Читать книгу Undercover Fiance - Sheryl Lynn - Страница 12

Chapter Four

At 5:00 a.m. on the dot Janine awakened. She glared at the clock. Around three in the morning she’d snapped wide awake. It had finally hit her—Pinky had tried to murder her. Shaking with chills despite the sweat suit she wore to bed, she’d spent the rest of the night hugging a pillow and listening for the beastly roar of flames. She’d finally drifted back to sleep, but habit awakened her. No amount of exhaustion would allow her to go back to sleep now.

Groggy and irritable, she tiptoed around in the dark so as not to disturb Daniel. By feel she selected slacks, a sweater and a blazer and carried them into the bathroom. She glumly studied her face in the mirror. The scratch on her head was reddened and inflamed. It hurt to touch it. No way would she consider putting makeup atop the wound. “Not so gorgeous now,” she muttered. She hoped Pinky got a good look at her “perfect” face today and felt bad about it.

After she showered, dried her hair and dressed, she opened the door a crack and peered out. She couldn’t see Daniel in the darkness. She wanted to let him sleep, but she had a resort to run.

“Too late to awaken me with a kiss.”

She choked back a scream. He turned on the table lamp. Seated with a foot on his knee and his hands clasped behind his neck, he grinned at her.

Despite heavy beard shadow and messy hair, he looked as if he’d enjoyed the sleep of innocents. Her grouchy mood darkened further. “I thought you were still asleep.”

“With you stomping around? For such a petite woman you sure do make a lot of noise. I could swear you don’t weigh more than one-twenty, but I guess you’re packing a lot more than that under your clothes.”

She chuffed a harsh breath. “I will have you know—” She shut her mouth, too late realizing he teased her.

He dropped his foot to the floor and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. “We’re both early risers. We have a lot in common.”

“We have nothing in common.” She looked pointedly at her watch. “I have work to do. If you’re going to play bodyguard, you have exactly fifteen minutes to grab a shower.”

He snatched up his bag and scooted into the bathroom. She gathered the blankets and pillows off the floor. She pressed a pillow to her nose. It smelled of soap and shampoo, and it roused memories of sex. She groaned and tossed the pillow onto the bed. Celibate for years, she usually didn’t think about sex. She especially didn’t want to think about sex in conjunction with Daniel Tucker.

He was ready to go in ten minutes.

Downstairs the resort staff had already swung into high gear for another busy day. Clanging, banging, rattling and Chef’s temperamental shouting emerged from the kitchen along with the aroma of baking bread and roasting meats. Housekeepers loaded up carts with cleaning supplies. Janine wondered which one of them had tried to burn her to death in a stinky old garage. Everyone looked guilty.

She stopped in the kitchen to fill a carafe with coffee before she and Daniel went to her office. Her phone began ringing before she had a chance to sit down. Maintenance wanted her approval to begin cleaning up the burn site. A reporter wanted details about the fire. Guest services needed advice about what to tell guests who were upset about the rumors of arson. Between calls she logged invoices into the computer. Daniel sat quietly on a small sofa, moving only to refill her coffee cup. She appreciated his silence.

A knock startled her. Hot coffee splashed her hand and she cursed under her breath. She noticed Daniel sliding a hand over the bulge of the holster on his hip. She called, “Come in.”

A man showed a badge and introduced himself as Walt Helmsley, an investigator with the state police. Another man materialized in the doorway behind the investigator. Glad to see the sheriffs department uniform and a friendly face, Janine smiled in welcome.

“Daniel Tucker,” she said, “Mr. Helmsley and Sergeant Mike Downes.” She diverted her telephone calls to voice mail. “Gentleman, I’ve hired Mr. Tucker to help me find the stalker. I can’t recall everyone I talked to yesterday. Do you know about Pinky?”

“The sheriff briefed us,” Mike said. His expression radiated concern. As an old friend of the family, the deputy sheriff had a personal stake in what happened at Elk River. “I want to hear it from you. Start over from the beginning.” He and the state police investigator brought out pens and notebooks.

She began with losing her organizer book and ended with why she had hired Daniel. She thought repeated telling should get easier. It did not. The story sounded stupid. She felt stupid.

Mike’s forehead knit as if he felt angry as well as concerned. He glanced at Daniel then back to her. “Why didn’t you come to me, Janine? I take threats against the colonel seriously.”

Relieved he didn’t follow the sheriff’s lead in blaming her for Pinky, she said, “I didn’t want the police involved.”

“I’m a friend, too.” He sounded hurt.

Catching herself pulling her hair, she dropped her hand onto the desk. She toyed with a paper clip. “I didn’t want the colonel to know. He doesn’t need the stress. It’s a private problem. Was a private problem.”

“Colonel?” Helmsley asked.

“My father, Colonel Horace Duke. I thought I could handle this on my own.”

“You could have been killed.” Mike turned a heated glare on Daniel. “Your little plan is stupid, sir. And dangerous.”

Daniel arched an eyebrow. His expression remained otherwise neutral. “Seems to me my plan is working out exactly the way I intended. What do you know about erotomania, Sergeant?”

Mike and the investigator exchanged a puzzled look.

“It’s a mental disorder,” Daniel explained. “A delusional fixation on another person as a love object. Read love letters written by thirteen-year-olds and you’ll get a glimpse into the kind of thought processes we’re dealing with. Except this guy is an adult and he’s willing to act out his fantasies. If you guys intend to catch Pinky, you need to get educated.”

“Are you a shrink?” Mike was openly hostile now.

“Just a regular guy who’s devoted the past five years of his life to stopping stalkers.” He grinned at the investigator. “And no, you guys haven’t heard of me. I keep a low profile. No press, no advertising. If you want to check me out, contact Gail Porter with the El Paso County district attorney’s office. She’s referred several clients to me.”

“I don’t know if you’re qualified or not,” Mike said. “I know for darned sure you’re endangering your life. Not to mention Janine’s life!”

“I’m doing nothing illegal.”

“Interfering with an investigation and obstructing justice are illegal.”

Daniel showed both palms. “I’m not doing either of those. You guys have my blessing to arrest Pinky. You won’t hear a peep out of me.”

“Mike,” Janine said. “Mr. Helmsley. Mr. Tucker is not the problem. Pinky is. I apologize for not calling you, Mike. In hindsight, you’re absolutely correct. But, I suggest we focus on the matter at hand and worry about who is right or wrong later.”

“Ma’am, Mr. Tucker,” Helmsley said, “stalking is against Colorado law. No offense, but civilians aren’t qualified to handle these matters.”

“No offense,” Daniel said smoothly, “neither are the cops. Pinky isn’t your run-of-the-mill firebug. He’s seriously disturbed, but he’s smart.” He jerked a thumb at Janine. “Here’s an intelligent woman. She deals with a large staff. She knows people. But Pinky sat in this office, interviewed for a job and fooled her completely. He’ll fool you, too.”

Helmsley smiled, close-lipped. “Obviously you’ve never sat across the interrogation table from me, sir.”

Daniel chuckled. “Obviously you’ve never dealt with an erotomanic stalker harboring sociopathic tendencies who uses anonymity as a weapon. Pinky isn’t scared of the cops. You’ll never rattle him.”

Janine massaged her aching temples. An island, she thought She’d buy an island and post a huge sign saying No Testosterone Allowed. “Gentlemen! Stop the bickering. It’s going nowhere. I and everyone at Elk River will cooperate fully with the police investigation.”

She found a list she’d created yesterday. She handed it over the desk to the investigator. “Here are the names of the people I’ve hired in the past six months. Mr. Tucker assures me that Pinky began working here during that time. As for Mr. Tucker, he’s staying.”

Seeing Mike forming a protest, she held up a hand and shook her head firmly. “Your goal is to arrest Pinky. Mine is to protect my father. I fail to see where our goals are incompatible.”

Mike cast an unhappy glance at Daniel. “Provoking Pinky is a mistake, Janine.”

“He’s already provoked. If Mr. Tucker is dumb enough to set himself up as a target, then I will let him continue for as long as it keeps the colonel safe.”

“Dumb?” Daniel mouthed silently. He made a face at her.

“I also ask that you gentlemen cooperate with me. As far as anyone else is concerned, Mr. Tucker is my boyfriend. Nothing more.”

She ended the interview. After she saw them out of the office, she pawed through her desk drawers in search of aspirin.

“So you think I’m dumb, huh?” Daniel asked, grinning.

“I hold serious doubts about the intelligence of anyone who paints a target on his forehead. I wish you wouldn’t fight with the police, either. Especially Mike. He’s an old friend.” She swallowed two aspirin then chased them with a slug of coffee.

“Your friend doesn’t know what he’s dealing with.”

“He’s an experienced law officer.” She stared glumly at her telephone. The message indicator flashed.

“As long as they don’t get in my way.”

The door opened and Kara poked her head inside.

“Knock first,” Janine snapped. She pressed a fist over her pounding heart.

“Sorry. Are you okay?” She flashed an adoring smile at Daniel.

“I’m busy right now. What do you want?”

Kara made a hissy noise through her teeth. “You don’t need to bite my head off. I just wanted to tell you breakfast is ready. Chef made those caramel rolls you like so much.”

Janine laid her head on her folded arms. Frazzled nerves or not, she had no right to take it out on her sister.

“I’m sorry,” she called, but Kara was already gone. Rolling her eyes in self-disgust, she rose. Daniel’s too-bland face annoyed her. “In case you were wondering, the answer is Yes, I’m always a grump. Especially in the morning.”

“I wasn’t wondering. But thanks for the warning.”

“Are you always this chipper and perky?”

“Without fail.”

In the family dining room the heady aroma of freshly baked bread filled the air. The comfortable room and mouth-watering scents soothed her frazzled nerves. Her appetite roared to life. Seeing Kara acting extra careful, her shame deepened. She hated her hot temper and tendency toward snappishness. She worked hard at allowing petty annoyances to roll off her back, she longed for sweet serenity, but those seemed like impossible goals to reach. “I’m sorry for yelling. You didn’t deserve it.”

Kara passed off the apology with a careless wave. “No problem.” She faced Daniel. “And you!” She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him. “You saved Ninny’s life. I’m so glad you’re here!”

A trace of color appeared on his cheekbones. He hovered a hand over Kara’s back then patted between her shoulder blades. His sheepish expression fascinated Janine. He couldn’t possibly be embarrassed.

Janine glanced at the doorway then lowered her voice. “Listen,” she told Kara, “there’s something you need to know.”

“Yeah, no kidding. Why didn’t you tell me you had a stalker? I never knew your life was in danger. How long has this been going on?”

Janine indicated the sideboard. Serving bowls and covered hot trays held the food. “Help yourself, Daniel.”

“Well?” Kara asked. She selected the biggest caramel roll and plopped it onto Daniel’s plate.

Janine hesitated. Many of Kara’s best friends were staff members—any of whom could be Pinky. “You have to swear that what I tell you doesn’t go beyond this room.”

“What about Ross and Megan?”

At the mention of her brother and other sister Janine winced. She envisioned the entire family swarming in to do battle. “You didn’t call them, did you?”

Kara lifted a shoulder. “I did, but Ross is out of town and Megan is helping Tristan feed cows.”

“No more calls.” Keeping an eye on the doorway, Janine told her tale. Telling it still wasn’t easy. Kara’s show of horror made it worse. By the time she finished, Daniel had refilled his plate and Kara had eaten her breakfast. Janine managed to choke down some fruit, oatmeal and part of a caramel roll.

“Erotomania?” Kara whispered. “Is he a rapist? A pervert?”

Daniel answered. “It’s a love fixation, not sexual desire. If Pinky was a pervert, Janine would know it by now. I dealt with one—”

“Please,” Janine interrupted. “I’ve heard enough stories to give me nightmares for a year. Take his word for it, Kara.”

Kara wagged a finger between her sister and Daniel. “So you guys aren’t really dating. It’s all a trick to get this Pinky guy to show himself?”

“Right.”

The young woman popped a piece of roll in her mouth and chewed, her expression thoughtful. “Wait a minute! I know who you are. You’re J.T.’s boss. You own the karate studios. Frankie told me about you.”

“The studios are a sideline. Stopping stalkers is what I do.”

Janine recognized the gleam in Kara’s eyes. Kara loved people without discrimination. She especially loved good-looking men. No doubt she was, at this very moment, figuring out a way to date Daniel. Seated side by side at the table, they made a stunning couple. Janine cleared her throat, loudly.

“He has a job to do. I need your cooperation.”

“I’m happy to do anything you need.” She directed the words toward Daniel.

I bet you are, Janine thought.

Kara sobered. “The colonel won’t like this, Ninny.”

Well aware of how her father would react, Janine said nothing.

A knock caused all three to look toward the doorway. Janine recognized a maintenance worker. “Yes, Jason, what can I do for you?”

“I’m sorry to bother you, ma’am.” Hands shoved in his pockets, he lingered under the doorway. “Mr. Hernandez asked me to find you. A guy showed up at the garage. Says he’s from the EPA.”

The Environmental Protection Agency, Janine thought with an inner groan. Bureau of Land Management property and national forest surrounded the resort. The EPA kept a close eye on any potential contaminants or environmental hazards. They were going to demand an accounting of every single chemical burned inside the garage.

“Tell Juan to send the gentleman to my office.”

Jason nodded and scooted away.

“How long has Jason worked here?” Daniel asked.

“I hired him in November.” Janine smiled. “But he isn’t Pinky.”

Kara’s laughter echoed the sentiment.

“Why not?”

“For one thing, he’s only a kid. For another, he’s a very sweet boy. He works hard and Juan likes him. He says Jason is a mechanical wizard.”

“We’ll see.” Daniel filled his cup with fresh coffee.

Janine didn’t like his tone of voice. Her own paranoia about her staff was bad enough—to have two of them peering suspiciously at people who were doing their jobs was too much.

An unmistakable voice rang in the hall, approaching the dining room. Janine stiffened. Breakfast felt like a brick in her belly. No time to argue with Daniel now. She had other problems. Her father was home.

Relegated to the background, Daniel observed the Dukes. His first impression was that Colonel Horace Duke didn’t look as if he were seventy-seven years old. His hair was silver, but he had a lot of it. Ruddy-faced, lean and muscular, he stood well over six feet tall and carried himself as if steel instead of bone formed his spine. He had a big, booming voice. His pale blue eyes radiated fearsome light. He appeared as hale and hearty as he did in the numerous photographs covering the dining room wall above the sideboard.

Elise Duke hugged her daughters and inquired about their health. Sleek and ageless, she didn’t look motherly, but her demeanor certainly was. She used both hands to grasp Daniel’s hand in greeting and he fell headfirst into her aura of charm. A funny pang centered below his breast bone. As a kid, he’d spent many hours fantasizing about having a mother exactly like Elise.

“Sit down, Colonel,” Janine said. She stood nearly nose to nose with her father, but twisted a hank of hair so hard Daniel was surprised she didn’t have a bald spot. “I can’t think with you trying to bully me into a corner.”

Elise touched her husband’s arm. “She’s right, dear. We’re all upset about the fire, but it’s time to speak rationally. And peacefully. Do sit down.”

The colonel blustered, but he sat. Kara filled his coffee cup and served him breakfast while Janine told her tale. Daniel admired her delivery. She spoke calmly and clearly, pausing whenever her father interrupted, but then continued without breaking her line of logic. He figured if they ever got Pinky into a courtroom, his defense lawyers would drive themselves crazy trying to rattle Janine.