by Regina Duke
Ashley took a deep breath. “Okay. Here we go.” She activated her phone flashlight and got out of the vehicle. Rocky stayed at her side across the deck. She found the box easily, punched in the code, and the shutters rose. In less than thirty seconds, she and Rocky were inside.
Thor got out of the SUV and stepped carefully to the front of the house. He pulled his jacket up around his ears and snugged his hood around his face. He concealed himself behind an evergreen shrub and waited for the car to reach the house.
He didn’t have to wait very long.
It was very dark and the headlights were glaring through the snow. He couldn’t make out what kind of vehicle it was, but the height of the headlights made him think sedan, not truck. As soon as the driver turned off the engine and opened the door, he emerged, gun pointed at the car.
“Don’t move!”
A woman screamed in surprise.
“Britney Beth!”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
“How can a girl spend the night in a hotel without her things? I declare, Thor, you don’t know anything about women. As long as I’m here, if you don’t mind, I’ll just stay in my cold little guest room. Plenty of time to find a hotel tomorrow.”
Ashley could hear Britney Beth’s piercing tones from inside. She went into the kitchen, opened the cupboard where she’d seen Thor use the controls, and started flipping switches. The rolling shutters began retracting and the outdoor lights came on. She trotted to the front door, Rocky at her heels, and opened it wide.
The dog bounded outside, searching for the perfect tree as fat flakes of snow began covering the ground.
Britney Beth was on the covered porch now. “Really, Thor, you can’t expect me to turn around and drive back to Eagle’s Toe in this blizzard.”
Thor’s glowering expression made his feelings in the matter clear.
Ashley waved them both inside. “No point in keeping the door open,” she said. “Come in, both of you. And Rocky, too. We’ll make hot chocolate to go with dinner.”
Britney Beth shook snow off her hair. “Oh, I am famished. I do hope there’s enough to go around.”
Thor stomped past her, then stopped to whistle for Rocky. The dog skittered across the floor and shook in the middle of the room.
Ashley closed the front door. “I’m sure we have enough to share. Right, Thor?”
“I’m going to feed my dog,” he grumbled.
“I’ll go out and get the food,” said Ashley. “And my new clothes.” She didn’t blame Thor for being aggravated with Britney Beth. She wasn’t exactly pleased about it herself. But she had been looking forward to a hot shower and a complete change of clothes, and she saw no reason for Britney Beth to spoil her plans, so she exited through the kitchen door, crossed the deck to the SUV, and pulled open the car door.
A moment later Thor was beside her. The warmth of his torso felt like sunlight in the gloom.
“I’m sorry I was a jerk in there,” he said. “Let me carry some bags for you.”
Ashley smiled. “Thanks. I’ll get the food.”
“I just—”
“No need to explain,” said Ashley. “I know first hand how annoying she is.”
“I didn’t buy dinner for three,” said Thor, both hands filled with bags of new clothes.
Ashley closed the car door. “Don’t worry. I’ll go through the fridge and the cupboards and make it stretch. There’ll be plenty.”
They scurried back inside.
Thor said, “I’m going to take your things up to your room, Ash.”
“Thanks, sweetheart. I’ll get dinner on the table.” She began unpacking the take-out. “Britney Beth, would you get some dishes out of the cupboard?”
Britney Beth stomped into the kitchen and banged dishes onto the table.
Ashley stopped what she was doing and stared at Britney Beth with her hands on her hips. “Hey! If you’re going to act like some kind of spoiled child, then just go to your bedroom and sulk. If you want to share my dinner, grow up.”
Britney Beth froze.
Ashley had the sudden thought that no one had ever told Britney Beth to behave before. What came out of the woman’s mouth next was a real surprise.
“I’m sorry. That wasn’t very lady-like. I apologize.”
“Apology accepted.” Ashley opened one of the takeout boxes and slid a generous square of lasagna onto a large plate.
“Looks like sharing will not be a problem.”
“I am so hungry, I could eat a bear,” said Britney Beth. “Did you really want hot chocolate with that? There’s wine in the refrigerator.”
“Help yourself,” said Ashley. “I’ll have water.”
Britney Beth retrieved a bottle of wine and a glass and poured some for herself. Wine glass in hand, she seemed more relaxed. She leaned against the kitchen counter and watched Ashley work.
“You have a true domestic talent. I’m much more accustomed to being waited on than doing the serving myself.”
“Must be inconvenient,” said Ashley, matter of factly. “Having to wait for someone else to cut your meat.”
Britney Beth frowned. “I’m not disabled,” she said, her snippy tone returning. “I just meant—”
Ashley held up a palm. “I know exactly what you meant. You meant that I don’t come from money, so I’m not good enough for Thor.”
“Oh.” Britney Beth seemed surprised that Ashley had understood her so well. “In that case, let’s speak clearly. No, you are not good enough for Thor. There. I said it. But of course, that has nothing to do with what he wants. Some men enjoy slumming.”
Ashley made a rude noise, but bit back her response. Far wiser to ignore the woman. Instead, she filled a glass of water for herself, then removed what remained of the parmesan toast from another takeout box. She moved to the refrigerator and examined the shelves. She shook her head at Thor’s idea of provisions. A few items were completely unrecognizable, but she did find a new jar of large Spanish olives to add to the feast. Salad was nowhere to be found. She moved on to the cupboards and found a can of white asparagus with a decent sell-by date.
Britney Beth pushed her bottom lip out in an exaggerated pout. “Oh, dear, now you’re not talking to me.”
Ashley rolled her eyes. “Why invite more insults?”
Britney Beth pulled a chair out and sat down, swirling the wine in her glass. “If I were you, I’d want to hear what I have to say.”
“About what a loser I am? No, thanks.”
“Not that. You can’t help how you were brought up. I’m talking about Thor. Of all the people on this planet, I know more about him than his own mama. Aren’t you the least bit curious?”
Ashley pulled a piece of toast off the plate and fed it to Rocky. “I think a man and a woman should learn about each other through direct contact, not from a middleman. Or woman, in this case.”
Britney Beth turned to check the stairs, but Thor had not yet reappeared. She sipped her wine. “I just thought you might have an interest in knowing that he has a dark side. Especially if you’re getting married.”
“I suppose everyone has a dark side,” said Ashley. “Some are worse than others. So far I haven’t seen anything mean or cruel about Thor.”
“Oh, really?” Britney Beth’s voice oozed sarcasm and secrecy. “What about murder? Is that dark enough for you?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Before Ashley could ask Britney Beth what she was talking about, Thor came down the stairs.
Rocky abandoned his toast mistress and bounded across the room to greet him.
Thor beamed. “Don’t you just love dogs? You’re gone five minutes and they greet you like a long lost love.” He hugged Rocky, then joined the girls. “Good. Dinner, at last.” He pulled out a chair and sat, then looked from one to the other. “You ladies eating? Or are you going to have a stare down, right here?”
Ashley tossed her hair back from her face. “I’m eating.” She cut herself a generous portion of lasag
na, then put another generous portion on Thor’s plate. “Oh, dear. I misjudged. Britney Beth, take part of mine. That last piece is too small.”
Britney Beth preened and positioned herself to show off her long slender legs. “That piece is fine,” she said, silkily. “After all, some of us work at maintaining our girlish figures.”
Ashley almost laughed, but she caught herself. Instead, she said happily, “Good. Then you won’t mind if I eat that parmesan toast.” She added with a saccharine smile, “Some of us don’t have to work at it.”
Thor looked from one to the other. “Is it safe for you two to be handling sharp instruments? Knives and forks can be lethal in the wrong hands.”
Ashley smiled brightly. “We’re fine.”
Thor eyed her suspiciously out of the corner of one eye. He ate cautiously, half expecting one of the girls to blow up or launch silverware at the other one.
Britney Beth put on her sweetest expression and nibbled at her meal.
Thor knew that her sweet face was her most dangerous face. He hoped Ashley wasn’t taken in by it. They ate to the quiet music of clinking silverware. Before long, the lasagna was history. Nothing left on his plate but tomato sauce. Like the stain in the plastic evidence bag from the day before, the sample he’d taken from the Bondy Lane house. He snapped his fingers.
“Ladies, you’ll have to excuse me. I need to slip into my room and run a couple of tests before I retire.” He looked back and forth from one to the other. “Is it safe to leave you in the same room together?”
“Of course,” said Ashley. “Britney Beth was just going to help me clean up, and then I’m off to bed myself. It has been a very long day.”
Britney Beth offered a devastating smile.
Thor got up and headed for his bedroom. Rocky followed him.
Ashley watched them go. As soon as his bedroom door closed, she leaned across the table and whispered, “What do you mean, murder?”
Britney Beth stood up and made a show of carrying her plate to the sink. “I mean murder. As in killing someone.”
Ashley stacked her dishes and Thor’s. “You’re making this up.”
“Has he told you why he left Texas?”
“We haven’t really talked about it.”
“Maybe you should ask him. You know. Sometime before you walk down the aisle.”
Ashley made a rude noise. “If he did something horrible, then why do you want him so badly?”
“We know each other’s secrets, Thor and me. And maybe it wasn’t out and out murder, like first degree. Maybe it was more like an accident, only on purpose. What do they call that? Second degree?”
“I call it delusional.” Ashley flashed a fake smile. She returned food to the refrigerator.
“Very clever. You are the delusional one, if you think you really stand a chance with Thor Garrison. Just you wait until his mama gets here. She’ll set you straight in a heartbeat. She’s been ready to have me marry Thor since our first prom together.”
“Oh, lovely,” said Ashley. “When she gets here, I’ll ask her about this murder of yours.”
“Don’t you dare!” Britney Beth crossed the room in three strides. Her eyes flashed and her chin jutted. “Don’t you breathe a word of this to his mama, you hear? It would break her heart to know the details. And if you hurt Thor’s mama, Thor will have nothing to do with you.” She pulled back a bit and thought about what she’d just said. “On the other hand, maybe you should tell her. Silly me. Why, yes, indeed. You go right ahead and break Mrs. Garrison’s heart. That should work just fine.” She laughed. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need my beauty sleep.”
Ashley stared hard at her retreating back. She wondered if her dislike of the woman could burn a hole through skin.
She shrugged as Britney Beth disappeared through the door to the guest rooms. “Probably doesn’t work through clothing.”
Thor’s voice caught her off guard. “What doesn’t work?”
“Oh, nothing. What were you doing in the other room?”
Thor held up the little baggy containing the sample from the stain on her mother’s kitchen floor. “Homemade luminol test. It’s not blood.”
Ashley sagged with relief and landed in a kitchen chair. “Thank goodness.”
“I thought that might ease your mind. By the way, before dinner I set your bags of new clothes on your bed upstairs, and I built a fire in the potbellied stove. It was pretty chilly up there. It should be toasty now.”
“Thank you so much.”
“Did Britney Beth give you a hard time?”
Ashley wondered if she should ask him about being a murderer, but she just couldn’t do it. He was so handsome and so sweet. The man had built her a fire. No way was he a murderer. Besides, she’d seen a few horror films in her day, and the stupidest thing a woman could do was accuse a real murderer of his crime right before crawling into bed under the same roof. No, she would ask him some other time. Preferably in a room full of people. Then she realized he was still waiting for an answer to his question.
“Oh, her? No. I can handle her.”
“She does come across as a little bit crazy,” said Thor, apologetically.
“Oh, sweetie, she has a long way to go before she even comes close to the real thing.” She smiled wanly. “And how sad that I can tell the difference.”
Thor planted a kiss on her brow. “Get some rest. I have to get moving early in the morning. I have clients to check on in town. And maybe if we’re lucky we can sneak out of here before she wakes up again.”
“That would be nice,” said Ashley. “Then we could chat on the ride into town.”
Thor’s blue eyes darkened. “Something wrong?”
“Oh, just a few questions. You know how us brides-to-be worry about details.”
Thor grinned. “Our plan is working great. You’ve got Britney Beth spinning in circles. I can’t wait until my mother meets you.”
Ashley made an eek face. “Oh, that will be fun, I’m sure.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Tuesday morning
After a long hot shower and a good night’s sleep, Ashley woke refreshed and full of energy. She couldn’t believe she’d only known Thor for two days. Here she was, sleeping in the best room in the house, wearing new clothes he’d paid for, and outside was a brand new SUV he intended for her to keep. And he was gorgeous.
She tried not to think about that part. Their arrangement was all business, after all. She was paying him back for helping her find out what happened to her mother. That was it. Nothing more.
But he kept kissing her on the forehead.
Like a brother, she thought.
Or a very caring lover.
She felt a tickle stirring deep inside.
“Great,” she muttered. “Get yourself all hot and bothered first thing in the morning.” She glanced at the clock. Five-thirty. She wasn’t sure how early Thor needed to leave the cabin, but she suspected around seven. That would give him time to get to his office and have a cup of coffee before calling on clients. She thought about snuggling in bed for a while longer, but she was awake. No point in delaying. Besides, she was ready for coffee, and the best way to get some was make it herself.
One of her clothing selections had been white flannel pajamas with tiny red polka dots and lace at the cuffs. They were not at all stylish, but they appealed to her sense of whimsy, and they were perfectly suited to a cavernous home in the snowy woods. She had not, however, had a chance to pick out slippers, so she slipped her feet into her running shoes and headed downstairs.
Although she was certain she made no noise at all, there was no fooling Rocky’s ears. Or maybe his nose. Either way, she heard him make an inquisitive sound on the other side of Thor’s bedroom door. She knew if she ignored him, he would get louder, so she turned the door handle as carefully as possible and opened the door a few inches to let him out.
Britney Beth’s nasty tone ruined her hopes of a pleasant morning coffee.
/> “I see you trying to sneak in there and snuggle with my Thor. How dare you!”
Ashley put a finger to her lips and she pulled the door softly closed. “You’ll wake him.”
“Oh, really? So you’re leaving his bed, not trying to sneak in, is that it?”
Ashley glared at Britney Beth. “I slept upstairs. I’m letting Rocky out.” She made an exasperated noise. “Why do I even try to talk to you?”
Britney Beth breezed past her and opened the kitchen door. Rocky happily loped on out. “I suppose because you want to know what I meant last night when I told you Thor was guilty of murder.”
Ashley folded her arms and eyed her nemesis with resentment, and a touch of curiosity.
“See? I thought so. Want some coffee?”
Ashley came back down the stairs. “Aren’t you afraid you’ll wake up Thor in the middle of accusing him of a crime?”
“He already knows. He lived through it. Besides, he won’t wake up. He has to take sleeping pills to get a good night’s sleep. Too many bad memories.” She moved through the kitchen with a familiarity that spoke volumes about how many times she’d been a guest at the cabin. When Ashley made coffee the previous morning, it had taken her ten minutes to locate filters and the coffee canister. In less than a minute, Britney Beth had the pot bubbling, and the tantalizing aroma wafted through the house.
“Sleeping pills?”
“Yes. He keeps some at his office, too, for when he stays in town.”
Ashley felt bad for Thor. Could Britney Beth be telling the truth? Certainly a man as good and kind as he was would need help sleeping if he were having nightmares about something as terrible as murder. Her brows drew together in consternation. She was irritated with herself for falling into Britney Beth’s crazy line of thinking. “What exactly happened?”
Britney Beth pulled a hairbrush out of the pocket of her robe and began running it slowly through her long blond hair. “I thought you wanted to hear it from Thor?”
“I do, but you can give me a few details first.” She added to herself, Then I can match them up with what Thor says.
“Well, all right, if you’re sure.” She pulled out a kitchen chair and lowered herself daintily onto it. “He was a fireman back then, in Texas. He wanted to be one all his life. Even as a little boy, it was all he dreamed of.” She paused.
