Standing in the Shadows (McClouds & Friends #2)(22)

When he lifted his head, he was startled to find his face wet with tears. That was weird. He wiped his cheek and stared at his wet hand for over a minute, but he was too tired to be overly freaked out about it.

He cleaned up in the back bathroom, dragged the blanket over himself and sank like a stone into real, honest-to-God sleep.



* * *





Chapter Four





"Sure, I can drop by and take care of kitty. No problem," Tonia said. "I have to come by really early, though. That OK?"

"Sure. I always wake up at the crack of dawn anyway when I have to catch a plane. Thank you so much, Tonia. You're an angel."

"I know. Get some sleep, chica. You have to look gorgeous for the zillionaire. I'm so excited that you're finally meeting him. 'Night, then. See you bright and early tomorrow morning."

Erin hung up, crossed Call Tonia to feed Edna off the To Do list, and proceeded to pace around the room like a caged animal. Every dish was washed, every crumb wiped up, every doable item on the To Do list was crossed off, except for Pack, which rated its own separate list.

Her rolling carry-on was small, so she'd been forced to eliminate several items, the latest of which was the little black dress she'd thought to take in case Claude Mueller proved to be interesting. For some reason, the brief, devastating encounter with Connor had taken all the fizz out of that possibility. As long as she had this stupid crush on him, every man she met would suffer by comparison.

Not that she hadn't tried. With Bradley, years before.

Something tightened up inside at the thought of Bradley. Ouch. Cancel that thought. If there was a fancy meal, she would wear her black pants and her silk blouse. Neat and sensible, and no chance that anyone could think she was hoping to attract romantic attention. She had no stomach for it. Which left room for the sewing kit, which she hated to leave. You always needed a sewing kit when you didn't bring one.

She was climbing the walls. She needed to laugh, or cry, but if she started crying she might never stop. She needed sleep, so she could wow them with her professional fabulousness. She needed to stop thinking about the way Connor could melt her into a puddle of terrified yearning with one exquisitely gentle hug.

She needed distraction. Packing and neatening were not enough. She'd promised Mom that she would call Cindy tonight. Now there was a worthy problem. She had to save Cindy's future from being derailed.

She dialed the group house where Cindy lived with her college girlfriends in Endicott Falls. "Hello?" responded a breathy voice.

"Hi. Victoria, right? It's Erin, Cindy's sister. Is she there?"

"No, she's down in the city with Billy," Victoria told her.

"Billy?" Erin's stomach fluttered with unease. "Who's Billy?"

"Oh, he's her new boyfriend. He's a really cool guy, Erin. Don't worry, you'll like him. He's, like, totally hot."

"What's she doing in the city? Don't you guys have finals?"

Victoria hesitated. "Um, I don't know Cindy's exam schedule," she hedged, uncomfortable. "But I'll tell her to call you when she gets back. Or you could try her cell phone."

"Cell phone? Since when does Cindy have a cell phone?"

"Billy gave it to her," Victoria bubbled. "He's so cool. He gives her designer clothes, too. He drives a Jag, and Caitlin told me that Cindy told her that it's not the only awesome car he's got. Plus, he's got a—"

"Victoria. Would you please give me Cindy's cell phone number?"

"Sure. It's right here on the message board."

Erin wrote it down with white-knuckled fingers. She barely heard herself as she thanked Victoria and got off the phone. She sat there on the bed, trying to reason away the dread that sat inside her like a cold stone. She was just spooked, she told herself. This news about Novak, the strange scene with Mom, the unsettling episode with Connor, it had thrown her off balance, and she was seeing everything as sinister. There was no reason to panic yet. Maybe this Billy was a perfectly nice guy.

Uh-huh. Sure. A perfectly nice guy who happened to drive a Jaguar. Who showered a nineteen-year-old girl with expensive clothes and electronic toys and lured her away from school during finals week.

It was strange. It was scary. It stank.

Her parents' reasoning behind encouraging Cindy to go to a private college in the small town of Endicott Falls was in the hopes that she would have more guidance and supervision than she might find in a big, sprawling public university. The thoughtless, impressionable Cindy was so eager to be liked. Willing to be led anywhere, just to be cool. The opposite of her shy, cautious older sister. And so pretty, too. Much prettier than Erin. Walking bait. Erin already hated Billy and his Jag. She hated him more with every number she pressed.

She was startled when the phone actually rang.

"Hello?" said Cindy's bright voice.

"Hi, Cindy. It's Erin."

"Oh. Um… hi. How did you get this number?"

Erin gritted her teeth. "Victoria gave it to me."

"What a ditz. I'm gonna have to kill her."

Her breezy tone put Erin's nerves on edge. "Why wouldn't you want me to have it, Cindy?"

"Don't even start," Cindy said, giggling. "You're such a little old lady. I didn't want you to worry, that's all."