Page 74 of A Scottish Country Escape

‘Maybe it was the dog.’

‘Then it’s eligible to go on Britain’s Got Talent if it can stand on two legs and twitch a curtain like that.’

At least that made Dexter smile.

I knocked this time. When they failed to answer again, I cleared my throat and spoke to the closed door. ‘I’m sorry to disturb you, but we wondered if we could have a quick word with Mrs Linda Carlucci, please? We understand she lives here.’

The door remained closed.

One of Dexter’s dark brows arched as I refused to accept defeat and leave.

‘We would really appreciate only a few moments of your time,’ I said more loudly.

I turned and looked again at the window where I had seen the curtains flicker. This time, I was certain I caught sight of a flash of gold on a hand. A ring or bracelet perhaps?

But still no one came to the door.

Dexter heaved a sigh and stalked back to his car. ‘Come on, Elle. Let’s go.’

The sight of his broad shoulders slumping like that in defeat fired me up even more. Not giving much thought to what I was about to say next, I folded my arms again in defiant mode and remained on the doorstep. ‘Now look, this is very important, otherwise we wouldn’t have tracked you down and taken the trouble to come all the way up here.’

I planted my feet on the second step. ‘Our visit will determine whether someone ends up leaving Fir Haven and abandoning their career, so we really do need to speak to her.’

Still, my words were met by only the grumpy growls and barks from the dog behind the door.

‘Fine,’ I ground out, striding away from the front door. ‘We’ll be back to see you again. We’re not giving up.’

It was only when Dexter’s car keys ignited the unlocking system on his car that a sound travelled down to us. The front door creaked open to reveal a short, slim, dark-haired woman in an ankle-length rose-pink dress and aubergine cardigan.

Dexter froze.

It was Linda Carlucci.

Chapter Forty-Five

Her tanned, lined face was bursting with agitation. ‘What do you want?’

From behind her came a skirmish of ragged terrier. The dog stood by her leg and wagged its tail like an out-of-control boat rudder.

Dexter and I strode towards her.

I bent down and patted Mrs Carlucci’s dog, which seemed to irritate her further. ‘Calm down, Brando!’ She frowned. ‘I asked you what you wanted.’

Dexter stepped forward. ‘I’m sorry to trouble you, Mrs Carlucci, but I don’t know if you remember me.’

Her creased bottle-green eyes widened at the sight of Dexter. She stared at him like she had done before and paled. ‘You’re the idiot who tried to run me over.’

Beside me, Dexter’s apprehensive features had transformed themselves into ones of contrition.

‘Could we come in please, Mrs Carlucci?’ I asked. ‘It would only be for a few minutes.’

She gripped tighter onto her door handle. ‘No. I’m just getting ready to go out.’

She must have registered our disappointment. Then she nodded her head. ‘Oh, I see.’ She tilted her chin up in defiance. ‘That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?’

Dexter and I did our best to feign innocence, but failed.

Linda Carlucci clutched at the door, still focusing most of her attention on Dexter. Her green eyes kept raking over his face. ‘You want me to lift the curse.’