The Baby Scheme

by Jacqueline Diamond

  He’d either bribed the woman or played on her irresponsibility. In any case, Alli noted unhappily that she had little chance of persuading the police to lock him up.

  However, his eye was reddening nicely. With any luck, it would turn black by tomorrow.

  “What did you think you would find?” she snapped. “You’ve already stolen everything I had, and besides, you can’t keep ripping off your career from other people. Sooner or later, J.J.’s going to find out you’re incompetent.”

  “You don’t get it.” His lip curled in a sneer, although he took a precautionary step sideways when she made a slight movement. “I’ve got more talent than you’ll ever dream of.”

  “If you’re so gifted, why don’t you show the rest of us how it’s done instead of plagiarizing?” she taunted.

  “I’m saving my best efforts for something worthy of a Pulitzer, not for this small-town garbage,” Payne said.

  “You must have the world’s largest ego!”

  The weird part was that he evidently believed his hog-wash. This kid who couldn’t write a decent lead paragraph or interview a subject without misquoting had convinced himself he was a genius.

  Apparently he’d convinced his uncle, too. And as long as Payne kept swiping other people’s stuff, neither of them had to face the truth.

  “Now that I know you’re all right, I’ll leave.” He shifted toward the door. “I really was concerned about you, Alli.”

  “Wait!” From a bureau drawer, she retrieved a disposable camera she kept on hand for emergencies. Taking a shot of her trespasser would at least document the visit.

  One look at the camera and he took to his heels. All Alli captured was his skinny butt going out the door, and there wasn’t even anything in the frame to prove she’d taken the shot in her apartment.

  “Creep!” she yelled. Picking up the phone, she called the front office. At least she could register a complaint about the assistant manager that might prevent Payne from sneaking in again.

  The manager apologized. The young woman’s actions had violated policy, he said, and promised there’d be consequences.

  Alli felt a bit better as she hung up. Disturbing as the incident had been, it didn’t appear to have caused any real damage.

  Then she remembered the furtive movement Payne had made. Could he have been stuffing something in his pocket? If only she hadn’t gotten distracted in the heat of the moment and had followed it up!

  For one heart-stopping moment, she feared he’d found a clue about the adoption blackmail. Terrific stories didn’t fall in one’s lap every day, and if he undercut this one, she’d lose her best chance of proving what she could do. Also, he’d probably write a story prematurely, alerting the blackmailer he was being investigated.

  Going to the desk, she riffled through the disordered papers. For once, Alli wished she had Kevin’s organizational skills, because then she might have been able to figure out what was missing.

  Old receipts, letters, tax records, computer discs and clippings stuffed the drawers, along with items she’d removed from work. Still, she felt certain she’d taken her notes about Rita Hernandez and all trace of the Abernathy interview to Kevin’s.

  Whatever Payne had pilfered must have fit inside his pocket, which suggested one of Alli’s spiral-bound pads. After flipping through several of those that remained, she finally deduced which one must be missing.

  It contained brainstorming notes on possibilities for follow-up articles about Klaus LeMott. She’d jotted down some of her speculations as to what else he might be involved with, plus a lot of what-if questions. None of this was usable because it hadn’t been confirmed or even researched.

  Payne must not have had time to read her notes carefully. When he did, he’d discover that what he’d taken was useless except as a guide to future legwork that he had neither the skill nor the patience to handle.

  Alli let out a long breath. She hadn’t lost anything vital. And she was glad she’d given the jerk a shiner.

  Her spirits lifting, she turned her energies to the main challenge: deciding what to wear tonight. One by one, she lifted outfits from her closet, discarding some and setting aside others to try on, the shorter, tighter and flashier the better.

  She intended to stand out at the party. Her heart might not be engaged, but her pride was.

  Just because she’d promised to go on Kevin’s arm didn’t mean she had to resemble one of his domesticated groupies. She was going to make sure nobody confused Alli Gardner with Bipsy, Bopsy and Boopsy.

  KEVIN SPENT most of the day trailing a man named Wilmer Lee, who claimed to have suffered long-term disability since breaking a leg at a construction job. The insurance company suspected him of malingering and wanted proof.

  Some subjects didn’t bother to hide their healthy state, making it a cinch to collect photographic evidence, but either this guy was the real deal or he’d learned caution. Hour after tedious hour, Kevin tailed him to an auto-parts store, a plant nursery and a hardware outlet, while Wilmer religiously used his crutches and arranged for store personnel to carry purchases to his car.

  Finding a parking place near the man’s house that wouldn’t attract attention wasn’t easy, and once Kevin wedged his car partially out of sight behind an RV, he didn’t dare leave. So he hunkered down with binoculars, eating a stale candy bar from the glove compartment while his stomach grumbled.

  He would have given a great deal right now to dig into one of the casseroles his mother and sisters had left. Barb’s green beans had been especially tasty, even though they were getting old by now.

  He grinned as he pictured Alli’s indignation when she’d concluded that the dishes came from a trio of girlfriends. Watching her expression tonight ought to prove royally entertaining, although the last thing Kevin had expected was to look forward to the party. Even if Alli tried to kill him later, it would be worth it.

  He peered into his side mirror at the postage-stamp view of Wilmer Lee’s front lawn. The man knelt on a pad while planting pansies and marigolds around his yard. Once or twice, when he stood up to fetch an item, he took a rather healthy stride, but he sank down again before Kevin could snap a picture. Besides, one step didn’t prove anything.

  A rumbling made him turn as two boys on skateboards clattered by, speeding down the sloped street. One of them hopped over a curb, nearly lost his balance but stayed upright and zipped away on the sidewalk.

  Wilmer frowned at them. For one alarming moment, Kevin thought the man’s eyes fixed on him, but then his subject squinted painfully and averted his face. He must have caught a shiny reflection from the car window.

  Minutes ticked by. Into Kevin’s otherwise unoccupied mind flashed the image of Alli lying on his bed with her top in disarray. He saw her again parading into his kitchen in her nightgown the way she’d done this morning, and, best of all, he imagined her stark naked, winking at him…no, forget that.

  Maybe his family was right when they claimed he’d been alone too long. A man needed certain things that only a woman could provide. The hard part was finding the right one.

  No matter how strongly his body reacted to Alli, he knew that following his instincts would lead to messy quarrels and a breakdown of their working relationship.

  Another rumble announced the return of the skateboarders, who must have circled the block. They flashed by even faster than before. Again, the daredevil made a run at the curb and, this time, hit it at a disastrous angle that pitched him onto the sidewalk, no doubt scraping the heck out of his palms.

  His skateboard kept going. Up, up, up and then down in a curving arc until it landed splat! in the middle of Wilmer Lee’s freshly planted flower bed. Soil and flower parts flew into the air.

  With a roar, the home owner wrenched the offending board from the dirt and sprang to his feet. Face red as a carnation, he stalked across the yard yelling curses at the fallen offender.

  Kevin barely watched for traffic before springing from his car and snapp
ing away. A series of shots captured Wilmer storming toward the boy and brandishing the skateboard.

  It took several seconds for the enraged gardener to notice the man standing in the street. When he did, his fury refocused.

  As Wilmer lumbered into the road, Kevin pressed the button for one more burst of photos. Then he dived into his car, rolled up the window and keyed the engine as the man stomped up.

  They faced each other in a suspended tableau, their roles of hunter and hunted suddenly reversed. Kevin wondered if Wilmer would smash the skateboard through the glass.

  However, the fraud simply stood there with his expression shifting from rage to ruefulness as he realized the game was up. Giving him an apologetic shrug, Kevin pulled out of the space. He never deliberately provoked a subject or hung around any longer than necessary once he’d obtained his proof.

  Catching petty connivers wasn’t exactly what he’d planned to do with his life, he reflected as the disgruntled home owner shrank in the rearview mirror. On the other hand, he’d never been a raving idealist, either.

  In college, Kevin had taken a look at the job opportunities available to a young man who disliked sitting behind a desk and demanded order in a chaotic world. He’d weighed the fact that he also wanted to help make Serene Beach a better place for his future children.

  Serving on the police force had fulfilled his requirements. It had also contributed to his personal growth. During his years on the force, he’d become less impatient and more tolerant of those who hadn’t been fortunate enough to grow up in a supportive, stable family.

  He’d also become frustrated with a legal system that expected perfection from its protectors and let evildoers off easy if their attorneys could manufacture enough clever excuses. Kevin had briefly considered going to law school so he could join the ranks of prosecutors, but that cost too much and, besides, he didn’t want to spend more years plowing through books.

  He’d decided to strike out on his own. So here he was, booting cheaters like Wilmer off the gravy train and helping brokenhearted spouses run damage control. Once in a while he got a chance to assist someone like Mary Conners, and that made up for the tedium.

  Thinking of Mary reminded Kevin how useful he’d found Allie’s interview with Dr. Abernathy. The problem now was determining how to obtain more information when Dr. Graybar had already turned down his request for a meeting.

  He stopped at his office to write a report on Mr. Lee, download the photos and e-mail them to the client. It was after five o’clock by then. He was right on schedule to collect Alli before heading for his parents’ house.

  It pleased Kevin when his schedule proceeded like clockwork. He hated wasting time and, besides, he was hungry. There’d be plenty of food at his mother’s house.

  He cruised home through quiet streets redolent of newmown grass. To his surprise, Kevin discovered that he was looking forward to seeing Alli, despite the likelihood that she’d go after him with a pickax when she learned he’d been teasing about his girlfriends.

  He pictured her tossing back her chestnut hair, looking stern in one of those pantsuits she usually wore. She’d be perfect for keeping the other ladies at bay, and surely his family would quickly discern the lack of any real connection between them.

  Everything seemed under control, he reflected contentedly as he entered. “Ready to go?” he called.

  “I’ll be right out,” her voice responded from the office.

  Ducking into the bathroom, Kevin ran a brush through his hair. He’d skipped shaving this morning, but instead of turning him into a human porcupine, the bristly growth added a rugged touch. He decided to leave it for now.

  Humming, Kevin strolled out. A short distance later, he halted so sharply he nearly lost his balance.

  The woman in his living room bore a passing resemblance to Alli Gardner, but she looked even more like a Greek goddess—a sultry Greek goddess. From the hair piled atop her head, a tendril curled along her neck and down to the tantalizing cleavage displayed by a low neckline.

  That wasn’t all her dress displayed, if you could call it a dress. Spun of black silk woven with glittery threads, the chemise clung to her figure, starting with spaghetti straps and ending at the tops of her thighs.

  “Nice underwear,” he said. “What are you wearing over it?”

  Laughter rang out. “Maybe a light jacket. Is it cold?”

  “I meant, indoors.”

  She pivoted, model-fashion. Those long legs and slim ankles made the desired impact, and then some. “How do you like the shoes?”

  Shoes? On her feet, he noted a pair of spike-heeled black sandals. Stones glittered on the thong between her toes. “Fascinating.”

  “Hey, with these on, I bet I’m taller than you.” She eased over, grazing his hip as she measured her stature against his. “About the same height.”

  That low neckline and alluring dress called out to be touched. However, Kevin had no intention of handling Alli other than to grab her arm when she tripped and fell, as she inevitably would in her daredevil shoes.

  “It’s a casual party. I suspect most of the guests are going casual.” For example, his dad, Frank, an auto mechanic, considered a clean pair of overalls the height of formality. “You’ll stick out.”

  “Good,” Alli said. “Bipsy, Bopsy and Boopsy can gossip about me all night.”

  “Who?” He shook his head. “Never mind. I get it.” The prospect of being scrutinized by rivals had obviously affected Alli’s mental state.

  “I was tempted to wear my bikini,” she added, “and pretend I thought it was a pool party. Is there a pool, by the way?”

  Kevin shook his head. “Seriously, you might want to re-think the outfit.”

  She grinned. “You’re embarrassed.”

  “Only because you’re half-naked.”

  “Want to see the other half?” She waited long enough for the heat to begin climbing his neck before she said, “I love when you turn red like that.”

  Further objections would be futile. And likely lead to more embarrassment. “Grab a jacket and let’s go.”

  Alli ignored the command. Instead, she smoothed her palm over his cheek. “I like the stubble.”

  Then she did something totally unexpected. She cupped Kevin’s chin and kissed him.

  The heat inside him rippled with liquid pleasure. Acting on pure instinct, he pulled her close and felt her curves melt into him.

  As the kiss deepened, her breasts swelled against his chest and her breath speeded. When she raised her head, intense slate eyes bored into him.

  “We could take this in the other room,” she murmured. “Or stay right here. You’re the perfect size for me, Detective.” Catching his tie and drawing him harder against her, she added, “And I do love the primitive look.”

  His hormones demanded he find out just how perfect a fit he was. His brain shouted at him to wake up. Did he really want to deal with the consequences of making love to Alli?

  Furthermore, if they lingered, a knot of women was likely to descend on this house to find him. Then she’d discover exactly how much Bipsy, Bopsy and Boopsy could gossip.

  “Thanks,” he said dryly. “But we have to go.”

  Reluctantly, she released him. “Can I have a rain check?”

  “It hardly ever rains around here in June.” He straightened his tie.

  “You’re cute when you’re grumpy. Did I ever tell you that at the police department?”

  “You didn’t dare,” he replied, and held the door.

  She sauntered outside. “I’d have gotten around to it if you’d given me a chance. I always loved starting the morning at your office, you know, just to annoy the heck out of you. It gave me more of a buzz than coffee.”

  Looking back, he had to admit that a part of him had enjoyed the sight of her appearing in front of his desk to bug him about some case or other. But there’d been too many other officers tripping over their tongues at the sight of her. Kevin had had no desire to j
oin the crowd.

  On the three-block drive, he reflected that even though he found Alli’s audacity exciting, making love to her would mean relinquishing control over their mutual project. Even now, she invaded his carefully guarded spaces and showed no respect for boundaries. Either they’d end up fighting or he’d have to freeze her out.

  He didn’t want bad feelings between the two of them. Better to keep her as a sometimes exasperating but very entertaining friend.

  Although cars already claimed several spots near the Vickers’ house, Kevin managed to maneuver into a compact space at the curb. Alli gave a low whistle as she examined the two-story pillared house with its upstairs balcony.

  “Welcome to Tara,” she murmured. “Who owns this place, the police chief?”

  “Heloise, as a matter of fact,” he said.

  Her eyebrows formed a slash of protest. “You’re kidding. Heloise of casserole fame lives here?”

  He cleared his throat. “With her husband.”

  Alli folded her arms, which had the effect of pushing up her cleavage. To Kevin’s chagrin, his gaze flicked over her chest before he could stop it.

  “Let me get this straight,” she said. “You’re carrying on with a married woman under her husband’s nose?”

  “We’re not carrying on.” The time had come to clue her in. “I know I let you believe—”

  A tap on the passenger window interrupted him. In peered a female face framed by riotous red hair. “Hi!”

  “Hello.” The glass rolled down. “I’m Alli.” She extended her hand.

  His sister shook it. “I’m Barbara.”

  Alli seemed, for once, at a loss for words.

  An eight-year-old girl and five-year-old boy appeared beside their mother, followed by a slightly frazzled man. “This is my husband, Ernie, and our daughter, Rebecca. That’s our son, Monster. His real name is Ernie Jr., but he prefers his nickname.”

  “Grrr. I’m Shrek.” Monster illustrated by grimacing.

  Barbara spotted someone else and waved. “Betsy! Come over here!”

  As Alli stared, Kevin wished he could read her thoughts. She must have figured out something was amiss with the scenario she’d painted. Was she amused, annoyed or ticked off?