Soft Focus

  “The other night outside The Mirror, I got the distinct impression that you were trying to give me a warning,” Elizabeth said. “Was I right?”

  Vicky closed her eyes. “You can take it any way you like.”

  “Fine. I’m going to go with my intuition. You were trying to warn me off. Which means that you know who I am.”

  “You’re the head of the Aurora Fund.”

  “And you’re married to Dawson Holland,” Elizabeth said quietly.

  “What does my husband have to do with this?”

  “I think he’s here for the same reason that Jack and I are here. Maybe you’re also here for the same purpose. We’ve all come to Mirror Springs to attend an auction.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’m here for the film festival.”

  “You know,” Elizabeth said, “some men just aren’t good at marriage. I hear that Dawson Holland is one of those men.”

  Vicky opened her eyes at last. She fixed Elizabeth with an assessing, catlike gaze. “I know that he was married twice before he met me, if that’s what you mean. I know that he has affairs. I don’t have a problem with those facts. And they’re certainly none of your business.”

  “Did you know that both of his wives died in car accidents and that Dawson came into a lot of money on each occasion? Were you aware that the insurance company was suspicious of the second death? Did you know that Dawson took out a very large insurance policy on you a few months ago?”

  Vicky’s beautiful face was an enigmatic mask. “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Like I said, you gave me a warning. I thought I’d return the favor. I’ll admit that my warning isn’t nearly as clever and subtle as yours was, but then, I don’t have a script. I’m ad-libbing.”

  Vicky studied her for a long moment. Then she smiled coldly. “You’re sleeping with Jack Fairfax.”

  “Is that important?”

  “Not to me.” Vicky closed her eyes again. “But it does make me question your judgment as well as your motive for giving me your little warning about Dawson. I know what Fairfax did to you, you see. Dawson told me how he suckered you into giving him the financial backing he needed to salvage that little company he’s running back in Seattle.”

  “Dawson knows about what happened in Seattle?”

  Vicky smiled. She did not open her eyes. “Apparently it’s common knowledge in certain circles.”

  Elizabeth watched a bather go down the steps into one of the wide, chin-deep pools of hot, crystal-clear springwater. The faint odor of the mineral-rich waters filled the large, colonnaded chamber. Soft dripping and splashing sounds echoed gently against the white and blue tiled walls.

  “Is that why you gave me your warning the other night?” she asked eventually. “Do you feel sorry for me because you think I’ve let myself fall for a man who is taking cold-blooded advantage of me?”

  “Naïveté can be quite charming, Elizabeth. But it comes with a very high price tag.”

  * * *

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  * * *

  IT TOOK THREE TRIES BEFORE HE COULD MAKE the card key work in the slot. He finally got into the darkened hotel room. He went straight to the minibar. When he removed the miniature bottle of scotch he noted with disgust that his hands were still shaking.

  “Shit.”

  He could still feel the unpleasant prickles created by the slowly evaporating adrenaline. His insides were ice cold. He felt light-headed.

  It had been close. So damn close that he knew he would probably have nightmares for a while. In his head, he could still hear the sucking rush of air as the car swept past only inches away. If he hadn’t glanced back over his shoulder at that precise instant . . .

  If he hadn’t reacted with blind instinct; if he hadn’t relied on the reflexes the martial arts training had given him. . .

  He did not want to think about what had almost happened, but he could not get the images out of his mind. The windows of the steel-colored rental car had been tinted. He had not been able to see the driver’s face. But that did not matter. He knew who drove a steel-gray rental car here in Mirror Springs.

  He downed the scotch and went to the window. He stared into the thickly wooded river canyon while he waited for the liquor to melt the ice in his gut.

  His mother had been right. His half brother detested him. But until tonight, Hayden thought, he hadn’t realized that Jack hated him enough to try to kill him.

  “I CAN’T BELIEVE it.” Elizabeth stormed across the landing that separated her sleeping loft from Jack’s. “Are you totally nuts? You went to their house? Searched their bedroom?”

  “What can I say?” He opened the closet and took out a fresh shirt. “Seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  She stared at him, momentarily speechless with shock and outrage. Under any other circumstance she would have enjoyed watching him change clothes. She had never seen another man who looked so interesting without a shirt. But the shock of hearing that he had spent the afternoon committing an act of breaking and entering while she had been at the spa with Vicky overwhelmed everything else, including the sight of his bare chest.

  “You could have been arrested,” she blurted.

  “I doubt it.” He shrugged into the shirt and started to fasten the buttons. “Holland doesn’t want the police dragged into this any more than we do.”

  “You can’t be certain of that.” She realized she had begun to wave her hands in the air. Never a good sign. “Jack, you ran a terrible risk.”

  “Take it easy. No harm done.”

  “Is that so? Well, if it wasn’t such a risk, why didn’t you tell me what you planned to do before you did it?”

  He glanced at her as he rolled up the cuffs of his shirt. “Because I knew you’d have a fit.”

  “I’ve got a right to have a fit. Good grief, when I think of what might have happened. And it was all for nothing. Absolutely nothing.”

  “Not entirely.” He managed to look offended. “I told you, I found some red paint.”

  “Big deal,” she shot back. “We already suspected that the red-paint stalker routine was a publicity hoax. It’s not connected to the theft.”

  “Maybe. Maybe not.”

  She folded her arms and glared at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “I’m not sure,” he admitted. “But it occurs to me that if Dawson Holland is thinking about getting rid of wife number three, making her the victim of a stalker might be one way to handle the problem.”

  Elizabeth swallowed. “You’re right. It would certainly make a change from car accidents.”

  “Yes, it would.” Jack walked toward her. “What did Vicky say when you told her about Dawson’s history of bad luck with wives?”

  “She was cool about it.” Elizabeth turned away. “I got the impression that she thinks I’m not real bright when it comes to men.”

  Jack came up behind her. His hands closed over her shoulders. “She said that because you’re with me?”

  She cleared her throat. “Something along those lines, yes.”

  “What about you, Elizabeth?” His voice was very even, completely without inflection. “Do you still think I made a fool out of you six months ago? That I used you?”

  She gazed straight ahead, very conscious of the weight and heat of his hands. “This isn’t a good time for this kind of discussion.”

  “Did you love Garth Galloway?”

  “Garth?” Stunned by the unexpected question, she stepped quickly out from under his hands and whirled around. “What in the world does he have to do with any of this?”

  “Your brother-in-law said you loved Galloway but that you found out after the takeover that he had only asked you to marry him in order to please his mother. Merrick told me that Camille Galloway wanted the Aurora Fund in the family.”

  Elizabeth groaned. “Merrick talks too much.”

  “Is it true?”

  “Does it matter?”


  “Yes,” Jack said. “It matters.”

  She eyed him suspiciously. “Why?”

  “Because it makes me wonder just how badly you got hurt by what happened two years ago and how much you blame me for it.” His gaze was intent and steady. “It makes me wonder if you think Vicky’s right about you being not too bright because you’re sleeping with me. It makes me wonder if—”

  The muted rumble of his cell phone sounded, cutting off the rest of his words. An impatient expression flashed in his eyes. Then he reached for the phone lying on the end table.

  “Fairfax here,” he said brusquely, his gaze still on Elizabeth’s face.

  His expression turned to stone as he listened to whoever was speaking on the other end of the connection. He said nothing at all in response. A few seconds later, he ended the call and just stood there, looking at her.

  A rush of anxiety swept through Elizabeth. “What’s wrong?”

  “That was Hayden.” Jack drew a long breath. “He thinks I tried to kill him sometime late this afternoon. From what I can gather, someone almost succeeded in running him down with a car at about the time I was returning from the Holland place.”

  “THIS IS A waste of time,” Jack said as he followed Elizabeth off the elevator.

  “Quit whining.” She led the way down the hotel corridor to Hayden’s room. “You’ve already made your position clear. But I still say we’ve got nothing to lose.”

  She came to a halt in front of Hayden’s door and knocked. Behind her, Jack loomed, grim-featured.

  Hayden opened the door. He looked surly and resentful. But Elizabeth got the impression he had been in that mood before he realized who was standing in the hall.

  He gave Jack a disgusted look and then pointedly ignored him. He studied Elizabeth.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  Elizabeth caught the scent of alcohol on his breath. He’d been drinking, she realized, but he was not yet drunk.

  “I think it’s time the three of us talked,” she said.

  “I’m more than willing to talk to you,” Hayden drawled, “under the right circumstances. But I haven’t got a damn thing to say to Jack.”

  Elizabeth flattened a hand on the door and pushed firmly inward. “Unless you like being played for a sucker, I think you’ll want to cooperate with us.”

  Hayden fell back, scowling. “What’s this about being played for a sucker?”

  “Someone’s playing some unpleasant games,” Elizabeth said. “You aren’t the only victim.”

  She walked into the room. Jack followed without a word and closed the door.

  “Sit down,” Elizabeth said to both men. “Try to deal with this as adults. Hayden, we need some answers from you.”

  Hayden sprawled in the chair and looked mutinous. “I don’t see why I should tell you a damned thing about what I know or how I came to know it.”

  Jack said nothing. He just stood gazing stoically out the window.

  Elizabeth sighed. This was even harder than she had imagined. She could only give thanks that none of her family relationships had taken this terrible turn. She made a mental note to transfer a nice, fat sum from the Aurora Fund into Merrick’s account the moment she arrived back in Seattle. It was worth every penny to know that, whatever else happened, she had family she could depend on in a crunch.

  “Someone is handing out warnings,” she said to Hayden. “It sounds like you got one earlier today. We got one last night.”

  “What are you talking about?” Hayden muttered.

  “Two thugs waylaid us on the road and tried to beat up your brother.”

  “Half brother,” Hayden said automatically. “And I don’t believe a word of it. He looks fine to me.”

  “It’s the truth,” Elizabeth snapped. “You may not trust Jack, but I think you know that you can trust me.”

  “Yeah? How do I know that?”

  Elizabeth just looked at him. He had the grace to turn a dull red. She noticed a room-service tray in the corner. There was a large pot of coffee and some sandwiches on it. She found a clean cup on top of the minibar and crossed the small space to help herself to the coffee.

  “We think that someone who is here in Mirror Springs for the auction has decided to try to scare off some of the competition,” Jack said from the window.

  “Someone such as yourself, maybe?” Hayden’s jaw tightened. “I’m surprised you used a car, Jack. Next time try a gun. Hit-and-run with a car usually leaves some trace evidence.”

  “If you really think I tried to run you down,” Jack said, “go to the cops.”

  “With what?” Hayden growled. “I can’t prove a damn thing, and you know it. But I saw the car. Silver gray. Just like that rental you’re driving,”

  “There must be a couple of hundred silver-gray rentals in town this week.”

  “Stop it.” Elizabeth slammed down her cup. “I will not tolerate these stupid accusations. Jack had nothing to do with whatever almost happened to you this afternoon, Hayden.”

  “Is that so?” Hayden gave her a politely inquisitive look. “Were you with him all afternoon? Can you vouch for his whereabouts at approximately four o’clock?”

  Jack turned his head and gazed at her with laconic amusement. She knew exactly what he was thinking. She had been on her way home from the spa at four o’clock. He had not been with her. He had been driving back from Holland’s house.

  “Jack was not with me,” she admitted quietly. “But I know that he would never do what you’ve suggested.”

  “How can you be so damned sure of that, given what he did to you?” Hayden asked.

  “What are you? Crazy?” She looked at him, amazed at how deep his bitterness had gone. “Grow up. Jack might be a little ruthless when it comes to business, but—”

  “A little ruthless.” Hayden uttered a short, sharp laugh. “That’s a joke, and you know it. Look what he did to Galloway. Hell, look what he did to you six months ago. I can’t believe you’ve bought his line of bull. You always struck me as smart, Elizabeth. At the very least, I would have thought that you were intelligent enough to learn from your mistakes.”

  “And I think you’re too smart to let the anger and bitterness of the past blind you to the facts,” she retorted. “No, I didn’t like what Jack did at Galloway, but at least I now know why he did it. He was trying to get justice for your brother Larry. Given the same set of circumstances, I might have done something similar.”

  Jack gave her a quick, surprised look over his shoulder. But he said nothing.

  “I’m not sure what that says about you,” Hayden drawled. “I heard you were engaged to Garth Galloway and that the stress of the hostile takeover wrecked your relationship. Didn’t that mean anything to you?”

  “Garth wasn’t exactly a paragon of honor and manly virtue. He only wanted to marry me to help his mother get her hands on the Aurora Fund,” she said.

  Hayden snorted. “I’ll bet Jack told you that.”

  “No,” she said quietly. “Garth told me that himself. He was very, very clear on that point.”

  A short, awkward silence fell. Hayden’s mouth was a grim line.

  “Sorry,” he said after a while. “I know how it feels to have someone lie to you like that. And how it feels to fall for the lie hook, line, and sinker. I really thought that Gillian—Hell, never mind. It doesn’t matter now.”

  “You’re right,” Elizabeth said. “It doesn’t matter now. What matters is that you stop blaming Jack for everything that’s ever gone wrong in your life and start dealing with reality. We’ve got a problem here. It could be a lot more serious than any of us first thought.”

  Hayden eyed her morosely. “What’s more serious than almost getting killed in a hit-and-run accident?”

  Jack finally turned away from the window. “Actually getting killed in a hit-and-run accident.”

  Hayden blinked. “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you threatening me?”

  “No,” Jack said
quietly, “I’m not threatening you. I’m telling you that there’s an outside chance that this situation could turn dangerous. Elizabeth and I think that Dawson Holland is here for the auction. If that’s true, we’ve all got to watch our backs. Some people are convinced, for example, that he might have arranged the murder of his first two wives in order to collect on an inheritance and some insurance.”

  “Dawson Holland?” Hayden stared at him in disbelief. “The guy who’s involved in all this film stuff? Where the hell did you get the idea that he’s here because of Soft Focus?”

  “His wife gave me the idea,” Elizabeth said.

  Hayden frowned. “She actually mentioned the specimen and the auction?”

  “Well, no, but she sort of implied that it might be a good idea if I got the heck out of Dodge. And last night, after we were stopped on the road, one of the thugs admitted that he had been hired to, quote, ‘deliver a message.’ ”

  “This is bullshit.” Hayden levered himself up out of his chair. “Pure bullshit.”

  “In addition to the warnings,” Jack said coolly, “there is a possibility that the trashing of the Excalibur lab might be connected to the theft.”

  “Hard to see how,” Hayden said.

  “The Vanguard of Tomorrow crowd doesn’t want to claim responsibility. They’ve certainly been eager enough to take credit for their vandalism in the past. So we have to wonder if there could be another reason for the break-in. Given that it occurred within hours after Soft Focus disappeared, I think we can assume that it might have been done in an attempt to distract attention from the theft.”

  Hayden scowled. “You’re starting to sound like some kind of conspiracy nut.” But he appeared reluctantly thoughtful now.

  “And there is one other outstanding matter that has not been resolved to our satisfaction,” Elizabeth said very quietly. “A man is dead.”

  That got Hayden’s attention. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “A lab tech named Ryan Kendle was murdered the night the lab was trashed,” Jack said. “The cops think that he was killed in a drug deal. But it turns out he was working at Excalibur under an assumed identity.”