The Killing Game(97)

*

“I’ll drive,” Luke said, snagging his keys from his pocket as Andi rounded the corner from her bedroom. She’d been dreading this meeting with Carter and the Carrera brothers all night, but she’d told herself not to be intimidated; she could get through it. With everything she had to deal with lately, including Trini’s death and the suspicion that she might have been murdered by Jarrett, Andi figured dealing with the twin thugs would be a piece of cake. Especially because Luke would be with her.

“I think I can handle it.” She found her own set of keys. “I feel like I’ve been an invalid, and I’m over that.”

“I like it.”

She walked past him to the front door, unlocked it, and stepped into the cool morning air. She breathed deeply, smelling the scents of fir and pine and the earthy odors coming off the lake behind the house.

God, she loved it here.

And she loved being here with Luke.

Don’t go there, she reminded herself as she fantasized for half a second about a future with him, here, so close to the lake that she could watch herons, ducks, and osprey fly over.

A jacket tossed over his shoulder, Luke followed her onto the porch and yanked the door shut. “What’s that?” he asked in a tight voice.

“What?”

He was staring at the willow wreath she’d hung on the door, his willow wreath. Her heart clutched as she saw him gingerly pluck a white card from the ring of sticks.

“Another note?” he asked, and her heart went cold. All the happiness she’d felt seconds earlier, the fantasies, had shriveled.

Carefully, just touching the edges, he turned the card over.

Little birds should be careful whom they choose as a mate. Tsk, tsk. There is no such thing as faithfulness. You should know where he’s also been putting his pecker. Be careful. Seabirds can die, too.

“Shit,” Luke muttered under his breath.

Andi started quaking deep inside. “What is this? Why are they doing this?”

“To scare you,” he said grimly.

She shook her head.

“Our note writer is threatened by me,” he observed. “Not sure what he means about being faithless. Maybe he thinks our relationship has gone on longer than it has.”

“All this about birds. Trini and me . . . and now seabirds?”

“Some kind of clue,” Luke said. “Goddammit. He’s a coward.”

“It’s getting personal and he’s pissing me off.” That was true. The shivering inside her body, the fear, was morphing into anger. She was furious about Trini’s death, about her brother’s involvement, about creeping around and trying to terrorize her and now . . . now bringing Luke into his sick, twisted game.

“We have to find him,” Luke said grimly.

“You got that right.”

“He either came last night or very early this morning.” He stared at the ground. “If he drove, there might be tracks . . . but I don’t see any.” His gaze ran over the area around the cabin, the ground under the windows. “No footprints visible.”

Andi checked her watch and hesitated. “Maybe we should call the police,” she said, then thought about their treatment of her brother. “But right now, we’re late.”

“Give me a sec. I’ll be right back. Give me your house key, then start the car.”

She didn’t argue, just gave him the key, then headed to her Tucson and slipped behind the wheel. She’d barely switched on the ignition when she saw Luke appear on the porch again. He took a second to lock the house, then, with his jacket and a small plastic bag holding the card, jogged to her SUV and climbed inside. “Let’s go,” he said, and before he snapped on his seat belt, he gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

“What was that for?”

“Not letting the bastard’s attack on me get to you.”

“Oh, it got to me. Just not the way he intended.”

Luke flashed her a smile as he clicked his belt into place. “Hit it. We don’t want to keep the Carrera brothers waiting.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it,” she said and did a quick one-eighty before ramming the SUV into drive.

They were only a few minutes tardy by the time they reached the Wren Development offices. It wasn’t surprising that Carter was waiting for them, but the fact that Emma, more sober than Andi had seen her in weeks, was also waiting was a little unexpected. Dressed in a black dress, coat, and heels, her makeup perfect, her eyes only slightly bloodshot, she looked ready to do battle. Of course the ever-dutiful Ben was at her side.

Carter took one look at Luke and his features tightened. “This is a meeting for the members of the business only.” He wagged a finger at both Ben and Luke. “You two can wait outside. Maybe you can go get coffee or,” to Luke, “a beer. It must be five o’clock somewhere.”

“Luke’s staying,” Andi snapped, tired of Carter’s high-handedness.

Emma stood her ground as well. “Ben, too. We’re a team.”

Carter immediately began spouting off reasons and rules, all of which Andi ignored. She cut him off with, “I assume we’re meeting in the conference room? Then let’s get started.” She led the way, Luke one step behind her. Emma’s high heels clicked sharp and fast. Carter had no choice but to follow them in.