He nodded and opened the car door. “Showtime.”
The wind chilled her bare skin and she hastily threw the gown’s matching wrap over her shoulders.
They walked side by side to the front door, mingling with several other couples also on their way to the party. Everyone else looked excited and happy to be going to the annual fund-raising event, while a hard knot of misery twisted her stomach. She’d hurt James and she’d never meant to do so. He deserved a woman who would fill his life with good things—not her.
The door opened and they entered into the bright warmth. A live band played classical music that underscored the chattering of the houseful of guests.
Her eyes quickly swept the room of beautiful people dressed in formal attire. Serving staff milled about with glasses of champagne and shrimp canapés. She’d thought the Stowerses’ house beautiful, but it was nothing compared to the present festive glory of the clubhouse.
“Thank you for joining us.” Maddie appeared in the foyer dressed in a red low-cut gown that managed to be bold yet flattering. She ignored Charlotte and extended a hand to James. “Officer Tedder, if I remember correctly? Richard and I appreciate all you do in keeping peace and order in our community.”
Yeah, I bet she appreciates us. Phony witch.
“I believe y’all are the last of the officers to arrive,” Maddie said, still avoiding Charlotte. “Harlan said everyone’s made it here except for one officer left manning the fort and another who’s home sick.”
That would be Sammy, who was guarding the back of the place, and Charlotte wouldn’t be surprised if the Stowerses were aware of that fact.
“I don’t believe you’ve met my husband before?” Maddie swept her hand toward the man at her side, who gulped a healthy swig of bourbon from a crystal glass.
Richard Stowers glanced Charlotte’s way and discreetly looked her body over. But not so discreetly that it escaped her attention. A cheesy smile lit his puffy, albeit handsome, face, and he extended a hand. “And you must be Officer Tedder’s wife?”
“Partner. Officer Hanson.” She masked her displeasure at his handshake, which he held two seconds longer than customary.
His eyes narrowed in on her forehead. “Nasty cut you have there. What happened?”
As if he didn’t know. As if the two of them hadn’t sent those men to search her apartment for clues on how much she knew about their trafficking ring. Unless...unless Maddie were the brains behind everything while he merely enjoyed the fruits of her ill-gotten gains. Richard certainly didn’t look or act the part of a criminal mastermind. His ruddy complexion, and the web of broken veins around his nose, suggested he either imbibed quite frequently or was an alcoholic.
His remark finally drew Maddie’s attention her way. Brown eyes flashed at her, barely able to disguise anger.
Charlotte offered a cool smile to Richard. “I took a tumble down a flight of concrete stairs.”
“Ouch. Guess it could have been worse, though,” he said jovially.
Maddie’s sharp chin jutted out even further than normal. “Colleen,” she said peremptorily, summoning her housekeeper, who apparently served double duty at social functions. “Please take their jackets.” Maddie faced them both with a chilly smile. “Enjoy your evening. Let’s move along, Richard.”
Charlotte removed her wrap, uncomfortably aware of Richard ogling the low-cut V of her gown before obediently tagging along behind his wife.
“Your purse, ma’am?” Colleen held out her hand.
She firmly pulled the sequin purse closer to her side. “I prefer to keep it with me, thank you.”
Richard sidled up close to Charlotte and she drew back an inch. Annoyance stiffened her spine. The last thing she needed was to have this man clinging to her side while she searched his house.
James took her arm and guided her away. “Excuse us. We’d like to catch up to our friends by the buffet.”
“Certainly.” Richard took her other hand and pressed it into his coarse palm. “See you in a bit. Perhaps a dance later?”
Not if she spotted him first. Next time she saw Richard, she vowed it would be to handcuff the creep.
“Of course,” she lied, accompanying James into the den, where a long buffet table was spread out the length of the entire room. Once they were out of earshot she quickly whispered, “Thanks for helping me escape.”
James nodded. “I see my sister and Harlan. We’ll talk a bit and then...”
Then, they implemented their plan. She nodded in silent agreement. With any luck, Richard would be too drunk to seek her out by the time they began the house search.
“Champagne, ma’am?” She accepted a slender flute from the waiter. He was tall and stocky and clearly uncomfortable in his ill-fitted uniform. No doubt he was also employed as a guard, same as the Stowerses’ supposed gardeners. She exchanged a knowing glance with James.
“Be careful,” he muttered.
The man just couldn’t help himself when it came to unnecessary warnings. “Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself. Focus on your own—”
“Look at you all spiffed up in a tux!” Lilah rushed over and hugged James. “I haven’t seen you in one of these since your high school prom.” Her gaze swept to Charlotte and she clasped her hands in admiration. “Stunning.”
“As are you,” Charlotte said. Lilah’s long blond hair was loose and she wore a lavender tea-length dress. But even more striking was her happy confidence. You’d think she’d grown up attending swanky parties every weekend. But as for Harlan...she stifled a grin. He tugged at his collar and looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but here.
Lilah’s gaze fell to Charlotte’s feet and she let out an exasperated tsk. “Too bad I couldn’t talk you into high heels, or at least wedge pumps.”
As if she’d attempt smuggling out Jenny and the other girls while tottering in high heels. She caught Harlan’s warning glance—Lilah was in the dark about tonight’s mission. Just as well. Let her have her fairy-castle, enchanting illusion for the evening. The less people that knew, the better their chance for success.
The band came to an abrupt halt.
“May I have your attention, please?”
Maddie and Richard posed in front of the band, and her cultured voice swept over the crowd. Conversations halted.
“As everyone is aware, we’ve gathered here tonight to honor our sheriff, Harlan Sampson, and all of the men and women employed by the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department.”
Richard raised his glass in the air. “Hear, hear!” he called out a tad too loudly.
Maddie slanted him a look.
“Bet she gives him hell later,” James murmured by her ear.
“Not if they’re locked in separate cells.”
He clinked his champagne glass against hers and smirked. “Hear, hear.”
Maddie continued. “It’s because of their hard work and dedication that the Lavender Mountain community is such a peaceful haven.”
A smattering of applause broke out.
“And now I’d like to ask Sheriff Sampson to come forward and say a few words.”
“Damn,” Harlan muttered.
“Speech,” Lilah said with a grin, giving him a playful shove forward.
Now was the time to slip away. “I’m going to the ladies’ room. Be back in a bit,” Charlotte lied.
“Wait until after Harlan’s speech and I’ll go with you,” Lilah offered.
“Sorry. It can’t wait.”
She cast a last look at James. His face was stoic, but she knew he hated her operating alone. Yet they’d both agreed beforehand that it would be less conspicuous if they searched apart from one another. She gave him a reassuring smile and strolled toward the side exit of the clubhouse, all while casually sipping the flute of champagne.
At the rear of the main ballr
oom she stopped at the buffet table and picked up a canapé, using the opportunity to check if she were being watched. Luckily all eyes appeared focused on Harlan’s clipped speech. She dabbed at her mouth with a paper napkin and then whisked out of the room and into a back hallway with an exit door.
One last furtive glance behind, and Charlotte slipped outdoors. Cool wind whipped through the thin material of her evening gown and she shivered, thinking longingly of her jacket. But soon enough, she’d be back inside. On the sidewalk, she passed a couple decked out in their finery, obviously out of town guests on the way to the party. The woman’s voice was a tad too loud and the man practically carried her as she stumbled about in her high heels.
Charlotte waved at them cheerily. “Forgot my lipstick,” she said. “See you in a bit at the party. The band’s fantastic.”
“Oh, damn.” The woman placed a hand over her mouth. “I believe I forgot mine, too. I’m going back, Thomas.”
Thomas rolled his eyes. “You look fine. Let’s go.”
Charlotte beamed at him, practically bestowing a conspiratorial wink. “You go on. Me and—” She glanced at the woman.
“Alyssa,” she supplied. “Alyssa Renfroe.”
“Alyssa and I will go in together and meet you in a few minutes.”
“You sure?” he asked doubtfully.
“No problem.”
He transferred the weight of Alyssa to Charlotte’s arm, and she fought to keep her balance while propping up Alyssa. Their progression to the Stowerses’ house was slow and arduous, but Charlotte was grateful for Alyssa. What a struck of luck. Now she didn’t have to sneak into the house. Alyssa had unwittingly provided an alibi.
Once at the Stowerses’ entrance, Charlotte didn’t bother knocking and opened the door like she had every right to be there.
A tall, husky man entered the foyer and gave them the once-over.
“We forgot our... What did we forget?” Alyssa asked with a giggle.
“Lipstick.” Charlotte smiled at the man and kept walking. “I’m staying in the east wing. Are you?” she asked Alyssa.
Her smooth forehead puckered. “I—I’m not sure.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll find your room.”
It took several minutes to make it down the hallway, but at last Alyssa came to a halt. “This is it,” she declared. “I recognize my perfume bottles on the dresser.”
“Great. My room’s further down. I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Charlotte lied, relieved to be rid of her drunken burden.
She’d been down this particular hallway on her previous visit with James and didn’t expect Jenny or the others to be kept so close to the party. But for the sake of thoroughness, they’d leave no room unexamined.
Every bedroom off the hallway was presently empty, but appeared to be used as a guest bedroom for the weekend. Each contained luggage, clothes hung in the closets and a few toiletries were set on the nightstands. Charlotte peeked out of the last room she’d entered to make sure the coast was clear before stepping back into the hallway.
“So sorry you are feelin’ poorly, ma’am,” Colleen said in her distinctive Irish accent as Charlotte started to enter the den.
Charlotte ducked back inside the nearest bedroom and flattened herself against the wall.
“Let me help you find your room,” Colleen continued. “This way, please, ma’am.”
She let out a deep breath and listened to the women make their way down the hall. Time to slip away.
Charlotte scurried out of the room, still clutching the small sequined purse that was just large enough to hold her cell phone and a small gun. The hallway made an L-turn and she ventured on, but it was more of the same—empty rooms.
Until she entered the last room on the right.
Someone was in there. A mattress squeaked and a man and woman groaned. Uh-oh. Hastily she backed out and softly shut the door. Had they heard her?
She waited a few heartbeats, prepared to make a lame excuse if they came after her, but the mattress squeaks never slowed.
Whew, bullet dodged. Charlotte retrieved her cell phone and texted James.
East wing complete. Negative. No need to break in. Go inside and say your name is Thomas Renfroe and you are checking on your wife, Alyssa, who returned for some lipstick.
A rough hand grasped her elbow. “What the hell are you doing here?”
* * *
THE BAND RESUMED playing and James waited several minutes before strolling through the crowd, biding his time until he had an opportunity to leave unnoticed. A teenage girl clutched the arms of an older gentleman and her gray eyes were wide and...not exactly scared, but apprehensive. Was the man her father or one of the Stowerses’ clients? He needed to check the west wing of the Stowerses’ house and then find Charlotte—the quicker the better. But he couldn’t ignore the girl, either. He turned and scanned the crowd for Harlan.
His brother-in-law was surrounded by people congratulating him on his speech, but as if he had an extra sense for danger, Harlan raised his head and made eye contact. James cocked his head at the old-man-young-girl couple and Harlan nodded in understanding. He’d check it out.
“Look at her,” a lady said close by. “Never thought I’d see a Tedder at an event like this.”
Another voice murmured assent. “Heard Sampson’s hired her brother now.”
“Harlan’s in bed with the dregs of our community,” another chimed in. “Disgraceful.”
Heat fevered his brain. They could say what they wanted about him, but not his sister. She was off limits.
James squared his shoulders and eyed the small clique. “Lilah Tedder is one of the kindest, smartest women you’ll ever meet. Harlan’s lucky to have her for a wife.” He focused his gaze on the sole male among the group. “And if you’ve got a problem with me, let’s discuss it now.”
“No problem,” the man said quickly. “Ladies, let’s head to the buffet table for refreshments.”
They made a quick beeline to move away and James took a deep breath. He shouldn’t have confronted them. The last thing he needed was to make a scene. Their plan depended on acting as unobtrusive as possible. He meandered out of the room, relieved nobody paid him any mind. At the back door of the clubhouse, he exited onto the deck. No one was around. Quickly he walked through the backyard. If someone asked what he was doing, he’d claim he needed fresh air.
His cell phone vibrated and he read the text message. Great. Charlotte was safe. Soon as he finished searching the west wing, they were to meet by the kitchen.
Sure enough, he easily got past the man monitoring the front door. The moment he was alone, James began his search, going into every room—a couple of bedrooms and baths, a fully equipped gymnasium including a sauna and a movie theater room.
The hallway was eerily quiet. The Stowerses had excellent acoustics in their place. Perhaps they’d built the mansion that way to contain the screams of desperate children. His pace picked up. No way he’d leave this place without every room searched. If Jenny was here, they’d find her.
His spirits sank with each empty room. But the most likely place the girls were hidden would be either on the upper level of rooms or in the basement. They’d expected this going in. James entered the den and searched for Charlotte. No luck. She might already be hanging around the kitchen area. He hurried to the door—but still no Charlotte. Stealthily he opened the door several inches, but the room was dark and quiet.
No Charlotte.
Unease tingled at the back of his neck. Where was she? He pulled out his phone and checked the time the text was sent—five minutes ago. She should be here.
He pushed away from the kitchen and reached for his phone. A familiar smell of roses startled him. “Charlotte?” He whirled around.
“The one and only.” Her voice was light but her expression subtly strained.
“One of the male serving staff grabbed me and asked what I was doing in that area. I tried to play it off as if I were lost and looking for the bathroom, but he wasn’t buying it.”
He stood between her and the doors, half expecting security to arrive and escort them out of the house. Or worse. “How did you get away?”
“I acted all embarrassed and haltingly admitted that I’d gone there in search of my married lover. Claimed we’d made a rendezvous, but I couldn’t remember which room we were supposed to sneak into. Then I put on my best snooty air and said that Maddie and Richard were close personal friends and if he didn’t leave me alone I’d have to report him.”
“Quick thinking. Guess you learned it on the job.”
“Sink or swim, as they say.” She shivered and rubbed her arms. “I’m okay. Let’s get on with it. We don’t want to draw attention to ourselves in case guards are lurking about.”
“Agreed.” He kept his voice low as they walked by the pantry. “Kitchen appears normal but we can take another quick peek before heading upstairs.”
“I want to see as much as possible before we search the attic and basement. Make sure no child is left behind when the raid begins.”
People liked to tease him about his military rigidity, but Charlotte was just as thorough in her job process.
What a shame this gorgeous house was owned by such a despicable couple. How many years had the Stowerses managed to conceal their illegal activity and live this lifestyle?
A deep voice suddenly boomed from around the corner. “Did you see that drunk chick—Alice or something—stumbling around the house?”
“Her boobs were practically hanging out of her dress,” another man replied, chuckling.
Quickly James took Charlotte’s hand and they ducked into a side room as the men made their way past.
“That was close,” she breathed at his side as they slowly eased their way back into the hallway and proceeded to the staircase. Sneaking upstairs would be even trickier than the basement. Anyone passing through the foyer would see them. Timing was everything.
Appalachian Abduction (Lavender Mountain Book 2; Appalachian Magic) Page 15