“Zoe, you okay in there?”

“Yes. Come in. I’m just finishing up.”

Ben walked in. “You’re determined to tame your hair. Leave it alone. It’s pretty down.”

“It’s a squirrel’s tail. I need another band,” she said, unable to find the one she’d had before.

Seeing it on the floor, she picked it up and snapped it around the ends, when Ben caught her around the waist.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” she whispered.

“Collecting on a piece of my debt.” He leaned against the sink and brought her against him.

“That’s unfair, Ben.” She lost her grip on her hair and the band spiraled off, falling onto the floor again. “You made the rule of no fooling around while we’re working together.”

“I love that you have such a good memory. But if you remember correctly, our business concluded with the arrest. We declared the case closed.”

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CARMEN GREEN

National bestselling author Carmen Green was born in Buffalo, New York, and had plans to study law before becoming a published author. While raising her three children, she wrote her first book on legal pads and transcribed it onto a computer on weekends. She sold her first novel in 1993. Since that time she has written and published more than thirty novels and novellas, and is proud that one of her books, Commitments, was made into a TV movie in 2001. In Commitments, Carmen even had a cameo role.

In addition to writing full-time, Carmen is now a mom of four, and has just completed her master’s degree in creative writing. She’s a founding member of the Femme Fantastik Tour, a group that tours military bases promoting their literary works throughout the United States and Europe. In her spare time, Carmen likes live music, gardening, vacations in quiet, tropical places and long cruises that don’t require her to do anything but read, sleep and eat. Her next novel for Kimani Romance, Sensual Winds, will be available in July 2009. You can contact Carmen at www.carmengreen.blogspot.com or carmengreen1201@yahoo.com.

The Perfect Solitaire
Carmen Green

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Danielle Alexandria Green

You’re such a blessing to my life.

I’ll always love you.

To the Sparrow. You are always with me.

Dear Reader,

I’d like to introduce you to the Hoods. They’re a wonderful family of handsome, intelligent and sexy men who are on the right side of wrong, and who practice their own brand of street justice against those who’ve slipped through the loopholes of the legal system. My Hood family give their own special twist to the infamous fairy tale Robin Hood. I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as I enjoyed creating them. The first book is Ben’s story, but later you’ll meet his twin, Rob, and then Zachary. I assure you that the women in their lives love these men, and I hope you will, too. Please be sure to drop me a note at carmengreen1201@yahoo.com. You can also keep up to date on the happenings in my world by visiting my blog at www.carmengreen.blogspot.com.

Many blessings,

Carmen

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 1

Zoe lay on her back in the center of his bed, as Ben Hood teased her womanhood with the sixteen-inch strand of multi-colored Tahitian pearls she’d borrowed from her jewelry store for the White Linen Party. He smelled of man and cologne, and coupled with the yearning in his eyes, she couldn’t resist him any longer. Her nipples were like radar beams pointing right at his chest. And it seemed, under their own volition, that the hardened tips lifted her thirty-year-old body, and her arms circled his neck.

The room was bathed in candlelight, yet she could still see his triumphant smile. “I thought you could resist me?” he teased, his knees dropping to her sides, his arms circling her back as he pulled the black bra off. His left hand palmed her breast before his luscious lips covered the caramel-colored tip.

“You’re too hard to resist.” A low guttural moan tore from her throat as he ravaged one breast then the other. She shook with wanting. “Oh, goodness,” she moaned, and he laughed deep in his chest, his hand straying down between her legs. There was this direct connection between her breasts and her essence, and she’d never met a man who knew how to make them work together like him.

“Who knew I would meet someone as fine as you at a conference?” Zoe laughed. Ben chuckled.

His hands moved over her body as if he’d known her for years, yet this was their first time. Still, the shyness she usually felt was gone. Stripped bare, he rolled onto his back pulling her on top of him, his lips never leaving her breasts. She loved the way he appreciated them, as if there was some type of life substance coming from them. She felt the tugging inside, the warmth of sexual desire filling her, making her want him to have her in any way he wanted.

Ben released her breast and looked into her eyes. She descended for a kiss, his mouth claiming hers. The word carnal came to mind. Dizzying and potent, his tongue sought hers and she met him with a passion she hadn’t felt in a long time. This was what she’d been wanting for so long, and had been missing in relationships in her twenties. At thirty-five, Ben was a man. A real man. There was no escaping that fact, and the way he wanted her, the way his hands held her against his sex and his mouth claimed hers, well, she was nearly ready to come right then. She grabbed his chin, his day-long growth of beard tantalizing her palm.

“Yeah, baby? What you want?” He caught his bottom lip between his teeth and gave her a look so sexy, her heart skipped a beat. Having him ask as his hands played the guessing game between her legs with her pearls was sexy as hell. She sucked in her breath and nodded when he guessed just right. His thumb glided over the heart of her sexuality and she pushed against him.

“You’re gorgeous. You know that?” he asked. His gaze roamed her as he caressed her most intimate parts.

She smiled down at him. “You’re biased.” She stuck out her tongue and he was up in a flash and had captured it between his lips. They were again chest to chest, sex to sex, and she had to have him.

Zoe wrapped her legs around his back and pushed, and he shook his head and murmured, “No.” “Why?” she whispered, nipping his ear, backing up a little. She reached down and took him in her hands.

He muttered an expletive as he watched her and she wrinkled her nose at him, laughing. “Aren’t you about to do that?” she teased.

“Woman, don’t play. That’s a dangerous weapon. Handle with care.” Even as he taunted and teased her, his hands never left her body. His strokes were purposeful and strong. She felt wanted. Needed, even.

Carefully, she wound the pearls around his sex and rolled them gently up and down. His eyes widened. “You were telling me why I couldn’t have this,” she said, and kissed his manhood. His thigh muscles flexed. The stimulation from the pearls and her mouth seemed to drive him close to the edge, and his chest rose and fell in quick pants.

“You keep that up and I won’t be able to please you,” he said.

“Yes, you will.” With each stroke and suck, he drove his hands through her hair until he couldn’t take any more. He pulled her up and took the pearls from her hands. “You’re dangerous with these, you know that?” She smiled, biting his chin. “You’re a bad girl, Zoe.”

“I want you,” she told him as she touched his hardened sex again, her legs tingling. Zoe was surprised at her confession. She’d never spoken those words to another man in her life. She wondered how she’d feel in the morning, but she didn’t care right now. She wanted him and she meant to have him.

Opening for him, she lifted her legs and he kissed her as he pushed inside. They both smiled. She, in surprise. He, in knowing. “Big,” she whispered.

“You can handle me, baby,” he said, and began to move in her.

Each stroke made up for all she’d missed.

“You’re gorgeous,” he whispered, again and again. Her desire soared the more they moved as one. His thrusts were powerful, his six pack of tight muscles a visual delight. But it was his eyes glazed in pleasure that drove her closer to the finish line. Watching their bodies meet in carnal bliss, the way his hands took possession of her thighs and bring about her climax made her arch, her fingers running up his arms. She wanted to hold him to her, but she didn’t want to say that. The end was approaching fast and Ben seemed to know.

“Come here,” he said and lifted her, their bodies still joined. He seemed to innately know that this was the only time she’d completely let go. He moved inside of her to a place no man had been before, and she cried out her climax, her body clutching his, words falling from her lips she couldn’t explain or remember. A second later he pulsed inside of her, their mouths attached, their mating finally at a blissful end.

Their breath wasn’t fully recovered when his phone began to ring. Neither of them moved; her head on his shoulder, his muscular arms cradling her. It rang again and stopped, then started again. “That’s the signal. I have to get it.”

“What signal?” Zoe asked as he lay her down on the bed, leaned over and grabbed his pants.

“The phone rang three separate times in succession. That means pick up. It’s probably Rob.”

“Who’s Rob?” Zoe rolled onto her side, wanting Ben’s attention back on her.

“My twin brother.” Ben smiled and dragged a curl of her hair down to her breast. It popped back into place. Zoe nuzzled Ben’s chin, half listening as he talked. She recalled now that he’d mentioned that he was a twin and Rob was older by four minutes.

“Rob? What’s going on? Yeah. Where’s Zach? I’m off tonight and I’ve got company.” The sensual glow cleared from his eyes, and the finger he’d been using to run down the center of her chest was now turning on the lamplight.

“We can pick up Pickens tomorrow,” Ben said.

“The warrant is still good. No, if you need me, I guess I can come. What else? I have company, Rob.”

Warrant? Hadn’t he said he was an investigator? Not a bounty hunter. Those were two distinctly different things.

Zoe gathered her G-string and snapped it into place, frantically searching for her bra. Skipping it, she put on the white-linen dress she’d worn to the party. It was very wrinkled, but linen was that kind of material. She stepped into it, hating she couldn’t find her bra. Her nipples were chafing against the material. How could she have been so wrong? Wild passion was a terrible thing and had clouded her good sense.

She quickly snapped up all of her belongings and went around to the side of the bed so Ben could see her. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she said, and he half stood, but she waved him down. “I can find my way out.”

“You don’t have to leave.” He looked confused, and regret passed over his face.

“No. I’m gone,” she told him.

Her shoes tapped against the marble floors decisively. Though not a cop, all she could remember from childhood was her mother and the nervous way she’d approached the door every time the doorbell rang when Zoe’s dad had been at work. She’d been waiting for bad news and now she’d finally gotten it. Two months ago, her father had been left for dead in a hit-and-run accident in the line of duty, and because of budget constraints by the city, medical benefits he needed were being cut. Her mother was barely supporting them on her teacher’s salary. No way. Investigator. Cop. It didn’t matter. She would not be her mother.

Just reading Zoe McKnight’s name in the e-mail made Ben Hood’s thigh muscles stretch and his biceps flex in remembrance of how good their lovemaking had been.

Three months had passed since she’d been right here in his house, and he should have forgotten her by now, but he hadn’t. Nat King Cole was right. She was unforgettable.

Zoe was far more beautiful than the movie stars or the women music videos touted as icons of beauty. She was an authentic woman with a soft stomach he’d enjoyed holding in his hands, shapely breasts that filled his palms, and thighs that gripped his in earnest. And that unruly mass of hair that she tried to tame with a headband or clips, and that he could never forget pulling free and letting go wild.

Her smile still lit up his mind. “I’ve got to go. I’ll call you tomorrow.” Those were her last words to him over three months ago. He’d been a one-night piece of ass, and that didn’t sit well with him. How many times in his younger, stupider days had he promised to call a woman and hadn’t?

Karma was a mean old bitch.

He tapped the keyboard and paged through the e-mail file, reading why she wanted to hire Hood Investigations, Inc.

Her jewelry stores, Zoe’s Diamonds on Peachtree and Zoe’s Diamonds at the Galleria, kept getting robbed. The amounts taken weren’t large and his initial thought was that it was an inside job, but instinct told him Zoe wouldn’t have pursued their company if she hadn’t already considered that possibility.

Atlanta stores and gas stations had been plagued with smash-and-grab type robberies with thieves stealing ATM machines. But these robberies were different. These were smooth break-ins and they were affecting Zoe’s economic future.

The stores had been fit with sensors and cameras by a reputable security company, but they’d been disabled every single time. So far, only merchandise had been taken, but Zoe was worried that the thieves were becoming more brazen and striking more often, and soon, somebody might get hurt. Her biggest concern was that she was planning a multi-million-dollar expansion project and not only did she need A-1 credit, but a low-incidence crime rating.

It’s an inside job, Zoe, baby. Saying her name made him want her again in the same way he craved sweets the year he’d given them up.

Shaking images of her from his mind, Ben reviewed the remainder of the e-mail files he needed to send back to Rob, the president of Hood I.N.V., and responded about two other cases that weren’t closed yet. His sister, who owned her own cleaning company, knocked on his office door.

“Come in, Mel.”

“Ben, I’m about to head down to Rob’s house, but I found something interesting behind your nightstand.”

He swung around in his chair. “What are you doing behind my nightstand? Didn’t you just have surgery on your rotator cuff six weeks ago?”

Mel, the baby of the family of five, was a hard worker, supporting her hearing-impaired daughter and her six-year-old all on her own. “I wasn’t lifting anything.” Her compact size fooled many people, but not her brothers and sister who knew of her black belts in Aikido and Hapkido. “I found these fancy pearls when I was dusting, and I couldn’t help but think you might want to give them back, or I can take them home and consider them an early bonus.”

Ben was out of his chair in a slow movement. The fun he’d had with Zoe and these pearls brought back fond memories. “You may clean behind my nightstand anytime. Thanks, sis. Your bonus is in the mail.”

She laughed as he popped a kiss onto her forehead. “Tahitian pearls. Nice.”

Ben relieved Mel of the fancy baubles. “How do you know they’re Tahitian?”

“I have a deep appreciation for fine jewelry.” She touched his chin. “That look says that you should return them. She must be pretty special.”

“Very much so.” Ben walked his sister to her car. The sun warmed his skin and he had the feeling the day was only going to get better.

“Approach her as if she’s a case. Carefully and with a lot of passion. You’ll get her.”

Ben saw his sister off and studied the pearls before deciding what he wanted. He’d return the pearls. The same way he’d gotten them. He’d seduce Zoe, just like he had three months ago. And he’d start by finding out who was trying to ruin her business.

Chapter 2

“Why not hire a twenty-four-hour guard service, Zoe? I don’t think you need to get some expensive investigation company to charge a whole lot of money to come in and solve a petty theft problem.”

At the store, Zoe locked the safe that held loose diamonds, and other precious stones. She turned around and looked at her older sister, Faye, who’d been hovering for the better part of an hour. “I don’t want guards sitting in my stores. None of the other stores have them, and I’m afraid they’ll turn off customers.”

She straightened the clingy fuchsia dress over her curves—fuchsia being the signature color of Zoe’s Diamonds on Peachtree—and checked her makeup one last time.

The past two months had been tough with her stores having been robbed three times. She couldn’t believe she’d been targeted after all the security measures she’d taken.

When Zoe turned around, Faye held a long strand of silver pearls in one hand and a gold rope necklace in the other. Zoe chose the pearls. Similar to the ones she’d worn the evening she’d spent at Ben’s, but not nearly as expensive. That night had cost her emotionally and financially. From the moment she’d met Ben, she’d been attracted to him. She liked his talk of his big family and the crazy antics of his two brothers from when they were boys. He’d even confided, after some probing, that he’d wanted children.

Zoe had been impressed. She only had one sister, but she and Faye didn’t see eye-to-eye on much, and having another sibling might have helped them bond better as children. But his being an investigator was a turn off, despite his good looks, his ability to hold a stimulating conversation and his limitless talent in bed.

But her biggest regret of the evening was that she’d lost the ten-thousand-dollar strand of Tahitian pearls. She’d never found them, and as much as she’d thought of calling Ben to ask if she’d dropped them, she’d never completely found the nerve.

Zoe took the strand of freshwater pearls her sister offered, and wrapped her neck with them twice, making a choker. She completed the look with an amethyst cuff bracelet and a thin amethyst anklet that accented her high heels. She was ready.

“What now?” Zoe asked Faye while she pulled back her hair, wishing she’d straightened the wild curls.

“You don’t need Hood. They’re too expensive.”

“They get results and that’s all I care about. I’m ready to move on to the next phase of my life. When I stopped paying Charles spousal support two years ago, I said I wasn’t ever going to get married again. I saved all that money and it’s getting invested in my dream, Faye. Zoe’s Diamonds on Peachtree is my dream. Nobody has the right to steal that from me.”

“I know, but giving the money to Hood is the same thing as giving it to Charles.”

“How do you figure that? If you’re still arguing Charles’ side of the divorce four years after the ink dried, you may as well leave now.”

So many unsaid words hung between them. There had always been jealousy between her and Faye for years. Faye had grown up falsely believing that Zoe had somehow gotten more out of life than she had. Though Faye was five years older and had taken the lion’s share of college-fund money their parents had saved, Faye still made snide comments about Zoe getting to go to the school of her choice. She didn’t bother to mention that Zoe had gone on scholarships with little assistance from their parents.

“Zoe, I don’t know why you still think I’m on Charles’ side.”

“I know what I saw which was you and Flint move into my house with my ex after he and I broke up. I saw you and Flint and Charles’ new woman become virtually best friends when I could have used a sister to comfort me. You brought her to the same salon I got my hair done at, our church here in Atlanta, even my favorite dinner spots when you were visiting Mom and Dad. If you weren’t trying to rub it in my face that you were Charles’ lady’s best friend, I don’t know what else to call it.”

Faye looked humiliated and embarrassed. “Okay, Zoe. At the time, I wasn’t a VP at the bank, I was just a manager. Flint had gotten laid off so things were getting tight. You’d always had the best and I wanted to see how the other half lived. I got carried away,” Fay offered with a shrug. “I shouldn’t have forgotten that blood is thicker than water.”

Anger pulsed through Zoe’s veins. She was surprised that her feelings were still so strong. “Why’d you come down here, Faye? This is the last day of your vacation, and you’re here in the store with me. I’ve got an appointment. Why don’t you go spend your last day in Atlanta with Mom and Dad?”

“Because I just want it to be us girls. I do have a lot to atone for.” Faye looked like she wanted to cry, and Zoe didn’t want to deal with her emotions today. “I just thought we could recapture some of the days of our youth. We weren’t always fighting.” She laughed and it sounded like a sob. “I see how wrong I was now that Flint and I are getting divorced. I empathize with you.”

Zoe had felt betrayed by her sister and she wasn’t sure there was a way to recapture the days they had gotten along when they were young. “The thing about that kind of hurt, Faye, is that it doesn’t come with an expiration date. Family is supposed to stick together, and I couldn’t tell you then and I can’t tell you now who to be friends with. So, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got work to do.”

“So you’re dismissing me?” Faye no longer sounded sincere, but hard, and Zoe wasn’t intimidated by her older sister anymore.

“It took you years to say those words to me. I need more than three minutes to process them. What brought about this change of heart, Faye?”

“It’s just time to bury the hatchet. I mean—” she chuckled hard. “I really do need a break from all the stress of my divorce. Maybe when this is over, you can treat me to a sister weekend away to Savannah or something.”

The real Faye had finally shown up. Her weak attempt at an apology was really the well-crafted pitch for a free vacation. Faye’s sour face and her woe-is-me attitude only served as a reminder of her constant defection to the Nathanson side of the road, and Zoe was short on sorrow.

“I’ve got work to do. I’m sure Daddy needs you to do something for him at the house. Why don’t you go over there and help him with his exercises?”

Faye scoffed. “He needs a physical therapist, not a daughter.”

“That would be me the evenings I don’t work, and Mom when she’s not teaching. But since you’re here you can pitch in.”

Zoe left the stockroom, heading to the front of the store spraying each display case with special cleaner so that they gleamed after she wiped them. She intentionally left a cloth to see if her sister would get to work. Faye neglectfully dragged her finger along the glass and pouted as she followed Zoe.

“It’s just one more day,” Faye said in her own defense. “Besides, I’d rather be with you. I’m more accustomed to dressing up for work at the bank than dressing down to help Dad stretch, and I can meet handsome single men, right?”

“Yes, they come in here to shop for their fiancés. Would you stop with the finger? I just cleaned the glass. Get that cloth and wipe off all those cases, Faye. You’re making double work for me. I’ll be back.”

Zoe paced the small stockroom, stretching her tense neck muscles. She touched every drawer, making sure all were closed that held plastic and velvet bags of earrings, bracelets and necklaces.

If she stopped moving, she might tell Faye she’d all but written her off. Zoe stopped herself from saying the words and tried to center herself. She had a job to do and that didn’t involve Faye.

“All done.” Faye popped in back without the cloth.

“I’m going with Hood. If you want to help me, stay here with Ireland while she opens the store. Be an extra pair of eyes and ears. Make sure nothing happens. When I come back, we’ll have lunch and really talk this out.”

She threw out the conciliatory bone, hoping her sister would decline. Truth be told, Zoe was tired of entertaining and paying for her assistant-vice-president-of-the-bank sister to eat out nearly every night.

Twice she’d asked Faye to pick up the check, but her cards had been declined. Though Zoe’d asked about Faye’s money troubles, her sister had claimed her paycheck must not have been posted yet.

“Why waste the gas going back and forth when I can just go with you? Then after the meeting, we can eat.” Faye looked around anxiously. “I can listen in on your meeting with the Hoods and be a second pair of eyes and ears. I’ve got lots of experience you don’t give me credit for. I’ve sat in on security meetings at the highest levels, Zoe. I’m an officer at the bank in Greenville. I hold an extremely high security clearance. Possibly higher than your little security people.” Faye took another look at Zoe’s face and gave up. “I’ll stay here.”

Zoe left the store, relieved. She needed some peace from Faye’s prying eyes and constant talking. She also needed to forgive her sister, she knew that, but not right now. Right now she needed a few minutes to compose her thoughts.

There was so much she wanted to say to Robinson Hood. She’d met him at a Young Entrepreneurs’ luncheon of Atlanta three months ago, and had been impressed with his speech about the work he and his family did. Too bad. She’d done something she’d rarely done: gone back to a man’s house.

Since then, she’d done her research and had found out that Hood Investigations was revered by cops because they didn’t have to play by cops’ rules. Cops who would hire them if they had a problem. With that endorsement, she’d made the call.

Rob had set up the meeting right away.

Settling in her car, Zoe locked the doors and inhaled and exhaled the warm June air until her nerves no longer felt like the jumbled ball of rubber bands she kept in her office. She needed Hood to move fast and catch these people that were threatening her future. That’s how she’d open. Then she’d outline the facts. She programmed the address into her GPS, and planned everything else she’d say all the way to the front door with the black block letters announcing Hood Investigations, Inc.

Opening the door, she walked inside. “I’m Zoe McKnight to see Rob Hood.”

The male receptionist asked her to wait, and she soon saw Rob Hood.

“Good morning, Ms. McKnight. Rob Hood.” He approached with a confident stride, his features prominent and chiseled like his brother’s, yet slightly different from Ben’s. The magnetism wasn’t there. If she wasn’t attracted to Rob Hood, she wouldn’t be attracted to Ben, who was nearly Rob’s spitting image.

“Pleased to meet you again. Please, call me Zoe.”

“Zoe.” Her head jerked involuntarily at the sound of his voice.

“Ben.”

The strangest look appeared on Rob’s face then his lips closed, he blinked and realization ignited the depths of his eyes. A half smile formed. “You’ve met my twin brother and business partner.”

She’d met him on his bed just three months ago and had let herself be taken to the stratosphere and back, yes. She’d been too high on lust to ever ask what he did for a living.

When he’d asked if she’d wanted a lick in the crease of her elbow, she’d moaned her consent. When he’d said to give it to him, she’d opened her whole body and given him a free pass to every pleasure zone, and each time he’d rung her bell, she’d hit the jackpot. There wasn’t a night that had passed by when she didn’t fantasize about making love to Ben. Sometimes she was the aggressor and other days he totally possessed her. Those nights, a cool shower was needed to cool her feminine energy.

Last week she’d broken down and gone to an adult store and bought a sex toy that she thought was close to his size and length. Zoe looked away from Ben, embarrassed. Yesterday she’d thrown it away. Nothing compared to the real thing, and now that she was looking at him, nothing ever would.

Maintaining her composure, she acknowledged him. “I remember your brother.” She looked back at Ben and several curls came to rest against her MAC lip gloss. She slowly peeled the hair away from her mouth.

Ben sucked his teeth and muttered, “How well I remember.”

She faltered, with Rob approaching from the right and Ben closing in from the left. Rob was a step ahead and her palm met his first. “Rob, I won’t take up much of your time.” She turned to Ben and couldn’t quite meet his gaze. But she saw the pulse beating above the white collar of his shirt. Her tongue had been there.

“Zoe,” Ben said. “Long time no hear.” He made it sound as if each word weighed a hundred pounds.

He captured her left hand and held it, leaving it up to her to take it back. Damn him.

“Good to see you, too,” she managed. “I’m here because I need your help, please. It shouldn’t take too much time.”

“Take as long as you need,” Ben said. The same words had been issued that night, when she’d told him it took a long time for her to come.

Her legs seemed to have a mind of their own, but Zoe made herself stand still. The portfolio she’d been carrying slipped from her hand and papers scattered. Ben and Rob bent to retrieve them.

There was no denying it. The twins could pass for guards on any professional basketball team. They were tall, handsome, dark-skinned men with beautiful smiles, short haircuts and big hands.

The magic for Zoe had been in Ben’s eyes. Almost as soon as she’d looked at him the night of the party, she’d known she would know him, and once she’d heard his voice and experienced his intelligence, she’d known she’d have him. The White Linen Party had been an auction and wine-tasting party designed to raise money for local animal shelters, and Ben had bid against her several times for exotic vacations. He’d gotten so bold, he’d come to stand beside her and bid. She’d found his boldness alluring and for the remainder of the night, he’d held her rapt attention. He’d won one vacation, she’d won one and he’d taken her home.

“Here you go,” Rob said, handing her the fallen papers, effectively bringing her back to the reason she was in his office. Ben stood, too. “This way, please.”

Zoe followed, but remained acutely aware that Ben was behind her every step of the way. She felt his gaze on her back, hips and legs. Every time she moved she remembered what it was like to have his lips all over her. She shrugged off her shoulder bag and entered a small conference room that resembled a comfortable living room.

“Rob, at the Young Entrepreneurs meeting you gave a lot of tips for working your business. I took a lot of your suggestions to heart, and my business tripled. That could be why I’m having the trouble I am today.”

“Not to worry. Hood Investigations doesn’t have a near-perfect record for nothing. Some refreshments,” Rob suggested.

Zoe helped herself to water. “Near perfect?” she queried, sitting down, crossing her legs. “That’s impressive. One got away?” She looked between the two men and a sliver of darkness passed between them that was at once hot and cold and deadly.

“There’s always one that we’d like to have done better. But that’s it. One,” Rob said. Danger and safety commingled then retreated to their respective corners.

“What’s going on, Zoe?” Ben asked. “I read the report and wondered why the last three break-ins hadn’t been reported to the police.”

She put her water on the coaster and pulled out her computer. “I’m planning an expansion worth millions. I’ve been warned by the mall owner that if my loss numbers, which are theft or shrinkage numbers, don’t decrease, I’ll lose all the money I’ve invested. The owner of the mall has stated that his insurance rates increase the more incident reports the police respond to. He will not bear a greater liability because I can’t control theft in my store. If I can’t resolve this theft issue, he’ll drop my bids for future business in his malls, and I’ll lose my investment.”

“That hardly seems fair,” Rob said. “Who is this?”

“Mitch Turner of MT Worldwide Development.”

“I’ve heard of them. I thought they were a reputable outfit, but this sounds questionable. Let’s back up.” Ben said. “How much have you invested already?”

“A million and a half dollars. That’s for two additional stores. I have two now. Zoe’s Diamonds on Peachtree, and Zoe’s Diamonds at the Galleria.”

Ben nodded. “Do you have any idea who might be breaking into your stores?”

“No.”

“You’ve done background checks on everyone? Staff, workmen, and the like?”

Zoe smoothed a wide curl behind her ear. “Staff only. If we’re remodeling, then it’s the company’s responsibility to do a background check on all their employees and provide the paperwork to me. For me to do it would be cost prohibitive.”

“That could be how you’re getting robbed.”

“Excuse me?” Zoe turned to Ben. “If they’re going to be there five days or more, I do a background check.”

“That’s your criteria?” Ben drummed his fingers on the edge of the table.

“I do a standard criminal background check. A more in-depth check is counterproductive for a retail outfit. At fifty dollars a pop, I can’t afford to do a more expensive check on someone who might quit after two days.”

“Has that happened?”

“It happens all the time.”

Zoe realized he was asking typical questions and reined in her defensive responses. Ben was just doing his job.

“What’s the average salary for sales associates?” Ben asked.

“They start at ten an hour and the highest is fifteen plus commission.”

The room was quiet for a while and her defenses slid up again. “These people make a decent hourly wage. With expansion plans, I can’t afford to pay more right now, but we’re competitive.”

“Zoe, you don’t have to defend your salaries.”

“Thank you, Rob. I want to add that the bad guys seem to be one step ahead of me. A few weeks ago I forgot my purse at work and since I was only twenty minutes away I turned around and went back. In that short amount of time they’d been in and out of the store.”

“How’d they get in?”

“I’m not sure, but the front gate was unlocked when I got there. I’m positive I locked it before I left. It’s the last thing I do.”

“Who has keys?” Ben asked.

“The three opening and closing managers. I do. My father. That’s a total of five people.”

Ben’s look was skeptical. “Your father?”

“That’s right. Captain Anthony McKnight of the Fulton County PD. As far as I’m concerned, his gun is as good as any to shoot a bad guy. But he’s currently on disability.”

“Of course,” Rob said. “I know your father. When I was a detective, we worked on a joint task force for a case. I visited him when he was hit by the driver who didn’t stop on I285. Quite a heroic officer to put his life before his rookies. I hope he’s getting better.”

Zoe smiled. “Wow, Rob. I had no idea. Dad has had so many visitors, it’s hard to keep up. He’s on the mend, thanks for asking. I’ve got my dad’s keys on me. I picked them up last week because I knew I was going to have an appointment with you and I thought you might ask for them.” Zoe kept her focus on Rob. “Can you help me?”

“We can. I want to reassure you that you’re in the right place. Whoever is doing this is going to be sorry. Ben will be the lead investigator on your case. He’s good. In fact, my brother is the best.”

“I see.” She slid the wild curl that refused to be tamed behind her ear and ignored it when it popped out again. “Is there anyone else?”

Ben laughed and closed Zoe’s folder. “You heard the lady, Rob. Is there anyone better than me?”

“That wasn’t her question.”

“No, it wasn’t. This isn’t personal, Ben,” she told him, knowing she was lying.

“Why would you want second best?” Ben’s demand was so gentle she nearly apologized for being foolish.

The probing question was both personal and professional and she couldn’t deal with answering him now. Not in front of Rob who didn’t need to be dragged through the murk of her failed one-night stand.

Eventually, the memories of their encounter would fade like all memories did.

“I don’t want second best. But if we’re going to work together, I want a guarantee. Two weeks is what you have to get this mystery solved.”

“That’s not how we work, Zoe. It’s unrealistic to put a time frame on something of this nature,” Rob told her in a kind but frank manner. “This has been going on for over four weeks. We may break this case in a week or a month, but we can’t work with that time frame until we can do an in-depth assessment.”

“Deal.” Ben sounded both strong and confident. “But, if at any time your safety is endangered, or we find evidence of something big, we reserve the right to adjust the time frame.”

“Ben,” his brother warned. “That might be a little unrealistic, but I’ll defer to your judgment.”

“We’ll start with two weeks, and let Zoe decide if she wants to walk away at the end of that time.”

Silence gripped the room.

“That’s fair,” Rob agreed.

“We’re talking petty crimes here,” Zoe objected. “Probably the work of the smash-and-grab ATM thieves who have graduated to jewelry. I don’t want this blown out of proportion, Ben.”

“I wouldn’t count sixty-five thousand dollars a petty crime. Zoe’s Diamonds on Peachtree was hit for a little over ten thousand, and the Galleria store was for fifty-five thousand dollars over the last two months.”

Her heart pounded. “I see you did your research.”

“In preparation of our meeting, we did some checking and found out that not only was a three-carat pair of earrings, platinum cufflinks and a gold and diamond tennis bracelet stolen from your store, plus—”

“Yes, I know, but—”

“Let me finish. They haven’t turned up in any pawn shop, either, so they were stolen for personal use and can be on ice for a long time before someone decides the public has forgotten about them. Other items were stolen from another jewelry store seven miles from the mall.

“A platinum-and-white-diamond tiara worth eighteen thousand dollars. Gold cuff bracelets are worth five, and unset diamonds wholesale for fifteen. You didn’t see this in the news because they aren’t insured. The owner didn’t want people coming around thinking his store was fair game.”

The notion sent shivers down Zoe’s spine. “That’s crazy. Why weren’t they locked in a safe?” She didn’t realize she’d sat forward until she heard Ben speak in a confidential tone.

“They were. The manager had just left and the silent alarm was tripped. She went back and was seriously injured. Her arm was broken.”

“Oh. Well, hell.”

“Yes, let’s continue.”

“I assume they got away.”

“Correct. It was never reported. The tiara wasn’t insured and never recovered, I’m afraid.”

Cold fear struck Zoe in the chest. “All of my jewelry is insured, except I haven’t reported all the break-ins because I don’t want my premiums to skyrocket and I don’t want to lose my investment. I figured I could take the hit once. But this has happened three times. Hiring this firm is my Hail Mary.”

“Then we take no chances. You do what I ask and we work together. Okay?”

“Okay, but you have to understand, I have a business to run and this feels so overwhelming. I want to be able to have fun with my customers, and do shows, and loan out jewelry. That’s how Zoe’s got its name.”

Ben hated bargainers, but he went along with it to appease Zoe and his brother. He’d deal with each incident as it arose. “Fine, but loaning jewelry to celebrities or politicians must be preapproved and only after a background check.”

“Okay,” she finally agreed.

“Well, it sounds like we’ll be working together. Welcome to Hood Investigations. We’re going to solve this problem, Zoe.” Rob stood, and shook her hand.

“Thank you. I appreciate your time.”

“You’re welcome. My next appointment will be here in a few moments. I’ll leave you in Ben’s capable hands.”

She looked into her untouched water, her cheeks remembering the capability of Ben’s hands. “Of course. Take care, Rob.”

The door closed, and Ben set down a fresh cup of water for her and a cup of coffee for himself.

“Oh, no, thank you,” she said in a rush. “I brought a flash drive of our day-to-day schedule of operations. I expect you’ll want to do an in-store visit, maybe as a customer. You’ll be able to see things from your own perspective. Also, posing as a customer, the staff won’t know who you are and you can get a feel for them. I trust them implicitly, but that may be the problem. I have to get going. I’ve got a full day ahead. Here’s the drive. The schedule is on there, as well as the staff with photos. Signed confidentiality agreements are also included. I thought that would be helpful. And—” she opened her bag and pulled out the check she’d endorsed last night. “Your fee. I’ll see you later, I’m sure.”

She got to the door, her hand on the knob. She’d never spoken so fast.

“Zoe, come here.”

His voice reached into her and took her places she’d not been since she’d been with him. The resonance offered assurances it didn’t have the right to give. He wasn’t her man and he wasn’t even commanding her, and her body felt like responding. But the yellow caution sign in her brain flashed bright.

Her hand wouldn’t obey the command to open the door. “Sit down, Zoe. We need to discuss the ground rules when it comes to you and me.”

“What? Why?” She laughed, but heard how grating it sounded and stopped. “There is no you and me.”

“While we’re working together, this relationship has to remain professional at all times. I can’t and won’t sleep with you.”

She sat down then. “That’s a little presumptuous since I didn’t ask you the first time. But that’s fine. Agreed.”

“Good. Since that’s out of the way, I’ll have to know about all your lovers. You could be a target because of one of them. Or one of them could be using you. Names, addresses and phone numbers. If you’d be more comfortable, you can write it down yourself. But I’ll have to check them out. Personally.”

Chapter 3

“I have half a mind to take my check and walk out of here.”

Zoe’s portfolio hit the table and her no-nonsense glare reminded him that she was a successful businesswoman for a reason. He’d more than struck a nerve. He’d plowed into the circuit board. Her eyebrows were raised and she looked as if she was about to ball up her fists and take the first swing.

Ben rolled the pen through his fingers. “I’m not making any judgments.” Though he was. He wanted to know all of her business. Why she hadn’t called? Why hadn’t she returned his calls? If there was someone else keeping her warm at night. Life had an explanation for everything, and he could accept the explanation of being busy, but not another man. Not after their night together.

“Ben, don’t lie. You’re definitely making judgments. I don’t sleep around, and the implication that I can’t control myself around you is ludicrous.”

“I’m sorry I offended you.” The check was still between them on the table. Rob would kill him if Zoe’s check didn’t clear the bank because he’d allowed a personal matter to interfere with business. “It’s just that we have history. A short history, but it’s there, so I thought we should talk about it.”

“There’s nothing between us, Ben. Not that I didn’t want it to be, but I need to get my new stores launched and established. And I don’t have time for a personal life right now.”

Maybe he just had to accept that sex was all it had been to her. Glancing over the fuchsia dress that hugged her curves, he forced his mind back to winning the account he was presently losing. “I just didn’t want there to be a problem between us because I didn’t call you back.”

“Hold on one second. I didn’t call you back.” Her eyes narrowed. “I get the reverse game going on here.” She shifted her hands from side to side. “I remember what you said that night at the party. ‘I allow the woman to set the pace of the relationship because I don’t want her to feel as if she’s being rushed into anything. She can call me after the first date,’ and I didn’t!”

“You’re right, I did say that. I’m saying from this moment on, everything between us has to remain strictly business. At some point, I may be trying to save your life and I don’t want you second guessing me because of some history—like now.”

Ben put the check in the folder and typed on a keyboard installed beneath the table where he sat. “You made the right decision calling us. We’re going to find out who’s robbing you and we’ll put an end to it.”

The lights in the room dimmed.

“There are six members of the Hood team. You need to know who they are by sight. There’s Rob and me. There is Hugh, my first cousin. He’s the camera-and-computer specialist. Zachary is my younger brother and the security expert. Then there is Amelia, known as Mel, and she’s part of Hood Trap Team and Alexandria, known as Xan, the head of Hood Trap Team.”

Zoe looked at the presentation of the photos and it faded and the lights automatically came on in the room. “Will they all be working on my case?”

“Possibly, but only as needed. Right away, I’m going to have Hugh go in and work on installing our cameras in the stores.”

“What does Trap Team do?”

“Whatever is necessary to get the job done. They’re specialists at catching liars and cheaters.”

Zoe nodded. “I can see how that may be beneficial.” After her morning conversation with Faye, Zoe felt the need to be thorough and not leave any ambiguity regarding her position on what happened between them. “I hope you understand, Ben.”

“What?” He walked over to the station and pulled off a sheet of paper, read it and handed it to her.

“My reasons for everything.”

“I said I did and I do. Here’s your receipt. We need to get started. Go back to your store and I’ll see you there in about an hour. Don’t acknowledge me when I come in. I’d like to see how far I can get away with things. Are the rules regarding employee conduct and store policies on the flash drive, as well?”

“Yes, it’s all there.” He was all business and that made her want him to slow things down a bit and talk things through. Zoe recognized she couldn’t have it both ways.

“Good. We’ll see if I can spot anything unusual going on. I may have some of the team with me or I may be alone. Try not to be on the floor if that’s not where you’d normally be.”

“Okay. Anything else?”

“You’ll have to give me a complete schedule of every place you’re going to be every second of your day until this is solved. No secrets. No surprises. You and I are going to be tighter than conjoined twins.”

“That close?” she asked with a small laugh.

“Like skin and deodorant.”

Zoe rubbed her neck. “Do you suspect anyone, Zoe? That could save us a lot of time.”

“A former manager, Tori Brunelle. She wanted more money than I was willing to pay, and before she left, things started disappearing. I let her go and changed the locks, but I believe she still has influence over some of the staff. I’ve even replaced some of them, but you never know how people know one another.”

“I’ll add her to the list of the current staff to do checks on. Anybody else?”

“Not that I can think of.” Zoe shouldered her bag and walked to the door. “Ben, we have to keep this confidential because if my sister gets wind that we had a thing, well, my family gets nosy.”

“They won’t hear about us from me. You and I will have a code if you’re in trouble. I’ll be the doctor calling with your test results. You’ll tell me it’s a bad time to talk. If there’s one bad guy, say the baby is kicking a lot today. Two bad guys, the twins. Three, the triplets. Do you understand, Zoe?”

She nodded. “Is all this necessary?”

Ben spread his hands. “You never know what you’re going to need to know.”

The door opened, and the male receptionist that initially greeted her poked his head inside. “Excuse me, Ben, Ms. McKnight? The police were on the phone for you, but we got disconnected.”

“Why?”

“I had your sister first, but she hung up to talk to them. She said your cell phone dialed the store and she could hear your meeting. She was trying to call and tell you that your store just got robbed. When she couldn’t reach you, she called the police. Then they called us.”

Panicked, Zoe jumped up. “She has to cancel them. There can’t be a report.”

Zoe pushed the button on her Treo handheld for the store, but nobody answered. She dialed Faye’s cell but got no answer. “I’ve got to stop her. I told her to go home and help my father, but no. She had to help me.” She grabbed her portfolio and started for the door.

“I’m going with you.” They hurried up front and the receptionist handed Ben his jacket, taking the folder from Ben’s hand.

“You can’t.” Zoe trotted toward the exit. “Nobody is supposed to know about you.”

“Are you arguing already?”

“No. I’m not. No.” She took a deep breath. “Can you guarantee me that you’re going to get these bloodsucking scumbags?” Zoe dug into her purse for her car keys. “Promise, or I’m buying a bigger clip for my .45.”

Ben offered his hand to Zoe as they headed out of the building. “I promise. But you go in first and let me make my own entrance. I need to see things from my own perspective.”

“I’ll see you there.”

Chapter 4

Zoe entered the upscale mall at the lower-level south entrance, passing through the food court. The blending of Thai, Chinese and fast food odors usually made her hungry but today roiled her stomach. The casual lunch crowd formed jagged lines. She decided to take the escalator rather than the stairs so that she could quickly assess.

She’d chosen the second-floor corner for her boutique because she’d wanted to be able to say park at the south entrance, come through the food court, and we’re at the top of the escalator. People would be able to find her easily. The strategy had worked well. Sales had quadrupled since she’d opened three years ago and like she’d told Rob, tripled over the last months.

Zoe’s unique designs had brought a renewed sense of excitement to a business that was now saturated with trolley-cart vendors that sold inferior products at lower prices. Today’s incident wasn’t helping as customers were turned away by two cops who stood outside the doorway.

Bold onlookers still craned to see inside, but there wasn’t anything going on. Nobody was in custody and Zoe’s heart sank. That would have made her day.

Ireland, one of Zoe’s managers, was irritated, gesturing in big sweeping motions as she talked, and when the officer seemed to ask her to settle down, her neck went back, and she gave him a piece of her mind.

As Zoe walked toward the store, she noticed that none of the cases were broken, and while she was thankful, fury burned her. How had they gotten her this time?

Zoe turned, and Ben was behind her. “I thought you were going to stay incognito,” she said, startled to see him. The reassurance she felt was hard to hide. She’d reached out and gripped his arm and was about to pull her hand back when he touched her hand in a reassuring way. “I’d planned to, but I changed my mind.”

“Why? We had an agreement.”

“Hugh’s on his way to do the camera work and I want to hear everything you hear, Zoe. I don’t want you to have to relay anything to me. I’m going to try to work within your two-week time frame, so let me do my job.”

Zoe had a brief flashback to the moment when Ben picked her up in his arms and she had the best orgasm of her life. She’d been weightless and there had been nothing to support her but him. She’d had to put all of her trust in him. “Trust me,” he said.

“I’ll do my best.” She approached the uniformed officers. “This is my store. I’m Zoe McKnight, the owner. I’d like to go in.”

“You got ID?”

Irritated, Zoe withstood the visual inspection of herself and her ID, her patience slipping toward anger that the cop wouldn’t let her in until Ireland acknowledged her. The statuesque blonde stalked over. “What the hell do you have her standing here for? She owns the damned place!”

Ben walked in and moved unobtrusively to the side while the cop corralled Zoe and Ireland in the center of the store.

“We were scared,” Ireland said, “but I kicked ass and got the jewelry back.”

Zoe shook her off. “You did what?”

“I chased down the tall guy and got the jewelry back. Initially, there were three of them. The tall guy asked me to model the tiara, plus see some other pieces. No sooner had I unlocked the case and put it on than we were flooded with twenty men, all dressed alike. They were loud, crowding and rushing me and everyone else.”

“You chased who? And where did you chase them?” the police officer asked.

Ireland looked at the three of them. “The tall man I told you about,” she said to the cop, “I chased him down the escalator to the outside parking lot. I nailed him with my shoe. Got him in the back of the head.”

“We’ll need that,” the cop told her, glancing at her feet.

“You think I’d be wearing it if it were evidence? These are my back-up shoes,” she said of the sparkly black kitten heels. She pulled out a clear plastic bag with the other pair of two-inch heels. He took the bag as evidence.

“These are the shoes I had on when I ran him down. I caught up to him and was screaming my head off. He may have seen all these football-player types heading toward the mall entrance and thought he didn’t want to explain to them why he was dragging a woman around. I wouldn’t let go and he dragged me for a few seconds.” She showed them her leg that was still flaky with Georgia clay.

The cop closed his notebook. “I’ve got this already. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be leaving.”

Ireland’s blond hair swung from side to side. “There’s nothing more.”

“Thank you. When can I get a copy?” Zoe asked.

“Twenty-four hours,” the cop said, and walked out the store. Zoe pulled the gate back down and returned to Ireland and Ben. There were still interested onlookers outside, but she hadn’t decided whether she was going to reopen today or not. She needed to hear what happened and then talk to Ben.

“Zoe, I know your policy on chasing crooks, but he stole the necklace from the O’Sullivan collection, and I wasn’t going to lose one of those pieces.”

“You crazy girl,” Zoe admonished. “Are you okay? Do you need to go to the hospital?”

“For what? Tussling with a man?” She looked Zoe straight in the eye. “I had worse fights when I was a kid.”

“Those pieces are insured, as is everything in this store,” Zoe told her, shaking her head. Her heart was pounding. “Ireland, I should suspend you. You could have been killed. What if they’d had guns? How would I have explained that to your family?”

“Mr. O’Sullivan made those pieces for his wife and he adds a piece to his collection every year. I wasn’t going to lose them to some two-bit hustler. I didn’t feel like he was a killer. I know it sounds silly. I just didn’t feel in imminent danger.”

Ben touched Zoe’s arm. “I think she’s gotten your point.” He extended his hand and they shook. “Ben Hood, I work with Zoe. I’d like to know if you remember anything more about the man who asked to see the tiara?”

“Remember the remake of the movie The Thomas Crown Affair with Pierce Brosnan? Remember the part with the bowler hats? These guys were all dressed in jeans, white T-shirts, and sneakers. When they left, each put on a Yankees baseball cap. Kind of like they’re yanking our chain. When they walked in here, I got a weird feeling.”

“Can you put it into words?” Zoe asked.

“There was one guy who asked a lot of questions about the tiara. How many diamonds, the weight, etcetera. He wanted to know if he could have his jeweler do his own tests to authenticate the stones.”

“You said no?” Ben asked.

Ireland folded her arms over her chest. “That’s right. He told me his name was Rodrigo Martinez and I told him it was an insult to bring his expert into our store without talking to you first. He flirted, but I told him if he didn’t like my answer he could take it up with you.”

“Where was Faye?” Zoe noticed the two mall security guards head down the mall.

“We were supposed to be working this same side of jewelry cases, while Debrena had the left side and Charletta had the right. But there were so many men in the store, I didn’t notice that Faye was gone until it was too late.”

“Faye was gone where?” Zoe demanded. She’d expressly told Faye to help Ireland. It was as if the criminals had used her to facilitate their robbery.

Ireland’s cheeks turned pink with anger. “Faye had stepped outside the store and was leaning on the front window like a high-school sophomore talking to one of the men. I called her a couple times and even signaled Debrena to get her, but she never looked up.”

“Ireland, are you telling me Faye couldn’t hear you? There’s only fifteen feet of space between here and the door.”

“That’s right. The noise level was so loud, I could hardly hear myself think. I walked over to Faye’s station, saw the open case and the O’Sullivan jewels missing and I thought I was going to be sick to my stomach. I closed the case and secured the tiara.”

“Okay, Ireland. Were you able to provide the officers with a detailed description of the man?”

She nodded.

“Why do you really think Faye stepped outside?” Ben asked Ireland.

“Faye is selfish, and she’s jealous of Zoe. She’s trying to sabotage her sister’s success. Zoe, perhaps you don’t see it, but that’s the truth.”

Hearing the words she’d thought all her life was worse than suspecting them. But she’d always tried to make nice with Faye for the sake of their family. Her mother insisted they put up a front of unity to the world and handle their differences behind closed doors. Only those uncomfortable issues had never been resolved.

“Did she leave the case open intentionally?” Zoe barely managed to get the words out.

“I don’t believe in coincidences,” Ireland said definitively. “She’s been in back the whole time and hasn’t come out to see how things are going or to express her sorrow. Yet Debrena’s stuck her head out that door fifteen times. You’re Faye’s sister and this is your store. With that kind of sister, you don’t need enemies.”

“Where’s the tiara now?” Ben asked.

Ireland drew back, her expression closed for the first time.

“Please, Ireland, you can trust Ben. I trust him.” Zoe’s heart skipped a beat at the true statement. “I want to know, too. Where is it?”

“In the floor.”

Zoe didn’t move. Nor did Ireland.

Ben glanced between them. “Ladies, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me everything.”

Zoe understood the jeopardy of full disclosure. She now had to put her words into practice.

“Ben, when I first designed my store, I thought it would be good to have an extra measure of safety. I designed a floor safe. The problem is that you have to be at the right position behind the counter to drop merchandise into it, and it isn’t cost effective. I only built one. In this store.”

“Zoe,” Ireland cut in, “I promise it was the right time. The tiara is worth forty thousand dollars. He didn’t want to turn over his driver’s license, though, as collateral. That’s why he couldn’t touch it.”

Ben nodded. “Smart decision.”

“Where was everyone?” Zoe asked.

“At their stations. Mr. Martinez was so intent on the tiara, I couldn’t not serve him. I just found it odd that a discerning man like him wasn’t disturbed by the noise level and manner of the other men. Unless he wasn’t that discerning.”

“That’s a good observation. What else?” Ben asked.

“He asked pointed questions. The noise level increased and he leaned close to me, frustrated that I wouldn’t allow him free access to the tiara. He muttered, so I leaned in. When I straightened, no more than ten seconds later, Faye was outside and the store was full of twenty men dressed alike.

“I called to Faye, signaled Debrena, but she couldn’t get Faye’s attention. I was still wearing the tiara, but he reached for it and actually got hold if it. I saw that Faye’s case was open and the jewels gone. I yanked the tiara from his grasp and activated the safe and the alarm.”

“What did Martinez do?” Ben asked.

“He protested. The men in the store got louder. I saw the man who had the O’Sullivan jewels. Suddenly, all the men left going in different directions. I took off after the man with the jewelry.”

“Show me the safe and where you were standing,” Ben said.

Ireland took him to the floor safe. Both she and Zoe entered their security codes and the doors opened. The tiara sat on its head in three feet of velvet. Zoe donned gloves to lift it out. She examined it. “It’s perfect. No harm done.”

Ireland’s sigh was audible.

“Why did it take both of you to get it out?”

“It’s designed as a last effort to save whatever is in your hands or the most valuable merchandise in the store. I didn’t want a criminal to be able to bring me back to the store and think they could take everything. If Ireland needed to open it herself, she could activate the doors after twenty-four hours.”

“Were you involved with the robbery?” Ben asked Ireland.

“Me?” she exclaimed. “No! Zoe knows I’m devoted to this store and I’d never do anything to hurt her. I wouldn’t steal from her.”

“In light of the circumstances, you did the right thing. Thank you for protecting the store, Ireland. But everything here can be replaced. Please don’t put your life in danger again,” Zoe said.

Ben’s warning look said he wanted to handle the interrogation, but Zoe had to weigh in. Everything in her said Ireland was telling the truth.

“We need better security, Zoe, that’s obvious. Nobody else is getting hit. I talk to the other managers on a daily basis.”

“I know. That’s why Ben is here. Big changes are in the works.”

“Are we going to open today?” Ireland wanted to know.

“Yes,” Ben said. “I’ve got some guys coming over to refit this store with different sensors for the cases. I’d like you to be here as an advisor, Ireland. Can you stand by? You’d be compensated, of course.”

A grateful expression crossed her face. “I appreciate that. As long as you find out who’s ruining my paycheck, I won’t chase bad guys anymore.”

“You’ve got my word on that. I’m trying to keep a low profile,” Ben told her.

“Fine with me. I just work here. But you will want to talk to Faye separately from Charletta and Debrena. She’s got issues with Zoe and you don’t want the other girls hearing. If you choose to keep her on, I don’t want her working my shift ever again,” she said, and walked through the stockroom door.

Ben held Zoe’s arm, stopping her. “I don’t believe Ireland’s involved, but if what she said is true, this is a personal attack against you.”

“I feel the same way. Do you think my sister’s involved?” The words hurt worse coming out than when she’d just thought them.

“It sounds like it. Can you deal with having your sister questioned and possibly arrested?”

Chapter 5

The other ladies had been questioned and released and Zoe stood facing her sister in the stockroom.

“Why would I want to sabotage Zoe’s business? For your information, I believe she’s wasting her money hiring you, and if I had any say, you’d be fired.”

Faye hurled the words at Ben. To him, she sounded like a woman who had something to hide.

Watching Faye closely, Ben figured that Zoe had been the reasonable child and Faye the drama queen. They’d been there three hours and the other staff members were gone, their statements supporting Ireland’s.

“You’re being passive-aggressive again.” Faye bit into her sister like a barracuda. “Why don’t you just come out and call me a thief?”

“Are you?” He didn’t care for Faye the way Zoe did. If she was behind the thefts, this would be the fastest ten thousand dollars Hood I.N.V. had ever earned, and the shortest opportunity he’d ever get at a second chance.

“I’d be stealing from myself if I did. I gave you five thousand dollars to start this business.”

“You loaned me the money, and I paid you back thirty days after I opened the doors, Faye.”

“So you’re the big-shot owner, now. I knew this would go to your head,” Faye retorted.

“I didn’t say that, Faye. We just got robbed. Someone could have been seriously hurt.”

“Including me. Nobody asked if I was all right.”

Her false indignation was laughable. “Do you need a ride to the hospital?” Ben offered to entertain her nonsense for a moment. “It’s only five minutes away. In fact, if it’s critical we don’t even have to wait for an ambulance, I can drive you there myself.”

“I said I could have been hurt. All you’re worried about is your precious jewelry.” She’d directed the last comment to Zoe, shifting away from Ben’s scrutiny. Zoe started to speak, but Ben held up his hand. “Where do you work, Faye?”

“First Bank of Greenville in South Carolina. Why?”

“How long have you been there?”

“Twelve years.”

“Vice president?” Ben asked.

“Assistant vice president,” she sniffed, her chin elevated.

“Ever heard of Rodrigo Martinez?”

“No.”

“Not in all your years with the bank? Wow, I wish I had your memory.”

“I can’t recall meeting anyone with that name. I may have. Those are two common names. I mean, I don’t know.” She backpedaled, looking as unsure as she sounded.

“That’s odd.” Ben knew he had her.

“What’s so odd about me not knowing every Martinez in the south?” She tried to laugh but couldn’t pull it off so she folded her hands, wiped them together and refolded them.

“I bet once I complete my investigation Rodrigo Martinez will be from Greenville, South Carolina, just like you. I’ll bet when I pull the video on this incident, his expression will probably show that he’s surprised to see you when he walked in the store. Wasn’t he?”

“No. I mean, I might have said hello. I greeted everyone. We want people to feel at home at Zoe’s.”

“Oh, please,” Zoe groaned.

“I’ve worked in this store before, and Zoe can Oh, please if she wants to, but I stayed today as a favor to her.”

“That’s right, Ben.” Zoe rose from her chair and Ben and Faye watched her. “Faye didn’t want to be here. You wanted to come with me, but I told you no, twice. I insisted you stay here and help Ireland.”

Ben kept his focus on Faye. “You didn’t want to be anywhere close to the robbery you planned. So when the crowd got thick, you slipped outside. Nobody could connect you to the theft. You were here, but you weren’t.”

“I didn’t steal anything!”

“You left the case open, didn’t you?” Ben felt her confession coming.

“No.”

“You sure? The video will show you leaving the doors open, looking left then right, sliding them open a little more and then slipping out the door. Your friend preoccupied Ireland so that one of the look-alikes could stick his arm in and grab what he wanted. All the time, Ireland is calling you. You heard her, didn’t you? How do you think a judge will interpret your role in this little heist?”

“I didn’t do anything. I was outside,” she said desperately. “A man was interested in me.”

“What was his name?”

“Uh. Um…Ricky.”

“Martin?” Ben offered.

“What?” Faye blinked rapidly. “Yes. No! I don’t know his last name.”

“That’s the first thing a woman finds out about a man, right, Zoe? His name? Where he works? What’s his phone number, Faye? His e-mail? Let’s call him now and set up your first date. Who is he, Faye?”

“I don’t have to answer you.”

“Oh, my God. You really stole from me!” Zoe screamed at her sister.

Tears ran from Faye’s eyes. “Are you going to let this happen? I’m your blood.”

“And that gives you the right?” Zoe snapped.

“It’s just jewelry. I’m your sister! Family is supposed to mean more to you than…stuff.”

“Why’d you do it?” Zoe asked.

“The divorce is costing me everything. You wouldn’t miss the money from a few necklaces—you have insurance—but this could help me get back on my feet. All you had to do was file a claim and they would have paid you back.”

Ben had seen selfishness before, but never like this and never so blatantly between sisters.

“You’ve always been selfish,” Zoe told her. “Jealous. You’re so lazy. That’s why you wanted to go with me today. All you had to do was ask to borrow the money and I’d have loaned it to you.”

Faye slapped the desk. “Borrow? I’m assistant vice president of the Greenville Bank. I live in a three hundred fifty thousand dollar house, and I eat tuna out of a can and sleep on an air mattress! I’ve had to sell everything. I’m not borrowing anything from you, do you hear me? This is the least you can do with your high-and-mighty self. I don’t need anybody’s help. Fine. Help me, then. Let me walk out of here.”

Ben wondered what Zoe was going to do. Faye was clearly trying to take advantage of Zoe who seemed to be intently studying her folded hands.

“Faye, it’s too bad your life is a mess, but you don’t get to decide you’re going to fix it at my expense. Ben, I never thought I’d be saying this, but, call the police in here and have them arrest my sister.”

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