"Then if someone were keeping tabs on your husband's and father's activities and plans, they would have assumed the two men would be alone in the car that night, right?"
"Yes, I suppose so, but I don't see-"
"Nothing to see at this point," he said. "I was mostly just thinking out loud."
"Well I'm heading into the house. By the time we shower and dress, Laverna will have breakfast waiting for us."
"You go on, I'll be there in a few minutes."
Jed waited until Grace went inside before he punched in Sawyer McNamara's private home number on his cell phone. The man answered on the third ring.
"It's Jed. I need Dundee's to poke around and see what, if anything, can be found on a couple of guys-Willis Sullivan, lawyer, and a Beaumont and Sheffield family friend. Then check out Hudson Prentice, the senior VP of Sheffield Media, Inc."
"And you suspect them of what?" Sawyer asked.
"I don't actually suspect them of anything. Let's just say I'm curious as to whether either man would have had a reason to want to see both Dean Beaumont and Byram Sheffield out of the way."
"I thought Booth Fortier was the suspect."
"He is. Fortier gave the orders. I'm just wondering if someone was feeding Fortier information. Someone close to either Beaumont or Sheffield. After all, we don't know who told Fortier that Beaumont knew about his connection to Lew Miller and that Byram Sheffield was set to expose the proof by using all the radio and TV stations Sheffield Media, Inc. owned. And someone knew Beaumont 's and Sheffield 's plans the evening they were killed. Knew where they were going, at what time and which route they'd probably take." Jed cursed softly under his breath. "While you're at it, run a quick check on Laverna and Nolan Rowley. It's a long shot and I don't think it'll pan out. They're the household staff. Been with the family over thirty years. And might as well add Elsa Leone to that list. I'd say she's loyal to a fault, but the lady has big-time family responsibilities and probably money problems."
"Willis Sullivan, Hudson Prentice, Laverna and Nolan Rowley, and Elsa Leone," Sawyer recited the names. "Is that it?"
"Yeah, for now."
"I planned to call you later," Sawyer told him. "I wanted to give you a message from Moran. He wants you to make a move to get in touch with Fortier sooner than expected. "
"What's up?"
"They need to get word to their inside man at the Fortier house to let him know they've moved up the timetable on their sting operation inside Fortier's business empire. Things have progressed there faster than expected."
"I'll get in as soon as I can. But tell Moran that I won't do anything to jeopardize Grace Beaumont's life."
"Of course not. The lady is Dundee 's top priority. She's our client and she comes first."
"Just remind Moran of that fact."
"Can and will do." Sawyer paused. "I'll run a check on those names and see what we come up with."
"Yeah. Call me when you find out something… if you find out something."
Jed shoved his phone into his shorts pocket, then bounded up the front steps and onto the veranda. When he opened the door and entered the foyer, he nearly ran smack-dab into Nolan. He grabbed the old man's shoulders to steady him.
"Sorry, I didn't know you'd be standing there," Jed said.
"It's quite all right, Mr. Tyree. It was my fault entirely. I heard you coming in, but I'm afraid I couldn't get out of the way in time. My reflexes aren't quite what they used to be."
Jed patted the old man on the back. "Glad we avoided a fatal collision. I'll be more careful myself from now on."
Nolan nodded solemnly and when Jed started to walk away, he called to him. "Mr. Tyree, me and Laverna know what's going on, at least pretty much know. We reckon Miss Grace could be in danger real soon, if she's not already."
Jed nodded.
"We love that gal. She's been mighty good to us, just like her daddy before her." Nolan's faded blue eyes misted with tears. "You just take good care of her, you hear? Don't let nothing bad happen to her. We want to see her happy again, but somebody's got to protect her, keep her alive, so she can get her second chance."
Jed felt guilty for having asked Sawyer to run a check on Nolan and Laverna. He'd spent so many years seeing the world's underbelly that he didn't trust anyone. Now his gut instincts told him that, apparently, he'd been dead wrong to have ever suspected the Rowleys.
"It's only a matter of time before Grace is under fire," Jed said. "But I plan to stand between her and whatever comes her way."
He added silently, I've been trained to protect and I'm ready to lay my life on the line. Whatever happens, I'm prepared to kill to protect Grace-and I'm prepared to die for her.
For some unfathomable reason, he wanted Grace to have a second chance at happiness just as much as Laverna and Nolan did.
Chapter 8
It was hot. A lot hotter than yesterday. Summertime hot, despite the fact that it was only the last week of May. But Charmaine didn't mind the heat. Never had. She'd been a summertime kid, loving the water, sunbathing and running wild through these woods. Despite the absence of caring parents, she'd had a fairly decent childhood, mostly thanks to Jaron. Her big brother had always looked after her, worrying about her the way a parent should. His only mistake had been introducing her to Booth Fortier. The first time she met her future husband, she'd been impressed. Impressed with his good manners, his fancy clothes, his sleek sports car and his large, beautifully decorated house. But it had been his teenage nephew she'd fallen in love with, practically at first sight. Jed Tyree had been the handsomest boy she'd ever seen. Thick curly black hair and smoky hazel eyes that had studied her body with hungry passion whenever they'd made love. And it had always been making love with Jed. But never with Booth. Not even on their wedding night.
"Stop the car," Charmaine ordered Ronnie. "I want to go inside and see what it looks like, see if anything is the way I remember."
Without responding verbally, Ronnie turned off into the driveway and killed the BMW's motor. He sat beside her, stiff as a poker, not speaking, not even glancing her way. She knew he was scared-scared of her. He realized she intended to try again today to seduce him, and he wasn't sure whether he could resist her again.
She sat there for a couple of minutes, basking in the fiery Louisiana sunshine. Maybe she was as crazy as Jaron said she was for even contemplating an affair with Ronnie. Hell, with any man. She understood all too well the penalty they'd both pay if Booth ever found out. But after all these years of enduring Booth's cruelty, death might be a blessing. One thing she knew for sure-she couldn't go on the way she had. Without love and tenderness. Without mutual passion. She hadn't cared for a man the way she did Ronnie since she'd been in love with Jed. Seventeen years ago. She wanted that again-that sweet, glorious feeling; she needed it as desperately as she needed air to breathe. If loving Ronnie cost her her life, she didn't care.
But what about him? an inner voice asked. Does he want YOU enough to risk his life to be with you?
"I'm going inside," she said as she flung open the car door. "You can stay here and wait on me… if that's what you want. Or you can come inside with me. Your choice."
She waited a minute, hoping he would respond, praying that he'd get out with her and follow her inside. But he sat there, looking straight ahead, silent and unmoving.
So be it, she thought, and jumped out of her BMW and raced across the knee-high grass and weed-infested yard. She maneuvered the rickety front steps and carefully made her way across the sagging wooden porch to the front door, which stood partially open. Instead of touching the rusty doorknob, she punched the center of the old wooden door. The hinges creaked as the door opened fully to reveal the shadowy interior of the living room. Charmaine stepped inside carefully, uncertain if the floor beneath her feet was sturdy, and wondering if any animals were using the place as a home.