Thieves Like Us Part 31

Maggie froze. Slowly, she lifted her gaze.

A hard edge touched his smile. "Oh, yeah. People talk, babe. But don't worry, I can spice up those rumors for you, make you more popular than ever." His hand slid up her side and found her breast. "I know exactly what you want."

Rafe's cool gaze cut into her like a knife, slicing right through the frayed bonds of her temper. She could almost hear them snap.

Cal set his beer down with a thunk. Pretty Boy DeLuca had just put his hand on her again. d.a.m.n it, this was not going to end well.

The redhead had captured Cal's attention even before Rafe DeLuca had hit on her. She was the type who always drew looks, with a smile that sparkled and the kind of lilting laugh that made others smile when they hadn't even heard the joke. She was certainly a distraction he didn't need. But, fortunately, DeLuca zeroed in on her, making it easy for him to watch them both.

Cal had to give the woman credit. Her engaging smile had grown stiff within minutes of talking to De-Luca. If that other woman from the Trust Fund Brats crew hadn't claimed Red's attention, she probably would have slipped away. But instead she got stuck next to DeLuca long enough for the man to feel possessive.

Even from across the room, Cal could see the woman didn't like it. She didn't look like the type to bow to fame or fortune, either. DeLuca didn't have much experience with that, so he wouldn't see it, but Cal did, and in another thirty seconds the whole bar would, too, including the reporters that swarmed after DeLuca like flies around manure.

The last thing Cal wanted to do was draw attention to himself, but he couldn't stand by and watch another woman be victimized. Red had no idea what she was getting herself into.

Abandoning his beer, Cal shoved through the throng of mostly women who loitered three deep around the bar. The d.a.m.n reality stars attracted them like magnets.

"Hey, watch it!" A drink sloshed and someone swore. Cal mumbled an apology but didn't pause. A man grabbed his arm with an angry, "Hey, buddy!" but Cal shook it off, cursing under his breath because he wasn't going to make it in time. Twenty feet away, Red's eyes narrowed with icy determination. Maybe DeLuca was too smashed to recognize it, though a ten-year-old could have seen it coming.

Cal watched it happen like a slow-motion accident. The woman raised her left hand to DeLuca's shoulder. The gesture looked friendly, even to Cal, who knew better, and DeLuca actually smiled. He hadn't even noticed her right hand drop, taking aim. DeLuca's lips curved in smug confidence.

She drove her palm upward, smas.h.i.+ng into De-Luca's nose with an audible crunch.

His scream was instantaneous. Reeling backward, he covered his nose with both hands as blood seeped through his fingers.

Shocked silence hung in the air for a second, then pandemonium erupted. People turned, reporters shoved, and a couple of women screamed. A dozen cameras flashed, held high and pointed toward the center of the action, while DeLuca yelled obscenities, blood dripping onto his sparkling white s.h.i.+rt.

Red hadn't moved. Cal noted the satisfaction in her eyes as he pushed through the onlookers and finally reached her side. He also noted the angrily contorted face of DeLuca's bodyguard as the man threw his drink aside and lunged at the woman.

Introductions would have to wait. Grabbing her arm, he spun her aside, putting himself in the guard's path. The man plowed into him like a linebacker. Cal barely had time to turn his shoulder into the blow, and the impact staggered him. It luckily also knocked the wind out of the guard. Muscle Man doubled over, confused and breathing hard.

Behind Cal, Red's furious yell pierced the bedlam. "Hey, what the h.e.l.l do you think you're- Oh, s.h.i.+t!" Her objection broke off and he knew she'd seen the even more furious behemoth glaring like a bull ready to charge.

"Get out of here! Now," Cal ordered without taking his eyes off the guard.

She was smart enough to see the danger. Cal braced himself, ready to deflect DeLuca's lackey long enough for her to get away. Instead, she pushed around Cal, shoving him aside as she planted her feet and stood ramrod straight, jabbing her finger at DeLuca's bodyguard.

"Don't you dare touch me, you incompetent Neanderthal! If you had half a brain you'd take that mentally stunted, overs.e.xed drunk you work for and lock him up in his room until he learns to act civilized!"

Cal felt as stunned as the guard looked. Red was either oblivious or too enraged to notice. Taking a step forward, she balled her fists. "In case you haven't heard, women aren't submissive playthings, put on earth to stroke your feeble male egos!"

Cal squinted as two cameras flashed in sync, flaring like a nova. Among the raised cell phones, several professional cameras clicked furiously, recording frame after frame of Red's tirade and DeLuca's b.l.o.o.d.y rant on the sidelines. They'd also probably captured clear photos of Cal. s.h.i.+t! Grabbing Red's hand he hissed, "Lady, are you nuts?"

She shook him off, apparently just hitting her stride. She continued her lecture. "Do you even understand what s.e.xual hara.s.sment is? Because it's obviously your job to keep the little pervert in line, and his behavior was beyond inappropriate. No one gets to treat me like that and-"

"Red!" Cal yelled loudly enough to cut through her fury.

"What!?" She whirled on him. "Someone has to tell these superficial morons-"

She couldn't see the crazed look on the guard's face, but Cal did. He also heard Muscles snarl, "b.i.t.c.h," as he reached into his coat pocket.

Adrenaline shot through Cal. He'd hoped to get out of this without more violence, but that option just evaporated. b.l.o.o.d.y noses and barroom tackles were one thing; guns were a whole new set of rules.

"Move! Now!" Grabbing Red's arm, he yanked hard. She staggered as he released her, but he couldn't watch to see if she stayed on her feet. The bodyguard extended his arm to the side, the antic.i.p.ated black metal visible in his hand.

It was Cal's only chance. In that one moment, while the guard stood with his body wide open and unprotected, Cal jumped forward, throwing a kick directly at the guard's midsection.

His foot hit flesh, hard. The guard went wide-eyed, grunted, and crumpled. In one continuous move, Cal spun, his gaze finding Red's. "Go!" he ordered. And because he no longer trusted her to do the sensible thing, he grabbed her hand and charged forward. They dodged through the confusion into the resort's elegant lobby and through the main doors, out into the cool Rocky Mountain night.

Red clutched his hand and ran with him, finally agreeing with his agenda. She slowed and would have stopped under the front portico, but he tugged her to the right without skipping a beat. They followed the driveway until it split toward the parking lot. He hopped the low flowerbed border, landing on thick, well-manicured gra.s.s. She hesitated before making a cautious jump, and he realized she'd been running in high heels. Slowing to accommodate her strides, he rounded the corner of the hotel and drew her into the shadows against the brick wall.

Voices faded. Panting, they listened to a few running footsteps and shouted questions as people dashed outside, looking for them. Paparazzi, if they were lucky; DeLuca's hired guns, if they weren't. When Cal was sure they were alone, he finally released her hand. She leaned against the wall, eyes closed, catching her breath.

After several seconds, her breath evened and her eyes opened. She finger-combed her hair and shook it back behind her shoulders. He tried not to notice its silkiness. It was the kind of hair that tempted a man to run his hands up under it to cradle her head when he kissed her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded, taking a deep breath and blowing it out. "Yeah. Thanks."

"You're welcome." That was the end of the niceties. He gritted his teeth. "You want to tell me just what the f.u.c.k you were doing back there?" he snapped.

Fire shot into her eyes as she moved away from the wall faster than he expected.

"I was defending myself." Her voice was low and controlled, but already seething with fury. "I thought that was obvious. Isn't that why you jumped into the middle of things in the first place?" She stuck her hands on her hips. "And who the h.e.l.l are you, anyway?"

"I'm the guy who saved your a.s.s."

They faced off for a long moment until Cal muttered, "Oh, h.e.l.l. Come on, let's get out of here before they find us." He took a few steps toward the parking lot before he realized she wasn't following him. "What's the problem now?"

"What makes you think I would go anywhere with you?"

He might have smiled at her att.i.tude if he'd been in a better mood. Unfortunately for them both, he was feeling pretty tense and irritable. "How about because you sure as h.e.l.l can't go back in there without causing a bloodbath. And because I'm going to explain to you how you just ruined both our lives. Is that okay with you?"

She stared him down. "No. Give me your phone."

"What?"

"Mine's in my purse, in my sister's office. She's the a.s.sistant manager here. I can guarantee she'll want an explanation for that little scene, and you're going to help me convince her I was provoked and doing nothing wrong in defending myself."

That might be hard to do, considering she'd thrown the first punch. But she was holding out her hand, fingers wiggling impatiently, and d.a.m.ned if he wasn't curious to see how this played out. Besides, he couldn't leave her alone until she understood just how much danger she was in.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and she s.n.a.t.c.hed it away. Dialing rapidly, she tapped her foot while she waited. Finally, she straightened. "Hi, Zoe, it's me."

She winced, and he bit back a smile. Apparently he wasn't the only one who found her aggravating. "I'll explain, just let me in the door by the kitchen. I don't want anyone to see us." When her eyes flicked up to his, Cal knew her sister had asked who was with her.

"The guy who kicked Mr. Universe in the nuts."

Smiling sweetly, she snapped the phone shut and handed it back. "Follow me."

She marched off without a backward glance. He narrowed his eyes at the swing of her hips under her black skirt and weighed his options. His cover was blown. Red had just jumped into more danger than she knew and-taking a wild guess-she was bound to make it worse.

Shoving the phone in his pocket, he marched after her.

Her name was Maggie. He gathered that much during the enraged tirade from the highly polished, younger version of her that was her sister Zoe. To be fair, it was probably the official hotel management duds that made Zoe look so prim and proper-navy blue skirt and blazer, white blouse, and strawberry blonde hair identical to her sister's but pulled into a neat bun. Maggie's loose waves went a long way toward erasing any hint of propriety.

So did her att.i.tude.

"I tried not to start something, I swear," she claimed, brus.h.i.+ng by her sister to head down the hall. Cal trailed them to what was apparently Zoe's office. Maggie paced before the desk, hands alternately combing hair off her neck and gesturing as she spoke. "I told him to get lost several times, but the little perv wouldn't take no for an answer."

Since Zoe didn't ask who the perv was, he figured she'd already heard some version of the incident.

"He kept touching me." Maggie glared, looking like she'd like to smack DeLuca again. "And even then I controlled myself, Zoe. I didn't want to cause you any trouble."

"But you did." Zoe stood with arms crossed, unmoved by her sister's anger.

"Yes, and you know why?" Maggie put her hands on her hips, her pretty pink lips pressed into a tight line. "He said he could give me what I wanted, and he knew I'd like it because-get this-I'm one of the Larkin girls."

Zoe's arms dropped. "Oh." Pain crossed her face. Cal definitely had to look into the significance of their supposed last name.

With all the energy sucked out of her anger, Zoe's gaze finally s.h.i.+fted toward Cal. "Who are you?"

"Cal Drummond. I hauled your sister's a.s.s out of there before it got really ugly."

Maggie lifted a hand from her hip. "I was handling it."

"Bulls.h.i.+t," he scoffed. "You were asking to get killed. Rafe DeLuca is a dangerous man."

Her eyes narrowed, a look he was getting used to. "Thanks a lot. I brought you along to back me up, not throw me under the bus."

"It happened just like she said," he confirmed to Zoe, then turned a hard look on Maggie. "And it was incredibly stupid."

"Hey, at least I stood up for myself. I was brave, d.a.m.n it," she seethed.

Brave . . . and reckless. The words. .h.i.t him like an icy splash of water. He'd been attracted to that mix once before and knew how deadly it could be-and how devastating. It was something he never wanted to go through again. He pushed the memory of Diane into the deep well where he kept it and spoke through gritted teeth. "There's a fine line between brave and stupid, and you plowed right over it."

Zoe looked ready to side with him. "Couldn't you have been a little more diplomatic? I've got half my staff out there trying to soothe some very powerful, very p.i.s.sed-off customers. I'll probably have to comp their meals and rooms for several days, just to keep them from suing the hotel."

"I wouldn't go that far," Cal said.

She arched a condescending eyebrow. "Oh, really? Why not?"

"Because you shouldn't let the DeLucas put you on the defensive. And when I say the DeLucas, I mean their lawyers, because that's who you'll be hearing from. You could have easily called the cops on their precious boy and his hired ape, but you didn't. Be sure to point that out. Forget the s.e.xual hara.s.sment part-"

"Sure, that's not important at all," Maggie muttered.

Cal ignored her and kept talking. "It's too hard to prove and you'll only get conflicting accounts. But the big guy they employ pulled a gun in a crowded room. Maybe he only planned to scare your sister with it, although I wouldn't bet on it. He had two drinks while I was there-seriously unprofessional for a bodyguard. He'll probably get fired anyway for letting something happen in the first place, but if I were you, I'd point out what you didn't do. You didn't call the cops and make an official report, you didn't have their gun-wielding bodyguard Breathalyzed, and you didn't have Rafe held on charges of hara.s.sment. Maybe none of it would stick, but it wouldn't matter because it would already be headlines, and not the kind they want. You know it, and they know it. You minimized the damage."

Zoe stared at him for several seconds, then gave a curt nod. "You're right. Thanks."

Maggie peered at him. "Who are you?"

"I'm a cop."

"Where?"

"Oklahoma City. I'm on leave."

"And you just happened to be at an exclusive resort in the Colorado Rockies watching me?"

He uttered a short laugh. "You? I was watching De-Luca." And Maggie, which still irritated him enough to make him deny it. He refused to be seen as one more poor sucker panting after her when he was sure there must be dozens. "I've been following him for three weeks."

Zoe tilted her head, puzzling it out. "Not because you're a fan, I imagine."

"Hardly," Cal scoffed. "Flexing and posing for the camera is only one of the things that sorry excuse for a man does. The other is much less pretty." He flicked a glance at Maggie. "He's a killer."

Cal watched their mouths open and their eyes go wide before Maggie blurted, "Rafe DeLuca? Star of tabloids and reality TV? Famous for being rich and obnoxious?" She looked at him like he'd lost his mind. "The man can't even go into Starbucks without causing a media alert. How could he possibly get away with murder?"

He noted that she hadn't objected to the idea that he'd do it, just that he'd get away with it. At least she had no trouble reading the man's character. "If I'm right, he's gotten away with it several times. He has a violent temper, a l.u.s.t for power, and a family that will go to any lengths to protect the reputation of their only son."

"You're kidding." Zoe sank into her chair, staring at him in disbelief.

"I wish I were."

Maggie seemed less shocked than skeptical. He didn't know if that was due to his claim or to the fact that it came from him. "You can prove it?"

"Not yet." It was a sore spot, since he wasn't sure how he ever would, short of finding the bodies on Rafe's property. He figured the odds of that were greatest right here, where the DeLuca family had a huge estate and where at least two of the young women in question had last been seen.

"But you're building a case? I can't believe the Oklahoma City cops would let you trail him to Colorado. Are you working in conjunction with the FBI?"

She was sharper than he'd thought. "No," he admitted. "I took a leave of absence, like I said. I'm doing this on my own."

Maggie took several seconds to absorb the information, rubbing a finger over her lower lip, which he found distracting all over again. "Why?"

He dragged his focus away from her mouth. With the way her eyes had softened, he knew she'd already guessed it was personal. "His last victim was my half sister, Julie." The corners of her mouth tightened, but she said nothing. "She lived in L.A. Her body was dumped in the hills. She'd been tied, then had her throat cut."

"Oh my G.o.d," Zoe breathed.

"I'm sorry," Maggie murmured.

"Me, too." He heard the gruffness in his voice and hardened his expression to match it. Anything to keep the vise grip of guilt from immobilizing him now that he'd finally started making progress. When it came down to it, he hadn't known Julie well, but her death had taught him an uncomfortable truth-guilt could be just as crippling as grief.

Scowling at the unwanted emotions, he said, "Once I starting looking into it, I saw a pattern of missing women leading back to Rafe. I don't want to see it happen again. I took a personal leave after Julie's funeral, and I'm not going back until I stop the son of a b.i.t.c.h for good."

Maggie nodded once, as if approving of his plan. "But he's not going to do that to me." The aggression was gone, but the naive, stubborn confidence was still there. "It would be a stupid move-there were too many witnesses. He'd be the first suspect."

Cal heaved a sigh, his exasperation with her returning. "You don't get it. You made him look bad in public, and the DeLucas never look bad. He's going to fix it one way or another." He stepped closer, making sure Maggie's golden-brown eyes couldn't look away from him. He needed her to understand, to fear like Diane hadn't. "Don't underestimate what just happened. Rafe's family is probably already huddling with lawyers, trying to figure out the best way to put a positive spin on your little incident."

"You act like it's headline news."