Moonlight Masquerade Read online

  “And he couldn’t lie,” Mike said, with barely concealed merriment. “I haven’t seen the preacher, but Roan saw it all, and he’s over there. He’s the Viking. Sara had to order the horns for his helmet from Texas. I’m sure Roan would love to tell you about the man who almost committed a hit-and-run. And, Sophie, if you find the man and want to press charges, let me know. I can arrange it for you. Reede, you don’t look so good. Maybe you better lay off the booze tonight. Ames is calling me, I gotta go.”

  Sophie smiled at Mike’s back as he walked away. “He’s a nice man.”

  “He has a mean streak in him wider than the Shenandoahs,” Reede said as he took her hand to lead her to the dance floor.

  “Why would you say that?” Sophie asked. “He seems—”

  “Let’s go talk to that man in the Hobbit costume.”

  “I’d rather talk to Rowan.”

  “Roan,” Reede said as he led her to the other side of the room. “Roan is a bore and he’ll make a pass at you.”

  Sophie didn’t like the proprietary way Reede was treating her and she jerked her hand from his. “And that’s okay because I’m not in a committed relationship,” she said.

  Reede halted. “If you think that, then you don’t understand small towns. My mother has already booked the church for you and me.”

  His answer was so absurd that she couldn’t help but blink at him. “Do I get to choose my dress?”

  Reede’s face was serious. “Yes. And your china pattern, but that’s it. Edilean does the rest.”

  “And who chooses the mask you’ll wear?”

  At that Reede laughed. “Who would want to see me when I’m beside such beauty as yours?”

  She couldn’t top that. “Okay, so no Roan the Viking to be competition. Lead me to the Hobbit. But I warn you that if there are any more gladiators here I’m getting back on the horse.”

  “Any more Vikings or gladiators and I’m going to throw you across the horse and ride away. Damned relatives!”

  Behind him, Sophie was smiling.

  Another hour went by and she was tired and wanted to leave the party. Half the guests had gone home, few of them aware of what had been going on. Since it was after ten and there’d been no explosion, the thief knew his plan wasn’t going to work.

  “He must be gone by now,” Sophie said to Reede. They were standing to one side, watching the few couples who were left.

  “Mike says they’ve been questioning the two guys they caught and they don’t know where this guy Pete works in Edilean—or even what his real name is. To catch him, they’re going to have to have a lineup that includes every man in town, and even then they probably won’t identify him. They’re saying . . . ” He trailed off.

  “Saying what?”

  “That they know nothing about a planted bomb and that whoever heard them talking is a liar. Sorry.”

  Sophie didn’t want to look at Reede. Once it was found out that she’d stolen the Treeborne cookbook, her credibility would be gone. No identification she made would stand up in court. “I think I’ll go to the restroom,” she said and made her way to the back.

  When she got inside, she had to resist the urge to start crying. Since she’d arrived in Edilean it had almost been magic. The outside world was full of men like Carter and the man who’d nearly run over her. But as soon as she’d crossed the town line, it had all changed. She’d entered the enchanted town of Brigadoon, a.k.a. Edilean, where everyone was nice and so honest and open. There’d been the welcome from Dr. Reede’s three employees. The kindness of the other women—they’d almost begged to go to the grocery for Sophie and to run out to buy pillows—had been so welcoming to her, a Newcomer.

  And as for Reede, she didn’t know where to begin. He was the sweetest, kindest, most . . . well, heroic man she’d ever met. She’d never believed that there were men like him in the world. No deviousness, no lies, no ulterior motives, just honor and . . . and kisses.

  What made Sophie nearly cry was that she didn’t have that same honor. She was a liar and a thief. She’d stolen a book that was the backbone, no, the entire skeletal system, of a major company. Nearly everyone in her hometown worked for Treeborne Foods. Would what Sophie had done put them out of work?

  She put her hands on the counter by the sink and her head down as she fought back tears. When the door opened she quickly stood upright and grabbed a paper towel. The woman she’d seen before, dressed as Martha Washington, came in, barely glanced at Sophie, then went into a stall and closed the door.

  Sophie opened the little bag hanging from her wrist and started to repair her makeup. As she put on lipstick, she looked in the mirror toward the stall the woman had just taken. Had she heard Sophie’s sniffling? To her surprise, she saw that the woman’s buckled shoes were on backward. It took her a moment to understand. She was standing up in the stall.

  Sophie did her best to remain calm. Slowly, she put her lipstick back and waited, but the woman—the man—didn’t leave the stall. Sophie left the restroom, then stood outside the door, rummaging inside her bag, as though looking for something. After a few minutes the person came out and again looked at Sophie, but this time his eyes showed his appreciation of her cleavage. Under the heavy makeup, she could see what looked to be the beginning of dark whiskers.

  She followed him down the short hall, and when they entered the ballroom, Sophie looked around for a familiar face. Mike wasn’t far away. She caught his eye and pointed at the back of Martha Washington.

  After that, everything happened at once. Reede appeared out of nowhere, his strong arm going around her waist and leading her out of the building. Her job was done and he wanted her out of there.

  Eleven

  Reede refilled Sophie’s champagne glass. “You should feel good,” he said. “If it had been up to me I would have left before Osmond showed up.”

  They were in Kim’s house and Reede’s phone hadn’t stopped buzzing as Mike kept him informed of what was going on.

  “He was an actuary?” Sophie asked as she sipped her second glass.

  “Yes, which meant he knew a lot about the finances of people in town. My parents used him for their retirement plan.”

  She was looking across the kitchen island at Reede. He was still wearing that damned mask and she’d had enough of it. “Off!” she said.

  “What?”

  “The mask. It’s time for the great reveal.” When he started to speak, she put up her hand. “No excuses. I don’t care if you’re covered in scars or if you’re the ugliest man alive. I want to see you.”

  Reede put down his champagne flute, then slowly, oh so very, very slowly put his hands to the back of his head to untie the mask. He fumbled with it.

  “You want some help?”

  “Sure,” he said and there was such despair in his voice that Sophie’s heart went out to him. Was his face that disfigured?

  She walked around the counter to him. He was sitting on a stool, so his face was level with hers, and she worked at the knot of the strings. “Who tied it like this?”

  “Me,” Reede said and his voice sounded like a man standing before a firing squad. “I was afraid it would come off so I double knotted it.”

  “Triple, quadruple,” she murmured. “I think I saw some scissors in a drawer and—”

  Reede took her hands in his. “Sophie, I think I should tell you that—”

  He broke off because suddenly all the lights went out and they were standing in darkness.

  Neither of them moved and Reede kept hold of Sophie’s hand.

  “Do you know where the breakers are?” Sophie asked.

  “In Kim’s workroom. You stay here and I’ll check.” As Reede made his way across the living room, his phone buzzed and he took it out of his pocket. It was from Colin Frazier, the sheriff. YOU OWE ALL OF US the text message read and it took Reede a full minute to understand.

  “Is everything all right?” Sophie asked.

  “I’m not sure but I think th