Hook, Line and Shotgun Bride

by Cassie Miles

  At the edge of the park, she slowed to a walk and caught her breath. The smell of freshly mown grass refreshed her senses. There were no children on the playground equipment surrounded by sand, so she went to one of the swings and sat. “I’m going to miss this.”

  “I’m sure Neil would buy you a jungle gym.”

  “Not the playground. This neighborhood. My house. All of this. My normal life.”

  He went behind her, hooked his hands through the chains and pulled her way back. When he gave a push, she went soaring. The toes of her running shoes pointed to the sky.

  She kept her legs straight, and he pushed again. Her head tilted back; she was airborne.

  Simple pleasures were the best. A run on a sunlit day. The sound of laughter. The aroma of a fresh-baked apple pie. Neil could give her emeralds and diamonds. He could send Benjy to the best schools and probably arrange for her son to go to Harvard. But would he play with her on a swing set?

  It was an unfair question. She dragged her feet to stop. The love she felt for Neil wasn’t like the fireworks with Tom or her friendship with Shane. Her relationship with Neil was mature and solid. Grounded.

  Hopping off the swing, she turned toward Shane. She’d always been able to tell him anything, but talking about Neil was impossible. Shane hated her fiancé. He suspected him of being involved with the stalker and drugging her.

  She launched into a different subject. “Looks like you’re not going to have a date for the wedding reception. Marie was supposed to fall for you, but she and Josh hit it off.”

  He clutched his chest. “Shot down again.”

  “Oh, please.” She’d seen how women reacted to this big, handsome mountain man and doubted that he got rejected often.

  “For your information, I do have a date. Dr. Emily.”

  The sweet, little, gray-haired ob-gyn? “Huh? I never took her for a cougar.”

  “I like older women.” He grinned. “The older, the better.”

  “Last night, when everybody was talking about their memories, I was surprised by what Emily had to say. Of course, I remember meeting Neil at the Army Medical Center, but I had no idea he’d seen me earlier and sought me out.”

  “Like a predator.”

  “Stop casting him in a bad light. Neil knew that I was married. He met Tom. They talked about anthrax.” He hadn’t chased her at all. Their relationship had developed gradually, over a period of years. “What else did Emily say?”

  “She warned me about the best man and his wife. A super-competitive couple, they aren’t going to be good friends, especially not if Benjy outshines their daughter.”

  Though Angela wasn’t big on gossip, she knew that one of her wifely duties would be to attend events with Neil and entertain his colleagues. It was important to know what to expect. “Anything else?”

  “Dr. Em doesn’t like Carlson, Neil’s protégé.”

  On this count, Angela agreed. “Neither do I. He’s kind of creepy.”

  “Like a stalker?”

  “I hope not.” But Carlson sent out that kind of vibe. A couple of times, she’d caught him watching her with a little smirk on his face. “I don’t think he’d do anything to jeopardize his mentor-student relationship. He worships Neil.”

  “And if Neil suggested the stalk—”

  “We need to get back to the house.” She wouldn’t listen to another negative word about Neil. Turning away, she started jogging around the park.

  Shane ran beside her. “You have to face the possibility.”

  “Can’t hear you.”

  She picked up the pace, refusing to be drawn into vague speculation. Shane’s dislike for Neil didn’t translate into some kind of plot to drive her crazy and get custody of Benjy. Unless there was proof… Unless the tests on the sedatives he gave her showed something different…

  All she wanted was to be married and happy. To make a good life for her son. To have some security.

  Today is my wedding day.

  THOUGH YVONNE CAME OVER to help Angela get ready for the wedding, there really wasn’t much to do. The cream-colored silk suit fit perfectly, and she’d already decided to wear her long hair up. The only question was the pouffy net veil that would have been totally appropriate with the gown but looked silly with a suit. She pinned it on the top of her head. “I look like a cockatoo.”

  “I never got the point of wearing a veil,” Yvonne said. “The groom already knows what the bride looks like so when he picks it up, there’s no big shock. Unless you paint on a fake moustache.”

  “Or not.” She tried the veil on the back of her head. “Maybe when I get to the chapel, I’ll just stick a daisy from the bouquet into my hair.”

  Benjy came into her bedroom. In his little blue blazer and necktie, he was utterly adorable. “Mommy, I don’t want you to get married.”

  “And why is that?”

  “You’re going away with Neil.”

  “I’ll be back before you know it.” She didn’t want to be apart from Benjy for two whole weeks, but taking a child on her honeymoon wasn’t exactly key to a romantic relationship with her new husband.

  “Hey, Benjy.” When Yvonne squatted down to talk to him, the skirt of her forest-green sheath stretched tight across her bottom. “I’m going to miss your mom, too. But we’ll have fun while she’s gone. One day, I’ll take you to the museum to see the dinosaur bones.”

  He held up two fingers. “Two times.”

  “Twice it is. And the zoo.”

  “We’re going to the zoo,” Benjy said. “I’m going to tell Shane. He can come with us.”

  As he ran from the room, Angela flung the veil onto her bed. A trip to the zoo with Shane and Benjy sounded like a hundred times more fun than the wedding ceremony. She looked into the mirror one last time and practiced her smile. She didn’t look happy.

  “You’re gorgeous,” Yvonne said. “A beautiful bride.”

  “I never wanted this big ceremony. It’s too much.”

  Her friend shrugged. “You ought to make a good haul on wedding gifts.”

  “We already have too much stuff. Everything from my house will have to go into storage.”

  “You’re not selling your things?”

  “I probably should.” The worn furniture she’d chosen with care would never look right in Neil’s house.

  Yvonne checked her wristwatch. “We’re just about ready. Shane has everything packed. He shifted Benjy’s car seat into the back of his Land Rover. And his bags. And your carry-on with the cosmetics.”

  Shane tapped on the open door before he entered. “Yvonne, would you watch Benjy? I need to talk to Angela alone.”

  “Sure thing, but we need to get moving.” She tapped her wristwatch. “Ticktock.”

  As soon as she bustled out the door, he closed it. “I heard from the lab. They analyzed the pills Neil prescribed for you.”

  The air went out of her lungs. She sank down on the bed. “Tell me.”

  “Not sedatives,” he said. “They’re mild stimulants with hallucinogenic properties.”

  “What does that mean?” She had a pretty good idea, but didn’t want to believe it. “When I took a pill, what would happen?”

  “Your heart rate would accelerate. You sure as hell wouldn’t be able to sleep. Your perceptions would be altered. The pills triggered your panic attacks.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I can show you the lab report.” He knelt before her and took her hands. “I’m sorry, Angela.”

  Neil lied to her. All his supposedly considerate attention was a sham. How could he have done this to her? She’d thought she was losing her mind. She almost let him railroad her into seeing a psychiatrist.

  Looking into Shane’s gentle blue eyes, she saw pity. “Don’t feel sorry for me. I got myself into this mess, and I’ll get myself out.”

  “You’re not alone,” he said. “Whatever you decide, I’m here to help.”

  She pulled her hands away from his grasp and stood. R
enewed energy coursed through her body. There was only one thing to do. In a tight voice, she said, “Excuse me, please. I need to make a phone call.”

  “I’ll wait right outside the door.”

  She watched the door close, went to the dresser and picked up the outrageously expensive beaded white clutch purse that Neil had bought for her. Inside was a lipstick, a pocket holding her driver’s license and ATM card, a comb and her cell phone. She dumped the contents into her usual shoulder bag that was full of the necessities of her life as a single mother and business owner. Her real identity didn’t include fancy purses and big houses and oversize weddings. She should have known.

  Neil’s engagement ring glinted on her finger. She hardly ever wore it. The ring got in her way when she was cooking, and she was afraid of losing the pear-shaped diamond when she was chasing after Benjy. She never should have said yes to Neil’s proposal.

  She picked up the cell phone and hit speed dial.

  Neil answered right away. “It’s a beautiful day for a wedding,” he said. “Are you on your way?”

  “You drugged me.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “I had the blue pills analyzed. You wanted me to think I was having panic attacks.”

  “A misunderstanding.” His voice turned cold. “We’ll talk about it after the ceremony. The chapel is filled with daisies. It’s magnificent.”

  “I won’t marry you, Neil.”

  A silence widened the gulf between them. There was nothing he could say to change her mind. Not only had he attacked her sanity but his motives threatened her son. She’d never put Benjy in danger.

  “Angela, be reasonable. Our guests are arriving. The wedding gifts have been sent. Everything is ready and waiting for you.”

  A wave of anger washed over her. “Did you really think that I’d fall apart? That I’d ever be so far gone that I would give up my son? Leave him in your custody?”

  “If you really cared about Benjy, you’d want him to have all the advantages I can provide.”

  You bastard! “The wedding is off.”

  “I’m warning you, Angela. I won’t let you humiliate me like this.”

  “Goodbye, Neil.”

  She disconnected the call. It was over. In spite of twinges of guilt and shame, she felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Thanks to Shane’s suspicions, she had avoided the worst mistake of her life.

  And she knew exactly what she needed to do next. Flinging open the door, she faced Shane. “Benjy and I are coming to stay with you for a couple of weeks.”

  “You called off your wedding.”

  “In the nick of time.”

  He wrapped her in a hug, and she held on tight. Once again, he’d come riding to her rescue.

  “You’re doing the right thing,” he assured her. “Throw some of your clothes and Benjy’s into a bag, and we’ll get the hell out of here.”

  With no time for careful packing, she threw clothes into big, black garbage bags.

  Yvonne appeared to help. As she dumped the contents of Angela’s underwear drawer into the bag, she said, “I couldn’t say this before, but I never liked Neil. I’m glad you’re not marrying him.”

  “Really?”

  “He’s the most condescending man I’ve ever seen. A lot of doctors are like that, but Neil is the worst.” She slung the bag over her shoulder like Santa Claus. “Stay in touch, but don’t worry about the restaurant. I’ve got it covered.”

  Within ten minutes of her phone call to Neil, they were packed and driving away from her house. From the backseat, Benjy asked, “Where are we going?”

  “To the mountains,” Shane replied.

  “Can I ride horses?”

  “You bet.”

  When he pulled up at the stop sign on the corner, a silver SUV purposely drove in front of them and stopped, blocking their way. She should have known that Neil wouldn’t let her go without a fight.

  Chapter Twelve

  Shane had expected trouble, but not so soon. They hadn’t even gotten a block away from her house before facing a confrontation. Given a choice, Shane preferred to stand and fight. But not this time. First and foremost, he needed to get Angela and her son to a safe place.

  From the backseat, Benjy piped up, “Why aren’t we going?”

  “This guy is a bad driver,” Shane said. “It’s no big deal. I’ll talk to him. Maybe I should write him a ticket.”

  Benjy asked, “Can I come with you?”

  In unison, he and Angela said, “No.”

  As he opened the car door, she shifted around in her seat to talk to her son. In her white suit with her hair all done up on top of her head, she looked formal and controlled. The only sign of tension was the flush of red that colored her slender throat and dotted her cheeks.

  He strode toward the driver’s side of the SUV. Though the window, he saw Carlson. Though Dr. Em had told him this guy was in his thirties, he looked like a rebellious teenager with his brown hair flopping over his forehead, hiding his eyes. His jaw nervously worked a piece of gum.

  When Shane tapped on the glass, he buzzed it down. Through tight lips, Carlson said, “Neil wants me to drive Angela to the wedding.”

  “And you happen to be so close. It’s almost like you’ve been spying on us.”

  His jaw stopped moving. “Why would I do that?”

  “You like watching Angela.” Stalking her. “Can’t say as I blame you. She’s a good-looking woman.”

  “Not my type.” The words exploded from his mouth.

  “Oh, I think she is. I think you’ve got a thing for her. And that could be a problem for you, Carlson. Neil wouldn’t like it if you made a play for his bride. He might not want to be your mentor, and you could find yourself out of a job.”

  He chewed more vigorously as though he could draw strength from his gum. “That’s not how it is. Neil wants me here, keeping an eye on things.”

  “You’re just following orders.”

  “Damn right.”

  He sounded as if he was boasting. Dr. Em had been right in her assessment of Carlson’s intelligence—not bright enough to be a doctor. He seemed barely clever enough to tie his own shoes. “Tell me, Carlson. Were you the one who planted the bugs in Angela’s house? Or did Neil do that himself?”

  “You don’t know anything. You’ve got no evidence.”

  At the moment, he wasn’t trying to build a legal case. His primary objective was to get Angela and Benjy out of town. “Here’s one thing I know for certain. Neil is real fond of Benjy. That’s true, isn’t it?”

  “Yeah,” Carlson said suspiciously.

  “He wouldn’t want you to upset the kid. Right?”

  He nodded.

  Shane pulled his arm back, offering a clear view of his shoulder holster. He had no intention of using his gun, but he wanted Carlson to see the threat.

  “Here’s what’s going to happen,” Shane said. “I’ll get back in my car and tell Benjy there’s nothing wrong. Then I’m going to drive away safely, following all the rules of the road.”

  “But they’re supposed to ride with me.”

  “You can follow me. Drive safely. We don’t want to put Benjy in a high-speed chase, do we?”

  His gum chewing paused. He pursed his lips in a pouty expression that would have been unappealing on a woman. On a man, it was downright disgusting. “I guess not.”

  “We have an understanding.” Shane patted the side of the car. “You pull out of my way, and we won’t have any trouble.”

  As he stepped away from the SUV, he saw Carlson hold his cell phone to his ear. No doubt, he was getting his instructions from Neil.

  Shane slid into the driver’s seat of his Land Rover. If Carlson didn’t move, he could drive down the block in reverse and make a clear getaway. But he preferred the simpler solution. He turned to Angela. “I think we have this straightened out.”

  “Should I call 911?”

  “Nine-one-one,” Benjy parroted. “911.” />
  They were going to need backup, but Shane didn’t want to bring in law enforcement. The police would be required to detain them and take statements, which meant that Neil would have time to get here. Angela’s ex-fiancé would be a hell of a lot harder to deal with than his sidekick.

  Carlson’s SUV pulled forward, leaving their route unobstructed.

  “We’re just fine,” he said. “Everybody buckled up?”

  “I am,” Benjy said cheerfully. “You know what? Mommy isn’t taking a honeymoon. She’s going to stay with me.”

  “In the mountains,” Angela said.

  Her gaze slid toward the sideview mirror. Though apprehensive, she didn’t seem scared. Either she was putting on a brave face for Benjy or she was honestly unafraid. He hoped for the latter, hoped that she realized that calling off the wedding was the right move.

  As he drove away from her neighborhood onto a main road, he glanced in the rearview mirror. Carlson’s SUV hung on their tail, making no attempt to be subtle.

  Shane had expected as much. He clipped his hands-free phone onto his ear and called Josh, who could provide all the backup he needed.

  “Where are we headed?” Angela asked.

  “The PRESS building.”

  “Yay,” Benjy called out. “Can we go to the lab and look in the microscope?”

  “Not today,” Shane said.

  “Neil has microscopes in his lab,” Benjy said. “But he never lets me touch. Germs are very little. You can’t see them unless you look real close.”

  “Not like dinosaurs.”

  “T-Rex is very big.”

  Shane used his signal lights and gave Carlson plenty of room to change lanes. His objective was to have the silver SUV trail him into the parking lot outside the PRESS building in the Tech Center. Following Josh’s instructions, he drove around to the rear of the building where there was only one lane between the sidewalk and a row of parked cars.

  He spotted Josh standing near the end of the sidewalk. Josh pointed, and Shane made a sudden sharp turn into a parking slot. Carlson stopped, not knowing which way to go.

  At a signal from Josh, two PRESS vehicles moved into place—one at the front of the silver SUV and one behind. Carlson was trapped.