The Last Mile, page 2
“All right,” she agreed. “Then I look forward to talking to you on Wednesday.”
“If you’re interested in the Amanitore rubies, I’m giving a guest lecture tomorrow night at the Museum of Nature and Science. Begins at seven p.m.”
Mostly she was interested in seeing the way Logan handled himself. She would be trusting this man to help her find her grandfather’s treasure. She wanted to know as much about him as she could.
“Perhaps I’ll see you there.” She rose from her chair, and Logan rose as well. As she walked out of the office, she could feel him watching her, and a thread of sexual awareness slipped through her.
Abby sighed. She didn’t like the attraction she felt for Gage Logan. It was a complication she didn’t need. If they partnered for the search, she would be spending days, possibly weeks with him. She didn’t want to feel this pull that could very well be one-sided.
And if it were mutual?
Even worse. Finding the treasure meant everything to her. King Farrell had been a great man, a man she loved and respected. For years, she had begged him to take her on one of his expeditions. In the beginning, she’d been too young. By the time she was old enough, her parents were divorced, her mother had been diagnosed with fourth-stage, terminal breast cancer, and Abby was needed at home.
King had been riding high back then, traveling the world on one grand adventure after another—until he’d become obsessed with finding what he called the Devil’s Gold. He had promised to take her with him on his next trip in search of what he believed would be the greatest find of his career.
But one failed effort after another had taken him on a downward spiral. He’d left the country for parts unknown, and for months there had been no word from him. Then his attorney had phoned with the news King was dead. He had made Abby the beneficiary of all his worldly possessions, including his house and the map that would lead her to the Devil’s Gold.
Aside from making her rich beyond her wildest dreams, the discovery would prove King Farrell was the great explorer people had once believed.
The gold was there. King knew it. Abby intended to find it.
CHAPTER THREE
GAGE WATCHED ABIGAIL HOLLAND WALK OUT OF HIS OFFICE. SHE was an interesting mix of naïveté and determination. She was pretty, with a high forehead beneath a fringe of bangs, her fair skin touched by a smattering of freckles. Her full pink lips lifted easily into smiles, and the most glorious red-gold hair he had ever seen hung in a single loose braid down her back.
Add to that, in dark blue stretch jeans that showed off her curves and a soft yellow sweater that revealed a hint of cleavage, she was a very sexy lady. Late twenties, he would guess, and apparently single—no wedding ring and no mention of a husband or family.
He didn’t like the idea that someone wanted the map she’d inherited badly enough to break into her home and attack her. She’d moved out, she had told him, and was taking precautions. Gage hoped they would be enough.
Seating himself behind the computer on his big oak desk, he googled the name King Farrell and watched a growing list of links pop up.
King’s mysterious death three months ago sat at the top of the list, though there was no information as to where he had died, just the news that he was somewhere out of the country, possibly in South America, searching for lost treasure, as he had done since he’d been a young man in his twenties.
There was a lengthy obituary Gage figured Abigail had written relating King’s greatest discoveries. Lost tombs in Egypt, diamonds in Africa, Viking gold in Greenland. Most of the artifacts had wound up in museums. Like Gage, King was more interested in the quest than in the money, though he’d always managed to end up with enough to live well and fund another expedition.
No matter the failure that marred King’s final years, the man was nothing short of amazing. Abby’s love and admiration for him appeared in every written line. Perhaps it was part of the reason she wanted to find the treasure. Salvaging King Farrell’s tarnished reputation was likely as important to her as discovering the enormous cache of hidden gold King believed was there.
Gage rubbed a hand over his jaw. The hard truth was the treasure probably didn’t exist.
On the other hand, aside from finding the treasure he had dubbed the Devil’s Gold, King Farrell had never failed in any quest he’d undertaken. The man did his research and didn’t waste time or money on a goal he couldn’t achieve.
Would he have burdened his granddaughter with the task of finding the gold if he hadn’t been sure it was actually there?
Then again, perhaps his competitors in the treasure-hunting community were right and King had finally gone over the edge.
Gage scrolled down the computer screen, opening link after link, reading everything he could find on King Farrell. Looking into everything he couldn’t find on King’s Folly—the Devil’s Gold.
* * *
The next night, Abby purposely arrived late to the lecture hall in the Denver museum. She wanted to hear what Gage Logan had to say about his hunt for the rubies, but first she wanted a chance to observe the man undetected.
Moving quietly toward the back of the auditorium, she took a seat in the last row, grateful for the darkness that hid her arrival. The only light in the room was the spotlight shining down on the podium, where Logan’s tall, imposing figure dominated the listeners, who filled most of the rows.
Tonight he wore a navy blue suit perfectly tailored to his broad-shouldered frame. A crisp white shirt set off his suntanned features, while gold cufflinks glinted at his thick wrists.
She knew he was single, which perhaps accounted for the overwhelming ratio of female to male attendees. She’d seen photos of him at various functions accompanied by attractive women, though rarely the same woman twice.
Watching him, she understood the attraction. Besides his blue-eyed good looks, he was intelligent, interesting, and dedicated to his work, qualities she admired—though she didn’t have time for any sort of dalliance, especially with a man who drew women with the ease of a film star.
Abby had read dozens of articles about him—middle brother of three, both parents now deceased. Kade, the oldest sibling, had taken over the ranch when their father died, and Edge, the youngest, was in the military, or was at the time the article was written.
After two years at the university, Gage had gotten bored and set off with one of his professors, an anthropologist named Bryan Fagan, in search of a rumored fossil skeleton of Australopithecus located somewhere in South Africa.
From there, his adventures continued, morphing into his own expeditions. He’d had failures in his early years, including a journey to South America that had resulted in the death of a woman named Cassandra Dutton, a female member of his crew.
But his skill and knowledge had improved, along with his successes, until eventually he partnered with wealthy international playboy Jack Foxx to open their own firm, Treasure Hunters Anonymous.
Though the partners usually worked independently, their searches included anything from objects of historical value, like the missing camera from Mallory and Irving’s failed attempt in 1924 to summit Mount Everest, to the priceless Amanitore rubies that Gage was discussing tonight.
Though she had only just met him, aside from her grandfather, Logan was among the men she most admired, which was the reason she wanted to hire him.
Her focus returned to the stage.
“The first contact between the Egyptians and Nubians dates back nearly seven thousand years,” Gage was saying. “That’s when ancient Egyptians launched their earliest expedition to the land of Punt, which meant gold.”
One of the women stood to ask a question about the Egyptians’ influence on Nubia and how it pertained to his search for the rubies.
“I believe studying the history of an area is extremely important. It provides crucial insight that helps us locate whatever we’re searching for.”
The woman, a beautiful brunette who was clearly enthralled, remained standing. “In this case, history that goes back thousands of years.”
“That’s correct. Ancient Egyptians called Nubia Ta-neter, land of the gods, and viewed it as a mysterious and unknown place of great fortune. Their trading excursions brought back gold, incense, ebony, ivory, exotic animals, and skins. One such traveler set out for home with gifts for the Pharaoh that included several gold and ruby necklaces of unimaginable value. Unfortunately, the rubies disappeared along the way.”
Gage went on to explain how, two years ago, an artifact had been uncovered that set the wheels in motion.
“An Egyptian friend came to see me. He asked me to lead an expedition in search of the rubies. I agreed, and fortunately, we managed to find them.”
Gage finished the rest of his lecture, and the lights came up as the question-and-answer period began—a good time to leave, Abby figured. Staying in the back, she made her way through the crowd to an exit door that led directly outside, pushed through, and stepped into the darkness.
The moment the door swung closed behind her, shutting out the light from inside, she realized the error she had made. She turned back and tried the door, wasn’t surprised to find it locked. It wasn’t that far to the car, she told herself. She just needed to reach the side of the building where it was brightly lit and cross to the parking lot.
Her brown leather ankle boots clicked on the asphalt as she made her way down the alley at the back of the building. She hadn’t noticed anyone around when she’d stepped outside, but now she heard the sound of the door opening and closing, followed by footfalls echoing behind her.
A quick look over her shoulder and she spotted the shadowy figure of a man in an overcoat striding along in her wake. Abby quickened her pace. He was tall and spare, his overcoat flapping around his legs as his long strides carried him toward her.
A thought stirred that there was something familiar about him. Was it possible this was the same man who had broken into her house? She snatched another quick look. Same height, same lean, wide-shouldered build. Her pulse quickened along with her footsteps.
Surely there was no way he could know where she would be tonight. Not unless . . . Not unless he knew where she was staying and had followed her to the museum. Her heart rate accelerated even more.
Another quick glance confirmed her fear as she saw him closing the distance between them. Abby started running, her lungs pumping as she raced toward the light coming from around the side of the building and the museum parking lot. Behind her, pounding footsteps matched her own, the man drawing even closer.
Abby burst around the corner and kept running. People were beginning to stream out of the building through the entrance that led to the lecture hall. She quickly altered her course to catch up with them and blend into the exiting throng.
The lecture-goers spread out as they reached the parking lot, Abby among them. She spotted her red Fiat convertible and felt a rush of gratitude that the March weather was still too chilly to put the top down.
She glanced back in search of the man who was following her. If he was there, he was just another figure in the crowd. Abby didn’t slow down.
She had almost reached her car when Gage Logan seemed to appear out of nowhere, his long strides quickly catching up with her shorter ones. Her heart was still thrumming, her face flushed, her breathing a little ragged. In the overhead light, she saw his dark brows pull together in a frown.
“Abigail. Are you all right?”
She swallowed, managed to nod. “I’m . . . I’m all right.”
He studied her face. “Something happened. What was it?”
She glanced back toward the building, saw that most of the crowd had dispersed. “I just got a little spooked. I’m sure it was nothing.”
“Tell me what happened.”
She sighed, resigned to explaining. She hoped she didn’t sound like an idiot. “When the lecture ended, I went out the back door. I didn’t realize how dark it was until I got outside and the door locked behind me. Someone came out a few seconds later. There was something about him that looked familiar. I was afraid it was the man who broke into my house—same height and build—but . . .”
She took a calming breath, her adrenaline still pumping. “I’m sure I was wrong. There’s no way he could have known I would be here tonight.”
A muscle tightened in Logan’s jaw. “Not unless he followed you.”
Exactly what she had been thinking. “I’m staying at a friend’s apartment while she’s out of town, so there’s no way he could know where I am.”
“Are you sure?”
A shiver ran through her. It had taken her several days to move her stuff out of the old house. He could have been watching, could have followed her to the apartment.
She looked up at Logan. “No.”
Gage took her arm and began to haul her off toward a vehicle parked under a nearby overhead light, a bronze Land Rover with black trim, fully tricked out with a rack on top and a heavy-duty front bumper. It fit Logan, the explorer, perfectly.
Gage popped the locks and opened the passenger door. “Get in. I’ll take you home.”
“I can’t leave my car. I have things to do in the morning.”
“I’ll pick you up and bring you back.” Ignoring her look of protest, Gage herded her into the seat and firmly closed the door. As he rounded the vehicle to the driver’s side, he unbuttoned his collar, loosened his tie, and dragged it off, exposing his muscular neck.
“I’ll check out the house,” he said, sliding in behind the wheel, tossing the tie carelessly into the back. “We’ll make sure there’s no unwelcome visitor there to surprise you.” Cranking the engine, he put the Rover in gear and drove out of the parking lot.
Abby just sat there. Gage Logan was clearly a force to be reckoned with. She was almost sure she didn’t like it. Almost. It had been years since there’d been anyone around to worry about her safety.
As Logan navigated the Rover in and out of the traffic on Colorado Boulevard, he relaxed back in his seat. “Where are we going?”
Abby gave him directions to her borrowed apartment on South Dexter Street. “It belongs to a friend. Tammy’s staying with her boyfriend, trying to decide if she’s going to make a permanent move.”
“Probably a good idea to find out first.”
“Jed’s a white-hat kind of guy. I hope it works out for them.”
The corner of his mouth edged up. “A white-hat guy. I like that.”
Abby glanced at Logan. He was definitely a larger-than-life figure. Time would tell if the good things she had read about him were true.
Winding in and out of traffic, the Rover continued down the street. “I hope you enjoyed the lecture,” Gage said mildly.
“I’ve read several articles you wrote about the rubies, so I knew most of what you were going to say.”
He flicked her a sideways glance. “Then why did you go?”
“Reading about your adventures could only tell me so much. I wanted a look at Logan, the man. If we’re going to work together, I need to trust you. To do that, I need to get a sense of who you are.” One that was more objective than the image she had conjured in her head.
As they passed beneath an overhead light, his gaze strayed to hers. “So you think I’ll agree to your proposal.”
“You have to be intrigued. And from what I’ve read, you’re very thorough. By now, you know everything there is to know about King’s Folly. Or at least as much as anyone knows. You also know that, aside from his final quest, King never failed at anything he attempted. He believed the gold was there. You’re just deciding if you want to risk your own reputation trying to find it.”
Gage smiled, a flash of white in the darkness that relaxed his features and made him even more handsome. Her pulse kicked up for the second time that night. It was ridiculous. The last thing she needed was a distraction like Logan.
“We need to talk,” he said. “If it’s safe, your place will do.”
She nodded, though his gaze was fixed on the road and not her. “All right.”
“I hope you’ve got something alcoholic to drink. I’m always a little keyed up after one of these events. Being in the spotlight isn’t one of my favorite activities.”
She wouldn’t have guessed that. King loved being in front of an adoring audience.
“King drank scotch, and he was very particular. I put most of his personal possessions in a storage locker until I figure out what I’m going to do. But I kept a bottle of Lagavulin. It’s in the kitchen. If that’ll do, you’re welcome to it.”
The corners of his mouth edged up. “That’ll do very nicely. Thanks.”
CHAPTER FOUR
GAGE PARKED THE ROVER IN FRONT OF A THREE-STORY, STUCCO-AND-BRICK building only a few miles from the museum. Reaching across the console, he opened the glove compartment and took out the Smith and Wesson .45 he kept for self-defense. In his line of work, it could come in handy.
“You carry a gun?” Abby asked.
“My job takes me to interesting places. You never know when a weapon is going to be necessary.” He got out of the vehicle, shoved the gun into his waistband at the back of his slacks, and let his suit coat fall in place to cover it. By the time he rounded the Rover to the passenger door, Abby was waiting for him on the curb. They took the elevator up to the third floor, and he stood by while she opened the door to apartment 318.
Gage eased her behind him, pulled the gun, and held it two-handed as he walked into the apartment. It was a simple one-bedroom, he saw as he moved from room to room, clearing the space, with hardwood floors, a beige sofa and love seat in the living area, and a modern stainless kitchen with white-and-beige granite countertops.
He shoved the gun behind him into the waistband of his slacks. “All clear.”
Abby joined him in the living room. “If Tammy moves in with her boyfriend, I’ll probably take over her lease.”
“Probably? Sounds like you’re keeping your options open.”
“For now.”
Speaking over her shoulder as she walked through the apartment, Abby headed for the kitchen.
“If you’re interested in the Amanitore rubies, I’m giving a guest lecture tomorrow night at the Museum of Nature and Science. Begins at seven p.m.”
Mostly she was interested in seeing the way Logan handled himself. She would be trusting this man to help her find her grandfather’s treasure. She wanted to know as much about him as she could.
“Perhaps I’ll see you there.” She rose from her chair, and Logan rose as well. As she walked out of the office, she could feel him watching her, and a thread of sexual awareness slipped through her.
Abby sighed. She didn’t like the attraction she felt for Gage Logan. It was a complication she didn’t need. If they partnered for the search, she would be spending days, possibly weeks with him. She didn’t want to feel this pull that could very well be one-sided.
And if it were mutual?
Even worse. Finding the treasure meant everything to her. King Farrell had been a great man, a man she loved and respected. For years, she had begged him to take her on one of his expeditions. In the beginning, she’d been too young. By the time she was old enough, her parents were divorced, her mother had been diagnosed with fourth-stage, terminal breast cancer, and Abby was needed at home.
King had been riding high back then, traveling the world on one grand adventure after another—until he’d become obsessed with finding what he called the Devil’s Gold. He had promised to take her with him on his next trip in search of what he believed would be the greatest find of his career.
But one failed effort after another had taken him on a downward spiral. He’d left the country for parts unknown, and for months there had been no word from him. Then his attorney had phoned with the news King was dead. He had made Abby the beneficiary of all his worldly possessions, including his house and the map that would lead her to the Devil’s Gold.
Aside from making her rich beyond her wildest dreams, the discovery would prove King Farrell was the great explorer people had once believed.
The gold was there. King knew it. Abby intended to find it.
CHAPTER THREE
GAGE WATCHED ABIGAIL HOLLAND WALK OUT OF HIS OFFICE. SHE was an interesting mix of naïveté and determination. She was pretty, with a high forehead beneath a fringe of bangs, her fair skin touched by a smattering of freckles. Her full pink lips lifted easily into smiles, and the most glorious red-gold hair he had ever seen hung in a single loose braid down her back.
Add to that, in dark blue stretch jeans that showed off her curves and a soft yellow sweater that revealed a hint of cleavage, she was a very sexy lady. Late twenties, he would guess, and apparently single—no wedding ring and no mention of a husband or family.
He didn’t like the idea that someone wanted the map she’d inherited badly enough to break into her home and attack her. She’d moved out, she had told him, and was taking precautions. Gage hoped they would be enough.
Seating himself behind the computer on his big oak desk, he googled the name King Farrell and watched a growing list of links pop up.
King’s mysterious death three months ago sat at the top of the list, though there was no information as to where he had died, just the news that he was somewhere out of the country, possibly in South America, searching for lost treasure, as he had done since he’d been a young man in his twenties.
There was a lengthy obituary Gage figured Abigail had written relating King’s greatest discoveries. Lost tombs in Egypt, diamonds in Africa, Viking gold in Greenland. Most of the artifacts had wound up in museums. Like Gage, King was more interested in the quest than in the money, though he’d always managed to end up with enough to live well and fund another expedition.
No matter the failure that marred King’s final years, the man was nothing short of amazing. Abby’s love and admiration for him appeared in every written line. Perhaps it was part of the reason she wanted to find the treasure. Salvaging King Farrell’s tarnished reputation was likely as important to her as discovering the enormous cache of hidden gold King believed was there.
Gage rubbed a hand over his jaw. The hard truth was the treasure probably didn’t exist.
On the other hand, aside from finding the treasure he had dubbed the Devil’s Gold, King Farrell had never failed in any quest he’d undertaken. The man did his research and didn’t waste time or money on a goal he couldn’t achieve.
Would he have burdened his granddaughter with the task of finding the gold if he hadn’t been sure it was actually there?
Then again, perhaps his competitors in the treasure-hunting community were right and King had finally gone over the edge.
Gage scrolled down the computer screen, opening link after link, reading everything he could find on King Farrell. Looking into everything he couldn’t find on King’s Folly—the Devil’s Gold.
* * *
The next night, Abby purposely arrived late to the lecture hall in the Denver museum. She wanted to hear what Gage Logan had to say about his hunt for the rubies, but first she wanted a chance to observe the man undetected.
Moving quietly toward the back of the auditorium, she took a seat in the last row, grateful for the darkness that hid her arrival. The only light in the room was the spotlight shining down on the podium, where Logan’s tall, imposing figure dominated the listeners, who filled most of the rows.
Tonight he wore a navy blue suit perfectly tailored to his broad-shouldered frame. A crisp white shirt set off his suntanned features, while gold cufflinks glinted at his thick wrists.
She knew he was single, which perhaps accounted for the overwhelming ratio of female to male attendees. She’d seen photos of him at various functions accompanied by attractive women, though rarely the same woman twice.
Watching him, she understood the attraction. Besides his blue-eyed good looks, he was intelligent, interesting, and dedicated to his work, qualities she admired—though she didn’t have time for any sort of dalliance, especially with a man who drew women with the ease of a film star.
Abby had read dozens of articles about him—middle brother of three, both parents now deceased. Kade, the oldest sibling, had taken over the ranch when their father died, and Edge, the youngest, was in the military, or was at the time the article was written.
After two years at the university, Gage had gotten bored and set off with one of his professors, an anthropologist named Bryan Fagan, in search of a rumored fossil skeleton of Australopithecus located somewhere in South Africa.
From there, his adventures continued, morphing into his own expeditions. He’d had failures in his early years, including a journey to South America that had resulted in the death of a woman named Cassandra Dutton, a female member of his crew.
But his skill and knowledge had improved, along with his successes, until eventually he partnered with wealthy international playboy Jack Foxx to open their own firm, Treasure Hunters Anonymous.
Though the partners usually worked independently, their searches included anything from objects of historical value, like the missing camera from Mallory and Irving’s failed attempt in 1924 to summit Mount Everest, to the priceless Amanitore rubies that Gage was discussing tonight.
Though she had only just met him, aside from her grandfather, Logan was among the men she most admired, which was the reason she wanted to hire him.
Her focus returned to the stage.
“The first contact between the Egyptians and Nubians dates back nearly seven thousand years,” Gage was saying. “That’s when ancient Egyptians launched their earliest expedition to the land of Punt, which meant gold.”
One of the women stood to ask a question about the Egyptians’ influence on Nubia and how it pertained to his search for the rubies.
“I believe studying the history of an area is extremely important. It provides crucial insight that helps us locate whatever we’re searching for.”
The woman, a beautiful brunette who was clearly enthralled, remained standing. “In this case, history that goes back thousands of years.”
“That’s correct. Ancient Egyptians called Nubia Ta-neter, land of the gods, and viewed it as a mysterious and unknown place of great fortune. Their trading excursions brought back gold, incense, ebony, ivory, exotic animals, and skins. One such traveler set out for home with gifts for the Pharaoh that included several gold and ruby necklaces of unimaginable value. Unfortunately, the rubies disappeared along the way.”
Gage went on to explain how, two years ago, an artifact had been uncovered that set the wheels in motion.
“An Egyptian friend came to see me. He asked me to lead an expedition in search of the rubies. I agreed, and fortunately, we managed to find them.”
Gage finished the rest of his lecture, and the lights came up as the question-and-answer period began—a good time to leave, Abby figured. Staying in the back, she made her way through the crowd to an exit door that led directly outside, pushed through, and stepped into the darkness.
The moment the door swung closed behind her, shutting out the light from inside, she realized the error she had made. She turned back and tried the door, wasn’t surprised to find it locked. It wasn’t that far to the car, she told herself. She just needed to reach the side of the building where it was brightly lit and cross to the parking lot.
Her brown leather ankle boots clicked on the asphalt as she made her way down the alley at the back of the building. She hadn’t noticed anyone around when she’d stepped outside, but now she heard the sound of the door opening and closing, followed by footfalls echoing behind her.
A quick look over her shoulder and she spotted the shadowy figure of a man in an overcoat striding along in her wake. Abby quickened her pace. He was tall and spare, his overcoat flapping around his legs as his long strides carried him toward her.
A thought stirred that there was something familiar about him. Was it possible this was the same man who had broken into her house? She snatched another quick look. Same height, same lean, wide-shouldered build. Her pulse quickened along with her footsteps.
Surely there was no way he could know where she would be tonight. Not unless . . . Not unless he knew where she was staying and had followed her to the museum. Her heart rate accelerated even more.
Another quick glance confirmed her fear as she saw him closing the distance between them. Abby started running, her lungs pumping as she raced toward the light coming from around the side of the building and the museum parking lot. Behind her, pounding footsteps matched her own, the man drawing even closer.
Abby burst around the corner and kept running. People were beginning to stream out of the building through the entrance that led to the lecture hall. She quickly altered her course to catch up with them and blend into the exiting throng.
The lecture-goers spread out as they reached the parking lot, Abby among them. She spotted her red Fiat convertible and felt a rush of gratitude that the March weather was still too chilly to put the top down.
She glanced back in search of the man who was following her. If he was there, he was just another figure in the crowd. Abby didn’t slow down.
She had almost reached her car when Gage Logan seemed to appear out of nowhere, his long strides quickly catching up with her shorter ones. Her heart was still thrumming, her face flushed, her breathing a little ragged. In the overhead light, she saw his dark brows pull together in a frown.
“Abigail. Are you all right?”
She swallowed, managed to nod. “I’m . . . I’m all right.”
He studied her face. “Something happened. What was it?”
She glanced back toward the building, saw that most of the crowd had dispersed. “I just got a little spooked. I’m sure it was nothing.”
“Tell me what happened.”
She sighed, resigned to explaining. She hoped she didn’t sound like an idiot. “When the lecture ended, I went out the back door. I didn’t realize how dark it was until I got outside and the door locked behind me. Someone came out a few seconds later. There was something about him that looked familiar. I was afraid it was the man who broke into my house—same height and build—but . . .”
She took a calming breath, her adrenaline still pumping. “I’m sure I was wrong. There’s no way he could have known I would be here tonight.”
A muscle tightened in Logan’s jaw. “Not unless he followed you.”
Exactly what she had been thinking. “I’m staying at a friend’s apartment while she’s out of town, so there’s no way he could know where I am.”
“Are you sure?”
A shiver ran through her. It had taken her several days to move her stuff out of the old house. He could have been watching, could have followed her to the apartment.
She looked up at Logan. “No.”
Gage took her arm and began to haul her off toward a vehicle parked under a nearby overhead light, a bronze Land Rover with black trim, fully tricked out with a rack on top and a heavy-duty front bumper. It fit Logan, the explorer, perfectly.
Gage popped the locks and opened the passenger door. “Get in. I’ll take you home.”
“I can’t leave my car. I have things to do in the morning.”
“I’ll pick you up and bring you back.” Ignoring her look of protest, Gage herded her into the seat and firmly closed the door. As he rounded the vehicle to the driver’s side, he unbuttoned his collar, loosened his tie, and dragged it off, exposing his muscular neck.
“I’ll check out the house,” he said, sliding in behind the wheel, tossing the tie carelessly into the back. “We’ll make sure there’s no unwelcome visitor there to surprise you.” Cranking the engine, he put the Rover in gear and drove out of the parking lot.
Abby just sat there. Gage Logan was clearly a force to be reckoned with. She was almost sure she didn’t like it. Almost. It had been years since there’d been anyone around to worry about her safety.
As Logan navigated the Rover in and out of the traffic on Colorado Boulevard, he relaxed back in his seat. “Where are we going?”
Abby gave him directions to her borrowed apartment on South Dexter Street. “It belongs to a friend. Tammy’s staying with her boyfriend, trying to decide if she’s going to make a permanent move.”
“Probably a good idea to find out first.”
“Jed’s a white-hat kind of guy. I hope it works out for them.”
The corner of his mouth edged up. “A white-hat guy. I like that.”
Abby glanced at Logan. He was definitely a larger-than-life figure. Time would tell if the good things she had read about him were true.
Winding in and out of traffic, the Rover continued down the street. “I hope you enjoyed the lecture,” Gage said mildly.
“I’ve read several articles you wrote about the rubies, so I knew most of what you were going to say.”
He flicked her a sideways glance. “Then why did you go?”
“Reading about your adventures could only tell me so much. I wanted a look at Logan, the man. If we’re going to work together, I need to trust you. To do that, I need to get a sense of who you are.” One that was more objective than the image she had conjured in her head.
As they passed beneath an overhead light, his gaze strayed to hers. “So you think I’ll agree to your proposal.”
“You have to be intrigued. And from what I’ve read, you’re very thorough. By now, you know everything there is to know about King’s Folly. Or at least as much as anyone knows. You also know that, aside from his final quest, King never failed at anything he attempted. He believed the gold was there. You’re just deciding if you want to risk your own reputation trying to find it.”
Gage smiled, a flash of white in the darkness that relaxed his features and made him even more handsome. Her pulse kicked up for the second time that night. It was ridiculous. The last thing she needed was a distraction like Logan.
“We need to talk,” he said. “If it’s safe, your place will do.”
She nodded, though his gaze was fixed on the road and not her. “All right.”
“I hope you’ve got something alcoholic to drink. I’m always a little keyed up after one of these events. Being in the spotlight isn’t one of my favorite activities.”
She wouldn’t have guessed that. King loved being in front of an adoring audience.
“King drank scotch, and he was very particular. I put most of his personal possessions in a storage locker until I figure out what I’m going to do. But I kept a bottle of Lagavulin. It’s in the kitchen. If that’ll do, you’re welcome to it.”
The corners of his mouth edged up. “That’ll do very nicely. Thanks.”
CHAPTER FOUR
GAGE PARKED THE ROVER IN FRONT OF A THREE-STORY, STUCCO-AND-BRICK building only a few miles from the museum. Reaching across the console, he opened the glove compartment and took out the Smith and Wesson .45 he kept for self-defense. In his line of work, it could come in handy.
“You carry a gun?” Abby asked.
“My job takes me to interesting places. You never know when a weapon is going to be necessary.” He got out of the vehicle, shoved the gun into his waistband at the back of his slacks, and let his suit coat fall in place to cover it. By the time he rounded the Rover to the passenger door, Abby was waiting for him on the curb. They took the elevator up to the third floor, and he stood by while she opened the door to apartment 318.
Gage eased her behind him, pulled the gun, and held it two-handed as he walked into the apartment. It was a simple one-bedroom, he saw as he moved from room to room, clearing the space, with hardwood floors, a beige sofa and love seat in the living area, and a modern stainless kitchen with white-and-beige granite countertops.
He shoved the gun behind him into the waistband of his slacks. “All clear.”
Abby joined him in the living room. “If Tammy moves in with her boyfriend, I’ll probably take over her lease.”
“Probably? Sounds like you’re keeping your options open.”
“For now.”
Speaking over her shoulder as she walked through the apartment, Abby headed for the kitchen.
