Indecent Danger (Danger Incorporated #3)(20)

“Do you have any idea who might have done this?” Travis sipped the iced tea and tried to keep his tone neutral. They didn’t need to know he’d launched his own investigation.

“I can’t imagine–” Caroline began but Alana cut her off mid-sentence.

“Stop trying to protect him, Caro. He’s gone now and if his reputation is tarnished he has no one but himself to blame.” Alana looked apologetically at Travis and Shane. “Bruce was not a very nice man, I’m afraid.”

Caroline nodded in agreement, her voice shaky. “My husband is – excuse me – was a jerk. He treated me and everyone around him like they didn’t matter. But he still didn’t deserve to be stabbed to death, Alana.”

Travis had suspected that Bruce had been knifed in the heart, but without a murder weapon he hadn’t known for sure. Apparently Caroline had heard from the police on a possible cause of death.

“Bruce was a Class A bastard and everyone knew it.”

Martin hadn’t said much but his words hung in the air and no one seemed to want to contradict them in the least.


“You sure know how to bring a conversation to a complete halt,” Travis chuckled, bringing some levity to the somber situation. “I’d like to hire you out for a business meeting I have coming up in a few weeks.”

Martin smiled and ran his hand down his face with a long sigh. “I don’t mean to be blunt, but the fact is Bruce had enemies.”

Now they were getting somewhere. Travis needed to get Martin to open up even more as the older man had had Bruce investigated and probably knew a great deal about the deceased.

Travis helped himself to a pastry even though he’d already put away enough breakfast for a small family. “What kind of enemies?”

“The serious kind. The kind that don’t f*ck around.” Martin looked at his wife and granddaughter apologetically. “Excuse my language, ladies. Bruce had problems and it made his life more dangerous than we could have ever understood. I told that to Detective Prather last night. Bruce owed money and I’m sure that’s who killed him.”

“He was making money in the markets. Why didn’t he pay them off?” Travis asked, wanting to keep the conversation going in this direction. He’d known that Bruce had a bookie but perhaps Martin knew that person’s name.

“It wasn’t enough. He was spending money like water, faster than he could make it. Thank God I nailed down Caro’s trust fund so he couldn’t get his dirty hands on it.”

Caroline shifted in her chair uncomfortably. “He was still my husband and I don’t think I want to stick around and listen to this. If you will excuse me?”

Alana stood along with Caroline and placed her arm around the trembling young woman. “It’s the shock, Caro. You should take one of those pills the doctor prescribed for you in New York. It will help you get some rest. You need to keep your strength up.”

Shaking her head, the young widow looked near tears. “I took one earlier. I hate how they make me feel. I’m not in control.”

Alana led her step-granddaughter toward the large French doors to the suite. “Be a good girl and take one for me. I hate to see you this distraught. He wasn’t worth it, sweetheart. He never was.”

Caroline nodded meekly and allowed herself to be guided inside. A sedative explained the dull look in the girl’s eyes and her general lethargic and depressed appearance.

With a sad expression Martin watched the two women disappear into the suite. “She hasn’t loved Bruce for a long time but she feels guilty that she’s relieved she’s free.”

“If he was that bad of a husband she has nothing to feel guilty about,” Shane observed.

Martin let out a derisive snort. “He was that bad.”

Shane was still staring at the doorway where the two women had exited. “Then I’m surprised she didn’t leave.”

“I think she was afraid. God only knows what Bruce threatened her with. At least now she can move on with her life.” Martin leaned forward, his fingers steepled together. “If the offer to send her to the ranch is still open, Travis, I’d love to take you up on it. After the funeral, of course. This is going to be a circus and I want to protect her as much as possible from it.”

“I’ll help in any way I can,” Travis assured his friend. “She’s always welcome. You and Alana too, for that matter.”

“We’re fine. We can weather all the media bullshit. But Caroline has always been sort of fragile. I don’t want her dragged through the mud by the newspapers. After everything she’s been through she doesn’t deserve that.”

“I’ll call Mom and Dad and make the arrangements. When and where is the service?”

“New York. We’ll keep it as small and quiet as we can. As for when, I’m not sure. That detective doesn’t want us leaving until he’s sure that we’re cleared.” Martin grimaced as he took another sip of coffee. “I didn’t like Bruce but I didn’t kill him. That would have been too good for him. I wanted him behind bars being punished for what he’s done.”

Travis had to ask a delicate question, and it was probably best just to get it out rather than beat around the bush.

“Did you have a chance to talk to Bruce about the insider trading?”