Beauty from Pain(24)

“Liked that, did you?”


“Very much so. You deserve extra points for that.”


So, she’s keeping score? “I was unaware of the extra point system. What does a personalized ringtone earn me, Miss Beckett?”


“I haven’t chosen a reward system yet, but I’ll let you know once I decide.”


She has another decision I am way more interested in than a points-and-reward system. “Please do. I might want to work harder on earning extra points if the reward is worth the work.”


“My prize is always worth the effort, Mr. Henry. Have you solved your problem at the vineyard yet?”


“Yes and no. There was a fire last night so the imminent danger is over, but I’m waiting for the fire inspector to come out so he can tell us what happened. I’ll be tied up with this mess most of the day. Since it’s a four- to five-hour drive, I won’t be back until late. I was hoping to get a rain check on our plans, possibly tomorrow?”


“Hmm, I’ll have to check my social calendar. It seems to be pretty full at the moment.” She hesitates. “Looks like I can work you in.”


I wonder if I’ll ever get used to her playfulness. “Same plan? Pick you up at ten?”


“I’ll be waiting.”


I see a vehicle coming up the drive and assume it’s the fire inspector. Good. He’s early. I’m ready to be done with this so I can get back to Avalon. Back to Paige. “Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”


We end our call and I meet the inspector outside my office. He explains the evidence he’ll be collecting and how it’ll be used in the investigation. I follow him to the site and stay out of his way as he gathers the proof of someone trying to burn my vineyard.


Seeing the damage is painful, but I remind myself of how it could’ve been much worse if any of my people had been injured.


“I’m sending this evidence for testing because I have to, but I don’t need the results to tell you this was arson. There’s accelerant all over the scene, so you might want to be thinking about who your enemies are. They could try this again.”


I don’t have to think about it; I know who did this. “I’ll do that.”


I walk the investigator back to his car and then go into my office where Clyde is waiting to hear the verdict. He’s sitting in one of the chairs across from my desk, so I walk around and fall into an exhausted slump in my leather chair. “He said he didn’t need to see the results from the evidence to know it was arson.”


“Do you have any idea who would want to do something like that?”


We went back a long way, but I couldn’t tell Clyde about the knee-deep shit I’d gotten myself into, so I lie to the man I thought of as a second father. “No. You have any suspicions?”


“The only thing that pops into my head would be a competitor, but they wouldn’t have struck this early in the season or after a rain. That is amateur work.”


Or the work of a sociopath trying to get my attention.


11


Laurelyn Prescott


During our girls’ day shopping spree, Addison and I visit a lingerie shop at a plaza of boutiques near Ben’s apartment. They have everything from naughty to nice, including a wide variety of sex toys.


Addison couldn’t be happier as she admires a Santa-themed bra with matching panties and garter belt complete with the red and white candy cane-striped thigh-highs. She stands in front of a mirror and holds it up to herself. “Damn, Zac would have a very merry Christmas if I were wearing this.”


“Speaking of Christmas, what are the plans? Are we cooking at the apartment?”


She twists so I can’t see her face and it’s my first clue that something is going on. “Umm, about that.”


There’s my second clue. When she stutters and stalls, it’s never good. “What exactly does ‘umm, about that’ mean?”


She has this please don’t be pissed off look on her face. So, what do I do? I get pissed off. “Don’t freak out, but Zac wants to take me home with him for Christmas so I can meet his family.”


Worst. Friend. Ever. “Addison! You’re not leaving me by myself with Ben. You know how he’s been with me since I met Lachlan.”