Caught in the Frame (19 page)

* * *

“Baylee!” Lila called frantically down the hall, then stood stock still and listened for a response. A soft shuffling noise perked her ears. With Chloe on her heels, Lila followed the sounds, pressing her ear to several doors before coming to a stop outside one roughened by time to a silvered gray. A muffled cry resounded as Lila and Chloe threw it open to find Baylee in a heap on the ground.

Chloe rushed to her side, crouching to release the gag that rendered Baylee unable to assure them she hadn’t been harmed.

“Did he hurt you?” Lila asked, searching Baylee’s eyes for clues.

“Not really, but my arms and hands are numb.” She managed to whisper, as Lila tried to loosen the knotted rope binding her to the exposed support beam. Hands trembling, Lila let loose a slew of curse words when pulling and tugging only caused the rope to tighten.

“Miss Lila, step aside.” Both women spun around at the sound of Antoine’s lilting voice. “Let me help. I’ve got a pocket knife.” After carefully cutting her free, he snapped a few photos with his camera phone, assured them he would make a full report and cooperate in any way necessary, then stepped into the hallway to keep watch.

“Javier!” Baylee’s choked cry resounded as he burst through the door. Flanked by Lila and Chloe and wrapped in the throw Antoine had had the presence of mind to pull from the back of the sofa near his desk, she stared back at him. Dark circles under her eyes and slightly hollowed cheeks spoke eloquently of exhaustion, but when he suggested rest and a visit from the doctor, she adamantly refused.

“Did you get him? Is that how you found me?”

“The others are taking care of that now.” Javier ran gentle hands over her to test for broken bones and to reassure himself she was okay.

“Take me to them. I’ve got information they’ll need.”

“Are you sure you’re all right?”

Baylee raised her chin defiantly. “He didn’t hurt me, if that’s what you mean. I’m fine, but now I’m seeing red. Let’s end this.”

He noticed she retained the blanket slung over her shoulders, though.

“Baylee’s safe,” Javier keyed up the radio’s microphone and spoke in clipped tones, alerting Nate and Dalton to the developing situation. “We’re bringing her down now. Is it clear? I don’t want her seeing him right now.” His first concern, at this point, was Baylee’s safety. Getting Remy was still a priority, but not as high as making sure his family was out of harm’s way.

“I’m not scared of him, Javi. I want to help.” When he hesitated, she said, “Please, Javi. I need to do this for Tomas.” She staggered to her feet, stiff from the position she’d been forced into for so many hours. The blanket slipped enough for him to see the raw, red marks where Remy had bound her wrists. The man would pay for that alone, Javier vowed.

“You will not confront Remy Vincent but I’ll take you to Nate if he says he can keep that from happening.” Baylee opened her mouth to protest, but Javier wouldn’t hear of it and refused to continue the conversation until Nate issued the all clear.

Back in the suite, Nate quickly checked Baylee for signs of shock or injury. Part of his focus remained on EV and Remy, while the others hovered around the recent captive. Soon, Baylee was firmly settled into a comfortably soft chair with a plate of food in her lap and a glass of water on the table at her elbow.

When he judged her color had returned enough to satisfy him, Javier said, “Okay, tell us what happened. Did you find any evidence?.”

Baylee’s eyes widened. “You mean you didn’t find it? And he didn’t…” Baylee searched their faces for the answer and saw only puzzlement. “Well, everything was going according to plan—I managed to snap several photos of some pretty damning evidence—until I left the room and came face to face with Remy himself. He chased me, dragged me to that empty room, and took my camera.” A smile lit Baylee’s face, and she continued, her voice full of derision toward Remy and smugness at what happened next.

“Didn’t do him any good, though. I managed to pull the memory card and hide it before he caught me. Once he realized I had already stashed the evidence, he started making threats. I could tell he didn’t have the stones to actually hurt me, so I kept my mouth shut as long as I could. I knew his texts from my phone wouldn’t fool you for long, Javi.” Admiration shone in her eyes, and was reflected back in kind. Javier had underestimated the amount of sheer badassery his sister-in-law possessed; he wouldn’t make that mistake again.

“Just one question. Where is the memory card now?”

“It should be in Chloe’s closet. I shoved it in her bag of dry cleaning before he caught up to me. I’d have gotten away completely but I made a wrong turn and hit a dead end. When he threatened to ruin Garritek, I told him where it was, but if he didn’t find it, the staff must have already gone through and collected the bags to take to the cleaners. I’m hoping they found the memory card and put it back in her jacket pocket.”

Chloe’s eyes widened in understanding. “That’s what he was looking for in my room; that’s why he used EV’s key card to break in. He probably lifted it off her. It’s not like EV to lose things.” She muttered a few choice words describing Remy under her breath, and at a nod from Nate, disappeared through the connecting door.

In a few moments, she was back, eyes alight above a fierce grin, holding the SIM card aloft like a trophy. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go see if we have enough to make sure he stays behind bars for the rest of his life.” With a grin, she reached across him to slide the hard-won SIM card into the built-in reader of Javier’s computer, which was still playing security footage.

As her slideshow popped up, Nate let out a low whistle. No wonder Remy had upped the ante and resorted to kidnapping; what scrolled across the screen amounted to several counts of identity theft, and a whole lot more. Baylee had hit pay dirt.

Baylee and Javier weren’t the only ones on the edge of their seats. This meant just as much for them as it did for Ponderosa Pines, and neither was going to let the opportunity to expose Remy Vincent slip by over something as trivial as an abduction. There would be time to process the experience once the job was complete.

* * *

“I’m going in.” Her shoulders squared, EV sailed into the cafe several minutes after Remy had taken a seat. He watched her walk toward him, seeing only what he wanted to see. A fashionably late woman with a gleam in her eye that showed how much she wanted him. A foolish woman that he could have on a whim, and ultimately bend to his will. As usual, his ego cast a veil of fantasy over his judgment.

The skin on EV’s hands crawled when he grasped them and kissed her on the cheek. He’d aimed for her lips but a last-second twist of her head foiled him. She’d play her part, but some things went beyond the pale.

Over Remy’s left shoulder, Dalton tossed her a thumbs up and an air kiss to make her smile. The simple gestures of support lifted some of the tension; she returned them with a wink that Remy assumed was for him.

Since half of her mission was to stall Remy while the search for Baylee continued, she indulged in small talk, lulling him into complacency by allowing him to order for her, and letting him hold her hand across the table. To keep him seeing her initial reaction to his touch, she avoided meeting his intense gaze with her own until her emotions were under control. The ruse worked in her favor, feeding his ego by allowing him to think his touch affected her deeply enough to bring out the blushing schoolgirl inside. The more relaxed he became, the more her senses sharpened.

Nate’s voice whispered through the com, “Javi checked in, they’ve narrowed the search area, heading there now”. It took extra attention not to react to the hope flaring through her.

Remy glanced around the room, “It’s so crowded in here. Why don’t I call the waitress back and have her send the food up to your room where we can be alone.” His voice dropped to a suggestive timbre that had no effect on EV at all.

Too easy. Better make him work for it.

“I’m not sure I’m ready to take it to the next step. There’s Dalton and—”

“Remember how good we were together? You can’t tell me you’ve had anyone else who knows what you like the way I do. I want you, EV, and I think you want me.”

A hollow sentiment coming from lying lips, but no matter, because EV was long past caring. The only thought in her mind now was to play him like a virtuoso.

“I do, but not yet. Chloe and Lila are having final dress fittings. They’ll be done in a little while, and then they have plans for a full spa treatment. We’ll have hours alone once they’re gone. We could get dessert to go.”

Why not? Remy thought, might as well take if it she’s offering, “All I need is you and a bowl of chocolate sauce.”

“Maybe we could give that one a go.” Dalton spoke in her ear.

“Mmmm,” EV’s hum of agreement was meant for Dalton.

“I’m still here,” Nate managed to convey embarrassment and disgust in one short statement.

Okay, you weasel. Let’s see if we can pin down your motive. Is it me?

“Did you hate me so much?” EV assessed his emotions by watching his face closely. “Your folks missed you a great deal.” A tinge or red color stained his neck when his throat tightened and his teeth clenched. She’d hit a nerve there, though he managed to quickly force any signs of it from his features.

Seemingly relaxed again, he said, “I’ve never hated you.” Then he made the most honest statement she’d heard from him since he’d arrived, “Walking away without knowing it was my last chance to say goodbye to my folks is my biggest regret in life. If I’d known how things would turn out, I would have done things differently.”

When she squeezed his hand this time, it was with some small amount of genuine feeling. “Their loss devastated the entire community; I can only imagine how your grandparents must have felt.”

“I doubt that. Losing his son turned my grandfather into someone else.” Face hardened, Remy practically bit off the words. “You have no idea what it did to his mind. It changed him completely.”

Really?
I’d
have no idea?

EV forced herself not to let go of his hand when all she wanted to do was slap him with it.

“I think I might know a little about how that feels. I miss him every day.” EV let her lashes veil her eyes while she watched his reaction to the mention of their child. It took him a few seconds to go there, and when he did, a chuffed out breath and an eyeroll presented eloquent evidence that he cared nothing for his lost son, but was annoyed with her for bringing it up in connection with the death of his parents.

“Let it go, EV. I’m not going to get into a discussion of the miscarriage with you. Now or ever.” The veneer of charm peeled back to show the cheap, shallow base below his surface. Under the table, the hand that wasn’t clasped in his clenched to drive nails into palm with brutal force. EV dropped her eyes before he saw the raw fury she struggled to control. In her ear, Dalton whispered soothing words of encouragement that helped her pull it together, as did the smiling face of the waitress who served her lunch.

As though nothing of note had passed between them, Remy changed the subject to the one he most preferred discussing: himself.

Well, that takes revenge against me for losing the baby off the table.

While he prattled on, EV ran through her mental list of possible motives. Most crimes were committed over love or money. Whether he was even capable of the first, she had no idea, so she decided to move on to the second. Nate’s research hadn’t turned up a solid connection between Remy and Gilmore. Remy’s net worth far exceeded the assets of Gilmore and Ponderosa Pines combined. Yet, the line had to be tugged. The trouble was, she had no idea where to begin pulling at those particular threads. Stalling for time, she picked at her meal.

“I’m sorry; I’m talking your ear off.” The candy coating was back on him; too bad EV knew the chewy center was made of something that looked similar to a Tootsie Roll, but was definitely not flavored with chocolate. “Can I confess something to you, EV?”

Nope. Nope. Nope.

“Of course,” EV forced a smile that could have passed for genuine to anyone who didn’t know her well; Remy included.

“I’m as nervous around you as a teenager trying to get to first base. The new hair, the new clothes--”

That happened before you even got here.
EV’s blood ran cold.
You’ve been watching me. For how long?

“Seeing you here like this, touching you, knowing we’re going to …” his thumb brushed over the back of her hand. He mistook her shiver of disgust for interest, “I think I’m falling for you all over again.”

Dalton muttered several uncomplimentary things about Remy into EV’s ear before Nate’s voice commanded silence. Her delighted smile at hearing them worked in her favor when Remy took it to mean she felt the same.

Now what?
She thought.

As though answering her mental question, Nate instructed, “Humor him.”

“This is all very flattering, but we lead such different lives.”

“It doesn’t have to be that way, you could come with me. You know things were better when we were alone together,” scorn made his next words sound like an epithet, “away from that…hole of a town.”

And there it was again, the contempt he always shown for Ponderosa Pines. Could it be that it was the entire town he hated, and not any one member specifically? The town wouldn’t fold without her, if that’s what he thought. Was it?