Chapter Two
The day had started off like every other at Sheldon Construction, working hard to create a brand-new world. She’d gone into their New York City offices with a smile and a spring in her step, thanks to Vincent being out of town. He was far away in Las Vegas, looking to close another big deal and push the company forward in a new direction.
Except, of course, when he was drinking away their profits.
She loved her adopted brother, but he could be a hell of a pain in the ass at times, his good business sense sometimes drowned by his love for alcohol.
The day ended with a smile and anticipation of a quiet night curled up with a plate of fresh sushi and a few hours of bingeing her new fave series.
Then it had all gone to hell, with a frantic phone call sending her to grab the first flight from New York City to Las Vegas. Edgar, Vincent’s handler, had picked her up at McCarron airport, briefing her as they raced to the hotel where the two men were staying. She’d barely taken time to drop the luggage in the suite before dialing up the hotel security expert and asking for a local reference. The man hadn’t hesitated before giving her a phone number, guaranteeing discretion.
The next phone call had been to Lyon Investigations, resulting in a cab ride to a nearby club. Jessie explained she wasn’t keen on reopening her office so late at night, and, noting that Ally likely didn’t want a private investigator coming to her hotel room, she suggested a nearby nightclub, run by Jessie’s boyfriend, where they could meet and talk. It supplied the neutral meeting ground Ally needed, out of the public eye, as requested.
Ally had agreed, ending up at the Devil’s Playground. Jessie must have called ahead because as soon as she approached the door, one of the bouncers came to her with a smile and a nod, escorting her through the crowd waiting to get in, and taking her directly to the bar.
The bartender didn’t blink when Ally ordered a club soda, placing it in front of her with a smile. “Jessie’ll be right down. Anything else you need, please let me know.” The woman moved down the bar, leaving Ally alone.
She’d waited, looking around as she took in the vibrant atmosphere. She hadn’t been in a club for months, too tired from working to spend time partying.
As promised, Jessie met her at the bar, and Dylan McCourt had come over a few minutes later, introducing himself as the nightclub owner and Jessie’s boyfriend.
It took only a glance at his face to identify why Jessie had preferred the club instead of her office or Ally’s hotel.
Concern. She saw it all over his face. Along with something else—devotion, dedication and pure, unadulterated love for the woman at his side.
Ally’s heart ached for a second, wishing she had someone like this in her life. Someone to lean on when times get tough, when things broke the wrong way.
Like now.
She’d only managed a brief explanation of why she needed Jessie’s help, flashing Vincent’s photograph, before another club employee showed up—a handsome man wearing what she guessed was the nightclub uniform. There was no introduction, just an announcement they’d all be going up to Dylan’s office. They went to an elevator, riding up to a higher floor.
Ally wasn’t sure if she should be comforted or terrified by his addition to the group. There was a quiet strength about the dark-haired man, the generic black T-shirt stretched across his broad shoulders and tight on his arms.
The elevator doors opened. Dylan went first, then Jessie.
The mystery man walked behind her. She sensed his stare on the back of her neck and wondered if she’d met him before.
I’d remember you, she thought. Definitely.
She pulled back a sigh. She hadn’t come to the nightclub to find a date, and the circumstances made one impossible, even a brief one.
Still…
Ally slipped the idea into a side folder in her mind for consideration at a later date.
The office was set high above the dance floor, the glass window facing out toward the live band and vibrating with the loud music. It resembled any number of business offices she’d been in over the years.
It could have been anywhere.
Except it was here, and she needed their help, her stomach twisting into knots as if she were on the edge of a cliff looking at the jagged rocks below.
“Please, have a seat.” Dylan gestured at the chair in front of the desk.
Ally settled into the cushioned chair. “I’m sorry, but I’m a bit confused.” She nodded toward the unknown man as he leaned against the wall, his arms crossed. “What’s he doing here? I thought I mentioned the need for privacy in this matter. The more people involved, the more of a chance of this leaking out. I can’t afford to have this break on the morning business news. A bouncer…”
“This is Trey Pierce,” Dylan said. “He’s my technical support man, a computer professional. One of the top in the field, if not the best. Jessie and I think he’ll be able to help us find your brother.”
Ally eyed Trey, taking in the information. He looked like he’d be more comfortable swinging a hammer on one of her construction sites than sitting behind a computer, working electronic magic.
She wondered what other talents he had hidden away under that stoic exterior.
He raised one eyebrow as if he’d heard her, one edge of his mouth twisting up. Her cheeks burned at being caught out, and she dropped her gaze to the carpeted floor.
Jessica cleared her throat, drawing Ally’s attention back. “Right. Trey, this is Ally Sheldon. She came to me tonight because her brother is missing and she needs help to find him.” The blond woman stared directly at Trey. “Right after I met her at the bar, I thought of you.”
Trey frowned. He gave a brief nod.
Jessie continued. “Dylan’s got certain resources I can call on to help out at times. This is one of those times. Trey’s computer skills are unmatched—he’ll be a valuable asset on this case.”
Ally drew a deep breath, forcing down the pang of fear threatening to choke her. “I’m willing to try anything as long as it’s discreet. I don’t need the press getting hold of this.”
“Don’t worry,” Dylan replied in a low, reassuring tone. “No one will know we’re involved. Jessie will vouch for us.”
“I assume so. One hint of this going public and I won’t hesitate to sue the hell out of you.” She pressed as much steel into her voice as she could.
Jessie nodded. “Understood.” She glanced at Trey. “If you wouldn’t mind, for his sake, please start again from the beginning.”
“All right.” She steadied herself. “As we started to discuss down at the bar, my business partner is missing. My adopted brother.” She took the glossy picture out of her purse and placed it on the table, same as she’d done downstairs at the bar at their first meeting. “Vincent Sheldon, the face of Sheldon Construction.”
“I’ve seen some of your work,” Dylan said. “A few sites around town.”
She nodded. “We usually do only residential projects, but we’re trying to expand into the commercial area. My father and my uncle created the company decades ago, two brothers building a future together.”
Her heart ached with the familiar pain, never dulled by time. “When I was seven years old, my parents died in a car crash, and after that, I was raised by my aunt and uncle. Vincent was the brother I never had. His family’s been good to me, and I’ve tried to be a good daughter to them. That, unfortunately, includes taking care and covering for Vincent. He has… issues.”
Trey came over to look at the color photograph of Vincent. His eyes narrowed as he studied the image. His gaze flickered to Dylan, receiving only a nod in response.
He gave a noncommittal grunt and stepped back.
Dylan nodded at Ally. “Please, continue.”
“He ducked out on his handler, Edgar, three days ago.” She forced herself to keep talking, pushing past her nervousness at revealing family secrets. “After Edgar called, I flew here. He’s been tearing up the town but can’t find Vincent. We’re trying to find him without asking the authorities—we’d rather keep this off the record if at all possible.” Ally ran her hands through her short hair. “In blunt terms, Vincent is an alcoholic. A very bad one. Blackout drunk, I believe is the technical term. A family tendency I choose not to follow.”
Jessie perched herself on the edge of the desk. “I’m confused. You’re listed as his personal assistant on the Sheldon Construction website. Being family, I’d expect you to have a bit more important position. You say your father and brother created the company, so the two of you should be equals. You yourself just said you were business partners.” She scrunched up her face as if smelling something foul. “Not to mention that, if he’s so fond of the bottle, why the hell isn’t he in rehab?”
Ally fought the urge to flinch, faced with the direct question. “Vincent was very sickly for the first two years of his life—in and out of the hospital with various issues. Nothing life-threatening, but my uncle doted on him from the start, giving him everything he wanted. I’ve sat by for years and watched my aunt and uncle spoiling him, covering up his mistakes, and buying people off when they couldn’t. My aunt couldn’t have any more children after Vincent, so while she was thrilled to take me in and raise me as her own, she always has a soft spot for her only son.”
She put up her hand, twisting her frown into a weak, defensive smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve done my time in therapy. In short, Vincent is the only male child, my senior by a single year, and thus the unofficial heir to Sheldon Construction. When my parents passed, the will specified I’d always have a place in the company. My aunt and uncle decided the best spot would be beside Vincent, a step back and in the shadows.”
“Why?” Jessie demanded. “If your father worked so hard, why pass it onto a drunken cousin?”
“While we may be equal on paper, each of us owning half the company, Vincent is the face of Sheldon Construction because there are still people who don’t believe a woman can lead in this field. Vincent might have his issues, but he also has a penis. And that’s enough for some companies. I’ve done my best but…” She spread her hands. “Sometimes it’s never enough. And at times it’s better to concede the battle today and plan to win the war tomorrow.”
Jessie nodded her agreement. “I’ve had some experience with that.”
Ally continued. “We have, at any given time, over a dozen projects going across the United States. Sheldon Construction isn’t the biggest company, not yet, but we’re slowly becoming one of the major players in the industry. Our home office is in New York City. Vincent was here with a skeleton staff to make a presentation, put our bid in on a new complex in Las Vegas—he was supposed to handle some general meetings, glad-handing the local union leaders and politicians, a few public relation events. I was originally scheduled to arrive in a few days to help out.”
She drew a deep breath, her throat closing up.
Dylan went to the mini-fridge near his desk and grabbed a water bottle. He twisted the top off and handed it to her with a smile. “It’s a dry heat. Sucks the life out of everything.”
She took a deep swig of the ice-cold water, grateful for the break. Her head was spinning now, the harsh truth of her situation coming home as she explained it.
“Vincent barely graduated high school and flunked out of college during his first year. My uncle decided to put him in a business suit and give him an office, dragging him out every day to learn the construction business from the ground floor.”
“Meanwhile, you stayed in college and graduated with your degree,” Trey added.
“Yes.” She hesitated. “How did you know?”
“You look like an educated woman.”
Ally frowned, trying to assess if she was being insulted or not. She turned back to Dylan and Jessie. “I joined the family business after graduating. It was made clear to me my sole job was to support Vincent as he readied to take over the company. I was there to keep him in line, keep him briefed on current events, and prepare him to give presentations to prospective customers. I could have walked away at any time, but my father helped build this company. My last name’s on the door—I want it to continue to mean something. I want to build a future for everyone.”
“Tell us about Edgar,” Dylan said.
Ally cleared her throat. “Edgar is Vincent’s official handler. He’s a sort of bodyguard-slash-butler. Been with us for years, helping to keep him under control. Unfortunately, Vincent is excellent at slipping away to go on his binges. Edgar’s good at what he does, so if he can’t find him, it means we truly need help. I need you to find him as fast as possible.”
Dylan leaned back in his chair, studying her. “You know what sort of business deals he’s been negotiating. Do you think he’s in imminent danger? Is there a chance he’s been kidnapped?” He glanced at Jessie before returning his attention to Ally, waiting for an answer.
“I don’t know. I hope not,” she admitted. “Vincent may be an alcoholic, but we run a clean business. We don’t deal with criminals; we play by the rules. It’s been three days—if he was kidnapped, I’d like to think Edgar would have gotten a ransom note by now.” Ally sighed. “There have been times in the past when we haven’t been able to find him and simply had to wait it out until he came home. Except, we can’t do it this time. In just under a month, Sheldon Construction is giving a presentation to a group of investors. I want to believe Vincent will come back, be awake, aware, and here to make the pitch. But I can’t sit back and take that sort of risk.” She shook her head. “He’s never been gone this long. Three days, now four, is a new record. So, I need him found for two reasons: to make sure he’s alive and well, and to ensure he’s going to be here for the presentation.”
“You said this has happened before. Your family let this go on, expecting you to pick up the pieces every time?” Jessie asked.
“Yes. They…” She paused, biting back the harsh words waiting to break free. “They see it as a minor character flaw and consider his leadership more important than a few drunken binges here and there. The important thing is to bring him back as soon as possible. Can you help me?” She drew a staggered breath. “If not, say so, and I’ll move on to another investigator. I can’t spend time wandering around Vegas giving out my family history to strangers.”
Dylan looked at her.
No, Dylan looked through her.
Ally swallowed hard, unable to shake the sensation she was under inspection.
This wasn’t what she’d bargained for when she’d walked into the Devil’s Nightclub, desperate to find her adopted brother.
Damn you, Vincent, she swore silently.
“Trey?” Dylan stared over her shoulder.
“We’ll find him.”
It sounded like a promise and a curse at the same time.
Dylan nodded. “Good.” He returned his attention to Ally. “Before we start, I need you to understand that you can’t tell anyone about our involvement.”
She frowned. “Since I want privacy, that’s fine by me. But why the secrecy?”
“It’d give the wrong impression,” Jessie interjected as Dylan started to respond. “I tend to work alone on my cases. Except you need help fast, and Dylan is willing to throw his resources behind me to make things happen. It could affect my future business if I had people thinking I was using my boyfriend’s employees on the side, taking advantage of their skills.”
Dylan chuckled and took her hand. “The only one you get to take advantage of is me.”
Jessie grinned. “Damned straight.”
He squeezed her hand.
Ally swallowed hard, pushing the emotion away. It was a dream for her right now, the idea of finding love something she locked away in a compartment for the time being.
Vincent. I need to find Vincent.
Dylan released Jessie’s hand. “Trey, launch a computer search for his credit cards. See if he’s racked up any large bills at the local hangouts and, ah, gentlemen’s clubs or private entertainment places.”
Ally held back a smile at his delicate phrasing.
“I’ll send some of the men around to the other nightclubs and casinos to see if he’s shown up there, check with the staff. Discreetly,” he said, anticipating her next request. “As soon as they find him, they’ll get him away as quietly as they can.” He glanced at the window. “Is he a gambler? This is definitely the wrong place for him if he’s addicted to the tables.”
“He likes to play poker, but alcohol is his primary addiction, as far as Edgar and I know. He’ll buy rounds for everyone in the bar, pay for expensive whiskey and other liquors by the bottle, and leave them behind on the table when he moves on. No idea if he’s a good player or not—usually he plays with the other men in the office after work, when he thinks I’ve gone home for the night. But his one true love is the bottle and the partying.”
“He’s in the right place if he wants to throw down a few hands. I’ll include that info in the briefing.” Jessie held up the photograph Ally had brought with her. “I’ll start the search by scanning this in and sending out copies to their phones.” She pulled out her cell phone and took a picture. “A few minutes and they’ll all have him in their sights.”
Ally rose, gripping the chair arms for support. She felt her strength begin to ebb away now that she’d managed to make some progress. Her long day had begun in New York with a panicked phone call and seemed to have no end in sight. “What do you want me to do?”
“Go with Trey to his office,” Dylan said. “He’ll need some basic information to initiate the computer search. Credit card numbers, driver’s license, that type of thing. Vincent might have already left an electronic mark somewhere, and we’ll be able to locate him before the sun comes up.” His reassuring smile gave her strength. “Trey’s the best at what he does. We’ll find him for you.”
Jessie handed the photo back to Ally. “I’ll put the word out to my street contacts. If Vincent’s worked his way into the underground clubs, they’ll help find him.” She kissed Dylan quickly before moving to the door. She looked over her shoulder. “I can count on you to return my client back to her hotel safe and sound?”
“Sure.” Dylan smiled. “We can manage that much.”
Jessie looked at Ally with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll bring him back to you.”
She walked out, leaving Ally with the two men.
Trey pushed himself off the wall. “Please come with me. My office is around the corner.”
She stood up, a wave of dizziness tilting the world as relief sank in. Ally wavered on her feet, annoyed at showing such weakness.
“Here.” He offered his hand. “You’ve got to be tired from all the traveling.”
“Yes, I am. Thank you.” She took it, shivering as his warm fingers curled around hers, soothing and almost intoxicating. It was as if she were moving in a dream, the world changing around her almost on a whim.
Trey smiled, and she felt a shift in her world yet again. “Let’s go find Vincent.”