Tangled Web
By Sarah & Lanie
Chapter 13
August 15, 1999
9:00 PM
Cory Mansion
Cameron paced in the living room. He looked up at the clock on the mantle again, then sighed heavily as his eyes darted toward the front door.
"That's it," he said out loud as he walked to the phone.
"Good evening, Cameron," Carl greeted as he strolled into the living room. He immediately noticed the anxious look on Cameron's face. "What bothers you?"
Cameron's eyes shot to Carl and an irritated look crossed his face. "Nothing."
"Nothing. It looks like something to me. Otherwise you wouldn't look as if you were about to jump out of your skin. Are you worried because Rachel, Amanda, and Alli haven't come home yet?"
Cameron's eyebrows shot upward. "And you're not?"
Carl smirked as he walked to the couch and gingerly sat down. "You have a lot to learn about being a part of this family, don't you?"
The double meaning in Carl's statement was not lost on Cameron, but he did not have time to deal with his games. Cameron saw no amusement in the situation and it infuriated him that Carl seemed to think it was funny. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Oh, don't take offense, lad. When the women in this family go shopping, they go shopping. They'll walk through that door any time now laden with bags and sacks of all colors and sizes, laughing like they have been at some wonderful party."
"This late?"
Carl nodded. "This late. Why don't you go for a run? Get rid of all that nervous energy of yours."
Cameron narrowed his eyes then responded, "I think I will. I have my cell phone with me, okay? Tell Amanda to call me if she gets home before I return."
"Of course. Run along now, Cameron."
Cameron nodded, then walked out onto the terrace. He leaned down to do a few stretches before he went for a short run. He breathed a sigh of relief when his cell phone began ringing.
As he punched a button, he said, "Well, it's about time. Where have you been?"
His greeting was met with dead silence on the other end, then finally, "Cameron? Cameron, what's wrong? Oh, never mind. We need you at the warehouse right now. We've got a critical situation."
"Now?"
"Yes, now," Hawk spat with undisguised annoyance.
Cameron sighed in disgust. "Can you pick me up? I was just getting ready to go for a run."
"I'll send Devlin," Hawk told him then the phone went dead.
Cameron felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. When he turned around, he saw Carl standing in the doorway watching him.
"Was that Amanda?" Carl asked.
"I thought you weren't worried."
Carl shrugged. "I saw you talking on the phone and thought that it might be them checking in. My mistake."
Cameron nodded not wanting to continue the conversation and hoping that Carl had not heard the entire exchange. Cameron and Carl exchanged a long glance before Cameron turned and jogged away.
Carl stepped out to the edge of the terrace and watched as Cameron disappeared into the inky darkness.
"It's not nice to keep secrets."
Carl turned quickly when he heard the front door open. He smiled when he spotted the three women who had been the topic of conversation. He turned back to yell after Cameron, but he knew that Cameron would be out of ear shot by now. Instead Carl walked back into the house and closed the terrace doors behind him. He smiled widely at Rachel as she walked toward him with her arms full of sacks.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cameron waited impatiently by the gate. What could be so important that I have to meet them now?
Cameron wasted no time when Tess's car pulled up. Neither said a word as Tess slammed the gearshift backward and quickly sped away.
"So what's all of this about?" Cameron asked as he turned his head toward Tess.
A circular comb secured her hair pulling it tightly away from her face. She was dressed casually in black pants and a French blue shirt. Tess kept her eyes on the road as she said, "How am I supposed to know? I don't think they would waste our time on anything small, do you?"
"What's wrong with you?" Cameron asked.
Tess shot a glance at him. "Nothing," she replied much too quickly.
"Right. You might as well tell me now. I'll get it out of you one way or the other."
Tess made a face at him then turned away.
"My guess is that Matt has gotten the best of you again. Am I right?"
"You think you've got it all figured out. Come on Freud. Tell me everything."
Cameron smiled, knowing that it would infuriate her even more. He opened his mouth to further goad her when his cell phone rang. He held his finger to his lips to indicate that she should remain quiet.
"Hello."
"Where are you?" Amanda asked.
"I think I should be asking you that question."
"I'm at home. So where are you?"
"I was running."
"How long will it take you to get here?"
Cameron smiled. "It will take me a while to get back there. Miss me?"
Amanda laughed low. "You know I do."
Tess made a face of total disgust as she looked at Cameron. His lovers' banter with Amanda was almost more than she could take.
Cameron shot a look back at her silently ordering her to be quiet.
"I'll be back very soon. Wait up for me?"
"I'll be waiting very impatiently."
Cameron laughed. "Bye."
Cameron pulled the phone away from his ear. Tess shot another look at him.
"You are so full of it," Tess told him.
Amanda was about to lay the phone down when she heard the female voice in the background. She held the phone tightly to her ear listening for more, but the line went dead. Her eyes grew round with shock. Amanda blinked several times letting everything sink in. Was he meeting a woman? What had she meant?
"Amanda, is there something wrong?" Rachel asked from behind her.
Amanda gently laid the phone on the cradle and turned to her mother. "I honestly don't know."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Warehouse
First Street
9:30 PM
Cameron and Tess walked through the darkened warehouse toward the meeting room. As they walked in, they saw both Hawk and Ryan pacing impatiently. Hawk spun around as soon as he spotted them.
"It's about time," he told them.
"We got here as quickly as we could," Cameron told him.
"Let's not argue and get down to business," Ryan told them as he took a seat at the head of the table. "Everyone sit down and let's get started."
Cameron and Tess sat opposite each other as Hawk took a seat in the shadows at the end of the table.
"Grant has made his move," Hawk stated pointedly looking back and forth between Cameron and Tess.
"When?" Cameron asked.
"How?" Tess demanded a second later.
"We were doing routine surveillance of the McKinnon house earlier tonight when I spotted someone hiding in the bushes," Ryan recounted.
Cameron held up his hand. "Excuse me, but did you say that you saw 'someone hiding in the bushes'?" Cameron asked with raised eyebrows.
Tess placed her hand over her mouth to hide a smile.
Ryan narrowed his eyes not amused by Cameron's question. He sighed heavily. "Yes, that's what I said, Maverick. I recognized the guy immediately as Marcus Chase."
"Chase?" Tess asked. "Marcus Chase? He's a professional. I've heard his name before. He was involved in the kidnapping of that heiress. I can't remember her name."
"You've got a good memory, Dev. Are you taking me seriously now?"
Tess nodded. "He walked because the D.A. failed to prove his case against Chase."
"Right."
"So why did you immediately assume that Grant Harrison has something to do with it?" Cameron asked.
"It's a gut feeling. Who else would send him?" Ryan stated.
"So we're going off a 'feeling'?" Cameron asked.
Ryan narrowed his eyes visibly angered by Cameron's questions.
Hawk jumped in as he watched the tension escalate between Cameron and Ryan. "Okay, boys, let's not fight. Scout's instincts about Grant are usually right on track. Let's look at the facts. First of all, we have a body that looks like Grant Harrison, but tests prove that the corpse is actually some small time thug named Redding. Secondly, we know Grant's M.O. His constant obsession with Kirkland has never been a big secret."
Cameron stole a glance at Ryan. He could see the deep concern in the furrow of his forehead. Cameron leaned back in his chair satisfied that Ryan's concerns had merit.
"What's the plan?" Cameron asked.
"Kirkland now has his own personal bodyguard," Hawk stated. "There won't be a moment when he is not under heavy guard."
"You do realize that school starts tomorrow. Amanda and Alli were in Chicago all day shopping for school clothes," Cameron told them.
"Thanks for the heads up, Mav. That does present a complication, but I think that we can put a guard inside the school with minimal effort," Hawk said.
"What about Emmanuel Logan?" Tess asked.
All eyes were on Tess. She raised her chin in defiance.
"Don't get any ideas, Devlin. Right now we're concentrating on Kirkland's safety and the safety of the people around him," Ryan warned.
"We still need to find out what Logan knows," Tess reminded them.
"Just drop it, Tess," Hawk demanded.
Tess was taken aback when Hawk used her real name. She opened and closed her mouth.
"I still say that all we need to do is interrogate Logan and many of our questions will be answered," Tess declared.
"That's not the plan," Ryan reminded her. "Right now we're sticking with the plan. Everyone in this operation has to be clear about that. This was a failed attempt and Grant can't stand to lose. So batten down the hatches and watch your backs, because when Grant is out of control, he destroys everyone and everything in his path."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Cameron walked softly along the hallway. He prayed that Amanda was already asleep. She was going to be furious with him and he had absolutely no explanation.
Cameron slowly turned the doorknob and pushed open the door. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her snuggled into bed with her back to the door. He quickly removed his clothes and carefully lay down in the bed beside her. He was startled when the lights came on. Cameron turned toward Amanda wondering what was going on.
"Where have you been?" She asked.
Cameron scrunched his nose at her. "Running. I thought you knew that."
Amanda shook her head. "Then who is she?"
Cameron narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What are you talking about, Amanda?"
"I heard a woman's voice when I talked to you on the phone."
Cameron's heart leaped. She had heard Tess's voice. In a split second, he had made up the lie that would roll easily off his tongue. "I was in the park when you called. When it's warm outside and gets dark later, people stay outside and enjoy it."
Amanda stared at him for a moment thinking about his explanation. What he said made sense to her. Still a part of her did not fully believe him. She wrestled with her emotions for a minute. She nodded, but said nothing.
Cameron gathered her in his arms and kissed her forehead. "You know that I could never look at another woman, Amanda. I love you and only you."
Amanda snuggled into his arms, feeling safe and loved. She sighed deeply and said, "Then hold me tight and never let me go."
Cameron pulled her closer and closed his eyes silently praying that nothing and no one would ever tear them apart again.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
August 16th
Cory Enterprises
Tess stared out the window in her office gently strumming her fingers on her desk. Her mind was not on work….not on Cory business anyway. She was trying to form the perfect plan to orchestrate another meeting with Emmanuel Logan. She was single-minded when it came to her work. This was a highly specialized team, which required complete dedication to their common goal. Unfortunately, they did not always agree on the way to get the job done. She knew that given one more chance to meet Logan one on one she would get the information they needed. There was no choice. She would be doing this mini-operation solo.
Tess spun around and placed her elbows on her desk forming a cradle with her hands. She placed her chin on her hands and stared at nothing in particular. She sighed heavily and looked at the closed door. It had not opened once today. She had nearly fallen all over herself every time her intercom buzzed only to be disappointed when his voice was not on the other end. Damn him!
Matt had ignored her all morning. He had not even acknowledged her presence when she had entered the break room to get her morning cup of coffee. He had continued with some story he was telling, which was bringing forth peals of laughter from two of the women who were quite obviously flirting with him. Tess had stomped out without so much as a backward glance.
Tess stood intending to march to Matt's office.
"What are you thinking, Tess?" she asked out loud. "It's best this way. This way Matt stays out of danger and no one gets hurt."
Tess nodded to herself. She sat back down in her chair intending to actually try to do some work. She stared at her computer screen seeing her reflection. She had her hair clasped at the base of her neck in a loose ponytail. Her suit was periwinkle blue silk with a wing collar and short skirt. Admitting why she had styled her hair differently and dressed in bright colors instead of her usual conservative manner was not easy. Today she had wanted to be noticed…. sought out. So far that had backfired. As she stared at her reflection, she pictured the sketch Matt had made of her. The urge to go to him was so strong.
Tess scooped up a file and strode out the door without a backward glance. She sailed through the partially closed door of Matt's office without knocking. She stopped quickly when she saw that Matt and Amanda were having a serious discussion effectively taking the wind out of her sails. Both turned toward Tess as she stopped in the middle of the room.
"Hello, Tess," Amanda greeted with a smile.
"Hi, I'm sorry I appear to be interrupting something," Tess said and turned to walk away.
"Please, stay. I would like to hear your opinion about this."
Tess turned toward Amanda. She glanced at Matt who had yet to say a word. His eyes locked with hers, but he remained silent.
"Sure, what's going on?" She asked as she took a seat in front of Matt's desk and crossed her legs. When she looked up, she caught Matt looking at her.
The tension between Matt and Tess was not lost on Amanda. She smiled secretly as she sat beside Tess.
"You were the one who brought us information on The Polaris Group?" Amanda asked.
Tess nodded. "Yes, is there a problem?"
"That's just it. We don't know."
"One of our largest stockholders, Ronald Chadwick, contacted Mom this morning and told her that he had been approached by The Polaris Group. They offered him top dollar for his shares," Matt said.
"What is your concern? Maybe they are very impressed with how you run the company and want to have a bigger investment in Cory," Tess pointed out.
"That's not all," Amanda told her.
"They have approached two other stockholders as well. There may be more, but we just haven't heard from them," Matt observed.
"So your concern is that they are orchestrating a hostile takeover of Cory?" Tess asked.
"Exactly."
Tess looked back and forth between Amanda and Matt. "I will call them," she said flatly.
"Just like that?" Amanda asked.
"I did the legwork on the company. I feel comfortable talking with Mr. Price. I see no reason why he wouldn't be straightforward about the movements his company is making."
"I'm not quite as optimistic as you are, Tess," Matt told her addressing Tess directly for the first time. "If they are attempting a takeover of Cory, why would they be forthcoming with their intentions?"
"We won't know until we ask will we?" Tess replied with a touch of anger in her tone.
Amanda glanced back and forth between Tess and Matt aware of an undercurrent of tension flowing between them. She smiled to herself pleased that somehow her original plans to push Matt and Tess were working on some level.
The intercom buzzed on Matt's desk defusing the impending battle between Matt and Tess.
"Mr. Cory?"
"Yes."
"Mr. Sinclair is here to pick up Mrs. Sinclair for lunch."
"Okay, I'll tell her."
Matt looked up at Amanda with a smile. "So I assume that you are not working through lunch today?"
Amanda smiled. "Nope, I've got a hungry husband to feed. We'll talk about this after we get back from lunch," she said then disappeared out the door closing it tightly behind her.
Tess reached for the file she had laid on Matt's desk preparing to leave. Matt stood.
"Running away?" He asked.
Tess's eyes shot to his. "From what?"
"Me."
"I don't want to fight with you here," she told him and turned toward the door.
"Sure you do," Matt told her stepping around his desk. He walked up behind her stopping a few inches from her.
Tess did not turn around, feeling the heat of his body close to hers. "What are you implying?"
Matt leaned over her shoulder brushing his body against hers. "I'm not implying anything. You came to my office for a reason and I don't think for a moment that it was anything but personal."
The smell of his after-shave and the touch of his warm breath on her neck were drugging. Tess unconsciously leaned back against him.
"I came here…"
"Yes?"
"…. on business. Nothing else," she told him and reiterated her words by holding up the file folder.
"Umm…." Matt said close to her ear giving her goosebumps. "If I recall correctly, we finished discussing that client on Thursday. Try again, Tess."
"I needed…"
"Yes, tell me what you need, Tess."
Tess sputtered a few moments unable to find the words to answer him.
Matt brushed his lips across the lobe of her ear. "What is that perfume you're wearing?" He asked.
"It's…I thought we were talking business."
"I like your hair this way," he said, then removed the clasp, running his fingers through her auburn tresses. "I'm at lunch. No more talk about business."
Tess's knees buckled and Matt folded his arms around her waist. He brushed a kiss against her neck.
"B…b…but…. I thought that you said I had to come to you."
Tess turned in his arms so that she could look at Matt. She knew immediately that it was a mistake. His eyes were smoldering with something she could no longer resist.
"You did. You're here. That folder was a ruse. You need to be with me just like I need to be with you."
Tess shook her head. "No."
"Quit fighting it, Tess. We're good for each other."
"You weren't listening," Tess told him in a voice barely above a whisper.
Matt ran his hands down her arms, grabbing her hands. He brought them up over her head and backed her against the door. Tess stared at him.
"I heard everything," he whispered against her lips. "It doesn't mean that I have to play fair."
He moved his mouth over hers devouring the softness. Tess moaned in response and opened her mouth succumbing to the forceful domination of his lips. His hands left hers as they trailed downward caressing a fiery path. Tess felt as if she were going to explode with raging desire. Matt removed his lips from hers and kissed the pulse point on her neck. She arched her neck and gasped. He nibbled her earlobe whispering softly in her ear, "I want all of you."
Tess responded by moving against him. He moved his fingers along the collar of her jacket then slowly unbuttoned each button until he revealed her tanned skin. As his hands moved along the bare skin of her stomach, Tess looked into his eyes. The current of desire was revealed in the sparkling depths of their eyes.
"Matt, I don't…."
"Shhhh…. this is right, Tess. You know it and I know it. Say it, Tess. Say it," he urged.
Passion pounded the blood through her heart, chest and head. Tess knew that her resolve was weakening. With a soft cry, she brought his mouth to hers hungrily expressing her overwhelming fire with reckless abandon. Finally leaning away from him she said, "I feel it. I want it," she told him breathlessly.
Matt smiled in triumph as he pulled her to him again. As their mouths moved together again, there was a knock on the door. They did not jump apart in guilt, but sighed heavily in disappointment.
"Yes?" Matt said as he hastily straightened his shirt and jacket.
Amanda stuck her head around the door. Her brother's reddened mouth did not go unnoticed. She smiled widely. "I was just coming to see if you and Tess would like to join Cameron and me for lunch."
Matt glanced at Tess who had feverishly worked on repairing her own appearance. "What do you say, Tess?"
Tess turned to him, then smiled at Amanda. "Sounds great," she said, then looked at Matt again. "I'm starving."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Logan's Office
3:00 PM
Emmanuel Logan stood at the window looking out over the bay from his waterfront offices. He could see the terrace of the Harbor Club from where he stood. He was looking forward to his date with Donna Love. She was charming, beautiful and rich. She would be an asset as a regular dinner companion. The Love family was old money, pillars of the community. Having Donna Love on his arm would further ingratiate him to the upper crust giving the appearance of total legitimacy that he needed.
Though his date with Donna was something to look forward to, a dark cloud loomed in the distance. Logan frowned deeply as his mind drifted to an ever-present problem. He hated waiting, especially waiting on that conniving bastard, Grant Harrison. Even death was not good enough for the Grant Harrison. Logan regretted ever getting involved with him. Now that he knew Harrison was alive he regretted their partnership even more. Logan sighed and clenched his jaw.
"Arrogant bastard," Logan muttered under his breath.
The intercom buzzed behind him. Logan continued to look out the window as he replied, "Yes, Tiana."
"There's a Mr. Kirkland here to see you, sir."
Logan narrowed his eyes at the name. "Send him away. I don't know anyone by that name."
"He insists on seeing you, Mr. Logan."
Logan swung around in disgust. "Call…" he managed to say before the door opened and closed.
Logan advanced on the intruder intending to extricate the man from his office himself. The man pulled off the fedora and dark sunglasses, causing Logan to stop in mid-step.
"Hello, Manny."
Logan stared for moment, then his mouth drew into a straight line as he folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. "You," he spat like a curse more than a statement.
Grant Harrison smiled. "You don't seem surprised to see me."
"Disappointed?" Logan asked with the quirk of an eyebrow.
"Are you?"
"What do you want, Harrison? I don't have time for your games."
"Can't I just stop by for a friendly visit?" Grant asked as he walked across the room to Logan's desk. He opened the humidor and removed a cigar. He sniffed the long, dark object and smiled. "Only the best for you," he observed with a smile as he prepared to light the cigar.
"What are you doing here?"
"I've been having a fine vacation. Thank you for asking. Being away from the self-righteous denizens of this burg has been a moving experience, if you will. There's nothing like living in paradise to make one feel cleansed."
"Quit avoiding the question."
Grant laughed as he took a long draw of the cigar. "Manny, Manny, Manny, so impatient when I just want to catch up on what's been going on since I've been…. gone."
"Cut the crap, Harrison, and get to the point of this untimely and very unwelcome visit. You must think it's important to take such a risk."
"That's what I like about you, Manny. You always get straight to the point. Nope, no beating around the bush with you. Risk? What risk? There's not a single person in this one horse town who has the intelligence or the creativity to figure out that I didn't really die. There's no one alive who would even suspect that it's not me in that grave."
"God, you are an arrogant bastard! You think you are above everything…that no one can touch you. What if I told you that someone has been poking around your grave?" Logan demanded as he glared at Grant. His disgust was mirrored on his face. His gaze did not waiver as he waited for Grant to respond.
Grant walked around Logan's desk and sat in the red Spanish leather chair. He propped his feet up on the desk and puffed on the cigar once more.
"They know nothing. That bumbling bunch of idiots at the Bay City PD couldn't find their way out of a wet paper bag. They've got nothing. I assure you."
"The people that dug that body up weren't with the Bay City PD. In fact, my sources tell me that the Bay City PD doesn't even know about the incident. No, Grant, these were the big boys and girls. We're talking Feds. My contact at the morgue was very certain about that."
"Hmmm…they haven't caught me yet," he observed with a laugh. "Besides I've done nothing wrong."
"No, not you. You never get your hands dirty. You always leave it for the rest of us to clean up your messes," Logan sneered.
Grant smiled. "My, my, I've never seen this side of you. Do I detect a note of displeasure with our partnership?"
Grant's smile enraged Logan. He was breathing deeply to avoid strangling Grant. Of course, the blood would not be on his hands… "Partnership? You are more demented than I remembered. We're not partners, Harrison. We're not even friends so tell me why in the hell are you here?"
Grant's infuriatingly jolly smile goaded Logan further and Grant knew it. He stared at Logan for a moment before answering the question enjoying the sight of Logan becoming more furious with each passing second.
"I've come for your help, of course, and I can tell by the look on your face that you are eager to hear just exactly what I want you to do."
"I owe you nothing, Harrison."
Grant removed his feet from the desk and leaned forward in the chair. His face lost its comical smile as he glared at Logan. "On the contrary, you owe me everything!"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harbor Club
6:45 PM
August 18th
Hawk and Ryan were seated by the maitre de. From their vantage point, they could see most of the tables in the Harbor Club. Hawk immediately noticed Donna fussing with a table in the alcove, which afforded a little more privacy than the other tables. He punched Ryan to point it out.
"Why doesn't it surprise me that Donna has somehow gotten herself right in the middle of this whole thing?" Ryan observed.
Hawk snorted in response and continued to watch her fuss with the table. He sat straight up when Emmanuel Logan appeared at the entrance. "It's show time."
Donna quickly walked over to meet Logan. She held her hands out to him and he took them in his.
"Emmanuel, you're early!" She said with a smile.
Logan smiled in response and brought her hand to his lips. He pressed a lingering kiss on the back of her hand, then purposely brought her other hand to his lips kissing it, too.
"I couldn't wait for our date," he told her.
Donna laughed. "Our table is ready. I really hope you don't mind dining here. My manager is on vacation and things seem to go awry when no one is around."
Logan held the chair for Donna, then walked around to his own. As he sat he said, "Why would I mind eating in the finest dining establishment in Bay City?"
Donna smiled. "Flattery will get you everywhere, Emmanuel."
"I hope so," he confessed.
Their meal arrived and they continued to talk like old friends. Donna was totally entranced by Logan's charm and worldliness. He leaned forward to whisper in her ear.
"Why didn't we do this earlier?"
Donna smiled and laughed softly. "I don't know."
"Ms. Love?"
"What is it, Kent?" Donna asked the waiter.
He leaned down to whisper to her quietly. "We've got a little problem in the kitchen."
Donna looked perplexed at the waiter, then turned a dazzling smile on Logan. "Please excuse me, Emmanuel. I'll only be a minute."
"Take your time. I'll wait on you forever."
Donna laughed then walked toward the kitchen.
Logan settled back to wait. This whole thing was going amazingly well. He decided that he should have sought Donna Love out ages ago. He might have never needed Grant Harrison if he had had Donna Love on his arm and in his bed. The thought of Grant Harrison put a frown on his face. He recalled their meeting earlier in the day and felt the blood rush to his face. Logan rued the day he had ever become involved with Grant Harrison.
Tess strolled through the door of the Harbor Club. She had not changed from her business attire. Matt had been called out of town to the Los Angeles office. She could say that the extra work had put her in a horrible mood, but the truth was that she missed Matt. Tess was in no mood to cook so she had called the restaurant for a carry out order before she left the office. The maitre de met her at the door.
"Hello, I'm Tess Richardson. I'm here to pick up an order."
"If you'll wait at the bar, Ms. Richardson. I'll check on your order."
Tess nodded and walked to the bar. She took a seat and waved the bartender away.
Her entrance had not gone unnoticed. Emmanuel Logan had seen her the moment she walked through the door. His open appreciation did not go undetected by Hawk or Ryan, who were openly glaring in his direction. Tess was perfectly oblivious to it all. She had other things on her mind.
Logan looked around for Donna then made his move. Hawk pushed Ryan down in his chair as he started to go after him.
Tess tapped her fingers on the bar as she waited for her order. She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder and Emmanuel Logan sat on the barstool beside her.
"So we meet again," he said in a leading way.
Tess was momentarily caught off guard, but recovered quickly. "So we do. It's nice to see you again, Mr. Logan."
"Now, Tess, we can't be all formal here. Call me 'Emmanuel'."
Tess smiled at him though the smile did not reach her eyes. "Emmanuel," she echoed."
"Can I buy you a drink?"
"Actually, I was just…yes, I'd like that very much," she said grabbing the opportunity.
"Bartender, a drink for the lady. What's your pleasure?" Logan inquired suggestively.
His innuendo was blatant to Tess who laughed as if on cue. "White wine spritzer, please."
Logan caught her hand in his and brought it to his lips. The glint in his eye was unmistakable. "I'm not going to beat around the bush. I've been thinking about you since we met the other night. Have dinner with me," he whispered.
The touch of his lips on her hand made her shiver. "This is an unexpected surprise," she told him with honesty.
"I'll prepare something special just for you, Tess. I want you all to myself. Come to my house for dinner next week."
The last sentence was not a question. It was a statement of fact. Tess squared her shoulders before giving him a flirtatious smile. She laughed lowly. "You sure know how to get to a girl, Emmanuel. I would love to have dinner with you."
"I promise you a night you'll never forget."
Tess grinned and leaned forward so that her lips where near his ear. "Promise," she whispered.
Emmanuel laughed at her flirting clearly enamoured with her. Donna appeared at his elbow with Tess's order in hand. She was visibly displeased at finding her date flirting with one of the customers.
"Miss Richardson, here is your order," Donna said and shoved the bag at Tess.
Tess was momentarily taken aback, then quickly paid for the order. She shared a lingering glance with Logan then disappeared outside.
Tess smiled smugly. She had gotten invited to dinner with Emmanuel Logan and she had not had to do a thing. It was fate. Things were falling into place. Everything was going her way.
She cried out as she was grabbed from both sides. Tess looked back and forth angrily at the disguised Hawk and Ryan. She struggled to get away from them.
"What is going on?" Tess demanded.
"What were you and Logan discussing?" Hawk asked.
"Are you spying on me?" She asked.
"No, we were spying on Logan," Ryan replied. "Did you set that up?"
"Set what up? What is going on here?" She asked.
"We saw you with Logan. What is the deal?" Hawk asked.
"I came to pick up my supper. He offered to buy me a drink. That's all," she lied.
Hawk and Ryan released her and Tess faced them clearly irritated by their manhandling.
"The two of you looked pretty intense for just a drink," Ryan stated.
"I can't help it if Logan is attracted to me," Tess said with a shrug.
"I'm warning you one last time, Devlin. Stay away from him."
Tess's eyes blazed with anger. "I got the message the first time. You don't have to worry about me."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
McKinnon Cottage
August 20th
9:00 AM
Vicky stretched as she walked out onto the front porch. The house was totally empty and she could not be happier. It was not that she did not love each and every one of them, but sometimes a girl just needed a little time to herself. Steven, Kirkland, and Sean were at school. Donna was working at the Harbor Club and Jake was at The Herald.
Vicky sat on the porch swing and looked at the front yard enjoying the peaceful tranquility of her home.
"You were right, Bridget. This is the only place for me."
Ryan sat just a few feet away. He was not disguised. He had gone to stretch his legs only to see Vicky come out onto the front porch. Ryan had ducked down quickly and hid just a short distance away from her. Can she feel me? He wondered.
Vicky closed her eyes drifting back to a different time. Her thoughts had been of Ryan a lot of late. She could not explain why he seemed to haunt her recently. Maybe it was Carl's sudden reappearance in their lives. It had been a very long time since she could "feel" him. Even now she sensed his presence.
"What are you doing?" She asked out loud.
Ryan jumped thinking she had spotted him in his hiding place. When she did not move toward him, he realized that she had just been thinking out loud.
Vicky looked at the weeds growing in the flowerbeds and decided what her next task would be. Pulling weeds would be good therapy, she thought. As she placed her foot on the top step, she slipped. Everything was in slow motion as she lost her balance and plummeted toward the ground. All her fears pounded in her head. As she braced herself for the impact with the ground, she was suddenly falling into something soft, which absorbed her fall. Feeling a pair of strong arms wrapped around her, Vicky turned to her savior to thank him. Her blue eyes widened in disbelief as she looked into his eyes.
"Ryan…" she whispered before passing out.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Vicky slowly awakened. She could feel someone shaking her gently.
"Miss…. Miss…" the voice implored.
Vicky looked up at the man who was holding her. She forcefully pushed herself away from him and looked at him distrustfully.
"Where is he? Where did he go?" She asked as she looked around and struggled to her feet.
"Who are you talking about, Miss? I'm the only one here."
Vicky leveled her gaze on the man. He was short and dumpy and spoke with a distinct New Jersey accent. "I saw him. I know he was here."
"Are you looking for your husband?"
"He caught me…. he kept me from falling…."
"No, Miss, I caught you."
"Who are you and what are you doing here?"
"I'm with the Telephone Company," he told her.
Vicky continued to look around suspiciously. "I didn't call the Telephone Company. Besides, where is your truck?"
"Some of your neighbors reported some line trouble and we're checking everyone's connection. My truck is down by the box behind those trees over there."
As the man talked, Vicky absorbed the reality of what he was saying. She stopped looking around for Ryan, seeing the absurdity of continuing to do so.
"Okay, the phone is beside the couch," she told him, motioning toward the house.
As the man walked past her, Vicky took one more look around the yard.
"It must be something I ate or just my hormones," she sighed. Her shoulders slumped visibly as she turned and followed the repairman into the house.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ryan sighed loudly when Vicky followed the man into the house. That had been a close call.
"What were you thinking?" Hawk demanded. "You almost blew everything!"
Ryan leveled his stare on him. "I saved her from being hurt."
"I've got half a mind to take you off this case right now."
Ryan narrowed his eyes. "And what would have happened to her if I hadn't been there?"
Hawk glared back at him, then looked back at the cottage. "You can't take risks like that anymore. It's a good thing that she passed out and Burt was quick enough to step in. If anything like this happens again, Scout, you are off this surveillance duty."
Ryan said nothing as he stared at the cottage. He closed his eyes feeling the weight of her in his arms and allowing the scent of her perfume to fill his memory. Hawk might think that Ryan needed to be somewhere else, but Ryan knew now what he had known when he had first laid eyes on Vicky. They still shared a connection that neither time nor distance could ever break.