Page 100 of A Scottish Highland Hideaway

“Yep. A bit of detective work on your Irish rover proved to be very valuable. He likes a drink, does your Declan. I hoped he’d make more of an inroad with that trashy Stargazer, magazine, but he was too pissed half the time to be of any value. Never mind. Things are going just as I hoped.”

I studied her, my chest heaving with adrenalin. “So how and why did this all start?”

She appraised me from top to toe. “I was contacted by a ‘concerned party’ who said they’d reward me if I could get some dirt on our friend Ezra and shut him up.” She cocked her head to one side. “I was racking my brains, trying to think how I could do it. Then the arrival of those two bimbo daughters of his changed everything.”

I shook my head, disgusted. “How could you do something like this? Ezra’s only telling the truth in his autobiography. These people deserve to be outed.”

Corrie gestured around the guest room. “Oh, I know he is. But come on! That’s rich coming from you lot!”

“What do you mean?”

“You landed gentry have been taking what isn’t yours since time began.”

“You can’t justify what you did.”

Corrie’s temper flared. “I don’t have to justify anything to you, you stuck-up bitch!”

I couldn’t take any more steps backwards. I was pinned against the frame of the bed. The air in the room was cloying and oppressive. It smelled of flowers and Corrie’s dark, fruity perfume.

I couldn’t equate the ever helpful and charming Corrie on the phone with the avaricious, sinister version I was confronted with now. My head was struggling to accept it. “And so, you came up with the idea of threatening Ezra’s daughters?”

She performed a sarcastic, slow-hand clap. “Well done! They were a gift, those two. It was tricky at first, trying to think of his Achilles heel. We did wonder about going for some of his former lovers, but there’s quite a list, I can tell you. So, when those two women came along, we gambled on him feeling protective towards them, so we threatened them and the old bugger went for it. It was perfect. And of course, working for Ezra’s management team, meant I had all the knowledge about them at my fingertips.” She grinned, displaying white, but slightly uneven teeth. “At first, these people named in Ezra’s autobiography investigated the legal route, but unfortunately, what King wrote was legally watertight and all true. That wasn’t ideal.” She gave a shrug. “So, alternative methods to persuade him to reconsider his actions had to be deployed. And that’s where Caroline and Laura fit in. The best Christmas present I could’ve wished for.”

My clutch bag, containing my mobile, glittered on top of the bedspread. I took a couple of steps to the side.

Corrie glanced at my bag and back at me. She shook her head. “I wouldn’t, if I were you.” There was a deep element of threat in her voice. What was she capable of? A lot, going by the situation she’d got herself into, just for money.

I could hear my breathing escaping from my chest in a loud, ragged rush. Should I scream? Would anyone even hear me? The noise from the party was growing louder and more enthusiastic.

I had to do something. Anything.

I opened my mouth and prepared to yell for help.

“Bailey? Bailey! Where are you?”

My head whipped towards the locked bedroom door.

That voice… It sounded like Zach!

No. I must have imagined it.

“Bailey! Are you ok?”

Oh God. It was Zach! What was he doing here?

“Zach,” I managed, rising fear in my voice. “Oh God, Zach! Help me! I’m in here!”

Corrie swore and rushed towards me, a blur of incensed red satin.

Panic rose up in my throat. In desperation, I lunged across the bed, snatched up one of the heavy glass table lamps and hurled it at her with all the force I could muster.

As the lamp connected with her arm, Corrie yelped in pain and staggered backwards.

I scrambled to right myself on top of the bed, as loud, desperate kicks pounded against the door.

Another male voice rang out this time. “Sis! Move! Get away from the door!”

Marcus?!