window—if one could squeeze through the narrow opening. Right above the ledge was another, wider window. "Where does that window over the ledge lead to?" he called down to Todd.
The chef had to think a minute. "That's a closed wing of the house. I doubt anyone could make such a jump safely. The ledge isn't stable."
Tyber wasn't so sure about that but shrewdly responded, "You're probably right."
"I was planning on making repairs to that section next spring. That is, if my business increased." Todd sighed. "I guess I won't have to worry about that if these weird things keep happening. Who in their right mind would want to stay here with all this going on? I can't even serve a decent squash casserole."
Upstairs, Tyber shuddered. Squash casserole! He hoped Blooey wasn't within hearing distance. His cook had an unnatural affinity for butternut squash that threatened his sanity.
"Don't worry, Todd, we'll get to the bottom of it," Mark consoled his friend.
Inside the small alcove, Tyber knelt down in front of the bookshelves and ran his hand along the entire back edge. He had noticed that the wood wainscoting was slightly uneven where the platform bisected the bookcase.
There it is. A. hidden catch to a secret cubby or passage. The entire top of the bookcase must swing forward!
He could hear the guests talking below. At least one of them was in on this, he was positive. He opened the hatch slightly and peered inside. It was dark, but he could definitely see a passageway.
He decided to wait to investigate during the day when the library was empty. Carefully he latched the door, making sure no one saw him.
Zanita looked up at him as he made his way down. "Find anything?"
Everyone waited for his answer with fervent anticipation.
He shrugged. "Nothing. I must have been wrong."
Zanita looked at him knowingly. For one thing, the Doc would never admit so easily to being wrong.
For another, he was never wrong.
It was one of those genius drawback things that she had to live with. Her rogue of a husband had found something. "We'll talk later," she whispered to him so no one else could hear.
"Damn," he murmured softly. Zanita raised her eyebrow.
Tyber's forehead furrowed. The woman was really on to him! This is not good. He was going to have to come up with a much better plan of attack if he hoped to win their challenge. And win it he would.
His eyes narrowed, and the slightest of smiles graced his outlaw lips.
It was time to weigh anchor.
Chapter Six
An arm came around her waist and pulled her under the bed.
Zanita started to scream, let out one abortive bleat, then hesitated. Was she dreaming? She blinked. No, this wasn't a dream.
Her hand balled into a fist and punched the wall of muscle leaning over her. A slight "oomph" was the only response from her sneaky husband.
"I-am-going-to-kill-you." She uttered her words with all the vehemence she could muster.
"Did I surprise you?" he whispered in her ear, letting his lips graze the sensitive folds.
As soon as they had returned to their room, she had pulled all the shades down, blocking out the dawn light. Then she had swept off her clothes and flopped onto the mattress. She had been lying in the high tester bed, drifting off to sleep, while Tyber washed up in the bathroom.
"You scared the bejesus out of me! What is the matter with you? I can't believe you did this!" She pushed ineffectually at the solid naked chest. It was too dark under the bed to see anything but his outline.
"Good." His butter-soft lips skimmed over her in a raider's kiss.
She gasped as his intent became clear. "You— you can't be serious, Tyber!"
A playful tongue caressed the corners of her mouth. "Mmm-hmm."
"Under a bed?" She sucked in her breath as she felt the palm of his hand slide over her breast. The peak hardened instantly. And so did her captain.
"Yes, under a bed…" He kissed her deeply, letting his tongue insinuate itself between her shocked, parted lips. Zanita made one of
The chef had to think a minute. "That's a closed wing of the house. I doubt anyone could make such a jump safely. The ledge isn't stable."
Tyber wasn't so sure about that but shrewdly responded, "You're probably right."
"I was planning on making repairs to that section next spring. That is, if my business increased." Todd sighed. "I guess I won't have to worry about that if these weird things keep happening. Who in their right mind would want to stay here with all this going on? I can't even serve a decent squash casserole."
Upstairs, Tyber shuddered. Squash casserole! He hoped Blooey wasn't within hearing distance. His cook had an unnatural affinity for butternut squash that threatened his sanity.
"Don't worry, Todd, we'll get to the bottom of it," Mark consoled his friend.
Inside the small alcove, Tyber knelt down in front of the bookshelves and ran his hand along the entire back edge. He had noticed that the wood wainscoting was slightly uneven where the platform bisected the bookcase.
There it is. A. hidden catch to a secret cubby or passage. The entire top of the bookcase must swing forward!
He could hear the guests talking below. At least one of them was in on this, he was positive. He opened the hatch slightly and peered inside. It was dark, but he could definitely see a passageway.
He decided to wait to investigate during the day when the library was empty. Carefully he latched the door, making sure no one saw him.
Zanita looked up at him as he made his way down. "Find anything?"
Everyone waited for his answer with fervent anticipation.
He shrugged. "Nothing. I must have been wrong."
Zanita looked at him knowingly. For one thing, the Doc would never admit so easily to being wrong.
For another, he was never wrong.
It was one of those genius drawback things that she had to live with. Her rogue of a husband had found something. "We'll talk later," she whispered to him so no one else could hear.
"Damn," he murmured softly. Zanita raised her eyebrow.
Tyber's forehead furrowed. The woman was really on to him! This is not good. He was going to have to come up with a much better plan of attack if he hoped to win their challenge. And win it he would.
His eyes narrowed, and the slightest of smiles graced his outlaw lips.
It was time to weigh anchor.
Chapter Six
An arm came around her waist and pulled her under the bed.
Zanita started to scream, let out one abortive bleat, then hesitated. Was she dreaming? She blinked. No, this wasn't a dream.
Her hand balled into a fist and punched the wall of muscle leaning over her. A slight "oomph" was the only response from her sneaky husband.
"I-am-going-to-kill-you." She uttered her words with all the vehemence she could muster.
"Did I surprise you?" he whispered in her ear, letting his lips graze the sensitive folds.
As soon as they had returned to their room, she had pulled all the shades down, blocking out the dawn light. Then she had swept off her clothes and flopped onto the mattress. She had been lying in the high tester bed, drifting off to sleep, while Tyber washed up in the bathroom.
"You scared the bejesus out of me! What is the matter with you? I can't believe you did this!" She pushed ineffectually at the solid naked chest. It was too dark under the bed to see anything but his outline.
"Good." His butter-soft lips skimmed over her in a raider's kiss.
She gasped as his intent became clear. "You— you can't be serious, Tyber!"
A playful tongue caressed the corners of her mouth. "Mmm-hmm."
"Under a bed?" She sucked in her breath as she felt the palm of his hand slide over her breast. The peak hardened instantly. And so did her captain.
"Yes, under a bed…" He kissed her deeply, letting his tongue insinuate itself between her shocked, parted lips. Zanita made one of
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