Undercover Fiance

by Sheryl Lynn

  Subdued purples and blues in his tie complemented his bronze-on-bronze hair and skin. The sculpted lines of his jaw and neck hinted at a physique in its prime. She raised a menu, blocking the view. Pinky’s untoward pursuit of her or her untoward awareness of Daniel Tucker—she couldn’t decide which was worse. “Where are my letters?”

  “I left the bag in the truck.”

  An ivory-colored turtleneck sweater set off her rich coloring. Her hair glimmered by candlelight with golds, reds and copper. No way was he going to give in to the natural urge to tell her how gorgeous she looked. Her situation was far too serious.

  “Have you ordered yet?” he asked. “Would you care for a drink? They have a nice wine list.”

  “No, thank you. What did you think of the letters and tapes?”

  “Are you aware that Pinky is one of your employees? Or else he’s living in the air ducts at the lodge.”

  She closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips against her forehead. “I knew you were going to say that.”

  A server interrupted them. She recited the evening specials and asked if they’d like an appetizer. Daniel ordered calamari, consulted briefly with Janine, then ordered the venison scallopini special for them both.

  He cocked his head. “You didn’t mention the possibility of Pinky living at the resort. Testing me?”

  “Certainly not.” Her genuinely troubled expression made him contrite. “I had hoped I was wrong.”

  “You have no idea who he is? No suspicions whatsoever?”

  She shook her head. “It must be somebody I hired this year, but that’s more than twenty people. I check references though. I haven’t hired any criminals.”

  “Pinky might not be a criminal—yet. But he is unbalanced, and he has a serious grudge against your father.” He plucked a bread stick out of a basket and used it to emphasize his point. “Pinky has decided your father is the reason the two of you can’t be together. The anniversary party is throwing fuel on the fire.”

  “I won’t cancel the party. It’s too important.”

  “I’ve come up with a plan to distract him from obsessing about your father and maybe flush him out into the open.”

  She sipped from a water goblet. Violets, he thought. Her eyes were the exact shade of blue as African violets. Incredible.

  “Do you have a significant other?” he asked. He hoped not.

  “I have a gentleman friend. Elliot Damsen.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Gentleman friend?” He was confused. Nothing in Pinky’s correspondence indicated he felt threatened by Janine’s romantic liaisons. “How friendly?”

  “We meet in Colorado Springs whenever our schedules coincide. We share season tickets to the symphony.”

  “Is he married?”

  Violet fire crackled in her glare. “No, he isn’t married. Not that it’s any of your business, but Elliot and I have dated casually for years.”

  “How can anybody date casually for years?”

  “It’s a comfortable relationship. And none of your business.”

  Casual, comfortable—neither fit Janine Duke. Elliot must be a world-class wuss. “So Pinky doesn’t know about Elliot?”

  “Unless he follows me when I leave the resort, then I don’t see how Pinky could know.”

  He refrained from grinning in triumph. “Good. We’ll leave comfy old Elliot out of the picture altogether. As of now, I’m your boyfriend. And nothing casual, either.”

  “Pardon?”

  He loved the way she said that. “I’m the love of your life now. When Pinky realizes I’m the real threat, he’ll forget about your father. He should reveal himself.”

  She blinked slowly, several times. When she’d asked for Daniel’s help, she hadn’t the faintest idea what kind of plan he might come up with. She’d imagined he’d stake out the mailbox or interview people, or perhaps produce some magical bit of modern technology designed to ferret out secret admirers. “You’ll pose as my boyfriend,” she said slowly. “And I pretend I’m in love with you?” The absurdity tickled her. “That isn’t the sort of plan I can pull off.”

  She expected laughter, not the burning intensity he focused on her eyes. Her throat went dry.

  “You don’t have much choice, ma’am. If you haven’t figured out who Pinky is by now, you probably never will. At least, not until he attacks your father. Or you. We need to flush him out of the woodwork. We better do it before the party pushes him over the edge.”

  “I don’t merely live at the resort, I work there. I can’t...”

  “You can’t what?”

  Have people gossiping. Laughing behind her back. Pointing. Snickering about her private life. “I’m hiring you as a professional. I expect a professional solution.”

  “You expect a simple solution. I wish I had one for you.”

  His sincerity shone through. As much as she hated his idea, she recognized its merits. Suffering some minor embarrassment meant little in comparison to protecting her father from harm. “You honestly think Pinky is dangerous?”

  “He seems to believe you know who he is and you’re conspiring with him to keep the love affair secret. He’s growing frustrated. He wants to bring the relationship out in the open, but he doesn’t know how. So he’s using your dad as a scapegoat. That kind of thinking is extremely dangerous.”

  She took a sip of water and her hand trembled. Water drops spread on the tablecloth. “Is that why your stalker committed suicide? Frustration?”

  “She wanted to make sure she was always in my thoughts.” He made a facial shrug. “She got her wish.”

  The server brought the appetizer. The smell of top-quality olive oil and the sight of perfectly fried batter glistening on the calamari distracted Janine. She worked hard to maintain her weight, but the calamari tempted her. She slipped a single piece onto her bread plate.

  “Your plan will take Pinky’s attention off my father?”

  “A real lover is far more threatening to a would-be lover than a father.”

  Lover. Imagining Daniel as a lover was much too easy. “He’ll reveal himself?”

  “There, I’m not so positive. He’s deeply invested in his anonymous act.”

  She nibbled the calamari. It tasted as good as it looked. No amount of ignoring Pinky or wishful thinking was making him go away. Besides, how much damage could a pretend boyfriend do? “Very well, Mr. Tucker. We’ll try your plan.”

  “Good. I’m looking forward to that Honeymoon Hideaway cabin. That will include champagne, right?”

  “You get rid of Pinky, and I’ll supply enough champagne for you to bathe in every night.”

  Wow, DANIEL THOUGHT as he entered the lobby of the Elk River lodge. He enjoyed skiing and had spent a lot of time in fancy resort towns like Vail, Aspen and Breckenridge. He liked the ambiance of ski lodges: crackling fires, healthy people, lots of talk. But this place, despite its size, felt like a home. It radiated a warmth that spoke of family and togetherness and happy times.

  Employees moving throughout the lobby and lounge were easy to spot by their white sweaters, black trousers and brass name tags. Daniel doubted Pinky had direct contact with the public. His letters showed he was intelligent and reasonably well-read, but he’d be underemployed so he could concentrate on Janine. He probably worked in maintenance or housekeeping.

  He ambled across the lobby. At the registration desk two young women inputted information into computers. Both raised their heads to watch his approach.

  He leaned an arm on the counter. “Hi.”

  A perky blonde, her name tag read Debbi, patted her hair and adjusted the neck of her sweater. “Welcome to Elk River. May I help you?”

  “I sure hope so.”

  Her eyelashes lowered coquettishly. “Do you have a reservation?”

  “I’m here to see someone. Janine Duke. Do you know where I might find her?”

  The other young woman swiveled her head like a deer going on alert. She was taller, younger and thinner than Janine
, but he didn’t need to read “Kara” on her name tag to know this was Janine’s younger sister.

  “Do you have a business appointment?” Kara asked.

  “Actually, Kara,” he said and leaned both arms on the counter. “She and I have a date.”

  “A date?” She sounded shocked. Next to her, Debbi cocked her head and blinked rapidly.

  He glanced at a huge clock mounted on a far wall. It was framed by an impressive rack of elk antlers. He was three minutes early. “Didn’t she tell you about me? She told me about you.”

  Kara patted her hair. “Good things, I hope?”

  “She somehow failed to mention how pretty you are. You don’t think she’s jealous, do you?”

  Blushing, she giggled behind her hand.

  He stepped back and placed a hand over his heart. “Seeing you almost makes me sorry I’m madly in love with your sister. Ah well, such is fate. Maybe in our next lifetime—”

  He caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Janine stood under an open doorway leading to the east wing. Arms crossed, she glared at the scene taking place at the desk. She did not appear amused.

  JANINE DIDN’T FEEL the slightest amusement. She resented having to ask for Daniel Tucker’s help. To have a lovesick moron stalking her from the shadows, mocking her attempts to roust him into the open and forcing her to plead for help as if she were some helpless maiden, stuck in her craw.

  Watching Daniel flirt outrageously with her sister annoyed her.

  Daniel swung away from the counter and held his arms wide. “Cupcake!”

  Seeing his intention to hug her, she tensed for a major rebuff. Reason returned in the nick of time. Her parents’ anniversary was in ten days. Ten short days in which she to stop Pinky from harming her father. Only Daniel Tucker could help her.

  She really hated that.

  He enfolded her in an exuberant embrace. He wore a heavy coat lined with sheepskin, but the power in his lean body reached her. He wasn’t overly tall, but neither was she, and he engulfed her. The scent of soap, shaving cream and masculine warmth surrounded her and stole her breath. When he released her, she huffed a sigh of relief.

  He had brown eyes, like polished pennies, and they danced with good humor. “You look fabulous, cupcake. As usual.”

  She didn’t recall stupid pet names being part of the plan. She noticed Debbi and Kara drinking in the scene as if they watched a sappy movie. “I’m glad to see you, too, Daniel. Did you have problems finding the place?”

  “You give great directions. It’s a nice drive. I enjoyed myself.” He draped an arm over her shoulders.

  The impulse to ram her elbow into his gut nearly overwhelmed her. Smiling made her jaws ache. She could do this. She had to do this. Her father’s safety depended on it.

  “I see you’ve met Kara and Debbi. Ladies, this is Daniel Tucker. He’ll be my guest for a day or two.” Light sensations tickled her ear and neck, raising gooseflesh along her back. He was playing with her hair! She stepped away and grabbed his hand. The size of his hand took her aback. As much as his overacting ticked her off, his powerful hands reassured her.

  Kara and Debbi repeated Daniel’s name. They sounded like cooing doves. Janine refrained from rolling her eyes in disgust. “I’m putting him in the east wing. Room 202.”

  “That’s too small.” Kara typed rapidly on the computer keyboard. “You ought to give him a room over on the third floor. It’s nicer—”

  “I’ve made the arrangements,” Janine interrupted. “Come along, dear. I’ll give you that tour I promised. Kara will take care of your luggage.” She urged him to follow her into the east wing. As soon as they were out of earshot of the registration desk she stopped and turned on him. “I don’t think I made myself clear, Mr. Tucker.”

  His coat hung open, revealing an ecru-colored, cable-knit sweater. Hand knit and expensive, she noticed. The attention he paid to his clothing irked her. The attention she paid irked her even more. She had neither the time nor inclination to moon over a handsome man.

  “I’m not given to public displays of affection. And I don’t appreciate being called cupcake. No one will buy that lovey-dovey stuff. So put a cork in it.”

  He managed an expression of almost childlike innocence. “In order to flush out Pinky we have to go over the top.” He spoke reasonably, even sounded businesslike. “We can’t give him any reason to explain me away. You have to convince him that you’re madly in love with me.”

  “Anyone who knows me is well aware that I don’t madly do anything.”

  “Pinky doesn’t know you. Not you, the person. He only knows you, the object of his obsession. He has created, entirely in his own mind, the you he loves. Normal rules don’t apply. You have to shatter the image he’s created in a way he can’t justify. I thought I explained all this.”

  Subdued, she rubbed her fingertips over the headache forming in her temples. He had explained it. He acted exactly the way he’d promised. She, however, hadn’t realized how embarrassing it would be. Her ears burned as she imagined Kara and Debbi telling everyone within earshot that Janine had finally snagged herself a cute boyfriend.

  “Pinky thinks you’re a goddess. Remote, unattainable, untouchable. A woman worthy of worship. I get a sense that something happened in the past few weeks. Something that threatened his image of you. He’s trying to put you back up on the pedestal. He blames your father for whatever happened.”

  Metal rattled as a young man wheeled a cart laden with table linens out of a storeroom. Startled, Janine suddenly felt small and vulnerable. She imagined watching eyes wherever she went. She’d been sleeping poorly, overly alert for any suspicious noise in the night. Every pink envelope she received made her want to vomit. Stress headaches plagued her. Relationships with resort employees were growing strained as she wondered which one of them had invaded her privacy and threatened her father’s life.

  “Let’s go to my office,” she said. “I don’t want to talk out here.”

  She unlocked her office door. As she turned the key, fresh resentment built. She feared Pinky had been snooping around in her desk and files. Recently she’d been locking the door, even if she was only going across the hall to the kitchen for a cup of coffee.

  “I know you’re scared,” Daniel said.

  She almost said, You have no idea. Except, he did. The experience with his stalker still haunted him.

  She handed over the latest missive she’d received from Pinky. “It was in my message box this morning. No envelope.”

  He unfolded the sheet of lined notebook paper. His expression darkened. He made a soft, growly noise. “‘Cut him to pieces and scatter his body for the crows to eat.’ Humph, nice imagery.” He turned the paper over and checked the blank backside. “So he’s giving up pretending to mail letters. Bad sign. Where is your father right now?”

  “He and Mom went to Denver yesterday. They’re meeting with suppliers. They won’t be back until tomorrow. I called him this morning right after I found that. He’s okay. No problems.”

  As he looked around the office, he seemed to approve of what he saw. “So tell me, what happened a few weeks ago? What set Pinky off?”

  Clueless, she shook her head. She busied her hands with straightening papers on her desk. “I have no idea what you mean.”

  “Think about it.”

  His commanding tone caught her off guard. So did the sudden blazing intensity in his eyes.

  “You have a serious situation here. Pinky has graduated from puppy love to full-blown rage.” He rattled the note. “He wants a response from you. If he doesn’t get it, he’ll escalate.”

  Even before the first threat to her father, she’d been noticing a shift in the tone of Pinky’s letters. Rage. Daniel pinpointed exactly what her instincts had been warning her about.

  “Think back to around the second week of January. Something unusual happened.”

  She swiveled her chair so she could see a wall calendar. “It’s been a snowy winter.
We’ve caught a lot of overflow from the ski resorts. Everybody has been working really hard, but we’ve had no problems with the staff. By the second week of January we were catching our breath.” She turned back to her desk and flipped through an appointment book. A notation caught her attention.

  “What is it?” Daniel asked.

  “Les Shuemaker.” A frisson tickled her spine—this man was downright spooky in his ability to pinpoint problems. “The second week of January. The colonel and I argued about Les Shuemaker.”

  “Is Shuemaker an employee?”

  “He owns Wild and High Outfitters. It’s a retail chain that sells camping and skiing equipment. He’d like to open a concession here at Elk River. My father is for it. I’m against it.”

  “And?”

  Even remembering the incident embarrassed her. “It wasn’t the business I objected to. We’ve been discussing concessions for some time. People on vacation spend a lot of money on impulse buys and souvenirs. I, however, didn’t like Les Shuemaker.”

  “Why is that?”

  She sighed. He wouldn’t rest until he knew everything. “He’s a lecher. He implied that I could wrangle an extra half percentage point of his gross sales if only I were extra nice to him. He offended me. Of course he was a perfect gentleman whenever the colonel was around. That especially offended me. He began pressuring the colonel to make an agreement on the spot and I...I lost my temper.”

  “In public?”

  “In the restaurant.” She closed her eyes. “The colonel had no idea why I was so angry with the man, so he was upset with me. Then Shuemaker said something idiotic and I dumped a bowl of soup on his lap.”

  Daniel’s smile showed million-dollar teeth. His eyes sparkled.

  “It isn’t funny. It’s humiliating.” He kept grinning, though, and his was an infectious smile. To her horror her cheeks began twitching with the urge to laugh. Some of the tightness eased in her chest. “The colonel was very angry.”

  “He yelled at you?”

  “We were both yelling.” She tried to banish the image of Les Shuemaker’s calf-eyed surprise when she’d hit him where it hurt with steamy soup. “I’m a professional. So is my father. We generally conduct our tussles behind closed doors.”