That night she was wearing red. She looked just as fabulous then as she did now.

  Sasha approached a door that was closed. She knocked three times, paused, knocked twice, paused, then knocked once.

  The door cracked. “Password.”

  “The end.”

  The door opened and Sasha pulled Greg inside. A light switched on highlighting someone sitting in a chair. “Who did you bring here?”

  Greg felt a chill race up his spine. He was standing before an ex-agent. A man who had done scary things to people. A surgeon, a man who had helped people to live and die. And even more scary, Ericka’s father. A man he had trouble respecting because he’d left Ericka more than once.

  But also, a man that Ericka loved.

  “Agent Greg Kane.” Sasha acted as if she was worried about Robert’s reply, but it was too late now.

  “Ah so, this is Agent Greg Kane.”

  Robert Stone twisted his lips to the side. He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands under his chin before him right as he moved more into the light. “You don’t say.”

  “He has some questions for you.”

  “I see.”

  “I wouldn’t let Ericka come.”

  Robert stiffened.

  “If you were seen together, she would be in danger.”

  “Yes.” Robert sat back in his chair, a frown settled across his face and wrinkled his brow.

  Greg waited until he felt like they were ready for him to speak.

  “Well, son, go ahead. I only have so many years left.”

  Greg cleared his throat. “Um, yes, well, we think that Roxanne is taking people for Maria Petrov. We need to know where she might hide these people.”

  “What?” Robert’s voice was breathless, and he rose to his feet and immediately began to pace. “How is that possible? When I left Maria, she was on our side. She didn’t like what Josef was doing. She left him, her child, her country because of principles. Now you’re telling me she is doing it as well?” He rounded on Greg and Greg took a step back.

  “Robert, give the man some breathing room to explain.”

  “And who is that playing the trumpet out there? I’ve never heard that player, at least not since I’ve been here.”

  Greg flashed a concerned look at Sasha. She squirmed in her flashy dress.

  Then a voice began to sing.

  “Is that… it can’t be.” Robert took a step toward the door.

  Sasha reached out and grabbed him.

  “She sounds like Morgan. She has that soulful voice just like Morgan.” Robert closed his eyes and swayed to the music.

  The words of Nina Simone’s ‘I Put a Spell on You’ drifted into the room.

  Greg could agree with that statement. Ericka had put a spell on him. So much so that he couldn’t do the job he’d come to do. He was mesmerized by her voice as well. But time was running out for Bud.

  “Sir, I hate to interrupt, you have no idea how much, but there is a six-year-old boy that is in danger. We need to know as much about Roxanne as you can tell us.”

  Robert retook his seat and leaned back in the chair. “Roxanne is ruthless. She fooled me for years. I mean like twenty years. I thought she was the love of my life and that she had had children. All the while she was with Sloan on the side. And she never had children. Anyway, find an out of the way place. Perhaps a warehouse that once used to house manufacturing. Some place with a lot of rooms that could be easily converted into cells. And if Maria took over the Petrov operation, then you need to be looking for other missing persons. I haven’t seen anything on the news, which means, the people who were taken could cause a panic if the world knew.”

  Greg knew what Robert said was something they needed to look into and as quickly as possible. Sasha was already trying to pull him out of the room. He opened his mouth but closed it.

  “Spit it out, son.”

  Greg held his hat in his hands before him. “Um, I would like to ask your permission to um, date your daughter.”

  Robert blinked rapidly then he looked at Sasha. “Did he just ask me that?”

  “I think he did.” She smiled.

  “Well, then. I don’t know that much about you. Maybe I should look into you first.”

  Greg shuddered to think what that might bring up.

  “How long have you known my daughter?”

  “A long time.”

  “And have you been there for her?”

  He would have said more than you, but that didn’t make him a friend but an enemy.

  “I can see the answer is yes. Then I say, if that is what Ericka wants then I think she could do worse.”

  “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” He paused. “Remember what I said about Roxanne. She’s ruthless. And she will do anything to be in power. Sloan believes he is running the show, but I assure you if Maria and Roxanne are there then they are in charge.”

  Greg thought for a moment then blurted, “What do you know about Amy Guild?”

  “Amy Guild? I haven’t heard that name in forever. That would be Roxanne’s half-sister. They shared a mother. She became an agent. Honestly, I think she is still working with Roxanne. She would call and they would have very heated discussions on the phone then Amy would show up on the news like a hero. She bears watching.”

  Greg had been afraid of that. “Thanks.”

  “Of course. Once all this blows over I am coming to see my daughter. Do you understand?”

  Greg nodded. It was a veiled threat that Robert would always be lurking around.

  “Let’s go, boyfriend. We need to get in the audience before someone notices we haven’t enjoyed any of the show.”

  Greg cast one last glance at Robert before exiting the room on Sasha’s arm. They entered the main room. Quinn and Maggie were still at their table. They swayed to the music. Everyone else leaned forward as if they couldn’t get enough.

  Ericka moved to the microphone at the end of the stage. The music started again. Her sultry voice began, and she continued singing ‘I Put a Spell on You’. She scatted, she sang, she made up words. She had the crowd swaying in rhythm as she leaned forward while clasping the microphone pole. The saxophone player leaned into her, and she leaned into him. Back and forth they went throughout the song.

  When the lyrics ended the crowd erupted into rowdy applause.

  Greg started to walk forward and clasp her hand to bring her off the stage, but Sasha held him back.

  “You don’t know her, remember?”

  Greg wished that was true. The fact was that he loved her more and more every day.

  “She’s amazing. Where did she come from? We need to tell the owner to bring her back.” Random people in the crowd continued to sing her praises.

  Greg couldn’t stop the pride from rising in his breast. He might have stayed there all night and watched her, but Bud was out there, and he needed them. Now they had a place to work from and they had a lot of work to do.

  He guided Sasha out of the club. The others followed once he was secured in his car. When they got home, they would be busy. While he wished he could reminisce about the afternoon, he knew he didn’t have the time. Once the work was over though, he would have all the time he needed or wanted. He was ready.

  ****

  Ericka had seen and felt Greg’s eyes on her while she was on stage. Others wouldn’t have noticed the flush of her cheeks under the stage lights.

  She’d not intended to sing, but the singer had a call and she’d stepped up to the microphone and opened her mouth. Then they requested another song. She would have loved nothing more than to have sat in a similar club years ago and listened to the greats play.

  “You were amazing!” Quinn kept raving about her.

  Maggie belted out a few lines and patted Ericka’s shoulder. “That was so good! When all this is over, I want us to go to a jazz club with Tristan. Maybe he can play the piano while you sing. He might get a job that he actually wants.”

  Ericka nodded but her gaze was focused on the lights of Greg’s car. She hoped that her distraction had paid off and that he’d gotten information from her father. It was just one more time that she was close to her father, but not able to speak to him.

  Would she ever get to talk to him?

  Sometimes she wondered if he was real, or they were just pulling her leg and he was a dream. A fantasy they all helped concoct so that she wouldn’t feel so different or alone.

  The cars stopped in front of Greg’s house. Ericka stepped out and strolled straight to her house without a word.

  “How did it go?” The officer was still there.

  “Well.”

  “I heard.”

  “You heard?”

  “You’re an internet sensation.” He held up his phone and showed her a picture of herself on the stage.

  “How did you know it was me?”

  “The entire department is sharing it.”

  This wasn’t good. She had blown her father’s cover by being too good.

  She looked back at the car. Should they go warn him? Should she warn Sasha? Should she go inside Greg’s house and start looking for Bud?

  “I need you to drive me back to the club.”

  “But I was told to sit here.”

  “And I’m telling you to take me back to the club. Now.”

  He pushed his hat down and fumbled to his feet. “Yes, ma’am.”

  Ericka didn’t stop to tell the others what she was doing. She got into the cop car and rode away. She tapped her bare foot against the floorboard. The traffic was picking up. The nightlife was starting to come out.

  She thought about suggesting the officer use lights, but she didn’t need to stir up more trouble by being recognized. Pretending to get arrested probably wouldn’t help her case.

  Outside the club Ericka started to get out of the car but paused. On the side of the building was Sasha. She’d not changed yet either. She held open a door and looked around the lot. An older man slipped into the back seat of the car. Sasha moved to the driver’s seat and pulled out of the lot.

  “Are you going in, ma’am?”

  “No, take me back home.”

  The officer didn’t complain or ask questions but turned around and drove her home. She hoped that no one spotted them. That would have made the entire situation worse.

  When she returned to Greg’s house, she would have a lot of explaining to do. But at least now she knew that her father was safe. He’d escaped the club. That’s all she needed to know. Now to find Bud.

  ****

  Sloan narrowed his gaze at the tiny screen. His phone had given him an alert. Detective Ericka Stone was at a jazz club singing on stage. When he’d set up the alerts, he never expected to see that. But he should have. He’d known about her stint as Rosetta. She was an amazing singer. She’d missed her calling by being a cop.

  “Where is that music coming from?” Roxanne had the question on her lips as she entered the room.

  “Detective Stone singing again.”

  Roxanne threw up her hands. “Of course. She is such a showoff.”

  “Kind of odd for her to be out and about when the child was taken, don’t you think?” Sloan knew that Ericka Stone didn’t do anything without a purpose. There must have been something at the club that would help her find the boy. That was the only explanation.

  “You’re grasping. That woman doesn’t care about anything but her past. So, what if the boy was there and now he’s not. She doesn't care about him.” Roxanne lay on the couch sending up a plume of dust. She coughed and waved her hand sending the particles through the air.

  Sloan didn’t agree with Roxanne’s assessment. But he didn’t know what would have led the detective to a jazz club. The club hadn’t been in the news. None of his sources had reported it as a place under surveillance. Maybe he needed to go there himself. He could use a stiff drink.

  He grabbed his jacket and flung it over his shoulder holding it there by one finger.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Out. Don’t wait up.”

  Roxanne grunted as he exited the room. He left his phone running as he walked through the cells. Everyone needed a little music in their life.

  ****

  The television in the main room was turned on. Tito could hear the music. He thought he recognized the voice, but he couldn’t be sure. The tone of the music was different from anything that he’d heard.

  “Can you believe that is the cop chick? That woman is everywhere.”

  “That’s why we are out here hiding, I think.”

  Tito sucked in a swift breath.

  He’d been right, it was Ericka. She was singing jazz, but how was she on television?

  “How long do you think we have to be out here with these two? I hate being away from the others.”

  “You just hate being away from Roxanne.”

  “Shh! If Sloan found out...”

  “How would Sloan find out? You think he has the place bugged?”

  “I don’t know. He could. Or you could be reporting to him.”

  “Me? Why would I do that? I like Roxanne too.”

  “You what?”

  “I think everyone likes Roxanne. Sure, she is old, but she is hot. What is that a cougar? She likes younger men. And I’m younger than you.”

  “Are you sure? Doesn’t matter though because I can still kick your butt.”

  Noises of things crashing in the next room had Tito moving closer to the door. After a few hours in the jail cell another guard had arrived, and they’d been moved to a newer cabin at the end of the strip closer to a row of trees that had air conditioning.

  Tito peered through the crack in the wood door. The hinges didn’t completely touch the wall and it left a wide hole to look through. The two guards rolled around the floor in a good old-fashioned tussle.

  A smile teased his lips. He might have been responsible for planting the seed that maybe one of them was after Roxanne, but he’d never thought it would go so well.

  “Are they fighting, Mr. Tito?”

  “They are.”

  “Was that what we were waiting for?”

  “Partly, yes.” Now he just hoped they knocked each other out, or they stomped off or they did something that had them leaving the cabin.

  Tito had already freed himself of the bonds. Now he just needed to have a free moment for him and Bud to escape the house.

  A knock on the door startled Tito and he jumped back and went to his chair, wrapping his arms around the back of it to pretend that he was still bound.

  “Who is that?” Bud tried to close the distance between the bed and the door.

  “Bud, please sit down and pretend to be bound.”

  Bud didn’t listen. The door opened. Sloan stood there.

  Bud looked at him with wide eyes.

  “Well, well, well. I see that you are no longer tied up.” Sloan slapped him and sent him sailing toward the bed.

  Tito rose from the chair flipping it backwards. He rushed into Sloan with his head. He wrapped his arms around his middle and sent him sailing into the next room.

  Sloan grunted. Tito was over him, using his fists to pummel him. Over and over, he struck his face.

  The two others in the room didn’t budge for several seconds then they pulled him off of Sloan. Sloan rose to his feet, straightened his shirt. Blood oozed from his lip and a cut above his eye. One of the guards handed him a rag and he wiped himself off.

  A wicked smile moved his lips upward. “I knew that keeping you would be a mistake.”

  He backhanded Tito.

  Tito’s head twisted back, and he tasted blood which he spit out on Sloan’s shoes. One guard was behind him holding his arms back or Sloan wouldn’t have had a chance.

  “You’ll pay for that. I was going to offer to take you to a jazz club with me because I needed information, but now I will be getting that information without you. I have something else planned for you though so don’t be too disappointed.”

  He patted Tito on the cheek before pulling his arm back and hitting Tito in the face with his fist. Tito felt some of his teeth loosen.

  Sloan cradled his fist. “I haven’t had to do that in a while. It actually feels pretty good.”

  He looked at the two who were supposed to be watching them. “You two, clean this place up and bring these two back to the warehouse. I’ll be there to deal with them later.”

  Tito let them pull him to his feet. He was just glad that he and Bud would be together. Once they got in the car with the two idiots then maybe he could try to escape again.

  At least that was what he hoped.

  Chapter Twenty

  Ericka hoped that Greg wasn’t too upset when she returned. She’d had to make sure that her father was safe before she settled down. It seemed she was constantly making stupid mistakes. But seeing who she thought was her father climb into the car with Sasha had soothed some of her fears.

  The officer stopped before Greg’s house and behind the luxury vehicle which still hadn’t moved. She climbed out. The tight pants didn’t make it easy to stand. When at last she was upright, the feeling of someone staring at her had her turning.

  Greg stood on the front porch with his arms crossed over his broad chest. He tapped his foot, and one eyebrow was raised.

  It reminded her of a sitcom where the father was furious at the teen’s late arrival.

  His arms fell. She saw more than heard a sigh as his shoulders slumped. “You need to come inside.”

  The stairs creaked even under her slight weight as she followed Greg onto the porch and inside the house. He’d disappeared within before she reached the entrance. If her heart would stop hammering in her ears every time she was in his presence, then she might be able to worry about other things.

  Like Bud.

  She should really be thinking about him more.

  If it didn’t make her so worried that she almost couldn’t do her job, then she would be thinking about him more.

  Truthfully, Director Manis should have taken them off this case. They were too close. Too emotionally involved. Instead, he’d given them rein to run with it. She wasn’t sure if that was because he only trusted them or because he knew they would do it anyway.