Caught in the Frame (Ponderosa Pines Cozy Mystery Series Book 3) by ReGina Welling (novel24 .TXT) 📕

They ate heartily, chatting about their day and enjoying each other’s company away from the prying eyes of Lila, EV, and Dalton. When the last crumb of Irish cream cheesecake had been scraped from their plates, both their stomachs were so full, all they could do was flop down on the bed and allow digestion to take its course. Chloe figured this was as good a time as any to broach the subject.

“I have something I want to tell you. The thing is…there’s something I haven’t told you. It’s not bad.” She added, noting his small, concerned frown.

“Go on.”

“Well…when I came back to the Pines, I spent a lot of time working on the house; decorating and remodeling and whatnot. And when I started job hunting, nothing nearby really appealed to me. You know I’m not exactly hurting for money, but I do like to keep busy.” She picked at some lint on the spread so long he made an impatient hand gesture for her to continue.

“So…one day I was talking to Wesley about some of the freelance articles I wrote for a lifestyle magazine in New York. And he asked me to write something for the Pine Cone. I’ve been the author of 'Babble & Spin' ever since.” She looked up into his eyes for the first time since beginning her speech, and was surprised to see amused relief in place of the irritation or anger she had expected.

“Jeez, Chlo, you had me thinking you were moonlighting as a topless dancer or something. And why are you so worked up about this?”

“Because I should have told you sooner. But I was sworn to secrecy. EV’s the only one who knows, and that’s only because she figured it out and then harassed me for two solid weeks before I confirmed. So…you’re not mad?” she asked, hesitantly.

Nate gathered her face in his hands, kissed her lips, the tip of her nose, and her forehead before pulling her against his chest in a bone-crushing hug. “Don’t scare me like that again. I don’t care that you write about gossip…wait…so that means it was you who started the Inspector Hottie nickname? You are so dead!” He flipped her onto her back, tickling her ribs and kissing the part of her neck that always made her giggle.

“No!” she cried out through teary-eyed laughter, attempting to swat him away. His torture lasted a few more seconds before, lips meeting hers again, their attention turned to other, more base desires.

Chapter 15

“Are you ready to talk?” Remy’s voice woke Baylee from a light doze. He bent to pull the gag he’d fashioned from a silk tie from her mouth. Only a rasping sound escaped lips dry and cracked from a night spent in a bout of frustrated cursing him to a fate worse than death. If he thought he’d broken her—and she could tell by the triumphant lilt to his voice that he did—he was in for a surprise.

When he moved close to offer her a drink, she accepted the first swallow of water gratefully. “See, I told you I didn’t want to hurt you. Just tell me where you hid the memory card, and as soon as I get it back, I’ll let you go.” The bottle bumped against her lips a second time. This mouthful she spat back at him. Rivulets ran down his face, which went hard right before he drew back an arm and slapped her once, then twice. Baylee’s head rocked from side to side with the force.

“What were you doing in my room?” Remy demanded.

Cheek pulsing with pain from the sting of his hand, Baylee said, “They’ll miss me when I don’t show up for the photo shoot.” Javier must already be scouring the castle for her. No way would he let her down. Javier was a rock.

Brandishing her cell phone, Remy smirked, “We’ll just see about that.” He let her watch him scroll through the increasingly frantic messages from Ross that had already come in. Fingers flashing, he typed a response, then switched off the phone and winged it into the stone wall behind her where it shattered into useless bits.

“No one even knows you’re missing, and now they think you’ve been called away on a personal matter.” He could be lying, but she didn’t think so. “How do you know Lila’s fiancé? His texts and messages sounded personal. Are you sleeping with him? Lila’s a friend of mine.”

He had the nerve to sound affronted at her perceived relationship with Javier.

Javier wasn’t coming. At least not yet. That much was clear. Baylee’s breath hitched in her throat, while tears leaked down her still-smarting cheek. The moisture brought enough coolness to provide a little relief.

“Come on. I promise I won’t hurt you. Once I have the memory card, I’ll come back and let you go. It will be your word against mine, and who are they going to believe? What did he promise you to get you to cooperate? A cut of Lila’s money? Or maybe you two are having an affair.”

“I’m not sleeping with him, and I don’t need Lila’s money. You have a vile mind. Why would I tell you anything?”

“You’ll tell me, or I’ll see to it his little security business never gets another contract. I have connections, and I won’t hesitate to use them.” Fury puffed him up. “Tell me where the card is. You have my word that once the evidence is in my hand, I’ll let you go. My little game is almost over, anyhow.” Remy pulled his own phone out of his pocket. “Tell me now, or I’m going to make a call and bring Garritek down while you listen.”

After everything Javier had done for her, Baylee couldn’t let Vincent take anything more from him. She broke and told him where to find the card.

* * *

Where was everyone? Lila checked her watch for the tenth time. Javier was late, Baylee