Lucky Charm (17 page)

Gabrielle nodded. She seated herself on the curb and waited for Sharon to do the same. “Since we have time, do you want to explain why you look like a cat burglar? And make it good because I'm about to have you committed.” She raised an eyebrow and waited.

Sharon took a long breath. “I went to stalk Tony,” she said on a rush.

“You what!” Gabrielle jerked around to stare at her friend.

“It's more rational than it sounds, I swear. I just wanted to see what he was up to. What his life is like. If it's possible he's reformed, as he claims.”

Gabrielle opened her eyes wider in disbelief. “Why didn't you say something? I would have come with you!”

“That's why. I had to do this for myself. I had to see for myself.”

“And?”

Sharon met her gaze. “He has a wife and a child!”

“Whoa. He said he lived with his sister. He lied?”

Sharon nodded. “Apparently so.”

“Now, that's a shock. A convicted felon who's also a liar.” Gabrielle bit the inside of her cheek. Now she understood why he'd stepped outside and hadn't wanted to let them into the house. “So if he lied about that, what else is he lying about? He obviously didn't want his family to know what he did to you.”

Sharon shook her head. “I don't think so. It's weird, but I've watched him for a couple of days and he's different. Mellow. More at ease than he ever was before. I actually do think he's changed.”

“Or maybe he hasn't and this life is a cover.” Gabrielle placed her hand over her friend's.

“I considered that, too. There's only one way to find out.”

“And that is?” Gabrielle was almost afraid to ask.

Sharon smiled grimly. “I'm going to have to confront him.”

Before Gabrielle could respond, the tow truck pulled up in front of them. She couldn't continue this talk now, but once the car situation was settled, Gabrielle had every intention of nixing Sharon's suicidal idea.

G
ABRIELLE PROMISED
S
HARON
she'd drive her back to Stewart right after Gabrielle stopped at her apartment in Boston to pick up some notes regarding her upcoming interview with Mary Perkins. Since Sharon was preoccupied, Gabrielle didn't mention that her room at the Rhodes Inn had been ransacked and she'd been forced to return home for good. She didn't want to add to Sharon's already high stress level.

And since Sharon was upset enough, Gabrielle didn't even chastise her for stalking her ex. There would be time for that during the ride back to Stewart.

“What's wrong?” she asked her friend, instead.

Sharon sighed. “I'm just wondering how much it's going to cost me to get the car fixed, how I'm going to afford it on top of the blackmail.” She glanced out the window, pressing her forehead against the heavy glass.

Gabrielle's heart went out to her friend. “It goes without saying…”

Sharon cut her off with a sharp wave of her hand. “I appreciate it, but unless I've exhausted all my options, I'll make it work. I just need to vent and think things through,” Sharon said, her tone soft and full of appreciation.

Gabrielle nodded. She respected her friend's independent streak.

Both women knew Gabrielle's writing provided her with a surplus of income and she could more than afford to help Sharon with both the blackmail money and the repairs. But Sharon had a little too much pride. Her refusal to tell Richard about the blackmail was an example. If she needed help, financial or otherwise, Sharon understood Gabrielle would be there.

“We're here.” Gabrielle pulled up to the curb by her brownstone. “Wait here. I'll run in and get what I need.”

Sharon shook her head. “I'll come in with you. I need to use your bathroom before we start the car ride home.”

Gabrielle left the car in the illegal No Standing zone and the women ran up the flights of stairs to Gabrielle's unit, a two-bedroom apartment she'd leased upon her return from Florida.

When they reached the top of the stairs, Gabrielle noticed her door was open and an uncomfortable feeling of déjà vu assaulted her.

“Did you leave this door—”

“No. Definitely not.” She cut Sharon off and halted in her tracks, not wanting to go any closer.

“You're sure? Because sometimes I forget to lock my parents' house, you know?”

“I'm positive. I locked it.” After her last night in Stewart, Gabrielle had diligently locked her door whenever she left.

She met Sharon's worried gaze. “I guess now's the time to tell you my room at Mrs. Rhodes's was broken into and ransacked. The person left a calling card in red lipstick.” Gabrielle tried to swallow but her mouth had grown dry.

Sharon raised her eyebrows. “Well? What did it say?”

“You were warned!”

“Jeez, Gabrielle, you should have told me,” Sharon chided, her voice rising.

“Shh!” Gabrielle placed a finger to her lips. “We don't know if anyone is still in there.”

Eyes wide, Sharon nodded.

“Follow me.”

Slowly and quietly they made their way back down the stairs. From the safety of her car, Gabrielle once again called 9-1-1.

 

D
EREK WAS GETTING TOO OLD
for these kinds of scares. Gabrielle had just called and informed him about the break-in at her Boston apartment. This time her computer had been stolen, as well as notes and papers on all her books.

She'd called 9-1-1, for which he was grateful, but she'd avoided calling his cousin. Derek had a hunch she didn't want to involve his family and he let it go. As long as she'd brought the police in, he was satisfied.

It was obvious to Derek that someone wanted to send her a message—and they weren't going to let a little thing like distance stop them.

Clearly, she wasn't safe alone.

She hadn't asked Derek for anything, but he knew she had nowhere to stay where she felt safe. She wouldn't put her parents in danger any more than she would put Sharon and her parents, or Derek and Holly in harm's way.

He'd had one helluva time convincing her to move in with him until the person harassing her was found. But eventually she'd gratefully relented.

He gathered his family together. Uncle Thomas, Hank and Holly sat in his large living room and listened as he explained what had happened to Gabrielle over the past few days.

“So I'm wondering how you'd feel about bunking with Grandpa and Uncle Thomas for a little while?” Derek leaned down on one knee as he asked his daughter's opinion.

Since Holly had just recently come to stay with him and they were just starting to build a relationship, he didn't intend for her to feel displaced or unwanted.

“Par-ty!” Holly said, obviously not upset by the request.

Derek rose to his feet, ignoring the stiffness that reminded him he had stopped going to the gym since his move back home.

“Are you sure?”

Holly swung her head around to look at her grandfather. “Can I stay up late? Eat cookies in bed? Watch whatever movies I want?”

Hank winked at her.

Derek shook his head, amazed at her sunny outlook. Bless her, she wasn't hard to get along with, Derek thought.

“That was easy.”

Hank shook his head. “Not so fast. I'm not sleeping in the same room with her. She snores.”

Holly giggled.

Once again Derek was reminded of what a good man his father was when it came to his granddaughter. He always knew how to make her laugh.

“So nobody minds?”

“Of course not. You know we can take care of Holly without a problem. It's Gabrielle's safety that's important,” Uncle Thomas said.

“Thank you,” Derek said.

Hank muttered something under his breath.

“Dad?”

Hank raised an eyebrow. “What?”

“That's what I want to know. What's bugging you?”

His father leaned his elbow against the arm of the sofa. “Nothing.”

“Then what were you mumbling about?”

Hank frowned. “You aren't going to like it.”

Derek raised an eyebrow. “Tell me, anyway.” He'd rather have things out in the open.

“I'm just thinking that Gabrielle wouldn't be in danger if she minded her own business. Digging into other people's lives isn't a very nice way to earn a living.”

“Holly, let's go take Fred for a walk,” Uncle Thomas said. Rising from his seat, he gestured for her to follow him.

“But…” Holly remained sitting until her uncle forcibly pulled her up. “Fine,” she said, grumbling, clearly not happy about being left out of the conversation. “You know Grandpa's just going to tell me later,” she said, shuffling her feet as she made her way out the door.

Derek would have laughed if he wasn't so intent on dealing with his father. He strode over to Hank, who had risen to his feet.

“I think it's time we have this out once and for all,” Derek said. “What do you have against Gabrielle? Please don't tell me it has to do with her career choice or the subject matter of her newest book.”

“Fine.” He exhaled a harsh breath. “It's not about the book. It's about her. And you.”

Derek narrowed his gaze. “You always liked Gabrielle. So what gives now? Especially since you haven't seen her in over ten years?”

Hank stomped over to the window and glanced out at the yard between their two houses. “When she first came back, it was about the curse. I didn't want her dragging up old issues that should remain dead and buried.”

“Not possible, but go on.”

“When I saw how many people showed up for her talk, I realized you were right about that. People are fascinated by our love lives, or lack of them.” Hank braced his hands on the windowsill. “I resigned myself to her writing the damn book. Because whether she does or not, people around here are still going to gossip about the Corwin men.”

Derek nodded. “Agreed. So…?” He prodded his father, wanting him to get to the point. “What's your problem with Gabrielle?”

“She's setting you up for another fall, that's what.”

Derek had a feeling he knew where his father was going. To a place he'd been avoiding thinking about since his night with Gabrielle.

“You've been spending a lot of time with her and now she'll be living with you. You'll fall in love with her all over again and it'll make what you went through with Marlene seem like child's play in comparison.”

Derek's head began to pound. “I won't fall in love with her.” He clenched his hands into tight fists at his sides.

“Good.” Hank turned to face him. “I hope you mean that. You weren't in love with Holly's mom, isn't that right?”

Derek nodded. “She was a good woman, a good friend and a good mother. She deserved better than what I was able to give her because I wasn't in love with her.”

“And yet?” Hank asked, obviously pushing him to say the words.

“And yet I lost my fortune, my marriage and I nearly lost my daughter,” Derek muttered, hating like hell having to discuss the curse out loud.

Hank wrapped a fatherly arm around his shoulder. “I know it hurts, but ignoring the truth will end up hurting even more.”

Derek breathed in deep. “I won't fall in love with Gabrielle,” he said to his father, wondering how he'd keep his promise when he feared he'd already broken it.

 

S
HARON PACED THE SMALL
bedroom of the house she and Richard had bought together. After Gabrielle had dropped her off, she'd called her fiancé and asked him to meet her after work. They needed to talk.

She'd decided to level with him about what was going on. She only hoped he could handle it.

Expecting him around five-thirty, which was when he usually left work at his law firm, Sharon was surprised to hear his key in the lock late that afternoon.

She met him at the front door.

He stepped inside, and though she started forward to embrace him, he walked past her and placed his briefcase down on the floor.

Uh-oh.

She swallowed hard. “You're home early.”

He inclined his head. “You said you needed me.”

Yet he remained at a distance, emotionally and physically. And she hadn't even confided in him yet.

“So how was your conference?” he asked.

She rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms, but the chill remained. “There wasn't one.”

He turned toward her, his handsome face more a mask of disappointment than confusion. She shivered even more.

“Would you care to explain?” he asked.

“Come. Sit down.” She led the way into the small study they would one day share. They planned on building bookshelves to line the walls, her own little library, his desk and home office.

He sat on the couch while she chose a chair across from him. Elbows resting on his knees, he stared at her, his gaze intense. He didn't say a word.

She studied him, too. His dark hair, neatly combed, gave him that air of propriety she both loved and feared would be the end of them.

She drew a deep, fortifying breath. “A few days ago, I received an anonymous letter in the mail.” She glanced down at her hands, not surprised to see they were shaking. “And though I'm not sure who sent it, it was clear what was in it.”

He met her gaze. “What was it?” he asked, his voice steady.

He was everything she loved and wanted in her life. But there was obviously more separating them than the story she had to tell. Not knowing what it was scared her beyond belief.

“A picture,” she whispered. “An old photograph. One of
those
old photographs, if you get my drift.”

“Oh, I get it, all right,” he said, clenching his jaw.

“There was also a note demanding five thousand dollars.”

“That bastard.” He rose from his seat in a burst of sudden, angry energy. “I'm going to kill him.”

She came up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder. “No, you're not. Because then I'd lose you to prison instead of just…losing you.” She stepped back, easing away from him.

This time
he
came up behind her and she felt his body heat close. Reassuring.

“Why would you say that?” he asked.

She faced him again. “Because I didn't get the letter today. I got it a few days ago.”

“And you didn't tell me.” His disappointment spoke louder than his words.

Nausea rolled through her and she wished she'd listened to Gabrielle's advice about telling Richard sooner.