Goody Two Shoes (Invertary Book 2) (32 page)

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

Whatever Josh’s plans, they went up in smoke about two seconds after the words were out of his mouth. Caroline’s front door swung open and a voice shouted, “Josh, get out here.”

Josh hung his head. “It’s Mitch. What does a guy have to do in this town to get a little privacy?”

He squeezed Caroline, kissed her hair and lumbered off at his usual laid-back pace to see what his best friend wanted. Caroline sighed and followed. The men were in her garden, staring at her house. They had identical poses—legs apart, arms folded. And identical looks on their faces—angry.

“What is it?” Caroline stepped out to join them.

“Have you called the cops?” Mitch said.

“I came in the back door. This is the first I’ve seen it.”

“I’ll call.” Mitch pulled out his phone. “With everything that’s happening, I’ve got the guy on speed dial.”

Caroline turned to see what the men were staring at, and sucked in a breath. Paint-splattered words decorated the wall of her house. The words were a stark reminder of a truth Caroline already knew.
You’re not good enough for Josh.

“At least they can spell.” Her hand fluttered to her throat. “Lots of people miss the apostrophe in
you’re
.”

Josh raised an eyebrow at her, but it disappeared as soon as he spotted the quivering lips she was trying to hide. “Don’t let it get to you. We’ll sort it.”

He hugged her to him, and for a moment Caroline let herself absorb his heat and strength. Somehow she felt as though the words were written on her skin, rather than her home.

“Oh crap,” Mitch muttered from behind them.

Caroline and Josh spun towards him. She couldn’t miss the pointed look the two men shared. Josh placed his hands on Caroline’s shoulders. “You know, I could really use a cup of coffee.” He smiled. “Any chance you could make us one?”

Caroline straightened her back. Whatever Mitch had found, it wasn’t good.

“Of course I will. As soon as you show me whatever it is you don’t want me to see.”

Mitch sighed and nodded at the gate. Josh took her hand and led her to it. Caroline felt the blood drain from her cheeks as she spotted the little cloth doll. It was dressed in a grey suit and had a noose around its neck. Josh snarled beside her as Caroline’s stomach twisted violently.

“Well, I think it’s safe to say someone doesn’t like me.”

The looks of anger and pity on the faces of the men made her want to run.

“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” Josh promised.

“I know.” Although she felt far from certain that they would. “I’ll make coffee.”

She walked past the nasty words that marred the home her grandfather had left her and, feeling slightly dazed, headed for the kitchen.

“I was on my way to see Caroline when I got the call.” Officer Donaldson was talking before he got out of his police car.

“It’s the same guy who sent the package to her office,” Mitch told him.

“What makes you think that?” Donaldson was all business.

Mitch pointed to the doll on the fence. Donaldson looked as disgusted as Josh felt.

“Aye, that would narrow it down.”

Without another word, he walked over to examine the wall. He traced a letter with his finger. “Dry. Must have happened late last night. Did you hear or see anything suspicious?”

“I wasn’t here.” Josh wanted to kick himself for letting Caroline sleep without him. “But my dad was in the front room.” He pointed at the window above the words. “He would have mentioned if he’d heard something.”

Donaldson nodded. “I’ll need to speak with him.”

Josh rubbed a hand over his face. “He’s gone to Glasgow to buy a suit and sex toys.” They stared at him. “Long story.”

“Fine.” Donaldson sighed heavily. “We’ll deal with him later. In the meantime, I need Caroline to write a list of women she thinks might be particularly upset about this wedding. It’s obviously someone she knows.”

Josh took a step towards the man. “What makes you think it’s a woman?”

Mitch and Donaldson both gave him identical “are you an idiot” looks. He shrugged. They were involved with the law. Josh wasn’t. What did he know about this stuff? He sang songs for a living. He bet they wouldn’t know what G-major looked like if it was painted on the wall.

“Josh.” Mitch sounded like he was speaking to a slow child. “The dolls are handmade—do you see a guy doing that? Or even knowing how to do that?” He gestured to the words on the wall. “The paint is sparkly purple. How many guys would have that around, or would buy it to graffiti a wall?”

“Has Caroline seen this?” Donaldson said.

“Yeah.” Mitch gestured towards the house. “She’s inside making coffee. She didn’t seem too upset.”

Josh glared at his best friend. How could he have missed how upset Caroline was? She’d gone into Ice Queen mode. Her back was so straight it looked like she was strapped to a board. Her skin was pale and her heart had been beating fast. She was freaked. Donaldson cast a wary glance towards the house. At least he seemed to be sceptical that Caroline was coping well. It put the guy up a notch in his estimation.

Donaldson rubbed his chin. “Maybe she doesn’t need to hear this right now.”

Josh nodded. Damn right she didn’t need to hear any more bad news. “Spit it out.”

The guy let out a long breath. “The roadblocks are coming down as we speak. One of the TV stations got their lawyers involved and they’re being given access to the town.” Mitch cursed, and Donaldson cast him a glance. “Let’s face it, they were barely legal anyway. We’ve been pushing our luck keeping people out of town. I’m surprised we got away with it this long.”

Josh felt as though he’d been kicked in the stomach. “We’re going to be overrun with press.”

“You’ve got about an hour before the town is flooded,” Donaldson said grimly. “We can keep them off private land, but that’s about it.”

Josh eyed the house. Caroline’s place was far too open to hide from the press. He made a decision. “I’ll move her to the castle. She’s safer there.”

Mitch agreed. “I’ll call Lake and sort out security.”

Josh threw back his head and studied the clear blue sky. “She’s not going to like this.”

“Worse than that,” Donaldson said, “she’ll want to sort it.”

“Any chance we can deal with this before the cameras get here?” Josh pointed to the wall.

“I’ll get what I need as fast as I can,” Donaldson said.

“And I’ll work on hiding the message until it’s painted over,” Mitch said. “We’re going to have to paint the whole house. A patch job would stand out too much. I’ll sort it out.”

“I guess that leaves me to deal with Caroline.” Josh paused on his way into the house.

Donaldson and Mitch shared a grin.

“Aw, poor Joshy boy,” Mitch said. “He’s scared of the big bad Scottish lassie.”

Donaldson laughed.

Josh ignored them. He wasn’t scared of Caroline. He was wisely cautious. It was a completely different thing. He called out for Caroline as he strode to the kitchen. It was empty.

“Caroline?” he shouted up the stairs.

Nothing.

“Caroline?” He peered out the back window, then checked the living room.

She wasn’t in the house. He rushed back to the front door. “Caroline is gone.”

The smile disappeared from the cop’s face. His eyes narrowed. “Is there sign of a struggle? Did it look like she left on her own?”

“No sign of a struggle, but her handbag and keys are still here.”

“Let’s make some calls,” Donaldson said. “It’s probably nothing, but best we locate her before the press do it for us.”

Josh wanted to hit his head against the wall. Instead he turned on his heels back to the kitchen. He pulled open Caroline’s junk drawer. Her cell phone was still inside. He slammed the drawer shut.

Damn impossible woman.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

They were out of coffee. Caroline had been tempted to serve tea—she didn’t like coffee anyway, but she knew Josh hated tea and couldn’t do it to him. She nabbed her wallet from her bag, let herself out the back door and walked the short distance through the lane to the high street shops. It would only take her ten minutes to fetch what she needed.

She was studying the chocolate biscuit selection when she felt a presence behind her.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

Caroline jumped, placing a hand on her heart. Danny grinned at her. As usual, he was dressed in a black suit.

“You gave me a fright. And don’t call me sweetheart.” What was it with Americans and pet names?

“Whatever you say,
darling.
” He winked at her.

Caroline stifled a smile. There was something about Danny that was delightfully adorable.

“Not long till the big day.” Danny picked a pack of cookies off the shelf and handed them to her. “These are my favourites. I don’t know about you, but I’m getting nervous.”

It took Caroline a minute to realise he was talking about the wedding. “Why are you nervous? I’m the one getting married.”

“Caroline, Caroline, Caroline.” He brushed his knuckles down her cheek in a way that was far too familiar. “It isn’t only you.
We’re
getting married. It takes two, remember?”

Caroline took a step away from him and frowned. “We’re not getting married, Danny. I’m marrying Josh.”

For a second he seemed confused. “That’s what I mean. You and Josh.” He didn’t sound convinced.

Caroline opened her mouth to ask him if he was okay, but his gaze snapped to the window behind her. Lights flashed. People shouted.

“The press are here.” Danny grabbed her arm and swung her away from the front of the store. The coffee pack she’d been holding fell to the floor.

“Out the back,” shouted Agnes Stewart from behind the counter. “I’ll delay them.”

“Thanks, Agnes.” Danny yanked on Caroline’s arm and pulled her towards the back of the shop.

“What are you doing?” His grip was too tight to break. “Let me go.”

“I can’t do that, sweetheart.” Danny led her through the stock room and out of the back door. “We can’t let the jackals get you.”

Caroline tripped over the doorstep and out into the alley. “You don’t have to help. I’m fine.”

“Look, do you want to stay here and answer questions, or do you want to get some privacy?”

Caroline heard the shouts of the press behind her. The thought of being stuck in that mob, with people thrusting cameras in her face, made her feel ill.

“I want out of here.”

“Well hold on, sweetheart. I’ll take care of you.”

They ran down the alley towards the cemetery. Danny helped her to climb the fence into the park. Once inside, he took her hand again and rushed her towards Macgregor’s folly.

He yanked open the door to the small cylindrical building. “We should be fine in here for a while. We’ll head back home to the castle when the press have gone.”

Caroline separated herself from the man and peeked out of the door. She could hear voices shouting her name, but no one had come in to the cemetery. She closed the door again and slid down the stone wall to sit on the floor. Her life was insane. She couldn’t make sense of it anymore.

“Hey.” Danny crouched in front of her. “Don’t panic. Everything is going to be fine.”

Caroline looked up at him sceptically. He grinned as though he was enjoying himself.

“I’ve been thinking.” Danny seemed almost abashed. “This is all getting a bit much. How about we skip town and get married in Vegas? Just the two of us. What do you say?”

Caroline stared at him. He was perfectly serious.

“Danny”—Caroline deliberately used his name—“
we’re
not getting married. I’m marrying Josh.”

He frowned as though concentrating hard. “Yeah, yeah.” He nodded to himself. “That’s what I mean. Why don’t you and Josh elope? Put an end to this circus.”

Caroline looked up at the circular window in the peak of the dome. Why indeed? “I always dreamed about getting married here.”

Danny held her hand, and she let him, taking comfort from the wrong man. “And is it how you thought it would be?”

She couldn’t help herself. She started to giggle.

Danny grinned as he gave her hand a squeeze. “Vegas is looking good now, huh?”

He wasn’t wrong.

There was a lot of noise from outside the building. Danny peeked out of the door. Flashes went off. “We’re surrounded, sweetheart.”

Caroline groaned. “I need to call for help, but I left my phone in the kitchen.” Josh was going to kill her. How many times had he stressed taking the phone with her? Yep. She was a dead woman.

Danny pulled his cell phone from his pocket and handed it to her. “I’d call Josh, but I’m not allowed. Although that might just be an American rule.”

Caroline rolled her eyes as she took the phone. She couldn’t call Josh anyway—she couldn’t remember his number.