The envelope wasnt sealed, and Aubrey opened it and withdrew the contents. The moment she read the first words on the first page, her breath caught in her throat. It was Pattis last will and testament, drawn up by her fathers law firm and dated only a week previous.
That in itself was weird. Patti had been estranged from her wealthy father for many years. Why had she suddenly felt she needed to go to him for a will? The implications were ominous.
Aubrey scanned the document. Patti had apparently left everything to her daughter. That made sense. But shed also made provisions for Aubrey to be named as Saras guardian. The gesture brought Aubrey to tears, especially given the uncharitable thoughts shed had about Patti in the last few hours.
Patti, girl, you better not need this, Aubrey murmured as she tucked the will into her file cabinet.
The phone rang, startling her. She fumbled with the receiver. Hello?
Do you have the money yet? The voice was rough and low, and the words sent a chill wiggling up Aubreys spine.
Who are you trying to reach? Aubrey demanded, though she was pretty sure she knew. Callers often mistook her voice for Pattis.
Patti, Patti, Patti. After all thats been between us, youre not pretending you dont know me, are you? the caller cooed, his voice taking on a whispery, singsong quality.
This isnt Patti, Aubrey insisted. Shes not here. Who is this? She checked her caller ID. The number had been blocked.
A long silence followed. Aubrey thought at first the caller had hung up. But then his creepy voice assaulted her again. Whoever you are, chicky, you tell little Patti something for me. Tell her Im coming for her. I want my money now. She knows whatll happen if I dont get it.
The line went dead.
Aubrey hung up and immediately dialed the police again, asking for Lyle. She was soon patched through to his cell phone. He listened attentively.
Did he make any threats?
Not explicitly, but dire consequences were certainly implied.
We cant really do anything unless this guy makes a move.
What? He already made a move! Aubrey paced back and forth in front of her desk. Or did you forget so quickly that I was assaulted?
We dont know its the same person.
Of course its the same person, Aubrey said impatiently. Cant you put a trace on the call? Something?
Sure, we can check it out. But hes probably calling from a cell phone. Meanwhile, is there anywhere else you could stay for a few days?
Aubrey hated the idea of abandoning her home to the Fates. But she reluctantly agreed she could stay with friends for a couple of days, until Patti came home and this mess got straightened out. She could have her home phone calls forwarded to her cell, in case Patti tried to call again.
Try not to worry too much, Lyle said, his voice soothing. These things have a way of blowing over. These bad guys, they dont want to work too hard. So if you make things the least bit challenging for them, they move on to greener pastures pretty quick.
Aubrey was only slightly reassured by Lyles words. Sure, hed been a cop for a few years, and he probably knew what he was talking about. But he wasnt the one who still had a headache from her last brush with this particular bad guy.
As she packed up a few things, and a load of books to keep her occupiedshe wasnt teaching at all this summershe considered which of her friends she would impose on. Or she could drive down and stay with her parents, who had retired to South Padre Island on the Texas coast. But she didnt want to put anyone else in the line of fire. And she wanted to stay close. She wouldnt rest easy until she saw Patti and cuddled Sara in her arms.
A motel was the answer. She would stay at her favorite little hole in the wall, the Golden Sands, where shed hidden out when she wrote both her masters thesis and her doctoral dissertation. Shed had a little problem meeting deadlines back then, and her solution was to push it as far as she could, then check into the motel and write eighteen hours a day until the thing was done, ordering out Chinese food or pizza for every meal.
The motel was only a couple of blocks from campus, near a busy intersection. She requested a room facing Eighth Street, the main drag, where her door would be very visible to anyone passing by. This might even be kind of fun, she thought as she slid her credit card to the multipierced young woman at the front desk. She could turn the air-conditioning up, swim in the tacky little pool out back, watch trashy movies or noodle around with equations.
Maybe if she distracted herself enough, she wouldnt worry so much about Patti and Sara.
With her maroon duffel bag in one hand and her key in the other, Aubrey coaxed the lock and opened the door. The room was stuffy, but shed soon remedy that. She switched on the light, turned toward the window unit, then froze.
There was a man sitting on her bed.
She inhaled to scream until it registered that the man was Beau. He lounged against the pillows as if he had a perfect right to be there.
Whathowwhat
Youre usually a bit more articulate, Aubrey.
Instead of trying to push one of the dozen questions she had for him out of her mouth, she folded her arms and stared until the silence became uncomfortable.
I drove past your house again and saw you throw a duffel in the back of your Jeep, he said with a shrug. Ill admit it, I was curious. Were you spooked? Had you found out where Patti was? I was worried, so I followed you here. If youre trying to keep yourself safe, youre not doing a very good job. Any kid with a credit card could break into these rooms.
How did you know which room I would be in?
I was standing right behind you at the front desk. You never even knew I was there, so I thought I would teach you a lesson.
Youve made your point, she said, dropping her duffel and sinking into the rooms only chair. She should be furious at his high-handednessexcept he was right.
Anyone could have followed you. Dont you ever check your rearview mirror? I practically tailgated you the whole way over.
Jeez. How unobservant could she be?
You were right, I got spooked, she said, defeated. Arguing with Beau would get her nowhere. Patti got a phone call from some creep. Apparently she owes him some money. She clenched her hands in her lap to keep them from shaking. But theres no reason anyone would be after me. I figured once I was away from the house, Id be fine.
So what did the caller say? Beau prodded her.
He said he was coming after her to get his money, and Patti would know what would happen if she disappointed him. Something like that.
How much money does she owe this guy? he asked.
I dont know, but it must be more than I could come up with easily, or she would have asked me for it.
What about her father? Or her brother? Theyve both got plenty of money.
I doubt she would ask, and even if she did, I doubt either one of them would lift a finger to help. Shes hardly spoken to Uncle Wayne or David for years.
But if she believes her life is in danger
Aubrey looked pensive. I should check with them, I guess. She had a will drawn up recently at Uncle Waynes firm, though that doesnt mean she dealt with her father or brother directly.
Aubrey looked pensive. I should check with them, I guess. She had a will drawn up recently at Uncle Waynes firm, though that doesnt mean she dealt with her father or brother directly.
Beau sat up, abandoning his lounging-tiger pose. Lets get back to the phone call. Did the guy threaten you or Patti?
Not in so many words. Thats the same thing Lyle asked.
So you already called the cops. That was going to be my next suggestion.
For all the good it did. Lyles the one who advised me to get out of the house for a while until all this blows over. He said hed try to track down the caller.
They always say that. Ill lay you odds he never traces the call.
What have you got against Lyle, anyway?
Hes a lousy cop, thats all. The business that Gavin got caught in
Dont talk about Gavin to me.
Lyle was in it up to his eyeballs, Beau continued, glossing over her sudden anger. But no one could prove it. And then the jerk had gotten a promotion. Life wasnt fair.
Aubrey got up and paced. Beau caught a whiff of her fragrance, perfume, or maybe just shampoo or lotion. Whatever it was, he liked itway too much. Hed thought Aubrey Schuyler was long out of his system. But seeing her again had reawakened cravings that really werent useful at the moment. In fact, theyd never been useful, except to distract him from sleep on lonely nights.
If some guy was threatening Patti, why didnt she call the cops? he asked, following Aubrey with his eyes. She moved nice. He liked the play of muscles beneath her snug denim shorts, and the way he could see her shoulder blades whenever she lifted her mass of curls off her neck.
She doesnt want the police involved, and I dont blame her. After all her arrests and whatnot, she has no reason to feel good about cops. Anyway, social services keeps a close watch on her, and shes worried theyll take her baby away from her.
Maybe they should.
No, Aubrey said fiercely. Patti doesnt deserve that. Shes grown up a lot since you last knew her. Shes off drugs, working and paying her bills. Shes trying really hard to be a good mother, and she loves Sara. Its just that her past is catching up with her.
A past is a pretty hard thing to escape, Beau said. Then he sighed, hating what he was about to say. You want me to try to track down that phone call for you?
Lyle said
Lyle might or might not get around to it. Besides, he has to follow certain rules, protecting privacy and all that. I dont.
You can do that? Trace a call?
Not me, but Lori Bettencourt. Her father was one of the founders of First Strike.
Glenn Bettencourt? The one who was killed last year?
Yeah. Loris father didnt want her anywhere near the agency, but now that hes gone, shes there every day, begging for scraps. Acehes the guy in charge nowgot her started skip-tracing. She was a quick study, and pretty soon she was on the payroll. She already had a background in computers, but now she can rival any hacker out there. Shell find out who made that call.
Lets make it happen, then.
One rule, though.
Aubrey sighed. I knew this was too easy.
If I help you out, you do what I say. No more staying in sleazy motels with crummy locks and a clerk who could be bought for a pack of cigarettes.
What alternative do you suggest?
Well work out something. Maybe you could stay with Lori.
Aubrey wrinkled her nose at that, but she didnt object.
Bring your bag, you wont be coming back here. But well leave your car, on the off chance itll throw someone off the scent.
Aubrey looked as though she wanted to object to the way Beau had suddenly taken control, but again, she didnt. She must be plenty scared, Beau thought grimly, to throw in her lot with him and let him call all the shots.
Once they were in his car, Beau put the top down. The suns full heat beat down on them, but it was worth it because he got to watch out of the corner of his eye as Aubrey tried to control her windblown curls.
If youre able to track this guy down, what will you do with him? she asked. Will you turn his name over to Lyle?
Hah! No, Ill handle him myself. Once he realizes hes not dealing with defenseless women, that you and Patti have an ex-cop on your side, hell be a bit more patient about getting his money.
Do you really think so? Aubrey asked hopefully.
Sure. The guy sounds like a bully, and bullies run and hide when anyone stronger than they are comes around.
Aubrey flashed him a grateful smile, and it just about melted his insides. When was the last time Aubrey had actually smiled at him?
Hell, he really needed to pull his mind out of the past. Aubrey had been his first real crush, the first girl whose opinion of him had ever mattered. Shed just turned fourteen, and she was all legs and budding breasts and lips that were unconsciously pouty. Hed casually mentioned to Gavin he might like to take Aubrey out, now that he had a drivers license and an old wreck of a car. Gavin had pushed him up against a wall and threatened to kill him if he so much as looked at his sister. It was the first time Gavin had ever directed his temper toward Beau, and it had unnerved him. Not that he was afraid, exactly. He probably could have beat Gavin to a pulp. But he didnt like seeing that side of his buddy, his best friend. Rather than provoke that sleeping beast inside Gavin again, Beau had limited himself to covert looks at Aubreyand an active fantasy life. There were plenty of other girls who wanted to ride in his car, hed reasoned.
They rode the rest of the way in silence, and Beau forced himself to focus on Pattis predicament. Hed known Patti well when they were kids, all of them hanging out together. As Gavin Schuylers best friend, hed been treated practically as one of the family, and he had always been welcome at the Schuylers house as well as at the Clarendon homea mansion, really. Wayne Clarendon came from old money, and he didnt hesitate to flaunt it.
Once Beau left the police force, though, his relationship with Gavin, and hence the entire family, had grown tense, and he hadnt seen much of them after that. What he did remember of Patti, though, was a weak, self-indulgent young woman prone to histrionics and a master of manipulation. Aubrey had always been vulnerable to her cousins hijinks, because Aubrey was kind and willing to give people the benefit of the doubt.
Everyone except him.
Aubrey had said Patti was more mature now, but Aubrey tended to see the best in everyone, even when it wasnt deserved. Why she wanted to believe the worst about him was no mysteryhed shot her brother, after all. But he wished shed cut him a break.
Beau wheeled the Mustang into a parking space in front of a run-down shopping center in one of the worst parts of town.
Why are we stopping here? Aubrey asked with some alarm.
This is it.
Aubrey followed his gaze to a tattered blue awning that featured First Strike in barely discernible white letters. Next to it was the image of a coiled snake, ready to strike. The office itself was housed in perhaps twenty feet of storefront, with steel bars covering windows streaked so dirty she couldnt see a thing inside. On one side was Bloodgoods Pawn Shop. On the other was Taft Bail Bonds.