Stealing Home

chapter 26



LORELEI KNEW EXACTLY what she had to do. And nothing was going to stop her this time. Shutting out everything else, all the hurt and panic, she focused on the only thing that mattered: saving Michelle.

Leslie shoved open the door to Mark’s condo and Lorelei slid around her. “Thanks for letting me in. I’ll just grab my bag and be right back.” Without waiting for a reply, she strode quickly down the hall to the master bedroom. Once inside she found Mark’s charm exactly where he’d left it when he’d taken it off the night before and forgot to put back on.

She didn’t even hesitate, just grabbed the cross and slipped it in her front pocket as she made her way across the room to her bag. Then she snatched up the small overnight bag she’d brought just in case, threw it over her shoulder, and was back out the door in less than thirty seconds total.

Leslie was still by the front door waiting for her, concern shadowing her beautiful face. “Is there anything I can do, Lorelei? Would you like me to go to the hospital with you?”

She wasn’t going to the hospital.

“I appreciate the offer, Leslie. But I think it’s best if I go by myself. I’ll give you a call later, though, and let you know what’s going on.” Pushing past her, Lorelei forced a smile and glanced over her shoulder as she made her way to the elevator. “I promise.”

But first things first.

They parted ways in the parking garage and Lorelei wasted no time. She’d memorized the address on the scrap of paper Dina had slipped her, knew exactly how to get there. In less than twenty minutes she was pulling into the driveway of Dina Andrews’s lavish home. One look at it confirmed what she’d suspected deep down all along: Mark had lied about the lack of money just to shake her.

Impatience and anxiety pawed at her, making her movements stiff and jerky as she climbed the steps to the front door. Lorelei refused to think of the consequences of what she was doing and pushed the doorbell button. She’d deal with whatever happened—later.

After a few tense, long seconds the door swung open. Dina took one look at her, her cold blue eyes assessing, her posture aloof, dripping Chanel. Then she tossed her pearl blond locks and smiled victoriously. “I knew you wouldn’t fail me. Come on inside.”

Lorelei felt a tremble in the pit of her stomach and forcefully ignored it. Stepped over the threshold and followed Dina through the decadent foyer. The ex-Mrs. Cutter lived well, that was for sure. The place reeked of expensive, high-maintenance woman.

The frigid sound of Dina’s voice grabbed Lorelei’s attention, and she turned her head toward Dina. “I take it things fell apart between you and that illiterate bastard. Can’t say that I’m sorry about it. I always say that good looks fade over time, but stupidity is forever. You’re better off without him.”

Lorelei wasn’t dumb. She knew exactly what the woman was implying. But she didn’t have time to play her catty little games. “Where’s the money, Dina?”

The too slender woman smirked. “Touchy, aren’t you? Does the truth bother you?”

She bothered her. “I have somewhere to be. So why don’t you just get the money and we can be done with this thing.” She pulled the charm out of her pocket and dangled it briefly, then put it back. “I showed you mine. Now it’s your turn.”

Dina pushed past Lorelei and she caught a whiff of expensive perfume. “I’ve been after that charm of his ever since he walked out. He’s so damn attached to it that I’m going to use it to my advantage.”

A thought occurred to Lorelei. “Is that why you have the restraining order? Were you stalking him?”

She watched the blond sniff a bouquet of red roses that sat on a side table. Then she straightened and said dismissively, “That and the phone calls and the whole hitting thing. He’s such a wuss. Called the cops on me over a little slap. Can you believe it?”

Yeah, actually she could. It was called assault.

The necklace suddenly felt like lead in her pocket. “Look, Dina, I don’t care what you’re going to do with his good luck charm. But we made a deal and I’m here to collect.” Being in Dina’s presence was making Lorelei feel slimy and in need of a shower. It was time to go.

The air changed suddenly and the woman spun, hatred plastered across her face. “I’m going to make him pay out his ass. He’ll give me twenty million to get his cross back because he’s powerless without it. Five million for every year I suffered in that marriage. My best years were wasted on that dumb prick. No matter what I did, he never noticed. Never gave me the attention I deserved. I did everything for him and he didn’t give a shit about me.” She speared Lorelei with a bitter glance. “You’d better get used to it. Get used to playing second fiddle to a goddamn f*cking sport.”

Lorelei was getting the picture now. In the center of it was a spoiled woman who was used to all the attention and when she didn’t get it, she’d become resentful. And that had eventually festered into a need for revenge.

Her heart went out to Mark. Living with Dina must have been a real bitch.

Restless to get a move on, Lorelei opened her mouth to demand payment when a knock sounded at the door. Shifting her feet on the marble floor of the foyer, she glanced out the window and saw two police officers standing there.

Her stomach plummeted to her feet.

Lorelei almost peed herself. There were cops at the door! Oh God. Had she been followed? Were they there to arrest her? Had Mark turned her in after all? What was she supposed to do now? Panic seized her in its white-hot grip.

She looked around frantically for a place to hide as Dina strode toward the door. The small cross poked into her, branding her with its presence. Running on instinct, she whipped it out quickly and slipped it over her head. She was just tucking it under her shirt when the door swung open.

“Hello, Officers,” Dina said, all solicitous. “What can I do for you?”

A tall, dark-haired cop responded, his voice a practiced neutral. “Dina Andrews?”

Lorelei’s knees shook and her stomach pitched hard. She was going to jail. She just knew it. Michelle was going to die in the hospital while she was arrested for stealing the one thing that was supposed to save her.

This had to be her karmic payback.

Wanting more than anything to melt into the floor and slip under the door, Lorelei frowned instead when Dina tossed her a look over her bony shoulder. What was that supposed to mean? If she wasn’t so scared right now, she’d think that look was something close to fear.

Trying to become the wall, she watched as Dina tossed her hair. Then the woman straightened her back, breathed in deep, and said, “That’s me.”

The tall cop in the slick shades stepped forward, reaching behind him at the same time. “Dina Andrews, you’re under arrest for violation of a restraining order.”

Sweet holy God. Relief poured through Lorelei like the Niagara. They weren’t after her.

“You’re crazy. You can’t arrest me!” Dina yanked her arm out of the officer’s grasp and tried to walk away. The officers detained her real quick.

“I advise you, Ms. Andrews, to cooperate. Security footage places you two nights ago at the residence parking garage of the party on your order. You are in clear violation. We were also informed by security there that a piece of jewelry is missing from the same party. Know anything about that?”

So much for relief. Lorelei’s whole body clenched up tight. The cross under her shirt seemed to throb with life, and the skin beneath the metal cross itched like mad, as if it had suddenly developed an acute allergic response to gold. She felt like she was stuck in an Edgar Allan Poe story. Could anybody else hear the frantic pound of her heartbeat?

Dina began cursing as the officers clamped her wrists in handcuffs. Lorelei watched with wide eyes as Mark’s ex jerked a hand free and pointed an accusing finger at her. “I didn’t take anything. It’s her! She has it, I swear. In her pocket. Check her pocket!” Her voice ended on a shrill note.

Lorelei froze.

The other officer, a balding, middle-aged man with a mustache, gave her a thorough once-over. “Ma’am, do you know what this woman is talking about?”

Like a deer in the headlights, she just stood there, blinking hard. The cop kept his eyes steady on her, waiting for a response. She must have been too slow, because she saw him sigh and begin walking toward her. “I’m going to have to ask you to empty your pockets, ma’am.”

Over his bulky shoulder, she saw Dina beam, even as she fought against the cuffs. Blood pounded in her ears as the cop stopped directly in front of her. Finding her voice, she said shakily, “Yes, Officer.” Her hands trembled so hard she could barely get them in her pockets. With her stomach flopping and her heart racing, she pulled the cotton liner out from each pocket.

They were empty.

The officer took them both in, stared for long silent moments. They were some of the longest of her life. After what felt like eons, his grizzled mustache twitched and he looked up at her. “Sorry for the inconvenience, ma’am. You can be on your way.”

Lorelei wanted to collapse right there on the floor, in a big ol’ puddle of relief-filled tears.

Dina yanked against her restraints and yelled, “No! She has it, I swear! Arrest her!” Eyes frosty with loathing pinned Lorelei. “Where did you put it, you lying bitch?”

How she managed to shrug was beyond her, but it pissed Dina off. The blond lurched for her, screaming. It took both officers to restrain her and escort her to the squad car. The woman yelled all kinds of retribution until the door was shut on her. Her outburst had garnered the attention of the neighbors, and several watched the commotion through their front windows.

Lorelei kept at the edges of the cops’ periphery and walked as slowly and normally as she could to her car. Once inside, she nodded at the uniformed men and shifted into gear. Fear still skittered just under her skin and pulled at the thread of her composure as she steered down the long drive. Mark’s necklace rested between her breasts and she drove away, keenly aware of its presence. She kept glancing in the rearview mirror until Dina’s house and the police car were out of view.

Then she released a trembling breath and raked an unsteady hand through her hair. That had been so close! Wanting to give in to the adrenaline letdown, she pushed on instead and headed toward Denver Children’s.

There was no money. It was over.

Heartache and acceptance settled over her as she navigated the streets. Her entire family was at the hospital and she wasn’t going to waste another minute being away from them.

She hoped to God it wasn’t too late.

LORELEI DROVE LIKE a madwoman and made it to the hospital in record time. By the time she hit the ICU doors she was at a dead run. And she dang near plowed her brother over. She did spill coffee down his denim shirt, making him swear.

“Damn it, Lorelei.” Logan fanned the shirt with his right hand, then took a pull of what coffee was left in the Styrofoam cup. “Watch where you’re going.”

Bracing her hands on the sides of his rawboned face, she took a moment to calm her racing heart and studied her brother. For the first time Lorelei noticed the fine lines that had etched prematurely around his deeply tanned face, the worry line between his brows. There were deep circles under his eyes from lack of sleep and worry. But there were no shadows in them. She chose to take that as a good sign. “How is your baby, Logan?”

At that question Logan smiled, slowly, devastatingly. It reached all the way to his eyes and lit the dark brown depths. “She’s going to be just fine, string bean. She’s being prepped for surgery right now. You can thank your baseball player for that.”

Her brows pulled down in confusion. “What do you mean? What does Mark have to do with anything?”

Logan put his free hand on her elbow and tried to lead her down the long hallway, but her feet were rooted to the spot. He tugged until she lost balance, then began walking and explaining as he pulled her along. “Your ballplayer has a charity, Lorelei, that gives grants to children suffering from potentially terminal illnesses.”

Lorelei stumbled. “He does not.”

“Does so.” Logan kept on walking, his long stride eating up ground.

She didn’t believe it. “What’s the name of it?”

They rounded a corner and Logan took another sip of coffee. “Sunny Days Foundation. A representative came to see me a few hours ago with some paperwork and a grant that covers all of Michelle’s medical costs. Your baseball player set it all up. Apparently he’d wanted to surprise us, but Michelle was hospitalized before he could tell you about it. He’s a right good man, Lorelei. Don’t you let him go, you hear?”

After what she’d done today she seriously doubted she’d have a choice in the matter. Once Mark knew the truth he’d want nothing to do with her ever again. She’d stolen something priceless from him. But, much worse than that, she’d hurt a man who’d overcome so much adversity and deserved her respect and admiration. Instead, he’d received anger and nastiness. And after all that he’d still done this for her—for her family. She’d blamed him, and he’d been setting this up all along.

The shame she’d sworn earlier wouldn’t get to her suddenly ate a hole through the wall of righteousness she’d built and took a big, fat, guilt-ridden bite.

God, what a day. She needed a drink . . . and a plan. Mark had her love and Lorelei was going to make things right between them. No matter what it took.