The Private Eye (8 page)

“You said you didn't know anything about me. Okay, I
can fix that. The man who answers that number is named McCray. He's my partner.
When you call him, tell him I said he was to tell you anything you want to know
about me. He can provide proof of the excellent status of my health – sprained
ankle and assorted bruises, aside. He can also give you my credit rating and
verify that I have no criminal record or children. He'll even tell you my shoe
size and the colour of my favourite tie, if you want to know.”

“But I don't have any questions about you.” Maggie
angrily crumpled the paper in her hand. “At least not any personal questions.”

“You never know.” Josh folded his arms behind his head
and watched the bright flags of indignation flying in her cheeks. “If you
decide you're interested in something more than a business relationship with
me, you might suddenly have a lot of questions. Very sensible, these days. A
woman can't be too careful, can she?”

“Apparently not. Look what I got when I tried to do
something simple like hire a private investigator. Of all the nerve.”

“I said the same thing when I read your letter offering
me a month's free room and board here at Peregrine Manor. Nerve is something
else we have in common, too, although I suspect I've got more of it than you
do. Nature of the business I'm in, you know.”

“I don't doubt that you are an extremely nervy
individual, Mr. January.” Maggie turned and stalked toward the door.

“Maggie?”

“Yes?” She paused, her hand on the knob.

“I'll be waiting for you to make that call. I want you
to know exactly what you're getting into.”

“Don't hold your breath.”

Josh smiled. “But I will be holding my breath, Maggie.
Because if you do make that call, I'll know you're personally taking down the
Keep Off signs the Colonel posted around you.”

She stared at him. “You're not really interested in me.
Not as a person. You're feeling challenged. That's what it is. Your masculine
ego is just acting up because my friends warned you to stay away from me.”

“They warned me to stay away unless my intentions were
honorable”, he corrected softly.

She sniffed in disdain. “They could hardly be
honorable
.”

“You won't know that or anything else about me for
certain unless you make the call to McCray. This is the modem age, Maggie. A
smart woman checks a man out before she gets involved with him.”

“I do not intend to get involved with you. Good night,
Mr. January. You are, if you don't mind my saying so, very well named. I have
never met anyone quite so cold-blooded.”

“Then you have lived a very sheltered life, Maggie
Gladstone.”

Josh watched with satisfaction as she started to slam
the door on her way out of the room. At the last minute she apparently changed
her mind, no doubt afraid the noise would be heard down the hall. She closed it
very softly with a self-control that spoke volumes.

She was at least fully aware of him now. Josh decided.
As aware of him as he was of her. The month at Peregrine Manor was going to
prove interesting.

After a few minutes he removed the ice from his leg and
levered himself carefully up and off the bed. This time he found the steps. Balancing
on his good leg, he studied the ornately carved bedpost that had turned so
easily beneath his wildly clutching fingers.

He recalled what Maggie had said about this room having
once belonged to her Aunt Agatha.

Josh took a good grip on the post and slowly turned it
counterclockwise. The post squeaked softly in protest and then the entire upper
portion came loose.

Josh lifted that section of post off the joining
portion and realized he was looking into a small, hidden “safe.” There was a
little jewellery box resting inside the hollowed-out bedpost. He plucked it out
and opened it.

An old-fashioned emerald brooch winked in the light of
the bedside lamp.

Was he a hotshot private eye or what? Just give him a
clue and he was a regular Sherlock Homes.

Grinning to himself. Josh replaced the lid and dropped
the box back into the hidden chamber. Then he carefully repositioned the upper
section of the bedpost and screwed it back into place.

There was no point in solving the mysteries of
Peregrine Manor too soon, he reminded himself as he got back into bed. He had a
month to kill here. A month in which to delve deeply into the mysteries of one
Maggie Gladstone, spinster, amateur sleuth and reader of detective novels. He
realized he was looking forward to the next four weeks with more enthusiasm
than he'd felt about anything in a long, long while.

Josh went to sleep feeling as if some great weight had
begun to be lifted from his shoulders.

Chapter 4

MAGGIE AWOKE the next morning feeling surprisingly rested and
refreshed. She realized that she hadn't been sleeping very well lately. The
nightly stress of listening for strange noises, the concern about whether she
had double-checked every lock on every window, the growing worry about the
future of Peregrine Manor all had taken their toll on her during the past few
weeks.

Apparently there was much to be said for having a man
like Josh January in the house. In spite of the crutches and bruises, there was
something oddly reassuring about his presence. It was unfortunate he had made
that pass last night. Now she was going to have to make a point of keeping him
in his place. No more going to his rescue in the-middle of the night, she told
herself.

Maggie showered and quickly selected a pair of jeans
and an orange sweatshirt from her closet. When she had put them on, she went to
stand in front of the dressing table and picked up a brush.

She had just finished tying her thick hair back into a
ponytail when her eyes fell on the crumpled sheet of yellow paper lying on the
table. Maggie went very still as vivid details of the night before returned to
her.

There had been a disconcerting and thoroughly
devastating masculine arrogance about the way Josh had sprawled on the big bed
in the turret room. His dark hair had been disturbingly tousled. The crisp,
curling thicket on his broad chest had fascinated her. It had been all she
could do to keep from staring. She had wanted to run her fingers through that
black mat in the worst way. And she had ached with a desire to soothe the massive
bruise on his rib cage.

The brooding speculation in his eyes had ruffled her
senses as nothing else had ever done. When he had talked of his bitter
disillusionment with his chosen work, she had sensed the fundamental integrity
of the man. Only a man who had a strong sense of integrity would have become
disillusioned. Obviously, Josh hadn't gotten into the business for the money.

Maggie acknowledged with an uneasy little shock that
she would never forget that scene in the room next door. It would haunt her for
the rest of her life.

And even though she knew there must be no repetitions,
a part of her would always wonder what it would have been like to go to bed
with Josh January. She had never in her life experienced such a powerful,
deeply feminine curiosity, and she felt ill-equipped to deal with it. Her
quiet, uneventful past had not prepared her for even a casual approach from a
man like Joshua January.

And casual was all it had been, Maggie's mouth
tightened as she finished surveying herself in the dressing-table mirror. She
would have been shaken to the core to discover that Josh was even mildly
interested in her, but it was a certainty that he hadn't been half as affected
by her presence as she had been by his. She'd been well aware of his
half-aroused body, of course, but that meant very little. Men were very
physical creatures, very easily aroused. She was old enough to know that. Josh
must consider her an amusing challenge – no doubt because he had been warned
off her by the Colonel. But that was all there was to it.

She certainly was not going to call the number on that
sheet of yellow paper, Maggie told herself firmly.

She wondered if he started all his relationships with a
mutual background check. Very likely. The man clearly had no romance in his
soul. Maybe his profession had destroyed his sense of passion and discovery
even as it had destroyed his faith in human nature.

Nevertheless, Maggie couldn't bring herself to throw
away the piece of paper. She picked it up and scanned the boldly scrawled
figures. There was a lot of male bravado in those numbers. Josh must have been
sure she would make the call.

Disgusted, she opened a drawer in the dresser and
shoved the crumpled sheet inside. She slammed the drawer shut and left the
room.

Halfway down the stairs the aroma of freshly brewed
coffee floated up to greet her. Odessa had apparently risen early. Maggie
inhaled deeply and smiled with pleasure. The smile was still on her face when
she swung the kitchen door open.

“Good morning, Odessa,” Maggie said before she realized
who was inside. “That coffee smells wonderful.”

“Thanks,” Josh drawled from the far side of the large
room. “I make good coffee, even if I do say so, myself. Here, have a cup.”

Maggie stopped short at the sight of him. He was
leaning against the tiled counter, sipping coffee from a mug. His crutches were
propped beside him. He looked very sexy in a denim shirt that was open at the
throat. And there was no getting around the fact that the man looked good in a
pair of jeans. His dark hair gleamed in the wintry sunlight that streamed in
through the window.

Maggie forced herself to take a deep, steadying breath
as she stepped forward. She was going to be dealing with Josh for the rest of
the month, so she had to get used to seeing him in the mornings.

The thing to do this morning, she decided, was to
establish the ground rules. It was clear that Rule Number One was to act as if
nothing at all had happened last night. After all, she thought with an odd
sense of regret, nothing had happened. He hadn't even attempted to kiss her.
He'd just invited her to do a background check on him.

“Thank you.” Maggie took the cup he held out. “I take
it you're an early riser?”

“Looks like you are, too.” Josh grinned fleetingly, his
gaze holding hers over the rim of his cup. “One more thing we have in common, I
guess, huh?”

She shrugged, choosing to ignore the taunting gleam in
his eyes. “I'm one of the cooks around here, if you'll recall. I have to get up
early, whether I like it or not.”

“Ah, yes. I'm looking forward to the home-cooked
breakfast that was promised in your letter. And the tea and scones mentioned in
the brochure, too. Haven't had a scone in years. Do you put raisins in yours?”

Maggie nearly choked on her coffee. “The tea and scones
are only served when the manor is open for guests. I would have thought that
was obvious,”

“Nope. Tea and scones are part of the deal.” Josh's
expression was unreadable. “As far as I'm concerned, I signed on for this job
based on what was promised in that letter and the brochure that accompanied it.
It’s a binding contract.”

“Oh, for heaven's sake, Josh. I was merely listing the
amenities of the manor. Surely you understood that. I didn't mean to imply that
you were going to be served as if you were a paying guest.”

“That's exactly what was implied. And I'm holding you
to what was promised.” He ticked the items off on his fingers. “A home-cooked
breakfast, tea and scones in the afternoons, and a gourmet dinner.”

“Is that so? Well, when do I start getting some
investigation services in return?”

“Relax -I've been on the job since the minute I walked
through your front door-You're in good hands, lady.”

“Wonderful. So reassuring to know the future of the
manor is in the hands of an investigator who has problems just getting out of
bed,” Maggie grumbled - She caught her breath as she realized she had just
broken her own rule about not mentioning the previous night. Her gaze flew to
Josh's and she knew it was too much to hope that he would ignore the comment.

“I may have a little trouble getting out of bed,
Maggie, but I can guarantee you I know how to get into you.”

Maggie lifted her chin proudly. “I think I should tell
you I do not appreciate that kind of humour. Furthermore, as I am your
employer, it is within my rights to set the standards of behaviour I shall
expect from you in the future-1 wish to make it very clear that I expect that
behaviour to be entirely businesslike and professional in nature. Do you
understand?”

“Got it.” He took a swallow of coffee and smiled again.
“Going to make that phone call to McCray today?”

“No, I am not. I have no reason to make it.”

“I'll give you a reason,” Josh said softly.

Before Maggie realized his intentions, he set down his
coffee mug on the counter and reached for her.

“
Josh
,” Maggie looked up at him as tension
suddenly rippled through her. She felt herself being tugged gently, inevitably,
forward, and for the life of her she swamping her good sense.