Change of Heart

by Jude Deveraux

  “Yes, ma’am,” Jeff said, grinning as he got into the passenger seat.

  When Eli and Chelsea heard the siren coming toward the house, they smiled at each other.

  Orin looked up at the sound, but he didn’t seem to think it had anything to do with him. He was examining the fourth drawer. But when the dark sedan with its blazing lights stopped in front of the house, he dropped the drawer and ran for the back door.

  “Stay here!” Eli said to Chelsea, then leaped out of the closet.

  Chelsea didn’t think about what she did, but as she’d always done, she just followed Eli. But when she burst out of the closet, she saw that Orin had a gun pointed at the middle of Eli.

  Chelsea’s mind seemed to work with lightning speed. It looked like Eli was going to leap and Orin was going to fire. There was no room for Eli to get away from a bullet.

  Remembering the lecherous way Orin had looked at her, she grabbed the top of her shirt with both hands and pulled hard. Buttons went flying—and exposed her breasts in a bra so tiny it was barely a whisper of black lace.

  For the flash of a second, Orin’s eyes left Eli and went to Chelsea’s nearly bare chest. And in that second, Eli was able to knock the gun from Orin’s hand. It hit the far wall and went clattering down.

  But Chelsea’s trick of exposing herself almost backfired when Eli saw what she’d done. “Bloody hell!” he said just before he made a leap for Orin.

  But when Orin saw Eli’s momentary distraction, he ran toward the door. Chelsea tried to step in front of him, but he pushed her so hard that she fell against Eli. She knew Eli was furious at her as he worked to get out of the spiderweb of her long hair and even longer legs.

  He tossed her onto the bed, then ran to the door. Chelsea was close behind him.

  When he stopped in the doorway, blocking her exit or even from seeing outside, she yelled, “He’s going to get away!”

  Eli stepped aside to let her stand beside him. In the backyard near the shed, Orin was clinging to the concrete block wall, frantically and futilely trying to get his out-of-shape body over it. Below him was Rex, the Ridgeway family dog, barking loudly as it jumped up, trying to bite Orin’s heels.

  “Get it off of me!” Orin shouted as his thick legs fought to get up the wall. “Get it—” He screamed as the dog clamped its teeth into his calf.

  Eli stepped forward, but then Melissa came through the side gate, gun drawn.

  “Down!” she ordered the dog, and it obeyed.

  “I’m going to sue!” Orin yelled as he fell to the ground.

  “You’re under arrest,” Melissa said as she put handcuffs on him and began to read him his rights.

  “What for?”

  “Trespassing. Attempted child molestation. We’ll come up with something to keep you locked up until we get to the truth.”

  Orin glared at Eli and Chelsea. “It’s those two who’ve been stalking me.” As Melissa pulled him toward the gate, he sneered at Eli. “I’ll have you in jail for this! I have connections! I have—”

  “Shut up!” Melissa said and pushed him through the gate.

  Jeff, who had stayed to one side as he watched it all, went to Eli and Chelsea. “You guys okay?”

  “Fine,” Eli said as Rex came up to him and he stroked the dog’s head. “You have any safety pins? For Chelsea’s shirt?”

  “Give me a break,” Chelsea said. “I saved your life, so what do a few missing buttons mean?”

  “You could have—”

  Watching them, Jeff grinned and put his hands in his pockets. “I’m going with Melissa. Chelsea, would you help me pick out a ring to give her?”

  That so startled her that she quit arguing with Eli. “So soon?”

  “When you know, you know. I gotta go. See you later.”

  When they were alone, Eli turned to Chelsea and smiled. “We got rid of them all.”

  “That we did. You want to go home and . . .” She shrugged.

  “I’d love to.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “Home. I like the sound of that.”

  “Mmmm,” Chelsea said as she rubbed her bare legs against Eli’s. “So what’s on the agenda for today?”

  “I figure you’ll spend every minute on getting dressed. You are planning to go to the dance tonight, aren’t you?”

  “You know me so well,” she said as she began kissing his neck. “Dealing with my clothes is just what I’m going to spend the entire day doing.”

  He pulled away to look at her. “I don’t like the sound of that. What are you actually planning to do?”

  Chelsea rolled to her back. Last night Melissa said she’d turned Peterson over to Dr. Tris, the local physician, with instructions to hold him as long as possible. He’d still be in the hospital during the prom tonight, so there was no danger that he’d show up. As long as whatever he wanted hadn’t been found, he would be a menace. Last night Eli had spent hours on the phone calling people in the government, pulling in favors, to find out about Orin Peterson and the truth behind Gilbert Ridgeway’s death.

  Even though no one had found whatever it was that Orin was after, Grace now had a reason to throw him out of her house.

  Chelsea knew that Eli was going to try to get her to swear that from now on, the case would be in the hands of the authorities. No more sneaking about in the middle of the night.

  “Actually, you’re right. Abby and I are going to do a girl day,” Chelsea said, her eyes wide in innocence. “Hair, nails, feet, all of it. My mom sent the dress for Abby and one for me. And your tux needs to be pressed. It’s a busy day ahead. By the way, Abby sent me a text asking if we knew where Scully was. What have you done with him?”

  “What makes you think it was me?”

  Chelsea narrowed her eyes at him.

  Eli chuckled. “My cousins flew in, and while you were wherever you were all yesterday afternoon, they were giving Scully dance lessons.”

  “That was really nice of you.” She flung the covers back to get out of bed, but Eli caught her hand.

  “In case you missed it, that was a hint for you to tell me where you were.”

  “The First Lady called me to ask—” She broke off at his look. “You’re not the only one who can lie. Where were you?”

  “Since we both ended up in the same place, I guess we were doing the same thing. How long will it take to do your hair today?”

  “Hours,” she said, smiling. She got up, pulled on one of his T-shirts, and went into the bathroom.

  When she came out, Eli was leaning back on the pillows, his hands behind his head. “You either tell me what you’re planning or I’ll have you kidnapped and held in custody until after the dance.”

  “Oooooh. By Men in Black? Men so physically fit they can hardly wear a suit? Will they have those little microphone thingies in their ears? Can they—”

  “Chelsea!” Eli said in warning.

  She sat down on the edge of the bed and began to rub moisturizer on her legs. “Okay, I’ll tell you—but only because we need you. And it’s nothing bad.”

  “We is you and who else?”

  “Pilar. I really like her! I’ve never had a lot of women friends in my life.”

  He looked at her long leg that she was stroking. “Can’t imagine why.”

  “You’re sweet. But anyway, do you think you could make Grace’s computer at Frazier Motors stop working for a day?”

  “Enough that the local repairman, who happens to be Scully’s dad, has to be called in to fix it?”

  She kissed him on the forehead. “Now who says men don’t have brains?”

  When she started to get up, Eli pulled her down onto the bed and began kissing her. “Are you the one doing matchmaking now?”

  “I am.” She kissed him back. “Pilar’s already told Lanny about it, and he’s ready for a system breakdown.
We’re all just waiting on you to go to the dealership and do it. It’s early, but Lanny will let us in before the place opens.”

  “Puh-lease,” Eli said as he kissed her more.

  “You can break a computer from a distance?”

  Her tone of innocence made him laugh. “You know I could have done that when I was eight. You’re up to something and I want to know what it is.”

  Smiling, Chelsea rubbed her leg between his. “Speaking of ‘up’ . . .”

  With a groan of exasperation, Eli pulled her on top of him.

  12

  They made an entrance. Chelsea insisted that they wait until thirty minutes after the dance started before they entered, then she and Abby went in front, Eli and Baze behind them.

  Chelsea’s gown was a deep, rich blue halter top, with the sides open to the waist. There was a slit up the side of the skirt almost to her hip. The fabric had tiny brilliants woven into it so that it shimmered in the shadowy lights, glowing like candlelight under silk. In her ultrahigh heels she was six feet tall and very impressive.

  Beside her was Abby in her strapless dress with thousands of crystals catching the light.

  They paused at the doorway and looked around them. The high school gym had been decorated in blues and greens, with sparkling ribbons hanging from the ceiling. Suspended in the center was an old-fashioned mirrored ball that cast tiny, flattering lights over everyone.

  Abby started to step forward, but Chelsea gave her a look to stay still. The four of them just stood there in silence, waiting.

  After a few moments the nearest dancing couples stopped to look at the latest arrivals. They were properly awed. The gowns Chelsea and Abby wore looked like the runways they had come off of.

  A couple stepped aside, then the next tier did, then the next, until it was clear from the band on the stage to them.

  The lead singer, a kid who’d graduated from the school three years before, looked down the aisle that had been opened and saw the two beauties in the glimmering gowns. He signaled his band to stop playing. Turning, he said something to them, and they began playing a song called “Let the Party Begin.”

  Chelsea smiled at the young man. “Now we can go,” she said to Abby, and the two couples slowly went forward.

  The music changed to a slow tune, and Baze took Abby in his arms while Eli led Chelsea into a dance. The entire audience watched for a few moments, then joined in.

  “So this is what it’s like to be a popular kid,” Eli said as he held Chelsea close.

  “In high school, being popular is like being Queen of the World. But alas, then you leave the closed environment and go out into a world where there are lots of queens.”

  Smiling, he kissed her cheek. “It was a nice thing you did for Abby.”

  “Speaking of which, where is Scully?”

  “Around.” Eli dipped Chelsea.

  “He will be here, won’t he?”

  “Oh, yes. With bells on. I won’t let history repeat itself with yet another nerd being left out.”

  “I’m sorry I did that. I was so young that I really did believe you when you said you didn’t want to go to the prom.”

  “But I didn’t,” Eli said as he extended his arm for her to turn around in a circle, then come back to him. “I wanted you to stay with me. Just me. To know no one else, to like no one but me. If I’d had my way, I would have locked you in a house and never let you out. I was a selfish little bastard.”

  Chelsea frowned. “I don’t think that’s true.

  “I think it’s time that I learn to give as well as take. You asked where I was yesterday afternoon. I was arranging my retirement.”

  “What?” She pulled back to look at him, but he pushed her head back down on his shoulder.

  “Since you’ve been here, I’ve realized that work isn’t enough in my life. If you will stay with me, I will retire and we’ll do whatever you want. Travel, live on a boat, anything you need to make you happy. We’ll—”

  “No,” Chelsea said.

  He looked at her, his face stricken. “No?”

  “I mean no, you don’t have to do that. Pilar and I are going to open a detective agency here in Edilean.”

  Eli stopped moving to stare at her. “You aren’t talking about an agency that uses guns, are you?”

  “Yes. In fact, Pilar has arranged for me to take shooting lessons.”

  “Shoo . . . shooting lessons?” He could barely say the words.

  “My time with you has made me remember how much I liked what we did when we were kids. I got distracted for a few years, what with modeling and, well, other things, so—”

  “Polo players and race-car drivers.”

  “Whatever. Pilar thinks my connections in those worlds will help us solve cases. And of course she knows some very high-end people. Did you know that she had an affair with— Oops. I can’t tell you that. But anyway, we’re trying to come up with a name for our new agency. You have any suggestions?”

  “I forbid it,” Eli said, his eyes steely with anger.

  “I’d laugh, but with the open sides of this dress I’d pop out. Who are you to ‘forbid’ me anything? And what happened to your new realization of your selfishness?”

  “I’m your husband-to-be, that’s who I am. And a detective agency is too dangerous.”

  “How does a computer geek manage to live in the nineteenth century? Married or not, you can’t forbid me anything. You—” She broke off at the sound of a familiar tune that came from Eli’s inside pocket. Since she had no place to put a phone, she’d slipped hers into his jacket.

  Before Eli could speak, Chelsea took the phone out. “It’s Rodrigo and I have to take this.” She made her way across the gym floor to go into the school. Eli was right behind her.

  Inside, the lights were dim, but they could see about a dozen young couples wrapped around each other, slammed against the rows of lockers, and kissing.

  “Rodrigo,” Chelsea said into the phone, then listened. “You’re ready to take me back, are you? Let me guess. You need someone with a brain to take care of your schedules. And of course I’m to make sure your horses are looked after so you have lots of time to party. What happened to cute little Tiffany?”

  She listened. “I see. A twenty-two-year-old can’t handle everything?”

  Eli felt like snatching the phone away from her, but he controlled himself.

  “Do you? Well, Roddy, dear, I’m afraid you’re just going to have to find another ‘love of your life’ to put up with you. I’m staying where I am and I’m going to marry the guy who is the love of my life. And by the way, he is much better in bed than you are.”

  She clicked off, then looked at Eli. “Now where were we?”

  “I don’t remember,” he said as he took her into his arms and began to kiss her.

  Minutes later, he said, “Ah, yes, about this agency. We need to talk about that.”

  “I agree,” Chelsea said. “Right after we discuss what kind of ring you’re going to buy me. We need to—” She broke off because Baze threw open the big doors that led out of the gym.

  “Where the hell have you two been?” he half yelled. Behind him was Abby and her face was white. With a shaking hand, she held out her cell phone.

  Chelsea and Eli, heads together, read the text message. CME HOME NOW. BRNG RABIT. THE RING.

  “What does it mean?” Chelsea asked.

  Baze gave Abby a moment to reply, but when she couldn’t speak, he answered, “Abby’s dad gave her a rabbit on a key chain. It’s in her locker.”

  “Let’s go get it,” Eli said, and he and Baze took off running down the hall. The kissing couples didn’t so much as look up at the commotion.

  Abby stayed where she was, seemingly rooted in place. Chelsea looked at her.

  “There are too many errors. My mom di
dn’t write that, but it’s her phone.”

  “I think we should go,” Chelsea said and held out her hand. “Eli will take care of it, but we need to help him.”

  Abby drew a breath, then took Chelsea’s hand and they began running. This time, with the women in their glorious dresses and high heels, the males of the kissing couples stopped to look—which caused the females to put a great deal more enthusiasm into what they were doing.

  When Abby and Chelsea reached the locker, Eli and Baze were waiting, both of them tapping away on their cell phones.

  “I hope that’s the sheriff you’re contacting,” Chelsea said.

  Eli nodded. “It is, and Jeff and my cousin Paige.”

  Chelsea wanted to ask about that, but Abby was trying to work the combination to her locker. Her hands were shaking so badly that she couldn’t turn the dial, so Eli helped her. Baze didn’t look up from his phone.

  Abby removed the key ring from a hook stuck onto the back of the door and handed it to Eli.

  “Flash drive,” Eli and Chelsea said in unison. Because the lid had been glued in place, no one had realized it was more than just an ornament.

  “Stay with them,” Eli said to Chelsea, but her look made him know that she wasn’t going to do that. With a sigh, he held out his hand to her and they began running in the direction of the parking lot.

  “Nolan,” Grace said, “I can’t thank you enough for all you did today.” It was just after 6:00 p.m. and they were at her house. A pizza had been delivered and he was opening a bottle of red wine. “It was really strange how you’d get my computer working, then it would shut itself down again.”

  “Yeah, it was,” Nolan said, but his eyes didn’t meet hers. All day he and Eli had exchanged texts. As soon as Nolan had fixed one thing, he’d text Eli and immediately something else would go wrong. By afternoon it became a game between the men. THAT ALL YOU GOT? Nolan had texted, and the next problem had occupied him for an hour before he fixed it. Afterward, he texted Eli, HOW ABOUT SOMETHING CREATIVE? It took him thirty minutes to find the little green dragon that Eli sent to the computer.