Her thoughts turned to Georgia. Trevor Knight had invited her into his realm of safety and she’d be a fool to cast him off. Perhaps the culprits would come looking for her in Chrissy’s family setting. The whole kidnapping had occurred after the brief visit there last week. For lack of another option, Georgia seemed as good a place as any to start the investigation.
Trevor had expressed faith in his hired man. It would make Chrissy’s uncle feel better, knowing he and his man were on the team to help solve the mystery; a threesome was a win-win situation.
Melanie repacked her messy bags, hid them under the bed in case Drew came back and wondered where she’d been. She’d prefer him to confess his visit to the apartment willingly, without any prompting from her, but she doubted that would happen. Melanie headed for the bathroom. Another soak in the tub would feel good, but she missed the feel-good jet sprays in her tub at home.
She sunk deep into the hot water and forced herself to relax, clearing her mind of the clutter that would not bring order to chaos.
When the water chilled, she stepped onto the cool ceramic floor to dry off. She held dry track pants and a shirt in her hands and wondered if she should slip into them to keep the ruse going in the chance her brother showed up. She groaned – she wanting to wear that outfit again.
Melanie flung caution to the wind and dropped a flowery lounge dress over her head. She opened the door and her breath caught in her throat.
“How long have you been here?” Melanie asked. “I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I came in quietly, in case you were sleeping. Do you always take so long in the bathroom? You’re going to scrub your skin off if you’re not careful, or drown in a sea of your own dead skin.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Drew could say the stupidest things sometimes. “I’m sure that you, Mr. Casanova, spend your share of time grooming for the ladies.”
“I suppose so. Probably should head in there now for a clean-up.”
“Oh? Hot date tonight?”
“Not likely.”
“Where have you been all day?” Melanie asked.
“Just tidying up some business I need to follow up in Georgia tomorrow,” Drew said.
Melanie decided to ignore the strange business excuse. Drew worked from his home computer at home, and not face to face with clients. Or so he bragged to anyone who suggested he find a real job. “You have professional contacts in this out-of-the-way hick-town?”
“I do work, despite your lowly opinion of me.”
“You earned every inch of that opinion.” She tired of cheering his low self-esteem or calling him up on every lie of late. “So, you’re going home to Georgia and not to the Caribbean with me?” She could lie with just as much gumption as he.
“I’d love to, but duty calls.” The idea of Drew possessing any sense of duty almost made her laugh out loud.
“You don’t know the meaning of duty. Try another story.”
Drew’s savage-filled scorn caused her to recoil. “I don’t answer to you, Mel. Butt out of my business if you know what’s good for you.”
“Are you threatening me, Drew Braxton?”
He ran shaky fingers through the standing stubble of his bleached blond hair. “I’m sorry, sis. Really, I didn’t mean anything by it. Had a bad day.”
“Welcome to my world.” Melanie attempted a softer approach. “Why don’t you tell me about it? I’m a good listener, and I’ve helped you out of messes in the past.”
“Sis, you’re a cop. The bad guys don’t like cops.”
“Are you keeping company with the bad guys, or were you referring to yourself?”
“Stop it. You’re not going to break me. The less you know, the better. Go soak up some sun, and I’ll come get you when it’s over.”
“You won’t come because you’ll be dead. You never were the Prince-Charming type and we both know it. I’m the cop as you so accurately stated, trained to spot the lies and bring order to the world of crime.”
“Whatever,” he said, and headed toward the bathroom. Drew suddenly turned on his heels. “Where did you get that dress?”
“Like it?” She twirled to lighten the mood. “I bought it a while ago. Needed something to wear on vacation.”
“Oh, yeah. The vacation.”
“Not going to ask where I got the money?”
“Okay, feel free to inform me.”
“My charge card was in my pocket. Lucky for me, right?”
Drew was distracted and in a foul mood.
“Figured no one will be checking to see if a dead person used her charge card,” Melanie said.
“Lucky – that’s the way I want you to stay.” He handed Melanie his Mastercard. “Cut yours up and use mine. Your vacation is on Dad’s dime.” Drew sounded genuinely concerned for her welfare, and her sister-heart reached out to him, while her head remained focused.
She baited him again. “Maybe I should go to my apartment and pack a bag.”
“No!” He cleared his throat and spoke in a calmer tone. “You’re dead, remember? The apartment might still be of interest to your abductors.”
“I don’t think they’re looking for me. They have turned their attention to some big deal going off at the end of the month.”
“How do you know that?”.
Not, “Hey, that’s news to me,” but an outright accusation that she had yet to reveal that tidbit of information. But he had known, and the realization did nothing to erase her doubt where Drew was concerned.
“Did I forget
