Sweet Vengeance (25 page)

"What
does it mean?"

"Some
of the symbols are Chinese numbers.  The others are some shit about love.  Could
be a code of some kind, though.  Look at the initials in the heart.  J and A. 
Joey and Allie, don't ya think?"

Allie. 
His heart stuttered at the mention of her name.  "Yeah, could be.  Joey
was
her boyfriend."  And also the father of her child, but Jase had never
mentioned Allie's pregnancy to anyone.  "Why haven't we seen this before
now?  It's been six years, and you're now just bringing this to me?"

"I
know.  I guess it’s been buried in police files.  That cop, Cates, keeps a
tight lock on his cases.”  Max adjusted his hat.  “Maybe we need to look Allie
up, see if this rings any bells."  He looked hopeful, just like he had
many times over the years when he'd mentioned looking for Allie.  Of all the
people in his organization, Max was the one who'd never stopped talking about
her.

Jase
shook his head.  He'd given Allie a new life.  She was successful, and from the
occasional reports he'd received, she seemed to be quite happy.  He wasn't
about to drag her back into his contemptible existence now.  "She doesn't
know anything, Max.  She would have told me if she did.  Besides, I don't know
where she is anymore.  I've lost track over the years."

"We
could find her.  Where was her last known residence?" 

"Florida. 
Outside of Orlando," Jase lied.  "I don't know where she went from
there."  He couldn't explain why he hadn't told Max the truth.  Max was
his best friend, his confidant.  Maybe it had something to do with the fact
Jase couldn't admit how much he cared for Allie.  If he talked about her to
Max, then his friend might figure out his secret.

Max
wouldn’t relent.  "I think we should talk to her.  Somehow, I know she's
the key to this mystery." 

Mystery
was right.  He wondered if he'd ever discover why the Trasatti family had
wanted Allie so much, or what Joey had taken to his grave.  These days most of
the Trasattis believed Allie was dead.  Jase hoped to keep it that way. 

Max
waited for an answer.  "Give me the go-ahead, and I'll put some men on
it."

"Fine." 
Let them look.  Jase had changed Allie's name several times before he'd sent
her to California.  His men in Chicago had no clue about his life in Oregon. 
They were two separate worlds.  He'd covered her tracks pretty damn well.  If
only he could remove Allie Jordan from his heart as easily as he'd removed her
from his life.

*       
*        *

Allie
was completely lost.  She stared at the winding black road, sprinkled with
dappled September sunshine.  Many times, she'd thought of trying to find her
way back to Jase's home in Oregon.  But he'd made it clear he didn't want her
there, so she'd never followed through with her idea.  Now here she was,
driving down an endless road that curved back and forth between towers of
trees.  She'd forgotten how much she loved the area.

Hints
of fall had already left their mark on the leaves, but Allie was too frustrated
to enjoy the beginnings of gold and scarlet.  She remembered she and Jase had
followed the Columbia River into Portland, but she'd driven past Portland long
ago.

She'd
lost count of how many times she'd been back and forth on this same stretch of
road.  But she was certain she was in the right area.  Allie was terrible with
names, maybe because she knew firsthand how easily they could be changed, but
she had a knack for remembering places, and this part of the road was the only
place that seemed remotely familiar.  She'd passed a cute red barn a few miles
back, and she was certain it was the same one she'd seen years ago.

Then
again, she'd been distracted both coming to and leaving Jase's home.  He'd
probably done that on purpose.  She sighed as she continued a little farther
down the highway than she had the time before. 

She'd
been so naïve six years ago, thinking he'd come back to her looking for his
dog, give up on revenge and make a life with her.  She knew now it wouldn't
have mattered how much she'd begged and pleaded with him, he wouldn't have
given up that life for her. 
Please.
  It was what he lived for.

She
should probably be mad, too.  She'd thrown herself at Jase that night.  Of
course, he would have taken the sex.  She'd handed herself to him on a platter,
thinking somehow a night of passionate sex would change her world.  Still, she
couldn't bring herself to regret or forget it.

But
things had changed.  She wasn't so naïve anymore.  She was an educated woman
with a man who said he loved her and a life full of possibilities on the road
map ahead.  She should be thankful for the opportunities Jase had given her,
and she would be as soon as he quit sending her money. 

The
inside of the car had warmed from the bright sunshine, and Allie lowered the
windows to compensate.  She reached over and ruffled Boo's head, waking him
from his slumber.  He'd been her constant companion during the last six years,
and she loved him dearly.  Boo sat up and stuck his nose out the window, the
fresh air teasing his black floppy ears.  Immediately, he began to wag his
tail. 

She
slowed, feeling a hint of excitement.  What was it they said about animals
being able to find their way home from the scents in the air?  "What do
you smell, Boo?  Are we close?"

The
bend that lay ahead of her looked familiar.  It was possible it was her
desperate imagination, but...she didn't think so. 

She
slammed on her brakes, causing Boo to grapple to keep his spot on the seat. 
Gravel along the side of the road slid along with her as she missed the obscure
driveway.  Her heart pounded faster.  This had to be it.  She put the car into
reverse and backed up until she had room to make the turn.

A
canopy of trees hovered overhead as she drove down the winding driveway.  There
was the huge rock she was sure she'd seen before.  Her excitement grew and then
dropped like a boulder.  Up ahead stood a large wrought iron gate barring her
way.  There hadn't been a gate before.  Unless she'd somehow missed it.

Allie
parked her car in front of the ornamental structure.  Damn.  She was so sure
this had been the right place.  She opened the door and stepped out into the
warm sunshine.  Boo whined to come along with her.  "Sorry, baby.  You'll
have to stay here for now."  She shut the door. 

A
soft breeze cooled the heated fall air as she walked to the gate and checked to
see if it was locked.  A keypad was posted on the edge of the gate, and she
could see a large steel bolt that prevented her entrance.  She pulled on the
latch anyway, but nothing moved.  She kicked the gate in frustration, knowing
it wouldn't do any good.  Damn, she hadn't come all this way to be stalled by
an obstinate hunk of metal.

She
eyed the fence as it disappeared into the trees in both directions.  Then she
glanced up.  With her toned body, she
could
easily scale the gate, but
should she?  Her training as an officer warned against it.

Allie
turned toward the car and then stopped.  She couldn't just walk away.  Not when
she'd come this far.  What would it hurt if she hiked a little way in to see if
she had the right place?  No one had to know.

Her
choices swung before her like a pendulum and stopped on the opposite side of
the law.  She was almost positive she had the right place, and what other options
did she have?  She needed Jase to stop interfering in her life.  She couldn't
leave without achieving her objectives. 

She'd
be quiet and careful, and gone before anyone realized she'd been there.  Unless
of course, it was Jase's house.  Then she supposed she'd walk up to the front
door.  Or maybe to the guesthouse first.  At the moment, Robert seemed less
intimidating than confronting Jase head on.  For all she knew, Jase might not
even be there.

Allie
found a good foothold and hauled herself up.  She landed on the other side in a
crunch of twigs and old leaves.  She glanced around and waited.  No barking dogs. 
Nothing. 

Good.

She
ran at an easy pace, keeping to the mossy grass on the side of the drive,
heading for the next bend.  She slowed as she reached it, giving herself a
chance to peek around the corner.

The
distinctive sound of a gun being cocked stopped her in her tracks.

Some
might have mistaken the clicking sound for an animal creeping through the
fallen tree branches, but Allie knew better.  Someone had a gun trained on
her.  She slowly turned around. 

An
extremely fit man, shaved head, in his forties had a Beretta 9mm pointed
straight at her.  She swallowed and lifted her hands in a show of surrender. 

She
should have kept her own weapon with her instead of in her suitcase.  Then
again, she wasn't expecting any hostilities.  "I'm sorry.  I got
lost."  What she wouldn't give to have Boo next to her right now.

"You
got lost crawling over a fence?"  His voice was deep, composed, and she
wished like hell he wasn't wearing sunglasses so she could gauge his intentions
from his expression.

"Well,
no, I climbed over on purpose.  What I meant is I'm lost in trying to find a
location.  I'm looking for someone I once knew.  I spent some time at his
property a few years ago, and I was sure this was the place.  I only jumped the
fence to take a quick look."

He
blew a bubble out of his gum and then popped it, apparently considering her
words, but remaining silent.

"His
name was Jase Tyler," she continued, hoping he'd see she wasn't a threat. 
"Do you know him?  Does he live somewhere around here?  If you could just
point me in the right direction, I'd be happy to leave."

"Never
heard of a Jase Tyler."  The man popped another bubble, still keeping his
gun trained on her.

"Oh." 
Great.  "Well, I should probably go then.  I'm sorry to have bothered
you."

"Afraid
I can't let you do that.  You've just trespassed on private property."

Yes,
she had.  Her pulse thudded in her ears as he pulled out a phone and dialed. 
She did a quick survey of the scenery around her, clueless how she'd escape
this one.

"Got
a small problem down here by the gate.  A woman climbed the fence, said she's
looking for a guy named Jase Tyler.  What do you want me to do with her?"

"What
do you mean, what are you going to do with me?"  Allie interrupted his
conversation.  "You have to let me go."

He
silenced her with a jerk of his gun as he listened to the phone.  "What's
your name?"  He nodded at her.

"Alexandra
Fox."  He started to repeat her name, but she cut him off.  "I mean
Allie Jordan."  He raised an eyebrow at her as she hurried to repeat
herself.  "They knew me as Allie Jordan."

"Says
her name is Allie Jordan."

He
shook his head.  "Don't think so."

Don't
think what
,
she wanted to ask.

He
clicked off the phone and lifted his chin.  "I'll escort you back to the
gate."

Thank
God.

"Then
you can drive your car up to the house.  They said they'll see you."

"What? 
Who'll see me?"

"I
guess you'll find out when you get there."

Sitting
once again in her car with Boo growling at the stranger, Allie thought about
hightailing it in the other direction, but she was desperate to know if she'd
found Jase's home.  Even though the man told her he didn't know Jase, something
in her gut told her otherwise.

Her
nerves twisted into a tangled mass until the house was in sight.  Then she
sighed in relief.  She
had
found the right place.  Carole waited for her
at the front door just like she had the night Allie had first visited.  As soon
as Allie opened the door, Boo was off and running toward Carole.  He danced
around her feet, barking and rubbing his head against her leg, clearly
remembering her.

Allie
wasn't sure if she'd receive the same welcome, but Carole grabbed her and hugged
her when Allie was within reach.  She didn't let go until they were inside, and
she had Allie sitting on the cozy loveseat where she'd once sat with Jase.  Boo
settled at her feet.

"Good
Lord, honey, what took you so long?"  Carole had cut her hair short and,
with her squared shoulders, it made her look butch.  But no matter how tough
she looked, Allie knew Carole's heart was as soft as a warm summer rain. 

"What
do you mean, what took me so long?"  Allie kicked off her mules and tucked
her feet beneath her.  It was weird how she felt instantly at home.

"I
could tell you were a stubborn girl, but six years?  I never would have dreamt
it would take you
this
long to bring back that loveable doggie of
mine." 

"How
did you know I'd come back at all?"  Allie had thought about returning
many times during the first year, but Jase had made his intentions clear.

"I
knew you'd come back for Jase.  Too much chemistry between the two of you to
let it go.  I told Robert you would.  He wasn't so sure."  Carole winked. 
"But I knew it."