Renee’s skin prickled. Her nipples tightened against the cups of her best bra. It was obvious this man admired honesty. “I enjoy sex, but I don’t do serious.”
Matto stared at her for a long moment, and she trembled, wondering if he actually saw right to the depths of her soul. It was a heady yet unnerving experience.
Finally, he nodded. “I can work with that.”
Renee wasn’t certain of his meaning, but before she queried him, he changed the subject.
“We can have roast beef, steak or there is fish if you’d prefer.”
“Roast beef,” she said.
“And something to drink? I have champagne.”
Renee wrinkled her nose. “Could I have a glass of red wine? Sorry, but champagne doesn’t do much for me.”
Matto laughed in delight. “Most women of my acquaintance demand champagne and expect dinner at the best restaurant in the area. Anything else horrifies them.”
“My stepfather always told me it was best to state my mind as much as possible. He told me men are simple creatures and seldom understand the subtle messages women send. It was his opinion that men appreciated honesty and direct information.”
“Hmm,” Matto’s quiver of lips told her she’d amused him. “Did you like your stepfather?”
“Immensely.” Renee’s heart squeezed with a wave of emotion and enduring memories. “I got my love of flying from my stepfather. He was wonderful, and he changed my mother’s life. We both loved him.”
“Loved?”
“He and my mother died in a vehicle accident when I was nineteen. I miss them both.”
“That’s rough.” Matto picked up the phone and rang through an order for two roast beef dinners and a bottle of red wine. “What do you say to a bit of necking before dinner?”
Renee spluttered out a laugh even as a roar of heat skimmed her body and landed at the juncture of her thighs. Maybe he’d even let her stay the entire night. A relaxed and nightmare free sleep sounded like heaven.
* * * * *
“Boss, I think we’ve found her.”
A surge of satisfaction struck Jason Vega. At last. At long last.
He’d had his men and contacts searching the States and only recently, he’d broadened the search to Canada. “Describe this woman,” he ordered.
“We took a photo and can email it to you. The name is different. The hair is a different color and longer. The photo isn’t real clear because we didn’t want to spook her, but if you think it’s her, it won’t take long to learn where she is living. Churchill is a small town.”
“Churchill. Never heard of the place,” Jason barked.
“It’s the place with the polar bears. In Manitoba on the Hudson Bay. Canada.”
Didn’t ring any bells with Jason. He reached for his tablet and did a search. Good grief. The place was in the middle of nowhere. “Isolated place. How the fuck did you know to look there?”
“The trail went cold after she left California. We had a sighting at the airport, but we didn’t know where she was going. We’ve researched the flights and eliminated them one by one. It took time.”
“Send me the photo.” Jason tapped his fingers on the desktop while he waited for the photo to arrive. When it did, he clicked on the attachment and noticed the tremors of his hand. Cam had died because of this bitch and her friend, and he intended to get revenge for his son if it was the last act of his life.
The photo wasn’t clear, and he couldn’t be sure.
“I need another photo,” he said. “More information. What name is she going by?”
“Renee James.”
“Have you done a background check?”
