Chapter Four

At nine that evening, an hour after the guests arrived, Joanna stood admiring her hard work, delighted by the peaceful Christmas atmosphere. Perfect.

She glanced down at the phone in her hand, a pang of uneasiness settling in after finding she’d missed no calls or messages. Where the devil was her crew? They should have called to check in. Let her know they were all right. They had to realize she was worried sick. Keith, at least, had finally checked in—said he’d been called away and had no idea about the truck or where Toby and Jerry were, but he’d call around.

What if something bad had happened after they left the police station? Had they been behind a scare tactic, a ploy to interfere with her business, or was there a more serious reason to be concerned?

The other interferences were minor and made her look incompetent to her clients, but weren’t dangerous. The most troubling aspect—the gun.

She shivered at the thought.

Moving into the ballroom, she tried to keep her paranoia in check and enjoy the fruits of her labor. Although, she felt a bit self-conscious in her Jimmy Choo ankle strap pumps and backless, curve-hugging, tea-length party gown. Sam assured her it was classy, just as she had the day she’d talked her into buying it. She closed her eyes and drew in a slow, deep breath to calm her erratic nerves. They’d actually pulled this off. Even with the multiple setbacks and missing crew, she’d managed to somehow make it all work in time.

Nothing short of a miracle.

Her favorite decorative pieces were the extravagant topiaries sitting in the middle of the tables. Each one consisted of white poinsettia flowers and greenery, an intricately wound set of white Christmas lights, along with four different ribbons of varies sizes, shapes, and textures. One topiary took over five hours to assemble. A whole week to complete them all. With the hall’s lights dimmed, the room glistened like a winter wonderland, void of nothing but the real snow. Exactly how she pictured the fantasy in her mind.

She growled inwardly. Too bad this beautiful night would be spent trying to figure out who would take such drastic measures to destroy her career. Clenching her fists by her side, she glanced around the ballroom and took several deep, cleansing breaths.

Her father’s clients and friends were enjoying the festivities, especially the live band and open bar. Several of the guests had stopped her to say how beautiful the decorations were. They were impressed by her creativity and organization skills, not to mention perplexed they’d never known she was so talented. A few even asked for business cards.

Counting the ways she wanted to pulverize the stubbornness out of her father’s thick skull for never referring her business to others, she rounded the corner leading to the pool behind the big hall.

“I don’t know how much longer.”

The raspy voice stopped Joanna cold.

“Look, Frank, there’s a science to this. I can’t just whack the old man over the head and run off with the goods. It’s going to be trickier this time.”

Who the hell was this? She’d booked the ballroom and pool area for the entire night, exclusively for the guests. Joanna leaned farther into the shadows until the brick wall of the banquet hall impeded her progress.

“Fine. After tonight, then.” The woman’s voice grew angry, the tone very familiar.

If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear it sounded like Denise. But her dad’s girlfriend was usually strapped to his arm like one of those blowup arm floaties kids wore to the pool. The woman didn’t dare let him out of her sight for too long, probably for fear he’d wise up. See her for the floozy she was. Joanna slid a step closer trying to get a visual and bumped a lawn chair. Crap.

Silence filtered through the muggy night air making it hard to breath.

Double crap. Maybe they didn’t hear her clumsy misstep?

“I gotta go. Hang tight ‘til I say.” No doubt the woman had heard her.

A bazillion questions launching in her brain, Joanna squared her shoulders and stepped out into the open, finding nothing but the sparkling pool water glistening back at her beneath the moon.

“Is anyone there?”

In the span of a breath, the woman had disappeared, leaving a half-empty wine glass on the ground next to a chaise lounge, inches from the pool. From the wet footprints on the cement, it appeared someone had been soaking their feet in the cool water.

Joanna searched the shadows as she walked over, bent down, and retrieved the glass. Somewhere off in the distance, she swore she heard someone say, little bitch.

Standing quickly, she turned toward the whispered voice. The side door leading back into the banquet hall clicked shut.

Perfect. The woman had seen her and knew she’d been listening. Whoever it was now had the upper hand. Way to go, Joanna. A detective you’ll never be.

The woman’s words chilled her to the bone. Could it have been Denise? Whacking an old man over the head? Running off with the goods? Maybe she should call the police.

Yeah, right. And tell them what? “I think I heard a woman plotting to kill a man and run off with his stuff. But I didn’t see her face, and I’m not sure exactly what she meant.”

Geesh… Dear old dad would disown her right then and there. Would be able to prove she’d turned out just like her non-existent mother. Batshit crazy.

She needed to discover the identity of this mystery woman, then find out who she was talking about and what their conversation meant.

Holding the wine glass by the stem, she made her way over to the side doorway and yanked it open. Discreetly, she rejoined the party, all the while searching for anyone suspicious. The band’s upbeat Christmas music had most of the guests on the dance floor, which should have made finding the woman easier because she hadn’t had enough time to get settled in. Yet, as Joanna scanned the room, no one looked out of place, or was trying to hide. Her dad was speaking to a group of his longtime friends, while Denise was nowhere near him. Odd.

An eerie sensation spread down her spinal cord. Was her father in danger? She’d never sensed any ill will between the woman and her father. The twenty-year age difference was Joanna’s main objection to the relationship. Well, that and Denise constantly trying to be the mother Joanna never had.

Wealthy in her own right, Denise didn’t need money. At least that’s the talk that swirled around town. So why would she whack someone? What goods would she run off with? Maybe Joanna needed to dig a little deeper into the woman’s past. See if it truly was family money, like Denise said, or if she’d come by the wealth later on in life through less than honorable means.

“A penny for your thoughts.”

Joanna jumped out of her skin, almost dropping the wine glass she still held. “Sam, where the devil did you come from? You really need to stop sneaking up on me.”

Sam laughed. “Why so jumpy, girl?” Her gaze fell to the glass. “You drinking wine while working?” Her friend’s tone rang with concern.

“Not even on my worst day.” Joanna bent down to wipe up some of the liquid that had spilled on the wall, but Sam pulled her back up by the arm.

“That’s not your job. Especially in that breathtaking dress. Leave it. We can get someone to clean it up.”

“Fine.” Joanna reluctantly conceded and led her friend out into the hallway away from the crowd and noise. “Hey, I need you to do something for me.”

Sam’s brow pinched. “Okaay. Usually, I’d be like, anything for you, but something in your eyes is freaking me out. Are you in trouble? Is that why the cop was here earlier?”

Joanna shook her head. “I think my father might be in some kind of danger.”

Her friend balked. “What? You have been drinking, haven’t you?”

“Shh… Keep your voice down.” Joanna decided it might be best to rethink her decision to involve Sam and tried to walk away. “Never mind. I don’t want to worry you.”

Sam grabbed her arm. “Jo Jo, what the freakin’ hell is going on? You can’t tell me you think your dad is in danger and then not explain.”

“Shh… I’m sorry. I’m not sure. I mean, I overheard a weird conversation on the patio by the pool. But I didn’t hear their entire conversation and didn’t see the person, so I may be blowing this all out of proportion.”

“You? Blow things out of proportion? That’s funny.”

Joanna gave Sam’s arm a firm punch. “Stop. I know I tend to overdramatize things, but something in this woman’s voice had my skin crawling for cover.”

“Wait. A woman?” Joanna had Sam’s full attention now. “Are you going to confront the sneaky bimbo?”

“How can I? I’m not certain it was her.”

“Then what? You want me to do it?” Sam crossed her arms, as if readying herself for the confrontation.

“No.” Jo Jo dropped her gaze to the rim of the glass and the bright red lipstick staining it. “I thought maybe you could get your friend in the forensic lab to see if there’s any trace of DNA.” She held up the glass for Sam to see.

“Clever, Jo Jo. I’m impressed.” A sly smile appeared in the corners of her eyes. “And easy enough.” Sam grabbed a napkin off the side table behind them and then took the glass, wrapping it securely within the cloth. “If it was her, what do you plan to do?”

“I have no idea. Dad will be furious. If I don’t have undeniable proof, I might as well throw in the towel. Admit defeat. Go back to college, become a lawyer, and live my life in hell.”

“No over dramatization there.” Sam smirked.

“Just be discreet until I get a better handle on this. I don’t want to throw my hand. Although I think she saw me by the pool.”

Sam’s mouth dropped open. “If she is planning something for your father, the last thing you need to do is let her know you’re on to her.”

“She’s probably already scheming about what to tell my father.”

“I’ll get this to the lab. Tell them to rush it. Even though it’s going to cost me.” She winked. “My friend should be working now. I’ll get this to him and be back to help before all these drunk partygoers start heading home.” Sam gave her a quick hug and disappeared through the front lobby on a mission.

Joanna watched her friend walk away and relaxed. If the woman turned out to be Denise, Sam would bring her the ammunition she needed to rid their lives of this crazy woman once and for all.

But maybe it hadn’t been Denise. There were several women on the company payroll. Possibly one of them had an ax to grind. This wouldn’t be the first time a disgruntled employee tried to get the best of Clint McNamee.

She blew out a heavy breath. What had the woman meant by whack? Murder just sounded so unbelievable.

Could there be more to her missing truck than just sabotage? Maybe she wasn’t the target at all. Maybe someone was out to destroy her father.

Thoughts of the handsome deputy floated through her mind. Did this warrant calling him? No. What benefits would anyone get by messing with her father’s Christmas party? Made no sense. Still…

Ryker Kane. She’d often wondered how it would feel to run into him again. Shoot, she’d dreamed long and hard about it. But nothing prepared her for the way her hormones perked up, the way her heart raced at the mere thought of those alluring eyes.

Although the alcohol had done quite a number on her memory that night and several days afterward, she remembered how he’d turned down her advances. How hot and heavy they’d made out. How she’d loved hearing him groan in delight and agony as she teased him unmercifully. And how in the end, he’d only held her tight until she quit fighting and fell asleep. She’d always had a thing for him, from the moment he rescued her from those high school bullies. For a while he’d smile at her when they passed in the halls, but then he seemed to disappear from her life, and she’d gotten too busy with her social life to think much about it. Then he was back, and the man stole her heart right out of the vault she’d sealed up tighter than Fort Knox. But it had been shattered into tiny pieces when Keith revealed the truth behind Ryker’s motives.

“Deputy Kane, you’re a nice piece of work.” Biting her bottom lip, she hoped no one overheard her as she made her way back into the ballroom, determined to keep her mind on the important things.

Like the fact that most of the guests now looked three sheets to the wind. Great. Making certain those under the influence used the company-paid taxi service to get home would be her responsibility.

Her thoughts back on the party, her gaze bouncing from one prominent couple to the next, she decided to manage the valet herself.

Once the party ended, she’d worry about the woman she’d overheard.

As she made her way through the ballroom to the front desk, she caught a glimpse of Denise scurrying across the lobby from the restroom. Joanna searched for her father, and sure enough he sat off in the far corner by the fireplace, the phone glued to his ear.

Thank goodness.

Turning her attention back to Denise, she watched her nemesis punch the elevator button impatiently. By her foul mood, it was clear something had set her off. Joanna took in her appearance. Pretty tasteful for Denise. The white silk dress she wore was a bit longer than Denise’s normal attire, but she’d bet her next paycheck the front was cut down past her belly button. Joanna sighed, about to turn around when she noticed the back hem of the dress. A large irregular stain ran up the left side. No wait. Not a stain. Water spots? From the pool, maybe? Like if you hung your feet over the edge?

Jolts of apprehension ricocheted through her body.

Dad?

She focused on her father across the room. He was oblivious to anything not related to business. If Denise did have plans to harm him, he’d never see it coming.

Chills raced over her skin.

Just as she turned to follow the woman, two men walked in through the front doors, their heads hung low.

Well, if that didn’t beat all. Her lost crew. And they looked like they’d been having fun with alcohol as well.

“Where have you been?” Joanna headed them off before they could slip into the banquet hall and disappear.

“Aww, Jo Jo. We’re sorry. Looks like you managed nicely without us, though.” The older of the two, Jerry, sounded sincere, a hint of relief in his tone, but he kept his eyes from hers. “We’ll help you clean up.”

Keith entered the sliding door and stilled at the sight of the two men, his gaze gravitating to her.

“What happened?” Her hands eased to her hips as she tried to keep the anger at a minimum.

“A man in a ski mask hijacked the truck, that’s what happened.” Jerry went on the defensive. Nothing different there.

“Yes, I know. I found the truck abandoned on the side of the road.”

“You did?” Both men acted truly surprised.

“Had a cop from Bram question me about it.”

“What cop?” A weird expression crossed Keith’s face as he walked to stand by Joanna, his tone dry.

“No one important.” The last thing she needed was for Keith to find out Ryker Kane was back in Bram. He’d never liked him. Always told her he was trouble and only trying to get into her pants because she had money.

Joanna cocked her head and focused on the two men. “Is there something you want to tell me? Did someone pay you to leave the truck behind?”

“No. No, ma’am.” The younger of the two, Toby, stepped forward, his entire body reeking of booze. “I bet that crazy bitch, Denise, has something to do with it. We’ve been sitting at the bar at the Tasty Nugget for the past four hours trying to decide what to tell ya.” He paused and gave his partner a look of if-you-hit-me-again-I’ll-tear-your-ass-apart.

Apprehension tightened Joanna’s chest. “Did my father do this?” As she said it out loud, the implication sounded even more ludicrous. Her dad would never condone using a gun unless it was for self-defense.

“Tell her the truth.” Keith straightened to his full height, his eyes narrow slits.

Jerry took a deep breath, releasing the air slowly. “Keith, man. Calm down. I honestly didn’t think it would go this far. Just a few minor kinks here and there in her plans to make her see being a lawyer was much better.”

No way. Her father had put them up to it? The ground shifted beneath her feet. She studied the men she thought she could trust. Her chest rose, fell, ached like hell. A ton of words formed on the tip of her tongue, none of which she’d be proud of saying afterward. So she bit down hard instead.

“You two did those things to Joanna? You’re responsible for what happened today with the truck?” Keith’s face grew redder with each word, his fists tight by his side. He glared at Toby. “You’ve had a thing for Joanna since you started working for her. I’ve seen the way you look at her. How could you do this to her?”

“Hell no. Not stealing the truck. I have no idea who that asshole was with the gun. I swear.”

“You son of a bitch!” Keith swung without warning, slamming Jerry’s jaw with a great right hook and knocking him to the floor. He jumped on top and proceeded to pound on him until his nose and mouth bled.

Toby stumbled backward and fell to the ground, where he back-crawled away from the two.

“Keith, no!” Shocked by the sight of blood and Keith’s temper, Joanna grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled hard, her effort doing little but hiking her dress farther up on her thigh.

To her surprise, Jerry didn’t retaliate. He just defended himself from the blows. Thank God Keith was no match for Jerry, who was twice his size, but he didn’t let up.

“Stop. He’s not worth it. What on earth has gotten into you?” This wasn’t like him—she’d never seen him so out of control.

As if in a trance, Keith stopped the attack, slipped off his opponent, and stood, rubbing his right hand. He met her eye-to-eye. “I’m sorry for losing my temper. I had no idea these two idiots were capable of this. I know how important this party was for your career.”

“It’s not your fault.” She swallowed hard, her guilty conscience still rearing its ugly head. “You better get some ice for that.”

He shook his right hand out in front of him, fisted it and shook it again. “I’m good.”

She turned to Jerry still lying on the ground. “You. Both of you will help clean up tonight after the party, and then I don’t want to see you again. Ever. Do you understand?” Her voice shook with anger.

“Yes, ma’am. What about my check?”

She growled under her breath. “I’ll mail it,” she said between gritted teeth.

Keith grasped her elbow, gently leading her away from the two men to a seat near the banquet doors. “You need a drink. I don’t like seeing you so upset. Let me get one for you?”

She nodded, the angry tears of disappointment so close she feared speaking would open the floodgates. How could they do this? They knew how important tonight was. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder at Toby and shuddered. Did the man really have some sort of crush on her or was Keith being his normal, overprotective self?

Joanna listened to the upbeat Christmas music in the beautiful ballroom behind her. Thought about all the hard work and tedious hours she’d put into the details and decorations. She leaned her head against the back of the chair and gave up a heavy sigh.

“Here you go, Joanna.” Keith held out a glass filled with her beverage of choice. “Nothing like a good ol’ foreign beer to wash away the stress.”

“You remembered.” She smiled up at him. “Thank you. My lifesaver once again. Would you mind seeing to it that those two don’t cause any more trouble?”

“Sure. I should have picked up on this. I should have known.”

She placed a hand on his forearm and inhaled deeply. “You’re not the only one who should have seen this coming. Please don’t beat yourself up over it.”

His gaze drifted to his arm where her hand lay, and he swallowed hard, his jaw twitching. “You look beautiful tonight, Joanna,” he said, his voice thick with emotion. His gaze traveled up and down her face, slowing on her mouth. “I can’t believe they did this to you.”

“Thank you. Don’t worry. I’ll figure something out.” A weird vibe hung in the air around them, making her uncomfortable. She slid her hand from his arm to her lap, chalking it up to the emotional outburst they’d both experienced as she took a sip of the cold beer.

“We’ll talk after the party.” He cleared his throat. “You let me know if there’s anything else I can do to help.”

Lowering the bottle, she nodded. “Okay. I will. Promise.”

She watched him walk off. Tall, lean, clean-cut, with a boyish charm most women found alluring, Keith was a good guy. One who’d been by her side for as long as she could remember. Ever since his mother’s tragic death, she’d felt close to him. Living next door to his family, she’d made extra money babysitting him when his father went on overnight trips, and as they grew older, he’d followed Sam and her around through high school and even college. Lots of flirting and begging her to go out with him over the past few years, but the truth was, he was too young for her. Four years wasn’t all that much in the big scheme of things, but she didn’t want to feel like she was taking the place of anyone’s mother.

Yeah, she had issues.