Bones of a Feather - Carolyn Haines [84]
“Where is everyone? What are those dogs chasing?”
From charmed I went to annoyed. Barclay asked questions as if I owed him an answer. I didn’t want to tell him that I was likely on the trail of Millicent Gentry’s dead body. In fact, I didn’t want to tell him a damn thing. I didn’t trust him as far as I could throw him. Breathing easily at last, I tried to step away from him, but my knees wobbled and he grabbed me to hold me up. “I have to get my dog,” I said without a lot of conviction.
“I’ll help you.”
I shook my head. “I have it covered.” He needed to leave so I could find Sweetie and whatever she and Roscoe had unearthed. A witness was the last thing I wanted.
His strong fingers captured my upper arms, and he held me so I couldn’t avoid his gaze. Staring deep into his eyes, I saw concern, compassion, a hint of annoyance, and a large dose of impatience. My body also registered the dark edge of passion, barely contained and decidedly delicious. He was sex on a stick! Had I cast a movie of Wuthering Heights, Barclay would have made the perfect Heathcliff.
“Millicent was supposed to meet me for breakfast this morning,” he said, his thumbs working gentle circles on my arms. “She never showed. She said she had information on the sisters that could put the estate in a trust with me overseeing it. She did everything but promise to put the deed to Briarcliff in my hands.” His lips thinned. “But she wanted something. A trade. I told her I’d consider her proposal, and then she didn’t show up for our meeting.”
He was angry, which made me believe he didn’t know she’d missed her appointment due to circumstances beyond her control, like death. “What information did she have?”
“She was supposed to tell me the details this morning. Something about the ruby necklace. She never showed at the café. She wasn’t home, and I can’t find a trace of her in town.” His temper flared. “If she’s toying with me…”
The dogs’ barking hit high frenzy and I eased a half step away from him. “Barclay, I have to go. I’ll have Eleanor call you.”
“I’m not leaving.” His smile was lazy now. He’d found a way to curb his natural impatience—by annoying the stew out of me.
“You have to go. Now.” I pointed toward Briarcliff. “I have something to do.”
He reached over and pushed a wayward curl from my cheek. His fingertips were warm, slightly roughened. His touch made my gut twist. I didn’t want to react, and I had no intention of letting him know how much he worked on me, but I was only human.
“I’m not going anywhere without you,” he said. “I’ve been shut out of the Levert matters long enough. I’m a rightful heir. You know it.”
My options were limited. I could go back to Briarcliff with Barclay, or I could let him accompany me in my search.
“Sweetie!” I called, realizing too late that the minute my hound appeared with Roscoe, Barclay would realize Millicent played a role in whatever I was doing. Sure enough, Sweetie came bounding down the trail with Roscoe biting her back legs like a heeler. Instead of snapping at him, Sweetie sat on her haunches and spun around to lick his evil little bearded face. She was obviously in love with a dog that looked like Robert De Niro portraying Louis Cyphre in Angel Heart.
“Isn’t that Roscoe, Millicent’s dog?” Barclay asked, his eyes narrowing as his gaze shifted from the butt-biting canine to me.
“Is it?” I tried for nonchalance.
“You know it is. Where’s Millicent?”
I could answer that without lying. “I don’t know.”
Before I got any deeper along the slippery slope of avoiding a real answer, the dogs spun and lit out through the woods again. This time Barclay didn’t wait for me. He jumped out ahead of me, hot on the dogs’ trail. His legs, long and powerful, gave him an advantage, and I had to resort to a flat-out run to keep up.
Silently cursing Barclay, the dogs, and Millicent, I concentrated on keeping up with his broad shoulders as he jumped and wove through the foliage. When he stopped suddenly, I almost smacked into him.
“What the hell…” His voice faded to nothing.
I leaned around him. Dozens of rhinestone