Tough Customer

a reason. We don't know what those reasons are, but I assure you that everything Oren does is part of his master plan.' She set the unfinished glass of bourbon on the coffee table and stood up. 'I'm going up to pack.'

Dodge said, 'You'd just as well finish that whiskey, because you're not going to Houston tonight.'

Her chin went up a notch. 'I most certainly am.'

'No, ma'am. Get that plan right outta your head.'

'I've got to be at Delray Marketing tomorrow morning to make my presentation.'

'Did you clear that with Ski?'

'I'm not obligated to.'

'He'll have a shitfit.'

'He's got his work, his career, and I've got mine. The deadline for that campaign is tomorrow. It was assigned to me. It represents a whole year's work. It's my baby. I'm presenting it on schedule.'

Caroline said, 'Berry, I know how important that commitment is to you. But given the circumstances, everyone at Delray, as well as the client, would understand if you asked for a postponement.'

'Would you postpone an important closing?'

Caroline seemed about to answer one way, changed her mind and said softly, 'Probably not.'

'Then you can understand why I have to be there tomorrow. Ben can't be. I made a promise to be there on his behalf. The client expects me to come through, and so does Delray.'

'Screw Delray, screw Lofland, the client, and every-damn-body,' Dodge exclaimed. 'Have both of you forgotten that a freaking lunatic has threatened to kill you?'

'If I hide here, put my life on hold, Oren's won,' Berry argued. 'I'm going.' She left the room and started up the stairs.

Dodge placed his hands on his hips and fixed a baleful stare on Caroline. 'Are you just going to stand there? Do something. Stop her.'

'How? I tried. I'm open to suggestions.'

'I don't know how, just do it. Reason with her.'

'Impossible, Dodge.'

'Right. Because she's just as bullheaded as you.'

She brushed past him on her way to the staircase. 'And as ambitious as you.'

Berry was determined to keep her appointment the next morning, and Caroline was equally determined not to be left behind. Dodge had pledged to Ski not to let Berry out of his sight. Bottom line: all of them were going to Houston.

Dodge put up credible objections and grumbled about the long drive facing them, but he was secretly glad the trip was on. Berry's stubbornness gave him an excuse to go where he wanted to be anyway. He wanted to confront the son of a bitch who'd been terrorizing his daughter. Once Starks was in custody and behind bars, it would be more difficult for Dodge to tell him how lucky he was to be intact and breathing.

And if Dodge was fortunate enough to catch Starks before the authorities did, the man wouldn't live to see the inside of a jail cell.

It was decided that they would take Caroline's car, which had a roomier and more comfortable interior than his rental. Knowing he couldn't smoke in it, he inhaled as many cigarettes as he could while waiting for the two women to gather up what they would take with them.

Berry was the first to join him outside. As she came down the back steps carrying a large leather portfolio and a small suitcase, she eyed the cigarette butts he had extinguished in the pot of caladiums. 'Do you think those will sustain you till we get there?'

'Do I have a choice?'

His querulousness caused her to smile. Together they stashed her things in the trunk. She was about to get into the backseat when she hesitated. 'I know you consider this assignment glorified babysitting. You'd much rather be in on the action. But, for what it's worth, I'm glad you have my back, Dodge.' She reached out and touched his hand. 'Thanks.'

He had ridiculed people who got mushy over their kids. He'd believed them to be goddamn fools, bores, and probably liars. But when Berry smiled at him, touched his hand, he understood the absurd, inexplicable, boundless scope of parental love.

It was several minutes before he recovered his breath and the tightness in his chest relaxed.

Once they were under way, he tried to reach Ski but got his voice mail. He left a message, briefly apprising him of their plans. There was no response until they were halfway to Houston and had stopped to take a break at a large service station. Dodge was standing guard outside the ladies' room when his cell phone rang.

He checked the caller ID, sighed, and braced himself for what he knew was coming. 'I swear I tried.' He let Ski rant profanely for a full thirty seconds before butting in. 'She's damned and determined to make that meeting tomorrow.'

Ski expelled his breath, and along with it another series of swearwords. 'I want her back in Merritt as soon as it's over.'

'I hear you. What's going on at your end?'

Ski talked for several minutes, then asked, 'How's Berry? I mean besides being a massive pain in the ass.'

'Abnormally quiet.'

'Scared?'

'Yeah. And she doesn't even know about those pictures.'

'You haven't told her or Caroline?'

'No.'

'Good.' He paused before continuing. 'I had a deputy return Amanda Lofland's cell phone to her. Let's not pretend that you didn't dig into it.'

'You saw Sally Buckland's numbers?'

'Hard to miss.'

'Berry wasn't aware the two women even knew each other.'

'You asked?'

'Yeah, and she looked surprised to learn they'd been in contact. What do you suppose they had to talk about?'

Ski refrained from answering. Tersely he said, 'Drive safely,' and clicked off.

Caroline and Berry came out of the restroom as Dodge was replacing his phone in the holster on his belt.

'Who was that?' Berry asked.

'Ski.'

'Any news?'

'We'll talk about it in the car.' He waited until they were back on the road before passing along Ski's update. 'He's outside Buckland's house, waiting for a search warrant so he can go in, but this is Sunday. They're having to track down a judge.'

He glanced at Berry in the rearview mirror. 'He also asked me what the expletive deleted you think you're doing running off to Houston. He wasn't happy about it, let me tell you. He thought you were tucked in safe and sound at the lake house with his heavily armed guys, including me, guarding you.'

'I didn't need his permission.'