by Polly Holmes
“Start construction…on what? I don’t remember any new construction being announced for the town.” Her body turned icy as it always did when she felt her world about to change.
Charlotte’s pulse raced. Her hands moved quickly, searching Hannah’s drawers for any clue that would help clear her name. She froze mid-search. Hannah’s office phone light flashed and the high-pitched shrill blared out across the silent office.
She felt the blood drain from her face. Not wanting to alert anyone to her deception, she held her breath and snatched the receiver to her ear, her shaking hand covering the mouthpiece.
A gruff voice boomed down the line. “We had a deal, Hannah. I kept up my end of the bargain, now it’s time you made good on yours. You know what will happen if you keep me waiting.” Charlotte held her breath and her hand flew to her mouth. Could I be listening to the murderer? “If you don’t come through with the goods I swear I will spill my guts and then what do you think your precious little town will do when they find out what you’ve done?”
Charlotte slammed the phone down. “Hannah, how could you?” she whispered, her hand still fastened to the phone receiver. “How could you be involved in murder?”
Her insides twisted and the sharp pain of Hannah’s conniving actions hit her where she breathed.
She just about fell over when she glanced at the clock on the bottom of the screen. Fifteen minutes had passed and unless she had a bad case of diarrhoea, they’d soon be looking for her. Remembering the screen in front of her, she quickly pulled out her phone and snapped a picture, then returned it to the original screen. Satisfied that the desk was back to normal, she pushed the phone call to the back of her mind and went in search of Liam.
She heard Hannah’s high-pitch, flirty giggle even before she reached the display room. Please God, give me strength. Charlotte stopped just outside the door. Her heart erupted in triumph when she saw Liam’s face. He was doing his best to hide his trite expression from a drooling Hannah. Charlotte cringed when Hannah leaned into him and ran her hand over his bicep as she giggled. “You’re so funny, Liam.”
His laugh sounded strained and guilt swamped her. Poor guy just wanted to help me and now he’s stuck warding off Hannah’s advances. It was her fault and she needed to fix it. Her skin goose bumped as she planned Liam’s escape. Butterflies enthusiastically flittered around in her stomach. What would he do if she followed through with her wayward thoughts? Only one way to find out.
“There you two are,” Charlotte said as she strolled into the room and threaded her hand in Liam’s. “I’m so sorry I took so long, I’ve only been to the bathroom a few times here and I totally went the wrong way when I came out.”
Hannah’s gaze narrowed in on Charlotte and worked its way down to their joined hands.
Charlotte’s chest tightened and the words began to flow. “Did Hannah explain the model to you, sweetie?” she said as she brushed a wayward strand of hair behind Liam’s ear. His body stiffened under her touch and she wondered if she’s overstepped the line.
“Sweetie?” Hannah asked her tone one of astonishment. Her gaze was still glued to their joined hands.
She held Liam’s gaze, willing him to follow her lead, while the thrill of the ruse buzzed through her veins. Charlotte’s heart thumped inside her ribcage as he ran his thumb across the back of her hand. Not only did he understand, but he was also upping the ante. Cheeky sod.
“That she did, honey,” he said as he leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek. “I was just about to tell Hannah that I’m looking forward to returning for the Foundation Day celebrations.”
Her cheek burned from his kiss. “You are?” she said an eyebrow raised.
“Of course, silly,” he said as he dotted the tip of her nose with his finger. “It will mark our one-month anniversary. You didn’t think I would miss that, did you? She was telling me about the Gala dinner planned for the whole town. I can’t wait to attend with you on my arm.” This wasn’t real, they were role-playing, and apparently he was much better at it than her. She smiled, sucked in a deep breath and ignored her wobbly knees. It was time to give a performance long remembered after they left. “You better not miss it or it will be our last. I refuse to date an unromantic man, and you promised me I wouldn’t be disappointed.”
“It’s a deal.” He paused and glanced Hannah’s way. Charlotte tensed as Liam put his arm around her shoulder. “If you’ll excuse us, I’m going to take my woman here out for a nice brunch. Again, my condolences about Mr Hutson.” He turned and caught Charlotte’s narrowed gaze. “Ready, honey?”
She nodded, pursed her lips revelling in the spectacle. “Ready as you are.”
Liam guided her from the building, but even after they cleared the entrance, he kept her close. Her nerves were raw. The charade was over, so why was he still holding her so close?
“Um, you know you can let go now. There’s no-one watching,” Charlotte said softly.
“Huh…” He paused as his chocolate-brown eyes gazed down at her.
“Oh, sorry.” His arm dropped and he edged himself slightly ahead of her. The mid-morning sun beating down warmed her skin where his arm had been.
“Please tell me you found some useful information and my listening to that woman drone on was worth it.”
She shrugged. “His office door was locked. There wasn’t much to go on, but I did find a reminder entry in his diary of a meeting that was three days overdue. Scheduled for the day of the wedding. It said he was meeting ‘JMB,’ whoever that is, to discuss signing documents about some sort of construction work that was due to start. I have no idea who JMB is and as far as I know, there is no construction work happening in Ashton Point. Her office phone rang while I was there, so I picked it up.”
“You what?” Liam asked, stunned. “Why would you do that?”
“What else was I supposed to do? Let it ring and alert everyone to my presence? I’m glad I did.”
“What do you mean?”
“Whoever was on the line was not a happy camper. He and Hannah had some sort of deal. He kept up his end and now Hannah has to keep up hers. He even threatened me—I mean her—saying that he would spill his guts and he wasn’t going down alone. Looks like Mr Hutson’s personal assistant was in way over her head.”
“Sounds ominous,” Liam said. He spun and continued to walk backward as they headed up the walkway. “So, do you think she bought it?”
Charlotte smirked at his enthusiasm. “I think after the Oscar-winning performance you threw in there, I’m sure the ‘Hannah grapevine’ is well underway by now.”
His eyes sparkled at her words and he puffed his chest out. “I was pretty good, if I do say so myself.”
“I wouldn’t exactly say that,” Charlotte snapped, irritated by his overconfident, pompous manner.
“I bet by the end of the day, Hannah will have us married.” He laughed.
“Married!” Charlotte balked at the word. “Who said anything about marriage?” Although, I wouldn’t mind waking up to that tight tush every morning. Heat filled Charlotte’s cheeks when the thought bolted through her mind.
Liam stopped by the car. “I just meant that gossip runs ripe in small towns and unless Ashton Point is immune to the gossip chain, Hannah will have us married by sunset.”
“I’m not the marrying kind. Besides, if I don’t find out what that phone call was all about and get to the bottom of whoever is trying to ruin my business, I won’t have a future much less have anything to offer anyone.” Charlotte kept her pulse steady and turned to face Liam square on. “Now, are we going to stand around here all day or continue our investigation?”
He opened her door like a chauffeur. “Your chariot awaits, milady.”
****
Not the marrying kind? I beg to differ. She was definitely the marrying kind, or so Liam thought. She’s beautiful, smart and tenacious at times, but in a cute way. Liam knew all too well looks didn’t make a successful relationship. His heart
lurched when he remembered the way he and his ex-girlfriend drifted apart when distance became the wedge in their relationship. A mistake he’d never make again. But it didn’t stop him from wanting to know why Charlotte didn’t think marriage was for her. His curiosity would have to wait.
His brow furrowed as he pulled up outside Tea 4 Two Café, on the main street. “So what was the name of the next guy we’re checking out?” Liam asked.
“Mr Calderson. That’s his office down there,” she pointed to the bright-green door two shops down from the café. “He refused to have an office tucked away at the council chambers. He insisted on being among the people, to listen to their problems first hand.”
Charlotte sucked in a deep breath, closed her eyes and dropped her head forward, as if she passed out right before his eyes.
She didn’t move and Liam’s heart skipped a beat. “Charlotte, are you okay?”
It was at least twenty seconds before she spoke, then she raised her pained gazed to his. Liam cringed. Heartache sunk deep in the depths of her eyes.
“I was just saying a prayer for poor Mr Calderson. I’m not all that religious but I figured that every prayer might help him come out of the coma.”
Relief swarmed his tightened chest. “Oh my gosh, I thought you passed out or something.”
“Don’t be silly,” she said, muffled by a giggle. “We have a murder to solve.”
“That we do,” he said as they both headed toward the green door.
“If we’re lucky, Thomas will be there.”
“Thomas, who is Thomas?” Liam asked, his tone gruffer than he expected.
She pulled back and her brow creased. “Why, Mr Bradly, it sounds like you’re jealous.”
“Jealous?” Liam coughed as his voice cracked. He wasn’t normally the jealous type, but the more time he spent with Charlotte, the farther she burrowed under his skin. “Hardly.” He paused. She’d made it clear that romance was not on her agenda. “That act back there was just that, an act.”
“Oh, yes, of course it was. I knew that and thanks for playing along,” Charlotte said in a flippant tone.
“Sure, anytime.”
“Oh, bugger.” Charlotte pointed to the sign on the green door. “Seems Thomas has stepped out for about twenty minutes.”
“Well, then, what do you say we pop over to the café and grab a cup of coffee while we wait?” Liam held his breath, hoping she’d say yes. “Considering we never finished our dinner last night, it will give us some time to get to know each other.”
She smiled. “I’d like that very much.”
Nestled in the front corner of the café, Liam stirred his latte. “So, why Ashton Point?”
“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked, her brow creased.
“I know Lincoln moved here for work, but what was the drawcard for you? Why did your family settle here?” he asked.
“My grandma.”
Puzzled, Liam’s brow raised. “Your grandma?”
She nodded, cooling the steaming coffee with a few delicate breaths. “A few years after my grandad passed, my grandma decided to travel Australia and she ended up meeting her new husband-to-be here. They fell in love and she never left. After he passed, we tried to get her to move to Sydney with us but she wouldn’t have a bar of it.”
“Ahh, that must be where you get your stubbornness from.” Liam joked.
“And proud of it. We moved here a few years back when she got sick. Clair and I didn’t mind too much. We could have started CC’s Simply Cupcakes anywhere, but my younger sister Cassidy—”
Liam’s eyes widened and he cut her words short. “You mean there’s another redheaded McCorrson roaming around out there?”
Charlotte laughed and the playful sound filled him with joy.
“Yes, she’s visiting my mum and dad in New York at the moment. They moved over last year.”
Her back stiffened and he followed her gaze toward the counter. “Is something wrong?”
Charlotte took a moment and then shook her head and continued sipping her coffee. Her expression was sunken and hollow. He grabbed her hand and she tensed under his touch. Liam soothed the back of her palm with his thumb. “Charlotte, something changed in the last few minutes. What’s going on?”
She didn’t pull away and for that he was grateful. She shrugged her shoulders. “It’s nothing.”
“It can’t be nothing if it has affected you so much.” He watched her aimlessly stirring her coffee. “Are we friends?”
Her gaze shot to his. “Of course we’re friends.”
“And friends share what’s on their mind…don’t they?”
“I suppose.”
“I can’t help, if I don’t know what’s going on,” Liam said with insistence.
She sighed. “Okay, okay. I’m sure it’s just me overreacting.”
Overreacting… What is she talking about? Women can be so confusing sometimes. “You’re going to have to explain it to me, Charlotte, because I’m no good at reading minds.”
She leaned in and his nose twitched, her sweet perfume tantalised his senses. She whispered, “It may be me, but I could swear people are talking about me. I’m sure I caught Emmerson and Leah looking our way and pointing at me before they left the café.”
He hadn’t noticed any added eyes watching them. Liam whipped his head around to check the customers in the café. No-one seemed out of place, but then again he wouldn’t know. His attention had been focused solely on Charlotte.
“Are you sure?” Liam asked, keeping his voice at a whisper.
She nodded and her back stiffened.
“I did notice a few heads swinging our way when we walked in, but I assumed it was just curiosity. You know, everybody always checks out the new guy in town.”
Her eyes darkened. “I hate to burst your bubble, but I bet my shop on it that they were talking about me, the ‘Cupcake Killer,’” she said, her fingers making fake speech marks as she mouthed cupcake killer.
His gut twisted into knots. Typical town gossips jumping to conclusions before they knew the facts. “Try not to let it upset you. We know there’s no truth to that newspaper article. Rumours travel like wildfire around small towns.”
Charlotte snapped. “Oh, I’m not upset. I’m angry, infuriated and downright annoyed.”
Liam’s jaw dropped open. Her feistiness was a welcomed surprise.
“Who do they think they are to judge me?” Her cheeks reddened. “I haven’t done anything wrong.” Charlotte stood, her chair scraping on the tiled floor. “I’m not waiting around any longer. Are you with me or not?”
Hell yes. “Of course.” He stood and threw a ten dollar note on the table. “Lead the way.”
Chapter Six
CHARLOTTE’S BLOOD BOILED as she stormed out of the café and headed toward Mr Calderson’s office. How dare they? She’d befriended both Emmerson and Leah from the first day she’d moved to Ashton Point and they’d been friends ever since. How could they possibly think she had anything to do with murder? If they knew what she knew about Hannah, maybe they wouldn’t look so smug.
“Charlotte, ease up,” Liam called from a few feet behind her. “It’s not a walking race, you know.”
She slowed, Liam’s words jolting her wayward thoughts from her mind. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realise I was moving that fast. Those girls made me so angry. If I didn’t leave, I might have socked one in the nose.”
“Well, there’s an easy fix,” he said as he sidled up beside her.
Easy fix…, do tell. Her brow creased in question as she took in his cheeky smile.
“Don’t get mad, get even. Get to the bottom of this mystery and they won’t only eat their words, I bet they’ll be singing your praises. Start with seeing what you can find out at Mr Calderson’s office, then we can reassess the situation and take it from there.”
Adrenaline spurred her into action. “Yes, you’re absolutely right. What would I do without you?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Cha
rlotte felt her cheeks instantly warm. Me and my big mouth. She chanced a glance in Liam’s direction. His friendly smile eased her nerves and a calmness soothed her fiery cheeks.
“You won’t have to find out for at least a week. Anyway, that’s what friends are for.” She paused and they stood on the sidewalk for a moment. She didn’t want him to leave in a week. Charlotte wanted him to stay in Ashton Point, with her, because of her. A pang of selfish guilt flooded her heart.
She sucked in a deep breath and focused back on the task at hand. “Right, let’s do this. Are you happy to follow my lead again?”
“Sure,” Liam said as he moved toward the green door and held it open for her. “Another Oscar-winning performance coming up.”
She rolled her eyes and headed inside. Thomas sat at his desk. Charlotte noticed his haggard appearance. Concern etched in her brow. He was normally a well-dressed, clean-shaven man with an impeccable dress sense, but the man in front of her looked like he’d just got out of bed. His clothes were creased, his hair dishevelled, and he was sporting a bad five o’clock shadow.
He tapped away on his laptop keyboard, ignoring the fact that they were standing right in front of his desk. Charlotte cleared her throat.
“Charlotte,” he barked as his gaze shot up toward them. Slamming his computer screen shut he said, “What are you doing here?”
Liam tensed beside her and she felt his warm body inch closer to hers, his hand going to her lower back, reassuring her that he was close by.
What is on his computer that he doesn’t want me to see? Why shut it if you have nothing to hide? A burning need to get a closer look rose from her belly. Her mind raced, a plan forming by the second.
She took a deep breath and began. “Thomas, I hope I’m not interrupting…”
Thomas stood. His six-foot-four build met Liam’s gaze head-on. “I’m sorry, Charlotte, but I am really busy today. What do you want?”
His sharp tone surprised her. “What I want is to find out who is trying to frame me for murder.”
Thomas froze and glared at her. She didn’t intimidate easily, but Thomas’s odd behaviour had her on edge. She opened her mouth to speak when he piped up.
