Colby Velocity Read online

  “Sure.” He followed her out the door, annoyed that he’d slipped into one-word mode like a teenager suffering from lust overdose.

  As she tucked her keycard into the slot on her door, he noticed that a hint of lace peeked from her jacket pocket. He blinked, swallowed. Pink lace. His attention instantly settled on the way her skirt molded to her backside. The way she dressed he’d expected plain white cotton undies…not pink lace.

  The door of her room abruptly opened and Wayne Burton filled the space. “I tried your cell phone.”

  “What’re you doing in my room?” she demanded.

  Rocky had been about to voice the same question.

  Burton backed up, allowing them entrance into Kendra’s hotel room. “Management called in the breaking and entering. When I heard it was your room, I came right over.”

  Nice. A homicide detective for a B&E. Rocky was duly unimpressed.

  Crime scene techs and a couple of uniformed cops were rifling through Kendra’s stuff.

  “I’ll need a list of what’s missing,” Burton said to Kendra.

  While Kendra briefed her friend on the missing items, Rocky watched his reaction. An occasional glance in Rocky’s direction confirmed that Burton was doing the same thing.

  Something Burton said had Kendra’s temper rising. Rocky had missed whatever was said because his attention had abruptly diverted to where the pink lace had inched its way farther out of her pocket.

  Rocky moved in closer to her and frowned at Burton. “Any thoughts on how someone discovered where Kendra is staying?” he demanded of Burton as he covertly snatched the scrap of pink lace from her jacket pocket and shoved it deep into his own.

  She glared at Rocky, still furious at the situation.

  “Is that an accusation, Mr. Rockford?”

  Rocky looked the cop straight in the eye and answered honestly, “Yes.”

  The stare-off lasted about five seconds before Burton’s expression relaxed and he threw out a challenge of his own. “Do you have reason to believe this incident had something to do with Kendra personally versus a random act of burglary?”

  “You mean a random act like Yoni Sayar’s murder?” Rocky countered.

  “Just do what you have to do,” Kendra snapped. Then she took a breath. “May I have whatever’s left of my personal things?”

  Burton backed off. “Sure.”

  He walked over to where her bag lay on the floor. Rocky hadn’t noticed until then that the clothing items that had been spewed over the floor were now tucked back into the bag. Which meant Burton had gone through her things. Touched her stuff.

  Renewed fury boiled up inside Rocky.

  “Let’s go.” Kendra turned to him, bag in hand.

  Rocky sent a final sour look in Burton’s direction before executing an about-face and stalking back to the room across the hall. Inserting the keycard twice was necessary since he was too ticked off to do it right the first time.

  When the door had closed behind them, Kendra flung her bag on the bed. “He’s watching us.” She set her hands on her hips and shook her head. “I knew it was likely but it really makes me angry to have it confirmed. Wayne is treating me like a suspect!”

  Unable to stifle the assessment, Rocky opened his mouth and promptly inserted his foot. “I’m not so sure Burton keeping an eye on you has much to do with Sayar’s murder case.”

  Kendra stopped picking through her damaged clothes and glared at him. “What does that mean?”

  The taste of boot still on his tongue, Rocky shrugged. “The former personal connection between the two of you is Burton’s top priority where you’re concerned. At least, that’s the way it looks to me.”

  “He told you this?” she demanded.

  Rocky heaved a sighed. “No. But I’m not blind. You are,” he said pointedly, “if you don’t recognize his underlying motive. He’s still got a thing for you.”

  Irritation flashing in her eyes, she swung her attention back to her stuff. “Whatever.”

  Yeah, whatever.

  She fisted a wad of white lace and deserted her search. “I’ll be ready in a minute.”

  He watched her storm toward the bathroom door before saying, “You might want this.” She stopped and turned back to him, her free hand resting on the door. He pulled the lacy pink panties from his jacket pocket and walked over to hand the racy lingerie to her.

  Her jaw went slack as she accepted the scrap of fabric. She patted her pocket, her cheeks turning as pink as the sexy panties.

  Before she could demand how he’d ended up with her panties, he explained, “While you were railing at Burton, they popped out of your pocket. I grabbed them and tucked them into mine.” He shrugged when she continued to stare at him in utter outrage and humiliation. “I didn’t want you to be embarrassed in front of all those guys.” Every tech and cop in the room was male.

  She didn’t say a word. She pushed into the bathroom and then slammed the door between them.

  That was what he got for trying to be a gentleman.

  Rocky wandered to the window and stared out at the promise of a hot, sultry day. His behavior was unacceptable. He needed to stop looking at her as a woman and start focusing more intently on the case. Difficult to do, though.

  The bathroom door opened and he turned to face whatever she had to say next. He’d crossed the line to a degree and he owed her an apology.

  “Look,” he said before she could launch what would no doubt be a lecture about professionalism, “I apologize for making you uncomfortable. I thought I—”

  “Why would you apologize?” she asked, surprising him. “You saved me from being the object of cop jokes for days. I appreciate it. Thank you.”

  Wow. He hadn’t expected that. “Good.” Back to the one-word reactions.

  “Let’s get going.” She shouldered her purse. “We need to eat.” She pressed a palm to her flat middle. “I’m starving. Then we’re going to see what we can find out about Mrs. Castille. Maybe talk to her.”

  Rocky picked up the bag with his laptop and their other gear. “What about the press conference?”

  “We already know what they’re going to say. Why waste our time?”

  “Agreed.”

  Rocky mentally kicked himself as he followed her along the corridor. Pink lace panties shouldn’t lessen his IQ. He hesitated at the bank of elevators and pushed the call button. The pink lace hadn’t lowered his intelligence level, the idea that she’d worn them did that all by itself.

  The warning chime that a car had arrived and the opening of the doors dragged him from the troubling thoughts. When Kendra didn’t move through the open doors he followed her gaze back in the direction of her room just in time to get a glimpse of Burton ducking quickly back inside.

  “He’s watching us,” Kendra murmured.

  “He’s watching you,” Rocky countered.

  Her gaze bumped into his. “It’s way more complicated than that.”

  Rocky couldn’t ignore the worry in her eyes. “You’re right. Every aspect of this investigation is complicated. Including that cop.”

  She held his gaze, preventing him from drawing a breath.

  With every fiber of his being he wanted to kiss her. To touch those lips with his own for just a moment…one or two seconds.

  The elevator doors closed behind her. He told himself to reach around her and push the call button again, but that wasn’t happening.

  She blinked, turned her back and pushed the call button herself.

  Rocky started mentally kicking himself again.

  The doors opened and they stepped into the empty car. It was early. Not much movement from the other guests yet. Rocky leaned against the back of the car and let the tension flow out of him. Kendra selected the lobby floor and took a position against that same wall, no more than fifteen or eighteen inches between them.

  Soft music whispered in the air. Elevator music. He worked to focus on the tune and not the scent of soap on her skin.

>   “Do me a favor, Rocky.”

  He braced for her censure, turned his face to hers as the elevator bumped to a stop on the lobby floor. “Name it, partner.” She was his partner in this investigation. Professional partner.

  “Next time you look at me the way you did a minute ago,” she pushed away from the wall but kept her gaze fixed on his, “do something about it or walk away.”

  He watched her stride out of the elevator and across the marble lobby before he had the presence of mind to follow.

  Do something about it?

  He could do that.

  The thought had him licking his lips.

  No, he couldn’t do that.

  His attention lit on her once more as she waited at the main exit.

  But he would.

  Eventually.

  It was feeling more and more inevitable.

  10:40 a.m.

  KENDRA LEANED FORWARD as Rocky made the turn into the private drive of the Castille estate. A limo sat in front of the stately home, the uniformed driver fitting luggage into the trunk.

  “Looks like we got here just in time.”

  Kendra made an agreeable sound.

  “No reason to expect the senator will show up?”

  “According to Castille’s secretary, he’s in the office all morning. A lunch appointment at one, but otherwise he’ll be in his office all day preparing some big presentation.”

  “Then the missus is going away for…” Rocky grunted as he parked behind the limo and got a closer look at the stack of designer luggage in the truck “…for a week or two.”

  Kendra chuckled. “Maybe for the weekend.” She reached for her door. “The lady likes to travel in style with every possible accessory. A senator’s wife never knows what might come up.”

  They rounded the hood and approached the driver together. “My name is Kendra Todd,” Kendra said when the driver had finished sizing her up with a critical eye. “I’m here to see Mrs. Castille.”

  “Is Mrs. Castille expecting you?” a male voice behind her demanded.

  Kendra’s attention moved to the grand steps that fronted the house. Andrew…something, Mrs. Castille’s personal assistant, descended a step or two as he waited for Kendra’s response.

  “Andrew, it’s good to see you.” Kendra used the ruse to approach the steps. “This is my friend Leland Rockford.” She gestured to the man beside her. “I’m in town for a couple of days and I wanted to stop by and say hello to Mrs. Castille.”

  “I’m afraid she’s unavailable at the moment,” he said in a condescending tone.

  Kendra claimed one step upward, defying his decree. “Why don’t I leave my number? That way if she has the time she can call me while I’m in town.”

  Andrew pulled out his PalmPilot. “I’ll pass along the message.”

  “Eight-seven-two,” Kendra began.

  “Andrew, is the car ready?” Mrs. Castille appeared at the door.

  “Mrs. Castille.” Kendra jumped at the opening, moving up the steps despite Andrew’s scathing glare. “I was just leaving my number with Andrew.”

  “Kendra.” The senator’s wife pasted on a smile. “Judd didn’t tell me you were in town.”

  Kendra accepted a quick cheek-to-cheek hug. “He’s such a busy man. I’m sure he has far more on his mind than my itinerary.”

  “Andrew, tell the driver I’ll be a few minutes.” Sharon Castille motioned for Kendra to come inside. “Let’s have a coffee.” She managed a more genuine smile for Rocky. “Who’s your friend, dear?”

  Kendra made the belated introductions as she and Rocky followed the senator’s wife into her parlor. Andrew disappeared down the entry hall, probably to usher the kitchen help to prepare a tray. Or to call the senator and alert him to their presence.

  “You’re here on business?” Sharon asked when they’d settled amid her luxurious furnishings.

  Kendra chose a fairly direct approach. “I’m here to support Yoni’s family. I was devastated to hear of his death.”

  Hesitation. Blink. “Yes…it’s just awful. The senator says he’ll be greatly missed.”

  “I know he was a good friend to you both,” Kendra suggested.

  Two blinks this time. Blank expression. “I’m sorry to say I didn’t know him that well. I saw him a few times at social events and occasionally at Judd’s office. Still, it’s tragic. Just tragic.”

  By the time she’d finished speaking her voice had reached that sympathetic tone she’d clearly been striving for. Too bad she’d had to work so hard to accomplish her goal.

  “You saw the press conference this morning?” Another couple of rapid blinks.

  “Yes.” Kendra worked equally hard to restrain her anger. What was the woman hiding? Yoni was dead! Was there no one close to him who cared to see that justice was served?

  “Tragic,” Sharon repeated. “Just tragic.”

  Kendra went for broke. “Yoni mentioned to me that the two of you spoke occasionally. By phone, I believe he said.”

  Despite the store-bought blush applied so meticulously to her cheeks, the color drained from Sharon’s face. “Really? I can’t recall speaking to him by phone?” She pressed a finger to her lips, then said, “Perhaps there was that once…when Judd was out of town.” She shook her head. “I’m not sure actually.”

  “I could be mistaken,” Kendra offered, then frowned as if trying to recall the conversation. “Maybe it was someone else.” She shook her head. “It was last month. I may have the whole thing confused.” She feigned a laugh at her confusion. “He kept talking about some automobile accident. Doesn’t matter anyway. So,” Kendra stared into the woman’s startled gaze, “how have you been?”

  The conversation turned short and crisp from there. The coffee tray never arrived. Within ten minutes of their arrival Sharon appeared to suddenly remember that she was on her way to her sister’s house in Alexandria. She really had to go. The driver was waiting after all.

  Rocky guided the rental car around the circle driveway and back onto the street. “I think that’s the first time I’ve been in a room with two other people and not said a word.”

  Kendra laughed, mostly because she was frustrated and disappointed and needed a break in the tension. “I assumed you were too busy analyzing the target to speak.”

  “It didn’t require that much effort.”

  Kendra made another sound that couldn’t quite be labeled a laugh. Rocky was definitely right about that. Sharon Castille had lied through her perfect white teeth. She was probably on the phone to the senator right now.

  How was it that the people closest to Yoni could care so little for his life that they would cover up the truth about his death?

  There was only one reason.

  To cover up their own guilt.

  “You up to a little street walking?” Rocky asked, dragging her from the painful thoughts.

  Kendra turned in her seat to study his profile. “I was just thinking that should be our next move.”

  “Great minds and all that jazz.” He shot her a smile.

  She liked his smile. Liked spending time with him. She’d been alone for so long. It hadn’t bothered her until now. Funny. “So,” she redirected her thoughts to their next step, “that gives us a few hours.”

  The ladies of the night preferred the dark. “I’d like to do some research on the Transparency Bill Yoni talked about. Find out who supports it, who’s against it. Maybe something will jump out at me.”

  “Where to?” he asked.

  “The library.”

  “Just tell me the way.”

  “Take the same route back to D.C. proper that we came.” That he kept checking the rearview mirror as she talked tripped an internal alarm. “Something wrong?”

  “Nothing I can’t handle.” He made an abrupt right.

  Kendra braced, keeping an eye on the side mirror for their tail.

  Rocky had no more straightened out from the turn than a silver sedan skidded into the same turn. />
  “I hope you know this area well.” Rocky stomped the accelerator.

  “Fairly well.” She kept her focus on the street signs. Hoped her memory didn’t fail her.

  “Take the next left.” That would take them back to the Beltway where they could more easily get lost in the traffic.

  Rocky barreled into the turn, skidding wide. Kendra held her breath. Horns blared as they crossed traffic out of turn.

  They hit the Beltway, pushing well beyond the posted speed limit. A few abrupt lane changes and a last-minute exit and the silver sedan was no longer in the rearview mirror.

  Rocky doubled back one exit and reentered the Beltway. He laid back with the slower traffic in the right lane.

  “Good job.” Kendra exhaled some of her tension.

  “For now.” Rocky sent her a pointed look. “Whether it was your visit with Burton or Mrs. Castille, someone’s marked you for surveillance.”

  Which had to mean they were getting warmer.

  Chapter Eight

  L Street, 9:05 p.m.

  Rocky wrapped his arm around Kendra’s shoulders. The move startled her at first but then she recognized that it was designed to ensure they didn’t stand out. She relaxed. Most of the couples were holding hands or wrapped in each other’s arms as they cruised the popular street.

  If anyone had tailed them to or from the library they were very good at covert surveillance. Neither Rocky nor Kendra had picked up on a tail.

  Levi Stark had completed decrypting the files and sent all to Rocky’s laptop. Most of the information was related to the various bills Yoni had been working prior to his death. But one had proven unsettling. It read like a transcription of a meeting or telephone conversation with only one side of the conversation recorded. According to the transcript, Senator Castille had exchanged heated words with an unknown party related to his refusal to pay a fee in exchange for silence on a subject that was never mentioned.

  Possibly the conversation was connected to the blackmail threat Yoni had spoken of. But no particular bill, or subject for that matter, was mentioned. No names were revealed. Which made no sense at all. Why had someone bothered to steal the hard drive from her hotel room if it contained nothing of significance?