Spoilt by Joanne Ellis Page A

help me,” replied Chelsea, referring to the part-time
student who worked for her.
    “ Oops, did we steal her job today?”
    “ No, she had exams today which, by the way, shouldn’t you be
doing?”
    “ No, I only had two and they’re done.”
    “ Good. I wouldn’t be happy if I took you away from your
studies.”
    “ Well you haven’t,” she stated standing up. “Can we go now? I
have a craving for a glass of cold wine.”
    Once the day’s takings were counted and all the flowers put
safely in the fridges, they headed home. As they walked in the
front door, the phone rang again. Chelsea looked at Sarah and
Charlotte.
    “ Should I answer it?”
    “ Yes and then I think you should write down every phone call,”
Sarah told her.
    “ Yes,” she answered the phone.
    “ Not long now.” The phone went dead.
    “ What did he say?” Sarah asked.
    “ Not long now.”
    “ Write all the calls down now, so you don’t
forget.”
    “ Ok, I am really worried now. The calls only happen when I’m
home,” she said, frowning. “See there are no messages on my
machine. It’s like he knows when I’m here.”
    “ So do you think you should call the police now?”
    “ Yes I do, but after dinner, okay?” Sarah nodded.
    Over dinner and a glass of wine, Charlotte began to grill
Chelsea again.
    “ Please tell me, what is going on with Lucas. I’m dying of
curiosity.”
    “ I already told you, I don’t know.”
    “ Have you kissed him?”
    “ He kissed me, twice.”
    “ I want details.”
    “ Are you going to stop pestering me if I do?” she asked,
rolling her eyes.
    “ Maybe.”
    “ The first time I met him, I thought he was rude ... and
cute.” Chelsea smiled. “I went to the station to report Elle
missing and he acted like he couldn’t get me out the door fast
enough. Then I saw him again the next day – yesterday – when they
came to tell me about Elle.” She stopped as her voice broke a
little. It was going to take awhile to say her friend’s name
without heartache.
    “ What happened then?” Charlotte prompted.
    “ He was rude to me again.”
    “ Then how did you end up kissing him?”
    “ How did he end up kissing me, you mean?”
    “ Stop using nitpicking as a stalling tactic and
spill.”
    “ He came back later to ask me some more questions and to
apologise. Then he kissed me, apologised again and ran
away.”
    “ Keep going.”
    “ Then he came back last night to apologise again. Seems he
does a lot of that, now that I think about it.” She paused. “Oh and
he wanted to show me some photos. He stayed for dinner and we
kissed goodnight, that’s it.”
    “ You’re in love with him,” Charlotte declared.
    “ What? No I’m not. Besides I hardly know him. I only met him
Wednesday.” Now that Charlotte had mentioned it, she wondered if
perhaps she was at least falling in that direction. Was it possible
to love someone on sight? She was definitely infatuated by his
amber eyes and crooked grin.
    “ Shouldn’t you be calling him about your calls?” Sarah said
reminding her.
    “ Ok I’ll do it now” she said getting up to get his business
card and the phone.

Chapter 13

    Adrian Matthews
    Friday

    Lucas arrived at the station feeling groggy. First his
nightmares plagued his already troubled sleep, now, it seemed,
Chelsea was going to occupy his mind during slumber in their place.
Instead of seeing his parents’ faces on the lifeless forms, he
dreamt about her. He could protect her and do his job or allow his
attraction for her to win the war raging inside his mind. She was
also part of an ongoing investigation, another
complication.
    After pouring a cup of coffee, he found Maggie at her
desk.
    “ You look like shit,” she told him.
    “ So would you, if you slept as little as I have,” he
snapped.
    “ Testy.” She stared at him for a moment before continuing.
“Anyway, I went back to the café yesterday evening and Matthews
wasn’t there. The two waitresses working there