Chapter 12
"Give us the room, please." His father's brusque tone had Landry tensing. That and the fact that he had brought company with him. His mother was also present.
Leonora, to her credit, glanced first at Landry for confirmation before gathering the documents and heading out.
"You may take off." He glanced at the clock. "I won't be needing you for the rest of the day."
"I'll finish doing up the contract and leave it on my desk for you to go over." With a brief nod at the couple, Leonora made her way out, her heart thumping against her ribs. She had an idea that whatever they had to say was not good news.
"Drinks?" Pushing away from the desk, Landry made his way towards the recessed cabinet.
"None for me, thanks." Jessica Crenshaw perched daintily on the edge of a sofa next to the window and clasped her hands.
"Mother, I had no idea you were visiting."
"I had a meeting nearby and your father alerted me to what's going on." She waited for the men to settle with their scotch, before continuing. "Darling?"
Taking the glass from his son, Lincoln went to stand at the window. "He's resurfaced." The quiet tone belied the edge of anger that had settled on his face.
"Massey?" Landry felt the cold fear sliding along his spine as he looked from one to another. "How? Where?"
"He paid a visit to your sister's gallery," his father said.
The fear burned bright and left a metallic taste inside his mouth. "The guards-"
"He was in disguise." His father interrupted tersely.
"The bastard had the balls to walk right inside.
" He took a long swallow of the scotch. "Kathy said he came up to her while she was dealing with a client and pretended interest in a particular painting.
When he got her by herself, he told her exactly who he was and gave her a message. "
Landry put down his glass slowly. "Where's my sister?"
"Safe, at home."
"What was the message?"
"To let me know that we have unfinished business and he could get to us anywhere."
"That goddamned son of a bitch!" Landry's eyes blazed with wrath. "And he just walked right out?"
"By the time she recovered from the shock and alerted the guards, he was long gone. They searched the area, with no result." Lincoln turned to face his son. "We're doubling the guards."
"What the hell good is that going to do?" The frustration was rife in his voice and so was the impotent rage. "Why is he doing this?" He saw when they exchanged glances. "What is it?"
"There's something we never told you," his mother said quietly, pressing her lips together.
The alarm had his stomach clenching. "What?"
His father started to speak, but she shook her head. "I was involved with him when we were very young."
"What?" A frown touched Landry's brow as he stared at her.
"I met him first. He was the one who introduced me to your dad."
Landry rose from his chair slowly, a look of blank shock on his face. "You... he... you were involved with Massey?" Before she could respond, he swung his gaze to his father. "You took her away from him?"
For the first time in his life, Landry saw a flush staining his father's face.
"It wasn't like that. I-"
"Joel and I were not-" Jessica cleared her throat and shifted on the sofa. "We were not intimate. I liked him well enough, but I wasn't attracted."
"I bet he thought differently." Landry sat back down, his movements mechanical. "Let me guess, father had the money."
"Don't you dare speak to your mother like that!" his father snapped.
He kept his eyes trained on the woman who refused to meet his gaze. "Isn't that true, Mother?"
"I love your father."
"Plus he had the money." Landry felt the weariness pulling at him. "How did he take it?"
"Not well," Lincoln clipped. "He stopped talking to us for a number of years."
"Then he came back around," Landry surmised. "Why?"
"When you were born, he showed up a few months later and was quite taken with you. He said he was willing to let bygones be bygones and he stuck around, even after Kathy was born."
Understanding dawned and had Landry's eyes popping wide. "He was always saying to me that he thinks of me as a son. Christ Jesus! It's not for the money, is it? He thinks you both robbed him of his children. He was always giving us expensive gifts and spending time with Kathy and me."
Leaning his head back, he closed his eyes briefly. "He wants what he thinks belongs to him." Sitting upright, he gave them a contemptuous glance. "You started something all those years ago, Mother. He's out for revenge."
She started to deny it, but stopped, her expression one of defeat. "I was young and foolish. He was always lavishing attention on me, and I suppose I played with his emotions. Led him on."
"And then dumped him for a richer man."
"Don't!"
To his surprise, his father walked over to the sofa and sat next to his mother, reaching for her hand. "I will not allow you to speak to her like that. She's still your mother."
Jessica turned to him with a vulnerable smile. Landry felt a jolt as he stared at them. He had never seen them like this before. He was beginning to think they really loved each other in their own way.
"What now?" he asked tightly.
"Now we double up on our efforts to find him."
"And then what?"
His father shrugged. "Then we take action."
***
"You're awfully quiet. What's wrong?"
Forcing a smile to his lips, he reached over to trail a finger down her cheek. He had called and told her that he would be cutting out early and had instructed his housekeeper to keep supper warm for them. The meal was finished and they were sitting out on the balcony.
"Just thinking that I love this, us together. Any thoughts on what I asked the other day?"
"Moving in with you?" She stirred on the padded seat restlessly. When he had made the suggestion, she had been bowled over and for a minute had been tempted to say yes. But there were still so many things that needed to be sorted out between them.
"No, I can't."
"Won't." His grip tightened around her neck when she started to move away.
"All right, won't. You simply cannot expect me to just move in with you. There are still things we have to sort out between us."
He sighed, feeling as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. "I'm a patient man."
Relieved that he was not upset, she draped a foot over his thigh. "Is that so?"
"Hmm." He wanted desperately to keep her safe and to forget that there was danger ahead. "Sometimes."
"Oh, before I forget." She tilted her head as his mouth made the journey to her throat. "If you're going to keep doing that, I'm not going to be able to finish the thought."
"It was probably not important anyway." He nibbled his way to her collarbone. "You smell good enough to eat."
"It sounds like you're still hungry. Landry, stop."
"Why?" His fingers were busy unbuttoning her blouse. "I think we should retire to bed."
"Wait!" Taking a deep breath, she shook her head, marveling at how much he could muddle her mind.
"I want you."
"Soon." She held up a hand. "It's important. I think we have a potential investor."
He had started to reach for her again when her words gave him pause.
"What do you mean?"
"That's what I'm trying to tell you. This well-dressed man walked in this afternoon and asked for a meeting with me. Helen spoke with him first and told him that I was busy, but he insisted it was important and that he was a friend of your family."
Warning bells started ringing immediately inside his head. "Go on."
Frowning at the tense look on his face, she continued. "That's the only reason I met with him. His name was Joel Massey. He left a card. I-" Her voice petered off as she watched the color drain from his face. "Landry?" She grabbed his arm, her senses tingling. "What is it?"
"What else did he say?" he asked hoarsely. "Specifically."
Still frowning at how pale his skin had gotten, she searched around in her mind to remember what the man had told her.
"He said you and Kathy were like his own children.
I asked him if they knew he was in town, and come to think of it, he gave me a strange smile, said yes, and told me he was going to finish what he started. I have no idea what he meant."
"Before I could ask him, I got a phone call, and he told me he had a meeting and had to leave. He said to tell you he'll see you around. Landry, what's wrong?"
"I need to make a call." He fumbled for his phone and got jerkily to his feet. "Father, where is Kathy?" He listened a moment. "Is mother near you? Put me on speaker."
"The bastard found Kady-Ann. He paid her a visit this afternoon, pretending to be an investor." He listened a moment, eyes swirling with anger.
"Don't you put this on me. If anything happens to her-" He closed his eyes and paced away and then back. "I'm going to have to tell her. Yeah, of course."
Shoving the phone into the pocket of his slacks, he stood there lost in thought.
"Landry?"
Stirring himself, he strode over and took her hand. "I think this conversation is best held in the bedroom. I'll rekindle the fire."
Letting go of her hand, he went to stir the flames and watched as it leapt upwards and started to warm the room. Funny, he doubted it was going to penetrate the cold layer covering his skin. Taking a deep breath, he turned and crossed the room to sit next to her.
"I had hoped to keep you from ever being exposed to this hell," he began. Taking her hands, he studied her elegant fingers. "It started fifteen years ago or even longer than that." His tone and the look on his face had fear coursing through her.
"You're scaring me."
"That was never my intention." His fingers tightened on hers. "Just let me get it all out before you say anything. Can you do that for me?"
She nodded.
To her credit, she managed to sit and absorb the incredible story and the reason he had left so abruptly. Varied emotions ran a gamut inside her as she listened: joy that he had been forced to leave her, and sorrow and grief at the reasons he had to.