GABE EXERCISED FOR an hour at the employee fitness center, running on the treadmill followed by a lengthy session lifting weights to release his frustration.
Telling Tessa about the information thefts would have been better than having her figure out the connection between him and Rob and learning it that way. But she was smart and like a lioness when it came to Poppy Gold, so her protective instincts had probably tipped her off that something was going on.
Though Gabe preferred hard evidence, he had a healthy regard for instincts. The survival instinct was one of the most powerful forces in nature. He scratched the scar on his left shoulder. According to the surgeon, the wound should have killed him. Instead he’d rendezvoused with his team in time for their helicopter pickup. Survival at its most basic.
Dodging bullets was part of the job, but the thing that haunted Gabe was the civilian who’d stumbled into the mess. Innocent bystanders weren’t supposed to die. Unfortunately drug cartels didn’t follow any rules of engagement, and they didn’t like witnesses.
There was no way he could let Tessa get involved in the investigation. It was dangerous. While they would need to wait for proof about the staircase, his gut told him it had been a trap for his brother.
If Tessa had gone over the railing headfirst...
He lowered the weight bar, not wanting to think how Liam would have reacted if his daughter had been hurt worse. Father and daughter appeared quite devoted to each other. Not being close to his own father, Gabe didn’t understand the relationship, but Liam was also a different kind of man from David McKinley.
Gabe flipped the top of his water bottle and drank down half the contents.
He knew Rob had gone to talk with Tessa and was now back in his suite at the Tofton House. They’d spoken briefly on the phone, and his brother had flatly refused a bodyguard, saying it would just tip off the thief. He was both right and wrong. Catching the culprit after more violence had occurred wouldn’t help anyone.
Gabe headed for the men’s locker room. Tessa had sent him a text message to meet at her apartment, and he should shower before going. He would have preferred to set the time and place himself, but in light of everything, it would be best to go along.
Half an hour later he rang her doorbell.
Tessa opened the door, and her forehead crinkled when she spotted the flowers in his hand. “Are those supposed to make people think you’re coming here for romance?”
“Don’t you have a social life?”
“Not lately.” She stepped aside to let him in. “I should also point out that you aren’t exactly the romantic type. So your bringing me Western coneflowers is going to attract more attention than anything else. Especially if one of the employees saw you picking them from a Poppy Gold garden.”
Disconcerted, Gabe dropped the blooms on a side table. “I thought they were strange-looking daisies.”
“They aren’t.”
“Are they poisonous like foxglove?”
She gave him a quizzical look. “Foxglove isn’t exactly poisonous. It contains digoxin, which affects the heart, so it’s important to handle the plants carefully.”
“Which means it could be poisonous.”
“Presumably if administered the right way, but historically, Native Americans have used both foxglove and Western coneflower to treat their various illnesses.” Tessa retrieved the blossoms and stuck them in a small vase. “Next time skip the bouquet.”
“Are you embarrassed that someone might think we’re involved, or do you think your father wouldn’t approve?”
“Neither. I’m sure Pop would prefer not thinking about me being sexually active, but he isn’t a prude. On the other hand, he might be concerned because you’re so not my type.”
“Okay, I’ll bite. What are five things you look for in a man?”
Tessa shrugged. “These aren’t necessarily the top five, but intelligence, a sense of humor, someone who wants children, who shares my values and likes small towns.” She reeled off the list as if she’d given it serious thought.
Nothing on the list was surprising, particularly the part about wanting children. He’d discovered a lot of women felt strongly on the subject.
“Not that I’m promoting myself as a boyfriend, but I’m intelligent,” Gabe pointed out.
“One in five doesn’t cut it, and I doubt you’d do better on the next five, either.”
Gabe doubted it, as well.
“What’s so great about small towns?” he asked, hoping to change the subject he’d foolishly introduced. “I can’t wait to get out of Glimmer Creek.”
“A lot of things, but if you don’t already understand, it isn’t likely you ever will.” Tessa sat carefully on a chair and grabbed a pad and pencil sitting next to it. “Now, what’s your great idea for a sting operation on TIP’s next visit to Poppy Gold? I’ll give Uncle Milt the details the next time we talk.”
“There isn’t a plan. I simply asked my brother to set up another executive retreat while I’m devising a strategy.”
She tapped the tip of her pencil on the paper. “Anything we come up with has to be safe for my employees and guests.”
Gabe was annoyed as he dropped onto the couch...though he was mostly annoyed that he couldn’t stop the surge of heat through his groin. She’d changed from her work clothes into a pair of light pants and a thin T-shirt, two garments that emphasized her petite figure in exactly the right places.
“I’m concerned about safety, too,” he muttered, “but there isn’t any ‘we.’ You can’t get involved—it could be dangerous. Milt Fullerton obviously agrees.”
“You aren’t doing it without me. Poppy Gold is my family business. And since spying on us was practically an accusation, I want to be fully involved in the investigation.”
His jaw clenched. “I didn’t accuse you. I simply thought it was best to get the lay of the land without anyone being the wiser.”
“Call it what you want, but you’re still stuck with my help. I’ve had a few self-defense classes, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Swell. That was like a kitten sticking out its claws and declaring, I can protect myself.
Investigating Poppy Gold was already a nightmare. It was the town’s biggest employer, which meant most people in Glimmer Creek had a vested interest in the business, whether they worked there or not. Guests and day tourists wandered in and out of the historic district, shopping, eating and taking pictures. And that didn’t include the large number of employees and subcontractors with access.
Trying to work with Tessa on this investigation would just make it worse. And now they’d be coordinating everything with her great-uncle.
“Tessa, listen to me. I have experience handling a range of risky situations. You don’t.”
She waved her hand dismissively. “You’re overdramatizing. Everything should be fine with proper precautions. Maybe I can temporarily increase the security staff. We already hire off-duty police officers whenever needed.”
“No,” Gabe refused sharply. “Look, I have contacts who can help—men I trust. We can bring some of them in as undercover guests, with full disclosure to your great-uncle, of course. I know you hold rooms back for contingencies.”
Tessa began laughing.
He glowered. “What’s so funny?”
“Your contacts won’t fool anybody if they’re like you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“People visit Poppy Gold to have fun and enjoy the atmosphere. Unlike you, they’re usually people who enjoy small towns, or at least are open-minded about them. As a rule, they aren’t six-foot-three commandos with military haircuts, rigid postures and sudden death in their hands.”
“You’ve watched too many movies,” he scoffed.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not an expert, but I know SEALs are an elite unit with some of the best training possible. I presume most of your contacts are ex-SEALS, as well. Actually, learning about your former career explains a lot.”
Gabe wanted to be annoyed, but Tessa was right that he didn’t fit in around here. Small towns remained a mystery to him.
“Fine, maybe I don’t blend in that well,” he conceded, “but these guys have been out of the service longer than me. One of my men started a personal security and investigative business several years ago. The company has protected everyone from rock stars to ambassadors. They know how to blend. Surely you don’t think I’d knowingly put my brother at risk?”
Tessa regarded him for a long minute. “All right, we can work out the details later. Poppy Gold is pretty well booked from Memorial Day on, so I’m still trying to figure out a way for TIP to come back.” She held up a hand when he opened his mouth. “And no, I can’t cancel another group. It wouldn’t be fair, and besides, it would look suspicious.”
Once again, Tessa was right. If she did something out of character in favor of Thomas International Products, it would raise questions.
“Okay.”
“So where do we go from here?” Tessa asked. “There must be something we can check before TIP returns.”
“For one, see if anybody regularly works in Housekeeping when Rob and his executives stay at Poppy Gold. Are those records available?”
“The work schedules are kept on the computer system. I’ll do some checking.”
“Excellent. I’ve asked Rob how they found out about Poppy Gold. He said they got brochures in the mail. Do you have any records of which companies have received promotional materials?”
“Why is that important?”
“Mostly for my curiosity, though it’s rather coincidental that your grandfather is in the same line of business as Thomas International Products. It could be that someone hoped to muddy the waters by diverting suspicion onto your family. The TIP personnel department received dozens of Poppy Gold brochures and then got a call from your marketing department.”
Tessa frowned. “When TIP booked their first executive retreat at Poppy Gold I was still in San Francisco, but I was coordinating all the business marketing for my parents. Becoming a conference center had been my idea, and I was determined to make it succeed. Initially I concentrated on companies in Northern California, so I was delighted when a Los Angeles firm made reservations. I thought they’d heard about us through word of mouth since I hadn’t expanded the mailing list yet.”
“Is there any chance that your mother or father called TIP?”
“Unlikely. And they certainly wouldn’t have claimed to be from the marketing department since we didn’t have one. I also can’t see sending that many brochures to a single company.”
It certainly seemed that someone had tried to lure TIP into coming to Poppy Gold. Then something else occurred to Gabe, and he cocked his head.
“Tell me something—why didn’t you put Rob and his executives into the Mill Race Cottage when you moved them? It’s closest to the pool and around the same size as the Tofton House. You could have shifted the guests out of there just as easily.”
“I would have, but the ghost-hunting group had specifically booked the Mill Race.”
Gabe stared. “What difference did it make where they stay? That paranormal stuff is nonsense.”
* * *
TESSA WAS ANNOYED. “They came to Poppy Gold because the Mill Race has a reputation for spooky happenings.”
“You can’t honestly believe that stuff.”
“Maybe I do a little. But it doesn’t matter, anyway. Their money is just as good as anyone else’s, and they specifically asked for the Mill Race before Rob made his request.”
Marley, one of the Victorian Cat’s feline residents, jumped onto the couch next to Tessa and mewled, apparently picking up on the tension. She scratched his neck until he curled next to her, though the tip of his tail continued to twitch.
“It’s okay, Marley,” she soothed.
Marley was a pleasant cat but not as much comfort as Mr. Fezziwig, who seemed to understand when someone wasn’t feeling well or was sad and tried to comfort them.
“Look, Gabe, I understand you don’t have faith in anything you can’t see for yourself. I can’t imagine what you saw as a SEAL, but it isn’t so clear-cut for me. Part of me wants ghosts to be real, because maybe...” She stopped and swallowed. “Maybe my mother might be able to visit sometimes. I really miss her being here.”
A spasm crossed Gabe’s face and vanished. “I’m sorry about your mom. She sounds like a great person.”
“Thank you.”
Tessa petted Marley again, trying to push down the flood of unexpected emotion. For some reason it meant a lot that a man like Gabe, hardened by life, wasn’t telling her to stop feeling bad or to cheer up. People meant well, but the grief never went away; she just hoped that in time, happier memories would come before the memory of loss.
* * *
GABE WATCHED TESSA, silently acknowledging that he could have handled things better...from the moment he’d arrived at Poppy Gold. He rarely wasted energy on regret, but he knew when he’d made mistakes. Knowing how to correct his mistakes with her was another matter.
“What did you call this cat?” he asked.
“Marley. From the Dickens novel A Christmas Carol.”
Gabe was struck by the irony. “Wasn’t old Marley a ghost?”
“Yup.”
She put her head back, looking exhausted, and he was reminded that she’d had a nasty fall less than forty-eight hours ago. And now she was faced with something that could have a terrible impact on Poppy Gold.
“Tessa, I know you’re tired and I’ll get out of here in a minute, but I’m curious about the people who’d booked the El Dorado the night before TIP was supposed to arrive. When were the reservations made, and did they specifically request that building? Having the place empty would have given someone the entire night to sabotage the staircase.”
“I’ll check. I’m sure Uncle Milt will ask the same question, too.”
She absently ran a finger beneath the elasticized brace on her right elbow, drawing Gabe’s attention. Purple bruises extended below the brace, and various other bruises were also visible. He’d also noticed she kept sitting down with caution, which suggested her tailbone remained tender.
Tailbone?
The thought was a reminder that Tessa had a very attractive rear end. Gabe shifted on the couch, fighting his response; she might not be his usual type, but she was still a desirable woman. Yet even if she’d been interested in pursuing something, she wasn’t up for any kind of vigorous activity, horizontal or otherwise.
“I’ll go now,” he said. “You need to rest.”
“We haven’t resolved anything.”
“And we aren’t going to tonight. But it would be great if you could check that housekeeping schedule tomorrow. Let me know so we can get together and talk. Maybe we could conference your great-uncle in on the phone.”
* * *
TESSA WRINKLED HER nose and wondered if allowing Gabe to go home was letting him off too easy. He had, after all, suspected her of industrial espionage.
On the other hand, she felt as if a truck had run over her.
She stood up. “I’ll call when I have anything. I also want to analyze any patterns related to my other business clients.”
Gabe followed her to the door, and she opened it.
“I apologize for suspecting you,” he murmured.
“Since you seem to suspect everyone, it might not be as big of an insult as I thought,” she returned in the same low tone. “So I...”
A movement caught her attention on the other side of the garden, a dark figure in the shadows. It probably wasn’t anything, but a chill crept over her.
“Tessa?”
“I, um...”
She hated feeling vulnerable and questioning things that were most likely innocent. More than three hundred people were registered at Poppy Gold for the night, and the gardens were public space. But what if somebody was watching them? It wasn’t impossible; their argument at the new city park could have been observed, along with Great-Uncle Milt’s presence. Perhaps even more critical, she’d drawn attention to Gabe’s and Rob’s presence together on the pedestrian shopping street.
Unable to think of anything else to divert suspicion, she rose on her toes and pressed close to Gabe.
“Tessa?” he whispered again, this time against her mouth.
“Human-shaped shadow across the way,” she mumbled.
Instantly he pulled her into his arms. He turned, making their profiles more visible to the garden, and gave her a thorough kiss.
A minute later he released her, and Tessa grabbed the door frame for support. Gabe McKinley’s social skills might be rusty, but he knew how to kiss in no uncertain terms.
“I’d love to stay, but you need to rest,” he said in a louder voice than he’d used before. “Get better soon, okay?”
“Okay.”
He touched her lips with the tip of his finger. “Sleep well.”
His eyes glittered in the light spilling out from the living room, and Tessa could have sworn it was from laughter. Except this was Gabe McKinley, and from what she’d seen, his sense of humor sucked. He barely knew how to crack a smile. If anything, he was just having fun at her expense.
“You, too.”
She stepped back inside, grateful the awkward paranoid moment was over. It was all Gabe’s fault. Picking flowers on his way over to her apartment? If someone had been watching from the garden, it was probably an employee wondering if they should report him for inappropriate behavior. While guests sometimes plucked a few blooms, employees didn’t. Heck, there wasn’t any need. Uncle Kurt grew so many cutting flowers for use in the facility, there were plenty available for the asking.
Tessa’s mood mellowed as she thought about Uncle Kurt. He looked like he should belong in a motorcycle gang, but instead he was a devoted father, grew amazing flowers, had a garage where he specialized in repairing diesel motors and drove a late-model pickup.
Where were men like that today?
She took the vase of Western coneflowers into her small kitchen and trimmed off the raw ends before putting them back in water. If Gabe hadn’t shown up, flowers in hand, she wouldn’t have gotten the idea to pretend they were more than friends while saying good-night at her door. Of course, he was also the one who’d made her jumpy about shadows in the garden.
But as she set the vase on a shelf, Tessa’s wry humor asserted itself. It was just as well she wasn’t interested in Gabe McKinley, since this small bouquet would probably be the last one she ever received from him. He wasn’t the type to send flowers, offer romantic trinkets or go for long, moonlit walks.
When she crawled into bed a few minutes later, she expected to think about how complicated her life had become with the revelations about industrial espionage and attempted murder.
Instead, she thought about Gabe.
And about how her pulse had raced when he kissed her.
* * *
GABE WENT STRAIGHT back to the fitness center and the treadmill. The sensation of Tessa’s mouth against his had destroyed the benefit of his earlier workout. He was now even more wired than before.
Mile after mile ticked by. He increased the speed and incline, pushing his body further. As far as he was concerned, sex was merely a case of scratching an itch with a like-minded partner.
Gabe finally looked at the clock on the wall and went into a cool-down pace. When his breathing had slowed, he stopped the treadmill and wiped his face.
Nobody had been at the fitness room when he’d arrived, and he didn’t think anyone had come in since then. By and large, Poppy Gold employees seemed to be the same early-to-bed sort as the rest of the town. Still, there were still the graveyard and swing shifts, so he searched the premises to be sure he was alone. Then keeping an eye on the entrance, he dialed KJ. KJ was short for Kyle John Bermann, though KJ hated his given name so much, it was rarely used.
“Commander, you’re lucky I wasn’t in bed with somebody,” a low voice growled.
Gabe’s eyebrow shot up. “You’re in bed?”
“It’s after two in this part of the country, what do you think?”
Gabe almost smiled. “I didn’t think you slept. Ever.”
“Only on nights I spend alone. Which isn’t often. What do you want?”
“I may have a job for you. Is there anyone you trust available?”
KJ snorted. “It’s a security business. My butt is on the line if anybody screws up, so if I don’t trust them, they don’t work for me. What’s up?”
Gabe explained quickly. “Rob is refusing protection,” he concluded, “so it’ll have to be long-range unless I can make him see sense. Even then it would need to be hush-hush to avoid tipping anyone off. The local police are involved, but they can’t assign anyone or put him in protective custody for the same reason.”
“Is Rob as hardheaded as you?”
“In his own way, but it’s masked by charm.”
“Doesn’t sound like he’ll change his mind. I can send a couple of guys right away, but I need the particulars.”
Gabe gave a concise description of the thefts at Poppy Gold and threats to Rob before reeling off the details needed to watch his brother covertly. Rob’s schedule was utterly predictable, which just made him an easier target.
“It’ll be a boring job,” KJ said at length.
“Yeah, but Rob and a group of his executives are returning to Poppy Gold as soon as Tessa Connor makes the arrangements. That’s when things may get more interesting. I’d like some of your people to come posing as guests at the same time, with staggered arrivals to avoid suspicion. They should be very casual and low-key, as if they’re going to a Victorian Disneyland.”
“Since it’s you, Commander, I’ll come myself. In fact, I’ll do a reconnaissance trip first. That way it will be less questionable if I’m also there at the same time as your brother.”
Some of Gabe’s tension eased as faint sounds of typing came over the wire. KJ had been one of the best SEALs he’d ever commanded. The business he’d started did a little bit of everything, including consulting on almost any security issue that arose. Nevertheless, he refused to be called a private detective.
“Got it,” KJ said. “A week from Friday, plane tickets and reservations for one at the Gold Rail Hotel. Say, I can’t find a picture of Tessa Connor on the Poppy Gold website. What’s she like?”
“Pint-size and never stops moving,” Gabe said reluctantly. KJ was a ladies’ man and his cover commonly included chasing any single woman under sixty.
“Is she built?”
“She’s petite.”
“That’s okay, I’m open-minded. How do I meet her?”
The question annoyed Gabe for some reason. “That’s up to you, but she does a quick visit in the reception area between one and two each afternoon. She’s one of those managers who talks to the troops every day.”
“She sounds interesting. I’ll text you after I get in.”
A faint beep sounded, indicating the end of the call; it was typical of KJ to disconnect without warning. Gabe dropped the phone into his pocket. With the potential threat to Rob, getting KJ involved was the safest move.
Gabe grabbed his athletic bag and slung it over his shoulder. Morning came quickly, and he ought to get a couple of hours of sleep before reporting to work.
He would have to tell Tessa about KJ tomorrow, and she could tell Milt Fullerton; it wouldn’t be worth the grief to hide anything else from her. Yet as Gabe walked back to his studio cottage, he wondered whether he should also warn her about KJ’s womanizing. KJ didn’t pretend to be looking for more than a night or two of fun, but women still fell for him.
After all the things they’d seen as SEALs, KJ was a fatalist; he believed when your number came up, that was it, and he had every intention of enjoying life in the meantime.
For Gabe, believing in fate would mean believing in destiny. He didn’t. It wasn’t that he had any faith in humanity, but he couldn’t see some great power beyond, either. At the same time, KJ’s behavior bothered him; it was too much like using other people.
Brief liaisons with women who shared Gabe’s views about marriage were one thing, but not with someone who still might have hopes and dreams. He’d leave it to other people to smash them. He wasn’t going to be part of it himself.
Still, he probably didn’t need to warn Tessa; she was smart and dedicated to Poppy Gold. If anything, KJ would likely just annoy her.