All They Ever Wanted (20 page)

Excited tittering and gasps echoed among her guests and
Patricia tried to keep the exasperation from her voice. “Right now, I'm
not
thinking about it. I'm taking care of my guests. I'll happily discuss it with you tomorrow.” That was an interview Patricia was definitely looking forward to. “Now if you'll excuse me, Mr. and Mrs. Benson need my attention right now.”

Tanya looked as if she might say something more, but Lamar was wearing his intimidating military policeman's face. With a smirk and a wave to the crowd, she closed the front door. Lamar gestured to the Bensons to lead the way down the hallway to Patricia's office located in the corner of the kitchen.

“Y'all have a good night now,” Patricia said to her guests as she limped behind the Bensons. “If there's anything you need, just let Cassidy know.” She shot the teenager a look that clearly said:
Stay here.
Cassidy's shoulders slumped, but she remained in the foyer.

“Would you mind if I had a look around your room?” Lamar asked once they'd reached the kitchen.

“It won't do you any good.” Mr. Benson had become quite defensive. “I checked everywhere.”

Lamar nodded patiently. “All right, then I'm happy to file a police report.”

Patricia swallowed harshly. This had the potential for negative publicity for the inn. The Bensons were avid golfers who traveled frequently. The word of mouth alone could damage the Tide Me Over Inn's reputation.

“You'll need the report to file a claim with your insurance,” Lamar continued.

“The insurance company will demand an investigation,” Mr. Benson said. “That bracelet was insured for twenty-five thousand dollars.”

This time when Patricia went to swallow, nothing was moving. Lamar didn't flinch at Benson's declaration, however.

“If you happen to have a photograph, that's helpful, too,” he said. “I'll have my department check the area pawn dealers to see if it turns up.”

“It still may turn up somewhere here in the inn,” Patricia interjected. “As I said before, we'll conduct a thorough search for it.”

Mrs. Benson gave her a pitying look. “I know I put it away with my other jewelry, Mrs. McAlister. It didn't just walk off on its own.”

“But none of your other jewelry is missing, is that right?” It was Patricia's turn to be defensive. One of Lamar's eyebrows rose up slightly, but he let her continue. “If someone were going to steal it, why not take the entire jewelry roll?”

Mr. Benson clicked his teeth together. “This is getting us nowhere. My wife's bracelet is missing. It might be somewhere in this inn or, more likely, in somebody's pocket. I suggest you check with your staff, Mrs. McAlister. Sheriff, we'll stop by your office on our way out of town in the morning. I'll have my insurance agent fax you a photo of the bracelet then. Nicki, let's go up to our room now.”

Patricia opened her mouth to say more but the warning look in Lamar's eyes stopped her. She let the Bensons leave the room without so much as a good night. Lamar held up his hand, allowing for the couple to get some distance down the hall before he spoke. They stared at each other in the quiet room for a full minute until Patricia couldn't take it any longer.

“What else is missing?” she hissed.

Lamar sucked in a deep breath and Patricia knew she wasn't going to like what was coming. “The pen, Greer's watch, a silver charm bracelet, your crystal paperweight, and a gold wedding band.”

Patricia stumbled to the closest chair and sank down into it. “How long has this been going on?”

“Since your accident.”

“And no one thought to let me in on the secret?”

“Your hip was mending. Miles and I were handling it.”

“You and Miles?” Patricia was incredulous wondering how things had gotten so out of hand. “Lamar, when I asked you two to get along, I didn't mean for you both to gang up against me! This is still my inn.”

“Damn it, I know it's your inn, Patricia.” Lamar tossed his campaign hat onto a nearby chair and rubbed his hands over his head. He took a step closer and knelt down before her. “And nobody is ‘ganging up on you.' You need to face the fact that
the men in your life are going to protect you. It's what we were bred to do. You can fault your husband and your sons all you want, but they're just doing their jobs. Because they love you. And so do I.” He took both her hands in his larger ones, bringing them up to his lips for a gentle kiss.

Tears gathered behind her eyes. “It seems I'm destined to fall in love with men who'd rather be white knights.”

He looked up at her with a solemn expression. “It's who I am, Tricia. I'm too old to change now.”

She leaned down and kissed him on the nose and then on the lips. Lamar slowly stood up, gently lifting her so her body was flush against his. Patricia wrapped her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss.

“If we're going to move forward with this relationship, we need to be able to work this out,” Patricia said as his lips grazed her collarbone. “I'll agree to let you protect me, if you'll agree that protecting me doesn't mean keeping secrets.”

“Deal,” he murmured against her neck.

Patricia met his lips for another deep kiss.

“Hey,” Cassidy interrupted them. “You said he wasn't here to fool around.”

Lamar mumbled something unkind about teenagers before he lowered Patricia back into her seat. “Cass, you wouldn't happen to know anything about these missing items, would you?” he asked.

Both women stared at Lamar in astonishment. “Hey! You don't think I had anything to do with this?” Cassidy asked with a huff. “I'm not my mother.”

“Of course not,” Patricia answered quickly while shooting Lamar a pleading look.

He was silent for a moment before shaking his head. “No, I don't think you're guilty of anything, Cass. But you are a very perceptive young woman and you seem to know everything that goes on in this town. I was just wondering if you'd heard anything. Or if you had any other theories.”

The teenager went from belligerent to preening at the sheriff's words. “My theory is that the pen and the bracelet rolled into a nook or cranny in their room. Maybe under the radiator.”

“We're missing more than a pen and diamond tennis bracelet, Cass. It seems a gold ring, a charm bracelet”—Patricia glanced over at Lamar before continuing—“Greer's watch, and the crystal paperweight from the Edinburgh Suite have all disappeared from the B and B the past few weeks.”

It was obvious from the look on Cassidy's face that she wasn't the culprit and neither did she have any idea who might be. Patricia was relieved and frustrated at the same time.

“And nobody told me?” Cassidy asked incredulously.

“Join the club.” Patricia stood and gave Lamar a reassuring pat on the chest. “But we're all going to work together to solve this mystery before any more damage is done to the B and B's reputation.”

There was a knock on the screen door and Deputy Hayden Lovell walked into the kitchen. “Sorry to interrupt, Boss, but something's come up.”

Lamar looked at the deputy quizzically. “You could have reached me by radio.”

Deputy Lovell glanced at Patricia and Cassidy before turning back to Lamar. “I didn't think this was something the whole town should hear.”

With a nod, Lamar and the deputy stepped to the opposite side of the kitchen. Patricia was still able to make out the gist of their conversation.

“The FBI is in town,” Deputy Lovell said. “They've commandeered the station house as their command post.”

She watched anxiously as the tension gripped Lamar's body. Deputy Lovell handed him a folded-up piece of paper.

“They've been using facial recognition cameras in bus stations to track down some of their most wanted,” the deputy explained. “They got a hit today here in Chances Inlet. I played dumb with the feds. I wasn't sure how you wanted me to handle it.”

“Damn,” Lamar said grimly before turning to face Patricia.

She knew instantly who he was talking about. “Lori.”

“Is she still here, Tricia?”

“No!” Cassidy said from behind Patricia. “I'm sure she's already left.”

“The ticket she bought was for tomorrow morning's bus,” Deputy Lovell said.

“She's not a criminal,” Cassidy cried. “You're not going to turn her in, are you, Sheriff?”

“I think for now, I need some answers. We'll figure out what to do from there. I'd like to check her room, please, Tricia.”

“Not without me you don't.”

He nodded, albeit reluctantly.

“Everything is going to be fine, Cassidy,” Patricia tried to console the worried teenager. “You just need to make sure the guests stay out of this side of the inn.”

Cassidy nodded as Lamar helped Patricia up the two flights of stairs to the loft room Lori occupied. A sliver of light shone through the door and Patricia wasn't sure whether she was relieved that the woman she'd come to admire was safe or frightened that she hadn't already made her escape.

Patricia knocked on the door. “Lori, it's Patricia. I need to speak with you.” She looked over at Lamar's grim face. “It's an emergency.”

They could hear the sound of urgent movement in the room, but it took a moment before the door was flung open. The wind rushed out of Patricia's lungs at the sight of Miles, shirtless with his pants barely on, standing in the entryway. Lamar huffed in frustration behind her.

“Mom?” Miles' eyes were wide with worry. “What's wrong? Are you all right?”

“Get dressed, both of you,” Lamar ordered. “We need to talk.”

Patricia leaned against the wall, her head spinning, hoping the last half hour was all a dream she was going to wake up from soon.

T
he sound of Patricia's startled intake of breath spurred Lori's sated muscles to move quickly as she pulled on her clothing. Miles blocked the doorway, shielding her from view with his body. Still, a sense of foreboding settled deep in the pit of her stomach. Tessa jumped from the chair, wagging her tail, as she tried to squeeze out the door to greet Patricia.

“What the hell is going on?” Miles demanded. His demeanor had quickly gone from concerned to defensive.

“I'd ask you the same thing,” his mother countered sharply, “but we haven't time.”

Lori slipped on her shoes, dreading the next few moments. She knew precisely what was going on. She'd lingered too long. She grabbed her backpack off the dresser and draped the strap of her duffel bag over her shoulder. “I'm leaving now.”

Miles turned to her then, confusion and alarm etched on his face. His blue eyes narrowed. “You're not going anywhere until someone answers my question.”

“I'll be happy to tell you what's going on,” a familiar voice said from the hallway behind the sheriff.

Lori froze as her heart sank at the sound.

“He just barged in!” Cassidy said with a huff and Lori felt the tears begin to form behind her eyes. It seemed she was to be humiliated in front of everyone she'd come to love here in Chances Inlet.

“Who the hell are you?” Miles demanded.

“Special Agent Matt Kovaluk of the FBI's Organized Crime Unit.”

The flinch in Miles' torso was slight, but given how in tune she was with his body, Lori had no trouble detecting it. Miles pulled on his shirt, his rigid frame still filling the doorway. She wished she could freeze time and stay like this forever, with Miles still respecting her and Patricia and Cassidy still caring about her. But the truth would inevitably come out. It was better to just rip off the Band-Aid now. She blinked back her tears—she knew firsthand how Agent Kovaluk preyed on weakness—and gently squeezed Miles' arm before stepping out from behind him.

“Hello, Mallory.” Matt Kovaluk was leaning a shoulder against the wall wearing a cat-ate-the-canary grin on his face. His mossy green eyes were alight with the thrill of victory. She'd trusted those eyes once. Her body trembled with disgust now. Kovaluk was fit and muscular like Miles, but with sandy blond hair and a surfer's demeanor. The agent had used that sunny, laidback personality to insinuate himself into her life in order to unveil her secrets.

“Hello, Matthew,” she said. “At least you didn't lie about your first name.”

“Now, Mallory, that would be the pot calling the kettle black here, wouldn't it?” His face sobered suddenly. “Matthew Everett
is
my name. I just left off the Kovaluk part. My excuse is that I was working undercover. Do you want to share with these fine folks
your
reason for concealing your true identity, Mal?”

Lori shivered.

“That's enough,” Miles snapped. He wrapped his fingers around her biceps and pulled her body next to his warmer one. “Don't let him badger you, Lori. Perhaps you should explain yourself, Agent Kovaluk.”

Matt's eyebrow arched when Miles referred to her as
“Lori” and that insufferable grin returned to his face. “Going back to your humble roots, I see,
Lori
.” He shook his head before he squared off in front of Miles. “Your . . .
friend's
real name is Mallory Dykstrom. If the name sounds familiar it's because she's the daughter of Leonard Dykstrom. The same Leonard Dykstrom who stole millions from unsuspecting investors.”

The air seemed to still in the hallway and Lori was having trouble drawing a breath. Miles' grip tightened on her arm before his body recoiled and his fingers slid away from her skin. She gulped down a sob before it could escape her lips.

“That's not possible.” Miles' tone was disbelieving, yet the inches separating their bodies now felt like a gulf. “That can't be.”

Patricia's cheeks were damp and Cassidy gasped in surprise. Lamar's face was stoic but his eyes were calculating. Lori didn't dare look at Miles. She didn't want to see the regret that was surely in his eyes. Grabbing her by the elbow, Miles didn't give her a choice as he spun her around. The revulsion she saw on his face was worse than she imagined and her knees grew weak. Were it not for his fingers digging into her skin, she'd be on the floor.

“Tell me he's lying, Lori.” Miles jerked her body back and forth before Lamar reached over to pull her from his grasp. “Leonard Dykstrom stole millions from innocent people. Elderly people who have nothing left to live the rest of their lives on. Defeating cheating bastards like him is one of the focal points of my campaign.” His voice rose in frustration. “Hell, he stole money from my brother, Ryan, and dozens of people in this town!” He stepped closer to her. “Tell me he's lying. Please,” he demanded.

Lori blew out a ragged breath, unable to meet his eyes.

Miles unleashed a string of obscenities as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Damn you!” His eyes darted to the bed. “How could you? Jesus, how could you hurt so many innocent people?”

I didn't!
she wanted to scream. But she remained silent. It was no use protesting. Her father had used her, just like he used
everyone else in his life. She'd suspected for months that something wasn't right, but she'd been enjoying her new life too much to question the flow of money through her restaurant. Just as Miles was being tainted by the sins of his father, so would she. In her case, she was culpable simply for turning a blind eye.

“Well, kids, this has been fun,” Matt interjected. When Lori shot an angry glare at him, she thought she saw a touch of remorse in those green eyes before he donned his mask again. “I've got a jet waiting to take us back to New York. We've got a lot of catching up to do, Mal, starting with where dear old Dad is hiding out.”

Patricia looked at Sheriff Hollister anxiously.

“Not so fast,” the sheriff said when Matt reached for Lori's duffel bag.

The agent arched an eyebrow at the sheriff, who was pulling his handcuffs off his belt.

“I got here first.” The sheriff gently guided Lori's hands behind her back. “Lori—Mallory Dykstrom, you're being taken in for questioning regarding felony larceny. It seems a twenty-five-thousand-dollar tennis bracelet and other assorted items have disappeared from this B and B while you've been working here. You're not leaving Chances Inlet until this case is cleared up.”

The sound of the handcuffs clicking shut echoed off the walls.

“Oh, no you don't, Sheriff,” Matt protested. “I've been chasing after her for nearly seven months now. She's wanted on eighty-seven counts of fraud. A federal warrant trumps whatever you've got in your pocket.”

Lori heard a little squeak escape Patricia's lips.

“Mmm,” Lamar said. “Correct me if I'm wrong, Agent Kovaluk, but I thought Leonard Dykstrom was the only person indicted on those charges?”

“Mallory is being charged as an accessory,” Matt growled. “It's only a matter of protocol for me to get the warrant.”

“Then get your warrant. For now, she's coming with me.”

Matt stepped up closer to the sheriff, his jaw tight. “Don't
be a hero, Sheriff. I know you think you're doing the right thing here by protecting her. But this is bigger than both of us. You do realize she stole money from a lot of people in this town, including half the city council. You're risking your job by interfering.”

“Again, her father is the only one indicted for stealing that money,” Lamar said, and Lori wanted to wrap her arms around his neck and hug him for defending her when no one else ever had. “And the way I see it, I'm doing what I was elected to do.”

Matt huffed out an explosive sigh before he plastered his boyish grin back on his face. “I'm not letting her out of my sight. Mal and I can catch up with each other just as easily in your quaint little jailhouse as we can in the New York Regional Office. Lead the way, Sheriff.”

Lori risked a last glance over her shoulder to see if Miles had any reaction to the tug-of-war going on over her fate. His chin was dropped to his chest in that familiar pensive pose. She wanted to say something to him; what, she wasn't sure. An apology was in order for the way her presumed guilt would damage his campaign. Lori opened her mouth to speak just as Patricia gave her elbow a soft squeeze. The older woman shook her head slightly before her mouth turned up in a supportive smile.

“Everything is going to work out,” she mouthed as Lamar guided her toward the stairs.

“I'll take care of Tessa,” Cassidy called after them. “Don't worry, Lori. Okay?”

A single tear found its way down Lori's cheek as she gave Cassidy what she hoped was a reassuring nod. They'd made it to the foyer when she heard Miles' voice behind them.

“Wait!”

Lamar halted at the door and Lori turned to see Miles running down the stairs in his bare feet, his shirt unbuttoned and billowing open to reveal the muscled chest she loved to run her hands over. His blue eyes were blazing with his Dudley Do-Right determination. Unfortunately, he was looking through her again; just as he had all those weeks ago. Lori swallowed another sob.

“Lamar, you do everything by the book, you hear me?” Miles trained his fierce stare on Matt. “Make sure that Special Agent Kovaluk does as well.”

None of them saw the television camera until its light blinded them. Before she knew it, Lori was safely out of view in the back of the sheriff's cruiser. Miles was left standing on the veranda, vulnerable and exposed to ruination, thanks to her. She didn't bother holding back the tears this time.

*   *   *

“Congressional candidate Miles McAlister got caught with his pants down tonight, quite literally. It seems the thirty-three-year-old special assistant to the governor was doing more than just helping to run his mother's bed-and-breakfast while he was in Chances Inlet.” Tanya Sheppard smirked at the audience during her live broadcast on the eleven o'clock news.

“Jesus, she should get fired for making such a ridiculous double entendre like that.” Gavin balled up a dirty sock and threw it at the television screen. His goofy dog scrambled from its bed to retrieve it. An hour earlier, Miles' brother had rescued him from the B and B following an urgent phone call from their mother. Ginger stayed behind to help Cassidy with the breakfast the next morning.

Tanya continued reporting from the lawn of their mother's inn. “The Tide Me Over Inn behind me was the last stop in a nationwide manhunt for Mallory Dykstrom, daughter of Leonard Dykstrom, the man who orchestrated one of the largest Ponzi schemes on U.S. soil.”

The screen was suddenly filled with a picture of a very glamorous Lori, wearing a designer gown and enough jewelry to require her own armed guard. She was smiling brightly, her rich auburn hair shimmering like a new penny as she stood with her father on the red carpet at some charity event. The repeated stabbing that kept assaulting Miles' chest for the past two hours continued to plague him.

Gavin let out a little whistle before he mumbled under his breath. “Damn. She's a redhead.”

Miles clenched his fingers into fists as Tanya droned on.
“It seems the elusive daughter of one of the country's most wanted criminals was hiding out in Chances Inlet, where she was working as a cook and housekeeper at the fashionable B and B. Apparently, however, she was doing more than just baking and cleaning. Before the FBI could take Ms. Dykstrom into custody, Sheriff Lamar Hollister escorted her to the station house for questioning regarding a series of thefts, including a twenty-five-thousand-dollar diamond tennis bracelet. These revelations apparently came as a shock to local congressional candidate, Miles McAlister.”

The video of Miles chasing Lori and her armed entourage onto the veranda played on screen again, making Miles groan with embarrassment.

“Nice abs,” Gavin joked.

Miles flipped his brother off as he took another swallow from his bottle of beer.

“Aw, come on, bro. I'm trying to lighten the mood here. You need to cut yourself some slack. None of this is your fault. And none of it is life or death.”

“Tell that to Mom as Tanya trashes the B and B's reputation on the air,” Miles said.

“I think Mom's more worried about Lori than she is about her inn right now.”

“You mean Mallory,” Miles corrected him. He had to force his tongue to spit the name out. Miles couldn't seem to wrap his head around the events of this evening. A conflagration of feelings churned in his gut, the strongest of which was betrayal. Everything he'd heard about Mallory Dykstrom seemed to contradict the woman he'd come to respect and desire these past few weeks. Obviously, he'd been letting the wrong body part act as his guide.

Tanya wrapped up her segment, throwing it back to the anchors. “Chances Inlet is famous for second chances. It's safe to say that Mallory Dykstrom won't get one. The question is, will Miles McAlister?”