Fast Track

  “She threatened you, didn’t she? I think we can only conclude that she was behind what happened to you. And by any definition, that was attempted murder.”

  “That’s my conclusion,” Cordie agreed.

  “She has to be in a panic that her secret will come out, so I say beat her at her own game.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Put it out there. Let everyone in Sydney know what she did to your father and how she abandoned you. Rent a billboard if you have to.”

  Cordie laughed. “A billboard?”

  “Do whatever it takes,” she said. “Once the secret’s out, she won’t have any reason to come after you. Hopefully, she’ll leave you alone.”

  “Or she’ll become so enraged she’ll hire ten men to kill me.”

  “That’s a possibility,” Regan allowed.

  “I’m not okay with Simone getting away with attempted murder. And what about the man who pushed me?” Before Regan could answer, Cordie said, “If I only expose Simone, what happens to him? I’m not letting him get away with it. He should go to prison with Simone. I want to catch both of them.”

  “How are you going to do that?”

  “I don’t have the faintest idea. I thought I’d talk to Alec and Jack about it. They’ll come up with something.”

  Regan was pleased. “You have a lot of faith in my husband and Jack.”

  “Of course I do. But I know what Alec will say.”

  “What will I say?” Alec walked in carrying a large box.

  Regan told him to put the box on the floor in Cordie’s closet. “I’ll organize them later.”

  Cordie waited until Alec returned to the living room and then said, “You’ll say I’m jumping to conclusions without sufficient information and I should look at the whole picture.”

  “You’re right. That’s exactly what I’ll say.” He walked over to Cordie and kissed her on her forehead. “How are you feeling, sweetheart?”

  “Just fine,” she replied.

  “Regan and I love our new house,” he told Cordie.

  “We don’t exactly own it yet,” Regan reminded him.

  “We will soon,” he promised. “I heard from Liam, Cordie.”

  “Did he have any news?”

  “He’s been checking on those two bodyguards with Simone. They’ve disappeared. He can’t locate them anywhere in Sydney. They haven’t used their passports, but they could be using other identities. If they were on a flight to the United States in the last week, Liam will find out.”

  “Do you think they followed me to Chicago?”

  “It’s a strong possibility.”

  “I think you should set a trap. Waiting is nerve-racking,” Regan offered.

  “Liam will have some information soon,” Alec promised. “Be patient.”

  “I am being patient,” Cordie protested.

  Alec grinned. “I was talking to my wife.”

  Cordie left them to their discussion and went into her bedroom to fetch a couple of magazines she was going to offer Walker. When she returned to the living room, her friends were wrapped in each other’s arms and kissing passionately. Being married for more than a year certainly hadn’t dampened their enthusiasm; they didn’t even notice her walk out the door. There was a different security guard standing in front of the elevator, but he was wearing the same suspicious frown. She nodded to him and continued on to Walker’s suite. The guard rushed ahead to open the door for her.

  Walker was alone, sitting on the sofa with his broken leg in its stiff white cast propped up on a round ottoman. He was wearing clean clothes, gray sweats and white shirt, and had his laptop out.

  “Am I interrupting?” she asked.

  He looked up and smiled. “Come sit with me. You can be my good-luck charm when Aiden and Spencer come back for round two.”

  Cordie was happy to see there were signs of the old Walker, the one she liked, returning. He moved a stack of papers from the sofa so she could sit.

  “How’s the arm?” he asked, nodding at the sling holding her left arm at a right angle in front of her.

  “Fine.”

  “Tell the truth, Kane.”

  She smiled. Walker always called Sophie and her by their last names. “It hurts,” she said. “I can’t straighten it and I feel so . . . useless. How’s your leg?”

  “It hurts off and on,” he admitted. “I don’t like taking pain pills, though. I don’t like the way they make me feel.”

  “I don’t either.”

  “Beer helps,” he said, grinning. “Want one?”

  She laughed. “No, thanks.”

  Walker turned back to his laptop. “I just watched a press conference with Congressman Mitchell Ray Chambers. A reporter e-mailed it to me. The guy’s a real blowhard. Want to watch it?”

  “Okay.”

  “I bought some land from him and his cousin. Struck a good deal, too,” he bragged. “But Aiden is fighting me on it.”

  Cordie didn’t usually take an instant dislike to anyone, but the congressman turned out to be an exception. As soon as he smiled into the camera and started talking, she was disgusted. He went on and on about how he had negotiated the deal of the century with Madison and how he had been working on it for more than a year. He stressed that Mayor Green had tried to ruin the sale of Rock Point and then blame him. He wanted his constituents to know he hadn’t allowed that to happen, and he was now thrilled to announce at long last the Hamilton Hotel and Resort was going to be built on Rock Point. It was all thanks to him.

  As soon as the conference ended, Cordie asked, “Is any of what he said true?”

  “Some of it,” Walker answered. “The congressman did come to me and we worked out a figure to buy the land. I thought it was too good to pass up. It was half the amount Aiden and Spencer had agreed to pay. Half,” he stressed.

  “Why do you suppose that is? Why would he take so much less?”

  “He’s up for reelection, and Mayor Green is challenging him in the primary. Her poll numbers are sky-high, and his are in the basement. He’ll do anything to get reelected.”

  “You said the cousin owns the land with the congressman. He went along with taking less money?”

  “Yes, he did,” Walker said. “Maybe Chambers is giving him his half to make up the difference. I don’t know.”

  “What does Spencer think about all this?”

  “When he talks about the town adjacent to Rock Point, I can tell he wants the hotel. He said the town’s drying up because there’s no work, and a new hotel and resort would change lives, but he’s with Aiden and doesn’t want to do business with Chambers. Aiden damn well better get behind this.”

  Walker was digging in and ready for a fight. Cordie wasn’t about to get in the middle, but she couldn’t help pointing out the obvious. “I can understand why Aiden and Spencer might be cautious.”

  “You’re taking their side?”

  “That question is something one of my high school students would ask. No, I’m not taking sides. I’m merely pointing out that you have never, ever shown any interest in the hotel business. Isn’t that true?”

  “I’m an equal partner.”

  “Who always abstains when there’s a vote.” She nudged him in his side. “Admit it. Until now you’ve not been that interested, have you?”

  “No, I haven’t,” he admitted with a sigh of resignation. He leaned back against the cushions, closed his laptop, and dropped it on the seat next to him. “I’ve decided I want to be involved in the family business. They’re not going to let me.”

  “You’re wrong,” she said. “I know they could use the help.” When he appeared to be about to argue, she rushed on, “And everyone knows you’re a born negotiator.”

  “Yeah?”

  “You’re the charmer in the family, Walker,” she
said. “But do you really want to be a permanent part of the business, or are you doing this until you can go back to racing?”

  “I’m through with racing. It’s time for me to retire.”

  He sounded as though he meant what he said. He’d been racing cars for so long she didn’t think he’d ever stop, yet she hoped his declaration was sincere. At his core, Walker was a good man. He just needed to slow down long enough to see it . . . and to let others see it.

  Cordie spent the rest of the day making calls to contractors in Boston, and by the time the nurse helped her shower and put on her blue silk nightgown, she was ready to curl up in front of a television and zone out. Aiden came in around eleven. He locked the door and, without saying a word to her, went into his bedroom. He was probably sick of having her around, she decided. Did he think he was stuck with her? She thought about asking him that very question, then decided he wouldn’t tell her the truth. He was a gentleman. Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t kick her out.

  What was the matter with her tonight? She was feeling restless and out of sorts and having ridiculous thoughts. She knew what was wrong, but it took her a good five minutes to circle around to the truth. She wanted him. She hated being this close to him and being ignored. Cordie was desperate to get out of town. She hated feeling vulnerable and knew she should protect herself. The problem was she didn’t know how.

  A detective show was playing on television. She hadn’t been paying enough attention to be interested and was reaching for the remote to turn it off when Aiden walked in. His hair was wet. He was bare chested and wore a pair of old sweats. He looked good enough to eat. She self-consciously pulled her hair forward, realized what she was doing, and stopped. If a few bruises repulsed him, it was his problem, not hers.

  His expression wasn’t giving anything away. She didn’t have the faintest idea what he was thinking. No wonder he never lost at poker.

  “Did you want something?” Why she’d whispered the question was beyond her.

  “Yeah, I do.” He came around the sofa and sat down. Then he gently lifted her onto his lap, nudging her legs apart so that she straddled him.

  Frowning, she leaned up on her knees and asked, “What are you doing?”

  He slowly lifted her nightgown up to her hips. His hands slid over her thighs, and he smiled when he realized she wasn’t wearing underwear. He stared into her eyes and said, “I’m going to make you feel good.” Pulling her toward him, he began to kiss the side of her neck, causing shivers up and down her spine. “You won’t have to do a thing, Cordelia.”

  “Aiden . . .”

  His mouth covered hers, and anything she wanted to say was lost in the moment. One kiss, and he made her burn for him. His mouth never left hers as he stoked the fire inside her. When at last they came together, he wouldn’t let her set the pace. He was gentle yet demanding at the same time. Her orgasm was explosive. She cried out and squeezed him tight inside her, triggering his release. He whispered her name when he came; she shouted his.

  He carried her to bed and slept next to her that night, but there weren’t any words of love or praise. She didn’t expect them, and what she found profoundly odd was that she didn’t need them.

  TWENTY-THREE

  There were fireworks going off in Walker’s suite, and not the fun kind. Cordie walked into the middle of a colossal argument. All three brothers were there. Aiden was silent, leaning against a credenza with his arms folded as he watched Spencer pace and yell at Walker. The youngest brother seemed oblivious to the uproar. She turned around and tried to leave before she was noticed, but Aiden grabbed her hand.

  “I’m telling you I gave my word, and a Madison doesn’t go back on his word,” Walker calmly stated. “Isn’t that right, Aiden?”

  “You did not have the authority to make any deals, Walker,” Spencer railed.

  “Cordie, come sit with me,” Walker said.

  Aiden let go of her hand. She didn’t want to sit with Walker; she wanted to leave. “No, I think I’ll—”

  “Go sit,” Spencer said. “I’ll stop yelling. I promise.”

  The promise lasted a full minute. “What in God’s name were you thinking? You’ve never shown the least amount of interest in what we do, and now you’re going to build a hotel? What the hell’s wrong with you?” Spencer demanded.

  Cordie noticed Walker’s hands were fisted. She put her hand on top of his and patted him.

  “What do you think, Cordie?” Walker asked.

  “I think you’re having quite a lively discussion.”

  “Lively discussion?” Aiden laughed. “Is that what you’d call this?”

  “I should let you three have some privacy.” She tried to get up, but Walker pulled her back.

  “Tell us your opinion,” he said. “Aiden and Spencer won’t bend, and neither will I,” he explained. “Maybe you can make them see what a great deal this is.”

  “No, really, I should leave . . .”

  Walker didn’t let go. She gave up and sat quietly next to him. If he needed an ally, she’d do what she could. She looked around at each of the brothers. “May I ask a few questions?”

  “Go ahead,” Spencer said.

  “Has a contract been signed?”

  “Not yet,” Walker answered. “Congressman Chambers said he’s busy with the campaign right now, but we’ve set a date a week after the primary to sign the contracts. We worked out the terms on the phone.”

  “He’ll say he didn’t call,” Spencer said. “Trust me, the bastard will go back on his word. He won’t sell that property for pennies on the dollar.”

  Aiden nodded. “The congressman is . . .” He caught himself before he said the word he was thinking and substituted, “corrupt and immoral. I don’t want to work with him. He can’t be trusted.”

  “You wouldn’t be working with him,” Walker pointed out. “As soon as he signs the contract, he’s out of the picture. He won’t have anything to do with the hotel and resort.”

  “Is the contract ready to sign?” Cordie asked.

  Walker nodded. “It’s basically Spencer’s original contract, but with the lower figure. Congressman Chambers told me he’s gone over every detail and agrees to the new terms. His cousin has also read the contract and is ready to sign.”

  Spencer dropped into a chair facing Walker. He braced his arms on his knees, leaned forward, and said, “How did this happen? How did you get involved in the first place?”

  “I told you. Chambers contacted me. He said he was willing to bargain, but you had shut the door to any future negotiations. I pulled up the original contract you and Aiden had taken to him that he refused to sign—”

  “After giving his word,” Spencer interjected.

  “Yes, after giving his word. He said after he thought about it, he realized selling Rock Point would be such an economic boon for the community, he couldn’t stand in the way. He asked me what it would take. I gave him a figure and he agreed. We’re getting Rock Point for half the original price. That’s a hell of a deal.”

  Aiden was trying to hold on to his temper. “He’s not going to sign the contract,” he said. “It’s all a con to beat Mayor Green in the primary. Fallsborough is a one-party town, and whoever wins the primary will win in November.”

  Spencer nodded. “Green was way ahead until Congressman Chambers held a press conference to boast that he sold Rock Point to us. I’m betting he’ll hold another press conference before the primary to remind voters he saved the day by bringing the Hamilton Hotel to town.”

  “He’ll sign it,” Walker insisted.

  “No, he won’t,” Aiden argued, impatient at his brother’s persistence. “He’s never going to sign it for that amount of money. He’s greedy and he’s manipulative. You can’t trust anything he says. The very fact that he’s scheduled to sign the contract after the primary should have been a warning
sign. He’ll wait until he’s won the election and then he’ll back out of the deal. He still thinks he can get more out of Rock Point. He’ll tell the press we changed our minds or he’ll come up with an even better story.”

  Walker wasn’t giving in. He was defiant when he said, “You think I let him manipulate me.”

  “Yes,” Spencer said, and the argument escalated until Spencer was shouting and Aiden was once again stone-faced. After ten minutes of useless back-and-forth, Cordie raised her hand. The brothers stopped talking.

  “We’re not in a classroom, Cordelia. Did you want to say something?” Aiden asked.

  “There are two different issues at play here. First is the congressman.” Turning to Walker, she said, “I think agreeing to buy Rock Point for half the original price was brilliant. Now all you have to do is wait for Aiden to force the congressman and his cousin to sign the contract.”

  “How can he do that?” Spencer wanted to know.

  “He’s going to surprise him.”

  “I am?” A hint of a smile softened Aiden’s expression.

  She slowly nodded. “You know what to do.” She didn’t think she needed to spell it out for him. Aiden’s mind was every bit as devious as hers.

  “I have to go,” she said, and stood to leave. “Sophie’s coming over soon, and that’s going to turn into a whole . . . thing.”

  Walker stopped her. “You said there were two issues.”

  “Yes, I did. The other issue is you, Walker. Spencer and Aiden are having difficulty dealing with the fact that you want to be part of the team. I suggest you three sit down and figure it all out.”

  Walker was nodding his agreement as she walked toward the door.

  “I’ll be right back,” Aiden said to his brothers as he rushed around Cordie to open the door for her. Once they were in the hall, he smiled at her. “You’re very shrewd, Dr. Kane.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Madison,” she replied, somewhat surprised by his praise. Aiden didn’t hand out compliments readily.

  There was a different security guard in front of the elevator. He wasn’t wearing a name tag, but Aiden knew him.