The Private Eye (19 page)

“Nothing we can't handle,” Josh responded dryly.

THAT AFTERNOON Maggie found herself sitting beside Josh
in his black Toyota. She hadn't asked for an escort into town. Indeed, she had
done her level best to try to talk Josh out of accompanying her. But he had
been in one of his insistent moods. Maggie was learning that when Josh decided
to do something, it was extremely difficult to deflect him from his chosen
course.

“I don't need help picking up the groceries. Josh. I
could have handled the shopping on my own.”

Maggie stared out the window at the gray ocean. A new
storm was coming in fast. She could see the rain sweeping over the sea. It
would hit land in another half hour.

“No problem.” Josh's hands were relaxed and competent
on the wheel of the Toyota. “I need to pick up a few personal items myself.”

“I could have bought shaving cream or blades for you,”
she muttered.

“Yeah, but I felt like the outing.” Josh slanted her a
glance. “How come you're sulking today?”

“I am not sulking.”

“Bull. You've been in this mood since you ran into
Odessa and the others outside my room this morning. Hey, you're not still
worried about our phony engagement, are you?”

“What if I am?”

“Maggie, I've told you, everything's going to work out
just fine. Leave it to me, okay?”

“I left it to you and look what happened.” Maggie
turned her head to glower at him. “This is all your fault, Josh. Some private
investigator, you are. You could have at least checked to see that the coast
was clear this morning before you shoved me out the door. But, oh, no. You
couldn't wait to get me out of your bedroom.”

“You really are mad, aren't you?” Josh threw her a
surprised look.

“Yes, I am. I do not like this. Josh. I do not like any
of it.”

“Take it easy, Maggie. In a few days, I'll have this
thing sorted out.”

“Oh, that's just ducky. Then what happens? What am I
supposed to tell the Colonel and Odessa and Shirley when you leave town?”
Maggie wailed. “They'll think I've been abandoned. They'll feel sorry for me.”

Josh studied the road ahead. “Tell them you changed
your mind and decided to call off the engagement. They'll understand.”

“They will not understand. They'll think that what
happened between you and me was nothing more than a one-night stand, and
they'll be right.”

“So don't call off the engagement.”

She stared at him in disbelief. “Are you crazy? What am
I supposed to do after you leave? Pretend we're still engaged? How do you expect
me to carry that off?”

“I'd be willing to help,” Josh said quietly. “We can
string our engagement out for a few months and then say we've changed our
minds,”

“Oh, sure. And just how are we going to string out our
engagement when you're in Seattle and I'm here in Peregrine Point?”

“I could come out for a while on the weekends. You
could come into the city. Let's be honest here, Maggie. We're attracted to each
other. Last night was very good. You know that as welt as I do. Why shouldn't
we go on seeing each other?”

Maggie closed her eyes. “I wish you would stop being so
damn reasonable about the whole thing. You're missing the point here. Don't you
understand what I'm trying to say? I don't want a fake engagement.”

“Not even for the sake of solving this case?” Josh
asked.

Maggie groaned and turned her attention back to the
heavy gray rain that was moving in from the sea. “I feel trapped,” she
whispered.

“Don't worry about it,” Josh said lightly. “You've got
me around to rescue you, remember? I’ll figure something out.”

“You're the one who's always saying that it never pays
to play hero.”

“I'm not playing hero this time. I got you into the
engagement. I'll find a way to get you out of it without embarrassing you any
more than you already are.”

“I'm not embarrassed,” Maggie retorted fiercely. “It's
just awkward, that's all. The Colonel and the others are all so old-fashioned
and protective.”

“Tell me the truth, Maggie. You were embarrassed as
hell when you walked out that door this morning and saw Odessa, weren't you?”

She sighed. “Yes.”

“The engagement was the only way to handle the thing,”
Josh continued relentlessly.

“And so convenient,” Maggie shot back under her breath.
“You'd worked it into your cover story before I could count to three.”

Josh was silent for a long moment. “Is that what's
really bothering you?” he asked at last. “You're angry because I'm using our
phony engagement as part of my cover.”

“I don't want to talk about it anymore,” Maggie
declared. They were in town now and Josh was slowing to turn into the small
supermarket parking lot. “The damage is done, so we'll just have to hope some
good comes out of it.”

“Trust me, Maggie. You did last night.”

“Well, I learned my lesson this morning, didn't I?”

Chapter 9

MAGGIE WAS LOADING grocery sacks into the back of
Josh's car when Clay O'Connor hailed her from across the street.

“Maggie,” he called out as he emerged from his office.
“I thought that was you.”

Maggie straightened and turned to wave. Downtown
Peregrine Point consisted of a mere two blocks of shops. O'Connor Real Estate
was located directly across from the grocery store. Clay had obviously spotted
her from his office window.

Maggie watched as Clay checked for oncoming cars and
then quickly crossed the street without bothering to go to the corner. He was
dressed for the crisp cold day in a handsome, chunky-knit sweater and a pair of
wool trousers. His hair was styled in a full, curving line that could only have
been achieved with the aid of mousse. The diamond in his heavy gold ring
flashed briefly when he moved his hand. He looked as if he had stepped right
out of a men's fashion magazine.

The sight of Clay, with his cheerful, open face and
dazzling smile made Maggie vividly aware of the contrast between him and Josh.
It was like the contrast between day and night. With Clay, one got what one
saw. But instead of the reassurance that fact should have provided, it only
made him seem bland and shallow to Maggie. Josh, on the other hand, brought to
mind the old adage about still waters running deep. He made her think of hidden
depths and disturbing passions. Deep water was frequently dangerous, Maggie
reminded herself.

“I almost didn't see you,” Clay complained lightly as
he reached her. “Didn't recognize the car. Who does it belong to? That writer
fellow?”

Maggie felt herself blushing. It dawned on her how
monumentally awkward the phony engagement was going to get. She had to try to
keep it contained, she told herself. She didn't want it spread ail over Peregrine
Point. But even as she frantically tried to figure out a way to control
something as uncontrollable as gossip in a small town, she knew her efforts
were futile.

“Hello, Clay. Yes, the car belongs to Josh. He had to
come into town for some things so he gave me a lift.” Maggie hoisted another
sack into the vehicle. Mentally she toyed with the notion of telling Clay the
truth.

“You know, Maggie, I've been thinking about that guy.”
Clay's handsome features shaped themselves into serious lines. “I don't want to
alarm you or anything, but does it strike you as a little strange that he
showed up when he did?”

Startled, Maggie straightened quickly. She frowned as
she turned to face Clay. “Strange?”

Clay shrugged and braced one hand against the roof of
the Toyota. “Well, here you are, closed for the winter and all, and then he
lands on your doorstep for a month. I bring you home from a date and he's waiting
at the front door. The next thing I know the two of you are seen having dinner
in town. And now he's shopping with you. Seems to me he's really made himself a
part of the family in a hurry.”

Maggie chewed on her lower lip. “You know how it is.
Clay. He's the only guest at the manor these days, so we've just sort of made
him a part of our household for the month. Most of the time we don't see all
that much of him. He's always upstairs working on that book of his.” That
statement certainly had the ring of truth about it now, Maggie reflected
grimly.

Clay eyed her thoughtfully. “Have you ever actually
seen any evidence of that book?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I have.” Maggie was relieved
to be able to tell the full truth for once.

Lately there had been far too many half-truths and
downright fabrications. “It's a mystery novel. Very exciting, from what I saw
of it.”

“Hmm.”

“What is it. Clay?”

He gave her his charming, crooked little smile. “Hell,
don't pay any attention to me, Maggie. Sheer jealousy motivating me, that's
all.”

Maggie felt wretched. And slightly guilty. “Clay, I'm
sorry if you feel I, well, if you think I implied that my feelings were
stronger toward you than they actually are. I mean, I've enjoyed your company
very much but I wouldn't want you to think that I...”

Clay's charming smile turned wistful. He touched her
mouth with his fingertips, gently silencing her.

“Hey, don't worry about it, Maggie. I'm a big boy. I
know that for you our relationship has been casual so far, but I plan to change
all that. In the meantime, I can handle a little competition.”

Maggie began to seethe with annoyance. This was so
awkward. “Clay, it isn't exactly competition. I wouldn't want you to think I'm
trying to play games. Josh and I, well, we've become quite friendly since he
moved into the manor. That's all.”

Clay's smile widened into a grin. “I'm not worried. I
figure I've got the edge. After all, January will be gone in a couple of weeks
and I'll still be here, won't I?”

“Clay, that's very sweet of you—really, it is.”

“Remember that I'm a sweet guy by nature,” he advised
ruefully. Then his expression sobered.

“Maggie, I meant what I said earlier. You really don't
know all that much about January. If he says or does anything that makes you
nervous, promise you'll call me immediately.”

“But, Clay-”

“Just promise, honey. I want to know you'll feel free
to call me if anything happens at the manor.”

“Like what?” Josh asked in an icy drawl as he
materialized from between two parked cars.

Maggie jumped at the unexpected sound of his voice.

She turned her head and saw that he was carrying a
small, white paper sack in his hand, It bore the logo of the Peregrine Point
Pharmacy. “Oh, Josh, there you are,” she said weakly. “I was wondering what had
happened to you.” She made a show of glancing at her watch. “Good heavens, just
look at the time. We'd better hurry. It's starting to rain.”

Josh ignored her. He absently dangled the little white
bag while he smiled at Clay with faint challenge. “Did I hear you say you were
worried about something going on at the manor?”

Clay took his hand off the Toyota's roof and shoved it
deep into his pocket. “Maggie and I were just having a friendly little chat.
We've been friends for several months now, haven't we, Maggie?”

“Uh, yes. Yes, we have. Clay.” Maggie wanted to crawl
into a hole and hide. Never in her life had she been the subject of conflict between
two grown men. It was terribly embarrassing. “Listen, we have really got to be
on our way. I'll see you later, Clay. Josh, will you please hurry? I've got
things to do back at the manor.”

“Sure thing, sweetheart.” Josh turned his back on Clay
and sauntered over to the passenger door of the Toyota. He opened it with a
cool possessiveness and ushered Maggie inside. Then he went around to the
driver's side and got in behind the wheel. “See you, O'Connor.”

Maggie waved at Clay as Josh swung the Toyota out of the
parking lot. “Honestly, Josh, that was extremely rude.”

“What was rude?”

“The way you behaved toward Clay. And don't you dare
act as if nothing happened back there. You were very uncivil and you know it.”

“The guy was trying to warn you off me, wasn't he?”

Maggie tilted her chin. “He was merely pointing out
that I know very little about you and that it was rather odd the way you turned
up at the manor when you did.”

“I turned up at the manor because you hired me,” Josh
growled. “And don't you forget it.”

“I could hardly tell Clay that, could I?”

“Not as long as you want me to do my job,” Josh agreed
coolly. “So what did you tell him?”

Maggie sighed. “Not much. Just that you'd sort of
become a part of the household lately.”

Josh gave a roar of laughter. “Just an old friend of
the family, huh? O'Connor will have to be a hell of a lot dumber than he looks
to believe that.”

“There's no need to talk about Clay like that. He is
not dumb. He's a very nice man—which is more than I can say about some people
around here.”