Ashley’s home was a 1920s wooden bungalow that occupied an extensive section on Mill Road. Mature trees grew at the rear of the house, casting deep shadows. Ashley had left a light on, and the illumination spilled across her front yard. Two garden beds full of spring bulbs flanked a path leading to the front entrance while a verandah wrapped around the house. Hanging baskets and several pots of flowers and herbs provided color and scent and hinted Ashley enjoyed gardening. A locked garage sat to the right. Frog had told him Ashley had inherited the house from their grandmother, and she took care of her inheritance.
Nikolai shot a wink at Summer. “We should meet your fiancée.”
“We should.” Summer leaned into her husband, her smile impish in the glow of the security light. “Mum will require a report.”
Josh groaned. “Really, I appreciate you giving me a lift. Frog gave me permission to borrow his vehicle since Ashley is storing it for him.”
“We’d never leave you alone here in the dark,” Summer said. “Louie and Mac are looking after Sam. We’re good waiting with you.”
While her expression remained serious, his sister’s blue eyes twinkled with mischief. Josh groaned again even as he admitted he deserved Summer’s teasing. He and Dillon had interfered in her romantic life from the moment their parents had given Summer permission to date.
The riff from his phone—the first few bars of the Jaws theme song—stopped the conversation.
“Hello.”
“It’s Ashley,” a tremulous voice said. “My car died.”
“Where are you?” Josh demanded. “We’ll come and get you.”
Ashley rattled off the address, although it meant nothing to him.
“We’ll be there soon. Are you off the road?”
“Yes.”
“All right. Hang tight. Keep the doors locked. Ashley, I’m with my sister and her husband. We’re in a black SUV.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Give me a sec to tell Nikolai where to find you, then we’ll talk. You stay on the line.”
“Yes.” This time she sounded a fraction more confident.
“Where are we going?” Nikolai asked.
“I’m on Ruru Road. Do you know it?”
“No, but we’ll find it with GPS,” Josh said.
They piled in the SUV.
“Got it,” Summer said after inputting their destination. “We’ll be around ten minutes.”
“Did you hear that, Ash? We’ll be with you in ten minutes. Is there anyone nearby?”
“No. A few cars but no pedestrians. I was driving, and suddenly, the car stopped responding. It was fine during the drive to the meeting.”
Josh listened with approval. Good, she was steadier now. He’d keep her talking, distract her. “How did your meeting go? Do you normally go by yourself?”
“The meeting went well. There was one guy who asked a strange question, but other than that, it was a regular gathering where I discussed our policies with a Q and A afterward.”
“What was the strange question? Did you recognize the guy?”
“He asked about secrets. Everyone seemed confused, but no, he wasn’t familiar. He acted as if I should know him or at least understand what he meant.”
“Description?”
“A long black coat. A beanie covered his hair. I didn’t see what color it was because of the hat. A black beard. Tall. Over six-feet, I’d say.”
“Did you see him after the meeting?”
“No, he disappeared. I never saw him leave the hall.”
“What is your schedule? I have a few clothes, but I’ll have to buy more while I’m up here. My sister tells me I mustn’t embarrass you.”
“Most of the meetings are in halls, so tidy jeans and a nice shirt and jacket are fine. Oh, I have a breakfast meeting with the local business owners. Next week, I have a meeting with the other Labor candidates in Wellington.”
Josh pulled a face. “It sounds as if I’ll be busy.”
“What make of car does Ashley have?” Nikolai asked.
“A white Mitsubishi,” Ashley replied before Josh could ask her.
Nikolai peered through the windshield. “I see it.”
“We’re here, but stay in the car until I come to the door.”
“Matt didn’t give me much of a description.”
“Dark brown hair, blue eyes, six-three in height. I’m wearing jeans and a black leather jacket.” Josh grinned. “Your brother didn’t tell me much about you either.”
Nikolai slowed and did a U-turn once traffic allowed the maneuver.
“We’re parking behind you,” Josh said. “I’m hanging up now.”
“Summer, stay here in the warm. Josh and I will check out her car,” Nikolai instructed.
“She might feel more at ease if I’m there,” Summer suggested. “You’re big men and tall. A bit overpowering for a woman who has suffered a fright.”
Nikolai paused. “Excellent point, sweetheart. But monitor what’s happening around us. Given the circumstances, we don’t want any surprises.”
As he climbed from Nikolai’s vehicle, Josh probed the shadows, searching for anything out of place. His senses didn’t indicate danger, so he strode around the car to stand in the light. Nikolai and Summer joined him, and the woman inside slumped before unlocking her car. She and climbed out, offering Josh his first glance of her.
Ashley Townsend was tall for a woman and slim. She had long, straight honey-blonde hair, and she wore it pulled back in a ponytail.
“You’re prettier than your brother,” he said.
She gave a tiny smile that exposed two dimples, one either side of her full lips. She wore makeup but still looked natural.
Summer snorted. “That’s a cool thing to say to your fiancée.”
Josh ignored his sister’s input. “Ashley, I’m Josh. This is Summer, my sister, and Nikolai, my brother-in-law.”
“Thank you so much for coming to get me. I wasn’t sure what to do. I mean, I can change a tire and do basic car maintenance, but I’ve experienced nothing like this before.”
“Pop the hood for us,” Josh instructed, keeping his tone smooth, instinctively wanting to reduce the stress in her voice and muscles. “What happened?”
“The first thing I noticed was when I tried to speed up my car didn’t respond. My car bunny-hopped, and I haven’t done that since Matt taught me to drive when I was fifteen and shouted at me.”
Summer snorted. “Dillon, my oldest brother, gave me my first driving lesson. He made me cry. I hear your brother is military too. Soldier types tend to own the bossy gene. We can compare notes some time. How many brothers do you have?”
“Only one. I have an older sister too.”
Josh moved around the car to peer under the hood with Nikolai.
“Nothing obvious,” Nikolai said.
“Could someone have added something to the fuel?” Josh prowled around the vehicle and spotted the damage straight away. He walked back to Nikolai. “Someone has tampered with the fuel. There are scratch marks on the flap where someone applied force. Might be best to leave the car parked here and get it towed tomorrow.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Nikolai shut the hood.
“The fuel cap was forced open,” Josh said when he reached the women.
Summer’s eyes widened. “I read a book club mystery where the baddie added water to the fuel. The fuel is lighter, and it floats to the top while the water drops to the bottom and creates problems with the fuel pump.”
“That’s our best guess.” The snippets his librarian sister collected no longer surprised Josh. She’d always had a thirst for knowledge. “Nikolai and Summer will give us a ride home. We’ll get the car towed tomorrow.”
Ashley closed her eyes then opened them again. “Thank you. Let me grab my laptop and handbag.” She opened the door and leaned inside to collect her belongings.
Josh’s gaze zapped straight to Ashley’s curvy arse and didn’t leave until his sister
dug him in the ribs with a pointy elbow.
“Ow!” he muttered.
Nikolai chuckled while Summer sniffed.
Ashley backed out of the car and locked the doors. “Did I miss something?”
“No.” Josh winged a warning glare at Summer.
“Ashley, can you come to dinner one night? Since we’ll be almost related for a while, it’d be lovely to get to know you better.” Summer smiled sweetly, raising suspicion in Josh. “We live in Bottletop Bay, which isn’t far from your place. You can bring Josh if you must.”
Ashley smiled, and Josh stared, mesmerized by her dimples and soft, kissable lips. “Thank you. That sounds like fun. Most of my friends are involved in politics.”
Josh walked beside Ashley and opened the door before stepping aside for her to enter. The back of his neck prickled.
“Nikolai,” he murmured.
“Yeah,” Nikolai agreed with his assessment. “Summer, move it. Please,” he added when Summer sent him a look. He leaned closer. “Someone is watching us.”
“Oh!” Summer lengthened her steps now that she understood the reasons behind Nikolai’s demand.
Josh shut the door once Ashley was inside and rounded the car. He couldn’t see anyone, but someone was there, watching them. He slipped into the SUV, his spidey senses still tingling.
“Anything?” he asked Nikolai while thinking it was good that whoever was watching was at a distance. They’d spot him or her if they were within listening range.
“No.”
“What’s happening?” Ashley asked.
Josh reached for Ashley’s clenched hand and threaded their fingers together. “We think someone was watching us.”
“Me? My stalker?”
Josh tightened his grip until she glanced his way. “We’re uncertain, but that’s the obvious conclusion.”
Ashley’s fingers clenched around his. “I hate this.”
“I know.” Josh discerned the wobble in her voice. He drew her against his side and hugged her, offering comfort. She smelled of delicate flowers with a hint of lemon. He nuzzled her hair, and a fresh spring day popped into his mind. Frog had been right to warn him away from his sister. She was his type. “We will catch whoever is doing this. I promise. I won’t let him hurt you.”
“Is it possible my stalker did something to my car?”
Josh would take a bet on it, although he didn’t verbalize his certainty. “We’ll know once we get your car checked over by a mechanic.”
She nodded, then her fingers tightened on his again. “Do you truly want to enter this craziness with me? Don’t you have someone special in your life?”
“No,” Josh said. Ashley interested him, though and brought out his protectiveness.
“You realize that as the children of farmers, both Josh and I are more likely to vote National.” Summer raised her voice in an annoying sister-kind-of-way.
“Ignore her,” Josh whispered.
“Is she telling the truth?”
Josh hesitated. “Yeah. I’m not a Labor supporter.”
“That’s terrible,” Ashley said.
Josh had difficulty reading her, and the dim interior of the SUV didn’t help. He thought she was teasing but wasn’t one hundred percent certain. “Would you prefer to forget your brother’s crazy plan?”
Ashley was a soft weight against his side. She didn’t speak, didn’t breathe for a long five seconds.
“Ashley?”
“Can we talk when we get to my place?”
This time, Josh caught her wariness. “You can trust Summer and Nikolai.”
“If this gets out—the lies. The fiancé fabrication. I’ll lose my seat. The press will crucify me. I’ve wanted to go into politics ever since I was a kid at primary school. If people suspect, I’ll lose everything I’ve worked for.”
“Shush. Relax. We’ll talk once we arrive at your place,” Josh promised.
“Matt thinks it’s easy for me to lie. I don’t. Lie, I mean. I’m a terrible liar. I’m not good at it, so I don’t do it.”
“Look at it this way, sweetheart. We’ll be friends. I’ll be someone in your corner, someone you can trust. I won’t speak to the press or do anything to hinder your chances of re-election. If anyone asks nosy questions, you tell them I’m your friend. Your best friend. That won’t be a lie. If they ask when we’re getting married, tell them the election is the most important thing at the moment. None of that is a lie. Don’t worry. Frog’s plan is perfect. It’ll work.”
“Frog? Is that my brother’s nickname?”
Josh paused, tilted his head. “Have you heard your brother sing?”
She burst out laughing and something clenched in his chest. “He loves singing. It relaxes him.”
Josh thought back, the comment bringing insight. Frog’s terrible singing had made them laugh. His entire team had relaxed after the shared laughter on hearing Frog’s singing. “It relaxed the team too because we couldn’t stop laughing.”
“I play the piano and Matt sings,” Ashley said.
“Badly?” Josh wondered if lack of musical talent ran in the family.
“Josh!” Summer protested. “That was rude.”
Josh huffed. “You haven’t heard Frog’s singing.”
Ashley gave a light laugh, and the tinkling sound grabbed him. Suddenly, this favor to Frog was looking better and better. Ashley was a babe, and she had a brain. Acting as her fiancé… Well, it wouldn’t stretch his performing abilities. Keeping his hands off and his word to Frog not to hit on his sister—that would take more effort.
* * * * *
The letters hadn’t been enough, so he’d upped the pressure. He wanted her scared. Terrified. He wanted her to suffer the same confusion and dread he’d experienced.
Because of her.
She’d got off lightly while he’d grieved and ached and endured years of nightmares.
By now, the man he’d hired had caused consternation at her meeting.
Her car would delay her arrival at home while he prepared to cause her more angst.
He knew what to do.
3 – Undie-Gate
Matt’s friend seemed nice with his brown hair, twinkly blue eyes, and straightforward manner. Sexy, touch-enticing facial scruff. She had to remind herself his laugh lines disguised a tough military man. Not her type because she dated intellectuals, but Josh and his brother-in-law had blown away her stress with their no-nonsense investigation of her car problem. They hadn’t waffled. They hadn’t tried to placate her with half-truths, and she appreciated that. They reminded her of Matt, which helped her to relax even further.
Nikolai slowed and turned into her driveway.
Ashley scanned her yard and tensed, swallowed hard.
“What is it?” Josh demanded.
He’d noticed her reaction. Of course, he had. From her observation, not much escaped military-type men. “I have security lights in the front that flick on when I pull into the driveway. They were working when I left home to drive to the meeting. I never leave lights on inside my house.”
Nikolai pulled up and turned off the vehicle ignition. “Are you positive? The light was on when we were here earlier.”
“Yes!” Ashley snapped then regathered her manners. “Sorry. I don’t mean to be rude. The interior lights were off when I left.”
“All right.” Josh removed his arm from around her shoulders. “Stay here with Summer while Nikolai and I check out your house. Do you have your keys?”
A shiver ran through Ashley. Contrarily, she wanted his physical touch again. That’s what a fiancé did. They offered comfort—even fake ones. “I’m coming with you.” He opened his mouth, but she spoke again before he could. “Please. I hate this mind-numbing fear. I have to act.”
The two men shared a quick glance before Josh said, “Promise to stay behind me.”
“I promise,” Ashley said. “If my stalker runs past you, I’ll make sure to land a few punches so he doesn’t escape.”
/> Summer snickered. “I like you, but I’m still not voting Labor.”
“No worries.” Ashley slid from the vehicle when Josh opened the door for her. An old-fashioned gentleman. She couldn’t remember the last time a date had offered her this small courtesy.
“Remember, stay behind me.”
“I will,” Ashley promised. She was not the stupid blonde who ventured into a basement. Nope. Not her.
“We’ll check inside first,” Josh said.
Nikolai gave a quick nod.
Josh tried the door. Locked.
Ashley handed him the key for the front door.
“Do you have an alarm?” Josh asked.
“I’ve never needed one.”
Josh unlocked the door. The laundry light was on, and Ashley reached past Josh to switch on the hall lights.
“Tell me if anything is out of place.”
Ashley’s breath eased out as she followed Josh deeper into her house. Chill bumps pebbled her skin, but as she flicked on more lights, her tension released at the normalcy of her surroundings. Everything seemed in its place. Nikolai prowled into the kitchen while she trailed Josh and drifted along the passage.
Josh slowed. “Is this your bedroom?”
“Yes.” She rounded him and gaped at the tidy piles of underwear sitting on top of her bed. “I-I-someone else did this.” A sick feeling settled in a lump in her stomach, much like she felt after eating a portion of her sister’s meat stew. Someone had come into her house and gone through her possessions. They’d invaded her privacy, touched her things. Intimate things. She gulped and clenched her hands to stop them from trembling. “I don’t understand. I locked the door.”
An arm came around her shoulders, offering silent comfort. Josh tugged her against his muscled body. “We need to call the police, Ashley. Get this on record.”
“But I locked my door.” She felt stupid repeating the point even if it was true.
“It’s an old lock and easy enough to pick,” Josh said. “Do you leave any of your windows open?”
“I used to. Matt lectured me on security, and I lock everything. Since I told Matt about the letters I’d received.” Her brother had warned her the stalker might escalate. “Is this…” She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. “Is this the same person who’s sending the letters to me?”
Josh's Fake Fiancee (Military Men Book 5) Page 3
