by Polly Holmes
“Murder.” Thomas gasped and paled. “You know? What have you heard about Mr and Mrs Calderson?” Thomas asked, thrusting his hands on his hips.
“Heard…What on earth are you talking about?” Charlotte sighed on the outside but her insides were bubbling with intrigue.
“So, you don’t know?” Thomas said.
The suspense was killing her. “Know what? Thomas, what’s going on?”
Thomas’s brow creased and he nodded toward Liam. “Can we speak in front of…him?”
Oh, for goodness sake, who did he think Liam was, some sort of bodyguard? The thought sent a shiver racing up her spine.
Liam spoke for the first time. “Yes, you can. The name’s Liam, Liam Bradly. You may remember me from the wedding on Friday night.”
Thomas’s gaze squinted and then as if realisation hit him, his face lit up. “Ah, yes, now I remember. You were the best man, right?”
Liam nodded. “That’s right.”
Enough of this small talk. “Thomas, would you just tell me what is going on with Mr and Mrs Calderson?” Charlotte asked, frustration driving her snappy words.
“Okay. As far as I know, what I’m about to tell you is only known around town by a few people. So promise me that you’ll keep it to yourself.” He paused as if not sure how to proceed.
“I’m sure Mr Calderson won’t mind you telling me. Or,”—she paused for dramatic effect—“I could just go ask Mrs Calderson. We haven’t caught up in a while, I’m sure she’d love to chat over a cup of Earl Grey tea.”
Liam nodded. “She’s serious, Thomas. Believe me.”
Thomas swallowed and continued on. “I know for a fact that you didn’t put cyanide in your cupcakes and poison anyone.”
Her eyes widened. Relief sailed through her body. “You do?” Someone else believes me. She wanted to jump and high five the air.
“Yes, and I’d bet my new Range Rover that it was Mrs Calderson, trying to kill her husband.”
Charlotte’s jaw dropped open. A giggle erupted in the base of her belly. It blurted from her lips in one enormous laugh. She slapped her hand across her mouth when she noticed his hurt expression.
“I’m sorry, Thomas, but that has to be the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. Why on earth would she try and kill her husband?”
“Because he’s having an affair, that’s why.” He paused and leaned closer to them. “With Mrs Boothman.”
“No.” Charlotte gasped. “She’s the other victim. How do you know all this?”
Thomas crossed his arms and pouted his bottom lip. “Because I’m his personal assistant, that’s how. Who do you think knows his every move? Me,” Thomas said, shoving his thumb into his chest. “I’ve been watching their marriage crumble for the past few months. They put on a brave face in public, but it’s a different story behind closed doors. She can be a real nasty piece of work. I wouldn’t put anything past her. Have you seen her around town lately?”
Mrs Calderson was a sweet woman and always nice whenever she and Charlotte crossed paths. But maybe Thomas was right. Charlotte hadn’t seen her in CC’s Simply Cupcakes for at least six weeks. “She wasn’t even at the wedding, so how could she poison him? And for that matter, why kill Mr Hutson?” Charlotte said, keeping Thomas in her direct line of sight.
“I don’t know all the answers. Maybe she paid someone to do it. I’m betting she was trying to get rid of the cheating bastard before she was made a fool of in front of the whole town.”
Liam coughed. “That’s a pretty strong allegation. Have you got the evidence to back it up?”
Yes, the evidence Charlotte needed to clear her name. I bet it’s all written on your computer, she thought. Getting a glimpse at his computer was now her number one priority.
Charlotte was so focused on her conversation with Thomas that she’d almost forgotten Liam was still beside her. Almost. The cogs of a plan quickly slotted together in her head. Her spine straightened and her chest tightened as she glanced at Liam praying he’d read the clues.
Time for my Oscar-winning performance.
Her brow creased, she placed her hand over her stomach and grabbed the edge of the desk. “Ahhhh,” she said as if in acute pain.
Liam threw his arms around her and held her upright, concern etched in his face. “Charlotte, what’s wrong?”
“Ahhh,” she said again, this time an octave higher, bending her knees as if they’d given way.
Liam held her close. She soaked up his warmth as it bled into her body. “Charlotte, please tell me what’s wrong,” he said panicked.
Charlotte noticed Thomas had stepped back from his desk in horror as she dropped. He was out of earshot. Liam was so close she could practically taste him. His brow creased in a clear what-the-hell-is-happening manner, and she had to be quick. “Fake pain…check computer…get car,” she whispered in his ear and held his gaze until she was sure he understood.
“What’s wrong, Charlotte?” Thomas piped up. “Do you need to sit down?”
Adrenaline coursed through her veins and she revelled in the drama. She faked heavy breathing and pretended to struggle to talk. “I…lie…down.”
“Do you want to lie down, it that it?” Liam asked keeping the spectacle going.
She nodded and let out another cry.
Liam’s gaze shot to Thomas. “She needs to lie down. Do you have a couch anywhere?”
Thomas was white as a ghost. “Only in Mr Calderson’s office,” he said pointing to the closed door down the hall on the left behind his desk.
Liam barked orders and it seemed to work because Thomas jumped into action. “Okay, quickly come and help me get her inside.”
Charlotte pushed upward off the desk and she tensed her body. She let out a small cry and then went limp. Nestled between the two men, her arms draped around their shoulders they manoeuvred her onto the couch.
Thomas stood back while Liam brushed his hand over her cheek and smoothed her hair away. Her skin electrified under his touch. If it hadn’t been for Thomas shadowing them, she might have taken the risk and kissed him.
Thomas edged himself forward. “Shall I go call an ambulance?” he asked.
Ambulance, definitely not. She shook her head.
“She’s a little better now that she’s lying down. At the moment, it seems to have settled so I’ll take her to the hospital myself if she gets worse,” Liam said, placating Thomas. “Can you stay with her, Thomas, while I go and get the car? I’m parked a few streets away and I really don’t think she should be alone.”
“Um…of course.”
Liam turned his dreamy, chocolate-brown eyes on her once more. “Charlotte, Thomas will stay with you while I go and get the car. Do you think you’ll be all right?”
Mrs Leadon, her high school drama teacher would be so proud of her performance. Of course she can hold on. Just look at the computer and be quick about it. “I don’t want to be alone just in case, so if Thomas stays with me I’m sure I’ll be fine, but hurry, okay?”
Liam stood and drilled his gaze into Thomas. “Charlotte is a very special woman. Do not leave her side under any circumstances, do I make myself clear?” Thomas nodded. “For all we know, this could be another poisoning. I want her around long enough so I can tell her how I really feel. I’ll be as quick as I can.”
How he really feels. She couldn’t breathe. For real this time. Couldn’t process the words he’d just spoken. Her breath caught in her throat, but then she remembered it was fake, all for Thomas’ benefit. He brushed her hair once more and then dropped a kiss on her forehead.
She closed her eyes and stiffened. The touch of an unfamiliar hand on her shoulder sent shockwaves through her body. Her eyes snapped open to see Thomas scrutinizing her. She pulled back and gasped.
“Oh, thank goodness,” Thomas mumbled. “I thought you’d passed out.”
Not yet, but I’m close. She wanted to question Thomas some more, but Liam’s words rolled around in her mind until it felt like i
t was ready to explode from the sheer pain. Minutes passed, how many she couldn’t say. The antsy look cast on Thomas’s face told her it was longer than she thought. He stared at her through the narrow slits in his eyes. Cold eyes that held no real emotion.
The reappearance of Liam sauntering through the door was a welcomed sight.
He bent down beside the couch and picked up her hand. “I managed to get the car close. Are you ready to go see the doctor now?”
Did that mean he was close to finding an answer from Thomas’s computer? Her body buzzed with electric energy and she wanted to jump up, but breaking character now would destroy everything. She slowly dragged herself to a sitting position “Yes, I’m ready. As long as I can lean on you, I should be able to make it.”
“All right, we’ll take it slow,” Liam said as he threaded his arm around her waist and lifted her off the couch into his side. Their bodies were plastered together. Their gazes connected and his brown eyes flickered, just a hint of reaction in their depths. At least he kept her cover in front of Thomas.
Liam thanked Thomas and it wasn’t ‘til they were halfway toward the door he whispered, “And I thought I gave a great performance. You win, hands down. I was struggling to keep up with you.”
Mortification ricocheted through her body. She was right, it was all pretend. His words, his actions, his touch. What a fool she was. Men like Liam didn’t fit into her world in little old Ashton Point. From this moment forward, she vowed to keep her mind focused one hundred percent on clearing her name, and nothing else.
Chapter Seven
LIAM GRIPPED THE steering wheel as he drove out of town surprised by Charlotte’s icy demeanour. “I told you what I saw. JMB scheduled in Mr Calderson’s calendar three times last week and none the week before.”
“What else did you see? Any secret rendezvous with Ms Boothman from the library?” She turned her inquisitive gaze on him. “You must have missed something. Think hard, Liam, surely there was more information there.”
Something I missed. Her hard words shouted inside his head. You’ve got to be kidding me. Here he was, putting his life at risk, lying to people he didn’t even know, and she was seriously questioning his motives? Irritation seared through his veins, despite his attempts to keep cool and not let her rile him. “There was nothing else. No secret meeting, no coded words—except for JMB—as I’ve already told you. If he was having an affair, it wasn’t written in his planner, but then again why would it be?”
She paled at his words and clamped her mouth shut. He had no idea why she was being so snarky with him, but he didn’t like it one bit. He had hoped she’d started to feel something for him, just as he had for her, but maybe his wishes were misdirected.
“Don’t you think you had better call Detective Anderson and fill him in on what we’ve learned?” he suggested.
“Why on earth would I do that?” she asked. “I don’t have any concrete evidence yet.”
“No, but you have two strong leads that he can follow up on, with the full force of the law behind him while we keep searching,” Liam said hoarsely. “Why don’t you give him a quick call before we get back to your house?”
She sighed. “I suppose you’re right, it wouldn’t hurt to find out what he knows.”
I know I’m right. His focus was soon split between Charlotte’s conversation and the road. He listened intently as she spoke, the annoyance in her tone increasing by the minute.
“Detective Anderson, are you even listening to what I’m saying…yes, JMB and it has something to do with construction or building, and also Thomas Montgomery.” She paused and rolled her eyes upward. “Yes, Thomas Montgomery. I think if you talk to him, you’ll find he has some very interesting information on Mrs Calderson that might prove fascinating.” Charlotte went silent and listened, staring out the windscreen ahead. “Yes, I can do that. Fine,” she said and ended the call.
Liam hesitated, his chest tightened with an uncomfortable burn. “Why didn’t you tell him about Hannah and the phone call?” Liam asked.
She sat stone-faced. “Because I have no proof yet. It was just a phone call, and what am I going to say? ‘I think Hannah’s done something really bad. I’ve no idea what it is, but maybe you should bring her down the station for questioning.’ Are you forgetting I wasn’t even supposed to know about the phone call?”
How could he? “No, I haven’t forgotten. What did you tell Detective Anderson you would do, Charlotte?”
She threw her phone back in her bag and stubbornly crossed her arms across her chest. “Apparently Detective Anderson is unavailable this evening but he wants me to come in to the station in the morning and go through the details of what I know. He said there may be some more information he could share with me.”
“Well, that is good news,” he said as he pulled up outside Charlotte’s house and killed the engine. “Now, you have the evening free to do as you please.” With me.
Liam sat still, stunned by her quick exit. “Charlotte, wait up,” Liam called as he rushed to follow her before she disappeared inside her house. Her feisty attitude. Her scent. The way her body moved. They all drove him crazy. He had no idea why she was so cold toward him, but he would be damned if he was leaving here today without finding out why.
She stopped and turned just as he reached her. “Listen, Liam, you’ve been a huge help to me today and I probably wouldn’t have been able to get as far in my investigation as I did without you, but I think it’s—”
“No,” he snapped before she finished her sentence. Her brow creased and a flood of excitement surged up his spine. He had her off guard. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
“I really appreciate your help, but I can take care of things from here,” she said.
His gaze watched the ripple of her neck as she swallowed. “No,” he said, stepping closer to her tense body. “I’m not sure why you are doing this but can you remember what I said earlier?”
She looked at him, puzzlement marring her expression. “Remind me. You said a lot of things earlier.”
“I said I wanted to show you how I feel.”
Her eyes widened. “I thought that was part of the act.”
“You be the judge.” He slid his hand up her neck to delve into her hair. He pulled her close until his lips descended on hers in a hot kiss. Their breaths mingled and his nostrils flared. He crushed his mouth to hers. He kissed her again and then withdrew, only to nip her bottom lip.
Liam felt as though someone had just knocked him on his butt. It was a simple kiss, but his whole body buzzed. He pulled back to take in Charlotte’s expression. Her eyes were semi-closed and her gaze dropped as heat flooded her cheeks.
He couldn’t have imagined the immense satisfaction he’d experience seeing her blush just from one kiss. “Now, you tell me if that was part of the act.”
She bit her bottom lip. “I guess not, but it doesn’t change anything.”
“What do you mean it doesn’t change anything?” he snapped.
“Face reality, Liam, we’re from two different worlds. You’re here for a few days, a week tops, so there’s no use even going down this path,” Charlotte said her words laced with anguish.
“We could at least discuss it over dinner.” He held his breath praying she’d give him that much.
She shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Why start something we can’t finish?”
Rage, red-hot and searing, splintered through his veins. Who says I want it to finish? She wasn’t even going to give him a chance. His mind blanked and his chest hurt as if a hand was squeezing his airways mercilessly. “You can ignore what’s going on between us all you like, but I will be here tomorrow at ten o’clock to take you to the police station. I’m not a quitter. I’m not leaving a job half done. I said I’d help you and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
Anger tightened Liam’s jaw. He turned on his heel and left her on the step gawking as he walked away.
&n
bsp; By the time he’d driven back to Beth and Lincoln’s place, his body was like a tight ball of frustration ready to burst. With all the dramatic antics that had played out during the day, they’d missed lunch. He forced himself to eat something, although his gut protested at every bite. Charlotte’s words were on repeat, tearing at his heart.
Why start something we can’t finish?
“Darn it,” he grunted as he placed his plate in the sink. “What is wrong with me?”
Returning to the theatre room he dropped on the couch and began channel surfing. “She’s right. Long distance relationships don’t work.” He’d been on that road twice before and it always ended in heartache. But they weren’t Charlotte McCorrson. He lived in Perth and she lived on the central coast of New South Wales. How were they supposed to make that work, unless someone moved?
He threw his head back on the couch squeezing his eyes shut. “What have you done to me, woman?” The least she could do was talk to him about it. Surely a possible future together was worth discussing.
Refusing to sit here any longer wondering, he flipped his phone open and dialled her number. It hadn’t taken him long to convince her to swap digits yesterday. For security, he’d said, in case they got separated following a lead. Yeah, my lead.
It rang out. His fingers moved at lightning speed as he dialled again. Still no answer. Worry pricked up his spine. Even if she was avoiding his phone calls, he’d never forgive himself if he left Ashton Point without telling her how he felt. He owed himself that much. Cursing, he stood, grabbed his car keys and headed for the door.
Chapter Eight
CHARLOTTE’S EYELIDS LOWERED and she leaned against the closed door, her lips ablaze from his delicate kiss. His taste still lingered on her lips. A taste that would have to last a lifetime. Rejecting him was the only sane option.
“Better to cut it short before he ripped my heart apart when he leaves,” she muttered. The air squeezed from her lungs. “If it’s the right choice, why do I feel like I’ve just made the worst mistake of my life?”