Home Front, page 16
“Yes. I thought you’d never ask.” Kurt’s gaze cut from the abandoned boot beneath the coffee table to Kyle standing on two feet, although still in only one shoe. “We going to celebrate ditching the Herman Munster boot?” Kurt asked.
“Yup.” Kyle nodded. That and to mourn Luna’s leaving. He didn’t see why he couldn’t do both at the same time. “Just let me find my other shoe.”
Kurt let out a snort. “You sure it’s not in Coronado?”
“No, it’s not in Coronado.” Although he’d have to break it to his family that he would be back there soon.
Maybe then, when he got back in the action and the bullets were flying and his mind was occupied with staying alive, he’d be able to stop thinking about Luna.
twenty-six
“How was your vacation?” Amy asked, beaming with excitement after Luna settled into the passenger seat of the car in Miami.
“Um. Good. Thanks.”
She’d forgotten that was the excuse she used for staying in New York alone after the tour ended. It had seemed easier to keep the truth from everyone except family.
That had been back when she thought she could trust family. And now that she thought about it, she was surprised Dan had kept her secret. He had exposed her location, so why not her surgery too?
“It’s beautiful up there this time of year,” Amy said, interrupting Luna’s thoughts while pulling the car out into the line of traffic. “All the trees changing color. And the apples and pumpkins.”
“Yeah.” The memory had her heart clenching. She could still see it all in her mind.
The Jones’s front porch, awash with the colorful mums that filled the flower boxes. The big pumpkin in the front yard, bigger than any pumpkin she’d ever seen in Miami. The apple pie his grandmother had baked for dinner the night she’d been there. The colored leaves falling all around the cabin where she and Kyle slept—and more—both nights she was there.
She’d left heaven to fly back to hell, because there was no doubt her confrontation with Daniel was going to be exactly that.
An amazing final two days with Kyle in New York only made facing the situation here in Miami feel even worse.
She needed to forget about Kyle and move on with her life.
To do that, she had to resolve this thing with Dan. And not just Dan. She needed to take back her life from the record company that he’d allow to control every aspect of her life, both professional and personal.
“Have you seen or heard from Dan lately?” Luna asked Amy. “I texted from the airport and asked if we could meet and he never got back to me. It’s not like him.”
“Actually, now that you mention it, I haven’t heard from him in a few days. You’re right. It is strange. He’s usually checking in with me all the time.”
“Hmm.” She started to turn over ideas in her mind of why Dan would suddenly be missing in action, none of them good.
Maybe it was personal. Had Aunt Camila’s health taken a turn for the worse? But it seemed like he or her aunt would have contacted her if it had.
Had he somehow gotten tipped off that he’d been exposed?
Oh, God. While he was staying at her house, he had access to her home computer. He knew the log in. What a fool she’d been. Everything was on that computer. He’d be able to get into her investment account.
What if he’d transferred all her money to another account and taken off? What would she do if he had? What could she do? It wouldn’t be the first time a manager had taken off with a fortune. As long as they stayed out of the country, they got away with it.
She needed to get home. Now.
Glancing up she saw the traffic was heavy, slowing their progress. She gripped the armrest and tried not to hyperventilate as worst-case scenarios filled her head.
“Are you hungry? Do you want to stop for—”
“No.” She realized how that had sounded and said, “Sorry. I just want to get home. It’s been a long day.”
Amy glanced at her. “Sure. No problem. You can always order in.”
“Yeah.” As sick as she felt wondering where Dan was and what he was doing, she didn’t think she’d ever be hungry again.
Finally, after what felt like a never-ending drive, Amy pulled up to the gate at Luna’s house and entered the code. The code Luna was going to have to change to keep Dan out.
As Amy crept about ten miles an hour up the drive, Luna was ready to leap out of the car and run inside to her computer.
She was an irrational ball of nerves, internally cursing at Amy for driving so slowly and her driveway for being so long.
Finally, the car stopped. Luna had her seatbelt unbuckled and the door opened before Amy even put the car in park.
Abandoning Amy in the driveway to deal with the suitcase, Luna ran for the door, punched in one code to unlock the door and yet another code just inside to disarm the alarm.
She sprinted up the stairs to her office and, not bothering to sit down, powered on the computer.
It seemed to take forever. She finally pulled out the chair and sat with her fingers on the keyboard, waiting for the log in screen.
When it appeared, she entered her password, then launched a browser, heading directly to the Fidelity website.
The browser auto filled her password and she bit back a cuss. If she lost all her money, that would be the reason why.
Finally, the website loaded and her account balance appeared. It looked okay. All the money was there. But maybe it just didn’t transfer yet. She searched for account activity and all she saw was her most recent deposit.
Phew.
Just in case, she changed her password on both the investment account and for her computer log-in. She’d go immediately downstairs and change all the entry and alarm codes for the house as well.
Feeling moderately better, she turned when Amy came into the room. “I found this package on the table in the front hall.”
The woman was pale and looked a little shaky.
“What’s wrong?” Luna asked.
“The handwriting on the address label looks just like the box that came to the office. The one with the fish. And the note.”
Luna stood and took the box.
Her name and address were written in black marker in block letters so large they filled the entire label. There was no return address. No surprise.
Swallowing away the nerves, she put the box down and reached for a scissor to cut through the tape.
No matter what was in that box, it didn’t matter. A box couldn’t hurt her.
A note couldn’t hurt her. And if Dan was still up to his mean tricks, that meant he didn’t know they were on to him.
Everything was status quo. She could handle this. No problem.
She lifted the flaps and looked in. Inside was a dish towel. One with a design that looked familiar. It was the same print as the towels in her kitchen.
Gingerly, she flipped just the corner of the towel over, half expecting a spider or a snake or something else meant to scare her to jump out. But nothing did.
Flipping the other side of the towel open she saw the blood stains first. Then the severed finger. Then the ring still on that finger. A ring she recognized.
Dan’s ring.
twenty-seven
Kyle was twelve hot wings and one beer in at the Muddy River Inn when his phone vibrated where it lay on the bar.
His eyes widened when he saw Luna’s name and photo appear on the display.
Glancing at his fingers, he saw they were covered in barbecue sauce. How was he going to answer?
“Crap. Shit. Fuck!”
Amazingly, unbelievably, she was calling him. And if he missed the call because of having greasy, barbecue sauce-covered fingers he was going to be really pissed.
Grabbing for a stack of napkins, he wiped frantically at the sauce until one finger looked clean enough he could swipe the display to answer the call.
When it connected, he grabbed the phone and pressed it to his ear, while Kurt watched it all with an amused expression.
“Hello? Luna?”
“Oh my God, Kyle.” There was hysteria in her voice.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s a finger in a box.”
“A what?”
“A bloody finger. In a towel. In a box on my table inside the house.”
“Wait. Are you sure it’s real?” A dead fish was one thing but severed digits—that was just insane.
“Yes, it’s real! I can see the…bone. Oh my God. I think I’m going to be sick.”
He wasn’t feeling too great himself as he glanced at the red sauce covering his fingers and grabbed for the napkins again.
“Kyle. I think it’s Dan’s finger.” Luna’s voice cracked as she tried to get the words out.
“How can you be sure?”
“The ring he always wears. It’s still on…the finger. And I haven’t been able to get in touch with him. Amy hasn’t heard from him either.”
There was a shuffling on the other end of the line and loud talking, during which Kyle imagined the worst. “Luna! What’s happening there?”
Finally, she answered, “Amy says Dan’s car is in the garage. And she found his cell phone on the floor under the table in the kitchen. And there’s a bloody knife and cutting board in the sink. Wait. There’s a piece of paper in the box.”
A note. Just like all the rest of the threats. “What does it say?” he asked.
“You can’t disappear. You can’t hide from me. Come out, come out, wherever you are, Luna Blue. Then maybe I’ll let Dan live.” She read the note with a voice that shook.
They’d gone from vague threats to an almost maniacal sick glee. This person—whoever it was—was becoming more unhinged.
Was it Dan, trying to throw them off the scent with someone else’s finger masquerading as his own? Or had they been completely wrong with their guess and he was really a victim here too?
Fuck. If their number one suspect’s finger was currently in a box, that meant the threat against Luna was still active. And it was escalating. From mere threats to bodily harm.
Her stalker had been inside the house. He could be inside the house right now.
“Luna, get out of the house. Now. Get in the car, drive away and call the police. Do you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“I’m on my way down there. Next flight I can get. Hang up with me and call the police.”
“Okay,” she agreed, her voice shaking.
When she disconnected, he stood, not sure what to do first.
Good thing Kurt was still thinking clearly. He’d thrown a twenty and a five on the bar to cover their order of wings and two drafts and a tip and stood. “I’ll drive you to the airport.”
“Thanks.” Kyle nodded and was scrolling through the numbers in his phone as he followed Kurt to the car.
Finally, he found the one he was looking for—the GAPS office number—and hit to dial.
“Guardian Angel Protection Services,” the female answered.
“Is anyone there for me to talk to? Jon? Chris? Tell them this is Kyle Jones and it’s an emergency.”
“Let me see if someone is avail—” Before she finished her sentence, there was a jostling on the line.
Chris Cassidy’s voice was the next thing he heard saying, “What happened?”
Something bad. Something unbelievable. Completely insane.
“Luna has received what she believes is her manager Dan’s severed bloody finger in a box. There are signs of the struggle inside her home in Miami. Including a bloody knife. Dan is missing but his cell and his car are still at her house.”
“Shit.” The southerner stretched out the single syllable word to sound more like three syllables. “Y’all try calling Jon?”
“No. This was my first call. I’m on my way to the airport but it’s an hour and a half drive to Albany. Then I’m going to have to actually get on a flight to Miami. I have no idea how long it’ll be until I can get down there to her.”
“Is she secure for now?” Chris asked.
Christ, he hoped she was.
“I don’t know. She’s with her assistant. I told her to get out of the house and call the police.”
“You said Miami, right?” Chris asked.
“Yeah. Why?”
“I got a guy down there.”
“A GAPS guy?” Kyle asked.
“Kind of. He used to work with us. Now he’s got a private gig. Head of security for Sierra Cox.”
“The actress?”
“Yup. The very same,” Chris confirmed.
“You trust this guy?”
Chris let out a snort. “I’m married to his sister and I was his teammate for years when we were both active duty. So yeah, I trust him. Sierra’s between projects so Rick’s in Miami now. I’ll call him. He should be able to get to Luna as quick as the police, if not faster. We’ve got Luna’s cell number and her home address here in the files from when she hired us.”
Finally, some good news. A team guy. With experience protecting a superstar as big as Luna. And he was local.
The adrenaline was pumping so hard and fast he was vibrating with it, but knowing this former GAPS guy Rick was on his way, he might be able to breathe again.
“That would be great. Thanks. I’ll check the flights now and see how fast I can get down there then let you know.”
“Good. I’ll be in touch.” Chris disconnected the call and Kyle navigated right to the airline app on his phone to start searching for flights.
“Are things as crazy as they sound?” Kurt asked, glancing at him before focusing back on the highway they were hurtling down at about eighty miles per hour.
“More,” Kyle answered.
twenty-eight
“Rick Mann.” A SEAL even taller than Kyle extended his hand to him.
He shook it, saying, “Kyle Jones. Sorry it took me so long to get down here.”
“Not a problem. I got it covered.”
“How is she?” he asked as he slammed the door of the rental car.
Even after dark, it was hot in Miami compared to New York. The sound of the night creatures filled the air as Kyle followed Rick toward the house.
“She’s shaken up,” Rick said, answering his question. “So is her aunt. She’s here too, staying in one of the guest rooms. I convinced them both to take a sleeping pill so they’re out for now.”
That might be for the best. As much as he wanted to see Luna, to hold her, if she was sleeping, he could devote one hundred percent of his attention to the investigation.
“The police checked out the house for clues,” Rick said as he opened the door for Kyle. “They dusted for prints. Took the knife as evidence. They’re testing it and the uh… digit for DNA to confirm it belongs to Daniel Diaz.”
“Christ,” Kyle breathed out.
Hearing it all summed up like this didn’t make it any easier to accept. Or any more real. But it was. All too real.
“I know.” Rick shook his head then continued, “I rechecked the house after the cops left. Swept for bugs. It was clean. I sat in on their interview with Luna. There were some interesting revelations in that.”
“Really? Like what?”
“There were no signs of a break-in. No broken windows. And Luna insists the house was locked and the alarm armed when she arrived home. She’s positive of it.”
“So Dan knew the assailant. He let them in,” Kyle guessed.
“Looks like. More than that. Whoever took him knew how to arm the alarm again when they left.”
Kyle stared at Rick in disbelief. “Who? Does Luna have any guesses?”
Rick shook his head. “She made us a list of who has the front gate and the house codes. It’s too long for my liking. Housekeeper. Exterminator. Groundskeepers. Revolving lineup of interns. Assistants.”
“So where do we start?”
“We already started.” Rick led Kyle through the house and into the dining room that looked more like a tactical operations center at the moment.
Computers, monitors, devices Kyle didn’t even recognize, but the guy sitting at the table sure seemed to know what he was doing.
Rick stepped to the side and let Kyle get a full view of the room. “Kyle Jones, meet Will Weber. He’s a friend. A computer guru. A fellow frogman. And he was conveniently on leave and on a fishing vacation with his grandfather when I called him for help. He borrowed some equipment from a contact he has in the Coasties and here we are.”
Will raised a hand in a quick hello without taking his eyes off the monitor in front of him or his other hand off the keyboard.
“What’s he doing? I mean, how can a computer help track down Dan?”
“The Miami PD is canvassing the neighborhood asking to check security cameras, hoping to get a description of the car so they can look for it on the traffic cameras. While they’re doing that, I’m working another angle,” Will explained.
Kyle moved closer to look over Will’s shoulder.
“It looks like Dan’s email account and calendar are being logged into remotely. I’ve got a list of IP addresses and locations they’ve logged in from.”
“That’s great.” Kyle’s eyes widened.
“Not so great. They’re mostly coffee shops with free WIFI so far. No private residences,” Will explained.
“Not much of a chance they’ve got him stashed at one of those,” Rick pointed out.
“Right,” Will agreed. “But here’s the interesting part. They are mostly in Miami, but there was also one location in Albany, New York. A hotel.”
Kyle spun to face him. “Luna was in Albany for a concert about a month ago. The first two threats were at her hotel in Albany. One was a handwritten note and the other was a message written in the steam on her mirror while she was in the shower.”
Will nodded. “Whoever is doing this was in Albany with her, and also in Miami.”
Not a crazed fan following her. This person had access to her. To Dan. To restricted information.
“An employee,” Kyle guessed.
“Yup.” Rick nodded.
