Except for the woman engrossed in a book at the front counter, Ainslee and Griff were the only ones left in the building. Thankfully, this was the library’s night to stay open late. Ainslee scanned through background information for Parnell Jones on the fifth fan website she’d found and frowned. The man was bright and dedicated to his sport. He’d excelled in college both on the court and in the classroom before he was taken as a first round draft pick by the Lakers.
“Yeah, yeah, the guy’s terrific. I get that.” She stifled a yawn as she switched to a different site. “Wait, here’s something new. This one has family information.” She glanced over at Griff. “Are you even awake?”
He straightened in his chair and blinked. “Uh, sure. What’s new?”
Ainslee smiled. “You’re just resting your eyes. Like your grandpa.” She brought her gaze back to the computer screen. “Says here Parnell comes from a long line of self-made men and women. His mother put herself through college after her father died in a freak accident. Parnell’s grandfather fought in World War II, was awarded the Medal of Honor, then came home to New Orleans where he opened the Shrimp Shack before his untimely death. Wow, he survived a bunch of battles only to get run over by a truck.”
“He, who? Does it say?”
“Oh, yeah. Thomas Washington. There’s an old photograph of him wearing his army uniform. Thomas was huge, even bigger than Parnell. That must have been some truck to take him out. Geez, the men in the squad really did have bad luck.”
“Except for Victor.” Griff planted his elbows on the table. “So, it’s official. Parnell Jones is definitely a player in our game.”
Ainslee scribble notes on a pad before glancing up. “And we have full names for all the men referred to in the letters. Thomas is Thomas Washington, and Speed is Salvatore Damonte.”
“Which leaves the man referred to as Ogden. What was the other surname?”
“Morris.” Ainslee tapped her pen on the table. If Speed represents the New York clue, and New Orleans was chosen for Thomas, Boston is still a question mark. My family has no ties to Boston. What about yours?”
“Nope. My great-grandfather was born on the ranch in Wyoming.”
“Well, then…” She typed and waited.
Griff hung over her shoulder, his breath warm on her ear. A little shiver slid through her. With an effort, she focused on the screen.
“What’re you doing?”
“Looking for Ogden Morris in Boston. Well, crap. There’s more than one. Who the heck names their kid Ogden?”
“Why don’t you add Franklin Bank to the search?”
She turned to smile—and found herself nearly nose to nose with Griff. His green eyes held tiny flecks of gold, and little lines fanned out from the corners. No doubt a result of all the hours he spent in the sun. The green darkened to something earthy and…primal.
Dragging her gaze away, she cleared her throat. “Brilliant idea.” Her fingers shook ever so slightly as she typed, hit enter then sucked in a breath. “I love the Internet.”
“Ogden Morris IV, CEO of Franklin Bank, was seen at the premiere of the new hit movie, blah, blah, blah.” Griff gave her shoulders a squeeze. “Click on the link. Maybe there’s a photo.”
Ainslee clicked. The picture accompanying the story showed a blond man with a much younger woman, both dressed in formal clothing.
Griff pointed. “Hey, isn’t he the guy the teller talked to about opening the safety deposit boxes for us?”
“I’m sure he is. What do you want to bet he’s also the same blond man who questioned the bartender about the clue?”
“Without a doubt. The dude gave us a pretty intense look when he left the bank. I thought he was just checking you out.” Griff flashed a smile. “Let’s face it, you probably get noticed by most men. Maybe old Ogden the fourth was sizing up the competition instead.”
A flush heated her cheeks as she shook her head. “If we’re right and this man received a letter from Victor, the only missing competitor is Speed’s descendant.”
“Is there any way to search online for Salvatore Damonte’s successors?”
Ainslee frowned. “Maybe on one of those genealogy websites, but you have to pay to become a member. I don’t suppose you have a secret passion for learning about your ancestors?”
“I don’t, but my mom’s a nut for family history. I bet she’s a member of a genealogy group or two.” One brow shot up as he pulled out his phone. “Shall I call her?”
“Sure. If your mother can find birth records, she could give us a list of possible suspects to watch for.” She laid a hand on his arm. “Let’s get out of here first, though. The librarian has been staring pointedly at the clock for the last ten minutes. It’s five to nine, so I imagine she’d like to lock up.”
“Okay, you’re the boss.”
Ainslee closed her computer then slipped it into its case. Giving the woman behind the counter a smile as she passed, she followed Griff out of the building. The warm evening breeze stirred her curls as she shoved them over her shoulder.
He glanced up at the stars beginning to light up the evening sky. “Nice night.”
She nodded. “Any more stops or shall we head back to the campground?”
“I have a cushy air mattress to sleep on and cereal and pastries for breakfast, so I’m good. I’ll call my mom while you drive.”
He was still talking when they reached the campsite. Slamming the car door, he clamped the phone to one ear with his shoulder and grabbed sleeping bags and air mattresses out of the back. “Just let me know when you have the info. Thanks, Mom. Yes, I’ll be home sometime soon. I promise. Bye.” He dropped his load then shoved the phone into his pocket. “The woman does love to talk.”
Ainslee laughed. “You said you’d see her soon. Planning to swing through Wyoming on our quest?”
He turned and headed back to the SUV. “Actually, I expect we’ll be directed that way by Victor if he keeps up this pattern.” Hefting the new tent, he shut the back hatch.
“I hadn’t thought of that. Iowa should be on the agenda, too. Cool.”
Setting down the canvas bag, he faced her. “This tent is a lot bigger than yours. I’m happy to share.”
She was incredibly tempted, but the look in his eyes promised more than sleeping. As much as she wanted to indulge in what would surely be a night of amazing sex, her cautious nature screamed no. Any relationship between them would end when they deciphered their final clue. Hadn’t he stressed the fact that he didn’t do serious? Griff would head off to some sunken ship, and she’d go—wherever. “We put mine up earlier, so I might as well use it.”
“Makes sense.” His gaze held hers. “The offer stands if you get tired of pitching yours.”
She nodded and tried not to squirm. The man heated places she hadn’t known existed. “Sure. Um, I think I’ll go brush my teeth then head to bed. Good night, Griff.”
“Good night, Ainslee.”
* * * *
“Here.” Griff held out his cell. “Talk to my mom. I can’t write and drive at the same time, not to mention I’ll probably get a ticket for trying.” When Ainslee shot him a deer-in-the-headlights look, he grinned. “I promise she won’t bite.”
With an eye-roll, she took the cell. “Hi, Mrs. Wilde. I’m Ainslee Fontaine, a friend of your son’s. It’s nice to talk to you, too. Hold on for a moment. Let me get something to write with.” After digging through her purse, she pulled out a notepad and pen. “Okay, go ahead.”
Leaning back in his seat, Griff smiled. Ainslee covered the paper with notes while injecting an occasional comment about the scavenger hunt. Wild goose chase, more like. Honestly, he didn’t care if there was no reward at the end. The hunt was keeping him entertained—and giving him an excuse to hang out with Ainslee with no pressure to form a formal relationship. So, she’d refused his offer to share a tent. He was content to take things slow and let her grow comfortable with the situation. He had no doubt they’d eventually wind up sharing more than a tent. His goal was a sleeping bag.
“No. No. You’ve been a huge help. Thanks, Mrs. Wilde. Yes, I’m sure Griff will talk to you soon. You, too. Bye.” Ainslee handed him back his cell.
“I take it my mom had plenty to say?”
“She certainly did. The woman should work for the CIA. She ferreted out all sorts of information about Speed’s family. I’m thoroughly impressed.”
“That’s my mom. What, exactly, did she uncover?”
“For starters, Salvatore Damonte definitely made it home from the war alive then opened Sal’s Place not long afterward. He was young, only twenty-three at the time. It was a couple of years later before he married and had children, the two boys in the photograph I presume. The oldest son died with his father in a fire. I guess no one even knew the boy was in the warehouse until after it was too late. The fire was investigated, but there was no conclusive evidence of arson.”
Griff shot a glance over at her before focusing on the road. “How did my mom find out all this stuff?”
“Newspaper stories. I guess it was a pretty big deal.” Ainslee consulted her notes. “The reports listed the surviving family members. Giovanni is the younger son. He owns Sal’s Place and has two kids, Anthony and Marietta. The daughter is an actress. She’s done commercials and had a few bit parts on TV shows. Your mom couldn’t track down the son. There’s no listing for him in New York, so he must have moved away from home.”
“So one of those two is probably our fifth contestant.”
“I would imagine. Both are around our age, and that seems to be the generation Victor targeted. I doubt he sent the clue to their father.”
Griff frowned as he pulled the car around a slow moving camper. “Hmm, I wonder what Anthony and Marietta look like. Could be we’ve seen one of them and don’t even know it.”
“I’m sure we can find a picture of her online if she’s an actress.” Ainslee pulled out her phone and started typing. “Here we go.” She held it up. “Beautiful woman.”
He glanced over—and swerved. “Sorry.” He jerked back into his own lane. “Hot damn, that’s the lady who walked by us when we were still hunting for the right bar on Mulberry Street. I mentioned she looked familiar.” He smacked the steering wheel. “Now I remember where I saw her the first time. At the Liberty Bell. Apparently I wasn’t the only idiot who went to Philadelphia.”
“So, Marietta is the fifth participant in the game. Since the bar referenced in the clue belongs to her family, we’ll have to assume she figured it out quickly and is ahead of us at this point.” Ainslee shoved her phone back into her purse.
“Yeah, but the woman’s obviously no rocket scientist if she was fooled into going to Philly. Maybe she hasn’t made the New Orleans connection yet. I still like our chances of arriving first.”
“Well, we know we have a couple more stops at least after this one, and they’ll be on our home turf. We’ll catch her before too long if she is ahead of us.” Ainslee settled back into her seat.
“We can still take the time to sightsee. Just tell me where you want to go.”
“There isn’t anything particular I…oh, my God! Stop. Stop!”
Gaze darting to the rearview mirror to make sure he wouldn’t get rear-ended, he slammed on the breaks. “What? Why?”
“That’s why!” Hanging out the passenger window, she pointed.
“You want me to stop for a squirrel?”
“It’s not a squirrel. It’s a dog. Pull over! Oh, no, the poor thing is going to get hit.”
Griff veered to the side of the road, keeping an eye on the tiny animal trying to dart across the freeway. “I think it’s too late.”
A big rig thundered by, and Ainslee let out a squeal. But when the Mack truck passed, the dog—if the damned animal was a dog and not a big rat—was still cowering in the slow lane. She leaped out of the car.
“Holy shit!” Griff shoved open his door then slammed it. “No, Ainslee. Stay back. I’ll grab him.”
Horn blaring, a white pickup barreled nearer. Sprinting forward, Griff dashed out into the freeway to scoop the quivering bundle off the pavement. Brakes screeched, but he made it to the edge of the road with a foot or two to spare. The animal in his hand growled.
Griff’s gaze clashed with terrified brown eyes. “Don’t think about biting me.”
Jogging back to the SUV, he handed the tiny critter to Ainslee. Remarkably, it didn’t make any threatening noises at her. Cradling the dog against her chest, she climbed into the car. After running around the rear of the vehicle, he opened the driver’s door and slipped inside then waited for a string of cars to pass before pulling back onto the freeway. They’d gone at least a mile before his heart stopped pounding.
“It’s okay, baby. You’re safe.”
Baby? Oh, she’s talking to the damned dog.
“God, I must be crazy. That truck almost killed me.”
“Thank you, Griff. It would have broken my heart to see this sweet boy get squashed.”
He noticed she didn’t mention the state of her heart if he’d been turned into a grease spot by oncoming traffic. “Is it a puppy? I’ve never seen a dog that small.”
The quaking bundle of sleek brown and black fur pressed against Ainslee’s breasts. A hint of jealousy for the oil-streaked, smelly mutt stirred.
“I think it’s a miniature dachshund. The poor little guy can’t weigh more than five or six pounds. Our farm cats are a lot bigger. He’s filthy and thin, but I’d say he’s close to full grown.” She turned flashing brown eyes in Griff’s direction. “I can’t believe some idiot dumped him by the freeway.”
“Maybe the dog lives nearby and wandered off.”
“No collar.” She pointed at a road sign ahead. “The nearest town is two miles from here. We can take him to a vet to see if he has an identification chip.”
At least she wasn’t thinking about keeping it. Not that he had anything against dogs, but he liked real dogs. Ones bigger than his running shoe. And this one smelled like it had rolled in something nasty. “I’ll take the first exit. We can ask for directions to a veterinary clinic.”
“Thanks. You really are a good sport.” She stroked the still quivering animal.
At least he was making points with Ainslee—even if he had nearly died in the process. On a head shake, he gave in to a smile.
A few minutes later, he exited the freeway at a sleepy little North Carolina town, stopped at a gas station to fill the tank and get directions then headed to the vet’s office located on a side street. He parked in the shade of a magnolia tree and rolled down all the windows. “I’ll stay here while you take him inside.”
“Or you could get us some lunch and come back. We passed a burger place not too far from the freeway. No onions, please, and lots of ketchup for my fries.”
He straightened in his seat. “Terrific idea. I could eat.”
“You can always eat.” She shot him a grin then stepped down from the vehicle with the dog clutched in her arms and her purse strap draped over her shoulder. “See you shortly.”
Griff tapped the steering wheel and hummed along with The Who as he drove to the burger joint, placed their order, then waited at the drive-up window to retrieve it. Back at the vet’s office a few minutes later, he munched fries and wondered what the holdup was when Ainslee didn’t come outside. How long does it take to drop off a dog?
He was about ready to go in to see what the problem could possibly be when she hurried through the door—still clutching the damned dog along with a bulging plastic bag and a sack of kibble. He jumped out of the car to relieve her of her inanimate burdens. “Uh, are we taking him to his owner’s house?”
The pooch’s stare held a hostile glint, as if he was sizing up the competition.
Ainslee gave him an incredulous glance before climbing into the SUV. “He’s a stray without an identification chip, and the receptionist said no one in the area has reported a missing dachshund. Thankfully, they weren’t very busy, so the vet checked him out then let me give him a quick bath in a tub out back. He’s a little malnourished but otherwise healthy. Probably just over a year old. The vet cut me a deal on shots, which was awfully nice.”
Griff shut the car door and turned to face her. “Shots? Why would you pay for shots?”
“Because the vet said he was probably due.” She frowned. “I’m keeping him.”
“What?”
“If I don’t, he’ll have to go to the shelter.” Her voice rose. “Which I was told is already overcrowded. After what he’s been through, he deserves a real home.”
“Except right now you don’t exactly have one to offer.”
Irritation flashed in her eyes. “Temporary problem. I was thinking about getting a dog, anyway. If you don’t want to hang out with us, you can—”
“No, no.” He raised both hands. “I’m fine with your new friend. Maybe I’d be happier if he was a real dog like a lab or a retriever, but I’m down with Small Fry.”
“He’s a real dog. Completely adorable. And I’m not calling him Small Fry.”
“Speaking of fries, your burger’s probably cold by now.” Griff started the engine.
“I’ll survive cold takeout.” She fastened her seatbelt, shifted the dog to the seat beside her then reached for the greasy paper bag. “I do need to come up with a name for him, though.”
“If you don’t like Small Fry, how about Tiger or Killer or Bear.”
A smile slipped out before she popped fries dripping with ketchup into her mouth. “I was thinking more along the lines of Buddy or Prince or Champ. Ooh, what about Romeo?”
He made gagging noises. “Sissy names.” Griff took the onramp for the freeway, cruised past a big rig then snapped his fingers. “I’ve got it. Call him Mack since he somehow survived his close encounter with a Mack truck. The damn thing drove right over the top of him.”
Munching her burger, Ainslee stroked the dog, who’d fallen asleep with his head on her thigh. “He doesn’t look much like a Mack. He’s so sweet, but I don’t imagine I can call a boy dog Sweetie.”
Griff rolled his eyes.
She finished her lunch without saying much, apparently deep in thought. “How about Rocky? He was off to a rocky start, but all that’s changed now.”
“I can live with Rocky. At least I won’t be embarrassed to call him when we stop at a rest area.”
“Sorry about all the delays on this leg of the trip.” Ainslee crumpled the burger wrapper and stuffed it into the bag. “We seem to be losing a couple of hours here and there every time we turn around.”
“No big deal. For me, it’s all about the journey not the destination. These little detours add to the fun.” He glanced over at the sleeping dog. “I’m sure he’ll keep us on our toes and make life interesting.”
Her smile warmed his heart—and other parts of his anatomy.
A touch of pink colored her cheeks. “I have a feeling life’s always interesting with you around.”