The Devil in the Details

By TK Eldridge

Everything Caela has survived has shown her she's capable, strong, and part of a solid team.
It's going to take the whole team to get Hughes Investigations clear of the criminal infiltration that started with Jeffries, and continues with the Ruiz brothers wanting to control her company.
Cases are still being investigated and lives are still on the line, but her father's surprising assistance turns out to be worth more than a simple debt being paid.
The past and the present collide in the third book in the Hughes Investigations series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: TK Eldridge
• Release date: Aug 11, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005224509

TK Eldridge

TK Eldridge retired from a career in Intelligence for the US Gov't to write. The experiences from then are now being used to feed the muse for paranormal romance, mysteries, supernatural, and urban fantasy stories. When they’re not writing, they are enjoying life in the Blue Ridge mountains of western North Carolina. Two dogs, a garden, a craft hobby and a love of Celtic Traditional music keep them from spending too much time at the computer.

Book preview

Prologue

A cold drink dripped condensation onto the coaster, the early autumn weather warm enough for the fans that stirred the damp air. Oscar Ruiz held his tablet in one hand, the other twisted in the hair of the young girl who knelt at his side. He had been gently stroking her hair, much like one would pet a cat, but then the message had come in and his fury caused his fingers to twist and pull.

The girl whimpered once, then swallowed any sound. Mister didn’t like it when they made noise without permission.

Oscar released her hair and shoved her away as he pushed to his feet. Marcos! Get Jose on the phone, immediately.

The girl scurried away to disappear behind a curtain as Oscar stormed across the room towards his office. Marcos!

Yes, sir. I have Jose on the line, Marcos replied as he handed Oscar the cell phone.

Oscar ripped the phone out of Marcos’ hand and snarled into the receiver. What the hell happened? I thought you had things under control? We’ve lost the board of directors at Hughes? And Seymour is dead?

"I’m handling it," Jose replied. We still have a few pieces in play. Jeffries was a mistake, and Seymour got cocky.

"No kidding. You said Jeffries would hand us the keys to Hughes, and instead, he killed the owner—and then died himself. Then you said Seymour would get the girl out of the way so our man could take over—and now Seymour is dead. How many more pawns do you have in play, because they’re being taken out, and this child is getting stronger. I will not lose this company to a little girl. Fix it."

"I’m handling it. Trust me," Jose said.

Yeah, I’m starting to lose faith in you, little brother. Don’t let me down. You won’t like it if you let me down, Oscar said, then disconnected the call before Jose could reply.

He’d been promised control of Hughes Investigations, and Oscar Ruiz demanded such promises be kept. Twice now, he’d almost had this company within his grasp, and it had slipped away. There would be no third time.

Caela Hughes had to submit or die.

Chapter One

Caela had finally moved back into her own penthouse after having spent four days next door in Kade’s. The new area rug under the dining room table looked great, the deep jewel tones picking up the hues in her ceramic plant pots, scattered pillows, throw blankets, and new silk drapes.

I love the new rug. I loved the old one. But the blood just wasn’t coming out of the wool, Caela told her best friend, Leta.

Did they get all the bugs? Leta asked.

Yeah, the ones Seymour planted, and the ones Tony planted. I mean, I’m glad he was listening so he could come save my life, but I really don’t need people spying on me in my own home.

I was wondering how Tony knew to show up when he did, Leta asked.

I wondered that, too, once the adrenaline left, and the whiskey faded away. I’ll always be grateful, but I’m hoping that’s the last time I have to pay to have bullet holes patched in my walls and the place repainted.

Caela carried her messenger bag into the office and pulled her laptop and a stack of files out of it. I had a notebook in here with the list you gave me of questions about the estate. Now I can’t find it. She finally gave up and dumped the bag out on the table. Pens, lip gloss, pen caps, crumpled bits of paper, two small notebooks and a black moleskin journal fell out onto the table.

What’s this? Leta asked as she picked up the journal.

Oh, wow, I forgot that was in there. That’s one of my father’s journals. There’s a box of them in the storage closet in my office, but I found the last one he was writing in before he died and stuck it in my bag to look at later. Then I forgot it was in there.

Leta walked out of the office with the journal in her hands.

Hey, where are you going?

I’m putting it on your bedside table. You won’t lose it there, Leta called back.

Good idea. Thanks, Caela replied, then muttered to herself. Now to grow the balls needed to read it.

So, who’s the latest in the love life of Caela Hughes? Leta asked as she came back and dropped into a chair to watch Caela sort out the mess from her bag.

No one. I need to focus on me and the business for a while. Let things settle out and get stable before I consider a love life. I mean, come on, let’s be honest here. My track record has kinda sucked, and my heart can’t take another love interest dying on me.

But you need… Leta started

"I need to figure me out. Once I know who I am and what I want out of life, only then will I be ready to find someone to share that life with, okay? I get that you and Sasha are in love and everything’s beautiful, but that’s not me. I’m so happy you guys are planning a wedding and getting your lives together, and doing it all together, but that’s not me."

I just want you to be happy, too, Leta said.

"And I love you for that, but I am happy. I’m alive, I’ve got a great team and some amazing friends, and I’m doing good work."

I can see that, Leta said. Just don’t shut yourself off from possibilities though, okay?

Caela nodded as she flipped through a notebook and found the list. The next hour went by as she answered Leta’s questions. The estate, about an hour away, had been built by her father, Conal Hughes, when he started to distance himself from the business he’d been building since Caela was tiny. It resembled a European castle with elaborate gardens, deep forests, and a cliff view over the ocean. Caela had never lived there, nor really wanted to. She’d decided to keep it for gatherings and events, maybe use it as a long weekend getaway spot sometime, but it really wasn’t her style. It’d be perfect for Sasha and Leta’s wedding, though—that much she knew. And she could get Angela Meems, her father’s favorite party coordinator, to handle the details she didn’t have time to handle.

Once Leta left, Caela poured herself a fresh cup of coffee and went around the office, re-connecting her machines and turning everything back on. She’d shut it all down, with Sam Belling’s help, the day of the shooting—and had left only the main server in the closet powered up, to keep any random people from wandering in and getting into stuff they shouldn’t. Once everything was back to working order, Caela sat at her terminal and went to work. Oh, she could work okay on the laptop, but she much preferred all six screens going so she could sort data and manage documents across multiple locations. Being able to look at a lot of disparate data at once and pick out the patterns was one of her special skills, one she had shared with her childhood best friend, Ian Fitzroy.

Caela noticed the irony in that the two people that came to mind while she was getting into work mode were Sam and Ian. The two of them had only met briefly while Ian was alive, but Ian had never seen Sam’s face. Ian had been murdered in his car and Sam had been the detective that worked that case. Sam saw Ian briefly at the hospital when he was rushed into surgery—but Ian never made it out of that surgery alive. There were still days that Caela missed her best friend with an ache that bored straight through her soul.

Sam had gone from ‘that bastard detective’ to a member of her chosen family. He’d fought long and hard to put Ian’s killer behind bars, even when it almost cost him his life. Caela had hired him away from the city police department, and he now ran one of her investigation teams.

Caela worked for a couple of hours before she stopped, stretched, and realized she was starving. Her fridge was empty because she’d been next door in Kade’s penthouse and didn’t want to leave perishables in her own fridge. Instead of trying to make something herself, she called down to the food court and asked Benny if he could send her up the soup of the day and a roast beef sandwich. While she waited for the food to be delivered, she put in a grocery delivery order and took a few minutes to wipe down the empty shelves in her refrigerator.

As appreciative as she had been of the ability to stay in Kade’s place while they repaired hers, Caela much preferred her own space. Reason number whatever to be grateful that she was flying single right now. It sucked that Mykos had been hurt, but maybe his being back in Greece was a good thing for Caela.

Her attitude about Mykos had become a lot more realistic after his cousin, Stephan, called and said he’d awakened from the coma. She could still hear that entire conversation in her head.

"Cay? It’s Stephan. How are you?"

Well enough, my friend. How are you? How is everyone there?

"It’s why I called. Mykos woke up from the coma."

That’s excellent news, but I can hear the ‘but’ in your voice.

"He doesn’t remember meeting you, rescuing Athena, none of it. He remembers getting into the city and setting up his house, but that’s the last memory he has."

Caela took a breath and sat down hard. This was not an outcome she had expected—or even considered. How is he?

"He’s confused, angry, frustrated—but happy that Athena is home. I spoke briefly about you, when explaining the financial situation, but he had no reaction. I’m sorry, Caela."

I’m just glad he’s awake and healing. Things here are going okay. We’re closing in on Ruiz’s infiltrators here, so if you plan on being in on the takedown, you might want to consider heading back in the next couple of weeks.

"I promised you—and Ruiz—that I’d be there when he fell. I’ll wrap things up here and come back soon. Tell Kade I’ll need a guest room."

He’s already got one set up with some of your stuff from storage, so you’ll feel at home. Michael Eames lives there with him now, too. He’s happy.

"That’s great news. Stay safe, little sister. I’ll see you soon."

Thanks for the call, Stephan.

According to Stephan, Mykos was working hard at rehabilitation—but not having any memories of his time with Caela or being at Hughes. That, for Caela, was bittersweet. She cared for Mykos, but if he didn’t remember her, then she didn’t have to feel guilty about not loving him in the same way he had loved her.

Athena, Mykos’ sister, had been taken—along with several schoolmates–from her boarding school in Switzerland nearly three years ago. Mykos, Stephan, and Kade had worked together to track down the girls, eventually connecting with Caela’s team. They all contributed to Athena’s rescue and the rescue of a few others, but there were still three girls from the boarding school that were missing—and Oscar Ruiz was the one behind their absence.

A knock at the door interrupted her cleaning, so she went to check who it was, then opened the door. Kade, since when do you do food court deliveries?

Since I was coming up anyway after grabbing my lunch. I told Benny I’d take yours, too, Kade said.

Thanks, I’m starved, Caela said as she closed up the cabinets and fridge, then pulled out some utensils. Did you get soup, too? she asked as she waggled a spoon in his direction.

Kade nodded as he pulled the containers out of the bag. Ham and split pea soup, and I got a turkey and swiss while you got the roast beef.

They sat at the kitchen island and started eating their lunches before Kade paused, took a drink, and said, What are you working on? I saw all the systems come back online earlier.

Kade had been Mykos’ best friend, but now he ran the IT department for Hughes Investigations. He had been living with Mykos in the penthouse next door, but now that Mykos was back in Greece, he and his boyfriend, Detective Michael Eames, lived there.

I was taking a few minutes to spread everything out across the screens and see if I could find the patterns in this fresh case from last night, Caela said. Speaking of last night, I heard Mike leave, but I didn’t hear him come back in.

He had a red-eye back to Bangor. He’s got a week to pack up, ship, store, and get his affairs in order before he’s got to be back here to start his new job, Kade said. He’s pretty stoked about being hired on by the FBI’s local office. He’ll come back, settle in here, then at some point spend two weeks at Quantico in training.

That’s really great that they offered him the position. He’s an excellent detective and will be a real asset to the feds.

I kind of wish he’d taken you up on your job offer, but he feels he could be more of an asset with the FBI right now.

I told him the job offer didn’t have an expiration date. If he decides a couple of years down the road that he’d rather go private, we can talk again. There will always be a place for him with Hughes.

George Clark really talked him up, from what we’re hearing, Kade said. They’ll be working on some of the same cases, so Mike is excited.

And you? Are you excited to have him here?

Beyond excited—and absolutely terrified, Kade said. I’ve not had a long-term, live-in partner at any point in my life. Roommates? Yes. Someone I’m involved with? No. What if he decides he hates me?

Kade Browning, knock it off. Mike’s practically been living here for the past two months, right? If it was going to blow up, it would have by now. Yeah, you’ll have rough patches, but it’s not like one of you would have to sleep on the couch. There’s more than one bedroom over there.

Kade chuckled and shrugged. I know you’re right, and my logical brain is in complete agreement, but my heart is all the way invested and it is terrified.

Yep, sounds like love. Lucky you, Caela said, with only a faint trace of sarcasm in her tone.

I am lucky, Kade replied, voice soft. I hope, someday, you’re lucky as well.

Yeah, well, I’m happy with just me and my merry band of misfits. I’m going to focus on my business and myself. Do some traveling, figure out what I really want out of life, and then, maybe, consider sharing my heart. I’m not in any rush.

So, what’s this new case? Kade asked as he got up and made them each a fresh cup of coffee.

Let me clean this up and we can take the coffee into the office and I’ll show you, Caela said.

They settled at the table and Caela pulled up the files on the screen on the wall at the end.

This is Angelina Pearson, Caela began as an image of a model-quality brunette came up on the screen. Daughter of Theodore Pearson, owner of Pearson Electronics. She was a classmate of mine from high school who asked my help with this case, which is why I chose it as my monthly dabble case. Anyway, Angelina is engaged to Benjamin Rinehardt, the tech genius who invented the most recent security suite Pearson’s is selling.

Keeping it all in the family, huh? Kade said.

"Well, you’d think so, right?