The Eligible Suspect (12 page)

Why hadn’t he told her that after Damen had started shooting at them? He’d procrastinated until he was forced to tell her. Did that mean he was guilty? He’d kept secrets from her. Big secrets. Secrets that would send him to prison.

He could be guilty.

He could have driven the car in a hit-and-run. He could have killed Collette. And Damen could have come after him for it. Damen had made that comment about Collette getting what she deserved, but he could have just been taunting Korbin. And Korbin had been focused on Tony. He’d kept grilling Damen about the man.

What if there was more going on than she could see right now?

Why would Korbin offer to help Collette if he planned to kill her? And what motive would he have?

Savanna could be missing key pieces of information that only Korbin would know. Or he could be telling the truth...when he was forced to reveal it.

Sighing, sinking low into the water, she asked herself if it was worth staying there to find out. Wouldn’t it be best if she left, removed herself from this dangerous adventure and never saw him again? Maybe it was the dangerous adventure that drew her. Korbin was exciting. Her fiancé and the lawyer had not been exciting. They had fit her motivational speaker persona, not this brave woman who championed a fugitive,

Climbing out of the tub, she dried herself, depressed that she couldn’t make up her mind. She’d never felt so indecisive in her life.

Dressing in a pajama set, she left the bathroom. Korbin sat reclined in a chair, facing her, the gas fireplace going beside him and no other lights on. He’d been deep in thought, brooding. Fighting the fact that he kept kissing her—and she tried not to remember the other thing they did—when a big, loyal part of him resisted that?

She went into the kitchen, seeing city lights through the window. She had to hand it to Korbin’s friend. He’d given them a safe place to go for the night.

Opening the fridge, she realized she hadn’t eaten all day. The food Julio had packaged up for them was in there. She took it out, noticing Korbin had already eaten.

She put the Styrofoam container into the microwave and turned for something to drink. Bumping into Korbin, she jumped back and he took a step back. Awkwardness over the contact affected them both.

“I was just...getting something to drink.”

“Oh. Here.” He opened the fridge and she leaned to take out a bottle of iced tea that was in there. The apartment came furnished, and that included some nonperishable items.

“I’m thinking about going to Evergreen in the morning,” she said. “I realize you have this issue over protecting me, but my father has security really tight there.”

He straightened from retrieving a bottle of water from the fridge. “We’ve been over this.”

“That isn’t the only reason I want to go.”

The microwave dinged, sparing her from the hardening look in Korbin’s eyes. She took her smothered burrito to the table and sat facing the city lights. The bath and the view worked well to calm her frazzled thoughts. Had she just made a decision? If so, she was very proud of herself, bad-boy craver or not. Korbin’s lovemaking hadn’t completely robbed her of self-respect.

Korbin sat at the table with her, setting the water bottle down.

“It won’t happen again,” he said.

She swallowed her bite and looked at him. “What? Kissing? Sleeping with each other?” She didn’t try to bridle her sarcasm.

“Only if that’s what you want.”

And if she wanted it, he’d be happy to oblige?

She set down her fork. He was ruining her dinner. “Korbin, that is what I want. When you kiss me, I want kissing and sex. Don’t you get that?”

He blinked with building desire. “Yes. I do get that.”

His desire stirred hers. “It isn’t fair for you to keep seducing me.”

“I won’t. I told you, it won’t happen again.”

“How can you be so sure?” When they were alone together, nature took over. She watched him realize the same.

Finally, he said, “Because...I have other reasons for refraining.”

“You feel like you cheated on your dead wife.” She said it more like an accusation. Maybe she said it to hurt him. Maybe he needed to hear it.

His eyes stayed on hers a moment, and then lowered with the trueness of the assessment.

“I’m sorry,” she said, immediately contrite. “I’m mostly mad at myself for not taking more time to get to know you. I thought I could...be bold and...give you a try. You know, sort of like test-driving a McLaren.”

He half grinned. “I’m comparable to a sports car?”

“Not comparable. I can’t drive fast. That was the analogy.” She picked at her food.

When she looked up, he was fighting a bigger grin.

“What?” He better not tease her about this.

“We can drive slow from now on. What’s your speed? Minivan or Subaru?”

She almost let go of a laugh. “A golf cart.”

After chuckling from deep down, he leaned forward and slid his hand over hers. The touch revved up her unreasonable lust for him.

The traces of his grin faded and after he held her gaze a while, he said, “I don’t want to hurt you.”

He couldn’t have chosen a worse thing to say.

She pulled her hand out from under his. “But you will, Korbin.”

“No. I’ll respect your wishes.”

“You’ll try.”

He had no comment to that. He couldn’t refute it. He’d try, but he wouldn’t succeed. The temptation was too great for them both. And now that they’d sampled how hot it was between them, any opportunity for more would be that much harder to resist. She didn’t trust herself, much less him.

“I’m going to stay in Evergreen for a while,” she said.

A worried energy lit his eyes and he tried to reach for her hand again. “Savanna—”

“The security is impenetrable there. You don’t have to feel responsible for protecting me.”

“Yes, I do. I got you into this mess.”

“And you can get me out of it while I’m in Evergreen.”

The intensity of his eyes didn’t diminish, but he understood what she said. It was a logical solution.

“Savanna, I...”

The loss of words didn’t need to be found. She could feel what he meant to say but couldn’t.

“You don’t have to explain,” she said gently. “You lost the love of your life and it’s difficult for you to move on to someone else. But you have to let me go, Korbin. I can’t stay with you. Not with how much...how we...” She couldn’t describe the powerful connection they had—or she had. Most likely she was alone when it came to the strength of how she felt when he was inside of her, when he kissed her. Touched her in any way.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said.

Why did he keep saying that? “I’m not. I’m being practical. You aren’t ready for this.”

“Are you saying you are?”

It had been only a few days since he was stranded on her road. She looked out at the city lights, needing them to calm her and the confusion milling around her heart.

“No, you aren’t,” he said for her. “We both aren’t.”

She turned back to him. “That’s why I should go.”

“I want you to stay. With me.”

“Why? Do you want to keep engaging the way we have and see where we end up?” She didn’t think she could do that.

After a slight hesitation, he said, “I’d be willing to give it a try.”

Although he said the words that could placate her, the way he said them did the opposite. He sounded anxious, uncertain.

“I can’t have a sexual relationship with you anymore.”

He sat back against the chair in defeat. Seeing that hurt more than she anticipated. Oh. She hated being so intuitive. She was right about him. There could be no doubt now. He hadn’t worked through his issues yet. And she wouldn’t be the rebound girl. The one who wasn’t quite right. The one who wasn’t as right as another woman. No, the man who got her next time would know she was right for him. In every way. And she’d be certain of it. Nothing affirmed her decision to leave more than that.

“It would be more than that,” he said. But it came too late, and again she heard his lack of conviction. He might want to believe he was ready for more than just sex, but Savanna could not ignore her instincts.

“You feel guilty every time you touch me. I can’t be with you that way. And it’s not fair of you to expect me to stay close to you when we both know we won’t be able to stop ourselves from touching each other.” Having gripping sex. His weight on her, his thickness sliding into her. His ghost-gray eyes full of heat and passion. Her toes curled just remembering. She had to make him understand. “You have to let me go, Korbin. I need that.”

For a long time he just sat there looking at her, unable to deny anything she said, hurting her without meaning to. Had she ever turned away from a man for her own good before? No. She’d always held on to the optimism that he’d want her the way she wanted him. Twice she’d been wrong. It could happen again. She had to stick to her decision and go.

“All right, but let me take you,” he finally said.

Feeling the burn of tears threaten, she picked up her container of food and put it on the counter. He’d agreed. He knew her leaving was the best thing for them both.

Chapter 10

M
acon Ivy unfolded his tall frame from the Denver hotel chair, phone to his ear, waiting for his mother to finish her panicked ranting.

“I’d call Lincoln, but he and Sabrina are in Scotland right now,” his mother said. She was trying to solve everything all on her own.

“The police are working this.”

He heard her breathing—catching up on breathing, that is. “But kidnapped. My Savanna has been kidnapped!”

“That’s what the media are saying. You know how they can be. Maybe it isn’t what it seems.” Korbin had something to hide, but he didn’t strike him as a murderer who’d kidnap a woman. “And Savanna isn’t dumb. She wouldn’t stand up for him if he wasn’t a good person.”

“Find my daughter, Macon.” His mother began to cry. He never heard or saw her cry. She was a strong woman. Nothing ever got her down. “You kids are going to send me to an early grave.”

He chuckled, hearing her quickly overcome her moment of weakness. “Save the drama for the movies, Mom. Savanna is fine. And I will try to find her.” Even though he had zero experience as a detective and the press was camped outside the hotel.

“This is no movie, Macon. Why do my children have to get into trouble all the time?”

“Trouble finds us, I guess.”

“Go get her. Bring her to Evergreen. I’m flying there today with your father.”

“Are you trying to sneak in another reunion?” In Macon’s drinking and drugging years, he’d avoided those gatherings. Now he was beginning to look forward to them.

“Macon. How can you be so insensitive?”

“I’m telling you, Korbin isn’t a bad guy. Yeah, he ran from cops and the media are saying he killed two people, but someone shot at him up in Wolf Creek. Someone who is supposed to be a friend of his. There’s more going on here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He hadn’t been at first, but after thinking about it he was now. “He’s innocent. The only thing he’s guilty of is falling for Savanna.”

There was a long pause on the line. “Really?”

“Oh yeah. You should have seen them together. Something’s going on there. They look like they’ve slept together.”

His mother gasped. “Is Savanna not thinking clearly? Maybe he seduced her and she’s fooled into staying with him.”

“Mother, stop. Savanna’s been through enough with men. She wouldn’t be with him if he wasn’t worth something.” At least, he hoped. Sleeping with someone after just meeting them wasn’t Savanna’s style. Why had she?

“I’ll find Savanna and bring her to Evergreen,” he said. And a few minutes later he was able to get off the phone.

Turning up the volume on the television, he listened to a news report on Savanna’s alleged kidnapping. Collette Hamilton’s murder. The hit-and-run. According to the media, Korbin appeared to have done them both. He hadn’t voiced his real concern to his mother. Savanna would be in danger if Damen Ricchetti came after them again. Korbin had put him in the hospital, but wouldn’t that just piss him off more as soon as he was released? This Korbin Maguire fellow may not be afraid of that, but Savanna could be caught in the crossfire.

Macon’s girlfriend emerged from the bathroom. Slender and fit with long, silky blond hair and blue eyes, she was a vision for the camera. She smiled as she approached in her practiced gait. Placing her hands on his face, she kissed him as though the world were watching. He was getting tired of her. There was no difference between who she was when she was acting and who she was in real life.

Keisha Coulter did a lot of romantic comedies, and Macon felt like he was her leading man. Did she even care about who he was when they were off the set?

She lowered her hands from his face, and he wished she’d stop looking at him so dramatically. “I need to go to Denver.”

That earned him a few theatrical blinks. “Why?”

“There’s something I need to do.” He started to walk to the door.

She followed. “What do you mean? What do you need to do? You’re just going to leave me here?”

He turned before opening the door. “You can stay here as long as you like. Or leave.”

“What?” That pout might actually be genuine. “What do you mean, leave? I don’t want to leave.”

“I’m just saying, you can do whatever you want.”

“I want to be with you. That’s why I came to your hotel. I didn’t come here to be alone.” She rubbed his chest with her hands, acting again. “How long will you be gone?”

“I don’t know. Probably a few days.”

She dropped her hands and her mouth dropped open—more drama. No wonder she went through so many men. Probably none of them felt as though she saw them as themselves, only another actor in the scene of life.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know. Maybe go see your ex.” He already knew they were talking to each other. He’d seen a few of their text messages on her phone. Deangelo Calabrese was another guy who acted his way through life. He should have known better than to date the ex-girlfriend of Autumn’s ex-boyfriend. Geez, just thinking that gave him a headache. Autumn’s ex-boyfriend’s ex-girlfriend...

Autumn was living happy as could be in Lander, Wyoming, with her black ops husband and newborn baby. She’d gotten away from the press by getting away from people like Calabrese. Macon should follow suit and do the same with this bubblehead.

“Why would I do that?” she finally asked, no doubt anxious that he was onto her.

“Haven’t you been seeing each other?”

“Wh...? No. I mean...we’re friends, that’s all.”

Friends with benefits? He didn’t ask. He didn’t care.

Suddenly she noticed what he was wearing. “Why are you in jeans?”

“I always wear jeans when I’m off the set.”

“Oh.” She appeared perplexed for a second.

It struck him then. He didn’t want to see her anymore. He’d asked her to meet him here with the intent of sleeping with her, but now it wasn’t important. “Maybe it’s best if you left, Keisha.”

She looked perplexed. “Until you get back?”

“No. I mean leave. And don’t come back. I think I’m done with this.” He knew he sounded like a jerk, but she wasn’t exactly a pillar of morality. She was seeing her ex again, and if he cared about her at all that would have bothered him. The fact that it didn’t told him it was time for them to part ways.

After blinking in bewilderment, she grew angry. “Just like that?” She snapped her fingers. “You decide we’re finished?”

“You would have come to the same conclusion when you were finished acting this out.”

“Acting...” Her brow creased. “I’m not acting.”

Maybe not now...

“You’re a nice girl, Keisha. It’s just not working out for us.”

“Oh.” She acted out her disappointment, which may or may not be real disappointment. “A-all right.” She began going about the room picking up her things and depositing them into her suitcase with furtive glances his way.

No wonder she’d won one of the most prestigious awards in Hollywood.

Turning, he left without another word. Down in the lobby, he met up with his security detail. The lead guard spoke into his radio, getting his driver ready.

Outside, the press was hungrier than usual.

“Have you heard from your sister, Macon?”

“Will your film be delayed because of this?”

“Where’s Keisha? Why isn’t she with you?”

“Back off,” his lead guard, Warley, said, sticking his hand up while two more guards plowed a path for him to the black Escalade waiting for him, door open with another guard standing there.

Macon climbed in the back, looking out at the crowd of cameras and nameless faces of the men and women behind them. While this came with fame and he liked the attention sometimes, now was inappropriate.

“Where to, Mr. Ivy?” the driver asked after Warley sat in the front and another guard sat in the back with Macon.

Macon told him the Denver address.

The driver began to set out, but looked into the rearview mirror in question. “That’s a rough neighborhood. Are you sure you have the right address?”

“It’s the right address.” Macon didn’t look up from checking his email and text messages, but he caught Warley’s turn of head.

“Would you mind filling us in on this excursion?” Warley asked.

“Just an old friend I need to talk to for a bit.” He’d called Darnell Robbins yesterday and arranged to meet today.

“You have a friend in a rough neighborhood?” Warley asked.

It was a piece of his life he rarely talked about, and wouldn’t now, with his security detail.

“Mr. Ivy?” Warley queried.

Macon lifted his eyes, a clear warning.

“We can’t protect you if you keep us in the dark.”

“You won’t have to protect me where we’re going.” He almost scoffed. If anything, he’d protect them.

Macon ignored his frequent looks. When the driver pulled to a stop in front of a brick apartment building with clothes hanging out on lines in front of some of the upper windows, Macon saw several African-Americans in groups, mostly male. Some sat on front steps, some played basketball in the enclosed court across the street. They’d stopped to take in the Escalade that had appeared.

“You wait here,” Macon said to Warley, and then opened the door.

Darnell stood with a group of black men in front of the apartment building. He smiled as Macon approached, shaking his hand and giving him a hard pat.

“Hey, man. I don’t have to ask how you been. Big-time actor, huh? I couldn’t believe it when I started hearing you were in some hit movies. Whatcha doin’ down here, dirtying yourself with us homeys?”

“Hey, Darnell. Thanks for agreeing to meet me. It’s been a long time.”

“You got my attention, dude. What’s all this about Damen Ricchetti?”

“That’s what I was hoping you could tell me.” He glanced around at all the faces still observing the exchange.

“Ricchetti, huh?” Darnell shook his head as though in awe. Then he looked back at the four other men behind him, who nodded in response, agreeing in recognition and mumbling among each other.

“Big-time drug dealer,” Darnell said. “Chased out the other dude who took rank around those parts.”

“He doesn’t sell here?”

Darnell laughed. “Hell no. A white boy like him? Naw, man, he stays out of my neighborhood. He ain’t like you. Catch my meaning, friend?”

“Yeah.” What he meant was Damen Ricchetti wasn’t trusted here.

“Did you hear that he was hospitalized?” Macon asked.

“Yeah, man. You know he has a twin brother, don’t you?”

“No.”

“Demarco Ricchetti. Runs an antique auction house uptown. Complete opposite of his brother.”

Darnell knew a little about everyone. “What about Tony Bartoszewicz?”

Darnell made a face. “Never heard of him.”

Maybe Tony wasn’t into drugs. Maybe it was something else. “Thanks, Darnell.”

“You want me to look into this Bartoszewicz dude?”

“Sure. Yeah. That’d be great.” Macon shook his hand. “Good to see you again.”

“Likewise, my man. I’ll be in touch.”

Macon turned and headed back to the Escalade, seeing Warley watching in amazement. He said nothing as Macon got back into the vehicle. “Julio’s Mexican Cantina, please.”

“The media’s going to be crawling all over that place,” Warley protested.

“They’re going to be crawling everywhere I go.” Except here. Who would guess some of Macon’s closest friends were from the dark side of town? While he’d like to shed that part of his past, it was there and not going anywhere. What a coincidence that he and Korbin had that in common.

* * *

This time he needed his security guards to get into the restaurant. He had to sign a few autographs before Julio had them brought to the back and into the restaurant office, a cramped room that afforded Macon some privacy. Only he and Julio stood in there, and Macon shut the door on Warley’s unhappy face.

“I’m looking for my sister. She came here with Korbin Maguire. You and he are friends?”

“I am sorry, Mr. Ivy. I don’t know where they went.” He seemed stressed.

Macon cocked his head. “Did the cops fall for that?”

Julio’s anxious look said no, they hadn’t.

“Well, I don’t either. Tell me where my sister is. I don’t care about Maguire. I have orders from my mother to take her to our house in Evergreen.”

Still, Julio didn’t budge.

“Come on. My sister is in serious danger. She’s been shot at. Being with Maguire is dangerous for her. All I want is my sister.”

“She’ll be in danger if I tell you anything,” Julio finally said.

“Where is she? Give me something.”

Julio shook his head. “Better if you don’t know. Famous actor like you. What do you think will happen if you are seen going to her?”

Her whereabouts would be exposed. Damen could find her...or that other guy. He could put Savanna’s life in more danger. But could he stand by and do nothing?