Free Magic Moment by Angela Adams Page A

about the FBI,” she pointed out. “He told Oliver Daniels. How else would Daniels have found out?”
    “I’ll admit that this boat, Magic Lake, the marina was the perfect setting for what they had planned. That doesn’t mean my father’s involved in your attack.”
    “Chase, they are worried about what I might have said. Either knowingly or otherwise.” Her lips thinned. “Your father conspired to get rid of me.”
    His frown waved away her theory. His father couldn’t be capable of putting together such a plot. For one thing, he wasn’t savvy enough. “My father has the boat’s spare keys. Ron copped them. The keys are supposed to be in a safe place, but Dad can be pretty careless.”
    Laura’s brow wrinkled. “I told you. Ron didn’t come into the office. Your father carried the box with my things to the car. We met Ron at the gate. The only way Ron got these keys was if your father gave them to him.”
    “Did you see my father give Ron the keys?”
    She shook her head. “No. But your father could have slipped them to him when I wasn’t looking.”
    “You’re being silly,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. “Dad can be — ”
    “I’m being silly?” Her fiery eyes could almost burn craters into him. “Silly? I guess being kidnapped, beaten, and nearly raped does that to a person.”
    Chase realized too late his poor word choice. “I meant — ”
    “You’re the one being silly. And naïve. Everything was too convenient, Chase.” She jerked to her feet. “Asking me to come back and pack my things when no one was around. Having Ron available to drive me home.”
    “Dad didn’t know you wouldn’t have a cab waiting to take you home.”
    Her eyes were like scalpels cutting into him. “Cabs can conveniently be sent away.”
    There was a hush while Laura glared and Chase frowned, each waiting for the other to speak.
    Laura broke the silence. “If you want to prove me wrong, all you need to do is call your father.” Her chin tilted in a dare. “See what Dick Donovan has to say for himself.”
    “I don’t want to,” he said plainly. His father was gullible enough to give Daniels Madre’s keys. Most likely Dick thought the schmuck wanted to entertain some bimbo. But Daniels had given them to Ron. Chase was convinced of that, and he intended to read Dick the riot act, but not right now. He always needed time to psych himself for any altercation with his father.
    Laura’s lips twisted downwards and she glowered. “I’m going to bed. If you want to keep your head in the clouds, there’s no sense in talking.” She whirled and strode to the door.
    “Laura.” Seeing her wounded and angry sliced at his heart.
    A long silence passed before she slowly turned. “What?” Her features remained hard.
    “My father is an arrogant, pretentious snob,” Chase said. “I’m not blind to that. Lots of people were in the diner. They could have relayed what happened to Daniels.” His gut tightened. “My father doesn’t have the cojones to set up what happened on this boat last night. Since the FBI asked about Daniels, I suspect this is all about him.”
    She stared defiantly. “Your father slipped the keys to Ron while I got into the car.”
    “Keep thinking about your conversation with Saunders,” he implored, still not persuaded to see the situation her way. “You know something. Something you may not be aware of.”
    “What could I possibly know? Invoices, packing slips. That’s all I know.”
    Invoices … packing slips, the words raced through Chase‘s mind. And Saunders had inquired about the merchandise Oliver Daniels ordered and from what Laura had said, Chase concluded the agent seemed to be looking for a pattern. “I want a look at Daniels’ warehouse invoices. I think Saunders is after Oliver Daniels,” he reiterated.
    “Chase, think whatever you want.” Her sigh was a low, disgusted echo. “Goodnight.”
    He stared at the empty doorway, his teeth clenched so hard his jaw