Josh's Challenge Read online

He scrambled out of bed and dragged on his jeans. He tossed his t-shirt over his shoulder, but before he headed out the door he gave her one more longing look. She was so perfect that it actually felt painful to leave her.

  “If you don’t stop that, I’m not going to let you get that shower,” she said in a warning tone.

  Josh knew that even if they did throw caution to the wind and wound up making love in her childhood bedroom, she’d regret it, and he was damned if he’d let her regret a single moment with him.

  “Tonight,” he promised before he shut her door, looking for signs of life in the hallway. He was relieved to make it undetected into the hall bathroom.

  JOSH FOUND THE Therouxs sitting at the dinette when he finally made it to breakfast. “There’s toast and bacon on the counter,” Melissa said while handing Josh a cup of coffee.

  “Thank you.” He kissed her a bit indecently for company, but no one batted an eyelash. “Any word from Jarod or Dane?”

  Marguerite harrumphed. “I received a text for Declan,” she said with disgust. “Apparently, he’s checking on something up the hill behind the hospital while Jarod and Uncle Dane research other leads. No one has seen Angelica since Missy left to visit me at the hospital yesterday.”

  “I just can’t believe it’s her. I thought I knew her better,” Melissa admitted, her voice rife with disbelief.

  Josh filled his plate before sitting down next to her. “How are you feeling this morning, Mrs. Theroux?”

  Though she was sitting up in her wheelchair, dressed and apparently ready for the day, her pallor had a gray tinge to it, and her eyes looked a bit more hollow than they had a week ago. He was sure that all the stress and worry over her daughters were the cause, but she covered it with a cheery smile. “I’m happy my girls are home safe. Thank you for asking, Josh.” She took a sip of her coffee and shakily placed the heavy mug back on the table. “What are your plans for today?”

  Melissa answered while he chewed a piece of his toast. “I need to replace my cell phone. It’s the only way my patients can get hold of me in case there’s an emergency.”

  “I’m sure Dr. Brown has been notified of what happened,” Josh said. “Maybe you should wait until Angelica is in custody before you go back to work.”

  “Better yet,” Marguerite intoned, “why don’t you just call him from Mom’s landline? I think she’s the only person left in Timbisha, besides businesses, who still has one.”

  Mrs. Theroux laughed at her daughter’s sarcasm. “It’s better to have two phones. What if the North Koreans shoot down our satellites? Cell phones won’t be any good then, now, will they?”

  Josh was about to argue that cell phones work with towers and not satellites when his own phone beeped. It was a text from Jason.

  “What’s it say?” Melissa asked warily.

  “Jason has invited us up to their house for a picnic lunch.”

  “Oh, that sounds nice,” Mrs. Theroux said.

  “What time?” Marguerite asked.

  “Noonish. My family is very casual, especially on a Sunday after a bunch of drama,” Josh drawled.

  Melissa laughed. “What should we bring? It seems your family is always feeding me and I never contribute.”

  “Oh, you don’t need to bring anything,” Josh said dismissively.

  “Yes, we do,” all three women said in unison.

  Just then the front door opened and Dane stepped into the house. “Good morning,” he said in his usual gruff baritone. “Any of that bacon up for grabs?”

  “Of course, Uncle Dane.” Marguerite handed him a plate then poured the man a cup of coffee. “Any news?”

  “Yup. We found out who Angelica Daemon really is.”

  “YOU WERE RIGHT.” Uncle Dane took a sip of his coffee before he continued. “She’s living off a trust fund.”

  “I hate that I was right,” Missy said with regret.

  “I couldn’t put my finger on it,” Josh murmured to himself. “But I knew something didn’t feel right with her.”

  Dane continued as if no one had acknowledged his announcement. “She is also the person who accused Harold Schurke of sexual harassment and got the ball rolling in his criminal conviction. She disappeared right after he escaped custody.” Her uncle seemed pretty cavalier about this revelation, but Missy guessed that in his line of work, he’d seen worse things.

  “Angelica convinced me to get the restraining order against him,” Missy said. “If she knew who he was, why didn’t she just turn him in?”

  “McKinley has a theory,” Dane said. “He believes that it was Angelica who harassed Schurke, and when he turned down her advances, she suffered a breakdown.”

  Josh squinted at her uncle. “How does he come up with that theory when Schurke was convicted of fraud and sex trafficking?”

  Dane took another sip of coffee. “Her real name is Angela Dunne. That’s where he gets the idea.”

  “Wait.” Marguerite held up a hand. “Are you telling me that this trust-fund psycho is the heiress to Dunne Electronics? The brat who was famous for being famous all those years ago?”

  “The very same,” Uncle Dane confirmed. “That’s why we couldn’t trace her back to her finances. She’s drawing money from a cash fund, and,” he drew that out for emphasis, “her family has known she’s unstable for years. Their private investigator lost track of her a few years ago, right about the time she enrolled at Missy’s university and assumed the name Angelica Daemon.”

  “Why didn’t they fill out a missing person’s report?” Josh asked.

  “She was still drawing directly from her trust fund until that time. Rather than open up their private lives to a scandal, they kept quiet until she came of age and withdrew the whole amount for cash.”

  Missy shook her head and leaned back in her chair. “All this time I’ve been living with a sociopath.”

  “Looks that way, honey.” Uncle Dane shrugged and took another sip of coffee.

  “So now what are we supposed to do?” Josh asked. “Clearly she’s dangerous and Melissa can’t be left alone, not while Angie’s still out there somewhere plotting God knows what. She’s made it clear that she can get to us if she wants to.”

  “Dunne Electronics. That’s how she knew how to mess with my phone,” Missy said, the answer finally coming to her. She was still stunned that her best friend would do this to her.

  “All we can do is wait it out. She’ll reveal herself and we’ll get her,” Dane said, answering Josh’s question.

  “Uncle Dane, you can’t be serious. We can’t put our lives on hold,” Missy said. Darla was sick, Marguerite had a career and Missy had a future to build with Josh. Were they supposed to set all that aside because her so-called friend was really her enemy? No. Missy had been living with social anxiety all of her life. Now that Josh was hers, she was not going to give him up for some crazy bitch with a mental problem. “I’m not going to hide from her.”

  Josh put his arm around her and said, “No, none of us are.” He looked at Dane for confirmation. “Are we?”

  Uncle Dane sighed. “Look, Josh, you have to deal with your father and Jarod. Neither one of them is going to let you too far out of their sights until Ms. Dunne is apprehended.” He leaned on the table and glared at Missy. “And it’s for damn sure that I’m not going to let either of my nieces out of my sight. So we have a lot of talking to do, don’t we?”

  Marguerite had been uncharacteristically silent through all of this, and Missy turned to her for help. “Are you going to stand for this?”

  “Yes.”

  “What? Don’t tell me that you’re just going to hide too?”

  Marguerite shook her head. “Angela Dunne is used to getting her way, Missy. I remember reading all about her in the tabloids. Uncle Dane is right. If she’s fixated on you, then everyone in your life is in danger. Look what happened to me and Josh.”

  “I agree with your sister, babe,” Josh said, resignation clear in his voice. “We need to think this
through. Angela Dunne has been living an assumed identity for years, all to get back at the man who spurned her. I assume she’s responsible for the man’s death?” he asked Dane.

  “We think so, yes.”

  “So she’s capable of anything,” he began, ticking the list off on his fingers. “She’s spoiled. She’s petty. She couldn’t gain Harold’s attention so she accused him of sexual assault and chased him when he escaped, and then eventually killed him. She kidnapped Ginger and hacked your phone. She threatened me and then drugged us.” Here he pointed to himself and Marguerite. “Why did she do all that? Why is she so fixated on you?”

  “I have no idea,” Missy said, but she desperately needed to find out. “Maybe I should try to find her?”

  “No!” everyone shouted at once.

  “You will not go after her,” her mother commanded. “That’s final.”

  JOSH STILL DIDN’T have his truck and he needed more clothes if they were going to the barbecue at Jason’s. Ginger was still at the estate, so they decided to take a ride out to his parents’ home. Missy sat in the passenger seat of her own vehicle and glared at Josh.

  “I could’ve driven.”

  “I know.” He reached out and took her hand. His touch, his nearness…just he himself made everything clearer. He calmed her nerves while exciting her senses. Josh King knew how to please a woman in every way, and he did it with little effort.

  Relief washed over Missy when they finally turned onto the long driveway leading up to the estate. Jessica was chasing something in the grass while Lauren held a video camera. Once Josh had parked, they both followed the sound of the child’s laughter.

  “Hey, you two,” Lauren said in greeting.

  “Hey back, Sassy Pants,” Josh said as he enveloped the pregnant woman in a hug. They’d been friends for a long time, Missy knew, before they’d become family, and their close relationship made her smile. Missy’s smiling face got squashed when Lauren greeted her with the same enthusiasm as she did her brother-in-law.

  “Thanks for letting us borrow your cat. She’s quite the character.” Lauren held the video camera up to them. “We caught her stalking Charlie’s socks this morning, stealing Jessica’s teddy bear, and hiding in the smallest spaces in the craft room. She’s really funny.”

  “Oh my goodness, I hope she hasn’t been any trouble.” Missy hated being without Ginger for more than a day, but she hated it more if her babysitters had been terrorized.

  “Ginger’s funny,” Jessica giggled. “She likes to play with me.”

  Josh reached down and picked up the little girl. “Everyone likes to play with you, sweetheart.”

  “Watch out, Hunkle Josh! Ginger’s gonna getcha!” Jessica pointed to a clump of grass that was a little taller than the rest, and Missy had to cover her mouth to keep from laughing. All that could be seen of the kitten were two tufts of fluffy, ginger-colored fir above her eyes. As soon as Jessica called out, Ginger made her move, and in a flash, she was stuck to Josh’s thigh, three legs clinging to his jeans by sharp claws.

  “Holy crap, I’ve never seen her jump that high,” he said incredulously.

  “She’s been doing that all morning, and I have the scratches to prove it,” Lauren said, laughing. “Every time someone picks up Jessie, Ginger makes a climbing post out of them.”

  Missy was astounded. She watched as her sweet kitten clawed her way up Josh’s pant leg, maneuvered around his delectable behind, and, with three quick hops, landed on Josh’s shoulder.

  “She’s part monkey!” Josh’s mouth hung open as Jessica petted the kitten between her soft ears. “That really didn’t feel good.”

  “’S okay, Hunkle Josh. Mommy has stuff for scratches. Daddy didn’t use up all of the yellow tube.”

  “I got it on film, too,” Lauren said conspiratorially.

  “That’s how she survived so long on her own,” Missy said with admiration. “Didn’t you, my wild tiger?” She lifted Ginger from Josh’s shoulder, and the wild purring stuttered and rumbled as Ginger licked Missy’s ear. “I’ve missed you, sweet girl.”

  “Let’s head inside and we’ll get Josh all doctored up,” Lauren said as she preceded them in through the front doors. “How’s your sister doing, Missy?”

  “She’s better, but not great.” Missy knew that the two women had had a rivalry of sorts that dated back to their high school days, but she appreciated Lauren asking all the same.

  Lauren nodded with a troubled frown. “Camille is making lunch. She’ll be glad you finally came home, Josh.”

  “That’s right,” Camille said from around the corner. “Soup’s on in five.” She hugged Josh around her granddaughter, who was still in his arms, and when she turned to Missy, her face lit up in a sincere smile. “I’m so happy to see you. How are Darla and Marguerite?”

  “Better,” Missy answered.

  Camille nodded. “The more important question is, how are you doing, my dear? Between Dane, Jarod, and that McKinley fellow, we’ve had quite an earful regarding your roommate.”

  Missy looked to Josh for some help because, honestly, she didn’t want to talk about how duped she felt.

  “We’re both adjusting to the news, Mom. And thank you so much for wondering how I’m doing. After all, I’m the one she drugged, remember?”

  Camille rolled her eyes and muttered, “Such a drama king.”

  “I TALKED TO Jarod this morning,” Lauren said as they all sat around the dining table. “Marshal McKinley believes that Angelica is holed up nearby, someplace she can keep tabs on you undetected, which means she’s getting around security cameras. So he wants to set a trap for her.”

  “Oh, hell no, Lauren. Traps need bait. He wants to use Melissa, doesn’t he?” He couldn’t believe this.

  “Well, in a sense, yes, but she’d never be without protection.”

  Yeah, famous last words. Traps never worked, and if Angelica had a background in electronics and was smart enough to use security systems to her advantage, this was never going to work. He said as much.

  “I don’t know all the details, they’re still finalizing the plan. Sheesh, don’t shoot the messenger,” Lauren huffed.

  “I thought I knew her, and in a way I still do,” Melissa said quietly.

  “What are you thinking, dear?” Camille asked.

  “Well, I think she truly believes that she’s trying to save me—from what exactly, I’m not sure. Maybe from being hurt by people I care about?” Her face flamed red when she glanced at Josh.

  “Go on,” he encouraged. He loved seeing her so confident.

  She cleared her throat. “I don’t think that I should be the bait.” She looked directly at him, and that’s when he realized she was about to throw him under the bus.

  Josh sighed in resignation. “All right, what do you want me to do?” They stared at each other for a moment before they both grinned.

  “What is going on, you two?” Lauren asked with suspicion. “It’s like you’re reading each other’s minds.”

  “Not quite,” Josh answered. “But we’re getting there.” He reached for Melissa and kissed her hand. “We are getting there, aren’t we?” he whispered.

  “I certainly hope so,” she whispered back.

  “I’ll call Jarod and see if your plans will mesh together with his. Don’t be surprised if Dane and Dad have something to say about it. I’d feel better if neither of you went anywhere near that loon.” Lauren left the table to make the call.

  “Son, I agree with Lauren. I don’t want either of you anywhere near this person.”

  “Mom, by now she’ll have figured out that we’re on to her and she’s gone to ground. She wants Melissa to herself. Anyone close to Melissa poses a threat to her. She’ll have to come after me again, and that’s when we nab her.” Josh was sure this would work. He knew women, even crazy ones like Angelica. She wouldn’t quit until she had what she wanted, which was Josh out of the way and Melissa all to herself.

  “We’ll have to d
o this sooner rather than later,” Melissa said. “I think she’s regrouping. I’m beginning to remember odd things from when we lived together. If something didn’t go her way, she would hole up in her room for a while to get her ducks in a row. Then she would retaliate. When Harold asked me out the second time, she convinced me that he was harassing me. Now I know it was out of protection of me and revenge against him.”

  “But, honey, she was lying even then.”

  “Yes, but that didn’t matter. He had a record, so she wanted to protect me from him, which is why she insisted on the TRO.” Melissa nodded her head, as if she was just now coming to grips with the depths of Angelica’s illness.

  Lauren stepped back into the room. “They want you both to meet them at the station ASAP to go over your plans.”

  “Do not pass go, do not collect two hundred dollars, right?” Josh asked.

  Lauren laughed. “You know my husband when he’s in cop mode. He said, and I quote, ‘Tell that shit for brains to get his ass down here and no stopping anywhere in between.’”

  Josh rolled his eyes.

  “Jeez,” Melissa said under her breath.

  His mother laughed and hugged Melissa. “You’d better get used to it. You’re part of the family now.”

  When Melissa gasped, Josh relieved her from his mother’s attention and scowled. “Can you not scare her off, please?” He kissed his mother’s cheek before they both left the house.

  “Sorry about that,” Josh mumbled as he took her keys out of his pocket.

  “I’m not sorry about this,” Melissa said as she grabbed the keys out of his hands and ran to the driver’s side of her car, a giggle escaping her lips.

  “Hey!” He caught up to her in a flash and pressed her against the CRV, which was hot. At her yelp, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with all the passion and angst that’d had been stirring inside. “You cheated.”

  “No, I didn’t. I want you to trust me. Besides, it’s still my car. I’m just doing what Jarod asked. I want to get us to the station house without any detours.”