slung her over his shoulder.
“I’ve got Buchanan’s phone,” he told Rocco. “You find anything interesting?”
“I got his appointment book. I hate having to take her.”
The girl was still struggling over Kelan’s shoulder, hitting his kidney with her fists. “It’s a real party for me, too.” He took the appointment book from Rocco. “Go get her stuff. Her suitcase is in her room. No idea how old she is-see if you can find her purse. I’m going to get her settled in the Expedition. Don’t dawdle. I saw sleeping meds in the plumber’s bedroom, but I’m not sure how much noise Buchanan can sleep through.”
Kelan made his way through the living room and into the shop. She got in another good strike at his left kidney. He swatted her backside. “Knock it off. How about you don’t hit me and I won’t hit you?” Kelan growled at her bottom.
She settled for a minute, but as soon as he stepped outside, she pushed up against his back, whimpering. He shoved her farther over his shoulder, closing his mind to her muted pleas. If she was involved in the plumber’s treason, she’d receive no mercy. He doubted she was, however. He thought she looked to be about twelve-until he remembered the lacy lingerie he’d seen in her suitcase and reevaluated that assessment. Little girls didn’t wear stuff like that, did they?
Hell, if she was under age, they’d have to turn her over to social services. And good riddance, he told himself as he settled her in the backseat of the Expedition. He fastened her seat belt, then sat beside her. Rocco was right behind them. He put her stuff on the passenger side of the front seat, then took the wheel. Neither man spoke on the return trip.
When Rocco opened the front door for Kelan and his package, he couldn’t help giving his old friend a grin. “This is not going to go well.”
Kelan moved into the living room, ignoring the humor in Rocco’s voice. He unsheathed his knife and sliced through the tape at the girl’s ankles and knees while she still hung over his shoulder. He set her on her feet in Mandy’s living room, then cut the tape on her wrists, leaving the one across her mouth for her to remove.
“What’s going on? Why did you take me?” She punched his shoulder. Her little fist barely made an impact against his lean strength.
Kelan’s face darkened. “What did I tell you about hitting?”
Several pairs of boots thundered up the stairs ending any chance of a reprieve he might have had before having to face the team.
“This better be good,” Blade said as the men stopped in a half-circle around Kelan and the girl.
“What the hell have you done?” Kit asked, shouldering his way through the ring of men. The girl stepped back against Kelan, her arms folded over herself. The top of her head barely reached his chin. The look Kit was giving her would make a seasoned warrior nervous. Wanting to deflect Kit’s focus from the girl, Kelan wrapped an arm across her arms, pulling her close.
Val gave the girl a warm look-over. “Kelan! How many times do I have to tell you, ‘female good, jailbait bad?’”
Kelan’s normally effervescent mood was rapidly diminishing. “We found her at the plumber’s. She’d already seen us. We couldn’t leave her there.”
“Who is she?” Kit snapped.
“Fiona Addison,” Rocco said, holding up her driver’s license and school ID. “Age 20. A student at Colorado State University.”
“Well, Ms. Addison, mind telling us what you were doing at Alan Buchanan’s apartment?” Kit asked.
“I live there.”
“Mandy didn’t say anything about anyone else living there,” Rocco said.
“Mandy? Is she here?” the girl asked, looking around.
“She’s here. She’s sleeping,” Rocco told her.
Kelan felt the girl relax a little upon hearing that Mandy was here-until another thought hit her. “Is she also a prisoner?”
“She’s not a prisoner. Nor are you. Mandy’s my sister. I’m Kit Bolanger.”
She straightened and faced Kelan. “If I’m not a prisoner, then I’ll thank you to take me back home.”
“No.”
“What’s your connection to Alan Buchanan?” Kit continued with the questions.
“How about you show me some ID first?” she demanded.
“We’re private investigators,” Owen explained.
“I didn’t know private investigators traveled in packs.” She answered with more bravado than Kelan would have expected from someone so young and so small. “What are you investigating? What has Alan done?”
“We’re not at liberty to explain. Answer the question,” Owen told her.
“He’s my stepfather. He asked me to come back and work the office for the summer. His counter help keeps quitting.”
“There was no sign of your mother at the apartment,” Kelan said, wishing she were still leaning against him, wishing the guys would back off a bit and give her some room.
The girl shoved her dark blond curls off her face and glared at him. “She died a year ago. She was murdered when I was a freshman at CSU.”
“How long have you known Buchanan?” Owen asked.
The girl shrugged. “My mother married him two and a half years ago, just before they moved up here. I don’t know him very well. I’ve spent most of that time at school.” She looked at the stockade of men standing shoulder to shoulder around her.
Kit and Owen exchanged a look. Kelan clenched his jaw. He could see they intended to press the girl for every bit of info she had on Buchanan. It was going to be a long friggin’ night. And he did not intend to let them question her without him.
Chapter 16
Mandy woke to loud voices coming from the living room. She’d tried to stay awake until Rocco returned from his mission, but she’d been too tired. She pulled her robe on over her pajamas and hurried out to see what had the men so excited.
As soon as she stepped into the hallway, she saw the guys standing in a tight circle and heard a familiar voice. The plumber’s daughter.
“Fee?” she asked, pushing her way into the ring of men.
“Mandy?”
Mandy reached out to hug her friend, who was ice cold. She glared up at Kelan. “You couldn’t have let her get dressed?”
“It wasn’t a social call, Mandy.”
She drew Fee to the sofa and wrapped her in the quilt before pulling her down to sit next her. “What’s going on? I didn’t know you were out of school already. Why are you here?”
Fee folded her legs in front of her on the cushion and glared at Kelan and Rocco. “They broke into Alan’s home and kidnapped me.”
Mandy gasped. She looked at Kelan’s shuttered face, then at Rocco for confirmation. He shrugged. “She was an unforeseen complication.”
Kit looked at the men gathered in the room. “I think you have some work to do downstairs,” Kit ordered. “Owen and I will chat with the girl.”
“I’m staying.” Kelan crossed his arms and planted his feet. “She’s my complication. I’m responsible for her.”
“True, that. And we’ll discuss it shortly. In the meantime, I need you to do as I asked and give me an update ASAP.”
Kelan didn’t move. “Rocco will get your update. I’m staying.”
“Why are these men in your house, Mandy? And don’t tell me they’ve come out for a vacation-I won’t for a
