Vengeance (11 page)

I blinked at this blunt comment. "I beg your pardon?"

"Robert. He thought he could take me out for dinner and convince me to fund his damn project." She gave a ladylike snort. "As if wining and dining would make me compromise my morals. When I made it clear our relationship could only be business, he informed me I wasn't the sort of woman who could hold the interest of a man like him. He was so mad."

"Like him? What kind of man is he?" I, of course, knew. A man like him was a sociopath with no conscience--a murderer, an amoral animal.

"You know. Rich, sophisticated, intelligent." Lucinda peeked over her shoulder at me, her gray eyes mischievous as she assessed my crisp shirt and pressed denims. "A good dresser. I mean, he's handsome, but..."

I crossed the room. "But?"

She looked down at Cerberus, who lounged on the floor over her feet, pinning her in place. "I can't imagine Robert taking in a dog like this."

Not unless he wanted to conduct experiments on me
, Cerberus commented with a yawn.

I put my arm around her shoulders. "So why are you so concerned?"

"When Robert found out he couldn't sway me, he went to my sister, Cara, and got the extra funding he wanted for his research." Lucinda leaned against me, much as Cerberus leaned against her. I doubt she even noticed. "She doesn't have--"

I gave her shoulder a squeeze. "She doesn't have your moral compass?"

Lucinda grinned up at me. "I was going to say my good taste, but your expression is more polite. Cara likes to collect men. I've never understood that about her."

"Perhaps it's a validation of herself as a woman."

"Phooey. No offense, but most men are too easy. It doesn't mean squat."

I chuckled. "I'll have to remember I need to play hard to get to impress you."

Lucinda turned and put her arms around my neck. My arms automatically enclosed her as she stood on her tiptoes to reach my face. "You've already impressed me, Nico. After all, I don't know many men who have toy trains in their office and who bother to research my company on the strength of a few minutes of conversation."

"I was hoping I'd have more than a few minutes." I drew her to me as our lips touched again. This time passion flared between us, hot and immediate. I felt it in her body as she pressed along me, her soft breasts molding to my body, her legs parting slightly. I pushed hard against her, fitting myself to her curves. She was very small and petite but perfectly formed, a tiny Venus who merged so beautifully against me.

The psychic sharing was deeper, more intense this time. Perhaps it was because I trusted it and her. Or maybe I was hoping to find Persa within her, to experience that psychic sharing Persa and I had enjoyed. No matter the reason, this time I distinguished specific events in Lucinda's memories as well as her reactions to me. I sensed her excitement, disbelief and her enjoyment. All of it merged with the emotions I was experiencing. I was inundated by a tide of feeling.

A ringing noise impinged on my consciousness.

Phone
, Cerberus said as though from a distance. The speaker in my ear buzzed for my attention. It could have a fire alarm for all I cared. All I wanted was this woman in my arms. I wanted to touch her bare skin, taste her essence, inhale her fragrance. All I wanted was...

She pulled away. "Your phone is ringing," she murmured against my lips.

"I don't care." I leaned back to her, but my answering system came on the speaker. I recognized the voice saying, "Mr. Haidess, this is Parker Madison. I need to--"

I relaxed my hold on Lucinda. "I'm sorry. I have to take this call."

She nodded in understanding and stepped aside as I went to the desk. I picked up the receiver. "I'm here, Mr. Madison." My use of a formal greeting told him I wasn't alone.

"Ah, good. Can we chat?"

I could imagine Parker, distinguished and white-haired, sitting at his executive's desk in the Hancock Tower in downtown Chicago, staring at Lake Michigan in the distance. "Yes, we can talk."

Lucinda wandered to the window seat, twisting at an angle to look out. Cerberus jumped up on the cushion to join her. They were silhouetted against the sun-dappled yard, leaning against each other, her arm around his shoulders. I felt a brief spurt of jealousy at the sight.

"We may need to shift our travel dates. My client prefers to leave sooner rather than later. Perhaps as early as Friday."

Friday? They wanted Lucinda killed on Friday? Today was Wednesday. It wasn't going to happen, of course. There was no way I could kill her. But why was her death date being hastened?

"Will that be a problem?" Parker asked.

"I'm just curious," I said cautiously. "Who's the client again?" I heard the faint sound of the Beatles' "Fool on the Hill." Lucinda fumbled in her denim jacket pocket, pulling out her phone.

She pressed it to her ear as Madison said, "A family member."

Was Lucinda's sister was paying for Lucinda's death? "That's unusual." I caught glimpses of Lucinda's face as a series of expressions danced across it--outrage, disbelief, impatience--all in quick succession. Her attention was totally focused on her conversation. I smiled at the sight, wondering what her face would look like in passion.

"Mr. Haidess?"

I snapped my mind back to my own phone call. "Yes, I'm here."

"Will that be possible?"

"Changing the itinerary?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

Lucinda stood up, her free hand clenched. "That's crazy, Cara!"

"I'll need to get back to you on that, Mr. Madison." Lucinda began to pace, Cerberus watching her anxiously from his place on the window seat.

"If there's a problem, perhaps I can ask one of your associates to help."

There was no way in hell one of my fellow assassins was going to take over this job. "No problem. Let me get back to you for the details."

"Cara, that's not fair. I told you I had to be out of the office." Lucinda's voice was outraged and her hands clenched.

"I need to go now," I told Parker. "I'll call you later." I hung up the phone and exchanged a look with Cerberus, who had sat up to follow Lucinda's progress around my room.

"Can't it wait until this afternoon?" Lucinda demanded, her denim skirt swirling around her legs as she turned at the doorway and stalked back toward the fireplace. "Well, why not? Damn it, Cara, it's almost lunchtime. Why is it so urgent?" Lucinda must have sensed me watching her because she stopped in front of my desk. Her gaze dropped to the financial report, then back to my face. I saw desperation, anger and worry etched in her eyes. "I'll get there as fast as I can. You can't do anything permanent without me, so don't even try." She closed the phone with an angry snap. "I'm sorry. I have to get back to the office."

I got to my feet to intercept her before she could bolt out of the room. "What's happened, Lucinda? Is something wrong?"

She dodged around me, into the living room. Cerberus and I followed. "My sister Cara has called a meeting of the shareholders," she said over one shoulder. "I think she wants our company to go public and I've resisted it for months. She decided today might be a good time to talk about it."

Lucinda snatched her bag from the kitchen counter along with her hat, mittens and pet food sack. I managed to put a restraining hand on her arm before she could race out the door. "Calm down. If what I read about your company is true, you have a thirty percent share in the stock. That's enough to force any legal options to be reviewed."

She stopped so suddenly my action pulled her against me. Staggering back, she peered up at me in surprise. "What?"

"I've been on several boards of directors and I've taken three companies through the IPO process. It doesn't happen immediately, just because your sister has decided she wants it to. There are lawyers, forms, SEC stipulations to meet and about a thousand other roadblocks that can get in the way." I put a calming hand on Lucinda's shoulder. "Tell me what's going on and maybe I can help."

Cerberus made a whining noise next to her.
Tell us. You can trust us, even though he is supposed to kill you
.

I looked down at the dog. "You stay out of this."

Lucinda laughed shakily. "You can't tell a dog to stay out of anyone's business. They're born busybodies."

Cerberus pushed his snout against her leg.
Go on. Tell us
.

She ran a hand through her dark curls. "It's a long story and I really don't have the time. Cara is going to start the meeting whether I'm there or not. My nephew Jeff is in town. That's why she's doing this. He's normally in Boston, but he's in town for a visit." Lucinda shook her head angrily. "I don't have time."

I put a hand under her elbow. "Let's go." Cerberus got behind her and began nudging her legs, giving her his own brand of encouragement.

"What?" She looked down at the dog then at me.

I almost had to drag her to the door leading to the garage. "I got you into this trouble by asking you to come here and help with Cerberus. The least I can do is help you now."

The dog woofed.
I'll have you know it wasn't my idea. But he's right. We got you into this mess. The least we can do is help get you out
.

"But you have a job. You have clients and business and--"

"Surely John Fairchild told you I could be trusted, didn't he? You said he did a background check on me."

"It's not that. For heaven's sake, if I were worried about you, I wouldn't have come out here. No, I just don't want to inconvenience you."

I tugged on her arm. "Come on, Lucinda. I know some roads that will get us there in half the time. You can say you've hired me as your business advisor."

"I have?"

She looked so bewildered I grinned. "Yes, you have. If you like, we'll make it official. I'll draw up a contract you can sign. I've been hired before to help shareholders when their companies went public. We can stand here and argue about it or I can get you to your office before the meeting starts."

Cerberus nudged her again and she swiped at his snout. "Stop that, your nose is cold. I don't know if we should leave him here. He was so sick. You shouldn't leave him alone."

He grinned up at her, his wagging tail whapping against her thighs.
Get going. Who knows what that witch of a sister might be plotting? Get going
.

Lucinda hesitated then seemed to come to a decision. "While you change I'll handle him."

I stopped trying to shove her out the door. "Change?"

"You know--so you look like a financial advisor."

"Ah. Good point. I'll be back in a minute," I promised.

"Good." She looked down at the dog. "Do you need to go out?"

Sure. I can always pee
. He crowded toward the door.
I'll race you
, the dog shouted over his shoulder.

I ran upstairs and considered my walk-in closet. I yanked out a dark gray shirt, matching tie and my Harris tweed sports coat. In five minutes I was running back down the stairs, briefcase in hand.

Cerberus sat on the rug near the door.
Beat you
.

"Be good," I warned as I went past.

It'll be okay. I can hold my water for a few hours
. His tail started wagging slyly.

I saw his gaze go to the kitchen counter. "Damn it." I retrieved the remnants of the Easter basket, carrying it out of the house with me. "Don't get into any trouble while I'm gone and don't eat anything bad." I tossed the mangled little basket and the half-eaten contents into the trash bin next to the steps.

I heard his faint
I'll guard the house with my life
as I joined Lucinda in the garage where she stood next to the Jag. I touched the security pad to set the alarms then went to the car. "Let's go." I tossed my briefcase into the back.

She hesitated by the passenger door. "I don't know if I should. What about my car?" She looked at her Subaru, parked to one side of my wide drive.

I leaned over the top of the car to regard her. "What does your sister expect you to do?" Before she could answer, I said, "She expects you to rush into town, distracted and confused, then stammer and stutter while she runs the meeting, which she has no doubt orchestrated down to the last little detail. But if you ride into town with me we'll have a chance to talk this over, come up with a plan of action and beat her at her own game." I waggled my eyebrows at her. "I'm very good at this and I enjoy it. Please, let me help you."

She stared at me over the car, her eyes wide and astonished. Then she burst out laughing, her dark curls dancing as though sharing her glee. "How can I resist?" She jerked open the door and fell inside, still laughing.

I maneuvered the car out of the garage, idling next to her Subaru. "Do you want me to have someone drive your car to your house?" I asked. "I can call the car service I use and have a valet pick it up and drive it." I slipped the Jag into reverse, backing slowly down the drive. "Or you can leave it here and we'll come back later and get it. After we've whupped your sister's ass and had a celebratory dinner." I leaned over the console to look intently at her. "Perhaps I can talk you into coming inside and seeing the rest of my train set." I winked. "It goes all over the house, into every room."