Harlequin Intrigue, Box Set 1 of 2 (36 page)

I don't know who paid off my student loans.

Freddie Callahan bought the inventory for the store. I didn't have much money when I came to Mystic Glades.

No, I didn't take the two hundred thousand dollars from the safe. Calvin did.

Yes, I took the money from Calvin, but only because he shouldn't have taken it in the first place. I don't have it anymore. No, I didn't spend it. I donated it to charity. I saw on the news which charity Mr. Genovese's estate had donated everything to so I sent the money to the same one, just like the lawyers would have done if Calvin had never taken the money.

No, of course I don't have a receipt. It was an anonymous donation.

Jake had heard enough. He was disgusted with himself for trusting Faye, and for letting himself fall for her. Because there was no question any more that he
had
fallen for her. Only a lovesick fool would have believed the lies she'd told him, especially with his background as a police detective. He should have known better. He did know better. But he'd closed his eyes to all the signs that pointed to her guilt. He'd convinced himself it was all Gillette, when Faye was just as guilty as her brother.

The door on the interview room opened and Detective Davey stepped out, pulling a handcuffed Faye along with him to be processed into the jail.

Her eyes widened when she saw Jake sitting at the desk a few feet away with Holder.

“Jake,” she called out. “They're arresting me. Help me. I don't know what to do.”

He steeled himself against the panic in her voice. She was a liar, a thief, a criminal. And so damn beautiful it almost hurt to look at her. But he'd never be fooled by that beautiful shell again. Because the woman inside was ugly.

Her brows creased with confusion. “Jake?”

He stood and walked out of the squad room without looking back.

* * *

J
AKE
STOOD
IN
front of his bathroom mirror and studied his reflection. Freshly showered, freshly shaved, dressed in a clean pair of jeans with his shirt tucked in, he should have felt like a new man. Especially after spending most of the past week hiking through mud and swamps. Instead, he felt empty. Drained.

And guilty as hell.

He kept hearing Faye's voice. Not when she'd asked him for help, but when she'd called out his name. Just one word, four letters, but they'd carried so much fear, pain and ultimately confusion as she realized he wasn't going to help her.

Had he done the right thing? He didn't have a clue. His life had been black-and-white before this case. The lines between good and bad were clear, solid, easy to separate. Now? Now everything was murky and gray. Because even though Faye had lied, so many times, and she'd broken the law, he was making excuses for her. And he was doing everything he could to keep himself busy so he wouldn't jump in his car and drive back to the station and beg for her forgiveness.

His phone rang, the landline in the kitchen, which was the only way anyone could get in touch with him now that Quinn had destroyed his cell phone. He'd have to remember to pick up a new one. Maybe tomorrow. Because tonight he was pretty sure he was going to end up too drunk to go anywhere.

He grabbed the phone on the second ring. “Young.”

“Would it have killed you to call your business partner and friend to let me know you're alive?”

He plopped down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. “Dex. Sorry. So much has been going on. You're right. I should have called.”

“You sound like hell.”

“I feel like hell.”

“Well, maybe this will make you feel better. When you didn't call—after I went to all that trouble to convince Holder to go to Mystic Glades and look for you and save your sorry butt, I might add—I called him for an update. He brought me up to speed. He told me the charges against Faye were dropped.”

Jake straightened in his chair. “What? What are you talking about? When did you talk to him?”

“About five minutes ago. Seems that her claim about donating the two hundred grand has been corroborated by the charity. They pulled their records and confirmed the donation was made when Faye said it was, and that it was made in Genovese's name. The Tuscaloosa police were more than happy not to pursue charges. With Quinn as their guy for Genovese's murder, they can close that case and move on.”

“But...what about the student loans? Faye paid off sixty thousand dollars' worth, right after that money was taken from the safe.”

“No,
Freddie Callahan
paid off Faye's student loans. Some guy named Buddy drove Freddie to the station with a receipt for the payment to prove it. Apparently Freddie thinks of Faye as a daughter and didn't want her to worry about her debts. But she didn't want Faye to feel beholden to her, so she paid the loans anonymously. She's innocent. All charges dropped. She's on her way back to Mystic Glades right now.”

Jake groaned and dropped his forehead against the table.

“Jake? This is a good thing, right? Jake?”

“I'm such an idiot. I totally screwed up. I thought she was guilty.”

“We both did. No big deal. Wait. Why does it matter?”

Jake didn't say anything.

“Um, okay,” Dex said. “I'm guessing there's a whole lot more to your little trip through the Everglades than you've told me. And I'm also guessing we care what Miss Star thinks now?”

Jake forced himself to sit up. “Yes. No.” He cursed viciously.

“All righty then. I'm going to hang up. Call me back when you're in a better mood.”

Jake clutched the phone. “I did her wrong, Dex. I hurt her. I don't expect she'll ever be able to forgive me. I don't even want her to. I don't deserve it. I didn't believe in her. But I should have.”

“Well, then maybe you need to show her you believe in her now.”

“Yeah, right. It's a little late for that. How am I supposed to do that? I didn't believe she was innocent. I didn't believe in
her
, or even what was important to her. I've mocked her belief system more than once. I called it woo-woo science. At least twice.”

“Ouch. You're toast.”

“Pretty much. I just wish there was something I could do to make it up to her. She's lost her brother. He's going to prison for a long time. And she's been alone most of her life. She even had this crazy idea about her future, a plan, all because of some fortune-teller.” He stiffened. “Wait. That's it. That's what I can do to make it up to her. I can give her back her future, her dreams.”

“Uh, hey, pal. I think you might have been hitting the bottle a bit early today.”

“Nope. Haven't had a drop. You have that fancy computer of yours handy?”

“Always. Why?”

“I need to you to surf the net for me.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Jake drove past the alligator sign that announced the entrance to Mystic Glades and drove under the arch.

Bam!
Something exploded against his window. He slammed on his brakes.
Bam! Bam!
Two more missiles exploded against the glass, spilling their slimy, yellow goo.

Eggs. Someone was pelting his car with eggs. Awesome.

He turned the windshield washer on and continued down the street. More eggs slammed against the windshield, the roof, his door. But whoever the culprits were, they were hiding so well he hadn't seen any of them. He continued his drive of shame down the street, past The Moon and Star, and parked in front of Swamp Buggy Outfitters.

He got out of the car with the tool he'd bought after Dex had located a store for him.
Bam!
An egg slammed against the side of his head. He clenched his jaw and ignored the sticky slime as it dribbled down his jaw. He marched into SBO.

Buddy was sitting with the other old-timers by a display of canoes. His gaze shot to the egg dripping from Jake's hair as Jake strode toward him. Buddy stood, his jaw tight when Jake stopped right in front of him.

“Buddy, I need to borrow your swamp buggy.”

Bam!
White-hot fire burst inside Jake's skull as he flew backward from the force of Buddy's punch. He landed on a display of beanbag chairs that thankfully softened his fall. He held his hand to his throbbing cheek and pushed himself upright just as Buddy and his crew circled around him like a pack of vultures ready to pick his bones, except they weren't willing to wait until he was dead before starting their meal.

Buddy drew back his fist again.

Jake held his hands up in surrender. “I deserved that. I deserved that and a whole lot more. And if you want to beat me to a pulp I'll let you, but not right now. I have something more important to do. And I need your help.”

Buddy bobbed on his feet like a championship boxer waiting for an opening. “And why would I want to help a slimeball like you?”

“Because I'm not asking you to help me. I'm asking you to help Faye.”

He slowly lowered his fists and gave him a suspicious look. “Start talking.”

* * *

F
AYE
STOOD
BESIDE
Amy and Freddie looking out the front window of her shop toward SBO.

“What do you think he's doing in there?” Amy asked. “And what was it he carried in there? It looked like a cattle prod or something.”

Faye shook her head. “I have no idea.” She chewed her bottom lip. “He's been in there a while. I hope he's okay.”

Freddie snorted beside her. “Quit worrying about him. Whatever happens, he's probably getting what he deserves. And we certainly don't care.” She grabbed Faye's shoulders and pulled her away from the window.

“Wait,” Amy called out. “That huge glass window is opening up like a door on the front of the store.” She pressed her hand to her chest. “Oh, my gosh. What are they doing?”

Faye and Freddie hurried back to the window. Buddy's brand-new, state-of-the-art swamp buggy rolled through the enormous door out onto the street. Buddy was driving. At least a dozen of his friends were sitting on top of the platform with him. And standing beside Buddy was Jake, holding that crazy-looking pole contraption he'd had when he got out of the car.

The buggy turned and headed down the street, toward the swamp.

“What in the world are they doing?” Amy cried.

Freddie pulled Faye back from the window again. “Like I already said, we don't care. Faye, you said you'd make up a batch of that hand lotion for my friend, Estelle. Well, time's a wastin' and she's not getting any younger.”

Faye let her friend lead her to the counter. There was no point in staring after Jake anyway. He'd made his feelings for her—or lack of them—perfectly clear when he'd abandoned her at the police station.

* * *

F
AYE
PATTED
E
STELLE
'
S
HAND
.
“Just put the lotion on twice a day and your hands will be soft and smooth again in no time.”

“Thanks, Faye. You're the best.” Estelle gave her a hug and headed out of the shop.

Faye slumped against the counter. “Let's close up early tonight, Amy. I'm worn-out. I don't know what I was thinking opening today anyway. We'll just have to work extra hard this weekend to make up for the lost sales.”

“You're the boss.” Amy straightened one last row of jewelry in the window display and turned to go. “Faye, wait, wait! They're back. And they're coming this way!”

Faye hurried in from the back room. “Who's back? What are you talking about?”

“The guys. Buddy and...” She bit her lip. “Jake.”

The door to the store burst open. Jake stood in the opening, covered from head to toe in dirt and mud. He glanced at Amy and looked around until he saw Faye standing in the hallway. He marched toward her, and behind him Buddy and all of his friends poured inside. They were all grinning and holding rifles. Everyone except Jake.

Faye put her hands on her hips. “Buddy, what did you guys do to him?”

“Nothing, honest.” He coughed. “I may have punched him, but that was before.”

“Before?” She blinked and looked up at Jake, who had stopped right in front of her.

“Faye.”

“Jake.” A big glob of mud slid down from his hair and plopped onto the carpet. She winced. That was going to stain.

“I was a jerk.”

She looked up at him. “Uh, yeah. You were. What did you and Buddy—”

“I didn't believe you. I should have. I'm sorry.”

She leaned over and peered behind him. The entire shop was filling up. Freddie was back, leaning against a display, drinking from a bottle of Hennessey, or whatever homemade brew she'd put in the bottle. Sammie gave her a sheepish wave from the corner by the clothing racks, with CeeCee draped over his shoulders. She straightened and cleared her throat. “So that's why you're here? To apologize?”

“Yes. I mean, no. I came here to give you this.” He grabbed one of her hands and covered it with one of his own.

She felt something cold and hard in her palm. He closed her fingers around it.

“I really am sorry. And I'm probably half in love with you. I don't know. All I know for sure is that you deserve better than the way I treated you. I should have respected your beliefs, respected you, believed in you.” He leaned in and kissed her cheek. He squeezed her hand in his. “I hope you find the right Sagittarius one day.”

He turned around and walked out of the store.

Faye uncurled her fingers and looked down at what lay in her palm. The centaur, holding up the set of scales. The same one Calvin had tossed into the swamp. She blinked at it in confusion.

“He dove into that alligator-clogged cesspit to find that for you.” Buddy stood in front of her now. He pointed at the figurine. “He had some fancy-shmancy underwater metal detector. Had all of us stand on the bank and shoot the water to scare the gators away so he could keep diving until he found that. Even so, there were a couple of close calls. Had to drag him out a couple of times or he'd have sacrificed himself to the alligators for you. But he wouldn't quit, wouldn't stop going back in the water until he found that. I don't know what that little figurine means to you, but apparently he thought it meant enough to you to risk his life for it.” He cocked a brow. “So what are you going to do about that?”

The other old-timers gathered around him in a circle, grumbling and adding “yeah, yeah” on top of Buddy's statement, as if suddenly she'd become the bad guy in this scenario.

Freddie sidled up to her and put her arm around her shoulders. She dabbed at her eyes and sniffed. “Well? Don't just stand there. Go get him.”

Faye handed the figurine to Freddie and ran to the front window. She had to push half the townspeople aside to look out at the street.

“His car is gone! He already left.”

“Faye, catch,” Buddy called out.

She turned around and caught the keys he threw to her. “Thanks, Buddy!”

“Don't thank me. Just hurry.”

She turned and ran out the front door.

* * *

H
E
SHOULD
HAVE
washed the egg off his car somehow before he'd left Mystic Glades. Jake punched the windshield washer button again. Half the fluid shot up on top of the roof instead of on the windshield, rewetting the egg that had already dried and making it slide down onto the windows. He shook his head in disgust.

Something black ran across the road in front of him. He swerved to avoid it, sliding sideways to a bumpy stop.
Sampson.
The panther stopped at the edge of the trees and looked back. If Jake didn't know better, he'd swear the panther was grinning at him. It disappeared into the swamp and Jake took off again. He rounded the next curve. His eyes widened and he slammed on his brakes again.

When his car shuddered to a complete stop, he sat there staring in disbelief at what was sitting in the middle of the road: Buddy's swamp buggy, squatting like a World War II tank ready to take out anything that tried to pass. And standing in front of it, pointing a rifle at him—as usual—was Faye.

Great. Just great. He shoved the door open. Just as he was getting out, a gooey piece of egg slid off the roof onto his head.

Wonderful.

He sloughed it off, shook his head and shuffled reluctantly to confront the little armed pixie waiting for him. She tossed the rifle down when he reached her.

“You have egg on your face,” she said.

He sighed. “Yes. I know. I admit it. I screwed up. I'm a jerk. A slimeball. Or the worst insult Buddy could think of this afternoon, a ‘city slicker.' I'm in total agreement with all of the above.”

Her brows creased. “What? Oh. No, no, no. I mean,
literally
. You have egg on your face. You... Here. Just, let me...” She reached up and wiped his face. A glob of yellow fell to the road.

“Perfect,” he mumbled. “Anything else?”

“Just this.” She put her arms around his neck and jumped up, wrapping her legs around his waist.

He stumbled back against his car with her in his arms and plopped down on the hood. “Um, okay, what,
ergmgf
—”

She covered his mouth with hers and scorched him with a searing kiss. When she pulled back, all he could do was wait for the punch line. Because
this
was not what he'd expected.

“Say something,” she said.

“I...I don't even know where to begin. I thought you were going to shoot me, not kiss me. I'm getting mixed signals here.”

She lightly punched him in the arm. “Are all city slickers this slow? Don't you get it? You were wrong, back at the store.”

Now, this was what he'd expected. “I know. I'm sorry.”

She rolled her eyes. “You were wrong because you think I still need to find my Sagittarius. Jake, I don't need to search anymore. I've already found my perfect Sagittarius, my fate, my future. You.”

He blinked, certain he couldn't be hearing her right. “But I was terrible to you. I didn't believe in you. I left you.”

“Oh come on. Seriously? Even if you're a PI, you're still a cop. You have standards. You thought I was a criminal. Did you hurt me by walking out? Yes. But I understood why you did it.” She kissed the tip of his nose. “You're spiritually challenged.”

“Spiritually...what?”

“You don't understand fate the way I do. And it's only been a few days. You need time to come to grips with everything, to understand that you and I are meant to be together. It's okay. You've come a long way in a short amount of time. I'll be here to teach you what you need to know. I'll be patient with you.”

“Faye, sweetheart. I have no idea what you're saying. But I hope what you mean is that you forgive me.”

She punched his arm again, a little harder this time.

He winced.

“Of course I forgive you,” she said, smiling.

He swallowed hard. “Okay. And the rest of what you said, it means...you're not going to shoot me?”

She let out a big sigh. “It means,
sweetheart
, that it's time for plan D.”

He frowned. “Plan D?”

She curled her fingers into the front of his shirt, all signs of humor gone, her emerald green eyes searching his. “That's the part where you fall in love with me.”

He stared at her in wonder, stunned at his good fortune, at the amazing, incredible woman who had burst into his life. And completely undone by the love shining in her eyes. For him. In spite of all his faults, in spite of all the mistakes he'd made, she loved him. And all she asked in return was that he fall in love with her.

His hands shook as he cupped her face in his palms. “Too late,” he whispered, “I already did that.” He covered her mouth with his.

* * * * *