Double Exposure. Lenora Worth

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СКАЧАТЬ He’d rather they get out of here, but she should have received the email from her warehouse manager by now. It would be smart to get someone started on investigating the tattoo connection as soon as possible.

       He joined her, leaning on the doorjamb and waiting. She clicked away on her laptop, her face intent and the horror of the day lingering in her eyes.

       The printer whirred to life on the credenza, spitting out paper. She retrieved and handed him multiple pages. “This is all the information my manager has on Javier Caldera. In her email, she said again what a great employee he is. He’s always asking how things are done and trying to learn as much as he can about the charity.” She sounded as if she thought these were good things.

       Not Ethan. He saw it as the guy asking too many questions to find a vulnerability in the organization so he could exploit it, but he’d hold his tongue until he had proof to confirm his theory. “I’ll pass this on to my colleague in Texas and have him follow up.”

       “I need him to be discreet. I don’t want the agency to get into trouble for sharing this.” She closed her computer and put it into a protective sleeve.

       “Don’t worry, Jen. Patrick is a professional investigator.” He folded the email and stuffed it in his back pocket. “C’mon. We should get going.”

       She hesitated as if her feet were planted to the floor. He cupped her elbow and directed her out of the room before she came up with another reason to stay. She sighed, and he walked behind her, keeping quiet, though he wanted to talk with her about the lingering fear he caught on her face. Simple, plain talk, without dancing around their past as they’d done all day. To help her come to grips with the threat to her life.

       But there was no point. She wouldn’t let him help. Never had. She’d always been too proud to accept any help. When they’d been together, he’d worked hard to get her to open up. She’d shared very little about her past, so he’d never understood her reasoning. And now, even when she needed a friend the most, nothing had changed. Even if a killer had her in his sights, she wasn’t going to let him in.

      * * *

       Jennie used the final minutes of their drive to Kat’s house to watch the scenery pass by and to breathe. To focus. To center herself and find some semblance of calm. So what if the guy who stalked her this afternoon was a killer? So what if he’d trashed her house, making her feel unsafe in the place that had always been her haven? She had capable men and women surrounding her and this Munoz guy didn’t know she intended to go through with the show yet. So for now, she was safe.

       They turned into the affluent West Hills of Portland and climbed high above the city twinkling with white lights. This area of town was foreign to Jennie, though she knew its reputation. It had the same wealth and trappings as many prestigious neighborhoods in the country, just not the formal dress code. Gore-Tex was more common here than cashmere, but the narrow streets they wound through still reeked of money.

       Ethan pulled to a stop in front of a fifties-style home in Forest Park. Jennie clutched her camera like a lifeline and waited until he got her suitcase from the jump seat and signaled it was okay to get out.

       He came around the front of his truck and opened her door. Earlier he’d put on a scarred leather jacket that, even as worn as it appeared, smacked of money and privilege so fitting for this neighborhood. She didn’t know if he’d wanted to cover his bloody shirt or if he was reacting to the falling temperature. She also didn’t know if he’d ever tended to his injuries.

       “How’s your arm?” She hopped down and caught a whiff of his musky aftershave on the evening breeze.

       “It’s just a scratch.” He gestured toward the walkway.

       “I wish you’d have someone look at it.”

       “It’s fine.” His gaze moved in sweeping arcs over the area, avoiding her concern.

       She let the subject drop, and before they could reach the entrance, Kat opened the door. She was smiling as she stepped forward, but her mouth quickly formed an O of surprise. She stared at Jennie, and Jennie returned the favor, taking in Kat’s high cheekbones, glossy shoulder-length hair and bright blue eyes.

       “You’re that Jennie.” She socked Ethan’s shoulder. “You should’ve told me.”

       “Can we come in?” Ethan ignored his sister as he pushed past her.

       “Welcome, Jennie. It’s been a long time.” Kat stepped back so Jennie could enter.

       “I’m surprised you remember me.” Jennie moved into the open foyer with stairs straight ahead, a dining room on one side, and living room on the other.

       Kat closed the door. “Are you kidding? Ethan moped over you for years.”

       “Enough, Kat,” Ethan warned.

       “What? You haven’t told her, huh?”

       “Told me what?”

       “I said, enough, Kat.” Anger pierced his words.

       Jennie expected his tone to hurt Kat, but she seemed unaffected.

       “Any word on the picture I emailed earlier?” he asked, setting Jennie’s suitcase at the bottom of the stairs.

       Kat smirked. Jennie remembered how close the two of them were and how easily Kat saw right through him as she seemed to be doing now. She simply stood and watched him until he faced her again.

       “I’m not going there, Kat,” he warned. “Just tell me what you found out.”

       She didn’t speak, as if she wanted to push the subject Ethan avoided.

       “C’mon, Kat, just answer my question,” Ethan said, his tone brooking no argument. “Jennie’s had a tough day, and I need to get out of here so she can get some sleep.”

       “Fine. Narcotics confirmed the tattoo is the Sotos gang’s mark. Also, after Cole gave me Munoz’s name, I called the detective in charge of the gallery break-in and passed the information on. He’ll issue an alert for Munoz and bring him in for questioning.”

       “I don’t suppose they’ll let you be present for the questioning.” Ethan’s phone rang, interrupting the conversation. He dug it out and looked at it. “It’s Cole.” He clicked Talk.

       Jennie could hear Cole’s deep baritone rattle something off before Ethan could say anything.

       “Slow down, bro,” Ethan said and listened.

       “Can’t you just tell me what it is?” He looked at Jennie, and the darkening of his expression told her something was wrong again.

       “I’ll call you back after we see it.” He disconnected and turned to Kat. “Can we use your computer? Cole’s texting a link for an interview Madeline’s assistant did with the newspaper today. He says we need to read it.”

       “This way.” Kat headed into the dining room and through her kitchen boasting avocado-green appliances.

       Ethan’s phone chimed a text just as they entered a bedroom furnished with floor-to-ceiling shelves and a large antique desk jutting from a wall like an island.

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