Rebecca Winters - Undercover Husband

Her fear was so great, she could scarcely form words. “What plan?”

He stared at her through narrowed eyes. “The one you put into play when you sent him that postcard. In my opinion, you were given the wrong advice. But since it’s a fait accompli, we’ll turn it to our advantage.”

She shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“It’s a long shot. But if my hunch is right and he’s headed here, we’ll be able to catch him and prevent him from doing this to anyone else. If I’m wrong, and he’s just another loser who has finally tired of sending you letters because he’s become obsessed with someone else, then no harm has been done. Either way you’ll achieve peace of mind, which is my job to give you, leaving us both satisfied.”

Peace of mind...

That meant everything. That’s why she’d sought a private investigator in the first place, wasn’t it?

Her womanly intuition told her that if this man couldn’t provide it, no one could.

She lifted her head and faced him squarely. “Since those letters started coming, I have to admit I haven’t felt safe. Until something’s done about him, I’ll never feel safe again.”

A strange silence filled the room. He rose to his full height, his intelligent eyes with their black lashes never leaving hers.

“No plan is infallible, but the one I’ve conceived guarantees I won’t be leaving your side until the culprit is caught, or goes away for good.” He paused. “For this assignment, I’m going undercover as your husband.”

A thrill of emotion totally foreign to Brit shot through her body. She started to tremble.

His dark brows knit together. “Before you fall apart on me, hear me out.”

“I’m listening,” she said in a quiet voice.

He put his hands in his pockets, studying the refined features of her upturned face. “We don’t know if he has done this kind of thing to another woman before, but I would imagine he has.” She shuddered at the prospect. “If he has set up some elaborate scheme, it might take weeks, even months, for him to carry it out.”

“Months?”

He nodded. “If you recall, he told you he wouldn’t write you again. It could be a bluff, and he’s going to wait until you think he’s forgotten about you before he makes another move.

“If that’s the case, I need a justifiable reason to be around you twenty-four hours a day. Marriage will accomplish that, protect your reputation and allow both of us to get on with other work we need to do at the same time.”

She couldn’t argue with his reasoning.

“On the other hand, this might be over in a matter of days. According to what you told me earlier, you are single, and don’t have a serious boyfriend. Thus it means that on your tour, no one heard mention of a man in your life, let alone a fiancé.

“Glen Baird knows this. When he received the postcard telling him you were making plans to be married, he knew you were- lying.”

Brit nodded.

“Don’t forget you rejected him throughout the five week tour. Then you ignored his letters. According to the report you gave Officer Green, none of the acquaintances on your tour bus would give him your phone number. He couldn’t reach your best friend, Denise Martin, the woman who went on the tour with you. All doors were closed to him. When he finally received the postcard which told him goodbye forever, he couldn’t take the rejection.

“Unfortunately, it’s my belief that your message represented something else. You betrayed him with a cheap lie, and so doing committed the unpardonable. Now you have to pay for the sin of not loving him. What we don’t know is whether or not the lilies and sympathy card represented the zenith of his rage.”

Everything Roman Lufka was saying made a horrible kind of sense. Her stomach clenched in fear.

He cocked his head to one side. “That’s the quandary, isn’t it? Waiting for the game to begin or be over... Isn’t that why you called my office? Because the suspense is killing you?”

His questions demanded bald honesty from her.

Brit nodded again, and thought she saw a glimmer of satisfaction in the depths of his eyes.

“If he feels further retribution is necessary, then it’s only a matter of time before you’re made aware of it. He may or may not decide to come to Salt Lake. He could appear at your condo, or at work, or just follow you around for a long time, showing up at places you least expect. Though he’s probably harmless, the fact that he hasn’t yet given up on you means you’re going to continue to be frightened.”

She was starting to feel sick to her stomach.

“Unfortunately this is the time where most victims make their mistake. They don’t want to believe such a thing could happen, so they don’t plan ahead and often become immobilized by fear.” His voice had dropped to a lower register.

It sent another shiver down her spine.

“That’s where I come in. My job is to set a trap for him in case he decides to come to Salt Lake. He has already demonstrated that he’s cunning enough to trick you with the mail by sending it from various other states or even countries.

“I hope I’m wrong, but it’s my opinion that postcard probably upset him enough to make him want to see you in person. In his twisted mind, if he can’t wring a response out of you through the mail, then he’s going to make sure you pay because he knows you didn’t tell him the truth.”

She bit her lip. “I regretted sending that postcard the minute I slipped it in the letter drop. To be truthful, I’ve been terrified of him suddenly appearing on my doorstep, or worse, watching me without my knowledge.”

“Unless I miss my guess, he’ll come. If he’s angry enough over your lie, he’ll arrive here soon.”

She buried her face in her hands. “I think he will, too.”

Brit had been going over this in her mind until she couldn’t function anymore. That’s why she’d sought help. Roman Lufka was a professional. If he thought this was the best way to handle it, then she needed to place her faith and trust in him. But—

“Mr. Lufka?”

“Roman,” he came back swiftly. “The sooner you start thinking of me as a husband, the better.”

Adrenaline made her body surge.

“Roman—I don’t have the kind of money it would take for long-term protection.”

He frowned. “Let’s get something straight, Brit. That’s what I’ll be calling you from now on,” he added in an aside. “If my suspicions are right, he’ll make his move soon, so let’s not worry about the money angle right now.

“To those observing from the outside, ours will be the epitome of the loving marriage. On the inside, we’ll be friends, and one of the other P.I.s will always be assigned to guard you when I’m not there. We’ll share everything except the bedroom. That means cooking, cleaning. I plan to get my money’s worth, so let’s agree not to talk about it again.

“When this is all over and we’ve caught him, you can explain the truth to everyone, that you’re not married, and life will get back to normal.”

Another silence ensued before Brit ventured, “Have you ever gone undercover as a husband before?”

“No. But I’ve done just about everything else.”

“I—I’ve never been a wife.”

“The way you’re worrying, you sound like one already. I’m certain you’ll get the hang of it, given enough time.” The teasing mockery in his tone didn’t escape her, but then he grew sober.

“If Baird is on his way here right now, we don’t have a lot of time. Playing the part of your husband makes the most sense because it gives me the optimum ability to keep you safe until we find out exactly what he’s up to.

“If you don’t feel you can go along with my plan, you’re welcome to approach another P.I. I’ll be happy to refer you to several with outstanding credentials. The decision is yours. Remember that a P.I. operates according to the way he or she sees a case. I have to do it my way, or not at all.”