Betrayal of Innocence (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 1)

“Do you always talk to yourself when you cook?” Justin asked quietly from the doorway.

Vanessa screamed and whirled around. Her heart thundered heavily, and her fingers shook as they clutched the paring knife she had been using.

Justin stepped forward and eased it out of her hand when she didn’t immediately lower it.

“I didn’t mean to startle you,” he murmured, not releasing her hand as he threw the knife onto the table.

Vanessa’s gaze dropped to their clasped hands. She knew she should tug hers away but couldn’t move. Her gaze fell to his lips. Deep inside, a tell-tale flurry of warmth began to engulf her.

Before Justin could speak, the door opened behind him and he was forced to step away.

Oliver, Niall and Aaron entered the room.

Vanessa, a little shaken still by what had just happened, greeted them all with as much aplomb as she could muster, and offered them a seat only for them to refuse. It was clear from the way they all stood awkwardly at various points around the room that they had something to tell her, and she wasn’t going to like it. Justin gave her no clues. His face was polite yet impassive as he looked at his colleagues, and carefully avoided her gaze. She wanted to ask him what was wrong but didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his colleagues by being intimate enough to call him by his first name.

“What is it?” she asked the man closest to her: Niall.

“Are you still prepared to help us capture the kidnapper?” he asked.

Vanessa nodded.

“How did the dri

ving go with your father?” Aaron asked when she didn’t speak.

“Well. I have gotten the hang of what I need to do,” she replied. “Why? What is going on?”

“If you have no other plans, would you be prepared to go on a journey about five on the hour?” Aaron asked.

Vanessa’s heart flipped. Her gaze flew to Justin’s.

“Today?” she whispered, suddenly feeling nervous and sick at the same time.

“There is no time like the present. There is nothing to say that the kidnapper is even in the area today. If we try at the same time every day, then we can establish a routine he may see. It might be enough of a lure. Of course, Justin is going to be there if anything happens,” Niall informed her.

“You will?” she whispered, trying hard not to stare at him.

Maybe he regrets what we shared, she mused regretfully. Maybe he wants to keep his distance because he cannot offer you anything more.

Aware that she couldn’t and wouldn’t have a dalliance with him, Vanessa decided to follow his lead and keep her distance.

“All we need you to do is drive the carriage into town and back again. Can you do that?” Aaron asked.

“Well, I could, but father has just taken the horse back to Mr Able. She must be tired after today,” Vanessa explained.

“We have already sorted a horse out for you to use,” Aaron informed her. “If you are happy to use your carriage we are all set to go. Justin here is going to climb into the back before you leave, and you can then be on your way.”

Vanessa’s eyes widened. “Now?”

Justin nodded. “You do realise the time is now four thirty, don’t you?”

Vanessa shook her head.

“By the time we are ready it should be five. So, if you want to get your cloak, Aaron is going to get the carriage ready, and Justin will hide himself in the back. We are going to leave and get into position and will be with you all the way.”

Vanessa stared at them for a moment but then forced herself to nod. While she had readily agreed to their suggestion, now that the time had come to actually go through with it she wasn’t at all sure she could. It was only the mental image of Geraldine that forced her to rise out of her chair and go to fetch her cloak. While her sister remained missing, Vanessa couldn’t truly settle her mind to anything. So, in her quest for answers she had to be true to her word and do whatever it took to help them catch the kidnapper.

“No time like the present, I suppose,” she murmured.