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“Aw,” Paddy said with delight, settling back. “That hit the spot. I did everything you asked of me. It all went as planned.”
“Good.” Michael asked, “Is there anything you need to tell me? I don’t want to stay away from the house for too long.”
“I spoke to our mutual friend. Zu Landis hasn’t been found yet. Sneaky devil. Wouldn’t surprise me a bit if he was behind all of this.”
Michael blinked slowly, keeping his expression neutral. “Anything else?” He popped a pretzel into his mouth. Paddy was a good friend, but Michael trusted very few people these days.
“Yes.” The Irishman grabbed a handful of pretzels himself. “You are to do anything you deem necessary. You have carte blanche. But our friend wants you to know that if you screw up, he’s never heard of you.”
Michael nodded with a grim smile.
Paddy continued, “I’ll keep an eye on the house from my vantage point down the road. If you need anything, just holler.” He groaned, “I hope this doesn’t take long. I’m not sure my back is going to hold up. Sleeping in a car will cripple you faster than anything.”
“I’ve told you for years, you need to hire a partner. That way, you could switch off with him.”
“I don’t want a partner. I’m hoping to retire soon.”
“Aren’t we all?” Sarcasm dripped from Michael’s tongue.
“What about the girl?” Paddy asked. “Is she giving you any trouble? She looked like a little ball of fire to me. Am I right?”
“Kelly Hall,” Michael stated. “That’s her name.”
“Whatever.” The man’s ample middle shook like a bowl of jelly when he laughed, reminding Michael of a demented Santa Claus without the suit. “You always had a way with the ladies.”
“This one is different. I can’t figure her out.”
“How so?”
“She seems so sweet,” Michael said. “But I don’t trust her as far as I can throw her.”
“Good man. Never trust a pretty face.” Paddy shoved a pretzel into his mouth. He stopped crunching long enough to ask, “Are you living in her house now?”
“Of course. I’m her doting fiancé.” He waved a hand at Paddy as if to negate his dirty thoughts. “We don’t share a bed, though. I have a room at the end of an entirely different hallway. I could probably shout my head off and she wouldn’t hear me.”
“That’s convenient. Well, what about this Kelly Hall?” Paddy asked. “Do you think she had something to do with our current situation?”
“My gut tells me no, but I’ll keep my eye on her. As far as I’m concerned, everyone is suspect.” Michael drank half his beer in a few thirsty gulps. It felt good to relax and be himself. “I almost blew it today. I need to watch what I say. That lady is one sharp tack.”
“You can do it,” Paddy said. “I have faith in you. You can manage a cute little blonde with your hands tied behind your back.”
That didn’t sound like too bad of an idea. If he kept his hands tied behind his back, he wouldn’t be able to touch her. Touching her would lead to more trouble than he could handle.
“That woman looks at me and throws me off balance,” Michael admitted. “She’s an enigma. According to the reports you compiled for me, her only friends are an old lady living in the guest house and a mentally retarded man who does handyman work around her place.”
“Speaking of Margo Lane, have you met her yet?” Paddy winked. “She’s a fine looking lady. Not that I’ve been looking. I’m happily married.”
“Of course, you are.” Michael sighed, focusing on the question. “No, I haven’t met the neighbor yet. I saw the handyman. What was his name again? Wade something?”
“Carpenter.” Paddy laughed and slapped the bar. “Carpenter. That’s funny. Like a gardener named Plant or a baker named Baker. Funny, huh?”
Michael’s jaw tightened. He rarely found life amusing. He didn’t have time to ponder puns or think of jokes.
“Any news on where our buddy Landis could be holing up?” Michael asked, his eyebrows raised.
“Oh yeah.” Paddy smiled. “I was just about to get to that. Landis was spotted near Tulsa, Oklahoma. Keep your guard up. He’s too close for comfort.”
“I’d better go.” Michael glanced at his watch. “I have to get some supplies before returning to the house. Did you hear the weather? We may get snowed in.”
He finished his beer and stood up, searching the pockets of his jeans for money to pay for the drinks. His fingers came across a small circular object. He withdrew Kelly’s wedding ring and stared down at it as if it were a snake. The last thing he needed was for her to stumble across a piece of evidence like that. He slapped the ring down on the bar in front of Paddy.
“Do me a favor. Take this thing and get rid of it for me.”
“What do you want me to do with it?”
“I don’t care.” Michael shrugged. “Toss it in the garbage. Pawn it. Whatever.”
The bartender approached with another cold beer. He set it in front of Michael along with a folded piece of paper.
“I didn’t order this,” Michael said.
“It was paid for,” claimed the bartender. “A guy gave me a twenty to deliver the beer and the note.”
“Is that so?” Paddy asked. “What man?”
The bartender briefly scanned the bar. “I think he left right after he paid me. Enjoy the beer.”
Michael unfolded the note and read it. It was simple and to the point, stirring fear deep in the pit of his stomach. “First the girl. Then you.”
“What is it?” Paddy grabbed the note, reading it for himself. He swore beneath his beer-laden breath.
“Kelly,” Michael said, “I have to hurry. She could be in danger.”
“Do you need me?”
“Not yet.” He shook his head. “Stick to the plan. I’ll call you.”
Michael raced out the door, note in hand. He climbed into the Mustang and gunned the engine, determined to save Kelly. He told himself it was part of his job. He saved lives when possible. No one under his care died without a hard fight from him. He would die for the people he protected. He assured himself that Kelly was no more important than any of the others he’d guarded. It was nothing personal.
So why were his hands shaking like a tree in a hurricane?
THE GARAGE FLOOR was solid concrete. Smudges of dirt and oil stained the gray surface like an abstract painting. There were several holes in the ceiling, which was propped up on weathered wooden beams. Kelly rattled the door handles, but they wouldn’t budge. Taking a deep breath, she ran at one door and delivered a karate kick.
A horrible sound that made Kelly think of a dinosaur screaming in rage forced her eyes heavenward. She watched helplessly as a large beam sagged, the metal sheeting groaning in protest.
She backed away slowly.
Wrapping her arms around her body to ward off the chill, she straightened her spine. Her teeth were starting to chatter. Hypothermia was the biggest worry on her list, next to being crushed to death by the collapsing garage.
Dying was a possibility she didn’t want to consider. Her mind turned to other matters. Concentrating on facts, she thought about who had done this—and why.
Maybe it was a practical joke. It could have been Wade playing a game with her. He would let her out soon. Or maybe local kids daring each other to get closer to Moore House. They might have locked her in the garage to keep her from reporting them as trespassers.
She couldn’t think of anyone who would actually want her dead.
MICHAEL RACED THROUGH the house, yelling for Kelly at the top of his lungs. He searched the mausoleumlike mansion room by room, a thousand horrible thoughts flitting through his head. Something terrible could have happened to her. He imagined the worst.
When he made it upstairs and started searching bedrooms, he spotted a dog when he glanced out one of the windows. It was running around the garage, barking as if there was a rabbit inside.
Michael wished he had his .38 at his side. He took the fastest route to the garage, running down the back stairs. Within seconds he was outside.
A metal chain hung from one of the garage doors. A rusty lock had fallen to the ground nearby. He yelled Kelly’s name, wondering where she could be. Was she inside?
“Michael?” Her quavering voice reached his ears. “Michael!”
Something was wrong.
Without hesitating he charged inside. Getting to Kelly, making sure she was safe, was the only thought in his head.
“No!” Kelly yelled a warning, but it was too late.
Above him, he heard the screech of metal giving way. He looked up. A heavy wooden beam fell, coming straight at him. There was no time to jump out of the way. No time to think.
No time for one last prayer.
Chapter Four
“Look out!”
Kelly shouted the warning as Michael blundered into the garage, loosening the wooden beam as he entered. She watched in horror as it fell. Time slowed and a surreal quality clouded her vision. The large beam would crush him.
She rushed forward, reaching out with her hands. There wasn’t time to think about the consequences of her actions. She didn’t consider the possibility that they might both die.
Before she could reach him, Michael flew toward her.
He tackled her, knocking her backward. His arms went around her as he tried to cushion their landing. One of his hands held the back of her head, saving her from an inevitable concussion.
They hit the concrete hard. Whether by accident or design, Michael landed beside her instead of on her. She felt her spine rattle as if every bone was shattering. Pain shot through her limbs. The impact shook her beyond belief.
Explosive noise deafened her. For a moment she feared the entire garage was going to collapse on top of them. Michael covered her body with his own, shielding her from the debris.
When her ability to hear returned, the first sound her ears picked up was Michael’s harsh breathing. He turned his head slightly and his warm lips brushed her earlobe. The brief touch was comforting.
His entire body was warm, half covering hers, pressing her firmly against the cement floor. He lifted his head, and their eyes met. They were so different, polar opposites, but their bodies fit together like they’d been made to complement one another. Rough and smooth. Hard and soft.
A soft smile curved his mouth. Michael moved in for a kiss, and she closed her eyes in anticipation.
It wouldn’t be the first kiss they’d shared. He had kissed her several times after taking her to dinner in dimly lit restaurants. Those had been chaste kisses, a brief touch and then it was over. Michael was a gentleman, and she’d appreciated his restraint. But she longed now to kiss him passionately, desperately wanted to take his breath away.
Something had changed inside of him recently. She didn’t understand it, but she sensed it instantly. A mere look from Michael’s smoky eyes burned her to a crisp. She wanted him to kiss her, wanted it more than she could remember wanting anything in her entire lifetime.
The sound of barking cut through their intimacy like a sharp knife. Boomer came bounding toward them, greeting them with loud yelps. He wagged his tail, as if happy to see them still alive.
Kelly laughed at Michael’s wry expression as he rolled to one side.
“Boomer was alone in Margo’s house and there’s no sign of her. I’m worried.”
“Why?”
“You know it isn’t like her to leave without a word, much less to leave Boomer to fend for himself. She doesn’t have a car. Where could she have gone?” Kelly shook her head, unable to understand why Michael wasn’t concerned, too. “Her house was a mess, like it’d been ransacked. I guess she could have had family over and maybe they took off suddenly.”
“Or maybe they went to town for supplies and they’ll be back soon,” he said. “Perhaps they’d already heard about the snow. That’s always possible.”
“Yes.” She smiled in relief. “You’re right. I’ll call her later, if the phone starts working again.”
“What’s wrong with the phone?”
“It’s dead.” She shrugged. “If I can’t get her on the phone, I’ll have to walk over there again later. I want to make sure she knows we have Boomer. I know I won’t stop worrying about her until we find out what happened to her.”
“Understood.” Michael didn’t try to talk her out of her concern for the elderly woman as he stood and pulled Kelly to her feet. She wobbled slightly, trying to find her balance. His arm went around her waist to steady her, but she gently pushed him away. She didn’t need to lean on him. She was a survivor. Molten steel hardened in her spine. She straightened, standing taller, chin held high.
They surveyed the damage together. The beam had fallen to the cement floor at an angle along with small pieces of debris, but the roof seemed to be holding strong.
“We should get out of here, just in case,” Michael said. “Are you okay?”
“Fine.” She forced a smile. “Thanks to you.”
“No.” He jerked his head at the dog now sitting beside his feet. “Thanks to Boomer. He pushed me from behind. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be a pancake.”
Kelly gazed up at him, not trusting her voice.
“How did you lock yourself in here, angel?”
His question floated through her mind. Angel. How could one solitary word pack such a punch? It seemed to hit her in the gut, knocking the air from her lungs. A memory connected with the word teased the back of her mind. She almost grasped it, but at the last second it faded into nothingness.
“Hey!” Michael broke through her trance. “What’s wrong? Can you hear me?”
Kelly’s eyes snapped up to meet his. He was staring at her, his expression filled with concern again. He probably thought she was losing her mind. He’d asked her a simple question and she had zoned out on him.
“I’m fine, really. I was just thinking.” She pointed at the doors. “Someone locked me in. I stepped inside the garage and the doors swung shut. I heard the chain being linked together.” She looked directly at him. “How did you get past the lock?”
“The doors weren’t locked.” He raked a hand through his dark hair, gazing around at the mess.
“They were locked,” she insisted. “I tried them. I even kicked at them. They wouldn’t budge.”
“Well, they weren’t locked when I arrived. I only came tearing in here like an idiot because you screamed my name and I thought you might be hurt.”
Kelly took a deep breath, then shivered. “I’m cold,” she said. “Let’s go back to the house.”
