Reckoning (Wolfes of Manhattan 5)

Roy’s eyebrows rose, as did both Charlie’s and mine. What was Rock talking about?

“Uh…no. I didn’t even know Nieves Romero at that time. You know that.”

“Here’s the thing,” Rock said. “You know that call she got an hour before Dad was killed? The one we can’t trace?”

“Uh-huh.” Roy swallowed.

“Nieves says the call was from you. That whoever called identified himself as Roy Wolfe.”

Roy’s jaw dropped. He said nothing.

I spoke up. “What else did she say?”

“That’s it. She said the whole conversation was, ‘This is Roy Wolfe. It’s done.’”

“She’s lying.” From Roy.

“That was our first thought,” Rock said. “We knew you hadn’t made that call, but we had her scared, Roy. We think she’s done lying.”

“Which means,” I said, “whoever made that call was pretending to be Roy.”

“Why?” Roy asked. “I had nothing to do with Dad.”

“We know,” Rock said, “but whoever put this sequence of events in motion wanted all of us as suspects. Dad had already set it up that way, but this supposed phone call makes you more of a suspect.”

“I was at my place that night,” Roy said. “You all know that. I was alone. Painting. You know I paint at night sometimes.”

“He does,” Charlie confirmed.

“Hey, we’re not questioning you,” Rock said. “We believe you, but we wanted to let you know about it and also ask you point blank.”

“So a part of you didn’t trust me,” Roy said, sighing.

Silence on the other end, but only for a moment.

“We trust you, Roy,” Rock said. “But you were freaked about all this at first. Remember when you called Reid and me to that brew pub to tell us you’d gotten a phone call?”

Roy said nothing.

I remembered. It was the night I had dinner with that massage therapist, Brent. Man, he’d been a flake.

“Yeah,” Roy finally said. “Whoever it was never called again. It was a guy’s voice, but that’s all I know.”

“We’re not sure,” Rock said, “but it was probably someone on the inside of the NYPD. You got freaked because you were dealing with that memory of Dad and Zee.”

“True enough,” Roy agreed.

“There’s no way to find out who made that call to you,” Rock said, “but can you tell us anything that you haven’t already told us?”

“Rock—”

“Don’t take this the wrong way, bro. We trust you. But you were a mess before you remembered that day in the elevator. Part of you wasn’t thinking straight, so maybe you left something out.”

Roy furrowed his brow while Charlie entwined his fingers with hers.

“It’s okay, babe,” she said. “Just tell them.”

Roy shook his head. “I would if I could. There’s nothing. I swear.”

“Good enough,” Rock said. “Just know someone impersonated you on the phone, so watch your back.”

“I always do. Charlie and I are just living one day at a time. Damn. When will this be over?”

“Soon,” Rock said. “It has to be. We need to get Lace off the hook, and we need to find Zee. It all has to happen quickly. Reid and I won’t let you down.”

“We know that,” Roy said. “Charlie and I won’t either.”

“Anything else we need to know before we become unavailable somewhere on the Pacific?” Rock asked.

“Lacey told you about Morgan, I assume,” Charlie said.

“Yeah. She’s going to give the info to one of Reid’s men.”

“Then I can’t think of anything else,” Roy said. “But guys, be careful. Please.”

“Yes, please,” I echoed.

“We will. We’ll find Zee, and we’ll put an end to all of this. Love you all. Bye.”

Then the click of the receiver.

A feeling of pure dread shrouded me.

Would that be the last time I ever heard my husband’s voice?

35

Zee

I jerked upward once more.

Darkness streamed in through my one window.

I gasped at the shadow standing over me.

Before the scream left my throat, a hand clamped over my mouth.

“Shh. Don’t make a sound. I’m not here to hurt you.”

A woman’s voice. Diamond’s voice. I nodded jerkily.

“I was planning to drug you to move you,” she continued, “but I don’t want to do it. So I need you to cooperate. Understand?”

Again, I nodded.

“I’m going to move my hand now. Promise me you won’t scream.”

I nodded for the third time, and Diamond slowly unclamped her fingers from around my mouth.

“Don’t talk,” she whispered. “I’m moving you to a nicer place, but it’s even more imperative that you be quiet.”

“Where?” I asked.

“I said don’t talk!” she whispered harshly.

I bit my lower lip. It was the middle of the night. I still had no idea where I was. Only that it was most likely someplace tropical.

“Please,” I whispered. “You have to tell me something. It’s not fair. I’m here against my will, Diamond.”

“I know that. I know…”

“Please…”

“I wish I could. Now quiet. I don’t want to have to use this.” She pulled a syringe out of her pocket.

I clamped my mouth shut. No drugs. No. Not again. Whoever brought me here had drugged me, and I didn’t want to be under any influence again. Not after all I’d done to get clean years ago.