The Sex On Beach Book Club (19 page)

Kelly took her earphones off. “You should see your face, Holly.”

Jodi added, “Don't you have girlfriends?”

That simple question stopped her cold. “Uh, sure.” She had a beer with her cop friends when they had time. But now that Holly was out of the department, those beers got fewer and farther in between. She had some guy friends, too. She just wasn't into shopping and pedicures.

“Hey, don't scowl, Holly. Jodi and I are your friends now. Tanya, too.”

She looked at Kelly. Truthfully, Holly was only about six or seven years older than the girls, but it felt like decades. Going back to her comfort zone, work, she said, “I'm not looking for friends, I'm looking for answers.” She walked over to the couch. Kelly was sitting there curled up with her legs beneath her. Jodi was sprawled on the chair with her legs hanging over the arm.

“Answers to what?” Kelly asked.

Sitting down, Holly said, “About who could have gotten the key and alarm code to the bookstore.”

Jodi swung her legs to the ground and sat up. “We told you, we never gave Cullen the keys or the alarm code.”

“What about the book club members?”

Jodi immediately said, “I think Wes gave George a set of keys.”

Since George had keys to Wes's house, she wouldn't be surprised if he had keys to the bookstore. But if George was going to kill someone, Holly had the cold, sure feeling the body would never be found. And certainly not where it could lead back to him. “What about other book club members?”

“Like who?” Kelly started doodling on the pad of paper in her lap.

Holly zeroed in on her. “Like someone who helped you out when you wanted to leave the bookstore early one night. You know, maybe locked up and set the alarm for you?”

Kelly kept doodling.

Jodi didn't say anything.

“No one is looking to blame you two. I promise. Wes won't be mad. We just need to know who you might have given the keys too, even for a short time, and who you gave the alarm code to.”

Kelly looked up. “It was me. I did it. I had a date but the book club ran long.” She took a breath and started talking faster. “Usually Wes will lock up, but he asked me to that night because he had something to do. He hardly ever asks and I thought I'd have enough time. But a few of the book club members stayed later, just talking and talking and talking.”

Holly could see Kelly getting more and more agitated. “Kelly, just tell me. Who were the members that stayed late?”

She brushed her hair out of her eyes. “It was Maggie and Nora. I tried to drop a hint that they needed to go but, you know, Maggie can be kind of intimidating.” Her shoulders slumped. “Anyway, Nora caught on. She suggested they leave so I could lock up. But Maggie got all snippy and told me to just give Nora the key. She'd lock up and give it back to me in the morning.”

She could just imagine Maggie intimidating the hell out of Kelly. “So you did?”

She wiped the back of her hand over her eyes. “Nora is the team mom for Wes's baseball team! He trusts her. I didn't see the harm…”

Jodi got up, went to the arm of the couch and sat down. Putting her hand on Kelly's shoulder, she said, “You should have told Wes the first time he asked. But, Kelly, I probably would have done the same thing. I mean, it's Nora.” Jodi shifted her gaze to Holly. “Nora isn't a murderer. She has a son. He's really a nice kid.”

Holly guessed that Nora made a copy of the key. Was she holding a grudge against Wes? The thread was tenuous at best. Her husband gambled, which likely led to his embezzling and conviction, and Nora and her son being hounded and maybe ostracized.

Wes's sports agency had some gambling connections and had been using a trainer to give their players steroids, giving the teams that were picked an edge. But Wes had nothing to do with the gambling. He pretty much hadn't known about the steroids until Conrad Nader died. And he didn't find out about the gambling connection until after he went to the DEA.

It was thin. But it was the only connection she had right now. Holly got up and went to the desk. Pulling out the photo of the trainer's wife, Ashley, she returned to show it to the girls. “Have either of you seen this woman at the bookstore?”

They both looked at the picture.

Jodi shook her head. “I don't recognize her.”

Kelly said, “I don't either, but I doubt I'd remember everyone that comes into the bookstore. And she doesn't look real memorable.”

She was right about that. “Kelly, thanks for being honest.”

She lifted her gaze to Holly. “Do you think Nora did it?”

Her gut said no. “I'm going to find out.” She wished she could talk to Michelle, Wes's sister. Maybe fax the pictures of Ashley and the three book club members to her.

But Wes had made himself perfectly clear. He didn't trust her with his sister. So Holly would have to find out another way.

It was time to go to Riverside and talk to Ashley Gaines.

W
es and George worked to track down the thugs who had beat up his sister. One of them was dead. The other one worked in Riverside.

That rang a bell. Wes said, “Riverside. I think that's where Holly said Helene is from.”

George had made himself at home in Wes's office in his third bedroom, commandeering the computer to do some searches of DEA files. How George got into those, Wes figured he was better off not knowing. He also used his cell phone and multitasked at a rate that made Wes tired.

Or maybe it was the guilt. He'd pushed Holly to trust him, then he turned on her the second she asked him to trust her.

But damn it, those thugs could have killed Michelle. And Michelle blamed him. She had told him that he'd become corrupt just like the men their dad had exposed in his
Cop Scan
articles. She'd been right. He had to protect her now. Why didn't Holly understand that?

“That's an interesting coincidence.”

“What's that?” Wes realized he had gotten lost in his thoughts.

“That Helene is from Riverside and one of our thugs is living and working there.”

Wes stood up. “What's his address? I'm going to go talk to him.”

George slid his glasses down his nose. “Really? And are you going to tell him you are Michelle's brother? Or that you are Nick Mandeville returned from the dead? What exactly are you going to tell him?”

Wes stared right back. “Maybe I'm not going to talk at all.”

George returned to doing something on his computer. “You'll be a big help from jail. Go ahead, kill this guy, which at this point is our only lead. Good plan, Brockman.”

Frustration clawed through him. “Then what the hell am I supposed to do?”

George leaned back. “Search Cullen's boat. See if we can find any connections to Michelle, or any information about Nora, Helene, or Maggie, or see if whoever broke in and stole the computer left any clues the police missed.” He looked over his glasses. “Try to find out just what got Cullen killed.”

“How do we get on the boat?”

“
We
don't. I do and then I call you. I've talked to Cullen's mother—she's his next of kin. We're trying to clear it with the police. I've told her I'm interested in buying the boat.”

Wes shook his head. “Amazing. So we wait to get clearance?”

“The police have all they need off the boat by now. I expect a phone call at anytime. Then I'll call you and meet you there.”

Wes frowned. “Call me? Where will I be?”

“Has it occurred to you that Holly has made herself very visible? Any idiot walking by the two of you can feel the sex sparks. And she's been pushing some buttons. While you are worrying about Michelle…”

His gut turned over. “The killer could go after Holly.” The thought made his chest hollow out, then fill with a protectiveness that surprised him. Christ, he'd been a selfish bastard, so focused on fixing his life and problems, never really considering what all this might cost Holly. She'd taken in his two clerks to keep them safe.

Holly Hillbay was not quite the hard-ass that she wanted the world to believe she was.

Then what had he done? Gone and told her to behave better at the engagement party, and to focus on his case. Because he was paying her. Never mind that her boob of an ex-boyfriend was doing his best to publicly humiliate her.

So she shaped up, just like he demanded, then put her neck farther out on the limb by telling Maggie that she knew Cullen was murdered over a Web site.

George asked, “Is that what you had in mind?”

That comment snapped Wes from his thoughts. “Hell, no! I don't want Holly to get hurt. I never thought…” He rubbed his forehead.

“So you aren't using Holly to bait the killer?”

Wes dropped his hand and stared at George. “No. I want her to find the killer. I want my life back.”

George leaned back in the office chair, studying him. “When I first met you, you didn't care if you were killed. You just wanted Michelle safe.”

He shrugged. What had he had to live for? His parents were both dead, his wife had left him, his career was gone, his friends went with the career, and he hadn't liked the person he'd become. But since meeting Holly, he felt…hopeful. Alive. He wanted to solve this, find his sister and rebuild their relationship, prove to her he was a brother worth having in her life.

George folded his hands behind his head. “So where does Holly fit into this plan? She's not good enough to be near your sister.”

Wes blinked, his mind trying to grasp why George would think that when his own words to Holly echoed in his head,
No. Stay away from Michelle. I don't want you near her.
He pushed up out of his chair. “I have to go.”

George dropped his hands from behind his head and waved Wes away. “I'll call you and the two of you can meet me at the boat.”

 

Holly wasn't at her office, so he tried her condo. It was nearly four by the time he got there. He lifted his hand to knock when the door opened and Holly's brother filled the doorway. “Uh, Seth, right?”

“Yep. I'm rescuing two damsels in distress.” He turned his head toward the interior of the condo, and yelled, “From the wicked witch.”

Seth reached out and caught something in his hand.

Wes looked at the object in his hand and tried not to laugh. “She threw an orange at you?”

Seth grinned and held the door open. “Come in at your own risk.” He turned his head and said, “Come on, thing one and thing two. Let's get out of here before the wicked witch decides to eat us.”

Kelly walked up in jeans and a frilly lace thing that Wes would classify as underwear, but he bit his tongue. She frowned at Seth. “You are purposely goading her.”

Seth opened his eyes wide. “Who, me?”

Jodi appeared in the doorway, wearing a tank top and jeans, and Wes almost grinned. She looked just like Holly. She even had her hair twisted up in a clip. She leaned back into the house. “Sure we can't bring you some dinner, Holly?”

Holly's voice floated out. “No thanks. I'll pick something up on the way.”

His amusement vanished. “On the way where?”

Seth stepped outside and said, “Go ask her yourself.”

They were the same exact height. Probably close in weight. Standing shoulder to shoulder, Wes sucked in a breath to spread out his chest and shoulders. “She's your sister. Aren't you concerned?”

Seth dropped his gaze over Wes with a measured stare. “If you mean, can Holly take care of herself, she'd better damn well be able to. Joe and I taught her from when she was a little girl. And that gun she carries isn't a fashion statement. She's an excellent shot and she is not timid about using it. But if some
guy
who just wants to jump her happens to hurt her, you bet your ass I'm
concerned
. And my gun isn't a fashion statement either.” He followed the girls down the walkway.

Wes decided that Seth might be an okay guy and went into the house. Holly wasn't in the living room, home office, or kitchen. He headed down the hallway to the bathroom and extra bedroom. From all the clothes and girl stuff strewn around, it was clear that Kelly and Jodi were staying in the extra room. He shook his head in amusement and made his way to the end of the hall and stopped at the master bedroom.

Holly had the TV on while she stuffed things into an overnight bag. Her face was tight and determined, her shoulders tense. She knew he was there, but she was ignoring him.

He went into the room. It was so Holly, simple, with the basics of a bed, dresser, nightstands, and the TV. While she walked into what he assumed was the bathroom, Wes looked at the picture on the dresser. It had to be a family portrait. There was an older man who resembled her brothers, two young boys about ten, Holly at seven or eight, he guessed, and a breathtakingly beautiful woman.

Holly's mother.
Wes picked up the picture to study it. Her mother had Holly's silver blue eyes and the shape of her mouth, but their facial structure was different. Holly's was a little more squared, and a lot stronger.

He turned his gaze to the little girl. She had a mop of hair held back out of her eyes by two clips with pink flowers on them. Her little shoes had matching pink flowers, and the dress had lace. Holly's expression was mulish.

Grinning, he imagined the battle her mom had getting Holly to wear those clothes. They were so wrong for her. She wasn't the delicate, fluffy feminine type. When it came to dresses, she looked much better, and a hell of a lot sexier, in the ice blue halter dress she'd worn last night.

“Want to look through my underwear drawer, too?”

Wes looked up at her cold eyes and set jaw. He'd hurt her feelings and that made her angry. “Your mother is beautiful.”

She turned her gaze to the overnight bag on the bed. “I have to get going. I'll call you when I get back if I have anything new for you.”

He set the picture down, went to her, and put both his hands on her bare arms. “Holly, I'm sorry. I don't want any of us to contact my sister because I'm afraid for her, but it's nothing personal against you.”

She lifted her arms, knocking his hands off of her. “Nice to know. Now move so I can get going.”

She didn't believe him. She was pulling farther and farther away. Comparing him to her ex-fiancé, Brad? He had to make her understand. Watching her start to zip her overnight bag, Wes said, “I think you're going to want to postpone your trip. George is trying to get access to Cullen's boat. Once he has clearance, he'll call us to meet him there and look around. He thought maybe we might be able to find the connection to Michelle, the thugs that beat up Michelle, the women in the book club, or maybe what's on the computer.”

Holly stopped. Standing up, she turned to look at him. “George can do that?”

“He's in contact with Cullen's mom, his heir. They're clearing it with the police.”

She nodded. “He's good.” Then her gaze cleared. “I'll drive separately. Once I've seen the boat, I'm heading to Riverside to track down Ashley Gaines.”

She was two feet away and he desperately wanted to touch her. He wanted to pull her into his body and drive away the hurt that made her rigid and closed off. He wanted to break through her protective shell, but he also needed to know what information she had. “Why? What have you found?”

She reached into her bag, pulled out a file, and dug through it. Finding what she wanted, she turned and handed him a picture. “It's Ashley Gaines. Recognize her?”

Wes took the picture and studied it. The woman looked like she was heading to the back side of forty, a plain woman with a small chin. “I don't think so.” He lifted his gaze. “I don't remember what Bart's wife looked like, or if I ever saw her. But this woman looks a little old for him. Not his type.”

“Why?”

Now he had her full attention. She was all PI, determined to keep him at a distance. He answered, “Bart was big on physical looks. But maybe the trial, imprisonment of her husband, and his murder took their toll on her.”

She met his gaze. “Could be. But I thought I'd take a run out and talk to her.”

Wes thought about that. “Didn't you say Helene was from Riverside?”

She nodded, took the picture from his hand, and stuck it back in her file.

He knew he'd been right. How did it all fit together? “George found out that one of the thugs that beat up Michelle is dead. The other one lives in Riverside.”

“Another connection.” She blinked and sucked in her bottom lip as she concentrated. “Damn, it's there, but I just can't see it. I wonder if your sister knows…” She shifted her gaze to him, then away.

He saw the regret, the pain, and reached for her. “Holly…”

She sidestepped him, the pain gone. Her light blue eyes were full of grim determination. She still held the file in her hand. “I know how one of the women in your book club could have gotten into your bookstore to kill Cullen.”

He was torn, needing to make her understand, but this was important, too. She stood by the bed, just a few feet away, but it felt like miles separated them. “How?”

“Kelly gave Nora the key and alarm code one night after the book club so she could go on a date. She got them back from Nora the next morning. It would have been easy for Nora to have the key copied.”

As the meaning of her words sank in, he winced. “Kelly should have told me.”

Holly softened a little. “She didn't want you to be mad or disappointed in her. She's only a kid. And she really thought it would be okay to give it to Nora.” She turned around, leaned over, and put the file back in her overnight bag. Then she zipped it up.

Like he was mad at Holly over his sister? His gaze fell to the curve of her ass. The need, the longing to touch her, ripped through him. He wanted to
possess
her. He wanted to arouse her, drive her to the edge of passion, where she was brutally honest. Where she couldn't hide from him. When he demanded she look at him, she opened her eyes wide and showed him everything she had.