Hard As Ice (Fortis Series 1) (10 page)

“I know, Nia. I tried, but my brothers were making too much noise in the house, and my mom got mad.”

“Okay. But it means that we’ll just have to work harder on Saturdays.”

“I know. I can do that.”

“Good. So show me what you’ve been working on. Let’s start with the number six sonata.”

Evan stepped back from view, but listened. The young girl started playing a classical song. He knew very little about the piano, but it seemed like a complicated composition. She struggled a little in places, but she did pretty good overall.

“Not bad!” Nia announced. “It’s coming along, Meghan. Let’s try the beginning part again, focusing on the rhythmic groups.”

He stayed by the door, listening to the lesson and keeping an eye out for any suspicious activity. A security guard walked by, nodding at Evan, but otherwise, the place was empty.

“Okay, lesson over. What do you want to hear?”

There was more girlish giggling.

“You know what song, Nia.”

“Really! Katy Perry again?”

“Please? You do it so good!”

“Oh all right,” Nia replied, making it sound like a big effort.

Evan smiled to himself, liking this side of her. Then she started playing one of those songs that were popular on the radio. He stood straighter, his skin prickled with goose bumps. It was incredible how she re-created the melody. He wanted to close his eyes and fully experience it. But Evan was on a job, doing surveillance, uncovering the truth.

When she reached the chorus, Nia’s voice came in slowly, almost as though she didn’t realize she was singing. Even to his uneducated ear, she was a very good singer, with a rich, clear voice filled with passion and honesty. Evan felt disappointed when the performance ended. The silence after was so empty.

“Okay, it’s time for you to go, Meghan.”

Evan checked his watch. It was only ten o’clock. She had told him her appointment was for two hours. Did she have another lesson?

“I know. Thanks, Nia.”

He quickly took cover around the corner at the end of the hall. Their voices carried into the corridor as they said good-bye. There were more girlish giggles and both pairs of steps retreated toward the main entrance. Evan stayed hidden, but took a quick glance into the hall to see what was going on. The young girl was now holding a man’s hand, and Nia was talking to him. They were too far away for Evan to hear the conversation. He took out his phone and took a picture, just before the girl and the man left. Evan listened to Nia’s return to the room with the piano, then stayed concealed to see what came next. His right hand lingered near the handle of his Glock, just in case.

Fifteen minutes later, no one else arrived to meet Nia. Instead, she was still at the piano playing various songs, strung together back to back. She was practicing.

Evan crept up to the doorway to check her status, then casually strode out of the building. Once outside, he pulled out his cell phone.

“Raymond.”

“Hey, Ice, any intel?”

“I followed her to a community center in Dorchester. As promising as that sounds, I don’t think I got anything useful to the case, unfortunately,” Evan replied in an annoyed tone. “Listen, were there any other sources of income when we looked at James’s finances?”

“Nope, just what she made at Worthington, and a small investment portfolio. Why?”

Evan walked to a secure spot where he could still see the entrance to the community center.

“Well, it looks like she tutors music, or something,” he told Raymond, then gave him a quick summary of what he had observed.

“Maybe she’s paid in cash?” suggested Raymond. “Let me see what I can find online. What’s the name of the center?”

They had their answer with a few search results.

“She volunteers music lessons in a program for underprivileged kids, Ice,” Raymond confirmed, and Evan pinched the bridge of his nose. “It doesn’t have her name on the website or anything. It just says that the center has a volunteer program that runs on the weekends. So it’s the only thing that makes sense. She’s a fucking philanthropist.”

“Tell me about it,” Evan spat. It was hardly the picture of the coldhearted, scheming vamp involved in a daring jewelry theft. The facts on this assignment were becoming more confusing by the moment.

“I’m sending you a picture I took. I’m not sure you’ll be able to get anything off it, but she was talking to a man for a few minutes. Looked like a relative of the student she was tutoring. Maybe the father, or something. But let’s check him out anyway.”

“Sure thing, Ice,” Raymond confirmed before they hung up.

A few minutes later, the front door of the center opened and Nia walked out, bouncing down the front stairs with extra enthusiasm. Evan watched her progress, his brows furrowed by one perplexing question: Who was the real Nia James?

Evan parked his car in front of Nia’s apartment at one o’clock. The street was busy with activity as kids played outside and pedestrians headed to their various local destinations. As he stepped out of the Bentley, he could feel their eyes measuring him up. Even in dark jeans, a golf shirt, and leather loafers, it was obvious he was out of place in this modest, middle-class neighborhood.

Nia stepped out of her apartment door before he made it halfway up the front walkway, suggesting she had been watching for his arrival. He noted that she had changed out of her earlier clothes into a soft blue dress and a denim jacket. She carried a large tote bag, which Evan quickly took out of her hands.

“You’re on time,” he teased, leading her back to the car.

Her eyes snapped with defensiveness.

“You didn’t expect me to be?”

He shrugged, enjoying her fiery energy. It had to take time for her to look that good.

“It’s a woman’s right, isn’t it?”

“Well, not this woman,” she mumbled.

“Hey, I’m not complaining,” Evan explained, grinning back boyishly.

He opened the passenger door for her, then put her bag in the backseat. The neighborhood eyes continued to follow them.

“How was your morning? You had an appointment, you said?” he asked, pulling away from the curb.

“It was good,” Nia replied, simply.

Sensing her pensive mood, Evan didn’t pry. She was definitely the type to become stubbornly evasive if pushed.

“Should I put on some music?” he asked, turning on the radio. It was preset to a twenty-four-hour news channel.

“Sure.”

“Anything in particular?”

“I’m easy, anything is fine,” she replied, looking out her door window at the passing cityscape.

It was clear from her posture and tone that she had a barrier up. Evan flipped through the radio stations, landing on one that played the top hits list. Any insights into her musical talents would have to wait for a better time. They continued the drive in easy silence, only interrupted by the occasional question from Evan about her comfort with the temperature in the car, or her seat position.

“I realized when I was packing that I should have asked you more about this thing tonight,” Nia finally stated.

They were about thirty miles south of Boston, but still an hour or so away from Cape Cod.

“I wasn’t sure exactly what to bring,” she admitted.

“I’m sure whatever you have will be fine,” he advised.

“What kind of event is it?”

“It’s a charity thing, for adult literacy,” explained Evan. “The Clements manage the foundation and they’re old family friends. Every year over the Memorial Day weekend, they launch their summer fundraising calendar with a barbecue at their beach house.”

“Oh, so it’s casual?” she asked, surprised.

“Well, maybe the term
barbecue
is a little misleading,” he surmised with a smile. “I haven’t gone in a few years, but I remember it being more like a cocktail party than backyard cookout.”

“Okay.”

He looked over at her profile. She seemed concerned.

“We’ll have plenty of time after we have lunch. We could do a little shopping if you need to,” Evan offered.

Nia looked up at him, surprise and relief written all over her face.

“That would be great, if you’re sure it’s okay.”

“Of course,” he assured her.

“Well, I won’t take long. There are a couple of stores that should have something.”

“Take as long as you’d like, Nia. Have you been to the Cape before?”

“A few times, for client meetings. I’ve always wanted to go for a weekend away, it’s so pretty. But just never managed to plan it,” she admitted.

“Why don’t we spend the day there tomorrow before we return to Boston?” suggested Evan.

She smiled softly. It touched that spot behind his ribcage.

“That sounds nice.”

He kept the conversation alive by talking about the various sites and activities they could see and do in the area. The rest of the drive went by quickly until they arrived in the town of Falmouth in the Upper Cape. Evan drove into the commercial center, now bursting with tourists for the long weekend. He parked the car within walking distance of restaurants and retail shops.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, helping Nia out of the car.

“Starving!” she declared.

He laughed at her dramatics.

“You should have said,” he admonished. “We could have stopped earlier.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll survive.”

“Well, let’s hurry just in case.”

Evan took her hand in his and they walked a couple of blocks to a restaurant he knew well. It was built sometime in the 1950s and hadn’t changed much since.

“My parents and I always stopped here for lunch on our way to the Vineyard when I was young,” he explained as they looked through the menu. “The food is great. Everything is fresh and local.”

“It does look really good,” she agreed. “I know I’m supposed to choose seafood while here, but I have a craving for a burger.”

They placed their orders, and Evan took the opportunity to ask a few seemingly innocent questions.

“How was last night? Were your other plans enjoyable?”

Nia raised an eyebrow, but her lips twitched.

“My evening was good, thanks,” she replied. “I joined some friends at a bar downtown for open mic night.”

“Really? One of them is a musician?” he asked casually.

“No. We were just listening. The guys wanted to go to a sports bar, so we compromised.”

“Guys?”

Her brows went up again.

“Are you jealous, Mr. DaCosta?” she teased.

Evan flashed a charming smile.

“I don’t get jealous, Ms. James,” he clarified in deep, slow tone. “Should I be?”

“Hardly,” Nia dismissed. “They were just friends.”

“Do you have a lot of male friends?”

“No. Only a few acquaintances, really,” she clarified, looking away.

“What about girlfriends? Are you one of those women who only travel in packs?”

Nia rolled her eyes.

“Hardly. I never understood that.”

“What?” he probed.

“You know. People with a zillion friends. It must be so exhausting.”

Evan chuckled at her exaggeration.

“So you’re a loner?”

“I like my own company, if that’s what you mean. I’m an only child, remember?” she reminded him with a shrug. “I know lots of people, but I only have a small number of real friends. People that I trust completely. That’s all you really need, right?”

Evan nodded in support.

“What about family?” he asked. “Don’t they count?”

“I don’t know. I’m not very close to mine.”

“Why not?”

She looked over his shoulder with a faraway expression on her face.

“We just have a different way of looking at the world. I love them, but I wouldn’t say they have my back no matter what,” she explained softly. “But you can’t choose your family, right?”

Their meals arrived just then, interrupting the sensitive moment. They ate in silence.

“Come, let’s go shopping,” he stated as he paid their tab.

Outside, they walked hand in hand down the busy, historical streets until Nia pointed to one of the boutiques she knew. Inside, she slowly walked through the collection, stopping to touch a few things here and there.

From the world of international espionage, Evan was more familiar with women’s clothing than he could explain. He quickly noticed several dresses that he knew would drape her body to perfection. But Evan feigned disinterest like the average civilian man would and casually went to the sales counter.

“Can I help you?” asked the middle-aged woman behind the desk.

“Yes. I would like to arrange payment for whatever the pretty lady would like to purchase,” he requested, pulling out his personal credit card and handing it over.

“No problem, sir,” she replied with an eager smile.

“Maybe the yellow dress near the window? But, let’s keep it between you and me,” he added with a wink.

“No worries, Mr. DaCosta, I’ll take care of it.”

He watched Nia pull out a few items while the saleswoman wrote down his information then handed back the card.

“How are you making out?” he asked Nia as she stood in front of a full-length mirror, holding up a black cocktail dress.

“All right, I think,” she replied.

“Good. I’m going to run over to the liquor store down the street. They carry vintage wines and liquors and George Clement has a thing for single malt scotch. I’ll be back in about twenty minutes?” suggested Evan, checking his watch.

“Okay. I should be done by then.”

As he exited the shop, he could see the sales rep talking to Nia, and pointing to the garment he suggested. Inside the liquor store, he called Raymond to provide a status update.

“How’s Tony doing in New York?” he asked as he walked through the aisles of rare and expensive bottles.

“He checked in a couple of hours ago. It’s not good.”

Evan paused.

“His lead, Spencer, has gone underground and no one seems to know where to find him,” Raymond explained.

“Damn it!” Evan exclaimed. “Any more details on what kind information he might have?”

“Negative. Tony’s going to stake him out for a couple of days, in case he resurfaces.”

“Okay. I’ll check in again tonight. But send me a text if there are any new developments.”

“You got it,” Raymond confirmed.

“What about the picture I sent you this morning? Were you able to identify the guy?”

“Not immediately. It was too blurry. But I have one of the analyst at headquarters working on it. It will take a few days, but we’re trying digital image enhancement software.”

“What about video feeds? Anything in the area we can use to cross-reference his identity?”

“No, it a pretty rough neighborhood. If there are any cameras in the immediate vicinity, they’re not linked to any online network,” explained Raymond. “Beyond that, every other guy on the street is wearing jeans and a white T-shirt.”

“Okay, thanks, Raymond. Keep me posted.”

“No problem, Ice.”

When Evan returned to the clothing boutique, Nia was waiting outside, looking in the store window next door. The glossy garment bag she now carried gave no hint to which dress was the final purchase. They walked through the streets of Cape Cod for a little while before returning to the car for the rest of the trip to his house on Martha’s Vineyard.

 

 

Almost three hours later, Evan was standing in the kitchen of his family’s beach house when she walked into the room wearing the yellow dress of his choice. He could not have pictured her looking more stunning. The silk dress was simple in design. Sleeveless, with a boat neck and side gathering at the waist, the flared skirt fell to her midthigh. The buttery color made her dark-honey skin glow. The fluid fabric draped her body sensuously, revealing more curves than it hid. As his wayward body hardened with heavy desire, he considered that the black dress might have been a better choice. At least for his sanity.

“Is this okay?” she finally asked as the silence and his staring became awkward. “The salesperson insisted it was the best choice. But the color is a little paler than I usually choose. I have another dress that I brought with me, but it’s probably too casual.”

“No,” he finally responded, walking toward her. “No, it’s beautiful.”

He smoothly pulled her into his arms and kissed her. The moment his lips touched hers, he realized how much he had craved her taste. He delved deeply into her mouth, indulging in the sweet wetness, and two days suddenly felt like an eternity. What was wrong with him?

“You look beautiful, Nia,” he told her softly when they finally came up for air. “Maybe I can get a little jealous. I don’t want anyone else’s eyes on you but mine.”

Her silky hair now fell to her shoulders in soft waves. She tucked a section behind her ears and turned away from him.

“Please, I’m sure I’ll hardly be noticed,” she surmised, clearly uncomfortable with his compliments. Her tone suggested she might actually believe her statement. Evan found her reaction puzzling. How could the unflappable woman who stopped traffic and was facing investigative interrogations head-on not know how incredibly stunning she was?

“Give me five minutes to finish getting ready?”

She was gone before he could respond, returning quickly wearing delicate high-heeled sandals, a cashmere pashmina around her shoulders, and a small clutch purse in her hand. Her lips glistened with soft pink lip gloss. Evan felt guilty fascination.

The Clements cottage was only about three miles down the beach in the village of Chilmark at the south-west end of the island, but a ten-minute drive through the rural roads. The house sat at the end of a long, winding, private road under the canopy of old oak trees. As they got closer, there was a line of cars parked along the shoulder, and a couple of valet attendants to assist guests if preferred. Evan tossed over the car keys to one of the young men and slipped the claim ticket into the inside pocket of his light gray blazer. Then he escorted Nia into the house, his arm wrapped possessively around her waist.

There was no sign of her earlier vulnerability. She walked with the same air of confidence he’d first noticed, shoulders back and head high. Evan could feel the slinky undulation of her hips against the palm of his hand. He was tempted to walk behind her just to enjoy the show, but liked the feel of his hands on her body too much.

“Before we go in, I should tell you a little about the Clements,” Evan stated in a low voice. “They’re not just old family friends. I was engaged to their daughter, Mikayla, for a little bit.”