one who doesn’t seem happy about your marriage is you.”
Mike scowled, disliking the reminder. “Didn’t I tell you how we met? Why she’s running from a goon named King Bobby?”
Jason grinned. “Yeah, you did. But aren’t I proof that circumstances and people aren’t always what they seem?” Jason asked, his smile fading.
“That’s different,” Mike said.
“Because you want it to be different.” His cousin eyed him intently. “Maybe you should be asking yourself why.”
Mike’s cell phone rang, saving him from unwanted introspection. He answered the call, identifying the P.I. from Texas on the other end.
Five minutes later, Mike had all the sordid information he needed on the very married, very cheating King Bobby Boyd.
“You look like you got good news,” Jason said.
Mike nodded, acknowledging the rush of knowing he’d found what he needed to keep Amber safe.
“Does that mean you’re going back to your wife?” Jason asked hopefully.
“Just when did you or any other Corwin become advocates for love and marriage?” The minute the words escaped, Mike wished he could take them back.
Love?
Whoa.
Who’d said anything about love? He had, obviously, but it wasn’t what he’d
“Earth to Mike,” the other man said at last. “I asked if you’d be leaving for Stewart soon?”
Mike shook his head. “Nope. There’s no reason. Right now Amber is in good hands and I have to work.” And
Jason snorted. “Yeah, you’re right. Uncle Edward is more than capable of taking care of Amber if this King Bobby character shows up. Unless you already know where to find him?” he pointedly asked.
Rhetorical question, Mike thought.
Short of an APB, he had no choice but to wait for the man to rear his large cowboy hat. Mike glanced at his cousin. “You said the press is already in town?” he asked.
“’Fraid so. Asking questions about the
“Which ups the chances of the Texan showing up in Stewart rather than Boston,” Mike said.
“Where, with a few targeted questions, he’ll end up at Uncle Edward’s at some point.” Jason shot him a regretful glance. “I was just buying myself some time. I’m sorry, man,” Jason said.
Mike groaned, picked up the phone and bargained for more personal time, promising his superior his firstborn, should he ever have one, in exchange for this being the last-if open-ended-time off for a long, long time.
Then, with Jason’s laughter and “I told you so” ringing in his ears, Mike headed back to Stewart and his hot babe of a wife.
MIKE ARRIVED at his father’s house feeling out of breath, though he’d had an hour in the car to unwind. But once he let himself think about the press swarming his hometown, he’d had an uneasy feeling that things were about to blow up.
“Dad!” Mike yelled as he stormed into the house.
“We’re in here,” Edward called.
Mike exhaled a long breath. Relieved, he took the steps two at a time-to find his father and
“Haven’t seen her. Not that I’ve had time to do anything more than listen to this woman’s yammering on about the past. Like I still care.”
A smile spread over Clara’s face. “Did you hear that? He admitted he once cared!”
“Ms. Deveaux, have you seen Amber?” Mike asked.
“This morning, when I arrived and then again during lunch. But not since, now that you mention it.” Clara’s brows furrowed.
“She’s not in the garage or the boathouse. I just came from there,” Edward said.
Clara walked to the sink and poured Edward water, though he hadn’t asked for any.
He accepted it and took a sip.
Mike shook his head. The connection between these two was the strangest thing he’d ever seen.
“Amber knows better than to wander off until her trouble’s resolved, doesn’t she?” Clara asked.
Mike sure as hell hoped so, considering he’d clearly instructed her to stay put.
“Amber told you about King Bobby?” Mike asked Clara.
He was surprised Amber would confide in a stranger about her problems, but then, she probably no longer considered Clara a stranger. Amber had an uncanny knack for bonding with people she’d just met. Like him, Mike thought, recalling their initial meeting in Vegas. The memory of that black dress and her curls hanging down her back set his body on fire all over again. When he got his hands on her…
Clara shook her head. “No, Amber didn’t say anything.” She waved her arm through the air. The tinkling sound of her bracelets followed. “I just sense there’s evil somewhere around her.”
“Just swell,” Mike muttered. “I can’t believe I’m asking this, but…general evil? Or evil right now?” Mike had no idea where Amber had gone and if Clara’s insight, whatever it was based on, could help him find her, he wasn’t too proud to ask.
“When I first said evil, I meant recent, but now that you’re asking, there may be more.” Without another word, Clara rose and headed out of the kitchen.
Mike followed her to Amber’s room. Edward followed and surprisingly for his father, he remained quiet. So Mike did the same. He waited, anxious and uneasy, but willing to give Clara the benefit of the doubt.
“Yes, I can feel her better in here,” the older woman said. “I wasn’t paying much attention to her needs earlier,” Clara admitted. “I was too happy to be here with Eddie again.”
Mike’s father stiffened, but before he could interrupt Clara, Mike clapped his hand over his father’s forearm. “Please. Wait.”
To Mike’s surprise, Edward relaxed enough to assure Mike he wouldn’t throw one of his tantrums.
“But I know she’s been bored and feeling useless. She mentioned as much at lunch,” Clara said.
“Useless? The house is spotless! I still can’t find Stinky’s favorite toy-”
“Hush!” Clara said. “A woman needs to be in charge of her life or else she feels powerless. That’s what Amber’s feeling.” She met Mike’s gaze. “I’m sorry. I should have listened more carefully for the hidden meaning. It didn’t come to me until now.”
“That’s okay. Anything she said that you can remember will be helpful.”
Because if she ran away or went to take care of King Bobby or Marshall by herself he’d throttle her.
Clara sat down on the bed and ran her hand over the comforter and a chill rushed through Mike. “The only thing we talked about was how I wanted Eddie to help me look for a new place for my shop. He’s being a stubborn cuss, but I’ll win yet. Amber also mentioned wishing she could go into town and check things out for herself…”
“That’s it! Thank you!” Mike hugged the other woman. “She went to town to clear the cobwebs from her head.” It was the most logical assumption.
Because Mike’s gut told him she hadn’t run off on him again. Why did he trust in her that way? he wondered.
He didn’t have time to figure it out.
“If she calls, find out where she is and tell her to stay put,” Mike told his father and Clara.
“She can’t call,” they both said at the same time.
Mike closed his eyes and counted to ten. “Dad, we are turning the landline back on,” he said as he ran for the door, ignoring Edward’s bellowing about evildoers finding him.
Paranoia, Mike thought to himself. A
He’d find her. Then he’d give her hell for taking such a risk with reporters roaming around town. At first he’d only worried about them exposing her, but now he was worried in general. Because after the chill Mike had
