Murder List (29 page)

“You.”

“And?”

“And I’m wondering how come you’re not drooling. Must have a lot of discipline,” he said.

Alec looked at him. “We’re here to do a job, and that’s all.”

“You’re saying you’re not going to try to get her—”

Alec cut him off. He knew where he was going. “Not another frickin’ word, or I swear I’ll shoot you.”

“Hey, I wasn’t going to say anything offensive. Well, maybe I was gonna say something like, ‘You kids have a nice time tonight, but you keep your hands to yourself.’ You know, I might have said something like that.”

Alec was wearing a black raincoat over his tux and looked devastatingly handsome. He opened the door for her, stepped back, and said to Wincott, “Replacement’s here.” Wincott’s phone was ringing. “I’ll go over a couple of things with him. You two go on.” The door closed as he was answering the phone.

They didn’t speak until they were in the car and on their way north. Regan gave Alec directions to the country club—she’d written them down on a three-by-five index card—but he already knew where it was located.

“Are you always so organized?” he asked.

“I try to be,” she said. She pulled out a handful of cards, shuffled through them, and put them back in her purse.

“What are all those?”

“Notes for tonight,” she said.

“Do you have to give a speech?” he asked.

“Just a couple of words.”

She didn’t expound, and he figured he’d find out what it was all about when he got there. He was having a difficult time paying attention to the road. Her perfume was playing havoc with his concentration, and all he wanted to think about was how sexy she had looked when she walked into the parlor.

Yeah, right. Who was he kidding? He was trying to picture her naked, and that was what was playing havoc with his concentration.

They’d driven a couple of miles without speaking again, and the silence was awkward. Regan wished he would say something, even if it was a mundane remark about the weather. He had a ferocious frown on his face. What in heaven’s name was he thinking about?

“Is everything all right?” she asked.

“What? Oh, sure. Everything’s fine.”

“You were frowning.”

He glanced over at her. “I was?”

“What were you thinking about?”

You. Naked. Stalling while he tried to come up with a suitable lie, he said. “Just now?” He eased the car down the ramp onto the interstate and swung in behind a pickup. Traffic was unusually heavy, even for Saturday night, but he still didn’t have any trouble keeping track of the sedan following them.

“We’ve got company.”

“We do?”

“The gray sedan two cars back. They’ve been following us since we left the hotel, and they don’t seem to care if we notice them or not. I’m not worried, just irritated.” She tried to see the sedan from her side-view mirror, and when that didn’t work, she twisted in her seat to look out the back window. The seat belt cut into her neck.

“I don’t see a sedan.”

He pulled over into the middle lane and accelerated, and as soon as he did that, the sedan followed.

Her eyes grew huge. “I see them. There are two men.” Turning to Alec, she said, “Why aren’t we worried?”

“They’re security guards.”

“So now I’ve got security guards following me around the city? Even when I’m with you? Who do you suppose gave that order?”

“Your brother.”

She settled back in the seat, adjusted her raincoat over her knees, and stared out the window. She didn’t say another word for several minutes. Alec glanced over at her and saw the worry on her face.

“What’s on your mind?” he asked.

“I was just wondering why we haven’t heard from him,” she said. “Why hasn’t he tried to contact me?

It’s been two weeks, Alec. Do you still think he will?”

He could hear her anxiety. “Yes, I do.”

“But what happens if he waits?”

“Then we wait.”

“How much time will the lieutenant let Detective Wincott and you and the others spend on this?

You’re all overworked, and I know there aren’t enough of you to go around. If nothing happens, and you leave Chicago, and he goes into hiding…” She suddenly stopped, took a breath, and told herself to calm down. Alec wasn’t clairvoyant. He couldn’t possibly have all the answers.

“Listen, Regan. Wincott and Bradshaw haven’t been twiddling their thumbs. They’re working on this, okay?”

“Yes, okay,” she said, feeling guilty now because she knew the detectives had been putting in long hours. “I’m sorry. It’s just that, the more I know—”

“The less afraid you’ll be.”

“That too.”

“What were you going to say?’

“The more control I’ll have. Besides, I can’t come up with a plan to help catch him unless I know all the facts, now can I?”

“I don’t like the sound of that, and neither will Wincott. Don’t you get in the middle of this.”

“I am in the middle of it.”

“I’m talking about the investigation. Don’t muck it up with foolish plans…”

“You sound like you think I’m going to do something crazy.” She had one hand on the dashboard, getting ready to brace herself should he swerve or increase his speed.

“Would you like to drive?”

The question jarred her. “No, I wouldn’t.”

“I’m only going sixty.”

“Did I criticize your driving?”

He reached across the console and pulled her hand away from the dash. “Try to relax,” he said. “And no more talk about the investigation tonight. Okay?”

“Yes,” she agreed. She leaned back and folded her hands in her lap. “About those security guards following us…”

“Yes?”

“I don’t want them to follow us inside the club, and I’d rather no one knew that you were my bodyguard. The focus shouldn’t be on me tonight, and I don’t want a lot of questions.” The only way the focus wouldn’t be on her was if she kept her coat on all evening and no one got a look at her dress. Actually, it was her body inside the dress, he silently corrected.

“I’ll talk to the guards and make sure they keep a low profile.”

“Thank you.”

The clouds suddenly erupted, and within seconds, fat raindrops splattered the windshield. Alec turned on the wipers and said, “I think we’re going to set a record for the most consecutive rain days.”

“That’s our exit.”

“I know.”

“Does Wincott know where Shields is hiding?”

“You’ll have to ask him that question.”

“Aiden wants me to hide too. I’m not going to, though. I’m not running away. I want to help catch him.”

“Aiden’s trying to look out for you,” he said. “I’ve got two younger sisters, and I’d probably react the same way.”

“He’s bringing in reinforcements.”

“Oh?”

“Spencer’s on his way. He’s probably already at the hotel.”

“Wasn’t he coming to Chicago for that meeting you told me about?”

“Yes.”

“But you think the two of them will try to gang up on you to get you to go into hiding?”

“Yes, but it won’t work. Like I said, I’m not going anywhere. And if anyone is hiding, it’s Aiden.”

“Yeah?” He was trying not to smile. She sounded so disgruntled now. “Who’s he hiding from?”

“Me.”

“He’s that scared of you, huh?”

“I wish.”

He did laugh then. “I gather that’s a no?”

“Aiden isn’t afraid of anyone, least of all me. He isn’t really hiding from me,” she admitted. “He is driving me crazy, though. It seems that every time I turn around, there he is, and yet, he doesn’t have time to even schedule a meeting. He keeps hiring more guards too. I’m bumping into them.”

“He’s worried about you, and that’s why there are so many security guards around. Did you ever talk to him about having your car towed away?”

“Not yet, but I will.”

“What about Walker? Is he going to gang up on you too?”

“No. He’s pretty self-absorbed these days, and I’m glad of it. I can handle two, but three against one is more difficult.”

They’d taken the exit and were slowing to a stop at a red light. The country club was a little over two miles away.

“You’re tougher than you look.”

She smiled. “I hope that’s a compliment.”

“It is,” he said. “Families can be complicated. Trust me. I know.”

“From some of the stories you’ve told me, you were pretty wild.”

“I had my share of wild times.”

With women? she wanted to ask.

“How come you’re not married?”

He shrugged. “I don’t have anything against marriage. My brothers Nick and Theo love being married. I just haven’t had time for any kind of meaningful relationship.”

“Women are like potato chips.”

“I’m sorry?” He couldn’t believe he’d heard her correctly. “Women are what?”

“Like potato chips,” she repeated. “That’s what a guy in college once told me.”

“A boyfriend?”

She shook her head. “No, he was dating a friend of mine, and sleeping around on her.”

“Did he tell you why he thought women were like potato chips?”

“Yes. He said he couldn’t eat just one.”

He thought that was hilarious. He’d heard a lot of lame reasons men gave women when they got caught cheating, but this one had to be the worst yet.

“It’s not that funny,” she said.

“Yeah, it is.”

He turned the corner. The rain was coming down in torrents now. They followed a limo through the iron gates. There were gaslights outlining the half mile drive that curved through the palatial grounds to the clubhouse. Whoever had designed the club had wanted to impress, and he had certainly achieved that goal. The opulence of the three-story structure at the top of the rise was close to being an embarrassment of excess. Soft lights shone down on massive white pillars. The brick building reminded Alec of a southern plantation run amuck.

The rain didn’t let up. Alec handed his car keys to the valet and followed Regan up the stairs. He was one step behind her, and it occurred to her that he was making himself a target in order to protect her.

“Do you belong to this club?” he asked.

She shook her head. “It’s not my kind of place.”

The comment surprised him. “Not my kind of place either. It’s too…”

“Pretentious?” she whispered.

“Yes.”

Two men in red tailcoats opened the massive double doors as they approached. As Regan and Alec were walking inside, he took her arm and said, “I don’t want you to go anywhere without me. Not even the ladies’ room.”

She turned to him. “Are you going to go in there with me?”

“No, but I’m making sure it’s empty.”

He took her coat, removed his own, and handed both to the coat check woman. His frown told Regan that he didn’t approve of what she was wearing. She almost said something and then changed her mind. She draped the silk shawl around her shoulders and knotted it, and as soon as she did that, his frown eased.

He looked so dashing all dressed up in his tux. His bow tie was crooked, though, and a lock of his hair had fallen down on his forehead. Without a thought as to what she was doing, she stepped closer, adjusted his tie, and brushed his hair back in place.

She made the mistake of looking into his eyes. They wrinkled at the corners, and she knew he wanted to laugh at her. She could have stared at him all night. Time to get hold of yourself, she thought.

She stepped back. “I didn’t mean to… you know.”

“No, I don’t know. You didn’t mean to what?”

“To touch you,” she whispered.

He grinned. “I like you touching me.”

“I still shouldn’t have…”

She was saved from having to continue the awkward conversation when she heard someone call her name. She whirled around, lost her balance, and fell back against Alec. He grabbed her around the waist and held her until she stopped wobbling. She shouldn’t have worn such impossible high heels, she told herself.

He had to think she was a complete klutz. Fortunately, she didn’t have to dwell on that depressing thought long. Cordie caught her attention. Regan smiled as her friend came rushing forward. As usual, she looked lovely. The sapphire blue dress had a long full skirt and a fitted bodice that showed off her perfect figure.

“Have you been waiting long?” Regan asked. She might as well have added, “Yo, I’m down here.” Her friend was staring at Alec and having trouble keeping her mouth closed. Regan couldn’t fault her.

“Stop staring,” she whispered.

“I’m not staring.”

She was, and she didn’t seem inclined to stop. Regan nudged her. “I asked you if you had been waiting long. For heaven’s sake, Cordie, look at me.”

“What? Oh, no, I just got here.”

Regan remembered her manners. She stepped to Alec’s side and introduced the two. Cordie smiled as she shook his hand. “You don’t look like a detective, at least not in that tuxedo.” She glanced down at his waist and asked, “Are you carrying?”

“Carrying what?” Regan asked.

“A gun,” she explained. “You know… packing.”

Alec smiled. “You watch a lot of television, don’t you?”

“Sorry to say I do,” she said. “At least I do when I’m not grading papers. I lead a very boring life.”

“No, you don’t,” Regan said. “Cordie’s a woman of many talents. Do you know, she totally rebuilt the engine in her car?”

Alec thought she was joking. Cordelia was extremely feminine—very like Regan—and it was easier for him to picture her getting her nails painted at one of those fancy salons somewhere than changing the points and plugs in a car. Then the name clicked inside his head. Cordelia Kane as in Kane Automotive.

“Your family owns a couple of auto repair shops around town, don’t they?”

“More than a couple,” Regan said. “They’re nationwide.”

She suddenly remembered she hadn’t told Cordie the latest about her brother. “Aiden had my car towed away.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“Get it back,” she said.

Regan shook her head. “He had it taken to a junkyard. I’m sure it’s been stripped by now. Oh, and he bought me a BMW. Can you believe his gall?”

Alec would have laughed, but he knew Regan was serious, and angry. So was her friend.

“I can’t believe I wasted an entire weekend putting in a brand-new radiator and shocks…”