Cat Burglar in Training (7 page)

I took one look at their grinning faces and alarm jolted through me. “It wasn’t you two?”

Their grins blanked. Hannah leaned forward, her jaw dropping in shock. Three sets of eyes gazed at me, all full of hurt.

“Hell, no!” Father straightened in his recliner. He rubbed his jaw, the stubble prickling loud in the room. “Although I wish we’d thought of it. There’s big money in plants and garden statues.”

“Okay.” I blew out and upward, hard enough to lift my fringe off my forehead. “That’s good.”

“The thing is, Evie, they’re offering a five-thousand-pound reward for information leading to a conviction.” Ben beamed with enthusiasm. “Charlie and I are going to investigate.”

Father nodded. “That’s right. You and Hannah can help. Just keep an ear open when you’re out and about. Amazing what you can hear at the grocery shop in the village.”

Hannah nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Or at Amber’s school.”

I studied the faces of the terrible trio. Private investigators. The thought of them snooping around made me shudder, but at least it’d keep them out of my way. “You won’t do anything illegal?”

They shook their heads in a definite “who me?” manner.

I returned to the debt issue. “Half a million,” I said. “That translates into a lot of jobs.”

“Give it a rest, Eve,” Father said.

“Family meeting again tomorrow night,” I said.

Each of the terrible trio glared at me. I grinned, and their scowls darkened.

“Meeting tomorrow night,” I repeated.

“Fine,” Father snapped. “We can decide on your next job at the same time.”

Point and set. While I was thinking about the inevitability of putting my freedom on the line again, the phone rang.

Hannah struggled from the soft cushions of the settee. “I’ll get it.” She walked briskly over to the other side of the room to pick up the phone. “Hello, Oakthorpe.” We watched her expression for a clue as to the identity of the caller. “Eve? Is this business or personal?”

Hannah placed her hand over the receiver. “It’s a man.” Her voice held definite glee while my pulse rate took off in a slow canter then gathered into a gallop.

The only male I could think of was Kahu. There was no reason for him to ring me.

“Who is it?” Father asked.

“I have no idea.” I sauntered over to the phone pretending a coolness I didn’t feel. I was like a giddy schoolgirl asked out on her first date. “Hello.”

“Evie has a boyfriend,” Ben said in a sing-song voice.

“Eve, how are you?”

I turned away from the nosy interest and let Kahu’s husky voice wash over me. “How did you find my number?”

“I’m a detective. That’s what I do. Detect.” Laughter filled his voice, inviting me to share the joke, his triumph. Instead, queasiness struck me. What would happen if he discovered I was the Shadow?

“Hmm,” I said to give myself time to get a grip of my turbulent emotions. Joy that he’d liked me enough to track me down, and pure fear at what he could do to me.

My family. My heart.

“I wondered if you’d like to go to the Harlequin Ball with me.”

Regret grabbed hold of me. “I’m sorry. I promised to go with Seth.” I tried to tell myself it was for the best. Pity my heart refused to listen.

“Another time. Save a dance for me.”

“Okay.” I held the phone cradled next to my ear until I heard the decisive click at the other end and turned to face the uproar.

“Who was that?” Father asked.

“You’ve never had a man ring you before,” Ben said.

“His voice sent shivers down my spine.” Hannah winked. “I hope you said yes to whatever he wanted.”

Ben and Father sent Hannah aggrieved glares.

“You heard her as well as we did,” Father said. “She said no.”

Ben nodded. “She’s going out with Seth.”

“Huh!” Hannah snorted. “They generate about as much heat as a snowball at Christmas.”

“That’s enough,” I said, quelling further comments with a decisive glare. “The man’s a detective. You want the Shadow to get that close to a cop?”

“Holy shit,” Father said. Ben and Hannah appeared suitably stunned.

“Yeah,” I said, suppressing every unruly hormone in my traitorous body. “Sorta like sleeping with the enemy.”

I decided to do some research before Amber’s school sports day. The library was an old Georgian building on the outskirts of the village. I pushed open the glass door and stepped inside. Instead of a quiet atmosphere where anything louder than a whisper led to the head librarian’s wrath, it was like rush hour on Oxford Street.

“Is it always like this in here?” I asked when I finally reached the head of the information-desk line.

“Only on Thursdays,” the young librarian said with a stressed smile. “Pensioners’ day.”

After making a mental note never to come to the library again on a Thursday, I asked for directions to the genealogy department. Moments later, I threaded through the mass of aging bodies while looking for the stairs. I figured they’d have far less traffic than the lifts.

Inside the stairwell was cooler and blissfully peaceful until I heard the distinct tap of a walking stick.
Huh!
The place was infested with pensioners. It was bad enough that I had three ganging up on me at home.

“Arianne is devastated,” a woman whispered. It carried up to where I hovered in indecision. “Absolutely devastated.”

“She had forgiven Perdita? Last I heard they weren’t talking to each other.”

Okaaay.
Perhaps I’d hit the mother lode. Did I make my presence known and question them, or did I continue hovering in the hope I’d learn something important? The distinct squeak of the door at the top of the stairs forced a decision. I continued down toward the two elderly women who, judging from the loud taps, were laboriously making their way up the stairs. At the next landing, we met face-to-face.

Luck was with me since I knew them. “Hello, Mrs. Rogers. Mrs. Matthews. How are you?” Although I’d get chapter and verse about their medical complaints, there was a certain etiquette employed when it came to worming information out of neighbors.

“Lady Evelyn. How are you, dear? I heard you were home from France. How’s your dear, wee daughter?” Mrs. Matthews’ eyes twinkled with curiosity.

Footsteps behind me stalled the questions trembling on my lips. I moved back to let a teenage girl pass. “Please call me Eve. I’m fine and so is Amber. We’re enjoying being back at Oakthorpe.”

“I’m sure the viscount is glad to have you home,” Mrs. Matthews said.

Mrs. Rogers nodded and so did her double chins. I tore my eyes off the fearful sight with difficulty.

“Hmm,” I said, although I was positive Father had second thoughts about my presence at home. He’d been forced to give up his job, and now I was bossing him around, demanding to know the financial state at Oakthorpe. Nope, it was a pretty safe bet he had a few niggling regrets.

“Father said the McKenzies’ new landscape garden was stolen the other night.” I might as well steer the conversation in the direction of crime.

“Yes,” Mrs. Matthews said.

Mrs. Rogers and her chins nodded vigorously.

“I hear they’ve offered a reward. Has anyone come forward with information?”

“Not that I’ve heard of, but Janet is very upset,” Mrs. Rogers said. “This is the third theft from gardens she’s designed and planted. Business is starting to suffer.”

Revenge? Since it was so often in my thoughts, the idea leapt to the forefront of my mind. A distinct possibility. We’d need to research local competitors because we could certainly do with the reward money.

“A body’s not safe these days,” Mrs. Matthews stated. “Arianne Jessup’s niece was murdered recently. Shot in cold blood, and they haven’t caught the murderer yet.”

“The woman in London?” I asked.

“That’s the one,” Mrs. Rogers said. “Arianne despaired of her. We went on a pensioners’ trip into London to take in a show. Who should we see in the theatre but Perdita with another man? Arianne didn’t say much, but it definitely wasn’t her husband. I hear she used to run around with other men quite openly.”

“No?” Wow. I’d known she was seeing another man. His identity was still a secret but what if she made a habit of one-night stands? Could a family feud be in play? What if James Moning—no, I discarded the idea almost straightaway. The husband would be under immediate scrutiny. Kahu would check his alibi first.

“Are you all right, dear?” Mrs. Rogers peered at me with concern.

“I’m fine.” I glanced at my watch and yelped. “But I’m late for Amber’s sports day. Nice to see you both.” I turned to head back up the stairs. I’d have to check the genealogy records another day.

When I arrived at the school, the sports day was in full swing. Father was deeply engrossed in a discussion with two men dressed in identical trousers and waistcoats. They reminded me of slender bookends on a lean. From the intent expression on Father’s face, I suspected he was on the case. Good, especially if this helped the transformation from active cat burglar to retired.

Ben was questioning an elderly woman. From the way he kept retreating she was either coming on to him or had a bad case of morning breath.

Hannah was presiding over a cake stall designed to generate funds for the school. I’d duly placed my name on the duty roster and pushed my way through the throngs of excited children and anxious parents. I caught sight of Amber and a friend speaking with a tubby man in a suit. Alarm surfaced until I saw Amber’s teacher walk up to them and escort both girls to the line for the children running. Must’ve been a parent.

“There you are,” Hannah said. “I thought you’d got lost.” She sliced a piece of Madeira cake and competently placed it on a paper plate for her customer.

“No, I went to the library to do research.”

“You should have asked me,” Hannah said. “Since the computer course at the pensioners’ hall, I can find anything. Besides, it’s pensioners’ day at the library. The place is mobbed on a Thursday.”

I stepped behind the stall and accepted a lacy white apron from the woman I was replacing. “I wish I’d known before I wasted my time.”

Her eyes lit up with enthusiasm. “I’ve been telling Charles and Ben I can help them. You’re more progressive. I know all about the internet and social media.”

The two men were ignoring her, and she wanted me on her side. I didn’t laugh because her concept had merit. I poured a mug of tea for a frazzled-looking teacher while I considered the idea. I’d have to be crafty so I didn’t tip Hannah off on my true mission, but I wasn’t my father’s daughter for nothing.

Once our stint at the cake stall ended, Hannah and I set off to the field where they were holding the children’s running races. Amber had been looking forward to this for the last two weeks, and I hoped she wasn’t disappointed. But I worried needlessly. Each child who finished a race received a shiny medal, although those who placed first, second or third received a special certificate in a ceremony afterward.

“Just like the Olympic Games,” Amber said. “The fat man said I looked like a runner.” As she clutched her precious second-place certificate, she beamed brightly enough to light up Oakthorpe and save us money on the electric.

The fat man.
I don’t know why, but I felt a distinct warning prickling at the back of my neck. Experience, maybe, but there was nothing I could do to halt the escalating sensation of panic. I glanced around and my gaze lit on the man I’d seen talking to Amber. It was as if he were waiting for me to notice him. When he was sure of my attention, he pulled his right hand from his pocket and fired a pretend gun at me.

Fuck, I was right to worry. Today was a warning. Tomorrow, we might not be so lucky.

We arrived home to bedlam at Oakthorpe. The police car parked out front should have prepared me. It didn’t.

“Oh, my stars.” Hannah’s hand fluttered to her chest.

What did they want? I’d covered my tracks while I was at the Moning house. I was sure of it.

I pushed the front door extra hard to compensate for the way it stuck in warm weather. Unbeknown to me, someone on the other side was tugging it at the same time I pushed. I flew inside like a champagne cork gone wild.

“Whoa, there.” Strong masculine arms caught me before I fell.

Startled, I glanced up into a pair of chocolate-brown eyes.

“Hello, Eve.” Laughter lurked in his voice. “Told you I was a good detective.”

I swear I forgot to breathe. I definitely suffered the lightheadedness that went with oxygen deprivation.

“Let go of my mama.”

He blinked, and I suspected this was a first. Not many things surprised the Kiwi cop.

“Are you married?” He loosened his hold and stepped away. I wanted to grab a handful of his linen shirt and drag him close so I could overdose on the scent of his wicked, wicked aftershave.

“Eve?” His disapproval finally pierced the spell he’d cast on me.

“I’m not married,” I said, hurt he’d think that of me when he’d known I was going out with Seth. He’d even asked me about Seth. I guess in the heat of the moment, the appearance of a daughter shocked him.

Amber squeezed against my side, sensing my turmoil. I gently nudged her away in order to walk without tripping.

“This is my daughter, Amber.” I didn’t offer explanations. I never did since all he needed to know was I had responsibilities. If my wildest dreams ever came true, he’d have to factor Amber into the equation. My gaze arrowed to his face. He wore a somber expression. I couldn’t read it and didn’t have a clue what the man was thinking. Then he smiled, a slow-moving grin that crept across his face, highlighting his cute dimples. He crouched down beside my daughter.

“Hello, Amber. I hear you’ve had a sports day today.” He glanced at the second-place certificate my daughter still clutched in her left hand. At least two fingers of her right hand were tucked inside her mouth, a sign of hesitation. “You must have done well.”

The beam I’d spoken of earlier reappeared and, just like that, he was her friend. She started chattering, and Kahu didn’t blink an eye. He chattered back to her.

“What’s this? A meeting of the unemployed?” my father groused. A tic worked at the corner of his left eye, a dead giveaway that the appearance of a police car had rattled him. “I thought we’d answered your questions?”

Kahu straightened and displayed his earlier gentle expression. “I wanted to speak with Eve.”

“She won’t know anything. She didn’t know that Moning woman.”

Kahu’s eyes narrowed to slits. “Yes,” he said. “She did.”

“Why don’t we go out to the garden and have a cold drink,” Hannah inserted into the strained silence. “I know I could do with one. How about you, Amber?”

“Lemonade,” she said.

“Please.” Hannah and I both spoke at once.

Amber nodded, her pigtails bobbing up and down. “Please.”

“Eve, why don’t you show the policeman out to the garden, and I’ll bring the drinks.”

“Sure. You coming, Amber? You can show Kahu your rabbits.”

Another test. I admit it, but I’d learned wariness since I’d given birth to Amber. If Kahu wanted recreational sex he was out of luck. The men I’d met since
the
night had done nothing to shift my opinion. Of course Seth didn’t count since he existed in the category labeled friends.

I followed my daughter as she skipped down the passage and through the door leading to the gardens out the back. Kahu walked behind me and I was acutely aware of his presence. My hips developed an extra sway, and the friction of fabric sliding against my skin with each step pushed my awareness to heady heights. I sucked in a deep breath. Mistake. Eau de Kahu assaulted my senses, twirling around inside my head until I felt giddy. I burst out of the dim passage into the sunshine.

Amber stopped and turned to Kahu. “Do you want to see my rabbits?”

I held my breath, waiting for Kahu’s reply. Would he pass the test?

“My brother and I used to have rabbits.”

Amber cocked her head, her interest caught. “What color?”

“Mine was white and my brother had a black rabbit. We called them Salt and Pepper.”

Father pushed past to plunk down on a white garden chair. Ben took possession of the seat beside Father. They looked like twins with identical lines of disapproval bracketing their mouths. The lines became even more defined when Amber took Kahu’s hand and tugged him down the cobblestone footpath to her rabbit hutch.

“You’re consorting with the enemy.” Father fired the first shot.

“But such an eye-catching package,” I countered.

“Buy another package. Shop around,” Ben growled.

Hannah thumped a glass jug of lemonade on the table in front of Father. “Give the girl a chance to explain. I’m sure she has a reasonable explanation for putting the family in jeopardy.”

“Mmm.” I paused for a beat. “Good old-fashioned lust.”

“What about Seth?” Father demanded.

“Yeah, he has a good package,” Ben said.

We all turned to stare at Ben.

Ben’s cheeks turned a dull red. “Well, he’s male, isn’t he?”

“Enough. There’s nothing going on between Kahu and me.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Hannah smirked. “Kahu, is it?”

Oops. Busted. There was nothing left but to brazen it out. “I have my reasons for associating with the law. All will become clear in time.”
Oh! Good countermove, Eve.
“I need some privacy to put my plan into motion.” Yep, a stroke of genius.

The terrible trio stared at me with identical expressions of horror and confusion.

Hannah smiled without warning. “I understand. You’re going to use him to help. Inside knowledge.”

Father glared. “Huh! Pillow talk, more like.”

“Since I’m
it
now, we’re doing things my way.” I reached for the lemonade jug and carefully avoided inquisitive gazes. The idea of sleeping with Kahu or any man simply for the purpose of extracting information sickened me. I wouldn’t do it. Not even for the Shadow.

“Shush! He’s coming back.” Hannah poured two more glasses of lemonade and whisked the jug away. “Charles. Ben. I need help in the kitchen.”

A heavy-handed way of leaving us alone. Luckily for me, I still had Amber as a chaperone.

“How were the rabbits?” I smiled at Kahu, my eyes becoming trapped in his gaze. Warmth and something else, admiration maybe, blazed from him. I found myself fidgeting, my fingers clasping and unclasping.