Indecent Danger (Danger Incorporated #3)(19)

“A killer running loose,” Aubrey groaned. “That doesn’t make me feel any better, Shane.”

“That would be scary if this were a random murder.” Travis tapped the plate with his fingers. “But for now I think we need to go on the assumption that the killer chose Bruce for a compelling reason. Love. Money. Maybe revenge.”

Shane hopped up from the table, coffee cup in hand, and began to pace back and forth. Whenever he was around he was like this, full of energy and life. The woman he ended up with was going to need a great deal of stamina to keep up with him. “So let’s review. Who do we know that has a motive?”

“Me,” she answered quietly. “He threatened to tell Travis a secret.”

Shane nodded, but like the gentleman he was he didn’t ask what she’d been keeping from his cousin. He was polite like that, as were all the Anderson men. If they didn’t need to know something they didn’t believe it was any of their business.

“But other than you,” Shane pressed. “We should make a list.”

Travis already had his laptop open since he had been conversing back and forth with Jason.

“I know Martin had a motive, as much as I hate to say it. Bruce’s actions could bring down everything Martin has worked for and make him a pariah in the financial world.”

“Plus his wife,” Aubrey suggested. “If he was propositioning me I’m guessing I’m not the first. Plus Jason said he liked the ladies.”

Travis tapped on the keyboard. “If you’d ever met Caroline you wouldn’t think she was capable of hurting a fly, but you’re right. To be thorough we have to include everyone on the list.”

Shane paused and took a deep swig of his coffee. “The ones that don’t seem like killers are the ones you have to be careful of. They’re the most dangerous in my experience.”


Does that include me? Or do I look like I could kill?

“His bookie. Basically anyone he owed money to,” Travis offered. “I asked Jason to try and find out exactly who Bruce owed money to and how much. I also asked him to find out about Bruce’s women. There might be a connection there.”

Aubrey gestured to the laptop. “So we have a list. What now? Do we give it to Prather?”

Both Shane and Travis laughed and she had to slap the table hard to get their attention. She ought to be used to the almost spooky psychic connection these Anderson men had, but it never ceased to amaze her how their minds worked the same. She also wasn’t all that fond of feeling like she didn’t have a clue of what was going on.

“Baby, we’re only going to help Prather if his investigation is going the wrong way. Even then it will just be a nudge here and there. I don’t want anyone to think we’re interfering in an official investigation. No, we’ll start our own investigation and if we find something that Prather needs to know we’ll give it to him. But right now I’m going on the assumption that he’s not our friend.”

Aubrey was sure that Prather wasn’t any sort of friend. The only people she had on her side were Shane and Travis, but the two men were an awesome sight to behold. Without any doubt in her mind she knew they would do everything in their power to protect her from being falsely accused of Bruce’s murder. But it couldn’t all be up to them. She had to help herself and it was no time to be timid. They had a killer to hunt down.

“So where do we start?”





Chapter Eleven




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Martin’s wife Alana opened the door of the suite and beckoned them to come in. Travis and Shane followed the woman out onto the large patio that overlooked the Gulf, the breeze soft and the sun warm overhead. Martin and his granddaughter Caroline were sitting at a large table that was laden down with food and drink. Apparently they weren’t the first visitors that had stopped by this morning. Rising to his feet, Martin shook Travis’s hand and ushered them into chairs.

“We came to pay our respects, my friend.”

Travis and Shane accepted the glasses of iced tea from Alana and she urged them to fill a plate.

“The management sent up all this food. I’m guessing they want to keep all of this quiet,” Alana said as she reached over to give her step-granddaughter Caroline a hug.

Bruce’s now widowed wife always looked a little lost but today she appeared more frail than usual. Her long blonde hair was pulled back in a messy braid and her skin was pale and splotchy that contrasted with her red rimmed eyes. The last time he’d seen Bruce and Caroline together they hadn’t been the picture of matrimonial happiness, but then the death of a spouse was likely to be a shock no matter the state of the relationship.

“We appreciate you stopping by.” Caroline held out her hand to Travis and Shane. “It’s been a long time since we saw you last.”

“We’re so sorry for your loss,” Shane said smoothly, giving the young woman a gentle smile to help her feel at ease.

“Thank you. It’s been a…shock.”

Watching his friends through new eyes, Travis f*cking hated what he was doing. There was no way Martin and his family had anything to do with Bruce’s death but if he didn’t talk to them, check them out then he wasn’t doing a thorough job.

Aubrey needed nothing less than his absolute best. There would be no cut corners, no taking chances. She would be cleared completely and utterly before he was done.