16. CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 16
L iam and Dawn were exhausted. They’d been on a non-stop adrenaline-fuelled ride for a few days, and they needed some sleep. After gathering some of the bigger pieces of the puzzle, Liam had called Detective Winslow, who was already on her way to the Summer Inn Hotel to question Dawn about her latest adventure on the high seas. While they waited for the detective to arrive, Scott had been summoned by the group that was now ready to leave for L.A.
“Are you sure you’re going to be okay with finishing this without me?” Scott asked, glancing at the SUV now filled with people waiting to get to Boston Airport.
Liam and Dawn stood outside the hotel, having said goodbye to the teens and the rest of the group heading out, waiting impatiently for Scott in the car.
“Dad!” Harper called. “We need to go, or we’re going to miss our flight.”
“We’ll get there in more than enough time, sweetheart.” Scott turned and scowled at his daughter. “Newbury Port is close to Boston by helicopter.”
“Scott, go, we’ve got this,” Dawn promised. “Besides, you’ve left a small army behind to protect us. I think even some drug cartels would be jealous of our security.”
“Funny,” Scott said, pulling her to him for another hug. “No more boat rides.” He kissed her head and looked at Liam. “I’m trusting you to look after my sister.”
“I won’t let her out of my sight,” Liam assured him. “Not until Detective Winslow has the suspects in custody.”
“You’ve got the briefing for her that we went over,” Scott asked Liam for the millionth time.
“Scott!” Tracy’s voice cracked like a whip through the parking lot. “Darling, they can manage this. Can’t you see they just want you to go?” She grinned and blew a kiss at Dawn. “Love you, sister. Please be careful. You too, Liam. I would really like to see you again.”
Scott shook Liam’s hand again and hugged Dawn one more time. “Love you,” he told her.
“I love you too, big brother,” Dawn said, smiling at him. “Now go before you have a mutiny on your hands.”
Scott rushed to the car. Liam and Dawn waved them off, watching the SUV drive away.
“Let’s hope Detective Winslow can help get this sorted,” Dawn said with a sigh. “I want to have dinner, a bath, and then drop into bed and sleep for a week.” She smiled at Liam. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to do much interim management.”
“Well, you’ve been busy sailing and taking on the phantom pirate that keeps kidnapping you.” Liam smiled, putting his arm around her shoulder and leading her back into the hotel. “I could order something to be delivered to my office?”
“Could you?” Dawn said as they stepped back into his office, and she chose to flop down onto one of the sofas in the small seating area of his office.
“Of course,” Liam said. “Give me a minute. “I’ll get Donna on it.”
“I think we should leave poor Donna and do it ourselves,” Dawn told him. “She’s a bit busy pet-sitting at the moment.”
“You’re right,” Liam nodded. “Come on, let’s go to the restaurant.”
He held out his hand for Dawn. Liam’s skin seemed to become electrified whenever she touched him. He pulled her to him, and their eyes locked. Liam’s hands cupped her face, and her arms encircled his waist. Their lips started to move towards each other when a knock on Liam’s office door made them spring apart.
Liam’s heart was pounding in his chest when he turned to look at the door. “Come in,” he called.
Detective Winslow entered. “Good day, Mr. Gains,” she greeted and glanced at Dawn, introducing herself. “You must be Miss Vanderbilt.”
“Dawn, please,” Dawn said, shaking the woman’s hand.
“Detective Winslow?” Daniel Peters popped into the office. “There you are.” He pocketed his phone. “I’ve done what you…” He stopped short. His eyes widened when he saw Liam and Dawn. “Oh.” He took a step closer to the detective as if for protection. “Did you tell them already?” He glanced at the detective. “Don’t forget the deal. Full immunity, and I want to be relocated. You have no idea what they’re capable of.”
“Relax,” Detective Winslow snapped at the young man. “And I told you to wait outside until I called you.”
“Yeah, but my sister’s on her way, so you’re going to have to hurry this up,” Daniel advised.
“What is going on?” Liam asked, looking from the detective to Daniel.
“Why is Daniel Peters here?” Dawn asked. “And why are you offering him full immunity and protection?”
“Because…” Daniel started, but Detective Winslow cut him off.
“Sit down,” she ordered Daniel, pointing to an office chair, before walking over and closing Liam’s door. “I was briefed over the phone by Mr. Scott Vanderbilt just before I got here about everything you’ve managed to piece together.” She glanced at Dawn. “I’m so sorry about the ordeal you’ve been through, Miss… sorry, Dawn.”
Dawn gave the woman a smile and nod.
“Shall we sit?” Liam suggested, walking toward his desk where Daniel was sitting in one of the three chairs in front of it.
Liam took a seat in his office chair and faced Dawn, who was sitting on Daniel’s opposite side with the detective between them.
“We don’t have much time,” Detective Winslow told them. “I believe you met my guest?”
“We did meet Daniel, “ Dawn confirmed. “And he’s called me a few times.”
“I’m sorry about that,” Daniel told her.
Liam frowned. He didn’t seem at all like the man they met the other night.
“Time for apologies later,” the Detective advised.
“I just wanted to meet you, Miss Vanderbilt. I’m a huge fan. I want to be an actor, and my sister told me that if I played this part, she’d make sure to introduce us properly,” Daniel leaned over to tell Dawn. “I wasn’t aware of what they were doing until…” His face paled, and he looked at the detective.
His words about being a huge fan made Dawn’s eyes widen and set alarm bells ringing in Liam’s head.
“Do you mind?” The detective looked at Daniel.
“Sorry.” Daniel held up his hands.
“Let me reintroduce you to Connor,” Detective Winslow said, making Dawn gasp and Liam’s alarm bell clang in his head like a gong. “He was asked to act the part of Daniel Peters in order to get the late Mrs. Peters’s cat from Dawn.”
“I’m really sorry,” Connor said again, and Liam could see that the young man was really distraught. “My sister told me to act this part as it would show Miss Vanderbilt my talents.” He swallowed, his eyes darkening with emotion. “I’m sorry about knocking you out and putting that bag over your head. I was trying to be the Phantom Thief like in your new novel.” He paused. “Which is awesome, by the way. My sister told me that I was helping your niece and daughter play matchmaker and bring your book to life.” His eyes filled with distress once again. “I had no idea, no idea about the…”
“You were the one stealing everything?” Dawn’s brows drew together. “And the one that knocked me out?”
“I’m so, so, sorry,” Connor said again. “Chris Nicol, the vet, helped me get that other man onto the boat to set the scene for the kidnapping part of your book. And as for the robbings, my sister told me to take things that weren’t too valuable, but the guests would notice.”
“It seems the guests were meant to notice and cause a distraction,” the Detective told them, “in order to carry out the more sinister plot. But it was only when Chris was asked to lace the dart that hit Carl with that toxin that he started to get cold feet.”
“Chris is a good guy,” Connor said quickly. “He was manipulated. He and Missy.” His eyes darkened with pain, and his voice wobbled. “Missy, Chris’s assistant.”
“Whoa!” Dawn said. “Start at the beginning.”
Connor’s eyes darted to the detective, and she nodded.
“I’ve been working at the Nicol-Travis Animal fund with Chris and Missy for three years since I left college,” Connor told them. “Missy and I have been dating for two.”
“Connor!” Detective Winslow’s voice was stern and had a touch of compassion. “I’m sorry about Missy. But we don’t have time for your life history.”
“Sorry.” Connor nodded and took a breath, gathering himself. “I was studying film, and I want to act, but while I’m trying to get my acting career together, I’ve been working with Chris.” He cleared his throat. “I’ve been looking into maybe becoming a vet. Up until my sister gave me this part.”
“Stick to the story,” Detective Winslow said.
“Oh, right.” Connor nodded. “Tiger was brought in the same day that Mrs. Peters passed away. He was in a bad way, and Chris immediately recognized it to be Luminotoxin poisoning.”
“How did he get that?” Dawn asked, horrified.
“Mrs. Peters was given a slip of the plant from my sister as a present. Chris didn’t know she’d even taken a slip of his rare plant. He keeps the plant in this special locked glass box as it’s a beautiful but deadly plant. He has a license for it and everything as he’s doing research into its healing properties.”
“Connor…” the Detective warned.
“That’s important information,” Connor told her.
“Connor, how old are you?” Liam asked.
When he’d come to Dawn’s door the other day, he looked much older than he did now.
“Twenty-four,” Connor told her.
“You looked a lot older the other night,” Dawn pointed out.
“Oh, that’s because I’m a whizz at costume make-up,” Connor told Liam. “I’m good at disguising myself as well. That’s how I managed to avoid detection.”
“You were the wall?” Dawn gaped at him.
“Not in the hallway,” Connor said, shaking his head. A flicker of anger lit his eyes. “That was my sister, but had I known…” He broke off.
“We don’t have all day, Connor,” Detective Winslow said through gritted teeth, his patience wearing thin.
Connor ignored her and continued. “Chris was furious, and I heard them arguing with my sister when he came to the house. But as usual, my sister weaves her spell, and everyone falls at her feet.” He shook his head. “My parents were right when they warned me not to stay with my sister, to get my own place. But she’s had a bad divorce, and now, with Tiff, her daughter, taken away from her, I felt sorry for my sister as she was all alone.”
“That’s it,” Detective Winslow said. “Also, let me tell you this again. Your sister only wanted you with her to be her fall guy while she ducks out the back door with all the money it looks like you stole.”
“Who’s your sister, Connor?” Dawn leaned over and asked, but Liam had a feeling she, like him, already knew the answer.
“Jackie Travis,” Connor told her.
Liam wasn’t sure why, as he’d already started to piece it together, still, when Connor said the woman’s name out loud, shock waves reverberated through him. But Liam was sure it was because of how pale Dawn had gone.
“I believe you know about the problems Greg Albright is having?” Detective Winslow took over the story, her patience with Connor’s long-winded one coming to an end. Dawn and Liam nodded. “Turns out, Greg and his ex-wife Jackie Travis, although divorced, are still very much together. Especially as business partners.”
“Their extravagant lifestyle took a turn for the worst about four years ago when Greg’s business started getting into financial trouble,” Connor told them. “He told my sister not to worry. He’d sort it out.” He glanced at Dawn. “I now think he meant by marrying you, Miss Vanderbilt.”
“Well, he would’ve got a shock there,” Dawn said with a nervous laugh. “My family makes sure our finances are locked down so tight that any marriage contract ensures my spouse would get nothing unless I died.” Her eyes widened. “But even then, the death has to be natural or proven accidental.”
“We believe it was to be an accidental yachting accident,” the detective told Dawn, giving her an apologetic smile. “Our young Connor overheard Greg and Jackie arguing last night.”
“That’s why he had the yacht built that looked exactly like Alex Blackwell’s,” Connor told them. “He planned to kill all of you on his yacht while stealing Alex’s. Then Greg and my sister would skip town once he got the money. Oh, and he’d already taken out a massive insurance policy on you, Dawn, the day you were supposed to get engaged.”
“Can he even do that?” Dawn asked.
“You’d be amazed at what con artists can do,” the detective assured her.
“So this was about money,” Dawn said in disgust.
“And a sprinkle of payback for you dumping Greg twice and his hatred of your friends,” Connor told her. “That man’s evil. I told my sister that the day she married him, but now I know why they make such a good team. Jackie’s just as evil as Greg.”
“Are you okay?” Dawn leaned past the detective to look at Connor, whose eyes and voice were filled with pain.
“No.” Connor shook his head. “My sister tried to kill me.” He swallowed. “Chris saved me, but he wasn’t able to save Missy. He told me to run. So I did.”
“I found him hiding in the back of my police car this morning,” the detective told them. “Jackie’s been hustling old people out of their money with last will and testament schemes that just skirt the edges of being fraudulent.”
“Like with Tiger?” Dawn asked.
“Yes.” She nodded. “Jackie sneakily opened Tiger’s cage and managed to convince the real Daniel Peters to leave the back window open because the cat liked to travel that way. She lied to him, telling him that’s the way she’d taken Tiger to the vet for Mrs. Peters.”
“He didn’t know Tiger had jumped out of the car until he arrived in Boston,” Connor added.
“In Mrs. Peters’s last will and testament, it stipulates that if the Peters family can’t look after, or if they injure or try to get rid of Tiger, the three million a year that comes with him automatically goes to the late Mrs. Peters’s favorite charity.”
“Let me guess,” Liam said. “The Nicol-Travis Animal Foundation?”
“Yes, and guess whose names are all over it?” The detective’s eyes turned to Connor. “As well as the late vet Chris Nicols.”
“I knew that woman was cold, but to throw your own brother under the bus like that,” Dawn hissed.
“Oh, she wasn’t just going to throw Connor under the bus,” the detective stated. “She was going to kill him and then blow him and the boat up. Guess who the sole beneficiary of the insurance policy that she convinced Connor to take out for himself is?”
“The queen of evil!” Dawn sneered, shaking her head. “Plus, I bet she’s already siphoned everything out of the animal foundation that I was going to donate a heavy sum of money to, plus all the money for Tiger if I got to keep him.”
“Not to mention the ransom money they were going to demand for your return,” the detective shocked them by saying. “Yup. They’ve been planning to kidnap you, Dawn, since you dumped Greg, got a restraining order, and took away any custody of his daughter.”
“They were going to ask for thirty million for your safe return,” Connor added. “But once they had the money, they were going to kill you and make sure Ben Hardy got blamed.”
“But you were found before they could even call in the kidnapping the first time” the detective continued. “You must have a guardian angel looking out for you. According to Connor, that dinghy wasn’t supposed to be on the boat, but all three of you were, alongside the bodies already in it the second time you were kidnapped.”
“How were they going to get away with that?” Dawn asked.
“They’d planned to be well out of the country with what money Jackie managed to wrangle with the animal fund and last will and testament scheme,” the detective replied. “They were cutting their losses after all their failed attempts at kidnapping you. They were probably going to start a new life in some far-off land that has non-extradition laws”
“That’s exactly what they were going to do,” Connor told them. “After you’d thwarted their plans the first time, my sister also discovered that Chris hadn’t really wired the boat with C4. By that point, he’d realized that my sister wasn’t trying to bring Dawn’s novel to life because they were lifelong friends. He thought she wanted Dawn to find happiness and help me into an acting career.”
“So Chris, Connor, and Missy were loose ends they needed to tie up as well,” Liam guessed. “But why dart Ben with real luminotoxin?”
“They were going to drag him onto the boat so when it blew, you’d find him and blame him,” Connor said. “Only this old guy and his team of wetsuit ninjas came out of the sea and once again thwarted their plans. But they were a little too late, and the boat had already taken off. The one ninja seemed to morph into a hotel staff member. The other leaped onto the ship, and the old man calmed down that huge black dog with the red eyes.”
“Old man?” Dawn asked, looking alarmed. “Did you get a look at him?”
“No. Only his icy blue eyes the rest of his face was covered. I only knew he was old because of the crinkles around them and the bit of silver hair escaping his cap.” Connor told them. “He got the third ninja to get me out of the hotel and help me get to Detective Winslow.”
“What?” The detective’s eyes widened accusingly. “You failed to mention the part with these weird ninjas from the sea wearing wetsuits.”
Liam saw Connors’s eyes widen in alarm. He knew he wasn’t supposed to have mentioned that part at all, but his enthusiasm at telling the story had got him carried away. “Oh, didn’t I?” He looked at her innocently.
“I would’ve remembered sea ninjas and an old dude,” the detective told him. “You know Connor, all deals are off if you don’t tell the whole truth.”
“He told me not to mention he was there,” Connor told them. “The dude was helping me. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be dead like Chris and Missy.”
“He must’ve been the one that called in the anonymous tip as to your whereabouts,” Liam said, realizing what he’d let slip.
“Excuse me?” Dawn’s brows creased as she looked at Liam suspiciously. “I thought Scott’s tracking device in my necklace did that?”
“No,” Liam shook his head. “Scott asked me not to say anything until he knew how that SOS notice sprung onto his phone with the coordinates of where to find you. Then as soon as we got close Scott’s system started to bleep alerting us we were close.” His eyes glanced at her necklace. “Just like how we found you and Ben.”
All eyes fell on Connor. “Don’t look at me.” His chin dipped as his head went back. “I can’t even tell my left from right. I ain’t going to be able to give nautical coordinates or whatever they’re called.” He raised his eyebrows. “But I can tell you that it really angered my sister and Greg. She accused him of being the one to tip off the Coast Guard. He said he didn’t, and he reminded her about the ninja that had attacked them before they could get the dinghy off the boat.”
“The duck man,” Dawn said. “Harper and Lila said they saw a duck man attack the two people who’d kidnapped them.”
“Now we need to know who this mysterious man and his team of sea ninjas are,” Liam said before the detective could.
“On it,” the detective said, typing on her phone. “So, it seems the whole plan here was to kidnap Miss Vanderbilt, get payback, and terrorize you, Mr. Gains.”
“Me?” Liam frowned.
“Yes, my sister hated you,” Connor told him. “During the argument I overheard last night, Greg told her that if she’d done her job they’d have this hotel and could’ve taken their money laundering business to a new level with the tunnel system that runs beneath it.”
“That’s right,” Liam remembered. “Jackie Travis handled the legal work for the hotel.”
“My sister also accused Greg of being obsessed with Dawn so I think Greg hated you too, Mr. Gains,” Connor informed him.
“Why did you take my journal?” Dawn asked Connor.
“I didn’t,” Connor told her. “Although I did have a look in it when I was waiting. I’m sorry. I was curious about Dawn Vanderbilt magic journal that the press always wrote about.”
“You didn’t put it beside my bed?” DAwn’s brow creased.
“No. It was already there before I came into your room,” Connor told her.
Liam and Dawn’s eyes met, both reflecting their alarm.
Before they could say more the detective looked at her phone. “My men, accompanied by the FBI, have just picked up Greg. They say he wasn’t even in the agent’s car for two minutes before he started telling them he was just a pawn in his ex-wife’s scheme to kidnap and kill Dawn, the Blackwells, Wade, Ben, and Brad Danes.”
“Huh!” Dawn snorted. “He acts like such a bully until someone stands up to him, then he runs away like a dog with its tail between its legs.”
The detective frowned. “My request to look into the old man has been denied.” Her brow furrowed even more. “Seem’s as soon as my captain tried to look into it, he got a call.”
“From the FBI?” Liam asked as he and Dawn exchanged alarmed looks he knew she was thinking the same thing as him — Dawn’s uncle, Forsythe!
“Yes!” The detective nodded.
“Where is my brother?” a husky female voice shouted before banging on the door and barreling into Liam’s office. She stopped when she saw everyone eyeing her. “Don’t say a thing, Connor. Whatever you’ve done this time. I’ll explain your mental health issues and get you back to the hospital.”
“What?” Connor looked at her as if she had three heads. “First, you try to pin your scheme on me, use me, and let’s not forget the lying and part where you tried to kill me, and you’re trying to make out as if I’m mad?”
“Mentally ill, Connor.” Jackie’s face fell, and her eyes filled with concern. “We don’t use the word mad or crazy, remember.”
Two officers appeared at Liam’s office door.
“You are a piece of work.” Dawn stood, and Liam’s eyes widened at the look of rage on her face. He wondered if he should intervene but decided not to. “First, you mentally abuse your daughter, manipulate a nice man into your evil schemes, and then do this to your own brother?”
“Half-brother,” Jackie corrected her. “My mother wasn’t mentally unstable like his.”
“Hey!” Connor seethed and stood up to face his sister. “How dare you! My mother raised you like you were her own daughter. Your mother was the one that died in a mental health facility.”
“He’s delusional,” Jackie dismissed him and turned her angry eyes on Dawn. “Kind of like you. I have no idea what my ex-husband saw in you. You’re so… boring and one-dimensional.”
“What?” Dawn looked at her in confusion. “I don’t care what you and your creepy ex-husband think. I care about what the two of you were plotting. Do you even know that other people’s lives are just as important as yours?”
“Do you need us to arrest her now?” The one officer asked the detective.
“I want to do this one.” The detective stood and took out her handcuffs, “Jackie Travis, you are under arrest.” She listed off the list of charges and read Jackie her rights.
“What?” Jackie hissed, trying to fight the detective off. “Are you kidding me? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“That’s the voice,” Dawn said. “She’s the one who pretended to be Kelly and the one who was talking to Carl after he’d gotten shot with the pseudo poison.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Jackie told the police officers the detective handed her over to. “She hates me because Greg is still in love with me. She’ll say anything to get me out of the way.”
“It’s too late, Jackie,” Connor told her, his eyes smoldering with anger. “I’ve told them everything I know, and so has Greg, who they have in custody and is a weasel just like you.”
“You little snitch,” Jackie spat at him before her eyes locked with Dawn’s once again. “This is all your fault. You should be dead. Just know your luck can’t hold forever, and I’ll find out who your guardian angel is and kill them too.”
“You know, Jackie, I may not be a lawyer, but I do believe you shouldn’t say anything else because you’re just incriminating yourself more,” Dawn told her with a smug smile.
“We’ll be in touch to wrap this up,” the detective told them. She took Connor by the arm. “Come on, kid, let’s get you to your parents.”
“It was really nice to meet you, Miss Vanderbilt,” Connor said. “I just wish it was under better circumstances.” He glanced from Liam to Dawn. “I’m really sorry for my part in all this.”
When they left, the office quietened down. Liam closed his door and locked it, then went to stand in front of Dawn, taking her hands and putting them on his waist before cupping her face.
“I’m so glad this is finally over,” Dawn said with a sigh.
“Me too.” Liam nodded. “Now, where were we?” He smiled, his voice growing hoarse.
“Mm,” Dawn said, smiling up at him. “You were about to get me something to eat?” she teased.
Liam chuckled. “I have something to tell you first.” His eyes caught and held hers. “I’ve wanted to tell you this for a while now.” He dipped his head forward and kissed her softly on the lips. “I hope this doesn’t spoil our friendship, but I’m head over heels in love with you, and I hope we can be more than friends.”
“I’m so glad you said that,” Dawn’s voice was soft and alluring. “Because I was hoping we could be more than friends as well. Because I’m head over heels in love with you, too.”
“For some reason, I want to say snap!” Liam grinned before his lips claimed her, and the world faded around them. When he withdrew, their foreheads rested together. “I think you have a great ending for your book.”
“I have to agree,” Dawn smiled, lifting her head to join their lips once again.
While Dawn and Liam were lost in each other, a well-dressed gentleman of advanced years left the Summer Inn Restaurant. His crystal clear blue eyes were framed by silver brows the matched the color of his hair nearly all hidden beneath his fedora. He walked with a black cane sporting a pewter lion’s head with brilliant blue eyes that mimicked his own. He titled his hat politely to greet everyone who passed him by with a charming smile on his still handsome face. Two bodyguards dressed in the standard black gear, earpiece, and dark shades flanked him.
He walked to the front desk and Mary, who had just taken over for Donna, helped him.
“Checking out Mr. Wallace?” Mary asked him with a warm smile.
“I am indeed. My work here is done,” he paused, “for now.” His smile broadened. “And I’ve told you how many times, Mary, to call me Ford.”
“Your account has been paid,” Mary told him, handing over a printout of his hotel bill. “I hope you visit us again soon.”
“I’m sure I will, Mary.” he smiled, before tilting his hat politely and walking toward the front doors.
A sleek limousine waited for him outside the door. A giant of a man in a black suit stood waiting to open the door for the man. As the gentleman slid into the limo, one bodyguard climbed into the front passenger side of the car alongside the large driver.
The second bodyguard stopped as the man slid the back passenger window down and looked at him.
“You’re going to have to be more vigilant,” the gentleman told the man. His shrewd blue eyes scanned the bodyguard. “Are you sure you’re well enough?”
“I can assure you, sir, I am,” the bodyguard told him.
“I sure hope so.” The gentleman nodded. “There’s an even bigger storm brewing here. We need you at your best to handle it.”
“I know, sir,” the bodyguard said. “I’ve doubled up the secret security.”
“Good.” The gentleman eyed the bodyguard one more time and nodded before sitting back in the seat, where he called to the man. “Oh, and Carl, I don’t want any more close calls. Make sure all my family and their friends are protected at all times.”
“I understand, sir.” He nodded and stood straight, giving the gentlemen a quick salute as the window was rolled up.
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