Chapter Fourteen

Well, hell. Billie hadn't seen this coming. Apparently, neither had Presley because he seemed just as stunned as she was.

"I never met Craig and Ellis," Victoria added while they just stood there, staring at her. "And I didn't know they were my kidnappers until you mentioned them."

"You should have said something the moment you heard their names," Presley insisted.

"Yes, I should have. But Jesep was here, and I would have had to explain…everything. I'm sorry," the woman tacked onto that.

That apology sounded plenty genuine enough, but Billie wasn't going to dole out any there, there or it's okay assurances. Because it wasn't okay. This was a connection the cops should know about.

"Where's Joe now?" Presley asked. "And have you spoken to him about Craig and Ellis?"

"No," Victoria was quick to say. "I haven't seen or spoken to him in years, not since I married Jesep. I have no idea where he is."

Billie did, and she took out her phone to access one of the reports she'd read about the death notification that SAPD had done. She located Joe's address and showed it to Presley.

"We can be there in fifteen minutes," Presley muttered.

"You're going to see him," Victoria said in a whisper, and she seemed on the verge of an objection or something. But she didn't voice it. She nodded. "Of course, you'd want to see him. He's your father."

"That's not why I want to see him," Presley assured her. "I need to find out if he had you kidnapped and if he's the one who tried to kill all of us."

"No," Victoria blurted, and she practically leapt from the bed. "He wouldn't. Not Joe."

"You haven't seen him in decades," Presley reminded her. "You have no idea what he's capable of."

"He wouldn't hurt me." There wasn't any doubt in her voice, but Presley didn't seem convinced.

"We'll soon find out," Presley said, motioning for Billie to follow him. "We'll let you know what he has to say."

They went out and found Angel there. "Where's Olivia?" Presley asked as Angel said, "What's wrong."

Angel responded first. "I caught up with Olivia in the parking lot, but she sped off. I let Ruby know so she can send someone to check on her."

"Thanks," Presley said, scrubbing his hand over his face. "I'll have a lot to catch you up on, but for now, Billie and I are going to see my bio-father. He's also the stepfather of our dead kidnappers."

The shock registered in Angel's eyes. "Fuck."

"Yeah," Presley agreed. "Keep me posted about Olivia," he added, and Billie and he headed out of the hospital and to the parking lot.

Billie plugged Joe's address into the GPS, and while Presley started the drive, she initiated a background check on the man. Presley used his Bluetooth to send a text to Ruby to let her know what was going on. Soon, Billie would have to give Owen an update, too, but for now she focused on Joe. Or rather that's what she started to do, and she saw the report that just popped into her inbox.

Oh, the irony.

"Olivia's DNA results are back," Billie let Presley know after he had finished his text. "She's your sister."

She stayed a moment to give him some time to absorb that. Of course, that wasn't something to be absorbed in a matter of minutes, but Presley nodded after only a couple of seconds.

"You're doing a run on Joe?" he asked.

Billie sighed, not because he was clearly diving back into work but because diving was their only option right now. They needed to know if there was still a threat to Victoria's and their lives.

"I am. Do you want to try to call him first and see if he's home?" Billie asked.

Presley didn't hesitate. "No. I don't want to give him a heads-up. If he's not there, we'll track him down. Does he work in Bulverde, too?"

Billie thumbed through the background that had just loaded. "I think he works from home. He's a sculptor. A rather successful one."

She held up a photo of one of the man's pieces. A bronze of a woman on horseback. Then, she showed him one of the man himself. A lanky build with a thin face. Unlike Victoria's father, there wasn't a lot of resemblance between Presley and him except for their mouths.

Presley made a sound that could have meant anything. "Does he have a criminal record?"

"Nothing as an adult," Billie said. "There's a sealed juvie record though. He's fifty-two. Widower. He married Craig and Ellis' mom ten years ago, and she died just four years later."

"So, he didn't raise his stepsons," Presley concluded.

"No. Ellis would have been nineteen and Craig, twenty-one. Damon, a couple of years older than that."

She kept scouring the background, looking for any red flags. But she didn't see any. So, she went a step further.

"I'll put both his and Victoria's names in the data mining program," Billie explained, doing that as she spoke. "I'll see if they're linked in any kind of way."

Victoria had said she hadn't seen him in decades, but she could have been lying. Until a few minutes ago, Billie had trusted the woman to tell them the truth. That had changed though with Victoria withholding the very important tidbit about her kidnapper's father.

A text popped up on the dash screen. From Ruby. Brief me, thoroughly, after you talk to Joe Malloy.

Billie figured Ruby wasn't any happier about this latest development than they were, and soon, Presley would have to deal with getting hit with yet another personal bombshell. Twenty-four hours ago, he hadn't known who his bio parents were, and now they were front and center in this investigation.

On the prompt from the GPS, Presley took the turn toward Bulverde just as his phone rang. Not Ruby but a familiar name.

Olivia.

Presley answered it on speaker. "Where are you?' he asked, not exactly the tone of a brother. He was in the cop mode again.

"I'm driving around, debating what to do," Olivia answered. "Did you know she gave birth to us?"

"Not until a few hours ago," Presley answered. A muscle flickered in his jaw, and Billie thought he might be debating telling her the rest. The name of their bio-father.

"Is it true?" she pressed.

"Yes," he assured her.

Olivia didn't question how he'd gotten that verification, but Billie had no trouble hearing the woman's sob. It sounded real. And maybe it was. However, Billie wasn't taking anything at face value when it came to Victoria's stepkids.

Or Victoria herself.

Billie couldn't figure out a reason for the woman to orchestrate her own kidnapping, but maybe that's where Joe could help. Then again, the man might not spill the truth either. Heck, he might not even be willing to talk to them.

"What should I do?" Olivia asked. "What are you going to do?" she amended.

"To be determined. But you should go home. And avoid Jesep if you can," he tacked onto that.

"Dad," Olivia muttered, and she groaned. "All this time, he knew."

Yes, and Billie wondered just how much more Jesep had known. There was just something way off about this whole mess. Jesep's will. Him trying to keep his kids from thinking of Victoria as their mother.

Had any or all of that played into the kidnapping?

Again, it was a question with no answer.

"Go home," Presley repeated to Olivia. "I'll be in touch soon." With that, he ended the call as they reached the outskirts of Bulverde.

The GPS directed them not toward the center of town but to a neighborhood, Sterling Heights, that was more country than city with its large multi-acre, heavily treed lots.

"Yes, he's successful," Billie muttered, glancing at the large houses. Mansions, really.

Presley went to the address, pulling into the driveway of a hacienda-style house that sprawled in the center of the massive lot.

"You need a minute," Billie asked him.

But Presley waved that off, and he would have gotten out right then if she hadn't taken hold of his arm. Because she thought they could both use it, she leaned in and kissed him. She kept it short but not so sweet. After all, it was impossible to keep the heat out of even a kiss of comfort.

"Thanks," Presley said, giving her a quick kiss before they both got out of the SUV.

It occurred to her as they approached the gated area of the front courtyard that it could be locked and they might not even get to the front door. However, as they approached, the gate made a clicking sound and then swung open.

The front door opened, too.

And there was Joe Malloy, not looking one bit surprised to see them.

He was barefooted and had on well-worn jeans and a black tee. A man who looked comfortable not only in his clothes but his own skin.

"Victoria just texted me," he said, sweeping his gaze over Presley as if trying to take him all in. He wasn't smiling, not with his mouth anyway, but it was there in his eyes for a moment or two, until Presley spoke.

"Victoria said she hadn't seen you in years," Presley snapped.

Joe lifted his shoulder and stepped to the side, motioning for them to come in. "She hadn't. Nor has she texted or called. She found my number on my webpage and let me know you were probably on your way to see me."

Presley didn't budge for a couple of seconds, but he finally huffed and went in. The house's interior was just as impressive as the outside, and she immediately saw some bronze pieces that she suspected were his work.

"This way," Joe said, leading them through the house. Two white cats darted out of one of the room, rubbing against his legs as he walked. He leaned down and gave them scratches behind their heads before they made it into a large kitchen.

"I've made both coffee and tea," Joe said, offering them a seat at the colorful tiled kitchen table. "And I debated making lemonade." He chuckled. "Nerves. I always hoped that one day I'd get to meet you. I'm sorry it's under these circumstances."

Presley didn't address any of that, and he continued to watch Joe with a cool stare. "Did your stepsons know about your relationship with Victoria?"

Joe seemed to shift gears, and sighing, he sat down in one of the chairs. "No. Even my wife didn't know. Victoria wanted it all kept secret, and I told no one. If I'd thought for one second that Ellis and Craig knew about Victoria, that they'd learned about you and your sister, I would have told the cops when they came out to tell me my stepsons were dead."

"You should have told them," Presley insisted.

Joe frowned, nodded. "Maybe. But it wasn't my secret to tell. It was Victoria's. I figured once she heard the names of the men who'd kidnapped her and if she recognized them, then she could have told the police."

Presley shook his head. "She didn't. And now possibly a very valuable thread of the kidnapping hasn't been investigated."

Joe folded his hands on the table and leaned in. "I can't believe Craig or Ellis found out that Victoria and I had children. It would have taken some serious hacking skills, which neither of them have. And why would they have even gone looking for something like that?"

Billie couldn't immediately think of a reason to assume their stepfather had had a relationship with an heiress.

"You're sure you never mentioned Victoria's name around your wife or them?" Billie asked.

"Positive. If they found out about Victoria and me, then they found it from someone else."

"Like who?" Presley was quick to ask.

Another headshake. "I don't know. Jesep, maybe. He could have told the wrong person and it maybe got back to Craig and Ellis."

Ari had certainly known about it. And he could have been the one to tell the pair.

"Do you believe your stepsons acted alone?" Billie pressed.

"I don't know," Joe repeated. "They were trouble magnets. Not leaders, and they always seemed to follow the wrong crowd. So, I guess it's possible they were working with someone." He paused, met her gaze head on. "You think Jesep put them up to this?"

"Why would Jesep do that?" Presley asked before she could.

"I'd imagine the usual reasons why a rich bastard wants to get rid of his wife. Money. Because a divorce would be too costly." He huffed. "I'm just guessing. I have no idea why, and I have a hard time imagining anyone wanting to hurt or kill Victoria."

Billie couldn't be sure, but she thought the man still had feelings for Victoria. Maybe even still loved her.

"Craig and Ellis had some serious weapons in their possession," Presley continued a moment later. "Any idea where they got them?"

"Possibly from Damon," Joe answered after a short pause. "He always had a thing for guns."

"Damon has ties to a militia," Presley told Billie before he shifted his attention back to Joe. "Do you know where Damon is?"

"No. I haven't seen him in at least two years. All three of them were always getting into trouble, and they've been known to sell drugs to make some cash. Maybe they made enough to buy guns to use in the kidnapping." He paused again. "The news reports said Victoria was hurt, perhaps even tortured. Is that true? Did those bastard do that to her?"

Yeah, definitely some love there.

"She was hurt," Presley settled for saying. "If you want any details, you should get them from her."

Joe waved that off. "If she's happy with Jesep, I don't want to mess any of that up for her. That was a condition for Jesep marrying her, you know."

"What?" Presley and she asked at the same time.

"That Victoria never contact me and never tell Olivia that she was her biological mother. Jesep made her sign papers. Sort a pre-nup. If she told Olivia or got in touch with me, Victoria would forfeit five million dollars, and he would immediately divorce her."

Well, hell. Billie hadn't been a fan of Jesep before this, but now she despised the man even more.

"If you know about me, does Olivia know, too?" Joe asked.

"She does," Presley confirmed. "And so does Ari."

Joe closed his eyes a moment and muttered some profanity.

"You know Ari?" Presley added.

"I know of him. Just because Victoria and I haven't stayed in touch, it doesn't mean I haven't…checked on her. Never in person," he insisted. "But through social media and gossip. Ari's ruthless. A lot like his father."

Billie couldn't argue with that, and she nearly came out and asked if Joe believed Ari could have teamed up with his stepsons, but Presley spoke first.

"Victoria said when she gave birth that Jesep came and took Olivia. Who came and got me?"

"Jesep," he said without hesitation. "He took both of you." His face tightened, and she saw the anger flash through his eyes. "You were both so little that you fit into one baby carrier, and he left the hospital with you. Without the doctor's permission," he added. "I mean, Olivia and you were preemies. Four and a half pounds each. You should have stayed in the hospital at least a couple more days."

"You didn't try to stop him?" Presley asked.

Now, the shame came, overshadowing the anger. "I couldn't," Joe muttered. "I was a kid. Sixteen. And Jesep was friends with Victoria's father, who'd already threatened to kill me. I didn't stop Jesep because Markham said if I tried, he'd kill Victoria."

"Shit," Presley snapped, and he followed with a loud groan.

"Yes, I said that and worse many times that night. I stood there and watched that sonofabitch walk out with Victoria and my children, and there was nothing I could do about it." Joe paused and seemed to be fighting for his composure.

"Jesep didn't take me to a friend to be adopted," Presley stated. He was no doubt fighting for composure, too. "Someone ended up leaving me at a fire station."

The shock, followed by the outrage, flared over Joe's entire face. He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He shoved away from the table, and, pressing both of his hands to the sides of his head, he let out a string of vicious profanity.

"I didn't know," he muttered. "I didn't know." He turned away from them, and it was well over a minute before he looked at them again. "A fire station?" Joe questioned. "Which one?"

Judging from his expression, it wasn't a question Presley had expected. "The one on Saddle Creek Road a couple of miles outside of San Antonio."

Joe cursed again, but this time it was a quiet murmur. "My father worked there. He was a fireman. And it's where Victoria and I met sometimes."

Sweet heaven. That didn't sound like a coincidence to Billie.

"Did Jesep know your father worked there?" Presley asked.

"Maybe, but even if he did, he wouldn't have left a note for my dad, saying here's your grandson."

No, he wouldn't have because that would have gotten Joe's father asking questions. Why had Jesep done it then? Had it been some kind of warped act of goodwill, leaving Presley in the hands of kin? Or had the fire station merely been a convenient location because it hadn't been in the heart of the city?

"Jesep," Joe spat out like profanity. "Why the hell couldn't Ellis and Craig have kidnapped that asshole? Why not him instead of Victoria?"

"Good questions," Presley remarked. There was a cool edge to his tone, but Billie figured it was masking a whole lot of anger and shock. "Maybe because Ari and Jesep were calling the shots?" He paused. "But there's someone else. A woman named Hattie Sinclair. She could have had Victoria taken to punish Billie and me."

"Hattie's sister was killed on our watch when we were cops," Billie supplied.

Joe stared at them for a long time. "So, it might not be Jesep or Ari."

"It might not be," Presley confirmed. "That's why we're here. We need answers, and since Craig and Ellis are dead, we can't get those answers from them."

"And you think I can help?" Joe asked. "How?"

"We haven't been able to find out where your stepsons held Victoria," Presley explained. "If we know the location, we can search it to see if they left any evidence behind."

Joe was shaking his head before Presley even finished. "I have no idea where they'd hold her. Neither of them own any property that I know of."

"How about property you or another family member owns?" Billie pressed. "Some place private where they wouldn't easily be seen or detected?"

He was still shaking his head but then stopped. Cursed. "The Saddle Creek Road fire station," Joe muttered.

"What about it?" Presley asked.

"I own it. It's no longer a fire station, but I bought it about a couple of years ago with plans to turn it into a work studio. My father loved that place, and I didn't want to see it torn down."

Bingo.

Presley and she stood. "When's the last time you were there?" Presley asked.

"Months," Joe said on a rise of breath. "You really think they could have taken Victoria there?"

"We need to find out," Presley said.

Joe gave a shaky nod and went across the room to one of the kitchen drawers. He pulled out a key and handed it to Presley.

"Thanks," Presley said. "Is there a security system?"

"No. It's been broken into a couple of times over the years, but there's nothing to steal. There's nothing inside it."

Billie was hoping otherwise. Obviously, so was Presley because he was already heading for the door, and she was right behind him.