Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Oh boy. Sienna should not have given in to the impulse to kiss Zeke. If she were completely honest, she’d admit she had done it more from curiosity than playing up their fake engagement.
But she had seriously underestimated the impact of his kiss. Fleeting as it was, she’d felt the sizzle of awareness all the way down to her toes.
“Ah, we should get to the hotel, right?” She forced a cheerfulness she didn’t feel into her tone.
“Yes. Of course.” Zeke seemed flustered too. She really shouldn’t have kissed him. He took her hand and led her through the precinct to the rear entrance.
Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed both Rhy and Joe were watching. She gave them a little wave, making a mental note to make sure Dirk arranged for the comped tickets.
“Uh, Zeke? I need to call Dirk about the complimentary tickets to Sunday’s show.” She tugged on his hand to stop him. “You don’t want me to use my phone in the hotel, so I should do that here.”
“Yeah, good idea.” He nodded and released her hand. “If you can get extras, we’ll offer them to the rest of the team too.”
“Absolutely.” Giving Zeke’s teammates complimentary tickets was the least she could do. She was touched by how his bosses rallied around them, anxious to help out in every way.
A far different experience from the report she’d filed in LA. To be fair, she hadn’t known any of those officers on a first-name basis.
Still, shouldn’t most cops want to help a woman in trouble? Especially a single mom with a two-year-old daughter?
Hearing Dirk’s grumpy voice in her ear pulled her back to the issue at hand. “One more thing,” she said, talking over his complaint that she’d ended their earlier conversation so abruptly. “I need twenty comped tickets for Sunday’s show.”
“Twenty? For who?” Dirk demanded.
“Friends of mine.” She was becoming irritated herself. “Why do you care? The show isn’t sold out. Twenty tickets together in a group, not individual seats spread out around the theater, understand? Thanks, Dirk.” Again, she quickly ended the call before he could draw out another argument.
“I don’t like your manager,” Zeke said. “He sounds like a jerk.”
Dirk the jerk had a nice ring to it, but she managed to keep it to herself. “Dirk isn’t a bad guy, he’s just a little high-strung. This is a huge opportunity for me, and I think he’s concerned I’m going to ruin it.”
“It’s your career, not his.” Zeke scowled. “He should be more concerned about supporting you.”
“To be fair, his career is pretty much tied to mine.” She powered off her phone. “I’m his biggest client to date and that has made him extra nervous. I’m sure he’ll relax a bit once these first few shows are finished.”
Zeke looked as if he might say something more but didn’t. Instead, he led the way to the rental SUV. Seeing it reminded her of the need to reimburse him for the daily fees. Once they were back at the hotel, she’d make a list.
After a moment, she noticed Zeke headed north rather than southeast toward the hotel. Turning in her seat, she scanned the cars behind them. “Do you see something suspicious?”
“No, but that’s the point.” He glanced at her. “I need to be absolutely sure we’re not followed to the City Central Hotel.”
“I understand.” And she appreciated his diligence. It was tempting to call and talk to Flynn again, even though she knew Zeke’s friend would let them know if anything was amiss.
A wave of exhaustion hit hard. They’d left the hotel intending to run a couple of harmless errands, only to end up being shot at twice. The near miss inside the Sinatra Music Center was the most troubling.
She would be performing on that stage in three days. Even with Zeke’s team surrounding the stage, she’d be vulnerable to an attack.
If killing her was the objective.
Thankfully, she didn’t really think that was the shooter’s intent.
She turned her attention to the scenery outside the car. The fall colors were nearing their peak, the stunning red, orange, and yellow leaves fluttering in the wind. This was the reason she’d wanted to start her tour in her hometown. While living in LA, she had missed experiencing the four seasons.
Even winter, despite the cold. Snow could be as beautiful as the colors decorating the trees.
“I, uh, still need you to think about who Josh knew when you were both attending the university here,” Zeke said, breaking the silence.
Kissing him had made things awkward between them. “I’ll try. I just wish I had paid more attention back then.”
“Well, it’s not like you could have expected things to turn out like this,” Zeke said.
“True. I really made a mess of my life.”
“Don’t think of it like that.” Zeke took her hand. Suddenly the previous awkwardness was gone. This was the man she knew and cared for. Best to keep their relationship on a friendship basis. “God has put you on this path for a reason. I’m sure you wouldn’t be a Christian musician if not for the breakdown of your marriage.”
“You’re right about that. And I have been blessed with a beautiful daughter.” Thinking of Bailey caused tears to prick her eyes. She would do whatever was necessary to provide a safe home for the little girl. And if that meant sinking in every dime she made doing this tour to pay for the legal fees, then so be it.
“We’re going to get through this,” Zeke murmured. “You don’t know Gabe Melrose, but he’s exceptional at his job. We have his support along with the rest of the team. I know the others will chip in to help too.”
“I know. And I’m thankful.” She cupped her hands around his. “Thank you, Zeke. I couldn’t do this without you.”
“Hey, that’s what friends are for.” His tone was light, but the intense look from his dark-brown eyes indicated he was serious. He turned to the left, finally taking them back toward the lakefront.
Who had Josh been friends with? She’d given Zeke the names of his roommate Brett Voss and his old girlfriend, Analise Waverly. But there had been another guy Josh had talked about. What was his name? Her fingers itched to turn on her phone to check Josh’s social media pages.
If he still had them up and active. Her social media was managed by Dirk’s PR team. The posts were mostly about her tour and snippets of videos from her live shows.
She wasn’t keen on having her personal life included and had flat-out refused to feature any pictures or posts about Bailey. Still, she couldn’t control everything. Images of her and Bailey were likely out there in the cyber world.
Just the thought of Josh following her on social media made her feel sick to her stomach. She knew that her recent and somewhat unexpected success within the Christian world gnawed at him. He blamed her for the demise of their short career, and for their subsequent divorce.
Without taking any responsibility for the physical abuse he’d subjected her to.
“Ken Holt,” she said, the name popping into her mind. “Kenneth Holt was another one of Josh’s friends.”
“Great work,” Zeke said with a smile. “What do you remember about him?”
“Nothing good.” She sighed. “Ken thought he was hot stuff and hit on me several times, telling me I could do better than Josh. Which in hindsight, was true. But I was annoyed he seemed to think I would cheat on Josh. Especially since Ken always seemed to have a new girl in his life.”
“We’ll see if we can uncover more information about him.” Zeke sounded confident. “It’s nice to have several possible suspects.”
“Analise Waverly, Brett Voss, and Ken Holt.” She found it difficult to imagine any one of them hiding in the front catwalk and taking shots at them. Well, maybe Ken Holt would do something like that. There was always something rather sleazy about him. “We should start with Ken.”
“Sounds good.” Zeke continued to watch the rearview mirror as they headed back to the hotel. Even though she trusted Flynn and Taylor, she was anxious to see Bailey.
“I’m going to park around back,” Zeke said as the building came into view. “We’ve used that area in the past. There’s a rear door we can use to access the building.”
“Works for me.” Her stomach rumbled loudly with hunger, making her flush with embarrassment. Their errands had ended up taking all morning. “Oops. Sorry about that.”
“We’ll order room service for lunch,” Zeke said with a smile. “I’m hungry too.”
After parking in the back, Zeke came around to open her door for her. Then he grabbed their bag of disposable phones and the new laptop computer.
The area was completely deserted as he used the hotel key to access the door. Inside the hotel, she quickened her pace to reach their suite.
“Hold on, I want to warn Flynn.” Zeke used the phone to call his buddy, who then opened the door.
“Hey, you guys were gone longer than we expected,” Flynn said. “I had to convince Taylor not to call and check on you.”
“Yeah, well, I have a few things to fill you in about.” Zeke closed and locked the door.
“Mama.” Bailey toddled toward her, lifting her arms up. Heart melting, Sienna bent and swept the little girl into her arms.
“I’m here, sweetie.” She buried her face against her baby’s sweet hair. The moment reinforced what really mattered.
Nothing was more important than her daughter.
Zeke’s heart squeezed at the poignant way Sienna held Bailey close. She was a wonderful mother and a phenomenal singer.
It burned to know her ex-husband was trying to take it all away from her.
He caught Flynn’s curious look and nodded. His buddy needed to know about the recent shooting attempts. And that Rhy and Joe had approved of their using Gabe as a resource to help them track down those responsible.
“We were just thinking about ordering lunch,” Taylor said.
“Great idea.” He strode toward the table to grab the menu. “We’ll eat first, then talk strategy.”
Flynn arched a brow, clearly anxious to know more. The menu wasn’t extensive, but he wasn’t picky either. “I’ll go with the basic cheeseburger. Sienna? What would you like?”
“I’ll try chicken ranch wrap. Let’s try some of the chicken strips for Bailey too.”
“Great.” A few minutes later, Zeke had placed their lunch order. Then he worked on activating their new disposable phones.
“You got a computer too?” Flynn asked.
“We need all the help we can get.” When Sienna took Bailey into the other room to change her, he added, “A shooter showed up at the music center. We need to identify this guy, ASAP.”
Flynn whistled. “Not good.”
“Tell me about it. Changing the venue is out of the question, and the clock is ticking. We have three days to find this guy. Thankfully, Rhy is on board with Gabe helping us.”
“Where do we start?” Flynn asked.
It was a good question. “I think we should keep Gabe focused on digging into Sienna’s ex-husband. We have a few names of known associates that we can start looking into.”
“Okay, I’m in.” Flynn shook his head. “But if this guy has money, he can hire anyone.”
“I’ve considered that.” Zeke prayed they weren’t heading down the wrong path. Time was not on their side. “But Josh has been in LA for a while. I was hoping he’d have gone to his former Wisconsin friends for this job.”
“That’s an excellent theory.” Flynn rubbed his hands together. “What do you need from me?”
Zeke had to smile. “You take Brett Voss, Allenton’s former college roommate. I’ll focus on his sleazy friend Kenneth Holt. There’s also a former girlfriend in the picture, but we can put her on the back burner for a while.”
“I’m not sure about that,” Sienna said, returning to the room. She set Bailey on the floor. The little girl walked straight toward the dolls Taylor had sitting on the floor beside her. “A woman scorned can be just as vindictive as a guy.”
“But if Josh dumped her for you, why would she help him out?” Zeke asked.
“Maybe he’s repaired his relationship with her.” Sienna shrugged. “I don’t know who Josh is dating these days, but I guarantee he’s not spending his time alone. He’s got someone new in his life by now, which will only reinforce his image of being a changed man.” Her voice held a hint of bitterness.
He couldn’t blame her for being upset and angry. The guy who’d promised to love her had betrayed her in the worst way possible, striking at her in anger, then seeking revenge by trying to get custody of their daughter. Why the jerk didn’t just accept reality and move on with his life was a mystery.
“Okay, that’s another place to start.” Zeke wished he had connections within the Los Angelos Police Department. Maybe Rhy could reach out to someone higher up in the food chain. He sent Rhy a quick text, then turned back to the computer. Rhy responded with an okay sign, indicating he’d give it a try.
“We should look at Josh’s social media,” Sienna suggested, leaning over his shoulder to see the screen. “See if he’s still on those sites.”
It didn’t take long. “I found him. Looks like he hasn’t been very active in the past year, though,” Zeke admitted as he clicked through various photos. “I don’t see him with a woman either.”
“May I try?” Sienna nudged him aside. With a few keystrokes, she had signed in as her professional profile and was back on Josh’s page. It soon became clear he hadn’t blocked her from his accounts. It didn’t take long for her to sigh. “He’s taken a huge chunk of old photos down. I think he’s whitewashed these accounts to improve his image.”
That explained why he hadn’t blocked her. There was nothing important there for her to find. “It’s okay, we’ll keep looking. Could be that some of those photos are still up on other people’s sites. We’ll keep at it.”
“You’re right. He’ll have made a mistake somewhere along the way.” Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes.
They worked until their food arrived. After saying grace, Sienna took on the task of feeding her daughter between taking bites of her wrap so that Taylor could eat uninterrupted. Not for the first time, he wondered why a young woman like Taylor would take a job like this. One that required her to live with a single woman and a child. Sure, maybe the pay was good, but not having any time to herself seemed like a significant sacrifice.
He caught Flynn’s gaze, giving a subtle nod in Taylor’s direction. His buddy shrugged and kept eating. The layout of the suite made it difficult to have a confidential conversation about the nanny.
But then Flynn snagged the computer closest to him and began to work while munching the last of his fries. A message popped up on his phone.
I’m on it.
Zeke hid a smile and typed back. Thanks.
Bailey started to fuss before Sienna had finished eating. “I can take her,” Taylor offered.
“No thanks, I’ll do it.” Sienna used a napkin to wipe Bailey’s hands and face. “You had her all morning. It’s my turn. Come on, sweetie. I think you’re tired. It may be time for another nap.” Sienna lifted the little girl up and carried her to the closest bedroom.
“I know what you guys are thinking,” Taylor said the moment Sienna was gone. “It’s obvious you don’t trust me. I can’t change that, but you need to know I’d never allow anything to happen to that baby.”
“Never said you would,” Zeke drawled. “Sienna has been the target of these threats, not Bailey.”
Taylor frowned. “I wouldn’t hurt Sienna either.”
“You have to admit, this is a pretty sweet gig,” Flynn drawled. “Food and board, along with part-time work. Not bad.”
Taylor flushed. “You’re cops, so I’m going to let that slide, even though I’m not the bad guy here.”
“No offense, but we don’t know that. We don’t know you either,” Zeke felt compelled to point out.
Taylor muttered something unkind under her breath. “Fine. What do you want to know? Maybe this is a different career choice than what you guys are used to. It’s not a crime. I like being a nanny. I enjoy taking care of Bailey and working for Sienna. She pays me a decent salary and always chips in to help with Bailey unlike some of the rich people I’ve worked for in the past.” She rose to her feet, her expression stern. “Whatever you think of my job, just know I’m not involved in this.”
Zeke had to admit that Taylor sounded sincere. Maybe they were passing judgment on her career choice, but he wasn’t going to apologize for considering her a possible suspect. She didn’t understand that this was how all cops operated.
And her simply saying she was innocent wasn’t good enough.
“We’re not saying you would hurt anyone,” Flynn said, voicing his thoughts. “But you can’t blame us for double- checking your story.” He glanced up from the computer to pin her with a pointed glance. “You grew up in Madison as the oldest of three kids?”
“I don’t believe this,” she muttered. “You already know the answer to that, so why ask me? Yes, I grew up in Madison. Yes, I did a lot of looking after my younger siblings while both our parents worked. It seemed natural for me to pursue a degree in early childhood education. I may decide to go into teaching, which was my original goal.”
“What made you change your mind?” Zeke asked, truly curious now.
“I was a nanny for a lawyer over the summer, and I enjoyed the work. They didn’t need me during the school year but referred me to another family. The Sterns offered me a live-in nanny position, so I figured I’d give it a try. I didn’t mind the work, but the Sterns were nothing like the Johnsons. In fact, they couldn’t have been more opposite. They treated me like a servant. I was expected to do the dishes, the laundry, and clean the house in addition to taking care of their two children. That wasn’t bad, but they constantly criticized me because things weren’t clean enough for them. Even a few toys scattered about earned a frown. This from parents who completely ignored their own children when they were home.” She paused to take a breath, then added in a calmer voice, “I stayed with the Sterns for a year before moving on. Last I heard, they’ve gone through four nannies since then. I lasted the longest.”
“Sienna said your references were stellar,” Zeke said to smooth things over. “And I know she trusts you.”
She nodded and began stacking their dirty dishes together. Flynn jumped to his feet. “I’ll take care of that. You go do—um—whatever you do in your free time.”
Taylor threw up her hands. “I write, okay? If you must know I’m writing a book, a romance. One that will not include a hero that is anything like either of you!” She turned away, flopping down onto the sofa.
“Ouch,” Zeke murmured. “You sure stepped into that one.”
Flynn shrugged and continued stacking dishes onto the tray. “Better she takes her anger out on us.”
“Hey, check this out.” Zeke had stumbled across a photograph of Brett Voss standing beside Josh Allenton. “Looks like our target has kept in touch with his old college roommate after all.”
Flynn leaned over to see the picture more closely. “Interesting. I wonder where Brett Voss is now?”
“Give me a minute, there’s an age listed on his profile.” Zeke couldn’t help but grin. “Nice of him to include the month and date of his birth. We know he’s roughly Josh’s same age, too, so that helps narrow it down.” Zeke typed the information into the DMV database. “Bingo. I found him. He still has a Wisconsin driver’s license.”
“That’s great.” Flynn slapped him on the back. “See if he has a vehicle registered to his name.”
“He does... but it’s a blue Chevy Blazer.” He thought back to the car that came up behind them. “Not the same make and model as the guy who fired at us earlier today.”
“Could be a rental. Especially if Mr. Megabucks is paying the bill.” Flynn winced, glancing over to where Taylor was curled up in the corner of the sofa. “I guess I should keep the rich jokes to a minimum.”
“You think?” Zeke shook his head. “I’m with you on the rental, though. If nothing else, Allenton would want to cover his tracks. He wouldn’t want anything obvious leading back to him.”
“Okay, you’re on the right track,” Flynn said. “Let’s keep at it. We’re bound to uncover more connections to this guy, and one of them will lead us to the shooter.”
“I’m very concerned he was inside the theater,” Zeke said in a low tone. “I keep thinking this guy is getting information from someone close to Sienna.”
“You could be right. Although from what I’m seeing, it’s no secret Sienna is scheduled to perform this upcoming weekend. It probably isn’t that hard to get inside the place either.” Flynn went back to stacking the dishes. “Give me a minute to set this tray in the hallway, then we’ll divide and conquer.”
“Yeah, okay.” Zeke rose to his feet and stretched. He glanced toward the bedroom where he could hear Sienna singing softly to Bailey. He was too far away to hear the words, but the cadence of her voice was soothing.
Taylor noticed, too, her gaze softening. “That’s why I like working for Sienna,” she said.
Flynn braced the tray on one hand as he opened the door. He set it down, but then said, “Hey, who are you?”
Remembering how a hotel employee shot through the door a few months ago in an attempt to kill Roscoe and his pregnant girlfriend, Libby, Zeke darted toward the sofa to drag Taylor out of the way. He practically pushed her toward the closest bedroom door as the sound of gunfire erupted from behind him.
“Go,” he shouted as he reached for his weapon. Then he turned to back up Flynn.
“He’s getting away!” Blood dripped down Flynn’s arm, but the wound didn’t look serious. Beyond Flynn’s shoulder he saw a man dressed in black sprinting down the hall.
“Stay with the women!” Zeke took off after the perp. Unfortunately, the gunman was taking advantage of his head start. The guy dressed in black plowed through the rear exit and disappeared.
Zeke followed, but when he reached the door, he could see the guy was already halfway down the street, meshing with the other pedestrians heading to and from the courthouse. A split second later, he lost sight of him completely.
Frustrated, he turned back to join Flynn. Letting the guy go wasn’t easy, but Flynn was injured, and they needed to move.
There wasn’t a moment to waste. Nothing was more important than keeping Sienna and Bailey safe.