Heart of Gold - B.J. Daniels Page 0,93
you.”
She felt light-headed. This was not happening. Not with the wedding rehearsal this afternoon. Not with her alone in this room with him. She felt a sliver of fear work its way up her spine. Could she get out the door without him stopping her? How far did he plan to take this? “Greg—”
“It’s all right.” He reached for her just as she heard a card being inserted in the locked door behind her.
She let out a silent thank-you as the door opened only a few inches before it collided with her body.
“Charlie?” Shep’s voice was the most wonderful sound she thought she’d ever heard.
“Shep!” She quickly slipped past Greg and moved away from the door to allow Shep to enter.
One look at her face and he said, “What’s wrong?” and took a step into the room, stopping short of her boss. “I didn’t realize you had company.”
“Greg was just leaving,” she said. For a moment it was as if they were all frozen in place.
“I’m sure we’ll get another chance to talk,” Greg said, nodding at her as he moved toward the open doorway.
It wasn’t until he’d left, closing the door behind him, that Charlie threw herself into Shep’s arms.
* * *
“YOU’RE SHAKING LIKE A LEAF,” Shep said, holding her tightly against him. “What the hell was that about?”
Charlie pulled back. She still looked pale and shaken. “I have no idea but from the way he was talking... I’m not sure there is going to be a wedding. I think he might have hired me for more than my design skills.”
Shep held her by her shoulders so he could see her face. “What are you talking about?”
“I don’t even know. For a moment, I thought he was going to profess his undying love.” She shook her head. “He was talking crazy... I didn’t know where he was headed, but it was the same stuff he was talking about when he followed me into the bar the other day.”
Shep didn’t like it. He wanted to go after the guy and set him straight. Charlie was scared. Greg had unnerved her. “He sounded like he plans to try to talk to you again—before the wedding.”
She looked as if she was having trouble believing this was happening.
“Do you think he’s going to cancel the wedding?”
“I have no idea. You heard him. He’s bound and determined to tell me something.” She shivered.
He pulled her close again for a moment. “I’m glad we’re staying in the same room. I’ll try to stay at your side until this is over.”
“You’ll get no argument from me.”
“That might just be a first,” he joked as she stepped from his arms. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
“Thanks to you showing up when you did.” She took a ragged breath and let it out. “I just know I don’t want to be alone with him.”
“I’ll do my best to make sure that doesn’t happen.” He watched her take her bag over to the bed and set it down. He could tell that she was still scared, still worried.
“He was such a good boss,” she said. “I’m afraid this will mean the end of my job.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I can find another one.” She tried to smile. “I just don’t understand any of it. He’s never acted like this before. Maybe it’s the wedding.”
Shep hated to add to any of that but he wanted to be the one to tell her. “I have some rather shocking news.” She looked up expectantly. He quickly told her about what he’d seen on the news downstairs in the bar about Daniel’s roommate.
“You don’t think it was an accident?” she asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed, looking even more shaken.
“He was looking into Lindy’s murder and now he’s dead? No, I don’t think it was an accident.”
Charlie hugged herself, looking chilled in the warm room.
“I called Daniel at work,” he said.
Her gaze shot up. “Why?”
“I wanted to talk to him about why his roommate had been investigating your stepsister’s murder. You have to admit, it’s strange.”
“And?”
“He thought it had something to do with some girl Jason was dating. He said Jason described her as ‘freaky, freaky scary.’ Daniel said he never met her or knew her name, but that he saw her once waiting for Jason outside of work. A blonde.”
“You think it was Lacey?” she demanded, eyes wide.
“I think it’s more than possible given Jason’s hit-and-run. All I can imagine is that he was getting too close to the truth.”
Her