Sweet Caroline's Keeper

by Beverly Barton

  Wolfe closed his eyes momentarily, the impact of this new information dropping like a lead weight into his stomach. God in heaven, was it possible that Preston Shaw had been innocent? If that were true, how could he ever justify what he'd done? "If there's any possibility that Preston Shaw was an innocent man—"

  "You're thinking about Caroline, aren't you?"

  "Yes."

  "Dammit, man, if the truth comes out, you can't protect that girl." Ellison clamped his hand down on Wolfe's shoul­der. "Believe me, Preston Shaw was guilty. Even if he didn't actually pull the trigger, he was part of the assassination plot Once you find the evidence Preston hid away, there's a good chance we can blow the Loyalists Coalition sky-high and arrest their top men. When that happens, Caroline will learn the truth about her stepfather. There's no way to avoid it."

  "She will be devastated," Wolfe said. "But it may never come to that. I'm beginning to have my doubts that if there is any such evidence, we'll ever find it. But regardless, I want Caroline taken out of the line of fire."

  "And how do you intend to do that?" Ellison released his hold on Wolfe's shoulder and stared at him quizzically.

  "She has agreed that if within a week's time we haven't found the object the key opens, she'll consider turning the key over to someone else and allow him to continue the search."

  "Who?"

  "The man she knows only as David. I've promised her that I'd find this man for her."

  "Have you lost your mind? How the hell do you intend to find yourself? You can hardly present yourself to Caroline and tell her that you're the man who has acted as her bene­factor all these years."

  "I have no intention of introducing Caroline to her David. But if I can persuade her that he has been found and is willing to continue this search, in order to free her from danger, then we'll all get what we want. Caroline will be safe. And I can continue the search for the evidence against the Loyalists Coalition."

  "You realize this plan of yours will work only if Caroline is convinced that her David is involved in this scheme. And you must know that if you tell her you've found him, she will insist on meeting him."

  "And he will insist that their relationship remains the same, that he not reveal himself to her."

  "Let's say your plan works and she gives you the key for you to give to her David and then you unearth what the key opens and find the evidence against the Loyalists Coalition. What will you tell Caroline?"

  Wolfe looked squarely at Ellison. "I'll tell her everything, except about Preston Shaw's involvement with the Loyalists Coalition. I intend to let her continue believing her stepfather was a hero, that he died because he had gotten hold of evi­dence against some evil characters."

  "In other words, you're going to lie to her."

  "Yeah. I'm going to let her hold on to at least one fantasy while she's forced to let go of another."

  "And what fantasy would that be—the one she'll be forced to let go of?" Ellison asked.

  "The one about her benefactor David. It will be necessary to eliminate him. Once everything else is settled, she will receive a letter from his lawyer telling her of his death."

  "You already had this planned, didn't you, before Caroline found the key? You were going to cut your ties to her."

  Wolfe nodded. "I should have gotten her benefactor out of her life years ago, once she outgrew the need for him. But selfishly, I allowed things to continue as they were."

  "Satisfy an old man's curiosity. . ." Ellison smiled, but there was a rather sad, lonely look in his eyes. "Is she all that you thought she was, all you had hoped she would be?"

  Quiet fell on the office. A hushed stillness. Wolfe breathed softly. In and out, in and out. "Yes," he replied. "All that and more."

  "She need never know who you really are," Ellison said. "You could be with her, if that's what you want"

  If that's what he wanted! As emotional pain radiated through him, Wolfe shut his eyes, refusing to acknowledge that there was even a glimmer of hope. "I would know the truth—that I killed Preston Shaw—and eventually the he standing between Caroline and me would destroy me. No, it's better this way."

  "Very well." Preston pointed to the table piled high with Preston Shaw's files. "You'd better spend the morning look­ing through that mess, just to continue the farce. And in a week's time, if you can persuade Caroline to go along with your plan, we can use some excuse concerning your recheck-ing those files to arrange another meeting."

  Wolfe nodded agreement, then pulled out a chair and sat at the desk. During the next couple of hours, he would work his way through these files, then he would call Jack Parker and let him know it would be this evening before he could make it back to Caroline's St. Michaels studio. He had sev­eral errands to run, certain arrangements to be made and a few decisions to make. Glancing down at the date displayed on his wristwatch, he was reminded of what day it was today. This would be his one and only chance to spend Caroline's birthday with her. Was he wrong to want to make it a mem­orable event?

  Despite her concern about what information Wolfe might have uncovered when he went through Preston's files today, Caroline finished the last photo shoot of the day feeling pleased with the photographs she'd taken. Lindsey Chapman, a June bride-to-be, had driven in from Wilmington with her groom. Seeing the young couple so much in love and so totally devoted to each other had evoked mixed emotions within Caroline. Joy for the couple and a reaffirmation that true love existed. But also a sense of sadness and perhaps a little jealousy because she doubted she would ever share that kind of happiness with someone.

  "Weren't they absolutely disgusting," Roz said. "And God, don't you envy them."

  Caroline laughed, thankful for Roz's sense of humor. Somehow her dear friend always knew the right thing to say to lighten a dark mood.

  "Do you think either of us will ever be that lucky?" Car­oline flopped down in the padded swivel chair, lifted her feet and propped them on her desk.

  "You, maybe," Roz said. "If you'll ever quit mooning over that phantom benefactor of yours and start taking notice of what's right under your nose."

  "Meaning?"

  "Meaning that six-foot-two hottie who's living in your house." Roz opened the compact minifridge sitting on a cor­ner table, retrieved a couple of bottles of lemon-flavored iced tea and tossed one to Caroline.

  "I don't think Wolfe is the type for long-term commit­ments." Caroline twisted off the bottle cap, shot it into the wastebasket by her desk and lifted the refreshing drink to her lips.

  "My theory is that no man is prepared for marriage, not until the right woman comes along and he realizes that he can't live without her." Roz uncapped her drink, tossed the lid at the wastebasket, missed by a couple of inches, then shrugged and took a big swig of tea.

  Jack Parker suddenly appeared in the open doorway, a friendly good-old-boy smile on his face and a small package in his hand. "Pardon me, ladies, but this little item just ar­rived special delivery for Miss Caroline."

  Caroline eyed the small parcel that Jack laid on her desk, which she could tell had been opened and hastily rewrapped. From the untidy appearance of the shiny paper and the lop­sided bow, she suspected that neither Jack nor Matt was adept at gift wrapping. When she glanced up at Jack, he grinned.

  "Sorry about not getting it put back together all pretty like, but I did the best I could," he said.

  "You opened Caroline's package?" Roz asked.

  "Had to, ma'am," Jack explained. "Never know what might have been in there. Could have been something dan­gerous."

  "Oh, stupid me." Roz grimaced. "I keep forgetting. So, I take it the package is safe."

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Go on. Open it," Roz said. "I'm curious to see who's sending you presents and it's not even Christmas."

  "No, it's not Christmas," Caroline said. "But it is my birthday. And I'm pretty sure I know who sent this gift."

  "Damn, why didn't you remind me it was your birthday?" Roz whined, and gave Caroline
an apologetic look. "What kind of friend am I to forget your birthday."

  "It's okay, really." As Caroline reached for the gift, she caught a conspiratorial glance exchanged between Roz and Jack and wondered what it was all about. Knowing Roz, she was simply flirting with the Dundee agent. "When this whole mess about Preston's hidden key is resolved and I can resume my normal life, we'll celebrate. You and Lyle, Brooke and Fletch and I. We'll go out somewhere really nice and make a night of it."

  "Excuse me, Miss Caroline," Jack said.

  "Yes?"

  "Wolfe just called about five minutes ago and said he's only a few miles from here. So I just wanted to say goodbye and good luck, since Matt and I'll be heading to the motel as soon as Wolfe gets here."

  "Thank you, Jack." She had been waiting all day for word from Wolfe, but he hadn't bothered speaking to her person­ally either time he'd called his co-agent. He'd simply in­formed Jack Parker that business was keeping him in D.C. longer than expected.

  "I'll be right outside, if you need me," Jack said. "Mart's locking up out there now that Kirsten and Sandy have left for the day." Jack closed the door behind him.

  "Texas Jack there is going to make some woman mighty happy one of these days." Roz sighed dramatically. "Actu­ally, he's probably already made quite a few women mighty happy." She giggled. "I was just thinking about the lucky girl who gets him for keeps." Roz plopped down on the edge of the desk and eyed the poorly rewrapped gift. "So, are you going to open it or not?"

  Caroline knew before opening the gift or reading the card, which would be lying inside, that the birthday present was from David. Her David. Not once since her thirteenth birth­day had he forgotten. With nervous fingers she removed the bow, untied the ribbon and pulled apart the white wrapping paper to reveal a black velvet jeweler's box. Since her twenty-first birthday, he had sent jewelry as a gift. She eased back the lid to reveal a stunning pearl-and-diamond bracelet. Roz let out a long, low whistle. There sitting atop the present was the familiar white card. She lifted it and read the brief message. Happy birthday, my sweet Caroline. And below in the bold, flowing script was his signature. David.

  "I'll say one thing for this guy, he's no cheapskate."

  Caroline lifted the bracelet from its velvet bed, draped it around her wrist and fastened the catch. "It matches the other diamond and pearl jewelry he's already given me."

  "You've never worn all of them, have you? I'm sure I would have remembered seeing them if you had."

  "I've considered selling them and giving the money to charity," Caroline said. "You know, except for an occasional event that Fletch or Brooke invite me to attend, I'm not much of a social butterfly. And I have so many lovely pieces of jewelry, most of them gifts from David, that I hardly need them all."

  Roz hopped up, came around the side of the desk and gave Caroline a hug. "Happy birthday, hon. I'll remind Lyle when I get over to the church that today's your birthday. I'm sure he's just so busy with getting things together for this week­end's church yard sale that he let it slip his mind."

  "I'm sure that's it. And Roz, thanks again for taking my place and meeting my obligations at the church until—"

  "Don't think another thing about it," Roz assured her. "You may find this hard to believe, but I'm actually enjoying myself. And the rev and I haven't had one single knock­down-drag-out. At least not yet."

  "I'm glad to hear it. Lyle is a great guy. But I have a feeling you already know that."

  Roz grinned. "Hmm-mmm. Maybe."

  Caroline waved goodbye. Heading out, Roz almost col­lided with Wolfe when she opened the office door.

  "Sorry," Wolfe said. "Are you leaving for the day?"

  "I'm on my way over to the church to do Caroline's good deeds for her." Roz winked at Wolfe.

  "That's an interesting idea," he said. "Good deeds by proxy."

  He entered the office as soon as Roz left. Caroline im­mediately noticed that he had changed clothes, that he wasn't wearing the charcoal pin-striped suit he'd left her house in this morning. Instead he was now dressed more casually in navy-blue slacks and a white cotton shirt, the top two buttons undone. But the ever present hip holster remained. Caroline rose to her feet slowly and confronted him.

  "Did you find anything in Preston's Peacekeepers files?" she asked.

  "Yes and no."

  "Can't you be more specific?"

  ' 'No information that will help us find the object the key opens," he said. "But some information about why your stepfather was executed."

  She tensed. Nausea stirred in her stomach. "He was exe­cuted, wasn't he?"

  "Yes. It seems that he definitely had come into possession of some critical information about a group known as the Loy­alists Coalition, comprised of unidentified powerful men who posed a threat to our government. These men were probably responsible for Preston Shaw's murder."

  "And these men who had Preston executed don't want me to find the evidence against them and that's why they've been trying to kill me."

  "Ellison Penn is as interested as we are in finding that evidence," Wolfe said. "He's pledged to do whatever he can to assist me, including contacting your benefactor's lawyer and asking for his help."

  "Mr. Penn knows my David, doesn't he?" She had sus­pected for years that her David was somehow connected to Peacekeepers International, and that her stepfather's boss had always known the identity of her benefactor. And she was just as certain that had she ever asked him about David, Mr. Penn would have denied knowing him.

  "We could end this nightmare for you right now, Caroline. Give me the key and then we'll let it be known that you no longer have the key and have given up the search, but that the Peacekeepers are continuing the investigation."

  Caroline stroked the chain at her neck and considered her options. "You said you'd give us another week working on this together. I want that week."

  "What difference do you think another week will make?"

  "If that's true, then you shouldn't have a problem keeping your promise to me, should you?"

  Shaking his head, he huffed loudly. "All right. One week."

  There, that was settled. One week wasn't long, but if her prayers were answered, a week would be long enough. Enough time to find what the key unlocked. Enough time to come to terms with her feelings about David Wolfe. "Okay, I'm ready to go home and be locked in for the night." What a way for a woman to spend her twenty-seventh birthday, Caroline thought. No dinner with friends. No birthday cake. No presents. No cards. Nothing special. Just another day.

  She lifted her wrist and stroked the pearl-and-diamond bracelet. David hadn't forgotten. He never forgot. But what good was an expensive gift when all she truly wanted was to be with her David, to share just one of her birthdays with him?

  "New bracelet?" Wolfe asked.

  "Yes. A present from my benefactor."

  "A birthday gift."

  "Yes, but how did you—"

  "Your birth date is listed in the file I have on you." "Of course."

  "If you're ready. . ." He motioned to the door.

  She rose from behind the desk, followed him and turned the light off in the office before closing the door. When he led her toward studio one, which she used for all her adult photography, she tugged on his arm.

  "I thought we were going home," she said.

  "Later."

  "What do you mean, 'later'?"

  "I have something I want to show you in the studio," he said. "It's something I think you'll like. So just humor me, okay?"

  "Would you mind telling me what's going on?"

  He took her hand, led her down the hall and straight to studio one. He placed her in front of him, reached around her to open the door, then gave her a gentle shove over the threshold. The moment she entered the studio, she gasped.

  Chapter 14

  Caroline could not believe her eyes. The studio had been transformed into a magical, romantic scene, complete with soft lighting, mellow jazz and a table set for two. The tune
— "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word"—coming from some unknown source was from a CD of hers. The mournful wail of the saxophone wrapped around her, a musical lover's ca­ress. Hundreds of white balloons filled the room. Some floated across the ceiling like bubbly clouds. Others danced around over the floor, covering every inch of space like an airy, undulating carpet. Huge white candles had been strate­gically placed on two food-laden tables behind the small cen­ter table that had been set with china and crystal for two. Cream-white roses in spiraling vases graced all three tables.

  "What is all of this?" Caroline asked.

  "Do you like your surprise?"

  She whipped around and stared at him. The look on his face sent shivers along her nerves. This was a man intent upon pleasing her. She saw it in his eyes, sensed it as surely as if he had spoken the words aloud. . ./ want everything to be perfect for you. But why? Why this man and why this moment? He had to know that he was the wrong David to fulfill her fantasies.

  "It's incredible," she replied. "How. . .when. . .? Is this the reason you've been gone all afternoon?"

  He nodded. "I had some help," he confessed. "From Roz and Kirsten and Sandy, as well as Matt and Jack. The girls helped me set things up in here while Roz kept you in your office. And Matt and Jack haven't actually left. They're out­side, keeping an eye on the place. This is why I asked them to stay over until morning."

  "Was this your idea or—"

  "Totally my idea," he said. "I knew it was your birthday, and since you're confined to quarters, so to speak, I decided you deserved something more than a birthday cake."

  "I can't believe this." She glided through the balloons, which separated and floated around in every direction. "I would never have dreamed that you could come up with something this sentimental and romantic." She whirled around and around, letting the balloons dance at her feet as she moved to the sensuous rhythm of the music.

  "Then you like it?" he asked.