Front Page Affair. Jennifer Morey
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She didn’t respond. She had a real shot at making a good career for herself and Lincoln was stepping all over her toes. She wrote the latest gossip for a not-so-great entertainment rag. Who was divorcing whom. Who was cheating. Who was gay. She could do better than that. Her dad had helped her get a lead on a job, and Lincoln thought she was setting herself up for failure. She should stick with what she was good at, and that was entertainment.
Just because their father was a huge success as a movie producer didn’t mean his kids were destined for entertainment careers. She had her own aspirations. And that was a much more serious career than the one she currently had. If only she could find a way to prove she was capable.
“It’s still your turn,” Lincoln said.
She didn’t feel like playing anymore. “I have to go now.”
While he protested with a brotherly “Aww, come on,” she stood. Tucking her shoulder-blade-length blond hair behind one ear, she grabbed her car keys.
“Don’t be a big baby, Arizona. I tell you these things because I don’t want to see you get hurt.”
“Then support me.” She left his 1950s, newly remodeled kitchen. Big baby. He always treated her like a kid. His little sister. She was tired of that, too.
“I do support you. I wish you would listen to me,” he called from his seat at the table.
“I do listen to you,” she called back. “I wish you would listen to me!”
It wasn’t fair. He was her only sibling out of eight that she could talk to. Guess not anymore. He was the oldest and she was the youngest. She was an adult now. She didn’t need guidance. She could guide her own way.
Through his living room, the lack of feminine touches further sparked her ire. No flowers. No frilly decor. Just furniture and trim. She sure wished he’d find himself a woman. Then maybe he’d be too preoccupied to stick his nose in her business!
With snowballing energy, she swung the door open and came face-to-face with a man standing there, his finger poised over the doorbell. The first things that struck her were his lean, hard biceps and broad chest. Next was his military-short, dark brown hair and sexy stubble that peppered a square jaw. And last were his intense green eyes. Something about them ignited warm embers.
As he lowered his hand, his bold gaze went down her body and back up again, brushing her with tingles. She’d worn jean shorts and strappy red high heels, which showcased her long legs. A metallic-beaded, sleeveless pink top did the same for her breasts and small waist. Her aim wasn’t to be overly sexy, just fun. Some people didn’t take it that way. Was he one of them?
His pique polo shirt was wrinkle-free and tucked neatly into his jeans. His shoes were leather. He was clean. Smelled that way, too. He appeared a lot more conservative than her. But she’d felt what lay underneath. It was in the green fire of his eyes.
“Hi,” she said.
At her flirtatious tone, blinds shut tight over his emotions. Rigid control. Big, giant, thick wall.
What had caused his withdrawal? She hadn’t mistaken the chemistry.
“I’m here to see Lincoln Ivy.”
His deep voice melted through her.
“Braden, is that you?” Her brother appeared with a big smile on the porch. “Good to see you.” Arizona stepped aside as he reached forward and shook his hand.
“It’s been a while,” Braden said.
“Yes. Too long.”
Arizona stuck her hand out. “I’m Arizona. Ivy. Arizona Ivy. Lincoln’s sister.”
Braden reluctantly shook her hand. “Braden McCrae.”
She felt silly for being so awkward. Why was she trying so hard to get his attention? Normally, she was uncontrollably picky when a handsome man crossed her path. She looked for flaws and held back until she either found them and had an excuse to walk away, or didn’t and dated them until the threat of more sent her scurrying.
“How do you know my brother?” He had smooth skin, and yet not. Strong. Slightly calloused.
“We went to college together.” He let go of her hand.
As before, her skin tingled as though he’d caressed her intimately.
“What brings you here?” Lincoln sent her a curious look, obviously having noticed her reaction to his friend.
“I wish I could say it’s just to pay a visit. Unfortunately, it’s urgent.”
“What is it?” Lincoln was perplexed now. His college friend had come for a reason and it wasn’t to catch up.
“My sister is missing. She went to the British Virgin Islands on vacation and said she was going to call my parents but never did. The police are saying she was seen getting into a taxi in front of Frenchman’s Point Hotel.”
Arizona felt a one-two punch as Braden dropped his news. Missing. In the Virgin Islands. Plummeted back in time, she struggled with sobering memories and the ever-hovering sense of helplessness she could never quite shed.
“Are the police looking for her?” Lincoln asked.
“Yes. They’ve done some investigating, but nothing has turned up so far.”
We’re very sorry, but there’s nothing more we can do...
The St. Thomas police hadn’t known where Trevor’s abductors had taken him. They’d demanded money, and her father had paid, but they’d killed Trevor anyway. To this day, they hadn’t been caught. The injustice of that had stayed with her.
Arizona was vaguely aware of Braden glancing over her before saying to Lincoln, “I’m going down there to look for her myself.”
“And you came to me for help?” Lincoln asked, still perplexed.
“You’re a bounty hunter. You know how to find people.”
Lincoln fell into an undecided silence.
He hadn’t been a bounty hunter when Trevor had been kidnapped. A few years had passed since that traumatic event. It may as well have happened a few months ago. Arizona’s heart went out to Braden, and especially to his mother. She well understood what they were going through.
Except, all she sensed from him was determination to find his sister. He hadn’t experienced the awfulness of losing someone close, knowing how horribly that person must have suffered before dying. She hoped he never would have to. “What if she decided to go somewhere else?” she asked. “Maybe she’s having fun and not thinking about calling her mother.” It’s what Arizona would do. Calling home would be the last thing on her mind. “How old is she?”
“Twenty-nine. She would have called. And she would have returned my mother’s calls. I hope she’s only having fun. But I can’t wait to find out. If I wait, it might be too late for her.”
Arizona lowered her head as that struck a raw chord in her. She had waited until it was too late. Her fiancé had been kidnapped right under her nose. And no one had been able to do a thing to save him. That was the worst part. The helplessness. How many times had she wished there had been something she could have done?
She caught Braden watching her fully now, soft curiosity over what had changed her mood. Her brother’s scrutiny was far less empathetic. Braden’s plight was beginning to circle her heart, close in and compel her to act.
“Did she go there alone?” she asked Braden.
He nodded. “She’d been dealing with so much after being asked to resign from American Freight Forwarding Services. She went to get away. That’s why Mom was so worried. With all that happened...”
Dawning sprinkled down on Arizona. “Your sister is Tatum McCrae?” The female executive had