Harlequin Intrigue March 2021--Box Set 2 of 2

by Nichole Severn

  “There is no sense to make of it,” he replied tersely. Dammit, who was doing this to her? And why? A dead rat to him implied a threat even though no note was included. He quickly placed the box and the wrapping paper into the sack and then carried it out into the living room and set it just outside her door on the stoop.

  He turned back to find her looking at him. She looked so small, so achingly vulnerable clad only in a pink nightshirt. Her eyes were filled with fear, and as she reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, her fingers trembled.

  He took her hand in his and pulled her down to the sofa. He sank down next to her. Even though he was on duty, there was no way he could just walk away and leave her so frightened.

  What he wanted to do was take her to bed and warm her body with his. He wanted to hold her through the night if that was as long as it took to make her fear ease.

  “Ainsley, I swear I’m going to do everything in my power to get to the bottom of all this.” He took her hand in his, hating how cold and small it felt in his.

  “I just can’t imagine why this is happening to me. I’ve been nice to everyone I’ve met. I haven’t caused any trouble for anyone.” She held his gaze, and her eyes were filled not only with fear, but also confusion.

  “I’m just as confused by all this as you are,” he admitted. “But the good thing is nobody has tried to physically harm you.”

  “Not yet,” she said darkly.

  “I’m going to find this creep, Ainsley. It’s possible I’ll be able to pull some fingerprints off the wrapping paper or the box itself.”

  “I hope you can.” She released a deep sigh. “I just want this all to end. I don’t know who is doing this to me or why, but I want it to stop.”

  “I’m going to figure this out, Ainsley.” He felt like he was saying the same words to her over and over again. “But in the meantime, if you get anything else like this, don’t touch it and call me immediately.”

  “Trust me, I’ll call you,” she replied.

  Reluctantly he released her hand. “I wish I could stay here with you, but I’ve got to get back to work. I’ll make an official report on this, and I’m going to start interrogating people to see if somebody might know what this is all about.”

  She stood as he did, and she walked with him to the door. He pulled her into his arms and held her for several minutes. The trembling in her body finally ceased and reluctantly he released her.

  “Ainsley, try not to worry. I won’t let anything happen to you or your daughter. This is somebody who must just like the idea of freaking you out. Don’t let them win.”

  “I’m trying not to be freaked out, but I am,” she admitted.

  “I know. Now, try to get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” He leaned forward and gave her a kiss on her forehead.

  Minutes later he was back in his patrol car, seething with anger and hoping like hell the culprit had left a few fingerprints behind on the package.

  Right now about the only thing he could arrest the perp for was trespassing. If he couldn’t get the person in jail, then he’d make sure the person knew that to bother Ainsley again meant he was risking his health and well-being.

  As he thought about Ainsley’s fear, it ticked him off enough to want to beat the hell out of somebody. He now clenched his hands on the steering wheel.

  Dammit, he didn’t know whom to question. He’d never heard anyone speak negatively about her, so who was behind this reign of terror? He certainly didn’t believe Ben Wilkins was capable of carrying out this kind of harassment.

  A dead rat with its throat cut. Who was holding that kind of madness inside them? Who would think about catching a rat, slitting its throat and then packaging it up in pretty paper? It was such a disgusting and heinous thing to do.

  He thought he knew the people of this small town. He knew the people who suffered from various mental issues and the ones who liked to cause trouble. But none of the people he knew had a mind so wicked as to do this to a vulnerable single woman.

  He drove directly to the sheriff’s station, eager to give the wrapping paper and box to fellow deputy Larry Knight, who was an expert at lifting fingerprints, among other lab-related things.

  Unfortunately, Larry wasn’t at work right now. Hunter called him and told him where to locate the items the next day when Larry came on duty.

  Once that was finished, Hunter hit the road again. The first place he drove was to Lana Kincaid’s house. The woman had worked as a waitress at the café for as long as Hunter could remember.

  Lana knew practically everyone in town, and because gossip was rampant in the café she was the keeper of many secrets. She also probably knew more about the people in Dusty Gulch than he did.

  She lived in a small ranch house on three acres just outside the main district. As he pulled in, lights shone out of her windows, letting him know she was still awake.

  He parked and got out of his car. The front door opened just before he reached it, and Lana greeted him with a look of surprise. “Well, it’s not often one of Dusty Gulch’s finest comes visiting. Come on in.” She opened the door to allow him entry.

  He’d never been inside Lana’s place before. He stepped into the living room and was vaguely surprised to see a pink zebra-striped sofa and a purple zebra-striped chair. The end tables and coffee table were glass, and the lamps on the end tables held enough sparkly crystals to blind a man.

  Lana laughed. “It’s all pretty unique, right?” She laughed and gestured him toward the sofa. “I bought all this stuff online after my last divorce. I know I don’t have much decorating sense, but I just bought what I loved. I don’t give a damn what other people think. If my next husband doesn’t like my furniture, then he can stay in my garage. Now, can I get you something to drink?”

  “No, thanks, I’m good. I just want to ask you a few questions.” He sank down on the edge of the sofa.

  She sat in the purple zebra chair, the light from the garish lamp glittering on the side of her face. “Questions about what?”

  “About Ainsley.”

  “Has something else happened since she got that terrible note?” Lana leaned forward, obvious concern on her wrinkled face.

  “Somebody delivered a rat with its throat cut to her doorstep this evening. It was wrapped up like a present.”

  “Oh my goodness. Who on earth would do such a thing?” she asked.

  “I was hoping you could help me answer that,” he replied.

  “I can’t imagine. Everyone at the café loves her. Not only is she gorgeous, but she’s also a hard worker and very pleasant to be around.”

  “So, you haven’t heard anyone speak ill about her?”

  “Nobody.” Lana laughed. “Hell, all the men want to date her and all the women want to be her.” She sobered. “Honestly, Hunter, other than the skirmish she had with that drunk Ben Wilkins, she hasn’t had any trouble with anyone.”

  “Do you know anyone who might be capable of doing these kinds of things to a vulnerable woman? Be honest, Lana. You’ve been around this town for a long time.”

  “I have, but I swear I don’t know who is capable of this kind of crap. Slitting a rat’s throat? That takes a particular kind of sick mind.” Lana shook her head. “Is she in danger?”

  “Let’s hope not,” Hunter replied even as a burn of anxiety lit his stomach on fire. He got up, and Lana walked with him to her door.

  “I wish I could have been helpful, but honestly I’ve never heard anyone say a bad word about Ainsley. I care about that girl. I think she’s a real sweetheart.”

  “Yeah, I kind of like her myself,” Hunter replied with a small smile.

  “I’ll keep my ears to the ground for you,” Lana said.

  “I appreciate it, Lana.”

  As he drove away from Lana’s place, her words echoed in his he
ad. All the men wanted to date Ainsley, and all the women wanted to be her.

  He’d just assumed the perp he was looking for was a man. But Lana’s words made him wonder if it was possible it was a woman behind everything that was happening to Ainsley?

  Maybe somebody who was jealous that she was gorgeous and friendly and had stirred up all the single men in town? God, it was bad to think there was a man who could do these horrible things, but somehow it was even worse to believe it was a woman.

  * * *

  EARLY THURSDAY MORNING Ainsley and her daughter went into the café for breakfast. While they ate she became aware of Big Ed sounding angry as he called out orders.

  “What’s up with the boss?” she asked Lana when she stopped to top off Ainsley’s coffee.

  “Ted didn’t show up last night to do the cleaning,” Lana said.

  “That’s a first. He’s always been so reliable,” Ainsley replied.

  “Ed called his house this morning, and his wife said he’d left to meet a friend after dinner last night and she’d just assumed he’d gone ahead and come in to work after that. When she woke up this morning and he wasn’t home, I guess she called the sheriff.”

  Ainsley shook her head. “I wonder what happened to him.”

  “Hopefully, Sheriff Black will be able to figure it out,” Lana replied.

  Ainsley found herself thinking about the missing janitor once Melinda had left for school and Ainsley was back in her apartment.

  Even though she hadn’t had much contact with him, she’d always found Ted to be an affable man. She hoped nothing bad had happened to him. However, even her concern about Ted couldn’t halt the simmer of fear that had been her companion for what felt like forever.

  Last night after Hunter had left, taking the horrendous “present” with him, she’d remained awake long into the night. There was no window in Melinda’s room, but there was one in the kitchen and one in Ainsley’s bedroom.

  She’d spent half the night going back and forth between the two windows, peering out to see if anyone was lurking outside in the shadows of night. She saw nobody, but even when she got into bed, sleep continued to elude her.

  She found herself going over everyone she had spoken to, all the people she had served since the moment she had landed in town and started working as a waitress.

  There had to be somebody she had offended, somebody who now felt the right to torment and frighten her. Despite her need to identify somebody, she couldn’t.

  She hadn’t spoken to Hunter yet today, although she knew they were still on to get pizza that evening. He’d been so sure in asserting to her that he was going to get to the bottom of this madness. But even though she believed he was a great deputy, he was only human, and if there were no clues to follow then how could anybody find the person responsible?

  She tried to empty all that from her mind as she cleaned the apartment. Once she’d finished with her chores, it was just after noon. She made herself a tuna sandwich for lunch and then sank down on the sofa and tried to read a book.

  No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on the words on the page, her thoughts kept going back to the dead rat that had been delivered to her doorstep.

  What did it mean? Was it a warning to her? A warning about what? Aside from the horror of getting something like that was the confusion of wondering what, exactly, it meant in the long run?

  Hunter called at two to make sure the plans for the evening were still a go. He also told her that they’d been able to pull fingerprints that they believed to be hers but had been unable to find any others.

  Whoever the creep was, apparently he was smart enough not to leave a clue to his identity behind. Who in the heck was it? Her head hurt from trying to figure it all out.

  By the time Melinda got home from school, Ainsley had her happy face on. The last thing she wanted was for Melinda to know things were happening that frightened her mother.

  “Are you ready to go out with Hunter for pizza?” she asked her daughter. Melinda looked so sweet in a blue sweater that matched the pretty blue of her eyes and a pair of jeans. Her hair was in pigtails with blue ribbons streaming down the lengths.

  “Sure.” Melinda sank down on the sofa and smiled at her mother. “And I promise I’ll behave.”

  “That’s nice. I’m hoping you’ll get to know Hunter better, because he’s somebody important in my life and I’d like to think that he might become somebody important in your life.”

  “Like a stepdaddy,” Melinda said. “Lisa at school has a stepdaddy and she likes him okay, but she still loves her real daddy.”

  “And you can still love your real dad,” Ainsley said.

  The conversation then turned to everything that had happened at school that day. They were still seated on the sofa when Hunter arrived for their evening out.

  “Are you two ready for some pizza?” he asked. “Melinda...cheese pizza, right?”

  “Right,” she replied. “And I promised I’d be nicer to you tonight.”

  “I appreciate that.” He smiled at Melinda.

  Ainsley was grateful that he was keeping things light, although when he looked at her she saw his concern for her in the depths of his eyes.

  Minutes later they were in his truck and headed to the pizza place. “I had to chase Ben Wilkins away from the café dumpster,” he said softly.

  She looked at him in surprise. “What was he doing back there?” Had she been wrong about Ben? Was it possible the drunk was behind all the things that had been going on?

  “He was drunk and dumpster diving for food. He told me the café threw out better food than they sold. Apparently whenever he gets hungry he goes to the dumpster.”

  “Do you think that was all he was doing there?” she asked.

  “Yeah, I do. I honestly don’t think Ben is the person we’re looking for.” He looked in the rearview mirror and smiled. “How are you doing back there, Melinda?”

  “I’m good,” she replied.

  Ainsley just hoped Melinda stayed good for the duration of the date night. “I heard about Ted going missing. Did you all manage to find him today?” she asked Hunter.

  He grimaced and shook his head. “No. We aren’t even sure who he was meeting before going into work last night. His wife had no clue, and so far Ted is still missing. I feel like lately law enforcement is striking out all over the place.”

  “Hopefully, Ted will show up safe and sound,” she said.

  “And we’ll figure out what’s going on with you. That would be a big win-win.”

  He pulled up in front of the pizza parlor, and they all got out. They went inside and settled in one of the empty booths. Melinda sat next to her mother, and they both faced Hunter.

  Facing him, Ainsley once again noticed what a handsome man he was. He could probably have his pick of any of the single women in Dusty Gulch, but he’d chosen her.

  It just made the pressure to tell him the truth about herself all the harder to bear. She’d decided she would wait until they figured out who was behind the things that had been happening to her. Once they had that answer, then she would come clean to him about her past. She only prayed he would understand and forgive her for lying to him.

  They ordered their pizza, and while they waited the conversation was light and easy. She was pleased by how easily Hunter included Melinda, asking her questions in an obvious effort to get to know her better.

  The pizza arrived, and Melinda remained on her best behavior. Hunter even managed to make her giggle several times. They finished their meal and then got back into Hunter’s vehicle.

  “I’m feeling like a little ice cream for dessert,” he said as he started the engine. “Does anyone else in this car like ice cream as much as me?”

  “I do,” Melinda replied eagerly.

  “Not me. I’m way too full of pizza to eat ice c
ream,” Ainsley said.

  Hunter laughed. “There’s always room for ice cream, right, Melinda?”

  “Right. Mr. Hunter, we could still go to the ice cream parlor and Mom doesn’t have to get anything but you and I could get something.”

  “That sounds like a good plan to me,” he replied. For the next five minutes, he and Melinda argued good-naturedly about what was the best kind of ice cream.

  As Ainsley listened to the two of them—the two most important people in her world—laugh and tease each other, a sense of rightness swept through her.

  This was what she wanted for her future. The man she’d escaped had been a monster...a nightmare, but Hunter was her dream man and she could only hope that when everything was said and done, they would share a bright and future together.

  * * *

  “WHAT’S IN THAT bedroom where you spend so much of your time?” Sheila asked Peter.

  The two of them were in the living room. He was in a chair and she was half sprawled on the sofa, on her way to drinking herself into oblivion. She held a tall glass of gin in her hand, and her voice was already slurred.

  Pig, Peter thought to himself. She was a waste of air and space and he was sick of her. But he still needed her here. “It’s my work,” Peter replied and forced a smile to his face. “It’s what keeps you enjoying all the goodies that you like.”

  She laughed and raised the glass to her lips. “I do like my goodies.”

  “Maybe it’s time you call it a night,” he suggested. The last thing he wanted to do was sit and talk to the woman. He’d much rather be alone with his thoughts of Colette.

  “Just let me finish this glass,” Sheila said and took another deep swallow.

  Peter waited patiently. Once she’d drained the glass, she was toasted. He helped her to the bedroom, where she collapsed on the bed and within minutes was snoring.

  Peter returned to the living room and his chair. It had been a good week. Twice he’d sat in the café eating while Colette had been serving tables on the other side of the room. She’d even looked at him several times, but no recognition had widened her eyes.