Siren blaring, the ambulance came down Main Street, drowning out the questions the reporters shouted. “Ethan,” Gage yelled, waving over his best friend as he helped Ms. Lane to her feet.
Angling his body, he blocked her from the reporters’ line of sight. “Take her to the station. I’ll meet you there shortly,” he said once Ethan reached his side. Between them, they got her into Ethan’s Escalade.
As Gage fastened her seat belt, he felt her body tremble beneath his hand and cursed his aunt. She’d gone too far this time.
Ms. Lane cleared her throat. “Do I need a lawyer?”
And that was the question of the day. Gage wondered how long it would take to break his aunt and decided he’d be better off focusing his efforts on Fred and Ted. “We’ll talk about it when I get to the station.”
“You get those statements?” Gage asked Ray once they were safely away.
“Yeah, no one other than Fred and Ted saw anything.”
Figures. “Help Jill clear everyone out of here. Then head over to the hospital and—” The beeping of the ambulance backing into the lot stopped Gage from adding anything else. Fred and Ted made sympathetic noises while Gage helped the paramedics load Nell onto the stretcher. She kept her eyes closed, adding a wince or groan of pain every so often. Even though Gage was pretty damn sure she was faking it, he leaned over and kissed her peppermint-scented cheek. “They’ll take good care of you, Aunt Nell. I’ll be there once I look after things here,” he promised.
She cracked one eye open and gave him a sweetly innocent smile. And when had Nell ever been innocent or, for that matter, sweet? Why the hell did his dad have to be on vacation now? He was the only one who could make his aunt see reason. “Ray, don’t let Nell out of your sight,” Gage warned his deputy. “And keep an eye on those two.” He gestured to Ted and Fred who were shuffling toward their lime-green pickup.
With nothing left to see, the crowd began to disperse. Gage ignored the reporters’ questions—he’d deal with them later—and examined the back of the SUV. No sign of impact, just like he expected. The distance from the imprint Nell’s body left in the snow and the SUV validated his suspicions that it was a setup. Now he just had to prove it.
* * *
From where he stood in the small kitchen at the station, Gage leaned back to check on Ms. Lane, who sat in his office across the hall with a phone pressed to her ear.
“What a mess. How are you going to deal with it?” Ethan asked him.
“Kill Nell,” Gage muttered, only half-joking. He shook out a packet of sugar and poured it into the cup of coffee he’d prepared for Ms. Lane.
Ethan looked at him over the rim of his mug. “You’re positive Nell set this up?”
Gage raised a brow.
“Yeah, I know, it’s Nell.” Ethan set his mug on the poinsettia-decorated tablecloth. “If my mother hadn’t distracted me with her phone call, none of this would’ve happened.”
Gage held back a frustrated Damn straight. He understood why Ethan had taken the call. As tight-fisted as Liz O’Connor was, it had to be something important for her to make a ship-to-shore call. “Everything all right?”
“Yeah, guess who’s in the cabin beside hers?”
No way. “Dad and Karen are on the same ship as Liz?” His father’s on-again, off-again girlfriend had surprised him with a Caribbean cruise. Who his father dated was his own business, but Gage wasn’t overly fond of the aggressive, thirty-something emergency room nurse. He thought his father and Liz were perfect for each other. Before the deaths of Ethan’s father and Gage’s mother, the couples had been the best of friends. Like Ethan, Gage figured that was the problem.
Ethan nodded then grinned. “Karen made a big production of it. She accused Mom of stalking Paul.”
Gage shook his head, tossing the empty sugar packet in the garbage. “I hope Dad didn’t let her get away with it.”
“Karen’s too smart to show her true colors when Paul’s around. Mom took care of her, though. She told Karen that Paul was too old for her, and she had her sights set on a much younger man. The ship’s doctor.”
“Good for her.” Gage laughed. Maybe the thought of Liz with someone else would give his father the kick in the ass he needed.
Ethan glanced at his watch. “I have to take off. Call me as soon as you have word on Nell. We can only hold off the press for so long.”
Gage nodded, and with the cup of coffee in hand, entered his office. Ms. Lane, who’d just ended her call, looked up. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her face chalk white. Gage hadn’t had a chance to speak with her yet to alleviate some of the fear shadowing her vivid blue eyes.
He handed her the cup of coffee. “Drink this—you’ll feel better once you do.”
Murmuring her thanks, she cupped the mug with her hands. “Am I going to be charged with attempted murder?” she asked, a quaver in her voice.
His aunt had a lot to answer for. “No, at most it will be a charge of reckless driving,” he said, as he shrugged out of his jacket and hung it beside hers on the wooden coat stand. He moved around to the front of his desk, weighing out how much he should tell her before either his aunt, or Fred and Ted, confirmed his suspicions.
“Call on line one, Sheriff,” his dispatcher, Susie, yelled from the front desk.
Gage pressed the orange flashing button before picking up the receiver. “McBride here.”
“Sheriff McBride, this is Joe Hartwell. What’s all this about my employee being involved in an accident? Our phones haven’t stopped ringing. First I hear she took out Santa.” From his tone of voice, you could tell that one was a head-scratcher. “And now they’re saying she hit an elderly woman… intentionally.”
“Hello, Mr. Hartwell.” Gage had assumed she’d been talking to her boss, but apparently not. She groaned and sank lower in her chair. He figured he could ease her worry and Hartwell’s at the same time. “I’m still waiting for an update on Ms. McBride’s condition, but—”
“That’s the victim? Any relation to you?”
“Yes, as it happens, she’s my great-aunt.” Not that the connection gave him any pleasure at the moment. “As far as Nell being a victim… the jury’s still out on that.”
Ms. Lane straightened in her chair, brow furrowed.
“I’m not sure I understand what you’re trying to say, Sheriff McBride,” Joe Hartwell said slowly.
Gage gave Hartwell the same story he’d give the press if his suspicions proved correct. His aunt had fallen on the ice. Ted and Fred, given their age and diminished eyesight and the fact they were worked up from the meeting and not thinking clearly, had assumed the SUV had hit their friend. What Gage didn’t tell Hartwell and Ms. Lane, who was now giving him the benefit of her full attention, was that he figured while she’d been distracted by a phone call, Nell lay on the ground a safe distance from the SUV and her partners in crime pounded the back end of the vehicle once she was in position.
It would serve the three of them right if he charged them with public mischief, or worse.
Ms. Lane narrowed her eyes on him. Oh, yeah, smart as she was, he figured she’d just about put the pieces together. And from the look on her face, she was not amused. He didn’t blame her.
“Doc’s on line two, Sheriff,” Susie called out, as Gage wrapped up his explanation.
“Can you hold for a minute, Mr. Hartwell? I have Nell’s doctor on the other line.” At Hartwell’s agreement, Gage leaned back and pressed the button.
“Hey, Matt, how’s Nell?”
“Hang on a minute, Gage.” There was a muffled exchange in the background, then Matt came back on the line, blowing out an exasperated breath. Gage didn’t blame him. Dealing with his aunt could drive a sane man crazy. “Sorry, Nell decided I needed a refresher on what constitutes doctor-patient confidentiality.”
“I bet she did,” Gage muttered, more certain than ever his instincts hadn’t failed him. “Let me guess—other than being certifiable, she’s fine.”
At
Ms. Lane’s gasp, Gage winced. He shouldn’t have said that out loud.
“Are you telling me she purposely set out—”
Ms. Lane looked ready to give him a piece of her mind, and having been on the receiving end earlier, Gage figured he wouldn’t be able to hear Matt if she did. He raised a hand to cut her off.
Matt laughed then sobered. “Actually, she has a stress fracture of her tibia.”
Gage frowned. There had to be some other explanation. From the placement of Nell’s body, any injury would’ve been sustained on the left side. “Which leg?”
“Right.”
“Any other injuries or bruising consistent with being hit by an SUV?”
“No, and as I’m sure you’re aware, a stress fracture in a woman of Nell’s age and activity level isn’t unusual. I’ve put her in an air cast. She’ll be out of commission for at least twelve weeks.”
“I bet that went over well,” he said, imagining his aunt’s reaction.
“Surprisingly, it did. Ted and Fred offered to help, but I got the distinct impression she had someone else in mind. Good luck, Gage. I think you’re about to get yourself a roommate. Let me know if you need me to make a house call.”
Gage scrubbed a hand over his face. He knew exactly how his aunt’s mind worked—scary thought—and she’d made it pretty clear at the town hall meeting she wanted Ms. Lane to remain in town. And if he wasn’t mistaken, that was exactly who Nell’s intended roommate was.
He didn’t plan on letting that happen. Madison Lane had caused more trouble in the last couple of hours than he’d had to deal with in over a year. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if she stuck around for a few more days.
Chapter Five
Madison’s left eye began to twitch. And if Sheriff McBride didn’t clue her in on his aunt’s condition, Madison’s eye wouldn’t be the only thing twitching. Trying to read his expression wasn’t helpful. She kept getting distracted by the movement of his lips. She gave her head a slight shake, concentrating on what was coming out of his mouth instead and realized he’d ended his conversation with the doctor.
“What did he—”
“Your boss is on hold. Might as well do this all at once.” He leaned across his desk to bring Joe back on the line.
Her hands fisted nervously in her lap. She didn’t like the hard edge in his voice or what his comment seemed to imply. No, he believed her. He didn’t think she set out to purposely run over his aunt. But the thought he might have changed his mind caused a rush of prickly heat to weaken her arms and legs. She felt faint. The same reaction she’d had upon seeing Nell McBride lying dead in the snow.
Only she hadn’t been dead. And judging from the sheriff’s comments, his crazy aunt had tried to set her up. His voice broke through her ping-ponging emotions.
“Mr. Hartwell, I’m going to put you on speaker.” He raised a brow, seeking her agreement.
She nodded. It wasn’t as if she could put off speaking to Joe. Instead of calling him after the mayor had brought her to the station, she’d first called Skye and then Vivi to talk her off the ledge. She’d needed their reassurance and support, not something Joe would’ve offered. Even though it appeared she wasn’t going to be charged with attempted murder, probably hadn’t even hit the schemer, Madison’s PR attempt had failed miserably. And blaming Harrison for the debacle, no matter that it was true, probably wouldn’t fly. Harrison was family and she wasn’t.
“Madison, are you all right?”
“I’m fine, just a little shaky.” She released the breath she’d been holding. Joe sounded more concerned than angry. The sheriff gave her a slow and thorough once-over, and her cheeks warmed in response to the intense perusal of those winter-green eyes. Thankfully, her boss recaptured his attention before he noticed her reaction.
“How’s your aunt, Sheriff?”
“She has a stress fracture of her tibia.”
Madison groaned, and her stomach heaved.
“I’m sorry to hear that. Given her injury, is it still your opinion that this was an accident and the accusations a misunderstanding?”
“Yes.” He held Madison’s gaze as he spoke. “As far as I’m concerned, no charges will be brought against Ms. Lane.”
She relaxed in the chair for the first time since she’d entered his office and smiled her thanks. He smiled back. A heady rush of heat enveloped her in response to the slow, sexy curve of his oh-so-kissable lips. It was a good thing she didn’t plan on staying in town; the man would be dangerous to her professionalism.
“I’m glad to hear that, but I’m going to be frank with you, Sheriff. While you were on the phone with the doctor, I spoke to my legal team. We’re already fielding calls from the media asking for a comment on this latest incident. Compounded with the negative publicity we received yesterday, this is turning into a bit of a nightmare for us. And I imagine your town’s opinion of Hartwell Enterprises has now been further damaged, hasn’t it?”
Madison stiffened. Joe might as well come out and blame the entire fiasco on her. “Joe, I—”
“Please, Madison, let the man speak,” Joe interrupted her.
She gritted her teeth.
Sheriff McBride rubbed a hand over his beard-shadowed jaw, avoiding her gaze. “I’d say that’s an accurate assessment.”
“Would it also be accurate to say that your aunt’s opinion carries substantial weight in the community?”
Madison snorted. The sheriff raised a brow. Certifiable, she mouthed, repeating his earlier comment.
The corner of his mouth quirked as though he fought back a grin. His amusement might have been contagious if she wasn’t so damn mad.
“Yes. Nell’s very involved in the community. She’s chaired practically every committee in town.”
Yeah, like the one that trashed my reputation, Madison thought.
“As I understand it, your aunt, along with a good number of the citizens of Christmas, want Madison to remain a few days to experience all that your town has to offer.”
She knew exactly where Joe was headed, and there was no way in hell she was staying. “In hopes of changing my… our minds, Joe, which we both know isn’t going to happen. Not to mention the budget meeting we’ve already pushed back. We can’t afford to—”
“Madison, you don’t seem to realize the amount of negative publicity this has generated,” Joe cut her off sharply. And there it was again, the implication that the mess was entirely of her doing.
She scowled at the sheriff. If he hadn’t dragged her to that meeting, none of this would’ve happened. Okay, maybe that was a stretch, but indirectly it was his fault. The crazy old lady was his aunt. Arms crossed over his broad chest, he cocked his head. She held his gaze, refusing to back down.
Caught up in their staring match, she didn’t realize Joe had continued speaking until she heard him say, “I would think a week should be enough to satisfy your aunt, don’t you, Sheriff?”
Panic shot through her, and she gave a frantic shake of her head. “No,” she croaked at the same time the sheriff cautiously said, “Yes.” He gave her a what-could-I-say look, then shrugged.
“Good, that settles it. Madison will remain in Christmas for a week. Hopefully that will appease the town. They’ll realize we value their opinions and are responsive to their concerns. I’m sure it will generate the goodwill which we so desperately need at the moment.”
And if he believed that, he was as delusional as Nell McBride. “Joe, I really can’t take a week off. I have—”
“Nothing is as important as turning this around, Madison. Harrison can present your budget. It’s not as if you’re out of contact should something arise that requires your attention.”
“Harrison?” Her voice cracked on a horrified note.
The sheriff gave her an odd look. Easy for him—it wasn’t his life on a collision course with disaster.
“Yes. This will be a good opportunity for him to step up to the plate,” Joe said firmly.
/> A good opportunity for him to step into my job, more likely.
“Thank you for your time, Sheriff,” Joe continued. “I’d appreciate it if you keep me updated and inform me once the allegations against Madison have been put to rest. Madison, we’ll speak later.”
She groaned, dropping her face in her palms. Large hands took hold of hers and drew them from her face.
“Come on, it’s not that bad.”
She looked down at the hands that held hers, the tanned, long, broad fingers that smoothed over her knuckles. She imagined hands like that could offer much more than comfort to some lucky woman. Her thoughts brought her up short, and she reminded herself where she was and exactly whose fault that was.
She raised her gaze to his. “Seriously, it’s not that bad? Thanks to your aunt, my reputation is in the toilet. My boss is blaming this entire disaster on me. And while I’m stuck in this godforsaken town, his nephew is moving into my office, moving into my life, and all because your aunt set me up!”
From where he crouched in front of her, the sheriff slowly came to his feet. “No one said anything about a setup. It was—”
“Please, I’m not stupid. She’s a menace and should be locked in a padded cell.”
“Look, I understand you’re upset, but—”
“Upset? Upset doesn’t cover what I’m feeling at the moment.” She couldn’t believe this was happening to her. Joe trusted her. She’d proven herself time and time again. Good Lord, she practically lived and breathed Hartwell Enterprises. And now because of these people, he was questioning her abilities, blaming her for everything that had taken place. No, with Harrison and the press hounding him, Joe wasn’t thinking clearly. It hadn’t helped that she’d been on speakerphone, either. She had to talk to him privately.
He needed to see that there was no benefit in having her placate a woman who had no interest in being placated. Nell McBride wanted a Hartwell resort built in her town, and nothing was going to stop her from getting what she wanted. The back of Madison’s neck tingled.
“Uh, Sheriff McBride, has your aunt ever spent time in prison?”
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