CAPTURED INNOCENCE (14 page)

“Oh, goody.” Conley sat the box at the foot of the bed, shoulders slumped. “My monkey suit is here.” He went to open it, and Jo stopped him.

“You don’t need to do that. The maid will…”

The young woman who had let them into the house entered the room. Without a word, she took the box and disappeared into a large walk-in closet.

“I’m an idiot.” Jo fell across the bed. The satin duvet cover
, cool under her cheek, smelled fresh and clean.

“How so?” Conley sat next to her.

“I freeze when Blake’s around. Completely freeze. It’s like I don’t have a mind of my own.” She kicked her feet, banging them against the bed.

He patted her back. “You’re fine. Getting stronger all the time.” He rose from the bed. “Besides, the guys a freak. He even scares me. Looking into his dark eyes is like staring down a shark. Lifeless.”

Jo giggled and rolled over. She remained silent for a moment until the maid left, then added. “He does remind one of a shark. A cold fish with no soul.” A sharp pain in her gut sobered her instantly. “A shark who has my son.”

“We’ll get Alex back.”

“Let’s go walk by his place. Maybe I’ll see my son.” She bounded from the bed. “We’ve got plenty of time before the party.”

             
They made the walk in companionable silence, Jo lost in her thoughts, their gait slow and easy. A slight breeze blew, carrying with it an autumn nip. Brightly colored leaves rained down around them, carpeting the sidewalk. Jo sniffed. A fireplace burned, bringing to mind childhood memories of popcorn and marshmallows at her grandmother’s house. Somewhere, a lawnmower roared, its sound muffled by distance. Conley took Jo’s hand in his, lightly swinging their arms back and forth.

             
His hands were warm and calloused, completely engulfing Jo’s smaller one, and filled her with a sense of safety. She tightened her pressure on his hand and received a small squeeze in return.

             
Blake’s home sat back from the street on a wide, sloping lawn. A circular driveway wound around a marble fountain, bordered by flower beds. The red-brick mansion towered above the other homes on the street.

             
“Wow.” Conley stopped at the edge of the driveway.

             
“Yeah.” Jo slid her arm around his. She shivered in the cool air and pressed closer.

             
“It’s huge. Why is it so much bigger than the other houses?”

             
“Blake bought two houses and lots on each side of this one, tore them down, and built this monstrosity.”

             
“Let’s go.” Conley put a hand over the hand Jo held in the crook of his arm and marched toward the house.

             
“What if Blake sees us?”

             
“What if he does?”

             
With each step closer, Jo’s heartbeat quickened. She swallowed against the lump in her throat and clutched Conley’s arm tighter. “Alex.”

             
Her son peered down from a second story building. The palms of his hands were flat against the glass and his lips moved as if he called to her. She stretched a trembling hand toward him.

             
Alex slapped his hands on the window, his mouth open wide. He banged against the glass.

             
Pulling her hand free of Conley’s, Jo sprinted up the stairs and onto the porch. She tried the door handle and found it locked.  With doubled fists, she pounded on the door, her breath coming fast. “Blake!”

She drew back a foot and kicked through the stained glass of the narrow window beside the door. Her leg screamed in pain
. Blood trickled down her calf and into her boot. Alarms went off, reverberating inside her skull.

Conley grabbed her arms from behind
and pulled her away.

“Let go of me
. Alex! Blake!” She turned and landed a swift kick on Conley’s shin.

“Stop it, Jo.” He shook her.
“Come on.”

She pulled free again and hurled herself at the door.
Conley picked her up and flung her across his shoulder. He hastened down the drive and into the street.

Jo kicked and scream
ed, pounding against his back. “Let me go. Please. Alex needs me.”

“Listen to me.”
He set her on her feet and held her at arm’s length. He  stabbed her with his intense blue gaze.“You cannot break into Blake’s house. Alex looks fine. Frightened, maybe, but unharmed. Now he knows you’re here. That you’re coming for him.”

Her chest heaved as she fought to catch her breath. Conley’s words slowly registered in her head
. She nodded then glanced once more toward the house.

A young woman stood on the porch staring in their direction. The wind lifted the girl’s dark tresses, flirting with them, blowing them across
her face and then away. Jo’s first thought was that Blake had hired a new maid, but then she noticed the red dress and high heels. Who was this girl?

“Do you know her?” Conley’s voice cut through her thoughts.
“She favors you.”

She shook her head.

“Come on. Let’s go get ready for the party.” He took her by the arm and dragged her away.

Jo looked back once more. At the girl on the porch and
then up at her son’s face, framed in the window.

###

              “Go on downstairs,” Jo called from the closet. “I’ll meet you in a few minutes.”

             
Conley straightened the bow tie on his tux. “All right.” He stared into the mirror. The pomade he’d used darkened his hair and tamed his curls. “I look like a big gorilla with yellow hair.”

             
“What?”

             
“Nothing. I’ll see you downstairs.”

             
Soft music drifted up the stairs to greet him as exited their room. He glanced upward looking for speakers. He shrugged, not locating any, and headed downstairs. A maid, decked out in black, complete with the white apron and cap, met him at the bottom.

             
“Please follow me, Mr. Hook.”

             
He let her lead the way behind swinging oak doors and discovered the reason for no speakers. Conley stepped into a small ballroom with highly polished oak floors, crystal chandeliers, and a four-man orchestra. A large stone fireplace took center of attention along one wall. Opposite, were French doors leading to a flagstone terrace. He tugged at the bottom of his jacket and stepped forward.

             
“One moment, please,” the maid stopped him. “I’ll announce you. If you’d like to wait for Mrs. Hook…”

             
“No, that’s all right. I’ll go on in.”
I couldn’t live like this on a permanent basis. No privacy
.

             
Jo’s parents stood near the dessert buffet, both dressed in black, oozing wealth and seemed deep in conversation with Blake. Conley felt a moment’s gratitude to Jo for insisting he purchase the tuxedo he wore.

Meredith, the woman he’d seen Jo speaking to at the hotel
, stood with cocked hip near the fireplace. One finely tweezed eyebrow arched in his direction. She, too, was dressed, barely, in black. The front of the dress plunged in a narrow v to her waist and Conley was sure the back did too. A slit rose from toe to knee. Blood red lips parted into a smile as his eyes lingered. He shrugged and turned away.

             
He continued to survey the room. Women, resplendent in costly gowns and sparkling jewels, hung on the arms of tuxedoed men. A light fragrance of pine drifted through the open doors and across the room, mingling with the sweet scent of the varied desserts.

             
Nodding toward Jo’s parents, Conley stepped outside onto the terrace. Carefully placed lanterns marked the way down the flagstone path winding across closely manicured lawns. Muted conversations floated across the grounds from gazebos and hidden benches. The temperature dropped with the night’s falling. He welcomed the chill in the air as he tugged at his tie. Sighing, he turned and reentered the room.

             
His heart stopped when he spotted Jo standing in the doorway. She’d swept her hair up, allowing a few curls to trail down, drawing the observer’s eyes to her own. The burgundy wine colored dress skimmed her curves, falling just to the tips of the gold sandals on her feet and trailing behind her in a small train. The neckline hung in graceful folds of fabric. Her arms were bare. She smiled, and he stepped forward to greet her.

             
Blake was quicker and slid an arm around Jo’s waist. “You look beautiful, Jocelyn.”

             
She slid from his grasp. “Thank you.”

             
“You look gorgeous. And you smell nice.” Conley stepped between her and Blake. “I believe this is my dance.” He led her to the center of the room.

             
“No one’s dancing.” Jo glanced around the room.

             
“We’ll start.” He placed his hands lightly on her waist, discovering the back of the dress draped to her waist, and led her to the music of the orchestra. For the first time in his life, he thanked his parents for the dance lessons they’d insisted he take.

Blake stood mere feet from them, his features looking like they were cast in stone. He raised his chin and strode toward Meredith
. He pulled her close.

“Everyone is staring, Conley.” Jo’s brow wrinkled
, and he smoothed it with his finger.

“Then let’s give them something to stare at.” He dipped her low and bent to kiss her
. His lips lingered on hers. Her face flushed when he raised her.

Blake swept his partner closer. “Stop mauling my wife.”

“You, Mr. Nielson, are confused.” Conley twirled Jo away. “She’s my wife now.”

“I will kill you
,” Blake hissed.

“Threat?” His voice lowered and, with blood boiling, he stared the other man down.
“That would be a pity. Kill a man on his honeymoon? Where’s your heart?”

“
It’s a promise.” Blake stormed away, leaving a stunned Meredith standing in the middle of the floor with her mouth hanging open.

“You shouldn’t have done that
.” Jo tucked a stray curl back up into her French twist. “Blake is not a man to be trifled with.”

Conley planted a kiss on her forehead. “Neither am I.” He crooked an arm, offering it to her. “Shall we eat?”

Out of some ridiculous purpose only they were aware of, Jo’s parents seated Blake directly across the table from Conley and Jo. Every minuscule sound of fork against plate or sound of the man’s glass being set on the table, grated on Conley’s nerves.

He
squinted at them over the top of his glass, his expression coldly neutral. He raised his goblet in a toast. “To the happy couple.”

Jo’s hand shook
. Her fork clattered against the china, and Conley placed his hand over hers. His gaze never left Blake’s. “Shark eyes,” he whispered to Jo from the corner of his mouth. A nervous giggle escaped her, and she lifted her napkin to her mouth.

Meredith, sitting next to whom Conley assumed was her husband, cast looks between Blake and them. Occasionally, she peered at Blake with what Conley could only call ‘hungry eyes’. The woman’s husband seemed oblivious to the drama being played out around him.

Interesting party
. Conley lowered his eyes and cut into his steak. Maybe once he got Jo away from the Woodward family circus, Meredith could become Blake’s new possession. She looked willing to leave her husband fast enough.

When Jo’s parents rose from their prospective ends of the table, their daughter did likewise, signaling to the guests it was permissible to move back into the ballroom.

“Walk with me.” Conley placed a hand lightly on Jo’s waist, her back warm against the palm of his hand.

They wove their way between dancing couples and out onto the terrace. Jo stepped down and onto the pathway
. She cast a glance over her shoulder. “Want to get away from everyone?”

“Yes.
That’s the best thing I’ve heard all evening.”

She led him to the right and down a path which seemed to disappear
in front of a wall of trailing ivy. Jo glanced over her shoulder again, winked…and disappeared. Conley laughed and ducked around the hedge, ready for a bit of flirtation.

Jo’s scream spurred him into a run.

              Conley thrust aside overhanging ivy and bolted into a private garden. Moonlight streamed down, illuminating the enclosed area. Jo stood before the entrance to a white lattice work gazebo. Her hands covered her face.

She screamed again
. Her voice ripped through the night. She whirled when he placed a hand on her shoulder.