On The Back Cover:
Supervisory Special Agent Finn Callaghan is impressed. While teaching a course at Quantico, he witnessed trainee agent Kennedy Morris take down a bully twice her size. Before leaving Washington DC, he stops by her apartment to offer her a job as his partner in Granite City, Montana and is surprised to see a wedding reception in her building during the worst storm of the year.
Kennedy is having a bad day. Her FBI training isn’t going well, her dysfunctional family is visiting, there’s a category one hurricane bearing down on them, and now she has to deal with her attraction to her superior Finn Callaghan.
When the bride from the reception, Vanessa Stevens, disappears, Finn offers to help. With Kennedy’s aid, they delve into the world of the rich and powerful. But their investigation reveals that no one really knows Vanessa. When the storm cuts the power and phone lines, they must ascertain if kidnappers have taken advantage of the weather or if the bride is a clever con woman.
Supervisory Special Agent Finn Callaghan is impressed. While teaching a course at Quantico, he witnessed trainee agent Kennedy Morris take down a bully twice her size. Before leaving Washington DC, he stops by her apartment to offer her a job as his partner in Granite City, Montana and is surprised to see a wedding reception in her building during the worst storm of the year.
Kennedy is having a bad day. Her FBI training isn’t going well, her dysfunctional family is visiting, there’s a category one hurricane bearing down on them, and now she has to deal with her attraction to her superior Finn Callaghan.
When the bride from the reception, Vanessa Stevens, disappears, Finn offers to help. With Kennedy’s aid, they delve into the world of the rich and powerful. But their investigation reveals that no one really knows Vanessa. When the storm cuts the power and phone lines, they must ascertain if kidnappers have taken advantage of the weather or if the bride is a clever con woman.
Chapter One
Finn Callaghan peered through the torrential rain at the upscale apartment building. He must be at the wrong address. The tower block was situated in an expensive neighborhood of Washington DC near the Anacostia River. A sign in front read The Gem, Luxurious living at its finest.
It wasn’t the kind of place he’d expected when he’d asked his superiors if he could contact new FBI agent trainee, Kennedy Morris.
A gust of wind launched him sideways as he climbed the front steps. He grabbed the handrail and used it to lever himself the last few feet to the front door. Hurricane Carol was expected to hit Washington DC at full force by nine o’clock tonight. But even now, less than four hours before, the weather was already treacherous. It was rated as a category one storm, which was enough to damage buildings, break tree branches, and cause blackouts. That meant he needed to deliver his message and get out of here. It was only a short drive to Ronald Reagan Airport. With any luck, he would make his flight with time to spare.
The lobby was stylishly decorated with dark wood paneling and white tile floors. A Harry Potter clone stood at the reception desk, wearing a suit that was nicer than Finn’s. He sported a name tag that read Jimmy.
Jimmy smiled, revealing his dimples. “May I help you?” His eyes flickered over Finn’s cheap suit and bedraggled appearance.
Finn completed the image by shaking the water from his hair like a wet dog.
“Oh, my.” Jimmy grabbed a towel, walked around the desk, and thrust the cloth at Finn. “Here. Did you break down? We don’t usually allow people to shelter… That is to say, The Gem expects their… What I’m trying to say—”
“I’m looking for Kennedy Morris.” He flashed his credentials, putting an end to Jimmy’s discomfort.
Jimmy took a step back and swallowed, obviously shocked at the arrival of an FBI special agent.
It wasn’t the first time Finn had witnessed this reaction and wouldn’t be the last. But he was in a hurry, so maybe a little reassurance would speed things along. “She’s not in trouble.”
“I’ll see if she’s in.” He ran behind the desk and picked up the phone.
Using the towel, Finn rubbed the moisture from his face as he strolled around the foyer. Past the concierge desk was a short corridor with a bank of elevators on the left; to the right were several large doors. One was jammed open. An arch of white flowers stood just inside the door. Laughter, the chatter of friendly voices, and the clink of glasses rang out. It was a startling contrast to the storm that raged outside. Someone was getting married in a hurricane. The guests had either decided to stay at The Gem overnight or had risked being stranded here.
Jimmy coughed. “You can go up now. She’s on the twelfth floor.”
“Someone’s getting married?” Finn had a soft spot for weddings. Marriage might not be for him, but he always enjoyed the celebration.
“Yes, Blake Sheldon and his fiancée, Vanessa Stevens.” Jimmy’s chest puffed. “The ceremony’s over. This is their reception, so I guess they’re Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon now.”
“You made it sound as if they’re important,” Finn said as he strode toward the elevators.
“Everyone who resides at The Gem is important,” Jimmy called after him.
****
Kennedy Morris opened her door a crack. “Have you come to tell me I’ve been dismissed from the program?”
She wasn’t wearing any makeup, but had the polished look that came with money.
Finn shook his head. “No, I’m Supervisory Special Agent Finn Callaghan.” He took her cool hand in his and was relieved to see her nails were short-clipped, unpolished, and practical.
As a supervisory agent with the FBI, he was required to take his turn in the instruction of new agents in training, or NATs as they were called, on the complexities of work in a resident agency.
“I remember.” She scooped up her dark shoulder length hair and tied it in a ponytail. “You didn’t answer my question.”
He smiled, hoping to reassure her. “No, I’m not here to fire you. I’d like to talk to you.”
She tugged her lower lip with her teeth as if deciding something. Finally, she nodded and opened the door.
Finn entered, aware that he was dripping on her perfectly polished stone floor. The open-plan apartment was roomy and bright, even now with the storm raging outside. The kitchen lay in an alcove to his left. It was spotless, no crumbs, no stinky garbage or dirty dishes, not even an old cup of coffee, which wasn’t such a surprise when he considered that until this morning, Kennedy had been staying at the FBI Academy in Quantico.
The entrance widened to the living room. A large white couch sat in the middle of the room with a medium-sized flat screen TV on the wall opposite. Throw rugs, figurines, and pictures were artfully littered about, but there was nothing personal. The whole place felt like a Hollywood set with no family photos, knick-knacks, not even a newspaper to indicate this was a home.
Finn didn’t venture too far into the apartment. He daren’t. He’d had a long day, wearing the same suit, and he’d been pounded by the storm. He needed a shower and a hazmat suit before he could sit on the white couch without getting it dirty.
Kennedy waved a hand toward an older woman who sat in a large armchair near a wall of windows, as if she were holding court. “This is my mother, Sofia DuPont.”
Mrs. DuPont had perfectly styled, short, blond hair, and the kind of dour expression that reminded him of a character from a Dickens novel. She took in Finn’s subpar clothing, his wet hair, and his five o’clock shadow. He had no doubt she’d assessed his net worth in one glance and found him wanting. That was fine with him. He wasn’t here to impress these people, although it did make him second-guess his first impression of Kennedy.
“And my sister, Riley.” Kennedy nodded toward a young woman with a shaved head who sat on the couch, staring at the television.
Then she turned to face Finn. “I don’t think we’re going to get any privacy here. Maybe we could go downstairs?”
Riley stood and stomped to a room at the far end of the lounge. “I came here to see you, sister dear, but you obviously don’t appreciate the gesture.” Then she slammed the door behind her.
Kennedy’s cheeks reddened, and she let out a long breath. “That wasn’t embarrassing at all.”
Sofia slipped on a pair of expensive looking, flat, black shoes. They probably cost more than all Finn’s clothes combined. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to return to the wedding.” She stood and walked toward Kennedy. “It’s bad enough your sister let Blake Sheldon get away and has come back to spoil his wedding. Now you’ve brought the FBI to our door like we’re common criminals.”
“Mother, I’m training to be an FBI agent. Special Agent Callaghan is here to…to—”
“Offer you a job,” Finn finished for her.
Kennedy smiled at him, her eyes shining. “Really?”
“A job working with criminals,” Sofia shouted as she marched to the door. “First you ran off to join the marines, now you have to humiliate me with this.”
“Mother, this isn’t about you.”
“Isn’t it?” Mrs. DuPont opened the front door. “I’m going to the reception. One of us has to be gracious, especially since your sister blew it with Blake. That could’ve been her down there. He comes from a good family. She would have been somebody. Trust me to be cursed with a pair of daughters who have no ambition.” She gave a heavy sigh. “I swear you do it to hurt me.”
“Mother.” Kennedy’s warning tone suggested Mrs. DuPont had said too much.
Sofia slammed the door behind her.
Kennedy inhaled a deep breath, blew it out through pursed lips, and then rubbed her hands down her pant legs. “I apologize, but as you can see, we’re just your regular dysfunctional American family.”
“Everyone has one of those.” Finn smiled in an attempt to put her at ease.
She drew herself up to her full height, so she was almost as tall as him, and squared her broad, swimmer’s shoulders. It was as though she was physically pushing away her embarrassment from a moment ago. “Tell me about the job.”
“I’m opening a new resident agency in Granite City, Montana. It’ll be a small office with just two agents. I’ve requested you for the other position.”
She gave him a quizzical look. “And you came to tell me in person because?”
He could see her point. It was a departure from the way things were normally done. “I’m sure you’ve heard that Hoover used to send agents to Montana as punishment.”
She nodded.
“I wanted to assure you that this assignment isn’t a reflection of your actions today.”
She put a hand to her forehead. “I lost control.”
He almost laughed. “No, you didn’t. He was a jerk who told you a woman couldn’t take down a man his size. You proved him wrong.”
The man in question, another NAT, was over two hundred pounds of flab. Finn had watched from the sidelines. The hand-to-hand combat training session was at an end, and the NATs were heading to the showers. The big guy, whose name was Duvall, had goaded the other recruits, claiming they couldn’t defeat him. When Kennedy stepped into the ring, he’d switched gears from goading to abuse. It took her less than a minute to box his ears. It was a simple and effective technique that left Duvall temporarily deaf and stunned. It also affected his equilibrium so he couldn’t walk.
Her lips curved into the beginning of a smile, and then she pressed them together, suppressing her response. “I’m on report.”
“Keep your nose clean for the rest of your training, and you should be good.” Duvall on the other hand was out of the program.
Finn stepped toward the door.
“Sir?”
He stopped.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do you want to work with me?”
“You stood up for yourself, and you didn’t back down. Plus, I read your training file. You’re an outspoken pain in the butt with good instincts.” He needed to leave. If he was lucky, he might make it to the airport before the worst of the storm hit.
A loud knock sounded at the door. “Agent Callaghan. It’s Jimmy.”
Finn swung the door open, instantly alert. Jimmy’s demeanor, his pale complexion and the breathless way he spoke, suggested something was wrong.
“Agent Callaghan. Thank God, you’re still here.” Jimmy had the dazed look of someone in shock.
“What’s happened?”
“It’s Vanessa Stevens—no, I mean Sheldon.” He stopped and stared as if Finn could read his mind.
“What about her?” Finn asked.
“She’s been taken.”
Finn Callaghan peered through the torrential rain at the upscale apartment building. He must be at the wrong address. The tower block was situated in an expensive neighborhood of Washington DC near the Anacostia River. A sign in front read The Gem, Luxurious living at its finest.
It wasn’t the kind of place he’d expected when he’d asked his superiors if he could contact new FBI agent trainee, Kennedy Morris.
A gust of wind launched him sideways as he climbed the front steps. He grabbed the handrail and used it to lever himself the last few feet to the front door. Hurricane Carol was expected to hit Washington DC at full force by nine o’clock tonight. But even now, less than four hours before, the weather was already treacherous. It was rated as a category one storm, which was enough to damage buildings, break tree branches, and cause blackouts. That meant he needed to deliver his message and get out of here. It was only a short drive to Ronald Reagan Airport. With any luck, he would make his flight with time to spare.
The lobby was stylishly decorated with dark wood paneling and white tile floors. A Harry Potter clone stood at the reception desk, wearing a suit that was nicer than Finn’s. He sported a name tag that read Jimmy.
Jimmy smiled, revealing his dimples. “May I help you?” His eyes flickered over Finn’s cheap suit and bedraggled appearance.
Finn completed the image by shaking the water from his hair like a wet dog.
“Oh, my.” Jimmy grabbed a towel, walked around the desk, and thrust the cloth at Finn. “Here. Did you break down? We don’t usually allow people to shelter… That is to say, The Gem expects their… What I’m trying to say—”
“I’m looking for Kennedy Morris.” He flashed his credentials, putting an end to Jimmy’s discomfort.
Jimmy took a step back and swallowed, obviously shocked at the arrival of an FBI special agent.
It wasn’t the first time Finn had witnessed this reaction and wouldn’t be the last. But he was in a hurry, so maybe a little reassurance would speed things along. “She’s not in trouble.”
“I’ll see if she’s in.” He ran behind the desk and picked up the phone.
Using the towel, Finn rubbed the moisture from his face as he strolled around the foyer. Past the concierge desk was a short corridor with a bank of elevators on the left; to the right were several large doors. One was jammed open. An arch of white flowers stood just inside the door. Laughter, the chatter of friendly voices, and the clink of glasses rang out. It was a startling contrast to the storm that raged outside. Someone was getting married in a hurricane. The guests had either decided to stay at The Gem overnight or had risked being stranded here.
Jimmy coughed. “You can go up now. She’s on the twelfth floor.”
“Someone’s getting married?” Finn had a soft spot for weddings. Marriage might not be for him, but he always enjoyed the celebration.
“Yes, Blake Sheldon and his fiancée, Vanessa Stevens.” Jimmy’s chest puffed. “The ceremony’s over. This is their reception, so I guess they’re Mr. and Mrs. Sheldon now.”
“You made it sound as if they’re important,” Finn said as he strode toward the elevators.
“Everyone who resides at The Gem is important,” Jimmy called after him.
****
Kennedy Morris opened her door a crack. “Have you come to tell me I’ve been dismissed from the program?”
She wasn’t wearing any makeup, but had the polished look that came with money.
Finn shook his head. “No, I’m Supervisory Special Agent Finn Callaghan.” He took her cool hand in his and was relieved to see her nails were short-clipped, unpolished, and practical.
As a supervisory agent with the FBI, he was required to take his turn in the instruction of new agents in training, or NATs as they were called, on the complexities of work in a resident agency.
“I remember.” She scooped up her dark shoulder length hair and tied it in a ponytail. “You didn’t answer my question.”
He smiled, hoping to reassure her. “No, I’m not here to fire you. I’d like to talk to you.”
She tugged her lower lip with her teeth as if deciding something. Finally, she nodded and opened the door.
Finn entered, aware that he was dripping on her perfectly polished stone floor. The open-plan apartment was roomy and bright, even now with the storm raging outside. The kitchen lay in an alcove to his left. It was spotless, no crumbs, no stinky garbage or dirty dishes, not even an old cup of coffee, which wasn’t such a surprise when he considered that until this morning, Kennedy had been staying at the FBI Academy in Quantico.
The entrance widened to the living room. A large white couch sat in the middle of the room with a medium-sized flat screen TV on the wall opposite. Throw rugs, figurines, and pictures were artfully littered about, but there was nothing personal. The whole place felt like a Hollywood set with no family photos, knick-knacks, not even a newspaper to indicate this was a home.
Finn didn’t venture too far into the apartment. He daren’t. He’d had a long day, wearing the same suit, and he’d been pounded by the storm. He needed a shower and a hazmat suit before he could sit on the white couch without getting it dirty.
Kennedy waved a hand toward an older woman who sat in a large armchair near a wall of windows, as if she were holding court. “This is my mother, Sofia DuPont.”
Mrs. DuPont had perfectly styled, short, blond hair, and the kind of dour expression that reminded him of a character from a Dickens novel. She took in Finn’s subpar clothing, his wet hair, and his five o’clock shadow. He had no doubt she’d assessed his net worth in one glance and found him wanting. That was fine with him. He wasn’t here to impress these people, although it did make him second-guess his first impression of Kennedy.
“And my sister, Riley.” Kennedy nodded toward a young woman with a shaved head who sat on the couch, staring at the television.
Then she turned to face Finn. “I don’t think we’re going to get any privacy here. Maybe we could go downstairs?”
Riley stood and stomped to a room at the far end of the lounge. “I came here to see you, sister dear, but you obviously don’t appreciate the gesture.” Then she slammed the door behind her.
Kennedy’s cheeks reddened, and she let out a long breath. “That wasn’t embarrassing at all.”
Sofia slipped on a pair of expensive looking, flat, black shoes. They probably cost more than all Finn’s clothes combined. “If you’ll excuse me, I have to return to the wedding.” She stood and walked toward Kennedy. “It’s bad enough your sister let Blake Sheldon get away and has come back to spoil his wedding. Now you’ve brought the FBI to our door like we’re common criminals.”
“Mother, I’m training to be an FBI agent. Special Agent Callaghan is here to…to—”
“Offer you a job,” Finn finished for her.
Kennedy smiled at him, her eyes shining. “Really?”
“A job working with criminals,” Sofia shouted as she marched to the door. “First you ran off to join the marines, now you have to humiliate me with this.”
“Mother, this isn’t about you.”
“Isn’t it?” Mrs. DuPont opened the front door. “I’m going to the reception. One of us has to be gracious, especially since your sister blew it with Blake. That could’ve been her down there. He comes from a good family. She would have been somebody. Trust me to be cursed with a pair of daughters who have no ambition.” She gave a heavy sigh. “I swear you do it to hurt me.”
“Mother.” Kennedy’s warning tone suggested Mrs. DuPont had said too much.
Sofia slammed the door behind her.
Kennedy inhaled a deep breath, blew it out through pursed lips, and then rubbed her hands down her pant legs. “I apologize, but as you can see, we’re just your regular dysfunctional American family.”
“Everyone has one of those.” Finn smiled in an attempt to put her at ease.
She drew herself up to her full height, so she was almost as tall as him, and squared her broad, swimmer’s shoulders. It was as though she was physically pushing away her embarrassment from a moment ago. “Tell me about the job.”
“I’m opening a new resident agency in Granite City, Montana. It’ll be a small office with just two agents. I’ve requested you for the other position.”
She gave him a quizzical look. “And you came to tell me in person because?”
He could see her point. It was a departure from the way things were normally done. “I’m sure you’ve heard that Hoover used to send agents to Montana as punishment.”
She nodded.
“I wanted to assure you that this assignment isn’t a reflection of your actions today.”
She put a hand to her forehead. “I lost control.”
He almost laughed. “No, you didn’t. He was a jerk who told you a woman couldn’t take down a man his size. You proved him wrong.”
The man in question, another NAT, was over two hundred pounds of flab. Finn had watched from the sidelines. The hand-to-hand combat training session was at an end, and the NATs were heading to the showers. The big guy, whose name was Duvall, had goaded the other recruits, claiming they couldn’t defeat him. When Kennedy stepped into the ring, he’d switched gears from goading to abuse. It took her less than a minute to box his ears. It was a simple and effective technique that left Duvall temporarily deaf and stunned. It also affected his equilibrium so he couldn’t walk.
Her lips curved into the beginning of a smile, and then she pressed them together, suppressing her response. “I’m on report.”
“Keep your nose clean for the rest of your training, and you should be good.” Duvall on the other hand was out of the program.
Finn stepped toward the door.
“Sir?”
He stopped.
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Why do you want to work with me?”
“You stood up for yourself, and you didn’t back down. Plus, I read your training file. You’re an outspoken pain in the butt with good instincts.” He needed to leave. If he was lucky, he might make it to the airport before the worst of the storm hit.
A loud knock sounded at the door. “Agent Callaghan. It’s Jimmy.”
Finn swung the door open, instantly alert. Jimmy’s demeanor, his pale complexion and the breathless way he spoke, suggested something was wrong.
“Agent Callaghan. Thank God, you’re still here.” Jimmy had the dazed look of someone in shock.
“What’s happened?”
“It’s Vanessa Stevens—no, I mean Sheldon.” He stopped and stared as if Finn could read his mind.
“What about her?” Finn asked.
“She’s been taken.”