly, she shuffled toward him, forcing down her newfound hatred.

“William. What are you doing here?”

“I came by to see if you’d made a decision yet.”

Don’t sound angry. Just tell him no
.

“I haven’t. I’m not ready to say yes or no. Shaun hasn’t been gone all that long. I feel like it would in some way taint his memory if I did so now.”

His hazel eyes darkened. “It’s been almost two years, Charlotte. Shaun would want you to move on with your life.”

Charlotte bit the inside of her lip to keep from lashing out at the reason why her husband wasn’t with her. The man had some nerve using him to get what he wanted.

“I can’t right now, William. I’m not ready.”

“What about Lettie’s? The bank is going to take the cafe if you don’t give them that money. Are you willing to lose it because you think Shaun would be angry at you for marrying me?”

Damned right he’d be mad if she married his killer.

“I’ll find another way.” Charlotte gazed around, wanting to escape. She couldn’t look him in the eye any longer.

“You’re making a huge mistake. One that could cost you everything.”

Why did that sound like a threat?

She swallowed the lump in her throat and shifted. “I’m sorry you’re angry with me, William. I just can’t, in clear faith, marry you right now.” Talk about an understatement. “I have to go.”

Charlotte turned and walked away. From this day forward, at least until JT found what her husband had hidden, she’d need to watch her back.