Kitabı oku: «Colton's Secret Bodyguard», sayfa 3
Two minutes later, she regarded the man seated behind her desk with a wary expression. “I’m always pleased to see you, Trey. I also know how busy you are, so I’m guessing this isn’t a social call.”
Her brother grinned. “Most people start with good morning. How are things with you, sis? Still struggling to decide which you hate most...morning or anchovies?”
“The answer depends on whether I’m listening to my alarm clock or ordering pizza.” Bree flopped into the chair opposite him. “Seriously, why are you here?”
His expression became serious. “We got a report of a person behaving suspiciously close to these premises just before seven a.m. A security guard...” He checked his notes. “A guy named Swanson was attacked.”
Bree jerked upright. “David? Is he okay?”
“Fine. He had a fright, but he wasn’t seriously injured. He’s already back at work.” Her brother leaned forward with his hands clasped on the desk. “What bothers me is that Swanson thought the intruder was intending to climb the steps to your apartment.”
A cold trickle of fear tracked its way down Bree’s spine. She pushed it aside, frowning over the vagueness of Trey’s statement. “David thought that was his intention? A minor injury and the suspicion that a man may have been planning to climb the stairs to my apartment? Was that really the most pressing item on your schedule this morning, Trey?”
He had the grace to look sheepish. “I wanted to check and make sure you were okay. The guy who called this in—”
She held up a hand. “I thought David Swanson called you?”
“No.” He consulted his notes. “The 911 dispatcher spoke to a Rylan Bennet.”
Bree rubbed the bridge of her nose. It was early. She was caffeine deprived and Trey’s presence had taken her by surprise. That must be why nothing was making sense. Because why would Rylan be here before the gallery opened?
“You know him?” Trey was watching her closely. Nothing escaped her brother.
“He manages a group of artists who are taking part in my next show. Mom introduced him to me.”
The Audrey Colton seal of approval acted like a charm, and Trey relaxed back into his chair. “Since I’m here, help me out. It’s only been a week since someone threw a brick through the gallery window. You’ve been getting threatening emails. So far, I don’t have any leads on who is responsible. Has anything happened since to make you feel uncomfortable?”
Thoughts of her recorder and coffee being moved flashed through her mind, but she suppressed them. If Trey found out she was being harassed, she would be transported back to her childhood. He would be the big, strong brother and she would be in his shadow once again. She loved him, but she didn’t want to hand control of her life over to him. Not unless she was forced to.
A tiny voice at the back of her mind asked the question, Shouldn’t Trey be the one to decide? If the strange incidents were linked to the broken window, and now this attack on David, wasn’t it time to confide in the sheriff? A second voice spoke up, drowning out the first. What if they aren’t linked?
“Bree?” Trey’s prompt brought her back down to earth. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
“No.” She looked him up and down. “But there is something I need to ask you.”
He raised his brows. “Ask away.”
“Why am I on the wrong side of my desk?”
Laughing, Trey got to his feet. When he held out his arms, Bree rose and was enveloped in a hug that lifted her off her feet.
When he released her, Trey gave her a long look. “You’d tell me if there was a problem?”
“I’d tell you if there was something you could help me with.”
He frowned. “That’s not the same thing.”
She patted his cheek. “It’s all you’re getting. Now scoot. I have work to do.”
“Unfortunately, so do I.” He turned reluctantly toward the door. “How about lunch next week?”
“As long as you’re buying, it’s a date.” Bree waited for him to close the door before she sank into her chair. Almost immediately, the dance music ringtone on her cell phone signaled an incoming call. A glance at the display showed her Rylan’s name.
She didn’t bother with a greeting. “I need to speak to you.”
“Do you like dogs?”
The question threw her off balance. “What do you mean?”
“Dogs, wise gal. You know. Four legs. Tails that wag. Make a noise called barking. Do you like them?”
“Yes, but...”
“Good. Come out to the parking lot.”
She started to protest, but he’d already ended the call. What was going on? Feeling as if she’d entered a parallel universe, Bree left her office and walked the length of the gallery.
All this, and I still haven’t had my first cup of coffee.
When she stepped outside, two things hit her. One was the chill breeze. The other was Rylan’s magnetism. Dressed in jeans, boots and a worn leather jacket, he was leaning against the hood of his car. The smile that lit his eyes when he saw her did something wicked to her insides.
Bree didn’t return the smile. She wasn’t here to be charmed. Since the last time she’d seen him, he’d somehow gotten involved in the incident with David, and he’d just given her an order. She wasn’t sure she liked either of those circumstances.
A slight frown creased her brow as she crossed the distance between them. “What do you want, Rylan? I have a lot to do today.”
The blue of his eyes darkened, like clouds crossing a summer sky. “Hey. What is this?”
“My brother told me you called in the attack on David.” Although she let him take her hands, she didn’t return his grip. “Why were you here before the gallery opened this morning?”
He hesitated for a few seconds. “I slept in my car last night. I told David it was because I had engine trouble. That wasn’t the real reason.”
Bree felt as though her world was spinning further off course with every passing second. “What was the real reason?”
“I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
When her family became overprotective, Bree bristled and fought back. It was a reaction to her childhood, when her parents had tried too hard to shield her from the effects of her dyslexia. However, in this instance, instead of Rylan’s admission provoking a similar response in her, it made her feel warm and comforted. Swaying toward him, she rested her forehead on his chest.
After a moment or two, he ducked his head to get a look at her face. “Are we okay?”
She nodded. “But you didn’t have to do that.”
The look he gave her was charged with so much electricity it almost threw her backward. Any doubts she may have had about his sincerity were gone. “Believe me, I did.”
How could she begin to explain it to him? No, Rylan, you didn’t. Because you had a place to stay. In my apartment. In my bed...
Changing the subject was probably a good idea. “Why were you in such a hurry to get me out here?”
“I wanted you to meet someone.”
Bree’s emotions went on a new roller coaster ride as he strode toward the passenger side of his car. Someone? After a minute or two, he returned with a leash attached to...a large mop.
“What is it?” She stared at the creature in fascination.
Rylan laughed. “This is Papadum. He’s a komondor, a Hungarian sheepdog.”
“I can’t tell which end is which,” Bree said.
“Well, they perform very different functions.” Rylan lifted the dog’s long corded bangs so Bree could see his eyes. The other end of the animal wagged. “I wouldn’t recommend getting them mixed up.”
Laughing, she stroked Papadum’s head. The wagging increased. “Papadum? Were you craving Asian food when you named him?”
“He was abandoned. The owner of an Indian restaurant found him in a dumpster when he took the trash out one night.”
“How sad.” Bree stooped to hug Papadum and the dog licked her cheek.
“See, you figured out the right end,” Rylan quipped. “That could have gone horribly wrong if you hadn’t.”
“Rylan!” Bree gave a choke of laughter. “Your dog is lovely, but why is he here?”
“Ah.” He gave her a sidelong glance. “I thought you might like to borrow him.”
Chapter 4
Bree was regarding Rylan as if he’d gone mad. “You thought I might like to borrow your dog?”
“Hear me out.” From the look on her face, the outcome hung in the balance. Although she appeared bemused, there was a definite flash of something more dangerous in the golden depths of her eyes. “Papadum may look like Mother Nature’s idea of a joke, but he’s a great guard dog. He’s calm with strong protective instincts. He would defend his family with his life.”
“Apart from the fact that I don’t need protection, I live in an apartment and work long hours.” Bree looked at the dog, who was sitting between them, his dreadlocks stirring in the breeze. “Papadum is big. He looks like he needs plenty of exercise.”
“That’s where I come in. Bring him to the gallery each day and I’ll take him for walks.” She was still viewing him with suspicion. “And you’ll be doing me a huge favor.”
“How?” The single word was hardly encouraging.
“I have a number of rescue dogs. I’ve just taken in a new guy, and he’s unsettled the dynamics. Papadum could use some space from all the drama.” It was a white lie. Papadum was the most laid-back dog in the world. He wasn’t part of the problem, but Rylan figured Bree didn’t need to know that. “Plus, you get to hang out with the coolest canine in town.”
The dog chose that moment to wave one mop-like paw in Bree’s direction. “See?” Rylan said. “Papadum thinks it’s a good idea.”
“Why do I feel like I’m being manipulated? By both of you?” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll give it a trial. Two days. If it doesn’t work out, Papadum goes home with you.”
Rylan resisted the impulse to punch the air in celebration. Papadum would take better care of her than any sophisticated alarm system. “It’s a deal.”
“What does he eat?” Bree asked.
“That’s a whole other conversation.” He handed her Papadum’s leash. “We can talk about it later when we decide where you’re taking me for dinner.”
Before she could reply, a car pulled up next to Rylan’s.
“Clearly, I am not meant to get any work done today.” Although the words were spoken under her breath, the smile on Bree’s face was genuine as she stepped forward to greet the woman who emerged from the vehicle. “I wasn’t expecting to see you this morning, Mom.”
Audrey Douglas Colton was an attractive African American woman in her early sixties. She had medium brown skin, short dark brown hair with a hint of gray and glowing golden-brown eyes. It was obvious that Bree got her stunning looks from her mother.
“I had half an hour to spare before my volunteer shift at the community hub.” Audrey kissed her daughter’s cheek before turning to survey the dog. “Oh, my. Isn’t this amazing? What is it?”
“It’s a dog. His name is Papadum. He’s going to be staying with me for a while.”
Audrey’s gaze met Rylan’s for a second. He read the question in her eyes. This is your doing? He answered with a brief nod, and saw her features relax. Anything that kept her daughter safe was fine by her.
Bree linked her arm through her mom’s and steered her toward the gallery. “Believe it or not, I haven’t had coffee yet.”
Audrey looked shocked. “Are you ill?”
Bree laughed. “Just busy.”
Rylan held the door open for them. “I’ll leave you ladies now.”
“Oh, please join us.” Audrey placed a hand on his arm. “I’d love to know how my student protégés are getting on.”
He followed them toward Bree’s office with a feeling of disquiet. He liked Audrey a lot, but he wasn’t a good enough actor to sustain lengthy questioning on the subject of African American art. He hoped she’d remember he was a bodyguard playing a role and go easy on him.
Bree ducked into her assistant’s office to request coffee. From the squeals of delight that ensued, Rylan figured Papadum was having an impact on Kasey.
When they went into her office, Bree released the dog from his leash. Papadum immediately commenced a detailed inspection of the room. Bree took a seat at her desk and gestured toward two other chairs before turning to her mom. “How’s Dad?”
“Oh, you know. Worrying about the farm, as usual. While the rest of the Colton family is celebrating the unseasonably cold weather because it means the ski season could be extended, Calvin is concerned about the impact on his animals.”
“To be fair, that is his job,” Bree said.
Audrey’s smile was mischievous. “I know. But when I want him to admire the winter wonderland outside the farmhouse, it ruins the effect if he says, I wonder if I should move the calves to the south barn.”
Kasey entered at that moment, carrying a tray laden with mugs of coffee, cream, sugar and a plate of cookies. Rylan rose to help her, and she smiled gratefully as he took her burden from her and placed it on the desk. When he returned to his seat, both Bree and Audrey were staring down at the tray. While Audrey’s expression was one of surprise, Bree’s was more like shock.
“Aren’t those the cups Nonnie gave you?” Audrey asked. The bright hand-painted cups depicted a variety of different animals.
“Yes.” There was a hollow note to Bree’s voice that Rylan didn’t like.
“I didn’t know you’d started using them.”
“I haven’t. I wouldn’t.” Bree turned to look at Kasey. “Where did you get these from?”
“They were in the kitchen next door. I thought you must have bought them to brighten the place up.” Kasey looked bewildered. “Is there something wrong?”
Even though she smiled at her assistant, Rylan could tell Bree’s expression was forced. “It’s not a problem. Thank you for the drinks.”
When Kasey had gone, Audrey turned to Bree. “Care to share?”
In the instant before she answered, Bree flashed a glance in Rylan’s direction. It was a plea. Work with me. In response, he pressed his knee lightly against hers beneath the desk. Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
“I know what must have happened,” Bree said. “I was sorting out my own artwork for the show. At the same time, I’d been cleaning out the display shelf where I keep Nonnie’s cups. Nonnie was my mom’s mother,” she explained to Rylan. “She was also the person from whom I inherited my artistic ability. When I was a child, she painted this set of cups for me. They’re too precious to use.”
“They’re beautiful.” Rylan admired one of the intricate hand-painted pieces.
“The box containing the pieces from the shelf in my apartment must have somehow gotten mixed up with one of the boxes containing my paintings.” Bree turned to Audrey with a shrug. “It’s easily done when everyone is so busy.”
Audrey’s shrewd gaze assessed her daughter for a moment or two. “Is that the best you’ve got?”
Bree gave her a look of near-perfect innocence. “What do you mean?”
Audrey pursed her lips and shook her head. Glancing at her watch, she picked up her tote. “Lucky for you, I have to go or I’ll be late for my shift.” She got to her feet and stooped to kiss Bree’s cheek. “Work on that story before we meet again, loved one. It has more holes than a piece of Swiss cheese.”
After she’d gone, Bree gave a little sigh. “I hate lying to her.”
“Don’t worry,” Rylan said. “She didn’t believe you.”
Bree gave a little laugh. “I had almost convinced myself that the coffee-thing, like the recorder, was due to my own absent-mindedness. But this?” She gently touched one of the cups. “There’s no mistaking this.”
“Someone is sending you a message,” Rylan said tersely, “and it isn’t a pleasant one.” When she raised her eyes to his, he could see the fear in their depths. “It’s time to tell me all of it, Bree.”
She nodded. “Not here. Do you like Thai food?”
He raised her hand to his lips. “You just found my weakness.”
She turned to look at Papadum, who had fallen asleep and looked like a large, unusual rug. “AppeThaizer allows dogs. I’ll make reservations for seven o’clock.”
“Okay.” Rylan got to his feet. “I’ll be in the promotions office if you need me.”
When he reached the door, he turned back to look at her. She was already reaching into her desk, but there was a crease between her brows that troubled him. He wanted to go to her and smooth it away. More than anything, he wanted to tell her that he was there to protect her.
Once Bree knew he was deceiving her, their closeness would be over. That scared him more than the shadowy figure who was threatening her. He could deal with the external danger, but he honestly didn’t know if he could cope with having to watch Bree walk away.
* * *
I should have smashed those cups and used the pieces to slice your pretty face.
The voice Bree had chosen for her text-to-speech software was light and female. Most of the time, she found it soothing. Whenever she converted one of the threatening emails to speech and listened to it, the gentle tones somehow made the words even more frightening.
She gripped the edge of the desk with both hands, feeling as though a pillow was being pressed over her mouth and nose. Enough air was getting through to enable her to breathe. Just. But she was fighting to function. Each thought took a huge amount of effort.
She couldn’t ignore this any longer. This time there was a direct link between the emails and the person moving her belongings.
Rylan. Every instinct urged her to go to him. Relief flooded her veins at the thought of his strong, reassuring presence. She was halfway out of her seat when the alarm on her cell phone buzzed.
“Two o’clock appointment.” This voice was different. Robotic and mechanical. She’d set the reminder for ten minutes before her meeting with Lucas Brewer, the lighting engineer she employed for her shows.
Biting back an exclamation of annoyance, she headed for the hall. Papadum, who had been snoring like a freight train for most of the day, decided to accompany her.
“I guess you must be thirsty, big guy.” Bree patted the end that didn’t wag.
Pausing in the kitchen, she found a bowl and filled it with water. Leaving Papadum to the noisiest drinking she had ever heard, she went into the bathroom. A glance in the mirror confirmed her worst fears. She looked flustered and wan at the same time. Splashing cold water on her face helped a little. A fresh spray of perfume and a new application of lip gloss restored a little more normality. With a nod at her reflection, she returned to her office to collect the documents for her meeting.
“Oh, my goodness!” She gazed at Papadum in horror. “What happened to you?”
The dog was seated next to her desk. Long frothy strands hung from his jowls. He made a soft moaning sound.
Since Rylan was at the opposite end of the building, Bree decided to call him. “Papadum is foaming at the mouth.”
“I’m on my way.”
Bree ducked into Kasey’s office. “Tell Lucas I’ve been delayed.” She thrust a file at her assistant. “Here’s the lighting specification. I’ll be with him as soon as I can.”
She returned to her office and sat on the floor next to Papadum, stroking his back. The dog hiccupped miserably. Rylan arrived a few minutes later.
“I don’t know what happened,” Bree told him. “I gave him a drink and left him alone in the kitchen for a few minutes. When I got back, he was like this.”
He knelt next to Papadum. To Bree’s surprise, he sniffed the dog’s breath. “Do you by any chance use lemon-scented soap in your kitchen?”
“Um...yes.”
Rylan pried Papadum’s jaws open and gently shook the dog’s head. A bar of soap fell out of his mouth and onto the rug. “Yeah. That was one of the things I meant to warn you about. Papadum eats a lot of things he shouldn’t. Soap, socks, coins, nails, rocks... His best so far was my phone charger. Nature takes its course with most things, but he needed surgery to remove that.”
“You loaned me a broken dog?” Bree huffed.
His face was inches from hers, his blue eyes alight with laughter. “Sorry about that.”
“Anything else I should know?” She edged a little closer.
“When you ask him if he’s been fed, he may not always give you an honest answer.”
His arms closed around her and his lips met hers. The kiss was exactly what Bree needed. She felt safe, warm and protected. Giving a little murmur of appreciation, she pressed tight against him. The embrace didn’t last long. Papadum raised a paw and struck Rylan on the shoulder. The move almost sent him sprawling face first to the floor.
“I think that means he needs more water.” He grinned. “Although I have no sympathy for him.”
Papadum rubbed his face affectionately along Rylan’s arm, leaving a trail of lemon-scented foam.
Bree laughed. “Go see to your dog. I’m late for a meeting.”
He got to his feet, holding out a hand to help her up. His gaze scanned her face. “Has something happened? Other than my crazy pet eating your soap?”
“Later. I’ll tell you all of it then.” Just being near him had given her new strength.
He took her face in his hands and pressed a kiss on her forehead. “Okay.” Stooping, he ushered Papadum toward the door.
She drew in a breath. “Rylan?” He turned to look at her, and her nerve almost faltered. “You don’t have to sleep in your car tonight.”
The change in his expression almost sent her running back into his arms. Somehow, she managed to get her trembling limbs under control and make her way out into the gallery for her meeting.
* * *
“No one is ever going to believe I didn’t train you to do this.” Kasey had provided Rylan with a roll of paper towel, which he used to dry Papadum’s dreadlocks. “Although I think you could have found a smarter way of getting her attention than eating her soap.” The dog held up a heavy hairy paw. “Shaking hands? Yeah, that could have worked, but it’s hard to see how it would have needed my intervention. Maybe you should have tried the non-stop sneezing thing you did that time when you caught a fly.”
Once Papadum was restored to normality, Rylan decided to return him to Bree. The dog’s purpose was to guard her after all. He couldn’t do that if they were in different rooms.
The gallery was a vast open space. Having studied a floor plan of the building, Rylan knew there was ten thousand square feet of floor space. With its high ceilings and white walls, the former warehouse provided a unique opportunity to display large sculptures and paintings, as well as smaller pieces. Bree had made it bright, open and fun, with a strong sense of diversity.
Her own paintings were glorious. Celebrating people, African American women in particular, she had a knack for capturing the perfect moment. Characterized by bold angular shapes and brilliant colors, her pictures evoked feelings of heart and home. Little girls playing, women gossiping, family gatherings—all were treated with Bree’s own unique empathy and quirky humor. Her signature was a simple letter B.
Rylan found her in an area that had been completely cleared, ready for the Spirit show. She was so deep in conversation with a dark-haired man about her own age that she didn’t notice Rylan as he approached. They were standing side by side with their heads bent over a large sheet of paper. The guy’s stance caught Rylan’s attention. He was just a little too close to Bree, a little too attentive.
He tried to dismiss his unease, telling himself he was letting his feelings for Bree get the better of him. When Papadum saw Bree and gave a delighted bark, interrupting their conversation, Rylan had a chance to review his first impression. Instead of changing his mind, however, his opinion was reinforced.
Over Bree’s head, her companion gave Rylan a look that was so laden with suspicion and jealousy it was almost comical. Almost. With everything that was going on, it immediately sent Rylan’s protective instincts into overdrive.
“Hey, Papadum.” Having finally figured out the dog’s anatomy, Bree found his ears and scratched between them. Since that particular caress was Papadum’s favorite thing in the whole world, he promptly fell at her feet in an ecstatic canine heap.
Laughing, Bree turned to Rylan. “He seems to have recovered.”
“I don’t think there’ll be any lasting effects. Just hide the soap—and anything else that you consider inedible but that would fit down the gullet of a large, foolish dog—and everything will be fine.”
“Is that a dog?” Although it was a common reaction to Papadum, when it came from the guy who was still standing way too close to Bree, Rylan found it irritating.
“Papadum is my new guard dog,” Bree explained. “Oh, sorry. I forgot you two don’t know each other. Rylan Bennet... Lucas Brewer. Lucas does the lighting for all my shows. Rylan manages a group of young artists who will be showcasing their work during Spirit.”
Lucas tried to get away with a curt nod, but Rylan smiled and held out his hand. “Good to meet you.”
The other man was forced to return his handshake and make eye contact. Did he get the stern warning Rylan flashed his way? He certainly pulled his hand away quickly and dropped his gaze fast. One thing was for sure, Rylan didn’t think Lucas would forget him...and that had been his intention.
“I’ll leave you to your meeting.” Ignoring Lucas, Rylan spoke directly to Bree.
She smiled, apparently oblivious to any hostile undercurrents. “Papadum and I will see you later.”
Rylan walked away, convinced he could feel Lucas’s stare hitting a point just between his shoulder blades. The guy clearly had a thing for Bree. Did that mean he was the person harassing her? It was a big leap from one to the other, and possibly said more about Rylan’s own insecurities than anything about the other man. Even so, he would be using all his resources to find out more about Lucas Brewer.
When he reached the promotions office, he checked his cell phone. Although he employed a full-time helper, Rylan liked to maintain a hands-on approach to the welfare of his animals. The personalized app he used allowed him to monitor what was going on at the ranch while he was away.
Not for the first time, he wondered what Bree would think if she could see his mismatched collection. Ranch described the property he had bought. Sanctuary was the home he provided for his animals.
From duck pond to donkey stall, the video cameras showed him scenes that were about as tranquil as it ever got. As the number of his adopted animals had grown, he had promised he wouldn’t spend much time away from home. That had been before he met Bree. She had changed everything.
Watching her with Papadum, he could see that she obviously loved animals...even quirky ones. A slight smile touched his lips as he tried to picture her among his other misfits. But what was the point? Looking into the future was a waste of time. As far as Bree was concerned, Rylan had blown it before he’d even started.
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