9781631050275TheirPerfectMatchMarshNC (16 page)

“What do we do now?” she whispered as everyone said their goodnights and fanned out around the darkened parking lot. “Seems like we’re no further ahead than when we started.”

Zane flashed her a wry grin. “Now comes the least exciting part. The stakeout.”

* * * *

Two hours later, they were back at Lovelines, huddled in the dark behind her desk. Molly was wearing far more comfortable clothes now, a rugby shirt and a pair of khakis she’d grabbed from her apartment on her way back to the office. Zane had changed out of his suit back into his more familiar leather jacket, black T-shirt, and faded jeans, which he’d had the foresight to stash in his car. Molly had to admit that he looked absolutely great in those, too. What irony—she’d started out wanting to drive him insane with regret at losing her trust, and it had ended up just the opposite. Still, she’d begun to come to terms with her feelings about the rift between them. Angry as she was at Zane for suspecting her friends, she now knew he was trying to help in his misguided way.

And she couldn’t forget the way his body had felt against hers that day in his apartment…and afterward, in his bedroom, when they’d come together in a shower of sparks that still had her body burning.

Maybe after tonight, when she went through with his plan and nothing happened, when none of her employees revealed their guilt, they could get back on track with one another after all. Because as much as she hated to admit it, Zane was in her breath, her blood. No man had ever excited her as much and she knew no man ever would touch her so deeply again. How could she walk away from something that felt so right?

He stretched his legs out on the floor next to her, watching her face intently. “So here we are.”

“I hope you know this could take a while,” she said. “Especially since none of my employees are involved. I’m willing to bet we’ll be here for a long time with nothing to show for it.”

“I know. And like I said, I hope you’re right.” He sighed and looked around the empty office. “We ought to do something to pass the time.”

“It’s a little dark for checkers or hangman.” She’d meant to sound snarky, but without even meaning to, she smiled.

He tilted her chin and kissed her hard. Molly returned his kiss.

“I wasn’t sure if you’d slap my face for trying that,” he said when he eased his lips away a few minutes later.

“I thought about it,” she confessed. “But not for more than a second or two.”

“I’m glad,” Zane said with a sigh of relief. “I really am on your side, Molly. I want you to believe that.”

“I’m starting to. But I’ll reserve judgment until this crazy plan of yours is over and Lovelines is in the clear.”

“Suits me just fine. I don’t mind hanging around with you here all night, if that’s what it takes.” He moved his thumb across her cheek, bringing it down to rub the corner of her lip. He was about to kiss her again when they heard a noise from the reception area of the office. Someone was turning the key in the lock.

Zane’s hand dropped down over hers. They sat, not breathing, not moving, waiting to see what would happen next.

They watched, amazed, as Sabrina Lambert slipped into the office, walked over to Molly’s computer table, and calmly booted up her desktop. They watched, even more amazed, as she took a flash drive from her clasp purse and inserted it while the software was still chiming its notes of welcome. A few moments later, she frowned and tapped the keyboard.

Zane touched Molly’s shoulder and nodded. Together, they rose from behind the desk. “How are you doing, Sabrina?” Zane asked. “Any luck covering your tracks? Or maybe you were just downloading a copy of Lovelines’ client list for future use?”

Sabina jumped up, so startled that she nearly knocked over the light swivel chair. “What are you talking about? I just thought I’d come down and help Molly with her investigation. Todd was busy taking care of things after the party, so he asked me to download a few codes for him to study at home.”

“I don’t think so.” Zane crossed the room with Molly right behind him. She watched as he leaned over Sabrina’s shoulder and reached for the flash drive. Sabrina swiped for it, but missed.

“Give that back!” Sabrina snapped.

“I have a feeling we’ll be able to find everything we need right on this little device,” Zane said, holding it just out of her reach. “Maybe things like names, credit card and social security numbers, and other relevant details about all of Molly’s clients? I wouldn’t be surprised if we also found a virus on here that will wipe the entire system clean. It would be the only way to beat the kind of security software I described at the party.”

“Is this what you were interested in Todd for?” Molly asked. As shocked as she was at Sabrina’s treachery, she was even more appalled at the thought of Todd finding out that his entire relationship had been a scam.

Sabrina said nothing.

“Your story will fall apart soon enough, so you might as well fess up,” Zane prodded. He jiggled the flash drive in front of her face. “It’s all here, isn’t it, Sabina?”

A casual smirk crossed Sabrina’s face as she shrugged her shoulders. “Todd’s a nice guy—he’s fun. But he’s a dreamer, as I’m sure Molly knows. We need money. I considered that a little insurance policy in case some of my other investments didn’t work out. I have quite a few others, believe me.”

“So you used Todd to access the software he designed, then used the information to embezzle from my clients?” Molly asked, hardly able to believe it even as she spoke the words. “I assume you took his keys, too—he has no idea you’re here, does he?”

“Of course not. I thought about laying out my plan to him a while ago, and enlisting his help. That would have made things a lot easier, trust me. But I quickly realized that he’d never have agreed to help me bamboozle you, Molly. I’m afraid that sort of devotion, platonic though it might have been, sealed your fate. This way, I figured I could make money and get back at you at the same time.”

“What are you talking about?” Molly asked, stunned. “I was no threat to you and Todd. I’m happy for both of you—or at least, I was.”

“I’m sure you think so. That’s because you have no idea how Todd is always comparing me to you. He talks about you way more than he does any of his other girlfriends, and I’m well aware there have been plenty. You gave me—and probably all of them—an impossible ideal to live up to where Todd is concerned. I think that’s worth a little suffering on your behalf. Let the punishment fit the crime, I always say.”

 “And that concludes our trip down memory lane for the evening,” Zane said, lowering the flash drive. “Molly, call the cops and tell them we’ve caught an intruder.”

An expression of panic crossing her face, Sabrina held up both hands. “Wait! This doesn’t have to go any farther than this room, surely. I’m willing to make restitution for anything the credit card companies didn’t already reimburse. You won’t be out a dime, Molly. I promise.”

“I don’t think so, Sabrina.” Molly pulled out her cell phone and flipped it open. “I’m sorry for Todd’s sake, but I’m not willing to make any deals with you.”

“All right, all right. Just give me a minute to explain one last thing. I think you’ll find it interesting.” Shrugging, Sabrina started to raise her hands as if to demonstrate something. Then, abruptly, she changed her mind and smashed a fist directly into Zane’s gut. Taken by surprise, Zane staggered back as the force of Sabrina’s blow threw him off balance. She had the flash drive back before Molly even had time to cry out in surprise.

Spinning around, Sabrina raced into the outer office with the flash drive in her hand. Molly sprinted after her, while a recovered Zane closed in behind both of them. Sabrina rushed past the receptionist’s desk and was about to reach for the front door when Molly grabbed Brenda’s chair and gave it a heavy push. The four metal wheels carried it forward into Sabrina’s shins, knocking her onto her knees on the carpet. Before she had time to get up, Molly tackled her onto the floor face-first.

Sabina started to struggle as Zane returned and wrenched the flash drive away once again. He took over for Molly, holding Sabrina in place on the floor while she dialed 911 and asked for police intervention. As she gave the information and explained that she and a friend had managed to subdue the burglar, she couldn’t help reflecting on what an amazing and efficient team she and Zane made.

“I just have one other question before the cops get here,” Zane said, tightening his grip around Sabrina’s wrists while she flailed and cursed and tried to break free. “Did you give Decker money to woo Brenda with? And that gold bracelet? I suppose you thought it would throw suspicion on them if anyone did manage to figure out it was an inside job.”

Perhaps seeing that she had no hope of overpowering him, Sabrina gave up and lay back on the carpet. She seemed to take pride in recounting the details of her crime. “Actually, that was the easy part. Once I found out from Brenda that he had a record, I knew he’d be the perfect patsy. I came up with some odd jobs for him to do for me in my condo, and then I overpaid him in cash. I knew he’d spend it all on her. He never questioned it—he and Todd just accepted that I came from a wealthy family and had plenty of money to spare...and jewelry to give away.” She smirked. “I told him the bracelet was an unwanted gift from an unwelcome admirer. He was glad to take it for Brenda. I swore him to secrecy, supposedly so Todd wouldn’t find out. It’s funny how first impressions work, isn’t it? If he did get caught, I was prepared to deny I ever gave him a dime, though I see there’s not much point in that now. At the time, I figured no one would believe him.”

“You were almost right about that,” Zane muttered, and Molly heard the remorse in his voice. She couldn’t feel all that superior, though. Even if she had championed Decker at first, she’d been eager to believe the worst of him once she’d spotted the bracelet and heard about his grandiose plans for the future. She too, was guilty of jumping to conclusions based on a person’s past.

Fortunately, the sound of sirens in the street below meant she didn’t have to respond—at least, not just yet. She had a feeling she and Zane would do plenty of talking later.

* * * *

Later, back at her condo, Molly ended her conversation with a distraught Todd and put down the phone.

“How is he?” Zane asked from his place on the sofa.

“Shaken up, but I have a feeling he’ll be all right. Knowing Todd as well as I do, I figure he sensed something wasn’t quite right about their relationship from the beginning. And he had to have noticed that her tastes were a lot more expensive than any of the other women he’s dated in the past. That had to make him nervous.”

She started toward the couch, intending to join him, but he rose and met her halfway.

“You’ve been a good friend to him since this whole thing started, Molly. I’m sorry I scoffed at your loyalty toward your employees. You were right about both of them.”

“Well, looking back on it, you were right to be cynical. If I hadn’t been so quick to dismiss your suspicions, I might have realized that Sabrina was as viable a suspect as Decker all along. Like she said, she manipulated both of us into thinking she was above reproach.”

He caught her hands in his and brought them up to his chest. His thumbs rubbed at her knuckles, sending little thrills though her entire body.

“At least it’s over now,” he said. “I meant what I said about starting over, you know.”

“You did save my business…and at some level, my sanity. I guess I owe you something for that.”

A grin tilted his mouth. “I’ll take it.”

Molly hesitated, unsure how to bring up a subject that had been bothering her since their earlier conversation about Zane’s future. “Zane…you remember what you said before? About not being able to come home again?”

“Yeah. I remember.”

“Well…” She swallowed, willing herself to continue. If she didn’t she knew, she’d regret her hesitation for a long time to come. And carrying around a load of regret was something she didn’t want to do anymore. She squared her shoulders and faced him. “The truth is, I was hoping you’d reconsider and stay in Providence for a while.”

To her relief, he seemed to be fighting back one of those cocky grins he liked to flash her. “Oh? Is there some particular reason for that request?”

“I’m only thinking of you, and your own peace of mind. You can’t just run away from your past, however unpleasant some of the memories might be. And whether you like it or not, you do have family here. You and Alaric could help each other heal…if you’d only give one another a chance.”

He moved toward her, stopping so that they stood toe to toe. His intense gray eyes bore down into hers, but she made it point not to flinch or look away.

“A matchmaker and a budding psychologist. You’re a woman of many talents, Molly.”

She shrugged. “Goes with the territory. If I’m going to match people, I need to size up their personalities quickly. And I still think I could have found Alaric a good match, but he didn’t stick around long enough to find out.”

His broad chest swelled with laughter. Molly found herself staring at the front of his shirt, mesmerized by his rugged shape and the suggestion of so much hidden strength inside him. Yet he was also capable of a level of tenderness that took her breath away. The combination threatened to make her dizzy with want.

“You know, I guess that would be worth sticking around for,” he said. “Seeing Alaric hook up with someone and maybe even fall in love. I don’t know if he’s even capable of that level of emotion.”

“I can find him someone,” she vowed. “Obviously, my services in this instance would be on the house. It’s the least I could do for him…if he’d be willing to try again.”

Zane nodded. “Let me talk to him. He’ll come around. In spite of his protests, I think he really is lonely, and his personality definitely needs some work. Do you think it’s possible that love can transform a person?”

“Oh, I’m sure of it. One hundred percent sure.” Molly lifted her gaze to the large picture window behind him. Behind the glass, the moonlit harbor glittered under a canopy of stars. They looked a bit like diamonds sprinkled on a sheet of black velvet. “You know…the view’s terrific at daybreak. I think you’d enjoy it.”