Dangerous Deception

“Which is it—he was trying to kill you or he wasn’t?”

“I don’t know. You’re confusing me. I think he was here to either kidnap or kill me. But it doesn’t make any sense. No one was supposed to know where I was. Not yet. Not until…”

“What’s really going on here? What are you not telling me?”

“Please, Dom, take me back to Chattanooga as soon as possible. Take me to the Bedell estate. I have to talk to my father.”

FOUR HOURS LATER , the Dundee jet landed in Chattanooga. Dom had called ahead so that a rental car would be waiting for them. In Palm Beach the temperature had been in the low eighties, but here in southeastern Tennessee, this morning’s high was seventy. Autumn was in full swing in early October, leaves were already beginning to turn from green to golds and reds, and a definite chill was in the air.

On the trip to Chattanooga, Dom had tried to persuade Audrey to confide in him, but she’d refused, telling him that she had to talk to her father before she could say anything else. He suspected that she knew a lot more about her attacker than she was admitting—if not his identity, then the reason he’d been waiting for her in her hotel suite.

Before leaving Palm Beach, Audrey had packed four suitcases, each filled to the brim. But neither he nor she had showered or changed clothes. Dom had retrieved his jacket and put it on; she’d thrown a beige cashmere sweater over her shoulders before they called the bellman.

During the plane ride, Audrey had dozed off to sleep. When she’d rested her head on his shoulder, Dom had slipped his arm around her and readjusted her so that she’d be more comfortable. She had looked so sweet and innocent while she slept.

“I want all my suitcases loaded in the car before we leave,” Audrey said after they departed from the Dundee jet.

“Sure thing.”

“And I want you to call the house and tell my father that we’re on our way.”

“Okay.”

“And I want you to stay with me when I see my father. Promise me that you won’t leave me alone.”

“I promise.”

On the forty minute drive from the airport to the Bedell estate on Lookout Mountain, Audrey had sat quietly with her hands clutched together in her lap. She appeared to be nervous and worried. And afraid? But why should she be afraid of her father? Maybe that wasn’t it. Maybe it was her husband she feared. Could it be that Grayson Perkins had abused her? If that were the case, then Dom would—

He’d stay calm, cool and in control until he found out the truth. That’s what he’d do. And he’d keep his promise to Audrey. He’d stay at her side. He wouldn’t leave her. Not until he knew she was safe. Not until she asked him to go.

“WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED ? You were supposed to make sure that she was taken care of.”

“The guy I hired made a mistake. He didn’t count on her putting up a fight. He said I should have warned him that she knew how to handle herself. And he had no idea some guy would come to her rescue.”

“I don’t want excuses. Your failure creates a major problem for me.”

“I’m sorry. I swear I’ve never had any trouble with this guy before. He’s good at what he does and—”

“Not good enough to get rid of one small redhead.”

“Look, I have contacts all over. Just say the word and I’ll put somebody in your area on the job in less than twelve hours.”

“No, not yet. Let me see how this is going to play out before I decide on another course of action. Mr. Shea is bringing her home this morning. They should arrive at any moment.”

“Just let me know what you want and when you want it. No more slip ups, I promise.”

JEREMY LOMAN OPENED the door for Dom and Audrey. “Mr. Bedell and the others are waiting in the study.”

Dom noticed that Loman didn’t speak to Audrey, didn’t even glance at her. And she paid little attention to her father’s all-around assistant, which made him wonder if there was bad blood between the two of them.

“The others?” Dom asked, then slipped his arm through Audrey’s as they followed Loman down the hall.

“Yes, sir. Mrs. Bedell, Miss Cara and Mr. Grayson. They’re all very concerned about Miss Audrey.”

Dom felt Audrey tense immediately and his gut instincts warned him that something definitely wasn’t right.

Within minutes, they entered the study. Wall-to-wall bookshelves, carved marble fireplace, massive wooden desk, and four somber people stood before them. One by one, the family turned to stare at Dom and then at Audrey. Not one smile. Not one welcome home or thank God you’re all right.

“Please come on in,” Edward Bedell said. “Would you—” he glanced at Audrey “—either of you care for coffee?”

“No, thanks,” Dom said.

Audrey didn’t reply.

“When you telephoned, you said you were bringing Audrey home,” Edward said. “Where is she? Did she change her mind about coming back to Chattanooga with you?”

A mental red flag popped up inside Dom’s mind the second Edward Bedell’s question registered. “What do you mean, where is she? She’s right here.” Dom turned and looked at Audrey.

“Please, Mr. Bedell, I can explain everything,” Audrey said. “I know this looks bad, but remember that I came here with Mr. Shea of my own free will and I did it because I think your daughter is in some kind of horrible trouble. Someone tried to kill me early this morning, someone who thought I was Audrey.”

Dom heard several voices questioning, complaining, accusing, but all he could think about was that this woman, a woman he had thought was Audrey Bedell, had just confessed that she wasn’t the woman he’d been hired to find.

“I don’t understand what’s going on here.” Bedell glowered at Dom. “What on earth made you think this young woman was my daughter?”

Dom looked right at Bedell. “Maybe because she told me she was Audrey Bedell Perkins and because she was using your daughter’s credit cards and had registered at the hotel under that name. And the general description I was given of Audrey fits this woman’s general description.” Dom snapped his head around and glared at the woman who’d had his insides tied in knots since the moment they met. “Who the hell are you if you’re not Audrey?”

“Dom, please understand that I—”

“What have you done to my sister?” Cara demanded as she stormed across the room toward the stranger in their midst. “Did you kill her and steal her credit cards?”

Whoever the woman was, she stood her ground. She squared her shoulders, tilted her chin up and balled her hands into tight fists. “My name is Lausanne Raney. I’ve worked as a receptionist at Bedell, Inc. for the past six months and I haven’t killed anyone. Audrey Perkins hired me to impersonate her so that she and her boyfriend could run away together without being followed.”

CHAPTER FIVE

THE TRUTH HAD HIT DOM like a sledgehammer, right between the eyes. Why hadn’t he seen what was right before him? Why hadn’t he realized that this woman wasn’t Audrey Bedell Perkins? He had compared her to the photograph he’d been given and had seen only a superficial similarity. Great investigative work, Shea, he told himself. You were so busy thinking with your dick instead of your brain that you screwed up big time.

“Why would Audrey do such a thing?” Grayson Perkins asked, genuine puzzlement in his expression.

“Get real,” Patrice said. “She figured that if she was gone long enough, either you or Edward would sick the bloodhounds on her. I think it was damn smart of her to hire an impersonator to lead y’all off on a wild goose chase.”

“I think we should call the police right now,” Cara said. “How do we know this woman is telling us the truth?”

“I swear that I’m not lying,” Lausanne told them, her pleading gaze moving around the room, pausing for a split second on each person present.

“What you’re saying may be true, but I agree with Cara—we should call the police.” Grayson looked directly at Edward. “We don’t know where Audrey is or what may or may not have happened to her. If this girl is lying—”

“I’m not lying!” There was a hint of panic in Lausanne’s voice.