Beginning to feel more like a spider and less like a fly in this recent farce, Payne followed his Hummer Girl--her name until he learned her proper one--into the foyer of the Dove’s Nest B&B. For whatever reason, he’d imagined that Garrett had booked him into a Victorian era bed and breakfast with chairs with spindly legs and lots of floral wallpaper. He’d imagined feeling like the proverbial bull in the china shop and staying hungry from lack of anything to eat beside little, bite-size sandwiches and hot tea.

The Dove’s Nest was an old farmhouse with tall ceilings, hardwood floors--which had been blanketed with colorful rugs--and huge fireplaces which had done more than warm the backside of their genteel inhabitants. It was big and cozy and, while lushly appointed with substantial antiques, Payne didn’t feel like there was a chair that wouldn’t hold his weight. There were patrons in the dining room to the left and he caught the tantalizing whiff of prime rib and roasted potatoes.

He instantly revised his opinion of B&B’s and dubbed The Dove’s Nest to his liking.

“Good afternoon,” a petite older blonde greeted them as they neared the reception desk. “I’m Norah Gray. My husband Harry and I own The Dove’s Nest.” She jerked a finger toward the back of the house. “He’s tooling around in the barn at the moment, but I’m sure he’ll want to meet you two as soon as he comes back in.” She smiled. “Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes,” he and Hummer Girl said in unison.

Norah moved to the computer. “And whose name would it be under?”

Beside him, Hummer Girl blushed. “We’re not together,” she blurted out.

Norah blinked, then laughed softly at her gaffe. “I’m sorry. You came in together. I just assumed... Well,” she said briskly. “Who would like to go first, then?”

“Ladies first,” Payne said quickly and gave his reluctant companion a gentle nudge forward.

She turned and glared at him. And he knew why. She’d had her ID at the ready when they’d been standing in front of the car rental counter, but she hadn’t had time to pull that trick here. No, now she was going to have to give up a little information--which he would have soon enough anyway, but... This way was better, Payne decided. Let her stew and steam and worry. Let her be bloody uncomfortable for a while. Like he’d been in that damned car.

“Okay, then,” Norah said, turning her expectant gaze upon Hummer Girl.

“Emma Langsford,” she said, evidently trying to ignore him out of existence.

Emma, Payne thought. It was an old-fashioned name, but it still seemed to fit.

“Ah,” Norah said, smiling. “Here you are. I see you used our online reservation system and chose the Robert E. Lee room.”

Payne felt a smile slide across his lips. He’d known her presence had something to do with Garrett, so while her room choice hadn’t confirmed the connection in his mind...he did find it particularly interesting.

“Aw,” he sighed, feigning disappointment. “I’d wanted that room.”

Norah brightened. “How about I put you in the one next door? It’s very similar.”

“I didn’t think you’d looked at the Web site,” Emma said through a brittle smile.

“Oh, I haven’t.”

“Then how could you want what you haven’t seen?”

“I’m a big fan of Robert E. Lee,” he said, pulling a light shrug. “Naturally, I’d want the room which bore his namesake.”

She looked as though she’d like nothing better than to argue with him, but of course if she did that then she’d be tipping her hand. He didn’t know precisely what sort of hand she held at the moment, but he enjoyed watching her guard the hell out of it all the same.

“Oh, I see you’re from Mississippi,” Norah enthused. “I’ve got family down in the Delta. Where is Marble Springs exactly?” she asked conversationally. Garrett’s comment about B&B owners being a better source of information was proving to be quite true at the moment.

A name and a hometown, Payne thought, secretly enjoying Emma’s increasing discomfort. Come on, Norah, he thought. If you’d just cough up an address I could save Guy a lot of time.

Emma’s elfin face had turned a distinctly lovely shade of pink. “It’s near Jackson,” she said.

“Oh,” Norah said. “Well, I’m sure it’s a beautiful town. With a name like Marble Springs, it’d have to be, wouldn’t it?” She handed Emma her key, along with a packet of information and free tickets to several of the local area attractions. “Let me know if you need anything at all, dear. We pride ourselves on our helpful service here at The Dove’s Nest.”

As well they should, Payne thought. She’d been pretty damned helpful to him already and he hadn’t even gotten into his room yet.

She turned to Payne. “Now, let’s see about getting you checked in as well. Your name please?”

“Brian Payne.”

Norah frowned. “Payne, Payne,” she repeated thoughtfully, as though trying to remember something. “Oh! You had a call a few minutes ago.”

From the corner of his eye he watched Emma scurry toward the staircase.

“A call?”

“Yes,” Norah told him. “She didn’t leave her name, just said she’d call back.”

She? There wasn’t a “she” who knew his whereabouts, Payne thought as he watched Emma Langsford’s feet disappear up the stairs. He wasn’t entangled with any female who’d need possession of that information.

Furthermore, Ranger Security didn’t have any women on payroll--even their secretary was a man, a multi-tasking, sticky-noting, filing guru of unknown sexual orientation. Not that it mattered--so long as Jaun-Carlos did the job and didn’t hit on him, Payne didn’t care whose team he batted for.

The only person who might have called him--and this was a huge stretch--was Jamie’s wife, Audrey, but that seemed unlikely as well because she had his cell number. Anyone who needed to get in immediate touch with him knew to hit him on the cell. He kept it on and with him at all times, even at home in his loft.

“Would you like the room next to Ms. Langsford, then?” Norah asked, interrupting his thoughts. “Like I said, it’s very similar to the Robert E. Lee room.”

Payne’s gaze darted to the ceiling where he could imagine he saw Emma hurrying down the hall and he sighed and shook his head at his own thickness.

Sonofabitch.

It had been her.

She’d called here.

That’s why she hadn’t been surprised that he’d continued to follow her. Just as he’d suspected, she had known who he was all along. By placing that call, she’d merely confirmed her own suspicions about where he was staying while in Gettysburg and her hasty retreat the instant Norah mentioned the missed call only heightened her guilty behavior.

Payne didn’t know which he was more--irritated or impressed.

Or turned on.

Odd that he should find her duplicitous crafty behavior so damned sexually provoking, but he couldn’t deny the blood hurtling toward his balls or the insane urge he had to take the stairs two at a time, bang on her door until she opened it--and then bang her.

Until she forgot everyone’s name but his. And she agreed to trade rental cars with him.

“Mr. Payne?” Norah questioned, her brow wrinkled in a line of concern.

“Oh, sorry,” he said. “I was lost in my own thoughts.” Lurid ones, he didn’t add. “The room next to Ms. Langford’s will do nicely, thank you.”

Norah efficiently checked him into his room, provided him with a key and coupons--the same as she had Emma--then wished him a pleasant stay. “Please let us know if there’s anything at all that you need,” she said. “There are books, movies, magazines and a couple of cable internet connections for our guests’ use in the library.”

“Excellent, thank you,” Payne told her. So the house might be circa 1808, but thankfully it supported new millennium technology. He shot her a smile, then made his way up the wide staircase.

She’d put him in the Potomac Suite and, as promised, the Robert E. Lee room was just next door. She was in there now, Payne thought as he inserted his key into the lock. She was in there now, plotting and planning and trying to coordinate her next move. Clearly she had an agenda and the sooner he found out what that agenda was, the better off he’d be.

Payne’s first thought was to place a call to Garrett and demand further details regarding this so-called mission, but rather than do that, he decided to check in with Guy first. Granted going to Garrett held considerable appeal, but going to Garrett armed with every bit of information he could get his hands on first appealed even more.

He made a cursory inspection of the room--made sure the linens were fresh, the bathroom clean and the bed to his liking--then sat down in a comfortable chair next to the window and dialed Guy once more.

“Emma Langsford,” Payne told him without preamble.

“I know,” Guy told him. “I’ve been on the phone with her mother.”

Payne sat forward. “Her mother?”

“Lucky for you she’s chatty,” Guy told him. “I called, pretending that I was an old friend from her military days and she--“

“Military days?”

“She did eight years, but didn’t re-up. She was needed at home. Her grandfather was dying.”

Granted he didn’t know her, but he could definitely see where that would fit into her character. “Go on.”

“You’re not going to like this,” he warned.

“I wasn’t expecting to.”

“According to her mother, she’s on a ‘mission’ for Colonel Hastings.”

“She told you that?”

“No, she told me that she was taking care of some business for her old boss. I did some quick digging and filled in Hastings’ name.”

“So what business is she doing?” He had a grim suspicion, of course, but wanted confirmation.

“The same business you are. Evidently Garrett and Hastings are both after the watch and are in the habit of placing bets. Garrett has pitted you against Hastings’ girl. Without telling you about it.”

That manipulative old bastard, Payne thought, as a red haze suddenly swam before his gaze. He’d bartered his freedom--was giving up his time--for a damned bet between friends? He knew why he was doing it--he was repaying a debt. But what was her angle?

After a moment he asked as much. “What’s her motive? Do you know?”

Guy hesitated. “I don’t know, but I have a suspicion.”

“And?”

“The oldest motivator--money.”

“Hastings is paying her?” Payne asked. Geez, God did everything have to come back to cash? “Did her mother tell you that?”

“No, but I got the impression that things were pretty tight. Emma’s put off going to college, but her mother was quick to tell me that vet school was in order as soon as she got back. She was quite proud, went on and on about what a fabulous girl she was.”

So she was selling her, Payne thought. Which meant there was no significant other lurking in Emma Langston’s past, otherwise her mother wouldn’t have gone to the trouble. His spirits lifted marginally.

“Surely to God he’s not paying her enough to put her through vet school,” Payne said, unwilling to believe that the damned watch could be worth that kind of money.

“Hastings has definitely got it, but no I don’t think he’s giving her that much either. It’s probably enough to get her started, though, which would be a powerful motivator.”

Yeah. Enough to water her dream.

Shit.

“There’s more,” Guy said.

Another blistering curse singed the telephone line between then. “What?”

“If the rumors surrounding her character are true, then the reason Hastings chose her is because she’s a tad on the ruthless side.”

Payne didn’t know if he’d peg her as ruthless--for whatever reason that didn’t seem to fit--but from what he’d seen so far she was definitely crafty. Between the Hummer incident and her phone call to The Dove’s Nest she’d shown that she was quick and sharp-minded, at the very least.

“What are you going to do?” Guy asked.

Payne pushed a hand through his short hair. “I don’t know.”

“If I were you I’d call Garrett and tell him to kiss my ass, then I’d get on the first flight back to Atlanta.”

“I can’t do that,” Payne said. “I gave my word.”

“And he’s abused it,” Guy shot right back. “Honor is one thing, Payne. Being used is another.”

When it came right down to it, an order was still an order and his word was still his word. But there was no point in trying to explain the difference to Guy. Even in the military he’d lived by his own terms. He’d just been good enough that the powers that be never cared.

“I’ll call you when I figure out my game plan,” Payne said. “Thanks for checking into this for me.”

“Watch your back, man,” Guy said. “Sounds like this chick is capable of putting a knife in it. Call me if you need anything else.”

Payne disconnected, scanned the room for a liquor cabinet and sighed when he realized that there wasn’t one. What he needed right now was a stiff shot of whiskey and a new game plan, because Garrett’s bet-of-omission had certainly thrown a monkey wrench into his plans.

After all, he’d planned to come to Gettysburg, swiftly locate the pocket watch--if it even existed, which still remained to be seen--turn the damned thing over to Garrett and go home.

End of favor.

Honor in tact.

Debt paid.

Now... Now securing the pocket watch for Garrett’s scheming benefit meant that he’d be robbing Emma Langsford--ruthless or not--of her brand new beginning and her start-up money for vet school. Either way he went he was going to wind up the villain.

Whether it was Garrett’s or Emma’s remained to be seen.

 

*   *   *

 

Despite the dark cloud she could hear moving into the room next door, Emma still loved her room and didn’t regret the B&B choice. Her room had been outfitted with a general in mind and as such had all the amenities. A huge four-poster bed hung with lacy curtains was centered on one wall, the matching antique pieces situated to perfection.

She had a lovely sitting area, complete with a tea service in front of a window which overlooked the grounds. No doubt it was nicer in the spring when a blanket of green grass and flowers bloomed over the meadow, but something about the stark beauty of the landscape below was equally appealing to her. She had a good view of the barn, of a man she imagined was Harry and a pair of beautiful horses--one a strawberry roan and the other a dappled gray--munched lazily on a bale of hay.

She’d inspected the bathroom, delighted over the big claw-foot tub--it was very similar to the one at home--and couldn’t wait to fill it up with hot water and the scented bubble bath which had been left on the counter. A small plate of oatmeal-raisin cookies and a cool glass of lemonade had arrived at her door within minutes of her checking into her room and Emma currently sat curled up in a comfortable chair by the window, momentarily enjoying the view, the tasty cookies and a chance to simply unwind without being between Brian Payne’s cross-hairs.

He was next door, so she knew the sensation would be short-lived. Furthermore, after the way he’d nudged her forward and insisted that she check in first, she’d had no other choice but to give Norah her name...which meant that he had it now as well and therefore it was only a matter of time before he put that considerable brain-power toward finding out who she was and what she was doing here.

Lying wouldn’t be an option, not that she’d ever been all that good at it anyway. She had a hard enough time remembering the truth, much less the ability to keep track of lies. Not to mention, it just simply made her uncomfortable. She liked knowing the truth and couldn’t very well insist on it if she were going to be any less honest, right?

Emma chased a bite of cookie with a sip of lemonade and resigned herself to the coming week of sheer hell. Once Payne found out who she was and what she was after, he’d step up his game and she’d be forced to out-pace him or lose, which was out of the question. She needed this too badly to let him take it from her. She had no idea what he’d done with himself when he’d left the military--he and his friends had left after the death of one of their own--but from what little she’d heard, he wasn’t hurting for money.

Technically that was none of her business and shouldn’t be a factor, but whatever he had riding on this couldn’t mean as much as what she did. He’d been a pawn in a bet and, while she’d never dealt with Colonel Garrett, she didn’t think he was backing Payne with the promise of cash the way that Hastings was backing her. She didn’t have any idea what Payne was getting out of this, but when they cleared the air between them she had every intention of finding out. It shouldn’t matter--she had to look out for her own interests, after all--and yet it did.

At any rate, she’d already gone over the initial information Hastings had given her on the watch and planned to get started ASAP. She needed to put a call into her mother, then mosey downstairs and start pumping Norah for information. Although she longed for a nap, she couldn’t afford the luxury, not with Major Payne next door. The name drew a smile. No doubt he’d taken considerable ribbing in the military for a name like that.

Letting go a sigh, Emma reluctantly got up from her chair and snagged her cell phone from her purse. She hit one on speed dial and waited for her mother to answer.

“Lena’s,” came the familiar reply.

“Hi, Mom. Just wanted to let you know that I’d made it to the B&B. I left the number on the desk, but you’ll have better luck catching me on my cell if you need to.”

“Oh, honey, I was just about to call you,” he mother said, sounding particularly excited.

“What’s going on?”

“You had a call. From a guy,” she added significantly.

And it would be significant because she hadn’t had a guy call her in months. For whatever reason, her belly twisted and ballooned with dread.

“Did he leave a name?”

“As a matter of fact, he did--Guy McCann. He said he was an old acquaintance from your military days and he was trying to get up with you. I hope you don’t mind, dear, but he sounded like such a nice boy, so I gave him your cell phone number,” she said brightly. “Did he call?”

Guy McCann. One of Payne’s equally notorious pals. Things had progressed a lot faster than what she’d anticipated. Hell, he’d only had her name for ten minutes. Surely to God-- “When did he call?” she asked as another suspicion took hold.

“An hour or so ago. You sound funny. Is something wrong?”

“No,” Emma lied, unconvincingly as usual. How on earth had he gotten her name? She knew that the car rental clerk had never uttered it aloud and she’d been careful to keep her rental agreement out of Payne’s line of sight. Her gaze swung to her bag--she hadn’t tagged it. How the hell--

“Emma? What’s--“

Oh, sweet Lord. If her mother had been charmed enough to give out her cell phone number, God only knows what else she’d told McCann. Another bubble of dread burst in her ever-sickening belly. “Mom, what else did you tell him? You didn’t tell him why I’m in Gettysburg, did you?”

A telling, horrible pause, then, “Not in so many words. Why?”

Emma sank back into her chair and massaged the bridge of her nose. “What exactly did you tell him?”

“Just that you were working on something for your old boss,” her mother said. “Have I done something wrong?”

“No, Mom,” Emma told her. She’d just been her breezy, cheerful self, which was all smooth-talking Guy McCann had needed her to be.

“Who is he?” her mother asked, belatedly catching on to the fact that he wasn’t a potential boyfriend after all.

She brought her mother up to speed. “If anyone else calls, play dumb, Mom.” Not that it would matter now. The cat was out of the bag. He knew her name, he knew that she was working on something for her old boss. Then there’d been the Robert E. Lee room tip-off. Ugh. She was dead in the water. If Payne didn’t know exactly what she was up to yet, he would in a matter of minutes.

“I’m sorry, Emma,” her mother said, sounding genuinely sorry. “I just thought--“

“No worries, Mom. It’s all right. It was inevitable, anyway.”

“That was so sneaky,” her mother said, offended at last. “I’ve got a good mind to call him back and give him a piece of my mind. Of all the low-down, rotten--“

Emma chuckled, debating the merit of Caller ID. “Mom, forget about it,” she insisted. “It’s fine.”

After multiple assurances, Lena finally calmed down. “If you’re sure, dear,” she said, somewhat mollified.

“I’m sure. I’ve got to run. I’ll check in with you later, okay?”

“Be careful.”

“I will,” she promised. She almost told her that she wasn’t in any danger, but in another minute that might not be true because she was about to go next door and level the playing field with Brian Payne.

The whole time she’d been trying to calm her mother down, Emma had begun to seethe. He’d had his damned friend call her mother, for pity’s sake. What kind of sportsmanship was that? Was it her fault that Garrett hadn’t leveled with him? What? Was she supposed to owe him some sort of courtesy?

Horse shit.

She didn’t owe him a damned thing and nobody--nobody-- even a badass former Ranger was allowed to mess with her mother.

Emma tossed her cell phone on the bed, then marched out into the hall and abruptly rapped on his door. Irritation straightened her spine and vibrated every muscle in her body. He might have earned the name Major Payne...but she was about to teach him the meaning of the moniker.