Fingers flying across the laptop keyboard, Stefan paused long enough to take a huge swig of the Dr Pepper sitting on the table next to the computer. He’d become addicted to the stuff while living and working in Dallas.
He was typing up his findings, closing out the file for the latest Carpenter Security Services case. Work had been nonstop for the last several months, and he was ready for a long, relaxing break. Which started as soon as he hit send on this sucker. Samuel Carpenter, his boss and owner of Carpenter Security Services, had gleefully informed him the week before that he was taking a mandatory break—either that or his ass was fired. Stefan snorted. Fat chance of that happening. He wasn’t vain, but he was one of the best computer experts in the country, probably top five in the world. Besides, the boss man liked him, and wasn’t about to let him go.
The cell phone sitting beside his soda rang, and he ignored it for the first couple of rings, wanting to finish the last paragraph and get this case put to bed. Yet, something told him to look at the caller ID.
Savannah. Holy hell, it’s her.
“What’s wrong?” His voice came out barely above a growl, but he knew she wouldn’t be calling unless something big happened.
“Hello to you too, Stefan.”
He scrubbed a hand across his face, felt the two days of scruff covering his cheeks. “Sorry. Long day. But you wouldn’t call just to socialize. Something’s up. Tell me.” Every time they talked, he’d been the one to initiate contact. For her to call him had his radar clanging like the red alert klaxon from Star Trek.
He heard her soft exhalation of breath, knew she’d be nibbling on her nail, trying to figure out what to say. For the few days she’d been in New Orleans after the whole kidnapping ordeal, he’d watched her, studied her. Been fascinated by her strength and her resiliency. Been fascinated by her—period.
“I…got something in the mail today.”
“Okay. Are we playing three guesses or do you wanna tell me?”
“Wait, maybe mail isn’t the right word. It came via a courier. One of the national chains.” The silence stretched on for one heartbeat, then two. “It was a piece of wallpaper.”
“Somebody sent you wallpaper? Not exactly flowers or chocolates, but…”
“Stefan, it was the same wallpaper from the penthouse. Where Stavros Aristides and Danny kept me prisoner.”
His heartbeat raced at the implication. Damn, it broke his heart, hearing the catch in her voice, the anguish she tried to hide beneath the surface. She might be young, but she was incredibly strong. A warrior woman, fighting her way back from a situation where most women would have fallen apart.
“Son of a—can you read me the return address? It should be on the shipping form.”
She rattled off the numbers and street, though he had a gut feeling they’d be fake. Sure enough, with a few keystrokes, he determined the address put it dead center of the Mississippi River.
“Was there anything else in the package, sweetheart?” Play it cool, keep her calm. Whatever it is, I’ll deal.
“No, that was the only thing inside. It—scared me. Danny’s dead. Which leaves only one person who’d get some kind of sick, sadistic thrill trying to scare me.”
“Aristides.” The name tasted bitter on his tongue. The man was a monster, a rabid dog that needed to be put down—permanently.
“Exactly. I hate to ask but…is he still out of the country?”
“Hold on, lemme check.”
Pulling up his database, he input his security passwords, and checked for any new info on Aristides. If he’d come back into the U.S., he hadn’t come by air. There was no record of his passport being used. Which probably ruled out cruise ships, too.
“There’s nothing showing him entering the country. As far as I can tell, he’s still down in Brazil, lording it over the locals.”
“Who else could it be? No one but Aristides would have any reason to taunt and terrify me.”
“I don’t know—but I’ll find out. Are you still living with your parents?”
She’d moved back in with them after the whole Spring Break ordeal, and who could blame her? She’d lived through hell and deserved a little pampering. Staying at LSU had been out of the question. Jumping at every shadow, terrified every time a man walked close to her? The only option would have been living with Sarah or going back to San Diego, with her parents. She’d chosen home. He didn’t blame her, though he’d have preferred her being closer. Selfish, he knew, but he’d wanted to get to know her more.
“I…yes. They rarely let me out of their sight.” He heard a touch of humor lacing her words.
“Good. Stay there.” While he talked, he pulled up an airline app and booked a ticket for San Diego on the red-eye. If he caught the earliest flight, he could be there by midmorning.
“I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.” He heard her muttered, “not that I ever leave the house anyway.”
“Okay, here’s what we’re going to do. You’re going to put the wallpaper back in the envelope and hang onto it. Don’t mention it to your parents if you haven’t already. No need to worry them unnecessarily.”
“I don’t want them to know. My dad’s heart couldn’t take it.”
His fingers flew across the keys, making the final arrangements. Packing shouldn’t take long; he’d throw a couple of pairs of jeans and T-shirts in a bag and call it done.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”
“Wait—what? Stefan, you don’t have to come all the way to California! I only called to make sure Aristides hadn’t snuck back into the country. Look, it’s probably somebody’s sick idea of a joke…”
“I am on vacation, starting the minute I hit send on the report I just finished writing. So, it’s no problem to head to California for a couple of days. Sunshine, sandy beaches, and pretty girls. I’ll just drop by your place and do a little investigating at the same time.”
He waited after his final words, afraid she’d protest further, and he’d have to go behind her back to check things out. It would work better if she cooperated, but still—
“Thank you. Want me to pick you up at the airport?”
And there was the woman he’d seen beneath the bruises and black eyes, the fighter that didn’t know the meaning of the word quit.
“That’s okay. I’ll rent a car at the airport. See you tomorrow. And Savannah…don’t worry. Everything’s going to be alright.”
She sighed. “I hope so, Stefan. I really hope so.” With that, she ended the call.
Now to send the report and start his vacation. Though if he was honest with himself, he was secretly thrilled she’d called, because it gave him a legitimate excuse to see her again. When she hadn’t shown up for Ranger and Sarah’s wedding, he’d been disappointed, though understanding of why she hadn’t come. His interest in Savannah had become so obvious, Sarah had started giving him updates after she talked with her sister.
Hitting the send button on the e-mail, he powered down his laptop and packed it into its case. No way was he leaving his baby behind. Chances were good he’d need every one of her tracking programs to figure out who’d sent the wallpaper to Savannah.
And heaven help them, because they’d made their last mistake. He’d find them, and when he did, there wasn’t a place on earth they could hide from his wrath.