Amazon
Husband and wife reunite in USA TODAY
bestselling authors Debra Webb & Regan Black's sizzling Colby
Agency: Family Secrets series!
When someone tries to kill security expert Sophia Leone on a dark road, she's rescued by her husband—a US army general she thought died a year ago. Suddenly, Frank Leone is back, very much alive, and insisting that someone is trying to kill Sophia. Convicted of treason before his supposed death, Frank claims a shadow group is behind everything. Now Sophia must put her life in the hands of the handsome desperado she married for better or worse thirty years ago…the man she never stopped loving.
When someone tries to kill security expert Sophia Leone on a dark road, she's rescued by her husband—a US army general she thought died a year ago. Suddenly, Frank Leone is back, very much alive, and insisting that someone is trying to kill Sophia. Convicted of treason before his supposed death, Frank claims a shadow group is behind everything. Now Sophia must put her life in the hands of the handsome desperado she married for better or worse thirty years ago…the man she never stopped loving.
Chapter One
Chicago,
Illinois
Monday, April 18, 6:45 p.m.
Monday, April 18, 6:45 p.m.
Sophia
Leone sat back as the waiter delivered wide shallow bowls filled with
the best pasta in the Windy City. From the first warm embrace upon
her arrival, her friend Victoria Colby-Camp and her husband, Lucas
Camp, had carefully kept the conversation on lighthearted topics.
It
couldn’t stay that way. All three of them recognized there were
serious matters to address. As the founder of the Colby Agency,
Victoria never let her mind stray too far from business, especially
not when she sensed a friend in trouble.
Was
she in trouble? Sophia couldn’t decide.
She was still processing everything that had happened over the past
few days.
She
resisted the urge to run her fingers over the fading goose egg on her
scalp. Hidden by her hair just above her ear, it was the only remnant
of the shocking fight in her kitchen. Though it had been a terrible
ordeal, the real culprit was in custody and the people who mattered
most were safe. Coming to Chicago gave her a chance to escape and
some space to decide how she wanted to move forward.
While
this visit to Chicago needed to shift into business, tonight was for
pleasure. She wanted time to relax and catch up with her friends. She
hadn’t realized just how pervasive that undercurrent of tension in
her life had been during the months when her daughter, Frankie,
refused to speak with her. Now it was marvelous to share how happily
Frankie and her fiancé, Aidan, a former Colby Agency investigator,
were coming along with their wedding plans. With countless questions
and decisions remaining, the two most important details were
finalized. They’d set a date for September and Aidan’s family
would be in attendance.
“I’m
still not sure we’ve forgiven you for stealing Aidan away,” Lucas
teased when the waiter walked away. “Victoria had to get creative
when she recruited him.”
“He
was ready to try this side of the pond.” Victoria shot her husband
an amused glance. “I might’ve implied that when the river turned
green on St. Patrick’s Day, Chicago would feel like Ireland.”
Watching
the banter between the pair made Sophia’s heart twist painfully. It
reminded her so much of the wonderful days when she’d felt that
camaraderie and partnership with her own husband. Brigadier General
Franklin Leone had been dead almost a year now and she still couldn’t
quite accept it.
She
took a bite of her meal and worked hard to enjoy the fresh flavors of
tender pasta and crisp vegetables. She would not let a wave of
loneliness ruin the evening. Doing her best to keep up her end of the
conversation, she shared more about her future son-in-law. “Aidan
is mesmerized with the Seattle area. He hasn’t seen much beyond the
sights downtown, but when they dropped me at the airport this
morning, he and Frankie were planning a visit to Tillicum Village
this weekend. It’s a traditional native tribal experience.”
“I
remember making that trip ages ago,” Lucas said. “They’ll have
a fantastic time.”
“You
know, I think he might be considering it for the rehearsal dinner.”
Sophia smiled with anticipation. “It would be quite memorable if it
works out.”
Victoria’s
eyes sparkled. “Their wedding will be memorable, regardless. I know
we’re both looking forward to attending.”
“And
Frankie can’t wait to have you both join us,” Sophia replied.
With so much to celebrate, it was silly of her to dwell on who
wouldn’t
be there. She took another bite of her pasta, washed it down with a
sip of excellent wine and struggled again to forgive her husband for
missing this incredible milestone in their daughter’s life.
Victoria
leaned forward and lowered her voice. “If everything is perfect and
wonderful, why are you only poking at your dinner?”
Sophia
lifted her gaze and met the concern shining in her friend’s eyes.
Victoria was as sharp as any of the private investigators she kept on
her staff. While all three of them knew this dinner was meant to be
comforting, neither she nor Victoria had ever been good at beating
around the proverbial bush.
Sophia
smiled. “I just can’t say thank you enough.” Without Victoria,
she and her daughter might never have been reconciled.
Victoria
set her fork aside and reached for her glass of wine. “You’ve
said thank you more than enough already—none of which was
necessary. I’m happy for you and Frankie, even if it cost me a top
investigator.”
Why
had Sophia come all this way if she wasn’t going to be honest about
her other concerns? This wasn’t something to discuss over a phone
or a video chat later. She wanted to see their immediate reactions
when she asked her questions. Sophia tried to muster some courage.
Shy and uncertain weren’t typical for her. She was accustomed to
boldly heading exactly where she needed to go in a conversation or in
business.
“Aidan
is remarkable,” Sophia said with a tight smile. “You should see
them together.” Here she went again, dancing around the more
pertinent issue. Get
to the point!
“We’ll
see them at the wedding.” Victoria’s smile didn’t quite ease
the curiosity in her eyes. “But I’m sure that’s not why you’ve
come all this way, Sophia.”
“Should
I excuse myself?” Lucas asked.
“Of
course not,” Sophia replied immediately. Whatever she told Victoria
would find its way to Lucas anyway. She didn’t begrudge them that.
It had been the same in her own marriage. Until those last two years
anyway when his overseas operations put more than geography obstacles
between her and her husband.
Why
couldn’t she just get the words out? It wasn’t as if Victoria
wouldn’t understand her predicament. By now her friend had probably
guessed why she’d made the trip. “You know I still have questions
about Frank.”
Both
Lucas and Victoria nodded, though neither offered any comment.
Her
husband had been found guilty of treason during his last deployment.
Before he could be transferred to prison, he’d killed himself,
leaving Frankie and Sophia to deal with the fallout. When she closed
her eyes at night, the memory of watching that closed-circuit monitor
fill with the image of his pale, lifeless face haunted her. Sophia
suspected he had carried terrible secrets to his grave. Secrets that
might not even have answers.
Though
Frankie believed her father was innocent of the treason charge and
was certain he’d been murdered, there had never been a scrap of
evidence to support her theory. It was only one facet of the complex
situation that had wedged them apart.
While
Sophia had accepted she’d always be curious about her husband’s
last days, it was her internal battle that had brought her to
Chicago. During her career as a military analyst, she’d taken
information and made concise assessments. Now she wondered if her
ability to read people and situations had failed her.
“Not
just Frank.” Sophia shook her head. “It’s Paul, too.” In the
wake of Frank’s suicide, she’d needed to act quickly to protect
her future and Frankie’s, as well. Paul Sterling, an old friend,
had helped her launch Leo Solutions, the security company she and her
husband had envisioned to keep them busy after his retirement. Mere
days ago she’d found out Paul had betrayed her in favor of his own
interests.
How
had she allowed two men to fool her so completely?
“Every
way I look at what’s happened,” Sophia went on, “the common
denominator is my judgment or lack thereof.” She picked up her
fork, stabbing a stem of roasted asparagus and dragging it through
the light cream sauce. “Forget I said anything.” She glanced from
Victoria to Lucas. “I don’t really know what I need, or even what
I want to do next. Please, let’s talk about something else.”
“All
right,” Victoria said. “Have you found your dress for the
wedding?”
“I
have something in mind.” Sophia felt her smile bloom. It happened
whenever she toyed with ideas for the upcoming wedding. While the
final choices would be up to Frankie and Aidan, she loved
window-shopping and perusing magazines and online sites for creative
ideas to present to the bride and groom. “It’s all happened so
quickly, I’ve only been shopping online so far. Frankie hasn’t
had any time to decide on colors or venues, though she made me
promise not to wear something that fades into the decor. I thought I
might shop a bit while I’m here.”
“We
should go together,” Victoria said with an eager smile. “The
mother of the bride should dazzle, if not quite as much as the bride
herself. Has Frankie given any thought to her dress?”
“Not
particularly. You know she wasn’t the type of little girl who
played wedding day dress up like so many of her friends.” Sophia
curled her fingers around the hemmed edge of the napkin in her lap,
assaulted by memories of happier times. “I don’t want to jinx it,
but I’m hoping she’ll choose to have my wedding gown altered and
restyled to make it hers.”
“Oh,
that would be beautiful.” Victoria blinked rapidly. “You’re all
right with the idea?”
“I
suggested it.” Sophia forgot to take the bite of pasta she’d
gathered onto her fork. “She loves the traditional, understated
lines of my wedding dress and it’s a way for her to include her
father.” Sophia felt bittersweet tears at the back of her throat.
She would not cry another tear for Frank or his memory. “She wants
to honor the start of our family as she starts her own.”
“Sounds
as if your daughter’s a thoughtful and compassionate young woman,”
Lucas said.
Sophia
could have hugged him. It was the perfect assessment and a lovely way
to put it. “Thank you. I think so, too.”
Her
gaze dropped to her plate as her mind drifted back to that idyllic
time when the future was a bright, hope-filled horizon. The Leone
family had faced the world together as a team. She’d weathered the
highs and lows with her husband during his military career. Just when
they were on the cusp of the next stage—ready to enjoy their empty
nest and launch a new venture—life had fallen to pieces. Countless
times over the past year, she’d fought off the urge to scream and
wave her fist at that deceptive horizon. Life
is not always fair, Sophia.
“Frankie
still believes he was innocent, doesn’t she?” Lucas asked.
Sophia
nodded, her heart heavy. “Her faith in him is relentless and even
stronger now since Paul revealed his true colors.”
“She’s
Frank’s daughter through and through,” Victoria observed. “I
saw it the moment she walked into my office. She has his stride, his
chin and all of his tenacity.”
“Among
other things,” Sophia admitted. There were moments, such as this
one, when the sadness at the scope of her loss flattened her. She
tossed her napkin over the remainder of her dinner and swallowed back
another wave of unanswerable questions. Her fingers locked in her lap
and she squeezed until her knuckles protested.
Victoria
leaned forward, her voice low. “Keeping your worries bottled up
isn’t helping you move forward.”
“If
you’d rather discuss what’s troubling you elsewhere, we can wrap
this up,” Lucas offered.
“That’s
kind of you both, but not necessary. I’m overthinking things.”
Sophia tried to believe that explanation as she unclenched her hands,
automatically rubbing the place where her wedding rings had been.
She’d taken them off the day after the funeral, when any reminder
of her ties to her disgraced husband would impede the launch of Leo
Solutions. As a family, they’d been so close. As a couple, they’d
focused their plans on giving Frankie a solid foundation. How had it
suddenly crumbled?
“Frankie
wasn’t the only one to dig into Frank’s case. I’ve been
discreet,” Sophia confessed. “I haven’t found anything helpful
or conclusive yet. It would be nice to confirm my suspicions about
his guilt or innocence. Frankie views him with a daughter’s hero
worship. I won’t take that away from her.”
“Of
course not,” Victoria agreed.
“After
the things Paul said and did last week, it made me wonder about Frank
all over again.” Sophia recognized that Victoria knew more than her
fair share about pain and betrayal. She understood how betrayal often
led a person to ignore some details and put more weight on other
points, which blurred the facts into something closer to fiction.
“Maybe Frankie’s right and we should try harder to clear her
dad’s name.”
“Say
the word and I’ll have one of our investigators start digging into
it.”
Sophia
appreciated Victoria’s offer. It came as no surprise, and
professional assistance was one more reason to be here in person. She
should say yes and let Victoria handle it while she went back to help
Frankie with wedding plans. Would the answers change anything? Her
husband was dead, a convicted traitor—it wasn’t a simple matter
at all. The problem was still too sensitive, too fresh even a year
after the verdict.
Now
that the offer was on the table, she wasn’t sure an investigation
was the right way to go. “Maybe we should investigate.” As the
words left her mouth, everything felt all wrong. “Or maybe not.”
Exasperated with herself, she tried to laugh. “What do I know?”
Her
throat tight with frustration, she raised her glass and finished off
her wine. Her hotel was just down the street and she didn’t have to
worry about driving. The bold flavors of the wine melted on her
tongue but didn’t give her any insight or steady her nerves. Didn’t
she want
the answers? Wouldn’t that help her sleep at night?
Assuming
Victoria’s investigators could find the truth, knowing the facts
wouldn’t actually change anything. Frankie would still be short one
outstanding father. As Sophia had reviewed Frank’s last few years,
even amid all the chaos and inevitable suspicion, she’d never
doubted his love or devotion to their daughter.
“Why
don’t we launch the investigation? You can call it off at any
time,” Lucas said.
No,
it was better not to start at all. “Perhaps,” Sophia replied at
last, “his secrets, good or bad, are better left buried.”
“Even
if he was murdered?”
“I
know what Frankie believes and I can’t blame her. Suicide doesn’t
fit the Frank Leone we knew and loved.” Sophia carried the burden
of that heartache in the locked muscles across her shoulders. “I
didn’t tell her or anyone else how he changed, how he pulled away
from me at the end. I’m not sure she ever needs to know about those
final months.”
Though
they hadn’t been aware back then that it would be the end. Sophia
had thought there would be time for him to come around and be himself
once more. She’d talked about it with a therapist, focused on
shoring up her weaknesses, never expecting Frank to break.
“You
have excellent instincts, Sophia. What do you
know?” Victoria prompted.
“Certainly
my husband had enemies capable of staging a suicide.” Though she’d
searched, none of his obvious adversaries had been in the area at the
time of his death. “Even if by some miracle of detective work we
could pinpoint a culprit now, bringing that person to justice would
likely be impossible.”
“That’s
a fair point.” Lucas nodded sagely. “And it would create a
distraction and turmoil when you and Frankie should be focused on
happier events.”
“Yes,”
Sophia agreed. “That’s exactly the issue. I don’t want to do
anything that would cast a cloud over her wedding day. She and I
might have unanswered, even unanswerable questions, but we’re
finally at a point where we both feel as though we have strong family
ties again.” She leaned back as the waiter removed dishes and
poured more wine. When he was gone she admitted, “Part of my
hesitation is that I don’t want to be proven right, either.”
Lucas’s
brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“If
the verdict was correct, if Frank did commit treason, I don’t want
to confirm that and destroy Frankie’s fond memories. Whatever
happened in his final assignment, he did everything right as a dad.”
“We
understand completely,” Victoria said. “If you change your mind
at any time, the offer is there for you.”
“Thank
you for listening and letting me ramble on about it.”
“If
you want my professional assessment, I’ll say your instincts
haven’t been compromised in the slightest,” Victoria declared in
her trademark steely tone. “Paul took advantage while you were
distracted by grief, that’s all. Whatever Frank didn’t tell you
about his career or his personal problems, he loved you and Frankie
above all else. He must have been protecting you.”
“He
loved Frankie.” During those last two years, Sophia had lost her
faith that her husband loved her with equal devotion. He’d grown
distant and secretive. She’d tried and failed to chalk it up to his
protective nature.
Victoria
consulted her watch. “One more minute for self-pity and then I’m
ordering an outrageous dessert for all of us to share.”
Lucas
pretended to protest, shifting his chair close enough to drape an arm
across the back of Victoria’s.
They
looked utterly content as a couple, as a team. Sophia had had that
once, for nearly the entirety of her thirty-year marriage. However,
that period of her life had ended, and she needed to focus on the
good times, to let the uncertainty go.
“I
don’t need even one more minute.” Sophia reached into her purse
for her cell phone. “Let me show you some pictures of far more
important things.”
She
brought up a slide show and together the three of them admired the
options Frankie would eventually sort out, from bouquets and
centerpieces to tuxedo tails and cake flavors. “We’ve already
decided to surprise Aidan with an old family recipe for the groom’s
cake.”
“This
will be a dream day for all of you,” Victoria said with a wistful
smile. “You must be so excited.”
“We’re
going to have so much fun with the planning. Both of them are huge
assets to Leo Solutions. I have so much to look forward to.”
Catching herself gushing, she paused for a breath. “I thought I’d
lost that relationship with her forever. You returned it to me,
Victoria. You and Aidan.” There weren’t enough thank-yous to
adequately express her joy that her daughter was healthy, happy and
thriving again. It truly was time to stop dwelling on the past and
let go of the questions that would never have answers.
Sophia
insisted on paying for dinner, managing to win a lighthearted
argument with Lucas over the check. As they parted ways at the
restaurant door, a shopping date scheduled for tomorrow, she chose to
walk rather than accept Victoria’s offer for a ride to the hotel.
The crisp spring breeze drifting off the lake caught at her hair,
boosting her mood as she headed down the street.
Moments
after Victoria’s car pulled away, she regretted her decision.
Without the distraction of conversation, she felt eyes on her
immediately. A chill raised the hair at the back of her neck and she
called on her years of self-discipline not to show any recognition to
her observer. She knew she would be safe enough as long as she was
surrounded by other pedestrians.
Though
she hadn’t made a secret of her travel plans to Chicago, she
couldn’t imagine who would bother watching her. Mind over matter,
she thought as she put one foot in front of the other, shoulders
back, head high, refusing to let her discomfort show.
The
tactic had served her well as a general’s wife, an analyst and a
mother. Opponents large and small had cowered in the face of her
poise and determination. Let whoever was out there watch. Let them
see Sophia Leone hadn’t changed a bit as a widow or under the
pressure of the events that followed.
Poised
or not, she felt a wave of relief wash over her when she entered the
hotel lobby, interrupting that intense, uncomfortable scrutiny. She
crossed to the front desk with a smile on her face. She might as well
extend her reservation for an additional night. One day of shopping
with Victoria might not be enough.
“Ah,
Ms. Leone, of course. And you have a message.”
“I
do?” Sophia was surprised. Frankie would have called her cell.
The
man behind the desk passed her a small envelope embossed with the
hotel logo. Sophia noted the precise block lettering of her name on
the outside. Memories whispered through her, making her shiver. Frank
had preferred that style over his nearly illegible cursive
handwriting. They’d often joked that he had the penmanship of a
doctor. How rude of someone to try to irritate her by mimicking his
habit. She caught herself in the middle of the overreaction. Printed
lettering wasn’t a personal attack or automatic insult. She chalked
up her edginess to having been watched so closely on her brief walk.
Moving down the hall toward the elevators, she opened the envelope
and pulled out the note.
She
quickly read it through. She grabbed at the nearest wall for support
as her knees buckled. “You and Frankie are in danger. Meet me at
Parkhurst by nine. Prepare to run.”
It
wasn’t signed, but the writing, the location told her it had to be
from Frank. That was impossible. He was dead.
Parkhurst,
the U.S. Army Reserve Center just off the old Route 66. She and Frank
had been there once for a dining-out, early in his career. They’d
just learned she was pregnant. She remembered avoiding the wine but
not curious speculation of the other wives. She pressed a hand to her
mouth to smother the whimper building in her throat. This wasn’t
happening. Couldn’t be. She needed to get to her room. Needed to
return to the desk and get a description of who had delivered the
message.
Her
stomach tightened while she read the note again more slowly. The
meaning didn’t register at all as her fingertip followed the bold
swipe of the pen strokes making up each letter and word. Her body
sighed with memories of those happier times.
With
an effort, she straightened her spine, tucked away the nostalgia and
pulled herself together. Whoever had created this note had forged
Frank’s handwriting perfectly. Sophia swallowed and forced herself
to take a deep, calming breath. Frank wasn’t the only person in the
world to write this way. He wasn’t the only person who would choose
a remote location for a discreet meeting. At the edge of the nature
preserve surrounding the facility, there would be plenty of privacy
at night.
She
walked back to the front desk, hoping she didn’t look as pale as
she felt. When the clerk smiled, she held up the note. “Can you
tell me who left this and when?”
The
young man on duty shook his head. “It was here when I came on an
hour ago. Jenny only told me it was urgent, according to the man who
left it.”
“Man?”
The
desk clerk nodded.
She
pressed her lips together as potential images and thoughts collided
like bumper cars in her head. “Could I access your security
footage?”
“Um,
no? That kind of thing would have to be approved by our—”
“It’s
okay,” she said, cutting his protest short. What were the odds the
person who’d written the missive had had the audacity to deliver
it? Zero to none. She tapped the note against her palm. “Thank you
for your time.”
Shoulders
back, she aimed for the elevator once more. Frank was dead.
She’d seen him in that morgue. Dead men didn’t send notes
inviting their widowed wives to meetings, advising them to run.
Someone was attempting to put her off balance. She hitched her
shoulders at the thought of being watched during her walk from the
restaurant. Someone wanted to frighten her and lure her from the
safety of the hotel.
Defiant,
she reached out and punched the call button for the elevator. When
the car arrived, she shoved the note into her purse, ignoring it. She
would not be influenced by the emotions of her past. It would be
foolish to dash out to a relatively deserted area alone. She knew
better than to take that sort of risk.
When
she reached her room, she found another note on the floor just inside
the doorway. Someone had slipped it under the door. No name on the
envelope this time. She tore it open and tears sprang to her eyes as
she skimmed it. The message was the same handwriting as the note left
at the desk, but the first word stole her breath.
Dolcezza.
Stunned,
she went limp and slid to the floor, the wall her only support. Her
gaze was locked on the precious endearment Frank had used from their
first date through every phone call and letter when they were apart.
She pressed her lips together, holding back the wail of frustration
and pain swelling in her throat.
So
he’d called her sweetheart in Italian. Any number of people might
know that detail about their lives. This did not mean Frank had
miraculously returned from the dead. Whoever was orchestrating this
was pushing all the right buttons, prodding her to make a predictable
response. Melodramatic
and cruel, she thought, checking her watch.
If she left now, she’d just get to Parkhurst in time. Options ran
through her mind. Victoria could help her sort out who had delivered
the message. She could certainly find someone to ride with her or
shadow her to the meeting.
But
what if it was
Frank?
What
was she thinking? Her husband was dead, his body buried in Seattle.
She thought suddenly about the closed casket. What
if…?
No.
Her husband had been an incredible man and she’d loved him from
that first moment through all the ups and downs of marriage and
career to the farewell she hadn’t known would be their last. She’d
stood by him against the treason charges despite her doubts.
She
glanced at the note, heard his voice whispering “dolcezza”
at her ear when she read it again. Absolutely not. Remarkable he
might’ve been, but not even Frank could come back from the dead.
Shoving the second note into her purse with the first, she dragged
herself from the floor and went to the bathroom to freshen up.
When
she came out, the notes taunted her. Her maternal instinct kicked
into high gear. While she might ignore a veiled threat against
herself, she couldn’t leave Frankie’s safety to chance. Her
daughter had worked tirelessly to triumph over a devastating physical
injury and subsequent emotional turmoil. She wouldn’t let any
vicious stunt ruin things now.
Determination
beating urgently in her veins, Sophia packed her overnight bag. She
considered changing clothes, but only switched from her heels to her
flats. Her lightweight black sweater and slacks were easy to move in
and the closest things to camouflage in her wardrobe. Whoever was
waiting for her at Parkhurst, she had to go.
Nothing
and no one would prevent her from keeping Frankie safe and her future
secure.
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