Free Velvet Lightning by Kay Hooper Page A

Jesse,” Victoria said, smiling.
    “Hello. You look beautiful today,” Jesse told her in a polite tone, while keeping a wary eye on Falcon.
    “Thank you. You look upset.”
    “Upset?” He gave the word an incredulous emphasis. “Why would I be upset? Marc dumps his business in my lap and sails off into the wild blue, leaving me to cope with paperwork when I haven’t even gotten over being saddlesore yet— Stop laughing!” he ordered Falcon in a fierce tone.
    “Sorry.” Falcon cleared his throat and made his face grave. “About Tyrone—”
    “No,” Jesse interrupted, a certain mulishness settling into his handsome, sunburned features. “I’ve told you before, brother-in-law or not, there's no way I’m going to help you put Marc’s head in a noose!”
    “You won’t. I just need to talk to him.”
    “Then wait until he’s back in New York.”
    “How long will he be away?”
    “I don’t know,” Jesse said flatly.
    “Jesse, it’s important.”
    “If it’s your damned gold you’re talking about— and I know it is!—you’ve been after it for eight years. A few more months won’t make that much difference.”
    “Months!” Falcon exclaimed.
    Jesse gritted his teeth and fought back a sheepish expression. “Damn you, I wasn’t going to say that. Tory, if you love your brother, take your husband away.”
    Quietly Victoria said, “I can’t, Jesse. I'm sorry, we’re both sorry, but Falcon needs to talk to Captain Tyrone. He’ll find out where the captain's gone eventually, you know. He’s very good at things like that. Why not tell us?”
    Jesse sat back in the chair and raked long brown fingers through his hair. “Damn,” he said miserably. “Damn you, Marc. Why you had to go away when everyone wants you—”
    “Everyone?” Falcon’s voice was sharp. “What do you mean by that?”
    Jesse looked at him and shrugged. “Only that one of Marc’s business friends had to get in touch with him. He came rushing in here a couple of days ago, wild to find Marc. Something about papers that had to be signed right away. I couldn’t help him; I’ve got Marc’s power of attorney, but only for current business.”
    “What was his name?” Falcon asked slowly.
    “Well, he was a senator, actually. Senator Sheridan.” Victoria gasped softly. “Isn’t that—”
    “One of the names on the list. Yes.” Falcon looked at her, frowning, his green eyes remote. “Now, I find that to be just too damned coincidental.”
    Blankly Jesse said, “What are you talking about? What list?”
    Falcon looked back at him, still frowning. “Jesse, you said the senator was wild to find Tyrone. Wild in what way?”
    “Nervous, jumpy. Very intense and insistent.” Jesse began to look worried. “What the hell’s going on?”
    Victoria spoke first, perhaps answering her brother's question but looking at her husband. “Leon was . . . afraid, you said. He didn’t want you looking into this Camelot. The other men on that list might be just as afraid. Maybe even more so. Afraid of what you might be able to uncover. Afraid of what Captain Tyrone might tell you.”
    “And if they are,” Falcon said, picking up her train of thought, “one of them might well attempt to get to Tyrone before I do. But for what? To try and bribe him to keep quiet? Or to shut him up permanently?”
    “God,” Jesse whispered, staring at them. He might not have understood fully what they were talking about, but it was clear there was danger to Marc Tyrone. Jesse went white. “I told him. It seemed more than reasonable. Important, really. So of course I told him where Marc was.”
    “We have to warn him,” Victoria said.
    Falcon looked at Jesse. “A telegram?”
    “No. No, there's no— It's an island, and there's no way to reach it except by ship!”
    “What about Sheridan? Has he gone yet?”
    Jesse sucked in breath. “Christ, I helped him. I booked passage for him that day, even persuaded the captain to detour by Port