Embracing Ellie: K&S Securities Series Read online

  When she leads me into the kitchen and Blake isn’t there, I release a relieved breath, grateful for the reprieve.

  “Tell X what you saw, Ells,” Ana encourages from her perch on Mr. Cerelli’s lap.

  His jaw is tight, like he’s grinding his back teeth together, but his massive hand on Ana’s leg is gentle as he strokes her thigh in a soothing rhythm.

  “I already told them what we heard,” she says, covering his hand with her much smaller, much paler one and petting him absently.

  “I just need to know what you saw. Who you saw,” he growls.

  “Any details at all will help us,” Travis’ voice is softer, less fueled with anger when he speaks up behind me. Faye is tucked closely beneath his arm, her cheek pressed against him, with a happy smile on her face despite the reason why we are here.

  “I didn’t see much,” I admit, “Just a tall man leaving out through the door that leads into the alley.”

  “How tall?” Xavier bites. Ana lifts her eyebrows, silently chastising him and he repeats the question in a milder tone.

  “Tall,” I say looking up at Travis. “But not as tall as you.”

  Xavier rises from his seat. “My height?”

  He isn’t much shorter than Travis, so the question almost makes me laugh. Instead I shake my head. “Almost, I think, but not quite. His hair was grey, and he was wearing a dark jacket and slacks.”

  That’s it. That is all I saw. I hope it’s enough.

  “Fuck!” Xavier roars unexpectedly, making me jump in surprise. “Fucking Margot?” His face is red and there’s a vein throbbing in his throat. Ana doesn’t look frightened by his outburst at all. She cups his face in her hands and leans toward him until her forehead presses sweetly against his and whispers something I can’t hear from where I’m still hovering near the door.

  “Sweetpea,” Travis says to Faye who looks up at him with adoration in her green eyes, “why don’t the three of you go have lunch so Ellie isn’t late getting back to work.”

  Xavier nods, rising to his feet, carefully setting Ana on hers. He bends down and carefully kisses the top of her white blonde head. They want us to go. Without waiting for my friends, I turn to go, waiting with my back turned toward their quiet goodbyes.

  “He’s right sunshine,” my heart pangs at the sweet endearments that fall from the lips of both big, tough men when they talk to their woman. For a moment I hear Blake calling me angel in that sweet way of his. I miss him so much that I want to run and find him right now so I can throw myself into his arms and beg him to forgive me for being so stupid and stubborn.

  “Guess we should take a hint, girls.” I glance back at her as she laughs and starts toward the door. She pauses a moment, gazing at her husband and something passes silently between them before she firmly fixes her smile in place and leads us back down the hall and out to the waiting elevator.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Blake

  Waiting two days until the next time Margot is scheduled has been an agony for Ana and Xavier. It’s been even worse for me. At least I think so. I’ve been busy arranging additional security and reviewing video footage since X is certain that the man that Ellie saw was his uncle Dominic. I haven’t found anything, so I’m sure he’s getting in at Luminoso’s weak point. Housekeeping. It also means that Ellie has continued to avoid me, and I haven’t been able to break free of my obligations long enough to track her down at work, or to show up on her doorstep. She hasn’t answered calls or returned my texts either. I’m half mad with the need to insist that she explain why she has so thoroughly shut me out since that morning in the parking garage.

  Today’s the day. I know that Ana is having lunch with Ellie and Faye again, so she is out of the penthouse leaving Margot alone in the residence. What happens next will determine how we will proceed, and it can’t be over fast enough for me. Never in my life have I begrudged a job, but right now this one is keeping me from the only thing, the only person, that has ever been more important to me than work.

  Xavier quickly logs into the secure video feed that I set up for him in his business office as Travis and I move to fill the space behind his big desk to watch the screen. It isn’t long until the camera in the living room picks up the door opening, admitting Margot and her small, lightweight cart. Thinking about Ellie struggling with a much larger one daily sets my teeth on edge as she easily pushes it inside.

  Margot bustles about the already tidy penthouse, wiping down surfaces and fluffing pillows before lowering herself gingerly onto the leather couch in the living room. Her hand slips into her apron pocket removing her phone and swiping the screen open. She stares at it for a long moment, possibly reading something, a stricken look on her face.

  “Is she crying?” I break the silence in the room.

  “Maybe,” Xavier responds gruffly, his gaze narrowed on the woman on the screen.

  “I can’t tell either,” Travis’ words are more thoughtful. His attention as focused as mine and X’s.

  Intense silence falls back over the room as we sit and observe Margot texting for a while before she painstakingly rises to her feet and smooths her hands down the front of her uniform dress brushing out nonexistent wrinkles before lifting a small basket from her cart and treading slowly down the hall and stopping outside the office door. The camera angle isn’t great, but I see her shoulders lift and drop in a sigh before she reaches out and opens it.

  Reaching past X for the keyboard, I tap the keys to change cameras so we can watch as she enters the room and walks straight to Xavier’s office chair and drops to her knees beside it. As we watch she takes the small device out from under it to remove the memory card and replace it with a new one from her basket. Replacing it, she hurries from the room and down the hall to the master bedroom where we watch as she repeats the process. I’m glad we put them back.

  The whole thing only takes a couple of minutes before she’s back in the living room, gathering her supplies. She stops at the door to look around her. Her thin face is tight as she says something to the empty space. Our feed is only video so I can’t tell what, but I’d like to know because she looks upset. Not the expression that I would expect on someone spying.

  “Well, at least we for sure know who,” I say.

  Xavier’s voice is strained with anger and betrayal when he responds, “Now I just want to know why.”

  “There’s something going on with her,” Travis rumbles from the wingback chair he’s taken a seat in, laptop on his knees while he reviews the footage we just watched. “She isn’t acting like someone who wants to be doing what she is.”

  “I was thinking the same thing. Let’s bring her in and find out what is going on with her,” Xavier growls, anger in his voice.

  “I’ll go,” I offer, hoping that I will run into Ellie while rounding up Ms. Smith. I haven’t had a chance to try to find her and I’m not about to waste the opportunity.

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time lurking around housekeeping lately,” Travis jokes. “Nice to have a real reason to go this time.”

  I know he’s just giving me shit, but my middle finger comes up automatically in response as I exit the door. Xavier’s laughter follows me into the hall as I close the door behind me and go in the direction of housekeeping looking for two women. For two entirely different reasons.

  I find Margot first. That’s just the way things have been going since that morning in the parking garage. She’s right where I expected her to be, in the humid heart of the casino. She’s alone, folding plush towels and carefully piling them into laundry baskets. Her usually rigid posture and pinched expression are gone and in their place are worry lines and sagging shoulders.

  She looks up from her task when she hears my feet on the concrete floor.

  “Elinor is upstairs,” she offers with a tiny lift of the corner of her mouth. It’s the first time that she’s given me even a hint of a smile and again I wonder what is going on that has her spying on Xavier. She doesn�
��t seem the type.

  “I’m not here for Elinor, Ms. Smith.” I’m careful to keep my voice gentle.

  She nods once, folding the towel in her hands and setting it on the stack with a pat. “I understand.”

  “Mr. Cerelli would like me to escort you up to the penthouse.”

  “I see,” her voice is a thready whisper as she does her best to resume her proper posture and haughty expression, but her attempt falls flat. “I’m ready then.”

  When she stumbles a little with her first step, I slip my hand under her elbow, cupping it carefully and leading her into the private elevator. Her shoulders slump further the higher we rise. She blows out a shuddering breath as the elevator doors slide open and we approach the penthouse. She hesitates for just a moment and looks up at me, her eyes bleak, but she doesn’t say anything when I knock, announcing our arrival before I punch in the security code, open the door and guide her inside.

  She perches on the very edge of the chair I motion to, her fingers twisting in the fabric of her dress. I stride across the room to stand beside Travis and Xavier by the unlit gas fireplace. Faye and Ana sit close together on the love seat on the far side of the room their eyes darting between X and Margot, worried frowns on their pretty faces.

  The strained silence vibrates in the room for long moments before Xavier speaks.

  “You know why you’re here?” he inquires tightly, his feet planted on the floor.

  She says nothing, just lifts her eyes to us and nods once.

  “Okay, then,” he continues, his voice harsh with barely restrained fury, “Since you know why you are here, why don’t you tell us why you have been spying on me.”

  Margot cringes subtly before squaring her shoulders with a deep breath. Her words take all of us by surprise, “Did you know that I’m a grandmother, Mr. Cerelli?” she asks him, her voice trembling as much as the hands that she now has twisted in a knot on her lap.

  He shakes his head slowly, his brows furrowed. She looks to Ana, her eyes softening. “My granddaughter is fourteen.”

  My stomach tightens with anticipation, or maybe a premonition. Nothing good is going to come from this. I just know it.

  “Your uncle Dominic took her. He gave me the recording devices and told me to get information that helps him get you out of Vegas…” her voice crack with emotion and tears race down her cheeks in streams, “He says he already has a buyer for her.”

  Ana is out of her chair and wrapping the sobbing woman in her arms before I even realized she was moving. I didn’t think she could move so fast as pregnant as she is.

  “Fuck!” Xavier mutters, more to himself than to anyone else.

  I shake my head, disgusted and horrified by what we have just learned, “Totally FUBAR.” Needing to do something, anything, to help the weeping woman who is now seated on the couch being comforted by Ana and Faye I stalk into the dining room. My computer is there waiting for me. It’s good to work with someone who knows me so well. Travis must have set it up knowing that there was a good chance I would need it.

  “Ms. Smith, does your granddaughter have social media accounts?” I call out, my fingers already racing over the familiar keyboard.

  Wiping her eyes on the hem of her sweater, she rises and tentatively approaches, watching Xavier the whole time like she expects him to snap and pounce on her.

  “Yes, Mr. Stone,” her voice is still raw with unshed tears, but stronger now. “She does.” She pulls out a chair and sits beside me feeding me all the details she is aware of regarding her grandchild’s online presence, her friends and her habits. I’m going to find this kid if it’s the last thing I do.

  “Margot,” the soothing tone of Xavier’s words is almost a surprise. He’s done a complete one-eighty in the last few minutes. “We will do whatever we can to help you get your granddaughter back. Are you going to be able to maintain contact with Dominic without him knowing that I’m aware of what’s going on?” he asks, his concern for her seems genuine.

  Gathering the remnants of her bruised pride around her, Margot stiffens her spine and answers him confidently. “Yes, Mr. Cerelli. I can do anything if it means getting Gracie back.”

  Xavier smiles, patting her shoulder comfortingly before leaving us to our work. Margot says that Grace hadn’t come by the casino in months, so she is sure that Dominic discovered her some other way. I’m sure that he targeted Margot and dug up whatever information he needed to get her on his side. Who better to exploit than the head of housekeeping? There isn’t anywhere in this building that she doesn’t have access to, and no one pays attention to housekeepers, as I’ve already discovered. I just have to figure out where he’s holding the girl. Talking to Ellie is going to have to wait.

  Again.

  It’s late when I finish setting up additional cameras in housekeeping and in the alley outside. Usually I enjoy the intricate work, finding camera angles that capture as much footage as possible while being hidden from all but the most professional eyes. Not tonight. Tonight the work feels tedious and frustrating. A headache pounds behind my eyes as I drag my feet across the carpeted hall, making my way slowly to my suite. It’s much too late to call Ellie or show up on her doorstep and insist that she talk to me. It’s too late to do anything but strip off my clothes and try to get some sleep. I will track her down tomorrow and I will figure out why she ran the way she did.

  The deep blue of night brightens into a golden haze over the distant mountains visible through the wall of east-facing windows in my temporary bedroom. It’s a spectacular view, one I can readily admit that I’ll miss when I get a place of my own here. I can’t imagine that I will find anything in my price range with a similar one. My phone is beeping when it shouldn’t be. Rather it should be, but only if my facial recognition software identified Dominic Cerelli somewhere inside Luminoso.

  Oh shit! He’s here. My hazy brain pops to instant attention, washing away the remnants of last night’s headache with a rush of adrenaline. My feet hit the floor and I hurry into the clothes I left in a heap on the floor by the bed a few hours before. The same alert should go to Travis, as well as Xavier, Geno and Grayson. Geno, I’ve spent time with and have the utmost confidence in him… the jury is out on Grayson. The guy is hiding something. I’m not sure what it is, but I don’t like not being well-acquainted with everyone in X’s inner circle. That’s something I’m going to have to work to rectify.

  It only takes me a couple of minutes to get to the security room. Geno is already there, which is no surprise since he has a small room set up as a studio apartment directly across the hall. His hair is a wild tangle and the scruff on his face indicates that he, like me, hasn’t taken the time to shave for at least a couple of days.

  “The camera caught him outside of the service entrance,” he gives me a status report as I enter the door and sit in front of the monitors. He points at the screen indicating one of the cameras I just set up. Good to know that I was right about how he was getting inside.

  “He went directly to Ms. Smith’s office.” He continues, pointing to a second screen where Margot sits stiffly behind her small desk. The camera is set up to show the whole room, but the only way to hide it from an observer was to put it over the door, so all we can see is the back of a man with silver hair and wide shoulders sitting across from her.

  Travis and Xavier enter together while we watch her open her desk drawer and hand something to him. I smile. It’s the memory cards with the staged conversations between Xavier and Ana that we gave her to pass along.

  “Nice of you to join us,” Geno says to them. There is mild amusement in his voice. I can’t help my small snort of laughter.

  “Have a hard time getting out of bed?” I glance at Travis with a smirk. He shakes his head with a sheepish smile, confirming the truth of my words.

  “Later,” Xavier snaps, his glare focused on the man who has got to be his uncle. He’s right. All teasing aside for the moment, I turn my full attention back to the screen to watch the i
nteraction play out.

  The man stands to leave and Margot rises with him, gesturing pleadingly with her hands. Later we’ll be able to add the audio so we can replay the whole conversation. Last night when I set up surveillance I was mostly worried about video so I didn’t set it up for live sound. That’s something I’ll take the time to fix today. I’d love to know what she’s saying. The man turns toward the door and camera, his phone in hand, and says something over his shoulder on his way out.

  It’s Dominic. Xavier tenses beside me, a growl slipping past his lips. Margot lifts her own phone out of her pocket as the door closes, looking at the screen briefly before dropping heavily back into her chair and lowering her face into her hands as her shoulders shake with sobs for a few brief moments. Watching her pull herself together on the monitor I can’t help but admire her strength. She stands and stares straight at the camera and gives a weak smile and wiggles her phone before making her way out the door. She is bringing her phone to me as we agreed last night. It’s time to see what clues we have to work with.

  We meet her in the hall and Xavier leads the way to his office. No one says anything until we are behind closed doors. Travis quickly sweeps the space for listening devices. It’s highly unlikely that Dominic has anyone else working for him in a position to access secure areas, but better safe than sorry. When he nods the all-clear the tension drains from the space. Margot hands me her phone and slumps on the end of the sofa, her head in her hands, looking more tired than she did yesterday.

  It only takes a few minutes to send the single photo that Dominic sent to Margot’s phone to my email so I can pick it apart for information. We can also use the number that he sent it from to see if it will help lead us to him, but Dominic isn’t new to this game. I’m sure it’s a burner phone and he’s most likely already disposed of it. The picture is crystal clear, a small girl bowed forward, hugging her thin knees against her chest. She is dressed in a dirty pink tee shirt and underwear. There are bruises on her arms and legs and fear in the big brown eyes that seem to be looking right at me.