Imminent Danger (Adrenaline Highs) (3 page)

She’d needed a change of scenery from Indiana. She’d never planned to live there, so the last few years had been a battle to stay out of obligation to her business partner. This trip to L.A. provided not only a much needed vacation—albeit a working one—but the chance to decide if maybe she required another life change. She’d already made two in the past decade.

“Hope you didn’t screw yourself with this favor,” she muttered to herself as she stopped at the curb. Agreeing to help her old college roommate’s husband wade through his financial issues had put her on the clock. Especially since her best friend back in Indiana was pregnant and due to have a baby in a few weeks.

It seemed everyone around her was married or pregnant and she was still single and lonely. She’d had a feeling years ago that her move to Indiana from Chicago would do her no good and she’d been right. But that’s where the business had led her, so that’s where she’d gone. There went another few years down the toilet. She was quickly heading down that road to thirty with no prospects in sight.

A sleek black limousine slid to a stop in front of her. A cute chauffeur with steel gray hair got out and walked around the car. His wrinkle-free suit fit over broad shoulders and his healthy tan said he did more than sit in his car all day. His body and hair color didn’t match at all and made it hard to discern his age. He could’ve been anywhere between thirty-five and fifty-five.

“Miss Jacobs, I can take your bags,” he said.

Kim held on tight. Stephanie hadn’t mentioned sending a car for her. “Thanks, but I’m waiting for—” Wait. How would he know her name unless…

The back passenger door opened and a leggy brunette got out of the car, a smile from ear to ear as she laughed. Her slinky black trousers fell over four-inch black Jimmy Choos. The low-cut cream top exposed a cleavage only money could buy and the tone figure under the whole outfit indicated a woman who worked hard to keep herself in great shape. “You better lighten up, sister,” she said. “You’re in SoCal now.”

Kim relaxed and grinned as she let the chauffeur take her bags. “I should’ve known it was you.” She hugged her first college roommate, Stephanie Wyncott, then stepped back. “Wow. Looks like being married to a millionaire agrees with you.” Kim really wasn’t too jealous since Stephanie’s husband was about thirty years older than her. As much as she’d wanted to be in the lap of luxury, she wasn’t willing to waste the best years of her life on a guy who might not be able to get it up more than once a week.

“Life is okay,” Stephanie said, pulling back. She shook her head as she assessed Kim. “But you. You haven’t changed a day since college. I see you still dress for a party no matter where you are. You’re gorgeous.”

Kim waved away the comment and dismissed her own black skirt, high heels and silk top. Fashion was one of the reasons she and Stephanie had bonded so quickly. They both liked to look their best. “Thank you. It takes one to know one.”

“You know it, girl. C’mon, get in the car. I’m dying to catch up.”

Kim slid into the black leather seat as the chauffer closed her bags in the trunk. Across from her sat another seat for two and adjacent to that was a mini bar and small fridge. “This is nice. I didn’t know you had a personal chauffer.”

“I don’t. This is Fido,” she said as the man climbed back behind the wheel. “Fido, this is my old buddy, Kim Jacobs.”

“Nice to officially meet you, Miss Jacobs. I hope you have a nice stay here. The weather should be perfect.” His light gray-blue gaze met hers from the rearview mirror. Kim hadn’t met too many limo drivers, but she doubted they had as much sex appeal as this guy.

“The weather is always perfect,” Stephanie said as she slid into the limo next to Kim. “I call Fido anytime I need a ride. There is no one else I trust more. No Fido, no limo. Besides, I hate driving in the traffic.”

“Must be nice,” Kim murmured. Although business had certainly been better the last few years, she wasn’t anywhere near the limo stage, and as time marched on, she didn’t see it happening in her future either.

“The good with the bad,” Stephanie said softly and Kim caught the sadness behind her smile. “Speaking of bad, I’m still upset that I missed your parents’ funeral.”

The usual pain that accompanied any mention of her parents stabbed Kim’s heart. “You were out of the country. It’s okay. I know you would’ve been there if you could.”

“Are you doing okay?” Stephanie asked, concern evident in her tone and eyes.

“Yeah. You know what they say… Time heals.” Didn’t matter that Kim was an adult, it had taken her a while to deal with being an orphan. The unexpected loss of her parents three years ago had been a giant shock.

Stephanie sighed. “I know, but it still sucks. I’m so sorry. And thank you again for coming to help us with this money mess. Carl has been stressing big time not knowing what’s happening. He’s really hoping you can sort this out.”

“I’m happy to do what I can. I guess I’m not sure why you wanted
me,
” Kim said.

“Because I trust you.” Stephanie’s gaze said it all. “I’ve never trusted our accountant and only now is Carl beginning to see why.”

“So he just quit returning your calls?” Kim asked.

“Pretty much. Carl has so much going on that he needs someone he can trust to go through all the books. I told him that person is you. I know I’m pulling you away from your own business, but you kind of sounded like you needed a change so…”

“It’s okay. I did. Do. Need the change.” She’d been restless in Indiana and with what Stephanie and Carl offered to pay her for helping them through this issue, she could afford the time away. Her partner, Chelsea Rivers, understood her need to go. Chelsea’s own life had turned out perfectly. She had the adoring, gorgeous husband, with a child on the way and she wanted the same for her best friend. Kim just worried that maybe she missed the boat when it came to love. She’d dated and slept with more men than any woman should, all in the hopes of bagging Mr. Right on the Money.

She’d learned her lesson the hard way. Giving herself had only whittled away her self-esteem. When she looked in the mirror, she no longer saw the blonde bombshell she used to be. She saw a foolish idiot who needed to grow up and take charge of her life.

The drive into Holmby Hills passed by in a blur of palm trees, smog and the setting sun as Stephanie caught Kim up on life in general. Aside from emails and speaking to each other a few times a year, they’d only seen each other once, at Chelsea’s wedding four years ago.

“I can’t believe that girl is going to have a baby,” Stephanie said, crossing her legs and shifting in the plush leather seats.

“Yeah, what happened to us? You and I used to be the first to do everything.”

“That’s the truth.” Stephanie’s smile turned melancholy. “I was the first to get married.”

“Twice,” They both said in unison. And laughed. Stephanie’s first marriage had lasted all of forty-seven days. Viva Las Vegas.

“Speaking of marriage. How’s Carl?” Kim asked. “Besides stressed.”

“That pretty much covers it,” Stephanie said with a humorless chuckle. “He’ll be better knowing you’re getting to the bottom of things.”

“This sounds very intriguing,” Kim admitted.

“Nothing intriguing about it. Carl just wants to know what’s up with his money.”

“Can’t blame the man for that.”

The scenery shifted from heavy freeway traffic to office buildings then to a residential neighborhood with houses bigger than her condo building in Indiana. Thirty minutes after they picked her up, the car pulled through huge white wrought iron gates. Kim’s jaw nearly hit the limo floor as she surveyed the huge estate. The two level monolith stretched long and deep with park-like terraced grounds in the front, and a long paved road that led to a giant circular driveway with a massive fountain in the middle. Stephanie had sent a few pictures when they moved in a couple of years ago, but they didn’t do the place justice.

Kim knew Stephanie had married into money, but she hadn’t realized the amount of money.

“I see business has been good for Carl.”

Stephanie nodded. “It has. And it keeps him very busy.”

Kim read between the sad lines. Stephanie was lonely. It was in her eyes and in the tone of her voice. “What keeps you busy?” Kim asked. “You could go back to school and get your arts degree. I don’t see anything stopping you.”

“School?” Stephanie laughed. “At this point?” She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I’ve been volunteering at the museum a few days a week. Between that, the gym and my shopping sprees, my days are full.”

And lonely,
but Kim didn’t say it out loud.

“C’mon,” Stephanie said, getting out of the car. “I’ve got the guest room in the east wing set up for you. I thought you might like to have some privacy while you’re here. We’ve got an extra car for you, too, so you can get around.”

Kim pretty much missed everything after the words
east wing.

Fido grabbed her bags from the trunk and bought them inside. The front entry of the house was
Architectural Digest
-worthy: Black and white tile flooring that led to a double curved staircase and a chandelier overhead that must have cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“Crazy, right?” Stephanie said. “I always wonder what people think when they first walk in.” Though Kim had come from a modest upbringing, Stephanie’s family had been downright poor. It was Stephanie’s brain that got her a full ride into college. “Fido, you can set the bags down here. We’ll take them up later.”

He kept the bags in his hands. “It’s no trouble, Mrs. Wyncott. Only take me a minute.” Fido headed upstairs like he knew where he was going. Apparently he did more than just drive Stephanie to the airport.

“Stop it. It’s not what you’re thinking,” she said. “I’ve known Fido for more than five years now. He’s a very good listener, but I don’t think he’d touch me with a ten foot pole. The man has integrity. One of the reasons I like him so much.” She headed toward the back of the house. “C’mon, let’s have a drink.”

Kim followed Stephanie down a wide hallway and into a step-down living room with thick white carpeting and a massive circular bar on the far end. Three sets of French doors gave a perfect view of paved pathways in the manicured back lawn that led to different sections of the estate. Kim spotted tennis court lights off to the left, a pool off to the right and a guesthouse directly in the back.

Stephanie went straight to the bar and poured herself a stiff shot.

“Soda for me,” Kim said. Her days of drinking hard liquor were few and far between.

Taking a sip of her shot, Stephanie smiled sadly. “Looks like my girl has changed.”

“Yeah. I had to. I didn’t like what I saw in the mirror.”

There was a long pause before Stephanie downed the rest of her shot. “Maybe that’s why I quit looking in the mirror.” Then she poured herself another.

Chapter Three

Abbey walked out of the police station nearly five hours later, after waiting and interviewing several times over. A near full moon cast light over the mostly empty parking lot. “That poor guy,” she said, relieved to breathe fresh air. Julie, Troy and Blake surrounded her. “Who knows where those men have taken him? He could be dead by now.” She’d never forget his scream and the panic in his voice as he’d called for help.

“The good news is that you are
not
dead,” Troy said. His voice of reason always cut to the chase.

“I won’t argue with that,” Abbey muttered, checking her watch. Almost one in the morning. The small basketball in the center of her watch reminded her of something.

The tickets.

She froze and Blake bumped into her.

“Whoa. Sorry,” he said, grabbing her shoulders to steady them both. His warmth seeped through her thin shirt, but she turned and he had to let go.

“What’s wrong?” Julie asked.

“The Lakers tickets.” She glanced between the three of them. “I lost the Lakers tickets. I didn’t think about it until just now. What if the gunmen took them?”

“More likely someone else found them,” Troy said. “I doubt the gunmen stopped to pick up what you dropped.”

“But what if they did, thinking it was some sort of ID? Do you think they’d use the tickets? Maybe we could find them that way.”

“They’d more likely sell them,” Blake said.

Troy nodded. “Probably. We can tell the detectives and it’s something I can check out. I’ll make a few phone calls and we’ll see if anyone shows up in the seats.”

Julie looked sympathetic as she reached for Abbey’s hand and pulled her toward the car. “C’mon, let’s get you home. Big day tomorrow. You need to get some sleep before meeting with the sketch artist.”

“I don’t think they call them that when they’re working with a computer app,” Abbey said.

“Whatever. The point is you have to be back in a few hours. How about you stay with us tonight?” she asked.

“That’s a good idea,” Blake said.

Abbey glanced over her shoulder and glowered at him. What gave him the right to an opinion on this?

“What?” He pulled his innocent face with his brows slanted and eyes wide. He moved in close and whispered in her ear. “The last thing you need is another panic attack while you’re alone. C’mon, Abbey. I don’t want to worry about you.”