CHAPTER 3
MEL DREW IN A BREATHand willed her body not to react to his touch. She knew he was simply trying to get a rise out of her, and she didn’t intend to give him the satisfaction.
Instead she was determined to match him measure for measure. She held out her hand and waited for him to take it. His fingers were firm and warm against hers, and when he gave a tiny squeeze she met his eyes.
Time to head out into the world. Or at least out into the rest of the house.
“I’m going to try to sneak us out. Just act casual. And if anyone sees us, let me do the talking.”
She nodded. That was fine with her, although she frantically hoped no one would see them. She wasn’t wearing a sign that said, Hey, I’m a Thief! But neither was she dressed for one of Emily’s social occasions, either.
He pulled open the door, then led her into the hallway of a house that rivaled any of those dumps Robin Leach showed off. From Emily’s bedroom onthe third story, they headed down an impressive staircase with an ornately carved banister. Soft jazz and muted voices wafted up from the first floor. For just a moment, Mel imagined herself on a dance floor, twirling to the music, Kyle’s arms tight around her.
She shook her head, cursing her own stupid romanticism. He was putting up with her because she’d foisted herself on him. That was all. Nothing more. And as soon as the necklace was safe and sound in Frances’s house, she’d probably never see Kyle Radley again.
And that, she told herself, was a good thing.
When they reached the second level, he splayed his hand across her back and steered her to the far side of the stairway. “Stay to the back,” he whispered. “We’re going to try and cut over to the service stairs without anyone down there noticing.”
Fine by her. They took a few tentative steps in that direction, and just when Mel was certain they were home free, she heard footsteps on the stairs below. Kyle muttered a curse, and Mel knew that they’d been caught.
She clutched his hand tighter. He might not be her knight in shining armor, but at the moment he was the best she had.
Below them, Emily Radley glided across the second-floorlanding.TheEmily Radley. Former goddess of the silver screen and star of at least five of Mel’s absolute favorite classic movies. She’d known all along whose house she was in, of course. But until she was actually seeing Emily Radley in the flesh, the truth of her surroundings hadn’t fully hit home.
Emily looked up and did a little Queen’s wave. “Kyle, darling. There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”
“Sorry, Grandma,” he said, leading them down the stairs toward Emily. “I had to help out a friend.”
“Sorry about my attire,” Mel said, desperate for the woman to know she didn’t always dress like this. “My, uh, car broke down near here, and I called Kyle on his cell phone and…” She trailed off, realizing she had no clue where to go from there.
“I’m so sorry about your car troubles, Me—my dear.” She took Mel’s hand and squeezed, the gesture both friendly and supportive. “And you look perfectly lovely. Black is a very ‘in’ color.”
Mel just nodded, unable to completely comprehend that a fashion maven had just given her jeans a thumbs-up.
Miss Emily focused on Kyle, still keeping Mel’s hand in hers. “Did you ring Turner?”
“I can handle it, Grandma.”
“Turner?” Mel couldn’t help her curiosity. Kyle glared at her, but she just shrugged.
“My chauffeur. He’s a mechanic, too, of course.”
“I think I’m capable of changing a flat tire,” Kyle said.
Miss Emily let go of Mel just long enough to pat Kyle’s cheek. “Of course you are, darling.” She turned back to Mel. “I thought I knew all of Kyle’s friends. You are…?”
“Very pleased to meet you,” Mel said. She wasn’t about to give her real name, and now she scrambled to think of a fake one before Miss Emily asked her point blank.
“Grandma, meet my friend Grace,” Kyle said, while Mel gaped at him.Grace?Where the heck did that come from? “Grace, my grandmother, Emily Radley.”
Emily cupped Mel’s hand in her own, then patted her knuckles. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Grace. Have you two known each other long?”
“Not really. You could say we stumbled across each other and just sort of hit it off.” She turned to Kyle, keeping her eyes wide and innocent. “Wouldn’t you say?”
“That about sums it up.” He gripped her arm, his fingers tightening just above her elbow. As he pulled her back, Miss Emily tugged her forward.She felt like a tug-of-war rope, and she yanked hard, tugging her arm free from Kyle, all the while aiming a stern glare in his direction.
He glared right back. “We really need to get going,” he said.
