Framed For Love Page 25

  He took a plane to San Diego and then a taxi to his destination. Immediately, he was admitted into the mansion where a man waited. The crime boss had no knowledge of why Roger was there, but the well-known name of his law firm had been more than enough to gain him an appointment.

  “Good day.” Roger opened his briefcase on the man’s desk.

  “Have a seat.”

  “No, thank you. This won’t take long.” Roger noticed two bodyguards standing at a ready position. One stepped closer to make sure there wasn’t a gun in the briefcase. Roger cleared his throat. “Laranda Garrettson has over a billion dollars in rare paintings and art objects stashed away in a safe place.”

  “I’ve heard that rumor,” the man said. “The forty-million-dollar Van Gogh painting that was stolen a few months ago wouldn’t have anything to do with this, would it?”

  “I’m sure I wouldn’t know,” Roger said. “Regardless, it hardly matters. What matters is if you want this fortune and are willing to do what it takes to get it.”

  The man’s eyes showed greed. “Of course I’m interested.”

  Roger handed him a large eight-by-ten envelope. “My client is willing to give you this fortune, if you complete her wishes.”

  “Which are?”

  Roger shook his head. “As you can see, the envelope is sealed. I do know some of the details, including the existence of a safe deposit box containing directions to the location of the art treasures. But what you must do to obtain the key to that box is between you and Laranda Garrettson.”

  “Garrettson? But she’s dead—or is she?”

  “Is that important?” Roger knew his face was expressionless. He had practiced the facade many times in the mirror.

  “I suppose not.” The man hefted the thick envelope, and the heavy gold ring on his finger reflected the light. “What if I choose not to fulfill whatever demands Garrettson has in here?”

  Roger shut his case. “You have until tomorrow morning to decide. At that time I will be leaving for the airport.” He turned to the door and then paused, permitting himself a tight smile. “I think you will find you will enjoy this little game. My client studied your organization well, and I’m sure her purpose will serve you both. However, I will await your call.”

  Without another word, Roger left. He knew the man would accept the challenge. Garrettson was anything but a poor judge of character. And whatever murder or larceny was involved, Roger was free of it and a million dollars richer, tax-free. Perhaps it was time to take the wife and kids on an extended vacation until his next big case.

  * * *

  THE MAN OPENED THE FAT, white envelope, fascinated despite himself. Inside was a sealed letter envelope, unaddressed, but attached to a photograph of Quentin Thomas Holbrooke, alias Big Tommy. A typed page gave a detailed explanation.

  He chuckled. All that was left for him was to choose the means to carry the letter to Big Tommy and thus set the wheels in motion. Not too difficult. The plan certainly fit in with his own lust for revenge.

  Behind the picture of Holbrooke was a set of keys clipped to two other photographs. One was of a beautiful brown-eyed woman with dark, tightly-curled hair. The second portrayed a man with medium blond hair and intense blue eyes. After the headlines in the paper, it was impossible not to recognize them: Cassi Mason and Jared Landine.

  Next to the photographs was a clothes catalogue with two outfits circled in red. There were also two video cassettes. He watched them, all the time laughing aloud. This was definitely his type of game. Too bad Garrettson was dead. He would have enjoyed meeting her in person.

  CHAPTER ONE

  JARED JERKED AWAKE TO THE sounds of night creatures echoing in the cool mountain air. For a moment, he listened to their symphony and breathed in the fresh smell of pine from the forest. Nothing out of the ordinary. What had awakened him? Why did chills of fear ripple through his body?

  Just a dream, he told himself. Since his release the week before, he had dreamed several times that he was still being held captive by his former boss, Laranda Garrettson, and Big Tommy, the mobster. But Laranda was dead and Big Tommy remanded to prison to await sentencing; neither could hurt him or Cassi.

  Knowing this didn’t prevent him from having bad dreams or from feeling angry when he thought of the danger and terror Laranda had put him and Cassi through. During the years he had worked for Laranda as a buyer for her art gallery, she had used him to smuggle goods into the country. When he and Cassi had finally realized what she was doing, the discovery almost cost them their lives. Only one good thing had come from the experience: he and Cassi had fallen in love.

  Yet the problems had not ended with the miracle of love. Laranda had been wounded in their first encounter, but her injuries were largely faked. She soon escaped her hospital prison and joined forces with her nemesis, Big Tommy. She had many plans, among which was to take over Big Tommy’s organization. But hate, jealousy, and revenge had also consumed her, and she had come after Jared and Cassi again with a single-minded vengeance. She had taken Jared prisoner and attempted to murder Cassi. Only their determination and a few miracles had saved their lives.

  Jared forced the unwanted thoughts away. It was all behind them now. Cassi slept next to him in the bed, her soft breaths coming deeply and regularly. He watched her for a moment by the light of the moon streaming in through the window, marveling at his good fortune. Alone in a mountain cabin with the most beautiful woman in the world. What more could a man ask for?

  A two-week stay in this one-room cabin in the French Vosges had been her idea for the honeymoon. This was their second night together, and already it was proving the most exciting and profound time of his life. He loved being married to Cassi. Life stretched out before him, full of promise.

  Thump!

  The sound burst through the calm of the night, a stark noise that didn’t resonate with nature’s simple music. Was this what had awakened him?

  Jared slipped from the bed and went to investigate, his toes curling at the touch of the cold boards of the cabin floor. He cast a backward glance at Cassi, still lying peacefully on the bed. Even without the long hair he so adored, she was beautiful. The tight brown ringlets, lightly touched with gold, splayed over her face as she slept, her lithe body curled in a loose fetal position.

  Grabbing his robe from the table where he’d left it earlier, Jared headed for the door, wondering who could be outside. The Perrault family, who had provided them with both the cabin and a vehicle for their stay in France, certainly wouldn’t intrude upon their privacy so soon, if at all.

  The noise came again. A dull thud, sounding like something dropping on the porch.

  Jared opened the door quickly, his eyes widening in surprise. A blond, tousle-headed boy stared back at him in the bright moonlight, his jaw clenched and his face sullen. On either side of the child sat two large, battered suitcases. A taxicab was heading down the dirt drive, away from the cabin.

  “What are you doing he—?” Jared didn’t wait to finish his question to the boy, but sprinted after the taxi. “Wait!” he shouted. The small, sharp rocks on the ground dug into the soles of his bare feet. “Wait! Ow! Wait! Ow! Ow! Wait!” But by the time he was halfway down the drive, the taxi had disappeared.

  Jared stared after the vanished car for a full minute, shaking his head in frustration. The air was cool and fresh, not cluttered by smog, unlike the city of San Diego where he and Cassi lived. Nearby, he could hear a brook gurgling in its never-ending cycle of life. It was the perfect honeymoon retreat, far from the demands of the art gallery which Cassi had only recently inherited from her boss and mentor, Linden Johansen. But their retreat had now been suddenly invaded.

  Jared started back toward the cabin, determined to get some answers out of the child. For the first time he noticed the coolness of the late September evening—or early morning, more likely. He pulled his dark blue robe more tightly about him and wished he had stopped for his slippers.

  The child waited f
or Jared on the moonlit porch, his dark gaze sullen, his stature defiant. That made at least two of them who were less than happy about this situation. Who was this child? And why did he seem so familiar?

  “Who are you?” Jared asked sharply. “And why are you here?”

  “You’re Jared, aren’t you?”

  “Yeees.” Jared elongated the word. “You seem to have an advantage over me.”

  “I’m here to stay. I don’t like it any more than you do.” The boy clamped his jaw shut and glared at Jared.

  Jared glanced at the cabin door, almost hoping the commotion had awakened Cassi. “Look, we got off on the wrong foot. I just want to know who you are and who I can call to get this straightened out.”

  “My dad’s in prison. Like you didn’t know.”

  “And your mom?”

  The child’s scowl deepened. “Dead.”

  Jared ran a hand through his blond hair. “It’s not that I don’t like kids, but I’m here on a honeymoon, you know? This is bad timing. We have to find out where you belong. Do you have a guardian? Is someone searching for you? They’ll be worried.”

  “There’s nobody. That’s why I’m here. And like I said, I don’t like it any better than you do. I’d be better off on my own. In fact, I’ll be going now.” The child reached for the suitcases that together likely weighed more than he did, causing the small flight bag on his shoulder to fall to the porch. He picked it up and reached again for the suitcases.

  “Wait.” A suspicion formed in Jared’s mind. There was only one child they knew whose father was in prison and who was also remotely connected to him and Cassi. That dimple in his chin certainly looked familiar, and the large brown eyes as well.

  The door to the cabin swung open. Cassi, dressed in her lace-trimmed red nightgown, yawned delicately as she stretched in the doorway. “What’s going—” She stopped as she spied the boy. “Sampson! What are you doing here?”

  Jared’s suspicion had been correct. “This is Big Tommy’s son?” Instinctively, Jared scanned the trees for hidden eyes. A mobster’s son for a visitor was not a good thing; they’d certainly seen enough guns and thugs to last a lifetime. He had hoped those days were behind them.

  “Dad sent me. He said now that he was behind bars, where you put him, you could take care of me.”

  Cassi hefted one of Sampson’s suitcases. “Come on, it’s a little cold out here. Let’s go inside.”

  Jared stifled a sigh and picked up the other suitcase. This was not exactly how he’d envisioned his honeymoon. He saw Cassi smiling. No doubt she knew exactly what he was thinking, and it amused her. Jared had to admit that if this had happened to anyone else on their honeymoon, he would have found it laughable.

  “Did you just come from the airport?” Cassi asked as Jared lit the lantern. She swept up her silky red robe from the chair by the bed and wrapped it around her.

  “Yeah, I came in one of my dad’s planes.”

  Jared caught Cassi’s gaze again. What was so important that Big Tommy had wasted a huge sum of money on fuel to send Sampson to France? Jared doubted the reason had been to ruin their honeymoon.

  “Are you hungry?” Cassi asked. “It’s nearly one in the morning here, but it’s still daytime in San Diego.”

  Sampson brightened. “I could eat.”

  In the cupboard Cassi found some boxes of cereal they had purchased in town yesterday, but Jared put them back. “I think this is a bacon and eggs story.”

  Truth was, Cassi couldn’t cook anything beyond burnt toast, and Jared needed to do something to help him keep his emotions under control. Cooking was therapeutic. With one match, he lit the prepared fire in the wood-burning stove where they cooked their meals.

  “So tell us what you know, Sampson,” Cassi said, sitting at the small round table. “Why would your father track us down all the way in Europe and send you? I don’t get it.”

  “It’s for my protection.” The careless way Sampson said the words showed Jared how little he thought of the idea.

  Cassi passed out the plates Jared handed her. “Why do you need protection?”

  “Because I’m the only heir. Dad just wants to make sure I’m safe till he gets out. When I’m old enough, I’m taking over.”

  “Taking over what?” Cassi asked. Jared knew that the innocence in her tone was faked. She was testing the boy.

  “Over what my dad does. The family business. You know.”

  “I do. But I wonder . . . do you know what that really is?”

  “Of course I do.” Sampson’s voice had resumed its sullen tone, but Jared noticed the boy still answered Cassi’s questions, his eyes almost never leaving her face.

  “So who do you need protection from?” Cassi’s next question was one Jared really wanted answered. He left the bacon in the pan on the stove and approached the table to hear the answer.

  “The competition, who else? With my dad and me outta the way, our guys’d lose heart and the competition could take over.”

  Cassi looked up at Jared, alarmed. He motioned for her to continue her questioning. “So your dad thinks you’re in danger, huh? But instead of telling the police, he sends you to us. Why?”

  Sampson stared steadily at Cassi before answering. “He said he could trust you to take care of me. He said you would do what was right.”

  Cassi’s bewildered glance told Jared that she was as confused at this turn of events as he was.

  “So don’t you have any relatives who can do the job?” Jared asked.

  Sampson didn’t reply.

  “Tell us,” Cassi urged. “Someone’s running the business while your dad’s away. Who is it? And why aren’t they taking care of you?”

  “Dad has a cousin, but he died. I got an uncle, too. He’s the one running the business.”

  “Why didn’t your dad send you to him?”

  Sampson gave a shrug. “Dad said he had his hands full enough.”

  Jared thought he heard a ring of truth in Sampson’s words. The boy believed what he’d been told, but Jared doubted it was the whole truth. “How old are you, anyway?” Jared asked.

  “You tell me,” the boy said darkly.

  Jared hazarded a guess. “Eight?”

  “No, older,” Cassi said. “About nine, right?”

  Sampson snorted. “You guys know nothing. I’m not some baby. I’m eleven now.” He shook his head woefully. “And you’re supposed to take care of me? What a joke! You guys know nothing about kids.”

  “You’re right.” Jared glanced at Cassi. “We’d better call Fred at the FBI and let him know what’s going on.”

  “No!” Sampson protested. “I’ll just run away.”

  “Look, we’re not making any decisions right now,” Cassi said. “At least not before we eat. Are you hungry, Sampson?”

  Sampson sniffed appreciatively. “That bacon smells good.”

  Jared took that as his cue to return to the stove. In minutes he had eggs, bacon, and juice on the table. Before sitting with the others, he slapped thick slices of French bread in the pan to toast.

  Sampson lifted his fork to dig into the meal.

  “Mmm,” Cassi said after taking a bite of scrambled eggs. “I don’t know why, but it always tastes better in the mountains.”

  Sampson gave a grunt, but didn’t pause in his hurry to down everything within reach. Typical boy, Jared thought.

  “Jared’s a great cook,” Cassi said as Jared served the toast.

  Sampson shot a deadpan glance at Jared. “My dad never cooks.”

  Jared laughed. “Your dad’s a multibillionaire and an organized crime boss. I bet there are a lot of things he’s never done. Not to mention a lot of things he’s done that many people would never do.”

  Sampson dropped his fork onto his plate, as though unsure whether to take offense or not. Cassi offered him more bacon and the boy scooped up his fork and resumed eating, pausing occasionally to scowl at Jared.

  After breakfast, Cassi took their dishes to
the sink. Jared joined her, keeping an eye on their unwanted guest. “Do you want me to light the heater?” Jared referred to an old tankless water heater that connected to a large bottle of natural gas. The device heated water almost instantly as it circled through the heater and out into the sink or tub, an efficient system that provided an endless supply of hot water—as long as the gas held out.

  “Thanks,” Cassi waited until he lit the heater and adjusted the temperature before she turned on the water and added soap.

  “I don’t like this,” Jared said in a low voice over the sound of the water.

  “I know it’s inconvenient, but we’ll take care of it.” She gave him a seductive grin. “You’ve waited thirty-five years for a honeymoon and I’ve waited twenty-nine. What’s a few more days?”

  “It’s not just him coming here now, it’s him coming here at all. It doesn’t make sense that Big Tommy would send him to us when he’s got an uncle.”

  Her hands suspended motion, as though frozen in the warm water. “Unless he can’t trust that uncle.”

  Cassi’s intelligence was one of the reasons he was so attracted to her. “Why didn’t I think of that?” He rubbed a hand over his tired eyes. “But that only makes it even more important for us to report this to Fred.”

  “You’re right, of course. We’ll shower and get dressed and go into town. We’d better hurry, though. It’s almost five now in San Diego. Isn’t that quitting time for Fred?”

  “Naw, from what I’ve seen, Fred’s always working. But it’s too bad that our cell phones don’t work here or that this cabin doesn’t have a phone.”

  “Hey, we’re lucky it has hot water. I’d rather have hot water than a phone any day.”

  Jared grinned. “Count your blessings, eh?” He gathered her into his arms.

  “While we’re at it, we can count the car, too. The Perraults are one nice family for lending all this to us.”