Dangerous Deception

“If you’ve got more questions, I want a lawyer.”

Desmond’s lips curved upward in a tentative smile. “For the sake of argument, let’s say I believe you about Ms. Perkins hiring you and about someone trying to kill you, thinking you were she.”

“What are we doing, playing pretend?”

He chuckled. “From what Dom Shea tells me, you’re quite good at that game.”

Lausanne huffed. “He’s just pissed because I fooled him.” Yeah, and he fooled me, too. I thought he actually liked me and all the while he was just chasing down a runaway heiress.

Desmond took her by the arm and led her farther down the hall. Then he opened the door to the study and gave her a nudge over the threshold. “Wait in here. And don’t even think about leaving without my permission.”

“I REGRET THAT THINGS turned out this way,” Dom Shea said. “I’m sorry that the woman I found in Palm Beach turned out to be an imposter.”

“It’s not your fault,” Edward Bedell said. “Apparently my daughter is determined not to be found. She went to great lengths and some expense to put us off track.”

Cara glowered at her father. “You can’t mean to tell me that you believe that woman’s lies. Something terrible has happened to Audrey and we all know it.”

Edward groaned. “Now, Cara—”

“No, she’s right,” Grayson said. “There’s something all wrong about this. If Audrey wanted to run off with Bobby Jack Cash, she’d have simply run off with him.” Grayson shot Patrice a withering glance. “Even if she was madly in love with the man, she would hardly have given up everything for him. We all know that Audrey could never survive without Edward’s money supporting her.”

“Perhaps they’re right,” Patrice agreed. “Maybe Audrey just wanted to put a good scare into you, make you think she’d left for good, then when she got in touch with you, you’d be so relieved that you’d forgive her and accept Bobby Jack as your new son-in-law.”

“Never!” Edward all but growled the word.

Grayson turned to his father-in-law. “I think we should have Mr. Shea continue his search for Audrey. Now that his first lead unearthed an imposter—”

“I’m not sure what to do, where to go from here,” Edward said. “I’d like to know that Audrey is well and happy, but if she doesn’t want to be found…”

“What if she’s in trouble?” Cara said. “What if Bobby Jack Cash did leave with her? What if he’s keeping her from contacting us?”

“Mr. Shea,” Grayson said. “What do you recommend?”

Yeah, put him on the spot, ask him to make a decision that shouldn’t be his. Apparently everyone in the Bedell family had slightly different opinions of the situation, including their suspicions about Lausanne Raney. Was the woman telling the truth or was she lying? He didn’t have the answer to that question any more than the rest of them did.

Glancing from Grayson to Edward, Dom said, “Mr. Bedell hired Dundee’s, so the call is his. If he wants us to continue the search for Ms. Perkins, we will. If not, then my involvement in this case is over.”

“Daddy, please, do something.” Cara grasped her father’s arm.

Tensing at her touch, Edward eased his arm from his daughter’s and took a step away from her. She clenched her jaw and sucked in a deep breath, apparently making an effort not to cry.

“I’d like you to stay on the case,” Edward said. “Stay on in Chattanooga and do what you can to find out where my daughter went when she left town. And also, keep an eye on Ms. Raney. We can’t rule out the possibility that she is lying, that she knows a great deal more than she’s telling us.”

“Yes, sir.”

Before Dom could say anything else, before he could discuss the details of exactly what Edward Bedell meant by keeping an eye on Lausanne Raney, Lt. Desmond entered the living room.

Apparently having overhead the last bit of conversation between Dom and Edward, Desmond said, “I think you’re wise to keep track of Ms. Raney. Although we intend to make sure she doesn’t leave town, having someone watch her movements for the next few days will help us a great deal.”

“Then you think she’s somehow involved in Audrey’s disappearance?” Edward asked.

“Possibly. But there’s no way to be sure. I’d say there’s a fifty-fifty chance she’s telling the truth,” Desmond said.

“Which means there’s a fifty-fifty chance she’s lying,” Dom said.

Desmond grimaced. “Yeah.”

“Where is she?”

“Waiting for me to release her so she can go home. I offered for Sergeant Swain to drive her, but she said she’d call a cab.”

“I’ll take her.” The words were out of Dom’s mouth before he realized he’d even thought them.

Desmond cocked an eyebrow.

“Good idea, Mr. Shea,” Grayson said. “Don’t let that woman out of your sight.”

“I’ll want a daily report,” Edward told Dom. “On the search for Audrey and on Ms. Raney. If necessary, bring in another agent to help you. Money is no object.”

“Yes, sir. I’ll contact you daily with updates. And if I think it necessary, I’ll ask for assistance.” Dom glanced at Desmond. “May I take Ms. Raney home now?”

“Yeah, sure. And one more thing—whatever Dundee’s finds out about Ms. Perkins and Ms. Raney, keep the Chattanooga PD informed.”

“I have your cell number,” Dom said.

Desmond nodded.

LAUSANNE WAITED in the study. Tapping her foot nervously while she sat, she folded and unfolded her hands, rubbing the perspiration into her palms. Her gaze scanned the elegant room, which was like something out of a magazine or off one of those TV shows about the rich and famous. Wonder what it cost to decorate a room like this? More than fifty thousand, she’d bet.

As her gaze traveled around the room, she paused on the marble fireplace and looked upward to the gold-framed oil painting of a woman. Slender and petite, with her golden red hair styled in a sleek page-boy cut the woman was pretty but not classically beautiful. Wonder who she is? Audrey Perkins’s mother perhaps. While working at Bedell, Inc., she’d heard rumors that Edward Bedell’s first wife had been the love of his life.

When the study door opened, Lausanne jumped up, intending to face Lt. Desmond and demand he allow her to go home. But instead she came face to face with Dom Shea.

“What do you want?” She scowled at him.

“I’m taking you home.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Lieutenant Desmond is releasing you and he instructed me to take you home.”

She eyed him speculatively.

“Ready?” he asked.

“Why did he tell you to take me home?”

“To make sure you get there safe and sound.”