Deadly Colton Search

On a quick glance, she realized that not only did Nikolas Slater not have a credenza, but there wasn’t a liquor tray anywhere in sight. Instead, he had three matched apothecary’s cabinets along the far wall that he obviously used to keep his files. The old-fashioned touch was at odds with the modern computer and monitor, yet somehow it fit.

“Please,” he gestured toward one of the seats opposite his desk.

She sat down, her perusal of the office and the ready comparisons to Ferdy still crowding her mind. The impulse that had her laughing in the outer office had fully faded, replaced with the same serious worry that had dogged her every single mile since leaving New York.

Was she really going to tell this man her most closely guarded secrets?

“This is what I needed to show you.” Before she could question his intentions, Nikolas had his computer monitor turned around to show her the display.

A website had been minimized on the large screen with a digital note-taking program open. Her father’s face filled the left side of the screen, dominating the top of an article.

But it was the easy-to-read file name in Nikolas’s note-taking program that stopped her in her tracks.

Ace Colton Case. Task: Determine Guilt.

Nikolas half expected the woman to go running when she saw his screen, her messy braid flopping in her wake. He’d already imagined trying to chase a pregnant woman down the stairs in his building and out into the street, and wondered how big a show they’d put on for the lunch crowd out and about in downtown Mustang Valley.

Which made her next move that much more surprising.

Just like the way she’d teased him about her pregnancy, the intriguing Nova Ellis did the unexpected once again.

She flopped back in her chair, shaking her head. “This whole experience cannot get more surreal.”

“Excuse me?”

“I mean it. From the moment my mother mentioned the name Colton to me, it’s been one ride after another on the crazy train.”

“What crazy train?”

“The crazy that has become my life.” She glanced down at her purse, settled on the guest chair beside her, her gaze focused on something only she could see.

Nikolas watched the play of emotions across her face, fascinated by both her expressiveness as well as how hard she still was to read.

Was she scared? Angry? Curious?

He’d sensed all three in a matter of moments, yet she’d still been able to laugh and make jokes. Had still been able to assess his points on the power of the Colton family in Mustang Valley and reshape her reasons for coming in to see him.

Who was this woman and how had she landed squarely in his life?

“Why don’t we both start over? I can’t really talk to you with any level of depth until you’re a client.”

Her face fell at that. “I’m sorry but I can’t afford you.”

It was what he’d expected—known, really, since she’d walked in—but he pressed on anyway. “I know that. And I’m willing to take on your case pro bono. On a trial basis.”

“Trial basis? How? Or more to the point, why? You don’t know me.”

“And you don’t know me. So we’ll figure it out as we go along. But I do need your agreement to keep our conversation going. And I need to charge you something to make it official. Would a dollar work?”

She glanced down at her purse, seemingly considering his offer. Was there even a dollar in there? Nikolas wondered.

It was only when she lifted her gaze, a rueful smile at her lips, that he sensed another surprise coming. “Can I ask a favor first?”

“Sure.”

“Do you by any chance have any food here? A small package of peanut butter crackers or pretzels?”

His gaze narrowed at that even as he was already reaching into his desk drawer. “As a matter of fact, I have both.”

He handed her both packages, curious to see one more string of expressions cross her face.

Gratitude. Hunger. And unmistakable relief.

He’d deal with sharing stories first and then he was going to do something about the hunger. He didn’t want to leave a pregnant woman hanging but the protein in the peanut butter would likely hold her for the half hour it would take to get her story. Then he’d get some real food into her and the baby.

Besides, he figured he’d need to earn a bit more of her trust to convince her to let him buy her lunch. And if she was hard up enough to gaze longingly at a bag of crackers he figured that would extend to a lack of hotel arrangements, too.

“Thanks. And thank you for the offer to work my case. We have a deal,” she added hastily before tearing open the crackers. She took a dainty nibble off the first one. He nearly smiled at the restraint as he reached for a pack of his own.

“Like I said, client confidentiality. I do maintain it. But I can tell you I’m working on a case involving Ace Colton.”

“What are you doing, exactly? Or what can you share?”

“I’ve been tasked to find any information on his guilt or innocence. And if I get lucky enough to stumble upon him, I’m to get him back into town if at all possible.”

“Where is he?”

“No one knows. He wasn’t supposed to leave Mustang Valley, but with the rumor mill working overtime it’s hard to fault the guy for hightailing it out of here.”

“Is he a criminal?”

“Not yet, but suspicions are rising.”

“That he shot his father?” she asked him.

“Yes.”

Nova pulled another cracker out of the sleeve, her expression thoughtful. “Thanks for telling me. And consider this question rhetorical, but why shoot his father? What is there to be gained?”

Quite a lot, actually. Nikolas briefly considered saying something to that end but held back. He did need to manage his confidentiality with Selina, and despite the rumors flooding the town, the family had been keeping Ace’s status quiet.

So he shifted gears to her last comment, asking a rhetorical one of his own. “Why do people do lots of things?”

“I suppose you’re right about that.”

Nikolas stood and walked to the small fridge he kept in the corner of his office, snagging two waters. He handed her one and she took it with a smile as she chewed the rest of her cracker, a considered look on her face.

“You shared with me,” she finally said, “so it’s only fair I share with you.”

“Okay. Shoot.”

Although he’d only noticed how attractive she was when she’d walked in, that small, sweet, pixie face sort of blinding him momentarily, he could see the food had restorative properties. Her cheeks had brightened and he could see a gleam in her deep green eyes. All of which only reinforced his determination to get a full meal into her.

“My mother died about ten months ago. She was diagnosed with a fast-growing cancer and didn’t have a lot of time there at the end.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I am, too. She was about to be forty and I’d believed we’d have a long time together, you know?” Nova brushed at a stray tear that leaked from the corner of her eye. “She had me when she was seventeen.”

“It’s hard to lose a parent.” His eyes drifted to the photo of his mother he kept on the corner of his desk. Her vivid smile and warm, compassionate eyes always made him feel like he was looking at love. Or what love was supposed to be.

Generous. Understanding. And the brightest of lights.

“It is. And that was on the heels of my father’s passing a few years before.” She rubbed a hand over her belly, a gesture he’d seen her now do so often he suspected it was subconscious. “I’d always thought he was my father until she told me otherwise.”

“That’s when you learned about Ace Colton?”

“Yes. Their teenage love affair burned hot and wild one summer. They met while both were on family vacations at a ritzy resort. They’d had an affair before he had to come back to Arizona and the life planned for him here.”

“Why didn’t your mother ever tell him about you?”

Nova screwed up her face. “It’s not going to make any sense.”

“I’m a private eye. Trust me, I get told a lot of things that don’t make sense. It’s why I have a job.”

“My mother had her fair share of eccentricities. She was raised in a wealthy family and never really dealt with the real world, if you know what I mean.”

“I do.”

Nova’s description made Nikolas think of his own father and Guy Slater’s views on life. Although not Colton wealthy, Nikolas’s father had done okay for himself. But the fact that he spent every spare dime he had on his latest obsession had definitely skewed his perception of “what women wanted.” While Nikolas didn’t share his father’s perspective, he had seen his parents’ mess of a marriage and wanted no part of that for himself.

“For some reason, she came to the conclusion in her own mind that by not telling Ace she was somehow winning a point against him. At the end of their relationship, he told her that he had a girlfriend waiting back home. He left, she reasoned, so it was his own bad luck he’d never know he was a father.”

“She’s sort of right.”

“Maybe. Or she saved him from a lifetime of responsibility. It’s hard to miss something you never knew you had in the first place.”

That determined rubbing over her belly changed, her hand settling in place over the front of her stomach. Like she was protecting her unborn child and warding off danger.

Nikolas sensed the change, as well, the air around her growing still. And suddenly, he knew that there was more going on here than a hunt for Ace Colton.

Nova Ellis was running from something.

He’d bet his life on it.

Nova saw the change in him immediately. Although she’d said nothing about Ferdy, somehow, some way, Nikolas Slater knew her secret.

Or sensed it, since she hadn’t actually given any specifics.

“I am sorry for your loss. But it’s curious you waited so long to come find Ace. Why wait?”

“Like I said, showing up on his doorstep would make him realize what responsibility he’d escaped all those years ago.”

“It would also let him know he’s a father. Most men would want to know that, even if the discovery upends their life a bit.”

A bit?

She wanted to laugh at that even as she considered Nikolas’s words. Yes, most men would like to know if they were a father. It was why she’d breathed a sigh of relief that she’d managed to escape Ferdy before telling him about the baby. But what if he knew?

Somehow, she didn’t think he’d rest quiet if he knew he had a child out in the world somewhere. Nor did she think he’d give up until he had control over her and the baby.

The first few days on the run, when she hadn’t thought to turn her phone off, she’d gotten increasingly nasty texts from him. If he was so irate over some texts, how would he be over the baby?

Throat dry, she lifted the bottle of water to her lips.

Would she put the baby in danger if she told this PI about Ferdy?

With that foremost in her thoughts, she opted to keep her own counsel. She’d come here looking for Ace Colton. That had nothing to do with her own failed relationship and poor choice in a boyfriend. And even though she hadn’t known about the trouble her biological father was in when she’d started the journey to Arizona, she’d learned pretty quickly that this was the worst time to try and enter his life.

If it was just for herself, she’d put her tail between her legs and leave. But she had a child to consider and had lost the room to be choosy.

Pushing as much brass into her tone as she could muster, she stared Nikolas Slater straight in the eye. “I had my reasons for waiting. But now I have my reasons for looking for my father.”

“Fair enough.” Nikolas met her gaze, unblinking and direct. It should have made her feel uncomfortable, only it didn’t. Instead, she saw something warm unfurl deep in his eyes. “Why don’t we go grab lunch?”

“Lunch?” Her voice came out on a small squeak at the same moment the baby let out a swift kick just beneath one of her ribs.

“Yeah, lunch.” A small smile ghosted his lips as he stood. “You know. Food consumed at midday.”

Was she really willing to give up the precious few dollars she had on a restaurant lunch? And wasn’t it funny that her thoughts had shifted so drastically after only a few months?

There was a time she’d gone out for lunch every day, either with friends at work or with Ferdy down near his office. Dinner had been the same, eating out several nights a week.

And now... Now she was rapidly calculating how she was going to make her last sixty-eight dollars last her until she could pick up some work. Well, sixty-seven after she paid him the dollar.

If she’d used brass before now it was time to use a bald-faced lie. “I know what lunch is but I just had crackers. I’m not hungry.”

“I am. And lunch is on me, so if you’re not hungry maybe you order something to take with you for dinner.”

On him?

“You can’t do that. I came to you for help. And you’re only getting a dollar.” Nova barely held back a wince at the squeaky tone in her voice.

“Consider it an investment.”

“In what?”

He shrugged. “I’ll come up with something later.”

Fifteen minutes later, Nova was still puzzling over what excuse Nikolas Slater would possibly put in his business expenses, as they were being seated at a welcoming pub about two blocks from his office.

He might have kept the confidence of the person who’d hired him to track down Ace Colton, but Nova suspected that his client would be sorely upset to know Nikolas had even spoken to her, let alone spent time with her. Or taken on her case, even if she was a charity.

Nikolas opened the menu their waitress had left for him. “The fish and chips here are awesome. So are the burgers.”

Nova’s stomach gave an involuntary growl at the idea of a burger but it was the fish and chips that lodged in her mind. She hadn’t touched any sort of fish since that morning so many months ago that had preceded her visit to Ferdy’s office.

Was it possible she’d rediscovered the taste for it?

Her morning sickness was long gone, but she hadn’t risked anything in the fish family for fear of losing it. But now, with the seed of the idea of deep-fried cod and equally deep-fried potatoes having been planted, she found she could think of little else.

When their waitress came back, Nova quickly ordered the dish before she could change her mind, and added a glass of water. The fried food might not be good for her but she could at least keep on top of her hydration. Even if it would mean about eight stops that afternoon for a ladies’ room as she hunted for work and a place to stay while she looked for her father.

Nikolas ordered a burger, then waited until their waitress had left, before returning to their earlier conversation. “If you did want to try and reach out, we could connect you with one of Ace’s siblings.”

An emotion that felt a lot like belonging speared through her chest before she tamped down on her reaction. For the same reasons her father may not be excited to meet her, his family might not, either.

Even if they were somehow okay with having a surprise show up out of the blue.

“That’s not really fair to him.”

“Fair’s got nothing to do with it. He’s not here and you are.” He took a sip of the iced tea the waitress had set down along with Nova’s water. “I’d say you deserve at least an equal chance to find out about your father as he does about you.”

Nova wasn’t sure how she’d found one Nikolas Slater, Private Investigator, but somehow, she had. And whatever she might have expected, the man sitting before her didn’t match up with a single thing she’d imagined in that short walk from her perch on the town bench to his office.

He didn’t mince words, which she appreciated.

He was far too attractive for his own good, with that olive skin and thick, dark curls.

He had an interesting sense of honor, which had come through in the way he’d sneakily got her out to lunch, as well as the way he’d protected his existing client’s confidentiality.

Nikolas eyed her over the rim of his glass. “Are you sizing me up or questioning my fashion choices?”

“You’re surprisingly charming.”

“Surprisingly?” He set the glass down. “Most women just tell me I’m charming.”

“Under your spell, no doubt,” she added dryly.

“But of course.”

She fought the grin at that and kept to her underlying point. “What changed your mind?”

“About what?”

“Before. In your office. You were cautioning me about trying to get into the Coltons’ world.”

Their waitress returned with their food and, once again, Nikolas showed his discretion by waiting until they were alone before picking up their conversation. “It’s my responsibility to show you the options and the angles.”

“So you think it’s a good idea?” she pressed, curious to realize how badly she wanted him to say yes.

“I don’t think it’s any sort of idea. But I do know you came a long way and I do know you’re Ace Colton’s daughter.”

“You believe me?”

“I do, but that’s beside the point.”

Nova reached for a fry. “Why’s it beside the point?”

“Because you look like him. A small, petite female version, but the resemblance is clear. The same nose and chin. Same arch to your eyebrows. You’re Ace’s daughter, all right.”

Chapter 3

You’re Ace’s daughter.

Those words had raced through her mind, over and over, like her new favorite song. Only Nova didn’t think she’d ever tire of hearing them.

Lunch passed quickly, the fish and chips as amazing as advertised. And she hadn’t had even the slightest hint of a negative reaction to the delicious food, which she took as yet another good omen on the day. The baby had also quieted down, seemingly sated by finally having a solid meal after their limited fare over the past few days.

Nova figured he or she would start back in with the afternoon gymnastics session she’d come to love and look forward to around 4 p.m. each day, but for now, she had a few hours of quiet from the sweet little baby inside.

Which would allow her to focus fully on Nikolas’s idea of seeking out Ace’s family.

In for a penny...

“Do you have a place to stay tonight?” Nikolas asked, breaking into her post-lunch food coma.

“Hmm?”

“Where are you staying?”

“Oh, I’m good.”

Her lunch date stopped being easygoing as Nikolas halted midstride, turning toward her right there in the middle of downtown. “How long are you going to keep up this ‘I’m fine’ routine you’ve got down?”

“I am fine.”

“No, you’re not. You didn’t have any food for lunch and I know what you were doing by saving half of your lunch for later.”

“Just because I’m pregnant doesn’t mean I have to overeat.”

“Come on, Nova. Be straight with me.”

Did she dare? Because there was no way to talk about her situation and lack of ready cash if she didn’t talk about Ferdy. She’d deliberately not used a credit card or her ATM card since those texts that had turned threatening, for fear he’d have some sort of tracker on her.

And it had worked, hadn’t it? Despite her constant vigilance, she hadn’t seen him or any of his colleagues. Even if she couldn’t stop looking over her shoulder or avoiding talking too long to random strangers she met.

You can’t run forever.

Empirically, she knew that. She did have savings, as well as the money her mother had left her but refused to access anything for fear of discovery. She wasn’t destitute and she’d already figured she’d finally have to give in and do something about money when she went to the hospital to deliver the baby.

But for now...

For now she wanted that continued protection of staying off the grid.

You’re Ace’s daughter.

That additional truth—especially if her father’s family accepted her—could mean all the difference. Whatever Ferdy Adler was into back in New York, he’d be hard-pressed to come after her and the baby if she had the protection of one of the most powerful families in Arizona.

Add on a new name and a new life, and he might not even ever find her.

Nikolas still stared at her expectantly and she finally relented slightly. “I do have a way to take care of myself, but I don’t have ready access to my finances at the moment.” Determined, she continued to brazen it out. “I’m okay overall.”

“But not tonight?”

She thought about all the places she’d found jobs along the drive out to Arizona and knew that she’d find something else. She might not get it in the quaint town of Mustang Valley, but she’d find something not too far away. Diners always needed waitstaff. She’d find something to keep her going for the next few weeks while she considered what to do about Ace and his family.

While she went back to regular work and steady meals to keep her and the baby nourished and fed and her mind determinedly off the mess she’d left back in New York.

“Nova, come on. Do you have a place to stay tonight?”

“I will.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I stopped off to talk to you before I continued on with my other plans today. I’m looking for work.”

“Which won’t pay you in time to shore up a hotel room.”

She mentally crossed her fingers and hoped she’d get to work the dinner shift right away to pocket some tips. “I’ve got a little. I’ll get by.”

“Why aren’t you being straight with me?”

“Why are you pushing this with me? You don’t know me. You certainly don’t have to worry about my problems.”

Even though it was nice that he did.

Whatever else Nikolas Slater might be, she hadn’t gotten even the slightest indication that he was a jerk. Or that he’d try to take advantage of her.

It didn’t mean she could drop her guard.

After their first date she’d have said the same about Ferdy and look how that turned out.

“Tell you what. I’ll make you a deal.”

“What’s that?”

“I’ll go with you while you look for work. I need to do some errands around town anyway, so it’s not out of my way. If you find a job, I’ll back off. If you don’t, you play it my way and take my guest room tonight.”

“I can’t—”

He held up a hand. “The room has a lock on the door if you’ll be more comfortable. I know we don’t know each other and I can appreciate you being cautious. But sleeping in your car or at a cheap motel isn’t the right alternative. Or safer,” he added after a beat.

She wanted to argue with him but Nova knew he was right. She’d done enough of the “cheap and seedy” on her drive west, and while she hadn’t run up against any real problems, her pregnant state hadn’t even stopped some less savory characters from making passes at her.

“It’s a deal. On one condition.”

“Tell me.”

“You wouldn’t give me your opinion before. On if I should or shouldn’t reach out to Ace Colton’s family.”

“Why do you want my opinion?” Nikolas asked.

“Let’s say it’s sort of like your lunchtime expense.”

“My what?”

Confusion stamped itself in his hazel eyes, and once again, Nova felt something flutter deep in her belly that had nothing to do with the baby. He really was attractive. In a roguish, sexy way that was deeply appealing. And nothing like the overly slick, three-piece-suit look she usually went for.

Add on that thick head of dark curls and long-lashed eyes that would make a supermodel envious and she figured she’d better keep her head about her and her hormones off Nikolas Slater.