Sweet Caroline's Keeper (19 page)

Wolfe realized that Roz was using the birthday present as a means to draw Lyle's attention away from what he had undoubtedly sensed as sexual tension radiating from Wolfe and Caroline. Perhaps it was best that Caroline's minister cousin not become aware of the fact that she had lost her innocence to a man totally unworthy of her.

Caroline grabbed the gift and unwrapped it hurriedly. Just as she opened the lid, Sandy appeared in the studio doorway, the portable telephone in her hand. She looked directly at Wolfe, then motioned to him.

"Finish opening your gifts," Wolfe said. "I'll take the call."

When he approached Sandy, she held out the phone and said, "It's Fletcher Shaw. He asked to speak to you."

Wolfe took the telephone from her and said, "Wolfe here."

"Yes, Mr. Wolfe, this is Fletcher Shaw. I wanted to run this by you before mentioning it to Caroline." He paused, as if waiting for Wolfe to respond, and when he didn't, Fletcher continued. "I was talking to Mother this morning. She's been away on a cruise, she and her husband,
Neall
, and they just returned to Baltimore yesterday. Anyway, I was filling her in on everything that has happened to Caroline. Her finding the key and the attempts on her life and my hiring you to protect her."

"Is there a point to this story?" Wolfe asked impatiently.

"Of course there is," Fletcher replied. "As I was saying, Mother and I were discussing the situation. Naturally, she was upset to learn that poor old Teddy Richards had been killed. She'd known him since she was a young girl. But the crux of the matter is this—Mother remembered something, a place where Father could have hidden the evidence he mentioned in his letter to Lenore."

"What place?" Wolfe smiled at Caroline when she held up a pair of theater tickets,
Roz's
gift, then laid them aside and began ripping the paper from Lyle's gift.

"It's a hunting lodge, or at least it used to be a hunting lodge years ago," Fletcher said. "I vaguely remember Father taking me there when I was a boy. I'd forgotten all about the place, until Mother mentioned it. She said it's a rather large old cabin. Several of father's friends, including Oliver Harper, co-owned the place at one time. They mostly used it to get away from D.C., just the guys, to do a little fishing."

"Where is this cabin?"

"Over in the western end of the state, in Garrett County."

"Do you have any idea when your father went there last?" David asked.

"I can't be sure, but I do remember him getting away by himself for a long weekend, sometime during the month before he died. I can call Oliver and ask him if he still owns the place. He might recall the last time my father went there."

"After you speak to Oliver Harper, call me back," Wolfe said. "If your father spent any time there the last few months of his life, then it might be worth checking out. But I don't intend to mention this to Caroline, unless there's a good reason."

"I agree. That's why I asked to speak to you. Caroline has been through more than enough."

"Thanks, Fletcher."

"No need to thank me. I care very much for Caroline. Her happiness and welfare are of great importance to me. The sooner we solve this damned mystery about the key, the better for her. The better for all of us."

Wolfe grunted. "Get back in touch with me after you've spoken to Oliver Harper."

Caroline waved at Wolfe, motioning him to her. He tossed the portable phone on a nearby chaise longue and walked across the courtyard.

Caroline held up the theater tickets and pointed to the multicolored scarf she'd wrapped around her neck. "The tickets are for next month's performance at the little theater, if things are safe by then. And look at this beautiful scarf from Lyle."

Wolfe nodded. "Nice."

"Who was that on the phone?" she asked.

"Fletcher."

"And he wanted to speak to
you?"
Lyle inquired.

"Yes." Wolfe sat down beside Caroline and could not resist touching her hand where it rested on the table. "He was just checking on you. I assured him that you're all right."

"Better than all right," Caroline said, her gaze locking with Wolfe's.

Lyle cleared his throat and glanced away.

"You two could be a little more subtle, you know," Roz said. "Lyle might still be a virgin, but he's not blind. Even the uninitiated could pick up on the vibes between you two."

"
I do wish you would quit making pronouncements about my assumed lack of sexual experience." Lyle lifted the paper napkin from his lap, tossed it on the table and stood, glowering angrily at Roz during the entire melodramatic process. Then, as if a light bulb came on in his mind, he gasped and turned his attention to Caroline. "Is she saying what I think she's saying?"

"Oh, get real." Roz threw up her hands in a sign of exasperation. "Lyle Jennings, don't you dare act shocked."

"Please, Lyle, sit back down," Caroline said. "All Roz meant was that Wolfe and I. . .we're attracted to each other."

Lyle glared at Wolfe. "Is that ethical in your line of work, to become romantically involved with a client."

"Technically, no," Wolfe admitted. "But Caroline is different."

"I agree. She's not the type of woman. . .well. . .she isn't. . .she wouldn't. . ." Lyle stammered, seemingly unable to find the right words to express his high opinion of his cousin's morals.

"For heaven's sake, Rev, every woman's the type," Roz said. "It's just that for some women it takes the right man. If you had a little more experience, you'd understand—"

"What would a woman like you—who apparently finds every man she meets the right man—know about someone with Caroline's moral standards?" Lyle's cheeks flushed scarlet. He balled his meaty hands into tight fists. "I may be a thirty-year-old virgin, but you're nothing but a slut!"

Roz jumped up from her chair, then slapped Lyle. Caroline gasped. The moment
Roz's
hand fell away from Lyle's cheek, he turned and all but ran from the courtyard. Caroline rose to her feet, but before she took one step, Wolfe clasped her wrist.

"I think Roz is the one who should go after him," Wolfe said.

Roz snapped her head around and stared at Wolfe, a blank look on her face. "What?"

"Lyle's got to be feeling pretty bad right about now," Wolfe told her. "He's probably really sorry for what he said to you. Maybe you should go after him and give him a chance to apologize."

"Oh" was
Roz's
only response, but she whirled around and raced after Lyle.

"Do you think that was wise?" Caroline asked. "They might wind up killing each other."

"Yeah," Wolfe said. "Either that or kiss and make up."

Caroline's eyes widened in surprise, then a slow, soft smile spread across her face.

Roz caught up with Lyle in the hallway that bisected studios one and two. "Lyle, please, wait a minute."

Ignoring her, he kept walking. She reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt. He jerked free, then spun around to face her.

"Go away and leave me alone," Lyle said. "Can't you see that you bring out the absolute worst in me? Every time I'm around you, I want to. . .to. . ."

"To what?" she asked. "Strangle me? Tar and feather me? Have me run out of town on a rail?"

"No,
dammit
!" Lyle glared straight at her. "I keep telling myself that you're bad, a bad woman, with the morals of an alley cat, and that I'm an idiot for thinking you would change, that all you need is a man who truly loves you." He took a tentative step toward her.

She stared at him, her eyes round, her mouth agape, totally stunned by what he'd said. "You're right, you know. For a man who truly loved me the way I loved him, I could be good. Oh, so good. And faithful to my dying day."

"Roz, I'm sorry," Lyle said. "I had no right to say such awful things to you. It was just my way of protecting myself."

"Protecting yourself from what?''

"
From you," he admitted, his voice a mere whisper.

Before she had a chance to do more than suck in her breath, Lyle grabbed her by the back of the neck, hauled her up against him and kissed her passionately.
Roz's
knees buckled. Her head started spinning. Butterflies danced in her stomach. She melted against him and returned the kiss, slipped her tongue inside his mouth and placed her hands on his chest. The kiss went on and on until they finally had to come up for air.

Lyle released her. "Stay away from me, Roz. Please, stay away from me."

He turned and ran down the hall, leaving Roz breathless, aroused and deliriously happy. A silly, wicked little smile curved the corners of her lips. The rev had the
hots
for her. Hot damn!

Chapter 16

As
she sat beside Wolfe in the leased Mercedes, Caroline felt giddy with excitement. And if she were totally honest with herself she would have to admit that there was a certain amount of apprehension and nervousness intermingled with the anticipation bubbling inside her. They were on their way to a cabin co-owned by Oliver Harper, located in Garrett County, outside of McHenry. Since the 1920s and the formation of Deep Creek Lake, the isolated county had been gradually turning into the year-round resort area it was today. When she and David had gotten the key and directions from Oliver, who had driven to
Fletch's
home in Baltimore to save them from making the trip to Alexandria, he had invited them to stay a few nights at the cabin on the lake. And he'd even suggested that they take advantage of the great fishing.

"It would do Caroline a world of good," Oliver had said. "The fishing is at its best this time of year. You can pick up a couple of fishing licenses at any tackle shop. And even if you don't find what Preston's key unlocks hidden away up at the cabin, you wouldn't have completely wasted your time."

She and Wolfe had left straight from
Fletch's
home this morning and taken 1-70 out of Baltimore, then hit I-68 to Keyser's Ridge and were now heading south on Route 219. Located in the heart of the Allegheny Mountains, Garrett County was a paradise for adventurous sportsmen. Hiking, biking, rafting, skiing, backpacking and camping vied with boating and fishing to lure outdoorsmen from across the country.

Caroline glanced down at the map and written directions that lay in her lap. They should be at the cabin within the next few minutes. Just two more turns and they should be on the road that would take them directly to the cabin. She had used the past three hours on the hundred-and-ninety-mile drive from Baltimore to try to calm down, to prepare herself for the possibility that this trip might very well turn out to be a burnt-run, a totally wasted trip. After all, what were the odds that Preston had hidden away some sort of trunk or box or case at a cabin that had belonged to friends and was used by a variety of people? But Oliver had recalled that Preston made a weekend trip to the cabin less than a month before his death, making it possible that he had stored something there.

"You're awfully quiet," Wolfe said. "Just thinking," she replied.

When he stole a quick glance at her, Caroline's stomach did silly flip-flops. Would she ever get used to the way he made her feel? All hot and bothered. Arousing her sexually with something as innocent as a glance, a touch or a smile. Then she remembered that she wouldn't have the chance to become accustomed to this all-consuming passion. Wolfe wasn't going to be a part of her life for very long. She couldn't bear the thought of their affair ending so quickly, when it had just begun. But he had made it perfectly clear that he was a temporary man, unwilling to make a commitment. Wasn't his way for the best? she asked herself. Although her body yearned for his and she was more than halfway in love with him, she really didn't know David Wolfe. He was little more than a stranger to her. Common sense told her that there were hidden depths to him, things she might never know.

"This turnoff?" he asked.

"Huh?" She checked the map quickly. "Yes, this is the one."

"Try not to be disappointed if we don't find anything," he said. "You know the odds aren't in our favor."

"That's just what I was thinking. And I want to thank you for understanding why I had to make this trip, to try this one more possibility. If we don't find anything then—"

"Then we'll spend the night and head back to St. Michaels tomorrow."

"You believe we're wasting our time, don't you?"

"Hmm-
mmm
. Probably. But I promised you another week to search, didn't I?"

She reached over and laid her hand on his shoulder. He tensed, then relaxed, never taking his eyes off the road. "I can sense that you're concerned. You are anticipating some sort of trouble, aren't you?"

"Always," he said. "Trouble comes with the territory. And it's my job to stay one step ahead of the game."

"In what way specifically?"

"Several ways," he told her. "This Mercedes is equipped with bulletproof glass for one thing."

Why wasn't she surprised? "Then you didn't lease it from just an ordinary car rental place, did you?"

"No."

"What else?"

"Someone has already been to the cabin and checked it out for me." "What?"

"A necessary precaution."

"How did they get in without a key?" she asked. "And how did they know where the cabin was located?"

"Let's just say I have friends and the Dundee agency has friends with all sorts of talents."

"You realize that it frightens me when you talk this way," she told him. "It reminds me of what you do for a living, of the government agency you worked for in the past and how violent your life has probably always been."

"Don't think about it," he said. "Who I am or who I was won't affect your life in the future."

Did he really believe what he'd said? she wondered. Did he truly think that once they went their separate ways, she would be able to forget him, stop wanting him, no longer love him? And would she be that easy for him to erase from his life, as if she had been nothing more than just another brief affair. He might think so, but he was kidding himself. There was no doubt in her mind that she would leave an indelible mark on his heart, as he would on hers. Perhaps they were unsuited for each other and fate had simply brought them together by accident, but one irrefutable fact remained—they were soul mates. Mismatched soul mates. A contradiction in terms, but nevertheless true. On some basic, instinctive level, she had recognized him the moment they met and he had recognized her, too.

"Check the map," he said. "I think the next turnoff should be coming up soon."

She glanced at the map. "The second road on the left. Probably a quarter of a mile."

That one-quarter of a mile zipped by hurriedly. Wolfe pulled the Mercedes up alongside a two-story log-and-rock structure with a big front porch. Through a thin crop of pines, they had a perfect view of the lake. When Wolfe killed the engine, he threw his arm out to prevent Caroline from releasing her seat belt.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing. Just stay here in the car for a couple of minutes, until I make a phone call." He removed his cellular phone from the inside pocket of his sport coat, flipped it open and hit a
preprogramed
number. "We're here," he said, then listened intently. "Good. Thanks."

"All clear?" She placed her hand over his and pressed it to her stomach. A shiver of longing raced up her spine.

He undid her seat belt, then curled his hand over her hip. "All clear for the moment, but that doesn't mean you can have free rein around this place. You'll stay with me at all times. No strolling on the porch. No gazing out the windows."

"Just like at home."

He grinned. "Yeah, sweetheart, just like at home."

"They took the bait. Hook, line and sinker," he said. "Of course, I'm sure Wolfe is being very cautious."

"He'll be one against three," the man said. "Even a hotshot like David Wolfe can't overcome three-to-one odds."

"Only a fool would underestimate him. Mark my word, there's more to him than meets the eye. He's not just an ordinary bodyguard."

"You know he's former CIA, so that makes him very dangerous."

"There's something else," he said. "We'll just have to dig deeper until we find out what."

"If this plan comes off without a hitch, it won't matter, will it?"

He shook his head. "Make sure there are no foul-ups this time."

"There won't be. Just tell me when you want our men to move in," the man said.

"Early in the morning. Say around three-thirty. Even if Wolfe is awake, he should be less alert at that time. He is only human."

"Your plan is a good one. It'll be a lot easier for our men to make a clean getaway from that isolated cabin than it would if we made the hit at Caroline's home or studio. We can go in, strike and get out quickly, with practically no chance of any witnesses. And this way you were able to maneuver things so that you won't be suspected of any wrongdoing."

"When Caroline and Mr. Wolfe are killed, I shall be shocked and appalled and even blame myself a little that I couldn't have done something to have prevented then-deaths."

"There isn't anything at the cabin they might find while they're searching the place, is there?" the man asked.

He chuckled. "Don't be stupid. Our people went over the cabin with a fine-tooth comb the day after Preston was killed. The only thing Caroline and Wolfe will find up there are fishing tackle, old clothes and some books and magazines."

"When do you want me to contact you again?"

"Not for a few days," he said. "I'm sure I'll get a call as soon as the county sheriff discovers the identity of the two victims."

"Nothing," Caroline said as she tossed the stack of old magazines back into the closet. "We've gone through every closet, every dresser and chest, every cabinet and cupboard. There isn't anything in this entire cabin that opens with a key, other than the front and back doors."

David pushed up his glasses, which had made their way down his nose about an inch, then fastened his hand atop Caroline's shoulder. "I'm sorry we didn't find anything.''

She sighed, then inclined her head to the side, bringing her cheek down on his hand. "But it's what you expected, isn't it? You didn't think we'd find anything."

Yeah, sure, it was what he'd expected. His instincts had warned him from the minute Fletcher Shaw telephoned him and told him about the old hunting lodge over in Garrett County that the whole thing was a setup. Not that he suspected Fletcher, no more so than anyone else. It would have been easy enough for someone to have used Caroline's stepbrother to put a devious plan into action. All it would have taken was a phone call to Fletcher's mother, Pamela. But trying to retrace things by that route might prove impossible since the first Mrs. Shaw's circle of friends included most of the suspects on Wolfe's list and a few that hadn't been there before, but were now. Fletcher, of course. All three Harpers—Oliver, Eileen and Brooke. Gavin Robbins, whom
Fletch's
mother actually dated a few years back, despite the difference in their ages. Barry
Vanderpool
, whose mother had been the bridesmaid at Pamela's wedding to Preston. And Ellison Penn, who had been her lover for a few months, shortly after her divorce from Preston nearly twenty years ago. The only two people who weren't connected to Pamela Shaw Larson were Lyle and Roz, and he'd pretty much eliminated those two from his suspects list.

Wolfe had never intended for Caroline to find out anything about this place, had in fact planned to send a couple of Dundee agents—hopefully Jack and Matt would have still been free—to check the place out and report back to him. But Brooke Harper had opened her big mouth and mentioned it to Caroline, who had immediately gotten excited. Brooke's slip of the tongue might have been no more than that, but then again, she could have had an ulterior motive for passing along the information.

"You're awfully somber,'' Caroline said as she lifted her head from his hand, turned and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Something you want to tell me?"

He forced a smile. "Nothing for you to worry about right now."

Maybe he should tell her now instead of later, but if he did, she would only worry until it happened and possibly work herself up into being a nervous wreck. If it came from out of the blue, she would more than likely act out of survival instinct instead of fear, at least at first. If he explained that someone—someone she trusted—had sent them up here to be killed, she wouldn't want to believe him. But she would. And then she'd fret over who and drive herself crazy about when. No, he would wait as long as possible before telling her just what he thought was going to come down here at this cabin. Either tonight or in the morning. He would lay odds that it would be tonight. These people had been playing the waiting game for a while now. They had to be anxious to get Caroline out of the way, and him along with her.

He could have told her everything before they left Baltimore and allowed her to decide whether or not she wanted to put herself in the line of fire. Reason told him that she was in no more danger here at the cabin than she would have been at home, so he had made the decision for her. Sooner or later, her stepfather's former comrades would have to come after her again. He suspected that if and when she turned the key over to him, they would still want her eliminated, thinking that without her to urge him on, he would eventually give up the search. He hated admitting that she wouldn't be safe—not ever again—until these people were identified, arrested and stopped once and for all.