Undercover Fiance

“How did the cops do with the interviews?”

Good humor fled. “The sheriff doesn’t believe me about Pinky. He acted as if I’m deliberately concealing Pinky’s identity. Or that it’s somehow my fault the garage burned down.”

“Humph. I should have warned you. Cops have a bad habit of forgetting who the victim is. Did I tell you my stalker had me arrested?”

“You mentioned it.” Appetite gone, she set the sandwich on the plate. She eyed her drink, seriously considering the oblivion alcohol offered.

“Buck up. We’ll catch him. He’ll get tagged with attempted murder and arson.”

She didn’t see how. Nobody claimed to have seen anyone hanging around the garage before the fire. Nobody confessed to setting the blaze. Anger washed through her. “I gave Pinky’s letters and cards to the sheriff. He probably thinks they’re cute. Like mash notes from a teenager.”

He chewed thoughtfully on a steak and cheese sandwich. He toyed with a pickle spear. “One good thing. Pinky isn’t worried about your father anymore. My plan is working out great.”

“I am so relieved,” she said dryly. The fire today was going to seem like a picnic compared to how the colonel was going to react when he found out she’d been concealing her problem with Pinky. “What if he decides to set the lodge on fire?”

He ate half the sandwich before he wiped his mouth with a napkin and replied. “I doubt it. Yeah, he lost it at the garage, but there was a lot of temptation. Gas cans sitting around. You and me alone in a private place. I have a feeling he reacted before he realized he could hurt you.”

The door drew her gaze. As a precaution the sheriff had assigned a deputy to patrol the resort. She wished for an occupying army. “What if he knows you’re in here right now?”

“No gas cans sitting in the hallway.”

“Don’t be flippant. He tried to murder us.”

He reached across the small table and placed a hand over hers. Her breath caught in her throat. When he joked around and acted like a chauvinistic clown, she found him easy to dismiss as just another conceited, too-big-for-his-britches playboy. With his eyes gazing steadily into hers he appeared somehow dangerous. And sexy. Her belly did a little flip-flop.

“I won’t let anything happen to you, Janine.” He squeezed her fingers.

“Who will make sure nothing happens to you?”

His smile caught her off guard. “Why, cupcake, I do believe you care.” Chuckling, he returned his attention to the food. “Don’t you worry about me.”

It bothered her deeply that she was doing exactly that. “In any case, you’ve done your job. I thank you with all my heart. But it is time for you to leave.”

“I haven’t finished my sandwich.”

“I was thinking about in the morning.”

He made a dismissive sound. “I thought I wasn’t fired.”

“The police are involved now. They’ll find Pinky. It’s too dangerous for you to stay here.”

“If Pinky runs me off, then he’ll get the idea that violence is the answer to his problems.”

“He wouldn’t dare.”

“Don’t count on it. Since he attacked in broad daylight he doesn’t care about witnesses. It’s plain dumb luck nobody saw him.”

She clamped her arms over her bosom and focused on him her most frigid glare.

“Look at this situation from his point of view. You’re his goddess, the love of his life. He needs an excuse to justify his own cowardice. Who do you want him to blame, me or your dad?”

“But the police—”

“He may very well be a sociopath and capable of lying convincingly to the police.” He freshened her drink with a splash of bourbon. “We can’t let him think for a second that he can control you with violence.”

Sickening visions of Pinky murdering her father turned her shaky inside.

“You can’t placate these nuts. You can’t let them take control. You have to push back, fight back. No amount of wishing makes them go away.”

“How am I supposed to fight back when I don’t even know who he is?”

“Don’t let him run me off.”

If it were only her own safety at risk, she would argue. She would accept the protection offered by the police and suffer Pinky’s harassment. But if Pinky could so blithely attempt to burn her to death, who knew what he’d do to her father. “I’m scared if we make him mad he’ll hurt the colonel.”

“I’ll keep him so busy he won’t even think about your dad. I promise.” He yawned mightily and covered his mouth with his hand. “Sorry.”

“You must be exhausted. I’ll show you to your room. It’s just down the hall.”

“I’m staying here.” He jerked a thumb at the door. “Rustle me up a blanket and share a few pillows. I’ll be fine on the floor.”

Awareness of her nakedness under the robe warmed her blood. She wished Daniel did look like Raymond Burr, preferably grossly overweight. “Is that necessary?”

“It is until we know for certain Pinky doesn’t have access to room keys.” He shifted on the chair and reached to his side. A fastener snapped. He placed a handgun on the table.

Her eyebrows raised. The colonel had taught all his children weapons safety and how to shoot. Still, the sight of such compact deadliness dismayed her. “A Luger 9 mm. Nice. Do you have a concealed carry permit?”

His sudden smile dazzled her. For a scant second she forgot Pinky and the handgun. Nothing mattered except the powerful warmth of his smile. If only he weren’t such a conceited jackass....

“The lady knows peashooters. I think I’m in love. And yes, I have a concealed carry permit. Who other than you has a key to this room?”

“My mother.”

“Is there a master key?”

She winced. “Yes.”

“Prepare a pallet then, woman. I’m your guard dog tonight.”

Chapter Four

At 5:00 a.m. on the dot Janine awakened. She glared at the clock. Around three in the morning she’d snapped wide awake. It had finally hit her—Pinky had tried to murder her. Shaking with chills despite the sweat suit she wore to bed, she’d spent the rest of the night hugging a pillow and listening for the beastly roar of flames. She’d finally drifted back to sleep, but habit awakened her. No amount of exhaustion would allow her to go back to sleep now.

Groggy and irritable, she tiptoed around in the dark so as not to disturb Daniel. By feel she selected slacks, a sweater and a blazer and carried them into the bathroom. She glumly studied her face in the mirror. The scratch on her head was reddened and inflamed. It hurt to touch it. No way would she consider putting makeup atop the wound. “Not so gorgeous now,” she muttered. She hoped Pinky got a good look at her “perfect” face today and felt bad about it.

After she showered, dried her hair and dressed, she opened the door a crack and peered out. She couldn’t see Daniel in the darkness. She wanted to let him sleep, but she had a resort to run.

“Too late to awaken me with a kiss.”