Read Online In Love by Design (The Adventures of Anabel Axelrod) by Tracy Ellen - Free Book Online Page B

I’m sorry, but we’ve both run up against someone pretty evil tonight and it isn’t me. Obviously, they’re smart enough to get around your vetting process that determines what contracts your high standards allows you to accept. You’ve been played for a fool, and I’ve been made out to be a bad guy.” I smiled my most angelic smile. My voice is cajolingly soft. “Look at me! I’m just a bookstore owner that has lived in Northfield her entire, uneventful life. The only people I’ve ever bothered are the very bullies you’re claiming to protect your clients from. I’ve certainly never set out to bother any friendly types of chaps.” I pushed away the image of Jack Banner’s smirking face at that comment and said with conviction, “Think, man! You’ve been scammed. If you leave me here tonight, you’ll be a common murderer and killing an innocent woman under fraudulent circumstances.” I suggested an alternative. “Let’s check out who hired you and we can get this cleared up right away! There has to be a mistake or it’s a big, fat scam. Come on, let’s do this together!”
    He ’s quiet for a moment staring down at the floor while plucking fretfully at the delicate silver hoop earring hanging from his left ear lobe. He murmured loudly enough that I heard, “It’s true, this has felt wonky from the start. I never get specific instructions, but from this punter I did.”
    My abductor looked up then and shook his masked head quickly, as if clearing away an annoying gnat. Holding up a restraining hand, he sighed. “Don’t bother inquiring; I couldn’t blab who contracted me, even should I be so inclined, which I’m not. Fixing is strictly a word of mouth business, lass, and there are layers of people between me and the clients. This protects everybody involved. Maybe you’ve got the right of it and I have been scammed, but I am a man of my word.” A pudgy hand twirled negligently in the air, “A man’s honor and all that, not that I expect a woman to understand. Any contract I’ve accepted has always been fulfilled or I’d soon be out of business, now wouldn’t I?” He plucked at his earring again and frowned. “It’s the God’s honest you’re not the usual villainess though, are you? I do feel gutted about that.” He sighed again, this time louder and longer. “What a shambles!”
    I held my breath and silently watched him run a finger to and fro over his upper lip, hoping he’ll change his mind about leaving me here.
    He didn’t look my way, but pasted on a cheerful smile that looks as false as the sound of his forced light tone. “Right then! You’re a spirited one and I like you, but a deal is a deal.” He added brightly, as if a dubious compliment made up for murdering me, “If I swung your way, I’d be tempted, but onward ho!”
    H e took a few mincing steps in those absurd shoes towards leaving me in this freezing hell hole and I shouted incredulously, “What? Wait!” He stopped and I tried to think of something to say to prevent his leaving. “Umm, I have a gay brother that looks just like me!”
    “Do you?” His voice rose with interest. “Perhaps I’ll chat him up before I leave town.”
    I cursed while the little creeper let loose with a fit of braying, honking high-pitched giggles. He took a few more steps to my right and reached down to scoop up my purse from the floor.
    H e said apologetically, “I am sorry for it, Anerbel, but I have no choice in the matter. I’ll be taking your handbag as well.”
    I hurriedly shouted, “You are leaving me here to die of exposure! Rats will probably eat their way up my legs because,” I started wildly sobbing and thrashing my head, “my niece, Stella has me moisturizing with coconut oil. Even stand-offish animals like cats are always licking me everywhere I go now!” I screamed out, “I don’t even know your real name, but I don’t care! You will always be the man who looked like a young Cary Elwes, but turned out