The Missing Millionaire. Dani Sinclair

Inc. is the top security firm in the area.”

      “Then she has a chance.”

      His mind relived the barrage of shots in the parking lot over three months ago. Zoe, Artie and he had just split up after leaving the office for the night. He remembered running, throwing himself over Zoe as she went down, terrified he’d been too late to protect his friend.

      “I’m going to her apartment.”

      Jamie swore softly. “This is stupid.”

      “I’m still going.”

      She glanced at his face and sighed heavily. “You’re a fool. We’re both fools,” she muttered, conceding defeat. “Give me directions.”

      Harrison rubbed a hand across his gritty eyes as she turned the car toward Zoe’s. Jamie scowled at the early morning drivers starting to make their way onto the roads.

      “How is it you don’t know of Ramsey Incorporated?” he asked. “They’re the most prestigious security firm around here.”

      She hesitated, then shrugged as if she’d decided the answer didn’t matter. “I live and work in California. I was only in town for a visit when Tony asked me to help out.”

      “And he didn’t tell you why?”

      “Only that we were protecting you.”

      “You must have some idea who’s behind all this.”

      Her hesitation was confirmation. “Tony wouldn’t say.”

      “But you have a suspicion.”

      “That’s all it is.”

      Harrison waited. She muttered something succinct under her breath and turned to look at him as she stopped for a red light. “What do you know about Victor DiMarko?”

      The unexpected name rocked him almost as hard as seeing Ceecee dead on her kitchen floor. He jerked as if physically struck. All the air seemed to leave his lungs at once.

      Victor DiMarko. Wealthy businessman. Philanderer. Restaurateur. Crime boss. Husband and father. Coldhearted, vicious son of a bitch.

      “I see you know the name.” Her features went inscrutable once more as she pulled into the intersection. “Tony and Carolyn worked for him until they retired.”

      It was as if Jamie had thrown a light switch. Ceecee had worked for Victor DiMarko. No wonder his mother had had little contact with her after his kidnapping all those years ago. With DiMarko’s name, everything changed. “You work for Victor DiMarko?”

      “No! The company I work for has nothing to do with him or his kind of people.” She drew in a deep breath. “I take it you do know him.”

      Somehow Harrison kept his voice even. “I know who he is. We’ve never met.” He’d gone out of his way to see that never happened.

      “I thought…”

      “What? That I’m in the same line of work?” His jaw muscles worked as anger flashed in his eyes.

      “Are you? Glare all you want. Tony said he was helping a friend by arranging your kidnapping. I know he kept in touch with DiMarko. The logical conclusion is that Tony got involved because his former boss asked him for a favor. But maybe I guessed wrong. If you and DiMarko have never met…Were you competing for something? Property? A—”

      “No. Nothing.” But Harrison’s mind continued to whirl with possibilities.

      “What about your…Zoe?”

      Mentally, Harrison swore. He’d just come to that same possibility. “If there’s a connection, it has to be through Wayne Drake.”

      “How did Zoe know him?”

      “She met Drake at a party at my place. He crashed the party, but neither of us knew that at the time because he came in with a group of expected guests and everyone thought he was with someone else. After he was killed and the police told us his background, they theorized he came there to steal something that night and instead latched on to Zoe as a means of getting close to more targets, including me.”

      “Drake worked for DiMarko?”

      “I’ve no idea.” And the thought had never occurred to him until now.

      “What would DiMarko gain by killing the two of you?”

      “Not a thing.” He rubbed at his jaw tiredly. “We’re missing something.”

      “A whole lot of somethings,” she agreed. “Where do I turn?”