She peeked over his shoulder. The group stared at her through the door. “Yes, of course.” She took Mr. Rafferty’s proffered arm.
When the two of them were far enough down the hall that they no longer needed to worry someone would hear them, Rafferty spoke. “They’ve been here half an hour and aren’t pleased.”
Swell. “I thought they were coming after lunch?”
“It’s not your fault, dear.” He patted her hand that hung on his arm. “I asked them to come after lunch, but they had other ideas.”
“How many are here?”
“Just two. The other stayed at the gate.” They stopped in front of the office. “Listen, Mrs. Rafferty doesn’t know they’re here, and I’d like to keep it that way. She’d come quite undone if she saw them here, especially after this afternoon.”
“I understand,” she said. “Perhaps I should talk to them, and you could go keep your wife busy?”
He smiled. “That’s a kind offer, but I don’t feel comfortable leaving you alone with them.”
“Is that Regency Mr. Rafferty speaking, or Sunday night football Mr. Rafferty?”
He frowned. “Both. We may not live in times as civilized as the Regency, but there are still gentlemen in the world, and those two men in there are not that.”
Wow. Mr. Rafferty is awesome. “I’ll be okay. I have three brothers and black belt.” Okay, she didn’t have a black belt, but she couldn’t tell him she’d been trained as a cop, so she improvised.
He gave her a wary look, but she could tell he was weighing his options. In the end, it seemed Mrs. Rafferty was his bigger concern after all. Shea waited until he was down the hall before entering the office and shutting the door behind her.
Two thick men stood in the office with their arms folded and scowls on their faces; one leaned against the desk. They both wore jeans and t-shirts, one a Van Halen t-shirt, and the other had on sunglasses. It made her a little uncomfortable to be standing in front of them in her empire waist dress. She tugged at a curl around her face, trying to push it back.
“You’re kidding me,” the Van Halen t-shirt one said. His nose was a little twisted, like it had been broken, perhaps on more than one occasion.
She pushed her shoulders back, knowing immediately how this was going to go. “Did someone make a joke?”
“Cross’s uncle told us they were sending in a detective—you don’t look old enough to be out of diapers,” said the man with the sunglasses.
She hadn’t been in the room with these men for two minutes, and she was already being thrown back into the binky-squad. It hardened her resolve. “Someone broke into your client’s room the other night—”
Twisted nose looked her up and down. “And you weren’t able to stop them in that get-up? Surprising.”
What was Cross thinking hiring men like this? They were scuzzy.
“Yes, well, I have yet to master the ability to be in two places at once. I was with Miss Cross at the time her room was ransacked, and we were downstairs in the sitting room.” She extended her hand, first to twisted nose and then to sunglasses. “I’m Detective Shea—you are?”
Neither man took her hand.
“Ralph said you were professional, glad to see he wasn’t exaggerating,” she said.
“Lady—”
“Detective Shea.” Shea placed her hands on her hips.
“—Our job is to keep Savannah safe from crazy fans—not to babysit her stuff.”
“Because crazy fans have never been known to break into the homes of celebrities? I don’t care if you don’t like me, or if you don’t want to work with me. Unfortunately for both of us, we don’t have a say in the matter. It’s pretty clear you’ve grown lax, which is why they sent me here in the first place.”
Twisted nose leaned away from the wall and stood tall. He was a big man, and a lot taller than Shea. She knew what he was trying to do and it wasn’t going to work. Bullies didn’t scare her.
“We haven’t grown lax,” he snapped as she came face to Van Halen.
She crooked her neck back, refusing to step away. “Really? Then you’ll be able to tell me the make and model of the vehicle that left the compound last night, and should be able to give me a description of the driver.”
They exchanged glances. “No cars went by last night. We’ve been taking shifts at the gate.”
Damn, she’d needed that information to give Lee, if he ever decided to answer his phone again. She seriously doubted Mary would’ve left over a clogged toilet and Shea felt certain Mary knew something about the break-in too. “Either someone fell asleep on duty, or there’s another way out of here. Either way… lax.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Glasses snarled and came to stand by the other man.
“Someone who knows how to do their job.” She lifted her hands in a warding gesture and continued. “Now, we can either work together, or I can inform my superiors that you aren’t cooperating with a police investigation.”
“What investigation?” Van Halen asked. “You’re only supposed to be watching her.”
Shea glared. “That was until someone broke into her room.” And tried to shoot her, but Shea wasn’t about to share that information with them. Especially not when one of them hadn’t even bothered to come. These men were no good.
“You’re overstepping—”
She lifted a hand in a stop motion. “Miss Cross is in real danger—just days ago someone left a pig’s head with a knife through it on Cross’s doorstep back in L.A. Were you aware of that? Then her room is broken into? Is that a coincidence? I don’t think so.”
Both men seemed taken aback by this news. They had no idea what was going on. She really had been all alone.
Twisted nose ran a hand through his hair. “A pig’s head?”
Shea nodded.
The two men looked at each other and appeared to come to a decision.
Twisted nose spoke first. “Our loyalty is to Savannah. If she knew we were talking to the cops, especially cops connected to her uncle, she’d fire us all. She wants nothing to do with him or with you. The best thing you can do is just step aside, little lady, and let us take care of things.”
Shea’s hackles rose. Did he just call her little lady? “I’ve seen how you take care of things and I’m not impressed. Now, I suggest you figure out how that vehicle got out of here before I arrest you both.”
They both chuckled.
“You think you can arrest us?” Glasses asked.
“Do you want to find out?” She took a step forward and the one closest to her stepped back. Their smile fell. She signaled to the door. “We’re done here. And make sure you’re not seen on your way out. The lady of the house doesn’t take kindly to uninvited guests.”
The rest of the day inched by, going slower as the excess adrenaline wore off. The group kept to the sitting room, and while the men had initially tried to keep up conversation, for Miss Gray’s sake if for no one else, they soon gave up and allowed a comfortable silence to fill in. Silence like this wasn’t unusual after harrowing situations. Shea had learned that early on in her career as a cop.
Nearly finished with her book of sonnets, Shea kept her eyes down. Another hour and they’d all excuse themselves to bed. To be honest, she’d been surprised when Mr. and Mrs. Rafferty had excused themselves an hour before. They didn’t normally leave so early. Though, Mrs. Rafferty had been sallow all day, she’d tried her hardest to be chipper. Shea couldn’t blame her; this was just the kind of incident that could get the place shut down.
Daley sat opposite her, reading his book.
“Ladies,” Mr. Rafferty waltzed back into the room with a wide grin on his face. “You’ll never believe who I saw in town this morning.” He then began to regale them with a story of meeting with a regiment of soldiers. He had both Cross and Smith laughing, even Gray seemed amused, grinning from her perch on the window seat. Shea only heard the odd word here and there, too preoccupied with why she hadn’t been ab
le to get a hold of Lee or Brown.
Mrs. Rafferty entered the room next. “Ladies, gentlemen. As I’m sure you know by now, Mr. Rafferty made a visit to town this morning and discovered the fifth regiment has been stationed here for the next couple of weeks.”
Daley raised and lowered his brows several times at Mrs. Rafferty’s announcement, and Shea narrowed her eyes.
“The long and short of it is, he’s invited one of the soldiers, the son of a dear friend of ours, to come and stay with us. I would like for you all to meet, Colonel Lee.”
Shea sat straight, and her gaze flew to the door as Detective Lee walked into the room. He wore a red coat and the half crescent hat of a British Colonel.
Chapter Seventeen
Shea pulled her nightgown over her head and plopped down on the edge of her bed. She dropped her head into her hands and chuckled. What a day it’d been. The last thing she’d expected was to see Lee, here, in a lobster suit. She still couldn’t fathom how they’d managed it. She guessed that they’d had to shell over a pretty penny, remembering her conversation with Lee the other day.
Seeing him had been a huge relief. She and Lee were a stellar team. Together they’d figure this thing out. Provided she could get him alone long enough for her to catch him up. With the sniper in the picture, Shea still felt they needed to get Cross out of here and quick. And after running around in the woods with Cross today, she knew there was no way they were running out. Maybe Lee knew how to set up the carriage and drive it?
There’d been a moment when she’d nearly given up the entire gig, told everyone she was a cop and that she needed to get Cross out of there. But then she would have laid all her cards on the table for whoever was conspiring against Smith. If they’d tried to kill her today, there was no reason they wouldn’t attempt it again as an act of desperation if she tried to take Cross and run. For now, she knew her best bet was to play along. She and Lee would figure out the rest tomorrow.
The evening had been an awkward dance between Lee and the rest of the group as she tried to get close enough to her partner to talk, only to have the rest cut in. The most they’d been able to say to one another was a quick introduction and greeting, and he’d asked her what she was reading. When she’d told him what sonnet she was on, he’d quoted it and the rest of the evening was shot for attempts.
To all the women, Gray included, it was as if Lee was a brand new, shiny toy. The men had hated it, minus Daley and Rafferty, and had upped their attempts to join in the conversation or at least steer it away from Lee. Shea had been fascinated by this new, suave, charming man who’d, without effort, blasted the other men’s attempts at stealing the limelight. Though even the men had liked him.
He was just cool.
She had already decided she was never going to let him live this down.
That said, Shea couldn’t help but notice that he’d paid more attention to Cross than anyone else. And that Cross had seemed pretty dang smitten. Shea just wasn’t sure if he was playing a part to get close enough to protect Cross or if there’d been more to it. She’d never seen Lee flirt before. It’d been surreal.
She’d tried to talk to him again when everyone was heading to bed, but Hamilton had cornered her to remind her that she owed him a walk. She wasn’t thrilled about it, but at least now if she couldn’t think of some excuse to get out of it, Lee would be here to watch Cross until she got back.
A small tap, tap, tap came from her door. Cross stood on the other side and waved at her when Shea opened it a crack. “Hi.”
Shea opened the door the rest of the way. “Are you okay?”
“Hmmm,” Cross hummed and then tugged on her platinum blond braid that hung over her shoulder that nearly blended in with her nightdress it was so light. She seemed preoccupied but forced a smile. “Do you enjoy salacious gossip?” Her brown eyes were sparkling, but Shea couldn’t tell if it was from mirth or because she was on the verge of tears.
Stepping aside, she waved her in. “It’s my most favorite thing ever!” she said with all the enthusiasm she could muster.
“I thought so,” Cross said and gave her a big hug, “You’re a woman after my own heart.”
Shea patted her back awkwardly, then shut the door when Cross released her. She ran and jumped onto Shea’s bed and then sat crossed-legged. “You…will never guess who I just saw sneaking into a certain gentleman’s room.”
Rolling her eyes, Shea sunk to the four poster bed and grabbed a pillow. She was pretty sure she could guess. In fact… “Was it by any chance Miss Gray into Daley’s room?”
Cross’s brown eyes widened, and she huffed. “You’re no fun.”
Shea had to admit that the news disappointed her. She would’ve liked to have pictured this place as something more innocent than that, but she couldn’t say she was surprised. It would’ve happened last night had Daley not invited the woman to her party. She shrugged. “She was trying to get into his room last night before we watched the movie.”
Cross gasped and lifted her hand to heart. “You mean she didn’t want to be here? I’m hurt.”
Shea laughed, then frowned. “It’s pretty fast though. She’s been here, what, five days?”
“It’s hot, in an I’m-paying-for-sex kind of way,” Cross said, flopping back on the bed and resting her arms under her head. Shea couldn’t tell if she was serious. “Though, I thought this place was supposed to dispel the sad realities of modern romance. So far I’m disappointed.”
Shea lay on her side, facing Cross, and propped her head up on her arm. “I don’t know if this will make you feel any better, but Mr. Rafferty told me that Miss Gray has been here before. I think she requested Daley.” As she said it she hoped it didn’t make Cross feel better because her mind wandered once again to prostitutes. Though, she doubted that that was part of the package. She shuddered.
“Nope, men are still pigs, but thanks for trying,” Cross said. “Maybe I’ll just quit my job and join a nunnery.”
Shea touched her crucifix.
Cross snorted and burst into another fit of giggles. “Who am I kidding—I could never.”
“I don’t know,” Shea said with a smirk, “I think you’d make an excellent nun—provided you stopped flirting with every man you meet.”
“What? Why?” Cross blinked and adopted an innocent tone.
“The church doesn’t like it—or so I’ve heard.”
“Doomed before I could even start. Honestly, I don’t even realize when I’m doing it.” Cross frowned.
“What’s up, Savannah?” Shea tested the name out. This was the first time she’d used it, and she decided she liked it. It seemed so friendly. “Why are you here?”
“Do you think it was Mary that broke into my room?”
“Maybe. She had access, and she fled.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
Shea furrowed her brow. “Why?”
“I don’t know. I’m just, well I’m nervous.”
“You were nearly shot today. It’s understandable.”
Cross pushed herself up on her elbows. “Would it be okay if I slept in here tonight? I promise I won’t make a habit of it.”
Shea made a show of sighing loudly and rolling to her back. “All right, fine, but you owe me!”
She was relieved. One more night couldn’t hurt, she wouldn’t have to sleep on the floor, and she might be able to get a little sleep. And she was exhausted. This place was ringing her ragged.
Cross let out a delighted squeal and then scurried under the blankets. “It’ll be like we’re Elizabeth and Jane,” she said.
Chuckling, Shea turned off the bedroom light then crawled into the bed, pulling the blankets up around her chin. She had no idea who Elizabeth and Jane were, but at this point, what did that matter?
“So,” Cross said, “tell me how it’s going with Hamilton?”
This time when Shea sighed, it was for real.
“That sounds like a story.”
“It’s fine. He’s a
gentleman, says nice things…”
“He’s handsome,” Cross added.
“Hmm.”
“Hmm? What’s that mean?”
“He’s an actor,” Shea said under her breath. “How am I supposed to get past that long enough to pretend it’s real?”
The room was silent for a moment before Cross responded, “I don’t know, but if I figure it out, I’ll let you know.”
“Deal.” Shea closed her heavy lids.
“What do you think of that new actor, Lee?”
Resisting the urge to open her eyes and look at Cross, she shuffled further down into the covers. Actor? He wasn’t one though; he was a guest. “Uh… He seems nice.”
“He’s handsome. Charming and funny,” Savannah continued, “a bit stuffy though. He needs to lighten up.”
Shea snorted. He did need to lighten up.
“What?” Cross asked.
“I don’t think anyone else thought that about him.”
For a moment Cross said nothing. “One thing about being an actress is that it gives you an ability to tell when someone is being real or putting on a show. He was putting on a show. A good one, but one nonetheless. You can trust me when I say he needs to lighten up.”
Shea sobered. Man did Cross have Lee pegged. Honestly, the same could be said of her. The two of them needed to get personal lives. If she’d learned anything from this experience so far, that was it.
Having a personal life when she was undercover as a crack whore would have done nothing to help her situation, but here, she thought it would. How much easier would it be to ignore or turn a blind eye to Hamilton if she had a boyfriend waiting at home for her?
Several minutes later Cross spoke again. “I like him though; I like him a lot.”
Chapter Eighteen
After Shea had finished getting dressed and ready for the day, she decided to find Lee before breakfast. She opened her door and took and immediate step back when a fist nearly knocked into her face. Hamilton yanked his hand back as she stepped away.
Regencyland- The Bristle Park Murders Page 11
