Evan James turned toward her. He got down in her face, inches from her nose. He grabbed her by the shoulders, his fingers biting into her flesh.
“Are you? How can I be sure you don’t know where they are? Are you working with Kaimi? Answer me!”
Dante grabbed Evan by the collar and yanked him back so hard the man lost his balance. He fell straight on his ass, and Dante was momentarily satisfied. Until Dante noticed Laurie’s tear filled eyes. For that alone, he wanted to tear the man limb from limb. Instead, he yelled at him while he scrambled to his feet.
“She told you she didn’t know. There is no reason for Kaimi to have told her. She reported the incident to police and hotel security immediately. I confirmed those reports after I had her under protection. There is no reason to believe Laurie has ever had contact with Kaimi other than the day she walked into that penthouse suite. There is no proof, whatsoever, she knew him. But perhaps you don’t care so much for innocent until proven guilty anymore.” Dante stepped between Evan and Laurie.
Evan James straightened his rumpled suit, adjusting his tie. He rolled his shoulders back, and turned his cold eyes on Laurie.
“You know where he took my wife and child, and you need to start talking!” Evan craned his neck to look at her.
“I don’t, Mr. James. I swear, on my life!” Laurie raised her hands, palms out.
“If I have you expelled from protective custody, perhaps you’ll change your answer!” Evan took a step in her direction, wagging a finger at her.
Laurie’s eyes, luminous with fear, turned to Dante. Dante’s boiling temper overflowed. He reached over and picked Evan James up by the collar of his shirt once more.
“Dante! Dante!” Rick hefted himself out of his chair.
Dante didn’t care what his boss had to say.
Evan James’ boney fingers wrapped around his arm.
He grabbed Evan James’ wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. He shoved him forward, steering him through the house to the front door.
Evan cried out in pain.
Dante heard Max and Cheyn thundering down the stairs.
“Mr. Stark you are treading on dangerous ground. I’ll call Director Hilton the moment I leave.” Evan struggled against Dante’s hold.
“Good.” Dante pinned him up against the kitchen wall. With one hand now free, he flung open the front door, then grabbed the prosecutor’s collar, and pushed him outside. “I’ll tell the director you interfered in a federal case, badgered a key witness with unfounded accusations, and threatened the woman’s life.”
Dante lifted Evan as he tripped down the steps.
Rick was right behind them, shaking the wooden stairs with his weighty footfalls.
“Dante, don’t do anything foolish. Mr. James is clearly distraught!” Rick chased after him.
Dante pushed Evan James out to the parking lot, shoving him up against the hood of the car. As Evan James wiggled under Dante, trying to break free, Dante leaned down and whispered into his ear.
“I understand your wife and child are missing. I know you want to find them. That woman had nothing to do with their disappearance. She was in the wrong place, at the wrong time. Moreover, if it were not for her being in the wrong place at the wrong time, then we wouldn’t have even known your wife and child were in Hawaii. Thanks to Laurie, we know where they were last seen alive. The fact that you would come here, as a federal prosecutor, and threaten my witness is out of bounds. The fact that you would threaten me with calling Director Hilton is even more ridiculous. I’m glad you two are friends, but Director Hilton is also very good friends with my father and he insists I refer to him as uncle. So if you think a man who saw me grow up is going to choose you over me, after the stunt you just pulled, you have lost your mind.”
Dante paused to see if anything he said sank in.
Evan James stopped struggling against him and went limp, melting over the hood of the car.
Dante pulled him off the car, released his arm, and spun him around. Dante put his face inches from Evan’s.
“If you ever say anything to Laurie ever again, if you so much as breathe on her, I will arrest you for tampering with a federal witness and impeding a criminal investigation. If you ever threaten her again…well, I protect the witness. I don’t care who’s threatening her. If it’s Kaimi or you, it makes no difference to me. Do you understand me?”
Evan winced.
“Do you understand me?”
“Yes. Yes, I do.”
“Good. Have a nice drive back to your hotel.” Dante turned, heading back toward the house.
Rick stood off to the side, wringing his hands.
“I’m sorry about all this.” Rick squinted up at Dante as he strode past.
“We’ll talk about it tomorrow. Just keep him away from her.” Dante turned his back and walked away.
Dante entered the kitchen.
Max stood by the counter trying very hard to look like he hadn’t been watching out the window.
Dante locked the door.
“Max, watch the car. Make sure they leave.” Dante stomped past him.
Max went back to the window.
Dante heard two car doors slam. He went into the living room.
Laurie sat on the couch, sniffling.
David knelt next to her, holding her hand.
Cheyn sat across from her.
Dante rounded the couch.
Laurie looked up at him, stricken and pale, and he wished he’d beaten Evan James within an inch of his life.
Dante sat down beside Laurie on the couch.
She threw her arms around his neck.
He wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back.
“I’m sorry, Laurie,” he murmured into her hair. “I’m sorry he put you through that.”
“It’s not right what he said, Ms. Laurie.” David stood up.
“He just wants to find them. I understand.” Laurie nuzzled into his neck.
“That doesn’t mean he should have done what he did.” Dante stroked her hair with one hand while caressing her back with the other. He glanced up and saw Cheyn’s disapproving look, but he didn’t care. Dante pulled her tighter against his chest as she shuddered.
“Can he have me taken out of protective—”
“No, he can’t do anything to harm you. We won’t let him.” Dante rested his chin on the crown of her hair.
“But he’s a…and it’s his wife and son.” She sniffled.
“It’s a federal case, Laurie. You know this. Even though he’s a federal prosecutor, he can’t just cancel the case. We’re not even in his jurisdiction. He’s just another victim’s family member.” He cupped her face in his hands, looking into her eyes. “I won’t let him jeopardize your safety.”
Relief swept across her delicate features. She let out a deep breath, and Dante pulled her against his chest again.
“They’re gone, boss. I watched them leave,” Max said behind him.
“Good. In fifteen, I need a perimeter check. We’ll do them every fifteen minutes from now on.”
The men nodded. Dante cradled Laurie in his arms, resting his chin on her head.
She slowly calmed. Her breathing returned to normal, and she no longer clutched at his shirt like a lifeline.
He felt the muscles in her back become soft and pliant under his hand.
“I wish I could have told him where his family is.” Her voice was raw and scraped.
Dante closed his eyes.
“I know you do, but you can’t tell him what you don’t know.” Dante brushed his hand over her golden hair.
“I hope he’s not like that with his wife, or his son.” She took a shuddering breath. “I mean, I hope it was just the grief and anxiety talking.”
Dante rubbed his chin against her smooth hair. He heard the question in her voice, the slightest sliver of doubt had crept in.
“It’s hard to know what he’s really like. People can do crazy things when they’re pushed to a breaking point. My guess is that he’s probably like this when he’s under stress. I hope you won’t let that influence your decision to testify, Laurie. Even if Evan James is an asshole, Katherine and Easton deserve some justice.” He stroked the back of her neck in circles.