Her Dragon Billionaire (Supernatural Billionaire Mates 1)
“My favorite color?” Eva narrowed her eyes, thinking hard. “Do I have a favorite color? I can’t remember.”
“Do you like pink? Pastel colors?”
“Pink is
pretty.”
“All women love pink. I’ll come later with your clothes. You take it easy, child.”
“Thank you.”
“Ah. You’re so precious.”
*
“Please have a seat, Mr. Cod. I hadn’t expected you to come back so soon. It’s only been a day since we talked on the phone,” said Liam. He closed the door of his home office and ushered the private investigator to the plush couches in front of the fireplace. Liam was about to talk to Eva when Rosa announced he had a visitor.
“The case turned out to be an interesting one.” Anderson Cod took out a large brown envelope from his trench coat before sinking his trunk-like body onto the sofa. He extracted the contents of the envelope. News clipping. Eight-by-ten photos. Police reports. Some classified documents.
Liam grabbed a paper and started reading with a sinking feeling. Like Liam had feared, the injuries inflicted against her weren’t just some random assaults. They were carried out by professional killers.
Eva Smith a.k.a Eva Walker was a librarian who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. One night after working late, she witnessed a man being murdered in the parking lot by a gang of men. The victim, Sanford Thomas, turned out to be a local businessman with ties to the Russian mafia.
He read news clippings about the Russian mafia boss dated a few months prior. The testimony from Eva, the prosecutor’s star witness, was what convinced the jury to return with the guilty verdict. It warranted Anton Kovalenko behind bars forever. No wonder the vor wanted her dead. One way or another, anyone who betrayed the vor would pay. Liam felt an inward shudder course through his veins.
“She’s in the witness protection program?”
“What a joke that was.” Cod snorted. “The Feds gave her new identities, but her medical history was tied up to her old name.”
“I know she’s diabetic. How did you find out she was in the witness protection program?”
“Wasn’t hard to find. Whoever created her new identity did a half-ass job.”
“Then I assume Eva has a handler.”
“She has. Her name is Mariah Jones. She works in the State Department.”
“Does Jones know Eva is missing?”
“My guess is no. The place where Eva worked hadn’t known she was missing. Eva was abducted on Friday. Today’s Sunday. Perhaps on Monday if Eva doesn’t show up for work, they’ll start making inquiries.”
“Don’t you think there’s a federal agent who’s checking on her on a daily basis to make sure she’s all right?”
“Perhaps before the trial. Since Eva gave her testimony against Anton Kovalenko, it seems to me she has been discarded.”
Liam pondered upon it. He felt disgusted. “I wish Eva’s whereabouts to remain secret.”
Anderson Cod stared unblinking.
“For now,” added Liam. “She’s suffering from amnesia. She couldn’t remember anything but her name. I don’t wish this information to aggravate her trauma.”
“Of course, Mr. Caderyn. I’m surprised that Ms. Walker survived the ordeal at all.”
“She’s lucky.”
“Forgive me for asking, you said she had a concussion?”
Liam hadn’t told Anderson Cod the whole story. He just said that he had found her in the stream with a head injury. He had employed Cod ever since he started running his business. Cod used to be his chief of security officer. But since Liam retired, Cod went solo with his new PI firm. Even though he and Cod went way back, the private investigator didn’t know the true nature of Liam himself, a secret closely guarded in Liam’s inner circle. “Yes,” he answered.