Unknown - [Carly Phillips] The Bachelor (The Chandler Brothe(Bookos.org) (1)

Roman picked up on something Rick had said. “What’s got Whitehall so upset, other than the obvious fact that his house was robbed?” Why would the older man give a damn what brand had been taken?

“Well, as far as Jack knew, his wife favored plain, utilitarian white,” Rick said.

“Frieda’s pair was white,” Charlotte said, in obvious defense of her customer.

“White and sexy,” Chase clarified. “We left them arguing over who she planned to wear the panties for.”

“She bought them for her husband’s seventieth birthday surprise,” Charlotte muttered. “Leave it to a man to draw all sorts of wrong conclusions.”

“Hey, go easy on the gender, babe,” Roman said and she slugged him in the gut with her elbow. He let out a grunt. At least the pain gave his body something to focus on other than his desire. And when the pain subsided, Roman turned to taking in his surroundings as a distraction from her luscious scent. He ran his hand over a glossy coffee table book that had seen better days.

“So that’s three robberies total . . .” she said.

“Five.”

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That number caught Roman’s attention.

“ Five? ” he and Charlotte asked at the same time.

“Three occurred tonight alone. While the entire town was at the St. Patrick’s Day dance, some guy was out stealing women’s panties.”

“Who would do something so . . . so . . .” Charlotte rose from her seat, and, sensing her frustration, Roman didn’t try to stop her. “So juvenile? So stupid? So perverted? ” she asked.

Rick snickered. Roman had no desire to relive his youth in front of Charlotte. “Well, we can narrow down the list of suspects by knowing who we all saw at the dance.”

“There’s one problem,” Rick said.

“What’s that?”

“The timing won’t work. The last robbery took place around ten-thirty. Whitehall chased the guy into his backyard, but he was slick and made for the small stretch of woods. Then Whitehall’s asthma kicked in and the old man collapsed.”

“Damn,” Roman muttered.

“Exactly. We know it’s someone with good stamina. And if he hit two houses before ten-thirty, on different streets, far apart, he had plenty of time. Collectively we don’t know a damn thing. I left the party around nine forty-five, Chase never made it because he was working, and according to witnesses, you, little brother, took off by nine forty-eight.”

“Something Whitehall made certain we knew,” Chase said.

Apprehension settled in Roman’s gut. “Why?”

Charlotte stopped her pacing in front of where Chase sat in her oversized club chair. “Yes, why?”

Chase pinched the bridge of his nose and Roman knew he was in deep shit. “The old man was reminded of a certain prank Roman played a long time ago.”

“A long, long time ago,” Roman muttered.

“When he was juvenile and stupid,” Rick said, picking up on Charlotte’s chosen words.

“But not perverted,” Chase said with a grin.

“The panty raid,” Charlotte murmured. “It’s been so long I’d forgotten.”

“I wish everyone had.” Roman shot his brothers a nasty look.

“Still, why would Whitehall dig up an old stunt like that now?” she asked.

Roman rubbed his hands over his eyes. “Because the sleepover was at Jeannette Barker’s, but the Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

panties I snagged—”

“And hung from the rearview mirror,” Rick supplied ever so helpfully.

“Belonged to Terrie Whitehall,” Chase finished. “Who came racing into her parents’ home tonight just as we were leaving.”

Damn, how had Roman forgotten that? All the while he’d been talking to the prissy bank teller tonight and it’d never crossed his mind that he’d once stolen her underwear. “So when Terrie heard what was taken from her mother, she decided I had to be the culprit?” Roman asked with a disbelieving shake of his head.

“No, she just mentioned she’d seen you storm out of town hall. Unfortunately, she wasn’t the only one who saw you leave.” Rick rose and folded his arms over his chest. “Jack Whitehall fingered you as a possible suspect.”

Roman couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “That’s a crock of—”

“I agree, but once an accusation’s been made, I have to investigate.” In his best law enforcement stance, marred only by the half grin on his face, Rick turned to Roman and said, “Mind if I ask where you went after leaving town hall tonight? And if anyone can vouch for your whereabouts?”

Charlotte opened and closed her mouth in disbelief. Chase burst out laughing.

This night had been full of surprises, Charlotte thought as she walked Rick and Chase to the door. With Roman standing behind her, she had a hunch they weren’t over yet. “Thanks for stopping by to let me know there’d been another robbery.”

Rick paused in his tracks. “All kidding aside, we stopped by to warn you. There’s been five break-ins with one link and one link only— you. Not only do you sell the items that have been stolen, you make them.”

Roman’s eyebrows raised in surprise, but he didn’t ask questions, just took over. “Which is why I’m not leaving her alone.”

She shook her head and remained silent. She’d already anticipated Roman’s protective streak kicking in, but she planned to save the argument against his staying until they were alone.

She appreciated his concern, but it was unwarranted. The panty thief had struck homes of customers and no one had been hurt. She’d be careful, but she trusted she was safe. She couldn’t have him staying the night. With gossip as the town’s favorite pastime, she had no intention of her neighbors waking up to find him sneaking out the door—or fire escape—at the first crack of dawn.

“You’re safe enough when you’re home,” Rick said, eyeing Roman and helpfully giving her an out if she wanted one. “With neighbors on either side of you, no one would be foolish enough to break in here—but I suggest you keep that window shut tight and locked. At this point, you don’t want to take chances by giving any sleazeball who wants in an open invitation.”

She met Roman’s gaze out of the corner of her eye and somehow managed to stifle a laugh. They both Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

knew he was the last sleazeball who’d climbed through her window tonight, but she saw no reason to give his brothers any more ammunition.

They were lovingly hassling him enough already—something she’d never experienced in her lifetime. She was an only child who’d matured too quickly after her father left, while despite it all, the Chandler brothers had been able to grow up in due time and still be kids. Sibling rivalry, one-upsmanship, and love were so apparent among the brothers that being with them brought a lump to Charlotte’s throat. She hadn’t had any kind of true family unit and realized now how much she’d missed.

She glanced back at the open window. “I’ll take care of it, I promise.”

“We’re working overtime, but I can’t promise anything until we catch the guy, so watch out.”

She nodded once more.

Chase placed a brotherly hand on her shoulder. “Once I print the article, you can bet you’ll have a town full of people watching your back too.”

“Just what I needed, the spotlight on me and my life.” She sighed. “I hope this doesn’t kill my business. I can’t afford for people to be afraid to buy my goods.”

Rick shook his head. “The way I figure it, the worst-case scenario will mean a decline in sales in the garment of choice.”